Spicy and Salty Peanut Brittle | Secret Recipe Club

I know I say this all the time …… time just flies way too fast.  The weekends go by way too fast and then the work week, depending on my schedule seems to whisk on by.  I just said to my hubby the other day, we are going to be pulling out the Christmas decorations before you know it.  At the end of the day, I have learned to savor each and everyday and appreciate each day for what it is.  I have learned that life is a gift and you need to make the most of it.

It is time again for Secret Recipe Club where you are assigned another blog from the group and need to search to find that perfect recipe to make.  Then comes the big reveal day and you get to see who had your blog and what they chose.  Quite frankly, that is my favorite part.  Sometimes it is a recipe that I have long forgotten about and it simply puts a smile on my face.

This month I have the pleasure of being assigned Steak and Potatoes Kind a Gurl. Desiree is a girl who was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and is currently earning her Masters degree in community counseling from Xavier University.  You go girl!  She is engaged to her fiancée PJ and were high school sweethearts – that is just darling. They are home owners who love to cook and love to eat out at restaurants. She includes many tasty recipes along with restaurant reviews on her site.  She has a long list of “likes” and “dislikes” on her about page.  I have to say I too like – reality TV, books, cookbooks, blogging and bacon.  I can identify with several of her dislikes but I actually like my dentist, cleaning, being on time and don’t mind public speaking. As for the others, I agree 100%.

After clicking through her blog for a while I found myself craving something sweet and kept coming back to a simple candy – peanut brittle.  I thought I would kick it up by adding cayenne pepper, grey salt and vanilla to the mixture.  Oh and I added a touch of salt on top of the brittle before it completely cooled.  It was a sweet and salty delight.  Thank you Desiree!

Spicy and Salty Peanut Brittle

1 Cup Light Corn Starch

1 Cup Sugar

2 Cups Peanuts

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 large pinch Cayanne Pepper

1 teaspoon Grey Salt

Regular Salt for sprinkling

In a medium pan, add the corn starch and sugar and cook over medium high heat.  Stir to combine. Add vanilla, grey salt and cayanne pepper and stir.  Stir in the peanuts and increase to high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Once the candy thermometer reaches 295 degrees and the mixture is golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat.  Quickly pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet with a silpat and spread evenly.  Set aside to cool and harden. Break apart into pieces and store in an airtight container.

To view all recipes, simply click HERE:

Spinach, Cherries and Smoked Almond Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette + Dole Get Up and Grow Tour

There is nothing better than a fresh, flavorful and nutrition packed salad on a warm almost summer day. I take that back, this fresh and flavorful salad can actually be enjoyed year round. Just use dried cherries instead of fresh if out of season. Oh and add a bit of crunch on top of the salad, now you have hit salad nirvana.  This nirvana is achieved when you have the freshest of ingredients on hand in your kitchen.

I have the distinct privilege of being one of eleven food bloggers around the country to be bestowed the honor of being an official ambassadorfor Dole Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for 2015.  Dole had provided me compensation for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

I am proud to announce the Dole has executed a terrific campaign for 2015 called – “Get Up and Grow”.  The folks at Dole have a mission to help everyone become a happier and healthier YOU.  With any goal, when you write it down and tell other people, you are more likely to achieve that goal.  Dole has provided a pledge that you can find here and you can participate in their rewards program and even wine a trip to the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. Click here for official rules.

Dole is touring 45 Cities in the United States and Canadato demonstrate that a plant based diet can be easy, fun and quite attractive.  Click here to see when they are coming to a city near you.  Knowing the folks at Dole, each of the stops along the tour will be packed with great recipes, tasty treats, fun and tips for a healthier lifestyle.  With each of us making New Years resolutions, this is a way to kick start mid year if you fell off the wagon.  If you have been great all year, they will provide new ideas, recipes and tips to enhance what you are already doing.

So how well do you know your fruits and vegetables?  These fun facts are courtesy of the Dole Nutrition Institute and Jenn LaVerdera, MS, RD, nutrition and health communications Manager for the Dole Food Company:

• Bananas top the charts worldwide.  The iconic yellow fruit is not only North America’s most popular produce, it is also one of the most-purchased single items in the supermarket – not only in the U.S.and Canada but around the world
• Strong to the finish … Cuz I eats me spinach!  Spinach may be one of the healthiest foods on earth, supporting six body systems: heart, eyes, brain, skin, bones and immunity. Popeye’s favorite food may even help maintain mental sharpness and reduce risk of certain cancers, according to preliminary research.
• Eat greens to feed your brain! Folate-packed foods like asparagus and salad greens has been linked to lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia in women.
• Celery can fight breast cancer?  Not only is celery a dieter’s dream at 15 calories per serving – the stalky vegetable contains apigenin, a compound that may prove an ally in the crusade against breast cancer. Scientists from the University of Missouri demonstrated that apigenin delayed onset of tumors by 38%.  
• Strawberries promote heart health. In a study from the University of Toronto, patients at risk for heart disease saw a 13% drop in bad LDL cholesterol after adding three cups of strawberries to their diets. Strawberries also support brain function and are high in vitamin C, fiber and manganese – all for only 45 calories each!
• Grapefruit, a (not-so-hidden) weight-loss secret.  The old “grapefruit diet” has finally been proven by science. Researchers at the Scripps Clinic found that people who ate half a grapefruit with every meal for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds, while those who drank grapefruit juice three times a day lose 3.3 pounds. Many subjects lost more than 10 pounds in the study!

Spinach, Cherries and Smoked Almond Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

• 1 (6oz) Bag Dole Baby Spinach
• ½ Cup Cherries, pitted and cut in half
• 2/3 Cup Smoked Almonds
• ½ Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese

Empty the bag of spinach into a large bowl and drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette over the spinach and toss.  Adorn the top with the cut cherries, almonds and blue cheese.  Serve immediately and enjoy.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette

• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 3 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake well.  Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Smoked Almonds

• 2/3 Cup Almonds
• 2 teaspoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Hickory Smoked Salt

In a medium pan, add the butter and melt over medium heat then add the sugar and stir until combined.  Add the almonds and coat well.  Next add the hickory smoked salt and stir.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until they become sticky.  Remove from the heat and pour onto a plate to cool.  Break apart if needed.

Olive Sables | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society

I am thrilled to put my super sleuthing hat on again for this month’s edition of Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  We are a group of enthusiastic food bloggers who belong to this secret society of sorts where we are assigned another blog in the group and must hunt for a wonderful recipe of our choice that fits the theme for the month.  It is a fun journey that we get to experience each month. 

For June, our theme was Picnic Food, which gives each of us a lot of creative prowess to determine what we would bring on a picnic.  My dream picnic is filled with luscious cured meats, cheeses, French bread, olives, wine and a sweet treat or two.  The idea of having many flavors and taste sensations while being outside on a perfectly warm day is simply divine. 

My assigned blog this month is published by Kathy from Bakeway with Me.  Kathy has an affinity for everything to do with baking and cooking.  She produces mouthwatering delights on her blog and does a great job of telling a story and describing her creations.  I can sense the passion behind the writer and I know if she lived near me, I would be at her house quite often.  After looking through her many recipes, I kept coming back to the Olive Sables for three reasons.  First, I have never had a sable.  Second, this seemed like the perfect addition to my virtual picnic basket and third, the idea of sweet and savory together simply makes me smile.

The original recipe called for potato starch which I have cooked with prior but did not have any on hand.  I clicked into Google – “substitute for potato starch” and corn starch popped right up.  I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up olives for these little delights and thought the combination of green and black would add that extra dimension to the cookie.  I chose a cured black olive and my favorite Castelvetrano Olive.  This little cookie/cracker was simply heaven – so light, flavorful and addictive. 

Olive Sables

Makes about 60 cookies

1 Large Hard Boiled Egg (disregard the white portion)

2 ¼ Cup All-purpose Flour

6 Tablespoons Corn Starch

15 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar

½ Cup Pitted Olives, chopped

Grate a hard boiled egg yolk onto a piece of wax paper.  Set aside.

Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the butter on medium speed until it’s soft and creamy.  Beat in the olive oil and scrape down the sides until blended.  Next add the grated egg yolk and mix well.  Blend in the confectioner’s sugar, reduce the speed to low and the flour and cornstarch and mix until incorporated.  Add the chopped olives and quickly mix until incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide in half.  Shape each piece into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter.  Wrap in plastic and chill for several hours or best overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Work with one log at a time, slice the cookie ¼ inch thick and arrange them on the baking sheet.  Bake the sables for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating at the midway mark or until the cookies are firm but not colored.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool and repeat with remaining dough.

(Almost) Nancy's Chopped Salad w/ Oregano Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef

Apple Chips by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Barbecue Chicken Salad w/ Smoky Barbecue Vinaigrette by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

California Quinoa Greek Salad;by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

Carrot Cake Cookies by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me

Chicken Salad w/ Peanut Dressing by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

Chicken Waldorf Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos

Duck with Pear Wraps + Limeade with Chia Seeds by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

Fried Apple Pies by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Green Bean & Corn Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

Loaded Baked Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Date Cookies by Rebekah from Making Miracles

Olive Sables by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

Puff Pastry Antipasto Squares by Anna from annaDishes

Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread by Debra from Eliot's Eats

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans + Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

Thomas Keller's Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kim from Liv Life

Tuscan Bean Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

Watermelon Feta Salad by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

White Bean, Bacon and Rosemary Salad by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Roasted Pepper and Chevre Tartine | Friday Night Bites

Yesterday was a special day in our house.  It was the 1^st birthday for Marty and Stewart who are our fluffy baby Havanese. I adore Martha Stewart and originally wanted a boy and girl, but we were blessed with two brothers, so they became "Marty and Stewart". It is still hard to fathom that we picked them up from SFO back in early August.  How time flies!  I made a special photo of them to celebrate their milestone and wanted to share with all of you.

Speaking of time flying by, it has been a few weeks since I have shared a Friday Night delight with all you.  I absolutely adore a Crostini, bruschetta or tartine – anyway you slice it – it is a 2 to 3bite of crunchy bread with delectable toppings that is perfect for entertaining.  This week I have a grilled tartine with goat cheese (chevre), roasted red bell peppers, capers, garlic and herbs – how can you go wrong with this combination.  The end result was simply stunning and pairs perfectly with a chilled glass of Sancerre.

You might be thinking, what is the darn difference between a Crostini, bruschetta and tartine – glad you asked.  A Crostini means “little toast” in Italian and is an appetizer consisting of a small slice of grilled or toasted bread and toppings. A bruschetta is a starter dish from Italyconsisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. You can also top it with tomato, vegetables, beans or cured meats. Finally a Tartine is a French open-faced sandwich, especially one with a rich or fancy spread.  To me, they all have a special place in my heart, I mean stomach. Smile.

Roasted Pepper and Chevre Tartine

Makes 4

4 Slices of French bread

Olive Oil

1 (12 oz) jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained and sliced thin

4 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin

1 Tablespoon Capers, drained and patted dry

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

4 oz. Chevre (Goat Cheese)

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves

2 Tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley, rough chop

Salt and Pepper

Brush each side of the French bread slices lightly with olive oil.  Preheat a BBQ or grill pan to medium.  Place the slices of bread onto the grill and turn often until each side is golden brown.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the roasted peppers, garlic slices, capers and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix and let sit for one hour to marinade the flavors.

To assemble, spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons of goat cheese on each slice of bread.  Add the desired amount of the red pepper mixture to each one.  Sprinkle the thyme and flat leaf parsley over each one and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Almond Crescent Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

My weekend was filled with both hard labor and relaxation.  The hard labor part came first in the way of repairing our backyard fence to prevent our little fur babies, Marty and Stewart from escaping.  After 14 years, the fence has taken a beating with the sun, rain and sprinklers.  The bottom portion on some of the sections of fence had sustained damage which made the boards easy to move.  Our little havanese, as smart as they are figured out how to move them and explore in the neighbors backyards.

This was a bit scary for me, since they are not even a year old and what happens if the neighbor did not have a gate that locked and they ran onto the street.  Luckily, this was not the case – we caught them in time and did the repairs.  In addition, one section was on a slight hill and Marty dug enough to slip between and explore.  That was fence repair number two.  Needless to say, hubby and I did a lot of digging, board cutting, more digging and drilling to secure our traveling havanese.  I can now sleep better knowing they are finally secure inside our backyard and their days of going on exploratory excursions has come to a halt.

Now for the relaxation part, it was time for the Secret Recipe Club great reveal again.  This month I was matched with Margaret with her delightful blog called Tea and Scones.  Her blog is right up my alley with my love for scones and tasty tea.  She loves to bake, eat and bake some more.  She has been writing her blog since 2007 and has a plethora of recipes to choose from.  One of the ways I relax is to bake cookies and so I finally chose her Almond Crescent Cookies. 

My hubby loves these cookies and I have only purchased them.  I thought it would be perfect to make since it is a bit overcast and gloomy outside plus we were exhausted from our manual labor day yesterday.  In addition, I am hosting for my book club tomorrow night and they would be perfect with a bowl of ice cream for dessert.  I found that the dough was super dry, so I added some water and that seemed to do the trick without compromising the integrity of the cookie.  I also added a bit more powdered sugar plus I toasted and pulsed the almonds to represent more of a rough almond meal.  The end result was one super divine cookie.  Thank you Margaret!

Almond Crescent Cookies

Make 20 to 22 cookies

8 Tablespoon Butter, room temperature

½ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 ½ Cup Slivered Almonds, Toasted then pulsed in food processor

2 Cups Flour

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

4 Tablespoons Water

Powdered Sugar to Dust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1 ½ Cup of slivered almonds to a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool.  Add to a food processor and pulse until crumbly.

In a stand mixer, add the butter and with a paddle attachment, beat until fluffy.  Add the ½ cup of powdered sugar slowly and incorporate.  Next add the vanilla and mix.  Slowly add the flour to fully combine.  Add the prepared almonds and mix.  The mixture will be dry and crumbly.  Slowly add one tablespoon at a time the water until the dough forms together.  It will be a thick dough but not sticky.

Take 2 tablespoons of dough and form to a crescent shape.  I rolled into a log first then curved it to represent a crescent and shaped it from there.

Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown and firm to the touch.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes.  In a bowl, roll in the powdered sugar to fully coat each one.  Let cool and repeat if you desire more powdered sugar.  Will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container.

To see all the other great recipes, click HERE:

Raspberry Oat Bars | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society

I am excited about three things at this exact moment.  First that it time again for Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  Second is that the theme for May is berries. Third but the most exciting is that I was paired with Kim from Liv Life.  I belong to this secret society of sorts where each month we are paired with another food blogger, given a theme and set off to explore our assigned bloggers blog and hunt down a recipe that matches the theme and we are excited about making.

Although I have actually never met Kim, I feel like we have been friends for years.  We actually have been Facebook friends for years. She was originally from the Bay Area and now resides in the San Diego area with her Pilot hubby, talented daughter Liv, smart son and their two adorable Maltese doggies. I feel like we have a lot in common since our hubbies both fly airplanes.  My hubby flies small planes for fun and wishes he was an airline pilot, where her hubby is one.  We both have two doggies and they are a large part of our worlds.  We both have blogs and love to cook.  I have a open invitation for her to come to Friday Night Bites and enjoy wine and appetizers with my hubby and me.  I truly hope she will take me up on the offer one day soon. Smile.

I spent several hours combing Kim’s site to pick just the right recipe that sang to me and had the secret ingredient – berries.  After narrowing down my choices I finally settled on her Strawberry Oatmeal Jam Bars. I thought I would mix it up a bit and made it with raspberries since they are my absolute favorite berry on this planet.  I also added a teaspoon of orange liquor to the jam to kick it up just a tiny notch.  I like a tall bar cookie so I increased the quantities a bit. The end result was heaven in my mouth.  Hubby loved them.  Thank you Kim for such a wonderful recipe and I look forward to having you and your hubby over for Friday Night Bites one day soon!

Raspberry Oat Bars

Make 16 two inch squares

¾ Cup Brown Sugar

1 ½ Cup Flour

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

¼ teaspoon Salt

¾ Cup Rolled Oats

¾ Cup Butter, cut into small cubes

1 Cup Raspberry Jam

1/3 Cup Fresh Raspberries

1 teaspoon Orange Liquor

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray and set aside.  You can also line with parchment paper as an alternative to the cooking spray, which I did.  It makes it easy to remove and cut into even pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and rolled oats.  Drop the butter into the flour mixture and rub with your fingers or a pastry cutter to form a crumble.  Press 2 cups of the mixture into the prepared pan and spread the jam over the top and drizzle the orange liquor on top and gently spread over the jam.  Sprinkle the raspberries over the jam and then sprinkle with the remaining crumble mixture, gently pressing the crumble into the top of the jam.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Please check out all the recipes from May's Blogger C.L.U.E. Society posts:

Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

Kim from Liv Life

Stacy from Food Lust People Love

Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

Kathleen from Bakeaway with Me

Anna from Anna Dishes

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

Heather from girlichef

Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Christiane from Taking on Magazines

Debra from Eliot's Eats

Lora from Cake Duchess

Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

Rebekah from Making Miracles

Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Baby Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette + Dole Ambassador Spotlight

Did you know that May is National Salad Month?  If you are like me, then you are simply elated.  I probably eat salad 5 times per week and sometime twice a day – for lunch and dinner.  I love a salad with the freshest vegetables, a bit of crunch, grilled chicken and packed with flavor.  It is like love in a bowl – you get all of the right nutrition all in one convenient handy vessel.

I am an official ambassador for Dole Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.  Dole provided me with compensation for my time.  As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Shakespeare talked about “salad days”, he reflected to a time of youthful freshness like the days of May, when spring is at its peak.  Even though the nutritious value and fresh flavors of salads are relished year round, May has been awarded the honor of being National Salad Month and serves as a tasty reminder to eat more greens.  Americans love their salad with an all time high consumption rate of 73% of U.S.households serving salad regularly. 

Just like fashion, salads have their trendy moments.  From what I gather on the salad runway, anything with Kale is still red hot. Whether it is a kale Caesar, massaged kale or kale with oranges and marcona almonds – I believe Kale will be a classic dish on your table for years to come.  We can jump back to ancient times and round up the popular grains of the time – what’s old is new again.  Included in that popular resurgence is farro, chia seeds, quinoa, teff and kamut.  Lastly, I have seen many restaurants put their spin on the Italian chopped salad.  Whether it includes salami, cheese or avocado – the chop is going to be on menus for the foreseeable future.

I was thrilled when Dole reached out to me and asked if I would like to be an official Dole Ambassador for 2015.  It did not take me long to click the reply button and say yes.  Dole is one of those well respected brands that has a rich history and was founded in Hawaiiin 1851.  They are the world’s largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables.  Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen foods, and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research. 

As part of being an ambassador for Dole, they are featuring thier chosen bloggers in a “spotlight” chat on their Facebook Fan Page.  I am excited that I am being featured on Wednesday, May 13^th at 5pmPST/8pm EST and you simply just click HERE.  To kick off my spotlight, I created a salad recipe especially for Dole.  It highlights Doles Baby Kale and shaved Brussels Sprouts along with a handmade Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. 

Baby Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Salad

4 Cups Shaved Brussels Sprouts

4 Cups Dole Power Up Baby Kale

1 Cup Marcona Almonds, Rough Chop

½ Cup Pomegranate Seeds

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with ½ cup of the Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette.  Add more dressing if desired.

Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

1/3 Cup Meyer Lemon Juice

4 t. Lemon Zest

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 t. DijonMustard

2 t. Honey

¼ t. Salt

¼ t. Pepper

½ Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

Add all of the above ingredients to a pint mason jar.  Adhere tightly the lid and shake for 2 minutes until well combined.  Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator to let the flavor meld together.