Pecans with Rosemary, Honey and Smoked Salt | Friday Night Bites + "Yummy Supper" Cookbook Giveaway

Years ago I found Erin’s blog – Yummy Supper.  I added it to my list of blogs I love on the sidebar of my blog.  I had a sneaking suspicion back then, that she would make a name for herself and my intuition was correct.  She has published her first cookbook.  I have to say, I followed her journey as she described it on her blog and I really got excited for her. 

I was honored when she reached out to me a few months ago to ask me if I would like to have a copy before it was launched.  Okay that was a no brainer and I was absolutely thrilled that she thought of me.  I was even more excited when her publisher asked if me if I would like to have a copy to give away to my readers. I gave a resounding YES!  At the end of the post, I give a quick “how to” enter to win your very own copy of this stunning cookbook.  The photos and recipes are simply mouthwatering.

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I am not a gluten free person but do try to eat rather healthy.   After following her blog for years, I actually never thought about it being gluten free but rather that it had some really darn creative and tasty food.  Just browsing through the table of contents, you sense something special and different, with titles such as: Slurp, Egg, Veg, Sea, Butcher Shop, Grain + Seed, Nut, and Odds + Ends. 

After flipping through the book 3 or 4 times, I kept landing back at “Toasty Pecans with Garden Rosemary, Honey and Smoked Salt”.  I thought this would be the perfect recipe to highlight and share for my weekly series – Friday Night Bites.  This recipe is the epitome of what our Friday Nights are all about - simple, savory and tasty snacks that hubby and I can enjoy with a great bottle of wine from our cellar.  This is a crowd pleaser and is the perfect snack to set out when your guests arrive so they have a nibble with their glass of wine or cocktail before the main event appetizers arrive.

My taste buds sometimes have a fight between salty and sweet – this recipe let them both win.  I added a bit more honey and butter to the recipe to satisfy my craving along with an ample toss of the smoked salt.  I am a bit obsessed with the Hickory Smoked Sea Salt from WilliamsSonoma.  This was the icing on the cake for me for choosing this wonderful recipe.  The end result was a delicious nut recipe that I will be making for years to come and I know will be a forever crowd pleaser.

I encourage you to enter to win a copy of this stunning cookbook to add to your collection.  If you are not the lucky winner, simply click here to order a copy for yourself – you will not be disappointed.  A few recipes that I have bookmarked for the future are:  Lemon Rosemary Cordial, Spring Omelets with Asparagus and Green Garlic, Old School Cesar, Wild Salmon with Dill Butter and Fennel, Bourbon Braised Short Ribs with Brown Sugar and Coffee and Blood Orange Granita with Tangerine and Cardamom. 

How do I win a copy of the Yummy Supper Cookbook?  It is so simple – you just need to leave a comment on this post about this recipe or why you want to win this gorgeous book.  Simple …..right?  

The last day for comments and your chance to win will be at 6pmon Thursday, September 4^th at 9:00pm(PST) I will update this post with the winner and notify them via email on Friday, September 5th.

CONTEST WINNER:  Drum roll please - It is Laura from Tutti Dolci!  I used the random number generator and she was the lucky winner!  I will email you to find out where you would like the book sent. Congrats Laura - I know you will LOVE the book!

Pecans with Rosemary, Honey and Smoked Salt

Makes 1 ½ Cups

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Generous Tablespoon Honey

3 Tablespoon Rosemary

2 Cup Raw Pecans

½ to 1 teaspoon of Smoked Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and honey over medium to low heat.  When it is warm, toss in the rosemary leaves and turn off the heat.  Let the rosemary infuse for 5 to 10 minutes.  Finally, toss the nuts into the pan and stir to coat.  Spread the nuts over the parchment paper and put into the oven.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the pecans are lightly toasted.  Immediately sprinkle the smoked sea salt over the hot pecans.  Let them cool and firm up before serving.  Store the pecans in an air tight container.  Enjoy!

Smashed Pea and Ricotta Crostini | Friday Night Bites

You know I adore a great Crostini.  How about you?  This week for Friday Night Bites, I have a simple yet sophisticated Crostini to share with all of you.  It is a Smashed Pea and Ricotta Crostini.  The bright green color of the pea along with the creamy white color of the ricotta and the garnish of the lemon zest make this one dynamite appetizer.  It is super simple to make and would pair beautifully with a French Rose, Sauvignon Blanc or Dry Riesling.

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I am a bit obsessed with Rose wine these days.  I know it is quite in vogue but it is one darn good wine.  I fancy the French varietals and pick a few up when I hit my local wine shop to always have on hand.  Hubby has not quite had the affinity that I do for this delightful wine, but he did enjoy a glass a few weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised.  I may just make a convert out of him yet.  Smile.

Hubby and I are still getting adjusted to our new puppies – Marty and Stewart.  I introduced you to them in my last post.  I call them affectionately the "furry terrorists".  We have had them now for 2 weeks and the potty training is a bit draining.  It had been over 14 years since we did this for our beloved Max.  I sure hope this phase goes quick – my patience is certainly being tested.  If anyone has any tricks on potty training puppies, PLEASE feel free to share.

In the meantime, hubby and I are so looking forward to this week’s Friday Night Bites.  We will sit out in the backyard and watch the pups run around like crazy people and hopefully get tuckered out.  Smile.

Smashed Pea and Ricotta Crostini

Makes 16

Baguette, 16 half inch slices

Olive Oil, for brushing

1 Cup English Peas

1 teaspoon vinegar

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese

1 Garlic Clove, minced

½ teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

1 Tablespoon Mint, chiffonade

½ Cup Ricotta Cheese

Slice 16 pieces of the baguette and brush each side with olive oil. Lay onto a cookie sheet and toast under the broiler until golden brown on each side.  Flip over to brown other side.  Remove and set aside.

In a medium pot add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Add 1 teaspoon vinegar to the water.  Next add the peas and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove and place into a strainer to drain. 

Add the peas to a food processor along with the 5 tablespoons of olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic and salt.  Pulse until smooth but still had small pieces of the pea present.

To prepare, lay the toasted Crostini onto a platter.  Use a spoon to spread about 2 teaspoons or less of the pea mixture onto each Crostini.  Next add a dollop of the ricotta to each one and garnish with a bit of the lemon zest and mint.  Serve and enjoy!

Almond, Toffee, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

Hubby and I have been busy with two new additions to our house – Marty and Stewart!  They are 10 week old Havanese puppies who are extremely sweet, loving and incredibly soft.  With the loss of our beloved Max a little over a month ago, we were ready to welcome new doggies to our house. As we like to say - “Dogs are like children with fur coats”.  Originally I wanted a girl and boy puppy so I could name them Martha and Stewart. However we found two irresistible Havanese brothers and decided to stay with the theme and name them Marty and Stewart.

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Time has flown by and I honestly can’t believe it is that time again – the big reveal with Secret Recipe Club.  This month I was assigned to a lovely blog called Our Eating Habits and is authored by Jamie.  She loves to cook, bake and dine out – my kind of girl.  She also makes sure that everything she creates tastes good – who wants to waste time or calories on bad food – certainly not Jamie or me.  She has an extensive collection of tasty dessert recipes along with a ton of weekly meal ideas that you could use as a cookbook if you wanted.  Check out her blog!

It was certainly a challenge to make my selection for this month.  After clicking on numerous recipes, I selected her Almond-Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Of course, I wanted to put my spin on the recipe, so I added coconut and a touch more vanilla to kick it up a bit.  The end result was a two bite cookie that was packed with flavor and texture.  Thank you Jamie for such inspirational recipes!

Almond, Toffee, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 4 Dozen

¾ Cup Butter, room temperature

¾ Cup Sugar

¾ Cup Brown Sugar

2 Large Eggs

2 teaspoon Vanilla

2 ¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoon Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

¾ teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

½ Cup Shredded Coconut

1 Cup Toffee Bits

½ Cup Dry Roasted Whole Almonds, rough chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uses a stand mixer to beat the butter until creamy, and then add both the granulated and brown sugar and mix until fluffy.  Next add one egg at a time and beat into butter and sugar mixture, then add the vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix well.  When all combined add the coconut, toffee bits, chocolate chips and almonds and mix. Use a one inch cookie scoop to form the cookie dough balls.  Slightly press the cookie dough down prior to baking.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

  
   

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Roasted Banana Ice Cream with Salted Caramel + DOLE's Peel the Love Banana Cabana Tour

If you could choose the perfect fruit, which one would you pick?  I believe the banana would earn that honor.  It is portable, delicious and nutritious. The banana is one of the most widely consumed foods in the world and an excellent source for vitamin b6, soluble fiber and contains moderate amounts of vitamin C, manganese and potassium.  One of the most searched for recipes on the internet is banana bread – can you believe it?  I certainly can, especially when you don’t want to waste those over ripe bananas that are sitting in a bowl on your kitchen counter.

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Speaking of bananas, the wonderful folks at Dole are having a fun year long campaign to celebrate the banana, called Peel the Love “Banana Cabana” Tour.  It is a year-long Dole campaign that celebrates the fun, irreverence and whimsical side of bananas and other tropical fruits.  The program includes everything from delicious new banana recipes, serving, pairing and entertaining tips to special content just for Dole’s more than 750,000 Facebookand Twitter followers.

A highlight is the coast to coast Peel the Love “Banana Cabana” Tour that will hit over 26 cities across the country from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  The great news is that if you are a San Francisco Bay Area resident like me or visiting our beautiful region, you can experience the tour in San Francisco from August 7^th through 10^th.   

Click this link to find the dates and locations, so you can join in the fun! Here is a quick snapshot of the locations in the San Francisco Bay Area:

Nob Hill Foods

270 Redwood Shores Pkwy.

Redwood City, CA 94065

August 8th from 3pm to 6pm

Nob Hill Foods

2531 Blanding Avenue

Alameda, CA 94501

August 9th from10am to 1pm

Grocery Outlet
125 Hickory Blvd.
South San Francisco, CA 94080
August 7th from 9am to 6pm

Grocery Outlet
125 Hickory Blvd.
South San Francisco, CA 94080
August 8th from 10am to 1pm

As part of the celebration, I created a recipe especially to highlight the banana.  I thought about a banana bread recipe but then my sweet tooth took over.  It is a Roasted Banana Ice Cream with Salted Caramel.  It is the perfect treat to stay cool during this very warm summer.  You add some caramel to the ice cream to create the swirls and then for added decadence, drizzle more on top and enjoy!

Roasted Banana Ice Cream

Custard Recipe

1 Cup Whole Milk

Pinch of salt

¾ Cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla

5 Egg Yolks

2 Cups Heavy Cream

In a medium pan, heat the milk and sugar on medium heat until very warm.  Add the vanilla and stir.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and add about ¼ cup of the warm milk mixture to temper the eggs.  Next add the entire egg mixture to the warm milk along with the heavy cream and continue to cook on medium until the back of a wooden spoon is coated.  Remove from the heat and strain so you have smooth custard.

Roasted Banana Recipe

3 Bananas remove peel and slice

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Butter

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Use a glass baking dish to roast the bananas.  Melt the butter in the pan and stir in the brown sugar then toss the sliced bananas.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool then add to a food processor and process until smooth. Add to the custard mixture and stir well.  Chill in refrigerator over night.  Process the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 ½ C. sugar 
¼ C. water
½ t. lemon juice
1 C. heavy cream
2 t. Grey Salt

Stir sugar, water and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat; boil without stirring until the mixture turns deep amber brown. This should take about 9 minutes. Take off the stove and hold over the sink before pouring the cream mixture into the sugar mixture. It will boil and bubble. Once calmed down, add grey salt and set back on the burner and reduce slightly over medium low heat for about 8 minutes. Chill until thickened. Put into another container and let come to room temperature when ready to use. 

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post by Dole.  Compensation was provided by Dole.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Warm Spicy Citrus Castelvetrano Olives | Friday Night Bites

When I am at Whole Foods, nine times out of ten, I make my way to the olive bar.  They house one of the best selections in the Bay Area of olives without having to venture to a specialty shop in San Francisco.  One of my absolute favorites is the Castelvetrano Olive.  It is grown exclusively in western Sicilyamong the Belice river valley, near the town of Castelvetrano.  The prime time for harvesting is the beginning of October through mid November. 

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Contrary to popular belief, this olive is not actually cured, but goes through a similar process as to the Californiastyle black ripe olives.  The olive is washed in lye, or caustic soda for up to 12 hours.  It takes the bitterness out of the olive and then it is continually washed in fresh water to remove the lye.  Then it is either refrigerated or canned.  This process produces an intense green color and sweet flavor profile.   A great pairing to this beautiful olive is parmesan-reggiano, mozzarella, marcona almonds and Genoa salami.

I wanted to create a quick recipe that was packed with flavor we could enjoy for our Friday Night Bites.  Hubby doesn’t like anything with a pit or bones, so luckily Whole Foods had the pitted version of the Castelvetrano olive.  The idea of serving warm olives with garlic, citrus, spicy red pepper and fresh thyme simply resonated with me.  The flavor combination was simply divine, fresh and a perfect little bite.  I actually serve with a small fork so you can get the different bits of flavor in one bite.  The zest of the orange and lightly toasted slice of garlic with a fleck of spicy red pepper was a wonderful treat for my mouth. If you want to kick up your olives and impress your guests, this is the recipe for you!

Warm Spicy Citrus Castelvetrano Olives

2 Cups Castelvetrano Olives

6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced thin

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

Zest of one Orange

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves

¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

In a medium skillet, add the olive oil and olives and heat on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Be careful not to have the heat too high or the garlic will burn.  Right before serving, add the orange zest and thyme leaves and toss.  Serve in a bowl and enjoy!

Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones | Secret Recipe Club

It is hard to believe it has been just a week.  A week since our little Max went to heaven. Max came into our home when he was just 8 weeks old and was a bundle of joy.  Max was our furry four legged child.  He battled cancer for the last couple months of his life and on Sunday last week, he went to the great dog park in the sky.  It had to be one of the most difficult days for hubby and me.  The next day was especially challenging since the house seemed so big and empty without our little guy.  Since then, time is beginning to make things a bit easier. The tears have lessened. I can talk about and think about him, without getting so emotional.  I will have always have a special place in my heart for Max. They say time heals and I believe it does.

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We adore dogs and will begin exploring and researching our next fur babies soon.  Our new normal is becoming reality and look forward to the day we have one or two little guys running around again.  They will never be Max, but we will bestow the same amount of love on the new doggies and love them forever, like we do Max. 

Today in the Bay Area, we have some warm humid air, which is quite abnormal for us.  I wanted to make something happy for this Sunday morning to brighten our day.  With this month’s Secret RecipeClub match, I had the honor of being paired with Sara from Cook with Sara.  After browsing through her extensive collection of recipes, I landed on her Strawberry Almond Scones.

Sara is a Midwest girl who adores cooking and eating.  She is my kind of friend. I can only imagine that her house always smells divine and she is probably the favorite house in the neighborhood.   Her mom was her inspiration for her old and new recipes that she always tests prior to posting on her blog.  Sara creates tasty treats and has a wide variety of recipes on her site.

After making my selection – by the way, Sara made it very challenging to choose from, I knew I had to put my own twist on the recipe.  I had some beautiful apricots lying around and felt they would pair perfectly with the strawberries that are so luscious at this time of year.  Our lemon tree is exploding, so the zest of a lemon added that something special to the scone.  I did not have sliced almonds, so I went for some rough chopped marcona almonds and toasted up some coconut to flatter the flavor profile.  All in all, hubby adored the scones and had a second one in the afternoon.  This was a winning recipe and will be made again soon. 

Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones

3 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½  tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 ¼  cup buttermilk
¾ cups strawberries, small dice

¾ cups apricots, small dice

zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
½ cup marcona almonds, rough chop

½ cup Shredded Coconut, toasted

In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest and salt. Mix until combined.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. If you are not using a food processor, use a pastry blender or your fingers to crumble the butter.

Add the buttermilk and the strawberries and apricots, mixing until well combined.

Gently scoop out the dough onto the parchment-lined or non-stick baking sheets and slightly flatten each with your fingers until it forms a large circle.  Cut into eight pieces like a pie.  Gently lift and separate to have about an inch in between each one. Lightly sprinkle each scone with the turbinado sugar. Bake the scones at 400 until lightly golden around the edges, about 30-35 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before glazing. 

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Once slightly cooled, carefully drizzle the glaze over the scones (I found it helpful to put the cooling rack that the scones were on directly over my rimmed baking sheet while glazing-super easy clean-up!). Top each scone with a small handful of marcona almonds and toasted coconut.  I added a bit more glaze on top.

   

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Tomato, Corn & Avocado Bruschetta | Friday Night Bites

For many of us, we lead busy lives and often don’t take the time to truly enjoy time together with friends and family.  When we do slow down, it is important to truly appreciate those moments and do things that make us happy.  Entertaining is one of my favorite things.  The art of bringing joy to my guest’s faces is one of the best gifts I can give.  Everyone in this world is given particular talents or gifts; mine is bringing folks together to simply enjoy life through great food, great conversation and adding those special entertaining touches that brings the evening to the next level.

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Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of hosting an intimate wine and appetizer get together at our house for a couple that I had actually never met.  My hubby worked with this gentleman at his prior company and had extended the invitation so we could meet his longtime girlfriend and enjoy an evening together.  Both were extremely warm, engaging and lovely.  We shared great conversation, delicious food and tasty wines.  They brought over some homemade chocolate chip cookies along with a nice French wine.  Note to self – I must get the chocolate chip cookie recipe since they were quite divine.

I was thrown for a small loop when I learned his girlfriend couldn’t eat cheese.  I guess I did not realize how much I rely on cheese when entertaining.  It was a good challenge for me.  I made Moroccan Meatballs, avocado dip with crudités and Tomato, Corn and Avocado Bruschetta.  Oh and I can’t forget dessert – I made individual fruit crisps that were to die for.

The Tomato, Corn and Avocado Bruschetta were a hit.  The key to making this appetizer so delicious is to grill the bread.  The grilling adds such a dimension of flavor and kicks it to the next level.  I recently purchased a large serving piece that is the top of a whiskey barrel and makes for a terrific presentation and conversation piece.  I added a piece of parchment paper and then laid the bruschettas on top.  Such a simple appetizer and perfect for this time of year when the tomatoes are at the peak of perfection and corn is so sweet and perfect.

We started with a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that we crisp, light and paired perfectly with this appetizer.  Cheers to a great weekend and kicking it off with Friday Night Bites!

Tomato, Corn and Avocado Bruschetta

Makes 12 to 14

1 Cup Fresh Corn

1 Cup Cherry or Small Tomatoes

½ Avocado, small cubes

2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder

¼ teaspoon Salt

10 Grinds of Pepper

8 Large Basil Leaves, chiffonade

12 to 14 Slices of Ciabatta Bread brushed with olive oil

In a large bowl, add the corn, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder and salt and pepper.  Gently mix until all ingredients are covered.  Add the avocado dices and basil and fold gently.  Set aside.

Cut 12 to 14 slices of ciabatta bread into ½ thick slices.  Brush each side lightly with olive oil and grill on both sides until toasted. It is best to continue to flip so you don’t burn the toasts.

Top each slice of the toasted bread with the tomato, corn and avocado mixture.  Either serve whole or cut in half.  Serve and enjoy!