Green Salad with Citrus & Toasted Almonds

 Simple, bright & refreshing. (and it makes lots!)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
10 ounces mixed baby salad greens
1 cup orange segments (membrane removed)
1 cup grapefruit segments (membrane removed)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional, but recommended)
3/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 300*. To toast almonds, place in a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir to turn. Return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that the nuts do not become over browned. Remove from oven and cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the juices, olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Add the salad greens, fruits and almonds. Toss to coat. Makes sixteen
1 cup servings or side dish for 6 - 8.

Note: The original recipe called for "smoked" almonds, but those are too salty for us. If desired, packaged almonds can be used.

Favorite Butter Leaf Lettuce Salad

 A wonderfully fresh & delicious salad!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1  tablespoon minced shallot or spring onion
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup toasted or candied pecans, coarsely chopped
8 cups hand torn butter leaf lettuce
1 medium avocado, diced
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned, with membranes removed (excess juice reserved)

Method:
Combine first 7 ingredients with reserved grapefruit juice.
Whisk until well combined. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 300*. To toast pecans, place in a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir to turn. Return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that the nuts do not become over browned. Remove from oven and cool.
Place lettuce in a large bowl. Drizzle chilled dressing over the lettuce and toss to coat leaves. Divide dressed leaves among 6 chilled plates. Top with avocado, grapefruit section and pecans. Serves 6.

Note: The first time I made this salad was for a dinner at home with my beloved Godparents. 
It was delicious! Also see these recipes, on this blog, that work well with this salad:

Orange Glazed Candied Pecans  https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2015/11/orange-glazed-candied-pecans.html

Toasted Pecans   https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2016/06/toasted-pecans.html

Refreshing Apple Cinnamon Water

Refreshing, tasty and healthy!

Ingredients:

1 thinly sliced apple (granny smith, fuji, pink lady or other tart & flavorful apple)

1 cinnamon stick

ice

water

Method:

Drop apple slices in the bottom of the pitcher. Add the cinnamon stick and enough ice to fill half of the pitcher. Add water to fill pitcher. Chill.

Note: Drink 8 ounces before each meal. This zero calorie beverage helps to boost your metabolism and energy. It also helps with weight loss and tastes great! (I use granny smith apples and filtered water.) 

Special "Cinco De Mayo" Enchiladas

 Definitely a family favorite!

Ingredients:
4 cans tomato sauce
15 ounces broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons instant minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
flour tortillas
cooked diced potatoes
cooked shredded beef, chicken or pork (or ground meat)
chopped onions
grated cheese
chopped lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sour cream (optional)

Method:
In a large pot (dutch oven) combine tomato sauce, broth, flour and spices. Heat over medium heat until mixture bubbles. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Lightly grease a large rectangular pan and ladle a little bit of sauce into the bottom. Lightly saute tortillas, one at a time, on both sides. Spread with sauce. Place a small amount of potatoes, meat, onions and cheese on a tortilla and roll closed. Place seam side down in prepared pan. Fill pan. Top with additional sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Make ahead and refrigerate until ready to heat. Cook in a 350* oven for about 40 minutes. Serve topped with chopped lettuce and tomatoes. Garnish with sour cream, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

Note: This recipe was inspired by Kathy Henderson. (She used canned "chili sauce" instead of enchilada sauce.) I make these on Cinco De Mayo, but they are delicious on any day.

Award Winning Holiday Carrot Bread

 Moist and delicious mini loaves.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded carrot
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method:
Preheat oven to 350*. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine eggs, oil and milk. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in carrot, coconut, fruits and pecans.

Spoon batter evenly into 4 well greased and floured 16 ounce fruit or vegetable cans. (Or use 4 mini loaf pans.) Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until a pick inserted in the center of loaf comes out clean.

Remove bread from cans and coll thoroughly on rack. Wrap in foil and store in refrigerator. Makes 4 small "log shaped" loaves.

Notes: This is a healthier and tastier alternative to holiday fruitcake. (If baked in cans, the loaves will resemble yule logs and can be decorated with icing or green & red cherries.) In 1985, I submitted this carrot bread recipe in the Colorado Springs Star Tribune Newspaper recipe contest and it won 3rd place .

For a whole grain option, that also works at high altitudes, make the following changes:
2 1/2 cups flour  --> 1 1/4 cups unbleached flour & 1 1/4 whole wheat flour
omit sugar
increase baking powder to 2 teaspoons
stir dry ingredients instead of sifting 
omit milk
add 3/4 cup of honey with oil and eggs

Asian Style Peanut Noodles

This is a tasty and satisfying dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup rice wine or sake

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

1 (13 - 14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 tablespoon minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

10 ounces linguine or udon noodles 

1 1/2 cup carrots cut into thin slivers

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 cups red, yellow or orange peppers cut into thin slivers

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (optional)

chopped green onions

chopped peanuts

Method:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and put aside. Mix together first 8 ingredients in a very large skillet, stirring until well blended and smooth. Heat over medium low heat.

Stir in carrots and peppers and cook until slightly tender. Add chicken and cilantro. Stir until coated. 

Add noodles, stir and heat through. (Add additional wine or coconut milk if mixture is too thick.) 

Garnish individual servings with chopped green onions and peanuts.

Notes: I used whole wheat linguine noodles. This recipe is easy and has excellent flavor!  

Cousin Leslie's Brunch Frittata

 Cousin Leslie brought this frittata to a family 

brunch; it definitely was a crowd pleaser! 

Ingredients:
10 eggs
1/2 cup flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (16 ounces) small curd cottage cheese
1 pound shredded cheese (1/2 jack and 1/2 sharp cheddar or Mexican blend)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles

Method:
Preheat oven to 350*. Beat eggs until light and "lemon" colored.  Add flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, cheeses and melted butter. Blend until smooth and stir in chiles. Pour mixture into a well buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and the center appears firm. (A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Serve while hot. Serves 10 - 12.

Notes: To make a spinach frittata, substitute 10 ounces of cooked and drained frozen chopped spinach, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, for the green chiles. (Leslie uses whole wheat flour in her frittata.) Even served at room temperature, this frittata is excellent.

Cousins Leslie & Marlena at a Family Brunch

February 20, 2016

Premium Manhattan Cocktail (Aunt Peggy's Favorite)

A simple, smooth & classy cocktail.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) Top Shelf Whiskey (such as Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey)

1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) sweet vermouth

2 - 3 dashes aromatic bitters
Woodford RSV (11 ounce) Bourbon Cherries and liquid

Method:
Add whiskey, vermouth, bitters and 1 teaspoon of  cherry syrup to a shaker with ice cubes and shake to mix. (Or, put in a glass with ice cubes and stir well.) Strain into a chilled cocktail / martini glass. Add one cherry for garnish. Serve. Makes one cocktail.

Notes: Quality ingredients definitely create a premium cocktail and the bourbon cherries are worth the investment! (Regular maraschino cherries truly pale in comparison.)  Greg learned how to make this cocktail, for Aunt Peggy, at a family dinner, at my Godparents home, in March 2016.

 Uncle Phil & Aunt Peggy March 19, 2016

For Aunt Peggy's Manhattan, Greg added a little bit of bottled "Manhattan Mixer" to dilute the cocktail, to suit her taste. 

Hershey Peanut Butter Blossoms (Chocolate Kiss Cookies)

A wonderful marriage of chocolate and peanut butter.

Ingredients:

48 milk or dark chocolate Hershey Kisses

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

additional granulated sugar

Method:

Remove wrappers from chocolates. Preheat oven to 375*. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugar and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat .well. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in additional sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook 5 minutes. remove from oven and press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. (Cookie will crack around edges.) Return to oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes longer. Remove cookie to cooling rack. Cool completely. Makes 4 dozen. Store in an airtight container.

Notes: I have been making these famous cookies since I was a teenager. They are a favorite of many.