Finally, a dessert!

Cherry Pudding

This is a great recipe if you need a last minute dessert.  I typically have all the ingredients in my pantry, so it's my go-to when I want something simple without a trip to the grocery store.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teas. baking powder
salt
3/4 cup milk
1 teas. vanilla
1 16 ounce can pitted tart cherries, drained

Preheat oven to 350.  Place butter in an 8 or 10 inch square baking dish and put in oven until butter is melted.  While it's melting, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, in a mixing bowl to combine. Add milk and vanilla and whisk to combine thoroughly.  Pour batter into hot butter in baking dish - do not stir.  Scatter drained cherries on top and sprinkle with a couple additional tablespoons of sugar.  Bake 45 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and batter has pulled away from the sides slightly.  Best when served warm with vanilla ice cream!

Pesto recipe for Chris!

My friend Chris requested this recipe.  It's just a basic pesto, but good.  It keeps well, too.

Basil Pesto

2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts

Put in food processor and process until smooth.  Adjust amount of oil if necessary.

Got Guacamole?

I've made this for years, but only after requests for my recipe did I develop one.  I still don't make it the same way twice, but this is a good start.

B-Dock Guac(amole)

3-4 avacados
1/4 cup sour cream
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste
1 teas. Northwoods Fire (Penzey's Spices; alternative would be Emeril's Essence)
1 teas. hot cayenne pepper
1/2 teas. crushed red pepper
1/4 teas. garlic powder
1/4 teas. minced garlic
1/2 teas. tobasco

Cut avacados in half; hit seed with knive to remove, then spoon out the flesh into a mixing bowl.  Add lime juice and mash with a pastry blender.  Add remaining ingredients and stir will, tasting along the way for the flavor you like.  Personally, I taste a lot when making this - have to get my share before my husband realizes what I'm making!  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Another appetizer - Jalapeno Poppers

These have become a favorite!  

The Best Ever Jalapeno Poppers

 12 jalapenos

1/2 lb. bacon, sliced into small pieces

1/2 lb. bulk sausage (regular or spicy)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

3 green onions, coarsley chopped

1 cup loosley packed cilantro leaves

1/2 teas. Northwoods Fire (Penzey's Spices; an alternative would be Emeril's Essence)

1/2 teas. ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pug foil on a a 9x13 inch pan; spray with cooking spray.

2. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise, keeping stem in tack.  Seed with a mellon baller.  I recommend wearing latex gloves if you wear contacts!  Put on baking sheet.

3. Cook jalapenos about 15 minutes, until just starting to get soft.  Time may vary depending on the size of the jalapenos.

4. While jalapenos are baking, cook bacon until crispy, then drain and cool.  Cook sausage, then drain and cool.

5. Combine bacom, sausage, cream cheese, jack cheese and spices in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Add onion and cilantro and pulse just to combine.

6. Fill cooled jalapeno halves with meat and cheese mixture and place on foil covered baking pan.

7. Cook at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.  As an alternative, you can broil them for about 5 minutes if you want the tops to brown a bit. Watch carefully.

Serve warm.

This will fill more than 24 jalapeno halves, but the mixture freezes well.

Appetizers, Anyone?!

There's nothing like a good appetizer.  Except that we usually tend to fill up on the pre-food and forget to save room for the main event.  Oh, well. That's what holidays and family gatherings are all about!  This is a favorite of mine, and once the ingredients are mixed they can hang in the fridge for a few days or even the freezer, and the cooked won tons will keep.  I do recommend using a good quality ranch dressing, though - I used a store brand once, and they just didn't taste the same.

Sausage & Cheese Won ton Stars

1 lb. bulk sausage, crumbled, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 teas. crushed red pepper, broken up in a mortar and pestle
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives
1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 package fresh or frozen won ton wrappers
Spray oil

Preheat oven to 350F.  While sausage is cooking, spray a muffin tin with spray oil, push a won ton into each hole, then spritz with oil again.  Bake in oven for about 10 minutes, or until the corners just begin to turn a light brown.  Let them sit in the muffin tin for a couple minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.  Repeat until all won ton wrappers have been cooked.  They can be stored in an airtight container for a week or so.

When sausage is done, let it drain to remove any grease and to cool.  Combine with cheeses, dressing, olives, red pepper and onion.  Place won ton wrappers on a lightly greased baking sheet. Fill with about a tablespoon of sausage mixture.  Bake 5-8 minutes until warmed through and bubbly. Be careful, they're hot! 

I've been gone awhile

Had a lot going on in my life lately, and any creativity to cook just wasn't happening.  But I'm back!  It's interesting how different things in our lives give us solace, or energy, or comfort at different times.  Throughout the last two months, cooking was not a comfort, which actually surprised me.  So in order to catch up I'll probably post frequently for a bit. 

This is for my sister, Linda.  Great tasting dressing - what beans and veggies you put with it is completely up to you.  I'll indicate what I did that last time I made it, but I doubt I'll make that way twice. I think it's the substitution of lime juice for any vinegar that makes this special. 


Bean Salad

1 can black beans, drained and rinced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 teas. ground cumin
1 teas. chili powder (I use Penzey's hot)
1/2 red onion, minced
handfull fresh cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder in a medium bowl.  Add red onion, cilantro, beans, celery and pepper and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

With tomorrow being St. Patrick's Day, I had to say something about corned beef and cabbage.  My mom used to make this in March every year, and sometimes more often if the price was right!  Such a great comfort food.  It's not rocket science by any means, but the one thing I've discovered that makes corned beef good is slow cooking.  No way around it - it has to be slow cooked.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Layer in large crock pot:
     1 medium onion, cut in wedges and separated
     4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
     1 small package baby carrots
     2 Tbsp. corned beef spices (this is in addition to the packet that comes with the meat)
     3-4 lb. corned beef, drained and rinsed (don't trim - the fat is important to the flavor)
     Spice packet that comes with the meat
     5 cups water (or enough to cover the vegetables and at least half of the meat)

Cook above on low for about 4 hours, then add 1 small head cabbage, cut into 8ths.  Cook another 4 hours.  When slicing the beef, always cut across the grain.