Category Archives: BBQ & PICNIC RECIPES

CHEDDAR AND PORT WINE CHEESE BALL

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There are just those times when all I really want is a nice adult beverage and a nibble of something savory and mouth friendly. For me, there just isn’t anything better than one of Mr. Cs martinis and a couple of really good crackers spread with this cheese. And when I say good crackers, I’m not talkin’ Chicken in a Biscuit! I mean good crackers! And some of the best crackers I have ever tasted are in a new product line imported from Canada. (At least they are new to me.) The maker of my new favorite crackers is Open Nature. The three I like the best (and coincidentally the only three I have tasted so far) are Rosemary & Onion Flatbread, Rosemary Raisin Cracker Crisps, and Cranberry Cracker Crisps. They are simply astonishingly good.

So do yourself a favor and serve this wonderful cheese ball at your next soiree. Your guests will think you are a culinary goddess. (But don’t forget. You don’t have to tell anyone how easy this recipe is to prepare. After all, even the most minor of goddesses is entitled to a little secret here and there! This could be one of yours….)

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • couple grinds black pepper
  • 2 c. (scant) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 T. port – either tawny or ruby*
  • 1/2 c. dried cranberries, roughly chopped, opt.
  • 1/2 c. toasted chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese, pepper, cheddar cheese, and port in a food processor. Whirl until creamy and smooth. Stir in chopped dried cranberries. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before shaping into a ball. Wrap ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until about an hour before ready to serve. Roll in pecans just before serving. Great with crackers and thin apple slices.

*Or for a more intense port wine flavor: In a small saucepan, boil port until it is reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Bonus Recipe: Place room temperature cream cheese on a plate. Top with Dalmatia Fig Spread and serve with Rosemary Raisin Cracker Crisps. (And yes I know you are shocked that I didn’t make my own fig spread. I’ve tried. But I just can’t reproduce anything nearly as good as this wonderful spread that comes in a small jar with an orange “paper” lid.) You simply owe it to yourself to try this lovely combination in the near future.

CAPPUCCINO BROWNIES

So, yes I know, using a brownie mix is cheating. But I purchase the big boxes of Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix at Costco because I often serve brownies at our monthly JazzVox in-home concerts and this mix really saves me money and time. Plus, the brownies are delicious. Then when you add a layer of coffee flavored butter cream and a topping of ganache, well decadence personified is not an over exaggeration!

Plus, almost everyone loves brownies. In fact, right after pizza, chocolate is the 2nd most beloved food in America according to a poll taken and reported on “The Top Tens” web site. Next on the list is chicken. I found that quite interesting; a food item high on the list that actually contained nutritional value! Next most popular food – ice cream. No surprise there. After that burgers, steak, tacos, sushi, bacon (no surprise there either) and finally French fries. So while I was researching favorite foods, I thought about my own top ten list of edibles that I find most appealing. (Given what I learned about myself during this little self-analysis, I should really weigh about 300 pounds! There must be something dramatically wrong with my metabolism that although close, I’m not there yet!)

Patti’s top ten (not necessarily in order, except for cheese burgers of course): cheese burgers (always and ever number one on my list), broccoli and zucchini (tied), poultry, mixed green salads (especially when topped with blue cheese dressing), homemade pepperoni pizza, any oven roasted vegetable, any kind of cheese, homemade soup, pasta with a rich creamy sauce, and finally bread of any kind, especially warm sour dough bread with lots of butter. Of course, honorable mention must go to very dry Tanqueray martinis, shaken not stirred, up with one olive. (You can’t live on them, but who wants to live without them either?)

Although chocolate, or any other sweet for that matter, is not on my top ten favorite foods list, it just might be on yours. If so, do yourself a favor and make a batch of these amazing brownies. They are simple to prepare and look and taste like a million dollars. Cheers to Theobroma Cacao, the fruit of Gods!

  • 1 pkg. chocolate brownie mix (or favorite from scratch recipe)
  • ¼ c. butter, room temperature
  • 2 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 T. + 1/3 c. plus 3 T. heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. + ¼ tsp. instant espresso coffee (I use Medaglia D’oro)
  • 1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • coffee beans, opt. garnish

Prepare and bake brownie mix according to instructions on package in a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. (Even if the mix says bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan use a 9×13.) Allow to cool. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. (Will be a very dry mixture at this point.) In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 2 teaspoons coffee powder. Add the cream mixture to the butter/powdered sugar mixture. Beat until very creamy and smooth. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat and stir the remaining 1/3rd cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream and chocolate chips together over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. Stir in the remaining 1/4th teaspoon instant espresso coffee. Spread over chilled brownies and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into desired size and top each piece with a coffee bean.

GRILLED RUBBED CHICKEN

I grew up on a farm. My grandfather sold eggs for a living, so we had eggs coming out of our ears. And who knows which came first, the chicken or the egg, but along with the eggs, we had chickens. Funny how that works! And every Sunday after church, my mom (we lived in a separate home on the farm property) would fix the side dishes, and my grandmother, after first killing, de-feathering, and butchering some unlucky rooster or hen (and I refuse to go into the details of how this was accomplished) would prepare the fried chicken. Now I know I’ve told you that my grandma was not a good cook, but boy could she fry chicken! So at about 2:00 p.m. every Sunday we would sit down to a dinner of fried chicken with all the trimmings. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Then long about 7:00 p.m. we would have a late supper. Often it was as simple as a Spanish omelet (like I said, we had eggs in abundance) and toast. Lovely in its simplicity.

Now logically you would think that as an adult I would hate eggs and chicken. But I still have an egg every morning for breakfast. Love them. And as far as enjoying the taste of chicken, well, in all probability, if I had to choose just one meat to eat for the rest of my life, it would be the delectable Gallus gallus domesticus. And after having grown up on a chicken farm, as far as I’m concerned, the only good chicken is a dead chicken anyway! Chickens are mean critters. They will literally peck one of their fellow chickens to death if the poor thing happens to have even a tiny scratch or scrape. And as a small girl trying to help her grandfather gather eggs, well those old biddies were unmerciful! So like I said, better dead is a Rhode Island Red, or however that cold war saying goes!

So for me, a lovely piece of chicken that has been rubbed with spices, spent a few hours of well deserved incarceration in the refrigerator, then cooked over low heat on a BBQ and slathered with BBQ sauce; well life just doesn’t get much better. Actually, the only thing I can think of that would be better, is if I could fry chicken like my grandmother. But to do that, I would have to raise my own chickens (not out of the question) and then slaughter them (satisfying but completely out of the question), churn my own butter from my own dreamy eyed cow (I believe we have a covenant in our development that expressly states that cows are prohibited), and own a well seasoned cast iron frying pan! Well I’ve got the pan, but as for the rest, not going to happen, so I will just have to cherish my memories. If I am lucky enough to end up in heaven with my grandmother, I know she will be waiting for me with a plate of her fried chicken. In the mean time, I will gladly content myself with this BBQ’d chicken. Hope you enjoy it too.

chicken pieces, any type or number of pieces you need

Dry Rub for Chicken:

  • 5 T. kosher salt
  • 1 T. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T. granulated garlic
  • 3 T. onion powder
  • 1 T. dried thyme
  • 1 T. ground sage
  • 1 T. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground savory

Mix all dry rub ingredients together. Wash and dry the chicken pieces. Thoroughly rub each chicken piece with the dry rub. (Store any unused portion of the dry rub in an airtight container at room temperature.) Place chicken in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Grill over medium low heat and serve with Bourbon BBQ Sauce (under This & That Recipes)

 

SMOKED DRY-RUBBED RIBS

I like to get messy. I love to work in the dirt, play with grout when I make one of my mosaic pieces, mix meatloaf ingredients with my hands (sans wedding ring), and eat BBQ until my fingers are so sticky I can’t pry them apart. No dainty knife and fork action for me when I’m eating BBQ. I want the full BBQ experience, sticky hands that adhere to my napkin(s), BBQ sauce on at least one of my ears; the full meal deal! And eating these ribs dipped in Bourbon BBQ Sauce is guaranteed to make you just about as messy as it gets. A little information about BBQ sauce: There are many styles of BBQ sauce, but basically they all fall into 4 “general” types. Style number 1 (going back literally hundreds of years) is very simply a combination of vinegar and pepper (maybe a little brown sugar). The 2nd type is a mustard based sauce, commonly served in South Carolina. Not a bit of tomato to be found. Type number 3 is referred to as a light tomato sauce (basically tomato ketchup with vinegar and pepper). And number 4, the most common sauce of all – heavy slightly sweet tomato sauce. (BTW – Bourbon BBQ Sauce under This & That Recipes definitely lives behind door number 4!)

Now, you may be wondering why I am telling you about different BBQ sauces on a recipe for ribs, but there is a method to my madness. These ribs are absolutely fantastic with nary a sauce in site. And many people prefer to eat their ribs with no embellishment. I personally don’t understand why anyone would eat naked ribs, but who am I to question other peoples’ food choices. All I can say is that (A) these ribs + (B) Bourbon BBQ Sauce = (C) Heaven. Now that’s my idea of a perfect standard form linear equation! 

2-3 racks baby back or spareribs (we prefer baby back)

Dry Rib Rub:

  • 2 T. paprika
  • 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. ancho chili powder (found in most upscale grocery stores in bulk)
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme

Combine all Rib Rub ingredients. Spread the rub liberally over the meaty side of the ribs. Then either wrap or cover the meat and refrigerate overnight.

The next day place the ribs in a smoker with hickory or alder wood chips on low heat for about 3½ hours. (If your smoker only has two temperatures (on or off), no problem. You are not cooking the meat; you are merely adding a lovely smoky flavor.) (Of course, if you have a Traeger or similar fancy  outdoor appliance for both smoking and cooking the meat, knock yourself out. Just make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees before it goes on the grill.) But for those of us with less exotic equipment, after the meat smokes, bake the ribs in a covered pan* at 275-degrees for a couple of hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees. (Check after an hour.) Why 190-degrees? Because 190 is the temperature at which the fat and collagen start to melt, making for a tender and better tasting rib.

*Use a high sided pan when you bake the ribs because there will be a considerable amount of liquid accumulated in the pan while they bake. Remove from oven. At this point, the ribs can be set aside until needed.

When ready to serve, heat your grill to 400-degrees. Cut the meat into individual ribs, and heat on the grill for 4 minutes on each cut side. Serve with Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

¼ c. unsalted butter

¼ c. minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c. brown sugar

2 tsp. whole grain mustard

1 c. ketchup

1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce

¼ c. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste

¼ tsp. cayenne

2 T. bourbon

Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until you it reaches your desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a very low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.

 

 

APPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

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This is probably the best and easiest apple cake recipe imaginable. I received the basic bones of this recipe from my dear friend Linda’s mother Rhoda. Rhoda told me the cake was OK served the same day but was absolutely sensational after it had been frozen. I sometimes bake wedding cakes for relatives and friends and always freeze them until the day they are to be served. But until Rhoda told me about freezing this particular cake, I hadn’t really thought about why some cakes are actually moister after having been frozen.  Since vegetables and fruit are built of cells containing cytoplasm (the clear liquid that fills the cells), when frozen, water expansion causes the cell membranes to rupture. This creates a distinctly different texture. In essence, plant cells lose any remaining crispness that may have remained after having been exposed to heat during the baking process. (I’m no chemist, so this is a very rudimentary, and hopefully accurate explanation.) Bottom line: I would never dream of serving any cake containing fruit or veggie matter without first letting it spend a bit of quality time in my freezer. Same goes for quick breads such as Banana or Zucchini. The difference is simply that remarkable.

Please note: There are two recipes for cream cheese frosting below

Cake:

  • 4 c. grated apples
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. packed brown sugar
  • ½ c. vegetable oil
  • 1 c. chopped nuts
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. soda
  • 1 tsp. salt

Combine apples, sugars, oil, nuts, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk together the flour cinnamon, soda, and salt. Add to apple mixture. Pour into a greased and floured 9 X 13-inch pan. (A glass pan is best.) Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (for glass) or 350 degree oven (for metal) for 40-45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean. Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for at least 2 days. Defrost and spread with frosting. *Decorate with chopped nuts. Serve at room temperature.

*I always decorate a cake with nuts if there are nuts in the cake itself. You never know when someone might be allergic. So if there are nuts on top, no one has to wonder. Many people don’t like to cause a fuss, and having nuts so in evidence, nothing has to be said to the hostess except no thank you!

Regular Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • ½ c. butter, room temperature
  • 8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 lb. powdered sugar
  • ½ c. chopped nuts, decoration

Cream butter and cream cheese together until well blended. Add vanilla and enough powdered sugar to make a firm but not too stiff consistency. Beat until smooth and easy to spread.

Spiced and Spiked Cream Cheese Frosting: 

  • ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
  • pinch salt
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
  • 1½ T. liqueur – Calvados (apple flavored brandy) or regular brandy
  • 1 lb. powdered sugar, more or less

Beat the butter, cream cheese, salt, and brown sugar together until creamy. Mix in the cinnamon, vanilla, and Calvados. Add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

BUFFALO WINGS

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If you can think of a better appetizer to serve a bunch of people who love spicy, but not too spicy meat, I would appreciate your input. But for my money, the best hot appetizer is a chicken wing that has been scantily dressed with butter and hot sauce. There is just something soul satisfying about munching on one of these beauties. And you want tingly lips and messy fingers? These will work for you every time.

I received (actually begged and pleaded for) this easy and fabulous recipe from our dear friends Robin and Laurie. Of course I had to mess with the recipe just a tad, but the gist of the recipe is straight from Laurie the indisputable “Buffalo Wings Queen” herself. This amazing woman thinks nothing of deep fat frying 30 pounds (you read it right) of these little darlings for the Super Bowl party she and her husband host every year. (And you thought I was slightly mad for some of the crazy cooking projects I take on!) But let me tell you, these are the best wings you will ever taste. And I can’t really share any kind of history about these spicy wings because there are no substantiated stories available. I do however know for a fact that buffalos don’t have wings, so at least the many stories that reference Buffalo, New York as the birth place of “Buffalo Wings” are probably correct. Well regardless of who made them or named them, I say “well done”! So if you would like your friends to say the same thing to you, fix them a batch of these incredibly tasty morsels and see how fast they fly off the plate. Just don’t think a small amount when you do your menu planning. You will have to sprout wings yourself and fly away quickly if you tease your guests with just one wing per person. You know the old saying, “bet you can’t eat just one”, well “wings” are like potato chips in that regard, only worse!

  • 5-8 lbs. chicken wings
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • granulated garlic
  • ½ c. butter, melted
  • 1 (12-oz.) bottle Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (no substitution allowed)
  • juice of 1 lemon

Cut chicken wings into three segments. Discard wing tips (or save for chicken stock). Place remaining 2 segments on rimmed baking pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until the wings are very brown and almost over done. Meanwhile melt butter in a large bowl; add hot sauce and lemon juice. When wings have finished baking, add to bowl with hot sauce mixture and stir until well coated. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. If you want to make the wings ahead of time to serve later that day or the next, bake as above, remove from oven, cool, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, warm wings in microwave. Add to bowl with hot sauce mixture and stir until well coated.

Note: I know, I know! Buffalo Wings are plebian. Who cares? They are so, so good and everyone loves them. They are also protein rich. So especially when your guests will be drinking, high protein foods that taste divine help entice your guests to eat more food rather than taking all their calories in the form of alcohol.  Additional Note: I have tried serving the wings with blue cheese dip, carrots, and celery trying to imitate a restaurant presentation. Forget it! All my guests want are the wings!

SAVORY CHEESE SPREAD

I am always looking for ways to save grocery dollars. Maybe it’s a throw back to my parents’ era, (the great depression that is), or maybe because I helped raise 4 kids on a tight budget, or maybe I’m just frugal. Call it what you may, but if I can prepare a homemade version of an expensive item that I love, well I’m all over making it at home. Another consideration, that is fast becoming even more important to me than cost, is the list of ingredients that aren’t in the dish I prepare at home. Do I really need all those preservatives in my system? I mean really, they aren’t helping with the whole wrinkle thing that’s rampantly happening on my face, so of what value are they to me personally? (Now please understand, if I could see any cosmetic benefit from massive doses of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) or Sodium Benzoate, I would stuff my face with products containing these additives. I’m frankly getting a little scared seeing my mother look back at me from my mirror!) But all kidding aside, I really dislike all the chemicals contained in processed food. So if I can prepare a recipe like this one for a mock Boursin Cheese which contains fewer chemicals than the real stuff, then I feel better and not coincidentally richer for the substitution. Of course, once you look at the ingredient list for this spread you are going to take me to task for the butter and cream cheese. I can just hear you saying, I mean really Patti, there may not be as many chemicals in your version, but all that fat? Well, the real stuff ain’t any better!  And besides, I only make it for parties and everyone knows there aren’t as many calories if you eat standing up. So party food, no problem! Just don’t sit down with a bowl of this in front of you. That would be my health tip for the day!

  • ½ c. butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely minced
  • 2 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. dried dill weed
  • ¼ tsp. dried marjoram
  • ¼ tsp. dried basil
  • ¼ tsp. dried chives
  • 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. finely minced fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving stuffed in cherry tomatoes or as a spread for soft butter crackers. This spread is best when prepared and allowed to mellow for at least 2 days before serving.

 

 

 

COLESLAW

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There is something truly pathetic about a restaurant that normally serves fairly decent fare that apparently can’t prepare decent coleslaw. I mean really, how hard is it to make truly flavorful coleslaw?  I tell you, it’s just sick and wrong!  First of all, good coleslaw is a treat. It’s crunchy, savory, (sometimes a little sweet), easy to prepare, economical, nutritious, fairly low in calories, full of dietary fiber, and colorful. Good grief, what more could anyone want in a salad? So why do so many restaurants treat it as a “throw away” food?   (My definition of something that appears on my plate at a restaurant seemingly just to fill up space.) Well darn it, if most restaurants can’t (or won’t) serve a lovely coleslaw I’m going to make it my mission to right this terrible injustice! I’m going to teach you how to make coleslaw at home! (And please excuse me if you are already a devotee of coleslaw and have been making it for your family for years. I hate to preach to the choir, but sometimes the choir just has to close its metaphorical ears when a subject is of such importance!) And I know, some restaurants do make good coleslaw, but you have to admit, they are rare. And this is the part that really shreds my cabbage; there are people out there who haven’t even had the benefit of tasting a truly delicious coleslaw. They don’t even know what they’re missing! How unfair is that? So then, why would anyone who hasn’t experienced good coleslaw in a restaurant or at someone else’s home even want to make coleslaw for their family?  Like I said, sick and wrong! So if you are one of those unlucky souls who haven’t as yet come to appreciate coleslaw, I am especially excited to share this recipe with you. And trust me there are lots of wonderful recipes for coleslaw on the Internet and in cookbooks. Just give coleslaw a try. If this one isn’t right for you, don’t stop looking.  Keep trying until you find that perfect one.

  • 3 T. mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. celery seeds
  • 1 ½ tsp. cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly grounds black pepper
  • 2 T. finely chopped red or green pepper
  • 1 small stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • red and/or green cabbage, shredded

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, celery seeds, cider vinegar, salt, and a couple grinds of pepper in a salad bowl. Stir in chopped pepper, celery, carrot, and enough shredded cabbage to make a total of 4 cups. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (And I know at first glance the recipe doesn’t appear to make enough dressing to coat all the veggies. It does. They are just not swimming in dressing.)

MEXICAN TOASTED CORN SALAD

Once in awhile you fall in love with a dish that is incredibly easy to prepare, low fat, and wonderfully tasty. Well this salad fits that description perfectly. There is nothing about this salad not to like. It has a nice nutty flavor from the toasted corn, and the diced red and orange peppers provide not only a lovely crunch, but gorgeous little spots of color. And the best part, there is nary a drop of mayonnaise or sour cream to be found. So this is a perfect dish to take to a potluck. It is not going to spoil if it has to sit unrefrigerated. In fact, it is better served room temperature. The only thing you have to do at the last minute is mix in the avocado. Well, that and get out of the way. Once people have tasted this salad, they are going to remember it. So the first time you serve it, you might be OK standing in front of the salad and conversing with friends. The second time however, it’s best to make a hasty retreat once you set the salad on the table. People are like elephants in that they too have long memories when it comes to finding food they like. Of course, elephants have to remember food locations too, whereas people only have to remember if they found a particular food enjoyable. But in both cases a stampede can result.  Forewarned is forearmed!

  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 2 c. frozen corn, thawed and patted dry or kernels from 2-3 ears of grilled fresh corn
  • 1 T. fresh lime juice
  • ¼ c. tomato salsa, medium hot
  • ¼ red pepper, chopped
  • ¼ orange pepper, chopped
  • 2 T. chopped red onion
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 Hass avocado, chopped
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Pour oil into a medium sized fry pan heated to medium high. Add corn and sauté, stirring occasionally until corn toasts and browns slightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Meanwhile combine lime juice and salsa in a medium sized bowl. Add the peppers, onion, tomatoes, and cooled pan-fried corn or kernels from grilled corn. Toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, gently stir in avocado pieces. Note: this recipe doubles, triples, etc. very well.

 

 

ROASTED CHILI CASHEWS

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I have no idea why I love cashews as much as I do, but there is just no getting around the fact that next to macadamia nuts, cashews are my favorite. Well they are my favorites if I am just sitting around and want to munch on a nut or two. (Like I ever just ate 2 macadamias or cashews in my life!) But for baking, I love walnuts and pecans. And then of course there is peanut butter.   But wait, I could blather on and on about my love affair with nuts (and legumes in the case of peanuts) until your eyes glazed over and you were starting to drool, so I think I better get back on track and stick to the mighty cashew. According to The World’s Healthiest Foods website, “not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 75% of this unsaturated fatty acid content is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Studies show that oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health, even in individuals with diabetes. Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes”.

So now that we have established that cashews are reasonably good for us, let’s talk about making them taste even better. I know, I know, can’t we just leave well enough alone? Nope! I just can’t do it! So with that in mind, I offer this roasted cashew recipe that I found on the Taste of Home site. (Wonderful site by-the-way.) But I am issuing a warning to all who might decide to make these for their family. Hide some for yourself before you set them out on your kitchen counter. Once your family gives these a taste, they will be devoured before you can say “don’t spoil your dinner”.

  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tsp. water
  • 4 c. salted whole cashews

Combine the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg white and water. Add cashews to egg white and toss to coat. Pour into a colander and drain for 2 minutes. When the cashews have drained for 2 minutes, add to the sugar mixture and toss well to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 250 degree oven for 50-55 minutes, stirring once. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.