Sunday in the Kitchen: Home Fries

Sunday morning in my house usually means home fries.

But there is also a debate.

See, hubby has been making home fries for 30 years...and I really shouldn't complain, since I'm not the one who has to spend all that time chopping and dicing the potatoes and then slaving on the stove cooking them to perfection.

But...that's just not how I roll. ;)

Here's my problem with the home fries: I like onions in mine and hubby doesn't.  And the one cooking is the one making the choices.

So, every weekend we have the same debate. Onions or no onions.

I never win.

See...no onions!

Whenever we go out to breakfast at our local diner, I ALWAYS get the home fries...yes, because they make them with onions.

How about you?

With onions or without?

Sunday in the Kitchen...Cake or Cupcakes?

On our way to a barbecue today and we're bringing dessert.

This is what my daughter picked out, now we just have to decide if we'll make cupcakes or cake.

Decisions, decisions.

A cake is easier to transport...but I think the kids like cupcakes better - easier to grab one and run!

(And don't worry, we bought cookies too - always need a backup plan!)

Sunday in the Kitchen - Chocolate Chip Scones

Welcome back to my kitchen!

Since it's no secret I have a love of chocolate, you can bet when when my Mom gave me this cookbook as one of my birthday gifts a few years back it was definitely a KEEPER!

Chocolate Chip Scones

Makes 8 to 12
Baking time: 20 Minutes

1/2 buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp chocolate or vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbs granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 butter or shortening
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Position oven rack in center of the oven. Heat to 425. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the buttermilk, egg and extract until combined.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter to form a crumbly mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir in the buttermilk mixture. Fold in the chips until a soft mixture forms.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. Roll out into an 8 inch circle. Using a sharp knife score 8 to 12 wedges. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Enjoy!

* ~ * ~ *

This week my Hot Links all involve social media, because in the ever changing online world we've got to keep up or be left behind..and we wouldn't want that!

Did you know Google Mail has rolled out a new look? I happen to like it, but it does take some getting used to. Here's a great blog post about it from http://www.successconnections.com/articles/2013/07/27/google-email-tabs-important-emails/

Over at http://badredheadmedia.com/2013/08/02/how-a-great-twitter-bio-can-net-you-more-followers-and-sales/ this topic is all about tweaking your Twitter Bio to gain followers!

Pam the Marketing Nut asks the all-important social media question, WHY? http://www.pammarketingnut.com/2013/08/why-the-most-important-question-in-social-media/

What do you think about staying current with social media trends? Worth it or not?

Sunday in the Kitchen - Classic Salsa

Welcome to another Sunday in the Kitchen...today I'm thinking about sitting outside on my swing and writing on the laptop. Of course that will mean having a nice cool drink and a snack.

Since it's going to be hot here on Long Island, today I'll be in the kitchen making some homemade Salsa.

Classic Salsa

1 cup seeded and diced plum tomatoes

2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbs minced red onion

1 Tbs fresh lime juice

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt

Stir it all together and chill.

YUM!

* * * *

My hot links for this week:

For the writers:
Stop by Live Write Thrive for some awesome tips!

For readers:
Find free and bargain books for your eReaders at Bookbub.com!

For Chocolate lovers:
Thinking of chocolate cake? Check out this great blog dedicated to chocolate cake!

For the Coffee lovers:
Here's a great blog dedicated to coffee shops and a great cup of java!

Thanks for stopping by - have an awesome week!

Sunday in the Kitchen - Easy Cinnamon Pecan Muffins

Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for me since I discovered my body has a definite dislike of dairy - which means that even though I can tolerate baked goods with an egg or two in the recipe, I can no longer eat plain eggs, egg sandwiches, etc.

Imagine breakfast with no eggs and no milk...not something I ever thought I'd need to worry about.

Enter breads and muffins. My saving grace in the morning. I'm finding muffins are the easiest to make and I enjoy them.

Here's what I'll be eating this week for breakfast - Enjoy!

Cinnamon Pecan Breakfast Muffins

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1/2 Cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg (slightly beated)

1/2 Cup milk

1/3 Cup butter or margarine (melted)

A handful of pecans (chopped and optional)

Cinnamon & Sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners (For some reason when I make this recipe I NEVER get 12 muffins - I always end up with only enough to fill 11 cups.)

In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients. In a small bowl add the wet ingredients. Add wet to the dry and mix until combined - dough will be stiff. Fold in the nuts.

Spoon the batter into the muffins cups and sprinkle the tops with some cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Serve warm and enjoy!

And while you're enjoying the muffins, here's my hot links for the week:

Looking for a great motivational story about self-publishing success? Here you go!

On the Writing Coach...6 questions/6 rules

Suffering from writing burnout? Looking to get back some fire? Try this post on Rebecca T. Dickson's blog

And since I'm now pretty much leading a dairy-free lifestyle...I've found the Dairy-Free Diva to be a great blog - go check her out!

Now...go have a great day!

Sunday in the Kitchen - Cool Drinks & My 3 Hot Links

Happy Sunday friends!

Since it's a holiday weekend, I'm going to make this short and sweet.

My hot links from around the blog-o-sphere this week are:

(1) From the blog of The Bent Agency, a great post about editing out those 'as' and 'ing' phrases.

(2) Over on The Lasting Rose is a worth-reading post about choosing a great title for your blog that will encourage people to actually read it!

and

(3) On Your Writing Coach there's a great post on 8 Basic Creative Writing Tips.

* * *

My writing news this week: My plot board is looking wonderfully colorful as everything is finally coming together on my latest project. Chapter 1 has been started and I think I'm already in love with the hero...I'm thinking that's a good sign that I'm on the write track!

* * *

For our holiday weekend enjoyment, today I'm posting two drink recipes using flavored vodka.

TOASTED ALMOND FUDGE

2 oz. chocolate vodka

1 splash of orange juice

1 splash amaretto

Club Soda*

Add all the ingredients except the club soda in the shaker with some ice. *After shaken, add your desired amount of club soda and pour.

 

ORANGE MARTINI

3 oz. orange vodka

3/4 oz. orange juice

3/4 oz lime juice

and orange twist for garnish (optional)

Please remember to always drink responsibly and never drink and drive!

Enjoy the day!

Sunday in the Kitchen - Summer Vinaigrettes

Welcome back to my kitchen!

Some of my favorite things about the weather getting warmer would be the fresh fruit and the light salads. For Mother's Day, I was served this scrumptious  homemade Belgian waffle with several different kinds of fresh fruit on top - it was awesome!

My writing news this week:  I finally started Book Two in my Prosperity Creek time travel romance series...Betting on the Gamber! Veronica and Gabe are already fun to write. :)

This week my "Hot Links" from around the blog-o-sphere are:

Through Heart-Shaped Glasses continued the monthly theme of "firsts" with posts on First words, First Kiss: Miss or Bliss with our first guest blogger, Robin Bielman, First Adventures, and First Lines.

On Your Writing Coach: 10 writing insights.

and on Kristyn Phipps' blog, Social Media 2.0 - blogging and Triberr

And now it's on to the summer vinaigrettes...

When the weather gets warmer and more salads grace our tables, I love to try different dressings and vinaigrettes. Here's a few I've tried and liked in the past (and all are from the Meals in Minutes cookbook by the American Heart Association!) The first two recipes are for small portions, so you don't have to worry about looking for a jar to keep it or for storing it for too long.

Classic Vinaigrette

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

Grapefruit Vinaigrette

2/3 Cup fresh grapefruit juice

1 Tbs plus 1 1/4 tsp honey

2 tsp cider vinegar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Fresh Strawberry Vinaigrette

2 Cups whole strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

Process in a blender or food processor until smooth.

 Enjoy!

*Do you get Scribbling Through Time in your favorite reader? Please note I recently changed my feed from feedburner to feedblitz and I don't want leave you behind when I finally cut the cord and terminate the feedburner account! Take a second to click HERE and keep me coming to your favorite reader!* 

** Because I love my readers and am grateful you choose to spend some time with me each week, all comments from May 1 to May 31st are automatically entered into my monthly drawing for a 3 pack of mini travel-sized handmade soaps. Details and the scents for the month can be found on the "contest rules" page.

Sunday in the Kitchen - Chilled Red Beans and Rice

Now that the weather is finally getting warmer, it means we'll be outside more. Barbecues and warm summer nights. I'm always on the lookout for a new salad idea to serve on the buffet with burgers or chicken on the grill.

Here's a new one I found this week looking through a cookbook of quick and healthy meals. Hope you enjoy it!

Chilled Red Beans and Rice 

1/4 cup Italian dressing 

3 Tbs water 

2 Tbs white vinegar

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground red pepper 

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

1 cup cooked long-grain rice (cooked without salt), chilled 

1 cup sliced celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 chopped tomato

Combine the first 7 ingredients, mix well and chill. (Preferably in a jar sealed tight, shaken vigorously!)

Combine dressing mixture, kidney beans and next 4 ingredients in a bowl; toss well.

 Cover and chill.

Enjoy!

***

Exciting news!  Beginning May 1st there's a new group blog in town! Heart-Shaped Glasses is where 12 authors will be chatting about writing and reality through the eyes of romance writers. I'm even offering the first month's Blog Swag Giveaway! Watch for more details and the link in the coming days...

Sunday in the Kitchen - Pioneer Skillet Bread

Not cast iron...but works for me.

In my current work in progress, Surrender to the Sheriff, my heroine has traveled from the present to a California Gold Rush town in 1851 and the cast iron skillet has become her favorite tool - but not in the kitchen! Lilly actually uses the cast iron pan as a weapon.

And while the cast iron pan could do some nice damage to a man's leg or shoulder...most woman on the frontier used their pans to make the staples on the trail and keep their families fed.

The cast iron pan could be used over an open fire on the trail or in an oven once they had a kitchen in their new home.

The pan would be filled with dough and moved about the fire, angled in such a way that the bread would eventually rise and cook. Though cooking was difficult along the Oregon Trail,  baking skillet bread was often the only food they could count on as conditions were usually harsh.

Today you and I can grab these items from the pantry and pop them in the oven without barely a thought about the travelers heading west over rugged terrain.

Hope you enjoy this time-tested biscuit!

SKILLET BREAD

3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp butter (or shortening)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk
Shortening for greasing the pan

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then cut in the butter or shortening (on the trail this would have been done with a fork, you can go ahead and use a pastry blender if you'd like!) Cut in the shortening until it's grainy. Stir in the milk. Knead the dough a few times, then push into the greased pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven about 35 minutes or until the bread is  lightly browned and light in weight.

Enjoy!

*Do you get Scribbling Through Time in your favorite reader? Please note I recently changed my feed from feedburner to feedblitz and I don't want leave you behind when I finally cut the cord and terminate the feedburner account! Take a second to click HERE and keep me coming to your favorite reader!*

  ** Because I love my readers and am grateful you choose to spend some time with me each week, all comments from April 1 to April 30th are automatically entered into my monthly drawing for a 3 pack of mini travel-sized handmade soaps. Details and the scents for the month can be found on the "contest rules" page.

Sunday in the Kitchen - Banana Pecan Bread

Today I'm back in the kitchen...did you miss me?

I'm struggling with a cold, a cough and a sinus infection - so I decided I needed something warm from the oven this morning for breakfast.

It was so great with melted butter and a steaming cup of coffee!

So, now I'm sharing it with you.

Enjoy your Sunday my friends!

EASY Banana Pecan Bread

2 large ripe bananas (smashed...more if you like!)

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg (beaten)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1/3 cup pecans (chopped)

No mixer required! Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, smash the bananas with the melted butter. Add in sugar, egg, vanilla and cinnamon. Sprinkle baking powder and salt over mixture and mix in. Add the pecans. Add the flour in last.

Pour into a greased or buttered standard loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Easter Sunday in the Kitchen - Pesto Stuffed Eggs

Happy Easter!

Every year we follow tradition and as part of our Easter celebration we color eggs.

While Easter is a Christian religious holiday, using the egg as part of the holiday celebration has its roots in the pagan festivals of spring as the egg represents an emergence of new life. From the Christian perspective, the egg represents the emergence of Jesus from the tomb and his resurrection.

The coloring or dying of Easter eggs can be traced back to at least the 13th century, when eggs were forbidden during the lenten season and people dyed or decorated eggs to mark the end of their penance.

When I was young, the Easter Bunny hid the real eggs...so with three kids and usually about 24 hard-boiled eggs, the hunt didn't last too long.

When my kids were small plastic eggs populated the stores and I hopped on board and bought about a 100! Our Easter egg hunts went on for quite a while as the Easter Bunny had to be pretty darn creative to hide 100 eggs around the house...sometimes we found those elusive well-hidden eggs days later!

Even though the kids have grown up and we don't hide eggs any more, we still color eggs. Then we spend the next week (at least!) eating them. Here's a great recipe to put some of those hard-boiled eggs to good use:

PESTO STUFFED EGGS

8 hard-boiled eggs, halved

1/3 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons pine nuts

1 small clove of garlic

3 Tablespoons warm water

Pine nuts and basil leaves for garnish

Place the eggs yolks, basil, mayonnaise, butter, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor or a blender. Process mixture until smooth. With the machine on, add the warm water. Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed. Using a pastry bag or spoon, fill egg white halves. Garnish as desired with pine nuts and basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Sunday in the Kitchen: Shamrock Martini

Shamrock Martini

Happy St.Patrick's Day!

I've never been a big fan of parades. Even living less than 2 hours from New York City, I have no desire to venture out, stand with thousands of people on the street and watch people walk by...Not. For. Me.

But, that doesn't stop me from celebrating here at home.

I will be wearing green and drinking my Shamrock Martini today.

And before I toss out the recipe for the lovely green drink...here's a fun few facts about the color green:

Green is the color of nature, youth and fertility.

Green is the second most popular color after blue.

Green is the national color of Ireland.

The floors of the Egyptian temples were painted green because it was considered a sacred color signifying hope and joy of spring.

Kermit likes being green, but doesn't find it easy.

Greenback is slang for the U.S. dollar.

Green is the color of the melon liqueur used in the drink recipe below!

The Shamrock Martini

1.5 oz. melon liqueur

1.5 oz. vodka

1 oz. club soda

green sugar for rimming the glass

Fill a shaker half full with ice. Add the melon liqueur, vodka and club soda (If your melon liqueur isn't green, you can add a dash of green food coloring!) DO NOT SHAKE. STIR!
Wet the rim of the martini glass and dip in the green sugar.
Pour the contents of the shaker into the glass and Enjoy!

Please remember to always drink responsibly!

Sunday in the Kitchen - Focaccia Bread

I hope everyone had a great week!

Me?  I've been stuck in my writing cave trying to hammer out the last two chapters of my current WIP. (I even missed blogging on Thursday...oh my!)

Today I'm sharing an easy recipe for one of the favorite snacks in my house whether we're watching TV or just have a few friends over.

Easy Focaccia Bread

1 Package (10 oz) refrigerated pizza crust (the kind that comes rolled up in a can) OR you can use your own crust.

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Grated Romano Cheese
Dried oregano leaves or Italian seasoning
2 Firm plum tomatoes, sliced thin
1 small onion, sliced thin (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. Roll out the dough. Sprinkle with the garlic. Sprinkle some Romano Cheese over the crust. Cover with half the mozzarella cheese and some of the oregano (or your Italian seasoning.) Top with the thinly spliced tomatoes and onions. Cover with remaining cheese and oregano. Sprinkle some romano cheese on the top.
Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Cut into squares.
Enjoy!

Sunday in the Kitchen - Potato Crusted Vegetable Pizza

Yes...it's been one of those weeks around our house, but I guess when you have three kids, 2 cats, 1 puppy, 2 birds, a lizard and a hamster...there's bound to be a crazy week in the mix every now and then!

So, today's post is going to short and sweet...

This week's very short Hot Link List:

+  A few tips on Pumping Up Your Immune System - great ideas to keep you healthy during the winter months.

+  Looking to write smarter and faster? I needed a good kick this week and one of my critique partners, Clarissa Yip, pointed me in the direction Rachel Aaron and her 2k to 10k a day blog post. Awesome reading!

+  Confused when to use "Who" or "Whom?" This great blog post offers up a great way to get it right every time!

Who or Whom? Easy trick to getting it right! http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/46243.aspx#

And now it's time for some pizza:

Potato Crusted Vegetable Pizza

Crust

1 Package (14 oz) frozed, shredded hash browns patties, thawed and broken apart

1 Egg, lightly beaten

3/4 tsp salt

Toppings

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

1 cup of broccoli, chopped

8 ounces (2 cups) swiss cheese, shredded, divided

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

Preheat the over to 400.  Combine potatoes, egg and salt in a bowl, mix well. Spread potato mixture into a circle on a baking stone or a cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes and remove from oven.

Layer sliced vegetables and cheese - ending with cheese and sprinkle with oregano.

Bake an additional 12 minutes. Serve warm.

(we've used shredding cheddar at it was good, too!)

Enjoy!

** Because I love my readers and am grateful you choose to spend some time with me each week, all comments from Feb. 1 to Feb 28 are automatically entered into my monthly drawing for a 3 pack of mini travel-sized handmade soaps. Details and the scents for the month can be found on the "contest rules" page.

Sunday in the Kitchen - Cake Mix Cookies and What's Hot

And the snow keeps coming here in my corner of the world...

It may be cold outside, but that doesn't stop me from skipping around the internet!

Here's a few of the things I found interesting in my web-hopping this week:

Jennifer Shirk posted this link on Twitter this week for Bug Out Bags for Writers.

If your target publisher is Entangled, they unveiled a new streamlined submission process. Read about here on their blog.

I found this blog post by Margo Berendsen on "21 ways to make your plot more."

This week I'm reading: Yours at Midnight by Robin Bielman

Looking for a little graphic writing inspiration? Visit Rebecca T Dickson. This week's graphic? Use what you have!

And that's what's hot for this week...and now it's time to get in the kitchen and make some cookies.

Cake Mix Cookies

Who doesn't love to eat cookies? Who wouldn't love to make them more often? Here's a great and easy solution. Open up your cabinet and grab a box of your favorite cake mix. Put it in a bowl with 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Mix it all up and shape into one inch balls. Place 2 inches apart of an ungreased cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Optional: roll your balls (I know how this sounds, but honestly, we're making cookies here!) in some sugar before putting them on the cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

Quote me!
Here's a few interesting things found on the web this week and a cake mix cookie recipe! Click here to tweet!

Wishing you happy and safe travels wherever your road leads today!

* Because I love my readers and am grateful you choose to spend some time with me each week, all comments from Feb. 1 to Feb 28 are automatically entered into my monthly drawing for a 3 mini travel-sized handmade soaps. Details and the scents for the month can be found on the "contest rules" page.

Sunday in the Kitchen: Pizza! (and more snow)

The tradition in our house is for the birthday child to pick the dinner of their choice...for my daughter, that usually mean homemade pizza.

One thing I've learned over the years of making dough, is that having a good mixer is not only a time saver, but an arm saver too - because mixing pizza dough by hand is HARD.

Here is my very basic but awesome pizza dough recipe (and honestly, it's not mine, it's from my mother-in-law.) Click to tweet this!

This recipe makes one thick crust or two thin crusts.

Pizza Dough

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast (or 2 tsp of the active dry yeast if you buy in bulk like I do!)
a pinch of sugar (add to yeast and dissolve in 1/2 cup very warm water)
1/4 cup oil
1/2 to 1 cup additional warm water.
a few shakes of dried Italian seasoning (optional)

Dissolve the yeast in warm water with the pinch of sugar and let stand about 5 minutes while it foams.

Put the flour in the mixer, add the salt and seasoning, turn on low using the dough hook. Pour in the yeast water. While mixing add the oil.

Slowly continue to add the additional warm water until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

Remove from the dough hook and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel and set to rise. (I put it in the oven on a top rack, with a pan of hot water underneath and leave it for several hours.)

When ready to make the pizza, remove the dough from the bowl and with sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead.

Lightly oil the pizza pan (I also sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan)

Roll the dough and poke with a few fork holes.

Pre-cook the crust in a 375 degree oven until puffed and lightly golden.

Remove from oven and spread on your sauce and cheese.

Put back in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done you like your cheese.

Enjoy!

And just for giggles...here's a few more pictures of the blizzard of 2013!

My son's car is under there somewhere!

Looks beautiful.

Would look even more beautiful if there wasn't so damn much of it!









Wishing you safe travels wherever your road leads!

* Because I love my readers and am grateful you choose to spend some time with me each week, all comments from Feb. 1 to Feb 28 are automatically entered into my monthly drawing for a 3 pack of mini travel-sized handmade soaps. Details and the scents for the month can be found on the "contest rules" page.

Sunday in the Kitchen: Dip Day

What I'm reading this week: 

A Little Bit Cupid by Jennifer Shirk

Recently on the iPod: 

Honey Bee by Blake Shelton

Today is SuperBowl Sunday. Whether you're a football or not, it's a big food day here in the US.

Which in this family means DIP!

Today for your dipping pleasure, I'm sharing a few of the favorites around the Dennis house.

Since none of the NY teams are in the game this year, I don't have a horse in the race, so I'm just going to be hoping for an exciting game with good sportsmanship and of course some kick-ass commercials (which is really the only thing I watch anyway!)

Creamy Blue Cheese Dip

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

4 oz. blue cheese, crumbles (about 1 cup)

2 Tbs butter, softened (NO SUBSTITUTIONS!)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste

2 Tbs heavy or whipping cream

Combine the cream cheese, blue cheese, butter, sour cream and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Blend in the cream. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Sesame-White Bean Dip

1 can (19 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Combine the beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the food processor. With the machine on, add the oil in a steady stream until smooth. Fold in the green onions. (can be made ahead and refrigerate up to 24 hours) Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving with toasted pita chips and fresh vegetables.

Kickin Guacamole

1 ripe avocade, peeled and pit removed

1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomato

2 Tbs chopped green onion

2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 tsp seeded and minced japapeno chile

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 to 1/2 hot pepper sauce (according to your taste!)

Mash the avocado with a fork in a medium blow. Stir in the tomato, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, salt and hot pepper sauce. Serve immediately with chips or oven baked tortilla chips.

Have a great day in the kitchen!

  

Tweet a Quote!

  Today for your dipping pleasure, I'm sharing a few of the favorites around the Dennis house. ~ Click to Tweet!

 

 *All today's dip's were from the Ladies Home Journal 100 Great Appetizer and Snack Recipes.

** All comments on any post in February are entered into the monthly contest found on the sidebar! Details on the Contest page.

Sunday in the kitchen: Apple Pecan Loaf

It's been frigid here on Long Island this past week and for me, that means nothing is better than a warm slice of bread!

I found this recipe online yesterday from Cooks.com while looking for a new recipe to use up the chopped pecans I have left over from Christmas.

It was awesome and smelled great in the oven.

More important, the kids all liked it too.

I made a few changes to the original recipe (because of the ingredient amounts I actually had on hand and it was very tasty.) The kids said to definitely make this one again...so I guess that makes it "blog worthy!"

Apple Pecan Loaf

2 Apples, raw, peeled and diced (I used red delicious because that's what I had)

3 Cups Flour

2 Eggs

2 Cups of Sugar

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 Cup Oil

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Pecans, chopped (I think I'd use 3/4 next time)

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Put the diced apples in a bowl, add sugar and let stand for 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except nuts). Mix well. Add nuts. Pour into standard size loaf pan (greased). Bake at 350 for 1 hour (The recipe says 1 hour - but it took almost an hour and half for mine to be cooked through since it was a very thick dough!)

Happy eating!