DIY Mayonnaise...With Yummy Mix-Ins!

Eighty percent of Americans like mayonnaise.  I’m kidding.  I totally made up that number.  I have no idea how many people like mayo.  I do, however, know that mayonnaise is very polarizing.  It really isn’t a food that people think is just Ok.  People either love it or hate it….like cilantro.  I am one of those people that love it.  On anything.  Mayonnaise is one of my favorite things in the whole world.

Did you know that it is really easy to make your own mayo?  You can make it with stuff you might already have in your fridge and pantry.  It is kind of a cool thing to make, especially if you have kids.  It is almost like a science experiment.  You start with eggs (pasteurized and we will get to that in a bit), add an acid such as vinegar and oil….and blend.  Those three things blended all together give you mayo.  How simple is that?

Normally, mayonnaise made at home would be made with raw egg yolks.  I have done this before, and the end result is a rich, thick mayo unlike what you get at the grocery store.  The problem is the raw eggs.  That freaks me out.  I have avoided raw eggs by making my mayo with pasteurized egg product (Egg Beaters).

When I make mayo, I use my super powered blender.  You can also use a food processor.  You can use whatever will blend, as long as it has a hole at the top, in the lid, so you can stream oil in the top. 

I start by adding my pasteurized eggs and vinegar to the blender.  I usually use champagne vinegar, but you can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon or even lime juice.  You just need an acid.  I blend the eggs and vinegar together with some salt to get the process going.  Then, I slowly stream in oil.  I like to use a combination of olive oil and vegetable oil.  I like the olive flavor, but I find using all olive oil produces too strong a flavor.

BTW-you could totally use coconut oil, grape seed oil or avocado oil!

This blends for a couple of minutes as the oil is streamed in.  The mixture comes together and thickens before your very eyes.  It is pretty much amazing.  Don’t let it get too far though…it will get a weird chunky texture if you do.

 

The end result is creamy, rich and delicious.  It is nothing like what you get in a jar at the grocery store.  The best part?  You can personalize your mayo and add whatever you want to it!  The possibilities are endless!

Try:

¾ cup chopped crisp bacon with ½ cup chopped chives for Bacon Chive Mayo

½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes and ¼ cup chopped basil for Sundried Tomato Basil Mayo

One packet dry Ranch dressing mix for Ranch Mayo

3 tablespoons BBQ dry rub for BBQ Mayo

2 diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for Chipotle Mayo

1 or 2 tablespoons horseradish for Horseradish Mayo

4 ounces chopped green chilis and ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese for Green Chili Cheddar Mayo (Pictured-My Favorite!)

Easy DIY Mayonnaise

¼ cup Pasteurized Egg Product

2 teaspoons champagne vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup vegetable oil

Add egg, vinegar and salt to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Slowly stream in oil while blending, should take about 1 minute.  Blend until thick and creamy.

Keep in tightly sealed container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 2 cups.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

Well, kids….it’s that time of year already.  Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  This year, let’s plan ahead.  This year, let’s be the ones who have our menus planned and ready to go way ahead of time.  Who’s with me?

Is anyone still there?  Ok, good.  Today, let’s talk side dishes.   I think that veggies never really get their due on Thanksgiving, unless you are counting a potato.  I’m not.  Mashed potatoes are a great part of Thanksgiving, but everyone has a recipe for that.  Today I want to talk about real veggies.  Like carrots, squash and Brussels sprouts.

I have a recipe for Roasted Autumn Veggies that everyone will love.  Even non-veggie eaters (like me!).  When veggies are roasted, they get sweet and caramelized.  The taste totally changes.  I combine halved Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, cubed butternut squash and red onion with balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper and a smidge of sugar.  When these veggies are done roasting, they are super sweet and tender.  To make ‘em even better, I top them with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries and candied pecans.  I never knew vegetables could be so delicious until I had these.

To start, I preheat my oven to 400 degrees, pretty hot really.  Then, I put about three cups of each of the vegetables that I am using into a large bowl.  You can really choose any hearty autumn veggie for this….parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, etc.  Just make sure that your veggies are all relatively the same size.  I chopped my onion and halved my Brussels sprouts.  I cheated and opened a bag of already cubed butternut squash and left my baby carrots whole.  If everything is pretty much the same size, it will all cook evenly.

To the bowl, I add about a quarter cup of olive oil, two teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper.  I also sprinkle on about a tablespoon of sugar.  Yes, I know I said these veggies get sweet when they are roasted, but the sugar helps a bit too.  Sprouts can be bitter, so the sugar really brings out that hidden sweetness.

Next, I stir together a half of a cup balsamic vinegar with a quarter cup of soy sauce.  I pour a quarter cup of this mixture directly on the veggies.  Once the veggies are mixed, I pour them on a baking sheet and let them roast for about forty minutes.

While the veggies cook, I let the soy/balsamic mixture reduce to a thick syrup.  All I do is let it cook in a small sauce pan over medium high heat for about ten minutes.  If it is at a full boil, it will reduce pretty quickly to a thick delicious syrup.

When the veggies are done roasting they will be a beautiful golden brown and super tender.  I top the veggies with crumbles or gorgonzola, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and then I drizzle on the balsamic syrup.  Perfection. Thanksgiving perfection.

 

If you have any veggies left over, you can make my Harvest salad.  I top greens with the leftover veggies (cold), chopped leftover turkey and a chopped green apple.  Then, I top the salad with my cranberry vinaigrette made with leftover cranberry sauce.  This is the perfect lunch the day after Thanksgiving.  Doesn’t a salad sound good when you are still a little bit full from the day before?

Roasted Autumn Veggies

3 cups Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

3 cups baby carrots

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

3 cups red onion, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon sugar

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

1/3 cup candied pecans

1/3 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place veggies in a large bowl.  Add olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar.  Mix well.

Stir together soy sauce and vinegar.  Add ¼ a cup of this mixture to veggies.  Mix well.

Pour veggies onto a sheet pan.  Roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

While veggies cook, pour remaining soy/balsamic mixture into a small sauce pan.  Boil over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until mixture is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

Transfer veggies onto serving platter.  Top with candied pecans, dried cranberries and gorgonzola cheese.  Drizzle with balsamic syrup.

Serves 8-10

Cranberry Vinaigrette

¼ cup cranberry sauce

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until well blended.

Makes about 1 cup.

Schnitzel with Beer Braised Cabbage

Sprechen sie Deutsch?  Well, I actually don’t.  I was just wondering if you did or not.  One thing I do know, is that every early October, the good people of Germany, specifically Bavaria, celebrate Oktoberfest!  What is Oktoberfest, besides one heck of an excuse to drink beer and wear lederhosen, you might ask?  It started in Munich, Germany as a commemoration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810.  By 1818, it had morphed into an agricultural festival that celebrated Bavaria.  At some point, beer became a major component of the festival, and it now pulls in about 5 million people each year.  All right, history lesson over.

I look at Oktoberfest as the beginning of Fall.  When I see cities and communities around me celebrating, I know that we are officially in Fall.  I also look at it as a time to enjoy some really good German-esque food.  Win all around. 

Today I have a great recipe for you that makes a perfect Fall dinner.  I am going to show you how to make schnitzel!  Do you love schnitzel?  Especially with noodles, Maria Von Trapp?  I love it too, and I serve mine with cabbage braised in beer and mustard.  I also serve mine with pierogies, which I’m pretty sure aren’t German.  But they are Eastern European (Polish), so that’s cool, right?

My schnitzel starts with thin cut pork chops.  You could totally pound out your own chops, but my grocery store (Scolari’s) sells boneless “thin-cut” pork chops.  I love these because they are very quick cooking.

I dredge my chops in seasoned flour, then Gourmet Rooster Carolina Style BBQ sauce, and finally, panko bread crumbs.  Carolina Style BBQ sauce is the perfect substitute for eggs in this dish.  The purpose of the eggs is really just to help the bread crumbs stick, giving the pork a crunchy coating.  Plus, the BBQ sauce is a combination of mustard, beer, and many other spices.  It works beautifully with pork, and it is mild enough that my kids like it too.

The chops get fried, four minutes on the first side and three on the second, in a large skillet that has already fried up some bacon….leaving all of its precious fat in the pan.  I set aside the bacon, as that will get added to the cabbage later.

Once the chops come out of the pan, I add in one full head of shredded green cabbage.  You can really use any color here, I just prefer green.  I let the cabbage sauté in all of the remaining fat in the skillet.  Once the cabbage has sautéed, I add in more Carolina Style BBQ sauce, and then some beer!  I let the cabbage sizzle away until it is tender.  And don’t worry, the alcohol will cook out of the dish, leaving you with just the flavor of beer.

To serve, I top each schnitzel with the beer braised cabbage and a little sprinkle of bacon.  The pork stays tender and juicy under its crunchy exterior, and you really get a great flavor from the Carolina Style sauce.  If you can’t find Gourmet Rooster (go to www.gourmetrooster.com and hit “where to buy”), you can always sub in your favorite mustard.  Same goes for the cabbage recipe too.

Speaking of the cabbage…the cabbage is tender, yet still a bit crunchy, with tons of flavor from the BBQ sauce and beer.  The beer flavor is so good with cabbage, but you can always substitute chicken stock if you kids don’t like the beer flavor.

Served with pierogies, I think this is the perfect dinner!  Of course, I’ll have to follow it up with a Black Forest Cake or German Chocolate Cake….does anyone have one?

Don’t forget to like my page on Facebook.  Just search “Gourmet Rooster”.

 

 

Schnitzel with Cabbage

½ pound bacon

1 ½ half pounds boneless “thin cut” pork chops

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 ¼ cup Gourmet Rooster Carolina Style BBQ Sauce, divided

2 cups panko style bread crumbs

1 small head cabbage, shredded

8 ounces dark beer

Fry bacon over medium heat in a large skillet until brown and crispy on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.  Remove bacon from pan, leaving bacon fat in skillet.  Set bacon on paper towels to drain.

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.  Pour 1 cup of Carolina Style BBQ sauce into another shallow dish.  Finally, place seasoned bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.  Dredge pork chops in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then Carolina Style BBQ sauce, then bread crumbs.

Fry pork chops over medium heat, in batches so you don’t crowd them, in bacon fat.  Fry each chop for about 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second, or until both sides are golden brown and pork is cooked through.  You may need to add additional vegetable oil for frying.

When all of the pork is cooked and out of the pan, place shredded cabbage into same skillet, adding additional oil if needed.  Sauté cabbage over medium high heat for about 2 minutes.  Add remaining Carolina Style BBQ sauce and beer.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.  Let cabbage simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until cabbage is crisp tender and liquid has reduced.  Crumble the cooked bacon over the cabbage.

Serve pork topped with cabbage and bacon with cooked pierogies on the side.

Serves 4.

Nachos-Two Ways!

I love nachos.  Anytime, anyplace, anywhere….I love ‘em.  I like the orangey fake cheese sauce, grated cheese, topped with chili, topped with jalapenos, you name it….I’ll eat it.  My kids are huge fans of nachos too.  But really, who isn’t? 

When I make nachos at home, I like to make my own cheese sauce.  But I like to make it with freshly grated cheese, not cheese product.  Like I said above, I like a good processed cheese, but nachos with freshly grated cheese sauce is oh so good, and obviously better for you.  And a cheese sauce is so easy to make.  It uses three ingredients and it is quick!  Let me walk you through it.

I start with eight ounces of freshly grated cheddar cheese.  You can use whatever flavor cheese you like, as long as it is a good melting cheese like cheddar, mozzarella, jack or Fontina.  But you must grate it yourself.  This is very important.  The bags of grated cheese sometimes have added stabilizers that will not work in this recipe.

I mix my grated cheese with one tablespoon of corn starch in a small sauce pan that is not on the heat yet.  Once the cheese has been tossed with the corn starch, I stir in a twelve ounce can of evaporated milk and turn the heat on medium low-ish.

The mixture needs to get whisked continuously for about five minutes now over medium heat.  At first nothing will happen, and you will think I’m crazy.  Then, the cheese will start to melt but the mixture will get very stringy, and you will for sure think I’ve lost my mind.  Hang in there.  Finally, after you have cursed my name and decided I shouldn’t ever be allowed to cook….the sauce will come together.  It will thicken and melt into a beautiful, silky cheese sauce.  You will apologize for all the nasty things you’ve said about me.  You just have to be patient!

This sauce is good for nachos, of course, but it is also great over veggies, as a dip for French fries, or straight out of the pot if you are like me.

If you serving adults, and looking for something a bit more fancy pants….I’ve got a version of “grown-up” nachos that you have to try.  These nachos are made with sweet potato chips, topped with a Gruyere and blue cheese sauce, and then drizzled with a balsamic reduction that is too die for.  You may have had a similar version at the Cadillac Ranch that used to be at Legends in Sparks.  I used to be addicted to their version of this and I knew I had to replicate it.

I make this cheese sauce this same way.  I start with four ounces of freshly grated Gruyere cheese.  Gruyere is a nutty cheese that is similar to Swiss cheese.  It is available virtually everywhere.  I mix the Gruyere with four ounces of crumbled blue cheese.  I stir my tablespoon of corn starch in and add a can of evaporated milk just like my basic version.  Same process now….stirring and waiting.

While the cheese sauce cooks, I also reduce balsamic vinegar on the stovetop until it is thick and syrupy.  Open the windows for this….your family might not appreciate the smell, even if they are vinegar lovers.

This cheese sauce gets poured over a layer of sweet potato chips, but thick ruffled potato chips are great with this too.  I drizzle the whole thing with my balsamic syrup, and I also sprinkle more blue cheese over the top.  Heaven on a plate.  A very large plate.  The adults in your life will thank you for this.

 

Huge news on the Gourmet Rooster front…..my products are now available at all Scolari’s and Sak and Save stores.  Stop by and get some!

Basic Cheese Sauce

8 ounces freshly grated cheese, such as cheddar or Jack

1 tablespoon corn starch

12 ounces evaporated milk (one can)

Toss cheese with corn starch.  Add to small sauce pan.  Whisk in evaporated milk and heat over medium, stirring frequently.

Cook over medium heat for at least 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened and cheese has melted.

Makes 2 cups

 

Gruyere and Blue Cheese Nachos

4 ounces freshly grated Gruyere Cheese

6 ounces crumbled blue cheese, divided

1 tablespoon corn starch

12 ounces evaporated milk

½ cup balsamic vinegar

6 ounce bag Sweet Potato Chips (Terra brand)

Toss Gruyere and 4 ounces blue cheese with corn starch.  Add to small sauce pan.  Whisk in evaporated milk and heat over medium, stirring frequently.

Cook over medium heat for at least 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened and cheeses have melted.

For balsamic reduction:

Heat vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium/high heat.  Boil until vinegar has reduced by half, about 3 minutes at a full boil.

Layer potato chips on a large plate.  Top with cheese sauce, remaining blue cheese and balsamic reduction.

Serves 6

Zucchini Bread-Two Ways

 

A four pound zucchini.  Yes, you read that right.  My friend gave me a four pound zucchini last week.  She said, “Can you do anything with a really large zucchini?”  I said “of course!”  I figured I could make some roasted zucchini for dinner.  And then I saw it.  I realized I could make roasted zucchini, fried zucchini, zucchini frittata, zucchini pasta….pretty much everything with zucchini.

The first thing I did with my extra-large zucchini was grate half of it.  Now I have zucchini for quick breads, muffins, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, etc.  Quick tip, if adding it to bread….squeeze it dry in paper towels to get rid of the excess moisture.

My favorite way to use up zucchini is to make quick bread with it and then pass it out to friends and neighbors.  People always like to get baked goods, right?  I think so.  And with a four pound zucchini, pretty much everyone that knows me can be sure that they will receive a loaf of quick bread.

I like to make quick breads because quick breads don’t contain any yeast.  They are very cake like. There is no kneading, no rising, no hard stuff basically.   It is perfect for breakfast, or a quick snack.  You can make quick breads sweet or savory.  Today I am going to show you my two favorite quick breads containing zucchini.  That way, if you happen to have too much zucchini laying around because your backyard just flat out produced too much….you can give friends and neighbors bread.  You don’t have to sneak over to their house in the middle of the night and leave zucchini on their porch (I swear I’ve known people that did that with peaches)…..make bread.

My first bread is a savory bread.  It is a cornbread actually but I bake it in a loaf pan.  I use a package of cornbread mix to start.  Yep, there I go using packages again.  But this won’t taste anything but homemade, I promise.  Beyond the cornbread mix, I also use grated zucchini (duh), gruyere cheese, and thyme.  And whatever else the package calls for.

The zucchini gives this bread a fresh almost sweet flavor.  The gruyere is nutty and works perfectly with the sweet corn flavors.  This bread is perfect with soup, salad, even pasta.  I’ve even caught my husband making sandwiches with it.

My second quick bread happens to be my favorite.  Because it is chocolate.  Chocolate Zucchini Banana to be exact.  I start this one with a box of Banana Bread mix.  I add more grated zucchini, unsweetened cocoa powder, mini chocolate chips and vanilla Greek yogurt to this one.  The Greek yogurt gives this bread great moisture and it adds protein to it.  It also allows be to use half the amount of oil.  To me, that makes it health food.

 

One of the greatest things about quick bread, besides what I mentioned above, is that you can easily mix your batter together in one bowl, with no mixers.  You basically mix with a spoon until everything is blended.  I swear it is easier to make then cookies.

If you have a surplus of zucchini, you must make one or both of these breads.  You can give them out, you can freeze them, or you can eat them all at one sitting like I do with the chocolate version.  Don’t laugh….there is zucchini in there so it is super good for me.  Right?

 

Zucchini and Gruyere Cornbread

2 cups Marie Callender’s Cornbread mix

1 cup milk

¼ cup melted butter

1 egg

1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray loaf pan (8x4x2 ½) with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients until just blended.  Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake at 425 for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown on top a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Serves 8

 

Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread

14 ounce box Pillsbury Banana Quick Bread Mix

½ cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

½ cup water

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry

2 eggs

1/8 cup vegetable oil

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan (8x4x2 ½) with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together all ingredients.  Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until brown on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves 8

Back to School Lunches....Made Fun

For pictures of the recipes featured, please click on the link below.  And be prepared for a horrifying picture of me......

It’s official now.  Summer is over and school is back in session…..at least in most of Washoe County.  Let the learning begin!  And let the morning time rushed lunch packing commence.

Oh, were you thinking that I was one of those moms that has it all together and packs lunches the night before?  Maybe even on Sunday for the whole week?  I’m not.  Although, I have found some things that work for our family, and I am more than happy to share them with you.

To start, I have two kids….one that likes sandwiches and one that doesn’t.  The majority of the time, I forget which is which and get it all messed up.  50/50 chance, right?  Packing a lunch for a child that won’t eat sandwiches is tough.  It really forces me to get creative.  Let me show you what works in our house.

I like to stick with “finger foods”.  If I don’t, forks get lost, food doesn’t get eaten, and sometimes uneaten food will sit in a lunch bag through a weekend.  Not fun to find that on Monday morning.  Some of the finger foods that I like to make, and my kids like to eat are mini muffins, spreads and crackers and dips with fruit, veggies or more crackers. 

Today I am going to show you three basic recipes for mini muffins, spreads and dips with variations.  There is bound to be something that your child will eat.  All the recipes are easy and fun, and can be made easily the night before or even the morning of school.

Let’s get started with spreads.  All three of these spreads are fabulous with crackers or veggies, and of course, if you have sandwich lovers…they are great smeared on bread.  I start with a base of mayo, cream cheese and a meat of some sort.  Veggies get added in, sometimes fruit, and sometimes nuts.

My “Perfect Chicken Spread” is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, diced chicken, grapes, red onion, slivered almonds, celery and salt and pepper.  I use a rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or even quickly grilled chicken depending on what I have on hand.

Softened cream cheese mixes in smoothly and easily with mayo.  I stir in the diced chicken, diced celery and onion, quartered grapes and slivered almonds.  Then, I season with salt and pepper.  Sometimes I even throw it all into the food processor for a really smooth spread.

This spread has protein, calcium and vitamins from the grapes, onions and celery. It is different than most chicken salads because of the cream cheese.  I think the cream cheese makes it more “spreadable”.   It keeps well in the fridge, and it packs well in a little plastic container.  I send it with celery sticks, crackers or even pita chips sometimes.  My kids love it.  And seriously, if you throw everything into the food processor?  Crazy fast.

My second spread is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, diced turkey, green onions, dried cranberries, chopped pecans and salt and pepper.  It is very similar to my chicken salad, but the dried cranberries give it a yummy tang, and the green onion gives it a softer onion flavor. 

I use a cooked turkey breast that I like to buy from Costco, but Wal-Mart has one too.  I always have dried cranberries on hand, as well as green onions.  This one is kind of a no-brainer for me because my kids prefer it, and it is so super easy.

My third spread is my personal favorite.  It is a combination of cream cheese, mayo, salami and pickles!  It is like a pickle wrap!  You’ve had that for an appetizer, right?  I throw all the ingredients into the food processor and “pulse” until it is the consistency I want.  You could totally do this without a mixer, too.

This spread is the perfect combination of salty, tangy and creamy.  If you have brave kids, you could even throw in some pepperoncini.  I pack this with crackers, usually.  One of them will eat this on bread, again, I can’t remember who.

I pack all of these spreads in a little plastic container that I don’t care too much about losing.  Because yes, they lose a lot.  I save plastic containers and re-use whenever possible.

Remember how I mentioned mini muffins?  These muffins are super easy, and kids love them because they are bite sized.  I usually bake up a batch on Sunday nights, but I have been known to bake them on a Tuesday morning.  I love this basic recipe because you can throw anything in….sweet or savory.

 I start by blending together oil and sugar.  Then, I add eggs and blend that in.  I also blend in flour, salt, baking powder and milk.  That right there is the basic recipe.

If I want sweet, I add in diced dried fruit.  I prefer dried because it doesn’t add moisture to the batter.  For my Cherries and Cream Muffins, I add in diced dried cherries, which I coat in flour to keep the stickiness down.  I also blend in cold cream cheese. I keep the cream cheese cold so that it doesn’t blend in smoothly.  I like the chunks of cream cheese in the muffins.  I want to be able to taste it!

Again, these muffins have protein, carbs, vitamins….everything a kid needs to make it through the day.  Dried blueberries are good, as well as dried apricots, strawberries or even raisins.  What will your kid eat, guaranteed?

For a more savory muffin, I like to add diced ham, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions to make a “Ham and Cheese Muffin”.  I cut the sugar down for a savory muffin, but the base recipe remains the same.

I also like a muffin brimming with diced tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, mini pepperoni, basil and oregano.  Who doesn’t like pizza?

I use my mixer for these muffin recipes, but they are just as easy by hand.  I like to get my money’s worth out of my mixer.

My last recipes are for dips.  As a lover of all things appetizer-ish….these are my favorite.  I would eat anything if it had a dip.  Seriously, anything.  My kids tend to be the same way.  And what better way to get your kids to eat veggies then to give them something yummy to dip in?

My dips have the same base.  Plain, low-fat Greek yogurt.  Greek yogurt is packed with calcium and protein.  And if you use low-fat?  Come on…..It’s perfect!

My first “go-to” dip is my easy Ranch Dip.  I combine plain Greek Yogurt with a smidge of mayo, buttermilk powder (found in the baking aisle), dried chives, parsley, dill, mustard, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  The combination of all these dried herbs and spices are what is essentially in a pack of dry ranch mix…..except you can pronounce everything in mine.

I blend this together and chill it.  This dip is perfect with veggies of all kinds.  I also usually pack cracker dippers, rolled up lunch meats and cheese sticks too.  It’s like a cocktail party in their lunch box, minus the cocktails, of course.

My second dip is a great fruit dip.  I combine plain Greek yogurt with orange marmalade, a bit of cream cheese and a dash of powdered sugar.  I usually send apple slices, strawberries, bananas and graham cracker sticks with this dip. 

Does your kid hate marmalade?  Tyr substituting lemon or lime curd.  Just as yummy.

My final dip is my Peanut Butter and Honey Dip.  I combine plain Greek yogurt with peanut butter and honey.  Is your school peanut free?  Try sunflower butter or even cookie butter!  This is a perfect dip for celery, fruit, graham crackers, etc.

All of the dips just need to be packed with an ice pack somewhere in the lunch box.  Don’t have an ice pack because your kids lose every single one you send with them?  I’ve been there.  I freeze a juice box and send that with them.  It will defrost by lunch and keep everything in the lunch box cold.  Genius, right?

I hope your kid’s transition back to school has been a smooth one.  I hope yours has been too! 

Perfect Chicken Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 cup grapes, quartered

½ cup celery, diced

½ cup red onion, diced

½ cup slivered almonds

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Perfect Turkey Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 cups white or dark meat cooked turkey, diced

½ cup green onion, diced

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped

 1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Perfect Salami Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups salami, diced

½ cup dill or bread and butter pickles, diced

Combine mayo and cream cheese until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Or, combine all ingredients in food processor and “pulse” until desired consistency is reached.

Chill until ready to eat.

Serves about 6 kids, or 4 adults

Cherries and Cream Mini-Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 cup dried cherries, chopped and coated in flour to prevent sticking

4 ounces cream cheese, chilled and diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, vanilla and salt.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in dried cherries and diced cream cheese. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

Pizza Mini Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

½ cup tomato, diced and seeds removed

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup mini pepperoni

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, salt, garlic, oregano, and basil.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in tomato, cheese and pepperoni. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

 

Ham and Cheese Mini Muffins

½ cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 cup ham, small dice

½ cup shredded mozzarella

½ cup green onion, small dice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Blend together oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly blend in eggs, salt, garlic and pepper.  Once that is smooth, blend in baking powder, flour and milk until just blended.  Batter will be lumpy.

Finally, stir in ham, cheese and green onion. 

Fill each paper liner 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

 

Greek Yogurt “Ranch”

2 cups plain Greek yogurt, low-fat if desired

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon buttermilk powder

1 teaspoon dried chives

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried mustard

½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 2 cups.

Peanut Butter and Honey Dip

2 cups plain Greek yogurt, low-fat if desired

1 cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup honey

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 3 cups.

 

Orange Yogurt Dip

2 cups plain Greek Yogurt, low-fat if desired

1 ½ cups orange marmalade

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Chill until ready to eat.

Makes about 3 ½ cups.

 

"Plate Lunch".....Hawaiian Style

Aloha.  I want to go to Hawaii.  I am just throwing that out there in case one of you is going soon and would like to take me.  Just putting it out there in the atmosphere.  I used to go a lot when I was little.  My dad worked there for a short period of time too.  I was a lucky kid.  As an adult, I haven’t been since my honeymoon, almost twelve years ago.

I still dream about Hawaii even though I haven’t been for a long time.  The beach, the weather, and mostly….the food.  I love Hawaiian food.  Are you familiar?  Hawaii has lots of seafood, lots of Spam, lots of Asian influences, Portuguese sausage (at McDonald’s for breakfast!) and a little something called a “plate lunch”.

A “plate lunch” is a standard in Hawaii.  It is essentially, a meat, which is your main, two scoops of white rice and a scoop of macaroni salad.  Probably not the best thing for you, but so crazy good.  The meat, or seafood, is always delicious and the macaroni salad is different than a typical mainland macaroni salad.  It is a little bit sweeter, I would say.

Hawaiian restaurants that serve this kind of deliciousness have popped up all over the mainland.  When I lived in California, I had several to choose from.  I don’t have as many choices here in Nevada, but no big deal…I’ll make my own.

For my plate lunch, I am going to show you how to make Kalua pork, my macaroni salad and for dessert, a yummy Pina Colada Cupcake!  First, let me explain Kalua pork if you are unfamiliar.  Kalua pork, also called Kalua pig is named after a traditional cooking method, or “Kalua”.  It means to cook in an underground oven.  Basically, a pig is salted, stuffed with hot rocks, wrapped in banana leaves and buried in the ground.  The pig cooks underground for a long time, like six hours.  When it comes out and is unwrapped, the meat is smoky and tender.  It falls apart it is so tender.

Clearly, I won’t be digging a hole in my backyard and burying a pig.  I think my Homeowner’s Association frowns on that.  I am going to make do with my slow cooker.  I guess I could bury the slow cooker, but the electricity would be a problem.

I start with a four to five pound pork butt.  I chose a boneless version because that is what looked goof that day.  Bone in, bone out…it doesn’t matter.  Just make sure you have a nice fatty butt.  I rub the whole thing with liquid smoke and kosher salt.  You can use any salt, really.  Hawaiian sea salt would be great, but any will work.

Once the pork has been rubbed down, I set it in my slow cooker that has been lined with banana leaves.  (These actually aren’t as hard to find as you would think, and they really do add an authenticity that can’t be beat.  I found mine at an Asian grocer in the frozen section.)  I wrap the leaves around the pork to make a banana leaf package.  Then, I let the cooker go for 10 hours.

When the meat comes out, it will fall apart.  I discard the leaves, shred the meat and return it to the smoky cooking liquid.  This meat is crazy, knock your socks off, good.  It will make you want to Tahitian dance, twirl fire and maybe even surf.  And so easy!  The slow cooker does all the work!

And just in case you were wondering, the banana leaves are totally optional.  But you really should go to your local Asian grocer.  I could wander around for days.  The food is amazing.

As for my macaroni salad….it is a pretty basic recipe.  I boil macaroni noodles until they are totally done.  No al dente here.  A good Hawaiian macaroni salad has fat, fully cooked noodles.  The drained noodles get mixed with chopped celery, bell pepper, carrot and red onion.  I also stir in chopped Canadian bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.  The dressing is mayo, milk, cider vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper.  It is reminiscent of the dressing that goes on a broccoli salad.

The whole this gets mixed together and chilled.  It is perfect next to a mound of Kalua pork and white rice.  I topped my pork with a Guava Pineapple Teriyaki sauce I found at the Asian market.  Seriously, go there.  You will love it.

 

Doesn’t this make you want to put on a grass skirt?

Finally, the cupcakes.  Have some of you been waiting for this only?  For my Pina Colada cupcakes, I use a white box cake mix.  I add three whole eggs as opposed to egg whites only, melted butter instead of oil and pineapple juice instead of water.  I also throw in a couple of teaspoons of rum extract.

I bake the cupcakes according to package directions and let them cool.  As for my frosting….I use butter, powdered sugar, milk or heavy cream and pineapple jam.  I look for a really stiff pineapple jam.  Play with the jars in the store.  Throw them around, tip them over, see what looks stiff and thick.  I’m kidding of course.  You will get thrown out.

I blend the softened butter with the pineapple jam and powdered sugar in my standing mixer.  How much milk you add depends on how stiff your jam is.  I needed about a quarter cup.

This gets spread over the cupcakes, and then for the crowning glory, I dip each frosted cupcake in sweetened flake coconut.  Yum!  So tropical and so yummy! 

 

Who wouldn’t want this on a hot summer night?  Or any other night?

If you would like to take me to Hawaii, let me know soon.  I will have to practice my hula.  If not, make these recipes and we can all pretend.

Mahalo.

Kalua Pork

4 to 5 pound boneless pork butt (or blade roast)

½ cup liquid smoke

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Banana leaves

Line slow cooker with defrosted banana leaves.

Rub pork evenly with liquid smoke and salt.  Place in slow cooker on top of banana leaves.  Fold leaves over the top of pork, forming a “package”.

Cook on low for 10 hours.  Remove meat from cooker, shred and return to pot and cooking juices.

Serves  6 to 8

Court’s Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

1 pound elbow macaroni, boiled till done and cooled

½ cup carrots, chopped

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup bell pepper, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

½ cup Canadian bacon, chopped

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix elbow macaroni, carrots, celery, bell pepper, red onion, Canadian bacon and shredded cheese together in a large bowl.

Is a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, milk, sugar, salt and pepper.  Pour half over macaroni salad.  Mix well.  Wait 10 minutes to pour over remaining dressing.  Mix well and chill.

Serves 12

 

Pina Colada Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

3 eggs

1 stick butter, melted

1 ¼ cup pineapple juice

2 teaspoons rum extract

Frosting:

1 stick butter

½ cup pineapple jam

3 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup heavy cream or milk

1 cup sweetened flake coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat together (with a hand mixer) cake mix, eggs, butter, juice and rum extract for about two minutes.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.  Bake according to package directions.  Let cupcakes cool for at least 2 hours.

For frosting:

With a hand mixer, beat together softened butter and pineapple jam.  Once that is blended, slowly blend in powdered sugar and cream/milk.  Beat until desired consistency is reached.

Frost cupcakes evenly.  Place coconut in a shallow dish.  Dip each frosted cupcake into coconut.

Makes 22-24 cupcakes