Smoked Salmon Pizza

I think this is definitely a breakfast pizza ... best served with a mimosa or two.

Actually, lets take out the orange juice and just have smoked salmon pizza and champagne for breakfast.

It's your day off, on a long weekend. Who cares if it's before 12 noon?

Food blogger "KEcker" enjoyed her Wolfgang Puck inspired salmon pie on the beach in Los Angles, while watching the sunset with caipirinhas, a Brazilian cocktail, and retro clam dip.

Kind of makes it seem tame to just enjoy yours on the back porch at 10am with some champagne. See, no biggie.

Shopping List
1 store-bought partially baked extra thin pizza crust
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 finely sliced shallot
Capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3/4 lb. Sliced smoked salmon

Preheat the oven to 450°. Drizzle the crust with olive oil, arrange the shallots evenly on top and season with salt and pepper and dill. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Spread the room temperature cream cheese on top of the crust then arrange the salmon pieces on top evenly. Sprinkle on your capers and more dill

Serve in wedges or squares.

Caramel Apple Jello Shots [With Real Apples]

Can you believe I actually spend time trying to figure out what kinds of food could be used as a vessel for jello shots?  I'm not a lush I swear ... although my blog would have you totally fooled.

It's just that, after filling lemons, limes, oranges and strawberries with vodka induced jello, I knew there had to be something else ...



So we tried apples... and guess what?  YUM.  Especially with my caramel flavored butterscotch schnapps jello.

(If you wanted something with a little bit more alcohol content you could always try them out with Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka instead of butterscotch schnapps)

Shopping List (makes about 40 slices/shots)
10 small granny smith apples
1 envelope knox gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 envelope Land o Lakes caramel hot chocolate (Regular would do just fine if you can't find caramel)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butterscotch schnapps
lemon juice

1. Half and hollow out  apples cutting them from the stem down. I used a melon baller to hollow the apples and it worked well. After hollowing them squeeze some lemon juice on top to reduce browning.

2. Mix your 1/2 cup water with your envelope of hot chocolate in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk it to make sure all the chocolate is combined. Add the 1/2 cup of coconut milk, whisk again.

3. Sprinkle your gelatin on top and let it sit a few minutes. Turn on low/medium heat and mix the gelatin until all is combined.

4. Add 1/4 cup sugar and simmer slightly until sugar is combined. Add your food coloring until you get the caramel color desired. I used two drops. Let mixture cool to warm. Pour in your 1/2 cup of butterscotch schnapps.

5. With your apples arranged so they fit tightly and secure on a cookie sheet, pour your caramel jello mixture into your apples. Refrigerate overnight.



6. Cut halves in quarters and those quarters in half again. Serve immediately. (The lemon juice can only prevent the browning for so long). Trim off the sides of the apples that have browned too much!By That's So Michelle

home style baked onion rings

cravings for me come out of no where - like driving down the road heading back from joseph & the technicolor dream coat play that your friend was in , dreaming about ice cold beer & onion rings.

i couldn't stop thinking about onion rings - crispy, chewy, crunchy.

yep. that would describe the perfect ring.

we had one onion ready (shout out to matt, this is one of your baby onions; it survived!) in the garden

justin was dying to pull it - he pretty much asked me everyday if & when he could

my original grand plan was to use all the onions grown for salsa - problem was this onion was massive, and was ready to be plucked from the earth

thus the baked onion ring was born

i am not a huge fan of frying

frying = messy stove + eminent danger of burning ones finger + fatty food

when you think about it, onion rings are pretty simple. you just need to figure out if you are a thick, medium or thin cut kinda girl (or boy!)

a few ingredients and you are on your way to a mighty tasty partner for a veggie burger

onion + flax eggs + seasoned flour + almond buttermilk + breadcrumbs = oniony bliss

 slice your onionsthen give them a bath in the almond buttermilk

set up your coating station & prepare for messy, gunky fingers

note to self: not the best time to be taking photos

line em' up on an olive oil drizzled pan - onions, they like to be orderly

spray them with olive oil or baking spray

bake them in a 400* preheated oven for 12 minutes

(you may need to check at the 10 minute mark to see if the undersides are golden brown)

flip em'

bake the other side - 2nd verse same as the first

 i prefer to serve my onion rings with my own special tasty sauce - for some reason ketchup doesn't quite cut it super simple, super easy. super tasty onion rings that are actually good for you! 

Home Style Baked Onion Rings

serves 2

you will need:

for the onion rings

• 1/2 cup almond milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup flour + S & P
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 flax eggs ( 1 "egg" = 1tbsp ground flax + 3tbsp warm water)
• 1 medium to large onion
• olive oil or baking spray

for the special sauce

• 2tbsp veganaise
• 2tsp ketchup
• 6 dashes hot sauce
• 1tsp garlic granules

assembly:

onion rings

• combine almond milk & lemon juice in a medium bowl- allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the milk begins to curdle a bit
• in another medium bowl combine flax & water to make your flax "eggs" (none vegans substitute 2 eggs)
• set out 2 plates - using one of the plates make yourself a breadcrumb station. with the other plate, combine the flour, s & p
• slice your onion to the desired thickness (if you like a thicker onion rings you may need 2 onions)
• separate your slices into individual rings
• add to the "buttermilk"
• prepare your dipping stations: buttermilk, seasoned flour, flax eggs, breadcrumbs
• working through each station: dip, dredge, dunk & coat- starting with milk & ending with breadcrumbs
• on a olive oil drizzled baking sheet line your onion rings up
• coat the top with olive oil or baking spray/spritz
• bake in a 400* oven, turning over after 12 minutes (checking for golden goodness at 10), then baking for approximately another 10-12 minutes until both sides are golden
• serve immediately

special sauce

• combine all ingredients in a bowl

Enjoy!

Posted by Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes

Jalapeno Poppers

 Can’t deny it, can you believe it also makes things healthier?

 Okay, maybe not bacon itself.  But use bacon and grill instead of breading and deep frying, suddenly really unhealthy turns into not so unhealthy. 

Jalapeno peppers area vegetable and cream cheese is lower in fat then regular hard cheese.

What I’m getting at is Jalapeno Poppers, a favorite snack/appetizer doesn’t have to be all bad.

Ingredients 

 8 Jalapenos

6-8 oz Cream Cheese

4-8 slices of bacon

 Thats it!  the variance in the amount of cheese and bacon is based on the fact that not jalapenos are created the same size.  I used anywhere from 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz cream cheese and 1/2 to 3/4 slice bacon.

Directions:

Make a lengthwise split down the jalapeno (I used gloves to handle mine because I invariably touch my eye, etc. and it burrrrns).

Clean the seeds and membranes from the inside of the pepper.

Method:

Hold the pepper between your fingers lengthwise and squeeze slightly.

This will cause the pepper to pop open like the old football shaped coin purses your grandma used to use.

I used a spoon handle to clean out the seeds and membranes.

Once cleaned stuff it full of cream cheese. 

Use the same “football change purse squeeze” technique to open the jalapeno and stuff it. 

 Once stuffed, wrap each jalapeno with bacon and use a toothpick to secure.

 

  Cook over a medium hot grill.

 Cook until desired doneness.  Generally speaking most people like their bacon crispy.  Unless you have my boys, they like theirs ‘al dente’. 

Is there such a thing as ‘al dente’ bacon?

 Regardless, they like theirs slightly on the chewy side.

Whether you like your bacon crispy or ‘al dente’ I guarantee that you’ll love these jalapeno poppers!

Go ahead and eat them, they aren’t so unhealthy.

BY The Kitchen Witch

Posted by savorysweetlife in Step-by-Step Recipes

If you love ahi (tuna) sashimi or sushi, then you are going to love this easy Hawaiian Ahi Poke recipe by Tasty Kitchen member A Spicy Perspective. When served in little bowls, this dish makes a stunning starter for a dinner party.
Let’s get started.




Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need: sashimi-grade ahi steak, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, shallot, scallions, and sesame seeds.




The first thing you’ll need to do is pat the ahi dry with a paper towel on both sides.




Using a sharp knife, cut the ahi into 1/2-inch cubes.




Places the cubed ahi in a bowl and set a side for a couple of minutes.




To make the sauce, start by cutting a shallot into very thin slices. Make a couple of cuts to break up any shallot rings. Place the shallots into a medium mixing bowl.




Thinly slice a small bunch of scallions. Add the scallions to the bowl with the shallots.




Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and sesame seeds to the bowl.




Look at how pretty all those ingredients are together!




Give the sauce (which also serves as a marinade) a quick stir.




Add the ahi to the marinade or add the marinade to the ahi.




Gently stir the ahi until it is coated with sauce.




Spoon the ahi into 8 individual bowls and serve immediately.

Recipe

Hawaiian Ahi Poke

by aspicyperspective

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time 8 Minutes
Cook Time
Difficulty Easy
Servings 8

• + Print Recipe

Recipe Description

A fresh seafood salad popular all over the islands. Poke makes a splash at any holiday party served in shot glasses!

Preparation Instructions

Pat the ahi dry, then neatly cut it into small 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a bowl.
Add the shallots, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and sesame seeds.
Gently toss. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
Makes 6- 8 appetizer portions.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna Steaks
• 1 whole Shallot Sliced
• ½ cups Chopped Green Onion
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Seasame Oil
• 1 teaspoon Chili Garlic Paste Or Sriracha
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

MARGARITAVILLE® VOLCANO NACHOS

Make your favorite guacamole or use one of the recipes on my blog. You will need less than one avocado's worth of guacamole so adjust the recipe you use.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville® Volcano Nachos

Guacamole1 large bag corn tortilla chips
1 cup Tostito Salsa Con Queso
1 cup chili-homemade or from supermarket
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, diced
5-6 green onions,sliced
Canned Jalepeno slices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix shredded cheeses together.

Make guacamole.

Arrange a layer of tortilla chips on oven safe plate. Add 1/3 cup cheese sauce, then another layer of chips, with 1/3 cup more cheese and the final layer of chip topped with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese sauce. Top with the remaining chips.

Add shredded beef and top with shredded cheese.

Place nachos in oven and bake 9-10 minutes to melt cheese.

Remove nachos from oven and add diced tomatoes and green onions.

Add a 1/4-1/3 cup each of guacamole and sour cream on top of nachos.

Top with jalapeno slices to taste on sour cream and guacamole.

By Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville

Yamburgers! With Sweet Potato Fries, for good measure...

(Sweet potato black bean and corn patties with chipotle cilantro 'cream' and sweet potato fries - vegan - recipe in post)



I'm not gonna lie, I love a big juicy hamburger. Go ahead and top it with bacon while you're at it, and I'll be a happy girl. But carnivorous tendencies aside, because they by no means negate the deliciousness of this veggie burger. So if you're thinking to yourself 'why would I bother making a meat-free burger when I eat meat?' - don't. This burger doesn't deserve such blatant discrimination. In fact, it won't stand for it! It's too good for that.


Top this flavor packed patty with a dollop of (vegan) chipotle/cilantro/lime cream and a few slices of avocado and you are just asking for tasty, tasty trouble.

(Unleash your inner vegan... you know you want to.)

Yamburgers with Chipotle Cilantro Cream and Yam Fries
(Vegan and gluten-free - makes 8-10 patties)

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
15 oz. black beans, drained
1 cup sweet corn
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup rolled oats (or almonds)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Oil for pan frying.

For the chipotle/cilantro cream:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water (can be replaced with 1.5 cups vegan sour cream or mayonnaise)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
Pinch of salt

For the fries:
2 sweet potatoes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
a few grinds black pepper


(Note: for those who are anti-sweet potato - blasphemy! - you could always replace them with regular spuds.)

Method:
Cube your potatoes (leaving the skin on) and either oven roast (400f.), steam, or microwave in a large heat-safe bowl with a couple TBSP water until tender - I find the microwave to be a real time saver, and takes about 6-8 minutes. Stop to give them a stir every minute or two, until mashably soft.

Meanwhile, cook your quinoa. A 1/2 cup of dry will make enough for the burgers, but feel free to make extra. Add the quinoa to a small pot over medium heat, and let it toast for a minute or two. Add double the amount of water, bring to a simmer, and cover. Let cook 12-13 minutes, turn off the heat, and let it sit without removing the lid for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, meanwhile... Add your oats (or almonds) to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it looks like very coarse flour. About 30-40 pulses.

In a large bowl, combine about 2/3rds of the beans, and 2/3rds of the sweet potato. Mash with a potato masher until slightly chunky and not quite smooth. Add in the rest of the beans, sweet potato and all of the seasonings. Give it another mash or two, keeping some of the texture.
Add all the other ingredients, and stir to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium-high, and add a drizzle of oil. Form about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a tight ball, then press it between your hands into a patty. Place patties in the hot skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate in the oven to keep warm, and repeat with the rest of the mixture. Add oil and adjust the heat on the pan as needed.

For the chipotle/cilantro cream:
If you're using vegan sour cream or mayo, simply combine all ingredients in your food processor.
If not, drain the cashews and dump them to the food processor. Add the juice of both limes, and blend until smooth. Slowly add 3/4 - 1 cup water, until the cashews are about the consistency of a thick sour cream.
Add the peppers and garlic, blend until smooth, and then add the cilantro. Pulse a few times to combine, and season with a pinch of salt to taste.

For the fries:
Preheat the oven to 400f.
Cut the sweet potatoes into thin, uniformly sized matchsticks. Toss with the oil, then the spices, and spread on an aluminum-foil covered baking sheet. Keep them spaced so they don't steam themselves.
Bake on the lower rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes, then take them out and stir/flip them over.
Return them to the oven, reduce the heat to 350f., and continue to bake for another 12-15 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and crack the oven door open. Let them sit in the heat of the oven to lose some of their steam for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

(Tip: extra chipotle/cilantro cream makes a great dip for the fries!)

You know what I love about these? Besides the taste. And how easy they are to make. And how good for you they are. And... sorry... you know what I love about these? They aren't trying to pretend to be meat! They aren't made of overly processed soy, or "textured vegetable protein" - and they don't taste like a hamburger. They taste like... well, yamburgers! Really, really delicious yamburgers!

I'm pretty sure the only way you could not like these is if you don't like sweet potatoes. Which I can only imagine is like your taste buds being color blind, and they can't see red - you're missing out on a whole world of flavor! But, as I said... they can easily be substituted with regular potatoes for a (less awesome) but still delicious, burger.
Perfect for a meatless monday, or any day of the week!


I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes - as burgers, fries, chips, grilled, skewered, in soup, pies... the list goes on and on. What's your favorite way to use these sweet spuds? Let me know in the comments!
By Will Cook for Friends