Winter Fruit Salad with Vanilla Scented Honey Lemon Drizzle: Meatless Monday

     When I asked my mother what she wanted me to bring for Christmas dinner her answer was salad.  Since I almost always bring dessert I was startled by this answer and a little confused.  When asked to clarify if she wanted greens, fruit, or pasta salad I was told to bring whatever I wanted.

     After thinking about it I knew I wanted to go healthy.  I decided to bring both a green salad and a fruit salad.  The only trouble with a fruit salad is that most fruits are out of season around here.  I found a few recipes for a winter fruit salad and the combination sounded surprisingly good.  Filled with red pomegranate seeds, pink grapefruit, deep ruby blood oranges, oranges, bright yellow pineapple, green kiwi, and beautiful starfruit it really turned into a beautiful fruit salad.

     Since the citrus fruits tend to be on the sour side I wanted to sweetened the fruit up without drenching it in sugar.  I went with a honey lemon drizzle and then added in just a hint of vanilla to warm it up for the winter.  The results were lovely.  The fruit was so pretty and the different textures and flavors of the fruits was stunning.  I was surprised by just how different, and tasty, this fruit salad was from ones I have made in the past.  I can't wait to make it again this winter!

Winter Fruit Salad with Vanilla Scented Honey Lemon Drizzle (a Hezzi-D original recipe)
2 oranges
2 blood oranges
1 large grapefruit
1 pineapple
2 starfruit
3 kiwi fruits
2 pears
1 pomegranate
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. honey
1/4 t. vanilla

1.  Peel the oranges and grapefruit and remove the white pith.  Place the whole blood orange segments in a large bowl.  Cut the regular orange segments in half and put them in the bowl.  Cut the grapefruit sections into three pieces and put them in the bowl.

2.  Next cut the pineapple into bite sized chunks.  Slice the starfruit so that it makes a star.  Peel the kiwi and slice.  Put all three fruits into the bowl.

3.  Peel and slice the pears.  Put them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 cup of water.  Let them sit for 5 minutes in the solution so that they do not brown.  Drain the pears and add them to the bowl.

4.  Cut the pomegranate in half and remove as many seeds as you would like and add them to the bowl for color.  Gently toss the fruits together to combine.

5.  In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, honey, and vanilla.  Drizzle over top of the fruit and toss to coat.  Refrigerate for several hours and enjoy.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Your Recipe, My Kitchen, Not Baaad Sundays 

Crazy Sweet Tuesdays

Merry Christmas and Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

     Merry Christmas!  I can't believe that it is Christmas time already this year!  I'd like to wish all of my readers and their families a very, Merry Christmas.  I'm excited to be able to spend today with my family and enjoy some food and some fun.

     This holiday I ended up doing a lot of baking.  In the past 2 weeks the final count has come in at 51 dozen cookies, 4 dozen assorted candies, 3 dozen chocolate covered pretzels, and 2 holiday pies.  It was a lot of work but I had fun and got a chance to make several new recipes.

     I'd like to share with my readers two of the cookies I made this past week.  The first is a classic sugar cookie with royal icing and the second is a melted snowman cookie that I made for the kids at school.  Both turned out really great and everyone I shared with loved them!

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing  (adapted from Annie's Eats)
For the cookies:
1 c. butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 t. vanilla

1 t. salt

2 1/2 c. flour

1.  Cream the butter and sugars in  bowl.  Beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt.  Add in half the flour and mix well.  Stir in the remaining half of the flour.  

2.  Roll the dough into a large ball and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or until firm.

3.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a well floured surface.  Roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with cookie cutters.

4.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until just cooked through.

5.  Cool on a wire rack and then decorate with royal icing.  The recipe for royal icing can be found HERE.

Melted Snowman Cookies (adapted from Crazy Domestic)
1 batch of the sugar cookies from above, cut into circles and cooked
10 large marshmallows, cut in half
3 cups royal icing, divided into 6 bowls
food coloring.


1.  Put half of the royal icing into one bowl then divide the remaining icing into five bowls.  Leave the icing in the first bowl white then color each of the remaining bowls red, green, blue, orange, and black.


2.  Spread the white icing onto each of the sugar cookies, allowing some of the icing to drip down the sides.

3.  Take a half marshmallows and press down on it hard so that it looked squished.  Place it on the royal icing on the cookie.  Allow to dry 1 hour.

4.  When you are ready to decorate, place the icing in decorator bags with small tips and pipe on buttons, scarves, bowties, and hair bands using the red, blue, and green icing.  Pipe on arms, eyes, and mouths with the black icing.  Finish up by piping orange icing for the carrot nose.


5.  Allow the cookies to dry overnight.

Peppermint Patties

     My mother loves Peppermint Patties.  I believe they are her guilty pleasure.  She normally keeps a few in the refrigerator for when she needs a quick "pick me up".  I've always been amused by the fact that she enjoys them so much since her name is indeed Patty.

     For Christmas this year I ended up making a lot of homemade gifts and the one I wanted to make for her was homemade Peppermint Patties.  Candy making and I do not get along all that well (I snapped two of my plastic molds in the past week as they wouldn't release my chocolate) and I've been nervous to make them.  I wanted them to not only taste good but to look pretty as well.

     It turns out this recipe was really simple to make.  The peppermint inside the chocolate is made of only three ingredients that are kneaded into a dough.  The dough is then rolled into balls and popped in the freezer while the chocolate is melted.  Dip the balls in the chocolate, sprinkle with candy cane, and Presto Chango!  I had a Peppermint Patty.  They looked delicious and they tasted exactly like the original.  I ate about 5 of them to make sure but they are just as good as the real thing.  I can't wait to see how my mom likes them on Christmas!

Peppermint Patties  (adapted from allrecipes )
1/2 can (7 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 t. peppermint extract
3 c. powdered sugar
1 pound chocolate melts
Crushed candy cane (optional)

1.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract.  Add in the 3 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

2.  Turn onto a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Knead lightly to form a smooth ball.

3.  Divide the dough and shape into 1 inch balls.  Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, heat the chocolate melts in the microwave, checking every 30 seconds to see if the chocolate is melted.  When it is melted remove the peppermint balls from the freezer.

5.  Dip the balls one at a time into the chocolate, tapping on the side of the bowl to remove the excess.  Place on a sheet of waxed paper and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. 

6.  Allow the chocolate to dry for 15 minutes then place in an air tight container for up to a week.

This post linked to:

Shine on Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, 

Foodie Fridays

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies: What's Baking?

     Did you know that December is national brownie month?  I had no idea so I'm glad that Nicole from Seven Ate Nine, the host for this month's What's Baking? challenge, asked us to make our most delicious brownie recipe in honor of this baker's holiday. 

     Now as many of my readers know, my absolute favorite brownie recipe is my chocolate chip cookie dough brownies with chocolate ganache.  The chocolate chip cookies are baked right into the brownie and then the ganache is spread over the top of it.  I just recently found a decadent chocolate brownie with unbaked cookie dough on top of it. Of course when I tried it, I just couldn't resist putting chocolate ganache on top.

     This version of the chocolate chip cookie dough brownie is super sweet and amazing.  The brownie is rich and chewy, the cookie dough is refrigerated and sets perfectly on top of the brownie.  The chocolate ganache is simply the "icing" on this brownie.  I can't decide which of my chocolate chip cookie dough brownie recipes is better...guess we better have a tasting soon!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

For the Brownies:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. light brown sugar
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 c. flour

For the cookie dough:
1/2 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
3 T. low fat milk
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips

For the ganache:
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. sweetened condensed milk
1-2 T. heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil. Butter the foil and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside and cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl mix the butter, brown sugar, and sugar with an electric mixture until it is light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate until just combined. Reduce the mixer speed and add the flour.

4. Spread the batter into the pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.

5. In a medium bowl beat the butter and sugars for the cookie dough. Add in the milk and vanilla and stir until well combined. Mix in the flour until just combined. Use a spatula and fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Spread the cookie dough over top of the cooled brownies and place in the refrigerator.

7. Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate begins melting. Add in the milk and continue to heat until the mixture is just completely melted.

8. Remove the cookie dough brownies from the refrigerate and immediately spread the ganache over top. Place back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

9. When ready to serve lift the brownies out by the foil. Slice into squares and enjoy.

This post linked to:

Frugal Food Thursdays, Turn the Table Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays
Anything Goes Linky, Sweets for a Saturday

Oatmeal Raisin

    I've been making oatmeal raisin cookies for as long as I can remember.  In fact, I think they may have been one of the cookies I learned how to make in home economics class in high school.  So when I went looking for my recipe to make Christmas cookies with, I was surprised to realized I've never blogged these cookies.

   Oatmeal raisin cookies are simple to make and taste delicious.  I like to slightly under cook them so that the edges are just crispy brown and the insides are soft and chewy.  I also like to add in some applesauce in place of some of the butter to make the cookie a little healthier.  The cookies turned out wonderful as usual.  I've found it's pretty difficult to mess these up so they are the perfect beginner's cookie.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (adapted from food.com)
3 1/3 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 T. cinnamon
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. applesauce
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 2/3 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla
4 c. oats
2 c. raisins

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  In another large mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugars together.  Stir in the applesauce.  Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are well combined.  Stir in the vanilla.

4.  Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until no flour is visible.

5.  Stir in the oats and raisins until just combined.

6.  Drop cookies by heaping teaspoon onto a cookie sheet making sure the cookies are 2 inches apart.  Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.

7.  Remove from oven and and cool on a wire rack.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesday

Thumprint Cookies

    I love making Christmas cookies.  One of my favorites are thumbprint cookies.  I was anxious to make them this year since I had made and canned five different flavors of jam this summer.  After a lot of debating I filled the thumbprints with spiced peach jam, blueberry lime jam, and raspberry mango.  I made half of them with nuts and half without.


    There were mixed reactions to the nuts.  I personally thought that the cookies looked better with the nuts on them, but they tasted better without.  My husband really enjoyed the addition of nuts.   I had several people ask me to make these for them this holiday and they were split on the nuts as well.  I did find that the favorite jam flavor with peach, followed by blueberry.

   These cookies are buttery and almost melted in my mouth.  The jam gives a great contrast in flavor and texture to the cookies.  The thumbprints not only taste wonderful, but they are pretty as well and perfect for gift giving.

Thumbprint Cookies with Jam(adapted from Martha Stewart)
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. jam

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix well.  Whisk together the flour and salt and add to the bowl, beating on low until well combined.


2.  In a food processor chop the almonds with 2 tablespoons of sugar and process until everything is finely chopped.  


3.  In a small bowl beat the egg whites.  For the dough into 1 inch balls.  Dip the balls into the egg whites, roll in the almonds, and put on a baking sheet.  Press your thumb into the middle of the dough, making a dent.


4.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove the cookies from the oven and push your thumb into the indentation.  Fill the center of each cookie with a teaspoon of jam and continue cooking for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

This post linked to:

Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays, Making You Crave Monday

Tuesdays at the Table, Made From Scratch Tuesdays,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  

Easy Potato Pancakes: Simply Potatoes (Foodbuzz Tastemakers)

      I enjoy potato pancakes as much as the next person but I absolutely hate grating the potatoes before putting them together.  I remembered my mother telling me that they used to use leftover mashed potatoes to make potatoes pancakes so I figured I'd use that concept with a container of Simply Potatoes mashed potatoes.  I received the Simply Potatoes as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program.

     I wasn't really sure what  to put in the potatoes, but I thought of the things I like to eat with them and came up with garlic, onions, and cheese.  I had a bit of trouble flipping the pancakes because mashed potatoes are much softer then the shredded potatoes, but I eventually got the hang of it.  The best thing to do was to cook the potatoes for 7-9 minutes on each side or until they were a deep golden brown and sticking together.

     These pancakes were much easier to make then the shredded ones because there is almost no prep involved.  The Simply Potatoes mashed potatoes are a buttery, smooth palate for the rest of the ingredients.  The texture of the potato pancakes was interesting with a crispy exterior and fluffy interior, but my husband and I both enjoyed them.

Easy Potato Pancakes
1 package Simply Potatoes mashed potatoes
1/2 large onion, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 T. olive oil

1.  Heat the mashed potatoes in the microwave according to the package directions.  Stir well and place in a large mixing bowl.  

2.  Mix in the onion, garlic, egg, and cheese.  Stir until well combined.

3.  In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  

4.  With your hands form the potatoes into a ball shape and then flatten into a pancake.  Place each pancake in the skillet, leaving enough space in between them to flip them.  

5.  Cook on each side from 7-9 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel.  Repeat with remaining potatoes.

6.  Serve hot with sour cream, applesauce, or plain. 

 

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Sundae Scoop Sundays

Guest Posting at Mom's Crazy Cooking: Champagne Jelly

     This month Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking invited fellow cooking blogger's to do a guest post on her blog related to homemade holiday gifts.  Today I'm sharing an amazing recipe for Champagne Jelly.  Head on over to her blog and check it out!

Pumpkin Pie

     This year for Thanksgiving I was in charge of desserts. My mother told me I could make whatever I wanted as long as I included a pumpkin pie. I agreed as pumpkin pie seemed like it would be easy to make even though I had never baked one before. I don’t eat pumpkin pie so I couldn’t even try any to make sure it tasted ok.

     I asked a few people for a good recipe and it seemed that many use the recipe off the back of the Libby’s pumpkin cans. I decided that was good enough for me. The process itself was easy enough. It’s not a hard pie to make. It had a spicy and sweet smell to it, and it came out looking like most pumpkin pies do.

    I ended up making two pumpkin pies this year.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it.   I’m not sure why I had never made a pumpkin pie before as it’s easier to make then most fruit pies. I’ll be sure to use this recipe again in the future.

Pumpkin Pie (pie recipe adapted from Libby’s )
For the Crust:
1 ½ c. flour
1/3 c. vegetable oil
¼ c. milk
2 T. sugar
½ t. salt

For the Filling:
¾ c. sugar

1 ½ t. pumpkin pie spice

½ t. salt
2 eggs
1 (15 oz). can Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the crust. Mix with a fork until combined. Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Push into the bottom and the sides of a 9 inch pie pan. Crimp the edges then bake for 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, turn the heat on the oven up to 425 degrees. Combine the sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Stir the pumpkin into the eggs and then add the sugar mixture. Slowly stir in the evaporated milk. Pour the mixture into the pie shell.

3. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 40-45 minutes or until a knife comes cleanly out of the center. Cool on a wire rack.



This post linked to:

Shine on Friday, Foodie Friday, Friday Potluck

Sweet Tooth Friday, Fusion Friday

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1)

     A while back a friend of mine recommended that I read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series because of my love of paranormal books.  I put it on my to read shelf and it's been sitting there for the past 3 months.  I finally broke it out this weekend and I can't believe what I've been missing! 

     Dark Lover by J. R. Ward is the first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  The book opens up by introducing a secret band of vampires who single handedly take on the lessers, humans who have given their souls in order to live longer lives while trying to destroy the vampires,  in order to defend the vampire society.  Darius is asking for help from Wrath, the enormous, vicious, warrior leader of the group.  Darius has a daughter who is half human and is ready to change into a vampire and only the blood of Wrath will give her a chance to survive.  Wrath turns Darius down because he is a loner who has no need for a woman in his life. 

    Then everything changes when Darius is killed by one of the lessers.  Wrath's guilt drives him to look for Beth, the half human who is ready to transition into a vampire.  On their first meeting the attraction is undeniable and the two fall into a night of passion.  Only Beth doesn't know that Wrath is a vampire and he doesn't know how she's going to react when she finds out.

     Things get worse when Butch, a cop that knows Beth, thinks that Wrath is the serial killer he's been looking for.  Beth is confused about who to trust and where to go.  She is drawn to Wrath by a force she's never felt but she trusts the cops that are her friends.  In the midst of all the confusion the lesser's are planning an attack on the Brotherhood that could kill them all.

      In a series of murder, sex, love, romance, betrayal, and fights, Beth learns about her father and the world of vampires she has never know.  This book has a great mix of action and fighting mixed with the love and romance.  Wrath and his brothers ooze sex and badass.  The brothers are unpredictable which keeps the story moving.  This is a great series for any paranormal romance lover and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.

I give this book 4 1/2  out of 5 stars.

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation 

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

    When I stumbled across a picture of gnocchi mac and cheese it was love at first sight.  After I read the simple ingredient list I was totally over the moon.  With my obsession with pasta how did I not think of this before?  Thick, potato gnocchi covered in cheeses and baked to a golden brown.  I couldn't wait to try it.

   This is what I picture whenever I think of a grown up mac and cheese.  This one isn't for the kids.  It has a combination of Gruyere and cheddar cheeses, a hint of Dijon mustard, and a blend of spices.  It was quick to throw together and tasted amazing.  The gnocchi seemed to absorb the cheese sauce and the top had a slight crunch where it browned. 

    This dish would be great at a holiday because it's a twist on the traditional comfort food.  It's also easy to make but looks as if it took some time so it would be a star side dish.  We'll be having this again soon!

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese  (adapted from The Cutting Edge of Ordinary)

1 pound of gnocchi
2 T. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. flour
1/2 c. milk
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
Parsley for garnish, chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions.  Drain and put in an 8 x 8 baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium saucepan over medium high heat melt the butter.  Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.  Whisk in the flour until it thickens and bubbles, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and Dijon and continuing cooking and whisking for 5 minutes.

3.  Slowly add in the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring before adding the next handful.  Once all the cheese is melted stir in the salt and pepper.

4.  Pour the sauce over the gnocchi in the baking dish.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top in golden brown.  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This post linked to:

What's Cooking Wednesdays, Turn the Table Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays

It's A Keeper Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursdays,

Potato Tart with Bacon, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Rosemary: Secret Recipe Club

     I was a little bit worried about this month's Secret Recipe Club reveal date.  I had a lot going on around Thanksgiving and December is always extremely busy so I wasn't sure how I was going to find the time this month, but of course I managed.   The blog I had to choose from this month was Fifteen Spatulas which is written by Joanne.  She has a fabulous blog with a ton of delicious looking recipes.  A few that I've marked to make later are her Bourbon Butterscotch Brownies, Lavender Shortbread Cookies, and the Salted Caramel Tart.

    While I wanted to make one of her yummy desserts, I decided to go with a savory dish since this month will be filled with cookie making.  Of course, once I decided on a savory dish I immediately went to the pasta and potatoes section.  I came across a potato tart with bacon and cheese that looked interesting.

     Peeling and slicing the potatoes took forever.  If you have a food processor that slices or a mandolin, I suggest you use it for this.  The potatoes need to be very thinly sliced.  In addition to the gruyere cheese I added in some mozzarella too.  I also sauteed a few onions with some garlic and added it to the dish as well.  The result was really tasty.  The potatoes on top were crispy and the dish was cheesy and delicious.  I liked the way the pie crust kept it all together and made it easy to serve.  This would be a great dish to make for company.

Potato Tart with Bacon, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and Rosemary (adapted from Fifteen Spatulas  )
Pie crust (I used Pilsbury refrigerated pie crust)
3 large russet potatoes
6 slices bacon
½ c. Gruyere cheese, grated
½ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 t. dried rosemary
2 t. salt

2 t. black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until it is crispy. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. Allow to cool and then crumble and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the pie crust into a pie pan and flute the edges.

3. Remove all but 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings from the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and add in the onions, cooking for 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.

4. Slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch slices. Line the bottom of the pie crust with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bacon, 2 tablespoons of both the Gruyere and mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of the onion mixture.

5. Repeat 3 more times, until there are 4 layers of potatoes. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the potatoes.

6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the potatoes are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting. Serve while hot.

This post linked to:

Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday , Made From Scratch Tuesdays,

Tuesdays at the Table

Pork Medallions in a Balsamic Reduction

     I made this pork with pork chops instead of a pork loin, cut into pieces.  The balsamic vinegar reduction had a great flavor when the Dijon, shallots, and garlic were added into it.  The vinegar thickened up, had a slightly sweet taste, and was flavored with the herbs.  It was great over wild rice.

Pork Medallions in a Balsamic Reduction (adapted from Cooking Light)

2 T. olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. sugar
1 t. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 t. parsley, chopped
1 t. black pepper
1 t. Dijon mustard
4 pork chops, cut into 4 pieces each
1 t. salt
2 green onions, chopped

1.  Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Add in the shallots and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add in the vinegar, sugar, rosemary, parsley, Dijon, and black pepper.  Cook until it is reduced to half a cup.

2.  Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Sprinkle the pork with salt and put in the pan.  Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. 

3.  Add the balsamic reduction to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with green onions and serve over rice.

 

This post linked to:

Not Baaad Sundays, Sundae Scoop Sundays

Your Recipe, My Kitchen , Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays

Gluten Free Cheesy Dill Bread

     I've had half a box of gluten free Bisquick mix in the back of my cupboard for the past month and I've been dying to get rid of it.  I wanted to make soup for dinner along with some type of biscuit and the only thing I could think of was a cheesy biscuit. 

     I finally went with a cheesy dill biscuit.  Making it with the gluten free Bisquick made it incredibly easy.  They baked up puffy and golden brown.  My husband couldn't tell that they were gluten free.  They were light and fluffy with a lot of cheddar cheese and flecks of dill in them.  These are perfect for anyone who is on a gluten free diet and looking for a delicious biscuit to go with dinner.

Gluten Free Cheesy Dill Biscuits(adapted from Sweet Beginnings)
1 c. gluten free Bisquick
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 t. sugar
1/2 c. low fat milk
1 egg white, beaten
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 t. dill
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. parsley

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the Bisquick, cheese, and sugar.  In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients. 

3.  Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well removing the large lumps.  Pour the batter into 6 muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way full.

4.  Bake for 17-23 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

This post linked to:

Friday Potluck, Bacon Time with Hungry Hippo