Category: Call for Recipes

  1. Friday, February 19

    Call for Recipes: Nuts for Macadamias!

    I know. It’s Friday. The last think you want is homework. But I’m giving it to you anyway…but it’s fun homework, I promise!

    macadamia nuts2 web

    I have a few cups of macadamia nuts in the cupboard begging to be used. So, bring it on! Give us your best and most favorite recipes using macadamia nuts, savory or sweet! The only thing I have to offer is the recipe from last week for Chunky Blonde Blondies. Which, by the way, are very good, but I’m wanting more macadamia options!

    Not only are macadamia nuts tasty, but very good for you…read more about them here. So that means we can go macadamia nut crazy! Enveloping them in chocolate and butter doesn’t affect their health factor, right? ;)

    Can’t wait to see what recipes you have…these Call for Recipes posts always generate such great stuff. Thanks, everyone!


  2. Wednesday, January 27

    Call for Recipes: Cilantro

    10 years ago I was the ultimate gringo. I hated corn tortillas, spicy food and cilantro.  I really hated cilantro.  Then we moved 20 miles from Baja, and cilantro became an unavoidable fact of life. First I learned to tolerate cilantro…then like it…then love it. (PS…I also love corn tortillas and SPICY hot food now, too. Pretty amazing transformation, eh?)

    cilantro2 web

    Anyway, back to cilantro. It’s yummy. And now I put it in a lot of our Mexican food…especially guacamole. And I really love it on Barbecue Chicken Pizza. Oh, and this cilantro pesto served with chili chicken skewers is pretty darn yummy too.

    It’s been a while since we’ve done a Call for Recipes, so let’s do it! And this one is all about cilantro! Please share your favorite recipes incorporating cilantro and/or your best cilantro tips. If it’s got cilantro in it, we want it!


  3. Friday, November 6

    Meet the new hottie in my life…Cayenne Pepper

    I have fallen in love with cayenne pepper.

    cayenne pepper web

    I must inform you all that until a few months ago I was a total wimp when it came to spicy (as in hot) food. I always bought mild or medium salsa. If I saw the little pepper symbol on a Chinese food menu, I wouldn’t even consider the dish as an option.

    That is until we discovered Back-A-Yard, the Caribbean restaurant I told you about a few months ago. Their jerk chicken is pretty spicy, but of course I had to try it, it’s their thing. Boy am I glad I did. Since that day my tolerance for spicy food has increased 10 fold. I’m not scared anymore! I embrace the spice! In fact, at the BlogHer Food after party, there were these chicken kabobs that everyone was saying were too spicy…and they didn’t even phase me. I have officially numbed my taste buds and boy am I proud. I’m not your typical gringo anymore!

    Which is why I’m in love with cayenne pepper. It’s such a great spice for kicking up the flavor. And it’s really so beautiful. I just love opening the lid to find this:

    cayenne 2 web

    As always, if you have any favorite spicy recipes to share, please do! We’re looking for some HEAT today!


  4. Wednesday, October 7

    Call for Recipes: APPLES!

    Every fall I get homesick for the Northeast in a big way. I can’t even hear the word foliage without getting a little sad…and really jealous. And I miss apple picking. Throwing on a cozy sweater and then walking through an orchard, the sun shining and the air cool. Eating apples right off the tree. Collecting the cheaper apples from the ground to make sauce and cobbler. The whole experience just makes me happy. I’m not even a huge apple person, but I’ll eat as many as you want me to if I get to go pick them. I’m a sucker for fall, what can I say?

    apple recipes web

    My sister Anne called last night to inform me that she is drowning in apples. She requested that we do a call for apple recipes, and I thought that was a great idea. After all, if you DO live where there are orchards galore, you need apple recipes right about now.

    Please share your best apple recipes! Cobbler, sauce, juice…whatever you’ve got, we want it! I’ll start us off with one of my all time favorites.

    Apple Barvarian Torte
    From The Pampered Chef
    Crust:
    - 1/2 C butter
    - 1/4 t. vanilla
    - 1/3 C sugar
    - 1 C flour

    Cheese mixture:
    - 1 pkg 8 0z. cream cheese
    - 1/4 C. sugar
    - 1 Egg
    - 1/2 t. vanilla

    Apple mixture:
    - 3 medium apples (sliced thin and peeled) – I used granny smith
    - 1/3 C. sugar
    - 1/4 t. cinnamon
    - 1/4 C. slivered almonds

    Preheat oven to 450. cream together crust ingredients. Press into flat bottom of a springform pan. Set aside. In medium bowl, blend cheese and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour mixture over crust. toss apples in cin/sug mix and layer over top. Bake for 10 min. Reduce heat to 400 and bake 25 min more. Sprinkle with almonds and continue baking until lightly browned. Cool before removing from pan.


  5. Friday, August 28

    Call for Recipes: Chili Cook-Off!

    We had chili last night and it struck me that I’ve never done a chili call for recipes. This is definitely a dish I know people have recipes they are proud of and want to share. So, it’s time for a good old fashioned Chili Cook-Off! Well, as old fashioned as sharing recipes online can be, anyways!

    I’ll share my chili recipe. It’s not fancy, but it’s good and EASY. And you can just use whatever you have lying around, it’s a very flexible recipe. For you chili die-hards out there…yes, I’m breaking all kinds of rules. So, be nice. This is a FRIENDLY chili cook-off…anything goes, there are no rules!

    Jane’s Chili
    As inspired by her mother-in-law, Pat. Measurements are approximate.
    - About 1/3 of an onion, chopped
    - Bell pepper (about half of one…red tastes better, but green offers a nice color contrast…you choose!)
    - 2 garlic cloves, chopped or minced…if you don’t have fresh garlic, just sprinkle some garlic powder
    - ~3/4 lb ground beef
    - 1 can kidney beans (15 oz size…don’t know if it’s exactly 15, but around there)
    - 1 can of baked beans (small/med size can…yeah, I know baked beans probably offends some chili purists…I like the sweetness they offer and I like this type of bean, so whatever)
    - 1 can petite diced tomatoes
    - ~1/4 C salsa
    - ~1/2 C spaghetti sauce (yup, spaghetti sauce…I make sure it’s a neutral one, without lots of italian spices or veggies like mushrooms in it)
    - ~2 Tbsp. chili powder
    - ~1/2 – 1 tsp cumin
    - salt and pepper to taste
    - HEAT…red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce, whatever you have on hand…I usually don’t add this to the pot b/c we have little ones, so Nate and I sprinkle a little cayenne pepper in our individual bowls.

    Saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper in olive oil until soft – I season with salt and pepper at this point. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Drain off fat. Add everything else and simmer for a little while. Serve with shredded cheese, corn chips, corn bread, whatever you like!

    Time for you to share your favorite chili recipes! Any kind of chili counts, variety is a good thing! So, bring it on! You want to win the blue ribbon, right?


  6. Tuesday, June 2

    Your Best Hamburger Toppings!

    Reader Shantel has requested ideas for hamburger toppings…she said she’s a big fan of grilled pineapple, but hasn’t ventured much beyond that. I must admit, I am not very creative when it comes to topping my burger…cheese, lettuce, tomato, sometimes grilled mushrooms, and the classic condiments. Yeah, boring. Tasty, but boring.

    So bring it on, folks! What are your yummiest hamburger concoctions? Please share all of your ideas – classic and crazy!

    Since I don’t have much to offer in the way of toppings, I’ll share how I mix up the meat. Feel free to offer your recipes for the hamburger meat as well!

    Hamburger Meat (great title, eh?)
    - Sometimes 1 egg
    - Bread crumbs – about a handful
    - Couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce
    - Salt
    - Fresh ground pepper
    - Dried minced onion – a few shakes (I know, it’s not fresh…but it’s fast and tasty)
    - Garlic powder – a few shakes (again, I know not fresh again…call the authorities)
    - ~1/8 – 1/4 tsp cumin

    Mix it up with your hands, make into patties (I prefer thinner patties, they always thicken up when they cook) and grill away!


  7. Wednesday, December 17

    Birthday Cakes….ARGH!

    I grew up with a mom who made amazing birthday cakes. Snoopy, rainbows, lions, cars…you name it, she’s caked it. I remember my birthday cakes. I loved my birthday cakes. I want my kids to remember and love theirs.

    There’s one slight problem. I stink at it. I had trouble just frosting this tiny little cake for Anna this week! Seriously.  And the reason the bundt cake in the background looks cute is because it’s out of focus.  It did NOT live up to the image in my brain.  It DID taste good, though…anyway…

    Cake masters!  I know you’re out there!  Divulge your secrets! Please share your best cake decorating tips, recipes, anything. I need help!!!

    (Oh, and Cate wants a “strawberry” cake for her party later this week…any ideas on that front are welcome, too!)

    If you want a taste of the ideal that’s in my head…here’s the cake my mom made for Cate last year. Too cute! Yeah, my car cake would NOT have looked like that.


  8. Monday, December 8

    You’re Invited! Virtual Cookie Exchange!

    A dear friend of mine in San Diego hosts a Cookie Exchange every December.  It is the best!  Everyone bakes 10 dozen of one kind of cookie, then brings them to the exchange.  We all hang out for a few hours (eating and chatting!) and then go home with 10 dozen of all sorts of wonderful cookies!  I was able to put the cutest plates of cookies together for friends.  It was fantastic!

    I wish so much I could have you all over for a real cookie exchange, but I simply don’t have room! :)   But how about a little “virtual” cookie exchange to get us ready for the holidays?  One of the best parts of Jen’s cookie exchange was discovering new recipes, so I thought a Cookie (Recipe) Exchange here on the blog would be fun!

    So, share your favorite cookie recipe of all time.  Or your favorite holiday treat that you like to share with friends (i.e. you don’t have to “bring” cookies…just something yummy!).  I’ve got my sprinkles and cookie cutters ready to go!

    Oh!  And here’s my recipe.  I discovered these at the first cookie exchange I went to.  I have no idea who made them or brought the recipe, but I will be forever grateful!

    CHOCOLATE SWIRLS
    - 1/2 C sugar
    - 1/2 C packed brown sugar
    - 1/2 C butter, softened
    - 3 oz cream cheese, softened
    - 1 egg
    - 1 t. vanilla
    - 2 C all purpose flour
    - 1/2 t baking powder
    - 1/4 t. salt
    - 1 C semisweet chocolate ships, melted and slightly cooled

    Heat oven to 350F. In large mixing bowl combine sugars, butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Fold melted chips into dough until lightly marbled. (do not overmix)

    Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 mins, or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completly before storing.


  9. Sunday, November 30

    Week 97 Menu…I need turkey recipes!

    Happy Thanksgiving!  Yeah, I know I’m a few days late, but I decided not to work, blog or check email the last few days.  It was wonderful.  Not that I don’t love all of you! :)   But it sure was a nice quiet holiday.

    I hope you all had wonderful feasts and more wonderful times with loved ones.  And, I’m guessing, more than a few of you have oodles of turkey leftover.  So, please share your favorite ways to use leftover turkey!  I’ve got TONS and I don’t want it to go to waste!

    You also need to share your menus for the week….here’s mine!

    MONDAY:
    - Turkey a la King? Turkey pot pie?

    TUESDAY:
    - Something with turkey…waiting for your fantastic ideas!

    WEDNESDAY:
    - Spaghetti
    - Salad

    THURSDAY:
    - Tacos

    FRIDAY:
    - Leftovers

    SATURDAY:
    - Eat out

    SUNDAY:
    - Beef stew with some yummy bread

    PS – We did in fact cook the turkey in brown paper bags and it worked great!  We needed to cook it a little longer than we did, but other than that, it was a super technique.  I definitely recommend it!


  10. Tuesday, November 11

    Call for Recipes: Worst Recipes EVER!

    My friend Amanda just sent me a terrifying email. Scarier than any horror movie I watched over Halloween weekend. The email contained this aptly named recipe:

    Provincial Macaroni Salad
    - 1 box macaroni and cheese (okay, first ingredient, kinda iffy…)
    - 1 (12 oz.) can luncheon meat or ½ lb. bologna (scare factor has officially set in)
    - ¾ c. celery (what a deeee-LICIOUS vegetable)
    - ½ c. Miracle Whip (okay, miracle whip?  really?)
    - 1/3 c. Kraft French dressing (the French would be so proud)
    - ¼ c. sweet pickle relish (should relish EVER be an ingredient in ANY recipe?)
    - 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion (ooooo…a little bit of raw onion will really make this dish!)

    Prepare macaroni and cheese. Add other ingredients and chill before serving. (CHILL?  I have to eat this cold?)

    Oh man, I’m laughing AGAIN.  Every time I look at this recipe I lose it. (And I apologize to anyone out there who does in fact LIKE this recipe…but I do have to ask…really?)

    Amanda found this gem in her mother-in-law’s collection of recipes, which she is cleaning out as a Christmas gift. Amanda passed it on to me figuring I’d get a good laugh (which I did)…and then suggested I do a different kind of Call for Recipes.

    So here’s the CallShare the scariest, yuckiest, worst, most provincial recipes you’ve got!

    I need a good laugh today. ;)


  11. Wednesday, October 22

    Call for Recipes: PUMPKIN!

    We went to a pumpkin patch yesterday (oh so fun!) and it got me thinking…I haven’t done a Call for Recipes in a while, and I think a pumpkin call would be perfect for this beautiful season we’re in!

    Please share your favorite pumpkin recipes…sweet, savory, anything! Bring it on! Show us what you got!

    I’ll start with Pumpkin Rocks. Don’t be fooled by the name. They are moist and cakey, despite their physical likeness to a rock. :)

    OH!  And you MUST try the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe on the Recipes-Sweet Things page.  It is to DIE for.

    PUMPKIN ROCKS
    From Tassie Earnest
    - 2 1/2 C flour
    - 2 t baking powder
    - 1/2 t baking soda
    - 1/2 t salt
    - 1 t cinnamon
    - 1/2 t ginger
    - 1/4 t ground cloves
    - 1/4 t allspice
    - 3/4 t nutmeg
    ******
    - 1 stick butter
    - 1 C sugar
    - 1/2 C dark brown sugar
    - 1 small can pumpkin
    - Mini chocolate chips
    - 2 eggs

    Mix together ingredients up to *****. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs. Add pumpkin. Add dry ingredients. Add mini chocolate chips. Bake 375 for ~18 mins.


  12. Wednesday, August 27

    Corn!


    Let’s get corny, shall we? And I’m not talking stupid jokes, although those can be fun, too. No, it’s time to pull out all the stops on your corn recipes! It’s in season! It screams summer! Bring it on my friends! What’s your favorite way to eat corn? Do you have a great corn recipe? Please share!


    Cate and I stopped at a local produce stand today to grab a couple of ears…the people whose ears we grabbed were not amused. Okay, bad joke, I know, but this is a corny post after all. We simply boiled, seasoned and ate, which is pretty darn good in and of itself. But I’m certain there are more fun things we could have done with our cobs of corn.


    So, share your recipes or corn tricks. And if you’re stumped, the Queen of Good Things has a bunch of really yummy, beautiful-looking corn recipes herself…click here for some corny Martha inspiration. (Martha Stewart, corny? Never thought I’d live to see the day…)

    I don’t have a recipe to share, but I do have a corny tip:
    If you have a big enough pot AND you aren’t worried about appearances…leave the stem on! Makes for a great little handle while eating your corn on the cob. (You will have to resist the urge to break it off, which is always so satisfying…but I do love having that handle.)

    Now it’s your turn…recipes, tricks, tips, memories…if it’s corny, I wanna hear it (and so does everyone else)!


  13. Saturday, July 5

    Chocolate Zucchini Bread Success!

    The zucchini ‘Call for Recipes’ yielded so many great recipes, I don’t even know where to begin. Actually, that’s not true. I know right where to begin…with the chocolate.


    Thanks to reader Elise for a fabulous Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe. We love it! Very moist, just chocolaty enough, great blend of flavors.


    Just one question, does anyone have a good technique for squeezing water out of shredded zucchini?

    Chocolate Zucchini Bread:

    3 squares unsweetened chocolate
    3 C flour
    1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp cinnamon
    4 eggs
    3 C sugar
    1 1/2 C vegetable oil
    1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    1 1/2 tsp almond extract
    3 C grated zucchini (squeeze water out)
    1/2 C sour cream
    1 C chopped nuts

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees

    Melt chocolate and let cool. Sift dry ingredients. Beat eggs, add in sugar, oil, chocolate, and extracts. Fold in dry ingredients. Fold in zucchini, sour cream, and nuts. Bake in poled bundt or 10″ tube pan for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

    Enjoy!


  14. Tuesday, July 1

    Call for Recipes: Zucchini!

    Remember my friend Natalee’s crazy zucchini? She seriously has zucchini coming out of her ears, which means I now have zucchini coming out of MY ears.


    Natalee is out of town and I’m in charge of watering her garden. Which means I get to eat as much zucchini as I want. Here’s where you come into the picture…what shall I do with all this zucchini?!?!

    Please share your favorite zucchini recipes! I definitely want a good bread recipe, but anything else you have is of course welcome!

    (PS – How pretty is that zucchini plant? I never knew! I should mention…it’s also huge. If you’ve never planted zucchini and you plan to at some point, it gets HUGE. You’ve been warned.)


  15. Tuesday, June 24

    Summertime…and the cookin’ ain’t easy

    Summer’s here, bringing with it sunshine, barefeet, lawn furniture, flowers, sundresses, ponytails, strawberries…


    …and HEAT, which generally sends my weekly menu plan into a tailspin. When it’s hot, I just can’t stand thinking about cooking over a stove or turning on an oven!

    Please share your favorite summertime meals with us! Whether you like them because they’re lighter for eating, don’t require as much time spent slaving in the heat (ovens, stoves, etc), or it’s just something that always reminds you of summer, I want to know about it! And so does everyone else.

    Which means summertime has also brought you a bit of homework…get posting! I want to give you all a summertime A+.


  16. Friday, May 23

    The Perfect Picnic

    It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means BBQs and picnics galore! Reader Kiasa emailed asking me for some picnic ideas, specifically:
    - Not-so-typical sandwiches
    - Salads sans mayo
    - Desserts that travel well


    Here are a few of my ideas…and please leave a comment with your own ideas! If you have specific recipes for the above, that would be great, but I’m sure Kiasa (and everyone else) would love any great picnic ideas you might have!

    My ideas are yummy yummy, but I’m also suggesting things that are easy to prep and carry. I’m all about EASY.

    NOT-SO-TYPICAL SANDWICHES
    - Caprese Sandwich: Slice a baguette, sprinkle with a bit of olive oil (not too much so you don’t get soggy). Top with sliced fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, salt & pepper.
    - Turkey Boursin Baguette: Slice a baguette, spread with Boursin cheese, top with sliced pepper turkey and leaf of romaine lettuce (or spinach for more vitamin punch)

    SALAD SANS MAYO
    - Alfredo Tortellini Salad: My friend made this for an outdoor party once and it was AWESOME. She used jarred Alfredo sauce from Trader Joe’s, cheese tortellini (cook & drain), sliced and cooked zucchini, mushrooms and onions. Mix all together and serve cold. You could throw in whatever vegetables you like!

    DESSERTS THAT TRAVEL WELL
    - Chocolate Oatmeal Coconut Cookies: I know, cookies don’t seem all that inspired, however these cookies are AMAZING and cookies travel well, so it fits the bill!


    If I were packing this picnic today (I wish I was!), I’d also throw in a bag of chips and some Hansen’s sodas and call it a day.

    Time for your Perfect Picnic ideas!


  17. Thursday, May 15

    Call for Recipes! Bran Muffins


    This is a sad little bran muffin. He tastes okay, but knows he could be MUCH better. Please help him! Please share your best bran muffin recipes so this little guy can live up to his potential!!!

    I won’t tell you what recipe book I got this muffin recipe from because normally that book is no-fail. But these muffins just did not cut it…and I really want some yummy bran muffins right now! I know I can just walk to Starbucks and get one, but I’d rather make it myself so I can get one hot out of the oven. Can’t wait to see what you got!


  18. Wednesday, February 20

    Wanted: Truffle Teacher

    I ventured into the world of chocolate truffle making the other night, with mixed results. The truffles TASTE great, but are far from culinarily artistic perfection. I thought today I’d share what I did along with my questions, hoping you can teach me the right way to do this!


    Want the job as Truffle Teacher? All you have to do is post a comment! I’m mostly concerned with technique, but of course if you have a good recipe please share that as well!

    For reference, THIS (click here) is the recipe I primarily used (although I referenced a few others as well).

    Okay, the Truffle 101 Discussion Group is now beginning.

    Jane Observations:
    - When they say finely chop the chocolate, they mean FINELY chop the chocolate. I just had a few small pieces here and there (see pic), but they were just too big to melt in the heated cream.


    - You can store your finished truffles in the fridge for weeks, but eat them at room temp – so much better when they are nice and soft.

    Jane’s Questions:
    - I wanted to do some hazelnut-flavored truffles. I split the recipe in half and added ~1 1/2 tsp of hazelnut oil, but you honestly cannot tell that they were flavored. Has anyone used hazelnut oil in a similar situation? How much should I use?

    - When should you form your truffle balls? One recipe said to leave the mixture out for 1 hour then make the balls. I did that – the chocolate was still so soft it was nearly impossible to work with. Another recipe said to refrigerate for 1 hour then make the balls…so I put the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. When I tried to make the truffles I actually BROKE the melon baller the chocolate was so hard. It was the biggest pain making the balls (which is why mine look so lumpy). What technique do you suggest? Do you use a melon baller, fingers, two spoons? HELP!


    - What is your favorite flavoring and in what quantities should they go into the recipe?

    I THINK that was all the questions/troubles I had. Seriously, if you’ve made truffles and they came out, tell us what you did!

    Even though my truffles don’t LOOK as pretty as I would have liked…it’s not stopping us from eating them! :)


  19. Wednesday, January 30

    Superbowl Eats!

    Mi madre-in-law requested ideas for Superbowl snacks in her non-cookie-dough-cookie-dough comment today…I was going to do a Superbowl post laster this week, but let’s get the ball rolling! Time to share your favorite foods and recipes for the Big Game! Sweet, salty, fancy, easy…anything you’ve got! (Although, Pat, the mom-in-law, is looking for yummy and easy or make-ahead ideas…so that would be good too! Help me keep her happy…she’s a bear of an in-law. hee hee.)


    My favorite sweet treat is the Sweet Chex Mix recipe. Yum.


  20. Wednesday, November 21

    Thanksgiving Prep: The Best of the Best!

    Nate said I should have done a Thanksgiving post where everyone shares their best recipes & food traditions. Gotta admit, that’s a great idea…so now’s your chance!


    My favorite Thanksgiving recipe that I make every year is Cranberry Slush. This is a Thanksgiving tradition from my mom’s family. It was my great-grandmother’s recipe and it is DELICIOUS. You’ll love it, unless, of course, you’re my sister and are CRAZY and don’t like it. She’s the only one I’ve met who doesn’t, but let’s keep in mind she actually said the following words last night: “I don’t really like chocolate.” Told you she’s crazy.

    Please share your Thanksgiving Bests!


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