Recipe Swap: Open-Faced Chicken Feta Gyros

There have been a few things that I've been craving during pregnancy: spicy tuna rolls (and sushi in general), reubens, frozen Greek yogurt, and gyros.  So when I received A Seasoned Greeting's blog for the swap, I was super excited to find these gyros.  Even better was that it used only 1/2 a pita since I'm trying to limit my carb intake right now in the event that I have gestational diabetes.

Because it's still (literally) freezing out, I was excited to use my new grill pan that my husband got me for Christmas.  It worked like a charm and created these gorgeous grill lines on the chicken.  The only thing I'm not so sure about is how to clean it.  I really should have oiled the pan first because I got some nice charred bits stuck to my now not-so-new and now extra-seasoned grill pan.

Now, it wasn't until I was sitting down to blog about this recipe that I made a *really* similar one many years ago. No matter, it didn't make this version any less delicious and it certainly fulfilled one of my cravings so thank you, Catherine!

Thank you to Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking for being our awesome What's Cooking swap hostess and be sure to check out the rest of the group's collection in the blog hop, below.  You never know what great recipes you'll find!

Two Years Ago: Swedish Meatballs

Open-Faced Chicken Feta Gyros

Ingredients

For the Tzatziki sauce

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

For the Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into slices
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Assembling

• Whole wheat pita bread
• Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Red onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (I like the cracked pepper variety!)

Directions

1. Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel or cheesecloth and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. For best flavor, allow the flavors to meld overnight.
2. In a gallon sized zipper bag, mix together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, Greek seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper.  Add chicken slices and set aside.  For best flavor, marinate overnight.
3. Cut the chicken breast into slices and cook in a grill or fry pan over medium heat until cooked through.
4. To assemble, place 1/2 of the whole wheat pita bread on the plate. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, diced tomatoes and sliced onions.

Source: Slightly modified from A Seasoned Greeting

Guest Post by SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl: Grilled Filet with Bourbon Butter

Here we are with my final guest blogger.  Did you enjoy all of the new blogs that I shared?  As I said from the beginning, I hope you found a new one to love and follow.  There was a bit of something for everyone because bloggers come from all life-stages...from high school to young professional to mommy.  All of us are so different and yet we all share a love for cooking and blogging!

Desiree (or Desi for short) the voice of SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl, is a fellow Cincinnatian and Secret Recipe Club Group C member.  I'm always excited to meet others in the area that share my passion for food.  Desi and I even joked about how we annoy our (not-as-food-loving) friends by taking pictures of our food whenever we go out to eat.  I told her we really ought to get together for dinner or drinks sometime :).

When Desi sent me her recipe, I could practically smell and taste the steak through my screen.  Like...I wanted to go over to her house immediately to eat this thing!  My husband's favorite cut of meat is filet and yet we have never tried to make it a home ourselves.  We did take a cooking class together once at The Learning Kitchen where we made filet on a grill pan but that was the end of that (so much for using our newly acquired skills, huh?).  But now, between this recipe, her Filet Mignon with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, and the fact that we're buying 1/16th of a cow this fall, we have no excuses!  (Seriously, you can come back and ask me later if I made some succulent filet mignon with those cows...who...oddly enough are named T-Bone and Ribeye...but that will be a story for another day.)

I'd also love to try making her Bacon Pancakes with Maple-Peanut Butter Syrup (BACON!  And breakfast foods again with peanut butter for the hubby...surprised?  I think not.).  After all is said and done, I'd wash everything down with Cherry Limeade Slushies, my favorite drink to order when we go to Sonic Drive-In.

I'll be seeing you all with a personal post next week if I'm not entirely jetlagged.  Hello to all of my new (and veteran) readers!  Where do you come from?  Any other Great Cincinnatians?  Leave me a comment and stay tuned, okay? :)

One Year Ago: French Onion Soup
Three Years Ago: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

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Why hello there! I'm so happy to be guest posting on Christine's blog today! My name is Desi and I host a little blog called SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl. It's so cool that Christine and I are both part of the Secret Recipe Club, and both live in the Cincinnati area. 

I love bacon, salted caramel, margaritas, and steak and potatoes of course :) 

But I realized something. I don't have many steak recipes on my blog. 

And I'm the steak n potatoes kinda gurl! 

So here's my attempt to change that. 

A delicious and simple grilled steak recipe that I personally love...

...Grilled Filet with Bourbon Butter.

The perfect steak with the perfect topping. 

Grilled Filet with Bourbon Butter

Bourbon Butter from Traeger

• Two filet mignons
• Salt and pepper for seasoning, if desired

 Bourbon Butter

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Note: Butter can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until serving time. You may want to let the steaks sit out of the fridge for 10-20 minutes also to come to room temp.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, bourbon, green onion, parsley, salt and pepper and stir with a wooden spoon.

Season steaks with salt and pepper, if desired. Place steaks on the grill on medium-high and cook, turning once, until done to your liking in the center of thickest part. Transfer the steaks to a plate and top with the bourbon butter. 

Printable Recipe

You can use whatever cut of meat you like but we like tender filet steaks. The bourbon butter was a nice topping and the bourbon wasn't overpowering, for me at least. And we like our steaks cooked medium with a touch of pink inside.

You can even make the steaks indoors using a skillet. And the bourbon butter is oh so easy. 

This is definitely going in the grilling rotation! And it's been a pleasure guest posting here at Christine's Kitchen Chronicles :)

Peace, and bacon grease!

 

Canning Whole Peeled Tomatoes

If you've been following my blog these past few years, you'll know that I'm part of Cedarmore CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Each week is a new surprise bounty of wholesome goodness.  One of my favorite things to receive are the tomatoes.  They have SO much more flavor than the ones that you get at a grocery store.  Those impostors really shouldn't even be called tomatoes!  So when the farm said they had canning tomatoes available for just $0.50/lb, I jumped at the chance to give canning, something I'd always wanted to try, a shot.

My first order of tomatoes was 20 pounds.  I figured it would be a trial run without too much risk (I can spare $10!) and would give me lots of fresh organically grown tomatoes throughout the dreary Winter months if things went right.  The first adventure was whole tomatoes because it looked like it would require the least amount of effort.  It actually turned out so well and was quite fun so I ended up ordering ANOTHER 20 pounds for myself to make tomato sauce!

How did it go?  Well, I'd say quite well!  My labor yielded 12 pints (2 cups each) of whole tomatoes and 5 quarts (4 cups each) of fresh tomato sauce.  I used the Ball regular-mouth pints and quarts because their jars are high quality and made right here in the USA!

Sure, it was a lot of work (maybe 5-6 hours?) and each pint cost roughly $0.50 or $1 per quart for the tomatoes plus the cost of jars (less than $1/jar) but the satisfaction of knowing EXACTLY where my tomatoes came from and how they came to be, knowing they were pesticide free and packed in BPA-free, glass jars.  This was priceless to me and I know my long-term health will be all the better for it.

But how did we get to such a glorious end result?  By starting with a big 'ol box of tomatoes!  This was the box that contained my first 20 pounds....

The first step to canning tomatoes is to core them then remove the skins by blanching them.  Some people say to cut an "X" into the bottom of the tomato to make the peeling easier but personally, I find that the skins slide off just fine without that step so I skip it.  I'm all about simplification.  Since these are canning tomatoes and therefore contain imperfections, you want to cut out any bad parts, too.  You don't want that yucky stuff in your jars.

So here are the first batch of blanched tomatoes, naked and ready to be placed into their jars.

Now, when canning whole tomatoes, you'd want to keep them as...well...whole as possible!  After gently squishing (we're not making crushed tomatoes, here!) a few whole ones into my pint-sized jars, I found there was still extra room so I cut some into holes and even quarters to fill the voids.  In the case of making sauce, you'd use the handy wide-mouth funnel to help you easily transfer the saucy goodness.

Now acidify the jars with a tablespoon of lemon juice (Note: For quarts, add 2 tablespoons).  This will make sure the tomatoes have the proper pH level to be safely canned using a simple water bath.  I ran out of bottled lemon juice here so had to use fresh lemons but again for simplicity's sake, TOTALLY recommend getting a big bottle of pre-squeezed lemon juice when you can your tomatoes!

Then you use this handy dandy bubble remover which came with my new Ball Canning Utensils Set.  See how much fun I was having?!  Die bubbles, die!

You'd think that the jar is ready to be closed with the lid but not quite yet.  First you want to wipe the mouth of the jar real clean with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.  My mother-in-law, Mary Lynn, helped with that.  You may have tried your darndest to be neat but let's face it, things get a little messy in the kitchen.  If you skip this step, you risk the chance of not forming a good seal and then all your hard work will have gone to waste!

Now time to use the magnetic tool from the Ball Canning Utensils Set.  This thing was so handy because you could dip it right into your pot of simmering water to retrieve a sterilized lid and ring without contaminating them with your super tomatoey hands!  Onto the jars they go and then into the water bath.  For our first batch, we just used a regular old pot which unfortunately only held four jars at a time.  It did the job without added cost but you know what they say, time is money!  To speed things along in subsequent canning adventures, Mary Lynn bought huge pot with lots of capacity because it is designed for canning.

Once you process the jars forever for 45 minutes (pints), you lift them out using...you guessed, it, more handy tools from your Ball Canning Utensils Set!  Place them on a clean, dry kitchen towel to cool and then pray that you hear the glorious sound of popping which indicates that they have sealed correctly.  I can't tell you how elated I was to hear that first pop and then to my delight, an entire SYMPHONY of popping soon followed.  SUCCESS!

Before you tuck your pretty new jars of homemade, canned tomatoes away, make sure you label them so you know what they are and when you made them :).

I hope you enjoyed my photo adventure.  Check out the real instructions for canning at Food in Jars or Annie's Eats also did a wonderful feature including step-by-step photos recently, too.  

By the way, to do tomato sauce, there's an extra step of milling your whole tomatoes in a food mill to get rid of those pesky seeds and cooking them down to your desired thickness but worth the effort!  We had just about a cup or two extra so made some dipping sauce for stromboli.  It was the richest, freshest sauce I've ever experienced and was so proud that it came out of MY kitchen!

Now, I'm leaving on a jet plane for a few weeks for work.  But no worries, starting tomorrow, I have lined up SEVEN fabulous bloggers who will be guest posting for me while I'm gone.  There are some seriously drool-worthy recipes coming up and a little bit of something for everyone.  I hope that you discover a new blog to love! :)

Happy canning and until we meet again!

Christine

SRC: Homemade Nutella

It's that time of the month again!  This month for Secret Recipe Club (SRC) I received Heidi's blog, Heidi's World.  She is Danish and so it was my first adventure with a foreign blog.  I was excited!

Since most of the world other than the US cooks by weight, I was grateful to have my food scale.  But, since I realize not all of you may have one (highly recommend to get, though!), I did my best to translate the recipe into volumetric cups based on the ingredients that I used.  Please realize though that depending on the particle size of what you're measuring, you could actually end up with more or less of the item than intended because of packing, though.

I was intrigued by her recipes which included many unfamiliar things (such as these Moink Balls - Meatballs wrapped in bacon, grilled and then brushed with BBQ sauce...sounds like a Summer cookout winner to me and almost made those!).  Ultimately, I went with a homemade version of Nutella.  If you don't know what Nutella is, surely you've been living under a rock all of these years.  It is chocolate hazelnut spread and somehow passes as dessert for breakfast when you smear it on your toast.  Every time I think of Nutella now I think of the woman that sued them because she was "deceived" into thinking it was a healthy breakfast food for her child.  Really, it's quite laughable to think this given it's CHOCOLATE but hey, that's how Nutella markets themselves with their "breakfast never tasted this good!" slogan.  I'm not sure if this is necessarily healthier than the real stuff but at least you know exactly what is going into it.

I haven't had Nutella in a long while but from what I can remember, this is good!  I mean really, can you go wrong with chocolate and nuts?  I think not.  When it was hot, it was quite soupy and I thought surely I must have read something wrong (it wouldn't be the first time).  But, it does get nice and thick as it cools and sets so don't fret!  I personally would like a thicker spread and more hazelnut flavor so have adjusted those ingredients, accordingly.  This recipe made a lot and is supposed to last 2 weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long).  I think mine might become ingredients for other things...possibly more recipes to come?

As usual a special thank you to April of the blog Angel's Homestead, SRC ring leader and Debbi of the blog Debbi Does Dinner, our new Group C Hostess!

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients

• 75g (3/4 cup) pre-chopped hazelnuts
• 150g (~1 cup) good chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 30g (2 Tbsp) butter
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a microwave safe dish, toast hazelnuts in the microwave for about 1 minute.  Ground them up finely using a food processor.  For a chunkier spread, process for less time but keep it going longer until the oils are released and it forms a nut butter if you want it nice and smooth like real Nutella.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stove.  Pour in the chopped chocolate pieces and stir until the chocolate has melted.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the nuts, powdered sugar, and salt.  Stir until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar and close immediately.  Put in the refrigerator and allow to set.  Can be stored for 14 days in the refrigerator.  You may need to allow it to come to room temperature a bit before becoming spreadable again.

Source: Re-written from Heidi's World

Apple Cider Butter

So continues apple extravaganza week here at Christine's Kitchen Chronicles.  This particular recipe was considered a "bonus".  Emily had the bright idea to make something that we could enjoy later once everything else was long gone into our bellies.  I didn't even know we were making apple butter until I showed up at her house and saw a bunch of canning supplies out on her kitchen table.  What a pleasant surprise :).

Since we haven't opened these precious jars yet I can't speak to the taste but the smell while it was cooking?  Wow.  Delicious.  Just like apple cider!  Honestly, I've never tried apple butter before and am curious as to why it's called "butter".  Also, I need inspiration!  What's your favorite way to enjoy apple butter?

Coming up tomorrow, something savory to mix things up a bit!  And remember, if the anticipation of waiting to see what might show up is killing you, you can always become a fan of my facebook page for sneak peeks of posts!

Apple Cider Butter

Yields: 4 pints

Photo Credit: My friend Emily

Ingredients

• 10 cups peeled, chopped, cored Granny Smith (or other tart) apples
• 6 cups apple cider
• 4 cups sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1.5 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1.5 teaspoons nutmeg

Directions

1. Prepare canner, jars and lids per manufacture directions.
2. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine apple pieces and cider. Cook until apples are tender – about 20 minutes.  Puree apples using an immersion blender or transfer cooked apples into a blender.  Put the pureed mixture back into the pan and add your sugar and spices. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until thick.
3. Pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and add screw band to fingertip tight.
4. Process in a canner bath for 20 minutes at sea level, more depending on altitude or larger size of jar. Remove canner lid and let jars rest for 5 minutes before removing from the water. Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them.
5. Cool jars overnight. Once the jars have cooled, ensure they are sealed. Press down gently in the center of the lid. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. Put the jar in the refrigerator and enjoy it for the next 3 – 4 weeks. If the lid remains taut, you've got a good seal.

Source: Canning with Kids

Jerk Chicken with Mango Cilantro Relish

Just because it's hot outside doesn't mean that's any reason to turn off the heat happening inside of your mouth :).  I mean me personally?  I eat spicy food (and drink HOT soup) year round!  But no worries, the cool of the mango cilantro relish helps quench the fire.  I love all the complex, spice flavors that makes jerk chicken.  This recipe takes me back to the Caribbean and grilling is a summer necessity.

If you are in a pinch, you can make this meal in advance so that it's ready to be thrown on the grill or into the oven at moment's notice.  The relish would be great on other meats such as regular grilled chicken or an accompaniment to fish, used as taco toppings or even as tortilla dip!

One Year Ago: Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Coffee Cake - if you make this you're in for a treat because it's one of my favorite coffee cakes ever!
Two Years Ago: Grands! Taco Melts (AKA Homemade Hot Pockets) - change up the fillings for variety!


Jerk Chicken with Mango Cilantro Relish
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Ingreidents

For the Chicken

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 scallion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme (used 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
• 4 drumsticks, skin on

For the Mango Cilantro Relish

• 2 mangoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. To make the Chicken: Puree all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a food processor until almost smooth. Piece the chicken with a fork to make tiny holes. Place the chicken in a large shallow baking dish and rub the marinade into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, depending on how intense you want the flavor to be.
   
   * To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the chicken as directed above and place in a gallon sized freezer bag to marinate. Seal and freeze chicken. When ready to prepare the chicken, defrost completely and following the cooking directions for either the grill or oven. 
   
2. To grill - preheat grill. Grill chicken on each side for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through. 
   To bake - preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.
   
3. To make the Relish: Combine the mangoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice in a bowl and gently mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This relish can be made ahead.

Source: Bobby Flay as adapted by and seen on Joelen's Culinary Adventures and Macaroni and Cheesecake

Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

I have a cousin that is OBSESSED with Panera.  I'm talking every time she is in a city that has one it is on her "to do" list.  Sure it's a chain but who can blame her?  They do have really delicious food and chains provide great consistency no matter where you go.

This recipe is being dusted off from the archives.  It sat in the deep dark recesses of that black box that is my husband's computer hard drive for over a year before seeing the light of day again right here, right now.  You see, this time last year I was making lots of food but was lazy about blogging.  And then by the time I got time to blog, it just didn't worth doing so because the season had already changed.

Ah seasons.  This salad TOTALLY captures the spring/summer season.  It embodies all that is good about the bountiful seasonal fruits and veggies.  It is also inspired by my cousin's favorite restaurant, Panera.  Please go make this salad today.  It's a beautiful display of color bursting with natural sweetness and filled with nutrition!

Two Years Ago: Pasta Salad - This one ALWAYS gets gobbled up when I bring it to a party!

Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. minced shallot
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1½ tsp. poppy seeds

For the salad:

• Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
• Strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Blueberries
• Mandarin orange segments
• Fresh pineapple, cubed

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the vinegar, sugar, shallot, dry mustard, salt, mayonnaise and orange juice.  Process to blend well.  With the feed tube open and the processor on, add the vegetable oil in a steady stream and continue processing until incorporated.  Add the poppy seeds and pulse briefly just until blended.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. To make the salad, chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces.  Plate individual servings of the lettuce in salad plates.  Top each serving with strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pineapple cubes as desired.  Drizzle lightly with the poppy seed dressing and serve immediately.

Source: Salad from Annie's Eats; Dressing from Jamie Cooks It Up

Shrimpo de Gallo

It's recipe numero quatro of the Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo series.  We're nearly done but don't worry, the fiesta has yet to begin!  The title of this particular recipe makes me laugh...as does Ree's (AKA Pioneer Woman) struggle to determine what it should be named... 

Shrimp Pico de Gallo
Shrimpy Pico de Gallo
Pico de Shrimpo
Shrimpo de Gallo
Shrimp Salsa

No matter what the name, this dip is a nice change from the traditional salsa and will win your heart over.  (And then give you some heartburn if you can't take the heat and/or you over-fiesta!).  It can be thrown together quickly for those last minute fiestas if you get your slicing and dicing on.

This recipe is Tapas Themed Dinner Club approved and once again, I suck and forgot to take a picture so thank you Emily for the photo!  The dip is in the center and NO, you don't dip the churros into the Shrimpo de Gallo.  Use tortilla chips, silly!  (The items were plated this way for ease of transport.)

One Year Ago: Hm yeah seriously...apparently I took the entire month of May off so...nothing.  I blame being on vacation and then trying to catch up from vacation.  Sorry!
Two Years Ago: Blonde Brownies...because blondes have more fun?

Shrimpo de Gallo
Printer-Friendly Version

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 12 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Cooked Cocktail Shrimp (tails removed), Chopped
• ½ whole Red Onion, Diced Finely
• ½ cups Green Or Black Olives, Chopped (I omitted...I hate olives, yuck!)
• 2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 whole Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Minced (I used about 15 slices from a jar)
• 2 whole Avocados, Chopped
• 2 whole Limes, Juiced
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• 2 cups Cilantro, Chopped

Instructions

1. Combine shrimp, red onion, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Add lime juice to taste, then a dash of kosher salt. Add cilantro. Stir gently with a spoon, then taste on a tortilla chip so you’ll have an accurate gauge of the salt content. Add more salt and/or lemon juice if needed.
2. Chill until serving. Note that the avocado will brown if too much time passes, so if you want to make this ahead of time, leave out the avocado until just before serving.
3. Serve with tortilla chips!

Source: Pioneer Woman

Guacamole

I'm baaack!  We had a wonderful time in Italy, Greece, and Turkey these past couple of weeks.  I saw many ancient World Wonders, took a dip in the (freezing cold) Mediterranean (stupid idea!) off the coast of Capri, and was inspired by lots and lots of food.  I'm also delighted to announce that despite all my fear (and not to mention previous track records on cruises), I gained ZERO weight over the course of the past couple weeks.  It's truly a miracle!

Anyway, remember how before I left for vacation I left you with these Churro Bites as a Cinco Recipes for Cinco de Mayo teaser?  Well, here comes the rest of the series since Cinco de Mayo is rapidly approaching.  No Mexican Fiesta is complete without everyone's favorite (and relatively healthy) dip, Guacamole!  Personally, I think that Chipotle has the best guac but at the crazy caloric content of those burritos and the extra they charge to add guac, it's only good as an occasional treat.  This homemade version is a very close second in my mind and was ridiculously easy to make.  Take that, Chipotle!

By the way, to add more to your fiesta or in case you "over-fiesta", check out the Build Your Own Pinata Smash video on Pepto-Bismol's YouTube page!  //End shameless plug//

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Carnitas are also an easy Cinco de Mayo crowd pleaser
Two Years Ago: Focaccia Bread (I had THE most delicious Focaccia EVER this past trip at Babbo's in Rome!)

Guacamole
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Yields: 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 ripe avocados, peeled and halved
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 green onions, white plus 3-inches of green chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1.5 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Put garlic and jalapeno into your food processor with the motor running. Process until finely chopped. Add half of the avocado and all of the lemon juice. Process until smooth.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and add remaining avocado. Mash with a spoon, leaving as chunky or smooth as desired.  Add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes through cilantro). Mix thoroughly with a fork.
3. Serve at room temperature within 1-2 hours. If you're going to store it, press plastic wrap all over the top to prevent it from browning.  Enjoy with tortilla chips.

Source: The Piggly-Wiggly as passed along by her co-worker Sharon's sister

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Look at all the beautiful colors and textures in this salad!

Do you see how the candied oranges glisten like stained glass?

And the candied walnuts?  Crunchy, tantalizingly spicy and sweet and to die for.  If you're not into spicy, watch out and suggest you reduce the level of peppers used or omit it all together.  Personally I loved the surprise little kick to these crazy nuts :).

You may be asking yourself right now what's up with all of the candied stuff.  Well, for our recent Dinner Club our hosts Sig and Kristen chose the theme of candy.  Sweet, sweet sugary candy.  Wanting to be up for a challenge, I chose to bring something from the salad/vegetable category.

Yes, this certainly stretched our culinary imaginations to the fullest.  Emily and Scott chose to serve GUMMY BEAR kiwi wontons with blackberry dipping sauce as our starter.  Surprisingly this was quite delicious and if I wasn't told there were gummy bears inside I don't think I would have known any better.  We joked that they were filled with Gummiberry Juice as the sugar started coursing through our veins and we got a bit bouncy from the extra energy.  But we were just getting started because then came my salad, Kemani and Toni's delightful homemade raviolis filled with cocoa encrusted pork and topped with a white chocolate alfredo sauce, Kristen and Sig's peanut butter cup chicken and lemonhead chicken along with caramel, oreo cookie, and chocolate filled croissants, and lastly, Jackie and Jeff's peanut butter cup cupcakes and lemon pop rock cupcakes.

Caramel croissant, gummy bear kiwi wontons, homemade ravioli with white chocolate alfredo sauce, and peanut butter cup cupcakes.  Photo credit: Emily H.

The sugar rush that followed?  OH. MY. GOD.  Let's just say it's a good thing our hosts had very fun Minute to Win It games to help us expend all of our energy before we subsequently crashed.

Minute to Win It games to burn off all of dinner's sugar: Candy Land Card Flip, Bolt Stacking, Football Roll, and Licorice jump roping.  Photo credit: Emily H.

This salad not only looked beautiful but it tasted really good too.  Kemani said that it was just like the salad at  Dewey's.  Wow what a complement!  I was very pleased with how it turned out and I know I'll be making the candied nuts again for snacking.  The oranges tasted just like those fruit slices so Chris really enjoyed them (it's his favorite flavor).  Though, you can also candy other citrus like lemons and grapefruits, if you prefer.  And then the dressing?  Delicious.  Will make again, too.

So serve up this sweet salad for your sweetie on Valentine's Day.  You'll thank me later :).

Looking for more Valentine's Day Ideas? It seems that the clear favorite on my site are these Heart-shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies but the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles will be the way to a chocolate lover's heart.  But if you want a full meal, try this Linguine with Clam Sauce.  Not only is it delicious but it's simple and I hear that clams are an aphrodisiac.  Ooh la la!

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
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Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 2 entree-sized or 4 starter-sized salads

Ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of baby salad greens
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 candied spiced walnuts (recipe to follow)
• candied oranges (recipe to follow)
• orange balsamic vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

For the candied spiced walnuts 

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chipotle, ancho, or cayenne chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 heaping cup walnuts (or can use pecans)

For the candied oranges

• 2 organic oranges, washed (can also use lemons or grapefruit)
• Water for boiling
• Ice water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

For the orange balsamic vinaigrette

• 1/4 small sweet onion such as Vidalia
• Zest of 1 large orange (preferably organic)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon orange marmalade or undiluted frozen orange juice
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 12 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

1. Allow at least 24 hours to make the candied oranges since they need ample drying time.  To make the candied oranges, cut the oranges into thin slices (not too thin or else they tear apart too easily) removing the ends and any seeds. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the orange slices for about a minute. Drain the orange slices and plunge them into a bath of ice water. Drain. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the orange slices. Let simmer (don’t boil) for an hour (you can simmer as much as 2 hours). Remove slices from hot sugar syrup and set on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry. Take up to 24 hours to dry.
2. To make the vinaigrette, in a blender or food processor, puree the onion, orange zest, garlic, and orange marmalade.  Add the vinegar, olive oil, and salt then blend to emulsify.  Taste and balance sweetness (add a pinch of sugar, the syrup from the candied orange slices, or more marmalade), acidity (add a few more drops of vinegar), and salt.  Pour vinaigrette into a squeeze bottle.  Cap and refrigerate.  Can be made a day ahead.
3. To make the candied walnuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium-sized bowl, mix together sugar, chili powder, and salt.  Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add nuts and boil for 3 minutes (if using pecans, boil only for 15 seconds).  Drain the nuts well then shake in bag of sugar mixture until thoroughly coated.  The sugar will melt slightly.  Transfer the nuts to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.  Bake until they are a deep golden brown, turning halfway through baking, about 15 minutes. Watch closely because the sugar burns easily.  Cool completely and then store in a air-tight container until ready to use.
4. When ready to serve, in a large mixing bowl, toss salad greens and 1/2 to 3/4 of the dried cranberries, feta cheese, and walnuts with enough of the vinaigrette to coat each leaf.  You will likely have vinaigrette leftover for a couple more salads later.
5. Arrange the dressed salad in the middle of the salad plate.  Finish the salads by garnishing with remaining dried cranberries, feta cheese, walnuts, and candied orange slices.

Source: A Christine's Kitchen Chronicles original with inspiration from many sources.  Candied walnuts, salad dressing, and salad concept adapted from Luna Cafe.  Candied orange slices slightly modified from Use Real Butter as originally adapted from Martha Stewart and Culinary School of the Rockies.

Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce

This post is for Nicole.  A self-proclaimed massochist who desired that I post this as my next blog update because seeing the Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts in my Nest signature was too much to bare.  Honestly I don't know if this is that much healthier but it's fried and who can argue with fried?

Bloomin' onions are a signature appetizer from Outback Steakhouse and I thought the flavor of the crispy batter and spicy dipping sauce from this recipe is dead on.  Paying outrageous prices for fried onions will become a thing of the past because now you can just do it at home!  The directions look compliated but I was surprised by how easy it was to do.  Truly the only thing you're doing is doing lots of cutting like spokes in a bike wheel.  My only complaint (other than the greasy fried smell that it leaves in your house...yuck!) is that the petals were a bit hard to pull off.  This is completely my own fault as I was too lazy to remove the core of the onion.  There's apparently an actual blooming onion tool that you can buy online but it's just as easy to do with a regular old knife (and my knife skills suck...).  If you're feeling extra lazy and don't care about the blooming presentation feel free to just cut them into onion petals or rings.

For best results, gently pull apart the petals and put the onion bloom side down in a ice water bath for at least 30 minutes.  This helps the onion to bloom.  I also found it easiest to use a deep fryer but a deep pot filled with oil will work just as well.  Just make sure you heat your oil to the correct temperature - too hot and it'll burn before the onions is cooked; too cold and you'll end up with a soggy exterior.

I made a double batch of this and a pan of Clone of a Cinnabons for our Restaurant Copy Cats Themed Dinner Club (a fantastic theme, by the way.  Perhaps my favorite!).  Photo credit goes to Emily, again.  I'd suggest making this one for your football parties or game night.  It's sure to impress!

Need more Game Food inspiration?  Try Pizza Bites, Pretzel Bites, Classic Chili or one of my dips.   Also stay tuend for a post on my Snackadium.  Not sure what that is?  Check out this page to learn more!

One Year Ago: Baked Sausage Ziti and Sushi

Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

For the Blooming Onion:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large sweet onion
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. To make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, a dash ground black pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. Keep sauce covered in refrigerator until needed.
2. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin; mix.
3. To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now slice the onion several times down the center to create 'petals': First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion.
4. Spread the 'petals' of the onion apart. To help keep them separate you could plunge the onion into boiling water for 1 minute and then into ice water.  Keep the onions bloom side down in the ice bath for at least 30 minutes to allow onion to bloom. 
5. Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat it liberally with the flour mixture. Again separate the petals and sprinkle the dry coating between them. Repeat with a second layer of milk mixture and follow again with flour coating.
6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries.
7. Fry the onion right side up in the oil for 10 minutes or until it turns brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels. If desired, open the onion wider from the center so that you can put a small dish of the dipping sauce in the center.

Source: All Recipes

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Look ma, no canning needed!

That's right, you too can turn your overflowing cucumber crop into delicious homemade pickles without the fuss of canning.  And the best part....it only takes a few minutes to mix together and then about a day to soak in the flavor before you can enjoy crisp, sweet/sour/spicy pickles straight out of the container.

See, you can turn something like this (my cucumbers from my Bergefurd's Farm 1/2 CSA Share)....



















Into This!


















The recipe that inspired me called for the vinegar and sugar mixture (which I'll call the "juice") to be boiled in order to dissolve everything in.  It was 10:40PM when I made these pickles and I was too lazy to dirty another dish and heat up the stove.  So, I winged it.  I just put the sugar straight into the vinegar and then stirred it vigorously with a spoon.  Low and behold, it worked just fine and dissolved without much work.  I imagine that the amount of sugar you want to put in would also affect the solubility and whether you'd need the heat to help you out.  The original recipe had quite a bit of sugar in the juice but I cut it in half based on recipe reviews so that probably helped on the non-heated solubility front.  The carrots, banana peppers, and dill...those I added because I had them.  I think they were a nice flavor addition :).

Okay now let me let you in on an odd secret of mine.  I don't even like pickles.  No...that's an understatement.  I generally DESPISE pickles.  They're so salty and sour and not that fresh tasting and blech just overwhelming!  (How's that for a run-on sentence?).  Oddly enough, I DO have an affinity for sweet relish though.   And now, I have a new found respect for these pickles.  Yes, all very strange, I know.

Go make these pickles you (non-)pickle lovers, you!

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles
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Prep Time: 10 Min
Chill Time: At least 1 day
Ready In: 1 day

Ingredients

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar (or you can substitute/mix in some cider vinegar if you like it a little sweeter)
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablspoon onion powder
• 1 cup white sugar
• 6 cups sliced cucumbers, cut into slices or spears as you prefer
• 1 cup sliced peppers of your choice
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots, matchstick-style
• Fresh dill (optional)
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. In a glass jar or plastic tupperware container, stir together vinegar, sugar, salt, and onion powder until well dissolved.  If using dill and crushed red pepper, add them to the container, too.
2. Place the cucumbers, onions, peppers and carrots in container.  Ensure that the liquid covers all of the solid contents.
3. Store in the refrigerator at least 1 day before enjoying.

Source: Inspired by All Recipes

Pancake Syrup

This is another item on my Make Your Own Belgian Waffle Bar that was featured in our Breakfast Dinner Club last month.  Who would have known that making your own syrup was so easy?  This is perfect as your regular syrup or when you're in a pinch and run out of the store-bought stuff.  And, it's very cost effective to make.  You can store any extra in the fridge and then re-heat it when you're ready to use it again.

Sorry, no pictures of this one but I think you all know what syrup looks like.  This one had a nice syrupy consistency and a beautiful dark amber color.

My personal contributions for this dinner club consisted of:

• Country Fried Steak
• Belgian Waffle Bar (with homemade Strawberry Topping and Syrup)
• Bacon Egg and Toast Cups
• Mimosas (equal parts of champagne and orange juice)

Check out our Dinner Club blog for some additional yummies from my friends!

Pancake Syrup
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Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 7 Min
Ready In: 30 Min
Yields: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugars, water and corn syrup; bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 7 minutes or until slightly thickened.
2. Remove from the heat; stir in maple flavoring and vanilla.
3. Cool for 15 minutes. Serve over pancakes, waffles or French toast.

Source: All Recipes

Strawberry Topping

This Strawberry Topping was made for our March Breakfast Themed Dinner Club as part of our Make Your Own Belgian Waffle Bar.  It was rediculously simple to make and tasted very fresh.  I added some lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.  Excellent on waffles, pancakes, ice cream, or cheesecake!

My personal contributions for this dinner club consisted of:

• Country Fried Steak
• Belgian Waffle Bar (with homemade Strawberry Topping and Syrup)
• Bacon Egg and Toast Cups
• Mimosas (equal parts of champagne and orange juice)

Check out our Dinner Club blog for some additional yummies from my friends!

Strawberry Topping
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Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 5 Min
Ready In: 35 Min
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pint strawberries, cleaned and stemmed
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Cut about 1/3 of the strawberries in half.
2. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine uncut strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally and smashing strawberries with spoon as they soften, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Add remaining 1/3 of cut strawberries into cooked mixture. Store in refrigerator to cool before serving over waffles, pancakes, ice cream, or cheesecake.

 Source: Slightly modified from All Recipes

Honey Mustard Sauce

This sauce is very versatile.  I made it to accompany my Ham, Cheese, and Green Pepper Pretzel Bites which were brought to my Uncle's Super Bowl Party and it found second life as a dip for Pretzel Chicken Tenders later in the week for dinner.  It'd also be great over a salad, as a spread for sandwiches (my cousins made various cold cut sandwiches for the party and people ended up using the sauce for this application, too!) or as a dip for regular soft pretzels.  It really gives dishes that special sweet n spicy creamy zip.

I don't think I have to remind you that Chris HATES mustard...and mayonnaise for that matter.  The sight and smell of it literally makes him want to vomit...or at least that's what he tells me.  Thankfully, we've never had any issues and since it's a side (optional) dip he doesn't have to partake.

This recipe was modified from Ms. Paula Deen, who by the way is coming to Cincinnati for a special cooking show.  You can have dinner with her and/or go to a cooking demo.  How cool is that?!  Anyway, for this recipe I subbed dijon mustard for the yellow and removed the horseradish (figured the dijon would have that needed zip).  I also didn't need to use any of the orange juice but depending on the consistency you are going for you may decide you want/need to add some.  Oh yes, and there is 1 step to this recipe.  It doesn't get much easier than that!

Sorry this picture is so shady.  I snapped one of it near the end of the night.  I can't say it was ever that pretty to begin with but since it was heavily used it got drippy all over the bowl haha.

Honey Mustard Sauce
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Ready In: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yields: 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or juice from 1/2 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (more or less as needed)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except orange juice; stir well. Thin to pouring consistency for dressing or dipping consistency for dips with orange juice. Cover and chill for 2 or 3 hours.

Source: Modified from Paula Deen