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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

SANDRAS LOVELY LIME and MINT WATERMELON SALSA

A very refreshing take on a salsa
I made with ingredients that
just naturally compliment each other...

Yields: (Appx. 2 cups)

Prep: 10 Mins.
Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups watermelon, rind removed, seeded, and diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and minced
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey (for recipe, click here: Alaska Fireweed and Clover Honey - Homemade)
pinch of table salt

--Club Crackers or Tortilla Chips

METHOD

Add the watermelon, cucumber, jalapeno, onion and basil in a medium-sized nonreactive bowl, and gently fold to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, table salt, and whisk to combine, and then add to salsa mixture in medium bowl, folding to combine.

Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes for flavors to meld, and then drain excess liquid, if desired.

Serve in a decorative non-reactive ceramic or glass bowl, with Club Crackers for scooping. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip: This is also very refreshing to serve as a side with many variations of fish dishes, esp. halibut – oh...and pork as well ;-) Some also like to eat this Lovely Lime and Mint Watermelon Salsa with tortilla or pita chips.

Chocolate Pastries

Chocolate Pastries

Ingredients for chocolate sponge:

Eggs 6
Sugar 6 ounce
Flour 4 ounce
Coco 2 ounce
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Method:

Beat eggs with sugar till light and fluffy. Add 1tsp of vanilla essence and mix gently.Continue beating till the mixture doubles in volume.Fold in the sieved flour and cocoa. Gently grease a long rectangular pan and line with butter paper. Pour batter into baking pan and bake in pre heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
The sponge is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch.Remove from the oven and cool. Cut into desired shapes to make the pastries.

Truffle Brownie Cups Secret Recipe Club

This is my second month participating in The Secret Recipe Club and its been so much fun! This month I was assigned our hostess Angies Blog, Big Bears Wife. She has a really cool Visual Recipe Index which helped when it came to choosing the recipe. They are all separated by category and you can see a photo right there in the listing. There were so many recipes I wanted to try but there just isnt enough time in the month of December! The cannoli dip recipe looked amazing and I am definitely tucking that one away for future use. I chose the recipe for Truffle Brownie Cups. It sounded like chocolatey heaven! Chocolate ganache inside a chocolate brownie cup is absolutely my idea of dessert! These are the perfect size for a little midday snack...or two!

These little brownies are very simple to make and I think I would try them as regular brownies too because they are delicious! I only got about 18 out of them so Id suggest doubling the recipe because they will disappear quickly! My only question to ask Angie is about the ganache. Ive never made it before and Im not sure if its supposed to harden and all. I put it in the fridge for about an hour because it was still liquidy after 10 minutes. I piped it through which made it easier but it was still too liquidy to hold the shape of the star tip. Angie, I am an awful baker and I know its just me! Got any tips for this baking challenged girl?

Youve got to try these everyone, they are a deliciously chocolaty treat!

Truffle Brownie Cups
from Big Bears Wife

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter (do NOT substitute margarine)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup flour

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

Spray mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray.

Place 2/3 cup chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl with the butter. Microwave on high 40-60 seconds or until smooth, stirring after each 20 second interval.

Add sugar and egg, stir until smooth.

Add flour and stir until just incorporated. Using a small scoop divide batter evenly among the wells. Flatten the top to make smooth surface with the Mini-Tart Shaper.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set (DO NOT over bake).

Meanwhile, pour cream into microwave safe bowl. Heat on HIGH for 1-2 minutes or until hot.

Add the rest of the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Place bowl into freezer for 10-12 minutes or until mixture is cool and starting to thicken. This will be your chocolate ganache.

Once the ganache is thickened, scoop it out of the bowl into a Ziploc bag. I cut a hole in the corner of my baggie and added a star piping tip to give the ganache a little design.

Remove pan from oven; cool 2 minutes. Press tops of brownies with the Pampered Chef Mini- Tart Shaper to make a well. Cool in pan 3 minutes.

Once they are cooled, use your Ziploc baggie full of your chocolate ganache and pipe the ganache into each brownie well.

Be sure to check out Big Bears Wife for all of her decorating ideas for this recipe!

SANDRA’S CREAMY HONEY POPPY SEED DRESSING

A sweeter version of another one of my
favorite go to’ salad dressings.
Its so delicious I simply crave it at times...

Yields: (1 cup)

Prep: 5 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup fireweed honey

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

¾ cup mayonnaise
Pinch of fine-grain sea salt

METHOD

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl, and store covered in a glass or ceramic non-reactive container for up to two weeks in refrigerator.

A fantastic salad dressing, or to marinate chicken, halibut, or pork in prior to grilling. ~ Enjoy!

I made Sandras Crazy-Delicious Grilled Chicken Cranberry Salad using this fabulous dressing:

Crazy-Delicious Grilled Chicken Cranberry Salad