Brussel Sprouts Crostini

375.  A lovely and unique appetizer to serve is Brussel Sprouts Crostini.  Found originally on Giada's Recipes on Food Network.  Just following the simple steps in this recipe creates a beautiful bite.

 I was thrilled to find Brussels sprouts on the stalk.  They were fresh, green and a delight to work with.  Each sprout was crisp and was easy to work with and no discard.  Most bags of sprouts must be trimmed and have little leaves removed.

The roasting process was so simple and I used parchment paper on my baking sheet.  What did we do before parchment paper?  It makes baking and cooking with ease.

 The crostini I used was bought and had an herb garlic flavor. They were small and crispy and were a perfect size.  It is difficult finding french bread that is skinny enough for a small bite.  But if you can find it...I would use fresh bread any day, sliced, rub with olive oil and toasted till crisp.

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The recipe came together quickly and was a beautiful start to a lovely meal and they are so attractive as an appetizer.

"Brussel Sprouts are misunderstood - probably because most people don't know how to cook them."

~ Todd English

Granola

 296.  Crunchy, sweet, healthy, delightful, satisfying and so simplistic!  GRANOLA
Sprinkle it on yogurt, spoon it over your peanut butter.  Or just fill a bowl and add ice cold milk and a spoon.

I am amazed each time I purchase granola bars or granola in the market and realize how pricey it is.  I decided to create and make my own.

 While researching other recipes there was a large variety of ingredients to choose from.  I practiced and experimented with many items.  Here is one recipe that was ace.

Granola

Old Fashioned Oats  6 to 8 cups
Finax Nut and Fruit Oat mix from IKEA Marketplace 4 cups
Almonds 2 cups
Coconut Flakes 2 cups
Coconut Oil 1 cup
Craisins 1 cup, dried cranberries
Sea Salt 2 Teaspoons
Brown Sugar 1 cup
Egg White 2
Cinnamon 1 Teaspoon
Molasses 2 Tablespoons

Place all ingredients in a large bowl.  Wash your hands and arms very well and dry.  Mix the ingredients together with your hands.  You will be able to feel the ingredients blending together.  This is much more effective than using a spoon or spatula.

Place mixed ingredients into a baking pan with sides (jelly roll pan).  Bake in a 230 degree oven for approximately an hour.  Stir the granola every 15 minutes to make sure the outer edge does not burn.

 Allow the granola to cool.  Then store in an airtight container.  It will store for up to a month...but it won't last that long.

 To make granola bars, just add more egg white, brown sugar and coconut oil.  When you are mixing the granola it will be more sticky and hold together.  Press into the same type of baking sheet.  Bake but do not mix during the baking process.  You may need to adjust the baking time and temperature. Then,  wait for 5 minutes and cut bars into desired shape.  Wrap each bar separately or store in an airtight container between waxed paper sheets.

The other items you could add are endless!  Just use your imagination and add what you love.  One hint:  When adding chocolate chips, make sure you refrigerate the chips then add them after the granola cools.  In bars, refrigerate chips then drop them on the top of the bars after you cut them.  The chocolate will begin to melt slightly and adhere to the top of the bars.

"God has already done everything He's going to do.  The ball is now in your court.  If you want success, if you want wisdom, if you want to be prosperous and healthy, you're going to have to do more than meditate and believe; you must boldly declare words of faith and victory over yourself and your family."

~Joel Osteen

Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks)

250. Each Christmas Season, I wait in anticipation for Starbuck's delicious "Cranberry Bliss Bars". Beautiful white and red triangular cut Blondie bar, filled with cranberries and chunks of white chocolate. They come nestled in a paper cup, a perfect pairing with a cup of Pike Place, hot and steaming.

Recently, while on Pinterest, someone pinned a picture of, what they called, a "White Chocolate Cranberry Blondie". AAAAAHHHHHH! It was a Cranberry Bliss Bar! I did a little searching and voila', the recipe! And, it seemed to have all the ingredients as the Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bar. Only one ingredient seemed different...cinnamon in the Blondie (blonde brownie).

So, I stopped at Starbucks...for research sake, of course. And picked up a Cranberry Bliss Bar, brought it home, and we dissected it, tasting each little part and divulged that it was very close to this recipe.

Now, if you do any searching on-line, you will find there are "copy-cat" recipes for these treats. Like the "Top Secret Recipes" by Todd (recipe here) but it is not the same. There is no crystalized ginger in the recipe but a hint of ginger. Or, "Food.com's " recipe, (recipe here) . But, there is no orange zest in the brownie, only orange zest in the frosting. Now, Starbucks posts the nutritional information for their Cranberry Bliss Bar and you can see the bakery ingredients they use towards the bottom of the page. (Information here).

Choose which one is to your pleasing and try this recipe. Here is the one I made:

Cranberry Bliss Bars

or White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies (recipe here)

Blonde Brownie

3/4 cups

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup flour

(1/8 teaspoon ginger or cinnamon - Starbucks does not use cinnamon - optional)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries, (Craisins by Ocean Spray are too sweet. Look for a natural dried cranberry)

6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting

1 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 Tablespoons grated orange peel

6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Melt butter and stir in brown sugar and cool. Transfer to a large bowl and beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup cranberries and chopped chocolate. The batter will be thick.

Spread into a parchment lined 13x9inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-21 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting:

In a large bowl beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar and orange peel. Add half of the melted chocolate and beat till blended. Frost the cooled brownie

and sprinkle the top with chopped 1/2 cup cranberries.

Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Fantastic!!!! Now, I don't have to wait all year for this delectable treat...I'll just make my own!

"Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee."

~Howard Schultz

Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts

227. Chicken Salad is a year round salad that is simple to make but so satisfying in taste. But everyone makes their Chicken Salad different.

My sweet friend taught me a great trick when making Chicken Salad. She always uses a store bought roasted chicken. She also will make her own oven roaster when she has time, but she prefers the little rotisserie chickens.

So when you pick one up it is smart to refrigerate it over night. Then peel the skin back and begin to pull the meat off the bones.

I prefer to tear the chicken over cutting it. Your finished salad will have a more organic, homemade appearance rather than the perfectly uniformed chunks.

After you have torn all the meat away from the bones go through the meat to make sure the size of each chunk is not too large.

You will garner 4 whole cups of chicken from one rotisserie chicken.

For this particular Chicken Salad I like to have a savory/sweet flavor combination. I then chop up a sort of "mirepoix" of 2 stalks celery with leaf tops, 1 small onion, dried cranberries, 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley and 1/4 cup walnuts.

Place the chopped mix into a large bowl and then add the 4 cups chicken.

To this add 1 cup mayo, kosher salt, cracked pepper and a dash of sugar. I like to refrigerate overnight and serve with fresh bread for sandwiches or place in a bowl to serve with crackers or flatbread. This particular recipe is dynamite with the Rosemary and Olive oil Triscuit Crackers.

This recipe is beautiful in the summer but also so nice to serve at Christmas time with the red and green bits.

Delicious!

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

~Henry Ford

Char's Cranberry Salad

118. This Thanksgiving was delicious!!! I pulled out one of my dear friend's recipes for Cranberry Jello Salad. Each time we visit, Char makes this yummy side salad, that we all just love.

Since cranberries are plentiful at the end of the year, this recipe would compliment any meal where you are serving turkey or chicken. And, it is beautiful. Try molding it in a decorative bowl, or slice an orange in half, scoop out the fruit sections and pulp, then pour the salad into each orange half and refrigerate. I find this recipe sets up beautifully if it is made a day in advance. You could also mold the salad in separate serving bowls.

The recipe calls for walnuts, but if you want to eliminate them or to substitute them for chopped oranges or mandarine oranges...it works beautifully...and changes the flavor subtly. We love nuts and followed the original recipe. If you want the jello to be "slice-able", use only 1 cup of cold water. This salad is soft and very tasty.

"Char's Cranberry Jello Salad"

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 pkg. small flavored jello, strawberry, raspberry, cherry

2 cups cold water

1 can crushed pineapple, drained (discard liquid)

¾ cup walnuts, chopped fine

Place cranberries, sugar and 1 cup water in a 4 quart saucepan. Heat and stir on medium till boiling. Berries will begin to pop and become soft.

Remove from heat and smash down berries with a mashers. Add 2 boxes of jello and stir for 5 minutes making sure the gelatin has dissolved. Add 2 cups cold water, pineapple and the walnuts, (or oranges, orange zest or mandarine orange slices.)

Pour into a decorative bowl (you lightly oiled if unmolding), small serving bowls or container. Cover with saran wrap and place in a refrigerator, preferably overnight.

To serve, if unmolding from a decorative bowl, place the bottom of bowl in hot water to loosen the jello from the sides. Turn out onto a plate and garnish. To garnish, toss cranberries in white sugar and place on and around the salad. It gives them a frosted look.

Serves 6 - 8

This salad complimented our Thanksgiving meal so well. I know you will love it!

“There are four unbroken rules when it comes to Thanksgiving: there must be turkey and dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.”
~ John Hadamuscin