Blueberry Salsa

Blueberry Salsa

I saw this salsa recipe over at recipegirl.com.  Isn't it beautiful?  And so perfect for the 4th of July or any get together. 

First, let me get this off my chest, I'm not a big fan of blueberries.  They are a pretty little fruit but not my first choice.  I made this salsa because it's so darn pretty.  And I was just a little surprised at how wonderful it tastes!  The cilantro is a perfect addition.

I stuck with the original recipe with the small exception of using half of a banana pepper with one jalapeno pepper.  I had one that was ready for picking in my garden.  This is a great change from regular tomato based salsa. I served it with lime flavored tortilla chips which I must say were the perfect accompaniment.

  

Let's get started:

BLUEBERRY SALSA

2 cups fresh blueberries, chopped
1 cup whole fresh blueberries
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium seeded & minced jalapeno peppers

1/2 of a medium seeded & minced banana pepper
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
tortilla chips for dipping

1.  In a large bowl, carefully combine all ingredients.

2.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Yield:  About 3 cups

Original recipe found here.

Print recipe here

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats

My children love rice krispie treats.  Who doesn't really?  And a little cake batter to top it off!  Holy cow...a little bit of heaven.  After having these I don't think I will ever make the tried and true recipe again.  The cake mix isn't an obivous flavor.  It gives these treats a new depth.  It takes them up a notch.  I really don't know how else to describe them.  They are lucky to last 24 hours in our house!

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats
recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

3 Tbsp. butter

1 (10 oz.) bag of mini-marshmallows

1/4 cup yellow cake mix

6 cups crispy rice cereal

sprinkles

Let's Get Started:

 Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Press into a 9 X 13 baking dish and top with sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Taco Pancakes

When I saw these I knew I had to make them!  My people (hubby and kids) are big fans of Mexican food.  I personally, could live off of cheese dip (and chocolate chip cookies) forever. I only made a few minor changes to the original recipe.  I was so excited to make these I started on them before my son's baseball practice but, to my dismay they didn't turn out as I had expected.  They were flat!  In the frig went the batter and to practice we went.  We returned home and it was back to the pancakes.  This time they were perfect! These are a perfect twist to a tex-mex dish!



Taco Pancakes

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM plainchicken

1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
2 cups Mexican flavored cheese, shredded
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chilies
1 cup self-rising corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salsa
Sour cream
Lettuce
Black olives
Guacamole

Let's Get Started:

Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water, cook 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together corn meal, flour, egg, buttermilk and oil.

Stir in taco meat, cheese and green chilies.

Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.

 When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Serve stacked and topped with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, olives, and guacamole.

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Banana Bread

So...I had a bunch of bananas that my children refused to eat.  But, lucky for me they never refuse to eat banana bread!  They're funny like that.  One problem....I didn't have any buttermilk and didn't have enough regular milk to make my own buttermilk.  My stand-by banana bread recipe calls for buttermilk...most do.  It's 8:30 p.m., I'm in my pajama pants, and I am not going out....in the rain no less.   I searched the Internet for a banana bread recipe that didn't include buttermilk in it's ingredients.  I wasn't very hopeful.  But low and behold I found one!  And it's wonderful.  This bread is filled with rich banana flavor and so so moist.  I quickly wrote down the recipe to make again but did not include the site. So, I can't give credit to the genius that came up with this incredible banana bread recipe. Nuts were not included in the original version but they are easy enough to throw in (1/2 cup or so). This is also super easy to double if you want more than one loaf!

Banana Bread

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2  cup (one stick) softened butter
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Let's Get Started:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease one 9-inch loaf pan.

2. With electric mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add bananas and eggs, beating until well-mixed.

3. Sift together dry ingredients three times. I'm not sure why it's supposed to be sifted three times but it works! I've also used bread flour and AP flour with great results.

4. Blend with banana mixture and mix just until moistened. Do not over mix.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-45 minutes, until firm in the center and edges begin to separate from pans.

6. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Freezes well

PRINT RECIPE HERE

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta
recipe adapted from Cassie Craves

1 pound rotini or other short pasta
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 Tablespoon reserved bacon grease
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 green bell pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese for garnish, if desired


Let's Get Started:

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat, until the bacon is crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and discard the rest.

3. Add the chicken and diced green bell pepper to the bacon grease in the skillet,

season with salt and pepper to taste, cook until the chicken is cooked through and the bell pepper is softened. Stir in the reserved chopped bacon, barbecue sauce, chicken broth and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the shredded cheese.

4. Add pasta and stir to combine; heat through.

5. Serve immediately, garnishing with red or green onions, bacon and shredded cheese, if desired.

PRINT RECIPE HERE