Apricot Honey Salad Dressing/Glaze

Everyone needs a rockin' fruit dressing!  Not only are they great for salads, but you can use them as a glaze for meat.  Try this one on chicken, pork or even fish!

 

You can easily make your own salad dressings.  The ratio is 3 parts oil to one part acid (vinegar, lemon juice...).  Bring out your inner "saladista" and get adventurous with herbs and spices.

 

This dressing goes perfectly with the salad pictured below which I will post tomorrow so stay tuned!

 

Here's what you'll need:

 

                            3/4 C canola or vegetable oil

                            1/4 C white wine vinegar

                            12 apricot halves ( I used canned)

                            1 large onion, thinly sliced and caramelized*

                            1 t salt (I used Himalayan pink)

                            1 T cherry balsamic**

                            1/4 C honey

 

                              * Click here for how to caramelize an onion

                            ** Don't have this?  No problem. 

                                 Add an extra T of honey

Put everything in a beaker and with a hand blender,

process until smooth.

Or, use a regular blender and process.

That's it!

Now make the fabulous salad below or

use as a glaze for meat, baking or barbecuing.

Heck, why not both?

Greens, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

with Caramelized Pecans.

Get the recipe here!

 

 

Greens, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad w/ Caramelized Pecans

If you're looking for a satisfying main dish salad or a great salad starter, try this!

Greens, beets, nuts and a homemade fruity dressing will make you feel like you're eating something good for you - and that's because you are.

You can always amp up the protein by adding sliced grilled chicken breast.

Add some foccacia or other great bread as an accompaniment.  And, why not sip on a sauvignon blanc while you're at it!

This is a great dinner salad for 2 or a starter for 4. 

Here's what you'll need:



                            6 C greens (your choice - I used organic spring mix)

                            1 C roasted golden beets,

                            cut into thick sticks

                            140 gm package of goat cheese, crumbled

                            Caramelized pecans

                            Apricot Honey Caramelized Onion Dressing

                              (Click for dressing recipe here)                 

How to caramelize the pecans:

                                      1/2 C pecan halves

                                      1 T butter

                                      1 T brown sugar

                                      1/8 t cayenne pepper

(There is a very mild kick with the pepper but you can omit if you like)

Pre-mix the sugar and pepper (if using),

for even distribution.

Melt butter in a pan over medium high heat.

Add pecans.

Sprinkle sugar mix over nuts...

Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until well coated.

Cool on wax paper.

Now to make the salad...

Toss the greens with about 1/2 a cup of salad dressing.

(Depending on the amount of greens and your preference for more/less dressing.)

Distribute beets evenly...

Same with the cheese...

Sprinkle with the caramelized pecans.

What a multi-layered taste experience!

Fresh greens...

Earthy beets...

Piquant goat cheese...

Sweet and spicy pecans...

All brought together with a complex fruity dressing!

Good enough for company and great just for you!

Reflections on Mirrors

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all.  Can't really say!  There are so many styles of mirrors: modern, transitional, traditional, square, round, abstract.  

There is definitely a mirror out there to suit every taste and budget.  I could have posted dozens of mirrors that caught my eye and it was so hard to narrow it down to just a few choices.

Below is a sample to get you started.  So what else is there to say except... "Here's looking at you, Kid!"

Silver Daisy ($149.99)
Love this modern and fresh look!

Crystal Petals ($699.99)

This one actually comes with little LED lights.  Wow!

Mega Sparkleiciousness!

Artemis Mirror (149.99)

A sturdy mirror with an organic feel and 

a swirl pattern for interest.

 Bevelled mirror step frame 269.99

The picture doesn't do justice to this sparkler.

It's what we have hanging in our foyer.

Satin Nickel Plated Mirror ($459.99)

An organic feel while keeping it fresh and modern.

Arcade Mirror ($401.86)

Love the whimsy with the smaller circles of mirror.

Wouldn't this be great hung horizontally too?

Murray Feiss Stepped Mirror  ($387.05)

Great thick frame with a beveled mirror that 

gives you a traditional feel without looking stodgy.

 

Justin Copper Mirror ($169)

What a great frame!

This would work well for a masculine/feminine 

blend of design.

Berry Mirror ($119)

How pretty is this?

Great for anywhere in your home.

I can see this above a bathroom vanity.

Kristen Mirror ($574)

Gorgeous!

This has that Moroccan feel.

I love how it's outside the box 

from the traditional mirror shapes.

Teak Root ($723.80)

Yowza on the price!

But I do like this for its rustic appeal.

What a great cottage mirror!

Howard Elliott Fusion Mirror  ($249)

This pear shaped mirror is an eye catcher.

Sure to be a conversation piece for your guests.

Clam Rose Shell Mirror ($395)

Please click on the link to see the gorgeous detailing on this.

A totally fem piece that would make a stunning focal point.

Vasari Mirror ($299.90)

No mirror round up would be complete 

without a Venetian style mirror.

These are classic and timeless!

Check out your home to see what you can add to bring on the

SPARKLE!

Nutella Cookies

I have to laugh because this is one of those Kevin Bacon things - i.e., 3 degrees of blogging separation.

Tonight we are not home and wanting to keep true to my "Brain Dead Thursday" commitment, I'm featuring the recipe from a blogger that adapted this recipe from another blogger!  How bloggingly incestual!

The recipe below was featured on: 

http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/nutella-cookies/

...who got it from:

http://kirbiecravings.com/2011/09/three-ingredient-nutella-cookies.html

I think it's very amusing that this recipe has "provenance"!

Check out these other great blogs as a thank you to their creativity and contribution.

Try making this recipe with quinoa flour for a gluten free cookie!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup + 1 T all-purpose flour

How to:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Prepare a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.

Mix everything together in a large bowl. It will be a little crumbly.

Roll into 1 inch size balls.

Place on baking sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

As soon as you remove them from the oven use a fork to gently press down and make cross marks.

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Taco Pie!

I love Mexican food.  Throw an enchilada my way and I 'll follow you anywhere!  And do I have a dish for you!  Aye!  Es delicioso! 

 

Beans, corn, meat with a spicy sauce and gooey cheese - how can it not be a winner?

 

This is my recipe for Taco Pie.  I call it "pie" because its ingredients are in layers and servings are cut into pie shaped wedges. Actually, I cooked this in my cheesecake spring form pan so maybe I should rightly call it Taco Cake.  Hmmm.  I think pie sounds a tad more appetizing though with this recipe.

 

Using this type of pan makes for easy extraction and cutting.  Don't you just hate cutting into that first (and usually non-successful) piece of anything only to have bits scattered about or worse, its structural integrity compromised?

We loved this.  And let me tell you, after it had a chance to sit overnight, it was even more delicious the next day!

Here's what you'll need:

                              Oven 350 degrees

                                    6 large tortillas

                                    1 pound ground beef

                                    1 can corn, drained (341 ml/12 oz)

                                    1 can black beans, drained, rinsed

                                    (540 ml/19 0z)

                                    1 can chopped tomatoes, not drained

                                    (540 ml, 19 oz)

                                    1 large onion, chopped

                                    2 T chili powder

                                    1 T chipotle chili 

           (this can be spicy so if that's not for you, 

                         just use an extra 1 T of regular chili powder)

                                    2 t dried oregano

                                    1 t granulated garlic

                                    1 t salt

                                      

and 2.5 C of grated cheddar

(I forgot to put it in the picture above - oops!)

Accompaniment also not shown: sour cream

In a pot, add tomatoes, garlic, oregano, chili powders & salt.

Mix until blended through.  Simmer while you prep the rest.

Add a couple of tablespoons of oil in a fry pan, 

heat on medium high.

Add beef and onions.

Chop beef up with a wooden spoon.

Cook beef until no longer pink & onions are soft, 

about 5 minutes.

Add corn, black beans and about a cup of  the sauce.

Mix through until combined.

Grease a 9' diameter spring form pan with oil.

Place 1 tortilla to the edge of the pan.

Rip another tortilla in half.

Fit to edges so your pan base is covered.

Spread half of meat-bean-corn mixture on tortilla layer.

Add 3/4 C of cheese.

Now repeat the tortilla, beef mix, cheese steps as above.

Finish with a layer of the remaining 2 tortillas.

Add the rest of the sauce on top...

Top with remaining cup of cheese.

If you'd like, add more cheese for extra goo-iness!

Now into the oven for 30 minutes.

Turn oven to broil and watch carefully until...

...it's fabulously bubbly brown on top like this.

Let it rest for about 5 minutes to set.

Release from the spring form pan.

I recommend putting it on a cookie sheet because

there will be some "runnage"!

Look at that nice cleanly cut wedge!

(I used a serrated knife.)

A fabulous perfectly sliced piece of taco pie

adorned with some cool sour cream!

(Cameraman Dave also recommends guacamole and salsa.)

 

O.M.G.

You have to taste it to believe it!

Meaty, hearty, cheesy with just enough zing!

Ole!