Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year friends!  Are you enjoying the holidays so far?  I hope so!  I am sorry we have not posted as much as usual....we have all been so busy this last month.  You know how it is, I am sure!  Busy or not, I just couldn't wait another minute to share these nuts with you!  You really need to try them before the holidays are over.  They are very easy to make and would be a perfect treat to add to your table for New Years!  My sweet friend Wendy introduced me to these amazing roasted nuts and I am hooked!  They have such incredible flavors that are quite intriguing!  The first time I had them, I kept going back for more, trying to figure out all the wonderful flavors I was tasting!  Sweet and spicy, these unique nuts are  the perfect holiday treat to share!  And gluten free!  YUM!

Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Author: Melanie

Recipe Source: I got this recipe from my friend Wendy--after a little research, it looks like it is originally an Ina Garten Recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 c whole roasted unsalted cashews


• 2 c whole walnut halves


• 2 c whole pecan halves


• 1/2 c whole almonds


• 1/3 c pure maple syrup


• 1/4 c light brown sugar, lightly packed


• 3 T freshly squeezed orange juice


• 2 t ground chipotle powder


• 4T minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided


• vegetable oil


• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350


2. Brush sheet pan generously with vegetable oil.


3. In a large bowl combine all nuts, 2 T vegetable oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder.


4. Toss nuts so they are evenly coated.


5. Add 2 tablespoons rosemary and some salt and continue to toss.


6. Spread nuts on an 11x17 cookie sheet.


7. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times with a metal spatula.


8. Remove and add 2 T rosemary, 2 tsp salt and toss again.


9. Stir occasionally until cooled.

3.2.1311

Best Coconut Chocolate Cake

I made this cake for a church party and the pan was scraped clean in no time!  It has a mild chocolate cake - kind of like Texas sheet cake - topped with ooey, gooey coconut and almond topping... all drizzled with chocolate sauce. Yum!

Best Coconut Chocolate Cake
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Café

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
1/4 cup baking cocoa
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING:
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
20 large marshmallows
1 (14 oz.) bag coconut
2 cups sliced almonds, toasted, divided
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In a small saucepan, combine the butter, water, and cocoa.  Cook and stir until butter is melted; add to dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; add to chocolate mixture and mix well.

Pour into greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan (9x13 works too).  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 1 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and marshmallows; cook and stir until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from the heat; stir in coconut.  Immediately sprinkle 1 cup almonds over cake. Spread coconut mixture over top.  Sprinkle with remaining almonds (pan will be full).

In a small saucepan, combine butter with the remaining milk and sugar.  Cook and stir until butter is melted.  Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Drizzle over almonds.  Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe Source: Taste of Home 2012

Aunt Ginny's Chicken Salad

*I am reposting this recipe because I've been having viewers tell me lately that there was a problem with the original post showing up. I couldn't fix it, so I had to repost it. I lost all the comments, but just so you know, other people tried it and liked it. :)  When you try the recipe, let us know how it goes! :)  Happy cooking, everyone!*

Last week when my husband and I decided last-minute to go out to a movie, I whipped up my favorite chicken salad for a quick dinner. This is my Aunt Ginny's recipe, and it's one of those few recipes that I collected while I was a teenager. For some reason, it's become my tradition to have homemade rolls and chicken salad for our Easter picnic every year. So I've made it almost every Easter since I got married. :)
My mother-in-law recently taught me a time saving trick when it comes to preparing dinners with chicken. In the morning she puts a bunch of frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot with 1 cup of water and some bouillon cubes. Then she cooks it on low for 7 or 8 hours and when it's time to prepare dinner, the chicken is already cooked and ready to go. I think it's a genius idea. This is the first time I've done it, and it worked great in this chicken salad. Crockpot-cooked chicken does have a little bit of a different texture, so if you prefer, your usual method of cooking chicken will work great too. :)

Aunt Ginny’s Chicken Salad

submitted by Erin ~ www.thesisterscafe.com
printable recipe here

3 c. diced chicken, cooked
1 8oz can pineapple tidbits
1 c. celery, diced
½ c. chopped almonds
1 c. seedless grapes

Dressing ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 T. vinegar
½ c. mayo
1 tsp salt

Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad ingredients. Toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

Double Almond Cookies

These cookies are pure heaven. They made it to my top five favorite cookies... and that's a big deal! I got the recipe from my friend, Jennie Whiting. She's the one I got the Egg Roll recipe from too. Keep 'em coming, Jennie! :)   I made these for my Young Women (the girls in my church ages 12-18) and they were a hit, which says a lot since kids that age are pretty picky.  I love the flavor of almond extract.  These taste like buttery almond shortbread. They are so good!

Double Almond Cookies
Submitted by Erin ~ thesisterscafe.com
(original recipe is from the McCormick Company)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped or slivered almonds
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. pure almond extract

Heat oven to 350°.  Combine flour, almonds, and salt; set aside.  Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Blend in egg and almond extract. Gradually mix in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake and WINNERS

First the Winners of the Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook according to Random.org are:

#45
Erin June 13, 2011 at 12:18 pm
I would love to win one!!!

#73
Katie June 13, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Sounds like a great giveaway!!  Thanks for sharing all of the yumminess!!

Congratulations!!  Please email me at melandboys@gmail.com and we will get the cookbooks in the mail to you!

Also I am hosting a giveaway on Melandboys for a $100 Best Buy card.  Click here to enter!Now for the wonderful Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake.  This cake is beautiful and seriously D E L I C I O U S!!  We are serving this for Fathers Day tomorrow.  I will put  a picture in then:)  I forgot to take one last time I made it.  We were in too big a hurry to eat it, I guess!

Also for fun FREE Fathers Day printables and inspiration  click here.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake

submitted by Melanie From Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.
In a large bowl conbine the flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar.  Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
To the remaining crumb mixture, add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, 1 of the eggs and the almond extract and blend well.  Spread the batter over the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the prepared pan.  Batter should be about 1/4 inch thick on the sides.
In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the remaining egg, blending well.  Pour over the batter in the pan.
Carefully spoon the preserves evenly over the cream cheese filling.
In a small bowl combine the 1 cup reserved crumb mixture and the sliced almonds.  Sprinkle over the top.  bake for 45-55 minutes or until the cream cheese filling is set and the crust is deep golden brown.  Cool 15 minutes and remove the sides of the pan.

Serve warm or cool: cut into wedges.  Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 12

Green Salad with Orange Dressing

Here's another one of my new go-to salads. I'm sure I'll make it a ton this summer.  This salad is tasty and really simple! Which is pretty much a requirement for me if it's being used as a side dish. I made it with some marinated chicken the other night, which was soo good too. I'll have to post the recipe soon. It went great!  As a side note, if you have a lot of navel oranges to use up, cut them into to chunks and replace the mandarin oranges with them.  I love it this way too!  Or add some shredded chicken and serve it as a main dish with hot rolls. Yum! Thanks to my sister Melissa for passing along another great recipe.

Green Salad with Orange Dressing

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Salad:
1 head lettuce, chopped
*The rest of these ingredients can be adjusted to your preferences
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (sometimes I use a little less)
1 11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
6 oz sliced almonds (sometimes I use a little more)
4.5 T. sugar

Dressing:
1 t. grated orange peel
1/3 cup Orange juice
1 T. Good Seasons dry Italian mix
1 c. canola oil (I haven't tried it yet, but I think you could cut this down if you prefer less oil in your dressings)
2 T. sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar

Sugar almonds in a pan over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts and coats the almonds. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Cool. Set aside. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and chill. Combine salad dressing ingredients well and pour over salad immediately before serving.

Strawberry Shortcake with Almond Glaze

Before I get to the amazing cake...I want to announce the winner of the Gathering of Friends Cookbook set!  I am so sorry that I couldn't post it yesterday as promised.  My area was hit  by the tornados (I posted a couple of shots here that were just a mile or two from us).  My family and home are fine but the phone lines and internet  have been out for almost a week.  As of late last night we had interenet back up, yeah:)  With our recent move to this new .com site some of the entries (comments) from the original post did not all transfer, but I want you to know that they were not lost!  I used random.org to come up with the winning number and then I painstakingly counted from the start of the comments on our old blogger site to locate the winner.  And the lucky winner is...

CAROL ANN who said:

I would love these books so much!  They are beautful and I know I would use them all the time in preparing gatherings for my family and friends.  Thank you for this opportunity sisters!  I love love love your site and use it all the time!! Thank you!

Congratulations Carol!  Email me at melandboys@gmail.com with your address and I will get these right out to you!  For those of you who did not win, there is still a great special going on at the Gathering Of Friends website of Buy 3 get 1 Free.  The perfect offer for a Mothers Day gifts, Birthday gift or even wedding gift.  Or pair up with a friend or sister and you can each get two and save a little money while you are at it!  These cookbooks really are worth every penny!  I love them and would recommend them for anyone:)

And now for another recommendation...this cake is pretty and incredibly delicious, I promise:)

I made this cake for our Easter dinner dessert and it turned out divine!   I thought it turned out beautiful and hoped it tasted as good as it looked:) Luckily, I am happy to report it tasted divine! The almond flavor in the cake and glaze was incredible paired with the whipped cream and strawberries!  Yum! All our dinner guests loved it and ate every last morsel on their plate!  I think this may be the only strawberry shortcake I ever make. It was gorgeous, easy to make and tasted FANTASTIC!  Ever since I made it I have been excited to share it with all of you!  I think this would make the perfect dessert for a special occasion, like Mothers Day :), or any occasion you want to celebrate someone special!

Strawberry Shortcake with Almond Glaze

Submitted by Melanie, source Bateman Buzz

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1 small vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

2 tsp almond extract

Mix all the above ingredients together for a few minutes until well combined.  Pour the batter into 2 round cake pans.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and then gently remove from pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Almond Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tb butter, melted

2 tsp almond extract

1-2 Tb milk, if needed

Mix the glaze ingredients together while the cake cools.  Once semi cooled, prick the cake with a large fork or the back of a wooden spoon.  Spoon the glaze over the two round cakes letting it sink in.  Save about 1/3 or so of the glaze and set aside.

1 pint whipping cream

powdered sugar to sweeten

1-2 pounds of fresh strawberries, sliced

Whip cream with 2 Tb powdered sugar, using a mixer.  Wash dry and slice the starwberries and set aside.

Assembly:

Place one of the glazed cake rounds on a cake stand or large plate.  Top with freshly whipped cream and a layer of strawberry slices.  Follow with the second cake, more whipped cream and arrange more fresh sliced strawberries on top in a pretty pattern.  Next drizzle the more of the almond glaze over the top and down the sides.  Store in fridge until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Bateman Buzz --Thank you Sara for a truly remarkable cake!!

Cranberry Coffee Cake

This is the yummiest cake!  If you are familiar with coffeecakes, you know that they are scrumptious fresh out of the oven but once they are cooled down they can taste bready and dry. Not so with this amazing cake. It melts in your mouth regardless of whether it's fresh out of the oven or you're eating the last piece the next day. It is so moist that it almost shouldn't be considered a coffeecake. The hint of almond flavoring is fabulous paired with the cranberries. Whenever I bring this to parties it gets rave reviews. Hope you enjoy!

Cranberry Coffee Cake
Submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter (one cube)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp almond flavoring
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Glaze:
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 T. water

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add flour, sour cream, and almond flavoring and mix well.  Grease and flour a bundt pan and spoon 1/3 batter into the bottom.  Spoon half of the cranberry sauce on top.  As well as you can, evenly distribute 1/3 of the batter on top of the cranberries, then layer the remainder of the cranberry sauce, followed by the remaining 1/3 batter.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes.  Cool.  Gently loosen edges of cake from the pan with a skinny knife or spatula, then invert cake onto serving platter.  Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over top of cake.

Homemade Chocolate Almond Butter

My cute sister Brittany just left after visiting for Christmas.  It was heavenly to have her here!  On her last afternoon in town, we sneaked in a game of Scrabble over Nutella and homemade strawberry jam sandwiches.  I haven't had Nutella in forever, and it was sooooo good.  So when I stumbled on a recipe for homemade chocolate almond butter, I had to try it!  And WOW!  It is fabulous!  Silky, chocolaty bliss.  The original recipe called for dark chocolate, but since I'm a milk chocolate kind of girl... I changed it to suite. :)  The key to this almond butter is patience.  It's super easy, but it still took about 20 minutes for me to make it.  Lots of scraping down the food processor.  But SO SO SO worth it!  I've been eating this almond butter on bread with and without jam, on apples, with bananas, and I'm already looking forward to having it on waffles and oatmeal for breakfast this week.

Homemade Chocolate Almond Butter
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup chocolate (I used guittard milk chocolate chips)
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8th-1/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste (optional)

Place 2 cups of raw, whole almonds into a food processor. Process for about 15 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute or as necessary. It is a long process, but you don’t want to stop until you have released all the oils in the almonds and the mixture is very smooth and buttery! This took me a good 20 minutes (although the original recipe says 15).

Just before your almond butter is ready, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.  I do this in the microwave.  Microwave chocolate and oil in bowl for 2 minutes on 50% power.  Stir mixture until the bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 30 second intervals on 50% power, stirring after each interval, until fully melted.*

Add the melted chocolate to the almond butter (still in the processor) and process for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add your kosher salt to taste and process more. Scoop into a container and store in the fridge. Makes 1 & 1/4 cups, 20 one-tbsp servings, or enough to fill a 250 ml jar.

*To melt chocolate on the stove top: Add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a small pot. Melt on low. You want to remove the pot from heat when there are still some chocolate chip clumps remaining. Don’t worry they will melt as you stir the mixture. Take it off the heat a bit early to avoid burning the chocolate.

Adapted from: Oh She Glows (Angela has lots of pictures of the process on her site if you need them)

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

The last few years I have made a huge effort to buy less processed foods for my family and feed them more real ,whole foods. Granola bars are one item that my boys really enjoy and miss when I don't buy them. Do you remember when I posted these granola bars? They are so yummy, but not as hearty as I wanted, more like a treat really. So, I have been on the lookout for a more hearty and healthful homemade granola recipe that my family will still get excited about. Well, thanks to Ms Summer Harms (and her Mother in law) my search is over! These granola bars are really good. My family loves them and I love that they are packed with healthy ingredients. I keep them in the freezer and pop them into snack size baggies for lunches or to grap for an on-the-go snack. Seriously sooo tasty! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

PS

Do you plan a weekly menu? I post mine each week on my other blog melandboys. If you do too, let me know! I am always looking for inspiration!

Summer's Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

submitted by Melanie

printable recipe here

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. flax seed, milled
1/4 c. quinoa
3/4 c. shelled sunflower seeds
1 c. chopped nuts (any kind or combination)
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (desired amount)
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar or organic agave nectar
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. molasses
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 T. peanut butter
1 c. dried, chopped fruit (optional)

1. mix first 8 ingredients together and place on a rimmed baking sheet. toast in a 400 degree oven for 9-12 minutes. watch it so it doesn't burn! stir and let cool at least 15 minutes.
2. bring next 4 ingredients to a simmer, stirring continuously. stir in the vanilla and peanut butter and cool for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. put the toasted ingredients and dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the liquid ingredients over it. mix very well.
4. place parchment or wax paper in the rimmed baking sheet and butter the top side, then place the granola bar mixture in the pan. put another butter sheet of paper, buttered side down, on top of the mixture and press down. (i use silpats instead of parchment or wax paper and they work perfectly!)roll with a rolling pin to make it very tight, smooth, and even.
5. let set for 2-3 hours and cut into desired bar size. makes about 20-24 bars. package in snack size bags or an airtight container. if not using within next few days, store in freezer. they keep very well, and thaw quickly. (really yummy frozen, too!)

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This is my last hurrah for soup season! It's been stormy here, so I snuck this yummy dinner in one last time before summer strikes! :) This is a hearty, chunky, veggie laden, and delicious soup! Thanks to my sister-in-law, Melanie, at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. She gave this to me a loooong time ago, when we were both practically newly weds. :) Oh, one more tip - It is also fabulous served in a bread bowl. You can find a recipe for bread bowls here. (Something I like to do: When I bake breadbowls for my small family we don't eat all of them, so I freeze the rest and then I can pull them out when I make soup next time, and it makes dinner that much more special and tasty.) I bet this recipe would be super yummy with this chicken stock as its base... Mmmm! 

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

submitted by Erin Walker ~ The Sisters Cafe

Printable Recipe

½ c. butter

1 finely chopped onion

½ - 1 c. frozen corn (or ½ c. chopped celery, if preferred)

½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ c. carrots, sliced

¾ c. all-purpose flour

6 ½ c. chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ c. water)

2 c. cooked wild rice (once I tried using a box of wild rice/brown rice combo with a seasoning packet and it was great)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

½ tsp salt

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp mustard powder

½ tsp dried parsley

½ tsp black pepper

1 c. slivered almonds

2 c. half-and-half (you could use non-fat half-and-half for a low-fat version, but I haven't tried it.) 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes more. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to a large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next add the rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Do not boil or the roux will break. Delicious served in a bread bowl as well.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Chocolate Coconut Almond Fondue

My husband, Griff, always plans the best birthdays for me. One of my favorites was the year he introduced me to fondue at the Melting Pot. We had the whole works, and it was sooooo good! Needless to say, I was taken with fondue. It is the best social dinner or dessert that exists! Fondue is fun, delicious, and it is takes a while to eat. So lots of time to talk and laugh! I bought Griff a really nice fondue pot for the following Valentine's Day, and promptly made the worst fondue the world has ever seen... twice in a row! I have experimented since then, and eventually found this truly TO-DIE-FOR dessert fondue. Ideas for dipping with this recipe: angel food cake, pound cake, strawberries, bananas, brownies, marshmallows. Oh, and I can't forget my husband's favorite... a slice a cheesecake with a spoon to drizzle the fondue over each bite. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Almond Fondue
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Printable recipe

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez
(this is in the mixers section, NOT the international/asian food section)
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
(I use Guittard milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

1. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the almonds are toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. Chop the almonds finely and set aside. Now repeat with the coconut, but don't chop.

2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cream of coconut and heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolates. Let stand until the chocolates soften, about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

3. Transfer to fondue pot or chafing dish and keep warm over the burner. (I have an electric fondue pot, and I keep it on 2). Serve immediately with the dipping ingredients and bowls of the almonds and coconut. Allow guests to sprinkle their dipped foods with the almonds and coconut before eating.  As an alternative, add the coconut and almonds to the chocolate.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "Fondue" by Rick Rodgers

Favorite Granola and a WINNER!!

Thank you for everyone who entered for the Flirty Apron Giveaway!! I really wish I had one for each one of you. Since I could not possibly choose just one of you myself, I relied on random.org to generate a number for me. The winning number was...206

Comment 206 was left by Michelle, Jack and Charlie! , who wrote:

"The original sassy black is the one I would love to cook up a storm in:) Thanks for doing this! I just love your blog and have told all my friends to check it out:) "

Thanks so much! Please email me at melandboys@gmail.com with your address and I will get the original sassy black apron out to you!

As I type this I have my favorite Granola recipe baking in the oven. My house smells sooo good. This was one of the first recipes I posted in the very beginning of this little blog. Since that was awhile ago and we now have so many recipes to get lost in, I thought I would uncover this little gem for ya'll ( I know the south is rubbing off on me:)!

Melanie's Favorite Granola
This granola recipe is EXCELLENT!! I love it! I have tried different granola recipes and they have been too sweet, soggy or sticky...but this one is just perfect! It even stays crunchy in milk! I love that it has flax seed in it. (they are rich in Omega 3's --always a plus in your diet!) I also love the cardamon in it. I had never used it before (I actually bought the spice for this recipe). I am definitely going to find other recipes to use it in. I think it has a slightly woodsy aroma and adds a subtle, intriguing flavor! (I cannot remember where I scribbled this recipe down from--I made a few changes--but thanks to someone!)

My Favorite Granola
submitted by Melanie

3 ¼ cups oats (Old Fashioned or Quick—any combination)
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour-freshly ground if possible
1 1/3 cup shredded coconut
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
1 cup or more coarsely chopped almonds and/or pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/3 cup water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, flax seed, coconut and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and water and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then stir in the salt, vanilla and spices. Pour mixture over the oats mixture and stir will to coat. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Spread mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers, and allowing space between clumps for the hot air to circulate. Slide it into the middle of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is uniform golden brown and completely dry—this usually takes me about 45 minutes . Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Beef Curry Supreme

This is my very favorite curry ever! It is fabulous, tasty, and full of flavor. This is the recipe that our mom used when we were growing up, and it's awesome. Originally, it calls for 2 lb lamb shoulder, but I've never used lamb. I'm almost positive that Mom only ever used beef too. I can never find chutney, so (as I noted in the recipe) I just use salsa and add a dash of ginger. And then I add a few apple slices, diced.

My husband loves loves this recipe, too. :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Beef Curry Supreme

submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe

2 lb beef sirloin tip roast

1/3 c. butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ onion, chopped

¼ c. celery, chopped

1/3 c. flour

2 tsp curry powder

2 c. beef bouillon broth(I use 3 beef bouillon cubes and 2 c. water)

½ c. chutney (I use salsa plus a dash of ginger, and a few apple slices, diced small.)

¼ c. slivered almonds

1 tsp prepared mustard

1/8 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Condiments:

Chutney

Chopped nuts*

Shredded coconut (toasted until golden)*

Minced parsley

Crumbled crisply fried bacon

Thickly sliced green onions*

Sweet crushed pickle relish

Chopped hard-cooked eggs*

Raisins*

Chopped preserved ginger

(You don't have to have all of them; just serve the curry with at least three of the condiments. I asterisked the condiments that I've used. I couldn't tell you if the other condiment options are good choices or not.)

Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Brown on all sides in the butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic, onion, and celery and cook 5 minutes. Add flour and curry. Cook 3 minutes longer. Add chicken bouillon and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add chutney, almonds, mustard, and pepper. Salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, until tender. Serve over hot rice with 3 or more condiments.

Roasted Cinnamon Almonds

I am looking forward to this weekend. It is General Conference for our church--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a great excuse to make lots of yummy food for my family! There are two sessions aired on Saturday and two sessions on Sunday where we get to hear from each of the Twelve Apostles, our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson and other church leaders. It is always a wonderful weekend to snuggle up with my my boys and enjoy inspiring messages right in our own cozy family room. And of course, I always have fun planning our menu! I usually make a big breakfast (this year I am going to make crustless breakfast quiche, snickerdoodle muffins, and a green smoothie-I will post this recipe soon) and then subs and snacks (including these Roasted Cinnamon Almonds and Black and White Bean Dip) for later.

These CINNAMON ROASTED ALMONDS and some ice cold IBC rootbeer will be a perfect conference snack for my family! They are easy to make and really very tastey! I got this recipe from my friend Becky who presented me with some right before I moved. Thank you Becky! We LOVE them!!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

submitted by Melanie

1 cup white sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups almonds

Preheat oven to 250. Cover a 13x17” baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease well. In small bowl combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl slightly beat the egg white. Add vanilla and beat until very frothy, but not stiff. Add the almonds and stir until well coated. Add the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, stirring half way through. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.

Almond Roca Toffee

I know it's long past Christmas time, but with Valentine's Day coming up, you've got a perfect opportunity to make some homemade toffee! Seriously, this is so amazing. Of all the homemade Christmas candy, my Mom's caramels and this homemade toffee are my favorites. Mouthwatering delicious.
Be sure to heat it SLOWLY initially. If you heat it up too fast the butter will separate and it won't make toffee.  Sometimes it will still separate at the very end, in which case I would not add the sliced almonds directly to the toffee; I would try to pour the excess butter out of the pot before emptying the rest in the prepared pan.  It should still turn out okay. (Then just sprinkle sliced almonds on top the warm chocolate on the top.)
Oh, this is so wonderful. Let me know how it works for you!

Almond Roca Toffee
submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe

1 c. butter (two cubes)
1 c. sugar
2 tsp water (optional, to help prevent the butter from separating)
2/3 c. slivered almonds (or whole roasted almonds; see instructions below)
semi-sweet chocolate chips (melt on top)
sliced almonds (sprinkle on top, optional)

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugar and water and stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until sugar granules are dissolved. Turn to medium and continue stirring until mixture boils and the butter is completely incorporated. At this point, you can start your timer for about 6 or 7 minutes , just to give you a gauge.
If desired, add slivered almonds after a few minutes of the mixture boiling (about when it turns golden brown). (Lately, I don't add slivered almonds directly to the toffee. I prefer to spread out roasted and salted (or raw will work, but I prefer roasted) almonds on the cookie sheet and pour the toffee on top of them. I just like it better that way. This is how they are pictured.)
Continue stirring mixture, making sure all the butter is completely incorporated, and it has been boiling for about 5 to 7 or so minutes. (Different pans heat differently, so the time is approximate.)  It should be a light caramel color. (If you are using a candy thermometer, the temperature should be ~300 F.)  Immediately pour mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet. If necessary, spread out with a spatula.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let melt. Once melted, smooth with a spatula. Finally, sprinkle finely chopped walnuts or sliced almonds on top (if desired, you could brown the almond slices first in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until lightly browned and fragrant). Let toffee cool completely (outside if it's cold or in fridge/freezer). Break into pieces and store in an airtight container or serve right away.

Mandarin Chicken

I got this recipe from Erin a couple of years ago. It is tangy and delish...and the ingredients are ones that I always have on hand. Hope you enjoy!

Mandarin Chicken
6 chicken breasts
½ c. flour
Salt & pepper
Garlic salt
4 eggs
½ c. water with 1 chicken bouillon cube (I use chicken base)
¼ c. ketchup
1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
¾ c. sugar
½ c. vinegar
Mandarin oranges
Slivered almondsMix flour with a little salt and pepper and garlic salt. Put in paper bag. Beat eggs; dip chicken in eggs then in flour. Brown on both sides. Put in dripper pan. Mix chicken bouillon, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 350° for 1 hour. Spoon sauce during cooking. When done put chicken on platter and put Mandarin oranges and almonds over top of chicken then pour sauce over the whole thing.

Sweet and Spicy CousCous Salad

This salad is amazingly good!! This is a adapted from two recipes from my friend Sheri. I just LOVE it! In fact I made this last week and am already craving it again! We had it with grilled tilapia. It was the perfect spring dinner. I think I will make it for lunch today! yum!!

Sweet and Spicy CousCous Salad

Submitted by Melanie

1 box of CousCous-prepare as directed (I used a garlic and olive oil one-Far East brand)

Or bring 3 cups of water or chicken broth, and 1 Tbsp oil to a boil. Then stir in 1 ½ cups couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Allow all liquid to absorb (usually about 6 minutes) then fluff with fork.

Add:
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup red & yellow pepper, diced
3 green onions,diced
3/4 cup Garbanzo beans
1/2 cup currants
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 medium carrot, chopped
diced tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)
Avocado, diced
1/4-1/2 cup toasted slivered almondsDressing:
6 Tbsp lemon juice
5 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry
salt & pepper to taste

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Serve right away or chill first.

My Favorite Granola EVER!!

This granola recipe is EXCELLENT!! I love it! I have tried different granola recipes and they have been too sweet, soggy or sticky...but this one is just perfect! It even stays crunchy in milk! I love that it has flax seed in it. (they are rich in Omega 3's --always a plus in your diet!) I also love the cardamon in it. I had never used it before (I actually bought the spice for this recipe). I am definitely going to find other recipes to use it in. I think it has a slightly woodsy aroma and adds a subtle, intriguing flavor! (I cannot remember where I scribbled this recipe down from--I made a few changes--but thanks to someone!)

My Favorite Granola
submitted by Melanie

3 ¼ cups Oats (Old Fashioned or Quick—any combination)
1 ¼ cup white wheat flour-freshly ground if possible
1 1/3 cup shredded coconut
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
1 cup or more coarsely chopped almonds and/or pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/3 cup water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom

Preheat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, flax seed, coconut and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and water and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then stir in the salt, vanilla and spices. Pour mixture over the oats mixture and stir will to coat. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Spread mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers, and allowing space between clumps for the hot air to circulate. Slide it into the middle of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is uniform golden brown and completely dry—this usually takes me about 45 minutes . Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.