Jalepeño Popper Dip

Have you been invited to a New Year's Eve or Day party and have been asked to bring something to share? I have the perfect dip to bring--it's always a hit when I bring it to parties: Jalepeño Popper Dip.

I wish I had had this recipe when I was pregnant with my first child. The only craving I had that time around was jalepeño poppers. (And I had a strange aversion to poultry, but that's another story!) I kept jalepeño poppers in our freezer at all times and often had them as a "pre-dinner" snack. As someone who has eaten a lot of jalepeño poppers in her time, I'm here to tell you that this dip tastes just like the real thing, but has the added bonus of being a dip! I have this recipe thanks to my cousin, Shannon (who I'm trying to talk into starting her own food blog...hint, hint!). Enjoy!

Jalepeño Popper Dip
Makes enough for a party of 4-6 people. Double the batch and thank me later. :-)


1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pepper jack cheese, grated
1 (4 ounce) can sliced pickled jalapenos, roughly chopped
½-2 jalapeno peppers, minced (Use as little or as much as you’d like depending on how hot you want it. I used about ½-1.)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 Tbl butter, melted
Tortilla chips

Directions:
1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano with the butter and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

Serve warm with tortilla chips.

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Getting Over the Cookie Slump: Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies

So after the Penny's PB&J cookie disaster, I also tried baking a homemade version of my great grandmother's Lemon Whippersnappers, but they also failed. My husband asked, "Do you think it's the oven?" No, no, I think it's me.

I was desperate to be successful at some cookie since I needed them for my kids' teachers as a Christmas gift, so I looked through a list of my saved cookie recipes and came across this Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookie from Epicurious. It looked easy and festive...just what I needed!

They turned out great! The saltiness of the pistachio, the tartness of the dried cranberry, and the sweetness of the turbinado sugar combined to make one tasty cookie. And they were perfect for a little bag of goodies for my kids' teachers. :-) The cookie slump is over...

Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies
adapted slightly from Epicurious
makes about 3 dozen cookies


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl granulated sugar
1 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest (about one large orange)
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (or you could use other colored decorative sugar)

Stir together the flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just comes together in clumps. Mix in the pistachios and cranberries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper, form each piece of dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least two hours, but up to 3 days.

Put the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush egg over the log (but not the ends). Sprinkle the sugar over the egg mixture and press to stick, covering the entire log (except the ends).

Cut each bar crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If the dough gets too soft to slice, freeze bars briefly until firm.) Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the lined baking sheets.

Bake cookies, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies from parchment to cooling racks and cool completely.

**The dough can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil for about one month. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator just until the dough can be sliced.

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12 Days of Christmas: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Alas, I've reached my 12th day of Christmas, right before I head to California to spend time with my family for Christmas (most likely in a raft or canoe given all of the rain they've been getting)! I thought I should wrap up the series with one of my favorite cookbooks of the year: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I know that this has been out for a while and that lots of people have written about it, but every time I mention this book around friends, they don't know what I'm talking about.

This book, quite simply, has changed my attitude about bread baking. I tend to shy away from yeast-based foods, mostly because I'm too impatient to deal with all the rising and kneading and such. This book has made bread baking easy! You just mix the ingredients (which usually makes enough dough for about four loaves), pull some dough out when you want it, shape it, let it sit for about 30 minutes, then bake it. The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week or so, so you can have fresh bread whenever you want it!

There are recipes for all sorts of breads, but I usually stick to the basic loaf since we like to reminisce about our time in France over baguettes. I've heard the other recipes are just as easy and tasty, though. If you like fresh bread, but don't like the time you have to invest in most bread recipes, I highly recommend this book.

Did you have a favorite cookbook for the year?

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with the authors or publishers of this book, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Keurig Coffee Maker

My husband and I received a Keurig coffee maker as a gift a couple of Christmases back. We weren't sure how much we'd use it because the little coffee/tea/hot chocolate pods are not exactly inexpensive. But we realized quickly that it's quite handy for visitors. We can make coffee to order based on what they want--decaf, caffeinated, different flavor teas--without having to make several different pots. It's also great when you're in a hurry and need a quick burst of caffeine. And before I got my lovely new stove with a high-butane burner, I would just heat up my water in the Keurig and let it run over a teabag into my cup, saving me what seemed like hours on my rinky-dink burner on my old stove.


Although we don't use this daily, it is a convenience that we're glad we have. And I'm sure all of those people who aren't used to my husband's extra-strong coffee are glad we have something that will tame down their coffee as well!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Keurig, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: KitchenAid Handblender

Have you ever wondered how I get my soups so silky and creamy? (Like my potage crécy...) I use a hand blender, a KitchenAid hand blender to be exact. I'm sure that there are some great ones out there, but if you're looking for something to blend hot liquids with, this is a great affordable option. I've owned other hand blenders in the past, but I like this one because 1) it has several speeds so you can start off slow and speed it up as you go along and 2) because the blender detaches from the handle and is dishwasher friendly! (Do you see a theme about my gadgets needing to be friendly with the dishwasher?)

I use it often to blend soups completely or to just blend a little to thicken them. It's so easy and creates less of a mess than a regular blender.

Do you have a favorite hand blender?

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with KitchenAid, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: The Garlic Twist

Whenever I pull out my Garlic Twist, people always ask, "What is that?" And I answer that it's one of my favorite finds of all time--a different kind of garlic press. This little contraption will mince your garlic with very little effort. And the best part? It's sooooo easy to clean. You just throw it in the dishwasher. No little holes to clean with a toothpick like with a regular garlic press. (This is how I used to clean them...I'm sure there are easier ways!)


And it gets better! (Do I sound like an infomercial yet?) This works for other foods as well--my favorite is ginger. And once washed, it doesn't hold onto the smell of whatever you minced.

Easy to use, easy to clean, and inexpensive--my three favorite things!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with the Garlic Twist people, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Penzey's Spices

Today I'm going to share one of my favorite sources for spices and herbs: Penzey's Spices. I first stumbled across the store in Pittsburgh on a family trip, but soon found out that it originated in Wisconsin, a state I visit often because my husband grew up there. I try to visit the Madison store whenever possible, but if there's not a store near you, you can always order online or via catalog. (The catalog is almost as much fun to look through as a foodie magazine!) Don't be turned off by the older-looking website--the company offers great, quality products along with recipes with some of them. My favorites are the Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract, Saffron, and Rogan Josh mix.

If you need an herb or spice (or are just looking for an interesting rub or spice mixture), check out Penzey's!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the products. I have had no contact with Penzey's Spices, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.


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12 Days of Christmas: Le Creuset Salt Crock

I know that I've already highlighted a Le Creuset product in my 12 Days of Christmas, but hey, what can I say? I love Le Creuset! :-) This salt crock is much more affordable than the dutch oven, though. It sits next to my stove full of Kosher salt--it makes flavoring my dishes so much easier when it's open and right next to the action. I thought that the salt would cake together (especially since I live in the south where humidity is just another part of daily life), but it never has. I even keep an adjustable measuring spoon in the crock so it's easy to measure and scoop the salt out.

If you cook a lot and don't have a salt crock, I would invest in one today...it makes life so much simpler! (And it's just plain pretty on your countertop!)

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Le Creuset, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Fleur de Sel

I'm running a little behind on my 12 days of Christmas, but I wanted to forge ahead. (Life, for some reason, is not always accommodating when it comes to blogging.) :-)

Today's gift is another smaller one--fleur de sel. I especially like Le Saunier de Camargue that I bought in the local grocery store in France before I left. I still have some left, but I'm happy to see that I can order more on Amazon.com when I run out. This is great sprinkled on food after it's been cooked. The tiny crystals are amazingly flavorful, but retain a tiny bit of crunch. I just stumbled upon these Vanilla Bean Caramels with Fleur de Sel over at Annie's Eats, and they're next on my list to try with this versatile salt.

This would make another great stocking stuffer for that foodie friend on your list!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Le Saunier de Camargue, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Trudeau Pinch Grips

Onward and upward with my 12 Days of Christmas! I picked up a pair of these Trudeau silicone pinch grips in a little boutique kitchen store in Madison, Wisconsin this summer, and they have not left my countertop! I use them almost every day when I cook--mostly to pick up hot lids, slide a pot to a different burner or even to grab an oven rack. I think they were about $4 each, and they make great stocking stuffers or even small hostess gifts.


Trudeau has a huge line of products, including this cute little tea infuser (if anyone happens to want to get me an early Christmas gift!) ;-)

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Trudeau, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange: Penny's PB&J Cookies

When Lori at Fake Food Free mentioned on her blog that she and Adrienne at Gastroanthropology were hosting an International Blogger Holiday Cookie Exchange, I jumped at the chance to join. I was quickly paired up with Danielle from A Day in the Life, who emailed me her recipe for Penny's PB&J Cookies.

I finally found the time to dedicate to baking this weekend. I whipped out the recipe, but lo and behold, my cookies didn't turn out like they were supposed to. This was not Danielle's fault or the recipe's fault, but what I term as "Mommy Brain." I started out with the basic recipe (see below), but after two batches, couldn't get the middles to not fall through the center.

These are the three cookies whose centers
didn't fall through as soon as they were picked up!

The cookies tasted good and looked good (as long as you didn't pick them up), but just wouldn't hold together. (I used strawberry and four fruits jams with the peanut butter.) I had run out of peanut butter at this point, and because Danielle had mentioned that she had always wanted to try this recipe with other nut butters, I thought, "Well, I have some Nutella in the cupboard...why don't I try that?!" As I was mixing the butter and the Nutella, it dawned on me that in the first batches, I had put in a whole stick of butter...when it actually called for a half of a stick. Phew! Problem solved...I thought.

So, I added the same amount of Nutella as I would have peanut butter. Apparently, though, Nutella must have a different consistency than p.b. because I still had the same problem. So, the lessons I learned from this cookie exchange: read the directions and Nutella doesn't always work in everything. :-) The taste was good--I used fig jam and orange marmalade, both of which were tasty, but messy.

This batch yielded one photographable cookie.

So, although the cookies didn't turn out exactly as planned, I had fun in the process. My daughter helped with loading the cookies with jam, and the whole family had a fun time laughing at the holey cookies.

And for the record, Danielle says that these have worked for her and her whole family loves them! :-)

Penny's PB&J Cookies
makes 2-3 dozen
from Every Day with Rachel Ray

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons plus 1 tsp strawberry jelly (or any flavor you have on hand)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, blend 3/4 cup of the peanut butter with the butter on medium speed. Add the both sugars and beat until smooth, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg until incorporated. Stir in the reserved flour mixture until just combined.

3. Using a small (1 1/2 inch) ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop the dough 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Using the back of a melon baller or your thumb, gently dent the center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/2 tsp of jelly into each center. Bake until lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack.

4. In a small bowl, beat together the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter and the confectioners' sugar. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches a good consistency for piping. Using a resealable sandwich bag with a tiny corner snipped off, pipe the frosting over the cookies.

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12 Days of Christmas: Le Creuset Dutch Oven

I've had my Le Creuset oval dutch oven for more than the last year or two, but I've never mentioned it on this blog, and it definitely is worth mentioning. It's perfect for roasting a chicken or making a double batch of soup. It retains heat so well that once you get the pot simmering, you don't need much flame to continue it. The cast iron makes it heavy, but I don't think I've ever burned anything in it, mostly because the bottom is so thick. And the weight of the lid seals the pot like nothing else. I also love that it can go from stovetop to oven with no problem.


It's an expensive pot, but I've definitely used it enough to make it worth the investment. (I also have a 9-quart round dutch oven, but it's so big that I basically only use it for stock making.) And if you're lucky enough to live near or travel to a city with an outlet, you can get a deep discount on everything Le Creuset. (I bought both of my dutch ovens at the North Carolina outlet.)

With only two weeks until Christmas, it's still not too late to ask Santa to bring this beautiful dutch oven to you!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Le Creuset, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Mariage Frères Tea

It might be a little late to give the third of my 12 days of Christmas as a gift, but truthfully, it's something you'll want to keep for yourself anyway! (And it's a great way to spend some of that Christmas money you receive.) Mariage Frères tea is quite simply some of the best tea I've had anywhere--and I've had a lot of tea! (I'm one of those rare people who don't like coffee, but I do drink tea every day.)

I discovered Mariage Frères when living in France. It was recommended to me by one of the homestay "moms" that hosted a few of our students. Fortunately, she recommended it right before our last trip to Paris, so my daughter and I made the trek to the small store on Rue du Bourg-Tibourg, not far from the Hôtel de Ville. I almost missed the unassuming exterior of this 150-year-old tea shop tucked away on a small street.



But I was flabbergasted by the over 500 types of teas inside.


And surprisingly (for Paris), the staff was friendly and helpful. I knew that I wanted the Éros blend, as it had been recommended by several people, but I wanted another type to bring home. I asked the clerk, and he said that the Marco Polo blend was the house blend. I went for that one. Both were flavorful, and neither become bitter after brewing too long (which some cheaper teas do). Both were flowery in flavor, which isn't usually my favorite, but I absolutely loved the Éros blend.

So, if you happen to receive a trip to Paris as a Christmas present, make sure visit Mariage Frères. If you're not so lucky (like me), you can finally order this impressive tea from Dean & Deluca. (It used to only be available from France.) It's not inexpensive, but you won't be disappointed.


**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with Mariage Frères, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Ziploc Vacuum Bags

Welcome to day two of my 12 days of Christmas! I would now like to introduce you to my best friend in my newly-found preserving efforts: Ziploc's Vacuum bags.

This summer I started freezing produce for winter use. It started innocently enough--an extra bunch of chard here, a pound of green beans there. But then I realized that I could buy extra veggies from the farmer's market and from Rolling Fork Farm, which is our CSA farm, and freeze them in bulk (at very affordable prices). I went out and picked 37 pounds of sauce tomatoes and made lasagna and pizza sauce out of them to freeze. I bought 10 pounds of haricots verts (aka green beans) and froze them. And then I started to run out of room in my second freezer (yes, you read that right...second freezer) and bought a third small upright freezer to contain my bounty. (My husband laughs every time he sees me freezing a new vegetable, but I just smile sweetly and tell him that if he laughs too hard, he may not be allowed to share in the results.) ;-)

A sneak peak into one of my freezers

The hardest part was figuring out a way to make the food last through the next few months. I started with regular freezer bags and used a straw to suck out the last of the air, but it didn't work perfectly, and I worried about freezer burn. I didn't want all of my summer work to go to waste because of bad storage. I did some research into vacuum systems, but I wasn't ready to commit to the price and size of those. It also meant that I would have to reseal the veggies any time I wanted to take out only some of them. And then I saw the Ziploc system at the store...for only $6 (on sale)! I tried it out and have been in love ever since.

The pros:
--The pump is dishwasher safe.
--The bags come with a section to write on to make it easier to remember what you put into them.
--It's cheap and easy to use.
--You can pick it up in the grocery store.

The cons:
--It can sometimes be difficult to get all of the air out of liquids in the bag. I've come up with a system where I hang the bag over the countertop so that the liquid is hanging, forcing all of the air toward the top of the bag. This can get a little messy, but it gets most of the air out.
--The pieces sometimes come apart after a lot of use. This isn't a huge deal, though, because all you have to do is reattach them.

I use this product constantly--it would be a great stocking stuffer for someone who loves to cook!

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with the Ziploc people, and they have not offered me anything in return for reviewing this product.

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12 Days of Christmas: Wüsthof Santoku Knife

I've been MIA the last couple of weeks because this is a very busy time at work and at home, and so unfortunately, blogging takes a back seat. Fortunately, though, things have slowed down in time for me to present to you my 12 Days of Christmas! These are all kitchen- and cooking-related items that I either own and love or would love to have (hint, hint!).

We're kicking off the first day with my beloved Wüsthof Santoku Knife. I received this knife almost two years ago for my birthday (thank you, Mom!), and really don't use any other knives any more. It chops, slices, minces, and even hacks away at meat. The hollow cut (those little grooves by the blade) helps slices slide off the knife so you don't have a build-up of veggies stuck on your knife. Things still do stick a little, but a lot less than on a regular knife.

It's not cheap, but I use it every day, so it's totally worth it. If you know someone who loves to cook, this would be a great gift! Do you have a special knife that you'd recommend?

**This post has been written of my own accord because I like the product. I have had no contact with the Wüsthof people, and they have offered me nothing in return for reviewing this product.

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