Recipes Galore & More, Nov 26-Dec 2, 2021

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Happiest Holidays! From Thanksgiving Eve to New Year’s Day

Next week – use our links as we Wine & Dine with Alexa

      Let’s Chat    

Kitchen TalkIn KT in our 11.12.21 Salon we talked about finally adding Gochujang to our seasoning repertoire but noted we’d not yet used it. Not being a big fan of ketchup, always used taco sauce for fries. Now? Gochu is the go-to!      If you need a decadent  treat in a hurry, here you go. Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug. Thanks Food & Wine.      Baking for the holidays? This could be helpful. The article “Don’t Make These Pie Dough Mistakes” from MyRecipes identifies a half dozen ways the process can go bad no matter which technique you use. {I’m trying not to take personal the one that says, Your fat particles are too big.}

♦  ♦  ♦

Shopping FindsI just finished a truly pleasant read. Pamela Kelley’s tale of three sisters brought together inside “The Restaurant,” is a love story x 3, revealed by some gems excavated along the way – their Gram’s love secret behind the secret, the subplot for pet lovers, and love of comfort food, including a fish technique. Make that four when you add in the gentle love between the sisters who’ve lived apart for such a long time. Multiple formats, 4 stars on Amazon.   Which salsa to buy? This salsa taste test by MyRecipes gives you the scoop. Most should be at your market, but if not or you just want it delivered to your doorstep there’s a large selection on Amazon.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item – Looking for gifts for cooks? There’s quite a treasure trove for you right here on CS – books, videos, gift cards, and merchandise, all from star power names, and all linked to trusted Amazon or the chef’s own site. Btw, did you know you can give Kindle books as presents using the Buy For Others button? Instant and easy. See it all on our Fine Chefs Book & Gift Shop.

  Featured Recipes 

Pizza Tots

Well these are fun. Mozzarella and pepperoni are wrapped in seasoned hash browns and deep fried to golden crispiness. A nice dip in marinara and the pizza vibe is complete. Demo shows all the steps and details.  From Tasty

Chocolate Lasagna

Really? Well let’s take a look. Cream cheese stands in for ricotta. Chocolate pudding replaces Italian sauce. And admittedly a stretch, chocolate chips top it all instead of Parm. All in all, seems to qualify for the lasagna category, just checking in for dessert rather than main course.  From Southern Living

Bake Sale Winning-est Gooey Oat Bars

Oh CS-ers, these are good. The tender buttery crust is just the tasty start. After baked golden it’s spread with a filling reminiscent of pecan pie but instead of nuts a mix of coconut and other sweet treat goodies, in the case of ours here – chocolate chips, dates, and raisins. Then a final flurry of powdered sugar makes it pretty. As with many baked goods, even better the next day.  From Food Network

Butter Chicken

That star ingredient is magnetic enough, but then add in the wave after wave of flavor contributed by fragrant, maybe even exotic, Indian seasonings. And even so, chances are many of them are already in your pantry and fridge, like onion, garlic, yogurt, brown sugar, canned tomatoes. This is definitely going to hover near the top of my to-make list.  From Food & Wine

Sheet Pan Brunch Dishes

Well this could be a darn welcome resource for the holidays, especially if you have house guests. Generally sheet pan dishes simplify things and the ones here seem to be no exception. Among the preps, giant bacon-green chile Dutch baby, Breakfast disco fries, Ultimate sheet pan eggs {love the descrip!}, Slab quiche, Salsa roasted potatoes, Berry breakfast pizza, 21 in all.  From MyRecipes

   Cocktail Hour Buzz   

Sundowner snacks, drinks, talk – whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

   Say what? Doing shots after the entree{s}? Turns out it’s a French tradition known as a trou normand. And it’s quite an interesting concept. The link takes you to a story on MyRecipes that pours out the whole story, the what and the why – and what the heck that term even means.

   If you can still find a Oct/Nov 2021 copy of Taste of Home, among the other always fine food features you’ll find one entitled “Wisecrackers,” {sorry could not find a link}, with a “Tasty Ten” ways of dressing up a basic or fancy cracker. Just some of the ideas, Apple butter, white cheddar, pear and sliced toasted almonds. Hummus, green & black olives, garlic, feta, and a drizzle of olive oil. Queso fresco, shredded pork, salsa and jalapeno.

Can’t find it? Just start with any crackers you have and look upon them as blank canvases, just waiting to be turned into little works of art with the help of your fridge and pantry.

  Nothing wrong with some mini desserts on the snack table. Like these! Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Bites, from AllRecipes. Great holiday flavor. And easy to make right in your muffin tin.

Want to join the Buzz? Enter CooksSalon in the subject line – sign the way you want to be identified

Click here to email your comments, questions, links to fave recipes, or?

Be the first to know about new SalonsEmail here with “Invite Me” in the Subject line

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items including cookbooks

CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, either below or in features above

      

Click above for Amazon home page, below for Amazon Echo {Alexa}

Echo Show styles      Echo Dots      Echo Studio      Especially for Kids

Or browse all the fun Echo styles right here

CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

♦  ♦  ♦

And for your consideration

No Kid Hungry – discover, donate    K9s For Warriors – discover, donate

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject line -> CooksSalon

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2021 CooksSalon.com

eb4823     c74abc            

FacebooktwitterlinkedinFacebooktwitterlinkedin

Nov 19-Nov 25, 2021

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Next week – Kitchen Talk, Shopping Finds, Featured Recipes & Cocktail Hour Buzz

Let’s wine & dine with Alexa   

Tap into some of this culinary bounty that is an everyday part of Amazon Echo’s offerings – always CS-style recipes, sometimes tips and tidbits too

    Here’s a sweet and festive way to start the day. Strawberry Banana Pancake Skewers. Colorful too, as the golden pancakes, bright strawberries and banana slices alternate from end to end. Do we even need to mention the possible shortcut – store  – bought mini pancakes.  From Tasty

    The Kitchen’s Katie Lee’s love affair with veggies translates into some mighty fine dishes. Her Melting Potatoes, a case in point. The sear-then-roast process turns out bronzed beauties ready to pizzazz up any plate. They cook in a seasoned buttery sauce that is then poured over them for the perfect finishing touch.  From Food Network

    Note right upfront that this recipe for Chicken Tinga with Bacony Black Beans does need your email. Could be worth it because this is one great collection of ingredients. Or . . . you could use my shortcut – start with slightly crisped corn tortillas, top with a can of black beans mixed with 3 slices ccooked crumbled bacon and 1 t ea onion powder and cumin. Next add about 1 cup cooked shredded chicken into a can of rotel mixed with 2 T chili powder, 1 t onion powder, 1/2 t garlic powder and enough V-8 to create a nice texture. Top the hot mixtures with chopped onion, cilantro, and crumbled queso.  From Bon Appetit

    What we have here is a dyi version of a well known candy bar. Called Chocolate Coconut Bars, they are quite easy to make and taste fabulous. Btw if the measures show in metric, note you can click a button to convert.  I don’t think I’ve seen this site before, but with recipes like this, including other dyi’s, it certainly is worth checking out.  From Kitchen Stories

    Let us be perfectly clear. There is nothing wrong with jarred apple sauce. And yet there is something so comforting about a homemade version, likely helped along by the wonderful aroma. Now what if it were fast and easy too? With Alton Brown’s 10-Minute Apple Sauce – it is! Truth be told there is a little bit going on before and after the 10, but all in all still a pretty zippy technique.  From Food Network

Joke from Alexa – what’s black and white and red all over. A pilgrim covered in cranberry sauce. {hey don’t blame the messenger}

Would you like your own Echo Show?

Boundless finds –  music, movies, tv shows, videos, health tips & news, entertainment news, national news, local news, sports news & recaps, jokes, weather, time, timer, alarm, reminders, shopping lists, Amazon delivery notifications, alerts, security camera connection, Skills . . .  and food, food, food, including step by step demos for most recipes, all on an interactive screen. Some connect to Amazon Prime.

Find the Show or other Echo style that’s just right for you on the Amazon pages below

Some are sweet & simple OR others have voice control, 3D audio, BlueTooth, HiFi speakers, Color bulbs, Smart home hub, alarms, clocks, also separate smart clocks & accessories too

Echo Show styles      Echo Dots      Echo Studio      Especially for Kids

Or browse all the fun Echo styles right here

Be the first to know about new SalonsEmail here with “Invite Me” in the Subject line

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items including cookbooks

CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, either below or in features above

          Click    for Amazon home page          

CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lovers Mug page here on CS

♦  ♦  ♦

And for your consideration

No Kid Hungry – discover, donate    K9s For Warriors – discover, donate

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject line -> CooksSalon

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2021 CooksSalon.com

eb4823     c74abc            

FacebooktwitterlinkedinFacebooktwitterlinkedin

Recipes Galore & More, Nov 12-Nov 18, 2021

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Next week – use our links as we Wine & Dine with Alexa

      Let’s Chat    

Kitchen Talk –  It’s four steps, 10 minutes, and the crowd goes wild. 1} Whisk two 8-oz cartons whipped cream cheese, 1/4 c powdered sugar, 1 t vanilla, and pour into a store-bought graham cracker crust. 2} Carefully spread up to two 12 oz cans {depending on pan depth} apricot filling. 3} Top with Cool Whip. 4} Refrigerate for a couple of hours. And Voila! Apricot Cream Pie from CS.      Found a recipe for tahini-smothered charred cabbage. The topping was actually a sauce that also stirred in honey, lemon and seasonings. Pretty good but I think it would be awesome with just tahini. A surprise was how good the cabbage was with the caramelization brought on by the charring. You can see that original recipe here, from Bon Appetit.      I made the actor’s Mexican chocolate cookies featured in our 10.01.21 Salon and they are really good. I did half with the pepitas and half without, and actually liked the latter better. Second, I also added a bit of cinnamon, a la Mexican hot chocolate. And the last thing, you could leave out all the Mexi flavors and this would still be an excellent chocolate cookie.

♦  ♦  ♦

Shopping FindsOK, how cool is this for your holiday get-togethers??? Food scented candles! Vanilla you might expect. But how about salted caramel, warm buttered bread, lemon pound cake, blueberry muffins, pecan Belgium waffles, fresh strawberries, chocolate {shown}, marshmallow & more. All right here on Amazon     So, I finally bought the trending Gochujang. Interesting. Sugar sweet, red pepper spicy, mustard tangy, vinegar puckery, all wrapped up with onion and garlic. Think I like it, tasted but yet to use it. Bottle says wings, bbq sauce, dips & marinades. Likely at your supermarket, and of course on Amazon.

This week’s featured item – Fabulous videos galore! Watch then in action – your fave chefs & food shows, movies too. You can also sort by best sellers and best rated. All right here in CS on our Chef, Food, Cooking DVDs page.

  Featured Recipes 

Sweet & Sticky Caramel Hazelnut Rolls

Oh my, are those just all the right words or what. From Giada, the prep toasts the hazelnuts, ups the caramel ante with agave, and zings up the whole thing with cinnamon and nutmeg. And nice, it all starts with store-bought crescent rolls. From Food Network

Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken

All the usual tasty suspects from the classic salad cozy up to chicken for an easy cheesy dinner. Pan juices and reduced balsamic top it to perfection. From Food Network

Baked Denver Omelet

Here’s another perfect way to start the day. And if you look at the comments below the linked recipe, you’ll see it’s eminently tweakable. Some added cooked potato, others mushrooms. Some made smaller versions. Some added more cheese on top. I added more cheese in the mix and used poblano instead of bell pepper. The prep even tweaked itself, calling for a baking dish in the directions, a cast iron skillet in the demo. From AllRecipes

Mexican Meatloaf Muffins

What a fab idea. South of the border flavors meet a classic family dish in your muffin tin. Topped with a distant and savory cousin of ketchup. Easy too! Thinking this is one of those preps that can come to the table any time of day or night. From Tasty

Their Best Loved Soup & Stew Recipes

This icon of home and hearth has assembled an awesome roster of what most folks might consider the dual epitome of comfort foods. The soups and stews here come to the bowl as classic preps, ethnic specialties, and veggie transformations. Just some: baked potato soup, vegetarian gumbo, fast pho, sausage & white bean stew, green chile pork stew, seafood stew. From Better Homes & Gardens

   Cocktail Hour Buzz   

Sundowner snacks, drinks, talk – whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

  Lunchbox Snacks Kids Will Love  So why is this in CHB? Well, looking at the stuff here, thinking we big kids should get in on the fun too. Some that seem an especially good fit for the snack table – Apple chips with honey-yogurt mint dip, Homemade cheddar cheese snack crackers, Cheesy pita chips, Crispy parm chickpeas, Smoked paprika popcorn, Pimento cheese puffs, Miniature corn muffins, Peanut butter and jelly cookie bars. From MyRecipes

  Books on wine pairing certainly have their place in our culinary realm, giving us solid guidelines for choosing a sip compatible with our menu. But, what I especially like about this one is the page after page of ready-made duos, with the bonus that’s it’s from a familiar name. It’s all in the title, “Food & Wine’s Guide to Perfect Pairings: 150+ Delicious Recipes Matched with the World’s Most Popular Wines.” Kindle & hardcover, Prime eligible, 4 1/2 stars on Amazon.

♦  Food & Wine again talks food {sort of} and beverage here, but overall it  could not be more 180 from the item above. Say someone at your Thanksgiving gathering shuns alcohol, but you would like to offer something in the holiday spirit as you all enjoy pre-dinner drinks. Jones Brand sodas, famous for their wacko flavors, has you covered – with their Turkey & Gravy Soda. Yes, you read that right. And wait till you see some of their other “you put what in that bottle???” creations.

Want to join the Buzz? Enter CooksSalon in the subject line – sign the way you want to be identified

Click here to email your comments, questions, links to fave recipes, or?

Be the first to know about new SalonsEmail here with “Invite Me” in the Subject line

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items including cookbooks

CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, either below or in features above

      

Click above for Amazon home page, below for Amazon Echo {Alexa}

Echo Show styles      Echo Dots      Echo Studio      Especially for Kids

Or browse all the fun Echo styles right here

CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

♦  ♦  ♦

And for your consideration

No Kid Hungry – discover, donate    K9s For Warriors – discover, donate

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject line -> CooksSalon

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2021 CooksSalon.com

eb4823     c74abc            

FacebooktwitterlinkedinFacebooktwitterlinkedin

C’mon in to our Alexa Room, Nov 5-Nov 11, 2021

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Next week – Kitchen Talk, Shopping Finds, Featured Recipes & Cocktail Hour Buzz

Let’s wine & dine with Alexa   

Tap into some of this culinary bounty that is an everyday part of Amazon Echo’s offerings – always CS-style recipes, sometimes tips and tidbits too

  Deep Dish Snickers Pie  If you’re going to click this link and see the pic, you might as well go get your car keys right now. Although you may already have a lot of ingredients in-house. The title candy bar plays three roles here, in the crust, in the filling, and as garnish. Peanut butter, dulce de lech, hot fudge sauce, and chocolate wafer cookies join the pie party along the way.  From Food Network Kitchen

  Giant Breakfast Sandwich   In our 08.20.21 Salon we featured two “giant” preps. Now those same folks are at it again, offering us another tasty way to go big. In this case, supersizing the start of our day with a sammie that stacks pork sausage, cheese and eggs on a homemade biscuit {with biscuit mix for a shortcut}. A triple “bath” takes it over the top, cream on the biscuit, hot sauce on the eggs, warm syrup on the whole shebang.  From Food Network

   Chipotle Cheddar Corn Chowder  Credit Alexa for popping up a prep for cheddar corn chowder. But then when I went to fetch the link for you, found this version with a spicy twist from the same source. Hatch chilies also get in on the act, along with butter, veggies, aromatic seasonings and a full package of bacon.  From Epicurious

   BBQ Pulled Pork Fries  Oh my, these look so good. First, mercy sake, it starts with French fries. Then the layers begin, bbq pork, red onion, pepper jack, scallions, then one more time. Lots of folks weighed in to give this dish 5 stars on the google page.  From Tasty

   Autumn Muffins  A taste of fall in every bite. What makes it autumn? Apples, cranberries, figs and hazelnuts, plus all the wonderful seasonings that fill the house with the aromas that tell us baking season is back. One of the commenters changed out the butter for applesauce – way to amp up the autumn-ness!  From AllRecipes

Already have an Echo? Look what’s new – tell Alexa, Open my food preferences, and you can then make food category choices that will personalize the recipes you receive on your screen.

Would you like your own Echo Show?

Boundless finds –  music, movies, tv shows, videos, health tips & news, entertainment news, national news, local news, sports news & recaps, jokes, weather, time, timer, alarm, reminders, shopping lists, Amazon delivery notifications, alerts, security camera connection, Skills . . .  and food, food, food, including step by step demos for most recipes, all on an interactive screen. Some connect to Amazon Prime.

Find the Show or other Echo style that’s just right for you on the Amazon pages below

Some are sweet & simple OR others have voice control, 3D audio, BlueTooth, HiFi speakers, Color bulbs, Smart home hub, alarms, clocks, also separate smart clocks & accessories too

Echo Show styles      Echo Dots      Echo Studio      Especially for Kids

Or browse all the fun Echo styles right here

Be the first to know about new SalonsEmail here with “Invite Me” in the Subject line

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items including cookbooks

CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, either below or in features above

          Click    for Amazon home page          

CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lovers Mug page here on CS

♦  ♦  ♦

And for your consideration

No Kid Hungry – discover, donate    K9s For Warriors – discover, donate

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject line -> CooksSalon

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2021 CooksSalon.com

FacebooktwitterlinkedinFacebooktwitterlinkedin