Malted Brownies with Malt Frosting, April 30-May 6, 2021

Posted on 04/30/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Kitchen Talk – For those who saw the creamy-topped caramelized pineapple recipe in our 04.16.21 Salon, you know that the cottage cheese was blended smooth for the topping. What to do with the leftovers. Well, whisked them into eggs, scrambled, cooked – enjoyed! Fluffy and juicy. Ree Drummond just gave me a way to like meatloaf {don’t particularly care for meatballs either}. Instead of a loaf she spread the mixture in a rather thin layer on a sheet pan. As I result I could make a bunch of square hamburgers, which I love {go figure}. Food & Wine offers up the “7 Best Sandwiches to Take on a Spring Picnic,” which they say will go the distance. Why for a picnic? Maybe because they’re all served cold, no cooking or reheating required. The Spring is a lot more evident – lots of fresh veggies, fresh herbs, and herby spreads.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – If you’ve seen the kids’ baking competitions you know these munchkins turn out some pretty awesome confections. Is there a budding baker in your world? Then you might like to know about The Big Fun Kids Baking Cookbook from Food Network. You’ll also see more such books on the Amazon page. As you know from my partnerships listed below I have no connection to Hamilton Beach, but just wanted to share how much I just love my HB single cup coffeemaker. Still have my Keurig that does full pots and K-cups, but this is just so handy for any time a cuppa is just what the doctor ordered. And what’s important to a couple of my friends and maybe yours too, comes out HOT HOT.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item – Need a break from cooking? A night out? If the only thing holding you back is worrying about the effect on your diet plans of a meal prepared by someone else, get your hat. Go out and enjoy yourself, because you can do just that with the help of this derivative book from our Dieter’s Survival Guide – The Dining Out Chapters, covering fine dining, fast food and buffets, just 99 cents on Kindle.

On the Table

Feature – Malt on Malt Brownies, like the soda fountain merged with the oven

Wonder if the producer of this prep thought that the tasty powder, doubled down, isn’t already contributing enough richness to the confection. Because chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, marshmallow and lots of butter also join the party.

Not complaining! Because the fact is, though almost a sweetness overload, this is a keeper.

We already know about the candy-like flavors going in. But the brownies also have an incredibly dense, chewy texture.

The marshmallow creme in the frosting? A big luxurious finish.

The prep calls for a chopped malt ball topping, which I’m sure would be fine and a good match for the brownie flavors. But I opted instead for walnuts here, coconut there, chopped chocolate elsewhere.

This recipe comes to us from a trusted source that’s long been a friend of all of us. How long? Better Homes & Gardens has been by the sides of cooks everywhere since 1922.

Recipe Notes – From what I could tell from an online search, brownies with this kind of texture, usually the result of extra eggs, should be refrigerated. But note that you really, really, then want to set them out for a while before you plan to have them. One other thing – a glass of milk is pretty much a must.

Next week – Delectable encore, Beef a la Mode

Recipe ♦ Malt powder recipes on google ♦ Milkshake prep books

♦ ♦ ♦

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Just pour a cup and let’s talk food with Alexa. We also show the actual requests for those who are Echo owners, who should also note that in many cases she guides you step by step through the recipes.

Alexa says request: How do I make bacon wrapped potato bouquets ? So, how cool is it when a high flavor dish is so cute it qualifies as a conversation piece??? Sweet and white potato slices becomes rosettes and by threesies go into bacon lined muffin cups, topped with cheddar, and baked. After slight cooling, a drizzle of hollandaise, and a sprinkling of chives, they’re ready for their closeup. Tap here to see recipe and demo from Tastemade.

Alexa says request: How do I make a lasagna cake? Even if you think you wouldn’t want to make this, please take a peek a the recipe to see what a great looking dish it is. The demo makes it look pretty easy. Included in the layering is meat sauce and basil pesto, and that’s exactly how it’s listed in the ingredients which is to say we’re free to make out own or let the store provide it. Also from Tastemade.

My request: Is there a recipe for a Mother’s Day Cake? With this special day just around the corner, thought I would see if she might have such a confection. And, yep. And a real charmer. Mothers Day Bonnet Cake from Sandra Lee on Food Network. The demo shows you how, and includes a couple of good tips about frosting. One thing, instead of ribbon and silk flowers {which she used in demo though recipe says fresh}, why not some of the beautiful edible decorations you can find in the baking aisle at the grocery store, the Wilton section at the craft store, or on Amazon.

Would you like your own Echo Show?

Boundless information, music, movies, tv shows, videos, health tips & news, entertainment news, national news, local news, sports news & recaps, weather, timer, alarm, reminders, shopping lists, Amazon delivery notifications, alerts, security camera connection . . . and food, food, food, all on an interactive screen. Some connect to Amazon Prime.

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ Cheese and the snack table just seem to go together in perfect harmony. And the former checks in big time in this Grilled Cheese Pizza. Three kinds in generous amounts top store-bought dough along with some savory sauces, all transforming into tasty triangle bites. From Tastemade.

♦ Want to add a touch of class to your cocktail scene. How about a wine decanter??? Amazon has lots of the traditional squat-bottomed ones, but also some interesting different forms, most quite reasonable including this very pretty “Dublin” design.

♦ Here’s another example of a tasty dish, this one for the snack table, that also serves as a conversation piece. Square deviled eggs. Click here to see how to do it and how they look {it’s easier than you might think}. From Food Network Kitchen.

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

♦ ♦ ♦

And for your consideration

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

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search 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

Creamy-Topped Caramelized Pineapple, April 16-April 22, 2021

Posted on 04/16/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Kitchen Talk – So, in a recent rerun of The Kitchen on Food Network, Katie Lee went full-on Thanksgiving with a Fall Meatloaf that mashed up ground turkey, stuffing mix, celery, onion, and a cranberry mix that goes both into and atop the loaf. Hmmm, I wondered, how might a version of this work for turkeyburgers. Answer: pretty good, if a wee crumbly, at least as I made it – 1 lb gr turkey, 1 c stuffing mix, 1 egg, s&p – but really good! One of our favorite words at CS joins with the season in 36 Comforting Spring Casseroles, from Southern Living. She says she’s been sautéing mushrooms wrong her whole life. You too? Me too? Anyway, the fix actually turns out to be as simple as can be. Here’s the mushroom solution from the Takeout site.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – Have you tried this? Petit Pot dark chocolate French pudding. They may call it pudding but it’s more like dense mousse meets the candy called French cremes. Their site shows we can also be tempted by vanilla bean, salted caramel, CA lemon, and rice pudding, and helpfully offers suggested pairings for each. There’s also a store locator on the page. You know what I think adds to the charm of this tasty confection – the adorable little 3″ jars. And guess what. You can find your very own to cradle any of your own desserts. Btw if you scroll down on the Amazon page you will see other sizes, shapes and quantities.

This week’s featured CS-written, Amazon-produced Kindle – Dieting? Think you have to give up snacking? Nope. Find all kinds of waistline-friendly goodies. And as well ways to replace “fat trap” ingredients with skinnier ones. All right here for just 99 cents, Big Snacks & Subs Lists.

On the Table

Feature – Caramelized Pineapple Slices, with 3 ways to do the creamy topping

How much good stuff applies here, let us count the ways. Five ingredients. Prep time 15 minutes. To table 25 minutes. Toasted coconut. Creamy. Caramelized. Pineapple. CS shortcuts & tips.

Pineapple topped with cottage cheese, or vice versa, is a diner staple. The simple act of caramelizing the pineapple slices and then topping the whole affair with golden coconut elevates it to company-worthy status.

Now I can almost hear some noses wrinkling at the mention of cottage cheese, and the fact is while I enjoy the taste I don’t consider the texture a bff. So I did just what I’ve done before – blend till it’s nice and smooth. Now you could substitute sour cream, but that little bit of cheese saltiness kicks up the other flavors.

The prep comes from Daisy and no, no affiliation with them, but I do like their sour cream, and for this dish did indeed use their cottage cheese. Their site features a number of fine recipes using the two products.

Recipe Notes – I used store-bought pineapple slices, not only for the convenience but as well because I prefer fresh pineapple in its pure state. I do wonder if store-bought caramel topping could work, especially the tub kind which is a little sturdier than the jarred ones. Here though I really liked the brown sugar component and actually made extra. I would not skip toasting the coconut, really adds a nice texture and takes only a few minutes {with careful watching though}.

Next week – This shrimp cocktail won’t know what hit it, but tropical flavors help cushion the blow

Recipe ♦ Daisy recipe page

♦ ♦ ♦

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make Philly Cheesesteak Pull-Apart Bread? May I suggest that you use this link on Food Network to just look at this ever so appealing dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even snack table. All the right ingredients are right in there but in a whole new fun way. From Trisha Yearwood who we’ve seen is just the best at playing with food.

Alexa says request: How do I make coconut shrimp? The thing about any prep from Serious Eats is that you can be sure it’s been well researched to deliver the best possible version. And sure enough their recipe rated a solid five stars. While the shrimp part is nice enough, quite simple, I’m thinking maybe a contributor to those kudos was the sweet and sour and spicy and salty chili sauce accompaniment.

My request: Do you have a recipe for chicken curry served over French fries? Truth be told, I did not expect to find anything, even with Alexa’s vast resources. The request stemmed from a long ago but fondly recalled dinner at a British pub here in town that offered their chicken curry on rice or fries. Whaaaat? Ordered the fries of course and it was a revelation for the palate. Whatever brought it back to mind, wondered if this was an aberration or a real thing. Ha! The latter! See it here. Thank you Alexa.

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ CS Tasting Panel member Layne Whiteman adds a savory dimension to cocktail hour phone or video chat visits. Snacks! So both people, or however many folks are on the call, each then have a nibble of choice along with the beverage of choice. Makes it even more like an in-person Happy Hour. Btw, if you’re now having more actual visits, this is still a great way to party on with out-of-town family and friends. Love it, Layne!

♦ I like to do a kind of snack storm. Shake up all kinds of goodies in my snack jar, always a little different with each handful and each refill. This particular one merges Chex Buffalo Ranch Mix, already a medley, plus Caesar flavor pea snacks, Cheez-it Double Cheese Snap’d, dilled almonds, Butter Toffee Coconut Peanuts, and for a touch of sweetness, Hazelnut Cocoa Pillows cereal. This a great way to use up partial bags, though of course you can also start with all fresh stuff . . . or, mix it up.

♦ Food & Wine brings us news from Haus, a company they report in 2019 started producing wine-based aperitifs. In the story they go on to talk about how these drinks have become popular among those who like low-alcohol cocktails. The news? The newest flavor – grapefruit jalapeno which sounds like a really nice spring sip.

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

♦ ♦ ♦

And for your consideration

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

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search 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

eb4823 c74abc

So fun, Hasselback Pizza Chicken, April 9-April 15, 2021

Posted on 04/09/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Kitchen Talk – Have you heard of this? Tea latte, officially dubbed London Fog. The basics are tea and steamed milk and then customization sets in. What’s your pleasure? Perhaps vanilla syrup or brown sugar, other sweeteners, maybe a touch of lavender. Thanks to Google see it all here, how to make or where to buy. Love Oreos but hate the gluten? Rejoice! Yep, there are now gluten-free Oreos. Regular and Double Stuf. See them on the Oreo site. Burger lovers love burgers anytime of the year, but as the weather turns balmy, there just seems to be something extra special about those tasty patties, in the pan or on the grill. For folks who might like to change up the current faves will want to take a look at the Best 33 Burger Recipes from Food & Wine.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – So, we’ve played a lot recently with sparkly and colored sugar. But here comes a whole different take – sparkly syrup! Found Strawberry Sparkle on Amazon – I couldn’t really see glittering in the pix but one of the reviewers who had poured it into sparkling waters said, loved watching the sparkles swirl around the bubbles. And a company called Runamok {not familiar with them but shows the lock icon} offers a Maple Sparkle Syrup. Btw, on the Amazon page you can also find jars of mica, the stuff that creates the blingy magic. For you, for someone just setting up housekeeping, for your cookster friend? Wowsie, 24-pc kitchen utensil set, #1 Amazon Best Seller, Prime eligible, $24.99.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item – Who’s rescued a dog from a shelter and given it a loving forever home. You? Someone you know? This mug not only showcases that good deed in a kind of whimsical way, but also just may encourage others to go forth and do likewise. “I’m being trained by a sweetie I adopted from the shelter.” Find it right here on our CS mug page. Or choose a tee instead on our CS T-shirt page.

On the Table

Feature – Hasselback Pizza Chicken, easy fun

Once again Alexa popped up a recipe where resistance was fu-tile. And so here it is, “upstairs,” in the Featured Recipe spotlight.

This is so fun. Like chicken parm meets pizza meets a technique usually confined to the potato province.

I did take a couple of CS-liberties here. Marinara instead of puree. Pepperoni instead of salami. But you know what, it sure seems the original would be great too.

I also experimented with cooked chicken breasts from the deli counter, baked until heated through and the cheese was all melty. Worked just fine.

I opted for fries and slaw as platemates, but think pasta or even risotto could work well. Some kind of salad is almost always a good counterpoint.

Thanks, Tasty!

Next week – Creamy topped caramelized pineapple, quick and easy

Recipe ♦ Chicken Cookbooks, 4 stars & up

♦ ♦ ♦

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make perfect spinach salad? So, when that popped up on the screen sort of had to see how it might live up the hype. Here’s what backs up the hype for a perfect spinach salad – peppered bacon, onions caramelized in the bacon fat, mushrooms also sautéed in the fat {with license to add more fat if needed}, baby spinach, and – look out – more bacon fat in the dressing {cardiologists, look away}. From Ree Drummond.

Alexa says request: How so I make potato cannolis? As the description says, Think of this as two potatoes for the price of one. That’s because the shell is rolled and crisped potato slices, and the filling is creamy mashed potatoes, mixed with Gruyere and little hits of nutmeg and salt. A sprinkle of chives adds a touch of color to the fun. This recipe comes from Tastemade.

My request: Show me some Nutella recipes Of the bunch that she pulled up, I think the one going on the to-make list is the Easy No Bake Nutella Pie from AllRecipes. Btw, the results also included a couple of ways to make your own version of Nutella.

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ Eately offers up some wine suggestions for the snack table and the sweet table. The page also includes a link for their wine & cheese guide.

♦ Our CS Tasting Panel judged this a hit. Chicken Parm Dip! Starts with a store-bought rotisserie chicken {yay!}, then gets saucy and also adds in seasonings and cheese. Serve piping hot from the oven with crostini & veggies as dippers. And be prepared – it makes a lot. The good news, so many tasty ways to use the leftovers.

♦ Who loves margaritas {hand raised}? If you can still find the April/May issue of Taste of Home you’ll find 10 ways to gussy up the classic. Can’t find. Well then, double down instead with this page on their site, “20 of Our Best Margarita Recipes.”

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

♦ ♦ ♦

And for your consideration

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

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search 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

eb4823 c74abc

Smoky Poblano Corn Pudding, March 26-April 1, 2021

Posted on 03/26/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Kitchen Talk – While cold March winds are still a-blowin,’ nice hot chicken soup remains a welcome counterpoint. And it’s Better Homes and Gardens at your service with bowls of their Best Recipes, many hearty enough to easily serve as a main meal. Meanwhile MyRecipes has their own Best, and it’s a goodie. Our Best Restaurant Copycat Recipes {and some packaged goods too}. Yay! Legendary rolls, breads breakfasts, soups, sandwiches, sauces, desserts and beverages, ethnic specialtes, even Bailey’s, Nutella and Chili’s Baby Back Ribs Oh what fun this colored sugar is! Especially as a decorating substitute for those {hand raised} who do not like sprinkles. A glittery upgrade for simple peach ice cream and whipped cream A sparkly update on bagel and cream cheese. And as if donuts aren’t already fun enough, a step even beyond the chocolate frosting. Link goes to Amazon. See Cocktail Hour Buzz below for yet another happy app.

{PS on the sugar – as much as possible add it just before serving because being sugar there may be some melting. Although if it’s going onto something sturdy like cream cheese, as on the bagel here, you can let it just blur into a different pretty pattern. Something more liquidy like whipped topping, maybe not so much.}

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – Have you heard of the sausage company called Seemore??? Oh my goodness wait till you hear their flavors. Chicken Parm, Chicken Soup, Broccoli Melt, La Dolce Beet-A, Loaded Blue Diamond Almonds, Bold Spicy Dill Pickle, 6 Ounce Baked Potato. In a sausage! All can be ordered directly from them. I have to say I’ve never heard of these folks before, but their products are sold at Whole Foods and Amazon. So, I had this somewhat addictive spicy dill snack mix, that was then {how rude} discontinued. Went online to see about something similar. Did, but wow, some unexpected pricing. Can This Help You FINALLY Quit Smoking ??? Finally found something not only dilly and reasonable but also a brand name. Blue Diamond Bold Spicy Dill Pickle Almonds on Amazon, and maybe at your own market.

This week’s featured CS item on Amazon – If quitting smoking is still one of your 2021 goals, maybe this can help. Our Kindle book of reinforcements about all the good to be gained and the bad to be gone when you kick this butt. Use with or without other methods. On our Eclectic Mall page.

On the Table

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make banana split cake? And it’s a no-bake cake! A vanilla wafer crust is layered with a cheesecake-like mix, then topped with crushed pineapple and sliced bananas, and then non dairy topping, chopped walnuts and maraschino cherries. This prep is from AllRecipes.

So, a couple of notes. First, you may want to be a bit more generous with the walnuts. Second, ummm, a most important classic topping is not represented – chocolate syrup! which you are of course free to add, or maybe chocolate chips on top.

Alexa says request: How do I make bacon jalapeno chicken? So, while this is a fairly simple and most appealing dish, it’s based on a Traeger Grill. If you have one, yay, here’s their recipe. Meanwhile so the rest of us don’t have to miss out entirely, found these Chicken Bombs with Bacon and Jalapenos on AllRecipes. Oh boy, Monterey jack and cream cheese are wrapped up in there too, then all glazed with bbq sauce.

Alexa says request: How do I make smoky poblano corn pudding ? The smoky and the poblano elements start off this recipe with a trip to the oven for the peppers to get nice and charred. They then merge their smokiness with butter and whipping cream, cheddar and chives, to turn the frozen corn into a beautiful casserole. Thanks for this super side dish also goes to AllRecipes.

Would you like your own Echo Show?

Boundless information, music, movies, tv shows, videos, health tips & news, entertainment news, national news, local news, sports news & recaps, weather, timer, alarm, reminders, shopping lists, delivery notifications, alerts, security camera connection . . . and food, food, food, all on an interactive screen. Some connect to Amazon Prime.

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ Sparkly sugar comes to happy hour. And its sweet contribution so nicely plays against this vodka sour. As you can see, I didn’t use it in the usual way. Instead of upending the glass into the sugar thus creating only a narrow coating inside and out, I ran the cut lime about a 1/2 inch down around the rim on the outside, then rolled the glass back and forth on a band of the sugar. This method also means no sugar on the inside to be washed away as you make the drink. This sugar on Amazon.

♦ Like your beer well aged? Archeologists have uncapped quite a discovery in Egypt – what’s regarded as the oldest biz-size brewery in the world, dating back over 5,000 years. OK, probably no suds left in these tanks, but it’s estimated that at its peak, the facility could pour out 5,900 gallons of beer at a time. Turns out though most of the output was used ritually rather than for consumption. Cheers! {or not}

♦ While I don’t have an Aldi’s in my town, their map shows a bunch east of the Mississippi and even a sprinkling on the other side of the river. And so for all you folks in Aldi towns, here is the Well Done Newsletter’s report from EatingWell on best wines there under $15.

♦ “Life is a combination of magic and pasta” – Federico Fellini quoted in Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy”

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

♦ ♦ ♦

And for your consideration

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

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search 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

eb4823 c74abc

Tasty Ham & Tater Cake-ettes, March 19-March 25, 2021

Posted on 03/19/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Please note – CooksSalon was recently subjected to what’s known as a brute force attack, which means launching thousands upon thousands of attempts to crack your password. Fortunately WordPress alerted me to this activity and I was eventually able to get it fixed, though losing some content in the process.

Clearly it could have been much worse. So, if you have a site and see anything like this going after it, do everything you can to stop it because what I saw on google said that otherwise they won’t stop until they’re successful.

Let’s chat

Kitchen Talk – This was an interesting journey. When Stanley Tucci was in Rome for his “Searching for Italy” series he was served meatballs with a cocoa powder sauce. Ehhh? Went to google and did find one sauce for spaghetti with cocoa powder from The Spice House, but just a 1/4 t among many other seasonings. Interestingly, the search also turned up a marinara with dark chocolate from Gimme Some Oven. Could be worth a try. I’ve now added multi-colored sugar to the “toys” and should have some goodies to show you next week And here’s another journey, one that started with an online comment that sweet potatoes didn’t have to be pierced before baking. Googled, decided they probably should. But several stories showed the sweets topped with peanut butter. Really? Tried it, pretty good, but maybe see if classic toppings could play nice with pb to make a sauce. The result – 2 T brown sugar, generous pinches of salt, nutmeg and cinnamon worked into 1/2 stick softened butter, then blended with 1/4 c peanut butter. Be sure the taters are good and hot if you want the sauce to be all melty.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – Have you seen these? Clips that stick. More specifically, Magnetic Multipurpose Bag Clips on Amazon. Pretty too! They’re clips so they, by def, close bags of all sorts. But because they’re also magnetic they can turn your fridge into the place for grocery lists, coupons, reminders, notes, appointment slips, photos, even lightweight holiday decorations. One somewhat unexpected place I like to shop now – Bass Pro Shops. For the sports stuff? Nah. It’s for their food section, especially the wide selection of salsas, but also because there are so many interesting items there that I don’t see anywhere else.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item – Let’s all scream – for Ice Cream! If you look closely you’ll see flavors galore tucked right into the letters. And as those words say, only after there’s been Ice Cream Ice Cream Ice Cream will there be everything else. Find in on our Food Themed Mugs page. On our Food Themed T-shirts page too.

On the Table

Feature – Ham and Tater Cake-ettes, love these

The first woohoo here is that these are just super tasty. The second is, no grating, because these cakes start with mashed potatoes.

There’s another interesting point in the prep. The crumbs serve not only as a coating, but also as an ingredient in the mix which, much as in say meatloaf, helps the whole shebang stick together.

And wow are they versatile, at home any time on the table. Thinking they could even make a nice snack.

For breakfast or brunch topped with fried or poached eggs, here paired simply with fresh tomatoes. For lunch, we followed the traditions for regular potato pancakes and paired the cakes with applesauce and sour cream. For dinner, plated them with sweet potato casserole and peas.

The prep popped up on Alexa, but had “feature recipe” written all over it. It comes from AllRecipes.

Recipe Notes – Since I really don’t do a lot of fried foods, I put four of the patties into a pan treated with baking spray, also sprayed the tops, and baked them for 20 min at 400, turning them over at the halfway point. As you can see here, they aren’t as “pretty” as the fried ones but I found them every bit as good. As always when oil is involved keep an eye on the proceedings especially if in a toaster oven.

Next week – Smoky Poblano Corn Pudding, put it in the Super Sides category

Recipe ♦ Other leftover ham recipes on AllRecipes

♦ ♦ ♦

Alexa is on vacation from CS this week

No worries, she’ll be back next time

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ And following up on Alexa, here is some good news. “Found this on the abc.net.au site. Because of changes in the tariffs, their story says, Australia red wine prices should ‘plummet’ in various countries including ours” – LVB

♦ Lasagna Poppers? Oh, what fun! The seasoned beef, marinara and mozzarella merge into a filling for lasagna noodles, rolled, double breaded, and deep fried {some freezer steps in between}. Here’s the recipe From Tasty.

♦ So, in our 02.26.21 Salon we featured smoked salmon pinwheels in our Shopping Finds. And for sure they are convenient. But truth be told, you can pretty easily make your own. Here, wrapped them up with green onions and dillweed. And some on pumpernickel with cuke slices.

♦ This is variously attributed, but most citations give it to Steve Allen. “Do not allow your children to mix drinks. It is unseemly and they use too much vermouth.”

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

♦ ♦ ♦

And for your consideration

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

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search 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

eb4823 c74abc

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake Pots, March 5-March 11, 2021

Posted on 03/05/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

No Salon March 12. See you right back here on March 19

Let’s chat

Quick Bites – Have you heard of these? Japanese soufflé pancakes. Whisking, whipping, freezing, piping, and using cold egg whites yield a pancake like no other. Food & Wine lets us give it a try. Can flour go bad? Sure don’t want you to get sick. So note what Healthline says about this, what to look for in terms of aroma and appearance. Bon Appetit believes these are the only veggies we should buy frozen. Btw, in my experience frozen artichokes are way more tender than canned or jarred.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – As you may well have noticed, Tasty.co has become a favorite site, a great source of exactly the kind of recipes we love here. Just wanted to let you know they also make pet treats {which almost look like they could appear in our Cocktail Hour Buzz section} available at Petco. They’re based on their own recipes, also shown. One other perk of visiting the page, some pretty cool pupsters. If you’re a Ree Drummond fan {not? never mind}, may like to know about her new seasoning line, all six quite perky. She says find them at Walmart or on Amazon. See more from Ree below in Cocktail Hour Buzz.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item – A fave term joins a popular saying in this whimsical mug, “Who’s a good Coffeehound???” At our Food Themed Mugs page

♦ ♦ ♦

Kitchen Talk – I’m really enjoying the Stanley Tucci series on Italy and hope you are too {01.29.21 Salon}. Trying not to use as an excuse one of the bits of information from the first show – deep frying sterilizes food!!! Just love grilled cheese with tomato. You too? Usually I keep it classic but this time nudged it into pizza territory with garlic powder, marjoram and mozzarella both above and below the tomatoes. Served with a pile of parsley, which I recently discovered is among the foods reported to counteract inflammation, treated with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Assuming no dietary restrictions, finishing salts can instantly elevate so many dishes. But beware, somehow they manage to be saltier than {regular} salt.

On the Table

Feature – Celebrate St Pat’s with spirit – Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake Pots

A confection made with Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur. And with the recipe from the staff of IrishCentral.

How much more St Pat’s can you get?

And here’s a nice perk. It’s no bake. Here’s another. Biscuits or crackers go as is into the bottom, no crust prep.

Now don’t be scared by the ingredient list. Here’s what I used: 12 broken up chocolate Teddy Graham snacks, 1 1/2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese {12 oz total}, 1/4 c heavy cream, 1/4 c Baileys {see note}, 1/2 c brown sugar, 2 T cocoa powder – btw, as best I could tell the conversion for the cocoa was actually 1 T, but I wanted it a bit more chocolatey.

The IrishCentral recipe, linked below, tells you how it all comes together. I’ve also linked the IrishCentral food & drink page in case you want to go bragh, I mean go bigger, for the Day, and also top rated Irish cookbooks on Amazon.

Recipe Notes – The recipe calls for the “chilled” cream cheese, not cold and not room temp, so I let it sit in the bowl for about 45 minutes before adding the other ingredients. And about the Bailey’s – while this is indeed what makes it Irish, for the kiddies or folks who don’t drink alcohol, I’d think you could sub chocolate milk and a bit of vanilla.

March 19, 2021 – Ham & Tater Cake-ettes, sort of like potato pancakes 2.0

Original recipe ♦ Recipes on IrishCentral ♦ Irish cookbooks, 4 stars and up

♦ ♦ ♦

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make Enchilada Rice? This prep is from AllRecipes and improves the title with the promise of Easy Chicken Enchilada Rice. The easy part is delivered, first, by calling upon a lot of store-bought goodies and, second, by having it all meet in a single skillet. Lots of flavor, and colorful too. By the way, we ran a veggie version of this dish in our 11.20.20 Salon.

Alexa says request: How do I make Nutella Mug Cake? Well, AllRecipes strikes again and once again ups the ante by giving us Fudgy Nutella Mug Cake. Preps in 5 min, cooks in 2, rests for 5, and go on in.

Alexa says request: How do I make an Italian omelet? It’s a trifecta as AllRecipes has the answer and, surprise, surprise, a promise is included in what they’re calling a Simple Italian Omelet. As with a French omelet the story is as much if not more about technique than ingredients. Still the filling here is quite nice, and yes simple, just goat cheese and chives.

And this week’s unexpected thing we found that Alexa can do – Calm your cat, comfort your dog

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ Ranging from downhome to downright elegant, and from across the regions, I couldn’t agree more about these Top 20 Pasta Recipes from eately.com. “Italian is not my all time favorite cuisine, but these look well worth a try” – sent along by Esther Lodge Hevener

♦ Ree Drummond reminds us that deviled eggs are always a welcome addition to the snack table. In a recent show she topped them off with a shard of peppered bacon. I’ve also serve them wrapped in a strip of lean deli ham. Other possibilities, caviar, capers, black or green olive slices, chives, or sprinkled with paprika, dillweed, or the fave seasoning in this kitchen, Tajin. Truth be told though, I like them best just pure.

♦ Tasty.co strikes again. How fun are these cocktail snacks – Loaded Potato & Cheese Sticks! With bacon. Baked or fried. They’re sort of like mini cousins of the bacon-tater tot pie in our 02.12.21 Salon. Btw, lots of interesting stuff in the comments on the recipe page.

♦ So, watching a story on the MN State Fair on Food Network and one of the food vendors poaches eggs in the shell. Whaaaaat? Onto Google and still didn’t find exactly that but did come across a poaching trick that starts with a brief in-shell step {details here on the foodiewithfamily site}. But the line that brought a broad smile had more to do with cosmetics than technique when the author, showing a fine passion, said, “Pretty food makes everyone happy. It’s so nice to look at a pretty plate before dropping your face into it like a heathen.” – Rebecca

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

Looking for something in CS?

Scroll & check previews OR use Search OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject=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

Easy, Ooey Gooey Turtle Bars, Feb 19-Feb 25, 2021

Posted on 02/19/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Quick Bites – Carrots gone wild. Tasty and somewhat unexpected ways to use them up. Find salads, soup, smoothie, stir fry, fried rice, and desert bars in this story from Clean Plates. Also see a carrot prep & demo below in Alexa’s Room Ha! another way to make oatmeal a bit more appealing. Thanks to MyRecipes for Peanut Butter Overnight Oats, further elevated with bananas, peanuts and honey. Btw, that same post also suggests toasting and stirring the oats for a couple of minutes over low heat before adding the liquid. Bring some south into your kitchen no matter where you live with these 25 Classic Southern Recipes from Southern Living.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – Have you seen these? So clever. Designed to look like Mason jars but actually reusable plastic bags that tuck neatly into freezer, fridge or pantry. Four sizes, three packages 30-50, 10.99 -20.29. Prime eligible, 4 1/2 stars, and an Amazon’s Choice. Dimensions are shown on the page. The reviews for the brownies from Prepared Pantry’s mix glow right off the page. Their most recent newsletter features a recipe for using the Seriously Fudgy mix to make pretty brownie cake pops. You’ll also find other flavors such as thick & chewy, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate chip blondies.

This week’s featured CS Kindle on Amazon – good for students, other writers, too! On Kindle, read it today, use it tomorrow. “Be a Better Business Writer in Nine Easy Steps”. You can also view this book, and others, and other items here on CS in BJN’s Eclectic Mall.

♦ ♦ ♦

Kitchen Talk – Finding fun ways to play with the gold and silver decorating sugar I originally bought for the tie dye cookies featured in our 02.05.21 Salon. Striped both on a homemade banana donut, just gold on a chocolate filled pastry, a combo on buttered carrots, and just silver on my fave sundae, chocolate ice cream with marshmallow topping. One thing, how much the sugar sparkles depends on how much light is on it. More fun. Blood oranges, which I’ve long heard of but just recently had in my kitchen. You slice through the darkish peel to find juicy, crimson fruit waiting inside. Expect a nice balance of sweet and tart {and also red drops on your hands}. Squeeze into water, add ice, and you’ll have an “ade” that looks sort of exotic. Still playing with making my own marshmallow topping.

On the Table

Feature – Ooey Gooey Turtle Bars

So, the Pillsbury refrigerated dough I used for the tie dye cookies mentioned above in Kitchen Talk made such good cookies I decided to take another look at their site for other recipes based on this dough. And just look what I found!

After the ready to go dough there are just a half dozen ingredients. And four steps.

Four of those ingredients add up to an elevation. Store-bought caramel sauce is kicked up with more butter and brown sugar and, somewhat unexpectedly, graham cracker crumbs. Interesting!

It rates 4 stars and the comments delivered rave reviews. One tip therein, two of the cooks said they lined the pan with parchment paper.

The top of my to-make list is getting pretty crowded but this has to go there. Will report the results in a future Kitchen Talk.

{Photo from Pillsbury site}

Next week – Aunty Peggy’s Ham & Beef Tavern Chili, a storied dish

Recipe ♦ Pillsbury recipe pages ♦ Pillsbury cookbooks on Amazon

♦ ♦ ♦

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make caramelized banana peanut butter cheesecake? Are those all the right words, or what??? Prep for a large rich cheesecake meets up with a cup of creamy peanut butter, destined for a graham cracker crust. Then . . . it’s topped with sliced bananas that have been glazed with a creamy, buttery caramel sauce. And guess what? No bake! We can say our thanks for this recipe, once again, to Tasty.

Alexa displays: Show me this recipe. This option appears with every recipe that pops up on the screen. You can also just request it by name later – the good news at that point is that other possibilities also come along for the ride. The bad news, however rare, can occur when the request includes a quite unfamiliar name that Alexa may not recognize.

This happened recently with Socca, though as always you can of course look it up on line. The other good news embedded here is the opportunity every now and then to learn about a new food. Btw, Socca? Born in Genoa, popularized in Nice, it’s like a cross between a pancake and a pizza, topped at will a la the latter. Here’s what I found on google and the first prep shown is the same one that had been shown by Alexa.

Alexa says request: How do I make roasted carrots with pistachio pesto? We previously posted a darn good recipe for roasted carrots in our 06.12.20 Salon. No harm though in taking a look at how it’s done in this demo. But what was really intriguing in this offering from Epicurious was the pistachio pesto, which interestingly takes a “nose to tail” approach to the carrots. Also wondering how it might work to just sub pistachios for whatever nuts you now use in a classic pesto prep.

And this week’s unexpected thing we found that Alexa can do – play the song quiz

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ Molly Yeh of “Girl Meets Farm” on Food Network brings us a substantial happy hour treat. It starts with a multi-flavored Bloody Mary and ends with a multi snack. Anchoring the latter is a mini reuben sandwich on a stick that also holds a cornichon, the whole shebang then cozying up to the required celery stalk. Btw, one of the ingredients in the cocktail is caraway which bridges nicely to the rye bread in the reuben. And, it seems Yeh has a broad definition of happy hour, telling us, “Bloody Marys wake you up in a way coffee wishes it could.”

♦ This taste-intensive Tex-Mex dip for the cocktail hour from Las Vegas celeb chef Les Kincaid – “Combine over lo-med heat until cheese melts, 1 lb Velveeta cubed, 8 oz jar cheese spread, 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled, 1 bunch green onions sliced and 4 oz chopped green chiles – serve with chips and an assortment of veggies.” It’s quite amazing how so few ingredients, simply stirred together, can create such big flavor.

♦ We previously talked about martini variations – not the kind of drinks that bear no resemblance to the classic cocktail but adopt that name because they are served in a martini glass. But rather the requisite gin or vodka and vermouth, with the variations being usually just a single add-in, as in our previous references to the “dirty” one with olive juice or my fave with jalapeno or other hot pepper juice. Meanwhile there’s been a low level trend of a few years now of adding pickle juice to adult beverages. Tried it in a tini. Nope.

♦ While advice may not always be appreciated, this example might be welcome. “7 Best Cocktails to Drink While Cooking Weeknight Dinners.” Now if you’re wondering what makes these sips different from others, here’s what the folks at Food & Wine say: “There’s something wonderfully therapeutic about cooking dinner after a long day. There’s something even more therapeutic about cooking dinner after a long day with a drink in your hand. Skip the martini— what you need is something quick, refreshing and relatively low proof so you’ll still be coherent by the time supper is ready.” {btw, the martini link takes you to F&W’s prep}

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

Looking for something in CS?

Scroll & check previews OR use Search OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject=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

eb4823 c74abc

Easy Cheesy Bacon-Tater Tot Pie, Feb 12-Feb 18, 2021

Posted on 02/12/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Quick Bites – Hello, bacon lovers! And rejoice as msn/lifestyle brings us these 10 most Creative Bacon Dishes from across the country. And I know all you clever CS-ers can replicate these bacony foods and beverages right in your own kitchens. As far as we can tell, these foodfests are still scheduled in these locales for this year. South Beach, May 20-23. Aspen, Sept 10-12. Austin, Nov 5-7. Food + Funny. On Feb 17 PBS/Create is teaming chef Curtis Stone and chef/comic Alex Thomopoulos for a “Moveable Feast” through Australia.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – So, we’ve already seen ice cream for dogs. But here’s what’s new – ice cream for dogs from Ben & Jerry’s In Amazon’s Hot New Releases, and “hot” applies doubly here – Mott’s Hot Apple Cider Keurig pods.

This week’s featured CS-designed, Zazzle-crafted item If we thought the new year would see high fives across the aisle and a bipartisan chorus of kumbaya in govs in DC and beyond . . . nope! Let’s flash this message everywhere we can. See all 5 “Decent” items on our Eclectic Mall page.

♦ ♦ ♦

Kitchen Talk – Here’s one of those magnetic headlines I came across from MyRecipes. “Why Snack Dinner is the Best Thing You Can Make for Yourself Tonight” Wow, there are some fine looking assemblies here. But shown is the plate we featured from our cheese board in the 01.22.21 Salon and to the article’s point, it sure did add up to dinner. So, had a lot of Genoa salami hanging around and decided to put it in the food processor with the other ingredients that would typically go into ham salad {including peanuts, love peanuts in ham salad}. Turned out good. But, duh, now had even more leftovers. Hmmm. After using some for sandwiches, mixed the rest with egg and bread crumbs, browned in a skillet, and then I had something I could freeze. Some has already come back out to join eggs and salad for a boffo brunch. When you’re making chili, e.g., do you brown the meat trimmings and add veggies to make a stock? Me too. Then usually strained, defatted and made it into gravy. But recently instead added into the chili. Turned out to be a tasty idea.

On the Table

Feature – Cheesy Bacon-Tater Tot Pie

For being so simple, this savory treat from Food Network is a supremely satisfying dish. Tater tots, which are already somewhat seasoned, make a tasty base for an easy combo of cheddar and bacon, later joined by sauce and chives.

You know what’s a big bonus? That sauce! And as a double down, you’re likely to have some left over to kick up other preps you creative CS-ers can imagine.

One thing, looking at FN’s rendition {link below} the light color of the sauce makes me think they pulled back on the Sriracha. Depending on your heat tolerance, might want to taste as you mix.

And an egg good is so good on here. But just take a look and you can see how it’s sort of a natural playmate for these particular ingredients.

And with eggs, what a great centerpiece for brunch, especially joined by guac, tomatoes and olives. But you sure don’t have to wait for Sunday.

Recipe Notes – After the tater tots are baked, the assembled dish needs to bake for only about 5 minutes.

Substitutions if needed – Thinly sliced green onion tops can stand in nicely for chives. Also, you could certainly consider other cheeses or a combo.

Next week – Ooey Gooey Turtle Bars, starting with store-bought cookie dough

Recipe ♦ Tater Tot cookbooks on Amazon

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do I make No-churn Peppermint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream? Oh my, with a title like that about all we need to do is add this recipe link. Maybe just note that both the peppermint and the chocolate make more than one appearance. From Food Network. Really sounds good.

Alexa says request: How do I make Mexican Cornbread Salad? This is nice, something like a 7-layer salad but as the title suggests with a decided south of the border accent. Colorful too! See it here from AllRecipes.

Alexa says request: Play the cookie dough secret video Well, this couldn’t be easier. Chill the dough – 30 min in the fridge or 15 in the freezer. It says the fat will melt more slowly in the oven and thus help prevent overspreading. As a bonus chilled dough is easier to handle, and sturdier for cut-out cookies. Left it in too long? Just let the bowl sit on the counter until the dough softens a bit.

And this week’s unexpected thing we found that Alexa can do – play sleep and meditation sounds

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ CS Tasting Panel member Debbie Vinson gives five stars to a recipe she passed along for a sambal sauce to be drizzled on cod, but as she and I noted it could be equally good on other fish, maybe even chicken. I’ve since made this sauce, and btw did use it on cod, and my palate and I 100% agree with her rating – sweet and spicy, tangy and tasty. You can see it right here on parade.com.

♦ How fun would this be for a sweet finish to cocktail hour? A cousin to last week’s tie dye cookies but this time it’s candy all the way as once again Trisha Yearwood shows us how to play with our food. White chocolate meets pastel wafers to create bark that’s an edible work of art. Melt x 5, spread, drizzle, swirl, then chill {both you and the confection}. Done!

♦ A pop quiz – when are ice cubes not cubes? When they’re spheres or hexagons or sticks. Or opt for classic cube shape but tiny or HUGE. Many trays are made of silicone or other easy release material and some come with lids. All right here on this Amazon page.

♦ Here’s a whole bunch of stuff we love tucked into one book. It’s Susan Spungen’s new work, “Open Kitchen,” a place, her site says, to “welcome company and enjoy togetherness.” It goes on to describe her entertaining approach as a “‘get-ahead’ cooking philosophy that ensures streamlined, stress-free preparation, so you can spend more time opening your kitchen to new menus, flavors, and guests–effortlessly.” Kindle and hardcover on Amazon.

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

Looking for something in CS?

Scroll & check previews OR use Search OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject=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

eb4823 c74abc

FN Host’s Tie Dye Cookies, Feb 5 – Feb 11, 2021 {1}

Posted on 02/05/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

Let’s chat

Quick Bites – Credit goes to AARP for telling us about these 10 Best Superfoods for Your Eyes. Well look what Pillsbury did with its crescent rolls – transformed them into a circle of creamy, spicy goodness. Their Buffalo Chicken Crescent Ring is kind of fun too, like a tasty craft project. Much as we CS-ers love to cook, guessing there are days when we could welcome “What to Cook When You Are Tired of Cooking” from MyRecipes.

♦ ♦ ♦

Shopping Finds – Bakers, do you know about this magazine? Just received a flyer for “Bake from Scratch,” subtitled The Go-to Resource for Artisan Home Bakers, adding that it offers pro tips and visual guides. Haven’t decided yet it there’s room in my magazine rack for one more resident. In case you like to consolidate your purchases, the link takes you to Amazon and the price there is the same as on the magazine’s site. Thinking of getting a multicooker? The folks at Cook’s Illustrated took an in-depth look at these appliances and reported the #1 pick as the 8 qt Duo-Evo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, and in 2nd place the 8-qt Express XL Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker. The links take you to Amazon – the Duo-Evo is I believe the correct one because the titles match; the second is the right one because the model numbers match. Here now is the rest of the story and a chance to sign up.

This week’s CS-written item on Amazon How’s the diet resolution going? If you need help, you just may find it in our quick-read Kindle book loaded with ways to avoid fat traps in everyday situations and also including a “free zone,” “The Busy Person’s Diet Guide”

♦ ♦ ♦

Kitchen Talk – Could this be one of the best tasting flour-free cookies ever? The miracle is that these Flourless Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies from LiveWellBakeOften actually become . . . cookies! Because this is all that goes into them: almond butter, coconut sugar {or brown, which I used}, egg, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Thinking whenever I next have a party, this would be a conversation-worthy side dish. French Onion Soup Casserole from Southern Living Yum! Made french fries {store bought, frozen} in my new Ninja Grill and they were fabulous. I’m guessing there’s likely already a bit of oil on them but no more was needed to yield crispy exteriors, fluffy interiors. Also, the rest of the dinner wasn’t quite ready so just closed the cover back up and hallelujah they held that perfect condition.

On the Table

Feature – Tie Dye Cookies

Have to wonder if Molly Yeh, host of Food Network’s “Girl Meets Farm,” is a student of Trisha Yearwood because like the latter she clearly likes to play with her food. And may I offer as Exhibit A, these oh so fun tie dye cookies.

Start with sugar cookies. Divide and conquer with food coloring. Twist and shout. OK, maybe not shout, but form into a ball. Sparkles complete the festive results.

Yeh used red, blue and yellow, but this cute idea could be emerge in any number of color combos. For example, a nice red and white, maybe pink too, for Valentine’s Day.

The recipe calls for nuking the dough so it can be under-baked and still safely consumed. Note that an asterisk under the ingredients provides an alternative for♦ fully baking the cookies.

Here’s another alternative. I used refrigerated cookie dough, easily divided into 12 cookies. A keeper.

Recipe Notes: I made the colors a little more marble-y to look even more like tie dye, and did the kneading inside plastic wrap. Also, rolled some of the cookies in gold sanding sugar, others in silver, with a light touch. Btw the Pillsbury cookie dough I used said on the package it can be consumed raw

Next week – Cheesy, Bacon-Tater Tot Pie, add eggs for a tasty way to start your day

Recipe ♦ Molly Yeh cookbooks ♦ Girl Meets Farm

Food color on Amazon ♦ Decorating sugar on Amazon

Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more

You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast culinary bounty.

Alexa says request: How do you make giant grilled cheese kebabs? To me, one of the biggest perks of my Echo Show is discovering new food sites, sources for the recipes that pop up on the screen. In this case it’s Tastymade which does show the lock icon. The recipe looks like great fun, and you creative folks I’m sure would come up with variations. Not too surprisingly the suggested accompaniment is tomato soup. One thing, expect to need clean-up on aisle 5, aka your grill pan.

Alexa says request: How do I make white chocolate pudding? The details reveal that it’s even better than the title would tell us. An Oreo cookie layer in the bottom of the individual serving glasses, and then grated chocolate on top. In the middle of course the main event, a rich and creamy white chocolate pudding. This comes from Ree Drummond on her Food Network show. Demo too!

Alexa says request: What’s the cheese ball story? We’re familiar with a number of things that can close down roads. But cheese balls? Yep, that actually happened late last year when a truck overturned on Interstate 495 in Maryland spilling out 20,000 pounds of the snack. After two hours of cleanup of the cheesey escapees and the resulting fuel spill plus lots of rerouting, all was well . . . mostly anyway. No human injuries but it appears none of the cheese balls survived.

And this week’s unexpected thing we found that Alexa can do – play the spelling game {adult & kid versions}

Would you like your own Echo Show?

You can browse all the Echo styles here on this Amazon page

Cocktail Hour Buzz

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

♦ CS Tasting Panel member Christine McKellar posted a plu-perfect dish for a wintry night on her Vegas Only Entertainment site. Wait till you see the layer upon layer of flavor in this Creamy Sausage Stew. And while there are lots of ingredients, fear not, just a few steps and it’s ready to go to the slow cooker {or I would guess a large pot OK too} and emerge as big bowls of goodness.

♦ The same issue of Cook’s Illustrated that ran the cooker feature above offers this recommendation for spirits to stock in the basic home bar: Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Gin, Brandy, and Whiskey. Saying further, for cocktails stay with bottles in the $15-$40 range, upping the ante then for anything meant to be sipped on its own.

♦ Credit Ina Garten for this sexy cocktail snack. Large butterflied dates are filled with bleu cheese and wrapped with prosciutto, then warmed in the oven. Mmmmm. Here’s the whole recipe on Food Network. Btw, something Chef Garten used for a different drink but that I think could cozy up to a margarita is a rim of both salt and sugar.

♦ “Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup” – Beethoven

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?

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle food-themed items Ninja Grill on Amazon Amazon Echo Show

Looking for something in CS?

Scroll & check previews OR use Search OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject=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

eb4823 c74abc

Favorite Recipes from CS 2020, Jan 8-Jan 14, 2021

Posted on 01/08/2021 by bjnosek

New Salon every Friday – c’mon in

CS friends, and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

To see the full details for each dish, including recipe, context, recipe notes and any relevant substitutions click the opening link with the date – to see the recipe only click the closing link

07.17.20, Food Tips for Our Times Fruit Pizza There’s a good chance there might be some extra fruit, fresh and canned, in the house these days, after stocking up for baking, dressing up a holiday table, received as gifts. A fun and colorful way to put it to good use is a fruit pizza. And at the same time show off your artistic skills! Just layer different colors of fruit and jam on a baked pizza crust spread with soft cream cheese and voila! a work of art. And so pretty! Here are some other suggestions for fruit pizzas that google found.

05.13.20, Featured Recipe Chicken Pepperoni Parmesan Just looking at the name tells you it’s a pretty good bet it tastes pretty darn good. And it does! This chicken pepperoni parm is already a plate of flavor. But in fact I did add some Italian seasonings to the tomato sauce or you could certainly use a jarred marinara. I also sautéed the chicken as is in butter/olive oil instead of breading it. Add crusty bread and a green salad and it’s done and yum. More good news – it all bakes on a sheet pan. Recipe

04.03.20, My Week “Potato Snow” What a fun and festive way to play with taters. See the pic? – that’s “potato snow,” and oh so easy too! Per the recipe, simply push boiled, peeled, towel-dried potatoes through a coarse sieve with a wooden spoon letting them “pile high into a snowy mountain slope.” Or do that several times to make a “range.” Another recipe I found {on an unsecured site}, suggested adding onion salt and garlic salt to the cooking water rather than trying to mix it in afterward. The prep I used is from The Secret Garden Cookbook.

10.23.20, Featured Recipe Bobby Flay’s Cheesy Bacon & Tater Quesadilla This is a perfect example of Chef Flay’s passionate take on southwest cuisine. The title foodstuffs join onion and peppers in a tasty tortilla stack, topped with a nice fried egg, fresh tomato salsa, and chopped chives. A perfect way to start the day. Especially a day with a late and lazy start. Bloody Marys anyone? The recipe is on the Food Network site. Recipe

07.17.20, Featured Recipe Ice Cream Bread Wow, the unique flavor of ice cream right in your bread? And just 3 ingredients. In the original sojourn I used French vanilla, then played with some variations. The result is sweeter than bread, less sweet than cake, with a texture kind of between French bread and pound cake. Those subsequent variations – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough {08.07.20}, Chocolate Brownie {10.30.20} Each good as is, but also happily welcome toppings.

10.02.20, Featured Recipe Knife & Fork Bacon Cheeseburgers This is one satisfying plateful, a happy gathering of onion, tomato, pickle, bacon, burgers, buns, plus a condiment mashup, and savory cheese sauce. And this is nice. Lots of the elements can be prepped in advance. To make life even easier, use store-bought burgers if there are some you like, and fill out the plate with deli-supplied or pantry & fridge ready side dishes. Might also like to take a look at these google-found alternatives for burger sauces.

06.19.20, Featured Recipe Bacon Peanut Butter Corn Muffins One bite and you’ll see why these goodies took a top award in a Taste of Home contest. Yowza are they good. And happily the come together with ingredients likely already in residence in your pantry and fridge. Great as is for breakfast. Or with the caramel ice cream topping, Poof! Dessert! Or go all in for dessert with the suggested alternate of chocolate chips and chocolate syrup. And you know what, thinking this topping would be just as happy on a regular pan of cornbread or even pancakes, French toast, regular toast. Recipe

11.20.20, Cocktail Hour Buzz Baked Mini Ham & Cheese Sandwiches This hearty snack actually was part of a reply when we invited “Alexa” into CHB and asked her for cocktail snacks made with cheese. These minis sounded so good, and then tasted as good as they sounded. Pretty easy too. One of the others that’s now high up on our to-make list is the Filled Parmesan Baskets, and then maybe the Stuffed Artichoke Hearts. If you would like to see the other snacks and their recipe links, just click on the 11.20.20 above. All are from AllRecipes, and there’s demos too. Recipe

09.18.20, Featured Recipe Cheese Ravioli Soup A big bowl of good, and thank you Taste of Home. Despite the long-ish ingredient list, it’s as easy as 1-2-3. 1} brown the ground beef, then add the sauce ingredients. 2} cook the ravioli, combine with the sauce and heat through. 3} stir in parm, top with parsley. Done! So what brought its rating down to 3 1/2 stars. Not the flavors. Nope, instead critics said it was more like an entree than soup – and we couldn’t agree more! Thick, hearty and satisfying. Recipe

10.09.20, Featured Recipe Nanaimo Bars {and “Plan B”} For at least seven decades these rich bars have been on celebratory tables in Canada. Rich, yeah! A chocolately, nutty, graham cracker crust, topped with amped up butter cream frosting, topped with a kind of ganache where the cream is replaced by butter. Indulgent! Even so, I played with an alternate, “NaNaNo Bars,” – a bit less complicated, a bit less crumbly, and a bit less sweet, maybe more creamy. You can see details of this version if you want in the 10.09.20 Salon. Recipe

Our Featured Recipe when we return to regular Salons Jan 11: a full of flavor tamale makeover

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

CS Marketplace Directory

♦ ♦ ♦

CooksSalon is free to everybody – appreciate anytime you click through to these affiliate partners

Zazzle

Looking for something in CS?

Scroll & check previews OR use Search OR contact me at bjnosek@gmail.com, subject=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

CooksSalon.com

Let's make cooking easy, interesting, satisfying . . . and fun!

Category Archives: side dishes

Malted Brownies with Malt Frosting, April 30-May 6, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Creamy-Topped Caramelized Pineapple, April 16-April 22, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

So fun, Hasselback Pizza Chicken, April 9-April 15, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Smoky Poblano Corn Pudding, March 26-April 1, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Tasty Ham & Tater Cake-ettes, March 19-March 25, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake Pots, March 5-March 11, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Easy, Ooey Gooey Turtle Bars, Feb 19-Feb 25, 2021

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

FN Host’s Tie Dye Cookies, Feb 5 – Feb 11, 2021 {1}

On the Table

Cocktail Hour Buzz

Favorite Recipes from CS 2020, Jan 8-Jan 14, 2021