Strawberry Salad

I love this salad!  I used to make my own balsamic glaze for it until I found Star Fine Foods Creamy Balsamic Glaze was so much better than my own!  Their creamy sweet glaze and this salad are a perfect match. You get such intense sweet and tangy flavors of the balsamic that go beautifully with the ripe strawberries and sweet crunchy pecans! Did I mention I love this salad?

Strawberry Salad with Candied Pecans and Balsamic Glaze

•    2-3 cups mixed greens (I like arugula and baby spinach)
•    1 pint strawberries, sliced
•    1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
•    1/4 cup candied pecans (see below)
•    1/4 cup red grapes, sliced
•    1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
•    1/4 cup Star Fine Foods Modena Creamy Balsamic Glaze 

Glaze the pecans:  In a saute pan, add the pecans and sugar and slowly heat on low until sugar starts to melt and pecans become toasted. Set aside to completely cook on wax paper.

Chill two salad plates in the freezer while mixing salad.  

Rinse mixed greens, spin dry and add to a large bowl. In a large salad bowl, drizzle some of the balsamic down the sides of the bowl. Add in greens and strawberries; toss gently.  Sprinkle in pecans and toss again. Finally add sliced grapes,  pine nuts and cheese. Remove salad plates from freezer and plate with lettuce mixture. Sprinkle on more pecans and drizzle with more glaze. Serve immediately.

Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Good Things Come In Little Jars!

You know I can honestly say that sometimes the best party appetizers come in a jar. That is, when they are from STAR Fine Foods and Cara Mia. I always put out a plate of my favorite nibbles whenever friends and family come! 

I am absolutely hooked on their little cocktail onions and my friends and family rave over the marinated mushrooms. 

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Imported-Cocktail-Onions/p/STAR-00715&c=Star@StarSpecialtyItems

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Marinated-Mushrooms/p/STAR-00016&c=Star@CaraMiaSpecialtyItems

The olives you see in the photo are stuffed with garlic and will be featured here tomorrow. Such a simple little plate of goodies that will go fast. Better stock up! They are perfect for your New Years Eve party!

Cara Mia Mushrooms are available at select Savemart, Smart & Final, Schnucks, King Soopers, Walmart, Smith’s and Ingles stores and online at  http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Marinated-Mushrooms/p/STAR-00016&c=Star@CaraMiaSpecialtyItems. 

STAR cocktail onions are available at select Safeway, Bashas and Walmart stores and online at http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Imported-Cocktail-Onions/p/STAR-00715&c=Star@StarSpecialtyItems.

STAR olives are available at select Safeway, Vons, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smiths, Savemart, Raley’s, Lucky, Food 4 Less, Smart & Final, Bashas, Walmart, Thom Thumb and Randall’s stores and online at  http://shop.starfinefoods.com/STAR-Olives/c/Star@Olives.


Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Gorgonzola Stuffed Olives

I don't throw huge parties for the new year celebration. I am far too exhausted from the last holiday and not in the mood to spend more time in the kitchen. Just a few friends and family and nothing fancy or elaborate is served.  I usually steamed some shrimp and make a few appetizers for all to enjoy. And when I want simple and delicious I can always count on Star Fine Foods to come through for me.  I love their products.

Like these cheese stuffed olives that are always a crowd pleaser. The soft, creamy Gorgonzola cheese combined with the salty olive makes for the perfect combination.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Olives

1 large jar of Star Fine Foods Queen Spanish Olives
1 block of firm Gorgonzola Cheese or Blue Cheese
4 cloves of Garlic, peeled
Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Vegetables

Open the jar of olives and pour the brine into a container to reserve for later.  Using a toothpick, remove the pimento from your olives. Then stuff each olive with the cheese. Wipe away any excess cheese and set aside.

Add about 3 tablespoons of the brine back into the jar the olives came in and then fill the rest of the jar with the olive oil.  Add the garlic cloves.  Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours or longer.  The olives will be good for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.  Enjoy! 

Where to buy Star Olive Oil and other products:

Arbequina Olive Oil: Raley’s, Savemart, Food Lion, select Walmarts and online at http://bit.ly/ArbequinaEVOO

 
Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

This is a side dish that my Mom made often with pork roast or pork chops and usually always with Ham at Easter. The combination of baked sweet potatoes and apples is so good! Now when I have time I make my Mom's exact recipe....but I have been known to take some shortcuts now and then. So I put both the long and short cut version up for you....both are equally as good.

 

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

8 medium sweet potatoes, cooked until just tender
4 medium Gala or Fuji apples, sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup pecans, halves or pieces (optional)

Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave on high until just tender. Or you can pierce them and boil them whole. When cool enough to handle, peel sweet potatoes and cut in lengthwise slices about 1/2" thick.

Arrange layers of potato, apple slices and pecans (if using) in a greased baking dish. Melt the butter, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg together and add the maple syrup. Pour over layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples (Shortcut)     

              

8 medium sweet potatoes, cooked until just tender
1 21 ounce can apple pie filling
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix together cooked sweet potatoes, apple pie filling, brown sugar and cinnamon. Transfer to a medium microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high 5 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbly.

Photographs are copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home

♥ Cranberry Orange Bread

This is the best bread! The orange zest and cranberry combo make it out of this world good! It is a beautiful holiday bread and I make it for breakfast and serve it warm out of the oven with coffee or tea. I toast it up the next day (if there is any left) and slather it with butter...yum! I love it because it's easy to make and especially because it never dries out. I bake it and I don't have to worry about leaving it out on the counter. I give this one away as Christmas gifts too! You'll need a dutch oven for this one....I use my lodge combo cast iron dutch oven (see link below).

Cranberry Orange Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon quick rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
zest of 1 large orange
Turbinado Sugar for topping (or any course sugar)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, yeast, cranberries and orange zest. Add water and almond extract. Mix until well combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-18 hours in a warm draft-free spot. I make mine the night before so that it will be ready to bake in the morning.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place Dutch oven with lid in the oven, and heat for 30 minutes before adding dough. While the dutch oven preheats, pour dough on a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap until Dutch oven is preheated. Remove the Dutch oven, and drop in the ball-shaped dough. Cover, and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and sprinkle with coarse sugar topping and then bake an additional 15 minutes. Next, remove bread from oven and Dutch oven. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack before serving.

This recipe makes one round loaf. I use my Lodge Combo Cooker that I got at Amazon.com with my Welcome Home fan discount. Click on the link for a fantastic buy on this combo and order yours today. Proceeds go to the NO KILL Advocacy group to help save the lives of dogs and cats who are killed unnecessarily while waiting for their forever homes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JKG9M/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B0009JKG9M&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&qid=1383869290&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+combo+cooker

 Photograph is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf with Vanilla Drizzle

I love this recipe and make it often. I tried it when I first saw it over at my friend Marie's blog at the English Kitchen because it looked so tempting. It was so good, I stayed with almost all her same ingredients with only a a few changes, like adding a brown sugar topping and a vanilla drizzle that made it just my perfect cup of tea! Thanks Marie! I love your recipes!

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf with Vanilla Drizzle 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt

♥ Filling

6 tablespoons of light brown sugar, packed
2 full tablespoons of cinnamon
A dash of nutmeg

♥ Topping

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons of melted butter

♥ For the Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bread and Filling:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your loaf pan (9 x 5 standard pan) with butter and then line it with parchment paper. I like to leave a slight overhang of paper on each end to use as handles to lift bread out later. Mix the butter, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, sugar, flour, soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Beat together until well combined, but do not over-beat.

Next, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking tin. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar filling mixture. Then spread the remaining batter over top of that filling. Finally, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar filling mixture. Now, using a round bladed knife gently cut through the batter to swirl the cinnamon sugar through.

Topping:   Sprinkle the brown sugar topping on the loaf and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. 

Glaze:  Make your glaze by whisking together sugar, milk, vanilla extract and softened butter in small bowl until well blended. Brush or drizzle on to warm bread allowing it to run over sides. Cut in slices and serve plain or toasted with butter.

 Photographs are copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

My Microwave Grill Pan

Have I told you all how much I LOVE this Microwave Grill pan?  Talk about a gadget that saves you time and still gives you the wonderful look and taste of using the grill! This Microwave Grill pan is a must have kitchen gadget!

I got this last winter when it was too cold to grill outside and I just love it! I was skeptical at first. I am not a fan of the microwave other than heating up coffee and warming up left overs. We all know that steaks usually taste horrible reheated in the microwave and they come out grey and tough. But not with this! 

I put the empty microwave grill pan (with the lid on) in the microwave and heated it for 3 minutes. Then I took it out of the microwave and added a little olive oil and butter to the grill plate on the bottom. Added my rib eye steak and cooked it for about 3 minutes on each side. Took it out of the microwave, and it had grilled and sizzled to absolute perfection. I had the grill marks on the outside, and a perfectly cooked steak on the inside. You could never tell it was made in a microwave!

I use mine to make a fast grilled cheese sandwiches and paninis too! And if you love grilled veggies this is just perfect for onions, peppers, and all those things that you want to serve on the side with your sausages and hot dogs! Steaks and chops are slightly charred and tender. And if you use it for nothing else, try using it for chicken. Oh my goodness. So moist on the inside and wonderfully crisp on the outside!

I can't say enough about it and I think you'll love it too! Comes in green and white and red and the cost is marked down to only $37.82 while they last.

Thought I would share my find with you today.....here's the link if you'd like to buy it while it is on a special sale price for Welcome Home fans. Remember, anything you buy through Welcome Home at Amazon, helps me save the lives of dogs and cats who are killed unnecessarily while they wait for their forever homes. 

The Welcome Home code is already attached to the link so you will get the special price. Once you are at Amazon after clicking on a Welcome Home link, you can go on to shop for other things you might want too. Everything counts and helps me save the fur babies and feed the homeless.

Here is your link....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FGAVEK/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B004FGAVEK&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&linkId=6P7YJLDAG6AZPJAG&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Snowflake Rolls

I have been making these rolls for my Christmas dinner for as long as I can remember.  My Mom always served Snow Flake rolls with Christmas dinner and I just carried on the tradition.  But I do one thing different.  I use Star Butter Flavored Olive Oil and it makes my rolls so soft with a mild buttery flavor. And I cut back on saturated fats, sodium and cholesterol too without losing that buttery flavor.  My Mom would have loved using it too!  Sometimes I use a little lace snowflake doily and then sprinkle on my flour to really dress them up for the holidays.

Snowflake Rolls

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or use 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast) 

1 1/8 cups lukewarm water (about 110 degrees) 

3 cups all purpose flour 

1 1/4 teaspoons salt 

3 tablespoons sugar 

13.5 teaspoons Star Fine Food Butter Flavor Olive Oil (about 1/4 cup) 

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk 

1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes

Dissolve yeast it with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

Combine the dissolved yeast (or instant yeast) with the remainder of the ingredients. Mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—till you've made a smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 5 to 7 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, until it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.

While the dough is rising, lightly grease two 9" round cake pans, or a 

9" x 13" pan. Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the dough into a very small knot at the bottom, then rolling it under the palm of your hand into a smooth ball. 

Place eight rolls in each of the round cake pans (or all 16 rolls in the 9" x 13" pan), spacing them evenly; they won't touch one another. Cover the pan(s) with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise till they're very puffy, and have reached out and touched one another, about 1 hour. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Bake the rolls until they're a deep golden brown on top, and lighter on the sides, about 25 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven, and after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack. Gently shake four from a sifter or shaker on top of warm rolls.

You can buy Star Butter Flavored Olive Oil here:  Raley’s, Walmart, Stater Bros., Food Maxx and online at http://bit.ly/ButterFlavoredOliveOil.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.


Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Olive Tapenade

I love Italian Food. I mean good Italian food served in an authentic Italian restaurant. I love the smell when you walk in and the ambiance with warm glowing candles lit on top of white linen table cloths one each table. I love the soft music playing in the background.  I especially love the look and smell of fresh made bread sticks. One of the first things served in a real Italian restaurant is an Olive Tapenade with fresh rounds of Italian bread or those warm bread sticks.  It's usually just chopped olives, a little garlic and a good quality olive oil.  

When I am having guests over for one of my homemade pasta dinners, I like to give them that same feeling. My Lasagna is in the oven. The candles are lit and I bring out my own Olive Tapenade for all the enjoy! I start with Star Fine Food Spanish Olives and add sweet roasted peppers, zesty capers, garlic and spices and it's so good! 

Olive Tapenade

1 cup Star Fine Food Spanish Manzanilla Olives
1 cup pitted black olives, such as kalamata

1 roasted sweet bell pepper, chopped fine  (any brand in a jar)

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely chopped
1/2 cup Star Fine Foods Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup basil, loosely chopped
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and dried

1 medium French or Italian baguette, sliced (about 25 slices)

First, infuse the olive oil:

Put the olive oil, garlic, basil, and lemon juice and zest in a small saucepan or frying pan, and warm the mixture over moderately low heat for about five minutes (the garlic should appear softened, but not golden.  If it starts to bubble, turn down the heat and remove the pan from the stove top for a few seconds).  Set the mixture aside until cooled.

Next, make your Tapenade

Pulse the green olives in a food processor until finely chopped and place in a medium bowl. Then pulse the black olives in the food processor and add to the bowl. Add the capers, almonds, sweet roasted red pepper and olive oil mixture to the medium bowl, and stir well to combine. 

Spread on baguettes and/or crackers. Enjoy! 

 
Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Photographs are the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home.