Apple and Fennel Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Apple and Fennel Salad

1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (about 3-4)

2  fennel bulbs 

1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup celery, chopped or sliced thin

Slice apples into quarters, remove seeds. Slice thinly and place in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice fennel crosswise and chop celery and add to apples. Stir in raisins, set aside.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette 

1/2 cup Star Fine Foods extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup Star Fine Foods Golden Balsamic Vinegar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup white sugar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a separate bowl combine balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and whisk until well combined.  Slowly whisk in olive oil until smooth. Whisk in sugar and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Put apple mixture in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, pour in vinaigrette and seal tightly. Lay the bag flat in a baking dish and Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning Ziploc bag after a half hour or so to ensure vinaigrette gets distributed evenly.  

Serve salad cold and garnish with fennel leaves.

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

Look for STAR Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the olive oil section of our local grocery store or online at: 

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil/p/STAR-00011&c=Star@OliveOils.

Star Fine Foods now has a promo code for all Welcome Home fans that will give you a 10% discount on anything you order online. Just enter WELCOMEHOME10 at checkout!

STAR Golden Balsamic Vinegar is available at Safeway (Northern California), Acme, Roundy’s, Schnucks, Bashas, Kroger, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smiths, Supervalu, select Walmart stores and online athttp://bit.ly/GoldenBalsamic.

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!

Peanut Butter Pie

Who doesn't like peanut butter pie? My mom loved baking pies and I think this was one of my favorites. She would chop up frozen candy bars for the top and drizzle it with thick chocolate...this is her recipe.

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:

2 cups. graham cracker... crumbs
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, very finely chopped peanuts with the melted butter. Grease a 9-inch pie plate or spray with non-stick cooking spray and then firmly press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup of any brand creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup whipping cream, divided

Beat cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of whipping cream with an electric mixer at medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat remaining whipping cream and vanilla extract at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture to loosen it up; then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spread the peanut butter mixture in the baked pie crust. Cover and chill at least 8 hours before serving.

Topping

2 frozen Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped
1 tablespoon honey roasted peanuts chopped fine
1 tablespoon of peanut butter chips or butterscotch or caramel chips
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
Chocolate syrup or chocolate Shell for drizzle

You can use any topping you wish for this pie. I like to freeze candy bars and then chop them up to sprinkle on top. Then drizzle with chocolate syrup or better yet, Reese's Chocolate Shell. Oh My Gosh!

Photograph is copyrighted and the property of ©Welcome Home.

Stuffed Peppers

I can remember when I was a little girl and I would come home from school and walk into the house to find the most incredible aroma coming out of the kitchen.  My Mom was making stuffed peppers and I knew that smell well. I also knew that my Dad would be hanging around the kitchen asking her over and over again,  how long would it be until they were ready.  Stuffed Peppers were his favorite.  Tonight I made these and took them to my Dad.  He was so excited he had tears in his eyes!

Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 cups white rice, cooked

8 ounces tomato sauce

1 cups mozzarella or  provolone cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cheddar, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling water, boil the cleaned peppers for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and dry on paper towels. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

Cook until the meat is no longer pink and break up lumps while browning. I usually cook mine about 5-6 minutes. Add parsley, rice and tomato sauce and stir. Taste mixture and add more salt and pepper as needed. Pour enough water into the bottom of a baking dish to about 1/8-inch deep.

Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 35 to 40 minutes. 

Hint: crinkle up small pieces of aluminum foil and tuck between peppers if you are having a problem with them sitting upright. Then tightly cover with foil 

Remove from the oven sprinkle with both cheddar and mozzarella a cheese on each pepper. Place back in the oven and broil until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Photography owned and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home

Pigs In A Blanket

I know what you're thinking.  Why is she putting up a recipe that everyone knows how to make already?  Who doesn't know how to make Pigs in A Blanket, right?   Well, I'll have you know I take my Pigs In A Blanket, Hogs in a Sleeping Bag, Dogs in an Overcoat or whatever you want to call them very seriously! After all I'm putting them out as an appetizer for my guests at a party or making a snack for friends.  Why wouldn't I want them to be the talk of the night? Why wouldn't I want my friends to ask for more?

You're probably thinking that there’s not much to making these wonderful little bites.  A package of canned dough, mini cocktail franks, and a side of mustard for dipping and you’ve got yourself a dish, right?  I beg to differ. 

Pigs In A Blanket

1 pkg cocktail franks, breakfast sausage links or reg dogs cut into thirds1 package of puff pastry sheets, thawed but still coldDijon mustard, as neededcooking spray2 eggs, beaten
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Remove the cocktail franks from their package and pat them dry with a paper towel. Poke 1-2 small holes in each frank and set aside.

Unroll each pastry sheet onto a clean work surface. Take a cocktail frank (or sausage link or third of your regular sized hot dog) and measure out a little less than the width of it on the pastry sheet and cut the sheet into long, thin strips. Divide the strips into 3-inch pieces that are long enough to wrap around the whole frank or sausage link.
































 To assemble,  wrap each pastry strip around a cocktail frank. Press the seam with your fingers to seal, and then set it seam side down on a baking sheet greased with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Continue to assemble the rest of the cocktail franks with the pastry strips.





























Add 2 tablespoons of water to the beaten eggs and whisk quickly to combine. Using a pastry brush, brush each miniature hot dog with the egg wash, then bake in the oven until the puff pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Dip in your favorite mustard or other sauce and enjoy!



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

Skillet Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

No need to heat up the oven or fire up the grill for this recipe.  My Skillet Teriyaki Thighs are so delicious. I made this incredible sauce with Star Fine Foods Modena Creamy Balsamic Vinegar Glaze which gives it so much flavor! Tender chicken thighs with a delicious sticky glaze served over sticky rice. Oh Yum! 

Skillet Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons butter 

3 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Creamy Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

In a large Ziploc bag, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions and salt. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and then carefully move the chicken around in the bag until it's thoroughly coated. Place the chicken in the fridge to marinate overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours.  Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Reserve the marinade for later. 

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3. In a large non-stick skillet, add 2 tablespoons Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive oil and two tablespoons of butter and heat over medium high heat. Sear chicken on all sides until nicely browned and caramelized. 

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4. Cover skillet and turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 25 minutes or until thighs are done. Chicken should reach a temperature of 165 degrees.  When done, remove from heat and set aside. 

Transfer the marinade to a saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch and two tablespoons water.  Turn heat to medium high and bring sauce to a low boil until sauce begins to thicken and look like syrup. You want to stir frequently to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pour or brush sauce over chicken and serve over fluffy rice. Enjoy!

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


Star Fine Foods now has a promo code for all Welcome Home fans that will give you a 10% discount on anything you order online. Just enter WELCOMEHOME10  at checkout!

You can get Star Fine Foods Creamy Balsamic Glaze at select Walmart Stores and online at  http://shop.starfinefoods.com/STAR-Balsamic-Glazes/c/Star@BalsamicGlazes

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!

Just wanted to stop by and say.....

I have been so busy today working on the magazine and doing my best to make this the best issue yet. After all, It's the first issue to start a whole new year of new recipes and I want to make sure you like each issue better than the last. So I have been at it now for 12 straight hours today and have finally loaded all the photographs in. Now comes the hard part...writing all those recipes! That will take another two weeks and bring me right down to the wire as it does every month.

That's not why I stopped by. I wanted to stop for a minute and say something to those of you who have already renewed your subscription. I want you to know that you touch my heart in the most profound way. I am so deeply humbled each time I see any of your names come up in my email when you renew your subscription for another year. I am amazed at the kindness and generosity of the people here and feel loved and surrounded by friends.

For those of you who have renewed, you need to know that I am flattered beyond words. You couldn't compliment me more than when you invest in my work. It says you love my cooking, my recipes, my photography, and my writings about my life with my Mom. To know you trust me and believe in me and stand by me means more than you know.

Oh I know it's not just about a cooking magazine. It's not just about food and pictures and stories. It goes way beyond that. Let's face it, there are thousands of bloggers out there putting out recipes. You didn't invest in the magazine just for that reason. You're not here just for that. Your renewal says so much more....

It says, I want to walk with you on this journey to help others. I want to be a part of the efforts you take to make sure that those who have lost their way can find hope again. It says, I'm right there with you in spirit and I am part of the reason you can take food and warm clothes to those that are hungry and poor.

It says you want to share my joy as I watch fur babies walk happily out the front door of these horrible kill shelters, instead of never walking out because no one got there in time. It says you are with me in mind and spirit and want to continue to walk this journey with me.

So thank you my friends. Thank you from my heart. Who knew I would find such good people in my life. Who knew God would bless me with such incredible friendship. Our paths have crossed for a reason.