Tag Archives: almonds

DOUBLE BERRY ALMOND BREAKFAST COOKIES

07 Saturday May 2016

Posted by in Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

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The day of the Washington School Tour of Homes dawned bright and beautiful, and while I finished up last minute tidying, arranging and preparations for our dog to spend the day with friends and their 3 dogs, my husband took the kids out of the house for breakfast. After a quick shower, and an even quicker bite of these Double Berry Almond Breakfast Cookies that I had baked a couple of days before, the kids and I left to tour the other homes while my husband stayed at the house to greet people and serve wine.

DOUBLE BERRY ALMOND BREAKFAST COOKIES

double berry breakfast cookies

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup roasted almonds, chopped

1 cup oats

1 1/2 cups blueberries

1 cup cranberries (I used frozen)

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Heat oven to 350F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat together canola oil, maple syrup, egg and vanilla extract; add flour mixture and stir to combine. Add roasted almonds, oats, blueberries, cranberries, dried cranberries and lemon zest and fold until the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, scoop batter into large balls and drop them onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape, May 2016

www.shape.com/

 

WHITE GAZPACHO WITH CRISPY HAM

23 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Soup

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I love chilled soups during the hot summer months – they are lovely, light and refreshing and won’t heat up the kitchen.

WHITE GAZPACHO WITH CRISPY HAM

white gazpacho with crispy ham

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, halved

1 cup whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

2 cups seedless grapes, plus more, halved, for garnish

1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber

salt

1 to 2 cups cold water

sherry vinegar

4 slices ham

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and fry until golden and crisp.

Puree garlic and almonds until smooth. Add grapes, cucumbers and a pinch of salt and puree until smooth. Add 1 cup of water and puree, adding more if soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and vinegar. Set gazpacho aside.

Set a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add ham. Fry until crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Break crisped ham into bite-sized pieces.

Ladle gazpacho into chilled bowls and garnish with halved grapes and ham.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, April 2014

www.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html

BERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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Today is the last day of school for part of our family, and I can’t even begin to say how very excited we are for the long, lazy and fun summer stretching endlessly ahead, and there is no way to even begin to thank the Teachers and Staff at the school who have made it such a wonderful year – for me, my husband and our children!

There is one week during the year, officially dedicated to Teacher Appreciation activities, one of which is a lovely luncheon traditionally held off-campus, where parents bring dishes according to the theme, which was BBQ this year. I made a Berry Mandarin Tossed Salad with home made vinaigrette, and added a few store brought varieties of dressing to go alongside the salad, smoked meat, rolls, beans, potato salad and coleslaw.

It is always one of my favorite events to organize and help out with, but it never feels like enough thanks or recognition for all that our incredible teachers do!!

Happy Summer!!

jennifers back porchBERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

berry mandarin tossed salad

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup vegetable oil

salad greens

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, paprika, ground mustard, onion powder and celery seed, season with salt and pepper.

Cook on medium-low, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a salad bowl, combine the salad greens, strawberries, oranges and almonds. Drizzle with dressing or serve dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

 

MOROCCAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

23 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Chicken, Recipes

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My daughter had been pleading to spend the day at the horse barn for months, to ride additional horses, for a longer time, to help out with the chores, and just to be out in the country with the large array of animals.

The perfect Saturday presented itself, and as part of the preparations for the day, I offered to pack her trainer a lunch, as she would be with my daughter and several other students for hours. I made this Moroccan Chicken Salad with Apricots and Almonds, however my daughter wanted to make her own lunch – a peanut butter, banana and marshmallow sandwich – both eatables offered wonderful bursts of flavor and an incredible combination of tastes.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

moroccan chicken salad with apricots and almonds

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil, divided use

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

pinch of smoked paprika

1/4 cup lemon juice, divided use

1 tablespoon honey

1 (14-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 shallot, finely chopped

3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

salad greens

4 ounces sprouts

1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown well, 6 to 8 minutes, turn and cook 5 to 7 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then slice 1/2 inch thick on the bias. Cool to room temperature.

While chicken cools, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garam masala, coriander and paprika in a small saucepan. Cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, honey, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining oil.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled chicken, chickpeas, shallot, apricots, parsley and half of the dressing and toss to coat. Cover.

Whisk remaining tablespoon of lemon juice into the remaining dressing, toss with the lettuce, sprouts and almonds.

Arrange lettuce and chicken mixture on serving platter.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2015

www.nwaonline.com/

 

PEAR VANILLA CROSTATA WITH ALMONDS

15 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Dessert, Recipes

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My husbands own personal pie day was March 12th. He celebrated 23 years in the pizza business, and we honored the occasion with a pie of our own.

eureka pizza 23 birthday

PEAR VANILLA CROSTATA WITH ALMONDS

pear vanilla crostata

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

1 1/2 pounds pears, halved, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise

store bought piecrust

cream for brushing

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, the cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixture and rub with fingertips to evenly distribute. Add the pears, toss to coat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust to a 14-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange the pear slices in concentric circles, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the fruit. Brush the border with cream, sprinkle with almonds and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake the crostata until the crust is a deep golden brown color and the fruit filling is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes.

Transfer the crostata, on the parchment paper, to a rack. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, November 2014

www.rachaelraymag.com/

POTTED SMOKED FISH WITH TOAST and GREEK SALAD WITH OLIVE DRESSING and FEIJOA CAKE

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Appetizers, Dessert, Recipes, Salad

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Naturally, after all the outdoor activities we engaged in while at our beach house in New Zealand last Spring Break, (http://recipedoodle.com, 3/3/15) we very much looked forward to mealtimes.

I really enjoyed looking at the New Zealand magazines for recipe ideas, and incorporating into our meals, lots of beautiful fresh produce, seafood, and foods that are harder or impossible to find here.

Steamed Mussels, picked fresh from the bay

Steamed Mussels, picked fresh from the bay

Steaming Pipis

Steaming Pipis

Bowl of cooked Pipis

Bowl of cooked Pipis

Pipi fritters

Pipi fritters

I mainly made appetizers and sides to go along with the main meals and great New Zealand wines, and a little something sweet to finish off the evening.

fresh figs from garden

– Figs fresh from the garden at the bach

Appetizer with ricotta, fig, crispy bacon and arugula

Appetizer with ricotta, fig, crispy bacon and arugula

POTTED SMOKED FISH WITH TOAST

potted smoked fish

150 grams butter, melted
500 grams flaked smoked fish (I used trevally)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 teaspoons horseradish
1 tablespoon capers, drained well and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest
toasted bread for serving

Place melted butter, smoked fish, sour cream, horseradish, capers, lemon juice and zest in a bowl and mix well. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place mixture in a serving dish, cover and refrigerate until set.
Remove potted fish from fridge 15 minutes before serving, garnish with extra capers and lemon zest, if desired, serve with fingers of toasted bread.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from NZ House and Garden, March 2014
nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/category/food/‎

GREEK SALAD WITH OLIVE DRESSING

greek salad with olive dressing

1/4 cup finely chopped, pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch of sugar
400 grams cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
100 grams feta, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Whisk the olives, oil, vinegar, garlic and sugar in a jug. Season with salt and pepper. Combine tomato, capsicum and cucumber in a shallow serving bowl. Top with feta. Drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with oregano.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from recipes+, March 2014

FEIJOA CAKE

Freshly peeled and sliced feijoas

Freshly peeled and sliced feijoas

feijoa cake125 grams butter

3/4 cup sugar

125 grams butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond essence

1 1/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 teaspoon salt

225 grams sour cream

3 tablespoons ground almonds

4 to 5 feijoas

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

pinch of ground ginger

Heat oven to 200C.
Line the base of a 23 cm cake tin with baking paper. Grease baking paper and sides with baking spray.
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined, then add essence.
Sift dry ingredients into mixture. Add sour cream and ground almonds. Fold in carefully until well combined. Mixture should be quite thick. Carefully scoop feijoa pulp out of skins and cut into thin slices.
Spoon mixture into cake tin and very lightly press in cut fruit. Sprinkle demerara sugar and ginger evenly over fruit.
Place cake in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 180C. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, turn oven off and leave cake in oven for 1 hour or overnight.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Hamilton News, September 2012
www.nzherald.co.nz/hamilton-news/news/headli..

BROCCOLI SALAD

04 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes

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I love the modest dressing on this lovely Broccoli Salad. Also the delightful addition of dried cranberries and edamame – which elevated it above the ordinary, rather homely American staple. It was one of the dishes I made for our family Thanksgiving dinner, although it would be great at any family gathering.

BROCCOLI SALAD

broccoli salad

Whisk one tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Add 4 cups of steamed broccoli florets, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup edamame, and 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Parenting, July 2013

www.parenting.com/recipes

NUTTY CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARS

01 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in bars and cookies, Recipes

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Only one of my children deigned to go Trick-Or-Treating this year, so we don’t have an overabundance of candy around the house, flowing from every room, as we have in previous years. We were at a friends house celebrating Halloween, and the wonderful group of Dads offered to take the kids around the neighborhood, while the lucky Mums were able to stay warm and cozy in the house, handing out candy and sipping wine – because of course, that was the night the temperatures plummeted. Since I don’t have excess candy from my kids cache to bake with, I used plain chocolate chips for these Nutty Chocolate Cookie Bars – but chopped candy bars would be great, if you were able to sneak some away from your little ghost or goblin.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE COOKIE BARS

nutty cookie bars

1 1/2 sticks of butter

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 (14 ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk

3 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350F.

Place butter in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a paper towel and microwave for about 45 seconds, or until melted.

Stir crumbs into butter and mix well. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking pan. (I halved the recipe, and baked it in an 8 by 8 baking dish).

Pour condensed milk over crumb crust. Spread to the edges, top evenly with chocolate chips, pecans and almonds. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbling slightly along edges. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, January 2007

www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/

KALE SALAD – FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE

18 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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I loved the variety of ingredients in this interesting and delicious salad. I served it with grilled salmon, but it would also be a perfect accompaniment to chicken.

KALE SALAD

kale salad

Whisk together 2/3 cup olive oil (I used 1/3 cup), 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of ground red pepper, and ground ginger. Toss 5 ounces of baby kale leaves, sections from 2 to 3 oranges, 1 pint of raspberries and 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted, with 1/4 cup dressing.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, August 2014

CHERRY ALMOND CLAFOUTI – FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE

21 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by in Dessert, fruit, Recipes

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I made this Clafouti to take to a friends house, where we watched the Tour de France, enjoyed a variety of French foods and wines, and had a wonderful evening. Although cherries are traditional in this delicious dessert, almost any fruit could be substituted.

CHERRY ALMOND CLAFOUTI

cherry almond clafouti

1/2 cup whole almonds

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar

8 ounces dark sweet red cherries, pitted and halved (about 2 cups)

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

pinch of salt

1/4 cup flour

powdered sugar

Blend almonds in processor until ground but not pasty. Transfer to small saucepan, add milk and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, let steep 30 minutes. Pour through strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer.

Heat oven to 375F. Butter a 10 inch diameter dish, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Scatter cherries evenly over bottom of dish.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, almond extract, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Add strained almond milk and beat to blend. Sift flour into egg mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture over cherries. Bake until set and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2006