Quick Pickled Onions

Tags

appetizer, condiment, gluten free, onions, pickled, quick, red, snack, vegetarian

Every get together of our Foodie Friend group, someone requests these quick pickled onions. They go with damn near anything. Hamburgs, hot dogs, BBQ, soup beans, Mexican food, charcuterie, cheese plates, dried fruits…. See what I mean…. You want to make these. Just do it.

Quick Pickled Onions

• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 5 to 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except the onion. Bring to a boil. In a glass bowl, add the onion and pour the hot vinegar over the onion. When room temperature, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

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Sriracha Caramel Popcorn

Tags

appetizer, caramel, gluten free, popcorn, salty, snacks, sriracha, sweet, vegetarian

I apologize for being so scarce as of late. I have been working a lot and have been extra tired. I think it must be this gloomy weather. I have been cooking but at odd times not very conducive to good photography. I have several recipes I can’t wait to bring you. This recipe is one of the best new recipes I have tried in a while. It is addictive! I made a batch for work. I think everyone asked for a copy of the recipe! You can tailor the heat level to your own preference. Next time I think I will make mine spicier! Love me some sriracha!

• Servings: 6
• Time: 20 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1 tsp oil, such as canola or coconut
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid over high heat. After the oil has heated to shimmering hot, add in the popcorn. Cover with the lid and move the pot around occasionally to prevent the kernels from burning. Once the popcorn starts to pop vigorously, keep vigorously shaking until the popping stops.

At the same time you are popping the corn, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, and salt until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 4 minutes, without stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the sriracha, cumin, and baking soda.

Pour the sugar mixture over the popcorn, then toss together until evenly coated. Use a silicone spatula to do this as the caramel will be really hot.  Spread the popcorn evenly on the baking sheets. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring the caramel corn every 10 minutes.

Let cool completely before storing, breaking up any large clusters that may have formed. Store any leftovers in an airtight container or resealable plastic bags in a cool dry place. The popcorn will stay crunchy and good for a week but I know it won’t last that long. Serves 6. From Noms for the Poor. 

Tapas Week Part 5: Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

Tags

appetizer, bacon, caramelized, dip, onion, snack, tapas

I rarely have every ingredient listed in a recipe. Maybe because I don’t cook “typical” recipes. Or because I am not a good shopper. I don’t know. Just this once, though, I had every single ingredient for this tasty dip. It has a delicious tang from the yogurt, a mellowness from the caramelized onions, and a punch of flavor from the bacon. Use pita chips, Ruffles (my favorite dip chip), or vegetables to scoop up the deliciousness.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp mustard powder

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Finely chop. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan. Slice the onion in half at the roots, then slice thinly (so you have half moon slices). Saute the onion over medium heat in the bacon grease. Stir frequently and cook until onions begin to soften. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the sugar to the onions. Continue sauteing until the onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and cool.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary Store in the fridge for up to a week. A variation of a recipe from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.

Other recipes in this series:

Tapas Week Part 1: Wild Mushroom Pierogies

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tapas Week Part 3: Apple Bites With Bacon and Jalapeno Cream Cheese

Tapas Week Part 4: Five Layer Greek Dip

Tapas Week Part 2: Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas

Tags

black eyed peas, gluten free, healthy, protein, salty, snacks, Southern, tapas, vegetarian

When I have a food craving, it’s usually for crunchy saltiness. I usually don’t want potato chips, just because they are so bad for you. These little babies meet my needs. And they have a little boost of protein that keeps you from getting hungry. I love that you could use nearly any flavor combination with them. Next time I am thinking something curry… What flavor combo would you use?

Crispy Spicy Black Eyed Peas (from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide)

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• sea salt to taste (it takes quite a bit)
• white pepper to taste
• black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse beans removing any stones or dirt. Cover with water simmer for 15-20 minutes. They should still have a little bite in them. Drain beans. In a bowl, combine the peas, oil, spices, salt and pepper. Stir gently to coat. Pour beans onto the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 1 hour or until the sound like popcorn kernels rolling around on the tray. Let cool. Store in airtight container.

Curry Lime Roasted Peanuts

Tags

cocktail, curry, gluten free, Indian, lime, peanuts, salty, snacks

A friend of mine at work hijacked my blog roll one day and found this recipe. We were both pretty excited to try it. They turned out fantastic, though next time I may double the curry and coriander. I love those flavors and I want them to really pack a punch. They were perfect with the J&G I had last night.

Curry Lime Roasted Peanuts (from So Hungry I Could Blog)

• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp curry
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 egg white
• 2 cups peanuts
• juice of 1 lime

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mash together the salt, curry, coriander and lime zest until gritty but well combined. Whisk in the egg white until smooth. Add the peanuts and toss to coat thoroughly.

Spread the nuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and break up the nuts with a spatula, then redistribute in a single layer. Cook 5-10 minutes longer, or until nuts are fragrant and golden-brown. Use a spatula to pile the nuts in the center of the pan. Pour the lime juice over top, give the nuts a stir, and redistribute. Cook an additional 3 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups.

Black Truffle and Parmesan Popcorn

Tags

black, cheese, fancy, food, gluten free, parmesan, popcorn, snack, truffle

This recipe is almost as quick as popping a bag into the microwave and the result is WAY more impressive than that highly processed crap. Maybe you can pop up a big bowl, snuggle on the couch with the one you love, and watch a good movie or play Scrabble. Happy Weekend!!!

Black Truffle and Parmesan Popcorn

• 1/4 cup black truffle infused olive oil
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp black truffle butter, melted 
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy bottom pot with a lid, combine the olive oil and popcorn kernels. Place on the lid and heat over medium high heat. As the oil heats and the kernels brown, they will begin to pop. Every couple of seconds, heartily shake the pot so that the unpopped kernels settle to the bottom of the pan. When most of the popping stops, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the butter over the popcorn evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Togarashi Kale Chips

Tags

chips, gluten free, healthy, kale, snacks, spice, togarashi, vegetarian

I love the kick of my togarashi spice mix. It was worth every penny and I plan to buy more here. There are all kinds of flavor combinations you could use. I can’t wait to make another batch.

 Togarashi Kale Chips

• 1 bunch of kale
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 tbsp togarashi spice mix

Wash the kale and dry. Cut away the ribs and tear the kale into about two-inch pieces. In a small bowl, whisk oil and spices together. Spray the leaves with the cooking spray until coated lightly. Sprinkle leaves with the spice mix. Spread the leaves in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Separate into batches if necessary. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until crispy.

Spicy Crispy Chickpeas

Tags

chickpeas, food, garbonzo beans, gluten free, salad topping, snacks, vegetarian

These little chickpeas are a great substitute for croutons (for those paleo people) or for a healthy snack alone. They have a great flavor and that salty crunch of potato chips. Instead of serving peanuts or mixed nuts with your drinks at your next party, serve these little babies. The varieties are endless, depending on how you change up your spices. Garlic and onion, taco, bruschetta…. MMMM!!

Spicy Crispy Chickpeas (a variation of this recipe)

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, patted dry
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450°. Toss chickpeas in a bowl with oil and next 4 ingredients to coat. Season with salt and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring halfway through cooking, until crispy, 25–30 minutes.

Coconut Cranberry Chocolate Granola Bars

Tags

bars, chocolate, coconut, cranberry, food, granola, homemade, snack, vegetarian

I love granola. There are so many different flavor combos. These are very tasty and easy to make. You can crumble them into yogurt or eat them plain. Bonus- they are way cheaper to make than to buy!

Coconut Cranberry Chocolate Granola Bars (inspired by Charlotte au Chocolat)

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 cups rolled oats (not the quick cook kind)
• 1 heaped cup flaked unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup lightly toasted nuts of your choice (I used pecans and pepitas)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other fruits
• Melted semi-sweet chocolate for drizzling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the oats and oil in a bowl. Spread the oats in an even layer on a baking sheet lined and toast for about 20 minutes. Stir at the ten minute mark. When lightly toasted, remove from the oven. In another bowl, combine the oats, coconut, spices, salt and nuts. Combine the honey and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over the oats and stir to coat evenly.

Turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch glass pan with parchment. Spread the granola in an even layer. Use a heavy object to press the granola down. This will help make it denser. Bake until just golden, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into rectangles.

In a small saucepan, melt some semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle over the granola bars. Allow the chocolate to hard then store the bars in an airtight container.

Vanilla Scented Walnuts

Tags

Christmas, food, gifts, snacks, vanilla, vegetarian, walnuts

These walnuts have a gently, lovely vanilla flavor that is just out of the world. Who would have thought something so simple would be so wonderful. Proof that the best things in life aren’t always filled with pomp and circumstance.

Vanilla Scented Walnuts (from Elana)
2 cups English walnuts, raw
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 vanilla beans

Place walnuts and oil in a cast iron skillet and turn heat to high. As soon as you hear the slightest sizzle, turn heat down to medium or low. Toast walnuts a few minutes until they smell nice and nutty. Add honey and distribute around pan stirring; cook for a minute or two, then add salt. Scrape the beans out of the vanilla pod and stir into walnuts. Remove walnuts from pan.