Pickled Garlic

Tags

Edward Lee, garlic, molasses, pickled, pickles, snacks, soy

For Christmas, my dearest hubby gave me Smoke and Pickles – the cookbook by Edward Lee, a Louisville chef, whose recipes have a lovely twist of Southern and Asian flavors. This pickled garlic is lovely.

I finely mince it and then add it back into the molasses soy sauce to use as a dipping sauce for potstickers. It would also be a great garnish for Bloody Marys or as a nibble to go with other pickled items and your cocktail.

Pickled Garlic

• 2 heads of garlic, each clove peeled and rinsed with water
• Distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cups rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Place the garlic cloves in a jar and cover with the white vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days. Drain the garlic and rinse with cold water. Place the garlic back in the jar. In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sugar, molasses, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then turn off and allow the flavors to mingle for 15 minutes. Pour the liquid over the garlic cloves, cover, and refrigerate for a week. Enjoy for weeks!

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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
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• 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 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.

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.

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.

Spicy Pepitas

Tags

gluten free, pepitas, salad topping, snacks, spicy, vegetarian

This lovely little bits are great for snacking and for salad topping. Yummy salad recipe using these to come…

Spicy Pepitas

• 6 oz of pepitas
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 375 until golden and fragrant, 6-8 minutes.  Cool completely on the baking sheet then store in airtight container.

Granola

Tags

food, fruit, grains, granola, natural, protein, snacks

Every one loves granola. Plain, as cereal, on yogurt. There are endless combinations of fruits, nuts, and chocolates. Unfortunately good granola is expensive. And hard to find. Many granolas are just packed full of sugar with little other nutritional value. When I purchase granola, I usually pick Kashi’s GoLean Crunch, which has 9 grams of protein per serving. It makes a pretty good snack, especially if you pair it with a protein rich yogurt.

I specifically didn’t want my homemade granola to have a lot of artificial ingredients.  I chose as many non-processed things as possible, including non-sweetened coconut. I wanted to sweetness of the granola to come from the honey and brown sugar, though you could omit the sugar and just use honey if you like. Another sweetener idea might be molasses. Hmmmm…. anyway, let me know what awesome granola combinations you prefer.

Granola (loosely based on Ina Garten’s Homemade Granola)

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup of sliced almonds (I didn’t have slices so I blitzed some whole ones in the food processor a bit)
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup non-salted pepitas
• 1/2 cup quartered dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried sour cherries
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup cashew pieces

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oats, coconut, and almonds. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, vanilla, and sugar. Pour the liquid over the oat mix and stir until they are well coated. On a parchment covered cookie sheet, spread the oat mixture into a thin layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until the coconut starts to toast. Every 10 minutes, stir and re-spread the granola. Cool the oats to room temperature. Gently break apart into bite sized pieces. Stir in the fruit and nuts. Makes about 5 cups.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Tags

appetizer, buffalo, cheese, chicken, dip, snacks, Super Bowl party

This chicken dip recipe is from my mother-in-law… We both are addicted to this fantastic dip. You can serve with celery sticks or tortilla chips. Fantastic for everyone, especially my gluten-free friends. I made it for my work friends tonight! Yum!

My friend Jason enjoying this dip…

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 2 large cans chunk chicken breast, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup Texas Pete’s hot sauce

Put all ingredient in a crock pot on high until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.