Pull Apart Cheese Bread

Serves 4-8.

1 large Italian, French, or sourdough loaf or boule
1/2 butter, softened
1 large clove garlic, minced
12-16 ounces cheese (cheddar, Jack, mozzarella, combination, etc.)
Chopped parsley or scallions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut a cross-hatch pattern into the top of bread by slicing bread partially through 1/2-inch apart width wise, then length wise. Keep bottom of the loaf intact. Place bread on a large piece of foil.

Stir together butter and garlic. Gently separate bread and spoon the mixture into all the seams, evenly distributing it. Sprinkle cheese on top, pushing the cheese down into the cracks. Wrap up in foil, then place in the oven for 10 minutes. Open foil and bake until cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown, another 15 minutes or so. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and/or scallions and serve warm.

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve or store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Almond Joy Butter

Notes: pre made almond butter works well for a faster recipe. Just use equal parts almond butter and coconut butter. Be sure and only use unsweetened coconut; sweetened coconut will not liquify like unsweetened coconut will. 

Make about 2 cups.

2 cups whole almonds, toasted (or about 1 cup almond butter)
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1/8 - 1/4 cups chocolate chips, depending on how chocolately you want it
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sea salt, to taste (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)

Place coconut in a food processor and process until it turns into butter, scraping down the sides as needed. This will take about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Place almonds in the food processor and process until it turns into butter, scraping down the sides as needed. This will take about 10 minutes. Add the coconut butter in and process until combined. Add sea salt and vanilla and process again. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let sit for a minute. The mixture will be warm enough to melt the chocolate chips. At this point you can pulse the processor to fully incorporate the chocolate, or gently stir to just swirl the chocolate. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge if storing for longer than a week.

Alicyn's Texas Caviar

2-3 avocados, diced

3-4 tomatoes, diced

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

3-4 green onions chopped

Stir to combine ingredients all together.

Dressing:

¼ c. white vinegar

2 Tbsp oil

3 Tbsp water

1 pkg Good Seasonings Italian Dressing Mix

Whisk dressing ingredients together. Pour over avocado mix. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping. 

Agave Glazed Walnuts

Notes: great for salads or just for snacking. 

2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon water

2 cups walnut halves or pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk together agave and water. Pour over walnuts and stir until well coated. Pour out in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking mat. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden.  

Maple Almond Popcorn

Makes about 6 cups.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ cup unpopped popcorn kernels

1/3 cup roasted almonds

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon butter

¼ teaspoon salt

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add popcorn and stir. Cover pan and cook until kernels begin to pop, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Continue to cook and shake pan until popping slows down, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Once popping has stopped, open lid and stir in almonds.

Combine sugar, maple syrup, butter, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for about 1 minute. Pour mixture over popcorn and toss well to coat. Dump popcorn out onto prepared baking sheet and cool. 

Baked Chicken and Salsa Verde Taquitos

Adapted from Ourbestbites.com

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 C salsa verde
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C shredded cheese (pepperjack or a Mexican blend)
15 small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients except tortillas, kosher salt, and cooking spray in a mixing bowl. This step can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.

Microwave a few tortillas at a time until they soft enough to roll without breaking, about 20-30 seconds. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll up the tortilla as tightly as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Continue until all the tortillas are filled. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Maple Glazed Walnuts

Adapted from Ellie Krieger.

Great on top of salads or just as a snack. 

2 cups walnut halves

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Preheat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and sesame seeds to pan, and toast until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add maple syrup and salt. Cook stirring frequently until syrup is caramelized, about 3 minutes. Cool.

Parmesan Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

½ lb Parmesan, cut into 18 little sticks small enough to fit into dates

18 pitted dates

6 bacon slices, cut into thirds lengthwise

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Stuff 1 piece of cheese into each date, then wrap 1 piece of bacon around each date, securing it with a toothpick. Arrange dates 1 inch apart in shallow baking pan.

Bake about 5 minutes, turn dates. Bake until bacon is crisp, about 5-10 minutes more. Remove from oven and drain. Serve warm.