Sesame Ginger Dressing

2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup light flavored oil(I used a light flavored extra virgin olive oil)
1/3 cup raw agave syrup
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
6 drops doTerra Ginger Essential Oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a shaker or blender and mix well.  Refrigerate any unused dressing.

Lime & Cilantro Blender Salsa

To a Blender Add:

1 medium onion rough chopped

2 jalapeno peppers rough chopped(leave seeds if you like heat)

2 cloves garlic pressed

Pulse until finely diced or minced.

Add:

2 14.5 cans petite diced tomatoes

1 14.5 can of tomatoes with green chilies(or rotel)

1 14.5 can of Italian stewed tomatoes

2 Tbl. Brown Sugar

1-2 tsp. kosher salt(to taste)

1 generous tsp. cumin

½ tsp. red chili flakes

4 drops doTerra Lime Essential Oil

4 drops doTerra Cilantro Essential Oil(depends on taste)

Pulse and blend until you like the consistency.  Taste test of course and add more doTerra oil or spices to your liking.  This makes just over 2 qts., which still does not last long in our house.  Store in the refrigerator.

I don't have a picture yet, I will later though :)

To order doTerra oils from me, go HERE.

PRINT HERE

Apple Cranberry Sauce

I read a description online of a gourmet shop with these ingredients, well, almost all of them.  Hers called for Allspice, I used Ginger instead.  I of course had no measurements, but I tried to keep track so I could replicate this again in case we liked it.  We REALLY liked it!  And it's a gorgeous color too.

I used a 20 qt. large stock pot I believe.

Granny Smith Apples(approx. 20 medium size)
Fuji Apples (8 large size)
4 limes, juiced(microwave for 30 seconds first)
2-4 cups water(depends on how thick you like it)
1 bag fresh cranberries


sugar(optional, I thought 3 cups was perfect)

1 Tbl. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. kosher salt

2-3 drops doTerra Wild Orange Essential Oil

Add 2 cups water and lime juice to large stock pot.  Peel, core, slice, and quarter or half apples.  Add the apples to the pot stirring often so that all of the apples are coated with the lime juice.  They cook down as you keep adding so you can add more than you think you will be able to fit.  If you need more water, add as necessary.  Rinse and pick through the bag of cranberries for any questionable berries and toss the gross ones.  When the pot is filled about half way, add the prepared cranberries.  Add remaining apples.  Stir and stir until all of the apples are tender and the berries are done popping.  Remove from heat and using a long handled immersion blender blend until smooth, or your desired consistency.  Bring back to a low rolling boil/simmer.  Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and taste.  Add sugar if you desire to your liking.  Simmer for 5 more minutes.  Add doTerra Wild Orange Essential Oil and mix very well.

If you are canning:  Remove sterilized jars and fill one at a time while mixture is still slightly bubbling after the low rolling boil for 5 minutes.  Top with sealing disc and tighten with ring just until tightened.  Process in boiling water with rack for 25 minutes(I'm at 2,600 ft, so you'll have to check your elevation requirements).  Remove jars and set on towel to remain undisturbed for 24 hours.  Check the sealing discs though after 1-2 hours to verify all jars have been sealed by gently pushing down in center.  This yielded 7 1qt. jars.

If you are not canning, this would be great in the freezer as well.  Use this sauce as a yogurt mixin or topping for ice cream.  Or just plain like in my old book.

Spicy Apricot BBQ Sauce

2 pounds apricots, pitted and halved

  1 14.5oz. can fire roasted tomatoes, do not drain

  1 sm. can tomato paste

  3 cups brown sugar

  1 ½   cup cider vinegar

  1 onion, chopped finely

  1 jalapeno, diced small, seeds removed based on heat pref.

  3 cloves garlic, minced

  1-2 Tbl. Kosher salt

  ½ tsp. ground black pepper

  Pinch of red pepper flakes

  2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover, cook on high 4-5 hours.  Remove lid last hour until slightly reduced.  Use immersion blender to puree. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Half and pit apricots, and quarter each half.

Spray slow-cooker with non-stick spray, add ingredients.

Stir well, cover, and cook on high 5-6 hours.  

It looked a little too soupy so I tilted the lid to vent for about 1 1/2 hours.  Don't lean over the slow-cooker or you'll get a vinegar steam bath. 

Use immersion blender to puree.  

Makes approx. 6 cups.  Remove lid to let reduce down if too thin and cook down some more, it was really thick though at this point, perfect!

Yummy over chicken, or anything.

Ravioli with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

No fat grams were left out in this little impressive dish.  Don't hesitate to substitute fat free or lower fat versions though if you're trying to be reasonable.  This came from some leftover ingredients floating around in the fridge so even the amounts are eyeball estimates.

2 lbs. fresh or frozen jumbo ravioli, cooked and drained.
Bring large pot of water to boil, add about 2 tsp. kosher salt.  Boil according to package directions. Turn off heat when done, but do not drain.  Reserve a little pasta water for sauce.

Sauce:
2 Tbl. olive oil or butter
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
5 cloves garlic minced
kosher salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 Tbl. sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin puree(not pie mix)
1 cup whipped cream

Heat large sauce pan on medium-high heat, add olive oil to pan, diced onions, and spices.  Saute until onions are near translucent and then add sugar.  This will help caramelize the onions, just watch closely so they don't burn or it will make the sauce bitter.  Add garlic and a little broth until garlic is tender.  Whisk in remaining broth and pumpkin.  Simmer on low for a few minutes.  Strain raviolis from water and slip gently into pumpkin mixture.  Add pasta water if needed to coat all raviolis.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese and candied pecans.

My Favorite Salad Dressing

We love Melissa D'Arabian from Food Network's Next Food Network Star.   I've started making my own salad dressing for all of my salads now.  I use a lot less olive oil though, or even some homemade chili oil or white truffle oil.  It has SO much flavor!  Sometimes I'll throw in a splash of agave nectar or honey, even a packet of Stevia to have a sweetened dressing.  Play with your vinegars too!  Rice Vinegar is REALLY good.  I also use a golden balsamic almost daily, and champagne vinegar.  And try different mustard types, Jack Daniels is good, and there's a cranberry mustard that is really tasty too.  Just play, it's really hard to go wrong!  The soy sauce was a surprise, but I found it really does make a difference.  Yummmmm!

LINK

Ingredients

Mustard Vinaigrette:

• 1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Small splash soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving.

Cranberry Sauce

Growing up I always went to my Grandma Iva's house the night before Thanksgiving to "help her out". Grandma taught me over the years to cook many of her favorite recipes that were traditional as much as just plain delicious. One of my favorite smells from childhood is still cranberries simmering on the stove. That meant the holiday season had begun. I bought a 3lb. bag of cranberries the other day, I figured I'd get ahead of my holiday cooking as well as I needed extra to make a new recipe to take with me to a work Christmas party. I'll post my traditional recipe for cranberry sauce(which I also LOVE to play with and change up) and the Chipotle Cranberry Chutney I plan to put on top of a loaf of Brie in Puff Pastry crust for the party. My house smells amazing after making both of them.

Cranberry Sauce
2 12oz. bags fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
Juice from 2 oranges, plus enough water to equal 2 cups

In a large saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice and water to a boil. Add cranberries and zest and stir. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, until liquid is reduced and cranberries have all burst. The sound of simmering cranberries is so much fun, it's like bubble wrap in a pot. I've added things like rum flavoring, almond flavoring, vanilla, black pepper, ginger, etc... but my favorite add-in is the orange zest and juice.

Chipotle Cranberry Chutney
1 large purple onion diced
1 Tbl. Olive Oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 Tbl. Gourmet Garden Ginger(in tube), or fresh grated
1 12oz. bag fresh cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. smokey chipotle chili powder
Rinse cranberries well. Saute purple onion in olive oil in saucepan on low heat until translucent. Add garlic and ginger and saute 1 more minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to simmer and stir often to prevent burning. Simmer until all cranberries have burst and desired consistency. Should be slightly thick. Serve over meats, cream cheese with crackers, in Brie wheel, etc.... This is what turns a perfect turkey/swiss/avocado sandwich into a heavenly masterpiece.

The Cranberry Chipotle Sauce will go from bright red to a deep burgundy color.


Simmer uncovered until desired consistency, the balsamic reduces nicely.


Check out recipes and ideas at puffpastry.com.




Brie en Croute
There's a great video on puffpastry.com, explaining how to wrap a Brie en Croute and even how to make a fancy bow out of dough for on top. Because this Brie wheel was 1 lb., and their recipe calls for an 8 oz. size, I had to adjust the directions.

Lightly flour a clean surface. Lay out 1 sheet of puff dough. Divide the other sheet of puff dough into 4 equal lengths and pinch each side of the square piece with the lengths to seal. Put a dollop of about a 2/3 cup chutney, jam, or nuts and wrap(follow directions as in the video on wrapping). Seal all edges with egg wash. Cut shapes with leftover dough pieces and attach with egg wash and seal the tops. Bake on a cookie sheet with an edge(in case the cheese oozes out) on parchment paper at 350' for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up. Rest at least 20 minutes before moving it or cutting into it or the cheese will all ooze out. It's great simply by itself, on top of sliced baguettes or crackers. Also elegant served with grapes and nuts.