Category Archives: Recipes

Caramel Sauce

14 Replies

The easiest and richest caramel sauce ever! AND it's all real food. Can't beat that. Must try recipe. Perfect for ice cream too.

I love caramel. There is just something about the sugary, buttery combination that you can’t beat. Especially with a touch of salt and vanilla mixed in.

This caramel sauce would be the perfect finishing touch to so many different desserts. Apple crisp and pie. Drizzled over cheesecake (oh my goodness). It would make the perfect layer in caramel bars. Of course, there’s one other  situation it would be ideal in. In case you missed it, I have a thing for ice cream. But these two items together and you have perfection.

I made the recipe several times now and we all love it and agree it takes desserts over the top. I love how easy it is and that I can make it in advance.

The coconut sugar gives such a deep and rich flavor that you won’t be able to beat. If you don’t have coconut sugar I’d try it with sucanat. (If you don’t have these sugars, I’m sure you could make it with regular brown sugar.)

(This recipe also works great if you cut it in half for when you are making it for a couple of people.)

The easiest and richest caramel sauce ever! AND it's all real food. Can't beat that. Must try recipe. Perfect for ice cream too.

Print
Caramel Sauce
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ cup half and half (or heavy cream)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Combine first three ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. When the mixture starts to bubble reduce heat to medium low and let cook for 6 minutes stirring frequently. (Keep the mixture bubbling the entire time. On my gas stove medium low is plenty hot. Adjust temperature if you need to.)
  2. After 6 minutes turn burner off and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
  3. Serve warm or let cool.
  4. Mixture will thicken as it sits. If you want to serve it cool, stir in up to ¼ cup more half and half while it is still warm to get your desired consistency.

Linking up to these fun parties!

Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Corn Salad

27 Replies

This Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Corn Salad came together on a whim a couple weeks ago. I needed a dish to bring someplace and wanted to use ingredients that sounded good and were in my house.

Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Corn Salad | Perfect side dish for grilling and the leftovers make a tasty lunch. I love this!!!

Garbanzo beans are one of my favorite things so I decided to determine the rest of the salad around that ingredient. Onion and jalapeno make pretty much everything better so those made an appearance as well. Sautéing them before adding them to the salad gives them more of a subtle flavor. I like my salads lightly dressed, mostly because I’m cheap and I hate to see all of the dressing left at the bottom of the dish. Because it’s not sitting in gobs of dressing, this will keep well for several days depending on what add ins you use. The perfect amount of citrus and oil flavors came through, but if you’d like to add more, go for it.

This salad is super easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. Look and see what vegetables you need to use up and add them in.

I enjoyed eating the leftovers for my lunch and will definitely be making it again. My 3 year old also loved it and had to keep taking bites from my bowl instead of her lunch. Little stinker. I suppose I should be happy she enjoys eating her vegetables.

4.3 from 4 reviews
Print
Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Corn Salad
Serves: 7 cups - 8-12 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 (16 ounces) package frozen corn
  • 3 cups garbanzo beans (or two cans drained and rinsed)
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ a small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
Add Ins (use what you like):
  • ½-1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1-2 avocados, chopped
  • ½-1 cup red bell pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Dressing
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime (or lemon) juice
  • 2 teaspoons cumin powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Turn your oven on to high broil. Spread the corn onto a large baking sheet and place in the oven around 10 minutes. You don't want to over cook and dry out the corn so watch it and stir one or two times.
  2. In a skillet sauté the jalapeno, onion, and garlic.
  3. In a large bowl combine the corn, garbanzo beans, onion mixture and dressing ingredients.
  4. Adjust seasons to taste. Can also add a little garlic powder if needed.
  5. Gently stir in add ins.
  6. Can serve room temperature or chilled.

 

Linking up to these fun parties!

Indian Pea Pilaf (peas pilau)

18 Replies

Indian Pea Pilaf (peas pilau). My favorite rice side dish. Easy and super tasty.

This is another recipe from my sister. She makes some awesome Indian food. The flavors are subtle but tasty and different. Something different about this recipe is that there is no heat from peppers which makes if perfect for those with sensitive palates.

I made Indian Pea Pilaf or Peas Pilau for my first time a year ago and fell in love. What a simple dish to prepare and it has a unique twist. This is my favorite recipe to use when I want to serve a side dish of rice with any recipe. Last week I make it to go with roasted chicken. My husband is not a fan of peas but this was tasty enough that he said he didn’t mind them.

5.0 from 3 reviews
Print
Indian Pea Pilaf (peas pilau)
Serves: 8-10
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons butter or expeller pressed coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablepoon ginger garlic paste (or 1½ teaspoons finely minced ginger an 1/12 teaspoons finely minced garlic)
  • 2 teaspoons salt (may need a little more)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 3 cups water
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a skillet. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Saute until fragrant - around a minute. Watch carefully so the spices don't burn.
  2. Add the onions and saute until tender.
  3. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another minute.
  4. Stir in peas and salt. Turn off heat.
  5. Place rice, pea mixture, and water into a rice cooker and cook according to cooker instructions.

 

Linking up to these fun parties!

Spicy Indian Chicken Sandwich

17 Replies

One of my sisters is married to a man from India. She cooks some killer Indian food. This recipe is one of hers and it is good. The Spicy Indian Chicken Sandwich is a fun change from a regular grilled or pan cooked chicken sandwich and has a nice kick. Adjust the spice depending on your family’s heat tolerance. My family can’t take things near are spicy as my sister and those she cooks for. On top of the heat in this chicken, she recommends topping the sandwich with sliced raw jalapeno. There is no way my mouth could handle that, but if you like fire, go for it!
Spicy Indian Chicken Sandwich. This is so tasty and a fun and flavorful twist. Can serve in a bun or in naan.

You can thinly slice the chicken breast and cook on the grill or cut into bite sized piece and cook over the stove. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion. Serve on a bun or in a piece of naan as a tasty wrap.

This will serve 6-8 depending on how large your chicken breasts are.

Spicy Indian Chicken Sandwich. This is so tasty and a fun and flavorful twist. Can serve in a bun or in naan.

Print
Spicy Indian Chicken Sandwich
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
  • 3 chicken breasts (thinly sliced or cut into chunks)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1-3 teaspoons of sambal oelek (these last two are the ingredients you'll want to adjust for how spicy you like)
Sandwich
  • Bread, Buns, or Naan
  • Lettuce
  • Tomatoes
  • Red Onion
  • Cheese
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients except for chicken.
  2. Rub spice mixture over chicken and let marinate at least four hours and preferably overnight.
  3. Cook the thinly sliced pieces of chicken on a low grill being careful not to overcook or saute the chunks in a small amount of oil on the stove.
  4. Build your sandwich or wrap with your choice of bread and toppings.

 

Linking up to these fun parties!

Easy Pizza Sauce Recipe

24 Replies

Hopefully you aren’t tired of all the pizza talk yet. (My husband would say there is no such thing as too much pizza.) I promise we are almost done. I shared my tips for making pizza on a budget and my recipe for crust and tips for making the perfect pizza already. Today, I’m going to give you my easy pizza sauce recipe.

pan with the best easy pizza sauce recipe. Pizza night made tastier and simpler!

Let me tell you a secret. Pizza sauce is one of the easiest things to make and can be done in seconds. There is no need to purchase jarred sauce if you have basic spices in your pantry. I use tomato sauce. If you are out, tomato puree or another tomato based product would work.

Pizza sauce is one of those things I never measure ingredients on. I add a shake of this and a shake of that. The past few times I’ve made it, I’ve pulled out the measuring spoons to get this recipe. Feel free to switch it up and taste and adjust at the end. Sometimes I’ll add thyme and in the summer when I have fresh herbs I love to add them instead of dried ones.

I will make this easy pizza sauce recipe on Fridays with two 8 ounce cans of sauce and use half of it for two pizzas and then save the other half in the fridge to make pizza again the next week.

Easy and Delicious Homemade Pizza Sauce. You can whip this up in seconds and it freezes great!

Easy Pizza Sauce Recipe

4.7 from 3 reviews
Print
Homemade Pizza Sauce
 
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces tomato sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon marjoram
  • pinch of rosemary
  • pinch of fennel seeds, optional
  • small pinch of red pepper flakes
  • freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine everything in a small saucepan and gently heat on low to let the flavors combine.
  2. I use approximately ½ cup per pizza. This recipe makes enough for three or 4 pizzas.
  3. Freeze in pizza size portions if you aren't going to use it all.

 

pan with the best easy pizza sauce recipe. Pizza night made tastier and simpler!

Linking up to these fun parties!