Recipes
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Pumpkin snickerdoodles are a delicious seasonal twist on a classic favorite! Pumpkin season in full swing, with all kinds of amazing spice combinations! These happy little cookies pair pumpkin with Ras el Hanout, one of our favorite "secret ingredients". The blend is an unexpected twist on traditional pumpkin spice selections. It combines just enough cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice to hit the fall warm and cozy flavor profile, with some floral swirls and peppery peaks to make it unique!
Learn moreBeef and Bean Taquitos with Avocado Sauce
'Tis the season for hosting parties. While sometimes that can be a bit stressful, the experts at Cook's Illustrated have come out with this book of 75 "only the best" appetizer recipes to reduce some of the stress. All-Time Best Appetizers Cookbook makes it easy to create a spread with everything from things that can be dipped, spread, or eaten by the handful to two-bite treats. These Beef and Bean Taquitos with Avocado Sauce are great for any get together...or for a "finger food" dinner. From the authors: "Why this recipe works - Making crunchy, golden taquitos is easy for restaurant cooks with access to a deep-fryer; our goal was to make them foolproof for home cooks, too. Adding mashed pinto beans to a seasoned ground beef filling and rolling the taquitos tightly helped the filling hold together. Sealing the edge with egg wash offered extra insurance, and frying in a mere cup of oil prevented the taquitos from unrolling as they cooked."
Learn moreMexican Street Corn Salad
My first taste of Elote corn was love at first bite, and now I look forward to it every summer. The smoky, tangy, salty combination of grilled corn with lime and cotija is....perfect. And it gets even better in the form of Mexican street corn salad because eliminating the cob made it easier to get more into ones mouth! This delicious and versatile dish has become a summer menu staple. With a hint of our Cuban Spice for depth of flavor, and plenty of cilantro to add a bright layer you can serve this alongside just about anything coming off the grill. This recipe is made without mayonnaise or crema - so it can sit out or travel to a picnic worry free. Enjoy!
Learn moreChocolate Chili Chess Pie with Liquored Pie Dough
When Heather Earnhardt opened her cafe, The Wandering Goose, in Seattle, she added a little bit of Southern charm and comfort to the city. From her childhood in the South with her close-knit family comes this collection of traditional Southern favorites that makes use of all of the delicious food ingredients available here in the Pacific Northwest. Her specialty is her biscuits - both sweet and savory - as well as traditional Southern fare such as pickles, fried chicken, grits, cakes and this luscious Chocolate Chili Chess Pie with Liquored Pie Dough. This delicious recipe comes from Heather L. Earnhardt's Big Food Big Love: Down Home Southern Cooking Full of Heart of Seattle's Wandering Goose. From the Author: "Chocolate Pecan Pie is one of my favorites, but I wanted a spicy version without nuts. I love the balance of sweet and spicy heat. After your first bite, the chili spice lingers a few moments but is not too overpowering, and the hint of cinnamon adds a nice warmth. Serve this with a big dollop of Whipped Cream. This pie dough will most likely make more than you need, but keep it in the freezer so you can pop it out to defrost and within a few minutes have a homemade crust ready for a sweet or savory pie. You can use a food processor or a stand mixer. If using a stand mixer, just be sure not to over-mix the dough once you add the water or vodka. Use ice water if you don't have vodka, or half vodka and half water if you don't have a lot of vodka."
Learn moreBread & Butter Pickles
Growing up in the South, Heather Earnhardt used to help her Granny in the kitchen whenever she would can, pickle or preserve fruit and vegetables in the summer. Big Food Big Love: Down Home Southern Cooking Full of Heart of Seattle's Wandering Goose has a whole chapter called "All About the Pickles: Jar it Up". One of her most popular is this quick-pickle version of Bread & Butter Pickles. This recipe that you'll want to make over and over again comes from Heather L. Earnhardt's Big Food Big Love: Down Home Southern Cooking Full of Heart of Seattle's Wandering Goose.From the Author: "Our front-of-house staff asks the kitchen for sides of these pickles with their meal. They're great for gifting to friends and family. You can find a crinkle cutter at kitchen supply stores or online; if you don't have one, regular slices are just fine."
Learn moreSummer Fruit Papillotes and Lavender Ice Cream (Papillotes de fruits de l'ete et glace a la lavande)
Food is considered by the French to be one of life's greatest pleasures, and author Béatrice Peltre celebrates that with her beautiful blog and cookbooks. In her cookbook, My French Family Table, she definitely takes advantage of spring and summer produce to make gorgeous salads and desserts. Here's a unique take on the traditional en papillote, but turning it into a stunning dessert instead.From the Author: "Use the same technique as for a savory papillote but add sweet ingredients instead; the result is something irresistible. This papillote uses a medley of luscious summer fruit that, once the parchment paper is torn open, displays a palette of bright colors that is completely seductive. I love it served with a scoop of lavender-infused ice cream melting slowly right in the middle."
Learn moreChicken Drumsticks with Spices and Coconut Milk
This lovely recipe comes from Béatrice Peltre's My French Family Table. This recipe is one of the author's favorite chicken "go to recipes" for when she needs a dose of delicious comfort food.From the Author: "When I'm thinking about comfort food that involves chicken, I like to imagine the sauce that will come with it, something wonderful to flavor a bowl of steaming grains such as brown rice, millet, or quinoa on the side. The sauce in this chicken dish is packed with many of my favorite aromas, from an array of fresh-scented herbs and spices - what's not to love about saffron? - to the flavors of lime juice and coconut milk. I always hope there will be leftovers for the next day so I can have a quiet lunch at home when Lulu is at school and Philip is at the office."
Learn moreFrench Macarons
Food is considered by the French to be one of life's greatest pleasures. Béatrice Peltre celebrates that with her beautiful blog and cookbooks. Her latest cookbook, My French Family Table, focuses on everyday foods that you can share with family and friends. She features healthy and creative meals that use whole grains, spices and vibrantly colorful fruits and vegetables. Bonus? They all happen to be gluten-free, too. These French macarons are no exception. Perfect for a gathering or special occasion...or just because you're craving something chocolate, you'll want to make these again and again.From the Author: "While these macarons are not complicated, they do take some time to prepare. You will feel a deep sense of accomplishment when you master them."
Learn moreCreole Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are always a crowd pleaser, even more so when you make them with a twist. Enter our Creole Deviled Eggs. This version is anything but ordinary, packed with flavor from Creole Spice and a dusting of Smoked Sweet Paprika on top.
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