My beautiful friend, Cheryl, brought this incredibly addictive salad slash dip to our party the other night.  She carried it in a BIG ol'bowl.  I thought she might have gone overboard and made too much.  It turned out, she knew exactly how much to make.   We couldn't get enough of this tangy sweet collage of goodness.  We walked past it dipping our chips all night long.  And when it was time to eat our grilled fajitas, we went back to the bowl to make it a condiment. I was lucky there was just enough leftover that I could photograph it in good light the next day.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 (14 oz.) can shoe peg corn with liquid
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 oz.) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small jar diced pimentos with liquid
• 2 bell peppers, red, green, yellow or mix, cored, seeded, medium diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 cup celery, finely diced (optional)
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely diced

Mix all the vegetables in a large bowl.

• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

In small saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining ingredients to a boil.  Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat evenly.  Marinade in the fridge 4 hours or overnight.

Serve with tortilla chips as a dip.  Most scrumptious as a condiment with fajitas or as a side salad

Makes 10 cups.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

This recipe has been sponsored by the cool crowd over at One2One Network in partnership with Nestle Carnation The Cooking Milk.

Can I just tell you this is the CREAMIEST potato recipe I have ever made? When Cassie from One2One Network asked me to make two recipes using Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk in place of regular milk, I didn't think it would make much of a difference.  I was wrong.  It made a WORLD of difference to the texture of the recipes.  All my years growing up, watching my Memaw add Carnation cooking milk to her recipes, I never put the two together.  It was the secret ingredient that wasn't really a secret at all.  Memaw knew; she kept several cans of cooking milk in her pantry year round.

We, generally, think of using cooking milk in holiday recipes, more specifically, dessert recipes.  Pumpkin Pie is the first recipe that comes to mind for me.  But after thumbing through the Nestle Carnation Holiday Recipe Booklet, I was up to trying this recipe, Loaded Potato Potluck Favorite.  I knew my family would dig it.  Who doesn't love mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese and bacon bits? What I didn't expect was the incredibly creamy texture.  It was what I've always wanted my mashed potatoes to taste like, but never did.  I knew right away it was because I used the cooking milk instead of regular milk.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 8 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb. total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup CARNATION Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, divided
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Place potatoes in large saucepan.  Cover with water; bring to a boil.  Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease 3-quart casserole dish.

Return potatoes to saucepan; add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper.  Beat with hand held mixer or mash by hand until smooth.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese and half of bacon.  Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining bacon and green onions.  Bake for an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Makes 16 servings.

COOK'S TIP
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated.  Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated.  Uncover; top with cheese, bacon and green onions; bake for an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

EXTRA BONUS!
Download your own free copy of the CARNATION-Holiday Guide
for more savory dishes like this one.
Click here: CARNATION - Holiday Guide.pdf

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

If you're looking for a creepy, cool Halloween idea for your table setting, try making eyeballs with Swan gourds.  The kids really got into this art project and had a blast!  I did, too.

Keep an eye out for Swan gourds at your local farmers' market or the grocery store.  I recommend picking gourds with the most dark green color you can find, and the smoother the better.

• Use a sheet of newsprint to cover your table.
• Craft acrylic gloss paints, black, blue, white/silver, and dark red
• small paint brushes
• small fan to quickly dry the paint

Start with a base coat of white for the eyeball area and dark red for the neck of the Swan gourd.  Allow each coat to thoroughly dry before painting the next layer.

Paint the iris and pupil of the eye next.

Finally, add fine lines with the dark red paint for the blood vessels in the eye.  The more vessels the better it looks.  Practice making fine lines on the newsprint with your brush, before starting on the gourd.  It helps.

HAVE FUN!

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Here's my secret to a GREAT PUMPKIN PIE year after year...

Follow the directions on the back of the Libby's Pure Pumpkin can.  Pick up the boxed Pillsbury's pie crust with the two rolls inside.  And DON'T FORGET to get the can of EVAPORATED MILK!  (I forget it every time.)

In the past, I have roasted fresh pumpkin, pureed it, THEN made it into a pie.  NOBODY EVER NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE. That was disappointing.  Later on, I watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen where they made pumpkin pies with fresh roasted pumpkin and canned pumpkin puree, then asked their test tasters if they could tell the difference.  NOT ONE TASTER NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE.

America's Test Kitchen concluded that it was not worth the time & trouble of carving, cleaning, scraping, disposing, roasting, running the oven longer, for a more labor intensive product that can easily be replaced with a ready made can of pure pumpkin puree.  I COMPLETELY AGREE and have since then been loyal to the Libby label.

As for my decorative pie crust skills, well, I'm still a Padawan or a Grasshopper, depending on which shows you like to watch.

Nowadays, I focus on the crust and try to make it pretty.  That's the fun part for me.  Sometimes, I try to get fancy.  Other times, I totally screw it up and call it "rustic."   In the end, not matter what it looks like, everyone in my family loves the way I make pumpkin pie.

So this year, take it easy on yourself.  Open up the can, buy the box and just have fun!

Happy Holidays!

Libby's Pumpkin Pie Recipe from the back of the can.

NOTES:

1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves; however, the taste will be slightly different. Do not freeze, as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.

FOR 2 SHALLOW PIES: substitute two 9-inch (2-cup volume) pie shells. Bake in preheated 425° F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F.; bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until pies test done.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (3,500 to 6,000 ft.): Deep-dish pie- extend second bake time to 55 to 60 minutes. Shallow pies- no change.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Instead of the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, Kim's Coleslaw Salad uses oil & vinegar with a touch of sugar.  It's zesty, fresh, crunchy and hard to stop eating.  This particular recipe is a BIG HIT for potluck meals.  Kim has told me that even when she has doubled the recipe for parties, hoping to bring home leftovers, she ends up bringing home an empty bowl.

Beside using oil & vinegar, this recipe calls for the uncooked noodles from a package of Ramen Noodles. Don't be put off, the noodles are delicious!  They absorb the dressing and soften without becoming too soft.  And this extra layer of texture just makes it harder to stop eating.

HERE'S ALL YOU DO
This could make 10 to 15 servings, folks will come back for seconds.

• 1 small green cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 small purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 package Ramen Noodles, crumbled, discard season packet
• 3 to 4 ounces sunflower kernels

Toss all the vegetables, crumbled noodles and sunflower kernels in a large salad bowl.

Mix the dressing in a separate bowl

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup neutral tasting oil
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Add the dressing to the tossed coleslaw salad when ready to serve.  Toss well and serve.  Leftovers are delicious the next day and the next day after that.

Tastes wonderful on the side of any meal.  See?

Coffee-Cardamom Grilled Brisket with Chocolate-Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

INCREDIBLE FLAVOR!  "Oh I've never felt love like this before, opened my eyes! No, I never felt-love-like-this-befor-or-or-ore."

CONFESSION:

1. I've never GRILLED a brisket. I've never done anything with a brisket, except eat it.
2. I don't normally get fancy with the spices, or venture into the unusual recipes.  Not because I'm scared, only because I have loved ones who set my culinary boundaries.

However, this past weekend my very dearest friend had her birthday and I wanted to make her dinner.  Kim loves to explore new flavors, as I do, and this recipe sounded right up her alley.

The aroma of coffee, hot paprika, cardamom and garlic was amazing! OH and there's a bread-sopping chocolate-cherry barbecue sauce that goes over the top that will send you to another world.  There's nothing complicated about marinating, grilling, making the sauce or eating this brisket.  It only takes time to bring it together. You gotta try this recipe on your family and friends; it WILL make you a rock star!

COFFEE-CARDAMOM BRISKET RUB
from Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes, Steven Raichlen

• 1/2 cup ground coffee or chicory
• 1/2 cup course salt
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cardamon
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup vegetable oi, or as needed

Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl or food processor and stir or process to mix.  Stir in enough oil to make a thick paste.  The rub should be used the day it is made.  Cover and refrigerate until using.  Makes about 2 cups; enough for a 6- to 8-pound brisket.
I made half of this recipe, because I had 2 (1 1/2-pound) briskets. One brisket was enough to serve five adults.

COFFEE-CARDAMOM BRISKET

• 1 brisket (6 pounds), trimmed
• coffee-cardamom brisket rub
• 1 recipe of chocolate-cherry barbecue sauce
• bread for sopping, or buns for sandwiches

Place the brisket in a roasting pan and smear it on all sides with the rub, using a spatula or gloved hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight.

Set up the grill for indirect cooking and preheat to 325ºF.

Place the brisket, fat side up, on the grate over a drip pan. (A cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil.)

Cook the brisket to an internal temperature of 190ºF or until tender enough to pull apart with you fingers, 5 to 7 hours.  (The cooking time depends on the size of the brisket and the heat of the grill.)  If using charcoal, add 10 fresh coals per side every hour.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, loosely cover with an aluminum foil tent, and let rest for 15 minutes.  Thinly slice the meat across the grain and serve it on slices of bread witht eh barbecue sauce on the side or on top.  Serves 12 to 14 folks.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BARBECUE SAUCE

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 cups canned pitted Bing cherries, drained
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon pure chili powder (not a blend)
• 1 1/2 cups Port wine
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey or more to taste
• 4 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 canned chipotle chilies or 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon course salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and cherries and cook unti the onion is soft but not brown, 3 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups, 15 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lemon juice, or honey; the sauce should be a little sweet, a little sour, and very flavorful.  Use right away or transfer to a large jar, cover, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.  The sauce will keep for several weeks.  Makes 2 cups.

COOK'S NOTES

• For the rub, I had fresh ground Ethiopian Harar coffee on hand. I'm an Arabica bean drinker, if that means anything to you. I used gloved hands to massage in the wet rub before refrigerating overnight.
• I set out the brisket on the counter for 30 minutes before grilling.
• I used my large gas grill this time.  It has a temperature gauge, so it was easy to monitor the temperature without ever lifting the grill cover.  I peeked one time to make sure my drip pan was aligned and NEVER flipped or poked the brisket with a fork.  The two small briskets were not over the flames, but only cooked with the heat of the grill, like an oven would cook.
• I started at 12 noon and the brisket were ready by 5 o'clock.  They were small as I mentioned.
• I pulled a chair into the kitchen and read a magazine while watching & occasionally stirring the barbecue sauce.  I wanted  a thick sauce and took 25 minutes to get it the way I liked it.
• I went out and purchased a nine dollar bottle of Port wine, but next time I'll use cranberry juice.
• I couldn't find sherry vinegar, so purchased Raspberry Vinegar.
• I didn't have caraway seeds and skipped it.
• We used onion-buns to make sandwiches and used the sauce as the dripping condiment.  I NEVER grew tired of eating brisket the whole weekend. *sigh*

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Be sure to have plenty of milk on hand for these rich delights.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED

Brownie

• 8 ounces sweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 350ºF.  Grease rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.  In a medium size, microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter with medium low power in microwave for 1 minute, then 30 second intervels until chocolate is melted.  Remove from microwave and stir in remaining ingredients.

Spread batter in pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Frost with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.  Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.  Yields 32 brownies.

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cook sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolk in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Refrigerate about 1 hour or until spreadable.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Biscotti is my favorite cookie to bake for friends, to give away as gifts, or just to eat alone.  I'm flexible.  This family favorite recipe comes straight from my secret cookie book.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Beat sugar, butter, orange peal and eggs in large electric mixer bowl on medium speed.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in almonds.  Divide dough in half.  Shape each half into rectangle, 10x3 inches, on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 20 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes.  Cut crosswise into 1/2 - inch slices.  Turn slices cut sides down on cookie sheet.

Bake about 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  After they've cooled, the biscotti have easily be stored in a resealable storage bag.  Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Now for those who like illustrations

Unbaked biscotti shaped into 10x3 inch rectangles.

Baked 20 min. and now cooling on cookie sheet.

Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices- use a cutting board.

Blowouts happens- don't sweat it- just eat it.

Ready for second baking for 15-20 minutes.

Light brown & crispy cookies- Ready to eat!

Notes:

It's important to toast the almonds, so you can taste them in the biscotti. If you skip toasting, you may as well not add them at all.

Never use margarine in this recipe, ALWAYS BUTTER.  It makes a big difference in flavor.

You can use lemon zest in place of orange zest, and skip the almonds.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Last recipe entry from me from the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show. Isn't it pretty?  It's hard to believe a little monkey, ur I mean, a little kid made this monkey bread.

I sure hope they (the AgriLIFE Extension office) ask me to judge again next time.  It was SO MUCH FUN meeting the kids, listening to them spout their nutrition education, while proudly standing behind their prepared dishes.  Those kids were down right cool!

HERE'S MONKEY BREAD from a CLOVER KID

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cans refrigerator biscuits (10 biscuits each)
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• cooking spray

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Mix white sugar and cinnamon together in a plastic storage bag or paper sack.  Remove biscuits from the tubes. Place each biscuit on cutting board and cut each into fourths with a butter knife.

Place about half the biscuit pieces into the cinnamon sugar mix and shake bag, until thoroughly coated.

With an adult helper, heat butter and brown sugar in a small pan over low heat, stir until mixed together.

Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, be sure to coat it very well.  Place the coated biscuit pieces evenly in the bundt pan.  Finish coating the remaining pieces, then add them to the bundt pan.

Pour brown sugar mixture over the biscuits.  BAKE in oven 35 minutes.

Have the adult helper remove the bundt pan and place on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  CAREFULLY turn the pan upside down onto serving plate, the sugary coating will still be hot.  The monkey bread should fall right out.  Allow to cool at least 5 minutes or more, before serving.

To eat, just pinch off pieces and Enjoy!

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

This is a totally nutritious snack!  Yes it is!  According to Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension and the Hopkins County 4-H Club, it's considered a nutritious snack.  So there.

My fun friend, Kim, asked me last week if I wanted to be a volunteer for a 4-H food show event at our local Ag extension office.  I said, "Sure!"  Turns out, we had the fun of judging the nutritional knowledge and recipe presentation of young cooks from the ages of 7 to 14 years of age.  And let me tell you, those kids had it going on!

These great young cooks had learned how to balance a nutritious meal, studied nutrient facts, learned how to operate kitchen appliances, kitchen safety, and last but not the least, presented a delicious recipe.  For the next few posts, I wanted to highlight some recipes from the food show.

Moms & Dads, your kiddos can make these recipes.  Now, they WILL need your supervision and assistance working appliances, but they can put these recipes together.

LET'S START WITH THE WINNING RECIPE
made by Timothy, 8 years old.

Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut, plus 1/3 cup to coat balls
  
• 1 cup chopped nuts, plus 1/3 cup to coat balls
  

Warm the peanut butter in the microwave up to 1 minute, enough to make it easy to stir.  Add in honey, vanilla, and cocoa powder; mix thoroughly.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well.

Use a 1 inch scooper to help roll dough into balls, then use either the extra coconut or chopped nuts to coat balls.  Can be chilled or served immediately.
Let's look at them again.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.