Baklava Butter

I adore Baklava. I’ve never met one I didn’t like! But as far as making it, I’m not sure I have the patience, with all the layering that needs to be done. And then, after making it, I’d want to eat all of it! It’s so sweet and nutty--completely addicting. How could I turn it away, with all of those nuts, the sweet honey, and the crunchy, paper thin layers of phyllo dough?

I’ve found a way to get all of my favorite things from Baklava, without all of the work. How does it taste? Nutty, crunchy, sweet--but not too sweet, and there’s the telltale signature spice, cinnamon. I don’t see how I can go any amount of time without this in my kitchen.

The other day, while out shopping with Billy, I stopped to check out the cooking mags. I have an addiction, ok? I know, you do, too! The rack was filled with comfort food related issues for slow cookers (of which I don’t have) and casseroles (Billy strongly dislikes casseroles of almost any kind). I saw an issue of Cuisine at Home, which I’ve only ever picked up once or twice. But skimming through it, I saw quite a few promising recipes.

I didn’t even pick the magazine up to read it until a few days later when we got some free time. This recipe for Baklava Butter nearly jumped off the page while screaming my name. It’s true! I went out almost right away and got the nuts to make it.

Speaking of nuts, I know they can be expensive. Trader Joe’s has very reasonable prices on nuts if you’re near one. Whole Foods allows you to buy just the amount you need in the bulk foods aisle. If these aren’t options for you, try your nearest natural foods store. They’ll likely have a bulk food section. If none of these options are going to happen for you, then pick up the nuts you can. I’m sure this spread would be just as fantastic if you can only get one or two types of the nuts.

Don’t even get me started on the health benefits of nuts! By now, you should already know how fabulous they are for you, but if you don’t, check out this site. Every single nut in this recipe is so good for you! And it’s sweetened only with honey. Best part? You don’t have to mess around with blanching and skinning the nuts. Plus, it’s a no bake, quickie snack. So make some!

Baklava Butter

Makes just over 2 cups.
Adapted from Cuisine at Home.

1 cup almonds
2/3 cup walnuts
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup shelled pistachios
1/2 cup honey (Use organic! Cheap honey is full of nasty hidden chemicals and HFCS.)
1/2 cup water
Couple pinches kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor about 20-30 times. you still want to have some of the nutty texture, so don't overdo it.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Note: All of the nuts I used were roasted, not raw. You can certainly use raw if you'd like, and combined with honey, can be a raw spread for you to enjoy! If any of the nuts are salted, taste for seasoning before you add some salt.

So simple!

• Serve this with your favorite bread, bagel, roll, etc.
• Billy chose to swirl some into some Greek yogurt and said it was amazing. A must try!

Top 11 for 2011

I won’t get too wordy here, the title is self explanatory. These are the top eleven posts from my blog for the past year, according to Google. Don’t be alarmed if some photos are marked earlier than 2011, it’s just that you guys still really like some of the older posts. That makes me happy!

Thanks for reading along! I’m looking forward to more fun and good food in 2012!

Counting down from 11 to #1…

11. Loaded Fries - Think Super Bowl food! These have grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, horseradish cheddar and other good things. 

10. It’s not a P-I-T-A to make Pita Bread - Easy, I’m serious. Pig out!

9. S’mores Rice Krispies Treats - Makes both little and big kids seriously happy! Is it a Rice Krispie Treat? A S’more? It’s both, sandwiched together.

8. Pistachio Praline Cherry Ice Cream - I could eat this every single day.

7. Bananas Foster Cupcakes - I even flambéed bananas for these!

6. Make Your Own Christmas Ornament Wreath - It blew me away how popular this one was!

5. Fresh Blueberry Pie - Bursting with fresh blueberry goodness. Most of the berries don’t get cooked, so it’s super fresh.

4. Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies - I cracked the code!

3. Holiday Elfin Shortbread Cookies - Customizable for any holiday.

2. Cosmic Brownies - Who loves Cosmic Brownies? Everyone, it seems!

1. Woodchuck Draft Cider Sorbet - The most popular post ever in the the history of this blog. Super simple and so refreshing!

New Years Resolutions and Trop50 Juice Beverage

Do you set resolutions at the start of every new year? I usually don’t, and the reason for that is that I don’t stick to them, and I hate feeling disappointed in myself.

This year, I decided to choose a fairly simple one, and I hope I can stick to it. I want to get more exercise--at least three to four times per week, but preferably five. I used to do yoga almost every day, and I really miss how great I felt afterward. Not only limber and stretchy (?), but it really wakes your mind up, too. I felt smarter!

Cutting calories is a good way to make changes, too. Even small changes can add up and make a big difference! One way I’ve been cutting calories for the last few months is in what I drink. We rarely have soda, so that’s not really an issue, but I do love a tall, cold drink with my lunch and dinner.

My usual “formula” for a cold drink is a lot of ice, 3/4 of a glass of either cold tea or soda water (check your soda water labels for sodium and HFCS-make sure there isn’t any!), and 1/4 lemonade or fruit juice. I like my drinks to be a little sweet, but not too much. Adding the lemonade or juice makes it easier to stay away from too much sweetener. This could be an issue if you’re buying a heavily sweetened lemonade or juice, but I’ve really been enjoying Tropicana Trop50 Juice Beverage! I’d have to say my favorite is the Raspberry Lemonade. It goes so well with iced tea! The Pomegranate Blueberry is a close second! Or maybe the Pineapple Mango. They’re all so good! As I’m writing this, I’m having Trop50 Raspberry Lemonade with raspberry lime soda water. It doesn’t get any more refreshing than that!

Tropicana® Trop50® delivers the goodness of fruit juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. That’s fabulous in my book!

You can find Trop50 on Facebook and Twitter (hash tag #Trop50), and I think you should follow them so you can always be up to date on new developments and updates!

Trop50 juice beverage is currently running a promotion on Facebook called Trop50 True Resolutions:

Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions. Share your secret motivation and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and $.50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1000 gift.

So head on over (you can click the graphics below to be taken right to their page), add your resolution, and download your Trop50 coupon! You won’t be disappointed--you’ll get fabulous flavor with 50% less sugar and calories!

Holiday Whisky (Whole Wheat) Gingerbread

I love boozy cakes! There, I said it. I do! I also like to make gingerbread at least once a year. What if I told you that you could make a gingerbread with 100% whole wheat flour, and still have it be moist, decadent and rich,without the heavy whole wheat taste? You can! I’ve done it here. I’ve been very generous with the spices, because I like a spicy gingerbread. No wimpy gingerbread for me! Also, I’ve added a healthy dose of good whisky that was just begging to be used in something special for the holidays. I also decided to add some Greek yogurt for extra points in the tender crumb/less fat department. It all works beautifully in this dark, rich cake, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

I was asked by Hodgson Mill to participate in a recipe contest that they’re running for the holidays. They want decadent holiday treats, sweet or savory, made healthier by using their Whole Wheat Flour or their Best for Bread Flour. The very first thing that popped into my head was gingerbread. I knew the heavily spiced bread would lend itself well to the whole wheat flour. It’s a match made in heaven! The bread is dense, moist, spicy--and a little boozy. A little whisky is good for the soul--and I used my stash of Macallan Fine Oak 15. We always have Hodgson Mill products in the pantry. Their selection is varied and fantastic! Just take a look through their online store!

If I had my way, I’d have lightly spiced the whipped cream, too, but my husband thought the bread didn’t need any more spice on top of it, and he was right. He was, it’s true! Soft, subtly sweet whipped cream is the way to go with this. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, and serve it for dessert, breakfast, afternoon snacks--whatever you like!

Holiday Whisky (Whole Wheat!) Gingerbread 
makes one 9x13 pan

1 (7oz) container plain Greek yogurt, or plain regular yogurt
3 tbsp canola oil
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
scant 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder (I’m addicted to Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Flour 
1 tbsp baking soda
3/4 cup whisky (I used my Macallan Fine Oak 15)
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup heavy cream and a bit of honey or sugar if you want your whipped cream sweetened

Heat the oven to 325 degrees, and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease it) and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (I used my KA stand mixer), add the yogurt, oil and butter, mix well. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the molasses and blend that in, then add all of the spices--from the ginger all the way through to the salt. Add the flour and mix well.

In a measuring cup, combine the whisky and the water. Heat for about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave, then stir the baking soda into the liquid, and stir until it's dissolved. Pour this into the batter--and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, carefully stir it in a bit, otherwise when you turn the mixer on, it's splash all over you. Trust me, I know. Now turn the mixer on low and blend it in completely, and then lastly, add the eggs, blending until completely mixed in.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside on a rack to cool.

For the whipped cream, you can either whip it up with a mixer, or whisk it by hand. Add in honey or sugar to taste, and serve over the gingerbread squares.

• Gingerbread couldn’t be any easier to prepare, but it’s always so special to me. And it screams holidays! If you like your gingerbread super moist with lots of great spicy flavor, try this one.
• The spices and the whisky definitely make this cake warm you up on the inside. If you don’t want to use whisky, you can use all water instead. Or brandy, or rum, or…you get the idea.

Make Your Own Christmas Ornament Wreath

Did you know that you can take a wreath form, some ornaments, ribbon, beads and a glue gun, and make a gorgeous holiday wreath? You can! It’s easy, too. It takes a little time, but in the end, it’s SO worth it.

I used to be crafty. All the time! Then I had kids, and all that goes along with them got in the way. Not that that’s a bad thing! I love my kids. But I got out of the habit of making things for myself, and into the habit of usually buying stuff already made.

A few weeks ago, all of that changed. I actually felt like grabbing a glue gun and making something. Something pretty, kind of funky…and my mind ended up thinking about ornament wreaths. Ooooh yeah.

I’ve wanted to make one of these for a few years now (but didn’t feel like it!), and I finally decided to just take the plunge. I hit a couple of stores, bought my supplies, and then…and then…had to wait. I hate waiting when I get an idea in my head! But I was so busy at the end of last week, that I couldn’t get to this until Friday night, and then finishing it up Saturday afternoon. So, yeah--my guess is this wreath took me about 2-2 1/2 hours in all. Not too bad, I think!

My husband teased me when he saw all of my bags of craft stuff. He said “So, how long are these bags going to sit here? You gonna make something we can finally use next Christmas?” Funny. I made both wreaths that I planned on making, and only have a few more decorations to hang in the windows. So he can suck on that, haha!

Let’s get to it. Here’s what you need, or what I used for mine:

1. A wreath form. The foam ones were squared off on the edges, and I didn’t really like them, but you can use one if you like. I decided to go with a straw one, center diameter 12 inches. Take the plastic wrap off, but don’t remove the thread that’s wrapped around it! $4.99 (Also, it was a lot cheaper than the foam one!)
2. Wide ribbon (I went with silver). You need a good amount. I picked up a large 90 foot roll at Hobby Lobby that was 50% off--it cost $5.00, normally $10. It’s more than enough.
3. A boatload of ornaments. Seriously. Buy more than you think you’ll need. If you have extra, you can always toss them in a pretty glass vase or bowl for extra decorating. I bought a large container with 45 shatterproof larger ornaments, 2 boxes of 8 count larger ornaments, and 4 cylinders of smaller ones--20 count in each one. $37.00 total.
4. A string of silver beaded garland. I have no clue how long this was, sorry. Oh, and you can use any color you like, but shiny is best! (Make sure they’re not just loose beads on the string, because you’ll be cutting it up.) $2.00
5. Not necessary, but instead of the traditional bow, I picked up a funky little glittery-curly-bow-type silver ornament. $2.00
6. A glue gun and plenty of glue sticks.

-Begin by wrapping the ribbon all the way around your unwrapped wreath form. Glue one end of the ribbon the the wreath, and spiral it all the way around once, snipping and gluing the other end when you’ve wrapped the whole thing. You shouldn’t see any of the wreath form when you’re done.

-Cut a length of ribbon and make a hanger. Figure out how long you want it to be, then loop it around the wreath, securely gluing the two ends of the ribbon together to form your loop hanger.

-Start with the large ornaments, and glue them around the inside and outside edges of the wreath form. When you’ve done that, glue some on to the top of the wreath. You’re not going to put any on the back of the wreath.

-Fill in the gaps and spaces with the smaller ornaments. Don’t worry if you have some small spaces showing through, just do your best.

-Now, take the beaded garland, and without being measurey or technical, just snip it into lengths about 5-6 inches. (First make sure they’re not loose stringed beads, or you’ll have a mess!) Glue the ends of each cut piece together to form little loops, like teeny bracelets. Look over the wreath from different angles, and with the glue gun, add some glue to the closest ornaments so you can stick the beaded loops into the gaps. I just draped them into the gaps and added a bit more glue if needed to make them stick. It’s not as hard as it sounds, really. Just maybe harder to explain.

-If you’re adding a “bow” or fun ornament to the wreath, glue it into place now wherever you want it.

-That’s it! You’re done! Easy, right? Now hang it up!

Back of the wreath and close up of ribbon wrapped wreath:

• I ended up using every single ornament. I could have even used a few more!
• When I started, I looked at my table full of ornaments and thought, “Wow, I may even have enough to make another, smaller wreath!” Ha! Not even close. As I worked on it, I began to think, “Whoa. I think I’m going to need more ornaments!” I kept going, though, and like I said, had just enough.
• During the process, my daughter came in and said, “I don’t think that’s going to fit between the two doors, mom. Did you even think of checking?” She offered to go measure, and sure enough, that smartass was right. SO, this is currently hanging on my dining room wall. Still gorgeous, no matter where it is!
• Don’t be afraid to make this. If you’re worried that you’re not crafty, you’re fine! It’s not hard--it’s just a matter of gluing ornaments on and filling in the gaps. And hey, you only have to make it once! This thing isn’t extremely fragile. Just don’t go tossing it around like a shiny, bulby frisbee!

Here’s a close up of the “bow” ornament:

And here, you can get a better idea of how the beads fill in the gaps: