pineapple, black bean and red pepper salad

If you've never looked through a Costco cook book, you have got to get your hands on one.  Their recipes are absolutely stunning.  This recipe, is such a refreshing, flavorful treat.  The lime, and cilantro combo is always a winner .

For the vinaigrette:

1 lime, juiced
3 TBSP marmalade, apricot, or apple jelly
1 TBSP olive oil

For the Salad:
2 cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups fresh pineapple cut into tidbits
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 red pepper cut up into small bits
1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
**optional** seeded and dices jalapeno pepper

Whisk dressing together in a small jar or bowl.  Add all the salad ingredients into a large container.  Toss with dressing.  Refrigerate for several hours.

This is a perfect summer salad.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Potato chips

Ok, another mandolin recipe for you all, and if you weren't sold on getting a mandolin slicer for my apple chips, you need to get one for these potato chips.
Easy. Low fat. Crunchy.  Healthy!

Russet potatoes ( as many as you need for your crew)
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt

In a large bowl add thinly sliced potatoes. I used a number 2 thickness on mine and they were fabulous. Add enough olive oil to coat them, not too heavy on the oil. Add salt and line them on a parchment lines cookie sheet. Bake at 300' for 15 minutes, turn each chip over and then watch them for the next ten minutes or so. If you like them more crispy and brown leave them in longer.

The result is amazing. They taste like potato chips you buy, but so much better. You would never guess they were a healthy snack!

Enjoy these ones!
Xo
L.

Apple chips

I himmed and hawed about buying a mandolin for years. I've always wanted one, but thought that for the amount of times that I would use it, it was not worth the money. Well, let me tell you, if you get one for these chips alone, it is worth every penny!

These "chips" are more like candy really. You may find other apple chip recipes that don't call for the simple syrup used in this recipe, and you just simply bake the chips. This recipe is a special one....

Boil 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar in a small saucepan for about ten minutes until you get a light syrup consistency. In the meantime, while the syrup is boiling, wash, core using an apple correr ( you can omit this step if you don't mind the center core being in the chip) then using your brand new mandolin, slice very thinly 8 Granny Smith apples, though I'm sure any kind would be delicious. Add apple slices to the pot of syrup. Add enough so syrup can cover each apple, you may need to do a couple of bathes. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Using tongs, carefully place each apple slice onto a cooling rack placed onto a cookie sheet.

Bake at 300' for about ten minutes. Watch them because they will turn brown quickly thereafter. Once you remove them they will continue to crisp up.

Now go on, grab those apples that have been sitting in your fridge and make some apple chips! You are going to love them!

P.S. don't throw away the syrup when you're done. It has an amazing apple flavor to it. Refrigerate it and add it to a martini!

My new found love........

Coconut oil!

I had heard about coconut oil before, but never thought about using it. A couple of weeks ago, I was at costco and they were selling it for $16.00 for a huge tub. I figured, what the heck, I'll try it. Well, now Im just looking for things to use it in all the time. I'v been using it on my face, skin, hair, for cooking and tonight, I made these beauties. Coconut, oatmeal chocolate drop cookies. NO BAKING REQUIRED!! The kids stirred everything up, we scooped up all the cookies onto a parchment lined sheet, and threw them outside for a few minutes to chill (one good think about living in a cold climate is that you have an extra freezer outside your front door)

These are chewy, chocolatey, and every little but addictive!

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. They are a favorite of ours and now with the substitution of coconut oil, I guess I can eat a whole whack of them!

In a saucepan combine:
1/2 cup coconut oil ( butter if you don't have the oil)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar

Let it come to a boil, stirring occasionally and allow to boil for 4 minutes.

Add in 1/2 cup cocoa powder and mix well. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and stir in.

In a large bowl add in 3 cups oats ( I used half quick oats and half old fashioned)
1 pkg shredded sweetened coconut ( about 2 cups)

Dump hot cocoa mixture into the bowl and mix very well until everything is coated in chocolate , your mouth is salivating and you can't help but eat a spoonful right out of he bowl!

Line 2 sheets with parchment paper. Using a small scoop or teaspoon drop heaps of the mixture onto the pan. Refrigerate until hardened.

Keep in a Tupperware container in the fridge or freezer.

These are absolutely decadent. Enjoy!

Heavenly ham roast

My husband loves roast ham. I make it often for him, but I try not to get too fancy with ingredients when it comes to ham, because it is just so nice as is, roasted in the oven.  I came across this recipe, and based on the reviews just had to try it.  I don't think I will ever try a different ham recipe again.  This is a keeper!

Old Fashioned Ham
with Brown Sugar & Mustard Glaze
recipe from Bon Appetit, March 2008

1 10-pound smoked ham with rind, preferably shank end
1 cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard ( I used plain dijon)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham in large roasting pan. Pour apple juice over ham. Cover ham completely with parchment paper, then cover ham and roasting pan completely with heavy-duty foil, sealing tightly at edges of pan. Bake ham until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of ham registers 145°F. Remove ham from oven. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.

Remove foil and parchment from ham. Drain and discard liquids from roasting pan. Cut off rind and all but 1/4-inch-thick layer of fat from ham and discard. Using long sharp knife, score fat in 1-inch-wide, 1/4-inch-deep diamond pattern. (I didn't do this since my ham was already spiral sliced.)

Spread mustard evenly over fat layer on ham. Pat brown sugar over mustard coating, pressing firmly to adhere. Drizzle honey evenly over. Bake until ham is well glazed, spooning any mustard and sugar glaze that slides into roasting pan back over ham, about 30 minutes. Transfer ham to serving platter; let cool at least 45 minutes. Slice ham and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Egg nog cookies

Here is an old, old, recipe from from my nonna's collection!    Traditionally they are called lemon twists, lemon knots or in Italian "tarralli".  It is a moist cake like cookie but super simple, makes a whole bunch, and they freeze well.

I had egg nog left over from the holidays that I wanted to use up, so I made an egg nog version of this cookie, and let me tell you......I've been told they were the best cookies I've ever made! So,  I will leave you with both recipies, traditional and my version....egg nog!

Wishing everyone near and far a very blessed and happy New year.

Much love
Lucia
XOOO

Egg nog Cookies

In a large bowl or mixer combine:
1 Cup of sugar

1 3/4 cup of shortening

Whip these two ingreedients together until fluffy.  Then add in:

3 eggs

Slowly add in:


1 cup plus 2 TBSP egg nog (milk in traditional version)
grated zest of an entire lemon (traditional version only)

Then mix in:

5 cups  flour
5 teaspoons of baking powder

The dough should be slightly sticky, add more flour if you think it is goopy sticky though.

Preheat oven to 350 and using an ice cream scoop, place balls of dough onto parchment lined baking sheets.  bake for 12-15 min.  Do not overbake, these cookies are best, in my opinion, just baked with no golden edges, but bake them to your preference.

Once you remove them from the oven, let them cool for just a few minutes and brush on the icing while still slightly warm.


ICING

1/2 cup icing sugar
2 TBSP egg nog
1tsp rum


For the traditional version ICING

juice of one lemon (the one you just zested)
icing sugar
grated lemon peel, otional




These were the best cookies I made all through the holidays, and I made a lot of cookies.....

enjoy!

Candied Pumpkin Seeds

  I have always been a fan of roasted pumpkin seeds,  but sweet?  Oh yes, my friends, this is where its at.

2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup packed brown sugar.

Mix everything together in a bowl.  Transfer to a cookie sheet and spread the seeds evenly.

Bake at 250' for about an hour.  Turn the seeds about halfway through.

Enjoy this sweet treat, and don't feel guilty about chomping down too many of these little seeds.  They are FULL of nutrients:





Crunchy, delicious pumpkin seeds are high in calories, about 559 calories per 100 g. In addition; they are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and numerous health promoting antioxidants.

Their high caloric content mainly comes from protein and fats. On the positive side, the nuts are especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like oleic acid (18:1) that helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is liberal in monounsaturated fatty acids help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

The seeds contain good-quality protein. 100 g seeds provide 30 g or 54% of recommended daily allowance. In addition, the seeds are an excellent source of amino acid tryptophan and glutamate. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and niacin. Serotonin is a beneficial neuro-chemical often labeled as nature's sleeping pill. Further, tryptophan is a precursor of B-complex vitamin, niacin (60 mg of tryptophan = 1mg niacin).

Glutamate is required in the synthesis of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA, an anti-stress neurochemical in the brain, helps reducing anxiety, nervous irritability, and other neurotic conditions.
Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of anti-oxidant vitamin E; contain about 35.10 mg of tocopherol-gamma per 100 g (about 237% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant. It prevents tissue cells from the free radical mediated oxidant injury. Thus, it helps maintain the integrity of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.

Pumpkin kernels are an also excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins work as co-factors for various enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism in the human body. In addition, niacin helps to reduce LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. Along with glutamate, it enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn reduces anxiety and neurosis.

Furthermore, its seeds contain very good levels of essential minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Just as in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds too are very rich in manganese (provide 4543 mg per 100 g, about 198% of daily-recommended intake). Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. It is therefore, consumption of pumpkin kernels helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.


Medicinal values of pumpkin seeds.

Research studies suggest that pumpkin seed to have DHEA (Di hydro epi-androstenedione) blocking actions. Thus, it cuts the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers.

In addition, experimental studies suggest that certain phytochemical compounds in pumpkin seed oil may have a role in prevention of diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease).