Prep Work Playlist (say THAT five times fast)

If there is one thing that goes great with good food, it's great music.  My taste in music is just as eclectic as my taste in food.  Each week you can find a "Playlist" that you can crank up while you prep your veggies, strip your chickens, etc for the recipes, just as a way to have a little more inspiration in that kitchen.  If you like to get up early on a Sunday morning, have your coffee, maybe watch The Sunday Morning Show, etc, check out Cities 97 Accoustic Sunrise out of Minneapolis, MN at http://www.cities97.com/ and click on the Listen Live link.  If you like to have a few drinks on Saturday night and sleep in Sundays, then check out the Accoustic Sunset on the same link.  I love love love this and look forward to it all week.  It makes me miss home and thank goodness for the Internet that now allows me to listen from across the country.  I believe the show times are 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. central time, and the Accoustic Sunset is 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Check the site to make sure.  This week's playlist picks:  Harry Belafonte; Matilda.  George Thorogood; Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job.  Micheal Franti; Sound of sunshine.  Enjoy! 

By the way, the slideshow is long, slow, and boring, but it is the only way to do the playlist without loading an actual mp3 player onto here:) 

Greek Summer Vegetable Salad

Not much of this is Greek, other than the fact that Greeks eat vegetables too and you can add in some Feta Cheese, and there is Black Olives in it, so, okay, we're gettin a little Greek.  Remember, depending how many people you will be serving, you can double, triple, the recipe.  This one feeds approximately 6 adults, 10 if they eat like birds, lol.   

Here's what you'll need:

-2 Cucumbers
-2 Large Ripe Tomatos
-1/2 Purple Onion  (use a whole onion if single, not married:)
-2 Cans of Large Black Pitted Olives
-1/2 cup shredded Parmasean or Feta Cheese
-5-6 Tablespoons of Lemon Pepper
-1/2 bottle of Wishbone Italian Dressing

Wedge up your tomatoes and purple onion.  Slice up your cucumbers as well.  Add all of these and the rest of your ingredients to a large bowl, toss them all together and chill for atleast a few hours if not overnight for sure.  Enjoy!

Tarragon Chicken Salad

This is my ALL TIME favorite Chicken Salad recipe that I have to credit the Betty Crocker cookbook for.  I have had that darn thing for years and never bothered to use it for cooking until I got married and figured I'd better conform. 

Here's what you'll need:

1 Rotisserie chicken picked clean and chopped up
1/2 cup celery (diced or minced, whichever you prefer, this usually works out to be 2 full stalks)
1/2 cup cucumber (diced or minced, whichever you prefer, works out to be a half of a cuc.)
1/4 cup green onions (minced up, usually works out to be 3 full onions.)

Sauce:  2/3 cup of real mayo, 2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice, and 2 Tablespoons of Tarragon, (1 Tablespoon if you don't really like Tarragon.  Actually, if you don't like Tarragon, you won't be making this so it doesn't matter:)

Add your dry ingredients into bowl; Chicken, Celery, Cucs, and Onions.  Mix your wet ingredients together.  Make sure you crush your Tarragon to release all of those flavors.  Blend your sauce together, now add to your dry ingredients.  Let this marry in the fridge for atleast a few hours before serving if not overnight.  I love love love to serve this with toasted sourdough bread, either whole, or in Finger Sandwhich form.  Toasted White bread or Croissants are fabulous too.  I mean after all, you could eat this with healthy Rye bread and such, but please do realize that if you made this recipe with real mayo, you aren't exactly cuttin the calories so go for the gusto!

Cajun Turkey Havarti Dillies

Okay now normally I wouldn't use the word "Dillies" because I think it sounds childish, but I had to give these a name and I was tapped for creativity today, lol.  So there really isn't a recipe for this, as it was more just something I wanted to share with everyone. 

Here's what you'll need: 

-1/2 to 1 pound of shaved Cajun Turkey
-Same of Havarti Dill Cheese
-Toasteds or your favorite cracker, and NO, Saltines are not an option.... of course I am only kidding.

Ask your local deli to shave up 1/2 pound or so of Cajun Turkey, as well as the same in Havarti Dill.  Square up your Havarti and place on Toasteds crackers neatly on a tray. 

This is where a pretty dinner napkin comes in for great presentation on an old boring serving tray.  Now pile your shaved turkey on top and whammo, you have a new taste for that boring old meat and cheese tray.  I suggest drizzling some dijon honey mustard, salsa, or Sriracha sauce on the top to give it a little kick, or if you're not into kicking, toss some green onion sprigs on top for something extra. 

Hot Mama, Hot Mama, Southwest Pretzels

This recipe is great to have for that something extra for your friends to munch on while they're over for a few drinks or great to have for a snack anytime of the day.  These pretzels do have a little heat to them so be careful on how much Southwest Chipotle Seasoning that you add.  Here we go with the list of ingredients:

-1 Pound Bag of Mini Pretzels
-1 Bottle of Orville Redenbackers Butter Topping
-1 Bottle of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
-1 Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning/Dip Mix

In a deep bowl, or a roasting pan works even better, empty your bag of pretzels (all), and lightly coat with Butter Topping.  There really isn't an exact measurement to this, (I hate it when people say that), so you want to add enough to coat all of the pretzels to get the seasoning to stick, but you don't want your pretzels swimming in butter either.  Although, that sounds like a lot of fun, yet another thing to add to the Bucket List.  

You can always add more topping if it looks like your seasoning isn't sticking well enough.  Empty your packet of Ranch into the bowl, along with approximately 2-3 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning.  Now as I said before, this has A LOT of heat to it so use extreme caution, lol, as to not add too much or you will be hating me for this recipe rather than loving me. 

Lightly coat the top with your Mrs. Dash.  Now take two large spoons and toss your pretzels in your new found glory mix, until well coated.  Sprinkle top with Dash again and toss again.  Make sure to taste test along the way to keep the heat level to where you like it.  Keep tossing the pretzels every 30-45 minutes until dry.  You can store these in a gallon ziplock, rubbermaid container.  (Warning:  you will want to keep a few extra ales around to assist your guests in putting out the fire.)

A Little More Unique

The new address for this blog will be www.frostthemcupcakes.blogspot.com.  Sorry for the annoying confusion, however, I had to come up with a name that was so close to many other things.  Thanks all!

Pepper Jelly Spread

In the video when I said "we don't ever invite people over like that", I meant our company usually has no desire to use spreaders, knives, etc, they are definately hands on, dig in, get down to dit, lol, as not to offend those who are into utensils:)

Okay so this either looks like something that could be at your next Halloween Party, or it is a Jelly Spread.  Actually, it's both, lol.  I used Raspberry Jelly here due to our local grocer not having any Pepper Jelly at that moment.  This recipe is a different take on the old "cheese and crackers", which no offense to cheese and crackers because goodness knows I love them, but everyone needs a change now and then.  It literally takes minutes to put together and has two great taste combos.  Here is what you'll need:

-Nice presentation plate
-Toasteds crackers
-One 8 oz. block of Cream Cheese (or 2,3, etc, depending on how many guests you have)
-Any Pepper, Jalepeno, or Raspberry Jelly

Quick Directions:  Take your softened cream cheese and place on presentation platter.  Nicely spread, or pour, your preserves over cream cheese.  Place your crackers neatly around your dish and maybe even place a few cheese spreading knives in your cream cheese for your guests to feel welcome to use, or they can be certainly welcome to just dig in using the crackers themselves.  I mean after all, what is with formality, you're not inviting a bunch of strangers over you just met on the street are you?....Enjoy!