Click to enlarge.

This alioli recipe is easy to make, tastes wonderful, and is healthier than buying it already prepared– because the prepackaged stuff is generally full of nasty chemicals. I make it with extra virgin olive oil because I love the deep flavor. It’s best to choose a fruity olive oil so the flavor of the garlic isn’t overwhelmed. Don’t like the strong flavor of olive oil? Use sunflower oil instead, or a mix of sunflower and olive. It’s a flexible recipe.

Be sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature before getting started. I use a stick blender for this, and the height of the container and the speed of the blending really helps the mixture to thicken and emulsify. If you have one, I’d suggest using it for this. If not, a food processor, traditional blender, electric mixer, or whisk will work, too.

Traditional Spanish Alioli Recipe

Ingredients:
1 egg, at room temperature
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 C. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice (more or less, to taste)
pinch of salt

Instructions: 1. Sprinkle garlic pieces with salt and mash into a paste with the side of a knife or in a mortar and pestle.

2. Mix together egg and garlic paste in a food processor or blender.

3. In a bowl or jar, combine the lemon and oil.

4. With the blender or food processor running, add oil and lemon mixture in a thin stream, allowing it to thicken and emulsify.

5. If alioli begins to seperate, stop adding oil and mix until it smooths out, then continue adding oil.  If it still won’t cooperate, remove about a tablespoon of the separated alioli from the mix and discard.  Add about 1 tbsp of water in its place, and continue to mix.  This should help it emulsify fine.

Breadcrumbs are boring, right? Well, they don’t have to be! Especially when used as a breading, specialty breadcrumbs like this recipe for toasted breadcrumbs are wonderful. Toasted breadcrumbs give anything you put them on (or in) a rich, toasted, homemade flavor that you don’t get with plain old breadcrumbs, or worse, those cornmeal-like pre-packaged crumbs.

Click to enlarge.

This homemade bread crumbs recipe is super easy, and after you’ve tried it you may feel very little need to go back to buying packaged breadcrumbs. You can make these up to a day in advance, but if you make them too far ahead, they’ll lose their crispness. Planning on using them in a recipe (like these great veggie burgers)? It’s fine if they’re not crispy, since tossing them in with the mix will get them a bit soggy, anyway. Even if you make them up ahead, you still get the great toasty flavor.

Any kind of bread works for these, but they’re best with a firm bread like sourdough or French. Play around with different kinds to find the combo you like best.

Simple Toasted Bread Crumbs Recipe

Ingredients:
3 C. fresh bread crumbs, fine
1/4 C. olive oil (optional)
Salt, to taste (optional)

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Spread crumbs out over a large baking pan.

3. Bake about 15 minutes until crumbs are golden. Stir occasionally.

4. If desired, toss with olive oil and salt (this is great if you’re using the crumbs for a breading or casserole topping).

Allright, I’m kidding (sort of). But it’s true that tzatziki sauce is one of the best-tasting sauces you can use to smother meat or veggies or anything else. Plus, it’s super healthy and easy to make. Why buy the sub-par, full-of-chemicals stuff they sell at the store when you can make it at home in just a few minutes (not counting “sit around and wait” time)?

Want a very tasty and very traditional tzatziki recipe? You’ll love this one. It was given to me by a Greek friend who makes it this way at home. It just amazes me that something this simple can taste this good. Even my hubby, who’s not overly fond of cucumbers, slurps this stuff up.

Click to enlarge.

English cucumbers are best in this, but I’ve tried it with regular ol’ cucumbers and it turns out fine. And don’t be afraid to add the stated amount of olive oil. It’s good for your heart, and is necessary to flavor the sauce. I’ve also tried this recipe with mint in place of the dill, and it’s great that way, too.

Melanie’s Authentic Greek Tzatziki Recipe

2 C. greek yogurt (full fat tastes best)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
3 cloves garlic, pressed or mashed
1/4 C. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill (or 1/2 tsp dry)
salt, to taste

Instructions: 1. Place grated cucumber in a wire strainer. Salt lightly. Let sit about 15 minutes, then

2. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, and mix well until oil is fully incorporated. Add more salt or dill if desired (I normally feel no need to add salt– the salt in the cucumber is generally enough).

3. Refrigerate a couple hours before serving to intensify the flavors. (But it also tastes great right away.)

4. Serve.

No, I’m not trying to ruin your day by reminding your of all the reasons you’re stressed out. Actually, since I write for a blog about dinner parties and entertaining, I got to wondering… do rising prices really have an effect on how much you go out?

You hear all the time about how people in the U.S. and all over the world are cutting down on “luxury” expenses– and in particular on going out to restaurants and bars. But here’s the thing… just because you can’t shell out $12.00 at TGI Friday’s for a Mudslide doesn’t mean you want to stay home and be a hermit. So most of us are still hanging out with our friends and family and trying to have fun, right?

And if you don’t go out… do you entertain more often at home?

Curiosity has gotten the best of me. Are you like me, pinching pennies and having your fun at home instead of down at the bar? Take a millisecond to take our quick poll… the results may surprise you!

Take our Poll!

powered by ilovepolls.com

Now, I love food and cooking, but I’m far too lazy to spend a half-hour reading over the differences between these two types of southern cuisine just so I can tell you if my favorite spice mix is Cajun or Creole. I’m guessing you probably don’t care… or if you do, you can look it up and tell me which it is!

Click to enlarge

This Cajun/Creole seasoning is an Emeril recipe. And though I find Emeril and all that “bam”-ming around a little irritating (I’m just mean like that– Rachel Ray gets on my nerves, too), there’s no denying that this spice mix is wonderful. You can use it on everything… and I do. It’s great sprinkled over chicken breasts to make blackened chicken sandwiches. Or in jambalaya. Or as my favorite way to prepare catfish: just sprinkle on a generous coating of this spice mix, and saute the catfish filets in a little olive oil. It makes a crisp, breading-like cajun crust that’s just too good.

This also makes great gifts. Make up a huge batch of it, put it in pretty jars, and give it as gifts to those people who you have no idea what to buy for. You know, co-workers, neighbors, and other people whose names you tend to forget.

Emeril’s Cajun/Creole Seasoning

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. dry oregano
1 tbsp. dry thyme

Instructions: 1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Mix up with a fork.

2. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Will keep for several months.

3. Sprinkle on everything!

Isn’t it funny how the first recipe you try is often the best? It works that way with my favorite brownie recipe, too. The recipe I always used was wonderful… but I didn’t want to stop there. I looked for a bunch of different recipes to see if I could find something better. Then, after making ten or so batches of not-as-good brownies, I made my original recipe and realized it was the best I’d ever tried. And that you don’t lose the war if you settle for “already perfect as it is”.

This Snickerdoodle recipe is already perfect as it is. It results in light, chewy, thick, snickerdoodles. They’re high and slightly cake-like, but not so fluffy that they lose the chewy goodness you want from a good cookie. They also have plenty of cinnamon to counter all that sweetness– which is just what you want.

Now I’m going to gross you out and tell you that I use pork lard in place of shortening. Not because I like the thought of crunching into something with cinnamon-y pork fat, but because you can’t find veggie shortening in Spain. If the idea doesn’t bother you, I suggest you try these with lard– the flavor is amazing.

The Perfect Snickerdoodle Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2. C. butter, softened
1/2 C. lard or shortening
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 lg. eggs
2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

For Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream the butter, shortening, sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

3. Dumped mixed dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture. Stir until combined.

4. Roll dough into balls (the size depends on how big you want your cookies).

5. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Don’t wimp out– be sure to coat generously!

6. Flatten dough balls slightly and place on ungreased baking sheet (I like to cover my baking sheets in parchment paper to make life easier on myself). Bake 8-10 minutes, until soft but set. Don’t overcook!

7. Cool on wire racks.

While this recipe does require a smoker, I’m sure you could do something similar under low heat (about 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit) on a grill or in the oven. You wouldn’t get the same smokey flavor, but it would still be delicious.

Check it out! And look through our new barbecue recipe pages for some great rub recipes. We also have four wonderful recipes for vinegar-based barbecue sauces (perfect for pulled pork sandwiches).

Pear and Cherry Pear Tomato Salad

Ingredients:
2 C. frozen peas, boiled 2-3 minutes, chilled
1 C. cherry pear tomatoes, quartered (you can use regular cherry tomatoes, too)
1/3 C. fresh basil, sliced thin
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. prepared Italian dressing
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt (or more, to taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper

Instructions: Combine peas, tomatoes, and basil in a medium salad bowl. Combine oil, lemon juice, dressing, salt, and pepper in a small bowl til well mixed. Pour over peas and tomatoes, toss lightly to combine. Cover and refrigerate about an hour to let the flavors combine, then serve cold.

Okay, enough fawning over the almighty tomato. Below, you’ll find a recipe for one of my favorite things to make with ripe tomatoes: Tomato Tart Provencal.  It’s the perfect thing to have as a light dinner with a salad and crusty bread (and plenty of wine!).  Or to have around when you want a snack and want to pretend you’re eating something good for you (after all, tomatoes are a vegetable, right?).

You might think this recipe sound similar to pizza, but… sorry, you’re wrong.  The flavors of the gruyere cheese, the herbs de provence, and the dijon transform this little French dish into something totally unique.  This recipe makes individual tarts, though you can do the same with larger one.  Either way, it’s a must try.

Individual Tomato Tarts Provencal Recipe

Ingredients:
4 C. flour, plus extra for dusting
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 C. butter, at room temperature
cold water or milk, as needed
2/3 c. Dijon mustard
2 c. Gruyere cheese, shredded
8-10 medium vine ripened tomatoes
3 tsp. dried herbes de provence
salt & pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Instructions: 1. In a mixing bowl, combing flour and salt.  Add egg yolk.  Mix butter into the dough with your hands.  Add just enough cold water (be careful!) or milk to help you make the dough into a firm ball.

2. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes into just over 1/4″ slices.  Set in a strainer to drain until ready, at least 30 minutes.  You don’t want too much extra liquid.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle and cut into 6 equal-sized rectangles.  It’s easier to do it in two batches.  (You can also make your tarts round, if you like.  Or, if you’re feeling fancy, use individual tart shells).

Click to enlarge.

6. Remove shells from oven and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

7. Divide Dijon mustard evenly among, shells, spreading from edge to edge.

8. Top evenly with shredded cheese.

9. Top with tomatoes, overlapping tomatoes to space them evenly.

10. Sprinkle even amounts of herbs de provence over tomatoes.  Sprinkle as desired with salt and pepper.  Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

11. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, until shells are crisp and golden and tomatoes are shrunken and softened.

12. Serve hot.  These are also good at room temperature.

Note: This can also be used to make full-sized tarts.  Recipe makes enough for 6 individual tarts or 2 full-sized tarts.

Just an fyi… the oh-so-hairy arms in the photos below are not mine. I swear.

A Simple, Classic Mojito Recipe

Ingredients:
2 oz. 3 year aged rum (use white in a pinch, but don’t use a real añejo)
Juice of half a lime (about 1/2 oz.)
1 heaping teaspoon of brown sugar (you can also use white, but I like brown)
1 generous sprig of mint, leaves only
2 oz. soda water
Tons of crushed ice

Instructions: 1. Dump sugar into a highball glass. (Or whatever you have that’s not too tall– cocktail glasses are hard to find in Spain, so I just use whatever.)

2. Add mint leaves. Crush and mix them into the sugar with the back of a spoon or a pestle (you know, from a mortar and pestle– this works best). It’s a bit of work to do it this way, but worth it.

3. Add lime to mint and mix.

4. Fill glass with crushed ice.

5. Add rum. Mix well.

6. Fill remainder of glass with soda water. Your finished mojito should not be clear and sparkling and pretty. It should be cloudy and full of green bits.