Food Fun Family

Coca Cola Spicy-Sweet Mixed Nuts

Lolli — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 02:08:07 +0000

This post has been sponsored by The Coca-Cola® Company and SheSpeaks.

Are you ready for football season? Do you love hosting or attending football parties with your friends and family? Mixed nuts were always served for get-togethers at our house when I was growing up. Nuts are a delicious, filling snack and a big hit with guests and especially for game day parties.

As I was thinking of a recipe to make for our upcoming fall football get-together, I couldn’t think of anything better than sweet and spicy mixed nuts. They’re delicious to eat, easy to make, and they store easily (so that I can make them ahead of time and save my sanity on game day!).

I love that this recipe has just the right amount of sweetness, thanks to Coca-Cola® and a touch of honey, paired with the perfect amount of cayenne pepper to spice things up. Don’t be intimidated by the pepper, though! These nuts are still mild enough for the kids (and those with sensitive taste buds) to enjoy while they cheer on their favorite team!

The great thing about this recipe is that it not only uses Coca-Cola® as one of the star ingredients, but it pairs perfectly with a glass of ice-cold Coca-Cola®. I picked up cases of Coca-Cola® Mini Cans at Sam’s Club during my most recent trip there…because I can never have too much Coca-Cola® at my house, especially when I know lots of people are going to be coming over.

I let Sam’s Club take the stress out of preparing for my game day parties. I’m totally hooked on Scan & Go. I scan items with my phone (via the app) as I shop throughout the store. When I’m done shopping, I can pay on my app and skip the check out lines completely. It saves me a ton of time! You can also use Club Pickup. Just order online and Sam’s Club will have your items ready for you in-store, where available. This is a great option when purchasing a variety of Coca-Cola® beverages.

Quick tip: I used a Coca-Cola® Mini Can in this recipe. Each mini can has about 1 cup of Coca-Cola®. I happily drank the second half of the can while I was preparing the recipe. However, you could easily double the recipe and use the entire mini can. If you double the recipe, I recommend splitting the nuts between two cookie sheets so that the nuts bake evenly.

Ok, enough of my chattering. Let’s get to this yummy recipe!

Coca Cola Spicy-Sweet Mixed Nuts

Ingredients:

½ cup Coca-Cola
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 cups of nuts (I used one cup each — peanuts, cashews, and pecans — because those are my favorites, but you can use your favorite variety)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Toss the nuts together in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook Coke, honey, and butter, stirring frequently, until liquid is slightly reduced and starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in spices.

4. Pour hot glaze over the mixed nuts and stir to coat evenly. Gently pour the nut mixture onto the parchment paper and spread evenly over the cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Keep an eye on the nuts during the last few minutes to ensure that they don’t burn. Remove nuts to a bowl or a cool plate immediately before they harden on the cookie sheet.

6. Let nuts cool completely. Store in a closed container.

PS – While the nuts are cooking, prepare a feast for your olfactory senses. Your house is going to smell amazing!

What are some of your favorite game day recipes? Do you love preparing main dishes, appetizers, or sweets? Personally, I love football parties that have them all. Variety is good!

Perfect Party Appetizers for Holiday Entertaining – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #143

Lolli — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 12:01:43 +0000

I feel like I’ve spent the last week in the kitchen.

Oh, wait. I have. Two full Thanksgiving feasts, plus one mini Thanksgiving. Plus one “what was I thinking trying to make homemade empanadas on a Monday night?”

I do love Thanksgiving foods, so it’s not all bad.

This week, we’re moving on from Thanksgiving dinner and exploring appetizer recipes that are perfect for all of your holiday parties and get-togethers. These recipes will shine!

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Creamy Ham Chowder from Marilyn’s Treats

#2: Sugar Cookie Snack Mix from Frog Prince Paperie

#3: Gingerbread Cake from Mommy Hates Cooking

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Homemade Corn Bread Mini Corn Dogs from This Mama Loves

Lois loved Easy Goat Cheese and Honey Bites from Suburban Simplicity

Brett loved Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs from Wonder Mom Wannabe

Keri Lyn loved Cute and Yummy Snowman Cheeseball from Crafts a la Mode

Emily loved Cheese, Grape and Pistachio Truffles from Delightful E Made

Mary loved Grape Crostini with Blue Cheese Honey Spread from Home Cooking Memories

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. We pin a ton of recipes that are shared to our linky party each week. So get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

Favorite Vegetarian Recipes – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #142

Lolli — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:01:55 +0000

Who else is super excited for Thanksgiving?!

I can’t wait to eat ALL of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes – Seven-Layer Salad, homemade crescent rolls, garlic-herb mashed potatoes, Wonderful, apple pie, chocolate pecan pie, pumpkin pudding cake….

I’m getting anxious just thinking about it. It may be a lot of work, but I can’t wait to start cooking and baking tomorrow!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes?

This week, we decided to feature some delicious vegetarian recipes – good for Thanksgiving or ANY night. Enjoy!

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: 25 Thanksgiving Desserts from Crystal and Co.

#2: Nana’s Sweet Potato Cake from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

#3: Easy Slow Cooker Potato Soup from April Go Lightly

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Roasted Butternut Squash from Live Love Texas

Lois loved Balsamic Roasted New Potatoes from Attachment Mummy

Brett loved Pumpkin Bisque from Marilyn’s Treats

Keri Lyn loved Cranberry Breakfast Smoothie from Our Good Life

Emily loved Roasted Garlic Herb and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes from Sparkle Living Blog

Mary loved Sweet Potato Soup from April Go Lightly

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

Homemade Memphis BBQ Sauce {Playing With Fire Cookbook}

Lolli — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 15:56:55 +0000

Love a good BBQ? Me too! Clarkson Potter sent me a copy of Playing With Fire AND is providing a prize pack for one of my lucky readers! All opinions and photos of my recipe recreation are my own. Amazon affiliate links are included.

The weather is finally starting to feel like spring, and I can’t wait for BBQ season to be here in full magnificence. There’s nothing quite like hot, flavorful barbecue.

I’ve spent the last week drooling over the recipes in Michael Symon’s new cookbook, Playing With Fire. The recipes are easy to follow, the dishes flavorfully delicious, and the photos are stunning. I want to make EVERYTHING.

I decided to start simply and recreate the recipe for Memphis BBQ Sauce (along with a side of Broccoli Salad). The sauce was a hit with the entire family, and a perfect addition to some grilled chicken. The recipe is included below, along with a fabulous giveaway that you won’t want to miss!

About MICHAEL SYMON’S PLAYING WITH FIRE

Co-host of The Chew and celebrated Iron Chef and restaurateur Michael Symon returns to a favorite subject, meat, with his first cookbook focused on barbecue and live-fire grilling, with over 70 recipes inspired by his newest restaurant, Mabel’s BBQ, in his hometown of Cleveland. In preparing to open his barbecue restaurant, Mabel’s BBQ, Michael Symon enthusiastically sampled smoked meat from across America.

The 72 finger-licking, lip-smacking recipes here draw inspiration from his favorites, including dry ribs from Memphis, wet ribs from Nashville, brisket from Texas, pork steak from St. Louis, and burnt ends from Kansas City–to name just a few–as well as the unique and now signature Cleveland-style barbecue he developed to showcase the flavors of his hometown. Michael offers expert guidance on working with different styles of grills and smokers, choosing aromatic woods for smoking, cooking various cuts of meat, and successfully pairing proteins with rubs, sauces, and sides.

If you are looking for a new guide to classic American barbecue with the volume turned to high, look no further.

Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group. In stores now…or buy it on Amazon today!

About the Author

Michael Symon cooks with soul, having grown up in a Greek and Sicilian family. The Cleveland native shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers as an Iron Chef on Food Network and as a co-host on ABC’s The Chew. Michael is the chef and owner of more than 18 restaurants, including Lola and Mabel’s BBQ in downtown Cleveland, locals of B-Spot Burgers throughout the Midwest, and Angeline at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. He is also the author of five cookbooks, including Playing With Fire (Clarkson Potter, 2018). When he’s not working, Michael loves cooking at home, playing golf, gardening in the backyard and spending time with his wife Liz and their bulldog Ozzy.

Memphis BBQ Sauce

Reprinted from Michael Symon’s Playing With Fire. Copyright © 2018 by Michael Symon. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Ed Anderson. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

This sauce is perfect for any grilled meats, but is especially tasty on grilled chicken!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, halved and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark molasses
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Instructions

1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, celery seeds, and red pepper flakes, whisking to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors come together, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend or puree until smooth. Stir in the vinegar.

2. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

**Baste grilled foods with sauce only during the final stages of grilling to prevent the sugars in the sauce from burning.

Note from our family: we found that the sauce was even tastier the 2nd day!

Interested in the recipe for the broccoli salad that is pictured here? That can be found on page 210 of Playing With Fire! The sauce is made with plain Greek yogurt and is simply delicious!

Connect with Playing With Fire

Buy Playing With Fire on Amazon
Hashtag #PlayingWithFireCookbook
Follow Clarkson Potter on Instagram
Follow Michael Symon on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Learn more about the book at PenguinRandomHouse.com

TOOLS FOR THE GRILLMASTER Giveaway

Be prepared to play with fire! One winner from Food Fun Family will receive:

Copy of Michael Symon’s Playing With Fire
A Cuisinart Deluxe 20-piece grill set
And a barbecue pit mitt glove!

ARV $110 | Giveaway open to US addresses only | Prizing and samples provided by Clarkson Potter | Giveaway ends 4/25 at 11:59pm ET

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Perfect Side Dishes for Easter Dinner – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #109

Lolli — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 11:00:12 +0000

The kids and I are in the middle of our Spring Break (despite the fact that it doesn’t feel much like spring break!). Lazy mornings of sleeping in, day-time movie dates, cookie baking, and egg decorating. That’s what Spring Break is made of!

I’m getting excited about all of the delicious foods I’ll be cooking this weekend for our traditional Easter dinner. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Awesome Ham Recipes from Easy Holiday Ideas

#2: Blueberry Pie Bars from Simple Sweet Recipes

#3: Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce from Marilyn’s Treats

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Tortellini Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette from 3 Boys and a Dog

Lois loved Parsley Parmesan Pasta from Brooklyn Farm Girl

Brett loved Pasta with Spinach Basil Pesto Recipe from Home Cooking Memories

Susan loved Loaded Potatoes Au Gratin from Homemade Lovely

Keri Lyn loved Cheesy Potato Bake from Clever Housewife

Emily loved Instant Pot Orange Ginger Carrots from Meatloaf and Melodrama

Mary loved Cilantro Lime Asparagus and Rice from Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

New Year’s Eve Appetizer Recipes – Delicious Dishes

Lolli — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 14:00:27 +0000

Hi guys, and Happy Holidays! Because this week’s party landed smack dab in the middle of Christmas and New Years, we decided to take it a little easy this week and feature some of our host favorite New Year’s Eve-friendly appetizer dishes and skip the link up for this week only. If your week is anything like mine, you’ve got kids home from school for the week, home projects galore, and fun activities planned away from the house.

So grab a recipe or two to make this weekend, then go enjoy some time with your family (that’s exactly what we’re doing!).

Have a wonderfully happy and prosperous New Year! We’ll see you bright and early next Tuesday with the first Delicious Dishes link up of 2017!

Before I feature the recipes that you guys shared with US last week, I wanted to share a few of MY personal favorites from my kitchen. These are a couple of the appetizers that make an appearance at nearly every holiday party! (Click the pictures to go to the recipes)

Corn Avocado and Black Eyed Peas Salsa

The best cheese log recipe!

Bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers

Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Sparkling Cranberry Mint Mocktail

Meet the Delicious Dishes ladies:

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Cooking in Stilettos – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Pesto Greek Dip from The Bewitchin Kitchen

Lois loved Pomegranate Party Punch from Cravings of a Lunatic

Brett loved Sweet Spicy Blue Cheese Bacon Wrapped Dates from Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Susan loved Sausage Cups Appetizer Recipe from Flour on My Face

Aly loved Hot Black Eyed Pea Dip from Rose Bakes

Keri Lyn loved Spicy Thai Chicken Wings from The Bewitchin Kitchen

Emily loved Cranberry Baked Brie from Two Twenty One

Mary loved 3 Ingredient Crab Dip from This Mama Loves

Follow us along on our NEW Pinterest board. We pin all your amazing recipes!

We’ll be back next week with our weekly linky party. See you in 2017!

Baked Asparagus Fries

Lolli — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 12:01:31 +0000

I grew up eating asparagus – it was one of the vegetables we grew in our garden while I was a kid – and I’ve always loved it. But I have to admit that I’ve never been very adventurous when it comes to cooking asparagus. Steamed or pan fried or tossed in some pasta. That’s about it. I decided that I needed to find a new way to dress up my asparagus (and maybe make it a little more appealing to my kids who aren’t always fans of cooked green things…). Since I know that they love fries (and just about anything breaded) I was curious how they’d enjoy breaded asparagus “fries.”

I grabbed some Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs from my pantry. Seriously, I always have Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs on hand. Once I tried them over traditional bread crumbs, I couldn’t go back. They’re the perfect place to start for any breaded dish like this one.

Did you know that Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs are made from specially baked, crustless bread? Panko bread crumbs are larger, crispier, and lighter, so they coat foods better and keep them crispier longer, whether you’re baking or frying. And since Kikkoman Bread Crumbs are unseasoned, you can even use them in sweet recipes.

I love using Kikkoman Bread Crumbs whenever I make our family-favorite baked chicken nuggets. I make Asian food at home frequently, and so I’m not only using Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs regularly, but I’ve always got Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Teriyaki Marinade on hand in the refrigerator. There’s no other brand I trust more for bringing delicious Asian flavors to our dinner table!

Ready to see how easy it was to make these delicious baked asparagus fries? This vegetable side dish would be a perfect addition to this year’s holiday meal, don’t you think?

Baked Asparagus Fries

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus spears
1 cup Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a wide, shallow bowl combine panko, parmesan cheese, ¼ cup flour, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and pepper.
Add remaining ½ cup flour to another wide bowl, and add eggs to a third bowl.
Dredge each asparagus spear in flour, then dip in eggs, then roll in panko mixture; press to coat.
Place asparagus in a single row on the baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425°F, or until panko is golden brown and crispy.

Want more recipes like this using Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs and Kikkoman sauces? Check out some delicious recipes on the Kikkoman site here.

Connect with Kikkoman:

Enjoy The Flavor Sweepstakes

What’s your favorite holiday vegetable recipe? Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Gift Card!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 11/28/16 – 12/31/16

Be sure to visit the Kikkoman Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Pressure Cooker Canned Carrots

Jody — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 15:45:04 +0000

Have you ever tried pressure cooker canned carrots? Do you grow carrots in your garden? Take advantage of summer and fall produce and preserve carrots for the rest of the year! You are going to love this recipe for canning your own carrots in the pressure cooker. So easy and so satisfying!

Canning and cooking in my pressure cooker has become my new ~~obsession~~ hobby. The ease and satisfaction of canning your own food is a heady experience so I am using it quite regularly. I prefer to can in the pressure cooker, especially when I’m canning carrots. Since carrots are a low-acid vegetable, this means that to be safely canned they need to be processed in a pressure cooker rather than a water bath. Having an electric pressure cooker really makes the job easier and I feel safe using it as well.

What’s even better is that my pressure cooker not only helps me can vegetables, but I can cook delicious and easy meals for my family. I love having such a versatile appliance in my kitchen.

Here is what you need and how to can carrots in your pressure cooker:

Yum

Pressure Cooker Canned Carrots

Ingredients

3 ½ lbs. carrots
2 tsp. coarse sea salt
water
Pressure Cooker
Pint jars
Jar lifter

Instructions

Wash carrots well; peel, and cut of tops. To serve them a little differently I like to slice them lengthwise, they look so pretty on the plate!
Cut carrots in half lengthwise, and then quarter - you do not want them too small or they will be mush once cooked.
Cut in half horizontally so that they are shorter than the jar.
Be sure to sterilize your jars before use, the simplest way to do that is to place lids, jars, and rings in a large pot of boiling water and remove when ready to fill.
Pack carrots tightly into jar and pour hot water over them, leaving 1” of head space. You can either boil it in a pot on the stove or use the near boiling water from your coffee pot (this is what I do).
Add ½ tsp. salt to each jar.
Place lid and ring securely on top.
Place jars in pressure cooker according to your model's instructions; mine says to place them in and cover ¼ of the way with water.
Process your carrots for 25 minutes. My cooker has a button for canning and automatically sets the pounds of pressure; check your manual for instructions.
Remove jars from pressure cooker and allow them to cool. You should hear each jar make a popping sound indicating that they have sealed properly.
Store your carrots in a cool, dry place.

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As written, this recipe makes approximately 4 pint jars.

Enjoy!

I recommend these products for canning (Amazon affiliate links used):

Pressure cooker for canning (this is the one I have)
Pint-sized Mason jars plus new lids
Jar lifter

Avocado Bacon Ranch Quinoa Salad

Lolli — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 03:40:18 +0000

You are going to love this recipe for avocado bacon ranch quinoa salad! When I was challenged to come up with a recipe using Litehouse Homestyle Ranch, I knew that I wanted to find something fresh, cold, and easy for the summer months. I was beyond thrilled with how this turned out! Many thanks to Litehouse dressings for sponsoring this post and for challenging me to try something new!

Summer is the season family gatherings and backyard barbecues with friends. I try to avoid the midday heat and instead spend most of my outdoor time during the morning on my exercise walks and in the evening, lounging around with my family and friends.

Summer is also the time of year for fresh vegetables from the garden (we’re still waiting to pick our first ripe tomato from our backyard garden), delicious fresh fruits (I can’t get enough of summer time melons), and recipes that don’t take a ton of time to cook (and heat up the kitchen even more!).

I love salads, especially when I can use those fresh veggies from the garden. Homegrown and farmer’s market fruits and veggies can’t be beat, but even the produce at the grocery store is better this time of year. When you shop for produce, you head to the refrigerated produce section (seriously the best place to be in the store when it’s hot outside. Don’t you agree?). You wouldn’t pick up your fresh veggies in the condiment aisle, would you? Of course not. So why put an unrefrigerated condiment on your delicious, ripe, colorful vegetables? It makes total sense to pick up your salad dressing and dip right there in the refrigerated produce section. That’s where you’ll always find Litehouse dressings. Cold is where it’s sold!

I can rock a green salad, and I could eat spinach every day. But I wanted to experiment with a cold quinoa salad. I normally only make one quinoa dish for my family (it’s partially because we’re creatures of habit and partially because it’s easy for me to make a dinner that I know the kids are going to eat without complaint). I’ve had a couple of cold quinoa salads this summer and I was motivated to find a recipe that I could make at home.

Are you ready to see how easy it is to make this avocado bacon ranch quinoa salad? Did I mention that you’re going to LOVE it?

Yum

Avocado Bacon Ranch Quinoa Salad

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions (see tips in the instructions)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 medium avocados, diced
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cups Colby jack cheese, cut into small cubes
8 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2/3 cup Litehouse Homestyle Ranch dressing, plus additional dressing to top

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions (I cooked mine in the rice cooker with chicken broth instead of water. You can also add a tablespoon or two of butter to the quinoa before cooking).
Cool cooked quinoa in the fridge for at least an hour.
Add quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add tomatoes, avocados, spinach, cheese, and bacon. Toss lightly. Add Litehouse Homestyle Ranch dressing and stir.
Serve cold with a little bit of drizzled Ranch dressing and a few additional bacon crumbles, if desired.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Litehouse.

Magnus Chase’s Favorite Falafel Recipe

Lolli — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 21:17:09 +0000

This recipe for Magnus Chase’s favorite falafel is brought to you as part of my Percy Pack Ambassadorship (which sadly, is coming to an end). Promotional products have been received in exchange for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Note: affiliate codes used within post.

I recently finished reading Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer – the latest book from Rick Riordan (author of the Percy Jackson series and more). I am dying to read the next installment about Magnus Chase, but the next book, The Hammer of Thor, doesn’t come out until next October. Sob! While I was reading The Sword of Summer, I developed quite the craving for falafel, since falafel is Magnus Chase’s favorite food to eat. After making this recipe, I can see why. I could not stop eating it!

ABOUT MAGNUS CHASE AND THE GODS OF ASGARD: THE SWORD OF SUMMER

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he’s tracked down by an uncle he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants, and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarök, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

While Magnus is living on the streets, he develops a taste for falafel (maybe because there’s a kind street vendor willing to feed him falafel). Falafel may seem like a strange dish for the son of a Norse god to take a liking to…but after you try this recipe, there will be no question in your mind.

It’s that good!

Magnus Chase’s Favorite Falafel Recipe

Yum

Magnus Chase's Favorite Falafel Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas (or 2 cans of chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry)
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 to 2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Soak dry chickepeas overnight (8-12 hours) in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover them by about 2 inches. I added salt to the water.
Drain chickpeas. Place chickpeas, diced onion, and spices in a blender or food processor (I use my Ninja blender) and pulse until blended (it's ok for the mixture to be a little chunky and not finely pureed).
Mix in baking powder, flour, and panko until you can form the mixture into balls. You can add a little bit of additional flour if needed.
Heat oil (enough to cover your falafel balls) in a medium pot. Form mixture into balls using a cookie scoop and press with your hands til the balls are packed well. Drop balls into hot oil. I recommend dropping one test falafel ball into the oil until you've got the right temperature.
Cook falafel balls in oil, flipping once, for about 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy.
Serve with dill yogurt sauce.

Notes

To make a simple dill yogurt dipping sauce, combine one 5.3 ounce carton of plain Greek yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir and serve with falafel.

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And now for some process pictures. I don’t fry foods very often, but these were totally worth it! I may or may not have justified frying because the ingredients were so healthy…and vegetarian! Ha!