Butterscotch Syrup

 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon large-flake salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan (not non-stick) over medium heat.

Add the brown sugar, salt and heavy cream and stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until it's well blended. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping down the sides occasionally, and boil it for 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the butterscotch sauce to a container to cool. (See Kelly's Notes.)

KELLY'S NOTES:

The butterscotch thickens significantly as it cools, so it's important to not over-boil it or you'll end up with chewy butterscotch caramels rather than a pourable sauce.

If you want to add a kick to your butterscotch sauce, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of your choice liquor (think bourbon, whiskey or cognac) at the same time you stir in the vanilla extract.

Pizza Seasoning

4 tbsp oregano

2 tbsp basil

1 tbsp dried onion flakes (or onion powder)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp fennel

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp black pepper coarsely ground

Combine all spices in a bowl and mix well. Seal in a container and use the amount to taste.

MACARONS

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 cup almond flour, finely ground

1 teaspoon salt, divided

3 egg whites, at room temperature

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the macarons: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, almond flour, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and process on low speed, until extra fine. Sift the almond flour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.

In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without anything falling out).

Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the food coloring and beat until just combined.

Add about ⅓ of the sifted almond flour mixture at a time to the beaten egg whites and use a spatula to gently fold until combined. After the last addition of almond flour, continue to fold slowly until the batter falls into ribbons and you can make a figure 8 while holding the spatula up.

Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Pipe the macarons onto the parchment paper in 1½-inch (3-cm) circles, spacing at least 1-inch (2-cm) apart.

Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface 5 times to release any air bubbles.

Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until dry to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C).

Bake the macarons for 17 minutes, until the feet are well-risen and the macarons don’t stick to the parchment paper.

Transfer the macarons to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Butter Beer

 

1/2 cup (4oz) butterscotch syrup

ice cream topping

1/2 tablespoon butter

softened

1 cup (8oz) cream soda cold

heavy whipping cream optional

1. Add the butterscotch syrup and softened butter to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

2. Stir the cold cream soda into the mix and set aside.

3. Add heavy cream to a cold mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

4. Pour the butterbeer into 2 mugs and top with whipped cream.

Summer Bruschetta

 1 Corn (cob)husks and silk removed

1/2 cup Ken’s® Simply Vinaigrette Balsamic divided

2 Heirloom tomatoesdiced

1/4 cup Diced red onions

1/4 cup Fresh basil loosely packed thinly sliced

1 Baguette sliced into 24 rounds

1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat; grease grate well. Brush corn with 1 tbsp Simply Vinaigrette Balsamic. Grill corn for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly charred and tender. Let cool slightly; slice kernels from cob.

Toss together corn kernels, remaining vinaigrette, tomatoes, onions and basil. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Arrange baguette rounds on baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until golden and toasted.

Spoon tomato mixture over each toast; garnish with Parmesan.

Creole Garlic Chili Oil

 

Oil Mixture

• 1 cup (218 g) canola oil
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Seasoning Mixture

• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Oil Mixture

• To a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add shallots and garlic. Stir to combine. Once the mixture is bubbling (after 1-2 minutes), reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes (stirring occasionally) until browned and crispy, making sure not to burn the garlic.
• Add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine.

Seasoning Mixture

• To a small bowl, add minced onion, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
• Place a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl of seasonings. Pour the hot garlic mixture into the strainer, letting the oil drain into the seasoning mixture. Leave the hot shallots and garlic in the strainer and set aside to cool (about 20-30 minutes).
• Once completely cooled, add the garlic mixture to the oil and stir to combine.
• Add oil to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (The flavor will intensify over time.) Stir well before serving.

LUXARDO CHERRIES

I’m actually a Bourbon lover, so I think they are perfect for old-fashioned. You can also enjoy plopping them into a strong cocktail.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of sugar, granulated

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup of water

1 pinch of kosher salt

1/4 tsp of nutmeg, ground

1 cup of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1 lb of pitted and stemmed cherries

HOW TO MAKE LUXARDO CHERRIES

Take water in a saucepan. Add sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in it, and let it simmer. Stir in between to dissolve the sugar properly.

Add cherries and Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur into the mixture. Stir it to coat the cherries completely. Further, cook for 5 minutes to make the cherries a bit tender.

Now turn the flame off and let the cherries cool down. Store these cherries in an airtight container and place them in the fridge.

NOTES

If any of the readers have ever used frozen organic cherries instead of fresh cherries, do let me know if it turned out great. It would be great to use and enjoy the cocktail even if the cherries are not in season or just don’t seem fresh.

Please also keep in mind that you can either use sweet or sour cherries as per your choice or availability of the cherries.

Dill Saltines

 1 1/2 cups olive oil

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 package ranch seasoning mix

1 tablespoon dill pickle juice

1 tablespoon dried dill

1 (11 oz) box mini saltine crackers

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 250°F.

In a gallon zip-top bag, combine olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, ranch seasoning, dill pickle juice, and dried dill. Close and shake to combine.

Add mini saltines to bag, close again, and gently turn bag to coat crackers in seasoning mixture.

Arrange crackers on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and oil has absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Apple Dumplings

6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored

2 ready-made 9-inch pie crusts

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons of butter

For the Sauce:

2 cups apple cider

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and keep it aside for now.

Divide your pie crusts into 6 even sections. Roll each one into a roughly 7-inch square or circle. You want these big enough to entirely envelop each apple. Place an apple on each dough piece, with the cored part facing up.

In a small bowl, combine your brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Evenly distribute this mixture among your apples, stuffing some into the hollow cores and scattering the rest around the base of each apple.

Slice your butter into 6 equal pieces. Put one slice into the core of each apple.

Wrap the corners of the dough around each apple, making sure to pinch the edges together securely. Your apples should now be completely encased. Place your finished dumplings into the prepared baking pan.

Let's make that irresistible sauce. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all the sauce ingredients. Stir this mixture constantly until it reaches a low boil. After the sugar has dissolved, let it cook for an additional minute, then remove from the heat. Allow your sauce to cool for 5 minutes before evenly pouring it over your dumplings.

Pop your dumplings into your preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. They're done when they're gorgeously golden brown and the apples inside are tender.

Allow your dumplings to rest for 10 minutes after leaving the oven. Serve them warm, preferably with a scoop of ice cream and a generous drizzle of the extra sauce.

Extra Tips:

Storage: Keep any leftover dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply place them in the oven at 350°F.

The Best Apples for Dumplings: While I prefer the tartness of Granny Smith apples, you can choose any apple you love. Fuji, Honey Crisp, or Snapdragon apples are all fantastic options.

No Apple Cider?: If you can't find apple cider, apple juice will do just fine. But keep in mind, apple cider adds a touch more depth to the flavor.

Feeling Spicy?: Try adding cinnamon candies (like red hots) to the center of your apples before wrapping them. This gives your dumplings a spicy, cinnamon-filled surprise in every bite, a fun twist on the classic recipe.