Wise words spoken by my pretty sweet husband encouraging me to take a leap. Some would say risky. Others don’t seem to understand. But who cares? This is my leap. My chance to risk…I just hope I don’t fall.
About a year ago I entered a competition. A competition that I was pretty sure I wouldn’t win. But for me the point wasn’t to win, but to put myself out there for the world to see. I wanted to be risky. To step outside my comfort zone. I want to share my gift of cooking and baking with the world.
Not many people knew about it until later in the story. You see, I didn’t want to share because I didn’t want there to be pressure to win or fear of losing. This was my thing I wanted to try unbeknownst to some of my closest friends and family. Just my husband by my side.
Fast forward a few months…I didn’t win.
Maybe a little disappointed but hey nothing had changed so no harm, no foul. Life went on. Then one day, something marvelous happened.
I got an email from a local station in town asking permission to air my video via their social media during the Christmas holiday.
Someone noticed! Someone deemed it worthy of the public! Someone ignited a spark…an opportunity had arisen.
So what now? You may ask…does this mean more videos?
Is there a future Janie-jean youtube channel in the works?
Are you going to try out for the “Next Food Network Star”?
I’m taking things one step at a time. There is a potential new video in the works, but in the meantime, I’m going to enjoy these Cornflake Crunch Treats featured in this video and allow the creative process to flow all year round!
Enjoy these babies at home with the detailed recipe below and seize those opportunities…you just never know where it can lead!
In a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat melt the stick of butter and allow to cook until golden brown in color. Take the browned butter off the heat and stir in the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are completely melted ( you can turn the heat on the stove if needed to help them melt completely). Sprinkle in a pinch of salt over the surface of the melted marshmallows then stir to distribute evenly. Make sure the heat is completely off and stir in the cornflake crunch and rice crispy cereal. Stir until the cereal is coated evenly then transfer the mix to a greased 9x13 pan. Press cereal mixture into the pan using a greased piece of parchment paper or the back of the spatula you are using until it is an even layer. Allow to set for an hour.
Once the treats have been set, divide into 16 bars. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. Dip the tops of the cereal bars in the melted chocolate and then sprinkle the remaining cornflake crunch on top of each bar. Allow the chocolate to set in the fridge. Enjoy immediately. Treats will keep for at least 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
**Cornflake Crunch recipe by Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar- Heat an oven to 275 degrees Farenheit. Pour 5 cups of Cornflake cereal into a medium bowl. Crush the cornflakes with your hands till the pieces are about a quarter of their original size. Using your hands, stir in ½ cup milk powder, 3 tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of kosher salt till it’s mixed together well. Then using a spatula, stir in 9 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter folding it over the ingredients so that they stick together well. The butter is the glue that holds them all together. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the mixture is nice and toasty. Cool the crunch down to room temperature before using or storing.
We’ve had fun in our kitchens playing with arguably the most delicious treat fall has to offer us- The Butternut Squash.
We’ve boiled and pureed them into a delightfully, creamy soup.
We’ve roasted them till caramelized and mashed them into a filling to stuff our soft pillows of ravioli.
And now my friends, it’s time to visit the sweeter side of this savory vegetable. We’re talking, thumbprint cookies with dollops of sweet and spicy butternut squash caramel. Adapted from one of my favorite food bloggers we make our own home made caramel, mix it with the traditional cream and butter then spike it with some roasted butternut squash puree and pumpkin pie spice.
We’re using Butternut squash in place of pumpkin because it’s sweet, buttery and frankly it’s what I had on hand at the time. A lesson on being your own chef- use what you got and make it happen BABY!
Let’s roll up our sleeves and make that caramel!
In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, water and corn syrup and cook over medium heat. Do not stir it with a spoon, do not touch it….JUST DON’T DO IT!
Instead, as you bring the mixture to a gentle boil swirl the mixture around by moving the pan as needed. The point of this is to make sure the melted sugar is doing so evenly without ruining the crystallization. With a watchful eye, eventually you will get a deep amber colored caramel, ready for mix ins!
Take the caramel off the heat and carefully add the butter and cream. The caramel will magically come alive as it foams and sizzles. Don’t be alarmed, it’s the nature of their relationship- just let it happen.
Stir together with a wooden spoon. Once the excitement subsides you can stir in our secret ingredients- butternut squash and pumpkin pie spice. Once thoroughly combined, transfer the caramel to a small glass container, I used a mason jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
The caramel will thicken as it cools and become a really nice gooey texture to dollop atop of our thumbprint cookies. Speaking of which lets make those buttery delights.
These cookies are a simple shortbread cookie. Light, buttery shortbread…oh how I love thee!
Butter and sugars are creamed and whipped to a fluffy state then vanilla and eggs are added to loosen it up. All that’s left is to add some flour to stiffen the dough which will still be sticky. Never fear, a little time in the refrigerator should do the trick!
When ready to bake, scoop the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet and be sure to space them at least 2 inches apart. They tend to spread a little as they bake and we want each cookie to keep to themselves.
Before popping into the oven, use your thumb to leave an indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball then bake for about 8-11 minutes. As the cookies bake they may inflate the center that you so carefully created with your thumb. No worries, for you just use the back of a spoon, I used a measuring spoon to gently press down the center of each baked cookie so we have a little nest for the caramel to go.
Once cooled, spoon your cooled caramel into the cookie pockets, serve and enjoy alongside your favorite fall drink!
I personally enjoyed with a cup of freshly brewed, STRONG coffee, but I would imagine these would go well with a chai tea latte or cappuccino or even some hot cider!
Whatever you choose, be prepared to fall head over heals in love with these delights as you lose yourself in the flavors that fall is all about. Caramel, spice, and everything squash!
Hope you had fun this week! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below of some other flavors you want to savor in the coming months. I guarantee I will be hard at work bringing you another series like this soon…especially with the holidays around the corner!
Powdered sugar and coarse sea salt for sprinkling.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together, on medium speed, the sugar and butter until it’s nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat into the butter mixture until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the flour and beat until it is well combined. You should have a wet, sticky dough.
Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before baking. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
When ready to bake, on parchment lined baking sheets, scoop 1 inch cookie dough balls, set 2 inches apart. Take your thumb and create an indentation in the center of each cookie.
Bake the cookies for about 8-11 minutes or until the bottoms of each cookie are lightly golden brown. Take them out and set the tray on a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before moving directly to the cooling rack.
Should the cookies puff up during the baking process, take the back of a spoon and press in the center of each cookie to recreate the indentation so the caramel has a place to settle.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before spooning in the caramel.
In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, water and corn syrup and place on a stove burner that is on medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, swirling the pan around to stir as needed. Do not use a spoon to stir.
Depending on how well your burner’s work, it could take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to get the caramel to that deep amber color. This is where it’s important to keep both eyes on the target as it bubbles and caramelizes. Once it starts to turn brown it goes very quickly from caramel to burnt sugar.
Once browned take the caramel off the heat and immediately add the butter and cream. Using a wooden spoon, stir the foaming, bubbly caramel till completely incorporated. Add in the squash and pumpkin pie spice and stir until it’s a homogenous mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The caramel will thicken as it cools making it that perfect consistency.
Spoon the caramel in the center of each cookie.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and finish with salt.
It’s officially Fall! And boy am I ready! I’m ready for the crisp air, crackling bonfires, the Friday night Football games, cider, apples, and pumpkin everything… the whole shebang!
Not sure if this holds true for your neck of the woods, but summer hasn’t gotten the memo. While I’m ready to bust out my boots and red flannel, the humidity and 80 degree weather seems to be still hanging on for dear life. Let it go, summer it’s time to move on to our favorite fall flavors. One such flavor I’ve been interested in lately is Chai. More specifically, milk chocolate AND Chai spice- it’s heavenly!
I came across this flavor profile a few short months back while prepping for an Indian themed potluck with close friends. I’m not too familiar with Indian flavors so I decided to stick with what I knew best…dessert. As I was perusing my array of cookbooks I came across a recipe for a Milk Chocolate Chai Spiced Ice Cream, and let me just say that it was the perfect accompaniment to our dinner. The chai paired perfectly with the milky chocolate creating an exotic blend of flavors begging to be devoured again so naturally, I began to brainstorm how I could repackage this flavor profile in a different form…why not crispy cereal treats?
These are divine! The secret is grinding your own chai spice. Here I used a base of peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. I toasted them in a dry pan till aromatic then used an old coffee grinder to pulverize to powder. Voila! Chai Spice!
Butter is cooked till brown. Marshmallows are melted as normal then it’s time to add our flavors. Chai Spice and a little vanilla plus another secret ingredient.powdered milk! Yup, you read that right POWDERED MILK, folded ever so gently into the marshmallow mixture giving a touch of milky flavor to the treats. It’s amazing how this one ingredient can elevate even the humblest of desserts. Experiment with it, you won’t be sorry!
We trade our regular crisp rice cereal for the chocolate flavored rice cereal (rhymes with cocoa crispies!) and fold it into the chai marshmallow mixture. Press into a greased 9×13 pan and allow to set for an hour or two or until cool.
Cut into squares and enjoy as we eagerly await the fall weather takeover. After the heat from this summer I am ready for a break. So with a cappuccino in one hand and a crispy treat in the other I bid you a happy autumn. May it be crisp, cozy and always delicious!
Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat and allow the butter to melt. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook until it becomes nutty and a golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the marshmallows. Continue stirring until the marshmallows form a smooth, melted mass in the pot. You may use additional heat if they need help melting.
Sprinkle the milk powder and chai spice mix over the surface of the melted marshmallows. Add in the vanilla and a BIG PINCH of kosher salt. Stir until the flavors are evenly distributed.
Pour the marshmallow mixture in a bowl with the chocolate crisp rice cereal and stir using a folding action, making sure all of the cereal pieces are covered evenly. Once thoroughly mixed, pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan and press the cereal mixture into the pan. You can do this using a spoon, spatula or a greased piece of wax paper.
Allow to rest until cool. Cut into squares and ENJOY!
Chai Spice Mix- In a dry skillet add 30 black peppercorns, 4 cinnamon sticks, 14 cardamom pods, 2 star anise, and 20 whole cloves. Toast over medium high heat, stirring frequently until aromatic about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a coffee grinder to pulverize to a powder. Use as directed above.
Being a Michigan girl (in an Ohio world no less) there is one summer time fruit that makes my heart go pitter-patter: Cherries! Sour Cherries to be specific!
In my younger years my mother would pack me and my sister in our Ford Windstar and head to the farm for some serious cherry picking. This woman had it down to science involving belts, empty milk jugs, and 2 free hands for efficient picking. (Not to mention a happy meal to reward our efforts).
Mom would make cherry jam and cherry pie filling (my favorite) to enjoy all year round!
In an attempt to follow in my mother’s footsteps, lucky little me managed to get a hold of a 10 pound bin of cherries from a farm in Lebanon, OH – Irons Fruit Farm. I made jam, and pie fillings but had a little left over so I decided to branch out and make a sour cherry granita which is the perfect summer snack you’ve been waiting for…let’s take a look shall we?
In the bowl of a food processor or blender pulverize about 2 cups of cherries.
Pour the cherries into a fine mesh sieve to allow the juices to strain through leaving the pulp behind. The cherries may need a little help so I had to whip out my little “enforcer”…my trusty spatula!
Meanwhile, make a simple syrup using sugar and water. Heat the mixture over medium heat and stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. See, it’s simple!
Add the simple syrup to the strained cherry juice and stir together. Then let’s make it decadent with a tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar. Trust me, this is a game changer!
Once everything is thoroughly mixed together, pour the juice mixture into a 9×12 dish. Place in your freezer for an hour till crystals begin to form around the edges. Use a fork and begin to scrape the mixture toward the middle of the pan.
Continue to do the scraping once an hour for about 5 hours till it looks like this.
Voila! You have a delicious summer dessert that’s easy on the waistline…if you know what I mean!
This dish is adaptable to any fruit you would like to use so have fun with it! If you’re curious, the cherry pie filling and cherry jam turned out SPECTACULAR!
Don’t worry, I will share these recipes soon but in the mean time enjoy the flavors of summer while it lasts! Can you believe it’s August already!? Time to start prepping my next trip to Irons Fruit Farm for their fall bounty! Keep you posted!
Strain the cherries of excess juices then add cherries to the bowl of a food processor. Pulverize the cherries till it forms a puree. Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp.
Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan over medium high heat add the sugar to ⅔ cup of water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat.
Add the balsamic vinegar and the simple syrup to the strained cherry juice. Stir till mixed well. Pour mixture into a 9x12 pan. Place pan into the freezer for an hour. Ice crystals should begin to form around the edges. Using a fork, scrape the mixture towards center of the pan. Return to freezer. Repeat this process till all liquid is frozen and the ice crystals form a granular texture. This will take about 5 hours total.
Serve, or store in freezer covered for up to 2 days.
If I asked you what your top three smells were what would you say? Think about it. For me, hands down I would say, new car, charcoal grill, and Banana Bread! Right?! True story- when I was in high school my mother had this candle that smelled like banana bread. On paper, I am sure it was a great idea…what’s not a great idea…burning the candle, making the house smell like banana bread was baking in the oven only to find out it was all for not. Not cool!
Today we have a special treat that is COCO- NUTS not to share! Yup, that’s right folks- Banana Bread+ Coconut= Match made in heaven!
Let’s start by mixing together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Cinnamon is going to add a nice spice note to this bread which is heavenly.
As if that weren’t decadent enough, now it’s time to mix in the egg and melted butter. We are not holding back no siree!
Now it’s time for the dry ingredients to meet the wet. I mix it together a little bit at a time so everything can get fully incorporated into the batter and not over mix.
Now time for MORE coconut- just fold the coconut flakes in gently like so. Coconut makes me a very happy girl!
Pour the batter into a greased bread pan. Then top it off with MORE coconut and turbinado sugar. This is going to amp the coconut flavor as well as giving the crust a wonderful, sugary crunch. Simply divine!
Bake the bread in a 400 degree for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The bread will be finished when it turns golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of it. Your house should smell wonderful at this point.
Once the bread is cool enough to handle, go ahead and slice yourself a piece, slather on some butter, and pair it with a cup of coffee. I assure you nothing else can cure the 3 o’clock blues like this lovely treat for all your senses!
So, I am curious- what are your top 3 favorite smells? Can’t blame a girl for being curious…let me know in the comments below!
First begin by mixing your dry ingredients- Flour, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon- in a large bowl. Mix till well blended and set aside.
In a medium bowl smash the bananas together then add the brown sugar and coconut milk.
Once blended, stir in the egg, vanilla and melted butter.
Once the mixture is homogeneous begin to add the dry ingredients to the wet a little bit at a time.
Once mixed together, fold in the coconut flakes a couple times. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into a greased bread pan then sprinkle the turbinado sugar and coconut flakes on top.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Bread is done when browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread.
Slather on a little butter, brew yourself some coffee, sit back and sink your teeth into this luscious treat. It’s so good it’s coco-NUTS (see what I did there)!
Apricots remind me of my father. Growing up, dried apricots seemed to be his snack of choice. Even to this day I can find a pack of dried apricots in my parent’s cupboard. I’ve always wanted to like Apricots. They are juicy and intensely sweet, but I’ve noticed my taste buds have a hard time handling the sweetness. Crazy, I know!
Whenever, I come across a main ingredient I don’t like I try to figure out a method that will agree with my taste buds. Because let’s be honest, usually it’s not the ingredient but how it’s prepared that can make or break its appeal. So instead of dried apricots, what if we roasted them and threw in another more mellow ingredient like Golden Beets! Let me just say it’s awesome AND it can be prepared as Baby Food! Got to love a two-fer!
First, take the Apricots and slice them in half. Do the same with the Golden Beets (I had to quarter some because they were so darn HUGE!) and lay them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast your fruits and veggies till the beets are fork tender. Once the roasting has completed, toss them into the food processer. Don’t forget to take off the skin of the Beets- that would not be tasty.
Director’s Note– let me just take a minute to pause and admire the beauty of caramelized apricots. That char intensifies their flavor…the king is in for a treat!
Pulse the mix till it becomes a smooth puree. Mine had a little texture to it because little Lew likes it that way. Adjust as you need to for your little one. You may need to add some water to smooth it out…just eyeball it.
Just look at that sunny mixture! This looks like summer in a bowl. You can serve this plain or as a mix-in with rice or even oatmeal. Delish!
All I can say is “The King” was pleased. I may have had a few spoonfuls as well. The mixture tastes bright and sunny as it looks. The mellow flavor of the beets compliments the sweetness of the Apricots to perfection! I would even consider keeping some of the ingredients whole and tossing them in a green salad with some feta- might be worth a try!
What’s an ingredient you would like to make over so it appeals more to you? Let me know below!
Arrange the beets and apricots on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, 25-30 minutes.
Transfer the beet and apricots to a food processer and puree until smooth. Allow the mix to cool. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature. You could even serve it over rice.
**Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months.
***If you can’t find fresh apricots you can substitute with dried ones, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes and then drained.
Necessity is the mother of invention. More and more I am learning that this is totally the truth. How do I know this? Well, life experience of course! These scones are a story of invention that begins with a visit from a certain Miss Carla Hall and ends with Green Tea.
I know that sounds totally crazy…the long of the short of it is, I was asked to make lemony scones for an upcoming event. While trying to amp up the lemon flavor in my scone recipe I got a bit overzealous with the lemon zest and sugar that I realized I did not have enough for a double batch. For 5 minutes I was in sheer panic mode…I need more lemons, I can’t get more lemons right now, the baby is sleeping, I should wake him up, no don’t wake him up, I’m thirsty, I want a nap, you didn’t think this one through, I need tea…and then all of a sudden the wise words of Carla Hall entered my brain. “Use tea as a seasoning…”THAT’s IT! I thought to myself…I will use my lemony, herbal green tea as the lemon flavor in my scones. Problem solved and these little beauties were invented all thanks to my girl Carla Hall.
These scones are dedicated to Carla Hall…and the lovers, the dreamers and ME! Let’s get to work!
First, let’s do a little prep work…we need to keep these ingredients cold. It’s the key to get that light flaky texture in this dense biscuit. I know that is a total oxymoron, but you’ve got to trust me on this. So let’s take that butter and great that sucker using the large holes of a box grater.
Now while these ingredients are chillin’ (sorry couldn’t help myself…if you knew my father you would understand…HI DAD!) …let’s make our lemony, green tea sugar. ** If you wanted to keep the green tea out of the recipe, that is fine just leave it out. For those of you who crave culinary adventure mix the green tea, lemon and sugar in a small bowl and massage the ingredients together. The sugar will smell amazing as the oils are released…just look at how pretty it is.
Next mix the sugar with the rest of your dry ingredients. At this point I would also make sure you have a cleared space for kneading and rolling the dough…things are about to get messy so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Remember that butter in the freezer? -time to have her join the party. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and using your hands, incorporate the butter until it is all covered by the flour and a crumbly texture.
Next, you need to add the sour cream mixture. And now you will realize why I had you prep the work surface. Use your hands to mix until a tacky dough forms. Then pour the dough out onto your work surface and knead the dough about 6-8 times until it becomes a ragged ball. DO NOT OVERMIX YOUR DOUGH! It should look something like this.
Now it’s time to put that rolling pin to work. Let’s roll the dough into a 12 inch square.
Then take the dough and fold it into thirds like a business letter. Then fold the short ends into thirds as well to make a 4 inch square.
Place the dough square on a floured plate and let it chill out in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Return the dough to your floured work space and roll it back into a 12 inch square. Now it’s time to use those blueberries. Sprinkle them evenly over the surface and then gently press them into the dough so they are nice and cozy.
Roll your dough, tightly till it looks like this beautiful log. Are you getting hungry yet?
Position the log with the seam side down and press into a 12 inch by 4 inch rectangle. Now it’s time to divide and conquer. I like to cut them into four equal rectangles. Then I cut them on the diagonal to create two triangles. You could even go crazy and make mini scones by cutting them into four triangles. This comes in handy especially if you’re making these for a party.
Then place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with some melted butter and sprinkle with some more lemon sugar on top.
Bake in the oven until they are golden brown. I am telling you these beauties will not disappoint. They are perfect! Just look at them!
Adjust your oven rack to the center and preheat to 425 degrees. While preheating, take your stick of frozen butter and grate through the large holes of a box grater. A food processer works great for this…if you have one. Once the butter is grated place in a bowl and back in the freezer when ready to use. Same for the blueberries-keep them frozen till ready to use.
Next, you will combine in a medium bowl the half and half as well as the sour cream. Once it is combined place bowl in the refrigerator until ready to use. In another medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. In a separate, smaller bowl combine the sugar, 1 tsp of lemon zest and the 2 tsp of the green tea. Once you combine your green tea, lemon sugar add that to your dry ingredients and combine.
Add your butter to the dry ingredients. Toss with your hands until the butter is thoroughly covered. Next, add your sour cream, half and half mixture to the dry mix. Using a spatula fold the ingredients til it begins to combine to form a crumbly dough. Once a dough begins to form, pour dough onto a well floured work surface. Knead the dough 6-8 times till it all comes together in a ragged ball. Roll the dough to a 12 inch square.
Next take the ends of the dough and fold it into thirds, like a business letter. Then fold the short ends into the center to form a 4 inch square. Place the dough square on a well floured plate and place in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
Return the dough to the floured surface and roll it back into a 12 inch square. Now it’s time to take the blue berries and sprinkle them evenly over the surface of the dough. Then press the blueberries down to embed them gently into the dough itself. Once the blueberries are placed take one end of the dough and begin to roll into a tight log. Position the log with the seam side down and pat the dough into a 12in by 4in rectangle.
Cut the dough into four equal rectangles and slice each rectangle into a triangle. Place on the baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the turbinado sugar and the rest of your lemon zest in a small bowl. Really massage the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oil from the zest. Next paint your melted butter on top of the prepped scones and sprinkle the lemon sugar on top of each one. Place the baking sheet in your oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
**This dough freezes really well if you want to save some for later. Just flash freeze the dough on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 20 minutes and once frozen wrap them individually with saran wrap and place in a freezer bag ready for your next snack attack.
This is my favorite technique for making scones. The way the dough is folded and the ingredients are incorporated make these scones a marvelous treat for breakfast or a late night snack or even a 3 o’clock munchie. For me, I would love this in the afternoon with a cup of a tea and topped with a dollop of Devonshire cream…PURE HEAVEN!
Plus you could mix in whatever flavors you desire…the possibilities are endless. There are some other flavor combos I am currently experimenting with in the kitchen, but I would love to have your input. What flavor combo would you like to invent? Let me know!
First things first, let’s roast those peppers. If you haven’t roasted peppers before it’s really simple. Don’t believe me? Watch and learn! Place peppers on a baking sheet lined with foil and a cookie rack.
Place in the oven under a preheated broiler. I had the broiler on High. BE SURE TO STICK BY THE OVEN WHILE ROASTING! I cannot tell you how many times I have walked away and nearly destroyed not only my dish but my kitchen for that matter…YEESH!
We want the skin of the pepper to get really charred. You will need to turn it periodically so the entire pepper has a chance to char evenly.
Once the skin is charred place the peppers in a glass bowl and cover with foil. This is going to allow the peppers to continue to steam with its residual heat which will loosen the charred skin.
Once they are cool enough to handle use your hands to remove the loosened skin. Then slice the peppers into ½ inch strips.
Now it’s time to make the dip…In a food processer fitted with the blade attachment add the chickpeas, yogurt, oil, cumin and garlic.
Puree the ingredients. Are you salivating? I know am…no lie!
Add ½ of the roasted red pepper to the hummus and puree as well.
Serve the hummus in a small bowl for baby topped with some of the remaining roasted red pepper. As you notice I have diced some of the strips…Lew doesn’t have too many teeth at this point so I needed to adjust to his chewing ability. While you’re at it, serve some on a piece of crusty bread for yourself…you deserve it after all that hard work mama!
Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil.
Broil the peppers, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened all over.
Transfer to a glass bowl and cover to let the pepper steam to help loosen the skin. Let stand to cool.
When cool enough to handle, cut the pepper in half then remove and discard the stem, seeds and blackened skin.
In a food processer or blender, combine the chickpeas, half of the roasted red pepper, the yogurt, garlic, cumin, and olive oil and process until smooth. Cut the other half of the bell pepper into small strips for dipping.
Refrigerate the hummus in an airtight container for up to 1 week; refrigerate the pepper strips for up to 3 days.
**You can also make extra roasted red bell pepper, puree them and then freeze for future mix-ins. Also try with ricotta cheese, cottage cheese or even with chicken or pork.
Nothing is better than sharing a recipe with friends and family, but at some point the kid has to learn to eat what is on his plate. And when you both are eating the same thing, it is hard for him to deny the food served in front of him. Ok Mom’s of the world, let’s rally together and commit to taking time to feed ourselves and explore the culinary wonders of this world. They can take our time and energy but they cannot take our FOOD! Will you join me?