Nut Tart

I love any kind of nuts. I think this tart will grace our Thanksgiving table this year.
One of my favorite tarts is a Torta di Riso that I make during the Holidays. I'm adding this one to our menu.
I'll re post the other one at the end of this post.


Crust:
1C Flour
2 TBS Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 C (1/2 stick) Butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2" cubes.
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
2 TBS Confectioner's Sugar
1 Egg


Filling:
1/2 C unsalted Pistachios, chopped
1/2 C toasted Hazelnuts, chopped
1/4 C Pine Nuts, whole
1/4 C (1/2 stick) Butter
1 C Dark Brown Sugar
1 C Light Corn Syrup
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
3 Eggs
Confectioner's Sugar for dusting


Crust preparation:
In a mixing bowl:
Flour
Cornstarch
Salt
Baking Powder
Whisk well.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat until pale yellow. (3 minutes).
Add Egg, mix well, scraping bowl if needed.
Add Dry ingredients in 3 batches, beating between each addition.
Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll dough onto a floured surface into a 12" round.
Transfer to a tart pan.
Press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Trim the dough flush with the top of the pan using a rolling pin.
Prick the entire surface with the tines of a fork.
Put in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Remove from the freezer and cover the dough with parchment paper, including a 1" overhang.
Fill the pan with pie weights.
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
Remove the weights.
Return to the oven and bake an additional 25 - 20 minutes.
Remove from oven to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Place the tart pan on a sheet pan and prepare the nuts.
Spread the nuts in a single layer on 3 separate small sheet pans.
Place them all in the oven and roast:
Pistachios for 5 minutes.
Pine Nuts for 10 minutes.
Hazelnuts for 20 minutes.
Remove the pans and cool completely.

In a saucepan on medium heat:
Butter
Heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Create a golden brown butter.
Remove and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl:
Brown Sugar
Corn Syrup
Salt
Vanilla
Whisk well.
Add egg and whisk.
Add Brown Butter and whisk again.
Fold in all of the Nuts.
Pour into the Tart Pan.

Bake for 1 hour, rotate the pan after 30 minutes.
If the crust begins to darken, cover loosely with a loose foil tent.
Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Dust with Confectioner's Sugar just before serving.
Garnish with Whipped Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Torta di Riso:
I hope you take the time to make this amazing Torte.
This doesn't sound like a Hippy in the Kitchen kind of recipe, but I was a privileged hippy! Or so my parents thought ........

Anyway, this is a Best of the Best from my personal collection of recipes. (1984)
Serve this and your guests will think you're  a really fancy cook!

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

1 quart of milk (4 cups)
1/2 C Italian Arborio Rice
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C raw whole almonds ( here's where the hippy part is)
1 TBS sugar & a few drops of water
6 eggs
3 TBS almond liqueur
1 tsp almond extract
Additional Almond Liqueur

Bring milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
Stir in the rice, mix well.
Blend in sugar and vanilla.
Reduce heat and simmer slowly, uncovered, stirring occasionally about 20 minutes.
Allow to cool.

Pre heat broiler.
Arrange Almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with 1 TBS sugar and a few drops of water.
Broil until they begin to caramelize.
Transfer to a food processor and coarsely chop.

Generously butter a 10" quiche pan ( this recipe fits perfectly)

Beat eggs together with 3 TBS Almond Liqueur and Almond Extract, in a large bowl.
Add Almonds and rice mixture and blend well.

Place the mixture in the quiche pan
Bake until the top is chestnut brown, about 1 hour.
Remove immediately. poke holes in the top with a toothpick and sprinkle generously with additional liqueur.
Cut into wedges and cool before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Roasted Sweet Potato, Spinach and Peppered Pecan Salad with Dried Cranberries.

This is the perfect Fall salad and it would be great for a Thanksgiving menu. We will definite;y make this for the Holidays this year.
It's never too early to start preparing your Holiday menu.
I saw this salad on an episode of P. Allen Smith.
I've adapted it a bit without changing the integrity of the original recipe.

Let's start with the Vinaigrette ingredients:

1 Shallot, peeled
3 TBS of Creole or French Grainy Mustard
1 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBS Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2 TBS Brown Sugar
3/4 C Olive Oil

Peppered Pecans ingredients:

Vegetable Cooking Spray
2 TBS Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 TBS Brown Sugar
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 Egg Whites
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce ( I use a vegetarian version)
1 Pound of Pecan Halves

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

3 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1" pieces.
2 TBS Olive Oil

Spinach and Cranberries:

8 C Baby Spinach Leaves
1 C Dried Cranberries


Prepare the Pecans:
Spray a roasting pan or sheet pan with a vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
In a small bowl:
Black Pepper
Salt
Sugar
Whisk well.

In a large mixing bowl:
Whisk Egg Whites well.
Add Worcestershire Sauce.
Mix well.
Add Pecans and fold by hand to coat well.
Pour this mixture into a colander to remove some of the excess Egg White.
Return to the bowl and add the Pepper mixture.
Fold well to coat the Pecans.
Spread in a single layer on the sheet pan and roast at 375 degrees for 5 minutes.
Stir them and return to roast an additional 5 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl:
Toss the Sweet Potatoes with a some Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper.
Roast for 25 minutes.

Prepare the Vinaigrette: in a Blender:
Shallot and pulse to chop.
Add:
Mustard
Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Salt
Sugar.
Blend on medium speed, scraping if necessary.
Slowly drizzle in the Oil.
Transfer to a small bowl.
Set aside.

In a large Serving Bowl:
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Pecans
Cranberries
Fold in the Vinaigrette.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

S'mores Brownies

We have small grandchildren who love S'mores. Actually, all of us love S'mores. We recently spent some time at a beach house in California that had a backyard fire pit. We made S'mores almost every night. Our 6 year old granddaughter was with us. She loved making them.
We have a family event this weekend and I found this recipe from Mom's Pantry Kitchen. I decided that this has to be the dessert we'll take. Our kids and our grandchildren all love S'mores, so this was not a difficult decision for the dessert!
I decided to simply copy the link so you can all try this recipe.

http://www.momspantrykitchen.com/smores-brownies.html

Enjoy!
S'mores!

It doesn't get much easier than this !

I only use Ghirardelli brownie mix, it has chocolate chips in it!

Into the oven!

Out of the oven!

Atlantic Beach Pie

Of course there's a story with a pie titled Atlantic Beach.
It comes from Crook's Corner Restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Many people claim that it's the best pie they've ever eaten. Every Seafood Restaurant in the South served this pie.
It has a filling similar to Lemon Meringue or Key Lime Pie, but it's the crust that makes this a special pie. The crust is dense, thick and salty which balances the sweet / tartness of the filling.

Crust:

1 1/2 sleeves of Saltine Crackers
9 TBS  Butter, softened
3 TBS Granulated Sugar

Filling:

1 (14oz) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 Egg Yolks
1/2 C of Lemon Juice ( Lime Juice can be used too).
Whipped Cream and Sea Salt for garnish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 8" Pie Pan

Crush the crackers with a rolling pin or place them in a large zip lock bag and crush with your hands. Crush them finely but not to "dust".

In a mixing bowl:
Cracker Crumbs
Butter
Sugar
Mix until it resembles a dough like texture.
Press evenly into the Pie Pan.
Chill the Pan for 15 minutes.
Bake the crust for 18 minutes. It will be golden brown.
Remove to a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling.

In a mixing bowl:
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Egg Yolks
Whisk well.
Whisk in Lemon Juice.
Whisk well.
Pour filling into the crust.
Bake at 350 for 16 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack.
Top the pie with Whipped Cream and sprinkle with Sea Salt.
Refrigerate and serve cold.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Back from Vacation!

We traveled 4 weeks, through 7 States and over 5,000 miles. What a great vacation. I posted a few recipes, but I'm looking forward to getting back to the Blog.
It's getting close to contest time for me. I enter a Hatch Chile Contest and the Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie baking contest every year. I've been a finalist in both contests.
I look forward to creating new recipes. I have many to choose from this year and as soon as I enter them, I will post the recipes on the Blog.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Food Blog Poem!

Food:

Food is what I talk about most.
I guess I have to as a Food Blogging host.
I like corn and squash and desserts galore.
I can always find a topic and talk about more.

I'm passionate about the things I cook.
You can check out my blog and take a look.
Search a food category or a spice you prefer ,
A vegetable, a fruit or a casserole you can stir.

Read a recipe and print it,
and make it with care.
Return to the blog to find something to share.
Always remember if you can't make a decision,
You can always rely on A Hippy in the kitchen!

And don't forget the motto I'm pitchin',
You will find happiness when you
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

terry!

Grilled Spinach, Goat Cheese and Artichoke Tartine and a story about Le Pain Quotidien in England and California

We were in London and ate at a great little French Bistro and Bakery. We ate there several times on our trip. We also ate at a great restaurant in Birmingham, England. The restaurant had a cookbook in the window and I made a note of it and told my wife we should return and buy the book.
A year later we were on vacation in Manhattan Beach in California and we went for breakfast in a great French Bakery . While we were eating breakfast my wife noticed the logo on the coffee cup and she realized that it was the same restaurant in London and Birmingham. I guess we didn't pay attention to the names of the restaurants in 3 different cities on two different continents. It's Le Pain Quotidian. We just returned from another visit to California and we ate at the restaurant again. It truly is one of our favorite places to eat in many cities. We're returning to Europe next summer and we'll certainly seek out Le Pain Quotidien!
I bought the cookbook.
They're known for their amazing pastries, desserts and incredible Tartines. This recipe is not from the cookbook but it's a great Tartine.
I'll post some of their recipes later.
This recipe makes 4 servings.

4 Whole Wheat flatbread  (Naan)
3 TBS Olive Oil
6 C Fresh Spinach Leaves
6 oz. of any Herb Flavored Goat Cheese, crumbled
2-6oz. jars of marinated Artichoke Hearts, drain and chop
1 medium Tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper



Brush both sides of the flat breads with some of the oil.
Place them on a gas or charcoal grill and grill for about 2 minutes, only on one side.
Remove to a serving platter.
Top the grilled side of each piece with Spinach, Cheese, Artichoke and Tomato.
Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.
Return to the heat and grill about 2 minutes more, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are heated through.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Here are some examples of Tartines and photographs from Le Pain Quotidien. It's our favorite restaurant when we're traveling.

Every restaurant has a communal table like this

One of our Tartines in London

London, Raspberry Tart and Coffee

London, Treacle Tart with Whipped Cream.
This was my favorite!

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Bars

Since I spend many of my summers at our place in Colorado, I thought it would be appropriate to post this recipe. I happen to be in Colorado now at our place called, Snowy River. We love the serenity of the mountains. I can see this recipe becoming as popular as my most viewed recipe, No Bake Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter Squares.
This recipe comes from a well known store in Colorado, The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
I hope you take some time to make these amazing bars.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Bars:

2 cups white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips divided.

Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan. Alternatively, line with lightly greased parchment paper. This recipe can easily be doubled to fit a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

In microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave on medium powder for 30 seconds. Stir and heat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is melted.

Add the peanut butter to the melted chocolate and stir until smooth.

Place the rice cereal in a large bowl. Pour over melted chocolate mixture and gently toss until completely coated. Continue to stir until the mixture is no longer warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.

When the cereal mixture has cooled, fold in the marshmallows and 1/2 cup of the mini chips.

Spread into prepared pan, compressing lightly with the back of your spoon. Don't press too hard or you'll crush the cereal. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and press lightly to adhere. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes, then cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Bars will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cucumber Mint Lemonade

We had lunch at a very cool place in California. They serve interesting variations of Lemonade.
I like unsweetened Lemonade and this was really good. It's not for everyone because the infused flavors are very recognizable.

This recipe makes 2 quarts and is sugar free.
I had their sugar free version and I absolutely loved it.
I will make this when I return to Texas and will drink it throughout the summer.
If you prefer a sweet version, add 1 C of Sugar at the beginning just before blending.


2 Cucumbers, roughly chopped (at least 2 1/2 C)
1 1/2 C roughly chopped Fresh Mint leaves
2 C fresh squeezed Lemon Juice ( approximately 10 lemons)
3 C Water
Served over Ice.
Garnish with additional Mint and Cucumber if desired.


In a Blender:
Cucumbers
Mint
Lemon Juice
Press it down into the blender.
Pulse.
Blend for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed.

Strain the mixture through a sieve, into a pitcher.
They kept a bit of the pulp in it. I like it that way and will keep a bit in my drink.
It should make about 5 cups.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vacation

I've been on vacation for 2 weeks and it looks like I'll be gone 2 more weeks. i had a chance to post while I was in California. I'm back in Colorado and it's more difficult to access WiFi. When ever I get a chance I'll try to post some recipes.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Sweet Potato, Cream Cheese and Rosemary Biscuits

We spent a day at Disneyland in California. We had dinner at the Blue Bayou Restaurant.
They have a new biscuit on their menu. It's served in a basket with rolls at the beginning of the meal.
Apparently the recipe is not available for publication but here's a copycat recipe.


2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda
1 (8TBS) butter
4 oz. cream cheese
3 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 C buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
1/2 C sweet potato puree

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Butter
Cream Cheese
Rosemary
Combine well

Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut the butter and cream cheese into the remaining ingredients until the mixture resembles pebbles with some large chunks remaining.

In a small bowl:
Buttermilk
Sweet Potatoes
Mix well.
Add to flour mixture.
Mix until combined well.

Place dough on a floured surface and knead until it comes together as a soft dough
Do not over handle the dough.
Pat it out into 2 inches thick and cut into 2" biscuits with a biscuit cutter.
Place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan , brush the tops with additional buttermilk.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

The Temecula Olive Oil Company, Seal Beach, California. Story, Photographs and Recipes!

I'm in Seal Beach, California and fell in love with this Olive Oil Store. I'll be posting a story about the store including history, photographs and recipes from one of their cookbooks, Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil by Mary Platis and Laura Bashar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

It's a family owned business in Temecula, California.
They are committed to using only California Olives of the highest quality.
They practice sustainable agriculture, growing and harvesting a wide variety of Olives, which they hand press using traditional methods to produce full, fresh flavorful 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Thom Curry runs the business that his wife, Nancy Curry co owns with Catherine Pepe.
They farm more than 120 acres and produce 10,000 gallons of high quality Olive Oil per year.
Ti's shipped all over the world along with Bath and Body products, Sea Salts, Peppercorns, Balsamic Vinegars, Olives, Mustards, Spreads Herbs, Spices and other Artisan Foods.
They also have a website where you can purchase their products.


www.temeculaoliveoil.com


My wife and I shopped in the store at Seal Beach, California. The minute we saw the outside of the store we were reminded of our favorite Olive Oil shops in Provence, France. We always bring home products from France including Olive Oil, Olive Wood accessories, Sea Salt, Mustard, Herbs and Spices. We knew that we had found our "Provence" on Main Street in Seal Beach when we spotted The Temecula Olive Oil Company store.
We were immediately greeted by a very friendly and knowledgable staff.
We bought Olive Oil, an Olive Wood Salt and Pepper box, an Olive Pick made from beautiful Olive Wood, a Cook Book and various gifts for our family.

I was given permission to photograph the store and write about it on my Blog.
We'll return again, before we leave California.

Recipes:

"Flavored Olive Oils are a wonderful way to enhance the flavor of your foods. Fruit flavored olive oils, like citrus, can be used in salad dressings, cakes, cookies and drinks.
Choose an herb flavored olive oil for more savory creations like breads, vegetables and soups. Most importantly, do not be afraid to experiment. For example, a basil or mint flared olive oil would be a terrific addition to a cocktail."



Mediterranean Vegetables in Olive Oil:

3 Red Bell Peppers
3 Yellow Bell Peppers
1/2 C Fresh Fava Beans or 1/2 C canned small White Beans
5 Garlic cloves, sliced
1 C mixed pitted Olives, drained and halved
1  (15oz.) can of artichokes in water, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (10oz.) box of white Button Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

Marinade:
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 C Sherry Vinegar
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp dried Basil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground Pepper

Lightly rub Bell Peppers with olive oil.
Place on a sheet pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until blistered.
Place in a large bowl while hot and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
Peel Peppers and cut into strips.

Place Fava Beans in a small pot of boiling water and cook until tender.
Drain the water and cool. If using baby lava beans, you do not need to remove the outer skin.
If using canned white beans, rinse and drain.

Add beans , garlic, olives, artichokes and mushrooms to the peppers.

Marinade:
Whisk olive oil, vinegar, oregano, basil, salt and peppers in a small bowl.
Gently toss vegetables with marinade.

Place in a jar or deep bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Turn often to allow marinade to coat the vegetables.

Best when made the night before serving.



Baby Beets and Brussels Sprouts Salad:

3 Baby Beets, washed, trimmed and peeled
1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 Large Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced or shredded.
2 TBS Feta Cheese, crumbles
1/2 tsp fresh Dill

Vinaigrette:
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
Reserved Beet Juice from steaming


Place Beets in a small heatproof shallow bowl.

Fill a Wok or a Pot large enough to hold a Bamboo steamer with 2" of water.
Place the steamer into the Wok.
Place the shallow bowl holding the Beets into the steamer and cover.
The shallow bowl will collect the juice "sweating " from the Beets. You will use this juice for the vinaigrette.

Bring water to a bowl and steam until Beets are fork tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the basket from the steam and allow Beets to cool at room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill until ready to serve.

Strain Beet Juice and blend with other vinaigrette ingredients.
Divide sliced Brussels Sprouts on two serving plates.
Slice Beets in half and divide among the two plates.
Top with Feta and Fresh Dill and serve with Vinaigrette.


Olive Oil Sugar Cookies:

2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C Sugar
1 Egg
1 TBS Milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or a Silicone Baking Mat.

In a small bowl, whisk together Flour, Baking Powder and Salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together Olive Oil, Sugar, Egg and Milk until combined.

In batches, Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
Knead dough by hand for 5 minutes, until smooth and form a ball.
Divide the dough in half, cover one half with a tea towel.
Flatten the other half into a disc and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4 " thick.

Cut cookies with a 2" circle cookie cutter or other shape.
Using a thin off-set spatula, transfer cookies not a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 7 minutes until golden in color. Do not brown or the cookies will be too hard.

Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining dough.


Triple - Herb infused Olive Oil:

In a sterilized bottle, add one Rosemary Sprig, two Oregano Sprigs and two Thyme Sprigs.
Heat 2 C of Olive Oil to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Bring the Oil back to room temperature and pour into the bottle.
Refrigerate immediately and use within 2 - 3 days.



Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise:

1 Large Egg Yolk at room temperature
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Place Egg Yolk in a medium bowl Using a whisk, bet until light and fluffy.
Whisk in Mustard and Lemon Juice.

Slowly whisk in 1/4 C Olive Oil until thickened.
Do not rush as you continue adding the remaining Oil, drop by drop, until the mayonnaise completely thickens.

Season with Salt and Pepper.
Cover and chill.
Refrigerate up to 5 days.

Variations:

Herbal:
Add 2 TBS  freshly chopped Chives, Parsley, Tarragon or Oregano.

Horseradish:
Add 2 TBS Spicy Horseradish just before serving.

Garlic:
Add 1 crushed Garlic Clove with the Egg Yolk.

Note:
Because of a slight risk of bacterial poisoning, the USDA advises against the consumption of raw eggs by pregnant women, young children and anyone having a weakened immune system or other comprimised health issues.
Pasteurized fresh eggs are commercially available and safe to use.


I chose only a few recipes to post from this amazing cookbook.
If you love to use Olive Oil in cooking, I highly recommend "Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil."

If you're ever in California, I highly recommend seeking out one of their stores.
Visit the website and try some of their incredible products.


www.temeculaoliveoil.com


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

.

Texas Margarita !

I have my favorite recipe for a basic Margarita, I think it's posted on the blog. Here's what we like to to drink in Texas........ We love Margaritas and we love Jalapeños so we drink Jalapeño Margaritas!
We have a favorite restaurant where we learned to love Jalapeño Margaritas and we always ask them to add more peppers. I think they call them Fire and Ice. If not, it's an appropriate name for them.
This recipe makes 1 Margarita.


1 1/2 oz. Tequila, your choice.
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 Large Jalapeño Pepper
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
A Splash of Agave Nectar
Fresh Jalapeño slices for garnish.

Begin by muddling the Jalapeño in a Cocktail Shaker.
Add remaining ingredients and fill with Ice.
Shake well.
Strain over ice in a Margarita Glass.
Garnish with Fresh Jalapeño Slices.


Disfrute!
Paz en la cocina!

Hippy in the Kitchen Poem!

Food is what I talk about most. I guess I have to as a Food Blogging host.
I like corn and squash and desserts galore. I can always find a topic and talk about more.
I'm passionate about the things that I cook. You can check out my blog and take a look.
Search a food category or a spice you prefer ,
A vegetable, a fruit or a casserole you can stir.
Read a recipe and print it,
and make it with care.
Return to the blog to find something to share. 
Always remember if you can't make a decision,
You can always rely on A Hippy in the kitchen!
And don't forget the motto I'm pitchin',
You will find happiness when you Enjoy! 
Peace in the Kitchen!

All American Apple Pie for the 4th of July!

For all of my friends around the world. We all have our favorite recipe for Apple Pie. It's such an iconic dessert in America.
Here's one example of a recipe for Apple Pie.


1/3 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Granulates Sugar
1 TBS Flour
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/3 tsp Cinnamon
7 1/2 C Peeled, Cored and Sliced Apples, your choice.
1 C Raisins
1 recipe for a 9" double Pie Crust
1 Egg, beaten and additional Granulated Sugar to Glaze the Crust just before baking.



Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray the Pi Pan with  cooking spray or heaving grease with butter.

In a large mixing bowl:
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Lemon Juice
Cinnamon
Mix well.
Add Apples and Raisins
Stir well to coat the fruit.

Spoon into the crust, blade the second crust on top and trim or crimp the edges.
Brush the top with a bit of beaten Egg and sprinkle with Granulated Sugar.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

On Vacation

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am on vacation until the end of July. I may be blogging from one of my destinations, but not as much as I usually do.
I'll be back home at the end of the month, so....... expect some great recipes and posts then!
Thank you all for your continued support and making this a fun part of my life.

And, as always:
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!