Eggs Baked in an Avocado!

These were baked for about 23 minutes. The yolks are firm

I recently read about eggs baked in an avocado.

I adapted this recipe from several variations.

For each person, plan on 1/2 avocado and 1 egg.

lime juice

salt & pepper to taste

chopped green onion

bacon bits

salsa

Cut each avocado in half and remove the pit.

Remove some of the center of the avocado just to make room to accommodate an egg. This step is important so the whites don't overflow and burn.

Slice off a thin portion of the bottom so they lay flat

Drizzle with lime juice

Season with salt and pepper

Place them in a casserole or a small cast iron skillet to hold them snugly!

Crack 1 egg into each half.

Bake at 450 for 15 - 20  minutes. ( mine took 20 minutes) longer if you want a well cooked yolk.

Serve topped with sliced green onion and bacon bits.

Serve with your favorite Salsa.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

These were baked for 20 minutes

Dutch Buttercake

The cake looks amazing. I got permission from Lovefoodies to post her photograph of the cake. It was very generous of her to allow me to do this.


1- 9" Springform Pan ( grease with my Pan Release recipe or butter the bottom and sides, cut a round piece of waxed paper for the bottom and butter again)

1/2 C Butter
1 C  Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1 Egg, beaten (reserve 1 tsp and Mix with 1 tsp of Water to create an Egg Wash for the Glaze)
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 C Slivered Almonds

In a Medium Bowl , mix together:
Butter
Sugar
Almond Extract
Beat well until Creamy Smooth

Add 1 Beaten Egg, continue mixing well
Add Flour and Baking Powder and mix until well combined

Pour Batter into the Pan and spread evenly with the back of a Spoon
Score the surface in a 1" criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife
Brush the surface with the Egg Wash

Sprinkle surface with Slivered Almonds

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes

The top will be golden brown and a Toothpick should come out clean

I serve it with Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, Lemon Curd or Fruit Jam.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Raspberry Vinaigrette / Trisha Yearwood

Sometimes I spend hours researching a recipe. Sometimes it comes to me quickly and I can create my own.Other times I can be watching my favorite cooking shows and I see the perfect recipe.

Today I was watching Trisha Yearwood on the Food Network and she was making a Raspberry Vinaigrette. I began researching Raspberry Vinaigrette and I decided that  I would consider this one to be a Best of the Best!


Raspberry Vinaigrette:


1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil


 Combine the raspberries, vinegars, sugar and mustard in a blender until smooth. Slowly stream in the oil until combined.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetarian Products that I endorse !

As a Vegetarian blogger, I thought I should post a list of the best Vegetarian alternative products that I endorse.
I know that we all have different tastes, likes and dislikes when it comes to food. I also know that it's more diverse when it comes to meat substitutes.
I've tried most of them and I admit that there are many that I do not like.
I decided to put together a list of Vegetarian Brands and Products that I use in my meatless recipes.
I hope this gives everyone a chance to try a meat free recipe using one of these products in place of meat.
I also state that in any of my meat free recipes, a non vegetarian can substitute the same measurements with a meat product.
I have made and served many meat free recipes to my non vegetarian friends and family and honestly.... they couldn't tell the difference.
I know that may sound odd to most non vegetarians, but you'd be surprised how good these recipes can be when using a meat free product. The health benefits alone are attractive.
When I first became a vegetarian, almost 20 years ago, the options were not as vast as they are now. I tried all of the available "burgers" and I soon discovered that there wasn't really a good one on the market. I'm not a fan of bean burgers and that was one of the most available burger replacements available. There were other "vegetable" based burger that were horrible.
Being vegetarian today is much easier with such a wide variety of replacement ingredients available.
The only vegetarian burger that I eat now is Morning Star's Griller's 1/4 Pounder.

Here's my list of favorites.

Field Roast Sausage:
Mexican Chipotle
Italian
Smoked Apple Sage


For all of my Soup Bases, Gravy and Sauces I use a product called Better Than Bouillon. It's available in Chicken Free, Beef Free and Vegetable.

Quorn Products:

Baked Chik'n Cutlets
Chik'n Tenders ( fully cooked)
Grounds ( for Chili and Spaghetti Sauce)
Roast
Spaghetti and Meat Balls
Cranberry and Goat Cheese Chik'n Cutlets
Gruyere Cheese Cutlets
Jalapeno & Three Cheese Stuffed Chik'n Cutlets
Garlic and Herb Chik'n Cutlets
Buffalo Bites



Yves Products:
Jumbo Hot Dogs

Deli Items:
Bologna / slices
Ham / slices
Turkey / slices
Salami / slices
Pepperoni
Roast Beef
Smoked Chicken
Classic Brats
Zesty Italian Brats
Canadian Bacon
Breakfast Patties
Ground Round


Morning Star Products:

Bacon Strips
Breakfast Sausage Patties
Breakfast Sausage Links
Griller's 1/4 Pounder ( the only Burger that I eat)
Hickory BBQ Ribs ( I use these in my Hobo Beans recipe too)
Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties
Meatballs
Grillers Crumbles
Sausage Links


Lightlife and Gimme Lean Products:

Jumbo Smart Dogs
Smart Sausage / Italian and Chorizo these are fresh bulk similar to Jimmy Dean products
Deli:
Bologna
Ham
Turkey
Pepperoni
Gimme Lean fresh Beef and fresh Sausage ( also a bulk product like Jimmy Dean ) These are my favorites.


Tofurky Products:

Deli Slices
Roast ( I serve this at Thanksgiving, Christmas and I bake it and cube it for Chicken Salad. I also use it in my King Ranch Casserole)
Andouille Sausage
Spinach and Pesto Sausage
Chicken and Apple Sausage
Gourmet Sausages:
Italian
Beer Brats
Kielbasa

Sophie's Kitchen / Vegan Seafood
Prawns
Crab Cakes
Fish Fillets ( breaded)
Calamari (breaded)
Shrimp (breaded)
Breaded Fishless Sticks
Coconut Shrimp (breaded)
Smoked Salmon


Gardein:
Beef less Tips
Beef less Strips

You can see that the options are amazing.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Roasted Provencal Potatoes

This is a very simple Provencal recipe.
The end result is a very flavorful potato.
There are many varieties of Herbes de Provence.
The one I used has a blend of garlic, herbs, spices, sea salt and lemon peel.
The fragrance is incroyable!


Cut 1 1/2 pounds of Red Potatoes into 3/4" wedges

Toss in a bowl with 2 TBS oil, a pinch of salt, t TBS Herbes de Provence.
Place potatoes , flesh side down on a baking sheet
Cover tightly with heavy duty foil

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
uncover and bake for 15 minutes
Turn over the wedges and bake for a final 15 minutes ( i use 2 forks to turn them)

Serve with Sour Cream and Bacon Bits

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Taza Mexicano Chocolate Discs

I discovered Taza Mexicano Chocolate Discs when I created a recipe for an original Chocolate Cookie to enter in two competitions. I ended up a finalist in both contests. The cookie is delicious. I thought I had already posted it on the blog, apparently I haven't.
I will do that some day. Until then, here are three recipes using this amazing chocolate.
I realize that it's not really the best time to post a recipe for Hot Chocolate , but we often drink it on a cold night in summer when camping in the mountains.
I did add an Iced Chocolate version too. I'm also posting a different chocolate cookie recipe. If you love chocolate, you should love Chocolate Mexicano!


Taza Mexicano Chocolate was inspired by a passion for Mexican traditions, they hand carve granite millstones to make the rustic, organic chocolate discs with bright tastes and bold textures.
They are available in the following flavors and can be enhanced with liqueurs to further boost the flavors.

Oaxacan Mole
Cinnamon
Salted Almond
Cacao Puro
Chipotle Chile
Coffee
Ginger
Guajillo Chile
Orange
Salt & Pepper
Vanilla

You can see that there are some amazing options when deciding on a recipe that calls for chocolate.

Taza Mexicano Hot Chocolate for One!

Choose your favorite flavor of chocolate discs
Grate 1 disc ( they come 2 to a package) with a micro plane or cheese grater

It takes 1 disc for 8 ounces of water or milk
In Mexico, Hot Chocolate is typically made with water. For a richer thicker version, use milk. I make it with milk.

In a saucepan, heat milk until just below boiling.
Remove from heat and add grated chocolate.
Mix to prevent chocolate from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add any flavoring if using unflavored chocolate or liqueur to enhance a flavored chocolate. ( Rum, Bourbon, Tequila, Vanilla)

Pour the chocolate into an earthenware pitcher and whisk.
Taza de Chocolate is typically served frothy with a head of foam.

Vigorously whisk the chocolate about 2 minutes.
Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and additional grated chocolate .

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Taza Iced Chocolate for 2!

1- 2.75 oz. package of your favorite flavor ( 2 discs)
2 C milk
1/4 C water
1/4 C sugar
 Ice
Shaved Chocolate
Whipped Cream

In a saucepan or kettle, heat water to boiling.
Finely shop or grate chocolate and place in a bowl with sugar

Pour boiling water into the bowl & whisk until melted and smooth.
Slowly add cold milk, whisking constantly until smooth.

Fill 2 glasses with ice and add the chocolate.
Top with whipped cream and additional grated chocolate

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Taza Chocolate Cookies:

2 packages (4 discs) of your favorite flavor of Taza Chocolate Mexicano
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 C sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Grate or chop chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute , almost melted.
Stir until smooth.
Cool to room temperature

In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon & baking powder

In another bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth.
Add egg and beat well
Add cooled chocolate and vanilla and continue to beat until well blended.
Add flour mixture and continue beating until well combined.

Drop spoons full of dough onto a parchment paper lined baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, they will be almost set

Remove from oven and cool 2 minutes or until set.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Caramel Apple Bars

Caramel Apple Bars

1/2 C cold butter, cubed
1 pouch ( 1lb. 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie Mix
1 egg
1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 C  peeled and finely chopped apple ( i prefer Jonagold)
3/4 C caramel topping
1/4 C flour

Spray a 9"X13" pan with a vegetable cooking spray

In a large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using a pastry blender or 2 forks
Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly

Reserve 1/2 C cookie mixture
Press remaining cookie mixture into bottom of pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
Sprinkle apple evenly over crust

In a small bowl, mix caramel topping and flour
drizzle over apples

Spread reserved cookie mixture over apples
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes
Cool 2 hours
cut into 9" X 4" rows

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!