Beet Sliders / Gatsby's Diner / Sacramento, California

It's difficult to find a recipe that's different when beets are the main ingredient. This was very appealing to me as a vegetarian and a fan of beets.
The recipe says to discard the liquid that the beets are cooked in. I keep the liquid to use in a soup.
I have a recipe for what I believe are the Best of the Best Pickled Beets. The recipe is on the blog. I also have a recipe on the blog for Roasted Vegetables that includes Beets.
If you haven't tried beets, I hope you do.


5 quarts water
1/2 C sea salt, plus a pinch
1 TBS dried dill
6 dried arbol chiles
1/4 C coriander seeds
1 TBS caraway seeds
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4 TBS seasoning sauce (recommended: Maggi)
6 to 8 whole beets (depending on size)
Olive oil
Green Goddess Dressing, recipe follows
Sliced red onions, for serving
16 to 18 slider buns, toasted
Directions
In a large stock pot, combine and the water, 1/2 C sea salt, dill, chiles, coriander, caraway, carrots, celery, onions, seasoning sauce, and beets and bring to a boil. Boil on medium heat for about 1 hour.

Remove the beets and let cool, discarding the liquid. Once cooled, remove the skin from the beets with a vegetable peeler. (Remember to wear gloves, as the beets will stain your hands as well as other surfaces.) Cut the beets into 1/4 to 3/8-inch slices. Place the beet slices, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt into a skillet over high heat and saute until glossy and tender, about 2 1/2 minutes on each side.

Remove the beets from the skillet and serve with shaved red onion and Green Goddess Dressing on a toasted slider bun.


Green Goddess Dressing:
1 bunch fresh tarragon, stemmed, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, stemmed, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1/2 C buttermilk
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 C white wine vinegar
1 C sour cream
2 C mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Combine the herbs, green onions, buttermilk, lemon juice, and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Let macerate for 10 minutes. Add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blend with an immersion blender until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Mexican Truffles

Mexican Truffles:

6 oz. Cream Cheese , softened
2 C Powdered Sugar
8 oz. Taza Mexicano Chocolate, melted and cooled slightly ( Cinnamon, Chipotle Chili, Guajillo Chili, Orange or Coffee ) These are the choices of flavors. Choose your favorite or make a variety to serve.
2 tsp vanilla
1 C crushed Kellogg's Cinnabon Cereal
2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

In a large bowl:
Beat Cream Cheese until creamy
Beat in Sugar, Chocolate and Vanilla
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour

In a small bowl:
Cinnabon Cereal
Cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper

Scoop out the chocolate mixture with a small cookie scoop and roll in your hands to make a misshapen truffle.
Roll each truffle in the cereal mixture

Refrigerate in a covered container

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Asparagus Casserole , adapted from Trisha Yearwood

I love asparagus any way it's prepared. So this recipes was very appealing to me.
I have adapted it a bit. 

Two bunches fresh asparagus
4 TBS butter
4 TBS all-purpose flour
1 C milk
Pinch salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
5 ounces Gruyere Cheese or Emmenthal Cheese, grated
4 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus in a large pot of boiling water, keeping the bundles together with rubber bands or string. Boil for 2 minutes, reduce to a simmer and cook an additional 5 - 7 minutes until the asparagus is bright green and still crunchy. Reserve 1 C of the liquid.

Run the asparagus under cold water to stop the cooking.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Mix flour and cayenne in a bowl. Whisk the flour into the melted butter to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and 1 cup of the asparagus cooking liquid. Add the salt and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the grated cheese and cook, stirring, until melted, about 1 minute.

Arrange the asparagus in the bottom of a 9"X13" baking dish, alternating the stem ends so each serving includes both heads and stems. Thinly slice the hard-boiled eggs and arrange them over the asparagus. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggs and asparagus and sprinkle with the cracker crumbs. Bake until lightly browned and bubbles appear around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Saltine Crackers with Chocolate and Pecans, Christmas Candy

Here's a vintage Christmas recipe. I've been making it for decades.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
A Jelly Roll Pan lined with Aluminum Foil sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.

35 - 40 Saltine Crackers
16 TBS Butter
1 C Brown Sugar
8 oz. of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips  (about 2 Cups)
1 C Chopped Pecans

Arrange the Crackers,( Salt side down),  in a single layer in the Pan.

In a Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
Butter, until melted.
Brown Sugar
Bring to a Boil for a few minutes as it begins to turn Caramel in Color.
Remove from Heat.
Pour over the Crackers and spread evenly with a Metal Offset Spatula.

Bake for 3 - 5 minutes. It should begin to bubble.
Remove Pan from Oven and Sprinkle with Chocolate Chips.
As they Melt, Spread evenly with a Metal Offset Spatula.
Sprinkle evenly with Pecans.

Refrigerate until Chocolate hardens and it's cooled completely.

Remove and Break into Pieces.
Transfer to a Holiday Serving Plate.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pine Nuts

We happen to love Brussels Sprouts. I have previously posted 4 recipes using Brussels Sprouts.
I like something other that just roasting them all the time.


3/4 C  (6 TBS) butter, divided
1 box of Vegetarian Bacon or 1/2 pound of real bacon, roughly chopped and cooked until crispy. For the Vegetarian Bacon, add about a TBS of vegetable oil.
1 C pine nuts
2 pounds of Brussels Sprouts, core and shred in a food processor, on a Mandolin or thinly slice.
4 Green Onions, finely sliced
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (your choice)
black pepper to taste

In a 10 " cast iron skillet or any large skillet:
Heat the skillet on medium high heat
Cube 1/4 C (4TBS) of the butter and add it to the skillet
When it melts, add the pine nuts and saute until slightly browned.
Add sprouts, onion, seasoning, salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until sprouts are wilted and tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.
At the very end add the additional 2 TBS of butter and stir well.
Remove from heat and stir in the bacon just before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetable Dip

2 C mayonnaise
1/2 C  finely chopped onion
1 -( 8oz.) package of cream cheese
2 tsp of  vegetable bouillon cube

Combine all ingredients well with a mixer.
Refrigerate covered for 2 hours.
The longer it sits, the better the flavor.
Mix well before serving.

Serve with carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, crackers, chips.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Coconut Pineapple Cake

Another recipe from my mother in law.
A classic dessert to take to a neighborhood gathering or a church function.
Make it for your family!

Coconut Pineapple Cake

2 C flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1- (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 C coconut
1 C chopped pecans

Sift dry ingredients together.
Add all of the rest of the ingredients, mix well and pour into a 9"X13" pan prepared with a baking spray. (I use my Pan Release Mix)

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Cool completely.

Make the frosting and ice the cake:

8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
1C Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 stick of Butter
1 tsp Vanilla

Beat until smooth and ice the cake.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!