Salted Caramel Shortbread Cups

My man LOVES caramel. I like it, but he loves it. I know that if I want to let him know he is special to me, all I have to do is cook him up something new with caramel. Add a little sea salt, and he gets all sorts of excited! 

These little cups of salted caramel are heaven. 

You can always use a cutter and make them look perfect, but I like the rustic look. I love giving cookies and treats that look like they came from home, because they did! Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Shortbread Cups

by Christi Silbaugh

for the shortbread:

10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

1 2/3 cups flour

for the caramel:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp sea salt

4 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sea salt flakes

Line a baking stone or baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt with a pastry cutter or fork. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing until it has a damp sand consistency.

Add the flour and use your hands to combine the dough until you can start to form shapes with it. 

Form cups with your hands. 

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a fork to make little holes in the bottom of the chilled shortbread cups. This will help keep it from breaking and flaking apart. 

Bake for 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the caramel, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, sugar, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and stir for about 5-10 minutes until caramel reaches the “soft ball stage” at around 230 degrees.

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour caramel in the shortbread cups. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve!

Bruschetta

 

Bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy that I absolutely love. I could eat it every day. I keep a big fresh plant of basil in my window planter year round specifically for this dish. Give me a glass of wine, a little cheese and this dish and I am one happy lady. Thankfully my husband shares my love for Bruschetta too. 

It is really simple to make! Give it a try!

Bruschetta for two
by Christi Silbaugh

3 tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 loaf sourdough baguette
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Core your tomatoes and then dice them into tiny pieces. Add to a bowl. Add your chopped basil and minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Stir and salt and pepper to taste. 

Slice a piece of the baguette up into four slices.

Add Olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. 

Add your baguette slices.

Toast over the olive oil until golden brown and crispy.

Top your toast with the tomato basil mixture and serve.

Crispy Snapper with Spicy Basil Sauce

There is no such thing of a couple that does not fight. Even the best, most stable relationships, go through tough times and rough conversations. Pride can get in the way of our relationships thriving. We don't want to back down, until the other person knows we mean business. But is it worth the relationship? Take time to think about that the next time you are so mad steam is coming out your ears. If it is worth ending the relationship over, then by all means, hold our ground. But if it is the regular run of the mill fight. How about swallowing your pride, asking for forgiveness, and then move on to a wonderful evening together. 

Romantic Tip: Be the first to say "I'm sorry" and kiss and make up.

Now on to today's food...I have been cooking a lot o f Red Snapper lately. I love wild caught snapper, and my local organic market has been keeping me very happy with their stock of this gem. I love it because it adapts to any flavors.  

Because my husband absolutely loves all things spice, this dish was perfect. If you are not a big spice fan, you can always use just bell peppers instead of thai chile peppers. We thought it was perfect with the thai chile peppers. Enjoy!

Crispy Snapper with Spicy Basil Sauce

adapted from sel et sucre

2 Snapper fillets  (approx. 8 ounces each)

1/3 cup flour 

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs 

1 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp canola

6 shallots, minced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

6 thai chile peppers, diced 

1 bell pepper, chopped 

1/4 cup chicken stock 

1/4 cup fish sauce 

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp agave nectar

juice of 1/2 lime 

1 cup Thai basil leaves 

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water

Pat dry snapper fillets with a paper towel. 

Set up a plate with  flour, a bowl with 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water, and a plate with 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each fillet in the flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the panko breadcrumbs, and set aside. 

In a sautee pan or medium pot, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil over medium-high heat, then sautee  shallots, minced, cloves garlic, minced, chile peppers, sliced, and 1 bell pepper, chopped until the shallots start to darken and the bell pepper is softened, about 5 minutes. 

Add 1/4 cup stock, 1/4 cup fish sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp agave nectar, and juice of 1/2 lime, and stir together thoroughly. Bring to a boil, and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 – 5 minutes. 

Stir in 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tsp cold water, if using, and let simmer until thickened, about 1 – 2 minutes. 

Stir in 1 cup Thai basil leaves, and cook until fragrant, about 1 – 2 minutes, then lower heat to lowest setting to keep warm until ready to serve. 

In a large sautee pan, heat 3 Tbsp canola oil over high heat, then add the coated fish fillets, being careful not to crowd the pan (you will probably need to do a couple of batches). 

Cook the fish until the bottom is crispy and browned, about 3 – 5 minutes. 

Flip the fish, and continue cooking until the other side is crispy and browned, and the fish can be easily flaked with a fork, another 3 – 5 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. 

Serve the crispy fish fillets topped with the Thai basil sauce.

A Healthier Maple and Brown Sugar Hot Cereal

I was really intrigued when I received a parcel that contained a bunch of KAMUT®products to try. The first product that cought my eye was a bag of Rolled KAMUT®.

KAMUT®wheat looks very similar to common wheat. However, its grains are twice the size of modern wheat kernel. I think it looks a lot like oats. 

It is considered a "high energy grain" because it contains more proteins, lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals than modern wheat. It is known for its rich nutty flavor. KAMUT®wheat is used similarly as modern wheat. Its grains can be either directly consumed or milled into flour. It can be found in breads, bread mixes, breakfast cereals, cookies, waffles, pancakes, bulgur, backed goods, pastas, drinks, beer and snacks.

The first thing that came to my mind to make is a healthier Maple and Brown Sugar hot cereal. That flavor is loved by us. Once upon a time, I fell for the over processed, high in sugar, virtually no wholesomeness whatsoever, quaker instant oatmeal. Well step aside captain quaker. This cereal is ready in 3 minutes and is very wholesome. 

So how can it be wholesome with brown sugar and maple syrup? Simple. Have you tried organic sucanat? 

Unlike refined and processed white cane sugar and brown cane sugar, Sucanat retains its molasses content. It is essentially pure dried sugar cane juice. Minimal processing produces a much healthier natural sweetener that is much sweeter using a smaller amount. 

Using pure maple syrup also adds to the sweetness of this cereal. Pure maple syrup is wholesome. Producing a lot of sweetness with less sugar than traditional refined sugars and syrups. 

A Healthier Maple and Brown Sugar Hot Cereal

serves 2

2 cups filtered water

1 cup rolled KAMUT®

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsp sucanat

2 tsp maple syrup

Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the sea salt and KAMUT®and reduce heat to medium while it cooks for 3 minutes. 

After 3 minutes poor your KAMUT®into 2 serving bowls. Top each bowl with 1 tsp sucanat and 1 tsp maple syrup. 

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Are you just maintaining your relationship? Or are you nourishing it, growing it, making it thrive? Just maintaining will get you nowhere. Unfortunately we are human and too much of the same thing gets boring. Romantic tip: Spice it up! Don't just maintain your relationship today. Do something that will make him or her feel special and loved. 

My husband loves french onion soup. It is one of his favorites. The soup is not hard to make, it is just time consuming. So I don't make it for him as much as I should. The crunchy toast on top, covered in cheese, just makes this soup amazing. It is a perfect comfort food.

This recipe is not just for two. Well it is, but it is enough that you will have plenty leftover in the fridge. It lasts 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container. It is even better the next day, just wait to add the toast and cheese until time of serving.  Enjoy! 

French Onion Soup

adapted from Bon Appétit | October 2013

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 large onions (about 5 pounds), thinly sliced

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

8 cups beef, chicken or vegetable broth

8 1/4 "-thick slices country bread, toasted

8 ounces sliced Gruyère

Slice up your onions. 

Heat butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, shallots, and garlic; 

season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and dark brown, 60–70 minutes. 

Add vermouth and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with kitchen twine; add to pot along with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 8 cups, 35–40 minutes; discard herb bundle.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place ovenproof bowls on a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among bowls and top with toasts (cut to fit if necessary) and cheese.

 Bake until cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 6–8 minutes.

5 Minute Teriyaki Snapper & Rice

Today I am sharing you a very fast 5 minute meal. I am not usually a big "fast meal" maker. But this week is Thanksgiving, I am in the middle of about 6 jobs and I am very pressed for time. Thanks to Rice n Simple, I got to try out their all-natural, premium cooked rice that raises the standards for instant microwaveable meals. It cooks in just one minute and the various sauces that come with each bowl are exceptionally delicious and can make it look like you have been slaving away in the kitchen all day! 

Rice n Simple is a young company that is dedicated to providing its customers with an option for enhanced energy, flexibility and creativity by offering the highest quality rice in addition to the most deliciously flavored sauces for a healthy lifestyle. Rice n Simple was established on the philosophy that being healthy and eating healthy is essential to living a balanced, simple and harmonious life. The company strives to connect with its customers through one of the simplest things life has to offer, quality food; and with the simplest nutrient rich food in the world, rice.

Available in both white jasmine rice and brown rice, Rice n Simple has created super healthy rice meals with incredible sauces that add mouthwatering taste to its already flavorful rice. And at a very affordable price, Rice n Simple provides quick & easy, yet super healthy rice bowls. The rice itself is of the highest quality, imported from Thailand and selected for its delicious flavor, unique texture and naturally distinctive aroma.

Rice n Simple is available for purchase at select Kroger locations in the US as well as at www.amazon.com for just MSRP $2.49 per 7oz meal. With delicious sauces including naturally brewed Soy Sauce, lush Shiitake Mushroom Glaze and a yummy flavored Teriyaki Glaze, the rice can also be utilized in any recipe, including those listed at www.RicenSimple.com.

For this recipe you only need a few simple ingredients. 

5 Minute Teriyaki Snapper & Rice

serves 2

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Rice n Simple jasmine rice with teriyaki glaze

2 6 ounce fillets of wild caught red snapper

Sea Salt and freshly grated pepper to taste. 

Start out with a non stick pan or cast iron skillet, and heat it over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the snapper on both sides to taste.

Add 1 Tbsp. Olive oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat. 

Add your snapper. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip. 

Cut the Teriyaki glaze sachet and squirt it on the cooked side of the fish, being careful not to get it in the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes. 

While finishing up cooking open your rice containers. 

Remove the film completely and cook on high for 1 minute for each container. 

Serve the fish over rice with your favorite sauteed vegetables. 

Christmas Caprese Salad

Here at Nan’s, one of our favorite summer foods is a Caprese salad, especially the heirloom tomatoes with a balsamic drizzle.  Of course in winter heirloom tomatoes are long gone, but that does not mean the idea of a tomato salad has to go away.  Cherry or Roma tomatoes are plentiful and usually good quality.  Here is a simple and beautiful holiday side dish inspired by the classic Caprese. The red tomatoes and fresh green basil make this holiday salad a stand out on the table. You can prepare the balsamic dressing ahead to save time.

for the salad:

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved.  Chopped Roma tomatoes will also work.
• 1 bunch fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade) 
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella pearls (or fresh mozzarella diced into bite-size pieces)

for the balsamic brown sugar reduction:

• 1/2 cup Pastamoré Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar 
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

In a sauce pan over medium-low heat add the balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar. Cook for 3-5 minutes until bubbly and thick. Once reduced, it should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Allow to cool.

Add the halved tomatoes and fresh mozzarella pearls to a bowl. Before serving, add the fresh basil and drizzle the reduction over the salad.  Toss.

Serves 6 to 8.