Peppermint Foot Soak

I mentioned in my last post:  Christmas Charcuterie Board about the great place I work.  It has been my hometown's gourmet and kitchenware destination since 1978.  Without admitting my age, I can honestly say I have been shopping at the international pantry since I was in kindergarten.  It is my favorite place.  What's not to love about quality cookware and gadgets, gourmet foods and cooking classes???  Well walking around on your feet, that's what!  Obviously holiday time is our busiest time and I know like me, my co-workers go home to aching feet at night, so I whipped up a refreshing little foot soak to rejuvenate their tired tootsies!  With all natural ingredients and an invigorating peppermint scent it's just the thing to get us through the countdown to Christmas.  I shared them a few days early so they could enjoy them after a long day of work. This would be a great gift for anyone, but especially teachers, hairdressers and ANYONE that spends a lot of time on their feet.  I was able to whip up 8 gifts with one batch of ingredients in just a few minutes.  If you're looking for a quick, economical last minute gift that is both useful and thoughtful, here you go:

A relaxing gift for friends with tired feet!

Peppermint is not only rejuvenating for sore feet,
but it's also refreshing and smells like Christmas!
I hope you whip up a batch of these to share
this holiday season.

Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock.

These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables
and remember they are for personal use only.

Peppermint Foot Soak

2 cups fine sea salt
2 cups Epsom salt
4 cups baking soda
Peppermint Essential Oil (I used about half a bottle-you want an obvious peppermint scent but you don't want the mixture to be wet or clumpy around 30-ish drops)

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir drops of peppermint oil in a little at a time unti you have an obvious peppermint scent.  You want the peppermint to be there, but you don't want the mixture to be wet or clumpy.  I was able to get 8 (half-pint) jars with this amount.  I found the little wooden scoops at Hobby Lobby and tied them on with baker's twine.

I hope you love this little homemade gift as much as I do.  Make some for yourself too.

Merry Christmas Foodie Friends!

Christmas Charcuterie Board

As you may know, my other hobby besides cooking is sewing.  I make scarves from repurposed threads.  A lot of team shirts, but if I can put a needle through it I'll try to make just about anything.  For the last 7 years, my childhood friend Ginger and I have hosted a Holiday Pop-Up Shop at the international pantry where I have worked on an off since 2002.  It's Norman's Gourmet & Kitchenware Destination Since 1978 and features kitchenware, gourmet & gifts.  It also boasts a large kitchen area where they host cooking classes and we host our Pop-Up Shop.  As I've probably told you before Mr. Devilish Dish is quite the cook and he has even taught cooking classes at the international pantry many times.  Every holiday season, Ginger and I rope him into giving a food demonstration during our Pop-Up Shop.  He always features some kind of delicious food item or kitchen tool available at the international pantry.  This year we decided to do something different.  As our gift to our loyal shoppers who come to our holiday show every year, we decided to have him teach a little workshop and our theme was Charcuterie Boards & Cold Brew Coffee.  The cold brew coffee was amazing and I will feature it soon in another blog post, but I wanted to share the charcuterie boards just in time for Christmas.

Charcuterie is the craft of preparing smoked and cured meats for preservation and flavor. Typical charcuterie meats are salami, ham, bacon, sausages, and pates. A selection of meats and cheeses are often accompanied by other yummy bites such as crackers, olives, pickles, jams, spreads, fruits and vegetables.  Think of it as the modern relish tray!

Banana Colada Plus A Big THANK YOU to Yummly & KitchenAid

One of the awesome perks of being a food blogger (besides eating, playing in the kitchen and meeting so many nice people like all of you) is networking with folks to share recipes.  This includes sites that share recipe content and companies with awesome kitchen products both big and small.  Recently the Yummly platform partnered with KitchenAid to reward some of their content creators with the wonderful gift of a blender! I'm so delighted they chose little old me here at The Devilish Dish.  All of this just in time to share a new cocktail with you: The Banana Colada.  If you aren't familiar with Yummly, it is the smartest and most helpful food platform in existence, and I'm proud they share several of my recipes.  You can choose recipes based on your personal preferences, tastes, allergies and more.  As part of the Yummly Pro community you can learn to cook with some of the world's best chefs.  There is even assistance in scheduling meal calendars and creating grocery shopping lists, all from the ease of their website or app available for IOS, Ipad and Android.  It's a very helpful foodie community to be a part of, so you can see how overjoyed I was to receive a new blender.  I'm sure you are familiar with the quality of Kitchen Aid products (I have been in love with their stand mixer for years!) so I so excited about the new K4000 Blender.  Designed to deliver the perfect taste, this variable speed blender easily blends even the toughest ingredients from kale to almonds and more!  The Ice Crush, Icy Drinks and Smoothie setting are absolutely perfect for the Banana Colada!  Do you like Pina Coladas? (Yes now that will be stuck in your head too.  Sorry!) You'll love them even more with the creamy addition of a fresh banana.  This is of course a terrific Summer drink, but it's delicious anytime, especially since Fall and Winter weather are upon us and we're all dreaming of somewhere warm and tropical for the holidays. A great way to entertain AND knock out those holiday fruit baskets at the same time. so enjoy: 

An old favorite gets an update from
a fresh banana!

Thank you again to Yummly and KitchenAid
for this awesome blender.
I'm so grateful for their support.

Braised Beef Ragu with Parmesan Polenta

Braised beef is simply beef that has been browned, and then allowed to stew slowly in a closed container.  It is the ideal one pot meal, making serving and clean up a breeze.  This Braised Beef Ragu combines a few simple ingredients for a rich, hearty, elegant meal.  Served over a pile of cheesy, creamy polenta you'll have a simple but sophisticated meal that is worthy of any Sunday Supper or dinner party.  Last holiday season when I was busy sewing away on scarves and pillows, I tasked Mr. Devilish Dish with preparing this meal.  We had made it once before and I knew with some tweaks it was something I wanted to share with you.  The first time he made it, he left out the tomatoes.  Oops.  They are a pretty integral part of the dish.  We added them at the end, and although we didn't get to experience them completely cooked down with full flavor, it was still delicious.  The second time he made this (unsupervised again) he accidentally added the water that is used to cook the polenta.  We able to rescue it with extra wine, tomatoes and tomato paste.  It was still delicious.  See where I'm going with this?  It is foolproof.  Recently, I decided that I would make this without his assistance so it would be perfectly blog worthy for you, and here it is: 

This hearty flavorful meal cooks slowly
and comes together for a rich,
elegant meal worthy of any guests.

Allow the beef to braise at a low temperature
until it is falling apart tender.

Serve over creamy Parmesan Polenta.
Where I live they're normally called "GRITS"
but doesn't Polenta sound fancier?

{Copy Cat} Ghirardelli Sea Salt Hot Chocolate

Every time we visit San Francisco we hit the Ghirardelli shop and my favorite treat there is the Sea Salt Hot Chocolate.  I actually love the location in Monterrey because it's like a little second floor ice cream parlor.  You can take your treats outside and sit on the balcony overlooking the Pacific.  How delightful is that?  Last year we decided to have our Valentine's Day dinner at home.  Changing things up from the usual steak and salad we opted to make breakfast for dinner.  That's kind of romantic right?  We enjoyed Monte Cristo Crepes (since I have a great Gluten-Free Crepe recipe) and my Mom's Fruit Salad.  All the great flavors of my Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe, but gluten-free this time.  I was trying to come up with a clever dessert to go along with our "breakfast" theme.  Since I haven't mastered gluten-free donuts yet, and I didn't think something like Creme Brulee was an appropriate breakfast-type dessert (Is there such a thing as a breakfast dessert? There should be!) this hot chocolate came to mind.  It was thick, rich, and over the top.  Make sure you use lots of caramel and whipped cream.  Splurge like you're on vacation.  Or having breakfast.  Or celebrating Valentine's Day.  Yes to all!

Here's my Valentine's Day Version

Here is the one I ALWAYS enjoy when in the bay area!

Gran Gran's Red Jello Salad

In my last blog post, I shared our most treasured family recipe, Gran Gran's Chicken Spaghetti.  It was the only meal I ever had at her house.  (Except when the cousins and I were old enough to drive and took ourselves to Whataburger.  Another Texas staple like Gran Gran.) Along with her Chicken Spaghetti, my sweet Great Aunt Nona ALWAYS served freshly sliced cantaloupe, garlic bread, Apricot Nectar Cake, and Red Jello Salad.  Now I'm not a huge Jello fan, but this is such a lovely dish, and always well received.  The colors are vibrant, with chunks of flavorful fruit.  Nona always made sure to add a huge helping of Texas pecans.  I think that's what made it extra special.  When my Mom makes it, she serves it in a huge gorgeous glass bowl for a fancy presentation.  This Jello salad has been served at many a funeral, church supper and even bridal showers.  Recently I shared some as part of a Meal Train Dinner for a sick friend.  I didn't want her to hassle with returning dishes, so I used a disposable container.  If you're not transporting, go the extra step like my Mom and use a beautiful bowl to show off this lovely salad.  Everyone will enjoy it, kids and adults alike!

Another family favorite from Gran Gran.

This salad is so colorful and refreshing.  If you
don't need to transport it, serve in a pretty glass bowl for a beautiful presentation.

I tried my best to copy Gran Gran's famous menu.
Chicken Spaghetti, Red Jello Salad, Garlic Bread
My twist: Simple From Scratch Brownies instead of
Apricot Nectar Cake.

Gran Gran's Chicken Spaghetti

I've told you before about my dear Great Aunt Nona and her famous Apricot Nectar Cake.  Chicken Spaghetti was probably her second most famous recipe.  As kids, my cousins and I thought it was also her most over-made recipe and moaned every time it was on the table.  As an adult, I've made this recipe more times than I can count.  I now know why this was a go-to recipe for her.  It's quick, easily made ahead, and a true crowd pleaser.  I recently signed up for a Meal Train for a sweet friend and knew almost immediately I would make Gran Gran's Chicken Spaghetti.  I also wound up making Nona's third most famous recipe: Red Jello Salad.  In fact the only thing I didn't make was the cake.  I made a batch of Simple From Scratch Brownies instead.  I even texted my cousins and said, "It's official.  I've turned into Gran Gran.  I just made Chicken Spaghetti and Red Jello Salad." This can be made ahead and frozen and then baked, or baked and frozen.  Or made the night before and baked when you're ready to serve.  It reheats well and it's loved by everyone.  Perfect for potlucks, new babies, funerals or weeknight dinners, and especially meal trains...

A TRUE family favorite.  This dish is
made by everyone in my family for every occasion!

Easily prepared ahead, frozen, and as you can see:
transported in a foil pan for sharing.

I took this meal to a dear friend for a meal train.
I prepared exactly what Aunt Nona would have made.
Chicken Spaghetti, Red Jello Salad, and Garlic Toast.
The only thing missing: Apricot Nectar Cake!

Broccoli with Green Chile Butter

Little Devil and I love all of the cruciferous vegetables, especially: cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage,  and broccoli.  Not only are they high in vitamin C and fiber, they have potential cancer fighting properties.  Not only are they good for us, we think they taste good!  Mr. Devilish Dish, not so much.  He's been known to ask if we can skip the brussel sprouts for a few weeks.  We've burned him out on those and cauliflower for a while.  His favorite green vegetable is Hatch Green Chiles.  Combining those with one of our favorite green vegetables made a very tasty compromise.  Freshly steamed broccoli tossed in a flavorful southwest-style butter is a great way to liven up a boring side dish, and a great way to get everyone to eat their vegetables!

A delicious southwest twist
on a traditional side dish.

Toss steamed broccoli in a flavorful butter.

A side dish everyone can agree on

A Taste of Houston

We took a little summer vacay trip to down to Houston to visit the Devilish Nephew and oh what an adventure we had!  We stuffed ourselves with with Buc-ee's Nuggets from Denton all the way to Woody's in Centerville where we stopped for a barbecue lunch.  The only thing I can say about Buc-ee's is "It's SOOOO Texas."  It's my favorite place to stop and stretch my legs.  And Buc-ee's Nuggets are ADDICTIVE.  If you aren't making a road trip through the Lone Star State soon, you can find them on Amazon.  I don't know how to describe them other than a it's like eating the best piece of cereal-turned-snack you've ever had.  I recommend Woody's if you're a connoisseur of jerky.  I've never seen so much jerky in my life.  We were too stuffed on barbecue including "shrimp stuffed bacon wrapped smoked jalapeno poppers" to even look at the jerky.  Woody's is the Devilish Nephew's favorite stop for jars of Homemade Chow Chow Relish that he loves to bring home to his grandparents.  Now mind you Mr. Devilish Dish and I had all of these things before we even made it to Houston where the REALLY good food is.  I'm going to go ahead and spoil the surprise and tell you the highlight of my trip was CATCHING A SHARK!  Then I'll share all of the other fun we had:

In full disclosure I have to tell you this was
actually the nephew's shark.  We caught
three, but only kept one.  

Italian Marinated Cheese & Olives + FREE Father's Day Printable OLIVE YOU DAD!

Father's Day is almost here and I haven't even gotten around to posting what I made the Moms for Mother's Day.  But I'm so excited about this post so I'm sharing early.  You know I love CHEESY food puns, like my "Don't String Me Along" String Cheese Valentines  or my Homemade "I Love You Honey Bunny" Honey Buns.  I'll go ahead and spoil the surprise from Mother's Day.  The moms all received homemade salsa and Mexican relish and tortilla chips in bags that said, "MOM, You're All That & and Bag of Chips!" I knew when Father's Day rolled around I would need something equally as silly and delicious.  Nothing says Dad Snack Food more than cheese and crackers, but I decided to level up by adding a tasty marinated olive blend and making my theme: OLIVE YOU DAD.  This mixture is delicious with any kind of olive, but I chose pitted Sicilian green olives and pitted Kalamata olives for my blend.  If you're ever near the international pantry in Norman, Oklahoma stop by and check their huge selection of bulk olives and French Feta cheese. That's where I stock up on my cooking essentials!  I chose to cube some Colby Jack cheese, but any hard cheese that can withstand a little while in the marinade like a firm Mozzarella or Gouda would be tasty too.  Throw everything together and let it refrigerate 8-24 hours and everyone will OLIVE YOU. 

Tell anyone OLIVE YOU with this savory snack.

Combine ingredients in a large bowl.  Refrigerate
8-24 hours.

Enjoy with some quality crackers.

Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock.

These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables 
and remember they are for personal use only.

Godiva Chocolate Gift Basket

Michaela over at An Affair from the Heart and I have been great friends for many years.  We originally met over our interest in scrapbooking when Mr. Devilish Dish and I lived in Omaha.  It's safe to say that hobby has gone to the wayside for both of us, but thankfully we share MANY other things.  We both love our family, children, adore boxer dogs, and we love cooking and blogging.  And chocolate.  What kind of friend doesn't like chocolate.  We have this traditional we call the Fun Ball.  It's a small silver ball about the size of a baseball.  It has a hinged opening for storing small trinkets.  I think it's traditionally called a "Friendship Ball" but really doesn't Fun Ball sound more fun?  We mail that thing back and forth constantly.  Sometimes it has jewelry, sometimes cooking spices.  Sometimes a tiny figurine, and more often than not, candy.  It's a challenge finding something to fit in that little ball.  We use the same box, just adding our addresses on top of the other over and over.  Usually until the box is falling apart and one of use finds a new sturdy box just the right size.  For Michaela's birthday a few years ago, I send her a big 'ol basket with all things Godiva Chocolate.  A candle, some liqueur, of course some chocolate.  And I managed to incorporate the Fun Ball in there. I added a little "chocolate" pearl bracelet.  Then I topped the whole thing off with some funny chocolate quotes and a big chocolate brown bow. She has a birthday coming up this weekend, so stop over at her blog and wish her the best!

Isn't this fun?

I found that awesome Godiva candle first,
and the rest of the gift just came together around that.

Here's the Fun Ball
full of chocolate pearls...

And me!

I do love Michaela more than chocolate.
And that's sayin' a lot!

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

I do not have a green thumb.  Nor do I enjoy yard work.  I do however enjoy a nice yard, which isn't always easy when you're married to a golfer.  Because if the weather is nice enough to work in the yard, it's nice enough to be on the golf course. So most of the gardening is my responsibility.  Every year I plant herbs and a few veggies with minimal results.  This year I decided I would actually put forth some effort into my gardening and really research how to reap the best harvest.  It's actually been rewarding this year because I've had good results, especially with lettuce and cherry tomatoes.  An abundance of cherry tomatoes.  Piles of cherry tomatoes.  What to do with a bounty of cherry tomatoes?  Come up with a great little dish that can be a side dish or appetizer.  I served it with toasty bread, a little like a deconstructed bruschetta, but it would be refreshing as a tangy side salad as well.  Bonus, I grew the herbs that went in here too!  Maybe my thumb will be slightly green by the end of summer.

Such a bright, colorful dish.

Garden fresh tomatoes and herbs.

Stir together tomato halves,
parsley and basil...

Add dressing, and toss to coat.

Serve with bread as a hearty appetizer,
or as a tangy side salad...

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I used half curly, half flat-leaf Italian)
3 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade cut (roll up leaves and thinly slice to avoid brusing)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

In a jar or container with a tight fitting lid, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, seasoned salt, dried thyme and sugar.  Shake until dressing is thoroughly combined.  In a bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, parsley and basil.  Pour dressing over and toss to combine.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  0 needs to chill

Oatmeal Cookies (No Raisins!)

Whenever my father-in-law has a birthday, or other special occasion, Little Devil makes him Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, which she thought was his favorite.  Finally my Mother-In-Law let her in on a little secret:  He hates raisins.  Loves Oatmeal Cookies.  Not Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  When Little Devil first started baking (which was many years ago) she asked if I had a go to Oatmeal Cookie recipe.  Now I don't like Oatmeal or Raisins so that answer is No.  But thankfully my friend Michaela from An Affair From the Heart made me the most treasured, beautifully handwritten book full of her family favorites.  It is one of my most used cookbooks, because it features tried and true recipes from both sides of her lovely family.  This recipe comes from Michaela's Mom, or Grandma Jane as they refer to her.  It's Jane's Recipe, with one little tweak:  No Raisins!

Papa Bear's Favorite Way...

Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake until light golden brown.
Don't over bake,
So they will stay chewy!

We even made a sign so he would know
we left out the raisins just for him!

Oatmeal Cookies (NO Raisins)

Adapted from: An Affair From The Heart


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oatmeal
(raisins optional)

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream shortening and butter together.  Add sugars until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to the creamed mixture until blended.  Fold in oatmeal.  Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 9 minutes, or until lightly browned.

The Carajillo Cocktail

A carajillo is a Spanish drink combing coffee, usually with brandy or whiskey.  I recently told you about my new found obsession:  Licor 43 in my post about Little Beers.  Since Licor 43 is a Spanish liqueur flavored with citrus, vanilla and aromatic herbs, adding it to coffee to create this sublime cocktail seems so obvious.  Paired with a cold brew coffee, it makes a fabulous after dinner drink or anytime for coffee lovers.  

Licor 43 (my new favorite) paired
with cold brew espresso.
Try this!

Check out that giant sphere of ice.
The perfect presentation.

Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze + FREE Printable Gift Tags

In the past I've made Strawberry Brownies for Valentine's Day.  They were such a big hit and so simple, I decided to adapt the recipe for a quick and tasty Easter treat!  Carrot Cake Bars are so easy.  Just 3 ingredients!  Start with a boxed carrot cake mix and by adjusting the amount of oil and eggs, the result is a thick, rich bar full of carrot and spice flavor!  Now I LOVE cream cheese frosting, especially the one on My Mom's Carrot Cake, but I wanted these bars to have more of a glaze instead of a thick, fluffy frosting.  Mainly because I'm giving them in cute little Easter bags.  If you're planning to serve them on a platter where that delightful frosting won't get squished, feel free to frost them instead.  Since I'm giving these away to family and friends as a little gift for Easter, I created some cute little tags reminiscent of vintage carrot seed packets.  They are included below if you'd like to print them for gift giving too!  

Only 3 ingredients plus a quick glaze!

Spicy Southwest Egg Salad

We took a little trip to Santa Fe a while back.  Like Oklahoma Football, I'm sure you've heard me mention just how much I love Santa Fe.  I send Mr. Devilish Dish homes for sale from Santa Fe Realtor websites on a daily basis.  I don't talk about "if" we move there, I speak in terms of "when."  It's free to dream right?  Leading up to our trip I think everything I made for dinner had a Southwest flair.  Just to get everyone in the mood.  We love egg salad sandwiches around here.  They are simple, tasty and I always have eggs in the fridge.  This is an updated version of egg salad.  Heartier, tastier and full of Southwest flavor.  With a kick!  It was great on toasted bread as a sandwich, but would be lovely on a bed of lettuce leaves as well.  If your spouse won't let you move to your favorite place this week, then bring the flavors of your favorite place to your kitchen...

A hearty sandwich filling
with the flavors of the Southwest...

Serve this colorful egg salad
on toasted bread or lettuce leaves.

Creamy, crisp and colorful!

SPICY SOUTHWEST EGG SALAD

12 hard boiled eggs, cooled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
5 green onions, sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, celery, green onions, jalapeno, red bell pepper, garlic and cheese.  In a small bowl whisk together mayo, lime juice, cumin and chili powder.  Gently fold the mayonnaise mixture into the egg mixture.  Add a little at a time, you may not use all of the mayo.  You just want the egg salad to come together.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.  Transfer to a serving bowl and chill.  Use as a sandwich filling on toasted bread, or serve on lettuce leaves as a hearty salad.

Prep Time:  Approximately 30 minutes   Cook Time: 0 needs to chill

NOTE: This makes a large batch.  It can be easily halved if desired.

Leprechaun Shortbread Bites

Shortbread is a traditional sweet biscuit with bewitching flavor.  It's usually just made with three ingredients: flour, sugar and butter.  They come together in a magical combination.  With something so enchanting, it seems only appropriate to adapt it to a St. Patrick's Day treat.  Cutting the shortbread into little "leprechaun-sized" bites and tinting them with green sparkling sugar is the consummate way to lure a leprechaun into your trap!  

A magical treat to share with
some lucky friends.

You'll have no trouble trapping
a leprechaun with these little bites
of biscuit.

Buttery, flaky shortbread bites
with a hint of green.

Lure your own leprechaun or share
these magical treats with some lucky friends!

Here are some adorable gift tags if
you want to share your Leprechaun Shortbread Bites.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock. These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables
and remember they are for personal use only

You might enjoy some of my other St. Patrick's Day
treats like Lucky Charms Bars...

Or Homemade Peppermint Patties
for St. Patties Day!