Roasted Garlic Dip with Bacon

If you're a garlic lover, you will love this dip.  If you're a bacon lover, you will love this dip.  If you're neither, you will still love this dip!  It combines the mellow flavor of roasted garlic, with the crispness of bacon in a tasty, creamy dip.  It's great with your favorite chips, or try a little dab on top of a baked potato.  Yum!

The Roasted Garlic Dip with Bacon Party!

Place sour cream in a bowl.

Add mayo
You must get one of these
Displacement Measuring Cups..
So Handy!!!

Add dried chives

Squeeze roasted garlic from bulbs into a bowl.

Mash well with a fork.

Add to sour cream mixture.

Add chopped bacon to mixture.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
In this case I used white pepper,
but feel free to use either.

Cover and refrigerate at least two hours.

Serve with your favorite chips for dipping!

National Garlic Day! How To: Roasted Garlic

Not only is roasted garlic delicious spread onto bread as an appetizer, it's a great component to add to lots of dishes.  Once it is roasted in the oven, the garlic mellows in flavor and becomes a spreadable, paste-like consistency.  It is considerably milder than raw garlic, and a great addition to mashed potatoes, pastas or dips.  Not only that, but it is super easy to do, and it makes you look like a true gourmet!

Cut the top off of the garlic bulb,
leaving bulb and outer peel intact.

Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper.

Wrap in a square of foil and bake
at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes to one hour.

Let cool, then squeeze
the roasted garlic from the bulb. 
It is now ready to spread on toasted bread,
or add to your favorite recipe!

Classic Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise is one of the Five Mother Sauces.  Contrary to popular belief, the sauce is not difficult to make.  It only uses a few common ingredients.  By following the technique carefully, monitoring the heat, and whisking constantly, you can create this simple but sinfully delicious sauce with ease!  The flavor is rich and buttery, with a mild tang added by the seasonings, yet not so strong as to overpower mildly-flavored foods.  It is the perfect accompaniment for steamed vegetables, fish or Eggs Benedict.  It's particularly good over asparagus, and since Spring and Easter are coming up, it's an ideal time to make this classic sauce. 

Only 5 ingredients to a perfect sauce: 
Egg yolks, lemon, butter,
water and cayenne pepper.

In a double boiler over barely simmer water,
whisk together lemon juice and egg yolks.

Add water.  Continue whisking until
light and creamy and starting to thicken. 
Be careful not to get the mixture too hot,
or you will wind up with scrambled eggs.

Drizzle in melted butter very slowly
and continue whisking.

You'll have a pale yellow, slightly thick sauce.

Stir in cayenne pepper and remove from heat.

Enjoy over Eggs Benedict,
steamed asparagus, an old shoe...
Any way you can find to get this sauce to your
mouth will work just fine!

Classic Hollandaise Sauce
4 egg yolks
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons water
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a double boiler over SIMMERING water, whisk together lemon juice and egg yolks.  Add water.  Whisk continuously until mixture is light yellow and creamy and slightly thickened.  Slowly drizzle in melted butter, whisking the entire time.  Add in cayenne pepper and remove from heat.  You can keep the sauce warm in the double boiler over the warm water until ready to serve.  If it starts to thicken, you can thin it down by whisking in a small amount of warm water. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 5 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 10 minutes

Peanut Butter Cheeseball

You should know me well enough by now to know that I am a sucker for peanut butter.  I'll try anything with peanut butter.  So will my daughter.  She loves peanut butter spread on apple slices.  This recipe takes peanut butter and apple slices to the next level.  The cream cheese and chocolate chips probably take away the "healthy factor" of our favorite snack, but I never promised you healthy. I promised you Devilish!  Try this for a great dessert or snack, you won't be sorry.  It's great for a party too, the presentation is fun with the apple slices and graham cracker squares.

The Peanut Butter Cheeseball Line-Up. 
Or as I like to call it,
"All of my best friends getting together for a party."

In the bowl of an electric mixer,
combine powdered sugar and cream cheese

Don't forget the peanut butter. The BEST part.
PS: This displacement measuring cup
is the coolest thing ever.

Add brown sugar too.  Beat until creamy.

Place on a piece of plastic wrap.

Gather plastic wrap around mixture
to form a ball.  Refrigerate over night,
or freeze for at least 2 hours.  Remove from plastic
wrap and coat with chocolate chips. 
(You may need to return to
fridge or freezer until serving time.)



Serve with apple slices and graham crackers. 
The MickeyMouse Spreader is optional.

Baseball Season Is Here: St. Louis Italian-Style Salad

It's baseball season again, and that means my hubby will be glued to the tv, watching the Cardinals.  St. Louis is one of my favorite culinary places to visit.  You can't beat a hotdog and a beer at the ballpark, toasted ravioli is out of this world, and the Italian restaurants on The Hill are all amazing.  With all of the tasty stuff around, you wouldn't think the thing I look most forward to is a salad.  Something about the combination of the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese and the sweet, creamy Italian dressing makes it the perfect start to any Italian meal.

The St. Louis Style Salad Line- Up

Place washed lettuce in a bowl.  Add red onion.

Add artichoke hearts and pimiento. 
(In this case I was out of pimientos,
so I added pepperoncini instead. 
You want something that will add a tangy flavor.)

Add Parmesan cheese.

Add Sweet Creamy Italian Style Dressing. 
(I stock up here whenever I'm in
St. Louis: www.shopvivano.com)

Toss salad together and add croutons.



Toss again to combine croutons with salad. 
Serve immediately.



St. Louis Style Salad
 
1 head Romaine lettuce chopped, or 1 package Romaine mix
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
4-5 pepperoncini peppers chopped OR 1 large jar diced pimiento peppers, drained
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup Sweet Creamy Italian Style salad dressing
1 package croutons

Place salad (washed of course) in a bowl.  Add onion, peppers or pimientos, artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese and salad dressing.  Toss together until well combined.  Add croutons and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  0

Fried Chicken Tenders

There are as many recipes for fried chicken tenders as there are names.  Whether you call them chicken fingers, chicken tenders or chicken strips one thing remains the same.  The chicken needs to be juicy and flavorful and the breading needs to be crispy and not greasy.  We love this version.  Marinating in a buttermilk mixture results in chicken that is moist and succulent.  The combination of cracker crumbs and flour in the breading creates a coating that doesn't fall off during the frying process. 

The Fried Chicken Tender Line-Up

Combine buttermilk, beaten egg
and garlic powder.

Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness.

Cut into 1/2-inch strips. 
Season with salt and pepper.

Place in a zip-top bag and cover
with buttermilk mixture.  Marinate 2-4 hours.

Crush saltine crackers

Add flour, baking powder and salt. 
Shake to combine.

Drain chicken strips

Add chicken strips to the cracker mixture.
Shake to coat.  See how easy it is when
you use the bags?  Easy clean up too!

Heat oil in a heavy skillet.

Fry chicken strips in batches until
crispy and golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.

Be sure to serve with
Chicken Tender Dipping Sauce!

Fried Chicken Tenders
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-2 packages saltine crackers
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
oil for frying

In a bowl combine buttermilk, beaten egg, and garlic powder.  Pound chicken breasts so they are all an even thickness.  Cut into 1/2-inch strips. Season with salt and pepper.  Place in heavy zip-top bag and pour marinade mixture over.  Close bag.  (Set bag in a bowl just in case there is a leak!)  Refrigerate 2-4 hours.  Crush saltine crackers.  Place in a zip-top bag and add flour, baking powder and salt.  Shake to combine.  Drain chicken strips, but do not pat dry.  You want them to remain moist so the breading will stick.  Place chicken strips in bag with breading and shake to coat.  Heat oven in skillet to about 350-365 degrees F.  Fry chicken tenders in hot oil in batches until golden brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towels.

Prep Time:  Approximately 2-4 hours     Cook Time:  Approximately 25 minutes