Okay, I totally admit it - I'm a HUGE sucker for caramel. In fact, at the risk of being tarred and feathered by some, I actually prefer it to chocolate. Of course, if you're a friend and frequent visitor here at The Café, you already know this, since I'm forever coming up with one type of caramel concoction or another. Like this Ridiculously Easy Caramel Sauce or these Caramel Pecan Hand Pies. ...
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Stuffed Bell Peppers with California Avocados and Barley
I figured that since everyone's talking "stuffing" these days as we countdown to the big T-Day, I'd share a fun "stuffing" recipe that that we developed recently for The California Avocado Commission. We didn't stuff a turkey for this feature, but some beautiful, fresh, bell peppers instead. I love that, even though the cold winds are starting to blow here in North Carolina and we've been ...
Read More →Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo
I can hardly believe I've never shared this recipe with you, but perhaps, with the holiday season almost on top of us, it was supposed to be saved until now. Maybe we'll just call it an early Christmas present. I've been making this delicious gumbo for, what seems like, eons. A co-worker of mine attended cooking school in New Orleans many years ago. One fine day, not long after she returned, my ...
Read More →Easy Cinnamon Pecan Rolls
Please don’t tell a soul… I usually don’t keep secrets like this. But I’m planning to serve these delicious sweet treats over the holidays, and I really wouldn’t mind if my guests thought I’d slaved for hours over them. Oh, it’s not that my family and friends aren’t worth it. I love them very much. In fact, they are the greatest blessings in my life. It’s just that, to be honest, I’m almost ...
Read More →Pear and Pomegranate Salsa
Can you tell I've been having the best time with pomegranates? I ended up with a huge bowl of pomegranate arils (seeds) after doing the post on The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds. So guess what's been swirling around in this girl's brain? Beautiful red-jeweled pom seeds, along with all kinds of ideas of how to use them. This tasty salsa is just one of them. My husband Scott came ...
Read More →Baked Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts with Brown Butter-Maple Glaze
I don't usually tell people what to do. Being an innately shy soul, I think "bossy" is a adjective that family and friends would not generally use to describe me. It's not my style, but I can't help myself this time. There's something you really need to do - if you don't have a donut pan, RUN to the store and get one (or two). They're fairly inexpensive ($8-10 dollars) and pretty easy to find ...
Read More →Mango and Pomegranate Guacamole
Scott and I have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and an incredible daughter-in law, to boot. We prayed, even before our kids were born, that they would one day, find just the right mates. Our prayers have definitely been answered, beyond our wildest hopes and dreams in both cases. I've told Josh and Lindsay; "Had we searched the whole world over, we still would have picked you to be the ...
Read More →White Bean Chicken Chili
I remember the day like it was yesterday ... I really didn't like beans. At all. Well, green beans were okay, but all those other beans; kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, etc? I thought they were all quite disgusting. There was something about the texture ... yuck! I couldn't stand them. But mom taught all six of us good manners, so, when I was invited to a friend's house and her mom ...
Read More →Barley and Candied Bacon Roasted Butternut Salad
Everyone loves this Roasted Butternut Salad - it's super healthy but has an unbelievably delicious splurge. Are you ready? Candied bacon!
How do I love thee, oh Roasted Butternut Salad? Let me count the ways... You're healthy, indulgent, salty, sweet, smoky, hearty, fun, colorful, beautiful and... just plain old lip-smackin' delicious! I have a feeling that, somewhere ...Read More →Apple and Pear Chutney
My inspiration for creating new recipes comes from the craziest places. It might be a beautiful display of orange, yellow and red peppers all piled up and glistening, just beckoning me as I walk into a local market. Sometimes it's traveling to foreign countries or even different cities here in the US. It might be a fun new restaurant, an interesting magazine, a visit to a local orchard or a ...
Read More →California Avocado Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Caramel Buttercream
I've been playing again - this time with avocados! I'm kind of a nut about the color green. You may have already guessed that from the header on this blog. Not only are the walls of my kitchen painted a pretty shade of green, earlier this month, there were lovely green orbs from California scattered here, there and everywhere in this little North Carolina kitchen. We were having fun working on ...
Read More →Everything From Soup to Nuts - Six Seasonal Recipes You'll Love!
Are you savoring this magnificent fall season? Here in North Carolina, the trees and foliage are in, what I call, their final glory-dance, showing off in dazzling shades of gold, orange and red before they retreat for a long winter nap. I'm trying to enjoy every moment, knowing these beautiful, cool, crisp days will soon be just a pleasant memory.
The culinary flavors of fall also ...