Vanilla Ice Cream with Salted Butter Caramel

Today I want to wish my brother Ryan a very Happy Birthday! He's an amazing older brother, and an wonderful father, and hopefully he has an awesome day today because he deserves it! And hopefully he doesn't mind me sharing his age with you, because this birthday cake ain't telling no lies.

Warm White Bean Dip

Dear readers, I lied to you.  I told you the cauliflower gratin was the best dish on my Thanksgiving plate, but that was only part of the story.  As a girl who grew up with crazy pre-dinner spreads, having a selection of cheese, nuts, crostini, and olives is way important.  And we knocked our pre-dinner munchies out of the park.

There was a dip, an epic dip, which shall henceforth be known as The Only Dip That Matters.  White beans.  Roasted Garlic.  Olive Oil.  Herbs.  Buzzed together into silky perfection, served warm, with little slices of french bread.  You may be thinking this sounds like hummus, but trust me it's not.  This warm white bean dip is hummus' sexy roommate from the big city.  Elegant, smooth, sophisticated...  Watch out, this dip might steal your boyfriend.

Roasted Salsa

If it were up to me, every restaurant would serve complimentary chips and salsa. That’s right, from Asian to Italian to French cuisine, I would be thrilled to sit down at a table and find a bowl of chips and some type of freshly made salsa. It’s my favorite part of going out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and usually the reason why I’m already stuffed by the time my meal arrives. And ok maybe it wouldn't be the perfect compliment to a plate of sushi, and maybe I would get sick of salsa if I ate it at every meal, but only just maybe, because I really do love the stuff.
Back in January I gave you my favorite salsa to enjoy during the winter months when tomatoes are really at their most lackluster. And even though the peak of tomato season is still a few months away, I just had to share with you my favorite type of tomato salsa when using fresh tomatoes. It would be the perfect addition to any Cinco de Mayo bash, as you don’t want to disappoint those who love salsa as much as I do. We’re a hungry bunch.

My cousin-in-law John makes a killer salsa that is the basis for this recipe that I’m sharing with you. He’s a lot more attentive than I am when it comes to salsa making though, and you can tell in the final result. I have a tendency to just sort of throw in everything I’ve got and hope it comes out good. I envy the care that he takes with his salsa, when I think about the haphazard approach that I use.
This is really less of a recipe than a basic idea behind a roasted salsa. As in any salsa, the amounts can be tweaked until it fits your liking. For example, it’s fun to experiment with roasting all or only some of the ingredients. Sometimes I like to roast the onions alongside the rest of the veggies, which makes them soft and sweet, adding a hint of sugar to the salsa. Sometimes I want a little more punch to the garlic flavor, rather than the mellowness that comes from roasting them, so I leave them raw. The important thing to remember with salsa, is that there's no absolutely right way to do it. So go ahead and experiment to your heart's content.

Deviled Eggs with Bacon

Both my brother and my boyfriend are certified Mayophobes. A Mayophobe is classified as someone who is disgusted by and morally opposed to the consumption of Mayonnaise. Neither one of them can be in close proximity to the stuff without pretending to gag, or protesting how gross they think it is. I'm not sure why they both developed this particular phobia, but neither one of them seems in danger of losing it any time soon.

So when it comes to food that involves this particular ingredient, such as these deviled eggs, we play a little game. We pretend as if mayonnaise doesn't exist. They'll ask me what's in the deviled eggs, usually followed by the phrase "There's no mayonnaise right?" And I will nod my head solemnly and say that no, there was no mayonnaise involved whatsoever. Then the pair of them live happily in denial, so that they can enjoy the eggs without worry that mayo is lurking nearby.
And I don't blame them for living in denial for these eggs, because they really are darn good, and we have bacon to thank for that. It's amazing how bacon can really elevate some dishes. It's not that these deviled eggs don't taste good without it, but when it's there, hoo boy, it's a whole nother level. It's the perfect combo of rich and creamy with a much needed salty crunch from the bacon.

Wonton Cups with Shrimp Salad & Guacamole

Per a couple of reader requests from a post I wrote last week, I’m going to share a couple of my favorite appetizer recipes with y’all. When it comes to entertaining and hors d'oeurves , I want to make ones that will pack a lot of flavor without a lot of fuss or preparation. Ideally it's best if they are something I can prep ahead of time, so that I need not worry about assembling appetizers as guests arrive. Both these Wonton Cups, and the Deviled Eggs with Bacon that I will post later, are two super simple, super tasty appetizers that have become a couple of my favorite go-to recipes.

All of the components for these Wonton Cups take only a few minutes each to make, and can all be prepared in advance. The appetizers themselves can be assembled about 45 minutes before you plan on serving them, as they may get slightly soggy if left to sit for too long. But once you serve these, trust me when I tell you that they won't sit for long.

These little buddies are totally addictive. They're light, fresh, and crispy all in one perfect little bite. The combination of flavors is amazing; spicy shrimp salad mixes with cool and creamy guacamole inside a perfectly crisp wonton cup.

Winter Salsa

I have a deep love of Mexican Food. I love it in all forms, from the truly authentic to the Tex-Mex versions of the Southwest to the completely bastardized yet still delicious American adaptations. Rarely do I go a few days without eating Mexican food in some way or another.

And salsa is a big part of this love.

I have a friend whose Mom makes killer salsa. Every time I visit she always has at least two different kinds of salsa and they are always amazing. She has been nice enough to teach me how to make several Mexican dishes such as tamales, chili verde, and mole, but I have yet to learn the secrets to her salsa. I have got to get on that; in fact, it may have just become my new year’s resolution.

I have been on a quest for the ultimate salsa for a while now and it seems to be neverending. Even when I find one that is delicious, I’m always trying new recipes in hopes of finding that perfect balance of heat and flavor. So far my favorite red salsa variations involve either roasting or grilling the tomatoes and most of the other ingredients until they’re blistered all over and then processing them with some cilantro and lime juice until it’s an even consistency.

It’s winter though. I have a hard time buying tomatoes in the winter. In fact, I avoid it if at all possible. There is such a huge difference between a fresh off the vine summer tomato and a watered down winter version that I just don’t prefer to go there. But as I mentioned before, I love salsa. So going too long without it is just not an option.

Peppermint Bark and Chocolate Pretzel Rods

Ho Ho Ho! It's Christmas Eve, and I am literally wearing pants with an elastic waistband as I type this. The jeans and I are done until 2010, but I'm headed home to my mom's kitchen, where this cooking madness all began for me.

I wanted to share a couple of really quick, really easy recipes in case the last-minute baking bug bites. Peppermint bark has been a favorite in my family for years, and it couldn't be simpler. The trick is getting good quality white chocolate. I prefer getting a block of white chocolate from my favorite cooking store, but if you're shopping at the grocery store, white chocolate chips are fine too.

Melt your chocolate (about two bags of chips) on a double boiler. If it's not melting smoothly, add a couple tablespoons of butter (it's ok, butter is fat free during the holidays).