Kale Apple and Toasted Walnut Salad

June 8, 2014 By Donna 6 Comments

Kale, Apples and Walnuts in a (creamless) creamy walnut dressing.

Make it ’cause it’s healthy. Eat it ’cause it’s YUM.

Walnuts? In June? I know, walnuts are often thought of as a fall ingredient, but they are available year round and add an amazing toasted taste and crunch to a salad. So. They can be a summer food, too.

We are joining the California Walnut Vistual Salad Party with other bloggers this week, so be sure to check out the other recipes at walnut.org

I have been a huge walnut fan for the last 12 years. Walnuts are one of the healthiest things you can put in your mouth, especially with heart health. Since my husband had a severe heart attack in 2002, I have made an effort to get lots of walnuts into our diet. We even make walnut butter, and yes, I know, a little over the top – but it’s YUMMY, and easy to do in your handy food processor. Just toast and then whirl with a little oil.

I fell in love with Aida Mollencamp’s Kale, Apple and Walnut Salad. I was especially intrigued with the [creamless] Creamy Walnut Dressing. It is so delicious you will want to eat the dressing with a spoon. I left out the pancetta and made the salad vegan. Another change I made was to toast the walnuts to give them a more intense flavor. NOTE: Do not skip the toasting of the walnuts – this totally transforms their taste and their texture. Just spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until they are fragrant and browned.

– posted by Donna

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Quickles – Quick Garlic Pickles Recipe

June 1, 2014 By Donna 1 Comment

Sassy and crunchy pickles – pronto.

Crunchy and sassy pickles you can make in minutes.

Home made pickles are surprisingly easy to make. Just pickle them in the fridge – not on the stove top – and you’ll be amazed at how easy, fresh and crunchy they are. These beauties take just a few minutes of prep time and are ready in just 2 hours of chilling.

I have tried for more than 30 years to find a pickle recipe that is easy and also has the perfect balance of flavors and textures – and THIS it it.

I followed the basic recipe of Mountain Mama Cooks Refrigerator Pickles, with a few tweaks of my own. I added just a bit of sugar to give the sour just a little sweet balance. And I added in some sliced red jalapeños for a touch of heat.

Perfect nosh for your next picnic!

– Posted by Donna

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Cauliflower Ricotta Style Spread

May 23, 2014 By Donna Leave a Comment

Cauliflower “ricotta” spread even cauliflower haters will love.

Now here’s a cauliflower recipe everyone can love.

If you think you hate cauliflower, think again.This recipe is coming to you from a person who hates cauliflower: ME.

Oh, sure. I have tried to like it. After all it is one of the healthiest things you can put in your mouth. And lately, there has been an explosion of cauliflower rice recipes on the world wide web.

My co-blogger/daughter Anne has set the bar pretty high for cauliflower creations. Just a few: Cauliflower Rice Sushi, Green Goddess Cauliflower Rice, and Lemon Pesto Chicken Cauliflower Rice. Seriously creative.

And then there was this recipe a few days ago: Fried Cauliflower Rice with Shrimp, Sugar Peas and Red Pepper by the fabulous Kalyn at Kalyn’s Kitchen. This recipe (MUST try asap!) put me over the edge – I had to try making something out-of-the-box creative with cauliflower!

So, I decided to experiment with a recipe that is a spread – and turns cauliflower into a type of “ricotta.” This spread is so delicious and perfect for topping crostini or scooping up with veggies. And you can smugly pat yourself on the back for eating something that tastes decadent, but gets more cruciferous veggies into your diet. Win/Win!

–posted by Donna

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Roasted Asparagus Dip with Crudites

April 18, 2014 By Donna Leave a Comment

Roasted Asparagus Dip with Veggies

When my favorite veggies are piled high in the produce section, it brings my heart joy. I literally do a little shopping cart dance when asparagus is in abundance. I am desert born and raised, after all, and warm sunny weather makes me feel that all is well in the universe!

So I wanted to make a platter of crudites (raw or slightly blanched vegetables for dipping) that is really a work of edible art. This spring platter fits the bill, especially if you add some roasted asparagus dip in the center of a cabbage bowl. I created the dip with the same flavors of the warm artichoke dip/spread, on lightened up. The dip is delicious – like roasted asparagus with a hint of briny artichoke hearts.

Use whatever veggies you like – but I recommend blanching the tougher vegetables a bit to soften them – I did mine in the microwave oven.

Put this on your buffet or table at your next party and you will get rave reviews – guaranteed.

– posted by Donna

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Beet Deviled Eggs

April 1, 2014 By Donna Leave a Comment

Double duty beets: flavor inside and color outside deviled eggs.

Deviled Eggs, flavored and colored with beets.

Beets add sweetness and flavor to the classic deviled egg – and a bonus: soak your peeled hard boiled eggs in beet water to add a rosy hue to the outsides of the eggs!

Once a year in early spring I become a deviled egg fanatic. I have tried all kinds of mix-ins to the yolks, and I have to say that it was a surprise how delicious the sweetness of the beets was mixed into the yolks. They are delicious mixed with a little Dijon to balance the sweetness.

There are lots of food bloggers doing naturally dyed eggs – so beautiful! I just added my beets in two places!
See How to Dye Easter Eggs the Natural Way, Simple Bites
Tea Stained Easter Eggs, Yummy Mummy
Vegetable Dyed Eggs, Weelicious

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Kale Hummus Cucumber Bites

March 12, 2014 By Donna 10 Comments

Green bites of kale hummus goodness in honor of St Pat.

St Patrick’s Day approved bites of healthy green goodness!

Lots of folks have added lots of things to hummus – including a few tweaks of our own: Asparagus Hummus; Hot Pink (Beet) Hummus;and Black Bean Hummus, to name a few. But I was searching for green hummus, in honor of the second biggest holiday of the year at the Kelly house: St Patrick’s Day.

I found lots, but none with kale, and so I gave it a whirl- literally – in my food processor and this is now my new favorite hummus! If you saute the kale in a little coconut oil first, it softens and adds flavor to the kale. This dark leafy green adds so much depth and flavor to plain hummus – your taste buds will be amazed! Then, just whirl it into your favorite hummus recipe – or use our recipe below – and you have even more healthy hummus and GREEN to boot, in honor of St Pat’s.

My Irish foodie wish I wrote for all:

May your souffles rise to meet you,

May your colcannon be first rate,

May you find joy in every Irish stew, and

May nothing but deliciousness be found on your plate!

Happy St Pat’s All ~

– posted by Donna

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Asian Lacquered Sticky Chicken Recipe

February 21, 2014 By Donna Leave a Comment

Sweet and sticky Asian style chicken. Finger licking required.

Barbecued chicken is something I could eat most every day in the summer. And now I have found a new favorite winter chicken obsession: Asian sticky chicken.

The sauce in this dish is absolutely magical – it is the perfect blend of sweet and hot and sticky. It clings to the chicken and forms a clear glaze that is beautiful and rich looking. These are very messy to eat, but well worth licking your fingers.

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Superbowl Spectacular: Round-Up of Ready-to-Roll Recipes

January 31, 2014 By Anne Leave a Comment

A round-up of easy snacks and appetizers for game day!

Savory S’mores for Superbowl Sunday

While it may be true that neither one of your intrepid bloggers here at Apron Strings is a huge football fanatic (this accurately illustrates where Anne’s knowledge stands), we both love any excuse to get together with friends and family – especially when food is part of the celebration. Whoever you’re rooting for, or even if you’re not rooting for anyone at all, we hope you’ll find some great snack and appetizer ideas here, starting with the Savory S’mores above.

Go Piggers! …

Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

January 27, 2014 By Donna 2 Comments

Stuffed mushroom bites – pizza edition.

Mushroom caps with a pizza filling. Just think of these as Mushroom Pizzas – but all mushroom and no crust.

I learned to cook in the 80’s. Remember the 80’s? Big hair, florescent fashion. Hammer pants and stuffed mushrooms were all the rage. Classic stuffed mushrooms were typically made with bread crumbs, cheese and sometimes crumbled sausage, and as the fabulous Elise from Simply Recipes declares – every home cook should be able to make this recipe as a go-to appetizer.

With all the couch time coming up in the near future – Hello: Superbowl, Olympics – I decided a twist on the classic 80’s appetizer was in order. I was inspired by Kalyn at Kalyn’s Kitchen, who made fabulous portobello mushroom pizzas. Mine are in handy little bite-size form.

The only trick is getting the water out of the mushroom caps so they won’t be soggy when cooked with the pizza stuffing. So, I brushed the caps with a little oil and roasted them in a hot oven for about 8 minutes. They filled up with water, and I just took them out of the oven and turned them all upside down and let them cool to room temperature. Then, I flipped them back over and stuffed them with pizza fixin’s and gave them a second roast. Perfect!

I just love love LOVE mushrooms – in any way, shape or form. Check out the Mushroom Channel for other mushroom delights.

I bought cute little mini pepperoni slices and used little round slices. Then, I made small round slices from a mozzarella cheese stick. And of course, sliced olives are a must. I made a variety of toppings so you get a different classic pizza bite with each mushroom cap.

Happy couch time everyone!

– posted by Donna

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Homemade Low Fat Deviled Ham on Sweet Potato Chips

December 20, 2013 By Donna 2 Comments

Low Fat Deviled Ham Bites

Ham and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven. Delicious together in any combination. So why not in an appetizer? If you need a quick yet different appetizer for your holiday party, this is it.

Making deviled ham spread at home is a win/win situation: five ingredients in less than five minutes flat. And then, just spoon a little onto sweet potato chips and you have instant flavorful appetizers.

Remember back when you were a kid and you ate deviled ham from those little cans wrapped in paper with the dancing devil logo? Underwood deviled ham is the oldest still existing food trademark, just FYI. Well, this is like that, only about a million per cent tastier. Just buy some deli-sliced ham and whirl it in your food processor with a few other things and you have an instant party spread – or sandwich spread you can stash in your fridge because it keeps for a few weeks.

I wish you Happy Season’s Eatings!

So cinchy, it’s almost not a real recipe.

– posted by Donna

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