Wine Cork Trivet

I love to collect wine corks, and they have been piling up (apparently we drink a lot of wine)! I started to look for a new project to make with them and found this brilliant idea online.

Each trivet turned out different and they have unique coloring from the different types of wines.   You can make a variety of different sizes, to fit all of your baking dishes, pots and pans.  I tried to make them as even as possible, choosing similar size corks.  They do not have to be perfect and they still get the job done.

SUPPLIES: You  need is wine corks (about 40-50 for the larger one) and a hose clamp which you can find at any hardware store (usually by the plumbing).

MY SECRET: Ask for corks at your favorite restaurant - I have gotten a bags full this way :)

For more projects with wine corks, click here & here!

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

It is hard coming off of a 3 day weekend. In theory the extra day is for relaxing & refueling so you feel revitalized and prepared for the week ahead.  This is not how I spent my extra weekend day.  I will not bore you with details, but I was so exhausted that I went to bed the same time as my girls (7:30!!).
I did manage to make 3 batches of these apple hand pies this weekend and they were the perfect dessert to bring to parties/picnics/WHATEVER, because they do not require utensils, plates, nada.

apples + caramel + salt + buttery crust + quick + easy + no fuss eating = the perfect dessert





Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies - Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour
yield: 10 (3-inch) Pies

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup cold sour cream


For the filling:
2 cups small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apples
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
8 store-bought soft caramels, roughly chopped
Large flake sea salt
Egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
Crystal sanding sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Make the dough:
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand.  Stir in the sour cream (the dough will be very wet), and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, adding more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky to handle. Roll the dough into an 8x10-inch rectangle and dust both sides with flour before folding it into thirds as if you were folding a letter.
Rotate the dough 90º and roll it out again into an 8x10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough again into thirds then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes while you make the filling.

Make the filling:
In a small bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and flour, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.  Assemble the pies:

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unfold it onto a well-floured surface, rolling it out to a 14x14-inch square. Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter or cup, cut out as many circles as possible. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles until you run out of dough, ensuring you end up with an even number of circles. (You should have approximately 20 3-inch circles.)

Place six of the dough circles on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Spoon a small portion of the apple filling into the center of each circle, leaving enough of a border around the filling. Top the apple filling with a portion of the chopped caramels and a pinch of sea salt. Place a second dough circle atop each filled circle then use a fork to crimp the edges together, sealing each pie.
Brush each pie with the egg wash, and using a sharp knife, cut two or three vents on the top of each pie. Sprinkle the pies with crystal sanding sugar (optional).

Bake the pies for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown.  Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Repeat the filling and baking process with the remaining dough circles.

Notes:
The cubed apples should be no larger than the size of corn kernels to ensure they become tender during the quick 15-minute bake time.

Strawberry Bruschetta

This appetizer is the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer. The ingredients are fresh and the bruschetta is a cinch to assemble.  I have made this sweet & savory treat about 5 times in the past few weeks and I have had multiple requests for the recipe....so here it is!

Strawberry Bruschetta  (from Jill Zimmerman)

1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 french baguette, sliced on a bias
4 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup minced basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine.  Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so they begin to release their juices.

Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice.  Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Top off with basil leaves and cracked pepper to taste

* A few notes
1. I usually double the recipe
2. I have found that if I lightly toast the bread, that it doesn't get as soggy with the fruit
3. If you are in Madison, I love the sourdough baguette from Madison Sourdough
4. Thanks Jill!!!

BLT w/ avocado and fried egg

You cannot beat a garden fresh tomato, unless of course it is topped with bacon, lettuce, and squished in between two slices of crusty mayo-slathered bread.

Whoever invented the BLT was a genius

Last night we tried a new variation of the classic sandwich, by adding avocado and a fried egg.  The result was exactly what you would expect.....f***ing amazing!!!   The lighting was bad, so the pictures do not do it justice.

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:

6 slices thick-cut bacon, baked at 400 degrees until crispy
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
lettuce
2 tomatoes, sliced + seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 avocado, sliced + seasoned with salt and pepper
2 fried eggs

Assemble the sandwiches: spread mayo over the toast. Top with lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado and eggs, making sure to season each layer.

Banana & Oat Bread

Where the heck did the summer go?  I cannot believe how quickly the past few months have gone and how in just a few more days, the pool will be closed, the kids will go back to school and we will no longer be able to wear our summer whites.

Another thing I cannot believe, is how many freaking over ripe bananas I always have lying around my house.  This recipe yielded a moist and delicious bread and the mound of bananas (and the hovering fruit flies) have disappeared.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium bananas, mashed



Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside (I used 3 mini loaf pans and baked for 40 minutes).
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
Sift together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients alternately with bananas, applesauce and milk. Mix until blended.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; remove from oven and cover for 5 minutes.

Caprese Quinoa Bake

I am obsessed with quinoa, as many of you may know, so I am always on the look out for some new recipes. I stumbled upon a new blog Half Baked Harvest that has amazing recipes (and pictures). This one caught my eye and made me very curious. The ingredients are the perfect summer combination with my favorite fresh ingredients from my garden.  Furthermore, who doesn't love mozzarella baked!  Needless to say it was a HIT!  It is full of fresh ingredients, flavor (and cheese), but on the healthier side with the quinoa.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup favorite pasta sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup parmesan
1 cup mozzarella, divided
1/2-1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 bunch basil, cut into ribbon
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan combine pasta sauce and paste on medium heat. Once warm add cream, parmesan, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add quinoa. Fold in half of the mozzarella, half of the tomatoes and half of the basil. Spray 9x9 baking dish and pour mixture into it. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and tomatoes on top. Bake for approximately 15 minutes and then broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is golden. Remove from oven. Top with remaining basil and let sit for 5 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

Zucchini & Shrimp Tacos

As you may have noticed, Jenny and I love cooking with in-season fruits and vegetables, especially zucchini. Although my zucchini is not ready in my garden, the farmers market has plenty, keeping me busy. Chris and myself are BIG fans of Tacos, a weekly staple in our house, so when I found this new recipe on Bon Appetit I couldn't wait to try it. They are light, filling and have amazing flavor, a new weeknight favorite! And the best part, they only take 15-20 minutes from start to finish, the perfect healthy dinner after a long day.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 large zucchini halved lengthwise, cut crosswise
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
Kosher salt, pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
corn or flour tortillas

*Assorted toppings

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 5 ingredients. Stirring often, cook for about 6-8 minutes or until softened. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in a large bowl.

Wipe out skillet and add remaining 1Tbsp of oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring often for about 4 minutes. Add shrimp to vegetable mixture. serve with warm tortillas and garnishes.

*We used cilantro, greek yogurt, avocado and lime, which were all amazing!