The Super Bowl is in 3 days, so today and tomorrow, I’ve got a few party dips to share with you.  These first two represent the two teams I’d rather see in the Super Bowl. Number one is, of course, my Arizona Cardinals. And the second would be the Green Bay Packers. I do realize that these two teams could never be in the Super Bowl together, since they are both in the NFC (along with the New York Giants). But still, I’ve created a couple dips as my show of support for next year.

Tomorrow I’ll share the dips I created for the actual teams in Super Bowl XLVI, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.

Here  in AZ, we love our heat and peppers. In Wisconsin they love their cheese and beer. And we all love bacon…

AZ Cardinals’ Bacon-Jalapeno Popper Dip

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
1 large jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup shredded Mexican style cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an oven safe serving dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.

Stir in green chilies, jalapeno peppers, and both cheeses. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Mix together the Panko, Parmesan cheese, bacon and sprinkle it over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is lightly browned.

Serve hot with tortilla chips, I personally love Scoops.

GB Packers’ Cheddar Beer Dip

8-ounce package of softened cream cheese
1/2 package (1 1/2 tablespoons) of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)
1/3 cup beer (any brand, any flavor you like)
1 cup finely shredded cheese, divided
2 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions, minced

Whisk cream cheese and dry dressing mix until creamy.

Mix in half of the cheese, cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Top with the remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.  Serve with pretzels or chips.

…small packages! Really, not much more to say other than that!

Mini Crab Cake BLTs

Crab Cakes
6 slices white sandwich bread
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley, divided
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup peeled and finely diced white onion
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 pound lump crab meat, picked over

Horseradish Mayonnaise
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sandwich
Butter and olive oil for cooking crab cakes
12 slices thick-cut bacon, each slice cut into quarters and cooked crisp
24 slider buns, lightly toasted
12 slices heirloom tomato, each slice cut in half
12 butter lettuce leaves, each leaf torn in half

Crab Cakes: Tear up the bread and pulse in a food processor to make fine, soft crumbs. Transfer the bread crumbs to a shallow pan and mix in 1/2 cup of the parsley.

In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds and black pepper. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise. Transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the onion and bell pepper with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.  Add the fresh mayonnaise and crab and mix lightly.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the bread crumb mixture. Do not overwork the mixture.  Gently form into 24 mini cakes and flatten them into patties. Dredge the patties lightly in the remaining bread crumb mixture.  Place on a wax-paper lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

Horseradish Mayonnaise: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.  Cover and refrigerate.

Sandwiches:  Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet.  Add 12 crab cakes and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and heated through. 

Transfer to clean baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 12 crab cakes.

Lightly spread each side of the buns with the horseradish mayonnaise.  Top each bottom bun with 1 piece of bacon, 1 crab cake, another piece of bacon, a tomato slice, and a lettuce leaf. Place on top of bun and secure with a pick.
Makes 24

If you have ever eaten at Chelsea’s Kitchen, here in Phoenix, then you have most likely enjoyed or watched someone else enjoy the out-of-this-world Brussels sprout salad.  The only thing I can’t get over is the price… $14 for a salad seems a tad pricey. Luckily this delicious salad is easy to make at home for just pennies on the restaurant dollar.

And this mustard vinaigrette… one of the best and most versatile vinaigrettes you will ever make. So although you don’t use even half of it for this salad, you are going to want to use it on salads from here on out!

Brussels Sprout Salad

Salad
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup dried Trader Joe’s Triple Fruit Treat, or a mix of dried cranberries and blueberries
1/4 cup whole Spanish Marcona almonds
2 ounces Manchego cheese shavings (using a vegetable peeler)
2 slices maple bacon; cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled

Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1  1/2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the end off of each Brussels sprout and peel off the outer leaves. Once the leaves become difficult to remove, slice off a bit more of the bottom of each sprout until the leaves come off easily.  Discard the cores or save for another use. You will have about 6 loose-packed cups of leaves.

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the Brussels sprouts leaves for about 1 minute, or until they are a vibrant green and just tender-crisp.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to lift out and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain and place in a single layer on paper towels, layering paper towels, if needed.

Then roll up the paper towels and place in the refrigerator to chill and crisp the leaves for at least 45 minutes.

In the meantime make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Continue whisking while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the oil is thoroughly incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.  (Makes about 1 cup which is more than is needed for this recipe.  It will keep for 1 week, covered and refrigerated.)

In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts leaves, dried fruit, almonds, and just enough vinaigrette to lightly moisten.

Mound the salad on a plate, and top with the Manchego cheese shavings and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Cookies for breakfast?  Sure, why not?  These particular cookies are packed with healthy stuff – dried fruit, almonds, cereal… and…. bacon. OK, not healthy bacon, but yummy breakfast-time bacon. Plus they aren’t too sweet, just right.  Great to eat if you have no time in the morning. Pop them in the freezer and just grab one or two on your way out the door and you have breakfast!

Cereal, Fruit, Nut, and Bacon Breakfast Cookies

1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 cups Special K cereal
5 slices maple bacon; cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in egg until just combined. Stir flour mixture into the butter mixture. 

With a rubber spatula, fold in the cereal, bacon, cranberries, and almonds.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, switching the pans after the first 8 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen

Remember my Maple-Bacon Cupcakes? They are SO good, that even skeptical Marissa fell for them. Well today we have another sweet item featuring bacon… toffee.  Trust me, it works. I’d heard of toffee with bacon before, but had yet to taste it, so this is my version. Trust me again, it’s good… I promise.

Bacon Pecan Brittle

1  1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup agave nectar, honey, or corn syrup
Pinch salt
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons maple syrup
4 slices maple bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat mat or spray generously with Pam and set aside.

Place pecans into small skillet over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until fragrant and lightly toasted.  Pour in maple syrup and stir quickly until liquid is dissolved and pecans are coated with syrup. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved do not stir, but swirl the pan occasionally until the mixture reaches 325 degrees on a candy thermometer. (Caution- Keep an eye on the saucepan, this mixture boils over very easily, as you can see in the picture below, I didn’t keep an eye on it and…  Oh well, let my mistake help keep you from the same fate.)

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, baking soda, and butter.  The mixture will foam up in the pan. Separate the pecans by crushing between your fingers and stir them in, along with the bacon. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, tipping pan in all directions to spread out thinly and evenly.

Cool completely and break or cut into chunks. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 pound

This in another recipe I’m recreating from that restaurant we love in San Francisco, Gitane Restaurant and Bar. It is one their Catalan Flatbreads.

Merguez is a fresh sausage made with lamb, beef, pork, or a mixture of two or all three. It is heavily spiced with harissa, garlic, peppercorns, cumin, fennel, and more. You can buy it online from several sources or make the homemade version, provided here.

For some insane reason, I forgot to sprinkle my finished flatbread with the fresh cilantro. It could have had something to do with all the martinis I was making (and enjoying) all night! Don’t follow my lead, it is the cilantro that truly makes this flatbread exceptional. Oh, and no worries, I promise that the martini recipes using my infused vodkas will be posted on Sunday.

Lamb Merguez Flatbread

Lamb Merguez
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
8-ounces smoked bacon
1 pound ground lamb
1 small head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons harissa, or more to taste
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Flatbread
1  1/4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers; cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
1 bunch fresh cilantro; well washed, dried, and roughly chopped

Lamb Merguez: Place the fennel, cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, and cumin seed in an electric spice grinder. Pulse until spices are ground together. Set aside.

Place the raw bacon strips in a the bowl of food processor and process, using the pulse button, until nearly smooth. Add the lamb, the spice mixture, garlic, harissa, and vinegar. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Transfer to a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Flatbread:  In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together water, yeast, and sugar until well mixed. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add flour to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add oil and mix on low speed until combined. Switch from paddle to dough hook and knead on medium speed until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides, about 6 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape dough into ball and transfer to bowl. Turn over  to coat lightly with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While dough is rising, position rack near bottom of oven and place a pizza stone on the rack. Preheat oven to 450 degrees for 1 hour. Prepare the toppings.

Lamb and Toppings:  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon or two of the lamb. Stir until cooked through. Remove from pan and taste, add more harissa, if needed.  Once the lamb is to your liking, heat the skillet again and cook up all of the lamb, breaking up with a metal spatula until completely cooked through.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Do not wash out the skillet.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and when hot, saute the peppers and onion for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Continue to saute until the peppers are just crisp-tender, about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out each piece into a long thin rectangle with a rolling pin on a floured surface until each is about 1/8-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap so pieces do not dry out. Transfer one flatbread at a time to a pizza peel or the bottom of a large baking sheet, dusted with flour.

Transfer 1 flatbread at a time to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until slightly puffed but still pale, about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (Flatbread crusts may be pre-baked in this manner up to 2 hours ahead.)

Assemble and Bake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees with pizza stone in place for 1 hour.

Brush each flatbread with olive oil. Scatter with cheese, lamb merguez, and pepper-onion mixture.

Transfer 1 or more flatbreads to preheated pizza stone and bake in batches until toppings are warmed through and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer flatbreads to a large cutting board and top with cilantro Using a very sharp knife, cut into rectangular slices and serve immediately.

Makes about 20 to 24 slices

Bacon Bonbons – prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in smoked bacon, in a spiced port glaze

That is the full description on the menu at Gitane Restaurant & Bar in San Francisco – which I used to make these delicious and addicting little morsels at home. I served them on Tuesday night at the Blog Annivesary Party and they disappeared quicker than anything else on the table.

The one change I would make, is to cook them a little longer than I did for the party. Although wonderful as they were, I’d like for the bacon to be a bit crisper. I’ve increased the baking time in the recipe below as compared to what I did the other night.  Please keep that in mind when you make them. The bacon will look and be more “cooked” than reflected in my photo.

The name, Bacon Bonbons, is so cute. I can’t just steal it, so I’d like to come up with a new clever name for my version. I haven’t found it quite yet… as you will see. So, any help – from any one of you – would be graciously appreciated!  (Thank you JoAnne Halberg for coming up with a better name!)

Dried Plum Gumdrops  Bacon Lollipops

Spiced Port Glaze
1  1/2 cups Port
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
2 teaspoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Lollipops
1 pound bacon
8-ounces pitted prunes (dried plums)
6-ounces goat cheese (chèvre)

Glaze: Place port into small saucepan and heat over medium heat until reduced by half, to 3/4 cup. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer glaze to a 1-cup glass measuring cup and set aside.

Lollipops: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Lay out the bacon on a microwave safe plate lined with parchment paper or paper towels (I prefer parchment, because until you remove the bacon quickly after cooking, it sometimes sticks to the paper towels). Cover with another paper towel and microwave on high for 3 or 4 minutes. The amount of time depends on the strength of your microwave; you want the bacon to partially cook, but do not want it to begin to brown or crisp at all. This par-cooking gets the bacon going so it doesn’t have to bake in the oven as long and also preshrinks it a bit, which helps with the wrapping of the prunes.

Use a small sharp paring knife to butterfly each prune (cut in half horizontally, not quite through – opening like a book). Place a small hazelnut-size of goat cheese in the center of each prune and fold closed to seal.

Wrap each filled prune with bacon and secure with a pick. One slice of bacon will wrap 3 prunes. Place gumdrops on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Turn pan and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.  Transfer gumdrops to paper towels to drain. Meanwhile, reheat the glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Place on a platter and drizzle with warm glaze. Serve immediately and watch them disappear before your very eyes.

Makes about 36

The cobb salad was created nearly 80 years ago at the famous Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant and has been an American favorite ever since. I prefer to serve it as individual salads as opposed to presenting on a large platter.  That way it looks lovely for each guest. If served on a platter, it looks great for the first guest or two, but by the end of the line, all the “goodies” on top are either gone or mashed into a nasty looking mess.

Classic Cobb Salad

Dressing
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and thinly sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 bunch watercress, leaves only
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
10 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges or slices
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Dressing:  Combine the canola oil, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, and garlic in a food processor or blender.  Puree the ingredients to make a smooth dressing and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Salad:  In a large bowl, combine the iceberg and romaine lettuces along with the watercress. Toss with 1/4 cup of the dressing.  Divide the greens between 8 salad plates.

Arrange the blue cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, and avocado on top of the greens in wedges or neat rows.

To serve, drizzle salad with dressing, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 8

On the last day of classes each week, I ask the kids, “What was your favorite thing you ate this week, excluding desserts?” (I have to say, “excluding desserts” or all ten of the kids would rattle off one of 8 desserts we had made, trust me, I know – I was a kid once too and I’ve made the mistake before!) Six of the ten kids from last week said that the potato and bacon soup was their favorite dish.

Darn it, if I would have known that before, those six kids would have automatically been my teacher’s pets, because as you know… I Love Soup!

We made a couple other soups too, and I’ll post those in the coming days, plus a few more of the pastas, cupcakes, and sweets – stay tuned…

Potato and Bacon Soup

8 strips of bacon, diced
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth
5 large russet potatoes; peeled and cubed
2  1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1  1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.  Set bacon aside.

In the same pot, saute the onion and garlic in the 1 tablespoon drippings until onions are translucent.  Stir in flour, salt, basil, and pepper; mix well and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the broth.  Bring to boil and whisk for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat and add the potatoes, half-and-half, and hot pepper sauce, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Once potatoes are tender, transfer half of the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.  Return to pot and stir to combine.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with cheddar cheese, parsley, and reserved bacon.

Serves 10

So much for my Meatless Monday postings over each weekend.  I think that lasted all of 2 or 3 weeks. I’ll keep trying to get up at least one meatless option each week, but scheduling it on a specific day seems to be useless for me.  Of course, you could make this salad meatless just by leaving off the bacon, but the dramatic visual effect of the whole thing would be lost without the bacon jetting out of the ring.

For the julienned carrots, I used a new and really effective little tool I found at Sur La Table called the Kinpira Julienne Peeler.  It is pictured below in case you want to run out and buy one, or you can order it online HERE.

Cucumber Salad Rings with White Wine Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2  cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad
1 English cucumber, peeled
3 cups mixed baby greens
1/3 cup peeled and julienned carrot
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup toasted and chopped pecans
4 thick-cut bacon slices, halved and cooked crisp
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Vinaigrette: Whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in salt and pepper to taste. May be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes about 2/3 cup

Salad: Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, peel cucumbers lengthwise into very thin strips, all the way around, just until seeds are visible. Discard cucumber center.

Shape largest cucumber slices into four rings, standing rings upright on each of four dinner plates. The cucumber will most likely stick to itself and hold together but secure with a toothpick, if needed.

Fill each cucumber ring evenly with mixed greens, carrot, blue cheese, and toasted pecans. Tuck two bacon halves standing upright inside each of the salad rings. Season each with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle each salad with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and serve, passing any remaining vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Here is the final appetizer that I’ll be making this Friday on the “Oscars” edition on Valley Dish. Hope you’ll tune in at 3:30 on channel 12.

Roasted Jalapeno and Bacon Shrimp

10 slices bacon
5 roasted and peeled jalapenos, split lengthwise into quarters and then seeded
20 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4  cup jalapeno jelly

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut each piece of bacon in half and place in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Place 1 half of a roasted jalapeno in the slit of the shrimp where you de-veined the shrimp, wrap with half a piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick and season with a pinch salt and of pepper. Repeat with all the remaining jalapeno halves, shrimp, and bacon.  Arrange the wrapped shrimp in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet and bake until the shrimp are just cooked and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the cheese dipping sauce.  Place Pepper Jack, 2 tablespoons of cream, and the jalapeno jelly in a medium glass bowl. Place the bowl over a pot which is 1/4 full of simmering water, taking care to be sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Slowly stir until the cheese and jelly are melted into the cream and the mixture is smooth, adding additional cream, if needed.

Pour the sauce into a serving bowl and place in the center of a serving platter. Place the shrimp around the bowl and serve.

Makes 20

So, you know how I’m smack-dab in the center of celebrating my self-proclaimed holiday, citruspalooza? Well, the Chicago Tribune has completely ripped-off my idea and ran a whole article about citrus on the cover of their food section today! What the heck is up with that!? Granted, their story is all about weird and exotic citrus, some of which I’ve never heard of before. Buddha’s Hand, Finger Limes, Cara Cara Oranges, and more. You can check out portions of the article at THIS LINK.

And speaking of Chicago, I want to share one of the many fabulous salad recipes from my BFF, Jen, who lives in Illinois. The girl is a wiz at cranking out quick, easy, and delicious salads in a snap. This is one of my favorite she has made for our family. Jen uses a bottled dressing she can find locally that is put out by Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant. We do have a Maggiano’s Restaurant on the corner of Scottsdale Road and 71st Street, but I am not certain if they sell the bottled dressing in the restaurant or not, or even if you can find it locally at your grocery store. So just in case, I’ve included a homemade version at the bottom of the recipe.

Jen’s Scrumptious Romaine Pasta Salad

1 pound macaroni, cooked and cooled
1 large head romaine, cleaned and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 large tomatoes, diced
1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced
6 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 cup real bacon bits
1 cup Maggiano’s Little Italy House Dressing or homemade version below

Place all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat, serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10

Homemade Version of Maggiano’s Little Italy House Dressing

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup water
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pinch dried oregano

Dressing: In medium mixing bowl, combine mustard, sugar, water, garlic, vinegar and salt. Whisk until combined. Whisk in oil in thin stream. Add pepper and oregano; whisk to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more sugar or garlic if necessary.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

I call these A++ BLT Biscuits because we have both avocado and arugula. No actual lettuce to be seen. Although we need the “T”, because if I was to call them BAT, no one would know what I was talking about… but say BLT, and it brings a smile to most every face! My plan was to serve these as an appetizer at a party I had last Friday. As the time approached and I still hadn’t cleaned the house, or even taken a shower… this was the recipe that was sacrificed. I replaced it with something I had in my freezer but I still have all the purchased ingredients in my fridge.  What to do? Make the biscuits sandwich size instead of appetizer size and serve them for dinner to Dave and Marissa. Perfect, and both of them had smiling faces and tummies! Click on the chipotle mayonnaise below and it will take you to a previous post with the directions to make it. Lastly, I don’t know if my gorgeous niece, Raina, reads this blog… but even if not, I send out a huge Happy 25th Birthday to you, Raina! xoxo

A++ BLT Biscuits

2  3/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1  1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 tabelspoon milk
Freshly ground pepper
2  yellow tomatoes, diced for appetizer-size or sliced for sandwich-size
3/4 cup chipotle mayonnaise
16 slices bacon, cooked crisp and then broken into pieces to fit biscuits
3 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small bunch arugula

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times, to combine. Add in the butter pieces and using the pulse button, cut in butter until the flour mixture looks like it has flour covered small peas throughout. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse just to combine, do not overmix. The dough should NOT form a ball.

Dump out crumbly mixture onto a floured surface.

Use floured hands to bring the dough together and then pad into a round that is 1/2-inch thick.

Using a 1-inch-round cutter for appetizer size, or a 3-inch for sandwich size; cut out biscuits; place on a baking sheet.

Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with pepper; bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes.

Split biscuits. Spread each with chipotle mayo, a tomato slice, a couple slices of bacon, avocado slices, and arugula.

Makes 34 appetizer-size or 12 sandwich-size