Quick & Easy Banana Muffins

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 2088 reviews

Author: Sally McKenney
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 10-12 muffins

These banana muffins are soft, buttery, and spiced with cinnamon. They’re wonderful plain, but taste fantastic with 1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips. You need 3 ripe bananas and a handful of basic kitchen ingredients.

Ingredients

- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas)
6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted (or melted coconut oil)
2/3 cup (135g) packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)*
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk*
optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the bananas. On medium speed, beat or whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then beat or whisk until combined. If adding nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now. Batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21–23 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 12–14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C).) Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

1. Make Ahead Instructions: For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired.

1. Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack
2. Why the initial high temperature? The hot burst of air will spring up the top of the muffin quickly, then the inside of the muffin can bake for the remainder of the time. This helps the muffins rise nice and tall.
3. Whole Wheat Flour: Feel free to substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour or use a mix of both as long as you use 1 and 1/2 cups total. If using all whole wheat flour, add another Tablespoon (15ml) of milk.
4. Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas here. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.

Sugar: You can use 2/3 cup of packed brown sugar or coconut sugar. Or a mixture of these to yield 2/3 cup. If using 2/3 cup coconut sugar, the muffins won’t be as sweet. I find they taste best with 2/3 cup brown sugar or 1/3 cup of each. 2/3 cup of honey or pure maple syrup works too, though the muffins will taste a little more moist in the centers. I’m unsure about sugar substitutes, but let me know if you try any.
Milk: Use your favorite variety of dairy or nondairy milk.
Banana Bread: Here’s my favorite banana bread recipe. 🙂

Find it online: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/banana-muffins/

Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 809 reviews

Author: Sally McKenney
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 pretzels

Description

This is one of the easiest ways to prepare homemade soft pretzels for beginners, and the results are extra delicious! The dough is a family recipe and only needs to rest for 10 to 30 minutes before shaping. The quick baking soda boil gives the pretzels their traditional flavor, and I do not recommend skipping it. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.

Ingredients

2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F/38°C)
1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon salt
3 and 3/4–4 cups (469–500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
coarse salt, for topping

Baking Soda Bath (See Recipe Note)

1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
9 cups (2.13L) water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm water. Cover and allow to sit for 1 minute.
2. Whisk in the melted butter and salt. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon (or dough hook attachment if using a stand mixer) until combined. Add 3/4 cup (94g) more flour until the dough is slightly tacky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more (31g) flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed. Poke the dough with your finger—if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.

1. Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 to 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 to 5 minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
2. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10 to 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, I like to get the water + baking soda boiling as instructed in step 8.)
3. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Silicone baking mats are highly recommended over parchment paper. If using parchment paper, lightly spray with nonstick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
4. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 75g sections, which is about 1/3 cup of dough each.
5. Roll the dough into a 20–22-inch rope. Form a circle with the dough by bringing the 2 ends together at the top of the circle. Twist the ends together. Bring the twisted ends back down towards yourself and press them down to form a pretzel shape.

Bring baking soda and 9 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop 1–2 pretzels into the boiling water for 20–30 seconds. Any longer than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. Using a slotted spatula, lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels. If desired, cover the boiled, unbaked pretzels with lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking (step 9).
Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Remove from the oven and, if desired, serve warm with spicy nacho cheese sauce.
Cover and store leftover pretzels at room temperature for up to 3 days. See Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions in recipe Notes below for more storage info. To reheat, microwave for a few seconds, or bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: If planning to freeze fully baked pretzels, do not top them with coarse salt before baking. Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, brush frozen pretzels (no need to thaw) with water and sprinkle with coarse salt, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through, or microwave frozen pretzels until warm. The prepared pretzel dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for 2–3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time, about 1 hour, for the pretzels to puff up at room temperature before continuing with the baking soda bath and baking. You can also freeze the boiled, unbaked pretzels and here’s how: after boiling the pretzels in step 8, place them on a lightly greased parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Freeze the pretzels for about 1 hour, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag (squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag before sealing) and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, brush frozen pretzels (no need to thaw) with water and sprinkle with coarse salt, then bake at 400°F (204°C) for 15–20 minutes or until dark golden brown.
2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer or Glass Mixing Bowl | Wooden Spoon | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Pizza Cutter | Large Pot (such as a Dutch oven)
3. Baking Soda Bath (Step 8): The baking soda bath is strongly recommended because it helps create that chewy texture and distinctive pretzel flavor. If skipping, brush the shaped and unbaked pretzels with a mixture of 1 beaten egg + 1 Tablespoon of dairy or nondairy milk. This is known as an egg wash. Sprinkle the brushed pretzels with salt. The egg wash will help the salt stick. If you don’t have an egg, simply brush with 2 Tablespoons of dairy or nondairy milk.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels: Skip the coarse salt topping (and skip the egg wash, see note above, if you aren’t doing the baking soda bath step). Bake as directed in step 9. Meanwhile, melt 4 Tablespoons (56g) of unsalted or salted butter. Brush the baked and warm pretzels with melted butter, then dip the tops into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. I usually use 3/4 cup (150g) of granulated sugar and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Cinnamon-sugar pretzels taste best the day they’re made because the melted butter topping causes them to become soggy after a few hours.
Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.

Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Description

Soft and chewy with that trademark homemade flavor, these are the best soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Your family will love these easy oatmeal raisin cookies!

Instructions

1. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you’re afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Roll balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I recommend using a cookie scoop since the dough can be sticky. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.

Notes

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well—up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well—up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
Oats: For these oatmeal raisin cookies, I use old-fashioned whole oats. They provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, thick texture we love!
Eggs: Room temperature eggs preferred. Good rule of thumb: always use room temperature eggs when using room temperature butter.
Raisins: Soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before using (blot very well to dry them) – this makes them nice and plump for your cookies.
Adapted from Loaded Oatmeal Cookies & Oatmeal Creme Pies. Recipe originally published on Sally’s Baking Addiction in 2014.

No Refrigeration Needed

19 Items Professional Chefs Never Refrigerate

1. Ketchup

Ketchup is something I’m always surprised to see in the fridge. Who wants cold ketchup on their hot fries or burger? Its acidity level is high enough to prevent microbial growth, and its sugar content is also a preservative. Just keep it out of direct sunlight, and it should be fine.

2. Potatoes

Many fruits and vegetables benefit from being stored in the fridge, but spuds are an exception. In refrigeration, they convert some of their starches to sugars (a natural antifreeze), which messes with their flavor and texture. They need a couple of weeks after coming out of refrigeration before the sugars revert to starches, which drove me crazy when I was preparing hand-cut fries at my restaurants. Chilled potatoes brown too quickly, making the fries darker than desired.

3. Mayonnaise

This one may surprise you if you grew up on stories of people getting sick at picnics from foods containing mayonnaise, but it’s true. Store-bought mayonnaise is acidic enough to keep safely at room temperature. Don’t believe me? According to Hellmann’s (aka Best Foods), the top-selling mayonnaise company in the U.S., its product can be stored at room temperature for up to a month after opening, or two months in the refrigerator.

The problem is actually the foods you mix with the mayo. I buy mine in the big jar and use it to refill a squeeze bottle. I only ever reach into the jar with scrupulously clean utensils, so food never comes in contact with it.
Related:

Important note: This only applies to commercial mayonnaise. Your homemade mayonnaise is extremely perishable and requires proper refrigeration.

4. Mustard

Mustard, like ketchup, is a condiment with more than enough acidity to keep it food safe. This applies to plain old yellow “ballpark” mustard, the hot English style, Dijon mustard, or grainy deli-style mustard … whatever you’ve got, in other words.

5. Soy Sauce

I always have a bottle of soy sauce sitting on a shelf near my kitchen work area, and it never goes into the fridge. Its high salt content keeps it food safe, and I use it frequently enough that it never goes bad. (Soy sauce adds a great umami kick to anything you cook.) The same goes for my bottle of Worcestershire sauce that sits beside it.

6. Tomatoes

There are a lot of fruits that only ripen properly at room temperature, and tomatoes are one of them. (We eat them as a vegetable, but they’re technically fruit.) If you refrigerate tomatoes before they’re adequately ripened, their flavor is stunted and their texture suffers. You can refrigerate them once they’re fully ripe to prolong their freshness, but they’ll taste better if you let them come to room temperature before you eat them.

7. Hot Sauce

Hot sauce is another food that’s acidic enough to store sans refrigeration. It’ll last for months at room temperature, and its flavors will remain full and bold. After about six months, though, the hot sauce will finally begin to lose its potency. If you only bring out that bottle of Tabasco a couple of times a year for bloody marys, it’s probably best to refrigerate it.

8. Avocados

Scroll up a few lines to the section about tomatoes — that applies to avocados as well. They simply won’t ripen in the refrigerator, full stop. So leave them on the counter until they’re ripe, and then use them quickly. If you have more than you’ll use in a day or so, at that point, it’s OK to refrigerate the rest to keep them from progressing to the “eww, ick” stage.
Related:

9. Fresh Basil

Most fresh herbs will keep for a long time when stored in the fridge, but basil is an exception. Simply put it in a glass of water and place it on the countertop. (Trust me on this — I grow basil in my garden every year.) That’s why good supermarkets leave the herb out, often near the tomatoes, rather than put it in a refrigerated case.

10. Stone Fruit

Stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, and nectarines, fall into the same camp as avocados and tomatoes because they’ll never fully ripen if you pop them in the fridge. Instead, they’ll develop a mealy texture, which is not what you want at all. As with tomatoes and avocados, though, if you’ve cut into one and won’t finish it, it’s OK to refrigerate the remainder to prevent it from spoiling.

11. Nuts

I’ve personally gone both ways on this, because keeping nuts refrigerated does stop their natural oils from going rancid. Cooler temperatures mess with their flavor and texture, though, so I’ve gone back to buying only what I’ll use in a reasonable time frame and storing them in my pantry. An exception is the pine nuts I use to make pesto, which I buy in bulk and keep vacuum-sealed in my freezer between summers.

12. Chocolate

If you spring for some really good chocolate for baking or an occasional treat, you may be tempted to keep it in the fridge. Don’t do that. The cocoa butter in chocolate misbehaves at cold temperatures, giving it a disappointingly crumbly texture and powdery surface over time. The latter issue is known as “bloom,” and it’s just the cocoa butter coming to the surface, so don’t throw away your chocolate if you see it. It’s perfectly fine to eat and will melt away if you bake with it.

13. Coffee

Like chocolate, its frequent partner, coffee tastes best when not frozen or refrigerated. The chill dampens the volatile oils that give coffee its robust flavor, and going in and out of the fridge can cause condensation on the beans or ground coffee (especially in humid climates like mine). Condensation can lead to spoilage, which is pretty ironic in this context.

14. Apples

I live in apple-growing country, and my grandkids and I eat a lot of apples. OK, they eat the first few bites of a lot of apples, but the point remains the same. Apples are a naturally long-keeping fruit, and refrigeration can mute their flavors. Don’t do it unless the apples are cut up or getting past their prime.

15. Nutella and Peanut Butter

These spreads are also beloved by my grandkids, and both are perfectly fine (better, even) when they aren’t refrigerated. Mainstream peanut butter brands are packed with preservatives and will last months without issue. Natural peanut butter only needs refrigeration if you don’t eat it often. Chocolate and hazelnut Nutella, and its competitors, develop a weird texture if they’re refrigerated.

16. Honey

It would never occur to me to refrigerate honey, so I was quite surprised to learn that some people do. Sugar is a preservative, and honey is mostly sugar. It will last for centuries when sealed to keep out moisture, so relax and leave it in the pantry. Refrigeration also makes honey crystallize faster, making it a pain to get out of the bottle.

17. Cucumbers

For a lot of people I know, cukes go right from the shopping bag to the crisper drawer. That’s a bad idea because the cold, dry air of the refrigerator will make the cucumbers deteriorate pretty quickly. I’ve regularly kept my homegrown cukes on the counter for a couple of weeks without problems

18. Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are exceptionally versatile, making them a staple in many kitchens. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit all keep really well at room temperature, and refrigeration tends to suck the moisture out of them pretty quickly. Leave the fruits out, perhaps in a hanging basket or concrete bowl, and only refrigerate them after they’re cut.

19. Fresh Peppers

We’ll finish with fresh peppers, another fruit masquerading as a vegetable. Like many others on this list, they will continue to ripen if you leave them on the counter, and that’s when their flavor and texture are best. This is true for both sweet and hot peppers. I refrigerate mine after I cut into them, or if I’m looking to preserve hot peppers’ “green” flavor and don’t want them to ripen and sweeten.

Substitutions to Lower Carbs

1. Cauliflower Rice Instead of White Rice

Cauliflower rice has 7 grams of carbs per 1/2 cup serving, compared to white rice with 22 grams. Additionally, cauliflower rice adds 3 grams of fiber to your meal, which can help keep you full for longer. Cauliflower makes for a great alternative to rice that is packed with nutrients and vitamins and saves you some carbs and calories. You can buy prechopped cauliflower rice frozen or fresh, or make your own at home with a food processor

2. Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) or Spaghetti Squash for Pasta.

Spiralize zucchini or use spaghetti squash to create noodle alternatives for your favorite pasta dishes.

3. Portobello Mushrooms or Lettuce for Burger Buns.

Use large, grilled portobello mushroom caps or crisp lettuce leaves in place of high-carb buns to hold your burger patty.

4. Veggie Slices or Nuts/Seeds for Chips.

Snack on sliced carrots, bell peppers, or kale chips instead of potato chips. For added crunch in salads, use nuts and seeds as a substitute for croutons.

5. Cauliflower for Mashed Potatoes.

Boiled and mashed cauliflower is a creamy, low-carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.

6. Lettuce Leaves for Tortillas/Wraps.

Use large lettuce leaves to wrap fillings for tacos, burritos, or sandwiches, reducing the carb count significantly.

7. Kelp Noodles for Pasta or in Salads.

These noodles made from seaweed have very few net carbs and are a great, versatile substitute for pasta in stir-fries and salads.

8. Eggs for a Low-Carb Breakfast.

Eggs are a perfect low-carb, high-protein breakfast choice to replace sugary cereals, providing sustained fullness.

9. Chia Breakfast Pudding for Sweetened Oatmeal.

Oatmeal is a super-healthy breakfast food, but it’s always nice to have other options.

Per 1-cup serving, chia seed pudding contains 30 grams of carbohydrate compared with sweetened oatmeal’s 49 grams, many of which are from added sugar. Though chia seeds don’t have the whole grains of oatmeal, they pack a variety of their own unique health benefits. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart, and antioxidants that prevent inflammation and chronic disease. To top it all off, one serving of this pudding boasts 10 grams of fiber, which is 40% of your recommended daily intake.

10. Sichuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Lettuce Wrap for Bread. There’s a reason lettuce wraps are popular. You keep all the delicious filling, but get to cut out 12 grams of carbs.

A large lettuce leaf has only 1 gram of carbs and 5 calories and is a great option for people trying to cut calories in general. Lettuce has a high water content, so it’s a light, fresh alternative to bread to help keep you hydrated.

11. Zucchini Noodles for Linguine.

Zucchini noodles have 4 grams of carbs per cup, compared to traditional linguine with 35 grams. This is another tasty substitute for regular pasta for those who are gluten-free or counting carbs. Added bonus: zucchini noodles are quick to make from scratch and cook in just a few minutes. You can also find them pre-spiralized in the fresh produce section or freezer section of your store.

12. Flavored Seltzer for Soda.

It is probably not news to anyone that soda contains a lot of sugar and calories without much nutrition. The 41 grams of carbs found in a typical 12-ounce can of soda come from added sugar, and provide almost double the recommended daily limit for added sugar. Comparatively, seltzer has zero grams of carbs per 12-ounce can and zero calories as well. If you’re used to the sweetness of soda, try adding a splash of juice to your seltzer for more flavor. You can still get your bubbly fix in a low-carb way.

Substitute pure, distilled spirits for beer.

13. Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti squash lasagna has around 34 grams of carbs per serving (one quarter of a squash), which is substantially less than the 45 grams of carbs in classic lasagna. Spaghetti squash is fun to eat straight out of the skin, and the strands truly do resemble pasta noodles. This cheesy recipe is delicious twist on a classic.
Yogurt with Blueberries

14. Plain Yogurt with Fruit for Flavored Yogurt

At 13 grams of carbs per cup, plain yogurt with fruit added on top has just one-third the carbs of traditional fruit-flavored yogurt (47 grams per cup). Fruit gives you sweetness without the added sugar of fruit-flavored products. Additionally, fruit adds between 2 and 4 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup to help keep your stomach satisfied and your gut healthy.

15. Cauliflower Pizza Crust

This recipe for cauliflower pizza crust has 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber per slice compared to the 24 grams of carbs and zero grams of fiber in wheat crust. It also provides 75% of the Daily Value of vitamin C. Next time you’re having a pizza night, give this veggie-loaded alternative a try. If you buy your cauliflower pizza crust, just know that nutrition varies from brand to brand.

16. Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts – Sliced Nuts for Croutons

Nuts are a great, low-carb way to add crunch to a salad without adding croutons (which have about 7 grams of carbs per 1/4-cup serving). Most nuts have 1 to 2 grams of carbs per tablespoon (note the smaller serving size), saving you 5 grams per serving compared with croutons. Additionally, nuts are loaded with protein and healthy fat to give a nutritional boost to your salad. Toast nuts and add spices; you won’t even notice that the croutons are gone.

17. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries for Potato Fries

These delicious, cheesy zucchini fries have 18 grams of carbohydrates (per cup) while their potato counterparts have about 24 grams for the same-size serving. When the garden is overflowing with zucchini, it can be easy to get into a creative rut. If you are getting bored with zucchini noodles, try this crispy low-carb snack. These fries are coated in a bit of cornstarch and Parmesan to get a crispy coating.
lemon-pepper cucumbers

18. Cucumber Slices for Crackers: Saves 14 Grams of Carbs

Need a vehicle for dips, sauces or cheese, but looking to cut carbs? Look no further. A 1/2-cup serving of sliced cucumber has less than 2 grams carbs, which is a fraction of the carb content of traditional crackers (16 grams per 1/2 cup ). Many processed crackers are high in sodium too, whereas cucumbers are naturally low in sodium and high in potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure in check. Add a creamy dip or some cheese for a satisfying low-carb snack.
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

19. Cauliflower Mac & Cheese for Mac & Cheese

OK, OK. Technically, this cauliflower “mac” doesn’t have any macaroni. But it does have all the saucy, cheesy goodness of mac and cheese with only 12 grams of carbohydrate per serving—compared to around 60 grams in a serving of traditional mac and cheese. As an added bonus, the cauliflower brings 87% of your Daily Value of vitamin C, which gives your immune system a boost.

20. Chickpea Flour for White Flour

If you follow a gluten-free diet, you may already be familiar with the idea of alternative flours. There are numerous non-wheat types and flavors, from chickpea flour to coconut flour to almond flour. Luckily, along with being gluten-free and high in protein, chickpea flour has only 27 grams of carbohydrates per 1/2 cup, compared to 48 grams per 1/2 cup of white flour. You can’t use it as a direct substitute for white flour, but try it out in socca and other recipes that call for chickpea flour.

21. Creamy Mashed Cauliflower for Mashed Potato

Even with 32 grams of carbs per serving, it can be hard to think of something delicious that could replace mashed potatoes. With only 10 grams of carbs per serving, this mashed cauliflower gets creamy and makes a pretty delicious potato substitute. It also has fewer calories and more protein and fiber than traditional mashed potatoes.

ALTERNATELY you can use oven-roasted celery root

22. Cauliflower Buns for Wheat Buns

These cauliflower buns contain only 8 grams of carbs compared to wheat buns with 26 grams of carbs. Like other cauliflower starch replacements, they are packed full of nutrition: this recipe, made with cheese, has 107% your Daily Value of vitamin C and 24% of your DV of calcium. Additionally, they can be made in less than an hour and stored in the freezer.

ALTERNATELY you can use low-carb, high-fiber crispbreads.

23. For candy, substitute 70% or higher cacao dark chocolate.

Dove Chocolates are quick and easy, and are limited in size alredy.

Bottom Line

To be clear, carbs are not inherently bad for your health—and our bodies (and brains especially) need carbs to function. However, if you are trying to cut out refined-grain foods, we have several ideas for low-carb swaps. Adding vegetables, nuts and legumes to your diet helps boost nutrients and fiber, which can help you lose weight, prevent chronic disease and feel fantastic.

Life Hacks – Very Cool!

Glazed Chicken Wings

original recipe

Sweet Chili and Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken Wings

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wing pieces, drumettes and flats
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Set a wire rack inside a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; arrange chicken wings on top.
Bake in the preheated oven until wings are no longer pink at the bone and the skin is crispy, 45 to 50 minutes.
Mix orange marmalade and chili sauce in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add cooked wings to marmalade-chili sauce and toss until well coated. Plate wings and pour extra sauce on top.

Butterscotch Pudding Blondies

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM FOOD NETWORK

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
One 3.4-ounce package butterscotch instant pudding mix
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Flaky salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Grease the foil with butter.
Put the brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet or in the microwave in a glass measuring cup. Stir the butter into the sugar until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in another medium bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and kosher salt together.
Beat the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture. Stir in the flour mixture a bit at a time and mix until a smooth, thick batter forms. Fold in the cashews and chocolate chips.
Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and spread evenly. Bake until the blondies are light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in pan slightly, about 15 minutes. Using the overhanging aluminum foil, lift the blondies out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 18 blondies.

Easy Pickled Okra

Source Recipe: Eat Simple Food

You may have heard that when you cook okra, it turns slimy. Well, that’s true. Here are two recipes though, that make okra pretty easy to prepare and tasty.

- - Trim okra stem to 1/4 inch
  - ¾ lb okra
  - 2 fresno red chili peppers, sliced – use red peppers if you can’t find them or skip
  - 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
  - 4 dill sprigs or 1 ½ tsp dried dill
  - 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
  - ½ tsp crushed red pepper (for heat)
  - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  - 1 cup water
  - 2 Tbsp salt
  - 1 quart size jar – equipment

Instructions

1. Add garlic, dill, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper to two pint sized jars.
2. Small okra is better. Not more than three inches, anyway.
  Plump – no wrinkles
3. Trim okra stems to ¼”. Add cleaned whole okra to jar vertically, alternating stem ends up and down.
4. Pack okra in tightly, packing dill along the sides
5. Bring a small pot with vinegar, water, and salt to a rolling boil and stir.
6. Pour mixture into clean canning jar(s) (careful it’s hot!), leaving ~ ¼″ air at top.
7. Cover with cleaned canning jar lid.
8. Let sit at room temperature ~ 1 hour to cool down, and then place in refrigerator.
9. Wait at least a couple days before eating, but probably will need about a week to soak up all the pickling liquid. Good for ~3 weeks in the refrigerator. Happy eating! Beckie

Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad

by Mary Kay Andrews

Did y’all hear about the Coca-Cola heiress who got kicked out of the Junior League for making chicken salad with dark meat? It’s an urban legend in Atlanta, but every Southern woman worth her salt has a tried and true recipe for chicken salad. My personal favorite used to be served in the dearly departed tea room at Maas Bros. Department Store in St. Petersburg, Florida. I’ve tasted some great versions over the years, but none greater than the one I sampled at the wake of a friend’s father in Dalton, Georgia. It inspired the recipe for Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad in Little Bitty Lies.

Beyond the Grave Chicken Salad Recipe

5 lbs. chicken breasts
2 quarts water
parsley sprigs
1 large onion, quartered
1 tsp seasoned salt
2 chicken bullion cubes

In large pot, bring water and seasoning to boil, add chicken, lower heat and simmer 40 min. Remove from heat, cool. Shred chicken and refrigerate.

Dressing:

1/2 C bottled Italian salad dressing
1 C Duke’s mayonnaise
1 TBL white vinegar
1-1/2 tsp celery seed
2 TBL sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
dash paprika

Blend well together.

For salad:

Toss shredded chicken with one cup of dressing and let stand at least one hour to marinate.

Combine remaining dressing with:
1/2 C sour cream
1 TBL honey

Add to chicken and mix well. May add canned water chestnuts, blanched almonds or chopped pecans.

Soft Sourdough Pretzel

Find it online: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/seriously-soft-sourdough-pretzel/

Author: Maurizio Leo
Prep Time: 18 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 18 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 12 pretzels
Category: Sourdough, Pretzel
Cuisine: German

Description

Chewy and soft, these sourdough pretzels are the real deal. Equally delicious with mustard, cheese, and beer, they have that unmistakable pretzel flavor and deep color.

Ingredients

Levain

10g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
51g all-purpose flour
51g whole wheat flour
102g water

Main dough

635g high-protein flour (“bread” flour)
120g all-purpose flour
369g water
17g fine sea salt
60g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3g diastatic malt powder

Lye bath

940g cool water
38g food-grade lye

Topping

coarse pretzel salt

Instructions

Levain (9:00 p.m.)
In a small bowl or jar, mix the Levain ingredients. Cover the jar and keep it at a warm temperature for 12 hours.
Mix (9:00 a.m., next day)
Add the flour, water, salt, softened butter, diastatic malt powder, and levain to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on speed 1 for 2 to 3 minutes until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Continue to mix on speed 2 for 4-6 additional minutes until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive—an improved mix.
Bulk fermentation (9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)
Give the dough one set of stretch and folds after the first hour of bulk fermentation. Return the dough to the bulk container and let rest until time to divide.
Divide and preshape (12:45 p.m.)
Because the dough is low hydration, keep it covered at all times. Divide the dough into twelve 115 gram rectangular pieces. Preshape each rectangle into a tapered cigar shape. Let the pieces rest 15 minutes covered with plastic.
Shape (1:00 p.m.)
Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Starting with the piece preshaped first, place the cigar in front of you so the tips are at your sides. Begin with your hands slightly overlapping in the middle, press down and roll the dough back and forth away from and then toward your body. As you are rolling, start to move your hands outward to encourage the tube to spread out and become increasingly thin as you move from the center out to the tips. You want to keep an exaggerated bulge in the very center of this rope, this will be the part you later score to open in the oven. Grab the two tips and arrange the dough so it loops away from you. Take one tip and fold it over the other side . Switch your hands so your right hand is holding the new right tip and your left is holding the new left tip. Fold the same side over the other as previously. Grab the two tips and fold them up over the knot in the middle and place each tip on its corresponding side inside the loop. It looks nice to have a little overlap with each tip — gently press it down into the side to seal.
Proof (1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.)
Let the dough proof on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes, uncovered. Then, transfer the uncovered baking sheets holding your pretzels to the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Lye bath (2:45 p.m.)
Place two racks in your oven, one at the bottom and one in the top third. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) convection (475°F (245°C) without convection). While wearing long latex or rubber gloves, add 940g cool water to a stainless steel bowl. To the water, add 38g food-grade lye while mixing with a stainless steel whisk or large spoon. The mixture will initially be cloudy, keep stirring until all the powder/pellets are dissolved. With gloves, pick up one shaped pretzel and transfer it to the lye bath and let sit for 15-20 seconds. Transfer to the cooling rack on top of the parchment paper inside a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Once all the pretzel have been dipped, carefully flush the remaining lye solution down the toilet.
Bake (3:00 p.m.)
Score each pretzel with the razor blade and sprinkle on pretzel salt. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes. Rotate the pans back to front and top to bottom, turn the oven down to 425°C (220°C) and bake for 8-12 minutes longer until a deep brown color. Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy warm from the oven.

Notes

For the lye bath, you will need a stainless steel bowl, stainless steel cooling rack, and pair of rubber gloves.

Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels

Jalapeño Popper Pinwheels are bite sized, creamy, delicious snacks or appetizers that are filled with cheese, bacon and jalapeños and rolled up in a tortilla!

Author Brandie @ The Country Cook

Ingredients

8 ounce block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed
2 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
5 (8-inch) flour tortillas
ranch dressing, for dipping (optional)

Instructions

In a big bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the cream cheese and sour cream until it’s smooth.
Add in the cheese, bacon, jalapenos, and green onions to the bowl. Stir everything together until it’s well mixed.
Place a tortilla on a clean surface. Take about one-fifth of the mixture and spread it evenly on the tortilla, leaving a half-inch border around the edges.
Roll up the tortilla tightly, making a long log shape. Repeat this with the rest of the tortillas and filling.
Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap, folding the ends of the plastic under. Put them in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better.
Take the logs out of the plastic wrap. Slice them into half-inch pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Triple Citrus Tart

You can use the below recipe from Johanne Killeen & George Germon, owners of Al Forno, in Providence, Rhode Island, or you can use my recipe for Pastry Dough. Here is another recipe. If you want REALLY easy, just use Puff Pastry.

- 1 tsp orange zest – minced
- 1 TBL orange juice – cold
- 1 TBL ice water
  - It is better to have your dough too moist, rather than too dry
    You can always add a bit more flour, but not liquid
- Approx 1 C AP flour
- 2 TBL confectioner sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 sticks cold butter in pieces
  - Pulse in food processor about six times
- With motor running, add liquid all at once
- Stop only to scrape down sides
  - You want dough to just hold together
  - Pour onto aluminum foil
  - Press together into a disk
  - Refrigerate immediately for about 2 hours
- Keeping your hands and your dough floured start rolling it out
- Flatten it to just under 1/8 inch
- Replenish floured surface as necessary
- Transfer onto a baking sheet
  - Add first layer to the tart
- If using lemons, blanch them about 10 seconds in boiling water, then rinse them and dry them to remove the waxy coat and any pesticides
- Slice on mandolin as thinly as you can possibly slice them
- Layer over entire tart surface, slightly overlapping
- Sprinkle with super-fine sugar – You can also create your own with your food processory
- Fold over the crust sides
- Refrigerate for about 90 minutes
  - Preheat oven to 450 before putting into the oven
  - Bake 15 minutes

Prepare your lime curd

- Two whole eggs plus two egg yolks
- 1/2 C sugar
- 3/4 C fresh lime juice
- 1/2 C heavy cream
- Heat over a double boiler until it thickens – Keep no hotter than 190º

Whip your egg whites

- 4 egg whites
  - Start to whip to froth on high
- 1/2 C super-fine sugar – 1 spoonful at a time
- Scrape down sides, then continue to soft peaks

Combine

- After your tart has cooled, add a layer of curd
- Put on your meringue over top of curd
  - Use a fork to pull out the peaks
- Put into preheated oven until meringue darkens
- Let cool just a bit, and then plate
- Sprinkle with confectioner sugar

How to Make Hominy

No-Bake Cheesecake

You know, when you get a bagel, you sometimes have a left-over cream cheese. This is a way you can put them to really good use.

Here is a baked cheesecake recipe using mostly the same ingredients. It’s easy, but has to set overnight in the fridge, so allow extra time for that.

NOTE: We are going to use a graham cracker crust for this cheesecake. Here is a video of the same process making a larger cheesecake. SallysBakingAddiction.com

Graham Cracker Crust

(larger recipe is shown in {{ brackets }}

4 Graham Crackers {{ 2.5 C graham crackers }}
1 TBL butter (melted) {{ 1/2 C butter }}
3 TBL Brown Sugar (packed) {{ 1 C }}

Pulse grahams and brown sugar in a food processor
Drizzle in melted butter while running
Pack (bottom and sides) into lightly greased baking ramekin or miniature bread pan {{ springform pan}}
Put into freezer for at least an hour, or even overnight.
Alternately, buy small frozen graham crackers crusts.

Ingredients for pie

6 oz (6 mini tubs) full fat Cream Cheese. DO NOT use Cream Cheese Spread – room temperature
{{ 1 block Philadelphia Cream Cheese }}
2 TBL butter – softened {{ 1 stick }}
1/2 C powdered sugar {{ 2 C }}
1 tsp each sour cream, lemon juice
Splash vanilla
1 tsp brown sugar {{ 1/4 C }}
1/4 C crushed pineapple {{ 20 oz can }} drained
COOL WHIP MIXTURE
1/4 C Cool Whip {{ 10 oz }} or start from heavy cream
Some of your crushed pineapple from above

Beat COLD heavy cream into heavy peaks. Do not skimp on this step. • Add confectioner sugar as you near completion
In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese (DO NOT use Cream Cheese Spread) with sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and brown sugar
Gently fold cream and sugar mixture in a large bowl.
Combine and pour into pie crusts
Use an offset spatula or back of a teaspoon to smooth the cake
App pineapple if desired
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is better.
This WILL NOT freeze well.
OPTIONAL: Before serving decorate with whipped cream, lemon curd, strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, fresh berries or salted caramel.

Cheesecake

1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
three 8-ounce blocks (680g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Noodle Chicken

Adapted from Food Networks “The Kitchen”

1-2 pounds chicken breast pieces into heavy bottom roast pan
Add 1 can golden mushroom soup
8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg Italian dressing
Toss to mix
Cover and cook on lowest setting on your stovetop (alt use Slow Cooker) for 4 hours
- - –
Cook 1 C egg noodles and set aside
- - –
1 pound mixed mushrooms in pan with 2 TBL butter and 2 TBL EVOO
1 clove garlic
Deglaze with 1 C chicken broth
Put mushrooms in with chicken 1 hour before serving
Add cooked egg noodles when ready to serve and mix in
Top with Grated Parm and Parsley

Gravy – From FoodNetwork.com

Foolproof Gravy

1 TBL gelatin
2.25 C broth
shallot
garlic
fond
butter
corriander
2 tsp cornstarch
2 TBL water

From FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

Deselect All

For the broth:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion or leek, or 2 shallots, sliced

Neck and giblets from your turkey (discard the liver)

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 sprigs thyme, parsley, rosemary and/or sage

1 bay leaf

For the gravy:

Turkey drippings from your roasting pan

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons cold Flavored Butter, recipe follows (optional)

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.

Make Your Own Butter:

Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
After about 3 minutes, you’ll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
Pumpkin
Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
Spiced Cranberry
Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
Bourbon-Raisin
Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
Sage Brown Butter
Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

Cook’s Note

The Golden Formula: (for 8 cups of gravy) 1/2 cup fat Use the oil that separates from your turkey drippings. If you don’t have enough, add butter. 1/2 cup flour Cook the flour with the fat to make a roux for thickening the gravy. For a darker gravy, cook the roux longer. (Note: Darker roux has less thickening power.) 8 cups broth Upgrade store-bought broth by simmering it with a sliced onion, a bay leaf, a few sprigs of thyme, parsley and/or sage, and the turkey giblets for about 2 hours. Quick Fixes: Too Thick? Add a splash of water, broth, brandy or bourbon. Too Thin? Mix equal parts flour and soft butter; whisk into boiling gravy. Too Lumpy? Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve.

Soul Food Posting

These are posted in celebration and recognition of Black History Month.

History of Soul Food

https://youtu.be/VbjdYOy5_4I

Soul Food Recipes

https://youtu.be/Xc7cXJaMkao

Total time 29-30 minutes

Gourmet Charcuterie Board

This is a compilation of an AARP video session, and several other sources

Equipment

Cheeseboard (Marble or Wood) any clean transportable flat surface
- Really cool to have a four foot six inch board
Heart Shaped or square or round Cookie Cutter
Paring & Bread Knives
Pastry Brush

Charcuterie & Fromage

Portion Size

Plan on 3 ounces of each cheese and charcuterie per person when served as an appetizer.

Accoutrements

- Vegetables
Strawberries
Clusters Green Grapes
Tear Drop Tomatoes
Purple Grapes
Cucumber Medallions or Spears
Mushrooms
Green or Black Olives
Approx. 20 Cherries
Baby Carrots
Sweet Gerkins
Red Onions – sliced thin
Pomegranate Arils
- Fruit
Cherries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Grapes
Strawberries
- Nuts
1 Cup Candied Pecans
1 Cup Marcona Almonds
- Cheese
16 Mini Mozzarella Balls
Brie
Gruyere
1.5” Wheel of Brie
Ounces Manchego
Cream Cheese
Gouda
Slices of Parmesan
Cream Cheese
Gorzonzola
Three Baby Bellas
Cheddar
- Meat
Soppressata
Prosciutto
Capiocola
Sliced Deli Ham
Devilled Eggs
Meatballs
Bacon
Smoked Salmon
Sardines
Shrimp
Vienna Sausages
- Cracker, etc.
Triskets
Batels
1/4 French Baguette
1/2 Baguette
Bruschetta
Pretzels
Popcorn
Pita Wedges
- Sweets
Assorted Valentines Candy
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- For most of them
4 Ounces Olive Oil
- Dips
Ranch Dressing (with spices)
Hummus
Sour Cream (with spices)

Dealing with Fruit Flies

I personally think that these might MARGINALLY work for controlling fruit flies, but you be the judge.

Method 1

1/2 C Vinegar in a ramekin
2 drops dish soap
plastic wrap over the top
secure with a rubber band
poke hole

Method 2

4-6 drops Lemongrass Spray
2 C hot water into a bottle
10 drops lemongrass essential oil
Spray on an adjacent surface

Method 3

1 C red wine in a ramekin
plastic wrap
rubber band
poke hole

Go for it !

From Better Homes and Garden