Sparkling Limeade

Sparkling limeade is a cooling bubbly delight.  You have lime and lemon juice combined with sugar, mint, and a touch of kosher salt. The fruit and mint need to be bruised in order to release their oils.  Everything is stirred together and put in the fridge for at least one hour.  Pour the mixture into some iced glasses and top with club soda.  Add a sprig of mint and you have a nice refreshing summer beverage.

Sparkling Limeade
From Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
4 lemons
5 limes
2 large handfuls of fresh mint
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1 (12-ounce) can club soda

Directions:
1. Cut 1 lemon and 1 lime into wedges and toss them into a pitcher.
2. Slice 3 lemons, and 4 limes in half.  Squeeze their juice and place in the pitcher.
3. Add the mint, sugar and pinch of salt.
4. Smash down on the citrus and mint with a wooden spoon, bruising them to release their oils.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Chill limeade at least 1 hour, then pour into 4 frosty ice-filled glasses.
6. Open the club soda and top off each glass.  Garnish with mint sprigs.

Serves 4

Revised Green Chili Crustless Quiche

I have played around with the original recipe and came up with a new and improved version of my Green Chili Crustless Quiche.  I hope you like it.



Revised Green Chili Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup diced green chili
1 (8 - ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium.  Whisk in the flour and cook until bubbly.  Stir constantly.  Gradually add in the milk stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Butter a quiche pan or an 8-inch deep pie pan.  You can spray with cooking spray if you wish.
4. Combine the cottage cheese, salt, garlic powder, baking powder, ground cumin and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
5. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly add in the cottage cheese mixture.  Slowly add in the milk/flour sauce.
6. Stir in the green chili and Mexican cheese.
7. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.  Insert a knife inserted into the center of the quiche.  It should come out clean.
8. Let rest for 15 minutes and serve.

Serves 6-8

The Right Onion

From  The Rising Spoon

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

Beans are a perfect side dish.  They go good with anything you cook.  This recipe is exceptionally delicious and very easy to make.  You use canned beans cooked in a sauce with ketchup, ground beef, bacon, brown sugar and some liquid smoke.   These beans can also be a meal by themselves. Serve them with some cornbread or biscuits.  What could be easier.

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
From Mom On Time Out
Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
12 oz bacon
1 med onion diced
16 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
16 oz can white beans drained and rinsed
32 oz pork 'n beans
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 to 2 tbsp liquid smoke

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside.
2. Add bacon to the skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through, stirring frequently.
3. Add onions and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
4. Add ground beef and bacon mixture to a large 6 quart slow cooker.
5. Add pork 'n beans, drained kidney and white beans, ketchup, brown sugar and liquid smoke.
6, Stir gently to combine. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours, stirring as needed. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
Serve with tortillas chips, corn chips, sour cream, cheese, whatever you want. Anything goes!

Serves 12

Fajita Seasoning

I found a wonderful recipe for Fajita Seasoning.  Fajita seasoning is so easy to make and you probably have the ingredients in your spice rack.  Best of all, it is very budget friendly.  Enjoy this seasoning  with your favorite Fajita recipe.

Fajita Seasoning
From Culinary Hill
Ingredients
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon) and cayenne pepper to taste (I like 1/2 teaspoon, please use less or omit if you're sensitive to spice). Store in an airtight container.

Blueberry Sour Cream Vanilla Pancakes

Who doesn't love pancakes?  I could eat them morning, noon, and night.  These pancakes are light, fluffy, tender and delicious. The batter is made with rich buttermilk and sour cream with some vanilla extract.  Add flour, eggs, and other ingredients and mix.  I fry the pancakes in butter to get a nice crispy edge.  As the pancakes are cooking scatter some blueberries on top of the batter.  Flip and cook.  Delicious Blueberry pancakes are calling your name.

Blueberry Sour Cream Vanilla Pancakes


Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
2 cups fresh blueberries
butter for cooking the pancakes

Directions:
1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.  In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract and melted butter together.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture; gently stir until just combined.  Batter should remain lumpy with a few streaks of flour.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
3. Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter in skillet.  Cook until the edges are set, and bubbles on surface are beginning to break.  Sprinkle blueberries on the pancakes.  Cook until golden brown.
4. Using a wide spatula, flip the pancakes and continue to cook until second side is golden brown.  Serve pancakes immediately.  Repeat with remaining batter, add butter as needed.  Be sure to wipe the skillet with a paper towel between uses.
Makes 14 pancakes.

Sweet Cucumber Salad

I  eat a lot of cucumbers  during the summer months.  They add a cool and refreshing element to any dish. I usually make salads that contain cucumbers.  This recipe is one I have made for years.  It is slightly sweet with a little kick to it.  A great side to your summer meals.

Sweet Cucumber Salad
From Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1–1/2 lbs cucumber (about 3 medium), thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (if using table salt, use only 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup rice vinegar, seasoned or regular
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional if you don’t want any heat.)
2 tablespoons minced red onion

Instructions
Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. Toss the cukes a few times while they drain if you remember. While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade.
Combine vinegar, water, sugar and red pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 C. Remove reduction from heat and add onion. Let mixture cool to room temp.

When cucumbers are done resting, pat them dry with a few paper towels and then combine with the vinegar reduction. Chill for at least a few hours before serving. They improve with time!