Breakfast Casserole

Busy Mama Recipes


This casserole is so easy.  I put it together the night before and bake it in the morning to save time.  I have brunch with my parents every Sunday, and everyone always loves this.  The adults and kids eat it, and usually there are no leftovers.  I constantly get asked for this "Breakfast Lasagna" recipe:-)

It's pretty hard to mess up, and you can make it with anything you have.  My favorite is ham, which we had leftover from Thanksgiving, but you could make it with any meat.  Breakfast sausage is really good in it too.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, layer:

3 potatoes, shredded and tossed with 2 tbs Wildtree Smoky Bacon Flavor Grapeseed Oil***
1 cup cheddar cheese
2-3 cups cooked meat (cubed ham, bacon, or breakfast sausage works great)
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 cup spinach or kale
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
12 eggs whisked with 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1 tbs Wildtree Onion and Chive Blend
1 cup cheddar cheese for the top

*** I have used frozen tater tots- the kids love it!

Wildtree Onion and Chive Blend- buy it here.

Layer everything, in the order above, in the dish. bake at 375 for one hour, covered.  Uncover and bake for another 15 to brown the top.

Wildtree Smoky Bacon Flavor Grapeseed Oil- buy it here.

Salted Caramel Mocha Scones

Holy crap.  I could eat these all day.  Salted Caramel anything is delicious but when you add chocolate it's a foodgasm.

I used dark, bittersweet chocolate (It is 80% cocoa and very lightly sweetened).  If you use a sweeter chocolate I would use less sugar or it may be a bit too sweet. You could also mix the two if you wanted.

Scones

2 cups unsifted, all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar

6 tbs plus

1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup plus 3 tbs heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat Oven to 425.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until combined.  In a food processor, or in a large bowl using a pastry cutter, add the butter and pulse until it looks like crumbs.  Add 2/3 cup whipping cream and chocolate chips and mix until well combined.  

Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 times.  Form the dough into a  1 inch thick circle and cut into eight pieces, like a pie.  

Arrange them on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining heavy cream.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Caramel Frosting

1 cup caramel (I used caramel squares from the grocery store, unsalted and not flavored.  I used about 14 squares but it will vary depending on the kid you use).

1 tbs unsalted butter

On a double boiler, melt the caramel squares with the butter.  Whisk constantly to prevent sticking.  When the scones are cool enough to handle but the caramel is still warm and not set, dip the tops of the scones in the caramel.  You could also spoon the mixture onto the scones, making sure to completely cover the top.  

Topping

3 tbs course sea salt

1 tsp sugar

3 tbs dark chocolate chunks, chopped very finely (Next time I'm going to grate it with my microplane zester so it's nore like chocolate shavings).

Sprinkle the salt mixture over the scones before the caramel completely cools. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

Breakfast Win!

Mom Points!

These are so easy, too.  And a switch up from everything Cranberry and orange right now.  I'm making these Chrsitmas morning:-)

Ingredients

2 cups unsifted, all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar

6 tbs plus 1 tbs unsalted butter, divided

1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup plus 3 tbs heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup plus 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup fresh or frozen, unsweetened raspberries *See note below

Preheat Oven to 425.

If you are using fresh raspberries, wash them well and cut each in half.  If you use frozen, put them into a colander and wash with cold water, then run water over them until the juice below them runs clear.  then lay them out on paper towels and pat them dry.  Set them aside.  If you skip this process, the scones will turn pink and may be too juicy, so they won't have the right consistency. 

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until combined.  In a food processor, or in a large bowl using a pastry cutter, add 6 tablespoons of butter and pulse until it looks like crumbs.  Add 2/3 cup whipping cream and 1 cup of white chocolate chips and mix until well combined.  Add the raspberries last and mix as little as possible.  If you were using a food processor, I would transfer the dough to a bowl and mix with a spoon to prevent the berries from falling apart. 

Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 times.  Form the dough into a  1 inch thick circle and cut into eight pieces, like a pie.  

Arrange them on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining heavy cream.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

In the meantime, on a double boiler, melt the remaining white chocolate with the remaining butter.  Whisk constantly to prevent sticking.  Drizzle over the scones after they are out of the oven.

Enjoy! 

Lemon (Not-Meringue) Pie with Cardamom and Chocolate

When I was growing up, my grandfather's favorite pie was lemon meringue. I love lemon. Loooove it. But I don't not love meringue. Bleh. I wish I did- I try to like it. I eat it and I always think I will like it, but in the end its just whipped egg whites like usual. This pie is a little different from the typical lemon pie, so its a fun one to bring to a pot luck or holiday dinner.

Crust:

2 1/2 cup graham crackers, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 tbs brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Press into a pie pan, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides. Bake for 15 minutes on 375. Take out to cool. Turn the oven down to 325.

Filling:
Juice of two large lemons (make sure to keep the zest)
14oz sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cardamom
2 tbs sugar

Whisk together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the pie crust and bake for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. I would let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour before moving on to the next step.

Not Meringue:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Zest of two lemons
4 tbs powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk the heavy cream until firm peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and lemon zest. Then slowly add the rest of the ingredients. Pipe decoratively or spread onto the completely cooled pie.

Garnish with dark chocolate shavings or sauce and serve.

Fall Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is a must have at most pot lucks, and after you have tasted one, you've tasted most.  They can get kind of boring unless you spice it up with something fun.  This fruit salad would be great at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

To serve 6, I used:

2 Honeycrisp Apples, diced

2 pears, diced

3 Clementine oranges, their slices cut into small pieces

1 mango, diced

1 pomegranate, just the seeds 

sliced almonds for the top

Dressing:

Zest and juice of a lemon

2 tbs honey

Whisk together the honey and lemon in a bowl and toss with the salad to coat, then top with the almonds.  If you don't have access to fresh pomegranate, you could use Craisins instead (some stores have a pomegranate flavor).

Cranberry Orange Mini Scones with a Creamy Ginger Glaze

Busy Mama Recipes



Every Sunday I have brunch with my family, and tomorrow it's my turn to host. I made a practice run with a recipe today and loved it. Knox has deemed them "the most yummy cookie", so I think they'll be acceptable at tomorrow's get together.  Plus, the combination of cranberry, nutmeg, orange, and ginger are perfect for this time of year. 

Scones

2 cups ap flour, unsifted
1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)
1 tsp baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
1 pinch nutmeg
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
Zest of one orange * Learn how to zest an orange without making the recipe bitter
1 cup Craisins (or dried, lightly sweetened cranberries)

Preheat Oven to 425.

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugars, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder and pulse a couple of times. Add the orange zest and butter and pulse until it looks like small crumbs. Then add the cream and mix until it is well incorporated.

Next, on a lightly floured surface, dump out the crumbly dough. Add the berries and knead with your hands until its very well mixed ( about one minute). Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a one inch thick circle, then cut into eight pieces (like a tiny pie).

Arrange them on the baking sheet and paint with the remaining heavy cream.

Bake for about 12 minutes, or until they're golden brown on top. After they cool, spoon the glaze (recipe below) evenly over each one. Make sure to refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any;-))

Creamy Ginger Glaze

1 tbs orange juice (fresh squeezed from the orange you zested earlier)

1 tbs heavy cream

1/2 tbs ground ginger

2 cups confectioners sugar

Whisk together in a small bowl until smooth.  This glaze should be very thick.  Since it contains milk it should be refrigerated if not eaten.

Creamy Chicken Artichoke White Lasagna

Sometimes I feel like I need to learn to cook worse so I won't eat so much. Then I change my mind because I love food almost as much as I love making it.

Busy Mama Recipes

I roasted a chicken earlier this week and needed to use the leftover meat for something. I am really red-sauced out right now, so I was trying to think of something without the Bolognese type sauce. Oh, and it needed to have artichoke in it.

Ta-da. I'm a genius:-) Chicken lasagna with artichokes; something my kids would hopefully eat if I told them it was chicken and cheese. And it sounded easy enough.

Ingredients

Shredded chicken, approx 2-3 cups (I just pulled the meat off the carcass and chopped it. I used closer to 2 cups since my three year old son ate a bunch of this chicken during the prep:-) But any amount would work, really).
2 cups full fat Greek Yogurt (none of that nonfat crap- that isn't yogurt)
2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
1 cup spinach, chard, or kale, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced in circles
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 box of lasagna noodles (prepared like the box says) *** You can also use zucchini noodles and make a grain free/ gluten free lasagna
Bechemel Sauce: Melt 2 tbs of butter in a saucepan.  Add 2 tbs of flour and whick together, cooking on medium for about five minutes.  Add 2 cups of milk and whisk together.  Add 2 cloves of minced garlic.  Add 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer, whisking often, until hot.  Be careful not to burn. It should thicken as it cools. 

Directions

Preheat oven to 365.

In a large mixing bowl (I used my KitchenAid mixer) I combined the yogurt, chicken, artichokes, 1 garlic clove, onion, and 1/2 cup of mozz cheese.

In my food processor, I combined two cloves of garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and cottage cheese. I pulsed it until it was smooth and looked like green cream cheese. I added some black pepper for flavor. 

*** The cottage cheese is a great alternative to ricotta because of the protein and the lower calorie and fat content. You could use ricotta instead and it would still taste great. 

This is what the cottage cheese mixture looks like when it's done.  Slightly green with no lumps.

In a large casserole dish (mine is 9x13), I layered like this:

Noodles
Chicken mixture
Spinach
Noodles
Cottage cheese mixture
Layer of tomato slices
1/2 cup mozz cheese
Noodles
Bechemel Sauce
The rest of the mozz cheese
Layer of tomato slices
Parmesan cheese (I garnished with ground pepper and oregano flakes)

Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another thirty minutes.

And I was right, my kids scarfed this down!

Cranberry Vinaigrette

Holy yum.

If you're a regular reader, you know how much I love salad dressing. Obviously- I have like 15 recipes on here for different dressings. You'd think I'd be super thin since I eat so much salad, but no. These drwssing are for real... no the stupid, "diet" kind. Sick.

We had our first snow here today, so with that mood I decided to make something holiday-ish. Perfect timing since its the beginning of November, marking the time when people prepare for Thanksgiving.

This was an interesting creation for me, and I'm probably still going to improve on it as time goes by and the voices give me more ideas. Keep in mind this is just a prelim, but its still pretty delicious. I would drink it if it was socially accepatable. I promise I'm dipping bread in it as I type. :-)

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup + 3 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs balsamic vinegar (or mix with rice vinegar)
3 tbs molasses (you could also use honey or real maple syrup)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp ground pepper (I subbed three pink peppercorns)
1 1/2 cups canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil (I used a combo of gso and canola)

Blend all of the ingredients, except oil, in a food processor until smooth. Once combined, add oil very slowly with the food processor on high (immulsify). Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to ten days (mine never lasts that long ;-) ). I usually use a glass mason jar with a lid.

If the cranberries are hard, microwave for one minute in a bowl. You will hear them "pop", and that's normal.

This is great on any salad, but I prefer it with baby spinach, craisins, slivered almonds, onions, and either pears or apples topped with crumbled goat cheese.

Enjoy:-)

Classic Crockpot Chili

It's almost that time of year:-) I freaking love Fall- Its the best. I love cockpot meals, and I love that my kids eat them. Chili is one if the easiest to prepare and easiest to make healthy. My kiddos eat it plain, on hot dogs (gross), or (duh) with Fritos. One if them loves ketchup on chili (seriously... so gross), and one loves it on baked potato (even though he doesn't like potatoes)... hmm... boys are wierd. But whatever, cook it like this, and your family can wreck it however they'd like;-)

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (turkey can be used too)
5 cans of beans (I mix light and dark kidney beans with black beans)
1 quart diced tomatoes in juice
1-2 quart stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 large onion
2 cans diced green chilis
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped (or 2 tbs dried)
Juice and zest of one lime
2 tbs cumin*
1 tbs chili powder*
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper

After browning and draining the hamburger, place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Garnish with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Or, if you are like my children, garnish with a bag of Fritos and some ketchup:-)

Leftover idea: drain all the juice and roll the filling in tortillas. Cover in enchilada sauce and bake for 35 mins on 350 for some quick, home made enchiladas.

Omit the meat and use veggie stock for a vegan option. Conveniently, this dish is also gluten, dairy, egg, and nut free:-)

*You can sub taco seasoning for these spices

Crockpot Potato Soup

This is the perfect soup for Fall. The kids love it because its "yummy" and I love it because its easy and inexpensive. Plus, crockpots are great because you only have one dish to clean when you're done:-)

You'll need:
7-10 potatoes, washed and diced (I like Yukon Golds and reds mixed, but any kind will do). In the end it will be about 8 cups.
2 onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 leeks, sliced very thin (or use 2 bunches green onions)
1 quart stalk (chicken or vegetable- homemade is best)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients except the cream in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Add cream for the last 30 minutes.

We serve our with bacon pieces on top and steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.

Crockpot Mediterranean Chicken

This recipe is a classic. You really can't mess it up. Inliterally make it different every single time I prepare it, and its always turned out great. It's the perfect lighter dish for fall.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 quart diced tomatoes in juice
3 zucchini, sliced very thick (or sub eggplant)
1 onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, sliced
8-12 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
8-12 green olives, cut in half
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or swiss chard without the stem
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs parsley
1 tbs dill
Lemon juice
3 tbs caper berries
Salt and pepper to taste
Spaghetti noodles (spghetti squash can be used for a lighter version)

Place all ingredients except noodles in crockpot and cook on low for 5-7 hours. Serve over noodles or spaghetti squash and garnish with feta cheese and a lemon wedge. I like ours with a cucumber salad.

Jamaican Chicken Sausage Jambalaya with Rice & Shrimp

I made this for the first time a few months ago, and it quickly became a favorite of my kids.  Even though my three year old insists that it is "hot dog soup"- gross- it gets him to eat it.  So... sausage, hotdogs, whatever:)

It is easy to make and can be pretty healthy and "clean". The crockpot version is easier, but it can also be made in a stockpot. Both versions are below.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I have also used chicken breasts but dark meat is better in this recipe)
18 ounces smoked link sausage (I use a mix of pork, beef, and chicken)
1/2 to 1 pound shrimp, de-veined and peeled
1 quart diced tomatoes in the juice
2 bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 tbs Wildtree Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (You can order the mix from my personal website)
OR use 2 tbs cinnamon, 1 tbs nutmeg, 1/2 tbs cayenne pepper, 1/4 tbs thyme, 1/4 tbs oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
Rice (optional)
Cilantro and parsley- as garnish (optional)

Place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last thirty minutes, add the shrimp.

Serve over rice with some fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges. If you left the chicken whole, shred with a fork once cooked.

If you use a stockpot, cube the chicken. Saute the chicken in some olive oil. Add the veggies and saute until tender. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Turn to simmer and add the shrimp. Serve like you would the crockpot version.

Jambalaya without the shrimp

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Oh God. These are addicting. I take them to potlucks and parties and I constantly have to write the recipe down for people. I love it:-)

Ingredients:
1 package mushrooms of your choice, rinsed
1 8oz package cream cheese
4 slices thick bacon, chopped
1 shallot, chopped finely
4 tbs parsley, finely chopped
4 tbs + 4 tbs bread crumbs (I use Italian seasoned)
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Right now is also a good time to make sure the mushrooms are clean and there is no lingering dirt. I also hollow out the mushrooms a little more.  If you have a grapfruit spoon or a strawberry corer (my mom has a Pampered Chef one that works great). You can throw out the extra middle and half of the stems. The other half, chop finely and set aside.

In a small pan, cook the bacon until almost done. Remove the bacon but leave the fat in the pan. Cook the shallot and mushroom stems in the fat. When done, place into a large mixing bowl. Mix together the cream cheese, bacon, shallot mix, parsley, 4 tbs of bread crumbs, lemon, and spices. Once its mixed well, spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Its okay if they are really overflowing.

Sprinkle the bread brumbs over the mushrooms (or dip them in) and place them in a casserole dish. You'll want the dish to have sides because the mushrooms will produce water while baking and it could spill into your oven.
Bake on 350 for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

I have added crumbled bleu cheese to this before- just about 4 or 5 tablespoons to the cream cheese mixture. It is great:-) I think feta and sundried tomato would be yummy too.

So So So Easy Pot Roast

I forgot how great a good roast is! I made one for dinner tonight.. first time in months. Dang, I need to do this more often. Especially now that it's almost Fall.

I have talked to so many people that are "intimidated" and don't feel like they can make a roast turn out properly. That's just crazy talk.  They are so easy. Plus... SO worth it.

They are cheap: chuck roasts were on sale, so I got about 8 pounds of boneless meat for around $12. While that sounds spendy, think about how far 8lbs of meat can go.

They are easy: mine fit in my crockpot. I added a few ingredients, turned it on, and walked away. Dinner= done. The person who invented a crockpot deserves a lot more credit than they're getting.

They are clean: Crockpot. That's it. No pots, pans, spoons, whisks, etc to clean up. Just one dish. So simple.

This dinner is a complete dinner. Protein, carb, veggies. You don't need a side dish (although I cut up fresh cantaloupe and cucumbers and we also had fresh bread).

It goes a long way: 8 pounds of meat feeds a lot of people. Especially when served with potatoes. Leftovers galore!

They are versatile: Roast the first day. French Dip sandwiches with au jus the second day. Philly cheesesteak the third day (just use roasted pepper and mushrooms with swiss and provolone cheese.. yum!). You can make amazing paninis with pepperjack cheese, meat, and the onions from the roast. I like to cute up the meat and put it in salad for lunches. Oh, and beef enchiladas... holy cow those are good!

Here is what I did to make my roast today. Keep in mind, there are so many different ways to do this, this is just my fast "I have three kids under 9 and I work all day today" recipe. If I had two days, this recipe would be fancier.

First thing is to prep the vegetables. I used:

2 white onions, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
3 celery sticks, cut into two inch chunks
7-10 small red new potatoes, washed, skin on, halved
1 can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
3 cloved garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Pinch (literally, a pinch) of red pepper flakes for a little kick
2 cloves, whole
1 bay leaf

First, I browned the meat in a skillet. I just used a little olive oil and cooked the msat on all sides. Total it took maybe 5 or 6 minutes.

Place the meat in the ceockpot and add the veggies and spices. Pour the tomatoes over the top. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

Ta-da!!! Pot roast!

Hint: add about 1/2 cup of beer and its delish!

Broccoli Pasta Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

I was surprised at this one. I love love love food, but I am not a big one on fruit with vegetables at the same time. Fruit with meat: okay. Fruit with veggies: eh... whatever. I'll try any food once. This time I'm glad I did.

My grandma was telling me all about a salad she had at a bbq thag had grapes and broccoli in it.

I was like "Whaaaat?!"

Then I thought about it. If some random person at a potluck bbq at the senior center can make grapes taste good with broccoli, I can too. So I did, and this is how...

What you'll need:

1 box pasta (I used the rainbow bow tie)
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into small peices (florets and some stems)
4 green onions
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (I think pecans wojld be delicious too!)
1 cup red grapes, halved or quartered depending on the size
Optional: 3 slices of cooked, chopped bacon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chill in a bowl and toss with all ingredients except grapes and almonds. Add the dressing (recipe below). Mix in the grapes and nuts just before serving.

Champagne Vinaigrette:

1shallot, minced
1 tbs hot Chinese mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup champagne vinegar (could also use a mix of champagne vinegar and apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup salad oil
Salt and red or white pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor and blend until smooth. While on high,  slowly add in oil. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for one week.

Chicken Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This is such a great summer salad. I never make it because Kevin hates cilantro (ridiculous, huh?) I guess this will be one for me to enjoy with my sisterwife.

I bought a whole chicken and had it cut into smaller pieces so it would bake faster. I used lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper for the marinade and baked it on 365 for about 30 minutes. I just pulled that apart and used it on the salad. You could use grilled chicken breasts or no meat, and this recipe would still work.

For the salad, toss together:

Lettuce
cherry tomatoes
Red onion
Grilled corn, shaved from the cob
Red or orange bell pepper (I roasted mine in the oven for five minutes- yum!)
Avocado,  diced
Tortilla strips
Salsa for garnish

Dressing:

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1-2 whole chipotle peppers (canned in the ethnic foods section of the store. I have also used a small can of jalapenos in addotion, depending on how spicy and tangy you want the flavor)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
Juice and zest of 3 limes
Pinch (less than 1/8 tsp) cumin
Salt and pepper (I used cayenne pepper for a kick)
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Combine everything except the oil in the fiid processor and blend u til smooth. Slowly add the oil while on high. Cover, chill, and use within 5 days.
Coat the salad in this dressing. If serving later, keep the dressing separate from the salad to avoid it getting mushy.

And of course, you should pair this with white sangria;-) Delicious!

Margerita Panini

I love grilling season. Unfortunatley, we can't grill every night in the summer. Sometimes we have to cook inside. Its a bummer because it makes the house hot, but oh well.

Tonight I'm going to make paninis. My step son calls them "bikinis" or "zuccinis" and my three year old insists they're "bananas". I don't know why:-)

This is a light, no meat panini recipe you can make with- or without- a panini press.

I use:
Foccacia bread
Fresh mozzarella slices
Fresh tomato slices
Red onion slices
Spinach or arugula
Pesto
Balsamic vinaigrette (or equal parts basamic and evoo)

The pesto and vinaigrette are for the bread. You can pile everything else on. Then cook it on medium in the press for about 5 minutes. If you don't have a press, you can wrap a brick in tin foil and press it in a pan on the stove (Thanks Rachel Ray... you are good for some things... lol) or you can broil them, open faced in the oven.

Enjoy your "bikinis" :-)

Baked Spaghetti

One of my friends brought this to me and my family after I had Dexter. Everyone loved it and I have made it a few times since then. The one that was brought to me was more basic, but I had to add more ingredients... because you know me: I'm a glamour recipe girl;-)

It is so easy and the recipe can be teased without screwing it up. Good luck!

Boil 16oz of spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the packet. I used whole wheat linguine but you can use whatever kind you would like and it wohld still work.

Prep:
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch spinach cut into chiffonaude ribbons
3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbs fresh Sweet Basil, chopped
3-4 whole eggs
4 tbs butter
2 cups cheese total, grated (I used feta, mozzarella, and parmesan)
Salt and pepper

Toss all of the ingredients with the pasta in a large bowl. Press into a 9×13 baking dish and top with 2-3 cups marinara sauce (I can homemade tomato sauce every year so that is what I used. Store bought or fresh homemade work too). Top with a little cheese.

Bake at 365 for about 45 minutes.

It can be prepared and frozen ahead of time. Thaw before baking.

Oregon Morel Mushrooms

Busy Mama Recipes

My bff got some Morels the other day. Oh my gosh, they are so good. If you have never tried them and you have the chance, try them. They are amazing.

Of course we washed and soaked them, and cut off the gross parts.

I had about a half a pound. I tossed them in a stainless steel skillet with about a tablespoon of salted butter (if you use unsalted add a teaspoon of salt) and let them cook for about five minutes on medium heat.

Then I added 2 tablespoons of dry white wine, two cloves of garlic, and black pepper. I let them cook for about five more minutes.

Before serving them, I sprinkled fresh minced parsley on them.  And duh, we ate them with wine:-)

Beer Cheese Soup

I made this soup for dinner tonight. It could probably be pretty simple: potatoes, stock, beer, cheese, but you know me. Thats too boring. Here is what I used:

3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 large white onion, diced
I head cauliflower, chopped finely (I call this a "fake potato")
1 quart stock (I just made vegetable stock the other day so I used that, but chicken stock would be good too)
3 russet potatoes, diced (but not peeled... who has time for that? Just wash them.)

I sauteed all the veggies in a little Jalapeno Grapeseed Oil from Wildtree (but you could use any oil or fat). When they were tender I added the stock. I let everything boil for about 15 minutes then simmered it for another 20 minutes or so.

I pureed it with my immersion blender. I pureed it until it was completely smooth (you could leave it more chunky if you choose) but I was trying to make it look like plain potato soup.

I added half a bottle of beer- any kind will do. I used Blue Moon something or other. It was pretty good.

I added about 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar and about 1/2 cup heavy cream. I mixed it together with salt and pepper and added a few spices (a little parsley and paprika).

As it cooled it thickened. I served it with chives for the top, but next time i might make some real bacon bits to top it with. We had it with some jalapeno artisan bread that I popped in the oven at the same time.

Artisan Garlic Bread

I stumbled upon a recipe that looked easy enough for bread (I HATE baking).  It was so simple sounding that I was almost embarrassed to try it, haha.  So, I had to spice it up a little, literally.  This is the recipe I came up with over a year ago, and we have it at least once a week at my house.  It is now a favorite at our family dinners and get-togethers, and I get requests for it often.

Ingredients:
1 packet of active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of very warm water
2 tbs of Kosher salt
3 cups + 4 tbs all purpose flour flour
3 cloves of pressed garlic.
1 tbs Wildtree Lemon Rosemary Blend (You can also use 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried Greek oregano instead).

In a large mixing bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid with a dough hook attachment), add the yeast, warm water and salt and mix together.  The mixture should be murky brown and slightly foamy.  Add the garlic and spices of your choosing and mix well.  Add the flour and mix.  A few times you will need to pull the dough off of the hook and re-mix.  Be careful not to over-knead.

Split the dough in half and knead each piece with your hands.  On a greased surface (a large baking sheet will do), roll each piece into a ball and cover with saran wrap.  I always pierce the wrap in one spot so the gasses can escape, then I cover it with a hand towel.  Make sure to set the dough in a warm place so it can rise.  Let it rise for 1 hour, then punch the dough down, re shape, and sprinkle flour on it.  This will create a "gluten crust".  Using a sharp razor blade or knife, cut two slices across the top of each loaf (you can also do an "x" or cross hatch). Let the dough rise for another hour.  By this time it should have almost doubled in size.

If you think you don't have a warm enough place in your house, it's okay to turn your oven onto warm (170 degrees) and put the dough in the oven to rise.  Follow the directions above, but don't cover the bread, and cut the rise time in half.  When it's done rising you will have to remove the dough from the oven while it is preheating to bake.  I have to do this in the winter time because my house is too cold.

***Preheat oven to 400***

In a small container, add one cup of water and put it in the oven  This will create steam which will make the outside of the bread very crunchy while the inside stays soft.  Bake the bread for 30 minutes.

Let your bread cool before serving.  Warm bread is amazing, but the texture gets fluffier as it cools.  We ate one entire loaf in one night.  We had it with salad and herbed garlic butter.  Holy crap it was good.

Variations I have tried and loved:

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread: Omit the spices and add 2 tbs chopped jalapeno.  When the bread is baking, sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.

Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Bread: Omit the spices.  Add 2 tbs of Kalamata olive tapenade and 1 tbs chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Greek Bread:  Omit the spices.  Add 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 tbs grated cucumber (seeded and most of the moisture squeezed out), 1 tbs Greek yogurt, 3 tbs crumbled feta cheese.

Pesto Ranch

This dressing is so good I could drink it.  But I won't.  But I want to:

In a food processor, combine: 
1 bunch sweet basil, leaves only
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped
3 green onions
3 cloves garlic
1 large egg or two small eggs
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbs honey
salt and pepper

Blend until smooth then slowly add 1/4 cup oil (grapeseed or a mild oil works best).  I love Wildtree Basil Pesto Oil in this one! Yummy. 

This recipe is really good in a vinaigrette too.  Just omit the egg and up the vinegar to 1/2 cup. 

Creamy Cilantro Salad Dressing

Busy Mama Recipes



I just made this for salad.  Goes great on wraps too!  SO yummy:-)

In a blender or food processor, combine:
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (It's good with parsley too- makes a "Green Goddess" dressing)
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 large egg (or two smaller eggs)
1 tbs honey
1 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper

Blend everything until smooth, then slowly pour in 1/4 cup oil.  Grapeseed or a mild oil works best- olive oil is a little strong for this one.

Twice Baked "Potatoes" with Feta

I have been seeing this idea floating around on Pinterest: the Cauliflower Potatoes.  Ever since I saw it, I have wanted to try it... glad I did.  It's pretty great.

I made this recipe (my own recipe) and served it for dinner with pork chops and brussel sprouts.  Kevin ate his "potatoes" and I asked him if he liked them.  He said yes, that they tasted like they always do.  I asked if he noticed anything different about them.  He looked at me weird, thought for a minute, and then said this time they're different because they're smoother and don't have skins in it still.  HA!  I WIN!!!

I told him it was cauliflower and he didn't believe me at first.  After convincing him, he laughed and said they were pretty good.  I can't wait to try it out on my step son: he hated potatoes forever but has recently started "loving" them.  I want to see if he can tell the difference.  If any followers try this out, let me know what your family thinks.  I want to see how many potato lovers are shocked to hear how they were tricked:-)

I used one whole head of cauliflower.  I chopped it into small pieces and boiled it in salted water- just like I would do with potatoes (I also threw in three or four cloves of garlic into the water).  After the cauliflower was soft, I drained it and put it in my food processor and blended it until it was completely smooth.  They first time I tested it, I thought it was still too "grainy", so I processed for longer to get it to feel more like potatoes.

I transferred the "potatoes" to my mixer, because I wanted the recipe to be fluffy- a consistency that is hard to get with a food processor blade.  I added 3 tbs of butter, 2 tbs milk (I had purchased a gallon of raw cow's milk from a farm that morning... SO worth it!), three chopped green onions, some chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper.  I added some dried dill for good measure.

I folded in about 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, then transferred the mixture to a small casserole dish.  I broiled it on low for about 10 minutes, just until the top was browned.

When I tried it, it practically melted in my mouth.  The texture was perfect!  This recipe is my own, but I owe some credit to whoever thought of this trick!  Whoever you are, you are a genius!

Healthy Burgers- Jalapeno Lime, Greek, and Bleu Burgers

It's bbq season!  Well, almost.  We are grilling though, because I can't wait for the actual season to be here.  The kids' favorite are turkey burgers; so why not?  It took a long time experimenting with recipes before I found one that was worth repeating.  Here is the basic, plus a few variations below.

Turkey Burger Patties:

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg (I used a farm fresh egg from my gpa's chickens- it's worth it!)

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs seedless jelly 

1 small yellow onion, chopped finely (I use my food processor)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely

3 tbs bbq sauce (I used homemade, so it was a balsamic/ honey flavor, but store bought would work)

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and form into patties.  Make sure to cook completely.  You can use any type of meat you would like.  Sometimes we have elk or deer instead.  A few times this week I used 1/2 turkey and 1/2 beef (very low fat beef, if the percent is too high, the patties fall apart), which is cheaper and still healthy.  

Now for some of the variations I have tried this week...

Jalapeno Lime Burgers:

Substitute 1/2 the parsley for cilantro.  Add two chopped green onions.  Add the zest and juice of one lime.  Add 2 fresh jalapeno peppers (chopped finely in the food processor), and sub salsa for the bbq sauce.  Serve with pickled jalapeno peppers and avocado.

Photo Credit: Kalyn's Kitchen

Greek Burgers:

Sub lemon for the lime.  Add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, and a few chopped sun dried tomatoes to the meat before forming into patties. 

Bleu Burgers:

Thinly slice a purple onion (only about 1/4 of the onion) and sautee it in a little olive oil and add it to the meat.  Also add about 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or, substitute bleu cheese dressing for the bbq sauce).  Serve with pickled onions and bleu cheese dressing.  

Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce

I haven't posted in a long time- apologies. I was busy having a baby♡ We were surprised to have another boy! That makes #3... which means Dad and the boys share a bathroom and Queen Mama gets her own:-) Score!

On to more good news... since I have so much time off of work, I have been trying some new recipes and I've been having a blast! Tonight I decided to make stuffed cabbage leaves. I was craving Dolmas: a traditional Greek dish (grape leaves stuffed with a dirty rice and a lemon sauce), but grape leaves are hard to come by here in this small town. I had some coconut milk and cabbage, so I decided to do a Thai meal instead.   I served this with salmon, but next time I'm going to make this the main course- they're very filling.

Luckily, the cabbage dish was super yummy. Easy too, and healthy. It was pretty inexpensive- and even more so since I used what I had in my kitchen;-) It would be easy to add or substitute ingredients.

This is what I used:

1 head of green cabbage (I didn't use the whole thing, just the big leaves- two leaves per roll)
3 cups cooked rice (I like Jasmine rice)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced julienne
1 bell pepper, sliced finely (I used red)
1 onion, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 can coconut milk
4 tbs peanut butter (I used natural smooth, but chunky would work)
1 tbs soy sauce
Juice of one large orange
1 tbs dried ginger (you can sub fresh ginger... I would have but I didn't have any on hand)
2 tbs curry paste (you can sub curry powder instead, but I like the flavor of the peppers and lemongrass)

(I would have LOVED bean sprouts, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and snap peas, but I didn't have any at my house and grocery shopping was out of the question;-) Something spicy, like jalapeno, would have paired well, but kids were eating this too so I left it out.)

Cook the rice according to the directions and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the veggies. Add the rice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine coconut milk,  peanut butter, soy sauce, orange juice, curry powder, and ginger and whisk together well.

Add 1 cup of the peanut sauce to the rice mixture and stir well.

Peel apart the cabbage until you have about 16 large leaves. Rinse them well in water. Spoon the mixture into the leaves and roll up tightly, the roll in another leaf (each roll will have two leaves). Arrange them in a casserole dish, like you would enchiladas.

Close up after baking.  The leaves should start to brown, but not burn.

Pour the remaining peanut sauce over the rolls. Bake at 400 for about 25-35 minutes.

If you aren't into vegan, you could add cooked chicken to the stuffing. Shrimp or tofu would also be yummy.  The vegan version is the perfect "meatless Monday" dish.

Superbowl Party Menu!

I am not a football fan- at all really.  To be honest, I don't even know who is playing this year:/  I usually watch just for the food.  So, here is a fun Superbowl menu idea with recipes.

Busy Mama Recipes



1. Guacamole.  Duh.  Did you know that more avocados are sold the Saturday before the Superbowl than any other day?  That's pretty weird- but a testament to how good guac is during the game.  There are literally thousands of recipes out there, but this is mine, just in case you need ideas:

4-5 avocados
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed (or my favorite- pickled jalapenos, chopped)
1 shallot, sliced finely
zest and juice of one lime
1 bunch cilantro (leaves only, chopped)
1 tbs Chile powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and fresh black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store covered in the fridge.  

2. Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers.  Yum.  Click here for the recipe and variations.  


3. Jalapeno Popper Dip.  This is a great alternative to the cheese and bean dip.  I have seen several recipes on Pinterest and other sites, so there are a ton of option to choose from.  I have made something similar to this many times, I just didn't call it "jalapeno popper" dip.  Click here for my recipe.


4.  Seven Layer Dip.  Well, sort of.  This particular one happens to be 8 layers:-) With all of the cheese and Mexican flavors in the first two dishes, having yet another Mexican style dip seems a little over the top.  So.... GREEK DIP it is!  I have also seen this on Pinterest   This is my recipe, but again, you can Google this and come up with tons of other ideas.

24 ounces hummus (I like roasted garlic, but you can use any flavor you want)
24 ounces prepared Greek Yogurt Sauce (recipe below)
1 cucumber, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
About 1 cups chopped Kalamata olives
About 1 cups chopped Greek Pepperoncinis
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Chopped fresh dill (about 1/4 cup)

Layer the ingredient in order in a casserole dish.  Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Greek yogurt sauce:  Mix 24 ounces of Greek yogurt with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs lemon juice or red vinegar, salt, pepper, and 2 tsp dried oregano.  Normally I would also add dill and cucumber but it's not necessary since those are already in this dip.  

5. Chicken Salad.  Mmm... This is the one I love.  It's perfect because it is different from all of the other dishes.  Click here for my Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe.  


6. Fruit Salad.  Again, thousands and thousands of variations, but click here for my recipe for fruit salad with a yogurt dressing. 


7.  Are you making buffalo wings?  I don't have a recipe on hand for them (well, I haven't made them in a while so I don't want to post without testing it once).  But, I do have a pretty yummy recipe for Bleu Cheese Dip that would go pretty well with any buffalo wings you make:-)


8. And finally, the main dish.  This is a homemade calzone-type dish that can be made with multiple variations (included in the recipe).  I like this one because you can choose which kind you would like, plus you can serve it hot or cold and you can slice it for easy serving.  People love it! The recipe and variations are here in my blog.

Red Raspberry Vinaigrette

Busy Mama Recipes



Mmm... this is going into my salad dressing folder.  As you all know, I love salad dressing.  There is hardly a kind I don't like- except ranch, how boring.

I love this recipe because it can be made with fresh or frozen berries and you can have it any time of the year.  I have made it with raspberries, but blackberries with blueberries make a yummy dressing too!

I also like this recipe, because unlike some others that just call for raspberry vinegar, this is made with real berries.  So much better!

Photo Credit: Unknown

When I get berries from the garden, my Blackberries are much bigger than the raspberries from my grandpa's garden.  I would also rather use huckleberries than blueberries, but they are extremely seasonal in this area. 

Here it is:

1/8 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup berries*
2-5 tablespoons brown sugar or honey (depending on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you want the dressing)
1 tsp mustard seed OR 2 tsp Dijon
1 tbs orange zest
salt and pepper
1/2 cup oil (I prefer grapeseed for this recipe because it won't add flavor like olive oil will.  Canola or vegetable oil works too, though).

Wash the berries and dry well.  If you are using frozen berries, put them in a mesh colander and run cold water over them for a minute to get the excess juices and seeds off.  Blend all ingredients except the oil in a blender food processor.  Once it's well mixed, turn the blender on high and slowly add in the oil.  Once it's all mixed, store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two weeks. After the dressing has been refrigerated it will probably become thick, so you may have to shake it or stir it before adding it to salads.

This dressing goes great on a spinach salad with nuts or seeds, onion, blue cheese crumbles, apples or pears, and dried crandberries.  But, I like it on green salads of any kind:-)

* Mixing raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries make a great mixed berry dressing.  To make it local (where I live, anyway) adding Oregon huckleberries would be delicious.  Although I have never made it, I can imagine that having Oregon Marionberries would also be amazing.  Buy local at you farmer's markets.  In Portland, use the local blackberries and on the coast, use the Oregon strawberries.  In other parts of the country, add fruit that is local.  Peaches would be pretty yummy too;-)  Especially if you used champagne vinegar instead of white vinegar.

Instead of Mayo...

I hate mayonnaise on sandwiches, usually.  I can handle it is it's just a small amount or if it's used in tuna salad or something like that.  But really, I would rather have something yummier (and healthier if possible).

We have sandwiches all the time at my house (my grandpa grinds his own wheat so sometimes I even make my own bread;-)... not all the time though).  My favorite is avocado or salsa in place of mayo, but we have hummus, pesto, and other spreads that we like too.  Below are some recipes to spruce up mayo or a like spread.  You can keep them in your fridges for about a week, covered, and use them the whole week.  some of them make good spreads for wraps and paninis too.

I like to use homemade mayonnaise in these recipes because I get free eggs from my grandpa's chickens and it's fairly easy to make.  However, store bought is easy for a lot of people because it's what they have on hand in their fridge.  Plus, since the store bought kind uses pasteurized eggs, mayo takes forever to go bad, whereas the homemade kind goes bad quicker, even if you coddle the eggs. 

1. Red Onion Mayo

We used this at Allyson's Kitchen when we made ham sandwiches.  It's so easy- roast half a red onion in the oven, chop it up super fine, mix with 1/4 cup mayo, and add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  mix it up and use it as a spread. 

2. Horseradish Mayo

We also used something similar to this at Allyson's Kitchen.  Obviously, this spread is a fav on roast beef.  It can also be used as a sauce for meat and veggie platter that include roast beef or pastrami.  So easy:  Mix 1/2 cup mayo with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish.  Add 4 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley, and the zest and juice of one lemon.  Top it off with paprika, salt, and pepper, and it makes one delicious spread!  

3. Pesto Mayo

Easy.  Mix one part pesto to one part mayo (I also like to use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead because it's healthier).  I like to use basil pesto, parsley pesto, or sundried tomato pesto- which goes great on a sandwich with fresh mozzarella, red onion, and balsamic vinegar.

4. Blue Cheese (one of my favorites).

Use this blue cheese dressing recipe but instead of using 1/4 cup each buttermilk and mayo, use more mayo and less buttermilk so it's thicker.  It's up to you how much you vary the recipe.

5. Honey Mustard

It's a more fun alternative over yellow mustard and mayonnaise.  Plus, this recipe is vegan and FAT FREE!  You can't beat that! Use this Spicy Honey Dijon recipe.  This also makes a great dipping sauce for meat and cheese platters- especially with ham or roast beef.  

6. Caesar (or garlic aioli)

Caeser dressing is basic.  I love homemade, but for an easier version, mix 1/4 cup mayo, 3 anchovies (pureed), lemon juice from half a lemon, 1 tsp Dijon, and 4-5 cloves or minced garlic together.  Add salt and pepper at the end.  Easy! 

Cilantro Vinaigrette- Mexican or Asian- two recipes plus variations!

I'm posting this because it is my step mom's favorite:-)  I made it a couple of years ago and brought it to their house for a BBQ or something, and ever since then she asks for me to bring it with me to dinners.  It's great on salad and pasta salad, which is what we usually serve it with.

It's very easy, light, healthy, and has a delicious flavor.  It could also be used as a marinade for meat and fish.

For the Mexican version:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
3-5 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbs sugar or honey
zest and juice of two limes
1/8- 1/4 cup vinegar (I like to use white vinegar but red wine would also work)
1/2 tsp dried cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup oil (either light olive oil, grapeseed oil, or blend oil work best)

Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor or blender until it makes a thick paste.  With the food processor on high, slowly add in oil.

For the creamy version:

To make the dressing creamy, add in one egg yolk before the oil (but make sure to keep  it cold if you do so).  Use white vinegar.

For an Herb Vinaigrette:

Same recipe as above, except use basil, parsley, and cilantro (1 bunch total).  Sub lemon for lime. Leave out the cumin and chili powder and add in some dried oregano or thyme.  Use apple cider vinegar or a mix of acv and white vinegar.

For the Asian version:


1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves only, chopped
3 green onions or 1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbs brown sugar
zest and juice of two limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs powdered ginger or (I prefer) 4 tbs grated fresh ginger
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2- 3/4 cup oil total (either peanut oil or blend oil work best).  I also like to use a little sesame oil if I can for flavor.
Optional: Sesame seeds

Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor or blender until it makes a thick paste.  With the food processor on high, slowly add in oil.

This goes great with a Chinese salad or on a Japanese style noodle salad.  I have also used in in stir fry instead of soy sauce.

Homemade (Smokey Bacon) Bleu Cheese Dressing -Shop Local!

Bleu Cheese dressing is, without a doubt, my all time favorite salad dressing.  I love it.  I wish it were lower in calories, but I still get it when we go out to eat.  Because it's so fattening, I hardly ever make it at home unless we are having guests or taking it to a potluck or family dinner.

With that said, I absolutely despise when blue cheese dressing is like runny ranch with chunks of mild bleu cheese- it might as well be feta or something.  It drives me insane.  It also bothers me when people spell it "blue"... even though it's sort of correct- it's only in America:-)  Sometimes I need to be more fancy than that...

The key to good bleu cheese dressing is good cheese- duh.  My favorites have been Oregonzola, which is made by Rogue Valley Creamery in Southern Oregon.

I also love a kind called Smokey Blue, made by the same company (adding bacon to a smokey dressing recipe will be amazing on burgers or fries- it would be the hit of a BBQ potluck in the Summer).  

When I worked at Allyson's Kitchen, most of our cheeses (or bleu cheese, anyway) came from the Rogue Creamery.  Since Allyson's started in Ashland, Oregon, the business was supporting another local business.  Although Allyon's Kitchen is now closed, you can still purchase from Rogue Creamery by visiting their website- or going to a store that sells their product.  I would highly recommend it- the cheese is GREAT quality and world renowned- even winning at the World Cheese Awards in England last year. 

Of course, you can get all kind of cheese at your grocery store and other cheese stores.  I also don't like the kind at the store that comes crumbled.  It's worth it to buy a chunk or wedge and chop it yourself.  

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bleu cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonaisse (I like to make my own, but store bought will last longer and is easier for most people, as they already have it in the fridge)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
zest and juice of one lemon
salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 7 days.  For the Smokey Bacon Bleu Cheese dressing, just use Smokey Blue (or a different smoked bleu cheese; or just add smoked paprika to the original recipe) and add some cooked bacon crumbles.

Note:  You can adjust the amounts of mayo and buttermilk to make the dressing as thick as you would like it.  Making the cheese crumbles smaller or bigger will effect the thickness (small crumbles for a thicker, less chunky dressing).

Do not use an electric mixer in this recipe.  It will be fine at first but the dressing will thicken because of the mayo (eggs) and other ingredients.