Almond Toffee Butter

Remember the Almond Toffee Butter my friend D found at the Benton Farmer's Market? Well I have to confess it was my breakfast food for maybe a week or more straight. It was so good! Did you catch that last part? WAS!!! Good. Yep, it's gone! No more! So I set out to try to re-create it. The most difficult part is having patience and faith that those little almonds will turn into butter. First it looks like sand spinning around. Then it starts to climb the side of the processor bowl. Then it starts to clump into a dough. Then it starts to spin like a top, real slow around the bowl. Will it ever become butter (Head in hand, shaking my head)? Then after all that, it smooths out and looks just right. How long does it take to make almond butter, you ask? Well for me about the length of a 30 minute cooking show. Pioneer Woman to be exact. I put my poor tiny food processor through its paces. Honestly I did not think it would be able to make another batch. It was a little over heated by the time the almonds were butter. But that little guy has made two more batches since then and I swear in less time each time, Weird? I made one without salt, also delicious. The third batch I got the salt to sugar ratio just right. Really every batch I made was so yummy, but I was after replicating the Almond Toffee Butter purchased at the market. This last batch was perfect! Just the right amount of sea salt, brown sugar and toffee bits. I love the texture of homemade almond butter. The toffee adds a nice little crunch too. I don't think I will ever buy almond butter again. It is too much fun to make I home. I can't wait to experiment with some other flavors. 

Almond Toffee Butter
Makes about 1-1/2 cups, 12 (2 Tbsp.) servings

Ingredients

2 c. whole unsalted almonds
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. walnut oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. toffee bits

Directions

Place almonds in the bowl of a food processor, process until it looks like coarse sand. Stop processor and push down the almonds climbing up the sides, continue to process. Add sea salt, walnut oil and brown sugar; continue to process as above until the constancy of chunky peanut butter. Add toffee bits and process until combined. Allow to cool before serving. The flavor is not as evident when warm. Store in the refrigerator, keeps well.

Nutrition information per serving*: Calories 169.4, Total Fat 14.8 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 4.3 g, Monounsaturated Fat 7.9 g, Cholesterol 0.7 mg, Sodium 61.7 mg, Potassium 167.0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 6.6 g, Dietary Fiber 2.9 g, Sugars 2.4 g, Protein 5.0 g.  
WW P+ 5

*Information from the Sparkrecipes calculator. NI may vary depending on the brand or size of the ingredients used to prepare it.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Creative K Kids: Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party
Creative K Kids: Tasty Tuesdays
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Recipe Review: Moroccan Roasted Veggies

This recipe is why I was so excited to find Spice & All. They had halloumi! I copied this recipe from the Weight Watchers recipe review board years ago. I made it once but had to substitute queso fresco for the halloumi. It was delicious with the substitution but I always wondered how would it be with the halloumi. Well question answered, it is still delicious! This recipe is full of delicious roasted vegetables, warm spices and bright lime flavor. Resist the urge to add salt. The lime, olives and halloumi seasons the vegetables just right. Don't worry if halloumi is not available in your area. Any non-melting, crumbly, salty cheese will work. Try queso fresco or feta. Leftovers re-heat well in the microwave. They are not bad as a cold salad either. I have also pureed some of the veggies in my homemade hummus; substituting lime juice for lemon. This is a great use of summer vegetables and Spice & All market.

Moroccan Roasted Veggies with Halloumi Cheese
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper  
2 tsp ground cumin  
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste  
2 medium fresh limes  
2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 bell peppers, chopped large  
2 small zucchini, chopped  
1 small eggplant, chopped  
1 cup uncooked red onion, cut into wedges  
2 cloves garlic, sliced  
7 oz Halloumi cheese, chopped  
2 oz kalamata olives, quartered 

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 400. Mix together the cayenne, cumin, tomato paste, juice of 1 lime and oil. Place the peppers, zucchini, eggplant, onion and garlic in a large roasting pan and drizzle with the tomato mix. Put the squeezed lime halves into the tin. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the veg is golden and tender. Add the halloumi and olives and cook for a further 10 minutes until the halloumi is golden. Squeeze over the juice from the other lime just before serving. 

Notes: I found the recipe on a Weight Watchers recipe review board. When I research it's origin, I found the possible original source of Tesco Real Food.

Linking to:
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Vegetarian & Vegan

Verde Turkey Burgers Guest Post

Today is an exciting day! I have my first Guest Post over at The Crafty Side of Sarcasm!  What an honor! When Leslie asked, I wasn't sure how to go about it but I knew it was a blog experience I wanted to try.

I wrote about a wonderful Verde Turkey Burger. This burger has all the Verde or green toppings you could be looking for; roasted chilies and guacamole. As a bonus it is low in sodium, no salt was added so it is good for you too. Don't wrinkle your nose! You can add salt if you want, but I promise the addition of lime and its bright, citrus flavor works wonders as a salt substitute.

Click HERE to see the entire post! 

Green not your color? 

Try one of these other Turkey Burgers.

Turkey Burgers

Buffalo Turkey Burgers

Cilantro Lime Turkey Burgers

Bruschetta Turkey Burgers

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Creative K Kids: Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

Recipe Review: Peach Buttermilk Sherbet

This photo makes me sad. First it is a bad photo color wise. I took it at night in the kitchen with all the lights, but it is just bad. My color corrections skills are not the best. So this is a bad photo of really delicious Peach Buttermilk Sherbet. The peaches and the recipe comes from Ed Lester Farms. They have some great recipes on their website. I made this sherbet twice and it was so easy and so good. It is both sweet and tangy. I will definitely make it again. I would love to try some other fruit in the recipe too. I love that you just blend and put it into the freezer. Very simple! If you are lucky enough to have some peaches lying around. You must try it.

The second reason this photo makes me sad is that Ed Lester Farms is now closed for the year. No more trips out there for fresh produce. I will have to wait until next year. It was fun and delicious while it lasted.

Peach Buttermilk Sherbet
Source: Ed Lester Farms 
Makes approx. 5 cups

Ingredients

2 cups Ed Lester Farms Peaches
1 cup sugar
1 egg*
1-1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. lemon zest
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups buttermilk

Directions

Using a blender, puree peaches with all ingredients except the buttermilk. Then stir in the buttermilk and freeze until firm. Delicious!

Note: * This recipe uses a raw egg. If you have any health issues you may want to use a pasteurized egg instead or consult with your physician.

Linking to:
Love Bake Good Cakes: The Ultimate List of Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Milkshakes

Better Butter Beans

Sunday we (the family) all ganged up and prepared a half bushel of Butter Beans with Shrimp. There is no doubt in my mind that fresh or frozen butter beans are the way to go. It was so much easier and faster than dry beans. I will not go down that dry road again. These butter beans were fresh from Ed Lester Farms. They sell them hulled and in bags. We bought a half bushel and it made a huge pot of butter beans. They were the small green ones, Mom's favorite. This pot really looked like Maw Maw's (Dad's Mom) Shrimp and Butter Beans. I think I may need to go back and get some to put in the freezer for this winter. This pot we made salt free. I have been experimenting and I have found that Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy is a great salt free alternative for Cajun recipes. Of course the salt eaters added salt at the table. But I tried it without, it was delicious! The shrimp adds some salt to the beans, they were actually salty tasting next to the butter beans and rice. This pot of butter beans were better in so many ways. Better for you. Fresh beans are better than dry beans. And finally they looked better, just like Maw Maw's.

Butter Beans and Shrimp

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

1 cup Flour

1 cup vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 bushel fresh or frozen butter beans

2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy and seasoned pepper, to taste 
    or salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Cajun seasoning, to taste

1 bunch green onions, sliced 
1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
Cooked white rice 

Directions

Heat flour and oil on medium heat, stirring constantly until the color of a brown paper bag.

           

Add bell pepper, celery, and onion cook until softened. About 30 minutes covered stirring often. Add beans and enough warm water to cover. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook stirring often scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Cook until beans are tender and creamy inside but still whole. Season with your seasonings or choice from above. Add shrimp and cook until pink. If necessary add more warm water until desired consistency. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Add green onions and parsley just before serving. Serve over rice.

Linking to:
Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist

Sunday Dinner and a Peach Pie

We had a great family dinner this past Sunday. The meal was prepared from veggies and fruit from Ed Lester Farms. We all ganged up and prepared a half bushel of Butter Beans with Shrimp. Then for dessert we enjoyed a peach pie Mom made. This pie is a family recipe. She uses it for all her fresh fruit pies. Most often she would use strawberries. But I remember her using blueberries and even hand picked blackberries. She says her favorite is actually cherries in a chocolate graham cracker crust. I am rather fond of the peach version. I like fresh fruit pies more than baked fruit pies. They are so refreshing on a hot summer day. What makes this pie a little different is the layer of cream cheese in the bottom of the crust. It creates a nice barrier between the fruit and the crust preventing the crust from getting too soggy. This pie is so delicious! It is not a looker, it can be a bit of a mess to cut sometimes. But it is oh so tasty. I sure hope we can find the time and the occasion to make a cherry pie while the cherries are still in season.

Peach Pie
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 ready made graham cracker crust
3 oz cream cheese, softened
5 cups sliced peaches, (approx. 7 medium)
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 to 1 cup water *
1/2 pint whipping cream 
2 tsp powder sugar (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl mix softened cream cheese with just enough whipping cream to make it spreadable. Spread in the bottom of pie crust and set aside. Peel and slice the peaches. Reserve 1 cup and set aside. Arrange peach slices on top of cream cheese in pie crust. Mash reserved peaches. Add peaches sugar, cornstarch and water to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. When cool pour over sliced peaches in pie shell. Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Whip whipping cream and powder sugar (if using), spread on top of the chilled pie.

Notes: This recipe can be made with any fresh fruit. Try strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, or cherry. You can use a baked pie crust too. 

* About the amount of water in the recipe, I used 1/2 cup when I made it in the past. Mom used 1 cup this weekend. It sort of depends on the fruit. She said she always uses a cup when making berry pies. I say use less and the pie will hold together better.

See the cream cheese layer? YUM!

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Saturday Shopping

This Saturday my friend D and I went out to Ed Lester Farms. She had never been and there is only one more week to enjoy the experience. I walked away with more tomatoes, both ripe and green. A few more peaches which I promptly turned into Peach Buttermilk Sherbet (but that is for a future post). I also bought some yellow squash. D got peaches, blueberries and a watermelon. I am going to miss my trips out there.

Photo from Spice & All Facebook page

Our second stop was Spice & All a relatively new Mediterranean grocery store in Shreveport, LA. I had a blast looking around. I replenished some of my Hummus supplies. I got some great tahini and dried chickpeas. I bought some almonds I plan to turn into almond butter one day. They had fenegreek seeds too. I can't tell you how hard that is to find around here. Now I can make more Curry Powder. I also found rose water for a Greek iced tea recipe I love. I found Maggi Seasoning too! I need this for a Slow-Cooker Braised Brisket (Machaca) recipe I want to try. But the best find of them all was paneer and halloumi. I have never seen these items in the average grocery store. I can't wait to cook with them. This store has so many hard to find items and so much more. The owner told us he will be starting cooking classes soon. I look forward to many more visits in the future.

D and I said goodbye at Spice & All and for some reason my car just drove me straight to Bao Bao the Asian grocery store. Here I found Furikake which is an amazing rice seasoning. I got two flavors. Nori Komi Furikake is just sesame seed, nori, sugar and salt. The second one, Seto Fumi Furikake has bonito flakes, sesame seed, nori, sugar and salt. I open it and it is delicious. I can't wait to use it on a California Roll Salad. I bought some kombu and bonito flakes so I can try making dashi and miso soup. I got more annato seeds so I can make more Sazon. Finally I bought a shredding vegetable peeler. I foresee some fancy shredded veggies in future recipes. Saturday shopping was a lot of fun.