These grilled cumin prawns with avocado salsa make a quick and healthy dinner any night. Any left-over prawns are also delicious served over a simple garden salad and lemon vinaigrette for lunch the next day. Use wooden skewers for ease of grilling the delicate prawns. Alternate cherry tomatoes and prawns on the skewer In this recipe the prawns are marinated in fresh flavors such as thyme, shallots and smokey cumin. But what really makes this dish pop is the fresh avocado salsa accompaniment. It adds creaminess, texture and acidity. The avocado salsa is best made just 10 – 15 minutes before serving. When I first made this dish, my family said “this avocado salsa is sooooo good!” In fact, it makes a great twist on classic guacamole for taco night. So you really get two recipes in one with this post. Prawns hot off the grill In addition to prawns, fresh cherry tomatoes are threaded on the skewers. Grilled cherry tomatoes are a favorite of mine. And the best part is you only need about 4 minutes per side to cook up both the prawns and the tomatoes. That means dinner is ready quick! Typically with avocado, I use lime juice. However, this recipe calls for lemon. I was pleasantly surprised how good the lemon flavor is with the prawns and avocado. It’s nice to change things up now and then. Simple, fresh and tasty grilled cumin prawns I love finding easy new recipes for fresh seafood. I’m sure we’ll enjoy these grilled cumin prawns with avocado salsa for family BBQs and outdoor dining when the weather is nice. If you like prawns and avocados, I think you’ll love this recipe. Give it a try and let me know how you liked it. Happy cooking! Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Grilled cumin prawns with avocado salsa Need a quick and healthy dinner? You’ll love these marinated and grilled cumin prawns. Fresh avocado salsa makes this dish pop by adding creaminess, texture and acidity. Visit pineneedlesinmysalad.com for tips about this recipe and more. Serves 4 Marinade for prawns 20 – 24 prawns, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp dried thyme 2 tbsp minced shallots (or red onion) 1 tbsp cumin 1 pinch sea salt 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper 8 wooden skewers 1 package cherry tomatoes (about 20) juice of 1/2 a lemon drizzle over cooked prawns 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn sprinkle over cooked prawns Avocado salsa 1 large ripe Hass avocado 2 tbsp chopped red onion 1 Roma tomato, chopped 1-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped juice of 1/2 a lemon 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp white vinegar 1 pinch sea salt 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper Instructions In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Toss to coat the prawns. Marinate the prawns in the fridge for 2 – 3 hours. Plan ahead and soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Alternate skewering the prawns and cherry tomatoes onto the skewers. Prepare the avocado salsa before grilling the prawns. Toss all the ingredients for the avocado salsa in a bowl and let it chill in the fridge about 10 – 15 minutes before serving. Grill the prawns for about 4 minutes per side or until they turn pink. Remove from the grill and drizzle the juice from 1/2 a lemon and the 2 tbsps of fresh torn basil over them. Serve with the avocado salsa immediately. #avocado #prawns

This slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe is an easy way to get the flavor of a beef stir fry at home. Using a slow cooker to cook a boneless chuck roast makes the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender. I love the ease of a slow cooker because you can walk away from it. Slow cooking makes the chuck roast tender This post contains affiliate links. In order to keep the broccoli fresh and crisp tender, I opt to steam the broccoli at the end of the cooking time on the stove top instead of adding it to the slow cooker. There is nothing worse than mushy broccoli! It only takes a few minutes to steam it. Use a 6-quart Crock Pot for this dish. I would have never thought you can achieve a delicious Asian-inspired stir-fry dish with the use of a slow cooker. But this recipe makes it possible. Browning the meat develops flavor Many slow cooker recipes start out with browning meat or veggies before putting them into the crock pot. Don’t skip this step. This is how a great deal of flavor and color is developed and it only takes a few minutes. I used a large non-stick frying pan to sear the meat. The sauce in this recipe pairs beautifully with the beef and broccoli featuring the flavors of garlic, ginger, mustard and a hint of sweetness with brown sugar and orange. Keep things simple and serve it with your favorite steamed rice. We prefer a long grain brown rice. But you can also try cauliflower rice if you’re watching your carbs. I chose to add a little corn starch to the sauce to thicken it. This recipe can be gluten-free if you use Tamari Gluten Free Soy Sauce instead of regular soy sauce. Beef and broccoli stir fry with the ease of a slow cooker This slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe is adapted from an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook called Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution . This is a great cookbook with over 200 slow cooker recipes. I changed a few of the ingredients and cooking methods in this recipe to suit my needs and tastes. I like to simplify recipes to use more common fridge or pantry staples where-ever possible so you are more likely to have what you need already on hand. Leave me a comment below about your thoughts and experiences with this recipe. Happy cooking! Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Slow cooker beef and broccoli Serves 4 Prep time 10 minutes Cook time 7-8 hrs on low Ingredients 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 scallions, minced 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp toasted sesame oil 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp dry mustard 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp soy sauce (or Tamari) 2 tbsp packed brown sugar 1 tbsp corn starch 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trim fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 1 1/2 lbs broccoli florets, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/4 cup orange juice Directions In a skillet on medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add scallions, ginger, garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, pepper flakes and dry mustard. Heat until it is fragrant and sizzles. Transfer this to the crock pot. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar to the skillet on medium-high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon picking up any left over spices. Transfer this liquid to the crock pot. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the skillet on medium-high heat. Sear the beef roast pieces on all sides until they begin to brown. Stir the seared beef to the crock pot. Cover and cook for 7 – 8 hours on low. Remove 1/4 cup of liquid from the hot crock pot. Stir in 1 tbsp corn starch mixing to remove lumps. Add a little water if necessary. Stir the corn starch mixture into the crock pot. Steam or microwave the broccoli florets and 1/4 cup of water in a pot or covered bowl for about 6 minutes or until a fork lightly pierces the broccoli. Drain the broccoli and then transfer it to the crock pot. Stir into the beef mixture the orange juice and remaining 1 tsp sesame oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired with another tblsp soy sauce (or Tamari). Allow it to sit a few minutes so that everything is heated through. Sprinkle the beef and broccoli with additional chopped scallions for garnish and serve. Serve with brown rice or cauliflower rice. #beef #broccoli #slowcooker

A colorful unicorn themed birthday cake Do you have a tween that loves all things sparkly, unicorn-themed and magical? Then I guarantee she’ll love this colorful unicorn birthday cake! With this step-by-step process, you too can create a magical unicorn-themed birthday. Cheers to rainbows, sparkles and unicorns! This post contains affiliate links. Have you been searching Pinterest for ideas about how to make a unicorn birthday cake? I spent hours looking for ideas before I launched into this unicorn birthday cake project. I was so afraid that this would become a massive Pinterest-fail and that I would disappoint my birthday girl. I’m happy to say that this unicorn cake was a sweet success. In fact, my sweet girl helped me make the cake for her party. Not only did we finish a beautiful cake, we also had great fun bonding over it. We paired this beautiful unicorn birthday cake with other unicorn-themed party favors, napkins and plates. It was the perfect amount of sparkle without being too garish. No haters please A few things to note: I am not a professional baker. I do enjoy baking, but for this project I set some reasonable expectations for myself knowing that this cake may not be perfect. I absolutely did my best. I debated long and hard about whether or not to even share this post with you because I know it isn’t professional bakery perfect. That being said….my daughter was thrilled with this cake. She also helped decorate it and selected all the colors. I encourage you to the same. And you too may enjoy creating a magical unicorn birthday cake for your loved one. The best part about baking this cake was spending time with my daughter. We both agreed that any minor imperfections would simply be considered sparkles of “ unicorn love “. Unicorn birthday cake view from above How to make a unicorn birthday cake First, make sure you allow enough time to not only make each component of the cake, but to assemble and decorate. This unicorn birthday cake was made in different stages over approximately two days. Make sure to clear out lots of room in your fridge to accommodate the cake. Remove any smelly food items in or around the cake such as left overs, onions and garlic. You want your cake to be magical, not smelly right?! Select your flavor of cake. I chose a white vanilla cake with rainbow confetti sprinkles because this is what my daughter wanted. Because the cake is decorated with butter cream frosting, it can be any kind of cake that you prefer. If you like chocolate, you’ll love my delicious devil’s food cake recipe. I decided not to over complicate the design by attempting to make rainbows and different colors on the inside of the cake. There is plenty of color and attention to detail on the outside. You can absolutely use a “boxed” cake mix if desired. The main thing to consider is having the right size and shape of cake pans. You will need two Baker’s Secret Basics nonstick 8-Inch round cake pans . This cake has two layers to achieve both height and dramatic effect. A Wilton cake leveler is handy for leveling out the top of each baked cake prior to layering. Vanilla buttercream frosting was used in-between and all over the cake. You can also buy white vanilla buttercream frosting if you don’t want to make it from scratch. For this post, I will focus mostly on how we chose to decorate the unicorn-themed birthday cake. My main tips on baking the cake are to use nonstick parchment paper on the bottom of the cake pan and spray the pans with baking spray (like Pam). Also, watch and time baking the cake carefully in the oven. Don’t step away…don’t get on Facebook or Instagram and forget all about it. No one likes a dry cake. Unicorn Birthday Cake Components Vanilla cake mix Vanilla buttercream frosting (three tubs) Confectioner’s sugar Gel food coloring (black for the eyes, pink, turquoise, purple any colors you like for the mane) Box of fondant for the ears and horn One sugar ice cream cone for the horn Cake decorating sprinkles (multi-color, pink sparkly) The Unicorn Horn and Ears I thought creating the unicorn’s horn for this birthday cake was going to be the most difficult part of this process. It actually wasn’t. I used a sugar ice cream cone for the horn shape. Wrap the base, top-portion and tip with Wilton decorator white fondant . It’s just like play-doe and will cut and roll out in any shape you like. Pink and multi-colored cake sprinkles were used as decoration. The sprinkles were applied after brushing this area of the sugar cone with a confectioner sugar slurry (simply confectioner’s sugar with a little water mixed in). It essentially works like glue or as royal-icing would. My daughter decided on how she wanted the horn to look like. This is her design. The unicorn ears I free-hand cut out from white fondant. To make the inside of the ears a blush pink color, mix a little bit of water with pink Wilton gel-based food coloring . Use a small paint brush to lightly color the fondant. The fondant can be molded into the tear-drop shape you like for the ears and placed on the cake. I used a couple toothpicks inserted and hidden at the base to help prop the ears more upright. The Unicorn Eyes The eyes and lashes were the most difficult part to get right. I suggest practicing on parchment paper before going for the actual cake. Or make your eyes on the paper, pop them into the freezer to chill and set , then transfer them onto your cake. The eyes are made of a small amount of vanilla frosting with black food coloring mixed into it. I used the smallest piping tip I had to free-hand pipe-out the eyes and lashes. They are essentially upside down “U” shapes with feathery lashes on the side. It takes a bit of practice and allot of patience. All lit up for the birthday girl The Mane To make the swirly colorful mane of the unicorn, divide the vanilla frosting up into three bowls. You’ll need at least one and a half cups of frosting for your more predominant color. And anywhere from half a cup to one cup for the other two. Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl. We chose turquoise, pink and purple. You can select any colors you like. Mix a small amount of coloring in at a time until you get the desired shade you want. Transfer each color into a separate piping bag fitted with a different size star tip in each bag. Each tip will provide you with different swirl patterns. Practice on parchment paper a few times to get the hang of it. Start at the front of the cake and move around towards the back along the right side of the cake. Cake Decorating Essentials The following items help make decorating the cake allot easier. These supplies are good investments for future cake decorating projects. You will need several piping bags. You can also use zip-lock bags. Cut one corner and insert your desired decorator tip. A slice of unicorn birthday cake If you have made it to this point in reading this post, I hope that you have found inspiration for creating your very own unicorn birthday cake. As I mentioned before, it takes a little bit of time and some patience, but the end result is totally worth it. I hope you have a magical unicorn-themed birthday party! Gluten free options: Pillsbury Funfetti Gluten Free Cake Mix Joy Gluten-Free Sugar Ice Cream Cones If you make a unicorn-themed cake, come back and comment below about how it went. What worked for you? Did you make any changes? If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Unicorn Birthday Cake This recipe provides instructions about how to make and decorate a unicorn-themed birthday cake. The focus is on the decoration and uses a box cake mix and store bought frosting rather than bake from scratch. Shopping and supply list 1 vanilla cake mix ((ie, Betty Crocker vanilla cake)) 3 tubs vanilla buttercream frosting ((ie. Betty Crocker vanilla frosting)) 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar gel food coloring (black, plus 3 other colors of your choice) 1 box of fondant 1 sugar ice cream cone cake decorating sprinkles ((ie, multi-color, pink)) 2 8 inch non-stick round cake pans parchment paper non-stick baking spray ((ie, PAM)) Any ingredients on the back of the birthday cake mix box ((ie, water, eggs, oil)) 1 cake leveler or large serrated knife 1 cake decorating spatula 4 cake decorating piping bags or zip-lock bags (1 large, 2 medium, 1 small) 4 cake decorating tips (1 round tip (size #2 or #3) 3 other various sized star or flower tips, your choice) 1 small clean paint brush 1 cake decorator turn table or cake stand ((optional)) Bake two cakes Use 8 inch round non-stick cake pans. Place a cake pan on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Trace around the outside of the pan with a pencil. Do this 2 times. Cut out the circles. Place the parchment paper circles inside of the cake pans. Spray each pan liberally with baking spray. Pre-heat the oven. Follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box to prepare the cake batter. You will have better results if the eggs, water, oil are at room temperature. Evenly divide the cake batter in-between the cake pans. You can do this either by weight using a kitchen scale or fill each pan about 3/4 way full. Bake the cake for length of time and temperature specified on the cake mix box (typically 25 – 30 minutes). Use a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake. It should come out clean when done. Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing them from the pans. Level the tops of each cake using a Wilton cake leveler or a large serrated knife. Build and frost the cake Use a cake stand or cake decorating turn-table to build the cake layers. Start with a thin all-over crumb-layer of frosting. Gently spread the frosting using the cake decorating spatula. Add frosting on top of the base layer (or use another filling such as pudding, compote etc.) Place the second cake on top and continue with the all-over crumb layer of frosting. Chill the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before frosting again all over. You will use about one tub of frosting. Use the remaining tubs frosting for the mane and eyes decoration. Chill the cake while you prepare the decorations. Unicorn horn Use a sugar ice cream cone for the unicorn horn. Use parchment paper and your fingers to roll out the fondant. Similar to play-doe fondant will roll out and cut into any shape. You can wrap the base of the horn with a small worm-like length of fondant. Create another long (about twice the size of the cone) worm-like piece of fondant (medium-sized width). Start at the top of the ice cream cone. Work your way down wrapping the cone with the fondant strip. This creates the swirly horn effect. Use your fingers or fondant shaping tool to gently press and flatten the fondant how you like into the cone. If you’d like to decorate the horn with sprinkles add a little water (1 tbsp) to 1/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Create a slurry or royal icing. Use a small paint brush to brush on the icing in desired areas. Hold the horn with one hand while adding the cake decorating sprinkles and turn the horn. Work quickly. This should help adhere the sprinkles. Be creative. On my unicorn horn we used multi-colored cake sprinkles near the base and pink cake sprinkles in the middle. The top of the horn was left white fondant. Unicorn ears Use a rolling pin and parchment paper. Roll out a thin layer of fondant (about 1/4 inch). Free-hand cut out two large tear-drop shapes for ears. You can paint the inside of the ears by mixing a tiny amount of pink gel food coloring in 2 tbsp of water. Use a clean small paint brush to paint it. Leave about 1/2 an inch all the way around the outside of the ear white. The ears are quite delicate. We used a couple small tooth picks inserted at the base to help prop them up on the cake. Unicorn mane Frosting should be at room temperature. Place the horn in the center of the cake. Add the ears, one on each side. Reserve and set aside about 3 tbsp frosting for the eyes. Divide the remaining frosting into three bowls. Use about 1 1/2 cups frosting for the predominate color. In our unicorn cake this color was pink. Divide the remaining frosting in two. Add a small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl. Add a little color at a time and mix well until you reach the desired colors you want. In our unicorn cake we chose purple and turquoise. Transfer each color into a separate piping bag fitted with a different decorating tip. Use a large star tip for the most predominant color and two smaller star tips for the other two colors. You can also use zip-lock bags if you do not have multiple decorator piping bags. Start with the most predominant color. Apply one large swirl in the center. In this case pink. Alternate frosting colors and swirl techniques around the first one. Continue your way along the side and back of the cake until you are happy with it. Use a mix of large swirls and small ones. There is no right or wrong way. Practice the frosting techniques on parchment paper first if necessary. Unicorn eyes Add black gel food coloring to the reserved 3 tbsp of frosting. Practice eyes on parchment paper before applying to the cake. Or make the eyes on paper, pop them into the freezer to chill and set. Then transfer them onto the cake with a knife. Use a small round tip (#2 or #3 size). Create upside down “U” shape and add two one inch lines on either side for lashes. Store the cake in the fridge. Remove the cake and bring to room temperature at least a couple hours before serving. Additional tips: Clear out plenty of room in the fridge for the cake. Remove any smelly foods (left overs, onions, garlic etc.) Chill the cake for several minutes at a time in-between stages, frosting and decorating. Frosting will need to be at room temperature for effective piping. Insert the decorator tip into the piping bag. Then place the bag inside a large water glass prior to filling it with frosting. This helps to prop it up. It is also a good way to store the frosting. Go to https://www.wilton.com/learn-piping-techniques/ for free instructions on how to pipe frosting. Did you make a unicorn-themed birthday cake? I’d love to hear about your experience. Share a photo of your cake in Instagram #northwestspoon Source: northwestspoon.com #birthday #cake #unicorn

Lime and coconut are natural tropical flavor pairs. These tender coconut cupcakes are filled with a citrus lime curd and topped with a lime cream cheese frosting. Heavenly! This recipe is inspired by the book The Kookaburra Creek Cafe , by Sandie Docker. This post contains affiliate links. In the book the author shares this lime and coconut cupcake recipe along with several other cupcake recipes. Baking cupcakes is a passion of one of the book’s main characters. She becomes lost in her baking. It’s a way to escape and create. As far I’m concerned, you can never have too many cupcake recipes and I also love to get lost in baking. The tangy lime curd is one of my favorite things about this cupcake. It’s to die for just by itself eaten by the spoonful. I’ve made lemon curd before, so I jumped at the chance to make a similar lime curd. I have to admit, one of my favorite things about cupcakes in general is frosting. This cream cheese frosting has just a hint of lime. It’s a great flavor combination with the coconut cake. There were only a few things I did differently than what was called for in the recipe in the book. First, I made the lime curd from scratch since no actual recipe for this was actually shared in the book. This was a fun experiment and it turned out fantastic. Store bought lime curd is simply not easily found here. I can’t wait to make just the lime curd again. Second, I decided to use a cup for cup gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular all-purpose flour. I’ve had success in the past using King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for baking. The recipe calls for shredded coconut to be folded into the cake batter. This adds a nice coconut flavor. It also makes the cake quite dense. Next time, I make these I will use less shredded coconut and perhaps use a cake flour. This should help make the cake crumb lighter and more airy. Cake flour includes corn starch which helps make cakes light and airy. I account for my adjustments to the recipe in the recipe card. Overall, everyone in the family was happy with these lime and coconut cupcakes. They are a special tropical flavored treat that I’m sure I’ll make again. Come for the recipe, stay for the book discussion The Kookaburra Creek Café, by Sandie Docker is a heartfelt story about three women (Hattie, Alice and Becca) with difficult and painful pasts seeking refuge and a new life in a small Australian town. The story unfolds and moves back and forth between each woman during different periods of time. As each character’s story is told, we learn how they each came to be at the Kookaburra Creek Café, as well as how each woman has faced tragedy and loss in different ways. Somehow each woman finds hope and strength to build a new life in this small Australian town. They soon gain friends who become family. The events are centered around the Kookaburra Creek Café, which we learn becomes threatened. Our heroin Alice turns to baking to find solace and channel her energy. She creates delicious cupcakes as well as runs the cafe. This book is full of unexpected surprises and showcases the resiliency and strength women have when faced with extreme challenges like being betrayed by your true love, being abandoned by your only parent, facing an unexpected pregnancy, running from abuse or the tragic loss of a child. These women all come to Kookaburra Creek with emotional heartache and not much else. They work hard and end up with a loving community and a sense of family they always deserved. Their lives would not be the same without the strength and love they show and gain from each other. I enjoyed this book and think it is worthy of a book club discussion because there are many instances where the characters (in particular Alice) make choices that if they had chosen differently, the course of their lives could have been very different. This book showcases the many kinds of difficult choices women often have to make. Too often, there just isn’t a good or right choice. From whether to give up a dream to look after a loved one, to whether to shoulder the sole responsibility of an unexpected pregnancy, to how to escape a dangerous relationship. I leave you with these questions to ponder and answer in the comments below. *spoiler alert – warning do not read on if you do not want any spoilers* Becca reminds Alice of her daughter, but is this the only reason she takes her in? What do you think? Alice had a chance to tell Dean the truth about her feelings and her pregnancy more than once. First, before she left Lawson’s Ridge and another time right before she discovered he was getting married. Should Alice have told Dean about Tammy differently or earlier on? Do you think if she had told him, things would have been different? Hattie is a mother figure to Alice. She is crushed when she learns about the fate of the cafe. What are your thoughts about Hattie’s story and the predicament she is now in? What do you think of Joey’s character? Did you think Alice and Joey were destined for each other? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below about The Kookaburra Creek Cafe or the lime and coconut cupcakes. I hope you love both! Happy baking, Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Read Along Join me next time by reading The Alice Network , by Kate Quinn. This book is a captivating novel of historical fiction about two women. One a spy in France during World War I. The other an American socialite, unwed and pregnant searching for her cousin gone missing during World War II. Their unlikely stories cross and so begins an epic and thrilling journey. You won’t be able to put this book down. Lime and coconut cupcakes Serves 12 Prep 45 mins Cook 38 mins These tender coconut cupcakes are filled with a citrusy lime curd and topped with a lime cream cheese frosting. Heavenly! **Cupcakes** 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup milk zest and juice from 4 small limes 1 1/2 cups shredded toasted coconut, reserve 1/2 a cup for decoration 12 paper cupcake liners **Lime curd** 3 tbsp granulated sugar 4 large egg yolks 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 tbsp lime zest scant pinch of salt **Lime cream cheese frosting** 1 tbsp unsalted butter 8 oz package cream cheese 4 1/2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar 1 tbsp lime juice **Cupcakes** Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Line the cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners. To toast shredded coconut, line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread out the coconut evenly. Bake in the oven just until the coconut begins to brown. Remove and place in a glass bowl to cool. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the milk, zest and lime juice. Fold in the flour mixture a little at a time until combined. Fold in 1 cup of the toasted coconut. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Leave about 1/4 inch from top of the liners. Bake in the oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Move the cupcakes to a cooling rack. All them to cool completely. Use an apple corer to take out the middle of each cupcake (about 1 1/2 cm). Fill each cupcake with lime curd. Frost the cupcakes with lime cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with the remaining coconut. **Lime curd** Whisk together sugar, zest and egg yolks in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in lime juice and salt. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Add the butter and whisk continuously until the butter melts. Continue whisking until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan). This takes only about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to whisk. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (against the surface of the curd) and cool in the fridge. Once cooled, place the lime curd into a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. **Lime cream cheese frosting** Beat all the frosting ingredients until the frosting is light and fluffy. Put the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Notes: · For the best baking results, bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting. ·  A cup for cup gluten-free all-purpose flour can be substituted for regular flour. Source: northwestspoon.com #coconut #lime

Nothing beats a juicy flavorful homemade hamburger! If you’re ready to amp-up your grilling game, you’ll love this simple yet flavorful recipe. I call this the “best hamburger recipe” because it bursts with classic flavors, but you can easily adjust it or make it spicier to your tastes. There are so many different flavor combinations that you can put together to make a great hamburger. And this is a classic hamburger recipe to start with. Get grilling with this juicy flavorful hamburger This post contains affiliate links. Hamburgers are delicious anytime of year, but we definitely enjoy more of them in the summer months. Hamburgers are an easy way to feed a big hungry group of family and friends. And that’s why they’re so popular for summer backyard BBQs and gatherings. This recipe is for four people, but you can easily double it or triple it as needed for more people. Tips for a flavorful hamburger I was recently reading my cookbook Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home and realized that my recipe for hamburgers is similar to Julia Child’s. In the book, Jacques describes her recipe as seasoned beef more similar to a meatloaf. He says this is the way he used to make them in France before he became more accustomed to the more Americanized way of not putting any seasoning into the meat prior to cooking it. In this recipe, I add minced onions, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper, gluten-free or regular fine bread crumbs and just enough egg to bring it together. Sometimes I’ll switch up the onions for minced shallots or add a splash of milk if it is a little dry. In addition to the seasoning , choose an organic or grass-fed ground beef with a fat content of 20 percent , gently shape the beef patties with cupped hands just until they come together. Do not squash them or press too hard. Make little indents on the patties with your fingers and drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the patties. Seasoned with onions, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on before grilling for more flavor Tips for grilling hamburgers Now that we’ve discussed how to season the hamburger, let’s talk about how to grill them. Always start with a clean grill . Scrape off any yuck leftover from a previous cookout. I also typically use a little non-stick cooking spray on the grill grates to help prevent sticking. According to many grill-masters, the best temperature for the grill is medium to medium-low rather than hot, hot, hot. I have to agree with this as it helps control flare-ups and burning. Turn the hamburgers once ! It can be hard to resist the urge to flip, flip, flip. But the more you turn the hamburgers over, the more they will dry out. It is recommended by the USDA to cook hamburgers until they reach an internal temperature of 160 F because E. coli bacteria is killed at 155 F. If you prefer a more “rare” hamburger use your best judgement and proceed at your own risk. Use a Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer inserted diagonally for the best reading. A backyard hamburger cookout wouldn’t be the same without all the sides and fixings. Whether your BBQ has a theme or is an anything goes potluck, you can’t go wrong with any of these party favorites. Do you have a favorite side you pair with hamburgers? Some of my favorite salads to go with a hamburger cookout include the peach Caprese salad , Northwest potato salad, healthy potato and green bean salad, Tuscan farro salad and strawberry and spinach salad. Sizzling on the grill Are you a ketchup or BBQ sauce fan with your hamburgers? I’m happy to say this best hamburger recipe flavor tests well with either. As I said earlier, the simple flavors in this best hamburger recipe will pair perfectly with almost anything you like. If you’d like to make your own BBQ sauce, give my bourbon infused BBQ sauce recipe a try. And don’t forget the pickles! I love a crispy dill pickle with my hamburger. How about you? Maybe sweet bread and butter pickles are more your thing? I hope you enjoy this best hamburger recipe. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Happy cooking, Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Best hamburger recipe Serves 4 Prep 10 mins Cook 25 mins This best hamburger recipe includes onion, oregano, garlic powder and seasoning. It’s a great all-round hamburger to go with any hamburger toppings. 1 – 1 1/4 lbs fresh ground beef, preferably organic grass fed, 15 – 20% fat content 2-3 tbsp sweet onion, finely diced 1 tbsp dried organo 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper 2 – 2 1/2 tbsp bread crumbs 1 egg beaten 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil hamburger buns condiments such as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles Pre-heat the grill to 350 F (a medium to medium-low temperature). Scrape off any burnt on food from previous cook-outs. In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the beef, onion, all the seasonings and bread crumbs evenly. Add in just enough beaten egg to moisten the meat so it starts to come together. Half of the egg liquid is often enough. It should not be too wet. Divide the meat into four 1/4 lb sections. Use your hands to gently form and press down to make round patties. Do not overwork the meat mixture. Use your fingers to press small indentations on the patties. Drizzle the tbsp of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the patties. Carefully and lightly spray the grill with a non-stick cooking spray. Grill the hamburgers, flipping once until they reach an internal temperature of 160 F. Notes: · Use your favorite kind of onion. I prefer a white onion or Walla Walla sweet. · Gluten-free bread crumbs can be used. Mince half a slice of plain gluten-free bread to make your own crumbs. · The USDA recommends cooking hamburger meat until an internal temperature of 160 F is reached. Use a digital thermometer inserted diagonally for accuracy. ·  Try these great flavor combinations: 1) Caprese burger: Tomato, fresh soft mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and arugula. 2) Maui burger: Fried sweet caramelized onions, Dole pineapple ring, sweet BBQ sauce, lettuce. 3) All-American: Grated cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, bread and butter pickles. Source: northwestspoon.com #beef #hamburger

Fresh blueberries add a patriotic and fruity twist to this classic Italian salad. It’s a flavorful and surprisingly delicious way to enjoy summer tomatoes and fresh blueberries. Local Washington blueberries come into season in the summer. My kids and I love to go blueberry picking. Blueberries are full of vitamins and antioxidants. They make a perfect healthy snack and are delicious popped into a salad. Blueberries ad patriotic flair to the classic Caprese salad This post contains affiliate links. See policy for more information. The Caprese salad is a simple classic Southern Italian dish that originated on the island of Capri. In it’s classic form, it simply consists of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil. It is dressed with the best extra virgin olive oil, sea salt (or kosher salt) and pepper. Sometimes it is drizzled with Balsamic Glaze (a reduction of balsamic vinegar). The balsamic glaze adds an acidic sweet punch to each bite. You can buy balsamic glaze at most fine grocery stores. I’ve purchased it at Whole Foods, QFC and Trader Joe’s. Fresh ingredients and basil make this delicious salad The key to an amazing Caprese salad is to choose the freshest ingredients possible. That’s why it’s perfect for a summer day when tomatoes are juicy, sweet and in season. Choose a soft all-natural mozzarella cheese like Bel Gioioso Mozzarella and a high quality extra virgin olive oil. Adding fruit in a Caprese salad is a nice twist. In fact, another mouth-watering version is the peach Caprese salad. I make these when the peaches from Eastern Washington start arriving. Red, white and blue Caprese is a summer favorite If you are looking for a simple and satisfying dish to bring to a Fourth of July party, look no further. Not only does this this red, white and blue Caprese salad taste amazing, it is easy and fast to prepare. It pairs well with any of your favorite backyard BBQ foods. I’m always on the look out for patriotic-themed party foods that don’t require days or far too many expensive ingredients to prepare. Summer is a time to be outside enjoying the weather rather than slaving away over a stove. This red, white and blue Caprese salad hits the mark. Have you ever had the addition of fruit in a Caprese salad? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this fresh Italian classic. Happy cooking, Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Red white and blue caprese Fresh blueberries add a patriotic and fruity twist to this classic Italian salad. It’s a flavorful and surprisingly delicious way to enjoy summer tomatoes and berries. Serves 4 Ingredients 3 large ripe tomatoes 16 oz fresh mozzarella 1 cup of fresh blueberries 1 bunch fresh basil 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pinch of sea salt and fresh ground white pepper 1 tbsp balsamic glaze Instructions Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into ¼ inch wide slices. Layer these along a platter, alternating  between tomatoes and cheese. Fill in gaps and top with fresh blueberries. Gently tear the basil and scatter it all over the salad. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Finally, drizzle with balsamic glaze. Source: northwestspoon.com #blueberry #caprese

Eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin is a layered vegetable casserole highlighting fresh summer vegetables. It makes a tasty vegetarian main course or a delicious side dish. A gratin is a baked dish lightly browned with a crust of breadcrumbs and cheese. The natural sweetness of the vegetables is balanced by the savory cheese. If you are transitioning to a plant-based diet, this is a great recipe to try. I provide substitutions for you below. This recipe is inspired by the book The Alice Network , by Kate Quinn. This post contains affiliate links. I discovered eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin in my recipe book Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home . I love how these two masters of French cuisine compare their recipes and cooking techniques throughout the book. If you’re gluten-free not to worry. You can use gluten-free bread crumbs in the topping for this recipe. I usually make my own gluten-free bread crumbs by simply finely dicing a few slices of my favorite gluten-free bread. Or do quick pulse in the food processor. If you are plant-based , you can substitute the Parmesan cheese in the topping in this recipe with Vegan Parmesan cheese which is a blend of nutritional yeast seasoning, cashews, sea salt and garlic powder. See the notes in the recipe. Plant-based substitutions Are you switching to meatless Mondays or more plant-based alternatives? This is a great hearty and warm dish you’ll love. To make this plant-based , you’ll need to make two substitutions. The first is to use a dairy-free and egg-free bread to make your bread crumbs. The second is to substitute the Parmesan cheese in the recipe with Vegan Parmesan cheese. Vegan Parmesan cheese is a blend of nutritional yeast seasoning, cashews, sea salt and garlic powder. It’s super easy to make and makes a great topping on all kinds of veggies. To make it, refer to the notes section in the recipe below. Late in the summer, many gardens are bursting with eggplants, zucchini and tomatoes. This is a great dish to use them up in. Eggplants are also known as aubergines. This dish is seasoned simply with salt, pepper and herbes de Provence. It is topped with a mixture of bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and herbes de Provence. Herbes de Provence is a mix of dried herbs typical of the South of France. The blend I used contains chervil, basil, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, savory, thyme, parsley, garlic and lavender. It’s quite tasty sprinkled on roasted chicken or can be used in French vinaigrette dressing as well. The method for making this dish is fairly simple. The vegetables are sliced and layered in a baking dish seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and herbes de Provence. The dish is topped with the bread crumb mixture and then baked. This eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin is very flavorful and satisfying. It makes a delicious side dish or vegetarian main course. The combination of fresh vegetables pair beautifully. Eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin is a great vegetarian entree or a side dish Come for the recipes, stay for the book discussion Selecting a recipe inspired by a war-torn era was not an easy choice. Good food was scarce and many people suffered from the lack of basic means. Not to even mention the horrors of war and depravity so many endured. In the end, I selected this French recipe for eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin because most of the novel takes place in France. The recipe also uses simple in-season vegetables. A common approach to French cuisine. Historical fiction is one of my favorite book genres. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn is a captivating novel about two women. One a spy in France during World War I. The other an American socialite, unwed and pregnant searching for her cousin gone missing during World War II. Their unlikely stories cross after the war and so begins an epic and thrilling journey. The story unfolds going back and forth between the main characters and different time periods between the wars. We get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each woman as well as the pain they have each endured. Charlie is young, rebellious and faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Charlie’s mother brings her from New York to Europe for an abortion. Charlie rebels and begins a quest to find her cousin Rose who disappeared during World War II. She wants to know the truth about what happened to her and seeks solace in her loving memories of them as children. She meets Eve and Finn (a soon to be love interest) as she begins her quest. Eve is a former spy and heroin of the famed Alice Network. (The real life Alice Network was established by Louise de Bettignies, a French secret agent who spied on the Germans for the British during World War I. She operated under the pseudonym of Alice Dubois.) Eve’s story is compelling. She is harsh, lost and beaten down by the effects of the war as a former spy. We soon discover that Rose’s disappearance is linked to Eve’s arch enemy Rene during the war. Eve is now on a quest to help Charlie track down Rose and hopefully Rene as well for revenge. This book is a real page turner. The more I learned about Eve’s past during the war, the more I had to read on. These characters show strength and courage. Charlie’s quest brings these characters together. It helps them find closure and discover a new purpose. I found myself googling maps of France following their progress. I leave you with these questions to ponder and answer in the comments below. *spoiler alert – warning do not read on if you do not want any spoilers* Captain Cameron and Finn Kilgore’s characters parallel each other in many ways. For example, they are both Scotsmen and ex-soldiers. How are they similar? How are they different? Discuss Finn’s choices in the pursuit of love vs the captain’s. Were you surprised by the eventual fate of Rose, Charlie’s cousin? We learn that both Eve and Charlie are faced with unplanned pregnancies. They make very different decisions regarding how to handle their situations. Both are faced with the stigma of being an unwed mother. Both face double standards. Have things changed much since 1914 and 1947? Discuss their reasons why they made their decisions. Were you aware of the vital role women spies made in providing information to the allies during World War I? I hope you enjoy this recipe for eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin as well as the book The Alice Network. I’d love to hear your thoughts about either below. Happy cooking, Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Read Along Join me next time by reading Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris. Sold on a Monday is a riveting story with unforeseen twists at every turn. This historical novel is set in the 1930’s, in the wake of the Great Depression. It highlights difficult and desperate times. As the story unfolds, we learn the fate of two children caught in the consequences of their caregiver’s desperate choices. You won’t be able to put this book down. Click here for the book club list and more inspired recipes. Eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin Serves 4 Prep 20 mins Cook 50 mins Eggplant, zucchini and tomato gratin is a layered vegetable casserole highlighting fresh summer vegetables. It makes a tasty vegetarian main course or a delicious side dish. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 large eggplant 2 medium zucchini 3-4 ripe tomatoes 1 tbsp herbes de Provence 1 tsp fine sea salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper **Bread crumb topping** 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with a little olive oil. Trim the ends off the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into ovals about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly coat the slices with olive oil (both sides). Then sprinkle with fine sea salt. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant begins to soften and shrivel. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Trim the ends off the zucchini. Slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Sprinkle the zucchini and tomatoes with a small amount of sea salt and pepper. Lightly coat/grease the casserole/gratin dish with some of the olive oil. The next step is layering all the vegetables. Start with eggplant, then zucchini, then tomato laying the slices lengthwise against the narrow of the casserole dish. Continue down the casserole dish eggplant, zucchini, tomato slightly overlapping each other until you get to the end. You may need to adjust the layers slightly tucking the vegetables in so you can get more into the dish. Top the vegetables with the herbes de Provence. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Top the vegetables with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top. Bake in the center of the oven 35 – 40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the juices are bubbling. The topping should be a golden brown. Serve hot. Notes: ·  Use a large rimmed baking sheet and a large oven safe casserole, lasagna or gratin dish. Source: northwestspoon.wordpress.com #eggplant #zucchini

Rich, creamy and oh so gooey, this hot Dungeness crab dip is a hit at every party. We use fresh caught West coast Dungeness crab in this crab dip recipe. It’s slightly sweet and delicate meat pairs well with the other savory, cheesy and slightly spicy ingredients. This post may contain affiliate links. Early summer is crabbing season around here. It’s fun to get out on the Puget Sound, drop a few crab pots and tour around. We often find a little beach to pull up to and have a picnic while the crab pots are out. It makes for a great family outing. To prepare the fresh crab, we “half-back” the crab, clean it and boil it in salted water for several minutes. Half-backing the crab is a process by which the live crabs are flipped upside down, cut in half (from head to tail) and then the guts and gills are cleaned out prior to cooking them. Cooking the meat in this way rather than boiling a whole crab is said to taste better. The flavor is not contaminated by toxins from the guts. I set aside and freezer pack one cup portions of the cooked and cleaned crab meat for recipes like Dungeness crab cakes or Crab stuffed mushrooms . Hot crab dip is a fun party appetizer. It can be served with assorted crackers as pictured here or with mini-toasts. Bake the crab dip mixture in the oven until it begins to bubble around the edges or turns a nice golden brown. Choose a small to medium-sized oven-safe casserole dish to bake the crab dip in. Ideally, choose a shallow stoneware vegetable gratin dish like this cherry red Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 1-Quart Oval Au Gratin Dish . Or this Temp-tations Old World Green Oval Baker . The pretty stoneware can be served direct from the oven to the table. I’ve been keeping my eye out for one of these at the second hand shop. This Dungeness crab dip recipe is really creamy and tasty. It certainly isn’t “diet food.” But it is REALLY good and is a special treat when you have company around to share it with. So, don’t worry about the calories in this appetizer. Just plan on taking an extra long walk the next day. I season the crab dip with fresh scallions, Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce. I use a mix of Pepper Jack cheddar and Parmesan cheese. This crab dip recipe can also be made with other types of crab. So, give it a try even if you don’t have access to West coast Dungeness. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you if you use a different type of crab. Have you ever tried Dungeness crab before? Give this West coast treat a try. I think you’ll love it! If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Dungeness crab dip Rich and creamy, this crab dip is a hit at every party. Serve with crostini or an assortment of crackers. Serves 6 Prep time 10 mins Cook time 30 mins Ingredients 1 cup cooked Dungeness crab meat, chopped 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese 3-4 tbsp scallions, diced 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (heaping cup) 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning fresh ground black pepper to taste dash of cayenne pepper to taste lemon wedges for garnish assorted crackers or mini-toasts for serving Method Preheat the oven to 350 F. Make sure the cooked crab meat is picked through of any shells. Use a paper towel to squeeze out any excess water from the crab meat. Gently mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Transfer to an oven-proof small to medium-sized casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the dip is bubbly and turned golden-brown. Serve the hot dip with crackers or mini-toasts. #crab

Summer would not be complete without a fresh fruit crisp. This old-fashioned peach crisp with cinnamon, oats and pecans is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Each summer we highly anticipate the sweet peaches our little backyard peach tree produces. This old-fashioned peach crisp is a tasty dessert that never goes out of style. Oats, butter, brown sugar and pecans give this dessert a crispy top This post contains affiliate links. Fresh peaches have always signaled the height of summer for me. I just love biting into a fresh juicy peach on a hot summer’s day. Fresh fruit crisps are one of my favorite baked desserts. One of the reasons I like crisps is that they are quite forgiving. Unlike baking a cake or fine pastry, there is room in a crisp recipe for a little error or creativity on the part of the baker. For example, in this recipe I use about five cups of fresh sliced peaches. However, if you have a little less than that, it’s fine. It will still turn out. I also love desserts that are gluten-free and incorporate fresh fruit when-ever possible. The natural sweetness of the fruit shines through. This recipe meets these criteria. The addition of pecans (optional) adds a nice flavor and texture to the crisp. Fresh out of the oven peach crisp is a delicious summer dessert Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a crumble, crisp or a cobbler? They are all baked fruit desserts often made with fresh summer berries or other fruit. A crumble has a streusel crumb topping consisting of flour, butter and sugar. A crisp has a streusel crumb topping and oats. The oats crisp up during baking. A cobbler has spoonfuls of biscuit dough or cake batter on top of the fruit which turns out more cake-like. They all sound delicious don’t they? A squeeze of lime adds brightness and flavor When a peach is ripe the fuzzy skin typically peels right off very easily. I peel the peaches before cutting the flesh into small wedges. Once the fruit is mixed with the sugar and corn starch, I squeeze a little bit of lime over it. Peaches and lime are a surprisingly tasty combination. The slight addition of a little acid from the lime brightens up the flavor of the fruit. If you don’t have lime, you can certainly use lemon. Many recipes for fruit crisps, crumbles or pies will call for a little squeeze of lemon for this purpose. The citrus acts like a flavor enhancer similarly to salt and adds complexity to the dish. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream This incredible peach crisp screams “add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream to me please!” The creaminess of the ice-cream is the perfect pair for the fragrant sweet peaches. The next time you come across fresh summer peaches at the market, fill up your basket and make this delicious old-fashioned peach crisp. Make it a summer tradition. You’ll love it. Happy cooking, Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Old fashioned peach crisp Serves 4 Prep 10 mins Cook 55 mins This old-fashioned peach crisp with cinnamon, oats and pecans is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. 5 cups sliced peaches (peeled) 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp corn starch Juice of half a lime 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend 1 1/2 sticks butter, cut into small squares 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional) Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Combine the fruit, sugar, cornstarch and lime juice in a bowl and stir to coat the fruit. Transfer to a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, cinnamon, salt, oats and sugar. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Top the fruit with the crisp. Place the baking dish on a jelly-roll pan. Bake in the oven for 40-55 minutes. The fruit will be bubbly and the top golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool a few minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice-cream. Notes: ·  Placing your baking dish on a jelly-roll pan helps prevent any messy spills that may occur in your oven. Source: northwestspoon.wordpress.com #crisp #peach

This vintage buttermilk ranch dressing recipe makes your simple garden salad taste amazing. You may not ever want to reach for the Hidden Valley Ranch bottle again. It’s simple to make and tastes great. Vintage buttermilk ranch dressing is so tasty This post contains affiliate links. This buttermilk ranch dressing is seasoned with fresh cilantro, chives, Dijon mustard, lemon, onion powder, salt and pepper. That’s it! It’s so fresh, you’ll really taste the difference between homemade and store bought. Ranch dressing is one of my family’s favorite salad dressings. It’s so much better if you make it fresh at home. No preservatives or other ingredients that you can’t pronounce that tend to upset sensitive tummies. Our favorite dressing for a fresh garden salad Buttermilk ranch dressing is perfect drizzled on a garden salad. It’s also great for dipping fresh veggies like carrot sticks, sweet peppers and cucumbers. If you prefer a thicker dressing, you can add a table spoon of sour cream in at a time until you reach a thicker consistency. Store the buttermilk ranch dressing in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can I use a reduced fat buttermilk? Yes, you can. However you will find the consistency to be more thin. The fat in the buttermilk also provides flavor. So, just expect it to be more like a “diet” version of your favorite dressing. It’s good, but not quite the same. Fresh herbs are best. This buttermilk ranch dressing features fresh cilantro and chives. In the spring and early summer we have plenty of chives growing wild in the garden. They are an easy perennial with pretty edible purple flowers. You can add as much chives as you like up to a tablespoon. They add a fresh bite to the dressing that you won’t get with dried herbs. Fresh cilantro Here’s a tip . Rinse out the herb bunch in cold water and shake off any excess water. Place the bunch in a small glass of water and let it sit on the counter. I usually do this several hours or even day before I’m going to use them. This allows the leaves to air dry. Select the leaves you like and finely chop them. You’ll find it much easier to chop the cilantro when the leaves are dry. This method works great with Italian parsley and basil too. Use it as a salad dressing or a veggie dip I hate it when you go to a restaurant and they drown your salad in too much dressing. I almost always forget to ask for it on the side. Homemade salads are always so much tastier but can put people off because of all that chopping. To make things easier, prep as many of the vegetables ahead of time as possible. I store salad veggies in air-tight glass food storage containers . Easily shred carrots, cut up cucumbers or sweet bell peppers ahead of time. Wash and spin the lettuce dry. Wrap it in a little paper towel and store in a reusable produce bag in the fridge. Store tomatoes on the counter, not in the fridge. Try to leave cutting up tomatoes to just prior to serving the salad. They stay juicer and fresher this way. A little food prep ahead of time makes for pulling together a healthy fresh garden salad at the end of the work day is allot less hassle. Are you a ranch dressing lover? If so, give this homemade buttermilk ranch dressing recipe a try. I’d love to hear your feedback. Leave me a comment below. Happy cooking! Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Buttermilk ranch dressing Ingredients 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced 1 tbsp fresh chives, minced 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 1/8 tsp ground black pepper Instructions Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve immediately. Store in a jar in the fridge up to one week. #buttermilk #ranch

The sidecar is a classic cocktail that doesn’t go out of style. It is a citrusy cocktail with a lovely balance between sweet and sour flavors. It consists of Cointreau, Cognac, and lemon. This recipe is inspired by the book Sold on a Monday , by Kristina McMorris. This post contains affiliate links. The sidecar is a cocktail that became popular during prohibition after world war I. It can be found in The Savoy Cocktail Book , originally published in 1930. This cocktail book contains some of the most popular and now classic cocktails of the 1920’s and 30’s. It is highly recommended for any cocktail enthusiast. I am starting to spread my wings and try out different cocktails. It’s good to try new things and not get stuck in a rut. Crafting cocktails seems to be a unique skill with a certain amount of mad science and artistry combined. Plus it’s a bonus that my husband likes to whip up cocktails. The classic sidecar cocktail is a great cocktail to bust out for a book club meeting. It’s citrus flavors pack a punch! Make sure to run some lemon juice along the rim of the martini glass and dip it in sugar before pouring the ice cold cocktail. I think the sugary rim makes the drink. It balances out the sour and sweet flavors. Sold on a Monday is a book set in 1931. Selecting a recipe inspired by the era of the 1930s was somewhat difficult. It was an era of bread lines and lack of food for many people. But it was also an era of elite parties and art deco elegance. I landed on making the sidecar cocktail for a couple reasons. One, its classy! And it happens to be a cocktail my husband enjoys. Two, during an era of prohibition, it represents the murky world of wealth, opulence and organized crime that our main character Ellis treads into as this riveting story unfolds. Mix it up with a beautiful cocktail set! By the way if you like cocktails you may also like this tangy pink lemonade martini cocktail called the Pink Penguin martini . It is inspired by the book and soon to be released movie Where’d You Go, Bernadette (link to movie trailer). Come for the recipe, stay for the book discussion Sold on a Monday is an exciting story with unforeseen twists at every turn. This historical novel is set in the wake of the Great Depression. It highlights the difficult times and desperate choices people felt forced to make during that era. Our hero Ellis is a budding reporter on the hunt for the next great story. Our heroin Lily is an unwed single mother and works at the paper with Ellis. One day, Ellis snaps a photo of two children sitting out on a porch. There is a “for sale” sign in the background. This photo while meant to only highlight the terrible times people were facing, he later discovers has grave and unintended consequences for the children. Desperate to know the fate of the children, he and Lily (now Ellis’s love interest) track down and rescue the children from dire situations. About halfway through reading this book I found I simply could not put it down. With each clue discovered through Lily and Ellis’s investigation about the children, I had to know what would happen next. I found myself rooting for Ellis and Lily to fall in love as we discovered more about their characters and their pasts. They seem obviously right for each other, if only they would acknowledge their emerging feelings and allow it to happen. Both Ellis and Lily show immense strength in character, take risks and put the needs of others before themselves throughout this story. The historical setting of this novel also parallels allot of what is going on in today’s society. A light is shown on the great disparity between the elite (those that have) and those who have nothing and struggle to get by. I’d say this was one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. Sold on a Monday is a great book for a book club discussion. I leave you with these questions to ponder and answer in the comments below. *spoiler alert – do not read on if you do not want any spoilers* Families were forced to make unheard of choices during the Great Depression. Can you say you would or wouldn’t make the same choice as Geraldine with regards to her children at the time? How can you be so sure? Lily lies about being a single unwed mother to her employer to get the job. What do you think of this? Have things changed at all? Do you think double standards still exist? Ellis and Lily push the envelope and bend some rules when chasing down where Calvin is. Given what they discover at the farm, would you do the same? What did you think of this section of the book? Ellis and Lily seem destined for each other. Were you happy with the book’s outcome? Ruby and Calvin’s experience away from their mother was life changing. Do you think there could be some positive influence or change to their life from the whole experience? One of the lessons I learned from reading this story is that health and family should never be taken for granted. Always be grateful. What about you? What lessons did you learn? I’d love to hear your thoughts about the classic sidecar cocktail as well as the book. Happy cooking! Michelle If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Classic Sidecar cocktail 1 1/2 ounces Cognac 3/4 ounce Cointreau 3/4 ounce lemon juice orange or lemon zest for garnish sugar for rim of the glass Coat the rim of a coupe glass or martini glass with sugar and set aside. Add the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into the glass. Garnish if desired. Source: northwestspoon.wordpress.com Read Along Join me next time by reading Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer , by Novella Carpenter. This book is a witty, funny and daring tale about one women’s quest to make a garden and a small farm out of an abandoned lot in the ghetto of Oakland, CA. The lengths that our heroin Novella and her boyfriend Bill go through to grow their own food and feed their animals (particularly the pigs) is astonishing and hysterical. This is a fun lighthearted book perfect for any foodie. Click here for the book club list and more book inspired recipes. #cocktail

This old-fashioned broccoli salad is all dressed up with Northwest dried Bing cherries, Craisins, walnuts and sun flower seeds. Northwest broccoli salad is a tasty side salad for any summer cook out. Dried Bing cherries are plump and sweet. They add a delicious sweetness to this classic salad. Northwest broccoli salad This post contains affiliate links. I often buy dried Bing cherries in the bulk section of our grocery store. You can also find them packaged at Trader Joe’s or buy Chukar Cherries Northwest Bings online through Amazon. If you’ve ever been to Seattle’s Pike Place Market, you may be familiar with Chukar Cherries. For years you could only get their delicious trail mixes and chocolate covered Bing cherries only at the market. Now through the magic of the Internet, you can order them online. Dried bing cherries and Craisins add a sweet tart flavor Bing cherries are the most widely produced sweet cherry in the U.S. and are grown in the Pacific Northwest. Early summer is usually cherry season here and these are a delicious snack. Broccoli salad is one of those classic salads that you can eat any time of year. It’s a great salad to toss together and bring to a picnic or a family gathering. It goes with just about anything. My husband and I have a bit of a debate about how much dressing we each like on the salad. He prefers a less-dressed salad. I prefer a little more dressing. If you’re not sure, prepare the whole amount of dressing in the recipe. Add about half to three quarter’s the dressing to the broccoli and toss. After a taste test, add more as you feel needed. Store the broccoli salad in the fridge. It can be prepared several hours ahead of time if necessary. The amounts of dried fruit, nuts and sun flower seeds provided in the recipe are also a guideline. Add more to your tastes as necessary. Use fresh dark green broccoli florets I love the crunch and texture that the walnuts and sun flower seeds provide in the broccoli salad. If you prefer pecans over walnuts that’s just fine. You can substitute. When preparing the broccoli, make sure it is drenched in ice cold water first. This helps perk up the florets. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. We prefer the broccoli raw and don’t bother with blanching it. It softens up enough once it’s all dressed in this classic creamy dressing. Picnic perfect Northwest broccoli salad The classic creamy dressing in this broccoli salad recipe consists of mayo, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. This is a great dressing for Cole slaw too. I like the extra flavor that the Dijon adds to the dressing. Everyone knows broccoli is good for you. It’s packed full of vitamins and fiber. So don’t feel too bad about adding in a very flavorful dressing like this. Do you like broccoli salad? Have you ever had broccoli salad with dried fruit in it? I’d love to hear your comments below. If you make any of my recipes, use #northwestspoon and share your photo. Happy cooking, Michelle Northwest broccoli salad Serves 4-6 Prep time 15 mins Cook time 15 mins Ingredients 4 1/2 – 5 cups fresh raw broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces Dressing 1 cup mayonnaise 3 1/2 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt freshly ground pepper to taste Other 1/2 cup Craisins 1/2 cup dried Bing cherries 1/4 cup walnuts 1/4 cup sun flower seeds 2 tbsp diced red onion 3 strips bacon, fried crispy and cut into bite sized pieces Method Plunge or rinse broccoli florets in ice cold water. Shake excess water off. Cut the florets into bite sized pieces. Set aside in a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the remaining other salad ingredients to the broccoli. Add 1/2 to 3/4 of the dressing to the salad and toss. Taste. Add more dressing as needed to taste. #broccoli