Author: expepicurean

Lemon & Currant Grilled Angel Food Cake

If you are in search of a quick and easy dessert, look no further.  Grilling angel food cake makes this dish look accomplished with minimal effort.  In addition, by grilling the cake it gains a toasted marshmallow flavor which is always a crowd pleaser. The grilled angel food cake is merely a vehicle…

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Tamarind BBQ Sauce

I have tried to make my own BBQ sauce in the past but I felt like it didn’t have the right balance.  Consequently I have been on the hunt to find the “it” ingredient that gives it the right punch.  I have decided that the key ingredient is tamarind sauce. Tamarind is a…

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Chicken & Avocado Sandwich

I can’t believe it is already time for school again.  I feel like summer just disappeared! Now that I will have to pack lunches for my kiddos, I have been experimenting with healthy options that will keep them fueled for the day. For example, in my bento box for this post I packed…

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Apple Pie Ice Box Cake

For picnics or other summer gatherings, I find an ice box cake is an easy treat to make. The work is done ahead of time, and they tend to be crowd pleasers. For my latest ice box cake I wanted to make a take on an American classic – the Apple Pie. This…

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Shrimp Stuffed Tomato

The summertime heat often begs for meals that require little cooking or are lighter fare. With that in mind I wanted to try a stuffed tomato this week.  For the filling I chose to use a mix of asparagus, red onion, and shrimp for a delicious and colorful dish.  The dressing was a…

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Mayocoba Bean Salad

It is that time of year again where the benefits program offered by my employer encourages healthy eating choices.  By choosing “superfoods” such as beans and legumes I can earn points faster, so I tend to incorporate them even more than I already do in my diet. With this in mind I have…

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Licorice “Sparklers”

Quick and easy (and red, white, and blue!) treats are a great way to add a bit of fun to your Independence Day celebration. What I decided to make for this year are licorice “sparklers”, which are are just a new twist on chocolate coated pretzel rods. Instead of pretzels, red vine licorice…

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Bone Broth Experiment

Bone broth is one of the “it” food items these days.  This nutrient dense stock is praised for its vitamin and mineral content thought to improve health.  I figured I’d give it a try and incorporate the bone broth into a soup. I’m sorry folks, but I didn’t like the taste. In addition, for the soup…

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Saucy Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Apricots

Who doesn’t love bacon? Right? Now combine bacon with one of my favorite blogger contests – the Saucy Mama Blogger Contest – and I couldn’t wait to get started.  First comes the hard part of choosing products to sample since they all sound so good.  From the variety of mustards, sauces, and marinades…

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Baked Potato Salad

My daughter was successful in finishing kindergarten as a word warrior (a title based on the number of first grade words she knew). In our house, this title earned her a dinner of her choosing.   We meandered through the grocery store, and one of the items she picked out was peewee potatoes.  For…

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Tamarisk Honey Bites

One of these days I am going to host a honey tasting party.  If you have never tried a honey other than clover, you are missing out. One of my favorites is meadowfoam honey which tastes like cotton candy in honey form. Other honey flavors, such as tamarisk or buckwheat, are dark colored…

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Labne Tartine

I love when I pick up a cookbook and learn about new ingredients.  One such ingredient that has recently been added to my diet is labne (sometimes written labneh) cheese, which is a spreadable cheese that is made from kefir.  The consistency is similar to softened cream cheese, with a bit more tartness…

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