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Tomato Feta Salad Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil

One of my favorite summer salads to make is tomato feta.  It is simple and fresh.  You can elevate the flavor profile even more by using Wildtree Zesty Lemon grapeseed oil in this dish.

This recipe has been adapted from one originally published by Ina Garten.

Tomato Feta Salad

Ingredients:

4 pints grape tomatoes, red or mixed colors

1 1/2 cups diced red onions (2 small onions)

1/4 cup white balsamic wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Wildtree Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil

3 tablespoons Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1 1/2 pounds feta cheese

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in quarters and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, oils, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold it into the salad and serve at room temperature.

Note:  You could also use Wildtree balsamic vinegars instead of the white balsamic above; however, I would then skip the Zesty Lemon and use just Natural Grapeseed in the recipe.

It is a fun salad as you can change up the vinegar and oil used in the recipe to create many great flavor combinations!

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Easy Chicken Tacos with Broccoli Slaw

This time of year the slow cooker comes in handy for making a easy and delicious hot meal.  The recipe below is one that I develop for a tasting party a few weeks back.

It is simple and easy and a nice twist on traditional chicken tacos. The best part is that you can do all the prep the night before and then just put the crock in the slow cooker and let it cook all day!

Chicken Tacos

2 pound of boneless chicken breasts or thighs (or a combination)

1/2 cup of water

2 tablespoons Wildtree Fajita Seasoning Blend (adjust to your taste)

2 tablespoons of Wildtree Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil

Broccoli Slaw (see recipe below)

Salsa

Cheese

Avocados, sliced

Taco Shells

Place chicken in the slow cooker and add water.  Sprinkle seasoning on top and drizzle with grapeseed oil.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or until chicken falls apart easily and can be shredded. Shred chicken with two forks.

Serve tacos with toppings.

Broccoli Slaw

1 package of broccoli slaw

1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon of Wildtree Cajun Seasoning Blend

1 tablespoon Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil

Combine yogurt, seasoning and oil in a small bowl and mix well.  Pour over broccoli slaw and toss to combine. Refrigerate while chicken cooks or make the night before.

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Pesto in Progress

In yesterday's blog I shared my recipe for Walnut, Parsley and Arugula Pesto and my basic formula for making any pesto.  Today, I experimented in the kitchen with using Manchego cheese with Basil and Pecans.  I think the result was quite delish. 

If you have not used Manchego cheese before, I recommend giving it a try.  It is one of my favorite cheeses.  Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain.  It should be aged for at least two months in the local caves.  Aged Manchego is a great substitute for Pecorino Romano. I also love to serve it ini the traditional style on a cheese plate with quince paste. Manchego cheese is delicious paired with a Spanish sherry but can also go well with Oregon Pinot Noir or a Spanish Rioja.

As with other cheese, the flavor and texture changes as the cheese ages.

Semi Curado: Young cheese aged around 3 months are supple and moist. The flavor is fruity, grass, hay with a tangy note.

Curado: Aged for 6 months acquires a caramel and nutty flavor. It has distinct acidity as well.

Viejo: Aged for a year and becomes crumbly in texture with a butterscotch color. It has a sweet, lingering taste.

I thought I'd share the process step by step of how I made the pesto today as a follow up from yesterday's blog. 

Step 1:  Destem your herbs and put them into your food process or blender.

Step 2:  If you are using block cheese such as I did, cut into small chunks and add to the basil.  The harder the cheese, the smaller the chunks should be so your food processor does not have to work too hard.

Step 3:  Add the nuts to the top.  You can use either whole or already chopped nuts.

The pecans add a rich, buttery flavor to the pesto which I thought was a nice contrast to the salty, nutty Manchego and fresh flavor of the basil.

Step 4: Add any other ingredients that you are using.  I added lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and a bit of Worcestershire sauce.

Worcestershire sauce may seem like an odd addition to a pesto.  However, I took this idea from making Caesar dressing where I add Worcestershire for a bit of salty and rich flavor.

Worcestershire sauce typically has vinegar, molasses, anchovies, salt, garlic and other ingredients.  I like the complexity it adds to my pestos.

Step 5:  Blend all the ingredients in the food process until combined.

This will take a minute or two.  I usually process in 30 second intervals so I can check the consistency and push down any ingredients that are stuck on the edges.

At this point, you will still see all the main ingredients and they will look like a thick paste.

Step 6:  Stream in grapeseed or olive oil.  This is where you own personal preferences start to play in as well as your planned use for the pesto. For a pesto that you are going to use to coat a pasta, you may want to add more oil so the pesto is a bit more fluid in order to toss your hot pasta in. If you want to use it as a sandwich spread or a spread for crackers, then I leave it a bit thicker.  Most of the time, this is what I do.  I can always add more oil later but I can't take it out.

Step 7:  Once you have the desired consistency, I season with salt.  I do this a little at a time.  Processing after each addition.

After combining the salt, taste your pesto.  Repeat until you get the right level of salt in the pesto.

Adding salt is important as the pesto will be bland if you don't.  Salt is a flavor enhancer when used in moderation. It helps bring out the brightness in the herbs along with the lemon juice.  Since I add Worcestershire sauce, I don't need to add as much salt.  The cheese adds some saltiness as well and is going to vary depending on the type of cheese you use.  The amount of salt will also vary a bit depending upon the herb you use.   

If you taste your pesto before you add any salt and then again after you add a bit of salt to it, you will taste the difference for yourself.

Start to finish, you can make a pesto in 10 minutes!  It is a super fast way to use up fresh herbs from your garden or excess herbs in your fridge.

It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze it!  You can freeze in ice cube trays and then pop out and put in a freezer bag for a pre-measured adder for soups and pasta sauces or just allow to thaw and toss over pasta.  You can also freeze in plastic or glass freezer-proof containers.  When you defrost frozen pesto, it will have slightly darker color than fresh but it will still taste delicious.

Bon appetite!!

 Chef Jen

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Pesto: It is not just for basil and pine nuts anymore.

If your fridge is anything like mine, you often have extra herbs that you purchased to go in a specific recipe but you have a bunch left over afterwards.  And you say to yourself, I need to do something with these before they go bad!!!

My solution lately?  Make pesto!!!  It is great on a sandwich, as a dip with crackers or you can use it many recipes.  It is a great way to take a bland and boring grilled chicken breast to a tasty salad topper.

The basic formula is:  herb + nuts + cheese + garlic + olive oil. Now I like to add a few other "secret" ingredients that I will share more about in a moment.  It takes minutes in a food processor or blender to do so not only it is tasty but is fast!

One of my experiments this past fall was with arugula.  If you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen my recipe that I posted on my professional page.

(If you don't follow me on Facebook, I would love it if you did!!!  Just like my page:  http://www.facebook.com/FoodFunandFriendswithJen and you can stay up today on what is going on in my world both professionally and in my home kitchen.) 

I had an abundance of arugula at the time and I needed to figure out something to do with it to keep it from going to waste.  Pesto was the concept that inspired me.  However, I knew that arugula was a bit peppery so I would need to make a few modifications to the basic formula to come up with a yummy pesto. 

I added parsley for a clean, fresh taste to balance out the arugula.  I decided to use walnuts since I felt they would stand up to the arugula better than pine nuts.  I also thought adding some citrus would enhance the pesto and bring out the flavors in the herbs. I also played with Worcestershire sauce and salt as seasonings.  As far as the cheese, well, I can't say I had too much inspiration there as it was what was in the fridge. :)  All, in all, it was deemed a success by my taste testers (a.k.a. a dinner party at friends where I shared my experiment)!  I even had a two year old sweetie that thought it was yummy!

If you missed the recipe on Facebook, here it is:

Walnut, Parsley and Arugula Pesto

2/3 cups walnut, rough chopped

2 cups Italian flat leaf parsley (washed and dried)

2 cups baby arugula (washed and dried)

2 tablespoons Wildtree Worcestershire

2 garlic cloves, rough chopped

1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated or shredded

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons (to taste)

1/2 cup Wildtree natural GSO or EVOO (adjust as necessary to desired consistency)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)

In your food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Pulse to combine. Stream in olive oil slowly with motor running until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings (lemon and salt).

Since I developed the Walnut, Parsley and Arugula Pesto, when I have extra herbs, I have been using that basic formula above and modifying those 'secret" ingredients slightly based on the herbs to create a variety of pestos.

I have made a Basil-Walnut-Parmesan & Asiago pesto and a cilantro-pecan-lime (with no cheese) pesto.  You may want to adjust the proportions above to your specific tastes; however, I hope that this inspires you to use those herbs in your fridge!!  And, if you can't use the pesto immediately, you can freeze it for later in recipes. 

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I have been making this dish for my family for years.  It has also become popular with my clients as well.  It comes together quickly and is a great freezer meal option so consider making a double batch.When I make enchilada casserole for my clients, I often will make in several small glass baking dishes with a lid that hold 2 enchiladas.  Then you can pop the extra servings right in the freezer and they are ready to be pulled out and reheated for a quick weeknight meal or lunch at the office.

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, diced 

1 medium onion, diced 

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 tablespoons Wildtree grapeseed oil, divided 

1 can green chili, diced 

1 can black beans, drained 

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided 

chili powder, to taste 

garlic powder, to taste 

cumin, to taste 

2 red enchilada sauce, Wildtree Tia Rosa’s Red Enchilada Sauce

1 package of 8 flour tortillas 

cilantro, for garnish 

sour cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Saute chicken in 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and season with cumin, chili powder and garlic. Set a side in a medium bowl. Saute onions and peppers using another tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Add to chicken. Cool. Stir in chilies, black beans and 1/2 the cheese.

Pour enchilada sauce into another bowl or large measuring cup. Add additional cumin and chili powder to enchilada sauce to taste.  I generally put about an extra teaspoon of both cumin and chili powder.  This is your opportunity to adjust the flavor to your liking.  You can also add chipotle powder or other ground pepper.

Pour some of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.Or in four small glass baking dishes as I did.

Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and wrap them up and place in the bottom of the pan.Top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and enchilada sauce is bubbling.

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Kung Pao Chicken

Love Asian take out but don’t love the MSG, preservatives and high sodium? Try this version of Kung Pao Chicken tonight for dinner.  It is made with Wildtree Hoisin sauce which is all natural and has no preservatives or MSG as well as low-sodium chicken stock and soy sauce.  

The recipe is based on a Weight Watchers recipe that I have adapted so it is also a healthy choice that put dinner on the table in 30 minutes, faster than deliver or take out!  It also freezes well so consider making a double batch

Kung Pao Chicken 

As adapted from original Weight Watchers recipe

Serving Size:3/4 cup of chicken mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoon peanuts plus 1/2 cup of rice

1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock

2/3 cup mirin wine 

6 tablespoons hoisin sauce by Wildtree

4 tablespoons reduced sodium, gluten free soy sauce

4 tablespoons non-GMO cornstarch 

4 tablespoons honey 

3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 

1 1/4 pounds chicken breasts, diced 

2 scallions, thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce, to taste

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) can diced water chestnut 

1 1/4 cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts

frozen broccoli, thawed (optional)

thin strips of red bell pepper or hot chili pepper (optional)

rice of your choice, prepared according to package directions

Place stock, sake, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and honey in large measuring cup or bowl and stir to combine. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat. Add 3 teaspoons of sesame oil when hot and then add the chicken (and red peppers if using). Stir fry the chicken for about 5 minutes or until nearly cooked.

Add ginger, garlic, chili sauce, peanuts, water chestnuts and broccoli (optional) and stir to combine. Stir fry for about 1 minute more.

Add the sauce mixture to the skillet, stirring, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through and broccoli (if using) is heated through. Serve over rice and sprinkle with green onions.

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Stuffed Peppadew Peppers with Gorgonzola and Garlic

This is a quick and easy appetizer that gets rave reviews and looks great too!

1 jar of peppadew peppers, drained

1 block of cream cheese, room temperature

1 tablespoon Garlic Galore by Wildtree

1 (4 ounce) container of Gorgonzola crumbles, 1/2 ounce reserved

milk, as needed

parsley, minced for garnish

In a bowl combine all filling ingredients and stir until combined, adding milk as needed to thin. Break down any large chunks, as needed.

Place filling in a large Ziploc bag, seal and squeeze to one corner.  Cut the corner off to create a piping bag.

Pipe filling into peppers and then dip the tops of the peppers in remaining Gorgonzola cheese.  

Place on a serving dish, an olive tray makes for a stunning presentation as they will hold the peppers upright.  

Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Or, insert a cocktail fork as picture here to make it easy for guest to pick up the peppers and pop the tasty morsels right in their mouths!

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Wildtree 4 Cheese Buffalo Dip

I needed to bring an appetizer to a Power Squadron happy hour the other day. I was in the mood for buffalo dip and this is what I came up with.  I think it was well received, the dish came back empty!

You can serve it hot or cold, depending upon what you are craving.  You could also make into a cheese ball but eliminating the mayonnaise and only adding enough yogurt / sour cream to hold the cheeses together and form a ball.

- 1 (6 ounce) container of plain Greek yogurt - 1 (  ounce) container of sour cream, regular or light - 1/2 cup of mayonnaise - 1 package of cream cheese - 2 tablespoons Wildtree Blazin’ Buffalo Dip (or to taste, depending upon how hot you’d like your dip…just add a little at a time and taste often…) - 1-2 tablespoons of Wildtree Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip Mix (optional) - salt and white pepper, to taste

Blend in a medium size mixing bowl with hand mixer or with a wooden spoon.

Then stir in the following… - 1 cup of celery, diced - 2 shallots, minced - 4 ounces of feta cheese crumbles - 4 ounces of Gorgonzola crumbles - 2 cups of Sargento® Artisan Blends® Shredded Wisconsin Sharp White Cheddar Cheese - 9 ounces of precooked chicken breast, cubed

Lastly, sprinkle with 1-2 green onions sliced thin, green parts only.

Optional Baked Version: Pour mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F, or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot or cold with celery sticks, crackers or chips for dipping.

Other Fun Ideas: - Spoon into jalapeno or mini bell pepper halves and bake at 325 F until hot and bubbly for a cool twist on poppers! - Spread on crusty bread and butter the outside to make a delicious grilled cheese!!

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Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Filling and Pecan Praline Frosting

Fall gets me in the mood to bake.  I am not sure why that is but it does.  And since it started to cool down here a bit in steamy Florida (like into the 80s versus the 90s), I got the itch to bake this weekend.I was inspired by a recipe that I found Baked by Rachel’s blog for Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake and a box of Wildtree Banana, Banana Bread Mix. The recipe for the bundt cake was first featured in Southern Living back in September 2011.  

But since I didn’t have any apples on hand but I was still craving a fall spice cake, I opened my pantry door to see how I could improvise.  The box of Banana, Banana Bread spoke to me at that moment.

Why not turn your favorite banana bread recipe into a fall dessert?  You can use Wildtree’s packaged version speed up the process a bit without sacrificing flavor or you can use your favorite make from scratch recipe. Or check out my blog post from January 2014 for my from scratch version of banana bread.

Here is what I came up with for a Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Filling and Praline Frosting and how to do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Make the banana bread according to package directions.  Add 3/4 cup of chopped pecan and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice or Wildtree’s Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend.  Stir to combine.

Then in another small bowl mix together and beat on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk: • 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1 large egg, at room temperature • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or Wildtree’s Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend Spoon a scant 2/3 of the cake batter into a greased bundt pan.  I used a rectangular bundt pan to mimic the appearance of a banana bread loaf. You could also use a round bundt pan.  Don’t use a bread pan as there will not be enough room with the addition of the cream cheese layer. Top evenly with the cream cheese filling, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the pan. Then using a knife run it gently in a zigzag pattern through the batch from one end to the other, once or twice. Top with remaining banana bread batter.

Bake for about 1 hour or until a long tooth pick or knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Cool.  

Then invert the pan to remove from the pan.  Allow to completely cool. Then cover until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, as the bread bakes, prepare the frosting: 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 4 tablespoons half and half or heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup powdered’ sugar 1/4 cup of pecans, chopped plus extra for garnish

Combine the brown sugar, butter and cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat.. Bring to a boil stirring constantly; boil for 1 additional minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until combined and the frosting is smooth. Stir in pecans. Drizzle over cooled cake and garnish with additional pecans.

Enjoy!!

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Raining Day Ribs

I don’t remember the last time we have had a dreary rainy day since we moved to Florida.  Maybe it is because the frequent sunshine fades the memories faster here.  None the less today is one of those rainy days. I know that I often crave comfort foods even on a steamy rainy day has we have here.  100% humidity and 77 degree outside, but inside it is cool and comfortable. Thankfully.

So I decided that tonight I am going to make a favorite recipe that was shared with me many years ago for slow cooked pork ribs.  Not a fan of pork?  You could easily do this same recipe with beef or lamb ribs. These succulent and tender ribs just fall off the bone after basting in their own juices all afternoon.

And the recipe, it doesn't get much easier than this….

For 4-5 pounds of ribs, blend the following ingredients in a small bowl: • 1 teaspoon Wildtree Garlic Galore seasoning blend or other garlic seasoning • 1 teaspoon Wildtree Absolutely Onion seasoning blend or similar • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt • 2 teaspoons of Wildtree’s Lemon Pepper Blend (or according to your taste) • 2 teaspoons Wildtree’s Worcestershire Sauce • 2 tablespoons Wildtree’s Teriyaki Sauce • 2 teaspoons of celery seed (optional)

Place the ribs in a glass or ceramic baking dish and pour marinade over ribs, rubbing to coat evenly.I like to purchase pre-cut ribs as show below for this recipe or cut the ribs apart before slow roasting in the oven so that they are easy to serve when done.  I also just made a half batch of ribs, you can easily adjust the marinade up or down depending upon how many servings you need.Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Place ribs into a preheated 225 F oven and bake all day.  

An hour before serving, brush a little Wildtree Cactus Pete’s Agave BBQ sauce on each rib.  Return to oven and finish baking uncovered.

These ribs can also be made ahead, refrigerated and then just rewarmed in the oven uncovered for an hour or until hot.  Or you could also easily do in a slow cooker following the same process.  They will not get caramelized on top like they do in the oven during the last hour but they will still be delicious. I am added corn on the cob and fresh watermelon to tonight’s menu to make it really feel like barbecue!  I hope you enjoy these rainy day BBQ ribs as much as we will!Come back later for additional pictures of the finished product…. _________________________________________________________

Wondering why I am always talking about Wildtree products? Read on….

As a independent rep for Wildtree, I try to incorporate Wildtree products into my favorite recipes. I do so many because I love their products, or why would I represent them? Wildtree offers the highest quality herbs, spices and culinary blends that are free of preservatives, additives, fillers and promote a healthier lifestyle.  They are also nut free and many of the blends do not contain gluten.  Wildtree’s facilities is also a certified organic.

Who cares?  With increased awareness of food sensitivities preservatives, gluten and nuts are all ingredients that many people are reducing or eliminating from their diet in order to live a healthier life. Wildtree expands our options as a customer to find products that help them accomplish this. We also believe in the value of making cooking a quicker, easier, more healthful project for those who are short on time.

Cooking is my passion and what I do for a living, not everyone has the time, energy or desire to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.And this recipe is a perfect one that features many of my favorite products and show how quickly a health dinner can be put together, left to simmer all day until are ready to enjoy them with your family.

Want to try Wildtree the products which are all natural and have no preservatives or MSG? You can find at my Wildtree store. If not, that it your call and you can feel free to substitute what you have in your pantry instead.

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Green Goddess Meets Parmesan Ranch Dressing

I needed a salad dressing that would go well with pasta night at our house yesterday. BUT, unwilling to head up the store at the last minute just to get anchovy paste to make Caesar dressing.  I hate it when I am missing key ingredients from my pantry!

However, necessity is the mother invention.  So I opened my refrigerator and looked for inspiration.

The fresh basil and parsley that I had on hand along with Parmesan cheese both fit the menu theme. After mulling it over for minute or so, the light bulb eventually went off.  I decided to make my take green goddess meets Parmesan ranch.

It turned out delish!  Salad dressing are so easy to make and so much better for you.  I love it when I know what the ingredients and that they are fresh!

So here is what I threw together in my large measuring cup and in less than 5 minutes, I had a yummy dressing all ready to go!!

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt • 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon of agave • 5-6 basil leaves • 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley • 2 teaspoons Wildtree's Garlic Galore • 2 teaspoons Wildtree's Ranch Dressing Seasoning Blend • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper • 1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard • 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated • 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil • water to thin, as necessary

Blend with your immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use, ideally at least 1 hour or overnight. Add a touch of water and whisk if the dressing is too thin after being refrigerated.

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DIY Shaving Cream with Coconut Oil

ook for a unique gift idea?  Prefer to know what your beauty products are made of? This is a fun DIY project that takes minutes to do and can be decorated for about any season or occasion.

I liked this idea because it allowed me to select all natural products to use in my shaving cream.  I selected ones that had were sulfate free and parabon free for the shampoo and conditioner.

For best results, look for a conditioner and lotion or cream that is very thick.  You will end up with a nice consistency then that is easily applied and not too runny.

This project is also a great way to use up excess shampoo or condition on hand.  I don't know about you but I often use up the shampoo before I use up the conditioner so I always have excess conditioner on hand. And sometimes, well, I have tried a particular shampoo or conditioner out only to find I really don't like what it does to my hair.

I love the addition of coconut as it is great natural moisturizer! It also has a lot of  other beauty benefits so store a container in your bathroom to use as bath oil, eye make up remover and cuticle oil....or one of the many other uses listed below.

Here's the recipe: 1 cup shampoo 1 cup plus a thick conditioner 5 tablespoons coconut oil 5 tablespoons thick hand lotion or cream

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil like rosemary or peppermint.

Whisk to combine in a large pitcher. Then pour into small plastic containers with cover.

You can find inexpensive containers at your dollar store like the ones featured below.  I found the perfect combination for Halloween at Dollar Tree. Two containers for a dollar! Plastic so they won't leave rust marks in the shower, flip top lids for easy access. The recipe will make about 3 small containers full of lotion.  For the shower, I think plastic containers are a better option.  However, you could also use small canning jars for the cream which would definitely make cute gifts but would be breakable in the shower and the lids may rust.

The small spoons were also a Dollar Tree find.  They were in the baby section and are plastic spoons for toddlers.  They came is lots of cute colors and you could get them in packs of 12 for $1!  I used less than two rolls of ribbon for the 6 jars I made.  I made a double batch while I was at it!

I hope you enjoy this non-edible recipe.  I thought it would be fun to share this cute DIY project!

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Slow Cooked Cheesesteak Sandwiches

I often think that people assume that dinner at a chef home at night is a gourmet meal. That is not the reality for me.  After a long day in the kitchen, dinner at home needs to be planned in advance and needs to come together quickly so I can relax and spend time with my family.  My slow cooker is one way that I ensure supper come together with ease when I get home.

I also often like to prepare something that my husband can also enjoy for lunch later in the week.  Cheese steak sandwiches is one such recipe that I will prep the night before and turn on low in the morning and let is slow cook all day while I am at work.

Slow cooker Cheesesteak Sandwiches 2 pounds beef strips, often labeled as for fajitas or stir fries in the grocery salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup beef stock, heated 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, Wildtree preferred 1 tablespoon garlic seasoning blend such as Wildtree Garlic Galore 2 tablespoons roasted garlic or natural grapeseed oil 1 tablespoon Absolutely Onion blend or minced onion 1 large sweet onion, sliced, optional 1 large green pepper, sliced, optional 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms, optional 8 slices Provolone cheese 8 small baguettes, split

Layer 1/2 the onions, green pepper and mushrooms in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Add stock, vinegar, Worcestershire, onion and garlic seasoning blend and beef to your slow cooker. Drizzle with grapeseed oil.  Top with remaining onions, green pepper and mushrooms. Cover your slow cooker and turn on low and cook for 4-6 hours or until beef is tender. 

Top each baguette with 2 slices of cheese.  Top with hot beef mixture. Serve with meat juices on the side, if desired.

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Condensed Cream Soup from Scratch

I grew up in the Midwest, rural Minnesota in a small farming community of Breckenridge.  The Midwest is home of casseroles and hot dishes, the comfort food of the north country.  Although often joked about, the cold winter really do cause you to crave that kind of food. Hot and creamy casseroles held together by can of a creamy condensed soup is standard. Canned soup is a staple of the Minnesota hot dish.

After leaving the frozen tundra for the south in recent years, I still love a good casserole and crave that comfort food on the 2 chilly nights each winter in Florida.

And after becoming a personal chef and gaining more knowledge on the challenges that many family face with food allergies, especially to MSG and preservatives, I wanted to find a healthy alternative in order to kick the can and go homemade. In researching, I stumbled upon a recipe that I thought was a great starting point from from Give Me Some Oven for Homemade Cream of Chicken.  (Thank you for the inspiration Ali!)

From there, I wanted to ensure that all the ingredients would be healthy and natural without MSG or preservatives by using Wildtree, all natural and organic spice blends and bouillon base and make it adaptable to be gluten-free and easily adaptable to make other cream soups with vegetarian options.

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (or Mushroom, Celery or Broccoli)

Make the approximately equivalent of 2 cans of condensed soup but the recipes can easily be doubled. 1 1/2 cups chicken broth prepared as directed using chicken bouillon or vegetable bouillon base from Wildtree 4 tablespoon Wildtree grapeseed oil 3/4 cup whole or 1% milk (organic preferred) 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend 1 teaspoon Wildtree Garlic Galore or other garlic seasoning blend 1 teaspoon Wildtree Absolutely Onion or other onion seasoning blend salt and white pepper, to taste 1/4 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence, Wildtree preferred 1/2 cup finely diced cooked chicken, or 1 cup diced celery or mushrooms sauteed in Wildtree grapeseed oil until tender, or 1 cup chopped frozen broccoli, thawed

Heat grapeseed oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the equivalent amount of flour to the oil and stir until combined.  Cook until flour begins turns to a light caramel color for about 2-3 minutes.

Making the soup base starting with a roux will create more depth of flavor and also prevent it from having a raw flour taste.

Whisk in the chicken broth (prepared from the bouillon mix as directed). Continue whisking until the liquid is fully combined and the mixture is smooth with no lumps.  Then turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the milk and seasonings. Simmer until the soup has thickened, whisking constantly to avoid the soup scorching.  Stir in chicken, celery or mushrooms as desired.

If you prefer a smooth soup with no chunks of chicken or vegetables, use an immersion blender and puree the soup mixture at the very end. You can use the condense soup immediately just as you would your favorite condensed soup in a can.  Or you can save for later in the refrigerator for later in the week.

For my boating friends, this is a great recipe to keep handy on your boat as well when your provisioning supplies run low or instead of taking up room in your galley for canned provisions.

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Wildtree Buffalo Chicken Hand Pies

Love buffalo wings?  Looking for something different to serve at your next party or event?  Try this buffalo chicken hand pies featuring some of my favorite all natural Wildtree products. 

It also makes a great main dish if you use a jumbo muffin tin instead of the regular size.

For a fun presentation, bake hand pies in individual silicon muffin cups.  Place on a platter for your guess to grab their own individual hand pie.

Wildtree Buffalo Chicken Hand Pies

Buffalo Chicken Mixture 3/4 cup Wildtree Wing Sauce. 1/4 teaspoon Wildtree Adobo seasoning blend 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon Wildtree Garlic Galore seasoning blend 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 1 cup freshly shredded white sharp Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons prepared Wildtree ranch dressing 2 tablespoons Gorgonzola crumbles

Batter 1 package of Wildtree Quick and Easy Beer bread mix, prepared according to package directions. Toppings 1/3 cup Gorgonzola crumbles 4 green onions, chopped, green part only 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Using a paper towel or a pastry brush, grease a 12 regular-size muffin cups or a 6 jumbo-size muffin cups with natural or butter-flavored grapeseed oil.

In a bowl or measuring cup, combine Wing Sauce and seasonings and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix chicken, cheese, ranch dressing and Gorgonzola crumbles.  Add 1/2 cup of the  Wing Sauce mixture to the chicken and stir to combine.

Prepare beer bread according to package directions.  

Add generous 1 tablespoon of the batter to each muffin cup.  Top with 1/4 cup of chicken mixture and then another generous tablespoon on top.  (For the jumbo muffin cups, roughly double these ratios. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Insert a toothpick into the muffins to check if they are done.  If the toothpick comes out clean, remove them from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with reserved wing sauce mixture and then top each with cheese crumbles, green onion and cilantro.

Serve warm.

This recipe was inspired by Betty Crocker recipe but has been modified to use Wildtree all natural products.

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Wildtree 5 Minute Blender Salsa

Wildtree 5 Minute Blender Salsa |  A smoky, spicy restaurant-style salsa.

Combine a 14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes, a 14.5 oz can of tomato puree, a 14.5 oz can of fire roasted piquillo peppers (SECRET ingredient) and 1 can of green chilies with Wildtree seasonings: 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning, 2 teaspoons Garlic Galore garlic seasoning blend, 1/2 cup Fiesta salsa seasoning blend. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir a minced jalapeno or two for extra kick...

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Wildtree Buffalo Ranch Dip

Wildtree Buffalo Ranch Dip | A party perfect alternative to those store-bought dips.

Add 1 package of Wildtree ranch dressing blend, 7 ounces of plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of mayo (organic), 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Wildtree Wing Sauce and 1/2 cup of Gorgonzola cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Serve with veggies or crackers or drizzle on a salad.

For a fun spring or summer presentation, plant a few baby carrots in a flower pot lined with tin-foil along side carrot chips arranged in the shape of a carrot topped with parsley for the greens.