I love a good classic cookie just like the next person. ESPECIALLY around Christmas time. However, sometimes classics need to be spiced up just a little bit. Anyone else with me?
On this episode of Blaire adding Maldon flaked sea salt to anything and everything, we’re revamping the classic peanut butter blossom cookie.
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You’ve been tasked with making dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas (or let’s be honest, for any other get together…), and you want to please everyone. Grandma likes pumpkin pie, but your Dad would kill you if you didn’t have apple pie out on the dessert table. And you secretly loveee pecan pie. What do you do? Make these Ultimate Holiday Pie bars. That’s what you do.
This 3-in-1 pie bar that includes cinnamon apples, crunch and richness from pecans and notes of pumpkin all in one bite is bound to be a staple at your dessert table this holiday season. All of this deliciousness sits on top of a fool-proof cinnamon shortbread.
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There are just some classics that should always be on the menu around the holidays. For me, it’s pigs in a blanket.
However, just because they’re classics, doesn’t mean we can’t amp up the flavor in them. Enter: The Party Pigs….
Even though it hit 90 degrees last week in DC, I am still hopping on the pumpkin train in the kitchen hoping that sends some signals to mother nature to cool it off a bit. Should work, right?
If not, I still end of with a kitchen full of baked goods, so I’ll call that a win.
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Every year, I look forward to Christmas Eve dinner for one reason, and one reason only (whelp, besides my family’s competitive game of left right center). My Aunt LJ makes THE best bread that she serves with dinner, which was the inspo behind these ham and swiss pinwheels.
The secret ingredient? Spice Island’s Beau Monde seasoning. Which, by the way, Aunt LJ was so kind to include in my Christmas stocking this year. Anddd not gonna lie, getting my hands on her secret ingredient might have been one of the best Christmas gifts. Ever.
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Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or an easy winning dish for your next Summer BBQ, this Summer Scallop Salad will not disappoint.
This is my kind of meal. Minimal time spent cooking over a (hot) stove means more time spent enjoying other simple pleasures that come with summer, like sipping on this red sangria, amiright???
Oh and another selling point on this recipe? Everything can be purchased at Trader Joe’s. No need to go to different grocery stores looking for specialty ingredients.
The burrata adds the BEST richness (but obviously can be supplemented with more avocado if dairy ain’t your thing). The corn contributes the perfect sweetness (especially if you’re using sweet Jersey corn). The basil brings a wonderful freshness. And the addition of lemon juice and balsamic at the end brings it all together. BOOM.
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Prep Time: 5-8 minutes Cook Time: 7 minutes Total Time: 12-15 minutes
Yield: 3-4 as a main dish; 6-8 as a side
Category: Seafood salad
Cuisine: AmericanLight, fresh, and easy. The perfect combo for a quick lunch or even a last minute side for a Summer BBQ!
Julienne the basil (i.e. stack the leaves on top of one another, roll up tightly into a log shape, and slice down the “log” to make thin ribbons of basil), dice the onion, and cube the tomatoes. Set aside.
With a sharp knife, stand one ear of corn upright, holding the top firmly. Run your knife down the corn from top to bottom, rotating the corn and cutting again once you’ve hit the bottom. Repeat on second ear of corn. ***Note, no need to cook the corn – we are using it raw***
Over medium heat, toss the tomatoes in 1 TBSP olive oil with the 1 TBSP garlic, salt and pepper. Move the tomatoes around in the pan (I used a cast iron skillet) every couple minutes until blistered, about 7 minutes. Set aside.
In the same pan, crank the heat up to high, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/3 of the scallops to the pan and cook until golden (these cook quickly so keep an eye on them). Ensure to get all sides golden (i.e. toss the scallops around once one side is done). Repeat until all batches are done (you might need to add more garlic along the way).
***THE KEY HERE IS SMALL BATCHES*** – you do not want to overcrowd the pan. This will ruin the crust you want to get on the scallops.
Toss the tomatoes, onion, avocado, basil, and scallops in a bowl with 1 TBSP olive oil, 1 TBSP balsamic, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add in chunks of burrata and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
BEST SERVED WARM OR AT ROOM TEMP, BUT ALSO WORKS AS A COLD SALAD AS WELL!
Keywords: scallop
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Not going to lie, sharing this samoa cookie inspired banana bundt cake might be one of my proudest baking moments yet.
It has all the components of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Girl Scout Cookie – THE SAMOA – aka it is filled with chocolate, caramel and toasty coconut flakes. YUM.
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