Finicky...

I was a pretty picky eater as a kid. Who am I kidding, I was a VERY picky eater. I'm not sure what started it, but I've managed to get over that in my adult life and now live by "I'll try anything once". Pickled eggs and beets were one of the biggies that I said "NO WAY!" to as a kid. Sadly, I now know what I was missing. This recipe is a little spicier than traditional pickled eggs and beets making it perfect for the Holiday season!

Holiday Spiced Pickled Eggs and Beets

2 1/2 cups sliced canned beets, juice reserved

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

3 whole cloves

3 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cinnamon stick

1 sliced small white onion

1 dozen hard boiled eggs peeled

Place the beets in a bowl and set aside

In saucepan, combine vinegar, and the reserved beet juice and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients (except for the beets and eggs) and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and boil for 5-7 minutes until the onions are softened.

Remove from heat and let mixture set for 10 minutes uncovered.

Pour mixture over the beets and toss.

Place mixture in large container and add the eggs. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 2 days (the longer the better). Serve the beets and eggs cold.

Good luck with marinating the eggs & beets for any length of time--IF you have a husband anything like mine. He can't wait for them to finish and he's usually eating them within a few hours. ;-) Enjoy!

For the garlic lovers out there...

My husband and I are from the "you can never have too much garlic on something" mind frame. We love it. We also love Brie cheese. This recipe is the perfect marriage of both of our favorites.

Baked Garlic, Brie and Baguette with Peppers

2 sweet bell peppers (you can use red, green, yellow, or orange)

1 small wheel of brie cheese

2 bulbs of garlic

1 baguette sliced (or sliced Italian bread if you prefer)

olive oil

butter

Heat oven to 375

Peel off as much of the papery skin on the garlic bulbs as possible, exposing as many of the cloves as you can, then slice off about 1/4 inch of the pointed ends of the bulbs

Place the bulbs in a garlic baker, or place inside aluminum foil packet. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil onto the tops of the bulbs. Seal the packet or cover the baker and place in oven for 1 hour.

Clean the seeds from peppers and remove the tops. Slice the peppers into very thin strips. (approx 1/4 inch in width) Set aside until Garlic has baked for 1/2 hour.

Unwrap brie and gently coat in olive oil using a basting brush. Wrap brie in foil and place in oven to bake for the last half hour that the garlic is baking.

Melt about 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add peppers. Saute on low to medium low heat until the peppers are cooked through and soft.

After the garlic is done baking, carefully squeeze the cloves from the papery skin and toss the cloves in with the peppers for a few minutes. Be careful, they will be HOT!!

Remove peppers and garlic from heat. Place softened brie on a serving plate and arrange the bread around it. Place garlic and peppers in a bowl and serve next to the cheese and bread.

Slice into the brie and spread some of the cheese on a slice of the bread. Top with garlic and/or peppers and enjoy!

This recipe can be used for two to four people as an appetizer, or an an hors d'ourve for several people.

First Post!

Well, I finally got this up and running. This first recipe I'm going to post was inspired by my friend and co-worker Beth. She left a recipe in the printer yesterday and after I saw it, I immediately thought that I had to try it, but with a few "alterations". My husband, the ever-so-willing guinea pig volunteered to eat the first quesadilla, and had 2 more after that!

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

(serves 4)

8 medium sized flour tortillas

3 boneless chicken breasts (about 2 cups cooked)

1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot

Stick of butter

2 cups Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

8 oz. brick of Cream Cheese (may use low fat, fat-free, or American Nuefchatel)

1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese (may add more to personal taste)

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese and bleu cheese. Mix together well with hand mixer. Depending on taste you may want to add another 1/4 cup.

Dice Chicken breast, and cook in skillet with 2 tbsp butter until cooked through, all juices are cooked off, and chicken starts to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In small saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter. Add the Red-hot and stir together. Remove from heat and add to chicken.

Take 1 tortilla, and spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture to about 1" from the edge.

Place about 1/2 cup chicken on center of the tortilla, spreading out but not going past the cream cheese spread. (if the chicken doesn't spread that far, its ok).

Cover the chicken mixture with 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

In skillet, melt a pat of butter over medium low heat and coat skillet.

Place the tortilla in the skillet chicken side up

On another tortilla, spread another thin layer of the cream cheese mixture, and place cheese side down on top of the chicken.

Heat about 1 minute, checking until tortilla starts to brown and crisp, then the flip tortilla to other side.

After both sides are slightly browned and starting to crisp, remove from skillet and place on plate. Cut into quarters.

This version makes 4 full sized quesadillas.

****Cooking Alternative****

Instead of using 2 tortillas, you may use one and follow same recipe, but use 1/4 cup Chicken, 1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, and fold the tortilla over "taco style" to brown in skillet. Cut in half to serve.

These are so yummy! Just enough heat to taste, not enough to upset your tummy or burn your mouth. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!