Strawberry Truffle Pie

Written on May 24, 2013 at 8:00 am , by Naomi Robinson

Let’s talk pie. One bite and you will see why this is called a Strawberry Truffle Pie. The chocolate is rich and smooth, a perfect background to the seasons perfectly ripened strawberries. And as you can see the only tweak I made to there recipe was to add some whipped cream—moderation and I have yet to meet, so I figured why not.

Of course if strawberries are not in season for your area, this pie is highly adaptable and will work with most fruit. That’s the thing with pies, they’re pretty fluid and can be paired well with almost any flavor, same thing with chocolate. So have fun mix, match and pair to your preference.  Read more

ingredient obsession: mint pesto crostini

Written on May 23, 2013 at 8:00 am , by Erin Gleeson

Hello! Erin from The Forest Feast here, with an easy appetizer idea. I have oodles of mint in my garden right now, so I whipped up some Mint Pesto inspired by this BHG Homemade Pesto recipe. I used mint instead of basil for a fresh spring taste, and pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds) instead of pine nuts because they are nutrient rich and much less expensive. This mint pesto is also great on pasta!

Better Cook: How To Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

Written on May 22, 2013 at 8:30 am , by Kristin Porter

One of the meals I remember eating often growing up was my Mom’s egg salad sandwiches. There’d always be a big tub of egg salad in the fridge which she’d scoop onto two pieces of toasted white bread before cutting in half and serving with a cold glass of milk. The hot, crispy toast was divine with the cold, creamy egg salad.

To help her out I’d often peel the hard-boiled eggs for the salad, which came out perfect every time. In place of an overly hard yolk ringed with green, were bright and creamy yolks that seemed to melt in your mouth.

Since May is National Egg Month I thought I’d teach you her no-fail way to make perfect hard-boiled eggs, every time!

Start with fresh eggs, which make for the tastiest hard boiled eggs, naturally! Place the eggs in a saucepan then cover with cold water by 1″. Place the saucepan over high heat then bring to a boil.

Immediately place a lid on top of the saucepan then remove it from the heat. Set a timer for 12 minutes (9 for medium eggs, or 15 for extra-large eggs) then drain and rinse under cold water.

Eggs are the easiest to peel when they’re still slightly warm, so tap the egg against a flat surface then roll until the center is cracked all the way around. Gently peel back the shell then, voila! You’ve got hard-boiled eggs! Use right away or stash in the fridge to be used later that day.

I incorporated my latest batch of hard boiled eggs in BHG’s Tomato Egg Salad.

This light, low-carb salad is perfect for this time of year when it’s just starting to get hot out, and you’re craving something light and fresh for either lunch or dinner.

Start by chopping 3 hard boiled eggs, then combining with 1/3 seeded chopped cucumber, and 1/4 cup minced red onion in a medium-sized bowl.

The recipe calls for 1/3 cup mayonnaise to be added next, which I substituted with plain Greek yogurt to save on fat and calories, and loved. Finally add 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. FYI: I’d knock the salt down by about half next time!

Mix the egg salad together then scoop into hallowed out tomatoes.

Slice, and enjoy!

Click here for the Tomato Egg Salad Recipe >

(Note: I substituted plain Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise, and would only use 1/4 teaspoon salt next time.) 

Guest Blogger: What’s Gaby Cooking

Written on May 21, 2013 at 8:30 am , by BHG Guest Blogger

Hi Guys! I’m Gaby from What’s Gaby Cooking and I’m so excited to be posting over here on the BHG blog Delish Dish today! Better Homes and Gardens has been my go-to magazine for years now. I can remember paging through the issues as a kid when my mom subscribed so I’m jazzed to be here myself.

I’m a food writer/recipe developer living in LA and I just came out with my first cookbook devoted to my all time favorite food, the avocado! Yup, that’s right. It’s 80+ recipes all about avocado. It’s loaded with everything from breakfast to dessert (avocado chocolate chip cookies – heck yes!) and everything in between.

One of my favorite recipes is the charred corn guacamole! You’ll find it in the June issue of BHG too but I wanted to give you guys a little more info over here on the blog.

Charred corn guacamole came about one day after my husband and I literally spent an afternoon grilling everything in our fridge. I had a ton of corn on the cob from the farmers market so we threw it onto the grill and were then left with a ton of charred corn. The only sensible thing to do was to cut it off the cob and toss it into my all time favorite appetizer… guacamole!

So while it came to be as a happy accident, it’s basically become one of our favorite things to serve in the summer months. Especially because the charred corn gives the guac a nice burst of texture and color!

Charred Corn Guacamole

Ingredients

• 2 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
• 2 teaspsoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Haas avocados
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Prepare a gas, charcoal, or indoor grill.

2. Brush the cleaned ears of corn with the olive oil and transfer directly to the grill. Let the corn start to blister for a few minutes on each side, rotating accordingly until all sides of the corn are slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the grill and let cool.

3. Cut the kernels off the cobs by laying each cob flat on a cutting board and using a sharp knife to remove the kernels.

4. Cut each avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit from the avocado and discard. Remove the avocado from the skin, and place the avocado flesh in the bowl.

5. Add the scallions, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper

Serve this up with a big bowl of chips and a gorgeous margarita or two for you and your guests and call it a party!

Also, be sure to snag some super gorgeous avocados from your market. You’ll want to look for avocados that are a dark green color and have just a slight bit of give! Don’t buy anything that’s too mushy as that’s a sign of it being over-ripe.

For more avocado recipes like this, check out Absolutely Avocados or Gaby’s blog.

Cherry-Almond Vanilla Mini Cupcakes

Written on May 20, 2013 at 8:30 am , by Lauren Brennan

Sometimes you just need a sweet treat! My four year old caught me browsing bhg.com for dessert recipes and one look that these Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes and she was a goner! At that point, I knew I had these in my future so I made an afternoon of it! I baked these up with my daughter and turned them into mini cupcakes. We actually made these to eat as part of a little tea party! Since the weather in my neck of the woods is gorgeous, I thought it only fitting to eat these out in the garden.

Whether you’re a Mom with a little girl you’re trying to please or just have a big sweet tooth, these cupcakes will not disappoint! Cute, sweet and really easy to make! Here’s how you do it:

Cream some butter and sugar together, and then add in some vanilla extract,

almond extract,

and egg whites. You use only the whites because stirring in the yolk would discolor the batter.

Once that’s all stirred in, alternate adding in your dry ingredients {flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt} with your wet ingredients {buttermilk, maraschino cherry juice} until you have a smooth light pink batter.

Spoon this into prepared mini muffin tins and bake!

These were done in my convection oven after 12 minutes.

While the cakes are cooling, whip some butter, powdered sugar, maraschino cherry juice, almond extract and milk together to create your frosting. Spread or pipe this onto your mini cupcakes and top with a cherry!

How cute are these little guys? Almost too cute to eat…almost!

If you’d like to make these, be sure to print the recipe here. Your friends and family will thank you!

Patriotic White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Written on May 17, 2013 at 8:00 am , by Michael Wurm, Jr.

Memorial Day is on the horizon, and it’s not too early to start planning what you’ll make for friends and family. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m usually the person who volunteers to bring the dessert. It’s my thing. A few years ago I discovered BHG’s recipe for White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies. Being red and white, they were perfect for the holiday season so I decided to bake a batch.- I’m always on the hunt for new cookie recipes and I struck gold with this one.

My family adores these cookies and so do I. They have become a new holiday favorite. The cherry and white chocolate combination is a classic flavor pairing. It’s sweet, fruity, and rich. It also has a weird way of instantly reminding me of the holidays, family, and good times.

I realize that some recipes are special because you make them only once a year. However, since my family is always begging me to bake these cookies, I wanted a way to change them up a little for another holiday.

I was in the grocery store the other day when inspiration struck! I stumbled upon these adorable red, white, and blue sprinkles and thought they would be perfect. I also picked up a bottle of blue sugar crystals. Adding just a touch of the red. white, and blue would instantly make these a festive dessert for Memorial Day, Independence Day, or summer in general.

I bought a few other ingredients, mostly pantry staples, and headed home to bake.

Needless to say, the results are adorable! I couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures and teasing my family over Instagram. They were so happy to see that they won’t have to wait another six months for one of their favorite treats!

So tell me, what traditionally seasonal items do you serve all year long? What’s your favorite dish served on Memorial Day?

Get the recipe for these White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies here.

Cheers,

Michael Wurm, Jr. – Inspired by Charm