Recipe: Blue Corn Pancakes with Vanilla Crema & Raspberry Sauce

Recipe: Blue Corn Pancakes with Vanilla Crema & Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients

Blue Corn Pancakes
1 ½ cups fine-ground blue cornmeal
1 ½ cups boiling water
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 ½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
¾ tsp baking soda
4 large eggs, beaten
¾ cup whole milk (or unsweetened coconut milk)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted (let cool a bit) plus more for the griddle
Vanilla Crema
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Mexican crema, sour cream, or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Berry Sauce
2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup granulated sugar, taste

Directions

Combine the blue cornmeal with the boiling water and maple syrup. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Add the egg mixture and the cornmeal to the flour mixture. Whisk until just combined (there will be some lumps in the batter.)

Melt a pat of butter in a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place 1/3 cup portions of batter onto the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the tops of the pancakes and the sides look cooked, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Continue until the batter is used up. Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200˚F oven up to 30 minutes. Serve the pancakes with the vanilla cream and raspberry sauce.

Vanilla Crema

Place ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix on low speed until the cream starts to thicken then increase speed to medium and whip until soft peaks form 2-3 minutes.

Berry Sauce

Place the berries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes and mix with a wooden spoon, the berries will start to release their juices. Add some water to the sauce if needed.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Ultimate Campfire Skillet S’mores

Recipe: Ultimate Campfire Skillet S’mores

Ingredients

11 oz (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
11 oz (1 bag) butterscotch chips
7 oz shredded, sweetened coconut
cup half and half
10 oz (1 bag) marshmallows
graham crackers for serving

Directions

Over the Campfire

Set a metal rack a few inches over your campfire. Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet with foil and melt the butter. Evenly layer in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut. Drizzle in the half and half. Top with a generous layer of marshmallows. Tent with another piece of foil and cook for 6-10 minutes until the marshmallows are gooey. Remove skillet from the flame. Using a propane torch, brown the marshmallows to your liking. Serve with graham crackers.

Over the Grill

Preheat the grill to medium high and follow the directions above.

Baked in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Place the butter in a 10″ cast iron skillet. Melt the butter in the oven. Remove the skillet from the oven. Evenly layer in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut. Drizzle in the half and half. Top with a generous layer of marshmallows. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Campfire Loaded Veggie Nachos

Recipe: Campfire Loaded Veggie Nachos

Ingredients

1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 10 ounce can Rotel, drained
½ large red onion, diced & divided
1 2 ounce can sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp Tajín Clásico mexican spice blend
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp cumin
1 16 ounce bag tortilla chips
1 8 ounce package shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 ripe avocado
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
lime slices
sliced jalapeños

Directions

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet with foil.
Combine the corn, beans, 1/2 of the onions, Rotel, olives, Tajín Clásico, pepper and cumin in a large bowl.

Place 1/2 of the chips in the skillet, top with 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the corn mixture. Repeat with another layer of chips, corn mixture and cheese.

Campfire or Grilled Nachos

If you are heating over the campfire; tent with foil and grill until the cheese melts 8-10 minutes. Remove from the fire, carefully remove foil. Top with avocado, the rest of the onions, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeños and drizzle Chipotle Cream Sauce.
If using the grill, heat over medium high heat and follow the rest of the directions. Serve immediately.

Baked Nachos

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with rack in the middle. Place the skillet in the oven, tent with foil and bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, carefully remove foil. Top with avocado, the rest of the onions, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeños and drizzle Chipotle Cream Sauce. Serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Grilled Brie with Tomatoes and Basil

Recipe: Grilled Brie with Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

2 wedges brie cheese, or 1 large round
1 pt grape tomatoes, quartered or 1 pound ripe tomatoes diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¾ tsp salt and more to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped basil ribbons, chiffonade
1 loaf sliced rustic baguette or pita chips
balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan for topping

Directions

Tomato Basil Salad

Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt pepper and basil in a large bowl.

Grilled Brie

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Grill over a campfire or hot grill for 15-20 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Baked Brie

This is easy to make in your kitchen too! Simply preheat oven to 375˚F with the rack in the middle.

Line a 10 inch cast iron skillet or griddle with foil (this makes for an easier clean up.) Place the brie in the center of the skillet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the brie softens and bubbles.

Serving

Top the melted brie with the tomato basil mixture. Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and shaved parmesan. Serve with baguette.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Recipe: Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked to package directions
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 large English hothouse cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
½ chopped red onion
1 pt cherry tomatoes, quartered
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 (15 ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
cup chopped Italian parsley
½ cup chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook quinoa to package directions with the 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl, fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.

Dressing: Whisk lemon juice and garlic powder in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Toss the cooled quinoa with the dressing veggies, chickpeas, feta, mint and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Skillet Brown Sugar Blueberry Cobbler

Recipe: Skillet Brown Sugar Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
1 cup + 1 tbsp light brown sugar
juice from 1 lemon
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries
Serve with
freshly whipped cream
vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ Fahrenheit with the rack in the middle. Melt the butter in the oven in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Remove from the oven when it’s melted.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl: the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl combine the milk, vanilla, lemon juice and 1 cup of the brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth. Toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Pour the batter into the buttered skillet. Top with the blueberries.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients

12 oz Cavatappi, macaroni or bow tie pastacook to package directions, rinse in cold water when done
1 (8.4 oz) pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 (8 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil, no need to drain the oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley
5 oz shaved parmesan cheese
Champagne Vinaigrette
cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Champagne vinegar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch granulated sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook pasta to package directions. Drain and toss with cold water. Set aside.

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.

Toss everything together in a very large serving bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Mason Jar Ice Cream (No-Churn!)

Recipe: Mason Jar Ice Cream (No-Churn!)

Ingredients

Base Ingredients (Vanilla Ice Cream)
½ cup chilled heavy cream
2 tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 salt
Chocolate
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Maple Walnut (Omit Granulated Sugar)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
¼ cup chopped walnuts
S’mores
¼ cup chopped chocolate, crushed graham crackers, mini marshmallows
Mint Chip
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ tsp peppermint extract
Strawberry (or any fruit)
¼ cup chopped fresh strawberries
More Mix-Ins
nutella, caramel, dulce de leche, m&m’s, fruit jam, peanut butter, instant coffee, etc.

Directions

Pour all of the ingredients for the flavor you want into a clean pint-sized (8 ounce) mason jar. Shake for 3 minutes. Freeze for at least 3 hours. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Orange Basil Margaritas

Recipe: Orange Basil Margaritas

Ingredients

1 Navel orange, juiced
1 fl oz silver or anejo tequila
½ fl oz Cointreau (orange liquor)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
a few sprigs fresh basil leaves
salt to rim glass if desired

Directions

If you are rimming your highball glass with salt do this now. Fill the glass 1/2 way with ice.

Rub the basil leaves in clean hands to release the fragrance. Place in a cocktail shaker. Add the orange juice, tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. Muddle together with the back of a spoon.

Fill the cocktail shaker 1/2 way with ice. Shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass. Add more ice if needed. Garnish with orange slices and a basil leaf.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Campfire Skillet S’mores Dip

Recipe: Campfire Skillet S’mores Dip

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
20 oz chocolate bars broken into pieces or chocolate chips, milk, semi sweet or a combo
cup heavy cream
10 oz (1 bag) large marshmallows
graham crackers for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Place the butter in a 10″ cast iron skillet. Melt the butter in the oven. Remove the skillet from the oven.

Place the chocolate into the skillet. Drizzle the cream over the top. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

Remove the skillet from the oven and serve hot with the graham crackers for dipping. *be careful around the hot skillet

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts

Recipe: Homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts

Ingredients

Pastry Dough
3 ¼ cups AP unbleached flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp Kosher salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
8 oz unsalted butter
½ cup corn syrup
Fruit Filling
850 g fresh, frozen, chunks, sliced fruit
cup (75 g) light brown sugar or granulated sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
1 pinch Kosher salt
2 tbsp (25 g) cornstarch
Egg Wash
1 large egg
2 tsp water
Glaze / Royal Icing
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
34 tbsp milk
tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp any extract flavor (vanilla, lemon, orange, etc)
of color if desired

Directions

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the sifted dry ingredients. Add the butter and mix until it combines with the dry ingredients. Add the corn syrup and mix until a ball is formed. Let the dough rest for 2 hours in a cool place.

Make the filling while the dough rests. In a saucepot, bring the fruit to a boil. Combine the dry ingredients. Once the fruit has released its juices and has come to a boil, add the dry ingredients. While whisking, bring the mixture to a boil and hold at a boil for 3 minutes. Let cool.

Roll the dough onto a floured surface until it is 3 mm thick. Cut the rolled dough in half. Cut one half of the dough into the 3 x 5 inch rectangles. Cut the second half of the dough into 3¼ inch x 5¼ inch rectangles – these slightly larger rectangles will be the top of the pop tarts. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bottom pop tart dough rectangles on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. With a pastry brush, paint the egg wash around the outside edge of the dough. Put the cooled pop tart filling inside of the egg wash rectangle. Add the larger rectangle dough on top of the filling. On one side of the rectangle, press the two pieces of the dough together, fastening them with a fork. Brush the top of the pop tart with egg wash.

Combine the egg and water with a fork or a whisk.

Bake until a light golden brown 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Using a spoon, knife, brush, palette knife or hands, spread or dip the cooled pop tart. Let dry and enjoy.

~ Marla Meridith

Recipe: Boozy Frozen Lemonade

Recipe: Boozy Frozen Lemonade

Ingredients

½ cup tequila, vodka, gin or your favorite spirit
4 cups ice
lemon zest for topping

Directions

Combine the lemon simple syrup, liqueur and ice in a blender. Blend on the “smoothie” setting or until smooth.

Top with fresh lemon zest and serve immediately.

~ Marla Meridith