Tasty Tuesdays: Nectarine, Basil, and Jalapeño Salsa

I have mentioned the Hollygrove Market and Farm a few times, but I seriously cannot say how much I love this amazing New Orleans community.  One of my favorite parts of the week is checking their website to see "What's in the Box?" for that week.  Sometimes I run out of ideas for creating new dishes, but when I read their list of locally grown produce, I find myself desiring to try to things and new flavor combinations.  

Yesterday, when we stopped in to get our box which included, pecans, okra, creole tomatoes, shitake mushrooms, apples, arugula, and fresh herbs.  They also had some beautifully ripe nectarines.  I grab a handful and added them to my box.  

I originally planned to snack on them at work, but remembering how messy that can get, I thought I might search around for some other uses for them.  That is when I ran across an amazing looking recipe for a Nectarine Basil Salsa.  In its ingredients list were most of the things I had picked up from the market and a few I had left over from the week before. 

We chose to serve the salsa over grilled chicken and mixed greens.  It was a perfectly delicious and flavorful meal!!

Nectarine, Basil, and Jalapeño Salsa

as Adapted by me from Pinch of Yum

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ripe, juicy nectarines

• 2½ tablespoons very finely diced red onion

• 1½ teaspoons minced jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

• 8 fresh basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Dice the nectarines into cubes.

Stir in jalapeno and red onions until well mixed.

Add lemon juice and sugar.

Cut 6 large basil leaves into thin ribbons and add to mixture.

Refrigerate for thirty minutes.

This salsa would pair well with chicken, pork, or fish. 

I strained the salsa over a fine mesh sieve.  To the juice, I added a dash of champagne vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil.  It made a delicious, bright, and slightly vinaigrette that we used to top the salad greens.

This was one of the best meals we have made in a long time.  It helped me conquer my fear of cooking with jalapeños!!  I hope you can find some perfectly ripe nectarines and give this a try.

Tasty Tuesdays - Weight Watchers Cookies and Cream Milkshake

I have the sweetest sweet tooth in the world.  That makes dieting a little tricky.  I am always looking for low-cal/full flavor ways to satisfy my sweet tooth.  Pinterest can be a wonderful resource when you need a recipe idea that meets these criteria.  I have made "frozen banana" ice cream which is AMAZING!!!  I am going to try making dried strawberries this weekend.  I am also highly excited about a weight watcher recipe I found on Pinterest for a Cookies and Cream Milkshake.  I LOVE cookies and cream ice cream, and the closet thing I can find to it that's diet friendly is Skinny Cow bars.  I thought this milkshake would "shake up" our light and tasty sweet treat recipe list.  

For you point counters, 3/4 cup is 4 points!  Not too bad!!

Cookies and Cream Milkshakes

2 cup(s) fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt 1/2 cup skim milk 1/8 tsp mint extract (optional) 4 OreosPlace yogurt, milk and mint extract in a blender; blend until smooth and creamy. Add cookies; blend for a few seconds until combined. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.

Tasty Tuesdays: Lightened Up BLT Pasta

Last week, I had one of my Delta Gamma advisees over for dinner to discuss our plans for the 2012 new member season.  I wanted to serve her something warm and inviting and perfectly home cooked.  I remember missing home cooked food so much in college.  However, I needed to keep my weight watchers goals in mind.  I went back and forth on what to make before settling on a BLT pasta and a big salad.  Weight watchers and BLT pasta, you're asking!  Why, yes.  It's possible.  Below is the original recipe with my changes in parenthesis...

• 12 slices of bacon, divided (six slices of lean center cut bacon - Whole Foods butchers can help you get the leanest slices available)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 12 oz uncooked linguine pasta (I used whole wheat bowtie pasta)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped (I used basil from my dad's garden)
• 4 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
• Halved grape tomatoes (1 pint)

Slice the bacon cross wise into strips.  Cook in a large skillet with high sides for 8-9 minutes, or until crisp.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Drain skillet, leaving 1 tbsp of bacon drippings in the skillet.

Place broth and diced tomatoes in a large bowl.  Microwave, covered, on high for 6-8 minutes or until hot.  Return skillet to heat and add onion and red pepper flakes.  Saute for 2-3 minutes or until tender.  Add garlic and cook for 10-20 seconds.  Add broth mixture, pasta, salt and half of the cooked bacon.  Simmer covered for 9-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked by still firm.  Stir occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat and add cubed cream cheese, grape tomatoes and parsley, reserving 1 tbsp of parsley for garnish.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened.  Serve with remaining bacon, grated Parmesan cheese and reserved parsley.

Tasty Tuesdays: Lightened Up Taco Pasta

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Plain Chicken

With tax season behind us, I have time at night to make dinner for Mark and me again.  I attempted to start up on Weight Watchers a few weeks ago, and I had a great first week, and then I stopped making it a priority and saw my results worsen.  So I have decided that I am going to start over with a clean slate. 

First things first, I needed to gather some new and interesting recipes that I could make that are light or can be lightened up.  One I am really looking forward to this week is a cinnamon spiced pork loin with an apple salsa.  I think we'll be having that this weekend, so hopefully I'll have another "cooking light" inspired dish to share with you next Tuesday.

For this week, I thought I'd tell you all about the fantastic meal we had last night.  Who would have thought that Taco Pasta would be good for you and flavorful all at the same time.  Well with a few easy adjustments to the recipe below, we were able to put together a tasty meal in just minutes.

Taco Pasta

1 pound ground beef (we used 0.75 lb of 97%, 3% lean ground beef)

8 ounce small dry pasta shapes (we used whole wheat shells)

1 small onion, chopped (I used a medium onion to add the bulk that I took away by cutting back on the amount of meat originally called for)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup salsa

1 packet taco seasoning

3 ounce cream cheese (we used 1/3 less fat)

1/2 cup sour cream (we used light)

Salt and pepper

Shredded Cheese for topping (we used 2% shredded cheddar)

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Once the meat is cooked through, drain off the excess fat and mix in the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the salsa and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheese and more sour cream and salsa if desired.

This was DELICIOUS!!!  Mark was in heaven.  You had no idea that it had been lightened up in any way!

Tasty Tuesday - Champagne Cupcakes

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Gimme Some Oven

I am fairly certain that the phase "the calm before the storm" was not coined by a meteorologist or a boatsman used when describing the weather.  No.  I think it was how a tax accountant described the morning of April 15th (or in our case the 17th).  It is eerily quiet in the office early this am.  Many of my coworkers were literally burning the midnight oil, so I think they might be slow to rise this morning.  The thing about the deadline day is that the silence is what is scariest.  We are so used to phones ringing and Outlook notifications chiming that we don't know what to do with silence other than worry about what the day will bring.  Because there is one thing that is certain, it won't be quiet for long.  And that's when the storm comes.  Soon it will be raining emails and faxes and phone messages.  For now, I will enjoy the peace and the calm that can be found on the morning of a good storm.

After all is said and done today, we will get together as a firm and toast to another tax season behind us.  Pop the bubbly!!!!  Whether it's for drinking or cooking, I sure do love me some champagne!  This cupcake recipe looked to good not to share!

Champagne Cupcakes with Sweet Champagne Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

Champagne Cupcake Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup champagne (the sweeter the better – even strawberry would be great!!)

6 egg whites

Sweet Champagne Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

Method:

To Make The Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a cupcake pan with liners. (This recipe yielded about 20 for me.)

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.

In another large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

To Make The Frosting:

With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes. Add vanilla and champagne, beating on medium for another minute.

(**I had to nearly double this recipe to have enough to frost all of the cupcakes as pictured above. If you’re doing a “flatter” frosting style, this recipe should be enough to cover all of the cupcakes!**)

Hope tax season brought you a refund that you will spend unwisely!

Eeek!! Big Blog News! Spread the Word!

Tomorrow, this Nola Girl will feature another Nola Girl's, Amanda LeBlanc from The Style Network's The Amandas, success story.  I will be chatting with Amanda this afternoon, and  I can't wait to hear more about her career and her new hit tv show (and, of course, her experience working with Atlanta Housewife, Nene Leakes).  And Lord knows I could use some organizational tips too!!  You should see my closet right now...  Clutter, clutter everywhere!

I must say, I am so inspired by young women who have followed their dreams and experienced success like Amanda.  It is never by accident.  It is always through hard work, determination, creativity, leadership, and vision.  Sometimes on extra hard days, when I need a little boost, I see success stories like hers as a reminder that my professional dreams can come true too!

It wouldn't be Tuesday without a recipe.  Here's one that I'm going to make this Friday to bring to work on Saturday.  Easter is often lost on CPAs, so I thought I'd bring a little Easter cheer with me to the office.  These birds nests are just too cute.  And who could resist the combination of peanut butter and chocolate covered chow mein noodles?!?!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NESTS

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (12 oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips

2 (5 oz.) cans chow mein noodles

3/4 c. peanuts

Chocolate Eggs

Melt chocolate and peanut butter chips in a heavy saucepan over low heat and quickly stir in noodles and peanuts to coat evenly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Top with three eggs.  Refrigerate. Makes 30.

Trying to get organized?  What you like to learn from Amanda? 

Tasty Tuesdays - Garden Party Cocktails

My sister's birthday was on Saturday, and we celebrated with a garden party at her house on Sunday.  She has the loveliest backyard that includes both a vegetable and an herb garden.  We were served a variety of cocktails, all of which were infused with herbs from the garden.  My favorite of the drinks served was the honeydew mojitos with melon balls and mint.

Honeydew Mojitos with Melon Balls and Mint

Ingredients

• 4 limes, juiced (about 1/2 cup), plus more for garnish and rims
• Superfine sugar, for rims
• 1 honeydew melon (about 6 pounds), quartered, peeled, and seeded
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1/2 cup medium-bodied golden rum, such as Appleton
• 3 cups small ice cubes

Directions

1. Rub a lime wedge on rims of 8 glasses, then dip rims in superfine sugar.
2. Cut 3 melon quarters into 1-inch chunks. Puree melon in a food processor until smooth. Strain puree through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, and discard solids. (You should have about 4 cups.) Using a 1-inch melon baller, scoop balls from remaining quarter, and reserve.
3. Bring granulated sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and add mint. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, and discard mint leaves. (You should have a scant 1/3 cup syrup.)
4. Combine melon puree, mint syrup, rum, and lime juice in a pitcher, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Add ice to pitcher, and divide among glasses. Garnish each with melon balls, mint sprigs, and lime wedges, and serve immediately.

The other drinks served included:

Watermelon Basil Margaritas

Peach and Rosemary Spritzer

Mint Juleps

Pineapple Cilantro Drink Base

Here are some pictures of Jane at her first garden party.  We got her a pretty little outfit just for the occasion.  Her favorite part of the outfit was the ribbons that she chewed on all afternoon.  She has become a dribbling, drooling fool these last few days.  But she has never been cuter!

Cheers!

Tasty Tuesday (on Wednesday): Champagne Cocktail with Mint and Lemon Sorbet

Photo and recipe courtesy of Fresh365online

New Orleans is definitely showing signs of spring this week.  Just last night, I came home to see that the daffodils we had planted are blooming!!  I just love this time of year.  It's perfect for porch sitting and cocktail sipping.  There is nothing better on a warm spring night than a cool and refreshing drink.  This jazzed up beverage sounds too good to be true!  It's like a mojito met New Year's Eve.  I cannot wait to try it this weekend!!

Champagne Cocktails with Mint & Lemon Sorbet

makes 1 cocktail

2 t fresh mint leaves, muddled or finely chopped

2 large scoops lemon sorbet

1/3 c vodka

3/4 c champagne or sparkling wine

In a tall glass, place a pinch of mint. Add one scoop lemon sorbet, another pinch mint and the other scoop sorbet. Pour in vodka, then top with champagne and the rest of the mint. Garnish with a mint sprig.

What's your favorite spring time activity?

Tasty Tuesday: Baked Dill Fingerling Fries

My fried Corrie is a Nola Girl herself; however, she has expatriated to sunny Los Angeles.  She recently started a blog called MiddleBar that, in her words, "is committed to celebrating the joy of the epicurean lifestyle. Here at MiddleBar we are more of a nonchalant bon vivant, quietly and easily bringing the history and culture of New Orleans to life with the glamour of Hollywood. N.O. meets LA."

She posts some fabulous cocktail recipes, and she also includes very tasty recipes that are indicitave of the pub haute cuisine that has become ever more popular. I fell in love with this particular recipe because we have recently started an herb garden (care of my green thumb dad), and we have dill growing wild in our back yard.  What better way to use up some of this bright and refreshing herb than to serve these baked dill fingerling fries along with a filet of grilled grouper?!

MiddleBar's Dill Fingerling Fries

1 1/2 lbs of fingerling potatoes

3 tbs fresh dill (or as much as you like)

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 lemon (zest & juice)

olive oil, salt, pepper

2 pinch cayenne

Wash then cut fingerlings lengthwise. Toss potatoes with oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, dill, garlic and lemon juice coat throughly. Place potatoes cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon zest. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes until fork tender and a bit crispy.

For the Weight Watcher participants amoung us, you can use just a teaspoon or two of oil and spray the baking sheet with Pam rather than rubbing it down in oil.  Served with a grilled fish and a lovely green salad (be sure to throw in a little dill) a few of these "fries" go a long way.

I feel so LA now!!

What's your favorite herb? 

Mine has always been basil, but dill is steadily climbing the chart!

Tasty Tuesdays: Choose Dat Campaign's Hummus Recipe

The bateman team from my alma mater, Loyola University New Orleans, has launched a campaign to raise awareness about childhood obesity and healthy lifestyle choices.  The campaign is titled "Choose Dis, Not Dat," and is a play on the local dialect which I thought was so clever!  Their facebook page is filled with helpful tip and tricks about making good and healthy choices.  I know they would love your support - so hop on over and like their page!  

CLICK HERE

Here's their recipe for a healthy and delicious hummus.

The Moore's Family Secret Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 (19 oz.) can chickpeas

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a food processor and blend.

If you need additional liquid, add a bit more yogurt or olive oil.

Chill and serve with your favorite veggies!

I hope you'll choose 'dis recipe next time you're looking for a yummy snack!

Tasty Tuesdays: Honey-Glazed Pork with Wilted Greens

It is hard to believe that Jane turned 8 weeks old yesterday.  Most days I feel like we were just seeing her ultrasound image for the first time.  When I found out I was pregnant last spring, I promised myself that I would try to be as healthy as possible throughout my pregnancy.  I ate well, drank a lot of water, and did something active daily until I was about 37 weeks.  I was lucky in that my weight gain was relatively low, and I lost most of it right after Jane's delivery.  Within the first few weeks, I had shed the 27 pounds I gained while pregnant.  Now, comes the tough part.  I need to lose the ten to fifteen pounds I had been promising myself I would lose before getting pregnant.  Because of a post-delivery complication, I have been unable to exercise.    So eating healthy has been my main focus.  Recently, I've been eating bananas for breakfast, salads for lunch, and trying to have a lean protein paired with veggies for dinner.   I love this recipe for honey-glazed pork with wilted greens because it is an easy to prepare meal that is both flavorful and colorful.  I find that a plate appears boring makes me feel like I am missing out on eating what I really want, but when I see a plate full of color, I am more excited about dinner.  I hope you find this dish tasty and satisfying.  (And I hope that I find the motivation to keep on keeping on and lose a few pounds each week so I go back to work and enter tax season feeling great!)

  Honey-Glazed Pork with Greens

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 3/4 pounds pork tenderloin (about 2)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
• 1/2 head escarole, cut into 2-inch strips
• 1/2 pound spinach, washed well

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon mustard, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons oil.
2. Place pork tenderloins in a shallow baking dish; pour glaze over pork, turning to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; season with pepper.
3. Roast in oven, spooning glaze over pork occasionally, until thickest part of pork reaches 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest until pork reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon mustard. Whisk until honey is dissolved. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon oil until emulsified. Whisk in any accumulated cooking juices from baking dish, if desired.
5. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add fennel, escarole, spinach, and a splash of water; cook until greens are slightly wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
6. Add vinaigrette and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan, stirring just to coat greens, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; divide among four serving plates. Slice pork about 1/2 inch thick; arrange alongside greens. Serve immediately.

Tasty Tuesdays: Lemon Wedge Jello Shots

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of E is for Eat

I don't know about yall, but all I can think about is the sports week ahead of us here in New Orleans.  It all starts tonight with the Sugar Bowl.  There are tons of Michigan and Virginia Tech fans swarming the city.  I love watching all of the coverage of sporting events hosted here.  The city always looks its very best.  

By this weekend, there will be black and gold as far as the eye can see.  The Saints take on the Lions Saturday  night on prime time in the wild card playoff game.  I spent the evening adding a little black and gold flourish to a gold sequin fedora I plan to wear to the game.  Who dat!!!!

And on Monday, the most hyped rematch in college football history will pair LSU against Alabama.  It'll be a home game for the bayou bengals.  Geaux Tigers!

With all of these visions of tailgates dancing in my head, I could not help but share a clever twist on a tailgating staple - the jello shot.  First of all, the presentation couldn't be cuter, and the thought of turning a traditional lemon jello shot up a notch by using sweet tea vodka or whipped cream vodka is just fantastic!

Lemon Meringue or Arnold Palmer Jello Shots

Use lemon peels as vessels for two delicious lemon jello shot combinations.

Ingredients

6-10 lemons (depending on size)
1 (3 ounce) package of lemon jello (I used sugar free)
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup vodka (use whipped cream vodka for lemon meringue, use sweet tea vodka for Arnold Palmers, or use citrus vodka for classic lemon drops)**
1/4 cup cold water*
*to make stronger shots, use a full cup of vodka and omit the cold water

Instructions

Cut each lemon in half, and carefully juice them without tearing the peel. (Save the juice for another recipe or a marinade).

Hollow out each half, taking care not to puncture the peel. Place the halves in a muffin pan to help keep them stabilized while setting.

Make the jello according to package directions, except in place of the cup of cold water, substitute 3/4 cup of whipped cream vodka (for lemon meringue) or sweet tea vodka (for Arnold Palmers), along with 1/4 cup of cold water. Transfer to something with a pouring spout (such as a liquid measuring cup) to make for easier filling. Fill each lemon half and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Once the jello is completely set, use a sharp knife to slice into wedges and serve.

**(Note: the photos are of the Lemon Meringue flavor. Because of the "tea" color of the sweet tea vodka, the Arnold Palmers will have more of a golden/reddish hue to them).

Holiday Dishes: Sparkling Sugar Cranberry Brie Bites

Photo and recipe courtesy of Yummy Mummy Kitchen

I have found Pinterest to be the best holiday planning tool!  The number of amazing and creative ideas people post on there are too many to count.  I saw this one and thought it was a beautiful presentation that feels so festive!  And who doesn't love the decadence of brie at the holidays?!  

Just add a glass of champagne and you have a very fancy start to any holiday party!

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites 

makes about 16 

Sugared Cranberries 

2 cups fresh cranberries 

1 cup good maple syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

Rinse cranberries and place in a medium bowl. Heat syrup in a small sauce pan just until warm. Pour over cranberries when syrup is warm, not hot, or cranberries may pop. Cool, cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. 

Drain cranberries in a colander. Place sugar in a large bowl or baking dish. Add cranberries in 2 batches and roll around until lightly coated in sugar. Place on a baking sheet until dry, about 1 hour. 

16 crackers

8 oz Brie cheese

cranberry chutney or cranberry relish

fresh mint for garnish

Assemble crackers with one slice of brie, a light layer of cranberry chutney, and 4 or 5 sugared cranberries. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. 

Tasty Tuesdays: Pecan Sandies

I mentioned a few posts back that we have been thinking about ideas for traditions that we could start with Jane.  Traditions have always been very important in my family, and Mark and I are so excited to create new ones.  Recently, I saw on a blog post an idea that I fell in love with.  The blogger and her family spend Christmas Eve baking cookies for Santa.  Every person got to pick their favorite cookie to make for ole Saint Nick.  I love the thought of a family filled kitchen!!    

Even though we still have a few weeks until Christmas Eve arrives, I have been scrouing the web for cookie recipes that sound perfect for the occasion.  After going through several "cookie of the day" options on Martha Stewart's website, I arrived at one for Pecan Sandies that sounded delicious and easy to prepare.  Even more perfect, I currently have all of these ingredients in my fridge and pantry - and you probably do too.  I love a recipe that is full of flavor but has basic, always-in-the-cupboard, ingredients.  I think this might be my cookie choice for 2011!!

Pecan Sandies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined. Fold in pecans.
2. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place on two baking sheets, 2 inches apart. With the dampened bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each ball.
3. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool.

Do you have any Christmas traditions that you love?