Oh dear. I thought I had shared these with you earlier. I cannot believe I have been holding out on you for so long! These are so, so delicious. At first when I made them I wasn’t sure they would be as fabulous as I wanted them to be. I had no idea how wrong my initial judgment was. A friend stopped by just as these came out of the oven and I gave her some to take home and share with her husband. I also shared them with my students. We all loved them! Better yet, they are best a few hours after baking because the chocolate has a chance to set up a bit, so these are the perfect muffin to make and take to a brunch or dinner or even to have ready a couple of hours before the kids come home. As for breakfast the next day? They are not quite as healthy as these oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, but they are just as tasty. Make these. You won’t be disappointed!

Continue reading: chocolate chip muffins

You might think that pita bread is difficult to make, but really, it’s super simple! Do you want to know how I know? I made the dough and left one of my high school students in charge of shaping the dough during an afternoon of baking. I figured that if a high school student who lives on Taco Bell and Gatorade can form delicious pita pockets, anyone can! And look at those big, pillowy puffs of bread! Perfect!

You can use this pita bread to make a pita-pocket sandwiches or simply tear off pieces of the pita bread and dip them in homemade hummus.

Continue reading: pita bread

The story of these raviolis begins once upon a time in Italy. (Don’t all great stories begin once upon a time in Italy? I do think so…) I was traveling with my husband and we went to a tiny region called Cinque Terra. Cinque Terra is Italian for Five Lands, named after the five adjacent and gorgeous towns built into the hillsides overlooking the ocean.

This region is not just renowned for its beauty. It’s also the birthplace of pesto, and believe me… their pesto is amazing. I made it my goal to eat pesto for every meal except breakfast. In one of the towns I ordered ravioli with pesto at the recommendation of the person seated next to me and it was the best meal I ate during my entire three weeks in Europe. I have always served ravioli with tomato sauce. Why had I not thought to try it with pesto?

As I served ravioli with pesto for dinner the other night, I thought it needed a little something extra to brighten the flavors. Our garden is overflowing with tomatoes, so I chopped up some cherry tomatoes and added that. And then it hit me: party appetizer perfection! Simply serve raviolis with a little dollop of pesto and a half of a cherry tomato on top! Easy to make, easy to serve, easy to eat. Perfect.

I served a hundred dishes at my husband’s birthday party including mojito watermelon, garbanzo bean salad, and dilled cucumbers, and yet everyone’s absolute favorite was these little ravioli appetizers. One of my friends exclaimed, “Even I could make this!” Yes, it’s true. Even *you* can make this!

ravioli bites
a Dishing the Divine original

*note: usually I add Parmesan cheese as the last step in making my pesto. Since these are being served on cheese ravioli, you could omit this extra cheese.

to serve 8 people:

32 cheese raviolis
2 batches of pesto
16 cherry tomatoes

Cook the raviolis according to package directions. Place one teaspoon of pesto on each ravioli. Top with a cherry tomato. Serve.

out of this world bruschetta
loosely inspired by www.annies-eats.net

12 oz tomatoes, heirloom preferred
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp packed chopped basil leaves
1/4 tsp salt
a couple grinds of fresh pepper

Dice the tomatoes and place in a strainer while you prep your other ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, add the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. After the tomatoes have released some of their juices, add them to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Let sit for 10 minutes for flavors to combine. Meanwhile, toast small slices of french bread until just starting to turn golden. Brush some of the juices from the bruschetta mixture onto the toasts. Top with bruschetta. Serve immediately.

oatmeal chocolate chip muffins
heavily adapted from www.101cookbooks.com

crumble topping*

scant 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

muffins:

1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup agave syrup or honey (I actually might add a bit more next time, but I prefer sweet muffins!)
2 large eggs, whisked
2 large handfuls chocolate chips

*I did not use all of this crumble topping. I put the rest in the freezer for the next batch of muffins!

Preheat oven to 350 with rack set in the middle of the oven. Butter muffin pan generously. Do not use cupcake liners.

To make the crumble: Use a fork to combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Divide the mixture into three portions and use your hands to form the portions into three patties. Place the patties on a plate in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

For the muffins: In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flours, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium, microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the sugar and whisk in the yogurt and agave, followed by the eggs. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until it’s almost completely mixed. Add in chocolate chips and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle with a few additional chocolate chips if desired. Break off pieces of crumble and add about one tablespoon to each muffin. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Let cool for 5 minutes and then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool almost completely before serving. If you have leftovers, heat them for about 10 seconds in the microwave so that the chocolate chips soften slightly.

The other day, we received a box of organic produce from Farm Fresh to You that was filled with strawberries and mangoes. I am not a huge fan of mangoes, but I’ve seen numerous strawberry-mango salsa recipes floating around in the blogosphere that had piqued my interest. The recipes were essentially the same save for one thing. One recipe said to use cilantro and another said to use mint. I could see both tasting great, so I divided the recipe in half and made batches of each. We had friends over for dinner so I let them be the taste testers to decide the ultimate winner.

And the winner was….

Wait. You guess. Which do you think it was? No fair looking ahead and cheating!

Okay, I’ll tell you now.

Far and away, our guests (who love cilantro) chose the mint salsa. We served it over spicy pork chops and then ate the rest of the salsa as a sort of fruit salad. It was *that* good.

strawberry mango salsa
adapted from twopeacesandtheirpod.com

1 cup diced strawberries
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and diced
1-2 tbsp diced red onion (the second time I made this, I added too much onion and ruined the salsa… start with a little and add more if you think it needs it)
1 tbsp diced jalapeno
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt, to taste

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve over spicy grilled pork, chicken, or fish.

When my hubby invited a slew of men over to the house the other night, I knew I had to get out or get swallowed up in the testosterone. I posted a plea on facebook asking for someone to shelter me for the evening. My sweet friend Laura invited me for dinner at her house and I was able to hold her new 3 week old baby for hours. It was an amazing time of food and chatting. And baby holding. Did I mention I got to hold her baby? Because I did. And she’s cute.

Dinner was quesadillas. I had read about an interesting quesadilla twist on 101cookbooks.com. Unlike about 99% of the US population, I don’t love cheese. A little melted here and there is fine, but do I need it oozing out of every meal? No siree. Quesadillas are a quick and easy snack for you cheese lovers, but if you don’t stuff them with a ton of cheese, they really don’t fill you up. 101cookbooks suggests forming the quesadilla around a cooked egg. The egg provides substance and protein and helps make the quesadilla “fuller.” And for you cheese lovers, have no fear. There’s still plenty of room for lots of cheese. Laura had already grated some cheese and combined it with beans and corn for her quesadilla filling. I married her idea with the 101 cookbooks idea and added a handful of cilantro and here it is: quesadillas with a twist.

quesadillas with a twist

with the help of 101cookbooks.com and my friend Laura Dahl

cheese mixture (this makes lots – refrigerate the leftovers):

1 tsp bacon grease, lard, or butter
1 cup corn (thawed if frozen, rinsed if from a can)
4 cups of shredded cheese (I prefer a mixture of sharp cheddar and something that melts well like Jarlsberg or Monterey Jack)
1 cup black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

eggy quesadilla mixture – if you are serving a group, simply repeat the steps below until everyone is satisfied)

1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bacon grease, lard, or buter
1 corn tortilla

garnish

guacamole, salsa, and lime to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon grease until hot. Add corn and toast, stirring often, until kernels start to turn golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, beans, cilantro, and cooled corn. Set aside.

Scramble one egg in a medium bowl. Add salt to scrambled egg mixture and stir well. Heat bacon grease in a non-stick griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat until melted. Add scrambled egg mixture, let cook for 15 seconds. Place tortilla on top of the egg. Continue to cook for about 15 more seconds, or until the egg is lightly browned on the bottom. Flip the egg and tortilla all at once so that the egg is on top of the tortilla.

Immediately place a few tablespoons of the cheese mixture on one side of the tortilla and fold the tortilla in half. Cook for about 30-60 seconds, until cheese mixture starts to melt. Flip the quesadilla and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds until the cheese is completely melted. Continue to cook longer if you prefer a browned quesadilla.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, and lime to taste.

crunchy granola
recipe adapted from www.foodnetwork.com

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup cashews (optional… I think these are icky!)
3/8 cup (6 tbsp) maple syrup
3/8 cup (6 tbsp) honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2-3/4 tsp salt, to taste
1 cup (or more!) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped mixed dried fruits (I love apricots, craisins, and even prunes!)

Preheat the oven to 250F.

Combine the oats, coconut, and nuts in a large bowl. Add syrup, honey, oil, and salt and mix well. Divide the mixture among two rimmed baking trays. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir the mixture in each pan and swap the position of the pans. The granola is done when the mixture is golden. Let cool completely (it will get crispy – I promise!) and then add the chocolate chips and fruit and store in an airtight container. Grab a spoon, shovel it into your mouth, and smile. Oh, wait. And go back one more time and grab another spoonful. Or two. Okay, so just grab the bowl and carry it with you.

My goal for this food blog is not simply to introduce you to new recipes.I am here to convert you to my way of life completely. Are you ready?

(Read this out loud in a hypnotic voice. If you are at work, you may want to omit the out loud part. It could get you some strange looks.) You are getting sleepy. You are getting verrrrry sleepy. Your eyes are heavy. You are getting huuuuungry. You want a snaaaaack. You want something amaaaaazing. You waaaaant something deliiiiicious, something that bloooows you away. You want tortillas.

–Wait? What?

Shhh! Stop asking questions! You’re supposed to be hypnotized! Sheesh. But, yes: tortillas.

Just check out these photos and then, once you’ve wiped the drool off your keyboard, read on to find out where to buy these.

world’s best tortillas

To make these extra special, melt a little butter or margarine in a pan. Once melted, throw in an uncooked tortilla.

Heat the pan on medium high and it’ll start to bubble.

Flip it and it’ll bubble even more.

When spotted brown on both sides, remove from pan. I recommend eating it plain because it’s just that delicious. But if you just must, you can also fill it with all kinds of goodies. For instance, you could use them when making burritos or wraps. My lunch today was tortillas wrapped with Dubliner cheese, leftover roasted broccoli, and ham.