Shift the Balance: Reza's Cheese Soup or Sausaquences and Peppers

Guess what today is! Guess what, guess what, guess what!

Okay, you're not going to guess so I'll tell you: TODAY IS THE DAY THAT DREAMFALL CHAPTERS: BOOK 5 COMES OUT!

No, but you guys, you have to understand, it's the final part of the final game of The Longest Journey saga, and it's been so long since Book 4 came out, and the ending of Book 4 kind of left me sobbing on my keyboard and I just...

I have a lot of feelings, okay?

Anyway, since we all know I celebrate with food, and since I already made Balance Cupcakes, I decided to make something out of the game itself.

Pretty early on in Book 1 (it seems so long ago...), Zoe-- one of the main, playable characters-- has a simple fetch quest: pick up lunch for her boyfriend Reza, and bring it to his office. Seems simple enough, right? It's designed to help you get used to navigating the Propast area (which is totally my favorite in the game), so it's not trying to trip you up or anything. Go to the food cart, talk to the vendor, pick up a food item, find Reza. Easy peasy. Reza even gives you free reign to pick whatever you like, though Zoe knows he doesn't have the most adventurous palate.

However, this is a gritty technopunk future, so when Nela reveals that she has some very rare real pork sausages for sale, it's a bit of a game changer.

Zoe knows that Reza would prefer his usual order of cheese soup, but she also wants to broaden Reza's culinary horizons, and the pork sausages are hard to say no to. So, it's up to you as the player to make the choice.

It seems like an innocent enough choice, something simple for the devs to throw in to give the player the illusion of control. However, as the end card says when you finish Book 1, this choice actually has unexpected and far-reaching consequences. Or sausaquences, as Zoe refers to them in her journal.

And, after one dev tweeted about everything coming back to a choice to you didn't think mattered, everyone's pretty nervous about the sausaquences coming back to bite us.

In honor of that potentially fatal choice, I decided to make both foods so you can make the choice for yourself.

Since it's mid June and it's been pretty warm here in NJ, I decided to make both meals in the slow cooker. Not that Nela does that, but I didn't feel like standing over the hot stove or turning the oven on. Plus I don't have Karl to help out. (Karl is the name of Nela's food cart. It makes more sense in context).

Reza's favorite cheese soup I decided to make nice and hearty. The broth is creamy and flavored with sharp cheddar cheese, and it's chock full of broccoli, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. Plus, to thicken it up a bit, since there's not much evaporation in the slow cooker, I added a couple tablespoons of instant potatoes. That's totally optional: you can add rice or noodles with will absorb some of the liquid, go for a cornstarch slurry, or leave it as is, but I liked it this way.

One note is that you really need to add the cheese at the end. Cheddar breaks very easily if it's cooked for too long. You can always use Velveeta to avoid that, but we all know real cheese tastes better.

As for the sausages, since I wasn't going to make my own (Nela didn't either, so we're square), and plain sausages doesn't seem like much of a lunch, I went with sausage and peppers. Or, sausaquences and peppers, get it?
...
I thought it was funny.

Sausage and peppers is a ridiculously simple dish that I think every Italian knows how to make, and it's a fairly common street food around here, especially down the shore (usually served on a roll), so I thought Nela might approve.

My family usually makes it in the oven (dump everything in a baking dish, cover with foil, bake until the sausages are done), but now I might always make it in the slow cooker because holy crap on a cracker did it turn out good. The sausages were so tender they were like butter, and everything just came out so flavorful that I ate like three helpings when I went to taste it. Plus, it's even easier to make it in the slow cooker than the oven, since I don't have to preheat the oven or worry about a timer.

Now, you can brown the sausages on the stove first if you like. I won't stop you. Many people do, to cut down on grease and crisp up the casing. But that just seemed too much like work to me.

So now you have a very important choice to make: Reza's cheese soup or sausaquences and peppers. The fate of two worlds may be in the balance. Or possibly just the fate of your dinner.

Reza's Cheese Soup
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients 
3 ribs of celery, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 head of broccoli, chopped small
1 onion, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cans evaporated milk (I used skim)
3 tbsp. instant potato flakes (optional)
16 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In the bowl of a slow cooker, add the first eight ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the vegetables are soft and the potatoes are fork tender. Add the evaporated milk and potato flakes, stirring until the flakes have dissolved. Cover and cook 30 minutes, until heated through. Add the cheese, half cup at a time, stirring until completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Recipe by Kim

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
Yield: 6 servings 

Ingredients 
12 sweet Italian pork sausages
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes with basil
2 red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into strips
2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 large rolls, to serve

Directions
Add the peppers and onion to the bowl of a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the sausages and crushed tomatoes. Give a quick stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the sausages are cooked through and tender. Serve in rolls.

Tip: if you have leftover sauce, add it to rice or pasta

Recipe by Kim 

Yeast Free Pizza Crust

So, long time no see, eh? I'm sorry I've been missing for so long, but I've had a lot on my plate recently. It's not the kitty butt. He's fine. We're off of pills and all the ickiest of his meds, just on his inhalers and oral gel.

It's me. I'm kind of... unemployed at the moment. I didn't get fired or anything. You see, I never actually worked for the company where I worked, if that makes any sense. I was a part of the facilities management company, and they ended our contract. It happens, of course, but they hired a new company that's so completely unprepared for this place that I'd feel sorry for them if I didn't think they were an awful company to begin with. The woman they hired as my replacement had zero experience with Excel, Outlook, or apparently any kind of office phone (she asked me if she had to hit transfer when calling an extension. There was no transferring involved).

The funny thing is, people started coming out of the woodwork, completely upset by this news. I always pretty much figured I was furniture to these people. I had a job, I did it, no big deal, and if there's a decor change, who really cares. But I had people coming up to me, telling me they'd miss me, telling me I could use them as a reference if I needed it, telling me that what was happening was unfair.

But the thing is, I'm not really that upset by it. Sure, I'll miss the paycheck, but I'm on unemployment and I've got some money saved up, so I'll be okay. And yeah, I thought the whole thing was handled poorly (the guy in charge of the whole thing wasn't even man enough to show up our last week), but I was so desperately unhappy there, that this is almost a relief. That place left me with no energy to go anywhere after work or on the weekends. I'd been neglecting my friends and my house. I hadn't even had the energy to cook. So for now, I'm looking at this whole situation as an opportunity. I can catch up on the blog, finally finish organizing my house, work on a project I started almost a year ago that could mean some extra cash flow. Meanwhile, I've been looking into some work from home opportunities that will allow me to continue to do all of this with an income that's not subsidized by the state

So now that I've got all those big life decisions out of the way, let's move on to the good stuff: pizza.

This is my newest favorite way to make pizza. As you all may know, I'm not a planner. So yeast doughs and I are not exactly the best of friends. If I ever wanted to make pizza, I'd either have to get the crust from the grocery store (and since that's not one of my grocery staples, and we've already been over how little I like doing that, that almost never happens), or start it in the morning, which is something I almost never remember to do.

But now that I have this yeast free recipe, I can whip up a pizza from scratch in less time than it takes to get it delivered. Plus, it only uses ingredients I always have in my kitchen, so even on the days when I have very little food around because I haven't been grocery shopping in 3 weeks, I can still make pizza.

The crust is just flour, water, and baking powder with some seasonings. That's it. Mix it up, knead it a couple times, press it into a pan (I used a rimmed baking sheet) and bake for a couple minutes before adding the toppings. I made a quick sauce out of a can of crushed tomatoes with basil (another pantry staple). I cooked it down with a little water, a couple bay leaves, some sugar because it was kind of bitter, and seasonings (oregano, garlic, onion powder, and a little crushed red pepper). Topped it with some shredded mozz and a little bit of shredded cheddar to keep things interesting. I had some Italian-style chicken sausages that I'd bought on sale a while back, so I sliced those and put them on top. Liberally sprinkle with more oregano (I love oregano on pizza. Yum) and bake 10-12 more minutes.

The crust rises beautifully in the oven, even without the yeast. After baking, it's soft and chewy (I prefer leaving the crust a little thicker, but it makes a great thin crust too), but still sturdy enough to have no problems holding it. Flavor wise, I do miss the yeast-y flavor of a regular pizza crust a bit, but it's not a hugely noticeable difference. Plus, this is ready in 20 minutes, which more than compensates for the lack of yeast-flavor. And it makes great leftovers, which we all know I love.

I forsee a lot more homemade pizza in my future.

Yeast Free Pizza Crust
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (optional)
Italian seasonings, to taste (optional) (I used garlic, oregano, basil, and onion powder)
⅔ - ¾ cup water
Prepared tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese, to top (use dairy free cheese for vegan)
Optional: meats or vegetables for toppings

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and seasonings (if using). Add ⅔ cup water and mix with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together. If the dough is too dry, add the remaining water, a little bit at a time. Alternatively, if the dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup extra flour. The dough should be soft but not sticky. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Grease a baking sheet (or pizza pan) with olive oil or butter. Press the dough evenly into the pan, into about 1/2 inch thickness (you can go thicker or thinner depending on your preference). Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, and spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on top. Top liberally with shredded mozzarella and your desired toppings. Bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Adventures in Coupons and Diethood

Baked Buffalo Chicken Strips

You know what I actually really love? Frozen chicken strips. Especially the flavored ones: the honey barbecue and the cajun style and the buffalo ones. I'm a food blogger, I'm not supposed to admit my love of processed foods to you, but there it is.

Do you know what I hate to do? Go food shopping. I blame it on my inherent dislike of interacting with people. (I'd make a really good hermit) I also hate using the carts, because they're so awkward. When you're shopping by yourself and you have a cart, how do you check out? Do you stand in front of it for ease of reaching the items and then be that weird person with no one pushing their cart? Or do you stand by the handle and pop your arms out of the socket trying to reach the items? I'm only shopping for me, so I'm never in a million years going to fill the cart, so I've got this bulky thing taking up an entire aisle, trying to squeeze past other people with the same bulky thing, for no reason other than I can't fit an 8-pack of toilet paper in a basket.

(My grocery store just started providing these smaller carts that are basically two baskets stacked on top of each other, and it's actually the greatest idea grocery stores have ever come up with.)

Any way, my point is that when I do manage to drag myself to the grocery store, I usually get things that will last me a while. I generally do get some frozen chicken or pizza to tide me over on the nights I don't feel like cooking, but I've also learned to love the value packs of meat in the butcher section. I get it home, separate it into freezer bags, and I'm rarely ever without some kind of meat for dinner. My favorite are the boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They usually come about 6 to a pack, and since I'm cooking for just little ole me, that usually lasts me a good, long while.

I had a couple chicken breast defrosting in the fridge, and had a craving for some crispy chicken strips. Now, I could have just done my Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Strips, but remember how I started this post with how much I love the flavored, frozen chicken strips? I decided I was going to make my own, healthified version.

I started by slicing the chicken into strips and marinating them right in the buffalo sauce. The longer you marinate it, the more flavor the chicken will absorb, so overnight is recommended (but if you're not a planner, you know, like me, then 2-4 hours is fine). Dredge in seasoned flour, eggs whisked with more hot sauce, and panko, and bake.

You could totally skip the flour/egg bit and just take the chicken in the sauce and toss it in panko, but I like a lot of breading and unnecessary steps.

How did they taste? Well, the buffalo flavor was definitely there but not as prominent as I would have liked. I could have tossed the cooked strips in more buffalo sauce, but I don't like my strips too saucy. Maybe next time I'll just use hot sauce instead of ready made buffalo sauce. Otherwise, they were crispy, juicy, and flavorful, just the way I like them. Served with some more buffalo sauce for dipping (or, you know, drizzled on top all fancy-like because you're a food blogger) and some homemade ranch (I used this recipe, minus the dill), and they're pretty nearly perfect

Baked Buffalo Chicken Strips
Yield: 10-12 chicken strips

Ingredients
1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. buffalo sauce*
¾ cup whole wheat or all purpose flour
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
2 eggs
1½ cups unseasoned panko bread crumbs
Cooking spray
Extra buffalo sauce and ranch dressing, for dipping

Directions
In a large zip top bag, add the chicken and ½ cup buffalo sauce, making sure the chicken is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator 2-4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and fit with a wire rack. Spray well with cooking spray.

Take 3 wide-mouthed shallow bowls. In the first, mix together the flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic, and black pepper. In the second, whisk together the eggs and the remaining buffalo sauce. Add the panko to the third.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, and use paper towels to wipe off the excess sauce. Working with one strip at a time, toss the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg wash, letting the excess egg drip off. Toss in the panko, making sure the strip is well crusted. Place on the prepared rack, spray the chicken lightly with more cooking spray, and bake 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve warm, with extra buffalo sauce and ranch dressing for dipping.

Note: I didn't add any salt because the prepared sauce usually has enough for my tastes. Feel free to add to taste. The cooking time will also vary depending on the size of your strips.

*You can use hot sauce for a more intense flavor and spice

Recipe by Kim

Om nom nom chicken strips

Cocoa Pebbles Grilled Bananas

I have a confession to make: I don't own a normal people grill. I would have no where to put it if I did. (I have a balcony, but the HOA says only an electric grill can go there, and I don't grill enough to really worry about it) I do own a George Foreman grill, however. That's right, the lean, mean, fat-busting machine. (It's a cheapo one, though, so I'm a little leery of trying to cook meat on it-- mostly I use it as a panini press)

Bananas made on a George Foreman grill are still grilled bananas, right? Even if the marshmallows didn't get toasty?

I don't know about where you are, but here in NJ, it's been hot. And not just hot, but muggy and humid. Turning the oven on is not recommended. These bananas, stuffed with peanut butter chips, Cocoa Pebbles, and mini marshmallows, are a great warm weather dessert, especially if you've already got the grill going for dinner. Something magical happens to bananas when they start to cook-- I mean, you know how much I love bananas in my baked goods-- then the peanut butter chips get all melty, and you know peanut butter and banana is a rockin' combo. But what else goes with peanut butter and banana? That's right, chocolate. That's where the Cocoa Pebbles come in, giving it a sweet, chocolatey crunch. And if that's not enough, the whole thing is topped with gooey marshmallows, and if you have a normal person grill, they'll get all toasty too.

I was going to tell you how filling these were, and that you can probably eat them instead of a meal, because I was a little uncomfortably full after eating one for dessert. But that wasn't the banana's fault, I soon realized. I forget I'm not supposed to eat blue things, and when you use multicolored marshmallows, there are bound to be a few blue ones. (This weirdo blue food coloring intolerance of mine is very inconvenient, mostly because I don't eat blue things that often, so I forget about it) But I will still back you if you want to make these for breakfast. It's fruit and cereal, right? Totally okay for breakfast.

Cocoa Pebbles Grilled Bananas

4 large bananas

1/4 cup Cocoa Pebbles Cereal

1/4 cup Peanut Butter Chips

1/3 cup miniature marshmallows

Cut each banana lengthwise about 1/2 inch deep, leaving 1/2 inch uncut at both ends.  Gently pull each banana open, forming a pocket.  Fill each pocket with Cocoa Pebbles cereal, peanut butter chips and marshmallows, evenly divided among the four bananas.  

Wrap each banana in foil and grill over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until marshmallows are melted. 

Serves 4. One banana per serving.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Photo courtesy of Post

*Disclaimer: I was provided with free samples of Post Cocoa Pebbles so I could feature this recipe. I receive no other compensation for this post. All opinions remain, as always, my own*

Frozen Mango Lemonade #MixItUp2014

Hey guys! I close on the house tomorrow, so my mind is probably totally elsewhere at the moment. But, I still happen to have something pretty awesome for you because I love you.

In honor of the Vegas Uncork'd festival at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Vegas.com has asked food bloggers to participate in a "digital mix off."

Me, I'm a simple girl when it comes to drinks. Now that the weather's finally warming up, I started thinking about some of my favorite warm weather treats. Slushies from the convenience store, a frozen lemonade from the boardwalk, a mango lemonade at a local restaurant...

... Hold up. Frozen lemonade. Mango lemonade. Frozen mango lemonade.

You guys. That was the best idea everrrr. The tart lemon juice, the sweet mango, the slush.

I do love me some slush.

It's so good. I may have drank the entire first test batch all by myself. And it's so simple to make. Just dice and freeze a mango, juice two lemons, add sugar, water, and ice, hit the frozen drink button on your blender, et voila.

Plus you could totally make this a little more adult and sub in some white rum for the water. Possibly all of the water. That would make it about an ounce per serving which isn't too much, right? Booze is not a thing that I know.

I made this for the family on Mother's Day and it got thumbs up all around. And then we went to see Captain America because my mom is cooler than your mom.

Frozen Mango Lemonade
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup cold water*
1 mango, diced and frozen
Approx. 3 cups ice**

Directions
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, lemon juice, and water until the sugar is well dissolved. Add to a blender along with the frozen mango and the ice. Blend on high speed (or if your blender has an "ice crush" setting) until the ice has been finely crushed and looks slushy. Serve immediately.

Tip: If you prefer your lemonade more tart, reduce the sugar to 1/2 - 2/3 cup.

*Replace with white rum for a more adult version
**The measurement is approximate. I just filled the blender with ice.

Recipe by Kim

Banana Chocolate Chip Mug Cake

I've noticed a trend in the recipes in the recipes that I post here. Whenever the job gets to be too much, I post something with banana. And it's generally something on the healthier spectrum, so that I'm totally justified in eating it for breakfast.

Growing up, my mom used to make banana bread for special occasions. I guess I just associate the flavor of banana with comfort food. Of course, that wasn't healthy banana bread, but it had fruit so it's still breakfast food, right?

This mug cake is no exception. Gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free. Made with a mashed banana, protein-rich coconut flour, chocolate chips, and maple syrup, this cake is a perfect breakfast treat. I've never made mug cakes before, so I was pleasantly surprised at how moist this stayed

This was my first time using coconut flour, however, and I wasn't really a fan of the grainy texture it gave. But the cake itself was moist and flavorful enough that I was able to overlook it.

The cake tastes mostly of banana. The maple syrup is there for sweetness, the flavor a bit overwhelmed. The coconut flour adds a subtle undertone of coconut flavor, and there's a ton of chocolate chips because yay chocolate!

It's also super filling. This is a cake you should most definitely share with a friend. I could not even finish it. Which, when you're eating cake for breakfast, is probably a good thing.

Banana Chocolate Chip Mug Cake
Yield: 1 cake (2 servings)

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1 egg
1 tbsp. maple syrup
Splash of vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
1-2 tbsp. mini chocolate chips (I used 2, obvi)

Directions
In a large, microwave safe mug, mash the banana. Add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix well. Add the coconut flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until fully incorporated (batter will be thick). Stir in the chocolate chips.

Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes (mine was in 2 minutes 45 seconds, but I kept taking it out to check on it). Allow to cool slightly before eating (it's best still warm).

Tip: If you want to add cinnamon, add a scant 1/4 tsp.

Recipe adapted from emmycafelatte

Icicle Candy and Reindeer Snacks #SundaySupper

This week's #SundaySupper is all about holiday music, movies, and TV specials.

I'm not gonna lie, my first instinct was to go with the Doctor Who Christmas specials, but short of a gingerbread TARDIS, there was nothing I could think of for it. And I didn't want to make a gingerbread TARDIS. So I went with my second instinct: cheesy, kiddie, made-for-TV Christmas movies. Not the Hallmark ones, because those try too hard and are unnecessarily dramatic and have no fun things to distract me from the gaping plot holes. No, I mean the ones meant for small children. The ones with magic and reindeer and Santa Claus.

My favorite in this genre is a movie called Snow. It's about Nick Snowden, a man approaching his first Christmas as the "big SC," who lost one of his reindeer, Buddy, and has to rescue him from the zoo before Christmas Eve, or Christmas will be ruined forever.

I can't say what it is about this movie that I like so much. There's storyline inconsistencies, plot devices that don't make a whole lot of sense, and they do over-cheese a couple of scenes, but I just love it. It might just be a case of the right actors with the right script, but there's just something very charming and very real about it.

It could also be that I totally get the main female lead, Sandy. I'd totally fall for Tom Cavanagh's awkwardly charming Nick, too. And there's that scene when he's on the ladder, and she gets caught looking that I think really sets her apart from others in the holiday-movie-female-lead category. Anyway, if you can catch it on ABC Family, I recommend it. And the sequel, though that has some larger plotholes.

Since the movie is meant for children, there's obviously no cursing. In fact, all of Nick's curses are holiday terms. Including when he says, "oh, icicles."

When I thought to make icicle candy, it sounded a lot better in my head than it actually was in practice. First I tried a recipe that used the microwave, no special tools required. My microwave is apparently super powered, because I burned the sugar. Badly. It was the color of coffee. Strong coffee.

So I tried this recipe(halved) from Martha Stewart. Much harder, since it uses pulled sugar, but more reliable. Let's just say, it was the first and last time I will ever work with pulled sugar. It was a pain to work with. And painful to work with. I had on some heavy duty rubber gloves, the kind that I use when washing dishes in scalding water, and my fingertips are still red and sensitive. Plus, I only got one good looking one. I was using some expletives a lot stronger than icicles, if y'know what I mean. I did get one, so it wasn't a total fail, but I do not recommend it unless you've got seriously tough hands made out of asbestos or something.

Of course, I couldn't forget about Buddy, since the movie would have never happened if he hadn't wandered off and got captured by Buck, the jerk poacher with a thing for Sandy (that apparently thinks giving illegal reindeer to her zoo is a good idea? They never really explain that). In Snow, it's Buddy's first Christmas too, but he hasn't yet learned to fly (which is why he needs Nick's help to escape from the zoo), but as he's learning, he leaps over the fence to steal a chocolate bar from the security guard. But in the sequel, Buddy's having some trouble fitting into his harness, so Nick puts him on a diet and exercise plan.

These "reindeer snacks" are actually chocolate cherry almond granola clusters, which would be a great way to satisfy Buddy's sweet tooth while giving him the energy to hoof it up on the treadmill. Reindeer like oats and plus, I think even Santa would enjoy the (slightly) healthier, but still sweet and tasty, break from all the milk and cookies.

Full disclosure: this was not supposed to be chocolate granola. I was following my patented I-don't-need-no-stinkin'-recipe method, and I added chocolate chips, not thinking that all the way through. When I went to stir the granola, it became chocolate granola. And I might be breaking some cardinal granola rules with my haphazard method, but I haven't been able to stop eating it, so I don't think I really care.

Chocolate Cherry Almond Granola Clusters

AKA Reindeer Snacks

Ingredients

1½ cups old fashioned oats

¾ cup sliced almonds

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup dried cherries

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

⅓ cup agave nectar (maple syrup would also work)

2 tbsp. nut butter (almond, preferably)

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the first 6 ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together until smooth (warm the nut butter to make this easier). Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and mix until well coated. Spread evenly onto the prepared pan.

Bake for 10 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is evenly distributed. Bake for another 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the oats are toasted and fragrant. Shape into clusters of the desired size, and allow to cool completely on the pan.

Recipe by Kim

Thanks to Tammi from Momma's Meals for hosting this week. Comes see how the rest of the #SundaySupper crew is getting into the holiday spirit:

Party Appetizers & Snacks:
Oven-Roasted Applesauce Scented with Rosemary & Vanilla-Inspired by the song "Christmas in the Trenches"- Shockingly Delicious
Roasted Chestnuts Inspired by the movie "The Christmas Song" - Food Lust People Love
A Popcorn Trio Inspired by the song "Let it Snow" - Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
Chai Tea Abominable Snow Buddies Inspired by the movie "Rudolph" - Cupcakes & Kale Chips 
Raisin Bran Muffins for a Crowd Inspired by the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" - In The Kitchen With Audrey and Maurene
Icicle Candy and Reindeer Snacks Inspired by the movie "Snow" - Treats & Trinkets
A Christmas Carol Plum Pudding Inspired by the movie "A Christmas Carol" - No One Likes Crumbley Cookies 
Yukon Mashed Potato Cakes Inspired by the movie "Rudolph" - Cookin' Mimi
Christmas Pudding Inspired by the song "Over the River and Through the Woods" - A Kitchen Hoor 
Pumpkin Pudding Inspired by the movie "Nightmare Before Christmas" - Basic N Delicious
Elf-Inspired Christmas "Grams" Inspired by the movie "Elf" - MarocMama 
Sugarplums Inspired by the movie "The Nutcracker" - Happy Baking Days 
Chai Spiced Roasted Nuts Inspired by the song "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" - Take A Bite Out of Boca

Festive Main Dishes

Maple Syrup Spaghetti- Inspired by the movie "Elf"- Momma's Meals

Who Hash Inspired by the movie "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" -girlichef 

Ginger Orange Glazed Cornish Hens Inspired by the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" -Sue's Nutrition Buzz 

NY Hot Dog with Sabrett-style Onion Sauce Inspired by the movie "Die Hard" - Small Wallet, Big Appetite 

Classic Caesar Salad Inspired by the movie "The Santa Clause" - The Little Ferraro Kitchen 

Individuals Meatloaves & Horseradish Mashed Potatoes for Mommy's Little Piggies - Inspired by the movie "A Christmas Story" - The Not So Cheesy Kitchen 

Christmas Waffles Inspired by the TV special "A Claymation Christmas Celebration" - Curious Cuisiniere

Filthy Animal Pizza Inspired by the movie "Home Alone" - Foxes Love Lemons

Chicken Orzo Soup Inspired by the song "12 Days of Christmas" - Family Foodie

Brandied Candied Sweet Potatoes Inspired by the song "Christmas Is The Time To Say ‘I Love You’ " - Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Sweet Holiday Treats:

Gin and Tonic Cupcakes Inspired by Adam Sandler's " The Chanukah Song" - The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars Inspired by the movie "Love Actually" - Magnolia Days 

Gingerbread Marshmallows Inspired by the song "Marshmallow World" - Jane's Adventures in Dinner

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies Inspired by the movie "The Gremlins" - Killer Bunnies, Inc 

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Inspired by the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" - Alida's Kitchen 

Snowball Cookies - Inspired by the movie "White Christmas" -The Foodie Army Wife 

Penuche Fudge Inspired by the movie "Elf" - Pies and Plots

Hot Chocolate Cookies Inspired by the movie "Santa Clause" - Mess Makes Food

South Pacific Coconut Tres Leche Cake Inspired by the movie "South Pacific" -The Ninja Baker 

Cookies & Cream Fudge Inspired by the movie "Elf" - The Messy Baker

Cozy Drinks:

Toasted Coconut Hot Cocoa- Inspired by the song "Let It Snow"- Chocolate Moosey 

The Christmas Gram Inspired by the movie "Elf" - An Appealing Plan 

Eggnog Hot Chocolate Inspired by the movie "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" - Peanut Butter and Peppers 

Vermont Hot Cocoa Inspired by the movie "White Christmas" - Kudos Kitchen By Renee

Spiked Hot Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Floats Inspired by the song "Holly Jolly Christmas " -NeighborFood

This is Christmas; Wine Pairings for Holiday Themed#SundaySupper Recipes - ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Raspberry Red Wine Sauce #SundaySupper

This week the #SundaySupper group is getting saucy. *Mrowr*

I decided to contribute one of my favorite gifts from the kitchen, this raspberry red wine sauce.

It's so easy to make, and super delicious. At Christmas, I get those little bitty mason jars, then I make a bunch of different dessert sauces, then I made little gift sets with a selection of different sauces and some homemade cookies and candies. This sauce always makes the cut.

Just sugar, red wine, frozen raspberries, and cornstarch make up this super delectable sauce. Just boil it together on the stove et voila, it's done. But no one needs to know just how easy it is, since it tastes completely gourmet.

Nom nom nom

You can use it to top waffles, cream puffs, even biscuits. My mother loves to put it on bagels. Me, I love it over ice cream. Maybe on top of a brownie sundae.

Truth telling time- usually I'm way too lazy to strain out the seeds, since that takes longer than making the actual sauce, so it's totally okay to skip that part. The seeds add extra texture, and then you can use it like the world's best tasting jam.

Raspberry Red Wine Sauce
Yield: About 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 (12 oz.) pkg. frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

Directions
In a large saucepan, mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the red wine. Heat over medium low, stirring until dissolved. Heat to boiling and boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 4-6 minutes. Add the thawed raspberries. Boil another 3-4 minutes until the raspberries have broken down and the sauce is thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If desired, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seed. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe from BettyCrocker.com

Are you ready to get saucy?

Savory Sauces

• Port Wine and Fig Sauce from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Jalepeno Cranberry Sauce from Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Homemade Steak Sauce from Juanita's Cocina
• Tomato Kasundi from What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Tartar Sauce from The Foodie Army Wife
• Creamy Dairyfree Mushroom Sauce from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Homemade Teriyaki Sauce from Curious Cuisiniere
• Red Wine Sauce | Molho de Vinho Tinto from Family Foodie
• Guava BBQ Sauce from Basic N Delicious

Pasta Sauces and Pastas with Sauce

• Chardonnay Seafood Sauce (with Linguine) from Country Girl in the Village
• Italian-Style Tomato Sauce from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Homemade Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from Momma's Meals
• Sicilian Marinara Sauce from Growing Up Gabel
• Basil Pesto from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Angel Hair Pasta with Neapolitan Sauce from Cookin' Mimi
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce from Alida's Kitchen
• Lamb Ragout from Maroc Mama
• Black Walnut Kale Pesto with Zucchini Spaghetti from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Amatriciana Sauce from The Weekend Gourmet

Entreés with Sauces

• Chicken Tikka Masala from I Run For Wine
• Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Garlic Mushrooms In Red Wine Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Jack Daniel's Honey Barbecue Baked Wings from Chocolate Moosey
• Salmon with Homemade Caper Onion Mayonnaise from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken with Mushroom Demi-Glace from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Mrs. A's Skillet Lemon Chicken from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Philly Strip Steaks with Provolone Sauce and Caramelized Onions from The Texan New Yorker
• Sweet & Sour Garlic Chicken Wings from Big Bear's Wife

Sweet Sauces

• Banana Pudding Sauce from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Raspberry Red Wine Sauce from Treats & Trinkets
• Pumpkin Applesauce from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce from Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Applesauce from Citronlimette
• Apple Cider Caramel Sauce from The Messy Baker
• Port Wine Cranberry Sauce from Webicurean
• Pumpkin Caramel Sauce from Noshing With The Nolands

Desserts with Sauces

• Sticky Toffee Pudding w/ Toffee Sauce from girlichef
• Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce (over Chocolate Rosemary Cake) from Gotta Get Baked
• Pear Tatin with Rum Caramel Sauce from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Bananas Foster from MidLife Road Trip
• Baked Espresso Berry Pudding from The Urban Mrs
• Caramel Apple Sheet Cake from Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → >Sunday Supper Movement.