With the indulgence of the holidays over, I am focusing on clean eating in January.  More vegetables and vegetable based protein, less meat and fewer processed carbs.  Chickpeas are the perfect substitute for a traditional potato side dish.  This recipe for Fresh Herb Chickpea Salad does not disappoint.

Lately I have developed a love of Chickpeas.  I sprinkle them in salads, make homemade hummus like this Roasted Garlic Hummus, roast them to make a crispy snack like these Baked Crispy Curry Chickpeas.  This Fresh Herb Chickpea Salad has me obsessed!  It is the perfect low calorie high protein side dish for dinner or lunch.  Fresh dill and parsley paired with zesty lemon juice and plain Greek yogurt makes the light sauce for this salad.  Of course, it is super simple to make as well!

Chickpeas are amazing, they are high in protein, high fiber and low in calories.  Perfect little addition for keeping your nutrition on track and slaying those New Year’s clean eating goals.

How to make Fresh Herb Chickpea Salad:

1. In a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients.  Yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth, then add the dill and parsley and stir to combine.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, place in a large bowl. Toss in the celery and Green Onion.
3. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine.
4. Garnish with additional dill and green onion.

This Fresh Herb Chickpea salad is so delicious and light you could pair it with grilled chicken or fish or simply as a snack all its own.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
• 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for serving
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 Cup finely diced celery
• ½ Cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth, then add the dill and parsley and stir to combine. Set aside.

Once rinsed and drained place the chickpeas in a large bowl, add the celery and scallions and toss.

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well, and sprinkle with more dill and parsley and serve.   Can be served at room temperature or stored in the refrigerator and served cold.  This salad is delicious either way!

Pin this recipe for Fresh Herb Chickpea Salad to your favorite Salad or Vegetarian Pinterest board to make for later!

The post Fresh Herb Chickpea Salad appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

The big game is just around the corner and all I can think about is what finger foods to make.  I love a simple yet tasty recipe and these Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites don’t disappoint!

These Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites are such a delicious party appetizer.  They are fun and bite sized, perfect to serve friends and family at any party! They are easy to make and more importantly, can be made in large quantities which is important when you are planning any party.

Many of you know I love cooking with Oil & Vinegar products.  The quality of the ingredients are second to none and the flavor combinations are endless. For this recipe I marinated the shrimp in their Chardonnay Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil and Guacamole Herb Dip.  The Grapeseed Oil gives a smokey garlic flavor to the shrimp, plus grapeseed oil has a high smoke point which means it is a good choice for high heat cooking and will not burn on your food.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Oil & Vinegar. All opinions are entirely my own.

Assembling these delicious little bites are super simple.  You can use store bought Guacamole but personally nothing beats the flavor of fresh Guacamole and that is what I used in my version.

How to make Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites

First in a large bowl marinate the shrimp in the Guacamole Herb Dip, Chardonnay Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil and lime juice.

Heat grill or grill pan on medium heat and grill shrimp approx 2 minutes on each side until shrimp is opaque.

Assemble tostada bites by taking a tortilla chip, topping with a spoonful of guacamole, top with a shrimp and sprinkle with cojita cheese.

Go ahead and add these tasty little tostada bites to your Suberbowl party menu!  Oil & Vinegar continues to support my amazing followers with 20% off their in store or online purchase.  To order online go to the Oil & Vinegar Website  and add code Simple20 at checkout!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1lb Shrimp, Raw tail off
• 3 Tb Chardonnay Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
• 2 Tb Guacamole Herb Dip
• 1 tsp Lime Juice
• Mission  Round Corn Tortilla Chips
• Guacamole
• Cojita cheese for topping

Directions:

Place shrimp in a large bowl and mix with Smokey Garlic Oil, lime juice and Guacamole Seasoning.  Let it marinate for about an hour in the refrigerator.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat.  Cook shrimp until white and opaque approximately 2 minutes each side.

Take tortilla chips and top with 1 tsp or more of Guacamole, depending on preference.  Place a shrimp on top of the guacamole on each chip and crumble cojita cheese on top.

The post Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Roasted Pistachio Pesto is a bright herbaceous sauce that is super simple to make and extremely versatile.  A twist on the classic version that uses pine nuts, but is just as vibrant in flavor.

Summer is here, I love cooking with fresh produce from my own garden or Farmer’s Markets.  I have been growing several types of basil in my garden and nothing can beat the smell of freshly picked basil.  With an overabundance of basil since my plants really took off, I hate letting it go to waste.  So what to do, why make some fresh pesto of course!

This recipe for Roasted Pistachio Pesto is so simple to make you just need a blender or food processor.  Literally, in less than 10 minutes you have a delicious versatile sauce!

My family’s favorite way to use pesto is tossing it with pasta of course, however slathering it on a Panini is a very close second.  There are so many ways to use this sauce, so get creative and have fun mixing flavors.

Storage tip:

Basil pesto darkens when exposed to air, so to store, cover tightly with plastic wrap making sure the plastic is touching the top of the pesto and not allowing the pesto to have contact with air. The pesto will stay greener longer that way.

Roasted Pistachio Pesto tastes great used in a variety of dishes.  Toss with pasta, use as a pizza topping sauce, or as a sandwich spread.  The options are endless!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pistachio nuts, roasted
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

Note:  How to roast pistachios- Heat a medium shallow pan to medium high.  place pistachios in the pan and gently stir.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the oils come out of the pistachios but be careful not to burn them.  Remove from heat.

Instructions:

Place the basil leaves and pistachio nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.

Add the garlic and Parmesan cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating.

Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more to taste.

Pin this recipe to your favorite sauce Pinterest board to make for later!

Print

Roasted Pistachio Pesto

Roasted Pistachio Pesto is a simple to make versatile sauce. Made with fresh basil, Parmesan, olive oil and roasted pistachios.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes

blending 1 minute

Equipment

• blender
• food processor

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Basil
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese finely grated
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil extra virgin
• 1/3 Cup Pistachio Nuts Roasted
• 3 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the basil leaves and pistachio nuts into the bowl of afood processor and pulse a several times.

  Add the garlic and Parmesan cheese and pulse several timesmore. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

  While the food processor is running, slowly add the oliveoil in a steady stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor isrunning, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating.

  Stir in salt andfreshly ground black pepper, add more to taste.

The post Roasted Pistachio Pesto appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt Popsicles, the perfect healthy treat to beat this summer heat!

Some of my fondest childhood summer memories include lots of swimming and popsicles.  I mean who can resist an icy cold treat when it is scorching hot outside.    So many icy treats out there are filled with preservatives and dyes, I wanted to create a popsicle that is somewhat healthy.

These Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt Popsicles are a bit tart from the yogurt but sweet from the honey and raspberries.  I typically start by adding on about half of the simple syrup then adjust to taste as I do not like my popsicles to be overly sweet.

They are the perfect healthy alternative to indulge in during summer and so super simple to make.

Pro Tip:

If your Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt popsicles are not coming out of the mold easily run a bit of cold water on the outside for 10-15 seconds and they will pop right out.

Making popsicles at home is super simple and there are so many varieties to make.  Plus, it is a low cost way to indulge in an icy cold treat during summer, have you seen the prices of ice cream lately?  Yikes! Of course in 117 degree AZ summer heat that is all my kids want for a snack.

These Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt popsicles are sure to please while you are enjoying the summer heat poolside or heck just staying inside.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• ½ C. Water
• ½ C. Sugar
• 1 ½ C. Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tb Honey
• 2 C. fresh Raspberries
• 1 Tb lemon zest

Instructions:

Take your lemon and zest only the yellow skin not the white pith.

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan, cook on medium high heat until sugar is dissolved to make a simple syrup.  Add the lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cool simple syrup to room temperature and strain.  Refrigerate until chilled.

In a medium mixing bowl mix Greek Yogurt, honey and strained simple syrup together until incorporated.

Pour mixture into popsicle molds about half full.  Freeze for about 40 minutes.

Divide the raspberries among the popsicle molds and cover with remaining yogurt mixture.  Snap on the lid and insert the popsicle sticks.

Freeze for 3-4 hours then they are ready to devour.

Pin this recipe for Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt Popsicles to your favorite Ice Cream or Dessert board in Pinterest!

Print

Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt Popsicles

A sweet and tangy healthy treat to beat the summer heat!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Freezer time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• Popsicle mold
• Popsicle sticks

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest
• 2 Cusp Raspberries Fresh

Instructions

• Take your lemon and zest only the yellow skin not the whitepith. 

  Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan, cook on mediumhigh heat until sugar is dissolved to make a simple syrup.  Add the lemon zest, reduce heat and simmerfor 5 minutes.

  Cool simple syrup to room temperature and strain.  Refrigerate until chilled.

  In a medium mixing bowl mix Greek Yogurt, honey and strainedsimple syrup together until incorporated.

  Pour mixture into popsicle molds about half full.  Freeze for about 40 minutes.

  Divide the raspberries among the popsicle molds and coverwith remaining yogurt mixture.  Snap onthe lid and insert the popsicle sticks.

  Freeze for 3-4 hours then they are ready to devour.

The post Raspberry Honey Greek Yogurt Popsicles appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.  A simple yet delicious summer salad you can make in less than five minutes!

It has been so hot lately that I literally refuse to turn on my oven.  I mean you walk outside here in Phoenix and it is like having a hot blow dryer blowing directly on your face.  So needless to say we have been eating a lot of varieties of salads lately.

Fresh peaches are in abundance, and we are a bit obsessed with peaches in our household.  My daughter eats them like they are chocolate, fresh fruit is the perfect summer natural sweet treat.

This Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata is super simple to make and looks quite elegant when put together.  In just about five minutes you cal pull this salad together to go from cutting board to table.  It is as easy as 1,2,3!

How to make Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata:

1. Slice peaches and Jalapenos, arrange on a plate.
2. Pat dry Burrata with a paper towel and tear into pieces.  Arrange over Peaches and Jalapeno.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and pepper to taste.

See, super simple and ready in no time at all!

Plus when you add Burrata to anything it just takes it up a notch.  I mean who doesn’t love a fresh mozzarella that is firmer on the outside and just oozes with mozarella goodness when cut into.  Pure heaven!

Prep your summer peaches in a different way and make this Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata this weekend!  Sip a nice chilled Rose wine with it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 peaches, ripe and sliced
• 1 Jalapeno, sliced and seeds removed
• 1 package of Burrata, drained
• 1 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Slice peaches and arrange on a plate.

Thinly slice Jalapeno and remove the seeds, arrange over peaches.

Take Burrata out of carton and pat dry with a paper towel.  Rip up the Burrata boule and arrange over peaches.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ground pepper to taste.

Pin this recipe for Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata to your favorite Salad or Appetizer board in Pinterest!

Print

Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata

Course Salad

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

• 2 Peaches Ripe and sliced
• 1 Jalapeno Sliced with seeds removed
• 1 Burrata
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Cracked Pepper To taste

Instructions

• Slice peaches and arrange on a plate.

  Thinly slice Jalapeno and remove the seeds, arrange over peaches.

  Take Burrata out of carton and pat dry with a paper towel.  Rip up the Burrata boule and arrange over peaches.

  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ground pepper to taste.

The post Peach and Jalapeno Salad with Burrata appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Even though it is technically fall, I am not ready to start my fall baking.  I mean it was 115 degrees this past weekend in Phoenix, definitely not feeling the fall vibes.  So, I am savoring the fresh flavors of summer with this Summer Berry Bread.

Fresh Blueberries, Raspberries and Lemon in a delicious pound cake like bread.   This bread is super simple to make, and is the ultimate breakfast, brunch, and dessert recipe good for all year around.

Like many quickbreads this batter comes together in no time, just ensure you have a separate bowl for your dry ingredients.  I like to use fresh berries I feel that when you use frozen berries they add additional water to the batter and can cause a gooey center if baking time is not adjusted properly.  Plus, why use frozen when fresh options are abundant in stores still.

To help the berries be evenly distributed in the batter evenly and not sink to the bottom of the pan, check out my tips below.

Tips for making perfect Summer Berry Bread

• Toss Blueberries and Raspberries with flour (2 tablespoons) before adding them to the batter. This will help prevent the berries from sinking.
• Do not overmix.  For soft and fluffy texture – do not overmix the batter.  Overmixing causes the bread to be dense and crushes the berries.
• Cool the bread before glazing. To prevent your glaze from being too runny. Drizzle the top of the bread with the glaze only after the bread has been completely cooled.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Butter melted
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon Almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest grated
• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh
• ½ cup Raspberries, fresh
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Lemon Glaze

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter or use a cooking spray to grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and almond extract.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk.

In the same bowl where you combined flour, add blueberries and raspberries. Toss them in 2 tablespoons of flour.

Fold in lemon zest, and berries into the batter. Do not over mix.  Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 40 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the bread from the pan.

Lemon glaze

Combine lemon juice and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix until a smooth glaze forms.

After the bread has completely cooled, drizzle the top of the Summer Berry Bread with the glaze.

Pin this recipe for Summer Berry Bread to your favorite Bread, Dessert or Brunch Pinterest board to make later!

Print

Summer Berry Bread

Fresh Blueberries, Raspberries and Lemon flavor this pound cake like bread. Perfect for Dessert, Breakfast or Brunch all year long.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Cooling Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Bread Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Butter melted
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
• 1/2 cup Blueberries Fresh
• 1/2 cup Raspberries Fresh
• 2 Tbsp All purpose flour to coat the berries

Lemon Glaze

• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Butter or use a cooking spray togrease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

  In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar,eggs, and vanilla extract.

  In a separate bowl, combine flour,baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture alternately with milk.

  In the same bowl where you combinedflour, add blueberries and raspberries. Toss them in 2 tablespoons of flour.

  Fold in lemon zest, and berriesinto the batter. Do not overmix.  Pourthe batter into prepared pan.

  Bake in preheated oven for about50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes outclean. Cool bread in pan for 40 minutes on a wire rack. Remove the bread fromthe pan.

  Lemon glaze:

  Combine lemon juice and 1/2 cuppowdered sugar in a small bowl and mix until a smooth glaze forms. 

  After the bread has completelycooled, drizzle the top of the Summer Berry Bread with the glaze.

The post Summer Berry Bread appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs. Yes, Espresso on ribs!  Ohh yeah, let me tell you this is hands down by far the BEST rub I have used on ribs.  The combination of the Espresso Spice Rub and smoke it to die for!

Espresso powder, garlic and onion powder, sea salt and cracked pepper make the rub for these amazing smoked ribs!  You can find the recipe here for the Espresso Spice Dry Rub

Ribs, if cooked improperly, can result in tough meat that has to be ripped off the bone.  Who wants tough meat, I mean EVER??? If cooked the right way, ribs can be tender juicy and fall of the bone delicious!

There are several methods for cooking ribs, for smoking the 3-2-1 method is most popular, it is easy and generally fool proof.  We smoke ribs utilizing the first two steps of this method to create ribs that are so tender that you can pull the meat off the bone with your fingers.

How to cook Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs in a smoker:

This first stage is the stage where the ribs are smoked for 3 hours. Set the smoker is set for 225F to create a low and slow smoke. Make sure the ribs are generously coated with Espresso spice rub. 3 hours of smoking is the recommended time for pork spare ribs.

Stage two is where the wrapping comes into play and the meat tenderizes. If you like your ribs to be fall off the bone tender then make sure you do this step. Pour a bit of Coke or Beer into the foil then wrap the ribs tightly in the foil. This steams the ribs and the result is tender juicy fall off the bone rib meat.

Whether you follow the 3-2-1 method entirely or modify like I did, one thing is for sure if you follow the steps your ribs will turn out tender and juicy.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 racks of ribs, membrane removed
• ½ cup Espresso Spice Dry Rub
• 1 can Coke or beer (like Miller Light)
• BBQ sauce of choice, for serving

Instructions:

Peel the membrane off the back of each rack of ribs.  If you purchase the ribs from a butcher they will remove the membrane for you.

Pat the ribs dry and generously rub the Espresso spice rub all over the ribs.  Let rest at room temp for about 30 minutes.

Set the smoker to 225F and use your wood of choice (I use mesquite and apple most often). Place the ribs in the smoker either hanging or on grate and smoke for 3 hours.

After the ribs have been in the smoker for 3 hours, take them out and wrap each rack with aluminum foil. Pour a 1/4 cup of coke or beer with each rack of ribs. Fold over the foil and pinch all the edges to ensure that it is sealed well to allow steaming.  Place ribs back in smoker at a very low 200 degree temp for another 30 min to hour.

Remove ribs from foil and brush with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Pin this recipe for Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs to your favorite Smoker or BBQ Pinterest page to make later!

Print

Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs

Ribs smoked to perfection that they just fall of the bone, tender and juicy. Rubbed with an Espresso Spice seasoning these ribs are the BEST you will ever have.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes

Equipment

• BBQ smoker

Ingredients

• 1-2 Racks of Pork Spare Ribs Membrane removed
• 1/2 Cup Espresso Spice Dry Rub
• 1 Can Coke or Beer
• Favorite BBQ Sauce for serving

Instructions

• Peel the membrane off the back of each rack of ribs.  If you purchase the ribs from a butcher they will remove the membrane for you.

  Pat the ribs dry and generously rub the Espresso spice rub all over the ribs. Let rest at room temp for about 30 min.

  Set the smoker to 225F and use your wood of choice (I use mesquite and apple most often). Place the ribs in the smoker either hanging or on grate and smoke for 3 hours.

  After the ribs have been in the smoker for 3 hours, take them out and wrap each rack with aluminum foil. Pour a 1/4 cup of coke or beer with each rack of ribs. Fold over the foil and pinch all the edges to ensure that it is sealed well to allow steaming.  Place ribs back in smoker at a very low 200 degree temp for another 30 min to hour.

  Remove ribs from foil and brush with your favorite BBQ sauce.

The post Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Espresso Spice Dry Rub is literally my favorite rub for smoking meats lately.  It adds such amazing flavor and will be your go to rub for smoked or barbecued meats.

The combination of earthy espresso and sweet brown sugar with spices makes this a well rounded dry rub.  This rub is super versatile and goes well with any cut of pork or beef.  My favorite so far has been my recipe for Espresso Spice Smoked Ribs.  I will definitely be trying this out on a NY strip next, the flavors are simply amazing!

How to make Espresso Spice Dry Rub

Dry rubs are super simple to make literally place all ingredients into a jar and shake well to mix.

Why not get out of your flavor comfort zone any try this Espresso Spice Dry rub on your next steak or rack of ribs!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
•  1/2 cup sea salt
•  1/2 cup espresso powder
•  4 tbs freshly ground black pepper
•  4 tbs garlic powder
• 2 tbs onion powder
•  2 tbs ground cayenne
•  2 tbs smoked paprika

Instructions:

In a container, like a mason jar or weck jar place all of the ingredients. Cover and shake well. The dry rub can be stored in a cool place for up to 2 months.

Pin this recipe for Espresso Spice Dry Rub to your favorite BBQ or Smoker Pinterest page to make for later!

Print

Espresso Spice Dry Rub

Earthy espresso with sweet brown sugar and spices make up this dry rub great for using on beef or pork.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Equipment

• mason jar

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 1/2 cup espresso powder I used Illy espresso powder for this recipe
• 4 tbsp Black Pepper ground
• 4 tbsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tbsp Onion Powder
• 2 tbsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika

Instructions

• In a container, like a mason jar or weck jar place all of the ingredients. Cover and shake well. The dry rub can be stored in a cool place for up to 2 months.

The post Espresso Spice Dry Rub appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Even though it is fall, I simply cannot give up using our smoker.  This Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken is the perfect smoker recipe that savors fall flavors.

One of our favorite meats to smoke is chicken because it is super versatile.  We have slathered it in BBQ sauce, made various spice rubs but by far this is now my new favorite smoked chicken recipe.  Brining the chicken for up to 24 hours really seals in the flavor while maintaining the moisture level of the meat while it smokes.  This chicken is so tender it falls right off the bone.

The mixture of whiskey and maple syrup give this brine an earthy, comfort food flavor.  Plus, slathering on maple butter while the chicken rests really amplifies the flavor.

How to brine the Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken:

1. Cut whole chicken in half near the breastbone.
2. Combine 2Tb Maple Syrup, 1Tb Whiskey, 2Tb Whiskey Vinegar, salt, pepper and water.
3. Place chicken breast side down in a deep baking dish and pour brine into dish.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.

You may have noticed Whiskey Vinegar as one of the ingredients.  I like experimenting with various flavors, it lets my creativity run wild.  That is one of the reasons I started this blog after all, as a means of creative expression and sharing my love of food.  Oil & Vinegar has the most unique vinegar and Olive Oil flavors, which makes cooking with their products so much fun!  As a special treat Oil & Vinegar is giving my followers 20% off their online purchase, use code Simple20 at checkout!

Try this Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken the next time you get the urge to use your smoker.  You will definitely not be disappointed!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Directions:

Take the whole chicken and cut in half by the breast bone with a butcher knife.

Prepare the chicken brine by mixing 2 Tb Maple Syrup, Whiskey, Whiskey Vinegar, Sea Salt, Black pepper and water in a deep baking dish . Brine the chicken 4 hours to overnight breast side down.  Make sure to cover the dish and refrigerate during brining time. 

If you’re short on time, you can brine the chicken for 4 hours and still have a pretty good result.

Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F. Load the smoker with wood chips of your choice.

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry.

Place the chicken in a disposable aluminum pan or hang.

Place the chicken in the smoker. Smoke for 3.5- 4.5 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

While the chicken is smoking, make the maple butter by mixing 1 TB of Maple syrup and butter.  Mix until smooth and incorporated

Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes.  While it is resting brush maple butter onto chicken.

Place the chicken on a platter, carve and serve.

Print

Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken

Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken. Whole chicken that has been brined in Whiskey and Maple syrup then smoked to perfection.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 day

Cook Time 4 hours

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• smoker

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken, whole Cut in half by breastbone
• 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 2 Tbsp Whiskey Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Whiskey of choice
• 1/4 Cup Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper ground
• 3 Tbsp Butter softened
• 4 Cups Water

Instructions

• Take the whole chicken and cut in half bythe breast bone with a butcher knife.

  Prepare the chicken brine by mixing 2 Tb MapleSyrup, Whiskey, Whiskey Vinegar, Sea Salt, Black pepper and water in a deepbaking dish . Brine the chicken 4 hours to overnight breast side down.  Make sure to cover the dish and refrigerateduring brining time. 

  If you're short on time, you can brine thechicken for 4 hours and still have a pretty good result.

  Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F. Loadthe smoker with wood chips of your choice.

  Remove the chicken from the brine and patdry.

  Place the chicken in a disposable aluminumpan or hang.

  Place the chicken in the smoker. Smoke for3.5-4.5 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thethigh reads 165 degrees F.

  While the chicken is smoking, make the maplebutter by mixing 1 TB of Maple syrup and butter.  Mix until smooth and incorporated

  Remove the chicken from the smoker and letit rest for 10 minutes.  While it isresting brush maple butter onto chicken.

  Place the chicken on a platter, carve andserve.

The post Whiskey Maple Smoked Chicken appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.

Fig Compote is a simple to make sweet fruit spread.  It complements savory dishes like pork, lamb, cheese plates, charcuterie spreads as well as sweet and savory flatbreads.  I personally love the flavor of Fig Compote with blue cheese or goat cheese on crostini topped with an ever so thin slice of Prosciutto.  Addictive!

This homemade Fig Compote recipe is made with three simple ingredients and makes a medium-sized batch. Fresh figs with peel, sugar, and lemon juice.  That’s it!  I love a compote or jam recipe that does not use pectin!

Simply put all ingredients into a medium saucepan bring to a simmer until they reach a gel like stage. The end result is a spreadable, sweet, and thickly textured compote that you can keep in the fridge for a month to use right away or freeze for up to a year.

How to make Fig Compote in 3 easy steps!

Step 1– place all ingredients into a medium size saucepan.

Step 2– Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat stirring constantly.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour, continue stirring.

Step 3– Fill your jars with jam and refrigerate or freeze!

This Fig Compote is the perfect addition to your fall appetizers.  Plus you can’t get any simpler than a 3 step process!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ​fresh figs (ripe, washed, quartered, stems removed)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 lemon (juice and finely grated zest)

Instructions:

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the figs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

While figs are cooking, prepare the jars 

After cooking the fig mixture for 1 hour, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip of the thermometer doesn’t touch the pan’s bottom, and continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. When the mixture gets quite thick, begin to stir constantly to keep it from scorching.

Fill the prepared jars with the hot fig jam mixture

Pin this recipe for Fig Compote to your favorite Appetizer or Jam Pinterest board to make for later!

Print

Fig Compote

Fig Compote is a simple to make fruit spread. It compliments savory foods like Pork, cheeses, flatbreads and panini.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast

Cuisine French

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Fresh Figs
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 Lemon juiced and finely grated zest

Instructions

• In a large, heavy-bottomedsaucepan, combine the figs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

  Bring to a simmer overmedium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1hour, stirring occasionally.

  While figs are cooking,prepare the jars 

  After cooking the figmixture for 1 hour, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, makingsure the tip of the thermometer doesn't touch the pan's bottom, and continuesimmering, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. When the mixturegets quite thick, begin to stir constantly to keep it from scorching.

  Fill the prepared jarswith the hot fig jam mixture

The post Fig Compote appeared first on Simple, Sassy and Scrumptious.