Hot Pimento Cheese Dip

As temperatures continue to be all over the place I find myself having difficulty planning my weekly menu. Not sure if you are the same, but when it's warm I don't want a heavy meal. I found this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Tupelo Honey. It's a warm cheese dip which is great for those cool fall evenings (sharing optional).     Roasted red peppers combined with sharp cheddar cheese and stone ground mustard give this dip a little zing. I strongly encourage anyone who loves to cook to purchase this cookbook, or at the very least, visit this restaurant the next time you make it to Asheville, NC.

12 ounces of cheddar cheese (shredded)

3/4 cup of mayonnaise 

1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoon stone ground mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

black pepper

3/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper

serve with tortilla chips

HAPPY COOKING!!

Chocolate Bliss

I purchased an awesome cookbook over the summer The Essential New York Times Cookbook.
This is where I found the best chocolate cake recipe ever!!! Amanda Hesser put forth an enormous amount of time and energy into the making of this cookbook and handpicked each recipe as she tested 1400 different dishes. I've made several meals using this cookbook and everything has been fabulous. However, this cake is one of my favorites. A Nigella Lawson recipe Chocolate Guinness Cake is undoubtedly the most delightful dessert I've tasted.

A Fresh Start to Fall

I've never been a fan of cold weather, as a child I preferred summer warmth over Autumn breezes. I'm sure this had more to do with freezing in the mornings while waiting for the school bus. Not a good way to set the tone for the rest of the day. However, I've grown up a little (only a little) and I've found a certain fondness to cool mornings. I still love the heat of the summer and this year we found a way store some summer pleasures.......CANNING!!! We were able to preserve green beans, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and black bean salsa.

The black bean salsa was my favorite to make. The smell of fresh tomatoes combined with the clean scent of cilantro and lime juice wafted through the kitchen all day.  Each pint jar included a tasty mixture of jalapenos, white and red onions, garlic, cilantro, tomatoes and of course black beans.  Don't let me fool you, this was a lot of work and it took an entire day but it was sooooo worth it!!! Happy cooking!!!