As summer is coming to a close, holiday baking is approaching. Today I was making salted caramel pecan bars when I realized I wanted to toast my pecans first. What I like about toasting nuts is how aromatic they are as well as the added crunchiness when they are baked. Although you could easily toast pecans/nuts by themselves, when coated with a little bit of salted butter then baked, the pecans go from ordinary to extraordinary. [click to continue…]
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Today I went to the farmers market and bought 1 bunch of basil for $2. Of course I knew I would be making fresh garlic and basil pesto to use for a variety of dishes. What I love about pesto is its versatility. You can use it as a sauce on pizza, mix it with cream sauce, toss it with pasta, or on top of chicken and even on salmon.
Although you can buy basil in a jar at your local supermarket, nothing can compare to the taste and color of homemade pesto made from fresh basil and garlic. [click to continue…]
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