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Nuts

Kale Pesto

by 4 Comments

Kale Pesto is a nutrient filled sauce that is very versatile for cooking. It can be used with pasta or rice, meat or poultry, on pizza, bread or burgers. The possibilities are endless.

Pesto is basically made up of 4 ingredients (plus salt & pepper), you need a green, nuts, cheese and olive oil. My favorite greens to use are basil, spinach, kale and garlic scapes. For nuts, I like pine nuts, almonds, cashews or pecans. For cheese I always use parmesan and I always use olive oil.

This takes seconds to mix up and you have a fresh, deeply flavored sauce that will kick your taste buds into high gear.

Add the kale, cheese, nuts and olive oil into a food processor.

Add the kale, cheese, nuts and olive oil into a food processor.

 

 

Pulse to combine.

Pulse to combine.

 

 

Add pesto to your favorite recipe like pasta.

Add pesto to your favorite recipe like pasta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Kay Signature

 

 

 

 

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Kale Pesto

Kale Pesto

Ingredients

  • 2 cups kale, stems removed, packed
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • ¼ cup parmesan, shredded
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Place ½ of the kale in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add half of the olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. Pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the second half of the kale, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Pulse until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store, refrigerated in an airtight container, for 1 day. You can also freeze this in the freezer for up to 3 months.
http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/kale-pesto/

 

 

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

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Pineapple Zucchini Bread is a moist and flavorful sweet bread that gets it’s moistness from the zucchini and flavor from the pineapple.  I like this for breakfast or served as a dessert.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

 

This recipe makes two loaves, I added chopped pecans to the top of one of the loaves.

 

Creamy butter is a perfect topping.

Creamy butter is a perfect topping.

 

 

This bread freezes well for up to one month. Eat one loaf now and freeze one for later.

 

 

 

 

 

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Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups unpeeled zucchini, shredded
  • 1-8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until thick.
  • Combine dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Stir into creamed mixture, just until moistened.
  • Fold in the zucchini, pineapple, and nuts (optional).
  • Pour into 2 greased/floured 9x5 inch bread pans or 4 mini loaf pans. Bake the large pans for 55-60 minutes and the mini pans for 50-55 minutes at 350 Degrees. Test with a wooden toothpick. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then place loaves directly on a cooling rack until cooled.

Notes

You can freeze this bread. Wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil. It will keep up to one month in the freezer.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/pineapple-zucchini-bread/

 

 

 

Cashew Peanut Clusters

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We are at the half way mark of the Twelve Days of Christmas Treats and for Day 6 I am featuring Cashew Peanut Clusters. What I love most about this recipe is the fact that you make it in a slow cooker. You add the nuts and chocolate and turn the slow cooker on and “poof”, the clusters are done.

I used cashews and peanuts in this recipe, but you could actually use any combinations of nuts; cashews, peanuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia, etc., they would all work great in this recipe. You could also use milk chocolate in place of the white chocolate.  I put the finished product in cupcake liners, both large and small. If you don’t have cupcake liners, you can easily spoon the clusters onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.

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Cashew Peanut Clusters

Cashew Peanut Clusters

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces peanuts
  • 12 ounces cashews
  • 2 pounds white almond bark or white chocolate for dipping

Instructions

  • Add the peanuts and cashew in the bottom of your crockpot.
  • Break up the white almond bark and place on top of the nuts.
  • Cover and cook on high for 45 minutes, do not stir during this time. Turn your crockpot to low and stir to combine (you may still have some chocolate that hasn’t melted). Stir every 15 minutes until all the bark is melted. Crop into small cupcake liners or drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Let the clusters cool and set (I put mine in our cold garage to set). Store in a covered container.
  • To make them more festive, you can sprinkle to tops with colored sugar or edible decorations.
http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/cashew-peanut-clusters/

 

Layer the nuts on the bottom and add the chocolate over the top.

Layer the nuts on the bottom and add the white chocolate broken in pieces over the top

 

After about 45 minutes, stir everything together.

After about 45 minutes, stir everything together.

 

I made the clusters in two different sizes.

I made the clusters in two different sizes.

I added sprinkles to add a splash of color.

I added sprinkles to add a splash of color.

Reindeer Chow

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It’s Day 3 of The Twelve Days of Christmas and today’s recipe is Reindeer Chow. I love the name of this snack, I think kid’s will get a kick out of it. Pair this treat with a cup of hot chocolate!

This snack is filled with M&M’s, pretzels, Rice Chex, Cheerios and peanuts. On top of all of that is white chocolate and colorful cookie decorations. I truly enjoy pretzels dipped in white chocolate and you can find me making some kind of candy/snack with this combination in my kitchen at Christmas time.

This recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

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Reindeer Chow

Reindeer Chow

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Rice Chex cereal
  • 3 cups Cheerios cereal
  • 3 cups peanuts
  • 3 cups pretzel pieces
  • 2 cups red & green M&Ms
  • ½ cup cookie decorations, I used green jimmies with red berries
  • 20 ounces white chocolate
  • 3½ tablespoons solid coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Instructions

  • Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside.
  • In a very large bowl, mix together the Rice Chex, Cheerios, peanuts, pretzels and M&Ms.
  • In a saucepan, melt the white chocolate and coconut oil over low heat until melted, continually stir once it starts to melt.
  • Pour the melted chocolate over the dry ingredients and quickly toss together using two large spoons until everything is pretty evenly coated in the white chocolate. Spread the mixture out on the prepared pan and refrigerate until it's set, about 20 minutes. Break up any chunks and store in tins or airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/reindeer-chow/

First, follow these steps, 

Reindeer Chow

Reindeer Chow

Second, follow these steps,

Reindeer Chow

Reindeer Chow