House Dressing-Secret Recipe Club

Who could resist a visit to a blog called “Smells Like Brownies.”  This was my assigned blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club.  Melissa has been blogging since 2011 and is the stay-at-home mom of two little ones.

Of course, cookie lover that I am, I headed straight for the cookie index.  I wasn’t disappointed and found recipes for Brown Sugar Shortbread, Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookies, Gooey Vanilla Bean Tea Cakes and Double Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies which my husband is currently stealing from the cookie jar.  I also found Spicy Tuna Burgers and Pecan Crusted Salmon.  Melissa doesn’t eat meat or poultry, so there are a lot of great veggie and fish recipes on the site also.

Now I was planning to post about one of the cookie recipes, but I came across a post that had a recipe that was so easy, so quick and so versatile that, after I made it,  I just knew that it had to be shared.  Melissa wrote about a dressing that she  loved which was served at a place called The Cheese Shop in Colonial Williamsburg.  Well, move over Ranch, I have a new love.

Now when I say I love this stuff, this is how I have already used it.

I had it on roasted cauliflower.

Then as a dip for chicken fingers.

With roasted potato slices.

And on zucchini patties.

Then actually as a dressing on a wedge of lettuce.
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I have even been guilty of grabbing a spoon and taking a little bite directly from the jar.  From now on, I will always have this in my fridge.  If you like mustard at all, please give this wonderful recipe a try.

It is worth it to buy the mustard seeds for this if you don’t have them on hand.  The dressing does get more kick the longer you keep it.

Make this dressing/dip, then visit Smells Like Brownies, and get some great new cookie recipes.

“Cheese Shop” House Dressing
from It Smells Like Brownies

I c. high-quality regular or light mayonnaise (I used Best Foods)
1 T. high-quality Dijon mustard
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced (I like garlic so may have used a bit more)
1 t. turbinado or light brown sugar (I  used the brown sugar)
pinch salt
pinch fresh ground black pepper
1 t. mustard seeds

Combine all ingredients except the mustard seeds in a food processor or blender.  (I used my mini food chopper).  Process until the garlic is smooth and the mixture is well blended.  Turn into a container with a lid.  Stir in the mustard seeds.  Chill several hours to allow flavors to blend.  Serve with crusty bread, raw or cooked veggies, chicken fingers, over lettuce, just wherever you want.  Makes a little over a cup.

If you would like to join in the fun of Secret Recipe Club, visit this page.

An InLinkz Link-up

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

I like deviled eggs, and I like pasta salad.  The other day I was thinking about making a pasta salad to eat for lunch the rest of the week.  I also was thinking about deviled eggs.  I decided to see if I could make a pasta salad with the flavor of deviled eggs.  So Deviled Egg Pasta Salad was born.

I finally got brave and turned my camera so it would take a more vertical picture.  These are better for Pinterest so they say.  I also tried putting text on my  photos for the first time.  There is hope that this old grandma can get in the groove yet.  Now if I can just get brave enough to actually use my DSLR.

When I am making a salad just for me, I always use ingredients that I like.  Change or sub ingredients to fit your tastes.  I had green onions that needed to be used up, other wise I would have used another variety of finely chopped onion.

Since pasta seems to absorb dressing, it may be necessary to add a little more mayonnaise or some sour cream after the salad has set for awhile.

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
2 c. small shell pasta or other small pasta
6 eggs, hard cooked
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onion or 1/3 c. finely diced yellow, white or red onion
1/3 c. finely diced red pepper
2 ribs celery, cut in half vertically and thinly sliced on the diagonal
10 black olives, cut into eighths
1 medium dill pickle, finely chopped
2/3 c. mayonnaise
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 t. coarse ground pepper

Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions.  Drain.  Cool with cold water and thoroughly drain again.  Pour into large mixing bowl.  Peel eggs and cut in half.  Remove yolks and put in a small mixing bowl.  Chop the egg whites and add to the pasta.  Add onion, red pepper, celery, black olives and dill pickle.  Stir to combine ingredients.  Using a fork, mash the yolks until very smooth.  Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar and pepper to the egg yolks.  Beat until well combined.  Spoon dressing over the pasta and mix until pasta and vegetables are thoroughly coated.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  Makes 4 generous servings.

Linking to these great parties:
Full Plate Thursday
Thursday's Treasures
Fantastic Thursday
Tasty Thursday
Showcase Your Talent
Catch a Glimpse Party

Maple Mustard Roasted Carrots-Eating the Alphabet

The letters for this month’s Eating the Alphabet challenge hosted by Brenda at Meal Planning Magic is “C or D".  This is a blog hop using veggies, fruits, grains or legumes to help us find more recipes for eating healthy.  I decided that carrots would be the vegetable I would use this month.

I like cooked carrots, hubby not so much; so I usually make them just for me. Roasting is my preferred method for cooking carrots as it seems to bring out their sweetness.  The maple/mustard flavor combination is one I have used in the past so I thought I would try it with carrots.  Hubby tried them and said that they were OK which is big praise from him.  I, myself, loved them and will be making this recipe often.

Since there are just the two of us, I only made an 8x8 pan full.  If I was feeding a family, I would double the recipe.  Although I used regular carrots, peeling and cutting them up, a lb. of baby carrots could be used instead.  Cut the baby carrots so they are all about the same size if necessary.  The flavor of this recipe can be changed up some by using different flavors of mustard.

Maple Mustard Roasted Carrots
8 or so medium carrots, peeled and cut into about 1 inch chunks (enough to fill a 8x8-inch baking dish) or 1 lb. baby carrots
1 T. olive oil
3 T. pure maple syrup
1 1/2 t. Dijon mustard or mustard of your choice.

Place carrots in a greased 8x8-inch baking dish.  Drizzle with the olive oil and toss until carrots are well coated.  Place pan in a 350 degree oven.  Roast about 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until carrots are crisp tender.  Combine maple syrup and mustard in a glass measuring cup and mix until very well blended.  Pour over carrots and mix well.  Roast another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until as tender as desired.  Makes 4 servings.

If you would like to join our eating adventure, Brenda has a information and a sign-up form in this post.

Ingredient Spotlight-Honey Mustard Dip

The Ingredient Spotlight today over at Eat at Home is honey.  The recipe I am sharing today is short and sweet, quick and easy.  It can be used as a dip for chicken nuggets or fingers, or veggies, it can be used as a spread in sandwiches or as a dressing for salads.

It is easy to vary the taste of this by the kind of mustard that is used.  I have made this with all kinds of mustards.  I, personally, like to use a pineapple mustard that I can get here in the northwest.

Heating the honey slightly in the microwave will help to make it more pourable.  Also, grease the measuring cup to make getting the honey out of it easier.  Try to make this at least a few hours a head if you can.  It keeps well in the refrigerator.

Honey Mustard Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Mix together honey, mustard, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl and whip with a whisk until smooth.  Makes about 3/4 c.  If you are having a party, it is fun to serve this in a hollowed out pepper. 

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight
Weekend Potluck