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I love beets for their flavor and health benefits so when I can, I add them to dishes. Recently I've seen so many veggies created into chips from Beets to Kale, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.With Memorial Day this weekend I figured if they tasted great then why not serve those, instead of potato chips. I made these this afternoon, and not only were they simple to prepare, but they took ju
In 2009 I created my blog, At Home with Vicki Bensinger having no clue at all what I was doing or what a blog actually was. I created it as a place that my culinary students could go, to stay in touch with me, ask questions, and learn new techniques and recipes. Now four years later my blog reaches my culinary students and the world. It's truly been an exciting journey.We all nee
I love quinoa, the super nutritious, powerhouse grain. It's not only incredibly good for your body, but delicious as well. You can read more about the health benefits of quinoa from one of my previous posts here.Recently a client contacted me requesting I create a specific gluten free menu to be shared with friends. She was leaving the country for 4 years and this would to be one
I hope everyone had a very Happy Mother's Day! I had a great day. The weather was perfect and while I spent some time outdoors I also spent much of the afternoon doing what I love - cooking and preparing dinner for the evening when my mom, sister, and in-laws would come over. I know what you're thinking. Our parents are 91, 88 and 99 years old. So going out to eat although enjoya
Do you have those go to recipes that you know will ALWAYS please everyone? I have quite a few up my sleeve, but I love these little cookies for their toffee crunch and chocolaty goodness. Plus you literally toss all the ingredients together and portion them out. How simple is that?When company is coming unexpectedly, or I'm looking for just one more sweet treat that I know will b
Do you love to party! If you do then you know Cinco de Mayo is this Sunday.When I was younger I use to go out and party with my friends, then it got old being around a bunch of rowdy people, lots of pushing and shoving - not fun at all. So instead of going out I started going to friends homes or having them over, and now, well, if you must know, it's just another day. That being s
Last week my husband and I decided to take a few days off and fly to Arizona to escape the Midwest weather, and get some much needed rest and relaxation. We enjoyed our time, sleeping in, exercising, having some spa treatments and eating out.My husband isn't much into trying new foods but he was a trooper this time, and let me make all the selections. All the restaurants we dined a
I had to be crazy to grill today. It literally poured the entire day - even the dogs had no interest in going outdoors.However, yesterday my husband and I returned from a mini vacation to Arizona. The weather was perfect and the food, spectacular! I was so inspired that I couldn't wait to get home and cook. Although I had something specific in mind to prepare this ev
When the weather gets warmer do you find yourself craving more fresh fruits and vegetables? I know I do! In fact, right before I go out for a run or bike ride I love to make this luscious and nutritious green smoothie. Don't turn your nose up until you've tried it. After sharing this recipe in many of my culinary classes, I've literally turned 100% of the "oh I don't think I want
There's nothing like a great burger prepared on the pit but, as we all know, grilling the perfect burger can be challenging. Back in 2011 I posted some grilling tips, in the event you need to hone your skills for the upcoming season.That said, even if you are a master at the grill, a burger is just a boring burger unless you know how to jazz it up, changing it from ordinary to extraordinary!
It's still not too late to add more fun treats for Easter. Here's an adorable Chocolate Pretzel Basket that even your kids will have fun creating. Fill with your favorite goodies or fresh fruit, for all to enjoy. Before you know it the entire basket will disappear!Watch my video below, then head to the grocery store to gather the few supplies needed to make this special treat. &n
Are you tired of the same dry sponge cake with berries and non-dairy whipping cream for your Passover dessert? Try this quick and delicious Flourless Chocolate Cake; your guests will be thrilled they stayed for dessert!This Flourless Chocolate Cake can be served for Passover or any occasion. Since it's extremely rich, one cake makes 16 servings. Be sure to bring to room temperature before se
I love cooking, baking and decorating for any type of holiday or celebration. I have to admit decorating isn't always my strong suit, but love the way it jazzes up a room and perks everyone up. Pinterest is a great place to find ideas. While browsing the site I saw so many darling Easter decorations, but Easter Peeps Centerpieces were plentiful. I'd love to say this was my creati
During the holidays my friends at Melissa's Products sent me their new cookbook, "50 Best Plants on the Planet" The Most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes. Brightly colored pages fill the book with produce ranging from A - Arugula to W - Watermelon each with photos and fresh recipes to try. The photos, so stunning and life-like, make you salivate just viewing the
If you've ever been to Italy I'm sure you'll remember the delicious bread brought to your table at lunch and dinner. Dark, crunchy, crisp crust, light airy dough inside, too difficult to slice with a knife, but perfect for tearing and dipping into rich green extra-virgin olive oil. There's something rustic yet magical about the moment, that can only be experienced in Italy - until NOW! Now Y
I've been craving vegetables, in anticipation of spring. So when I went over to Whole Foods Market the other day I couldn't resist. In my opinion, there isn't a more beautiful selection of produce anywhere. Their displays of brightly colored fresh produce is spectacular. Walking through the produce isles I gathered up a few things I thought might be tasty for a salad to set
I can't wait for spring to arrive, and nothing feels more like spring to me than Meyer Lemon Curd. When I was younger the word curd sounded disgusting to me, so I never tried it. Of course, once older, I found it to be quite tasty. I could eat it with a spoon.Have you ever tried lemon, lime or strawberry curd? If you haven't please try my recipe. Lemon curd,
Do you ever get bored of the dishes you make night after night? I know I do. Even though I cook a lot, I still tend to repeat the dishes my family gravitates to until they get boring. So tonight I decided on stir-fry, a dish I blogged about back in 2010, but thought I'd share it again. When I make stir-fry I serve it on top of brown rice, raw spinach or some variety of lettuce.
Have you ever tried a blood orange? Their skin is thick and orange with variegated deep red tones. To cut into them, the flesh is a deep raspberry color with flavor a combination of an orange, raspberry and strawberry, without the usual acidity of a typical orange. Blood oranges are delicious and guess what? They're in season right now, through the month of March. I've
All week I've been trying to conjure up some ideas for valentine treats. Last month I made Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Truffles a decadent dessert for your Valentine or anytime. I've made Raspberry Napoleans, Heart Shaped Pancakes, Fondue, Chocolate Raspberry Wonton Hearts, basically everything from breakfast to dessert. You can view all my Valentine's Day di
Do you have guests coming over in a few hours to watch the Super Bowl and need more grub? Here's a totally orgasmic hot dip that will have your guests running their own touchdowns.All you need to do is run to the store and grab a few items. Whip them up together and you've got this amazing dip! I literally cannot stop eating it nor could the rest of my crew. It obviously wo
Super Bowl is this coming Sunday, and while many of you will watch the game and root for your favorite team, I'll be watching for the great commercial breaks - my favorite part of the big event.I'll be sure to whip up plenty of finger lick'in goodies for those watching from the sofas in our home. Dips, appetizers, chili, salads, sandwiches, wings, beef and desserts will all be on the Super B
Did you know Aloe Vera functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete? Neither did I until I read this article that was posted today on Melissa's Produce blog. The article is fascinating! Digging a bit further, Mark Adams explains in greater detail the health benefits while sharing an aloe vera smoothie.I don't normally copy
I love chocolate especially when I can sink my teeth into it. Nothing screams chocolate more than Truffles! Before Border's Books closed my daughter and I would frequent there to purchase books, magazines, videos, etc. At the checkout line we could never resist the Lindt Truffles - purchase 3 for a special price. My favorites were the raspberry and dark chocolate.Truffles a
If you're a follower of my blog you know I had food poisoning over the holidays. Unfortunately it's stayed with me and my stomach just isn't back to normal, hence, the reason for my lack of posts. I just haven't been up to cooking much. Toast, soups and bland foods have been what appeal to me most, nothing thrilling that I felt was blog worthy.However, I did decide to make White
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday shared with family and friends. It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. With each new year many of us turn to resolutions only to be forgotten within weeks of making them. Mine is always pretty much the same - stay healthy and fit by eating well, exercising and enjoying life to the fullest. If w
I hope for those of you that celebrated Christmas, it was a wonderful day shared with family and friends, and filled with lots of love and laughter. The holidays have always been so special to me. It's the time to put everything else aside and spend quality time with family and those most dear to us. Nothing is greater than that, in my book! I do tend to feel a bit melancho
If you're anything like me, when you have a big celebration meal you like to serve bread at the table, but oftentimes it's just too filling. So instead, what I like to do is make cheese straws. They're light and tasty, not filling, but satisfy that bread urge. Best of all they're simple to make.This is how I prepare them, but feel free to change the recipe to suit your taste. &n
For as long as I can remember I've been making these brownies but have yet to post them. Why? Well, quite frankly these are a heart attack waiting to happen - NO JOKE!!!However, each year my family asks me to make them because they're so good. Why shouldn't they be good with 4 1/2 sticks of butter. You heard that right, it's no typo. I've avoided sharing this recipe m
I'm guessing that many of you reading my post today are bloggers as well. Did you ever feel like to scream because something went wrong with your blog or you decided to add a new feature only to realize that the code entered was all wrong and you were terrified that it could mess up the layout?This happened to me three times over a period of several weeks. For some reason I keep thinking I'm
Life has been crazy lately and I haven't had the opportunity to post as usual. Hopefully this week I'll be able to get more than one post in - at least that's my goal.For those of you that have been following me for a while you might remember when I posted my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. Well this year for Thanksgiving I decided to use portions of that recipe only this time I made cupca
I love what I do and feel so fortunate when companies send me products to try. Melissa's sent me a beautiful box of Korean Pears each one individually wrapped and just ripe for eating.Of course, when I received them the first thing I did was take a bite of these luscious orbs - they were so sweet and crisp with an airy texture inside. Very different from the typical pear I've eate
Back in the mid 70s I became passionate about cooking. Although I had cooked for years in the kitchen with my grandmother, it wasn't until I went off to college and cooked for myself and friends, that I fell in love. This stemmed from the immediate gratification I felt creating beautiful and delicious dishes and from those who enjoyed my creations. As a huge fan of the then new magazine,
For as long as I can remember I've been making Candied Pecans. I make them to have around the house when company is coming, add them to salads, as toppings for desserts or just to eat them plain - they're so good! I especially love giving the Candied Pecans as a holiday gift, packaged in cellophane bags tied with colorful ribbons.If you've never made Candied Pecans this simple reci
With the holidays quickly approaching, all I feel like doing is baking - cakes, cookies, pies, and biscotti. I love biscotti and never feel stuffed after eating one or two. I love them with my coffee, tea or even as a midday snack. They're so light and delicious!A favorite recipe I've been making for years is Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti. After viewing a biscotti recipe on
I have a very special post for you today. My friend Faith Gorsky from An Edible Mosaic just had her first cookbook released: An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. I’m excited to be participating in her virtual book launch party and sharing a recipe from the book! The book has over 100 Middle Eastern recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant, but also a few re
Friday I shared with you the Buddha's Hand Citron that Frieda's sent to me. This fruit is so unique and creepy looking - I hope you seek it out and bring one home for your family to try.Today I'm going to share with you the hottest chile on earth - Ghost Chile, Kiwano and Black Garlic that Frieda's sent to me. I blogged about Black Garlic back in 2009 when it first came out but the onl
I feel terrible that I've been gone all week and haven't posted a thing. This past week was crazy and exhausting. My poor little dog Cody has been so sick all week and has kept us up for the past 3 nights asking to be let out every 2 hours.Cody is an English Lab who eats everything you can imagine and never gets sick. So when he vomited 2 days in a row and then kept running to go
During the fall I find I make soup at least 2 times a week, sometimes more. There's something about a hot bowl of soup that's so comforting. One of my favorite tools to use when I need to purée soup or even smoothies is my Cuisinart Smart-Stick Hand Blender. Before I had the Cuisinart Hand Blender, when puréeing soups I would then have to use a ladle to trans
It's that time again for the 5 Star Makeover sponsored by Natasha and Lazaro. This month they have chosen Butternut Squash as our challenge. hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!Butternut Squash (shown above) is a vegetable we have in our home all the time. Weighing in at about 2-3 pounds, this cylindrical winter squash looks somewhat like a very large pear, approximately 8
As a member of the IACP I was invited to submit one of my recipes with photo, for a chance to win my own $15,000 iOS culinary app from MobileSkillet.com. If I win, my app will be placed on iTunes for the world to see and purchase. I found out a few days ago that I was a semi-finalist and the photo I submitted (above), would be posted on the Mobile Skillet page of Pinterest. As p
Have you ever noticed that once fall is in the air your eating habits change? Instead, you find yourself gravitating towards hot soups, breads, oven cooked savory dishes and baked desserts. Well, maybe not all of you, but definitely "yours truly."I had been planning to bake some Cranberry Orange Bread when I received an email about a new tool on the market that I knew I needed to try.D
Nothing screams fall to me like a St. Louis Merb’s Bionic Caramel Apple. Ever since I was a little girl I couldn't wait for October to arrive. I’d march over to the grocery store and pick up a Merb’s Caramel Apple, covered in a thick, rich, creamy, gooey, caramel, and coated with fresh roasted pecans. It’s heaven on a stick!For years I've tried to duplic
I love Fall, and particularly the color of the vegetables at the market this time of year. I have to say though, my family is so addicted to butternut squash, that I find I make that most of the time. Root vegetables are at their best in fall and winter, so I decided to pick up some carrots and parsnips in lieu of butternut squash. Carrots are best known for their rich supply of t
Apples are everywhere this time of year, in fact it's the perfect time to go apple picking if you're into that sort of thing. We love it, and my daugther who is 23 has been asking me all week if I'd like to go. So it looks like we'll be setting a date to head over to Eckerts soon.This month the 5 Star Makeover challenge was to make something using apples - the perfect fall fruit, IMO! h
The holidays will be here before you know it. If you receive my monthly newsletter then you're aware that the next few months I plan to share recipes for homemade "gifts from the kitchen," that you can give as a hostess, shower or holiday gift. Most of us enjoy giving gifts to family, friends and co-workers during the holiday season, but with the economy in the toilet it makes it a bit
Last week I posted the recipe for Limoncello from Mamma Agata's cookbook, "Simple and Genuine." Since I had lemons on hand I couldn't resist making her Lemon Cake that she has made over the years for many famous stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Apparently Bogey loved her lemon cake, just as I'm sure you will when you make it.I think you'll agree this cake is moist, butt
In June of 2007 we took an extended vacation to Italy. We started in the northern part of Italy - Milan, and made our way to the southern tip of the Amalfi Coast - Sorrento. Exhausted by the end of the month, the Amalfi Coast was the perfect setting for relaxation.The turquoise waters were breathtaking and crystal clear. We traveled by boat or ferry to many of the nearby islands for a t
I've had a crazy week of cooking classes but I'm finally having a minute to sit down and add a new post.I'm not sure how many of you eat raw food on a regular basis or what your eating habits are. However, I love to eat Raw Foods but still like my fish, beef and chicken as well, keeping a good balance. When I eat raw food, food that grows from the ground, "living food," not food that's been
This past Wednesday we made our drive back home to Missouri. I drove 14 hours and my daughter 2 hours with one dog in the back seat. My husband took our other dog in his car. To say the least I was exhausted all day on Thursday and part of Friday. It's hard for me to understand why sitting all day long would make me so tired, but it did. At any rate, we're home and se
