Pomegranate, pear, pistachio salad

Notes: This was really good. I think this is just a great starter and you can add or take things away how you like. I liked how the feta cheese off set the fruit sweetness a bit. The girls loved the pistachios in a salad idea. I had to go way off script off on the salad dressing as I didn't have all the ingredients, so I'd like to try the real thing sometime. Mine was good, but it was the salad part that was really yummy.

 

Author: Jen@CarlsbadCravings.com

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Pomegranate, Pear & Pistachio Salad
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 sweet apple (I like Fuji), chopped
• 1 pear, chopped
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
•  1/3 cup roasted and salted pepitas (may sub. sunflower seeds)
• 1/3 cup roasted and salted pistachios
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese
• 
  Creamy Pomegranate Dressing
• 1 5.3 oz. Greek Yogurt with Cherry Pomegranate (I use Fage)*
• 1/4 cup Sweet Red Chili Sauce (found in Asian section)
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
•  1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk together all of the Creamy Pomegranate Dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
2. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. If serving entire salad immediately, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to coat. If there might be leftovers, drizzle dressing on individual salad servings. Top with freshly ground salt and pepper.

Notes

*You may substitute 1/3 vanilla Greek yogurt (won't be pink or have as much pomegranate taste but still delicoius) or substitute 1/3 cup strawberry yogurt which is a little sweeter than the Cherry-Pomegranate yogurt but still delicious

Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

Notes: Cooked it in an angel food cake pan and worked great. I didn't have any sour cream and so used whole milk with lemon in it and was great. Loved how moist the cake stayed even 5 days later. Rich, definitely rich. but yummy and easy. Definitely moister the 2nd day, would try to make a day before planning on serving.

from Our Best Bites

Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
cocoa powder for dusting pan
1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 cup full fat sour cream
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips, roughly chopped
Glaze
3.5 ounces dark chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
½ tablespoon butter
½ cup cream
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
 Additional ingredients
Crushed candy canes (2-3)
For serving: whipped cream or ice cream *for extra peppermint-y goodness, add a little peppermint extract to your sweetened  whipped cream while whipping.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a budnt pan (make sure to get the inside center as well) and then dust with cocoa powder, covering all sides and then shaking out excess.
Place cake mix and dry pudding mix in the bowl of a stand mixer.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, milk, vanilla, and peppermint until smooth.  With mixer running, add liquid ingredients to cake mix and beat until combined.  Scrape down sides of bowl and then beat for 2 minutes on medium high speed.  Add chocolate chips and stir until combined.  Pour batter into budnt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs attached.
Glaze: While cake is baking, place chocolate chips and butter in a bowl.  Heat cream until hot and bubbly and then pour over chocolate.   Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then add peppermint and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.
When cake is done, let cool until just warm (15-20 minutes)  Invert onto a paper towel on a metal rack.  Let cool completely and place on serving platter. To glaze cake, either use a brush to lightly brush over surface, or spoon and drizzle chocolate over.  You may have extra.  If too thick, heat for a few seconds to loosen, if still warm and too runny, let cool longer or place in fridge to speed up process.  After cake is glazed (and you may want to wait for the glaze to set just a bit), sprinkle with crushed candy canes.  Slice into servings and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.