Pasta salad for a lot of people means mayonnaise. For me, that doesn’t always work well. I like going on picnics and I don’t want to have to worry about keeping my pasta salad cold (not to mention that it tastes better when it isn’t too cold). So this one has a Vinaigrette instead, which matches well with the artichoke hearts too.
I’m all about the unique flavor combinations and this cookie falls right in that category. Orange and Walnut? Sure. Orange and Chocolate? A classic. Throw in some sea salt? Hmmm. Now we’re getting a little stranger. Add them all together? Brilliant. Worked out really well and I am pleased with the experiment. Don’t worry, they aren’t all that salty, but the salt does bring out the other flavors. Yum.
I’m often asked if I can “adjust my recipes” for people to make them “gluten free”. Well, unfortunately not. It’s not quite so easy, and because I am not a celiac, I don’t really have a reason to eat GF. I actually have very strong opinions of eating gluten free, but will save those for another day. At any rate, there *are* recipes that are naturally gluten free. This is one of them. Made of cashew butter, eggs, brown sugar, baking soda and chocolate chips, there is no wheat-based flour to be found. They are yummy, but a little on the crumbly side. Nevertheless, a good snack.
While I am throwing M&Ms into treats, I thought I would make some “Don’t Call it Chex” Snack Mix. It is Chex Mix though. But yummier, imo, than your standard stuff. The honey and Worcestershire sauce give it a nice tangy sweetness. The almonds and peanut M&Ms a nutty crunch. Great for nibbling. Obviously I used the springtime / Easter M&Ms, given the season, but go for the regular colors the rest of the year.
Cranberries and toasted walnuts. For me, these count as winter flavors. Sort of like apples tend to be autumn flavors. It’s funny how my brain associates flavors with times of the year, eh? Seeing there is still snow in the air and the Winter Olympics are on the TV, winter food is fair game right about now, so I thought these Cranberry Chocolate Chip and Toasted Walnut Blondies to be perfect for an afternoon snack. And foolproof, I might add.