Sweet & Sticky Caramel Popcorn

I fight the urge to make caramel popcorn a lot. "I'll just stick to regular popcorn," I tell myself. But, after my children beg for it for weeks, I finally make the caramel popcorn.  I love this recipe.  It is so warm and gooey and sweet and sticky and worth it (As long as I don't eat much the rest of the day...therefore, I make it at night).

Caramel Popcorn

(Printable Recipe)

1-1/2 cup popcorn kernels

2 sticks butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pop popcorn. Set aside. In medium pan on stovetop, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add baking soda and vanilla. Pour caramel mixture on the popcorn, mixing well. Sit down with your family and enjoy every last piece!

Note: This recipe makes 2-3 large bowls for our family of 5.  The recipe works well if you decide to half it.

Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

Put a jar of Nutella in front of me and I go weak in the knees. Last week a jar of Nutella was somehow transferred from aisle three of the grocery store to shelf three of my pantry. For three days I tried to avoid peeling away the metallic film that stood between the two of us and at one point hid it behind the soy butter (which, for clarification, does not make me go weak in the knees). 


I think we all know how that went, since I am about to tell you about a simple cookie that I made once I caved and opened up the jar.


I love a good pinwheel cookie, and usually make these raspberry walnut ones. This time around, the raspberry jam and walnuts were traded in for Nutella and toasted hazelnuts. The result is a buttery cookie with a chocolate hazelnut flavor. Butter, chocolate, hazelnuts. I don't think you can go wrong with these.


Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
(Printable Recipe)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup Nutella

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Cream the butter and sugar and then beat in the egg and the vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients slowly until combined. Place dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll out into a rectangle. Remove the top sheet of the waxed paper and spread the dough with the Nutella. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts. Roll dough tightly into a cylinder and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in fridge and chill for at least 2 hours or until ready to bake. Preheat oven to 375. Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown lightly. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread

When I am in the mood for an Italian meal, I absolutely must have focaccia bread on the side.  I used to use white flour, but now I use stone ground white wheat flour. The addition of whole wheat gives the focaccia more fiber and a healthier wholesome taste, but the texture still remains light. I love to take the leftover focaccia and slice it to make a sandwich with some italian meats like salami and fresh sliced provolone cheese. 

Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread
(Printable Recipe)
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 cups white wheat flour
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons, fresh rosemary


In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and then stir in the honey. When the yeast mixture is bubbly, add in the white wheat flour, salt and olive oil. Let rest covered till doubled. Oil a round baking stone and  then roll out dough. Make dimples with fingers on the dough and add a drizzle olive oil to the top along with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and rosemary. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes or until bottom of bread browns slightly.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Agave Lime Vinaigrette

I love this salad for so many reasons. Reason one: I feel light as a feather when I eat it because there is absolutely no oil in the vinaigrette and it's not even missed. Reason two: the avocado + grapefruit combo. It just tastes lovely and summery and refreshing. Reason three: It's adaptable. I've made it with arugula instead of mixed greens. I've added cucumber. Serve it with fish or chicken or eat an extra serving of it and call it a meal. Whatever you do, you'll feel good after eating it!  (As opposed to that second serving of dessert I had just days prior!)

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Agave Lime Vinaigrette

Adapted from Delicious Living

(Printable Recipe)

4 teaspoons agave nectar

3 teaspoons lime juice

1 avocado

1 grapefruit

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced (optional)

1/4 cup pecans, toasted

4 cups mixed baby greens, arugula or baby spinach

Whisk together agave nectar with lime juice in the bottom of a salad bowl. Peel and segment the grapefruit and cut each segment in half. Using a tablespoon, scoop out bite-size pieces of avocado.  To the salad bowl, add greens, avocado and cucumber. Lightly toss to coat. Toss in grapefruit and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Blueberry Jell-O Salad or Blueberry Jell-O Dessert

I had never been a fan of gelatin salads until I made this one. This gelatin salad is worthy of receiving the title of dessert as well. Therefore, I have bestowed upon it a second name as the title notes. After eating this gelatin salad and modifying it slightly from the original recipe, I have since opened my mouth to other gelatin salads. Only one has struck my fancy since and it is a sweet and savory gelatin salad. Therefore, it cannot have a dual title. So, try this cool, jiggly dessert while the weather is hot and blueberries are in season. You'll soon see why this salad or dessert stands alone when it comes to J-E-L-L-O!

Blueberry Jello Salad/Dessert Recipe

(Printable Recipe)

2 small packages grape flavored Jell-O

2 cups hot water

1 can crushed pineapple (DO NOT drain.)

1 can blueberry pie filling

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Topping*:

1 (8 oz.) brick cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh blueberries

Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Add undrained pineapple, pie filling, blueberries and nuts. Pour into 13 x 9 pan. Refrigerate until firm. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Spread over firm gelatin. Evenly distribute blueberries on topping layer.

*I often half the topping and it still covers the gelatin.

Foodies at Heart

When we started A Busy Nest, we had every intention of writing about food, wellness and home topics. These days though, you may have noticed our posts have been primarily recipes and food topics. We noticed this too and have decided to run with it! Food is a passion for all of us (The Empty Nester, The Full Nester and The Budding Nester) and so from now on we will be bringing you recipes and food related topics close to our heart. 

So join us in the kitchen, we think we'll be staying here awhile!

Grilled Caesar Salad

A professor in one of my culinary arts classes of college past once told about how he made dinner for a group of high schoolers before their prom. One of the things he said he served was a grilled Caesar salad. He related that the "kids" (Ha! I am getting old) were skeptical about the salad. My professor assured the dolled up group that the salad was worth at least trying and it ended up being a hit! 

Every time I have made a Caesar since, I have wanted to try charring the lettuce like my professor had done. Now that a year has gone by, I finally tried it out. My plan was to grill it outside, but of course a storm blew through just when I began to make dinner preparations. I turned to Plan B, a cast iron grill pan, which ended up working just as well. All you need to do for the salad is cut a head of romaine in half lengthwise, drizzle it with olive oil and put it cut side down on the hot, hot, HOT grill. The key is to quickly char the lettuce and achieve nice grill marks. I am only betting that attempting this when the pan is not hot enough could result in a frail, soggy salad (probably what those kids were envisioning).

Grilling the romaine lettuce really elevates the already rich flavor of a Caesar. I drizzled the whole thing with a homemade dressing that I made in the blender in less than five minutes. And then of course there's the croutons. I will not buy store-bought croutons. I used to, until I made my own. And then I couldn't bear to go back. Cube up a baguette. Toss with olive oil in a skillet and let toast on low heat until crunchy. It will only make that grilled lettuce taste even better, I promise! 

Grilled Caesar Salad

(Printable Recipe)

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and cut in half lengthwise

1/2 baguette, cubed

3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 clove garlic

1-1/2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon anchovy paste

1-1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 lemon, juiced

Cracked pepper

Sea salt

For the dressing:

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup olive oil with garlic until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the parmesan, sour cream, anchovy paste, dijon mustard and lemon juice. Blend until emulsified. Season with a little salt and cracked pepper. Store in fridge until ready to serve. 

For the croutons:

Heat a large skillet on medium low. Add enough olive oil to cut the bottom of the skillet and toss bread into oil. Let toast, stirring occasionally. To keep warm until serving you can put the croutons in a 200 degree oven. 

For the grilled lettuce:

Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Drizzle romaine halves with a little olive oil and place cut side down on the grill. Grill about two minutes.

Before serving:

Place lettuce on a salad plate. Arrange croutons and remaining parmesan cheese over lettuce. Drizzle with dressing and cracked pepper.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Looking for a cool salad to accompany a spicy Asian meal? Look no further because this cucumber salad (with its own bite) is sure to be the perfect side for stir fry, sushi or noodles.

Asian Cucumber Salad
(Printable Recipe)

3/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted


Stir together vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Add cucumbers, tossing to coat. Cover and chill. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Apple Cake

Our apples looked tempting on the tree. Some looked nearly ripe as I thought about a recipe for this apple cake. I usually make the cake in the fall, but apples are available year round. Wait until fall if you must be seasonal or try it now and be happy you couldn't resist baking this apple cake!


Apple Cake
(Printable Recipe)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 apples (1-1/2 lbs) cored, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Powdered sugar, for dusting


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8 x 11-1/2 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixer bowl, beat sugars, butter and eggs. Add flours, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Mix well. Fold in apples and nuts. The mixture will be thick. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca

The other night as I was hacking away at a watermelon, my husband walked in and posed the question, "Why don't people cook more with watermelon?" As I rattled off all the things that you can in fact do with a watermelon, I mentioned agua fresca. He then proceeded to ask me to explain what exactly is in an agua fresca. Instead of giving him the quick rundown, I pulled out a blender and made him a glass in just about the time it would have taken to fill him in. I love object lessons, especially edible (or in this case, drinkable) ones! 

Because watermelon has such a high water content, this drink is oh so refreshing! Seriously, why would you grab a can of soda (or pop or coke or soda pop) when you can cool off with this! So if you have a watermelon sitting on your counter, get to hacking!

Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca
(Printable Recipe)
4 cups seedless watermelon
3 cups sparkling water
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar (more if you like it sweeter)

Blend watermelon, lime juice and agave nectar until smooth. Taste for sweetness. Strain into a pitcher. Stir in sparkling water. Serve over ice and garnish with mint. Serves 4.

I Love Paula Deen's Tomato Pie!

I find Paula Deen very entertaining. She makes no excuses for her high fat dishes. When I saw this recipe, I had to try it. It has become a favorite when tomatoes are ripe and ready to be eaten at our house. Tomato Pie has become a summer comfort food when I feel like indulging a little.

Tomato Pie 

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes. Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

Thai Cucumber Salad

I recently became tired of the same cucumber salad recipes and decided to search for something new when I discovered recipes using red peppers and cilantro. Since I rarely follow a recipe or never have all the ingredients a recipe calls for, I created this salad. It was a welcome change.

Thai Cucumber Salad

(Printable Recipe)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

3 medium cucumbers

1/4 cup red onion

1/4 cup cilantro

Bring sugar, salt, chili garlic sauce, brown rice vinegar and water to a boil over stove top in a small pan. Remove from heat when sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Peel, halve and seed 3 medium cucumbers. Cut into 1/4" thick slices. Place into medium sized bowl. Thinly slice red onion and add to cucumbers. Pour dressing over cucumbers and onions. Chop cilantro and toss with cucumber mixture. Refrigerate and serve as a side salad.

Peach Vanilla Bean Slab Pie with Cardamom

Last summer I discovered cardamom. Similar to ginger and nutmeg, cardamom is a beautiful addition to baked goods. Ripe Georgia peaches and Madagascar vanilla are taken to "comfort food" level with the addition of the cardamom in this slab pie. I was sold by the idea of a slab pie because not only is it easier to serve at a potluck or picnic, but you can actually eat this pie with your hands! Now that's what I call a summer dessert!

Peach Vanilla Bean Slab Pie with Cardamom

(Printable Recipe)

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

4 sticks cold, unsalted butter

12-14 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

2 1/4 pounds peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 vanilla bean, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles peas. Add ice water steadily until dough comes together. Divide dough in half. Flatten and refrigerate and hour or until ready to use.

Roll out each piece of dough into a 12-by-16 inch rectangle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one rectangle of dough on cookie sheet. Place vanilla bean and sugar in a food processor to create a vanilla sugar. Sift sugar into a bowl to remove large pieces of vanilla bean. In a bowl, combine peaches, vanilla sugar, cornstarch and cardamom. Pour onto prepared dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with remaining dough and seal two pieces of dough together. Fold over and crimp edges. Using a sharp knife, make slashes or designs over dough. Whisk together egg yolk and milk. Use a pastry brush to egg wash the top of the slab pie. Bake for 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

I made a new topping/ingredient for pizza and pasta this week: oven roasted tomatoes. The balsamic vinegar gives the tomatoes a nice tangy bite! Try it as a topping on this pizza or perhaps toss with this Italian pasta salad.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

(Printable Recipe)

3-4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil (reserve 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

10-12 leaves fresh basil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat. Halve tomatoes. Place tomatoes on silicone baking mat and drizzle with olive oil (reserve 1 tablespoon for later use). In a small bowl, mix the reserved olive oil, salt, garlic, basil and vinegar. Place in a mini food processor and blend. Scrape out and toss with olive oil drizzled tomatoes. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper across top of tomatoes. Bake in oven for 2-1/2 hours.

Blueberry Flax Scones

There is nothing like a light sweet scone with fresh blueberries. The addition of flax seed and wheat germ provide extra nutritional benefits to the batter. Scones can be served for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon treat with a cup of tea!

Blueberry Flax Scones

(Printable Recipe)

3-3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup shortening

2 tablespoon cold butter

1 cup blueberries

3/4 cup  milk

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add blueberries and toss lightly to distribute. In a separate bowl using a fork, beat together the milk and eggs until blended. Using a large spoon gently stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture. With floured hands gather the dough up and place on a floured surface. Sprinkle the top lightly with additonal flour and pat the dough out to about a 1/2-inch thick. Cut in triangles and place each on a lightly greased pan. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with sugar and bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms of scones are a light golden color.

How to Make Freezer Cucumbers

Cucumbers are in abundance at my home as is just about everything else from our garden. I am trying to keep up with all the produce as I do every year. One of the ways that I make use of them is by preparing large batches of freezer cucumbers for enjoyment by my family in the winter.  

Freezer Cucumbers

(Printable Recipe)

3 ½ cups cucumbers, thinly sliced 

2 small onions, sliced into rings and separated (less if you desire)

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup white vinegar

3 tablespoons water

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. Cook sugar, vinegar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumber mixture. Cover and chill 48 hours. Spoon into half-pint jars or freezer containers. Seal, label and freeze pickles up to 6 months*. Thaw in refrigerator before serving; use thawed pickles within a week. 

*I have used up to 1 year.

Cherry Tomato & White Bean Salad

Have an abundance of cherry tomatoes in your garden?  I did too. Now I have a perfect recipe to use three cups worth. This salad tastes like summer and is almost a meal since it includes white beans. 

Cherry Tomato & White Bean Salad

(Printable Recipe)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

sprig of rosemary

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

juice of 1 large lemon

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 - 15 oz. can white beans (I use Great Northern.)

3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine olive oil and garlic in small bowl. Add sprig of rosemary and microwave for 1 minute. Let sit for 10 minutes.  Remove rosemary sprig. Add remaining dressing ingredients to bowl. Mix well.

In medium bowl, mix dressing and white beans together. Add cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. Gently mix. Refrigerate and serve.

Red, White and Blue Crepes

For the last several years to celebrate our nation's birthday, I have made crepes for breakfast. Crepes can be filled with a variety of fillings, but for this special day, I like  keeping  the patriotic theme of using red, white and blue: strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. The word crepe is French, but in our house it is as American as apple pie!

Red, White and Blue Crepes

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

(Printable Recipe)

For the Crepes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup cold water

3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for greasing skillet

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat a crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, brush with melted butter. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into pan and tilt to cover the batter evenly. Cook for about a minute or until browned on the bottom. Turn and briefly cook on the other side. Let cool on a rack while cooking remaining crepes.


For the Filling:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 pint blueberries
2 tablespoons honey
confectioners sugar, for dusting


Whip cream by hand or in an electric mixer until peaks form. Chill until ready to assemble. In one bowl, lightly toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon honey. In another bowl, lightly toss blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon honey.


To Assemble:
Lay a crepe, browned side down, on a plate. In the middle of the crepe, spread out blueberries on one half. Repeat with strawberries on the other side. Roll crepe up like a burrito, seam side down. Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of each crepe. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and dust with confectioners sugar. Repeat with remaining crepes.

Roasted Garlic and Herb Pizza Bites

These thin crust roasted garlic and herb pizza bites are rustic, yet chic enough to serve at a party. The combination of roasted garlic and herbs creates a yummy balance and presents a flavor explosion in each and every bite. In order to get nice bubbly crusts, preheat a pizza stone before adding the little pizzas. The hot stone immediately begins to crisp the pizzas upon contact, resulting in a better crust.

Roasted Garlic and Herb Pizza Bites

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 recipe 5-Minute Pizza Dough

1/2 cup prepared tomato or pizza sauce

1 bulb roasted garlic, chopped

Dried oregano

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Sea salt

Olive oil

Place a pizza stone in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 450. Roll out pizza dough about 1/8 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Spoon sauce over dough circles. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Top with a small mound mozzarella cheese and a couple pieces of roasted garlic. Repeat with remaining dough circles. Carefully transfer circles to hot stone and bake for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms of pizza bites are golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a platter. Top each pizza bite with fresh basil and thyme, a light pinch of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Makes about 2 dozen.