Saturday Shout-Out: Dancing Moon Coffee

I've long had a love affair with coffee. It began in high school and remains quite strong today.

My kitchen has what I refer to as the "coffee closet" if that's any indication (my monthly coffee supply is on auto ship!) At our house, we drink everything from flavored coffees to robust brews. We mostly use our Keurig, because my husband and I have different java preferences. But we also own a lovely grind & brew coffee maker for those times when we want to indulge by the pot instead of by the cup.

So my interest was piqued when Dancing Moon Coffee asked me to give their boutique coffee a try. This is a new-to-market brand bent on introducing coffee lovers to "The Legendary Coffees of the World" via Amazon.com. Dancing Moon offers six varieties and says its special roasting process delivers three times the antioxidant power of green tea.

A coffee with additional health benefits? I'm in!

Three friends bored with retirement launched the brand because they wanted something fun to do with their time that would allow them to pursue their love of coffee while giving back to a cause. Jamie Weldon, Nick Pronovich and Gunar Skillins give 5 percent of profits to the Semper Fi Fund, which provides financial assistance to wounded and critically ill veterans of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The entrepreneurs call Dancing Moon the "fourth wave" of coffee. Here's why: The first wave is commercially produced brands like Maxwell House or Folgers, followed by espresso drinks popularized by Starbucks. The third wave was artisan-made boutique coffee beans from specific growing regions.

Dancing Moon's beans come from a single source within each region and are certified organic and fair trade. This level of detail, according to the founders, is "java nirvana" for consumers who can tell the difference between an Ethiopian and a Kenya coffee. It also means the owners know exactly which acres on a specific farm produced their beans.

We tried the Full Moon Gourmet Blend which was smooth and rich with a hint of chocolate. This blend is a little bit smoky, too. The Full Moon was not too robust for me and just robust enough for my husband.

Dancing Moon roasters say this blend combines the "caramel sweetness of Central America and Colombian beans," a bit of Brazilian "for a hint of chocolate" and a small amount of Sumatra for "earthy complexity."

I'm certainly not a connoisseur when it comes to being able to taste the subtle differences in every coffee varietal, but if you appreciate a good cup of coffee – and want to buy a socially conscious brand – give Dancing Moon a try.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Blackberries and Pineapple with Basil Simple Syrup

I love a good fruit salad. But you know what's even better? Fancy fruit salad.

A couple weeks back, I was bringing fruit to my mom's night out, and I wanted to class things up a bit. An herbal simple syrup seemed like just the ticket, so I headed to the grocery store to pick up fruit (truth: I got whatever was on sale) and fresh herbs. Since it's spring (hurray!!), Trader Joe's had giant pots of basil and mint. I promptly bought one of each and texted Amy and Andrea to determine which I should use.

The vote was speedy and unanimous: basil. And it was absolutely the right choice.

Basil simple syrup was an unexpected but delicious twist on the standard fruit salad. Check out this gorgeous bowl of sunny pineapple, tender blackberries, and ribbons of basil glistening with a drizzle of basil simple syrup. Don't you want to dive right in there?

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Blackberries and Pineapple with Basil Simple Syrup

1 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
20 ounces blackberries
1/4 cup (or to taste) basil simple syrup (recipe below)
1 tablespoon chopped basil for garnish, optional

Gently stir everything together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Basil Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup basil

Combine sugar, water, and basil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Allow syrup to cool for about 30 minutes. Strain syrup into a small container to discard basil. Press on the basil to make sure you extract all the good stuff from the herbs. Refrigerate until you're ready to use it. Yield: 1 cup simple syrup

Vegetable Bean Soup

In an effort to ignore the dreary spring rains outside, I'm making vegetable soup to brighten things up inside.

It's a meal I used to make all the time, and I'd forgotten how forgiving a vegetable soup can be, especially when you just start tossing in whatever vegetables are in the fridge. All you need is some good stock or broth and a big pot. Add a few spices and dinner is served.

This time around I added a bunch of mixed dried beans, to give the soup a bit of heartiness.

Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Vegetable Bean Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large shallot, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

1/2 of a large red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 stalks celery, diced

1 pound carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (I used a bag of baby carrots and cut each piece in thirds)

2 yellow bell peppers diced

10-12 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced

1 1/2 cups mixed dried beans, cleaned and prepared according to package directions (mine was a blend of beans, peas and lentils)

3-4 large rainbow chard (or substitute kale) leaves, stems removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

Italian parsley, roughly chopped

In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt butter and heat oil over a medium high flame.

Add shallot and onion and cook, stirring frequently until shallot becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir, cook for 1 minute. 

Add celery, carrots and bell pepper and cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add 8 cups of stock, and scrape bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add salt and pepper, tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil.

Let boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover pot with lid and simmer for 90 minutes or more. Check soup after 1 hour. If it has become too thick, add more broth or stock, 1 cup at a time. Return to a boil, then back to a simmer to continue cooking until beans are tender and no longer tough.

Add chard or kale and stir until greens are wilted. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley. Serve with a chunk of crusty bread.

Kentucky Derby Cookies

This past weekend was Derby weekend and I was nostalgic thinking of my Old Kentucky Home. As usual on the first Saturday in May, I teared up at the playing of the state song just before the big race.

I was lucky enough to get to cover three derbys while a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader, where I met my husband. The Bluegrass is a special place.

Often on Derby Day, I make Derby pie. But this year I decided to create something different -- Kentucky Derby Cookies. Think of them as Derby pie in cookie form. Yes, there's bourbon and two kinds  of  nuts -- pecans and walnuts. That's because I learned that some versions of the pie have walnuts and others have pecans, which is what I've always used. Why choose?

And why wait until next Derby to bake up these delicious cookies? With more than half a cup of bourbon I promise you will enjoy them any day of the year. Besides, we have a Triple Crown to watch out for in the coming weeks.

Then next year, you can add Kentucky Derby Cookies to your Derby Day menu.

XOXO,
Amy

Kentucky Derby Cookies
(Note: This is a double batch that yields 7 dozen cookies. I like to bake a lot of cookies and freeze half or more for later. If you want to cut this recipe in half, no problem. For the bourbon, use 5 tablespoons)

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bourbon
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 12-ounce package chopped pecans
1 12-ounce package chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt -- and then set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugars and butter until smooth. Add in eggs and mix to combine. Mix in vanilla extract and bourbon. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Drop large spoonfuls of cookie batter on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until just beginning to golden. Cool cookies on wire racks.

Kentucky Derby Menu

It's Derby Weekend, folks! Amy is our resident southern gal, but today I'm throwing a virtual Kentucky Derby party. Whether you're cheering on My Man Sam, Danzing Candy, or Whitmore, you're going to be a winner with this Derby Day menu.

Let's get cooking...and betting!
Erin

We're starting the party off right, with Amy's famous Mint Julep. Let's be honest, if the drinks are good, no one will really care what else is on the menu.

When you're having cocktails, you need Spiced Nuts. Make these ahead of time, then munch on them while you're supposed to be vacuuming.

Also, Deviled Eggs. Because everyone loves them. I mean, have you ever had leftover Deviled Eggs? I didn't think so.

Lightened-Up Curry Chicken Salad is next on my Derby Day menu. It feels classy enough for a horse race, but it's easy enough to prepare while you're holding a teething toddler on your hip. (Not that I know from personal experience or anything...)

Asparagus is in season. Which means in addition to being delicious, it's probably on sale. Let's guild the lily and wrap it with pork. Yes, folks, I'm talking about Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Spears.

My mom makes the tastiest Butterscotch Cashew Bars, and they're requested at every church potluck. I think your Derby guests deserve to try them, too.

Because one dessert is never enough, we should serve Crock Pot Chocolate Cake, too. With a giant dollop of whipped cream, don't you think?

Our top Cinco de Mayo recipes

Need ideas for your Cinco de Mayo menu? We've got you covered from appetizers, to dinner to dessert.

We have a special affinity for Mexican flavors here at Hot Dinner Happy Home, which means there is no shortage of recipes.

Today we're serving up some of our most popular Latin-inspired dishes.

What does your family eat for Cinco De Mayo? We'd love to know!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

P.S. Need more ideas? Simply type "taco" or "tortilla" or "enchilada" or "quesadilla" or "Mexican" into the search function in the upper left hand corner of this page to discover more recipes.

Taco Pie is easy, tasty and the perfect comfort food.

Tacos are fun and family friendly, especially when the kiddos get to build their own. Skip the packet and give DIY Taco Seasoning a try.

Amy's Guacamole is the perfect appetizer or topping for tacos — or any of the these dishes.

Crockpot Queso is a yummy way to honor Cinco de Mayo, especially as an appetizer.

Enchilada Casserole is spicy, cheesy and a great weeknight meal.

Don't forget dessert. These Cinnamon Crisps are a great way to end the meal.

Kid Friendly Pesto Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

My Tower Garden is going gangbusters. So far this Spring, I have harvested two kinds of lettuce, two kinds of kale, some spinach and some cilantro and basil. And there's so much more goodness to come -- tomatoes (large and cherry), yellow squash, peppers, celery, cucumbers and more.

I'm practically living off the land right here in South Charlotte. Ha!

With the basil I harvested this weekend, I made one of my kids' favorite dishes -- Pesto Chicken Bow Tie Pasta. They love this dish and I love that it goes a long way in that it fills them up for a few dinners with leftovers packed in their school lunches.

I hope your kids love it,  too!

XOXO,
Amy

Kid Friendly Pesto Chicken Bow Tie Pasta
For the pesto:
1 bunch of basil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the rest of the dish:
1 pound bow tie pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
1 pound chicken breast or tenders, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Put all of the pesto ingredients into food processor and blend until pine nuts are mostly smooth.

A note or two about the pesto: I really just eyeball all of the ingredients based on what I am making and the amount of basil on hand. Here is how much basil I harvested from my Tower Garden for this dish. Ideally, it would have been a bit more, but I was OK with that because this dish is going in my kids' Thermoses for their lunches for the week and they prefer the dish to be a little less "green."

You could easily double the amount of pesto you use here. You could also add more or less garlic. You could add a pinch of red pepper. You could add more olive oil if you want a runnier pesto. But be careful on the olive oil and add it bit my bit because you can quickly go from perfect pesto to an oily mess.

In large bowl, combine the cooked pasta and chicken with the pesto and the grated Parmesan cheese. Place in a baking dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the shaved Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees until hot throughout.