“Here in 2026, it’s all about comfort,” Executive Chef Christine Gerriets told us. (Gerriets, by the way, is the first female executive chef at Dodger Stadium.) This year’s new Dodger treats include plenty of family-pleasing favorites. Plus, there are some sentimental additions created by the chefs themselves.

Below, check out all the new Dodger Stadium food from this year’s media preview:

New Dodgers Main Courses

First, let’s look at some of the main courses. There’s such a variety here that everyone should find something to satisfy:

Chick-e-Churri Sandwich – A crispy fried cornflake-battered chicken breast topped with baby arugula, avocado, cucumber, and chimichurri sauce. If this one looks familiar, it’s because the Dodgers featured it in the post-season last year. It was such a hit, the chefs brought it back. (And don’t you love how the bun is branded with the LA logo?)

Veggie Burrito Bowl – A Dodger helmet filled with seasoned bell peppers and onions on bed of white rice, beans, lettuce, Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, and guacamole. This one comes in a souvenir Dodgers helmet.

Lunch Box Burger – A grilled beef patty topped with melted pepper jack cheese, peanut butter, grape jelly, candied sriracha bacon, and crispy bacon. (“People don’t expect peanut butter and jelly to be on a burger, but somehow it works,” Gerriets told us.)

Kale Powerhouse Salad – Shredded fresh kale, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, carrots, almonds, chickpeas, cheddar cheese, and hard boiled eggs with lemon tahini dressing.

Fried Chicken Bucket – Eight pieces of assorted crispy deep-fried chicken with choices of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and biscuits. This bucket serves a family of four.

Chow Mein Burrito – Crispy fried chimichanga loaded with chicken chow mein. This item is a special creation of Dodgers’ Chef Morgan. He says it reminds him of how his grandma used to cook up leftovers and create special new comfort foods.

Loco Moco Bowl – White rice topped with a seasoned beef patty, fried egg, and brown gravy. Gerriets told us that when she honeymooned in Hawaii, she ate this every single day. “It’s so comforting to me,” she added.

New Dodgers Sweet Treats

Next, check out some of the newest tempting sweet treats at the stadium:

Cookies & Cream Cold Brew – Iced coffee cold brew topped with cold foam and adorable teeny-tiny cookie crisps.

Churro Sundae – Vanilla ice cream topped with mini churros, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

Jim Beam Pineapple Dole Whip – OK, not a dessert exactly, but this sweet drink is incredibly refreshing and we can’t wait to sip this again at a summer game.

Which ones are you most excited to try? Hope to see you at the ballpark!

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Getting To Nicaragua

How do you get to Nicaragua? From several resort locations in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, it’s just about a 90 minute drive. We selected a day trip from our villa at Bahia Pez Vela Resort through Cacique Tours. Our tour guide picked us up in a van directly from our villa’s doorstep bright and early (4:45 a.m.) for a full day of adventure.

The Costa Rican-Nicaraguan border is not your typical border stop; it’s actually two stops. First you have to process your passport at the Costa Rican customs office, then you have to do a five-minute walk through the “no-man’s land” between borders. Then you enter in the Nicaraguan customs office.

(The “tree of life” sculpture, one of many around the country, that visitors see as soon as they cross the border into Nicaragua.)

Once you enter Nicaragua, you will meet your Nicaraguan van and tour guide, who will stay with you for the entire day in Nicaragua. (Our tour guide, Eduardo, was amazing!)

Lake Nicaragua Sightseeing

The morning began with a traditional breakfast on Lake Nicaragua. Lake Nicaragua is the largest freshwater lake in Central America, covering a landscape dotted with volcanoes.

We enjoyed breakfast at a tiny local lakefront restaurant. The owners served us rice and beans, eggs, fruit, fried plantains, salsa, and slices of the freshest, most delicious avocado you will ever taste.

(Traditional Nicaraguan breakfast)

Next, we took a quick detour through the city of Rivas before heading back to the shores of Lake Nicaragua. There, we set out on a boat tour that wound through the lake’s tiny islands. Each home is its own island!

(A single home on a tiny island in Lake Nicaragua)

We also made a quick stop at “monkey island” – an island too small for a house, but just the right size for a crew of mischievous monkeys.

The Colorful City of Granada

Next we headed over to the historic and colorful city of Granada. Granada is perhaps best known for its colorful yellow Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (Granada Cathedral)  in the central plaza.

(Granada Cathedral)

To get to know the city a little better, we took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city’s streets.

(A horse-drawn carriage in Granada, Nicaragua)

We saw plenty of low-slung and colorful colonial haciendas. Every now and then an open door would allow us a peek inside, where we would get a glimpse of a beautiful courtyard or pool. We also toured a chocolate factory, and had a chance to buy some cocoa products.

Masaya Volcano

For lunch, we had another traditional Nicaraguan meal. We each had a choice of chicken, fish, or steak, served with patacones (fried plantains), traditional cheese, and rice.

Then we headed up the mountain to see the mouth of Masaya Volcano.

(A view down into the mouth of Masaya Volcano)

Two things surprised us about the volcano: One, that we were able to get so close. And two, that the fumes were truly overpowering. There was a five-minute time limit for being at the top, and at first we were joking about it but after about four and a half minutes, we were ready to head out.

Our last stop was a shopping trip in a traditional open-air market. Although most of the offerings were touristy (think: coffee mugs and magnets), we were able to get a pretty pair of leather sandals for just $10. (Everyone takes American dollars.)

Then, after we had finished shopping, our tour guide Eduardo surprised us all with maracas that said “Nicaragua” and each had our names carved on them.

Our Nicaragua day trip was a very full day (leaving at 4:45 a.m. and returning at 8:45 p.m.). However, we didn’t regret a minute of the opportunity to see this fascinating country up close.

Tour details: Check out Cacique Tours here, and check out the resort villas at Bahia Pez Vela here.

(Blogger disclosure: We did not receive any compensation for this post; we paid for all travel and expenses on our own. All opinions reflected are our own.)

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(Enjoying the ocean view from a private pool outside a villa at Bahia Pez Vela resort.)

As many parents know, once you have kids over a certain age, it’s hard to get everyone into one hotel room. That’s why, for family travel, we’ve been seeking out hotels with family suites or villas. After an exhaustive search to find a family-friendly hotel at an oceanfront location, we found Bahia Pez Vela.

Bahia Pez Vela Location

Bahia Pez Vela Resort is in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, which is the northwest corner of the country. Facing the Pacific Ocean, this region is famous for its stunning beaches, dense forests, and local wildlife. The resort is located in a secluded cove, just about 40 minutes from the Liberia airport. (Liberia is an increasingly popular destination; Alaska Airlines, for example, flies direct to Liberia from Los Angeles.)

(View of Bahia Pez Vela from the ocean.)

Bahia Pez Vela is built on a steep ocean-facing hill, in the secluded cove of Playa Azul. All of the rooms face out onto the ocean, and all are walkable to the black sand beach below. Young swimmers may have fun wading at the beach; there are also kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkel equipment sets available for rent for those who want to explore further. Local wildlife includes pelicans diving for fish, sea turtles, and of course many varieties of local fish.

Rooms at Bahia Pez Vela

This resort offers primarily 3 or 4 bedroom villas, each with 2.5 baths, each sleeping 6 to 11 people. (The resort also has select studio villas available that sleep 2.)

A villa kitchen.

The villas each have full kitchens, so you can do your own cooking or prepare for a quick breakfast on days when you want to head out early for sightseeing. (Traveler tip: When arranging your van ride from the airport, ask to include a stop at the local grocery store so you can stock up on provisions.) Also included in each villa is a spacious dining area, living room, and well-appointed bedrooms.

A villa living room.

Although the resort has a lovely pool, many of the villas have private pools as well. We highly recommend Villa Paraiso, which is located at the end of one row of villas, abutting a very dense forest. While we lounged by the private pool, a group of mischievous monkeys played in the trees overhead.

Dining At Bahia Pez Vela

There is one restaurant at the resort, Soluna Beach Bistro, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and of course delicious beach cocktails made with fresh local fruit.

(A passion fruit cocktail at Solano Beach Cafe)

Although we didn’t eat at Soluna Beach Bistro for every meal, the chef was extremely generous in cooking us a feast one night made from some fish we caught. That feast included tuna tartare; mahi mahi ceviche; grilled tuna, mahi mahi, and triggerfish; as well as grilled vegetables, salad, and french fries.

(Mahi mahi ceviche and plantain chips)

A very quick taxi ride will take you to the tiny town of Ocotal next door, which features the popular Father Rooster restaurant. A 10-plus minute ride will take you to the slightly larger and livelier town of Coco, with a variety of restaurants, beachfront bars, and shopping.

Adventures in and Around Guanacaste

Bahia Pez Vela offers a wide range of guided adventures in the area. A perfect family adventure direct from Bahia Pez Vela is the Palo Verde Nature Cruise. After getting picked up at your villa, your guide will drive you to Palo Verde National Park. On a private or semi-private boat ride, you will see countless birds, monkeys, and amphibians, including crocodiles.

(A crocodile cools off in swampy water.)

After that tour, you will visit a local home where the owners prepare a traditional meal of rice, chicken, beans, and vegetables.

(Dining at a traditional Costa Rican home)

Another tour we chose was a four-hour fishing tour around Papagayo Bay. That trip was extremely fruitful for the fishermen in our group. For those of us who weren’t fishing, the scenery enough was enough to make the trip worthwhile.

(Photographing a fish before releasing it)

Other tour options include rainforest tours, waterfall hikes, ATV adventures, whitewater rafting, and more. One can’t-miss experience was a Nicaragua day trip, which we shared in our next post.

It’s entirely possible to get away without a rental car, especially if you are planning on doing mostly hosted expeditions (that come with a van and a guide). For heading into town, we were all set with taxi or ride-share services. However, if you’re choosing your own adventures, a rental car might be your best bet.

Long story short: If you’re looking for a comfortable home base for adventure-filled family travel in Costa Rica, Bahia Pez Vela in Guanacaste is a great choice.

(Blogger disclosure: We did not receive any compensation or complimentary lodging or food for this post. All opinions expressed are our own.)

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What Are Blueberry Grapes?

Blueberry Grapes are a new variety of grapes named for their visual resemblance to blueberries. The grape is small with a nice “bloom” that makes it resemble a blueberry. (The “bloom” on a grape is the naturally occurring white powdery coating on a grape’s skin.) The taste is faintly like a blueberry, but it’s closer to a Concord grape with a bright candy flavor rather than a grape jelly flavor.

Blueberry grapes are grown in California and are available from mid-July through mid-August. You may see them in grocery stores with specialty produce sections, or you can ask your local produce manager. (Alternatively, you may order them from Melissa’s Produce at the link above.)

What Can You Do With Blueberry Grapes?

We first learned about blueberry grapes at a presentation given by Robert Schueller at the Orange County Fair. Schueller, the director of public relations at Melissa’s Produce, is a world-renowned produce expert who knows all of the hottest produce trends.

When Robert introduced the blueberry grapes, the question came up from the (cooking-centric) audience: Can you cook with blueberry grapes? A murmur ran through the crowd. They are larger than blueberries, but can you cook them like blueberries? Wouldn’t they be more watery – and how would you account for that? Is the skin tougher than a blueberry? Would it be better to slice them in half before you cook them? And then how would that affect the moisture in the recipe?

Baking with Blueberry Grapes

We were intrigued by all of these questions, and so we decided to tackle them head-on in the Jolly Tomato kitchen. Why not just start cooking with blueberry grapes? We considered making grape pancakes, but we thought the grapes might be too big and overwhelming for a pancake. A blueberry shortbread or pie seemed like a good idea. However, you would probably want to cook them down and then you would want to strain out the skins.

So we decided to jump right in and put them – where else? – in a banana bread. Check it out:

Blueberry Grape Banana Bread Recipe

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Blueberry Grape Banana Bread

A delicious quick banana bread, with delightful pops of juiciness from blueberry grapes.

Course Breakfast or Snack, Snack, Snack or Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword banana bread, blueberry grapes

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Equipment

• 1 9"x5" loaf pan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cups mashed bananas
• 1 1/2 cups blueberry grapes, stemmed, rinsed, and patted dry

Instructions

• In a large stand mixer, cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking sode, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture by stirring just until combined. Add mashed bananas and blueberry grapes and stir until combined (do not overmix).
• Pour mixture into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for one hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then use a spatula to loosen the bread around the edges. Turn over to release the bread from the loaf pan, then set on a serving plate or cutting board. Serve warm or at room temperature. If you will keep the bread for more than two days, place it in the refrigerator or slice it and freeze it.

Blueberry Grape Baking Thoughts

So now that we have enjoyed this delicious banana bread, here are some thoughts on baking with blueberry grapes. First, they seem to stay intact while baking, so the added moisture does not seem to affect the final product. Second, the thickness of the skin seems to be what keeps them intact, so we would not have chosen to cut them in half for this bread.

And last, they add delightful pockets of juiciness throughout the bread – even juicier than you would get if you had added blueberries (which tend to “bleed” a little bit). So we give this a 10/10, would absolutely recommend. What do you think?

P.S. If you’re looking for more banana bread recipes, check out this Chocolate Buckwheat Banana Bread (a gluten-free recipe) or our Vegan Protein Banana Bread.

Blogger disclosure: Melissa’s Produce gave us a sample of blueberry grapes to try. We did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are our own. 

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Thanks to Melissa’s Produce, we got to meet with Dominic Palmieri, a.k.a. the Midway Gourmet, to talk through the new offerings as the fair opened. Palmieri told us that this year’s new foods focus on new tastes and textures, including not just “crunchy” and “spicy” but also “silky and creamy.”

Sausage “Corn Dog” with Mike’s Hot Honey

Speaking of spicy, Palmieri has introduced a spicy new main course treat at the stand known as Biggie’s. This time it’s a nearly foot-long sausage, cooked corn-dog style (breaded with a corn batter), and then drizzled with Mike’s Hot Honey.

Palmieri notes that Biggie’s will go through 200 gallons of Mike’s Hot Honey during the four weeks of the fair.

“Pork-A-Palooza” Pizza

Next we headed over to Enzo’s pizza stand. There, Palmieri and his team developed a pizza that works in a new texture: crunchy. The “Pork-a-Palooza” pizza features pepperoni, sausage, and chicharrones (crispy pork rind). Then Palmieri drizzles it with hot Sriracha sauce for a fiery finish.

(Fun note: Enzo’s takes its pizza dough seriously. The team lets the dough ferment and rise for 72 hours before baking it.)

Ice Cream Sundae in a Cookie Bowl

Why add to the landfill with extra cups and bowls when you can eat the bowl? That’s part of the logic (OK, it’s just fun too) behind the ice cream cookie bowl at the Totally Baked! Cookie Joint stand. Totally Baked! serves up ice cream, whipped cream, and hot fudge all in a giant cookie bowl. It’s big enough for two (but we won’t tell if you eat it all by yourself.)

Chamoy Lemonade

Chamoy is a spicy/salty/sweet sauce made from pickled fruit, and it’s one of the hottest food items at the OC Fair this year. At Squeezer’s lemonade stand, you can get a lemonade rimmed with tajin and chamoy, and filled with a mango chamoy drizzle. The chamoy is thick enough so that it doesn’t just disappear into the lemonade; you continue to taste it all the way through. As Palmieri notes, it’s “interactive fun lemonade.”

Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup

At the Chocolate Strawberry Cup stand, you’ll find loads of fresh strawberries. You can choose from just a chocolate drizzle, or a combination chocolate drizzle/pistachio sauce drizzle, called the “Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cup.” This is part of the “silky, creamy” texture trend that Palmieri touts for 2025. The chocolate doesn’t harden; it stays silky and smooth. (Palmieri expects to go through 12,000 gallons of chocolate sauce for this year’s fair.)

Dubai Chocolate Labubu Popcorn Bowl

And last the grand finale… The Dubai Chocolate Labubu Popcorn Bowl. This is a giant bowl of kettle corn, topped with (once again) a silky chocolate sauce and a silky pistachio sauce. (The chocolate labubu doll chills in the fridge until it’s ready to serve.)

“This is the hottest new thing, every kid wants it,” said Palmieri. Maybe some adults too?

The OC Fair runs through August 17. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets are $13 general admission on Wednesday & Thursday; $15 general admission on Friday, Saturday & Sunday; $9 for seniors 60+ and kids 6-12 every day; and free for kids ages 5 and younger. Parking is $15. The OC Fair’s location is 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, 92626. 

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German potato salad with Hatch sweet onions

Summer’s Sweetest Onions

Melissa’s Produce distributes Hatch sweet onions, which grow exclusively in New Mexico’s Hatch Valley. In the Hatch Valley, the unique volcanic soil and micro-climate create cult-worthy produce. The climate there offers high daytime temperatures and extremely low nighttime temperatures, which results in fertile growing conditions. The onions are exceptionally sweet and very juicy. They are great for grilling, pickling, and sauteing.

Hatch sweet onions

Their season is not quite as short as the Hatch pepper season (which runs from August to September), but it’s still just a small three-month window (May, June, and July) that these are available. You can find them in most high-end grocery stores; ask your store’s produce manager if you don’t see them.

What is German Potato Salad?

Classic German potato salad is served warm, with a thick and tangy vinaigrette. Traditionally people make the dressing with bacon, but for this recipe we left out the bacon (and it’s still delicious!). When you saute these beautiful onions, you will find them so silky and flavorful that you won’t miss the meat. While the vinaigrette itself is tangy, it also has just a tiny bit of sweetness that pulls all of the flavors together.

German Potato Salad With Hatch Sweet Onions Recipe

Print

German Potato Salad with Hatch Sweet Onions

A warm potato salad with sauteed onions and a tangy-sweet vinaigrette.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Hatch sweet onions, potato salad

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 6 medium red potatoes (or 1.5 bag mini red potatoes)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Hatch sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• Dash ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• chopped fresh dill, or other herbs for garnish

Instructions

• Cook the potatoes to your liking (you may boil them, unpeeled, or microwave them until tender). Leaving the skin on, slice or cube the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onions. Saute the onions slowly, stirring and reducing the heat if necessary to prevent charring, for about 5 minutes or untiil translucent and very tender.
• Add the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper to the onion mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring until smooth and bubbly.
• Remove from heat and stir in water and vinegar, continuing to stir untiil the mixture is well-blended. Then bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, for one minute. The mixture should be thick.
• Pour the dressing over the potatoes. Stir and garnish with fresh dill or other fresh herbs. Serve warm.

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Check out this towering cone of Salted Grapefruit Coconut Julep, Banana Parsnip Sherbet, and Coffee and Stone Fruit Marmalade (with whipped cream and sprinkles, of course).

What is Upcycled Food?

First question: What does “Upcycled” mean? According to the Upcycled Food Association, upcycled foods are foods that use perfectly edible ingredients that otherwise would go to waste. This could include today’s perfectly delicious bread or donuts that grocery stores can’t sell tomorrow as fresh. Or the pulp left over from nut, oat, or soy milk. Or even the whey left over from yogurt making.

In the past two years, Salt & Straw’s Upcycled series has rescued nearly 50,000 pounds of food waste. This effort aims to shine a spotlight on food waste and its role in our food ecosystem.

Two years ago, Jolly Tomato featured Salt & Straw’s debut flavors of upcycled ice cream. This year, we can’t wait to introduce the new ones.

What are This Year’s Upcycled Flavors?

This year’s Upcycled flavors from Salt & Straw include:

• Malted Potato Chip Cupcake: This flavor is a collaboration with Uglies Kettle Potato Chips and Renewal Mill to divert over 2,862 pounds of food waste. It features malty chocolate barley milk ice cream studded with hunks of chocolate-glazed cupcakes and chocolate-dipped Uglies potato chips. The finishing touch is a thick ribbon of caramel.

  

  Malted Potato Chip Cupcake Ice Cream

• Coffee and Stone Fruit Marmalade: This flavor is a collaboration with Atomo Coffee and Hello! I’m Ugly to divert over 1,657 pounds of food waste. It features robust coffee ice cream created with Atomo’s 50/50 beanless + Arabica coffee blend. Then they swirl in stone fruit marmalade crafted from Hello! I’m Ugly dried nectarines and apricots.

Coffee and Stone Fruit Marmalade Ice Cream

• Salted Grapefruit Coconut Julep: This flavor is a collaboration with Wheyward Spirit to divert over 1,191 pounds of food waste. A tropical take on the classic Derby cocktail, it blends coconut cream with tart and tangy cacao pulp. Next, they churn it with salted grapefruit ‘julep’ featuring ‘wheyskey’ from Wheyward Spirit.

Salted Grapefruit Coconut Julep Ice Cream

• Banana Parsnip Sherbet: This flavor is a collaboration with Urban Gleaners to divert over 1,189 pounds of food waste. It features “rescued bananas” roasted with cinnamon and honey. Then they blend it with parsnips, cream, vanilla and a splash of bourbon.

  

  Banana Parsnip Sherbet

• Sourdough and Olive Oil Chocolate (vegan): This flavor is a collaboration with Evergrain to divert over 1,095 pounds of food waste. It’s essentially a riff on the quintessential French breakfast of pain au chocolate. It combines Arbequina extra-virgin olive oil blended into malty chocolate barley milk. Next they mix it with candied hunks of sourdough bread.

  

  Vegan Sourdough and Olive Oil Chocolate Ice Cream.

Added Earth-Friendly Benefits

Also this month, all Salt & Straw shops will also begin using 5-ounce certified compostable scoop cups. That effort will eliminate 28,000 pounds of paper waste without changing the portion size. A smaller cup means a lighter footprint, but the same amount of ice cream.

Last but not least, on April 22, Salt & Straw scoop shops will offer guests free waffle cones with the purchase of a single scoop. (Now that’s a great way to eliminate paper waste: Eat a cone!)

To check out Salt & Straw, find a scoop shop near you, or order online at Salt & Straw.

Blogger disclosure: Salt & Straw gave us flavors from its Upcycled series to sample. We did not receive compensation for this post, and all opinions are our own.

The post ‘Upcycled’ Ice Cream Gets New Flavors for 2025 first appeared on Jolly Tomato.

The post ‘Upcycled’ Ice Cream Gets New Flavors for 2025 appeared first on Jolly Tomato.

Candied Ginger Cornbread from Shockingly Delicious, left, and Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad from Cooking on the Weekends, right.

Two dear friends from our Food Bloggers Los Angeles Group – Dorothy of Shockingly Delicious and Valentina of Cooking on the Weekends – tragically lost their family homes in the fires. (They’ve been part of our FBLA friend group for as long as we can remember.) Beyond losing their houses and all of their precious memories, however, they have also lost their workspaces – their kitchens – where they make amazing recipes and sustain their livelihoods.

One easy (and delicious) way to support them is to visit their blogs, look around, and make their recipes. Here’s a look at some of my favorites:

Shockingly Delicious

Dorothy from Shockingly Delicious is a former newspaper editor who has 25 years of food writing and recipe developing under her belt. She specializes in “scrumptious, simple-to-prepare, tried and true recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook.” (We can vouch for that being 100% true!)

First we’d like to recommend her amazing Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie. If you try it and think, “This ought to win a prize,” you’re right because it is a multiple-blue-ribbon-winning pie.

Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie, via Shockingly Delicious

Next, as huge fans of ginger, we highly recommend her Candied Ginger Cornbread (pictured at top). This cornbread checks all the boxes: delicious, check; easy to make, check; versatile enough to serve at every meal, check.

Another favorite is her beautiful Grilled Rainbow Potato Salad. There are more colors in this salad that you’ve ever seen in any one dish. It is sure to be a hit at your next barbecue or picnic.

Cooking on the Weekends

Valentina from Cooking on the Weekends is a chef and former caterer who makes amazing recipes that we have relied on consistently through the years.

Top on that list, of course, is our favorite Butternut Squash Pie with Nut Crust. This pie – infused with chai spices – is so delicious we’ve made it every Thanksgiving since it was published. And given that the crust is gluten-free, all of our family members are able to enjoy it.

Chai Spiced Butternut Squash Pie via Cooking on the Weekends.

Speaking of chai, you absolutely cannot miss her famous Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They are rich with flavorful spices – a great twist on your standard chocolate chip cookie.

And lest you think we’re only focusing on dessert, she has many amazing sides, mains, salads, and soups. We’re partial to this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad (pictured at top). It hits all the right notes: savory, sweet, nutty, and a little tangy.

Of course, there’s plenty more to find on both of these blogs. Take a look around both sites and enjoy!

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The main draw is from these Hidden Rose apples, which are in season right now. Of course their perfect rose-blush hue makes them unique and appealing. But what you might not know is that they’re not just a pretty apple… They have an irresistibly sweet-tart flavor, and they are great for baking.

Making an Apple Tart

Normally when you make an apple tart you just want to get the apples peeled, cored, and sliced so you can get them into the pan. But with these apples, you want to maximize every bit of the beautiful flesh.. So the peeling and coring process might take a tad longer. You want to take care not to miss a centimeter of these rosy apples.

Apple tart before baking

This pattern might look as if it is difficult but it’s really not. All you have to do is pair up half a dozen or so slices, place them down in bunches, and alternate directions as you place them. We tried to match long slices with long ones, and short slices with short ones. And as it came together, the few leftover pieces helped fill in the spaces.

Unbaked tart dotted with butter

Hidden Apple Rose Tart Recipe

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Hidden Rose Apple Tart

An easy apple tart made with pink-fleshed Hidden Rose Apples

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple tart, hidden rose apple

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 tart pan

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

For the Filling

• 6 Hidden Rose apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Topping

• 1/4 cup maple syrup (scant)

Instructions

For the Crust

• Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the melted butter, stirring until thoroughly combined. (The dough will look like Play-Doh.) Press into the tart pan and set aside.

For the Filling

• Stir together the apple slices, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or so, then give it an extra stir.

Assembly and Baking

• Gather six to eight similar-sized apple slices and set them gently in the tart pan on top of the crust. Then repeat with another group of slices, setting the so that they point in the opposite direction from the first group. Repeat untiil the tart pan is filled.
• Cut the 1 tbsp. of butter into tiny squares. Place the butter in little pockets all around the apples. Sprinkle with the sugar.
• Bake at 350 for about one hour, making sure that the apples are tender. (They will shrivel slightly.) Drizzle the maple syrup over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hidden Rose Apples Back Story

Where did these red-fleshed apples come from? And is the color artificial? Not at all! According to Dragonberry Produce, the exclusive marketer of Hidden Rose apples:

“The original tree from which today’s Hidden Rose Apple trees are grown was located on land belonging to Lucky and Audrey Newell in Airlie, Oregon. The “parent tree” of the unique apple known as the Newell-Kimzey variety grew in the middle of the Newells’ meadow just six feet from an abandoned, hand-dug well.

In the mid 1960s, the Newells moved to a large property and sold the eighty acres where this one and only red-fleshed apple tree stood.

Two decades later, Louis Kimzey, former field manager at Thomas Paine Farms, was walking through the Newells’ old orchards and picked an apple from a large tree. Biting into it, he was amazed to find the pink flesh of what would become known as the Hidden Rose Apple®.

Hidden Rose Apple

The first Hidden Rose Apple® orchard was planted by Eric Schwartz in 1992. Eric enjoys farming in Oregon and Washington and has a particular fondness for growing fruit trees and protecting the environment. He is a conscientious grower who cares deeply about preservation of the land and minimal use of chemicals for all growing operations on his farms.

Thomas Paine Farms is the first farm in the United States to be certified for “sustainable agricultural practices.” The apple is certified “organic” by The Oregon Tilth Organization and the United States Department of Agriculture.”

Where to Find Hidden Rose Apples

Now – where to find Hidden Rose apples? We received these apples from Melissa’s Produce. (Note that they are generally only available in October and November.) Look for them in specialty grocery stores or those with well-stocked produce aisles – and if you don’t see them, ask your produce manager. Handy tip: You can look on the Specialty Produce page to see where others are spotting them in stores.

Furthermore, if you can’t find Hidden Rose apples, you can also look for Lucy Glo apples sold by Trader Joe’s in the fall.

And then once you find these beautiful pink- or red-fleshed apples, what can you make with them? Try our earlier Hidden Rose apple tart (with a heart in the middle) or this Apple Surprise Cake with Hidden Rose Apples.

Blogger disclosure: Melissa’s produce provided us with Hidden Rose apples. We did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are ours.

The post Hidden Rose Apple Tart For Fall first appeared on Jolly Tomato.

The post Hidden Rose Apple Tart For Fall appeared first on Jolly Tomato.

To many tribal nations, the three sisters were inseparable spirits, supporting each other and working together.

Three Sisters History

According to USDA’s National Agricultural Library and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, women planted corn in a mound of dirt, and when the corn began to grow, they planted beans in evenly spaced mound. The beans would provide nitrogen for the soil, and the corn would provide support for the beanstalks to grow. Then between the corn and bean plants they would plant low-growing squash, which would cover the soil and help it retain moisture – and also prevent weed growth.

But the symbiosis of the three sisters didn’t end with planting. According to the Oneida Nation, the complementary amino acids of the three foods form a complete protein.

Three Sisters Heritage Bowls

To enjoy corn, beans, and squash together, we made these simple Three Sisters Heritage Bowls. In fact, they are so simple they don’t even really need a recipe.

For the base, we started with quinoa. (Hint: We used on Melissa’s cooked quinoa chub to make it simpler.) Next we topped it with cooked corn, cubes of roasted butternut squash, and pinto beans. (You can cook the beans from scratch, or use canned drained beans.)

Next, we garnished it with a little bit of mixed greens (and edible flower pieces).

Last, we topped it off with a tasty tahini-based dressing: Blend together 1/4 cup tahini, juice of one lemon, 1 T. brown sugar, 1 T. tamari or soy sauce, 1 clove of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. However, you can use your favorite tangy dressing (anything lemony, herb-y, or even creamy if you prefer).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Three Sisters Heritage Bowls first appeared on Jolly Tomato.

The post Three Sisters Heritage Bowls appeared first on Jolly Tomato.