Who doesn’t love a great brunch on the weekend? It’s seriously one of my favorite meals and one I would enjoy on the regular when I lived in and around Indy. Unfortunately, I don’t get to go out to brunch often…there aren’t exactly a lot of joints slinging Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s within an hour of where I live now. If I want brunch, it’s up to me to make it happen.

I’ll usually make a big breakfast/brunch situation happen once a week, but with three little ones running around anything I make HAS to be easy. And quick. This Smoked Salmon Flatbread fits the bill perfectly. It is so simple, takes no time at all, and makes me feel like I’m doing a fancy brunch (or lunch!) at some nice restaurant with my girlfriends again!

I discovered this beauty on one of our previous trips to The Netherlands. JW’s sweet sister, Hanneke, took us to lunch at this amazing convent turned into park and restaurant that’s just down the road from where she lives. The enterprising nuns that still call the property home turned the old barns in to an adorable restaurant and shop. They still farm there, but on a smaller scale. It’s absolutely beautiful and the food is *chef’s kiss*! This flatbread is SO simple, but the flavor combination is outstanding and I knew I had to recreate it as often as possible at home!

What you Need for Making Smoked Salmon Flatbreads:

• Flatbread: Use whatever type is easily available to you! these are great with home made, pre-made, frozen, naan bread….anything that can be baked until good and crispy.
• Cream Cheese: softened a little so that it’s easy to spread. If you want to mix it up and use a flavored cream cheese, such as chive and onion, have at it! You do you, friend!
• Red Onions: Slice these bad boys into thin slices. If red onions are too much for you, it’s possible to mellow them out by soaking them in cold water for about 30 minutes.
• Capers: Now, hear me out. I’m not a caper fan, but for some reason they just WORK on this. Give them a chance. If you still hate them after trying it, leave them off. They can be found in most grocery stores with either the pickles or the Italian foods.
• Smoked Salmon: Find it in the “fresh” seafood section of your grocery story, usually at the end of meat section.
• Dill: Fresh, dried, freeze-dried…whatever you’ve got on hand.

How to Make Smoked Salmon Flatbreads:

There really isn’t a “recipe” for these flatbreads. That’s how simple they are!

First, bake your choice of flatbread until it’s good and crispy. Let it cool slightly, then spread some cream cheese on top, as thick as you please. Place thin slices of smoked salmon around, then top with the onions, capers, and dill. Cut the flatbread in to manageable sliced, and dig in. Enjoy!

Looking for more great salmon recipes? Try one of these!
-Baked Salmon Poke Bowls
-Salmon Salad

Print

Smoked Salmon Flatbread

Elevate your brunch (or lunch!) game with this elegant, delicious, and super easy flatbread pizza!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 person

Author Meagan – The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 Flatbread Pizza Base
• Cream Cheese, slightly softened
• Capers, drained
• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• Smoked Salmon
• Dill

Instructions

• Bake the flatbread according to the package directions, or until crispy. Allow to cool slightly.
• Spread a layer of cream cheese, as much as desired, on the baked, cooled flatbread.
• Top with thin slices of smoked salmon, capers, sliced red onions. Sprinkle with dill.
• Cut pizza into slices and enjoy!

The post Smoked Salmon Flatbread appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

A new school year has begun, and even though my kids aren’t old enough to need their lunches packed just yet, anything that has easy and kid-friendly going for it is going to be on my radar. Even before I had kids, easy meal or snack ideas were golden. And, for real, these tasty little treats are hard to deny!

My family loves it’s get togethers, and we love our food at said get togethers. I’m always the cousin that tries out a new recipe and makes my family my guinea pigs. My mom and aunts, though…well they’ve all got their tried and true, go-to dishes that we all count on. If my Aunt Connie is there, baked macaroni and cheese and pigs in a blanket better be a part of the menu or there might be a mutiny.

So. If you’re looking for a new lunch idea for your littles, or a tasty snack/appetizer that is going to quickly become a must-have at any gathering, you’ve found them. The best part? Virtually no dishes were dirtied in the making of this recipe.

Tips for Making Pigs in a Blanket:

-Get the crescent roll dough that is already pre-cut, not the flat sheets. It will make your life that much easier.

-Line  your baking sheets with parchment paper. That way all you have to do is throw away the paper when you’re done. Like I said, basically no dishes!

How to make Pigs in a Blanket:

Are you sure you’re ready for this? Here we go….Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. On a work surface (I use a cutting board), unroll the crescent roll dough, separating each piece along the pre-cut lines. Cut each piece in three or four additional pieces, depending on the size. You can stretch the dough slightly as needed. Roll a small sausage in each little piece of crescent roll dough, and place each roll on the baking sheet. They won’t expand very much, so there’s no need to leave a lot of space in between each one. Bake for about 9 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with honey mustard for dipping.

**This post was sponsored by The Glass Barn, Indiana’s Corn and Soybean Growers, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Print

Pigs in a Blanket

The perfect packable lunch or appetizer idea, these Pigs in a Blanket are sure to become a family favorite!

Course Appetizer, lunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktail weinies, crescent roll, lil' smokies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 Can Crescent Roll Dough
• 1 Pkg Lil' Smokies Cocktail Wienies

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a flat work surface, unroll and separate the crescent roll dough along the perforated lines.
• Cut each triangle of dough in to 3 sections.
• Roll a cocktail wienie in each piece of dough and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.

The post Pigs in a Blanket appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Chips and dip, ammiright? I love them. Any idea of not eating too much goes out the window pretty quickly when there are chips and dip involved. Salty, crunchy chips meet creamy, or cheesy, or spicy, or…whatever. I don’t care. Just pass it over.

Guacamole is one of those magic dips that is versatile enough to double as a condiment, and even as a salad topping. Really, the possibilities are endless for this super healthy dip that is traditionally made with avocados, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice.

I’ve searched for what seems like forever for the perfect Guac recipe, and thanks to my big brother and and sis-in-law’s recipe, I think I’ve finally found it. It seems like every time I’ve tried to make guacamole in the past, it just didn’t have enough flavor. It seemed bland and had no depth. Turns out, I just needed to simplify my recipe and go back to (almost) basics. I guess older siblings sometimes know what they’re talking about, huh?

How to Make the Perfect Guacamole:

Grab 6 avocados and a large, sharp knife (such as a chef’s knife). Slice, pit, and cube the avocado, removing the cubes into a large bowl with a spoon. For step-by-step instructions on how to seed and slice an avocado, visit this post from my friend over at My Fearless Kitchen. Don’t be intimidated! It’s really easy once you get the hang of it! Instead of just slicing the avocado like she suggests, cut it into a diamond pattern by first slicing in one direction and then the other for this recipe. And there’s no need to be extra careful when you’re spooning it into the bowl; you’re just going to be mushing it all anyway.

Once you’ve got all of the avocado into the bowl, add the other ingredients: diced tomato and onion, finely minced garlic-I like to use a garlic press-, the juice of two limes, diced jalapeno, and some chopped cilantro. Using a fork, start mashing it all together. Once you’ve got it started, add some sea salt or kosher salt. Mash and mix a little more, and keep doing this until you’ve got the consistency and salt level you want. Dig in with some tortilla chips or spoon it on to your taco or salad! Enjoy!

Looking for other Mexican inspired recipes? Try one of these!:

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Zucchini and Hamburger Taco Skillet

Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

Print

Easy Guacamole

Your search for the perfect easy Guacamole ends here! The perfect dip, condiment, and salad topper, this traditional recipe is sure to become a favorite!

Course Appetizer, Side

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Avocado, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 6 Avocados
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 1/4 White Onion, Chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Limes, Juiced
• 3 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• Sea Salt or Kosher Salt, To Taste

Instructions

• Pit and cube 6 avocados. Using a spoon, scoop pieces into a large bowl. Add the juice of 2 limes, diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos, along with the garlic and cilantro.
• Using a fork, mash all of the ingredients together. Stir in some salt and taste for seasoning. Continue mashing until the guacamole reaches the desired consistency.

The post Easy Guacamole appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

I don’t know about you, but I really love pot-luck/pitch-in type dinners. Usually a pot-luck means a big group of people that you don’t get to see all that often getting together to celebrate something and EATING! And not just eating the same old thing you always eat, but eating all kinds of goodies you never get to or think to make at home for yourself. It’s also the time I get to make my favorite Hash Brown Casserole, but that’s another post for another day.

A potluck is where I learned about this amazing Cranberry Salsa. My good friend brought it to a Christmas party, and to be honest I wasn’t sure about it at first…mostly because I’m not a huge fan of cranberries. But, anytime I’m at a pitch-in, I make sure to try a little bit of everything thing and man am I glad I did! This stuff delicious!

It also makes a great idea for a homemade gift. It’s beautiful bright red and green colors are perfect for the season…just put it in a jar, tie the jar off with ribbon, and gift away!

It’s really easy to make, too! Just dust off the old food processor, and dump in whole cranberries (fresh or frozen), red bell pepper and red onion that’s been cut into chunks, and a granny smith apple that’s been peeled, cored, and chunked. Pulse all of this until it’s very finely chopped, and dump it into a bowl. Mix in the sugar, apple juice, lime zest, cilantro, and chopped jalapenos. You can add more jalapenos if you’re into spicy, but I don’t like a ton of heat myself.  Pop the lid on the bowl and chill until you’re ready to serve (at least 30 minutes, but it gets better the longer it sits).  Serve it with some good, salty tortilla chips…and try not to eat the whole bowl in one sitting.

This post is sponsored by The Glass Barn, but all thoughts and opinions are my own, ya dig?

Print

Cranberry Salsa

A flavor bomb of sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy, this cranberry is the perfect snack for the holidays!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cilantro, cranberries, holiday food, salsa, tortilla chips

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz. Bag Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
• 1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and cut
• 1/2 Large Red Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Medium Red Onion, roughly chopped
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Apple Juice
• 3 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Pickled Jalapenos, Chopped
• 1 tsp Lime Zest

Instructions

• In a food processor, combine cranberries, apple, red bell pepper, and onion and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl that can be covered.
• Add the sugar, apple juice, cilantro, jalapenos, and lime zest. Stir to combine.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight so the flavors can combine. Serve with tortilla chips.

The post Cranberry Salsa appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Ya’ll, I love a good party. I really don’t care what the reason is. Celebrating a holiday? Cool! Birthday, game day, graduation, family reunion, Taco Tuesday? Let’s do this! It can literally just be a few loved ones gathering, and I’m all in. Don’t get me wrong, like any good introvert I love (read: need) my alone time, too, but I also really just love celebrating life and being around the people I care about.

The only problem is that when I host a party, or when I go to a pitch-in of some sort, I tend to….overdo….it a little on the food. I can’t help it! I love to cook and bake (I know, I know…it’s shocking. But there it is.), I love sharing the food I make with others, and I love trying out new recipes and seeing if other people like them as much as I do. All this means that I end up spending A LOT of time cooking before pretty much any gathering I attend. I honestly don’t mind, I wouldn’t do it if I did, but it does cause it’s own set of problems. Since punctuality isn’t one of my God given strengths, this tendency to do too much often makes me even later than I usually would have been otherwise. Then there’s the clean-up. So. Many. Dishes.

And then the heavens opened up and this dip came across my radar. My cousin made it for one of our family gatherings, and I learned fast that the stuff is addicting. You know that slogan from the popular chip company, “You can’t eat just one!”? Well, that is definitely the case here. It’s so good that since I started making it I have people constantly requesting I bring it to gatherings. And you won’t believe how easy it is!! You dirty up a mixing bowl and a spoon. That’s it. No measuring, no dicing or chopping, no anything other than opening up the ingredients, dumping them in the bowl, and mixing them up. Then attempting to not eat it all in one sitting. Oh, and don’t let the jalapeno in the title scare you off! I promise it isn’t spicy unless you want it to be!

So, the instructions. Are you ready for this? Here we go: mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or refrigerate and serve later. Your choice. If you like things more spicy, add the whole can of jalapenos. If you are like me and like it a little more mild, or are making it for a crowd that you’re not sure about, add less (I usually add about a tablespoon of them and stop at that…using the spoon I’m mixing the dip with so I’m not dirtying up another spoon). And you’re done! Party on!

This post is sponsored by The Glass Barn, Indiana’s Corn and Soybean Growers, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Print

Corn Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Zesty, flavorful Creamy Corn Jalapeno dip is the perfect dip to make for any tail gate, pot-luck, party...or even just a movie night snack! It's so quick and easy that it is sure to become one of your go-to recipes!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Cheese, Corn, Dips, Jalapenos, Ranch, Sour Cream

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 1 24 oz sour cream
• 2 envelopes ranch dip mix
• 2 cans southwest or fiesta style corn drained
• 1 can diced jalapenos drained
• 2 cups shredded cheese Colby, Mexican Style, or Cheddar

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Serve immediately or later with tortilla chips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of jalapenos to your personal taste; I typically only add a little over a tablespoon.

The post Corn Jalapeno Ranch Dip appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.