Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Fruit Salsa and cinnamon chips

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips


Prep time: 30-45 mins
Cook time: 10 mins


Ingredients:
(Amounts vary based on your favorite fruits - so feel free to experiment!)
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 freshly chopped up/cubbed Granny Smith apples (cut and add these at the last minute to keep them fresh and keep their "green" color.  Another option for the green is kiwis - which are not to my liking...but some people love them)
- 1/2 lb fresh strawberries cut up and de-stemmed
- 2 tablespoons of white sugar
- 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons of strawberry preserves (you can experiment with flavors here too, but make sure to get preserves, not jelly or jam)


- 10 flour tortillas
- butter flavored cooking spray
- 3 cups of cinnamon and sugar mixture


Tools:
Mixing bowl
Cookie sheet
pizza cutter
wax paper or cutting board




Directions:
1. START THE SALSA THE NIGHT BEFORE!  Letting it steep overnight really brings out the flavors, but make sure you don't add the apples until right before serving!


1.5 Ok, now that that is out of the way... In a large bowl, mix all the fruits.  Most of the fruit does not need to be cut up, with the exception of the strawberries and apples.  Make sure to wash everything though.  Then add the white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves.  Mix thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate.


2. For the cinnamon chips - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


3. On wax paper or cutting board lightly coat one side of each flour tortilla with the butter flavored cooking spray.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture (I like a lot on there, but this is a personal preference thing).  Carefully flip over and do the same on the other side.  Use the pizza cutter to cut the tortilla into desired shape - have fun, go mad!  (trust me, it is a lot easier to cut pre-bake than post.)  Transfer to cookie sheet.


4. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes. Repeat until you are out of tortillas.






5. Serve with chilled fruit salsa.




























Katelyn - Boston, MA

Brown sugar and Maple bacon wrapped smokies

Brown sugar and Maple bacon wrapped smokies


Prep time: 15-20 mins
Cook time: 20 mins


Ingredients:
1 - 16 oz package of lil' smokies (meat of your choice)
1lb of maple bacon
2 1/2 cups of light brown sugar


Tools needed:
- Either disposable foil pan, or line pan of choice with tin foil for easier clean up
- ideal, but not necessary, wire rack to prop smokies off pan (so the drippings are caught rather than forming a "glue")
- long wood skewers for cooking
- toothpicks for serving


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a smokie
3. Place each bacon wrapped smokie on skewer leaving about 1/4" between each smokie
4. Place skewers on pan - cookie sheets or large cake pans work best
5. Sprinkle smokies liberally with brown sugar
6. Cook until bacon is crisp and brown sugar is melted.


7. Use fork to push smokies off skewer into bowl, then add toothpicks and serve!






Katelyn - Boston, MA

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Welcome!

Share your recipes!

We all know there are many things Vierzba's do well - two of those are cook and bake!  So why not share our recipes with each other...

This blog is a great way to share some of our favorites and family classics.  We can also load the pictures, holiday spreads and other great times on there for all the Vierzba's to share.

Please - make sure to ask questions and stay active on the board posts - this could be really fun!

Katelyn (Boston, MA)
Daughter of Tom Vierzba
Grand Daughter of Leonard and Ethel Vierzba