Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

Here's another item from my cookie exchange brunch.  This brilliant and adorable idea came from Jersey Girl Cooks.  It's a great addition to a brunch menu because you can make them ahead of time and it's a healthy option.  I don't know about you  but if I was at a party and full size yogurt parfaits were served next to lots of savory exciting food I would totally pass it up.  However, this is something that veryone can partake in because it's just a few bites!  I topped mine with pecan praline granola from trader joes and  left some plain with just a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a guest who can't eat nuts.  I made mine with only 2 chopped apples because these dishes are so tiny.  My mom bought this little set for me for Christmas last year and I just got around to using them.  They came with these tiny little plates, forks and spoons!  They are resusable OR disposable.

Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

From Jersey Girl Cooks

The amount of ingredients you need will vary with the size of your shot glasses.

Ingredients:

4 medium apples, cored and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste – if you do not have vanilla paste you can regular vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
24oz. vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
granola

Directions:

Take chopped apples and put in large bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and vanilla paste, stir and let sit for 30 minutes. The apples will be sitting in a bowl of sugary liquid. Take apples and juice and put into saucepan on the stove. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples are soft but not falling apart. The sugar mixture should thicken up a bit. Remove from heat and let cool. Layer the yogurt and cooled apple mixture into 12 shot glasses (less or more depending on the size of your glasses). Continue until you reach the top of each glass, then sprinkle with the granola.

Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

Here's another item from my cookie exchange brunch.  This brilliant and adorable idea came from Jersey Girl Cooks.  It's a great addition to a brunch menu because you can make them ahead of time and it's a healthy option.  I don't know about you  but if I was at a party and full size yogurt parfaits were served next to lots of savory exciting food I would totally pass it up.  However, this is something that veryone can partake in because it's just a few bites!  I topped mine with pecan praline granola from trader joes and  left some plain with just a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for a guest who can't eat nuts.  I made mine with only 2 chopped apples because these dishes are so tiny.  My mom bought this little set for me for Christmas last year and I just got around to using them.  They came with these tiny little plates, forks and spoons!  They are resusable OR disposable.

Shot Glass Apple Parfaits

From Jersey Girl Cooks

The amount of ingredients you need will vary with the size of your shot glasses.

Ingredients:

4 medium apples, cored and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste – if you do not have vanilla paste you can regular vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
24oz. vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
granola

Directions:

Take chopped apples and put in large bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and vanilla paste, stir and let sit for 30 minutes. The apples will be sitting in a bowl of sugary liquid. Take apples and juice and put into saucepan on the stove. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples are soft but not falling apart. The sugar mixture should thicken up a bit. Remove from heat and let cool. Layer the yogurt and cooled apple mixture into 12 shot glasses (less or more depending on the size of your glasses). Continue until you reach the top of each glass, then sprinkle with the granola.

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Who doesn't love a potato pancake, right?  Crispy flavored potatoes that can be eaten at any time of the day make this girl very happy!  I thought that this would be a great addition to my cookie exchange brunch menu.  In fact, I think it was the best new recipe I made that day.  I found this recipe on The Enchanted Cook and loved her kicked up version of potato pancakes.  Even more I loved how the red of the pepper and the green of the chives made this seem very festive!
I never made potato pancakes before so I got a little nervous when the potatoes didn't hold together. I just went with it and they were perfectly fine.  I spoke to a few people and was told that this is totally normal.  Thank goodness!  I slightly adapted this recipe because I had pre-shredded potatoes I wanted to use and wasn't sure what the measurements were.  I also bought a package of thinly sliced pancetta and it only had 6 slices in it. I wouldn't mind doubling that next time. It all worked out and I was very pleased.  The only thing that I think that could be improved is my drying of the potatoes.  The potatoes should be very dry and I was a little lazy about it.  I ended up with a pool of eggy water at the bottom of the bowl which made the last batch a little messy. I served these two per person with a poached egg cradled in between.  Of course, at that point I was rushing too much to take a picture.  No worries though, I will be making these again without a doubt and will be sure to get a good picture of the plated dish. 

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Slightly Adapted from The Enchanted Cook

makes 18-20 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 bags Simply Potatoes, shredded hash brown potatoes

6 - 12 slices pancetta, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded cheesem, combo bag Monterrey Jack and Cheddar

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small package of scallions, finely chopped (approx 1/2 cup)

3 large eggs, beaten

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

canola oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place pancetta slices on parchment and bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven and blot off oil with paper towel. When cool enough to handle give them a rought chop.

2.  In a large bowl mix together potatoes, pancetta, cheese, garlic, bell pepper, onions, eggs, salt, and pepper. 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Form patties in your head and press together (they will not stay together completely).  Place the mound of potatoes in hot skillet. Cook approximately 1-2 minutes per side or until browned. Do not overcrowd pan and work in batches until done.

3.  Remove pancakes and place on paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil or moisture. Use paper towels in between layers as you stack them on the plate.

If you would like to make these patties a couple of hours ahead of time just leave them out on the counter and right before serving preheat the oven to 375 place on baking sheet and heat until warmed through.

Serving options - Sour Cream or cream fraiche topped with chopped chives, Serve with a poached egg on top or enjoy them as they are.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Who doesn't love a potato pancake, right?  Crispy flavored potatoes that can be eaten at any time of the day make this girl very happy!  I thought that this would be a great addition to my cookie exchange brunch menu.  In fact, I think it was the best new recipe I made that day.  I found this recipe on The Enchanted Cook and loved her kicked up version of potato pancakes.  Even more I loved how the red of the pepper and the green of the chives made this seem very festive!
I never made potato pancakes before so I got a little nervous when the potatoes didn't hold together. I just went with it and they were perfectly fine.  I spoke to a few people and was told that this is totally normal.  Thank goodness!  I slightly adapted this recipe because I had pre-shredded potatoes I wanted to use and wasn't sure what the measurements were.  I also bought a package of thinly sliced pancetta and it only had 6 slices in it. I wouldn't mind doubling that next time. It all worked out and I was very pleased.  The only thing that I think that could be improved is my drying of the potatoes.  The potatoes should be very dry and I was a little lazy about it.  I ended up with a pool of eggy water at the bottom of the bowl which made the last batch a little messy. I served these two per person with a poached egg cradled in between.  Of course, at that point I was rushing too much to take a picture.  No worries though, I will be making these again without a doubt and will be sure to get a good picture of the plated dish. 

Red and Green Potato Pancakes

Slightly Adapted from The Enchanted Cook

makes 18-20 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 bags Simply Potatoes, shredded hash brown potatoes

6 - 12 slices pancetta, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded cheesem, combo bag Monterrey Jack and Cheddar

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small package of scallions, finely chopped (approx 1/2 cup)

3 large eggs, beaten

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

canola oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place pancetta slices on parchment and bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven and blot off oil with paper towel. When cool enough to handle give them a rought chop.

2.  In a large bowl mix together potatoes, pancetta, cheese, garlic, bell pepper, onions, eggs, salt, and pepper. 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Form patties in your head and press together (they will not stay together completely).  Place the mound of potatoes in hot skillet. Cook approximately 1-2 minutes per side or until browned. Do not overcrowd pan and work in batches until done.

3.  Remove pancakes and place on paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil or moisture. Use paper towels in between layers as you stack them on the plate.

If you would like to make these patties a couple of hours ahead of time just leave them out on the counter and right before serving preheat the oven to 375 place on baking sheet and heat until warmed through.

Serving options - Sour Cream or cream fraiche topped with chopped chives, Serve with a poached egg on top or enjoy them as they are.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I have to thank Mary Crehan one of my fabulous Willow House hostesses for this recipe.  I tasted it at her party a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to make it.  It tastes delicious when it's warm right from the oven and is even great cold or room temperature.  I had some for breakfast the next day with a drizzle of agave syrup. I'm considering replacing my Baked French Toast with this dish for my cookie exchange. What do you think?

I didn't make any changes to this recipe besides adding some cinnamon and nutmeg and used 2 cups half and half and 2 cups whole milk.  Any combination of heavy cream, half and half and whole milk will work just like it does for the french toast. The bread pudding isn't overly sweet but some of my family felt that a dusting of powdered sugar would really complete this dish.  I did notice that it was an option but to be honest on Thanksgiving I was just too busy to pull out the shaker and fill with powdered sugar.  Next time I'll do that.  After speaking with Mary she mentioned that when making this the second time she sliced the bread instead of cubing it and it held it's shape better.  So I guess you can do it either way. 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into cubes (or slices)
1 small can of pumpkin puree
2 cups of half and half
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup sugar
sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste
6 eggs, beaten
powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted and browned (10-15 mins).  Combine half and half, milk and sugar, add pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Transfer bread cubes to a 9x13x2 casserole dish and cover with milk mixture.  Toss all the bread to coat.  Wrap with plastic wrap and allow bread to absorb milk in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day bake in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm, room temperature or cold. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I have to thank Mary Crehan one of my fabulous Willow House hostesses for this recipe.  I tasted it at her party a couple of weeks ago and knew I had to make it.  It tastes delicious when it's warm right from the oven and is even great cold or room temperature.  I had some for breakfast the next day with a drizzle of agave syrup. I'm considering replacing my Baked French Toast with this dish for my cookie exchange. What do you think?

I didn't make any changes to this recipe besides adding some cinnamon and nutmeg and used 2 cups half and half and 2 cups whole milk.  Any combination of heavy cream, half and half and whole milk will work just like it does for the french toast. The bread pudding isn't overly sweet but some of my family felt that a dusting of powdered sugar would really complete this dish.  I did notice that it was an option but to be honest on Thanksgiving I was just too busy to pull out the shaker and fill with powdered sugar.  Next time I'll do that.  After speaking with Mary she mentioned that when making this the second time she sliced the bread instead of cubing it and it held it's shape better.  So I guess you can do it either way. 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into cubes (or slices)
1 small can of pumpkin puree
2 cups of half and half
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup sugar
sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste
6 eggs, beaten
powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted and browned (10-15 mins).  Combine half and half, milk and sugar, add pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Transfer bread cubes to a 9x13x2 casserole dish and cover with milk mixture.  Toss all the bread to coat.  Wrap with plastic wrap and allow bread to absorb milk in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day bake in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm, room temperature or cold. 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Hash Brown Quiche

I don't usually make many Paula Deen recipes but over the weekend I made two.  This quiche made with a hash brown crust was a big hit with my friends.  I'll definitely make it again for breakfast or brunch.  I followed the recipe exactly as written with one exception.  I used one whole bag of refrigerated shredded potatoes (Simply Potatoes) instead of frozen.  This was recommended by some reviewers on the food network website.  I like my potatoes to be a little darker so I put it under the broiler in addition to the recommended cooking time.  It turned out perfectly.

Hash Brown Quiche

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hash-brown-quiche-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top.

 

Hash Brown Quiche

I don't usually make many Paula Deen recipes but over the weekend I made two.  This quiche made with a hash brown crust was a big hit with my friends.  I'll definitely make it again for breakfast or brunch.  I followed the recipe exactly as written with one exception.  I used one whole bag of refrigerated shredded potatoes (Simply Potatoes) instead of frozen.  This was recommended by some reviewers on the food network website.  I like my potatoes to be a little darker so I put it under the broiler in addition to the recommended cooking time.  It turned out perfectly.

Hash Brown Quiche

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hash-brown-quiche-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup diced green onions
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top.

 

Baked Challah French Toast

I love breakfast foods! When I got to a diner I'm always torn between ordering breakfast or lunch. I love french onion soup but give me some french toast and a poached egg and I'm so happy. It all depends on what everyone else is ordering though. If I am sitting there enjoying my soup and then I get a whiff of bacon and eggs...deep regret. I'm just so indecisive when it comes to this!

Last year Steve and I got a few couples together to go apple picking. Everyone met at our place first for breakfast. That was so much fun for me! I experimented with baked french toast and it was a huge hit! So last weekend when my childhood friend stayed over with her Fiance there was a request for a repeat of this dish. I was happy to make it again but the only problem was that I combined a few different recipes and never wrote down what I did. That was before I started this lovely little blog that forces me to write down recipes! I did find some notes scribbled onto one paper but not enough information was there. Now that I made it again I think I left out a step. Oops. I didn't bake the french toast again with the topping which is what I think I was supposed to do. I didn't have the topping in the oven at all. I'm pretty sure that's wrong now that I think about it. I also feel like 3 cups of milk is a lot. I will try it next time with a little less because it seemed a little wet in the middle and it was cooking at 425 and got nice and browned on top. I think in the future I will cook it for about an hour at 350.

The taste was great! I don't think it was missing anything at all! I would absolutely make this again and now that I have this written down I will be able to perfect it. Wish me Luck!


Ingredients:

French Toast:

1 loaf Challah Bread, cut into 1 inch slices
3 cups whole milk
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp dark corn syrup or maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Directions:

1. In a baking dish layer slices of bread so that they are touching and rip a slice of bread into pieces to fill in any holes. Make two layers.

2. In a bowl combine eggs, milk, sugar, extracts, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over bread. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3. Next morning, preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt butter and take off the heat. Add corn syrup/maple syrup, brown sugar and nuts. Stir to combine and it will make a paste.

4. Spread mixture over bread that soaked up eggs and milk.

Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Like I said above, I did this wrong. I baked it before I put the topping on. This is what it looked like puffed up and golden.



Here's the topping!

Baked Challah French Toast

I love breakfast foods! When I got to a diner I'm always torn between ordering breakfast or lunch. I love french onion soup but give me some french toast and a poached egg and I'm so happy. It all depends on what everyone else is ordering though. If I am sitting there enjoying my soup and then I get a whiff of bacon and eggs...deep regret. I'm just so indecisive when it comes to this!

Last year Steve and I got a few couples together to go apple picking. Everyone met at our place first for breakfast. That was so much fun for me! I experimented with baked french toast and it was a huge hit! So last weekend when my childhood friend stayed over with her Fiance there was a request for a repeat of this dish. I was happy to make it again but the only problem was that I combined a few different recipes and never wrote down what I did. That was before I started this lovely little blog that forces me to write down recipes! I did find some notes scribbled onto one paper but not enough information was there. Now that I made it again I think I left out a step. Oops. I didn't bake the french toast again with the topping which is what I think I was supposed to do. I didn't have the topping in the oven at all. I'm pretty sure that's wrong now that I think about it. I also feel like 3 cups of milk is a lot. I will try it next time with a little less because it seemed a little wet in the middle and it was cooking at 425 and got nice and browned on top. I think in the future I will cook it for about an hour at 350.

The taste was great! I don't think it was missing anything at all! I would absolutely make this again and now that I have this written down I will be able to perfect it. Wish me Luck!


Ingredients:

French Toast:

1 loaf Challah Bread, cut into 1 inch slices
3 cups whole milk
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp dark corn syrup or maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Directions:

1. In a baking dish layer slices of bread so that they are touching and rip a slice of bread into pieces to fill in any holes. Make two layers.

2. In a bowl combine eggs, milk, sugar, extracts, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over bread. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3. Next morning, preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt butter and take off the heat. Add corn syrup/maple syrup, brown sugar and nuts. Stir to combine and it will make a paste.

4. Spread mixture over bread that soaked up eggs and milk.

Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Like I said above, I did this wrong. I baked it before I put the topping on. This is what it looked like puffed up and golden.



Here's the topping!

Breakfast of Champions

When I was a child there were mornings when I woke up and just wanted to be in Nanny's company. Even before I was old enough to understand why, I knew that Nanny was special. There were days that I'd pretend to be sick so I could stay home from school and hang out with Nanny. That meant special food all day long. One of the special things Nanny made for breakfast was french toast. I bet you're thinking that french toast is not that special. Well, her's was different and that's what made it special to me, my brother and my sister. The main difference in Nanny's French Toast was that you didn't put syrup on it. Nanny never had syrup in the house. There were many "American" things that we liked but Nanny would never touch. Syrup was one of them. Her topping for french toast was the same as her topping on her zucchini flowers. Granulated Sugar. These days since we are always watching our fat intake, a sugar topping just isn't practical. Today though, we are honoring Nanny so this is what she did and this is what I did.

Nanny usually used some white italian bread (loaf style sliced bread with some seeds...never wonder bread) but if she had some leftover bread like I did today, she would use that too. Mix in an egg with some milk, cinnamon, a little sugar and vanilla. I had a leftover round Italian bread from Whole foods and I cut two thick slices. I used two eggs since the bread was thicker. When the bread absorbed most of the egg mixture I fried it in a nonstick pan. Normally, I'd use Pam nonstick cooking spray or if I'm feeling like being indulgent I'd use a little butter. But Nanny never touched either of these things. Butter was a forbidden ingredient in her kitchen. It was very rare that she would use it. She claimed she was allergic but we all know she wasn't. She just didn't like it. Nanny used oil a lot. For most dishes she used Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I guess this is why her skin was always so soft. She never worried about her weight...she used a ton of oil but never had any issues with clogged arteries or high cholesterol. I guess this what they call the Mediterranean diet. So back to the french toast. I fried the french toast in a little bit of canola oil until it was a nice golden color. Sprinkle that with some granulated sugar and you're all set! I figured with all that thick bread I should balance it off with a sunny side up egg. Afterall, Nanny did like the combination of sweet and savory!

Breakfast of Champions

When I was a child there were mornings when I woke up and just wanted to be in Nanny's company. Even before I was old enough to understand why, I knew that Nanny was special. There were days that I'd pretend to be sick so I could stay home from school and hang out with Nanny. That meant special food all day long. One of the special things Nanny made for breakfast was french toast. I bet you're thinking that french toast is not that special. Well, her's was different and that's what made it special to me, my brother and my sister. The main difference in Nanny's French Toast was that you didn't put syrup on it. Nanny never had syrup in the house. There were many "American" things that we liked but Nanny would never touch. Syrup was one of them. Her topping for french toast was the same as her topping on her zucchini flowers. Granulated Sugar. These days since we are always watching our fat intake, a sugar topping just isn't practical. Today though, we are honoring Nanny so this is what she did and this is what I did.

Nanny usually used some white italian bread (loaf style sliced bread with some seeds...never wonder bread) but if she had some leftover bread like I did today, she would use that too. Mix in an egg with some milk, cinnamon, a little sugar and vanilla. I had a leftover round Italian bread from Whole foods and I cut two thick slices. I used two eggs since the bread was thicker. When the bread absorbed most of the egg mixture I fried it in a nonstick pan. Normally, I'd use Pam nonstick cooking spray or if I'm feeling like being indulgent I'd use a little butter. But Nanny never touched either of these things. Butter was a forbidden ingredient in her kitchen. It was very rare that she would use it. She claimed she was allergic but we all know she wasn't. She just didn't like it. Nanny used oil a lot. For most dishes she used Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I guess this is why her skin was always so soft. She never worried about her weight...she used a ton of oil but never had any issues with clogged arteries or high cholesterol. I guess this what they call the Mediterranean diet. So back to the french toast. I fried the french toast in a little bit of canola oil until it was a nice golden color. Sprinkle that with some granulated sugar and you're all set! I figured with all that thick bread I should balance it off with a sunny side up egg. Afterall, Nanny did like the combination of sweet and savory!