German Style Hazelnut Cookies

It's cookie season, which means some new recipes have been tried, along with some of the old classics. I had a bag of hazelnuts in my pantry that I wanted to use and started looking for a hazelnut cookie recipe. This one turned out to be a delicious, crumbly cookie that everyone in the extended family loved. These lasted about 4 days in an airtight container on my kitchen counter before they were all eaten.

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Persian Eggplant Dip (Kashke Bademjan)

Persian food has always been one of my favorite cuisines. Over the years I have tried a handful of recipes, like Jujeh Kabobs and Persian Barley Soup and they are always delicious. I decided to try this recipe after having a handful of eggplants at home and needing to use them. I loved this dip and it was a hit with everyone who tried it. I simplified the original recipe so the ingredients listed are easier to find.

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Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts

Years ago my friend told me about his Brussels sprouts recipe and I finally got around to making it last month. I love this side dish and you can modify the recipe to suit your flavor preferences. The first time I made this I didn't add any garnishes and it was still delicious. It does get very spicy very fast, so keep that in mind when adding hot sauce.

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No Fail Banana Bread

I was having one of my lazy weekend days when I decided I wanted to bake some banana bread, but also not have to go to the grocery store. I was out of butter and milk, so I started looking for options that didn't require any of these. I came across this recipe and was very skeptical. All the reviews said the banana bread was great and I eventually decided I would give it a try and see how it turned out. This is such an easy bread to make and it has turned out wonderfully each time I've made it. I brought a loaf to work and it was gone by the afternoon. I made 3 of these loves in a month and each has turned out delicious. Don't be scared off by the slightly odd ingredient list. This banana bread freezes really well too. I could hardly tell the difference between the loaf I thawed from the freezer and the fresh loaf.

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Santa Maria Style Tri Tip

I have to confess that tri tip has been off my radar for a while. I used to love it and forgot about it until recently. I was having some friends come over and was looking for a red meat option to grill that was not steak (I am admittedly terrible at grilling steak). I found this tri tip recipe and wanted to give it a try. I was a little skeptical about it just being a dry rub and not having a specific sauce for the meat, but it turns out I never felt like a sauce was missing. You can serve with with BBQ sauce but I did not find it necessary. The rub adds a great flavor to the meat and, when grilled well, the meat will still be juicy inside. I made the rub and covered the meat in this the day prior to grilling, so not only does the flavor really come through, but you have less work to do they day your guests arrive.

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