Shrimp and Avocado Salsa

There’s something special about opening up a jar of salsa that you made! You get to choose what the tortilla chips get dipped into, you get to pick out the ripe veggies that make the salsa unique, and you can even take credit for the compliments it receives ! You’ll certainly get rave reviews from your pals if you serve Carolyn’s Shrimp and Avocado Salsa at the next gathering.

On her blog Tasting Spoons, Carolyn talks about how she enjoys the freshness of a homemade salsa, and we’re happy to report that hers falls under that category. This salsa is different from the rest because it’s not just a chili based chip-dip. There’s a little bit of everything sweet, savory, and seafood in her Shrimp and Avocado salsa! The natural sweetness comes from the tomatoes and corn, the shrimp adds bite, and the poblano and chipotle chilis add a smokey depth of mouthwatering flavors.

Don’t forget to chill the salsa before serving, as Carolyn instructs us to do for 8-24 hours. Though waiting to dip into this sensational salsa might be a bit of a challenge, the end results will be worth it! That last step will lock-in all of that great salsa taste!

Mini Chocolate Cake

Caitlin is the Engineer Baker of cute desserts, like Mini Chocolate Cakes! When I first eyed those tiny three layered toy-like cakes, I knew I had to feature them on The Back Burner! Caitlin is a big fan of small cute things and so am I, especially when they’re sweet and I mean that in every sense of the word!

They’d be the ideal treat at your daughter or niece’s party, but I’d find any reason to make these Mini Chocolate Cakes. Caitlin adds rainbow colored sprinkles to the top of her mini frosted treats and even though that makes them even more adorable, you’ll also love the three layers of chocolatey goodness inside.

That tablespoon of coffee makes the cake’s flavors really stand out. Caitlin also includes a recipe for homemade frosting in her recipe card, which will taste sweet and creamy next to the decadent and delicious taste of the moist chocolate cake !

Parmesan Pepper Biscotti

Biscotti’s the cookie with a twist. It’s perfect for dunking because it’ll fit into nearly any shaped glass or cup. I bet you just pictured a sweet biscotti and a cup of tea or coffee, maybe even milk. I bet the image of dipping a Parmesan Pepper Biscotto (as the singular version is spelled didn’t even cross your mind!

But if you happen to stumble upon Maggie’s blog Kitchen of Serendip your idea of biscotti will be changed forever! So maybe it won’t be that dramatic, but I know you’ll get excited at the thought of baking her adapted Parmesan Pepper Biscotti on a cold day, when the weather is perfect for a bowl of your favorite soup. But if you have a bit of pasta sauce left over from the night before, you can do what Maggie did, make these your homemade version of a breadstick!

…And who doesn’t love the smell of grilled cheese? Maggie swears that her Parmesan Pepper Biscotti will fill your home with the aroma of that cheesy grilled sandwich we all love so much, and we say it’ll fill your mouth and belly with happiness !

Peach Amaretto Hand Pies

If you still have a few peaches left over from the beginning Fall months, now’s the time to use them. But what if you have a bounty, a cornucopia full of peaches and you just can’t figure out what else to do with them? Lauren from I’ll Eat You created a jam filling using fresh peaches for her Peach Amaretto Hand Pies.

You might not think that making your own filling makes that big of a difference, but it sure does. It’ll take your desserts from yummy to extraordinary, especially since you can add your own special touch and flavor the filling however you like. Lauren shares her filling recipe with us, it’s a tasty one that includes a few tablespoons of amaretto and vanilla bean-an elegant combination of flavors!

One of the best parts about Lauren’s Peach Amaretto Hand Pies is that you don’t have to pre-cook the filling! The filling will cook up nicely when you bake the hand pies for a maximum of 15 minutes. Now, that’s a lot less time than it takes to bake a pie, which makes this the ideal quick and homemade dessert!