This vinaigrette can also be made with the Mambo Italiano, Mediterranean Lemon Pepper, or Herbs de Provence.

In a jar or bowl...Shake or whisk together...1 TBSP mustard (any kind), 1 TBSP Barbara J’s Spice of your choice (see above), 1/3 cup vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, rice, red wine, white wine...), 1 TBSP sugar, honey, agave, stevia (whatever feels right), and 1 cup extra virgin olive oil.

This is a great salad dressing for greens, pasta, rice or potato salads. It also makes a tasty marinade for beef, chicken, pork, fish, portabello mushrooms....

You need one container of sour cream and 2 containers of cream cheese. I used light varieties of each and you can easily cut recipe in 1/2 for smaller amount or you can use the leftovers up to a week later for pasta...just toss in hot, cooked pasta and maybe top with some sauteed chicken or prawns.

Chop some veggies; 3 celery stalks, 2 green onion stalks, 1/2 red bell pepper, shredded carrot or zucchini, parsley or spinach...whatever sounds good...and the final tasty touch...

2 TBSP Barbara J’s Wine Country Grill and Roasting Spice.

Use the dip for veggies or crackers. Smear on a toasted bagel or a sandwich or spread with lettuce, tomato and roast beef....the possibilities are endless!

Preheat oven to 325 or turn on your BBQ to equivalent or medium-low setting. I like to cut my chicken in half lengthwise, or have your friendly neighborhood butcher do the cutting for you. Make a marinade (in a jar to shake or in a bowl to whisk) of either 1.2 cup white wine, lemon juice, or 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/3 cup olive oil. Add one heaping TBSP each of Barbara J’s Organic Lemon Pepper and also Barbara J’s Herbs De Provence Blend as well. Lift the skin on the chicken and stuff the thick marinade in between the meat and skin. Put a bit on top of the skin and bake the chicken on a baking sheet for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (it will cook faster on the BBQ so watch and turn accordingly). Set some chicken aside for next-day salad and eat the hot stuff tonight!

Fill a large pot with an inch or two of water and commence to boil on the stove top whilst you...Rinse your artichokes with water and cut off the top 1/3 of each ‘choke and cut each stem to 1 inch in length (cut as level as you can in order to be able to stand the artichokes up on their stems to facilitate the “pouring on” of ingredients).

Sprinkle onto the center of each artichoke 1 TSP or so or Barbara J’s Organic Mambo Italiano Herb and Spice Blend.

Do the next steps one ‘choke at a time so you can quickly turn each over into the pot of hot boiling water quickly (the speed at which you place the upside-down ’chokes in the pot of water will increase the amount of spice that gets steamed up into the artichoke).

Drizzle a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approx. 1 TSP per ‘choke) and an equal amount of Balsamic or Red Wine vinegar right on top of the seasonings in the center of the artichokes. Massage the ’choke a little to get the flavors into the inside or each by squishing it a few times before setting it quickly into the pot. Be sure they land STEM SIDE UP! Let them simmer for 30-40 minutes with the lid on and check frequently to add more water if needed.

I like to make a “mustardy, peppery, garlicky” dipping sauce by mixing some light mayo with an equal amount of dijon mustard, one crushed garlic clove, and some Mambo Italian Seasoning and “batta bing, batta bang!” make your taste buds sing and wanna get up and dance the cha cha chaaaa!*