A recent request on the Oreo Truffles I made for valentines day originally came from a website that I have been following for some time - Bakerella - Love the name and her sugary treats have always been a huge hit whenever I make them. Click on Bakerella and it will bring you right to her site on how to make these yummy treats! Fyi - you can also make these with Nutter Butters - just as good as the Oreo ones, if not better! Enjoy make your own treats!
check out The Party Dress if you are having a party soon, this website is incredible with ideas, menus, etc.
These are some cocktails from The Party Dress
while I was cooking two different soups this morning, my mom was also inspired to cook something, so while flipping through her Joy of Cooking book a recipe card popped out! It was the recipe card she had been searching high and low for a month ago! She even called an old friend, it was her recipe for a Cheese spread, but no luck she did not have it either, probably because it was written over 25 years ago!!! Yup! Old School recipe for cheese spread - ahhh can we say "YUMMY!"
so here it is so it can not get lost again!
I would like everyone to check out my new favorite blog, Annie's Eats, of course by Annie, but she is a physician, married and has a child, that lives in Indiana and has enough time to make delicious creations! She has her "Best of 2009" posted and they are sooo yummy!
How about these Bacon, egg and toast cups! perfect for New Years Morning!
- click on the pics for the links-
These remind me of another recipe I found on Sycamore Stirrings for pancake cups
if you are too hung over from a night of champagne make your life a little easier put your pancake batter in an old ketchup bottle - any squeeze bottle - via Real Simple
and for the ultimate touch to brunch- make Easy Chocolate Croissants via Real Simple
crack open store bought croissants and place a few semi-sweet bits of heavenly chocolate and your are the perfect hostess!
I am way to tired to write down all the recipes but if ya wanna them - let me know-
We started with a spinach salad with candied walnuts, pancetta, and a shallot vinegar dressing. For a whopping price of $6.47 a bottom round roast, with baby onions, the gravy was like liquid gold because of the bit of wine added in!!! soo yummy! The sides consisted of roasted asparagus, roasted tomatoes with a bit of herbs and large roasted potatoes, The desserts were the poached pears and pineapple sherbet.
All I know is that everyone ate everything off their plate and the desserts were a big hit! I hope you get to spend as much time with your family as I do! Happy Holidays! and Cheers!
I recently had a request from my lovely friend, Ericka for some holiday recipes. I instantly thought of these two sides from Claire Robinson, who has to be my new favorite chef on the Food Network. They come from her episode of Sunday Supers, on 5 Ingredient Fix, yup thats all she uses for one dish, 5 ingredients! click on the pic to get the full episode
quick fyi - you can buy special King Arthur flour for popovers at the market for Yorkshire Pudding - it works like a charm!
Thyme for Yorkshire Pudding ( popovers)
*Cook's note: olive oil can replace cooking fat if none is available Sift the salt and the flour into a large bowl. Add half the milk and all the eggs into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in remaining milk, and then the thyme. Cover; let batter sit at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes, ideally 45 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Divide the rendered beef fat or oil, 1/4 cup total, between a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin or 12-hole Yorkshire pudding tray. Heat in oven until the fat is almost smoking hot. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any fat drippings - this will help prevent any oven fires! Uncover batter and whisk one more time. Pour batter into each cup, about 3/4 full and immediately place back into the oven. The batter will sizzle when being poured into the hot fat. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until risen and golden brown in color. Turn oven off and leave puddings in the oven for just 5 more minutes to help set. Remove puddings and serve while hot and puffed. Baby Carrots with Ginger Butter - omg - sooo yummy, I recently made these with my MOM - so good! In a shallow saucepan, over low heat, add the carrots and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and bring the water to a simmer. Cover them with a parchment round set over and touching the simmering water to get a perfect steam. Remove carrots from the water when they are almost fork tender and drain. In a medium saute pan, over low heat, add the butter and stir in the chopped crystallized ginger. Allow the sugar from the ginger to melt into the butter, and then transfer the steamed carrots to the pan. Toss gently for approximately 2 minutes until the carrots are completely coated with the ginger butter. Finish with a pinch of salt and a crack of freshly ground white pepper. Serve immediately.Directions
Ingredients
Directions
Bakerella is a site that I have been fond of since she started, she has easy and clever ideas that any amateur baker can get into... she has instructions on everything. I have a few friends that are fond of the nutter butter truffles, sooo super easy, a tray of nutter butter pulverized in a food processor, a stick on cream cheese in the food processor, it makes a dough like consistency, form into small balls, dip in melted chocolate and serve! - click on the pic for more instructions
With the end of summer here, I have started to cut down and use all the Italian herbs in my garden. We have oregano, thyme, basil, dill, rosemary and of course some parsley. I could say they are all my favorite but truly oregano and thyme seems to be the favorites this summer. If you don't have a herb garden, they can be found in the vegetable section at the market. They usually run $2.00 for a bunch that will last you over a week. You don't need to use a lot at once just a pinch or two will make any meal you cook better!
image via vi.sualize.us
so a classic mediteran salad can be spiced up using oregano.
dice up a cucumber into bite size pieces, i use a large handful of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half, i usually finely chop up a small slice of red onion ( i think it depends on your taste for onions), a small handful of kalamata olives again cut in half. I use half of a red pepper diced into bite size pieces, then a small handful of feta cheese. It is a good salad as is but simply just mix up a tablespoon of olive oil with some freshly cut oregano. Remember to cut them up, it release the natural oils and aroma. Mix your salad and let it chill for a little while. A nice presentation is either to serve over some shredded iceberg lettuce or put them in a large leaf of Boston lettuce. The Boston lettuce natural shape is like a cup! Sometimes I put in a splash of rice wine vinegar. Enjoy your salad, it is a light and refreshing way to remember summer.
one more quickie for some basil. At this point you may find basil to have big leaves that are perfect for this little appetizer. You will need some toothpicks ( not the little ones, a bit bigger you can find them in the soda isle at the market near mixers) to serve these little Italian flag treats. You will also need cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls ( they can be found in the deli section). Cut the mini mozzarella ball in half and place one end on the toothpick then wrap the basil around the tomato- make sure to get both sides of the basil on the toothpick- then put the second half of the mozzarella on. make sure to drizzle some good balsamic vinegar over these little treats and serve them up. They are super easy and your peeps will think you spent all afternoon on them! Cheers!