Honey Dearest

Honey Dearest Has Moved!

2010-03-17T14:42:00.005-04:00

Yep...that's right! Honey Dearest has moved and can now be found at honeydearest.com

I hope you'll come on over and find me there. We will be re-designing and updating a few technical details in the up-coming weeks so check back. Oh, and please don't forget to update all of your links :)

Coffee Love

2010-03-09T20:20:00.003-05:00

I discovered this Melitta coffee a few weeks ago and I've been hooked ever since!

Chocolate Stout Cake

2010-03-02T14:49:00.004-05:00

Does this cake look familiar? Stephen requested it again this year for his birthday. It has become quite the favorite in our family.

I didn't change a thing except brand of beer. I must say this again...the cake can be a little tricky getting out of the pan because it is so moist. Always line the pans with parchment paper. I intend to make cupcakes for St. Patty's Day so I think that will be much easier. Also, instead of the chocolate frosting, I will be making a Bailey's Irish Cream buttercream. Check back!

Yellow & Gray Love

2010-01-27T21:54:00.026-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I took a day off from unpacking and went on an antique hunt with my mom. I really love antiques and my mom especially loves that I love them so she has someone to go antiquing with!

We moved into our new house without a whole lot of furniture so I really wanted to find a dresser, farm table, chairs or anything else that could fill the rooms. I didn't exactly go home with a van load, but I saw a ton that I liked. I'm really horrible at making big decisions such as buying furniture and it's so annoying. Our clothes are still in boxes! I did, however score a few lovely little items that I really "needed" just because they were yellow and gray. My new love!

The cast iron skillet is a very OLD Le Creuset and the cast iron trivet looks very Anthropologie-ish. I absolutely love them!

My yellow and gray addiction started with this...

I adore this pillow. It was a Christmas gift {thanks, Mom!} and I based the colors for our living room and dining room off of it. Obviously we didn't end up with such a bright yellow- wish I was that daring!

*Notice the cute little kitty sitting in the window...that's his favorite place to be :)

Our Home Renovation Part 2 - Hardwood Floors

2010-01-26T21:58:00.025-05:00

Since pulling up the carpet and refinishing hardwood floors on three levels of our new home would prove quite a nuisance for occupied space we decided it would be best to take advantage of an empty house before we moved in and get it done.

First thing's first, the company we used, Galebach's Floor Finishing, pulled up all of the carpet in the entire home. For the most part the softwood yellow pine floors were in pristine condition. They'd been covered by carpet and padding for over 30 years. If the previous owners to the previous owners had carpet that would mean they had been covered for over 50 years! In any case, they were near perfect. The original stain showed a good amount of red which gave the overall color a deep-orange feel - not our cup of tea, but they looked great for all the time they'd been covered up. The white specs on the floor in the following photo is just paint.

We discovered this ugly, green vinyl tile that was under the carpet in the bedroom. Luckily, it came up without any damage. Just a lot of mess! Also, we discovered this room had apparently been painted with sprayers at one point as there was an outline of over-spray around the room.

After the sanding was done the floors were immaculate. We were blown away by the quality. It looked as if the boards were just laid down. Below is a picture of the floors on the first level. Historically, when houses were built in the early 1900's the best wood was the thinnest and used on the first floor. After that, on each floor that ascended to the attic the wood quality degraded and the planks got wider. Ironically, today it's the opposite for board width - wider planks are more expensive.

This is what the wood looked like on the second level and attic. A lot more grain showing with wider planks.

This is the attic with even wider planks yet.

Choosing a stain made us very nervous. The yellow pine throws a red tint to whatever you put down. With that in mind we stayed away from colors like Red Mahogany, didn't want a red-fest going on in there. We really wanted to go dark, but knew that scratches would show up a whole lot more. So we ended up going for a Dark Walnut stain, but cut in half. Just right.

We had to stand in the doorways to take these photos because the floors were still wet. Not the best quality, but there will be lots more pictures to come so check back!

Our Home Renovation Part 1 - Wall Restoration & Paint

2009-12-23T11:07:00.020-05:00

The time has finally come. We've been renting our new house to the previous owners since September as they had their new house built. They moved out in early December and we're taking this month to do some renovations before our moving day on New Year's eve.

Step one was to paint, but our big goal was to have the carpets ripped out and expose the wood floors before we moved. Since the floor restoration company, Galebach's Floor Finishing, was aiming to start on the 15th we had a small window of time to restore and paint the living room and dining room. And this worked out because carpets make great drop-cloths. To do this we hired my brother, Stephen Sarro, of Sarro Painting (and the band, Unteachers), who did an excellent job!

Here's the two rooms and a close-up of the beautifully detailed radiators BEFORE we bought the home:

Here's the entry-way and living room space as Stephen began working:

This is what renovating looks like. Since the house was built in 1916 and has plaster walls there was much to repair. Restoring the walls and ceilings took about three full days just in these two rooms! We've got an oldie, but a goodie.

We're using Benjamin Moore 's Simply White satin finish for the trim and radiators throughout the entire home and that's what you're seeing being applied in the photos. For the ceilings we're using the same, but in a flat finish.

For the dining room we chose Benjamin Moore's Harbor Gray eggshell finish. At certain times of day with with sunlight, it tends to pull more on the blue-gray side. We wanted more of a smoky gray, but it's still a lovely color.

For the living room we chose Benjamin Moore's Windham Cream eggshell finish (the photo below is in low-light, it's a very light, creamy yellow). This is the color I am not sure about yet. I think it is beautiful, but again not the shade we had in mind. We wanted a pale yellow with a little more depth like a golden yellow. At night because of the lighting, the walls look off-white. I'm still trying to get used to it and have thought about trying again. Picking paint colors can be very tricky. I've lost sleep over it!

As soon as we took all of the curtains down and exposed all of the beautiful woodwork, the rooms felt so much bigger. It was shocking! It's still hard to see color in an empty room so we anticipate restored floors and moving day when our home finally begins to come to life.

Things are coming along. Right now Galebach's is just about to apply stain to the wood floors. We've been over to the home about every day since they started and the floors are absolutely gorgeous. Our next post will be about that process. We've taken lots of great photos, but for now here's a taste of things to come ...

Check back often for more of our first home renovation goodness!

Eggnog Rum Cupcakes

2009-12-22T23:26:00.021-05:00

Since the arrival of the Starbucks Eggnog Latte, I've had it in my mind to bake eggnog cupcakes. Last Friday was the perfect day to do it since we had a Christmas party to go to at night. I was beyond excited as I baked away in the kitchen while enjoying some of my favorite Pandora Christmas music. It was a lot of fun!

It doesn't matter how you put eggnog and rum together because no matter how, you know it's gonna be insane. Eggnog is my absolute favorite treat of the Holidays, especially Horizon's organic. I also love rum cake and didn't know it could get any better.

Using eggnog in the cake batter makes these cupcakes extra fluffy and ultra moist. I can not describe the amount of goodness that you will experience.

They are so amazing you won't really believe it. It's like a dream.

You must try these soon. They will easily become your favorite too, I'm positive.

Eggnog Cupcakes
by Me

Makes 18-20 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix w/ pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup eggnog
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup spiced rum
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 and line a cupcake tray with paper liners.
Place cake mix, nutmeg, oil, eggs, eggnog and rum in a mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine, scrape down sides of bowl.
Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Scrape down sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined and thickened. Divide the batter into prepared muffin tray. Fill each cup about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake until light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, or until a toothpick comes out clean. About 20-25 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tray and cool completely, 30 minutes.

Eggnog Buttercream

1/2 cup (1stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup eggnog
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Fresh nutmeg for sprinkling on top

Blend together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
Alternate the eggnog and the powdered sugar, adding a little bit at a time, blending on low speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend frosting until fluffy, 1 minute more. (You may need to add more sugar if you will be piping the frosting).
Garnish with grated fresh nutmeg on top.

Philly Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2009-11-14T22:49:00.008-05:00

Wow, so it's no surprise I am the worst blogger ever! I'm not even going to make any excuses this time. Enough said.

I came across a classic recipe for "Philly Pound Cake" from a really awesome blog. Thanks for sharing, sophistimom!

This was the best pound cake I have eaten. Ever.

But I can't promise it will taste the same with just any cream cheese. So don't take any chances and please use Philadelphia. It is the best. You won't regret it!

I made two regular-sized loaves because I didn't have the mini pans.

The mini's would make lovely gifts all wrapped up or with a simple ribbon. I really like using Martha's food packaging line from Michaels. It's a lot of fun.

Enjoy!

Philly Pound Cake
Adapted from Philadelphia Inquirer

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, but not quite room temperature 
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened slightly
 1 1/2 cups sugar
 4 eggs
 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
 confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray four mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, and place on a cookie sheet.
 2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese. Pour in sugar and mix until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated. 
3. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together four, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. 
4. Distribute batter evenly among the four pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Wrap any extras tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.

Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet

2009-10-09T12:03:00.005-04:00

Ahhh, sometimes there's just nothing better than good ol' breakfast for dinner. We try to do this every month or so and I really look forward to these nights.

This recipe is extremely versatile and can be made using bacon, ham or any variety of cheese. I just looove gruyere with eggs. Especially the cheesy crust on top. It is the best!

Baked Gruyere and Sausage Omelet
Adapted from Giada

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing baking dish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 pound mild turkey sausage, casings removed
8 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used scallions)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the red bell pepper, 1 cup of Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup of parsley. Stir in the onion mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cut the baked omelet into wedges and sprinkle with remaining parsley (or scallions like I did!) before serving.

Cook's Note: To make individual servings, divide the batter between 4 buttered 8-ounce ramekins. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

I'm back!!!

2009-09-10T18:12:00.013-04:00

Is anyone still here? Well, I'm back AGAIN and apologize for disappearing on you!

I know I promised I would post more often, but what can I say?

Well, I've been a little preoccupied lately with fun stuff like buying a new house and day dreaming about all the lovely things I can't wait to do with it!

So, I was thinking I may start including "house stuff" on here instead of just the usual food. We bought a historic English Tudor that has tons of character so we have many, many plans to update and restore a lot of it's natural beauty. This will also be a great way for all of our long distance family and friends to stay up to date. It will be a few months until you see any house action on here since we have yet to move, so please come back!

In the meantime, I am beyond excited for fall and and can not hold off the pumpkin and comfort foods any longer! It is our absolute favorite time of year and this one is especially going to be great. Justin and I will be celebrating five years of marriage and moving into our first home, Hooray!

Coconut Layer Cake

2009-06-27T05:49:00.010-04:00

This was my first attempt at making a coconut cake and I was really quite pleased with the outcome. I actually made this cake way back in March for my brother's birthday and I'm just now sharing with you. I know, pathetic.

I used two different recipes; one for the cake and one for the frosting. The cake is like a pound cake consistency and so I wanted to pair it with a cream cheese buttercream rather than the traditional meringue style. Both were incredible and I'll definitely be making again before the summer ends.

I didn't have my camera with me and I wanted to show what the inside looks like.

Coconut Layer Cake
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Makes one 9-inch, 4-layer cake.

Ingredients:
1 large egg
5 large egg whites
3/4 cup cream of coconut
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool
2 cups packed sweetened shredded coconut (about 8 ounces)

1. For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour.

2. Beat egg whites and whole egg in large measuring cup with fork to combine. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with fork until thoroughly combined.

3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on lowest speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, then beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

4. With mixer still running, add 1 cup liquid. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, add remaining 1 cup liquid in steady stream (this should take about 15 seconds). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)

5. Divide batter between cake pans and level with offset or rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown, cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes (rotate cakes after about 20 minutes). Do not turn off oven.

6. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes, then loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, invert cakes onto racks and then re-invert; cool to room temperature.

7. While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool to room temperature.

Buttercream
Adapted from somewhere

Ingredients:
12 ounces of cream cheese slightly chilled
1 stick of butter plus 6 tablespoons of butter (7 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup of confectioners sugar, sifted after measuring
2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
¼ cup of water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon of coconut extract

1. Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer and beat on medium speed until slightly fluffy and smooth. Add the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar and coconut extract and mix until fluffy. Set aside at room temperature while buttercream is made.

2. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue to cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the softball stage 228 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

3. Meanwhile, place the egg whites in mixer bowl and have the mixer ready to go. When the syrup is ready, turn the mixer on med-low and begin mixing the egg whites. Slowly add the hot syrup to the whites taking care not to pour onto the beaters, it may splash. When all the syrup is incorporated, raise the speed on the mixer to med-high and beat the egg whites until mixture has cooled and stiff meringue forms.

4. With the mixer on low, begin adding the cream cheese mixture by the spoonful. When all is incorporated, raise the speed to medium and whip until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

5. Spread a generous amount of frosting between each layer. Sprinkle the sides with toasted coconut. Enjoy.

Springtime Lemon Cupcakes

2009-05-28T12:53:00.012-04:00

Last year I found these adorable flower cupcake liners that I intended to use for Springtime lemon cupcakes. I also found these really cute jumbo sprinkles at Walmart that I thought would match PERFECT. Love love the pastels!

I must say, these lemon cupcakes were exceedingly moist on the inside. And I love the yellow color!

And finally, here on display at my mom's house using her lovely cupcake stand. So cute!

Elaine's Lemon Supreme Cake
Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 package (18.25 ounces) lemon cake mix
1 package (3 ounces) lemon gelatin (I used lemon pudding mix)
3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower
3/4 cup water
4 large eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan or line a cupcake tray with paper liners

2. Place cake mix, gelatin or pudding, oil, water, and eggs in mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine, scrape down sides of bowl.

3. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Scrape down sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined and thickened.Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

4. Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35-40 minutes. OR for cupcakes 20-25 minutes.

5. Remove pans from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
Run a dinner knife around edge of cake and invert it onto wire rack. Allow cake to cool completely, 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp.
1 stick of butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Blend together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.

2. Add the powdered sugar, a bit at a time, blending on low speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute.

3. Add the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend frosting until fluffy, 1 minute more. (You may need to add more sugar if you will be piping the frosting).

CamelBak Water Bottle

2009-05-25T20:22:00.007-04:00

I am madly in love with this water bottle and it's PINK! It is completely leak- proof, BPA free and I love the blue bite valve. My hubby has one too, but in black so he thinks his is way cooler.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2009-05-07T20:48:00.007-04:00

Wow! I can't even tell you when I made this recipe. BUT, I have made it two times so far and have taken it to one of our many family gatherings. We have a pretty large family and this always seems to go pretty far.

There are a lot of recipes for crock pot pulled pork, but I really liked this version from The Way The Cookie Crumbles blog. She used a spice rub recipe from Cooks Illustrated, so you pretty much can't go wrong with that. Another I'd like to try soon is made with root beer.

If you are using a smaller pork roast, which I did the first time, then I would recommend decreasing the amount of the spice mixture or it will be way to spicy. Also, I think there is too much pepper in the spice rub and will use less next time. Or use less chili powder. Either way, you can sort of play around with it until it is to your preference of spice level. I did not marinate the pork for 3 hours. I skipped this step all together and there was LOTS of flavor.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Spicy Chili Rub:
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground white pepper

1 (6-8 pound) bone-in pork roast (preferably shoulder or Boston butt)
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions:
1. Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Massage spice rub all over meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

3. Unwrap roast and place it in a slow cooker. Add liquid smoke, if using, and ¼ cup water. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

4. Transfer roast to cutting board and discard liquid. Shred the pork with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.

5. Place the shredded meat back into the slow cooker; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, adding more to taste. Heat on low for 30-60 minutes or until ready to serve. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Restaurant-Style Hummus

2009-05-03T19:40:00.012-04:00

I've always loved hummus, but this was actually my first time making it. It was so much easier than I thought, although at first I had a really hard time finding Joyva tahini. Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds and it gives hummus an authentic flavor. It is a must for home-made hummus. I eventually found it at a local health food store and then I started seeing it everywhere after that. Of course...that is what typically happens to me.

This was a very basic hummus, but in my opinion much better than the store bought brands I've tried. It was very creamy and had tons of flavor. Basically, you just throw all of the ingredients together into the food processor and...DONE!

Restaurant-Style Hummus
Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons tahini , stirred well (see note)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed (see note)
1 small garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

Instructions:
1. Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish.

2. Process remaining chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

3. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Bad blogger

2009-04-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

Okay everyone...I know, I know. It's been a month since my last post! I apologize to those of you who are such faithful readers. Thank you, by the way- I'll try to be better.

I'm not exactly sure why I haven't felt like blogging lately. Maybe it's just pure laziness since there's a ton of new recipes that need to be added. They sort of creep on me and then I don't know where to begin, Ugh!! Anyway...

It's been a little over a year now since I started this blog and have come to the realization that some things need changed. Right now I'm in the process of going back through all of the posts from the very beginning and making some slight changes. It's nothing major, just the little quirky things that I don't really like. So, I wanted to let everyone know. Oh, another thing...I'm also on twitter now. Still trying to get used to it and not sure if I really need it, but it's fun.

Well, please send me a comment or message sometime just to say hi. It always make this blog much more enjoyable:) Hope you have a great week and are enjoying this lovely Spring (or Summer shall I say?) weather!

Anthropologie Lovlies

2009-03-29T14:14:00.002-04:00

I'll take all of these to freshen up for Spring, please!

1. Pontic Azalea Top
2. Sweet & Lucky Potholders
3. The Artist's Tote
4. Eggshell Bowls
5. Lovin' Spoonful Measuring Set
6. Crocus Bud Peep-Toes
7. Pixelated Paradise Dessert Plates
8. Stockholm Floral Apron

Girl Scout Samoa Bars

2009-03-28T22:35:00.012-04:00

Who doesn't LOVE Girl Scout cookies? Most people usually have their favorite and I remember the Samoas or Caramel deLites always used to be my favorite growing up. You know- the chewy, caramel chocolate-y ones. I could eat the whole box myself!

I came across this recipe- a bar version of the cookie on Baking Bites, but now I'm kind of sorry that I ever did. They are sooo good that I will just be tempted to make them all year long. And let me tell you- they are extremely good dipped into hot coffee. You won't need to buy another $4.00 box ever again(at least of the Samoas).

I wrapped some into clear little treat bags and gave them away. I share.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2009-03-17T23:34:00.009-04:00

I must say my love for Nutella is like none other and I must admit... sometimes I eat it straight from the jar. Who can resist?

Nutella is so good that it even has it's own holiday. It is the best stuff on earth, I'm pretty sure.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

1 cup milk
1-3 tablespoons Nutella, depending on how sweet you like (I only used 1)
1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all 3 ingredients and whisk until smooth and frothy. Pour into your favorite mug and if desired top with cocoa powder, cinnamon, or mini marshmallows. Enjoy.

Ribollita

2009-03-17T22:51:00.007-04:00

Ribollita is a simple yet hearty Tuscan bean soup that I absolutely love. I really like to make a big pot of soup when I sort of want to clean up the pantry. It always seems to get really full especially in the winter time so it was necesarry. I also had a Parmesan cheese rind in the fridge that needed to be used up, which is amazing in soups.

Whenever I get down to the end of the rind, I just wrap it in some plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for when I want to make soup. That is just one tip that I learned from watching Giada. Pretty nifty, right?

Speaking of Giada, this is one of her recipes and it can be found here. Enjoy.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

2009-03-03T00:16:00.022-05:00

I hate to post two chocolate birthday cakes in a row! Actually I guess this post couldn't come at a more perfect time since St. Patty's Day is right around the corner.

When I first spotted all of the recipes for Guinness cake floating around the internet, I could not wait to make one! Not that I love beer or anything- in fact I pretty much hate the taste of it. But I just knew that it would make the perfect birthday cake for my brother who loves anything with Guinness in it.

There are a lot of different variations out there for Guinness cake and I could not decide which recipe to use. I knew I wanted a double layer cake so I sort of came up with my own version. I used the most fabulous chocolate cake recipe from my last post and made a few slight changes. You can view the recipe below.

Just a few of my thoughts:

The flavor of the cake doesn't really have a strong beer flavor like you would think...but the Guinness really brings out the chocolate, sort of like coffee does. They compliment each other so well and becomes this amazing flavor that I can't quite describe. Not too sweet or chocolate-y, but just right. It's really, really unbelievably good!

Another heads up, this is a VERY moist cake. I had some issues getting the cake out of the pan and so that is why you can see little bits of cake coming through the frosting. I wasn't even going to show the picture because I thought it looked so bad, but what fun would that be! Anyway, be sure to line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper and you should be fine. I learned the hard way!

I think next time I will try making it into little cupcakes, maybe for St. Patty's Day with little shamrocks on top. Well, that might have to be for next year since we're all caked out.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup Guinness stout beer, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
With mixer still on low, add the beer and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal.
With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting.
Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1-2 tablespoons of Guinness stout beer

Directions:
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and add the coffee powder then set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
On low speed, add the chocolate and beer to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip!
Spread immediately onto the cooled cake.

The Best Chocolate Cake

2009-02-27T00:09:00.009-05:00

January and February are by far the two craziest birthday months in our family. I did 5 out of 7 cakes in just 2 months! Everyone is still managing to stick to their diets though, so I don't feel that guilty!

I've been saving Barefoot Contessa's Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe for months so when my dad asked for chocolate cake- I had a plan. I think I'm safe to say that I will never need another chocolate cake recipe ever AGAIN. It was amazing!! I could go on and on about this cake because it seriously was the best I think I ever had. The Contessa does it again!

I used Scharffen Berger cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate which is a bit pricey, but very high quality and totally worth it for this recipe.

Sorry for the sloppy picture. I almost forgot to take one.

Here are my slight changes to the recipe:

Cake: I used a 1/2 cup of coffee and added a 1/2 cup of water to it.
Frosting: I used 1/2 tsp. of instant espresso powder instead of 1 tablespoon.

You can add as little or as much as you like, but since my dad hates coffee I was afraid to add the whole thing. I plan on making it again with the entire amount because being the coffee lover that I am, you can never have too much!

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

2009-02-15T22:13:00.009-05:00

For Valentine's Day I whipped up these cute cupcakes in no time at all- thanks to my Cake Mix Doctor cookbook. Once in a while when I need a really quick recipe I'll use this book and nobody can ever tell that it came from a box mix..which is most important, right?

Basic Sour Cream White Cake
Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook

Ingredients:
1 (18 1/4 ounce) package plain white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Generously grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan or line a cupcake tray with paper liners
3. Place cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in mixing bowl.
4. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 minute
5. Stop machine, scrape down sides of bowl.
6. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.
7. Scrape down sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined and thickened.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Place pan in oven.
10. Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35-40 minutes. OR for cupcakes 20-25 minutes.
11. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
12. Run a dinner knife around edge of cake and invert it onto wire rack.
13. Allow cake to cool completely, 30 minutes.
14. Prepare the frosting

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp.
1 stick of butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 cup fresh ripe strawberries, rinsed, capped, and mashed to make 1/2 cup, then drained well

Directions:
1. Blend together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
2. Add 3 cups powdered sugar, gradually, and the mashed strawberries; blend frosting again on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and blend frosting until fluffy, 30-45 seconds more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar to make desired spreading consistency. (You may need to add more than that if you will be piping the frosting).
4. Use as desired.

Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

2009-02-03T00:42:00.015-05:00

This is the first time I baked the same thing twice in the same week! It was that good! First, because I recently came to discover that my little brother loves chocolate and orange as much as I do so I wanted to make it for him. And second, because my mom liked it so much she wanted it for her Birthday.

If you recall, I made the bundt version of this cake awhile back, but something about these little minis was soooo much better! The recipe can be found here.

I used a Martha Stewart mini bundt pan, made by Nordic Ware that was only $8 on clearance at Kmart. These baby cakes slid right out of the pan-it was incredible! I must buy more Nordic Ware soon!

I took a lot of pictures this time because I couldn't resist. They are just so darn cute!

Crock Pot 16 Bean Soup

2009-01-25T19:09:00.007-05:00

I love my crock pot especially for soups and stews. This soup is also called holiday bean soup and I've been making it ever since my first year of marriage. It started after a visit to PA when my mom handed me a bag of 16 bean mix and a leftover holiday ham shank to take back home. I didn't really know what I was doing, but the soup is now one of Justin's most requested so I must of done something right!

Crock Pot 16 Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 package 16 Bean Soup (about 2 cups)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. chili powder
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots diced
1 large onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1 ham hock or shank
1 28 oz. can tomatoes stewed or diced
6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place the beans in a large pot or bowl and cover with water until above the bean line. Soak overnight. Drain in the morning.

2. In a crock pot, place all of the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. Remove the ham and shred or chop the meat and add back into the pot. Continue cooking until ready to serve.

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

2009-01-19T01:58:00.006-05:00

I crave brownies ALL the time so I'm always looking for that perfect chewy brownie recipe that will turn out just like the boxed mix. I came across this recipe and thought how perfect since I already had a tub of mascarpone that needed to be used up. So far every other recipe I've tried has failed me until now. Well, sort of...

These brownies win for taste, but are still lacking the right consistency- in my opinion. High quality chocolate is suggested for this recipe and makes all the difference in taste. I used Valrhona cocoa powder that I bought online from Chocosphere.

If you are craving something really rich and indulgent, these are for you. In the meantime my hunt will continue for the ultimate chewy and fudgy brownie. Anyone want to share their favorite recipe?

New year, New mixer

2009-01-11T20:26:00.015-05:00

I am so excited I can barely stand it! I received the best Christmas gift this year a girl could ever ask for. Here she is... my beautiful, ruby red KitchenAid Mixer. It's a total dream come true!

My husband is the absolute best and totally shocked me on Christmas morning. I could not believe he pulled it off. I seriously find out about EVERYTHING. I had no idea what was in the box under the tree for 2 whole weeks and the thought did not even enter my mind. So needless to say, I was very surprised and it was great!

Now I have some serious baking to do this year!

**Update 1/19/2009**

So, I have decided to go with a different color- crazy huh? I have always had an issue when it comes to picking a color for my wish list, so this should not come as a surprise. I battled with this decision for over 2 weeks, but have finally settled. This Ice blue color is gorgeous and on it's way!

Sugar Cookies

2008-12-22T01:08:00.008-05:00

If you're like me and don't have the patience for roll-out sugar cookies, you must try this recipe. These turned out so soft and amazing, not hard like most I've had. The frosting was really good as well. I didn't change a thing about both of these recipes and they were just perfect.

A little messy though. I had food coloring all over the place!

Pecan Bars

2008-12-20T13:34:00.004-05:00

Here's another Cooks Illustrated recipe that I adore for classic pecan bars. It's super easy just like making pecan pie.

Pecan Bars
Cooks Illustrated

Makes 24.

Toast all of the pecans for the recipe (2 ¼ cups) on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until fragrant (about 8 minutes), stirring once. Assemble the pecan filling while the crust bakes. Once the crust is lightly browned, spread the filling on top and continue baking. Because of their high sugar content, pecan bars store well and taste great up to 5 days after baking. While we liked bourbon the best, dark rum is quite good. For a very boozy tasting bar cookie, add another tablespoon of liquor.

Crust
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
1/4 cup toasted pecans , chopped coarse, toasted
1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Pecan Filling
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1 tablespoon bourbon + 1 tsp or dark rum (for a little more booze, add 2 tbs total)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg , lightly beaten
2 cups toasted pecans , chopped coarse, toasted

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fold two 16-inch pieces of foil or parchment paper lengthwise to measure 8 inches wide. Fit 1 sheet in bottom of greased pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan (overhang will help in removal of baked bars). Fit second sheet in pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place flour, brown sugar, pecans, salt, and baking powder in food processor. Process mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal, about five 1-second pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles sand, about eight 1-second pulses. Pat mixture evenly into prepared pan and bake until crust is light brown and springs back when touched, about 20 minutes.

3. For the pecan filling: While crust bakes, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until just combined. Add egg and whisk until incorporated.

4. Pour filling on top of hot crust and sprinkle pecans evenly over top. Bake until top is brown and cracks start to form across surface, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Remove bars from pan using foil or parchment handles and transfer to cutting board. Cut into bars that measure 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/4 inches.

Best Ever Snickerdoodles

2008-12-19T13:52:00.004-05:00

It's been so long since I've posted anything. Where does the time go?
I thought I'd take a quick second out of this insanely busy day to post my FAVORITE Snickerdoodle recipe before Christmas is all said and done.

I made these cookies last month and again the other day. You have got to try them. They are super easy and fast!

Apple Pie Cupcakes

2008-11-23T21:39:00.004-05:00

As promised, here are the apple pie cupcakes. As soon as I saw these cupcakes at alpineberry a year ago, I could not wait to try them. They are without a doubt delicious!!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2008-11-13T17:39:00.016-05:00

Every October we host an Autumn pumpkin fest to celebrate our favorite season and all things pumpkin. I am totally crazy about pumpkins if you haven't noticed by now so it's a lot of fun!!
We serve lots of food, pumpkin beer, hot cider and just hang outside by a cozy fire. Here are a couple pumpkin ideas from this year's party. Inspired by the M. Stewart.

I also made these pumpkin cupcakes along with the chili from last post, apple pie cupcakes, and some amazing whoopie pies which I'll post next, I promise.

Not quite the orange I was going for and you can barely see the cute yellow stripes on the liners, oh well.

Pumpkin Chili

2008-11-12T19:06:00.007-05:00

For the past four year, I've been making this chili for our annual Fall Fest held every October. Just about everyone is afraid to try it when I tell them it's "pumpkin chili", but I'm telling ya, it's sooo good!

This is basically a simple beef chili with a little bit of added pumpkin puree and cinnamon for just a hint of sweetness. And the pumpkin turns it such a pretty, orange-y fall color. You can hardly taste the pumpkin and probably wouldn't even know it was in there. It's the kind of taste that makes you go hmm? But seriously, do not be afraid and please try this recipe!

Pumpkin Chili
Serves 10 or more

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups onions , chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , with juice (my fave is Tuttorosso)
1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree (Tuttorosso)
1 can (15 oz.) or 2 cups 100% Pure Pumpkin
about 2 tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, red pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano, brown sugar and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, pumpkin, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Adjust seasonings/salt to personal taste if needed.

3. Slow Cooker Option: At the end of step 1, transfer the cooked beef mixture to a slow cooker; add the rest of the ingredients as directed in step 2. Cook the chili on the high setting for four hours.

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies

2008-10-31T00:32:00.003-04:00

Chocolate and pumpkin is probably my favorite combo ever. It's the best!

I thought these brownies were just ok, but everyone else loved them. I thought something wasn't quite right with the texture so I need to try them again soon. I'm tempted to try this cheesecake version instead.

Salt Cellars

2008-10-25T21:27:00.015-04:00

Isn't this little apple jar with spoon so adorable? Unfortunately it's no longer available. I have been looking for a little white salt jar with a wooden spoon and this one seemed so perfect. I first saw it on Apartment Therapy a while back. It was designed exclusively for the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) online store by a Japanese artist named Tatsuya Okazaki. If you have never heard of MoMA before you must check out their site, tons of amazing pieces!

I love this little salt pig too, but I think I prefer something with a lid.

I decided on these cute white spice jars from IKEA because I really loved the wood lids. Now I want this little spoon to match from Live Wire Farms. They have the best hand sculpted spoons from Vermont timber. It's exactly what I've been looking for!

Apple Crisp

2008-10-25T00:11:00.005-04:00

I rarely ever use my Betty Crocker cookbook except when it comes to classics like good old fashioned apple crisp. This has become my "go to" recipe that I use all the time. It's just so simple and delicious.

Butternut Squash Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2008-10-19T22:40:00.009-04:00

Well Fall is officially here and I'm so excited! Fall is my all time favorite season and it's when I go crazy stocking up on pumpkin spice coffee, canned pumpkin, and an absurd amount of baking supplies. I have so many pumpkin recipes I can not wait to try so look out in the months ahead.

Up until today, I have never cooked or baked anything using butternut squash. I don't know why, they are so amazingly good.

These squash are also called butternut pumpkins and actually have the same sweet, nutty taste as regular pumpkins. They are both part of the squash family so there are a lot of similarities and can be used interchangeably. And did you know that squash are considered a power food because they are high in fiber, vitamin A, and especially beta carotene?
So in case you haven't tried it before, you must! Anyway, on with the recipe...

I have been craving something really special and creamy using the squash and the fresh ricotta I picked up at Trader Joe's last week. It came down to either lasagna or risotto. But then somehow I found this mac-and-cheese recipe and it won!

I cut the recipe in half and we still had a ton left over. Also, I only used the butternut squash, no acorn. Oh and if you can't find amaretto cookies you can use Italian almond cookies or biscotti-that's what I used.

Ooh La Le Creuset!

2008-10-10T14:29:00.012-04:00

I am officially the proud owner of a beautiful White 7 1/4 Quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven!

Ever since watching the Food Network I have dreamed about one day owning my very own cast iron French dutch oven. The original retail price for one of these particular pieces is $260 and being the bargain hunter that I am would never ever pay that price for a piece of cookware.

The white dutch oven is always pictured in my Everyday Food magazines and on my fave Everyday Italian. I just love it. I also adore the red. I'm not sure why but Le Creuset discontinued white so it is nearly impossible to find except if you get lucky and score one on ebay. That is how I got mine! A few weeks ago I randomly came across a seller who was selling a bunch of used white pieces that were in pretty good shape. The pictures and description for the 7 1/4 oven showed a bunch of light scratches on the inside, but other than that it was as good as new. So I waited for 5 days until the auction was about to end and in the last 20 seconds I bid and won it for $64! Just wait, it gets better....

Five days later my prize arrived in the mail. It was a little dirty, but looked way better in person. I used my trusty Magic Eraser on the inside just to see if the scratches would rub off. And they did! So they weren't scratches after all and now my Le Creuset is perfect!

I know most people don't get this excited about cookware, but nothing can compare to the versatility of these dutch ovens. You can use them stove-top, in the oven and then store the leftovers right in the refrigerator. The high quality enamel lining is gorgeous and is actually very easy to clean. And if you are low in iron like me, the pot actually releases iron into your food. The best part is that there's a lifetime guarantee so if anything happens the company will replace it with a brand new one for free!

Now if only I could score one of these red buffet casseroles.

Farmers Market Blueberry Cupcakes

2008-09-21T20:33:00.014-04:00

A few months ago I heard about Trophy Cupcakes while watching "Cupcake Week" on the Martha show. Since then I've become obsessed with cupcakes and got really excited when I saw this recipe featured on their site.

These cupcakes took me about 3 hours to make, but were a lot of fun. They should not take 3 hours, but since I STILL do not have a Kitchenaid stand mixer, it took me a little longer plus I messed up. For the meringue you have to beat the egg whites for about 10 minutes or so and I had to do that twice (by hand-mixer) because I ruined the first batch. Whenever you need to beat egg whites for airy meringues or souffles do not allow a speck of egg yolk into the bowl or they will not fluff up at all. I was whipping and whipping away for like 20 minutes until I decided to "Google" my problem and found out what was wrong. So lesson learned.

Here are my thoughts about the overall outcome. I thought the meringue was really really buttery. I should have know better since Swiss Meringue is supposed to be buttery. The recipe called for a whole pound of butter for the frosting alone. Yep, that's right... 4 whole sticks of butter! It does make a lot though and I have to say the consistency was dreamy. It was the perfect piping frosting. The cake part was a tad dry and almost tasted more like a muffin.

I still really liked these cupcakes, but will try to tweak a few things next time and will try a different meringue recipe.

Steak Salad

2008-09-17T14:33:00.005-04:00

I'm a really big fan of salads, especially when they can serve as a meal all in itself.

Since my recent discovery of the flat iron steak , I really wanted to try this recipe. Flat iron steak is best when marinated so I just use a little bit of olive oil and really good steak seasoning. Let it sit room temperature for about 30 minutes, grill it, then slice into strips. Goes great with grilled asparagus, our favorite.

S'more Tart

2008-09-02T20:55:00.018-04:00

I made this tart a few weeks ago for a family picnic. You really can't go wrong when it comes to s'mores or marshmallow..anything. I don't know anyone who doesn't love them.

I used Callebaut (it's the best) semi-sweet chocolate for the filling, but I will probably use bittersweet next time. It was very sweet.

This was a lot of fun to make, but a nifty little kitchen torch would of come in handy to toast the marshmallow topping. I think I left it in the oven too long because the topping started to melt a little bit.

S'more Tart
adapted from a lot of sources

For the crust:
1-1/4 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
Bake 8 min. or until lightly browned; cool completely.

For the filling:
7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet, chopped finely
1 cup heavy cream, (I used half-n-half because that's all I had)
1 large egg, at room temperature for 30 minutes
pinch of salt

Put chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, then pour hot cream over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Gently whisk in egg and a pinch of salt until combined and pour into graham cracker crumb crust (crust will be about half full). Bake until filling is softly set and trembles slightly in center when gently shaken, about 25-30 minutes. Cool pie to room temperature on a rack (filling will firm as it cools), about 1 hour. (I chilled in the refrigerator to speed up the process.)

For the topping:
1 7-ounce jar Marshmallow Creme
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar

Scrape the jar of marshmallow creme into a big bowl and set aside.

Beat the egg whites with salt in another large bowl until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff and glossy peaks form. This can take 7-10 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the beaten egg whites to marshmallow creme and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions until just incorporated. Spread or pipe meringue over top of cold pie. Swirl with a knife to create peaks or use the pastry bag to do the same. ( I used a big star tip to pipe the top).

Bake pie just until peaks and ridges of marshmallow meringue are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Don't walk away from the oven! Or if you have a kitchen torch, use that to lightly brown the peaks. Let stand at room temperature until meringue is cool. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

2008-08-25T16:46:00.004-04:00

I love cupcakes and have been wanting so badly to use my new cupcake book. Awhile back I wanted to make white chocolate raspberry cupcakes for Justin (per his request) but couldn't find a solid recipe of exactly what I was looking for. So I took 2 separate recipes from the book, added some white chocolate chips and this was the outcome.

Justin told me these were the best cupcakes I ever made and I must say were pretty darn good. Quite an indulgence though!

Cupcakes
adapted from cupcakes by Elinor Klivans

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup good quality white chocolate chips (I like Guittard)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using a electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg and yolk and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about 2 minutes.

Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. Mix in the flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter is smooth. Mix in a cup of white chocolate chips.

Fill each cup with about 1/3 cup of batter, to about 1/4 inch below the top of the liner. Bake until the tops feel firm and a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
adapted from cupcakes by Elinor Klivans

1 cup fresh raspberries or defrosted unsweetened raspberries
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temp.
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Process the raspberries in a food processor. Strain the puree through a fine strainer into a small bowl; discard any seeds and pulp left in the strainer. You will have about 1/3 cup of puree. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, cream cheese, and almond extract until smooth and thoroughly blended. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in the raspberry puree, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute to lighten the frosting. Use a small spatula to spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons of frosting thickly over the top or pipe onto each cupcake. Top with a berry.

Fennel and Orange Salad

2008-08-25T15:52:00.005-04:00

Here is another one of my favorite salads. It's really, REALLY good and by far my favorite!

This is a Sicilian salad (no wonder I love it so much) that is best when oranges are in season. I used seedless Valencia oranges, but you can use any that are seedless or blood oranges.

There is such a lovely sweet and savory combo going on that is out of this world. All of the flavors surprisingly blend so well together and the licorice-y fennel adds so much freshness.

Sweet Cherry Pie

2008-08-15T21:32:00.007-04:00

Summer is almost over and it would not be complete without a sweet cherry pie. I meant to post this last month when cherries were at their peak, but have been caught up with.. well, you know, summer things.

While I've never really been a fan of cherry pie, it is my husband's favorite. Most cherry pies that I've had were either too tart or sour and in my opinion, the sweeter the better. I was graciously given a HUGE bag of juicy and sweet bing cherries so there was no excuse not to make cherry pie when they are free and this gorgeous.

Thank God for that handy little pitter. I still had cherry juice all over myself. What a mess!

I used this recipe from my Everyday Food magazine. The only thing I changed was add a 1/4 tsp. of almond extract.

The pie was definitely different than the cherry pies that use the canned filling. It seemed almost more like a cherry cobbler. It was still delicious, but the filling wasn't quite thick enough. I will try a different recipe next time or maybe it was just something I did wrong. If anyone has knowledge on the topic or wanna share a great recipe, I'm all ears.

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

2008-08-10T21:22:00.006-04:00

This recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated magazine. Their recipes are always thorough and a fail- safe for me.

You will need tomato paste and I highly recommend using Amore. It comes in a tube versus the typical 6 oz. cans you see in grocery stores. This is a must have in my kitchen because I don't know how many times I've had to toss almost a full can that has gone bad. I usually only need a tablespoon here and there so I love using it. It's also imported from Italy.

With the combination of tomatoes and cream this dish is perfection!

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Cooks Illustrated

This sauce is best served with short pasta, such as ziti, penne, or fusilli.

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce prosciutto , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small onion , diced fine (about 3/4 cup)
1 bay leaf
Pinch red pepper flakes
Table salt
3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , drained, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse (about 3 tablespoons)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cup plus 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes (from one 28-ounce can)
1 pound pasta (see note)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese , for serving

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add prosciutto, onion, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and beginning to turn light gold, 8 to 12 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups crushed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened (spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.
4. Remove bay leaf from sauce and discard. Stir cream, remaining 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine into sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with up to 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Stir in basil and serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

2008-08-07T16:24:00.004-04:00

In my Fourth of July post I mentioned this blueberry cake. It is a very simple and old fashioned recipe.

My dad and Justin absolutely love crumb coffee cake so I will be making this one a lot.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

2008-07-31T00:20:00.004-04:00

This is my new favorite salad. It is so refreshing and light, making the perfect summer meal.

I added some mint leaves for an added fresh kick. You gotta try this, it really is good!

Spinach Lasagna with Prosciutto

2008-07-19T01:39:00.008-04:00

I've always loved lasagna. I'll take it any way I can as long as there's lots of cheese!

I made this spinach lasagna a few weeks ago, but forgot to post it. It's a great alternative to the traditional meaty lasagna. It was sooo good.

Spinach Lasagna with Prosciutto
adapted from Cooks Illustrated

INGREDIENTS

Spinach
1 tablespoon table salt
20 ounces curly spinach (2 bags), stemmed and rinsed OR frozen spinach drained

Bechamel
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto , chopped medium
5 large shallots , minced (about 1 cup)
4 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (generous 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
2 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

Cheeses and Pasta
8 ounces whole milk cottage cheese OR ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for baking dish
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from 1 box
1 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
8 ounces Italian fontina cheese , shredded (about 2 cups)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella

1. For the spinach: Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat; add salt and spinach, stirring until spinach is just wilted, about 5 seconds. Using skimmer or fine-mesh strainer, transfer spinach to ice water and let stand until completely cool, about 1 minute, then drain spinach and transfer to clean kitchen towel.
Wrap towel tightly around spinach to form ball and wring until dry. Chop spinach medium and set aside.

2. For the béchamel: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming, add the prosciutto. Sauté until slightly crisp, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the prosciutto to a small bowl.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the saucepan over medium heat until foaming; add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 1/2 minutes; do not brown. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat, whisk in bay leaves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in Parmesan and discard bay leaves. Transfer sauce to bowl, press plastic wrap directly against surface, and set aside.

3. For the cheeses, pasta, and assembly: Blend cottage cheese, egg, and salt in food processor or blender until very smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Place noodles in a 13- by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish and cover with hot tap water; let soak 5 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on kitchen towel. Wipe baking dish dry and coat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Use rubber spatula to distribute 1/2 cup béchamel in bottom of baking dish; position 3 noodles on top of sauce.
Stir spinach into remaining béchamel in bowl, mixing well to break up clumps of spinach (you should have about 4 cups spinach/béchamel mixture).
Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, sprinkle evenly with Parmesan, and top with 3 more noodles. Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, sprinkle evenly with 1 cup fontina and half of the mozzarella, and top with 3 more noodles.
Spread 1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles, followed by cottage cheese mixture. Sprinkle the prosciutto evenly over the cottage cheese mixture. Finish with 3 noodles, remaining cup spinach mixture, remaining cup fontina and rest of the mozzarella.
Lightly spray large sheet foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes, then remove foil. Remove lasagna and adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler.
Broil lasagna until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.

Birthday Goodies

2008-07-09T23:20:00.026-04:00

My lovely husband got me this amazing Kitchenaid food processor for my birthday yesterday which was a total surprise. I can't wait to get busy and make pies, pesto, and anything else you can whip up really fast!

He also got me these two great books that I've been wanting:

Fourth of July Blueberry Pie

2008-07-05T22:40:00.011-04:00

I love blueberries so much that just about every day this week I came home with a few quarts. There were 8 quarts total to be exact. I also made a blueberry crumb cake that I'll post later on. It was very yummy!

You can get fancy if you'd like and cut out festive little stars. I don't think I used the correct star cut out because the tips were a little more pointed than shown in the picture in my Martha book. You can also see a photo here which was inspired by Martha. My stars sunk a little bit!

The recipe can be found here; although, it is not the Fourth of July version.

Lemon Bow Tie Chicken

2008-07-05T22:29:00.005-04:00

Lemon Bow tie Chicken

4 2/3 c. uncooked bow tie pasta
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp. salt-free lemon pepper seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. oil
15 oz can chicken broth
1/3 c. cream cheese, cubed
2-3 T. lemon juice
2 c. fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 c. frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning over the chicken and saute in oil for a few minutes. Add garlic. Cook until chicken is slightly browned, then remove from pan.

To the same pan add the broth, cream cheese and lemon juice. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and cook until cream cheese is melted. Return chicken to pan and add the pasta, spinach, and salt. Cook until sauce is thickened and spinach is wilted. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

2008-07-03T11:38:00.010-04:00

My favorite thing about summer is the abundance of fresh-picked strawberries. I love going to all the little farm stands where the produce is as fresh as it gets!

This strawberry tart is probably my most requested dessert to date. It is my absolute favorite!

I have made the crust with homemade pie dough, graham cracker crumbs, frozen store-bought pie dough, you name it. My favorite so far is with this recipe for a sweet tart crust.

Instead of using the currant jelly for the glaze, I use T. Marzetti Glaze for Strawberries. You could also make your own which I've also done. I like to use the Junket Danish Dessert mix.
Either way, just brush some on top of the strawberries and use as little or as much as you'd like. This tart is the best!

Homemade Cannoli

2008-06-29T21:13:00.013-04:00

A few weeks ago for Father's Day, I made cannoli for my Italian father and grandpop. I did't know what I was in for when I got the idea in my mind, but went ahead and took the plunge anyway. I stayed up all night frying dough and ruining batch after batch, but I learned so much and would do it all over again.

For anyone who does not know what cannoli are, they're Sicilian pastry desserts. Singular for cannoli is cannolo and it means "little tube". So basically they are tubes of fried dough that are filled with a sweet creamy filling that usually consists of ricotta cheese, vanilla, chocolate chips, or candied citrus fruit. Cannoli are a family favorite of ours and in my opinion, one of the best things in life!

There are so many different versions for cannoli and I couldn't decide which recipe to use. That was actually the hardest part for me because I really wanted something simple for my first time, but as "Italian" as possible. At first I was planning to use a recipe from Lidia's Italian-American book that I own, but the problem was I could not find candied orange and did not have time to make them. At last I found this one. The recipe was great, but I did need to make a few changes. Hopefully, I can remember all of them.

Here is the dough all rolled out and cut into little rounds waiting to be wrapped around the forms. I added a few more tablespoons of the Marsala wine to get it to the right consistency. The cookie cutter I had was too small, I think 4 inches, which made mini cannoli. I did the first batch this way, but then decided they were way too small. So I ended up using a bowl to cut out about 5 1/2 " rounds. It was much easier to work with. I ruined a few batches because the dough would not stick to the forms.

I used canola oil to fry with instead of shortening because it's healthier.
I only had four forms, so it was a long process of rolling, wrapping, frying and cooling.

Here are the cannoli waiting to be filled. A note about the filling: drain the ricotta overnight or you will be left with a soggy filling that will not hold its shape. I luckily found out about a trick to thicken it if you forget, just add a few tablespoons of vanilla pudding mix - it worked like a charm and saved me. I also added a pinch of cinnamon for more flavor.

Here is my messy bowl and pastry bag. I started out with a star tip, but it kept getting clogged because of the chocolate chips so I had to switch it out while the bag was still filled which was a complete mess!

Here they are filled and all ready to go. Next time I will fill right before serving because the shell becomes too soft otherwise. They were still really good and everyone couldn't believe they were homemade!

Grilled Southwest Chicken and Potato Skins

2008-06-24T22:18:00.009-04:00

Justin and I love our little Weber charcoal grill. There's just nothing like that smoky, grilled taste.

We grill everything in the summer and Justin is becoming quite the grill-master if I do say so myself!

I would of never thought to grill these Potato Skins, but then again what can't you grill?

Recipe for the Southwest Chicken:

2/3 cup canola oil
2 limes, juiced (1/4-1/3 cup)
2 TB. Southwest seasoning
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 minced garlic
1 lb chicken

Mix everything together and pour over the chicken. Marinate for atleast 1 hour and up to 24.

Penzeys Spices

2008-06-24T22:01:00.004-04:00

Penzeys Spices are absolutely wonderful. I ordered from them for the first time and now I'm afraid I'm hooked. The aroma just from opening the box was unreal. These spices are truly like no other I have ever had.

Penzeys was so kind enough to even throw in a free Southwest Seasoning with a recipe and a catalog. Such a nice surprise!

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Frosting

2008-06-16T23:31:00.005-04:00

As I've said before I love banana bread and could eat it every single day. Well, I actually love anything banana, especially these muffins. They are really more like banana cupcakes and the frosting is the best!

I have been making these muffins for about 4 years now. The recipe is so simple and as long as the bananas are ripe enough, the muffins always turn out amazing. They stay unbelievably moist for days.

These are by far the best I've ever eaten. Please try them and tell me know what you think!

Pot Stickers

2008-06-16T21:33:00.017-04:00

Justin loves pot stickers so I thought it would be fun to give them a try. Pot stickers are won-ton noodles that have been filled with ground meat and vegetables, then fried, steamed and simmered.

I decided to go ahead and double the recipe since I wanted to freeze a batch so it took a really long time to fill all of the little noodle wrappers. They were still very easy to make and quite tasty!

Pork and Cabbage Dumplings with Dipping Sauce
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Filling
3 cups minced napa cabbage leaves (about 1/2 medium head)
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. ground pork
4 minced scallions (about 6 tablespoons)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Dumplings
24 round gyoza wrappers (see note)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water , plus extra for brushing

1. For the filling: Toss cabbage with the salt in colander set over a bowl and let stand until cabbage begins to wilt, about 20 minutes. Press the cabbage gently with rubber spatula to squeeze out any excess moisture, the transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

2. For the dumplings: Working with 4 wrappers at a time (keep the remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap). Fill, seal, and shape the dumplings using a generous 1 teaspoon of the chilled filling per dumpling. Transfer the dumplings to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling; you should have about 24 dumplings. (The dumplings can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day, or frozen for up to 1 month. Once frozen, the dumplings can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag to save space in the freezer; do not thaw before cooking.)

3. Line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels; set aside. Brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over the bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet and arrange half of the dumplings in the skillet, with a flat side facing down (overlapping just slightly if necessary). Place the skillet over medium-high heat and cook the dumplings, without moving, until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to low, add 1⁄2 cup of the water, and cover immediately. Continue to cook, covered, until most of the water is absorbed and the wrappers are slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, without stirring, until the dumpling bottoms are well browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more. Slide the dumplings onto the paper towel-lined plate, browned side facing down, and let drain briefly. Transfer the dumplings to a serving platter and serve with scallion dipping sauce (see related recipe). Let the skillet cool until just warm, then wipe it clean with a wad of paper towels and repeat step 3 with the remaining dumplings, oil, and water.

Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar , unseasoned
2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 medium scallion , minced
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili oil

Bring soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water to boil over medium heat, stirring briefly, until sugar dissolves. Pour into bowl; stir in scallion, ginger, and sesame and chile oils. Serve.

WRAPPERS
Round gyoza (3 3/4 inches diameter), fill with 1 rounded tablespoon, steam for 10 minutes
Round wonton (3 3/4 inches diameter), fill with 1 rounded tablespoon, steam for 6 minutes
Square wonton (3 3/8 inches square), fill with 2 rounded teaspoons, steam for 6 minutes
Rectangular wonton (3 1/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches), fill with 1 rounded teaspoon, steam for 5 minutes.

Key Lime Bars

2008-06-13T00:02:00.007-04:00

These key lime bars are sublime, Ha!

If you cannot find key limes, use regular limes. Do not use the bottled juice. It just won't be the same.

I used graham cracker crumbs instead of the animal crackers. I also added a bit more sweetened condensed milk to cut some of the tartness.

Sonoma Syrup Co. Pure Vanilla Extract

2008-06-10T11:25:00.012-04:00

I am always in search of really good, high quality ingredients to use in my cooking and baking. I should admit that lately I have become quite obsessed with it; just ask my husband.

While watching the Food Network or Martha, I always try to take note of what they use or suggest. I'm also a regular on the Cook's Illustrated test kitchen website. They test and rate all the best products. It's really addicting.

A "good vanilla" is so crucial for most baking and I have been enjoying Nielsen Massey's Bourbon Pure vanilla extract. I really love it, but still a little too expensive for the amount that I need. A 4 ounce bottle is $8.00!

Recently I came across Dorie Greenspan's blog suggesting the Sonoma Syrup Co . Vanilla Crush. I remembered seeing this brand at TJ Maxx and Marshalls (my faves) so I went out to hunt it down. I found an 8 ounce bottle of Sonoma's pure vanilla extract at Marshalls for just $12.99! The only difference between the crush and the regular is that the crush has little specks of vanilla beans which would be lovely in pastries, pudding, frostings, etc.

I love this stuff and recommend it to anyone who loves to bake. It's the best quality for the best price. You will love it too!

I've lost my love for Lambrusco

2008-06-07T13:17:00.008-04:00

When I was first introduced to wine Riunite Lambrusco was it for me. I loved it. Sweet, red, mysterious, cheap - mmm, I was sold. I knew that no matter what I tried I could always fall back on a bottle of Riunite.

Last night Desiree and I ordered up some Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple) from our favorite local pizzeria and I picked up a jug of Riunite Lambrusco for the dinner table in an effort to land on something everyone would like (we were having her brother over and his wife).

I was so not impressed. The smell was wax-candy-like and I tasted - dare I say it - metallics in the aftertaste! It reminded me of Yellow Tail Shiraz and it's fake syrup-like flavor minus the oak (I can tolerate their shiraz actually).

I know, I know, I'm late to the party.

Ever since I've been entertaining my palate with red varietals from brands like Rosemount Estate and Black Swan I've fallen out of love with Lambrusco.

Recently I had a friend, a wine specialist, tell me that she was really into a certain type of Lambrusco. Needless to say I'm very excited to try it given my bad experience with Riunite.

Sorry Riunite Lambrusco, I've moved on and thrown out the love letters.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

2008-06-05T00:54:00.008-04:00

If you like citrus and chocolate together, this cake is for you!

Ina Garten or Barefoot Contessa, whatever you would like to call her, has never let me down!
I love all of her recipes and enjoy her show.

I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate instead of semisweet because that is all I had. I would definitely recommend using semi-sweet though.

Between all of the orange juice, zest and the dark chocolate, this cake is actually full of anti-oxidants, ha!

The orange and chocolate combination is so simple yet sophisticated and very Italian!

Orzo Salad

2008-06-05T00:46:00.003-04:00

The perfect summer salad with such a burst of flavor!!

Limoncello Cheescake Squares

2008-05-10T01:05:00.007-04:00

Yes, I'm still on a lemon kick and can't seem to get enough!

This recipe has everything in it that I absolutely love; limoncello liqueur, biscotti, and cream cheese.

My brother David and his wife Cristin were coming for dinner so this was the dessert we had.

Everyone loved it. I had exactly a half cup of the liquer on hand so I'll be buying more and making these again SOON!

Mint Iced Tea

2008-05-06T18:02:00.004-04:00

This refreshing beverage will be on tap in my fridge all summer long!!

Chicken-Fajita Tostadas

2008-05-06T17:45:00.005-04:00

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Of course, I was going to take advantage of the day and make mexican! I made these tostadas for a change from the usual fajitas with cilantro-lime rice.

You must try this; so fresh and full of flavor!

Banana Bread

2008-05-06T14:25:00.012-04:00

I love banana bread and could eat it just about every morning with my coffee.

In place of the walnuts, I added some chopped chocolate chunks. Easy, super moist, and didn't last long!

The Best Coffee

2008-05-01T21:05:00.010-04:00

Yesterday my sister-in-law, Sara and I were shopping at our favorite discount store called Glennwood Foods. I mentioned before how we always find organic foods and all kinds of other gourmet specialty foods, super CHEAP!

Well, she turns to me holding this can of coffee and says, "is this coffee any good?" I was at the other end of the aisle and came running up to see if she was really holding what I thought she was holding. It sure was Illy Coffee. I wanted to scream, I was so excited and grabbed all of the cans on the shelf. 13 total. Sara only wanted 3 so I got the other 10.

When I finally looked at the price, I freaked out even more because it was only $1.79 a can!!! Sara of course thinks I'm crazy because I get this excited about coffee. But seriously it is so good that an 8 ounce can is normally $13.00.

I only had Illy coffee one other time, but have always dreamed about having again. It is so smooth and there's no bitter or after taste like other coffees. And I especially love it because it's authentic Italian coffee, simply the best!

Amazing Corn Chowder

2008-05-01T15:12:00.007-04:00

I made the best corn chowder last week to take to my brother and sister-in-law's. So this is not the healthiest of all soups, but they were in the mood for comfort food and this is just that.

We always have this organic corn on hand in the freezer so that is what I used. I usually do not like any frozen vegetables, but this one seriously tastes so fresh and sweet like it's on the cob. It's the absolute best! My brother actually discovered it at our favorite, lovely discount store called Glenwood Foods. It has some of the best finds especially the organic foods.

I added some left over shredded roast chicken and bacon. The soup did not need the second stick of butter like the recipe suggest although, can you imagine how amazing that would of been?
This is a hearty meal-in-itself, but to top it off serve with these.

Apple Muffins

2008-04-30T22:52:00.004-04:00

I cannot begin to tell how how much Justin and I loved these apple muffins. I first saw the recipe over at smitten and really wanted to try it.

We always have King Arthur organic whole wheat flour, but rarely use it. I am really trying to get more fiber-rich whole grains into baking, but a lot of recipes just are not the same. Although muffins like these, some cookies and breads are perfect with it. I also used plain yogurt instead of buttermilk and they were so moist and fluffy.

Bargain

2008-04-30T22:20:00.015-04:00

This lovely cake stand was only $5.00 at K-Mart. Can you believe it?

The best part is, it's a Martha Stewart!

Lemon Bars

2008-04-30T21:50:00.002-04:00

Lately, I'm loving lemon anything. I came across this recipe on a search for lemon cake mix and cream cheese. The recipe called for 3/12 cups of sugar, but I only used 3 and added a teaspoon of vanilla for the topping. These have a chewy bottom crust with a sweet cream cheese layer on top.

Very very simple and really yummy!

Rosemount Grenache Shiraz

2008-04-28T00:52:00.007-04:00

In my pursuit for a shiraz that Desiree would actually drink I picked up a bottle of Rosemount's Grenache Shiraz. Usually the oak flavors in a shiraz turn her off right away.

We were both taken back by this blend. The grenache grape subdues the typical oak-flavor of the shiraz and enables the fruits to take most of the stage. It seems like all the bite, which is not much, is in the front leaving the end smooth as all get out and very enjoyable. It's a perfect starter wine or starter shiraz for that matter - very mild, nice fruit-flavors, very smooth and very tasty.

According to their marketing it goes great with pasta (of course) barbecue and middle-eastern dishes. If you're hesitant about shiraz or wine in general I would serve it chilled; however, a enjoying all wine just below room temperature.

Leftover buttermilk

2008-04-10T00:16:00.025-04:00

Usually when a recipe calls for buttermilk I end up with the rest of the container sitting in the refrigerator just to spoil. So today while cleaning out the fridge I discovered the little bit that I had leftover and thought it'd be a perfect excuse to bake something.

I've never made a simple lemon pound cake before and because the photo (from Everyday Food aka Martha Stewart) looks so much like Starbuck's Lemon Loaf, I had to try the recipe. It turned out pretty close, although I did make some slight changes because Justin and I do not like a real strong lemon flavor. If you love a stronger lemon taste then I would suggest follow the original recipe.

For the cake:
I added a teaspoon of vanilla and used 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
For the glaze:
I used 2 tablespoons lemon juice and added a dash of vanilla and some water to reach the desired consistency.

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

2008-04-09T21:26:00.011-04:00

Tonight I was in the mood to make stir-fry and had a quick recipe on hand in my March issue of Everyday Food magazine. It's a "for the freezer" recipe but I halved the recipe and we ate it instead!

It was served over Perfect White Rice which has been my go-to recipe because before my rice would always turns out mushy. But I haven't used it with brown rice and plan to try that next; not sure if it will be the same or not.

Unfortunately the recipe isn't available online so I'll be sure and update when it comes out.

Best chocolate chip cookies ever

2008-04-07T00:45:00.013-04:00

Yes, ever. I said it. I've tried several recipes for the "ultimate" chocolate chip cookies and all but two have failed me. Behold ...

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are the most requested baked-good I have. But I do add 1 teaspoon of salt (gotta bring out those flavors) and always leave out the walnuts because we're just not into them being in our cookies.

The runner-up for me was definitely Alton Brown's The Chewy over at the Food Network. Alton is a bit more on the technical side but he always gets it right.

Try them both and tell me what you like best!

My very first blog post

2008-04-04T18:25:00.003-04:00

Hey, everyone! Over the past couple of years I've really started to enjoy cooking and baking. So now I've decided to blog it and share my experience with those who will kindly lend an eye.

Other than food I'll be posting about everyday treats, deals and my latest cup of coffee. Enjoy!