Liesl's Confection Dissection

Where has Liesl gone?

2010-06-22T09:55:00.002-05:00

Sorry ... I have been sooo extremely busy over the last two months. So much is going on in my life and my blog has definitely taken the back seat. My sister is getting married in about two weeks and hopefully after that, my life will somewhat quiet down a bit and I can get back to some MAJOR BLOGGING!!! I do have lots of great recipes and I can't wait to start sharing them again! And I also can't wait to tell you all about my surprise trip to Disneyworld that the hubs planned for my birthday!!!

Black Bean Dip

2010-05-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love dips! They are great for get togethers with friends, bridal/baby showers, parties, holidays, or just plain old lazy weekends! I really can't tell you enough how much I love dips! I am always trying out new recipes and can't seem to keep up with all the ones I have bookmarked to make! I actually made this dip several months ago, just never got around to blogging about it. This dip was fantastic! A huge hit for everyone who tried it. It had a hummus texture, but a completely different taste. I loved the kick the jalapenos and cilantro added. I served mine with Fritos, which I think is the best way to enjoy this dip, but you could serve it with your favorite type of cracker as well. Oh and just to warn you, you may want to plan on doubling this recipe, because YES it IS THAT GOOD!!!

Black Bean Dip

(from Scraping the Skillet)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 pickled jalapeños (about 3 T diced)
2 T lemon juice
1 t salt
1/4 c stock (chicken or veggie)
1 small red onion, diced
1 T chopped cilantro

Combine the beans, jalapeños, salt and lemon juice in the food processor. Add the stock and pulse until incorporated. Stir in diced onions and cilantro. Serve with Fritos.

Cornflakes "Touch of Honey" Banana Bread

2010-05-17T08:47:00.017-05:00

I LOVE Super Target! It's become an obsession lately! Everything just seems to taste better from Super Target. If you don't have one near you or aren't sure what one it, it is just like a regular Target only with groceries and a much bigger/better selection of products! I especially love their produce. Every time I go, it seems like I end up finding new products that I don't normally see in other grocery stores...Like these cornflakes I found on my last adventure...

I don't normally buy cereal like this (I usually eat only Fiber One Original), but when I see a new exciting cereal, I often find myself thinking that it would be great if I could bake/cook with it. Remember these bars! Man those were good! I actually think I want to try using these cornflakes on chicken. Doesn't that sound delicious!

So I bought the cereal, brought it home, opened the box and tried a handful...or two or three!!! ;o) I was so good! I immediately thought it would make a great banana bread! So I went to Kellogg's website to see if they had a recipe for banana bread, and sure enough they did. The recipe they had called for regular cornflakes, but I just used the Touch of Honey in place. I couldn't believe how good this recipe turned out. Hands down the best banana bread recipe I have tasted! I even used less sugar than the recipe called for (thinking that the cereal had enough sugar already) and it was still fantastic! It was incredibly moist and I loved the little bits of cornflakes throughout. If you are looking for a new twist on banana bread, definitely give this a try!

Cornflakes "Touch of Honey" Banana Bread

(from Kellogg's)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas
2 1/2 cups Kellogg's Cornflakes Touch of Honey
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (I used only a 1/2 cup of sugar)
2 eggs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional - I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.

In medium mixing bowl, combine bananas and Kellogg's Cornflakes Touch of Honey cereal. Let stand 5 minutes or until cereal softens. Beat well.

In large mixing bowl, beat margarine and sugar until combined. Add eggs. Beat well. Mix in cereal mixture and nuts. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan (or use a muffin pan like I did) coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° F about 1 hour (my muffins only took about a 1/2 hour, just keep an eye on them if you do muffins) or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap with plastic wrap.

Please Pray for Nashville

2010-05-05T09:24:00.012-05:00

I want to take a moment, away from food, away from things not as important as this, to make you aware of something very serious that has happened to my city. On May 1, 2010 we had a horrible rain storm come through Nashville, TN. The weather continued and got worse on into May 2, 2010. We stayed under a constant threat of Tornado's, and the rain maintained steady as a terenchal downpour. On Sunday May 2nd, we all saw, as the rain just continued to pour down, that our city was in a horrible state, and in desperate need of relief from all the rain. But it kept coming and the waters continued to rise. Drowning my city, my fellow Nashvillians, people's homes and cars, changing the lives of so many. As I sit here an type this, I am getting emotional just thinking about it all. Nashville needs your help...

I took this picture Monday May 3rd, looking towards Nashville. The sun is shining, but the city is not. The Cumberland River that flows through downtown, flooded much of the city.

Most of you probably don't know what has happened, as the news coverage is very slim. No ones seems to want to take time to cover it. And we NEED them to. This is a MAJOR catastrophe, with MAJOR devastation. There was nothing that could have been done to stop this rain storm, nor could we have ever known the true aftermath that this storm was going to cause. NO ONE saw this coming.

Again, taken May 3rd looking over at LP Field (where our Tennessee Titan's play), which also suffered flooding. The area in front is 1st and 2nd avenue...all under water.

I took time yesterday (as I am out of work until further notice due to flooding) to go around and help out where I could. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky ones who survived this storm pretty much untouched. My garden was destroyed, but I will gladly take that. Yesterday, May 4th, I went to homes that lost everything. Water completely destroyed their homes, and lives as they once knew them. The second person I helped yesterday was so unfortunate. My heart just broke for them. Every time someone showed up at her doorstep, she lost it. It was a very humbling experience.

Sadly, that was one home, and only one person. There are soo many more going through the same thing that need help. I am going out again today to do what I can. One person can do so much, so if you are sitting at home reading this from the comfort of a warm safe place, please take a moment to see what is happening to my city. Say a prayer for us. If you can, make a donation to the Nashville Red Cross, all donations help ONLY Middle Tennessee. You can also donate on Hands on Nashville's website. If you are nearby, VOLUNTEER.

Looking down 2nd avenue, on May 3rd. So many businesses completely destroyed.

I also want to share an article that is "floating" around Nashville. It is a very well written article, from a Nashville Blogger, like myself...

"We Are Nashville"

The Cumberland River had not even crested at this point on May 3rd. Water was still continuing to rise. This is looking down 1st avenue. The green rooftops, was were our train station was.

The pictures on this site are mine. Property of Liesl's Confection Dissection. I posted them so I could share just some of the devastation with you. I will probably be taking a little break from blogging as there are bigger, more important things going on. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope that you can help in some way. If nothing else, please spread the word on what has happend to Nashville, TN. We need help so badly. Take the time to tell your loved ones you love them. Cherish what you have, because you truly never know how long you are going to have it. Like I said, no one could have prepared for this catastrophe. The damage is unbelievable and there is more to come as the water recedes.

Take care,

Liesl

Chess Pie Bars

2010-04-21T08:30:00.008-05:00

I am a part of a dinner club that meets once a month. Whoever hosts the dinner for that month, picks the theme for the dinner and we each make a dish that goes along with that theme. It is so much fun! We get to eat great food and have a lot of great conversation! This month's theme happened to be Southern Hospitality...otherwise-known-as good ol' southern comfort food! We had pot roast, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole, biscuits, homemade ice cream sundaes and these highly addictive Chess Pie Bars! We even had a southern cocktail....Sweet Tea vodka and lemonade served in a mason jar!!! All the food was fantastic! I seriously think I gained 20 lbs. that night!!! haha

If you guys aren't familiar with Chess Pie, it is truly a southern delicacy. I never had it or knew what it was until I moved to the south. It is pretty much a sugary/buttery heaven in a pie crust! So incredibly rich, but so delicious! The Chess Pie Bar is a perfect take on the pie. It takes exactly like the pie, but it's a little easier to prepare. If you need a quick easy dessert recipe, this is it! People won't believe how easy it is, and how delicious it is! The only challenge...try to eat only one piece! Go on TRY!!! ;o)

Chess Pie Bars

1 package yellow cake mix
2 eggs

1/2 cup softened butter
1 lb. powdered sugar

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 9x13 pan. Beat eggs. Combine eggs with cake mix and softened butter. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. (You may need to use your hands, but I usually can get away with just using a whisk.) Press cake mixture into the well greased pan. (Trick - I usually spray my hands with non-stick cooking spray that way the mixture doesn't stick to my hands!)

In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake mixture.

Bake for about 35 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

S'mores Ice Cream

2010-04-19T08:30:00.010-05:00

I LOVE ICE CREAM (as you can tell, by my most recent giveaway!)!! I was so excited when my sister told me she had an ice cream maker laying around collecting dust. I told her I had been wanting one for a very long time and she graciously offered me hers! I was so happy, although I am sure my waistline won't like all the ice cream I will be making! HA! Thanks Jennifer!!! ;o)

My next task, now that I knew I was going to have an ice cream maker any day, was to figure out what my very first flavor would be. Seriously people, that's a hard thing to decide on!! lol I mean I have soooooooooo many ice cream recipes bookmarked, and on top of that my sister sent me an ice cream cookbook! I finally decide I wanted to make S'mores Ice Cream! S'mores are one of my all time favorite treats, so I thought it would be a great thing to experiment with.

I was never a big fan of just plain chocolate ice cream (really any plain chocolate in general), so I knew I didn't want a chocolate based ice cream. Then I found this recipe! The pictures themselves did it for me...I knew right away that was going to be it!

The ice cream was SOOO delicious! It is a marshmallow ice cream with bits of graham cracker and hershey bar throughout it. The ice cream base was so creamy and smooth, I could have eaten it even without all the additions!!! I told my good friend Erin, from Erin's Food Files, that I was going to make it for a friend of ours who was having a birthday at work. She thought it was a great idea and offered to make homemade graham crackers to go with it - so we could make ice cream sandwiches!!! (See photo at the bottom, courtesy of Erin!) It was such a great idea! The ice cream sandwiches were incredible!!! Erin's homemade graham crackers went perfectly with the ice cream!

S'mores Ice Cream
(recipe from Bonnie the Baker)

1 package marshmallows
2cup milk
3cups heavy cream
2 Hershey’s Chocolate Bars
6 or so Honeymaid Graham crackers (I used the plain variety)

Place Marshmallows, cream and milk into a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mallows are melted, and the liquids blend nicely with the marshmallows. The texture will be thick and gooey. Remove from heat and let cool (I let mine cool to touch - about 10 minutes before putting into my ice cream maker), stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into ice cream maker that has been frozen according to manufacturer’s instructions, and churn for about 30-35 minutes.

While the ice cream is churning, cut chocolate into whatever size chunks you desire, I did bite size. Break graham cracker pieces into larger pieces, you want them to stay in tact so that they will freeze well, and still resemble graham cracker pieces after the freezing process is done.

After churning is completed, turn off ice cream maker, and fold in chocolate pieces and then graham cracker pieces. Be gentle when folding in the graham cracker pieces, or they will break. After folding, the ice will be somewhat soft, just place in an airtight container for a couple of hours until set. Makes about 1 Quart of ice cream. (feel free to cut the recipe in half)

To find the recipe for Erin's delicious homemade graham crackers, check out her blog post here! Last photo courtesy of Erin, of Erin's Food Files! I had to show you how cute the ice cream sandwiches looked!

Spicy Sausage Dip

2010-04-13T14:10:00.006-05:00

I am always looking for new quick go-to recipes for appetizers. The hubs is always in need of something to take to school functions and I tend to lean towards sweet treats! As much as I LOVE my sweets, I really want to start making more appetizers. It seems like those are often what are needed most at get-togethers. So when I saw this recipe pop up in my google reader, I knew I had to bookmark it and make it soon! It didn't take long to make it, and I was so glad I had! This dip was fantastic! Perfect for school functions, parties, or just a plan old lazy Sunday's catching up on the DVR!! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Spicy Sausage Dip

(as seen on Annies Eats)

1 (16 oz.) package spicy/zesty sausage

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

Hot sauce, to taste

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the crumbled sausage until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the tomatoes, cream cheese, and hot sauce. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is warmed through and the ingredients are well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve warm with Fritos or crackers of choice.

Winner!

2010-04-06T08:27:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest for the ice cream maker! I got a lot of great responses for flavors!

The winner is......

11 -
Valen said...
I would love to make mint chocolate chip ice cream, my favorite!

Please contact me within 48 hrs (or a new winner will be selected) at lieslsconfectiondissection@gmail.com with your shipping information.

Congratulations! Let me know how the ice cream turns out!

Spring is in the air...how about a giveaway!?!?

2010-03-29T10:39:00.015-05:00

I have been so absent, please forgive me. How about a giveaway to help you forgive me! Deal!?! ;o)

Spring is now here, finally! It feels like it has taken FOREVER to get here, anyone else feel that way?? It is so nice to have the warmer temperatures and all the flowers starting to come up. Spring always brings the sense of happiness, which is definitely what I need right now. I love being able to go for walks on my lunch break and drive on my way home for work and still see daylight. Simple things like that just brighten my day even more!

How about I brighten your day now!?!?

I feel so honored to have been approached to do a cookware giveaway! CSN Stores is a great resource. They have everything your shopping heart desires - from kids beds, to fitness equipment, to furniture, to cookware...the list goes on and on. Go on check it out, I'll wait!

La de da...la de da...what's that, you are still wanting to know about the giveaway!?!? LOL I don't blame you, it's a GREAT ONE!

CSN Stores has been kind enough to sponsor a giveaway for drum roll please.....

A Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker!!!!

Cue applause now!!! ;o)

That's right you heard me, AN ICE CREAM MAKER!! I am super excited about this giveaway for many reasons: 1 - I LOVE ICE CREAM! 2 - My sister is giving me an Ice Cream maker (which I will finally get this weekend), so we can make ice cream together!! and 3 - 'Tis the season for ice cream!!! (although, is there really a season for ice cream...nah...it's year round for me!)

So here's how to enter:

1. Become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already) and let me know that you have in your comment. Also in your comment, let me know the first flavor of ice cream you would make (should you win this Ice Cream Maker). If you want, include a link - I'm always looking for new exciting flavors to try out myself! Please be sure and include your email address too, so I can contact you if you win.

Details:

The giveaway will end on April 5 at 6pm central time. A winner will be selected by Random.org, and I will notify you by email. US residents ONLY please.

***Disclaimer: I was not paid to do this giveaway, nor did I receive any compensation. I was simply contacted regarding the opportunity to provide my lovely readers with a wonderful giveaway. ***

Profiteroles

2010-03-16T08:30:00.002-05:00

I am a part of a Dinner Club, where we pick a theme each month and plan our meal around that theme. This particular theme happened to be Italian. I did some research on Italian recipes, but I kept coming back to Profiteroles. I have had these several times before and loved them, but was always somewhat nervous about making them. I didn't really know what to expect, but they ended up being fairly easy to do! And of course the outcome was SOOO worth it!! These babies were D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!!!!

Profiteroles

(recipe adapted slightly from Tyler Florence)

Profiteroles:
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the pate a choux: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring to melt the butter completely. Add all the flour and baking powder at once and continue to stir until all the flour is incorporated and the dough becomes a mass that pulls away from the sides of the pot. Remove from the heat and scrape the dough into a mixing bowl. Using a standing or hand-held mixer, beat the dough on medium speed to cool it off a bit. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. When all eggs have been incorporated, the dough should be a thick, smooth, and glossy paste.

Form 24 golf ball-size mounds on the lined baking sheet about 2-inches apart allowing room for them to spread; keep the mounds as high and round as possible. You can use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or a large spoon, your choice. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to cook for 25 minutes. Do not open the oven door or remove the pans from the oven until the puffs are firm to the touch. (I kept my eye on them throughout the 25 minutes looking for that golden brown color. After 25 minutes were up I opened the oven and touched them to make sure they were firm to the touch.) The profiteroles should be golden brown and well-risen. Allow the shells to cool before filling.

**There seem to be MANY varieties of Profiteroles out there. Tyler Florence filled his with Vanilla ice cream. I didn't quite think that would be as good as a cream filling, so I went with that instead. But use whatever you want. If you want to try the ice cream, follow the instructions here. Otherwise, this is what I did:

Cream Filling:

(Liesl's recipe)

4 ounces cream cheese

2 cups milk

1 and a half (or about 5.25 ounces) packages instant french vanilla pudding mix (I use the 3.5 oz boxes, and just use half of one box.)

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and milk and beat until smooth. Add pudding mix and beat until thickened. Cool until set. (I used Wilton squeeze bottles to fill my Profiteroles, but you could try using a zip-lock bag or a small round piping tip.) Carefully pipe pudding mixture into each pastry. You want a good amount of pudding inside, but not too much. I would say it ends up being a tablespoon or so.

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, cut in chunks
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the cream and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until bubbles appear around the sides of the pot, but do not allow the cream to boil. Mix in the chocolate and vanilla; remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth. Carefully dip each cream filled pastry into chocolate sauce. Be sure to cover only one side with the chocolate sauce. Place on wax paper to let chocolate harden.

If you aren't eating these right away, place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

**Special thanks to Erin for letting me borrow her camera, since mine was in the shop getting repaired because my stupid self dropped it :o(

Ho-Ho Cake

2010-02-28T08:30:00.010-06:00

This post is sure to make you laugh, cringe, probably think twice about my cooking skills, but MOST IMPORTANTLY it will make you want to go bake a Ho-Ho Cake!!

This all started out as a simple conversation that went something like this......
Liesl: So do you and the boy want to come over and grill out?
Erin: Sure, what should I bring an appetizer or dessert?
Liesl: Hmmm...let me run it past the hubs and see what he thinks. (I only asked this because he ALWAYS is making suggestions as to what he wants me to make!)

later on...
Liesl: So how about I do dessert and you bring the appetizer.
Erin: Sounds good to me!

So you see this started out great, but then there was the conversation with the hubs........

Liesl: Erin asked what she should bring an appetizer or dessert...do you care?
The hubs: Well, actually how about you do dessert. There is this dessert that my mom used to make me and I would love for you to try it out.
Liesl: Oh, great...not again.

This happens to me a lot! The hubs likes to suggest these recipes he used to have growing up. Trust me I've tried to recreate A LOT of "child-hood" memories! I end up calling his grandma or his mom and trying to piece together what the hubs is talking about. His mom was able to dig out her recipe for this so called "Ho-Ho Cake", but she usually makes it for a large crowd of people, so we had to figure out what a third of the recipe would be. So to make a long story longer (lol), she told me it was to be baked in a 9x13 glass dish, but I mentioned how it would be fun to try it jelly roll style (you know like an actual Ho-Ho)...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA THAT'S FUNNY! Well, it didn't quite go as planned, and it sure made for some good laughs, but trust me you Ho-Ho Cake you...WE ARE NOT FINISHED!!

So despite it's resemblance to what my dog used to leave behind in the back yard, the fact that it didn't really roll - it cracked, and the shear disappointment in my face as I tried to spread the frosting on top and it just wasn't happening --- THIS CAKE WAS A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! One of the best I have ever had! I really am not a big fan of chocolate, but hands down, one of the best desserts! Please, go ahead and laugh, but really do try it out. The cake is so moist and the filling reminded me dead-on of a Hostess Ho-Ho. I was so embarassed to serve it to my friends, but they were good sports about it and can attest to how wonderful it tasted!

Ho-Ho Cake

(from the kitchen of my mother-in-law)

For the cake:

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa

2 beaten eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar and flour in a large bowl. Bring water, butter and cocoa to a boil, stirring occasionally. Pour cocoa mixture over flour mixture and mix. Combine eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla and mix together with the flour cocoa mixture. Pour into a greased 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake for 5 minutes.

Spread a kitchen towel out and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool completely on wire rack.

For cream filling:

2/3 cup milk

2 1/2 T cornstarch

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup shortening

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and cornstarch. Cook until thick, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Cream together butter, shortening, salt, sugar and vanilla and add to milk mixture. Mix until smooth.

Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream filling mixture over cake. Re-roll cake.

For chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup milk

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to cocoa mixture and mix until smooth. Spread on top of cake. ENJOY!!

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again! ;o)

Lime Garlic Tilapia

2010-02-25T08:30:00.008-06:00

This past weekend, when the hubs and I were at Publix buying steak, we happened to see that Tilapia was on sale. I couldn't pass up the good deal and a chance to try out a new recipe! I love Tilapia, and honestly there are so many recipes out there, you could prepare it differently every time you eat it.

My friend Erin is also a big fan of Tilapia...so this time around I thought I would email her to see if she had a recipe that she recommended. She sent me a nice list to choose from, and I ended up picking something that came from her blog. I had all the ingredients on hand except for lemon, but I knew I had limes and I thought they would taste just as good.

This recipe was not actually prepared by me. That's right, the hubs cooked it! I can not take any credit for it at all! But he did a WONDERFUL job! The fish was cooked perfectly and he even decided to use half a lime and mix it with a little butter to pour over the peas! It was delicious! Thanks Erin for sharing the recipe...and I can't wait to try some of the others you sent!

Lime Garlic Tilapia

(from Erin's Food Files)

2 tilapia fillets

1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 tablespoon butter, melted

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.

Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lime juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.

Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Feta Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-02-23T08:30:00.004-06:00

I love mushrooms. When I came across this recipe on Pennies on a Platter, I immediately knew I needed to make them soon. We had such a nice weekend in Nashville this past weekend, that was just calling for us invite some friends over and fire up the grill. The hubs was wanting steak, so we splurged and got 2 nice looking filet's at Publix. When we got the steaks, I was wondering what to make with them...that's when I thought of these mushrooms. They were so delicious and I can't wait to make them again!

I added fresh cracked pepper and a bit of fresh cracked garlic to mine. (I love my McCormick Grinders!)

Feta Stuffed Mushrooms

(from Pennies on a Platter)

baby bella mushrooms

olive oil

feta cheese

fresh cracked pepper

fresh cracked garlic

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Remove the stems from mushrooms (you can keep them for salads) and place on a baking sheet, stem side up. Drizzle mushrooms lightly with olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes. Crumble feta cheese into each mushroom cup, top with fresh cracked pepper and garlic. Bake until golden brown, about 5 or so minutes. Serve warm.

Nutella Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

2010-02-17T08:30:00.022-06:00

When I saw this recipe pop up in my Reader, I knew it was something I HAD to make! I LOVE Nutella and Peanut Butter, so I knew right away this was a drink right up my alley! The Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery is one of my favorite blogs to read...and naturally where I got this recipe from.

Not that you need an excuse to make hot chocolate, but I really wanted to make this on a snowy cold day. I would say that normally it isn't likely here in Nashville, but lately the snow has become an everyday occurrence! So this weekend, which also happened to be Valentine's Day, it snowed and I was craving a warm cup of hot chocolate. The hubs was working on school work, so I told him to keep busy and I was going to whip up a special Valentine's Day breakfast! (Which he didn't know then, but soon found out it was going to include a cup of this delicious hot chocolate!)

I actually added a little more Nutella to my hot chocolate than what the recipe called for and I think it made it even better! The hot chocolate was so creamy, smooth and silky. I love the flavor that the Nutella added. It was some of the best hot chocolate I have every tasted! It was perfect for a Valentine's Day breakfast! The hubs loved it too! This is definitely going to be my go to hot chocolate recipe from now on!

Nutella Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

(as seen on The Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery)

3/4 cup whole milk

2 Tbsp Nutella

1 1/2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Add the Nutella and peanut butter and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Pour into a mug and garnish (if desired) with a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries with Chocolate Drizzle

2010-02-10T12:41:00.035-06:00

First some business...

I decided to take part in "Adopt-a-Blogger" this time around. I feel as though I have so much to learn when it comes to blogging. I knew it would be a great way to put myself out there and see what happened. I am so happy to say that I have officially been adopted! My adoptee is Jessica from The Novice Chef! I am super excited about us being paired up and can't wait to get to know more about Jessica! Just by reading her blog it looks like we have a lot in common and could become great friends! She has an amazing blog filled with lots of GREAT recipes, so you should definitely check it out!

In honor of my "adoption", I decided to poke around her blog and see if there was a recipe that I could make. I marked so many of her recipes and didn't know what to pick, finally came to THIS! Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually had a baby shower to go to over the weekend for a good friend of mine and when I saw these I KNEW I HAD TO MAKE THEM! My friend is well, not only pregnant, but a huge fan of chocolate covered strawberries, so I knew they would be a hit! And boy were they!! The idea of this Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberry is just insane...and WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF IT!!! It is so easy to do and so delicious! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, wouldn't these be perfect for your sweetie!!!!???

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries with Chocolate Drizzle

(as seen on The Novice Chef)

2 crates of fresh Strawberries

1 box Jello No Bake Cheesecake (I actually used the sugar-free kind!)

Crushed Graham Crackers

Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate for drizzling (I used white and milk, but you can do whatever you prefer.)

Mix the cheesecake filling according to the box, let set in the refrigerator until set. Crush graham crackers by hand or use a food processor, set aside.

Wash your strawberries and cutoff the tops. Next, hollow out the strawberries, I followed Jessica's suggestion and used the end of a potato peeler to do this.

Once you have hollowed out all your strawberries, fill a pastry bag (or use a zip-lock bag) with your cheesecake filling. Gently fill each strawberry until the filling is slightly overstuffed. Dip each end into the graham cracker crumbs and set aside.

Heat up your chocolate carefully until the chocolate is melted thoroughly. Spoon the melted chocolate into zip-lock sandwich bags. Cut off a very small tip and squeeze the chocolate over the strawberries.

These strawberries are so delicious, I rate them a 10 for sure! So go make them, what are you waiting for! ;o) Oh and don't forget to check out Jessica's blog, The Novice Chef!

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

2010-02-06T08:30:00.009-06:00

This recipe is the side kick to the Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf we had. I wanted to have something to go along with the meatloaf, but I wasn't sure what to make. I had tossed around the idea of just having a veggie, but then second guessed myself and decided I wanted something better. So I got to thinking, what if I used some of the flavors from the meatloaf to make a side dish. Then I realized I had some leftover red skin potatoes at home and thought I could turn those into blue cheese mashed potatoes!! I was nervous about trying them out, but they turned out wonderful and were so creamy. They really complimented the Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf! I do have to say, I just sorta "made it all up" so my measurements may not be exact, but the good thing about mashed potatoes is that you can give them a taste and then add more to them if it needs it :o)

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

(recipe by Liesl)

6 - 10 small red skin potatoes washed and cut into quarters

1/2 skim milk (maybe more, maybe less)

sea salt

fresh cracked pepper

fresh parsley (just a handful of rough chopped parsley)

reduced fat blue cheese crumbles (I used about 3 tablespoons...just add to taste)

Put potatoes in a pan filled with water over medium high heat. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender. Remove from heat and strain.

Put cooked potatoes in a deep bowl. Add milk, parsley, salt and pepper. Using a hand mixer blend together until somewhat smooth, but still has a few chunks to it. (Or you can make them completely smooth, I just wanted to have mine somewhat chunky.) Add blue cheese and stir with a spoon to incorporate into potatoes. Serve warm.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

2010-02-05T08:30:00.008-06:00

My friend Erin, from Erin's Food Files, emailed a recipe for Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf several weeks ago. I was so excited when I got the email, because this meal is right up my alley. It seems like towards the end of last year I had definitely gotten off track with eating healthy and working out as much as I used to, so this meal was just perfect! I am always looking for new ideas for a healthy recipe, but often am sceptical that they may lack flavor...this dish definitely had flavor. In fact, it was so delicious that I can't wait to make it again! I decided last minute to try whipping up some Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes (which you will see tomorrow) with some leftover potatoes I had to go along side the meatloaf. They were a great addition, not as healthy as the meatloaf, but hey they were delicious with every bite!

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

(as seen on Erin's Food Files, recipe from Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Olive oil spray

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup fat free milk

1/3 cup hot sauce, plus more to sprinkle on top

1 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast

1/4 cup finely chopped celery1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat blue cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lightly mist a 9” x 5” x 3” nonstick loaf pan with olive oil spray.

Combine oats and milk in a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened. Stir in hot sauce until well mixed. Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, egg whites, and salt. With fork, mix ingredients well. Add blue cheese and gently mix.

Transfer mixture to pan and spread so that top is flat. Sprinkle on a couple shakes of hot sauce and spread evenly. Bake 35 to 40 mins or until chicken is no longer pink. Cut into 8 slices. Makes 4 servings.

Stay tuned for tomorrow...Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes!

Monkey Muffins

2010-02-03T08:30:00.011-06:00

3 words -
OH - MY - GOSH

WOW! These were amazing!!!!!!! This recipe was another one that popped up in my Google Reader at just the right time. The hubs had told me he needed a breakfast dish to take to school, and I wanted something that would travel well. I saw this recipe for Monkey Muffins on The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and knew I had to make it right away.

The were pretty easy to make and very tasty. I do have to say, that they are better served immediately out of the oven, all nice, gooey and warm. But if you can't serve them right away (or have leftovers) they do taste just as good warmed up in the microwave for just a few seconds.

I loved this recipe and plan on keeping it around, especially for company that's here for breakfast! They were so delicious and fun! I have always enjoyed Monkey Bread, but I don't think I will ever make it again after trying this recipe. They were so cute and so yummy!
Look at that sweetened condensed milk drizzle on top....yum!

Monkey Muffins
(from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

Refrigerated Biscuit Dough, Cut Into Thirds (I can't remember how many cans I used, but just decide how many you want and then buy that many biscuits.)
Butter
Sugar
Ground Cinnamon (I used my cinnamon grinder, I love freshly ground cinnamon!)
Sweetened, Condensed Milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to muffin tins. Sprinkle in sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls (or cut refrigerated biscuit dough into thirds). Place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle on more sugar and cinnamon.

Allow dough to rise, if applicable, or just go ahead and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle plenty of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each one. (Trust me you can't drizzle "too much"!!!) Allow rolls to sit for a little while to absorb the sweetened condensed milk.

Scoop out with a spoon and invert onto plates. (Drizzle more sweetened condensed milk if desired!)

**Pioneer Woman has step-by-step pictures of how to do the Monkey Muffins, check it out here.**

Sausage Crescent Breakfast Casserole

2010-02-01T08:30:00.009-06:00

I can't believe I have never shared this recipe! I found this recipe on a friend of mine's blog (Stephanie of Macaroni and Cheesecake) forever ago. It is a go to recipe for me when I need something to make for the hubs to take to school or if I am going to have company for breakfast. It is so easy to make and so delicious! I always get compliments on it and it always seems to be devoured within 10 minutes of me setting it out! I try to use the "low-fat" versions of ingredients when I can, but you can certainly sub them for the "full-fat" if you prefer. Try these out soon....but just to warn you, it's hard to eat just one piece!

Sausage Crescent Breakfast Casserole
(from Macaroni and Cheesecake)

1 8 0z. container fat free cream cheese

1 lb. sausage

2 cans reduced fat crescent rolls

Brown sausage in skillet. Add cream cheese to sausage and mix until combined. Line a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with one package crescent rolls. Top with sausage & cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining can of crescent rolls. Bake according to the directions on the crescent roll can.

Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole

2010-01-31T09:02:00.005-06:00

Man, it's been FOREVER!!! I have been so insanely busy since I got back from Germany (which was totally awesome by the way), that haven't had time to play catch up. I have so many recipes to post and I am so excited about it!

So I am sure there are a lot of you dying to know what my "news" was...well if you haven't guessed it already, I FINALLY got a camera!!! WOOHOO! I have LOTS of learning to do, but I am so excited about it. I had been looking for a long time and finally decided on the Canon T1i. It's been so much fun playing with it!

But back to this recipe...
This recipe popped up in my Reader awhile back and it couldn't have shown up at a better time. I was going through all the stuff with Heggy and trying to prepare for my trip, so needless-to-say, I didn't have a lot of time to think about dinner. Picky Palate made my day when I saw her recipe for Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole! The meal looked so tasty on her blog and it did NOT disappoint. It was so delicious and comforting. If you are looking for a quick, easy, but not so healthy meal, then you should definitely give this a try. It was so delicious!

Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole
(from Picky Palate)

2 small cans cream of chicken soup

2 small cans cheddar cheese soup

1 1/2 Cups milk

8-10 Cups broccoli florets

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I boiled mine.)

1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley

1/2 bag Ore Ida Seasoned Tater Tots, frozen

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place soup and milk into a large pot over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook for 5 additional minutes to soften slightly. Stir in chicken, hot sauce, salt, pepper and garlic seasoning.

Pour mixture into 11×7 inch baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Top evenly with tater tots and cheese; bake for 20 minutes then cover with foil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes with dish covered with foil. Remove from oven and serve.

Auf Wiedersehen!

2009-12-18T10:11:00.003-06:00

I know it's been awhile, but I am here to share it's going to be a while longer! I am off to spend my holidays in Germany and the Czech Republic! It's a must needed - long dreamed about - trip of my life! I can't wait to share all the stories with you. I am so backed up with recipes. We have had so much going on and I have neglected my blogging. But have no fear, the new year is bring many exciting things your way! Stay tuned for LOTS of new and fun recipes AND some exciting news....now aren't you glad I left you on that note! ;o)

AND NO I AM NOT PREGNANT!!! LOL

Cupcake Snow Globes....and some sad news

2009-12-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

I was so excited to makes these cupcakes! I got the idea from my Hello, Cupcake! Cookbook. I had been wanting to make another cupcake from the book and decided that my upcoming holiday party gave me the perfect excuse!

These cupcakes did take A LOT of patience. I had to adjust several of the ingredients (just because I was on a time crunch and didn't have time to go to a specialty candy store - my adjustments are listed below), I think that my substitutions worked great! I can't say whether or not they tasted good (I was too afraid to eat one because they were so pretty and took so much time!), but they were well received! I can't imagine they didn't taste good!

On a side note, Heggy my beloved pup, has to be put down in the morning. She has been so sick for so long and she recently took a turn for the worse. It hasn't been an easy road for the hubs and myself, and we honestly don't know how we are going to get through it tomorrow. I have cried more over the past couple of months (especially the last couple of days) than I think I have in my entire life. I just look into her eyes and see a dog that wasn't even given a chance to have the life she deserved. She is only 1 1/2, but has given the hubs and I a joy not even describable in words. Heggy changed our lives, for the better. Her unconditional love with never be forgotten. She was definitely one of a kind, and anyone who got the pleasure of meeting her knows what I am talking about. I will miss her "kisses", her "scratching - pick me up", her determination to find a way onto the couch, her sitting at the door waiting for mommy to come home (and not even letting me put my stuff down when I walk in the door), her love for her sweaters, her "hold me like a baby", her "oh yes scratch my belly", her sleep smell, her nickname "Hegster", and most of all her snuggling ...insisting on always being under the blanket with an arm around her belly. Heggy I will love you all my life and I hope your kisses will greet me in Heaven when it's my time. In honor of Heggy, the hubs and I have decided to make a commitment to run the Music City Half Marathon next spring. We are going to do it for her, and I will be wearing a chain around my next with her "Heggy" charm attached. I love you Heggy.

Snow Globe Cupcakes

(adapted from Hello, Cupcake!)

**I made 20 cupcakes, but feel free to make more or less. The original recipe called to make only 6, but I was going to a party and knew I would have enough stuff to make more.**

20 cupcakes baked in silver foil cupcake liners (I just used a boxed yellow cake mix.)

2 cans of vanilla frosting

3/4 cup of coarse white decorating sugar

snowflake decors (or white stars like I used)

red and green non pareils (or color sugar like I used)

20 chocolate-covered graham crackers (Keebler)

Tint 3/4 cup of the vanilla frosting green, using the food coloring, and spoon it into a ziplock bag. Spoon several tablespoons of plain vanilla frosting into another ziplock bag. Press out the excess air in the bags of frosting and seal.

Spoon the coarse white decorating sugar in a small shallow bowl. Spread remaining frosting on the top of the cupcakes. Roll the edges of each frosted cupcake in the sugar. Sprinkle the tops with some snowflake decors and the red and green non pareils.

To make the Tree:

small bag of tootsie rolls

small yellow stars

Gently warm tootsie rolls in microwave...like maybe 5 seconds per piece. Roll (I just used my fingers to flatten out the tootsie roll) the tootsie roll out flat. Using a sharp knife cut out pieces for the trunk of the tree. You will need 10 trunks total. Gently press one trunk into the bottom of 10 of the cupcakes. To make the tree, use the green frosting bag (cut a small slit in the corner of the bag) and pipe the frosting starting in the center of the cupcake (the top of the tree) and moving downward for the branches. Continue piping this way moving closer to the trunk and making a tree shape. Top each tree with a yellow star.

To make the Snowman:

white spice drops

orange spice drops

tootsie rolls

red round sprinkles

Cut each white spice drop in half crosswise. Roll out the bottom half to make the disk slightly larger in diameter than the top half. For the body of each snowman, press the flattened disk at the bottom edge of the cupcake, cut side down. Place the top half of the spice drop , cut side down, above the bottom disk to make the head. Cut the orange spice drop into small triangles to make the noses. Attach each nose to the head with a small dot of vanilla frosting.

Gently warm tootsie rolls in microwave (again maybe 5 seconds per piece). Roll (I just used my fingers to flatten out the tootsie roll) the tootsie roll out flat. Using a sharp knife cut out square pieces to make the top part of the hat. Roll thin slices into the bottom portion of the hat. (make 10 of each so you have a total of 10 hats.) Carefully place bottom part of hat at an angle on the head of the snowman. Place square part of the hat onto of the bottom part of the hat.

Pipe a green scarf across the neck. Add two dots of vanilla frosting down the middle of the bottom of the snowman and attach the red sprinkles for the buttons. Add snowflake decors and red and green non pareils.

To Assemble Cupcakes:

For each cupcake, arrange 1 chocolate covered graham cracker (longways so the cupcake has more space to rest) on a serving platter. Using your small baggie of vanilla frosting, pipe a dollop of frosting onto each graham cracker. Carefully place the cupcake on its side onto the graham cracker, with decorations upright.

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies

2009-12-08T09:05:00.015-06:00

I love my Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook! (My good friend Kristen gave it to me for my birthday...best birthday present ever! PS - she does GREAT photography work!) When I got the cookbook, I immediately bookmarked several recipes that I knew I wanted to make first. Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies happened to be one of those recipes, but it didn't really make sense to make them in June! (that is when my birthday falls) So when the holidays started creeping up on us, I decided I had better find a reason to make these delicious looking blondies!

Sure enough I had the perfect reason...I was invited to a special Christmas party over the weekend and brought these blondies (along with another awesome treat I am going to post soon). They were a perfect treat for a Holiday party. I haven't made a Martha Stewart recipe I didn't like and these blondies were again a HUGE Martha success! God Bless Martha Stewart!! ;o)
These blondies had such a great flavor. The white chocolate paired so well with the gingerbread. I couldn't believe how moist these blondies were. And they also seemed to taste better as a couple days passed. If you have a Holiday party to go to this season, I highly suggest making these! They were easy to make and extremely delicious! (I pretty much had to give them all away...including sending a bunch with the hubs to school, so I didn't eat them all myself...I probably would have!) Oh and if you do make these, I found that a little zap in the microwave for a couple seconds (just enough to warm them up) made them even more delicious!

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies

(from Martha Stewart Cookies)

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
10 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and coat parchment. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Beat butter and brown and granulated sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in white chocolate.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares or desired shape. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2009-12-01T10:00:00.006-06:00

I knew I wanted to make a special Thanksgiving Day breakfast since we decided not to do anything fancy this year for dinner. I came across a recipe for a Pumpkin Spice Latte and knew that it would be a perfect complement to the Pumpkin Spice Scones I made recently. My family loves pumpkin flavors just as I do, so I thought this would be a great way to start our day!

The recipe was so simple and so comforting! I am not a big coffee drinker, but if it tastes like pumpkin, I'm game! I really couldn't believe how good this was. If you haven't had a chance to try out the Pumpkin Spice Scones, now you have even more of a reason to!!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

(adapted from You're Gonna Bake It After All)

**I tripled the recipe because I knew I wanted more than one cup. The recipe for one cup is listed below.**

1 cup strong coffee
2/3 cup (5-ounce can) evaporated fat free milk
1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (the original recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of either, but I wanted a stronger flavor so I added a bit more and used both.)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

Optional toppings:
whipped cream
sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice or freshly ground cinnamon

Combine coffee, evaporated milk, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and freshly ground cinnamon over medium-heat in a saucepan. Heat until very hot stirring occasionally.

Carefully pour into mugs. Top as desired.

Before you run off to make your morning latte :o) I wanted to share with you that my Thanksgiving Day dinner at Cracker Barrel was FANTASTIC! My in-laws were even shocked at how tasty it was! We did have to wait about 45 minutes to be seated, but we didn't think that was too bad. The food was so delicious and the portions were huge!! We got turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potato casserole, one side of your choice, cranberry salad, biscuits, a drink and a piece of pie all for $8.99!!! So if you are every looking for an alternative or just don't want to go through the hassle of making that big meal, check out Cracker Barrel!!

Thanksgiving Ideas

2009-11-24T10:03:00.023-06:00

I have neglected my blog :o(

I have been so sick and I haven't felt like cooking or even looking at food :o(

I am still pretty miserable. I have this awful dry, non-productive cough that just won't go away (and especially won't let me sleep at night). It sucks!

That being said, I have no recipes to share with you, however, I thought I would share with you some ideas that I used last year!

Last year I had the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving at my house for the first time. It was the first time I had cooked a meal like that, and I loved it! We had so much food and everything went so smoothly! Check out my Thanksgiving Tablescape idea here. The hubs family all came down for the holiday so we had a good amount of people, but not a lot of space. Needless-to-say it wasn't very fancy, but it turned out super cute and everyone loved it!

I made Rachel Ray's Apple Cider Turkey from her Thanksgiving issue of her magazine last year, but I couldn't find the recipe on her website to share with you. It was delious! The gravy was out of this world good! If you have that magazine laying around at home you should definitely consider trying out that recipe!

I had several desserts, one of them being this Carmel Apple Layer Cake (A Rachel Ray Recipe, it was a Racheal kind of holiday last year!). It was very delicious!

I also made another holiday favorite (a recipe from a dear friend of mine) Pumpkin Dump Cake. If you want a recipe for this holiday season that will WOW a crowd...this is it my friends! This is one of my Sister-in-laws favorites, so I have to make it every holiday!

I also wanted to share with you some ideas for that leftover ham or turkey you may have.

--For leftover turkey try out this recipe for Creamed Turkey over Biscuits.

--For leftover ham try out this recipe for Broccoli, Ham, Mac and Cheese Soup (oh man was that delicious!)

This year, the hubs and I are staying low key. Our precious Heggy is having her surgery today so she will be recovering and we will be busy babying our baby! ;o) My in laws are coming into town, and we have decided to not have a fancy feast but to instead have our Thanksgiving meal at Cracker Barrel! I am actually quite excited about going...you get Turkey and Dressing with Cranberry Salad, choice of two sides and a piece of pie for a ....drum roll please... $8.99! I couldn't make Thanksgiving dinner for 4 people for that price! Plus it's Cracker Barrel so I know it will be delicious!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sure to give thanks to what you are thankful for. I look forward to sharing some exciting recipes with you soon. I hope my Thanksgiving Ideas/Tips were helpful! Happy Eating!

Pumpkin Spice Scones

2009-11-16T08:00:00.023-06:00

These scones seriously changed my life!!! I have always loved scones, but never attempted to make them -- fearful that they may be a challenge I wasn't ready for. I have bookmarked so many recipes telling myself I was going to get to it one of these days...well "one of these days" finally happened when I stumbled across the recipe for Pumpkin Spice Scones!! At that moment I told myself there would be no more putting it off!!

I told you in a recent post that my sister-in-law works for Starbucks, well because of that reason alone, I have gotten to try many scones in my day!!! (My favorite at Starbucks is the Vanilla Bean one...it's small so I don't feel as guilty!!) I love that they aren't so overwhelmingly sweet, but yet satisfy that nagging sweet tooth. I also love how decedent they are. I always feel so dainty eating a scone...like I should be at a table set with silver and gorgeous china atop a white linen. Or maybe over in London with a good cup of afternoon tea...man I miss London, I need to go back!
Don't they look delicious!?!? Well they are/were!! hehe They didn't last long in my household, that's for sure!! I decided to change the icing from what the original recipe called for. I thought I would go ahead and make the icing pumpkin spice. Some of you might be thinking...wasn't that too much...the answer is NO!!! I think it made these scones 10 million times better!!!

So to sum up--I think these are hands down THE BEST SCONES I HAVE EVER TASTED!!!! So what are you waiting for, go conquer your scone making fears!

What flavors have you tried that you liked? Maybe I need to start making more scones!!!

Pumpkin Spice Scones

(recipe from Pinch My Salt)

1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. cake flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground ginger
6 T. unsalted butter
1/2 C. raisins (optional)
1/3 C. pumpkin puree
1/3 C. heavy cream
6 T. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Get out a baking sheet and line with parchment paper (not required but makes cleanup easy!). Cut the butter into small pieces, put it in a small bowl and put it back in the refrigerator. In a medium bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, salt, and all spices. Whisk together well. Place bowl in freezer (refrigerator is fine if you have no room in freezer).

In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together well. Put this bowl in freezer (or refrigerator) and take the other bowl back out. Get the butter pieces out of the fridge and dump them into the bowl with the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or rub it in with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins if you are using them.

Get the liquid mixture out of the freezer and pour into the flour mixture all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is just moistened. The dough will be very crumbly, this is the way it should be. Turn the mixture out onto the counter and push the pile together with your hands. It should stick together fairly well. Knead it just a couple of times until everything is together. Don’t knead it too much or the dough will get too sticky.

Pat the dough out into a rough circle, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Cut it like a pie into 8 pieces. Place pieces on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. Bake scones for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees. They should be light brown on the bottom, the tops will darken as they cool.

If you want to use the icing from the original recipe click here and follow the directions...I suggest otherwise!! I made a pumpkin spice icing, which I think tasted better!

Pumpkin Spice Icing

(recipe from Liesl)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

2 Tablespoons milk

Combine all ingredients in a small dish. Brush over cooled scones, allowing some icing to drizzle down the sides.

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

2009-11-14T08:00:00.022-06:00

I finally am getting the chance to start baking more with pumpkin this season! It's been such a busy couple of months and I have been neglecting my Libby's Pumpkin sitting in my pantry! Pumpkin is my all time favorite flavor, especially when it comes to baking!

I got this recipe off Cake, Batter and Bowl's blog, which is so awesome you definitely need to go check out some of the great recipes she has! I knew I had to make this recipe, and I decided that I would make the truffles for the hubs to take to school! I knew his kids would enjoy them...at least I hoped they would!!! :o)

My attempt at making the Pumpkin Pie Truffles was certainly not a elegant as Kerstin's version, I struggled a great amount with the chocolate. I think partly because I decided to put the truffles into the freezer for a bit while I prepped the chocolate (I did that because they were so soft I was afraid they would fall apart or loose their round shape to easily when dipped in the chocolate). So, when I dipped the cold truffles in the warm chocolate it just changed the temperature to quickly and didn't allow for a nice pretty even coating of chocolate like I was hoping for. But they still tasted amazing!! Yes just like pumpkin pie...ok maybe a little better! So if you have some patience and time on your hands, give these little treats a try! I loved the idea of putting a pecan in the top for the stem of the "pumpkin"...so cute!!!

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

(recipe from Cake Batter and Bowl)

I doubled the recipe and got 32 truffles, but the original recipe (below) makes 15 truffles.

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

Several drops of orange gel food coloring

15 small pecan pieces

Mix butter, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice in a small nonstick pan and heat over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup.

Mix cooked pumpkin, brown sugar, flour, and salt in medium bowl until well combined. Chill dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Shape chilled dough into 15 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper on a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator while preparing chocolate.

Melt white chocolate chips in a shallow bowl on High 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Mix orange gel food coloring with the melted chocolate until smooth. Using 2 spoons, dip pumpkin balls into melted chocolate and cover evenly. Place on waxed paper and top each truffle with a pecan piece “stump”. Serve after chocolate sets, about 5 minutes.

Starbucks VIA Coffee Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake

2009-11-11T08:00:00.047-06:00

...with Starbucks VIA Coffee Glaze!!! (whew that's a mouth full)

Do I have your attention yet!?!?!

I hope so, because this cake was incredible! I saw this recipe pop up and immediately knew I was going to make it for my friend Erin. She has a birthday coming up and I wanted to do something special for her. We always seem to make cakes for each other on our birthday's, but she works the overnight shift on every day but Monday (which means I don't get to see her much), so I thought she might enjoy a little breakfast treat to start off her birthday week! This recipe came from Baking Bites...seems like lately I am getting lots of great tasty treats from there! I didn't stray from the original recipe on Baking Bites, however, I added my own little twist by putting the Starbucks VIA Coffee Glaze on top! I think the glaze really made the cake! So if you plan to make this cake, which you totally should, then I would definitely be sure and add the glaze!

I must say that I was really intrigued by this cake for one reason, my sister-in-law. She works at Starbucks and the last time I saw her (which was about the time VIA was launched) she loaded us down with a crap ton of VIA coffee. The hubs kinda turned his nose at the fact that it was "instant" (yes he is kinda a coffee snob), but then tried it and was pleasantly surprised (but he still doesn't like it as much as the real deal)!! I don't really drink coffee, so unfortunately we have A LOT of VIA around the house!!! I kept thinking this would be great to try out in a recipe, but hadn't had the time to really play around with ideas. So when this recipe showed up in my reader, I got SUPER excited and wanted to make it right away!!!! Thanks to my friend Erin happening to love these flavors and having a birthday right around the corner, I had my excuse!!

This cake was so moist and so full of flavor! I loved how the coffee complimented all the flavors in the cake. It was just enough to tease your taste buds into wanting to run out to Starbucks and order a hot cup of coffee to go along with it! And the glaze on top gave it just enough extra punch...it really was delicious!! I don't think Starbucks realizes what they have created!!!

Hmmm what to make next with VIA...any ideas!?!?!?

Starbucks VIA Coffee Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake with Starbucks VIA Coffee Glaze

(recipe adapted from Baking Bites)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 packet Starbucks Via

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 medium bananas, mashed (approx 1 cup)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lightly grease a bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, Via, sugar and brown sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well-combined. Pour into dry ingredients and stir only until no streaks of flour remain. Add in chocolate chips and stir to evenly distribute. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans on a wire rack.

For the glaze: (this was my addition)

Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons Starbucks VIA Coffee (I used about 1 teaspoon of the VIA and then added enough water to make 2 Tablespoons). Brush glaze over cooled cake. Let some of the glaze drizzle down over the sides.

I wasn't able to get a "good" shot of the inside, but I wanted to make sure you got to see what it did look like cut open...

Maple Coconut Blondies

2009-11-10T08:30:00.009-06:00

I saw these Blondies pop up in my google reader and knew right away I wanted to make them! I thought the flavors were perfect for fall. I got this recipe Baking Bites blog (which I totally love!!). I brought these treats into work, as I do with many of my goodies!! haha I just can't leave this stuff laying around the house all the time...it's too tempting for me!!! ;o) These Blondies were really great and so easy to throw together in a pinch! I hope you try them out!

Maple Coconut Blondies

(from Baking Bites)

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F.

Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish.In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and the egg and whisk until smooth. Add in flour and salt and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Add in coconut and stir to distribute evenly. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until blondies are set and lightly browned.

Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Spice Brownies

2009-11-03T08:00:00.016-06:00

I love fall.

I love when the leaves start to change and the chill creeps back into the evening air.

I love bringing my hoodies back out and snuggling under warm blankets.

I love the flavors of fall - - especially PUMPKIN!

I really can't believe I have yet to share a pumpkin recipe with you all. I have been so busy over the past month and haven't been able to put the time into my kitchen that I have been wanting. (My hips are forever grateful!) Sadly, I missed my blogiversary ... I looked back at my first post and really can't believe it's already been a year. I have learned so much. You guys have taught me so much! I am enjoying this journey so much!

Since I started this blog off in a fall month with a fall recipe, I thought it appropriate to blog for my blogiversary something seasonal. I actually made these brownies for work. We had all sorts of Halloween festivites on Friday and so I thought I would bring some treats in to share with my co-workers. (something other than a Twix or Reese's hehe)

My inspiration for these brownies came from wanting something quick and wanting to use ingredients I had on hand. Last year when the Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses came out, I stocked up not knowing if they would be back this year. I put 4 bags in my deep freezer "in case of emergency" lol! Sure enough they have come in handy!

I got to thinking of things I could do with my brownie box mix, and that's when I remembered the Pumpkin Spice Kisses! I had remembered reading things from other bloggers about this combination and thought I would try it out with my store bought brownie mix. These brownies were AMAZING!! No one would have guessed they came from a box! I loved the flavor of the brownies and I am so glad I didn't labor over a "from scratch" recipe! Don't knock the box mix :o) I hope you will try these out, they were a HUGE success!

Pumpkin Spice Brownies

(from the kitchen of Liesl)

1 box of Betty Crocker Hershey's Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 bag of Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie mix according to the back of the box. Add the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to prepared brownie mix. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread brownie mixture into dish.

In a microwavable safe dish, heat Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses about 30 seconds, stir. Continue heating at 30 second intervals until chocolates are melted. Watch carefully so they do not burn.

Spread melted kisses over top brownie mixture. Using a knife, swirl the melted kisses into the brownie mixture creating a marbled effect.

Bake brownies for about 30 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting.

**Here's a little trick:

Line the baking dish with foil first (don't forget to spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray). Pour brownie mixture over foil. When the brownies are done baking (and have cooled completely, you can easily lift the brownies out by pulling up on the foil. This makes it so much easier to cut the brownies!**

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Fluffy Cinnamon Vanilla Frosting

2009-10-23T08:30:00.029-05:00

As promised, ANOTHER Martha Stewart recipe! I actually made these a week or so ago and have just now gotten around to telling you about them. I made these for my friend Shaunda. Her birthday was at the beginning of October, but I didn't actually get the chance to bake something for her on her actual birthday because I was out of town.

Of course I turned to my trusty Martha Stewart Cupcake Cookbook for a recipe! I had marked her Snickerdoodle Cupcakes to make in the fall and thought Shaunda's birthday was the prefect opportunity to try it out!

...Maybe not so much...

I must tell all of you that Martha calls for these cupcakes to be frosted with her famous Seven-Minute Frosting. I DID have great intentions of making the frosting, but for whatever reason it just would not come together. I got very frustrated and I finally had to give up on the Seven-Minute Frosting and turn to something else. I was running out of patience and ingredients! lol So I instead decided on her Fluffy Vanilla Frosting, but made a couple changes to it so that it would complement the Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. All in all, I think the cupcakes turned out great, however, I really was hoping to have success with the Seven-Minute Frosting. I think the cupcakes would have looked a lot prettier and probably not been as sweet (don't get me wrong they were delicious, just probably would have been better with the other frosting). Until next time Seven-Minute Frosting ... get ready cause I AM gonna master you! ;o)

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Fluffy Cinnamon Vanilla Frosting

(recipe from Martha Stewart Cupcakes, also found here)

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

For the frosting: (below are with my changes, check here for the original version)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium-high. This process should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla and cinnamon, and beat until frosting is smooth. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

**I also dusted the tops of my cupcakes with addition cinnamon (NOT CINNAMON SUGAR-that would make it too sweet).**

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-10-21T08:30:00.025-05:00

A co-worker of mine had a birthday coming up and I had already planned to make her something special...I just didn't know what. Part of me wanted to make a cake, but the other part of me wanted to have another excuse to make another recipe out of Martha Stewart's Cupcake Cookbook! (Stay tuned I have another one coming that is just as good!)

I flipped through the pages of the cookbook trying to pick something I thought would suite her taste buds. I finally decided on Martha's Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Whew...that's a mouthful! I wanted to make something that fit the fall season (hence the Halloween liners!), but I didn't know if she would like the flavors. It turns out it happens to be one of her favorites, lucky me!

These cupcakes we incredible! I can't even begin to tell you how moist they were. Applesauce always seems to make such a big difference (and it's better for you). The flavor was so good and the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting complimented it so well. I omitted the nuts from the recipe, just because some people don't care for them, but you certainly could leave them in. I actually think I wouldn't have enjoyed these as much with them. These cupcakes really were amazing! Another BIG Martha success! :o) If you are looking to make a treat for this fall season and want something that's not pumpkin, give these a try. They will be a crowd pleaser!

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

(recipe from Martha Stewart Cupcakes...also found here)

For Applesauce Spice Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional - I omitted)

For Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners. **While the original recipe says it makes 18 cupcakes, I was able to get 22 out of the recipe. I used my large Pampered Chef scoop to dish out the batter evenly. I think 18 would have made HUGE cupcakes.**

Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, mix in applesauce and then flour mixture. Stir in nuts, if using, by hand.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in tins on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of electric mixer make frosting. Mix cream cheese with remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Spread cream-cheese frosting on muffins. Muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

Bruschetta with Fresh Garden Tomatoes and Basil

2009-10-19T08:30:00.016-05:00

Yes, I know, it's a little late in the season to be posting this...
But really I am still getting wonderful tomatoes and my basil plant is just so big sitting out in my garden that I couldn't resist a Sunday afternoon appetizer of tasty Bruschetta!

The hubs and I love Bruschetta. I knew that I had to make it one more time before I was all out of my garden tomatoes. It is so simple but a very elegant tasting dish. I made it on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy while watching football! Not your typical football snack, but it sure is delicious!

Bruschetta with Fresh Garden Tomatoes and Basil

(from the kitchen of Liesl)

about 5 medium sized tomatoes
2 - 3 cloves of minced garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
about 2 Tablespoons olive oil
about 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
2 fresh basil leaves (cut chiffonade style)
Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Pepper

1 French Baguette
Olive Oil to brush on bread

Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If Baguette is not pre-sliced, slice at an angle with a sharp bread knife, making slices about an inch thick. Place slices on a baking sheet. Combine olive oil with a couple dash of garlic salt and brush mixture onto the topside of the bread. Toast for about 7 minutes or until bread is nice and toasty.

While bread is cooking, in a medium sized bowl combine garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Using a whisk, stir to combine. Add basil.

As far as the tomatoes go, I know some people do versions of Bruschetta with the tomatoes being peeled. I don't mind my skin on. You do want to seed the tomatoes and cut into small bite sized chunks. Once all the tomatoes are cut, add to the olive oil mixture and stir to coat the tomatoes.

Then all you do is place a spoonful on the topside of the each bread slice (the one you coated with the olive oil garlic salt mixture). Top with extra fresh cracked pepper if desired.

Inside Out Buffalo Wings

2009-10-15T08:30:00.013-05:00

This recipe (from A Dash of Sass) popped up in my Google Reader last week and I was so excited that I went straight home from work and made it for dinner that night! The hubs and I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything Buffalo style...especially wings! I was immediately intrigued by this recipe because it seemed like it would satisfy my want for wings, but yet it wasn't as unhealthy as the greasy fried ones.

This meal was so delicious and easy to prepare! I served it wish a small salad with a drizzle of blue cheese dressing and franks buffalo wing sauce. It was a perfect side to the chicken. I will definitely be keeping this meal in a regular rotation! I couldn't believe how tasty it was. The chicken was so moist and full of that buffalo flavor we love so much!

Inside Out Buffalo Wings

(from A Dash of Sass)

1 pound thin chicken cutlets

4-5 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (I used low-fat)

4-6 tablespoons Frank's Buffalo wing sauce (the original recipe says hot sauce, but I wanted to use wing sauce)

salt and pepper
**see note**

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place one chicken cutlet between two sheets of wax paper. Using a meat tenderizer or a heavy saucepan, carefully pound the meat until it is approximately 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Be careful not to tear the chicken. Repeat with each cutlet.

Season each side of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese on the wide end of each chicken cutlet. Roll the cutlets around the blue cheese crumbles. Secure each roll with a toothpick.

Place the rolled cutlets in a baking dish. Using a pastry brush (or your fingers) brush the cutlets with hot sauce. Roll the cutlets around so that they are completely covered with hot sauce.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Carefully remove toothpicks. Serve warm with crunchy celery. Feel free to drizzle more hot sauce over the rolls before serving.

**These are the exact measurements from the original recipe, however, I didn't measure a thing. I say just use what looks good and based on your tastes. If you want more or less sauce, go for it. Same goes with the blue cheese.**

Reese Bars

2009-10-03T08:00:00.053-05:00

Readers meet Heggy (my adorable Toy Schnauzer), Heggy meet my wonderful Readers!

A little over a year ago, the hubs and I decided to finally get a dog. I was so excited. I had been literally begging the hubs ever since we got married. So last May, Heggy found her way into our loving home. It has been an enjoyable ride. She truly has changed us and I couldn't imagine her not being a part of our family.

Unfortunately, Heggy has been sick for a long time. Most doctors that have seen her have said she just has bad allergies. She's had everything from itchy skin to ear infections to unusual bathroom habits. We have switched her food several times, but finally decided to put her on Orijen dog food (the fish and potato recipe) and that seemed to make a big difference. On top her symptoms going away, she's now one of the softest things I have ever felt!! I have read lots of reviews and gotten several recommendations for the Orijen dog food. So far so good. Heggy seems to love the food. But sadly, last week our little Hegster started acting funny again. She started drinking a lot of water, developed a really sour odor, seemed to have lost her "spunk" and then on Wednesday the hubs came home to find her right eye matted shut.

We were able to clean her eye up up enough to open it, but I decided that I for sure needed to take her back to the vet. So Thursday of last week, off she went to the vet AGAIN. They kept her all day and ran several tests. So to make a long story longer :o) they discovered that she still has a minor ear infection but they were more concerned about her eye. They recommended that we take her to a specialist.

So Friday, Miss Heggy went to see the specialist. They concluded that she has developed a cataract in her right eye. She apparently was also born without the ability to produce tears. (she will have to be on lifelong meds for this) She also has a "fatty deposit" on her eye, which has caused some inflammation. They are recommending cataract surgery, but we aren't sure what to do yet. It's a lot to take in and A LOT of money :o( She is currently on 5 medications (that are unbelievably expensive). She seems to be doing a lot better. She had stopped eating for a couple of days which really had us worried, but yesterday she finally ate all on her own. She has been such a cuddle buddy with her mommy all weekend. It breaks my heart when I look down and see her looking up at me with a sad face (and a cloudy eye). She stayed by my side all weekend though, and even if I got up she would get up and follow me wherever I went. I held her every chance I got! I think having a pet really prepares you for kids....not that I am anywhere near ready for any of those!!! :o)

Heggy has to have a surgery on Oct. 12, where they will do an ultrasound of her eye and also another test to look at her retina to determine if it is even healthy. For now, we are hoping that this "fatty deposit" will go away and not be the start of something worse. I never knew I could love an animal so much! So, we just take it one day at a time now. And in the meantime, I made these Reese Bars in honor of my chocolate (totally sweet) schnauzer! So go fill your bellies with these delicious treats, and send some prayers up to doggie heaven for our little one.

Since I already talked your ear off, I am not going to go on and on about these bars. But I am going to tell you that they are delicious and so easy to make!

If you like Reese Cups, then these are going to be your new best friend!

Reese Bars
(from the kitchen of Liesl)

2 cups of crushed graham crackers

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup melted butter
1 cup peanut butter

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
5 tablespoons peanut butter

Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Crush graham crackers in a food processor and measure out two cups into a medium size bowl. Add powdered sugar. Melt butter in microwave and pour over crushed graham crackers and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter and stir mixture to combine. (do not use a mixer for this) Press graham cracker mixture evenly into greased baking dish.

For the topping: In a microwave safe dish, heat milk chocolate chips with peanut butter until melted. Carefully not to over cook it. Stir to combine the peanut and chocolate. Carefully spread over the graham cracker mixture.

Chill for several hour or overnight. Cut into bars, I think I got 15 nice sized bars out of it. (You can also use cookie cutters to make shapes, I wished I had halloween ones small enough, those would be really cute!)

Blackened Cumin-Cayenne Tilapia with Roasted Potatoes

2009-09-30T08:30:00.020-05:00

This is another recipe out of the September issue of Cooking Light that my mother-in-law sent me. I told you I had marked several!!! :o)

I love Tilapia. It is cheap, delicious and easy to prepare! I was really pumped about this recipe because I had recently gotten some Tilapia on sale. I hadn't cooked it up yet, because I was still searching for a great recipe. So when I saw this recipe, I immediately put it on our weekly dinner menu.

The fish turned out beautifully. It was so moist and flaky, and the outside had a nice crunch from being under the broiler. I paired the fish with roasted potatoes. I actually make these from time to time, but I thought this time around I would use the same seasonings that the fish used. They turned out amazing!

Blackened Cumin-Cayenne Tilapia

(from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat broiler.

Rub oil evenly over fish. Combine cumin, salt, garlic powder, and peppers; sprinkle over fish. Arrange fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness.

Roasted Potatoes

(from the kitchen of Liesl)

2 Large Potatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

about 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all spices with olive oil. Toss potatoes in olive oil mixture until evenly coated. Spread potatoes on a backing sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Cook for 25 - 30 minutes or until fork tender.

**If you don't want to use the same flavors as the fish, you can always toss the potatoes with just salt and pepper and then roast them.**

Nutritional Information for the Tilapia:

Calories: 159
Fat: 5.8g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.9g)
Protein: 25.9g
Carbohydrate: 0.9g
Fiber: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 64mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 364mg
Calcium: 22mg

Grilled Corn and Potato Chowder

2009-09-29T08:30:00.022-05:00

You all really need to try this soup!

It is so delicious, and really isn't bad for ya!

My wonderful mother-in-law sends my husband and I occasional goodie boxes! Most of the time, she is sending us weeks worth of coupons, but she never just sends the coupons. There is always some little "goodie" in the package! The last one she loaded down with tons of magazines for my reading pleasure. One of them was the September issue of Cooking Light. I was so excited to look through it, and sure enough I was dog-earing about every other recipe! I came across this recipe for Grilled Corn and Potato Chowder, and I knew I had to make it right away. With the seasons starting to change and the chill of fall starting to make its presence in the air, I knew this soup would be perfect!

I think my favorite thing about this soup was the fact that you take a portion of the corn and process it in a food processor. It acts as the thickening for the soup and also makes the soup "creamy". This way you don't have to use all that heavy cream that normally goes into a soup like this. The original recipe actually does call for a 1/2 cup of half and half, but I just used more skim milk instead.

I do hope you will give it a try, it was so delicious! I actually made a double batch so I could stick some of it in my deep freezer for another rainy cold fall day down the road! God bless my deep freezer!! :o)

Grilled Corn and Potato Chowder

(adapted only slightly from Cooking Light)

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons softened butter, divided
4 ears shucked corn
Cooking spray
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 1/2 cups skim milk
2 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

dash of garlic salt

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Place a grill basket on grill.

Place potatoes and 2 teaspoons salt in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let potatoes stand in hot water 5 minutes. Drain; cut into 1/4-inch cubes.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter; brush evenly over corn. Place corn on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place potatoes in grill basket coated with cooking spray. Grill corn and potatoes 15 minutes or until slightly charred, turning occasionally. Cool corn slightly; cut kernels from cobs. Place 1 cup corn kernels in a food processor; process until smooth.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in potatoes, remaining corn kernels, pureed corn, milk, half-and-half, and thyme sprigs; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard thyme sprigs. Stir in chives and remaining ingredients.

Here is the nutritional information from the magazine, although I am guessing the fat was lower (maybe even the calories) from not using any half and half.

Calories: 268
Fat: 12.3g (sat 6.6g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.4g)
Protein: 9.9g
Carbohydrate: 33.8g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 32mg
Iron: 1mg
Sodium: 599mg
Calcium:214mg

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

2009-09-25T08:00:00.032-05:00

I am sure you all know by now of my not-so-secret-sudden-obsession with Miss Martha Stewart!! I admit, I was a little stand-offish at first, but I have since learned to let all that go! She really has some fantastic cookbooks and magazines out there. I love her Everyday Food Magazine, and I especially love her two recent cookbooks!!! (Martha Stewart Cupcakes and Martha Stewart Cookies) I can't seem to stay away from her recipes. I really have yet, knock on wood, to be let down by one of her recipes! If you are like I used to be about Martha, maybe you too should take a step down and see what all the fuss is about...take it from me, it's totally worth it!

So this past weekend, I was going to someones house and needed to bring a dessert. I knew right away that I wanted to make something out of Martha's Cupcake Cookbook, I just wasn't sure what to make. I mean there are so MANY recipes I am dying to try out! That being said I flipped through the book and decided on her Mini Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes. They looked so cute and I loved the idea of the whole Oreo on the bottom acting as the "crust" of the cheesecake.

The cupcakes turned out perfectly! They had a great flavor and completely satisfied my sweet tooth (which can sometimes be difficult!). The cheesecake was smooth and creamy and the little bits of oreos swirled throughout was just enough. No glass of milk needed to dunk these oreos that's for sure!

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

(recipe from Martha Stewart Cupcakes Cookbook)

42 Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped (this is almost 1 whole package of Oreos)

2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature (or 4 8 ounce packages)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. I used my Pampered Chef Large Cookie Scoop to evenly fill my cupcake liners. (I also was able to make 32 cupcakes, the recipe says it makes 30.)

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2009-09-23T08:30:00.011-05:00

Gosh, I didn't want to post this, the pictures just don't do this meal any justice :o( But I couldn't resist not sharing a GREAT meal with you. So that being said, if you want to see more eye appealing images check out the Brown Eyed Baker's blog where I found this recipe!

This meal was so delicious! I really couldn't believe how easy it was to get that great Chinese take-out meal at home. I had no idea that it would turn out this good. I love take-out Chinese. I try not to get it that often because I always pig out and then feel like complete crap afterwords! This meal was perfect, it made about 4 servings, so I had just enough to take for leftovers the next day!!

I served mine with Jasmine Rice and Sugar Snap Peas, but you could certainly use brown rice (or even some homemade fried rice) and your vegetable of choice. If you don't have anything planned for dinner, and happen to have these ingredients on hand, please RUSH home and make this meal tonight!!! It is incredibly delicious!!! You won't want take-out again!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

(from Brown Eyed Baker)

For the Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup canola oil

For the Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar (preferably rice or white)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch and then coat with the egg. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

Easy Lemon Cookies

2009-09-21T08:30:00.001-05:00

First things first...

Sorry I have been M.I.A. for so long (or at least it feels that way). I have missed you all! I just have been in a slump...partly because I keep making all these delicious treats, but have a crappy camera that doesn't do my meals/treats justice :o( But have no fear, I haven't forgotten my readers and I do have lots of great recipes I want to share with you all! (just don't judge me for my crappy photos!)
Now onto a recipe you will want to bookmark!

I love lemon. It is so refreshing! What I love even more ... baking with lemon!! I have seen different takes on the cake mix cookie around the blog world and was intrigued by it. After all, sometimes an easy recipe is just what we need in a pinch, isn't it!?! A friend of mine over at So Sinful, So Sweet, recently posted her take on the Cake Mix Cookie. I think what really caught my eye was the lemon glaze on top!

These cookies were so unbelievable! I really can't put it into words. I liked using fresh lemon juice better, I think it added more of a "bite" to every bite! :o) And the glaze...oh that glaze!!! Again the bitterness of the lemon juice combined with the sweetness of the powdered sugar would hit you at just the right moments and start a flavor party in your mouth! Man I want another!!! LOL Can you tell!?!? :o)

The cookies are seriously so easy! If you can open a box and crack and egg, then these cookies will be your new best friend! People wouldn't even be able to guess that you didn't labor for hours over them! I am actually going to try my hand at some other varieties and see how they turn out. Enjoy!!

Easy Lemon Cookies

(recipe adapted from So Sinful, So Sweet)

1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1 - 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice **
1 egg
1/3 cup oil

**Start by adding 1 Tablespoon, if the batter doesn't combine add a little bit more at a time. Just until you are able to form the dough into balls. I found I needed more than 1, but less than 2 Tablespoons.**

For Glaze:

3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar (or just enough to make your glaze smooth but not too thick)

Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Drop by teaspoons (1 inch balls), or use a small cookie scoop, onto an greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minute, until the edges are slightly golden. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute. Remove and transferring to a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.

Make a glaze by combining lemon juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Pigs in a Blanket

2009-09-14T08:30:00.020-05:00

Let's face it...sometimes we all need a little comfort food.

A couple weekends ago, I got home from work on Friday night, after a long week at work. I was tired. I didn't feel like hitting the gym or cooking dinner. But of course I was hungry so I had to come up with something. I poked around the fridge and realized that I had all the ingredients to make a childhood favorite of mine - Pigs in a Blanket. This was exactly what I needed! Something simple and delicious!

It seems like everyone has their own way of making these delicious little treats. Naturally, I am biased and think my version is the tastiest!! :o) I use Velveeta cheese, and I think that is what makes them so yummy!

These would make great party appetizers, and would also be great after school snacks for kids! They are super easy to make, very inexpensive and full of flavor! I can't say that they are healthy, but we all need a little "unhealthy" every once in a while don't we!

Look at all that ooey, gooey melty cheese! YUM!

PIGS IN A BLANKET

(from the kitchen of Liesl)

4 beef hot dogs, cut in half

1 package of reduced fat refrigerated crescent rolls

2 slices of Velveeta cheese (cut about 1/4 inch thick)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Take each half of the hot dogs, and cut a slit down the center. Be sure not to cut all the way through the hot dog. You just want a nice slit for the cheese to sit in. Take the 2 slices of Velveeta cheese and cut each slice into fourths. (This will yield 8 rectangles of cheese that fit perfectly in your hot dogs.) Carefully place 1 piece of cheese in each hot dog half.

Roll out crescent rolls. Starting at the long side of each crescent roll, place the cheese filled hot dog down and roll it up like you would if you were just cooking the crescent roll. Continue with the rest of the hot dogs and rolls until you have finished. You will end up with a total of 8.

Cook for about 12-15 minutes or until rolls are golden and cheese is melted.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Cornbread

2009-09-10T12:00:00.018-05:00

The other weekend I had a craving for a good ole southern meal.

What is that you asked?

Well, I was wanting some pinto beans and cornbread! Yes I was born and raised in the north, but I guess my mind, body and taste buds were always a little bit southern! (maybe that is why I knew I had to move down here!)

I really haven't ever made pinto beans myself, but I really do love them. I have made lots of crock pot beans, mainly black beans, so I didn't think that figuring out a recipe would be that big of a challenge. I actually turned to my southern pal, Miss Paula Dean for some help! I used her recipe, which I found at Food Network's website, as a guide. I made several changes to the recipe, so if you want the original Paula Dean version check out her recipe.

Everyone seems to have their own "go-to" recipe for cornbread...at least here in the south they do! Southerners are serious about their cornbread! (I actually went to a cornbread festival here in TN last year and tasted some really unique versions of cornbread! It was a blast!) Cornbread for me, sorry to break it to y'all, has to be sweet :o) Now don't get me wrong, I like southern cornbread, but given the choice I want sweet. That's the northerner in me coming out! Unfortunately, I didn't have any fresh ground cornmeal left (I usually buy it locally) so I turned to my trusty, no fail recipe - JIFFY! Jiffy is great to keep on hand. I just follow the recipe on the back of the box and add about 2 tablespoons of sugar to the mix. Stir it all up, pour it in a greased 8 inch cake pan, and in about 10 minutes you will have yourself some tasty cornbread!

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

(adapted from Paula Dean's recipe)

1 pound dry pinto beans
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
7 - 10 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (I cooked my bacon first, but you don't have to)

2-3 cloves of minced garlic
2 cups water

2 cups of chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
Garlic salt

Season salt

fresh cracked pepper

Wash the beans and soak overnight in cold water. Drain the beans in a strainer and rinse with cool water. Dump into slow cooker. Stir in chili powder and oregano.

Add bacon and minced garlic to slow cooker with beans. Add about 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken stock, or until beans are covered. Add onion to slow cooker with beans and meat. Stir well.

Season, to taste, with garlic salt, season salt and pepper. Cover the pot, and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 5-6 hours.

Serve with cornbread.

"Through My Lens" Contest

2009-09-07T09:51:00.014-05:00

I am so excited to write and share this post with you all! I have been following the Culinary Snapshot blog for quite some time now. The blog is dedicated to food photography. You basically submit your before and after photos with descriptions of how you photographed your food, with what camera, props, etc. It is a great learning tool. I love reading what people do to make their food look great! I especially love reading the tips people share about what things they do in photoshop to make the pictures even more eye catching.

About a month ago, I saw they were doing a contest called "Through My Lens". It basically is a contest that was started where you are given a subject to photograph creatively for that month. You then submit the photos and winners are selected. I wanted to enter the first one (the subject was chocolate chip cookies), but I ran out of time. I was so mad that I missed it. Soon enough the second one was announced...the subject being Peanut Butter and Jelly!

I was so excited about doing this project. I knew that photographing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be difficult, but I wanted to do it. I actually insisted that my friend Kristen (Through Kristen's Viewfinder) did it with me. (Since I have a crappy camera, but really wanted to submit something.) She gladly accepted the challenge and we got to planning!

I didn't just want to photograph a "sandwich", so we started tossing around ideas. We had some great ideas, but it actually wasn't until we started getting ready to shoot that we decided on the "A" "B" "C" idea! (I had these cookie cutters packed away in one of my cabinets...sadly this was the first time I had used them, but it won't be the last!) I loved the way it turned out though. I think it was a great way to showcase the classic PB&J in a different and creative way!

So keep your fingers crossed...we are hoping to win! :o) And be sure to check out Culinary Shapshot for the next contest!

Homemade Salsa

2009-09-01T11:22:00.004-05:00

I had so many tomatoes recently coming out of my garden, that I knew I wanted to make some fresh salsa from them soon. This weekend I set out to do just that! The weather was perfect - it almost felt like fall, with the nice chill in the air! I love the taste of fresh homemade salsa, nothing compares to it in my opinion.

This salsa is truly a "little bit of this and a little bit of that" kind of recipe. I think that is why I like it so much! You really can't make a mistake...and even if you think you have, 99% of the time you can add other ingredients to fix it! I love fresh cilantro in my salsa, really I like it just fresh out of my garden on so many dishes, but it adds so much flavor to salsa. You certainly could scale down my recipe if you don't like as much garlic flavor or cilantro. Just add what you think you would like and then taste it, if it isn't enough add more! Easy as that! Hope you enjoy :o)

Homemade Salsa

(recipe by Liesl)

10-12 fresh garden tomatoes (3-5 of those, with the seeds removed, set aside)

1 jalapeno, seeded

4 garlic cloves

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1/2 red onion

juice of one lime

good pinch of salt

In a food processor, combine and finely pulse, jalapeno, garlic, and onion. Empty contents into a large bowl. Cut about 7 to 9 of the tomatoes into large chunks. Add to food processor and pulse several times. Empty tomato mixture into bowl with the other ingredients. Cut the remaining tomatoes (the ones without the seeds) into good bite size chunks and add to bowl. (I like to have some larger chunks of tomatoes in my salsa so this is why I do that.) Stir to combine all ingredients. Add the juice of one lime, salt and cilantro. Stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips.

County Fair with good friends and GREAT FOOD!

2009-08-26T08:30:00.120-05:00

Once a year, the hubs and I get together with my good friend and her family at the county fair. It is always a blast. We mainly go ~~to eat ourselves sick~~ to laugh and have a great time together. Our county fair is seriously THE BEST FAIR! I know that is saying a lot, but it really is. And yes, the food is really freaking good! Every year we are happy to see the vendors we love so much come back. We sadly have our regular "must-eat-this-while-at-the-fair-and-from-this-certian-vendor" places....everything from corndogs to dessert we have found the best!

My friend, Shaunda, and I had to take this picture in front of this booth for old times sake. I have to share a story with all of you regarding this picture. You see, Shaunda took me to the fair in her hometown several years ago. All I had heard about was how I had to eat what was called "The Frito Bandito" (yes this is as bad as it sounds!). It is basically a taco in a bag...a bag of Frito's that is! After it was explained to me, sadly, it sounded kinda good and I got excited about tasting this food that was so treasured by my friend and her family.

So sure enough we get to the fair, I pull out my cash and pay for this lovely "Frito Bandito". First bite in, good. Second bite....GREAT...it seemed to get better and better with every bite! Seriously! I could honestly see why they were raving about this. And then before I knew it my bag was empty and my stomach was starting to churn!

Of course we then had to ride the rides! Well, not such a great idea for myself...especially after eating this Frito Bandito. Needless to say, the Frito Bandito didn't stay in my stomach too long, which was probably a good thing. It went down the side of some twirly, windy, spinning, whirl wind of a ride! YUCK! What an experience it was...one that will never be forgotten! And for the record...I will NEVER eat another "taco in a bag" no matter what you call it! haha

There were certianly plenty of other options to eat, and boy did we eat! The hubs and I like to at least split things so we can try a bite of everything but not eat so much! So we had ... drum roll please:

A cheeseburger

A footlong corndog (which by the way is NOT a footlong, how disappointing! It was two regular

hot dogs on a stick!)

Cheesecake (two kinds - carrot cake and turtle sundae) THE BEST CHEESECAKE ON THE

PLANET

Corn on the Cob

Italian Sausage with the works of course

Sweet Tea (this is the best part...you buy a cup at $3.50 and then you get refills for $1! We

spent $9 on tea...you do the math! lol)

And my favorite part - the french fries...................

Every year I go searching for my french fry booth. (last year I waited an hour for these fries!) It is actually a little asian family, but the only vendor in the WHOLE fair that does fresh cut french fries. This means not from the bag frozen, the whole potato cut and then put in the fryer! The only way to eat a fair fry in my opinion! Of course you have to top it with cheese and jalepenos too! They are soo yummy and so fresh!

I really have no explainatin for this photo...apparently it's the "new" way to get your ketchup and mustard! I however, am just going to plead the fifth on this one!

Of course we do take breaks in between all the eating...we watch barrel racing, mule shows, go through all the exhibits (food, fruit and veggies, chickens, photography, etc.). We got a kick out of the boys watching the barrel racing...standing the same way, moving their heads in time! They didn't even know I took this picture!

We always end our evening watching the tractor pulls...

And with that I leave you with one last image....

This was my view watching the tractor pulls...you see it all at the fair! We were guessing that they were trying to save some money by sharing jeans...as for the mullet, well I have no comment other than welcome to Tennessee my friends! :o)

I am now off to burn some much needed calories!

Mexican Casserole

2009-08-25T08:30:00.022-05:00

I had to promise myself that I would post something "savory" before I post yet ANOTHER sweet treat!! :o) No worries though, I still have many more to come! I am excited to share this recipe with you all because it wasn't actually one I made! I have to admit, the hubs did 100% of the work on this meal! And let me tell you what, IT WAS FANTASTIC!

With the hubs being a school teacher and having the entire summer off I often gave him a hard time about having so much free time on his hands. I would pile up the "honey-do" lists and come home to find it all completed! Maybe I wasn't giving him enough to do :o) **Note to self: make lists longer next year! :o)** One thing about having him around in the summer is that my house is always clean and he usually has dinner on the table ready to eat when I get home! I finally mentioned that it would be nice if he would try to come up with a "nicer" meal...something that wasn't a meat on the grill and a steamfresh bag of veggies! Not that I have a problem with that, I just wanted to see what he would come up with! I can only eat some much grilled chicken and steamed peas!!! :o)

I couldn't believe it when I came home, opened the door, and this great aroma (not the smell of the grill being lit) hit me in the face! I immediately asked what was for dinner. "Mexican Casserole" was the response, and I was so excited to taste his hard labored meal!

Let me tell you it was wonderful! Leftovers were even better! The hubs gets an "8" hehe... (you would think this was funny if you had read this post!) ok maybe not an 8 probably higher, it was that good!

Mexican Lasagna

(from Taste of Home)

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
6 flour tortillas (6 inches)
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced ripe olives and sour cream, optional

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine beans and salsa. Cover and microwave for 1-2 minutes or until spreadable.

Place three tortillas in a greased round 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Layer with half of the beef, bean mixture, corn and cheese; repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, olives and sour cream if desired.

Chocolate Cupcake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2009-08-23T08:30:00.062-05:00

This is one of the best recipes I have tasted for a chocolate cupcake! Go figure the recipe came from Martha Stewart! :o) I had been wanting Martha's Cupcake Cookbook for some time (really since it hit store shelves!) but couldn't seem to justify spending money on another cookbook. I don't really buy myself stuff, especially cooking stuff, I always seem to have a "wish list" full of things I want/desire. I guess I just feel like it is crazy to continue buying myself stuff when we need things like groceries, gas...a roof over our heads! :o) All things that take precedence over my silly baking hobby!

So I just sulked about it for months...watching everyone else blog about Martha cupcake goodness...yes I had cupcake envy! Then one day I came home from work to find that the hubs had a surprise on the table waiting for me! It was indeed Martha's cupcake book, and actually sitting right next to it was Hello Cupcake! (yet another book I was wanting)!! What a great guy he is!

But back to these wonderful cupcakes...
So a co-worker had a "special" birthday coming up. The big "4"-"0"! I knew I wanted to make him something special, I just wasn't sure what to do. I kept going back and forth, cake - cupcake - cake - cupcake, I finally decided I wanted to do cupcakes so I could try out another Martha recipe.

I emailed my co-worker's girlfriend to find out his flavor of choice. Turns out it was chocolate! I am actually not a huge fan of chocolate, nor am I really supposed to eat much of it, but I flipped through the book anyways and came across a chocolate cupcake recipe that looked pretty tasty. It was topped with a Swiss Meringue Buttercream, which I thought would be a great combination.

Sure enough it was a FABULOUS combination and I am so glad I made them. The cupcakes were so incredibly moist and flavorful. I actually think this recipe would make a great cake. The buttercream was so smooth and creamy; it went perfectly atop the chocolate.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

(from Martha Stewart Cupcakes, cupcakes - page 152 / buttercream - page 304)

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk (see my tip for homemade buttermilk here)

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup warm water

For the buttercream:

5 large egg whites

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar

pinch of salt

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons, brought to room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract and the warm water. Beat until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Batter will be thin.)

Divide batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in an air tight container.

For the buttercream:

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

NOTE: Don't worry if the mixture appears to separate or "curdle" after you've added the butter. Simply continue beating it on medium-high speed, and it will become smooth again...PROMISE!!!

(Optional) To tint buttercream (or royal icing), reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

To finish cupcakes:

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium french star tip (Ateco #863 or Wilton #363) with buttercream. (I used my Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator) Pipe buttercream on cupcake as desired. Cupcakes can then be stored up to 1 day at room temperature, or refrigerated up to 3 days in air tight containers. Bring to room temperature to serve.

Time to make a wish ................. make it a good one ........

Happy Birthday ya "OLD FART" :o)

~Photography by Kristen Wiltse Photography

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

2009-08-21T08:49:00.034-05:00

I hope you enjoyed my Parisian themed dinner! It was so delicious! I can hardly wait to make it again!

Of course here I am, sharing ANOTHER dessert with you! I guess I just have sweets on the brain lately! :o) Back on my birthday, my good friend Kristen (the one who takes all those great photos on my blog!) surprised me with Martha Stewart's Cookie Cookbook for my birthday! What a great friend!!! :o) I knew I had to thank her by making her cookies of course! So I looked through the cookbook to find something that I knew she would like...that is when I came across the Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies! Although I am sure she would have loved any of the other cookies I bookmarked, there was just something about these cookies that had her name written all over them!

Kristen grew up on a farm in upstate New York. It was actually an apple farm. She has great stories about being on the farm growing up. She always talks about the homemade applesauce her mom would make and how tasty it was. (She recently even tried her hand at making homemade applesauce and did a great job!!!) So I thought these cookies would put a smile on her face, and maybe even bring back some good ol' apple memories!

These cookies turned out AMAZING! Not that I really expected anything less than amazing out of Miss Martha Stewart, the girl seriously has some great recipes. I actually have yet to come across one I did not like!! These cookies were so moist and not too sweet. I loved how the maple icing added just the right amount of sweetness to every bite.

I also made these cookies to take to a birthday get together of a friend of mine to just turned 40! (which by the way...you must see the dessert I made him for his actual birthday, it involves Martha again! I think that will be my next post!) The cookies were a huge hit there. I will definitely be making these again soon!

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

(from Martha Stewart Cookies, page 77)

For the cookies:

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins ** (see below for tip)

For the icing:

1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 Tablespoons water (I didn't add the whole 3 Tablespoons, just add slowly to get the right consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cookies:

Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add egg and applesauce; mix until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix in raisins.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.

Make icing:

Whisk confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let set. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

** I want to share a great little tip with you on how to plump up old raisins you may have in your cabinets. It is a great tip to have handy. Don't think those dried up little raisins aren't any good, they just need a little TLC!! :o) All you need to do is place the measured amount of raisins in a deep bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain off the water and pat dry with paper towels...and there you have it just like new! Fresh, plump, moist raisins ready to go into your recipe! **

~Photography by Kristen Wiltse Photography

Parisian Dinner Part 2: Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt

2009-08-19T08:30:00.023-05:00

This is the second installment of my budget friendly Parisian dinner, thanks to the most recent episode of $10 Dinners. The first course was the delicious Potato-Bacon Torte. The torte turned out absolutely wonderful, so naturally I was so excited to get to dessert!

SIDE NOTE: I wanted to mention that Melissa d'Arabian also featured a Cafe Green Salad to go along with the torte in her Perfectly-Priced Parisian show. While the salad sounded wonderful, I sorta had the feeling that the torte would be enough for us. I talked about making the salad up until the last few minutes before eating the meal, but we all decided that the carbs would probably fill us up! So we skipped the salad, and ended up each eating almost 2 pieces of the torte! So maybe the salad would have been a good idea! It would have stopped us from eating seconds, (ok, maybe not!) but it would have given us something healthy and allowed us to get a serving of veggies in!

So with our bellies full of Potato-Bacon Torte, we decided to pull out the Granita and give it a try. . .

This Granita was amazing! It was so refreshing and light, and the yogurt sauce really took the dessert to an whole new level. It was icy and not to sweet. We couldn't decide if the "unsweetened" applesauce was a good or bad idea, but in the end it was a great idea. The maple yogurt sauce gave the Granita its sweetness and it really didn't need anymore. The hubs was eating his and at one point said "is there anymore sauce, I'm out!"! The yogurt sauce was delicious and I think it would be good on a lot of other things...

Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt

(from Melissa d'Arabian)

For the Granita:
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Maple Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup plain regular fat free yogurt (not Greek-style)
1 tablespoon good quality maple syrup (I am pretty sure it was maybe 2 Tablespoons...just give it a good squirt!)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Granita:

In a shallow 8-inch square pan, stir the applesauce and lemon juice together and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

For the Sauce:

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.

Remove the granita from the freezer. With a fork, scrape the surface of the granita to gently fluff it up. Serve immediately, in dessert glasses or dishes, drizzled with yogurt sauce.

Parisian Diner

PART 1 : Potato-Bacon Torte

Stay tuned for another great dessert!

**Photography courtesy of Kristen Wiltse Photography**

Potato-Bacon Torte ... A Parisian Dinner

2009-08-18T08:30:00.011-05:00

I can't believe this is my 100th post! I am so excited to bring you these next few posts (I have some GREAT stuff coming)! As a tribute to my 100th post, I am going to share with you a delicious Parisian themed dinner!

I got the idea from watching The Next Food Network Star. The winner, Melissa d'Arabian, had her premiere show last weekend where she featured a "budget-friendly" Parisian-style dinner. Her show is called $10 Dollar Dinners, so it was her take on Parisian flavors, without all the cost...my kinda meal!!! I was drooling while I sat and watched the entire show...I knew I had to make this meal soon!

I have always enjoyed preparing meals for friends and family, and I figured this would be a great meal to entertain with. (I also have a close friend who is pregnant and having a hard time. I thought this would be a good dish to take her to help her feel better! But I will have to make another :o) I had to do a trial run to make sure it tasted good!) It passed with flying colors!

This torte was by far one of the best I have ever tasted! It was so creamy, and every bite packed a great amount of flavor. I didn't taste the thyme as much as I would have liked, so next time (that's cute get it thyme, time hehe) I think I will add even more sprigs to the cream. I may also sprinkle some inside the torte. I loved the bacon in it too. It added a great crunch and a nice saltiness. I used thick-cut bacon, which I think was a much better choice. Peppered bacon might also be good.

I must also mention that I didn't make the homemade crust...sadly I didn't have enough time, since I was preparing so many other things. So I took the short cut and bought the Pillsbury pre-made pie crust. The hubs looked at me in the store and said, "WHAT?!? You aren't really going to buy that are you? That stuff is gross!" I swear he said he wasn't going to eat it if I didn't make the crust from scratch, but he says otherwise! In the cart it went, and I promised him he wouldn't be disappointed! And...at the dinner table all he kept talking about was how good it was, and how flaky and tasty the crust was! Go figure! :o)

I love this next photo!

Potato-Bacon Torte

(adapted from Melissa d'Arabian)

6 strips of thick cut bacon
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows (I actually bought the Pillsbury pre-made/ready to go pie crust)
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper (I used my garlic pepper and garlic salt grinders)
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese (Gruyere was a little too expensive for me so I substituted with a nice baby swiss ... it has a similar flavor and was just as tasty!)
1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream, but I did!)

Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Pie Crust:
1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.
(Yields 2 (9-inch) pie crusts)

I hope you will give this a try, it was so easy and sooo yummy. I can't wait to share the rest of my Parisian meal with you!

Stay tuned for part two of my Parisian Dinner :o)

Thanks to Kristen Wiltse Photography for making my next several dishes look mind blowingly delicious! Check out her blog here.

Rootbeer Float Cupcake - A Gigi's Cupcake Review

2009-08-16T08:00:00.004-05:00

Down here in Nashville, specialty cupcakes are becoming all the rage! All sorts of places are popping up:

Gigi's Cucpakes

The Painted Cupcake

The Pink Cupcake

The Cupcake Collection

Sweet 16th

If you know of any others let me know...

This particular post is dedicated to Gigi's Cucpakes! I love their cupcakes, mainly because of the mound of frosting they put on each of their hand-made-with-love cupcakes! It is good stuff let me tell you! It opened a while ago (maybe a couple of years ago) and I immediately fell in love :o) Gigi's has a menu posted on their website, that changes daily. They didn't start out with as many flavors as they have today, but the flavors just keep growing. Everything from Carrot Cake, Midnight Magic Chocolate Chip, Miss Princess, Orange Dreamsicle, Peanut Butter Cup, Strawberry Short Cake, Texas Milk Chocolate, Wedding Cake, Tiramisu, White Midnight Magic Chocolate Chip, Bailey's Irish Cream, Coconut Snowball, Lemon Dream Supreme, Hunka Chunka Banana Love, Scarlett's Velvet, Pink Lemonade....the list goes on and on! Which bring me to ... DRUM ROLL PLEASE .......

The Suspect: The Rootbeer Float Cupcake

Root beer flavored yellow cake,

with root beer flavored butter cream frosting,

drizzled with marshmallow cream

and topped with straw and gummie cola bottle.

HELLO ROOTBEER LOVERS!! (Myself included) Out of all the flavors they have featured, I was most excited to see this one! First of all look how cute!!! (ok my pictures suck below, but it was so cute in person!) Secondly, WHAT A GREAT IDEA for a flavor! And let me tell you, this cupcake was amazing...one of the best ones I have had in a long time...that is when it comes to specialty cupcakes outside of New York City's CRUMBS! (If you go to NYC be sure and check CRUMBS out!) I couldn't believe how much it DID actually taste like a Rootbeer Float! Man I want another one right now! :o)

I actually got two of these one cupcake for the recent birthday girl ... the one I made the Spaghetti and Meatball Cupcakes for! She is a Rootbeer lover like myself, so I knew she would appreciate it, and she did!

So if you are every in Nashville, be sure and check Gigi's out...it will not disappoint!

**disclaimer - you may want to bring a friend (or an appetite) as the cupcake is enough to share with someone...but only one more!**

Starbucks Banana (minus the walnuts) Bread

2009-08-15T08:00:00.025-05:00

The hubs and I really love Banana Bread, so when my mother-in-law was visiting a couple of weekends ago and brought a recipe card from Starbucks featuring their Banana Walnut Bread, we got so excited! The hubs L-O-V-E-S Starbucks and all their pastries, so any recipe we can get our hands on gets him all giddy!

Unfortunately, the hubs doesn't like any kind of nut what-so-ever in his bread...NONE! He says it is a texture thing for him and therefore he won't even try it. So I attempt to stay away from all recipes that call for nuts, or I at least omit them when I can. I wish I would have spilt this batter and made one with walnuts just to see what it would have been like. Maybe next time, as I am sure I would have loved it!

This Banana Bread recipe was very tasty and VERY moist! I can't really recall a time that I was at Starbucks and saw their Banana Bread, but maybe I just don't go enough! So I don't have anything to compare it to, but I can tell you that it was delicious and you should give it a try! If you have had Starbucks version, maybe you can tell me how close in flavor it really is!

Starbucks Banana (minus the walnuts) Bread

(courtesy of Starbucks)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 1/8 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons buttermilk ** See below for tips**

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I added 1 full teaspoon of mexican vanilla!)

3 ripe medium/large bananas, mashed

1/2cup + 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour. ** See tips below** Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Mix together the egg, sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Add the flour mixture and when blended add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas. Mix until combined.

Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, if desired, and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top batter with remaining 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, if desired.

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cook for about 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.

** When it comes to recipes that call for buttermilk, especially only 2 tablespoons, I often don't buy it in the store, I just make some at home. You can do this by using milk and vinegar (I hear lemon juice works too, but I have always used vinegar). Just take a 1/2 cup of milk and add about 1/2 teaspoon or so of vinegar. Stir to combine and let it sit for about 5 minutes before adding to the rest of your ingredients.

** Also, another tip I want to share with you all is how I dust pans when I make bread. Most recipes call for you to dust a pan with flour so it will come out more easily. Try using cinnamon sugar next time you make bread. I do that will all my bread recipes and it adds an additional element of flavor! I also sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of each loaf! It adds a nice crunch to the top, and a sugary cinnamony burst to every bite!

Baked Shells with Fontina and Parmesan Bread Crumbs

2009-08-13T08:30:00.028-05:00

I was a bit under the weather a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't really up for making fancy meals, let alone making anything in my kitchen. My poor kitchen was deprived for several days :o( I had a lot of time to sit/lay around and look at my google reader, as well as search for recipes that I wanted to make when I felt a little better. I came across this total comfort food on Ezra Pound Cake. I knew it would be an easy meal to prepare, I just had to send the hubs to the store to get the ingredients! I often find that sending the hubs to the grocery can be very comical...especially when you are asking for things like "Fontina" cheese!! haha I usually get several phone calls asking all sorts of questions, but I would rather have that happen then him not get the right thing.

Baked Shells with Fontina and Parmesan Bread Crumbs

(from Ezra Pound Cake originally found From Jack Bishop’s “The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook”)

1 pound small shells
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces (about 2 cups) Italian Fontina cheese
Salt (I used Garlic Salt)
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Prepare shells according to package directions, but cook only until they are 1 to 2 minutes shy of al dente. Then drain.

Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large bowl. Warm the cream in the microwave, about 1 minute. Cover to keep the cream warm. Shred the Fontina.

Stir the shells into the bowl with the butter. Toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and Fontina, and stir until the cheese starts to melt. Season with salt to taste and the nutmeg.

Pour the mixture into a greased 13-by-9 ceramic or glass baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and sprinkle over the pasta. Dice the remaining tablespoon butter, and dot the crumb topping with small pieces of butter.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

This meal was absolutely delicious! I haven't had a macaroni and cheese dish like this before, but I couldn't believe what I was missing out on. I do wish I had decided to cut the recipe in half, as it was MUCH TOO MUCH and after eating leftovers for like 3 nights in a row, I was macaroni and cheesed out! I hope you give it a try...PS - Fontina cheese is delicious!!!

Garlic Crusted Sea Scallops

2009-08-11T08:46:00.020-05:00

I was clipping coupons about a month ago and came across a coupon for Sea Scallops. Kroger had sent me the coupon for their brand of Scallops (the frozen ones). So I clipped it and thought I would see how much they were and if it wasn't a bad deal, then I would attempt to cook them myself. I got to the grocery store and low and behold ... they were on sale! I was so excited, but nervous because I haven't ever prepared them. I have watched a lot of people cook them over the years, so I thought I would give it a whirl. Unfortunately I got nervous, so in the freezer they went until I could figure out what I wanted to do with them!

The hubs and I really love garlic, so I knew that would have to be the main ingredient in my Scallops. I was recently watching The Next Food Network Star and Jeffrey Saad prepared them on one of the last few episodes. I liked his method of sauteing them and it didn't seem too difficult. I thought about the Scallops for about a week after seeing that episode, trying to come up with a way to cook them using the tips I had seen and knowing the flavor I wanted. This is what I came up with...

Garlic Crusted Sea Scallops

(from the kitchen of Liesl)

8 - 10 large sea scallops

flour for coating

1 turn of your saucepan of Olive Oil

about a Tablespoon of unsalted butter

salt/pepper to taste

2-3 teaspoons of minced garlic

You are better to buy your scallops fresh, but if you are like me and catch a deal and buy them frozen, defrost them in the refrigerator. Carefully dry scallops with paper towels (the frozen ones will produce a lot of water and they won't get a good crust on them if they aren't dry). Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter to saucepan. While butter is melting, cover each scallops with a good coating of flour (this with give you that nice caramelized crust on the outside), make sure you coat each side.

When you pan is nice and hot (the butter will start to bubble) add scallops. Be careful not to overcrowd your pan otherwise you will end up steaming your scallops...and you don't want that...trust me the crusty coating is the best part! Cook the scallops until each side is browned and the scallop is firm. This won't take very long, so don't walk away!

When your scallops are nicely browned on each side, remove saucepan from the heat and add your garlic, salt and pepper. Let sit to absorb some of the flavors for a few minutes. Carefully remove scallops to your serving dish and spoon some of the garlic sauce from the pan over top of the scallops! YUM!

I served mine with sauteed Zucchini in garlic. It was a perfect side dish to this meal.

I really enjoyed this meal. For my first attempt at making Scallops, I was pretty impressed. Now that I have overcome that "I have never made those before - I am nervous" feeling, I want to try it again but maybe tweak some of these steps. I would love to hear your input and see if you have any better tips for preparing them. There were delicious!

Spaghetti and Meatballs ... for dessert?!? What!?!

2009-08-06T10:00:00.025-05:00

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I am back with something exciting to share with you! A close friend on mine has a birthday coming up and I really wanted to do something extra special for her. A couple of weeks ago, my husband surprised me after work with a cookbook I have been eyeing for quite awhile now...Hello Cupcake! The designs in this cookbook as so adorable! I practically have the urge to stay in my kitchen until I bake them all! I am so glad my hubs got me this cookbook, he is such a sweetheart! Maybe he bought it for other reasons though!
I decided on making my friend the Spaghetti and Meatball cupcakes, because every time she has spaghetti night at her house, she always brings in leftovers for me to enjoy! I knew right away she would get a huge kick out of these...and maybe drop the hint that I was ready for spaghetti dinner again!! :o)

The cupcakes turned out perfectly, and she absolutely loved them!! They were really easy to make too. If you haven't had the chance to run out and get this book you really should! It is actually very user friendly ... and I am here to announce that most of the recipes call for store bought ingredients (ie - box mix, canned frosting). The book has great ideas in it, and I can't wait to make another creation! The hubs told me last night that I could make him something for his class when he goes back to school...I think that was a hint and the reason he bought the book for me!

Spaghetti and Meatball Cupcakes

(from Hello Cupcake!)

10 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners (I actually made 12 and bought a 12 pack of Ferrero Rocher Chocolates)
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting (I ended up almost using 2 cans because I made lots of noodles!)
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder 3 drops yellow food coloring
12 Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Chocolates, unwrapped
1 cup low-sugar strawberry preserves (low-sugar has the best color)
2 tablespoons grated white chocolate, plus an additional chunk for garnish

Tint the vanilla frosting with the cocoa powder and yellow food coloring and spread a thin layer on top of the cupcakes. Arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter so that they are touching.
Spoon the remaining frosting into a Ziploc bag. Press out the excess air and seal the bag. Snip a Vs-inch corner from the bag. Pipe the frosting all over the cupcakes to make the spaghetti, piling it high and allowing some of the spaghetti to hang over the edges.

Place the hazelnut chocolates and the strawberry preserves in a medium bowl and toss to coat.

Spoon some of the preserves on top of the cupcakes.

Place 1 hazelnut chocolate on each cupcake. Top the cupcakes with the remaining strawberry preserves. Sprinkle with the grated white chocolate. Place the chunk of white chocolate on a separate plate with a small hand grater and bring to the table with the platter of spaghetti.

I wasn't able to do the whole presentation with the extra piece of white chocolate because I had to travel with it all to work. However, I did reserve some extra grated white chocolate because I knew I had to present the cupcakes to her in a special way ... it went something like this:

"Ellie, do you have a second you could come downstairs?"
"What are you up to now Liesl!?!"
"Just come down."
She rounded the corner, and I said, "Table for one?" She laughed.
She then walked in my room and saw the one chair set in front of the plate of 'spaghetti and meatballs'!
"The special for today is Spaghetti and Meatballs! Would you like some cheese on that?", and I then sprinkled some of the extra grated white chocolate on top!
:o) I know I am such a dork, but she really loved it!

I hope you enjoyed my little story, and hey you got a great recipe idea out of it! Now get to the kitchen and make dinner...no wait dessert! :o)

A HUGE thank you goes out to another great friend of mine, Kristen, she brought her camera in to take pictures for me. She is a great photographer, and has a blog too...you should check it out!

Go Hokies!

2009-07-27T13:39:00.010-05:00

I really wasn't sure if I was going to blog about these cupcakes, but they did turn out really cute. I just really need to start working on getting a camera that can take decent pictures at all times of the day; it's so disappointing.

I made these cupcakes for my friend who turned 21. I couldn't decide on what to make her for her birthday, but knew it had to be special. One day I was going through Amanda's blog, Is This Thing On?, and came across her version of the Hokie Hi-Hat! I saw them and knew right away those were the cupcakes I had to make my friend. My friend goes to Virgina Tech and she is a HUGE Hookie fan, as is her family. Since her whole family was coming into town, I figured that this would be perfect for all of them!

I was so busy the week of my friends birthday, I knew I didn't have a lot of time to go 100% homemade, so I decided last minute to turn to Miss Betty Crocker, who has saved my butt on many occasions! I figured the decorating was going to be pretty time consuming so I needed to cut a few corners. So I settled on a box mix and canned frosting, but hey they still tasted good!

Amanda actually used fondant for her "VT's", but I decided to go with chocolate. I haven't worked much with fondant, and due to my time constraints, I didn't really have time to mess up! So I turned to good ole Wilton's candy coloring and tried my best to come up with VT colors. It wasn't perfect, but it got the point across. I just piped the chocolate onto wax paper in the shape of Virginia Tech's logo.

My friend loved them, as did her parents. I am glad they went over so well. I will definitely be trying the hi-hat method again, and hopefully won't feel so rushed!

While I have no recipe to share with you, I can explain the method of a hi-hat cupcake. (Or you can view Amanda's here!)

-Basically you make your cupcakes and let them cool completely.

-Frost the cooled cupcakes. (I piped up a nice high mound of frosting) Place in the freezer for a few minutes so the frosting cool and good and ready for dipping.

-Melt desired chocolate for dipping.

-Carefully dip each cupcake in the melted chocolate. The cupcakes will change the temperature of the chocolate since you put them in the freezer, so be carefully the chocolate doesn't cool too fast or you will get a layer of chocolate that will be too thick over the frosting. (this happened to me on a few)

All in all, the cupcakes were cute. I am disappointed in the pictures and the fact that I wasn't able to spend time making it all from scratch...but hey we all can't be perfect now can we!

Jello Shots

2009-07-22T08:30:00.025-05:00

Most of my friends know that I really am not a drinker. Just never have been. Although, you put a good bottle of wine in front of me and look out! I do love some good wine.

Now I know what you are thinking...well if you don't like to drink, then why are you doing making jello shots? :o) DUH, look at how cool they look! Who wouldn't make those!! Actually, an intern at my work recently turned 21. We have become good friends, and she just happens to live in Virginia close to my family. This happens to be her second internship, and I knew coming into this summer that her 21st birthday was coming up and I wanted to do something extra special for her. (Wait till you see the dessert I made her!) I saw this recipe on Tastespotting and knew it would be perfect for her birthday celebration!

My friend had her family coming into town to help celebrate the big day. We had planned a big dinner out. I actually brought these into the restaurant and carefully passed them out to everyone. THEY WERE A HUGE HIT!! I really wished I had made more. I used Tequila instead of Vodka (I am not a fan of Vodka and had Tequila at the house leftover from a previous party) but I wasn't sure how I would like it. I actually liked it better than any other Jello Shot I have tried before.

So to make these you need 2 oranges. Cut your oranges in half. Then you have to hollow out your oranges. I used a grapefruit spoon to help me do this. Make sure you get all the orange out. This is what your orange halves should look like.

Then make your Jello mixture:

Orange Slice Jello Shots

(adapted from Duo Dishes)

3 ounces orange Jello

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (I may have used a little less, because I added more tequila)

1/3 - 1/2 cup tequila

Set orange halves tightly in a container just big enough to fit all four. (I used an 8x8 inch glass baking dish and put four custard cups in the dish to hold each orange half up)

Whisk together Jello, water, juice and tequila until combined.

Pour into orange halves and carefully transfer the container to the fridge. Let set at least four hours or overnight.

Slice into thirds or fourths and serve. It was really tricky to cut the orange halves, so be careful. I tried a couple different knives and ended up using a bread knife. It seemed to work best for me.

Now I don't know how potent these were (I only had one), but the birthday girl left that night one happy chica! :o) You could certainly adjust the recipe around to add more alcohol. Just be careful, they are REALLY tasty!

**I was talking to someone at work about making these and mentioned that I was using Tequila. She said, oh too bad you aren't using limes! I was mad I hadn't thought about that! Silly me...guess I just have to make them again! I think I will try limes for sure next time and sprinkle kosher salt on top! Doesn't that sound yummy!?!?

Homemade Granola Bars

2009-07-20T08:30:00.027-05:00

I am so excited to blog about these! Lately, I have really been wanting to make a homemade granola bar. I recently went through my pantry and did a hard core cleaning and organization (I seem to always forget what goodies I have hidden in the back!). I came across a bag of dried cranberries and was thinking "should I keep these?". I seem to go through these phases of wanting to eat them and then not. So instead of throwing the half eaten bag away (I really hate to throw anything away) I decided I would make a granola bar with them.

Then, as fate would have it, I happened to be watching The Food Network, and Barefoot Contessa (I know I just said the other day I didn't watch her much LOL) and she was making homemade granola bars. I knew immediately I was destined to make these bars! Her recipe sounded so good and easy; I couldn't wait to make them.

Come on, don't those look fabulous!?!

I strayed from Ina Garten's recipe, go figure, but I knew I had these cranberries and I also had some honey roasted sliced almonds. The bars turned out amazing...and I seriously couldn't believe how great it made the house smell! Think Yankee Candle good! I actually can not wait to try this recipe out with different flavors! I don't see myself ever buying another "store-bought" granola bar again! Not even True Delights! (those have been my favorite ever since they hit store shelves)

Now get in your kitchen and start baking!

Cranberry Almond Granola Bars

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup Almond Accent honey roasted sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
about 1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Makes about 16 bars.

Tip for packaging:

PS - I love press 'n seal. :o)

I thought it would be a great way to seal up my bars and hopefully make them last awhile.

-Just spread one sheet long enough to fit all the bars with enough space in between to seal them. -Then put another sheet on top that is slightly bigger.

-Gently press'n seal :o) the area in between each bar, binding the two pieces of press'n seal together.

-Carefully cut the area in between each bar where it is sealed.

-Store in a airtight container at room temperature.

Wrapped and ready to go! These would be great for kids lunches (and mine too)!!!

Fruits (and Vegetables) of my labor!

2009-07-16T08:30:00.022-05:00

Every since we got a house I have begged and begged for a garden. The hubs is obsessive about his yard, so it has been difficult for me to try to talk him into digging up and destroying some of his hard labored grass...he actually won yard of the month last year! Finally, last year, he said yes! So we plotted it out and came up with a space small enough to please him, but big enough to give me a nice garden. Turns out the hubs enjoyed having a garden so much he let me expand it this year (twice its size!)...and even more excited, we both agreed it is STILL not big enough so next year we are going EVEN BIGGER! :o)

I love having a garden in my backyard, so do my neighbors! It's so nice to be able to pick fresh veggies and herbs knowing that I grew them myself and that they don't have crappy pesticides all over them. I wanted to share some of what I picked this weekend with yall. I can't believe I am still getting strawberries...those berries are the best berries, nothing like what you buy in the store!

So what all did I plant you ask? Well here is the rundown:

Basil
Thyme
Cilantro
Parsley
Dill
Romaine Lettuce
Red Onions
Garlic :o)
Green Peppers
Tomatoes (several types)
Cucumbers
I tried Zucchini, but it didn't make it. It needed more space. So next year for sure.

I had to share this cucumber with yall because it is seriously the biggest cucumber ever!! (I actually gave it to the neighbors to enjoy!) It was probably a foot and a half long and at its thickest point maybe three inches wide!

I actually have no recipe to share with you today, but wanted to share the "fruits (and veggies) of my labor"! I spent all day Sunday making my homemade spaghetti sauce using veggies from the garden. It's a recipe I have worked hard at mastering and I usually make HUGE batches of it to freeze.

Here are a few pictures of my actual garden. As you can see it is VERY crowded! And my stupid cucumbers are out of control!! I keep having to go out and trim them and tie them up. If you are wondering why I have flowers in my garden here is a tip:

Plant Marigolds in your garden around the perimeter. They help keep bunnies out! I also put Moth Balls around the perimeter to help keep things out. Haven't had any problems in the two years I have had a garden. I don't use any pesticides either.

I told you my cucumbers were out of control! The hubs keeps mowing over them because they are starting to take over the yard! LOL

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

2009-07-14T08:30:00.027-05:00

Picture this...
You want to go out to eat...you are thinking seafood. You remember that place (Red Lobster) that has those amazing cheddar biscuits they always serve. Those biscuits that are so warm and packed with that cheddar garlic flavor that we all love so much. Then it hits you...

WHY GO OUT AND SPEND MONEY WHEN YOU CAN MAKE THEM AT HOME AND THEY TASTE SOOOO MUCH BETTER!

Well, that is what happened to me. Let's face it Red Lobster, no offense to all you Red Lobster loving fans, really isn't all that great. I mean really does anyone go there for anything else besides those biscuits!!!??

When I was sitting in front of the tv watching Ina Garten on the Food Network, hosting her breakfast party, she was making these biscuits. This is what started my drooling! Then she started making the Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs, and I knew I had to make this breakfast. I couldn't believe how easy her biscuits looked. I really haven't ever made a homemade buttermilk biscuits because I was so nervous...thinking that from scratch biscuits would be so hard. I had all the ingredients on hand so I thought to myself, why not give her buttermilk cheddar biscuits a shot...

So I did and these were the best biscuits I have ever put into my mouth! I am not joking! Red Lobster LOOK OUT! They were so flaky and so full of flavor. They went perfectly with the Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs. I think the addition of the garlic salt on top really made these biscuits. Also, Ina Garten used a sharp Vermont Cheddar on the show, but I didn't have that at home so I just used good old Kraft Sharp Cheddar, but I think next time I make this I am going to get some really good sharp cheddar from Whole Foods. I think it would make a difference.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

(from Barefoot Contessa)

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg
1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk (I used milk)
Sea Salt, optional (I used Garlic Salt because the hubs and I are freaks about garlic!)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour (this helps the cheese not sink to the bottom of the biscuit) and with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt (or garlic salt - which I think was so much better), if using, (I also sprinkled some cheese on top of each biscuit) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

PS - these are great as leftovers!!!

Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

2009-07-13T08:35:00.031-05:00

I love breakfast...especially on the weekends. What I love even more is cooking a nice breakfast for my hubs. Waking up on a Sunday morning, after hopefully sleeping in a bit (sleeping in for us is usually 7, 7:30), man do I wish I was one of those people who could really sleep in) and rummaging through my cookbooks or in this case turning on Food Network to find a recipe. Yes I am one of those people who is highly addicted to Food Network...especially now that I have HD!! Seriously, it's like you are right there in the action...food never looked so good! I am still waiting for Smell-O-Vision to come out, oh man that would be trouble! :o)

One this particular weekend, I sat down and started watching Food Network. Ina Garten was on, who I must admit I am really not a huge fan of, but she was cooking breakfast and it looked fabulous! I couldn't believe how easy her breakfast looked, which surprised me because I feel like her recipes are sometimes very complicated. It got to the point that I was nearly drooling at the mouth, that I decided I better just get off the couch and make this great breakfast! So off to the kitchen I went!

Look at those eggs! Are they not the prettiest eggs you have ever seen? Look at how yellow they are! My hubs kept laughing at me because I couldn't stop talking about the color of these eggs. I must tell you that I am very blessed because I have a friend who has family that has a farm. And on that farm, they have chickens...I bring in my empty egg cartons, and she brings them back to me filled with these delicious fresh farm eggs! Let me tell you, there is nothing better than a fresh farm egg! I can't believe all the eggs I eat now! LOL She tells me the eggs make the prettiest yellow cake...I need to try that out soon!

These eggs were so delicious. I haven't really ever slow-cooked eggs like this before, but they turned out so good. I was so excited about this recipe because I have a garden (which I am going to be posting about) that is full of lots of fresh herbs. I feel like I don't really get to use them enough.

Note - Ina Garten's recipe called for 10 eggs! I knew, being that it is just me and the hubs, that I wouldn't need that many eggs, so I cut her recipe in half.

Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

5 extra-large eggs
4 tablespoons half-and-half

4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced scallions, white and green parts (I didn't have scallions, but I had a red onion that I just picked from my garden so I used that instead)
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute or omelet pan, if using onion add onion and sautee. Add the eggs and cook them over low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a rubber spatula, until the desired doneness. Off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the parsley, and dill. Stir until the butter is melted. Check for seasonings. Serve hot.

See those yummy biscuits!?!? That's what's coming next...and you don't want to miss it!

Broccoli-Cauliflower-Sausage Pasta

2009-07-07T08:30:00.022-05:00

Growing up my mom made us dishes that she refereed to as "one pot meals". I have very fond memories of these dishes. We didn't have a lot of money as kids and my mom was always so creative with coming up with new exciting dishes that were budget friendly and very delicious! Luckily I wasn't a picky eater, so I was always up for trying anything...as long as it wasn't brussel sprouts, man I hated those things!!!

Being budget friendly has stuck with me as I age and I contine to look for ways to save a penny or two or three! Coupon clipping is one of my favorite things to do. I actually get excited (yes it is sad) when I get new coupons that I can go through and add to my coupon organizer. It has even gotten to the point now that my mother-in-law sends me her coupons too! I told you I was pathetic! But hey, this weekend I went to the grocery and saved $70 with my coupons...so I guess clipping coupons isn't so pathetic is it!!! The most I have ever saved in one trip was $90-something! That's a lot of groceries!! And since our AC broke and we had to replace our whole unit, I need to save every penny I can!

Back to my one-pot-meal wonder! I had a coupon for kielbasa, not something I really buy on a regular basis if at all...mainly because it really isn't that healthy and we try to eat fairly healthy. But when I was going through my coupons, the kielbasa was staring back at me reminding me of this childhood meal. I clipped it and thought I would file it away and if it was on sale I would buy it, and if it wasn't on sale then I decided I wouldn't get it. Sure enough it was on sale, and in the cart it went!!

Broccoli-Cauliflower-Sausage Pasta

(recipe from my mom)

1 package of kielbasa - I think it was a 14 oz. package (such as Hillshire Farms)

about 2 cups of fresh chopped Broccoli

about 2 cups of fresh chopped Cauliflower

half a bag of No Yolk Egg Noodles (I used the broad noodles)

Olive Oil

Fresh Garlic minced

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. In another pan bring water to boil for noodles.

Cut kielbasa into about 1 inch thick pieces. Toss into pan with olive oil. Add minced garlic (however many cloves you desire) and fresh cracked pepper. Cook until the kielbasa brown's slightly.

While kielbasa browns, add your noodles to your other pot of boiling water. Cook noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

When sausage has browned, add broccoli and cauliflower to pan and cover. Stir occasionally to allow the "grease" to season the veggies! YUM! When veggies are cooked but still slightly crisp add noodles. Toss to combine.

Makes about four servings.

This meal is all time comfort food, but it is so delicious! It really brought back some great memories for me. It is super simple and so satisfying. I hope you will give it a try, and if so let me know what you think!

Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

2009-07-06T09:30:00.028-05:00

FINALLY, the wait is over...here it is MY BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! Yes, I made my own birthday cake :o) My wonderful husband was going to buy me one, but why would I want that when #1 - I know I can make one that would taste better than store bought and #2 - (most importantly) why spend that kind of money when homemade is so much cheaper!!!

When I started searching for recipes I didn't really know where to start, all I knew is that I wanted something fun and something that I hadn't done before! Seems like I always end up searching peanut butter recipes every time I want to make a cake...and this time wasn't any different! It didn't take me long to find something that I wanted to make, in fact I found several, but Annie's Eats won my heart! Man oh man does she have some great recipes!! I was so excited when I saw her Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (whew that is a mouthful) and knew it was perfect for my birthday! I even had all the ingredients, except for buttermilk, so I was even more pumped!!! (I had leftover Reese's from all the campfires we have been having, the make a great S'more!)

This cake was so incredibly delicious!! I will warn you that this frosting is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! I couldn't keep my husbands hands out of the bowl!! The cake is very rich, but nothing that a nice cold glass of milk couldn't help wash down!

Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

(from Annie's Eats)

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

Reese Cups for decorating

For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

Prepare Peanut Butter Frosting:

Peanut Butter Frosting

(from Barefoot Contessa)

**I double this batch (and highly recommend it), if you want to do that just double the measurements below**

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

To finish the cake:

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle covered in foil. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired

This was the day our AC bit the dust, I didn't want to go out to dinner, but my lovely husband talked me into going out with some friends. We had dinner at a hibachi grill, and it was so much fun! They came out and sang happy birthday in the most embarrassing way I have ever seen done! The cake was the perfect ending to my birthday! After the day we had, I was surprised I was even able to manage making the cake and frosting, and it not being a disaster!!

Doesn't that look delicious...I wish I could have another piece!!

*Kristen helped me with some of the photos!*

Check out her photography blog here!

Peanut Butter Chicken Tender Skewers

2009-07-02T08:30:00.019-05:00

I used to get the magazine "Cooking for 2", a sub magazine of "Taste of Home". I love both magazines, they are always filled with such great recipes. I especially loved "Cooking for 2" because it is just me and my husband and we don't always want a whole lot of leftovers!

I have had this recipe bookmarked for quite some time now, just waiting for the perfect occasion! When I got my crazy urge to have cole slaw the other weekend I decided that it would be great to have something grilled to go with it. So I went to my cookbooks and starting look through my "must make" recipes! I was so excited when I came to the Peanut Butter Chicken Tender Skewers, because not only did I have all the ingredients (well except the ginger root) but I LOVE peanut butter!! I also thought that this would pair perfectly with some nice cold refreshing cole slaw!

Now it seems like lately there is a story that goes along with my dishes...and that was the case again when it came to making these skewers! Hey at least I keep people on their toes!! I have been known to make a mess in the kitchen when I cook/bake! It just seems like I can't be in my kitchen cooking without making some kind of mess...I call it art, but my husband doesn't like it so much!!! ;o)

On this particular day, I just happened to be looking through my cookbook on my glass top stove. When I finally decided on a recipe, I started to get all my ingredients out. I turned on the stove and proceeded to make the peanut butter sauce. A few minutes went by and I kept stirring the sauce wondering why the peanut butter wasn't melting properly, and my sauce wasn't turning in to a nice thin smooth sauce ... more like a clumpy thick mess! Then sure enough *sniff sniff*, I noticed something smelled like it was burning! But it didn't make sense to me because my stupid sauce wasn't even cooking like it should be...that's when I looked down at my cookbook and thought OH CRAP (although I am sure I didn't say crap)! Yes my friends this idiot turned the wrong burner on! Luckily I didn't walk away and even more lucky...it didn't start a fire. But in a rush to move my cookbook, I burned my finger :o( AND IT HURT!! LOL Sooooo - moral of the story, DON'T BE AN IDIOT LIKE ME AND PUT YOUR COOKBOOK ON THE STOVE TOP! haha Good thing I have a glass top because it was easy to clean up!

On a side note, these were so easy to make and I couldn't believe how good they were!

Peanut Butter Chicken Tender Skewers

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root (I didn't have this so I left it out)
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a small saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until smooth. Remove from the heat; set aside 2 tablespoons sauce for serving.

Slice chicken lengthwise into 1-in. strips; thread onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 2 minutes; turn and brush with remaining sauce. Continue turning and basting for 4-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Serve with reserved sauce.

Cole Slaw

2009-06-29T08:30:00.020-05:00

Last weekend I was craving a refreshing side dish to go along with our dinner...I decided on cole slaw! I turned to the internet and starting researching recipes. I have always liked a creamy mayonnaise based cole slaw. I was shocked when I was researching to find that there were several takes on the "KFC" cole slaw! I always loved their cole slaw so I decided to give one a try!

I found the recipe on Recipe Zaar. I really couldn't believe how much it did taste like the KFC cole slaw! It brought back all kinds of childhood memories!

KFC Cole Slaw

(from Recipe Zaar)

4 cups finely diced cabbage
1/8 cup diced carrot
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup buttermilk
3/4 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/4 tablespoons lemon juice

Make sure the Cabbage and carrots are finely diced. (if you didn't want to worry about this you could always just buy a bag of the prepared cole slaw mix that has the cabbage and carrots.) Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions. In a separate bowl mix remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Happy Birthday ... and a cake that will knock your socks off!

2009-06-28T10:04:00.035-05:00

So yesterday was my birthday. I turned 27 on the 27th...that really only happens once in your life...unless (as a co-worker pointed out to me) I live to be 127! YIKES, that kinda scares me!

I didn't really want to do anything special this year. I have been so busy and tired lately that I was looking forward to just spending a nice relaxing weekend with my husband...too bad it didn't quite turn out like that! My friends at work (who are truly wonderful people, I am so blessed to have such great friends) surprised me on Friday, but I will tell you about that in a minute...first a little about my actual birthday festivities...

So ... the day started out with potential ... it just didn't quite end so well! I woke up to the smell of breakfast (which sometimes scares me lol). Turns out my husband surprised me with french toast and bacon for my birthday breakfast! It was so sweet and I loved that he put a candle in my french toast! He is a keeper!

Now a little about my husband...
HE NEVER USED TO COOK AT ALL! In fact it really has only been lately that he has gotten more involved. It took him a while to master the french toast...it used to be that when he would make it he would just leave the bread in the egg mixture until he was ready to cook it (WAY TOO LONG) and he always ended up with soggy french toast and didn't know why...so we had a lesson and he has now mastered it; very well I might add! BUT on my birthday I discovered that my lovely husband is trying new tricks! AND THIS IS A GOOD ONE :o) I mentioned something to him about the bacon ... it didn't really appear as though it had been fried (and the house didn't have the aroma of 'fried bacon' I know y'all know what I am talking about!) - so I asked him "honey, did you fry this bacon?" and his response was "uh, no, I cooked it in the microwave on a paper towel!" :o) I love you honey, really I do!!! The bacon was actually tasty and crispy, but I couldn't get over the fact that he had cooked raw bacon in the microwave on a paper towel!! God bless my husband for always making my so life interesting!!

Now not to drag on and on, but I do have to tell you that yesterday did start out well, but didn't end so hot...ok maybe it did end "hot". I know that was really lame, but we have been having serious issues with our AC unit and it finally bit the dust yesterday (ON MY FREAKING BIRTHDAY NO LESS AND THE HOTTEST TN DAY SO FAR) go figure! Bad news is...they are discontinuing the freon units starting 2010 (just and FYI to all you freon users be prepared) and if your AC unit goes bad after January 2010 then you are basically SOL! NO MORE PARTS ... NOTHING! So we need to buy a new one...and it sounds like it is going to be expensive. Not what we need right now, but I hear a $1500 tax credit will be awarded, so at least that is something...right!?!?

I know where is the recipe ... it is coming promise!! So back to Friday now, and no more bad news (I hope)...
One of my friends at work went out of her way to decorate my room. (my favorite color is purple by the way!)
She placed those little construction cones around my room (and in it) and displayed "CAUTION BIRTHDAY ZONE" signs around my room! It was cute and it made me laugh...I am telling you I really do have some great friends!
My festivities didn't end there. One of my friends actually made me a cake! It was so delicious and I asked her if I could share the recipe with all of you because it is so easy you won't believe it! So easy, and SO GOOD that it seriously will knock your socks off!!!

Coconut Pecan Cake

1 Box of Butter Pecan Cake Mix

1 Tub of Coconut (or Pecan Coconut) Icing

4 eggs

3/4 cup of whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Blend together all ingredients. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake for about 50 minutes. Serve with ice cream!!
Yes it is that easy! The cake was so incredibly moist! The coconut pecan cake was so delicious, and I actually think the possibilities are endless for different flavors with this type of cake, I may have to pull this recipe out soon and test it out!

One last note...I actually managed to bake myself my own birthday cake yesterday (in my incredibly HOT house). You want to see this cake, it was SO AMAZING!!! I hope to post it soon so stay tuned! Until then, I am going to go sit in front of a fan LOL!

Cookie Dough Pie

2009-06-22T08:26:00.015-05:00

THIS PIE IS SO GOOD!

One day I was reading my google reader, just going about my business, and came across this recipe from Big Red Kitchen's blog. (My pictures really don't do this justice...I kinda forgot to take pictures until we had already eaten some of it!!) Seriously though, I lost it when I saw this recipe and knew I would have to make this sometime this summer! Conveniently enough, when some friends invited us over for a pool party, I remembered this pie and thought it would fit a pool party perfectly! This pie is so easy a monkey could make it (seriously) and it is SO DELICIOUS!! I probably could have eaten the entire pie myself (which is why I decided to leave the leftovers with our friends!! Sorry guys! :o) LOL) So if you are looking for a recipe to through together in a pinch, that doesn't cost a lot of money, but tastes great...here it is!

Cookie Dough Pie

(from Big Red Kitchen)

15.25 ounce package Original Chips Ahoy Cookies

12 ounces Cool Whip

2 cups milk

Chocolate Syrup (optional)

Quickly dip cookies in milk, shake off excess liquid, and layer in 9 inch pie plate, breaking cookies to fill any gaps. Once the first layer is complete, top with a thin layer of Cool Whip. Repeat twice more making last layer of Cool Whip a bit thicker. Garnish with chocolate syrup if desired. I had two cookies leftover so I crumbled them up and sprinkled them on top. Place in freezer 2-3 hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Fingers

2009-06-16T10:17:00.030-05:00

I know I just got done blogging about my love of S'mores, but I must admit that my love of peanut butter is nearly just as big! When I came across this recipe in my Google Reader I immediately got excited! Not only does it combine two of the world's best ingredients (peanut butter and chocolate - if anyone was wondering!) but it is a super simple, ready in a pinch dessert!

This past weekend, my husband and I got invited to a little pool party/grilling get together with some friends and we were told we had to bring dessert! I couldn't really complain because that seems to be my favorite thing to do these days! So I got to thinking about what I wanted to bring...I didn't want to do anything to crazy and complicated because I had just spent my whole weekend tending to a massive Garage Sale! (which completely wore me out!) So I turned to my Google Reader hoping that I marked some "must makes" that were easy and didn't require a lot of prep! Sure enough these Peanut Butter Finger Bars were staring me in the face, literally BEGGING me to make them!! :o) (actually these bars must have buddied up with another recipe, because I ended up making two...and I can't wait to post the other one!!! It is SOOOO good and SOOO easy you won't believe it!)

I even had all the ingredients on hand...an added bonus! Good thing I keep a stocked pantry! I am sure you all do as well. You must head to your kitchen now and check, because these bars have your name ALL over them! They are so moist ... the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate. They are rich, but nothing a cold glass of milk couldn't help! These bars actually reminded me of a peanut butter no bake cookie with chocolate and peanut butter on top! Oh how I want to bust through the screen and take another bite!

Peanut Butter Fingers

(from Katie Blair's Designs - with a few slight changes)

For the Bars:

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 egg

2/3 c. peanut butter

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. oatmeal

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Topping:

1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
About 5 or so Tablespoons skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, baking soda, salt, vanilla, flour and oatmeal in mixing bowl. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of hot crust. Wait 10 minutes and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Cool bars before adding topping.

For the topping:

Blend together topping ingredients and spread over cooled bars. Cut into squares.

**I made the topping more like a frosting. I LOVE peanut butter frosting...but if you wanted it to be more like the original recipe (she made a thinner frosting that she said could be drizzled over the bars) be sure to follow her recipe for the topping.**

I need to stop making all these desserts and get back to being healthy!! haha But don't expect that in the next post...I have another GREAT dessert coming, and trust me you don't want to miss it!!

S'mores Cupcakes

2009-06-08T09:52:00.031-05:00

Yes, here it is another ode to my S'mores addiction!

These cupcakes were so unbelievably good! I can't being to put into words just how tasty these little cuties were. I had so much fun making them too! I was actually surprised at how easy these were to make. I really thought I was going to be in over my head and up all night...but quite the opposite! I even had time to start making other things while these were in the oven!

The S'more Cupcakes were such a HUGE hit! I had done quite a bit of research in looking for a S'mores Cupcake recipe. There are SO MANY out there, and so many of those seem very complicated. I knew there had to be recipes out there that had the "S'mores" effect, but not so intense. About a month ago, I remembered bookmarking this recipe in my google reader. I actually forgot about it until I started researching and it popped up again! I was so happy because it was exactly what I was looking for in a recipe! I found it on A Homemaker's Habitat, and was pleased to see that it was a take on a Martha Stewart recipe!! Miss Martha has yet to disappoint me!! And it looks like the S'mores Cupcakes are another Martha success!!

S'mores Cupcakes

(from A Homemaker's Habitat, originally from Martha Stewart)

1 "Family Size" box Pillsbury Fudge Brownies

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

20 graham crackers (I think I may have used more)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1 bag unsweetened mini chocolate chips

2 containers Marshmallow Fluff (gosh I love this stuff!)

2 Hershey Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. (recipe makes 24 cupcakes) Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for "cake-like" brownies (using 3 eggs instead of 2). Set aside batter.

Combine graham crackers and sugar in food processor, pulse until crackers are crushed into small even crumbs. Slowly add melted butter a little at a time, pulsing after each addition until you get a mixture that still crumbly but firm when pressed. (I didn't end up using the whole stick of melted butter, this is why I recommend adding a little butter at a time until you get the right consistency.)

Drop 1 Tablespoon of graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner. You can use a small glass to press down the graham cracker mixture evenly, I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef Mini-Tart Shaper! Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mini chocolate chips over the graham cracker mixture. Place cupcake pans in the oven for about 5 minutes to firm the graham cracker crust and begin melting the chocolate chips.

Remove pans from the oven and fill each cupcake liner with brownie batter until they are about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each cupcake with another teaspoon of chocolate chips and a Tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture. Place cupcake pans back in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Place cupcake pans on a rack until cooled. Meanwhile, fill a quart-size zip-lock bag with marshmallow fluff, cut a small tip in the corner. When cupcakes have cooled, pipe a small amount of marshmallow fluff onto each cupcake. DO NOT over frost, as the marshmallow fluff will ooze over the cupcake as it settles.

Turn oven to broil setting. Place cupcake pans, one at a time, about 1 inch from the broiler. Watch cupcake closely to make sure the marshmallow puffs and browns, but does not burn. This doesn't take long so be sure to watch them closely. You may need to shift the pan to make sure the cupcakes brown evenly. Repeat with second tin.

Once cupcakes have cooled completely top with a piece of Hershey bar!

***One tip I noticed...

The marshmallow fluff was great right out of the broiler...nice and crispy. However, this step might be best left until right before you are going to serve them. The marshmallow fluff kept its shape and color, but not the crispiness. They were still fantastic, but I think the marshmallow fluff would have been even better if I would have waited to do it until the next day when I was serving them. Also, I didn't cover my cupcakes. I knew that by covering them that the moisture would have an effect on the marshmallow fluff. So you may want to leave yours uncovered as well.***

Side view of the cupcakes! They were so moist and delicious!
The graham cracker crust was so tasty and the melted chocolate
chips were a nice surprise! ENJOY!