Oh yes, people. That's grilled pizza.

Thank you, Food Network. Grilled pizza is most definitely gonna happen at my house. Yowza!

What's Cookin: Almond Crusted Chicken + Cold Lentil Salad

 {whole living}

I can't even begin to tell you what a delish and SUPER EASY meal these two recipes make! Trust me...if I can make it, anyone can! I'm not known for my cookery skills, but this makes not only a tasty meal, but a very healthy one at that.

Having been carefully considering my weight, lack of fitness, and general level of health, I went to my favie Whole Living for some kick-me-in-the-rear inspiration. I've set a weight loss goal, pirated a handful of amazing recipes, and signed myself up for a free account on FitDay.com (an online journal tool where you can enter all your food - and it calculates its nutritional value, enter measurements, exercise, you name it! HIGHLY recommend it, if you're looking for such a thing.)

We're hosting the fabulous Mr. + Mrs. M for dinner an Bananagrams on Monday and this is what I'll be cooking (only no almonds for Mr. M...I'll be doing a panko-crusted version instead.) Have a super weekend!

Almond-Crusted Chicken Breast with Spinach - Whole Living

Makes 4 servings

• 4 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
• 1/2 c. roasted, unsalted almonds
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make a coarse paste of 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted almonds, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt, and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor. Rub onto 2 seasoned boneless, skinless organic chicken breast halves. Roast in 425-degree oven until cooked through, 15 to 18 (18 mins was perfect for me) minutes. Slice and serve on baby spinach with lemon wedges. Serves 2 to 4. {see recipe here}

{whole living}

Cold Lentil Salad

Makes 2 cups

• 1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 garlic clove, halved lengthwise
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) (I left this out)
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup) (I used 1/8-1/4 c. of white onion)
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (I substituted cilantro, which rocked!)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon warm water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the lentils and garlic in simmering salted water for 10 minutes, or until the lentils are crisp-tender. Drain and run the lentils under cold water. Discard the garlic. In a bowl, toss together the lentils, celery, onion, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and water. Drizzle over the lentils and stir gently to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. {see recipe here}

What's Cookin? Bacon + Cheddar Muffins

(OK. I meant for this post to be scheduled right after Father's Day, but something went awry. Nonetheless, it had to be shared, late or no. Enjoy!)

No one on earth loves bacon more than my step-dad Mr. M. You know those credit cards where you can upload  your own photo? Yep. His is a photo of bacon, no lie. So, as a nice thank you for all that he's helped me with this (and every) year, I made him a special treat this past Father's Day...bacon muffins. I wish I could say that I invented the bacon muffin, but alas. This brilliance is accredited to good ol' Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread Cook Book, circa 1973. The cheddar topping, however, was my addition.

Behold! Bacon goodness...or as Mr. M. put it, "I am eating AWESOME!" Thanks, Mr. M!


Ingredients
(makes 12 muffins)
- 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 well-beaten egg
- 3/4 c. milk
- 1/3 c. cooking oil (I used veggie oil, but only needed about 1 Tbsp because the bacon drippings were nearly the required 1/3 c. This is probably because I cooked a whole slab of bacon and not just the 4-6 strips.)
- 4-6 pieces of crispy bacon, drained + crumbled (retain + set aside the bacon drippings)
- shredded cheddar (optional)

Directions
1. Stir together thoroughly all the dry ingredients; make a well in the center.
2. Combine beaten egg, milk, and oil (**use bacon grease mixed with enough cooking oil to make the 1/3 c. required of the recipe)
3. Stir everything just until moistened. Stir in bacon bits.
4. Fill well-greased or lined cupcake pan 2/3 filled.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes (I did 20 mins, then topped with shredded cheddar, then another 5 minutes to bake.)

What's Cookin? Cinnamon Rolls

Let me preface this post with one fact: this recipe was my first attempt at a yeast bread from scratch. So sure. I could've opted for a simple whole wheat bread loaf, but where's the adventure in that?! So for my first act in yeast breads, I will be sharing my adventure in cinnamon rolls from scratch.

Now, this isn't something for the faint of heart or someone in a hurry. Even knowing how long it would take...I had no idea it would take so long! From start to finish...hours went by. Actually, it took so long that I ran out of time on day one and had to scramble to figure out how to save the dough for the following day. More on that later.

So here goes nothing. 2 dozen really friggin' delish cinnamon rolls, old-school style. Take that, Pillsbury man.

Part One: Sweet Roll Dough.

This is the part that took the longest, though nothing about making the dough was in any way difficult. It's just a bit time-consuming. In the future, I plan to make dough and freeze it for future use, just in case I get a craving for cinnamon rolls. So long as you bring the dough to room temperature before using it, you're good to go (I think a thaw in the fridge overnight, then resting on the counter for an hour or so would do it.)

This basic recipe is the foundation for any sweet breakfast-y pastry (coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, that sort of thing.)

Ingredients for Sweet Roll Dough:

- 2 c. all-purpose flour (I sifted together 1 c. whole wheat flour + 1 c. all-purpose flour.*)
- 1.5 - 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 c. milk
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 1/4 c. shortening
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs

* Measure out the flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling off with a knife, then sift.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast.  On the stove, warm the milk, sugar, shortening, and salt to between 115-120°F, stirring to melt shortening. (I raised my temp. to about 130°F, removed from the heat, and cooled to 118°F. USE A THERMOMETER!)

Add mixture to dry ingredients and add eggs. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.

Stir in 1.5 to 2 cups remaining flour and mix by hand until moderately firm. Lightly flour work top and knead dough for 8-10 mins. Shape into a ball. Place dough ball into a greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise (double) for 45-60 mins.**

**I placed my covered bowl on the top rack of my cold oven and placed another bowl of hot water on the bottom rack. When the oven door is closed, it creates the perfect environment to let the dough rise.

***If you want to freeze or refrigerate your dough for the next day, now's a good time to do it...before dividing it. Just punch it down, cover it, and place in fridge for the next day OR wrap and bag it for freezing.

Once your dough has doubled, punch it down and divide in half on lightly floured surface. Cover again and rest dough for 10 minutes.

Part Two: Cinnamon Rolls

Hope you're still with me on this!

Once you have your basic dough, it's time to make cinnamon rolls. Each half of the dough makes one dozen (12) regular-sized rolls. The recipe below uses all the dough, so if you plan on making half, please remember to halve the ingredients!

Ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls:

- Basic sweet roll dough (part 1 above)
- 1/4 c. butter, melted
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- icing (1 c. sifted powdered sugar + 1/4 tsp. vanilla + just milk to make it drizzly)

Roll each half of dough out into a rectangle appx. 8x12". Brush each with half of the melted butter. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of mixture onto each dough rectangle. Roll each piece, starting with one of the long sides. Seal the edge. Cut into 12 rolls and place into greased pie plate (9" round). Repeat for the 2nd half of the dough. Cover dishes and let sit for 35 mins (the dough should come close to doubling again.) Bake at 375°F for 18-20 mins. Drizzle icing on warm rolls. Best served warm!

I hope you like this recipe - let me know if you give it a try! Happy baking :)

What's Cookin? Wednesday: Peach + Blueberry Cobbler

 {Could use some crème fraîche and mint, but pretty darn good alone!}

OK. I must admit. It's not from scratch...I cheated a little and used a cobbler mix by Calhoun Bend Mill (this mix became the "Official Peach Cobbler of The Louisiana Peach Festival" a decade ago.)

Cobbler mix + milk + butter + peaches + blueberries = summertime happiness.

I picked up my mix at Huffman's, but Calhoun Bend Mill has an online store, too...lots of dessert mixes, bread mixes, fry mixes, and a cookbook called "Taste Southern Goodness" -- wouldn't mind adding that to my collection!

What's Cookin? Handmade Granola

 Truth be told, I am not one to eat breakfast in the mornings. At lunch or even for dinner, count me in, but I just don't have a taste for anything early on. This, of course, is much to the chagrin of my acupuncturist and health coach (both of which I have now, and it's glorious!)

This brings me to granola. Thanks to the Schlabach Amish Bakery Grand-ola I was introduced to just a short while ago, I can say I'm a fan of granola in general. When I ran out of my Grand-ola, and then moved on to finish off the last of some Special K vanilla almond, I thought I'd give making my own Granola a go.

Of course, out of the encouraging pages of my beloved Martha Stewart Body + Soul magazine (aka Whole Living), comes this April 2010 recipe for granola. The best part? I had every, single ingredient!

I made half a batch, since I didn't know if I'd like it or not. My changes are noted:

{click here to be taken to the original recipe}

- 6 cups old-fashioned oats (3 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, etc) coarsely chopped (2/3 c. peanuts, 2/3 c. almonds)
- 1/4 cup seeds, such as sunflower, pepitas, etc. (1/4 c. flax seed)
- 1/3 cup flaxseed meal, wheat germ, or a mixture of the two (none)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1/4 tsp.)
- 3 large egg whites (3 egg whites)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 tsp.-ish groud sea salt)
- 3/4 cup sweetener, such as honey, agave syrup, or molasses (about 1/2 c. honey)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/4 c. EVOO)
- 1 cup dried fruit (sour cherries, cranberries, raisins, etc) coarsely chopped (about 1c., raisins)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, flax and/or wheat germ, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and the salt until frothy. Whisk in the sweetener and the olive oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir until the oats are evenly coated.
3. Transfer mixture to two rimmed baking sheets and spread flat. (I used one massive sheet and a baking mat. One less dish to clean!)
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip with a spatula, moving granola from the outer edges to the center of the sheet. Continue to cook until golden, about 10 minutes more. (If the granola starts to brown too much at the edges, gently stir those parts into the middle.) (Way easier said than done, with the moving to the middle. I think 10 more minutes is excessive. 5-6 additional minutes would be better. Next time, I'll do 15 and 5 mins.)
5. Cool completely on pan, then transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the dried fruit. (Don't bake your fruit or it will get hard!) 
6. *I'm storing mine in a large glass mason jar. This half-batch filled about 1.25 jars. I think a full batch would fit several decently-sized jars well for gifts or as a processed cereal alternative to keep on hand! 

Freebie Friday: Summer Pudding Recipe

{recipe + illustration by Johnathan Hawker via They Draw and Cook}

 The first time I had a traditional English summer pudding, I was visiting my husband's aunts, uncles, and cousins for the very first time. I was 20 and it was my first trip to England. This simple, fresh, and amazing dessert has lingered in my mind for the last ten years. This will be the summer I make one. I hope you'll try it yourself!

{recipe and photo courtesy BBC Good Food}

Here's the BBC Good Food recipe, with some changes, courtesy moi.
Ingredients:

• 300g (10.5oz) strawberries
• 250g (9oz) blackberries
• 100g (3.5oz) redcurrants (if you can't find them, blueberries would be a good replacement)
• 500g (1lb 2oz) raspberries
• OR 2lb 12oz mixed berries and currants of your choice
• 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar (replacements: caster sugar or regular white sugar)
• 7 slices day-old white bread 

Directions: 

1. Bring out the juices: Wash fruit and gently dry on paper towel - keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves - stir a few times. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit (not strawberries). Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.

2. Prepare the bread: Line the basin with cling film (plastic wrap) as this will help you to turn out the pudding. overlap two pieces in the middle of the bowl as it's easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm (6 in). Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut 4 pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give 2 lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut 2 slices into 4 triangles each and leave the final piece whole.

3. Build the pudding: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secondss just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky (I swear it really says 'wonky' in the recipe) rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin's sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can't quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn't matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go.

4. Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top - trim off overhang with scissors. Keep leftover juice for later. Bring cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

Tips:

Berries over cooked or white patches?
The best thing to do is add more berries, strawberries are best. If your bread is patchy, take the spare juice and spoon it over - people will never know.

The sugar in the pan won't dissolve?
It takes a lot longer than you might think to dissolve caster sugar. Be patient and keep the heat low. It's ready when there's no grittiness at the bottom when you stir.

 

Freebie Friday: Moroccan Mint Tea

{hostess with the mostess + marie claire uk}

So who's going to see Sex & the City 2? I definitely want to see it...I mean, Aiden's in it. C'mon! Love him!

Did you know that SatC 2 wasn't filmed in Abu Dabi at all, but rather was filmed in Morocco? Morocco is my mother-in-law's favorite place on earth. I've always wanted to go. Close friends of mine who went on a mission to Morocco have told me their amazing experiences. Because a trip to Morocco isn't happening in my near future, I wanted to celebrate the SatC 2 opening in some fashion...hence, Moroccan Mint tea!

Mint green tea is a sign of hospitality and is steeped (har!) in tradition in Morocco. It is highly respected and valued as an art form, having special tea ceremonies and a rich cultural heritage. Moroccans prepare their tea from green tea and serve with mint.

For you, my friends, a bit of Moroccan hospitality, from me to you:

Moroccan Mint Tea (from Recipezaar & Hostess with the Mostess):

Ingredients

• 10 sprigs fresh mint, plus extra for garnish
• 3 teaspoons green tea
• 3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
• 4 cups water

Directions

1. Boil the water and pour a small amount in the teapot, swishing it around to warm the pot.
2. Combine the mint and green tea and sugar in the teapot, then fill it with the rest of the hot water.
3. Let the tea brew for three minutes.
4. Set out glasses for the tea.
5. A shot-glass is close to the slender glasses used in Morocco.
6. Fill just one glass with the tea, then pour it back in the pot.
7. Repeat.
8. This helps to dissolve and distribute the sugar.
9. Pour the tea.
10. You want a nice foam on the tea so always pour with the teapot a high distance above the glasses.
11. If you do not have at least a little foam on the top of the first glass, then pour it back into the teapot and try again until the tea starts to foam up nicely.
12. Garnish with the remaining sprigs of mint.

What's Cookin? Chicken + Spinach Greek-style pie

For my next trial in cuisine, I thought I'd give this tasty Greek-style spinach + feta pie a try. I added a bit of chicken and rolled it into something like a taquito in the phyllo dough, but you could just as easily stick to the basic recipe, keep it vegetarian, and form it into a big circle pie thing. Enjoy!

{recipe gleaned from bbcgoodfood.co.uk}

- 7 oz. spinach
- 6 oz. jar of sundried tomatoes in oil
- 3.5 oz. crumbled feta
- 1/2 package phyllo pastry dough

(I "Americanized" the recipe, but if you click on the original link above, you'll get the metric conversion)

1. 1 Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
2. Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 8-9" springform cake pan so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.

Make it meaty
Chicken pies: Add 1 cooked, shredded chicken breast to the spinach mixture, then oil 3 sheets of filo per portion and lay them out on top of each other. spoon a few tbsp of the mixture onto one end of each pastry stack. fold over the edges and roll up to make cigar-shaped packages. Brush with oil and cook for 15 mins or until golden and crisp.

What's Cookin? Wednesday: Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

I did it! I cooked! Sort of...Technically, Bubs did the grilling, but still...I was in the kitchen! The recipe originates from one of my vintage cookbooks, with some tiny changes and general lack of measuring (which is completely out of character for me.) All in all, we were happy with the result = cheap, super easy, and tasty!

What's cookin?:


Spinach salad
Homemade honey wheat bread
Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

How to make it?
skinless, boneless chicken breast, chunky cubes
red pepper, cut into chunky pieces
green pepper, cut into chunky pieces
pineapple, cut into chunky pieces
1 c. tomato juice (but you could use any juice. I think orange juice would be better.)
1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp (or a good shake) of the following:
ground ginger
curry powder (I left it out, but it could've used it)
healthy sprinkle of onion salt (or 1 sm onion, grated)
* I  almost put some red pepper flakes in...next time I think I will.

Skewer your chicken, pineapple, and peppers. Set aside in shallow pan. Mix together marinade ingredients. Pour over skewers. Marinate for at least 2 hours. (*I marinated ours for 1 hour and it was good, but the longer, the stronger the flavor, which it needed.) Grill or broil the skewers & serve.

I think Hawaiian sweet bread, a fresh spinach & citrus salad, and coconut rice would be great additions.

Freebie Friday: Yogurt + Berry Ice Pops

{martha stewart}

I need to come clean about something...and that something is my insatiable sweet tooth. This month, I've single-handedly polished off two containers of Edy's Slow Churned and now I'm onto a pint of Haagen Dasz peach fro yo. Seriously, I'm out of control! For the sake of argument, I'm blaming stress...ahem.

The point of it is this: I need a healthier (not to mention cheaper) substitution and fast! (Sure, I could just give it up, but where's the fun in that?!) Somewhere in a recent issue of Body + Soul magazine, they showed perfectly delectable homemade berry fro yo pops. Alas, I can't track down that exact recipe, but I did find two pretty rockin' replacements. I don't have a mold, though, so I may have to get a little creative in that department whilst keeping eyes peeled at the thrift store. I can't wait to give these a try!

1. Tie Dye Pops

2. Raspberry Yogurt Ice Pops

Anyone ever made something like these frozen yogurt pops before? Any advice? I'm also on the look-out for old-fashioned frozen pudding pops recipe a la Bill Cosby. Hook a girl up if you know a good one!

Wanted on Wednesday: The Guinness Menu

{images 1, 2, 3: Guinness Storehouse. image 4: BBC Good Food}

I come from what you might call a "mostly" Irish-American family, though there's a healthy dose of English blood and a Frenchman in there, too. But with names like Ferguson, O'Mahony, Carmay, and Ward floating around in my family tree, my family tends to feel our Irish heritage is something to be celebrated all year long.

So whether you're Irish or are pretending for the day (and who can blame you?), today's a day to celebrate all things Ireland and one of my very favorite products of Ireland is Guinness (shocker, right?) What would be better on a St. Patrick's Day Wednesday than an entire menu made with Guinness? If you're anything like me, this menu will be right up your alley.

Slainte!

1. Triple Threat Guinness Cheese Spread (found here}
2. Irish Stew with Lamb and Guinness (found here}
3. Guinness Chocolate Truffles {found here}
4. Guinness Black Velvet Cocktail {found here}
5. Guinness Oatmeal Bread {found here}
6. Unbeatable Guinness Cake {found here}

Adventures in Macaronage

 {First homemade macarons. Peanut butter + blackberry jam. Delish!}

I have a macaron obsession. They are lovely little bites of sweet and even better to eat. I dream about Pistacia Vera and their signature macarons, with their cheerful colors and mouth-watering flavors like cocoa cassis and Madagascar vanilla bean, but sometimes I dream bigger. Ingredients like rose, lavender, anise, blood orange, hazelnut and white chocolate linger in the back of my mind. Oh, the possibilities!

But I was nervous. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and anyone who knows about the macaron-making process understands that even the experts can fail a batch or two. No pressure there, right? Well, Sunday was the day. In honor of Helen (of Tartelette fame), who did a workshop on her fabo macarons at The Broke Socialite's SugarComa in Atlanta over the weekend, (not even going to go into how amazingly jealous I am to have missed it!!) I tackled my very first attempt at macarons. And I didn't just do any ol' recipe, kiddies. This was Helen's own PB+J macaron recipe...I mean, if you're going to fail, make it a delicious fail, right?

Prepped all of my ingredients first. I chose a 50/50 unsalted peanut + whole almond mixture and ground them together in the processor, rather than using almond flour. This was partly due to the difficulty in finding almond flour near me and upon Helen's suggestion.

I spared you the shots on what a disaster my kitchen became (confectioner's sugar is messy!) and went right for the piped macarons. Though I went in and carefully folded and blended the dry ingredients into the egg white peaks, I know I should've backed off just a bit, perhaps over-folding just slightly. Also, my piping tip was too big (used what I had...a 1" tip.) By trays 5 & 6, I had the sizing and piping technique a bit better and those macarons turned out a much better shape and size. It wasn't critical for me on this first try, but I'll invest in another smaller piping tip (my garbage disposal ate my last one, boo.)

Here is one tray, resting from 5 minutes in the oven at 200°F, before the 7 minutes at 375°. I thought they had spread just a bit too much and was worried they wouldn't rise or form a 'foot' at all at this point.

Though they rose more than I had anticipated, I still think a few less folding strokes early on would've produced a bit taller macaron. However, the consistency is pretty decent and they are really tasty! FYI, to compliment the peanut butter filling, I used a seedless blackberry jam, which was a great choice. The color is pretty and the taste is fresh and organic. Perhaps they aren't the prettiest things ever, but they taste really good! I forgot to sprinkle a bit of crushed peanuts on top. Next time, I'll do that to make them look a bit more finished and add a little crunch.

All in all, I'm really happy with the result. Practice will definitely improve the results. Bubs did freak a little when he ate one and that's nothing short of a victory in my book. I learned a lot, feel accomplished and had fun but more than that, I lost my fear of trying out something new. This is just the beginning, I can tell you that much. Maybe this summer it will be an attempt at a macaron ice cream sandwich à la Jeni's Ice Creams :)

DIY LOVE: Homemade S'mores

{smitten kitchen}

Oh how I love Deb at Smitten Kitchen. All of her mouth-watering recipes and mag-worthy photos has me longing to love my kitchen and embrace all that is culinary. Perhaps that will be my new year's resolution! It's as good as any other, I suppose, though may hinder any forthcoming progress in the weight-loss department (but we can't win them all, can we?)

Homemade S'mores are a treat anyone would love (but especially your hostesses...don't go empty-handed this holiday season!)

All you'll need is a gourmet chocolate (I prefer a dark cocoa, myself) and some cute packaging and your homemade s'mores treats will be ready to give & enjoy!

For packaging, muslin bags, clear plastic take-away containers and glossy boxes with raffia would all look perfect. A personalized sticker or hang tag would be a great final touch, too.

Recipe for Springy, Fluffy Marshmallows found here.
Recipe for Graham Crackers found here.
Chocolate rec: Ghirardelli Dark 60% Cacao Chocolate Squares
(All Ghirardelli Squares chocolates are the perfect s'mores size!)

Thanksgiving Smörgåsbord

{source}

Can you believe it's almost Thanksgiving?! I can't...seriously. Because that means I've been married 10 days now and I just can't bring myself to believe it. Where has the week gone?!

Life at home has slowed, but only by a bit. The last of our England family is off back home today and we'll miss everyone very much. It was so nice to sneak in a little bit more time together! Hopefully, it won't be too long before we can visit again. There's rumors floating around about a family reunion in 2011...some lovely, sunny destination, too. Now, wouldn't that be something? One can certainly hope!

Over dinner at my in-laws last night, we got to talking about an American's traditional Thanksgiving. My new (British) "uncle-in-law" asked me to tell him everything our Thanksgiving entailed. Now that is a fun question to answer and it helped me really start to crave Momma's Thanksgiving meal! (yeah, Momma is still cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year. What a bad wife I am...next year is mine, though, I swear!)

So, back to the question of what makes up my traditional Thanksgiving meal. It only took a couple minutes to recite nearly every yummy morsel (with the Mr. in the background shouting out, "Did you remembers" at me.) What fun!

Then all of that Thanksgiving talk got me thinking today...Thanksgiving traditions are different for every family all over the States. Some have corn bread pudding and pecan pie, others might smoke or deep fry a turkey. Next year, Thanksgiving will be mine to host, but I want to take the opportunity to both pay homage to my traditions and start a few new ones while I'm at it!

Here's what we have every year:

· oven-baked turkey
· Stauffer's stuffing (cooked inside the bird and with additional ingredients...Momma doesn't do giblets!)
· mashed potatoes and Momma's famous gravy
· sweet potatoes (normally without marshmallows)
· Sissy's green bean casserole
· cranberry sauce (I like it from the can, still in gelatinous can-shape, others fresh...so there's normally both)
· some veggies (carrots, corn and/or broccoli)
· some type of salad
· baked bread rolls
· pumpkin pie w/ whipped cream
· normally at least one other dessert, usually changes year-to-year

So...which of your Thanksgiving faves are missing from my list - or - if your list looks like mine, what is your absolute favorite part of a Thanksgiving meal? I hope to glean some new, fun and tasty traditions from your suggestions!

Please, God. Help Me Resist Halloween Candy.

So, having a wedding 2 weeks after Halloween was poor planning on my part. Oh yes, we bought 2 massive bags of it as soon as October hit (as our tradition dictates.) Alas, I can't resist. Miniature sweets are proving too much for me. Today, I'm back to the grind (or Shred, as it were.) Sissy also gently reminded me that a little color on my skin wouldn't kill me...so gradual self-tanning and small-dose tanning bed sessions, here I come. (Yeah, I know. Terrible. Tanning beds are the devil, right? Amazingly enough, I'm over it already.)

What I really want to do is bake these pumpkin cupcakes. Oh, Smitten Kitchen, how I adore thee.

..drool..
{smitten kitchen}

I'm disappointed in myself and my utter lack of self control. Curses, you pesky sweet tooth.

Does anyone know of anything sweet and not terrible for me to eat? I do the low-fat yogurt/granola thing and love that. Crasins are another fave. I feel like I'm missing some quick and tasty treats and could use some help! What are your favorite healthy snacks of the sugary persuasion?

Halloween Party Poop!

For years I've wanted to have a Halloween party and serve this kitty litter cake. Completely revolting and hilarious, just the way Halloween should be! Maybe this will be the year...

{courtesy Kristian Hoffman via Fatale Abstraction}

Recipe courtesy Kristian Hoffman:

CAT LITTER CAKE RECIPE - A sure fire hit for the next family get together or party. WANT TO HAVE FUN AT A PARTY? PREPARE THIS RECIPE AND WATCH YOUR FRIENDS' FACES !!
[*NOTE: THIS CAKE CONTAINS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT IS NOT EDIBLE!!*]
CAKE INGREDIENTS
1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix

1 box of white cake mix
1 package white sandwich cookies
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
A few drops green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls or equivalent
SERVING "DISHES AND UTENSILS"
1 NEW cat-litter box
1 NEW cat-litter box liner
1 NEW pooper scooper
Prepare and bake cake mixes, according to directions, in any size pan. Prepare pudding and chill. Crumble cookies in small batches in blender or food processor. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of cookie crumbs. Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside.
When cakes are at room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Place liner in litter box and pour in mixture.
Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in a microwave until soft and pliable. Shape the blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with three more rolls. Bury the rolls decoratively in the cake mixture. Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter green crumbs lightly over top.
Heat 5 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the litter box. Heat the remaining Tootsie Roll until pliable and hang it over the edge of the box.
Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper. Enjoy!

For We Servantless American Cooks

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I had the best day yesterday. It started with a homemade hazlenut iced coffee, Tommy Dorsey in the car and off to see Julie/Julia with mom. Sure, I had a dress needing a new zipper and hemmed, but chores needed to wait. It was girl time and we had so much fun!

The movie theater was nearly empty, given it wasn't quite noon, but bless them, we're pretty certain we were the youngest people in there. What a nice change -- not a pip or a ring or a cell phone screen light anywhere in sight! (We mostly frequent the theater adjacent to OSU campus. Oh what a joy that is...ugh.) The movie was endearing -- especially the "Julia" storyline. You really just fall in love with her. Meryl Streep did an amazing job. The "Julie" storyline? Well. It was OK. At times, Julie seemed to grovel and took on a bit too much self-loathing for my taste. In more than one scene, I wished her husband to keep his mouth shut *while eating AND in general. But don't let that stop you from seeing it. It's well worth it!

Now. I'm no cook. I'll bake and candy-make anything under the sun, but when I was a kid, I had a bit of a kitchen fire and it put me off of cooking completely. Honestly, I want to learn and get creative and make delicious things. I have a great collection of vintage recipe books and everything, but I just can't seem to take that first leap. Until now. Julia Child has inspired me.

This Sunday, it's Boeuf Bourguignon, to honor my grandpa (because it was his favorite and ate it every day he and my mom were in France.)

And I'm not going to tackle just any Boeuf Bourguignon...non, mes amis. It's going to be Julia's famed Boeuf Bourguignon, thanks to Random House/Knopf Doubleday, the recipe is here for the world to try. I took that as a sign to get off my keister and give it a go.

(Below, I've linked their PDFs taken directly from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

· recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon (beef burgandy)

· recipe for Champignons Sautés au Beurre (mushrooms sautéed in butter)

· recipe for Oignons Glacés à Brun (brown-braised onions)

I hope that your weekend is filled with adventures, in the kitchen and out.
Let us all be fearless! Bon appétit!

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{edit: What are the odds that I just got my Martha Stewart newsletter via email and they're featuring Julia Child's Beef Bourguignonne recipe? Take THAT, Martha!}

Emergency Post: How to Make a Tom Collins

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Eegads! What is a Tom Collins, you ask, oh dear anonymous commenter? It's a perfect summer sipper cocktail, which was quite popular in the 1950s and 60s. Basically, it's a jazzed up gin sour, but it sure is tasty!

If you're of age and of the inclination, whip yourself up one and let me know what you think! But please. Don't skimp on the gin. Get the good stuff. Life is just too short to drink bad liquor. Srsly.

What you'll need:

2 oz. quality gin
1 oz. lemon juice
1 tsp superfine sugar or simple syrup
3-4 oz. club soda
1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry

What you'll do:

Shake gin, lemon juice and sugar together with ice and pour over ice. Add club soda and garnish with orange and cherry. Ta-da! That, my fine friend, is a Tom Collins.

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How To Make Ice Cream Like an Artisan

{Courtesy Food & Wine, Lisa Fjeld & Frances Janisch}

Must read for foodies everywhere: How To Make Ice Cream Like an Artisan

Jeni's rockstar ice cream genius is being shared with us all...in the form of recipes for the home ice cream maker. I'm literally swooning...and resisting to put an ice cream machine on the registry to make these recipes alone. Instead, I'm going to bribe Mr. M. (or beg & plead) for his ice cream maker. Oh joy for homemade Jeni's at my birthday party! That might be all we eat, come to think of it...

I can has flavors:
Vanilla Bean
Pistachio
Mint
Strawberry Fro Yo
Lemon-Blueberry Fro Yo
Melon Sorbet
Sour-Cherry Lambic Sorbet
Sugar Syrup