All New Ina!

Ina is back with a brand new season of shows...I hope it is more like the original BFC...those are such useful shows to me...taught me so much.



Today's Show: Brown bagging it just got a Barefoot makeover. This is portable food with full on flavor including Grilled Tuna Wasabi rolls, Lentil Vegetable Soup and Granola Bars.

Recipes in This Episode
Grilled Tuna Rolls
Homemade Granola Bars
Lentil Vegetable Soup

the show starts today at 1:30pm EST...set your DVR's! :)

Summertime Cocktails

I love an ice cold beer or glass of chilled white wine in the summertime, but sometimes you wanna have a great cocktail. I found these great recipes for cocktails that I think would be really great for any summer get together:

First, a French Margarita:

The addition of the chambord is a nice touch. I love margaritas on the rocks too. Love the berry garnish.


Here is more of a dessert cocktail...a Key Lime Freeze. The graham cracker rim is a nice touch:



Here is a Red Wine Sangria. I love sangria!!


This Limon Crush sounds yummy:


This Coconut Caipirinha sounds so refreshing:


Hmm...what should I have tonight? :)

4th of July 2009

So my friend Kristy and I are planning a little pool party tomorrow. She and I have developed this great friendship...we both love to cook...so this is our first attempt to throwing a party together. I can't get over how at ease I am with the preps for this one. I truly have a partner who has as much fun as I do. :) I AM GOING TO HAVE REAL FUN TOMORROW!!

So, we are still in the process of preping and setting up, but I wanted to share with you our table:





Plates were 4 for $1 at walmart. The napkins are dishtowels, 7 for $3 at walmart, the runner was $20 at Pier 1, the colanders and pails are from the Pottery Barn, but all together, makes a lovely table.

Don't you love the cracker jacks? 3 for $1 at walmart. They even have this antique packaging that really compliments our table setting.

I will post more photos later when we get our buffet set up.

Happy 4th of July everyone!
Marcie

Farmer's Market Grill

My friend Lon told me about Fresh Field Farm a few weeks ago...so I had to check it out. One day, I am going to take photos inside because I always love what I see. I have a huge smile on my face looking at all the gorgeous produce. This is just a portion of what I picked up on my first trip:



Gorgeous huh! Anyway, my friend Kristy came over and we got to cooking.

I have NEVER cooked artichokes...and I had to buy these. they were like $1 a piece and HUGE! I needed some help, so I looked on the Food Network and found this video by Chef Anne Burell on how to peel and prep the artichokes. I just went as far as the preping and peeling...I kept my artichokes whole.



So, got them peeled, I boiled them in salted water for about 25-30 min. Just to soften them.



Then we got all of the rest of the veggies on the grill. Aren't the colors GREAT?!





I also picked up some NY Strip steaks at the Farmers Market, and Kristy marinated them with some fresh garlic, olive oil and herbs de province that my friend Steve brought back from Cannes for me.



I then cut the parboiled artichokes in half and put them on the grill for some char. Kristy also made a vinagrette that she brushed onto the veggies as soon as they came off of the grill. I will have to ask her what was in there...it was amazing.

When the steaks were done, Kristy put them on a bed of fresh large leaf arugula from Whole Foods...THIS WAS SO GOOD!! I guess I have always had baby arugula...well if you love that flavor...try this mature version...the flavor is so strong and delicious!



Kristy brought over some Steak House wine from her new find The Wine Barn, and we sat for a great meal...we moaned over every bite! We didn't even have any starch..straight up meat and veggies and we didn't miss it either!



Always have to end the night with esspresso...I picked up these rock candy sticks...very nice way to serve your coffee.



Find your local farmers market and enjoy!

More Loveliness from Amy Atlas

I swear everytime I see a table display by Amy Atlas, I wanna cry. They are just STUNNING. Look at this loveliness:



What did I tell ya...here are some close ups:





Everytime she posts more images, it is like Christmas for me. Enjoy!!

The Cutest Cupcakes!

Look at what the little elves cooked at at Martha Stewart...aren't these darling!



I love those! I recently saw these cupcakes with just the umbrella, but Martha took them to the next level and they are so clever.


Why can't I come up with cool stuff like that! Maybe because all my creativity is sucked dry from my real job...and when I come home, all I wanna do is play bejeweled till I pass out? huh? haha...no ya, really that is true.

Plum Clafoutis

I have been going to the fresh produce market for a few weeks now...the produce is so amazing. Fresh fresh! Find your local farmers market or direct from the farm market...totally worth it and you can be inspired by the finds. I bought some pretty little plums there for my husband...he eats tons of fruit...I can't keep it in the house long enough. Anyway, these plums weren't very sweet, so I decided to make them into a dessert.

I would normally make my SUMMER BERRY COBBLER...but I saw this recipe on the Barefoot Contessa a few years ago and wanted to try it. It is basically a crepe batter that you pour over fresh fruit and bake. Very simple. The longest part was cutting up and fanning the plums, but it was fun too! :)




Plum Clafoutis

8 small plums
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425F and lightly grease a 10-inch round baking/tart dish.
Peel pears. Slice in half and remove cores and stems. Slice crosswise every 1/8 inch and fan around a 10 inch round baking dish, stem ends facing into the center. If your pears are large, you might only use 6 halves around the outside of the pan. If this is the case, add one of the remaining pear halves to the center of the dish (as pictured above). Sprinkle pears with approx. 1 tbsp sugar.
In a food processor, blend flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg until smooth, about 15 seconds. Pour mixture on top of pears and sprinkle again with remaining sugar.



Bake for 15 minutes at 425F. Turn oven down to 350F and bake an additional 25-30 minutes, until clafoutis is golden brown and a tester (sharp knife) inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 8.

Note: The clafoutis will fall a little bit as it cools, so don’t be surprised!



We wanted to try it so badly, I almost forgot to take a photo! So there is a scoop out of this one. This is a great recipe for any fresh summer stone fruit...peaches, plums, apricots...even pears would be excellent. Give it a try, it is super simple and delicious.

Martha's Cupcake Book

Martha's Cupcake book is coming out in just a few weeks...and to tease us...she is giving us a recipe a day on her show.

You can PREORDER the book...I think I might just do that. I would love to do it for my brother Louis, but I am sure he did already! He should write his own book with his AMAZING cupcakes!

Anyway, I have only seen a few the Martha shows this week (my dvr is full!) but every cupcake I have seen is worth a try. The Lemon meringue especially because I have one of those cool torches and love to use it!

The Lemon Meringue Cupcakes:


Makes 24
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Lemon Curd
Seven-Minute Frosting
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
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 until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
To finish, spread 1 tablespoon lemon curd onto middle of each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #828 or Wilton #8B) with frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip slightly and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Hold a small kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from surface of frosting, and wave it back and forth until frosting is lightly browned all over. Serve immediately.

Then there is the Chocolate Cupcake...always good!

Makes 12
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Easy White Icing
Sprinkles (optional)
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with Easy White Icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Show Me Your Mussels

I am convinced that Friday nights are the best nights to entertain...they force you to be casual, impromptu, no preplanning, just "hey let's get together and make a feast" kind of nights. You can have a few drinks, and still have Saturday and Sunday to recover, which in my mind is a VERY good thing! :)

My friend Kristy came over and we started to cook. But first a cocktail break...

This is the Peach Basil Martini:





This is a great cocktail that we all enjoyed...a great summer drink that you should try! :)









But I digress...this post is all about the Mussels!

On our way home from work, we stopped at the market to pick up something to make for dinner. We wanted some shrimp, then I noticed the mussels...they were on sale...so I asked Kristy if she had ever cooked them...she said no, so I said...what the heck! We bought a pound each of shrimp and mussels thinking we would just figure it out when we got home.



Fish, shellfish, anykind of fish...I have always been afraid to cook...it isn't cheap, and it is very delicate easily ruined...and that I just couldn't face! :) I love it though! So, I had to start somewhere.

What I didn't realize is fish makes a quick meal...and elegant one, and one that doesn't require lots of planning! I love this.

We found a recipe in the Barefoot in Paris book by Ina Garten...and I just happened to have everything on hand...and off we went to create this FANTASTIC dinner.

Note: This recipe uses all mussels, but we bought 1 lb of shrimp and 1 lb of mussels to make this recipe.

Mussels in White Wine
Barefoot In Paris by Ina Garten
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
3 pounds cultivated mussels
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon good saffron threads
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup good white wine
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand.





Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.



Add the mussels,



stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom.



NOTE: at 8 minutes, we added the peeled, deveined shrimp to the pot to cook for the last 3 minutes.

Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.



Isn't this gorgeous? We served it with fresh lemon slices and toasted garlic ciabatta bread to sop up the delicious broth...so good!




This is an impressive dinner. The flavors are out of this world...tastes like a million bucks. This will be a go to recipe for me from now on. It was so simple and easy, and the results to DIE FOR! :) I know I say that a lot, but it is so true...this is a delicious recipe. If you are a virgin shellfish cooker, give this one a try, you won't be sorry!

Olivia's Banana Bread

This is my go to recipe for banana bread. I got it from my dear friends Jimmy & Olivia. They are great cooks and bakers. Jimmy is always bringing in lovely baked bread, pastries, muffins baked by his lovely wife Olivia. He is so sweet, always has a smile on his face and reminds me that work is just work, and not to stress about the little things. He spoils me rotten and I love him! :)

So I wanted to share this bread recipe with you! Give it a try, it is really good!
1 c Very Ripe Bananas (about 3 or 4)
1 c white sugar
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c sour cream
2 Eggs
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine bananas, sugar, oil, sour cream and eggs:
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. add to banana mixture just until combined.
Pour into 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

I doubled the recipe and used one of my favorite bundt pans, given to me by my SIL Claudia. I love this one!

I am going to make a cupcake out of this banana bread, as soon as I find a good icing for it. I know a straight up cream cheese icing would work, but I want to be a little more thoughtful and unique about flavors if I can.

Any ideas?

Spring Fling

I know I live in Florida, and the weather is always warm...but there is something about the spring time...the colors, the flowers, the fresh fruit!



My friends Kristy and Sara came over for Easter so I put together some good eats...first, my simple spring table setting:


Then, Kristy came up with a great cocktail for us. We were in St. Augustine the week before, and had a Cava (Spanish Champagne) Sangria at the Columbia restaurant that was fantastic. Kristy created these tasty drinks for us...

Champagne, fresh fruit, white wine, peach puree, triple sec...Gorgeous and delicious!!

Next food:
Simple spring salad with fresh fruit, arugula, goat cheese, toasted walnuts and balsamic vinagrette:

The main course was a baked ham and a roasted pork tenderloin:

I made a reduction of the pork juices, orange juice, plum cherry jam and balsamic that was fantastic!

This is my new favorite pasta salad for the summer. Roasted garlic oil, orzo, fresh spinach, toasted walnuts, roasted garlic, goat cheese and salt and pepper. I had a salad similar to this at Whole Foods, this time, I added dried cherries for some chewy texture...so simple and delicious!!


Roasted asparagus with parmesan...love roasted veggies...thanks Ina Garten!


For dessert, I made these Espresso Caramel Bars, a recipe by Giada DeLarentis...really good...more like eating a chewy candy bar. I sprinkled the top with flake salt...SO GOOD and decadent. Served them with espressos and lattes.


Hope you are all enjoying your springtime!

Project Wood

OMGoodness...I haven't blogged in forever! The truth is, I have become a social networking butterly at work, tweeting and blogging for Ripley's...I have left myself little time to share my life with all of you...I am still cooking and entertaining, so I do have a lot to share.

First I want to tell you about a little project I helped my friend Sara with. She is the sister of my good friend Kristy...and we all have become fast friends. Kristy called me one afternoon and said her sister needed help with creating a flyer for an event she was planning...her designer dropped out and she needed help quick!

After a couple hours and a few bottles of wine, I cranked out this flyer for Project Wood, an art show for a local artist Steph Wood:



So I place the order for the flyers, and I think I am done. Then Kristy proposes that we help Sara make some food for the event, and wonders if Paul would photograph...They expected 100 people, didn't sound too difficult...sure, why not?

Kristy suggested skewers with mozzerella, basil tomato, and I recommended chocolate fountain. The budget was very small, and these items worked perfectly for this party. Here are some highlights:


Here is one of the servers passing some of our food...We served them on silver trays, and used stemless wine glasses with olive oil and balsamic on the plate for some interest.



The Chocolate Fountain was the best purchase I have ever made...I have used this so many times at parties, and people love it...so inexpensive too.





Kristy created a peach basil martini that was to die for...she was so busy that night, making that cocktail...everyone wanted it!




Here are some party shots:






Sara took a hair salon downtown and turned it into an art gallery...the space was perfect for an event like this...it really felt like an art gallery!

Here are Sara, Event Producer on the left and Steph Wood, the artist on the right.

One of the highlights was a performace by musician Peter Baldwin. He was really great:

I have a feeling you will hear more about him soon!

Project Wood was a great time, Paul snapped some great shots!

Vivi's 2nd 21'st Birthday

So, my BFF Vivi just turned 21...for the 10th time and we had to go and celebrate. Our good friend Kristy decided to show us her side of town and she recommended Harmoni Market. I have never been, and I LOVED IT. Walking up to the building, I noticed that I had seen that name before. They just put a sign up for this place less than a mile from my house...which thrills me to no end...we need some culture and good food around these parts!

but I digress...back to the festivities! Here is Vivi's Birthday portrait, at Harmoni...


She is so fabulous wouldn't you say?

If you have never been Harmoni is this lovely little Mediterranean style bistro that serves amazing wines, coffee, salads, flatbreads, entrees, a great place all around.





It has a really great vibe...good music...and Gourmet Market all rolled into one.






If you have never been, you have to try it. I look forward to having on my side of town and getting to know it a bit more.


We had a lovely time. (Kristy, Marcie, Vivi & My mom, Carmen)

We then proceeded to the Winter park Art Festival. It was a gorgeous day for a walk thru the park...the crowded park, but we had a great time enjoying the sites:












(By the way, Louis, Mom wants you to paint this painting for her.)

My favorite part this trip was visiting The Wine Room on Park Avenue. I simply must go back and spend more time. It is a simple concept. Get a card, like a debit card, put some money on it, and go around and try some wines...SO FUN!



Here we are in action:













We had a great time!

Miso Yummy!

I just love Miso soup. Anytime we go for sushi, I have to have some. Little did I realize this would be so easy to make at home.

I also love my local Asian grocery. They have great ingredients, imported from all over Asia, at 1/2 of the cost that you find it at the market. I go there every few months to stock up on essentials like hoisin, mirin, sambal...I like to keep lots of these ingredients on hand.

This time, I picked up some white miso. Miso is basically fermented soy bean paste. It is very salty, and it is what gives miso soup that yummy flavor we all know and love. I also picked up some dashi (fish stock) soup base.


Last night, I made us some Miso Soup using a simplified version of this Tyler Florence recipe:

Ingredients
8 cups water
1 package Dashi Base
1/2 cup light miso
1 pound baby bok choy, cut in quarters
2 nests of frozen soba noodles
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
Directions
In a large soup pot over medium heat combine 8 cups water with one package of the dashi. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes - do not let it boil. Add miso to the pot and let it simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, Add the bok choy and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tofu and soba noodles and cook for another 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!.

Because this was all we had for dinner, I added the noodles, but normally, Miso doesn't have noodles. It was really good. I also dropped in some dehydrated kelp at the end.



After dinner, we watched the movie 'My Best Friend's Girl' with Dane Cook, cute movie. We drank some white burgandy wine with strawberries...so delicous. Was like champagne without the bubbles. My new fav for the summer!



Our little coz was snuggling on the couch with us. He is so cute!

Salted Caramel Cupcake

Salted Caramel Cupcake
Originally uploaded by Sweetness in Seattle

Now this cupcake just sounds like heaven. I am investigating lots of recipes because I wanna become one of those cupcake masters. This sounds like a sure winner to me. I am going to try it and if it works, I will share the recipe here.

Description: Chocolate cake filled with salted caramel topped with a caramel chocolate ganache and sprinkled with fleur de sel.

Ooh, Shiny!

I don't know why, but I am fascinated with clear glass, shiny objects, mirror, glitter. I love the way that light reflects and creates a beautiful shine! I love clear dishes, glass containers the list goes on and on.

Well, when I saw this Rain Installation created by artist Stacee Kalmanovsky....I was just like...WOW.

This is so beautiful:





This would be awesome set above my tabletop, done on a much smaller scale, of course, but how cool would it be to dine under these?

Check Stacee out: http://www.staceekalmanovsky.com.

Cute Easter Idea

Hey peeps, it has been way too long since my last post. Work has been a bit overwhelming to say the least which leaves me no time to party...but I intend to fix that very soon. Got Easter coming up, and a baby shower to plan for my friend Vanessa, so I will have lots to post soon.

Speaking of Easter, I saw this adorable idea in my latest Pottery Barn catalog.



I have a collection of cakeplates that will work for this display...let's just see if I get around to doing it...but wouldn't that look adorable?

I love the bell jars!

Can you feel the love tonight?

So, I celebrated Valentines Day with my husband, but I also invited a few of my SINGLE LADIES over so we could all enjoy a great night of food and friends! This dinner was all about small portions...so had six courses!

Here are some of the highlights:

I made chocolate covered strawberries with toasted hazelnuts, and my Mom made these sweet cupcakes that looked like flowers. These were used to decorate the table...and as party favors.







I decked out the table in red and silver...used the cupcakes and chocolate strawberries as my centerpiece, which I set at the end of the table.













COURSE 1: Baked Brie with French Bread
We started with our favorite Baked Brie...you really must try this...it is to die for!


COURSE 2: Cream of Asparagus Soup
This was made by my Mom. I will post the recipe later. THIS WAS SO DELICIOUS!!! We served these in coffee cups!




COURSE 3: Goat Cheese Tart with Arugula tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette
Kristy created these delicious tarts...it was all YUMMY!





COURSE 4: Mushroom Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter, Saulteed Butternut squash gorgonzola and sweet balsamic glaze.
I made a batch of fresh pasta and rolled out these little babies. I made one large ravioli per person. The balsamic glaze was a nice touch to counterbalance the richness of the gorgonzola.


COURSE 5: Red Wine braised Short Ribs served over sour cream mashed potatoes and au jus
This was a last minute addition to my menu. I thought this would be an easy entree and I was right. I just seared these babies and then the cooked in the crock pot for the rest of the day. The meat was amazingly tender and had great flavor!



COURSE 6: Molten Lava Cake ala mode with Raspberry coulee
We ended the night with Molten Lava Cakes and Cappucinos. Yes there were cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries...but hey, it is VALENTINES DAY! These little babies have a soft chocolate center and were so YUMMY! Just on the verge of "death by chocolate!"





My Mom lives in Orlando now, and she is AMAZING! She is like the engergizer bunny, I dirty a dish, it is cleaned and put away before I turn around...she is an amazing chef too! She preps like a champ and she is so fun! We had a great time making dinner together!



We started cooking around 11 am yesterday, and we were done about 3...If she wasn't here, I would have been stressed, and not done...this is the first time that I truly enjoyed myself! We all had a lovely time! Kristy was great because she has tons of catering experience, and she helped me plate everything between courses...we are a well oiled machine and can do anything!! I love you girl! The only person you don't see is Viviana, as always, she is behind the camera. THANKS VIVI for the amazing pics!!

What about Paul you ask? Wel...Paul serenaded us! :)

Be Mine...Valentine

Just made a few Valentines...I keep a box on my desk at work. The people I work with know I am kind of crafty...and when they need cards and don't have time to go to the drug store, they stop by my desk.

I sell them for a few bucks...but they are all made with love...and I really sell them because I just like to share pretty things! :)

I am kinda into the cupcake theme this year:

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love those dark chocolate cookies at Panera, called Duet...so I was on a quest to find a good recipe. I settled with this one here. I adjusted the recipe a bit because I didn't have any chocolate chips in my house (i know, for shame)! So I substituted milk and dark chocolate bars...I just cut them into big chunks.


Double Chocolate Chip Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


Next time I make these, I will add white chocolate chips like the Panera version. I have them in the new cake stand my husband got me for Christmas.


It is just like a diner. We went to a restaurant supply store, and a few months agoI was admiring this stand...(I have a cake plate fetish!) He is so sweet, cause he went back and got it for me. I keep it on my counter with whatever fresh baked goods I have made. I just LOVE it! Thanks Honey!

Baked Brie

Ok, I know baked brie has been around forever. It is so yummy warmed right out of the oven. Well, I had this at a recent Pampered Chef party, and I have been dreaming about it ever since, so I had to make it. Check this out:



There are tons of PC recipes that are keepers, because they are so simple! This one is right up there. The real beauty is you toast the bread and serve it all on the pizza stone...Love that!

Take a wheel of brie, slice it right down the center and set it in the middle of the stone, cut side up. I then spread some apricot/pineapple preserves, and sprinkled some pecans on top. Then take the 2nd half of the wheel, again, cut side up, and put it on top of the first half. Add more preserves and pecans.

Then slice a loaf of french bread and set it all around the brie. Put the whole thing into a 425 degree oven for 8-10 min. Let stand for 5 min before serving.

This is A-MAZ-ING! Simply serve it right on the stone with a large knife for cutting. Your guests will just cut it wedges and eat it on the bread. The rind is even good...I know some people who don't like to eat the rind...warming it like this, the whole thing is so good. You have to try it! This is a simple recipe with big impact.

My NYE Table Setting

This is a little late, but I wanted to document this table I set for New Years Eve. I shared a quiet nite in with my hubby. We had an AWESOME time together!

This is my table...I went with a silver theme...and pulled some of the silver ornaments I had hanging on the tree to dress the table, some little glass marbles (i love these) reflective surfaces, white dishes...total shine!





I picked up 2 porterhouse steaks, and just salt and peppered them and thru in some thinly sliced garlic:


Then I made my favorite steak accompaniment..sauteed mushrooms and shallots in a red wine reduction...SO GOOD!


I picked up some chicken base for a recipe, and saw there was also a beef base...similar to boullion, but a much deeper flavor. I used a little in here which helped the color and made them so delicious and meaty.



I roasted some potatoes with salt, pepper, olive oil and whole cloves of garlic (still in the skin) and I also roasted some asparagus...if you have never tried this, do it...they are delicious! I also did a little surf and turf by grilling up some jumbo shrimp that I had marinating in lemon zest and olive oil.



This was WAY too much food, we only really ate 1/2 of the steaks, mushrooms and asparagus...but it was all really yummy! I used the left over potatoes in a breakfast disn the next morning!





I find I spend a lot of time trying to make lots of other people happy...and this year, I am going to take more time out for me and the people I love the most...make it special, even if it is just the two of you! It is so worth it! :) HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

So there are no holidays on the horizon to deck the halls for...I have to cook! :) This time, it is enchiladas...green chile chicken...so simple and easy:

I usually buy a rotisserie chicken once a week. We eat 1/2 for dinner one night, and the next night I shred the rest for another meal...this is the perfect recipe for that.

Take your shredded chicken and add it to a saute pan with 1/2 diced onion and a small can of green chile, just until the onions begin to turn translucent:



Add about 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar, you could also use monterey jack...I just have a love affair with cheddar.



In the mean time, take a clean lint free dish cloth...tuck about 5 corn tortillas inside and nuke in the microwave for about 15 seconds...I always work in small batches, because it is easy to just warm up more.

Take a warmed tortilla, and spoon in some of the chicken filling:



Fold each side up over the filling, and lie them seam side down in a baking dish that has been prepped with cooking spray:



Keep rolling, warming more tortillas as you need them. Once the dish is full, use a can of green chile enchilada sauce. and pour over the top of the enchiladas.



Then use another cup of cheese to top the enchiladas, this time I used a mix of cheddar and monterey jack, and another can of green chilies:



Cook in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes until everything is warmed thru and the top is bubbly and golden:



Serve with some refried beans...home made of course, don't you dare buy canned refried beans...I will show you how to make those one day. Trust me you will LOVE THEM! People who say they hate refried beans have only had bad ones! :)



The great thing about green chiles is that it is super mild...no heat at all...just good flavor and cheesy goodness!

Turkey Soup Anyone?

So, does anyone else still have any leftover turkey? I decided to make some soup out of mine.

I started with a simple miripois: I finely diced 2 celery ribs, 1/2 an onion and 2 carrots. I sautéed them a bit, then added one box of chicken stock and 1 tsp. of poultry seasoning.



In the mean time, I sauteed some mushrooms, zuchinni and garlic with a bit of fresh sage. Once it was nice and golden, I added them to the pot.



After it came to a simmer, I took my leftover turkey and added it to the pot. I also dropped in 2 cups of egg noodles.



When the noodles were done, I added the juice of a meyer lemon. We had tons of them this season, and I just like the flavor of citrus and poultry. I garnished with some fresh sage and served with some nice crusty bread...YUM!

Making Fresh Pasta

I took a pasta making class a few months ago at my local Williams Sonoma, and just had to try it at home. My husband found me the rollers online, we opened up some wine, and off we went...here are some pics:

We made to different flavors, a classic fresh pasta:


and a Spinach flavored pasta:


This dough was so easy to make, one in the kitchenaid, and one in the food processor. I don't know why I am so afraid of dough...I just need to be more adventurous in my cooking the payoff is enormous!

The most magical part is cutting the pasta in the rollers, instantly it is pasta!:





I also made some raviolis with a filling I made with sauteed mushrooms, garlic and ricotta:









I haven't tried it since, but I definitely will again. The process was pretty simple. You can even freeze the dough for up to three months, make a big batch and freeze the dough.







There is really nothing like fresh pasta!

Plans for New Years Eve

Looking for little inspiration for your decor...Martha has some great and simple ideas:



These are my favs:




I am just cleaning up from Christmas cooking...so I will post more about that later...I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Setting the scene for an easy Christmas Morning

So, all is done in our home...It is just my husband and I tonight...I am making us a nice steak dinner...no drinking though, Paul wants to go to midnight mass completely sober for once! haha but seriously...

I actually cooked our steaks in my Breville panini press, THANKS VIVI!!







For tomorrow morning, I made Martha's Canadian Bacon Strata:


I added some frozen country style hasbrowns and some chives to the recipe...just to change it up a bit.




I just popped it in the oven this morning for breakfast...we also had mimosas.




This breakfast is very light! So yummy! We have lots of left overs, and it keeps nicely like a quiche...great at room temperature.

I am going to start to make a berry tart for dessert tonight...we are going to our good friends home tonight...Joan and Wayne. It is always a blast over there. She is really one of the main reasons I love to entertain. She always puts out a spread, and makes me feel so special and loved...I LOVE HER!!! I will try to post more pics later.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

New Toys!

So...for working really hard on the Decades parties I told you about a few weeks ago...I got a very generous gift from my company. It was actually a gift card to our mall...and I was so exicted, because I could shop to my hearts content at the Crate and Barrel and Williams Sonoma...does anyone else feel like I do? :)

So, WS had a sale, 20% off of EVERYTHING in the store. They don't normally discount their wares like that, so I felt it was the right opportunity to use some of my card cash...

I picked up this beautiful All-Clad stainless steel 14" fry pan. It is so lovely! I feel like such a serious cook now! :)



Look at my pathetic old pan...SO SMALL! And it had the seperate bottom, that has been warped forever...my all clad is all one piece and I never have to worry about it seperating. It is a major investment, but it has a LIFETIME warranty...so it is well worth it! And it was a gift,so my husband won't have a fit when I tell him I spent almost $200 on a fry pan! haha. After the sale, the pan was only $132...a GREAT deal!


I also picked up this pretty little tart pan...looking for a good fruit tart recipe now to make for tomorrow, and a new microplane.

Card Making

I have a craft room...filled with papers and pens, stamps and punches...anything and everything a paercrafter would need to make beautiful things. I don't think I have been in there all year! It is super sad...so one of my resolutions is to take more time out for me...to do the things that I like to do. To get a little inspiration, I have found some fun papercrafting vids that I wanted to share:

This vid is a super easy craft...but I just loved the video...


Here is a link to their Etsy store.

This little clip is from Kristina Werner, I just think she is adorable...and these gift tags are beautiful:


See more of Kristina on her blog.

Christmas Centerpieces by Colin Cowie

Colin Cowie on the CBS Early Show and easy Christmas Centerpieces: