Fleur De-Lectable

Under the Sea.....to Under the Weather

2012-01-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

Before we left for our 10 day trip back home I packed everything I needed to decorate a beautiful mermaid themed birthday cake.

(at least the design in my head was beautiful)

Sprinkles, homemade fondant, cutters, icing gel colors, streamers, pink plates and forks, a cake board and MUCH MUCH MORE.

While packing all of my baking gear I came across a cupcake liner and topper set I bought a while ago and I threw it in the box. I really didn't know why but in the back of my mind I said "just in case"

well guess what?
I ended up needing that back up box and I was so glad for my over planning!
During our trip both the kids and Louis ended up with terrible colds and one ear infection which led to antibiotics, cough medicine, humidifiers and many nights of being up at all hours trying to console one of them.
The day before we had scheduled all of our family to come over and share a piece of that beautiful cake I had in my mind we had to cancel the party. My little mermaid princess was just too sick to invite people over. I was so sad for her but I still wanted to do something fun, so out came the fairy themed cupcake box.
Pink cake, purple icing and fairy toppers

She got to eat her girly cake in her footed pj's, princess crown and Ariel nightgown, Vick's vapo-rub and all!

(please excuse the hideous face I am making, apparently I eat cake like an animal)

Today is her birthday

She is 3 and very proud of it!

We are so blessed to have her and I couldn't imagine life without her

so sweet

and so sassy

Thanks to Al Gawlik Photography for the amazing pictures! If you live in Austin you must check her out!

How Time Flies

2012-01-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Well the holidays just swept me away and I can't believe it's already January!

Today I was busy packing Christmas decorations to put away (among all of the other chores that go along with a 10 day trip back home) and the kids were a little upset with me.

They didn't really know why I had to put away all the decorations, why I was taking ornaments off of the Christmas tree and why Santa was no longer "comin' to town"

I tried to put it the best way I knew how: "now we get to start all over again"

Trying to further make this transition a little more exciting than disappointing I reminded them both that after Christmas we also get to celebrate B's birthday

My baby girl is going to be 3 tomorrow

and I thought I'd share with you a cake I make recently for another princess that turned 2

This little beauty had a Dr Seuss themed birthday party so a bright, colorful two tiered cake was requested

I made a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and covered it with fondant and fondant accents

I hope she enjoyed her special day!

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

2011-12-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

Mint and Chocolate

I think that is one perfect combination

These cookies are so easy (are you noticing a recurring theme here lately?)

and so delicious

especially if you get one right out of the oven when it's still gooey

It's impossible to just eat three

the base is a boxed brownie mix so the cookies are extra fudgy and soft

How could you not leave one of these out for Santa?

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

1 (19.9 ounce) box brownie mix

1 large egg

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp water

1 tsp peppermint extract

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Preheat oven to 375 ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine brownie mix, egg, water, peppermint extract and oil in large bowl. Stir until well blended. Scoop a Tablespoon of dough for each cookie and place about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet. Top each cookie with crushed candy cane pieces.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are just set in the center. Cool for 3 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

White Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Bark

2011-12-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

Here is another really easy and festive addition to your Christmas Cookie tins- and it's even Christmas-y colors too!

White Chocolate Pistachio Cranberry Bark

here's how I made mine:

Melt some white chocolate over a double boiler, spread it out with an offset spatula on a large wax paper lined cookie sheet and then sprinkle it with chopped pistachios and dried cranberries (I used pomegranate infused ones) press the nuts and cranberries down slightly to make sure they stick and then let it set

Once it is solid break it into hunks and snack away!

Chocolate Christmas Pretzels

2011-12-20T13:09:00.000-08:00

I am fully aware that these are not gourmet, fancy or difficult in any way, but I still adore them.

Sweet and Salty is my favorite flavor combo and these give me just that.

And they're pretty cute too!

I found these adorable holly and Christmas tree sprinkles in the dollar bins at Target and used them to decorate the quick and easy treat

What a cheerful addition to your Christmas cookie platter!

Eggnog Brigadeiros

2011-12-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent most of the day in pajamas, drinking eggnog flavored coffee, listening to Christmas music and baking, cooking and candy making.

In short; I was in heaven.

When planning what I was going to include in my Christmas goodie boxes I came across this recipe and had to give it a shot.

A Brazilian candy made of sweetened condensed milk, butter and spiced rum...seriously how could something with that ingredient list not be good?!

You start out with the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, butter and freshly grated nutmeg in a heavy saucepan and cook it on medium low heat constantly stirring. And stirring. And still stirring.

I may have wimped out during the constant stirring and asked Louis to take a turn at the stove.

Twice

After they are ready you chill it, scoop it into small balls and roll it in a coating

I chose a mix of grated white chocolate and colorful sprinkles to roll mine in

They are sticky and sweet and include rum

Do you really need any more convincing to try them?!

Next time I think I will try the chocolate version and add frangelico at the end to do a Nutella spin on them!

Eggnog Brigadeiro Recipe

What is your favorite Holiday treat to hand out?

It's never a bad time for a cupcake

2011-12-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

Things have been crazy around here, as I'm sure it has been for everyone with Christmas right around the corner. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to blog as often as I'd like but I just wanted to share something sweet that I made recently

These sunny and bright cupcakes were made for a sweet family friend of ours to celebrate her birthday. Almond cake with Almond Cream Cheese Icing
a deliciously simple combo!

So Thankful

2011-11-27T20:24:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a delicious Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving for reminding us of all the good things around us, for getting together with family and of course for the food!

A smoked turkey with roasted garlic gravy, dressing, rice, bacon wrapped glazed green beans, baked macaroni and cheese, bourbon pumpkin pecan tart and apple cream cheese danish tart was on our table and I'm really sad to say that it's mostly gone already!

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is the leftover turkey that I turn into Gumbo. And there is no better meal to warm up with while decorating the tree and getting the house decorated for Christmas than Gumbo in my opinion!

I am so excited to be getting ready for Christmas and Christmas with kids is so much more fun!

At the Drive In

2011-11-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make cupcakes for a 65th wedding anniversary recently and I had so much fun creating treats for this event!

The party was being held at a drive in movie theater so we went with "popcorn topped" cupcakes

I was so pleased with the way these came out, I hope the happy couple enjoyed them!

Half of the cupcakes were Almond Cake with Almond Cream Cheese Frosting and the other half was Mint Chocolate (one of my favorites)

The "popcorn" topper is not actually what you think it is

It's mini marshmallows cut with sharp scissors and then lightly sprayed with Wilton's color mist

They aren't hard to make just extremely time consuming, but after it was all finished I thought it was really hard to tell that it wasn't actual popcorn

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

I hope you are all having a Happy Halloween! We really had so much fun with the kids this year carving their pumpkins and getting geared up for Halloween night!

As a thank you treat for Marshall's teachers I decided to make chocolate covered caramel apples. I used Granny Smiths since those are my favorite and they pair so well with caramel. I stuck the wooden stick through the core after scrubbing the skin with really hot water and a scrubber brush to remove any wax on the skin. Then I placed a green apple sour straw flavored candy on the wooden stick to act as the pumpkin's stem. After that I dipped each apple in melted caramels and then dipped them in a layer of orange candy coating. I cut fondant pieces for the face of the pumpkins and even thought they didn't come out as perfectly as the idea I had in my mind, I was still happy with the end result. I hope his teachers were too!

Trick or Treat!

Packaged up and ready to go!

My Knight in Shining Armor ready for school.......and my princess still in pj's

Enjoying the one extra apple I made!!

BBB Cook Off

2011-10-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

The day of the contest started bright and early as all the contestants met for group pictures before the grilling began. We got to hang out on the fabulous rooftop while we waited for our turns to enter the kitchens. At about 9:30am I heard the first cork being popped and glasses of wine were being poured.

Believe me, having a winery put on an event like this is so much fun and I was loving every minute of it!

When it got closer to my time I waited right outside the sliding glass doors that led to the kitchens. this is definitely where the butterflies in my stomach started picking up!

Here was my outdoor grilling station. It was funny to look over at the office building across from us at all the people going through their normal workdays.

My time started and after a brief run through of how the appliances worked form the fabulous Chef Starr I started making the burger I had cooked 1 million times before

I don't know about you, but for me, I don't handle chaos well. It took me a little while to get comfortable and get in my groove. Even thought that prize money was in the back of my mind and the people and reporters were all around me I tried to block that out of my mind and just concentrate.

This usually doesn't happen when I'm making dinner on a Tuesday night

And these guys usually don't pop up when I'm at home making a sandwich

My kids don't ask me what my inspiration was for making my burger while packing school lunches for the week.

But I wish it did!

It was so much fun I think my face hurt the rest of the day form smiling so much

After all my prep inside I headed outside to grill

Getting ready to go inside and serve the judges my hands started shaking a little

And once I was in front of them my hands started shaking a lot

Luckily they were all so nice and I was honored to listen to the compliments they had for what I made for them.

I was so relieved that I finished without falling, dropping anything or causing a fire on my grill!

After presenting to the judges we each took a picture with our burger and wine pairing

Early in the morning I was too overcome with nerves to eat. Louis had left our hotel room and got me breakfast and coffee at Starbucks and I couldn't even touch it. Once I was done cooking and presenting I got to taste the other contestant's burgers.

Louis has an amazing ability to get pictures of me when I look my worst!

In the end I got the "First Runner Up" prize. It wasn't the grand prize but I had such an amazing time that I was ok with that. And I already have 9 ideas for burger recipes to turn in next year!

Prep Day for BBB

2011-10-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

Upon arriving to Chicago for the cook off we were spoiled immediately. Staying at the gorgeous Hotel Palomar was such a treat and the bottle of wine and beautiful set of salt and pepper grinders made such a lovely welcome gift!

I was so excited to see where we would be cooking the day of the event, and the World of Whirlpool Building didn't disappoint. Below is a picture of the kitchen I got to prep in and I was really sad I didn't get to take it home with me. Although I'm not sure how long it would stay all white with my kids! I got to review all the ingredients that were bought for me and set up all of the tools I had taken with me. I'm sure airport security thought I was a little strange to have chili powder, knives, a food scale and a cookie sheet in my luggage.

The night before the cook off we were treated to a beautiful dinner at Fulton's on the River

put on by the Trinchero Family Vineyards with a wide selection of their wines to try. The restaurant is located directly downstairs from the rooftop that we would be grilling on the next day.

The building itself is stunning and it was so nice to sit by the water as the sun set.

Nothing like seeing your name on the TV screens to make you feel special!

The set up in front of my cook-station where people were able to sample my burger and vote for their "fan favorite"

A Whilrwind Trip in the Windy City

2011-10-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

This past week was an amazing whirlwind for me and I'm just coming back down to earth from it all.

A new city, amazing food, making new friends and a cooking contest that I have tried to get into for 4 years now. It couldn't have been better.

This year the Build a Better Burger competition was held in Chicago and out of over 5,000 entries I was one of ten very lucky finalists that got to be a part of an amazing event put on by Sutter Home Winery

Louis and I had never been to Chicago before, so as soon as I found out I would be cooking my Peppered Pineapple Al Pastor Burger in the windy city we also started researching things to do, places to go and of course where to eat once we got there.
(Please forgive the picture quality for the next few days of postings. I only had my little point and shoot camera and iphone on this trip, and in some of these pics that will be un-flateringly obvious)

I was surprised at how much we both fell in love with the city. The busy city feel was so much fun to be a part of and we packed a lot into our week long visit. Here's all the places we ate while we were there:

The Classics:

Portillo's- this was recommended by two friends for having the best Chicago dogs in the city, we got the Classic Chicago Dog, the Street Style Polish Dog and onion rings. It was good, but I had my own favorite.....

Lou Malnatti's - this was the first thing we ate after landing in Chicago. We got the BuffaLou wings and the Malnatti Chicago Classic pizza. Again, this was good, but I've had better deep dish pizza before. Not bad, but not mind blowing either.

Kim and Carlos Hot Dog Stand- I know that this is just a hot dog stand and not a real restaurant, but in my opinion this was better than Portillo's. We got the Classic Chicago Dog and Polish Dogs again and I would totally pick this place over a real restaurant any day!

Tapas and Drinks:

Quartino's was also recommended by friends and I totally agreed with them, I loved this place! Delicious food, great menu, only 2 blocks from our hotel and perfect spot to people watch. We sat at a table outside, got a carafe of wine, trio of bruschetta, polenta fries, seared pork belly with apple compote, zeppole (italian doughnuts), and nutella paninno. Perfection.

XOCO- I couldn't go to Chicago without getting my Rick Bayless fix. This is his newest restaurant and it didn't disappoint. We got the special of the day torta with sauteed shrimp, avocado and cotija cheese and then the cubano. Both equally delicious!

The Purple Pig- This restaurant surprised me in how good it was! Right on the Magnificent Mile it was cozy and fun with a great atmosphere. Fried Chorizo Stuffed Olives, Eggplant Parmesan Balls, Milk Braised Pork Shoulder with Mashed Potatoes(we both agreed we could have ordered 18 of these and been very happy) Pig’s Ear with Crispy Kale, Pickled Cherry Peppers & Fried Egg (our waitress talked us into this and I adored it- so glad I was brave enough to try it!), Roasted Bone Marrow with Crostini with a parsley salad (again, not something I would have ordered but Louis really wanted it. It was not my favorite, but I'm glad I ventured out and tried new things)

Pops- A champagne bar. Need I say more? I love anything bubbly so I knew I had to stop in for at least one drink. Louis got scotch and I got the "La Vie En Rose"- a brut champagne cocktail with St Germaine, Peychaud bitters and a sugar cube. It was topped off with rose petals. I. was. in. heaven. I seriously need one of these places to open up down the street from me.

Sable- this was the restaurant and bar at the hotel we were staying at- but it was so much more. We ate breakfast there a couple of mornings, had drinks there numerous nights (I will not list them all because that would embarrass me) and stopped in for dessert too. The chef at Sable is Heather Turhune, who happens to be on Top Chef this upcoming season and was a judge for me in the BBB cook off this year. So naturally I wanted to check out her restaurant too. The bar is amazing- the drinks are really well thought out and every drink we tried was delicious. The Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream made me consider forgetting all decency and licking my bowl in public.

Last But Certainly Not Least:

Frontera Grill- I love Rick Bayless and have for as long as I can remember watching him as a little kid on his PBS shows. The Ceviche Trio,

and of course, I had to save the best for last:

The Aviary

I have known about Grant Achatz for a long time now and have always said that if I ever in my life was in Chicago for any reason, I would go to his restaurant. When I entered BBB for the fourth time this past year and found out that the cook off would be held in Chicago without really believing that I would ever be picked I said the same thing. As I was picking up dinner plates I jokingly told Louis "if I do get picked to go to this, we ARE going to Alinea or Aviary".

He rolled his eyes and probably didn't give a second thought to it.

Fast forward two months later and when I got the news that I was actually going to Chicago I emailed (that's the only way to beg for a reservation) them right away. Two days before leaving for the cook off I finally got a confirmation email saying we had been accepted. I was elated.

It was raining when we got to the unmarked door and had to talk to a doorman standing outside in a poncho to get in, but once inside it was like a foodie dream come true.

Our own private table in the kitchen right there to watch the chefs in action. Our waitstaff was so friendly and nice, the drinks were works of art and the food was just as exciting. If you are looking for a splurge I couldn't think of a better one than this. It was more than just drinks and food it really was an experience and it's once I hope to have again.

Engagement Party Menu

2011-10-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!
Today I am packing and getting everything in order for our big trip!

Since I'm making burgers tonight for the last time in Austin I am sharing the rest of the menu I served for the engagement party I hosted.

Mike and Carolina's Engagement Party Menu
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Herbed Cheese Bubble Bread
Homemade Salsa and Chips
Layered Greek Hummus Dip with Pita Chips
Veggies with Jalapeno Buttermilk Dip
Stuffed Artichoke Bites
Buffalo Chicken Bites with Blue Cheese Dip
Bacon Stuffed Deviled Eggs
Southwest Baked Pimento Cheese Dip with Baguette
Chocolate Cake with Coconut Icing
Lemon and Almond Mini Cupcakes
Raspberry Layered Cheesecake Shooters
Sangria

Because it doesn't matter how long you plan for an event I was still cooking as guests were arriving so some of the dishes I didn't get a chance to get pictures of. Here's what I did have time to snap pictures of:

Herbed Cheese Bubble Bread

Cheesy Pockets in the bubble bread.....Yummy!

Bacon Stuffed Deviled Eggs

these are a staple at any family function and there are never any leftovers

Southwest Baked Pimento Cheese Dip

melty cheese, roasted red bell peppers and diced jalapeno peppers.....what's not to love?!

Southwest Baked Pimento Cheese Dip
recipe from here

3 cups mayo

3 cups diced roasted red bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced green onion

2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

1 16oz block sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 16oz block pepper jack cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheeses. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9x13in. baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until dip is golden and bubbly. Serve with baguette slices.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Bites

2011-10-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

One of the appetizers I made for the party was these baked buffalo chicken bites

I love buffalo anything and these were the perfect finger food to munch on. You can also make the filling earlier in the day and chill it to save some time right before you expect your guests to arrive

Baked Buffalo Chicken Bites
adapted from here

3 cups finely-chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 bunch green onions, chopped

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Cooking spray

celery sticks

blue cheese dressing

Preheat oven to 375°

In a large bowl combine chicken, wing sauce, cheese, green onions, and cream cheese until well combined.
Mix panko and a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
Roll scoops of chicken mixture into balls (I used my mini cookie scoop)
Roll the chicken bites in the panko and place on a greased cookie sheet.
Before cooking, spray the tops of the bites with cooking spray.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tops of bites are brown and crunchy.

Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing to dip

Dessert Shooters............So No One Has To Share

2011-10-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

When Louis and I first started talking about throwing an engagement party I instantly knew I needed this wreath on the door. Isn't it so fun and festive?

I've told you about my pinterest obsession and this wreath is one of the first things I ever pinned

I wanted to have a party just so I could make it

All the decorations were bright and fun

I have never seen a cabbage in flowers before but now that I have I want one in every arrangement I buy from now on

On the dessert table was the cake and cupcakes I told you about earlier here

and these adorable mini desserts

Mini Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert Shots

I was so happy with the way these tasted, and I loved how it was single servings

because none of us want to have to share dessert!

I made the crust the night before the party, let it cool, crumbled it and assembled the dessert shots in the morning then placed them in the fridge to set for the rest of the day.

In between the layers of cheesecake filling is a layer of raspberry preserves.

I wish I could share the recipe with you, but I can't

I started out making a recipe that I looked up with great reviews for a no bake cheesecake filling

I made it, I tasted it, I hated it

so I added a little of this and a lot of that and I really don't know how to tell you the exact measurements for what was in it except that once I was done doctoring it up, it was delicious!

I hope the guests and the happy couple enjoyed them as much as I did!

Burgers on the Brain

2011-10-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have burgers on the brain

and not much else for that matter

I went for a jog the other day and instead of thinking healthy thoughts of how good the exercise is for me, or how pretty the day was or how glad I was that the weather is no longer 8,000 degrees I went through the steps of cooking my burger to practice for the big day.

That big day is a week from today and I will be cooking my burger every night until I leave

Practice makes perfect right?!

They posted the recipes and pictures of all the finalists and their burgers here

they made it look amazing, didn't they?!

Another big day is also on the horizon,

two beautiful friends that I love dearly are getting married and Louis and I hosted an engagement party to celebrate. It was an awesome night and I hope the happy couple enjoyed being surrounded by the friends that love them. Since I will be cooking nothing but my burger for the next week I thought I'd take this time to share with you what I served for their party

Every party needs a cake and I wanted a fun way to be able to display what I baked so I made a cake tower to put everything on. I covered three cardboard cake plates with silver grease proof wrap and then attached ribbon to the edges of each one

I covered two cans, one regular sized and one large with scrapbook paper that matched the rest of the decorations I was using

And I hot glued it all together

I was really happy with how it came out

The groom loves coconut so the cake at the top was a chocolate cake with coconut icing

The mini cupcakes were lemon and almond

Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you what's in the shot glasses!

Baking For Bastrop

2011-09-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

The Austin Bakes for Bastrop Bake Sale is tomorrow! There with be seven different locations around Austin to get some delicious treats all while helping out the Central Texas Wildfire Fund

here they are:

Central Austin: Foreign & Domestic
306 E. 53rd Street, 78751

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be set up in the restaurant parking lot.

Central Austin: The Flying Saucer at The Triangle
815 W. 47th Street, 78751

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be at the Triangle Park. Special thanks to The Flying Saucer’s 4th annual Outdoor Beer Festival for sharing their park space!

Downtown Austin: Whole Foods Market Lamar
525 North Lamar Boulevard, 78703

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be on the northwest side of the storefront, in the outdoor dining area.

Northwest Austin: Whole Foods Market Gateway
9607 Research Boulevard, #300, 78759

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be outside the storefront.

Round Rock: Old Settler’s Park
3300 E. Palm Valley Boulevard, 78665

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be in the city parking lot near the Dell Diamond.

South Congress: Hotel San Jose
1511 South Congress Ave., 78704

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be on the grassy area at the entrance of the Hotel parking lot along South Congress Avenue.

Sunset Valley: Community Renaissance Market
6800 Westgate Boulevard, 78745

Austin Bakes for Bastrop will be immediately inside the market entrance, alongside booths for the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Metaphysical Faire.

I know that bake sales instantly bring to mind cookies, cupcakes, bars and muffins.

I also know that I never just go with the easiest option.

Last bake sale fundraiser I was involved in I made cheese bread and savory crackers.

This time I went really wild

I made dog bones!

with my little helper, of course!

this truly made for a fun afternoon!

My little baker is quite good for being so young!

And the official taste tester, Roux waiting ever so patiently

(yes, everything revolves around food with me, even my dog's name)

She approves

nom nom nom

Sometimes when I'm eating something I really love I close my eyes too!

Austin Bakes for Bastrop

2011-09-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

I am joining some amazing local foodies and bloggers to raise money for The Central Texas Wildfire Fund

"The Central Texas Wildfire Fund was created to help donors assist the people and organizations affected by the fires over Labor Day weekend across Central Texas, including Bastrop, Leander, Steiner Ranch and more."

Saturday October 1 from 10am to 2 pm there will be seven locations to buy some delicious goodies and help out families in need

Sounds like a win win situation, right?!

B is my favorite letter

2011-09-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

It seems to be a winning month for me, and I could really get used to this!

I am very excited to say that I have won one cooking contest and am now a finalist for another

My Blueberry Citrus Quinoa Salad won me first place in the Blueberry blogger recipe contest!

$1,000 was the first place prize and I know exactly where I will be spending my loot

In Chicago!!

I am a finalist for the Build A Better Burger Contest and for me to say that I am excited has got to be the understatement of the century.

I am about to jump out of my skin people!

I have tried to get into this burger bash for three years and I am so excited to have been chosen to compete for a win!

This will be my first time at BBB, first time in Chicago and a week of adult time with no children......I feel like a winner already!

My "alternative category" burger Peppered Pineapple Al Pastor Burger might just be the winning one

I think you know what's for dinner for the next two weeks at my house

Practice makes perfect, right?!

Please let me know any and all Chicago recommendations that you have.....anything I need to see, do or more importantly eat while I'm there??

Chili Two Ways

2011-09-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

It actually rained yesterday!

Yes, water fell from the sky in Austin

My kids and dog look confused to hear the thunder and my son came to find me and ask me what that sound was

Due to the extreme heat this summer I actually was doubting fall would ever get here

Now I'm pushing for it- I lit my pumpkin candle the other day, I wore my new favorite sweatshirt that I got for the cooler months coming up (I started sweating after thirty minutes, but at least I got to wear it) and I've been craving warm fall dishes

I made a delicious chili and to go with it I made these Hatch Chili Scones form my dear friend Emme

They were a delicious dunker to go with the spicy chili, you should go make some for yourself!

After the scones were gone I still had some chili leftover and I used it as a topper for some delicious Hasselback potatoes

Hasselback Potatoes are one of those things I've seen everywhere and just never got around to making until now. They are super simple and completely delicious. They were great topped with chili, and would also be divine paired with a grilled juicy pork chop.

I even made an extra one, chopped it up the next morning and sauteed it with some breakfast sausage for an amazing hash!

To make some for yourself, heat your oven to 425

Scrub your potatoes clean and cut slits almost to the bottom without cutting completely through across the whole potato

I drizzled mine with olive oil and then sprinkled them liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika but you can use whatever spices you'd like. I think I will use Herbs de Provence the next time I make these

Bake for 40 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the flesh is tender

Here's what I'm cooking this week:

Monday: Thai Coconut Soup- tofu, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms in a Thai coconut broth

Whole Wheat Sticky Buns

Wednesday: Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole and Refried Beans

Friday: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with Garlic Bread

Roasted Lemongrass Chicken wih Pineapple Fried Rice

2011-09-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

Remember how I said I was trying to use up odds and ends that had collected in my freezer?
Well I realized I had chopped lemongrass, pineapple chunks, 2 containers of cooked rice and a container of homemade chicken stock lurking in there which was perfect for this delicious Thai inspired chicken and rice dinner.

I love exotic flavors so for me the remaining ingredients were standard pantry staples. I am lucky that my husband and kids are as adventurous with their food as I am, and we all really loved these dishes!

Roasted Lemongrass Chicken
adapted from epicurious

1/8 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 tablespoons chopped shallot

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 Tablespoons pureed lemongrass stalks (I found this in a tube in the produce section)

1 Tablespoon chili-garlic sauce

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 3-pound chicken, quartered

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Whisk 1/8 cup oil, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add chicken; turn to coat. Marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet (reserve marinade in bowl). Cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken, add reserved marinade to skillet, and transfer to oven. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.

Add 1/2 cup water, lime juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar to skillet. Bring to boil. Remove from heat, spoon fat from surface, and strain pan juices into small pitcher. Serve chicken with pan juices.

Pineapple Fried Rice
adapted from here

Cooked rice (enough for 4 people)

Fresh pineapple (cut into bite sized chunks)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 fresh chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly

1 handful of roasted cashew nuts
1 large shallot, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced finely

Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp chicken stock (have more on hand in case your rice gets too dry)

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt and pepper to taste

Heat some vegetable oil in a wok. Scramble the egg and set aside.

Add a little more oil in wok. Fry garlic, chilli and shallots over low flame till fragrant. Add in rice, followed by the sauce. Fry and toss all the time over high heat. Add in scrambled egg, pineapple chunks and cashew nuts. Keep frying and tossing. Do a taste test - need more salt and/or pepper? Add them now.

When all ingredients are properly and thoroughly mixed, dish up the rice onto a serving plate.

Using up Odds and Ends

2011-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I really thought that when school started life would slow down a little.

OK, you can stop laughing at me now.

I really expected that once summer was over, starting a regular schedule would help with the hectic pace of life. Well, I was wrong.

Aside from school, playdates, swim lessons and day to day life to keep up with, August is a big recipe contest month and I have been busy creating recipes to try to win two really big prizes. So my time in the kitchen lately has been all about burgers and sandwiches.

After creating, cooking, tasting, tweaking and sending in 12 recipes I had a fridge full of odds and ends. If you're making that many different burgers and sandwiches you end up with small amounts of random ingredients and I am not one to waste good food so I have been trying out a few recipes I've had saved to use it all up in a delicious way.

What do you do with a small hunk of blue cheese, two tomatoes and a couple slices of bacon?

you make Paula Deen's Blue Cheese and Bacon Broiled Tomatoes

Instead of slicing them in half I did 4 thick slices from each tomato

I didn't have the buttery crackers so I used panko instead, and I used half the amount of butter it called for mixed with a little olive oil and they were so good!

To go with the gorgeous broiled tomatoes I made a green salad and this Spinach and Feta Clafoutis from Closet Cooking. If you've never visited this blog before, please do, it is one of my favorites!

Here's what I'll be cooking this week:

Monday: Green Chile and Lime Chicken and Rice Soup

Wednesday: Spinach and Artichoke Manicotti

Sticky Nutty Whole Wheat Biscuits

Friday: I'll be hosting my bunco group, so check back to see what yummy snacks I serve!

Mounds Bars

2011-08-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

I made these for bunco the other night

I needed something easy to make and relatively quick

I cut the squares and arranged them on my platter and left the rest covered and put away and rushed out the door

I saved some of them so I could go back the next day and get a good picture of them

you know; a drool-worhty picture of the side angle showing the rich dense brownie layer and gooey coconut almond topping

well, I'd love to show you that right now but they're all gone

Sorry, but they really were that good

You'll just have to make them yourself so you can see it in person

Mounds Bars

adapted from here

1 box brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box (for cake-like brownies)

3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup toasted coconut

1/2 cup granola

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with non stick cooking spray. Follow directions on the brownie mix box to prepare cake-like brownies and bake for 5 minutes less than the directions call for. In a medium mixing bowl combine both coconuts, granola, almond extract and condensed milk. Mix together until all ingredients are coated and spread on top of the brownies. Bake for 10-15 minutes and allow to cool completely. One the brownies are cool, mix the chocolate chips and oil in a small bowl and microwave until melted, stirring about every 30 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over the brownie bars. I found it a lot easier to slice the bars after placing them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes first.

here's what I'll be making this week:

Monday: Chili with Corn and Hatch Chile Scones from my friend Emme at The Kid Can Cook

Wednesday: Shrimp Creole with Steamed Rice and Roasted Garlic Asparagus

Caramel Apple Muffins

Friday: Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta served with garlic bread

Homemade Burger Buns

2011-08-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

I've got a bun in the oven

the brioche kind

light and airy, slightly sweet and making the house smell divine

why haven't those candle people figured out how to make a "baking bread" candle?

They really need to

when you are making bread form scratch, it's not hard but it does require a good amount of time

but the end result is SO worth it!

I like big buns and I can not lie.........

sorry, I just couldn't help myself

because these are a light brioche they are not as eggy and rich as typical brioche but they are absolutely delicious

Light Brioche Buns

recipe from The New York Times

3 tablespoons warm milk (105-115 degrees F)
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Combine milk, 1 cup water, yeast, and sugar in a glass measuring cup, stirring well. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the top is foamy. In a small bowl, lightly beat one egg.
In the large work bowl of a mixer, stir together both flours and salt. Cut in butter until crumbs form. Add the egg and yeast mixture to the flour. Mix together with the dough hook attachment on low. Once combined, increase the speed to medium until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes (or 8-10 minutes if you are kneading by hand). The finished dough may be slightly sticky (do not add additional flour).
Transfer the dough to a clean work area and into a ball. Place the down in a greased bowl, flipping once to coat entirely. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
Remove dough from the bowl and place on a clean work area. Punch the dough down, then let rest for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough equally into 10 sections and shape each into a ball. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the dough balls to the baking sheet, spacing them out 2-3 inches. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray. Let rise for an additional 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, beat together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg wash on top of each bun. Sprinkle the buns with sesame seeds. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cheesy Corndog Mini Muffins

2011-08-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

Pinterest is my newest obsession that has kept me up in the wee hours browsing and pinning clothes I will never own, crafts I will never get around to making and places I will never visit. If you think Facebook is a time sucker, Pinterest is by far worse.........and I highly recommend it!
I am in LOVE.
Of course, it should come as no surprise that I have a folder (or two) of food, cakes and recipes saved on my page. That's where I got the idea for these

Who doesn't love a corndog?!
I certainly do and if my kids had any say in it they would eat them every day. So when I saw the link to this recipe I figured I could change it up to use things I already had around and make this super cute snack "mini" for the little ones.
And I added cheese
Because what kid doesn't want everything topped with cheese

Cheesy Corndog Mini Muffins
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
14 Turkey 'lil smokies, cut into 4
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl stir together cornbread mix, hot dog rounds, egg and milk until combined. Set batter aside for 10 minutes. Fill the batter evenly into each muffin cup and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

Here's what I'm cooking this week:
Monday: Shredded Chicken Caesar Sandwiches on homemade buns with Cucumber Tomato Salad
Peach Oatmeal Muffins

Wednesday: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo with Rice

Friday: we will have family in town so we will be eating out

Chicken Salad

2011-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Pioneer Woman
we all know her (and if you don't you should), we all love her and it's very obvious why
here is another reason to add to the list of why she is so fabulous
her chicken salad recipe
chicken salad is one of those dishes that everyone claims to have the best recipe of
nuts, fruit, different flavored dressings......there are a million ways to make it unique
My husband's grandmother makes awesome chicken salad sandwiches every holiday that are so delicious we always look forward to having them and now after trying this one I have two favorites.
Please check it out, you won't be dissapointed!!
I tried this at a playdate a while ago and fell in love. The grapes give it an unexpected sweetness and the dressing with lemon and yogurt (I use fat free greek yogurt) makes it a delicious lighter lunch in the summer when it's so hot outside you are convinced that your shoes will melt walking to get to your car

7-Up Biscuits

2011-08-04T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've seen these biscuits all over food blogs and various recipe websites that I browse regularly

I had saved one copy a while ago to try one rainy day because of the super short ingredient list and easy directions. The recipe intrigued me and I knew eventually I would get around to making them but was in no real rush to do so.

Then, the other day when I saw the same recipe I had saved and looked at numerous times on yet another blog be described as tasting just like "Popeye's Biscuits"

I went to the store the very next day, got the ingredients and made two batches of them

They didn't taste exactly like Popeye's biscuits, but really are delicious and very easy to make. When I was at the store buying the baking mix I opted to get the whole wheat instead of the regular. I have a feeling that may be why they were not exactly as the recipe suggested but I will definitely be making them again anyway

Whole Wheat 7-Up Biscuits

adapted from here

4 cups whole wheat baking mix

1 cup sour cream

6 ounces 7-Up

Mix the sour cream into the biscuit mix, using a pastry blender or two table knives, until mixture is crumbly. Add 7-Up all at once, stir quickly with a large fork.

Turn out onto lightly floured board and quickly knead 6-8 times. Don't overmix or biscuits will be tough. Pat into a square and cut into about 18 equal pieces using a knife dipped in flour. Can also use a 2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter.

Preheat oven to 400° and cook biscuits for about 7 minutes or until golden.

A Whopper of a Cupcake

2011-08-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

Meet my new obsession:

Chocolate cake with a malted chocolate frosting

Luckily I made these and brought them to a fund raising event for a friend and they were all eaten......none to take home and taunt me the next day just begging to be eaten

as I was eating these I was already thinking what else I could do with this awesome frosting;

like sandwich it in between two chocolate whoopie pies and then roll the edges in crushed whoppers

sounds sinfully good right?!

I'll have to wait and try that out when I have somewhere to bring them to share

Here's what we are eating this week:

Monday: Pepperoni Calzones with Roasted Tomato Soup

Wednesday: Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya with Green Salad

Banana Bread Cookies

Friday: Beer and Paprika Beef Stew with Rice

Marshall's Robot Party

2011-07-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

It's official; he's 5

I tried my best to make time slow down but it didn't work

we had a small party at the gym to celebrate and I went with a Robot theme

The cake was chocolate with toasted marshmallow filling and vanilla frosting

I felt a little guilty walking into the gym with a large cake as people on bikes and treadmills were all around me staring and I knew I had no intention of doing any sort of physical activity that day

I think I enjoyed myself a lot more than they did

As I've mentioned before I have a small tradition that I've started with my kids for their birthday cakes
I decorate the cake and make sure they don't see it until it's completely finished
then I get a picture of their face the first time they see it
it's something that's more for me I guess.....the best payback in the world in my opinion
staying up late working on something for them and seeing the excitement and pure joy on their face at their first glance. The first one is a little out of focus but you get the idea ;)

Getting ready to make a wish

I'm realizing that in most pictures my mouth is wide open
not very attractive
I need to work on that

the kids were served pizza and I made wraps and a veggie tray for the adults
whole grain wraps, smoked turkey, provolone and swiss cheese, fresh spinach and a sun dried tomato spread

going with the silver, red and blue color scheme I wrapped an aluminum can with scrapbook paper to hold the utensils

the gym games were so much fun!
scooter races, an obstacle course and basketball
Many of the adults got in on the fun too!

The favors were slinkies, wind up robots, a stamp, a stretchy robot and candy

the bag toppers I printed for free from a cute blog that I found while searching for a little Robot inspiration

here is the link if you'd like to make some for yourself: Robot Party Favor Bag Printable

Baptisms and Birthdays

2011-07-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

This past weekend a friend's beautiful little boy was baptized

and I made them a cake for the occasion

vanilla cake and buttercream with raspberry filling, one of my favorite flavor combos.

While making this cake I couldn't help but be a little sad remembering my own little baby boy's baptism

and that little baby boy of mine will be 5 years old in a few days

5 years old!

I went to buy him some clothes for his birthday and had to go to an entirely different section to find 5T clothes.....the boys section. The toddler/baby section ends at 4T in the store I was in and I was so sad to have to walk the five feet across the aisle and find "big boy clothes" for my child who is now apparently a big boy now.

It's not like I didn't know this was coming, this is actually a big weekend for us;

Louis' grandmother's birthday, Louis and I's 5 year anniversary and our surprise wedding gift is now turning 5 (I obviously knew we were having Marshall, I just didn't think I'd go into labor right after getting married)

As I know every parent does when birthdays roll around, you remember the day your child was born. You think about what you were doing, where you were at and laugh about how naive you were about just how much your entire world would change in an instant.

For us we knew that day was a big one, we just had no idea how big

I had a doctor's appointment that morning and as I was leaving he said "see you next week"

we both had no idea that I would be in labor that same night

From that night to this very day Marshall has surprised me at every turn

he is sweet and silly, headstrong and curious

and I am so lucky that he is ours

here's what I'm cooking this week:
Monday: Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Zucchini
Banana Nutella Muffins

Wednesday: Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread

Friday: Marshall's Birthday Dinner

Blueberry Citrus Quionoa Salad

2011-07-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

Meet my new obsession:

Blueberry Citrus Quiona Salad

it's a protein packed sweet and savory salad loaded with healthy ingredients that's easy to throw together

perfect as a side or all on it's own

Since blueberries are one of the most antioxidant packed foods around and also happen to come in a sweet and delicious package I've been adding them to as many dishes as I can lately. Keeping them raw also helps you get as much nutritional bang for your buck.

Make this before all those gorgeous summer blueberries are gone, you'll be so happy you did!

Blueberry Citrus Quinoa Salad

1/8 cup orange juice

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 cups cooked quinoa

2/3 cup fresh US blueberries

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 green onion, sliced thinly

In mixing bowl whisk together orange juice, olive oil, pepper, salt and apple cider vinegar.

Add quinoa, blueberries, red bell pepper and green onion to the dressing and stir to combine. Salad can be made ahead and chilled until ready to serve or served immediately.

Birthdays are a Hoot

2011-07-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend an adorable little princess turned one and I got to make a birthday cake for her

Her nursery was done in an owl and woodland theme so I decided to use that as my inspiration

Vanilla cake with Vanilla buttercream

Here's the birthday girl ripping into her smash cake

This makes me want a smash cake for myself!

Photos are by the birthday girl's mama, a fabulous photographer. Thanks again Darsey!

On our menu for this week:

Monday: Honey Sesame Chicken Tenders with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Blueberry Lemon Scones

Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Bread

Friday: Citrus Pork Chops with Yellow Rice

Italian Sausage Frittata

2011-07-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

I am not perfect (at all) and there are days I forget things

I might forget to get the clothes out of the dryer as soon as they are done so they don't wrinkle

I might forget to water the plants occasionally (or often, depending on who you ask)

I might forget to get the mail for an entire week

but I NEVER (yes, I mean it......never) forget about dinner

I sell dinners three times a week and for the occasional party for crying out loud, it's what I DO!

but there's always a first time for everything and last night was my night

I completely and utterly had nothing planned, thawed, marinating or prepped and by the time I realized it it was already 5:20pm

Now this would have been no big deal if I hadn't just promised Louis that I would help him loose 15 pounds and then bought an ice cream machine the very next day (and then proceeded to make the most awesome homemade cake batter ice cream that I will be sharing with you soon)

so I needed something fast, nutritious and that I could make with the random ingredients in my pantry and fridge. I checked one of my favorite food blogs, Closet Cooking and came across this recipe for
Italian Sausage Frittata
and boy was I glad I found it! It was fabulous and I can't wait to make it again even if I'm not in a 5 o'clock panic

White Wine Peach Sangria

2011-07-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

Fishing, napping, cooking, reading and playing with the kids; that was the only thing on my agenda for the long holiday weekend and it was such a treat.

Due to spotty internet service I was kind of forced to stick to my relaxation plan and not being stuck to the phone, ipad and laptop was surprisingly nice! Going to a house that we rented on the water I tried to plan ahead as much as I could, bringing all the things I thought we would need for our trip.

Fishing poles, diapers, sunscreen and sangria.........sounds pretty essential to me!

I hope you all had a wonderful, safe and fun Fourth of July!

White Wine Peach Sangria

1 750mL bottle Savignon Blanc

1/2 c white rum

1/4 c peach schnapps

1/2 c OJ

1 peach, sliced

1 lime, sliced

1 cup grapes

1 12 oz can ginger ale

combine all ingredients in a pitcher and allow to sit in the fridge at least a couple of hours before serving

Cookie Dough Dip

2011-07-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing versions of this dip all around the food blogging world lately and couldn't wait to try it out. Who doesn't love cookie dough?!

And to be able to dip a salty pretzel into the cookie dough dip and use that as a scooper?

Count me in!

Obviously this is not the kind of thing you would make for yourself; you need to wait until you have a party to go to so you're not left at home with no one around to keep you accountable for eating an entire batch of it by yourself and I'm so glad I had my fabulous bunco friends to share it with.

I ended up making Chocolate Chip Peanut butter, Snickerdoodle and Mint Chocolate dips and I served it with Vanilla Wafers, Animal Crackers, apple slices and pretzels

here's the recipe I used:

Cookie Dough Dip Trio

paper&CAKE

2011-06-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

It seems like summer is packed with kid's birthday parties, potlucks and pool parties.
And with all this fun to be had, who wants to waste time going to ten different stores just to find the right invitations and decorations to pull a perfect looking party together?
Well, Emme from The Kid Can Cook has you covered! She is having a fabulous giveaway right now for a $50 gift card from paper&CAKE !
Please go stop by and see their fabulous printable sets that make it easy to put all the perfect touches on any event you have coming up!

This is what I'm getting if I win

An entire set to put together your own wine tasting party and these beautiful cupcake wrappers!

Watermelon Ginger Cooler

2011-06-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

This afternoon this is what I'll be sipping on to stay cool

a Watermelon Ginger Cooler

I just tasted as I went and threw this together so do the same and make it to suit your own taste. I prefer my drinks on the swet side so I may have had a little more ginger syrup than most people would want

watermelon juice

ginger simple syrup

sqeeze of lemon juice

vodka

splash of ginger ale

What is your favorite cocktail to keep you cool during these hot summer days?

Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: Stuffed Red Bell Peppers with Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

Wednesday: Falafel Patties with Greek Salad Salsa and Yogurt Sauce in Pitas served with fruit salad

Friday: Cuban Pork Chops with Grits

Better Late Than Never

2011-06-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life is just crazy

busy, hectic and at a fast pace, and as a mom to two kids and a new pup you can feel a bit manic at times.

After rushing out the door yesterday morning to get my son to VBS on time and get our very sick puppy to an emergency vet visit (one of three I made yesterday) I had to do a double check: they are dressed, their teeth are brushed, I fed them and no one was forgotten at home (I've never done this, but it's always been a fear of mine)

For me, this was success!

I know all of you can relate to this- and when life gets like that, unfortunately the fun stuff sometimes gets neglected- like my blog

so I'm taking a moment to share some things that I've made and just never got around to posting

Mini Lemon cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting for a baby shower- the little boy these cupcakes were made to celebrate has already been born and is completely precious by the way

These I made for another baby shower for a little boy that was born two weeks ago and who is also extremely adorable; Herb and Parmesan Pull Apart Bread and Chocolate Cherry Cream Cheese Cake Truffles

and lastly a cake with my favorite color combo: pink and brown

Chocolate Cake and Buttercream with hand made and painted fondant flowers

Meatless Monday

2011-06-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you the meal I had on last week's menu on Monday

Bean and Cheese Taquitos with mango salsa and salsa verde

I served them with a fruit salad and they really were better than I thought they would be! Very crisp from oven baking and easy to make while still being low fat and filling. The fruit salad was a great cooling side and nice to have on these blazing hot afternoons as a snack.

As always I didn't follow recipes exactly, so here's my version of both recipes:

Bean and Cheese Taquitos

adapted from here

1 can black refried beans
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 tsp each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder
1 tsp hot sauce
3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
about 18 small yellow corn tortillas
cooking spray
sea salt for topping

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix the refried beans, black beans, spices and hot sauce. Mix in the cheese.

Put about two tablespoons of filling lengthwise into a tortilla. Spread it out into a strip and roll up the tortilla around it. Place it seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with all of the tortillas.

Spray the tortillas with cooking spray and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until the edges are golden brownabout 15 minutes.

Minted Fruit Salad

recipe here

for the fruit salad I really just cut the syrup recipe in half since you don't use the full amount and I added blackberries to the mix. Since the recipe is generally the same I have attached the link instead of copying it here

Here's what I'll be cooking this week:

Monday: Orange Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin with steamed rice and sauteed garlic spinach

Wednesday: Chicken and Tofu Pad Thai and fruit salad

Friday: Baked Spaghetti with garlic bread

Baby Bok Choy and Asian Pears

2011-06-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting things about the bag of goodies I received is that it was filled with ingredients that I rarely get to use. Baby bok choy and asian pears are just not things I think about buying on a regular basis

until now

This bok choy was so good the kids and I ate it all before Louis got home to get a taste of it! And it was suprisingly easy to throw together

Then the next night I made it again and made it into a full meal.

I used the same sauce and baby bok choy but added thinly sliced chicken, mushrooms, baby corns, bamboo shoots and carrot

Here is the recipe: Spicy Bok Choy in Garlic Sauce

The other new recipe I tried was Asian Pear Slaw from Epicurious

cool, refreshing and easy to throw together

this tasted much better after sitting in the fridge for a couple hours and would be great along side any asian inspired grilled meat

Peanut Butter Parfait

2011-06-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

One of the ingredients I had mentioned I got in my bag full of goodies was silken tofu

I've made chocolate pudding made form tofu before and everyone in my family loved it

this time I made a peanut butter version and then layered it with banana slices and crumbled chocolate cake pieces

This is super easy- just throw everything in a blender and blend away!

recipe adapted from here

1 14oz package of silken tofu, drained

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Bacon Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

2011-06-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

When my friend Emme dropped off a bag of foodie treats that she was so nice to share at my house the other day, she went through each thing showing me what she brought and then she pulled out two small patty pan squash and said "and good luck with these things cause I've never been able to make them taste good"

that sounded like a challenge to me

The first thing I thought of when I saw them was my all time favorite squash from my Pee Paw. I really didn't like yellow squash unless they were Pee Paw's. He would boil the sliced yellow squash and then drain them. While the squash was boiling he would cook bacon and then add onions to it (best smell in the universe in my opinion) and then when the bacon was crisp and the onions were soft he added breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and the squash.

So simple, but truly delicious.

My grandfather was a fabulous cook and there are so many wonderful food memories I have of him today. So when I saw these little squash that came with such an underwhelming introduction I knew what to do. Not sure how much more cooking time they would need compared to regular yellow squash, I looked it up and came across this recipe from allrecipes.com

It was almost exactly the same as Pee Paw's squash, but stuffed all the bacon goodness into the squash instead of just sauteing it all together.

the squash was absolutely delicious (as is anything with bacon in it) and I will be making this variation of Pee Paw's recipe again for sure!

Here's what I'm cooking this week:

Monday: Black Bean and Cheese Baked Taquitos with Salsa Verde, Roasted Garlic Zucchini and Fruit Salad

Chocolate Banana Peanut butter Muffins

Wednesday: Spinach Salad, Gazpacho and Parmesan Thyme Shortbreads

Friday: Oven Fried Pork Chop with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Smoked Salmon Dip

2011-06-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

The last thing I did with the dill I was given was this smoked salmon dip and I had much better luck with it than the gougeres.

dil, smoked salmon, lemon and cream cheese- how could it be bad, right?!

It was delicious and I love that it gets better the longer you let it sit in the fridge, so it's the perfect thing to whip up the day before a party or get together.

Serve on cucumber rounds, celery sticks or your favorite crackers and you've got an easy and elegant spread in minutes

you can find the recipe here

Dill and Cheddar Gougeres

2011-06-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

After making the dill vinaigrette I posted here I still had a good amount of dill left over. I've always been intrigued by Gougeres but never got around to making them. The process looks fairly simple and uses everyday ingredients that most people already have on hand. I found a recipe for Cheddar Gougeres that included dill and since we were having a friend over for dinner I thought this might be a perfect starter for our night.

The batter came together even easier than I thought, they came out of the oven puffed and golden and looked like little balls of golden cheesy perfection. I couldn't wait to try one hot out of the oven.

And when I did........well,

I have to be honest I was really disappointed. The beautiful looking puffs really lacked any flavor; I couldn't taste the cheese or the dill in them at all.

Maybe next time I will double the herbs and use a stronger cheese like Gruyere or Parmesan, add some black pepper and maybe sprinkle the tops with a dash of smoked paprika. Here is a link to the recipe: Cheddar and Dill Gougeres if you happen to have a recipe for these beautiful puffs that is more successful please pass it on!

Gifts of Groceries

2011-06-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

I got lucky this week

Real lucky

A fabulous friend of mine had been given a load of produce from a visit with her in-laws and was nice enough to send me home with a bag full of goodies: enoki mushrooms, tofu, asian pears, oranges and baby bok choy.

Then my equally fabulous foodie mama Emme brought me some patty pan squash, bunches of rosemary and dill, homemade pickles and a jar of peach habanero preserves before leaving for a trip knowing they wouldn't be used before she left.

I had already sent out my weekly menu e mail, but only had one order placed so I was free to play around and try some new and interesting recipes with my loot.

the dill was the first thing I wanted to use up since it had the shortest shelf life, and I came across this recipe from Bobby Flay for a dill vinaigrette and made my own salad with it.

Greek Inspired Feta and Vegetables

in a Dill Vinaigrette

I really don't know what to call this- I've eaten it as a side salad with baked pork chops, as a salsa with chips and as a delicious topper on flatbread crackers with hummus. It would be great in a pita or tossed into pasta for a light lunch and tastes better the longer it marinates.

1 batch dill vinaigrette

2 celery stalks, sliced thinly

3 large raddishes, sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber

1 jalapeno, diced

1 cup feta cheese

1/2 cup minced red onion

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and allow to marinate 1 hour before serving

Sesame Crusted Tuna with Cucumber Edemame Salsa

2011-06-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's funny (or maybe it's not) how school just let out a week ago and when you step outside the heat takes your breath away. Mother Nature wasted no time throwing us into a full-on humid summer and on days like this, no one wants their oven running for hours just to make dinner. We love tuna, and when it's crusted with sesame seeds, seared and served with a cooling salsa salad it makes a quick and delicious dinner for those days when all you want to do is stick your head in the freezer.

Sesame Crusted Tuna with Cucumber Edemame Salsa

for the dressing:

2 Tbsp pineapple preserves

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp hot sauce

1 Tbsp honey

juice of 1 tangerine

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

a 1 inch piece of ginger, grated

for the salsa:

1 tsp sesame seeds

2 cups english cucumber, diced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 cup edemame

for the glaze:

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp mirin

1/2 tsp honey

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large tuna steaks

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

In a mixing bowl whisk together preserves, soy sauce, hot sauce, honey, tangerine juice, vegetable oil, sesame oil, garlic and ginger until well combined. Add the sesame seeds, cucumber, red onion and edemame and toss in the dressing. Cover and set in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add for the tuna steaks and the vegetable oil to heat. While the pan is heating salt and pepper the tuna steaks and brush the glaze on both sides of each piece. Press the sesame seeds into one side of each piece lightly pressing them in. Once the pan is hot, sear tuna 3 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Serve slices of seared tuna with the chilled salsa.

Banana Pudding Pudding Pops

2011-06-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my fabulous fellow foodie mama Emme from The Kid Can Cook ? Well, she is doing a review of and a giveaway for Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter which looks like it's full of delicious ways to keep cool through this already scary hot summer season. After seeing her inspired pops with flavors like Rockstar Pops with Strawberry Agave Jam, Rooibos Red Tea Immunity Pops and Mexican Spiced Fire Pops it made me want to create my own chilly treat.

Bananas are something that are always on the grocery list. Between the kids, Louis' training and all of the various banana breads I bake we go through a ton of them. The funny thing is I don't eat them. At all. It's all because of a terrible medicine that I was forced to take when I was little that was a fake rotten banana flavor from an evil pharamacist. Obviously this has scarred me and I have not been able to eat a banana since.

Well, last weekend we were at a friend's house boiling crawfish and she made a huge pan of banana pudding.

I am not in any way exaggerating when I call this pan huge.

Within thirty minutes of her bringing it out the entire pan was gone. As people were talking about how good it was I stole a bite from Louis' piled high plate.

I'm not going to lie and say I was in love with it- but my kids definitely did and for being a banana based dessert, it was pretty good. They are super easy to make, and the kids didn't take long to devour them.

Banana Pudding Pudding Pops
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup chopped banana
10 vanilla wafers, cut into 4

In a mixing bowl whisk pudding mix and cold milk together for 2 minutes until thick.
Stir banana pieces into pudding mix.
Fill popsicle molds halfway with banana pudding
Top with vanilla wafer pieces and then fill with remaining pudding
Freeze until ready to serve

Cupcake Bouquet

2011-05-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

Today was Marshall's last day of school and I wanted to make something to bring his teachers to say thanks for all the hard work they put into this school year. I've seen cookie bouquets before, and recently I saw a cupcake bouquet in a metal pail. I thought it might be cuter in a flower pot and went with pink icing piped like hydrangeas. Michael's has a ton of cute flower pots to choose from now!

Fill them with Styrofoam, stick toothpicks into it to secure the cupcakes, and place tissue paper around your flower cupcakes to fill in the gaps.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

2011-05-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

I made these Iced Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies for a sweet little girl that was turning two. Her party was Hello Kitty themed, and these were the favors for her guests!

The cream cheese in the sugar cookie dough gives them a little hint of extra flavor and keeps the cookies really soft and delicious. The bows were my first try at royal icing transfers, and I was so pleased with the results!

It's been a big weekend at our house! Here is the latest edition to our family:

Roux

we got her on Saturday and the kids are truly smitten

best friends already!

Here's what I'll be making this week:

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie with buttered corn

Gingered Toffee Pear Cake

Wednesday: Broccoli Cheese Soup and Garlic Bread

Friday: BBQ Spaghetti with a green salad

Hail Caesar!

2011-05-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

I love a good salad, and growing up we had salad along side our meals almost every night. I have been experimenting lately trying to make indulgent things a little more healthy and using healthy swaps more often. Caesar dressing, Alfredo sauce, Carbonara and Fried Chicken all belong to the same "I really love you, but can't eat you without feeling immediately guilty" category for me. I never order them in restaurants and I never make them at home.

I came across a recipe on foodgawker for Caesar dressing using tofu as the base and saved it and I'm so glad I did! The flavor is wonderful and it's so easy to make. I made mine in a small smoothie blender and have used it on salads and as a dip for celery and carrot sticks too. I think it could also be a great spread for a wrap or as the dressing for a pasta or potato salad.

Tofu Caesar Dressing

recipe from Back to Her Roots

1/4 c. silken tofu
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. anchovy paste
4 T. grated parmesan cheese
2 T. mayonnaise
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small clove garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Let chill in refrigerator at least two hours for flavors to meld.

Chocolate Kahlua Cookies

2011-05-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

When I saw a recipe recently for frosting cookies, I saved it immediately. With all the baking I do I always have extra frosting, and this looked like a great way to use it up. The frosting I had was chocolate and I thought the kahlua would be a great combo with it. Who doesn't love coffee and chocolate together?!

Chocolate Kahlua Cookies

adapted from here

for cookies:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chocolate frosting
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon homemade kahlua
1/4 cup sugar

for glaze:

4 teaspoon kahlua

1 teaspoon heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Grease a cookie sheet or line with a silpat.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, mix the frosting, egg, kahlua, and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until well combined.
Drop cookies by large tablespoon fulls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
In a small bowl combine kahlua, heavy cream and powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
Allow cookies to cool for 15 minutes before glazing.
Drizzle glaze liberally over cookies and allow to set 30 minutes before serving.

Here's what I'll be cooking up this week:

Monday: Chicken Enchiladas Verde with green salad

Wednesday: Low Fat Cheesy Stuffed Shells with Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Friday: Corn and Potato Chowder with Garlic Bread

Lego Star Wars

2011-05-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

When a friend asked me to make a cake for her son's birthday I was thrilled. I was even more excited when she said it was a Lego Star Wars themed cake. My son is Lego obsessed and I think my family alone kept the company afloat through this recession, especially at Christmas. I asked the absurdly photogenic birthday boy what his favorite thing was about Star War Legos........his answer was the Death Star.

No familiar with The Death Star?

Well, neither was I so when I googled it and saw the thing in full force. I was so nervous and wanted it to be just right, realistic enough but still appropriate for a kid's cake and completely edible. I think you can tell by the excitement of his face below that he liked it. It was a vanilla butter cake with vanilla buttercream decorated with candy Legos and Lego Star War figurines. The lettering is fondant that I hand cut and painted with silver luster dust.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Today I woke up to the sound of hissing........it kind of alarmed me and as I laid there I was going through my half asleep mind trying to figure out what the sound could possibly be.

Then I realized it's Mother's Day and that hissing sound I was hearing was my husband pushing around the steam mop.

Epic win!

We (when I say we, I mean my husband) are boiling 50 pounds of crawfish today and having some neighbors and friends over to join us. I am so excited, and I'm hoping there are tons of leftovers. All the posts on facebook about everyone in New Orleans going to Jazzfest is really making me jealous and I'm dying for some crawfish bread! I hope all you mamas out there have a fabulous day full of relaxation and being spoiled!

Above is a picture of the cake I made for my neighbor for her Mother's Day family get-together. She asked for a cake with a butterfly so this is what I came up with; a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, and a mound of purple and blue hydrangeas with a chocolate butterfly. On the side is chocolate raspberry cream cheese cake truffles in matching white and blue white chocolate.

Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie with Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits

Wednesday: Mexican Mac and Cheese with a green salad

Friday: New Orleans Style White Beans and Rice with Cornbread

Guilt Free Kahlua Chocolate Pudding

2011-05-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Now that Easter has come and gone and your basket of candy has dwindled down, you are tired of chocolate and ready for a break, right?

Yeah, me neither

For some reason, with age my sweet tooth has grown. I can't remember really craving sweets- salty snacks were always more my speed. Until now. That really stinks considering metabolism slows down with age too, can someone figure out how to fix that? I like to have chocolate on a regular basis, and this is a perfect guilt free way to do it. Chocolate Pudding with a surprise base ingredient: Tofu!

No, that is not a typo

The kahlua that I made is finally ready and I thought this would be a great recipe to try it in. Next on the list: Kahlua Brownies....those may not be guilt free though.

Guilt Free Kahlua Chocolate Pudding

adapted form here

1 (12.3-ounce) package silken tofu, drained

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp kahlua

1/4 cup sugar

¼ cup agave nectar

In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu until it is smooth.

Put the chocolate, cocoa powder, water and kahlua in a saucepan or heat-proof bowl fitted over a pot containing 1-inch barely simmering water. Stir frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Mix in sugar, a little at a time, until smooth.

Add the chocolate mixture and agave syrup to the tofu and puree until smooth and well blended. Spoon the mousse into serving dishes, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Strawberry Wine Coolers

2011-05-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This drink doesn't contain tequila or lime, but it's still very pretty and is so quick to put together. I really liked the idea of being able to make my own wine cooler and not have it loaded with sickly sweet corn syrup, fake colors, and additives. Pour yourself one of these and you'll find yourself wishing you were in a rocking-chair on a southern porch somewhere.

This recipe is from The Lee Brothers

Their book Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor showcases fresh southern cuisine and I can't wait to try more recipes from them soon!

Strawberry Wine Coolers

1 pound strawberries, cleaned and hulled
2 ounces vodka

pinch of kosher salt
2 750-mL bottles off-dry white wine

Combine the strawberries, vodka, salt, and 2 cups of the wine in a blender.
Puree on the highest setting until the mixture is frothy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
Add the remaining wine to the pitcher, stir and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1-2 hours before serving.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

2011-05-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I love about spring is the abundance of berries available at stores and farmer's markets. Raspberries are one of my favorite things and combining them with chocolate just seems natural. While raspberry and dark chocolate is usually my first pick, recently I saw a recipe for white chocolate cake and thought how perfect they would be paired with raspberry.

The White Chocolate Cake recipe is here

I baked it in cupcake liners, allowed them to cool and then filled the center with raspberry preserves. I topped them with a White chocolate Buttercream icing that was a delicious mistake. I went to make vanilla buttercream icing and had no heavy cream. What I did have was my white chocolate flavored coffee creamer, and it was an awesome substitute! I am already looking forward to checking out what other coffee creamer flavors I could use for icings........Irish cream, Amaretto or Caramel Cream anyone?

White Chocolate Buttercream

10 Tbsp room temperature un-salted butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

pinch of salt

2 tbsp white chocolate flavored coffee creamer

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, sugar and salt and whip on medium speed until combined. Slowly drizzle coffee creamer into the mix and continue to beat on medium to medium high speed until fully incorporated, light and fluffy.

On the menu for this week:

Monday: Root Beer Glazed Shredded Pork with Mac and Cheese

Wednesday: Pizza Soup with Parmesan Pull Apart Rolls- pepperoni and Italian sausage with mushrooms and peppers in an Italian tomato broth

Friday: Chicken Marsala Pasta- Chicken, Mushroom and Sausage Pasta in a creamy Parmesan Marsala sauce

Easter Fun

2011-04-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time catching up with family and friends over the Easter holidays and eating our way through the past two weeks. That's not exactly a hard thing to do in a city like New Orleans, and I never tire of the amazing food Louisiana has to offer. For Easter Sunday instead of the traditional dinner most people are used to, we celebrated with a huge crawfish boil. Traditionally an over-sized stockpot is filled with all your seasonings: onion, celery, garlic, lemons and seafood boil and allowed to steep for about 20 minutes, then the potatoes are added to get a head start. After the potatoes are in for 5 minutes the crawfish are added and the water is brought back to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, you shut it off, add the corn on the cob and mushrooms and let it all soak 30-45 minutes. The result is pure heaven.

Experienced hands cleaning the crawfish

stirring the pot

ready to be devoured

Paw Paw Jake and Louis- a while ago while we were living in San Diego and sorely missing crawfish Louis called to get the secret to his success......his recipe started with a 6 pack of beer- put the water on to boil and drink your first beer, once the water is up to a boil add your seasonings and have two more beers, and so on. The man knows his stuff.

During our visit home I made it my personal mission to eat as much seafood as I could get my hands on. I think I did a pretty good job. Here is a list of some of my favorite things we had while in town. If you ever find yourself hungry in New Orleans, you can't go wrong with any of these pics!

Cafe Giovanni- Eggplant LoCicero- grilled eggplant with shrimp in a lemon, caper, artichoke and mushroom sauce

Cafe at the Square- Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict- holy heart stopping breakfast, I cleaned my plate!

ACME Oyster House- charbroiled oysters, raw oysters, shrimp po-boy and crab and corn soup

Seither's Seafood- Blackened Shrimp Po-boy, boiled crabs and boiled shrimp- if you don't get invited to Paw Paw's house for crawfish, this can fill in as a close second

The Delachaise- goose fat fries with a bottle of prosecco- yes, it was as good as you are imagining and yes I shared (a little)
R&O's - this is the only restaurant that I consistently get the exact same thing every time I go because it's consistently that good- an Italian mixed salad with olives and a dressed shrimp po-boy

Red Fish Grill- Shrimp and Grits, Calamari salad and BBQ Oysters which make you want to lick the plate

Venezia's- stuffed artichokes, Eggplant Vatican- a fried eggplant shell stuffed with a creamy seafood sauce

Angelo Brocato's - Caramel Cafe Au Lait ice cream in a little traditional Italian bakery/ice cream shop

Pinkberry- Mango Pomegranate Swirl with Pineapple and Raspberries, and the second trip was Mango Coconut swirl with Captain Crunch cereal, Pineapple and Raspberries

Blackened Shrimp PoBoy from Seither's

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

2011-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

When I think of Easter dinner I immediately think of a baked ham, macaroni and cheese, asparagus and a dessert that screams of spring.

This year, we are in New Orleans celebrating Easter with family and friends and will be celebrating with a crawfish boil. I'll be sure to post pictures of the whole process in case you've never been to a crawfish boil yourself.

For an early Easter treat, I decided to try out these low fat carrot cake cupcakes I saw in Cook's Country magazine. I iced some in a lemon cream cheese frosting topped with little edible bunnies I found at Michael's last year and the rest I left un-iced as a quick breakfast option for the kids. I was surprised at how good these came out. The baby food keeps the batter moist and it had a wonderful spice to it. I think next time I may adds some dried cranberries or toasted walnuts to the batter. What's your favorite Easter dessert?

Reduced Fat Carrot Cake

from Cook's Country

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 4-oz jar carrot baby food

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 pan and line the bottom with parchment. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, baby food and sugar until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the oil to the egg mixture, while still mixing. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until nearly smooth. Fold in the carrots. Spread the batter in the prepped pan and bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Blue Cheese, Bacon and Potato Soup

2011-04-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

On my quest to clear out all of my refrigerated items I came across a recipe that I knew I could tweak to fit the few items I had to work with. One large hunk of Gorgonzola cheese, a couple of potatoes, zucchini and some bacon. This was so easy to put together, and if you like blue cheese you will love this soup!

One of my favorite swaps for heavy cream (which the original recipe called for) is a can of fat free evaporated milk. In soups, mashed potatoes or creamy pasta sauces you really can't tell the difference in taste while saving over 100 calories per half cup.

The saved calories from not using heavy cream makes me feel perfectly ok adding the crumbled bacon and large hunk of blue cheese at the end!

Blue Cheese, Bacon and Potato Soup
adapted from here

4 ounces bacon, diced

4 ounces smoked ham, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium zucchini, chopped
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups homemade chicken broth
4 ounces Gorgonzola blue cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup fat free evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot or large saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove. In the bacon drippings brown the ham.

Stir the onion into the ham and bacon fat and cook until onion turns golden. Add the zucchini and potatoes and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini and potatoes have softened, about five minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Puree the soup using an immersion blender. Stir in the blue cheese and the half-and-half. Cook over low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with reserved bacon.
Serves six.

Cucumber Cutie Cocktail

2011-04-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

I've been lucky enough to have moved into a neighborhood full of amazing families and wonderful fellow moms. We are all in different stages of life, and hanging out with them is always a blast. Sometimes on a lazy afternoon or after a really trying day we will meet in the cul-de-sac for "happy hour" while the kids play. I am not a beer drinker, so a fruity cocktail is much more my speed.

I brought this with me Wednesday evening after seeing a picture of a Pimm's cup but not having Pimm's liquor or gin I knew I had to go a different route. The cucumber and mint make the drink so refreshing and a little unexpected while the cutie orange juice gives it just the right amount of sweetness.

I am in love with cocktails that have a savory aspect to them, and have tried many lately that have been giving me inspiration like the grilled thyme, preserved lemon and prosecco at Uchiko; sage and grapefruit smash at Jack Allen's and a jalapeno infused margarita at Chuy's to name a few. As I tell you about how well the different components go together in this drink (In the hopes that you will try it yourself and love it as much as I do) I have to be honest- this was also part of my attempt to clean out the fridge before leaving too! I had a 5 pound box of cutie oranges staring at me and half of an English cucumber to use up and I think this was the perfect way to use them! What's your favorite drink to enjoy with friends?

Cucumber Cutie Cocktail
a fleur de-lectable original

2 large mint sprigs

4 thick slices english cucumber

2 oz. vodka

1/4 cup cutie orange juice

1 Tbsp agave nectar

In a large cocktail shaker top 1 large mint sprig and 3 slices of cucumber with crushed ice. Muddle with the handle of a wooden kitchen spoon until mint and cucmber are broken up. Top with vodka, orange juice and agave. Shake and strain into your serving glass, Garnish with remaining cucumber and mint.

Baked Mini Corn Dogs

2011-04-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Baked Mini Corn Dogs recipe

I mentioned before about my attempt at clearing out the fridge and freezer before going out of town so no food goes to waste. Well, I guess I'm better at it than I thought because now we really have nothing in the fridge and with a last minute change of plans last night I also had a friend's little boy over to play with the kids and was wondering what I was going to feed them. I had some low fat turkey hot dogs in the freezer, so I decided to make these corn dogs. My kids love corn dogs, and this is a recipe that lets them have the food they like while I know it's still nutritious.

Not counting the time you sit the dough aside to rise, this is a very quick and easy to put together recipe. The kids loved them and they didn't last long at all. Since they were all eaten I didn't get to test it out, but I'm sure that they could be baked and frozen for a quick snack. Next time I'll be baking a double batch!

Leftover Makeover

2011-04-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

One thing I really love to do is take the leftovers I have on hand and make something even better with it. I especially love making fantastic breakfasts with the leftovers I'm trying to use up. I could put a fried egg on just about anything and be happy with it. I know there are people out there that refuse to eat leftovers at all- I just don't understand that personally. If you use a little creativity, you really can make some leftovers into a completely new meal; like this:

This week we will be going to New Orleans and will be gone for two weeks, so my mission right now is to use up everything we have so nothing goes to waste. I had some of the roasted fajita sweet potatoes form Wednesday's dinner so I topped them with a fried egg and some tomatillo salsa. WOW was it good! I think this may be my new favorite way to cook sweet potatoes. They were great as a side to the enchiladas, work wonderfully as a fill in for hash-browns and during the week I ate them rolled up in a flour tortilla with cheese and salsa for a guilt free meatless meal.

All you need to do is peel and chop 5 sweet potatoes and toss the cubes with olive oil and a packet of fajita seasoning. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until tender on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside. That's it!

Here's the menu for the week:

Monday:

Roasted Asparagus and Chicken and Cheese Tortellini tossed in a Roasted Red Pepper sauce with a green salad

stay tuned for what I come up with to clear out the fridge later in the week!

Snack Attack

2011-04-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Until very recently I was not an "active" person. I hate to sweat and I am very aware and willing to admit that I am lazy. One of the very first heated discussions my husband and I had was in a WalMart parking lot because I was convinced he was parking entirely too far away form the door and I didn't want to have to walk that much further. Of course, being the funny guy he is he literally parked in the furthest spot away from the store that he possibly could.

guess what happened while we were shopping?

We heard thunder and lightning .........hehehe

He didin't think his little parking joke was so funny once he had to run the entire parking lot to get the truck and come back to get me during a thunderstorm. But believe me, I got the humor then.

So I was right, he was wrong. He got wet, I laughed. And now you know just how little I enjoyed physical activity. Until recently. I don't know how this happened still, but for the past couple months I have been taking hot yoga classes at least twice a week. And sweating while I do it. So when I get out of these 1 1/2 hour long classes of yoga in 90-95 degree heat I am starving. Really. I bring snacks with me and eat them in the car on the way home to get something to eat. Trying to think of something decent to scarf down after one of these classes, I came up with this dip (adapted from here) that I can just shovel in with crackers (or a spoon) and not feel guilty while doing it.

Garlic and Herb Vegetable Spread

3 wedges Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb spreadable cheese

1/4 c finely chopped celery

1/4 c finely chopped radish

1 tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp black olives, chopped

1 Tbsp green onion, sliced

1 Tbsp capers, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients until thoroughly combined and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Baby Shower Butterflies

2011-04-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday morning! This cake was for a baby shower on Friday and they requested a Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream. The expecting couple decorated the nursery with green rolling hills, trees and a monarch butterfly mobile that the mommy to be made herself, so I tried to mimic that on their cake. Without seeing any pictures of their room it gets nerve-wracking when you wonder if you even came close to what they were expecting to see. I was so happy to get one of the best compliments I've ever received; They liked it so much and said it was nicer than their wedding cake. I'll take it!

After the shower I was sent this picture of an adorable little boy clearly enjoying his slice. After the cake was gone he resorted to licking the plate clean to get every last crumb. I can't help but think how often I really feel like doing the exact same thing myself!

Bake Sales and Birthdays

2011-04-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Austin Bakes for Japan bake sale was yesterday and it was a tremendous success. Over $11,000 was raised to help for the relief effort in Japan! That is an amazing amount of money to raise in one day and I am so glad I got to be a part of it! If you'd like to see some pictures of the day, check out The Kid Can Cook

Here is the Feta and Rosemary Olive Oil Shortbreads I baked!

Today is my birthday and last night my wonderful husband gave me this beautiful cookbook and brought me to dinner at Uchi

this restaurant is insane and both times I have eaten there and at it's sister restaurant Uchiko I leave amazed at what can be done with food! If you haven't been, I highly recommend it- you will not be disappointed. He also got me an ice cream cake form my favorite ice cream shop, Austin Scoops

Chocolate cake, Sweet Cream ice cream with fresh raspberries mixed in and chocolate fudge icing YUM!

Here's what I'll be making for dinner this week:

Monday: Asian Chicken and Noodle Salad- whole wheat linguine, shredded chicken, edamame, and vegetables in a lime, soy and ginger vinaigrette

Wednesday: Beef and Cheese Enchiladas and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Friday: Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Smoked Paprika and Cilantro Cream with Onion Blue Cheese Tart

Austin Bakes for Japan

2011-04-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

Today is the big day! At 10 am bakers all over Austin will be selling their treats to go towards AmeriCares in a benefit for Japan. Get out there on this gorgeous day and get some for yourself! Here are the locations:

Downtown: Woof Gang Bakery, 1204 N. Lamar Blvd. 78703

East: Nomad Bar, 1213 Corona Drive, 78723

West: The Shops at Mira Vista (between Keith Kristofer and Collectic), 2785 Bee Cave Road, 78746

Central: Foreign & Domestic, 306 E. 53rd St., 78751

South: Hotel San Jose, 1511 South Congress Ave., 78704

Austin Bakes

My Cheddar Cheese Dill Bread, Sweet Pickle Relish

and Rosemary Feta Olive Oil Shortbreads

All packed up and ready to go by my fabulous foodie friend Emme

She made the labels, took the pictures and will be delivering my goodies to the bake sale for me. Talk about an awesome friend!! Be sure to check out the treats she whipped up for the bake sale and her fabulous blog The Kid Can Cook!

Dill and Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-03-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

My dad recently bought me a new crock pot, this one to be exact, and I LOVE it! One of my favorite things to make in a crock pot is chicken stock. Not many things can make the house smell fabulous with very little effort, but making stock in your crock pot does just that. Whether you have a whole chicken or just some frozen bones you've been saving in the freezer (I can't be the only one that saves a bag of bones in my freezer, right?) you can put together a fabulous stock in minutes. Bones or whole chicken, salt, pepper, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, water and parsley stems all come together to make such a versatile stock that can be used immediately, or frozen for later use.

One thing in particular that I love about this crock pot is the ability to sear or saute on the stove top and then transfer the crock to the base and let it do it's thing while you're gone. This morning I browned my bones and vegetables, seasoned it, added water and put it in the crock until I was ready for it. When it came time to make dinner, it was so easy to throw together!

Dill and Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from Good Life Eats

serves 4 - 6

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup white wine
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
6 cups homemade chicken broth
8 oz rotini pasta, uncooked
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon dill
1 large bunch fresh spinach, chopped

Add 1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil in a large crock or soup pot. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until golden and tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and carrot. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and lemon together. Add 1 cup of the hot broth very slowly to the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour. Then, transfer the mixture to the dutch ovencrock. Stir in the rotini. Continue cooking over medium-low until the pasta and carrots are tender, about 9 minutes. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the dill, shredded chicken and spinach. Serve immediately.

Austin Bakes for Japan

2011-03-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

I volunteered for a wonderful event to raise money for AmeriCares to aid in the relief effort for Japan

The bake sale will be in 5 different locations in Austin on Saturday April 2 starting at 9am

If you are interested in finding out more about the bake sale or to learn how you can help, go here

Downtown: Woof Gang Bakery, 1204 N. Lamar Blvd. 78703

East: Nomad Bar, 1213 Corona Drive, 78723

West: The Shops at Mira Vista (between Keith Kristofer and Collectic), 2785 Bee Cave Road, 78746

Central: Foreign & Domestic, 306 E. 53rd St., 78751

South: Hotel San Jose, 1511 South Congress Ave., 78704

Of course when you think of a bake sale the first thing that comes to mind is cookies, cakes, brownies, cupcakes etc.

.......of course I can't go that route, that would be expected

I plan to donate:

Cheddar Cheese Dill Bread

Rosemary and Feta Crackers

2 jars Sweet Pickle Relish

I'll be sure to post pictures when I make everything in the hopes of tempting you to go to the nearest bake sale to you and picking up some delicious treats for yourself!

Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: Turkey Thyme Mini Meatloaves with Roasted Butternut Squash and Buttered Peas

Wednesday: Taco Pasta- pasta, ground beef, peppers and onions in a creamy taco flavored sauce topped with cheese, lettuce and tomato
Apple Chai Spice Coffee Cake- apple cinnamon coffee cake with cardamom and vanilla

Friday: Southwestern Corn Chowder- corn, green chili and potato creamy chowder

Sweet Repeats

2011-03-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Evy's Tree is doing it again! Another adorable giveaway that you can enter to win!

I adore all of her girly, frilly clothes and this one has a pop of color that just screams spring! Go visit her site or facebook page and enter to win!

Last night I hosted bunco and for a sweet treat I tried something a little different, do you remember when I made these for Brianna's Sweet Shop Birthday party?

When I was buying all of the supplies to make them, I bought these thinking they were standard size ice cream cones, then when I opened them at home I realized how small they were and they just wouldn't work but they were already opened and I knew I could think of something to do with them so they didn't go to waste

Well, this Monday on the weekly menu I had these beauties as the dessert and I had all of the centers that I had to remove from the cupcakes to fill them with cookie dough left over along with some extra icing so I made cookie dough flavored cake balls and stuffed them into the mini ice cream cones, dipped them in white chocolate and adorned them with sprinkles!

I just love the way they came out and they truly were delicious! I actually had two people (at different times without hearing each other) request time in a closet by themselves to have a moment with their treat. If that's not a compliment, I don't know what is!

Nuts for Nutella

2011-03-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Do you remember these?

The brownie roll out cookies I made for Valentine's Day?

Well, they were delicious and I was really happy with how they came out for Marshall's teachers and friends at school. After I baked them I couldn't help thinking how good they would be filled with something....jam, marshmallow cream, buttercream or Nutella.

When I made the dough, I split it in half and froze the half I didn't use. Well wrapped, cookie dough can stay stored in the freezer for a couple months and when I defrosted the dough I kneaded it quickly and was ready to roll, cut bake and fill.

Since two of the people that would be trying these cookies adore Nutella, that's what I went with and I thought they came out delicious!

Since they were so good I used them as bribery.

It is nearly impossible to get a picture of both of my children together, smiling, looking at the camera and staying still so the picture isn't blurry and now I know how to get them to cooperate, SCORE!

So Sweet!

2011-03-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes

I have a small obsession with foodgawker. If you've never checked it out, please do! It is a wealth of inspiration and I love browsing through the gorgeous photography, coming across a new must try recipe and finding my next favorite foodie to follow. One of the blogs that I found is How Sweet It Is, an awesome blog that frequently has me drooling. What this girl does with cake batter will amaze you!

On foodgawker you are able to mark things as a favorite and save them in your own little "recipe corner" and these were saved in mine. One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes. Easy with minimal cleanup and producing a small amount to avoid having a dozen cupcakes tempting you from the counter to eat "just one more bite", then feeling guilty about eating your body weight in cake and icing.
Or is that just me?
Anyway, the kids and I were home while Louis was at track practice, and they had behaved so well that day instead of going out for ice cream I decided to let them help me whip these up.
I am just now realizing the irony of the fact that my husband was out running to train for a half ironman triathlon and I'm at home eating cake.
I'm pretty sure I had a lot more fun than he did!

I'm not sure why, but the recipe says that it will make 2 cupcakes and mine made 3. I had a small amount of peanut butter icing in the fridge, so to make enough for all three cupcakes I added a heaping spoonful of Nutella and topped them with shavings of dark chocolate. If you'd like to make these, find the recipe here at How Sweet It Is!

Yum!

On the menu this week:

Monday

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya- chicken and andouille sausage in a Louisiana style rice dish, served with a green salad

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes- Chocolate Chip Brown Sugar Cupcakes filled with egg-less cookie dough and topped with cookie dough icing and mini chocolate chips

Wednesday

Sticky Teriyaki Chicken over Rice with Sesame Soy Roasted Broccoli

Friday

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf - turkey meatloaf topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese

served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Buttered Peas

Head Chefs Giveaway!

2011-03-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

If you haven't visited Emmy's Closet yet, you really should! She is having a fabulous giveaway and the prize will make your time in the kitchen with (or without) kids so much more fun! A set of head chefs utensils!

There are a few different ways to enter her giveaway, and it's open until Wednesday!