Spring Fling!

So, Easter this year was hosted by yours truly... This meant I was handling the bulk of the meal. With a little bit of help from my mom with her additions, of "classic" mashed potatoes and a fresh green bean casserole,  we were set for a scrumptious Easter meal! Once my wheels started to turn I thought PORK! yes a PORK ROAST! I mean who doesn't like pig? I know right.. No One! anyhow..

   

I also prepared my favorite appetizer. Bruschetta! I switched it up this time.. instead of cherry tomatoes (which is also great!) I made it with heirloom tomatoes!! Here are my thoughts on heirloom tomatoes; A regular tomato is fine until you have had an heirloom tomato, Aside from their expense they are certainly the way to go and never the less they are gorgeous to look at! While I used the heirloom tomatoes the rest of the recipe stayed the same: tomatoes, red onion, fresh garlic, lots of basil! extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper! it is so good the simple way, where you can taste every little ingredient. :) and not to leave out the best part.. Balsamic Reduction!! All atop a crostini rubbed down with a fresh clove of garlic..Mmm!

And you know I couldn't skimp on the dessert. We indulged in a rich velvet Mango Ice Cream. I used a Thomas Keller recipe as a guide but, eventually I tweaked the recipe to my liking... and lucky for me it turned out delicious! I WILL be make this ice cream again!

It's been a busy month.

So this month has been crazy, but of course, I found time to make some really delicious stuff! The culinary juices were definitely flowing! I have gotten in such a routine of baking almost every weekend! I'm having so much fun!

Earlier this month I made spring rolls for a mini pot
luck in my office. After a conversation with a friend
in the office about an Asian market in Tampa I
thought back on some of the Asian dishes I have
made in the past. A rendition of these spring rolls
were on the menu at a restaurant I had worked in.

These ingredients are what I like to use when making spring rolls.

-Napa Cabbage

-Julienne Carrots

-Julienne English Cucumber

-Basil Leaves

-Avocado

-Julienne Red Bell Pepper

-Shaved Radish

 

 

Marinated cellophane noodles.

-Fish Sauce

-Soy Sauce

-Sweet Chili Sauce                  

                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Wrap everything up tight in the rice paper.. kind of like a small burrito. Serve with more of the sweet chili sauce on the side or make a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and scallions. 

Delicious! and you won't even feel guilty about eating more than one. I also like these with some kind of marinated, cooked and chilled meat. Just another option.. :)

Peanut Butter Short Bread Cookie 
-Standard short bread dough with peanut butter added  in. Simple and so good!

Grape Butter Cream
-Butter Cream with grape jelly mixed in.

                   Yes I said grape jelly. 

Finished Product

peanut butter shortbread sandwich cookies 

with grape butter cream

Vanilla Macaroon Shells

Yum.

Vanilla Butter Cream

for the filling

Yumm.

A couple pictures of my favorite and only 

the MOST delicious cookie on Earth.

Totally worth the time they take to make.

I'm in love with these.

no seriously.

I am.

Yummmm!  

New Year, Last Years Food :)

Here's a little recap of what deliciousness my family and I had over the holidays. I'm a little sad that there aren't many holiday coming up... So, I will be searching for events to bake or cook for in the near future!

This is a food "time line" from start to finish on our Christmas Day food consumption.

Ham and Swiss Crepes

 (for breakfast)

Granola (My Husband eats this constantly!!) 

Apricots, Pecans and White Chocolate

Bruscetta with a Balsamic Reduction Drizzle

(I can't have it without the drizzle!!)

Green Bean Casserole 

(with homemade cream of mushroom soup)

yum.

Potatoes Au Gratin

(Courtesy of my Mother)

Sweet Potatoes

(Not too Sweet and Not too Savory)

Honey Baked Ham

(the little bit of help I had that day)

Creme Brulee

(the most delicious cherry on top of our Christmas Day Feast)

Keep and eye out for what I have coming up next! 

Yea I know...

So, I know its been about 3 months since my first.. and last post but, here we are...

I have really been in to baking and cooking, Especially since it's the holidays! I some high lights have been a new recipe of banana muffins I have made twice now. Once with mini chocolate chips and just yesterday plain. I love them both ways but, to each their own. I got a variation of the recipe from my mom, but, me being me couldn't just use the recipe as is.. I had to play around with it and I'm glad I did! They are the best banana muffins I have ever had! EVER! Also, I made some chocolate-peppermint bark. I got really great feed back from it because it was so soft..I got it to stay some what soft by incorporating whole butter into the chocolate while it was melting and instead of having chunks of peppermint I made more of a peppermint powder. I have to say they were pretty darn good...

On another note... a friend of mine was pregnant (I say was because since then she has had the bundle) so to make her home coming a bit easier for her and her BF I made a basket of frozen foods and goodies that they could just throw in the oven instead of slaving over the stove. I made a lasagna, Shepard's pie, some thyme and panko crusted chicken strips, lemon thyme short bread cookies and finally some powdered - dark chocolate almonds! all of which I made for me and my family so I know they were totally edible! and Delicious!

I'm terrible at remembering to snap photos of my dishes but I have a few pics of some other things I have recently made! Now lets see if I can figure out how to post a picture....

Some of this was from Thanksgiving and some was for just because!  More to come, hopefully not too far after the holidays.. I have creme brulee planned for Christmas dessert! I can't wait!

First Post

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post. Nothing too special this time. I'm just getting aquainted with the layouts and things.. I'm going to get some pictures up soon. Let me know what you all think!