Friday, June 25, 2010

Twilight Bloody Cupcakes

 Made chocolate cupcakes using this recipe
Added a scoop or two of Blue Bell Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Topped with Raspberry Sauce

I used jam for testing purposes,
but plan to use
the raspberry sauce from here  
for our pre-Twilight Party
next Tuesday

I got the idea to put them in a martini glass
from the Match Maker episode
of one of my new favorite
Food Network shows

Cupcake Wars


Thursday, June 24, 2010

Blogging on the Go

I am trying out an iPhone app that allows me to blog from my phone.
This
Is
A
Test

Pasta Carbonara


Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 ounces pancetta
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs lingini
2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/3 cup Pecorino cheese + more for garnish
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add pancetta and cook 5 minutes.  Add onions and saute until onions are translucent and the pancetta is crispy and brown. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions in boiling water with sea salt.  While pasta cooks, stir together yolks, parsley, and 1/3 cup cheese.  Return pancetta and onions to medium heat, add cream, cinnamon and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer.

Strain pasta, reserving 1 1/4 cups of pasta water.  Blend 1/4 cup of pasta water with yolk mixture, then stir into pancetta cream sauce.   Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup more of pasta water and simmer sauce until bubbly and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Return pasta to pot and toss with sauce.  Add more pasta water if necessary to make sauce creamy.  Serve with additional grated cheese.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Next Food Network Star - Season 6

Who's watching?

I am....

I really like Aarti Sequeira so far

She seems fun and entertaining

Check out her blog called aarti paarti




Monday, June 21, 2010

Jalapeno - Cheddar Cream Cheese Roll-Ups


This is another quick and easy appetizer

Pick your favorite flour tortilla
Here I used Jalapeno-Cheddar

Then choose your favorite cream cheese flavor
Here I used onion and chives

Warm up the tortillas so that they are easy to roll
Cover one side with cream cheese
Roll up
Repeat

It usually takes one tub of philly cream cheese to on pack of tortillas

I place in the fridge or freezer to chill

Then slice in to bit size pieces

This is just a base recipe that you can add anything to

It's just a quick and easy app for last minute gatherings

My favorite combination is spinach flavored tortillas with jalapeno cream cheese


I prefer the la tortilla factory tortillas but mission's are ok, too

Spinach Dip





Spinach Dip has been around forever
I'm sure most of you have own version
but for those who don't, this is for you

This is the very first thing I ever learned how to make as a grownup
(way back in the 80's)
Believe it or not, I haven't always liked cooking

Shocking, I know

It was basically my "go to" recipe for any gathering


Spinach Dip

Ingredients
1 box frozen chopped spinach
1 - 16 ounce light sour cream
3/4 cup real mayo
1 pkg dried vegetable soup mix (Knorr's)

Directions
Thaw spinach by placing it in a colander and running warm to hot water over it
Squeeze excess juice from it
In a bowl, mix the vegetable soup mix with the sour cream and mayo
Add the spinach

and that is it..

There is usually a recipe on the back of the soup packets, but Knorr's calls for water chestnuts, I am not sure why -  I do not like those
It also calls for green onions -which I'm sure give it something more, but really this dip works just like this

I always keep these ingredients in the house,
so I have a quick and easy dip to take to a last minute gathering
or for last minute company

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Southern Peach Cobbler



I went to a peach orchard this morning called Ham's Orchard

It was so cool

I bought these peaches


and made this peach cobbler

(Sorry Aunt Janae -  I couldn't find your recipe, so I had to to the internet)

Click here for the recipe

eat - pray - love


I am reading this book
and
loving it

A friend gave it to me to read about 3 years ago,
and it literally sat for about 2 years untouched
I just couldn't get into it
I finally returned it to her unread

I got interested once I heard that a movie is being made about it
and
 Elizabeth Gilbert  has written a follow-up book

Gosh, if Julia Roberts is playing her
maybe there is something to it after all

If you haven't read it, yet
I highly recommend it

4th of July

Recently, I blogged
about Walmart's
fun red, white, and blue plates, glasses, etc.


I got these red and white plastic plates at Target for .99 cents
I already had the blue plastic wine glasses

I did buy the cute red and white flower BHG plates at Walmart
I also got the star "napkins" (bandanas) @ Walmart
The red pails are from Hobby Lobby


I received Pottery Barn's Summer Catalog this week
and
it has inspired me to go buy carnations
while they are not my favorite flower
but should fit in perfectly with my kitzchy summer table

Becoming More Than Just a Good Bible Study Girl

We kicked off our bible study on Saturday. This is our 7th book over the last 5 years. I am really excited about this book. It was just r...