Praw-leens

aka pray-leens (pralines)

I found this book from Half Price Books

Junior League of Baton Rouge, Louisiana

River Road Recipes IV

Warm Welcomes

Entertaining Menus from Our Homes to Yours

Copyright 2004

I was inspired to buy this book after reading

this post on Home Sick Texan's blog

I found this recipe, and just had to try it

Pralines without a candy thermometer... wow

I just happened to have all the ingredients in my pantry

So, here we go 

Microwave Pralines

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) pkg light brown sugar 

1 cup heavy cream

1/4  cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 cups pecan pieces

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the brown sugar and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and mix well

Microwave on high for 7 minutes, stir

Add the butter and microwave on high for 7 minutes longer and stir vigorously

Stir in pecans and vanilla

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.

(Do this quickly)

Let stand until set

So quick and easy!

There are some really awesome recipes in this book...

stay tuned for more

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

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.

Tostones

Watching "What Would Brian Boitano Make" inspired these fried plantains.

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

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

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