Peeps Smores

Mark this down as something I would never think to do.

I don't normally like Peeps - never have. I bought a pack this year for my friend Becca who mentioned she loves them. I have also bought them for my friend Michelle who also likes them - but that has been my experience with them. I even love marshmellows - especially homemade ones - I don't know what my deal is.

About a month ago I heard about this peep party among the ladies at Providence. I greatly anticipated this little shindig during my first week here.

Ingredients:

graham crackers

dark chocolate bars

Peeps (buying them after Easter makes this very cheap)

aluminum foil

napkins

Line a pan with foil. Turn oven on broil. Place half a graham cracker down, top with chocolate, then a peep (no color specification needed). Broil for about 15-30 seconds - literally they don't take very long at all. You want them just browned on top of their cute little heads. Take them out - smush (technically cooking term) down the other half of the graham cracker. Enjoy.

Taste of Chattanooga: Chattanooga Cupcake

I love the downtown area of Chattanooga: stores, restaurants, theatres, the Tennessee River, the aquarium. I first learned of it a few years ago by sightseeing with a friend, but now I just love to explore.
Today I went there for lunch and dessert. Dessert was a no-brainer when we saw the sign "Chattanooga Cupcakes". (The wonderful pictures will come Sunday because I can't get them to load.)
The folks in there were so kind to let us take pictures of the cute decor, the beautiful cased cupcakes, and to gladly sell us to wonderfully delicious cupcakes.
I chose the Italian Creme cupcake - the frosting was out of this world - I think I literally said "this is better than Publix frosting" - never before said that.
Aarica had the lemon raspberry cupcake - which had raspberry cream cheees filling with lemon frosting and raspberry drizzle on top. The cupcake was so moist and scrumptious with the filling.
If you are ever in downtown Chatt - by the Aquarium - you MUST stop in - save some room for a cupcake - which is usually a necessity of life!

Foodie Night with Brandi

I love my foodie friends!

Brandi and I worked together at SBTS before she went and had a baby. Last night was our last time to get together and hang out before I move on as well. Such is the life of seminary workers!

We had so much fun and I personally ate too much!

I made a huge salad: green leaf lettuce, roma tomato, cuk, feta cheese, pecans, dried cherries. YUM

Brandi made chuck bbq with Sweet Baby Rays sauce that she had slow cooked and then shredded. We ate it the only way you can: on a yellow bread roll that was garlic-ized in the oven on broil.

We also had baked doritos and baked ruffles.

For dessert: an eggo waffle topped with fruit, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

End the night with a Diet Doctor Pepper and my fave dude on TV solving a food-related murder - could it get any better?

I'll definitely miss Brandi - and am thankful for social media and email!

Product Review: Ciao Bella Sorbet

Love. This. Stuff.
Whole Foods comes through in little individual containers of yummy goodness!
Ciao Bella is a gelato place in NYC (they have some great stuff don't they) - and they send their sorbet to my Whole Foods here in Louisville.
I tried the Sicilian Blood Orange flavor of sorbet. For 100 calories - amazing. I felt like I was eating a blood orange with a spoon. I also put a scoop of free cool whip and a sprinkle of coconut on top - just for textural and temperature changes (important in my consumption of cold things).
1. With this, I don't have to wait till the oranges are in season
2. I don't have to be in Florida to get good oranges when I have this stuff.
3. It was cold - which felt good on my sore throat
4. It was better for me than ice cream.
5. I will be trying other flavors.

Yum - hey Ciao Bella people - got any coupons?

Taste of Chicago - Grand Lux Cafe

We thought the bags looked pretty familiar when we walked in - we were right - this place is owned by the same folks who own Cheesecake Factory. You know its going to be good. And it was next door to Ann Taylor - so how bad could it bed? And it had a wait at 4pm? We only waited about 15 minutes and when we walked out - it was about an hour wait. Glad we got there early!

I was not anticipating a sit-down nice restaurant when I heard about this place from a friend just based on the name alone. I'm so glad we stopped there.

We had their bread - very good. I took lots of photos. I dropped my knife and fork - silly me. The tables were completely on top of each other, but people know how to dine. I couldn't tell you what the other folks were talking about at their table. Most of the time people talk so loud at restaurants. Our first waiter wasn't all that, but halfway through they changed shifts and our waitress was much better.

To start off with - the Edamame: stir fried with Spicy Szechwan Sauce. SO GOOD! Better than Chais in Durham (gasp!)

Then, Janel got the soup of the day - a chicken chowder with veggies. I took a bite - good and warm on a cold day.

I got the mini goat cheese and mushroom pizza. This was not mini (about 7 inches by 3 inches) and was only 4.95 and was AMAZING. I would go back there every time and order this.

For dessert (and take home): New Orleans Beignets Served Warm with Three Sauces (a creme anglaise (close your eyes and savor the warmth and richness good), chocolate, and raspberry. They were warm and yummy. Thanks Kathy for the suggestion.

This place was definitely the best place I ate all weekend and I would gladly go there again! :)

Molasses Maple Ginger Cake (2009.46)

Ok - I've fallen a little behind - just because I don't have anything to make out of these last few cookbooks and I'm making tried and true recipes these last few weeks for the holidays. But, I'll try to squeeze some out here.
This is out of a new cookbook I won at Taste and Tell's blog - Get Cooking is the name of it. Some good recipes, pictures with almost all if not all of them. Great instructions in this cookbook for the novice cook - so if you are just starting out or know someone who is young and getting married with little to no cooking experience - this might be a good choice.

I ran out of molasses so I had to change the ingredients and therefore changed the name too. It was Gingery Gingerbread, but I changed the name. My friend said "I like the bite in it. It is subtle, but then Pow - you get the spice in your throat at the end".

1 stick softened unsalted butter
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 T ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
3 T grated fresh ginger
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix dry, cream wet. Alternate adding the dry with the wet - alternating the buttermilk. Till all combined. Pour into sprayed 9x13 pan and cook in a 350 (325 glass pan) oven for 35-40 minutes.
Let cool. Serve with anything: cool whip, powdered sugar, lemon curd, chocolate ice cream, whatever you fancy!

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 5 - Cappuccino Mocha Punch

I love this girl. This girl has been a true friend to me the past 4+ years. We met at a Shanes concert at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh and then dinner at Red Robin. Never would have dreamed this girl would have so much impact on my cooking, homemaking, and walk with Christ. (Sorry for no picture. Not for lack of, but for blogger being mean to me. I'll try to upload one again!)

Here is a hospitality tip from Rachael:

Hospitality Tip: the true sense of hospitality is the welcoming of strangers. Christmas is the perfect time to minister to neighbors, inviting them over for a cookie swap or a night of watching Christmas specials. Remember that hospitality is not entertaining, it is inviting people into your life to serve them and sacrificially love them with the love of Christ. So this Christmas season remember to listen and be attentive to the needs of those around you. You won't know those needs unless you take the time with them. Be purposeful. Amidst the joy that we celebrate, there are many who are desperate for a Savior. You can be the voice of hope as you share Christ through your love towards them in hospitality. Lord willing there will be more time after Christmas to continue with a gospel centered relationship where your neighbors can see that Christ is not just celebrated one month out of the year but He is your purpose for living each day.

If you like coffee and have a party to host - here you go:

Cappuccino Mocha Punch

Recipe serves 75 (see below for personal use)
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 small jar instant coffee (approx. 1 cup)
3 gallons of milk
3 quarts vanilla ice cream
3 quarts chocolate ice cream

Boil together water, sugar and instant coffee for a few minutes to make coffee syrup. Let cool and refrigerate until ready for use.When ready to use, mix the coffee syrup with milk. Then add the ice cream by scoops.
**For personal you can divide the recipe by ¼. To make an individual serving, combine 1 T coffee syrup, ¾ cup milk, and 1 scoop of each ice cream. You can store the coffee syrup in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks.

12 Days of Christmas Baking - Day 4 - Cranberry Apple Salad

This girl has provided much wisdom in the last few years of my life (and laughs, and recipes, and talks, and food, and anything else you can think of). I am truly grateful for her. She provides you with a recipe that you can use throughout the holiday season - that's why you always need to keep cranberries on hand (because you can only find them this time of year in the produce section). (This is a picture of the dessert and of Leah and her precious son. Quick story. I visited with Leah and her family the day B was due, but he wasn't going anywhere. He came the next day. I chose this picture because it shows Leah's affinity and closeness with her son, and daughter as well. She loves being a Mom and wife!)

The Cranberry-Apple Salad is a dish unique to my family. It contains chopped cranberries and apples mixed with mini marshmallows and some whipped topping. The end result is a fluffy, beautifully pink concoction unlike anything you have had before. When I was growing up, I was a very picky eater, did not actually eat the salad (my youngest brother ate enough for all of us!), and really never thought I would make it when I was “on my own”. The first year that Nathan and I were in seminary, we could not travel home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I was devastated, and greatly missed my family. Two other couples who were good friends of ours were not traveling, so we decided to have Thanksgiving dinner together. That meal with the Sperdutos and the Russells is one of my fondest memories—we had such a great time! I knew when we discussed sides that I had to make my mom’s Cranberry-Apple Salad, even if I didn’t eat it. Here’s the secret though: as an adult, I made it myself, tried it, and really liked it! And since then, though we still do not travel home for Thanksgiving, I make the Phillips Family Cranberry-Apple Salad for almost every Thanksgiving!

Phillips Family Cranberry-Apple Salad
2 cups cranberries
1 apple, pared and cored
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups Dream Whip (found with Jell-O)
Chop cranberries and apple using a mini chopper or food processor. Stir together cranberries, apples, sugar and mini marshmallows. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, prepare Dream Whip according to package directions. Fold Dream Whip into cranberry mixture. Serve immediately. This salad is a pretty pink color that can only be appreciated in person!

Creamy Toffee Dip

Oh yum. I ate way too much of this weekend - but it was paired with granny smith apple slices does that make it healthier? Thank you Tina for a yummy and simple, versatile recipe!

Creamy Toffee Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 bag Heath Toffee bits
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 t vanilla

Mix all. Let chill before serving. Enjoy with sliced apples, graham crackers, pears, anything!

Apple Berry Cobbler with Cinnamon Biscuits (2009.42)

Wow - that means there is only about 10 weeks left in the year! Went by so quick!
This was a great way to wake up this morning - to have my house smelling yummy and very fall-y. Apples and cranberries and cinnamon - can't go wrong with this. This is out of Southern Living's Our Best Recipes 2004.
I followed this recipe to a T (save the nuts because I didn't have any chopped at the time and was pressed for said time). I thought it was a little sweet for my liking, so next time I would: cut the biscuits out (instead of just dropping them - better presentation) and cut the sugar down to make it more tart.

4 granny smith apples
3 fuji or other tart/sweet apple (I didn't peel them, but that is just me)
2 cups cranberries
1 cup sugar (I would cut the sugar here)
3 T flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick cold unsalted butter, chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk

3 T sugar (I would cut the sugar here)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Apple and berries, combine with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Then stir in syrup. Press into 9x13 greased pan.
Dry ingredients, cut in butter, combine with buttermilk. Knead about 7 times. Drop or cut biscuits on top of apples.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (and nuts if desired).
Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip.

I cut the cooking time a bit (it said an hour). I thought it was done by 50 minutes. This was good, just a little sweet - so I can cut the sugar next time! I hope Brandi enjoys it.

Taste of Louisville: The Cupcake Shoppe

This little place is right down the street - next to other favorites such as Lotsa Pasta and Asahi. Today was the first day I tasted their yumminess!
My boss' wife brought me a yummy Pumpkin Patch Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
The frosting was tasty with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Perfect blend of sugar and cream cheese. Perfectly smooth.
The cupcake was so moist - perfect ratio of frosting to cake. Had nuts in it, perfect spicy/sweet level. Maybe the best fall cupcake I've ever had.
Darn - I didn't have my camera. Wish I did.
So cute. So yummy. Definitely worth the one bite!

Taste of Baltimore

I spent this weekend in Baltimore, MD - Inner Harbor to be exact. It was nice being able to walk to restaurants that were right on the water. The company was great for all these meals - definitely making it a reminder that meals are more than the food! Here are the places I went:

PotBelly's Sandwich Works: with Kelli and her family on Saturday for lunch. I had a great chicken salad salad. Huge croutons that were their bread just chunked up - nice diced. Good parmesan vinaigrette.

PF Changs - "we're going to feverishly devour this food so fast it will make the chef weep". This was a pretty direct quote. We got there about 730 and left about 930 - great food. Wonton soup with dumplings and shrimp, lettuce wraps, calamari (I loved them dipped in the salt), kung pao shrimp, mongolian beef, and Chang's chicken - topped off with some coconut ice cream. We did it all family style. Good stuff!

7-11 - I went here twice. Sometimes its the only place and cheapest place to go. Now, maybe not for every meal - but I was quite thankful for the 7-11 this trip!

J. Paul's American Grill - I got the crab cake salad. So moist - not much filler. Lump crab was throughout it. Their pretzels were great too - definitely hit the spot.

Viccaro's Italian Pastries - I heard these were great, so I got a few. Lemon Drop cookie (ok, took a bite), almond topped amoretti cookie (great, but still took a bite), chocolate topped cream puff (not great, have had better, mini bite), chocolate almond white dipped biscotti (didn't think this was all that great), mini canolli (ok, so what they were known for was pretty good - had 2 bites). It was good to get to taste these as I was sitting on the waterfront. Couldn't ask for more!

Hard Rock Cafe - first time I've eaten at one. Won't get again any time soon. The carrot cake was good (split that), I had the chicken salad which was good. But, it was expensive, horrible service (Chase was just having a bad day), took us forever. The music was loud too, but provided some impromptu conversation starters. But, the company was great!

Caribou - Some dude came and told me there was one not a few blocks away. Later (after I went and got an iced chai and dark chocolate graham), he came back with a 5$ gift card for me. I'll definitely be using this later! Some of life's little blessings. I love it!

So - Baltimore food was good. I walked everywhere and didn't eat a ton. Much better than I did in NC!

Strawberry Cobbler

I found this recipe about a year ago on one of the blogs I read - but didn't have any more strawberries. Well, I now have some and used some this morning to make this crisp - cobbler - whatever you want to call it for a work lunch today.

3 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 scant sugar
1 1/2 T flour

1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 stick unsalted cold butter, chopped

Mix the top 3 together and place in a greased 8 in square pan. Top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. Enjoy with ice cream or cool whip.

BGC's Strawberry Margarite Cake (2009.17)

Love this recipe - and so easy! :)
Butterfly Garden Cafe here in Louisville off of Bardstown was introduced to me by Lauren. love it. Need to go again sometime soon! The only thing bad about it is the parking - but anywhere on Bardstown - I think the same thing. But, I just noticed they opened a second location off Shelbyville - more parking! :)
So, my friend Brandi just had a baby and I am taking them dinner. This was on my spring recipes to try - so here we go!

1 pkg white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup strawberry margarita mix

Mix - bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 for 25 minutes. Let cool.

1 tub cool whip light
3 limes - juice and zest

Stir all together and frost cake. Put in fridge. Let sit out during dinner or it is not ice cold when you eat it!
I love the bite of the lime in the frosting! So easy!

Taste of Chicaog: Sweet Mandy B's

While I was in Chicago's Lincoln Park last weekend, we stopped in here on Sunday morning. Supposedly, this shop has the "city's best" cupcakes.

Janel took a bite - really loved the frosting. I later took 2 bites. One for the frosting/cake together and one for the cake.

We got a chocolate one as you can see with pink buttercream. It wasn't heavily decorated, and that is good. The cake was moist and not too heavy - and left a good aftertaste in your mouth. The icing was pretty good as well.

As far as the best in chicago...well, it is the only one I have eaten from Chicago...but I don't know that it comes close to a fresh baked Publix cupake piled high with buttercream frosting.

The other good things about the place itself:

1. open on a Sunday morning if you wanted a place to sit for coffee and danish before church.

2. Cheap - the cupcake was 2$!

3. Very friendly people.

4. Samples: the chocolate chip cookie bite was ok (very rich) and the fruit bar (i think blackberry crumble bar of some sort, but don't quote me on it) was quite yummy.

Update as of 1/19/10:

The peanut butter and chocolate rice krispy treats are AMAZING! We went there on early Sunday afternoon and this place was packed. But, very quick and efficient and friendly service (just like last time). Janel and I devoured (on the L and walking downtown) this 4x4 inch perfect treat). No picture, but enjoy some of the bakery goods. Definitely would go back!

Lighter Baked Rice Pudding (2009.13)

Well, for being week 13 - this recipe wasn't much to talk (or write, or eat) about...
BHG's Family Favorites Made Lighter may be a great cookbook to some, but the recipe I chose to make out of it left me wanting to throw it in the garbage.
The only thing good about this recipe was the vanilla flavor.
The bad: eating rubbery egg whites.
Oh, and I liked it because I put cool whip on the top - only ate that, threw the rest away.

3 egg whites
1 egg
1 1/2 cup skim milk (I used 2% organic)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla (good vanilla)
2/3 cup cooked rice
2 T raisins
ground cinnamon on top

Mix together - add rice and raisins. Cook at 350 in a 1.5 qt casserole inside a water bath for 40-50 minutes, stirring once, or until set.
Glad I have better rice pudding recipes than this one.
180 calories

Easy Creamy Banana Pudding (2009.8)

Anastasia comes through again with the recipes. I made this tonight for a friend's birthday - his wife told me he really liked banana pudding - also one of my Dad's favorite desserts. I personally like the cold kind, non-baked. But, I know some people like the other baked meringue kind.

1 large vanilla pudding, instand, not sugar free
3 cups cold milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 carton cool whip
1 box Nilla wafers
4 bananas

This is easy and creamy and cold and good. Mix the first 4. Layer with the bananas and nilla wafers. I started with wafers, bananas, cream, repeat, end with decoration of wafers on top.

Menu week: February 23

This week will be leftovers and roasted chicken and turkey on salads. I ate a lot this weekend so I have to get back on track with eating right. Glad I don't have junk food in the house!
Monday: New Mexican place with Brandi - Los Aztecas - down Frankfort. I just had Mexican in E-town this weekend, but its a good cheap lunch. And Shiraz for dinner - I think I'll do a veggie kabob.
Tuesday: White Chicken Chili. Salad with egg white and chicken for dinner
Wednesday: Soup that I made on Sunday and salad for dinner. Maybe I'll get around to making those red velvet cake truffles this week for CG.
Thursday: Soup and then salad for dinner
Friday: Havana Rumba for lunch with the staff and salad with egg white and chicken for dinner.
Saturday: Leaving for AL to visit with family.
Sunday: AL
The recipe this week will be a banana pudding I am making for a friend's birthday. It is coming out of the Anastasia Baptist Church cookbook. From my home church in St. Augustine, FL. Looking forward to it - it should be pretty good! :)

Easy Warm Fruit Compote with Ginger Cookies

This was easy and good with a couple small adaptations from Rachael Ray's original recipe. I put it with Breyer's Slow Churned Vanilla Ice Cream and some of the Foster's Chewy Ginger Cookies I made this weekend. Made for a nice, light dessert.

1 15 oz can pitted sweet cherries, drained
zest and juice of one naval orange
palmful of dried cranberries
2 T amaretto
Ice cream
Ginger cookies

Put first 4 ingredients on stove and let simmer till the cranberries are plump. Ice cream, fruit, ginger cookie on side. I liked this.

Taste of Birthday Louisville - Cafe Lou Lou

For my actual birthday day lunch - Lilly and I went to Cafe Lou Lou after church. This is definitely one of the "Louisville" places as you can see by the Mardi Gras sign (and its not even February yet!). I was grateful for the new food and company on my bday!

We had a Greek salad - the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette definitely made the salad. So good, just tangy enough!

We split a veggie calzone for our main course. The dough was a bit soggy but the filling was great: fresh tomatoes, spinach, green peppers, and cheese, and other veggies too - my brain isn't remembering the others though.

The dessert "took the cake" - no pun intended. It was one of their specials for the day - and we got the last piece. It was realy popular. It was a Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Wow! Is all I can say! It wasn't too sweet, it was amazing. I wish I could make bread puddings like that.

Thank you Lilly for a great lunch and splitting dessert! :)