Category Archives: Fun Stuff

Cheese Crisps

Appetizers, Cheese Crisps, Dinner Ideas, Fun Stuff, Salads, Side, Soup August 27, 2013 Leave a comment

Cheese crisps are so versatile and fun served with a salad, as a snack, served as an appetizer or use as

Cheese Crisps

Cheese Crisps

a scoop with your favorite dip. They are very easy to make, and the main ingredient is cheese. You can add fresh herbs or spices to the mixture to suit your theme or just leave plain. They are entertaining little treats full of protein and make great conversational foods at the dinner table, try adding cheese crunches with your next meal.

CHEESE CRISPS

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese or (you can use packaged grated cheese, any flavor you prefer)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • You can add whatever seasoning you like: A teaspoon of powdered Ranch dressing mix, chili powder, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, dry or fresh chopped basil, diced fresh parsley, fresh chopped herbs, whatever feels good to you or nothing at all.
  • Do NOT add salt, the crisps will be salty by default because of the cheese.
  • Parchment Paper to line your cookie tray with (nothing else will work)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

  1. Toss the cheese with the flour and pepper and any herbs or seasoning to taste in a bowl.
  2. Arrange a teaspoon of the cheese mixture on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and flatten slightly.
  3. Bake until golden, about 7 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove with a spatula to a rack and let cool.

Stuffed Banana Bites

Dessert, Fun Stuff August 22, 2013 Leave a comment

Don’t these little morsels look positively delicious, and they are pretty too! Found the recipe on Facebook.Banana Pic1 The treat prior to serving, but I think freezing them would also work. Great for an after school healthy snack, after dinner dessert, a buffet dessert table – well you get the picture. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • Straight 6” bananas (cut them into 3” sections)
  • Stuffing; Options: Creamy peanut butter, whipped cream, or marshmallow fluff
  • Chocolate chips – any flavor you want to dip your banana into, chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, cherry etc.
  • Chopped nuts or sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Try and find bananas with little to no curve for best results.
  2. Peel and slice off the ends of each banana. Cut the banana into about two 3″ long pieces.
  3. Stand your banana bites up on their flat, cut side.
  4. Hollow out the center using a straw
  5. Be sure not to go all the way down, leaving about a half inch banana, unhallowed, at the bottom.
  6. Melt your chocolate according to the package, pour your melted chocolate into a small, deep bowl.
  7. Dip the bottom half of your banana bites into the melted chocolate and roll in chopped nuts or sprinkles.

Banana Pic 2

    • Stand up on wax paper to dry. Refrigerate until chocolate has set and dry.
    • Once dry, remove the bananas from your refrigerator.
    • Transfer the peanut butter or marshmallow fluff to a pastry bag or a zip lock bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe it into your hollowed out bananas.
    • Enjoy!

Candy Corn Shots

Appetizers, Dessert, Fun Stuff July 30, 2013 Leave a comment

candy corn shotsWhat another great idea for an adult Halloween party or just a Fall cookout!  They are so pretty and can be paired up with the Caramel Apple Shots posted earlier.  If you know you saw a recipe and cannot find it – email me and I will send it to you.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cut the oranges in half and hollow them out.

For the orange layer:

  1. Boil one cup of water and stir in the orange jello.
  2. Once dissolved, remove from heat and add 1 cup of Cointreau.
  3. Pour the mixture into the orange peels, filling halfway.
  4. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until firm.

For the white layer:

  1. Add 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, Knox gelatin, and sugar to a saucepan.
  2. Over medium heat, stir until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
  3.   Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup Cointreau.
  4. Pour mixture on top of orange jello layer and refrigerate overnight.
  5. With a sharp knife, cut the orange halves in eighths.

Serve.

Caramel Apple Shots

Appetizers, Dessert, Fun Stuff July 30, 2013 Leave a comment

apple shotsFall is around the corner at least in this part of the country where mornings are now in the 50’s and the day time temp reaches 80.  I saw this awesome recipe on Facebook and followed the link to a blog called “That’s Michelle.”  http://www.thatssomichelle.com  How much fun for an adult picnic or Halloween party?

Ingredients:

  • 10 small Granny Smith apples
  • 1 envelope knox gelatin (unflavored)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 2 drops yellow food coloring
  • 1 envelope of Land o Lakes Caramel Hot Chocolate
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butterscotch schnapps
  • Lemon juice

 Directions:

1.      Halve your apples and hollow them out cutting from the stem down.  Use a spoon to hollow the applies. 

2.      After hollowing out your apples halves – spritz lemon juice on the halves, covering completely – or dip into lemon juice to prevent browning.

3.      Mix ½ cup water with the envelope of caramel hot chocolate in a medium sized sauce pan, whisk to be sure all ingredients are combined.

4.      Add ½ cup of coconut milk, whisk again

5.      Add ¼ cup sugar and simmer slightly until sugar is dissolved and combined with mixture

6.      Add food coloring until you get the caramel color you desire (2 drops)

7.      Let mixture cool to warm, pour in ½ cup of butterscotch schnapps.

8.      Place apple halves on a rimmed cookie sheet and pour the caramel jello mixture into the apples. Refrigerate overnight

9.      Cut halves into quarters and those quarters in half again and serve immediately. 

Frozen Custard

Dessert, Frozen Custard, Fun Stuff May 22, 2013 Leave a comment
Frozen Custard

Frozen Custard

Frozen custard was invented in Coney Island, New York in 1919, when ice cream vendors Archie and Elton Kohr found that adding egg yolks to ice cream created a smoother texture and helped the ice cream stay cold longer. In their first weekend on the “boardwalk”, the Kohr brothers sold 18,460 cones.
The difference between frozen custard and soft serve ice cream is that the frozen custard is very dense and air is not incorporated into the mixture. Half the final product of soft service ice cream is composed of air. Frozen custard is the crem de la crem of all frozen desserts, enjoy it in moderation as a truly wonderful summer dessert.

Ingredients:
*You will need an ice cream maker

  • 6 cups whole milk
  •   6 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • One fresh Vanilla Bean (don’t skimp on this ingredient, as it makes the end taste surreal) 

Directions:

1.    Whole milk adds a creamy texture to the custard.

2.    Pour six cups of whole milk into a saucepan over a low heat.

3.    Milk will scald quickly of you do not stir it often, so stir the pan often. Bring the milk up to about 200 degrees F.

4.    Real vanilla beans make the frozen custard delicious.

5.    Open a vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the pan of warm milk. If you don’t have vanilla beans, wait and add vanilla extract later.

6.    Eggs add protein and thicken the mixture.

7.    Crack six eggs into a mixing bowl and add 3/4 of a cup of sugar. Whip them with a whisk or beaters until the mixture is creamy and smooth and no sugar granules remain.

8.    Don’t let the milk boil or it will spill over.

9.    Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking it constantly to slowly warm up the eggs without curdling the proteins. Pour it back into the saucepan and place over medium heat.  The custard will coat the back of the spoon.

10.  Heat the mixture while constantly stirring it with a wooden spoon. The surface foam will subside as the custard heats up and starts to thicken. As soon as the custard coats the back of the spoon, remove it from the heat and continue to stir as it cools. Add the vanilla extract at this point if you didn’t use the fresh vanilla beans in step #5.

11.  Chill the custard for 12 hours. It will be thick and smell delicious. Freeze in the ice cream maker of your choice following manufacturer’s directions.

Raspberry Tiramisu

Dessert, Fun Stuff May 10, 2013 Leave a comment
raspberry teramJust in time for Mother’s Day, I received this recipe in my email care of Food Network.  It was so special I had to repost it to Kitchen Moxy.  What a delightfully, fresh dessert this will make after a celebrated dinner on Sunday!  Happy Mother’s Day to all my friends and family.

Raspberry Tiramisu

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 20 min

Inactive Prep Time: 3 hr 0 min

Serves: 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • 6 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
  • 1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 28 soft ladyfingers or 2 (12-ounce) pound cakes, cut into 3 by 1 by 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 (1/2 dry pint) baskets fresh raspberries (about 3 3/4 cups total)
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for serving

Directions

  1. Stir the jam and 4 tablespoons of the orange liqueur in a small bowl to blend.
  2. Combine the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of orange liqueur in a large bowl to blend.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in another large bowl until soft peaks form.
  4. Using a large rubber spatula, stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten.
  5. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
  6. Line the bottom of a13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish or other decorative serving dish with half of the ladyfingers.
  7. Spread half of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with half of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture and raspberries.
  8. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
Dust with the confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Granola

Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Dinner Ideas, Fun Stuff April 28, 2013 Leave a comment
Granola

Granola

With milk or yogurt, this home-made granola gives you a hearty start to the day. Made with walnuts, almonds, coconut, and sunflower seeds, this cereal has a healthy dose of protein wrapped up in a sweet maple-honey flavor. Serve it with warm milk on cold winter days for a great alternative to oatmeal.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1-1/4 cups bran flakes
  • ¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • ¾ cup salted sunflower seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • ¾ cup honey
  • ¾ cup canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  1. Prepare two baking sheets by covering with parchment paper and grease paper with cooking spray.
  2. Combine oats, bran flakes, coconut, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix maple syrup, honey, and oil; add to dry mixture and stir until well combined
  4. Divide the mixture between each prepared cookie sheet; spread evenly
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown, tossing granola halfway through baking time to keep edges from burning.
  6. Let cool completely before storing.
  7. Yields ½ gallon

*Great gift idea, store in mason jars

Mascarpone Cheese Whipped Cream Filling

Appetizers, Dessert, Fun Stuff, Salads, Side April 1, 2013 Leave a comment

strawberry filled3I have had several requests for my recipe for Mascarpone Cheese Whipped Cream filling.  I stuffed big strawberries with this filling the other day for a pot-luck and they were a hit.  You don’t have to hollow-out your strawberries, just cut a cross into the tip of the strawberry about 2/3’s the way down towards the stem.  I used a pastry bag to fill the strawberry and then sprinkled with edible glitter. Of course you are the master of your design, sprinkle with crushed almonds or drizzle with bittersweet chocolate.  This is a wonderful filling or icing for cakes and cupcakes too. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM FILLING

• 2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3/4 cup heavy whip cream
• 1/4 cup powder sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a chilled bowl beat the Mascarpone cheese and vanilla until creamy about 30 seconds
2. Add the powdered sugar and whipping cream
3. Beat on high speed until thick and fluffy – will not take long, about 1 minute – the cheese stiffens the whip cream rather quickly – don’t over beat this mixture or it will turn to butter.

Chocolate Cherry Shots

Appetizers, Dessert, Fun Stuff March 28, 2013 1 Comment

Great idea for a party, pair up with the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shots ! You can make your own

Chocolate Cherry Shooter

Chocolate Cherry Shooter

chocolate cups, or you can purchase mini chocolate cups on-line at places such as amazon, or http://www.gourmetfoodworld.com/chocolate-and-desserts/chocolate-cups.asp  Or if your budget won’t allow, just fill little shot glasses with this delectable concoction !

Ingredients:

  1. 1 part Kahlua coffee liqueur
  2. 1 part amaretto almond liqueur
  3. 1 part white crème de cacao
  4. 1 dash grenadine syrup
  5. Container for your shot (I recommend a mini chocolate cup

Directions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients and then add the grenadine syrup

Fill your vessel of choice with the mixture, top with a cherry or whip cream.

Chocolated Covered Strawberry Chocolate Shots

Dessert, Fun Stuff March 28, 2013 Comments: 3

Try to choose strawberries as big as you can find, unless of course you want to make baby shots

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Chocolate Shots

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Chocolate Shots

Ingredients:

  • 1 part Vanilla vodka
  • 1 part Godiva Liquor
  • 1 part Chocolate syrup
  •  Whipped cream
  • Sprinkles

Directions:

Cut the point of the strawberry off so they can stand on their own, the melted chocolate helps form a little base too which makes them even more stable

  1. We recommend hulling out the strawberries using a paring knife and grapefruit spoon, you have to be careful not to make them too thin or they’ll break
  2. Pat strawberries dry before dipping in chocolate
  3.  Freeze the dipped strawberry cups for maximum sturdiness, and to keep your drink cold
  4. Mix liquors and pour into each individual strawberry
  5. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles

Let the strawberries thaw for a few minutes before serving