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

Gift in a Jar – Brownie Mix

Dessert, Fun Stuff March 28, 2013 Leave a comment

Credits for this recipe go to my friend Sarah Graham Elton who posted it on her Facebook page.  This is

Brownie in a jar

Brownie in a jar

another “gift in a jar” recipe.  Make a few batches for yourself to keep on hand for company or last minute chocolate cravings!  Another plus, you know what all the ingredients are.

 Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips or walnuts

 Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients together and place in a zip lock baggie and store in your pantry or pour into a mason jar to give as a gift.

To make the brownies add the following ingredients and be sure to write this on your zip lock baggie or add a cute little card to your gift.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Stir the following ingredients to dry mix:

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Spray a 9×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and pour batter into the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until center is firm to the touch.

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters

Appetizers, Dessert, Fun Stuff March 13, 2013 Leave a comment
Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters
Credit to my Sister-In-Law Karen Coleman

Yields 24-30
Strawberry Prep:
Carefully slice the tip of the bottoms of the strawberry flat to get them to stand upright.  Use a huller or spoon to empty out the strawberry. Do not scrape too far down, you want a solid bottom, with no holes.
Once the strawberries have been emptied, use a paper towel to pat the outside of the strawberries dry.

Ingredients:

  • 30 Strawberries

Margarita Mix:

  • 1 box Strawberry Jell-O, 3oz.
  • 8 ounces tequila
  • 6 ounce Cointreau
  • Coarse salt for garnish

Directions:

  1. Boil one cup of hot water in a saucepan, then add in Jell-o powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
  2. Set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside.
  3. Combine tequila and Cointreau, in cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  4. Add liqueur mixture to cold water and stir to combine.
  5. Then add cold liqueur mixture to hot Jell-O mixture and stir to combine.
  6. Pour final Jell-O mix into strawberries and chill overnight.
  7. Use a moistened brush to wet the edge of the strawberries, dip and rotate the strawberries in salt to rim.
  8. Garnish with cut lime triangles to finish.

Vanilla Sea Salt

Dessert, Fun Stuff, Vanilla Bean Sea Salt March 7, 2013 1 Comment

sea salt caramelAnother gift idea to go along with the Vanilla Bean Extract, and Vanilla Bean Sugar Cubes. Vanilla Bean Sea Salt will add a delightful flavor to homemade caramels, chocolates, sweet and salty brownies, and chocolate icings.  Package in a pretty jar and you have a great gift for the gourmet cook in your circle.

Vanilla Sea Salt

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 4 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine sea salt and vanilla seeds. Use the tips of your fingers to rub the vanilla seeds into the sea salt until they are thoroughly combined.

2. Spoon salt into individual jars, cover tightly, label, and store in a cool, dry place for a couple of weeks to blend the flavors.

 

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls – Famous Recipes

Dessert, Famous Recipes January 23, 2013 Leave a comment

Every mall and every airport I walk into I can immediately smell the unmistakable smell of Cinnaboncinnamon cooking.  In 1985 Rich Komen decided he would create an efficient outlet that could serve freshly made cinnamon rolls in shopping malls. It took him 9 months to develop the “freshest, gooiest, and most mouthwatering cinnamon roll ever tasted!

Ingredients – Rolls

  • 1-1/4 ounce package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm milk (105 to 110 F)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup margarine, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients – Filling

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup margarine

Ingredients – Icing

  • 1 stick margarine, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cream cheese
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl
  2. Add the sugar, margarine, salt, eggs, and flour, mix well
  3. Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour
  4. Place ball in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size
  5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.
  6. Roll the dough approximately 21 inches long and 16 inches wide, and ¼ inch thick
  7. Preheat oven to 400 F.

******

  1. For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl
  2. Spread the softened margarine evenly over the surface of the dough and then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over the surface.
  3. Working carefully from the top (a 21-inch side) roll the dough down to the bottom edge to create a spiral
  4. Cut the roll of dough into 1-3/4 inch slices and place 6 at a time, evenly spaced, in a lightly greased baking pan.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown on top.

******

  1. For the icing, combine icing ingredients, beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy
  2. Coat the rolls when they come out of the oven generously with icing.

Makes 12 rolls

 

 

Bailey’s Original Irish Cream – Famous Recipes

Famous Recipes January 21, 2013 Leave a comment

Bailey’s Original Irish Cream

Bailey's Irish Cream

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Some really great memories associated with Bailey’s.  Bailey’s launched its Irish Cream Liqueur in 1974, after years of development. Bailey’s cream is produced at home – Ireland – and accounts for one-third of Ireland’s entire milk production. Just a note,  cream tastes different in different parts of the world due to cattle feed and grazing availability, your Irish Cream may be close – but just a little different.  Still worth a try.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup light cream
  • One 14-ounce can Eagle sweetened condensed milk
  • 1-2/3 cups Irish Whiskey
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 2 tablespoons Hershey’s chocolate syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender set on high speed for 30 seconds.
  2. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
  3. The liqueur will keep for at least 2 months if kept cool. Be sure to shake the bottle well before serving.

Makes 4 cups

Coconut Macaroon

Dinner Ideas January 13, 2013 Leave a comment

The earliest recorded macaroon recipes are for the almond meringue variety similar to

Macroon

Macaroon Cookie

amoretti, with a crisp crust and a softer interior. They were made from egg whites and almond paste. The name of the cookie comes from an Italian word meaning paste, maccarone.

About the origin, culinary historians claim that macaroons can be traced to an Italian monastery of the 9th century. Recipes for macaroons (also spelled “mackaroon,” “maccaroon” and “mackaroom”) appear in recipe books at least as early as 1725 (Robert Smith’s Court Cookery, or the Complete English Cook).

The Scottish macaroon is a sweet confection with a thick velvety center covered in chocolate and topped with roasted coconut. Traditionally they were made with cold leftovers of mashed potatoes and sugar loaf. A coconut macaroon is a type of macaroon most commonly found in Australia, the United States, the Netherlands and Germany, and is directly related to the Scottish macaroon. Its principal ingredients are egg whites, sugar and shredded dried coconut. It is closer to a soft cookie than its meringue cousin, and is equally sweet. A light, sweet, satisfying cookie after a heavy meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 cup of bagged coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Directions

  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray
  2. Beat egg whites and vanilla on high speed of electric mixer until soft peaks form
  3. Gradually add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beat until stiff peaks form
  4. Fold in coconut
  5. *at this point you can add 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips
  6. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet about 2 inches apart
  7. Bake for 20 minutes until edges are lightly browned
  8. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

You can melt bittersweet chocolate in a microwave and dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate or drizzle melted chocolate on the cookies. Eat healthy, eat well!!

Parmesan Chicken Breast (easy)

Chicken, Dinner Ideas January 8, 2013 Leave a comment

Parmesan Chicken Breasts

Ingredients Chicken Parmesan

    • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
    • 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
    • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ( about 1 pound)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In resealable plastic bag, combine cheese, crumbs and all seasonings; shake well.
  3. Place one chicken breast in bag of cheese mixture, shake to coat all sides, repeat with remaining chicken.
  4. Spray cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (Pam)  and arrange chicken in a single layer
  5. Bake until chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

Baked Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

Vegetables January 1, 2013 Leave a comment

The Asparagus has played a role in the medicinal field as far back as 2000 BC. Studies show that asparagus has been used in medicine in preventing sleeplessness, to balance female hormones and to assist the reproductive system, to promote fertility, relieve menstrual discomfort and to increase breast milk for nursing mothers. It is used for respiratory diseases and for strengthening the lungs. Also for tuberculosis, AIDS, chronic fatigue, back pain, sports burnout, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, sciatica, coughs, to strengthen bones and marrow, hemorrhaging, stomach pains, kidney stones, cramps, convulsions, gall and liver ailments, to assist with weight loss, stress and nervous tension, intestinal worms, jaundice, skin diseases and to brighten vision. Scientific research has found that asparagus contains a substance that can break up oxalate crystals. Asparagus, being a good source of fiber, is a useful bowel brush with a laxative action that stimulates lazy bowels.

Asparagus contains the vitamins;  A, B, folic acid, C, E and the minerals  calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, selenium, iodine, magnesium, manganese, sulphur, silicon, florine

Asparagus is awesome and delicious. There are so many ways to cook Asparagus, but first did you know an easy way to remove the “woody” stem from  the stalk?  Don’t cut the stems before cooking. Snapping the stem is an easy natural way to remove the hard part from the delicious part. Just hold the sphere in your hand and grab the end of the stalk with your other hand and snap – it will break in the right spot.

Microwave the perfect asparagus; microwave for 1 minute and 35-40 seconds in a microwaveable plastic container with 2 tablespoons of water.

BAKED ASPARAGUS WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

Preheat oven to 375̊ F.

You need ½ lb of fresh Asparagus and ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Make marinade for the Asparagus
1 tablespoon Olive Oilaspargus
1 tablespoon White Wine
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper

  1. Wash asparagus and trim the woody ends.
  2. Combine the marinade ingredients and place in a plastic bag.  Add the asparagus and marinade in refrigerator for 15 minutes
  3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on a plate and roll each asparagus sphere in cheese until coated
  4. Arrange in a single layer in baking dish or cookie pan with raised edges, sprinkle remaining marinade over asparagus spheres.

Bake in a 375 oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly brown and sizzling hot. Do not overcook.