Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

If I Were an Oscar Mayer Wiener.....

In Honor of Oscar Mayer
I wrote an article yesterday for Examiner.com called 'Oscar Mayer Bologna & Wienermobile Man Dies at 95'. I added a YouTube video of the little boy that sang the jingle in the 1973 commercial at the end. After writing the article, I felt like we needed to remember him by having Oscar Mayer wieners for supper (OK, truth be told, it made my mouth water just thinking of them). I also wanted Red Bliss Potato Salad to go with the wieners. I surprised myself by having everything I needed on the boat, so I didn't need to go out to the store. How many boaters can say that, huh?

When John came home he saw the potatoes and the wieners and put 2 & 2 together. Grilled hot dog buns, Oscar Mayer wieners, green relish, yellow mustard, minced onions and celery salt. Oh, and the potato salad. We sat down, had supper and watched the video. Man, did that take us back. Everybody knew those songs!

Go check out my article and let it take you down memory lane! Here's another video that isn't in the article. Enjoy!

FUDGE BROWNIES RECIPE - TWD

Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies
Double chocolate fudge brownies with a sprinkle of cinnamon and instant coffee make all the difference in these brownies. The recipe calls for walnuts or pecans and finely chopped bittersweet dark chocolate. Sounds good to me! This recipe was way too easy, and other than the coffee and cinnamon, it sounds very similar to the Chocolate Fudge Brownies I've been making all my life! I guess Dorie and I were on the same page so to speak, when it came to desserts, brownies in particular!

Lisa was the Logo Contest Winner for the new TWD home page logo. Tuesdays With Dorie has been without a logo for some time now, and the home page looked rather bare and white. Time for a new contest! Enter Lisa Surviving Oz, all the way from Australia! Because she won the contest, she also won the right to choose this week's Dorie Greenspan recipe from Baking: From My Home To Yours. If you already own the book, the Katherine Hepburn Brownies are on pages 96-97. If you don't, you can find the recipe on Lisa's post, which also includes the new TWD logo. It's rather catchy, don't you think?

4th of JULY DESSERT RECIPES

 

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Desserts
What are you doing for the 4th of July? Are you having a cookout, watching a 4th of July parade, going to a ballgame? We're going to a party on a BIG yacht! Bigger than ours, and oh so classy! Actually, our sailboat, even at 40 feet long, looks rather small and dinky compared to our friends ocean trawler. Lots of great food, good drinks and awesome friends!

Whatever you're doing this weekend, you're most likely gonna need some tasty desserts and salads. Maybe even some cocktails? It's a long weekend for most people, and that means more food and company than you'd anticipated. Here's a list of holiday recipes I've been working on for weeks. Some are Red, White & Blue recipes, all are perfect for cookouts, barbecues, picnics and parades. Mix and match according to the function. Add some sparklers and bottle rockets and make sure to have plenty of fun!

Red White & Blue Flag Cake - What would the 4th of July be without a Red, White & Blue Flag Cake? Blueberry stars, strawberry stripes and sparklers set this Firecracker Cake off quite nicely!

Fresh Blueberry Recipes - Blueberry Muffins, Fresh Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Buckle, Blueberry Smoothie, Blueberry Popsicles, Blueberry Pancakes, Blueberry Crisp, Red White & Blueberry Pizza, Lemon Blueberry Bread and much more!

Fresh Cherry Recipes - Summer dessert recipes scream for fresh cherries! Cherry Pie, Cherry Cheesecake, Cherry Cobbler, Cherry Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Cherry Clafouti, Cherry Almond Scones, Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler, Cherry Kisses, Peach & Cherry Galette, and many more.

Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe - Big juicy strawberries chilled in homemade strawberry glaze, nestled in a graham cracker or vanilla cookie crust and topped with fresh whipped cream.

Red, White & Blue Desserts - Cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cobblers, shortcakes, trifles, ice cream cake, cheesecakes, berry pops and so much more!






Stampin' Mama Designs

This Red, White & Blue Flag Cake, Buttercream Frosting and photos, are from Erika at Stampin' Mama.com. Erika's cupcake toppers are a special design from GinaK Stamps. Complete instructions as well as links for stamps, cardstock, etc., can be found at Erika's blog, Stampin' Mama. Thanks Erika!

BEEF COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Congratulations!
Congratulations to the winner of  the cookbook giveaway, 'BEEF' and other bovine matters by John Torode. For those of you who weren't lucky enough to win, please stop by The Taunton Press and order yourself a copy. Thanks again to all who entered and please stay tuned for the next giveaway, 2010 Wilton Cake Decorating Yearbook.

And the Winner Is.....Jon!
Jon had the winning number - 22. Here's Jon's comment. Man, I wish I were going to his house for dinner!

"Once or twice per month, it's MY treat. Boneless well marbled 1-1/2" ribeye is my favorite. Marinated with Kikkomans Terriaki glaze for 1/2 hour before grilling to a Pittsburgh finish over real wood charcoal."
Posted by: Jon Seeber | June 22, 2009 at 05:28 AM

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
22
Timestamp: 2009-06-30 03:35:32 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Again, thanks to The Taunton Press for giving away this book, and congrats to Jon for playing along. May his pinic table be filled with grilled ribeyes!

Fresh Fruit Recipes

Blueberries, Cherries, Strawberries, Peaches
I live for this time of year when these summer fruits start to ripen! The farmers' market stands and supermarket shelves are full of juicy fruit. Pick your own berry farms are in full swing, and more will open as the summer progresses. I love to dream up new desserts, breakfast treats and salads with blueberries, cherries, strawberries and peaches.

I've been on a Buckle, Slump, Grunt, Fool, Cobbler, Crisp, Clafouti, Betty, Pandowdy kick lately, trying each one out to see which one I like best. Problem is, I like them all!

Blueberry Buckle Recipe

I made a few Buckles the past week and posted the Recipe for Blueberry Buckle to my Examiner column. Today, I fooled around and switched out some of the blueberries for fresh Bing cherries and substituted brown sugar in the buckle topping. Another favorite! It came out great, and everyone loved it, especially John. What a guy, he'll eat just about anything.

I can't wait to see his reaction when I try feeding him a Fool or a Slump. Maybe I can even sneak a photo of him eating a Grunt! Until then, try my newest Blueberry Buckle creation. Experiment with different fruits, add some whole wheat flour, substitute brown sugar in the topping, and see what you think!

If You Liked the Blueberry Buckle, You'll Love These!

• Strawberry Fool
  
• Peach Cobbler
• Mixed Berry Cobbler
• Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler
  
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
  
• Blueberry Crisp
• Peach Crisp
  
• Apple Crisp

WILTON 2010 YEARBOOK

Wilton's Cake Decorating Yearbook
I'm just so excited! I got another package in the mail from my newest friend Cindy, at Wilton Enterprises! It had TWO Wilton 2010 Yearbooks in it - one to keep and one to give away! Aren't they generous? I think they love me ;-)

I can't wait to dig into the colorful 248 page book and start using some of their ideas. That's what it is. It's a giant idea book, like the Sears and JC Penny Wish Book that we got before Christmas each year as a kid. OK, so I'm dating myself! When I'm done looking through the book, I'll give the other one away! Stay tuned!

Here's a direct link to Wilton's 2010 Yearbook, just so you can get a sneak peek!

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY REMINDER

'BEEF' by John Torode
Just a reminder. Today is the last day for the 'BEEF' cookbook giveaway. Deadline is midnight tonight, 6/23 EST, for John Torode's 'BEEF' and other bovine matters. This really is an awesome book, and needs to be part of your summer cookbook collection! Come on over and enter. Tell your friends about it, and I'll love you forever!
Leave a comment on the original post only.........

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY - BEEF by John Torode

 


'BEEF' and other bovine matters
The summer grilling season is here, and 'BEEF' is What's For Dinner! If you're a meat lover, or looking for new ideas on how to cook, serve and eat beef, this delicious book will not disappoint. 

'BEEF' by John Torode is a beautiful hardcover book with 256 pages and retails for $34.95 U.S. Not only does it have over 100 recipes, it's also loaded with full color photos so you know what the dish is "supposed" to look like!
 

How To Enter the Giveaway?
Leave a comment on this post only. Tell me, what's your favorite way to cook beef? Do you like a big juicy grilled T-Bone Steak, a flavorful pot of simmered Beef Stew, or a whole roasted Beef Tenderloin? Do you have other ideas? Tell me what they are!

No duplicate entries or comments. Deadline is next Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009, at midnight EST. I'll pick the winning comment using the Random Generator and post the results here. USA & CANADA entries only.

Thanks to The Taunton Press for letting me give away a copy of this very delicious book. Check out their website for detailed info. (If you're not lucky enough to win the book, you really should consider buying it. 'BEEF' is totally worth every penny!)
Feel free to Tweet this or Facebook it to your friends!

SUMMER SALAD RECIPES

Salad Recipes for Summer
Hot summer weather calls for cool summer salads, and I have plenty to share! Panzanella Salad, Waldorf Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, Strawberry & Spinach Salad, Red Bliss Potato Salad, and lots, lots more! Check out all the recipes here and on Examiner.com.

I don't know about you, but I'm planning on lots of cookouts this summer! We bought a grill last year for all the Grilled Pizzas we were making. That turned out to be a very good decision! We don't eat a lot of meat, but when we do have steak, burgers or grilled salmon, there's nothing I like better than a delicious Potato Salad or Pesto Pasta Salad.

I didn't include a green salad in this list because you all know how to throw a bunch of veggies together. I have lots more where these came from, so I'll be adding to this list over the next weeks and months. Also, check out my sidebars on each side. I've tried to tidy them up and categorize recipes. There's literally hundreds of recipes here, so start clicking and enjoy your summer!

Red White & Blue Fruit Salad Recipe - Everyone loves fresh fruit salad, so why not make it a patriotic one with the colors of the flag! Red strawberries and raspberries, almost white bananas and pineapple, and as blue as you can get blueberries make one beautiful fruit salad!

 

Waldorf Salad Recipe with Fawlty Towers Video - Remember John Cleese in Fawlty Towers? The chef had the night off, and Basil accepted dinner guests, took the money and decided to make the dinner himself. As most Fawlty Towers episodes go, Basil made a mess of everything! Watch Basil's hilarious Waldorf Salad video, and laugh all the way to the kitchen! Just as good as the original Waldorf Salad served by the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. Apples, walnuts, raisins, celery and grapes, tossed together in a simple mayonnaise dressing. Perfect for a summer day!

Tri-color Coleslaw Recipe - No 4th of July cookout is complete without coleslaw! This green, purple & orange coleslaw is super easy, very colorful and wicked tasty. And it's great for a raw side dish, no cooking! You can save even more time by buying the pre-packaged coleslaw mix at the market and adding your own dressing!

Panzanella Italian Bread Salad Recipe - Unbelievably quick & easy bread salad that's so filling, it can be used for a main dish meal. Homemade Italian bread seasoned croutons, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh basil and an awesome balsamic vinegar dressing, gives this bread salad just the right zing!

Easy Ambrosia Recipe - A retro favorite of families everywhere, this easy ambrosia is not only colorful, but delicious too! Sweet pineapple, mandarin oranges, mini colored marshmallows and coconut, all mixed with sour cream. Ambrosia - it'll bring back sweet memories!

Spinach Salad with Strawberries - Fresh baby spinach, ripe juicy strawberries and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Lightly toasted pecans give it some crunch, and sharp cheddar cheese complements the salad with pizazz!

Seven Layer Mexican Dip Recipe - Another great pot luck or picnic favorite - Avocados, salsa, cilantro, black beans, tomatoes and then some. All the awesome ingredients you want in a 7 layer Mexican dip!

Red Bliss Potato Salad Recipe - Potato Salad for Sunday brunch, outdoor BBQ's, summer picnics, Father's Day, graduations, 4th of July or afternoon tea! Red potatoes, mayo, red onions, green relish and hard boiled eggs, make this Red Bliss potato salad a classic!

Taco Salad Recipe - THE EASY WAY to eat a taco! Vegetarians & meat lovers alike will love this easy Taco Salad. Just throw everything together and serve. Perfect for summer cookouts!





Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe - 4th of July wouldn't be the same without this Zesty Pasta Salad! Fresh basil pesto, spiral pasta, tomatoes, olives, peppers, onions and salad dressing make a great summer pasta salad for your holiday cookout!

The Best Guacamole Dip Recipe - This ultra-smooth guacamole is made chunky with onions, celery, cucumber and tomatoes. Add mayo and Italian dressing to make a pourable homemade guacamole salad dressing! Watch the funky YouTube video at the end. You'll remember this every time you eat Guacamole!





Cobb Salad - An Edible Landscape - Classic Cobb Salad with bacon, chicken, hard boiled eggs & lettuce, all arranged in neat & tidy colorful rows. Perfect make-ahead salad for picnics, cookouts and lazy summer suppers!

Mexican Salad Recipe - Colorful Mexican salad isn't just for Cinco de Mayo! Yellow corn, red peppers, green cucumbers and black beans give this delicious and refreshing salad lots of contrast, color and texture! Spicy tomato dressing makes this salad POP for 4th of July! Serve this salad with a side of homemade cornbread.

RECIPE ROUND-UP & FOOD BLOG INTERVIEWS

Spring & Summer Recipes
Summer is here! Yes, I know it's not the official Summer Solstice June 21st date yet, but it feels like summer in my bones. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be cooking and eating outside than slaving away in a hot galley. Plus, if you're like us, we always have LOTS of company in the summer. And there's NO way I want to miss any of the fun stuck inside cooking. So with that in mind, I'm focusing on easy recipes this season. Lots of salads, fruits & veggies, and grillin' & chillin' grub! You'll probably still see some long HOT recipes too, because I love desserts, and just because I can!

My Dad was visiting last week, and it seems all we did was go out and eat. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to go out and eat as much as he does, and we always find the best Rhode Island foodie joints. Add to that all the cribbage and visiting we did, and well, I didn't get much done. But I did have fun with my Dad, especially surprising him with his 80th birthday party!

I also mentioned in my last post, that I'm the new National Food Blog Examiner for Examiner.com. It's taking me a little while to adjust, so I haven't posted a lot anywhere the last week or two. If you're an active food blogger with amazing photos, I'll be looking for an interview from you!

Salads, Cobblers, Pies, Crisps & more!

Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Raspberry Vinaigrette - Just made this last night for supper. I wasn't sure I'd like the flavor combination, but it was awesome! The sweet and sour flavors, totally different textures between the crunchy pecans, juicy strawberries, and the spinach was a refreshing treat in every mouthful! Super easy to throw together too, but looks like you've been arranging the salad all day! 

Red White & Blue Recipes for 4th of July - Not just for the upcoming holiday, this list of Star Spangled recipes from Strawberry & Blueberry Shortcake to Patriotic Bomb Pops, are sure to inspire you any day of the summer!

Fresh Fruit Pie Recipes - A collection of all my favorite spring and summer fruit pies. Choose from Blueberry Pie, Cherry Pie, Peach Pie, Blackberry Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie and Fruit Galettes - the easiest pie of them all! OK, I threw in the Homemade Apple Pie too, because it really is the All-American Pie, perfect for a patriotic holiday!

How to Make a Fresh Fruit Cobbler - Basic mixed fruit cobbler recipe with fresh seasonal peaches, apples, rhubarb, cherries & berries, all nestled under a sweet biscuit topping. Serve with ice cream!

Rhubarb Cobbler with Fresh Peaches & Cherries - How to use fresh rhubarb, what fruits go good with rhubarb, and finally a fantastic Mixed Rhubarb Cobbler recipe to serve with ice cream. Make good use of this abundant, tart but tasty fruit this season!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe - Sometimes tart rhubarb needs a little help. Sweet juicy strawberries are all that's needed to tame the tartness, and transform an otherwise boring fruit into a thing of beauty and deliciousness! Easy recipe!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Garden fresh rhubarb and sweet ripe strawberries start to ripen in the spring in many locations. By summer, the garden is full of these two complimentary fruits that seem so suited to each other.

Food Blog Interviews

Brown Eyed Baker: Interview with Michelle Norris

Wicked Good Dinner: Interview with Dawn Viola

So, that's it for now. Back to baking, cooking and writing before the weather gets too hot. And just to rub it in a little to all you landlubbers out there...There's nothing quite like sitting in the cockpit with my feet up, sipping on a cold drink and gazing at a million dollar view with my laptop! It's a tough life, but someone has to live it, and it might as well be me! 

NEW TOPIC: NATIONAL FOOD BLOG EXAMINER

Would You Like To Be Interviewed?
The BIG news is, I recently became the new National Food Blog Examiner. That means I'll be doing features on blogging conferences, food blog news, interviews with food bloggers and anything related to food blogging. If you would like to be interviewed by the "National Food Blog Examiner" (that would be me!), leave me a note, email me, or comment on one of my Examiner Interviews, and I'll get back to you with my criteria and questions. 

Here's a few interviews for you to check out!

Brown Eyed Baker: Interview with Michelle Norris

Wicked Good Dinner: Interview with Dawn Viola


Interview  Features
Some of the questions are generic, but I really try to dig into your blog and catch some very personal and creative aspects of who you are and what you're doing. I have room for 10 beautiful, glossy, finger-licking photos in the slide show at the end of each article. This is an especially attractive feature as it lures readers in, and compels them to link directly to your blog for the corresponding recipes. I'm hoping for big page views for both your blog and my topic.

Please, take a look at my new page and see what you think. Open up the slide show at the bottom of each interview and gawk at the gorgeous photos. Get a feel for what I'm looking for.

I've contacted some of you already, don't worry, I haven't forgotten you, the questions are coming. I've got a list a mile long of prospective food bloggers. If I haven't gotten to you yet, rest assured I will come knocking! It's a win-win for all of us! Contact me, we'll do lunch!

KitchenAid Giveaway by The Pioneer Woman

Pioneer Woman Contests & Giveaways

Ree - The Famous Pioneer Woman - is giving away THREE KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers today in Empire Red!  You read that right! THREE KITCHEN AID MIXERS!

Get over there right now, because The Pioneer Woman doesn't fool around with deadlines, which by the way is tonight, Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:00 pm Pacific Time. That's today folks! Tuesday, June 2nd!

Don't be shocked when you see 10,000 - 20,000 comments for this Kitchen Aid Mixer! Ree's giveaways always pull in thousands of Pioneer Winner Wannabees! Read the fine print. Do exactly what she wants, and you'll be in the running for THREE mixers. Did I say THREE? Yes, I did, and one of them has my name on it. So, you better get in line and get over there quick!

WINNER - WILTON CUPCAKE FUN!

Here's the winner of the Wilton Giveaway!
Congratulations to LIZ! She won the Wilton Give Away for the book Cupcake Fun! and a set of Silly Feet silicone cupcake liners! Have fun making cupcakes!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
4
Timestamp: 2009-05-29 23:18:51 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Here's Liz's comment:

Hi Donna!
I knew eventually you would find a subject I just can't live with out.
I love cupcakes so much that I even make miniature brownies. Everyone loves them that way. When I go to someone's house for dinner I am always asked to bring them.
I would like to branch out to some other interesting ones.
Not only do I have grandchildren but great-children and Grandnieces & nephews that I bake for. Liz
Posted by: LIZ | May 19, 2009 at 03:02 PM

Congratulations again Liz! And a BIG thank you to Wilton for making this giveaway possible!

WILTON GIVEAWAY REMINDER

WILTON GIVEAWAY REMINDER
Deadline is TODAY, May 26th, 2009, at midnight EST. I'll pick the winning comment using the Random Generator and post the results here. USA entries only. Enter the giveaway here!

MEMORIAL DAY DESSERTS & RECIPES

Dessert Recipes for Memorial Day!
It's Friday, the holiday weekend is upon us, do you have your Memorial Day Dessert menu ready? Since Memorial Day is the traditional kick-off to summer, most people think of strawberry desserts. I know I do, but I also think about chocolate! OK, so I always think about chocolate! Doesn't everyone?

Whether you're having a cookout, going on a picnic, going on a cruise around the bay, or you've been invited to a potluck outing, I'm sure you'll find something in this list that will knock your socks off and make you the hit of the party! I've put together a list of desserts that I think should be on every Memorial Day menu. Whatever you choose, have a blast this holiday weekend!

HOLIDAY DESSERTS

Fresh Blueberry Pie

Fresh Cherry Pie

Key Lime Pie

Homemade Apple Pie

Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Cheesecake

Fresh Strawberry Tart

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bacon Brownies - Don't knock 'em till you try 'em!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

And if desserts aren't your bag, why not try some of these salads or dips!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Zesty Pesto Pasta Salad

Tri-Color Easy Coleslaw Recipe

Easy Ambrosia Salad - Totally Retro!

Colorful Cobb Salad Recipe

Red Bliss Potato Salad

Taco Salad Recipe

Mexican Salad Recipe

7 Layer Mexican Dip

Guacamole Dip Recipe

GIVEAWAY - Cute Cupcake Fun & Wilton's Silly Feet

Wilton's Silly Feet Silicone Baking Cups
These are the cute silicone baking cups that I took photos of a few months back - Red Velvet Cupcakes - and they were oh, so good! A very nice lady named Cindy from Wilton Products, contacted me a few weeks ago about a blog giveaway. She noticed that I had used the Wilton Silly Feet in the Red Velvet Cupcakes post, and wanted to know if I was interested in doing a review on the new book Cupcake Fun! She sent me a book to give away AND a package of their silicone baking cups!

Wilton's Cupcake Fun! Book
While I'm not quite ready to do a review on the book yet, I would love to give away ONE set of Silly Feet and ONE Cupcake Fun! book. The book is 128 pages big, and full of great cupcake ideas and retails for $12.99. The Silly Feet sell for $9.99.  Total value - $22.98. I'm giving them BOTH away as a set to ONE lucky person!

How To Enter the Giveaway?
Leave on a comment on this post only. Tell me how much you LOVE cupcakes! No duplicate entries or comments. Deadline is next Tuesday, May 26th, 2009, at midnight EST. I'll pick the winning comment using the Random Generator and post the results here. USA entries only. Now, go make some CUPCAKE FUN!

BACON BROWNIES & RECIPE ROUND-UP!

 

Grillin' & Chillin' Time!
I can't believe Memorial Day is next weekend! Time really does fly when you're having fun!
I'll be gearing up for the holiday during the week, so be sure to check out my pages on Examiner.com and here too, for more recipes & holiday ideas! I'm craving lots of salads, grilled burgers or seafood and strawberry desserts. What are you craving?

• Bacon Brownies Recipe - Come on, you just gotta try them out of sheer curiosity!
• Bacon & Cheese Strata Recipe - See, I can use bacon in "real" food! Make-ahead Overnight Breakfast Casserole. Refrigerate it overnight, bake it the next morning!
• Grilled Marinated Salmon - Great for the up-coming holiday weekend - Super easy foil packets!
• Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Recipe - Quick & Easy slap-it-on-the-grill meal.
• Cucumber Dill Sauce for Seafood - Perfect cool accompaniment for seafood of any kind.
• Grilled Sweet Potatoes - Throw these on the grill along with whatever else you're grilling!
• Homemade Butterscotch Pudding - Just like Grandma's. Skin or no skin?
• Mocha Cake with Chocolate Frosting - Delicious moist cake with a dairy and egg-free bonus.
• Carrot Cake Recipe & Cream Cheese Frosting - My famous Carrot Cake...or cupcakes!
• Grape-nut Pudding Recipe - Family favorite pudding recipe!
• Sourdough Starter Recipe - Well, because I could, that's all!

And finally, I just received the go-ahead on my 2nd Examiner topic - National Food Blog Examiner. So, if any of you have an active food blog with dripping good photos, I'd love an exclusive interview. Lots of press and exposure! Shoot me an email and I'll send you my questionnaire.

CHOCOLATE BACON BROWNIES

Recipe for Bacon Brownies
Have you heard all the buzz lately about Bacon & Chocolate? It started a few years ago, seemed to back off for a while, and now it's back, bigger and piggier than ever! I made these brownies out of sheer curiosity. I had no intention of trying them, let alone eating them. But once they cooled off and I drizzled them with chocolate ganache, I couldn't help but take a bite, and then another bite, and another. They were awesome! There's no way I can explain exactly how amazing these Bacon Brownies were, you'll just have to try them for yourself! I posted the recipe for these unbelievably decadent Bacon Brownies at Examiner. Take a peek over there a grab the recipe.Make a batch for yourself and see what you think!

TIRAMISU RECIPE - TWD

Tuesdays With Dorie
I'm baaaaaack! I decided to ask Dorie out again and start up our fattening relationship once more. It's been way too long since we've been apart! I'll try and catch up with Tuesdays With Dorie, but there's a lot that I missed, and not all were recipes that I was completely in love with anyway. This TIRAMISU is last week's recipe. It was chosen by Megan of My Baking Adventures from Dorie Greenspan’s book, “Baking: From My Home to Yours.” If you have your own book, you can find it on pages 266-268.

Kahlua Tiramisu
I actually made this a while ago, but it was so yummy and creamy that I want another pan full right now! I doubled the recipe and added Kahlua and instant coffee to the mix. Mine served a LOT, although after John got to it, it didn't serve half the guests I thought it would! I have got to keep that boy away from stuff like this, or at least hide it! So, go check out Megan's blog for Dorie's recipe, you'll find it there. And after you're done eating all that, I'll be back with something else!

RECIPES FOR MOTHER'S DAY

 

Mother's Day Recipes & Ideas
Here's a list of all the Mother's Day recipes & ideas posted on the Providence Food Examiner and Suite101. Have fun going through them all! I'm plugging away at a box full of hundreds of recipes, so hopefully I'll get to posting more before the holiday!

Mix & Match these Recipe Ideas!

Cocktails

• Mimosas!
• Fruity Sangrias
• Bloody Mary
• Cosmopolitan
• 3 Pink Pomegranate Cocktails

Muffins & Tea Breads

• Lemon Tea Cake
• Best Blueberry Muffins
• Fresh Strawberry Muffins
• Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Breakfast & Brunch

• Overnight French Toast 
• Ham & Cheese Overnight Strata
  
• Baked Amish Oatmeal
• Nutella Waffles
• Eggs Benedict
  
• Deviled Eggs
• Monkey Bread Recipe
  
• Herb Roasted Potatoes
• Gourmet Macaroni & Cheese
  
• Honey Raisin & Nut Granola
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Quiche & Frittata

• Veggie Quiche
• Zucchini Frittata
  
• Quiche Lorraine
• Chicken & Cheddar Quiche
• Spinach, Garlic & Feta Quiche
• Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche

Salads & Dips

• Guacamole
• Panzanella Salad
• Red Bliss Potato Salad
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• 7 Layer Mexican Dip Recipe

Desserts, Sweets & Cheesecakes

• Cream Puffs
• Apple Pie
  
• Key Lime Pie
• French Silk Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Coconut Custard Pie
• Snickerdoodles
• Coconut Cupcakes
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY - COOKIES!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to My Cookbook Addiction
My best cyber friend Liliana, has a blog called My Cookbook Addiction. I don't have to tell you what her blog is all about! Not only is Liliana a cookbook addict, but she's also one of the most accomplished Italian cooks I've ever had the pleasure to meet. We went to visit her family in Montreal one Saturday, and she fed us such incredible Italian food, we thought we were going to burst! So, while you're checking out her giveaway, be sure to poke around her blog and try some of her amazing recipes!

My Cookbook Addiction is celebrating its 2nd birthday with a month-long giveaway! Right now, Liliana is giving away a copy of 'Field Guide to Cookies' by Anita Chu of Desserts First. Click here to enter your comment. Deadline for this cookbook giveaway is May 9th, 2009. Check back often, as she'll be giving away more cookbooks and prizes all month!

Sicilian Fig Cookies photo by My Cookbook Addiction

CINCO de MAYO RECIPES

Last Minute Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, and I've been busy with all my last minute Mexican & Tex-Mex recipes. Most of the recipes are quick & easy, so you can do them ahead or wait until last minute. Check back again. I'll be adding more as I finish them!

Cinco de Mayo Recipes

• The Best Guacamole Dip
  
• Seven Layer Mexican Dip Recipe
• Taco Salad Recipe - Veggie & Beef
  
• Award Winning Chili Recipe
• Caramel Topped Flan Recipe
  
• Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
• The Classic Tequila Sunrise
• The Best Margarita Recipe
• The Best Strawberry Margarita Recipe

LAST MINUTE KENTUCKY DERBY RECIPES

It's Not Too Late To Celebrate!
The weekend is still young! There's still time to make The Best Kentucky Chocolate Pecan Pie, or a Mint Julep for post race parties! The pie can be whipped up quick and served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Early Times Mint Julep Recipe, Midnight Cowboy, Louisville Cooler and Kentucky B&B recipes can all be found here!

Have A Great Weekend!

BIG RECIPE ROUND-UP!

Lots of Recipes & Articles
Have I been busy or what? I can't believe I haven't done one of these recipe round-ups since Easter! That was over two weeks ago, and I've been writing up a storm ever since! I did do a separate post for Grilled Pizza, and I'll add that here in case you missed it. Speaking of which, we're having Pizza on the Grill again tonight! The pizza choices are; Marinated Flank Steak with Maple Chipotle Sauce, Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Meatball Pizza, and Roasted Veggie Pizza. Sounds good don't they?

Recipes for Weeks Ending April 30th

• Leftover Ham Recipes
• Coconut Custard Pie Recipe
  
• Overnight French Toast Recipe
• Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe
• Meringue Cookies Recipe

Grilled Pizza Recipes

• How To Make Grilled Pizza
• How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough
• How To Grill Pizza: Finishing the Pizza
• Grilled Pepperoni Pizza
• Grilled Dessert Pizza: Very Berry & Pineapple
• Grilled Pizza: Marinated Flank Steak with Maple Chipotle Sauce

Articles for Weeks Ending April 30th

• Win a $1000.00 King Arthur Gift Card!
• Combat Swine Flu with Fresh Carrot Juice
  
• The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger Book Review
• Food Porn: What is TasteSpotting?
• Food Porn: Who is Foodgawker?
• Goddard Park Farmers' Market
• Colt State Park Farmers' Market
• Fishermens' Park Farmers' Market
• Haines Park Farmers' Market

Thank you all for supporting my writing career. All these recipes and articles are part of the BIG picture, which at this point is our boat and electric payment!

COOKBOOK WINNER! The Food You Crave

Congratulations!
Congratulations to Pink Stripes! She was #18, and won Ellie Krieger's new book The Food You Crave! This book is published by my good friends at Taunton Press. If you weren't lucky enough to win one of your own copies, order one for yourself. It's a great book, and one that belongs on your shelf. Here's the review I did on the book. Maybe that will help you decide how great it really is!

Check out Pink Stripe's blog, it's awesome! I always love popping in to see what she's been up to.

Pink Stripes Comment
I love Anne Burrell from Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. She is so down to earth and makes cooking look easy.
Posted by: pinkstripes | April 22, 2009 at 10:43 AM

Mr. Random Generator Says......
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

18

Timestamp: 2009-04-30 03:02:40 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Don't go too far. I have lots more books to review and give away!

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY!

                   


Just a reminder for the cookbook give away, "The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger. Follow this link to enter your comment! Deadline is Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at midnight EST. Don't miss out!

COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY - The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

ELLIE KRIEGER's The Food You Crave
2009 IACP Winner, The Food You Crave from Taunton Press, is an awesome cookbook! But it's not just a cookbook and a collection of recipes. Ellie Krieger, of The Food Network, believes in Moderation, Keeping it Fresh and Keeping it Real.

The Giveaway Rules
Tell me, are you a Food Network addict, and who is your favorite Food Network chef? 

US and Canada entries only please! One entry, no duplicate comments allowed, and it has to be on this post. I'll use Mr. Random Generator (totally legit) to pick the winning numbers and email you if your number comes up. I will choose ONE (1) winner. I'll announce it right here on my blog like I always do.

Deadline is Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at midnight EST.

Continue Reading.......

Earth Friendly Wine Seminar - People's Liquor Warehouse

 


Wine Tasting
Looking to go green with your wine? Join People's Liquor Warehouse and Marc "the Wine Guy" on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:00pm for their fun and informative Earth Friendly Wine Seminar. The discussion will include Organic and Biodynamic Wines and local, farm fresh organic foods.

As always, the seminar is free and open to the public. Please reserve your seat in advance by calling People's Liquor Warehouse at 737-0900.

People's Liquor Warehouse
1350 Greenwich Ave
Warwick, RI 02886
401-737-0900

IT'S GRILLED PIZZA TIME!

Pizza On The Grill
It's warmed up sufficiently enough in Rhode Island to start grilling pizzas again! I made two, a Marinated Flank Steak Grilled Pizza and Grilled Veggies & Kalamta Olive Pizza. And if any of you have been following my blog for any length of time, you'll know we had wine up at the top of the dock too. It was a nice, cheap red Pinotage! Can't even tell you what it was because we already threw the bottle away! But at $8.99 a bottle, it wasn't something I felt like cataloging and photographing. Even still, it paired well with pizza ;-)

A Summer of Grilled Pizzas?
Yes, it certainly will be a summer of pizzas! The grill is clean, the weather has changed for the better, and the pizza is calling! So, keep your eyes on this blog. As I get cranking, the recipes will start spilling out! I just posted THREE new Grilled Pizza articles on the Examiner for you to read. They're the first of many. Go check them out and get re-acquainted with the Pizza Grilling and eating process!

 

GRILLED PIZZA

How To Make Grilled Pizza - PIZZA ON THE GRILL is gaining popularity, and with good reason. It's quick & easy, and it's the best pizza you've ever eaten! Here's a quick how-to for making homemade grilled pizza.

How To Make Homemade Pizza Dough - So, you've got all your ingredients to make Grilled Pizza, but you have no idea where to start? How do you make pizza dough? How do you roll the pizza dough? Here's an easy homemade pizza dough recipe with suggestions on how to buy pizza dough.

How To Grill Pizza - You've made your own homemade pizza dough or purchased it. Now it's time to fire up your grill and start smokin! How hot does the grill need to be? Does the pizza dough fall through the grates? This article will tell you how to grill pizza easily and deliciously!

Grilled Pepperoni Pizza - There's nothing quite like a Pepperoni Pizza, especially if it's grilled outside on the gas or charcoal grill! Add some sauce, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella cheese, and top it with spicy pepperoni!

BAKED OVERNIGHT FRENCH TOAST

 

                                          

Baked French Toast Casserole
I've been asked by a number of people to write down this Overnight French Toast recipe and post it. I had to make something for a ladies breakfast one day, and I had already made my Bacon & Cheese Strata the month before. I wanted to WOW them with something totally different, but I still wanted it to be easy to put together. That's when I came up with this Overnight French Toast! It became an instant hit and all the ladies wanted the recipe. So, I finally got around to doing it! It's a favorite in this boat now, and I expect it to be one of my kid's favorite recipes too!

CONTINUE HERE FOR THE RECIPE........

                                                         

LEFTOVER EASTER HAM?

                                                      

Leftover Ham Recipes
Did you have ham for Easter? Have lots of leftovers? You can use the ham bone in Split Pea Soup, or you can dice up the rest of the sliced ham for omelettes, Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche and lots more. Check here for the rest of the story ;-)

EASTER RECIPES - Most Popular Easter Recipes

                                          

HAPPY EASTER!
What are you eating this Easter? Are you having Easter Breakfast at church, or hosting an Easter Brunch at home with the family? Are you going all out with a Ham Dinner, or just having a quiet afternoon with friends for dessert and coffee? We're going to church in the morning, then coming back to the boat where John, Brad and I will have Overnight French Toast, sausages and Mimosas! Now, if I were the organized person I pretend to be *snarf*, I would have had the French Toast Recipe already written up and published by now. You would thing so, right? NOT! Seems as though I forgot to do something, and that was to write & post something??? Oh yeah, the Overnight French Toast Recipe!

EASTER RECIPES
I've been busy writing and writing this week, trying to tie up all the loose ends with Easter recipes. After all, it IS Sunday! I know some of you have seen some of these recipes before, but for those that haven't, I wanted to put them all together in one post to make it easier to find. There are plenty of new recipes here as well, so take a look, make out your to-do list and get cooking, baking, mixing and dipping!

                                       

MY Top 5 QUICHE RECIPES
Veggie Quiche, Quiche Lorraine, Spinach Garlic & Feta Quiche, Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche and Chicken & Cheese Quiche.

                                

10 STRAWBERRY DESSERT RECIPES
NY Style Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins, Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits, Strawberry Fool, Strawberry Cream Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Muffins with Fresh Strawberries, Strawberry Mousse, Fresh Strawberry Tart and finally Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

                                       

LAST MINUTE EASTER RECIPES
Fruity Wine Sangrias, Mimosas, Amish Baked Oatmeal, My Top 5 Easter Quiche Recipes, Gourmet Adult Macaroni & Cheese, Easter Nests, Sugar Cookies and Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits.

6 POPULAR LEMON DESSERT RECIPES
Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Poppy Seed Tarts, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, French Lemon Cream Tart, Lemon Tea Cake and Lemon Bars.

                                                  

EASTER BRUNCH RECIPES & IDEAS
Classic Mimosa, Golden Easter Punch, Watermelon Gin Fizz Cocktails, Hot Cross Buns, Baked Amish Oatmeal , Honey, Raisin & Nut Granola, Orange Cloud Pancakes from King Arthur, Asparagus Eggs Benedict from King Arthur, The Best Blueberry Muffins, Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins, Quiche Lorraine, Vegetarian Quiche, Chicken & Cheddar Quiche, Spinach, Garlic & Feta Quiche, Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche, Quick & Easy Quiche Ideas, Cobb Salad, Vegetarian Zucchini Free-form Galette, French Onion Soup, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Ina Garten's Smoked Salmon Spread, Gourment Macaroni & Cheese, Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Key Lime Pie Recipe!

                                                         

                                                

TOP 10 CHEESECAKES FOR EASTER
Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe, Cherry Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust, Reese's PB Cup Cheesecake, Chocolate Zebra Cheesecake with an Oreo Cookie Crust, Junior's Brownie Swirl Cheesecake, White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake and Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust as well as an article on How To Make A Perfect Cheesecake!

                                                   

                                                      

CUTE EASTER CUPCAKES & RECIPES
Cupcakes and recipes from around the Blogosphere including the "Master-PEEPS Theater" by Cakespy! Others are Recipe Girl, Bakerella, Zen Cupcake, The Food Network, Sugar & Everything Nice, Life's Ambrosia, Life Lightly Salted and me! But you already knew that!

                                                              

MY EASTER CAKE & CUPCAKE RECIPES

• Devils Food White Out Cake
• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting
• Spice Cupcakes with Penuche Frosting
• Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes
• Chocolate Marshmallow Brownie Cupcake

I MUST HAVE MORE EASTER RECIPES!

• Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies
• Apple Pie with Fresh Apples
• Chocolate French Silk Pie
• Hot Cross Buns
• Key Lime Pie

                                                                  

CONGRATULATIONS - Pasta & Agave Winners!

                              

Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar Winners
WOO-HOO! We have two winners for the Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar! Mr Random Generator picked numbers 2 (Two) and 22 (Twenty two).  That means that Paula and Susie each won a box from Garofalo! I'll be emailing each of you to let you know of your good fortune.

Even though Paula doesn't have a blog, she is no less than enthusiastic about her pasta sauce! I'm sure she'll make great use of both products!

Susie is the author of Hick Chick - an interesting and very colorful blog! Go check it out and see what I mean!

THE COMMENTS:
I make my own spicy seafood pasta sauce. It's a breeze and everyone loves it! Another one of my favorite sauces uses spicy italian sausage and mushrooms. This giveway would be used in my home!!!
Posted by: Paula | April 01, 2009 at 06:56 AM

My favorite jarred sauce is Prego Mushroom with Extra Spice. However, it is impossible to find where I live, so I've started a quest to find a good recipe that replicates the saucy-spicy-thickness. I haven't "quite" found it yet, but am enjoying my efforts!
Posted by: Susie Littlewood | April 01, 2009 at 10:08 AM

MR RANDOM GENERATOR:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

20
22

Timestamp: 2009-04-08 22:11:11 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Thank You!
A special Thank You goes out to Sarah for making this giveaway possible! And for all of you who participated. In the meantime, please check out Garofalo's website to see what else they carry. They sell their products in some major chains like Costco, among others.

RECIPE ROUND-UP & GIVEAWAY REMINDER!

                                           


EASTER is Almost Here!
I can't believe Easter is this coming Sunday. Is it me, or has the time just flown past us? And, Easter is late this year too! I've been real busy trying to get all my Easter & Spring Recipes together for all of you to try. There's lots more for Easter in the sidebars. <<<--- Look on both sides --->>> I've been rearranging and categorizing everything to make my blog more user-friendly.

                                      

Recipes & Articles from Week Ending 4/7

• Pistachios & Salmonella: Food Recall
• Quiche Lorraine Recipe with slideshow
• Cute Easter Cupcake Round-Up!
  
• Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Easter Rolls
• Key Lime Pie Recipe
• Easter Egg Bread
• Strawberry Fool Recipe
• 10 Strawberry Dessert Recipes with slideshow
• Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins
• Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
• Fresh Strawberry Muffins Recipe
• How to Make Chocolate Ganache with slideshow
• How to Cook Perfect Pasta

                                          


Other News
There's nothing from Suite101 this week, as they're going through another major round of copyright theft. This time it's massive. So far, about 700 articles have been scraped from the site without permission, violating copyright laws. So, I've laid low, putting all my efforts into the Examiner for now. All my recipes from Suite are still available to use, email to friends and print off, so don't be shy! The Coconut Cake with Coconut Buttercream Frosting is especially yummy for Easter!

I've put Dorie on the shelf for another week or so while I push through Easter. This is one of my biggest holidays for recipes, so Dorie and I have put our relationship on hold for a few weeks. Nothing personal, we'll start dating again real soon!

The Examiner has extended their Sign-up Promotion until June30th! So, if you're still on the fence about joining, let me know?

AND, don't forget the Garofalo Giveaway!

                                           

Easter Wine Tasting - People's Liquor Warehouse

                                    

Wines for Easter
Ever wonder what wine to serve for Easter dinner? Which wine pairs with ham or lamb? What type of wine would you serve with the Quiche Lorriane for an Easter Brunch? Marc, "The Wine Guy" has a seminar - and a nice selection of wines to taste- already planned to educate and train our palettes in anticipation of Easter!



What is Kosher Wine?
I've always wondered this myself. What makes a wine Kosher, and why would you serve Kosher wine? Again, "The Wine Guy" will explain all these mysteries to us, so we'll be even more wine savvy the next time a Jewish holiday comes up.

The Wines for Easter Seminar is being held on Wednesday, April 8th at 6:00 pm. As always, the seminar and tasting are free and open to the public. People's does ask that you call (401-737-0900) and reserve a spot so they have enough chairs and glasses set up. Plus, you don't want them to run out of wine when they get around to you!

People's Liquor Warehouse
1350 Greenwich Ave
Warwick, RI 02866
(401) 737-0900

STRAWBERRY EASTER DESSERTS Recipes

                                          

STRAWBERRY DESSERTS
Strawberries - who doesn't love them? Spring is here and Easter is right around the corner. What better dessert to serve for the holiday than something made of strawberries. Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Cream Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins and Strawberry parfaits! I've got them all right here in a Strawberry Round-Up so you don't have go hunting for them!

Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins - Made with the best of both worlds - strawberries AND cheesecake - these muffins taste more like cupcakes than breakfast pastries!  Too much of a good thing is simply wonderful!

Strawberry Fool - April Fools! This unbelievably easy dessert is made with just three ingredients - strawberries, sugar and whipped cream! Fool your guests into thinking you slaved all day on this lighter-than-air, fluffy Strawberry Fool!


Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits - Strawberry Cheesecake in a glass! Luscious, ripe juicy strawberries, fluffy cream cheese & ricotta filling & Nilla Vanilla Wafers all layered in pretty parfait glasses. Top them off with whipped topping and sliced almonds, and you have a gorgeous dessert for your next brunch! 

                                

Strawberry Muffins - Made with my favorite Blueberry Muffin Recipe, these strawberry muffins are chock full of fresh strawberries and topped with brown sugar streusel for an easy Easter brunch!

Strawberry Cheesecake - New York Style Strawberry Cheesecake is baked on a sweet graham cracker crust, and topped with fresh juicy strawberries. This over-the-top ultra creamy cheesecake is a perfect spring time dessert.

              

Strawberry Cream Cake - A Dorie Greenspan dessert from, Baking: From My Home To Yours. Luscious vanilla cake filled with fluffy cream cheese filling and fresh strawberries, all decorated with freshly whipped cream. A beautiful cake for the Easter table!

Strawberry Shortcake - Homemade buttermilk biscuits are split in half, layered with sweetened whipped cream and fresh, juicy strawberries. Topped with more whipped cream and a chocolate covered strawberry, this spring time Strawberry Shortcake is served!

                                       

Strawberry Mousse - Fill a flaky pie crust with the fluffiest strawberry mousse, top with whipped cream and garnish with white chocolate curls. Use this light and fluffy strawberry mousse as a filling between layers of homemade vanilla pound cake and decorate with buttercream frosting. Spoon into dainty glass parfait dishes, layer with whipped cream and garnish with white chocolate curls and a whole strawberry. You can even pipe it into tender cream puff shells and sprinkle with powdered sugar!

Fresh Strawberry Tart - Another Dorie Greenspan recipe, this strawberry tart is made with a sweet shortbread crust, filled with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries. Top it all off with fresh whipped cream, or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries - This quick & easy dessert is also the most elegant & extravagant to serve to your guests! Melt some Ghirardelli chocolate and dip some strawberries! That's it! Get ready for the oohs and aahs!

Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Tiramisu - Easter Tiramisu with Strawberries and Mascarpone

Lemon Strawberry Trifle - Trifle Layered with Lemon Scented Custard and Fresh Strawberries

Although not Strawberry Desserts, I'm sure you'll love these recipes and lists too!

MY Top 5 QUICHE RECIPES

EASTER BRUNCH RECIPES & IDEAS

CUTE EASTER CUPCAKES & RECIPES

TOP 10 CHEESECAKES FOR EASTER

6 POPULAR LEMON DESSERT RECIPES

LAST MINUTE EASTER RECIPES

MY EASTER CAKE & CUPCAKE RECIPES

• Devils Food White Out Cake
• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting
• Spice Cupcakes with Penuche Frosting
• Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes
• Chocolate Marshmallow Brownie Cupcake

Check back soon, I'll have more as the season unfolds!

The Secret to Perfect Pasta

HOW TO COOK PASTA - Do I rinse pasta? How long do I cook pasta for? Do I add salt to the pasta water? Still confused about how to cook pasta? If you follow these pasta preparation tips from Garofalo Pasta, you'll get perfect pasta every time!

Garofalo Pasta
Do you know the secret to creating the perfect pasta dish? "We do - premium pastas from Garofalo Signature", says Garofalo Pasta. "Perfect pasta dishes start with premium pasta created in Gragnano, Italy's birthplace of pasta. All Garofalo Signature pastas are produced at Garofalo's headquarters near the ruins of Pompeii, using time honored pasta making techniques and only the finest durum wheat, sourced from across the globe by owner Massimo Menna."

Once you have chosen the perfect pasta, be sure to also consider these preparation and pairing tips from Massimo Menna of Garofalo Pasta!

CONTINUE READING FOR TIPS, RECIPE IDEAS & LINKS

Don't forget the Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar Giveaway!

HAPPY APRIL STRAWBERRY FOOLS DAY!

Strawberry Fool
Has anyone ever heard of Berry Fool, or Strawberry Fool? Seriously, it's a real dessert, and a very easy one at that! If you haven't already made plans for dessert tonight, or need a quick recipe for spring or Easter, go check it out! Just 3-4 ingredients and you have a quick & easy delicious dessert!

And why am I so late? I thought I already posted this, and when I came back, I found it still sitting here, unpublished! DUH! I guess we could call it, "Happy Day After April Fools Day!"
Oh, wait! I'm still technically cool with the official date! It's still April Fools Day!

And just so that everyone knows? My daughter Kerri took this photo! Tasty, yes?

GIVEAWAY - Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar

                                        

Garofalo Pasta & Partida Agave Nectar Giveaway!
Sara is my newest best friend! Sara represents Garofalo & Partida Agave Nectar, and she sent me this HUGE box of goodies one day! I almost felt guilty trying all the little bottles of Tequila, Vodka, and Gin.  But wait! That wasn't all! She also sent me a big bag of Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta too. I'll show you the picture of all the things she sent, but then you'd feel left out. So, please, don't feel bad, because we're having a.......

GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to Sara, she's going to drop ship TWO (2) winners, a big bag of Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta, AND a bottle of their awesome Partida Agave Nectar! We ate the pasta with homemade sauce and mushrooms. It was awesome! The pasta holds its shape and is very elegant on the plate.


John is in LOVE with the Partida Agave Nectar! Even though it's great for a Margarita, he's been using it as a sweetener in his tea and coffee too. It's 100% organic, so he really feels good about that. I've used it in baking, which is comparable to honey in texture and volume, although much sweeter. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of those gallon jugs some day. Good for Margaritas AND baking!

Garofalo
Garofalo has been making pasta for over 200 years and today produces the Signature line from its headquarters near the world-renowned ruins of Pompeii. Garofalo’s Signature line of pastas combines decades of knowledge of the art and skill of traditional Neapolitan pasta making with the efficiencies of today’s technology to create top quality pasta products. Their specialty cuts include; Schiaffoni, Pappardelle and Calamarata. Long cuts, short cuts and whole wheat pasta. They make lots more, so go check out their website and see what else they have to offer! Also, I heard that Costco carries the product in some of their stores, so you'll be able to get it there as well.

Calamarata
The shape of this specialty cut calls to mind calamari rings and is perfect when paired with heavy sauces that can stand up to Calamarata’s heft.Sauce Pairing Suggestion: Cream sauce with porcini mushrooms. Like I said, the pasta rings are big almost like Calamari, and very elegant. Something you would definitely serve to company!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Check out Garofalo's tips & tricks for "The Secret To Perfect Pasta". Lots of good info here; How long do I cook pasta for? Do I rinse my pasta? What so you suggest I pair the pasta with? Recipes & links to more recipes!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                              

Partida Agave Nectar Partida Tequila from 100% blue agave combined with 100% Organic Partida Agave Nectar provides the pure, natural agave taste found in the partida Margarita. Agave Nectar is a natural sweetener made from 100% agave extracted from the heart of the blue agave plant. Because agave nectar has a low glycemic index, it is absorbed slowly into the body which prevents spikes in blood sugar levels. Partida nectar is sweeter than sugar by as much as 2/3 so less is needed for sweetening, meaning less calories. It is also less viscous than honey, making it more versatile. The sweet, natural flavor of agave nectar is great for baking, sweetening beverages and a multitude of other uses in addition to making the Partida Margarita, the best Margarita ever!

The Partida Agave Nectar Margarita

• 1 1/2 ounces Partida Tequila (Blanco, Reposado or Anejo)
• 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice (the juice of one whole lime)
• 3/4 ounces Partida Agave Nectar (to taste)
• 3/4 ounces pure water
• Shake all ingredients with ice in standard bar shaker. Taste. Add additional lime juice if you prefer more tartness; add more agave nectar for more sweetness. Serve in glass on rocks. No garnish, no salt.

The Giveaway Rules
Don't you just hate rules? I do too, but to make sure everything goes along smoothly, there has to be some guidelines. Tell me what kind of pasta sauce is your favorite? Do you make your own? Or do you buy it in a jar, then doctor it up? 

Sorry, US entries only this time please! They're drop-shipping the box, so we have to keep it in the country. One entry, no duplicate comments allowed, and it has to be on this post. I'll use Mr. Random Generator (totally legit) to pick the winning numbers and email you if your number comes up. I will choose TWO (2) winners. They'll each get a box with Garolfalo's Calamarata Pasta & a bottle of Partida Agave Nectar. I'll announce it right here on my blog like I always do.

Deadline for comments is Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 at midnight EST. Good luck to  everyone!

SALMONELLA & PISTACHIOS - Another recall!

                               

STOP EATING THOSE PISTACHIOS!
The FDA has announced another recall, this time for Pistachios, and anything containing pistachios. Don't eat any more of them, including trail bars, granola, energy bars and especially Pistachio Cake!

CONTINUE READING......

RECIPES, WINNERS & ARTICLES Round-Up

                                        

Week Ending - Today!
Here's my latest recipes. articles and giveaway winner posts for the week ending...um...Monday, March 30th. Lots of ooey, gooey things like Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, and my absolute favorite in the whole wide world, Coconut Cake with Coconut Frosting! Yes, Kerri & Erika, here it is! My secret weapon...I mean recipe! I've also included a few of my favorite things because spring is here, and Easter is coming! The Lemon Meringue Pie is to-die-for, as is the French Lemon Tart. Oh, and try the Blueberry Muffins, my other, other Easter brunch favorite!

                                                                 

Last Call for Examiner Referrals. The deadline for referrals is tomorrow by midnight MT. Email me if you have questions. My ID # is 4208 when you get ready to apply! It's easy, seems like everyone gets in!

                                                                        

And finally, I did an article for The Daily Tiffin, and did it here as well on Kids in the Kitchen. You'll get to see my two granddaughters up-close in the kitchen!

                                                                       

Recipes Galore!

• Popular Lemon Dessert Recipes for Spring
• Top 10 Cookie Recipes
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake
• Best Blueberry Muffin Recipe Evah!
• Coconut Cake & Buttercream Frosting Recipes

                                               

Last Call for Alcohol...I mean Examiner!

• LAST CALL for Examiner Referrals! (Deadline 3/31)
• Cupcake Cookbooks - Kids in the Kitchen
• Best Kitchen Gadgets & Small Appliances
• Dessert Express Cookbook & Winner!

Finally, and I really do mean finally...I'm including my Grown-Up Macaroni & Cheese Recipe one more time because I can. And, it really is so good, that I'm gonna make it again tomorrow night for supper...again!

                                                                

LAST CALL for Examiner Referrals!

                                                     

Examiner Referral Deadline
Just wanted to remind everyone that was interested in writing for the EXAMINER - March 31st is the deadline for referrals. If you need more info about this, click here and read all about it. This is especially appealing for all you Food Bloggers, as you can use your old material and photos from your own blogs. Instant content! Everyone that I've referred has been approved, so either it's really that easy, or they're really that good! I like to think it's the latter, that we Food Bloggers have what they want!

If you have any questions before filling out the application, email me and I'll talk you through it. Just be sure to use my number #4208 when applying. Thanks again for the interest! See you on the flip side!

RECIPE UPDATES - New & Improved!

                                 

Hi Everyone!
I'm trying to update my email list for the future weekly newsletter. I'd like to tie all my foodie groups together in a more "professional" manner, so you're not groping to find everything I do.

As some of you might know, I started writing for Examiner.com. over a month ago. And while most of you already subscribe to my feeds and email updates for Spatulas & Corkscrews and Suite101, I noticed that many of you don't know this feature exists with Examiner. In other words, you're missing a ton of recipes, etc!

When you click here, you'll see a "Subscribe to Email" button at the top, right next to my mug shot! Each time I post a recipe, you'll get an email letting you know what I've been up to! If you've already signed up, I thank you very much for hanging in there with me and supporting my addiction for all things delicious! Big things are happening, and I want you to be part of them!

Love you guys! XO

Cupcake Cookbooks - Kids in the Kitchen

                                         

      

Do your kids like to help you in the kitchen? Do they like to cook and bake and make a mess right along side you? I have four grandkids, and they all like to help in the kitchen. Their mommies (our daughters) grew up in our bakery and catering business. For years, this was all that they knew. In a way, they were born into it - it's in their blood! As a side note, our two sons also stayed in foodservice after they left the nest! So, it really is a family thing!

It was inevitable that when our daughters grew up and had kids of their own, they too, would live, breathe and dream about frosted cupcakes in a yummy, fun-filled kitchen. Our grandkids really had no choice but to love their parents' culinary talents. What kid wouldn't love a house filled with good things coming out of the oven? But it doesn't stop there. The kids actually love to create their own dishes and strange concoctions. We would never think to eat some of it put before us, but we pretend to take a nibble, say "mmmm, good", then spit it out in a napkin when they weren't looking!

                                                

They also love to "play bakery", and have menus made up ahead of time with special offerings that not only leave me speechless, but queasy as well! At the age of 5, our son used to come along to the bakery with us between his daycare and pastry chef gig. He would put on an apron that was 5 times too big for him, and we must have tied it around his waist 4 times and hike it up over his chest. He'd have to stand on a 5 gallon bucket just to see over the counter. But he loved to mimic us - that 's what kids do - and "play bakery". One day in particular, he was at his usual perch on the bucket with his snow boots on, when all of a sudden we heard a yell and a squeal. The lid wasn't on securely, and his weight had shifted to one side, caving in the lid sideways. We rushed to find him standing knee deep in a brand new, full 5 gallon bucket of eclair filling!

It's been a while since we had little ones around, but when we go visit, they always ask Opa to make cookies with them, or Nana to help them decorate cupcakes. When our kids were young, we had very little in the way of resources or cookbooks for them. Not that we needed cookbooks for kids, but it would have been fun for them to have their own baking books and recipe journals.

                                                                   

Times have changed, and today's kids have plenty of cookbook choices available to them. They make great gifts for grandparents that want to cook and bake along with them. You can even buy a decorating set with bags, tips, a spatula, sprinkles and icing colors to go with the book. Wrap it all up with a baking sheet and kid-sized apron and you've got the perfect gift for the little baker in your family! My granddaughter picked out these cute Wilton Silly Feet silicone cupcake liners for me one day. They're the most adorable things! When it came time to actually give them to me, she protested. She wanted to keep them for herself!

                                                                   

Here's a list of my favorite kid-friendly cupcake cookbooks on the book store shelves today - for the new generation of up-and-coming bakers and cake decorators in your life!

Super-Duper Cupcakes: Kids' Creations from the Cupcake Caboose by Elaine Cohen
This 96 page cupcake book is geared towards kids ages 9-12. They are super-cute and very colorful. Become a "Cupcake Artist" with the easy recipes and super-duper designs!

 

Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella
A total how-to cupcake book with great photos, plenty of recipes for cake and frostings, decorating tips and loads of ideas for kids and adults. From kids birthday parties to elegant dinner parties, you're sure to find this book is just what you're looking for!

Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss and Christie Matheson
Not technically a cupcake book, this is the craziest looking book of them all! It has cake and frosting recipes, mini cakes, cupcakes, brownies and more to decorate. Some of the techniques may be over a young child's head, but with supervision from Nana & Opa, they should be able to complete something they feel good about. If anything, it's a great picture book full of fun and colorful creations that even a non-reader will enjoy!

Hello, Cupcake! by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack
This cupcake book is full of playful designs and fun ideas for cupcakes that look like spaghetti and meatballs, TV dinners, penguins, panda and Westies! Hello, Cupcake makes these cupcakes adorable readily available candy store finds like; candy, gum, licorice, twizzlers, jelly beans, sprinkles and smarties just to name a few. Highly Recommended!

WINNER! Dessert Express Cookbook Giveaway!

Congratulations!
The early bird gets the worm this time! I've given away a lot of things, but I don't think Mr Random Generator has ever picked number ONE before! That's a new one for me. And I mean really, what's the chance of that happening? No one EVER picks number ONE!

So, Who is NUMERO UNO?
Well, that would be PEARL! She's number one, #1. Pearl has been a faithful follower of mine for quite some time now, always comments on everything I write, no matter what time of night I post it! She has a blog called Fresh & Pure. Go take a look and see what she's all about, what makes her tick. She has a really neat recipe for Honey Vanilla Ice Cream w/ Roasted Peanuts that I would love to try... if I had a freezer!

This is Pearl's Comment
I have two cookbooks in my collection - one from Food & Wine and the other one is one that I got at Costco (can't recall the name at the moment). I would LOVE a cookbook that focuses on sweets! Even if I don't make anything from it, at least I can look at the pretty photos! Hehe.
Posted by: Pearl | March 19, 2009 at 10:23 PM

And the Proof!
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

1

Timestamp: 2009-03-26 03:02:03 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Everyone, let's congratulate Pearl! I'll be emailing you to get your address!

In the meantime...go check out my newest recipe for the BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS evah! They're quick and easy AND good!

                                                                  

Recipes, Giveaways & Articles Round-Up

                                       


I'VE GOT LOTS OF RECIPES and book reviews to share with all of you this week. I know this is a Tuesday, and I normally do a round-up from Sunday-Sunday. But, Spring has sprung, and I'm slightly off this week. My cheese slid off my cracker, and I got a little lost in my 9 day week!

                                                      

And don't worry, I haven't forgotten Dorie. I just broke up with her for a few weeks to get this new writing gig off the ground. Remember the "Dear Dorie Letter"
I wrote? Anyway....this is for MY week ending 3/23 ;-)

                                                       

RECIPES

• Ever Had a Hot Weiner?
• How to Make Hot Weiners
• NY System Hot Weiner Sauce Recipes
• Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe
• Gourmet Grown-Up Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
• Make a Reuben Sandwich with Corned Beef Leftovers

                                                                                                                                 


ARTICLES & GIVEAWAYS

• Sophia's Tuscan Grille
• Zeppole for St. Joseph's Day
• Dessert Express Cookbook Review
  
• King Arthur Cookbook & Flour Giveaway
• Why I Love King Arthur Flour So Much!

                                                                     

DESSERT EXPRESS Cookbook Giveaway Reminder!

DESSERT EXPRESS
Just a quick reminder that the giveaway for the cookbook, Dessert Express: 100 Sweet Treats You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less ends tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at midnight EST.  Don't miss out on this awesome book.


To enter, go back to the original post and leave your comment there! Good luck to all!


And if you didn't get to say congrats to Elyse on the King Arthur giveaway, you can do that here, or slip on over to her blog Confectionery Creations and say Hi!

KING ARTHUR Cookbook & Flour - WINNER!

                                   
CONGRATULATIONS!
I just know there's going to be a very happy winner! We had 73 people enter this giveaway.  King Arthur's newest cookbook, "King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking", AND a 5 pound bag of their awesome Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour will be on its way soon to a new kitchen! Mr. Random Generator picked number 56. I went through the comments and found out that number 56 belongs to....drum roll please....Elyse from Confectionary Creations!

How About This for a GUSHY Comment?
Here's Elyse's comment, her timestamp, and proof that Mr. Generator was on the job! All the comments were awesome, and the winner was picked at random. But, after you read Elyse's comment, you'll all have to admit, that hers was one of the gushiest ever! Like I said, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the comment, but if anyone should win based on gushy-ness, it would have to be Elyse! King Arthur is gonna love this one!

"Oh man, I don't have to push myself to go into gushy mode about KA. I love their products, their recipes, and their website. I have their cake flour, AP flour, bread flour, and regular whole wheat flour in my pantry. I have about 50 of their recipes downloaded in my "to bake" file, and of course, I subscribe to "Baker's Banter." KA is just an amazing company. That turned pretty gushy, pretty fast, but it's all true. KA is awesome! (P.S. love the healthy Irish Soda Bread recipe!!)"
Posted by: Elyse | March 17, 2009 at 11:13 PM

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

56

Timestamp: 2009-03-23 03:52:22 UTC
© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional | Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

Thank You King Arthur!
Congrats to Elyse! Thanks so much to King Arthur Flour Company for being so generous with their products. This was a very nice giveaway, and I'm very sure we'll be seeing some of Elyse's goodies popping up on the web REAL soon! For those of you who didn't win, what can I say? Go check out King Arthur's website and poke around. I'm sure you'll be adding cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and baking products to your shopping basket in no time!

                              

                                                

These are Elyse's Ninja Cookies. You can find the recipe for the uber-chocolate cookies there!                                                     

WINE DINNER - SOPHIA'S TUSCAN GRILLE & People's Liquor Warehouse - Warwick, RI

                                          

Chef Chris & The Wine Guy
Chef Chris Palios and Marc Guillotte, the Wine Guy, will once again pair up for what promises to be another amazing 4 course wine dinner on  Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at 6:30pm.

San Joseph's Festivita Wine Dinner
Hosted by People's Liquor Warehouse of Warwick, Rhode Island, and served at Sophia's Tuscan Grille, Chef Chris Palios and Marc Guillotte, the Wine Guy, will be presenting a spectacular wine dinner not to be missed! While Chef Chris is in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the San Joseph's Festivita Wine Dinner, Marc will start to pour his selection of wines, each expertly paired for the matching course. 

I did a pretty cool slide show using Chef Chris' photos. Check it out by going here to my Sophia's Tuscan Grille Wine Dinner post. Scroll down past the menu until you get to "View Slideshow".

                                                                         

First Course

• Shaved Fennel Salad w/Orange Supremes, Grilled Prawns, Calabrian Chilies & White Balsamic Reduction
• Paired w/ Fattoria San Lorenzo Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

Second Course

• Lasagnette Del San Giuseppe (Homemade Peasant Style Pappardelle Pasta w/Almonds, Tomatoes, Basil & Bread Crumbs)
• Paired w/Les Trois Chemin Cote du Rhone Blanc & Fresco Baldidaldo Nipozzano Chianti Reserva

                                                          

Third Course

• Bruschetts Con Le Fave ( Fava Bean Bruschetta w/Cod Fish Cake & Sicilian Olive Oil)
• Paired w/Attems Pinot Grigio & Vina Lancianno Single Vineyard

Fourth Course

• Sfinge di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Cream Puffs)
• Paired w/Quady Essencia Orange Muscat or a Caffe Italiano

                                                        

$50.00 per person includes tax & tip - Please call People's Liquor Warehouse for more information and to purchase tickets.

Wine Dinner - Sophia's Tuscan Grille - Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at 6:30pm
Sophia's Tuscan Grille, 1729 Warwick Ave., Warwick, RI (401-732-6656)
People's Liquor Warehouse, 1350 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI (401-737-0900)

                                                          

DESSERT EXPRESS - Cookbook Giveaway!

                  


COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY - Dessert Express
Publisher Taunton Press, has graciously sent another fantastic cookbook to review and give away! Read my book review, Dessert Express by Lauren Chattman, and you'll see why you need to own your own copy!

Dessert Express: 100 Sweet Treats You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
Loooong title, but that really is the complete name of the book. It means what it says - 100 desserts that you can make in half an hour or less! After drooling through this book, I noticed how many quick & easy desserts are kid-friendly as well as delicious. Lots of color photos, and did I say VERY EASY dessert ideas?

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe
Here's an awesome recipe right from the pages of Dessert Express. How about a luscious Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding? Remember, it's really easy, in 30 minutes or less. So, you can whip this dessert up and have it baking while you finish dinner!


                                                         

Dessert Express Giveaway Rules
Don't you just hate rules? I do too, but to make sure everything goes along smoothly, there has to be some guidelines. Tell me how many cookbooks you have in your collection. Guesstimate if you have to! Then tell everyone which is your absolute favorite, batter stained, chocolate smeared, can't-give-it-away cookbook!

US and Canada entries only please! One entry, no duplicate comments allowed, and it has to be on this post. I'll use Mr. Random Generator (totally legit) to pick the winning numbers and email you if your number comes up. I will choose ONE winner for Dessert Express, and announce it right here on my blog.

Deadline for comments is Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 at midnight EST. In the unfortunate case you don't win, you can check out The Taunton Press for this cookbook as well as many others, including their awesome high-gloss magazine FINE COOKING! I know you've all seen that mag on the grocery store rack!

                                                                      

photos used with permission by Taunton Press