Let's welcome in 2011

Welcome in the New Year
With happiness and cheer
Greet it with a glass of champagne
Toast it with a bottle of beer







This year brought tasty things
Almost always divine
A baked treat or grilled meat
Photographed every time







I might not make it to midnight
I might not make it to eleven
I can't think of anything that rhymes with eleven.

Jennifurla out!

Gingerbread Pie with Marshmallow Meringue

In life there are things that I would like to send back, do they make me your weirdo?


I will share my little list with you…


My list

1. Monkey’s
2. Nutella
3. Blow Drying my Hair
4. Angry toddlers with Attitude







Let’s start with the monkey. I cannot bear to see these little creatures walking around picking things up like they are human. Monkey’s you officially freak me out. I would like to give you back to the factory, but I fear you might take over the factory, and start producing things that would end up defeating the humans, thus becoming rulers of the earth – so I will put up with you.



Second is Nutella, yes I said it…so there. Nutella I would like to give you back to whatever person thinks there is just a dang “hint” of cocoa in it. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and I must have had too much wine...shocking







Next is blow drying my hair, forget the diet pill - can I please order a pill that makes my hair done every morning? Speaking of pills, can I please order another that if I am forced to blow dry my hair makes me not start sweating half way through the process, thus increasing the blow drying portion of the morning. Blow dryer, I would like to give you back - thank you.



Last thing is an angry toddler, that knows just enough to be dangerous…a mother’s pride is never more injured than when she gets smacked in the face by a screaming toddler in a line of fifty or so people. Be calm - Be calm, smile for all the judging people while you die inside a little bit.



I am so rambling. Let's get on to my second recipe from Sprinkles Bakes (I am not a stalker I swear..well maybe..just a little)







INGREDIENTS (PIE)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup molasses (not black strap)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp ground ginger (or more to taste)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 9" ready-made pie shell



INGREDIENTS (MERINGUE)

3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 -7oz. jar of marshmallow fluff







DIRECTIONS (PIE)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Using a hand mixer, combine butter, brown sugar and molasses until creamy. Add flour, salt and spices; mix again until combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix until a consistent batter forms. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 50-55 minutes until custard has set and is not jiggly in the middle when moved.







DIRECTIONS (MERINGUE)

Beat egg whites, vanilla and salt at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.


Beat in 1/4 of the marshmallow fluff. Repeat with remaining fluff until meringue is well mixed and fluffy.

Heap meringue in the middle of the cooled pie and swirl with the back of a spoon or spatula. (I used chopsticks and a large serving fork to make stripes – more ridges = better color) Bake at 400 until browned. My meringue stayed nice for over 48 hours.







Hopefully this pie makes up for my weirdness…if not just send attitude heavy toddler monkeys with blowdryers and nutella to my house...that will teach me.

Coffee Mascarpone Truffles

I have two very short and very sweet stories to share. This first very short and sweet tale does not involve the above truffles…so here we go.


Today we were in church and the subject of giving came up. We listened to our pastor talk about this year being the year, that if you haven’t already you really consider giving more to the church.


I most certainly new that we could give more, personally our particular church has infused a goodness into all of my relationships and I owe them! They are family, they are growing me.







My husband opened his wallet, and in it were some crisp bills…all Christmas gifts. We looked at each other and still had to think it over but ended up tithing it. The instant it left our fingers I felt fabulous.


Five minutes later we came home and our neighbors called us. They wanted to give us all of their young daughters furniture for Indigo….funny how that giving thing worked so quickly into a plus for our family. Just minutes before my pastor had told me this would happen and he was right.


Now on to that second sweet tale. . . . .


This recipe was delightfully borrowed from a down right gorgeous blog..and blogger SPRINKLES BAKES







INGREDIENTS (makes 40)


2-12 oz packages semisweet chocolate chips (I love using mini chips, they melt evenly)
1 - 8 oz package mascarpone cheese, softened
2-3 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling truffles








DIRECTIONS

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Add mascarpone cheese and coffee mixture; fold together with a spatula. Pour into an 8x8 pan and allow to chill until firm enough to scoop into balls. Roll into 1" balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Chill for 1-2 hours ( I speed the process up and put the chocolate in my refrigerator). Roll in cocoa..I gifted them to friends.


• Now if this year I can only remember how good giving feels!

Merry Christmas to you!

May this Christmas be filled with many great things...let's not forget our reasons for being here...cheese, chocolate, wine, cookies, cheesy gordita crunches from Taco Bell...oh wait off track now...oh yah...Don't forget to love on your family! Love them all big like, hugs, kisses, and great food!

Beefy Cheesy Rice

My Rice-A-Roni box is Red
The weather outside is making me blue
Cheese on top of my dish is sweet
And so are you


No applause please, it would embarrass me….OK maybe a few…







A few days ago I spotted a lone Rice-A-Roni Box in my pantry….how did it get there I pondered? Was this Lil guy scoping me out every time I opened the doors? Was it wondering when it was going to fulfill its little Roni life?


I gently grabbed the box and let my Roni know its time had come! Welcome to my party Roni -

Queue the techno...delightfully borrowed from the internet






INGREDIENT LIST FOR SPICING THE RONI UP

1 box of Rice A Roni, prepared
1 lb of ground beef
2 celery stalk, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
Cheddar Cheese, enough to fully exploit your calories for the day
Salt & Pepper, if you please.







DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat your oven to 350 and prepare the Roni as directed. In a large skillet pan fry the meat & veggies until fully cooked and veggies are a *wee* bit tender. Next add in the Roni.

Put it in a dish, like so…I provide pictures you know.

I also rhyme all the time







Next comes the cheese, if you please…







Now in the oven it goes and when it comes out nobody knows…except me and that would be about 15 minutes.







It’s quick
It’s cheap
It’s so nice I did leaps
I served it up good
I served it up nice
A cheesy little bowl of that Rice-A-Roni Rice





Dont laugh, I'll cry.

Lemon Pasta

We have made one giant leap for mankind.


Bye bye crib, hello big girl bed…along with that, a big ole dose of big girl attitude.


I spent most of the weekend wondering how a child so sweet, so lovely could turn into such a free range monster at the drop of a hat.


I mean, I am the total epitome of patience….How ever did she get her short fuse??? Also I beg you not to ask my husband how he thinks our daughter became this way…


Shall we move on to pasta…yes we shall.


This is delightfully borrowed from that Lil ole website THE PIONEER WOMAN





INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound Thin Spaghetti
• 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
• 2 cups Sour Cream
• ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
• Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
• Extra Lemon Juice







DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until done.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.







Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes.







When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I would love to chat more but there has been an odd silence from the living room and I am pretty sure there is something being destroyed that I should be aware of…so for now CHOW!

Double Layer Candy Cane Fudge

Welcome baby Evan to the world! My friend just gave birth (drug free - GO HER)!


As I sit here...at home (go me I have off today) I am watching some re-runs of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Knowing my good friend just gave birth and pondering these Beverly Hills ladies all in one thought has me thinking one thing..


My Friend Tina Rules way more than them.







Now I should really ask myself this question...


Why Jennifer are you watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?


It's not like I said, I rule...I said my friend did.


I have poor TV viewing habits...there I said it...Speaking of poor choices, this fudge would be one if you plan on dieting.






INGREDIENTS (recipe from the Betty Crocker website)

Chocolate Fudge Layer
1 bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 can of creamy chocolate spreadable frosting

White Chocolate Peppermint Layer
1 bag of white Chocolate Chips
1 can of creamy vanilla spreadable frosting
2 drops of red food coloring
1/2 cup of crushed candy canes
toppings, I used nestle red & green morsels

* This recipe produces a soft fudge








DIRECTIONS

Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so foil extends over sides of pan; lightly butter foil. In a double boiler melt your chocolate chips stirring constantly, until smooth. Next add in frosting, stir until nicely combined. Spread in pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes.







One chocolate fudge alomst chilled, melt your white chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in vanilla frosting and food color until well blended. Fold in crushed peppermint candy.







Spread carefully over chilled chocolate layer. Sprinkle nestle morsels over top; press in lightly. Refrigerate just until set, about 1 hour


After 1 hour...remove from pan by pulling on foil...cut....eat...enjoy the small things..





Again...welcome baby Evan & good luck over the next few weeks to the 2nd time parents.

Chestnut Cookies

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire….jack frost nipping at your nose.”


No there is none of that here. I will confess to you our AC was running over the weekend. Please don’t throw rocks.


I have always lived in warm climate, actually I used to live in curl your hair sweating in 5 seconds want to die and love bug infested rain everyday buckets at 4pm on your drive home want to kill yourself weather aka Florida. I will never move back there.


Moving on and over to the West Coast was good for me, and my hair…not for the wallet however….speaking of wallets, do not keep these cookies in your wallet.


Yes that was my segway for the cookies thank you ma'am.


Delightfully borrowed from the Smitten Kitchen MEOW






INGREDIENTS

1 pound chestnuts, pre-cooked is great…and what I used
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon + additional for coating
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour







DIRECTIONS

Chop those chestnuts as fine as you can (or use a food processor of which I am not the fortunate owner of).







Next use an electric mixer (or your hand like me…again) to whip the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour and chestnuts and beat until well blended. Divide dough in half and refrigerate for at least one hour.







Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and a few pinches of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. Working with one half of the chilled dough at a time, roll it into 2 teaspoon-sized balls in the palm of your hand. Place on baking sheet, and cook in oven for 14-17 minutes.


Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently coat warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to cover completely. Transfer to a rack for cooling. Rinse & Repeat. Before serving dust with a wee bit more powdered sugar.







Now set them in front of your window to taunt the birds…bwahahahaha….especially I would like to taunt the giant killer crows because they are big old mofo’s and are way to yappity on Sunday mornings. Shut your feathered egg hole bird!




Also this cat approves of bird taunting.





PS..I have a parakeet so please don’t think I am a bird hater.

Cookies on Sticks

Me “ Indigo, do you know who Santa is?”

Indigo “Yes”

Me “ Ok, who is Santa?”

Indigo “He’s a snowman!”

Me “A Snowman?”

Indigo “Yes, a snowman who rides in a bucket”

*Swoon* Geesh I love her…can we add one more day to the weekend?







These little chaps are darn cute!


There is one time when having a stick up your butt is actually preferable, and that would be if you are a cookie…cake ball..hotdog…and in this instance we are golden.


I bet almost all cookies could work in this instance – I delightfully borrowed this recipe and idea from AllRecipes.com


INGREDIENTS


3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 cups rolled oats
20 sticks
Sprinkles, food coloring

- most any of your favorite cookie could work here~








DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, cream together white sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and butter. Add vanilla and eggs; mix well. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into butter mixture. Finally, mix in rolled oats. You can add in food coloring here…if yah please. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.







Pre-heat your oven to 350


Now take your dough and roll it into 2 inch balls..big balls if you please
Forgive me.


Put a stick through the ball..giggle…and place on parchment lined pan. These cookies will spread, there is no need to press the balls down..I added sprinkles toward the end. Bake for 8-12 minutes…remove & cool


Add a bow and your golden.





I will be submitting these for the Kitchen Corners Cook Off/December = COOKIES
These cookies were donated to all my husbands co-workers, just imagine all these adult men eating cookies on a stick!