Archive for the ‘FOOD’ Category
Posted on November 16, 2010 - by Brie
PUMPKIN BUTTER DESSERT SQUARES
I have made these dessert squares for Thanksgiving for the past I-don’t-know-how-many-years and they are absolutely delicious (and super easy). I usually don’t even like pumpkin that much…but these are amazing! I use the Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter and usually run out at the last minute and grab some from Williams-Sonoma or if you have time you can order it from the Muirhead website. Enjoy!
Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dessert Squares
1 Package yellow cake mix; set aside one cup
1/2 C Melted Butter
3 Large Eggs
1 Jar Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter
2 T Milk
1 T Flour
2 T Sugar
1/4 C Softened Butter
1 t Cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the yellow cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl. Stir the melted butter and one egg into the cake mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13” pan. Mix the jar of Pecan Pumpkin Butter with two eggs and milk. Pour this result over the cake mix. Stire the reserved cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, softened butter and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of the pumpkin layer. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serves approx 24.
Finally, if you are looking for a great hostess gift for an autumn treat you can even give the ingredients or the actual dessert squares in this lovely baker from Crate & Barrel.
Posted on September 20, 2010 - by Brie
Living Room Campout
Scott’s Dad gave us a tent for Christmas last year and since I am not always big on camping… (there is always way too much work packing and unpacking)…and we had not set the tent up before I decided we would go camping in the living room! Although I am obviously not the first person to do this I did give myself a pat on the back after setting up the tent (all on my own) and not breaking anything in the room (since the tent literally took up at least ninety percent of the space).
For dinner we had a baked potato bar (you eat those on a campout, right?) which included butter, sour cream, cheese, broccoli, and chili. However, my favorite part of the evening was making s’mores (without the campfire)!! Thanks to my Betty Crocker iPhone app for this recipe.
Ingredients
1 Pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1C Graham Cracker Crumbs (Cinnamon or Regular)
1C Melted Butter
3C Milk Chocolate Chips (18oz)
4 1/2C Mini Marshmellows (10.5oz)
Preheat oven to 375.
Combine cookie mix and crumbs then add melted butter.
Press mixture into ungreased 9×13 glass pan.
Bake 18-20 min.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Let them begin to melt (about 3-5 min) and then spread evenly over crust.
Sprinkle marshmellows over chocolate.
Turn oven to broil.
Place pan back into oven for 20-30 SECONDS until marshmellows are toasted. (I watched it the entire time to make sure it didn’t go to quickly)
Remove from oven and cool 10 min – Serve warm!
(While it says to serve warm – It is also delicious at room temp)
It was so fun to campout in the living room…And the best part of the night was being able to sleep in our comfy bed when we decided to fall asleep! (Maybe one day soon I will actually let us try the tent in the good ol’ outdoors!)
Posted on April 6, 2010 - by Brie
lemon cakelettes
i absolutely loved making and eating these lemon cakelettes. they were pretty darn easy to make and super fabulous to serve. i had been searching for a glazed lemon cake for days to serve at a spring dinner party and finally found one from paula deen [don't worry - no butter in this recipe]. then after raving to my momma about these wonderful lemon cakelettes and telling her the recipe she told me that my great-grandma mary used to make the recipe as a bundt cake! it was meant to be 
RECIPE…
CAKELETTES…
box of yellow cake mix [18 1/2oz] + instant lemon pudding mix [3 1/2oz] + 4 eggs + 3/4C oil
blend until smooth. fill greased cupcake pan with batter [about 1/2 to 3/4 full for each spot]. bake at 350 degrees for about 12 min [fork should come out clean].
GLAZE… [in a separate bowl that is good for dipping]
4C sifted confectioners sugar + 1/3C lemon juice + 1 zested lemon + 3T oil + 3T H2O
mix until smooth.
once cakelettes are finished baking plop them onto a tea towel and cover to keep warm. take one cakelette at a time and dip/coat with glaze mixture. place on wire rack for cooling [place wax paper under the rack to catch dripping glaze]. cool for at least an hour and then store in an airtight container.
and if you wish to make a cake out of the cakelettes…it turns into an enticing dessert display. also i served the cakelettes with strawberries and cool whip…just for extra oomph!
Posted on March 16, 2010 - by Brie
st. patrick’s day dinner
since the majority of people we know were already busy this wednesday, st. patrick’s day, we decided to host a little dinner party this past saturday. the first thing i set up – after cleaning the house – was the dining table centerpiece. i am actually quite proud of my arrangement because it required no new material. scott had brought me flowers a couple of weeks ago and since the majority of the arrangement was rapidly wilting i took all the poor flowers that were past their prime out and just kept the cute daisies and mums. just a simple square vase, some large river pebbles, and recut flowers produced the little number below. (oh and thanks to my mother-in-law for the cute green bud vase)
to finish the table i just put down a green bamboo runner under the centerpiece, added some candles and then the place settings. i was originally debating between some more colorful dishes i have or the white ones below and the white plates won out since it would help keep the table simple and a little more country. since where else do leprechauns live except in the fields of ireland.
for dinner we served corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and some great soda bread (which i cooked all of minus the soda bread – the market does that one for me). My favorite part of course was the cabbage – why i love cabbage i don’t know. i just like to steam the cabbage for 15-20 minutes with lots of salt and pepper in it and then add butter to it after placing it in the serving bowl. for drinks we chilled white grape juice that we had added green food coloring to for some leprechaun punch. and of course st. patrick’s day would not be complete without a treasure at the end of the rainbow … so for dessert i put together a fun peanut butter and sugar cookie platter.
the conversation and people were wonderful. everyone left with a very full stomach and maybe a few extra pounds. in my book it was quite the success.
Posted on March 8, 2010 - by Brie
layered chopped salad.
for some unknown reason i have always loved trifle bowls. go figure. and since i can’t eat dessert trifles all the time i have decided trifle bowls aren’t just for desserts anymore. i made this salad the other day and while the original recipe called for beets (and i don’t like them) i substituted chicken and then put some bacon bits on top as well. this salad gets extra points because even you can easily substitute ingredients and can mix up the layers and it will still look amazing
Ingredients
DRESSING: (or just pull one out of your refrigerator that you like)
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
SALAD:
- 4 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup finely chopped radicchio
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced Belgian endive (about 1 small head)
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped English cucumber
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely shredded carrot
- 1 3/4 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup diced seeded plum tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
- 1 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 2 cups diced, cooked beets (and/or diced grilled chicken)
- 3 hard-cooked large eggs, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Preparation
To prepare the dressing, combine the first 8 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
To prepare the salad, arrange the romaine in the bottom of a 2-quart glass bowl or trifle dish; top with iceberg. Layer radicchio, endive, cucumber, celery, carrot, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, and green onions evenly over lettuces. Drizzle with dressing. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight.
Arrange beets (and/or diced grilled chicken) over green onions; top with eggs. Garnish with parsley, if desired.