holiday punch

I make this holiday punch every year at my holiday party.  It is always a hit!  Recipe and links below for a punch bowl.  If you know someone who would love this recipe, the punch bowl could make a cute gift!  Thank you to Ms. Lilien for this fabulous recipe!

 

Ingredients

1 cup St Germain
3 bottles Brut Champagne; one for ice ring
2 cups Vodka
3/4 cup Lemon Juice; fresh
4 cups Pom Juice, 2 for ice ring
Fresh rosemary springs
Pomegranate Seeds; fresh
Cranberries
Edible Glitter Stars (I have never actually used these, but could be cute!)

preparation:

6+ hours before the party, make the ice ring.  (I make this the day before).
Fill bundt pan 1/2 full with equal parts champagne & pom juice.  Add a handful of fresh cranberries & hefty pinches of edible glitter.

Day of: add alcohol, lemon, & pom juice to a punch bowl and mix.  Garnish with 2 handfuls of pomegranate seeds & sprigs of fresh rosemary.  Add ice ring and enjoy!

 

 

 

macaron

My husband prefers macaroons, I prefer macarons.  Confused?  Read below and learn the difference.  Which one do you like?

 

Although macarons are French, they were actually created in Italy by the chef of Catherine de Medicis in 1533 at her wedding to the future king of France.  Macarons were different back then......more simple.  In the early 1900's, the grandson of Louis Ernest Laduree turned them into 2 level creation filled with chocolate panache to hold them together.  Today macarons are so popular they are even served at McDonalds in France.

Photo below of me in Paris in 2012 enjoying my favorite flavor, pistachio.

peanut butter trifle

I recently made this for a casual dinner party.  It was a hit with the kids as well as the adults!  Thanks to Julia's Eats & Treats for the easy recipe.  I used my standard brownie mix (Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownies).  If you really wanted to make this quickly, you could buy already baked brownies.  This would work in a regular bowl, but it looks so pretty in a Trifle Bowl.  I used a 9" Trifle Bowl, link below.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 (19.5 oz) Pillsbury Milk Chocolate Brownie Mix
  • 2 (13 oz) packages Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
  • 4 c. 2% milk
  • 2 (5.1 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 (8 oz) cartons Cool Whip, thawed

Instructions

  1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions using a 9x13 in pan. Make sure not to over bake the brownies.
  2. Cool on a wire rack; cut into 3/4-in. pieces.
  3. Cut Reese's peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well.Fold in 1-1/2 cartons whipped topping.
  5. Place a third of the brownies in a trifle bowl. Top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups. Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups.
  6. Refrigerate until chilled.

blueberry pancake cupcakes: susiecakes

Has anyone tried the blueberry pancake cupcakes at SusieCakes?  They are only out in July.  Maple icing-it really tastes like a blueberry pancake-so good!

asparagus pasta

Here is one of the things I make for dinner when I don't know what to make for dinner.  It is basic, simple, easy, fast, & healthy.

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
  2. 12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
  3. 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  4. 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) hazelnuts—toasted, skinned, and roughly chopped (or use pine nuts)
  5. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  6. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  7. 1 small wedge (about 2 ounces) Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

  1. With a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus lengthwise into long ribbons.
  2. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, adding the asparagus during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
  3. Drain the spaghetti and asparagus and return them to the pot.
  4. Add the oil and hazelnuts; toss. Add the salt and pepper; toss again.
  5. Divide the spaghetti among individual plates. With the peeler, shave the Parmesan over the top.

My modifications:

  • Simply chop the asparagus instead of the ribbons.
  • Add a few drops of balsamic vinegar when you add the olive oil.

info & nutrition:

  • Serves4
  • Hands-On Time 15 min
  • Total Time 20 min
  • Calories 625 calories
  • Calories 46 calories from fat
  • Sat Fat 3 g
  • Cholesterol 10 mg
  • Sodium 706 mg
  • Protein 22 g
  • Carbohydrate 71 g
  • Sugar 6 g
  • Fiber 4 g

Thank you, Real Simple, for this recipe I read in your magazine 10 years ago.

asparagus tart

I made this asparagus tart for Easter brunch.  It was easy, tasty, and a pretty color for a spring brunch or lunch.  I cut it into squares so people could eat without a fork (kind of like a pizza).

Watch the video on the website below for additional tips.  Thanks, Martha Stewart, for the recipe!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • Flour, for work surface
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  • 5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

  2. Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

no bake dessert: strawberry angel food cake

My friend took this silly photo of a dessert I made last night for a dinner party.  The "recipe" is so easy that the gracious host's three year old daughter was a big help.

Ingredients:

  • Angel Food Cake (I buy the premade at the grocery store)
  • Cool Whip (large tub)
  • Strawberries-sliced
  1. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake horizontally into three circle sections.  Top, middle, and bottom layers.
  2. Place bottom layer on the serving plate.  Cover with Cool Whip.  Add strawberries.
  3. Place middle layer on top of bottom layer.  Cover with Cool Whip.  Add strawberries.
  4. Place top layer on top of stacked layers.  Cover entire cake with Cool Whip.  Add strawberries.
  5. Garnish the plate with a few strawberries around the side

Voilà!  You have a no bake low calorie dessert.  Store in the fridge, possibly eat leftovers for breakfast.