What are you gonna be for Halloween???

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, May luck be yours on Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Yep, it's almost here again. Soooo, what or rather who are you gonna be this Halloween? 

I've decided to go with my usual fall back out fit and dress as a fortuneteller. Or rather what we've come to think a fortune teller should look like. Basically, a boho lagenlook kind of out fit. 

(What? Never heard of Lagenlook? Hmmm, I'll have to do a little blog about it.)

 Anyhoo, I'll actually be telling fortunes! What fun!

So, since I know I'll be telling some fortunes I decided to look up some interesting and fun ones. I also thought about making Halloween Fortune Cookies but that was waaaaay too much like work! :-P

Here are some of the fortunes I found and a recipe for Halloween Fortune Cookies if you're interested.

Classic Dark & Scary Halloween Quotes & Fortune Cookie Sayings:

Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,

Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!"

At first cock-crow the ghosts must go

back to their quiet graves below.

~Theodosia Garrison

'Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn

and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world.

~William Shakespeare

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties

and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!

~Scottish Proverb

Double, double toil and trouble;

fire burn and cauldron bubble.

~Shakespeare

The witches fly across the sky, The owls go:

"Who? Who? Who?" The black cats yowl

and green ghosts howl: "Scary Halloween to you!"

Halloween wraps fear in innocence,

as though it were a slightly sour sweet.

Let terror, then, be turned into a treat.

One need not be a chamber to be haunted;

One need not be a house;

The brain has corridors surpassing material place.

~Emily Dickinson

You wouldn't believe On All Hallows Eve

what lots of fun we can make, with apples to bob

and nuts on the hob and a ring-and-thimble cake.

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.  ~George Carlin

There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery.  ~Joseph Conrad

'Tis the night of the grave's delight, and the warlocks

are at their play; Ye think that without

the wild winds shout, but no, it is they, it is they.

If a man harbors any sort of fear,

it makes him landlord to a ghost. 

~Lloyd Douglas

 Halloween Jokes

How do witches keep their hair in place when flying?

They use ‘scare-spray’.

How do monsters tell their fortune?

They read the ‘horrorscopes’.

Do zombies eat popcorn with their fingers?

No. They eat the fingers separately.

Where does a witch park after flying?

In the broom closet

What does a child monster call his parents?

Mummy and Deady.

What fairy tale do ghosts like best?

Sleeping Boo-ty.

Why do vampires need mouthwash?

They have bat breath.

What do ghosts eat for breakfast?

Ghost Toasties and evaporated milk.

What doesn’t a vampire order at a restaurant?

A stake sandwich.

What is a vampire’s favorite holiday?

Fangs-giving.

What is a baby ghost’s favorite game?

Peek-a-Boo.

Adult Themed Halloween Fortune Cookie Sayings:

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween.

Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight

make me a child again just for tonight!

True love is like a ghost, which everyone talks about but few have seen. 

Clothes make a statement. 

Costumes tell a story.

There is nothing that gives

more assurance than a mask.  

Fortunes/Sayings found here

Eat, Drink and be Scary!!!

 

Halloween Fortune Cookies

By The Paula Deen Test Kitchen

 (check out the link at the bottom to see the cookies being made)

Here’s what you’ll need:

Nonstick spray

2 egg whites

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons water

Pinch salt

Fortunes written on strips of colored paper

6 drops orange food coloring

Special equipment: Silpat, coffee mug, and muffin tin.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. On a half sheet tray, spray a silpat with nonstick spray. 

2. In a medium bowl whisk egg whites until foamy. Whisk in 6 drops orange food coloring. Add the flour, sugar, almond extract, water, and salt to the egg whites and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3. Pour or spoon 1 tablespoon of batter onto prepared silpat and spread with the back of a spoon into a very thin 4-inch circle. Repeat on the other half of the sheet, making only 2 cookies per sheet tray. 

4. Bake the cookies on middle rack of oven until golden brown around edges, about 8 minutes. 

5. Remove from oven and working very quickly, with an offset spatula, remove cookie from baking sheet and place a fortune in the center of the round. 

6. Fold to create a half circle. 

7. Using the rim of a coffee mug, bend pointed edges of cookie toward each other. This should be done quickly since the cookie will become hard and brittle within 10 seconds. 

8. Let cookies cool in the wells of a muffin tin.

MAKES 16 COOKIES

To see pictures of the cookies being made go to  <http://www.pauladeen.com/article_view/halloween_fortune_cookies/>

Happy New Year!

Try this slightly different new years drink.....

 Apple Cider Sparkle
•6 cups apple cider

•2 cups cranberry/raspberry cocktail (orange juice, orange-mango or your favorite juice blend)

•1 bottle (750 mL) champagne (or sparkling wine)

•1/2 cup lemon juice

1)In punch bowl, large pitcher, or even several pitchers, combine apple cider, orange juice, and lemon juice. 2)Just before your guests arrive, slowly add champagne or sparkling wine.
3)Serve immediately or keep chilled with large ice blocks.
4)Makes approximately 15 servings.

*For a non-alcoholic punch, use chilled sparkling grape juice in place of the wine or champagne.

Today is Macaron Day!!

Yes, I said macaron not macaroon! Today, in France and in New York City, is Macaron Day.

"Jour du Macaron" is an annual celebration of the meringue-based "cookies" that come in a rainbow of colors and fillings.

Pierre Hermé began this event in 2005. He offers free macarons in his Paris stores, as do other participating members of the Relais Desserts association, which represents the top pastry chefs in the world.
The event supports  Autour des Williams, a charity that funds research into rare diseases and provides assistance to those afflicted by Williams-Beuren syndrome. Donations to the charity are accepted in each participating shop.

In 2010, François Payard, chef and owner of François Chocolate Bar and François Payard Bakery in New York, organized the first annual Macaron Day in NYC.

What, exactly, is a Macaron???

According to Wiki:

"A macaron is a sweet confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies.

Its name is derived from an Italian word "maccarone" or "maccherone". This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond past which is the principal ingredient.

It is meringue-based: made from a mixture of egg whites, almond flour, and both granulated and confectionery sugar.

The confectionery is characterized by its smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference (referred to as the "foot"), flat base, mildly moist and easily melted into mouths.

Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors that range from the traditional (raspberry, chocolate) to the new (truffle, green matcha tea). The fillings can range from jams, ganache, or buttercream.

Since the English word macaroon can also refer to the Coconut macaroon, many have adopted the French spelling of macaron to distinguish the two items in the English language. However, this has caused confusion over the correct spelling of the cookie/biscuit. Some recipes exclude the use of macaroon to refer to this French confection while others think that they are synonyms."

The following links are some of my favorite places to read about macarons and find macaron recipes. And no I haven't made any at home....yet! Making macarons takes preparation....I'm still working on it  :-P

http://mactweets.blogspot.com/

http://macaron-fetish.blogspot.com/

http://ladymacaron20ten.blogspot.com/

http://madaboutmacarons.com/leblog

http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2008/01/21/whet-your-palate-colorful-french-macarons/

http://www.mercotte.fr/2008/03/20/desperatly-seeking-macarons/

http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2008/08/lots-of-macarons.html

http://macarondaynyc.com/

Parisian Macaroons

recipe found at http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/parisian-macaroons

Makes about 16 filled macaroons

1 cup (4 ounces) finely ground sliced, blanched almonds

6 tablespoons fresh egg whites (from about 3 extra-large eggs)

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Macaroon Filling

Directions

1.To make the macaroons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and ground almonds. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites with salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip until stiff glossy peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the confectioners' sugar mixture until completely incorporated.

2.Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch #4 round tip, and fill with batter. Pipe 1-inch disks onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. The batter will spread a little. Let stand at room temperature until dry, and a soft skin forms on the tops of the macaroons and the shiny surface turns dull, about 15 minutes.

3.Bake, with the door of the oven slightly ajar, until the surface of the macaroons is completely dry, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet to a wire rack and let the macaroons cool completely on the baking sheet. Gently peel off the parchment. Their tops are easily crushed, so take care when removing the macaroons from the parchment. Use immediately or store in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

4.To fill the macaroons: Fill a pastry bag with the filling. Turn macaroons so their flat bottoms face up. On half of them, pipe about 1 teaspoon filling. Sandwich these with the remaining macaroons, flat-side down, pressing slightly to spread the filling to the edges. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

5.Variations: To make coffee-flavored macaroons: In step 1, add 2 drops brown food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, blend 1/2 cup macaroon filling with 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder dissolved in 1/2 teaspoon warm water for the filling. To make cassis-flavored macaroons: In step 1, add 2 drops purple food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, use 1/3 cup good-quality cassis jam for the filling. To make pistachio-flavored macaroons: In step 1, add 2 drops green food coloring to the egg whites after they are whipped. In step 4, combine 1/2 cup macaroon filling with 1 tablespoon pistachio paste for the filling.

.



 

August is National Panini Month!

 Soooo....some folks might be saying to themselves, "what is a Panini? "

A panini is basically a grilled sandwich made on Italian bread.
A traditional panini is made with two slices of dense bread filled with meat, cheese and vegetables. The outsides of the bread are usually  brushed with extra virgin olive oil to give it a crispier texture and then the sandwich is grilled on a two sided panini/sandwich grill. Paninis are usually made with a Panini Press but if you don't have one, you can get around it.
You can place the sandwich in a pan and cook it like you would any "grilled" cheese sandwich, using a spatula to press down on the sandwich , of course you won't get those lovely grilled lines, but the sandwich will still be good.
Both  How to Make a Panini without a Panini Press from eHow  and,  PaniniHappy.com  have good suggestions on making paninis without a press.

Types of bread that work well for paninis: foccacia, ciabatta, sourdough also thick cut italian or  french

All types of meats are good on a panini but they have to be cooked before you put them in the sandwich.

Feel free to experiment with your cheeses...try mozzarella, asiago, provolone, brie, goat cheese, cheddar, etc.

And don't forget the veggies! Roasted peppers, tomatoes, basil, spinach, red onions, eggplant....whatever comes to mind. Oh, you can also try fruit...some sliced apples, pears or strawberries might be delicious.

Oooooo.....I almost forgot the absolutely fabulous dessert panini. A Chocolate Strawberry Panini made with pound cake for bread and using nutella as the chocolate....yummy! The video on how to make this treat is at the end of the blog.

For some interesting ideas for paninis, check out this Page A Day Recipe Calendar that Sargento cheese put out in 2009 to honor August as Panini Month. It's packed with 31 yummy recipes.


Okay, I am soooooo hungry! I guess I'll go make something to eat.......hmmm I wonder what??


This is a fab video from Food Network. Giada makes a couple of delicious looking Paninis.



And here is Giada's yummy Chocolate Strawberry Panini.

Gummi Worm Day!!

".....so I guess I'll go eat worms, big fat juicy ones, itty bitty skinny ones, see how they wiggle and squirm!"

Remember that song? Yes, I know it's kind of gross but , hey, what can you expect from a kids song??

Normally, none of us would think of eating worms (I hope!) but July 15th is Gummi Worm Day. The perfect day to make and eat worms!

Homemade Gummi Worms much simpler to make than you would think. You need:

12 tbsp sugar
1 1/3 cup orange juice
8 tbsp corn syrup
8 tbsp unflavored gelatin
Food coloring, optional
Superfine Sugar for coating

Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8x8 inch pan by wetting it lightly with water.

2. Place gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water to soften for about 5 minutes.

3. Place the juice, sugar (regular not the superfine) and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.

5. Stir in the gelatin and continue stirring until gelatin dissolves.

6. At this point add food coloring if desired.

7. Pour into prepared pan and leave until completely set, 4-6 hours at room temperature or 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

8. When set, turn out of pan and cut with a sharp knife into long, thin strips to resemble worms.

9. Roll your worms in the superfine sugar.

Now go out there and eat some worms!!!!

Which Chicken Wing Day do you celebrate?

Did you know that there are two holidays celebrating the chicken wing?

Yep, there's International Chicken Wing Day which is July 2nd and National Chicken Wing Day which is July 25th. I figure since both days are celebrated in July, it doesn't matter which day you celebrate.

Anyhoo, what really matters it that these holidays are the perfect excuse for cooking and eating a whole mess of chicken wings!! (as if we really need an excuse)

To help some of y'all come with a few new recipes I've found 6 really fun ones. Enjoy!!!





Caramelized Baked Chicken Wings
* 3 pounds chicken wings
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 cup honey
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.
3. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.






Cranberry Barbecued Chicken Wings
Ingredients -
18 Chicken Wings
1 can Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Prepared Mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Preparation:
1. Place chicken wings in casserole dish or medium mixing bowl
2. In medium saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
3. Stirring constantly, heat over low, until smooth. Allow sauce to cool.
4. Pour over chicken wings.
5. Cover and refrigerate several hours.
6. Remove chicken from marinade and grill directly over medium heat, until chicken is cooked through.




Taco Chicken Wings
Ingredients -
1/2 cup Flour
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
3 pounds Chicken Wings
6 tablespoons Butter
1 cup crushed Corn Chips

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour and taco seasoning.
3. Toss wings in seasoning mixture to coat.
4. In shallow bowl, place crushed corn chips. Toss wings in corn chips to coat.
5. Melt butter in large non-stick baking dish or casserole dish.
6. Spread wings evenly in dish.
7. Bake 45 minutes.

May 23 is National Taffy Day

Does anyone remember taffy pulls? No? Actually I don't remember having any either. But I do remember reading about them and thinking how fun they sounded. My most vivid memory is the Taffy Pulling story from a Raggedy Ann and Andy story book. Boy did that sound like fun!

Well, here's your chance to make a few fun taffy pulling memories of your own.. May 23 is National Taffy day. 
What is taffy? According to Wikipedia:
"Taffy is a type of chewy candy. Taffy is made by stretching or pulling a sticky mass of boiled sugar, butter or vegetable oil, flavorings, and coloring until fluffy. When this process is complete, the taffy is rolled, cut into small pastel-colored pieces and wrapped in wax paper to keep it soft."

An interesting video about taffy making and pulling.



Try this old-fashioned taffy recipe from the 1920's

• Two cups granulated sugar
• one-half cup water
• two tablespoonfuls vinegar
• one tablespoonful butter
• one teaspoonful vanilla
• one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar
• Cup of cold water for testing the candy
• Well buttered cookie sheet or platter
• Wax paper
• Scissors

Directions:

1. In a medium sized saucepan with a heavy bottom, cook the first 5 ingredients.
2. Stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Increase the heat, and cook without stirring until the mixture begins to boil.
4. Watch carefully so that it does not burn.
5. Test readiness by dropping a few drops of the mixture in cold water.
6. If the drops crack then the mixture is ready.
7. Take the taffy off the heat add the cream of tartar and pour onto the buttered cookie sheet.
8. Let the mixture cool before you start pulling.
9. When the taffy is cool enough, grease the your hands with butter.
10. Give each child a lump of taffy to pull or they can pull a piece between them.
11. Pull and stretch the taffy until it is light and slightly firm.
12. Using scissors, cut stretched candy into bite-size pieces.
13. When completely cool, wrap each piece in waxed paper.

Hmm....a recipe for Salt Water Taffy

National Nutty Fudge Day

 Whoopee!!
Wednesday, May 12 is National Nutty Fudge Day.
Truthfully, I'm kinda so-so about fudge but still any day with a sugary dessert as the star is a good day.
I really don't know the mechanics of fudge nor the history of it. Thank goodness for Wiki!
If you want that kind of info here's the link: Fudge .

Okay, now that the educational stuff is out of the way, here are 3 delicious and varied fudge recipes......

Chocolate Pistachio Fudge (recipe is from Nigella Express/Food Network)

• 12 ounces 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped or 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup shelled pistachios

Directions

1. Melt the chopped chocolate, condensed milk and salt in a heavy based pan on a low heat.
2. Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.
3. Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.
4. Pour this mixture into a 9-inch square foil tray, smoothing the top.
5. Let the fudge cool and then refrigerate until set. 
6. Cut the fudge into squares.

Mocha Nut Fudge

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

 Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, milk and corn syrup. 
2. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips, vanilla and coffee granules with a wooden spoon.
4. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in walnuts.
6. Shape into two 9-in. logs; wrap each in plastic wrap.
7. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. 
8. Unwrap and cut into slices.  

Maple Nut Fudge

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup genuine maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, maple syrup, milk, and miniature marshmallows; cook, stirring occasionally, until the candy or digital thermometer reaches 235 degrees F. or until it forms a soft ball when a little of the mixture is dropped in cold water. 
3. Remove from heat.
4. Let cool to 115 degrees F; add nuts and vanilla extract. 
5. With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat until mixture loses its gloss and starts to harden around edge of saucepan. 
6. Pour into prepared baking dish. 
7. Cool completely.
8. Cut into squares.

Earth Day Smoothies

Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day!
I noticed a few days ago that Planet Smoothies are celebrating Earth Day, by giving the first 30 customers at each location a free, reusable MacDaddy Mug with the purchase of any 32-ounce smoothie. Planet Smoothie has smoothies for kids as well as smoothies for weight loss , energy and breakfast.

While I do enjoy going out to get smoothies, they are after all delicious, fun and healthy. You can also make your own smoothie and your own smoothie recipes (also known as throwing in anything available).


A Berry Green Earth Day Smoothie
ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup of fresh spinach
1 peeled kiwi
1/2 to 1 cup of ice
some water if you think it necessary

directions:
Place all ingredients, ice and frozen fruits first, into the blender.
Blend until smooth.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
ingredients:
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups orange juice
1 banana, frozen (it can be fresh if you like)
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar

directions:
Add ingredients together in blender and blend until smooth.

Blueberry Fruit Smoothie
ingredients:
Carton of Blueberry yogurt
1 Cup of milk
1 Cup frozen or fresh blueberries, strawberries or peaches
½ cup ice cubes

directions:
Add all together in blender and blend until smooth.

Other simple smoothie recipes, which only require throwing all of the ingredients in the blender:

Strawberry Ice
1 cup strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, I cup crushed ice

Honey Melon
1 cup chopped honey dew lemon pieces, 1/4 cup apple juice, tablespoon honey.

Bananas and Fiber
1 banana, 1/4 shredded wheat cereal (or other high fiber cereal), 1/4 cup milk.

Happy Blending!!!

April is Fresh Florida Tomatoes Month.....sooooo

If life deals you lemons, make lemonade. If it deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Marys.

So, anyway, two great things came together to make this blog happen.
1. It's Fresh Florida Tomato Month and
2. I found the above quote and loved it!

Now really....this was obviously meant to be. Of course, I should also mention that I love Bloody Marys.
I mean, check it out, they are like the perfect food.
You have your tomato juice, although I like spicy v8, then you have potato juice...you know the vodka, then there' all those lovely veggies you can put in it. I like to use garlic stuffed olives, pickled okras, celery sticks and pickled string beans.
Course I don't always use all of that but I like to use a combination.

Anyhoo, check out the recipe below. Most likely I will come up with other recipes for the month so stay tuned!


click on the pic so you can read the recipe

Pancake Day 2010

OMGoodness!!! This is the ULTIMATE! Bacon Pancakes...I can't believe I haven't thought of this before....DUH!!!
(oh yeah...February 16th is Pancake Day also known as Shrove Tuesday _ for more info on the day check this previous blog...back to the food)

The little note in the advertisement says:
Rath Bacon Strip Pancakes are the tender little pancakes youmake by pouring Aunt Jemima Pancake batter over cooked-crisp slices of our flavory True bacon. Then bake as usual. Complete recipe is on every Rath Black Hawk Bacon package.
advertisment found here




pages found at RecipeCurio.com

If the yummy bacony goodness isn't enough for you, you can try these Super Simple Pancake Muffins. They're sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

PANCAKE MUFFINS
Sometimes the best recipes are based on the simplest ideas.
Like this one: Make pancake batter & bake it in muffin tins! It’s that easy. Enjoy!

Spring the recipe!
Ingredients
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tbsp filling: try Nutella, fruit jam, or cream cheese
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
maple syrup for serving

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with butter. Make Bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box. Fill each cup in the muffin tin half-way. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar. Serve with warm syrup.

recipe found at thesimpleme.com

World Nutella Day...Yummy!!

Combine chocolate and hazelnuts and a few other things (the main thing is the chocolate and hazelnuts) and you get that wonderful creamy, chocolatey hazelnut spread, that's called Nutella.

But did you know that you can make that marvelous concoction in your own home?
Yes, it's true.
And what better day to give it a try than February 5th which is World Nutella Day! This, 2010, will be the the 5th World Nutella Day and a yummy fun day it is.

There are tons of recipes for making Nutella.
Some recipes use powdered sugar (Cook&Eat) , others use flavored oils (Italy in SF) , a few use cocoa powder (recipe in the LA times) , this recipe seems to use a combination of everything (Vegan Visitor) , this recipe is very simple (Kids Cooking), and this recipe even used maple syrup (Stylesmith) !

No matter which recipe you choose (and there are many, many more) you're sure to find that the key ingredients are Hazelnuts (duh!) and some form of Chocolate. (Well, I did see a recipe that used almonds instead of hazelnuts but that was just wrong!) Experiment and see which recipe and combination of ingredients works for you.
Talk about a really yummy science experiment!

Once you've made your homemade Nutella, you'll need a recipe to test it out, of course.

Here's a fabulous recipe for Chocolate Nutella Pizza:

Ingredients:

* 1 package of refrigerated slice and bake Sugar Cookie Dough
* your Nutella
* Sliced Banana and Strawberries (or any fruit of your choice)

Directions:

1. Spread the cookie dough on to a pizza pan or a cookie sheet
2. Bake the cookie according to the directions on the package
3. When your pizza base/cookie is done let cool slightly
4. Spread Nutella on the "pizza" , be generous. Think of it as the pizza sauce.
5. Decorate the top of your pizza with slices of strawberries and bananas or whatever fruits work for you.
6. Enjoy!!

For more Nutella fun check out these sites:

Top 10 Signs You're Addicted to Nutella

50 Ways to Eat Nutella

More yummy ways to cook with Nutella

World Nutella Day

It's still Hot Tea Month

I found this pic/recipe while meandering on the net. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds yummy.
Enjoy some tea this month!

recipe found here

Make Your Own Chai Tea Mix

January is Hot Tea Month!!

Chai Tea Mix
Ingredients

* 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
* 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
* 1 cup French vanilla flavored powdered non-dairy creamer
* 2 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1) In a large bowl, combine milk powder, non-dairy creamer, vanilla flavored creamer, sugar and instant tea.
2) Stir in ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
3) In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder.
4) To serve: Stir 2 heaping tablespoons Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water.

Hot Cross Buns.....an Easter Tradition

Hot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot-cross Buns!

If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons.

One a penny, two a penny,
Hot-cross Buns!


Here's a recipe to make your own Hot Cross Buns!




another fabulous recipe with pics here at AppleandSpice.blogspot.com

Happy Pancake Day!

Yes! There really is a Pancake Day!
Exciting, isn't it?!
In honor of this day, which falls on Tuesday February 24th in 2009, I have collected bits of information on the history of Pancake Day and lots of links and a few fun pancake poems.
(Oh!and checkout my Pancake folktale and Recipe at StorytellingCookingAndKids.blogspot.com )

Pancake Day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday which is the day before Lent. Lent is a Christian holiday that was established in the 4th century as 40 days and is generally a period of fasting or other forms of self-denial. People generally eat a lot and have fun the day before Lent begins. Shrove Tuesday is often referred to as Pancake Day because fats, which were generally prohibited during Lent, had to be used up. People would take all the eggs and dairy products that they had left in their kitchens and use them to make delicious pancakes.

In the United Kingdom of Great Britian, Northern Ireland and several other countries around the world, Pancake Day is celebrated with fun, games, and of course a lot of eating. However, the most well known activity on this day is the Pancake Day race at Olney in Buckinghamshire, England which has been held since 1445. It all began when a woman was cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday to use up all of her perishables before Lent. While she was still cooking she heard the chiming of the bells summoning her to church. Not wanting to be late, the woman ran to church with her apron on and the frying pan still in her hand. Little did she know that this would start a tradition that would be around for over 500 years!

Only women are allowed to participate in this race. They must run a designated path with a frying pan and end up at the church. They must have a hot pancake in the frying pan which they must flip at least three times before they complete the race. The first woman to complete the race and arrive at church with the pancake is declared the winner. She then serves the pancake to the bellringer and is rewarded with a kiss from the bellringer called the “Kiss of peace”. This race still occurs in England and in several other cities.
Info found here

Here are a few poems about pancakes:

The Pancake Collector
by Jack Prelutsky

Come visit my pancake collection
It’s unique in the civilized world
I have pancakes in every description,
Pancakes flaky and fluffy and curled

I have pancakes of various sizes
Pancakes regular, heavy and light
Underdone pancakes and overdone pancakes
And pancakes so perfectly right

I have pancakes locked up in the closets
have pancakes on hangers and hooks
There are bags in boxes and bureaus
And pressed in the pages of books

There are pretty ones sewn to the cushions
And tastefully pinned to the drapes.
The ceilings are coated with pancakes
And pressed in the pages with crepes.

I have pancakes in most of my pockets
And concealed in the lining of suites
There are tiny ones stuffed in my mittens
And large one packed in my boots

I have extra of most of my pancakes,
I maintain them in rows on these shelves
And if you say nice things about them
You may take a few home for yourself

I see that you’ve got to be going
Won’t you let yourselves out by the door?
It is time that I pour out he batter
And bake up a few hundred more

Pancake Song
by Christina Rossetti

Mix a pancake,
Stir a pancake,
Pop it in the pan.
Fry the pancake,
Toss the pancake,
Catch it if you can.

Pancake Poem
by Shel Silverstein

Who wants a pancake,
Sweet and piping hot?
Good little Grace looks up and says,
"I'll take the one on top."
Who else wants a pancake,
Fresh off the griddle?
Terrible Teresa smiles and says,
"I'll take the one in the middle."

Of course, I found a vid on Youtube! This one is odd but kinda fun. Enjoy!!


....and FYI, here's some information on the Different Types of Pancakes

BAO BING, PO-PING: The thin Mandarin pancakes served with Peking duck and moo shu pork. The cakes are made of fine wheat flour and boiling water, rolled thin and cooked two at a time.

BIN-JA TUK: Korean pancakes made from soaked mung beans. While the pancakes cook, strips of pork and kimchi are placed on top, then the cake is flipped.

BLINI: The savory, ultra-light pancake of Russia made traditionally with buckwheat flour and cooked in a small cast-iron pan. Blini are eaten hot with butter, herring, smoked salmon, chopped egg or caviar and sour cream. They date back to the Middle Ages

BLINTZ: The traditional pancake of Jewish cuisine is fried and rolled with sweet or savory fillings, such as lox or cinnamon and sugar and sour cream.

CREIER DE RITEL PANE: A Romanian dish of pancakes filled with mashed calves brains, onion, parsley and eggs. Once filled, the pancake is dipped in eggs and breadcrumbs and deep fried.

CREPE: The French pancake is, of course, the thinnest of them all. Sweet or savory, crepes can be street food or served in a five-star restaurant. Crepes Suzette, once the epitome of luxury desserts, is doused with liqueur and set afire.

DADAR GUTUNG: This Indonesian pancake is wrapped around coconut meat cooked in water with brown sugar and flavored with lemon juice and cinnamon, with a little salt.

EIERKUCKAS: A rich pancake from the Alsace Lorraine region of Northeastern France. The batter is mixed with red currant jelly and cream.

FLENSJES: A thick Dutch pancake served for dessert with sugar, ginger, jam or marmalade.

FLAESKPANNKAKA: This Swedish pancake is cooked until nearly set, then pork or bacon is laid on top and cooked until completed.

INJERA: This spongy, yeasted pancake-like bread made from millet flour doubles as food and utensil in Ethiopia. One or two injera are placed on a large tray and then covered with various stews. Diners scoop the stew with torn pieces of extra injera. Lastly, the injera bread that lines the tray, soaked through with stew juices, is eaten.

LATKE: In Jewish cuisines, the crisp potato pancake is eaten with sour cream or applesauce.

PALASCINTA: A thin Hungarian pancake similar to and used like a French crepe. Also popular in Austria.

PANNEKOEKE: The basic Dutch pancake might be small, filled with custard and served as dessert, or large with bacon cooked into it and dressed with molasses as an entree.

PIKELETS: A yeasted pancake with a holey surface in England. In New Zealand and Australia, the term refers to tiny pancakes that are served cold with preserves, whipped cream or lemon butter.

PLOYES: French Canadian sweet or savory buckwheat pancakes cooked on one side only.

POH PIA: In Singapore, these pancakes are served with a variety of filling, such as chicken or fried garlic, and sauces for diners to choose from.

QATA-EF: In Egypt and Syria, these pancakes are cooked on one side, folded over a sweetened cheese or nut filling, then deep fried. Medieval Arabic cookbooks mention this dish.

TORTILLA: A thin pancake-like flatbread made of cornmeal or flour and water that dates back thousands of years in Mexico and Latin American cooking.

Finally, in case you need/want more information, here are a few good links:

www.pancakeday.net

The Pancake, an Appreciation

Holidays_Pancake Day

IHopPancakeDay.com

StorytellingCookingAndKids.blogspot.com