Shmears For Everyone!

If you could only have one food for the rest of your life….what would it be?  Hands down, no question….mine would be cheese.  Any kind of cheese.  Just think of how versatile cheese is.  True, I guess my diet would be lacking in vitamins and nutrients, but my calcium would be off the charts!  I think my favorite cheese is cream cheese.  I think cream cheese is a welcome addition to just about anything.  Especially a bagel.

I love bagels and cream cheese.  I dream about them.  For me, there is no better breakfast.  But you know what?  The bagel is really just a vehicle for the cream cheese.  I couldn’t care less about the bagel.  I just want cream cheese.  Plain is fine….but it is flavored that I really want.  Chive, jalapeno, strawberry, chocolate chip….I could go on all day.

I’ve had to come up with a few recipes of my own because I really can’t go out for bagels and cream cheese every morning.  Well, I suppose I could, but that really isn’t practical, now is it.  Today I am going to show you my three favorite flavored cream cheese, or “shmears” if you prefer that term.

And the best thing about these recipes?  They are all super easy!  Anyone could make these. 

My first recipe is for Sun Dried Tomato Cream Cheese which is my all-time favorite.  When I went to college in Chico, there was a little coffee shop that had bagels and sun dried tomato cream cheese.  It was too die for.  I spent way too much time there.  I probably missed out on a few classes because of my bagel addiction.

The recipe starts with a brick of cream cheese as all my flavored cream cheese recipes do.  It must be softened, so I usually leave it out on the kitchen counter for a while.  I also always use Neufchatel cheese which is the 1/3 less fat kind.  It tastes the same as full fat, so why not save some fat and calories?

I like to use my standing mixer for this, but a hand mixer works just as well.  I throw my softened brick of cream cheese into the bowl of my standing mixer.  I add sun dried tomatoes that come in oil, but I drain the oil off the tomatoes and give them a quick rinse...and a quick chop.  Why do I bother using the ones packed in oil you ask?  I prefer the texture of the tomatoes that come in oil, but the oil itself will make the cream cheese too liquidy.  I also add fresh basil, fresh minced garlic, salt and pepper.  I blend this until smooth, and it’s ready to go.  I like this spread on an onion bagel.  I also always add sliced tomatoes.

This spread is salty, a little bit spicy from the black pepper and all together amazing.  I know there are some other Chico alum that remember this spread from Café Paolo.  You know you want some.

My next spread is a combination of everything you would want if you were getting a bagel from a delicatessen in New York City. Seriously, everything.  I actually call it my “Everything Spread”. 

I start with a softened brick of cream cheese again, but this time I blend it with sliced smoked salmon, red onion, garlic salt, capers, poppy seeds and some lemon juice to round it all out.  I start this one in my food processor since I don’t want to chop all of the ingredients.  I blend this till smooth, but still a bit chunky.  You don’t want to turn the lox into paste.  I like this on an “Everything” bagel, but really, it would be good on a plain bagel since it has so much going on.  And like my last spread….I always top this with sliced tomato.

I love this spread because it is briny, salty, sharp from the onions and super fresh tasting because of the lemon juice.  This is a New York bagel experience in one bite.

My last flavored cream cheese is for all of the sweets lovers out there.  You know who you are.  You get a blueberry bagel, or a pumpkin bagel.  You stick with fruity cream cheese or maybe a cinnamon flavored shmear.  My kids are like this.  For them, I created my Peanut Butter, Honey and Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese.  Most the time I can’t even get them to eat the bagel too.  They lick the cream cheese off like frosting on a cupcake.

I start with my brick of softened cream cheese (I told you I would every time!) in the bowl of my mixer.  I add peanut butter and honey and blend till this is all mixed.  Then, I add mini chocolate chips and give it a little blend as to not break the chips.  I love this on a strawberry bagel or a cinnamon sugar bagel.  I like to top this with sliced bananas or……BACON!  Yum!

I love the saltiness of peanut butter with the sweetness of honey.  And chocolate chips for breakfast?  Come on….everyone loves that!

For those days when you just can’t get your act together to go out and buy bagels….try one of my recipes!  A brick of cream cheese and a bag of bagels, and you really can’t go wrong!

Sun Dried Tomato Cream Cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, rinsed and chopped finely

¼ cup basil leaves, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer, or a mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.  Blend until almost smooth, leaving tomatoes a bit chunky.

Makes 1 heaping cup

 

“Everything” Cream Cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

3 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped

½ cup red onion, roughly chopped

¼ cup capers, drained

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

The juice of one lemon

Place all ingredients in food processor.  Pulse until blended, leaving salmon chunky.

Makes 1 ¼ cups

 

Peanut Butter, Honey and Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoons honey

¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Place cream cheese, peanut butter and honey in bowl of standing mixer of mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.  Blend until completely smooth.  Add chocolate chips.  Blend quickly to mix in chocolate chips.

Makes 1 ½ cups

Fondue for Your Mama!

It’s almost my day!  OK, ok….it’s a day for all mothers, but believe me….I milk it for all it’s worth.  I love getting breakfast in bed, getting little gifts from my kids, and not having to lift a finger all day.  Well, the “not lifting a finger” thing never really happens, but one can always dream.

One thing I really like on Mother’s Day is watching my husband attempt to cook dinner for us.  Let’s get one thing straight here….the hubs in not a cook.  I mean, he can’t even make boxed macaroni and cheese.  Everything about the kitchen befuddles him.   But on Mother’s Day, he steps up to the plate and cooks dinner.  And the last few years have been a doozy….because he finally found something he can make.  He found a few of my recipes for fondue, so now in our house, Mother’s Day is Fondue Night!  And it is my favorite night.

I have always loves fondue, ever since I was a kid.  I love the idea of everyone sitting around a steaming bowl of melty cheese, and dipping bread chunks into the cheese until you can’t stuff anymore in you.  It is a meal that brings your family together.  You can’t eat fondue in your room while watching TV.  You have to be with a group.  You have to be involved.  And really, what mom doesn’t want all her family at the table enjoying dinner together?  This is why fondue is the perfect Mother’s Day meal.

I am a fan of the old standard fondue, or course, but I won’t be giving you a recipe for that.  You know, the Swiss cheese fondue that people normally think of when they hear fondue?  There are recipes everywhere for that, so you can surely find a recipe for that on your own.  My only suggestion is to substitute white grape juice for the wine and Kirsch if you are feeding kids.  My kids can sniff wine out in anything.

Speaking of my kids….my first fondue recipe that my husband likes to make is one I call “Kid’s Fondue”.  Because yes, this is the one my kids love, and the one they always ask for.  I start with a jar of pasta sauce, any flavor, you pick. I usually choose a meaty pasta sauce. I also use a pound of processed cheese product….yes, Velveeta.  Remember, this is for kids!  I melt the two of these together with a bit of red wine (yep, the kids know it’s there) and a bit of beef stock. 

Once this has all melted together, it really is heavenly.  You will be surprised that something so simple can be so amazing.  I give the kids chunks of sourdough bread, chunks of salami, ravioli and roasted broccoli as dippers.  They are as happy as clams with this.

My second fondue recipe is my favorite, so it is the one that my husband always makes sure to make me for Mother’s Day.  I call it Smoked Cheddar and Apple Fondue.  I use apple juice, a smoky cheddar, Fontina cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard.

I start by grating the cheeses.  Sometimes it helps to pop the cheeses in the freezer for a few minutes to get a better grate.  Once the cheeses are grated, and I use about half pound each, I toss the cheeses with a couple of tablespoons of corn starch.  The corn starch is absolutely necessary for a smooth fondue.  It stabilizes the cheese and keeps it from getting stringy, or seizing up.

Then, I add my apple juice to a medium sized pot.  I heat the apple juice to a simmer, and then I add the cheeses that have been coated in corn starch.  I cook this slowly over medium heat so that the cheese can melt.  Once the cheese is melted and smooth, I stir in a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.  I also stir in a heaping spoonful of Dijon mustard.

See how easy that is?  Fondue is the perfect thing to make if you are a newbie cook.

The apple juice and smoky cheddar are amazing together.  I love the combination of sweet and salty in this.  I like to serve this fondue with bread, of course, but also fresh green apple slices.  Sometimes I will round out the dippers with boiled potatoes and chunks of grilled chicken, but the bread is always the first to go.

Are you wondering how I keep my delicious fondues warm for serving?  No, I don’t have a plethora of fondue pots.  I have one tiny fondue pot which I like to use for a dessert fondue (we will get to that in a bit), but I mainly utilize my slow cookers for fondue.  I like to keep the slow cooker on “warm” which seems to be the perfect setting for fondue.  I also have used a Pyrex or glass dish that I have warmed in the oven beforehand.  The dish will retain the heat and keep the fondue warm for a bit.  You may just have to eat fast.

We are finally to the best part….the dessert!  I prefer the old standby….chocolate fondue.  But I jazz mine up, of course.  I like to make my Dark Chocolate Fondue with Philadelphia Snack Delights.  Have you heard of this?  It is relatively new.  It is basically flavored cream cheese, which isn’t new, but these flavors are.  The flavors are all sweet, dessert type flavors like Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Caramel and Cinnamon.

I use a whole tub of Dark Chocolate cream cheese, semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream and a dash of orange extract.  I melt this all together, stirring constantly, until it is smooth and delicious.  The cream cheese gives the fondue an extra creamy tanginess that you don’t normally get in a chocolate fondue.  And the orange extract takes this to a whole new level.  I LOVE orange and dark chocolate together.

I serve my Dark Chocolate Fondue with chunks of pound cake, strawberries, marshmallows, pretzel rods and graham crackers.  I bet you could come up with some pretty good dippers too.

 

Can you think of a better way to end Mother’s Day then this fondue?  If you have a mom or even just know a really good mom, you must make these for her for Mother’s Day.  Gather ‘round the whole family….and get to dippin’!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you amazing moms out there!  And don’t forget to come see Gourmet Rooster and many other fabulous vendors at the Mother’s Day Farmers Market at the Summit Mall on Sunday, May 12^th, 10am to 3pm!

 

Kid’s Fondue

16 ounces tomato pasta sauce, any flavor

16 ounces processed cheese product (Velveeta), diced

½ cup red wine

½ cup beef broth

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring wine and broth to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and add sauce and diced cheese.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and fondue is smooth.

Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.

Feeds 6 hungry kids

 

Smoky Cheddar and Apple Fondue

8 ounces smoked cheddar, grated

8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 cup apple juice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

Toss grated cheeses with corn starch.

IN a medium sized sauce pan, heat apple juice to a simmer over medium heat.  Add cheeses and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and smooth.  Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper and mustard.

Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.

Serves 4 to 6

 

Dark Chocolate Fondue

8 ounces Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese (Philadelphia Snack Delights)

12 pounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons orange extract

IN a medium sized pot, melt together chocolate cream cheese, chocolate chips and heavy cream over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Once chocolate is smooth, stir in orange extract.

Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.

Serves 4 to 6

Cookie Butter!!

I have a new obsession.  Like crazy obsession.  Have you tried Cookie Butter?  Have you heard of it?  Cookie Butter is an amazing treat that is somewhat similar to peanut butter in texture.  But it is made from cookies.  Yep, cookies.  I don’t know how they do it, but they blend cookies that taste like graham crackers into a smooth, thick butter. 

Who makes such a yummy treat, you ask?  I have found my favorite at Trader Joe’s.  It is in a peanut butter-esque jar, and it is called Speculoos Cookie Butter.  Apparently Speculoos cookies are some sort of magical Belgian cookie.  My second favorite, and it is a very close second, is Biscoff Spread.  It is made from Biscoff cookies, which are again….European.  Biscoff is pretty widely available.

The first time I tried cookie butter, I knew I wanted it on everything.  As a dip for pretzels, on sandwiches, on pancakes, on ice cream, by the spoonful, etc.  I started getting creative with it.  I have come up with a million different uses, and today I am going to show you my three favorite.  So run on out and get yourself some cookie butter because you will want to make all three of these recipes ASAP.

My first recipe is Cookie Butter Whoopie Pies.  Whoopie pies are cake like sandwich cookies, basically.  The filling in the middle is usually pretty similar to frosting.  I use a chocolate cake mix for my “cookies” and my filling is a magical mixture of cookie butter and marshmallow fluff.  Let me walk you through it.

I start with a chocolate cake mix.  Easy enough, right?  But instead of following the directions on the back, I use butter instead of oil, a little bit of milk instead of a large amount of water, and two eggs.  The object is to get a thick cake batter.  While cake batter would normally be runny, this will be thick like cookie dough.  I scoop the batter onto a cookie sheet with a mini ice cream scoop and let the guys bake for about eight minutes.  The cookies will flatten, but they will remain cakey and soft.

The filling for these Whoopie Pies is just what I said above.  I mix together marshmallow fluff with Cookie Butter in my mixer.  I add a smidge of milk to smooth it out.  This filling gets sandwiched between two of my cooled cake like cookies.  The result is pure genius.  The cookies are soft and chocolatey and the filling taste like smooth creamy graham crackers and marshmallows.  The whole thing is very reminiscent of S’mores.

The best part about these?  They take minutes to make and they could not be easier.

My next use for Cookie Butter is in a soft, smooth buttercream frosting.  I bake lemon cupcakes, again from a mix, and the cupcakes get topped with a mixture of butter, Cookie Butter, powdered sugar and heavy cream.  Are you kidding me?  Heaven on a cupcake.

For my lemon cupcakes, again, I don’t follow the directions on the box.  I use milk instead of water, and I throw in an extra egg.  This makes for a richer, less “store-bought” cupcake.

For the frosting, I mix Cookie Butter, softened butter and powdered sugar in my standing mixer.  I add a dash of heavy cream to smooth things out. 

The lemon cupcakes pairs so well with the Cookie Butter Buttercream.  I have always loved lemon and graham crackers together, and this combination is beyond perfect.  I gave these cupcakes to my daughter’s softball team last night, and they were a hit!  I think this frosting would also be perfect on a spice cake, or even a carrot cake.  Really, what cake wouldn’t benefit from a Cookie Butter Buttercream?

My last little treat using Cookie Butter has a long name……Cookie Butter Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Strawberries.  Did I just blow your mind?  These are the perfect dessert “finger food”.  They look fancy, but they really are so easy to make.

I start by cutting just the very bottoms of my strawberries off.  This will give them a flat bottom to sit on.  These need to stand up since they are getting stuffed!  Then, I hull the strawberries with my melon baller, scooping out a tad more than just the hull so I have a nice little well to fill with cheesecake.

Once the strawberries have been cut and hulled, I dip them in melted chocolate and let them sit on their little flat butts while the chocolate hardens.  While they sat, I blended together softened cream cheese, Cookie Butter, powdered sugar and a bit of heavy cream.  Once this was smooth, I piped it into my strawberry “wells”.  I used a piping bag, but you can absolutely spoon it in if you want.  I let these guys chill in the fridge for a bit, and then I serve and let the compliments fall all over me.

Everybody loves chocolate covered strawberries, right?  When you stuff them with Cookie Butter Cheesecake….it takes it to a whole ‘nother level.

 

You’re on your way out to buy Cookie Butter now, right?  You should be.  This stuff is amazing!

Cookie Butter Whoopie Pies

1 boxed chocolate cake mix, any brand

2 eggs

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup whole milk

For filling:

1 cup marshmallow fluff

1 cup Cookie Butter, Trader Joe’s or Biscoff

1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, blend together cake mix, melted butter, eggs and ¼ cup whole milk with a hand mixer for two minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently.  Batter should be thick.  Scoop batter onto cookie sheet using a mini ice cream scoop for even sized cookies.  Space cookies about 1 to 2 inches apart. 

Bake cookies at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Let cool.

For filling:

In a large mixing bowl, blend together marshmallow fluff, Cookie Butter and milk/cream with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth, about a minute.  Divide filling evenly among half of the cookies.  Top each with another cookie, forming a sandwich.

Makes about 30.

 

Cookie Butter Buttercream

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1 cup Cookie Butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream

In a large mixing bowl, blend together softened butter, Cookie Butter, powdered sugar and milk with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.

Makes enough for 24 cupcakes.

 

Cookie Butter Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Strawberries

1 pound ripe strawberries

Two 7 ounce containers Baker’s Dipping Chocolate

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup Cookie Butter

½ cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream

Rinse and dry strawberries.  Using a paring knife, cut off the very bottom of each strawberry to help it stand up.  Hull each strawberry with a melon baller or teaspoon, taking out a little extra to form a well. 

Melt dipping chocolate according to package directions.  Dip each strawberry in melted chocolate, letting chocolate go about ¾ the way up.  Set strawberries upright on foil to let chocolate harden.

In a large mixing bowl, blend together softened cream cheese, Cookie Butter, powdered sugar and milk or cream with a hand mixer until smooth.  Fill each strawberry “well” with filling.  Let strawberries chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Makes about 20.

Peanut Butter Sesame Pork

Ok, let me start off by saying what you are all thinking.  Yes, I cook with Asian flavors a lot.  A LOT.  It’s a hit.  It’s a crowd pleaser, and so on and so on.  My kids love most Asian dishes, my husband does, and I do.  You know what else I love?  My slow cooker.

We have been so busy lately with work, school, softball, etc.  My daughter’s softball games are weeknights at 6pm.  I realize someone has to play at that time….but it really messes with dinner.  She has to be there at 5pm.  Do I feed everyone first?  And then they want to eat again when we get home at 8pm?  Do I make them wait till we get home?  Nights like this, my slow cooker really comes in handy.

Today I am going to show you my favorite slow cooker recipe.  I call it Sesame Peanut Butter Pork.  That might sound unappetizing.  Feel free to give it another name.  What it is, is a boneless pork shoulder that slow cooks all day in sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, etc.  At the end of the day, it pretty much falls apart and soaks up all the yummy sauce.  The possibilities of what to do with now are endless.

Let’s start with me showing you how to make the pork, and then we can talk options later.

I start by browning my pork shoulder, which is about 3 or 4 pounds, in a large pot.  I realize this step is a pain, but I think it is a must for slow cooked meat.  Searing the meat first really seals in the flavor and keeps the meat from just turning to mush.

Then, I throw the seared pork onto a bed of sliced onions in my slow cooker.  It still needs a sauce, so pay attention.  I mix sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, fresh ginger and a smidge of chicken broth together in a bowl.  I pour this on top of the pork and let ‘er rip for about 8 hours on low.  The smell from this is amazing.  Seriously.  Amazing.

Here is a little tip for you peanut butter.  Throw it in the microwave for a bit to soften it up.  This will make for easier scooping and mixing.

When the pork is done, it will already be falling apart.  I help it out with two forks.  I put the shredded pork back into the sauce to let it soak up all the peanut butter/soy goodness.

So now you have about four pounds of pork.  What are you going to do with it?  I like to serve it with rice and a veg, with the sauce poured all over the top.  I also like it on hamburger buns topped with extra sauce and a spicy coleslaw mix.  I have added it to fried rice, burritos and I’ve even topped a pizza with it.  But my favorite way to serve it is with cold sesame noodles. 

Why you ask?  Because cold sesame noodles with Sesame Peanut Butter Pork can be eaten anytime.  Before a softball game, after a game, at the game, in the middle of the night, etc.  It sits in the fridge and gets better the longer it sits.  It is fast to make and delicious to eat.

I boil a box of thin spaghetti according to the package directions.  Once the noodles are about a minute from being done, I throw in a bag of broccoli slaw and some julienned red bell peppers.  This will slightly blanche the noodles.  They will still be crispy, but not raw crispy. 

BTW-Broccoli slaw looks like coleslaw, but it is shredded broccoli, cabbage and carrots.  It is pretty easy to find near the bagged veggies in the produce department. 

And…..“Julienne” means to cut something into thin strips.  Fancy, I know.

When the noodles and veggies are done, I drain them and run the whole thing under cold water to cook everything off.  Then, I mix the pork and cooking juices/sauce in.  Most of the time I still feel like this needs a bit more, so I stir in some Ginger Sesame Salad dressing.  There are so many available….pick your favorite.

I top the whole thing with sesame seeds and green onions.  It sits in the fridge till we want it.  Yum!  It’s sweet, salty, spicy and so, so good.  The flavors all work so well together.  And the crispy veggies with soft noodles are perfection.

 

I hope you try this recipe.  With our weather heating up, it is the perfect dinner! 

Sesame Peanut Butter Pork

3 to 4 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced into thin rings

1 cup soy sauce

¼ cup sesame oil

½ cup rice vinegar, seasoned

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated

1 cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup chicken broth

2 tablespoon Sriracha Hot Sauce (Optional)

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Sear until brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Add sliced onions to the bottom of slow cooker.  Place browned pork shoulder on top.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, peanut butter and chicken broth.  Pour over pork. 

Cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred pork with two forks.  Store in cooking juices.

Serves 8-10

Cold Sesame Noodles

1 pound thin spaghetti

12 ounce package broccoli slaw

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 cup Ginger Sesame Salad Dressing

Sesame Peanut Butter Pork with sauce, 1 recipe

½ cup green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Boil noodles according to package directions.  When noodles are about 1 minute from being done, add broccoli slaw and bell pepper to the boiling noodles.  Drain noodles and veggies well and rinse with cold water.

Mix noodles and veggies with shredded Sesame Peanut Butter Pork and sauce.  Add salad dressing and mix.  Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Serve chilled.

Serves 10.

Girl's Night In!

I hope everyone had a great Easter!  We had a fabulous Easter.  I had a brunch at my house.  It was way too much fun, and it made me remember how much I love entertaining at my house.  I hadn’t done it in a while.  We have been so busy lately that neither myself, nor any of my friends, have had the time.  But I want to change that.  Party at my house!  I’m thinking I’m going to make it a Girl’s Night In.

I have always been a huge fan of “Girl’s Nights”.  I love playing Bunco, pretending to play Bunco but really just gossiping, craft nights, etc.  Anything that gets my girls together for great food and even better drinks.  Today I am going to show you a couple of my “go-to” recipes that are super easy to make, and I promise they will be a hit.  Although if you serve enough cocktails…..does anyone care what you serve to eat?

Let’s start off with the best recipe…the crowd pleaser….the “main dish” if you will.  The cocktail.  My favorite spring time cocktail is my “Strawberry Shortcake”.  This amazing libation is a combination of cake flavored vodka, strawberry puree and club soda.  The whole thing gets topped off with whipped cream and a strawberry garnish.  It tastes just like strawberry shortcake.

 

There are probably about five different kinds of “cake flavored” vodka on the market right now.  Choose your favorite.  I chose Smirnoff Iced Cake vodka.  I also used a strawberry puree that is meant for strawberry margaritas.  There are also quite a few options there too.  I like using this kind of strawberry puree because it is very smooth.  Just make sure that the one you choose doesn’t have any tequila in it.  You just want the puree.

This is also such a pretty girly drink too.  Although my hubs has been known to knock back a Strawberry Shortcake too.

My second and third recipes are great little finger foods that are delicious and super easy to make.  First, I whipped up a batch of my meatballs (recipe below), but I made them smaller then I normally would.  These bake in the oven so they are really quick to throw together.  Once they are cooked, I top each meatball with a cooked cheese tortellini, then I skewer the whole thing with cute little mini forks that I found at Raleys.  A long toothpick would work too.  The meatball/tortellini combo gets drizzled with marinara sauce and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

My third recipe is what I call “Bloody Mary Shrimp”.  I boil some shrimp in salted lemony water until they are just cooked.  I serve the shrimp in a little shot glass filled with my favorite Bloody Mary mix and a piece of celery.  And oh yea, depending on who I am serving these too….I might throw in a little vodka too.  But not cake flavored!  Just regular vodka.

The bloody mary mix gives the shrimp a great tang and spice.  It really works will with seafood.

The hardest part about this recipe is finding a plain shot glass that is appropriate to show anyone.  For a thirty five year old woman, I sure have the shot glass collection of a college frat boy.  My collection includes Chico State shot glasses, sorority shot glasses…..and a set of four Tupac Shakur shot glasses.  Who knows where those came from.

 

And because all my girls deserve dessert, I always whip up a little dessert finger food too.  Just one or two bites, but oh so necessary.  The dessert recipe I am showing you today is Cannoli Cups.  I love a good cannoli, but it is impossible to find the shells in most grocery stores, and I certainly am not making them.  That sounds hard and time consuming.  I use chocolate chip cookies!

I like to use a pack of chocolate chip cookie dough straight from the grocery’s fridge.  I bake the cookies in my mini muffin tin, and when they come out of the oven, they will have already formed a little dent in the middle.  I make this into a bigger dent by poking the middle with the end of my wooden spoon.  Once the cookies are cooled, I fill them with a mix of ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract and mini chocolate chips.  I garnish the little cookie cannoli cups with more mini chocolate chips and some chopped pistachios.

 

These little babies taste just like a cannoli, but even better because they are also a chocolate chip cookie!  Yum! The ricotta filling is creamy and has a perfect hint of cinnamon.  The pistachios add a great crunch.  I think these are the perfect ending to a Girl’s Night In.  Invite me to yours…..I will bring dessert.

“Strawberry Shortcake”

3 ounces cake flavored vodka

3 ounces strawberry puree (strawberry margarita mix)

3 ounces club soda

Whipped cream and strawberries for garnish

Add vodka and strawberry puree to a chilled cocktail shaker.  Shake well.  Pour evenly into two chilled glasses (martini). Top each with club soda.  Garnish with a strawberry and whipped cream.

 

Meatball and Tortellini Bites

1 ½ slices white bread

¼ cup milk

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

1 tablespoon basil, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 package (9 ounces) three cheese tortellini

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place slices of bread in a shallow dish.  Add milk and let soak for 5 minutes.  Break apart bread with your hands.

Place ground pork and ground beef in a large bowl.  Add egg, ½ cup parmesan cheese, chives, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and milky bread crumbs.  Mix together with clean hands.  Do not over mix.

Form 1 inch in diameter balls.  Place meatballs on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

Meanwhile, boil tortellini according to package directions.  Drain tortellini and mix with butter.

Place 1 tortellini on top of each meatball.  Skewer tortellini onto meatball with a long toothpick or mini fork.  Drizzle warmed marinara sauce over meatballs and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.

Makes about 40.

 

Bloody Mary Shrimp

1 pound raw, peeled tail on shrimp (16-20 count)

2 tablespoons salt

1 lemon, sliced

2 ½ cups bloody mary mix

1 ¼ cup vodka

Celery for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and lemon slices.  Add shrimp and cook until shrimp float to the top and turn pink.  This will happen quickly.  Drain shrimp and chill.

To serve:

Add 2 tablespoons bloody mary mix and 1 tablespoon vodka to each shot glass (about 10).  Add 2 cooked shrimp and a piece of celery to each.  Serve cold.

Makes about 20.

Cannoli Cups

1 package Nestle Mini Chocolate Chip Refrigerated Cookie Dough (break apart dough)

2 cups ricotta cheese

¾ cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons honey

¾ cup mini chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pistachios for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break apart cookie dough at perforations.  Place each piece of cookie dough into a greased mini muffin tin.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes.  Gently press the end of a wooden spoon into each cookie to form a shallow well.  Let cookies cool for at least 1 hour before removing them from pan.

In a mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, powdered sugar, honey, ½ cup mini chocolate chips, vanilla and cinnamon.  Pipe or spoon filling evenly into each cookie cup.  Top with remaining chocolate chips and shopped pistachios.

Makes 40

Easter Brunch

Happy almost Easter!  For those of you living in a cave….Easter is this Sunday.  I know that everyone’s family has their own traditions for Easter, and their own favorite dishes.  What do you do?  Easter breakfast?  Brunch?  Dinner? 

At our house, along with an egg hunt, we always have Easter Brunch.  Our families don’t live all that close to us, so over the years, we have started an Easter Brunch tradition with friends.  We all get together, not too early because I hate mornings, and hunt for eggs, drink mimosas, eat great food, and have a great time spending the better part of the day together.  The kids love it because they get tons of candy, and I love it because we always do it as a potluck.  That means this mama doesn’t have to slave away cooking.  I make a ham and one other dish, and call it a day.  Easy peasy.

This year, like usual, I am making a huge Peach Glazed Ham and my Cheesy Grits Casserole.  I love making a big ‘ol ham.  Mostly because I like having ham leftovers.  I will stick ham in anything…..ham salad, ham pasta, ham and eggs, ham sandwiches….you get the picture.  I’m like Bubba from Forrest Gump, but with ham not shrimp.  But enough about that.  Today I am going to show you the recipe for my scrumptious ham, and later I will show you how to make my grits.  I feel southern just saying the word.

For my ham, I start with a 10 pound smoked, spiral cut, bone-in ham.  You can do boneless if you want.  That part really doesn’t matter.  I get spiral cut because it is just way easier.  I always get the kind that comes with its own glaze packet.  Don’t hate on the packaged glaze….you can totally use it to jazz up your ham, along with a few other key ingredients.  My ham came with a “brown sugar” glaze.  Look for that or a honey glaze.

The first thing I do, after unwrapping the fifty two layers of wrapping, is place the ham in a large baking dish.  I cover it tightly in foil and bake it at 325 for about an hour and ten minutes.  Go about your business…..have coffee, take a shower, etc.  Just leave that ham alone.  Once the ham has about ten minutes left to cook, I get the glaze together.

In a small sauce pot, I add about a tablespoon of olive oil, a diced shallot and a minced garlic clove.  I let this cook for a couple of minutes, until the shallot is softened.  Then, I add the glaze packet, ¼ a cup of Dijon mustard, ¼ a cup of chicken broth, salt and pepper, and one jar of Gourmet Rooster County Fair Peach spread.  This spread has peaches, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and a couple other yummy things in it.  It tastes like peach pie filling!  If you can’t find it, look for a spiced peach spread in your grocery store.  If you can’t find that, use peach preserves.

I let this all boil together for just a couple of minutes.  Once the ham gets pulled out of the oven, and unwrapped, I pour the glaze all over the ham.  I let the ham cook for an additional thirty minutes, which gives the glaze a chance to caramelize and give the ham fabulous flavor.  It gives the ham a crunchy, crusty sweet exterior.  It’s like ham candy on the outside.  You will love it, your family will love it, and your friends will love it. 

As for my grits….(there I go, feelin’ all southern again), I use quick cooking grits chicken broth, butter, chive cream cheese, goat cheese, Jack cheese and eggs to make the best grits casserole you will ever taste.  The grits are creamy, cheesy, savory and amazing all at the same time.  And since it is a casserole, it holds its shape…it won’t run all over the plate.  I don’t like my food touching, but I am weird like that.

I start by boiling my chicken broth and grits together for about five minutes.  Remember, I’m using quick cooking grits, so mine cook pretty fast.  Once the grits are thick and creamy, I stir in butter and all the cheeses, keeping the grits over low heat.  And now it gets a bit tricky…..you have to temper the eggs into the grits to keep from getting scrambled eggs.

I beat the eggs in a little bowl with a salt and pepper.  Then, I take some of my grits, about ½ a cup, and beat that into the grits to raise the temperature of the eggs.  Once that’s done, I stir the egg/grits mix into the pot.  Once everything is blended, it can be poured into a greased 9x13 baking pan. 

This bakes for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  When they are done, they won’t be jiggly in the middle and the top will be nice and browned.

 

I promise, this is the perfect side dish for an Easter brunch….or any brunch!  And the ham, oh the ham…..it is sweet/salty perfection.

I hope you try these recipes!  And make your guests bring the rest.   Happy Easter!

Peach Glazed Ham

10 pound spiral cut ham with brown sugar glaze

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 9 ounce jar Gourmet Rooster County Fair Peach Spread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place ham in a large baking dish.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

For glaze:

In a small sauce pan, sauté shallot and garlic in olive oil until shallot is soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in glaze packet, mustard, broth, salt, pepper and Peach spread.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.

Remove ham from oven and unwrap.  Pour glaze over ham and return to oven for 30 more minutes.  Let ham rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 16 (will give you a lot of leftovers)

 

Cheesy Grits Casserole

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 ½ cups quick cooking grits

1 cup Jack cheese, grated

8 ounces chive cream cheese

6 ounces goat cheese

4 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13x2 baking dish.

In a medium sized sauce pot, bring broth and water to a boil.  Stir in grits. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until thick.  Stir in cheeses.  Cook over low heat until cheeses are melted.

In a small bowl, beat eggs with salt and pepper.  Stir ½ cup of hot grits into eggs.  Add egg mixture into grits and stir until blended.

Pour grits into greased 9x13x2 pan.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until middle is completely set and top is browned.

Serves 12