what are you bringing to the table?

1. Paula Deen's easy (and pretty!) Raspberry Sherry Trifle

2. Southern Living's Red Velvet Cheesecake

(this one is a little more labor-intensive and must be made a day-ahead, but it's one of my all-time favorites!)

3. Bon Appetite's Frozen Grand Marnier Torte with Dark Chocolate Crust and Spiced Cranberries. Yum. This is the one I'll be contributing to the family feast this year.

melted snowmen (and peppermint buttercream frosting)

Every year, we make Eggnog Logs and Christmas Tree Bark.

And every year we try a new cookie recipe.

This year's new recipe was "Melted Snowmen"--

A regular Sugar Cookie with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting and marshmallow heads.

We made some content and others protesting,

and we made a few furious with their lot.

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

1 stick of butter

2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

mexi-texi bistec pedazos

(photo via)

Last night for supper, I made a recipe that has been sitting in my recipe file since early 2008.

It was unique, creamy, cozy, and all-around delicious. Husband and I were calling it Chipotle Pot Roast. The beef cooks until it falls apart at the touch of your fork, and the gravy is reminiscent of pot roast gravy, flavored with chipotle, Mexican chili powder, and cumin.

All in all, it's the mased corn potatoes that make the recipe stand out. They are phenomenal.

The only changes I made in the process were:

Canola Oil for Vegetable Oil (no cholesterol and less fat)

Frozen corn kernels for fresh ears of corn

Ignored the cilantro (it's not my favorite herb)
And I let the beef cook on high in the slow cooker for about four hours instead of simmering it and "stirring frequently" for two.

Find the

Mexi-Texi Bistec Pedazos on Roasted Corn and Garlic Chipotle-Cilantro Mashers

by clicking here.

chicken wild rice soup (like you've never had it before)...

Husband says this is the most delicious soup he's ever tasted.

Well, other than his Shrimp Corn Chowder and Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon--

and I'm sure some of his mom's recipes are high on the totem pole of wondrous soups, too.

Anyhow, it is a very good, stick-to-your-insides soup for a cold, bleak day, and the sherry, sour cream, and bacon add some unexpected dimensions in flavor.

Click here for the printable version, or click "read more" to view the full post.

holiday appetizer: cranberry brie wontons

My mother-in-law made Cranberry-Brie Wontons as a Thanksgiving day appetizer. They were a hit.

She used fresh cranberries, cooked in a pan with orange juice until they were soft and almost jam-ish.

I found a similar recipe here that uses cranberry sauce.

random faces and a (very unique) holiday appetizer

One morning as I was sweeping the leaves from our front porch (well, it's more like a front stoop), I felt like someone-- or something-- was watching me. I casually looked around, and realized I was IN FACT being watched by two sketchy characters:

A beautiful house is being built next door to ours (shake siding, three sets of oak French doors, lots of windows, copper roof.... I'll share pictures when they finish the exterior!).

Apparently, one of the contractors is a sculpture artist as well as a home builder.

And now, I have to share this recipe without photos.

I apologize for the lack of visual aid, but it will be a few weeks before I'll have a photo for you (as I won't be making it again until December 5)... and I hate to keep it to myself with Thanksgiving so near, knowing you all will have guests to impress! Let me assure you, this little dish is the bee's knees in the world of sweet tooth hors d'oeuvres. We had it at a friend's house recently, and I have been unable to find a recipe ANYWHERE. She found it pre-made at a specialty shop. So, it's as unique as they come!

Without further ado and ramblings, here's my reincarnation of it:

Blueberry-Vanilla Goat Cheese

served with gingersnaps

(I tried to have the title make up for the photo void)

Mix together:

1 cup frozen blueberries (because they mix without squashing)

1 cup blueberry jam

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon wild honey

Warm the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds. Pour it over a 16-oz log of Goat Cheese (Yes, that's one whole pound of goat cheese. Once it's wrapped in foil, you could use it in aerobics class!).

Wrap the blueberry-doused log tightly in foil and refrigerate overnight. Or, just keep it wrapped-up in your refrigerator as an emergency appetizer.

To serve:

Unwrap the log and allow it to sit on a serving dish for 20 minutes at room temperature (or until goat cheese begins to soften). Place the gingersnaps nearby along with a cheese spreader. Play some Chopin in the background (Vivaldi works, too).

Take my food-lovin' word for it, you will want to adorn your table with this unique combination at some point over the holidays.

blood-locked seasoning

Picture the weather so sticky and thick it looks more like a foggy morning than a smoldering summer day. Picture the moss hanging lazily from the antebellum oak trees, oscillating fans, energy despite the oppressive heat, and an artful laziness despite the energy.

 

Think pretty cotton fields, fierce alligators, steeping gumbo, superstition, boiling crawdads, cayenne peppers, andouille and boudin sausages. Think spice. Now we’re on the right track.

Husband made a unique Cajun spice blend this weekend.
When I think of this blend, I think of the days when spices were valuable, exotic trade items. I think of historical books I read as a child that told of ships carrying colorful silks, fragrant soaps, silver platters, creamy china, and spices into provincial ports.

This recipe was hand-scrawled on the back of an envelope during an SEC football cookout on Auburn University’s campus. Husband had been hoping for years to win the trust of the man who made a blood pact with the Cajun sea captain who developed this combination of Acadiana taste-bud glory.

Finally, the man offered it to him—although not without deep whispers, stern glances, furtive handshakes, and other clandestine behaviors, and he explained to us both how each spice is tasted on the tongue at singular points, covering the whole tongue with a symphony of flavor from the tip to the tonsil.

Here are some spice blend recipes that would make great gifts for neighbors and friends:

French four-spice blend from Gourmet (I plan to make this one!)

Mexican Spice Blend from Foodista

Moroccan Spice Blend from Gourmet

Mulling Spice blend from Cooking Light

A Cajun Spice Blend that's not blood-locked or written in ounces :)

And for the presentation:

These spice jars have a nostalgic shape, reminiscent of old-fashioned milk bottles, and these have spirited red tops. Both are great prices!

Are there any favorite spice blends in your family?

chocolate-pumpkin marble cake

From Sunset magazine...

Get the recipe here.

cooking for adoption

This isn't just any ole' cookbook...

ALL proceeds from the sales go to the adoption of two boys from Uganda.

Read more and/or purchase one here.

Think birthday, baby shower, and Christmas presents!

coconut-glazed butternut squash with harvest spices

This recipe for Sugar-and-Spice Roasted Squash uses coconut milk infused with molasses sugar and Fall spices-- ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg-- and then roasted. The result is a warm, velvety combination of earthy and elegant.

We had it with pan-seared pork loin chops, seasoned simply with salt and pepper on a regular ole' weeknight.

But it could easily be the talk of Thanksgiving dinner.

Find and print the recipe here.

More From Nature's Color Palette:

Butternut Leaves on a bed of fresh gravel :)

homemade oreos

I highly suggest these next time you want to bake something sweet.

Can you tell which one Husband filled for himself?

spiced & pretty

This has been our staple side item since cooler air has seeped in and leaves have begun to circle downward.
I promise you'll "Fall" for it.


Spiced & Pretty Fall Salad:
Mixed Greens & Baby Spinach

Apples, Pears, and Nectarines, chopped small

Dried Cherries

Walnuts, chopped & toasted

Honey-Cinnamon Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil

:: i won one

  I won a recipe contest! Just a little one-- but the feeling is BIG! :)

See a blog post by my friend, Rachel, here and the main article here. You can get the recipe at both links.

:: birthday cake(s) piled high

Husband and I have the same birthday, which we'll be celebrating this weekend. I plan to make him/us a Julia Child chocolate-on-chocolate cake flavored with a dash of Grand Marnier (orange liqueur).

I also considered making this Hazelnut-and-Chocolate Meringue Cake from Food and Wine:

Maybe I'll just make BOTH cakes. After all, you only turn 27 on the same day as your husband once, right?

A little secret in the simplistic-yet-somehow-poetic words of Julia Child:

"... the secret of a full, light cake lies in how rapidly and delicately you fold the starch and finally the chocolate and butter into the egg mixture" (p. 495, Vol II).

Find the Hazelnut-and-Chocolate Meringue Cake recipe here.

:: nectar of the gods, indeed

The honey sitting in my kitchen window sill (& pictured in the last post) has inspired me :)

This recipe was featured in my new Food and Wine magazine. It's called Grilled-Fruit Bruschetta with Honey Mascarpone Cheese. Find it here.

More honey recipes that look enticing:

Homemade Honey Chai

Toasted Almond Milk with Tupelo Honey

Honey Apple Cake

Espresso Black Pepper and Honey Glaze for chicken, fish, or veggies

Gala Apple "Newtons" with Honey Cream

Fried Chicken with Ancho Honey

Vidalia Onion Tart with Bacon, Honey, and Thyme

Roasted Pears with Chestnut Honey

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

:: we had a gathering...

We had a dessert-and-wine gathering with several other couples, which I was SO happy to hostess! Moving around the way we do, I don't end up hostessing a lot of gatherings with more than 2-6 people, but for some reason we have just really "clicked" with many wonderful people here. Which is one reason you haven't "seen" me in a week. The other reasons are:

-My Atlas Shrugged essay scholarship submission is due today. Ready or not, turn it in!

-I won a recipe contest I entered :) I'll be posting a link as soon as it's published.

-School has started full-force.

-I'm still volunteering with children and one of them has become a mystery I'm struggling to decode and thus help.

-I'm getting ready to re-launch (and officially this time) my Literacy blog.

Back to the subject of gatherings, isn't it funny what people end up raving over? I spent two days deciding on dessert wines. I finally went with a Moscato, and most people just wanted to drink the Hazelnut coffee Husband decided to brew 5 minutes before the first couple arrived. Go figure. I kept saying, "Most people aren't going to want caffeine this late, you know..." He won.

Something else Husband decided to do (earlier in the day, but right before our friends from Jacksonville stopped by to say hello as they were passing through Greenville) was rearrange our furniture. I was fuming, but I have to admit, he did a good job. In the process he decided to officially COVER the slipcover I've been working on for months and will (according to him) not be finishing any time soon. In case you can't tell, it's the blue chair. He used a bed sheet to disguise it.

What do you think? I was rather impressed with his skills, and I might get HIM to finish the real slipcover! I wonder if he would consider sewing lessons for home decor...

Last but not least, do you ever receive something from the hands of friends that you just can't stop looking at? Something about these amber and golden jars of honey with the little wooden spoon sitting in the windowsill is so charming and cozy. We're planning on enjoying the Orange Blossom with our breakfast this weekend. Any ideas? I'm thinking about drizzling it over toasted English muffins... (thank you, Kate!).

A P.S. for you: The Savannah Honey Shop has a website where they offer lots of honey recipes, which I will be perusing this weekend and I thought you might enjoy as well.

:: a healthy, refreshing recipe

This is one of my favorite recipes. It can easily be tweaked to fit your personal taste and the seasonal produce. Husband calls it "girl food."

All you do is:

Cook a box of cous-cous according to the package directions. Let it cool. And stir in:

-fresh fruit juice

-fresh chopped fruit

-lightly toasted nuts

-golden raisins (or dried fruit of choice)

I like to use freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3/4 cup), orange segments, halved grapes, and berries (about 2 cups) with a combination of walnuts and almonds (about 1 cup) and golden raisins (about 3/4 cup). Let it chill and serve it cold or room temperature. If you let it sit several hours or overnight, stir in extra fruit juice just before serving. We love it with grilled chicken or as a simple, light lunch.

(Photo: wrecked kitchen)

In other news, we made oatmeal cream pies this weekend, and I decided I wanted to make miniature "Baby Oatmeal Cream Pies" for our neighbors who just had a baby. Then, I realized I had nothing but a Mason jar to put them in. So, husband to the rescue... look what he did from craft scraps I had in the trunk of my car:

He has so many hidden talents :)