Holiday Gifts for the Cook, Baker, and the Coffee & Tea Lovers

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There are only 17 shopping days left until Christmas!

With all that is going on right now, between the parties, tree shopping at the tree farm, family obligations, and the occasional dance party of one in the comfort of my own home privately listening to One Direction {Shhh don’t tell anyone I listen to them!}.

I thought I might help make your shopping list a bit easier with ideas for Holiday Gifts for the Cook, Baker, and the Coffee & Tea Lovers in your life.

Yummy Gift Guide Collage

For the Cook

  1. The QOOQ Tablet. The interactive touchscreen tablet that withstands spills and messy hands. Cooking knowledge from over a hundred of the world’s top chefs. $399.95
  2. Cuisinart Smartstick Immersion Blender. This handheld blender lets you blend everything from milkshakes to piping hot soups, easily. $34.95
  3. OXO Stainless Steel Mandoline.  This is the perfect tool for preparing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.  Makes paper thin potato’s for homemade potato chips.  Making salads is a breeze. $99.99

For the Baker

  1. Salter Lifestyle Digital Scale.  For the baker in your life, this scale is hailed for it’s accuracy.  $59.95
  2. William-Sonoma 3-Piece Cookie Bakeware Set.  Perfect for the person who loves to make cookies. This set gives you everything you need to start baking.  $39.96
  3. KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. This is a must have for anyone who loves to bake.  Comes in a variety of colors. $349.95

For the Coffee and Tea Lovers

  1. De’Longhi Espresso Maker.  Makes your favorite coffee drink in the comfort of your own home. Weather you love espresso, cappuccino or a latte.  This Espresso Maker can do it all.  $899.99
  2. Bodum Bistro Double Wall Glass Mugs.  Double walled construction eliminates drinks that are too hot to carry. Microwave safe.  Great for hot and cold drinks.         2 for $39.99
  3. Primula Flowering Tea & Glass Teapot Gift Set.  Come with uniquely crafted green tea flowers.  Watch the flower blossom in this stunning hand blown glass tea pot.  $29.99

 

I hope this helps!

Snow Ball Cookie Recipe

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I’m going to a couple of holiday cookie party exchanges in the next week.  The question is the same every year…

What cookies am I going to make?

Snow Ball cookies, italian wedding cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies

The other day, when we went to the Christmas tree farm to pick out our Christmas Tree, the sweet people who own the lot had a large plate of cookies and small cups along with hot coco.  How cute is that?  Right there beside the check out stand, and it hit me {not the tree, what kind cookies to make}. Have you ever had those little round cookies that are covered in powdered sugar?  Sometimes they are so tiny you can pop the whole thing in your mouth.  Sometimes, I even try to do that with the bigger ones {don’t tell anyone}.  Some people call them Italian Wedding cookies, they are also called Swedish Dreams and Mexican Wedding Cookies and the Snow Ball Cookie.

What ever you call them, they are yummy and the perfect cookie exchange cookie.

 I found a few recipes in old italian cook books and decided to come up with my own recipe, kind of blending them all together.  I needed the recipe to be easy since I would be making 12 dozen.

 WOW!

When I write it out it seems like so many.  Oh, maybe because IT IS!

Snow Ball Cookies with coffee

Snow Ball Cookie

Ingredients

1 Cup Softened Butter

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Dash Salt

12 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar + more to roll cookies in

2 Cup All Purpose Flour, sifted

1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a baking sheet with baking spray,
  2. Blend together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together until creamed smooth.
  3. Slowly add flour to the sugar mixture.
  4. Pour in enough milk to combine.  So the mixture is not crumbly.
  5. Add chocolate chips.
  6. Roll dough in to quarter size balls and place on cookie sheet.
  7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
  8. When cookies have cooled roll in powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

 

Roasted Acorn Squash

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I’ve never tasted Acorn Squash, until this year.

Acorn Squash with onions

 I don’t know why!

Maybe because, butternut squash has always been my favorite and if I tried Acorn Squash it would feel a little like I was abandoning my beloved butternut squash.  Maybe it because all those different shapes and colors of squash are a bit intimidating.

 I’ve tried Acorn Squash a few different ways this season but, my favorite way of eating it is simple, just roasted with an onion.  It is so tasty I’m sad I’ve been passing it over all these years.

Ingredients

1 Acorn Squash, cut in to chunks

1 Medium Onion, cut in to a large dice

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Acorn Squash

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Place Acorn Squash and onion on to a cookie sheet.
  3. Sprinkle squash and onions with salt, pepper & garlic.
  4. Add olive oil and toss to combine making sure all vegetables are coated and vegetables are in a single layer.
  5. Roast for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and caramelized on the bottom.

Acorn Squash in Bowl

If you haven’t tried Acorn Squash before, go ahead and give that cute little green squash a try.

 I know you will be pleasantly surprised, like me!

Let me know how you like it.

Enjoy!

Stuffing Cups

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Stuffing Cups turkey

I make a ton of stuffing, just so there is a lot of leftovers!  I think I am making up for not eating stuffing as a child.  Everyone in my immediate family loves stuffing and I want to make sure there is plenty of left overs, once the family and friends leave with their to go boxes.  I think one of the best parts of Thanksgiving food is the leftovers so,  I like to make sure my guest have turkey and all the sides the next day.

Stuffing in a muffin tin

 A few years ago I started making Stuffing Cups for the to go boxes, it’s easier to make up the boxes and everyone leaves with the same amount.  This year I am making a slightly different stuffing for the stuffing cups.

 These Stuffing Cups are also great for the kid’s table.  It’s easy to handle and the kid’s could bite right in!

Ingredients

1 Loaf Egg Bread, cut into cubes

1/2 Pound Ground Turkey

1/2 Pound Bacon, diced

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Sage

2 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

2 Eggs

1/2 stick Butter

Salt to Taste

Large Muffin Tin sprayed with baking spray.

Muffin Wrappers, Optional

Directions

  1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown.
  3. Transfer bread cubes to a large bowl.
  4. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
  5. Cook turkey in a large frying pan, crumbling as it cooks.
  6. Add turkey to the bread cubes.
  7. Cook bacon in same pan.
  8. Add bacon to bread cubes.
  9. Cook onions and celery in the pan the bacon was cooked.  Cook until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
  10. Add cooked vegetable to the bread mixture.
  11. Add italian seasoning, parsley, thyme, garlic powder and sage to the bread mixture.
  12. Mix bread mixture well to combine all ingredients.
  13. Melt butter and add to bread mixture.
  14. Beat eggs in a large enough bowl to then add chicken stock and combine.
  15. Add chicken stock mixture to bread mixture and combine completely.
  16. Place stuffing mixture in muffin tin overfilling each just a bit.
  17. Cover tin with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake until tops are golden brown approximately 12 minutes more.
  18. Once muffins are cool enough to handle place in muffin wrappers, optional

Stuffing muffin tin

Enjoy!

Honey Butter

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I love compound butters.  Have you ever had the pleasure of eating compound butter?

 It’s really easy to make and oh, oh so yummy!

Really!

Honey Butter

I thought I would make a very small change for this year’s Thanksgiving meal.  Something that is going to make a hugh taste impact.

I can’t think of a better compliment to warm dinner rolls then delightful mouthwatering compound butter.

Instead of plain butter {it’s not that I’m dissing butter, I love butter}, I just love compound butter a little bit more.  There is just something about adding even more yummy goodness into a stick of butter that is just so scrumptious!

I’m going to serve Honey Butter this year!

 It’s so easy to make and tastes so good on biscuits, rolls, crescents, corn bread, pancakes, waffles and especially this easy bread.  Honestly, this list could go on and on.

 OK, just one more.  It taste great on popcorn too {just saying}!

Ingredients

1 stick of butter, softened~not melted

1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 Teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Add softened butter, honey and vanilla to a small bowl.  Whip all ingredient together to combine.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate after making.  When ready to use, let honey butter sit out for about 15 minutes to soften a bit before serving.

You can even make this Honey Butter far ahead of time, cover it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer.

One of the really great things about Honey Butter is, the ingredients are always on hand.

This butter also makes a great hostess gift!  Just put the Honey Butter in a tiny mason jar with a bit of raffia tied around a small butter knife and there is your fabulous hostess gift.   Adorable!

Give this Honey Butter a try and let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Stuffing or Dressing? What do you call it?

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I thought this week, I would concentrate on stuffing.

Stuffing sausage

I know, I know stuffing is what goes inside the bird and dressing is cooked in a pan separately.  I just like the word stuffing better.  When I think of dressing, I think of a turkey all dressed up in it’s Sunday best {just a little insight in to my crazed mind}.

As I have mentioned before, I grew up in a very traditional Italian home and even though we celebrated Thanksgiving, the emphasis of the meal was not on the Turkey and stuffing. It was on the Lasagna.  We did have a turkey, we just didn’t have stuffing.  I’d never tasted stuffing until I met Handsome.

 I remember our first thanksgiving as a married couple, I wanted to make my new handsome Thanksgiving dinner, even though we were invited over to my family and his family homes for Thanksgiving dinner.  I got up really early {around 4:00am}, prepared a whole Thanksgiving dinner for just us two.  Carefully put everything in containers in the fridge then we went to both families homes and ate dinner.  At 11:00pm, on Thanksgiving Handsome lit a fire and we sat down to our first holiday meal together.  I remember looking for recipes in Gourmet magazine for turkey and stuffing.  This recipe is loosely based on those original recipes.

Stuffing bread cut in to cubes

Ingredients

1 Loaf Potato Bread, cut in to cubes

1 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage, casings removed

1 Medium Onion, chopped

4 Celery Stalks, chopped

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

Chicken Stock

2 eggs

Butter

Salt to Taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.  transfer bread to a large bowl.
  3. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
  4. Cook sausage in a large frying pan, crumbling as it cooks.
  5. Add thyme, italian seasoning, and garlic powder
  6. Add cooked sausage to bread crumbs.
  7. Cook onions and celery in same pan as the sausage until vegetables are soft about 12 minutes.
  8. Add cooked vegetables to bread and sausage mixture.
  9. Mix in cranberries to the bread mixture.
  10. Beat eggs in a 2 cup measuring cup.
  11. Add enough stock to the eggs to make 2 cups.
  12. Pour stock and egg mixture to bread mixture, stir to coat completely.
  13. Place stuffing in a buttered baking dish.
  14. Place foil over baking dish.
  15. Bake for 30 minutes, take off foil turn oven up to 400 degrees and bake for an addition 15 minutes.

Stuffing sausage 1

Enjoy!

Prosciutto, Pepper Jack, Basil, and Strawberry Jam, Panini

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I’ve been craving a panini, all day.

Not just any panini!

Sandwich prosciutto & strawberry w basil

For some strange reason in the middle of the night {when I do all of my important thinking} I thought of a combination of ingredients that I knew would taste wonderful on a panini.

 I haven’t been home all day, so guess what we are having for dinner tonight?

Can you guess?

You are right!

This mouthwatering panini.

Sandwich prosciutto & strawberry jam

I start with 2 slices of sourdough bread.  On both slices of bread I spread on a good amount of strawberry jam.  Then to one side, I add a couple slices of pepper jack cheese, if you like spicy add a few more slices.  Add on top of that, add a few slices of prosciutto.  I topped the prosciutto with a few leaves of fresh basil, closed the sandwich up and placed it on a buttered grill pan {I’m hoping for a new panini maker for Christmas, my old one retired a few months ago}.

This panini is the perfect combination of a little sweet and a little spicy!

Ingredients

2 slices of sourdough bread

1/4 cup Smucker’s strawberry jam

2 slices pepper jack cheese

3 slices prosciutto

a few basil leaves

2 teaspoons butter

Directions

  1. Heat up grill pan
  2. Spread outside of each slice of bread with butter
  3. Spread opposite side of bread with strawberry jam
  4. Top jam with cheese, and then prosciutto and basil
  5. Close sandwich and place on grill
  6. Place a heavy object {like a heavy pan} to squish the panini like a panini maker
  7. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes watching to make sure it does not burn.
  8. Flip panini over to grill the other-side
  9. Continue checking until you get your preferred amount of crispiness

Enjoy!

You are going to love this scrumptious panini.

 Handsome was wowed by the combination of ingredients. He couldn’t stop saying how much he love it, and he ate two!

What are your favorite panini ingredients?

Donuts + Cronuts = Dornuts

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Have you ever heard of a Dornut?

Pandor Bakery Dornut Chocolate

 It is a cross between a donut and a croissant.  The first time I heard of this was when I was in New York City.  Dominique Ansel Bakery came up with the original concept, they call theirs a Cronut and only make 200 a day.  People stand in line for hours for just one Cronut.

Pandor Cinnamon Sugar Dornut

 I knew that living in Orange County, CA, it wouldn’t be long before someone here would be making them.  So my search began…I found Pandor Artisan Boulangerie & Cafe in Newport Beach.  I was lucky that Saturday morning, only a few people were in line in front of me.  And even luckier they still had Dornuts {their version of a cronut}.  The guy behind the counter with the delightful french accent told me they sell out of Dornuts daily.

Pandor Bakery in Newport Beachrosemary scone from top

 I decided to also give one of their scones a try. A Rosemary & Cheese Scone to be exact. I love scones and this one was made perfectly!  The right amount of rosemary, not too overpowering and the cheese had the perfect amount of cheesiness, you could taste it but it wasn’t overwhelming.  The perfect combination.

Now back to the Dornut…

Pandor dornut chocolate from top

The Chocolate Dornut was divine.  The layers were soft yet chewy, with that wonderful crunch on the outside.

Pandor Bakery a bite of a dornut

The inside layers taste almost like a beignet with luscious chocolate running through the middle.

donuts, cronuts, dornuts Pandor cinnamon sugar dornut from top

This Cinnamon Sugar Dornut reminded me of a churro.  The outside had that sweet cinnamon sugar taste with the soft buttery inside.

Pandor Bakery in Newport Beach, CA Donuts Cronuts Dornuts

The fresh baked bread aroma from inside the bakery is heavenly.

Pandor Bakery napkins

Weather you call it Donuts, Cronuts, Dornuts, I just call it scrumpious!

If you are in the area, give a Dornut a try.  It will leave you craving more.

Pandor

Artisan Boulangerie & Cafe  De provence

1126 A Irvine Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660

949.209.5099

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored nor affiliated with Pandor Artisan Boulangerie & Cafe.  Their Dornuts and Scone were amazing and if you are ever in Newport Beach you should give them a try!

Lentil Soup

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Lentil Soup Friends Cup

Isn’t it funny how there are foods we had as kids we hated, and now as adults, love.  Lentil Soup is one of those meals for me.  I remember how disappointed I was when I would come home from school, and there was a large pot of lentil soup cooking on the stove.  My family was never a “you must clean your plate” family.  Thank goodness.  But, we were encouraged ever so slightly, in that italian way {guilt} to eat our dinner.

Now, during Autumn and Winter, Lentil Soup is one of my favorite meals to eat and cook.  It makes your tummy all warm inside, cost pennies, and is one of the healthiest meals around.

 I don’t want to go on and on about the health benefits but, here are just a few, for the people who don’t know about this magical bean they call they Lentil.

  1. Lentils contain a cholesterol-lowering fiber
  2. Consists of High fiber content which prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal
  3. Contains 6 important minerals and 2 B-vitamins and protein, with almost no fat

Wow, now I do sound like my mother.  It’s amazing how that kicks in once you have children!

Please give this recipe a try.  I promise, no guilt!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 garlic clove. diced

1 16 oz bag of lentils

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2  14.5 oz cans of stewed tomatoes

2  10.5 oz cans of Campbell’s Beef Broth

4  cans of water, {stewed tomatoes cans} + more if needed

Fresh Basil, optional

Directions

1. Check for tiny stones and rinse lentils in a colander, set aside.

2. In a large pot add olive oil, onion, carrot, celery and garlic cook on medium heat until onions are translucent.

3. Add lentils and saute for 5 minutes.

4. Add pepper, dried basil, turmeric and chili powder, saute for 5 minutes.

5 Add stewed tomatoes and 4 cans of water, let simmer on medium for approx. 45 minutes.

6. Add Campbell’s beef broth, simmer for another 60 minutes.

7. Top with fresh basil.

Lentil Soup is a perfect recipe to make mid day and have simmering on your stove all afternoon!

*check through bag of lentils, prior to adding to the pot, to make sure there are no little stones.

*continue to add water during simmering, if liquid level gets to low.

*add the spices you like, like with every recipe, taylor it to your tastes.

Yummy Lentil Soup

Enjoy!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever!

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Chocolate chip cookie stack & milk

Every friday night from August through December, you can find Handsome and I at a Servite football game.  Servite is the high school my husband and our son attended.  Ever since I met Handsome, durning those months that’s where we will be.  Does it sound crazy?  I’m sure to the person who does not understand what football means to Handsome and his classmates from Servite, the answer would be yes.  But to us, it’s just what we do with pride.  Our tailgates are unbelievable (for a high school game), it’s a night of great food, great friends and great football.

On this past Friday, we were celebrating our grill master Andy’s birthday.  He requested me to bring Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I knew they couldn’t be just any chocolate chip cookie.  It needed to be The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever, for Andy and the rest of our friends!

Chocolate chip cookie on cooling rack

So, after a couple of batches, I finally came up with the right amount of my secret ingredient.  Can you guess what it is?

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

4 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix  {secret Ingredient}

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat (for easy clean up).

1. Sift together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt, set aside.

2. Cream together butter and sugars until combined completely.

3. Add egg and extract to butter mixture, combine completely.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture a little at a time making sure it is all combined completely.

5. Add chocolate chips to the mixture. Stir in to combine.

6. Place cookie dough spoonfuls on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

I like to use a medium ice cream scoop so all the cookies come out the same size.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie you make.

Cookie dough may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.

CREDO!