From Denny: You are going to enjoy this talented guy. He finds ways to chase away the boredom of the job - and stays in shape doing it!
This video comes from CBS Sunday Morning show. They had profiled the Rhode Island, USA, traffic officer back last summer. CBS followed up with comedian Mo Rocca interviewing him this past Christmas season.
Here I am in February - and still laughing!
Watch CBS News Videos Online
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Dennys Funny Quotes
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28 February 2010
27 February 2010
Funny Best of the Week Political Cartoons 27 Feb 2010
From Denny: Every week I collect the best political cartoons and roll them into one funny post. To best enjoy them on a wider blog template that displays well, go here:
Funny Political Cartoons: Political Olympics, Broken Government, Lampooning Toyota - 27 Feb 2010
See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
Funny Political Cartoons: Political Olympics, Broken Government, Lampooning Toyota - 27 Feb 2010
See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
26 February 2010
Warm Soups 4 Cold Rainy or Snowy Days
From Denny: It's been raining all day and cold, cold, cold - and we have it good in south Louisiana! My relatives in the Northeast have just received another late winter's gift of a new blanket of deep snow. I've been chilly all day.
The pilot light on the hot water heater went out late last night so we woke up to cold water. Not to fear; McGiver was here. I just so happened to remember those electric teapots from my time in Europe, so picked one up here. Not a bad fix in an unexpected emergency. During the hurricane season when we lost power for days, our neighbors figured out we had coffee and started knocking on the door in the morning. Yep, we have a low tech mechanical French Press. I try to always have a back up plan.
While I was exploring the CBS site most of the afternoon today I found these good - no awesome! - soup recipes. I'm a huge fan of really good quality substantial soups and stews so these caught my eye. Katie Lee is also a friendly person who just chats you right up through the camera, bringing these recipes up off the page and practically into your mouth to taste! :) What is great about her too is that she is always thinking of ways to update traditional recipes with an interesting flavorful twist. Now she's speaking my name!
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Roasted Tomato Soup
From Katie Lee: Tomato soup is a classic, but it's difficult to get good tomatoes in the winter to make this soup homemade. We are going to roast our tomatoes first to bring out all of their natural sweetness and make them more flavorful, which will give us that luxurious, "right off the vine" tomato taste in soup. We put it in a pot and add chicken broth to it and season and then you puree it with the immersion blender.
We will puree this soup by using the immersion blender (a hand blender). You eyeball it and it should take about 5 minutes.
Cook Time: 3 hours
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, and cored
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into eight equal slices
2 garlic cloves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Directions:
From Katie Lee: I used to always buy canned tomato soup, figuring that making homemade took too much time and effort. Then, my mom passed on this recipe to me. Not only is making homemade tomato soup easy, but it tastes worlds better than its processed counterpart. Roasting the tomatoes makes them even sweeter. If you like your tomato soup creamy, add the heavy cream, or if you are a purist just leave it out.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and thyme on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast in oven for two hours.
Let tomatoes cool to touch. Remove peels, tear into bite-size pieces, and transfer to a stockpot with roasted onion, garlic, and thyme. Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot and stir in heavy cream. Simmer for 10 more minutes and serve.
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
From Katie Lee: While on a girls’ trip on my friend Wendi’s boat, I had an Asian-style chicken noodle soup. I came home and tried to copy it, but I couldn't quite get the flavors right. After a few attempts, I finally mastered it and came up with this recipe. I like it spicy, so I serve extra chili sauce on the side.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
6 cups chicken broth
3 stalks lemongrass, the bottom 3 inches only, each stalk cut into three 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chili sauce
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 chicken breasts, pounded and thinly sliced
2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 3- to 4-ounce pack rice noodles, prepared to package instructions
Cilantro, mint, scallions, bean sprouts, for garnish
Directions:
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat oil and add onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute until onions are translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemongrass, chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Increase heat to a low boil, add chicken breasts and cook about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, carrots, and red pepper and simmer an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide rice noodles among bowls and ladle chicken soup into each bowl. Garnish with cilantro, mint, scallions, and bean sprouts and serve with additional chili sauce, if desired.
Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup
From Katie Lee: High in antioxidants and vitamin A, this tasty and healthy soup is a standby at my house. Roast the carrots first to make them really sweet, then puree with ginger and stock. This soup freezes really well, so you can make a big batch and enjoy leftovers another night.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
4 cups carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut in large dice
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2 bay leaves
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
Directions:
Roasting carrots brings out all of their sweetness. For this soup, I added some ginger for a spicy contrast and the bay leaves and worcestshire sauce makes a rich backdrop of flavor. By using plain yogurt instead of heavy cream, it still has a creamy texture without all of the fat.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the carrots with the one tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining one tablespoon olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and sauté onions, ginger, and bay leaves until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper and bring to a low boil. Add carrots, reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend in batches until creamy. Add yogurt and blend to combine. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Wild Mushroom Soup
From Katie Lee: If you love creamy soups, this will be your favorite. Choose your favorite assortment of wild mushrooms to customize to your own taste. Super easy and incredibly rich in flavor. I also like serving this soup as an hors d'oeuvre at parties by spooning it into an espresso cup and topping it with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of chives.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 12 - 14
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
3 cups finely diced mixed wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
Crème fraîche and minced flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions:
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and any moisture has evaporated.
Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring often. Serve in espresso cups garnished with crème fraîche and parsley.
Grilled Chipotle Three-Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 7-ounce jar chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I like La Costena brand.)
1/4 cup olive oil
12 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
12 slices of Swiss cheese
12 slices of cheddar cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
12 slices of sourdough bread (thickly sliced if possible)
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
Directions:
From Katie Lee: When I was in college, I worked in a great little restaurant called Kona Bistro. Employees ate for free and after a long shift, I always had this sandwich. Be careful, the chipotle puree is spicy!
Place the chipotle peppers and the sauce in a food processor or a blender and puree until smooth. With the machine running slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Place the chipotle puree in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat a large, heavy fry pan, grill pan, or griddle to medium heat.
Place the bread slices on a work surface and spread each slice with 1 tablespoon chipotle puree. Layer half the bread slices with two slices of each cheese and a few slices of the tomatoes and onions. Top with the remaining slices of bread, chipotle side down. Spread the top and bottom of each sandwich with the butter.
Grill each sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the cheese is completely melted and the bread is golden brown. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
The pilot light on the hot water heater went out late last night so we woke up to cold water. Not to fear; McGiver was here. I just so happened to remember those electric teapots from my time in Europe, so picked one up here. Not a bad fix in an unexpected emergency. During the hurricane season when we lost power for days, our neighbors figured out we had coffee and started knocking on the door in the morning. Yep, we have a low tech mechanical French Press. I try to always have a back up plan.
While I was exploring the CBS site most of the afternoon today I found these good - no awesome! - soup recipes. I'm a huge fan of really good quality substantial soups and stews so these caught my eye. Katie Lee is also a friendly person who just chats you right up through the camera, bringing these recipes up off the page and practically into your mouth to taste! :) What is great about her too is that she is always thinking of ways to update traditional recipes with an interesting flavorful twist. Now she's speaking my name!
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Roasted Tomato Soup
From Katie Lee: Tomato soup is a classic, but it's difficult to get good tomatoes in the winter to make this soup homemade. We are going to roast our tomatoes first to bring out all of their natural sweetness and make them more flavorful, which will give us that luxurious, "right off the vine" tomato taste in soup. We put it in a pot and add chicken broth to it and season and then you puree it with the immersion blender.
We will puree this soup by using the immersion blender (a hand blender). You eyeball it and it should take about 5 minutes.
Cook Time: 3 hours
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, and cored
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into eight equal slices
2 garlic cloves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Directions:
From Katie Lee: I used to always buy canned tomato soup, figuring that making homemade took too much time and effort. Then, my mom passed on this recipe to me. Not only is making homemade tomato soup easy, but it tastes worlds better than its processed counterpart. Roasting the tomatoes makes them even sweeter. If you like your tomato soup creamy, add the heavy cream, or if you are a purist just leave it out.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and thyme on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast in oven for two hours.
Let tomatoes cool to touch. Remove peels, tear into bite-size pieces, and transfer to a stockpot with roasted onion, garlic, and thyme. Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot and stir in heavy cream. Simmer for 10 more minutes and serve.
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
From Katie Lee: While on a girls’ trip on my friend Wendi’s boat, I had an Asian-style chicken noodle soup. I came home and tried to copy it, but I couldn't quite get the flavors right. After a few attempts, I finally mastered it and came up with this recipe. I like it spicy, so I serve extra chili sauce on the side.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
6 cups chicken broth
3 stalks lemongrass, the bottom 3 inches only, each stalk cut into three 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chili sauce
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 chicken breasts, pounded and thinly sliced
2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 3- to 4-ounce pack rice noodles, prepared to package instructions
Cilantro, mint, scallions, bean sprouts, for garnish
Directions:
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat oil and add onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute until onions are translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemongrass, chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Increase heat to a low boil, add chicken breasts and cook about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, carrots, and red pepper and simmer an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide rice noodles among bowls and ladle chicken soup into each bowl. Garnish with cilantro, mint, scallions, and bean sprouts and serve with additional chili sauce, if desired.
Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup
From Katie Lee: High in antioxidants and vitamin A, this tasty and healthy soup is a standby at my house. Roast the carrots first to make them really sweet, then puree with ginger and stock. This soup freezes really well, so you can make a big batch and enjoy leftovers another night.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
4 cups carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut in large dice
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2 bay leaves
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
Directions:
Roasting carrots brings out all of their sweetness. For this soup, I added some ginger for a spicy contrast and the bay leaves and worcestshire sauce makes a rich backdrop of flavor. By using plain yogurt instead of heavy cream, it still has a creamy texture without all of the fat.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the carrots with the one tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining one tablespoon olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and sauté onions, ginger, and bay leaves until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper and bring to a low boil. Add carrots, reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend in batches until creamy. Add yogurt and blend to combine. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Wild Mushroom Soup
From Katie Lee: If you love creamy soups, this will be your favorite. Choose your favorite assortment of wild mushrooms to customize to your own taste. Super easy and incredibly rich in flavor. I also like serving this soup as an hors d'oeuvre at parties by spooning it into an espresso cup and topping it with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of chives.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 12 - 14
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
3 cups finely diced mixed wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
Crème fraîche and minced flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions:
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and any moisture has evaporated.
Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring often. Serve in espresso cups garnished with crème fraîche and parsley.
Grilled Chipotle Three-Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 7-ounce jar chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I like La Costena brand.)
1/4 cup olive oil
12 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
12 slices of Swiss cheese
12 slices of cheddar cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
12 slices of sourdough bread (thickly sliced if possible)
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
Directions:
From Katie Lee: When I was in college, I worked in a great little restaurant called Kona Bistro. Employees ate for free and after a long shift, I always had this sandwich. Be careful, the chipotle puree is spicy!
Place the chipotle peppers and the sauce in a food processor or a blender and puree until smooth. With the machine running slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Place the chipotle puree in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat a large, heavy fry pan, grill pan, or griddle to medium heat.
Place the bread slices on a work surface and spread each slice with 1 tablespoon chipotle puree. Layer half the bread slices with two slices of each cheese and a few slices of the tomatoes and onions. Top with the remaining slices of bread, chipotle side down. Spread the top and bottom of each sandwich with the butter.
Grill each sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the cheese is completely melted and the bread is golden brown. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
25 February 2010
Stop That Cold in Its Tracks: Illness Fighting Foods
From Denny: Want to know some great foods as medicine to deal with life's issues like colds, stomach pains and headaches? Check out this easy to eat and enjoy list!
Colds:
* Mushrooms - boost your immune system. Mushrooms also are considered like a leafy green vegetable and help the liver process toxins easier.
* Salmon - contains high amounts of vitamin D and you need vitamin D to ward off colds.
* Sunflower seeds - contain lots of vitamin E
* Curry spice - helps lower stress levels
* Milk - all that calcium eases muscle aches and pains and soothes you psychologically
* Red bell pepper - high in vitamin C and vitamin A, easy low acid source of vitamin C, the vitamin that lowers and soothes our stress
* Pistachios - loaded with vitamin E, great for lowering cholesterol too, lowers blood pressure and is calming
Headaches:
* Red snapper and salmon - high in Omega 3 fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory. To help fight inflammation - the reason for most diseases like heart disease, diabetes, migraines and asthma.
* Quinoa, an ancient grain, anti-inflammatory full of protein and minerals
* Black beans, anti-inflammatory and aids the liver in digesting toxins better than other beans.
* Cayenne pepper - great anti-inflammatory for lung, sinus and intestional issues, fights cancer too.
Stomach Pain:
* Ginger - proven great for nausea
* Fennel - a digestive aid
* Peppermint oil - a digestive aid
* Fiber - digestive
* Yogurt - helps digest food faster and avoid bloating
* Berries - act like yogurt as ultimate digestive aid
From Fitness Magazine, Pam O'Brien informs us of the focus foods for getting back on our feet when we have been feeling under the weather:
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!
Colds:
* Mushrooms - boost your immune system. Mushrooms also are considered like a leafy green vegetable and help the liver process toxins easier.
* Salmon - contains high amounts of vitamin D and you need vitamin D to ward off colds.
* Sunflower seeds - contain lots of vitamin E
* Curry spice - helps lower stress levels
* Milk - all that calcium eases muscle aches and pains and soothes you psychologically
* Red bell pepper - high in vitamin C and vitamin A, easy low acid source of vitamin C, the vitamin that lowers and soothes our stress
* Pistachios - loaded with vitamin E, great for lowering cholesterol too, lowers blood pressure and is calming
Headaches:
* Red snapper and salmon - high in Omega 3 fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory. To help fight inflammation - the reason for most diseases like heart disease, diabetes, migraines and asthma.
* Quinoa, an ancient grain, anti-inflammatory full of protein and minerals
* Black beans, anti-inflammatory and aids the liver in digesting toxins better than other beans.
* Cayenne pepper - great anti-inflammatory for lung, sinus and intestional issues, fights cancer too.
Stomach Pain:
* Ginger - proven great for nausea
* Fennel - a digestive aid
* Peppermint oil - a digestive aid
* Fiber - digestive
* Yogurt - helps digest food faster and avoid bloating
* Berries - act like yogurt as ultimate digestive aid
From Fitness Magazine, Pam O'Brien informs us of the focus foods for getting back on our feet when we have been feeling under the weather:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!
24 February 2010
16 Funny Blissful Sleepers Photos
Sleeping lion Photo by travlinman43 @ flickr
From Denny: Here's a sampling of the funny quotes about the subject of sleep for you to get a chuckle of the moment. For the full huge post of funnies with great photos over at The Social Poets for Cheeky Quote Day, go here.
The best Life advice:
Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night. - William Blake
Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night. - Marian Wright Edelman
Better to sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian. - Herman Melville
Sleeping boy at the table where sometimes sleep wins out over food Photo by indi.ca @ flickr
Best Interesting Observations:
Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone. - Anthony Burgess
From time immemorial artistic insights have been revealed to artists in their sleep and in dreams, so that at all times they ardently desired them. – Paracelsus
We are not hypocrites in our sleep. - William Hazlitt
Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death. - Arthur Schopenhauer
There is only one thing people like that is good for them - a good night's sleep. - Edgar Watson Howe
*** For the full huge post of funnies with great photos over at The Social Poets for Cheeky Quote Day, go here.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this daily posting blog, please subscribe!
23 February 2010
Does it Get Any Better? Funny Curtis Stones Healthy Pasta, Chocolate Recipes
From Denny: Yesterday actually got warm that it felt like Spring finally arrived. It was up to almost 70 degrees F.! Woo! Hoo! Today? The sun went to sleep and it's cloudy and chilly again, down to the low 40's. Yesterday I was thinking about summer food. Today? It's definitely pasta! :) There is something about how pasta and chocolate belong on the same blog...
I found this little gem of a recipe from Australian hunk Chef Curtis Stone. This time of year we still have access to butternut squash in the grocery aisles. Yellow, orange and red vegetables are extremely important during cold weather for immune system support. What better way to feed our immune systems than to have a wonderful plate of comforting pasta? The pasta recipe can be made with veggie stock to make it vegetarian if you prefer.
Here are some of the benefits of including butternut squash into your diet:
* low in fat and high in fiber it is heart healthy
* good amounts of potassium which is important to bone health
* good amounts of vitamin B6 which is important for nervous and immune system health
* very high levels of beta-carotene (your body automatically converts to vitamin A) good for protecting against heart disease, breast cancer, eye disease like macular degeneration which is age related
* 1 cup serving of this vegetable and you get half the daily amount of vitamin C
* high in anti-oxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties which is good to combat a wide range of diseases and illnesses.
Nutrition Breakdown of Butternut Squash
Per 1 cup cooked, approximately 205 grams
Calories: 82 k cal
Fat: 0.2 g
Vitamin A: 1,144 mcg = 163 percent* of DRI**
Vitamin B6: 0.3 mg = 20 percent of DRI
Vitamin C: 31 mg = 41 percent of DRI
Folate: 39 mcg = 10 percent of DRI
Potassium: 582 mg = 12 percent of DRI
* Percentages are for women 31 to 50 years old who are not pregnant
** DRI, Dietary Reference Intake, is based on National Academy of Sciences' Dietary Reference Intakes, 1997 to 2004
Oh, and did I happen to mention he also supplied a wonderful chocolate dessert recipe? Oh, yeah!
Recipes Featured:
Vegetable fettuccine with butternut squash and white wine sauce
Orange and dark chocolate mousse
This video is funnier than most demonstration food videos. Chef Stone is a bit hung over from hanging out at a New York nightclub with a best friend celebrating a happy life event. The two female hosts keep ribbing him, getting him off balance and off topic from the demo, so that the demo starts to look like a completely sloppy disasterous comedy improv. Of course, he throws in Chinese Snow Peas because they have him so rattled he thinks it was a bowl of green onions. It's cute; take a look:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Vegetable Fettuccine with Butternut Squash and White Wine Sauce
From: Chef Curtis Stone
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, roughly diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped rough
• 2 cups diced butternut squash, skin removed
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
For the pasta:
• 1 pound fettuccine noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, julienned
• 1 leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise and cut across into thin ribbons
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• 1 small fennel bulb, julienned
• 1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed and cut in half diagonally
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 tablespoons whole butter, small diced
• 1 small block of Parmesan Reggiano, for grating
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add the oil and sweat the onion for 2 minutes, stirring often, then add the garlic and the squash and saute for 1 minute.
Add the white wine to the pan and allow to reduce by half, then add the chicken stock.
Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid.
Simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the squash has become soft.
Remove the pan from the heat and puree the squash with the cooking liquid in a blender until smooth. If the puree is too thick, thin out with a little water.
Strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer, season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve.
While the squash is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Once the puree is made, add the pasta to the water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium heat.
Add the oil to the pan and sweat the onions and leek for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic and fennel to the pan and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
Add the snow peas and the wine and allow the wine to reduce by half, then add the sauce to the pan and mix well.
Strain the pasta into a colander set in the sink, then add the drained pasta to the pan of vegetables and sauce.
Add the butter and, using a pair of tongs, toss well to mix and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Using a two-pronged meat carving fork, swirl a quarter of the pasta onto the fork and mound the pasta onto the center of a warm pasta bowl in a spiral shape, then repeat with remaining pasta and bowls.
Spoon the remaining vegetables from the pan evenly over the pasta in the 4 serving bowls.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave some Parmesan onto each bowl of pasta and garnish with the fresh chives.
Orange and dark chocolate mousse
From: Chef Curtis Stone
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Zest of 2 oranges (grated with a fine rasp grater such as a Microplane)
• 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
DIRECTIONS
Place the yolks, orange juice and the sugar into a medium mixing bowl set over a small pot of simmering water.
Whisk continuously for 10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often until the liquid has become thick and tripled in size. It will look light and airy and have a foamy texture.
Remove the liquid from the heat and allow to cool to almost room temperature, whisking it every couple of minutes to keep the airiness in the liquid.
Whisk the cream in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, reserve.
Place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl set over the small pot of simmering water until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula to ensure the chocolate has melted evenly.
Once the chocolate has melted, add the remaining ½ cup of cream and mix well over the heat. Once incorporated, add the orange zest and mix well.
Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and allow to cool slightly, it should just be warm to the touch.
Slowly fold the chocolate into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula until it is completely incorporated. Slowly fold the orange and egg yolk mixture into the chocolate and cream until a uniform mixture is achieved. This will take a few minutes and at first the mixture will be a little loose, but once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated the mixture will be light and airy like a liquid mousse.
Gently spoon the mixture into 4 individual glasses or ramekins and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours.
Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepot and cook over medium heat, allow the syrup to simmer for 1 minute then add the orange zest to the mixture and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the orange zest is tender and the syrup has thickened slightly, then transfer the orange zest and syrup to a bowl set over ice to cool completely.
Once cool, remove the zest from the syrup and reserve. Syrup can be saved for another use such as sweetening iced tea, or discarded.
To serve, remove the parfait from the freezer. Place a small pinch of the candied orange zest over the top of each parfait and serve.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
22 February 2010
Springs New Ruffle Loose and Sophisticated: 4 Ways to Wear It
From Denny: The weather is starting to cooperate and turn a bit warmer, melting all that annoying snow here and there. Your mind turns to "maybe I can wear real clothes now instead of piling on the winter gear." The clothing trend this Spring is frilly! Not to worry, it isn't weird or too girly but all grown up and sophisticated is the fashion take designers took on ruffles this year.
Designers have been playing with fabric like your toddler does with toys and having great fun. The result of their creativity is the modern update for ruffles is that the ruffle is longer, looser, even twisted and turned, creating very relaxed and easy to wear styles. For the unexpected are those nonperfect puckers that come across as elegant. The beauty of this modern take on ruffles is their versatility so you can dress them up or down: to work or on the weekends with jeans.
4 Styles of Frilly this season
Fashion-forward frills
Normally, the traditional ruffle is so excessive in its flourish that it is not considered work appropriate. However, the new abstract take this season on the ruffle makes it wearable to the office. If you are in a conservative environment with menswear-inspired as the rule this year's ruffle can give you a bit of a feminine twist for your wardrobe.
This new take on ruffles are larger folds that lie flat but add depth and movement yet without feeling frilly. Asymmetrical layers like these ruffles help soften structured suits and skirts and carve out some curves in all the right places. Make sure to add a belt to tame that possible volume on cardigans and blouses.
Featured in the video: Ruffled wrap top, $49, Loehmann's; Tiered ruffle skirt, $89.90, Zara.com
Pretty and preppy
Sometimes, casual wear can look just too plain vanilla and uninspired. This season focus on smaller details and update some of your casual cotten and easy knits to give them some flair with visual interest. Those tiny elements of texture on a simple T-shirt or a menswear button-down shirt with a tuxedo-like ruffle trim can do the trick without resorting to accessories.
Even this season's accessories are getting into the act with ruffles, puckers and pleats! Remember to keep your total look in mind and moderate just how much you embrace any new trend. A few touches of a good thing often create more stylish impact than too much flourish. Leave the excess to when you come down to visit me in south Louisiana and we blow it out over at the New Orleans Mardi Gras! :)
Featured in the video: Cascading Rose T-shirt, $45; Jcrew.com, Slim fit white jeans, $59.90, Mango.com; Deux lux ruffle handbag, $68, Urbanoutfitters.com
Trendy tiers
Some of the harsher, edgy and sharply tailored looks like biker jackets, knee-length boots and studded handbags are getting ruffles this season. Even if you might normally wear a very sleek look, a few items from this season's offerings can give your wardrobe that fluid flowing benefit that only a soft item can provide.
These new long layers look easy and modern, pairing well with tough fabrics and sharp tailoring, making you more approachable. Who wants to scare off a possible great mate? :) The reverse is true of the sharply tailored looks: they help balance soft flowing lines, taming a billowy look. I'm a big fan of contrast to create balance in a wardrobe. It keeps things interesting and people asking, "Where did you get that?"
Featured in the video: AK Anne Klein Blouse, $29.99, TJMaxx.com; Faux leather blazer, $24.95, Hm.com
For children: Look 1 — Kiddo USA ruffle tank, $8, Tjmaxx.com; denim leggings, $18, Macys.com; Sneakers, $30, Zara.com; Look 2 — Scooter Brown T-shirt, $7, Tjmaxx.com; denim jacket, $37.50, sequin scarf, $10, Macys.com; ruffle skirt, $20, Zara.com; leggings, $9, Oldnavy.com; Skechers Twinkle Toes sneakers, $39.99, Jcpenney.com
Dressy and delicate
In the Fall season we embraced structured, architectural styles. Well, this Spring season we all need a breather, something more whimsical and a bit softer. Don't even allow your mind to go to the typed cast vision of ruffles: little girls in pink poufy party dresses. This season ruffles grew up: think more classic muted tones like blush, rose and palest blues. Sophisticated colors build a stage for those perfect subtle details to be a stand out.
Check out how layered ruffles from delicious fabrics like lace and chiffon weave this airy transparency. It's those raw edges that give these vintage-inpsired versions their modernity. Even a trench coat gets cascading edges or a wonderful wrap gifts drama to a very simple classic black dress for that special occasion.
Featured in this video: Ruffle dress, $129, Zara.com; Silk ruffle trench, $228, Anntaylor.com
Check out how there are four different ways to wear this season's new take on frilly from style editor Bobbie Thomas who is also author of The Buzz column for In Touch Weekly. Explore with her new ways to embrace this textured trend!
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
Designers have been playing with fabric like your toddler does with toys and having great fun. The result of their creativity is the modern update for ruffles is that the ruffle is longer, looser, even twisted and turned, creating very relaxed and easy to wear styles. For the unexpected are those nonperfect puckers that come across as elegant. The beauty of this modern take on ruffles is their versatility so you can dress them up or down: to work or on the weekends with jeans.
4 Styles of Frilly this season
Fashion-forward frills
Normally, the traditional ruffle is so excessive in its flourish that it is not considered work appropriate. However, the new abstract take this season on the ruffle makes it wearable to the office. If you are in a conservative environment with menswear-inspired as the rule this year's ruffle can give you a bit of a feminine twist for your wardrobe.
This new take on ruffles are larger folds that lie flat but add depth and movement yet without feeling frilly. Asymmetrical layers like these ruffles help soften structured suits and skirts and carve out some curves in all the right places. Make sure to add a belt to tame that possible volume on cardigans and blouses.
Featured in the video: Ruffled wrap top, $49, Loehmann's; Tiered ruffle skirt, $89.90, Zara.com
Pretty and preppy
Sometimes, casual wear can look just too plain vanilla and uninspired. This season focus on smaller details and update some of your casual cotten and easy knits to give them some flair with visual interest. Those tiny elements of texture on a simple T-shirt or a menswear button-down shirt with a tuxedo-like ruffle trim can do the trick without resorting to accessories.
Even this season's accessories are getting into the act with ruffles, puckers and pleats! Remember to keep your total look in mind and moderate just how much you embrace any new trend. A few touches of a good thing often create more stylish impact than too much flourish. Leave the excess to when you come down to visit me in south Louisiana and we blow it out over at the New Orleans Mardi Gras! :)
Featured in the video: Cascading Rose T-shirt, $45; Jcrew.com, Slim fit white jeans, $59.90, Mango.com; Deux lux ruffle handbag, $68, Urbanoutfitters.com
Trendy tiers
Some of the harsher, edgy and sharply tailored looks like biker jackets, knee-length boots and studded handbags are getting ruffles this season. Even if you might normally wear a very sleek look, a few items from this season's offerings can give your wardrobe that fluid flowing benefit that only a soft item can provide.
These new long layers look easy and modern, pairing well with tough fabrics and sharp tailoring, making you more approachable. Who wants to scare off a possible great mate? :) The reverse is true of the sharply tailored looks: they help balance soft flowing lines, taming a billowy look. I'm a big fan of contrast to create balance in a wardrobe. It keeps things interesting and people asking, "Where did you get that?"
Featured in the video: AK Anne Klein Blouse, $29.99, TJMaxx.com; Faux leather blazer, $24.95, Hm.com
For children: Look 1 — Kiddo USA ruffle tank, $8, Tjmaxx.com; denim leggings, $18, Macys.com; Sneakers, $30, Zara.com; Look 2 — Scooter Brown T-shirt, $7, Tjmaxx.com; denim jacket, $37.50, sequin scarf, $10, Macys.com; ruffle skirt, $20, Zara.com; leggings, $9, Oldnavy.com; Skechers Twinkle Toes sneakers, $39.99, Jcpenney.com
Dressy and delicate
In the Fall season we embraced structured, architectural styles. Well, this Spring season we all need a breather, something more whimsical and a bit softer. Don't even allow your mind to go to the typed cast vision of ruffles: little girls in pink poufy party dresses. This season ruffles grew up: think more classic muted tones like blush, rose and palest blues. Sophisticated colors build a stage for those perfect subtle details to be a stand out.
Check out how layered ruffles from delicious fabrics like lace and chiffon weave this airy transparency. It's those raw edges that give these vintage-inpsired versions their modernity. Even a trench coat gets cascading edges or a wonderful wrap gifts drama to a very simple classic black dress for that special occasion.
Featured in this video: Ruffle dress, $129, Zara.com; Silk ruffle trench, $228, Anntaylor.com
Check out how there are four different ways to wear this season's new take on frilly from style editor Bobbie Thomas who is also author of The Buzz column for In Touch Weekly. Explore with her new ways to embrace this textured trend!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
20 February 2010
42 Funny Cartoons: Olympics, Obama, Obstructionists, Obesity and You - 20 Feb 2010
From Denny: Lots of funny cartoons this week by cartoonists using the Olympic theme as a metaphor for politics and more. Plenty of grins!
Unfortunately, on this blog's template these very wide cartoons don't display well, cutting off about 20% on the right - often where the joke line is depicted. Since you don't want to miss out on all the fun from the best of this week's political humor from some of the best cartoonists in the world, I'm providing a link to those blogs with wider templates to view these cartoons properly.
Yeah, I know, why don't I just shrink them? Can't. You aren't allowed to change the original embed code. One of these days these guys will realize they need to offer two sizes for bloggers. Until then you can enjoy them over at The Social Poets every Saturday! :) (I do keep a regular link on this blog over to The Social Poets in case you forget.)
The Social Poets - 42 Funny Cartoons: Olympics, Obama, Obstructionists, Obesity and You - 20 Feb 2010
Additional blogs where the cartoons are featured for this week:
Dennys Funny Quotes
Visual Insights photo blog
Unusual 2 Tasty food blog
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd
Take a look at two of this week's offerings:
See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon
Obama meeting with the Dalai Lama enraged the control freak Chinese:
*************************************
42 Funny Cartoons: Olympics, Obama, Obstructionists, Obesity and You - 20 Feb 2010
Additional blogs where the cartoons are featured for this week:
Dennys Funny Quotes
Visual Insights photo blog
Unusual 2 Tasty food blog
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a huge shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
Unfortunately, on this blog's template these very wide cartoons don't display well, cutting off about 20% on the right - often where the joke line is depicted. Since you don't want to miss out on all the fun from the best of this week's political humor from some of the best cartoonists in the world, I'm providing a link to those blogs with wider templates to view these cartoons properly.
Yeah, I know, why don't I just shrink them? Can't. You aren't allowed to change the original embed code. One of these days these guys will realize they need to offer two sizes for bloggers. Until then you can enjoy them over at The Social Poets every Saturday! :) (I do keep a regular link on this blog over to The Social Poets in case you forget.)
The Social Poets - 42 Funny Cartoons: Olympics, Obama, Obstructionists, Obesity and You - 20 Feb 2010
Additional blogs where the cartoons are featured for this week:
Dennys Funny Quotes
Visual Insights photo blog
Unusual 2 Tasty food blog
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd
Take a look at two of this week's offerings:
See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon
Obama meeting with the Dalai Lama enraged the control freak Chinese:
*************************************
42 Funny Cartoons: Olympics, Obama, Obstructionists, Obesity and You - 20 Feb 2010
Additional blogs where the cartoons are featured for this week:
Dennys Funny Quotes
Visual Insights photo blog
Unusual 2 Tasty food blog
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a huge shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
19 February 2010
Happy Afterglow: 11 More Valentine Recipes
From Denny: Browsing through the Wilton recipe database was a blast this Valentine season! This blog is my way of bookmarking all the goodies I want to make any time of the year. Cupcakes are such an easy way to make cake you can freeze and pull out for single servings. There are a couple of cookie recipes, especially since I just had to include one of my all time French favorites: Chocolate Madeleines!
They are especially wonderful when dipped in yet more chocolate but you all were already doing that right along with me... Of course, if you really want to be decadent, feel free to dip it in your hot coffee. That is so popular here in south Louisiana and my husband loves it. You should see the look of sheer nirvana spread across his face when he dunks. Me? Well, I'm not much for crumbs in my coffee and I don't like my chocolate full blast flavor diluted with another flavor, even if it is wonderful Gevalia or Community New Orleans blend coffee. Guess I'm a prudish chocolate purist. :)
Anyway, since I found a regular treasure trove of Valentine recipes that are irresistible it was time to share with you all the goodies my chocolate research found so my fellow chocolate foodies can enjoy too!
Recipes Featured:
German Chocolate Cupcakes
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Chocolate Madeleines
Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Chocolate Cookies
Valentine Candy
Valentine Cookie Pops
Sweet Valentine Cupcakes
Won’t You Be Mine Cookies
Double Chocolate Pound Cake
German Chocolate Cupcakes
From Wilton: The mellow, nutty flavor of German Chocolate Cupcakes will have everyone asking you for the recipe!
Makes: About 24 standard cupcakes or 5 Mini Tasty-Fill cakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Tools:
Mini Tasty-Fill™ Cake Pan Set or
12 cup muffin pan
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
6 ounces German sweet chocolate melted
1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Easy Cream Filling
Ganache Glaze
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with baking cups. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well. Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add dry ingredients in thirds alternating with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.
Spoon into baking cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.
From Wilton: Any of our cupcake recipes may be prepared in our Mini Tasty-Fill pans. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, then fill each with about 1/2 cup batter. Place pans on cookie sheet and bake 14-16 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling grid for about 8 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before filling and icing.
Makes: About 2 cups filling
Easy Cream Filling
Ingredients:
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated or shaved semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
In medium bowl, gently fold coconut and chocolate into thawed whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Ganache Glaze
Ingredients:
1 pkg (14 ounces) Candy Melts®
1/2 cup whipping cream
Makes: About 2 1/4 cups
Directions:
Chop Candy Melts (you can use a food processor). Heat whipping cream in saucepan just to boiling point. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat, add chopped Candy Melts, stir until smooth and glossy. If mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm whipping cream. Place cake on cake board cut to fit; position on wire rack over drip pan. Pour glaze into center and work out toward edges. Note: Cake may be iced first in buttercream icing. Let icing set, then pour on ganache. If cake is one layer or perfectly smooth, buttercream icing is not needed.
Whipped Ganache: follow recipe above, using 1 cup whipping cream and making these changes: Allow mixture to set and cool to room temperature (it will have the consistency of pudding, this may take 1 to 2 hours.) Whip on high speed until light and soft peaks form.
Double Chocolate Pound Cake
From Wilton: What could be better? A cupcake that’s full-sized cake. How about it being chocolate with the addition of mini semisweet chocolate chips. You can make it your own with our Dimensions® Giant Cupcake Pan. A delicious creation in irresistible 3-D. Makes a party in an instant!
Makes: Cake serves 12
Tools:
Dimensions® Giant Cupcake Pan
Cooling Grid
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 cup water boiling
1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 sticks butter softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour or use pan spray with flour to prepare pan.
In small bowl, dissolve instant coffee in water; stir in cocoa powder and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla; mix well.
Combine cocoa mixture and sour cream. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.
Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon 4 1/2 cups batter into top of cupcake pan; spoon remaining batter into bottom of pan.
Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.
Turn cake onto wire rack to cool completely. To assemble cupcake ice top of cake's bottom half. Place top half of cake atop iced bottom half. Decorate as desired.
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
From Wilton: This is serious chocolate! Our boldly-flavored Dark Chocolate Cupcakes are for those who desire the richest chocolate experience. Pair them up with a deep fudge icing!
Makes: About 12 standard cupcakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
3/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon orange oil
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven 350°F, fill muffin pan with baking cups. In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, chocolate, vanilla, and orange oil, mixing after each addition. Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix just until blended. Fill each baking liner full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan. Cool completely before icing.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
From Wilton: As luxurious as they sound! Our Red Velvet Cupcakes combine cocoa, buttermilk and a dash of red color to create a bold beautiful dessert.
Makes: About 20 standard cupcakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Tools:
Standard muffin pan
Standard Baking Cups
Cooling Rack
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Red (no-taste) Icing Color
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with baking cups. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, icing color and vanilla extract; mix well until icing color is well incorporated (scraping down sides of bowl when necessary). Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture; add water and mix well. In small bowl, combine white vinegar and baking soda; gently stir into cupcake mixture. Spoon into baking cups. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.
From Wilton: Any of our cupcake recipes may be prepared in our Mini Tasty-Fill pans. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, then fill each with about 1/2 cup batter. Place pans on cookie sheet and bake 14-16 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling grid for about 8 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before filling and icing.
Chocolate Cookies
Roll and cut these Chocolate Cookies into seasonal shapes. From Valentine’s Day to Christmas, they’re sure to attract a lot of attention.
Source: 1996 Yearbook
Makes: Each cookie serves 1
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and cocoa, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If dough is too soft, add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Do not chill. Cut patterns, transfer dough pieces to ungreased cookie sheet with spatula. Bake 8-10 minutes, cool.
Another version of this cookie - the traditional vanilla cake but with a chocolate dip, photo by Yomi955 @ flickr
This is a favorite cake cookie at our house and so easy to make!
Chocolate Madeleines
Chocolate Madeleines recipe is perfect for those delicate, shell -shaped cookies. Line them up around the edge of a clear glass bowl, then fill the center with a light mousse or pudding for a French-influenced dessert.
Makes: About 2 dozen
Tools:
If you don't own a traditional French long flute shaped pan, then try a Mini Tulip Pan.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions:
Melt butter in microwaveable bowl. Skim off foam from surface; keep warm. In small bowl, combine cocoa powder with water; stir until dissolved. Add to butter; stir to blend. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray pan with vegetable pan spray with flour. In medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whip on high speed with electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla; stir to blend. Gradually stir in butter mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter into each cavity. Bake 13-14 minutes or until madeleines are firm to the touch. Remove pan from oven and immediately turn pan over onto cooling grid; gently tap to release madeleines.
Sweet Valentine Cupcakes
From: Wilton Enterprises
Makes: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red cake sparkles
Hearts mix sprinkles
Valentine cookie and cupcake stencil
Colorful hearts petite icing decorations
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cups and prepare cupcakes as directed on package.
2. Pour into prepared pan and bake 18 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
3. Remove cups from pan. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely.
To decorate: Use the star tip to cover cupcakes with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out the stars with a spatula. Place sparkles and sprinkles onto the cupcakes, using the stencil desired. Decorate the edges of the cupcakes with icing. Add sprinkles or petite icing decorations as desired.
Valentine Cookie Pops
Makes: 8 cookie pops
From: Wilton Enterprises
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbl. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Nonstick cooking spray
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red, pink and lavender sugars
Pink Color Mist food color spray
Directions:
1. I large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add egg; beat well. Add remaining dough ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate dough 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray inside of pan cavities with nonstick spray. Fill cavities with cookie dough to 1/8 -inch below top edge; insert sticks into dough, covering 2 inches of end.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Cool 5 minutes; gently loosen cookies with spatula, tip pan upside down to remove.
4. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool cookies completely before decorating.
To decorate: Using the star tip, cover cookies with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out icing stars with spatula. Sprinkle sugars onto icing or spray with Color Mist food spray. Decorate cookie edges with additional icing.
Valentine Candy
From: Wilton Enterprises
Ingredients:
Red Candy Melts
White Candy Melts
Pink Candy Melts
Light cocoa Candy Melts
Directions:
1. Melt Candy Melts according to package directions. Fill heart candy molds with melted candy; tap mold to remove any air bubbles.
2. If using the heart lollipop mold, position sticks in molds; rotate sticks to thoroughly cover with candy so they remain securely in place. Refrigerate until firm.
3. Carefully pop out candies. If desired, place candies in baking cups, then wrap in party bags.
To create a marbleized look, stir together two different colors of melted Candy Melts.
Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
From: Wilton Enterprises
Serves: 2
Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1 tbl. granulated sugar
1 tbl. butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
1 (12-oz.) jar cherry preserves
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbls. granulated sugar, divided
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup plus 3 tbls. sour cream, divided
Directions:
To make crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 4-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix all crust ingredients and press firmly into bottom of pan and 3/4 up sides of pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
To make the cake:
1. Remove 1/4 cup cherries from cherry preserves. If desired, coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. In large mixer bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg, vanilla and cornstarch until thoroughly mixed. Mix in melted chocolate and 1/4 cup sour cream.
4. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Place small pan of water on bottom oven rack and springform pan on a cookie sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheesecake does not jiggle in center.
5. Allow cheesecake to cool with oven turned off and door slightly ajar for 45 minutes. Cool on cooling rack or refrigerate at least 2 hours.
6. Combine remaining sour cream and granulated sugar. Spoon over top of cheesecake; add spoonful of cherry preserves.
Won’t You Be Mine Cookies
From: Wilton Enterprises
Makes: about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsps. baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red cake sprinkles
Hearts mix sprinkles
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extracts.
2. Combine flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be very stiff. If necessary, blend last flour in by hand (if dough becomes too stiff, add water, a teaspoon at a time). Do not chill dough.
3. Divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 -inch thick.
4. Dipping cutters into flour before each use, cut out cookies.
5. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 6 to 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack before decorating.
To decorate: Use the star tip to cover cookies with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out the icing stars with a spatula. Place sparkles and sprinkles onto the cookies, using the stencil, if desired. Decorate the edges of the cookies with additional icing. Add petite icing decorations, if desired.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers and readers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
chocolate recipes, easy recipes
cupcakes, Red Velvet Cake
cookies, baking
Wilton recipes, confections
german chocolate, cheesecake recipes
pound cake recipes
They are especially wonderful when dipped in yet more chocolate but you all were already doing that right along with me... Of course, if you really want to be decadent, feel free to dip it in your hot coffee. That is so popular here in south Louisiana and my husband loves it. You should see the look of sheer nirvana spread across his face when he dunks. Me? Well, I'm not much for crumbs in my coffee and I don't like my chocolate full blast flavor diluted with another flavor, even if it is wonderful Gevalia or Community New Orleans blend coffee. Guess I'm a prudish chocolate purist. :)
Anyway, since I found a regular treasure trove of Valentine recipes that are irresistible it was time to share with you all the goodies my chocolate research found so my fellow chocolate foodies can enjoy too!
Recipes Featured:
German Chocolate Cupcakes
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Chocolate Madeleines
Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Chocolate Cookies
Valentine Candy
Valentine Cookie Pops
Sweet Valentine Cupcakes
Won’t You Be Mine Cookies
Double Chocolate Pound Cake
German Chocolate Cupcakes
From Wilton: The mellow, nutty flavor of German Chocolate Cupcakes will have everyone asking you for the recipe!
Makes: About 24 standard cupcakes or 5 Mini Tasty-Fill cakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Tools:
Mini Tasty-Fill™ Cake Pan Set or
12 cup muffin pan
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
6 ounces German sweet chocolate melted
1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Easy Cream Filling
Ganache Glaze
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with baking cups. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well. Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add dry ingredients in thirds alternating with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.
Spoon into baking cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.
From Wilton: Any of our cupcake recipes may be prepared in our Mini Tasty-Fill pans. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, then fill each with about 1/2 cup batter. Place pans on cookie sheet and bake 14-16 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling grid for about 8 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before filling and icing.
Makes: About 2 cups filling
Easy Cream Filling
Ingredients:
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated or shaved semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
In medium bowl, gently fold coconut and chocolate into thawed whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Ganache Glaze
Ingredients:
1 pkg (14 ounces) Candy Melts®
1/2 cup whipping cream
Makes: About 2 1/4 cups
Directions:
Chop Candy Melts (you can use a food processor). Heat whipping cream in saucepan just to boiling point. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat, add chopped Candy Melts, stir until smooth and glossy. If mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm whipping cream. Place cake on cake board cut to fit; position on wire rack over drip pan. Pour glaze into center and work out toward edges. Note: Cake may be iced first in buttercream icing. Let icing set, then pour on ganache. If cake is one layer or perfectly smooth, buttercream icing is not needed.
Whipped Ganache: follow recipe above, using 1 cup whipping cream and making these changes: Allow mixture to set and cool to room temperature (it will have the consistency of pudding, this may take 1 to 2 hours.) Whip on high speed until light and soft peaks form.
Double Chocolate Pound Cake
From Wilton: What could be better? A cupcake that’s full-sized cake. How about it being chocolate with the addition of mini semisweet chocolate chips. You can make it your own with our Dimensions® Giant Cupcake Pan. A delicious creation in irresistible 3-D. Makes a party in an instant!
Makes: Cake serves 12
Tools:
Dimensions® Giant Cupcake Pan
Cooling Grid
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1/2 cup water boiling
1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 sticks butter softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour or use pan spray with flour to prepare pan.
In small bowl, dissolve instant coffee in water; stir in cocoa powder and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla; mix well.
Combine cocoa mixture and sour cream. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.
Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon 4 1/2 cups batter into top of cupcake pan; spoon remaining batter into bottom of pan.
Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.
Turn cake onto wire rack to cool completely. To assemble cupcake ice top of cake's bottom half. Place top half of cake atop iced bottom half. Decorate as desired.
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
From Wilton: This is serious chocolate! Our boldly-flavored Dark Chocolate Cupcakes are for those who desire the richest chocolate experience. Pair them up with a deep fudge icing!
Makes: About 12 standard cupcakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
3/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon orange oil
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven 350°F, fill muffin pan with baking cups. In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, chocolate, vanilla, and orange oil, mixing after each addition. Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix just until blended. Fill each baking liner full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan. Cool completely before icing.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
From Wilton: As luxurious as they sound! Our Red Velvet Cupcakes combine cocoa, buttermilk and a dash of red color to create a bold beautiful dessert.
Makes: About 20 standard cupcakes. Each cupcake serves 1.
Tools:
Standard muffin pan
Standard Baking Cups
Cooling Rack
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Red (no-taste) Icing Color
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with baking cups. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, icing color and vanilla extract; mix well until icing color is well incorporated (scraping down sides of bowl when necessary). Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture; add water and mix well. In small bowl, combine white vinegar and baking soda; gently stir into cupcake mixture. Spoon into baking cups. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.
From Wilton: Any of our cupcake recipes may be prepared in our Mini Tasty-Fill pans. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray, then fill each with about 1/2 cup batter. Place pans on cookie sheet and bake 14-16 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling grid for about 8 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely before filling and icing.
Chocolate Cookies
Roll and cut these Chocolate Cookies into seasonal shapes. From Valentine’s Day to Christmas, they’re sure to attract a lot of attention.
Source: 1996 Yearbook
Makes: Each cookie serves 1
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and cocoa, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If dough is too soft, add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Do not chill. Cut patterns, transfer dough pieces to ungreased cookie sheet with spatula. Bake 8-10 minutes, cool.
Another version of this cookie - the traditional vanilla cake but with a chocolate dip, photo by Yomi955 @ flickr
This is a favorite cake cookie at our house and so easy to make!
Chocolate Madeleines
Chocolate Madeleines recipe is perfect for those delicate, shell -shaped cookies. Line them up around the edge of a clear glass bowl, then fill the center with a light mousse or pudding for a French-influenced dessert.
Makes: About 2 dozen
Tools:
If you don't own a traditional French long flute shaped pan, then try a Mini Tulip Pan.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions:
Melt butter in microwaveable bowl. Skim off foam from surface; keep warm. In small bowl, combine cocoa powder with water; stir until dissolved. Add to butter; stir to blend. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray pan with vegetable pan spray with flour. In medium bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whip on high speed with electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla; stir to blend. Gradually stir in butter mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter into each cavity. Bake 13-14 minutes or until madeleines are firm to the touch. Remove pan from oven and immediately turn pan over onto cooling grid; gently tap to release madeleines.
Sweet Valentine Cupcakes
From: Wilton Enterprises
Makes: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red cake sparkles
Hearts mix sprinkles
Valentine cookie and cupcake stencil
Colorful hearts petite icing decorations
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cups and prepare cupcakes as directed on package.
2. Pour into prepared pan and bake 18 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
3. Remove cups from pan. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool cupcakes completely.
To decorate: Use the star tip to cover cupcakes with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out the stars with a spatula. Place sparkles and sprinkles onto the cupcakes, using the stencil desired. Decorate the edges of the cupcakes with icing. Add sprinkles or petite icing decorations as desired.
Valentine Cookie Pops
Makes: 8 cookie pops
From: Wilton Enterprises
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. baking powder
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbl. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Nonstick cooking spray
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red, pink and lavender sugars
Pink Color Mist food color spray
Directions:
1. I large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add egg; beat well. Add remaining dough ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate dough 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray inside of pan cavities with nonstick spray. Fill cavities with cookie dough to 1/8 -inch below top edge; insert sticks into dough, covering 2 inches of end.
3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Cool 5 minutes; gently loosen cookies with spatula, tip pan upside down to remove.
4. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool cookies completely before decorating.
To decorate: Using the star tip, cover cookies with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out icing stars with spatula. Sprinkle sugars onto icing or spray with Color Mist food spray. Decorate cookie edges with additional icing.
Valentine Candy
From: Wilton Enterprises
Ingredients:
Red Candy Melts
White Candy Melts
Pink Candy Melts
Light cocoa Candy Melts
Directions:
1. Melt Candy Melts according to package directions. Fill heart candy molds with melted candy; tap mold to remove any air bubbles.
2. If using the heart lollipop mold, position sticks in molds; rotate sticks to thoroughly cover with candy so they remain securely in place. Refrigerate until firm.
3. Carefully pop out candies. If desired, place candies in baking cups, then wrap in party bags.
To create a marbleized look, stir together two different colors of melted Candy Melts.
Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
From: Wilton Enterprises
Serves: 2
Crust:
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1 tbl. granulated sugar
1 tbl. butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
1 (12-oz.) jar cherry preserves
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbls. granulated sugar, divided
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup plus 3 tbls. sour cream, divided
Directions:
To make crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 4-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix all crust ingredients and press firmly into bottom of pan and 3/4 up sides of pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
To make the cake:
1. Remove 1/4 cup cherries from cherry preserves. If desired, coarsely chop. Set aside.
2. In large mixer bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg, vanilla and cornstarch until thoroughly mixed. Mix in melted chocolate and 1/4 cup sour cream.
4. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Place small pan of water on bottom oven rack and springform pan on a cookie sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheesecake does not jiggle in center.
5. Allow cheesecake to cool with oven turned off and door slightly ajar for 45 minutes. Cool on cooling rack or refrigerate at least 2 hours.
6. Combine remaining sour cream and granulated sugar. Spoon over top of cheesecake; add spoonful of cherry preserves.
Won’t You Be Mine Cookies
From: Wilton Enterprises
Makes: about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsps. baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
Red and white ready-to-decorate icing
Red cake sprinkles
Hearts mix sprinkles
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extracts.
2. Combine flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be very stiff. If necessary, blend last flour in by hand (if dough becomes too stiff, add water, a teaspoon at a time). Do not chill dough.
3. Divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 -inch thick.
4. Dipping cutters into flour before each use, cut out cookies.
5. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 6 to 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack before decorating.
To decorate: Use the star tip to cover cookies with icing stars. For a smooth look, smooth out the icing stars with a spatula. Place sparkles and sprinkles onto the cookies, using the stencil, if desired. Decorate the edges of the cookies with additional icing. Add petite icing decorations, if desired.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers and readers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
chocolate recipes, easy recipes
cupcakes, Red Velvet Cake
cookies, baking
Wilton recipes, confections
german chocolate, cheesecake recipes
pound cake recipes
18 February 2010
Pretty Chocolate Candy Recipes From Canadas Famous Purdys
From Denny: The way the Winter Olymipics are overshadowing news coverage the Canadians are finally getting their respect - long overdue on all fronts for this country of only 30 million. Today Purdy's Chocolate of Canada, one of Canada's most popular chocolate companies, shares how to craft your own handmade chocolates! This video was originally created for Valentine's Day but as far as all chocophiles are concerned: "Didn't you know that every day is Valentine's Day when it comes to chocolate!" :)
Peter Higgins, a scientist at Purdy’s Chocolate of Canada, shares his recipes for blueberry almond bar and hedgehogs. Purdy's signature chocolates are the Hedgehogs made with hazelnuts and Sweet Georgia Browns made with pecans. The company sells over two million chocolate candies a year.
In the hedgehog recipe they use dried blueberries that are farmed in the Vancouver area. Purdy's also uses Himalyan pink sea salt. Why? This area of the world contains the oldest known salt deposit and is considered the purest. Now you know why Purdy's is so famous and well loved in Canada: they use the finest ingredients!
These recipes have just a few quality ingredients and are a breeze to create, enjoy!
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Blueberry almond barFrom: Peter Higgins of Purdy's Chocolate
Makes: four 3-ounce chocolate bars
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup of 70% cocoa chocolate
• 4 ounces of roasted almonds
• 2 ounces of dried blueberries
DIRECTIONS
Melt the 70% chocolate slowly in a microwave oven until the chocolate is about 80% melted, leaving about 20% still solid. Melt the remaining chocolate by stirring the mixture until all solid chocolate has melted.
Add in blueberries and almonds. Mix until completely blended.
Pour mixture into chocolate bar molds, or on to wax paper (for bark) evenly and let dry at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 15 minutes.
HedgehogsFrom: Peter Higgins of Purdy's Chocolate
Makes: 33 mini hedgehogs
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate shell recipe
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate
Center recipe
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate
• 1/2 cup Belgium hazelnut puree
DIRECTIONS
To make the shell
Melt the milk chocolate slowly in a microwave oven until the chocolate is about 80% melted, leaving about 20% still solid.
Melt the remaining chocolate by stirring the mixture until all solid chocolate has melted.
Pour the melted chocolate into your mold (any mold shape will do, if you can't find hedgehog molds) just enough to cover the walls of the mold. Pour the excess chocolate out of the molds so you have a nice thin shell. Let the mold sit to dry.
Prepare the center
By mixing the melted milk chocolate and hazelnut puree.
Ensure both ingredients are at 85F or 15C. Blend the ingredients together.
With a piping bag, pipe the mixture into milk chocolate shells.
Using a spatula, spread the leftover milk chocolate on the mold, and smooth out any air bubbles. This will create the bottom of your hedgehog shell.
Let the mold dry at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 15 minutes.
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
17 February 2010
Check Out Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow Photos and Quotes
*** Mardi Gras and New Orleans is a quick tutorial in the Four D's: Debauchery, Decadence, Denial and Diets!
*** This is an excerpt from the full post over at my blog called The Social Poets. Be sure to check out the many great videos of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and more hilarious photos and great quotes: Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow - Cheeky Quote Day 17 Feb 2010
From Denny: New Orleans has a particular fondness for lampooning the politically incorrect taboo subjects of sexuality, religion and death. This year they went at it full tilt and certainly did not disappoint.
These tacky photos will definitely make you laugh out loud. If you suffer from sexual prudishness you probably don't read my blogs but just in case, look away. Actually, it's pretty tame - but tacky stuff, not good taste - which is what New Orleans Mardi Gras is all about.
Anyway, I was doing that "wondering thing" about how to follow up the big party blowout of Fat Tuesday the day after when the thrill is gone. Of course, the Christian Lenten season has officially begun, a time to think of dialing it back on the excess meter and tuning ourselves to more inner reflection.
What better bridge than to laugh at the Four D's to get folks over their embarrassments from Mardi Gras that even their grandchildren will never hear the tales? The Four D's are Debauchery, Decadence, Denial and Diets. Enjoy the funny quotes, laugh 'til you fall off your chair Mardi Gras photos and news videos about the festival!
To keep your game face on, remember there is hope for the perpetual party person because this is the progression:
Debauchery is what you climb out of to get up to the next level of Decadence. You know, it's called graduating college and leaving behind your partying ways. So, you enter the oh, so adult life of Decadence known as credit cards, mortgages, shiny new cars, deep in debt and a few children dotting the backyard suburban landscape.
Before you know it you are done with Decadence after a decade or so and step up into the new house of Denial. Denial is when you experience Empty Nest Syndrome, hoping those screaming kids you so wanted to leave a few years earlier decide to come home to roost and make the house interesting again. Denial is also about figuring you might one day actually get to afford to retire. In those hopes you begin the process of trimming down your debt as your employer trims down your salary.
Eventually, you wake up and figure out you have to leave it all behind and go on a Diet to purge yourself of so much happy excess in order to function in life. What do you do? You retire, picking out your favorite destination and then go on perpetual holiday in New Orleans to begin the partying life all over again. And that, my friends, is why they call it the fast track Life Cycle... Oh, where did all the time go? :)
Debauchery Quotes
* May you - Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no-one is watching, screw like its being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman. - Anonymous
* To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love. - George Santayana
Green makeup almost nude by Infrogmation @ flickr
* My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income. - Errol Flynn
Decadence Quotes
* Decadence Definition: America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. - Oscar Wilde
* Decadence is wonderful. - Jack L. Chalker
Mardi Gras feathers by Infrogmation @ flickr
* A decadent civilization compromises with its disease, cherishes the virus infecting it, loses its self-respect. - E. M. Cioran
Decadence Quotes
Unique grocery - I'll say! - photo by sfmission.com @ flickr
* I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it. - Garrison Keillor
Denial Quotes
Mardi Gras alien by Infrogmation @ flickr
* Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. - Mark Twain
Funny Diet Quotes
Gorilla and woman photo by sfmission.com @ flickr - Well, I'm on the gorilla diet of "eat all the bananas you want and it seems to be working for me... don't you think?"
* I've been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet. – Erma Bombeck
Some Serious Quotes about Denial to help us happily slide into the reflective mood of the new Lenten season:
* Evil, what is evil? There is only one evil, to deny life. – D. H. Lawrence
*** This is an excerpt from the full post over at my blog called The Social Poets. Be sure to check out the many great videos of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and more hilarious photos and great quotes: Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow - Cheeky Quote Day 17 Feb 2010
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!
funny Mardi Gras photos, Mardi Gras
funny Mardi Gras photography
New Orleans, French Quarter, Mardi Gras costumes, festivals, Fat Tuesday
The Social Poets, popular blogs, poetry blogs
debauchery quotes
funny diet quotes
funny, humor, political humor
cheeky quotes, funny quotes
denial quotes
*** This is an excerpt from the full post over at my blog called The Social Poets. Be sure to check out the many great videos of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and more hilarious photos and great quotes: Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow - Cheeky Quote Day 17 Feb 2010
From Denny: New Orleans has a particular fondness for lampooning the politically incorrect taboo subjects of sexuality, religion and death. This year they went at it full tilt and certainly did not disappoint.These tacky photos will definitely make you laugh out loud. If you suffer from sexual prudishness you probably don't read my blogs but just in case, look away. Actually, it's pretty tame - but tacky stuff, not good taste - which is what New Orleans Mardi Gras is all about.
Anyway, I was doing that "wondering thing" about how to follow up the big party blowout of Fat Tuesday the day after when the thrill is gone. Of course, the Christian Lenten season has officially begun, a time to think of dialing it back on the excess meter and tuning ourselves to more inner reflection.
What better bridge than to laugh at the Four D's to get folks over their embarrassments from Mardi Gras that even their grandchildren will never hear the tales? The Four D's are Debauchery, Decadence, Denial and Diets. Enjoy the funny quotes, laugh 'til you fall off your chair Mardi Gras photos and news videos about the festival!
To keep your game face on, remember there is hope for the perpetual party person because this is the progression:
Debauchery is what you climb out of to get up to the next level of Decadence. You know, it's called graduating college and leaving behind your partying ways. So, you enter the oh, so adult life of Decadence known as credit cards, mortgages, shiny new cars, deep in debt and a few children dotting the backyard suburban landscape.
Before you know it you are done with Decadence after a decade or so and step up into the new house of Denial. Denial is when you experience Empty Nest Syndrome, hoping those screaming kids you so wanted to leave a few years earlier decide to come home to roost and make the house interesting again. Denial is also about figuring you might one day actually get to afford to retire. In those hopes you begin the process of trimming down your debt as your employer trims down your salary.
Eventually, you wake up and figure out you have to leave it all behind and go on a Diet to purge yourself of so much happy excess in order to function in life. What do you do? You retire, picking out your favorite destination and then go on perpetual holiday in New Orleans to begin the partying life all over again. And that, my friends, is why they call it the fast track Life Cycle... Oh, where did all the time go? :)
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Debauchery Quotes
* May you - Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no-one is watching, screw like its being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman. - Anonymous
* To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love. - George Santayana
Green makeup almost nude by Infrogmation @ flickr
* My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income. - Errol Flynn
Decadence Quotes
* Decadence Definition: America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. - Oscar Wilde
* Decadence is wonderful. - Jack L. Chalker
Mardi Gras feathers by Infrogmation @ flickr
* A decadent civilization compromises with its disease, cherishes the virus infecting it, loses its self-respect. - E. M. Cioran
Decadence Quotes
Unique grocery - I'll say! - photo by sfmission.com @ flickr
* I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it. - Garrison Keillor
Denial Quotes
Mardi Gras alien by Infrogmation @ flickr
* Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. - Mark Twain
Funny Diet Quotes
Gorilla and woman photo by sfmission.com @ flickr - Well, I'm on the gorilla diet of "eat all the bananas you want and it seems to be working for me... don't you think?"
* I've been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet. – Erma Bombeck
Some Serious Quotes about Denial to help us happily slide into the reflective mood of the new Lenten season:
* Evil, what is evil? There is only one evil, to deny life. – D. H. Lawrence
*** This is an excerpt from the full post over at my blog called The Social Poets. Be sure to check out the many great videos of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and more hilarious photos and great quotes: Funny Fat Tuesday Afterglow - Cheeky Quote Day 17 Feb 2010
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!funny Mardi Gras photos, Mardi Gras
funny Mardi Gras photography
New Orleans, French Quarter, Mardi Gras costumes, festivals, Fat Tuesday
The Social Poets, popular blogs, poetry blogs
debauchery quotes
funny diet quotes
funny, humor, political humor
cheeky quotes, funny quotes
denial quotes
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