On the Menu Monday!

I realized I haven't eaten a home-cooked meal in over a week! No wonder I'm exhausted and feeling run down. Living on hospital cafeteria and restaurant food is not the best option, but sometimes we just have no choice. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE to eat out! Just not everyday for over a week.

Since I am back home and finally have some down-time, I decided to purge a bunch of magazines (pulling out what I liked and recycling the rest). I found some great tips and inspiration, along with some yummy-sounding recipes I'm excited to try out.

Here's some of what I found:

~ Added to my Book Wish List: Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan. It is a story of her love of pastries and Paris complete with whimsical drawings and yummy recipes I can't wait to try. She also has a blog....check it out.

~ Precious/Sorrento Cheese is offering a FREE 46-page downloadable pasta cookbook.

~ Rachael Ray Magazine and On-Cor announced a contest to win a NYC Rachael Ray Show Getaway Package! Enter here.....Good luck!

~ Have you noticed how mini-desserts are all the rave now? These shot glasses of decadence somehow make us feel less guilty because of their tiny size. As if calories only count on full size servings. Or maybe it's so we can have a sampling of more than one flavor? I'm not sure, but I agree....I love them! Move over Cheesecake Factory and PF Changs, I may just serve up my own mini- dessert bar at my next gathering!

Pier 1 Imports offers up a wonderful guide to hosting Tasting parties.  their website is packed with great ideas and recipes. Here is one that I am anxious to test out:

Serve in 12 mini shot glasses.

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp sugar

8-oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp milk

4 oz baking chocolate or chocolate chips

8-oz whipped topping

chocolate shavings or wafers for garnish

• Melt butter in microwave bowl, add cracker crumbs and sugar, mix thoroughly. Place about a teaspoon of mixture in the bottom of each glass. Press down.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and vanilla until fluffy.
• In smaller microwavable mixing bowl, melt together milk and chocolate until melted and creamy. Add to cream cheese mixture, mix thoroughly. gently fold in whipped topping.
• Fill each glass to the top with chocolate mousse. Garnish with a dollop of whipped topping and chocolate shavings or wafers.

Enjoy the "little" things in life!

-dw.

Perfect Brownies.....Who Can Resist?!!

When it comes to chocolate I have some serious weaknesses. One of my favorite chocolate indulgences are Brownies! Who doesn't love a perfectly baked, warm-from-the-oven, fudgy piece of heaven?!

After trying a brownie baked in my dear friend's new brownie pan - the kind that makes each brownie look as if it was baked individually - I was hooked! I have all too much experience with ragged-edged brownies that taste wonderful but look a bit scrappy by the time I get them cut and on to a serving plate. I need what this type of pan can offer...."individual" brownies that look as fabulous as they taste.

Well, as luck would have it, I was perusing Kohl's the other day (gift card burning in my wallet) when I spotted The Perfect Brownie Pan Kit nestled low on a clearance shelf. I wasn't sure this was the same pan as my friend had used, but the concept seemed to be the same. For only $9.99 I was willing to take a chance and try it out.

Using a box mix (the only way to go in my opinion), I decided to put the pan to the test. It was so easy and the results were amazing! I LOVE having the brownies cut and ready to serve without the crumbly mess that used to be seemingly unavoidable. The nonstick pan didn't require a grease/flour prep like my glass pan and the clean up was effortless!

I give this pan a giant thumps UP!

If you want to find the clearance deal at Kohl's....act quickly! I noticed it was already removed from their website. There are other online sellers if you can't find it at your Kohl's; the best deal being found at perfectbrownietv.com for the price of $19.95 for two pans (one for you, one for a gift) plus $8.95 shipping and handling.

enjoy the chocolatey goodness of fresh-baked brownies!

-dw.

Takin' a bit of southern goodness home with me...

I LOVE Cracker Barrel restaurants! The problem is the "closest" one to me is in Boise, Idaho (which isn't at all close to where I live or travel to). Soooo, I decided to do a little digging and see if I could re-create some Cracker Barrel goodness after I return home from my southern vacation.

Jackpot! I found some copycat recipes at Recipe Lion!

While waiting in the gift store last weekend I spotted jars of their Fried Apples. They looked delish!!! I wanted to try them out at dessert time....but after eating dinner, I just didn't have room. I'm planning to indulge tomorrow night when I make my last (sniffle, sniffle) visit before heading back home.

They sell them online too, so if when I become addicted I can always have them delivered. Although shipping takes time...I may need to cook my own! If you want to start enjoying these asap as well, here is the copycat recipe compliments of Recipe Lion! Yea!

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Fried Apples
Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients

6 large tart green Granny Smith apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, melt bacon drippings.
*Bacon drippings adds a crisp flavor to this copycat fried apple recipe.
2. Pour apples evenly into the skillet. Sprinkle with lemon juice, brown sugar and salt.
3. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, until apples are tender and juicy.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

enjoy re-creating what you love in your own kitchen!
-dw.

Firecracker Seafood Marinade

We tried another new recipe from my collection....this time a marinade for salmon fillets.

I prefer my salmon simply barbequed with lemon, onion, garlic and mayo, but this was a nice variance from the everyday usual. While the recipe says to marinate for 4 hours (which I did for the salmon) I decided to add a pop of flavor to my jumbo prawns as well by giving them a "quick" coating before I sauteed them and they were delicious too.

Firecracker Salmon Marinade:

4 ounces salmon fillets
1/2 cup peanut oil
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame seed oil

1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp green onions (substituted 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes)
2 cloves garlic, minced (substituted 2 tsp fresh chopped garlic)
2 tsp crushed red pepper (we used 3 tsp - we like extra heat)

Add all ingredients together in flat baking dish, add fish, and marinate for at least 4 hours.

Our score: 8

enjoying new approaches to family favorites.
-dw.