Pork Fried Rice
Growing up I was always a Lo-Mein kinda girl. So much so that when my parents would order Chinese, I would never even look at the menu (and pretty soon they just stopped asking me and just knew what to get me – Lo-Mein and …
Month: May 2011
Sweet 16 Candy Bouquet
What better gift for a Sweet 16 than a Sweet Bouquet!? We have all seen the beautiful edible arrangements that you can buy (or make those on your own too – I have done that too and actually featured one as my first post!). Although …
Fondant Fun for a Sweet 16
My baby sister turned 16!
Ok – lets back this up. She isn’t the youngest of the family AND she isn’t really my sister. Many moons ago I began doing theatre in my middle school. I instantly clicked with my directors, a husband & wife team (they may be regretting this today). My first show that I did with them was “A Christmas Carroll” and for some reason they thought it would be a good idea to let this 7th grader carry their 4 month old on stage as a poor beggar woman (yes, I have known her for 16 years since she was an infant). Luckily for that little baby, she cried before the curtain went up every night and I went onstage with just a basket (and ‘threw’ the crying child at my mom who was helping backstage). The next year one of my featured roles was walking around dressed as a maid with my [5-year-old?] “brother” dressed as Sandy the dog on a collar/leash (guess he actually listened to me at that point and that is how I got that part – hey, he listened to me, imagine that).
A few years later and that boy-dog is capturing hearts on stage being adorable & the crying baby is still shy but now wearing matching outfits as me during “Music Man” I always wanted a sister and being cast as Zaneeta with J as my little sister (I think she had an official name!?) gave me the opportunity to call this girl my sister.
Fast – forward another 11 years and we reach today where this beautiful young woman introduces me to her friends as her “big sister” and I have spent many-a-holiday and random event at their house.
They taught me many things over the years, including: you’re never fully dressed without a smile, a good night’s sleep is important, Irish accents are great fun, happiness is anything that’s loved by you, and that yes – there is hope! It is said that that the family you choose is just as important as the family you are related to – well those 6 people in that family that I chose are some of the most important people in my life and I wouldn’t imagine it any other way.
Wow – that was a long & sappy sidetrack, sorry!
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To decorate these I colored 1/2 the container of frosting bright pink and the other half a bright green (using a combo of colors from the Wilton 12 icing color pack). Then I did the same thing with the fondant (yay to playing with play-doh) and rolled it out (it should have been way thinner). Finally I just used my nice, small cookie-cutter to make a whole bunch of stars.
These may look really pretty (ok, really pretty for my first time – at least maybe give me that?) but the taste is just ‘eh’. I was not a fan of any of the “boxed” flavors and the fondant tastes like worn out bubble gum. I am usually a taste over looks kinda girl (you can’t just be a pretty face) so overall, I give these a thumb down… even though they did look nice on the dessert part of the table.
Talk about looking nice, why don’t we take a look at JoElle’s (first attempt too, might I add) fondant covered cake that she made. Somehow we created almost the same color fondant too! From now on, I am leaving major cake decorating to former classmate JoElle & I’ll stick to other things… great work lady!
p.s. bonus points if you can name the shows that I kinda-sorta-ish referred to in this post that I was in….
Cream of Asparagus Soup
This week I was craving some soup – so whipped up this Cream of Asparagus Soup. Putting some toasted garlic bread with fresh butter & parmesan on the side, we had a fresh, light, healthy, filling, quick, tasty dinner.
Chocolate Mug Cake
This is the make at home, do it yourself, whatever, whenever, whoever, version of those ‘instant’ cakes and they are just TOO GOOD! You are now just 10 minutes from warm Chocolate Cake
Lemon Poppy Muffins
It is now that time of year when the weather starts to turn warmer (in theory it should be at least), the days are get longer, we start thinking of shorts, tanks, & swim suits (yikes), and yearn for lighter spring flavors to go along with the lightless of our spring.
… These muffins fit the ‘light-spring-flavor-bill’ & have no butter: just heart-healthy olive oil!
I made these as the 2nd course of our Mothers Day Brunch (along with the Spinach Mushroom Frittata [previous post] and Chocolate Mousse Cups [post before that]) and the light flavor was awesome and perfect for a spring celebration. We found them our most favorite when cut in half, toasted, and toped with some butter.
p.s. No, I am NOT claiming these are “healthy” or “low-fat”… but they are a better alternative to your normal super-sweet muffins. Any advice on how to make these even more healthy so we have more reason to eat them?
Lemon Poppy (olive oil) Muffins
from Jennie’s Kitchen: makes 18
- 2 cups flour
- Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line one 12-cup muffin tin and one 6-cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. Whisk flour, lemon zest, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds in a bowl; set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, olive oil and lemon juice. Add flour mixture and pour in milk, stirring well with a wooden spoon to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 23 to 25 minutes, until edges are golden and center springs back when gently touched or your toothpick comes out clean.
These tasted awesome cut in half, toasted & topped with a small pat of butter!