Cheers!

I hope that every one had a very wonderful holiday and got to enjoy delicious foods and celebrate with friends and family. The holidays are special days that call for celebratory drinks and what better way to do that than with a champagne cocktail. Though this doesn't have a special name, this was a simple combination of pure pomegranate juice and champagne. Its bright red color was festive, but only had a hint of natural fruity sweetness so it was a bit tart. For a twist on this, add a splash of Grand Marnier to round out the flavors. This is a great option for New Year's Eve as well. Here's to the memories made and the special times you share with your loved ones! Cheers!

Macaron

'Tis the season for sweets galore, so why shouldn't the wine join the sweet party too? When you are doing desserts, typically the go to wines are the sweeter ones. Though there are the super sweet wine white and bubblies, there are a few sweet red wines. Macaron is definitely worth noting (and trying). As per my usual wine buying strategy, I bought this one because of the label. Let's just be real for a second...how can brightly colored cookies not catch your attention?! Well they sure caught mine, so I gave it a try. This was labeled as a semi-sweet red wine from Italy. It was a lighter red wine that had bold cherry and raspberry flavors with a shorter finish. This wine didn't have that tannic aftertaste that some red wines have. For those that shy away from sweet wines because they can sometimes taste like the sparkling grape juice you drank as a kid, this is not one of those. It was reasonably priced and worth a try. So cheers to trying something new!

Banana Saver

Pinterest is not only an inspirational website, but it is also chock full of helpful hints for everything from home remedies to beauty tips to cleaning solutions. I have found some of the do-it-yourself spa treatments to work well, so I decided to try out this kitchen trick. I am slightly picky about my bananas and don't like them to be too ripe. I used buy green bananas and put them in the frig. They ripened a bit more slowly, but the skins got a little crazy looking and then I heard that it was bad to put them in the frig, so I started leaving them on the counter. However, they would ripen at lightening speed and go bad before I could eat them. I saw on Pinterest that if you wrapped the stems in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil that it would make them last longer. I gave it a try and can definitely see a difference. The bananas ripened at a much slower speed and didn't get soft spots by the stems. This is a quick thing to do right after you get home from the store and will keep your bananas fresher for longer. If you have any other useful kitchen tips, feel free to share them!

Adult Cupcakes

Why I didn't think of the idea to put alcohol in cupcakes before is odd, but now that I know I will definitely be making cupcakes this way more often. For not being a bourbon drinker, it was odd that I wanted to make this recipe...or that I was so excited about it. Anyways, there is a cupcake place in town that did a Makers Mark cupcake that was so yummy. I decided that it was something I needed to try, but couldn't find a recipe. Good thing I found a recipe at the source - Markers Mark's website. This is somewhat like a spice cake, but has the subtle bourbon taste to it. It is almost like a carrot cake without the carrots and raisins. I do have to warn you that you need a flour sifter for this recipe though. This helps create an even consistency of the dry ingredients. Once you mix those together, you cream the butter and sugar, add in the eggs one at a time, and then the molasses. Next, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk into the batter. Here's where it gets little different from most recipes. Once you add in the Makers Mark, the batter will get runny and seem like it's separating. This is totally normal, so fill the cupcake liners as usual. These don't rise very much so you can fill them almost all the way to the top.

This recipe makes one dozen and only a dozen. For me, I usually end up with more than the recipe called for, but I got exactly 12. The recipe says 30-35 minutes at 350, but I put mine in for 25 minutes and the tops got a little darker than I would have liked. I would say keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time. While they are cooling, it's time to put together the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese and add in the butter. Mix until well combined and then add in the powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon. It says to refrigerate and them warm up before using. I didn't refrigerate mine and it was a little on the thin side. I think next time I will add in some more powdered sugar and refrigerate it to see if that helps. Despite a less than perfect icing, these were some of the most yummy cupcakes I have ever had. The cake was full of warmth from the spices and the cream cheese icing wasn't overly sweet. I can't say that I am a huge bourbon fan, but after these I will never turn it down when it is in a cupcake. Now, if I could just learn to drink it...So take it from me, even if you aren't a Makers Mark person, you need to give these cupcakes a try!

Candy Cane Oreo Balls

Alright, I confess that I haven't exactly been able to stick to the baking something new every day. I have however, made multiple batches of things that I have made thus far so I feel a little better about my plan. This time of year just gets busy and time flies by and I don't even know how it happens. So easy recipes that produce large quantities are always helpful and Oreo balls do just that. What are Oreo balls?...crushed up Oreos mixed with cream cheese and dipped in chocolate. The are really fun to make and simple. They do take a little bit of time to make because of the freezing and melting processes, but it's definitely not technically challenging. Besides who doesn't love getting to crush things? I decided to be festive and use the Candy Cane Joe Joe's (from Trader Joe's of course) instead of plain Oreos. I didn't have a rolling pin, so I used a pan to crush all the cookies. Be careful when you are doing this so you don't pop the bag. I did find that that the pan didn't get them as crushed up as I would have liked (although it could have been user error), but it had to suffice.  

Once you get the cookies to the consistency of your like mix in a melted block of cream cheese. Then with a melon baller (cookie scoop or spoon), scoop out the balls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. I think that the cookie scoop would have been easier to use, but mine was a little too big for this occasion. Pop them into the freezer for 30 minutes and right before you pull them out start melting the chocolate to dip them in. This is how I would suggest doing the next part. I didn't do it this way and had some issues. These tend to "melt" quickly, so I would take a few out at a time to dip. The recipe said to use a fork, but this didn't work for me. I decided to use the best tools I had - my hands. I dropped them in the chocolate made sure they were covered and put them back on the tray. The warm chocolate makes them start to loose their shape, so you have to do this quickly. In the end mine didn't really turn out to be perfect balls, but they tasted delicious so I guess that's what matters most. This is a great way to let your little ones help you in the kitchen and I can guarantee that these will be a definite crowd pleaser! They are chocolately cookie heaven and will have you eating more than just one.

Wine Shakes

As I was reading the Houston Tidbits update email, there was a blurb tucked in the bottom corner that caught my eye. The Counter was advertising their seasonal wine shakes. Yes, you read that correctly...wine shakes. I am all for trying new things and who would turn down a free sample of anything. So I grabbed a friend and headed over to The Counter for lunch. The Counter is  more upscale your own burger place, with tons of toppings and cheeses for all kinds of burgers, and super yummy parmesan garlic fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings.

The samples of the wine shakes came in these cute little glasses and were topped with a dallop of whipped cream. The first one we tried was a cherry Pinot Noir shake. It had a subtle cherry hint and wasn't overly sweet. You could definitely taste the wine, but it wasn't overpowering. It was surprisingly delicious and definitely made me reconsider how versatile wine could be. The second one was a sweet peach Reisling shake. The wine was much subtler in this one, where you caught the wine note at the very end. It was fruity and light, though the wine wasn't as prominent. I can say now that I am definitely a fan of the wine shake and will have to work on finding out how to recreate them at home. These shakes are only here today, so stop by and try it before they're gone.

Spicing it Up

I get especially inspired around the holidays to be in the kitchen. However, I have begun to run into several problems. Somehow I am always short on baking sheets or bowls, there never seem to be enough storage containers, and I end up with way too many leftovers. That doesn't stop me!...Especially since I committed to try and make something new everything. So what do you? Enter the gift basket. I know that can be a bit cliche, but they can be really great. I personally like when there is a bit of everything. This is a great way to be able to try all the recipes you want, but not have oodles of leftovers. Things like cookies, brownies, hot cocoa, cheese, crackers, nuts (like almonds), and if they are of age a bottle of wine or their favorite liquor are perfect Last year, I tried these spicy, baked crackers and they were so addicting! The crushed red pepper gives them a kick but the neutral cracker balances it out. So while on Pinterest (go figure), I found a recipe for these crackers and was so excited. 

This is another quick snack recipe that can be done in minutes and is the perfect basket filler. You need saltines, canola oil, a ranch dressing packet, and crushed red pepper. The proportions of the recipe are kind of based on how big the bowl is. I used two sleeves of crackers, half the ranch packet, 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red pepper, and 1 1/8 cups of canola oil. It was a bit to much in the bowl, so I would probably do one thing of crackers at a time. All you do is combine everything in the bowl, let sit for 5-10 minutes, and bake at 250 for 15 minutes. You do have to stir everything part way through to make sure nothing is getting burnt. If it ends up like mine where the baking sheet is way to full the mixing is even more important to make sure nothing stays hidden. It is one of the easiest things to make, but is so yummy! Mine were a bit spicy, but you can control the heat with how much red pepper you add. Once you make them, they will be gone before you know it, so make more than you anticipate.

Almonds to the Rescue

It's that time of year when company stops by unexpectedly and having quick little gifts is a necessity. Instead of the usual sweet treats, opt for a salty (and healthier) option that is beyond simple to make and very comforting. A Pinterest session had me stumble on this recipe for herbed almonds. I know that the "go to" this season is sweets, but I think that people really appreciate something different. Don't get me wrong... I am most definitely not encouraging that the sweets get shunned, I am giving people a feasible option. All it is is blanched almonds, olive oil, fresh thyme, salt and pepper. A blanched almond is just an almond without the skin on it. You can buy blanched almonds at the store or make your own by quickly soaking them and using a towel to rub the skin off. The best thing about this recipe is that you can play with it and make your own combinations. The earthy aroma that the almonds have makes it seem like you have been slaving away for hours, but all you need to do it heat up the olive oil, put in the almonds, toss with the thyme, salt and pepper, and cool on a baking sheet. It takes no time at all, but it is an easy way to make them a little more sophisticated. I know that I am definitely excited to make a slightly different batch, maybe using rosemary. Plus, this is a healthy, filling, quick, and yummy snack or easy gift to throw together. It is also a great snack to have out when company is over. So run by the store and grab some blanched almonds and make a batch...you will be pleasantly surprised.

Houston Zoo Lights

Looking at Christmas lights is always fun, but it's even better when you get to do it at the Houston Zoo. Zoo lights is a Christmas light display at the zoo. Not only do you get to see the lights, but you also get to experience the zoo at night. Though it wasn't all that chilly outside, it was still fun to walk around, enjoy the lights, and pretend we were in a winter wonderland. In addition, there was live caroling and hot chocolate. The other cool part about Zoo Lights is the opportunity to see the animals at night and boy were some of them active. The elephants and giraffes were posing for the cameras and the tiger was on the prowl. It was neat getting to see the fun light displays and the animals. If you are looking for a new way to entertain the kids or something fun to do, be sure to stop by Zoo Lights.

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Whenever I go into Whole Foods, I love walking down the frozen food aisle because you never know what you will find. This time I stumbled on some frozen gnocchi alla Sorrentina (also known as gnocchi in a marina sauce with mozzarella). Gnocchi is like a pasta pillow and is not all that common. It has somewhat of a potatoey taste to it, which I know sounds really odd. This one from Whole Foods was perfect because you could make it in the microwave. The marina sauce had a good flavor to it and even though it was frozen, there was a bit of freshness to it. Like most frozen pasta dishes, the mozzarella was a little scarce and seemed to end up on the side of the container. It would be nice if they would have added a bit more, but you can always add in your own. Pair this with a salad and you have a simple and easy, but flavor dinner. This is a great way to mix up the usual pasta night and have something a little unusual. And who doesn't love a meal that you can throw together in minutes. So pick up a package the next time you find yourself on the frozen food aisle in Whole Foods.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love when people send me recipes so that I can try something new and to find out what people think I would make. I recently got a recipe from a friend for cream cheese chocolate chip cookies from Bake or Break. I know for sure that I have not made a cookie with cream cheese before and haven't really run across that many either. I found this to be a very simple recipe, but it made a super yummy and slightly unique cookie. The process is simple: mix together flour, salt, and baking powder. Using a mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, white and brown sugar. Add two eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture and finish by stirring in the chocolate chips. The batter is much thicker than a usual batter, so don't be alarmed. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes (mine took 11 minutes). These do not get brown like a regular chocolate chip, so be careful not to overbake them. Cool them on the pan on a wire rack.  These cookies are light and fluffy, don't crumble, and slightly addicting! They are some of the best chocolate chip cookies I have had and it has definitely made my go to cookie list. I am so glad I got to try something new and appreciate the tip :) These are perfect for a cookie exchange or for a quick gift. Whip up a batch and enjoy!

Nutella Cookies

So I know that I am a few days late on this, but don't worry I will try to play catch up over the weekend to get back on track. This month I have challenged myself to make one new treat everyday. I know a lofty goal, but hey why not end 2012 with a bang. Since my refrigerator and pantry aren't exactly stocked correctly for a month long baking project, I headed over to Supercook to see what I could make with what I had on hand. I found a recipe for Nutella cookies from Food Network and was ready to go. I am a huge Nutella fan and having it sit around is dangerous because it's so yummy. I have never used it in a recipe and figured this was a perfect time to try it. It was a super simple recipe that used only powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, flour, and Nutella. You are off by mixing the powdered sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then mix in the vanilla, gradually add in the flour, and finally beat in the Nutella. Some of the reviews said that it didn't have enough of a Nutella flavor, so I added more because you can never have enough, right?!

I will warn you that the batter does not look like normal cookie dough. Scoop out the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, only putting each because they spread out. However, I only had two baking sheets so I put more than 12 on each (I'm such a baking rebel!) Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, unless your oven is like mine and bakes super quickly. They will have an almost fudgy like texture, so don't worry if they don't look crunchy. Let them cool 5 minutes before cooling them completely on a wire rack. After they are completely cooled, you get to "roll" them in powdered sugar. Since they are somewhat flat, I am not entirely sure how that works, so I ended up just dipping the tops of the cookies. They were fudgy, melted in your mouth, and definitely had that Nutella taste to them. It was also suggested to add in some nuts, which might have been a good choice to add some texture. This is a great (and quick) recipe for those times you just need to whip up a batch of cookies.

Christmas Garland

Last year I found this adorable light and ribbon garland on Pinterest that I made. It's super simple to make, but it does take some time. All you do is take a strand of lights and tie leftover ribbon or tulle on it. I didn't have that much leftover ribbon, so I just bought additional ribbon that coordinated with what I already had. I chose not to go the super traditional route and incorporated some fun color and patterned ribbon. This year while on Pinterest, I started seeing that "Merry Christmas" banners and thought it would look really cute with the light and ribbon garland I had. I decided to challenge myself and only make it with things that I had on hand. I started out with a gift tag template and traced it onto construction paper. Each tag was a letter and since I had different colored ribbon on the garland, I used all the colors. This is a great way to use up any leftover supplies since the tags are pretty small and each one is different. After I did one for each letter, I used mini clothes pins to hang them on a string in the light and ribbon garland. The best part about this is that you can make it your own and make it as simple or ornate as you want. I kept mine on the simple side because my garland was so colorful. I know it may seem overwhelming to start from scratch, but there are tons of ideas on Pinterest and once your creative juices get flowing, it will be a breeze!

Magical Maggiano's Meal

Maggiano's is one of my favorite Italian restaurants and was so excited to hear that the butternut squash ravioli was back. In celebration of girls' night out, we went to check it out. We started off with a goat cheese, roasted pear, and arugula bruschetta. It was an interesting combination of spice from the arugula, sweetness from the pear, creaminess from the goat cheese and the crunch from the bread created a well balanced bite. It was a great way to showcase yummy fall flavors.

I always look forward to seasonal offerings, so it was a no brainer for me to try the butternut squash ravioli. I am not usually a squash person, but I do like butternut squash. It may be because it is slightly sweet or that everything tastes better topped with butter and sugar. These were topped with a light sauce and the filling had hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The sauce was a cross between a red sauce and a cream sauce that completed the somewhat delicate flavors in the ravioli.

To finish off this perfect fall meal, I sampled the pumpkin pecan praline cheesecake. You didn't get just a slice, you got your own mini cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar and sugared pecan pieces. This was a super rich cheesecake that had a nice pumpkin flavor. The addition of the pecan added crunch and depth to the flavor. This was not just another piece of pumpkin cheesecake. Maggiano's always impresses me with the quality and creativity of their dishes. This was a meal that just screamed fall comfort. Though this special offering is no longer available, I will try to patiently wait until next year when it comes back.

Turtle Cheesecake

I am usually fairly good at taking baking risks, but for some reason I have always been a bit intimidated by the cheesecake. Maybe it's because I have had many a pieces of cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory and didn't want to disappoint myself, but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest for turtle cheesecake I couldn't pass it up. So I set off to find a spring form pan to make my cheesecake. Looking at the recipe, I found that there weren't any crazy ingredients and the process seemed fairly straightforward. Feeling a bit more confident, I started. This was a chocolate swirl cheesecake on a graham cracker crust. It called for chocolate graham cracker crumbs, but I could only find the plain ones and didn't feel like making my own. 

To make the crust, combine the butter and graham cracker crumbs. Then press it into the pan and part way up the side. To make the filling, start by mixing the sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese together. Add in sugar, lime, eggs, and vanilla. Then start the process of melting the chocolate chips in the microwave. This is a slow process because you don't want to burn the chocolate and if you microwave it too much it starts to harden. Once the chocolate is melted, you scoop out about half of the cheesecake mixture and mix it in the chocolate. Alternate between the plain and chocolate filling, starting and ending with the plain filling. Take the spatula and even out the filling before baking at 300. The trickiest part of making the cheesecake is the baking time. You don't want it to be underdone, but you don't want it to be over done it.

The recipe calls for a bake time of 1 hour and 15 minutes, but mine ended up being in for almost about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I found it hard to determine when the center moved just slightly, so I probably baked my for longer than was necessary. Allow it to cool completely, before drizzling on the caramel and chocolate and then topping with pecans and chocolate chips. In the end, I was fairly pleased with my cheesecake. I was very proud of myself for taking on the challenge and managing to produce something that was pretty decent. Don't be afraid to try something new! Chances are it isn't as hard as you think it is and you very well may surprise yourself. If something goes wrong, just realize you learned what not to do. Knowing that my first attempt wasn't a complete disaster has made me excited to make another one.