A Simple 1st Birthday!

So, the day has come and gone... and our little girl is now one!

Our plans for a big birthday celebration were brought to a hault with dilema after dilema, but we still managed to make her day special!!!

Happy 1st Birthday, my dear, Chloe girl!

I made the cake from scratch with this recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/355501/tender-lemon-cake

We are blessed to have you in our lives... I hope that one day you look back on these photos, and appreciate all the frilly ribbons of pink buttercream, that I made especially for my one, and only, princess!
We love you!

Thanks!

Sarah

Summer Veggie Primavera

I've recently been asked by a few friends if I'd ever used this new product that just came out in any of my cooking endeavors....Philadelphia Cooking Creme....made from the creators of the infamous cream cheese. Although not a product I'd use often because it's not the healthiest of options, I have cooked with it a time or two. It was a big hit each time with my family. We usually have a "pasta night" each week where I make the classic standby of spaghetti or penne with either meatballs or sausage. This week, I changed it up, and created Summer Veggie Primavera with Chicken using Philadelphia's Italian Cheese and Herb flavored Cooking Creme.

I used:

~1 lb Chicken Breast (optional)

~1/2 bushel of green onions (chopped)

~1 lrg zucchini (sliced and halved)

~2 small yellow squashed (sliced)

~6 oz of baby spinach

~1 head of broccoli (chopped)

~1 lrg red pepper (julienned)

~1 tub of Philadelphia Cooking Creme (Italian Cheese and Herb flavor)

~1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

First cook pasta al dente, drain, and set aside. Then slice or cube chicken breast and cook thoroughly in lightly oiled large saute pan. Next add all raw veggies and cook for 5 minutes (veggies should still be crisp). Add Cooking Creme and Stir together. Add cooked pasta and again stir until pasta is coated in creme sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread. Mmm, Mmmm, Good!! (Have to admit, I stole that line from Campbells. lol)

Soooooo easy....and the stove top won't be on for long in this summer heat!

Delicious....especially paired with a glass of Relax Riesling.

One of my fav summer wines.....and who wouldn't love a wine with the name "Relax" on it? Not me!

Relax Riesling

Germany/Mosel Valley

fruit and floral aromas of apples and pears

sweet and refreshingly crisp

Pairs well with light salads, poultry dishes, seafood, blue cheese, or on it's own!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

For the Love of Salad

As the temperatures climb, so do my cravings for light, crisp salads. I like making different salads to substitute for heavy meals and also for sides for picnics and BBQs. Here are two easy, yet delicious salads that I made the other night for a small gathering.

Salads don't have to always start with a green leafy lettuce as the base....why not mix up a few other healthy options and call it a "salad"?!?

                                                        Edamame Salad

I used:

~ 1 bag of frozen edamame

~ 1-15.25 oz can of corn
~ 2-15.5 oz cans of black beans
~ 1-8.5 oz can of julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes with herbs in olive oil (found in produce section near fresh tomatoes)
*can use all frozen or all canned or a combination. whatever you have on hand or is on sale*

Drain corn and black beans and mix with thawed edamame and sun-dried tomatoes (olive oil included).
Mix all ingredients together and add a few dashes of black pepper. Easy Peesy!!! And a perfect side for any summer meal.

                                        Summer Strawberry Salad

I use:

~  6 oz bag of baby spinach
~  About 8-10 good-sized strawberries (Great time of year to pick them yourself)
~ 1/2 of a softball sized red onion. Sliced.
~ either peppered or herb and garlic feta cheese (whatever is available at the time)

Top spinach with sliced strawberries and onions and sprinkle with feta cheese. I like to use a raspberry vinigrette like Newmans Own Light Raspberry and Walnut.....or something on the sweeter side. So light and yummy and great for a luncheon or brunch.

I love entertaining....and I've found that small little touches, like these little cards with the name of your recipe on them, are not only simple and easy to make (I ripped a small note card in half and folded each piece in half), but often become a conversation piece at any party or cookout.

              Happy Summer Entertaining!!!

                      Kirsten

Slaw Burgers and Smoky Corn-on-the-Cob

As soon as the weather starts getting warmer, I immediately want to uncover the grill....the nice, new, big, shiny silver grill we bought last summer and are sooooo excited to use whenever possible. THAT grill!! However, my family quickly grows tired of the good ol' American cookout of burgers and dogs and corn on the cob with butter......so I like to try to make it interesting and spice it up it bit from time to time.

I created this burger recipe to take the dull, boring burger out of our lives for good....or at least for the time being.

To Make Burgers You'll Need:

~a mix of 1 lb ground pork or beef and 1 lb ground turkey (I like to use the leanest to reduce the fat content)
~a big splash (or two) of worcestershire sauce
~1 egg
~a palm-full of garlic powder
~black pepper
~approx. 1/3 cup of shredded cheese (whatever kind you prefer)

Mix all ingredients together with fingers.....it's fun, try it! *Note: if too wet, add a little breadcrumbs to hold burgers together better*

I use my hands to "draw" lines through the raw meat mixture in order to make burgers of similar size.
When molding into burger rounds, push centers in so that the burgers cook more evenly on the grill or in a pan. I decided, since it was raining heavily outside today, to cook the burgers in a saute pan.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

For Burger Topper/Side Dish You'll Need:

~1 bag coleslaw mix

~3/4 cup of coleslaw dressing

~1/2 chopped small onion if desired

~salt and pepper to taste

To Make Smoky Corn-on-the-Cob You'll Need:

~enough ears of corn to feed your family ;)
~light mayonaise (instead of butter)

~chili powder
~fresh lime....1 or 2
~freshly grated parmasan cheese (not shaker parmasan)



I like to grill the corn on the grill when I'm cooking out to get that crisp, browned look. But this process can be time consuming because you have to tie the husks back and slow cook them because they burn quickly.
If you boil them as usual, and then follow the rest of the directions, they are JUST as yummy and are done in no time.
I chose to boil them since the weather wasn't allowing me to cookout like originally planned.
To pull the corn recipe together, you first spread a thin layer of mayonaise over cob, until melted. Next squeeze lime juice evenly over cob and sprinkle with chili powder. Lastly, spread shredded parmasen cheese on a plate and roll cob over cheese until coated evenly. It's an awesome flavor combination.

Top burger with cole slaw and some extra black pepper.....and add a pickle or two on the side. Add some personality to your cookouts....it's delish....ENJOY!!!


                         Kirsten

Italian Easter Bread

Easter bread is yet another tradition in mine and every Italian family. Many many varieties of Easter breads have been created depending on what part of Italy your ancestors have decended from and how the recipes have evolved through the generations.

The most popular of the varieties.....

where raw colored eggs are cooked right into the bread. Makes for a beautiful center piece...with a candle sometimes placed in the center of the larger of the round breads.

Then there's the more religious approach....

where dove or cross shaped spring-form pans or paper molds are used. This process usually has several steps and involves up to 18 hours of waiting for the dough to raise before baking. These breads are usually studded with candied fruits or almonds.

Some have a sweeter touch...

with a sweet glaze or icing and adorned with colored sprinkles or almonds.


Now I should probably get to my family's Easter bread recipe....which is different from all the rest!

You'll first need to cream together* 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter. Add 6 beaten eggs and mix well. Next add 6 cups of flour, 6 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 cup of milk, 2 1/2 tsp lemon extract and 1 1/2 tbsp of lemon rind.
*cream together means to blend together using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy

The mixture will look like this when all combined well. Form 2 egg shaped ovals on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Don't they kind of look like Easter eggs??!! Bake at 350 degrees for approx 30 minutes. Check with a cake tester or butter knife to see if the inside is done.

         I displayed my breads on an Easter Lily platter.

And then I enjoyed a piece with a cup of Tuscan Lemon Black tea and a good blog read.
Best served warm accompanied by your favorite tea or coffee.

               Happy Easter and Enjoy!!!

                      Kirsten

*some photos courtesy of Taste of Home, bon appetit, and The Italian Dish

Zeppieri's Ricotta Pie

When I think of my families Easter traditions, one thing comes to mind immediately.....Ricotta Pie! And if you are a true Italian, it's pronounced without the "a".....Ricot Pie.

In studying to get this recipe just right, like my family has made it for years, I discovered that, not only is their one traditional recipe, but there are 2 more. And those three recipes, all slightly different, have been made each year in a competition between my Grandmother and her 2 siblings. Since my Grandmother had passed away almost 13 years ago, my Aunt Nancy carried on the daunting task of making her version and competing with our Aunt Carol. I recall this competition......the bantering and cackling....the constant assessment of the pieces "missing" from each pie.....and the final count! Pure healthy family disfunction at its finest. What I did not know is that years ago, before I was old enough to remember, my Great Uncle Fred was in on this 3-way dual with his two sisters. That would be the 3rd version I was referring to earlier. Apparently my great uncle bowed out after years of winning and years of not hearing the end of it from his sisters. I have obtained this exact recipe (cue the evil laughter) and plan to rock the boat at this year's Easter brunch.....well, it'll be a little healthy competition and maybe the next generation can take back the Ricotta Pie crown!

Homemade Crust Recipe:

~3 cups flour

~3/4 cup sugar

~1 stick butter, melted

~3/4 tsp baking powder

~3/4 tsp vanilla

~3 eggs

*Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and baking powder). Make well in center. Add butter, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well with fingers. If too soft, add more flour. Make crust extra tall to hold a lot of filling!

Filling Recipe (the best part):

~2 lbs whole milk ricotta

~8 eggs

~1 cup whole milk

~3/4 cup sugar

~1/2 pint heavy cream

~1 tsp vanilla

*Combine all ingredients until smooth. Secret: do not over mix the filling or pie will be soggy.

Pour into 2 unbaked 9-inch shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 50 minutes.

Let cool and set before cutting and serving for about 30 minutes.

For my first ever attempt at making this recipe, it came out very yummy! I will be sharing with my neighbors as Easter is weeks away....but my daughters and I will be making this recipe again, and for many years to come, to continue my family's tradition. Enjoy!

                Kirsten

Peter Rabbit Muffins

Easter brunch is one of my favorite things about this holiday; the egghunt, Easter baskets, and delicious food are all to die for. This year I've decided to do a new twist on the same old breakfast muffins. I'll liven things up by baking Peter Rabbit muffins that will make any Easter bunny happy. We all know that the Easter bunny loves carrots, so why not incoporate this ingredient, as well as coconut, into our recipe!

Ingredients:                                                              

2 c sugar

1 c olive oil

3 eggs

3 c flour
2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 c shredded coconut

3 c shredded carrots

**Yield: 24 muffins**

Directions:

• Combine sugar, olive oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl.
• Combine dry ingredients. Add to wet mix.
• Add coconut and carrots to mixture.
• Pour mixture into cupcake holders or greased muffin pan.
• Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Directions for cream cheese frosting:

• Beat together 1/4 c cream cheese, 2 tbs softened butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 c sifted confectioners' sugar, and a dash of half and half, until fluffy.
• Frost the cooled muffins and chill until ready to serve.

As if I haven't said it enough, I love tradition, and this recipe will add a bit of that into our Easter morning. Originally a zucchini coconut bread recipe inherited from my mother-in-law, these Peter Rabbit muffins will make the whole family smitten.

**Learn how to make crepe paper carrots here**



Ashley