Chocolate covered Raspberries

One of my favorite memories is the summer vacations my family would spend in Bear Lake (an amazing crystal blue lake that lays across the boarder of Utah and Idaho). We'd go with my whole extended family to our grandparents condo and spend the days playing in the lake and eating good food. One of the best things about Bear Lake was their amazing raspberries. We couldn't go without getting baskets of raspberries, famous raspberry shakes, and the best chocolate covered raspberries! In my mind a chocolate dipped raspberry is a thousand times better than a chocolate dipped strawberry. You can pop the whole thing in your mouth at once and its juicy and sweet - and you won't be able to stop eating them! So with these happy memories in mind and Valentines Day coming up, I thought this would be the perfect treat to celebrate the holiday, and its so easy. I don't even know if you can call this one a recipe, but all I know is that they're delicious!

Alright, so these are so easy to make and can be ready in no time at all. They are perfect for Valentines gifts for family, just pop a few in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon and you're done. 

What you need: 

•  6 oz. chopped Chocolate (semi-sweet or milk).  Bear Lake always had milk, I did these with semi-sweet. I like them both ways!
•  1 pint Raspberries 
• Optional: white chocolate for drizzling or sprinkles for decorating. I just like them plain and simple.

The rest is really easy. 

1. Melt your chocolate. Now this is probably the most technical part, since technically the chocolate needs to be tempered to maintain its pretty sheen. I use a really easy method that hasn't failed me yet. I learned this from Ina Garten, but lets be honest, that is where most all my food knowledge originates from! 

2. Here's what you do. Put 4 of the 6 oz. of chocolate in the microwave and cook it in 30 second intervals until almost melted. It usually just takes me 2 intervals, for a total of 60 seconds. Then, add the last 2 oz. of chopped chocolate into the already melted chocolate and stir till everything is completely melted and combined. This ensures that the chocolate doesn't get too hot and end up drying with that ugly dusty grey color. This microwave method hasn't let me down yet!

3. Now, the raspberries. Wash them and make sure they are completely dry. I like to sometimes get organic raspberries so I don't have to worry about washing them as much, because you want the raspberries nice and dry so the chocolate will stick.

4. Now, for the dipping. I dip with a fork so I can lift the raspberry up and the chocolate can drain off. Then I set them on parchment paper to dry and just keep dipping. They dry really fast and are ready to eat in no time! 

5. Storing. They will keep for a few hours just sitting out, or a couple days in the fridge....(but, I doubt they'll last that long!!)

Building A Cheeseboard

Around the holidays we are always making cheese boards at our house. They require almost no prep or cooking, and they are so yummy. I could just snack on a cheese board for dinner and be happy. Today I thought I'd give you all some tips on how I like to put together my cheeseboards. Last year I posted a picture of a cheeseboard I made on Instagram and it was by far my most liked photo of the whole year. So, I figured why not do a blog post dedicated to cheese. Is there a more perfect way to end the year than with a board of cheese? I don't think so.

So, to start there are a few general rules of thumb that will always keep you on the right track. 

First, the cheese. You want a good assortment of different types of cheese, but not too many options. I usually go for the rule of 3. One soft mild cheese, One hard cheese, and then a blue cheese or goat cheese. 

Soft Cheese Options: Brie or Camembert are what I almost always choose for my soft cheese.They are well liked and almost always a hit with everyone.

Hard Cheese Options: White Cheddar, Pecorino Ramono, or Parmesan. All are good, but I usually go with a sharp white cheddar because it's one of my favorite flavors ever.

Blue Cheese or Goat Cheese: For this last cheese, I usually just pick what looks good or exciting - for me, this third cheese is the time to try something new. If you want something classic you can always go for a good Roquefort or Stilton blue cheese.

After I pick the cheese its time for the jams and jellies!! I always have at least 1 type of jam with a pot of honey, or maybe two jams if I feel like it. Almost always I like to have a sweet pepper jelly because those are my favorite to eat. Trader Joes has a great pepper jelly and you can find pretty decent ones at most grocery stores. Below I list a few of my other favorite options.

Basil Pesto (great for a summer cheese board with fruit and fresh mozzarella)

Fig Jam 

Orange marmalade 

Olive Spread or Tapenade 

Quince Paste or Jelly (really good with hard cheese and crusty bread)

Sour Cherry Jam (yummy with pungent soft cheeses, to give it a nice sweetness)

Really, the options are endless, just try to find something with different notes of flavor that will enhance the taste of your cheese.

So now we have our main players. The real stars of the cheeseboard are there. It's time to add the extras that put it over the top. First, make sure you have a good cracker. I love just classic, crisp water crackers or crackers studded with nuts and dried fruit. I also like to slice up a baguette so there are plenty of options. Then I cut up some fresh fruit, thin slices of apple and/or pear are really good with the savory cheese. You can also do something like dried apricots or fresh citrus which are always very good. I'll sometimes add a little bowl of pickles or nuts and finally, just a bit of meat. Good salami or prosciutto is always perfect and adds just the right salty bite.  

Well, I think that's about it! Those are all my tips for a successful cheeseboard, I love that you can always mix it up and it will still taste good. So have fun and be creative! This is the perfect New Years show stopper.

Ina Garten's Coconut Cake Dressed for Christmas

When it comes to recipes, Ina Garten is a wizard. I have never made anything of hers that wasn't a hit. You can tell she's tested every recipe over and over and everything is always delicious. This coconut cake is a favorite in my family that we make for everything. I decided this year to decorate it up for Christmas with a few bottle brush trees and some easy to make marzipan mushrooms. It was begging for Christmas decoration since it was already covered in coconut snow. So whatever Christmas party you're having, make this cake, it is always a hit. 

Ina's Coconut Cake

3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

2 cups sugar

5 extra large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 cup milk

4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Frosting

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 lb confectioners sugar sifted

6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease two round cake pans. I like to also line them with parchment paper so they're super easy to get out. In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until they're nice and fluffy and pale yellow. Ina always uses lots of butter and we love her for it. Then add the eggs one at a time and scrape down the bowl between each addition.  Finally, add both the vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl sift your dry ingredients and with the mixer on low speed alternate adding your dry ingredients with the cup of milk. Do this in three parts, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Once it is incorporated fold in your 4 ounces of coconut and pour evenly into your two pans. Bake for 45-55 minutes (mine usually is ready at about 40) or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. For the frosting, in your mixing bowl add the softened butter and cream cheese and mix until creamy. Add vanilla and almond extract. Once it's smooth, add the powdered sugar on low speed until smooth and don't whip. Then you are ready to assemble. Place one of your cakes on a cake stand and spread with frosting, top with the second layer and cover completely. Then using the 6 ounces of coconut press it into the sides and top for a snowy effect. Serve at room temperature and thank Ina for another delicious cake! 

Now I know you want to learn how to make these cute little guys. These are a staple of mine that I've been making for years to top all sorts of cakes and they're delicious. If you are an almond fan, you will love these little marzipan mushrooms!

Marzipan Mushrooms

4 ounces (more or less) marzipan (find this on the baking isle of most grocery stores)

1 tiny drop red food coloring 

Making these is pretty simple. I take about 4 ounces of marzipan and split it in half. I then use a toothpick to carefully add red to one half of the marzipan and I use my fingers to work it in. Once you have your red it's really just free forming the little mushrooms. I usually start with the little stumps, and then add the caps, and finally the small white spots. I make some smaller and some larger so I have a good variety.  Merry Christmas!

Strawberry Shortcake

Spring is the most exciting time of year. Everything comes back to life and it's finally strawberry season. A ripe strawberry is so delicious and perfectly sweet you don't need to do one thing to it. So what a better way to enjoy that strawberry than sandwiched between a biscuit with loads of whip cream? This is the perfect dessert to serve for mothers day. It's festive and fun, but super easy, and the fresh fruit does all the talking. 

Shortcake Biscuits

makes 8 round biscuits

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold butter cubed 

1 lightly beaten egg

1/2 cup cold heavy cream ( plus an extra tablespoon or so if dough seems dry)

raw turbinado sugar for sprinkling

4 cups of sliced strawberries 

4 tablespoons sugar ( helps them to macerate and create a good sauce)

To start, slice your strawberries and mix them with the 4 tablespoons sugar. Set them aside and give them time to sit in their own juices while you make the biscuits. To make the biscuits put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixer and combine. Add your cold cubed butter a few pieces at a time with the mixer on low, (you could also cut the butter in by hand with a pastry cutter). Mix until it looks a little like sand and the butter is the size of peas. Add your beaten egg and cream and mix until just combined. It should be a little on the dry side, but still come together, if not add a couple tablespoons cream. Pat the dough out on a lightly floured surface keeping it a fairly good thickness and cut your biscuits out with a round cutter or a drinking glass. Be sure not to turn your cutter back and forth as you cut or it will prevent them from rising as high.

You should get 8 biscuits out of your dough. You will probably need to roll it out twice for the right thickness for about 4 biscuits per time. Try to do it quickly so you don't handle your dough too much and melt the butter. Place on an ungrease cookie sheet and top each one liberally with turbinado sugar. If you want to ensure more of a shine you could also brush each biscuit with a beaten egg. Place them in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. When they come out transfer them to a cooling rack while you whip the cream. 

Vanilla Whipping Cream 

1 1/2 cups whipped cream 

1/4 cup powdered sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Whip the cold cream until soft peaks form.Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla and serve immediately on-top of the strawberries and biscuits.

Building the shortcakes

1. Cut each biscuit in half with a sharp serrated knife.

2. put a small bit of cream on the bottom half of each biscuit

3. pile about a half cup of strawberries on each shortcake

4. Top with more cream!!

5. Place the top half of the biscuit on the layer of cream and serve.

Chocolate Mendiants

I have wanted to make these little chocolate treats for years and just have never gotten around to it. So, finally this year when I saw them in Bon Appetite Magazine I decided I was going to do it. They were so simple and fast I wondered why I'd never made them before. These little traditional French treats are simply melted chocolate shaped into a small circle and topped with fruit, nuts, candied citrus and pretty much anything you can think of. I think of them as your own individual chocolate bark, each bite can be tailored to have exactly what you like on top. I had to do some with peppermint on top because I love the festive look and peppermint bark is always a holiday staple. But, I have to say the traditional fruit and nut combination is pretty perfect. The salty and sweet with the rich chocolate, it's the perfect bite for after a large holiday dinner. I also felt like I had to make these, because what perfect neighbor gifts! They are beyond simple to make and look super pretty/ fancy in a little paper bag tied up with festive string. I think there is nothing better than a homemade treat. So if you're in a pinch this holiday or need something delicious in a hurry these little guys are just for you!

Chocolate Mendiants

-makes 30-35 candies-

8 oz. good chocolate (I use ghiridelli 60% or 70% baking bars)

chopped pistachios

pecan halfs

dried cranberries

sunflower seeds

cashews

rasins

crushed candy canes, dried fruit, nuts, candied ginger, sea salt, anything you want!

Melt your chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments till almost melted. Then stir chocolate till smooth and the heat of the melted chocolate has melted all remaining chocolate pieces. Lay a sheet of wax paper across a cookie sheet. Spoon dollops of chocolate onto the wax paper and spread into a circle just larger than a quarter. Continue till you've filled the sheet and then sprinkle each with toppings of your choice. I recommend leaving the peppermint alone, it's best by itself. Mixing the nuts and fruits is really delicious! After they all have their topping pop them in the fridge to harden for at least an hour, but they can be kept for 4 days in the fridge before serving. Peel off the wax paper and enjoy with a warm drink! 

Happy Holidays!! 

XOXO

Walnut Pear Sour Cream Torte

This recipe is one of my moms very favorites, she tore it out of a magazine years ago and it has been a classic ever since. It's so delicious and not too sweet, it comes together quickly but it looks so impressive. This recipe takes a few steps but once you've made all the pieces it is easy to assemble, and always bakes up perfectly. With Thanksgiving just days away I think this is the perfect cake to add to your mix of classic pies! I am all about too much of everything on Thanksgiving, so besides your classic pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies add in a pear torte for absolute gluttony. Happy Thanksgiving!

Walnut Pear Sour Cream Torte

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup packed brown sugar 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup butter 

1/3 cup ap flour 

2 medium pears, sliced and peeled (about 2 cups)

2 tsp lemon juice 

1 3/4 cup ap flour

3/4 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp salt 

1/2 cup butter soften 

1 cup sugar 

1 tsp vanilla 

2 eggs 

1 cup sour cream 

To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan. Combine the 1 cup nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. For topping cut the 1/4 cup butter into the 1/3 cup flour to make course crumbs and stir in 3/4 of the nut and sugar mixture. Set the topping aside. Slice your pears and toss with lemon juice and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder and baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Next, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the sour cream beat after each addition until just combined. Spread 2/3 of the batter into the pan and then sprinkle the 1/4 remaining sugar and nut mixture over the batter. Layer the pears over top and then gently spread the remaining 1/3 of batter over the pears. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the batter and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from its pan and serve warm or cool with whipped cream. 

New Years Chocolate Truffles

Christmas has come and gone, and we have all probably had our fill of cookies, cakes, and sweets. But, the new year is just around the corner and you have to celebrate that with something sweet! I thought truffles were perfect, they're easy to make and a yummy small bite that's not too filling, and they look really fancy! I adapted this recipe just a bit from the cookbook Tartine it's a great book full of yummy pastry and cake recipes, all from the bakery in San Francisco. I changed mine up a bit with different topping to roll them in, so they would look like shinning gems on the new years table! I used chopped pistachios, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar! These truffles are basically like making a thick ganache and then just waiting for them to set in the fridge, so hardly any work and they look so pretty. These would be perfect to have on New Years Eve with some friends and a little bubbly cider!

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

makes about 20 truffles

8 ounces semi or bitter sweet chocolate 

1/3 cup heavy cream 

1 teaspoon corn syrup

2 1/2 tablespoons butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

powdered sugar, cocoa powder, pistachios or whatever you like

To start, heat the heavy cream and corn syrup over medium heat until it is almost boiling. While the cream is heating up, chop your chocolate into pieces, I usually use two 4oz. bars. Put your chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it along with the softened butter. Stir this mixture until the heat of the cream has melted all the chocolate and butter and it is smooth. Lastly, add your vanilla, then you need to wait for the chocolate to come to room temperature and firm up a bit. I usually just set mine in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for about 1 hour. After that 1 hour take your bowl of chocolate out and scoop little balls out with a small ice cream scoop, melon baller or just a tablespoon. Place the balls on a sheet tray, it should make 20 to 30 depending on the size of your truffle. At this point the truffle will still be pretty soft so put them back in the fridge for a couple hours or in the freezer for about half an hour until they're nice and firm. 

Once they come out of the cold they will look like the picture above and be fairly easy to handle. Dump a cup or so of chopped pistachios, powdered sugar or cocoa powder into a wide bowl or plate and then roll the truffles in the coating. You can roll the chocolate in your hands right before rolling them through the coating so the surface is warm and will stick to your toppings better. After you're done you can place them in small cupcake liners or just on a plate, and stick them back in the fridge until you are ready to serve. The truffles will last a week or two if kept in the fridge. 

I hope you have a happy new year and that these little guys make it to your celebration table!

Grandma's Mint Slush

It finally snowed, so it's really starting to feel like Christmas here in good old Salt Lake City. What better way to celebrate the snow than with some icy slush in a festive green color. This is my grandma Martha's recipe, and she's been making this for as long as I can remember.  It has been at family parties and summer barbecue's, and everything in-between. It's one of those recipes that takes you back in time to a party in the 1950s, straight from The Better Home and Gardens Cookbook. I love pouring over old recipes - nothing like vintage gelatin molds, aspic loafs, and a good old red velvet cake. Food has grown and changed a lot since those days, but this slush deserves not to be forgotten! Minty fresh, and easy to make, this is great for a party anytime of the year.  My grandma tends to make it in the summer, especially before she moved from her old house when all she had to do was grab fresh mint from the garden and she was ready to go. I decided this was a great festive drink for the holidays because of it's Christmassy color and and minty taste. This is good for a crowd because one batch makes a ton and a little goes a long way.  Its ready to sip on as a treat before dinner...my grandma always serves it with the hors d'oeuvres. 

This is a super easy recipe, but keep in mind you'll need extra time for freezing. You can either freeze overnight and let it sit out for a couple hours until you can flake it apart with a fork, or you can freeze the slush for a few hours, stirring every so often, until its slushy.

MINT SLUSH 

-serves 16-20 four ounce servings-

4 cups water 

4 cups sugar 

handful of mint leaves 

12 oz can lemonade concentrate 

3 12oz cans water 

4 tablespoons lemon juice 

2-3 drops green food coloring 

2L bottle Sprite or Ginger Ale 

To start, put your sugar and 4 cups water in a sauce pan and heat on medium high heat until sugar is dissolved. Add mint and bring to a boil.  Tturn heat off and let mint steep in sugar water for 1 hour. In a large bowl mix your cooled mint syrup with the lemonade concentrate and 3 cans water, lemon juice and green food coloring. This mixture is ready for the freezer - that's all the hard work done! I usually freeze it overnight and then just let it sit out an hour or two until I want to serve and soften it up with a fork. When its the day of your party, pull out the frozen mixture and let sit until you can begin to chunk it up, it should look something like this... 

The final step is to add your fizz!  You can use sprite, or ginger ale. I like using Sprite Zero to cut down on the sugar content. Pour your fizzy drink into the bowl with slush mixture until you reach desired consistency. Just before serving, begin to add the Sprite until desired slushy consistency - usually half the bottle is  about right, give or take. That's it then - you're ready to serve!  It goes without saying, serve immediately unless you want melted slush!

Chocolate Molten Cakes with Candy Cane Cream

It's the best time of the year, and with the first week of December here, I bring you candy canes and chocolate! To me, there is no better dessert than something chocolate, and these cakes are perfect for that craving. Rich chocolatey flavor with a molten, runny center, they just can't be beat. I found this recipe a few years ago and altered it just a bit, but I think it's the best molten cake I've ever had. The candy cane cream adds such a fun holiday element because the candy canes tint the cream a pretty pink and it tastes like peppermint! I love the combination of chocolate and peppermint and this is just the perfect amount - this cake would also be delicious with peppermint ice-cream. This is such an easy recipe, but looks really impressive when you serve them individually. They would be great to serve for Christmas dinner dessert!  

First, lets start with the candy cane cream. It can be made in 4 simple steps and then set aside while you quickly pull the cakes together, so it can be infused with candy cane flavor and pinkness.

Step 1: Whip 1 cup cream until soft peaks form.

Step 2: Stir in 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and a teaspoon vanilla.

Step 3: Crush 5-6 candy canes in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin.

Step4: fold about 3 tablespoons of candy cane crumbs into cream.

- Use extra candy cane pieces to sprinkle onto cake when you serve - 

Now, for the cakes. First, preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and butter and flour 4 ramekins.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

serves 4

1 stick butter 

6oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghirardellis)

2 eggs 

2 egg yolks 

4 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons flour 

To start, melt your chocolate and butter over a double boiler or in the microwave (in 20 second increments), until just melted. Set chocolate aside to cool. Beat eggs and egg yolks with sugar, until light yellow and foamy, about 2 minutes. Lastly, add cooled chocolate into egg mixture along with flour and stir until combined. Divide batter evenly between your 4 buttered ramekins and bake in a 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. You want the cake to still be slightly wobbly in the center, so pull them out even if you think they aren't quite done. Wait about 30 seconds and dump each cake onto a serving plate - they should come right out. Top with mounds of peppermint whipped cream and crushed candy canes, and serve immediately. You can have the batter done in advance and bake whenever you're ready to serve, so you have almost no work to do after dinner. I like to sprinkle my cakes with powdered sugar, as well as having the whipped cream, because it kinda looks like snow, which is all the more festive!

Hosting Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the ultimate celebration of not only family and gratitude, but food. It's the time of year where you get to pull out all your favorite recipes and make copious amounts of them to eat for days on end. I love cooking for people, I feel like it's a special way to show how much I love and appreciate those I care about - Thanksgiving embodies that feeling, with a day for food and family. Although Thanksgiving is wonderful, the idea of hosting it can be a daunting task, so I've compiled a few of my favorite recipes and easy tablescapes to make your festive feast go off without a hitch!! 

First off, let's talk about all those delicious sides!  There's stuffing, green bean casserole, winter salads, rolls and of course my favorite...mashed potatoes. For some reason, I don't usually make green bean casserole - I usually replace it with these delicious Brussels Sprouts because I think they're a great easy veggie side, but I won't be offended if you stick with your green beans!

So let me just take a minute to tell you about my favorite mashed potatoes. They aren't over done, they are simple and delicious with a hint of buttermilk, and they never disappoint. You can find the recipe here for Ina Gartens wonderful Buttermilk mashed potatoes. 

Next, I feel like the salad at Thanksgiving always gets over looked, but sometimes you want a bit a fresh lettuce in-between the decadence! So there are tons of great salads out there, but this beet salad with ricotta I made the other day is fun and different to add a little color to your Thanksgiving table.

Then, there are the rolls, I have to be honest - I get kind of intimidated to make my own rolls. I want to perfect the art of all yeast dough, but I'm not there quite yet. However, I saw this recipe a little while ago and knew I wanted to try it out.  How can Parker House rolls ever be bad, right? So if you want to take a leap of faith with me, try this recipe for salty, buttery rolls from Alex Guarnaschelli. 

Next, I really don't want to mess with your stuffing - or dressing, or whatever you prefer to call it! Everyone has their own stuffing recipe that they think is just right. Whether it uses cornbread, or sourdough, or good old white bread, I don't want to ruin your tradition.  I will be making my Grandma's stuffing like we do every year. It's a simple recipe with celery, onions and sage sautéed in lots of butter, then adding in dried bread cubes, tossing to coat, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  The smell alone is enough to get in the holiday spirit!

Ok, now lets talk about the table. You want to make something beautiful for all your guests to enjoy, but not exhaust yourself in the process. Here's a simple tablescape I put together with all things edible, for a beautiful harvest table.

I used a vintage bread bowl to set bunches of crisp granny smith apples in, and walnuts as place card holders. I decided to deviate from the typical harvest color scheme and repeat the green of the apples in the napkins for a fresh look. I used a simple linen throw from ikea as my table cloth because I didn't want anything to detract from the centerpiece. Simple green paper napkins pull the look together and make for easy cleanup. 

For the place cards I wrote on small plain tags from the craft store and leaned them against un-shelled walnuts. I attempted to write ON the walnuts shell, but that was not happening, so paper was definitely an easier alternative!  

For place settings I pulled out my moms wedding china, because after all, it is Thanksgiving. With that, the table is ready to go - all that's left is to get some turkey on those plates and Thanksgiving is upon us! Speaking of turkey, lets talk about that for a minute!  It's the crowning glory of the meal and always a bit intimidating. You never know if it will be dry or moist, flavorful or not. So heres a few tips that hopefully will make your turkey come out right every time.

1. BUTTER! Rub that whole turkey down with lots of butter and a good amount of salt, to get a pretty brown and flavorful skin.

2. BAG IT. I am a believer in turkey bags, it may not be the prettiest way but I think those bags help to keep all the juices in and give you a moist turkey almost every time.  The bag decreases cooking time, as well.

3. DON'T OVERCOOK! Take your turkey out of the oven a few minutes before it seems "done",and give it time to rest. Place a piece of foil over the top and let the turkey rest for a good 30 minutes or so. In this time it will continue cooking and be perfect when you're ready to cut into it!

Those are just a couple of my tips, but here is a list from food network that may help with those turkey cooking conundrums.

Ok, last but not least, you always need a special little bubbly to celebrate the season. So I whipped up a quick little "mock"tail just for the occasion. I can't exactly call this a recipe because it's just Ginger Ale and cranberry juice, but it's really pretty and you'll feel fancy drinking it! All it is, is 2 parts ginger ale to 1 part cranberry juice. You could also use white grape juice, which is delicious too.

Pour your mix into fancy glasses or have a whole bunch in a drink dispenser for everyone to help themselves. I like to garnish it with cranberries because they look so pretty bobbing in the effervescences.

I hope these tips can help you to throw a fabulous feast and that you'll get to spend more time with delicious food, and loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!

Roasted Beet Salad with Ricotta Cheese, Arugula, and Orange Vinaigrette

I love, love, love beets. Every time I taste one it's like a little surprise because I forget just how good they are until that first bite. This salad is great for the holidays because it's fun and different  and can easily be served family style, or plated individually for a party. I love the bite of the peppery arugula with the creamy ricotta, and of course the beets - tender, yummy, and drenched in orange vinaigrette... yum! This is a salad that I make with different variations all the time, sometimes I stack cylinders of beets in-between ricotta cheese for a fancy look or I just throw cubes of beets in with an arugula salad - either way, they're always delicious. This time I was inspired by a beet salad I had at the Copper Kitchen not too long ago that had pistachio on the top. It gave such a yummy, salty bite, so I sprinkled some on of top this salad just for extra crunch.

Ingredients

-serves 4-6 people  as a side-

5-6 large beets 

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

1 cup ricotta 

2 table spoons whipping cream 

Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

2-3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice 

salt+pepper

Start with the beets.  Cut the tops and bottoms off, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap each beet in foil and set on a sheet tray.  Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until tender. While the beets bake, mix your cup of ricotta with whipping cream and a good amount of salt and pepper, and set aside. When the beets come out of the oven, let cool for about 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle, and use a paper towel to rub the "skin" off the beets. Cut the beets into bite size pieces and set aside while you prepare the vinaigrette.

To start the vinaigrette, mix the olive oil, dijon, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar and orange juice. Whisk well to emulsify and pour over beets (you will have more vinaigrette than you need). Let the beets marinate in the dressing for about 15 minutes before you put the salad together.

Lastly, put it all together. Smooth your ricotta mixture over the bottom of your serving dish or plate, then add a layer of arugula. Next, place your beets on top of the arugula. Sprinkle the beets with sea salt and finely chopped pistachios. You will have more vinaigrette than needed, so take the beets out of the vinaigrette with a slotted spoon instead of pouring it all over, because it could become too soggy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Dried Cranberries and Almonds

This is one of my favorite recipes to make for family. I remember when we had my grandma over for dinner and she first tasted them, she couldn't get enough and said how they were nothing like Brussels sprouts she'd ever had before. There couldn't have been a better compliment than to have the bowl of Brussels sprouts devoured long before anything else. To make it even better, this recipe is so easy, and literally takes like 10 minutes to make! The hardest part is cutting the sprouts into shreds and I think that's kind of therapeutic anyway, so all in all its the perfect quick veggie side, and a new staple at our Thanksgiving table. 

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Almonds  

-serves 4 as a side-

about 1 pound brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1-2 teaspoons garlic salt

salt and pepper 

1/3 cup craisins or any dried cranberry 

1/4 cup slivered almonds

squeeze of lemon juice 

Start by chopping your brussels sprouts into thin slices. Over medium to high heat, heat the butter and olive oil and add your brussels sprouts with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender, then add your dried cranberries and almonds. Keep stove on high heat and sauté for another 5 minutes, while adding a teaspoon or 2 of garlic salt to taste. I like to keep the brussels sprouts over high heat so they can get a bit of color and crisp up. So - after you've tossed the garlic salt in, and a bit of pepper, turn the heat off. Lastly, squeeze some lemon juice over the top and serve immediately. This recipe is really easy to change for your needs and can easily be doubled or tripled for however many you're feeding. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Halloween Sugar Cookies

I love the holidays and any reason to celebrate, so I had to make something festive for the season. I thought a lot about these cookies and how I would frost them, and what colors I would use... and then I threw that all out the window. I had this grand plan of using royal icing to make a perfect beautiful sugar cookie, but the thing is, I never think that hard royal icing tastes very good! So I pulled out an old family recipe for fluffy, soft cookies, and whipped up my own almond buttercream frosting, and they were delicious!  (...and I think they still turned out pretty cute!) 

Sugar Cookies

-makes about about 5 dozen depending on cutters size-

1 1/2 cups sugar 

2 sticks softened butter 

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups flour 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sour cream

To start, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Next, sift all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. and add in 2 parts, adding the sour cream in-between. Mix dough until just combined, and then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.  When you're ready to bake, set your oven to 350 degrees and roll out your dough on a floured surface to about 1/4" thick. Cut out your desired shapes and then bake for 7-8 minutes. Let cookies cool completely before frosting.

Almond Frosting  

2 sticks softened butter

4 cups powdered sugar 

3-4 tablespoons milk (as needed for moisture)

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract 

food coloring (optional)

Beat softened butter until light and fluffy and add the sugar in, one cup at a time. Add milk as needed, in-between each addition of sugar if it gets too thick. Lastly, stir in the almond extract and any desired food colorings. 

Then.... eat all the cookies yourself and have a Happy Halloween!!

Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

It's finally starting to feel like Fall! The weather is cooling off and the leaves are beginning to turn, and it is time to return to the kitchen and cook up cozy warm meals for a long winter ahead. This chicken pot pie is perfect for that, with a store bought puff pastry crust and a single pie dish, it's quick, easy, and comforting. This pie tastes like you're eating thick and creamy soup with a buttery crust on top. Instead of your usual individual pot pie this pie is family style! Its all cooked in one dish and can simply be scooped into bowls when you're ready to serve. I based this loosely off of Ina Garten's recipe for individual pot pies,because she's the very best! But, I added some extra ingredients and a few of my own twists to make this perfect for a weeknight family dinner!

Chicken Pot Pie 

-serves 6- 

1 sheet store bought puff pastry 

3 tablespoons butter

2 boneless, chicken breasts  

1 onion finely chopped 

1/2 cup celery chopped

1/2 cup flour

2 1/4 cups chicken stock  

1 cup chopped carrots 

1 cup mushrooms cut into bite size pieces 

3-4 sprigs of thyme 

salt and pepper 

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

To begin, take your puff pastry out of the freezer an hour or so before you start making dinner so it can thaw as you cook the filling. Preheat your oven to 350 degree and start the filling by beginning with your chicken. Put 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan on medium high heat and salt and pepper the 2 chicken breasts. Once the butter has melted, place the chicken in the pan and cook it for about 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through - (remember, it will have time to cook in the oven, as well, if it's underdone). After your chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside.  Add your remaining tablespoon of butter with the finely chopped onion and the celery. Let the two cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes on medium low heat. Next, add your 1/2 cup flour to the onions, celery and butter. Stir the flour in so it is incorporated with the butter and moisture from the veggies, then add the 2 1/4 cups of chicken stock, turning your heat up to medium high. Stir the stock in with the flour mixture and it will slowly begin to thicken and bubble.  As it does, add the carrots and mushrooms and the leaves off of 3-4 sprigs of thyme. Once it has thickened and come to a boil, turn the heat off and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Lastly, chop up your previously cooked chicken and stir it into the pot. It will look like this... 

Finally, pour your filling into a pie dish. Place the pie on a sheet tray because it may bubble over in the oven. For the crust, simply unfold the puff pastry and lay it across the top of the pie. Cut around the edges so it fits your pie dish just right and cut a couple slits in the top of the dough. Lastly, whisk 1 egg with a tablespoon of milk and brush it over the crust. This will ensure a golden, yummy color on the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is cooked through.

This is such a cozy, yummy dinner for any night of the week and it will make your house smell delicious! Just dish it into bowls with a simple side salad and dinner's ready. Happy Fall! 

Fourth of July Cherry Pie

It's that time of year again, the wonderful month of July where summer is at its height and red, white, and blue is everywhere. When I was thinking of what to make for our annual fourth of July BBQ, it couldn't be anything other than a delicious fresh cherry pie! Pitting the cherries may be a labor of love but its all worth it once you see your family and friends faces as they eat this pie.

What makes this pie a special cherry pie, is its yummy cornmeal crust. The slight sweetness of the cornmeal compliments the sour cherries perfectly and it has a perfect texture that stands up to all those yummy cherry juices.

Cornmeal Crust 

2 cups AP flour 

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed 

1/4 cup ice cold water (plus a few extra tablespoons depending on how dry it seems)

To make the crust, combine all your dry ingredients in a stand mixer and mix on low just to combine. Begin adding your cold butter cubes and let it mix until the butter is the size of peas and the dough has a sand like texture. You can also do this by hand with a pastry blender, but I find the mixer is a little faster, and less messy! After your butter is at the right size, add your water with the mixer on low. It will seem dry but let it keep mixing and it should come together in a dry dough ball. If not, you can add a few extra tablespoons of water. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and set it in the fridge while you make your filling.

Cherry Pie Filling 

3 1/2 cups pitted red cherries 

1/4 - 1/2 cups granulated sugar (based on the sweetness of your cherries)

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

squeeze of half a lemon 

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

Mix the sugar and cinnamon into your cherries and then add the lemon juice and corn starch. Stir a few times until all is combined and the lemon and cherry juice has mixed with the cornstarch. You can now take your dough out of the fridge, roll it out till its about half an inch thick, and lay it over your pie pan. Just pinch the dough with your fingers or you could also use the prongs of a fork to decorate the edge. Pour cherries into the crust and then you'll have just enough dough left over to make some fun designs on the top. I punched out stars and used some letter cookie cutters. You could adapt this to any holiday or celebration you have in mind. Brush your crust with a simple egg wash and bake at 350 degrees or until the crust is golden brown and the cherries are bubbly. It is an absolute must to serve this warm with cold vanilla ice cream. (But its delicious at room temperature as well.)

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE.