Recipe of the Month - December 2010

HOT COCOA WITH PEPPERMINT WHIP CREAM


This treat is great for any chilly, winter night. The peppermint whip cream tastes like a

chocolate candy cane.


for the hot cocoa: for the peppermint whip cream:
4 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 candy canes ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

To make the hot cocoa, heat 3 ½ cups of milk in a saucepan over low heat. Do not let the milk boil. In a small bowl mix together the cocoa, sugar, and the rest of the milk. Add the cocoa mixture to the warm milk and stir to combine.
To make the peppermint whip cream, beat the heavy cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract. Beat until combined.
Pour hot cocoa into mugs. Dollop a spoonful of peppermint whip cream into each mug and add a candy cane.
Serves 4.

First Vendor Show!

I just had my first vendor show this weekend. Although I wasn't as successful as I had hoped I still had fun. I did win some lovely candles. I am looking forward to more vendor shows. Check out my Mom.

Recipe of the Month - November 2010

DARC ANGEL CAKE

While eating this cake, imagine an angel dressed in all white with horns or a devil

dressed in red with a halo resting on top of the horns. This cake is yummy on its own. If

you need to be good then eat it with strawberries. If you want to be bad, then eat it with

homemade chocolate whipped cream. And if you want to be even badder, then eat it with

chocolate whipped cream and strawberries.

When I was working on this recipe I had a few names for it and I wasn’t sure

which one to use. My husband, who loves comic books and super heroes, came up with

this name. Thanks hubby!


1 box angel food cake mix
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon flour
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

In a small bowl, mix the chocolate chips with the flour. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add the chocolate chips to the cake batter and bake and cool according to the cake directions.
To make the chocolate whipped cream, use an electric mixer to beat the cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and the cocoa powder and beat until it is combined. Serve the cake with strawberries and chocolate whipped cream.
Serves 12.

Recipe of the Month - October 2010

PANCAKE BAR


Veggies in the morning are a great way to start your day. This recipe makes two types of pancakes, pink pancakes and pumpkin pancakes. This dish is great for a brunch. This recipe does take a little bit of time so if you are serving it for a brunch, start before your guests arrive or have your guests help. If your pancake mix calls for oil, be sure to add it to the batter.


4 cups pancake mix
1 cup beet juice
4 eggs
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup milk, extra if needed
1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling

Heat a griddle pan over medium heat.
First make the pink pancakes. To measure the beet juice, drain the juice from a can of beets into a glass measuring cup. Add milk to get 1 cup of liquid, if needed. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of pancake mix, beet juice, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and the ricotta cheese. Mix until combined.
Place about 1 tablespoon of the batter onto a hot griddle. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden.
Now make the pumpkin pancakes. In another large bowl stir together 2 cups of pancake mix, 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, cinnamon, and the pumpkin puree. Stir until combined.
Place about 1 tablespoon of the batter onto a hot griddle. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden. Serve with maple syrup and fruit.
Serves about 12 – 14.

Recipe of the Month - September 2010

ITALIAN BLT


This isn’t your ordinary BLT. This Italian BLT has so much flavor you won’t

want to eat a BLT any other way.


4 slices prosciutto
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
1 cup baby spinach, washed and patted dry
1 yellow or heirloom tomato, sliced
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the prosciutto slices on top of the foil and bake for 18 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the grated zest of the lemon and the juice from ¼ of the lemon. Save the rest of the lemon for a garnish for your drinks. Spread 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise-lemon mixture onto all 4 slices of toast. Top 2 of the toast slices with the spinach and 2 – 3 tomato slices. Sprinkle the tomato slices with freshly ground black pepper. Then top with 2 slices of prosciutto, top with the other toast slice, and cut the sandwich in half.
Serves 2.

Recipe of the Month - August 2010

RASPBERRY PEACH TEA


I like raspberry tea. I like peach tea. So I thought why not combine the two flavors.

Raspberry and peach taste so well together.


4 cups water
4 raspberry tea bags
1 ½ cups peach nectar
8 raspberries, frozen
4 peach slices

Boil the water and add the tea bags then steep four to six minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the peach nectar. Stir to combine. Carefully pour into a pitcher and chill. Garnish with frozen raspberries and peach slices.
To freeze raspberries, place berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour.
Serves 4.

Recipe of the Month - July 2010

BERRIES & CRÈME


Fruit is such an easy dessert and there are so many ways to make it fun and exciting.

This sweet dish is a dessert that I eat most often. Homemade whipped cream is the best.

Whipped cream that you can buy in the store just does not compare.


1 pint strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur

To make the cream, place the heavy cream into a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently add the sugar and almond extract to the cream and beat until combined. Pour the amaretto over the berries and toss to combine.
Divide the berries into individual serving bowls. Top with the whipped cream mixture.
Serves 4.