Sweet 16 Birthday Party

November, 2012

Assorted Cupcakes

Assorted Cupcakes

Assorted Cupcakes

Assorted Cupcakes

S'mores, Cookes 'n Cream & Banana Split Cupcakes

S'mores, Red Velvet & Tie Dye Cupcakes

Tie Dye, Chocolate/Peanut Butter, Banana Split & Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes

Cookies 'n Cream, Chocolate/Peanut Butter,Tie Dye & Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting & Candy Hello Kitty

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake - Chocolate cake, peanut butter mousse filling, chocolate
ganache frosting & peanut butter drizzle topped with a mini reese's cup

Tie Dye Cupcake - Vanilla cake & vanilla butter cream frosting dyed with food coloring

Banana Split Cupcake - Banana cake, banana custard filling, vanilla butter cream frosting,
chocolate sauce, sprinkles & a cherry

Cookies 'n Cream Cupcake - Vanilla cupcake with oreo chunks on top of an open oreo cookie,
vanilla butter cream frosting with finely crushed oreos, topped with a mini oreo cookie

S'mores Cupcake - Chocolate cake on top of a crushed graham cracker base with chopped pieces of chocolate &
topped with the same mixture and homemade marshmallow frosting

Cookies 'n Cream

Fundraiser to support a friend dealing with breast cancer

August, 2012

More Cupcakes!

Here are a variety of cupcakes I've made over the past few months.

Peppermint Mocha

Snickerdoodle

Eggnog

Hot Chocolate

Cookies 'n Cream

Devil's Food with Turquoise Vanilla Buttercream

My First Pull Apart Cupcake Cake

There are 24 cupcakes underneath. This was so much fun to make, especially using the grass tip. The 9-year-old I made it for absolutely loved it!

Cupcake Flavors

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited to be able to share my gourmet cupcake recipes with you. I have chosen the most flavorful and fresh ingredients I can find to be sure your cupcake experience is as enjoyable as possible. All cupcakes and frostings are made from scratch.

Below is a list of flavors that I am currently offering but am open to requests. If you don't see the flavor you want on the list, it just means I haven't tried it yet. Please give me a reason to experiment with a new recipe. I love it!

Specialty Flavors:

Vanilla/Vanilla (colors are available upon request)













Chocolate/Chocolate or Vanilla












Strawberry/Strawberry


Red Velvet/Cream Cheese












Carrot/Cream Cheese












Pumpkin/Cream Cheese












Chocolate w/ Peanut Butter Mousse filling/Chocolate Ganache












S'mores

Tie Dye

Salted Caramel

Cookies 'n Cream

Mimosa

Champagne/Champagne

Please enjoy this photo of the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting topped with a Reese's PB cup and Peanut Butter drizzle. This cupcake is so rich and delicious. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, this cupcake is to die for!

You can contact me for more information or to place an order at 216.408.7508 or morsel1009@gmail.com. Please give me at least a 2 week notice for any order over 50. Payment of 50% is required up front for orders over 50. Minimum order is 1/2 dozen. Cupcakes are $1.25 each.

Valentine's Day Meal 2010

I made the most amazing meal for my son and parents for Valentine's Day this year. It was pretty easy and fairly quick to put together too. The meal consisted of 3 Giada De Laurentiis recipes, Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup, Chicken Milanese and Gnocchi in Thyme Butter Sauce. For dessert, I came across a recipe for Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting on the Martha Stewart website. I would like to share these recipes with you and I hope you decide to try them.

First I started making the Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup. The ingredients are as follows:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 fresh sage leaf
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices ciabatta bread
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

As I always say, prep all of your ingredients ahead of time. That way they are ready when it's their time to be added to the recipe.

Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper Keep warm, covered, over very low heat. *If you have an immersion blender and prefer to use that instead of the blender, that would be fine.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes a side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.

You can start the first part of the soup and work on the other dishes while each part is cooking. For example, you can prepare the bread for grilling and pound and bread the chicken or turkey for your milanese. The Gnocchi is going to be the last thing you cook, because it comes together so quickly.

Let's move on to the Chicken Milanese. I actually used Giada's Turkey Milanese recipe, but it tasted awesome made with chicken. Following are the ingredients and directions. You can also find these by clicking on the recipe.

• 1 1/2 pounds (about 8 cutlets) turkey or chicken breast, pounded 1/8-inch thick
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 5 cups (5 ounces) baby arugula
• 2 cups (10 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (2-ounce) block parmesan
• Lemon wedges

Using a meat tenderizer or a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, pound the turkey or chicken until 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick.

Combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place the eggs in a second medium bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a third medium bowl. Season the turkey or chicken on both sides with salt and pepper Dredge the turkey or chicken in the flour and shake off any excess flour. Dip the turkey or chicken into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the turkey or chicken, in batches, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding more oil, if needed. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Arrange the arugula on a large serving platter and top with the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the turkey or chicken on top of the tomatoes. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over the turkey or chicken. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

As you will see in the photo, I used shredded parmesan, however, the shaved parm will look much prettier. This is a very colorful dish and so tasty. I received multiple compliments from my family while they were eating this.

Next, we'll move onto the Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce. As I mentioned, this will come together very quickly. After the water boils, you can finish this in 5 minutes. You will want to make this right before you're ready to eat. If you're feeling adventurous, you can make the gnocchi from scratch. The ingredients and directions can be found at the recipe link above. Since I didn't have the extra time that day, I bought it pre-made (shhhh!!!).

You want to make sure you have the following ingredients:

• Homemade or package of store-bought Gnocchi (you can find in the boxed pasta aisle)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the thyme leaves. Set aside.

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until the gnocchi rise to the surface, about 1 minute. Continue cooking until the gnocchi are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the hot thyme-butter in the skillet. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss again. Top with Pecorino.

Finally, I have a wonderful recipe for Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting that I found on the Martha Stewart website. What's really great about these cupcakes is that you make them with fresh or frozen strawberries! Here are the yummy ingredients that create these delightful cakes:

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Now to put it all together! Starting with the cupcakes...

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

...and now the frosting:

1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

This recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes. You can make these the day before if you like or earlier in the day of your dinner. Since these were for Valentine's Day, I topped off my cupcakes with heart shaped sprinkles. You can also top them with a piece of sliced strawberry if you like.

That should do it! I really hope you try this recipe or some part of it. You will not be disappointed.

Bar Symon

Bar Symon

32858 Walker Road

Avon Lake, Ohio

440-933-5652

http://www.barsymon.com/


I finally made it to one of Michael Symon’s Restaurants. Who is Michael Symon, you might ask? If you watch the Food Network or are familiar with the local Cleveland food circuit, then you probably know. If not, let me tell you a little bit about him. Michael Symon was born and raised on the west side of Cleveland. He owns 5 restaurants, four of which are in Cleveland. They are Lola Bistro (Downtown), Lolita (Tremont), Bar Symon (Avon Lake) and B Spot Burgers (Woodmere). Lola and Lolita are more upscale and Bar Symon and B Spot have a more laid back atmosphere. The fifth restaurant is in Detroit called Roast.

Michael made a name for himself on the Food Network in 2007 when he won the first ever ‘Next Iron Chef’ competition. He now competes regularly on the Iron Chef. He also starred in the fifth season of ‘Dinner Impossible’ where he met various food challenges across the country for different events. The menu chosen had to be prepared in a certain amount of time. He was named the ‘Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region’ for 2009. You can also catch him at the Cleveland Fabulous Food Show at the I-X Center each November giving food demonstrations.

Now that you know a little bit about Michael Symon, let’s get on to my experience at Bar Symon. This is one of his newer establishments. Even though I’ve never been to any of his other restaurants, I do know that this one encompasses a more casual dining experience than Lola or Lolita. You can feel free to dine in jeans if you like and it is family friendly. There were a number of families with children. You will also enjoy rock n’ roll music piping from the speakers. I heard AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, to name a few.

The restaurant is located at the end of a plaza, which is great for the patio you will be able to enjoy when the weather gets nice. The inside is one big room with a bar to your right and the dining area in front of you. There will also be a private dining room available for parties of 30-150. The bar includes an eclectic selection of beer from all over the world and 38 of them are on tap! Most of them I’ve never heard of, but they did have my friend Guiness, which was fine with me.

The décor was a combination of hand-carved woodwork, pigs, butcher’s diagrams on mirrors, metal ceiling tiles, Ruffoni (hammered copper) Italian cookware and more. The wait staff was very friendly and service was great! There were 7 people in my party and one of the girls wasn’t crazy about her steak so they took it off her bill stating ‘we aren’t going to make you pay for something you didn’t like’. Everyone else enjoyed their meals immensely.

The food menu is like no other you’ve ever seen! There’s a ‘Sausage Board’ that includes a selection of kielbasa, veal bratwurst, spicy lamb, pork & fennel and morcilla (Spanish blood sausage). There’s a variety of ‘Symwiches’ including a BBBLT with fresh bacon, smoked bacon and bacon mayo; Beef Tongue (don’t know if I’ll ever be adventurous enough to want to try that!), The Quack (duck confit) and the Zorba, which is his version of a gyro with lamb sausage.

The entrees include twists on old favorites like Duck Paprikash and Mac & Cheese with rigatoni, chicken and goat cheese. The burger menu has three unforgettable burgers: the ‘Lola’ with a fried egg on top, the ‘Shroomage’ with portabello and blue cheese and the ‘Fat Doug’ with pastrami, coleslaw, mustard and swiss. I got the Lola and it was delicious. It was served with rosemary french fries and their housemade ketchup.

You will also want to check out their ‘Happy Hour’ and Sunday Brunch. Happy Hour is M-F from 5-6:30 and Sunday from 2-4. You’ll enjoy happy hour prices as well as a special ‘Happy Snacks’ menu. Sunday Brunch is from 10-2 and has an entirely different menu including a Pork Pastrami Hash, Brunch Burrito with scrambled eggs, duck confit and jack cheese, Stuffed French Toast with mascarpone cheese, almonds and strawberries and Chicken and Waffles. I definitely want to go back for the brunch!

If you’ve tried Bar Symon or any of his other restaurants, please share your experience with me.

Cornmeal Blini Bites

I've been trying a lot of new recipes lately. One reason, is because I love to try new recipes (duh!) and the other is because I'm in charge of the food for a Women's Spa Event this Spring at my son's school. Being that the menu should revolve around a Spa theme, I am looking for light bites and some indulgent mini desserts. One of the recipes I came across on the Food Network (of course) was this one for Cornmeal Blini Bites. They didn't really look like much in the photo, but something intrigued me about them and I had to try it. I made these little darlings for a planning meeting we had this week for the event and they were a great hit. So easy to make, not a lot of ingredients, very inexpensive and so, so tasty.

The ingredients include:

1 8.5 ounce box corn muffin mix
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
Olive oil, or shallow frying (about cup)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
18 seedless green grapes, halved
Honey, for drizzling

Directions for making:

Whisk the muffin mix, milk and egg together until smooth.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 inch of oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, drop teaspoons of batter into the oil to make small pancakes, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Cook until bubbles appear on the tops and the bottoms are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and finish cooking, about 1 more minute.
Top each blini with ricotta and a grape half. Drizzle with honey and serve warm.

Some tips I would like to add based on my experience is:

• As you're cooking, the oil will lessen as it is soaked up by the cornmeal and you will have to add more as you go along.
• When you drop the teaspoons into the oil, try to shape them right away into a circle if they don't look like a circle right away. Just lightly tap on the top of the batter to make it rounder.
• Be sure not to drop too much batter, that will result in a very thick corn cake and the idea is to keep them relatively thin. I would say not much more than 1/4 of an inch.
• Feel free to be creative and use other ingredients for the topping. I think they're perfect the way they are, but not everyone likes ricotta. Maybe try neufchatel with a fruit topping like strawberry or raspberry jam.
• The instructions recommend serving them warm, but they are delicious cold as well.
• You do not want to add the ricotta as soon as you take them out of the oil as it may slide off the blini.

I apologize I don't have a photo to show you of the ones I made, but feel free to check out the recipe on the Food Network website for Cornmeal Blini Bites which is accompanied by a great photo.

I hope you enjoy these little bites. They are perfect for an appetizer or mini dessert because they're so sweet.

Bistro 555 - Greektown Hotel

Greektown Casino – Detroit
Bistro 555
http://www.greektowncasino.com

Do you like to gamble? Whether you answer yes or no to this question, you can still enjoy the delightful cuisine offered by some of casino’s finest restaurants. I recently visited the new Greektown Hotel and Casino in Detroit and found my meal at the hotel restaurant exquisite. Bistro 555 is located on the second floor of the hotel and overlooks the lobby. There’s a quaint little bar and lounge area to have a drink if you’re waiting for a friend or a table. The atmosphere is simply sophisticated and relaxing. You’ll find it enjoyable no matter the occasion or the company.

Now onto the food! This had to be one of the best meals I’ve had dining out. We started with an appetizer of crab cakes that were very good. I’ve had crab cakes many times at restaurants and these were just as tasty as any. Next the salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion with balsamic vinaigrette was excellent! However, the best part of my meal was the main dish. We each selected the orecchiette pasta flavored with olive oil, crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil and thyme topped with Salmon. You also have the choice of shrimp or chicken. First of all, the pasta stayed hot throughout most of the meal which is always a good thing. I like my pasta as hot as I can stand it. Second, the flavor of these simple ingredients was amazing and really blended well with the pasta and the fish. Finally, this salmon was cooked to perfection. It is the best salmon I’ve ever had really. Not seasoned with anything, but so moist and flavorful. My only regret is that I couldn’t finish every bite. I even took a break so I could eat more. I felt guilty even leaving a little.

Since I also like to cook and try new recipes all the time, I attempted to recreate this meal at home. I bought all of the ingredients and it was very easy. I started with olive oil and garlic in a small skillet. Once that cooked for a minute or so, I added the crushed tomatoes (not too much of the juice though) along with dried basil and thyme. You can use fresh herbs as well. I blended the hot mixture with the cooked pasta and topped with the grilled salmon. It tasted almost as good. The flavor of the sauce could have been stronger and the salmon wasn’t nearly as good. I guess I need a little more practice cooking salmon. It was still pretty tasty though and will go on my list of quick meals to make at home.

I’d like to add a little plug for the hotel as well. The service and rooms are top notch. The valet attendants, concierge and front desk staff are all very friendly and accommodating. The room was gorgeous! It had a huge bed with very comfortable pillows and bedding. You can watch TV on a large screen mounted on the wall. You also get your standard desk and sitting chair in the room. The sink is separate from the bathroom, which is nice when you’re sharing a room and one person is taking a shower. Best of all, you get to sleep in a blue glass building!! How many times have you done that?!

Anyway, if you’re looking for a quick getaway (and great food), check it out! http://www.greektowncasino.com

Nuevo Acapulco es Muy Bueno

If you love great Mexican food in an authentic atmosphere, you will cherish your time at Nuevo Acapulco. They have the best Mexican food I’ve tasted in Cleveland. Not to mention the nicest wait staff with impeccable service. Your dinner will be on the table in no time.

You will start out your visit with a big basket of warm tortilla chips and tasty salsa at no charge. We also like to get a side of guacamole and queso to enjoy with our chips. While you’re chowing on the chips, you will spend a bit of time perusing the menu with plenty of great dishes to choose from. It all sounds so good it’s difficult to decide on one. That is why I always select from the combo section where you can get 2 or 3 different items. No matter what you decide, I recommend the chicken for your choice of meat. You will get a generous portion of the tenderest chicken ever!

My favorite combination is the crunchy taco, tamale and enchilada. I don’t usually finish it all, but the leftovers are good too. If the main dish isn’t enough to satisfy you, you will receive a generous portion of rice and refried beans. These beans are sooo good, you won’t want to stop eating them. Actually, it’s all that good. I usually just continue eating until I’m stuffed. There’s never room for dessert. I’m sure they are just as delicious as the rest of the food.

I have tried the frozen margarita which is very tasty. However, I’m normally a beer drinker so I got buzzed pretty quickly from the tequila.

Nuevo Acapulco has two great locations to serve you in North Olmsted and Berea. Check out the website for more information. You really have to try this place. Even if you live on the other side of town, it’s well worth the drive!!

I’d love to hear about your favorite Mexican restaurant. Feel free to share your experiences at Nuevo Acapulco or elsewhere.

Sweet Potato Casserole

If you don’t like Sweet Potatoes, you just might after trying this recipe. This traditional holiday dish is sometimes untouched by many at the table. Not everyone is a fan of sweet potatoes, whether it is the texture or the taste that makes it unpalatable. However it is amazing how a few everyday spices can turn a not so tasty dish into something you will just love.

I found the following recipe on the Food Network website created by the “Food Network Kitchen”. I changed it a little bit, but I’m sure it would be tasty either way. Besides it’s fun to be creative and make a favorite recipe of your own.

This recipe calls for 2 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes that you bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes, but I used canned sweet potatoes. If you baked the potatoes, let them cool a bit and scoop the potato out of the skins in to a bowl. If you are using canned potatoes, drain them and pour into a bowl. Now it’s time to mash. Gently mash them with a fork or masher until smooth. Be sure not to over do it because then they’ll get mushy and watery. Now add the following ingredients which are going to give new life to this otherwise boring vegetable.

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the preparing the pan
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

Once you’ve added everything, whisk until blended and smooth. Pour into a buttered 8 x 8 casserole dish and top with either pecans (as the recipe calls for) or marshmallows (which is what I did…Yum!!). A pecan topping is definitely a different twist to the traditional sweet potato and marshmallow combination but I’m a sucker for toasted marshmallows and the sweetness of them really blended well with the rest of the ingredients. After you’ve baked the casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes it is ready to be served.



I made this for Thanksgiving and I have to tell you people were going back for seconds. It was almost gone by the end of dinner and what was left, I of course snagged for myself.

Check out this Sweet Potato Casserole recipe at Food Network. Please feel free to comment on how your family enjoyed this tasty dish.

Farmer's Pasta

Looking for a new pasta recipe that’s different than the traditional red sauce and the whole family will love? Then you will want to make this Farmer’s Pasta, courtesy of Food Network’s Giada DeLaurentiis. I hope you like cheese though because it is the cheesiest pasta you will ever make!

The recipe starts with sautéing 6 ounces of pancetta in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pancetta is an Italian style bacon that is cured with salt and spices. It really has a great flavor which adds to the taste of this dish. Once the bacon is crisp transfer it to a dish using a slotted spoon. Keep the pan drippings in the pot and sauté 3 teaspoons of minced garlic for 30 seconds. Next add 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour and whisk for two minutes. It is very important to time the cooking of each ingredient accurately to avoid burning any of them. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I always prepare my ingredients prior to starting the cooking process so they’re ready when I’m ready to add them.

Now for the dairy…add 7 cups of whole milk. Yes, I said 7 cups!! You must add this gradually whisking all the while. It is very helpful if you have someone helping you during this step, but not necessary. Once all of the milk is added, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, being sure to whisk regularly for about 5 minutes. Next, whisk in all of the grated cheeses which consist of 8 ounces of Fontina, 4 ounces of Mozzarella, ¾ cup parmesan and 6 ounces of Provolone. Your cheese sauce is now ready!!

Cook your pasta in another pot about 7 minutes until it’s almost al dente. Al dente is an Italian term which means ‘to the tooth’. It is used to describe pasta that is cooked but still has a firm bite to it. It is best to cook pasta al dente if you’re going to add it to a dish that will be cooking more in the oven.

Once the pasta is done, add it to your cheese sauce, then mix in 3 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley, 3 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves and the cooked pancetta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the entire mixture into a prepared baking dish coated with butter.

You probably think it’s ready to go into the oven now, right? Not yet! One more step. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Take off the heat and add 2 cups of fresh coarse bread crumbs. Coat the bread crumbs with the oil and garlic then pour on top of the pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and bake about 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs are browned. You could definitely get away with a little less bread crumbs, two cups can be a bit overwhelming at times once it’s mixed in with the pasta.

Just one last thing to do now and that is to enjoy your dinner!! There are so many great flavors in this dish with the garlic, pancetta, 4 different types of cheeses, the fresh herbs and the bread crumb topping. There are many steps involved, so it is best reserved for the weekend when you have a bit more time to cook. But it is well worth it and will be enjoyed by all!!

Check out the full recipe here on the Food Network Website – Farmer’s Pasta.

Hummus

Need a good Hummus recipe? I’ve got a really good one for you and it’s easy to make. Courtesy of the Food Network Kitchens, the following recipe is one you’ll want to make over and over again. All you need is:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¾ cup water
½ cup tahini
5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, water, tahini, 5 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt and garlic and puree. While the motor is running, pour in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated. Season with pepper to taste. Store in the refrigerator for 6 hours for flavors to come together.

When ready to serve, remove hummus from the refrigerator and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice and parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with flat breads and olives. Store any leftover hummus in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.



We usually eat the Hummus with warm pita bread and it’s also great with Multi-Grain tortilla chips. If you like Hummus, you’re going to love this recipe. You may even want to make a double batch because it will disappear quickly!!

Deep Springs Trout Club

I have never eaten so much fish in one sitting!! The funny thing is I probably could have eaten more if my stomach was bigger. Sometimes you stop eating something because you’ve had enough of the flavor, but that was not the case here. Every little bit of this trout was delicious.

Let me take you through my journey at the Deep Springs Trout Club. This diamond is tucked away deep in the heart of rural Chardon, OH. As we were traveling along the beautiful country roads that make up Chardon, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. When we drove up to the Club, I was surprised to see that the restaurant itself is not very big. But when you walk in, you are welcomed by a comfortable, quaint environment for dining. The atrium-like structure of this restaurant brought the outdoors in with the warmth of the sunshine shining through the windows and a clear view of the beautiful landscape. There are two lakes outside, a large one for fishing and a smaller one to hold the fish caught that day for cooking. There is also a fountain of fresh spring water that members can use to fill up gallon jugs for only 25 cents.

Now on to the food! We started out passing around a place of delicious, juicy sweet watermelon. Shortly following, we were served a plate of cut up red peppers drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Then…I tasted for the first time trout pate served on saltine crackers. I could have eaten the whole plate. It was so good that I found myself googling recipes for trout pate later that day. Next, we had breaded, fried calamari and roasted hot banana peppers. Are you feeling full yet? Keep reading!! Once we finished the appetizers, they brought out a plate of trout filets. Half of them were breaded and deep fried and the other half were coated in a lovely, so tasty Cajun spice. The breaded filets were very moist inside and perfectly fried. The Cajun filets I believe were also fried. They weren’t as moist but had such a wonderful flavor to them. You may think a Cajun flavored dish would be hot and spicy but the heat of the seasoning was very tolerable. It was just wonderful!

You probably think we’re done here, not a chance. Our host, a close client of ours, insisted we have dessert. Who am I to turn down dessert?! Especially a chocolate one! I indulged in a chocolate tortufo which was a ball of chocolate mousse with a vanilla center. It was very yummy!! The others in the group enjoyed hazelnut gelato and vanilla ice cream.

This was a very unique experience that I will cherish for years to come. Before you think about visiting though, I have to break your heart and tell you that it is part of a country club that has a membership fee. You either have to be a member or go with a member. I hope you will some day have the chance to visit the Deep Springs Trout Club or somewhere similar for some very tasty fresh fish dishes!!

Vegetarian Chili

Chili, to me, is a comfort food. It’s great for football games, on hot dogs, french fries or a meal to warm you up on a cold day. We’re all familiar with the traditional chili…meat, beans, tomatoes, spices…you know what I’m talking about. But these days, so many people are cutting out meat and wanting to be healthier. I have a wonderful vegetarian chili recipe shared with me by my sister-in-law (she and my brother are vegetarians) and you’re just going to love it. However, I hope you like beans and can deal with their effects because we are talking about a lot of beans. Let’s check it out…

First you will need to gather all of your ingredients. They are:

4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (12 oz) bottle of beer (you can substitute broth for this)
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can cannelini beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz) can of corn, drained & rinsed
**optional toppings based on your preference are shredded cheddar cheese or sour cream

Now it’s time to start cooking. Grab your stock pot and put in on the stove. In it you will sauté the garlic in olive oil on medium heat. The garlic can either be minced or finely chopped. I use a garlic press. This will only take about a minute. Be sure to watch your garlic closely so it does not burn. That will surely ruin the taste of the chili.

The next step will be to add all of the ingredients except for the beans. Keep in mind there are a lot of cans to open and spices to measure out. I always prep everything before I start cooking so I can pour it all into the pot immediately. Let this cook for a few minutes, then add the beans and corn. At this point, you will want to bring the chili to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Feel free to add more liquid as necessary, either water or broth.

That’s pretty much it! Sounds simple, doesn’t it? If you like chili and all of the ingredients I’ve listed above, you will love this recipe. It makes plenty so be sure to invite some friends or family over. Serve with your favorite cornbread recipe.