I hope you all are having a wonderful Labor Day & enjoying some time off. If you’re hosting or headed off to a BBQ today, then I highly suggest making this oh-so-yummy peach cheesecake from Paula Deen. Ya, I know ~ we’ll all get back to our diets tomorrow! Enjoy!
In a medium size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and butter. Mix well and place in the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform cake pan. Make sure to press against the sides and bottom of the pan. Set crust aside.
Prepare the filling by beating the eggs and cream cheese together. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Add 1/4 cup peach jam and mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Remove cake from oven and top with remaining 1 cup peach jam. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.
Many of you have probably had a very busy morning getting your kiddos off to their first day of school. My daughter just completed her first week of kindergarten & I’m happy to report that we’re off to a great start! With all of the back to school excitement, one of the biggest challenges I found was putting together a healthy lunch that my daughter would actually eat. So, I began to research a trend I’ve heard many of my friends talking about for a while ~ Bento boxes. It’s an old Japanese tradition of turning a lunch into an artful packaged creation. They are also often called the “laptop lunch”. With the Bentos, moms come up with clever & creative ways to display healthier foods in a pretty package that kids will be excited to eat.
I searched the internet to find some examples to show you all & I was thrilled to find all of the fabulous creativity that is out there. If you search “Bento Boxes” on Flickr, you’ll instantly be bombarded with thousands of images from mommies from all over the world joining in the creative battle to get our kiddos to eat healthy lunches at school. There are even blogs devoted entirely to these fabulous creations. The options are endless.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Super Mario Brothers themed Bento box
The tortilla roll up sandwiches are a hit at our house. I love how the mom spelled out “Hi Jamie” in the applesauce. Super cute!
This is from one of my favorite Bento blogs, Another Lunch.
It was important to me to get my daughter involved in the process. We looked on the internet together & came up with our shopping list & ideas of how to put her Bento boxes together. One of her favorite things is to use small cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of her sandwiches & cheese slices. Take a look at our first attempt at a Bento box below. She was so excited to take it to school & show off her culinary art work. We will definitely be making these fun Bento boxes part of our everyday school routine.
Our first Bento box included star shaped cheese slices, strawberries & grapes, a “dirt cup” (sugar free chocolate pudding, crushed reduced fat oreos & a gummy worm) & a baked turkey & cheese sandwich roll.
So, get ready to get your kiddos eating healthy! Bento boxes give you a designer lunch box that will have your kids loving lunch time & proud to show off their creative concoctions.
We love to grill & cook lots of yummy food for our family & friends. You may want to try one of our favorite 4th of July inspired burgers. Or, how about whipping up this Tres Leches cake? It’s always a a real crowd pleaser. We usually make it for the 4th or our Labor Day BBQ. It’s fun to decorate it with fresh berries for some fun patriotic color! For the 4th, we place the strawberries & blueberries in a flag design.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
9 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
9 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well after each addition. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
In a small bowl, stir together the 2 cups heavy cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture over the cake until it wont absorb any more. You may have 1/3 to 1/4 left over. That’s okay.
Combine the whipped cream and sugar, spread over soaked cake and decorate with strawberries & blueberries. Refrigerate cake until serving.
I served these light & yummy parfaits yesterday at our family’s Memorial Day celebration. The colors from the fresh strawberries & blueberries give it that patriotic flair. They were such a huge hit & so easy to make, that I decided that I had to share them with you. Prepare ahead of time or set out ingredients & let guests create their own layers.
Ingredients:
Angel Food Cake (cubed or torn into bite size pieces)
Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
Blueberries
Strawberries
Fat Free Cool Whip
1) In a tall clear glass, so that all of your layers are visible, (we used stemless wine glasses), layer ingredients in this order: angel food cake pieces, vanilla pudding, cool whip, strawberries & blueberries & repeat.
Bon appetit!
Posted under Recipes by admin on Tuesday 1 June 2010 at 7:07 am
The Hibiscus are blooming in my backyard right now & it makes me want to just sit on the patio & gaze at them for hours. Their bright hues of pink make me so happy. And what’s better than sitting on the patio with friends & enjoying a fun cocktail? This recipe is perfect for a spring or summer soiree. I recently enjoyed this cool, sweet & refreshing beverage at a tweet up I hosted with Global Views in North Carolina.
Ingredients:
2 ounces Chopin vodka
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce Fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce Hibiscus syrup*
Preparation:
Pour vodka and other ingredients into a mixing glass.Add ice and shake vigorously for 7 to 8 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a hibiscus flower or edible orchid.
*Hibiscus Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of hibiscus tea. Let steep for 10 minutes. Take the tea bag out and add 1 cup of superfine (not powdered) sugar. Stir until all the sugar dissolves. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
My uber-chic friend & furniture designer, Maybelline Te (@maybellinete) , at the tweet up at Global Views enjoying her Hibiscus martini. Cheers!
Posted under Recipes by admin on Wednesday 12 May 2010 at 6:29 am
Easter is coming up this weekend! We have several family traditions for Easter. One of my favorite Easter activities is making pineapple upside down cake. It’s so easy & my daughter loves to place the pineapple rings & cherries to help out. I found this recipe years ago from Better Homes & Gardens. I use a cast iron skillet to bake it in & it always turns out so moist & yummy!
Ingredients:
Batter:
1 package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup water
Topping:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted, divided
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
2 cans pineapple rings, drained
7 maraschino cherries, halved
1 cup toasted flaked coconut
Directions:
Beat cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil & water in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed just to moisten, scraping the side of the bowl often. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Topping:
Pour 1/4 cup of the melted butter into the cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of brown sugar. Arrange pineapple rings over the brown sugar to cover the entire skillet. Place a half of a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Sprinkle coconut over the pineapple rings. Pour batter over the pineapple rings & topping into the cast iron skillet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Immediately invert onto cake stand or serving platter.
Posted under Recipes by admin on Wednesday 31 March 2010 at 6:10 am
I make this yummy salad often at our house & it’s always a favorite ~ even with my 5 year old! It’s really easy & you could basically add whatever veggies you like. And, of course the designer in me likes the fact that this salad is layer upon layer of gorgeous color. It’s super easy & ready in minutes. And, I have to give a big shout out to Williams Sonoma for offering my new favorite kitchen utensil ~ our counter block cutting board (Thank you Mike & Pam Harvey for one of our favorite wedding gifts!!!)
So, here is a pictorial step by step of how I make it for my family.
Start with your favorite lettuce. We like leafy romaine.
Toss in some broccoli slaw ~ shredded broccoli, carrots & cabbage.
Add some diced vine ripened tomatoes
and some avocados
a few mushrooms ~ I usually use portabellas
Carrots for color & crunch! Not only is this salad going to be super yummy, it’s also pretty to look at! Just look at the color.
Lastly, add a few crispy onions ( French’s aren’t just for Thanksgiving! Plus, everything else in this salad is uber healthy, so go ahead & be a little bad…
Drizzle on your favorite dressing & Bon appetit, mes amis!
Posted under Recipes by admin on Saturday 13 March 2010 at 6:53 am
It’s snowing like crazy in Dallas today. My sweet little princess is home from school & enjoying playing in the snow while I try to play catch up from traveling earlier this week. Today is the perfect day for one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. I got it from Taste of Home & it is always a hit with family & friends. Yum-O!
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained
1 each medium green, sweet red and yellow peppers, julienned
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
Shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, optional
*Note: I’m using 1 can of Bush’s Black Beans instead of the kidney beans. I also added a packet of McCormick’s Fajita Seasoning.*
Directions
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the chicken, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred chicken and return to the slow cooker; stir to combine. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with lettuce and tomatoes if desired. Yield: 6 servings.
Nutrition Facts: 1 fajita (calculated without optional toppings) equals 347 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 778 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 26 g protein.
Posted under Recipes by admin on Thursday 11 February 2010 at 12:07 pm
I found this recipe on the Food Network’s website & it’s on the menu tonight at our house…
Ingredients
2 pounds ground chicken, coarsely ground preferred
3 tablespoons chili powder, plus 2 teaspoons
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 (28-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 medium sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and shredded
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup instant tapioca (recommended: Minute tapioca)
1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with seeds, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 to 3/4 cup lager-style beer, optional
Toppings: Sour cream, shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, chopped scallions, and chopped pickled jalapenos
**Note: I’m taking out the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (only because we didn’t have any) & I’ll be using Blue Moon for the beer (because that’s what we had!) The tapioca sounds a little crazy to me, but we’re gonna give it a try…**
Directions
Put the chicken in the slow cooker. Add 3 tablespoons of the chili powder and all the rest of the ingredients, except the beer. Stir everything together, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of chili powder, the beer, if using, and season with more salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Divide the chili among warm bowls. Serve with the topping of your choice.
Know-How: Stirring in chili powder right before serving brightens the flavor of the chili.
Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
Posted under Recipes by admin on Thursday 21 January 2010 at 6:04 am
I came across this recipe over the weekend while reading one of my favorite blogs, All the Best Blog, and my mouth started watering.
I love tomato soup & with the weather in Dallas being super chilly right now (the high today is supposed to be 29 with a low of 13 degrees!) this is the perfect meal to warm you up. This recipe suggests adding pesto to the soup. The flavor combination sounds so enticing!
I’d pair it with a “Grown up Grilled Cheese” (smoked ham, pears & comte cheese) just like they do at one of my favorite Dallas restaurants, Nick & Sam’s Grill.
Ingredients
