Admin

Sunday October 16th is the Annual St. Liborious Catholic Church Wurstmart. Everyone is invited to come shoot skeet, still trap, try your luck at raffles, pick up items in the country store, and be sure to save room for the always amazing pork sausage dinner. You get a lot, for just a few bucks, and it all goes to a good cause. On Sunday, October 16 St. Liborius Church will host its Wurst Markt and Shooting Match at the American Legion. The meal is served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shoot is from 1 to 5.Where: St. Libory American Legion on State Route 15, St. Libory, IL 62282

On the average, what do you spend day to day or randomly when out to dinner with your significant other?

It's here, just like your entree.... After you've had a few minutes to look around and "chew the fat", what do you think so far of this forum?

Hello, I'm Joel. I work in the food industry, and have many friends who are certified chefs, instructors, line cooks, restaurant owners, food truck operators, writers, radio hosts, foodies and more. I see a lot of what goes on behind the kitchen doors. Chefs and restaurant owners are always moving, working nonstop with crazy hours. Many of them put out amazing dishes for us to enjoy. Pair amazing dishes with restaurant setting ambiance, good service, along with a drink, and you've got a recipe for success. This site is designed to bridge the gaps, bringing chefs, restaurant owners, media (print, online, tv), consumers, suppliers, instructors and more all together in one fun home. I wanted to make this even more of a family type of forum, and would like to learn a bit more about the great members we have here. This forum holds members from all extremes in the food & drink industry. This site is in its infancy, but anticipated to grow quickly. You as member here will be able to read and reply to all posts, start and participate in polls, start your own blog or integrate one you already have. Photos can be uploaded to your folders to share with others from a recent visit. You can start your own food group gatherings, check out the local scenes, schedules of events, and even find out who has what for their special each week. This site is designed to promote food and bring people together who care about it. Over the years, I've built and own the largest winemaking social network on the Internet, which receives over 10 million hits each month. I plan to use what I learned with WinePress.US, and to put the best of those experiences to work here.Welcome to all the new members, and thank you to all the people who have registerred and participate in the forum. My hat is off to each of you, and my wine glass raised, Cheers and welcome to our new forum, Joel

Not sure that I like the web site name, but it's a good start....

Blogging Features: External BlogsIf your member already have their own blog elsewhere, they can choose to link their blogs to your community blog. Get the benefit of that member's blog content without that member having to post twice. RSS FeedsVisitors can subscribe to RSS feeds of member blogs to get updates on blog entries. Custom HeaderMembers can enter their own text in the header image to give their blog personality and customization. ThemesBy adjusting the CSS of their blog, members can create a totally custom look and feel to suit their style. This options requires administrator approval so the security of your community is maintained. Private BlogsBlog members can create private blogs visible only to them or Private Club blogs through which the member is able to specify other members of your community who are able to see their blog. Profile IntegrationMembers who create a blog on your community get a new tab in their profile and a new image on their posts linking directly to their blog posts. Custom BlocksMembers can choose from custom blocks to include in their blog page such as calendars, recent visitors, custom links, and more. Group BloggingThe creator of a blog can add multiple other members to allow posting under that blog to encourage participation and posting.

Please fill out your "signature" line. You can do this in your "control panel". I am really trying to get people to use more of their real name here if possible, as it creates more of a personal feeling, knowing someone's actual name. 1....If you are a person who works in the foodindustry, please utlize the signature line to get your company name out. Each time you help someone with their problem, or you ask a question, your signature will get seen. The more it gets seen, the greater trust and relationship you can hopefully attain with other members. Example below:Member actual name - Work title Restaurant Company Name Hours Open www.RestaurantName.com www.RestaurantName.com/Menu2.... Some people may just want to put their name, and just a little wine saying. This is great. 3.... PLEASE limit the signature to just five (5) lines. Having too much, just clutters up the forum. I can limit what people can list, but was hoping that people could help by governing themselves. Example of a Restaurant / Business Signature Line: 1860's Hardshell Cafe & Saloon Three Great Experiences in One Location! 1860Saloon.com - 1860's Menu - Happy Hour, Live Music & Events The Best in Live St. Louis Blues Music. SEVEN Nights a Week. Plus Saturday & Sunday Afternoons. 1860 S. 9th Street, St. Louis, MO 63104 (314) 231-1860 Let me know if you need assistance or ideas. Cheers,joel

We feel strongly that this forum should remain focused on food, restaurants, chefs, drinks, specials and other related topics, including topics that help us get to know our members better. This is not the place for topics that are sensitive and controversial in nature such as politics, religion, immigration or abortion, please find another forum elsewhere for this type of content. In order to keep this forum running well and to prevent problems, please follow these simple rules for the forums here. If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to contact one of the Staff Members. General Rules and Guidelines for Forum Use: 1. Read up on past posts about a specific topic before asking a question! There is a ton of information here, and while many topics have been hashed to death, it can be a little overwhelming. No one is going to be upset with you if you ask a question that has been asked before, but some members do become frustrated if they feel they have answered the same question 10 times before. The forum has a search function at the top of the page that can be very useful for locating information on many topics. If you have questions on how to use it, please feel free to let us know and we will help you. 2. Try to keep your topic titles specific and related to what you will be posting under it. Please try to use the correct forum, and avoid cross posting. 3. While basic discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, derogatory comments, racial or religious slurs or purposeless inflammatory posts. Be respectful of others at all times. The purpose of the forum is to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and information on wine making. Occasionally, there will be conflicts that arise when people voice opinions. But be courteous when disagreeing with others, it is possible to disagree without being insulting. The Moderators/Admins will make any final decisions, and take appropriate action in these matters. You can choose to ignore bothersome members in the forum by Clicking on their name in any of their posts, and then clicking on the OPTIONS button, then selecting the "IGNORE THIS USER" option. You won't see any future posts from this member again. 4. Due to their volatile nature, discussion involving political, religious, or other sensitive topics not related to wine making will be locked and/or deleted. This is done to keep tempers in check and everyone civil. If you wish to participate in such discussions, there are other forums elsewhere specifically for this purpose. The team moderators shall be the sole decision makers as to what constitutes closing, editing, or removal of a post. 5. Please refrain from posting meaningless threads, one word (or short) non-sense posts, or the like. 6. Double or multiple posting is not allowed and can result in the deletion of one or both posts. Double posting is defined as posting the same information in two or more separate forums. We understand that some topics might fit into more than one forum. Please try to pick the best one. In addition, please do not post in the same thread back to back (another version of double posting), if you have something more to add, edit your post or add to that thread, don't post twice in a row in a thread. 7. Advertising, spamming and trolling this board is not allowed. This includes using the forum email and Private message system to spam other members. IP addresses are monitored on this forum and transgressors will be banned. 8. Please wait a reasonable amount of time before bumping posts. For style changes and general 'how-to' questions this should be 24 hours. For specific troubleshooting issues, use 12 hours as a guideline. 9. Classified - Swap Meet Forum Please keep things to be sold limited to food, kitchen, grill-related items. If you would like to sell something that is not related, try eBay or a similar site. 10. We also do not allow posts or links to sites that are sexual or pornographic in nature, or that violate our community standards. The team moderators shall be the sole arbitrator of what does and what does not violate community standards. In general, if it is not suitable for kids, it is not suitable for this forum. 11. Post your comment/question to the most appropriate place. Any posts deemed to be in the wrong forum will be moved. Do not cross-post the same question to multiple places. 12. Do not discuss illegal activities. Our server is hosted in the USA and so is subject to US law. Please do not expose us to any unnecessary legal liability. Please bear in mind, all advice (medical, legal, etc) that may get posted should be regarded as "use at your own risk" advice. The owners, moderators, and admins of this site, assume no liability for any consequences that may result in action taken on that advice. 13. Each member is allowed one single account. Registering with multiple accounts is not allowed. 14. We reserve the right to edit or remove any offensive, inflammatory, slanderous, rude or inappropriate posts without notice. The team Admins and Moderators shall be the sole decision makers as to what constitutes editing or the removal of a post. Posts deemed to be SPAM will be deleted as soon as they are noticed without discussion. 15. Any signature or avatar that is excessively large, offensive or insulting to either us, our members, or staff, are prohibited. We reserve the right to ask you to change and/or remove your signature or avatar at any time, for any reason. 16. If you are going to post non-English on these forums, please also post an English Translation of your post. (This forum operates in English. Posts which include foreign languages should have the English equivalent to aid in understanding or they will be removed.) 17. Questions regarding a vendor's products or product support or help with a product are fine, but this is not the place to settle a commercial disagreement with a vendor, or to post complaints about vendors or manufacturers. If you have a problem with a vendor, please contact them directly. 18. Manufacturers and suppliers are welcome on this forum, and are encouraged to provide advice, support and information for the members. However, all posts must help promote the food and dining in general. Posts that are determined to represent advertising or product/service promotion (other than banner ads) may be deleted, and repeat offenders asked to desist. A link that leads to a manufacture or suppliers’ website in the signature area of your posts is acceptable and will be allowed. This forum is proud to offer banner advertising at reasonable rates, and advertisers are encouraged to take advantage of them for this purpose. Allowing advertising within posts is not fair to those that pay for the banner ads. If you are a commercial entity - and you purchase banner advertising on the site - then - at your discretion, you (the commercial vendor) may make posts in the Supporting Advertisers' Announcements section. If a non banner advertising member posts an "advertisement" - it may be removed by a moderator. 19. We do not allow Restaurants or Vendors to send private messages or emails to users here that advertise or solicit any products or services. Please report any such message to a moderator, and include a copy of the message. 20. Also while these rules cover most common situations, they cannot anticipate everything. Consequently, we reserve the right to take any actions we deem appropriate to ensure these forums are not disrupted or abused in any way. These actions include editing, or removing posts, topics or threads. 21. We the Moderator/Admin Team also reserve the right to refuse membership, suspend or ban anyone who willfully violates the forum rules, or is deemed disruptive to the forum by the Moderator/Admin Team. Membership may be denied for a variety of reasons, and membership can be suspended or revoked at any time by the moderation and administration team Be advised that access to and being a member of this forum is a privilege and not a right. All posts, threads, attachments, and content posted within this forum become the sole property of the owners of the forum owner. Please Note: These rules are subject to change without notice. Please check from time to time for possible changes in our rules and guidelines. By becoming a member and posting topics or responding to threads on this forum, you agree to the rules and guidelines posted above. These posted rules and guidelines will apply to all current, past and future members and posters on this forum, if you do not agree with any of the rules and guidelines listed then please do not post or join the forum. Thank You, The Admin / Moderator Team

This blog post will be brief because, well, look at the picture. Do I really need to go on and on gushing about how good these are? The name alone, Peanut Butter Cup Crack Brownies, pretty much says it all. I'd seen this recipe, as perhaps many of you had, making the rounds on Facebook. After seeing it again and again, I finally caved and decided I had to make it. I made a big pan, divided it up between my dad, and my two sons and their families, and waited for the response. As you can well imagine, thumbs up all around. These are easy to make, rich, sweet, chocolaty, peanut buttery, and delicious. Need I say more? Oh. P.S. It's my birthday! Peanut Butter Cup Crack Brownies 1 pkg. fudge brownie mix (not family sized) ½ cup chopped salted peanuts 12 peanut butter cups, chopped 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1¼ cups creamy peanut butter 1 Tablespoon butter 1½ cups crispy rice cereal 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Spread into a greased and foiled-lined 9” x 9” pan. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumb. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts. Bake 4-6 minutes longer or until chocolate is melted. Cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter; stir until smooth. Fold in the cereal, vanilla, and salt. Carefully spread over brownies. Chill until chocolate is set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares to serve. Slightly adapted from Taste of Home This post is linked to: Over the Moon, Merry Monday,Dishing It & Digging It, Art of Homemaking, Amaze Me Monday, Busy Mondays, Inspiration Monday, View the full article

A couple of months ago I treated you to my Baker’s Rack Redo project, something that I took on as therapy while Mr. O-P was in his final days. I've been enjoying that Baker’s Rack so much ever since that I decided to use it as a focal point to decorate with each season. Often holiday decorating can become a bit overwhelming. This no longer need occur if you choose one focal point in your home, decorate it simply for the holiday, and leave it at that. You'll be treated to a lovely change a number of times a year, and have something that's seasonally appropriate. I have an open floor plan, so the Baker’sRack is one of my main focal points. It’s a piece of furniture that I absolutely love, and have had since I was right out of college. It was one of my first large purchases (Large in size and money!) and I have been in love with it ever since. It has been in a kitchen, on a covered porch, in the living room, bedroom, and now it's on the fringes of the kitchen and breakfast room. Despite the fact that it is probably no longer “in style,” I love to look at it, and love that it's a showcase for some of my favorite pieces. As you all know, I do have a lot of dinnerware, but I tend to view it as not only a way to set a pretty table, but also as home décor to display and enjoy. I like to change things up for the seasons so I can enjoy everything that I have. If you like dishes as much as I do then you should do the same. When you last saw the Baker’s Rack it was very serene with whites and greens. I started taking a few pieces away, and dug around to see what I had in fall colors. I was actually quite surprised at how many different things I had in orange. I started putting things in place finding that very few pieces needed adding in order to change this into an early fall display. Stay tuned for more posts as it transitions from fall to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This post is linked to: Dishing it and Digging it Amaze Me Monday Cooking & Crafting with J&J Make it Pretty Monday Inspire Me Tuesday TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME No Place Like Home Tablescape Thursday Home and Garden Thursday Thoughts of Home on Thursday Idea Box Thursday Home Sweet Home Weekend Linky Party Grace at Home Simple & Sweet Friday Foodie Friday & Everything Else Share Your Cup Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

This recipe looks more daunting than it really is. It came together rather quickly and, considering my complete lack of experience in using lasagna noodles, they rolled up like a dream. I was so pleased with these, in fact, that when I make them again, I plan to make different varieties, adding chicken to some, leeks and mushrooms to others, substituting the spinach with thin slices of sautéed zucchini in others, and even experiment with swapping out the basil pesto with tomato pesto and adding Italian sausage and black olives. Imagine doing this yourself, making up a big batch with enough varieties to provide you with a dish for brunch, a ladies luncheon, or football food. How versatile is that? Did I mention that they freeze beautifully? Don’t be put off by the numerous steps. These are well worth making. Pesto Lasagna Roll Ups Adapted slightly from Two Peas and Their Pod 12 lasagna noodles For the Béchamel Sauce: 5 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups whole milk ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg Kosher salt For the Pesto Filling: 2 cups ricotta cheese 1 extra-large egg 2 cloves garlic, minced 10-ounces frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed to remove water 1/2 cup Melissa’s Basil Pesto 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus 3 tablespoons, divided 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Generous pinch of freshly ground nutmeg Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and cook the lasagna noodles to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and carefully lay the lasagna noodles out flat on a large piece of parchment paper or cooling rack. Let sit to cool. To make the béchamel sauce, heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and foaming. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens and is the consistency of cream. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt, to taste. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, spinach, pesto, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with 1/2 cup of the béchamel sauce. Take about 1/4 cup of the ricotta spinach mixture and spread it evenly onto each lasagna noodle. Top each noodle with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce. Carefully roll the noodles up and place them in the prepared pan. Top the lasagna rolls with the remaining béchamel sauce and remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Spray a large sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover the pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve warm. This post is linked to: Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Spread. In the photo of this spread you may have noticed something that looked like grapes. Nope. Not grapes. Those tasty morsels were none other than pickled cherries. Not heard of pickled cherries, you say? Then you need to educate yourself immediately because these beat the pants off of grapes (unless you plan to pickle them as well). Sweet, spicy, and totally delicious, step aside cornichons, a new kid is in town. Simple to make, do-ahead, and able to be kept, refrigerated, for up to a month, you will dazzle with your next fruit and cheese tray, or antipasto platter. Bing cherries are in season May through August, and again in December, so you still have time to try them for those big holiday parties. Pickled Cherries Adapted from epicurious.com ¾ cup distilled white vinegar ¾ cup water 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 cardamom pod 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pound Melissa’s fresh Bing cherries, stemmed and pitted 1 large rosemary sprig Bring first 9 ingredients to a boil in a medium stainless-steel saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugars. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl, and return liquid to pan. Add cherries and rosemary to saucepan. Simmer until cherries are tender, 3-5 minutes. Transfer cherries and rosemary to a 1-quart mason jar (I used two smaller jars). Pour in enough pickling liquid to cover cherries. Cover and chill. Keep refrigerated. Strain before serving. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Celebrate Your Story, Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article

Welcome to “Sip Some Soup Sunday.” Well, it isn't officiallySip Some Soup Sunday (though I am trying to get it to trend), I just like to call it that. :-) It is Sunday, and I do like to sip soup, and it's fun to say “Sip Some Soup Sunday.” Go ahead, say it. It's fun, am I right? I think it's the alliteration. Anyway it's October, and as far as I'm concerned that officially makes it soup season. I've mentioned a number of times before that sometimes my main criteria for making a recipe is ease. This recipe falls into that category. When I first saw it I thought it was too good to be true. It just looked way too easy to be really good. In the past, I'd only worked with frozen hash browns in baked casseroles, so I wasn't sure how well they would translate to soup. If you were wondering the same thing, let me set your mind at ease, this recipe is fantastic, and boy is it easy. So relax, and enjoy your Sunday, while your dinner simmers away in the crockpot. Slow Cooker Loaded Baked potato Soup Slightly adapted from 12 Tomatoes 1 (32 oz.) bag frozen hash browns 1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth 1 (10 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish 3/4 cup crumbled bacon, plus extra for garnish 1/4 cup chopped scallions Rosemary for garnish Combine hash browns, cheddar cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, crumbled bacon, and cream cheese in slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Use a spoon to break up cream cheese and thoroughly mix ingredients together. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, or until potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Stir in scallions. Garnish with more cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Serve. This post is linked to: Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Celebrate Your Story, Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article

I hate baking, I really do. Because no matter what I try to bake, no matter how simple, it always ends up being a massive cleanup for me. All I need do is lift the lid off of the flour canister, and suddenly I'm wearing it. Plus, it's on the floor, it's on the countertops, it's everywhere. This involves getting out major cleaning products, not to mention the vacuum, and in some cases the hardwood floor cleaner. If I try to wipe up the floor with a damp cloth, invariably that cloth will be too damp, yielding a floury goo that needs serious seeing to. So, you have to know, that if I'm going to bake, it's going to be for someone special, or because the end result is somethingspecial. Such was the case today, when I decided to make Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Swirl Brownies for my number one son who agreed to brave the fierce and help me clean out my pantry. It had been years since I last made these, but I had written on the recipe that we really enjoyed them. I'm not going to lie to you, these things are trouble. I was trying to relax today, and not upset myself during the baking process, ending up completely having to eliminate the nuts because I failed to locate and chop them, and had trouble swirling the two mixtures, because in my forced state of relaxation, I failed to read ahead in the recipe where it said "working quickly." Sigh. Next time I'll use the nuts and, maybe, just maybe, I'll sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top. I do love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate. These brownies, cake-like right out of the oven, are even better when refrigerated overnight and served at room temperature the following day. Something magical happens when these are allowed to rest for a while. Also, don't be afraid of the cayenne. These are in no way hot or spicy, the pepper just adds a wonderful depth. Pumpkin Swirl Brownies Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 cups sugar 4 large eggs 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil; spray bottom and sides with Pam. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl in a microwave oven at 20-second intervals, stirring between each (1 minute). Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture. Divide batter between 2 medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make 1 more chocolate layer and 1 more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the 2 batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares. This post is linked to: Dishing it and Digging it, Amaze Me Monday, Cooking & Crafting with J&J, What’s for Dinner Sunday, BLUE Monday, Art of Homemaking Monday, Make it Pretty Monday, Inspire Me Tuesday, TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME View the full article

I am a big fan of breakfast, as long as I don't have to make it or eat it at breakfast time. That's why I fell in love with this versatile make-ahead casserole. Easy to assemble, suitable for individual servings for those intimate meals, or one casserole dish for family brunches, this will be my "go-to" sweet dish for my next buffet-style brunch. I used the croissants as suggested by the original recipe, but I'm guessing that this would work equally well with challah. A dusting of powdered sugar is all I felt it needed, but a drizzle of pure maple syrup would make this absolutely decadent. If breakfast is not your thing, this makes for a delightful dessert when served straight from the oven with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Blueberry Croissant Puff Slightly adapted from Kraft 3 large croissants, cut up (about 5 to 5½ cups) 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened ⅔ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest Pinch of cinnamon 1-1/2 cups whole milk Place croissant pieces in either 10 1/2-cup ramekins or a 9" square pan. Sprinkle with blueberries; set aside. Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and cinnamon in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add milk, beating well to combine. Pour evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes or soak overnight. If using a 9" pan, bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown. If using ramekins, bake for only 22 to 25 minutes. If you find the top browning too quickly, cover with foil for the last 10 minutes. Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar. This post is linked to: What’s for Dinner Sunday BLUE Monday Art of Homemaking Monday Make it Pretty Monday Dishing it and Digging it Amaze Me Monday Cooking & Crafting with J&J Inspire Me Tuesday No Place Like Home Thoughts of Home on Thursday Home Sweet Home Weekend Linky Party Grace at Home Simple & Sweet Friday Foodie Friday & Everything Else Share Your Cup Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

This is one of those recipes that I found online, was taken in by the nice pictures, and thought I'd make it. Honestly, I didn't think it could possibly be any good. I figured that I was wasting both time and ingredients, but I made it anyway. The appeal? It looked easy. Some days “easy” is my only criteria. The original recipe I found here, but, as I tend to do, changed it up a bit. I could not believe how good it was. I cut the recipe in half...sort of. I had half of a bag of frozen cheese ravioli, so used it in an 8" x 8" pan (no way would the 9" x 13" pan in the original recipe work under any circumstance). I used half the amount of fresh spinach, a small jar of marinated artichoke hearts (because they are much more flavorful), added some thinly sliced crimini mushrooms, and a jar of Paul Newman's Alfredo Sauce. This was the first time I'd ever used a jarred sauce, but I have faith in Paul. I also added a few gratings of fresh nutmeg because spinach always calls for nutmeg, no matter what. Here is my version. It isn't pretty, but it sure is good! Spinach, Mushroom, & Artichoke Ravioli Bake 3 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped 1 jar (4 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, rough chopped 4 large crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons Melissa's Basil Pesto Few gratings fresh nutmeg 1 jar Paul Newman's Alfredo Sauce ¼ cup chicken broth 18 frozen ravioli 1 cup Italian cheese blend, shredded In a medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke, and pesto, and mix well; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together Alfredo Sauce and chicken broth. Spread ⅓ of the Alfredo sauce on the bottom of an 8”×8” baking dish. Top with half the spinach mixture. Lay half the ravioli in a single layer over the spinach. Repeat layers again. Finish up with the remaining Alfredo sauce. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses and broil at 450°F for 3-5 minutes. Serve. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article

Happy fall! Can you believe that it's here already, or should I say finally? Of course, you can't prove it by me, it is still hovering around 90 degrees here, much to my annoyance, but my interest in fall foods and suitable decor continues. Over the weekend I was in such a mood for a spicy, warming, autumnal soup. I didn't want to make all of them, so decided to make one pot by combining my favorite carrot soup recipe with my favorite pumpkin soup recipe, and I ended up with Curried Carrot and Pumpkin Soup, my new favorite seasonal soup! This is very easy to make, takes little time, and can be made vegetarian by substituting the chicken stock with vegetable stock. I'm guessing that it would taste amazing using corn stock, and I may just give this a try a bit later in the season. Curried Carrot and Pumpkin Soup 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 /2 medium onion, chopped 1 bunch scallions, chopped (white and green parts) 1 pound baby carrots 4 cups homemade chicken stock 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) Preheat medium pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, butter, onions and carrots and saute 5 minutes. Add seasonings and stir well. Stir in chicken stock, bring 4 to a boil, cover and cook until carrots are very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin. Using an immersion blender or food processor, process soup until smooth and carrots are fully pureed. This soup can be made as much as three days prior to serving. The favors just get richer and more intense. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Foodie Friday & Everything Else Share Your Cup Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

One of the most difficult things about setting a table is coming up with the centerpiece. Sometimes you want to invite people at the last minute, have an attractive table to go with your nice meal or your coffee and dessert, and, with no time to run out for flowers, you're struggling to find a centerpiece. For this reason it's important to have a nice container that you can grab at the last minute. This container can be anything whether it's a wooden dough bowl like I've used here, a basket, silver tray, or any favorite piece that you happen to have on hand. Place it in the center of the table, take a careful assessing look around your house, and fill it with something that you already have. Finding myself in similar circumstances, last week I put a couple of mangoes in my bowl, this week I am serving a number of different breads, muffins, and bagels for a brunch, and I've chosen to use that as my centerpiece. Surprisingly, it's quite dramatic to see all the breads in front of you at once. It also makes it easy for people to take what they want without having to ask to have something passed to them. Keep this in mind for your next brunch, luncheon, or dinner party. With each passing day we're getting closer and closer to the holiday season of dinners, lunches, chili suppers, and holiday parties, so give this idea some consideration. This post is linked to: Dishing It & Digging It, Over the Moon, Silver Pennies Sunday, Art of Homemaking, Amaze Me Monday, Busy Mondays, Inspiration Monday, Cooking & Crafting with J&J, Make It Pretty Monday, Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Celebrate Your Story, Tutorials and Tips Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, Share Your Style, Thursday Favorite Things, Tablescape Thursday, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article

I’m not sure how we first got onto the subject, but a couple of weeks ago when my son and daughter-in-law visited we ended up talking about the Cheesecake Factory, and our favorite dishes served at this popular restaurant. I've only been there twice, both times having the Thai Peanut Noodles, and both times really enjoying it. My daughter-in-law, who once worked there, said that her favorite dish is the Da Vinci pasta, adding that she would love it if I could find the recipe. After a brief Google search, I did find a recipe at bigoven.com. Last night I tried it, following it exactly, with the exception of using rigatoni instead of penne pasta because rigatoni was all I had. I really liked this dish. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was due to the inclusion of the wonderfully flavorful Madeira wine that made up of part of the sauce. I made it with the chicken as directed, but I think this would be excellent as a vegetarian dish with the addition of more mushrooms, and perhaps zucchini. At any rate, this is definitely a dish worth trying, and would be an excellent choice to serve on those cool fall nights. Da Vinci Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Clone) Slightly adapted from bigoven.com 1 large red onion, diced 1 .5 ounce pkg. Melissa’s dried morel mushrooms, hydrated and halved 2-4 Tablespoons Olive oil 1 cup Madeira wine 1-2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup sour cream 2/3 cup heavy cream 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2-4 chicken boneless, skinless breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 pound penne pasta; cooked according to directions Freshly ground black pepper Salt In a 9” skillet, over medium heat, caramelize the onion in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the onion with a little salt, and cook them until they are a rich brown color and taste sweet. The onions will have a “gooey” texture and excess liquid will be evaporated. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and garlic to the onions. (Add a little more oil if the mixture is too dry.). Sauté until chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are soft. Remove from skillet and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and bring to a slow boil; reduce by 2/3 until the alcohol smell has cooked out. Lower the heat and once the mixture is no longer boiling, add the sour cream and heavy cream. Stir constantly until melted. Swirl in the butter. Add cooked chicken mixture and stir. Toss with the cooked and drained pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. This post is linked to: Thoughts of Home on Thursday Home Sweet Home Weekend Linky Party Grace at Home Simple & Sweet Friday Foodie Friday & Everything Else Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

Last week I showed you a simple table setting using a dough bowl and a pair of mangoes. After that I showed you what to do with those mangoes, namely turn them into a delicious exotic-tasting chutney. Today I'm going to tell you something you can do with that chutney, namely blend it into softened cream cheese and use it as a filling for jalapeño poppers. Jalapeño poppers are a popular appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, Super Bowl food, and easy snack. I don't know anyone who doesn't love these. Me? I thought they could use a little more taste rather than just plain cream cheese and a bacon wrapping, so I decided to take my 8-ounce brick of cream cheese and whip into it 1 to 2 tablespoons of mango chutney before filling the peppers. It was delicious! Not only did I use it to stuff jalapeño poppers, but I also used the leftover cream cheese to slather on top of a bagel the next morning for breakfast -- wonderful! If you ever thought about making chutney, but hesitated to do so, now is the time. You simply must make some, and then you need to try these jalapeño poppers. I wrapped each one with 1/2 a slice of bacon, but you may like more bacon, in which case, feel free to use a whole slice, whatever you're used to. If jalapeños are too hot for your tastes, substitute with shishitos or any other mild pepper. This is a delicious recipe that you definitely need to try. Your friends are going to love them, and they're going to wonder why your poppers are so much better than theirs. You have the secret, the addition of mango chutney. Jalapeño Poppers with Mango Chutney Cream Cheese 4 jalapeños, seeded and split 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1-2 tablespoons mango chutney 4 slices bacon, split lengthwise With a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and chutney. Fill jalapeño halves with cheese/chutney mixture, and wrap each with a half slice of bacon. Broil* 6-8 minutes until the bacon crisps. Cool 2-3 minutes and serve. *If you prefer to bake your poppers, you may do so at 400°F for 30-45 minutes. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Celebrate Your Story, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything ElseView the full article

I make good use of our local library. I don't know about you, but I find it stunning the amount of resources that the library has available (for free, I might add), from hardcopy to digital streaming to genealogical services, the library, in my opinion, is one of the best places in town. When I visit, I tend to head in one of two directions, the audiobook section (because I am a huge fan of audiobooks) or, no surprise, the cookbook section. I try to keep up with new cookbooks that are being released, but some of them manage to slip by me. Apparently the entire series of Trader Joe's cookbooks completely escaped my notice. Once spotting them, naturally, I couldn't resist, and brought home the I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook. Like a lot of people, I am a fan of Trader Joe's, so this was a fun cookbook to read. One recipe that I stumbled across, was particularly inviting, because of the relatively few ingredients required, the fact that I had all of them, and that the meal could be on the table without a whole lot of effort. This recipe is a good one. I find the combination of maple syrup and mustard to be quite pleasing with the chicken thighs. I cut the recipe in half and made only two chicken thighs, one of which I ate for dinner, the other I pulled apart and had on a sandwich with additional sauce for lunch the following day. Both were sensational. Here's the recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Trader Joe’s Maple Mustard Chicken 1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, trimmed of fat 1/2 cup Dijon mustard 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 450° F. Spray an 8x8" ovenproof baking dish with Pam; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken thighs into the prepared baking dish, and then pour the mustard mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it is well coated. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, ladle the sauce over, and serve. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Celebrate Your Story, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything ElseView the full article

Last week I showed you a simple table setting with an even simpler centerpiece using nothing more than a dough bowl and two mangoes. You may be wondering what I did with those mangoes, maybe not, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I made mango chutney. There's already a recipe on this blog for mango chutney, but I decided to do something different based upon a comment that a friend recently made. She told me that she would like to make mango chutney, but she doesn't because she doesn't care for raisins. That got me to thinking that surely there's a suitable substitute for raisins, and an easy one at that, in the form of other dried small fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, or cherries. I decided to use cranberries because that's what I had on hand. As it turned out, it made delicious chutney. I didn't notice a whole lot of difference between using the cranberries and the raisins, but the outcome was a good one. If you're wondering what to do with your chutney after you've made it, come back later in the week and I'll show you an interesting use for it. In the meantime, keep in mind that it is excellent with any type of ethnic food (even fried rice if you happen to carry out from your local Chinese place). It's a great accompaniment to roast chicken, wonderful when mixed with mayonnaise and spread thinly on a turkey, chicken, or club sandwich, and makes a great topping for baked ham. Treat chutney like you would treat any other relish and you are going to find yourself using it all the time. Mango & Cranberry Chutney 2 Melissa's Keitt mangoes (3 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh jalapeño including seeds* 2 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick Toss together mangoes, vinegar, brown sugar, cranberries, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mince and mash ginger, jalapeño, and garlic to a paste with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and then stir in cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic mixture and cinnamon stick. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in mango mixture and simmer, covered, stirring once or twice until mangoes are tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and cool chutney, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Spoon into jars and refrigerate 24 hours before using to allow favors to meld. Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge. *If you like things a bit milder, do not use the seeds. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: BLUE Monday Inspire Me Tuesday TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME Dishing it and Digging it Amaze Me Monday Cooking & Crafting with J&J No Place Like Home Thoughts of Home on Thursday Home Sweet Home Weekend Linky Party Grace at Home Simple & Sweet Friday Foodie Friday & Everything Else Share Your Cup Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

People will often tell me that they can't set a pretty table because they don't have all of the dishes and accessories that I have. Admittedly, I do have a lot of dishes and accessories, but a table need not be set in a dramatic fashion in order to be attractive and appealing. Today's table is a wonderful representation of modesty. It consists of attractive place settings, patterned placemats, and a centerpiece that is almost Zen-like in its simplicity. A simple dough bowl and two mangoes is all it took. It's lovely, it's serene, and it takes very little by way of supplies or effort. Rummage around in your cupboards and see what you can come up with, and let me know. You just might surprise yourself. Rattan Round Placemats – Pier One Fabric Placemats - Three French Hens Dinnerware – Vintage Pfaltzgraff “Village” (Mr. O-P’s collection) Stemware – Gift from my mother Geranium Leaf Plates - Williams-Sonoma Dough Bowl – Pottery Barn Flatware – Pottery Barn Mangoes – Keitt Mangoes from Melissa’s Produce This post is linked to: BLUE Monday Make it Pretty Monday Inspire Me Tuesday TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME Dishing it and Digging it Amaze Me Monday Cooking & Crafting with J&J No Place Like Home Tablescape Thursday Home and Garden Thursday Thoughts of Home on Thursday Home Sweet Home Weekend Linky Party Grace at Home Simple & Sweet Friday Foodie Friday & Everything Else Share Your Cup Wildly Original Creative Ways Party Share Your Style Simple Saturday Blog Hop A Bouquet of Talent View the full article

My number one son celebrated his birthday in August, and, as I always do, I had him and his family over for gifts and dessert. I seized this opportunity to try a new recipe, opting for one of the richest, most decadent desserts that I could find. This is certainly it! Imagine sinking your teeth into a pie-sized-wedge of a peanut butter cup and you get the picture. This dessert is rich! There is a plus in that. Because it is so rich, you will need to cut small slices, so this pie goes a long way, 10-12 servings easily. It would be a wonderful dessert to serve for your Halloween dinners, particularly if you add a hint of orange drizzle to the top, in a similar fashion to what I did here. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Crust 1 (14.3 oz) package Oreos 1 stick butter, melted Filling 1 stick butter, softened 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter 1 cup powdered sugar Topping 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Finely crush the Oreos using your favorite method, i.e. a food processor, blender, or smashed in a Ziploc bag. I tend to use the food processor because the entire crust can be easily made in doing so. Stir crumbs together with the melted butter until well combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan. Freeze crust for 10 minutes until set. In the work bowl of a stand mixer set to low speed, beat together filling ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the crust, smoothing top. Return to freezer. Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a large glass or heatproof bowl. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring heavy whipping cream to a rolling simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and peanut butter and let stand for 5 minutes, and then whisk until smooth. Pour the chocolate layer over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour until ready to serve. PRINT RECIPE This post is linked to: Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else View the full article