Pumpkin & Brie Bites

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter is back on the shelves and I bought a bag full this weekend!  It's a yummy treat that really goes with just about everything, so this time in preparation for a few last minute visitors I quickly paired it with creamy-salty accompaniments for a super rich small bite... Give it a try!

3 items:  Marcona almonds seasoned with sea salt and rosemary, triple creme French brie, Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter

Use a basic butter cracker (skip anything with a flavor) or a fresh baguette, allow the brie to soften to about room temperature so it's easier to spread, drizzle with a bit of the pumpkin butter and top it off with a nice, salty almond.  The flavors combined are pure heaven!

This goes best with a slightly sweet and bubbly Prosecco ~ Nino Franco is one of my favorites!

Wrap a jar up pretty with a mini spoon, parchment paper and some twine and deliver as a hostess gift!  Nothing says LOVE like pumpkin butter ;)

Click HERE for another yummy treat I made last Fall.

Comforting Cocktail

Last Fall I was introduced to a delicious & simple late evening beverage that mixes almonds and a classic English tea!  The piping hot tea brought together with a rich almond liqueur is a perfect ending to a long day or celebratory night!

Nothing difficult about this mix, but the flavors are super comforting.  Give it a stir with a little cinnamon stick and make sure to have a couple pieces of decadent chocolate to wash it down with!

My favorite brand as it is super aromatic with hints of lavender.

For a single serving...

One nice shot of Amaretto and it's all GOOD!

It's simple, not too strong and oh so soothing - Mix a batch or make a single serving!  Cheers!

As American as Apple Pie

While most of the USA was celebrating the 4th of July with BBQ and baked goods, we were introduced to another classic, but with a major enhancement... The Dorito shelled taco from Taco Bell!!  I know, I know - BUT HAVE YOU TRIED THIS??  Fast food for me is pretty much a guilty pleasure and I avoid it as much a I can, but a taco supreme is so delicious on it's own doused in hot sauce and then the marketing geniuses partnered with Frito Lay and replaced their basic shell with a Dorito shell... Need I say more? 

OK -  I'm going to stop thinking about it now before I head to the drive thru :)

To Die For Pasta!

OK - this recipe is Ah-MAZING!  One bite and I am totally hooked & I know you will be too.  I bought a bag of this pretty Summer-striped bowtie pasta and went looking for a recipe that would not cover up the design with a heavy sauce (it's all about presentation!).  I also wanted to use pancetta as the protein base (because who doesn't love anything that is in the bacon family) and came across a super simple recipe that called for just a handful of ingredients and about 30 total min. of your time.  Click HERE for all the details ~ MAKE THIS!!

Simply delicious!  All the flavors combine into absolute HEAVEN!

This will be my go-to Summer pasta dish for sure... Try it and let me know what you think!

Front Yard to Table

It's Mulberry Tree harvest time!  Out of nowhere several years ago a tree started growing in the most perfect spot in our front yard.  I had no idea what it was for several years, but it provided much needed shade so we continued to nurture it.  Then about 3 -4 years ago it started sprouting bunches and bunches of sweet berries - Our neighbors said there are many Mulberry trees in the area, but none that they had seen are producing fruit like ours.  We have been savoring and sharing for years now...Yes, the berries make a huge mess in the yard, on the cars and in the street and the wildlife that clamors into that tree for a taste is insane.  We even catch folks just out for a walk pulling down a branch to grab a handful (is that stealing??).  It really does feel rewarding to make something delicious that is growing right outside your window...

For this crop - Mulberry Almond Muffins with a Sweet Orange Glaze.

PB&J Parfait

I am often amazed by how the most simple of ingredients can combine to make the most delicious flavor.  It is so true for this perfect, nutritious breakfast parfait made from the comforting flavors the child in me still loves... Simply layer in the items noted below and enjoy a quick, healthy start to your day!

YUM!! How deceiving does this look... The kiddos will think you've gone mad when you serve this to them for breakfast!!

What you'll need:
~ Couple fresh strawberries & banana slices (or any fresh fruit you prefer)
~ Banana Yogurt (I chose this flavor as it mixes so well with the PB&J)
~ Organic, CRUNCHY Peanut Butter (seriously, you need the crunch - best part)
~ Organic Strawberry Preserves

All from TJ's ~ Gotta love 'em

Start with the fresh fruit (as shown above), then add a couple tablespoons of the yogurt - on top of that a teaspoon of peanut butter and then a dollop of the preserves.

Repeat above until you reach the top... Note:  Peanut butter works best a room temp.  So if you store in the fridge, scoop out what you need and pop in the microwave for no more than 15 - 20 seconds. 

Special thanks to RD for the inspiration!

Happy Sundae!

I'm addicted to super strong espresso and I couldn't dream of a world without ice cream, so the amazing combination of the two in an Italian Sundae called Affogato is what I've been creating lately.  Bon Appetit did an article called The Adult Sundae (shown here) back in May 2011 and it's held a special place on my fridge to remind me to serve as a super easy dessert that combines an after dinner sweet with a little boost of energy needed after a hearty meal. 

Finished with an additional drizzle of espresso and sidelined with some gingersnap biscuits I found at Trader Joe's - perfect dipping cookie!

If you have a single serving coffee maker you could brew one espresso K-cup per person into a traditional size coffee or tea cup (I bought the CBTL machine after testing and found it does make the best tasting, strongest espresso - (Keurig is no comparison).

Add in a small scoop of your favorite, rich vanilla ice cream (a rich chocolate is delicious as well).

I used decaf espresso (which seems like an oxymoron) just to test the flavor and it was perfect!

Topped it off with a little grated cinnamon, but as mentioned in the BA Daily article you could do cocoa powder, ground hazelnuts or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.  YUM!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip

  Yes!!  It's true... The most amazing sweet treat I've had, but beware... Make sure you have plenty of people to share this with or it will be major problems once you taste it... YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTROL YOURSELF :-)
Of course it's super simple to make with just a small list of ingredients and about 10 min. of your time this is sure to be a staple for last minute gatherings, potlucks or a fantastic gift for someone you love on Valentine's Day!

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup toffee bits

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter (with a simple handheld mixer).
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix until well-combined (mixer on a lower setting).

The perfect bite!  I recommend a buttery waffle cookies or a graham cracker for dipping.  The dip is sweet so you want a simple, plain cookie to pair it with.  Nilla Wafer cookies would be great, too.

OK - Quickly... I need to get this out of the house!!!!

Paris Cafe Day!

One little theme you may notice for this year is my love for all things Parisian.  2012 happens to bring a "milestone" birthday and with that a long standing dream trip is to visit Paris this summer... Working hard to achieve this goal!!  Until I reach the City of Lights, I am practicing on bringing a bit of their culture to my life in LA... Today, incorporating two of my favorite things - strong, rich coffee & sweets!
I recently received a sampling of some coffee, Organo Gold from a dear friend that has began to rep. the brand here in Los Angeles.  I had never heard of it before and it's an instant coffee which was different for me and my normal ways of brewing with a French press, but I made a delicious latte worthy of any high end cafe ~ and it's my understanding it has some amazing health benefits as well...  And so to combat anything too healthy (isn't that SO French :-), I paired my beverage with a few little treats from a fantastically minimalist French macaron shop in Old Town Pasadena called, 'lette.  Not only do I love the gooey-chewiness if these cookies, I was totally taken by the sweet little packaging you receive with just a little purchase of 2 macarons.  The flavors offered are spot on and I had a hard time choosing...  I settled on Salted Caramel and Chocolate Mint and maybe their gorgeous color had a bit to do with it as well.

One packet, then pour in 6 to 8 ounces for hot water and stir...

Use a hand held frother and make some since foam peaks (skim milk works best)

.

Place a few dollops of the milk froth on top of your coffee and enjoy!

What did I tell ya about the packaging!!  ADORABLE, right?

Inside view is even better!

Avoir un merveilleux après-midi du dimanche! (translation here)

Peruvian Rice Salad

This has to be one of my all time favorite salads and perfect for Winter as it mixes the hot & a bit spicy rice with the crisp greens for a bold tasting meal good for a light lunch or easy dinner.  It's super simple and the key element is found in the frozen section at Trader Joe's.  Below is a little step by step for putting this together:
Ingredients you'll need: Peruvian Rice (1 bag) from Trader Joe's, Herb Mix salad greens, cherry tomatoes, lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper and sour cream (optional).

Found in the freezer section at TJ's - Before you prepare the greens, follow directions on the package for a quick stove tope saute.

Once you have the rice going, start getting the salad together.  Key is to use a salad blend with herbs (this can also be found at TJ's).  You want all the extra flavors from the arugula, dill, radicchio to come out when you add the hot rice.  Squeeze in about a half lemon, a couple light swirls of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and fresh ground pepper.  Give a light toss.

I added in some tasty cherry tomatoes while the rice was cooking - It's just another burst of flavor that I love.

Finally, add a nice scoopful of the rice (straight from the stove top) to your salad and top with a dollop of sour cream (or not if you want to avoid the calories)  I like it as it adds just a touch of cream to the rice and all the flavors mix well together.

Hope you like it!

Easy Cherry Cobbler

As promised, below is a super easy and equally delicious dessert that you can make in a pinch!  A dear friend turned me onto this recipe for a Cherry pie filling, walnuts and yellow cake crumble and hope she doesn't mind if I claim it as a top ten on my list of baking "Must-Haves"!  I followed this recipe (click here) made some substitutions and skipped the lemon juice...

Delicious with vanilla ice cream, no doubt and I'm also inclined to drizzle a little Fleur de Sel (sea salt) Caramel sauce next time around, too.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Butter Rolls

The delicious items never end this season!!  Thank goodness we are getting colder in LA as I'll need to wear lots of layers to camouflage all the treats I am consuming!  I'm sure many of you have already discovered the yummy Pumpkin Butter at Trader Joe's and know it's SO good spread on toast, so here is another SUPER SIMPLE (level -1) recipe that calls for a jar of the pumpkin butter and ready-bake crescent rolls... Here is the sequence of events:

2 ingredients...

On a non-greased baking sheet, break apart dough into triangles (which should already be formed for you), evenly space on pan and spread a generous amount of the pumpkin butter onto the dough.

 

Roll up the crescents from the longer end of the triangle to the pointy side and curve in slightly to give it the half moon shape.  Bake @ 375 degrees for about 14 - 16 min. until golden on top.

Really good in the morning with your coffee or tea!  Also, try this as a savory bite for your Thanksgiving table (I'm thinking a great hostess gift as well if you are a guest this year!)

Any yummy recipes you have tried with Pumpkin Butter??