15 bean and pearl barley chili

i enjoy soups and stews

year round

but this

pleasantly cool weather

makes me want to

hunker down with a 

stick to your ribs kinda meal

but 

stick to your ribs

sometimes

also means

stick to your thighs

if you know what i mean

this recipe

is vegetarian

and very low in fat

i might be so bold as to say

guilt free

it uses dried beans

so it will cost you a bit of time

in the soaking

but it is well worth it

i made a huge pot

and froze my leftovers

mainly because

hubster is a meat eater

say vegetarian chili to him

and he hears

i didn't make any dinner tonight

15 bean and pearl barley chili
(printable recipe)

1 bag 15 bean soup mix--beans only (save the flavor packet for something else--or toss it like i do)

water for soaking beans

1 onion--chopped

2 celery rib--chopped

2 carrots--chopped

1 pasilla chile--chopped

1 cup mushrooms--chopped

1/4 cup chili spice mix

1/4 tsp cayenne

4Tbs tomato paste

1 cup pearl barley

6 cups liquid (i used 4 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups beer)

1 generous tablespoon grated bittersweet chocolate (i had some salted chocolate in my pantry that worked a charm)

salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water overnight or use whatever method you are most comfortable with for softening dried beans.  Drain.  In a heavy stock pot, cook onions, celery, carrots, pasilla and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, until they soften and just begin to brown.  toss in the chili spice, and cayenne and give it a turn or two to coat everything.  add the pearl barley and stir to coat.  stir in the tomato paste and chocolate, then toss in the beans and cook until they and the barley are tender. It should take about an hour over medium heat. Do not let boil, just simmer. season to taste with salt and pepper. serve with all your favorite chili fixins.

i am linking this to 

tuesday night supper club

boxing day pate {chicken liver pate}

i've celebrated boxing day

a few times

 in my first experience of

 "celebrating"

while living in the UK

i found myself

going from store to store

in my little village

finding locked doors

and closed signs

even with mail delivery

two times a day

i didn't get the memo

that commerce ends

when christmas celebrations 

begin

boxing day is a lovely tradition

and much more meaningful

than

half-off sales

and 

crowded malls

this simple pate

rounds out a simple buffet

or

if you fancy yourself a bit more posh

a nice glass of champs

a cool jar of caviar

and this 

on a silver tray

would have the queen

bowing to you

chicken liver pate
(printable recipe)

1/4 cup shallots--finely diced

1/2 cup salt pork --diced

2 large garlic cloves--smashed but kept whole

2 Tbs olive oil

1 lb chicken livers--well trimmed

1 cup chicken broth

leaves from 1 sprig thyme

pinch black pepper

1 stick butter

3 generous tablespoons cognac

in a saute pan with non-sloping sides, heat the olive oil and toss in the garlic, the shallots and the salt pork.  cook on low until the shallots begin to soften.  wash and dry the livers.  toss into the shallots and oil and let brown, but don't cook all the way through. it will only take a few minutes.  toss in the thyme and black pepper, then pour in the chicken broth. cover the pan and let cook until the liver is cooked through and everything else is softened.  remove from heat and immediately tip everything into a food processor. add the butter in chunks and process until you have a nice thick paste.  pour through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.  stir in the cognac and then pour into ramekins or gifting jars.  for a nice presentation, you can top with clarified butter and a fresh sprig of thyme.

pizzelle

i learned to make pizzelle

at the knee of my great-aunt rose

while still quite young

she was an amazing baker

and

a real stickler

i learned not to lick the spoon

at a very early age

each time i lift

my pizzelle iron

from its tattered 

and 

batter scarred box

my memory of  my aunt rose floats richly

in the fragrance of these cookies

and

the season

 Pizzelle 
(printable recipe)

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs + 1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 Tbs Anise flavored extract

4 oz unsalted butter--melted and cooled

combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, extract and melted butter.  stir into the flour mixture. this batter will be nice and thick, similar to a pate a choux.  drop by the spoonful onto a hot pizzelle iron.  check after 60 seconds for color. you want it to be a light blonde in color.  do not undercook, undercooked pizzelle will not get nice and crispy.  sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar and serve.

you can form these into cones or cups, or even cut in fourths while they are still warm.  i like to use them for large and beautiful ice cream sandwiches...or rolled and filled with a bit of brandy flavored whipped cream...but i mostly like them just as they are.

one last thing...

wishing you all

a peaceful holiday

filled 

with sweet memories

humble gratitude

and

deep joy

Merry Christmas

italian fig cookies

to be honest

this is more of a st. joseph's day treat

than a christmas one

but

truth be told

they are good

any time of year

be warned

this is not a fig newton facsimile

these are spicy and heady and filled with riches

wrapped in a buttery italian pastry

called

pasta frolla

my presentation isn't typical either

they are usually rolled in a tube-shape 

and cut in sections

on a cookie tray

i find them to stay fresh a bit longer

when presented like this

italian fig cookies

cucidati
(printable recipe)

pasta frolla

4 cups flour

2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter--cold and cut into pieces

4 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

using a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt a few times to ensure fully mixed.  drop in the butter and pulse until the butter has incorporated completely turning the mixture into a powder.  add the eggs and vanilla and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball.  remove and wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. 

filling

12 oz dried figs (i use calimyrna)

1/2 cup currants or raisins

zest of 1 orange finely grated

1/3 cup blanched, slivered almonds--toasted

1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate--cut into pieces or chips

3 heaping Tablespoons apricot preserves

3 Tbs dark rum

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

light pinch ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

egg beaten with a bit of water for egg wash

powdered sugar glaze or royal icing for decoration

sprinkles for decoration

if the figs are hard and dry, place them in a bowl of hot water to soften, drain and then proceed with recipe.   dice the figs and place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. stir to fully incorporate. place the entire mixture in the food processor, fitted with steel blade and pulse until you have a paste.  place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

roll the dough out to 1/4" and cut with a small round, plain or scalloped cookie cutter. place just a small bit of fig on top of half the cutouts.  brush a bit of egg wash with a brush on the outer edge of the dough. place a second piece of dough on top and press with tines of fork or toothpick to seal.  brush top with egg wash.  bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. you have to watch to see that they don't burn, you want them just starting to brown on the bottom.

when cool, leave plain or drizzle a bit of powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar and milk to a runny consistency), or royal icing and add a few sprinkles.  

chicken paprikash with potato dumplings

hubster and i recently traveled through spain with friends 

one of the gals was mildly obsessed with paprika

she was very determined

to bring some home

at every stop

 she looked for the perfect spice

for paprikash

in the end

she arrived home with a

satchel full 

of the wonderful crimson spice

i

promised a recipe

that would showcase

the wonderful 

flavor of this smoky and rich ground pepper

this recipe is very flavorful 

it is usually eaten with a flour dumplings

however

i favor large potato dumplings with this recipe

it gives it heft

and 

curbs the spice a bit

paprikash with potato dumplings

chicken paprikash
(printable recipe)

1 /2 cup flour

2 Tbs sweet paprika

t/t salt

t/t pepper

whole chicken cut into 8 pieces

3 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion-cut in half, then thinly sliced

1Tbs + 1 tsp smoked paprika

3 Tbs paprika

¼ tsp cayenne

14 oz can diced tomatoes

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tsp sugar

2 cups or more chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

 Combine flour and 2 Tbs paprika with salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture.  Reserve left over flour.  Add oil to dutch oven.  Heat over medium high heat.  Add chicken and brown on both sides.  Remove chicken and reserve.  Add a bit more oil to pot.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add red pepper, paprika and salt.  Return chicken to pot and pour in the tomatoes. Add enough broth to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer 30-45 minutes, until chicken is done.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Combine reserved flour and ½ cup sour cream.  Add small amount of liquid from pot to flour mixture and stir with whisk until smooth.  Add to pot and simmer 5 minutes.  Add remaining sour cream at serving.

potato gnocchi
(printable recipe)

2 large russet potatoes

1 cup (about) flour

1 egg--slightly beaten

generous pinch salt

scrub the potatoes and rub with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  put on a cookie sheet and bake at 400F until baked through and soft.  while the potatoes are still hot, cut each potato in half and push through a potato ricer in a mound. (save the skins for a yummy snack) make a well in the potato and sprinkle with most of the flour, and the salt.  put the egg in the well and gently mix in to form a dough.  try not to overwork, and add flour as necessary to make a dough that will stay together. you really don't want your dough falling apart in the water. you may need more than 1 cup flour. knead until the dough is cohesive. for this recipe, i make large gnocchi "dumplings", but you can make traditional ones if you like. roll the dough out to 1/4" and cut into rectangles.  make score marks on each side (this helps "catch" the sauce).  cook the dumplings in a pot of boiling salted water. toss them into the water, let them float to the top and then wait another 60 seconds or so.  remove from the water then, toss into the pot of paprikash and let them soak up a bit of the sauce. when serving, i put the dumplings in one serving dish and the chicken with sauce in another.  while served separately, they are meant to be eaten together.

i am linking this up to

tuesday night supper club

chocolate glazed gingerbread

until yesterday

it had been years

since i made

gingerbread cookies 

but

come holiday time

i bake for others

others with specific requests

so

i dusted off my cookie cutter

and scoured my recipe archives

i found a fun idea in

nancy baggett's all american cookie book

for 

a chocolate glazed version

one of my favorite combinations

gingerbread and chocolate is

here's what i have to say

i will give you her recipe

slightly altered 

(it is what i do, i can't help myself)

it produces a firm and crisp cookie

(which i like)

but it lacks a "roundness", another flavor note, i think

i added honey and it is an improvement

and then there is the glaze

it just was NOT chocolatey enough

looking like chocolate

and tasting like chocolate

are two entirely different things

i bumped it up--considerably

i give you the recipe

with the tweaks already in

if you want the original

buy the book

it is worth it

she has some great recipes

chocolate glazed gingerbread
(printable recipe)

(adapted from all american cookie book)

6 1/2 cups flour (plus more if needed)

2 Tbs ground cinnamon

2 Tbs ground ginger *

1 tsp ground cloves

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt *

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar *

1 cup unsalted butter--slightly softened

2 Tbs corn oil (or other flavorless oil)

1 1/4 cup molasses*

1/4 cup honey*

whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.  in an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, butter, and oil until light and fluffy. beat in molasses, honey and 2 1/2 Tbs water until well blended. beat in half the flour mixture until well blended. stir in the remaining flour. knead the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny. if dough is too stiff, you may add a bit more water, if too sticky, add flour.  divide dough into three pieces. roll each piece in between pieces of wax or parchment paper to 1/4" thick.  place in the refrigerator to firm up (about 3 hours).  when ready to use, peel back the parchment from both sides and using a cookie cutter, stamp out design.  bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for approximately 6-12 minutes at 350F.  keep a close eye.  let cool, then dip in chocolate glaze

chocolate luster glaze

11/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate--coarsely chopped and melted*

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

pinch kosher salt*

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*

1/3 cup water

1 Tbs light or dark corn syrup*

1 tsp vanilla extract

heat the water and corn syrup in a sauce pan, over medium heat until it just comes to a boil.  remove from heat.  sift together the powdered sugar, salt and cocoa powder.  stir the hot syrup/water into the powdered sugar mixture and beat by hand until smooth and shiny.  toss in the vanilla and melted chocolate and beat again until smooth.  dip cookies or use an offset spatula to frost. let cookies sit a minimum of 3 hours to ensure they are set.  decorate as desired. 

the ingredients marked by * have been altered, or added by yours truly.

iced and snowy stars

i love this shortbread recipe

and use it shamelessly

whenever i can

it is seen here

rolled into a rainbow of happiness

every christmas

mom would bring out

special cookie cutters

the ones she used for

shortbread 

the mystery still remains

why

they were 

shaped like playing card suits

and how

"spades" and "diamonds"

scream christmas

i never thought to ask

perhaps i should

she rolled the dough out thicker than usual 

slightly underbaked them

and half dipped them in chocolate

and they are perfect that way

still 

my favorite way of eating them

but they are also delightful

rolled a bit thinner

baked a bit crispier 

and

glazed with

ivory tinted

royal icing, 

flavored with a bit of almond

and 

finished with sugar

i make these

and 

mom still makes 

chocolate dipped

and it is hard to imagine

that we both use 

the same dough

shortbread cookies
(printable recipe)

(the original recipe has been passed down through my family, but came-i think-from Paula Peck)

1 cup butter-room temperature

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Beat sugar and butter until completely mixed together, but not light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and salt and mix until just incorporated. Slowly stir in flour and only mix until just incorporated.  Divide dough in 2 portions, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.  When ready to bake, roll out and bake on parchment paper.  top with sprinkles or leave plain and bake at 325 until just starting to brown on the bottom.

once cooled you can dip in tempered chocolate or glaze with royal icing (alton brown recipe here), flavored as you choose

just a simple tip.  i glaze the cookies using a pastry bag and let them dry.  i then dip a small paint brush in a bit of everclear or vodka (or you can use extract) and gently swipe it across the top. i then immediately sprinkle the sugar on top. the liquid will evaporate almost immediately--but it will allow your sugar to stick without sinking into the icing.

one of santa's?

i know it isn't food--but i had to share
i was browsing through a british mag

a cast off from my cousin

and found the most delightful tableau

from living etc december 2010

and i thought

hmmm

i could probably make that

surprisingly,

 i didn't look at it close enough

as

i see now

that it was a small little table-top picture

mine
is not

my mantle december 2010

but i love it anyway

and hubster does too

now that he knows it is just for the holidays

he was a bit suspect

 and slightly concerned 

i might start making "art"

for the house

this was really simple

i purchased a cheap canvas

painted the background white-white

drew the elk freehand in pencil

and 

painted it burnt umber

 a few strands of battery operated lights

strategically placed and poked through

(a little hot glue to secure)

gives it a sparkly-snowy feel

simple, right?

i was thinking of making eight more

  to line our living room wall

as if i

curate santa's hall of fame

going to the dogs...

we used to have a dog bakery in our neighborhood

 i would walk past it with a 

humpf

thinking 

people need to get a life

rolling my eyes

as i passed 

perfectly coiffed poodles

with 

their own frequent buyer cards

and suddenly

as if i hadn't just heard myself

i would turn on my heels

go in

and purchase

"just a little something"

for our two pups 

because,

that stuff was irresistible

the shop closed last year

and, not surprisingly
i found
our dogs were happy with any and all treats

post

morning constitution

which is great

but

at christmas 

i like to have something special

for the little rascals

imagine my surprise

when i came across peanut flour

at the local trader joes

i immediately thought

of dog biscuits

i'm silly that way

these are really easy to put together

and apparently yummy

i am not kidding when i tell you

our dogs were pestering me

to lick the bowl

humans can eat these too

but i don't know why one would

they are packed with

healthy goodness

but not

tasty goodness

unless 

you are a dog

or

shipwrecked

stellar treats
(printable recipe)

1 cup peanut flour

2 cups oat bran

2 over-ripe bananas

3 egg yolks

3 Tbs honey

2 Tbs cinnamon

1/4-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

egg white for brushing cookies

sprinkles (optional)

place the peanut flour, oat bran, bananas, eggs, cinnamon and honey in the bowl of a food processor. process until it becomes a dough.  turn onto your work bench and work in enough flour to make a firm dough, that can be rolled out.  if you don't want to use wheat, you can use oat flour for this. roll out to about 1/4"thick and cut with cookie cutter of choice.  place on cookie sheet and brush with egg white. top with sprinkles (if using). bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned.  makes about 60 1 1/2" cookies

dharma is impolite
 and hopes
i don't notice her
unceremoniously gobbling them up

w.d. carefully chooses
and suspects
it might be a trap

because a plate of cookies
on the floor
in the middle of the kitchen
seems a bit
suspicious
even to a dog

i am sharing this at
the tattered tag

israeli couscous carbonara

we love carbonara around here

black pepper rocks!

 it is a great go to week night meal

it is quick

it is packed with goodies

and 

the ingredients are typical larder items

i first learned about carbonara when i was in college

"studying" in italy 

a cooking instructor said it is what people would enjoy

late night

after the cinema or visiting with friends

we have letterman

they have carbonara

this recipe is an adaptation based on what i had on hand and the fact that i was in the mood

for shrimp

israeli couscous carbonara

with shrimp
(printable recipe)

olive oil

1/3 cup onion--minced finely

1 1/3 cup israeli couscous

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 rashers of bacon--chopped in small pieces

white wine or broth or water

15 shrimp (approx) (raw, shelled and deveined)

1 Tbs minced chive

1 Tbs black pepper

1 egg

1/4 cup cream

parmesan cheese for serving

in a pot, pour a bit of olive oil. heat over medium heat and toss in onion.  cook onion until it becomes translucent.  toss in the israeli couscous and stir until it starts to brown a bit.  pour in the chicken stock, cover the pan and cook about 12 minutes or until the liquid has been fully absorbed.

meanwhile in a frying pan, cook the bacon until it just begins to crisp up.  pour in a bit of liquid (wine, chicken broth or water) to slow the cooking and make a bit of a sauce. not too much, no more than an ounce.  while the pan is still hot, toss in the shrimp and cook until just done. set aside for a minute.

in a bowl whisk together the egg, black pepper, cream and minced chive.  all at once, toss in the hot couscous (the hot pasta will cook the egg but keep it creamy) and stir well.  Add the warm shrimp and bacon and stir again. Serve immediately.

this will make a nice first course for 5 people or dinner for 3

i am linking to 

Tuesday Night Supper Club

and

Hearth and Home Blog Hop

gingerbread biscotti

this is a recipe i have posted before

as a nice last minute gift

however

i never actually posted

a photo of the final result

Gingerbread Biscotti
(printable recipe)

2 3/4-3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cup + 5tsp granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 Tbs molasses

2 Tbs butter--melted and cooled

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 Tbs sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon mixed together

1 egg--gently whisked for glazing

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.  In a bowl whisk together the whole eggs with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla and butter.  Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until it comes together. If it is too wet, add a bit of flour to your hands as you form the mixture into 2 logs of about 2" wide.

Place each log on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Brush the top of each log with the egg and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake at 350 until it is puffed and firm to the touch

Remove from the oven and let cool

Once cooled, slice crosswise, reduce the oven to 325 and place cut side down on the cookie sheet.  Return to oven and bake until dry but not brown.

i use royal icing for the embellishment

but you can use white chocolate

or be a purist

and shun all the frills


i have linked this to leafy tree top's holiday link-up
there are lots of great sweets there if you are looking for something
new to make this holiday!

home sweet home

wouldn't it be great

if we could all live

in houses made of gingerbread

imagine

waking up to the smell of

molasses, cinnamon and clove

 i would literally 

eat myself out of house and home

i'm not sure if i would rather live

in a

a sweetheart's cottage

or a

trapper's cabin

red hot apples

hubster has a memory

of baked crab apples

bright red and canned

by his aunt ethel

30 years ago

do you feel my pain?

luckily for me

we happened upon a baked apple

at philippes

which is an autumn special

that did not look

but
tasted similar to aunt ethel's apples

after tasting it, i thought

hmmm

it kind of tastes like red hots

i used a standard poaching technique

like you would do for pears

instead of wine, spices and zest

i used a bag of red hots

who knew?

after preparing the warm crimson bath, 

i thought to check the internet

and there are quite a few recipes 

for cinnamon apples

many using red hots

i figured i was on the right track

these are quite good

and i imagine would be beautiful canned,

warmed over ice cream,

or

as an oversized "cherry" 

crowning a soft warm chocolate cake

personally,

i am enjoying them

one by one

the soft sourness of the crab apple

paired with 

the sticky sweet of the red hots

indulged

with a nigella-like abandon

red hot apples
(printable recipe)

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

1-14oz bag red hots

pinch salt

a dozen or so crab apples, peeled

place the sugar, water, red hots and salt in a heavy pot. heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the red hots melt properly (they tend to stick to the bottom of the pan).  once everything is melted, bring the mixture to a simmer and gently plop in the apples.  let simmer for about 15 minutes (these soften quickly, so pay attention).  remove apples and place in a shallow storage pan, cover with hot syrup. let cool a bit, then store in the refrigerator.  you can also can them just after the simmer.  please use proper canning procedures.

*note...there is quite a bit of extra syrup when all is said and done.  you can use it to make more apples, or you can put it in a jar and use it for cocktails.  i will get back to you on that (wink, wink)

cornish hens with patatas bravas

yesterday i was editing my photos

of our trip to spain

and i came across this photo

of

patatas bravas

which we enjoyed

surrounded by the bustle 

of

la rambla

and a darling waiter

whom was leaving fake euros

under chair legs

as a tease

and

getting much more joy from the fake out

than the actual 

and generous, i might add

gratuity we left 

i immediately had a craving

hubster is a meat and potato kind of guy

and i 

am a potato and potato kind of girl

if i were making this just for me

i would round this off with a glass of red wine

and a good read

but

such is not the case

so

i am accompanying them

with cornish hen

stuffed with creamy and herbed cheese

patatas bravas

(printable recipe)

2 russet potatoes--peeled and cut into chunks

olive oil

place potatoes in a pot of cold,salted water.  boil until you can easily pierce. do not overcook.  drain and let cool.  heat oil in heavy pot.  fry potatoes in oil until golden brown. drain on kitchen paper and serve with aioli.

for aioli

1  large egg yolk

3 cloves garlic-finely chopped

2 tsp lemon

1/4 tsp salt

pinch sugar or drizzle of honey

1/4 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet)

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

place egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar or honey, paprika and cayenne (if using) in a blender.  blend until smooth.  slowly drizzle the olive oil until it comes together like a thin mayonnaise.  taste for spice.  

*if there is NO WAY you are going to make aioli or don't want to use raw eggs...then do this: put 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 large garlic clove--crushed to a paste), 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch sugar, 1/2 tsp paprika and as much cayenne as you like in a blender and whirl it until everything is really smooth.  

cornish hen

(printable recipe)

2 cornish game hens--cleaned and dried

1/4 cup chevre--room temp

1/2 cup cream cheese--room temp

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cloves garlic-pulverized to paste

1 Tbs chopped fresh chive

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 lemon

salt

pepper

olive oil

mix together the chevre, cream cheese, pepper, garlic, chive and parsley.  split into two portions and stuff into the cavity of each hen, and truss it up.   place in a roasting dish.  squeeze lemon juice over the hens and toss the lemon  into the roasting pan. drizzle a bit of olive oil over the hens and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  roast in 400 oven for about 30-40 minutes (depending on size).

the cheese gets all warm and gooey. you can dip your potatoes in it like hubster is known to do!

i am linking this to 

tuesday night supper club

and

hearth and soul blog hop

hostess gift

come holiday time

we get invited to quite a few

parties

and because

my momma raised me right

i never go empty handed

never

this year

i will have these in hand

hot cocoa on a stick and simple vanilla marshmallows

(recipes can be found here and here)

if this looks cute to you

it is only an invitation away!

because candy isn't just for eating

i'm anticipating

a parade of ants

i grabbed this idea for a gumdrop wreath from tatertots and jello 

this i came up with on my own

with a little help from the cheap candy aisle at the drug store

* these are really simple to do. all you need is a glue gun, a foam wreath and hands made of asbestos.  i think one made of lemon drops would be so adorable!
--the peppermint wreath is 12"  foam with a flat back.  it took approximately 2 1/2 bags (1lb 9oz each) of Bob's Sweet Stripes.  The back is not covered. 
**if you are having difficulty getting the mints to adhere to the foam, try wrapping the wreath in ribbon first, then glue the mints to the ribbon

clementine margarita marmalade

the other day

i was at a very large crafts store

and it was packed

lines around the store to check out

stuff was strewn everywhere

no one seemed happy

it wasn't black friday

or

trickle down tuesday

it was 5 in the afternoon

on a regular day

 i thought to myself

this is why i don't shop

at christmas-time

long lines

no parking

people on edge

thankfully

i have friends and family

who appreciate

gifts from my kitchen

each year 

i put together hampers 

full of  homemade goodies

this margarita marmalade was inspired by

a basket of clementines 

and bottle of tequila

nestled side by side

among the clutter 

of thankgiving past

it would be lovely on a warm crumpet

or freshly baked scone

clementine margarita marmalade
(printable recipe)

4 limes

12 clementines

2/3 cup tequila

5-6 cups sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup contreau

1 pouch sure-jell pectin

thinly clementines with skin on and place in bowl. supreme the limes over the same bowl and discard the pith and skin.  add sugar and tequila. let sit 8 hours or overnight.  pour into heavy saucepan and add the salt and contreau.  bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes.  add the pectin and boil for 1 full minute.  place in sterilized jars and put through canning process for 10 minutes. if you have never canned before--please do your research on how to can jams and jellies * the amount of sugar should be adjusted according to how sweet your fruit is. the marmalade is meant to be slightly bitter..but you need the sugar to assist in setting it up.  

you may notice in my photo that i thinly sliced the limes and threw them in rather than supreming them.  it wasn't a great idea. while it looks pretty, the limes really don't soften up like the clementines and they are more like candy than confit (not a good thing).