Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks
Love it or dread it, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means the Interwebs are a flutter with pink sprinkles, candy conversation hearts, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and red velvet everything. Needless to say, I’m joining the sugar-coated celebration.
Regardless if you’re dining with your sig-o or going solo this February 14, the good news is that chocolate stir sticks can be made for one or one hundred and will inevitably become your mug’s new best friend. Not only do they turn warm milk into instant hot chocolate, they also add a sweet kick to coffee for the ultimate mocha. I tested out a few options—from single-dipped dark chocolate straws to milk chocolate heart molds—so read on for a few tips for kicking up your cocoa this Valentine’s Day.
13 commentsSalted Caramels
I’m finding it hard to believe that it’s already February. Where the heck did the first one-twelfth of 2012 go?
This past month has been a whirlwind of working, cooking, dining out and re-discovering free time after the last nine months of writing the book. I never truly appreciated the beauty of parking myself on the couch on a random Tuesday night and watching Real Housewives, Lockup, House Hunters, and Dance Moms (join the addiction!) marathons until my mind went numb. There’s something to be said for the relaxation power of reality TV.
I’ve also had much more time to get back into the kitchen and dream up culinary creations spanning everything from slow-cooker classics to an accidental homerun with my new favorite sandwich cookie. As I gear up for the release of Food Blogging For Dummies, I’ll also be sharing additional content with a behind-the-scenes look at writing the book, photo shoots and all. Chew your way through these sticky Salted Caramels while you stay tuned for tons of new recipes, new content and a whole lot of book giveaways to come!
16 commentsEasy Super Bowl Snacks
We all know how I feel about the match-up in Super Bowl XLVI (that’s “46″ for all you non-Romans). But just because I’m impartial when it comes to Eli and Tom doesn’t mean I’m taking a back seat when it comes to my game day spread. Football food should be fun, flavorful, and fast, giving you the chance to sit and cheer rather than man the line at your own in-home restaurant.
Get a taste of a few of my favorite quick-fix sips and snacks for this year’s big bash:
- Bahama Mama Cocktail: Drink away the chill of winter with a tropical cocktail
- Artichoke Spread: Make this creamy dip a night in advance then pop it in the oven at game time
- Garlic Knots: Store-bought pizza dough cuts the prep time down to just 20 minutes
- Sirloin Sliders with Bacon: Fire up the grill pan for flame-kissed flavor tucked inside pillowy buns
- Peanut Butter Blondies: End your feast with a sweet finale of melted peanut butter and chocolate
Find additional inspiration for creating a gourmet game day with a handful of my latest and greatest discoveries across the Web:
- Frozen Papaya Daiquiri from Bev Cooks
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells from Inspired Taste
- Spinach Dip with Greek Yogurt from Ingredients, Inc.
- Jumbo Fluffy Sugar Cookies from Bake Your Day
- Kahlua-Cinnamon Brownies from Not Rachael Ray
9 commentsCheesy Puff Pastry Pretzels
All season I was rooting for my hometown team, the San Diego Chargers … and then they failed to even make it to the playoffs. I shifted my support to the Denver Broncos and my future husband Tim Tebow … and then they lost in the division playoffs. I finally settled on the 49’ers … only to experience this past Sunday’s crushing overtime defeat.
Now, we are all forced to choose between the Giants and the Patriots. New York or Boston. Cute or sexy. Pizza or clam chowder.
At this point, I could really care less who wins. All I know is that come Super Bowl Sunday, I’ll be settled on my couch with a smorgasbord of snacks, including the world’s easiest recipe for warm, doughy, cheesy pretzels that take all of 20 minutes to prepare. What’s my secret? Packaged puff pastry. After surviving the 48-hour workout that accompanies making the dough from scratch, I’ve decided that there are some foods I’m better off buying from my local supermarket.
This Saturday I’ll be sharing a roundup of a few other fast and fresh favorites, but for now, grab a warm pretzel, slather it with mustard or fig preserves and decide if you’re part of Manning Mania or The Brady Nation.
16 commentsHomemade Fortune Cookies
Happy (almost) Chinese New Year! I’m ringing in the year of the Dragon with homemade fortune cookies dipped in chocolate and doused in sprinkles. These simple, crispy cookies are a fun and easy way to jazz up any dinner party since you have total freedom when it comes to the wild and wacky messages you include inside. The more personal (read: embarrassing or weird), the better.
I’ve always been a big believer in taking to heart the fortunes I find wrapped inside these post-meal treats. And I may or may not even carry select fortunes around in my wallet for years at a time. Of course proper fortune cookie etiquette states that you should always take and eat the cookie pointing closest in your direction. Call me superstitious, but a destiny-defining dessert isn’t something I take lightly.
Read on for the recipe and complete your Lunar bash with a few more of my favorite Chinese-inspired dishes:
- Asian Beef Lettuce Cups
- Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
- Cucumber and Sesame Salad
- Crackerjack Shrimp
- One Pot Fried Rice
- Peking Duck continue reading...
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