Raspberry Meringue Hearts – recipe at Women’s Day

Pink Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes (OMG) – recipe at Bubbly & Sweet

Bubblegum Marshmellows [my daughter would INHALE these] – recipe at Piece of Cake

Lovely Pink Grapefruit & Strawberry Granita – recipe at Back to the Cutting Board

Cranberry & Chocolate Mousse w/ Pomegranate – recipe at eCurry.com

Pink Popcorn Hearts [LOVE THESE!] – recipe from Pillsbury

Peppermint Bark [don't like peppermint? -any crushed hard candy would work!] – recipe at Madly Stylish Events

The other day I made this delicious pork dish – so tender and full of flavor and I barely had to do anything.  I sliced up some onion, apples [peeled], celery, and fennel and put it into the crock pot with three thick cut boneless chops [seasoned w/ salt & pepper].  Then I poured a little spiced cider into mix.  I saved some of the fennel tops and placed them on top before putting on the lid and letting it do its thing.

I cranked it up to high and left it alone for the next three hours or so.  I checked on it, added a little more cider, and turned it down to low until we were ready to eat.  There are no pictures of the final dish because we gobbled it up before I remembered to take a photo.  That’s when you know it’s good!  I’ll be making this dish again for sure.

Ingredients – Bacon.  Directions – “Place 2 sheets of paper towel on a microwave safe plate, lay the bacon out on the paper towel not over lapping the slices. Place 2 more sheets of paper towel on top. Place in the microwave on high for 6 to 13 minutes.”

(photo courtesy of naomi stelrose)

Wow.  Even more hilarious than the fact that this recipe is listed on Food Network’s site are all of the comments ….

“Hi Rachel Ray,
I have a huge dilemma. I love, love, love bacon and your recipe sounds DELICIOUS! But I’m just can’t stay up until “late nite”. What do I do???!!! Can you please urgently post a morning or preferably a mid to late morning bacon recipe? Thanks!” (from petersf)

“Rachel, would you PLEASE post this recipe in other languages? I feel it needs to be shared with other cultures. I also think you should bring this to the United Nations and conduct a workshop or something. You’re really onto something here. I know that some people think you look and sound like a waitress at a truck stop, but I don’t agree with that AT ALL!” (from angie)

“I was really hoping to combine this scrumptious recipe with some toast, but I can’t find the recipe anywhere on the Food Network. Rachel, please help me…if you know how.” (from teacher105)

And there are many many more.  Worth a read for a good laugh.

After featuring her recipe for Cucumber & Pomegranate Salad on my blog, Louisa sent me a thank you email [much to my surprise] and gladly obliged to answer a few questions for the blog.  Through our email conversations, I learned that she lives in my old home of Williamsburg [Brooklyn] – which made me like her even more!  Here is what she had to say ….

Q & A:

What kind of food did you grow up eating?  And when did you become passionate about local and organic cooking?

“I grew up eating fresh, unprocessed, homemade food. My mother is a great cook, and most nights growing up she would cook dinner. We had a lot of fish, chicken, beans, rice, vegetables, yogurt, and fruit. We didn’t eat a lot of red meat because my father has high blood pressure, and he’s a cardiologist so he knows red meat isn’t the best thing for your heart. That said, I do remember the classic “London broil” dinners (now completely un-trendy) and the ever-present exception [exception??  bacon is an exception??  no, Louisa ... it is a MUST.  lol] for bacon with Sunday breakfast. [I say ever-present because I’ve met so many people who otherwise don’t eat meat, but can’t say no to the bacon.]

I also tasted lots of interesting ingredients at a young age, particularly from Persian cuisine because my father is from Iran. When our Iranian relatives came to visit, or when my American mother experimented with Persian cooking, I tasted things like saffron, rosewater, dried limes, sour cherries, pomegranates, dates, and pistachios. I’m grateful that I was exposed to all these flavors, because they gave me a sense of openness towards different cuisines and therefore different cultures. [I must interject here ... Louisa grew up lucky.  I think most of us didn't have that exposure to 'un-American' tastes.  I am trying to do that with my daughter and even with my mom and gramma back home in Ohio.  I was so food sheltered, I never even tasted goat cheese until I was 21 and it was weird to me!  Thanks alot, mom. :-) ]

I didn’t eat fast food until I was in my mid-teens [I had my 5th birthday party at McDonalds. Groan.]. When I discovered a certain processed chicken product that has been made to look like “nuggets,” I swung to the other side of the food spectrum for a while, and I clearly remember stopping off to get a donut every day after school during the same period.”
What is the best piece of advice you have received in regards to cooking?

“That would have to be the rule that “fat carries flavor.” When I learned this at my cooking school, the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, it was like someone turned a light on. When a dish lacks pizazz, my first solution is to drizzle on some olive oil. Depending on the context, I’ll add nuts, nut butter, seeds, avocado, butter, yogurt, an egg, or oil. I feel good about adding healthy, unprocessed fats to my meals — our bodies need them!”

Name three foods and three spices you couldn’t live without [salt, pepper, olive oil excluded].

Kale

Rice

Nori seaweed

Hot pepper flakes

Miso paste

Lemon juice …..[Funny that her 'can't live without' picks are things most people have no idea what to do with - cook outside of your comfort zone and be pleasantly surprised!]

Are there any more cookbooks in the works?

“Yes. My next book will definitely be about celebrating the sensuality of food through fresh, beautiful, rustic cooking. Beyond that, the rest hasn’t come to me yet.”

What was your inspiration for putting together Lucid Food?

“I found that people were really excited by what I was doing with my catering company, also called Lucid Food. People were surprised that they could have catered food that was sophisticated, delicious, and unique, while at the same time being eco-friendly. After working at restaurants in San Francisco, composting vegetable scraps, buying from local farmers, cooking seasonally, and eschewing disposable goods in favor of reusable ones like glass bottles and real china, and other sustainable practices were second nature to me. People in New York were charmed by my food and intrigued by my green kitchen practices, and wanted to know more. I felt like I had some valuable information to share with people beyond my clients.”

What is something most people don’t know about you?

“My cocktail of choice is a Makers Mark neat. My now fiancé was shocked when I ordered this on our first date (it was late, we had gone to see some music). This always surprises people because my diet is healthy, and because I’m a rather quiet and ladylike type. But on a cold evening, at a cozy bar with a fireplace, for me there’s nothing better. In summer, I’ll take good tequila either straight or in a sour margarita.”

What is your “go-to” comfort food?

“Kale sautéed with garlic and ginger, over brown rice seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, and black pepper.”

Louisa, Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions.  Can’t wait to read the next book!!

XO

Risotto alla Milanese by Emilie Boudet

Roasted Potato Wedges by Rachel Rauch

]]> http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2010/02/26/cool-find-www-recipelook-co-uk/feed/ 0 http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2010/01/21/tasty-cucumber-pomegranate-salad/ http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2010/01/21/tasty-cucumber-pomegranate-salad/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:09:01 +0000 Shannon Shirley http://furiousshirley.com/blog/?p=1629 read more »]]> I will admit it – before making this recipe I had never eaten a pomegranate.  I have had pomegranate juice, but this was the first time I’ve purchased the whole fruit.  I had Mike open it up and get the seeds out for me [it kind of looked like a pain to me - thank you, honey!].  I popped one in my mouth – a little crunch, a little explosion of deliciousness!   Yum!

This Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad recipe is adapted from my Lucid Food cookbook by Louisa Shafia.  It’s fairly quick and easy to make and should be devoured immediately.

You will need:

2 Cucumbers [halved, peeled, and seeds removed - or use little Persian cucumbers like I did and just peel and slice]

Seeds of one Pomegranate

2 chopped scallions [original calls for just the greens, but I used the whites too]

Some fresh cilantro

Feta Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Lemon & Sweet Grapefruit [or a Lime]

Olive Oil

Just chunk up the cucumbers and add 3 or 4 tbs of pom seeds, the scallions and cilantro.  The original recipe calls for lime juice, but I didn’t have any around so I used the juice of a sweet grapefruit and a lemon.

Squeeze the juice in and add a little drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper to taste, and then toss together.  Crumble some feta cheese on top and enjoy!  This salad is super refreshing.  I’m addicted.

‘

One of my holiday favorites are Russian Tea Balls [or Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes].  I have lost more than one of these in my glass of milk.  Nutty, cakey, little balls of goodness covered in powdered sugar … and fairly easy to make!  I found a great recipe for these at Peppercorn Press.

[Click image for recipe]

How cute are these little gingerbread houses?!?!?!  Thanks to Megan of Not Martha you can print out a pattern and start building your own tiny houses to accompany your mugs of coffee, hot chocolate, egg nog, etc.  Mike and I were thinking this recipe would be great to make little Santa’s to hang on your mug or snowflakes or candy canes or whatever.  Maybe one day I will give it a try and if you do, I would love to see the results!

[Click image for recipe]

While we’re on the subject of gingerbread, check out this recipe for Gingerbread Man Cookies [on a stick!] created by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks.  Kids will LOVE these!

[Click on image for recipe]

Gaby Dalkin of What’s Gaby Cooking? is to thank for these Chocolate Snowballs.  It’s basically a delicious chocolate cake and some cream cheese frosting rolled into cute little balls of goodness and dusted with powdered sugar.  Mmmmmm.

[Click on image for recipe]

Now, this next recipe isn’t exactly a cookie, but it is a major Christmas sweet treat staple for my family [Ohio].  Buckeyes aka Peanut Butter Balls.  Sugar coma, here I come.  The family recipe Michelle from Brown Eyed Baker [or her old blog, Sugar & Spice] uses is pretty close to the Buckeyes my gramma makes.

[Click on image for recipe]

I love chocolate and Mike loves candy canes, so these Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are perfect for us.  Just looking at them makes my mouth water.  Get the recipe from Susan at Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy.

[Click on image for recipe]

Who can resist the crunchy creamy goodness of an Oreo?  Not me.  And even better?  A Homemade Oreo from Deb at Smitten Kitchen.  OMG these look amazing.  Milk!!!  I need milk!!!!!

[Click on image for recipe]

And to wrap things up … I couldn’t have a Christmas Cookie Roundup without including some fruit and nuts.  This recipe for Cherry Chocolate Nut Cookies comes from Sybil Brown, via Taste of Home.

[Click on image for recipe]

So there you have it.  Eight amazing Christmas treats to fatten up Santa [and your friends].  If you have an awesome Christmas cookie recipe, let me know and we can share it!  XO!

]]> http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/12/21/christmas-cookie-roundup/feed/ 3 http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/11/20/amazing-birthday-cakes-anyone-can-make/ http://furiousshirley.com/blog/2009/11/20/amazing-birthday-cakes-anyone-can-make/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:52:10 +0000 Shannon Shirley http://furiousshirley.com/blog/?p=1274 read more »]]> My little Ava babers turned one this week – unbelievable!  I baked her an organic chocolate cake with chocolate icing and spelled out “Happy Birthday Ava” in puffs – her favorite treat.  I thought she would just dive right into the cake when we set it in front of her, but instead she daintily picked off one of the puffs and put it in her mouth.  She wanted nothing to do with the cake.  Eventually she got into the frosting when she started smashing her treats down into the cake, but there was no face in the cake like I expected … maybe next year.

I just made a chocolate sheet cake – no fancy schmancy decorations, but next year for Ava’s second birthday I plan on going all out.  I found these amazing cakes that actually seem fairly simple to bake and decorate – no elaborate piping, no fondant, no ‘cake boss’ skills required.  Just a little imagination and a whole lot of love!

This super cute Castle Cake uses sugar and waffle cones for the turrets and you could customize this cake in so many ways with your own candy choices.  For more details, visit the Parenting website.

I found this Sledding Party Cake recipe at Better Homes and Gardens.  Coconut snow, pretzel rod trees, and cute little teddy graham sledders!

I think this Cookie Crown Cake with M&M and gumdrop jewels is so pretty!  Find out how easy it is at Family Fun.

The Family Fun site also has an A to Z list of cute cupcake ideas like this Mini Monster!

I found this cool site called Birthday in a Box – they have everything you can imagine to put a party together – including this awesome Daisy Cake Pan!

And this Dinosaur Cake Pan!

Have you made an amazing birthday cake??  Send me a picture and the recipe and I’ll feature it on the blog!!!

To make a Spicy Goat Cheese & Corn Quesadilla … [and if you can't handle the spicy, just leave out the hot sauce!] …

First, cook some corn.  I just microwaved some frozen corn, but this is also a great way to use up those end of season ears of corn sitting in the crisper.  Add chopped scallions, fresh chopped basil and/or cilantro, and diced tomatoes to the corn.  Then add a few dashes of salt and pepper and squeeze in some hot sauce.  Next, crumble up some goat cheese and mix it all together ….

Heat up a little bit of canola or vegetable oil in a skillet.  Place tortilla in skillet [I used whole wheat tortillas] and spoon in some of the goat cheese & corn mixture onto one half.  Fold the tortilla over, cook on one side then flip and cook on the other until golden brown.  That’s it – all done!  Easy!

First, whisk together an egg [or two] and some milk.  Add a little pepper, paprika, and some fresh chopped rosemary and lemon thyme.  Heat up some butter in a skillet and dip your bread [I used whole wheat sourdough] into the egg mixture, coating both sides.  Cook the bread like you’re making french toast.  When it’s finished, remove the bread from the pan and top with shaved ham, pickles, mayo, and shredded mozzarella cheese.  Melt a little more butter in the skillet and place the sandwich back in for some melting action [about two minutes on each side over low to medium heat].  Remove from pan, cut in half and eat it up!!!  [And yes, I took a bite out of it before taking this picture.  I couldn't resist!]