the recipe club is in the hive...

the hive is a great collaborative food blog that now we are a part of! there are so many great resources & recipes there that now our little old blog will be contributing to. i am excited to hopefully share our recipes with even more people through this great site! i'll be back tomorrow with a super yummy cake i am making today:) till then... browse some of the older recipes you might have missed!

better hostess tip of the week...

{perfectly perfect whipped cream}

i know that all too many times when i have guests over, i have made a treat, & i can't whip up the cream until right before i need it. making me a terrible hostess... trying to continue to be in on the conversation while shouting from the kitchen over the mixer. one of my sweet friends gave me a tip to avoid that from happening anymore. you can

whip your cream ahead of time... even the night before.

for every 2 cups of cream, add 2 TBSP of softened cream cheese. whip the cream to soft peaks, then add the softened cream cheese. continue to whip until stiff. add powdered sugar & vanilla. keep in fridge until ready to use. if the whipped cream deflates at all, just whip it up a little & you'll be good to go!

my new favorite frosting...

i love discovering & experimenting with different products that give old recipes a new twist. make them tastier. a little better.

ok, so my new love... vanilla bean paste! i just picked it up at Williams~Sonoma. it has a stronger vanilla flavor, the great bean flecks as well as a sweetener flavor. it's a little pricey, but well worth it. substitute it for vanilla extract in any recipe that you can actually taste the vanilla as the primary flavor. example- don't just throw it into your banana bread recipe, cause that would be a waste, but it would make any frosting, icing or creams delicious & pretty. give it a try!

{my favorite frosting recipe}

1 stick butter, softened

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp salt

1-2 tsp vanilla bean paste

3-4 cups powdered sugar

in an medium bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese & whipping cream. add salt & vanilla bean paste. beat until combined. slowly whip in powdered sugar until light & fluffy. add more cream or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. pipe or spread onto cookies, cupcakes or bars.

must have for this holiday season...

this is a pantry must have, not only for the holidays, but year round!!!! my neighbor brought me over a can & i have been hooked ever since! with all the holiday baking this time of year you don't have to run to the store when you forgot the buttermilk. you'll be so glad you have it. not to mention the shelf life! comes in a box or tub.

** i even use it for my buttermilk syrup:)

Easter Dye: Oh my!!

Ok- i just finished doing easter eggs with my girls and my fingers looked just as bright as the eggs:) I tried soap and water- didn't work... then I tried salt and lotion and soap-didn't work- then I went to the dishwasher soap- the powder kind... and it actually worked! I had to do it a couple of times but no more dyed fingers:) I know this isn't a recipe, but I love helpful hints like this one- especially if they work! Happy Easter! (And I made those honey lime chicken enchiladas tonight... yummy! Those are my new favorite- got to try them).

cookie gift boxes part 1...

no secret that i LOVE food.  i think it is great gift especially this time of year!  here is the first of my 3 different cookie gift boxes with recipe cards.  again, get creative- use neat containers that you already have or nice plates that they would love to keep.  baskets work great!  wrapped in cellophane or just open with tissue.  cute family keepsake ornaments are always pretty on the ribbon too.  have fun with it, they don't have to all be the same.  Click HERE for this recipe card.

{peanut butter s'mores gift box}

{peanut butter cookies: 2 per sandwich}

{marshmallows:  make sure you have enough}

{Hershey's chocolate bars:  i say 1/2 a bar per sandwich}

{add the recipe card in the box or whatever container you choose:)}

Merry Gifting!!

countdown to thanksgiving # 13- brined turkey...

sorry that i didn't post a new recipe for you yesterday!  i own a flower shop & people want there centerpieces!!!  back to the tip...  

last year we brined our turkey for the first time.  it was so easy & soooo delicious.  it was moist & juice & very flavorful.  we used the brining salts from williams-sonoma.  i know that there are lots of brands & recipes out there, but we will be sticking with this one.  you do have to plan ahead though, because you need to start the brining process 24 hours before you are going to cook it... so today!  if you don't do it for T-day, there's always Christmas.  

i hope you all have a very happy & delicious Thanksgiving.  it is my daughters birthday this year on Thanksgiving, so i'll be taking the weekend off, but i will be back Monday & we will dive right in to Christmas!!!!!!  check back Monday for our first christmas give-away!

countdown to thanksgiving # 12- Thanksgiving take-home boxes...

don't you hate it when you go to families houses for the holidays & they ask you if you would like to take some leftovers home with you, just to say... "oh, i don't really have anything to put them in."  or they wait until after dessert & they wash out a Cool Whip container.  not at my house!!! (i only use real whipped cream:)  i featured these little beauties on my personal blog, but because they were about food & i promised thanksgiving tips... here is my #1 favorite holiday tip for packing leftovers!!!  for the full instructions go HERE.  but here is a brief summery... i think you'll get the idea!

{thanksgiving take-home boxes with vintage clipart cards}

{i got the images from a holiday vintage clipart book}

{the leftover cast... stuffing, turkey, rolls, pumpkin cookies, cranberry sauce, gravy, ect.}

{packed in a 6 x 6 kraft colored box from heaviest to lightest}

{i tied with one with turkey twine... how appropriate!}

...kitchen quick tip...

Toothpicks:

yes, i said toothpicks, when you have anything that you have to cover that has a topping, toothpicks are your best friend.  Just place them around the edge & a few in the middle before covering with foil or plastic wrap & save the top if your pretty little creation. 

 

**also works great on things topped with cheese! i.e.-lasagna, enchiladas, ect.

...quick kitchen tip of the week...

so obviously I cook...& you are on this site, so i assume you do too.  I also cook with thing that SMELL...STRONG.  so, my little sis gave me this steel soap & it is amazing.  you just rub it while running your hands under cold water & it gets rid of all the smell...AWSOME!  as much as i love smelling the dinner on my hand all night...it works like a charm!  try it out!

...kitchen Quick-Tip of the week...

So, this weekend I made potato salad(I promise to post that recipe later). As I was cutting my hard boiled eggs, I decided that the "right" way to hard boil eggs would be the perfect quick-tip for this week. When I say the "right" way, what I am saying is with out that gross green ring around the yolk. It is so easy you will wonder why you ever did it differently. Here it goes...

Place eggs in a sauce pot in a single layer. Cover with COLD water & place on the stove. Bring water to a boil & boil for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes, turn the stove OFF & cover the pot with a lid. Let eggs sit covered for 13 minutes. Drain & run under cold water. Peel while still a little warm.

Bye, Bye Green Ring!!!

*Modified from Martha Stewart's techniques.

Quick Tip of the Week...

I have decided to do a little tip of the week segment--not really a recipe kind of thing I know, but some of these kitchen tips I'll share with you have truly been cooking lifesavers!!!
Today's tip is a recipe for a Pan Coating. I first discovered it when I was making Becks 1st birthday cake. It was a 3D snowman cake. I had no room for error on this & I was waking up at night from dreams...nightmares...of the cake sticking in the pan. Since I found this recipe, no more nightmare--well at least not about my cakes sticking. I works so great for bundts or any pan with a lot of detail.

Pan Coating

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup flour

Put all ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Use pastry brush to coat pan.
*I make a triple it and just keep it in a marked Tupperware in my fridge. It doesn't get solid because of the oil