Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2011

Foodie Friday! A special birthday treat!

Birthdays are really special to me. I always feel like people should be treated really well on their birthday with special surprises, gifts, and king/queen for a day attitudes. Some of us celebrate our birthdays for a week, while others choose not to celebrate much at all. Well, if you know me...I want your birthday to be special so we're gonna celebrate! 

For my husbands birthday I decided to make him hamburgers. The cutest little cupcake hamburgers EVER. I can't even remember where I found out how to make them, but I decided I was going to try it and they turned out great. I'll show you some pictures and then I'll explain to you how I made them!

Here they are!




Aren't they fun? I will tell you that they are not hard to make. The only thing required here is some time. So this is what I did...step by step.

First I made a pan of brownies. Be sure to line the pan with foil or parchment paper so you can take the brownies out of the pan to cut them. I did not do this. Let me tell you it was a HUGE pain trying to cut them into circles after they cooled. That said, I made them the night before. Let them cool all the way and cut them into circles. I made the circles by pressing a small jelly jar into the brownie and it worked great!

Now grease a muffin tin REALLY well and bake some cupcakes from a white cake mix. Before you put them into the oven sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top. DO NOT use muffin liners for this. Put them right in the muffin tins that you have greased well. Again, I am telling you to grease them well, multiple times, because I did not. I lost some cupcakes because they stuck to the bottom of the muffin tin. Not so cool.

Okay while those are in the oven make some cream cheese frosting. We all have our own recipes for this so get yours out, look one up, or buy it already made. I made my recipe up that day and can't tell you exact measurements. Divide the frosting in half in two bowls. Die one bowl of frosting red and the other bowl yellow. You will be in shock when you see how much red food coloring it takes to die the frosting a true red. I was in a bit of a panic thinking that I was going to end up with pink "ketchup" but it turned out okay. I must have used at least 30 drops of red food coloring. Be prepared!

Now grab a cup or so of shredded coconut and die it green. Obviously, this is the lettuce!

Let your cupcakes cool all the way. I put mine in the fridge so they would firm up so I could cut them in half. 

Now cut all of your cupcakes in half and spread one side with red frosting and one with yellow frosting. Stick the brownie "hamburger" on the bottom "bun" and press the died coconut onto the top bun where the frosting is. Put it all together and BAM! You've got cute little hamburger cupcakes.

WARNING: If you make these for a kids party, send the kids home with these or have them eat them at the end of the party. They are so sweet that the kids will be bouncing off the walls after eating them. Let their parents deal with the hyperactivity that will follow. If you don't like their parents, all the better since they may never speak to you again.

When my husband got home and I showed these to him, he had a huge smile on his face. I think the cupcakes, alone, were the best present ever. He kept asking me if I took pictures. Yes, honey, I have a blog! Of course I took pictures!

I hope you'll try these yourself! 
Have a fabulous weekend!
-Stacy







Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Autumn is in the air...

After a really hot Minnesota summer, I'm looking forward to Fall. There have been a couple of nights that have had a chill in the air that is, unmistakably, telling me that Fall is coming. It's always bittersweet for me because it means Summer is over and Winter is coming...and I'm not looking forward to Winter. For now, though, I will live with my head in the clouds and just continue to look forward to Fall!

A drive up North to Duluth in the Fall is beautiful. The colors will pop right out at you if you time it just right. I love having a chilly picnic in the Fall with sandwiches and a glass of wine.


I look forward to mums and pumpkins on the front steps. Look at this beautiful porch! I wish I had a huge front porch and could do a display like this. I'm so jealous!


Take a look at these cute pumpkins too! I love them! Have you made pumpkins into flower pots before? I have, and it's easy. The easiest way to do it is to hollow out the pumpkin and stick in a little mum that is still in the pot. It makes a great hostess gift!


And what is Fall without having a group of good friends over for a big bowl of chili? I found this recipe and will have to try it in the next couple of weeks.There's no way I could use chicken legs so I will substitute chicken breast for that. Make some guacamole and get out the corn chips and that's all you need for a party! Well, a couple of beers would be good too!


It's going to be 82 degrees in Minneapolis today. I will get some weeding done, enjoy the sunshine, get a little tan and think of Fall.

-Stacy




Friday, July 22, 2011

Foodie Friday!

Buffalo Pulled Chicken Sandwiches! These are really easy...great for summer or winter and it's a throw it in the crock pot and leave it sort of deal. When I say easy, I mean easy!

So here's what you need. 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry ranch dip mix
1 1/2 - 2 cups hot sauce, we like Frank's
Crockpot!


Once you have these things this is what you will do...


And then this....


It will look like this...


Set your crockpot on low for 5 or 6 hours, or high for 3 or 4.


It will look like this when it's ready to be shredded...


Now get shredding. Two forks works great and takes about 5 minutes.


It will look like this when it's all shredded...


VOILA! Done! How easy was that? Now eat! I serve it with chips and a salad. Throw a little more hot sauce on it to taste and sometimes I put some blue cheese on my sandwich too.


There will be leftovers so you'll have something for lunch for a couple of days. 

Enjoy!
Stacy







Friday, July 8, 2011

Foodie Friday


Our first Foodie Friday is going to be a recipe that I originally found here. It's exactly the recipe that I use, but I use basil instead of oregano. Either one would work. 


Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, or basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with parmesan, oregano, and salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until tomatoes are tender. I bake them for 15-20 until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

These are great served with a steak or chicken breast and about as easy as you can get. Tomatoes will be in season soon so you will have a new recipe to use for them!

For my next Foodie Friday I will have pictures of my own for a simple recipe you can make in the crockpot and eat for lunches and dinners for the week!

Stacy



Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pinterest Post. Creative Foody Ideas!

 Graduation Celebrations.. for the how-to click here.


 
 Halloween Celebrations... for the how-to click here.


Halloween Celebrations...Mummy Dogs....
Who doesn't want to celebrate with an owl! 
More creative wonders by Handmade Charlotte here.




Can you say no need for a celebration. Yum!
Find the recipe here.


 
 Again. Yummy! I could eat this whole thing... with some milk, of course.
More fun ideas found here.

Enjoy these little morsels! 

Alyssa

Thursday, June 16, 2011

This always reminds me of summer...

A love Caprese Salad! Have you made it yet this summer? I never make this unless I can buy fresh, organic ingredients. Last weekend I finally made it when we grilled out with friends.



Now run to your local grocery and get some ripe tomatoes, fresh mozarella, fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and put this together at your house. Don't forget to sprinkle some fresh sea salt over the top...it will bring out all of the great flavors!

Bon Apetit!
Stacy


Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Twin City Tidbit. Walker Art Museum - Gather Grand opening.


Gather by D'Amico is opening at Walker on June 2nd.


Check it out.. The following is from the email that I received.. hot off the press..

Grand Opening: June 2

Target Free Thursday Nights at the Walker already feed your eyes and mind; now they feed your culinary appetite. On June 2, Gather by D'Amico opens with an exciting, new chef-driven sampler series, inaugurated by D'Amico executive chef Jay Sparks.

This series will continue on the first Thursday of each month, as an acclaimed guest chef introduces specially created small plates to be featured on the menu throughout the month. In July, we will be joined by Alex Roberts, followed by Isaac Becker in August.

D'Amico executive chef Josh Brown's lunch menu will feature globally inspired American cuisine served in a casual, elegant setting. Featured dishes include a
salad of warm salt-roasted beets with asparagus, pistachio, parmesan, and saporoso vinegar; halibut with spring onions, favas, and morels; barbeque beef short rib banh mi sandwiches; and buttermilk marinated chicken with artichokes, sweet peas, chard, and burrata; along with many other meat, fish, and vegetarian entrees; desserts; and wines by the bottle or by the glass.

Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 am-2:30 pm
Open late Thursday, 5-9 pm 
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