Tag Archives: foodie fave

Foodie Fave: Champagne Jello Shots

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Ok, guys. We’re about to get next level with jello shots – champagne jello shots! The minute I saw this post from Sugar and Cloth I knew I had to share it with you all. Especially with New Years’ Eve right around the corner, these are the perfect compliment to that champagne glass in your hand. Cheers, darlings!

  • 8 oz Champagne or Cava
  • 4 oz Gin
  • 2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 oz simple syrup (quick recipe below)*
  • 2 packages Knox gelatin
  • Edible gold leaf for garnishing (optional)

Combine the simple syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then pour into a medium saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for two minutes, then heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).

Remove from heat and add the gin and Champagne, stirring well to blend. Pour into a very lightly greased loaf pan and chill until fully set, several hours or overnight.

Turn out the set gelatin onto parchment paper, then slice carefully (a thin knife works best) into rectangles or squares.

Garnish with edible gold leaf using a paintbrush (use one you can reserve for food only — you don’t want paint chemicals in your food!). Gold leaf crumbles and sticks to things (like fingers!) easily, so be gentle — just pull off tiny corners with the brush (they will stick), then place them gently on top of the gelée squares.

*If you don’t have simple syrup here is a simple easy recipe. In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup water. Bring it to a simmer. Watch it closely for roughly 5 minutes until it has a syrupy consistency.

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*Photo: Sugar and Cloth

Happy Eating (and Happy New Years’!), XO.

Foodie Fave: German Pancakes

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If you’ve been following us on Instagram, you know that I’ve tried making a German pancake that unfortunately turned out like a gigantic, burnt popover. #fail But that didn’t stop me from trying again! I used The Kitchen Paper’s fail-proof recipe and finally, FINALLY did it right. And just in time for outside spring brunching. Bring on the skillets and mimosas…

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 Tbsp butter

Toppings of your choice:

  • Syrup
  • Powdered sugar
  • Berries

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Place a pie dish, or cast iron skillet, in the oven to heat. By hand, or in the blender, combine the eggs, vanilla, salt, and milk. Blend for a few seconds, until smooth. Add the flour, and mix only until incorporated. With the pan still in the oven, put the butter into the pan. When the butter has melted, remove the pan and gently pour that batter into the center of the pan. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Serve with syrup, powdered sugar and lemon, sour cream and brown sugar, or whatever else suits your fancy!

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Photo cred: The Kitchen Paper

Happy Eating, XO.

Foodie Fave: Butternut Squash Galette

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There’s just something about these galettes – we can’t get enough of them! Probably because they’re so damn easy to make (and eat). And because you can fill them with whatever your little heart desires. We found this savory gem of a galette on Matt Bites. It’s perfect for brunch, a quick lunch, or a cute app at a dinner party. (And how gorge are his pictures?! #goals). 

Dough:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling:

  • 1 large baking apple, such as Rome Beauty or Cortland
  • 1 small or 1/2 medium butternut squash (about 3/4 pounds), halved, seeded, and skin on
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled, root end trimmed but intact
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1/3 cup crumbled Stilton or other blue cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)

For the dough: Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse about 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few bean-size bits of butter in it. Add the egg and pulse 1 to 2 times more; don’t let the dough form a mass around the blade. If the dough seems very dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and pulsing briefly. Remove the blade and bring the dough together by hand. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

For the filling: Halve and core the apple. Cut each 1/2 into 8 wedges and put them in a large bowl. Slice the squash and cut the onion into wedges so that both are as thick as the apple wedges, and add them to the apples. Add the butter, rosemary, and thyme and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch disk. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and brush with mustard. Starting 2 inches from the edge, casually alternate pieces of apple, squash, and onion in overlapping circles—if you have extra pieces of one or another, tuck them in where you can or double them up until to use all the filling. Fold and pleat the dough over the edge of the filling. Bake until the crust is brown and the apples, squash, and onions are tender and caramelized, about 55 minutes. Scatter the cheese over the filling and bake until melted, about 5 minutes more. Cool the galette briefly on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Happy Eating, XO.

Food Fave: Corn Dog Bites

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In an attempt to drag the summer out just a little longer, I tried making Jo Cooks’ corn dogs. They’re seriously out of this world. However, if you’re over the summer, don’t worry! They’re a great dish for football season too. (And you know how much we LOVE football…and food.) They’re super easy to make and will cost you less than buying the frozen ones at the store.

  • 6 hot dogs, cut in half
  • 12 lollipop sticks or wooden skewers (I was able to make them without the sticks, but feel to try them both ways)
  • Vegetable or canola oil for frying

For batter

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup to ¾ cup milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven or sauce pan, pour the oil to a depth of 4 inches and heat to 350 degrees F. Slice each of the dogs in half and skewer on the sticks, (if you’re using the sticks, obviously).

In a bowl, combine all the batter ingredients and whisk. If you’re using sticks, I found it easier to pour the batter in a long glass. If not, a wide bowl will do. Dip each hot dog into the cornmeal batter to completely cover the hot dog. Carefully place the hot dogs into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. I fried about 2 or 3 at a time. Repeat with remaining hot dogs and batter. Serve with ketchup (Heinz, duh) and/or mustard.

mini-corn-dogs-5 damn delish

 

Happy Eating, XO.

Foodie Fave: Mini Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake Trifles

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Just when you think chocolate couldn’t get any better, Lindsay from Life, Love, and Sugar adds Baileys to it and totally blows us away. She has a recipe for the perfect bite size chocolate trifles (think: P.F. Changs’ mini desserts). Plus, it has cheesecake and Oreos. #Drooling. I made a test batch of these bad boys and it was like eating a dream. I dare you to try them as well!

Cheesecake layer:

  • 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 4 tbsp Baileys
Whipped cream and cookies:
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 2 tbsp Baileys  (Note: I decided to leave the Baileys out of the whipped cream)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 15 Oreo cookies, crushed
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa together in a bowl until smooth. Add Baileys and mix until well incorporated. Set aside. In another bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until it starts to thicken. Add Baileys, cocoa and powdered sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. (This is where I left out the Baileys).
To make the trifles, divide half of the cookie crumbs evenly between the four cups (or jars) and spread into an even layer in the bottom of the cups. Pipe or spoon, an even layer of cheesecake filling on top of the cookie crumbs in each of the four cups. You should only use about half of the filling. Pipe, or spoon, an even layer of whipped cream on top of the cheesecake filling in each of the four cups. Divide remaining cookie crumbs between the four cups and evenly distribute the second layer of crumbs on top of the whipped cream. You can keep a little bit of crumbs aside, if you want to use them to sprinkle on top of the finished trifles. Pipe, or spoon, remaining cheesecake filling on top of cookie crumbs, distributing evenly between the four cups.

Top each trifle with a swirl of whipped cream and a few more cookie crumbs, if you kept some aside. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Lindsay recommends setting them out for about 15 minutes prior to eating, so that they aren’t too firm.

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Happy Eating, XO.