Posts for October 8th 2007

recipes

Orange and Black Treat: Witch Hat Cookies

What do you get when you combine chocolate, hazelnut, orange sprinkles, and Hershey's kisses?

What do you get when you combine chocolate, hazelnut, orange sprinkles, and Hershey's kisses? A delicious cookie that is perfect for Halloween!

These cookies are easy to make because they don't involve shelling any actual nuts. The hazelnut flavor comes from Nutella, the classic chocolate hazelnut spread. If you don't want to make these cookies for Halloween, it's still a great recipe to have in your collection. They would be equally fabulous dotted with red and green sprinkles and topped with a white chocolate kiss for Christmas; so get the recipe now, read more

baking

Simple Tip: Use Two Cookie Sheets

How many baking sheets/cookie pans do you have?

How many baking sheets/cookie pans do you have? If you answered one, then you may want to make your life easier by investing in a second one. When making cookies, a quick time-saving tip is to use two pans. While the first pan is in the oven, you can place the dough on the second pan. When the first pan comes out of the oven, pop the second pan in! While the second pan is baking, allow the first pan to cool — run it under cold water if necessary — and then portion out the cookies. Keep this up until you're finished! This way there's always something in the oven and your total baking time decreases!

recipes

Happy Hour: Pink Ribbon

A few years ago, London's Octave Restaurant and Jazz Bar came up with a fancy new drink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A few years ago, London's Octave Restaurant and Jazz Bar came up with a fancy new drink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The drink, aptly called The Pink Ribbon, is a blend of pomegranate and rose petal vodka; 50p ($1) of each cocktail went to the Pink Ribbon Foundation. However, since London is quite far for most, I've analyzed their ingredients and have created a similar recipe for you to try at home! To check out the Pink Ribbon — a great choice to serve at your Party for the Cure — read more

baking

Off To Market Recap: Cake Mold

It's my grandfather's birthday this week and I'm in charge of making him a fabulous cake.

It's my grandfather's birthday this week and I'm in charge of making him a fabulous cake. I've never baked with a cake mold, but they're super trendy right now, and I thought it would be fun to experiment. Unfortunately, I don't own a single cake mold so I asked you to help me find one. You searched the web for a dishwasher-safe cake mold with a creative and original shape. You saved them in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Cake Mold.

Some of the choices are better for little kids, so for my grandfather I'd like to use this fun cascade shaped pan. Aimeeb bookmarked this under $30 pan.

Now that I have the pan, I'll have to figure out how to decorate the cake. This shape lends itself to an endless number of possibilities, does anyone have any suggestions?

Geeksugar has put together an explanation on how to bookmark stuff from the web.

TV

Will You Keep Watching "The Next Iron Chef"?

Here's a novel idea: Take eight ridiculously qualified chefs and make them compete against each other.

Here's a novel idea: Take eight ridiculously qualified chefs and make them compete against each other. Add a lot of over-the-top theatrics, a knowledgeable — if not slightly patronizing — host, throw in a beautiful backdrop, and you've got yourself the first episode of "The Next Iron Chef." [Warning, spoilers ahead.]

Did you watch it? What did you think of it? I found it to be pleasantly surprising, and the hour went by a lot faster than I anticipated. I was, however, disappointed that the first challenge was dessert. I know that the Next Iron Chef should be well versed in all aspects of the kitchen, but was a dessert challenge really necessary right away?

However, a little dessert is not going to stop me from watching. It's a short season (six episodes), and these professional chefs totally mean business. So how about you: What did you think of the episode? Can you believe that Traci Des Jardins went home so soon? What did you think of Morou's knife skills? Is the beautiful campus part of the reason the Culinary Institute of America costs so much? And more importantly, are you going to keep tuning in?

baking

Bake For the Cure

If you don't want to buy anything or hate the color pink, there is an alternative way for you to help in the fight against breast cancer: bake!

If you don't want to buy anything or hate the color pink, there is an alternative way for you to help in the fight against breast cancer: bake! Similar to our own network, Bake For the Cure allows you to login and share recipes. Every time you upload a recipe to their website, ten cents will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Likewise, ten cents will be donated for each recipe you share with friends. If you enjoy baking and are looking for a new recipe to try, browse the recipes on Bake For the Cure. Or better yet, host a cookie swap party and have all of your guests upload and share their cookie recipes!

Poll

Do You Ever Skip Dinner and Go Straight for Dessert?

Source Do You Ever Skip Dinner and Go Straight for Dessert?

Source

recipes

Monday's Leftovers: Quinoa Primavera With Chicken

I personally love leftover chicken drumsticks straight from the fridge.

I personally love leftover chicken drumsticks straight from the fridge. However, I understand that cold chicken on a bone isn't exactly the most appetizing meal to serve. Luckily the meat is still delicious when used in salads, sandwiches, or — in this case — with hearty quinoa. To get the recipe for a simple Monday dinner, read more

Come Party With Me

Come Party With Me: Tailgate — Invites

The biggest game of the year for the California Golden Bears is against their lifelong rival Stanford.

The biggest game of the year for the California Golden Bears is against their lifelong rival Stanford. Since I was a cheerleader for Cal, I plan on giving my all for "The Big Game." This year the game is at Stanford — aka The Farm — which means it's time for my biennial tailgate! I go all out with lots of blue and gold, and tons of food and drinks. The game is not until Saturday, December 1, but I want to get the invites out now. This way people have time to make travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and purchase tickets. To see how I made this postcard invite, one that you can adapt to suit your team's colors and mascots, read more