Bride and Groom Cookie Favors

Once again, I must apologize for the lack of updating, but it was busy past week. One of my best friends got married last weekend and I was making favors for the wedding. My kitchen still has evidence of the wreck that ensued from all the flying powdered sugar to the royal icing drips on the floor. But that's ok with me.


I had made similar cookie favors for the rehearsal dinner of another good friend of mine back in August. The cookies I made this time were very close to the same, but instead of icing the cookie solely in royal icing, I made a marshmallow fondant for the heart shape and then decorated the details with royal icing.


This was my first time using or making marshmallow fondant, but I heard lots of good reviews. Fondant has many advantages and is much more flexible in its uses than royal icing. However, fondant usually does not taste great. I've purchased Wilton brand fondant and it was not very yummy. But homemade marshmallow fondant, is actually pretty tasty. I means it's mostly marshmallow and sugar, so what could be bad about that?


I will be posting a full step by step tutorial of how to make and use marshmallow fondant for some other cookies I am making next month. (I was too busy to get good photos of the process this time.) My only word of advice for now if anyone wants to attempt to make their own marshmallow fondant is you can not have enough powdered sugar or Crisco to grease your surface. Buy two extra bags. Seriously.

Also featured on Real Food Wednesdays and Works for Me Wednesdays.

Oven Baked Italian "Fried" Chicken

Fried chicken is one of those foods that is delicious, but, of course, not the healthiest. In order to get that great "fried" taste but without the excess oil and frying, you can bake it instead. This is a great way to achieve that same wonderful flavor without the actual "frying". It is one of the best chicken recipes I've ever tasted!

For this recipe, there are three batters, two dry and one wet, and it's so simple to make. Mix the ingredients for each batter in the designated bowl, then dip in bowl 1, dip in bowl 2, dip in bowl 3, bake, eat! It's that easy!


2 lbs of chicken, cut in the cutlets or strips
1 1/2 cups of flour
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste (tsp or two)
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/4 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup whole wheat crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Cheese
1/8 cup shredded Asiago cheese ( I omitted this for mine and only put it on Robert's chicken because I'm not a fan of Asiago. It was good both ways)


1. First, get the ingredients all lined up and ready. The process is very easy, but it helps to get everything ready to go.

2. In one bowl, Mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, add eggs, milk, and parsley. Stir to combine and set aside.

4. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, whole wheat bread crumbs, Parmesan, Pecorino, and Asiago cheese. Mix together and set aside.

5. Pat your chicken cutlet to dry. Now we can start the assembly line process. Dredge the first chicken cutlet in the flour mixture. Coat well and then tap off excess. Dip into egg mixture. Dredge in the bread crumb mixture and welly coat both sides.

6. Place the breaded chicken in a baking dish and bake on 350 until 25-35 minutes, until fully cooked thorough.
Eat your non-fried fried chicken happily!

Also featured on Real Food Wednesdays and Works for Me Wednesdays

Meeting Bakerella and Cake Balls

When I heard Bakerella was coming to New Jersey I was so excited and knew I needed to go! I love, love her website and all the incredibly cute confections she makes. She was hosting a signing for her new book, Cake Pops, in Williams Sonoma.

It started with a demonstration of different techniques and tips. Robert and I were late, as usual, and missed the first few minutes. She was very friendly and answered people's questions.




Then we hopped in line to get our book signed and, since we were late, we waited till the end of the line, which wasn't really bad. The line moved quickly and we chatted with some interesting people. I met Katie, from Tuesdays with Katie, who is a local food blogger as well. Then I got to meet to Bakerella and have her sign my book!


Bakerella was very cheerful and friendly. She chatted with everyone and took pictures. I even got Robert to take a picture with us. What a good husband! He waited in line with me and took pictures.

Cake Balls




Cake balls are super sweet, moist, and covered in chocolate! The steps are simple, but time consuming! It uses all ingredients that you have in your home. If you have never made them, it's fun, so give it a try!


9 x 13 Cake from 1 box of cake mix or homemade cake
About 10 oz of Frosting
Chocolate (for dipping)
Decorations


1. Take your already baked and cooled cake and cut it into four quarters. Hold two pieces and rub them together over a large bowl to make the cake crumble. Continue crumbling all the cake. If you only need a few cake balls then wrap the two other squares of cake into plastic wrap and freeze them to make more cake balls later. (A large batch makes just about 50 cake balls, so halving the recipe to use only two quarters will make 20-25 cake balls.)

2. Mix in your favorite frosting until the icing can hold together the cake crumbles. The icing binds everything together well. Remember if you are making a half batch to also halve the icing.

3. Using hands, roll into cake balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Let chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for a few hours.

4. Melt desired chocolate till smooth and dip cake balls into chocolate. Let set on parchment covered sheets. Sprinkle any decorations on that you like, sprinkles, coconut, nuts, etc. You can also drizzle some chocolate on covered cake balls. ( More ideas for cake balls and cake pops @ Bakerella's website )



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Halloween Bark

Halloween is over. The costumes and wigs put away, fun face makeup washed off, and everyone is exhausted from the sugar high beginning to wind down. What is left the next day but...... Lots of Candy! And everyone loves candy! At least some kind of candy. My favorite is either M&M's (Plain, Peanut Butter, Pretzel) or Milky Ways. Robert usually opts for all things Peanut Butter or super sweet ones like Sugar Babies.

Even though we all love candy, there is only so much candy you can eat. I have been trying to think of fun things to do with the candy. I saw a recipe in Bon Appetit for Peanut Butter and Toffee Halloween Bark and decided to try out my own version of Halloween Bark to put some of this candy to use.

1 bag of chocolate chip, milk
15 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, cup in quarters
3/4 cup of Peanut Butter M&Ms or Reese's Pieces
3/4 cup candy corn

1. Heat the chocolate chips in either a double boiler or in the microwave, constantly stirring until melted.

2. Line a cooking sheet with wax or parchment paper and smooth melted chocolate to cover. (about 1/4-1/2 inch thick)

3. Now go crazy! Starting sprinkling all the candies on top of the chocolate! Keep going until the whole surface area is covered.

4. Don't be afraid to get creative! I made three different batches (only photographed this one). I made another with semi sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips swirled in, crushed pretzels, and peanuts, and a last batch (peanut free) with white chocolate, crushed Oreos, and candy corn. You can put anything you want it. If you like Butterfingers, go ahead or if you want to crush some items or leave others whole, that's great! It's all up to you!

5. Place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or so to fully harden. Take it out and break it in pieces.


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Cinnamon Sugar and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

After carving some cute pumpkins with my husband and brothers, I carefully scooped out the pulpy insides and dug through the "gross mushy stuff," as my brother John calls it. He used "gloves" made of ziploc bags and masking tape to remove it from his pumpkin. It took quite while to separate the seeds from the pulpy flesh, but the that's the only time consuming part of this recipe. The rest is so simple, that my little brother could even handle it.


Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

This recipe is for my Dad who can never get enough of hot, spicy food. He only likes something spicy if it makes his face is red like a tomato and his eyes are watering.

Fresh Pumpkin Seeds
1/8 cup of Butter, half of stick
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp of ground pepperoncino flakes
1/2 tsp of paprika


1. First step, you need to wash your seeds very well. I rinsed them in a colander for a few minutes.

2. Pat the seeds dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl to toss.

3. Melt butter, pour in bowl and toss seeds.

4. Pour seeds on a cookie sheets and sprinkle with seasonings. Stir around to mix well.

5. Bake on 300 f0r 30-40 minutes, stirring occasional through out baking process.


Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds


Fresh Pumpkin Seeds
1/8 cup of butter, half a stick
2 tsp of sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla


1. Follow same process as above, wash and dry seeds well.

2. Melt butter and stir in vanilla. Toss seeds with butter mixture,

3. Spread out on cookie sheets and cover with sugar and cinnamon. Stir to mix well and then bake at 300 for 30-40, stirring occasionally.



Also featured on Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist