What's Baking Round-up ~ Bake From Your Heritage

I had the honor of hosting this month's What's Baking Challenge. While trying to choose a theme for the month of March, I thought about what I most frequently blog. I mostly cook and bake dishes that my mother and grandmothers did. So very much of my kitchen experience stems from my family. Environment and genetics both help shape a person to be who they are, and family, as well as heritage, are part of both. All the memories and fun in the kitchen, for me, are almost always shared with my mom. My family is a great part of who I am so I thought, what better challenge than to bake a dish that represents your family and your heritage. So for March, everyone was asked to Bake from their own Heritage. I hope everyone enjoyed sharing little bits of their own history through their recipes here!

Sicilian Cassata Cake

Melissa, from I Was Born To Cook, shared her Sicilian cake, spongy layers filled with cannoli cream

Ostaka

Ammie, from Adventures in my Kitchen, showed off her traditional Swedish cheesecake topped with lingonberry berry preserves

Joe Frogger Cookies

Catherine, from Pursuing Domestic Goddessness, shared crispy cookies from her New England heritage

Reuben Sandwiches

Jade, from The Mess Pot, boasted her Irish fare of glazed corned beef brisket

Sandbakkels

Carrie, from Carrie's Sweet Life, flaunts her Scandinavian confections, filled shortbread cookies

Streuselkuchen

Lindsey, from Our Share of the Harvest, shared a moist, German cake with a nut and sugar crumble topping

Traditional Tourtière

Jill, from JBean Cuisine, exhibts her love for French-Canadian foods with these cute and savory meat pies

Babovka

Heather, from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks, baked her chocolate and vanilla Slovak pound cake sprinkled with powdered sugar

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

Yudith, from Blissfully Delicious, made her Indonesian-style muffins with chocolate chips

Irish Brown Bread

Cara, from The Boys Made Me Do It, shared a traditional and hearty Irish bread.

Anginettes

I made these cookies to celebrate my Italian heritage, a dense cookie with a lemon glaze

Be sure to check April's What's Baking Challenge-Spring Baking hosted by Leanne, from The Martin Family. You can use some light, fruity desserts or tap into the colors of sping! Thanks to everyone who participated! All of your entries look fantastic!

Anginettes

To really know oneself, I feel it's important to know where you came from. Being Italian is as much a part of my past heritage as it is a part of my current lifestyle. Many of the foods I make are Italian because that's the food I grew up learning to cook. I'm proud of my heritage and hope to pass on our family traditions and recipes, along with our love of food, family, and values. It's crucial for younger generations to carry on these traditions and appreciate for culture. So for this month's What's Baking challenge, I choose to Bake from Your Heritage.

There are certain foods that are very always made by my family, because they are recipes passed own through generations. This is one of them. These cookies, anginettes, were made by my Great Aunt Matt long before I was born. They're present at every family party and get-together I can remember. Some relatives in our family have a particular dish that is "their' thing". This was Aunt Matt's cookie. My grandmother has a particular cookie that is hers too, however it's not baked so we'll save that for some other time. Enjoy this favorite Italian cookie, from my home to yours!

Anginettes (Italian Cookies with Lemon Glaze)

2 1/2 pounds flour
1 tbsp baking soda
5 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tsp
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup crisco



1. In a large bow, mix together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, vanilla, eggs, and Crisco.

3. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk a little bit each time until batter is smooth and not sticky.

4. Roll dough into 1" balls and drop on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about an inch apart.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Place tray on bottom rack of oven then halfway through baking rotate to top rack and replace with a new filled cookie sheet.

6. Cookies are done when slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool while making lemon glaze.

*Yields about 7-8 dozen one inch round cookies*



Lemon Glaze

3 1/2 -4 lbs confectionery sugar
juice of 5-6 lemons
a few tbsp cold water
sprinkles/nonpareils

1. Mix together the sugar and lemon juice.

2. Add a few drops of cold water, little bits at a time, until the icing is thick an has no lumps.

3. Dip cookies upside down in glaze to coat the cookie tops and place on wax paper to dry.

4. Add sprinkles before the glaze hardens. Enjoy!!

Stay tuned for the full What's Baking Round-up in the next few days!

Bailey's Irish Cream

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to make something Irish, especially since hubby is Irish and loves, well, all things edible. These two ideas collided and out came, Bailey's Irish Cream. Irish cream is great as a drink, but also a great addition to baking and cooking. Plus, it contains two of the best flavors, chocolate and coffee. Who doesn't love that? It almost tricks you into thinking it's a dessert in itself!

1 tsp instant espresso granules
1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
3/4 cup milk
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups Irish whiskey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, mix together the espresso, cocoa powder, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and 3 tbsp of heavy cream. Stir until dissolved and set aside.

2. Pour all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl including the cocoa espresso mixture.

3. Use an immersion blender to incorporate all ingredients together for 20-30 seconds until your mixture is smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender a traditional blender on pulse or puree will work as well.

4. Pour it into your favorite sealable containers. Let the drink sit overnight for all the flavors to blend together.

5. Be sure to give it a good shake before using and enjoy your homemade Irish cream for up to 2 months. Store in refrigerator.


Source: 6 Bittersweets


Also Featured: Tasty Tuesdays and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

Make Your Own Edible Arrangements (Fruit and Veggie)

Welcome Spring! We missed you! This past Sunday, first day of spring has finally arrived after much anticipation! It's been a cold and snowy winter and the idea of warmer weather, flowers, being outdoors without a fuzzy coat, all sound very appealing. However, just a few days into spring and I wake up to see this....


So apparently winter is trying to give us one last hurrah before spring can come and take over! This time last week, there was beautiful 70 degree weather and today schools are closed. Either way, I'm getting ready for spring! It's coming soon, right?

Fruit Edible Arrangement

1 whole pineapple, cut into 1"inch thick slices
10 blueberries
1 container strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1 pound green grapes
1 pound red grapes

Also some necessary items for construction:
bowl or vase with wide mouth (approx 5-6 in diameter)
foam or loosely balled foil with a cover, such as lettuce leaves or melon rind
skewers
toothpicks

1. Prep your base first by placing the loosely balled foil into the bottom of your vase or bowl until its 3/4 full. Then place the covering over it. I used the rind from the cantaloupe and it looked so cute! Or if you happen to have florist foam you can just place it in the bottom with or without a cover. Just be sure it fits snug.

2. Now here is the beauty of making your own edible arrangements. You can choose exactly how many of each items, how tall they are,and how to arrange them; it's all up to you! So if you love strawberries, use more of those. If you are making this for friend who loves pineapple, go crazy. Also I found it easier, to choose one skewers to make all the holes in the base before you begin. I also choose to push the skewers in the base before adding the fruit. It seemed to work better.

3. Cut the cantaloupe into wedges after removing the rind. I tried to keep mine welly intact to use it as the cover. I also used a fancy vegetable slicer to add crinkled edge cuts on the cantaloupe. Set aside prepped cantaloupe.

4. The strawberries are very simple. Just remove the greenery on their tops with a knife and place on skewers. You certainly could dip them in chocolate. I wanted to dip the, but happened to be out of chocolate when I made these, which barely ever happens because I love chocolate!

5. The grapes were fun and easy. Slide the grapes on the skewers vertically and just keep filling your skewer until the grapes reach the top.

6. Now for the trickiest of all, the pineapple flower. I used a star-shaped cookie cutter for this flower. Cut out one flower in the middle of the slice. Then, using a paring knife, carefully cut through the middle horizontally to make two 1/2" thick stars. Use a small piece of toothpick to securely attach the two stars in the middle and put one blueberry on the end and skewer up the center of the flower. Viola!

7. Be sure to keep your arrangements covered in saran or cellophane and in the refrigerator. And try to make it near to the time you will be serving or delivering the arrangements, so the fruit is fresh as possible!


Veggie Edible Arrangement

10 radishes
10 asparagus stalks
1 small bunch of fresh dill stalks
1 container of cherry tomatoes
1 cup of dressing (Ranch, blue cheese, Caesars, etc)

Also some necessary items for construction:
bowl, vase, or Ball jars
toothpicks


1. Start by washing and preparing a large bowl of cold water to let the radishes soak in.

2. Using a small paring knife, cut off the tops of radishes and level the bottoms.

3. Begin to make small cuts on the sides of the radishes, but don't go all the way down. Leave the bottom connected as a flap for petals. Let soak in cold water for about an hour to open the "flowers".

4. Remove the tops of the asparagus and put half a toothpick into the bottom of the stalk.

5. Push one radish flower onto the toothpick and repeat with the rest of the asparagus and radishes.

6. You can either use a dressing in the bottom to appear as "water" in your vase or what I did which was fill the bottom inch of the vase with cherry tomatoes.

7. Stand up the "flowers" and dill, which acts as your greenery, in the vase and that's it! Also, keep this arrangement in the refrigerator and serve/deliver as soon as possible for fresh veggies!


Source: The Dapper Darling

Also featured on: Works for Me Wednesday

Irish Cream Fruit Dip

Strawberries were on sale this week, so, of course, a bunch ended up in my cart. While I was trying to think of something new to incorporate these strawberries, I rummaged around the fridge for inspiration. I noticed some mascarpone cheese, one of my favorites. And I saw the Irish cream I had recently made for St. Patrick's Day! So I thought Italian cheese + Irish cream would make a great homemade fruit dip for those strawberries and it turned out yummy. The dip was slightly sweet, nice and thick with the mild flavor of Irish cream.

6 oz cream cheese
8 oz mascarpone cheese
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Irish cream

1. Beat mascarpone and cream cheese together in a large bowl.

2. Add all other ingredients into bowl.

3. Beat together until creamy and well blended.

4. Serve with various fruits, small cookies or maybe even include it in a parfait.

Also featured on: Real Food Wednesday and Works for Me Wednesday

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Before I tell you about this recipe, let me share a little but about my unhealthy obsession with the crock pot. It's been a constant battle for me, because I love the crock pot's abilities. Slow cooking offers moist meals, little work and prep, simple steps, and lots of flavor. But every time I thought about cooking something in the crock pot a little voice in my head said, "You are cheating!" I felt that real cooking takes more time, more effort, more work and using the crock pot gave me that guilty feeling like I am taking the cop-out; the easy route. It's the same feeling I have when I get a craving for Kraft Mac and Cheese. When I was younger, I was a super picky eater, the worst you could find, and I lived on Kraft Mac and Cheese. Nowadays, I'd gladly prefer my Grandma's Mac and Cheese or Italian Mac and Cheese, but there's still a place in my heart for that blue box. Well, I've decided that this year I am resolving my battle with the crock pot and putting it to good use more often, because this dinner was amazing! It's a new favorite for sure. Even with its minimal effort, this dish was so yummy and full of flavor! The slow roasted garlic gave it a more mild flavor, and the meat was fall-off-the-bone perfect! I will say peeling the 40 cloves of garlic was let's say a but time consuming. Next time, I may purchase pre-peeled garlic...

3 and 1/2 lbs of chicken pieces, I used leg quarters

3 tbsp olive oil

40 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp rosemary

1 tsp basil

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1. Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper

2. Drizzle one tbsp olive oil in bottom of 5 quart crock pot. Place chicken in crock pot.

3. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle rosemary, basil, and paprika. Then add the garlic cloves.

4. Let cook on low setting for 6 hours. Stir the garlic cloves and chicken around once halfway through cooking.

5. About half an hour before the chicken was finished cooking, remove about ten or twelve roasted garlic cloves and mash them with a fork, set aside.

6. Near the end of the cooking time, remove the juices from the bottom of the crock pot with a ladle and fill a small sauce pot. Add about half of the smashed garlic and one tbsp of butter and one tbsp of flour to make a yummy gravy. I also added the other half of the mushed garlic to the mashed potatoes to make garlic mashed potatoes.

Source: Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Minestrone Soup

My mom and I were lucky to both have a day with nothing to do recently. This is quite a rarity for us since we are both always running around all day and never have spare time at the same time. We decided to some cooking because we had a busy week ahead and knew some nights could quickly turn to pizza or take out (not that I mind those nights on occasion). We made a double batch of this minestrone soup, so we would have plenty for the busy nights. This soup recipe is one of my family's favorites that has been passed down from my Mom's Mom. I hope that you and your family enjoy it as much as we do!

12 cups water
2 1/2 cups dried navy beans
1 1/2 cups of dried northern beans

6 strips low-sodium bacon, chopped

6 tbsp olive oil
2 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 stalks of celery, sliced

4 small carrots, peeled and sliced

2 medium potatoes, diced

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 quarts hot water

1/2 cup pre-cooked rice

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup tomato paste

Pecorino Romano, grated for topping

oyster crackers, for garnish

1. Bring 12 cups of water to boil in a large sauce pot. Add the beans gradually to keep the water boiling.

2. Simmer beans for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside to soak an hour and a half.

3. Add bacon to the pot of beans and return to medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low whiling stirring occasionally.

4. While beans are simmering, heat olive oil in skillet and cook the onions and garlic just until browned, then set aside.

5. After beans have simmered one hour, add onions, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Slowly pour in two quarts of hot water and simmer about two hours until beans are tender.

6. Meanwhile, cook rice traditionally. When the soup is almost done cooking, add in rice and peas. Cook another 10 minutes or so until the peas are tender, then stir in tomato paste. Simmer another ten minutes and remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and crackers.

Approx. 10-12 servings

Cinnamon Rolls

It's still cold out and while I can't wait for the warmer weather to come around, I'm enjoying the comfort food that you can only get away with eating in the winter. So here is a great breakfast treat that's sweet and fun to make with the family. We recently made these during a snowed-in day with all my cousins. I've made these cinnamon rolls many times before and always loved them.

Cinnamon Rolls:
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 (1-pound) loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed

Icing:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp mascarpone cheese
2 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla


1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.

2. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to a 12 x 9 inch rectangle.

3. Sprinkle sugar mix evenly on top of the entire stretched out dough, except the outer inch.

4. Brush melted butter on that outer inch of dough without sugar.

5. Beginning with one of the long sides, start rolling up the dough jelly roll style. Pinch edges to seal.


6. Cut in the dough into nine or ten equal pieces and place cut side down into a buttered baking dish. Or if you prefer, you can cut smaller pieces for more cinnamon rolls of a smaller size.

7. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let the cinnamon rolls sit in a warm area to rise for 45 minutes.

8. Bake for about 35 minutes uncovered on 325 degrees until golden brown.

9. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, mascarpone, cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla until well combined.

10. Brush melted butter lightly over tops of warm cinnamon rolls and then drizzle icing over the tops. Serve warm!

Source: Giada De Laurentis

Also Featured on Tasty Tuesdays

Bechamel Sacue with Veggies and Shrimp

I am a huge fan of bechamel sauce and have tried many different variations overs the years attempting to get it just right and finally ended up with this combinations. It's so simple and the best part of this sauce is that you can add various components to switch up the flavor, but keep the same simple, creamy base. Plus, unlike a red sauce which cooks for many hours to sweeten the tomatoes, this bechamel sauce can be made in under 30 minutes and tastes great! But the red peppers do take some time to roast, so skip be sure to put those in the oven before you start your sauce.

Sauce:
2 tbsp flour or Wondra
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup light heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Extras:
2 large red peppers
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets.
1 lb medium cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb cooked pasta

Sauce:
1. To make a bechamel sauce, start by making a roux. Heat butter and flour in medium saucepan over low heat stirring continually. Be sure to cook the roux for about 3-4 minutes while the butter melts and mixes with the flour to eliminate "floury" taste in the sauce.

2. While the butter and flour are cooking, heat milk, heavy cream, and garlic cloves in a small pot on low heat just until hot. Be careful not to let either the milk or the roux burn.

3. Slowly stir the hot milk mixture into the roux. Add in black pepper, lemon juice, salt, and nutmeg and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes, remove the garlic cloves from the sauce with a slotted spoon.

4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and cheese. Toss with cooked pasta. Your sauce and pasta are ready! You could call it quits right here, sit and enjoy a bowl of pasta. Continue reading if you want to see the extras added to this dish.......

Extras:

There are so many ways to dress up this dish. For this particular meal, I used broccoli, red peppers and shrimp. Roasting the peppers takes awhile, so you want to begin by roasting them before you make the sauce. You can roast them while you work on the other steps.

1. Simply put two red peppers in the oven on 425 degrees on a baking dish. Let the peppers roast for 35-40 minutes, turn 2x throughout the cooking time to ensure even charring on all sides. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly. Then remove the charred skins and cut into strips. Be sure to avoid seeds on the inside.

2. Next, blanch the broccoli. This step is quick and can be done closer to finishing the sauce. Boil water in a pot and add broccoli florets. Prepare a bowl with ice and cold water and set aside. Let broccoli cook on a boil for 2-3 minutes, just until slightly tender, but not soft. Remove from water with slotted spoon or spider and place in ice bath for 2 minutes and then remove.

3. Toss in the fresh roasted peppers strips, cooked shrimp, and broccoli to the warm bechamel sauce and pasta. This is one yummy meal sure to please everyone!

Also Featured on Homemaker Mondays and Made by You Mondays

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Taco seasoning is one of those things most people always have in their kitchen. It usually comes stored in individual one time use packets from the store. But if you ever turn over the packet and check the ingredient list, you'd notice that most ingredients are already in your cabinet. So why not make your own taco seasoning seasoning? You can personalize your seasoning, dependent on your heat tolerance and personal taste too. Since this is my recipe, I've added some Italian elements and adjusted it to my taste preference.

3 tbsp paprika

3 tbsp chili powder

3 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp dried oregano leaves

1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp crushed pepperoncino flakes
1 1/2 tsp salt

Makes about 6-7 servings

1. These directions are very simple. Pour all the measured spices into a large bowl and stir together to mix well.

2. Store in an air tight container and use in place of the store bought taco seasoning on your favorite foods. Approximately 2 tbsp of this seasoning is equal to one packet of taco seasoning.

Source: I first saw this idea on With a Cherry on Top and also used Alton Brown's Taco Potion #19 for inspiration. I tweaked both of these and ended up with this recipe.

Also Featured on Homemaker Mondays and Made by You Mondays

Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes were simply delightful! They were were a perfect flavor combo! For this month's What's Baking challenge, hosted by Dunne from With a Cherry on Top, we were asked to share something Baked with Love. February is one of my favorite months. Not only is it Valentine's Day, but it's also our anniversary! I first made these cupcakes for one of my best friends, Stephanie's birthday, last year and then again for our anniversary recently. I loved the recipe both times I made it and I'll be sure to find another excuse to make them in the future.




Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp gel food color, approx. (Wilton Red)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white distilled vinegar

Filling:
10 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice

Frosting:
12 oz cream cheese
12 oz butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cup confectioner's sugar


(Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes)

1. In a medium bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients for the cupcakes: flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar until smooth.

3. Slowly add in the dry mix and blend for a minute or two until fully incorporated.

4. Fill cupcake pan with liners about 2/3 full. Bake on 350 for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Remove from pans and let fully cool.

5. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare your filling and frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon just until well blended. Spoon filling into a pastry bag with no tip, just a coupler or a large round tip and set in refrigerator.

6. Now for the frosting, start by beating the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Fill another pastry bag with the frosting using any tip you desire to decorate your cupcakes; I used a Wilton star tip. Store in refrigerator until ready. Both the frosting and the filling can be made in advance to save time, just twist the tops of your pastry bags so they are closed.

8. Once the cupcakes are cooled, it's time to make a hole for the filling. Using a small paring knife, cut a cone shaped piece of cake from the top center of the cupcake. Be sure to cut only partially into the cupcake and not all the way down to the bottom. Discard the cones or eat them while you decorate.

9. Using your pastry bag with filling, begin to squeeze filling into each cupcake's cavity just until it reaches the top.

10. Take your other pastry bag full of frosting and begin to ice the cupcakes by making concentric circles starting on the outer edge and working your way inward and up. These cupcakes are best stored in the refrigerator until it's time for your event. Hope you enjoy your cupcakes!

Source: Apple a Day, another great foodie blog

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip is easy to make, but tastes like you slaved all day over it! It's become the new appetizer that is most requested at all events! Try it out for your next party or get-together! This dip is thick and creamy with flavors that combine so well and was another Superbowl favorite!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/3 cup Pecorino grated cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup coarsely chopped canned artichoke hearts
4 cloves roasted garlic (See bottom of post)
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes


1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to incorporate.

2. Spread mixture in a small baking dish and sprinkle extra parmesan and pecorino on top.

3. Bake 35-40 minutes on 400 degrees.

4. Serve warm with sliced Italian bread, crackers or chips and enjoy!



How to Roast Garlic- Roasted garlic has mild flavor compared to raw, but still adds that great garlic taste!

1. Cut off the very tops of the garlic bulb, but leave the rest of the skins on. You can leave entire bulb in tack if you plan to roast the whole thing. If not, seperate the cloves you want. You can roast the whole bulb and save some of the roasted garlic for a later use.

2. Brush some olive oil on top of the garlic bulb and place it on a baking sheet covered in foil. Cover with more foil.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or so on 375 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Remove the roasted garlic by separating the cloves and squeezing out the garlic. The garlic will be soft and pulpy.

5. You can either store these in a sealed container or smash it into a paste using a fork.

Source: Annie's Eat (one of my go-to websites for all things food)

Wisconsin Wings

What better for Superbowl celebration than wings that support your team! Go Greenbay! These wings were delicious with a crunchy coating and carried our love for the Packers! My father and brother are lifelong Packers fans and were so excited for this Superbowl! We decked the house in green and yellow everything. We even found my dad's Greenbay football helmet from high school! My hubby and brother made a "cheesehead hat" out of cardboard and paint while Mom and I coooked in the kitchen. If they wouldn't kill me, I'd post photos of them wearing it! It was a great game with lots of good food and these wings were a hit!

3/4 cup finely crushed cracker crumb (I used Ritz toppers)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp fresh coarse ground black pepper
2 lbs chicken wings, split and tips removed
1/3 cup Dijon mustard


1. Combine the cracker crumbs, cheese, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper in a bowl.

2. Using a pastry brush, spread a coat of mustard of the chicken pieces and then roll in the crumb mixture until fully coated.

3. Lay chicken pieces on a greased baking sheet and on 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/wisconsin-wings-98192

Parmesan Garlic Wings

These wings are simple and mild, quite yummy, and made especially for those who don't like the hot, spicy kind (aka my mom). In college, my hubby (boyfriend at the time) and I discovered Buffalo Wild Wings. We fell in love with the wings and my favorite was by far their Parmesan Garlic Wings. We always bought a bottle of this sauce whenever we go. Even now when we take a roadtrip, we will gladly take a quick detour in exchange for a bottle of sauce to bring home. So for the Superbowl, I wanted to make a few different kinds of wings and these were a must have! I made the wings a little healthier by bake them instead of frying. I will say, it did not taste quite like the sauce we had become accustomed to, but it was still very good. I think it was lacking some seasoning and I'll try this recipe another time with some changes and see if I can get to closer to the actual BWW recipe.

2 lbs chicken wings and drumettes
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. You can use either fresh or frozen wings. Frozen wings are already prepped and separated, but if you are going to fresh route you will need to prep the chicken. First, chop off the wing tip using a sharp knife so it will not burn. Then separate the drumette and wing by cutting through the skin and joint with a knife.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease it. Bake the wings on 400 for about 40-45 mins. Turn the wings over halfway through baking time. Broil the wings for just a minute or two after baking to crsip them up a bit and give them more of a "fried" texture.

3. Mix all other ingredients into a large sealable bowl. Once wings have cooled slightly, add them to the warm sauce, cover and shake until welly coated.

4. Pour on a platter and serve with the classic celery and ranch.

Source: http://www.epicportions.com/2009/02/25/buffalo-wild-wings-recipes/

I'm Back to Blogging!

Hello Readers! I'm back! I apologize for the brief hiatus here. I still love my blog and readers, and I will continue to update it as much as possible. Sometimes life can be full of unexpected occurrences and you never know when they will arise. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. It was a big surprise, not the good kind unfortunately, but we all have high hopes for her recovery and are doing our best to help her through this time. I appreciate any and all thoughts and prayers for my Grandma.

No worries though, I'm still cooking and baking when I get the chance and have a few overdue recipes to share with you. Please excuse the forthcoming posts with events and recipes from earlier months and occasions. Just a quick update about the past month or so. My hubby and I are hoping and praying to own a home in the near future! I can't wait to be have more space and a larger kitchen wouldn't be upsetting either. We are waiting to see what happens and will be sure to share info with you all once everything is finalized! My grandma finished her first round of radiation and we are waiting on some scans to verify how effective the treatment was. She's anxious about the further treatments and we hope the scans will bear good news. My wonderful hubby and I celebrated our two year anniversary quite recently as well. He's so good to me! He brought me home daffodils to plant at our new home (fingers crossed) and gorgeous lilies! I made him pappardelle topped with alfredo sauce and grilled chicken and followed that with waffles for dessert topped with ice cream, sauces, and berries. And I'm thankful for having readers enjoy my ramblings and recipes for one year via this blog! I'm hoping to have belated blogiversary post in the next month with a favorite family recipe I've been excited to share. More posts soon to come!

Hello, 2011! I resolve to....

As a new year comes and an old one goes, it's time to look forward to what will be in 2011. The age-old tradition of making resolutions coincides with the changing of years. In fitting with this tradition, I'd like to make a New Year's resolution to try to cook/bake new things in the kitchen. This year I will be turning 25, a quarter of a century old! And for my resolution/bucket list of 2011, I will be making a 25 by 25 Bucketlist Challenge. Time to get started on building my cooking repertoire.

1. Creative Homemade Pasta (ravioli, tortellini, trottole)
2. Sfogliatelle and Lobster Tails
3. Cannoli
4. Rustic Semolina Bread
5. Chocolate Torte
6. How to properly temper chocolate
7. Homemade chewy caramels
8. Spumoni Ice Cream (at request of Hubby)
9. Biscuits
10. Cinnamon Rolls
11. 3 Tier decorated cake
12. Soft Pretzels
13. Potato Gnocchi
14. Sweet and Sour Chicken
15. Bagels
16. Napoleons
17. S'Mores Milkshake
18. Tiramisu Cheesecake
19. Herbed Butter
20. Molten Lava Chocolate Cakes
21. Rissoto and Polenta dishes
22. Panna Cotta and Zabaglione
23. Tartufo (attempted once and failed :( must try again)
24. Doughnuts (Fried and Baked)
25. Crostada


Other Goals for 2011:
1. Own a home
2. Continue working with decorating cookies, cakes, etc
3. Spend time with family and friends
4. Improve photography
5. Learn to sew and knit
6. Travel More


These cooking and baking goals are hopefully going to be accomplished by my 25th birthday! If not, at least during my 25th year... Here's to much learning and new challenges in the new year!

Here's a free printable year calendar for 2011 to help organize you in the upcoming year. Courtesy of Julia's Poppies Design

Monkey Bread

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Another great breakfast that is so fun and easy; Great for New Year's Morning! Monkey Bread is one of my husband's favorites. I mean, how it could it not be? Sugar and cinnamon caramelized in the oven is a great way to start the day, especially a day off of work!

2 large cans (16.3 ounces) refrigerated biscuits
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup pecan halves (I omitted the pecans)

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan or tube pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Cut the biscuits into quarters. Dip each piece in butter, roll it in cinnamon sugar, and place it in the pan. Sprinkle pecans onto the biscuit pieces at random. Pour any remaining butter evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate, and serve immediately. I also made a cream cheese icing to have on the side for dipping!

Recipe taken from: Ezra Pound Cake