Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Fondue by Chef George Duran

Use this beautiful artisan molinillo to whip up a spicy Mexican hot chocolate fondue.

Equipment: IMUSA Mini Saucepan or Chocolatera and Molinillo

Ingredients

½ c. heavy cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. mild chili powder

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fruits like apples, pears, and bananas, cut in bite size pieces. Skewers for dipping.

Directions:

In your IMUSA mini saucepan add first four ingredients and place under medium heat. Stir with a small wooden spoon or soft spatula until dissolved and heavy cream is steaming. Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and add hot heavy cream. Allow to sit for 30 seconds. Use a Molinillo to whisk heavy cream and chocolate until completely melted and the fondue is thick and velvety. Pour chocolate back in IMUSA Chocolatera or mini saucepan. Place pan on low heat until it begins to bubble and serve with fruits as well as marshmallows and cubed pound cake. Serves 2-4. 

Black and White Fondue  by Chef Ana Quincoces 

Equipment: IMUSA Mini Pot and IMUSA Chopsticks

Chef Ana Quincoces Black and White Fondue is simple to make so get creative with what you can dip.

Ingredients

½ c. heavy cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)
6 oz. white chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
2 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

For dipping:

Strawberries
Banana slices
Halved marshmallows rolled in chopped nuts
Pound cake cubed
Brownies cubed
Pineapple chunks

In an IMUSA miniport over medium heat, bring ½ cup (less 2 tablespoons) of heavy cream and Grand Marnier to a boil. Turn heat off and immediately place the white chocolate chips in the pot (make sure most of the chocolate is submerged) and cover. Wait 3 minutes and whisk or stir the mixture until very smooth. In a small microwave proof bowl, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream until scalding. Add the 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate and allow it to sit for 3 minutes. Whisk or stir mixture until very smooth.

Put the mini pot back on the stove and heat over very low heat stirring constantly until desired temperature for eating is reached (watch it carefully as chocolate burns very quickly). Remove from heat. With a teaspoon place three dollops of the semisweet chocolate into the pot in a triangular pattern using all of the chocolate. With a knife swirl the chocolate mixtures together to attain a marbled effect. Do not over stir as this will just combine the chocolates. Serve warm with diced fruit, brownies, and pound cake.

Molly Bakes' Crazy for Cake Pops features 50 designs and 70 stunning photos.

A beautifully decorated cake can wow anyone but put a cake on a stick and you’ll start to get all those “a” adjectives like awesome and amazing. I like mini indulgences, so these mini desserts are a one-bite delicious treat that’s almost too cute to eat.  

Learn how to make these in Molly Bakes’ Crazy for Cake Pops, a craft cookbook packed with 50 cake-on-a-stick designs and 70 stunning color photos of a wide range of cake pops suited for any holiday. These cakes are easy to shape and decorate for creative types of all ages. I’ve featured the holiday bauble balls today but consider them for other types of occasions like birthdays, Super Bowl, Valentines and many other reasons to celebrate in the upcoming New Year.  

The author, Molly Bakes’ says that you don’t have to be a serious baker or experienced cake decorator to make her cake pops when you follow the step-by-step instructions laid out in the book. Combine a few simple ingredients, some lollipops sticks and your imagination. It’s also a great holiday gift idea. Click here to order from Amazon: Crazy for Cake Pops: 50 All-New Delicious and Adorable Creations.    

Molly Bakes' Crazy for Cake Pops Bauble Pops are as beautiful are any holiday ornament but edible.

Orange Waffles

Brighten your holiday breakfasts with delicious waffles with the essence of orange with a burst of cranberry topping.

(Serves 4)

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened (4 oz.)

2 cups cake flour (lightly spooned into cup and leveled off)

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup whole milk

In a small saucepan over low heat, or microwave safe container, melt the butter. Allow it to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest until evenly blended. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and whole milk until well blended. Add this mix, to the flour mixture and mix with a fork just until all the flour is moistened. Stir in the butter just until evenly blended. The batter should be lumpy. Use batter immediately after preparation. Cook the waffles and remove them to the oven racks to keep warm until serving. Serve with hot cranberry topping. Note, these waffles freeze perfectly and reheat in just a few minutes in a toaster or oven preheated to 300˚F.

Burst of Cranberry Topping

1 cup water

1 ½ cups sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 cups fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries 

In a medium saucepan, stir together the water, sugar, cornstarch, and cranberries. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stop stirring, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 minute, swirling the pan occasionally. The mixture will be thickened but pourable. Keep it warm or reheat it before serving.

Click here to order from Amazon - Chef’s Choice WafflePro M852.

Sugar and Spice Nuts

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 egg white beaten

1 cup salted cashews

1 cup almonds

1 cup pecan halves

½ cup dried cherries

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and cayenne. In a large mixing bowl or electric beater whisk the egg white well. Add the nuts and cranberries to egg white and mix to coat. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and toss to coat. Spread flat on a baking sheet coated lightly with peanut oil or cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once at about 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container. Makes 3 ½ cups. Enjoy!

VOGA Italia wines can be found at most supermarkets including Publix and liquor stores that sell wine.  

This Thanksgiving Sangria recipe includes pomegranate juice and cherries

Ingredients

• 2 (750-milliliter) bottles VOGA Merlot
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
• 1 orange (cut into sections)
• 1 apple (cut into sections)
• 1 cup of cherries
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with cherries or cinnamon sticks.

Savory Grilled Turkey: The Ultimate Grilled Turkey

Delight holiday guests’ taste buds with a new take on the holiday bird. The savory and rich flavor profile the grill adds to the turkey will keep your recipe in the books for seasons to come.

Savor Thanksgiving dinner with turkey on the grill

1 (12 pound) whole turkey
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon A.1. steak sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

1. Remove giblets from turkey (discard or save for another use).
2. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan in the center. Skewer turkey openings closed.
3. When the grill temperature has reached about 350 degrees F, place turkey on the grill rack, directly over the drip pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Set aside and cover 2/3 cup for serving.
5. Continue to grill turkey 1 hour-2 hours longer or until a meat thermometer reads 175 degrees F in the thigh, basting frequently with remaining sauce.
6. Cover turkey and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with reserved sauce.

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association and the National Turkey Federation offer the following preparation and cooking tips to ensure a safe and delicious meal:

Turkey Time

• Purchase a whole turkey according to the weight recommendations in your grill, smoker or fryer owner’s manual.
• Thaw the turkey completely and pat it dry. Cook the bird un-stuffed.
• Brine the turkey for increased flavor and moisture.
• Outdoor cooking times depend on many factors: the size and shape of the turkey, the distance from the heat and the outside air temperature. Allow more time on cold or windy days and at high altitudes. Allow less time in very hot weather.
• Have a food thermometer handy to measure the internal temperature of the bird; the temperature should be 165 degrees F, but most people prefer it to reach 170 degrees F in the breast and 180 degrees F in the thigh.

Safety First

• Check to make sure the grill, smoker or fryer is in working order.
• Be sure to read the owner’s manual for safety precautions.
• Stock up on enough charcoal, propane, oil or wood chips needed to cook the meal.
• Be sure to use the grill, smoker or fryer outside only—never indoors—and make sure that it’s set-up on a flat, stable surface, preferably on a protective grill pad, and away from any combustible materials.

For more recipes and other information on turkey go to www.eatturkey.com.

Pumpkin Cookie Pops

Pumpkin Cookie Pops

Ingredients and Directions

1 roll (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting

Orange and green food coloring

2 cups M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies for Halloween

2 cookie sheets

25 colored craft sticks

Yield: Makes approximately 30 pops.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Bake Time: 15 min.

Decoration Time: 20 min.

Difficulty: Easy

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. Cut approximately 30 1/4-inch slices of cookie dough. Place them on the cookie sheets. Slip a colored craft stick’s 2-inch tip underneath each cookie. At the top of each cookie and directly on the opposite side of the craft stick make a small dimple in the dough.

3. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

4. Tint a quarter cup of frosting with the green food coloring. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag, snip a small corner, and set aside.

5. Tint the remaining frosting with the orange food coloring. Spread it on the cookie tops. Use the green frosting to pipe the pumpkin stems around the dimples. Use M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies to decorate the cookies like Jack-O-Lanterns.

For more Halloween and other holiday recipes, go to www.brightideas.com.

©/®/™Photograph, recipe and trademarks used with permission of Mars, Incorporated. M&M’S is a registered trademark of Mars, Incorporated and its affiliates.

Witches’ Brew

prep: 20 min.

yield: 6 servings

This Halloween concoction uses kiwi and mint to give it the green color. It's accented with a witches broom made with pretzel stick and green and black shoestring licorice.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

8 medium kiwifruit, peeled and quartered

½ cup fresh mint leaves

Green food coloring, optional

1 cup vodka, optional

1 liter ginger ale, chilled

Ice cubes

1.  In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved; set aside to cool

2.  Place kiwi, mint and sugar syrup in a blender; cover and process until blended. Tint green if desired. Pour into a large pitcher; stir in vodka if desired. Refrigerate until chilled.

3.  Just before serving, stir in ginger ale. Serve over ice.

Witches’ Brooms

Cut 1 green shoestring licorice into 1-in. lengths. Arrange around end of 1 pretzel rod to for broom bristles; tightly wrap bristles with 1 piece of black shoestring licorice, tucking in end to secure. Yield: 1 broom

Recipe compliments of the Taste of Home test kitchen.

Ghostly Pirate Cake

prep: 45 min. bake: 25 min. + cooling

yield: 10-12 servings

This ghostly pirate cake is perfect for Halloween or any pirate-themed party.

Ingredients 

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

½ cup butter, softened

4-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

5 tablespoons 2% milk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 red Fruit Roll-Ups, unrolled

Shredded coconut and black food coloring

Assorted candies of your choice (Fruit by the Foot fruit roll, M&M’s, black licorice twists, caramels, plain chocolate bar, dark purple Gummi Life Saver, red-hot candy and gold candy coins)

1.  Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to cool completely.

2.  Cut two pieces from the lower edges of each cake, forming a pirates head (save small pieces for another use).

3.  For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth.

4.  Place on cake layer on a serving platter; top with ½ cup frosting; top with second cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting.

5.  For a pirate’s bandanna, place Fruit Roll-Ups over top edge of cake. Tint coconut with black food coloring; sprinkle over chin for goatee. Decorate pirate’s features with assorted candies.

Recipe compliments of the Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Pumpkin Smash martini will be the "smash" hit at your Halloween parties.

1 ¼ oz. Frangelico

1 ¼ oz. Flor De Caña 7-year rum

¾ oz. pumpkin puree*

*Pumpkin Puree – Take one 15 oz. can of Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin, add 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. of ground cloves and 15 oz. of simple syrup** and blend it all together in a blender. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. **Simply syrup – One part sugar, one part water.  

Dry shake, shake with three ice cubes and strain out into a martini glass. Garnish with sprinkle of ground clove or nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Boneyard Cookies

prep: 1 hour + chilling bake:10 min./batch + cooling

yield: 34 sandwich cookies

Spooky cookies that look like you just served up a pile of bones. Seedless raspberry jam gives it a bloody-looking filling.

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup corn starch

½ cup cold butter, cubed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

16 to 18 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped 

1. In a bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well. Shape dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2 in. bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. On the bottoms of half the cookies, spread 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon jam down the center; top with remaining cookies.

4. In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Dip each cookie in the chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. 

Recipe by Celena Cantrell-Richardson, Eau Claire, Michigan

Candied Pretzel Trail Mix
Yield: 7 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes 

Candied Pretzel Trail Mix

Ingredients 

4 cups mini pretzels
2 cups crispy corn rice and rice cereal squares
2 cups nuts (whole almonds, pecan halves, etc.)
1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, etc.)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
½ cup butter OR margarine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 250° F. 

Blend pretzels, cereal, nuts and dried fruit in large bowl. Set aside. 

Spray a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. 

Pour the syrup mixture over pretzel mix, stirring to coat evenly. Pour into baking pan. 

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and thinly spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 

Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

Although they had winners from across the U.S., it had three honorable mentions from the South which included Julia Norris’, of Coker, Alabama, Greek Chicken; Lily Julow’s, of Gainesville, Florida, Cherry Balsamic Chicken Salad With Spinach, Arugula, Fennel, and Grapes; and Marybeth Mank’s, of Mesquite, Texas, Citrusy, Garlicky, Summer Tomato Pizza With Tuna, Cannellini, and Fennel. Congrats ladies.

The Garden-Fresh Cookbook is the resource for turning garden-fresh ingredients into kitchen-delicious menus, meals, and treats. With gardening at its root, this collection offers tips on growing, harvesting, and storing homegrown edibles, as well as useful reference advice, such as substitutions for common ingredients, weight and measure equivalents, and pan sizes and equivalents.

Click here to order from Amazon The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Fresh Cookbook.

Peanut Butter Lover’s Pie

Serves 8

Crust
10 whole graham crackers, crumbled
1 tablespoon flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons peanut butter

Ganache
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken
1/2 cup cream

Filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups cream, chilled

Garnishes
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons chocolate sauce
8 miniature peanut butter cups

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or butter a 9-inch pie pan. Crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag by pressing on them with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs. Put them in a bowl and add the flour; mix well. In a small pan, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar and peanut butter. Stir until well-mixed, then combine with the crumb mixture in the bowl until evenly mixed. Scrape into the prepared pie pan and press evenly into the pan to make a crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate to chill.

2. To make the ganache, finely chop the chocolate by hand or in the food processor. Put the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a bubble then take off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature. Pour into the pie crust and smooth it over the bottom. Chill the pie again.

3. To make the filling, put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Using a hand-held electric or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy, scraping down to make sure it has no lumps. Add the peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat, scraping down and mixing to make a smooth mixture. Add the milk and beat just to mix well. In a separate large bowl, whip the cream to firm peaks–when you take the beaters out the cream holds its shape and does not flop over. Gently scoop out 1/2 cup of the whipped cream, being careful not to deflate it. Fold the half cup of cream into the peanut butter mixture in two parts. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the chilled ganache and chill the pie.

4. Spread 2 cups of the whipped cream evenly over the pie, then reserve the remaining whipped cream to pipe onto each slice of pie. Chill the pie.

5. To serve, make the garnishes. In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the powdered sugar and peanut butter together, then mash in the sour cream to make a paste. Transfer the mixture to a small sandwich baggie, dropping it into one corner. Cut the tip from the corner of the bag. Slice the pie into 8 pieces, then pipe a dollop of reserved whipped cream close to the crust, and place an unwrapped peanut butter cup on each slice. Use the plastic bag of peanut butter mixture to pipe swirling decorations on the top of the entire pie, then drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Ingredients:

Late Summer Sangria

• 1 Bottle of VOGA Italia Moscato Wine
• 1 12 oz. bottle of peach Beer (VOGA recommends using Dogfish Head’s Festina Pêche or Lindemans Pêche Lambic)
• 3 oz. Triple Sec
• 2 sliced peaches
• 2 sliced apricots
• 1 sliced Granny Smith apple
• 1 sliced lemon
• 1 sliced lime
• 1/2 liter club soda

Preparation: 

Pour wine and beer in a large pitcher and add sliced peach, apricot, apple, lemon and lime. Next add triple sec and stir gently. Chill mixture for at least one hour, and top with club soda and stir before serving.

Ingredients

Chef Asha Gomez of Spice Route Supper Club and soon to open Cardamom Hill in Atlanta's Peach Chutney.

2 lbs. fresh Georgia peaches (cored and cut into bite-size pieces)

20 white pearl onions

3 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon ginger (julienned)

1 cinnamon stick

4 star anise

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons coconut oil

Preparation:

Sauté pearl onions and ginger in the coconut oil until they are golden brown. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, paprika salt and sugar and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the peaches and cook for 5 minutes. Cool and it’s ready to serve over chicken or fish.

Serves 6-8

Taco seasoning mix is easy to make with a few spices readily found in your spice cabinet.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Dash of salt and pepper

Spice it up a bit more by further adding 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce and several dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

Garlic heads at the farmer's market

Roasted garlic is a simple and tasty appetizer that’s easy to prepare and looks great when served. All you need are a few firm heads of garlic and a little olive oil. Here’s how easy it is to fix.

Cut heads of garlic in half horizontally (through the cloves), careful to keep the cloves intact. Pour olive oil in a glass or enameled baking pan to about 1/16^th inch. Place garlic halves, cut side down onto olive oil about ½” apart.

Sliced garlic in olive oil

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 35 minutes. Garlic will be golden brown and caramelized when baked but be careful not to scorch the garlic because the cloves will become hard and burnt tasting. You want them soft, sweet and spreadable like a cream spread or butter. Scoop off the garlic from the baking pan with a spatula; again being careful to keep the cloves intact. Flip garlic and place on serving tray and sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot with sliced crusty bread like a Ciabutta or French. Use a butter or decorative serving knife to spread onto bread.  

Roasted garlic served with sliced French bread

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup butter (1 stick), softened

½ cup smooth peanut butter

½ cup sugar

½  cup brown sugar

1 egg

1¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Blend together butter, peanut butter and sugars and egg thoroughly. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then combine the dry mixture into the butter mixture and blend well. When thoroughly blended, add chocolate chips. Chill until firm and then shape into 1¼-inch balls and place apart on ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with sugar and then dip a fork lightly into flour, as needed, and flatten cookies slightly into a criss-cross design. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 2 ½ dozen.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes 12 ice cream sandwiches

24 freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, cooled (about 3 inches in diameter)  
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups creamy or crunchy peanut butter
Toppings of your choice (i.e. chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, toasted coconut)

Spread layer of peanut butter on 12 cookies and add a scoop of ice cream. Create a sandwich by topping with the remaining cookies. Roll edges of the ice cream in toppings of your choice. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Serve slightly frozen.

Spiced Applesauce Cupcakes in pirate-themed paper cups

Spiced Applesauce Cupcakes

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

½ cup liquid shortening

2 eggs

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of salt

1 cup sour milk (made by adding 1 teaspoon vinegar to milk)

1 cup applesauce

Dash of vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup dates, chopped (and pitted, if necessary)

1 cup raisins

One can of ready-to-spread cream cheese frosting

Mix sugars, shortening and eggs thoroughly. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, soda, cloves, nutmeg and salt; then add to the liquid mixture and mix well. Then add prepared milk, applesauce and vanilla, and mix well. Add pecans, dates and raisins. Mix well.

Prepare cupcake pan with foil or paper baking cups. Pour in about ½ cup batter or enough to fill to just under the rim.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done (you should be able to slid a toothpick through a single cupcake and it comes out clean). Let cupcakes rest on wire rack until cool. Then frost using one can of ready-to-spread cream cheese frosting. Makes 28 cupcakes and one can of frosting will frost all 28 cupcakes.

Ginger Pineapple Infusion made in a glass beverage jar makes a great hostess gift or will infuse a spring party

Ginger Pineapple Infusion

1 liter SKYY Infusions^® Ginger Vodka

1 liter or 4 cups of Flor De Cana 4-year White Rum

2 whole pineapples, peeled, cored and sliced into rings

2 vanilla beans split open length wise. Careful not cut in half.

1 1.5 – 2 gallon glass beverage jar

Directions

Stack pineapple rings in infusion jar. Then add vanilla beans, followed by the SKYY Infusions Ginger then the Flor De Cana 4-year White Rum. Mix ingredients gently careful not to damage pineapple. Let contents sit for a minimum of 24 hours before making cocktails. Serve over ice and garnish with non-infused fresh pineapple if desired. Mix can last about one week.

Upon researching Tito’s Handmade Vodka further, I learned that it’s distilled in the South, in Austin, Texas, by founder and master distiller, Bert “Tito” Beveridge of Fifth Generation Inc.; hence the name. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is still handmade using 100% corn (that’s why it’s gluten free as many vodkas are rice based) and distilled a minimum of six times in old-fashioned pot that provides its customers with the purists distilled vodka.

It was taste tasted by many that week and it got rave reviews. Upon returning back to Atlanta, I see that it’s available as the call brand vodka at Houston’s and at Tower Beer Wine Spirits and Green’s in Atlanta as well as many more establishments across all 50 states. 

The Texas Sipper made with Tito's Handmade Vodka

I asked our friends at Tito’s to provide us with a vodka drink recipe with a southern twist. They provided this delicious and refreshing drink called The Texas Sipper which combines grapefruit juice and grapefruit soda.  

THE TEXAS SIPPER

1 1/2 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

1/4 oz. St-Germain

2 oz fresh grapefruit juice

1 oz. grapefruit soda

1 mint leaf garnish

For more information on Tito’s Handmade Vodka go to www.titosvodka.com.

Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard

I picked up a book this weekend based on the cover and title that seems appropriate for today, Valentine’s Day, but that also looked like a book I’d enjoy reading. I’m only into the third chapter, but thought I’d share. It’s called ”Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes” by Elizabeth Bard. Here’s my favorite excerpt so far: “I felt more like myself here [in Paris]: as though my love of art and history was natural and my inability to name the latest rock band didn’t matter. In Paris the past is always with you: you look at it, walk over it, sit on it.”

Happy Valentine’s Day, no matter where you are today whether it’s in Atlanta or in Paris. We’d love to hear what you’ll be doing today.

This recipe adds a bit of the tropics by adding crushed pineapple to a traditional banana nut bread.

In researching this story, I didn’t realize that this cookbook was such a collector’s item now until I saw new copies on Amazon ranging from $80.00 to over $170.00 (ouch). The used options on Amazon ranged from around $6.00 to almost $200.00 (ouch again). Then I sat back and realized that this cookbook is almost 25 years old, and that my personal copy have increased in value; and that I probably have a fortune in cookbooks.

So it got me to thinking further, if you have a cookbook you’d like to sell then contact me with the title, copyright, condition, and photo (if possible) and we’ll post it on the site for readers to reach out to you about purchasing it.

* Southern Living, part of the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, does not allow reprinting of their recipes. This Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread recipe was prepared exactly to the recipe with no adaptations.

I used to get so frustrated when I was looking for a recipe in my kitchen because I had to look through my various cookbooks, recipe cards, stack of torn out magazine pages, and my favorite online sources just to even get started on a recipe. It was a huge time waster until I got all my recipes organized. Now when I pull out my organized recipe binder and happen to have guests over, the room goes quiet in awe of this book, like it was a treasured Indiana Jones possession. Here’s what you need to organize your own recipe notebook that’s personalized and functional. And trust in me, once you have this completed, you’ll protect it with a code that only Indiana himself could cipher.

The famous recipe notebook

Items Needed

Choose a cool binder that reflects your personality.

A three-ring binder – Buy a cool binder that you’ll love for a long time and one that reflects your personality. Get one that can figuratively take the heat of the kitchen; one that can take the abuse you’ll put this thing through. I picked up this lime green leather-type binder at an organizing/container store. It’s 3-inches thick, so it can hold a lot of material and it has inside pockets which are great to slid recipes into that you might be testing that aren’t quite worthy of making the pages of the notebook yet.

Clear sheet protectors – I purchased super heavyweight 8” x 11”sheets by Avery in a 50 pack.

Multi-colored card stock paper – Purchase an assortment pack. I found one that had five different colors and was 110 lb. paper stock. You’ll use these to slip into the clear sheet protectors to give the sheets a little more stability, but more importantly to separate your recipes so you’re not seeing the back of one recipe coming through to the front of another. Choose one color for each of your recipe categories so it’s also color coded. You’ll more than likely have to double up on certain colors because there will be more categories than the five color assortment offers. Besides being color coded this will also keep your sections consistent and looking much more organized.

The binder with tabs added for various categories based on how you cook.

Divider Tabs – Buy the Avery extra wide clear label index maker presentation dividers, so you can personalize the diver tabs based on the subject matter. Avery makes this easy to do on your home computer and printer. I have my binder set up into eight categories: Appetizers/Beverages, Breads/Desserts, Chicken, Pasta, Soups/Salads, Vegetable/Side Dishes, Seafood, and Beef.

Now go through all your recipes and ask yourself ‘Do I love this recipe and am I really going to make it again?” If your answer is ‘No,’ then throw it out, but if it’s ‘Yes’ then keep it. You want recipes that you make a lot or at least make seasonally. If you make a recipe often that’s from a specific cookbook then copy it or if it’s from a Web site then print it and include. Then organize you recipes by the divided categories and then start filling your sleeves. I’d recommend preparing a few extra black inserts sheets so it’s easy to insert future recipes without having to pull out the sheets and card stock each time.

If you do make your own recipe binder, then please send us a photo so we can share with our readers.

Seafood stock while it simmers

To make one quart of seafood stock

Ingredients

2 quarts of cold water

1 ½ to 2 lbs. of shrimp shells and/or heads 

Vegetable trimmings from the dish you’re preparing or

•     1 medium onion, unpeeled and quartered
•     1 large glove of garlic, unpeeled and quartered
•     1 rib of celery, cut into several pieces

Preparation

Always start with cold water–enough to cover the other stock ingredients. Place all ingredients in a stock pot or large sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then gently simmer at least one hour or more, if time permits, some professional chef recommended 4 – 8 hours, replenishing water as necessary to keep at least 1 quart of liquid in the pan. The pot may be uncovered, but I prefer to keep the lid askew. Strain, cool and then store in container with a tight lid that can be placed in the refrigerator. Discard what’s strained into the trash. If you plan to use for future recipes I’d recommend dating and labeling with a label and store accordingly. Store homemade stock in the refrigerator for 3-4 day or freeze for 4–6 months.         

Carrot Soup with Star Anise, Epicurious.com, Bon Appétit, December 2005

Corn and Bacon Chowder, Epicurious.com, Bon Appétit, October 2001

Creamy Tomato Soup, Epicurious.com, PARADE, August 2000

Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque, Epiciuous.com, March 2000, from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld. Note: I made this at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. It’s really excellent and you can use canned pumpkin. It’s good topped with the Sage and Parmesan Croutons from the Butternut Squash Soup. 

South Carolina She-Crab Soup, Allrecipes.com

Applesauce Breakfast Parfait

Applesauce Breakfast Parfait

1 apple, cored and chopped

½ cup red grapes cut in half

2 cups chunky cinnamon or plain applesauce

2 cups granola

1 cup vanilla Greek-style yogurt

¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Select 4 large wine glasses or serving bowls for parfaits. Combine the apple and grapes in a small bowl.

2. Layer ¼ cup applesauce, ¼ granola and 2 tablespoons yogurt in each serving glass. Add fresh fruit, about ⅓ cup per serving. Repeat layers of applesauce, granola and yogurt. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon toasted walnuts.

3. Parfaits can be made 4 hours ahead.

Makes 4 servings (about 1½ cups each)

Nutritional Info: Each serving (1½ cups) contains 460 calories, 68 g carbohydrate (23% Daily Value), 8 g fiber (32% Daily Value), 14 g protein, 16 g fat (25% Daily Value), 3 g saturated fat (15% Daily Value), 0 mg cholesterol, and 35 mg sodium (1% Daily Value).

KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Maker makes fresh spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni, fusilli, and small or large macaroni.

This has been a wonderful week of readers asking me great questions and really being able to share. I had a friend and With a Southern Twist reader ask for a recommendation on a fresh pasta maker. Here’s the one that I’d suggest. It’s the KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press that comes with six interchangeable pasta plates to make fresh spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni, fusilli, and small or large macaroni. The attachment self-feeds dough into the hopper and through the pasta plates and when the pasta reaches the desired length, you simply slide the cutter across the plate to detach each series of noodles.

And for most of us that already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, it’s good to know that it fits all KitchenAid stand mixer models and is easy to install on the stand mixer’s attachment hub. It also comes with a cleaning brush for easy clean up. The KitchenAid Pasta Press Attachment’s MSRP is $189.99 and is available at culinary stores and department stores that carry KitchenAid products, or click here and order from Amazon KitchenAid KPEXTA Stand-Mixer Pasta-Extruder Attachment.

My friend is also trying to go gluten free and asked for a recommendation for fresh gluten-free pasta recipe. The recipe I recommended is from the Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef cookbook or on Epicurious.com.