Cooking Show: 'Tis the Season! Last-Minute Gifts from Your Kitchen

Our recent cooking show featured treats for gifting.


'Tis the season, correct?

Are you interested in recipes that you can prepare, package and have on hand when you have a last-minute need to bring a friend a homemade treat?

It was only fitting that my friend, Maribeth, cooked alongside me. I vividly remember the first time she came to my house, approximately 20 years ago.  I had invited all of the moms from my son's preschool class for an end-of-the-year celebration.  She arrived with a bag of homemade dog treats. My dog, Rosie, eagerly devoured them.

She's continued to supply my dogs with treats throughout the years. Always thoughtfully packaged, always eagerly devoured.

Here's a photo from a batch of treats I made after we filmed the show.  I'm confident that if you make these treats, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor that your dog will enjoy them.

Maribeth's Dog Treats

If you are able to watch the show, however, you'll witness how the recipe didn't cooperate during filming.  Was it a case of being camera shy, or maybe the ingredients were slyly having a laugh at our expense as we tried to roll and mold the uncooperative dough into bone-shaped treats?

They were certainly drier and crumblier than any batch that either Maribeth or I had ever made.  The best thing I can say is that packaging them in a polka dot bag with festive cupcake liners stapled over the top helped to disguise their ugliness. But we had the last laugh, because you can see by this video that my dogs still thoroughly enjoyed the defective treats:

There was a moment of confusion where they both tried to snarf down the same treat. We sorted that out, and after I stopped filming Clyde adorably picked up his empty plate and sat down in front of me asking for another treat. 

I suppose the takeaway from our mishap is that I am telling the truth when I claim that there are plenty of perfect cooking shows to watch, but if that's your goal and you're watching my show, then you should probably change the channel. 

Or perhaps the lesson is not to give up if a recipe turns out differently than expected?  Maribeth and I both knew that there was something off about the recipe.  We stubbornly continued and the finished product was no worse for the wear.

Nah.  My actual thoughts?  It's true--dogs will eat anything.

Thankfully, Maribeth and I were able to prepare ourselves a cocktail to distract us from the dog treat mishap.

However, we couldn't come up with a clever name for our cocktail.  Dan the Awesome Cameraman seemed to be on-point as he started saying, "Rudolph's Red Raspberry..." but his thoughts ended there.

Maribeth and I both drew blanks.  The best I could come up with was "Festive Crangria."  So I googled it to see how original my thinking was and I was greeted with "Did you mean festive SANGRIA?"

No, Google, I did mean CRANGRIA, I'm trying to be clever by combining cranberries and sangria and apparently I'm so clever that it doesn't exist. (However, after scrolling down the page I did find a few links for crangria which differed from my recipe.)

Festive Crangria

I know, technically this is not a last-minute gift from your kitchen but it makes a nice refreshment to sip on as you prepare the other recipes!

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

I wish I could post a clip of Maribeth's reaction when she took her first sip of this cocoa.  Her eyes flew open wide and she exclaimed something like, "Oh, LORD, is this GOOD!"

I believe that if you make this mix it's quite possible that you will never buy prepackaged cocoa ever again.  It's that good.  And it took us about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients for the mix.  You can click the above link for the printable recipe, or you can save yourself that extra effort and simply mix together 1 cup each of non-dairy coffee creamer (powder), nonfat dry milk, sugar, milk chocolate chips and 2/3 cup of cocoa powder.  There you go.  Five ingredients, stirred together and your mix is done.  To serve, stir 1/4 cup of the mix into 1 cup of hot milk (or hot almond milk, which is truly a spectacular choice).  Top with mini marshmallows, whipped cream, or cinnamon sticks.  Or any combo thereof.

Transfer the mix into mason jars topped with festive fabric wrapped with a ribbon. You now have a supply of homemade gifts that is possibly the tastiest hot cocoa mix that the lucky recipients will ever have!

Chocolate-Covered Toffee

Here is another treat that you can make and transfer into fabric-topped mason jars for gifting.  

If you don't set aside enough of this toffee for your own household, there's a chance that your husband will be asking you if he can open up one of the fancy jars of toffee that he just saw. You will have to tell him that it's a gift for a special friend. Oh, wait, that's the conversation I had with MY husband a week after I made a batch.  Hide the fancy jars that you want to give as gifts. Nobody in your house will be tempted to open them if they can't find them.

Oreo Peppermint Bark

The oreos add a nice texture as well as festive color to this classic treat.  Be sure to have enough mason jars to package up yet another tasty offering from your kitchen!  

You'll be glad to have a supply of any of these tasty treats on hand when you are suddenly in need of a last-minute gift.  Click on the titles to be taken to the printable recipes!

Cooking Show: Holiday Treats!

We filmed an episode of the cooking show last week.  'Tis the season, so I tried to feature recipes that are special enough for the holidays, but I didn't want them to scream, "CHRISTMAS!!" 

You can confidently prepare these recipes for a special occasion, yet they are easy enough to make that you may want to add them to your usual rotation!

 Cranberry-Pistachio Cake Bars

Fresh cranberries and whole pistachios add festive pops of red and green. There is no leavening agent in these bars (whipping the eggs provides the volume), and the combination of the dense texture, tart cranberries and crunchy sugar on top is a winning combination!

Click here for the printable recipe.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Martini

So simple to make: equal parts chocolate liqueur, salted caramel Baileys®, light cream and milk. 

You can prepare one or two in a cocktail shaker or make 'em by the pitcher like we did!  Dip the rims of the glasses into caramel syrup and toffee bits, add a swirl of chocolate syrup on the bottom of the glass. Don't forget the whipped cream on top!

I was sort of debating whether or not to use the toffee bits on the rims...the toffee has a tendency to slowly slide down the side of the glass.  Each and every one of us licked our glasses clean, however!

I may have used a spoon to fish out the bits that sank into the syrup in the bottom of the glass.

 Snow-Capped Molasses Cookies

This is one of those recipes where the results are so much more spectacular than the effort you put in!  

The batter doesn't require any chill time--just mix, scoop and bake. They are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and sweet with a hint of spice.  Dip them into white chocolate after they've cooled.  Cookie perfection!

Click here for the printable recipe.

 Gingerbread Dutch Baby Pancake

Incredibly easy and quick.  You will have the ingredients mixed and ready to go while your oven is still heating up.

 Festive Fruit Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Such a fabulous contradiction of flavors!  Sweet, sour, minty and a tiny drizzle of the vinaigrette really puts it over the top.

Cooking Show: Spring Fever...or What to Cook When You're Wishing for Summer!

On our recent episode of the cooking show, we tried to come up with a menu that tastes like summer.

Chase those winter blahs away with grilled beef and tropical fruit!

We started with Pineapple Sangria.  

Actually, this picture was taken just as we finished.  Finished the second pitcher, that is.  

 Then it was time for Watermelon Salad with Seared Halloumi.

Have you ever had Halloumi cheese?  It has a very high melting point, so you can sear it until it's golden and crunchy. It makes a great salad topping! That is, if you and your friends (ahem--Kerry, Amy, Kelly and Christine--I'm talking to you!) can keep your hands off of it long enough to have any left to use for said topping.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

When you're trying to chase away the winter blahs, the only thing better than grilled steak would be summer itself.

Click here for the printable recipe.

And finally, Cookies n' Cream Cheese Cookies.  

With a little bit of cream cheese, for creaminess and fluffiness.  And Oreos®, because Oreos®.

 Chocolate Strawberry Oreos®, because we were trying to stick to the summer theme.

Cooking Show...Being Prepared for Unexpected Holiday Guests!

Last week we filmed an episode of the cooking show.  Donna, the producer of the show, suggested coming up with recipes that could be prepared in advance and then reheated when unexpected guests drop by during the holiday season.

For the record, let me state that I love having unexpected (or short-notice) guests drop by, any time of year.  Consider that your invitation, friends.

My friend, Kelly, cooked with me.  Within 90 minutes, we had cooked all that you see in these pictures.

Pistachio Cranberry Cookies

You can mix up this dough in no time.  Roll it into a cylinder shape, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it into your fridge for slice-and-bake cookies on a moment's notice.

Here's the printable recipe.

Stuffed Mushrooms

These mushrooms are easy to stuff in advance, then place into your freezer to be baked at a later date.  Here's the printable recipe.

Shrimp Puffs/ Bacon-Cheddar Puffs

Using the same dough as a base, you can make these soft, puffy, fluffy appetizers with bacon & cheddar or with shrimp.  Did I mention that the soft and fluffy on the inside (yet crunchy on the outside) dough is to die for?  Serve them warm from the oven, or let them cool completely and freeze in a zip lock freezer bag.  When frozen, they reheat in a matter of minutes.  Here's the printable recipe.

 Lobster Dip/Phyllo Cups

Okay, these are not something that you can prep in advance and freeze...but this recipe is so easy to make and so good I just had to include it.  Simply melt the cheeses (takes about 3 minutes in your microwave) and sauté some chopped mushrooms and lobster, stir it together and voila!  Serve as a dip, with pita chips or tortilla chips for dipping, or spoon it into phyllo cups and bake for a couple of minutes.  Here's the printable recipe.

Pistachio/Cranberry Cookies

These cookies are fabulous whenever you make them, but they're especially festive in the fall and through the holiday season!

I resisted making them forever.  My mom makes these cookies and several times a year she brings us a batch.  They're so GOOD.  They disappear in no time.

I asked her for the recipe a few years ago, and to my horror there is packaged pudding in them.  The snob in me simply refused to make them.

I didn't refuse to eat them, however.  Every time my mom brings us a batch, I definitely eat my fair share.

Perhaps more than my fair share.

Don't be like me, stubbornly refusing to make these cookies.  Make them today!

Cooking Show...Tailgating, Part III !

I can't believe we just filmed our third annual tailgating show!

I was once again joined by Maureen, the tailgating maven.  I don't know anyone who is more of a tailgating expert than she is.

Last month, it was my good luck to join in on one of her legendary tailgates, and I snapped a few photos.

Here they are:

Here's a photo of her table with appetizers and main dishes.

I think the two people that you see in the photo may be having a spirited discussion regarding whether the buffalo chicken dip tastes better with nachos or veggie sticks.

It's hard to see what was way down the other end of the table, so here's a picture of Maureen's fabulous tortellini/pasta salad and pulled pork sandwiches with vinegar slaw.

And we can't forget the dessert & drink table, featuring pomegranate mojitos and pumpkin whoopie pies, both of which we replicated for the show.

Here's what we made on the show:

Maureen thought it would be nice to have a signature cocktail for her tailgate.  

I decided that it should feature pomegranate juice, to match the colors of her alma mater.  Hence, Pomegranate Mojitos were born!  

Here's the printable recipe.

Then we moved on to Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette.  Click here for the printable recipe.

In the upper left corner of the above photo, you can partially see the Brie & Jam Phyllo tarts that we made.  I wish I took a picture of them; I promise to update this post as soon as possible with a picture!  

In the meantime, if you want to make them, you will need a package of frozen phyllo tarts, a wedge of brie and a jar of jam.  Place a small (3/4-inch) piece of brie and 1/2 teaspoon of jam in each tart.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

For the record, I used roasted garlic & onion jam which lent the perfect amount of savory sweetness to these tarts!

Our menu would not be complete without Slow Cooker Pulled Pork sandwiches!  Here's the printable recipe.

And for a sweet finish to our show, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.  If you want to see a plate of treats disappear, make these.

During the show, someone asked me how long these will keep.  I had to answer that I didn't know, they are always gone by the next day!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I can't help it.

Now that autumn has arrived I want to make pumpkin everything!

We're barely two weeks into the fall season and I've already made five batches of pumpkin whoopie pies.  Seven batches, if you take into consideration that two of those batches were double!

Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

Five ingredients.  That's all you need.  Butter, sugar, flour, extract and jam.

And I'm going to guess that these are ingredients that you already have in your pantry!

What are you waiting for?

Cookies!

Well, this month has been a happy blur.  Anytime we are all under the same roof is a happy time!

Despite their somber expressions in this photo, Gus and Clyde have also enjoyed having the kids home for the holidays.

We also filmed another episode of the cooking show.  It was cookie-themed, but not necessarily Christmas-themed, because by the time it finishes airing it will be past the holiday season...and we didn't want to be pushing Christmas in January!

So we baked a bunch of cookies that were Christmas-festive, yet plain enough that they can be enjoyed year-round!

Printable recipe

Click here to be taken to the blogpost with the step-by-step instructions.

And before you begin to think that maybe I got the gift of mad photography skills for Christmas, I need to confess that the pretty photo above was taken by my daughter, Caitie.

Now that I've hooked you with a pretty photo, I'm going to pull the old bait & switch.  Continue on for the usual lackluster photos.

Almond Cookies

Most definitely my go-to cookie recipe.  Switch out the red & green sugar for ocean hues in the summer, add in some funfetti, or just bake 'em plain.  Click on the above link for step-by-step instructions or use the printable.

Sea Salt Caramel Rice Krispy Treats

My personal favorite!  Sea salt & caramel is a match made in heaven, and I simply won't make these unless I can bring them somewhere...because if I keep them here I will eat every last one of them!  Printable Recipe

Hope you are enjoying this final day of 2014.

Happy New Year!!

Lemon Cookies + Lemon Ice Cream = Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

I made Lemon Ice Cream last week.  

And I made lemon cookies this week.  The cookies are really light and chewy.  

It wasn't too much of a leap for me to put the two of them together into ice cream sandwiches!

Even if you don't go the ice cream sandwich route, you should give these cookies a try!  

Almond Cookies

Here's the view from my driveway.  I'm not a snow person, but I'll be the first to admit that it sure is pretty.

Gus will tell you that it's fun to play in.

I'd almost say that Clyde and Gus have more fun playing in our backyard full of snow than they do playing in our sunny backyard in the summer.

Almost.  I myself prefer the sun to the snow, and I don't want to say anything that might tempt the fates to favor my dogs' wishes over mine.

Heaven knows, their wishes very rarely get denied around here.

It's hard to ignore the stare of persuasion.  Especially when it's accompanied with the harder-to-ignore whine of imploration.

 Hey, Clyde, help me out here.  I'm being ignored.

Happy to oblige, Gus!  I'll melt her with my pleading puppy face.

Mission accomplished.  No whine necessary.

I tell myself...look away, Fran, look away.  If I don't look away, I'll be baking dog cookies instead of almond cookies!

Okay, today's recipe is my go-to cookie recipe.   The drawback is that you have to mix them up in advance because they need time to chill before you bake them.

Let's be optimistic instead, and say that it's a PLUS that you have to mix the dough and scoop the cookies in advance.  The dough will keep for a few days, so it's like having ready-to-bake cookies in your fridge!