Parties

Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

With St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching, you’ll see the price of potatoes dropping. While colcannon, mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage, is the popular side dish associated with the holiday, I have another suggestion for you.

Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges.

These baked beauties are perfect for celebrating alongside an Irish dinner with a good beer. And will become a year round favorite, too.

Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

  • 3 large Russet potatoes, sliced in wedges
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning (or any blend of seasonings you prefer)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. Rinse potato wedges and pat dry. Toss in the seasoned oil. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
  4. Bake 35 minutes, or until fork tender.

*This recipe is adapted from Amy at http://theblondcook.com/baked-herb-parmesan-potato-wedges/*

Parmesan Crusted Potato Wedges | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Recipes for a Kid-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t one of the holidays I really celebrate.

Anymore.

I had 4 great years celebrating the holiday with my best friend while living in the Florida Panhandle. She is of Irish decent and we always had a fabulous and festive dinner. We’d take turns hosting each year. You can read about some of our celebrations here: Irish Bread Braid.

As I don’t have too many St. Patrick’s Day recipes on the blog, I turned to some of my blogging friends to share their favorite kid-friendly recipes. I’ve assembled some of them into this great round-up.

10 Recipes for a Kid-Friendly St. Patrick's Day

Here are some fabulously green foods that even kids will love!

And what kid can resist a rainbow treat?

#BundtBakers: Red

~ lk529 ~ 10 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspostValentine’s Day was 2 days ago, so the theme of “red” was quite fitting this February. Could be the Bundt cake batter, the drizzle or frosting, a filling or decorations. #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month’s host is Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm.

Valentine’s cakes and I have a rough history, apparently. Maybe the cakes know that I don’t care for the holiday. Two years ago, I tried making a Red Velvet Cake. Without red food coloring. I went with green. Read about the hilarious quandary here: How the Grinch Stole Valentine’s Day.

This time around, the failure had to do with some serious cake-to-bundt-pan stickage. (It’s a word, don’t worry about looking that one up.)

I was going to throw in the towel and then I looked at it and thought, these little cakes are actually kind of pretty in their own ugly way. Without the “crust” you can see the pops of red from the cherries and the luscious chocolate chips saying hello.

naked-cake

I decided to power on! I made a ganache and a glaze with the maraschino cherry juice. And I think I ruined the aesthetic of the cakes by attempting to decorate them. I should have left well alone.

Firecracker wasn’t complaining though. He quite enjoyed his unhealthy snack of maraschino cherries, chocolate chips, and taste testing both the glaze and ganache. And then we shared a mini bundt when photo time was up. (No wonder he likes it when his little brother is napping!)

I got six 1 C bundtlettes, one 2.5 C bundt, and 2 cupcakes out of this batter amount. My husband and I immediately taste tested those cupcakes while watching a movie after the kids had gone to bed.

Cherry & Chocolate Chip Bundtlettes

Ingredients for glaze:

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 C sugar
  • 4 egg whites
  • 3 C cake flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 C milk
  • 1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, divided use
  • 1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Ingredients for glaze and ganache:

  • 2 C powdered sugar
  • 1/4 C maraschino cherry juice
  • 1/4 C chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp warm heavy cream

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease six 1 C bundtlettes and one 2.5 C bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg whites.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a measuring cup, stir 2 tbsp cherry juice into the milk.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the stand mixer, alternating, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
  6. Chop the cherries (reserving a few for garnish if desired) and fold into the cake batter. Fold in the chocolate chips as well.
  7. Divide batter among bundt pans. Bake the bundlettes for 26-30 minutes and the bundt for 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
  8. Allow cakes to cool slightly before unmolding and allowing to cool completely on a cooling rack.
  9. Make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and cherry juice. Adjust ratios as needed to reach a desired consistency.
  10. Make the ganache: Stir the warm cream into the chocolate chips until melted.
  11. Decorate cakes with the glaze and the ganache. Option to garnish with reserved cherries.

*This recipe is adapted from Annie at http://mamadweeb.com/2014/02/cherry-chip-bundt-cake/*

cherry-chocolate-chip-bundt-for-bundtbakers-from-sew-you-think-you-can-cook

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Berries Bundt Cake by Bizcocheando

Berry UpBeet Bundt Cake by All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Bundt Cake extra rojo by La mejor manera

Cherry Bundt Cake by Basic N Delicious

Red Marble Bundt by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Red Velvet Bundt Cake by I love Bundt Cakes

Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake by Patty’s Cake

Roasted Balsamic Cherry Chocolate Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Strawberries and Cream Bundt Cake by Palatable Pastime

White Chocolate Bundt Cake with Raspberry Glaze and Fresh Raspberries by The Queen of Scones

Valentine’s Day Round Up – 2017

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and I have some great recipe ideas to make that Tuesday a little extra special.

Today’s round up is all about red and pink! I have 25 recipe ideas for you to consider.

25 Red & Pink Recipes for Valentine's Day | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Beets naturally turn everything pink!

Berries and cherries are naturally red, too!

Craving something sweet?

And don’t forget the drinks!

 

Champagne Cupcakes

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

The 3rd (and final) installment of my champagne week is definitely a dessert. There isn’t really any getting around it. These cupcakes do not qualify for breakfast. 

“But you could try…” as my son says when he asks me to sing a song I don’t know any of the words to. Sorry, kid, it’s just not gonna happen!

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I’ve always found that the flavor of champagne doesn’t always come through in baking. That is not the case with these cupcakes! These cupcakes, literally, taste like a glass of champagne. There’s even reduced champagne in the frosting to really boost the flavor.

These cupcakes are perfect for celebrating an anniversary, birthday, or holiday.

This recipe makes 12-15 cupcakes.

Champagne Cupcakes

Ingredients for cupcakes:

  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1 C sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C sour cream
  • 1/2 C champagne

Ingredients for frosting:

  • 1 C + 1 tbsp champagne
  • 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tray with liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the sour cream and champagne. Alternating, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the stand mixer, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
  4. Divide batter among prepared cupcake tray. Bake 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack.
  5. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer the 1 C of champagne until it reduces down to 2 tbsp. Cool completely.
  6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the reduced champagne and the 1 tbsp champagne.
  7. Frost cooled cupcakes.

*This recipe is adapted from Haley at http://www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com/2014/12/29/cocktail-cupcakes-champagne-cupcakes/*

Champagne Cupcakes | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Champagne Chicken

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a special dinner in less than 30 minutes.

This champagne chicken is exactly that. In fact, we’ve enjoyed it twice already!

The chicken is pounded thin making it quick to cook.

In fact, the longest part of the cooking process is boiling water for the accompanying angel hair pasta. The lightly breaded and fried chicken is topped with a champagne mushroom sauce.

Yes, I said mushrooms! I actually quite enjoyed the mushrooms in this dish. (Same with the Marsala ravioli… maybe I’m coming around!)

Champagne Chicken | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Champagne Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded to 1/4″ thickness
  • 1/4 C + 2 tbsp flour, divided use
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 C champagne
  • 3/4 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • cooked angel hair pasta, for serving

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
  2. In a wide shallow bowl, combine 1/4 C flour, Parmesan, S+P.
  3. Season the pounded chicken with S+P. Dredge in the flour.
  4. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook chicken 3 minutes on each side. Place chicken in the preheated oven to keep warm.
  5. Add the mushrooms to the same skillet and sprinkle with the remaining flour. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the champagne, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half. Add in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with S+P, and cook until thickened.
  6. Serve chicken over angel hair pasta and top with the champagne-mushroom sauce.
  7. Option to garnish with parsley or tarragon.

*This recipe is adapted from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/champagne-chicken/*

Champagne Chicken | Sew You Think You Can Cook (2) | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

 

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

You’ll find a theme this week on the blog. A bubbly theme perfect for that lovebird holiday coming up next week.

Of course, I’m talking champagne and Valentine’s Day.

I’ll start with a recipe that’s borderline brunch and dessert. Crepes!

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Pears are poached in champagne for an elegant filling. That poaching liquid then becomes a stunning sauce for the delicate pancakes. For extra decadence, serve with vanilla ice cream!

If you’re particularly prepared, you can make the pears and accompanying champagne sauce ahead of time.

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes

Ingredients for pears:

  • 3 C champagne
  • 2 C water
  • 1 C sugar
  • 1/2 vanilla bean
  • 5 pears, peeled

Ingredients for crepes:

  • 1 1/3 C milk
  • 1 C flour
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt

Steps:

  1. In a large pot, combine champagne, water, and sugar. Slice the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds and put them in the pot along with the pod. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the pears. Cook 30-40 minutes, until the pears are fork tender. Remove the pears and set aside. Reduce the poaching liquid to 2 C worth. Remove the vanilla bean pod.
  2. Place the crepe ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Allow batter to reset 15 minutes.
  3. Pour 1/4 C batter into a small greased skillet. (I used non-stick cooking spray between each pancake) Swirl the pan around to create an even pancake. Once the pancake browns flip and cook another minute.
  4. To serve, slice the pears and arrange them in the center of the crepes. Fold the crepe over the fruit and top with the sauce. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

This recipe is adapted from Tara at http://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/champagne-pear-crepes/*

Champagne Poached Pear Crepes | Sew You Think You Can Cook (2) | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

#FoodieExtravaganza: Heart Healthy Fiber Rich Foods

~ lk529 ~ 15 Comments

foodieextravaganza-300February is Heart Health Month, fitting being the month of love. Wendy, our host this month, decided to help us improve our diets by adding more heart healthy fiber.

The American Heart Association provides great recourse if you’re looking for healthy eating. An entire page on whole grains and fiber is a great place to start!

Like most of my Foodie friends, I used oats in my recipe.

I like throwing oats into smoothies for a little extra boost of fiber and substance. I made this smoothie last year with some extra beets and was saving it for February!

Heart Beet Smoothie for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

This recipe makes 1 smoothie.

An Original Recipe

Heart Beet Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C fresh cranberries
  • 5 whole frozen strawberries
  • 1/4 C chopped beets
  • 1/4 C old fashioned or quick cook oats
  • 1/4 C whole milk vanilla yogurt
  • 1/4 C whole milk

Steps:

  1. Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Heart Beet Smoothie for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook (2)

Be sure to check out these other heart healthy recipes:

 5-Way Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti Squash Boats from Palatable Pastime

Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bake from Cookaholic Wife

 Baked Oatmeal from A Day in the Life on the Farm

 Black-eyed Pea Salad – Saladu Ñebbe from Food Lust People Love |

 Cranberry Nut Muffins from Hardly A Goddess

Easy Breakfast Oatmeal from Basic N Delicious

 Farmer’s Salad from Fearlessly Creative Mammas

 Fruity chewy granola bars from  Caroline’s Cooking

 Fruity Custard from Sneha’s Recipe

 Heart Beet Smoothie from Sew You Think You Can Cook

 Moroccan Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

 Vegetarian Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps from cookinandcraftin

If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

Tuesday Tattles #20

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Tuesday Tattles

 

When I was looking through my kids’ bookshelves to create the latest Tuesday Tattles favorite baby books list (toddler books still to come), I realized just how many books had to do with love!

I made a mental note to create another Tuesday Tattles post surrounded solely around these particular books.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching – this week is already the last full week of January! – I figured what better time than now to feature this list. So, if you have little ones in your lives who mean the world to you, grab a book and read to them.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

5 books for kids about Love | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

The popular phrase “Love you to the moon and back” comes from this book written over 20 years ago. As a {former} Aerospace Engineer, I quite enjoy the quote. Guess How Much I Love You is a beautiful book that, personally, I think is wonderful for fathers to read to their children.

If Animals Kissed Good Night by Ann Whitford Paul

I mentioned this book in my bed time books list, but it’s applicable to today’s list, too. My favorite thing about reading this book is all the extra kisses and snuggles my Firecracker gives me! It’s a perfect way to end the day, particularly if that day happened to be a bit more challenging than others.

I Love You Through and Through by Burnadette Rossetti-Shustak

11949548_10103205307664611_5720887468623193194_nThis book has been a favorite ever since Firecracker’s first Valentine’s Day. My mom sent it in a package. I Love You Through and Through is a simple poem with adorable illustrations. It’s probably the first book I had memorized. The book has resurfaced as the “one more book” before lights are turned out each night.

I Love You Because You’re You by Liza Baker

I think my mom found this book, too. Quite similar to I Love You Through and Through, this book tells little ones that “any way you feel, no matter what you do, I love you because you’re you.” Illustrations of a cute fox cub and his mama depict the many emotions that little ones may feel.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

I don’t think there’s any book more classic than this one. I honestly kept this book off the shelf for as long as I could. As a mother of boys it’s such a gut-wrenching, tear-inducing story. To this day, I still remember the first time I read it aloud. I remember sitting in the rocking chair in Ohio with a 4 or 5 month old Firecracker in my lap. At that 4th to last page, when the mother calls her son, my voice cracked and the tears started rolling down my cheeks. I will read the book every single time one of my boys pulls it from the shelf. As they grow, I hope they’ll understand the unconditional love I have for them, no matter how crazy they make me. I do, however, promise never to climb through their windows when they’re adults living on their own!

 

 

#FantasticalFoodFight: Shortbread Cookies

~ lk529 ~ 9 Comments

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Good morning, everyone.

I think I have a problem.

I’ve joined another blogging group! Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes decided to start up this new food party when The Secret Recipe Club came to a close. Maybe she has a problem too!

But it’s not a bad problem.

Who ever decided problem had to have a negative connotation?

Anywho.

The solution to our problem? Cook/bake, eat, and write. It’s always nice when problem has a simple solution.

This month everyone is baking shortbread cookies!

shortbread-cookies-sew-you-think-you-can-cook

My mom loves to bake cookies and I knew it’d be the perfect activity to do with Firecracker when she came to visit. We did a Salted Caramel Shortbread cookie and he loved to help cut out the fun Christmas shapes and sprinkle the salt on the caramel frosted buttery cookie.

shortbread-cookies-sew-you-think-you-can-cook-2

Don’t let the tears fool you, Treat enjoyed his cookie, too! Firecracker decided that he didn’t like the caramel on the cookie so we decorated them in a variety of methods. Stars and reindeer received full caramel treatment, trees got a drizzle, and the wreaths were left plain.

shortbread-cookies-sew-you-think-you-can-cook-3

This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen cookies, depending on cookie cutter size.

Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 3 sticks butter, softened
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped
  • 2 tbsp milk

Steps:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla until incorporated then add the flour in stages until a smooth dough is achieved.
  2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. Roll out dough to 1/4″ thickness on a floured surface. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters, place on a baking sheet an inch apart. Keep any unused dough in the refrigerator while working.
  5. Bake cookies 14 minutes, until lightly golden. Place on cooling racks.
  6. Combine caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Spoon caramel onto cookies, spreading to the edges. If caramel gets too hard, simply reheat.
  7. Sprinkle cookies with Kosher salt while the caramel is still warm. Return cookies to a cooling rack.
  8. Store cookies in an airtight container, use wax paper to divide the layers.

*This recipe is adapted from http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/salted-caramel-shortbread-cookies/9716f0d7-ce05-4740-b402-f80a95daeff5*

Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies for #FantasticalFoodFight from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see all of the other Fantastical Shortbread Cookies click here:  

If you would like to join our Fantastical Food Fight, you can learn more on our informational page.