Oven Love

Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Soup

This soup is exceptional. Exceptional. So good that Nick remembered it from a year ago at the first Autumnal Extravaganza and requested it. There is nothing more satisfying than a creamy soup on a winter night. The addition of the roasted garlic and thyme makes this one extra special with a mild, herbaceous flavor. Great presentation for company, but also a delightful treat to share with your family. You’ve got to try it.

(My only changes- low-fat milk instead of cream, as usual.)

*Find Scott and Heather Fratangelo’s recipe here.

Winter Nights: Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Soup

This soup is exceptional. Exceptional. So good that Nick remembered it from a year ago at the first Autumnal Extravaganza and requested it. There is nothing more satisfying than a creamy soup on a winter night. The addition of the roasted garlic and thyme makes this one extra special with a mild, herbaceous flavor. Great presentation for company, but also a delightful treat to share with your family. You’ve got to try it.

(My only changes- low-fat milk instead of cream, as usual.)

*Find Scott and Heather Fratangelo’s recipe here.

Steph’s Shower: The Details

Okay, this post is shaping up to be a long one. I want to give you all the details and recipes for Steph’s shower.. so here we go!

White Hot Chocolate
-This was a fantastic recipe. I was afraid the white chocolate would be too sweet, but it had great flavor. We didn’t use the whipped cream, but we did float some homemade marshmallows in the cups, which went over very well.
-Changes: I used 1% milk instead of half/half. I’m sure it would even work with skim. It was delicious and a huge calorie saver! I still used the cream to melt the chocolate- I think it gave it a richness that would be absent if I used all low-fat milk.

Homemade Marshmallows
-This recipe is not the original that I used (apparently that blog no longer exists online!), but I remember the post saying that it was Martha’s recipe. This one sounds just about the same, except I didn’t use food coloring.
-I loved these little things! Simple to make (make sure you have a candy thermometer and a stand mixer) and pretty addictive!

Vanilla Meringues
-I’d never really eaten meringues before, but this recipe changed my mind. They’re very sweet little bites, just enough to satisfy without going overboard.
-In the recipe, I used vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean. There was plenty of vanilla flavor. I used a plastic bag with a hole in the corner to make the meringues and it worked out very well.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Pops
-These were the most laborious to make out of all of the recipes. It’s a long process, plus we had trouble rolling the cheesecake into balls, and then they weren’t very firm when we dipped them, and then we ran out of chocolate and couldn’t dip them all! But as crazy as the process was, everyone seemed to love them. I would have liked a better presentation, but if the people are happy, then I’m happy, too.
-Changes: I used 1/3 fat cream cheese, and this might have been the problem with the rolling process. I would stick to the full fat, and be sure to follow all of the chilling directions! We did a simple white chocolate dip, no toppings.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Topping
-For these, I used the time-honored Magnolia recipe, vanilla cupcakes and vanilla buttercream. For a little extra pizazz, I topped half of them with sweetened coconut. Tasty and moist, as usual. Just make sure to check them early if you make them miniature- they’ll cook faster.

Tomato Focaccia
-SO good. I was a little scared when I was making the dough, as it seemed a little too shaggy, but the results were great. I covered mine with sea salt and pepper, so when it was finished, it had the faint taste of a well-salted soft pretzel. Delicious and easy!!

Blue Cheese and Walnut Puff Pastry Spirals
-These were a favorite of mine this holiday season. Great to throw together last minute, very flexible with flavor combinations!

Brussel Sprout Salad
-This was a Natalie original, and I’m very proud of it. A lot of people are scared of brussel sprouts, but I think I changed a few minds with this one. I got the most compliments on this recipe.

-1/2 lb sliced bacon
-2/3 cup pinenuts
-2 lbs brussel sprouts, cored and shredded
-1 red onion, sliced thin
-sea salt and pepper
-parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Toast pine nuts in oven or on the stovetop for 10 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.

2. Place bacon in a large skillet or fry pan. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

3. In the same skillet (use bacon grease if you’d like, I drained it and used olive oil), add red onions to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft. Add brussel sprouts and cook over medium heat until sprouts are tender, but still bright green, 5-10 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, bacon and parmesan cheese before serving. Top with extra parmesan on each portion.

Chicken Skewers with Prosciutto and Sage
-Also a Natalie original. I wanted to do a skewer with a little more class, and I wanted to keep it light for the female crowd. The chicken is marinated overnight, which helps to keep it moist during baking. I made a huge batch, so if the proportions aren’t quite right here, I’m sorry!

-3 lb chicken breast (about 6-8 halves)
-1/2 lb prosciutto (about 15 slices)
-about 20-30 sage leaves
-Italian dressing, for marinating
-wooden skewers

1. Cut chicken into strips. Place into a Ziploc bag and cover with Italian dressing. Marinate atleast 2 hours, overnight is preferable.

2. Place the wooden skewers in water. Let soak for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400. Put one piece of chicken onto a skewer, add a sage leaf, and wrap it with 1/2 slice of proscuitto. Repeat with all of the ingredients. Place on a non-stick or foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Turn the skewers and bake for 7 more minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

A Labor of Love: Stephanie’s Bridal Shower

The shower was a great success! As far as I know, Steph had a lovely time. The food went over very well- especially the Brussel Sprout Salad- who would have thought?

The idea was to have an all-white dessert buffet and seasonal savory items. I think I got it right.. what do you think?

Tuesdays with Dorie: Sorry Rebecca!

Unfortunately, I have to pass on this week’s TWD. I was working all weekend on Stephanie’s shower, and just got back yesterday, so I didn’t have any time to get to the grocery store. The lovely Miss Rebecca from Ezra Pound Cake chose Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins. Sorry, Rebecca- I’ll be trying them soon enough. 🙂

Check out the TWD blogroll to see the rest of the tasty variations!

*Tuesdays with Dorie is a group of bloggers baking through Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.

A Wonderful Surprise!

After a lovely weekend with my family, I arrived home to this wonderful surprise:

I was chosen as this month’s winner at You Want Pies With That!

This is the first thing I’ve won in the blog world. I feel so honored and so excited to keep on baking! As the winner, I get to choose the theme in April. I can’t wait! A big thanks to all the ladies at YWPWT!

Weekend Hiatus: Stephanie’s Bridal Shower

This weekend is going to be amazing.

I’m headed back to PA for my soon-to-be sister-in-law’s bridal shower. Along with the help of my mom and my aunt, I’ll be preparing all the food for the occasion. I’m so excited, and I want to tell you all about the menu now, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until next week! It’s going to be super-cute!

On a side note, I can’t wait for Steph to be a part of the Prazenica clan. We love her so much!!

Holiday Flashback: Blue Cheese and Walnut Puff Pastry Spirals

I just realized today that I never had a chance to post this yummies. I took them to a holiday party with friends before Christmas, and everyone seemed to like them- even the blue cheese-haters! They’re quick and great for a party or just to snack on.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Puff Pastry Spirals
(adapted from Williams Sonoma’s Christmas Entertaining)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
3oz crumbled blue cheese, at room temperature
2-4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tbs fresh minced rosemary

Preheat the oven to 400. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lay the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut it in half lengthwise. In a bowl, using a fork, mix together the cheese with enough milk to make a spreadable paste. Spread half of the mixture on each half of the pastry to within 1/4 inch of the edges. Sprinkle evenly with nuts and rosemary. Starting from the long side, roll up each pastry sheet and pinch the seam to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolls crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick. Arrange standing upright on the baking sheets.

Freeze for 15 minutes, then transfer the cold baking sheet to the oven and bake until the pastry rolls are puffed and golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tuesdays with Dorie: French Pear Tart

Happy one year anniversary, TWD! While I haven’t been a part of the TWD group for a full year, it’s still cause for celebration. Since my very first challenge (Chocolate Chunkers back in September), I’ve loved being a part of the group. Each new recipe teaches me something new about baking, and I’m so thankful for that.

In honor of this special occasion, Dorie herself has chosen this week’s recipe, French Pear Tart. Dorie writes on her blog that this is one of her (and her lucky husband’s) all-time favorites. I think if you asked my husband, he’d agree!

I chose to make a mini-version of the tart. I used a mini-springform pan (for lack of a tart pan) and the canned pears and it worked very well. I was pleased with the way the crust came out- just sweet enough, like a shortbread cookie. The almond cream was divine, as well (or as my husband would say- “What’s that really good stuff beside the pears?”). I only got a tiny taste of it, as he was quick to devour most of it after the photo session.

Thanks, Dorie, for a great choice and a great opportunity to learn more about baking!

*Find the recipe (on Dorie’s blog!) here.

**Tuesdays with Dorie is a group of bloggers baking through Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours.

You Want Pies With That: Double Decker Banana Creme Brulee Pie

This month’s You Want Pies with That? Challenge comes from Nic and Carrie. Here’s their description of Resolution Breaker Pie:

“With it being the New Year and a time for us all to make (and usually break) resolutions, our theme is the Resolution Breaker Pie. A pie that sounds so decadent and delicious that you simply can’t resist. A crust so buttery and flaky you quickly call dibs on a 2nd slice. A filling so gooey and creamy that you dig out your fat pants without remorse. A pie so fantastic you begin hatching a plan to keep the whole pie for yourself…… of course telling the entire family that the dog/cat/drunk Uncle Ed ate the whole thing and sadly there will be no pie tonight.”

When I thought of the desserts I love most, I thought of creamy, gooey pies and creme brulee. Thus, the Double Decker Banana Creme Brulee Pie was born. Of course, I did it in miniature to make sure we didn’t go too crazy with the sweets. Components:

-Graham Cracker Crust
-Fresh Bananas
-Banana Creme Layer
-Creme Brulee Layer
-Crispy Sugar Coating

Sounds great, right?
It didn’t go quite as well as planned. The graham crust wasn’t strong enough to hold all of the custard on its own, the two creme layers were indistinguishable and didn’t hold up to cutting, and the sugar coating became too hard to cut through cleanly without reheating the sugar. It turned out to be more of a spoon dessert than a pie. Still delicious though.

*Recipe details to be posted later. Comment if you’d like them ahead of time!