Merry Christmas Everyone...

I haven't posted for a long while, however I do still read many of the blogs.

Just wanted to wish all of my readers and friends a very,very

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Joining Suzy for her annual Ice Cream Social.  Thanks Suzy for hosting this great event, what a fantastic way to get delicious recipes from other bloggers!  Check out Suzy's blog...

The Colorado peaches were begging me to try them in an ice cream, so I obliged them.  The recipe is from the Neely's at Food Network,which you can get HERE.  There is also a video.  I didn't make the praline sauce, but it sounds delicious!

The recipe is so easy and was very impressed with the creamy texture.  I took some to work for a taste test and it was received VERY favorably!  The only thing I would do differently is at the very end of the freezing process, I would add small chunks of peach for that extra little 'kick'.

I 'cheated' on the next recipe since I used store-bought ice cream for this yummy ice cream pie.  There really is no recipe I just used what I liked and put it together... so I guess it could be called 

 "Oreo crusted -Hot Fudge-Chocolate ice cream with Toffee bits Pie"

Take a pre-made Oreo pie crust, add a layer of hot fudge topping, spoon a quart of softened chocolate ice cream.  Freeze until set.  To serve, add more hot fudge topping drizzled on top, sprinkle with Heath toffee bits.  This is a very quick and easy summer dessert, and WHAT is there not to like!!

Thanks For Stopping By ...

Cherry Chipotle BBQ Glaze

It's been a long time between posts, but it has been a busy summer.  Needed to find some sort of sauce or glaze for a grilled chicken breast.  Going through my files I came across Carol's recipe for Cherry Chipotle BBQ Glaze, surely she wouldn't lead me down the wrong path... yeah, right! 

First and foremost, the glaze IS wonderful....

However,   There were a few items in Carol's recipe that need clarification.  Like, do NOT use a small saucepan, that is unless you want the glaze to be hovering close to the top of the pan.  I can only imagine what would have happened if I had stuck the emulsion blender in that pan and turned on the blender! (I would have been cleaning glaze off the ceiling and me)

The other MINOR detail is the amount of chipotle peppers to use!  Now I understand why "Grandma" was hesitant at times to dine on Carol's masterpieces.  The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup..I forgot to read further where she said 2-3 seeded chipotles.  I had a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, which I measured out 1/4 cup.  That 1/4 cup probably held 5-6 chipotles (in various sizes) and am pretty sure NOW they were not seeded.  Thankfully I taste-tested the glaze before I basted the chicken breasts with it.  After about three glasses of water I toned it down with more ketchup and a little dab of sugar.  It made it mild enough so I wasn't wheezing, choking and gasping for air any longer!

It is a great glaze, just be careful of the number of chipotles you use!

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Let's Dish .....

The inaugural of Let's Dish with Kathleen starts tonight.  Check out her blog for all the details and upcoming Challenges.

I've been gathering a few things to try and come up with an Easter/Spring themed centerpiece for my dining table.  I've only hit a few storage boxes so far..need to keep searching.  Stop back to see what I eventually come up with!!

I'm sure this will be my base with a mirror possibly....

Love my multi colored eggs and beautiful yellow bowl....

The wheels are turning....

Thanks Kathleen, you may just be getting my creative juices flowing!

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Kathleen's 4th Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl

Out of breath but I finally made it to Cuisine Kathleens 4th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Blog Crawl! I wouldn’t miss an event put on by my Irish lass.  Make sure you check out Kathleenn's BLOG and link up to all the party-goers to see all the St. Patrick's Day celebrations.


I didn’t have a lot of time to bake but I was able to put together this fabulous dessert…. Festive Mint Cream Dessert from Taste of Home. You can get the recipe HERE.

My sweet Annabelle doll had to be a part of the celebration

Gave 2/3 of it to friends, they were very grateful! One made the comment it was “sinfully delicious”,

   The plate is part of a few Irish pieces made by…who else…

The quote ALL "Foley's" live by

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Spring Design Floral Show plus a GREAT Chocolate Chip Cookie

On Friday Marianne & I went to Del's Garden Center for their first seminar of  the year "Spring Design Show".  They demonstrated many different arrangements to get you out of the winter blahs and had you looking forward to Spring!!  New items, faux and real plants, flowers etc. 

The upcoming seminars deal with everything from fairy gardens to starting seeds at home to landscaping to water features.  They put on wonderful and humorous presentations!

After a great afternoon, I decided to make a chocolate chip cookie recipe I had been trying to 'tweak'.  Combining some different recipes I ended up with this one and was not disappointed!

Great Chocolate Chip Cookie

3/4 C butter, semi-soft

1/4 C white sugar

3/4 C brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla ( try to use a GOOD vanilla, does make a difference)

1 1/2 C cake flour

1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt plus a little extra for topping

1C chocolate chips - I used Scharffen-Berger 70% cacao baking chunks, THIS also makes a big difference

Preheat oven to 350

Using my Kitchen-Aid I creamed the butter and sugars together, add the egg and vanilla and mix together.

Mix in all the dry ingredients (except chips) until combined.  Add in chips.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Add a small pinch of kosher salt on top of each cookie.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on your oven)  The cookies are only a light brown when they are done. (See photo)

I just baked a few (which were delicious), a nice little crunch around the outside and soft on the inside with all that gooey chocolate.  Perfect consistency for dunkers, if you are one of THOSE!! 

Something I picked up at the Garden Center was one of the 'Air Plants'.  Tillandsias can be grown basically anywhere, on rocks, in a seashell or on coral, in ceramic or pottery, attached to wood (not pressure treated wood this is impregnated with copper, and copper will kill your plant). When considering what you are going to do with your plant don't forget that you have to be able to water it and it has to be placed somewhere that it will get sufficient light.  Google them - very interesting....

I'll be adding more to my 'soon-to-be' collection of air plants!

Thanks For Stopping By.....

 

Chicken Marsala

The absolute best recipe I have made in a long time... Chicken Marsala from the Italian Chef.  I used more mushrooms than the recipe called for, since I love fresh shrooms!  I served it with brown rice and a side tossed salad...

Chicken Marsala


Serves 2


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

flour, spread on a plate

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup Marsala wine

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.

2.When the oil is hot, dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in flour, shake off excess flour and place in pan. Saute chicken, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate.

3.Drain all but a little bit of the oil and add mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to release their juices.

4.Add the Marsala wine, and scrape loose with a wooden spoon all browning residues on the bottom and sides of the pan.

5.Add butter, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, approximately 5 minutes.

6.Place the chicken breasts back in the pan and cook until heated through. Transfer the chicken breasts to warm serving plates, pour sauce over them and serve.

Does anyone know what type of tree this is..noticed it other day?  Now I have to wait until spring to see what it looks like with leaves.  Just love the shape and look of it!

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Chicken Scampi

I've been looking for a tasty Chicken Scampi recipe and over the Holidays I tried one I really liked...

Just look at those sliced onions and peppers of all colors....green, red, yellow and orange! Then some nice chicken tenders and angel hair pasta, what's NOT to like.  Add a slice of garlic toast or bread and you're ready to go.

CHICKEN SCAMPI

White Sauce Base:

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in nonstick skillet.
After it's melted, add 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Slowly add milk and stir constantly to get rid of lumps.

When you have added enough milk, you should have like a white gravy consistency. Set this aside.
You will have much more white sauce than you will actually need.


Scampi Sauce:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 tablespoons crushed garlic (real garlic; not salt or the dried stuff)

2 tablespoons chicken stock

3/4 cup Chablis, Riesling or any white as long as it's not too sweet
1 cup water

1/4 cup white sauce

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Black pepper to taste

Heat butter over a slow heat.

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat.

Add the wine, water, and chicken base. Stir until combined.

Add the white sauce mix and stir until slightly thickened.



Cook 1/2 package angel hair, cooked according to package directions.

Thinly sliced bell peppers (red, green and yellow )

Thinly sliced red onions, about

10 whole garlic cloves


Put the garlic cloves in a small nonstick skillet with some oil and braise them for about 20 minutes on low heat. Just put the lid on the skillet and let them cook, they should be golden and really soft when they are done.


In a large nonstick skillet, saute the peppers and onions for a few minutes. Also, saute chicken tenderloins (however many you feel like cooking or eating!)

Add the angel hair and pour the sauce over. Saute until everything is mixed together and sauce is reheated.

Add garlic cloves, and when mixture is cooked\heated through, serve immediately.

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Firmly believe you should have conversation pieces in most rooms of your house...even the bathroom!  (Hopefully you will be conversing with yourself)  I like "cutesy" items, like this giraffe

NOW, put it to good use.....

I just love him

Thanks For Stopping By....

Angel Wings

At Christmas angels are especially important in decorating the house.  They remind me of my Mom who loved anything with angels.  So when I found these I knew they would be a part of my Christmas this year. The wings just push into any size candle you are using to decorate.  These are a rustic metal, I'm going to spray paint another set silver for a different look.

Just in case I don't get another post in I want to wish my readers a very

Merry Christmas!

Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons

For the beginning of some Christmas baking I decided to try something I have never made before this year.  I searched about a dozen recipes before I found this video from Alton Brown.  I liked the idea of topping the macaroon with some dark chocolate, even though they were fantastic right from the oven without the chocolate!

The edges were crispy, the middle nice and chewy.  I'm not a huge fan of coconut, except when it is toasted or baked.  These were fantastic, A definite keeper.

Alton uses chopped macadamias, I used chopped pecans.  Any chopped nut would work, whatever your favorite nut may be.

NOTE:  My oldest stopped over tonight and ended up taking over a dozen home with him, he thought they were awesome and wanted to take some to a friends house!  I told you they were good!!

I'm joining Foodie Friday, stop by for some great Christmas goodies!

Thanks For Stopping By...