Edible Shortbread spoons with lemon curd and a blackberry

There is something endearing about an edible spoon. I have never made them before and now that I have made these I only want to make them. I want to make chocolate ones, and sundried tomato basil ones, and I want to use them with my coffee... I'm a little obsessed. These are vanilla shortbread cookies with a dollop of lemon curd and a blackberry. 

Here is what you need:

2 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of butter (softened to a cool room temperature)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese  (softened to a cool room temperature)

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Using a standing mixer add all of the ingredients
3. Squich all the dough into two fat patties, wrap in plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge.
4. One at a time roll out the dough to about 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Place on parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Or until the edges turn a slight golden color. They shouldn't get brown.
6. Cool completely before decorating, adorn as desired. I put about 1/2 a teaspoon of store-bought but good quality lemon curd and topped each one with a plump juicy blackberry. 

They were a hit at the party. We didn't have any left over. 

As always, many blessings, much love, and happy baking!

Three Elegant Easy Assemble Appetizers

Normally when I through a party I don't go in for the little finger foods, I usually make one big dish and let everyone serve themselves family style, like a ham or a lasagna. But when dining as they do in Downton, I thought petite snacks were in order. Since I do not have a maid, a cook, and a butler full time attending to my needs, I had to find easy, delicious appetizers. These three appetizers are easily prepped the night before a party, and then simply assembled just before the party. 

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rounds

1 English cucumber
1 small packet of smoked salmon 
8 oz of smoked salmon dip (ask your fish counter person) 
8 oz of cream cheese (softened) 

The night before

1. Using a mandolin for easy and even slices cut the cucumber, store in cool water over night in the refrigerator in container with a lid. 
2. Using a small cookie cutter, or just a knife cut the smoked salmon and store in an air tight container in the fridge. 
3. Mix the smoked salmon dip and the cream cheese, place in a pastry bag with a star tip in a ziploc bag. 

Just before the party

4. Lay the cucumber pieces on a platter, top with smoked salmon, dollop or pipe on the dip. 

Roast Beef and Onion Marmalade Canapes

1 wheat baguette sliced (ask the bakery to cut it for you) 
1/2 pound of garlic and herb roast beef (thin sliced from the deli counter) 
onion marmalade (or make your own, with 1 onion, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper) 

The night before

1. Store your sliced baguette in a plastic bag so that it does not dry out. 
2. Lay out the roast beef flat and cut into approximately 3 inch by 3 inch pieces. That meant for me, laying all of the pieces on top of each other and making two cuts, to cut each piece into thirds. Store in the fridge in a zip lock bag. 
3. Make the onion marmalade: caramelize the onions on medium heat with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and stir to prevent scorching. Once the sugar has melted, off the heat add the vinegar. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. 

Just before the party

4.  Lay the baguette slices on a platter, top with roast beef, dollop on the onion marmalade. 

English Cheddar and Major Grey Chutney Canapes

1 baguette sliced (ask the bakery to cut it for you) 
1/2 pound of good english cheddar
Major Grey Chutney

The night before

1. Store your sliced baguette in a plastic bag so that it does not dry out. 
2. Slice the cheese into half inch thickness, don't worry so much about the length, a good quality cheddar will break a little bit. Store in the fridge in a zip lock bag. 
3. Leave the chutney in the jar, just don't forget where you put it. 

Just before the party

4.  Lay the baguette slices on a platter, top with cheese, dollop on the chutney. 


As always, much love, many blessings, and happy party. 

Downton Abbey Tea Shortbread

My husband loves Downton Abbey, we both do. For his birthday party we had all of our friends dress up and enjoy a party "Downton" style. I loved it. And of course we had to have tea. Twinnings English Breakfast is my favorite but to make tea a little more special I added a heart shaped cookie perched on every tea cup. I decorated them with white chocolate and edible pearls and edible gold dust, but truth be told you could make this shortbread for anything, it cuts and bakes beautifully.

Here is what you need:
2 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of butter (softened to a cool room temperature)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese  (softened to a cool room temperature)

Here is what you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2. Using a standing mixer add all of the ingredients
3. Squich all the dough into two fat patties, wrap in plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge.
4. One at a time roll out the dough to about 1/3 to 1/4 of an inch thick and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Place on parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Or until the edges turn a slight golden color. They shouldn't get brown.
6. Cool completely before decorating, adorn as desired.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy Downton.

Easy Cream Biscuits

As far as baking homemade bread, nothing gets easier than cream biscuits. They take no time to stir up, there are only 2 ingredients, and you can make them in your muffin pan so you just drop them and they pop up perfect every time. This is my go to for lazy winter breakfast treat. Serve it with good homemade jelly, or butter, or gravy... yum gravy. 

What you need: 

2 cups of Self-Rising Flour

1 cup of heavy cream 

muffin tin

non-stick spray

What you do: 

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. Mix the flour and cream together just until it combines
3. Drop dollop fulls into a greased muffin tin
4. Bake for 10 minutes
5. Enjoy, greedily with coffee and pepper jelly 

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy Christmas!

Homemade Shallot, Currant and Cranberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce, I love it on everything. This year I choose to dress up mine with some excellent bourbon, shallots, butter, dried currants and of course, cranberries. I love to eat it cranberry sauce but I also love to make it. It is so tootin easy. So, please do make some and enjoy you for your holiday season. 

What you need: 

1 tablespoon of butter

2 shallots diced

1/2 cup of dried currants

1 bag of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup of honey

1 oz of bourbon

salt to taste

What you do: 

1. Saute the shallots with butter over medium heat until tender and translucent. 
2. Add the currants, cranberries, and honey. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries burst, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom does not scorch. 
3. Add the bourbon and cook for another minute or two. 
4. Let cool off of the heat and enjoy. 

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy Christmas! 

Barley with Sweet Potato and Andouille Sausage

I am loving this new cookbook One Pan, Two Plates: More Than 70 Complete Weeknight Meals. This meal is a fantastic weeknight fall meal. Start to finish it takes about 45 minutes, but much of it can cook while you check your email or empty the dishwasher. I amended some of the recipe based on what I had in the house. 

What you need: 

2 cups of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 green onions
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 cup of pearled barley (also called 10 minute barley)
1 cup of diced andouille sausage
salt
3/4 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of Parmesan 
2 tablespoons of fresh basil
1/4 cup of frozen peas
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of half and half 
pepper to taste

What you do: 

1. Pour the vegetable broth into a glass measuring cup and microwave on high for 3 minutes. 
2. Heat the 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. 
3. Cook the white parts of the green onion, sweet potato, barley, sausage, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. 
4. Toast the barley and render the sausage.
5. Add the wine and scrape the bits of flavor from the bottom of the pan. 
6. Add the hot stock and cook for about 10 minutes. Taste and check doneness, the barley should be al dente. 
7. Add the cheese, basil, peas, lemon zest, butter and half and half. 
8. Taste and adjust seasoning garnish with
   green onions and cheese shavings. 

As always many blessings, much love and happy cooking. 

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Pepper

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Pepper

Roasted winter squashes might be one of my favorite parts of fall. This is an easy no fuss and healthy dinner that even you’re most avid carnivores and “carbivores” will enjoy with gusto. While the squash takes a while to roast, you don’t need to do anything while it roasts, and then you can throw everything together in under 10 minutes. It is based on a classic Roman dish Spaghetti Cacio y Pepe. I just replaced the spaghetti with squash... cute huh? 

What you need

1 large spaghetti squash (about 5 pounds)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving

What you do

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and put a rack in the middle
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds
3. Brush the flesh with a tablespoon of the olive oil and add a good sprinkle of salt and grinds of pepper
4. Put the squash cut side up on a cast iron skillet or a lined baking sheet.
5. Roast for about an hour until fork tender
   
6. Let cool, so you don’t burn your hands, and using a fork scrape out your “noodles”
7. In a cast iron skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.
8. Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper
9. Cook until lightly brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes
10. Turn off the heat
11. Add the squash and toss
12. Add cheese a little in at a time so it melts into the dish slowly
13. Serve with a nice Chardonnay and an easy green salad for a perfect early fall evening

As always, many blessings, much love, and happy cooking!