Winter Blah's Book Giveaway

When I get the chance to read, I am in heaven. I love to be swept away in a story, pretend I am one of the characters... immerse myself in each word. When I finish the book, I am sad, left wanting more... hating the word reality. My husband wishes that it would take me longer to read a book. I often can't stand to put it down.

My friend and fellow author Cami Checketts has written a book called "The Sister Pact." A great story of a bond between sisters, suspense, love, forgiveness and loving yourself. Here's a little about The Sister Pact.

Savannah Compton is devastated when her sister and best friend, Allison, falls into a coma after a tragic accident. Or was it an accident? Even with a charming and handsome detective at her side, it seems Savannah may never discover the truth. But if she doesn’t her family could be in even more danger. And Savannah’s past holds its own secrets that could change everything.
Now she must prove her innocence to the one person who is beginning to matter most. Join Savannah as she struggles to summon faith and rely on hope, even in the darkest of circumstances, and learn how the bond between sisters can overcome anything.

I loved it so much.... I will now need to read all the books she has written. I was able to be with Cami and a recent book signing event and loved it. She is so funny and smart, not to mention beautiful!

Cami is doing a month of giveaways on her website http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com/. She is also talking about winter blahs and what you can do to overcome them. Go to her website to enter... there are over 15 books to choose from, including 101 Gourmet Cupcakes... and you can get multiple entries for a whole bunch of things.

Do you ever feel the winter blahs? What do you do to beat the winter blahs? What are your tricks to get out of the winter blues? I have a friend who travels to Mexico every January for several days to rejuvinate herself. I tried to tag along with her this year, but it didn't work with my schedule.

I hope you all have a Happy New Year and enjoy time with your family and friends. May this new year be the best yet! Happy Baking!

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 12 Winter Fruit Salad

A winter fruit salad. Ever wonder what you should bring as a fruit salad during the winter time.... well here's a great one. I love it because it's easy and tasty. It also has the beautiful colors of winter. It's also easy on the pocketbook. It's very versitile, and unique. In fact, I gave this recipe out today to a dear friend who called to get ideas for her family party. Happy Baking & Merry Christmas.

Winter Fruit Salad

1 bag frozen blueberries
1 bag frozen cranberries (or fresh)
3 red grapefruit, peeled and diced
3 oranges or "cuties", peeled and diced
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute (Agave nectar)
1/2 cup water
5-6 bananas
Strawberries, diced (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat blueberries and cranberries with sugar and water. Bring to a simmer. Allow to cool completely. Add grapefruit, oranges and strawberries (optional). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add sliced bananas just before serving and toss to combine all flavors.

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 11 Malfatti's

What is a Malfatti? Well, let's start with a little story. While growing up in Napa, California, it was a tradition to have ravioli's and malfati's from The Depot. It's a great little place, where the locals go for a killer meal. My Grandma Lu would get these malfatti's and we would have them for Christmas Eve dinner.

One year the power was out because of a storm, so we had ravoli and malfatti by candlelight. Even after moving to Utah, my grandmother would buy malfatti from The Depot and freeze them, then bring them on the plane with her to us for that same tradition.

It has been 13 years since my grandmother passed away. I have been carrying this tradition on by serving malfattis for Christmas Eve dinner for the last 8 years. This year will be the same.

So what is a Malfatti? It is the insides of the ravioli. I guess instead of wasting the leftover stuffing of the ravioli, the roll the stuffing into a small sausage shape and simmer, then serve with marinara sauce. It's delicious.... simple and flavorful. Here's to traditions! Happy baking!

Malfatti

1 cup frozen spinach, drained and thawed
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup diced green onions
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Take by rounded teaspoons full and form into little rolls the shape of a sausage. Place on a coolie sheet in layers and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours. Cool malfatti in a large pot of boiling water for a few minutes at a time. They will rise to the top when cooked. Remove malfatti from the pot with a large slotted spoon. Arrange in a casserole dish and cover with marinara sauce. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Serve with hot crusty french bread and a large green salad! :)

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 10 Coconut Chicken with Rice

I received this recipe from my aunts in California. They are great cooks just like my grandmother was. Of, course they are, they learned from her! Anyway, I tried this recipe the other night and it is so flavorful, savory and fun, I had to share it. The seasonings can be a little spicy, but you can add a little or lot of the Garam Marsala. Garam Marsala is a Indian or South Asian spice mix. I bought mine on amazon.com for convenience. A little lesson with a great recipe. This is good. Happy Baking!

Coconut Chicken with Rice

6 chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
1 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Garam Marsala (see link)
2 teaspoons curry (or less if desired)
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 cup roasted cashews

Saute onion in olive oil until fragrant and translucent. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, occasionally stirring. Add curry and Garam Marsala and stir to combine with onions and garlic. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Add coconut milk and simmer until just done. Sauce will thicken as it simmers. Do not over cook chicken. Spoon over cooked rice and garnish with cashews.

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 9 Homemade Soft Dough Pretzels

This recipe is wonderful. Soft, chewey pretzels, with kosher salt and dipped in mustard. What more could you ask for on a cold afternoon. Snack time anyone? I made pretzels this week for my kids' lunch. This recipe is even easy for children. My son was my assistant, but liked shaping them the most. The kids ate them so fast, I was only able to have 1/2 of a pretzel. My son felt sorry for me and gave me some of his... he had 4! It was OK for him to share. Without much more to say, here is this great recipe. Happy Baking!

Homemade Soft Dough Pretzels

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt and flour and mix until dough is soft. Allow dough to rise for 20-30 minutes, covered in a warm area. Shape dough into balls and make shapes, letters or #'s. Place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Rise another 10-20 minutes, or until doubled in size.

1 egg

Kosher salt

1 teaspoon water

Mix together egg and water and gently brush on each pretzel. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Pretzels will be light golden when done. Do not overbake. They will become hard. Serve with dipping sauce if desired.

Dinner at Aristos & A Christmas Story

I have mentioned several times about the March of Dimes. At their recent Signature Chefs Dinner & Auction, my parents bid for a wonderful dinner and play item, which after intense bidding on my fathers' part, he won. :) We were all very excited for him until he realized he would be out of town for the great event... details, details. So, the ones who benefited were me, my hubby, my brother and my sister in law. Fantastic! A pre- celebration of my hubby's birthday.

The evening started out with a fantastic, mouth watering, savory meal at Aristo's. A cozy, authentic greek restaurant located on 224 South 1300 East. Little did we know, that on Thursday evenings, there is a live band. We were privledged to hear the sounds of Greece and a bazookee player as the star of the show. But this was only the beginning.... literally.

As part of the evenings events, we were seated, and Aristo himself came to meet us, welcomed us to his restuarant and selected his favorite menu items to share. Most of them I couldn't pronounce, but I was excited to taste and savor the bold and rich flavors. The service was unmatched, friendly and fast, serving the 5 courses without much time in between. Here are some of the things we ate...

For starters; Dolmathes, which are lamb, beef and rice seasoned with mint, onions, tomatoes wrapped in grape leaves. Keftethes, lamb and beef, seasoned with mint and garlic, kneaded with breadcrumbs (meatballs). Tzatzaki, which is by far the most wonderful dipping sauce. Greek yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic. Light and aromatic, tasty for dipping the meatballs and wraps in. My favorite of all was a wedge of goat cheese, sauted in olive oil and drizzled with lemon. I couldn't get enough of that one. And finally for starters, there was a great spicy red pepper and feta puree called Kafteri, served with pita breads.

Then a beautiful greek salad with feta, calamata olives, green pepper, cucumber, tomato, romaine lettuce, topped with olive oil and their very own house red wine vinegar..... need I say anymore for that course.

Our main course dishes were a variety of Aristo's favorites... Mousaka, eggplant, potato, lamb beef topped with bechemel sauce and fresh ground cinnamon. The flavors were bold, and sweet, savory and hearty. Like the best version of my shepherds pie. Then Latholemono, which is grilled halibut (always fresh fish) with a lemon, olive oil, dill and fresh minced onion sauce served over rice and roasted vegetables. Then Imam Baldi, stuffed eggplant with onions, served with tomatoes and feta. Yummy. Kotopoulo Yemisto, a chicken cutlet, breaded stuffed with spinach and feta served over rice with a mushroom and scallion sauce. I feel like a food editor...

Dessert was just as incredible as all previous courses... Aristo's mothers' special recipe for rice pudding & custard stufffed puff pastry with a lemon sauce. Sorry mom, but this rice pudding was the best I've ever had. And the custard stuffed pastry melted in your mouth. A perfect end to a perfect meal. Oh, yeah and for drinks we had virgin margheritas and strawberry daqueris.

Then we went on to Pioneer Theatre to see The Christmas Story. Phenomenal cast, funny lines that you can relate to, and a great way to celebrate the season. I had forgotten how much I like this story. My favorite part is when Ralphie gets soap in his mouth, and the mom tastes it after she sends him to his room. Cute. For a cast that only had 4 adults in it, and the rest were children, so great. These kids are talented. I've actually seen someone who has a leggy lamp just like the one in the play and puts it in their window at Christmastime. If you are ever along 2200 West and about 8300 South, in West Jordan, Utah, look to the east side of the road and your face will smile. It's usually lit up at night for all to see. :)

I have now come to the end of my story... it was a great evening. I was able to spend time with my hubby to celebrate his birthday, and love the company of my brother and his sweet wife. I have been blessed with great in-laws. Merry Christmas & Happy Baking!

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 8 Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

This new recipe was a colaboration with my son. He seems to like to bake just as much as he likes to lick the frosting bowl. We made them last night and they are perfect. My neighbors even came over... great timing and were able to see and taste the final product. Both gave thumbs up. Yeah! Happy Baking!

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

1 triple chocolate fudge or dark chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1 pkg. hot chocolate mix or 2 tablespoons of your favorite hot chocolate powder mix
Mini marshmallows
Chocolate fudge sauce

Mix together cake mix, eggs, vanilla, milk and hot chocolate powder mix. Drop batter into paper lined cupcake pans. Fill 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool until easy to handle. Spoon fudge onto each cupcake and top with mini marshmallows. Serve while still warm.

(sorry for the lack of photo right. I can't seem to get the camera to be recognized my the computer. I'll upload it asap. Most likely when my husband gets home :))

Happy National Cupcake Day!

Is there really a need to celebrate cupcakes? Why yes, there is. In fact a whole day is set aside for a cute little cupcake! There's always a reason to bake, and here is a great one that your family will thank you for. BAKE! BAKE! BAKE!

I woke up at 5:30 am this morning, to make and frost cupcakes, not only because today was National Cupcake Day, but I had a baking class at the Davis Medical Plaza- seniors class. The day was off to a great start... my kitchen smelled great. Baking makes me happy, what can I say. Call me weird, but I already know that. My son got to lick the frosting out of the empty bowl for part of his breakfast. Not a great habit to start, but he's just so cute with those dark brown eyes looking at me. And the fact it was 5:30 am. So I made the Candy Cane & Gingerbread Cookie cupcakes. (2 of my favorites)

I got to the class just fine, no cupcake damage on the way, no traffic, no problem. There was a great class there today. I loved it. I even had cupcakes there for them to frost and then take home. Sold some more books.

I saw my friend Mary from the store A Little Something..... she came over to say hello. I was invited to a lunch for her volunteers...I drug my mother- in-law. She was my assistant for the day. The Davis Bistro(@ Davis Medical Center)= fantastic food. Our menu was Green Beans with candied pecans, strawberry and pine nut salad with raspberry dressing, Brie Mashed Potatoes, yes I said Brie as in cheese.... and last but not least chicken priscutto rolls with a dijon gravy. Oh, and there was dessert. And we were sung to by a great local artist Jeff (I can't remember his last name, darn it!).

Then with my M.I.L in tow, we went to A Little Something and had ourselves a little something of a shopping spree. Not too bad, but such cute things I couldn't help myself. Last minute shopping and all.

BTW, A Little Something in Layton (Davis Medical Center) is having a HUGE sale... Friday, December 18th from 9 am to closing. They are doing a pick your own savings day. Arrive early to choose your candy, each candy is given a tag with the amount you are going to save. I have a feeling I will try to make it back there... If you can, try yourself. You won't be dissappointed.

Anyway, I better get going. I have more cupcakes to make, after all it is a day to celebrate. I will be posting a great new cupcake recipe this evening along with a photo, so get your baking engines started! Happy Baking!

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 7 Honey Walnut Shrimp & Rice

I think this is one of the easiest recipes ever! In no time at all, you can have a great tasting Chinese dinner ready for your family. Who needs take out when you can have take "in" instead! I hope you will love this recipe as much as my family does. Happy Baking & eating, too!


Honey Walnut Shrimp & Rice

1 pound cleaned and devined shrimp, dried
1 cup candied waltnuts
1/2 cornstarch
Salt and pepper
1 cup mayonnaise (low-fat can be used)
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
Vegetable oil
Large skillet
2-3 cups cooked rice, set aside

Place cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large plastic zip-lock bag. Dry shrimp and add into the bag. Close the bag and toss to coat all shrimp. In a large skillet, heat over medium and place shrimp in pan. Cook on all sides until shrimp is pink, and crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel. Drain oil. In the same pan, add sweetened condensed milk and mayonnaise. Warm through until hot, adding shrimp and candied walnuts. Stir to combine. Serve over rice while still hot. :)

12 Recipes of Christmas... # 6 Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cupcakes

Are you wondering if there will be a new cupcake recipe in these 12 Recipes of Christmas? YES, of course there is. After all, I am now Mrs. Cupcake, and take it seriously.

These Orange Cranberry Upside Down cupcakes are perfectly flavored, and use a yellow cake mix as their base ingredient. They are festive and perfect for the holidays. Display them at your next holiday party.... or give them to your neighbors as a "sweet" neighbor gift. These little cakes are simply delicious, a little sweet and a little tangy. Perfect. Happy Baking!

Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

1 large orange, zest & juice (first zest, then juice) about 1/2 cup juice

3 eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1 can whole cranberry sauce

Line your muffin pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix the cranberry sauce until well stirred together. Drop by tablespoon full into paper liners, equally about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.

In a seperate bowl, add cake mix, eggs, juice, zest, and milk together. Pour batter on top of cranberry sauce and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Remove cupcakes from the oven and cool slightly. Carefully remove wrappers from warm cupcakes and serve upside down, with a dollop of whipping cream or ice cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired for garnish.

I'm totally Stoked!

Well I should actually say that I am head over heals, crazy about Brian Stokes Mitchell. Renound broadway star, actor, singer and entertainer. I believe for the first time, I was star struck... and still am. This morning I was on GTU (Good Things Utah) doing a cooking segment with Marti. We made Candy Cane & Gingerbread Cookie cupcakes... yum. It was fantastic as usual. I love being there and feeling the excitement and energy on the set. Those ladies are amazing. Fun, beautiful and talented. I thought it couldn't get any better than this...

So, as I was unloading my car, this dark BMW drove up... who could it be? Stokes (as his friends call him :)) got out and I nearly dropped my bag of cupcake supplies! He's here with me on the same show, same day! How could a girl be so lucky? I can't imagine what you are thinking of me... but in all seriousness, I was overjoyed with the opportunity to meet him and be in the same room.

After setting up my cupcakes, they not only looked delicious, but smelled great too, I was able to introduce myself to him. I of course told him I was a huge fan, and stumbled over my words, blushed and asked if I could get his autograph and a photo. Sure! I loved hearing him do the sound check, and then it was time for the show to begin. I made it though my segment without problems, and did pretty good. Knowing he was there made me nervous.

When he came back on set, my heart skipped a beat. I was so excited to get a photo, and be able to see him again. He is gracious, funny, extreemly handsome (yes, my hubby knows I have a little crush) and certainly charming. Oh, and did I say his voice is effortless, beautiful, and amazing. (Last year I was able to see the concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for Christmas with my good friends.) I got a photo with him and of course a cupcake, and gave him cupcakes to take with him of course... I will be sending him a copy of my book, 101 Gourmet Cupcakes in 10 Minutes. It was a dream come true... to hear him sing in a small setting as this, to meet him... all in a morning on GTU! Truly a highlight of my life. Even when he was interviewed by Angie & Nicea, he made a comment about the cupcakes and I smiled and blushed all the while.

Thank you Stokes, for making me feel special, for being kind and gracious, and sharing your talent with me and the rest of us that were watching. I will enjoy the CD more than you will ever know. I do consider it a honor to meet you! Maybe one day we can meet again, if I am again so lucky. Happy Baking!