This and that: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday- January 31/13 Build a Bear

Once again it is time for our Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

We had a wonderful party last week with almost 200 recipe links..

I know this week we will be able to beat that.

Thank you to all that linked up... Everyone one of the recipes are wonderful.

This is the place to be...

Great Food, Great Friends and Great Giveaways
Check out the each of the host favorites on the Daily Dish

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

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Meet our Co-Hosts at Foodie Friends Friday:

Now Let's meet our sponsor this week!

*Giveaway Disclaimer: Facebook is in no way associated with this website or giveaway and holds no liability for this giveaway. "Liking" facebook pages is optional, not mandatory for entry. Sponsors will be responsible for shipping- if there is a delay or problem with prize, you must communicate directly with sponsor.

This week we have a great giveaway from Build A Bear Workshop

Remember to fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win.

Shipped to the US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This week's Party

Last week's Party

Sponsor Winners

Voted Top 3

Chocolate Covered Cherries ~ Hun What's For Dinner
Homemade White Chai concentrate ~ This and That
Love Bug Cake Pop Delivery ~ Pint Size Baker

Most Clicks

Chocolate Covered Cherries ~ Hun What's For Dinner
Dilly Casserole Bread ~ Cozycakes Cottage
Homemade White Chai Concentrate ~ ThisandThat

Host Favorite

This week's host favorite goes to Smitten Foodie for Valentine's Fortune Cookies. I am a sucker for fortune cookies. I love to read my fortune and even keep some of them to see if they will come true. So when I saw these homemade fortune cookies I was intrigued. They are beautiful decorated and have a fortune inside just like the one's you get at the Chinese Restaurants. I not sure I have enough patience to make them but maybe someday I will try.

Valentine's Day Fortune Cookies
photo credit: Smitten Foodie

Make sure you check out all the Host's Favorite's from last week on the Daily Dish. Each week we will be picking a Host Favorite and they will be featured. Also, you can check to see which recipes caught my attention on my Pinterest Board.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Cherry Cordial Mocha

love buying the new flavours of Hershey Kisses and I usually buy a few bags as you never know when they are going to disappear. Sometime before Christmas I bought a bag or two of Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses and my plan was to make fudge with at Christmas time... but I ran out of time and there they sat taunting me in the cupboard.

I was thinking of a post to write for on our e- magazine Daily Dish and remember about the Cherry Cordial Kisses. A light bulb came on and I thought they would make a great drink. Perfect for Valentines.

Cherry Cordial Mocha

A perfect blend of coffee and chocolate with a hint of cherry

1 cup brewed coffee

2 cups milk

2 heaping tablespoons condensed milk

2 tbsp cocoa

9 Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses

Place all ingredients in pot and heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling and kisses are melted. Stir with whisk while heating. Enjoy!

This recipe makes 2 -3 cups depending on the size of cups. Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle with cherry syrup if desired.

Enjoy!

Marlys

This recipe was also posted on the Daily Dish and for more great drink recipes go HERE.

Chicken Yassa -Yassa au Poulet

Last year before my birthday I sent a list of things that my husband could buy me from Amazon. One of the things I asked for was a recipe book "Cooking the West African Way" by Montgomery and Nabwire. I read the book but haven't really made anything from it. A few weeks ago my husband was telling me about this chicken that we should make. I had thought he was getting the recipe from his mom but he had found it is in the cookbook.
As we were making it, I really wondered how it would taste, but it was good. The flavor was wonderful.

Chicken Yassa

This is a recipe from Senegal that is served at special occasions.

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 large onions sliced - I used one large red onion

5 tbsp peanut oil

1 habanero pepper ~ I used a hot pepper that received at the African market

1 2 1/2 - 4 1/2 lb precut chicken - I used 4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup water

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a deep bowl, mix the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper and 4 tbsp peanut oil. Using a fork pierce the pepper and add to marinade Let the marinade sit for 15 minutes and then check for spiciness. If hot enough remove pepper, if not let stand for a bit longer.

Once marinade spicy enough and you have removed the pepper (I left my pepper in the marinade for the whole time), add chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator over night ( I only marinated the meat 6 hours).

To cook, preheat broiler. Remove the chicken pieces from marinade and place on tinfoil on the broiler rack. Broil briefly until the chicken is lightly brown. Place on plate and set aside.

Strain the onions from the marinade. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp peanut oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft and tender.

Add the rest of the marinade and cook until the mixture is heated through evenly.

Add brown chicken pieces and water. Stir to coat.

Lower heat, bring mixture to simmer and cover. Cook at least 30 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Serve the yassa hot over rice.

Enjoy. I ate mine with quinoa

Even thought we didn't use as much chicken as the recipe called for the marinade seemed to be enough and not too much. If you use more chicken I would probably make more marinade. I would also next time use more onions as most of the flavor of the marinade was in the onions.

Marlys

Links: Foodie Friends Friday

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday ~ January 25/13

Another week, another party and I am sure it will be a great one.

We always have so much fun here at

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

I have forgotten to tell you that I now have a board with the recipes that have caught my attention

on Pinterest..go here to see if your recipe is on my board. Each week I will be adding to the board.

But remember you must link back to Foodie Friends Friday or one of the hosts to get a place on this board.

This week we have some more great giveaways...

Growing Up Gabel ~ knitted dishcloths

Shared Joy ~ button earrings and headband

Homemade White Chai Concentrate

I am a big tea drinker... love tea and Chai tea especially...

I have at least once cup a day if not more often.

I have thought many times to make my own and today was the day..

Maybe because it is -40F degrees out and we have 10 feet of snow outside...

Ok maybe not -40 but at least -7F and we probably only have about 3 feet but it felt like 10 feet when I was shoveling today.

So a cup of Chai just hit the spot.

I decided that I would make my Chai with white tea instead of black.

I found a few recipes that sounded good to make a recipe.

These are the recipes that I read ~ Tasty Yummies, Tasty Kitchen and Healthful Pursuits

and this is what I came up with...

Homemade White Chai Concentrate

4 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp peppercorn

3/4 of fresh nutmeg

7 cardamom

1/4 tsp anise

1 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 in fresh ginger

1 tsp orange peel

1/2 tsp lemon peel

1 vanilla pod

8 white tea bags

1 tbsp honey

Cheesecloth and twine

Place cheesecloth on table and add peppercorn, nutmeg, cardamom, anise, ginger, nutmeg orange peel, lemon peel and vanilla pod (cut in thirds). Bring up edges of cheesecloth and tie around spices. Set aside.

In pot place water and brown sugar, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add tea bags, spice mixture, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cool and place in jar. Makes approximately 1 quart. Can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Spices

add teabag, cinnamon sticks and star anise

To make Chai Latte, add chai concentrate to milk of your choice. Most instructions say to use 1 part chai concentrate to 3 parts milk but I like to do it half and half. I also like to use French Vanilla Creamer in my Chai... So I used evaporated milk and French Vanilla Creamer. I did run out of Creamer so used French Vanilla Syrup instead of the creamer and it tasted just as good. You can always heat the milk if you want, it makes the tea warmer. Chai can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Chai Latte and Chai concentrate

Enjoy!

Marlys

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Turkey and avocado Panini

Do you know that I have to look up the spelling of panini every time I mention them? It is one word that I have a hard time with. Also did you know that in Italy a Panini or Panino is a sandwich that is made with bread other then sliced bread. They use bread like chiabatta,rosetta or baguette. They are filled with deli meat and cheese or other foods and often are served warm after being put in a warming press.
Here in United States and Canada we have adopted the word for any type of sandwich that is pressed or toasted. ( Panini) So sayng that is a grilled cheese sandwich that a I make in my panini press a grilled cheese panini sandwich? Not sure and I am even not sure if this sandwich that I am writing about is really a panini but that is what I am going to call it... I did use french bread, although I sliced the bread and probably should have just cut it horizontally and then maybe it would have been a real panini.. Well, maybe not! You decide.
I do know that whether or not this is really a panini it is good...

Turkey and Avocado Panini

2 slices French Bread cut thick

left over turkey

onions

1/4 avocado

1/2 ounce Monterey Pepper Jack cheese

1 ounce Tillamook Chedder cheese

2 tsp Henri Bacon and Tomato dressing

butter or olive oil

Cut French bread thick, spread dressing on both inside slices. Add turkey, onions, avocado, and cheeses to sandwich. Spread butter or olive oil to outside of sandwich and place in press. My panini press tells me when it is done, but you would cook them until the bread is a crusty brown colour.

You can also make this in a pan and press your sandwich down with your spatula. A George Foreman grill would also work great.

Ready to cook

My panini press is a Bella Cucina.

Enjoy!

Marlys

LINKS: Superbowl and chili Party

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party - January 18/13

Last week we had a wonderful party with a great turn out of recipes.

Thank you everyone for linking up.

This week, I know that we are going to have another great party and

I want to introduce you to our sponsor giveaway...

I just meet her last week and she graciously offered to sponsored our giveaway

Stacy from Origami Owl and you can follower here...

website: Origami Owl, Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest

Head over to one of her sites and see the great designs that they have to offer.

Her giveaway includes:

1 person will win one chain with locket and 3 charms

2 people will win 2 loved based charms

USA shipped only

Make sure you fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win

Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for this week's Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

This week, the recipes will be rotated so they may fall anywhere in the group.

Hosts:

Please stop by and check out all the hosts blogs...

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsview.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Kelly at http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

Joanne at Winelady Cooks:  http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com

Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com

Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Rules:

Please take a minute to read the rules, we ask that everyone follows them. Please also link back your recipe to foodie friends friday or the host blog that you link up with. If you are linking up on my blog, I would love if you would let me know so that I can personally thank you.

Last week's Party winners:

Sponsor Winners

Voted Top 3

Most Clicks

Host Favorite

This week's host favorite goes to Cozycakes Cottages for her

Madeline's Paris Apple Cake with brown sugar glaze

I love the story Madeline and this apple cake sounds delicious. I was hoping to make it today,

but I have to go to work... So, hopefully I will be able to make it tomorrow so I can leave you my picture of

Danielle's creation.

Picture credit: Cozycakes cottage

Starting next Monday you will be able to find all the Foodie Friend Friday's host favorite over at the Daily Dish. So head over there on Monday and find out if your recipe was picked.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Breakfast Granola Scones.

I love scones... they are something that can be eaten at anytime. You can have them at breakfast, morning or afternoon coffee or tea, evening snack or you can grab one for that on-the-go pick me up. The same goes for granola, so when I came across this recipe from Michael Ann of The Big Green Bowl for her granola scones, I just knew that I had to make some.
I had some granola samples from Gypsy Girl Granola that I had won before Christmas from Hun What's for Dinner 12 days of giveaway that I knew would just be perfect for these scones and they were.
So, yesterday morning I was up bright and early that seems to happen quite frequently for me and I decided that this would be a great morning to make these. Hubby can grab one on his way out the door as we head out for church. He didn't but he did have one with his smoothie this morning and the only thing he said was that they needed more fruit.. So next time I make them, I will be adding double the amount of dried fruit.

Breakfast Granola Scones

adapted from The Big Green Bowl: Granola Scone

1 2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/4 cup tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/3 cup unsalted butter -chilled

1/4 cup local honey

1/3 cup milk ( I used egg nog)

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup granola ( I used Coco Cabana from Gypsy Girl Granola )

1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (I used Welch's dried fruit and will be adding more next time I make these)

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Lightly butter a baking sheet, I used a baking mat so didn't butter.

Mix flours, baking powder, nutmeg cloves and salt in a bowl. Add chilled butter that is grated as you add. Stir frequently. In separate bowl add honey, milk and eggs and mix. Add to flour mixture. Add granola and dried fruit and mix well using your hands or a spoon.

Pat mixture into an 8 inch, using a pizza cutter or knife cut into 8 wedges. Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

So yummy and thanks Michael Ann for your wonderful recipe. This is going to be a frequent breakfast food in our household.

Pat into an 8 inch circle and cut into 8 wedges before baking.

Enjoy

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party January 11/13

It is that time again.... time for another party!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party!

Last week's party was great, there were some wonderful recipes.

So are you ready for another great party.... were we have

Great Recipes, Great Friends and Great Giveaways.

This weeks sponsor is Elizabeth Mindermann of Broken Treasures

She will be giving away 2 Stamp Sets.

Remember to fill out the rafflecopter for your chance to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now onto the Party!

Hosts:

Please stop by and give each host some foodie love.

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsview.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Kelly at http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

Joanne at Winelady Cooks:  http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com

Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com

Jutta at Hungry Little Girl: http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Erika at Chef Picky Kid: http://www.chefpickykid.com/

Rules:

I will be featuring one recipe each week for my host favorite.

Please remember to put a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with.

I will not use a recipe that doesn't have a link back.

If you do link up with my blog, would you please leave me a

message so I can personally thank you.

I do try to get to every link each week.

Last Week's Party

This week's Voted Top 3 and Most Clicks goes to one of our hosts
Jutta from Hungry Little Girl for her
White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake
Bomboloni
Toffifay Squares

Host Favorite

Please grab our button

This week's host favorite goes to Nosh My Way for her Hot Toddy Mocktail
I made this and it was so delicious... I did add some nutmeg also to mine.

Hot Toddy Mocktail... YUM!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Individual Tourtière Pie

You would think that being Canadian I would have tried Tourtière

but no not never. But then I am not French Canadian.

I have to tell you a little secret.... I didn't even know really what it was.

I had to look it up and after I did I thought that it was something that I would enjoy.

Here in Upper Michigan we have something similar called pasties but without all the spices.

I went to allrecipes.com for the basis of my recipe.

I wrote down a few combinations of spices from a few of the recipes and as I was making them I decided what I wanted in my Tourtière.

Although the real Tourtière, I don't think anyways, doesn't have potatoes or carrots, I had some that were cooked and that I needed to use up. I also used leftover ground chuck roast and ground pork tenderloin tips.

So these are a combination of the pasties and Tourtière.

Tourtière made as individual pie.

Individual Tourtière Pie

1 lb ground chuck roast (approx 2 cups)

1 lb ground pork tenderloin tips (approx 2 cups)

1 1/2 cup diced carrots (cooked)

1 cup diced potatoes (cooked)

3/4 cup onions diced

1 cup mushrooms diced

1 1/2 cup water mixed with 2 maggi beef cubes

2 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp sage

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

pie crust - enough for one double crust pie (either homemade or bought) ~ I cheated and used bought this time
2 tsp whipping cream

Place all ingredients except pie crust and whipping cream in large pan. Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens about 1 hour.
During this time you can prepare your pie crust, as if you make your own, it need time to chill before rolling out. Here is a recipe for homemade pie crust.
Once the mixture is thickened, I set mine aside while I rolled out my pie crust. Roll out pie crust and cut them into 6 inch diameter circles. I place 6 circles into my large muffin tins and the left overs I made individual pies.
I rolled out my pie crust really thin, as I don't like lots of crust. Place the crust in the muffin tins and fill with meat mixture. I topped the meat mixture with a small piece of pie crust cut in the shape of a flower. For the individual ones I cut my 6 inch diameter circles, place maybe a 1/4 cup of meat. to one side and flipped the other side over top. I used a fork to seal the edges. Brush tops with whip cream. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until crust is brown. If edges gets brown to fast, cover edges with tinfoil.

* the individual meat pies that I made in the muffin tins were very hard to come out, I am thinking that it was because the crust was too thin. If you use a thicker crust it would be perfect.
* my husband loved the individual ones that were little pies as he could eat them anywhere
* I used one store bought pie crust that has 2 crust in the package to make 6 muffin pies and 3 small pies. I would reroll the leftovers.
* you could make this into one big pie, but as there is only 2 of us, I thought that I could freeze the left overs... The individual mini pies would be easier to freeze.