This and that

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Foodie Friends Friday ~ Thanksgiving Fixin's #foodiefriendsfriday

I am late today getting my post ready for our Foodie Friends Friday Party... This week we are having a Thanksgiving Fixin' Party. I can't wait to see what you bring... Do you do traditional or untraditional Thanksgiving Dinners?

Sheet Music Ornaments

Christmas is coming and it is time to start making some tree ornaments. Do you make your own ornaments? I used to make an ornament for each of my nieces and nephews but have not made any for many years. I love Sheet Music Ornaments and last year I made a couple of them.....

Good Nutrition Party at Foodie Friends Friday

I can 't believe that it is Thursday already... Where has the time gone? I know I haven't got anything accomplished so what have I been doing... Well I know what I am doing tonight.....

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Novemeber is Good Nutrition Food month so bring over you best recipes that are good for you...

Last Week's Highlights

Host Favorite...

Head over to the Daily Dish Magazine where you will see who's recipes where each of our favorite. It is hard to pick only one... To be feature you must have a link back to Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with... Just think next week your recipe just might be here....

My Host Favorite

I am a big pasta fan, although I don't eat it very much anymore as hubby doesn't like it. So when I saw this

recipe from Isabelle at Home for Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Pine Nuts, I feel in love. Coming from Isabelle I know that this recipe is wonderful... I have made many of her recipes and I hope that I will be able to make it soon.. maybe for a potluck or when we have company as I know hubby won't say anything then.. is that bad of me :).

photo credit: Isabelle at home

Recipes that got the Most Clicks

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.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Pumpkin Chai Biscotti ~ #fillthecookiejar

It is time to Fill the Cookie Jar again. Mine is getting down to the bottom, so it worked out perfect. This month's theme is Thanksgiving. When I think of Thanksgiving, it is a time of being thankful... Can I be thankful that we don't have snow yet... Well I am, there is snow all around us but thankfully we have only received a small dusting but I do know that there is more to come. Even though I am thankful that we don't have any snow, I am thankful of the season and the nature that is given to us.. the splendid colours of the fall with the dusting of snow.. Beautiful.

But .... I am getting a bit sidetracked as the snow and the seasons have nothing to do with cookies and I need to Fill the Cookie Jar. This group was started by Cynthia from Feeding Big . Each month we are given a theme and we can decide to accept this challenge or not. As I said before this month theme is Thanksgiving. When I think of Thanksgiving I think of turkey, dressing and all the fixing ~ Well I didn't think that would make a great cookie but pumpkin pie is a part of Thanksgiving and you need cranberries when you eat your turkey and that is something that I can work with.

I have always wanted to make biscotti and my BBF Marlene from Nosh My Way made some Cracked Pepper Chocolate Chunk Biscotti for one of the Fill the Cookie Jar months and it just made me want to make them even more. I love biscotti and it is a cookie that is great for dipping either in tea, coffee or hot chocolate. So, I decided this month I was going to make some with Pumpkin, Chai and Dried Cranberries... They turned out wonderful and every day they even taste better as they get crunchier and the flavours mesh together. This recipe was adapted from a basic biscotti recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com.

Pumpkin Chai Biscotti

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 cup sugar ( I use Morena Pure Cane Sugar)

1 cup pumpkin

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour ( I used 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat and 2 cups white flour)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/8 cup spiced chai instant powder ( I used Dove Chocolate Discover Spiced Chai)

3/4 cup dried cranberries

coarse sugar (optional)

Salted Caramel Icing (optional)

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In mixing bowl, mix together vegetable oil, eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin and mix well.

In separate bowl mix flour, baking powder and chai powder.

Mix flour mixture into egg mixture until it makes a heavy dough.

Mix in cranberries

Divide dough into two piece and roll out on greased cookie sheet * to the length of the cookie sheet and about 5 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick

Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Once baked cool off slightly until you are able to cut. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Places slices back on cookie sheet cut side up.

Place bake in oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes each side, until lightly toasted.

Once toasted, cool.

While cookies are cooling make Salted Caramel Icing:

In sauce pan melt butter, add milk and brown sugar and bring to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat

Add vanilla and icing sugar and mix well.

Drizzle over top of cookies.

Enjoy with a cup of Chai Tea

Writer's Notes:

* I used my baking mats and the cookies stuck slightly to it... I just needed to use a spatula. Next time I will try parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet to see if it makes any difference.

~ my cookies weren't that hard. I am thinking after the initial baking it would be better to lower the temperature and leave them in the oven longer or let them dry slightly in the oven when turned off. Anyone have any suggestions? They still tasted good but weren't as crunchy as the biscotti I have bought. Everyone that tried them at work said they were good.

Last month I Filled the Cookie Jar with Cobweb Cookies (AKA Lace Cookies).

If you would like to join our group, head over to Feeding Big and fill out this form.

LINKS: In and Out of the Kitchen, Foodies & Crafties Soirée

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Cornish Hen with Apricot Glaze and Wild Rice Dressing

Thanksgiving is coming soon and I am not sure if you are like me but a turkey sometimes seems like to much to cook, especially if there is only two for dinner like at our house. My husband isn't a big fan of roast turkey as he thinks it is too dry. So often I will make Cornish Hens, you can make as many as you want or as few as you want. I have made half of this recipe and only had 2 hens and I have double the recipe when I have company. Cornish hens arranged on a platter always looks nice.

Cornish Hen with Apricot Glaze and Wild Rice Dressing

Recipe adapted slightly from Taste of Home 2007

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped onions (I usually use a little bit more and use red onions)

6 tbsp butter, divided

1 cup cooked wild rice

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ( I don't always put this in)

4 Cornish hens

1/2 cup apricot preserves (I have used peach jelly for this too)

1 tbsp white vinegar

Directions:

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, pecans and onions in 4 tbsp butter until tender over medium heat. Stir in rice, apricots, parsley, salt ,pepper and cayenne pepper. Remove from heat.

Spoon about 3/4 cup of rice mixture into each hen, tie legs together with string. Place hens on cooking rack, breast side up in baking dish or roasting pan. Melt remaining butter and brush over top of each hen.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until meat thermometer reads 180 for hens and 165 degrees for dressing.

While hens are cooking place apricot preserve and vinegar in small saucepan, cooking on medium heat until you can mix them together. When hens are done, brush apricot mixture over the top and sides of hens and bake 15 minutes longer.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Dinner
Cornish Hen with Wild Rice Dressing
Pretzel Salad
Glazed Carrots with Dried Cranberries

Finished Hen

LINKED: Tuesday Tasting, Foodie & Crafts Soiree, Thanksgiving Meal Planning ~ entrees

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Just a little nutty over here at Foodie Friends Friday #foodiefriendsfriday

I hope everyone that celebrates Halloween had a great day and kids where able to get out to do some Trick and Treating.... We had a foggy, rainy day and I have my very own haunted house across the street.

This week on Foodie Friends Friday we are going a little nutty... November is Georgia Pecan Month.. So bring over all you nutty foods.

Last Week's Highlights

Host Favorites

Last week we had a great Halloween Party and I hope it gave you some inspirations for your own Halloween party.. Each week all the Foodie Friends Friday host pick their favorite link and then it is featured over at the Daily Dish Magazine. To be featured you must have a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with. Next week you link just might be here.

My Host Favorite

I love fudge and pumpkin and put them together it is heaven. So when I saw this Pumpkin Spice Cream Candy from Seasons of Sweets I fell in love. This candy was a hit on Foodie Friends Friday as I wasn't the only host that picked it... I was planning on making it before today but ran out of time.. Maybe it will be my goal for tomorrow. I do know that I will be adding it to my candy trays that I make for Christmas..

photo credit: Seasons of Sweets

Recipes with the Most Clicks

Cobweb Cookies ~ This and That
Bloodshot Peanut Butter Eyeballs ~ In the Kitchen with Jenny
Halloween Bark ~ The Big Giant Food Basket

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

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

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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An InLinkz Link-up

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

31 days of .......................... Cookies

Where has October gone? It is already the end and I don't think I even saw the beginning.. Does it feel the same for you? October is a great food month. Not only is it National Pizza Month, it is National Caramel Month, Dessert Month and Cookies Month. Who in the right mind doesn't like October.

g C is for Cookies that is good enough for me... C is for Cookies that is good enough for me.... Cookies, Cookies Cookies n.... I love Cookie Monster and Cookies.. So this month is perfect for me... the best month ever.

One of my favorite all time cookies in Peanut Butter Blossoms but because of a peanut sensitivity in the house I try to stay away from making anything with peanut butter so have had to come up with a new alternative. I think I have come up with the perfect one.... This cookie is full of flavour and goodness.

Biscoff Chai Blossoms

adapted from Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour (I use 1/2 cup whole wheat and 1 1/4 cup white flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp chai tea instant powder

1/2 cup sugar ~ I use Morena Pure Cane Sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1/2 cup biscoff

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

48 chocolate Hershey Kisses (I only got 36 cookies and used chocolate and pumpkin spice kisses)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In medium mixing bowl combine flour, soda, salt and chai tea. Set aside.

In mixing bowl cream together both sugars and butter.

Add egg and mix well.

Add biscoff, milk and vanilla, blend on low speed until mixes

Slowly add dry ingredients and blend on low speed until stiff dough forms.

Shape in 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Immediately after removing from oven press candy kiss into top of each cookie. Press firmly so cookies crack around the edges.

Cool and enjoy.

I did say 31 days of cookies so here are some more great cookies for you to enjoy.....

Scandinavian Spice Cookies
Cobweb Cookies AKA Lace Cookies
Lemon Lime Sugar Cookies
Lemon Myers Shortbread Cookies
Peanut butter Cookies

Triple Chocolate Biscoff Cookies
Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Craisin White Chocolate Marshmallow Oatmeal Cookies
Pumpkin Biscoff Cookies
Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

I belong to a Fill the Cookie Jar Group and each month we are given a theme and make cookies.. Here are a few from there. There are no pictures as I didn't get permission from the bloggers so will just leave you the links. To find all the cookies that have been linked up to this group and more great cookie recipes head over to the Fill the Cookie Jar Pinterest Board.

Nosh My Way ~ Cracked Pepper Chocolate Chunk Biscotti

From Calculus to Cupcakes ~ Soft Ginger Cookies

Hungry Little Girl ~ M&M Microwave Cookie for One

Six Feet Under Blog ~ Bacon Molasses Cookies

Spatulas on Parade ~ Orange Crinkle Cookies

Winelady Cooks ~ Witches Hat Sugar Cookies

Yesterfood ~ Dark Chocolate Chews

Feeding Big ~Pumpkin Pie Slice Cookies

Edesia's Notebook ~ Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Growing Up Gabel ~ Sugar and Spice Molasses Cookies

I also want to share with you a couple of recipes from a great friend Isabelle of Isabelle at Home. She is always making cookies and I get alot of my inspirations from her.

Parmesan Shortbread Cookies

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Rolo Thumbprint Cookies

Found this picture on Pinterest

no recipe but loved the picture

My next search took me to Pinterest and I thought I would search Thanksgiving and Christmas Cookies to help you with your holiday baking.. I am giving you the link to the direct bloggers page and not the pinterest page.

Pilgrim Hats

Gobble Gobble ~ Turkey Cookies

Thanksgiving Cookie Cake

Plymouth Rock Cookies

Cran- Pistachio Cookies

Snowman Cookies

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Meringue Snow Flower Cookies