We tried this almond and corn meal recipe from Nigella Lawson: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/lemon-polenta-cake-recipe.html. The lemon glaze is a nice touch. Our cake was a little grainy due to the cornmeal texture; we recommend using a fine-grain meal. (Mar. 2016)
Tag: dessert
Strawberries with sugar
Trim 16 oz strawberries and cut into ½ inch slices. Toss with 1 ½ to 2 Tbsp vanilla-infused sugar. Let sit for a few minutes, then serve. We served this in two meringue cups that we purchased from a local bakery. (Mar. 2016)
Panna cotta with fresh berries
We like this simple recipe by Giada deLaurentiis. It is straightforward, but it takes 6 hours to set. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/panna-cotta-with-fresh-berries-recipe.html (Mar. 2016) Note: The recipe calls for 1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin, which is approx. 1 ½ packets of Knox unflavored gelatin. I round up to 2 packets.
Chocolate-dipped ginger puff pastry twists
This is a relatively easy dessert to make from store-bought puff pastry. Make sure your fridge has room to hold two baking sheets, as refrigeration is required between steps. To retain crispness, store the finished twists at room temperature. Recipe here: http://m.puffpastry.com/recipe/50036/chocolate-dipped-spiced-twists (Feb. 2016)
Chocolate and pecan croissant bundles
We followed this recipe for triple chocolate bundles, but used only two type of chocolate chips (a 2:1 ratio of semi-sweet to milk) and added pecans in lieu of the third chocolate flavor. Recipe here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/triple-chocolate-bundles (Feb. 2016)
Oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, pecans, and dried cherries
On this snow day, we decided to try out this Smitten Kitchen recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/11/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-and-pecan-cookies. We ran out of pecans, so we substituted half of the pecans with dried cherries. We also used rolled oats instead of quick-cook oats. These cookies ended up being overly sweet (probably due to the 12 oz of chocolate) and quite… Continue reading Oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, pecans, and dried cherries
Indian spiced hot chocolate
This recipe from Aarti Sequiera adds a nice twist to classic hot chocolate with the use of green cardamom, curry powder, and honey. Recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/spiced-hot-chocolate-recipe.html (Jan. 2016)
Spicy chocolate pudding
We followed this chocolate pudding recipe from Tyler Florence: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chocolate-pudding-recipe.html, and then at the end, we added a dash (about 1/8 tsp) cayenne for some heat. We also used 1-2% milk instead of whole milk. (Jan. 2016)
Winter fruit salad
Pear and apple slices in a star anise, vanilla, and lemon-infused syrup. We omitted the pomegranate arils. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen here: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/winter-fruit-salad/. We couldn’t find dried apricots, so we used prunes instead. (Oct. 2015)
Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
We made this following Ocean Spray’s recipe: http://www.oceanspray.com/Recipes/Corporate/Sauces,-Sides-Salads/Homemade-Whole-Berry-Cranberry-Sauce.aspx. Bring 1 cup each sugar and water to a boil, then add 12 oz of cranberries (washed and drained). Once the mixture boils, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. We added the zest of an orange and 1-2 inch of fresh ginger… Continue reading Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
Cooking Adventures 