A Party For Me, By Me

Yesterday I worked on so many things around the house... laundry, laundry room decor, master bedroom / bathroom decor, decluttering, organizing, and such and so on.  Then I got stung by a bee.  So not fun!  

So I decided today was going to be a better day.  So what's a girl to do?  Well, throw herself a party of course!  My daughter and I have sampled pretty much everything already, so we are {patiently} waiting for hubby and son to get home so they can get in on the sampling goodness.

On the Menu:

Meringue Stars and Roses

Vanilla Creme Patissiere Shots with Sweet Cream Caramel

Cream Puffs and Eclairs with Pastry Cream and Dulce de Leche

Rhubarb Cream Merigue Gateau

I think this whole throwing-yourself-a-party thing is fabulous!  Can't wait to eat do it again!

Frozen Yogurt Bites

This is a cute alternative to popsicles!

In your ice cube tray, fill partially with one flavour of yogurt (I used both vanilla and strawberry flavours).  Freeze for 30 minutes or until barely set.

Fill to the top with second yogurt flavour and freeze until firm.  I added a third layer (vanilla - layer 1; strawberry - layer 2; vanilla - layer 3) as well.  

When yogurt is partially firm, but not stiff, you can insert a stick if desired.  I meant to use lollipop sticks but didn't remember until they were totally frozen.  They worked great as mini bites!  

Try dessert-flavoured yogurt for truffled-inspired bites!

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Party How To: Single Serve Veggies & Dip

Step 1: Fill shot glasses with 1 tsp dip.

Step 2: Add thinly sliced veggies.

Step 3: Add to your party table!

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Neon Pancakes -aka- Pancake Tribute to the 1980's!

Prep your favourite pancake recipe, and separate batter into bowls.  

Preheat your frying pan or griddle while adding colour to each bowl.  I use Wilton gel colours.  They are super bright and you can get big colour impact with a tiny bit of gel.  

Get a large spoon in each bowl.  (Alternately, use one empty plastic squeeze bottle for each colour.)  Spoon (or squeeze) your base colour onto the griddle.  Working very quickly, add some of each colour to each pancake.  I did 3 pancakes at a time, and only had about 30 seconds to get all the colours into each pancake.  You will likely not end up with perfect circles here so if you have OCD tendencies, you may want to skip this!  Ha!  

And flip to cook the other side.  You can tell I started with green!

Ta da!  It is like the 80's threw up onto your pancakes!  Notice the size similarities to 80's shoulder pads...  He he!

Of course, my kids have no clue what the 80's are, so they just thought they were getting super awesome pancakes! 

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Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients:

Day old bread, cut or ripped into bite size pieces (1 loaf for chicken, up to 2 for turkey)

Butter, all but 2 TBSP melted (1/2-3/4 cup for a chicken, 1+ cup for a turkey)

Onions, chopped (1 for chicken, 2 for turkey)

Celery, chopped (1 stalk for chicken, 2 for turkey)

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

Extras:

Fresh or dried cranberries

Diced apples

Raisins

Diced carrots

Nuts

Directions:

1. Place bread pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with butter.  Pour 1/4 of the butter over the bread and stir to mix.  Repeat 3 more times.  This ensures all the bread gets evenly coated.

2. Mix in the celery and onions.  Add any extras as well.  It should be smelling good already!

3. Add in 1 TBSP each of the herbs.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper as well.  

Mix until everything is well blended.  Take a little taste and adjust herbs as desired.

4. Make sure the bird is cleaned out.  The chest cavity should be empty.  

Stuff the stuffing mixture into the cavity and don't be shy about pressing it in!  

Extra stuffing can go in the other end where the neck was.  

5. Tie up the legs and wings if desired (I didn't) and place bird in a roasting pan.  Rub all over with remaining soft butter.  Bake!

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Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup whipping cream

3 TBSP butter

DIRECTIONS

1.  Add all ingredients to saucepan.  

2. Over medium high heat, stir mixture until sugar dissolves.

3. Boil to desired thickness, stirring frequently.  I wanted mine to be thick enough to coat a spoon but thin enough to drizzle over a dessert.

Basic Pavlova

This recipe makes enough for 2 15” circles

INGREDIENTS

4 egg whites

¾ cup white sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.   

Very slowly add sugar, beating in thoroughly until stiff peaks form and egg whites are glossy.

2. Prep two baking sheets with parchment.  (Trace a plate with a marker to get a perfect circle outline.  Turn the parchment over so the tracing is on the reverse side.)   

Spread egg white mixture to edge of circles.  Slightly scoop out the centre.

3. Bake in a preheated 225F oven for 90 minutes.   

Once out of the oven, cool completely before plating.  To remove parchment, bend the paper slowly away from the pavlova.  It should all come off in one piece. 

4. Pile fresh raspberries in the centre for your garnish, or use any other berry or chopped fruit.  The pavlova should be stiff on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Mine stayed fresh (with toppings) for 2-3 days in the fridge.  Enjoy!!

Vanilla Cream

Icing seen here on my Pavlova!

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

1.5 cups milk

¾ cup whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix instant pudding and milk together until blended and starting to thicken.

2. Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

3. Fold whipped cream into the pudding very gently.  Refrigerate until ready to use!

 This is perfect for icing a single layer cake or multi-layered cake IF you chill til firm between every layer.  Use in place of whipped cream on pies or as a dipping sauce for fruit.  Yum!

Ruffle Sandwiches

1. Lay out large tortilla.

2. Cut the stalk out of a piece of leaf lettuce and place on tortilla.  Let the lettuce edges hang off the tortilla.

3. Add filling.  I used a chicken-grape filling.  (Toss together chopped chicken, quartered grapes, chopped celery, walnuts/pecans, etc.  Add enough mayo or Miracle Whip {my choice!} to bind together.)

4. Roll up, making sure the lettuce edges stay out.

5. Use a toothpick to hold together.

6. Serve!

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Butterscotch Squares

This was, and still is, one of my most favourite basic un-chocolate brownie/square recipes of all time.  It is butterscotch perfection just by itself or can be a canvas for more adventurous baking.

My recipe card is splattered with bits and pieces of this recipe, but is thankfully still readable!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

2/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray 8x8 glass pan with Pam.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar together for 1 minute.  

3. Add egg, salt, vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Blend in flour and pecans if using.

4. Spread batter into greased pan and bake in centre of oven until the middle is barely moist (test with toothpick). 

5. Inhale deeply and try to keep your hands out of the pan until cool.

6. Cut into squares and enjoy!!

What else can you do with these?

- blend in chocolate chips or Skor pieces in place of nuts

- drizzle chocolate over plain, baked squares

- crumble over vanilla ice cream and top with fudge sauce and peanuts

- make an ice cream sandwich

- sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips, place under broiler until chocolate is melted and marshmallows are puffed and brown for a butterscotch twist on rocky road brownies

Got any other ideas?

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Custom Edible Monogram

We were on our way to a birthday party, and I had just made a pan of Rice Krispie squares.  The gift was wrapped and needed some oomph!  So I cut a letter out of the fresh goody goodness, wrapped in plastic, and attached it to the gift!  I loved it and so did the lucky little girl who received it!!

Step 1: Wrap your gift and tie the ribbons securely.  Select the two longest for securing the letter.

 

Step 2: Wrap the letter in plastic wrap and attach to gift using the two longest ribbons.  Tie excess length into a bow.