Panna Cotta

(This is not my photo, I just found it on google)

Panna Cotta is an italian dessert, I guess similar to Creme Brulee, but it is not really a custard, because there are no eggs. But it is a really unique and delicate dessert that is seriously one of the best desserts I have ever had. It is very rich and creamy, but also feels a little light and it has a really interesting and amazing texture. It also is a really beautiful and romantic dessert. This is BY FAR, Mitchy's favorite dessert and it is always a real treat when I make it for him! He doesn't care too much about desserts, he likes them, but can do without...but when it come to Panna Cotta, he is obsessed. And he even hints to me that it might be nice to enjoy a little Panna Cotta. I recently went on a trip to New York and Mitch stayed home with the kiddos, so the night before I left, I decided to make a double batch of Panna Cotta and leave it in the fridge for him as a Thank you. I didn't get any pictures of course because I left. But he was in heaven!

This recipe is from Williams Sonoma and it always comes out perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups milk

4 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin

1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Optional To Serve on top after they are complete: Chocolate Ganache and Raspberries of Strawberries

Six to Eight ramekins, set on a small baking sheet.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pour 1/3 of the milk into a saucepan and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let sit until the gelatin softens and swells, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining milk and the sugar and set the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Do not let the liquid boil. Remove from the heat and gently stir in cream and vanilla until blended.

Divide evenly among the prepared ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.

I prefer to serve them in the ramekins. It is much easier and still beautiful. Then I add some chocolate ganache on top of about 1/3 of the panna cotta and then place some Strawberries or Raspberries on top of that and ENJOY!!!

FOR THE GANACHE:

I just melt some chocolate chips and add heavy cream and stir. A good ratio is about 8 oz. of Chocolate to about 1 cup of Cream.

The cold velvety Panna Cotta with the Warm rich chocolate and the tart fruit...TO DIE FOR! Trust me! One of the best desserts I have ever tried or made! Please give this one a shot, you will thank me!

Salade de Provence

Let's take a little trip to Aix en Provence, France in the fall, shall we?

This is one of my all time favorite salads and it is perfect for the fall because it is really fresh and crisp, but also warm and satisfying! It has really earthy flavors and it is perfect for a fall dinner! We originally got this recipe from our close friend and my wedding caterer, Beth Blackwelder...she has a true gift! But we actually changed this around a bit, but she was our original inspiration. It has very few ingredients but they blend and compliment each other beautifully. Please try this one, you will be so grateful you did! Mitch loved this salad too and I cannot get enough of it! I might make it once a week this whole season!!! It is so easy too, and almost no mess, that is one other reason why this will be a staple! Let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS:

~6-8 oz. Combination of Mache Lettuce (a french lettuce) and Butter Lettuce (There is a box of this combined lettuce at Trader Joe's, it is perfect and it tastes really fresh! But you could actually use any type of lettuce you have, I just prefer this combination.)

~Tiny white potatoes, size of grapes (bagged already, Trader Joes)

~1/2- 1 cup of shredded White Cheddar Cheese (The white cheddar makes all the difference- I actually don't like white cheddar on anything except this!)

~1 or 2 large White onions, diced and lightly sautéed in a little butter and then I roast them with the potatoes to get them really caramelized.

~Extra Virgin Olive Oil

~Salt and Pepper

~Herbs de Provence, dried (You can find them in the dried spices department of your grocery store- This is by far one of my favorite dried herb combinations)

Dressing:

1/3 cup white Balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup canola oil

2 1/2- 3 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp herbs de Provence

(This makes a little more dressing than you need, so you can save about half for another salad.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Roast potatoes and onions 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until tender, with olive oil, pepper, coarse salt and Herbs de Provence.

Cool for a few minutes. Assemble salad and serve immediately. ENJOY!

Thai Peanut Cilantro Pizza

This pizza was inspired by the Thai Pizza at CPK, but to tell you the truth, I think this one was much better! Sorry CPK! Obviously it has everything to do with the Peanut Cilantro Sauce!!! But this is now one of my favorite meals of all time! It was better than any pizza I have ever made, without question! I loved every bite~this is a definite must try! And a perfect and exciting way to use my leftovers.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Roll out the Trader Joe's pre-made pizza dough onto the pizza stone and put it in the oven at 425 degrees for about 5 or 6 minutes, just to bake the crust a little before you put the toppings on so that the crust is cooked through at the end.

Then I put a layer of the Peanut-Cilantro Sauce on and add mozzarella cheese, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts and sesame seeds. And bake for another few minutes until it is done and then sprinkle the cucumbers and fresh cilantro over the top. ENJOY!

Vietnamese-Style Spring & Summer Rolls with a Peanut Cilantro Sauce

This is a meal that I made using the leftovers from the Thai Noodle Salad Recipe. We loved these, they were so easy to make and it was a fun and unique adventure. Now, I have made very few "rolls" in my life, so I seriously need help in the rolling department, but the taste was there. Wrapping spring rolls, and sushi rolls is a real art, and I look forward to perfecting it someday, but not today. The Summer Rolls were refreshing and clean and the spring rolls were hot and crispy and delicious! And the Peanut-Cilantro really brought them to another level! I've said it before, I'll say it again...To Die For! I wanted to add avocado to them, but I didn't have any, but I think it would have added a nice creamy texture...next time.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUMMER ROLLS:

~Rice Paper, (I used the Blue Dragon Brand, called "Spring Roll Wrappers", in the Asian aisle in Albertsons. I couldn't find them at Ralphs. And don't confused them with the refridgerated egg roll wrappers. They should be dry and thin like paper until you work with them.)

~Butter Lettuce

~Cabbage, chopped

~Carrots, julienned

~Cucumbers, julienned

~Bean Sprouts

~Sugar Snap Peas

~Avocado, sliced

~Cilantro

~Peanut-Cilantro Sauce, See Recipe in previous post

Follow instructions on the rice paper package, by soaking them in water and drying them and then add the filling, including the sauce. Wrap and Enjoy! (Keep them under a damp cold towel until you serve them.) Add extra sauce on the side for dipping.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPRING ROLLS:

~Rice Paper

~Cabbage, chopped

~Carrots, julienned

~Bean Sprouts

~Sugar Snap Peas

~Avocado, sliced

~Rice sticks (they are the really tiny rice thread noodles found at any conventional super market- not Trader Joe's)

~Cilantro

~Peanut-Cilantro Sauce, See Recipe in previous post

*Notice, no lettuce or cucumber, I think they would get soggy.

Saute these ingredients together really lightly and then add then into the rice paper.

Follow instructions on the rice paper package, by soaking them in water and drying them and then add the filling. Wrap and then deep fry them in canola oil. Serve with the Peanut-Cilantro Dipping Sauce and Enjoy!

*Thai Peanut Cilantro Noodle Salad*

This salad is probably one of the best things I have ever eaten! It might be a bit intimidating because there are a lot of unique ingredients in the dressing, but it is totally worth it!!! It is a peanut butter thai style dressing and we always joke that it is good enough to drink- because it pretty much is! If you don't make this I will personally make it for you because everyone should try it, it is that good! Trust me on this one...

*By the way, I always double the dressing just to have some for leftovers and because it is the best thing ever!

INGREDIENTS:

~1/2 cup rice vinegar

~4 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

~2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

~2 teaspoons Chipotle pepper puree (I get a can of "Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce" and just used the sauce that the peppers are in, the peppers themselves are too hot.)

~2 Tablespoons soy sauce

~2 Tablespoons honey

~2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce

~1 lime, juiced

~3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

~1/2 a bunch of fresh Cilantro

~1 cup canola oil

~Salt and freshly ground pepper

(You don't have to have all of the vegetables, just whichever combination you like.)

~1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded

~1 cup Romaine Lettuce, shredded

~1/2 head bok choy, shredded

~2 carrots, shredded

~1/4 pound snow or sugar snap peas, julienne

~1 cup bean sprouts

~1/2 cup shelled Edemame

~1 red bell pepper, julienned

~1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

~1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts

~3/4 box of pasta, (you can use any type you would like, even "rice sticks" from Trader Joe's- what they use for pad thai- So good!)

~Grilled lime halves, for garnish and sprinkle with black sesame seeds!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Whisk together in the blender the vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, Chipotle pepper puree, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, lime juice, 1/2 bunch of cilantro and canola oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine cabbage, bok choy, carrots, snow peas, cilantro, and lettuce in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta with sauce and pour onto a platter. Top with the veggies, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with more dressing. Garnish with grilled lime halves. ENJOY!

See, good enough to drink!!!!

"Waffles of Insane Greatness"

This is another one of my mom's recipe's. She jokingly nicknamed them Waffles of Insane Greatness and they truly are INSANELY GREAT! No joke, I can guarantee that you will never taste waffles this good in your whole life! If you take the time to make this recipe once, you will adopt it as your own and never be able to stray!!! So, please, try them, once again...insanely great! Oh, and don't forget the Homemade Maple Syrup!

INSTRUCTIONS:

6 eggs, separated (Make sure you follow this important step- separating the eggs- so read carefully!)

Beat:

3 1/2 - 4 cups buttermilk

8 Tbsp melted butter

6 egg yolks

1 Tbsp vanilla

Add:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp sugar

Use the separated 6 egg whites- beat them into a meringue and fold them into the batter last. (A meringue is when the eggs form thick, puffy, white peaks.)

Then, just cook them in your buttered waffle iron. And ENJOY your heavenly breakfast!

I have been completely spoiled my entire life because my mom has never bought syrup from the store, she has only ever made it from scratch, and so I cannot stand the store bought kind, they are all so thick and you can taste the preservatives. Anyway, give this recipe a try and you will be converted for life, and it is so easy. Plus, you can keep it in the fridge and warm it up for next time too!

MAPLE SYRUP:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 1/4 cup water

2 tsp Mapeleine (you can usually find this in any store- it is in a little bottle near the vanilla)

3 Tbsp butter

Boil sugars and water for 5 minutes, make sure the sugar is dissolved and not grainy, and then add the Mapeleine and butter.

Best CornBread Ever!!! I mean it!

I firmly believe that this is the best cornbread I have ever had, I got the recipe from my mom of course! This is not a typical recipe for my mom because it calls for bisquick, which my mom would never generally use,(she is more of a "from scratch" kind of girl) but she tried it and fell in love like we all did!

I had to make these corn bread muffins for an Enrichment activity, but I prefer this cornbread in a pan, because it stays more moist that way. So, because it is officially Fall, I know you will all be needing a good cornbread recipe...look no further, my mom has got you covered!

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

2 1/3 cups Bisquik

1 cup sugar

1 cup cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1 stick melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix eggs and milk, add other ingredients, and bake in well-greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.