for the love of hazelnuts ~ homemade spread

November 7, 2014

When I was a kid, one of the best parts of Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s house was cracking and eating nuts! My grandmother would serve a basket of mixed nuts in the shell, providing a metal nutcracker so that we could open them ourselves. It took so much longer to open the nuts than to actually eat them, but then I guess that was what contributed to the fun – all that hard work!

My first exposure to hazelnuts was when they were in the Thanksgiving nut basket…of course, I had no idea they were called hazelnuts at the time. ..the same was true of pretty much all the nuts (including the silly looking Brazil nuts) in the assortment – except for the more familiar walnuts.

As I got older, and was able to identify the individual nuts and their flavors, hazelnuts were one of my favorites! So, it is no wonder that I had an instant love for Nutella …chocolate and hazelnuts? With these two flavors, how can you go wrong?!

This year, I thought about trying to make my own hazelnut spread. Of course it would be much easier to buy it prepared, but I wanted to taste a fresh batch of homemade! When I realized there was a hazelnut spread recipe in the Mast Brothers cookbook, I knew I had to try it! So, come into my kitchen for today’s Friday field trip to make some spread!

roasting hazelnuts for chocolate hazelnut spread pleasure in simple things

Roasting hazelnuts to use in homemade chocolate hazelnut spread.

I have included the recipe adapted from the Mast Brothers in this post and I will be giving away a copy of the Mast Brother’s cookbook as November’s giveaway selection. (If you leave a comment on this post, you are automatically entered to win!) Since I will be making several of the recipes in this wonderful chocolate cookbook to give as gifts this holiday season, I thought some of my friends may want to do the same! The Mast Brothers are chocolate masters, and I am hoping to use some of their expertise to create some of my own chocolate edibles this holiday.

When I buy nuts in bulk for recipes – like pistachio, pine, or hazelnuts – I usually purchase them at Trader Joe’s since I have always found they carry a good quality product that is reasonably priced. So, when I needed recipe ingredients for my hazelnut spread, guess where I shopped?

I had fun making the spread and I am eager to test out some recipes using hazelnut spread. I packaged up my spread in jars and plan on giving them as Thanksgiving gifts. Maybe I will make copies of some of the recipes I find to include with the spread and add a tie-on tag.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you will try making your own hazelnut spread…it has such a great, fresh flavor! If you should have any great recipes using hazelnut spread, I would love to hear about them!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

(If you’d like to see my Friday field trip to Mast Brothers Chocolate, click here.)

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halloween treat boo box care package

October 17, 2014

Do you send Halloween care packages? For today’s Friday field trip, I am taking you into my kitchen to share a fun idea for your favorite college student or friend – a ‘boo box’ containing a kit to make pumpkin spice Rice Krispies treats! The box contains all the premeasured ingredients needed to create this favorite treat with my seasonal spin!

With all the ingredients to make pumpkin spice Rice Krispies treats measured out and ready to go, this kit is sure to be a hit! Once this package is received, a pan and a few tablespoons of butter is all that is required to make up a batch of tasty Halloween treats. Students can be very resourceful and will probably score the butter from the campus cafeteria …include a disposable foil pan in your kit if you think your student might not already have an appropriate pan.

The ingredients are easily packaged right inside a cardboard mailing box. I line the inside of the box with bubble wrap before adding the bags of ingredients. Adding some extra Halloween fun to your mailing box is easy. Before packing up your kit, think about spray painting the entire inside of the mailing box black, gluing some spiders or creepy things inside, or adding some glow-in-the-dark paint! Some fake spider webs from the dollar store are also a nice touch!

Choosing a box that has a little extra space can provide the opportunity to include a few other Halloween surprises before mailing. (I noticed they make Solo cups in black or orange lol!) In my box I added some fun Halloween straws and some candy corn treat bags.

For my recipe, I used pumpkin spice Oreo cookies to add a seasonal taste to the treats. Oreos now come in so many flavors, it is easy to choose one that your recipient would enjoy. If you would rather not use the pumpkin spice flavored variety…maybe candy corn flavored cookies? If you prefer, you can substitute the cookie ingredient for a favorite candy of the recipient. (When the holidays approach, use this same recipe, switching up the cookie flavor to gingerbread or candy cane! )

As an option, add an additional ingredient bag(s) of chocolate chips for melting – a chocolate drizzle or zebra drizzle (regular and white chocolate) can be added to the top of the bars.

Be sure to include instructions and a personal note!

FOR YOUR BOX. Package the following ingredients, each in separate cellophane bags: 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal, 16 (crushed into crumbs) pumpkin spice flavored Oreos, and 10 oz. mini marshmallows. Note: you can choose to separate the cookie crumbs into 2 bags since some are for the bars and some are for garnish.

FOR YOUR WRITTEN DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING PUMPKIN SPICE TREATS. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter (not included in this package) over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal and 1 cup of cookie crumbs and stir to coat well. Press into 13 x 9 x 2 –inch pan coated with cooking spray or butter. Sprinkle remaining cookie crumbs on top. Cool. Cut into squares. ENJOY!

Of course, you don’t need to send a ‘boo box’ to try the recipe! :)

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Please note that I used Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and Nabisco Pumpkin Spice Oreos in this recipe.

Sharing with Finding Silver Pennies, Craftberry Bush, Crafts a la Mode, and The Shabby Nest.

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roasted chickpeas recipe

September 9, 2014

Have you tried roasting chickpeas? For me, roasted chickpeas are a great alternative to eating a pint of sorbet! I can eat a can (or two) of chickpeas in one sitting and not feel nearly as guilty!

Roasted chickpeas as a snack are so simple to prepare and require very few ingredients – chickpeas and spices and you are good to go! I always have canned chickpeas in the house, so the ingredients for roasted chickpeas are always at the ready. And, with chickpeas costing 65 cents a can, they produce a very inexpensive snack!

If you want to experiment with the recipe I provided, use any spice you may love to flavor the chickpeas – try some of your favorites. I love to use fresh rosemary, but smoky flavors also work really well. I don’t use much salt since I am not a big salt fan, but a smoky salt would work great if salt is your thing.

When you rinse and dry the chickpeas, be sure to dry them thoroughly. By doing so, you will ensure you get a crispy snack. The other key to crispiness is not to use too much olive oil – if you use too much, your chickpeas will be soggy. I put 2 tablespoons in the recipe – use a little less if you can, but never more than 2 tablespoons.

After I rinse them, I also remove any loose casings – but it is not a big deal if you miss some.

I turn the chickpeas once during cooking, but if I happen to be in the kitchen while they are in the oven, I will shake the pan a couple times also.

This snack is the best when eaten shortly after cooking. I usually do not have any leftovers, but on the one occasion when I do, I find I can ‘recharge’ the crispiness of the chickpeas by putting them back into a 400 degree oven for a short time to remove any moisture.

I hope you will try roasting some chickpeas if you haven’t already…they are a great crunchy snack!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Crafts a la Mode.

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s’mores ice cream cake

July 22, 2014

It was National Ice Cream Day this past weekend and I was ‘jonesing’ for an ice cream cake! I couldn’t let the day go by without celebrating! Looking around the house, I had some s’more leftovers and decided to utilize them in an ice cream creation!

In my house, ice cream desserts are always a big hit in the summer. This one is based on a favorite summer dessert and was inspired by the leftovers from our Fourth of July beach party.

Unlike baking, the procedure for making ice cream cakes is totally forgiving and precision is not required – so feel free to alter the recipe based on the size of your pan or the ingredients you have on hand. I made a no-bake crust for this one, since I didn’t want to heat up the house with the oven on a hot summer day.

S’more Ice Cream Cake Recipe

4 Hershey chocolate bars (1.55 oz. each), chopped into pieces
1 qt. softened vanilla ice cream (made or purchased)
2 packages (20 long) graham crackers, divided
5 Tab unsalted butter
2 Tab sugar, divided
Bag of miniature marshmallows

I know, this one is not for the faint of heart – although, in my defense, I did use low fat graham crackers and low fat ice cream! :) (Come on, I nixed my original idea of putting a layer of melted Hershey bars over the graham cracker crust!)

Start by making graham cracker crumbs. (I put the graham crackers in a plastic zip-lock bag and used a rolling pin to crush the crackers and make the crumbs.) One package of the crackers will be used for a crust, and the other package for a ‘filling.’

Combine one package of the graham cracker crumbs (half your total) and a tablespoon of sugar with 5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter. Pat this into the bottom of an 81/2” springform pan and pop this into the freezer while you prepare the ice cream.

Add the chopped chocolate bar pieces into the softened ice cream, mixing to combine. Take out the prepared crust and spread ½ of the ice cream mixture over the crust.

Mix the other half of the graham cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon of sugar and reserve ½ cup of the mixture. Sprinkle all but the half cup over the ice cream mixture. Carefully spread the rest of the ice cream mixture over the graham cracker middle. Use the remaining ½ cup of graham cracker crumbs to sprinkle on top.

Cover the entire top of the cake with miniature marshmallows and freeze until very firm.

Adjust the oven rack on your broiler so that the cake can be as close to the element as possible and preheat the broiler. Put the cake under the broiler to brown the marshmallows as quickly as possible and then put back into the freezer. Even after being frozen, the marshmallows are gooey when you eat the cake!

Let the cake sit awhile out of the freezer before eating – I think it tastes best just like s’mores – a little on the melty side!

Enjoy! Hope you will experiment with your own ice cream creations! Thank you for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. If you are a s’more lover, you may also enjoy gourmet s’mores and s’more shooters!

Sharing with Crafts a la Mode and Craftberry Bush.

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coconut lime rice pudding

July 8, 2014

Isn’t rice pudding a winter dessert?

I love to eat it warm and I find it very satisfying as a cold weather treat, but I was given a sample of Carolina Jasmine rice at the Country Living Magazine Fair this year and it motivated me to try a recipe for coconut lime rice pudding.

Two big surprises here! 1. It is not winter… and, 2. I am making rice pudding and not using my grandmother’s recipe!

I love the subtle jasmine flavor of the rice combined with the coconut and lime flavors. As always, when I find a great recipe…and a super easy one at that…I need to share!

Coconut Lime Rice Pudding Recipe

1 cup Carolina Jasmine Rice
2 cans (13 to 14 oz. each) light unsweetened coconut milk
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
2 ½ tsp fresh lime zest (buy 2 limes – I also added a squeeze of fresh lime juice)
Toasted flaked coconut and lime peel, for garnish
6 gingersnaps crushed with a rolling pin, for garnish

In a bowl, soak rice in water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan, bring coconut milk, milk, sugar and rice to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add lime zest (and a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired). Serve chilled. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, crushed gingersnaps, and lime peel, if desired. Serves 8.

Based on a recipe from Carolina Rice.

Because I love making small plated portions of desserts, I used my mini latte bowls from Anthropologie to serve up the recipe and got 14 individual servings. In these small portions, served chilled right from the fridge, coconut lime rice pudding is a refreshing summer dessert.

I hope you enjoy coconut lime rice pudding as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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the beekman boys’ fabulous tomato tart

June 20, 2014

You may already know of my infatuation with the Beekman Boys. I had the good fortune to meet them at the Philadelphia Flower Show this past year and then, lucky enough to see them again at the Country Living Magazine Fair this past month.

I adore their dessert cookbook and now, I am equally enamored with their new vegetable cookbook. The first recipe I tried from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook was the tomato tart and it is definitely a winner!

I was so excited by the results; I decided to bring you into my kitchen for Friday field trip this week to share the recipe for this easy and delicious tomato tart. Using heirloom tomatoes in a variety of sizes and colors helped my tarts resemble works of art! Everyone should include this recipe in their summer repertoire as an elegant way to serve up the summer harvest!

I suggest purchasing some interesting varieties of tomatoes at your local farmer’s market (or use some from your own garden) and create this awesome tart making sure to include some of your favorite wine and favorite friends!

Tomato Tart Recipe

Ingredients

Flour, for rolling the pastry
1 sheet (about 8 oz.) frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed but still cold
2 Tabs olive oil
1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound assorted tomatoes, cored, cut into slices, and halved

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry to a 10 x 15 inch rectangle and transfer it to the baking sheet.

With a paring knife, score a border 1 inch in from the edge all around the rectangle, cutting into, but not through, the dough. With a fork, prick the dough inside the border all over (this will allow border to rise higher than the center that’s been pricked). Brush the center with 1 tablespoon oil.

In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, goat cheese, eggs, basil, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Spread mixture over the center of puff pastry sheet. Top with tomatoes, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle tomatoes with remaining ¼ tsp salt and remaining 1 Tab oil.

Bake 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is set.

This recipe is for one tart…I doubled it to make two and found it is almost easier to plan on making two when purchasing the ingredients (quantities of goat cheese, ricotta, and puff pastry – 2 sheets come in a box – were easier to purchase for two.)

making a tomato tart pleasure in simple things

Keep this recipe handy for when your garden tomatoes become abundant – it is a super way to celebrate your garden treasures! If you are interested in more recipes for vegetables, there are many more great ones (and stunning photographs) in The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook.

The Beekman Boys at the Country Living Fair 2014 in Rhinebeck NY pleasure in simple things

Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge – ‘The Fabulous Beekman Boys’ – discussing the newly released The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook with me at the Country Living Magazine Fair 2014 in Rhinebeck, NY.

I think this recipe is the perfect one to start the summer! Enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. My friend Phyllis planted a white variety of tomatoes in her garden this year…how cool would they look in this tart?

Sharing at Crafts a la Mode.

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fun with gelatin

June 6, 2014

You have heard of signature drinks? What about a signature jelly shot?

For Friday field trip this week, I will show you just that…and, some other fun with gelatin!

After my nephew’s wedding this past summer, I was able to secure the recipe for his signature drink – the D & P Pimm’s Cup – from his wedding venue. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I used the signature drink as an inspiration to create the D & P Pimm’s Cup cupcake by incorporating the signature drink ingredients into a cupcake recipe.

Wanting to continue the D & P signature drink inspiration for the newlywed couple’s first year of holidays, on Easter I created the D & P Pimm’s Cup Jelly Shot!

D & P Pimm’s Cup Jelly Shot

4 strawberries
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 (1 inch piece) cucumber, coarsely chopped
¾ cup Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
6 ice cubes
2/3 cup ginger ale
1/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed & strained)
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
Garnish (optional) basil, strawberries, lemon, cucumber

Muddle (mash) strawberries, basil and cucumber in a large cocktail shaker. Add the Pimm’s and the ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

Combine the ginger ale, lemon syrup, and water in a medium saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two.

Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2/3 cup of the reserved Pimm’s liquid, stirring well to blend.

Pour into a standard size loaf pan and chill overnight or until fully set. Cut, serve, and add garnish as desired.

This recipe is a variation of a recipe created by the jelly shot master Michelle Palm – Michelle has been my inspiration to start playing with gelatin. :)

Since these jelly shots can only be consumed by those over 21, I also created a fun jelly shot for the younger set. During Jell-O brand gelatin’s heyday in the 1960’s, a recipe for ‘Broken Glass Jell-O’ was printed right on the side of the Jell-O box. It is the technique from this recipe that I implemented to create my ‘kid friendly’ jelly shots. The recipe – the name wisely updated to ‘Stained Glass Bars’ – is available on the Kraft Foods website. I cut the completed recipe into small cubes and added mini marshmallows to the skewers…there are so many fun variations based on a party theme, color scheme, etc.

I hope you will use these ideas to help inspire some of your own gelatin fun!

P.S. For more jelly shot fun, you might like a school of pink lemonade fish jelly shots.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush.

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recreating the freeze pop

May 23, 2014

Today’s Friday field trip is kickin’ it back to my childhood.

I’ve always loved freeze pops. When I was a kid, that’s what I called the ice pops that came in a long plastic tube…tubes of sweet iciness that brought with them reminders of many hot, fun summers. So, when I recently discovered that food-safe plastic tubes were available online, I had no choice but to purchase some – pronto!

As the years have gone by, I have been more and more hesitant to pick up my old favorites at the grocery stores. Because, I have to admit, the list of ingredients in those pops is pretty scary! This made the idea of creating my own even more intriguing!

I have been playing around with possible flavor combinations. I am still working on some recipes…and others, like the basil watermelon or the spicy chocolate, I have already perfected!

For Memorial Day, I am making ice pops from my watermelon recipe to share with my partner in freeze pop crime (aka, my son) who has been known to help me devour an entire box in a very (too short to admit) amount of time!

If you want to make some yourself and don’t have the plastic sleeves, use this recipe with ice pop molds or go old school with small paper cups and wooden sticks. The recipe can also be frozen up in ice cube trays to add to sparkling water or lemonade.

pleasure in simple things ice pops in plastic sleeves

The ice pop plastic sleeves filled, tied, and ready for the freezer.

To make these frozen confections, I first made basil simple syrup to use as a sweetener for the watermelon. I love basil with watermelon and the flavor profile makes for a more adult flavor than the watermelon by itself. The leftover syrup is wonderful for sweetening ice tea or lemonade…it is also great drizzled on fresh strawberries or strawberry shortcake. Or, it can be a wonderful addition to a summer cocktail! If you want to add a little ‘kick’ to your pop, I bet a little melon liquor would be a nice addition to the recipe.

I hope I have inspired you to try creating some of your own frozen treats this weekend.

Remember to take some time this Memorial Day to honor those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedom and to thank all those who serve our country both now and in the past.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush, Shabby Nest, and Crafts a la Mode.

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sweet scones

January 24, 2014

I think it is a natural instinct to have the urge to prepare food when the weather is cold. With the temperature dipping into the single digits, and 10 inches of snow freshly fallen here in Connecticut, it is no wonder this instinct has kicked in!

The result of this urge today are some freshly baked scones. A friend gave me the recipe for these particular scones, written on a brown paper bag, well over twenty years ago. I call these ‘the sweet scones.’ So, for Friday field trip today. we are taking a trip back to twenty years ago as I share the recipe given to me by my friend Kathy.

The scones after adding the sweet glaze.

With a sugar glaze, these scones are sweeter than the ones I typically make. Other than adjusting the cooking time for my oven, I haven’t changed this recipe a bit over the years… and, the result is still as delicious as when I first tasted these scones at a regular get-together of friends.

They are wonderful to bake for some friends stopping by because they are very quick to prepare – give them a try!

Thanks so much for stopping by to share. Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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a special birthday cake

January 21, 2014

Part of being a great hostess is to know your guests. Today, so many people have dietary restrictions and part of good entertaining is taking the special needs of your guests into consideration.

Recently, I needed to come up with a birthday cake for a special birthday dinner where the guest of honor had some dietary concerns. The solution I came up with was quick, easy, and delicious.

I served an angel food cake with a fresh berry topping and a Nutella filling. All the items were purchased in the grocery store and the dessert took very little time to prepare. I chose not to make my own angel food cake since our local grocery store offered one in the bakery section that cost less than the price of the tube pan I would need to purchase to bake my own.

Made with just sugar, flour, and egg whites; angel food cake is a great alternative to a traditional birthday cake for many special diets. As an optional filling, I sliced the cake horizontally with a serrated knife and spread one side with Nutella. For the strawberry topping, I hulled and halved a pound of strawberries – heated them up slightly in a pan on the stove with a tablespoon of sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Easy, tasty, and all ready for a birthday candle!

And, so quick…I had time to bake up some biscotti. With an impending snowstorm, what is better than biscotti by a fire? This batch is caramel walnut…

Thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoyed sharing my ‘special’ birthday cake recipe.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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for the love of hazelnuts ~ homemade spread

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the beekman boys’ fabulous tomato tart

fun with gelatin

recreating the freeze pop

sweet scones

a special birthday cake