Can I be totally honest? A life without peanut butter is a life not worth living. Not really, but I have always loved peanut butter, fresh, raw, with a large spoon, right into the jar of goodness. So my friend Joie introduced me to the gourmet awesomeness that is PB Crave.
PB Crave offers four delicious flavors that I loved to snack on right out of the jar. Flavors like Cookie Nookie which tastes just like a chocolate chip cookie, Coco Banana, Choco Choco and Razzle Dazzle. These fabulous flavors really kick up any sandwich, smoothie, and or cookie recipe! Continue reading “PB Crave Giveaway & Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe”
Today, for instance, January 6th is National Shortbread Day, celebrate today with Walkers Shortbread. The holidays may be over but we still celebrate the little nuance holidays. While I had no idea today was National Shortbread day until I visited the Walkers Shortbread site, I could not help but share this adequately timed holiday to the receipt of my package of Walkers Shortbread cookies. Stories that a magical castle the bakers at Walkers created in honor of the show Outlander on Starz had graced my email as well, so this is how I stumbled upon this wonderful little nuance holiday. If you are a fan of Outlander (and shortbread) like myself you know how cool this castle was to build. Outlander returns to Starz this Sunday January 10th with new episodes. Continue reading “National Shortbread Day Walkers Shortbread”
Food is my passion. Cooking and food fall in line somewhere behind my love of God, my kids, my husband…you know it is somewhere behind them. So I am always trying new spices, new flavors, new ways to cook and share my love of all things food and culinary with my family. I am also never afraid to experiment with flavors and foods, my family gives tons of grace in that respect. In addition to all of these things, I love to find products that are unique, responsibly sourced and fun. Continue reading “Cooking with Oil & Vinegar”
BACON! Meat candy and secret addition to any awesome dessert, adding a bit extra salt and a smokey flavor that is sure to be pure decadence. Put your meat candy to work with bacon grease instead of shortening. You can spice up the flavor an extra notch with bacon grease. I have done three dessert treats with bacon grease and they were to die for. Here is my gluten free, Boston Cream Pie cupcake recipe that is sure to be a hit!
Light Yellow Cake:
3/4 c. cooled, solid bacon grease
2T. butter (for a less rich cake, increase the butter and decrease the bacon grease)
1 7/8 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 c. flour (I love my Pamela’s gluten free)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Beat eggs and sugar until blended, add in butter and bacon grease and beat until fluffy. Sift together baking powder and flour. Slowly fold in flour mixture while alternating adding milk and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake for 18-25 mins at 350 degrees.
Cream filling:
2 c. milk
5 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp. fresh vanilla bean
Place cornstarch in sauce pan, add sugar and slowly fold in milk while stirring with whisk. Cook over medium heat, slowly add in vanilla and continue cooking until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool entirely.
Once mixture is completely cooled, place into frosting bag with narrow coupler.
Chocolate Ganache frosting:
1 package chocolate chips
1 c heavy cream
1 tsp brandy
In medium sauce pan heat chips and brandy slowly adding cream, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat, allow to cool before frosting cake.
Once your cupcakes, frosting, and pudding are cool you can begin the layers of goodness. Using your frosting bag and narrow coupler, insert the coupler into the middle of the cupcake and fill until you see the pudding rising out of the top of where the coupler is inserted. Or with the Mrs Fields pan, you can easily add the pudding without the hassle of the frosting bag.
Do this for each cupcake until all pudding is used and or all cupcakes are filled to desired fullness.
Place cupcakes on cooling rack and place foil underneath cooling rack. Begin to slowly drizzle frosting over the tops of cupcakes ensuring that frosting is not too hot or too cold. Each cupcake will be glossy. Allow the layer of frosting to cool before adding more. If the frosting in pan becomes hard, reheat on medium heat until desired consistency and start process of frosting again. Do this until all cupcakes are covered and frosting is completely used.
Set cupcakes aside in fridge to allow frosting to harden overnight.
Serve with milk and enjoy.
So Summer is here and we as moms need to figure out what to do with the kids. With Summers comes BBQs, potlucks, and other great events and many times we need to bring a dessert. Let the Love Cooking Company help with their Mrs. Fields Bake N Stuff Cupcake Pan. This pan lets you create one of a kind cupcakes that will be remembered for years to come.
Cupcakes are the perfect single serve sizes. Create a masterpiece cupcake with candy inside! The unique two-part Mrs. Fields’ Bake N Stuff Cupcake Pan allows you to make hollow cupcakes that you can fill with your favorite small candies! Simply pour in the batter, lock down the lid and bake. When they’re done, you’ll have the tops and bottoms for six 3-inch cupcakes. Then just fill and decorate, and get ready for some fun!
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Disclosure: The bloggers participating in this event have NOT been compensated for this post. Networking Perks provides honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. Networking Perks is not responsible for prize fulfillment; The Love Cooking Company will be responsible for prize fulfillment. This event is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media. If you have any questions or would like help in promoting your own product please contact Karie@TheFiveFish.com or Joie@NetworkingPerks.com. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Last year I had the blessing to stay home with my kids and keep them occupied over the summer. Charades, swimming and bike rides can only fill so many hours and minutes of a kids day. So this summer we are taking fun up a notch. With my love of food, grilling, cooking and baking, the kids started to catch on. Along with their desire to help, we had a winning combination. So I took advantage of my love of baking, their help, and a new way to bond as a family. I also had a great guide that was driven more for their audience so I could cater to their needs as kids in the kitchen. Continue reading “Baking with Kids”
As we embark into the new year many of us are gearing up to execute on our new resolutions. One of your resolutions may be to wrangle your health which means taking hold of the foods we eat. Wellness begins in the kitchen. We do not lose weight by fitness alone, our bodies are living machines that process foods for optimal performance. However, we often go on fad diets for quick results and then experience a boomerang affect where the weight returns. Continue reading “The Wellness Kitchen”
The chef in the family is me. I create many dishes based on flavor, taste, experience and pure creativity. Some, are amazing, some, have been choked on and then tossed. So when I feel I need inspiration because my culinary creativity is a bit constipated I reach for my cookbooks. The holiday season is my favorite time of year, baking pies, cookies, and desserts is my specialty. But with the holiday seasons I am also finding I am running out of time to make regular scheduled meals.
Admittedly I like to be a lazy cook. Most days I would rather lounge on my couch and let the cooking be done by itself, I struggle some days to find the pure gumption to concoct a creative meal. Another admission, I rarely if ever, utilize my slow cooker. One might think with twins that I would be the slow cooker queen. Alas I am not and fail miserably to even have an ounce of creativity for it’s use aside from chili or chicken and dumplings.
Apparently there is a gamut of delicious recipes that span even farther than traditional dinners, stews, chili’s and dips. The slow cooker can be utilized for any meal at any time. With the cool weather here in Arizona and my social life that
has become more bountiful than it ever was when I was in my 20s, thanks to my children, I am finding that my slow cooker is a time and life saver when running amok. Scouts, church, volunteer events, school luncheons, field trips, Jeep owner gatherings and revelry with friends creates for little time to actually exercise my true culinary talents.
So the Easy Everyday Slow Cooker Recipes Book is chock full of ideas for dinners….and now desserts. I chose one of my favorites to nosh on for dinner in a rush. Plus if you are like me and would love to use your slow cooker more, this is the book for you. Here is a new spin on beef stew for the whole family to stay warm these fall and winter nights:
Country Italian Beef Stew, page 66, beef, international
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp vegetable oil (approx.)
6 tiny new potatoes, halved or quartered
2 parsnips, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1â„2-inch wedges
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup beef broth
1â„2 cup dry red wine
1 can (7 1â„2 oz) pizza sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
Directions:
1. In a heavy plastic bag, combine flour, salt and 1â„2 tsp of the pepper. In batches, add beef to bag and toss to coat with flour mixture. Discard excess flour mixture.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches, adding more oil as needed, for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Stir in potatoes, parsnips, fennel and onion.
3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine broth, wine, pizza sauce, garlic, rosemary and the remaining pepper. Pour over beef mixture.
4. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until bubbling. Just before serving, stir in spinach until wilted.
Tip:
Crush dried rosemary between your thumb and fingers before adding it to a dish. This helps release the full aromatic flavor of the herb.
Today I begin my marathon of holiday cooking. I truly love to cook and as I mentioned desserts. I had no idea this dessert was a holiday classic. In the Best of Bridge Holiday Classics, you can find over 225 recipes like this Chocolate Raspberry Torte that are sure to be a hit for holiday entertaining:
Ingredients: Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 squares (1 oz. / 30 g size) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar,packed
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup coffee flavoured liqueur Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. icing sugar
1-12 oz. jar raspberry or strawberry jam
Chocolate Sour Cream Icing:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup sour cream
dash of salt
fresh raspberries or strawberries
Garnish:
Courtesy of Robert Rose 2014
1 good quality dark chocolate bar (at room temperature).
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. (180 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch (1.5 L) layer cake pans. Sift dry ingredients. Melt chocolate and let cool. In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and eggs at a high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternating with sour cream (in thirds). Add coffee and liqueur, blending until smooth. Pour batter into pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until surface springs back. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool on wire racks.
Filling:Beat cream with icing sugar until stiff. Refrigerate. Slice cake layers in half horizontally to make four layers. (Hint: Cake layers slice more easily if frozen first.) Place one layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup (125 mL) raspberry jam and 1/2 cup (125 mL) whipped cream mixture. Repeat with remaining layers, ending with top layer, cut side down.
Icing:Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler. Add sour cream and salt and beat until icing is creamy and smooth. Ice top and sides of cake. Garnish: Using a vegetable peeler, shave along long side of chocolate bar to create small curls. Make lots! – and “spill†some onto the cake plate.
We hope you love these two books as much as we do! I know I enjoy having a library of cookbooks in my arsenal when I want to create something different and I’m short on time and sometimes creativity. Now you too can have these in your collection of quality cookbooks.
Disclaimer: Participating Blogs were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Robert Rose Inc, will be responsible for processing product to the winner of this sweepstakes. This event is in not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact karie@thefivefish.com if you have additional questions or concerns.
Bru Joy is bringing joy and happiness to any chef’s kitchen. The Sydney, Australia based company is dedicated to designing products that are innovative, functional and easy to use. Make your life easier, happier and more attractive with these heavy gauge stainless steel products that make operating your kitchen a breeze.
Here is what we at The Five Fish have to say about some of the products. You can find Bru Joy and their entire line of kitchen utensils and home goods available solely on Amazon.com. Continue reading “Joy to Your Kitchen with Bru Joy Giveaway”
Taking care of my family is a number one priority. One of the ways I care for them is by creating amazing meals. I love to cook those amazing meals and I take great pride in the time I put into them, but the time can take a toll. Three kids all involved in some activity, weekends with friends, serving with church, and a husband who travels creates a very hectic schedule. With all of that I am not one to skimp on meals and or breakdown and get fast food or takeout. Slow cookers are great if I planned ahead, but sometimes I just forgot to pre-plan resulting in last minute scrambling for meal prep. My life saver has been the Fagor Cayenne Pressure cooker, this awesome kitchen tool cuts cooking time for hours into mere minutes.
The Cayenne pressure cooker spices up my kitchen in the gorgeous red. Made of durable stainless steel, equipped with a veggie steamer basket and convenient cook book to get you started on your culinary adventures. Pot roast will never be the same again as you slave and wait hours for the roast to cook; in less than an hour your entire meal is complete and table ready.
Pressure cookers are great, old fashioned green technology. Good old stainless steel, no coatings or plastics. Energy is saved as pressure cookers are able cook an entire meal, dessert, whatever you wish, in a fraction of the time.
Fagor’s mission is to use resources efficiently and preserve the environment by developing quality products that consume less energy and water. Fagor is a notable partner in the Energy Star program. Fagor has manufacturing systems established to minimize environmental impact on soil, water, and air during the production process. There is also proper waste management and recycling procedures in place after manufacturing process is completed.
The 6-quart pressure cooker has a 10-inch diameter base for better browning and searing, a max fill line to notify you when you have reached capacity, two pressure settings: 2 for 15 psi and 1 for 8 psi of cooking pressure, a self-locking mechanism safely secures the pressure cooker, and an easy, automatic pressure release setting.
One of my favorite recipes and one you might not believe or think to make in a pressure cooker is cheesecake. Yes, you read that correctly, cheesecake!
Simply wrap foil in the basket and sprinkle with bread or cookie crumbs.(1 TBSP butter and 4 TBSP cookie or bread crumbs)
Blend together the following ingredients:
2 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
3/4 c. of sugar
1/4 c heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp grated lemon zest (or 1/4 tsp lemon juice)
2 TBSP flour
6 TBSP sour cream
2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
2 c. water
Pour water into the cooker. Pour the mixed ingredients into the basket and lower into the cooker. Close the lid, bring to pressure and cook; then let the pressure lower naturally. (Cook for 30 minutes on High pressure or 56 minutes on Low pressure.) Once the pressure is lowered, remove the lid and take out the cheese cake, loosen the foil, cool and then chill overnight. Serve with fresh fruit or preserves.
Now you can gift this amazing appliance and piece of cookware to chef in your life. Here are the details: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: Participating Blogs were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Earth Easy will be responsible for processing product to the winner of this sweepstakes. This event is in not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact karie@thefivefish.com if you have additional questions or concerns.
Baking is a beautiful art and magnificently delicious. Until you add the gluten free aspect. Gluten free in years past has received a bad rap for tasting lifeless, like dirt or worse, like cardboard. But food manufacturers are making great strides in creating beautiful blends of flours and artisan flours that enhance the gluten free baking and cooking experience. Continue reading “Gluten Free Baking”
