Mushroom, Fig & Goat Cheese Phyllo Purses

Not too long ago, I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at McCormick & Schmick's. One of the dishes we enjoyed was a Seared Walleye with a Phyllo Purse stuffed with Wild Mushrooms, Figs and Goat Cheese. My mother in law raved about the Phyllo Purse, even well after the dinner. The next day, I attempted to recreate the phyllo purse seeing that I had similar ingredients on hand. It was pretty close to the original flavor of the dish but my Mushroom, Fig & Goat Cheese Phyllo Purses were still really good. Here's my take on such a delicious restaurant creation...

Cupcakes & Cocktails: Guilty Pleasurez

Not too long ago, I hosted a Cupcake Bootcamp. It was a great time with friends and cupcakes, naturally! One of my friends that came was Tracey, who actually just started up her cupcake company called Guilty Pleasurez. She specializes in cupcakes flavored after her favorite cocktails. I recently had the opportunity to taste some of her amazing creations and here's my review...

Meatball Lasagna

Lasagna is definite a great dish to enjoy all year, but even more during the cooler months. I've made lasagna a few different ways and I'm always in search of new recipes. This Meatball Lasagna was meaty, hearty and really comforting, especially for the chilly nights we've been having here lately. Filled with homemade meatballs, italian sausage and cheese, this recipe is sure to be a family favorite!

Italian Cheese Straws

Puff pastry has always been something I'd like to make from scratch. However, I've heard some horror stories from fellow baker friends which kept me buying the packaged puff pastry for years. But since I had some time to play in the kitchen, I figured I'd give it a shot and see what happens. It actually wasn't too bad and I plan on practicing some more! The first time I made homemade puff pastry, I made these Italian Cheese Straws which I shared with my culinary class. They turned out okay but I've made the recipe a couple times since and I'm getting better! Besides, you can't go wrong with butter and cheese...

Autumn Pumpkin Caramel Muffins

It's been such a rough week that I'm so behind on my cooking and baking schedule. But thankfully, friends are more patient when they know good food is on the way, right?! This week I was asked to select the Project Pastry Queen recipe for the group and being that we're at the end of October, I thought a baked treat using pumpkin was in order. As a result, I chose Pastry Queen's 'Edie's Autumn Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping.' I'm all for making recipes as written but I find more pleasure in tweaking them to make a dish my own. With this recipe, I made some adaptations (as usual) and came up with this spin, Autumn Pumpkin Caramel Muffins. Yum. It's more fall deliciousness in a perfect serving!

Tiered Owl Birthday Cake & Owl Oreo Cupcake Tower

Lately, I've been so busy on weekends catering various parties and this past weekend was a fun one! With Halloween just around the corner, birthdays this time of year are especially fun to celebrate. Our little Ayden, the son of  close family friends, turned the big 2 years old. He had a Halloween Costume Birthday Party to tie in Halloween, giving all his friends a chance to wear their costumes early. When I consulted Ayden's mom, she loved the idea of having an owl cake to highlight the fall season and still have a whimsical look for a toddler birthday. As a result, I made this Three Tiered Owl Birthday Cake with an Owl Oreo Cupcake Tower...

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Pumpkin... it's an ingredient you'll see in almost every type of dish in the month of October. Thank goodness this year there wasn't that much of a shortage like we experienced last year. Since I was on a fall-flavored cupcake kick with the recent catering order I had, it's no surprise pumpkin was going to be used somehow. These Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes were made using a spice cake recipe that I adapted and it really carried the pumpkin flavor well...

Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Cupcakes

Snickerdoodle cookies are popular at holiday cookies swaps (which will be just around the corner!) namely because they're easy to make and who doesn't like a simple cinnamon sugar cookie? Using these cookies as inspiration, I thought Snickerdoodle Cupcakes would be a great addition to the fall cupcake tower I recently made. These cupcakes are moist with just the right amount of cinnamon in each bite. The vanilla bean buttercream was also good, especially with the sprinkling of cinnamon sugar to top them off...

Caramel Pear & Ginger Cupcakes

Pear and ginger is a great fall flavor combination. I really like the delicate sweetness of pears and how it balances the spiciness of ginger in baked goods. Seeing so many pear and ginger recipes for bread, muffins and tarts in recent magazines, websites and cookbooks, I figured it could be made into a seasonal cupcake flavor too. Using a great spice cake recipe, I made these Caramel Pear & Ginger Cupcakes by adding a touch of ginger and folding in chopped pears. The buttery caramel drizzle really put it over the top...

Apple Walnut Cupcakes

It's fall and it's when I tend to use certain baking spices specifically this time of year. Those spices include cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Together, they create a sense of warmth and comfort in baked goods. When I came across a recipe for spice cake from Cooks Illustrated, I thought about how a typical spice cake recipe can be used to highlight fall flavors. To this spice cake recipe, I added chopped apples and walnuts to ultimately create these Apple Walnut Cupcakes. After frosting with a simple Vanilla Bean Buttercream and garnishing with chopped walnuts, it was great treat to capture the flavors of fall and make use of apples in season!

Fall Cupcake Tower

I've been in a cupcake making mood lately. I'm not sure how it came about but I've been thinking up some great seasonal flavors and was looking for reasons just to make them. Well, I'm a firm believer that opportunities come along for a reason. When I least expected it, my aunt asked me if I could make some cupcakes for our church's anniversary luncheon. I was thrilled! She thought my idea of doing seasonal flavors was a nice change from the usual yellow and chocolate cupcakes folks may be used to. With that, I made 2 cupcake towers featuring fall flavors for the church...

McCormick & Schmick's: An Evening of Perfect Combinations

So, on a night when I should be in class (er, in the kitchen), I played hooky. As much as I love going to school and sweating it out in a kitchen over hot stovetops, ovens and getting grimy cleaning things in a 3 compartment sink, I told my instructor that I won't be going to our culinary kitchen lab this week. What could possibly keep me from going?... An amazing dinner at McCormick & Schmick's, featuring "An Evening of Perfect Combinations." 

Really Good Classic Pot Roast

This is the time of year when I really enjoy being in the kitchen. Granted, I love being in the kitchen  all year round but there's something about the fall season when cooking in the kitchen just feels really good. Perhaps its partially due to all the comforting dishes I tend to make during the brisk season. One such dish that I tend to make is a pot roast. There are so many different recipes on how to prepare it that I enjoy testing new ones every year in hopes of finding something new, interesting or challenging. This time, I tried this Really Good Pot Roast recipe with a sauce made with roasted vegetables...

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese buffet restaurants are considered my family's second kitchen. As soon as my parents grew tired of catering and cooking home meals in general, they became big fans of Chinese buffet restaurants. Let's face it, those restaurants have an abundant spread of dishes, allow you to eat as much as you wanted and the low cost was a big draw. But despite how much me and my siblings groaned about eating at the local Chinese buffet with my parents week after week, there was no arguing the fact we loved the dishes and food there. One of my favorites was the ever popular Chinese American dish, General Tso's Chicken. It may be more convenient to hit up the local Chinese buffet to eat this dish but I'd rather make it at home for a much better tasting version...

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Beef, its what's for dinner. Normally I'm not a big beef eater, namely because my husband doesn't eat beef for health reasons so I don't cook it too often. But when my instructor said that we would be making Braised Beef Short Ribs for class, I was super excited. I love short ribs for the meaty flavor and tenderness when braised. This recipe was no exception and it was great to walk through the braising process with beef. Besides, I don't think I've ever seen such big short ribs quite like these...

Pan Frying 101: Pan Fried Chicken & Gravy

With the brisk weather these days, nothing warms us up more than old standby dishes like comfort food. In class, we tackled the cooking technique of pan-frying by making a popular comfort dish - fried chicken. The Pan-Fried Chicken & Gravy we made really hit the spot and was a lot of fun to make. As easy as it may seem to make fried chicken, there really is some science involved for both the chicken and gravy... which also requires some skill and experience...

White Chicken Chili

Chili is one of my favorite fall meals and it's the perfect dish for a crisp, fall day. Aside from the typical red chili, white chicken chili is one we especially like at home. I made this White Chicken Chili recently and we loved the spicy kick it had. With three different fresh chiles used in this recipe, it was a great way to learn more about chiles too. Well, except for the "hot hands"...

Pumpkin Caramel Cupcakes

It wouldn't be fall unless I used pumpkin in a recipe... and that I did! I've been on a cupcake kick recently, which is interesting since I'm not really that into cupcakes to begin with. Nonetheless, there are a few fall cupcake flavors I'd like to try, with this being one of them. These Pumpkin Caramel Cupcakes came about because I grew tired of seeing the combination of pumpkin and chocolate. I actually prefer pumpkin and caramel together since the sweet buttery notes of caramel pair so well with each other...

Cheese Please! French Cheese Tasting

Did you know that cheese is produced in more than forty countries around the world? From the simple ingredients of milk, rennin and salt, cheese makers have created hundreds of regional varieties of cheese. Each country has its own history and style of production that gives its products their distinctive flavor, aroma and texture. Since it's not hard to find fellow cheese lovers, I hosted another cheese tasting event with What's Cookin, Chicago. We took a closer look and had a taste of some amazing French cheeses...

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Peanut butter is probably a staple in most homes but in our house, it's not so common because my husband isn't a fan. However, that didn't stop me from making these Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Muffins. I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate (who doesn't?) and it's a nice treat to start out the day with it! These muffins can be enjoyed in the morning, for lunch, or even as an afternoon treat. Whether you have children or not, you can make this combination a little bit more healthy by the addition of vegetables too...

Pee Wee Purees

My son is in for a treat when he'll be ready for solids in the next month or two. Until then, I've been having fun playing with various vegetable and fruit purees by incorporating them in everyday dishes. For the recent Pee Wee Puree Party I hosted, friends and I made a handful of purees for babies and our older children as well. These purees make great additions to everyday recipes to sneak in some extra goodness...

Mac & Cheese Muffins

If there's one dish kids know about, it's macaroni and cheese. Even adults love this comforting dish since it's one many of us grew up on. For my recent Pee Wee Puree Party, I knew macaroni and cheese had to be on the menu but I didn't want to feature dishes requiring the use of utensils. With so many kids and adults coming, having finger friendly foods was the best way to go. When it came to serving up macaroni and cheese, I decided on making individual portions in my muffin pan and that's when these Mac & Cheese Muffins came about. The best part? Not only are they a cute portion to eat, they're packed with some nutrients and a vegetable too. Shhh... what they don't know won't hurt them!

Culinary School: Week 6 Recap

We just finished week 6 and it's getting more in depth with culinary principles. We covered so much that the nights in the kitchen just fly by. My cooking partner and I work really well together so it's been great tackling the recipes we're given. This week we learned more about braising, poaching and sautéing. Read on to see how we applied our learning from my culinary principles course...

Mashed Potato Casserole

Potatoes are such a staple in American pantries but in our house, we prefer rice... although I continue to try switching things up with potatoes every now and then. To accompany the hearty beef stew I made for dinner, I came across this recipe for Mashed Potato Casserole and it's a little twist on the usual mashed potato side dish. If you like light and fluffy potatoes, this recipe is for you!...

Hearty Beef Stew

It's definitely fall and one of my favorite dishes to make during a brisk fall evening is a Hearty Beef Stew. Making the stew for dinner came at a perfect time since we had some leftover red wine from our recent sushi party. (Which is odd since I try my best not to have leftover wine under any circumstance lol!) Nonetheless, this hearty stew will warm you up like a comforting blanket on a cool night...

Creamy Carbonara

One of the simplest and quickest pasta dishes to make would have to be a Carbonara. It's a dish that has a creamy egg and cheese sauce tossed with spaghetti and a bit of bacon. The trick to this dish is getting the right consistency for the sauce. Many recipes I've tried resulted in a gloppy mess with little flavor, however this recipe for Creamy Carbonara was absolutely perfect. The sauce was silky smooth, flavorful and and a nice creamy consistency. How did I do it? It's all in the wrist...er, whisk!

Sushi Party!

Sushi is such a popular cuisine and today I hosted a Sushi Party with friends and family. It was a great time playing with such a colorful table of ingredients, fragrant rice and getting hands on with the rolling maki and forming nigiri sushi. We also had fun testing out a new sushi gadget called the 'Sushezi'!...

Foodbuzz 24x24: Pee Wee Puree Party!

It's crazy how quickly babies really grow up. It seems just like yesterday that my son Joel, came home from the hospital. Now, he's just about 5 months old and growing more and more everyday. Soon, he'll be starting a new and exciting stage... eating baby food! To join me in this exciting phase in parenting, I hosted a 'Pee Wee Puree Party' with friends and family. As an added bonus, FoodBuzz surprised me by featuring my party for their October 24x24 Food Event, highlighting parties for kids. For FoodBuzz's 24x24 Food Event, they showcase food blog posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers of 24 unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period. I was thrilled to have my party featured!

Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods

Our dear friends, Megan and Matt, hosted a lovely baptism and reception for their handsome son, Will. For the reception, Megan asked if I could make some edible favors for her guests, which I was so happy to do. I'm a fan of chocolate covered pretzel rods and for the favors, I jazzed them up with some toffee bits to make Toffee Crunch Pretzel Rods. They were a hit and so simple to make...

Yellow & Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes

Now that I'm a mom, I've grown to love childrens' birthdays more and more. Over the weekend, my friend Andrea threw a wonderful birthday 2nd party for her handsome son, Evan, and asked me to make some cupcakes for the celebration. The party had a cute Mickey Mouse theme so I kept it simple by making buttery Yellow Sour Cream Cupcakes and Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes... with a secret ingredient to keeping them moist...

Poaching 101: Poached Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Poaching is one cooking method I don't really do very often. Although, after learning more about this technique in class, I may have to play around with more poaching recipes in the future! I learned that poaching is a little more involved than I once thought. This technique can really make a wonderful chicken dish if done properly. To apply what we've learned about poaching and simmering, we prepared this recipe for Poached Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce...

Braising 101: Coq au Vin

We're getting into some more in depth techniques in class and I'll be highlighting the recipes we've made to demonstrate techniques we've learned. This week we learned more about braising and stewing poultry. One dish that applies techniques we've learned about is Coq au Vin. It's a classic French dish in which chicken is braised in wine...

Cannoli Cupcakes

Just shy of a year ago, I took a long weekend trip with girlfriends to Boston. There, I fell in love with the North End neighborhood which highlighted Italian cuisine and culture. I thought about that trip the other day and that's when I was inspired to make an Italian inspired dessert. While on my trip, I indulged in so many sweets but one that is synonymous with Italian cuisine is the famous cannoli. I wasn't feeling quite that ambitious to make authentic cannoli so instead, I made Cannoli Cupcakes!