Tuesday, December 11, 2012

You win some, you lose some

I got together with a friend this weekend to do some holiday baking. In addition to the usual suspects, I decided to add in a few recipes I've discovered on Pinterest, such as http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748329109759/.

This came out pretty good - not great, but I think I know why. As in, I didn't follow the directions closely enough and didn't let the caramel thicken after it came to a slow boil. It's still tasty, just a little grainy. I'll definitely make it again.

We also tried to make this http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748328571631/. Granted, Lauren was making this, not me, so I'm not exactly sure what went wrong. She said once she added the mint to the white chocolate that everything got lumpy and she was no longer able to stir it. She did try to do it in a microwave vs. a double boiler, so maybe if I try it in the future I will use a double boiler in hopes of eliminating that particular issue.

Monday, December 03, 2012

Comfort food at its best

http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327181565/

This is the first recipe I ever made off of Pinterest, and probably the best. Again, I use Jimmy Dean's Hot sausage. And, if you were in any kind of "hurry," you could totally skip the "cheesy yum" and just go with straight shredded mozzarella.

Stuffed pasta shells

I really like this recipe:
http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327183493/

I have recipes for a couple of versions of stuffed pasta shells, but this one is probably my favorite. I use a 1-pound tube of Jimmy Dean's Hot sausage, which I think gives it really nice flavor.

Banoffee Pie

As fun to say as it is to eat:
http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327183514/

Let's be honest here. You can make this recipe the long and (probably) more delicious way, or you can make it in about 4 minutes. I think it's safe to say I did it the short route, and used a store-bought crust, a can of dulce de leche and a bowl of frozen whipped cream. And you know what? It was good.

Would I take the time to make it the "right" way in the future? Sure. But if I am in need of something quick and easy, I'm totally okay with going the short route again.

Easy and impressive

If you are looking for a quick and easy brunch dish that looks impressive, here it is:
http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327184586/

Rather than making my own dough, I took a shortcut and just used refrigerated dough. See? Easy!

In a word: tasty

http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327187240/

Chambord and champagne? What's not to like?

These were not remotely terrible

http://pinterest.com/pin/170925748327363740/

That is all. :)