My Favorites from 2010

Two.  Thousand.  ELEVEN?

Ridiculous.  Where did the year go?

While we all ponder the passage of time, here's a quick look back at my favorites from 2010.  It was a great year for our family- new baby, new state, new house.. lots of happy changes.  I can't believe I actually managed to crank this stuff out of the kitchen during the madness.

Magic Oatmeal

This was my go-to breakfast while pregnant.  I'll love it 'til the day I die.

Tomato Tart

I don't know how many versions of this tart I've made since- it's all I want to do when I have fresh tomatoes.

Cinnamon Shoofly Ice Cream

A little taste of home for me in a new way.

Rainbow Cake

This cake was so fun to make, eat and share.  So fun for parties.  I think I would throw a party with this cake as the theme just to make it again!

Simple Watermelon Limeade

Perfect summertime sips.

Mahi Mahi with Bacon Tomato Butter

A favorite of the husband (me too, of course).  We'll be seeing this one again in 2011.

BLT Guacamole

We really like bacon around here.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

 Bursting with homemade cuteness.

Tea Time Muffins

I didn't think I would like these as much as I did.  I wish I could have one with every cup of tea!

Tequila Lime Flank Steak with Garlic and Cilantro

Sorry to my veg. readers, but it had to make the list.  Grilled perfection.

PB&J Ice Cream

I thought I was some kind of genius for creating this.  And to celebrate, I ate the whole container.

Goat Cheese and Thyme Souffle

One of the dishes for my Project Food Blog Challenge.  What a wild ride that was!  I learned a ton and am so glad I participated.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Giants

One of my favorites from Pumpkin Palooza.

Sweet and Smoky Sweet Potato Fries

This is the only way I make sweet potato fries anymore.  I just love 'em.

Pumpkin and Kale Baked Risotto

Who knew risotto could be so effortless/nutritious?  

Vanilla Bean Pudding

An indulgence that's worth it.  This is the real deal.

Lots of love and happiness to all of you in the new year- take advantage of this time and make some of those pesky changes you've been meaning to.  I'm looking forward to some fun new features which I'll be sharing with you after the clock strikes twelve.  Here's to 2011!

(Click here to see 2009's favorites, if you're interested in more reminiscing.)

It's Not Too Late: Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen

 Today is my birthday!
I'm 24 years young.
Did you think I was 24?  Discuss.

Since my birthday is so close to Christmas, I am almost always blessed with friends and family around to celebrate with.  I'm really hoping someone makes me a rainbow cake this year.. just kidding!  (Usually people are afraid to make cake for me.  So sad!)

I love to give and receive simple, homemade things during the holidays (I'm the girl who wants to stuff oranges and pomegranates in her kids' stockings), so as a birthday gift to you, I've put together this round-up of simple Christmas gifts from the kitchen.  You can make many of these with pantry items you have on hand and package them up in jars, tins or cellophane bags; whatever you've got.  I promise, you still have time to throw one of these together!  It's only Wednesday, after all.

First up, the classic gift in a jar.  Most of us have received these over the years from friends and neighbors and they're still as popular as ever.  Here are a few of my favorites:

via Good Life Eats: Pancake Mix in a Jar

I love this one!  My girl Emmy gave me a similar gift last year and it was so nice to have on hand for one of those mornings when the hubs requests pancakes and I'm still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

via Disney Family: Pumpkin Spice/Gingerbread Granola in a Jar

There can't be more than twelve people alive that don't like granola.  It's the perfect homemade gift; how can you go wrong here?  Sub in your favorite granola recipe if you like.

via Tidy Mom- Cinnamon Honey Butter Jars

Tell me you would not love to receive this.  I dare you!  So simple, but unique.

via What's Gaby Cooking- Cakes in a Jar

Forget powdered mixes.  Give 'em the real thing!  You could pair it with some homemade hot fudge or caramel sauce, too... yum.

via Baked Bree- Toffee Blondies in a Jar

Okay, these are just gorgeous looking.  Bree has just finished up her 12 weeks of Christmas cookies and every single recipe would make a fabulous gift.  Check them all out in her recipe file (look for  '12 Weeks of Cookies' under Desserts).

And now time to think out-of-the-jar, if you will.

via Our Best Bites- Cookie Dough Gift
I mentioned this quickly in my post yesterday, but I think it's such a great idea that I had to mention it again.  No pressure to eat these right away- how great is that, especially with all the holiday goodies around?  Wouldn't you love to pull this out of your freezer (post-New Year's Resolution..)?

via 52 Kitchen Adventures- Chai Tea Mix

Brilliant!  A tea lover's dream.  Bag it up in cellophane, stick it in a mug with a tea infuser/tea ball and you've got a gift!

Une-Deux Senses- Fleur de Sel Caramels

 Sea salt caramels are a no-brainer if you're not afraid to work with sugar.  Your friends and family will love you and bug you all year long to make you more.

via My Kitchen Addiction- Cocoa Cardamom Espresso Roasted Almonds

I've had my eye on these ever since Jen posted them!  Sweet roasted almonds always remind me of seeing the Christmas shows at the Sight & Sound Theater.  (Have you been, Jen?)

via Confections of a Foodie Bride- Swirly White and Semisweet Peppermint Bark

Can't forget peppermint bark!  One of the easiest and most addicting gifts of all.  I love the look of this marbled one.

via Not Without Salt- Vanilla Salt

Simple and gorgeous.  Perfect for the foodie in your life, since they might be the only person you know who would appreciate vanilla salt..

  via Giver's Log- Hot Chocolate on a Stick
These are adorable and a genius idea.  Wrap up a few of these with some marshmallows (see below) and package in a mug for an adorable gift.  I made these for our first annual gingerbread house party and they were easy peasy.

 
In the beverage category..

via The Lipstick Blogger- Homemade Irish Cream

Great to have on hand during the holidays.  You don't want your hostess to run out!

via The Food Channel- Lemoncello Liqueur

Though I'm pretty positive it's 'limoncello' (right??), I can't ignore this beautiful-looking liqueur.  Someone send lemons, and fast!

via Modern Comfort Food- Basilcello and Crancello

Now it's time to get a little crazy.  Check out these two twists on the lemon classic.  Think of the cool drinks you could make!

And last, but not least, a few from the Oven Love archives.

Honey Barbecue Sauce.
This is a great idea for husbands and dads or anyone who loves to grill.  Pair it with a spice rub, some grill utensils, an apron or a cookbook- lots of possibilities here.

Marshmallows.
I've posted my pumpkin version (pictured here), and recently made some honey vanilla marshmallows from Joy the Baker which I can't stop talking about.  These would be great on their own, with some hot chocolate mix (like Jess' idea!), in a mug, in a s'mores kit, dipped in chocolate, on a stick.. I could go on.  Just make these for someone/yourself!

Lemon Curd.
Easy and delicious.  Put it in a cute jar, maybe with a recipe card or a batch of biscuits?

Whew!  Thanks for hanging with me to the end.  I hope you got a little inspiration for your last minute gifting.  I'm signing off for the holidays and off to track down some birthday cake!

Oatmeal Cookies [Four Ways] with Real Butter

Merry Christmas, sweet Oven Lovers!

I've got some treats for you today.

Treats that I created with a little help from Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program and Real Butter.

Let's get to it.

 It was so cool to have all of these goodies show up on my doorstep.  Christmas definitely came early for me.  Foodbuzz and Real Butter hooked me up with baking tools, cookie cutters, holiday packaging, and most importantly- butter!

I wanted to showcase some of the fun holiday packaging, so I decided to show you a handful of variations on the classic oatmeal cookie.  These cookies are quick to throw together and great as a gifts (and even easier if you put together this cookie dough gift idea. I love this!!).  You should go ahead and loosen your belt now.

Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I love this first combo- sweet and tart with a little extra chewiness from the coconut.  Macadamia nuts would be a great add-in here, too.  Throw them in a sweet little tin, wrap it with ribbon, and you're good to go.

 

 Chocolate Chip Sunflower Oatmeal Cookies.

A great salty and sweet option.  I'm a big fan of the chocolate/oatmeal combo myself and there are plenty of people who prefer chocolate to raisins in their oatmeal cookies.  Tie two cookies up with ribbon and drop them in neighboring cubicles with your Christmas card.

Easy Granola Oatmeal Cookies.

These are the easiest of the bunch- you just add any type of granola you like- zero thought involved with these babies.  Tie them up in a cellophane bag and pass them out to neighbors and friends.

 White Chocolate Apricot Oatmeal Cookies.

These were actually my favorite of the bunch.  I love the white chocolate- it's just perfect.  Fill up a holiday takeout box with these tasty gems.  You could even get a plain white takeout box and decorate your own- or better yet, let the kids decorate them!

I really love the versatility of this base recipe.  You can throw just about anything into this batter and have delicious results.  Any of these batters would be great to have in the freezer for impromptu holiday guests.  Everyone loves the smell of cookies baking, I know I do!  Thanks again to Foodbuzz and Real Butter for sending all the goodies that inspired this post.

I hope you're all enjoying your Christmas week so far.  It always seems to be a crazy week for us.  With my birthday (Wednesday, ahem!), a baby who's getting into e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g and all of the traveling, things can get nuts/bananas; but it's always fun and full of memories.  I hope to have another post or two up for you this week, but I know you'll give me some grace if I don't.  I'm sure you'll be too busy hanging out with your families to be reading blogs anyways.  Wishing you all of God's blessings and the merriest Christmas!

Oatmeal Cookies (Base Recipe)
adapted from Smitten Kitchen


1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, and then add your mix-ins. *See below!*

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them.   You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but they won't be as thick or chewy.  I definitely suggest chilling them.

The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

Classic Raisin Version (not pictured): add 3/4 cup raisins and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Coconut Cranberry Version: add 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Chocolate Chip Sunflower Version: add 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
Easy Granola Version: omit 1 cup rolled oats and add 1 cup granola (I suggest a chunkier granola with some fruit and nuts)
White Chocolate Apricot Version: add 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate (or chips) and 1/2 cup diced dried apricots

Cheddar Jack Spoonbread

Remember when I moved to the South and I thought I was going to do all kinds of Southern cooking but never really did?  What is my deal!?  I really need to break out the Paula Deen.

Lately, I've been into this thing called spoonbread.  Have you heard of it?  It's this Southern cornmeal souffle concoction that's pretty delicious.  It's a great side dish and I think it would make a nice addition to your holiday table.  It looks puffy and beautiful for the first 10-15 minutes out of the oven (this one was photographed after the souffle relaxed).  I'd also serve it as a vegetarian main dish with a salad, eat a cold bowl of it for lunch (weird?), feed it to my baby, you know, the usual.  Very versatile.

I really wanted this to be a Jalapeno Cheddar Jack Spoonbread, but I had zero jalepenos to my name, so it wasn't in the cards.  But I want you to finely dice a jalepeno and throw it in there next time if you're into that kind of thing.  Or green chile!  I really should have added some green chile.. that would be DE-LISH.  Get on that, Jess!

 

So what are your thoughts?  Ready to try some spoonbread?  Have you had it before?  Are there any other variations I should know about?

Also, I'm really going to try to show you something Christmas-related before the big day arrives.. just for funsies.  We'll see what we come up with as we eat down our fridge before holiday traveling. Keep your eyes peeled!

Cheddar Jack Spoonbread
-based on a recipe from my girl, Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon butter, plus more for baking dish
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
Coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
4 large eggs, separated 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish or casserole; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, milk, corn, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, ground mustard and cayenne. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Let cool until just warm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Stir in egg yolks quickly until combined. 

In a clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the whites into cornmeal mixture until combined, then gently fold in the remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Pour into prepared dish.

Place dish in oven; reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Bake until browned on top but still slightly loose in the center, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Gramercy Tavern's Gingerbread Bundt

The first dessert I thought of for a gingerbread party was (of course) gingerbread itself.  I didn't want to do cookies since I thought that might be overkill or people would end up using them in their designs.  I opted for a bundt cake instead, using Claudia Fleming's Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread via Smitten Kitchen.  I think it looked perfect on my dessert buffet.  Who can resist a bundt?

 The gingerbread has a real old-fashioned taste to it, so it's not for sissies (but I know none of you readers are sissies, so no big deal).  It's got Guinness, molasses, dark brown sugar and lots of delicious wintry spices that will take you back to the first time you tasted gingerbread.  Or give you a taste of the real thing if you've never had it.  It gets even more delicious as it sits (as all the best cakes do), so I'd suggest making it a day or two ahead of time for guests.

Oh, and if you want the men to try it, all you have to do is say there's Guinness in it.  They'll devour it within minutes, they can't help it.  Most of them are magnetically attracted to anything containing beer.  Who can blame 'em?

To see more details on my gingerbread house party, see the full post.

PS- My living room is yellow, and it made my pictures look even more yellow.  Any photogs out there have advice on taking photos in a yellow room?

Gramercy Tavern’s Gingerbread
by Claudia Fleming via Smitten Kitchen

1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout (I used Guinness - we always have it around the house, though I usually have to be sneaky if I want to use one in a recipe)
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess. (She is not kidding about this. I used a nonstick pan with a butter/flour spray and still lost a chunk of cake. I will be more generous next time.)

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.

Do ahead: This gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature. I am sure it will keep well-wrapped in the freezer even longer.

How to Throw a Gingerbread House Party

Friends, today I have a fantastic holiday party idea to share with you.

I want you to throw a gingerbread house party!

It's super-fun.  People love it.  It can even get a little competitive.

I'm going to give you the run-down on my party and all the tips you need to throw a successful house-building party of your own, so let's get started.

invitations. This is a no-brainer first step.  I chose to use a simple evite.  You could invite friends through Facebook, or even go old school and invite people through the mail (this gingerbread invitation is adorable!).  Make sure you stress the importance of RSVPs so that you have enough house materials.

planning.  here's what you're going to need:

gingerbread. you can make this yourself (i used a tutorial from King Arthur Flour) or use the graham cracker method. i'd suggest baking the gingerbread or cutting the graham crackers before the party to speed up the process and make things easy for everyone, especially first-timers.

frosting/icing/glue. royal icing works the best, seriously.  you shouldn't have any issues with falling houses.  also, make sure you have some plastic piping bags or zip top bags for each person or family building a house.

building surfaces. i used squares of cardboard covered with aluminum foil.  i numbered them with stickers in each corner to make voting easier later.

candy. lots and lots of candy! i asked my guest to bring candy with them.  this is a great way to involve them in the preparation- people are always asking what to bring, right?  i like to save my extra Halloween candy for this purpose, too.

voting materials. all you need here is a jar, a pen and some small pieces of paper.  a prize for the winner is great, too- nothing big necessary (we made a giant gingerbread man).

 

Here are some ideas if you'd like to add a simple little dessert bar:

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Honey Vanilla Marshmallows

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Peppermints and Peppermint Sticks

I'll be sharing more about these recipes later this week.

before/as guests arrive: set out small bowls or empty egg containers to put candy in.  napkins or paper towels are a good idea, too- things can get messy!  arrange a space for party-goers to pick up their building surfaces, frosting tubes and gingerbread pieces.  when your guests arrive, help them to grab their supplies and empty their candy into containers. explain the basics to newcomers and let them get to building. you can set a time limit if you're getting really serious about things, but if not, just have a rough idea in your mind of when you'd like to wrap up the decorating.  people can really get into it and might decorate all day if you let them!  as folks finish their houses, line them up together in a little gingerbread neighborhood and allow people to check them all out before they vote for their favorite.

Here's a little shot of our winner (and our little man chewing on his prize).  It wasn't rigged, I promise!  We even had two rounds of voting.  He can't help it.. he's an engineer.

Those are the basics, folks.  Now get to building- there's still time for a little fun before this Christmas.  Anyone have any questions?  Ideas for next year's party?