Cupcake Flavors (and they're open to suggestions too)All other frostings are made with a rich butter cream base to start.
**Note** Amanda is very allergic to strawberries. If you need a strawberry recipe please let them know in advance so they can find an alternate baker.
Call @ (360) 888-0416 or email zachandamanda@comcast.net to get some!
My Nonnie used to make us Teddy Bear Pancakes, which then meant my mom had to as well (and she would do Mickey Mouse, etc. too). Great memories there growing up, and I think my wee sous chef is catching on to loving to create in the kitchen! Yes, he's the one that ran to find his little chef's hat.
I picked up two of these DynoBytes sandwich cutters at QFC a couple weeks ago (one to add to Gavino's birthday package too) and these little dinos have been a hit in Madeline's lunches. She requested only dino sammies both days of this short school week.
No recipes, but we had a great Red Leicester aged cheddar, and an excellent "No Woman" Jamaican cheese (Jerk seasonings and caramel tones) from Beecher's Cheese of Pike Place Market fame, sun-dried tomato stuffed olives, Gorgonzola Crackers from Trader Joe's (YUM!!) on our appetizer plate — and, blood oranges! Yeah for delicious citrus!
It's a small place (three 2-tops, and a 6-seat bar along the window) with 12 chairs total indoors (plus outdoor seating in warm, dry weather) but they do take-out, and the great food more than makes up for the view of Bothell-Lake City Way out the window. We'll definitely be going back to sample more fine Southern hospitality and cookin' (there are stil Po' Boys, alligator, frog legs, coleslaw, deep-fried pickles, and a bevy of other things to try)!
Yes, that's right. Gingersnap Latte. I was corrected this morning when ordering my first of the season. It's no longer Gingerbread Latte, and the difference appears to be the crystallized ginger sprinkled on the top of the drink. I'm glad that I knew it was there, because when you get to the bottom of your drink and there are chunks of something... startling even if you knew something was there.
So, when I saw this new product on the shelf near the eggs, I was intrigued. And, reading the ingredients, it really is just stuff that you'd put in batter yourself. So, why not give it a try? It's in a spray can like ReddiWhip whipped cream, and you just plug in your waffle iron, shake up the can, and spray on the iron. Cook as usual. Rinse off the top and put the can back in the fridge. It was three breakfasts for the four of us (we only do one waffle a piece though, the kids have 1/2 each).
Happy Anniversary to us (in Italian)! Northern Italian cuisine at its best — Café Juanita dinner… always wonderful, and a great way to celebrate turning 13! Plus we found a new favorite red wine. So very smooth and delicious – now to find a source for said wine…
Clear Creek Pear Brandy Cocktail with Prosciutto Wrapped Grissini
Starters: Papparadelle pasta with Goose Sugo (sauce)
Zuppa della Sera - Parmigiano Brodo with Wagyu New York Beef and Nettles (delicious soup, like the Pho of Italy, but in a small bowl)
Fish & Game: Saddle of
Seared Sushi-grade Jack Yellowtail with creamed Parmigiano Fingerling potatoes, Spring greens and Meyer lemon
Dessert: Pear Rhubarb crisp and Dark Chocolate heaven (truffle-like creamy dessert with vanilla sauce) 2/3 of the choc thing came home because it was SO rich and Grammy and the kids had it. Grammy savored – the kids inhaled it like ravenous hungry wolves and licked up every last bit… I swear they were growling while eating it.
Pear Salad
(Chef Holly Smith)
1/3-1/2 c toasted pine nuts
1–2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Parmigiano Reggiano, peeled with vegetable peeler into thin strips
2 oz. white truffle oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
We love Kagome juice. LOVE it. One 8-oz. serving is a full adult daily serving of veggies AND fruits. I found it at Whole Foods when Madeline was about one and wanted juice, but I didn't want to give her "liquid sugar". Kagome is spendy at Whole Foods or QFC, but Bartell's often sells it for $2/large bottle and sometimes even less with a coupon. Fred Meyer often has it on sale too. Since I cut it with half water for the kids too, it goes even further. And, I think the varieties of flavors helps develop their diverse (and un-picky) palates!
Kagome Juice Knox "Jelly" Blocks
I'll admit that I'm usually fairly snobbish about buy-and-bake cookie dough. Much of it is not worth the money, and tastes fake and chemically (one exception is Tom's Cookie Dough—really good). I'm loving Pillsbury's Sugar Cookie Dough Sheets for Halloween. They are great (I found them in the fridge section by the eggs at QFC). We did some with Aura and Miki on Friday and more today with Grammy and Ukki. No rolling, no mixing, easy with kids, very tasty, and they come with good white and orange icing (in bags that you just snip the corners off of to pipe!). Two sheets to a package—about $3.50 for two (or more) dozen depending on the size of cookie you make. "Scraps" from cut-out cookies can be rolled into balls to bake. You'll have way more time and energy to get into decorating if you don't have to make dough or do the clean up!
When you've got excellent ingredients, it's "easy peasy" (as Jamie Oliver would say) to throw together gorgeous food in a hurry. We've got beautiful red leaf lettuce, tomatoes and cukes from our new organic box.
