Cork Board Revamp

I had this cork board for ages. It was just collecting dust and I wanted to do something with it. I dont know give it a new look. Here is what I did. If you want more pics of the step by step process or the how to let me know in a comment below. If you would like to have me make one for you just put it in the comment. :)

Saint Patricks Day Nails

I am part Irish as most claim to be.  I love learning about my heritage but I also love the fact that I can show of my pride by doing my nails.  Here is what I did this past St. Patricks Day a few weeks back.

Nail Art Randoms

Here are a Few pics of some nail art I have done. I am still new to it and I enjoy practicing and getting better every time. Here are just a few.

                               Vampire Accent nail kinda reminds me of Rocky Horror Picture Show!

                                                                   Rainbow toe accent


                       

                                                       Water marble

                                                    Three tone aztec-y color steps

                                                             Blue,teal,mint ombre with mint dot accents

Tirimusu cake

I love to bake and to cook.  I know I got that from my mother.  I was always in the kitchen watching and wanting to help measure or pour or stir something.  I miss her terribly. She passed on something in me that I have passed to my sister( when she has needed recipe advice) and hopefully to my children someday. Well, I love italian cuisine and I was in the mood for some Tiramisu.  I tweaked a recipe I found on Smitten Kitchen.com  so here goes.


Tiramisu Cake
Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
For the cake layers:
2 cups (255 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons or 140 grams)) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (175 ml) buttermilk
For the espresso extract:
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons (30 ml) boiling water
For the espresso syrup:
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy (Deb note: I used brandy) (My note:I used E&J Brandy)
For the filling and frosting:
1 8-ounce (225 grams) container mascarpone
1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (15 ml) amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy (Deb note: I used brandy)(My note:I used E&J Brandy)
1 cup (235 ml) cold heavy cream( or heavy whipping cream)
2 1/2 ounces (70 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or about 1/2 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
To make the cake:
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.
To make the extract:
Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.
To make the syrup:
Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.
To make the filling and frosting:
Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.
Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.
To assemble the cake:
If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.
For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake too.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.
 This is optional: ( I just dusted  individual slices as needed as not everyone wanted the bitter cocoa on their slices.) Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa. I cut a star shape out of waxed paper and placed it lightly over the cake, and shaved a layer of chocolate over it with a microplane, before carefully removing the star to leave a stenciled shape.

Foodie 101

Hello everyone,

I am new to this and I am learning as I go...If you have any hints or tips please send them my way. I have become addicted to reading blogs and posts on cooking and recipes and have collected so many that I am starting to try some of them out. I had been craving spaghetti for a while so I thought I would go to the one place I know I wouldnt be let down...Giada's page (http://www.giadadelaurentiis dot com/) I love watching her show and the things that she puts together as in ingredients I would never think they would work but she knows her stuff. Well, as I said I am new to the blog thing so bare with me. This is a simple marinara sauce but I added meat to it to make it a hearty spaghetti sauce.

Marinara Sauce

Directions:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil( I just coated the bottom of a pot about an inch)
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
1 lb minced beef (optional)


In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. ( I let them simmer stirring once as I was cutting up the carrots and celery)
Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. ( I added this much as this is what the recipe called for but with the garlic I would have rather not put so much salt so hold off on salt if you dont like things salty or half the salt it could have been the tomatoes that I used...so just taste before you add it all in maybe do a little at a time...) Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. ( I let it simmer while I cleaned up all the shavings and ends of celery and carrots and unloaded and loaded the dishwasher as to get it ready for after dinner...I hate a messy kitchen) Add the tomatoes ( I added one can of water per can of tomatoes and that seemed to be fine I was scared it would be too thin but after the 2 hours it was right on the money!!!) and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste( I only added the 1/2 at the point i put in the tomatoes...and mine was fine it was a bit salty or at least I thought so but no one else complained..lol) When I served it I shaved fresh mozzarella on top of the spaghetti you can also use fresh parm as well. Happy Eating!



Well there you have it. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I also served garlic bread with a baby spinich salad with vidalia onion vinergerette with fresh Mozzarella on top!