Saltine Cracker English Toffee & Christmas Playlist #2

Yes, English Toffee with saltine crackers! I know it may sound a bit strange but it’s seriously so delish! Every Christmas I attempt to make toffee and every Christmas it turns out chip your tooth hard. So I was excited when I saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a shot. It’s the easiest toffee I’ve ever made! And the best part, it’s so good and you won’t break a tooth while eating it (which is success in my book). It has the perfect chewy yet slightly crunchy texture.

Hope you give this a try before the season is over. It would make a lovely Christmas gift! :)

Saltine Cracker English Toffee -

(Recipe found @ http://www.sixsistersstuff.com)

Ingredients:
40 salted saltine crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (I used peanuts, you can use whatever kind you like)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a large jelly roll pan (mine was 15x10") with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Lay the saltine crackers evenly on the pan (I put mine really close together so that they were touching).

In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for three minutes without stirring. After three minutes, pour the hot brown sugar mixture evenly over the saltine crackers.

Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips across the toffee. Let them melt for a couple of minutes and then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly across the toffee (like frosting).

Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the melted chocolate. Let the toffee and chocolate cool completely (I put mine in the fridge to help it set up quickly). Break the toffee into bite-size pieces.

To store, keep in an air-tight container for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for a couple of months.

Christmas 2012 Playlist #2 -

Holiday Desserts – Tiramisu

My first foray into Tiramisu making was a few years ago on Christmas Eve when my sister and I decided to take on this lovely dessert. It had become a favorite of ours and was the only dessert we would order anytime we ate at Olive Garden. And well, we were audacious baker’s and thought if Olive Garden could make delish Tiramisu so could we… yeah, not so much. Oh how naive we were! Let’s just say it didn’t quite turn out like theirs. Though they have access to all the right ingredients… we did not (yep, that’s my story & I’m sticking to it. ;))

I would say that the espresso is one of the most important ingredients in Tiramisu, wouldn’t you agree? Well we did not have any espresso nor any way of making espresso. So we did the only thing we could think to do at 6:00 pm on Christmas Eve … we went to Sonic &, much to the utter confusion of the car hop, ordered like 7 or more shots of espresso. Yes, we used Sonic espresso in our Tiramisu. There’s a dirty little secret for ya!

We also accidentally bought chocolate mascarpone cheese and used the spongy type ladyfingers that got soggy & fell apart the second they touched the espresso. Thus the espresso leaked out into the pan and made the whole thing a soggy mess. Needless to say, after that we decided to leave the Tiramisu making up to the experts.

I did however make a Tiramisu Trifle last year and while it was good you just can’t beat the real thing. So a few months ago while out grocery shopping I serendipitously stumbled upon the right kind of lady fingers I needed for Tiramisu and decided on a whim that it was time. I actually ended up using the recipe on the back of the lady fingers (Alessi Savoiardi Cookies) and it turned out so beyond amazing!! Just as good if not better than Olive Garden’s, in my opinion. Yes, it was a Tiramisu to be proud of!

Tiramisu -

This dessert may take a little more time and effort than others but it’s totally worth it! And yes, it may seem just a bit intimidating but as long as you follow the directions and have the right ingredients you should be just fine.

The Zabaglione Cream (I always feel so Italian when I say that, so Giada De Laurentiis, if you will) is the base for our filling and starts by cooking egg yolks in a double broiler. Combining this with the mascarpone cheese and egg whites whipped until stiff peaks is what makes for the amazingly rich and creamy filling.

We then make our espresso and line the lady fingers in a pan. And instead of dunking each lady finger into the espresso mixture, which could cause them to fall apart (a major problem for me last time), you just pour a tbsp. full on each lady finger. Then it’s the easy part, as you just layer and then dust with cocoa powder or shave on chocolate curls (or both). Refrigerate and voila, a luscious and fancy dessert!

Lady fingers soaked with espresso, creamy mascarpone cheese filling with a light dusting of cocoa powder on top? Yes, please! It’s an elegant dessert that would be perfect for this time of year… or any time of the year for that matter. :)

Ingredients:
Zabaglione Cream -
5 large egg yolks, from large grade eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup marsala
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
4 tablespoons sugar
1 lb. mascarpone cheese
2 cups freshly brewed espresso or 2 cups strong coffee
1/2 cup brandy or 1/2 cup marsala
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 (14 ounce) packages Alessi Savoiardi cookies
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
chocolate curls or fresh edible flower (to garnish) (optional)

Directions:
Zabaglione Cream: In the top part of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale yellow in color.

In the bottom part of the double boiler, bring water to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Place egg yolk mixture over water and gradually add Marsala, beating continuously. Scrape bottom and sides of pan occasionally and cook 6 to 10 minutes or until soft mounds can be formed. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Whip cream with 2 Tbsp. sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in Mascarpone and Zabaglione and mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

In a separate bowl, mix espresso, 2 Tbsp. sugar, Marsala and vanilla. Arrange cookies on the bottom of a 9" by 13" pan. Carefully spoon about 1 Tbsp. of the coffee mixture over each cookie so they are well saturated but not falling apart. Spoon 1/2 cheese mixture over cookies and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. cocoa. Repeat one more time ending with cocoa.

Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight so that cookies can soften as they absorb moisture. Garnish and serve. (Serves 12)

Christmas 2012 Playlist

I don't think there's anything about this time of year that I don't love. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. There are just so many special things to enjoy about the season; the decorations, the food, movies, hot chocolate, time with friends & family, celebrating our Saviors birth... and of course, the music. I admittedly am one of those people that starts listening to Christmas music in October. I just can't help it... and by that point, I think I've waited long enough. There are so many favorites; from old staples to originals that have become yearly traditions. These songs hold special Christmas memories and always make the season brighter.

Below I have put together a playlist of some of my very favorite Christmas songs to share with you guys! Hope you enjoy listening and that you have a very merry Christmas! :)

Christmas 2012 Playlist -

Fill In The Blank Friday–Holiday Edition

Linking up with Lauren from The Little Things We Do for Fill In The Blank Friday! :)

1. When it comes to holiday shopping, I am usually a last minute-two days before Christmas shopper. But this year I’m happy to report that I’ve actually gotten most of it done early! Just a few more things to pick up next week & I’ll be done. Which is good because I honestly think that nothing can kill your Christmas spirit faster than trying to navigate through a mall on Christmas Eve.

2. A few things on my Christmas wish list are... this lovely drawing to hang on my wall done by the very talented Sherri Dupree Bemis of Eisley. A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen by Molly Wizenberg. And Anberln’s new album “Vital”.

3. An intangible gift I would like to receive is courage.

4. A gift I would like to give this year is my time, love, forgiveness, and friendship.

5. My Christmas will be spent at home with my parents! My mom & I will be doing the cooking and I can’t wait. Cooking for the holidays is one of my very favorite things in the world.

6. My most favorite Christmas gift of all time was a pink acoustic/electric guitar my parents bought me like 5 or 6 years ago. It‘s so beautiful, I still love it. Okay, so I really never learned to play it that well lol (wonder if Santa is giving out guitar lessons for Christmas ;)) but it was still the best Christmas gift I ever received.

7. The best thing about the holidays is everything. There is nothing about this holiday I don’t love. The music, the movies, the decorations, the food, the cold weather, hot chocolate. Time with family and friends. And of course all that this holiday means to me as a follower of Christ.

Holiday Desserts - Cookie Dough Crème Brulee

Oh yes, you read that right! Let me tell you, this is one evil dessert! The first time I ever tried Crème Brulee was at a cute and cozy café in Sugarland, TX after Christmas shopping with my family when I was about 17 years old. Sitting by a warm fireplace with Christmas music playing in the background, and eating lovely Caramel Crème Brulee felt so fancy shamcy. Yes, this French dessert made my goofy 17 year old self feel so sophisticated…ooh la la. But the best part? It was so crazy delish!

After that I became somewhat obsessed with wanting to make Crème Brulee at home but was a little nervous because such a fancy dessert had to be super complicated, right? Plus it involved using a torch… yeah, me + a torch = potential disaster.  So there it sat on my “To Bake” list (yes, I have one those…don’t judge) for years. Revered. Honored. Feared. I knew it would take something special to come along one day to give me the push and courage I needed to finally step out and conquer the almighty Crème Brulee.

And it came, it came in the form of a recipe. A recipe I found on Pinterest (where else?) a few months ago for (drum roll) ... Cookie Dough Crème Brulee!

Crème Brulee that involved one of my ultimate guilty pleasures in this world?! Yes, please! This was the push I had been waiting for, folks, and I knew I had to attempt it a.s.a.p. Turns out Crème Brulee (which means burnt cream in French) is actually one of the easiest desserts you will ever make… and you don’t even need a torch to make it. Though I must admit, I have a crazy urge to use one next time (insert evil laugh here). ;)

Cookie Dough Crème Brulee -

(Recipe from http://confessionsofarecipejunkie.com/)

So I don’t know about you but I will eat just about anything if the words “cookie dough” are present. Though this was not always the case. I will admit I used to think that people just ate cookie dough because it seemed like a “cool” thing to do. This for some reason seemed like a very “trendy” & “popular” thing to do in the 90’s  … right along with those silly tiny backpacks that every girl had to have and wear over one shoulder. Remember those? A trend that much to my mom’s disappointment I would not take any part of, no matter how hard she tried to get me to. Because I was an anti-conformist. And anything that was supposedly “cool” was something I wanted no part of. Yes, I was one of those kids. But anyways, I digress.

But now I think I may be making up for lost time… because whenever I make chocolate chip cookies it takes all the self control I have not to eat all the dough. (I’m serious, it’s like freakin’ salmonella feast…it’s bad.) So needless to say, this was the Crème Brulee of my dreams. And the cookie dough in this dessert is eggless so feel free to go to town… just leave some for the Crème Brulee. ;)

A thick & gooey layer of chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom, a luscious & creamy custard in the middle, and a crispy layer of caramelized sugar on top. Getting all three layers on a spoon is the only way to experience this wonderful flavor combination.

Like I said it’s super easy to make and fast as well. The longest part of this whole process is the baking and cooling time. If you are using your oven to caramelize the sugar like I did, know that it works great, but be sure to keep a close eye on it as it can go from caramelized to burnt rather quickly.

This dessert would make a lovely addition to your Christmas dinner and a great way to wow your guests. I hope you try making Crème Brulee for yourself… way sooner than I did. Bon appetite! :)

Ingredients:

4 (3oz) creme brûlée ramekins

For Cookie Dough -

1/2 stick unsalted butter- room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cream

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For Custard -

3/4 cup of heavy cream

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup of turbinado or granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300. Grab a pot and bring about 2 cups of water to boil, this will be used as a water bath for the brûlée later.

Ready for dough? Using your beater attachment, beat the butter & sugars together on medium until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes. Then add in the milk and vanilla. Turn it down to low speed, and add the flour and salt. Take a spoon and enjoy a taste. Now spread thin layer of 1 heaping tablespoon of the dough on the bottom of each ramekin. Press 1/2 tablespoon of chocolate chips on to the dough of each ramekin. Set aside.

Custard Time! Grab a sauce pan and heat the heavy cream until it starts to steam, do not let it boil. In the meantime whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light in color. About 1-2 minutes. Now, carefully pour the warmed cream, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking vigorously until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, and skim off any foam from the mixture. Pour the foam free custard into the ramekins.

In a deep baking pan arrange the ramekins, they should be spread apart with room for the water bath. Carefully pour enough boiling water unto the side of the baking pan so it fills up about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until the custard is almost set. The centers should be a little jiggly. Remove them from the water bath and let them cool at room temperature. After they cool completely, cover each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hrs or overnight.

That crunchy topping Remove from the fridge, unwrap, and sprinkle 1 generous tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar evenly over the custard.

If using kitchen torch: Caramelize the sugar by moving it evenly over the sugar. Torch until the sugar is melted.

If using oven: Turn your oven on to broil. Move the oven rack to the top position; the closer the creme brulee gets to the broiler, the quicker it will burn. You want it to burn quickly without cooking the custard inside. Place the creme brulee dishes on a cookie sheet; this will keep your oven clean in case anything bubbles and spills over. It also makes for easy and quick removal when the sugar is finished burning.

Watch the creme brulee in the oven. It will take between three and five minutes to burn appropriately, so don't walk away while they broil. Remove the creme brulee from the oven and allow it to sit for ten minutes to allow the sugar to harden. Serve warm or place back in the refrigerator for half an hour before serving chilled.

Serve immediately. (Serves 4)

Fall Bits & Pieces & Playlist

Can’t believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away! Crazy! Where did the time go?  I must say, as much as I am ready to deck the halls and let the Christmas-ing commence, fall has been such a fun season I’m sad to see it go. It’s truly my favorite time of year for so many reasons. The cool, crisp weather … which finally moved into Texas (thank God), leaves falling & changing colors, lots of Pumpkin Spice Lattes (way more than I should have had), pumpkin baked goods, Halloween, and… my birthday!  So I thought I’d share some fun fall memories with y’all today as well as a fall playlist! :)

Halloween ~

Spent Halloween with my family, watching "It's the great Pumpkin Charlie Brown", and enjoying our traditional goodies we make every year. Like my dad’s green punch! It simply wouldn’t be Halloween without it.

Yummy chicken salad sandwiches & buffalo chicken dip! 

Popcorn balls are a Halloween must! And I also couldn’t resist making some Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream. They were delish if I do say so myself!

A fairytale pumpkin! These are my favorite, so pretty!

My Birthday ~

I’ve always loved that my birthday is in the fall! On Nov. 5th I turned 28, and to celebrate the day, I went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with my parents.  And even though I begged them not to, they told the waitress it was my birthday … so moments later I was sung happy birthday by the Cheesecake Factory staff. Isn’t that always oh so awkward? Or maybe that’s just me. But on the upside, this peanut butter cup cheesecake was to die for!!

It’s funny though, not only did they spell my name with a C instead of K, but they left out the S. Ha! Didn’t realize that until later. So apparently to them I am Crytal. Nice, huh? ;)

After cheesecake, I did a little shopping and stopped off at Williams Sonoma… oh how I could freakin’ live in that place! It’s like a baker’s dream. I picked up some cute cupcake liners (can never resist them) and some really pretty sanding sugar.

Yummy chocolate cupcakes I made a few days later just so I could use said cute cupcake liners and sanding sugar. ;)

And to top off the birthday festivities…oh yes, my awesome parents bought me this beauty!! It came in the mail a few days before my birthday and I was freaking out! A stand mixer has been on the wish list for some time now, so I could not have been happier. Isn’t it pretty?! The best birthday gift ever!

Though when I used it (ahem, like an hour after I got it) I realized a slight problem with it. Don’t know if any of you who have stand mixers have the same issue, but it doesn’t mix everything evenly. It mixes what’s in the middle of the bowl but misses everything on the sides. I googled this problem and apparently it’s pretty common, it’s called beater to bowl clearance. They said that at the factory they adjust the beaters to clear the batter from the bowl (which makes no sense to me) so that’s why it doesn’t mix properly. I read how to re-adjust it yourself but am a bit scared to do it. If any of you have had this problem would love to know what you did about it.

Fall Crafts ~

Finally did a few little fall craft projects! Like these glitter pumpkins! They were so fun and easy to make! Messy (was covered in glitter) but fun! They made for a really lovely fall display.

This super simple leaf garland; just made out of some fall scrapbook paper and yarn.

And last but not least, I made these jar lanterns! I made 12 of these things for my sister’s wedding last month, so I could pretty much make them with eyes closed now lol. So I made a few to put around the house but this time slipped in some scrapbook paper to give it a fall touch.

Fall Playlist ~

Here’s a fall playlist I put together of all the songs that sound like the season to me and have been keeping me company on these pretty autumn days. May I suggest listening to this with your windows open letting the cool fall breeze float in while enjoying a pumpkin spice latte? Hope you enjoy, loves! :)

(Source)

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo

I’m always on the look out for good pasta dishes and this one has become a fast favorite. Pasta is definitely my go-to meal when I’m looking for something quick and easy to whip up because it’s so versatile, there’s so much you can do with it. I’ve already made this delish pasta dish twice just within these last few weeks…and I can’t wait to make it again.

It has the sweet taste of roasted red peppers; which you can roast on your own or buy in a jar to save time. I opted to take the extra time and roast my own, which is super simple. The herbed goat cheese and half and half make it really creamy. Top it off with some parmesan cheese and parsley and then devour! Bon appetite, friends! :)

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo -

(Recipe found @ http://www.laurenslatest.com)

Ingredients:
2 whole red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fat free half & half
4 oz. garlic & herb goat cheese
2/3 cup grated parigiano reggiano cheese
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (optional)
1/2 lb. linguine, cooked to al dente
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place red peppers on baking sheet and bake 20-30 minutes until peppers are charred. Remove from oven and cover with foil 10 minutes.

In the mean time, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil 7 minutes or until tender. Pour in half & half, goat cheese, salt & pepper. Stir to melt goat cheese into sauce and keep warm over low heat.

Uncover peppers, peel off skin and remove stem and seeds. Chop into large pieces and place into sauce along with parmesan cheese. Stir to melt cheese and remove from heat. Pour sauce into food processor and puree, or use an immersion blender. Place back into hot pan and toss with cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Top with more parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and parsley, if desired. Yield: 2 large servings.