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Cooking w/ L+L – Bruschetta + Cheese Stuffed Chicken

03/10/2010 in What we're Cooking, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

Bruschetta + Cheese Stuffed Chicken is Slick’s favorite dinner entree that I make and it’s SOOOOO incredibly easy-peasy.  The recipe can be found on KRAFT’s website (below, too, obv.) and was given to me from a culinary whiz colleague.  I made it – Slick loved it – and I passed it along to two of my best girlfriends, who have since made it for their husbands.  Their husbands raved about it, too!  It’s a little ridiculous how simple this recipe is, but it doesn’t look or taste simple!  Promise.

INGREDENTS:

- 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
- 8 small boneless skinless chicken breasts halves (2 lbs.)
- 1/3 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

DIRECTIONS:

Mix tomatoes, 1/2 cup of cheese and basil in a medium bowl.  Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.

Place chicken breasts on a cutting board.  Spread chicken with the stuffing mixture. 

Starting at the narrow end of the chicken, tightly roll up each breast.  Place the chicken, seam-side down, in a 9×13-inch baking dish.  Drizzle with dressing.

Bake 40 minutes on 350 degrees or until the chicken is done (165 degrees).  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake five more minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

voila!

Cool – serve – ENJOY!!

I hope it’s as big of a crowd pleaser for you as it’s been for me!  :)

xx, L

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Cooking w/ L + L: {semi-} Homemade Cupcakes!

03/01/2010 in Guilty Pleasures, Tricks of the Trade, What we're Cooking by Lauren | 1 comment

You know the drill: I don’t cook. The best thing I make is reservations. I use my oven for storage. Yadda yadda yadda…

However, I recognize that there are times in which cooking is necessary and a smart girl always has a few tricks in her arsenal. For instance, last week was The Ginger’s birthday and and excellent excuse for my famous cupcakes!

Plus, making cupcakes is a RIOT:

Funfetti!

I’m hesitant to give away all my tricks of the trade, but doctoring up a cake mix is pretty darn simple. If I can do it, you can, too! (If you’re a super cook, you can just skip this post, because I’m going to write it r.e.a.l.l.y. simple for the culinarily challenged…like myself.)

Here’s what you need:

2 boxes yellow cake mix (I like Duncan Heins)
6 eggs
2 sticks (unsalted) butter
2 packages vanilla pudding mix
1 tub of milk chocolate frosting
1 tub of vanilla frosting
2c sour cream
Coarsely ground sea salt
Vanilla extract
Spatula
Muffin tins
Muffin cups
Hand-held mixer (I know, I couldn’t believe I had one, either!)

Suggested accoutrements:
Some type of round candy: I like the salted caramel balls by Choxie…found at Target…IF you can manage NOT to eat them all before you ice and decorate your cupcakes
Black and white sprinkles (separate)
Teeny tiny funnel

Ok, then it’s easy-squeezy. I do this in 2 batches.

1. Combine 1 box of cake mix, 1 stick of softened butter, 3 eggs, 1 package of pudding mix, 1c sour cream and a dash of vanilla extract, mix well and fill the muffin cups in your muffin tins about 3/4 full

(The box says it will make 24 cupcakes, but what they don’t mention that they will be weeny cupcakes. Fill ‘em fuller and each recipe will only make about 18 or so. Particularly if you, um, “taste” the batter. A lot. Don’t judge me.)

2. Bake according to the instructions on the box.

3. Repeat and let all cupcakes cool on cooking racks (I can’t believe I had these, either.) You’ll have about 32 nice, big cupcakes.

4. While the cupcakes are baking/cooling, spoon your chocolate and vanilla icing into two separate bowls. To each: add a tablespoon or so vanilla extract and a few grinds of sea salt. Make sure you taste along the way, so it doesn’t get too vanilla-y or, yuck, too salty. But ton’t be shy, either. The salt is perfect for cutting the supersweet frosting (Thanks to Cari of Sugar Sugar for the tip!)

5. Once the cupcakes have cooled, ice 1/2 with chocolate and 1/2 with vanilla. Then I decorate like this:

  • 6 chocolate frosting with white chocolate round candy on top
  • 6 chocolate frosting with white sprinkles JUST in the middle of the cupcake (use the funnel)
  • 6 vanilla frosting with chocolate round candy on top
  • 6 vanilla frosting with chocolate sprinkles on top

Then I arranged them in my double-decker cupcake caddy (also found at Target) and voilà!

BONUS: You’ll have about 8 extra cupcakes. Throw a couple of those bad boys in some Tupperware and a nice little note and BAM! Perfect “just because” gifty-gift for doormen, fabulous coworkers, neighbors, etc. Luckily I had some hot pink sprinkles on hand, perfect for Kindredly’s birthday last week!

I may not be a domestic goddess…
…but, as DK says, “fake it till you make it!”

xx, LK

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Cooking w/ L+L- “Good Personality” Dip

12/29/2009 in What we're Cooking by Lindsay | 2 comments

Formerly called “Ugly” Dip, we’ve since renamed one of Slick’s favorite football-game-watching eats to something, well, just a little softer.  We aren’t trying to beat around the bush here – it’s kind of ugly – but we know there’s more to it than meets the eye.  It’s one of the simplest edible items I’ve ever thrown together and it’s quite a crowd pleaser on game day.  The recipe is Slick’s sister’s, and I’m positive she’d be more than happy for me to share it with all of you lovely readers.

“GOOD PERSONALITY” DIP

Ingredients:

- 2 cans of white shoepeg corn – drained

Ugly Dip 001
- 2 cans of black beans – drained and rinsed

Ugly Dip 002

- 6-8 ounces of feta cheese

Ugly Dip 005

- bunch of green chives – chopped (obviously i’m not a fantastic chopper…)

Ugly Dip 006

- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of olive or canola oil

Ugly Dip 009

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and chill.  Drain wet ingredients before serving.  Serve with chips or crackers – my preference is Rosemary + Olive Oil Triskets.  Cooking just doesn’t get much simpler than this!

Good Personality Dip! VIOLA!

Good Personality Dip! VIOLA!

There’s nothing like a yummy dip to go along with a good football game!  Really – sports are mostly about the food anyway…  And, I mean that from the very bottom of my Texas-Longhorn-Dallas-Cowboy-loving heart.

untitled8copy8ij

Enjoy!

xx, L

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Cooking w/ L+L- Candied Pecans

12/21/2009 in Entertaining, What we're Cooking by Lauren | 7 comments

So.  Here’s the story. Usually I am not the L writing these darling little culinary posts.  However, I was putting together a little southern themed gifty-gift and decided it desperately needed candied pecans (what is more southern than candied pecans?) and wanting absolutely nothing do to with a mall right now, I decided to make them.

Bonus! As I am prone to gross excess, of course I made way too many…but waste not want not – they’ve been just perfect for hostess gifts and holiday remembrances for my dry cleaner, doggie daycare, etc.!
Full-CrustedPecans
I can do this, you can too.  It was very easy.

Here’s the Q+DD on making 2lbs worth of candied pecans:

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1tbsp water
1tbsp vanilla extract
2lbs pecan halves
2 c. white sugar
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 250.  Be sure you are not storing shoes or sweaters in oven before doing so. Grease 2 baking sheets.

In one big bowl whip the wet stuff (egg whites, water, vanilla) with a fork until it’s frothy.  In another big bowl mix the dry stuff (everything else)

Then, it’s easy-peasy. Dump the pecans into the egg mixture and use a fork to stir to coat them completely.  Then transfer them into the bowl with the sugar mixture and use a fork to stir to coat completely in the sugar.  Spread them onto your greased cookie sheets and pop those suckers in the oven.

Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes and bada-bing bada-boom!  You’re done.  Let them cool and transfer them to Tupperware or whatever you’re giving them in.  My mom suggested long cellophane bags with colorful ribbon, and that would have been lovely, but since we have the Container Store here in the A, I opted for these little windowed gift boxes:
giftbox
I used white raffia and black magic marker for my holiday greeting, but if you prefer something a little more festive you could use whatever you want.  Obviously.

I’m psyched that they are so easy to make because they’ve been a total crowd-pleaser and I think they’d be really cute in a bowl for guests in your home!  The hardest part is keeping your hands off them. Fact.

Happy holidays, y’all!

xx, L

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Cooking w/ L+L – Brownie S’mores

12/09/2009 in What we're Cooking by Lindsay | 4 comments

Remember Adele?

"hello, again!"

"hello, again!"

You may recall Adele from such posts as Cooking w/ L+L – Guilt-Free Key Lime Pie.  She’s a fabulous cook and just happens to be my mother.  Adele’s talented at whipping up all kinds of culinary deliciousness, but she’s especially outstanding when it comes to desserts.  In fact, I made her Brownie S’mores for Slick’s family’s Thanksgiving Cookie Competition and won 3rd place!  (1st and 2nd were nearly impossible to beat…)

like mother, like daughter...

like mother, like daughter? (fingers crossed!)

Brownie S’mores are incredibly easy to prepare and are excellent comfort food when it’s chilly outside.  They even make for a yummy hostess gift for all those holiday parties you’ll be attending over the next few weeks.  You’ll have people screaming for s’more!!

(Fine, that was lame…)

Here’s the Q+DD on Adele’s Brownie S’mores:

Ingredients:

1 package of Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix + associates items (eggs, oil, etc.)
1/2 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of mini-marshmallows
6 Honey Maid graham cracker cookie rectangles in the “honey” flavor

Directions:

Cook brownies in a 9×13 glass pan according to the instructions to make “fudgy” brownies – not “cake” brownies.  Under-cook brownies by five minutes.  Take the brownies out of the over and evenly sprinkle on the chocolate chips.  Then, evenly sprinkle on the mini-marshmallows.  Put brownies back into the oven and cook for the remaining five minutes.

You will want to prepare the graham crackers while the brownies are cooking.  One rectangular graham cracker will break into four smaller pieces along the perforated lines on the cookie.  The graham crackers break easily, so I suggest using a very sharp knife to carefully cut them.  Cut between 20 – 24 small rectangles total. 

Once the brownies are cooked, quickly take them out of the oven and place on/ push down the graham cracker rectangles onto the marshmallows.  Be sure and place them onto the marshmallows a little spread out as this will make the brownies easier to cut when they are cooled.  I suggest cooling over night.  Once completely cooled, gently cut the brownies using a plastic knife (tends to work better for me than a regular knife as the marshmallows are difficult to cut).  Brownie S’mores are supposed to look a little messy, so it is okay if they aren’t cut perfectly.

voila!

voila!

They are best served with a glass of soy or regular milk.  Just like the ones we made at camp minus the fire minus bugs minus 104 degree Texas heat plus brownies!  Eat and enjoy! 

Happy cooking!  (Thanks, Mom!)  :)

xx, L

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Chili for a Cause

11/05/2009 in Cabbagetown, Festivals, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 9 comments

It’s here! Cabbagetown’s annual Chomp and Stomp Chili Cook Off + Festival is this Saturday, November 7th. Created to celebrate both the heritage and local flavor the neighborhood as well as benefit Cabbagetown Park, Chomp and Stomp was voted by Creative Loafing as the “Best Annual Event” in 2008.cabbagetownThis legendary event is the perfect combination of a few of my favorite things: crisp fall weather, live music, chili, beer, and one of Atlanta’s most beloved funky little neighborhoods.

The chili cook off will be judged by some local celeb chefs – Kevin Rathbun (of Rathbun’s and Kevin Rathbun Steak), Shaun Doty (of Shaun’s Edgewood Social Club) and Kevin Gillespie (of Woodfire Grill who is incidentally also kicking some tail on this season’s Top Chef.)

Kevin Gillespie

Kevin Gillespie

There will be a separate contest for restaurant competitors (Fox Brothers won last year) and individual/group competitors. There is even a category for vegetarian chili! (Last year’s winner? Nathan Minor with “Nate’s Unholy Frijoles.” That is a winner for me based on the name alone.)

sweetwaterThere will also be SweetWater on tap, an art market, and live music which will pay homage to Cabbagetown’s history of “old time mountain music.” The “Park Stage” will feature traditional bluegrass and string band music and the “Conroy Amphitheatre” will be devoted to more general American music while “mixing in some blues, folk, alt-country and a little bit of rock n’ roll.”

BONUS: At 8am the 4th annual “Romp and Stomp” 5K race will take place. romp-posterBeginning at the Milltown Arts Tavern (located at 180 Carroll Street), all runners will get free admission to the festival and all proceeds go to support the Cabbagetown Park.

All of this for a mere $5 ticket (all-you-can-eat chili is $25) Can’t beat it.

The festival starts runs from 10AM-6PM and is located at Cabbagetown Park, Tye Street and Kirkwood Avenue. Go to the Chomp and Stomp website (which is VERY cool, by the way) for more information.chompandstomp

If for whatever reason you can’t make it this weekend, why don’t you try my very own Turkey Chili recipe?

Regardless of my usually sub-par culinary abilities, I make a pretty mean turkey chili, believe it or not.

Now it’s not winning any contests, but it is fairly healthy and I think it’s delicious. Oh, and easy. Can’t forget easy.

To make LK’s Not-So-Famous (but still delicious) Turkey Chili you’ll need the following:
1lb ground turkey (I go with 98% fat free)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can Rotel
1 can red kidney beans
1 can white corn (the little squatty can)
1 packet of chili seasoning. I usually use McCormick, but last night I used Kroger brand and it was a-ok.
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
1-2 jalapeños (seeded and diced) A word to the wise: its smart if you use some rubber gloves when handling jalapeños. Especially if you are wearing contacts that need to be removed later…
Minced garlic
1 beer (or 2 or 3.  Whatever.  I’m not here to judge.)

Ok here’s whatcha do:

1. Open your beer and drink it as you prepare to cook
2. Brown the turkey meat with some minced garlic and the veggies (please do not ask me how much minced garlic. I simply employ the “dump” method.)
3. Stir in the seasoning packet
4. Dump the rest of the ingredients in (including a few pours of your beer. Feel free to open a new one.)
5. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 10 minutes
6. You can serve immediately, but it’s better the next day
7. If I am feeling fancy I will garnish it with some cheddar cheese and sliced scallions

Voila!

Voila!

xx, L

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It’s almost that time…

10/29/2009 in What we're Cooking, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

Every year before Halloween, I carve a pumpkin.  I’m not very good at it.  In fact, I’m a terrible carver – but I always insist on doing it.  Personally, I prefer to go with the traditional droopy-eyed, snaggletoothed jack-o’-lantern…

hello, jack!

hello, jack!

…but Slick bought some fancy carving book, so we shall carve the Mona Lisa into our pumpkin this year.

hello, mona?

hello, mona?

Really, though, if we have to do something more advanced than my usual, I am going to push for one of these two winners:

pumpkin eating pumpkin

pumpkin eating pumpkin

puking pumpkin

puking pumpkin

(The second one is my favorite.)  My only hesitation about it is that one of the most fun parts about carving a pumpkin is roasting the seeds!

yum!!

yum!!

It’s sooooo simple, too!  Here’s all you need for a fun Halloween snack:

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of pumpkin seeds, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

DIRECTIONS
Let pumpkin seeds dry on paper towels.  Toss cleaned pumpkin seeds with oil and salt.  Spread out on a cookie sheet.  Bake in a 250° oven for about one hour or until the pumpkin seeds are dry, stirring occasionally.  Tada!

If desired, season with one of the following:
garlic powder or garlic salt
seasoning salt
black pepper
salt free seasoning blend, such as Mrs. Dash brand
cayenne pepper
seasoning sal
Cajun seasoning blend
chili powder
Mexican style chili lime seasoning
Italian seasoning or other herbs
grated hard cheese such as Parmesan

Happy Halloween, y’all!

xx, L

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Cooking w/ L+L – PB+B+H Sandwiches

10/26/2009 in What we're Cooking, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

I grew up going to sleepaway camp every summer.  My friends from camp are among my closest, even to this day, and the memories we made over the years are some of my fondest.  Our parents would drop us off at the front gates, we’d all get checked for lice (don’t worry – I passed every time) and then we’d run amok for four weeks.  = Heaven.

Camp Pictures 005

Although I long for them, my camp days are over.  While I can’t go back and relive my glory days at Greene Family Camp, I can always remember them through food!  I can safely say that I will NEVER drink bug juice again, but I also know that I will never stop eating my camp favorite: peanut butter + banana + honey sandwiches!  Fact.

Elvis knew what he was doing…

PB+B+H Sandwich

PB+B+H Sandwich

Here’s the Q+DD on How to Make the Greatest Sandwich in the World

Ingredients:
2 Slices of Bread (At camp we used white bread – now I would only ever consider wheat.)
1 Tablespoon of Peter Pan Creamy Peanut Butter (Or two, whatev.)
1 Ripe Banana
Squeezeable Honey (Personally, I prefer the kind in the bear.)
Love (Lots of it)

Directions:
Make a sandwich.  Add love.  Eat.  Repeat.  (Toast as desired.)

Seriously, though, PB+B+H sandwiches are mouthwateringly amazing.  Worth every calorie – and they will make you feel like a kid again.

Camp Pictures 098

Enjoy!

xx, L

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Cooking with L+L – Banana Nut Muffins

10/10/2009 in Entertaining, What we're Cooking by Lauren | 2 comments

(I never thought I’d get to write one of these!)

So, here’s a little story for you. My sister and brother-in-law came to visit last weekend and, knowing my home is completely devoid of food…

emptyfridge…requested a few items including fresh bananas. Being prone to gross excess, I bought way too much of everything and though Katie took a lot of the groceries home, she left the extra bananas.  Her voice heavy with sarcasm as she said, “Maybe you’ll make banana bread!”

Well listen here, seestah,  I did!

Me (maybe not)

I don't know what got into me!

Let me tell you:  if I can do this, you can too.  In fact, for normal people, it wouldn’t have even required a trip to the grocery store.  For me, however, I had to purchase things like sugar and flour.  Don’t judge me.

OK here’s the Q+DD:

You need:
1 stick of butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 large ripe bananas (mashed- I did this with a fork)
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup wheat, 1 cup white)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 plain yogurt

Oh, and the following (which I cannot BELIEVE I already had): muffin tins, cooling rack, electric mixer, spatula

Then, it’s easy-peasy:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan.

2. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well, then add the bananas and beat until smooth.

4. Place flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in another bowl and mix together.

5. Add flour mixture and yogurt to egg mixture and beat briefly – just until dry ingredients are mixed in. Don’t overmix – it’s ok if the batter is lumpy. Stir in nuts.

6. Spoon batter into prepared pan, so that each cup is about 2/3 full.

7. Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the muffins are golden-brown and pebbly on top and are firm to the touch.

8. Cool muffins for a few minutes in the pans, then transfer to the cooling racks or serve them warm. Voila!
banananutmuffinsI’m bringing mine to Brooke and La at lunch today…who may actually faint when they hear my oven was turned on…

xx, L

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Cooking w/ L+L – Anj’s Famous Dessert Pizza

09/27/2009 in What we're Cooking by Lindsay | 5 comments

As previously mentioned and tweeted, I have a problem with pizza.  And, I am still trying to understand why it’s not healthy when it incorporates all the essential food groups: hello, bread/ dairy/ meat/ veggie/ fruit (sometimes – love the pineapple)/ fats and sweets (def).  Anyway, pizza is not only an incredibly entree, it also makes for a delicious and eye-catching dessert!  One of my favorite peeps in the world, the soon-to-be Mrs. Kastorf, makes a delicious dessert pizza – and it won over her culinary genius/ fabulous finance!  (Hi, A & K!)

the soon-to-be Mrs. Kastorf!

the soon-to-be Mrs. Kastorf!

Here’s the Q+DD on Anjali’s Famous Dessert Pizza

Ingredients & Directions:

1 package of sugar cookie dough
8 ounces of softened fat-free cream cheese
1 cup of confectioners’ sugar (you could probably use 1/2 the amount of sugar)
1 large peach, sliced
1 large green apple, sliced
1 large orange, sectioned
1/2 pint of fresh strawberries, sliced
6 ounces of fresh blueberries
6 ounces of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup of chocolate syrup  (Anj sometimes uses melted chocolate instead of the syrup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan.  Bake until firm to touch – about 11 to 15 minutes.  Cool.  In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar.  Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced fruit.  In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup.  Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture.  Slice and serve immediately.  Yields between 8 – 10 servings.

Anj gets creative with the fruit design below:

working on anj's dessert pizza

working on anj's dessert pizza

Here’s the finished product w/ microwaved sugar-free apricot preserves brushed onto it:

voila!

voila!

Enjoy with a glass of Chardonnay – immediately followed by an intense sugar rush (then crash) and a mandatory 30-minute cat nap.  Also delicious, but totally unhealthy, for breakfast! :)   Thanks, Anj!

xx, L

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Mint Juleps + Me.

09/04/2009 in Cocktails, Entertaining by Lauren | 3 comments

I’m a happy hour purist.

If I’m not drinking wine, my cocktails fall into 2 distinct categories: 1. Vodka 2. Tequila. Additionally, I’m not a sugary-mixer kind of girl and never, ever order cocktails with clever monikers.

In other words, under normal circumstances, it would not occur to me to drink a Mint Julep. However, a few weekends ago, I served on the host committee for a Kentucky Derby-themed event and had my people over for cocktails beforehand, so I figured I’d better learn how to make one!

Apparently, I drink bourbon now.

Here’s the Q+DD on how to make a Mint Julep:
(special thanks to my darling Jeff for teaching me.)

Ok, so you need either a mortar and pestle or a muddler. I opted for the muddler.

You also need bourbon (I went with Makers Mark), fresh mint leaves and sugar. I also threw some club soda in there so that we didn’t get too toasty before the event.

makersYou also need to make a simple syrup. Just add equal parts sugar + water (so like, 2 cups water 2 cups sugar), bring to a boil, and let cool. Voila.

Then it’s easy-peasy.

You just put some mint leaves and simple syrup in the bottom of your glass. (you’re supposed to use a Julep cup, which is sterling silver, or an old-fashioned glass, but I didn’t have any of those. Whatever.)

“Muddle” leaves and syrup together. As far as I can tell, “Muddle” is synonymous with “Mash.” So, mash it up until you release the scent of the mint. It takes a little elbow-grease, but if I can do it in a party dress, you can do it too. Witness:

muddleAdd the bourbon and stir. (I’m not one for measuring. Jeff said something about “parts” or an “8-count pour” but I went with the “dump” method. It worked fine.) Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir until a frost develops on the outside of the glass. (Or until you are extra-thirsty.) I topped it off with a splash of club soda, but this step is optional.

Garnish with a few mint leaves to make it fancy (I used whole sprigs, as I am prone to gross excess.) and serve immediately.

There you have it. Now you can go and have a “spell” out on your “porch.” I also thought it was particularly hilarious to make Olive wear pearls and everyone refer to my 644-square-foot condo as “the plantation” for the evening.

Olive + Jamie

Olive + Jamie

Y’all come back now, y’hear?

xx, L

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“Cooking” w/L+L: Insta-party!

08/28/2009 in Appetizers, Entertaining by Lauren | 2 comments

Listen, Martha Stewart I’m not. When I lived in NYC, we used our kitchen for storage (oven rack? More like shoe rack!) The best thing I make is reservations. In other words, I do not cook.

But I looooove to entertain…and unless you want all your cocktail party guests to crash on your couch, you have to serve more than vodka + sodas. Trust.

I’m not one to brag, but I can throw a nice little gathering together in a flash. A trip to Tower Liquor notwithstanding, all you need to make is one stop.

Get a Costco card immediately if you do not have one already. I know it’s dangerously close to being OTP, but trust me, it’s worth the schlep. Here’s what you need:

  1. A tub of Hannah Hummus (or Sabra if you prefer, they have both.) Plain.
  2. Olive Tapenade (same section, in the back refrigerators)
  3. A carton of their gloriously plump and delicious black grapes
  4. A big ‘ol wedge of brie cheese
  5. A carton of Carr’s Table Water crackers (the enormo one at Costco will come with 2 plain, 1 sesame, 1 cracked pepper and 1 garlic + herb. It’s perfect.)
  6. Stacey’s Naked Pita Chips
  7. A big bag of baby carrots

Get all your serving pieces ready, put plain hummus in one bowl and put the olive tapenade over hummus in another bowl. Place your brie and grapes on a wooden cheese plate (I also like to throw down some walnuts but whatevs.) You can even do it up big time and fill a bowl with…wait for it, this is really fancy…Ranch Dressing.

And Voila! You’re the hostess with the mostess! (I will say, though, sometimes when I serve this combo, I like to have one hot app. A really Q+DD one I throw together is just a can of artichoke hearts, 3/4 cup mayo, 3/4 cup grated parm, a dash of garlic powder, a few shakes of Tabasco. Mix it all up and throw it in the oven in a small loaf shaped pyrex at 350 for a half hour. When it comes out, sprinkle the top with paprika so it looks fancier.)

Ok, here’s a new thing. Sweets are usually not in my repertoire, but I learned one last night that I think even I can handle. Sorry for giving away your secret, E, but these Pretzel Turtles were ta die fah, dah-ling. HUGE hit over here.pretzel turtle

Ok, here’s what you need: pecan halves (E says you can use any kind of nut), mini pretzels (E used the square kind, they were presh.) and Rolo chocolate candies.

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350

2. Unwrap your Rolos

3. Do not eat all of your Rolos immediately.

4. Place your pretzels on a baking sheet in one layer, place a Rolo on each pretzel.

rolo baking sheet

5. Bake for 3-5 minutes until the chocolate just begins to melt (candy should be soft, but not totally melted.)

6. Remove from the oven and put them on a cooling rack (with a spatula, y’all.) and squish the Rolo candy with a nut.

7. Let them cool and put them on a fancy dish and you are almost just like Rachel Ray! (without those terrible Henley shirts and heinous belts…)

So now you’re set! Oh, and don’t forget to get the BIG olives for your martinis. There’s nothing DK + I hate worse than a teeny olive.

NOW you’re all set.

xx, L

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