Last day of brunch

Sad sad I know

So sad.

But hey tis Friday so you'll get over it soon enough!

Let's get crunk...er drunk?

HAPPY HOUR!

Or well...

BRUNCH BOOZE

W00-Hoo!

So First up

Classic mimosas

One of my most favorite things ever!

what you'll need:

Orange juice

champagne

orange slices for garnish

champagne flutes

So normally I hake these 2/3 champagne and 1/3 OJ, well I looked it up and its actually supposed to be a half and half sort of thing (LAME). Easy right?!

so let's take it up a notch!

These next two come from the TrueBlue site,

Amazing juice and amazing recipes!

There goes!

Blue Velvet

3/4 oz vodka

1/4 oz creme de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)

2 oz TrueBlue wild blueberry juice

2 oz grapefruit juice

lemon and blueberries for garnish

Mix in a highball glass with ice, stick lemon slice and blueberries on toothpick for garnish!

Oh-la-la

It looks so fancy!

And last but not least!

Blueberry Sunrise

(that is actually TrueBlue Diver..oops)

1 oz vodka

2 oz blueberry juice

2 oz orange juice

In that order pour over ice into a highball glass and garnish with orange slice!

and here is an extra because I love you,

(and Kahula)

The TrueBlue Moo

1 oz Kahula

2 oz milk

2 oz blueberry juice

Shake and pour over ice, garnish with berries if you want...mmm!

I need to get home and get Friday started now!

love&junk

kj

(oh music...eee...err...check Daytrotter...yeah)

day four

Hey Hey Hey!
I am totally not feeling this today guys,
I feel so blah! I don't know why I mean this is the first day all week it hasn't rained?!
I think it had to do with my compulsive eating,
coming home at 9 every night and eating a hearty dinner and drinking 3 or so beers is not working out so well right now.
Or it my just be that it's Thursday and I cant wait for this week to be over.
Any ways...
Prosciutto Basil Parmesan Frittata
YUMMY!
Frittata: a easy egg based dish, traditionally cooked in the oven in a frying pan.
But a good rule of thumb is, the way quickest way to make amazing things even better is to make them mini!
Although you don't want to make this mini without a silicone cupcake pan or individual silicone cups!

(Love those things!)

So what you'll need
2tbs olive oil
1 package diced prosciutto
a handful of fresh basil leaves, washed, dried, shredded
1 cup (about) asparagus, washed, dried and chopped into 1 inch pieces
8 large eggs
3 tbs milk
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus some for the tops)

Now preheat your oven to 350. In a frying pan on medium heat put your olive oil and asparagus and cook about 2 minutes stirring, then add your prosciutto and cook until crispy, about 3 or 4 minutes. remove from heat add basil and stir. In a medium sized bowl beat eggs and milk, add salt, pepper, and cheese and mix thoroughly. Fill each cup of your cupcake pan 1/3 full with the egg mixture, then distribute the prosciutto asparagus, basil mixture evenly between the cups. stiff each briefly to mix the chunks around. bake about 15 minutes, remove pan and sprinkle with cheese and continue baking 2-5 minutes. Let cool, pop out of the pan, arrange on a plate with some fresh basil for garnish, and enjoy!

TA-DA!
So all of the food recipes are posted now...you know what that means FRIDAY IS HAPPY HOUR!
BLUEBERRY BOOZE DRINKS
Life really doesn't get sweeter than that...nope no it doesn't
AH!
music...you thought I forgot again didn't you...well I did...
But here's sort of a out of the blue, weird choice today
Dwight Tilly Band's first album 'Sincerely'
HA
A classic, also Dwight is supposed to have a new album out soon so keep an eye out or snag some stuff & junk here!

Alright&junk
kj

day three

Ello Ello!
Munchkins!
or doughnut holes!
I love love home made doughnuts full of love and happiness!
(I know, I just jumped right into it today, well that's because I have noting to say and I am excited about doughnuts and any distraction from the rain...)
Yes, so yummy warm bite sized bits of joy and rainbows!
The doughnut are another night before recipe I sort of forgot about letting the dough sit overnight but the sauce should be made in the morning so it's all fresh and warm!

DOUGHNUT HOLES
WITH
BLUEBERRY DIPPING SAUCE!

First off the doughnuts!
what you'll need:
1/4 cup vegetable shorting (or butter...I like butter better but we'll use shortening today)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs room temp.
1 cup canned evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil for frying

So, melt shortening, then cream sugar and shortening in mixer. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each, add milk and vanilla and keep mixing about 2 or so minutes. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Set the mixer to low and add the flour mixture until it is just mixed (meaning don't over mix) the dough should be soft and loose ehhh. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Okay so now on a floured surface roll out dough about 1/2 inch thick. Use a 1 inch round cookie cutter to cut out the doughnut holes. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot, if you have a thermometer you can test the oil it should be 375 degrees, if you don't drop a piece of dough in and if it starts to fry the oil is hot enough. In batches fry doughnut holes until they are golden drown and 2 or 3 minutes. When they are done transfer them to a paper towel to drain and cool! Yay love munchkins!

And on to the sauce!
what you'll need:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup water
3 cups fresh blueberries washed and dried
1/8 tsp vanilla
1 tbs lemon juice

And away we go, put your sugar, salt, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a medium size sauce pan, and stir until smooth. Stir in the blueberries and place on medium heat, stir until the sauce becomes clear (a lot of the blueberries will still be whole if you don't like that, smoosh them or strain the sauce when it's done). Test sauce so see if you need a little more sugar, then add the vanilla and lemon juice. Let is cool a little and serve with the doughnut! yummy! you may want to put a spoon in the sauce so people can spoon it on or stick the doughnuts on tooth picks and do it fondue style!


yeah!
So today's music choice is SOKO, a totally cutesy french singer...adorable!


fun&junk

kj

Day two

WooWoo
Day two!
Good afternoon dears, another dreary day here.
(I'd say I hope the weather is better where you are but the 2 people who read this are in Maine and it's probably worse there...blah)!
So today I am going to post recipes for.
Kelsey's Super Fruit Salad
and
Bacon Spinach Filo(Phyllo) Triangles
YAY!

So again let's start with the easy one (easier) I should say because these are both pretty simple.
Fruit salad...my super fruit salad is sort of like ambrosia salad...except totally different and not nearly as disgusting. Don't get me wrong I love southern food and honestly I would put gravy on everything if I could but marshmallows in fruit salad really?!?!?! No, that's just awful!
Blah okay...

What you'll need:
12oz vanilla yogurt (I like Wallaby nonfat vanilla bean! best yogurt ever! Vanilla Greek yogurt also works well!)
1 tsp lavender water (if you can't find it try whole foods, if no luck chi tea syrup works well or rose water is sometimes easier to find)
1 cup of washed blueberries
1 cup if diced strawberries
2 kiwis peeled and diced
1 pear diced
1 cup diced cherries
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (about 1/2 of the fruits worth)

All of the fruit should be washed and cut into about blueberry sized pieces. As with any salad feel free to use whatever fruits you like, I use these because they are my favorites I think they go well together I like to stay away from things like pineapple and banana because if they sit too long their flavors start to take over everything, and watermelon (and other melons) just absorb flavors. Ick.

Back to the recipe though, once all the fruit is peeled, washed, dried, and cut put it all into a big bowl and with clean hands mix it all up. In a small bowl mix the yogurt and lavender water, when that's all blended pour into fruit and mix it till the fruit is coated and Ta-Da! Serve chilled with granola or unsalted sunflower seeds on the side. Yummy!

Moving on, Bacon Spinach Filo triangles YAY! I Love filo dough or (phyllo) I am not sure which is right, I am pretty sure the correct Greek is Phyllo...anyways it's amazing! I also Love spinach I think it might be my favorite vegetable...maybe...yeah it is! hah! This is sort of a phyllo pizza and not a spanakopita, but it is totally yummy!

So what you'll need:
6 sheets of phyllo dough (if frozen thaw)
1 stick of butter salted and melted
1 pack of thick sliced bacon cooked (but not too crispy) and chopped
3 fresh sage leaves washed diced
1 cup drained canned spinach
a hand full raw baby spinach
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 and 1/2 cups Parmesan motzerlla shredded cheese blend (you know the Italian blend)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
(you can also add onions, but I don't because I apparently say the word funny and Joe wont eat them...but they add a little extra flavor so if you can sat it correctly and like 'em go for it about 1/4 cup chopped will do)

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a deep baking sheet (one that is at least 1inch deep) then carefully lay out phyllo, butter sheet with brush then add another do this until you are at the top layer, butter the top layer, and set aside in a cool place (meaning not on top of your oven!).
In a bowl mix both kinds of spinach, cheese, sage and about a pinch of the s & p, mix it all together. Get your sheet of dough spread the spinach mixture evenly on top (I think that using your hands works bets but if you don't want to get dirrrty use a regular table spoon) sprinkle the bacon, and tomatoes on top and add a little extra cheese if you want (I mean more cheese...why now!). Now bake for about 15minutes, sprinkle on the pine nuts. Bake about another 15minutes cheese should be melty, bacon should be crispy, pine nuts toasty and phyllo crispy! Let cool for 10-15 minutes cut into triangles and serve!

Okay 2 down and 3 to go!
Stay excited and stay tuned!

OH OH I almost forgot music today...how could I?!
So here is is:
Jenny & Johnny's album "I'm Having Fun Now"
The album is not out yet but it will be Aug 31 (my birthday, thanks guys!)
I am a huge fan of both Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice, so naturally I am so excited for this to come out...you'll love it so get it and listen to it when you eat fantastic brunch!

rainy days&junk
kj

Day one...

Happy Monday, it has been a strange day here, and it's gloomy out...but lets hope this brightens the day!
So I am going to post recipes for Lemon zest blueberry muffins, and the blueberry sage cream cheese today. Both of these are awesome if you make them the night before, it will shorten the prep time in the morning and gives the flavors a chance to set.
So lets start with the easy one:

Blueberry sage cream cheese.
this is an interesting flavor and if you aren't feeling that adventurous that's okay, but it's tasty I promise.

So what you'll need:
1 package of whipped cream-cheese
a handful of fresh sage leaves washed dried and finely chopped
1/3 cup or frozen or fresh blue berries (I like to use the real tiny ones, and if they are frozen you will need to defrost them and may want to only use a tsp if juice.)
1 tbs blueberry juice

So in a big bowl soften your cream cheese just by mixing it with a spatula, add the juice, then the sage mix thoroughly, softly fold in the blueberries, when its all mixed put it in the dish you want to serve it in cover it tightly and refrigerate till you are ready to serve it, garnish with a few fresh blueberries and sage leaves and a big bowl of plain bagel chips (or bagels or rolls or whatever...).

Now on to the
Lemon Zest Blueberry Muffins!!!
What you'll need:
2 and 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar (plus a little more for the top)
1 tbs baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter (unsalted) melted
1 cup milk
2 large eggs at room temp.
1 tbs lemon zest (plus 1/2 tbs for the tops)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries (washed and dried)

Because you are going to refrigerate these over night and bake them in the morning you don't need to preheat the oven, but if you do want to bake them the night before that's fine too just preheat the over to 425, and line your muffin pan with papers.

mix all of your dry stuff together in a big bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) and set aside. In another bowl mix milk, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and butter. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and slowly pour in the wet mix with a wooden spoon. when the batter is mixed but still lumpy mix in your blueberries. Cover and refrigerate (skip this step if you plan to bake them right away).

Your over should be preheated to 425, and your muffin pan lined. Take about 1/4 cup of sugar and the 1/2 tbs of lemon mix together in a small bowl and set aside. Take your batter out of the fridge, give it a quick mix to make sure all the berries haven't settled at the bottom. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way and sprinkle the lemon zest sugar mixture on the top. Bake about 25min until golden brown, remove from the try and place on cooling rack to cool for a little, serve warm or room temp and enjoy!

So there is the first 2 out of the 9 recipes for the week! WooHoo!

And I remember saying something about music...yeah!
So today's is Neil Halstead's album "OH! Mighty Engine",

an absolutely amazing album, very soft and soothing voice and absolutely lovely songs!

Well I will be posting some more tomorrow, sit tight till then!

blueberries&junk

kj

le grand petit déjeuner

8.23-8.27
Big Plans for next week!


So I was thinking about what could be better than breakfast...and well the obvious answer is BRUNCH. For two obvious reasons, first that it is totally acceptable to have booze with brunch (not so much with breakfast), and second that you don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to make a totally fantastic brunch because brunch happens sometime after 11am, so no need to be up until 9 at the earliest! AMAZING!

So next week I will do 1 post a day and by Friday we will have a complete menu!
I have decided to have a blueberry inspired brunch,
No, not all the dishes will have blueberries in them, but a few standout dishes will!
There will also be some musical suggestions with each post so you'll also have a soundtrack by Friday!

Sounds Fun right?!?!
I know!
I am going to post the menu today, so your mouths will be watering with anticipation all weekend heehee.


One 'Morning' In Maine Brunch Menu:
Prosciutto Basil Parmesan Frittata
Lemon zest Blueberry muffins
Doughnut holes with warm blueberry dipping sauce
Bacon and spinach filo triangles
Kelsey's Super Fruit Salad
Bagel chips with blueberry, sage cream cheese

Drinks:
Blue velvet
Classic Mimosa
Blueberry Sunrise

Who's hungry?
I am!

I know this spans out from my usual baking theme, truth is though that my passion spans past baking...I love food! But no need to worry, most of my future posts will be baked deserts and treats.



Well I will see y'all Monday
Have a lovely weekend


yummy&junk
kj

TATTOO

So I am thinking of getting a new tattoo,
I want this going vertically down my left forearm

(without the words)
In a red or pink outline!


eh?

LOVECAKES

I couldn't resist
Two days in a row...you lucky ducks!

QUACK!
So for anyone who doesn't know I LOVE BREAKFAST!
SO SO much!
I went through a chocolate chip pancake phase as a kid...who doesn't? But the I was off the pancakes for a while. the onto microwave pancakes (that didn't last long). Then when I was in Florida I found myself a vegan pancake recipe and decided to have at it and well I still love pancakes...I mean cake you are encouraged to eat at breakfast....awesome!
Well anyways this recipe isn't for vegan pancakes, it is however for vanilla cinnamon pancakes with mixed berry sauce!
(I will include a vegan pancake recipe too...because I love you)
And away we go!

What your need for the pancakes:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 & 1/2 tbs. sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 tbs unsalted butter melted (plus a little more for the pan, I know it may be less healthy than cooking spray, but it tastes better, also this is a baking blog its not healthy in anyway get over it)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

Put everything in a bowl use a hand mixer or kitchenaid and mix it! You can do it by hand but I like to almost over mix pancakes, it makes them extra fluffy! mmm! (before you make the pancakes you want to make the sauce...so I guess I should have put that first...but I didn't)
When your pancakes batter is fully mixed fry 1 cup at a time of the batter in a buttered frying pan on medium heat, flip the pancake to cook both sides (my first one is always bad looking so I normally eat that wail cooking). As you finish each I like to set the oven to warm and put the pancakes in the oven on a baking sheet or ceramic plate to keep them warm, warm pancakes are always better (although if you like in an apartment like mine and everyone eats in the living room and are grabbing pancakes as fast as you can make them this isn't really necessary, but if you want to all eat together its nice).

For the berry sauce:
3 cups of mixed frozen berries (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, snozberry...ya know berries)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Dump berries, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the cornstarch and water to the berry mix and stir for about 2 or 3 min on medium high heat. You can strain the sauce when its done...I like to do that sometimes especially with berry sauce because the seeds...blah but you don't have to.

These pancakes are good with just plane syrup too (ya know the maple kind), or with a little vanilla bean yogurt and the berry sauce, so good!

and now as promised the vegan pancakes!
you make them the same as the others...except don't use butter in the pan...duh!
1 & 1/2 cup soy milk (vanilla is awesome, or even almond milk yummy)
1 & 1/2 cup flour
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 tbs. water (you might not need it but if the batter is too thick don't hesitate to add it, you can use soy milk too if you want).

Sooo...that's it! PANCAKES!


enjoy&junk
kj

EXTRACTLY!

So because I am not doing any baking right now I figure I will do some talking about other baking related stuff...just till I move and start baking again!

So today I am going to blab on about extracts!
Some bakers I know have said they don't like using anything other than vanilla...but I think that's just because they don't know how, or because they are BORING!
It's not scary, it's actually so easy so, just put on your big girl (or boy) pants and just do it.
you never need more than a tsp. (unless you are double batching something)
And the beauty of it is even if you know 2 recipes that you can make well it opens up a whole world of options and flavors you would otherwise never know!

There are basically 2 kinds of extracts synthetic and pure.
I would say always go with pure it has a better flavor and no weird chemicals
But there is a time and place for synthetic extracts...I mean how else would you make Bubble Gum Cupcakes?!

Extracts can be added to any recipe in place of the vanilla...If you have a recipe that doesn't use vanilla..that's odd but you can add extracts anyways...and even if you are being a butt head and using box mix you can add extract (remember the boxed cakes have vanilla in them but that doesn't mean you can't add a little something extra...). Want to excite your pancakes? Maybe some maple or strawberry extract...mmmm!

EXTRACTLY AWESOME?...
YES!

WARNINGS:
-Be careful though to read what you buy, Oils are not the same as extracts!!!
Yes, you can use oil in place of extracts but you want to use 1/4 as much oil as you would extract, and also add it last.
-Make sure the tops are on as tight as possible there is alcohol in extracts and they will evaporate.
-Remember to think! Don't go crazy! With cakes I am going to say you never want to have more that 3 different flavors going on a once, it's over whelming (that includes the frosting).
(I know those last to seem silly sorta but it's easy to get carried away and think that banana, raspberry, vanilla, almond cake sounds great but it doesn't! take my word for it there is a such thing a too much!)
-Remember it's a cake not mouthwash mint on mint is hard to pull off well, use it sparingly. also only one kind of mint at a time! I am a little bias on this one because I HATE mint flavored things blah! Just use discretion, no vanilla mint, no banana mint...icky ick barf!


Where do you get extracts?
Well my dears, the baking section of your local grocery store should have a good selection, if you aren't happy with that here are 2 websites I think are awesome!
This place is amazing, good selection and great quality. It's a tad expensive but it lasts forever (although if it's something you know you will only use once shop around for the cheapest place because it's not worth one cake...)
OliveNation
This website looks like crap but...They have bubble gum, root beer, and cola flavors..sweet (literally.) There stuff is good and a little cheaper. The assortments are an awesome deal!
2oz. should last you 12 or so recipes...not bad at all, but you see what I mean a little goes a long way.
Faerie's Finest


YIPPEEE!
Maybe Santa will get me Holiday Flavors because he knows how much I love pumpkin and eggnog! ha!

Any who...That's all I really have to say about extracts, if you have any questions...leave a comment...I'll get back to you I really have nothing better to do.

Maybe next week something about flower waters, and an older recipe to go with.
also sorry for my over use of parentheses...bad habit I know.



flavors&junk

kj

HIPPIES USE SIDE DOOR ---->

WOODSTOCK THEMED CAKES!

Not that Woodstock...




YEAHHH THAT ONE!

Ice cream cake are a pain in the ass! They take forever...but the possibilities are pretty much endless!
There are 1000 flavors of cake and ice cream so live the dream go wild!
I am going to do two Woodstock inspired cakes with help from my bffs Ben and Jerry!
Guess what flavors?!


HEEHEE!
YESSS!

So here goes!
For the phish food were going to do:
Vanilla tie-dye cake
Fluff butter cream frosting
Fudge sauce
and those little chocolate sprinkles that go in store icecream cakes
Now for Cherry Garcia:
Chocolate chocolate chip cake
Fluff butter cream
and Cherry preserves

PHISH FOOD CAKE: (Phish never played Woodstock...just so no one is confused, they are however a smelly hippy band heehee)
Tie-dye cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

Pre-heat the oven to 350 mix up the cake, cream the butter and sugar add vanilla, eggs and milk the all the dry ingredents. Once the cake is mixed it's time to tie-dye! Separate the batter into three or four small bowls add a different color food dye to each, Get a 8" round pan geese and flour then alternately add the different colored batter use a butter knife to swirl colors (be sure not to mix them too much or you'll end up with brown cake...weird). Bake the cake for 20 or so minutes, when its done remove from the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack.

Fluff butter cream frosting

1 cup butter (softened)

1 7oz. jar of Fluff (sorry if your not from New England and don't know what Fluff is...you should move!)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla.

Put Fluff, butter and vanilla in the mixer and cream it reduce speed and add sugar.

Easy easy.

Now the hard part. Put the frosting to the side covered for the night. Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it warm up. Get a 9" round spring form pan, put a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom. Cut your cooled cake into layers (see video attached)(just 2 layers1) then place 1 COOLED cake layer in there add a layer of store bought ice cream topping fudge (NOT HURSHEY"S SYRUP!) then in a bowl empty one container on B&J Phishfood ice cream and soften it by mixing it with a wooden spoon (it really just need to be soft enough to spread without pulling up your cake (the video uses piping bags...not necessary). Spread the layer of phish food over the top of the cake, add a layer of frosting or fudge (whatever) the put the other cake layer on top. Cover with wax paper and freeze for 5 or 6 hours!

now that your ice cream is hard mmmm, is frostin' time! Carefully remove the cake from the spring form pan place it on a cake stand or completely flat plate frost the sides and top of the cake with fluff butter cream then sprinkle the little chocolate bits all over it! (the chocolate bits can be found with the cake toppings, if you cant find them smashed up Oreos work just as well, and you get the joy of smash-ums!). Freeze the cake till your ready to serve it!

NOW FOR THE CHERRY GARCIA (the Dead did in fact play Woodstock and this cake will steal your face maan)

For the cake use the vegan chocolate cake recipe from the "Giftcakes" post chocolate chips and all.

like before bake in a 8" round pan. let it cool fully, whip up the Fluff frosting. Cut cake into layers, place the bottom layer of your cake in the spring form pan top with a layer of cheery preserves and then the Fluff frosting, the ice cream, preserves and the top layer of cake! Freeze for 5 or 6 hours, frost the same as the Phish cake but add cherry preserves to the top of the cake, you can also drip colored food dye down the sides to give you a colorful tye-dye look (OOOOOooooOOO0000OOOOoo pretty!)

ANY WHO!

Good luck!!

Oh and remember don't take the brown acid!!

kj

Ice Cream Cake from Jade on Vimeo.