The Christmas Mantle

I wanted to share some holiday decoration ideas that I collected and archived in my merry memory over the years.

 
As I was browsing the fabulous Holiday Gift Shop at the Hotel DuPont I see a string of festive embellished white lights in the display case.  Not being shy and of course wanting to take a closer look, I ask the sales clerk about the twinkling little gems.   They are simply a string of white-wired lights with tulle tied around the wire in 3-4 inch intervals.  I took the idea a step further and added wire ribbon with a sparkly trim.  The wire in the ribbon gives the strand enough flexibility to arrange the lights in a non-linear way.

Pinterest has may similar ideas posted, some of which add pieces of lace.  That's a fancy look indeed!

Now having the embellished lights as my mantle inspiration, I spot this beastly beauty….

Isn’t he just the most handsome thing ever?!  Well maybe not ever, there is still George Clooney.

 

I purchased the lovely trees from the gift shop several years ago.

 

With my creativity now in full gear, I reclaimed a trash picked window as the backdrop for a glistening wreath that I purchased from who-knows-where many, many years ago.   

 

The holly berry candle, glass candle stands and the NOEL stocking holders are all from Target.

 

The candles are from Pier 1.

 

And finally, the stockings are Ballard Designs.

I am so pleased with the results but I really need to polish up those letters!  Happy decorating everyone!

Fettuccine with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I’m one of those people who when I see something that looks delicious in a magazine and says “I’m totally going to make this” I actually do.

It may not be for a few months, but I tuck the recipe away in the crowded archives of my mind and pull it out when I need culinary motivation. 

So I’m flipping though the November/December edition of Fitness magazine and in addition to a mini tutorials on how to get sleek arms, abs and legs, holiday hair and makeup tips, and suggestions for fabulous “hot list” gifts, they included an article entitled “Amazing 15 Minute Meals.” 

15 minutes is right up my alley.  

The recipes all look delicious – Cheesy Chicken Meatball and Tortellini Soup, Chicken Marsala with Jasmine Rice and Peas and the one that particularly caught my eye...

...Fettuccine with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe.

Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is a common ingredient in dishes made in Southern Italy.  The vegetable is quite nutty, a little bitter and looks like an elongated piece of regular broccoli, but is actually more related to turnips both in taste and derivation.

To prepare, rinse the vegetable, trim and discard the thicker stems, preserving the blossoms, leaves and thinner stalks, about 2” from the blossom, then sauté in a bit of olive oil and garlic. Some like to blanch the vegetable before sautéing.  Broccoli rabe is low in fat, and a good source of vitamins A, C, and K and potassium.

It was my turn to cook this past Wednesday so I decided to make this 377 calorie per serving recipe.

Fettuccine with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

From:  Fitness Magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed, roughly crumbled
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 9 ounce package fresh fettuccine
1/4 cup plus 4 tsp freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and cook, tossing with tongs, 1 minute. Add broth, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until broccoli rabe is tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and add to sausage mixture; toss well with tongs. Add 1/4 cup cheese and black pepper and toss well again. Divide among four bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Three words.  So. Damn. Good.


Photo of the rinsed broccoli rabe is from google images...I accidently deleted the photo I took that looked quite similar.

The Baby Sweater

I have a very dear friend who just became a Grandmom for the third time…a precious and beautiful little baby girl named Eva. 

In September, I attended her daughter’s baby shower held at the Rittenhouse Tavern on South 18^th Street in Philadelphia.  The restaurant is located in the historic Wetherill Mansion, one of the last surviving grand private mansions built on Rittenhouse Square, now home to the Art Alliance of Philadelphia.  It is a lovely venue with the most magnificant stained glass window at the top of a grand staircase.

The room was decorated in a very sweet yellow duck theme...

...and the cake was not only completely adorable (polka dots and bows...what could be better!?), but also completely delicious. 

The menu was extraordinary. Among other things, we enjoyed…

…Roasted Baby Beets with Goat Cheese, Pistachios and Vinegar

…Pancetta Wrapped Figs with Caramelized Honey and Blue Cheese

…Roasted Scallop Salad with Fennel, Arugula and Grapefruit

…Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Grainy Mustard Sauce

We did the typical showery things and presented the mother-to-be with gifts one of which was the gorgeous handmade baby sweater (shown above) that an aunt made from a pattern handed down from the family’s matriarch. 

The pattern is quite worn and for good reason….it has served as the guide for  many other sweaters made for other lucky babies!

Here is a more readable version on line.

Congratulations to all...she is one gorgeous baby!

 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

So, I’m visiting my mother one day in late October and I see a magazine with a fabulous idea for a Thanksgiving dessert on the cover.  So I ask if I could “borrow” the magazine.

The spirited controversy that followed will be become, no doubt, an embellished and often told family legend.

That’s what we do in our family….we embellish snippets of harmless stories; it’s more fun and memorable that way.

Case in point, I offer an old, but unforgettable, exaggeration:  “Aunt Mary won $100 in Atlantic City.” That statement is what really happened. The next month…“Did you hear about Aunt Mary winning $1000 in Atlantic City?”  By Thanksgiving…“How about Aunt Mary winning $10,000 in Vegas!”

What the hell was Aunt Mary doing in Vegas??!!

Anyway, some might be uncomfortable with the ruckus that often takes place in our family, especially when we are all together; we call it motivational speaking.

I did manage to secure the magazine (that I will dutifully return) so that I could make these little jewels:

How adorable are they?

I used a Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix and filled the mini Bundt cake pans ½ way and baked for 17 minutes. 
 

 

Once the cupcakes are baked, let them cool on a rack.

 

Cut the tops off of each cupcake.

 

Ice the cut side of one cupcake and top it with another cupcake, cut side down to form a sphere.  

 

Decorate as desired.  I tinted cream cheese icing orange, placed a broken pretzel stick in the center for a stem and piped on some green vines on each "pumpkin."  The magazine included directions to drizzle icing or to roll each cupcake in orange sprinkles. My versions of these treats aren't quite as perfect as those pictured on the magazine cover, but they sure are tasty!

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

From:  simplyrecipes.com

Ingredients

 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature

 8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
 2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.  Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness. Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake or cupcake.

 

Latte Brownies

I love coffee…it’s one of my vices, the others are wine, nice clothing and saying naughty words – a habit inherited from my feisty father that I'm trying to break.  Coffee and wine will remain on the list…a girl needs some indulgences. 

And I need to be properly attired, right?

 

I tell you this because it was my turn to make dessert for our little rendezvous last week and as I was trying to decide on a tasty treat, I see a recipe from kraftrecipes.com for these little morsels: 

Latte brownies.....perfect! It doesn’t get much better than chocolate, coffee, butter and almonds.

I'm delighted that my photo (above left) looks just as inviting as the Kraft photo.  I gussied mine up with coffee beans.  Their version looks a little cakier than mine though...I'll investigare why.

Seattle Latte Brownies

From:  kraftrecipes.com

Ingredients

6 squares  BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
¾ cup  (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. instant coffee
1cup granulated sugar
1cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/4 cups flour
½ cup finely chopped PLANTERS Slivered Almonds
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp.  salt
1Tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil; set aside. Note:  I didn't do this...I just sprayed the pan with PAM.

MICROWAVE chocolate, butter, water and coffee granules in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Beat in granulated and brown sugars with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 min. Add flour, almonds, cinnamon and salt; beat until well blended. Spread into prepared pan.

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Lift brownies from pan onto cutting board, using foil handles. Again, I just cut the brownies right in the pan.  Cut into 20 brownies to serve.

Warning Will Robinson:  These brownies are amazing…so rich and moist with a hint of coffee in each bite.  I served each with scoop of mocha gelato….not that we needed more calories.  I like Kraft recipes because they include the nutrition content with each and they report that a 1x2” latte brownie is about 240 calories with 13g of fat.  But, no worries, dark chocolate and almonds are both good fats!