Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut Streusel Muffins

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

I shared these delicious muffins with friends and coworkers yesterday and all reviews were outstanding. The pumpkin keeps the muffins quite moist without the need for a lot of oil in the batter. I like ground walnuts int he streusel but any of you favorite nuts will be just as good.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 18 paper liners.

Sift together:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch ground cloves

Add:

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (or fresh roasted and pureed)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend together just until the flour is incorporated. Spoon evenly into the muffin tins.

Cream Cheese Mixture

1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp sugar

Beat together until smooth, then spoon evenly over the muffin batter in the pans.

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup ground walnuts
4 tbsp butter

Pulse together in a food processor until crumbly or just rub together with your hands. Sprinkle evenly over the prepared muffins and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

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Beef and Broccoli Bowl

      Have I mentioned before that I love cooking magazines?  I do.  Every month I get Cooking Light, Taste of Home, Bon Appetit, Vegetarian Times, Saveur, and Cooking delivered to my door.  That's in addition to magazines I pick up when I'm standing in line at the grocery store.  I can't help it, I love beautiful photographs of food and amazing recipes.

      When I first get a cooking magazine I flip through the pages to see if any of the pictures catch my eye.  If they do I take a look at the recipe and decide if it's something I want to make.  Then I toss the magazine in my magazine basket to look at on the weekend.

       This month when I opened up my Cooking Light my eyes immediately fell on the Beef and Broccoli Bowl.  The funny thing is, I wouldn't have guessed that's what it was from the picture.  In the picture the food is on a white plate.  There is brown beef, green broccoli, and orange carrots.  The colors are beautiful and vibrant.

       I changed the recipe just a bit when I made it the very next night.  I switched out the carrots for a bright red pepper.  I also added in some garlic.  Frank and I both ended up really enjoying this dish.  It was bright, colorful, and had a nice flavor to it as well.  It wasn't full of soy sauce as so many Asian recipes are.  There was some soy sauce but there was also hoisin, sesame oil, and seasoning.  I found it to be light but filling.

Beef and Broccoli Bowl (adapted from Cooking Light October 2012)
2 c. cooked jasime rice
1/4 c. lower sodium soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. hoisin sauce
1 (12 oz) boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
2 t. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves
2 c. broccoli florets
1 c. red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. red pepper, chopped
2/3 c. water
2 t. sesame oil
1 t. black pepper
1/4 c. green onions, sliced

1.  In a medium bowl combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, and hoisin.  Mix well and add the strips of beef.  Toss to coat.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the vegetable oil to the pan and swirl to coat.

3.  Remove the beef from the marinade and add to the pan (reserve marinade for later).  Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beef has just browned.  Remove from the pan and place in a bowl.

4.  In the same skillet add the garlic, broccoli, onion, red pepper, water, and sesame oil.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is just becoming tender.  Add the reserved marinade to the pan and bring to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute.

5.  Return the beef and any collected juices to the pan.  Cook for an additional minute.

6.  Serve over top of jasmine rice and sprinkle with green onions.

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Best Ever Cocktails - Top 10 Ladies Night - Cocktail Link Party

Can you believe it has been a year and a half since The Slow Roasted Italian first celebrated Ladies Night? We kicked off that first celebration with a cocktail that I had found and fell in love with Legends Lemon Drop Martini. Chad put the cocktail together for us. Ladies Night was totally Chad's brain child and after a few more weeks passed with my cocktail ideas like TGIF's Frozen Chocolate Mudslide, Sweet Summery Watermelon Martini, and Heidi's Comet Cocktail, Chad approached me and said... "I got this babe. Let me put together a custom cocktail creation for the blog."
{{PARTY LINK UP AT BOTTOM}}
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Chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream

My manager's birthday was coming up at work, and I knew I wanted to make her something special to share with our team. I brainstormed some ideas, but nothing was coming to me. Then I remembered that I had about 3/4 cup of salted caramel left over from my salted caramel apple pie. Yes - I could make salted caramel cupcakes! 

Well, not so much. You see, I had limited time to make this on a weeknight, so I didn't want to make a cupcake base that I wasn't already familiar with (to save time). I loved the cake from these triple chocolate cupcakes and decided to use that recipe and use the leftover salted caramel to make a Swiss meringue buttercream.

Again, because I didn't want to bake 30-some cupcakes, I halved the recipe below (changes are not reflected). Two more changes that I made (again, changes not reflected below) were to replace the 1/2 cup of sour cream (remember, I halved the recipe) with a 6 oz container of plain Greek yogurt, and to cut back on the butter to 1 stick instead of 1 and a half sticks. I knew that the Greek yogurt would provide a lot of the moisture needed for these cupcakes so I opted to cut back on the butter to make up for the extra yogurt that I used.

While the salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream was great, I didn't think that the cupcake base paired as well with this frosting. The dark chocolate cake seemed to be better suited for the triple chocolate cupcakes because the ganache and chocolate frosting intensified the chocolate flavor. The chocolate flavor in these cupcakes were more subdued because the Swiss meringue buttercream didn't bring out the sweetness as much. Regardless, it was still a ridiculously good cupcake (at least my manager said so). Maybe I'm just getting pickier with age.

Cupcakes

• ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ¾ cup hot water
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1¼ tsp. coarse salt
• 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2¼ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature (I used a 6 oz container of plain Greek yogurt)

Salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup salted caramel

Directions

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth and set aside.  In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and the sugar.  Stir occasionally to combine until the butter is melted.  Turn off the heat, remove the butter mixture from the stove and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat the butter and sugar mixture on medium-low speed for about 4-5 minutes until the mixture is cooled.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Add in the vanilla and cocoa mixture and mix until well incorporated.  Turn the mixer to low and alternately add the dry ingredients and sour cream in two batches, starting with the dry ingredients. Beat just until combined.

Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners and fill them about ¾ of the way full.  Bake for 9-10 minutes and rotate the pans. Then bake for another 9-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting: Boil about one inch of water in a small saucepan. Once the water boils, immediately turn the heat down to low and allow the water to simmer. 

Place a mixing bowl over the simmering saucepan. Add the egg whites and sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Keep whisking and until temperature of the egg white/sugar mixture reaches 140. This will take at least 10 minutes, so be patient.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heated egg white mixture on medium to medium high speed until you reach stiff peaks. This will take at least 5 minutes. 
 
With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Keep whipping the mixture until all butter has been incorporated. Do not worry if your frosting appears curdled - it will smooth out after a few more minutes of whipping. Finally, add the salted caramel sauce. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled, generously frost the cupcakes with the buttercream. 

Yield: I got 15 cupcakes and enough frosting for at least two dozen (24) cupcakes. With the leftover frosting you can either use it as a filling, or save it for whoopie pies, brownies and other treats.

Source: Cupcakes from this post; buttercream adapted from Shugary Sweets

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Chocolate Chip Streusel Date Coffee Cake

Chocolate Chip Streusel Date Coffee Cake 

I served this cake at a morning office coffee break to great reviews. Even those who said that they were not fond of dates liked this cake. That's probably because the dates are pureed and stirred into the batter, giving it a sweet richness and adding to the moistness of the cake. Served with some warm vanilla custard or Creme Anglaise, this would make a luscious dessert as well.

Grease and flour  a 9 inch spring form pan. Line bottom with parchment paper for easy release. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine:

• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 tsp baking soda

Set aside to cool down to almost room temperature.  mash dates to a rough puree.

Sift together:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt

Stir in:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Pour this batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle streusel topping over the batter.


Chocolate Chip Streusel
Rub together until crumbly:

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tbsp soft butter

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before releasing the cake from the pan. Cool on a wire rack or serve warm. Makes a great dessert when served warm with warm custard.

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Boston Wine Expo

A few weekends ago, I got to go to the Boston Wine Expo with some of my favorite ladies.  I talked about it before here.  There a few things you should know about the wine expo...

• The expo runs one weekend a year at the Seaport Trade Center. The setting would be absolutely beautiful if A. it was warm out B. you could bring your wine outside.
• You need to have a game plan going into the event.  It's totally overwhelming if you don't plan ahead OR if you tend to get easily distracted.  Oh, look a SHINY object!
• The snacks are there for a reason.  EAT THEM!  Better yet...bring some home for later!
• The venue is crowded and lots of people are drinking (duh), so go with people that have a sense of humor.
• Don't expect to see just wines at the wine expo.  You can taste some lovely hard ciders, mead and beers too.
• You will get a little drunk/tipsy no matter how hard you try not to.  Just accept it and enjoy it.
• If you pay attention - you can get some good swag! (coupons, full salads/snacks, reusable shopping bags; not to mention your fabulous wine glass)

But mostly...the Boston Wine Expo is full of people just having fun!

The top hat was "borrowed" off the head of a vintner!

Smile girls!

Nice accessories....

If you're going to be a bitch, you might as well be a happy one!

I'll talk about the wines next week.  :-)

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Herbed Flatbread Crisps for Daring Bakers

     Sarah from All Our Fingers in the Pie was our February 2013 Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to use our creativity in making our own Crisp Flatbreads and Crackers!

      I was so excited to get started on this challenge.  I've been wanting to making flatbread crisps for a while now and this was the perfect time to experiment with them.  The recipe was easy to make and I ended up topping the flatbreads with a variety of different herbs and seasonings.

     I made salt, rosemary, and thyme ones, Hawaiian red salt and pepper ones, marjoram, salt, and rosemary ones, and garlic, salt, and oregano ones.  My favorites were the garlic, salt, and oregano, as well as the salt, rosemary, and thyme ones.  The flatbreads were crisp in the middle and softer on the ends.

      My husband enjoyed his with a few slices of cheese while I ate mine with roasted red hummus.  We both also enjoyed the flatbread crisps plain.  This was a great challenge and I'm so glad I got to make this recipe!

 Herbed Flatbread Crisps (from Martha Stewart)
1 c. warm water (110 degrees)
1 t. active dry yeast
3 c. flour
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt
1 t. sugar
Toppings (sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, garlic, or oregano)
1 egg
1 T. water


1.  Put the water in a medium bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Let it stand for 5 minutes or until it is foamy.

2.  Stir in the flour, oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the sugar.  Stir until a dough forms.

3.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add flour if the dough is sticky.

4.  Oil a medium bowl then place the dough in, turning once to coat both sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.

5.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

6.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 16 pieces.  Roll out each piece to a 4 x 10 inch rectangle.  Place on the baking sheet.

7.  Beat the egg along with the water in a small bowl.  Brush the egg wash on each flatbread and then sprinkle with salt and any combination of herbs.

8.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the crisp are golden brown.

9.  Remove from the baking pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

**Store in an air tight container for up to 1 month.**

This post linked to:
Back For Seconds, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday,

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Roasted Tomato Bruschetta Chicken Over Linguine in 30 Minutes

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE

A love of my family and slow roasted flavors has inspired my cooking style. I love those deep flavors you find in all day sauces, I love making cakes that take days to assemble and above all that I love spending time with my family.

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Friday evening, Kristin (aka the bride!) and all her bridesmaids convened at David's Bridal to pick out dresses.

We started with a vision of her two matron of honors in begonia/fuschia and her three bridesmaids in a lighter pink.  I think Kristin originally was thinking a shorter dress too (but wouldn't swear to it).  After trying on lots of gowns and having the salesperson deem us "the happiest bridesmaids all week", we'll be wearing these gowns on August 2nd:

via David's Bridal website

 

The bride and Sandy (the lucky girl who WON'T need it hemmed like some of us shorties!)

What do you think? If you're nice, I'll model it for you AFTER it arrives in May and I get my alterations done.

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Dreamy...

Dark Chocolate Glaze...

I posted this with the donut cookies, but really, it needs its own post.

You NEED this in your life.  Use it to decorate a cookie, slather it on graham crackers, dip some pretzels, eat it straight from the spoon.  JUST MAKE IT.  {Don't make me beg.}

The glaze dries shiny, hard (but not crunchy), and stackable.  I can't wait to show you what I did with it yesterday.  How's that for a teaser?!? 

Dark Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa (such as Hershey's Special Dark)
1 & 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP light corn syrup
3 TBSP (or more) milk

Whisk together the cocoa and powdered sugar.  Add in the corn syrup and milk; whisk until smooth and the consistency of glue.  Add more milk a little at a time, if needed.  Use immediately.

You don't have to be so fussy with the thinning like royal icing. Make the glaze so that it is the consistency of thick glue.  Pipe and outline (or not), then fill with the same consistency glaze.  It should all smooth out.  Some may run down the inside of the cookie.

The glaze will harden and be stackable in 12-24 hours.

*sigh*

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Guest Post by Tina Martin, author of Secrets on Lake Drive

Today, we have guest blogger, Tina Martin, sharing her novel, Secrets On Lake Drive.

What is Secrets On Lake Drive about? Secrets On Lake Drive is the page-turning story of Monica Smith and Sean Beauvais - two people who are seemingly rivals but they may be just what the other needs to have a happy, meaningful and successful life. It's a novel based on the secrets each person carries, and in the end, those secrets may hold them together or drive them further apart, forever. 

Sean Beauvais' lifestyle is influenced by Haitian culture - the music, art and food. He shares a Haitian drink with the woman of his affection. When I was researching for the novel, I wanted to find a drink that sounded absolutely delicious and I came across one called Haitian Kremas. Want to give it a try? Here are the ingredients:

1/2 gallon of milk

2 cans of evaporated milk

4 cans of sweetened condensed milk

1 can of cream of coconut

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 lime, zest and juice

1/5 80 proof rum

Directions:

1. Boil the milk with the cinnamon and let it cool.

2. Add the cream of coconut.

3. Add the nutmeg, almond extract and lime juice and zest.

4. Add the evaporated and condensed milk.

5. Add the vanilla extract and rum.

Doesn't it just sound yummy! Now go grab a glass, pour yourself a drink and curl up to Secrets On Lake Drive, available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.

Book Trailer:

 

 Tina Martin is the author of Secrets On Lake Drive, Another Man's Treasure, The Baby Daddy Interviews and the forthcoming, Accidental Deception. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband and two young children. Read more about her and check out her novels at www.tinamartin.net.

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Spin the Plate by Donna Anastasi

Spin the Plate Excerpt

Today we have an excerpt from Spin the Plate, by Donna Anastasi, currently on tour with Walker Author Tours. Here Jo and Francis have their first conversation. Enjoy, and don't forget to pick up your copy of Spin the Plate!

When Jo emerged from the train, she noticed the little man followed at her heels, taking three steps to her two. She headed for the park, moving at a brisk pace. She was secretly thankful for his company, welcoming any distraction. Jo was not at all sure she could handle another episode.

He peppered her with rapid-fire questions. “Where do you work? Have you always lived in the city? Do you like empanadas?”

She mostly ignored him, except for occasionally punctuating the conversation with, “You are a crazy @#$%^.”

When they approached Ink Angels, the man’s mouth puckered and his eyes widen in surprise. It was a common reaction. Jo didn’t wear any visible tattoos, and people seemed to expect all tattoo artists to be covered in ink, like the ones from the reality TV shows. Arriving at the shop’s threshold, Jo wordlessly grasped the door handle.

“Oh, you work here,” he said, and then practically shouted, “Wait!” She hesitated long enough for him to blurt out, “Can I take you to dinner?” In the pause that followed he added, “You gotta eat.”

Maybe it was his small size, or maybe it was something in his eyes, but this man, yes man invoked none of the usual feelings of fury. She tried to muster her normal contempt, but couldn’t seem to forget how he’d brought her through a tough morning. He’d distracted her by trailing after her, and his off-beat chatter had warded off the episode invading the edges of her mind. She was having trouble shaking off lingering feelings of relief and gratitude.

Jo tried staring him down. He had no trouble gazing directly back into her eyes. His look was amused on the surface, but underneath she sensed a grave seriousness, the look she’d often seen in abandoned house pets, a look of desperate longing. She felt like he was seeing straight into her soul. Part of her wanted to turn away from him, but she felt paralyzed. Staring back at him was like looking into the eyes of a street kid or a stray dog. In him there was no guile. And in that moment she felt compassion.

Even so, Jo was shocked to hear herself accept his offer, “What the @#$%^. Meet me outside after work on Saturday.” She disappeared through the door without saying a time.

Jo was inside the shop for nearly a full minute before she was released from the man’s spell. She immediately regretted accepting his dinner invitation. She opened the shop door and scanned the faces and backs of people walking in both directions. But he was gone. Jo closed the door thinking there was no possibility that this dinner date was going to happen, and then she put it out of her mind completely.

To buy Spin the Plate on Amazon visit:   http://www.amazon.com/Spin-the-Plate-ebook/dp/B005F6SNA8/ref=tmm_kin_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1312802358&sr=8-2

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Simple 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter and Chocolate "Ice Cream"

Ice cream is a staple in our house. Every single one of us would be happy to eat it all day. I always try to keep healthy options available for us and for our 3 year old daughter, so you will almost always find our latest banana ice cream creation in the freezer (next to all the soup I have frozen to get us through the year).

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Chinese New Year!

Yesterday was Chap Gor Meh, the end of the fifteen-day Chinese New Year period - a time for family, friends, and lots of food! Here's my roundup of CNY 2013!

This year was the first time since I've moved out of home that I've decorated the flat - I guess I'm really an adult now! We displayed the traditional fruits-in-red-ribbon, had cookies in plastic containers and hung the usual firecrackers and lucky pictures on the walls.

Chinese New Year Fruits!

You may remember those delightful peanut cookies I made in the lead-up to CNY - I managed to save some until reunion lunch on CNY Eve! So very good!

Peanut cookies, love letters, kuih bangkit

Reunion dinner (lunch, actually) was at my parents' house on Chinese New Year's eve, and was full of our delicious traditional Nyonya Penang food: curry chicken kapitan, siew yoke (crispy roast pork), loh bak (minced pork wrapped in beancurd skin and deep fried), and kiam chye th'ng (salted vegetable soup). ALL OF THE YUM!

Reunion lunch

I love how Chinese New Year has become more mainstream - have you noticed the CNY-themed Lipton Iced Tea ads, and the "Make Chinese New Year Golden" Ferrero Rocher ads on bus stops and billboards around town? And on that theme, here's a dragon dance that I saw in Melbourne Central shopping centre one day! Pretty cool!

Dragon dance

This meal wasn't strictly for Chinese New Year, but it happened during the period, and it was Chinese, so I'm saying it counts! I made a Gluten-Free Chinese Meal for a good friend of mine who loves Chinese food but is a coeliac. In a cruel twist of fate, she was diagnosed with coeliac disease just shortly after we introduced her to Hills BBQ and the other fab Chinese restaurants in Box Hill! Noooo!

Making gluten-free Chinese food is surprisingly hard - it ALL CONTAINS WHEAT! Soy sauces, hoisin, Chinkiang vinegar, Chinese rice wine. Argh! It took quite a bit of planning, but in the end I managed it, by choosing recipes that were naturally gluten free, (all Fuchsia Dunlop obviously), and using gluten free soy sauce and omitting the Shaoxing wine in the recipes that weren't.

Gluten-Free Chinese Meal

We had beef with cumin, silken tofu with soy, gai laan stir-fried in garlic, and crisp and soft roast duck. Dessert as you can (just!) see in the above photo was simply lychees and vanilla ice-cream. The first three recipes are from Every Grain of Rice, and the roast duck was a bit of a mixture.

For the duck, I amalgamated Nigella's recipe for soft and crispy duck (How to Eat) and Fuchsia Dunlop's crisp and fragrant duck (Sichuan Cookery) - the night before, I marinated a whole duck in a mixture of oil, ginger, spring onions, star anise, cinnamon, 5-spice powder, Sichuan pepper and salt, then steamed it for an hour, let it cool completely and stashed it in the fridge. On the day itself, I roasted it at a very high heat for 30 minutes until crisp and golden. (The Fuchsia recipe instructs you to deep-fry it. Ahem!) My method worked pretty well - crisp skin and tender meat!

I had wanted to make some pancakes for the roast duck, but my attempts at gluten-free pancakes were a huge, sloppy mess! So I just binned them and we ate the dishes all together and they were super tasty!

My friend Adrian cooked a really epic feast to celebrate the end of Chinese New Year, including the biggest yee sang I'd ever seen!

Yee Sang

And finally, for Chap Gor Meh dinner on Sunday night, I cooked a little meal for my parents - the highlights were the sweet-and-sour spare ribs (the secret technique is "deep-frying" and the secret ingredient is "sugar"), and some lau sar tong yuan (little glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste, which I'm pretty sure represent luck). Both Fuchsia Dunlop recipes, both amazing!

Sweet-and-sour spareribs

Lau Sar Tong Yuan

Mmm... black sesame goodness

Happy New Year! I hope that the year of the snake brings you all the love, all the joy, all the great health, all the good income, and everything your heart desires!

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Vote For Paisley...PLEASE!

OK...I promise I'll have a post soon that isn't centered around my awesome, gorgeous, smart, cuddly babies!

But first....please consider voting for Paisley.  As you all know, I'm one of Furever Dachshund Rescue's Foster Coordinators, their blogger and the one in charge of Happy Tails (ie. post adoption follow-up).  PetFinder has just started a "Luckiest Pet" contest and I entered Paisley.  The prize is $5,000 for the shelter/rescue of my choice (in this case FDR) and a $500 Petco gift card for Paisley.

Click on Paisley to go to her entry on Petfinder.com

Voting is daily through March 17th (or maybe it's the 18th...I need to double check!).  Thanks in advance for supporting me as I support animal rescue.  If you do vote - please let me know so Paisley and I can thank you individually!

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Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies : Guest Blogging at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemadker

   This month Kristin from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker is doing a solid month of chocolate!  February is the perfect month to celebrate all things chocolate and I'm happy to be guest blogging over on her site today.

    I'm sharing my Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies.  I've made these a lot this winter.  The kids at school and the adults I've been sharing them with have been loving them.  The secret?  These cookies only have 5 ingredients in them!  So head on over to Kristen's blog and get the recipe. 

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