February 2012 Newsletter

Hi Everyone...

January has come and gone...time to move on and plan for the upcoming months. Hope your plans come together and bring you all the happiness your heart desires!

Know some have received great news regarding health issues! Continued thoughts to those for better days ahead!

 

Hugs,
Paula

 

Food For Thought:

 

 

Writing Together...

Each day that passes another day turns in our  lives.
Given another day to live, love and laugh together.
Each day unfolds...time to share with one another.
Sharing love, laughter, happiness and dreams together...
Taking time for us, making plans to fulfill our lives, our dreams.
You are an intricate part of me...you make me complete.
Each day that passes is another page in the book...
The book that we will continue to write together.

Paula 2012

 

 

 

Recipes:

 

 

 

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

 

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
48 undrained maraschino cherries (about one 10-ounce jar)
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate pieces (not imitation)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Directions:
In a mixing bowl combine flour and cocoa; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter or margarine with an electric mixer
on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened.
Add sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until well combined.
Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheet.
Press down center of each ball with thumb.
Drain maraschino cherries, reserving juice.
Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.
In a small saucepan combine the chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk;
heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry on unbaked cookie,
spreading to cover cherry.
(Frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice, if necessary.)
Bake in 350°F oven about 10 minutes or until done. Remove to wire rack; cool.
Cover and store at room temperature up to 2 days. Makes 48 cookies.

 

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Chocolate Red Wine Cake
Food & Wine

 

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Whipped cream, for serving

 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar and serve with whipped cream.

 

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STRAWBERRY PECAN CAKE
1 box white cake mix
1 small box strawberry gelatin
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup frozen strawberries, chopped
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix cake mix and jello; add oil, milk, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Fold in
remaining ingredients. Grease and flour 3 (9 in) cake pans. Bake at 350 for
20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Icing:
1 stick butter
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup drained strawberries
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup coconut
Cream butter and sugar; add other ingredients. Frost between layers, sides and
top. Can be garnished with additional coconut and pecans.

 

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Panna Cotta with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries
Ina Garten

 

Ingredients
1/2 packet (1 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 pints (4 cups) sliced fresh strawberries
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated lemon zest, for serving
Directions
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 1 1/2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream and the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Pour into 4 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

 

Combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and pepper 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Set aside at room temperature.

 

To serve, run a small knife around each dessert in the ramkein and dip the bottom of each ramekin quickly in a bowl of hot tap water. Invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and surround the panna cotta with strawberries. Dust lightly with freshly grated lemon zest and serve.