Got Book Smarts?

Ready to have a party….in your kitchen?   Gather your cookbooks, call your friends, and enjoy an evening sampling new foods, exchanging favorite recipes and sharing your favorite cookbooks with your fellow foodies.

Decide on a recipe theme to narrow the options such as appetizers or desserts.  Ask each friend to bring their favorite cookbook along with a prepared recipe from the cookbook that matches the assigned theme.
 My theme choice is a dessert swap!

All the party props are in your kitchen!   And your kitchen is the perfect backdrop for a #cookbook party!  Stack your cookbooks for lifts and levels, use your favorite cake plate to show off your star dessert, set out pretty dessert plates, napkins, a few kitchen gadgets, a fun apron and a dessert wine or champagne.

Don't forget some "take home" boxes for the dessert swap at the end of the evening.  

 Offer blank cards for guests to copy their favorite recipes and cookbook information.

I chose to share a Chocolate Truffle recipe from my sweet cookbook, "The Little Book of Chocolate."   These decadent truffles are perfect for dessert or giving as a gift.

Makes about 30 and prep time is about 20 minutes, plus chilling.

6 oz plain, milk or white chocolate

1 Tbsp butter

2 egg yolks

2 tsps brandy or black coffee

2 tsps cream

3 Tbsp each, cocoa powder and ground almonds, colored sprinkles 

1.  Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Stir in the butter.

2.  Lightly beat the egg yolks and add to the chocolate, until evenly incorporated.

3.  Beat in the brandy or coffee and the cream and chill for 1 hour or until firm.

4.  Divide into 30 small balls

5.  Gently roll each ball into either the cocoa, sprinkles or almonds.

6.  Place the truffles into candy cups and chill.

Chocolate cups filled with homemade, organic raspberry sorbet, garnished with mint
http://www.greenchildmagazine.com/organic-raspberry-sorbet/
(yes, magazines are also a great source for recipes!)

Every Diva appreciates a glass of champagne!

Secrets for Smart Shoppers

I love shopping online and have a couple #money-saving #secrets to share with y'all.
The first "secret"  was discovered accidentally, while shopping at an online store, happily adding things to my cart.  I was pulled away from my fave activity and had to log out before my purchase was completed.  The following day I received an email reminding me that my items were still in my cart awaiting purchase.  Two days later, I received an incentive to complete my purchase!  The site sent me a 20% discount plus Free Shipping!  Of course, that "roped me in!"  I logged in and "wrangled in" my shopping cart and took advantage of the offer!    After this experience, I tried "abandoning" my shopping cart on other sites…..and it worked!  These stores don't want to lose your business!  They track those abandoned shopping carts and want you to leave a happy customer!
Country Outfitter, Frontgate, Pottery Barn and Amazon are several that I see as I scroll through my iPhone emails…awaiting me to return and rescue those shopping carts.
A fave site I highly recommend before making a purchases online is Keycode.com.  Enter the name of the store in the search bar and all the discount codes and free shipping offers will pop up!  Country Outfitter offers up to 70% off select items - and, let's face it, ALL their items are awesome!  Along with Free Shipping on orders over $49…and who goes online and spends less than that at a quality leather boot shop?!

Also, for all you night owls, online discounts are steeper late at night!  Next time you can't sleep, test this out at your favorite online stores!
Get out in Cyberspace and "wrangle" up some discounts!
Happy Shipping…I mean Shopping ;)

Dressed To Kill Was A Thrill!

High energy, fun, entertaining, inspiring and just plain cool with lots of sparkle!  That's how I'd describe my all time favorite celebrity, #Cher!  She is as beautiful and fit as she was when I first set  eyes on this divine diva, way back in the early 70's.  This #D2K concert tour is freakin' awesome!  

Her concert encompassed the span of her career from the Sonny and Cher years, including an "I Got You Babe" duet with Sonny via a projector screen.  Also up on screen were clips from her many movies.  The many costume and wig changes were fantastical as only Cher could rock them.  Dance numbers were a colorful, eclectic collection of Cher through the decades.  Cher's dancers were incredibly talented, including aerial artists, but they still didn't outshine Cher, who did more awesome strutting than dancing.   Her big personality is fun, honest and charismatic.  She shared funny stories, including her love of Dr. Pepper (makes me wanna pick up a 6 pack next time I'm at the grocery store).  I hope this isn't her final "Farewell" tour.  At 67 years young, Cher rocked it like she was still in her 20's with a rocking voice and body to match!  I couldn't help but dance along when she belted out Believe,  It's A Woman's World, If I Could Turn Back Time, I Hope You Find It, and of course, I had to sing along to Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, Half Breed and my fave,  I Got You Babe!  It felt like I spent an evening celebrating with a fabulous friend.  

Memories to last a lifetime!  

Cher's energy and young spirit is inspiring, encouraging and reinforces the meaning behind my mantra: "Age is an attitude."

Oh, I can't forget to mention that the great icon somehow managed to get Pat Benatar to "open" for her!       Pat Benatar and her hubby, Neil Giraldo, celebrating 35 years of marriage, rocked the house with all of Benatar's hits.  Her voice is as strong as ever and together they are a power couple!

If you have the opportunity to see this awesome D2K tour, don't miss it!  Cher kicked butt in Indy and I can only hope for a second chance to see her in concert!  

An Easter Egg-stravaganza!

I love the holidays, and a Springtime holiday gives me an egg-stra reason to celebrate!  I have gathered some of my favorite Easter table centerpieces, decor, baskets and more to share with all of you!

Peeps, jellybeans and fresh flowers make a sweet centerpiece

perch a robins egg nest on top of an urn and voila!

Fresh Spring Veggies in a flower pot make a pretty presentation!

this cheeseboard arrangement from a recent winery visit would be a quick, easy, but lovely appetizer!
(#Pachecowineryonthird)

biscuit cookies in the middle of salad greens for some playful plating

spring bunny salad, split pea soup and peach bellinis for a spring menu! (see recipes for pea soup and asparagus-gruyere tart below)

green salad with fresh herb vinaigrette
3/4 C white wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp Dijon, 2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper,
1/2 C EVOO,  1 Tbsp each: fresh, chopped parsley, oregano, tarragon, thyme, basil
mix first 7 ingredients til sugar dissolves then stir in fresh herbs

http://www.easy-french-food.com/pea-soup-recipe.html

http://www.howsweeteats.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/greenbb-11.jpg

http://www.marthastewart.com/318340/asparagus-gruyere-tart?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/spring-produce-recipes&center=276955&gallery=275174&slide=284861

butterfly nets, pinwheels and candy for my little Easter guests

favorite assortment of candy and gift cards for  my Big Easter Bunnies!

who doesn't love a gift card or two?

sugar cookies and store-bought biscuit cookies make awesome bunny ears for these cute ducks!

Here's a favorite Easter Dessert from my kitchen to yours

Mixed Berries with Creme Anglaise and Raspberry Sauce
Serves 10

Raspberry Sauce

2  12 oz bags frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed

6 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

Puree Berries and strain

Mix sugar and grand marnier into the puree

cover and refrigerate up to 2 days

Creme Anglaise

21/2 Cups half and half

1 vanilla bean split lengthwise

6 egg yolks

3/4 C sugar

11/2 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cognac

8 C assorted berries

fresh mint sprigs

orange madeleines

Place the half and half, vanilla bean and scraped seeds from vanilla bean, in a pot and bring to a simmer.

Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl to blend and gradually whisk in hot half and half mixture.

Return mixture to pot and stir over medium heat, until custard thickens, about 6 minutes.

Strain into a bowl and mix in Cognac

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled (up to 2 days)

Ladle each sauce simultaneously onto each plate, mound berries in the center and garnish with mint.

Serve with Orange Madeleines (see recipe from my previous post "In Like A Lion, Out Like a Lamb"

Happy Easter!