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Sassy Girl Pies and More!

You're next cake has gotta come from Sassy Girl Pies and More! I saw this masterpiece and I had to give a shout out! This is SO impressive! See for yourself! Check out SassyGirlPies.Com and prepare to be "awed"!

Monday Nite Dinner!

There's a theory that one good decision leads to another! This theory is often the motivation behind starting your day off with a healthy breakfast.  I tend to agree with this thinking. Even if it's wrong, you have the undeniable benefit of having made at least a few good choices about your day and ultimately about your life!  Having started mine with a rip roaring 4.22 miles on the elyptical trainer, my next good decision will be Monday nite dinner. The goal,  prepare something tasty, healthy and calorie conscious!  I think this fits the bill!
Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes, Baked Halibut, and Strawberry yogurt parfait!
Bon Appetit!

Gathering with friends for Dinner? Make sure it's a fun time for all!

Try these two fail proof ideas the next time you plan a group for dinner! Lively and witty conversations and lots of laughter ensure a great time had by all! 

My favorite conversation starter is to pose the question "what is the funniest thing that ever happened to you in the middle of the nite?" You'll  be surprised at the amusing answers that you get! They are sure to be hillarious! My second suggestion (and one that I am famously renowned for) is a murder mystery dinner party!  These are SO much fun! Typically designed around 4 couples, these parties are not only fun and entertaining but can be blow your mind delicious with the right planning and menu design! If you'd like to try your hand at one, contact me for the best "insider" tips! It's my specialty!

 Plus did you know that genuine heartfelt laughter promotes a sense of peace and safety?  Go ahead laugh a little.... no, laugh a lot! It's good for you!

Bon Appetit Foodies!

Talkfooddenver!

Perfect Antedote for April "Snow"? A Spring Menu!

The Rocky Mountains In the Springtime often come with snow! Sounds more like January in other areas, but here it's "par for the course!" Try these recipes to remind your taste buds that "spring is in the air!"


Janees' SMOKEY ORANGE GRILLED CHICKEN

4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup bitter orange juice
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 large bay leaf, crumbled

Whisk together all of the ingredients, except the chicken.

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl or in an extra-large zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn the pieces until they are coated in the marinade. If using a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap. If using a ziplock bag, gently press out the extra air before closing the top.

Refrigerate the chicken for 6-8 hours. For best results, turn the chicken in the marinade after a few hours.

Let the chicken rest in the marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

Heat grill to medium high.

Gently shake off any excess marinade from the chicken pieces before placing on the grill. Grill for approximately 10 minutes per side for large pieces, such as the breast or thigh. Smaller pieces like the wing will cook much faster so turn them after 5 or 6 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when pricked with a fork or small knife.
(Janee is the creator and founder of Revel & Feast food blog! I am always excited about her wonderful recipes and I'm sure you will be too!/www.revelandfeast.com)

Finish your "Spring Fling" with Mixed Berry Cobbler! Soooo good!


My own Mixed Berry Cobbler

1 c. Bisquick
1 c. sugar
1 half pint frsh blueberries
1 half pint fresh strawberries
1 half teaspoon orange zest
butter

Gently wash and dry berries. Place in bottom of a casserole type dish add orange zest. Mix together Bisquick and sugar and cover berries. Dot with butter. Place in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. Top with good quality vanilla ice cream. Serve warm.

Bon Appetit!
TalkFoodDenver

Heart Healthy Starts continued

We are inundated with so many choices for heart healthy starts.... not all of them as beneficial as they claim to be. Nutrionist say you need protein and everyone says you need more raw veggies and fiber. What's a girl to do? Personally, I enjoy working out on an empty stomach which delays breakfast until later in the morning. Then, feeling like I got off to a good start my breakfast preference is a Whey protein drink to which I add spinach and blueberries and a little unfiltered apple juice. Tasty and satisfying! But that's only half the story. If it's a gloomy, cold, Saturday morning and I'm feeling.... you know.... hormonal...., then it's pancakes all the way! What about you? Does your environment and mood affect the foods you choose? I want to know!

So glad it's springtime in the rockies and lots of sunny days ahead!

Bon Appetit Foodies!,
Talkfooddenver

Heart Healthy Starts

Which way do you start your day? Protein drinks? Fresh Fruit? Carrot juice? I want to know!

Bon Appetit!

Talkfooddenver

Things That Make You Go Ahhhhh......

"Ahhhhhh" isn't that what we're searching for? There's an "ahhh" place and moment for everyone! For me, it's "The Classics" done right! I'm a romantic and a nostalgic... especially when it comes to food! Do you remember a time when Champagne Cocktails and Martinis were "the" signature drinks of the jet set crowd? When a decent coktail hour preceded every fine dining experience? When the suave and debonair wore smoking jackets and graciously pulled out a chair for their female companions convenience.... Ahhhhh, this is what I'm talking about. There wasn't a problem in the world that couldn't be fixed over the clinking of martini glasses and not a celebration on earth that didn't involve a fluted glass of bubbly! Then came the appetizers.... starting with perfectly chilled bluepoint oysters on the half shell. Briny, succulent and inviting you simply couldn't resist! And there's something so alluring about gargantuan sized shrimp dangling off of a glass bowl that's been filled with a horseradishy cocktail sauce! Remember escargot, duck liver pate or tender, steamed artichokes served with drawn butter???? Ahhhh, this is Le Bon Vivant!

The evening is set, everything is perfect, no attention to detail has been overlooked. I hear Frank Sinatra in the background, I look around the room and see laughter, and hugs, and toasts, and oh so sweet kisses that promise "the night is young...."
And then dinner is served.....! There's Duck a l'orange, the quintessential 24 ounce Lobster Thermidor, double cut and roasted Rack of Lamb with mint and of course double Prime New York Steak! If you are invited to a dinner party at my house, these classics are sure to be the inspiration!

Remember when desserts were flaming and prepared tableside? Remember Banannas Foster and Cherries Jubilee? What ever happened to these honorable distinctions? he sudden burst of flame that erupts when brandy is kissed by fire always results in oooohhhhs and ahhhhhhs..... And everyone in eyeshot of the dramatics being performed at your table wants to be in your seat!


Turn the music up, Frank is signing "The Way You Look Tonite....". Pop open another bottle of Champagne..... ohhhh my dear, these are the things that make you go "ahhhhh...... ".

Celebrate Veggie Packed Dishes!

Do you think "boring" when thinking of adding veggies to your menu? I hope not! These power packs can be so underrated! Mouthwatering and good for you is what you should be thinking! Now, lets' shake things up and get this veggie party started!

We all love the old favorite of sauteed spinach with garlic and lemon but have you ever tried a spinach cake! It's awesome! It's everything we already love but done in a new way! Baked with ricotta, parmesan, garlic and black pepper these muscle makers (remember Popeye....) are especially satisfying when served warm! The crusty baked top yields to a chessy spinach filling with the first bite! SO Good!

And what about mushrooms, carrots, zuchini, broccoli and cauliflower??? Traditional side dishes in your house???? No more! They are the star of the show in this recipe for Baked Vegetables Au Gratin! Think loads of veggies with sauteed mushrooms and onions in butter and topped with parmesan! This gives new meaning to comfort food! This is comforting, savory, cheesy and completely guilt free! Go ahead.... have seconds.... you're gonna love this dish!

Bon Appetit!

Spinach Cakes

* 12 ounces fresh spinach (10 ounces trimmed mature spinach = about 10 cups raw, 10 ounces baby spinach = about 8 cups raw)
* 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, or low-fat cottage cheese
* 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
* 2 large eggs, beaten
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, sea salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Coat 8 cups of the muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full).
4. Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 20 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.

published by Sunflower Markets


Vegetables Au Gratin

Ingredients

* 1 tb Olive oil
* 1 tb Butter
* 1 md Onion; chopped
* 1 c Sliced mushrooms
* 1 lg Sliced carrot
* 1 Zucchini; sliced into long
* 2 1/2 c Grated cheddar cheese
* 1 sm Head broccoli; sliced into
* 1 sm Head cauliflower; sliced
* 3 md Potatoes; sliced into long
* 2 tb Butter
* Salt
* Black pepper

BEAT TOGETHER WELL

* 2 c Milk
* 3 Eggs

TOPPING MIX TOGETHER

* 1/4 c Parmesan cheese
* 3 c Breadcrumbs


Preparation

Melt butter into oil, swirl to mix and add onions. Saute until light golden and add mushrooms. Cook another 2 minutes and remove from heat. Heat oven to 375F. Butter a large deep casserole dish. Wash vegetables (any combination of those mentioned or whatever you have on hand.) Slice all vegetables into thin slices, the length of each vegetable. Lay one layer of carrot and zucchini, sprinkle with half of the onions and mushrooms, one-third of the grated cheese, and salt and pepper, lay down a layer of broccoli and cauliflower, sprinkle with remaining onions and mushrooms, one-third of the grated cheese and salt and pepper. Lay down a layer of potatoes and sprikle with salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Mix together milk and eggs and pour over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining one-third of the cheese, breadcrumbs and Parmesan mixture and bake another 15 minutes.

Luna Park Smores

For "the Best" chocolatey, elegant, delicious dessert you've ever eaten in your life make "Luna Park Smores" at home! IN-CRE-DI-BLE! I saw this fabulous dessert featured on an episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate! and I can truly see why!


Imagine this.... you've eaten dinner but have naturally left room for dessert..... you're anticipating something warm, smooth and chocolatey to perfectly compliment your after dinner coffee.... and here it comes.... What is it? How did they???? You've never seen anything like this!!! S'Mores?, campfires? marshmallows? so pretty.... so toasted... so succulent looking..... I smell the graham cracker....., the chocolate is heated.... it wafts thru the air!!!, That's it! I've got to dive in! And so it begins..... You take the graham cracker, dip it in some chocolate.... your mouth is watering... it's messy but you're long past the point of caring.... and now, the final conquest.... you break into the crusty toasted oooey, gooey marshmallow sticky goodness and smear some on your chocolate cracker..... !!! You're exploding with excitement on the inside but you're still careful to get some of the charred mallow as well as lots of the gooey goodness! Ohhhhh ladies and gentlemen..... this- is- bliss! If you're a restauranteur, this needs to be on your menu! Bon Appetit my friends!

This recipe and photograph was posted courtesy of "Blah, blah, blah, I open my mouth and say stupid things". Google Jan Can Cook Luna Park Smores to create your own blissful experience!