Lavazza

Phew. I'm sure glad this holiday weekend is over and done with. I've had my fill of BBQ, boating, and family. And you know what? I didn't even get any sparklers. #lamesauce 

Anyhoo, I'm stopping in real quick to share a delish recipe and my favorite coffee power house, Lavazza.

If you haven't read about my professed love for this coffee company, you can read my thoughts HERE and HERE. Other wise, let me reiterate myself, I heart Lavazza, and we are in love.

Since Lavazza is based out of Italy, I decided to whip up an Italian dessert.. I found a perfect recipe in Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen, my new go-to Italian cookbook. I made carnival fritters! I was actually thinking they would taste more like beignets, but they tasted more like biscotti. I might have cooked them a little too long, though. I'm no Paula Deen. 

William and Adrienne ate five a piece. My food critics both loved them. That's all that really matters.

Carnival Fritters

|| recipe from Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen ||

2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablesppons unsalted butter, melted, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 shot (1 1/2 ounces) Vin Santo (or rum or brandy)

Grated zest of 1 orange

4 cups safflower, vegetable, or canola oil, for deep-frying

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, Vin Santo, and orange zest. Mix for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough begins detaching from the sides of the bowl.

- Remove the dough from the bowl, seal it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

- On a work surface lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough until it's as thin as fresh pasta. (A pasta machine can also be used for this part.) Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 5-inch-wide strips.

- In a high-sided skillet, add the oil to a level of 2 inches. Heat the oil over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 360 degrees F. Fry the strips of dough (the cenci) in batches, flipping occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until they curl slightly and acquire a golden brown color. 

- Transfer the cenci to a platter line with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve with a glass of Vin Santo.

I collaborated with Lavazza for this post. They provided me with their coffee and the Extra Virgin cookbook.

Bird's Nest Cookies Revisited

It's finally April 1st! But I'm not going to have any April Fool's jokes for you guys. I don't like all that nonsense. Ohandplusalso, this is officially my birthday month! ::fist bumps:: 

Since I want to go run outside and scream I LOVE APRIL and feel the warm spring sun on my face, I'm stopping in real quick only to share this yummy recipe. I blogged about these bird's nest cookies a few years ago. They are pretty much the perfect treat for both spring and Easter. Hey-oh!

Thoughts and a Bird's Nest Re-post.

This week has been such a long one. I usually don't like sharing super personal stuff on here. Especially depressing things, because, hey, I like to portray my life as one that's nothing but rainbows and unicorns and ish that never hurts. But, sometimes our world does hurt us. And sometimes it's so painful that you don't know how to deal. You eventually learn how to come to terms and your beautiful life goes on. Except there's a piece missing.

Death puts into perspective how short of a time span we have together on this earth. Please pray for us as a member of our family has passed away. 

Hug and kiss your favorites. Tell your friends you appreciate them. Enjoy your weekend.

If all that depressing talk has killed any appetite you might have had, go HERE to read this delish recipe to get it back.

If you like my stuffs, help a homie out and vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs! Just click on the picture below. It will take you to the Top Mommy Blogs website, but you voted for me by just clicking that happy cartoon lady! YOU CAN VOTE DAILY!! Thank you guys!!

Football Cake Re-Postin'

Popping in real quick on this lovely afternoon to re-post my yummalicious football shaped cake recipe. This dessert is perfect for your Super Bowl partay on Sunday. Make this baby Saturday night and prepare yourself for all the compliments you'll get when your guests drool over it the next day. Enjoy! Oh yea. #teamravens

If you like my stuffs, help a homie out and vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs by clicking the picture below. Just one click. It will take you to the Top Mommy Blogs website, but you voted for me by just clicking that happy cartoon lady below! YOU CAN VOTE DAILY!! Thank you guys!!

Oreo Bites

Do you have to make a treat the night before the Valentine's party at your kiddo's school? Whip these up. They're super easy and melt in your mouth-parts delicious. Add a little sea salt to some of them for an extra touch of yum. Plus, they look fancy. Just try to save them for the actual party.

Oreo Bites

|| ingredients ||

1 bag Bite Size Oreos

3 tubs of Baker's Dipping Chocolate or Melting Chocolates

Sea Salt

- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

- Follow the directions on the tub of dipping chocolate. You basically put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. When it's fully melted, put a few of the Oreo cookies in and give it a good stir. Get a pair of tongs and take the chocolate covered Oreos out and place them on the cookie sheet. Don't leave the Oreo cookies in the chocolate too long. They tend to melt.

- Sprinkle sea salt on every 6 or so Oreos.

- Done.

If you like my stuffs, help a homie out and vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs by clicking the picture below. Just one click. It will take you to the Top Mommy Blogs website, but you voted for me by just clicking that happy cartoon lady below! YOU CAN VOTE DAILY!! Thank you guys!!

Think Pink

Back from my much needed vaca. "Back life, back to reality." I bump a lil Soul II Soul on occasion. So, what? 

New Year's Eve was phenom. We rang in 2o12 with so many close friends and family. This will be an amazing year. I just can feel it. Even though it might be our last. Eh. Nice job Mayans. Way to be a tribe of Debbie Downs. 

Since we might only have 12 months left to eat delicious foods, we should just start now. I made these pink brownies for my little fashion queen's birthday last month. Yum. The strawberry flavor was a nice change from the usual chocolate. It was super easy to whip them up the morning before the party. Ba, da, ba, ba, ba, I'm lovin' it.

Pinkies
|| ingredients ||
1 box Strawberry Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
Powdered Sugar

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

-Stir together cake mix, eggs, and oil into a bowl. Batter will be very thick. Mix well and press onto the bottom of the dish.

-Bake for 14 minutes. Let the pinkies cool completely. Run hot water over a sharp knife to slice the pinkies easily. Dust with powdered sugar. The same recipe could be used for making Lemon Pinkies by substituting lemon cake mix.