Swan Song

Complaining about problems in life is something I try really really hard to avoid. I have so much to be thankful for, yet every once in a while a nogoodreallybadandawful day comes along. One that leaves me feeling helpless and irritated but I always try to be hopeful that it will get better! So today I'm going to make it better. Tonight you will find me watching an old movie, drinking a glass of embarrassingly cheap wine and probably eating a whole tray of these:

That should help right?! Hope your day was better than mine! :)
Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe from the fantabulous Jenny of Picky Palate

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies.

Are you being served?

I have a confession. . .

I know sometimes I share these on the blog and I feel today it's necessary. I am obsessed with platters. Love them. OBSESSED. I have no more room for them. If you came in my office you would find three behind my computer, and one balancing on my file cabinet. There are 7 neatly stacked on top of the fridge and two in husbandface's closet. I have been banned from going to Ross/Marshal's (BTW best deals and most beautiful platters ever there!) by my husband because he knows. He knows that the moment I walk through those doors I will find the perfect platter for Christmas/birthdayparty/thanksgiving/family dinner/becauseitspretty/Ireallyneeditlikenow. I can't help myself. . . They just make such a statement! I truly believe you eat with your eyes and a pretty platter helps so much! Are you a hoarder of some-sort? Tell me below in comments!

Sugar rims

Hello friends! So recently I had the blessed opportunity to cater a friends baby shower. Being that she is such a "girly girl" it came as no shock that her baby, francesca, would have a very pink shower! Okay, totally off topic but my poor husband. . . A few weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night with this idea:

Chambord, Champagne and a pink sugar rim! So of course me being the most impatient person in the world, I woke him up to tell him. Sorry dear. But I was really really really excited about it! I had seen it done before and knew the bff would love it! After a brief convo of me asking him if I should call her at 11:30pm and tell her, and him saying absolutly not, I finally went back to bed. Called the next day and she said she loved it!

Upon entry of her shower each guest was greeted with a pink sugar rimmed champagne glass filled with chambord (raspberry liquor) and champagne. I'm sure this isn't limited to baby showers and would be great for a birthday, bridal shower, girls night. . . or any excuse to make a sugar rim! This could easily be used on other non-alcaholic drinks as well. Have fun!

I love me some Rhubarb!

Spring has spruuunng! I think I have sung this to husbandface enough times for him to start maybe disliking this season. . ;) As odd as it is rhubarb seems so "springy" to me. I love it. Yumsugar.com did a GREAT article about two years ago but I still have every intention of making BOTH of these.

Easy and Expert ways to use Rhubarb. The Recipes can be found here. Happy spring friends!

Green eats!

I'm super late today and for that I do apologize. But as I always say better late than never right?! So as you all know I looooove www.houseandhome.com. I like rustic comfort food and this site screams it.
The St.Patricks day menu is pretty amazing this year. Click on this link to get it!

Pizzazzerie.com offers these great ideas as well.

Some look a little tricky to me but If you have the time go for it! Happy St. Patty's day friends!

Need.

Okay, these are too cute! NummyCrummies offers these cakes in a jar that I think would make a great and creative gift! I found them on etsy.com. If your not willing to give them away at least your sweet tooth is satisfied by portion control right? I will be ordering the Sunday Breakfast with maple syrup. yum. Check out the site and let me know what you think in comments below! :)

Secret Family Recipe Revealed.

I was once working in a high-end restaurant in California as a line cook. I told my chef that I knew how to make spatzle as he had mentioned he wanted it on the menu. Just to make sure I was doing it right I called my mother. That was a blessing and a curse of a convo. . . It went something like this:

Me- "Hi mom! So I have my spatzle batter made and I want to make sure I did it right."

Her- "Is your water Heavily salted and boiling already?"

Me- "No, just waiting on the water to boil"

Her " Throw it out! YOU ARE HUNGARIAN DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE SPATZLE?!?!?!?!"

Apparently I shamed the family name. Spatlze making isn't so much about a good recipe but following the technicalities. Your Dough should not be mixed until your water is at a full boil. If the dough sits to long the gluten and starches work there magic and create a very tough noodle. Not what you want. So patience is key! The only seasoning the noodle receives is in the water, and do not rinse with cold water when done. Weird I know but that's how it's done here. . . And it works.

So here is our family recipe. Enjoy! boiled and pieced chicken can be added to this as well.

Spatzle
4 Whole Eggs
3 Cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of cold water

Sauce
1 half onion small dice
1 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs flour
1 tsp paprika
3 (or more if you like!) Tbs of sour cream
1 cup of whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste







Fill Pot

Bring HEAVILY salted water to a boil (about 3/4 of a cup of salt)

Get eggs water and flour ready

If you have a spatzle maker just use that. Mine was lost so I got creative. Once water comes to boil cover w strainer upsidedown

Begin by whisking eggs

Mix all ingredients together and pour over strainer about 1/2 a cup at a time

Push through with a spoon and watch for noodles to float to top!

Strain noodles in batches with a slotted spoon or small strainer with a handel. Repeat until noodles are done. Toss lightly in olive oil and set aside.

In a Frypan saute One half chopped onion and 1 tsp.paprika in 1Tbs butter

Add One Tbs of flour and saute until lightly browned

Add 1 Cup of milk and Three Tbs. of Sour cream. Season with salt and cook until thickened.

Add noodles back to sauce to warm through.