Summer is here!!

Last week we were all so excited with the conclusion of our school year. Seven days later and we still have not taken advantage of our summer days. Older Son has been so busy getting service hours, working, training and painting Younger Sons room that he has not had time to sit down. Younger Son has been attending a football camp and training so not much free time for him either.

I must say it is good that boredom has not set in yet and we are getting some great projects done around our house. You may remember several months ago we embarked on redecorating our home. Currently our home is mixed with some of our old items and a few new ones. While it is not complete, you can sense that the end is near and a fresh new look is brewing.

One of the biggest things I have learned in this redo is that "less is more". You hear this, but it goes in one ear and out the other. I must say that "less" is such a wonderful feeling. Everything feels so open and airy compared to our old digs. We are almost finished with our living and dining rooms. Both Sparkling boys have new digs as well. I think their rooms show the most dramatic change because we really cleaned out a lot from their rooms.

With all of this redecorating and running around, cooking has not been top on my list. During the summer and particularly when we are at the beach, I make a great pasta salad that the whole Sparkling family loves. We call it Beach Pasta Salad because that is where I made it for the first time and it has been a hit ever since.

BEACH PASTA SALAD

1 - pound sea shell pasta
2 - tomatoes, chopped
1 - can pitted black olives
1 - can black-eyed peas, drained
1/2 - cup chopped red onion
2 - tablespoons capers
3/4 -cup olive oil
1/2 - cup white vinegar
1 - teaspoon Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Seasoning Salt

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and add next 5 ingredients. Whisk olive oil, vinegar and seasoning salt together. Pour over pasta and vegetables and refrigerate for several hours before serving. Enjoy!!

One More Day

Both Sparkling boys just have one more day of school!! This is so exciting. Young Son was jumping up and down and running all over the house this morning. Older Son just had a sense of relief written all over his smiling face. We really love our summer days and try to make the most of them.

Of my parade of events I spoke of earlier, there is only one more to complete tomorrow. It is a reception for the Graduating 6th grade students at Young Son's school. (This will be him next year!!). The reception will be held at 10:00 am. Since this is not really a meal time, the Moms (me being one of them) that are hosting this event have selected a very simple, but nice menu. I will share it with you now.

Sausage Biscuits
Fresh fruit
Cheese/Crackers
Cupcakes
Nuts/Mints
Punch/Water

Now, I am going to go back in time for just a minute. You may remember a few weeks ago, I helped host a dinner party. I made two items that several people have requested the recipe for. I am going to share them with you today.

Linguine with Tomatoes, Brie and Basil

4 - large ripe tomatoes
1 - pound Brie cheese with rind removed and torn into irregular pieces
1 - cup fresh basil cut into strips
3 - cloves garlic, minced
1 - cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 - teaspoons salt
1/2 - teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 - pound linguine, cooked according to package directions.

Combine all ingredients except the linguine in a plastic container with a lid. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours. Cook linguine and pour tomato mixture over hot linguine. Serve

The next recipe is one I adapted from a similar recipe, so bare with me and how it is written.

Chocolate Terrine

11 - ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 - tablespoons butter
4 - large eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus two tablespoons
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream


Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan making sure not to cook at too high of a temperature. Whisk until smooth. Set the saucepan aside.

Whisk together the 1/4 cup sugar and eggs. Place in a another saucepan and whisk until thick. Make sure to whisk continuously so that you don't get scrambled eggs!!

In a large bowl, combine chocolate mixture and egg mixture in three separate additions. (a little chocolate, a little egg etc.)

Whip the cream with the 2 tablespoons sugar until thick. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.

Using a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, pour mixture into pan and refrigerate overnight.

Chocolate Glaze

4 - ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
5 - tablespoons butter
2 - teaspoons light corn syrup.

Melt chocolate, butter and corn syrup in saucepan over low heat. Whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly.

Turn loaf pan upside down on desired serving plate. Remove plastic wrap. Spread glaze over the terrine. Top with sugared nuts.

Sugared Nuts ( I used Macadamia, but any type would work fine with this)

2 - large egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 - cups nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Stir in the sugar. Add the nuts and mix until combined.

Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the nuts, stirring every five minutes until they are dry and golden brown. About 15 - 20 minutes. Let cool lightly and place on top of terrine.

Return the terrine with glaze and nuts to the refrigerator until firm.

Whew!!! That was a long recipe. Really, it is not that bad. Leave me a comment if you have any questions. See the comment section at the bottom of the post.

I have made this for all types of occasions and it is a real treat. You can really put it in any type of pan. (I have used a heart shaped one before). The first time you try this, you might stick with the loaf pan. I hope you enjoy. I am already going to tell you I won't be posting tomorrow as I will be busy at the reception. Take a look at some of my previous posts from month's past for all kinds of recipes. Just click on the "month" on the right side of the blog and take a look. Happy reading!!

Just say NO

I am sure you are a little ticked off with me for my lack of posting. I must say it is all my fault. I think I said yes to helping with too many activities. The good thing is I am almost finished with many of these. I have two more events to tend to this week and then SUMMER!!! Mental note to self: "Just say NO". I know why God invented such a wonderful time of year. He knew that us moms with children in school and the children themselves need a BREAK!!

Older Son will be attending many athletic camps at different college campuses during June and the first week of July. Young Son will be attending athletic camps around our area. Then we will have our family vacation for 2 WEEKS in July!!! We have NEVER vacationed for this long and ALL of us are looking forward to it.

Last week, I attended my last Cookbook Club luncheon for the year (school year). Everything, as usual, was delicious, but one appetizer really stood out. This is a very easy recipe. Trust me when I tell you it is delicious. I will share the recipe below. Until tomorrow!! (or as soon as I can)

This recipe is from Bon Appetit (We have chosen a new cookbook for next year "Stop and Smell the Rosemary". This is from the Junior League of Houston and looks really good. Enjoy!

QUESO FUNDID WITH SAUSAGE AND CHIPOTLE CHILES

8 - ounces Italian hot sausage, casings removed
1 3/4 - cups chopped onions (white onions were used in the recipe I tasted)
1 - cup fresh cilantro, divided
2 - teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chiles, divided
10 - ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 1/2 cups packed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute sausages and onion about 10 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup cilantro and 1 teaspoon chipotle chiles. Transfer mixture to 9 inch baking dish. Mix cheese with remaining 1/2 cup cilantro and 1 teaspoon chipotle chiles. Sprinkle cheese mixture over sausage . Bake for 10 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips. (The original recipe called for making your own, but we had store purchased and they were great)

Cinco de Mayo

Hello Friends. Things in my life have been very hectic lately and I must apologize for not posting for a while.

This Saturday, Mr. Sparkling and I are co-hosting a dinner party with friends. I am so excited about our menu. Here it is.

Red Raspberry Cheese Torte
Fresh shrimp with cocktail sauce
Bing Cherry Salad
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Brie and Tomato Linguine
Roasted Broccoli Parmesan
Red Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Flourless Chocolate Torte

We are also serving Wine and Bourbon Slush and other assorted soft drinks and water. I will share some of these recipes with you at another time.

While that is in the back of my mind, I am aware that today is Cinco de Mayo. A delicious recipe that comes to mind for this day is one of Paula Deen's; Enchiladas de Pollo. Here the recipe is and it is very delicious.

Enchiladas de Pollo

2 - chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz - cream cheese
1/2 - can cream of chicken soup
1 - can diced green chilies
3 - green onions, chopped
12 - 7 inch flour tortillas
1 - can enchilada sauce
1- cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 - cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spray 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

Combine chicken, cream cheese, soup, chilies and green onions. Spoon 2 tablespoons of this mixture onto each tortilla and roll up. Pour a little of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of pan. Place the enchiladas side by side on top of the sauce. When you have all enchiladas in pan, cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and then bake an additional 10 minutes. Paula suggests serving with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and salsa. I really think there is enough stuff in these things that a salad alongside these is plenty.

I hope you enjoy!!

An extra day off and the bookstore

Yesterday, Older Son had an extra day off from school. Younger Son was not particularly happy with this since he had to return to school. While Older Son had the day off, somehow he did not forget he did indeed have some school work to attend to. We needed to purchase two books for two different classes. One would think that with a store as large as Barnes & Noble or Books -A- Million, they would have whatever you needed. This was not the case for Older Son yesterday. Neither of the bookstore giants had what he was looking for. Of course, the books were needed for class today so ordering them online would be alright for the future, but he would be in a little trouble today.

While Older Son was looking for his books, there was a magnet pulling me to the cookbook section. It happens every time. I could spend hours looking at these marvelous books. I found a Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) book that just had to come home with me. It is called "Back to Basics". In her introduction she explains that she is not talking about meat and mashed potatoes, but rather the combination of basic foods in an interesting way. One recipe that looked quite yummy to me as I perused this delight for the eyes and senses was one for French Bistro Steaks with Provencal butter. The recipe calls for "Hanger Steak". I am not sure what this is, but I will be asking the butcher on my next trip to the grocery store. The most delicious part of this recipe appears to be the butter. I am going to share the butter recipe with you. My plans are to grill fillets and top them with this butter.

Before I begin with the recipe I need to tell you the rest of the story about Older Sons books. Once we realized not much else could be done at the last bookstore, I decided this would be a perfect time to take Older Son shopping for lamps for his new room. You may remember we are re-decorating his room. You may also remember that Lounge Interiors is my selected store for our new digs. Since it was a jump away from the bookstore, this was a perfect trip. Older Son again surprised me by selecting some of the most fabulous black and copper lamps. Once this chore was done, he asked if he could go to the used bookstore down from Lounge. This bookstore is very small in comparison to the giants I spoke of earlier. Ten minutes later he returned with the book he had been looking for! Who would have thought? He also only had to pay $1 for it! You just gotta love that! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Until tomorrow!!

Provencal Butter (Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics)

1 - large clove garlic, minced
4 - anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
1 - tablespoon capers, drained
2 - tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 - teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 - teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 - tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature.

Place garlic, anchovies, capers, chives, thyme, lemon zest, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and process briefly to combine ingredients. Place the butter mixture on a piece of wax paper and toll it into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long, twisting the ends. Store the butter in the Refrigerator. Slice when steaks are cooked an place on top of steak.

Sports and Boys

Young Sparkling is now playing baseball and soccer at the same time. This is a little difficult but we manage to fit everything in. Older Son will begin spring football practice tomorrow. OK, while all of this sounds like a lot of fun, there is a not so fun part of all of this activity. Washing all of these sweaty clothes. I am BIG HUGE fan of Downy. I am not really that interested in the softness this product provides, but the clean smell is gives off. Boys clothes just seem to need a scent lift.

Recently, I found a product that was new to me. It is Febreeze Laundry Odor Eliminator. I have used this and it really does seem to do the trick. If you are in a laundry dilemma such as mine, I suggest giving this a try. I did not give up my Downy. Some things just can't be replaced.

I have seen an advertisement for a Febreeze product that is specially formulated for Sports. I am going to be on the lookout for it and wanted you to know about it. Why these laundry things excite me is a mystery. Let me know if you find it. Until tomorrow!!

Happy Easter

I hope all of you have had a blessed Easter. We woke up early and went to 8:00 am Mass. I just love Easter Mass. It seems so joyous after the gloomy days of Lent. We went to a buffet for lunch and at 6:00 pm I am still full. The feast consisted of ham, prime rib, turkey, vegetables, salads and tons of desserts. The BEST thing was a Crab Bisque. It was very creamy and had plenty of crab. I think that is why I am still full.

Yesterday, I cooked the Beef Brisket I spoke about the other day. I was determined to make cooking it much easier than the long directions in the cookbook. My thought was that we would enjoy the brisket on Easter night, but we are all too full. At any rate, I had the butcher get me a beef brisket. The recipe called for a 5 pound brisket. The butcher asked me if I wanted it trimmed or not. At first I said trimmed and he gave me a look so I quickly said untrimmed. The untrimmed brisket was actually 7 pounds. That was a big piece of meat and I only had one roaster large enough to cook it in. I must say that this meat made our whole house smell absolutely delicious. I tasted a little bite and it is very good so I am going to share the shortcut recipe I came up with. This will feed lots of people. Happy Easter!! Until tomorrow!!

Brisket with dried apricots, prunes and aromatic spices

5 - pound beef brisket placed in a large roaster

Rub Recipe
2/3 - cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
5 - cloves garlic
4 - tablespoons ground cumin
1 - teaspoon salt
1/4 - teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 - teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor until a paste consistency is reached. Rub all over meat.

Vegetable Recipe

3 - tablespoons olive oil
4 - cups chopped onions
2 - carrots, chopped
1 - tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 - teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 - teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 - cup dry red wine
3 - cups beef broth
2/3 - cups pitted prunes

Place olive oil and onions in a large skillet and saute until onions are clear. In a food processor, chop the carrots, ginger, coriander, cayenne pepper and prunes. Add to skillet with onions and olive oil and saute for about five minutes. Add wine and broth and cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Pour over meat. Cover meat and bake on 300 degrees for 3 hours. Let cool and place in refrigerator overnight. Do not cut until the next day. Reserve all of liquid from roasting pan.

To serve, slice beef and pour reserved liquid on top of it. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes. Serve.