Enjoy.

Chocolate Espresso Fondue

Yield: 3 cups

Speed: Variable 1-10, High

Time: 4 to 5 minutes

•  ½ cup water
• 1 to 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 3 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.

Select Variable 1. Turn on machine and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High, using tamper as needed to keep the mixture flowing. Blend for 3 to 4 minutes or until melted and smooth. Pour into fondue pot and serve.

For Dippers: Get creative! Some ideas – Pretzel sticks, strawberries, ladyfingers, fresh pineapple chunks, cubes of pound cake, cubes of angel food cake, marshmallows

(source)

Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll be trying to locate a straw. Who needs dippers, anyway?

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Have you entered to win the $100 Shopbop gift card yet?!

Remember the awesome Vitamix event I attented? As I shared in the comment section, I learned that everyone can take advantage of the same outlet prices online and Vitamix will include free shipping. Just use the following code to take advantage of the offer: https://secure.vitamix.com/Default.aspx?Coupon=07-0066-01-06

Now, I told you I’d share recipes, didn’t I?

Behold.

Chef Bev’s Berry Kissed Sorbet

preparation: 10 minutes • processing: 40 seconds • yield: 2 1/2 cups

• ¼ ounce fresh ginger, peeled and halved
• ¼ cup cold water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
• ½ cup frozen unsweetened blueberries
• ½ cup frozen unsweetened blackberries
• ½ cup frozen unsweetened red raspberries
• 1 cup frozen pitted Bing cherries
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Partially thaw frozen berries for 15 minutes; set aside.

Place ginger, water and sugar into the Vitamix container and secure lid.

Select Variable 1.

Switch machine to Start and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then High.

Blend, using tamper as needed, for 20 seconds until ginger is finely chopped. Stop machine and remove lid.

Add berries, mint, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla to the container with ginger mixture and secure lid.

Select Variable 1.

Switch machine to Start and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then High, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.

In about 20 to 30 seconds, the sound of the motor will change and four mounds should form.

Stop machine. Do not over mix or melting will occur. Serve immediately.

This would be perfect to serve at any get together around the holidays – so festive! Serving tip (from me) — serve in large, festive goblets garnished with fresh mint or berries.

(source)

What’s your favorite thing to make in your Vitamix? Stay tuned for a CHOCOLATE FONDUE recipe — no stove top or heating required! I’m still dreaming about it. You are gonna love it. Now if you excuse me, I’ll be looking for some mistletoe to enjoy my berry kiss

The Mister, Bean and I had an incredible weekend — no plans whatsoever, just playing, relaxing and lots of laughing

Yesterday the Mister and I spent a good chunk on the evening going through all our photos over the past 6 months, sorting and archiving them on our big computer. Re-living each little moment made me once again realize just how lucky I am to be living my life. I truly could not ask for anything more and the Mister and I are SO blessed to have each other. Together + bean, we really do form the most perfectest little family I could have ever hoped and prayed for.

After such a blissful weekend, I knew getting back into the swing of things this Moday would be a little challenging. To make things easier for myself, I threw together tonight’s dinner yesterday evening. All I’ll have to do tonight is pop it in the oven and wait

If you are also running on a time-crunched schedule, or simply just want less time in the kitchen after work, I suggest you do the same.

The recipe is super easy.

You’ll need:

• 2 packages of white mushrooms (sliced)
• 3 gloves of garlic, minced
• rosemary
• extra virgin olive oil
• 4-6 chicken thighs (boneless and skin removed) — I’ll use leftovers for lunches
• salt + pepper

Layer mushrooms at the bottom of a roasting pan. Toss with minced garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a good pinch of rosemary. Next, layer chicken thighs on top of mushrooms and drizzle with olive oil. Top with additional rosemary and some salt + pepper. Cover and stick in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

If cooking immediately, place on the center rack of a 400 degree oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, uncovered.

Hope you are all having a terrific Monday. What are you  back-to-work/Monday cooking tips that help you ease back into the work week with limited time in the kitchen?!

Bean says, whatever you’re cookin, don’t forget your veggies!

The answer is really quite simple — yes.

Too many times I have put on my Betty Crocker hat to roast up some veggies, only to serve up squishy, over-cooked morsels tasting of old feet.

No. Longer.

I have finally perfected the roasted carrot, so much so that it’s become a regular request of the Mister.

You’ll need:

• 1 bunch of carrots
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Rosemary
• Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil. Arrange cut up carrots on cookie sheet and drizzle and toss with olive oil.

Side note: I like to leave a little but of the “stalk” remaining on the carrot. It adds a bit of color and looks gourmet. At least that’s what I tell myself — work with me, people

Sprinkle with salt and rosemary — don’t be shy with the seasoning! Cook for 20 minutes, tossing 1/2 way through.

If you are like me and have been avoiding roasted veggies in fear of creating foot-like results, fear no longer!

Enjoy

I on the other hand? Not so much. Not only are the circles under my eyes darkening, but I went a little too far with the whole “messy bun” look this week as a result of not having washed my hair for 5 days. And I may or may not have worn the same at home loungewear (i.e. leggings and a nursing tank) for those same 5 days. That Mister is a lucky man, people, a lucky man.

Needless to say, I was a sight for sore eyes. Luckily, the Mister still pretends to find me alluring - God bless him. But I knew needed to recapture my mojo and show him that despite appearances, I really do have it all under control. Because who doesn’t want to be superwoman?

So I went to work — washed my face and hair, applied lip gloss and slipped into NEW leggings with a T-shirt that, in my opinion, made my butt look pretty awesome.

I also made a kick-ass dinner. Because we all know people look more beautiful when accompanied by delicious food.

You didn’t know that?

Shame on you.

If you, too, need to reduce those under-eye circles and bring out the sparkle in your eye, serve this dinner. It takes less than 15 minutes and tastes so good even the worst cases will find redemption. And while you’re at it — wash that hair

You’ll need:

• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (found with soy sauce and other Chinese cuisine)
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1″ pieces
• salt and ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• cooked rice (optional, if you’d like to “bulk up” the meal)

First, stir together the apricots, preserves, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Next. season the pork with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the apricot mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thick. Serve over rice, if using.

I decided to forgo the rice. Don’t worry, though, I recovered the lost carbs by chowing through an entire bag of popcorn — alone. What!? I’m allowed – I am superwoman, after all

Our grocery store was having a sale on shrimp, so I purchased a 2 lb. bag and went to work creating two different recipes.

Today, I’m going to share one of them: Roasted Chickpeas with Garlic Lemon Shrimp

You’ll need (makes two entree-sized servings):

• 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and di-veined (can be cooked or raw) — if you want to make my other recipe this week, purchase a 2 lb. bag and save the other half!
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cloves of garlic, minced (will need zest and juice!)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drain the chickpeas and pour into a roasting dish. Toss with one tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread into a single layer and bake for 20 minutes.

While the chickpeas are cooking, combine shrimp, the zest of 1/2 lemon, the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, parsely, minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

Once the chickpeas are finished, pour shrimp mixture on top and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Fill up a bowl and dig in!

Refreshing. Simple. Completely delicious.

Tomorrow, I’ll share what you can do with your remaining shrimp. If you want to join in the fun, make sure you have a head of broccoli and red onion handy!

I don’t know about you, but after the long holiday weekend last week, I’m definitely having a case of the “Mondays” this morning. But for those of you who are suffering from similar bran haziness, I’m here to make your life easier for dinner tonight!

Did any of you make the Weekend Roast Chicken? If so, your hard work is over! If not, get cookin in the kitchen tonight and make this recipe tomorrow.

You’ll need:

• About 1 1/2 cups leftover roast chicken — dark meat works best 
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 1/2 chopped vidalia onion
• 1 1/2 garlic cloves – minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water chestnuts (drained and chopped)
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• small pinch ground black pepper
• 2 scallions, slices
• 4 Bibb lettuce leaves

First, heat the oil in a saute pan on medium/low heat. Add onion and saute about 3 minutes, Reduce heat to low. Next, add ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute. Add water-chestnuts and cook 1 more minute.

Add chicken, broth, soy sauce, vinegar and pepper and stir well. Remove from heat and stir in the shopped scallions.

Almost done!

Divide chicken mixture into lettuce cups (or on top of a bed of lettuce if you “cups” fall apart, like mine did!

Make these soon. They are delicious (the Mister has already requested this dish again), oh-so-easy (less than 15 minutes!) and really help out in the “domestic goddess” department.

Stay tuned for this week’s meal plan. Also in the works — how to travel with a baby — any specific questions you’d like me to address?

The Mister’s step-sister dropped it off last week and I have a feeling I’m going to have to make it many times this year to satisfy my new craving. Naturally, we gobbled it down before thinking of taking a photo, but I managed to get the recipe from Cori. (as well as find a relatively close doppelganger via Google images)

You’ll need:

• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
• 4 cups whole milk
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture . Then add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

(source)

This isn’t exactly the healthiest dinner, but with fresh, real ingredients and veggies, it is delicious and hearty — you don’t need a lot to feel full. The sauce is creamy and decadent, so much so that I’ve considered making a king-size batch — just to bathe in. In the future, I think I’d add some fresh spinach with the mushrooms — I think it’d add something to the dish and serve as another way to beef up the veggie ratio.

Make this lasagna for your next special dinner and pretend you came up with it on your own — you know I will

Back to business today, my friends. Yes, after a week of bliss and NO WORK, it’s back to the office this morning.

I have a feeling it’s going to be a busy week. And the last thing I’m going to want to do is labor over the stove (as much as I love to cook, I’m thinkin’ the couch is going to be my better match this week.)

And I have a feeling a lot of you are in the same boat. So why not put our best “simple supper” ideas togather in one spot?

Requirements: SIMPLE. TASTY. HEALTHY.

Easy enough, right? Here are some of my favorites:

Taco Bake

Stuffed Peppers

White Chicken Chili

Mediterranean Wrap

Italian Turkey Burgers

Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

One-pot Pesto Chicken 

All of these meals are easy, healthy and most of all, delicious — exactly what the doctor ordered after a week-long sugar coma

Do you have a favorite simple supper? Please share/link to it in the comments — I’m sure others would love to try it out!

My Grandma is the queen of classic Christmas cookies and she starts making them the day after Thanksgiving. Needless to say, there are cookies EVERYWHERE this time of year, she can’t get rid of them! As the ever-so-accommodating granddaughter, I’m always happy to do what I can to take some off her hands (anything to make my GRANDMAS life easier )

Aren’t they delicious?

Instead of just teasing you all with my scrumptious picture (notice that I omitted the photo of me stuffing my face ), I figured I’d provide the recipe so you can make some, as well!

In my experience, I’ve found that Santa likes a wide variety of offerings, so it never hurts to make extra

Candy Cane Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food color

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375ºF.

3. For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.

4. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Next — Italian Anise Cookies

No fancy ingredients of complicated steps here! These cookies are simple, colorful and incredibly delicious.

You’ll need:

The Dough

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp anise extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Decoration: multicolored nonpareils

GLAZE

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 4 to 5 tsp milk 
• 1 tsp anise extract

All whisked in a small bowl until smooth.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat baking sheet(s) with nonstick spray, or use nonstick foil.

Dough: Beat first 5 ingredients in a large bowl with mixer until blended. On low speed, beat in next 3 ingredients until blended.

Drop rounded measuring teaspoons of dough 2 in. apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until bottoms are light golden. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Dip tops of cookies in Glaze and immediately top with sprinkles (nonpareils). Let set. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.

 ENJOY!

What is your favorite classic Christmas cookie? If you have a link, please share it in the comments!