We are so lucky that friends whom I have known since birth (our parents actually met in birthing classes) recently relocated nearby. Yesterday I hosted a little gathering of our families chock full of laughs, lots of reminiscing, and (of course) food.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to serve so I decided to consult the internet for some whimsical inspiration. Usually I just  scroll through my favorite food sites and blogs.  This time, however, I took a different approach. I asked the internet if there were any “holidays” on Saturday. (Lately it seems like there is a holiday for every food group. Perhaps I would strike gold with Italian Sub Day, Eggplant Parmesan Day, or maybe Hot Fudge Brownie Sunday Day!)  But Saturday was not a food holiday. It was better. It was National Hugging Day! January 21 was chosen as National Hugging Day because it is midway between Christmas and Valentine’s Day when people are at an emotional low. Individuals are awarded each year with the title Most Huggable!

What perfect inspiration for a gathering with people you love! I immediately decided on a meal that would feel like a big warm hug: Pulled pork on fresh rolls piled high with cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and corn bread.

The dessert choice was obvious: Hug cookies! This is a classic Hershey’s recipe. They were little tasty bites of peanut butter and chocolate love. I found the recipe here on my new favorite site Food.com. These are perfect Valentine’s Day cookies, as well.

Some of the hugs melted slightly and lost their "kiss" shape

 Peanut Butter Hug Cookies:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4-5 tablespoons additional sugar
• 48 Hershey’s Hugs (or Kisses)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In mixer, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended; Blend in sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; Beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually mix in peanut butter mixture. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in additional sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately place a Hershey’s Hug (or Kiss) on each cookie and press down slightly.

Adapted from Hershey’s Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies on Food.com.

Folks, before you read this recipe I need you to promise me you will not look at the nutritional info on this one. This is one of those “holiday indulgences” where you savor every bite and don’t think twice. It is rich + creamy + salty + sweet: a formula for heaven if you ask me.  Bring this to a holiday party and you will be the most popular guest.

I found the recipe on food.com  (my new favorite site) and I owe ShannonA in AZ a million thanks for putting it out there.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake:

• 35 Oreo cookies
• 4 tablespoons butter ( melted and cooled)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 24 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese ( at room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 16 Reese’s Peanut butter cups roughly chopped +3 for garnish
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 ounces whipping cream

Prepare crust

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cover the bottom of a 10-inch spring-form pan tightly with aluminum foil. Using a food processor, finely crush all the Oreo cookies.  Add melted butter, water and sugar to the cookie crumbs and continue using processor until the mixture is well blended. Turn this cookie mixture out into the spring-form pan and using your fingers, gently work the cookie mixture until the bottom of the pan is covered with about one inch up on the sides.  Bake for only 6 or 7 minutes, no longer or the crust will be too hard.

Prepare filling

In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy. When cream cheese is fluffy, add in one egg and mix well. Add second egg and mix well. Add in sour cream and sugar. Remove electric mixture to gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups. Pour batter onto the crust and spread the mixture out from the middle to all the sides to help it bake evenly.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place spring-form pan in middle and bake at 375 F for about 45 minutes, or until top is light brown. Transfer the cheese cake to a rack and cool while still in the spring-form pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the cheesecake and refrigerate (still in spring-form pan) for at least four hours or more- overnight is best.

Prepare glaze: Melt chocolate chips, butter and only 1/3 of the heavy whipping cream in a double boiler over medium heat until just at the melting stage. Remove from heat and stir mixture until smooth. While still warm, stir in remaining heavy whipping cream and mix until well blended.

Run a small sharp knife  around the edges of the spring-form pan to gently separate the cheesecake from the pan sides. Release the spring-form and remove from the cheesecake.  Place cheesecake on serving dish and pour the chocolate glaze into the shallow crater.  Garnish with remaining peanut butter cup pieces.

Refrigerate to allow the glaze to set.

Adapted from Sinful Snickers Cheesecake found here on Food.com.

Quiche is one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. A slice of quiche alongside a pile of mixed greens feels like a wonderfully complete meal. I love it because it is rich enough that you feel as though you have indulged, yet because you typically only have a slice or two you don’t feel overly stuffed. And it’s the richness that makes the meal feel special–it’s not every day you have quiche for lunch, after all! I especially enjoy serving quiche when I have a friend over for a lunch date.  It is something that is easily prepared ahead of time and then served at room temperature.  There isn’t anything unusual about this particular recipe. It is a straightforward way to make a tasty vegetarian quiche. (Of course you can make your own crust or use prepackaged.)

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Entirely unrelated, I feel as though I must acknowledge that I am probably the only recipe blogger in the blogosphere who did not post anything Thanksgiving related. “Why?” you may ask. The answer is because my brother-in-law prepares our entire Thanksgiving meal without an ounce of help from anyone else!  (Well, without any help except for the Minnesota-style mashed potatoes made by my other brother-in-law. ) He is a fabulous cook and he makes the most delicious and unconventional Thanksgiving dinner leaving guests in awe year after year.

The only item the menu required was something light that guests could snack on while sipping a drink prior to dinner. I made these ol’ standbys: SPINACH SQUARES.  My sister-in-law refers to them as spinach brownies. How cute, right?! Give them a try if you are looking for an easy holiday season go-to app that transports well.

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Easy Broccoli Quiche:

•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 onion, minced
•  1 teaspoon minced garlic
•  2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
•  1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
•   1  cup shredded mozzarella cheese
•  1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
•   4 eggs, well beaten
•    1 1/2 cups milk
•    1 teaspoon salt
•    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•    1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Over medium-low heat warm the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the crust and press into the dough. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Recipe adapted from this one on AllRecipes.com

Over the past six weeks I have been a volunteer chef for Cooking Matters. If you haven’t heard of Cooking Matters, I suggest you check it out. Their website articulates their impressive mission:

Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.

Once a week, approximately 15 participants, a volunteer nutritionist, a volunteer assistant, the course coordinator, and myself all gathered to prepare a healthy meal together and discuss nutrition and technique. Each week we focused on something different and each week participants took home a bag of fresh groceries so that they could replicate for their families the meal we made in class. I find the whole idea brilliant!

Spending time with the participants was humbling. Their enthusiasm was contagious and their appreciation obvious.  At the end of the course, each one gave me a big hug and expressed the most sincere gratitude. It was incredibly touching.

Not only was I enthralled by the participants, but also I fell head over heels in love with the Cooking Matters recipes! They exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. Each recipe was interesting, delicious, loaded with healthy grains and nutrients, and easy to prepare. I found myself making several of the recipes over and over at home for my family. (In fact, there is a chicken recipe that I have made four times, yet every time we have eaten it before I have had the chance to photograph it!)

I found this Brown Rice and Mandarin Orange salad to be particularly wonderful. It is a perfect side to a protein, yet stands up well on its own for a vegetarian lunch or dinner. It is very filling and fresh tasting. I jazzed it up by adding one of my favorite ingredients, wild rice, however, using only brown rice works just fine. I left a large bowl of this in my fridge for a week and ate a healthy helping for lunch every day!

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If you are interested in reading about other blogger experiences with Cooking Matters you can check out these posts:

• Kerry Coughlin of Recipes That Fit
• Michelle Collins of The Economical Eater

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup
• 3 scallions
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Cook both types of rice according to package directions and set aside.

Drain mandarin oranges and reserve juice.

Rinse and chop scallions.

In a medium bowl mix Mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, scallions,
almonds and rice.

In another bowl whisk together lemon juice, mandarin orange juice,
and pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until dressing
forms.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Let rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

This is probably my favorite holiday. I have wonderful childhood memories of this holiday, some of which I have discussed on the blog in years past.

This year the pumpkin cupcakes made a reappearance, this time with Smitten’s Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. No fancy decorating, just plain and delicious.

If you are looking for some other last minute ideas, check out these festive baked goods from past years!

Chocolate Peanut butter Cake 

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Silver Peanut butter Frosting

Apple and Meringue Tartlets

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Mini Chocolate and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes (and Halloween cupcake decorating ideas)

Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart

Peanut butter cup cookies

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Orange White Chip Cookies

Enjoy!!!!!

Note: I attempted to scramble the name in the photo above but it turned out looking like a botched decorating job! Does anyone know how to make a black box or to blur a photo in Picasa?

I love making first birthday cakes and my trademark cake has evolved to be the following: A large sheet cake topped with one small three dimensional round cake. The purpose of the round cake is to add interest, dimension, and decoration. I then replicate that same round cake for the purpose of a smash cake.  A smash cake is what we call the small cake given to the birthday boy or girl to mash and squeeze between her fingers (and in rare circumstances, actually eat!). You’ll see I used the same formula for the Clown Cake and a similar idea for the Monkey Cake. I like how the matching cakes reinforce the party theme.  And there is something so cute about a miniature version of the larger cake made specifically for the guest of honor!

The pan I use to make the three dimensional round cakes is a pan my mom ordered from an infomercial several years ago. I have tried to find it online but I have not had any luck. It is the perfect pan to use to make a baseball or soccer ball cake. I have used the pan more times than I can count!

I was definitely happy with how the cake turned out, though I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that it was for MY little girl’s first birthday?! For goodness sake…where does the time go?! Next thing I know I’ll be baking her wedding cake. 

(If she’ll let me. )

Brown Sugar Cake:

(I doubled the below recipe for each 15-inch pan.  As-is, this recipe yields enough batter for two 8 or 9-inch cakes)

• shortening and flour for pan prep
• 1/2  cup  butter, melted
• 8 oz.  sour cream
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs 
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 3/4  cup buttermilk

 Preheat oven to 350 F.

Rub shortening on the bottom of cake pans.  Sprinkle with flour.  Set aside.

Combine melted butter and sour cream in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add sugars and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

For the frosting I used the Wilton recipe.

Frosting (I made this recipe about three times for this cake):

• 1 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons water (or milk or heavy cream)
• 1/2 teaspoon meringue powder

Cream together shortening and butter using an electric mixer.  Add vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time and continue to beat with mixer.  Add cream and meringue powder.  Add more confectioners’ sugar or more cream to reach desired consistency.

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Check out these GORGEOUS cookies! I cannot take an ounce of credit except for ordering them from a friend’s friend. If you are in the Boston area and looking for AWESOME cookies/cookie favors, send me an email and I will provide the contact info.

Here are some more photos from the picnic:

The smash cake: Before

The smash cake: After

We had a little birthday celebration for our precious girl! The theme was a “ladybug picnic.” I made these chocolate cupcakes. I used my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe and a Wilton icing recipe. While Wilton icing is not really my favorite flavor-wise, I believe there is a time and place for it. When you need something that will hold up for an extended period of time, it usually does the trick. That said, the weather was humid and warm and these still melted a bit (as you might be able to tell from the photo).  I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I used a butter-based recipe! I bought the cute little sugar ladybugs from Oriental Trading and they worked out just perfectly. I was happy with how these turned out and they looked very sweet along with all of the other treats!

(Here is a little preview of the cake!)

The weather has been a little strange lately. We had a few gorgeously crisp fall days followed by some summer-like weather. Today is rainy and humid. That said, we are technically in soup season and there’s nothing like a pot of soup simmering on the stove to warm the house and beckon your family.  Soup is so practical too–make one large pot at the beginning of the week and reheat it for several lunches and dinners during the days that follow.  Better yet, freeze the leftovers. This recipe is chock full of nutrients and fiber.  It is also hearty, filling, and delicious.

Ideas:

–Transform this recipe to vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth and beef stock.

–Serve with a warm crusty baguette for a wonderfully satisfying weeknight meal.

–For easy entertaining, make a pot and invite some friends over to watch a football game (go Patriots!)

–Perfect for a Halloween dinner because it won’t require your attention while you answer your door to trick-or-treaters!

Lentil and Brown Rice Soup:

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 1/2 cups dry lentils (picked over and rinsed)
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
• 1  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3  14-0unce cans diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large stock of celery, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

In a large pot (I used Le Creuset) combine broth, stock, lentils, rice, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, carrots, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, and vinegar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45-55 minutes or until the lentils and rice are tender. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper. Don’t forget to remove and discard the bay leaf.

Adapted from So Easy, So Delicious by Ellie Deaner. Buy it!

I tend to become very sappy when it comes to first birthdays. My nephews turned me into puddles on each of their birthdays (Clown Cake,  Fire Engine Cake, Monkey Cake).  And now it’s time to be nostalgic all over again on an even more personal level because today is the one year anniversary of my daughter being born, also known as, her first birthday. Yup. I know, I can’t believe it either. *holding back a little sniffle* 

She captures my heart over and over and over with her sweet face, sparkling eyes, and  scrunchy-nosed smile. She has gone from a squishy little mammal that needed to be sustained (one year ago) to a delightful, charismatic, tiny person (today). She blows us kisses (“mmmmmmmmmmahhh!”), climbs into the dishwasher, opens and empties all of our drawers and cabinets, giggles uncontrollably when we tickle her belly, shows us which book she’d like to read then crawls into our lap, unfolds all of our laundry, and dances with her head. She claps when she hears an applause from the television set, holds her arms up like a waitress and scrunches her shoulders when someone walks out of the room (“Where’d he go?”), and stands up in her highchair during every meal.

Being her mom is the best gift I have ever been given.

I love that she was born during my favorite season because it gives me another very big reason to love this time of year more than any other.

So I’m continuing the cupcake frenzy with another batch, this time in honor of my little pumpkin. (Her birthday cake has not been made yet!) I used this recipe for pumpkin cupcakes from Smitten Kitchen. I found the texture to be fantastic–very light, moist, and crumbly. These are definitely cakes as opposed to pumpkin bread baked in a cupcake tin. I topped them with the requisite cream cheese frosting. A great treat for a celebration of the season and of my girl.

We have here another favorite and crowd pleaser: Oatmeal cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. These cupcakes are great for fall because the cinnamon and nutmeg capture the warmth and essence of the season. These are a grown up cupcake that kids love too.

If you’d like to see me make them before your very eyes, check out this video: http://how2heroes.com/videos/dessert-and-baked-goods/oatmeal-cupcakes-w-cream-cheese-frosting