Garland

I've been busy making this
Into this

The shop is now restocked with garland... more than I ever planned to make! So hopefully I won't be doing this again any time soon!!

I added three new kinds this time too-

Also I made this Blueberry Loaf last night and I am in LOVE. It is so so so so good that the whole thing is almost gone, and it was a very large loaf. I even used frozen blueberries (well I had personally frozen them but still SOOOO good!) I am going to be adding a link to my recipe page so I never loss the link!

Shells alla Caprese

Finally, I know- I have been promising to post this recipe for... months... I REALLY didn't mean for it to take this long. But here it is!

This recipe is a little hard to give measurments for so just realize you have to go with the flow on this one a lot of it is to taste, and what you can find to purchase in your local stores. It can also be served hot or cold, we prefer warm.

Shells Alla Caprese
recipe as shown serves 4 adults very generously...

Tomatoes - you can use what ever size/type you prefer. I like the smaller on the vine tomatoes, this container contains 2 pounds I use the whole thing.
fresh basil - to taste
3-6 cloves garlic - depending on size and your preference to garlic
salt and pepper - to taste
Olive oil - optional
Fresh mozzerella - 16 oz shown in picture
Shells

-Start water to boil

If you know how to make Bruschetta this next part will be very familiar to you as this is what you will be making. You can make this part of the recipe in advance and let it sit in the fridge it only tastes better the longer you let it marinate (within reason of course!).

-wash, seed and chop up tomatoes (seeding your tomatoes will keep your pasta from being overly liquidy, it will also be better if you have left overs)
-chop your fresh basil
-press your garlic
-Mix tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in bowl. If you would like add a tbs. of olive oil in. (I tend to skip this step)

-Cube the fresh mozzerella and put to the side.

-strain your shells, if you want the pasta to be cold rinse the shells in cold water.

-add cooked shells and then the mozzerella on top of the bruschetta

-mix and serve

Try not to eat to much, this recipe is ridiculously addictive!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Bows Primavera

Oh dear another one. What can I say I like food and I wanted to start compiling my favorites somewhere people can get them for themselves, I'm nice like that!
-2-4 zuccinnis
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 chili, diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
-large package of ham, cubed
-peas (optional)
-6 cups bow ties
-grated parmesan (grated)


-start water to boil.
-quarter, seed and chop zuccini.
-brown zuccinni in frying pan with olive oil, chili and garlic.
-Add ham and peas. Allow to simmer while pasta cooks.
-Plate pasta top with veggies and meat and add parmesan to top.

Lasagna

One of my go to recipes. Can't beat it, it's super easy and fast! And now I can direct everyone here for the recipe everytime they loose it!

- 3 cups small curd cottage cheese
-2 eggs, beaten
-2 tbsp parsley
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 pepper
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
-1 lb sage sausage
-6-8 lasagna noodles
-3-4 cups shredded mozzarella
-1 jar pasta sauce

Brown meat, drain. Simmer with sauce 15 minutes.

Boil noodles.

Mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper and parmesan.

Layer noodles, half of cotage cheese mixture, meat and sauce, mozzerella. Repeat.

Bake at 350 degrees until browned.

Bananas, Acorns and Pinecones

Pure Scrumptiousness let me tell you. This used to be a weekly item when Uber worked at a port in SoCal and got free bananas. Since moving to Florida not so much because it means I have to remember to buy them. Anyway I think I pretty much have this recipe down to perfection. It was originally my moms (I am not sure where she got it from) I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it... I pretty much throw what ever I want in once I am done following the recipe. Two of my favs are brown sugar and honey. Pecans to me are a given but since some people are allergic I often leave them out now.

Banana Bread
Yield: two loaf pans or one Bundt pan

3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups mashed brown bananas (3-4 large)
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Optional ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans
¼ cup brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350°F
Heavily spray 2 loaf pans.
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Stir until just blended. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes then turn on rack to cool completely.

What's better than banana bread in a loaf? Banana bread in the shape of acorns that's what. I found this pan at Williams Sonoma after Christmas on SALE I had been eyeing it FOREVER and now am asking myself why I didn't get two?!?

one batch filled up three pans.

These puppies disapeared SO fast. It was actually rather scary considering I KNOW the dough makes two loafs....

Isn't it SO CUTE!

On to other cute things. I finally made some felt pinecones. I have seen them quite a few places and thought they were so cute. I am not sure I did them quite right but I am happy with them... now if I just knew what I am going to do with them... because I have a feeling there is going to be more!

Yummy-ness

I usually yawn at food blogs... not because I dont like food or anything -not even because I dont like cooking... I just am really bad about getting up the energy to try new things especially if I dont know I am going to like them before I go through the work. Anyway this is not a new recipe for me but I thought you may like it. This is a combination of a Pasta Cafe recipe and a Martha Stewart recipe with a little of I can never remember how to do it the same way twice so also my recipe...


Shrimp Spaghetti
(Serves 2 ~ can serve more just add a little more of everything and don't be a pig)

2 T Olive Oil
2-5 cloves of garlic (I like garlic)
8-10 large shrimp (or as many as you want)
1 can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 fresh tomatoes
5-10 Basil leafs
1/2 box linguine pasta



Heat water for pasta (I always forget to do this first...)
Heat oil and add garlic and shrimp in skillet. Do not completely cook the shrimp just cook until almost done and pull shrimp out of the pan and set aside in bowl. Add in can of diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Let it simmer while the pasta cooks (this will not be a runny sauce) when the pasta is almost done add the shrimp back in to the sauce and let cook the rest of the way through. When pasta is done and shrimp are cooked toss the fresh tomatoes and basil into the skillet and stir them in and then serve it on top of the linguine. Additional basil can be added to the top (to make it pretty).



So anyway it's really yummy and very fast... faster if you buy peeled and deveined shrimp... but these looked better to me. The fresh tomatoes are what really makes this recipe for so don't leave those out. Alright I am off have a good weekend!