Chocolate Shoes...

Where fashion meets.... hungry woman!!!!

Check out Gayles Chocolates for this adorable treat!


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They'll Never Guess What's Inside

Don't let the name of this decadent dessert fool you - these brownies will definitely compete in your recipe chest for top dessert. Almost cake-like, but yet with crispy ends and a flaky top layer, these brownies will have you coming back for seconds and thirds.

Stumped by the zucchini addition? By adding zucchini to desserts, moisture is added, because zucchini is full o' water, leaving your desserts, such as brownies, cake and bread, extra moist with a hidden addition of fiber (don't tell the kid's because they'll never know).

Ingredients:

1 Box Ghiaradelli Chocolate Brownie Mix with Walnuts
Water and oil as directed
Rather than using egss, substitute eac egg with 1 tbsp. sour cream (I use light sour cream)
1 1/2 cups food processed zucchini (with skin removed)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Follow directions on box
Tip: Make sure not to spray sides of baking pan with nonstick spray when baking brownies, because if you do so, the mixture won't climb up the sides to rise
Cook for 41 minutes
Let cool completely before serving

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sour cream used to make a healthy, creamy banana bread? Who woulda thunk it?

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

3 egg whites
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sour cream

* Preheat oven to 350°.
* Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.
* In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamom with a wire whisk. * Set aside.
* In a large bowl cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer.
* Add egg whites, bananas, sour cream and syrup, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
* Add flour mixture and walnuts, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix.
* Pour batter into loaf pans and bake on the center rack for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

OMG Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

Fruit "Filling"
4 cups fresh sliced peaches
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. grains of paradise
1 tbsp. cornstarch

The Batter:
1 cups white flour
1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cups tapioca flour
6 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
6 Tbs butter-cold
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Over medium heat, bring fruit "filling" mixture to a simmer
Remove from heat and set aside in round casserole dish
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt
Add the cold butter and milk and mix well
Shape mixture into individual patties and place over peach mixture
Brush the melted butter over the cobbler
Sprinkle sugar over cobbler
Bake until the top browns, approximately 45-50 minutes

Ham-Stuffed Pancake "Cupcakes"

Peering into the deep pits of my empty tin foil-wrapped paper plate o' leftovers, I have been forced to come to the realization that my adventures with ham have come to an end. I wanted to do so much more with the ham leftovers, but in a way am glad it has run out. I mean, how much ham can one person eat in a week? No more lying in bed pondering over the possibilities ham will bring. No more choosing between ham for dinner or ham for dinner. I can finally get back to normal; well, until I finish these delicious Syrupy Ham-Stuffed Pancake Muffins, of course.

After this, I am turning vegetarian for the week.

Serving Size: 6 Muffins

List to Bring With You to The Supermarket:

Pantry:

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Light Syrup + 1/3 Cup Syrup Separated
Pam Nonstick Spray

Spices:

1 Tsp. Salt

Refrigerated:

2 1/2 Cups Skim Milk
2 Eggs

Leftovers:

1 Cup Ham


Directions:

*Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
*Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
*In a separate bowl combine eggs, milk and 1/4 cup syrup, whisk
*Stir wet ingredients into dry, just until mixed thoroughly- the batter will be slightly lumpy.
*Combine Ham and 1/3 Cup Syrup in separte bowl and let sit until ready to use



*Lightly Spray Pam into 6 Slotted Muffin Tin
*Ladle flour mixture into muffin tin filling the slot halfway, Repeat throughout




*Add ham to top of batter. Divide ham evenly throughout
*Ladle batter on top filling to the brim
*Cook for one hour, making sure center is cooked

**Center will be soft and dense, where the outside will be crunchy.

The Best Damn TIRAMISU Ever

Memorial Day weekend should be a relaxing time to spend with friends and family, a time to unabashedly stand by the barbecue with two beers in one hand, a glass of red wine in another and a hot dog dangling from one's mouth, a time where sunburns and babies run amok and the scent of toasted fireworks fill the air. Memorial Day weekend is relaxing, of course unless you offer to bring tiramisu to a friend's barbecue party. I'm not saying I did not enjoy making the dessert, I am simply saying that running around to store after store to purchase the ingredients was a huge pain in my ass.

I had to visit ACME for the ladyfingers, cocoa, instant espresso powder (which was oddly placed in the "ethnic" aisle rather than the coffee aisle), eggs and heavy whipping cream. Then I had to visit two liquor stores for the coffee liquor and the dry marsala. But where can I find marscapone cheese? Thankfully, Mancuso's on Passyunk Avenue answered their phone at 7:00 as they were closing and told me to rush over there before the Flyers game started. As I illegally parked outside, I had someone run in to purchase the Marscapone cheese and the necessary homemade lemon water ice loaded with bits of fresh lemons (not a necessity to the dessert, but oh so good).

My list is finally complete. Now, to the kitchen!!

Here's a list to bring with you to the Grocery store(s):

Dry & Baking Goods:
6 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for Dusting
40 Ladyfingers
1 Tsp. vanilla Extract

Dairy:
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Pound Marscapone Cheese
5 Egg Yolks

Liquor:
1/3 cup Dry Marsala Wine
8 Tbsp. Coffee Liquor

Other:
1/8 Cup Orange Juice
4 cups boiling hot water


Directions:

Over a pan of boiling hot water, beat 5 egg yolks, Marsala, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan for 7 minutes or until pale yellow in color and remove from heat.**
**This is called zobaglione, which by itself tastes great when served alongside fresh fruit and a dollop of whipped cream.

Add vanilla extract to tub of mascarpone cheese and stir until combined.

Add mascarpone mixture to pan of zobaglione and stir until combined.

In a separate pan, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, which is approximately 5 minutes.

Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.

In a separate pot, boil 4 cups of water over high heat. When water comes to a boil, remove from heat and add espresso powder, 4 tbsp sugar, orange juice and coffee liquor and stir until sugar and espresso powder have dissolved. Let cool.

Set aside a 13x9x2 baking pan

Dip each ladyfinger into espresso mixture for 6 seconds.
**While soaking each ladyfinger, hold a firm grip on the ladyfinger, so to tell when the the cookie starts to loosen up from being soaked. Once the pressure gives way, remove it from mixture and immediately set it into the pan. This procedure causes the cake to become very moist and irresistible, not crunchy and heavy.

Fill the bottom of the pan with the ladyfingers using approximately 20 for each layer

Spread ½ of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfinger mixture.

Add a second layer of dipped ladyfingers over the mascarpone mixture and end with a second layer of mascarpone mixture.

Liberally coat the top with cocoa powder using a sifter

Cover with foil or plastic wrap in refrigerator overnight

Before serving, add a second coating of cocoa powder to the top of the dessert and create designs in the powder if you like using a fork.

Locatelli Cheese Crisps- Foodgitive's Frugal Friday Fare

(Yeah, I definately used my hand towel as a background for this pic alongside a bottle of red wine in hopes to create an authentic Italian feel.)

I have an affinity for cheese. Aged, smoked, nacho, cottage, creamed, sliced, diced, minced- you name it, I have a close, bonded attraction to it.

Locatelli Romano Cheese is hard and dense, bearing a pale yellow color and a black paper rind. Tradtionally, Locatelli cheese is served over pasta. But can one create a snack on locatelli cheese alone?

This recipe is simple to replicate, impossible to resist and easy on your wallet. You can purchase an entire pound of Locatelli cheese and keep it in your fridge for what seems an eternity, or until you are finished with the block. I store my block of Locatelli cheese in wax paper, which is wrapped in paper towels and stored in a paper bag.

(Check out my mound of cheese)

Since I purchased the cheese a vey long time ago, I am unable to give you an exact cost to make these little fritters, but I will take a stab at the cost and say these cheese crisps are $0.35 for approximately 30 crisps.

Locatelli Cheese Crisps
What You'll Need:

*1 cup grated Locatelli Cheese
*Freshly cracked grains of paradise or black pepper
*Old Bay Seasoning
*Wax Paper

Directions:

*Heat oven to 400 degrees
*Place a piece of wax paper on a baking sheet
*Separate cheese into bowls (1/2 cup in each)
*Add approx. 1 tsp. grains of paradise or black pepper into each bowl and mix together
*To make Old Bay Cheese Crisps: Add approx. 1 tsp. old bay seasoning into one of the bowls and mix together
*Scoop a heaping teaspoon of mixture onto wax paper, pressing down lightly to form a thin circle (making sure it is not too thin)
*Cook for exactly 3 minutes and remove from oven
*Wait 10 minutes to cool and scrape off with a spatula



These little guys taste great inside a burger, alongside a salad, topped with your favorite salsa and will even taste great when paired with your favorite ice cream-- Trust me- Delicious!

Foodgitive's Frugal Friday Fare: Cantaloupe, Blueberry & Ginger Milkshake

Serving Size: 6
Cost Per Serving: $0.99

Cantaloupe, Blueberry & Ginger Milkshake
What You'll Need:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups cut Cantaloupe pieces
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup Plain Vanilla ice cream or Yogurt Blend

Place all ingredients in blender and mix until thick and creamy in texture. Serve in a tall glass topped with a slice of fresh cantaloupe.

Add more milk as needed to create the thickness to your liking.

Beer Tasting Party (Recipe for Brie & Apricot Egg Rolls)

Some of my best friends and their boyfriends were in attendance last night, so my sister and I wanted to ensure a party with delicious foods and great fun. The great fun came in the shape of an elaborate beer spread, which my sister and her business partner received for FREE from various beer distributors to sell in their store, The Bottle Shop, soon to be located at 1941 E. Passyunk Avenue in Philadelphia. So they thought, "Why not have a beer tasting party?" How could I argue? Since they were offering various types of beer, everything from Wheat Beer to Malts, we tried to create a spread that would compliment just about every type of beer.

The spread:

1. Apples doused with lemon juice to ensure color
2. Strawberries
3. Dehydrated banana slices
4. Figs
5. Apricot preserves
6. Various Crackers
7. Reduced Fat White Cheddar Cheese-Its (for my boyfriend)
8. Tostito Scoops
9. Homemade Spicy Salsa
10. Jalapeno Roasted Pepper Jelly
11. Apricot Preserve & Brie Cheese Egg Rolls (Recipe to Follow)
12. Muenster Cheese
13. Cheddar Cheese with Almond Slices
14. Port Wine Cheese
15. Grapes
16. Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Balls
17. Popcorn
18. Wine
19. And of course, Beer!

I am completely obsessed with egg roll wrappers. After realizing that just about anything could enter the egg roll galaxy for dinner treats, I had to take my ideas to the dessert world. And what is better than cheese for dessert at a wine and beer tasting party? I absolutely adore Brie cheese. I always have it out when people come over, and last night was no exception.

If you are a novice at egg roll wrapping, check out my previous post for a quick tutorial before you start. If you are a battle scarred veteran, check out my recipe below to get started.

Brie & Apricot Egg Rolls
Serving Size: 10

What You'll Need:
*10 Egg Roll Wrappers
*1 Egg Beaten
*10 Tablespoons Apricot Preserves
*1 Wedge Brie Cheese
*Pam Cooking Spray
*An Open Mind

Directions:
*After prepping the edges of the egg roll wrapper with the egg wash, add 1 tbsp. of the apricot preserves to the center
*Add a 1/4" thick x 2" long slice of Brie cheese on top of the preserves (approximate sizes)
*Fold bottom up, then sides, then roll away from you, tucking in the edges as necessary
*Place on sheet pan sprayed with Pam cooking spray
*Brush top with egg wash
*Cook for 22 minutes at 350 degrees
*Serve warm

I'm taking a sneak peek at the egg rolls while cooking. The anticipation is killing me!

Original Recipe Ice Box Cake- A South Philadelphia Row Home Tradition

In my lifetime, I have constantly been reminded of how things used to be. "Nothing is like how it was in my day, nothing", has been proclaimed at every opportunity from my father. And he is right. I have been part of a generation where things have been made differently. The way cars are made, knives are sharpened, clothes are sewn and food is prepared have all changed, causing the general public to become immune to the "new way".

From my experience, things are always better when done the original way, especially when it comes to recipes. I rarely tamper with my family's recipes, preserving every ingredient and instruction if possible. I have been making ice box cake for years, a recipe passed down from generation to generation. It seems as if this recipe is a staple among South Philadelphia Italian homes, because my friend's families also have this recipe, which has also been passed down within their family. We have all preserved the original, 5 ingredient recipe, causing this recipe to become a staple within the community.

This ice box cake has been given its name, to my knowledge because it needs no oven, no baking and no stovetop preparation. It uses only an ice box, a term given to the refrigerator years ago. It uses simple ingredients that even a beginner chef should have in their pantry.

You may see recipes for ice box cake calling for lady fingers, coconut and chocolate wafers, but I know this original recipe doesn't need any added fillers to make it taste any better than it already does. Enjoy!


Original Recipe Ice Box Cake
Serving Size: 9-12

What You'll Need:
1 Small Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Small Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding
4 Cups of Cold Milk
16 Whole Graham Crackers
4 Medium Bananas
1 Throw Away Aluminum Utility Pan 13x9x2

Follow the directions on the boxes of pudding, making vanilla pudding first, and in same bowl making chocolate pudding when the step in the directions calls for it
Lay whole crackers on bottom of pan- Breaking into smaller squares if necessary to fit flat
Pour prepared vanilla pudding on graham crackers, spreading evenly
Cut slices of bananas and lay them across in one layer over the vanilla pudding
Lay another layer of graham crackers on top of the banana slices
Pour prepared chocolate pudding on graham crackers, spreading evenly
Crumble one whole graham cracker in hand and sprinkle on top of cake
Refrigerate for 30 minutes
Serve and enjoy

The Secret to Soft Cookies Revealed

I made some promises to people saying I would make chocolate chip cookies and post the secret on how to keep the cookies fresh and soft for longer. Well, I did make the cookies but decided to eat them instead of writing. My apologies. I couldn't help myself. I'll usually take multiple pretty pictures of the food I create, angling the camera for precise screen-to-screen indulgence, but this time, the pictures and the writing took the back burner. I snapped one picture of the cookies. That's it, then Nom Nom Nom.

If you ever wondered what purpose baking soda served in baking, I will tell you. It makes the cookie into a cookie. I made a batch of cookies, forgetting to add the baking soda and salt. Well, they didn't rise, they were hard and didn't resemble a cookie at all. When I realized what was going on and for what reason, I quickly threw the batter back into the mixer and added the necessary ingredients. No harm done, because the cookies, as I said earlier, turned out delicious. Also, if you plan on being productive on the day you make cookies, you are a fool my friend. You will sit down with a glass of milk in one hand, a cookie in the other savoring each morsel while watching an episode of Frank the Entertainer. I mean, the Evening News.

And the secret ingredient to prolonging the freshness and softness in cookies is adding Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder to the flour mixture. I know. Shocking. Follow the recipe below and you will have fresh and soft cookies lasting you well beyond the speed in which you will eat them.

Fresh & Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies- Serving Size- Maybe I will share

What You'll Need:
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 package Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix 5.9 oz.
1 cups of butter, or 2 sticks, softened in microwave for 30 seconds
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1- 11.5- ounce package of Milk chocolate Chip Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix together flour, pudding packet, salt and baking soda in bowl for 30 seconds using wooden spoon
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl for 2 minutes on medium speed (if using a Kitchen Aid mixer, put in on speed setting 3)
Add first egg, and mix for 30 seconds.
Add 2nd egg and beat for 30 seconds.
Using a measuring cup that is ¼ cup, slowly add the flour mixture
Continue adding the flour mixture slowly until all flour mixture is gone.
Mix and medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 3) for 1 minute
Stop mixing, and scrape sides, bottom and attachment
Return mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes
Shut off mixer and add morsels and mix for 30 seconds using a wooden spoon, incorporating all morsels into the mixture
Scoop out mixture with a tablespoon and roll into ball with hand and drop onto an ungreased, unlined, light in color cookie sheet (the dark cookie sheets will burn the cookies easily)
Bake on middle rack for 8 minutes
Remove from cookie sheet with spatula and place onto a plate to cool
Repeat with rest of batter until gone