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May 23, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Feeling Like Summer!

It has finally warmed up around here! We’ve been out on the boat, out in the sun, and enjoying this Spring-time weather. And as a call to what’s to come (summer!), we enjoyed some delicious strawberry shortcake. Homemade biscuits, homemade whipped cream, and syrupy strawberries. The only thing that makes this better? ICE CREAM (which I happily added after I snapped this photo).

These biscuits are just perfect for strawberry shortcake. Bake, eat, and repeat, all Spring and Summer long! Recipe after the jump.

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May 8, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Pork and Pineapple Kebabs

Spring is finally upon us in Northern Michigan. And boy oh boy is it awesome. We’re in that beautiful stage where plants are sprouting up out of the ground, leaves are popping on trees, and the bugs have yet to ruin it all.

It’s finally (just) warm enough for us to get our boat out on the water. And the most exciting part….we bought a special grill just for the boat! I’ve been scouring the internet for recipes for good boat meals that will travel well and only need the use of the grill. This one fits the bill (minus the rice maybe, but the kebabs alone would work nicely). Whether you have a boat, and a grill on your boat, or not, this is a delicious meal. Recipe after the jump.

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April 29, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Pretzel Brownie Peanut Butter Magic

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of dessert. If it’s sugary, I’m there. If we’re out to dinner and I don’t order dessert, people start to question if I’m feeling ok. Throw in the fact that I’m half-way through a pregnancy, and you could say if I’m not shoveling dessert into my mouth, I’m probably feeling withdrawal symptoms.

Enter this crazy amalgamation of layers: Pretzel Crust Dark Chocolate Brownies with Peanut Butter Fluff and Ganache. If that doesn’t set me right, I don’t know what will.

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April 18, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Olivia the Pig Birthday Party

Check out the fabulous photos from a recent “Olivia” birthday party. Adelaide’s friend Portlin turned two, and Portlin’s mommy Chandra did a wonderful job with the theme.

An Olivia cake (beautifully done by Aunt B’s), chocolate-dipped strawberries, sparkling juice, and homemade Olivia play-dough favors all made Portlin’s party very special. Chandra of Orchestrated Grace and Hitching Post Photography did a fantastic job! Everything Gal contributed mini cheesecakes and vanilla cake pops (incorporating the red and white theme, of course!). Chandra’s artistic drawings of Olivia filled out the display. More photos and details after the jump.

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April 1, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Crock Pot Curry

Happy Spring! It’s finally April, and up here, the snow is finally (s-l-o-w-l-y) melting. So, Spring is on its way, but we’ve still had our share of days in the 30′s. This dish, from Real Simple, is a perfect weeknight meal to bridge the gap to warmer weather. Throw it all in the crock pot and you’re set! We’ve made this dish a couple of times recently and it does not disappoint.

 

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Curried lentils with chicken and potatoes

Rating: 41

Yield: Serves 6.

Curried lentils with chicken and potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups red lentils or yellow split peas
  • 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds total)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
  • 3/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
  • naan bread, toasted, for serving (we just used pita bread)

Instructions

  1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the lentils, potatoes, onion, garlic, curry powder, ginger, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the broth and chicken and turn to coat.
  2. Cover and cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
  3. Fifteen minutes before serving, transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and, using 2 forks, shred the meat; return it to the slow cooker. Add the lime juice and stir to combine, adding more water if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Serve topped with the yogurt and cilantro, with the naan and lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Recipe from Real Simple by Charlyne Mattox, March, 2013.

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February 13, 2013 by sweetly spoken

A Treat for Your Sweet

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and whether you treat the holiday as nothing more than an excuse for Hallmark to sell some cards, or a good excuse to go on a date, sugary treats are always welcome!

Citrus is great this time of year, and this twist on traditional lemon bars really hits my sweet tooth in a nice, tangy, light way. Well, I call it light, but after I “sampled” three of these, I don’t think I’m fitting in the “light” category anymore. I’m feeling a little shaky from all the sugar! (In other words, these are good, and slightly addictive.)

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Gooey Blood Orange Bars

Yield: Makes 16 bars.

Calories per serving: Per bar: 138 calories

Fat per serving: Per bar: 5 g

Gooey Blood Orange Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons finely shredded blood orange peel (or orange peel)
  • 2/3 cup blood orange juice (or orange juice)
  • 2 drops red food coloring (optional - I added this to make these more Valentine-y)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8x2 inch baking pan with foil. Grease foil; set pan aside.
  2. For crust, in a large bowl stir together the 1 cup flour, the 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender (or two forks), cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown around the edges.
  3. In a medium bowl whisk together granulated sugar, eggs, orange peel, orange juice, and, if desired, food coloring, until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour orange mixture over hot crust.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until filling is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of foil, lift uncut bars out of pan. Cut into bars. Sprinkle lightly with additional powdered sugar.
  5. Recipe from BH&G Brownies & Bars

Notes

To store: Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Last, I leave you with a photo of our little Valentine.

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February 1, 2013 by sweetly spoken

Simple Treats

My husband is married to…well, me. You would think the fact that I have a culinary degree and my specialty is baking would make him dream up the most fanciful requests when it comes time to select his desired birthday dessert. (Happy Birthday, Michael, by the way.)

What did he request for his dessert this year? Chocolate. Chip. Cookies. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate chip cookies, but I think of birthdays as a time when you bake up a show-stopper cake or at least do a fancy cheesecake or something. Not for Michael – he wants cookies.

Ugh. OK. Recipe here.

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December 12, 2012 by sweetly spoken

Another for the collection

Please let me introduce you to the newest cake pedestal in my collection!

Thanks, Mom, for giving me this great find. I’ve always wanted some Jadeite pieces, and this is the first of hopefully many. Looks great as a Christmas piece, but will work in wonderfully for client events as well.

Someday, when I have a really big Jadeite collection [dreaming!], I’ll decorate a whole room around the beautiful minty green color.

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