Last summer I instituted “Sangria Sundays” in our household.  A lover of sangria, especially on a hot summer day, I wanted to develop all kinds of variations of this Spanish wine classic.  I had some hits, (Blackberry Plum paired with a red wine, and Melon paired with a pino grigio) as well as some misses (Pink Grapefruit….something about this was just off)  Anyways, although its not exactly sangria weather outside, there are some great fruits in season now that I wanted to try to incorporate into this fun drink.  Blood oranges are a milder, slightly herbal orange with bright cranberry red flesh and juice.   Only available in the winter months, this citrus has a distinct flavor, but more importantly a very impressive color.  I love to use blood oranges in tarts, mixed with navel oranges for a brilliant color contrast.  (Tart ideas to come later)

For any of you who are not already avid sangria lovers, sangria is a sweetened wine with fruit and usually brandy.  As you can imagine, the possibilities are endless.  Traditional sangria is made with red wine and a combination of oranges, lemons, and limes (not surprisingly fruits that are common in Mediterranean Spain, where the drink originated).  With a hint of sweetness and a burst of fruit, sangria can be a fun alternative to cocktails or wine.  I think of it as a mixture of the two. (more…)

I would have to say that this was my first “signature dish.”  And it all came about with an elementary school raffle…

Years ago, my mother won a “Father’s Day Grill Basket” in a school fund-raising raffle.  At the time we neither owned a grill, or had a father that was at all interested in grilling, but nonetheless, we were now the proud owners of a grill basket.  A normal person would have given the basket away to a family with use for all the utensils, cook books, and funny grilling apron, but no – not my mother.  Instead, she marched herself to Home Depot and bought my father a grill for Father’s day.  Clearly this was the logical way to go about making sure this basket of goodies was put to good use.  So Father’s day rolled around and my father was presented with not only a new grill, but a whole basket of grill paraphernalia.   I have mentioned before that my mother was never all that interested in cooking but I promise you that my father was even less so.   And so from that day on, the grill became my new toy that benefited not only my dad, but my entire family.  (more…)

This golf cake is my latest creation.  I made this for my brother’s 22nd birthday.  He is an avid golfer, so the theme seemed to fit.  The golf bag, balls, and flag are all made from fondant.  The “sand” is sugar in the raw and the “grass” is pipped buttercream.

Even though the newest addition to the Max’s Restaurant Group has been open a full year, it has taken us that long to give it a try.   True lovers of Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford, my husband and I, were excited to try Max Fish in Glastonbury.  A fan of most of the Max’s restaurants, we are rarely disappointed with a meal.  Unfortunately, I have to report this was not the case with Max Fish…we were disappointed.

Decorated with floor to ceiling white tile, the atmosphere is reminiscent of  a classy fish market on the San Fransisco pier.  The white tile certainly says clean and simple, but it lacks the warmth and comfort you also expect when dining out.  With a smaller main dining room, we felt cramped at small tables, seated relatively close to our fellow diners.  I am always a fan of intimate dining, but the sterile feel of the restaurant made the close quarters annoying rather than cozy. (more…)

I should have disclosed this information earlier, so I apologize for not yet recognizing the hard work that my staff puts into this blog.  My husband, Scott, is the sole and most important staff member of “Whisk This.com”  A web-developer by day, taste-tester, photographer, and blog tech by night, Scott is hard at work behind the scenes.  Along with his typing fingers, his taste buds get quite a work-out.  (I know, he leads a very difficult life having to try all these great recipes.) (more…)

As I have said before, one of the main things that drew me to pastry was the artistry of it all.  A butter cookie, although seemingly simple, can be a blank canvas on which to create pretty much anything.  All you need is a fun cookie cutter, now found in such unique shapes from winter sleighs to leaping frogs, some cookie dough, and batch of royal icing.   So grab your favorite cookie cutter and let’s get started.

I love to decorate cookies, (this is where I really let my creativity fly) and it is one of the staples that I offer at work.  To keep it interesting and exciting, I change the cookies seasonally, offering a fun new item in our showcase every couple of months.  In the fall I create maples leaves dusted with red, orange and yellow sugar, winter brings mittens and a version of these snowflake cookies, with spring comes daisies and ladybugs, finished by watermelons slices for the summer.  Really, the sky is the limit.  (more…)

One of my favorite “toys” growing up was a blue and yellow Fisher Price apron and the accompanying kitchen utensils stuffed in the pockets – go figure, huh?  Clearly my passions haven’t changed much since then.  Along with the zig-zag pasta wheel, teaspoons and spatula (all yellow and blue plastic, of course) my apron also held a fold-out recipe card.  All simple kid-friendly recipes, the card included such gems as Ants on a Log,  “Banana Milkshake,”  and Peanut Butter Popcorn.

This is a great “recipe” to teach you kids to encourage them to be creative and healthy when choosing their snacks.  Prepared completely in the microwave, there are no knives, ovens or ranges to worry about. (However the recipe would be best prepared wearing a blue and yellow apron with Velcro strings) A simple recipe like this gives children independence in the kitchen and allows them to  “cook” for themselves.  Even though the recipe did originate from Fisher Price, it has stuck with me all these years.  A sign that sometimes the simplest things are truly the best!

With a subtle sweetness, this creamy topping ups the ante on regular popcorn and creates that wonderful dichotomy of sweet and salty together in a healthy snack.  Whether its a new addition to movie night or a fun twist on an afternoon snack, everyone will love this quick and easy popcorn topper!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Makes enough topping for 1 regular bag of microwave popcorn

Melt 2 T peanut butter and 1 T margarine in a small bowl in the microwave.  (Depending on microwaves, ~10-20 seconds)

Stir until smooth.

Drizzle over freshly popped popcorn.

Enjoy!

*Chef’s Note : I prefer to drizzle the topping allowing some extra gooy bites, while my husband prefers to mix the topping in to ensure an even coating…you can choose what works best for you*