Cow Fail

This just made me laugh... slightly inappropriate "Cow Fail."

Nothing to Do With Cooking, But I Couldn't Resist...

Apparently, this was part of the reason for my long commute to work this morning... PIGS!!



Can you believe it?

B-E-A-utiful Kitchens

It's another gloomy, cold day in North Carolina.  It was nearly impossible to get out of bed this morning with little-to-no sunlight in our apartment, making the morning all the more dreadful.  Yesterday was equally as dreadful outside, so I spent my evening perusing the internet looking for recipes, pictures, cooking gadgets, and kitchens that piqued my interest (or at least made me smile).  

I have shared numerous recipes with y'all, but what I really enjoyed looking at last night were all the beautiful kitchens.  I'd LOVE to take a little from this one here, and add a bit from that one, a dash from another, and a hint of another to combine into my ultimate dream kitchen.  Like a great big island from one, windows from another, a breakfast nook from another, granite countertops from this one, cabinets from that one, a pot-filler faucet above the stove, a hood from that one, a SubZero fridge from here and a double sink plus bar sink from there.  A girl can dream, can't she?

And I found so many kitchens that I just loved, I can't help but want to share them too!  There are plenty more to come.

I love the bookshelves built into the end of the island; they are perfect for storing all of your cookbooks and family recipes.  The warm wood, floating cabinets above the island, and U-shaped design make for an almost perfect kitchen!

These funky cabinets add color without overwhelming the space and keep the stainless steel hood and stove in check, making it not too funky and not too modern.

The hard wood floor is painted with a decorative diamond pattern and provides a great alternative to tiles... and paired with the teal cabinets and a wall full of windows -- perfection!

  

I love this neutral kitchen - keeping the materials grounded in nature (the wood stools are awesome!) offset the harshness some kitchens can take on with too much stainless steel and hard surfaces

I've always liked the idea of chalkboard paint in a kitchen ever since a childhood friend had it in their house.  Here, it adds fun to an otherwise sterile black-and-white kitchen.

Normally I don't like dark kitchens because they can feel dark and overbearing to me, but this kitchen kept it light and airy, even with dark granite and dark wood cabinets, by incorporating light walls, floors, and great big windows.  The huge island is amazing (especially with the stainless steel hood as a focal point), but the movable butcher's block cart makes it flexible and great for entertaining.

The lighting in this kitchen is to DIE for - warm and inviting with the mix of wood stains and stainless steel appliances.  This kitchen also has great drawer pulls - sleek and not too dainty.

And the ultimate dream -- a pot filler faucet above the stove!  Plus, the stainless against the neutral granite and subway tile backsplash is beautiful.

  

Ahh... Someday....

(all kitchen photos are from myhomeideas.com)

Mac Monday may be on a hiatus, but I'm still cooking...

Tonight I'm cooking Vegetarian Thai Curry Soup.  I found a Real Simple recipe and embellished it a bit to make it my own.  It's been beautiful here in Chapel Hill -- getting up to 84 degrees last Tuesday -- and somehow today, it was 44 degrees and sleeting when I left for work this morning.  It was a miserable, gray day with a low of 29 degrees - perfect soup day, and even better day for a Thai curry dish.  Spicy food can cure anything -- especially a dreary Monday.

This is a vegetarian soup, with lots of veggies and tofu.  The great part about this soup is that it'd be equally as good with chicken, or shrimp for that matter.  I stuck to tofu, but I added chopped red bell pepper for some extra color.  I doubled this recipe and made a huge spaghetti-pot-size batch of yummy soup.  I like spice, so I used extra Thai red curry paste, extra ginger, and a little crushed red pepper for an extra pop.

This is a super easy soup to make; you just throw everything into the pot and cook (adding one or two ingredients, cook, another few, cook, etc).  And I promise it's a pick-me-up, yummy Monday dinner!  (Plus I doubled the recipe so we have leftovers for the week!)

Thai Curry Vegetable and Tofu Soup

Serves: 4
Total Time: 30 minutes

...from Real Simple (because although mine was delish,
it didn't look as pretty as this!)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 14-oz can coconut milk
Kosher salt
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
4 oz green beans, halved
2 carrots, sliced
14-oz extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
4-oz snow peas
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Asian chili garlic sauce (optional, for serving)

Directions:
- Place the curry paste and ginger in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the broth, coconut milk, and 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil.
- Add the mushrooms, green beans, and carrots to the saucepan and simmer until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu and snow peas and simmer until the snow peas are bright green, about 1 minute more.
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Sprinkle with the basil and serve with the chili garlic sauce (if you decide).

Cow Fail

And yet another "Cow Fail."  This photo somehow managed to be adorably sweet and yet disgusting, all in one shot!  I think this guy got a little confused...

Cow Fail

Continuing the hi-larious series of "Cow Fails," I had to share this one because it makes me giggle.

I've Got Sunshine, On a Cloudy Day (and Chocolate on the Brain)

On this rainy day, I can only hope that all of this rain is just prepping for some beautiful spring flowers.
Now I did give up sweets for Lent, but Godiva sent me this offer and I just couldn't believe how cute they were.

(Thanks for tempting me on Day 1 Godiva, BTW)

Goidva Chocolate Tulips (on sale - 3 for $15)

Check 'em out and enjoy them for me...
Spring Flower Lollipops - Set of 3 at Godiva.com

And of course you know the trick with real tulips... 

add a penny to the water in the tulip's vase to keep them from opening to soon!

My Love Affair with Peanut Butter Has Gone Too Far...

I hate to admit it, but I'm involved in an affair... with peanut butter.  I don't know what it is about the delicious spread, but I find it nearly irresistible.  I love putting it on apples as a healthy snack (great for post-workout) or on a banana for breakfast.  It is to DIE for melted on an english muffin, maybe with banana slices on top or honey.  Sometimes, it's simply spoon-to-mouth or if I'm desperate for lunch at work - simply mixing PB & J in a bowl (extreme desperation, I know).  And who can deny the wonderful comfort of a traditional PB & J (except for those of you with nut allergies -- sorry!).

Desperation at its finest

Well I've adapted two recipes into one to make two of my favorite things combined - cookies and peanut butter.  I decided to give up sweets for Lent (what was I thinking?), so these will be strictly to share with others.

The best part is this recipe is rather large - great for bringing baked goods into the office, for a cookie exchange party, or for a gathering of friends.  It makes about 75 decently-sized cookies (depending on how big you make the dough balls).

TIP:
I whisked the dry ingredients together instead of what the recipe called for - sifting.  I mean really, who has a sifter besides your mom?  No first apartment-renter I can think of actually owns a sifter.  So whisk away!

PEANUT BUTTERY DELICIOUSNESS COOKIES

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
16 tbsp (2 sticks!) unsalted butter (at room temp)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup creamy (I prefer crunchy) peanut butter

Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter with both sugars for about 3 min (until it's light and fluffy).
- Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth and well combined... then beat in the peanut butter.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl (easiest with a rubber-tipped spatula).  Reduce the speed to low and beat in the dry flour mixture (from the beginning) in 2 batches (1/2 at first, combine well, add the other 1/2).
- Form dough into 1-in balls and place on non-stick baking sheets.  Flatten each by pressing them with the tines of a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake until golden brown on the bottom and barely colored on top (between 14-16 minutes).
- Let them cool on wire racks completely.


Now a few questions for you (really just to start the good ol' heated debate):
1. Jif or Skippy or Peter Pan
2. Creamy or Crunchy

(Personally, I grew up a Skippy Chunky, but have graduated to Jif Crunchy - partly because of Miss A!)

Dinner Tonight... Celebrate Fat Tuesday with New Orleans Creole Jambalaya

Fat Tuesday is a great day each year to celebrate one of the things I love most--FOOD!  It's the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  From Ash Wednesday to Easter, many people "fast" or abstain from certain foods or physical pleasures, for 40 days. This is done by many Christians to imitate Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness.

Regardless of religion, many use Fat Tuesday as an excuse to eat great food and celebrate Mardi Gras.  So in honor of any food-related holiday, I like to celebrate with an appropriate recipe.  New Orleans is the home to one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in the world - so what better to do than to enjoy a New Orleans style Jambalaya??


Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence.  It's like a spicy surf-and-turf if you make it with sausage and shrimp like I do.  And here's a tip -- save time by buying frozen shrimp already peeled, deveined, and tail-off; then thaw it in the refrigerator or under cold, running water when you're ready to cook!


I know the ingredients list is going to look long and intimidating - but the majority are the added spices for the New Orleans kick!  Otherwise, it's simply rice, sausage, shrimp, red bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and chicken broth.  And I put the ingredients in order of which you add them... it's not that hard -- I promise!

New Orleans Jambalaya 

with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

(from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 oz andouille sausage (sliced)
1 cup uncooked long-gran wild rice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 can (about 15oz) no salt-added diced tomatoes (don't drain!)
1/2 lb shrimp
2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley


Preparation:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and sausage; saute 5 minutes (or until veggies are tender).
- Add rice and next 7 ingredients (paprika through bay leaf) and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add next 5 ingredients (chicken broth through the can of tomatoes), and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook an additional 5 minutes (make sure the shrimp are pink).
- Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf (it's only added for the flavor) and stir in some parsley.


AND VOILE!

Beads, Creole food, and lot's of fun... 

It will be a party second to none!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Roses are red, violets are blue, i love french toast, how about you??

My mom got me some of the MOST AMAZING Italian Panettone (a type of bread) from Eataly, which is a delicious Italian cafe with a true Italian market in the back (quite expansive, actually).  Anyway, she had it shipped to me in Chapel Hill all the way from NYC for Valentine's Day!

House-made bread is a specialty at Eataly.

The Panettone was more than Miss A and I could handle and mom recommended making French Toast with it -- so we did.

It came beautifully wrapped!

And looks like this when you unwrap it... ours was HUGE!

This is honestly the simplest breakfast recipe I've ever followed - besides just popping something in the microwave.  I had always been intimidated by the thought of making french toast (mainly because I had no idea how you made it), but I recommend this to even the most basic of cooks!

EASY EATALY BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:

The Eataly Panettone... mmmmm

6 1/2in-thick slices of toast of your choice (French bread is great, or sunflower seed bread)
1/2 cup skim milk
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of ground nutmeg
brown sugar and maple syrup (to taste)

Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
- Combine milk, egg whites, vanilla, and nutmeg in a shallow bowl and beat.
- Dip the bread in the mixture, coating both sides.
- Spray a baking sheet/dish with vegetable cooking spray and place bread in a single layer
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top
- Bake for 10-12 minutes (or until lightly browned)
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar on top for a diner-worthy look!

Yum yum eat-em-up!

Next time I want to try variations, including: bananas, berries, pecans, etc!

...all images borrowed from the Eataly website, unless otherwise noted

101 Thursday: How to roast a fish

I check The New York Times website every morning (in addition to waking up to The Today Show and listening to NPR on my commute) to have at least some idea as to what's going on in the world.  Every now and then, the NY Times will grab my attention with some photos, giant header text, videos, etc.  This week, they posted a video perfect for a FAFK 101 Thursday

HOW TO ROAST A WHOLE FISH

Wheel of Baking...

Dinner Tonight...

A classic K and A Fave...

Strawberry Spinach Salad!

(Click here to see the original post and recipe!)

But we're mixing up the dressing this time and using the dressing we made for our 

Super Bowl Salad!!

(Click here for the dressing recipe!)

We'll let you know how it goes...

xoxo

K & A

Cow Fail

So I found a whole series of photos online of what they call "Cow Fails."  Cows are funny to begin with, but when they do silly/stupid things, they're even more entertaining.  

I'll post a few of my favorites from time to time, and hopefully put a smile on your face too!

Thursday 101: Egg-ceptional Tips

We all know that eggs are good for you: they're a great source of protein and good cholesterol.  But when buying eggs at the grocery store, I get so overwhelmed by all the choices of eggs: organic vs. not; medium, large, or extra large; grade A; brown vs. white; and then there are egg substitutes... you get the idea.  

Well how do you make a choice?  A recent Cooking Light article answered just that - and just in time for a little 101 lesson on eggs.

The Incredible, Edible Egg: 

Save money and buy the best eggs.

1. Real eggs vs. Egg substitutes

Winner: Real eggs

Apparently, egg substitutes are basically egg whites with added food color.  Egg subs are more expensive than whites from whole eggs (nearly 2x the price!).  Plus, once you open the container, you better be ready to use them quickly because they'll spoil quickly.  But a dozen eggs can last up to 1 1/2 months in the fridge!

2. Brown eggs vs. White eggs

Winner: Tie

Brown eggs typically cost about 40% more than white eggs, but brown eggs are identical to white eggs in terms of taste and nutrition.  So what makes a brown egg, well, brown?  Brown hens lay brown eggs--simple as that!  Hens that lay brown eggs are bigger, which means they have to eat more--therefore it costs the farmer more to produce brown eggs and the cost is passed down to the consumer.

3. Store brand vs. Name brand

Winner: Store brand

Once again, store brands win out.  Store brand eggs have the same quality as name brand eggs, but they're almost always less expensive.  Go figure.

photo from here

4. Famer's market vs. Supermarket

Winner: Supermarket

Many consumers assume that farmer's market eggs are fresher, and they sometimes are.  But farmer's market eggs aren't subject to the same regulations as commercially-produced eggs.  Translation: you don't know where those farmer's market eggs have been--have they been washed and cleaned?  Have they been refrigerated?  Eggs sold at the grocery store have to be inspected and certified by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)--meaning they're inspected, washed, transported in refrigerated trucks, and shipped to the supermarket within 36-48 hours of being laid.  

all images are from Cooking Light unless otherwise noted

The Incredible, Edible Egg

http://bit.ly/hv7K1H

I Like Their Style

Apparently anything and everything can be celebrated with cupcakes.  Published by Zagat Buzz, (click here to read the Zagat Survey's blog), the photo was apparently tweeted yesterday by a correspondent for Al Jazeera (the international news network headquartered in Quatar).

Even the Egyptian Freedom Movement can be celebrated with cupcakes.  I like their style.

**Notice the little hearts in the upper left corner - maybe celebrating Valentine's Day too??

The Return of Mac Monday... on a Tuesday!

In Galway, Ireland 

MAC MONDAY

Kissing the Blarney Stone

I’ve been in Ireland for almost 2 months now.  I’ve tried several traditional recipes and had some traditional irish meals out at restaurants.  The lamb stew I had at the café above the English market was probably the best meal I have had at a restaurant.  I also made a true version of the Sheppard’s pie that I posted a few months ago.  But tonight I am going on a whole new adventure in the culinary world:  Irish Tripe Stew!!!  

For those of you who don’t know what tripe is you probably don’t want to know, but for the sake of honesty I will enlighten you.   Tripe is the stomach lining of an animal, and in this case I used tripe from a cow.  I do most of my grocery shopping at a place called the English Market here in Cork.  As you walk in there is a butcher that specializes in Tripe and blood sausage.  So every time I have gone to buy food I see the tripe there.  This weekend I finally got up the nerve to try it. 

MAC'S GAELIC TRIPE STEW

Ingredients:

2-2½ pounds honeycomb tripe, diced

1 quart milk

3-4 medium onions, sliced

3-4 medium potatoes, diced

Salt

Pepper 

Fresh parsley to taste, chopped 

Preparation:

- Wash the tripe and then cut it into small bite sized pieces.  

- Then place the tripe into a large pot and cover it with water.  

- Then simmer the tripe for 2 hours.  

- Tripe can be very chewy if you don’t prepare it properly.  

- Cooking it this long helps to improve the texture of the tripe. 

- After 2 hours of simmering drain the tripe of the water and return it to the pot.  

- Then add the potatoes, onions and milk.  

- Simmer again for an additional hour or until the vegetables are tender.  

- After the hour add the salt, pepper and parsley to taste.  

- Then serve and enjoy. 

I hope some of you muster the courage to try this recipe.  It is a very traditional, yet simple Irish dish.  

Remember, cook what you love, love what you eat.  

Cooking for Two

buy on Amazon for your favorite couple, or for you and yours.  (It's also great for those of you that live by yourself or with a roommate.)

"...Tea for two. That's what it's all about, right? So how come every recipe you pick up says "serves 4 to 6"? Or more! What do you do when you want macaroni and cheese, but don't want to be reheating it for three nights? Or a couple of cookies, but don't want to be tempted by two dozen sitting on the counter all week?

Brimming with 120 smaller-serving, big-taste recipes, Cooking for Two offers cooks familiar favorites such as Pasta Bolognese, Chicken Pot Pie, and Mushroom Barley Soup, as well as new dishes for today's tastes like Pork Satay Salad and Snapper Fillets Sautéed with Orange and Pecans.

Simply cutting down larger recipes leads to wasted ingredients. But Bruce and Mark have developed each recipe so you buy only what you need, and use all of what you buy. Instead of opening a can of vegetable stock only to use three tablespoons, use the liquid the dried mushrooms have soaked in. If an onion is too large for a recipe, chop a shallot instead.

The dessert chapters are filled with cookies, puddings, and cakes, all designed for two servings. Small-batch baking requires strict attention to detail. A regular egg can be too big for a small batch of six cookies, so they suggest quail eggs or the easy-to-find pasteurized egg substitutes, which you can measure out in tablespoons.

Truly a cookbook for everyday use, each recipe is labeled as quick (ready in minutes with minimal cooking), moderate (requires a bit more preparation or cooking), or leisurely (perfect for quiet celebrations or weekend meals) to help you decide which dish best fits into your day.
With ingredient and equipment guides, as well as tips on how to stock your pantry to avoid those there's-nothing-in-the-house-so-let's-go-out moments, Cooking for Two will surely become the cookbook you reach for every night of the week.

It's just two perfect..."

Single or Taken -- Valentine's Day is a Good Day for Wine

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that people love when they're involved and hate when they're not. One of my favorite anti-Valentine's day events I've heard about is Atlanta's "Bitter Ball" -- entertaining to say the least.

borrowed from http://bit.ly/frjrTa

But regardless if you're celebrating Valentine's Day with your love, roommate, friend, or mom - it's a great excuse to enjoy some good wine.  Wines can quickly get expensive and for anyone on a budget, that can be a big deterrent from enjoying a nice glass of vino.

Lately I've been on a hunt for fantastic wines under $15, but my mom found a great article in Country Living about some of the best red wines under $10!  To find anything under $10 is practically a miracle these days, so finding good (emphasis on good) wines under $10 is equally miraculous.

Here are their recommendations:

1. Alto Almanzora Este, 2006 ($8.99)
 With flavors of blueberry, plum, fruitcake, and chocolate, this Spanish six-grape blend is delish at $8.99. (garnetwine.com)

2. Alamos, 2008 ($9.99)
I love Malbec wines and they're quite the popular choice of red right now.  This is an Argentinian Malbec with a hint of sweet spice, making it a fabulous companion for a well-cooked steak, especially at such a reasonable price. (wine.com)

3. Sagelands, 2005 ($9.89)
This Washington Cabernet Sauvignon is said to get better with time, so store some extras of this for a great party wine. (drinkthegrapes.com)

4. Penfolds Koonunga Hill, 2007 ($7.97)
This is a new favorite of my parents.  This remarkably well-priced Australian mix of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon is incredibly drinkable, but goes exceptionally well with roasted root vegetables and lamb. (crownwineandspirits.com)

5. Vinos Pinol Ludovicus, 2007 ($8.99)
This was the favorite choice of the author of the article.  It's a combo of four Spanish wines and was described as an, "eye-opener."  It tastes expensive, making it a great inexpensive gifting wine that doesn't need to taste like a gifting wine. (bassins.com)

6. Borsao Campo de Borja, 2008 ($7.99)
This is one of my favorite reds and I was so excited to see that it's appreciated by others too!  This is another Spanish wine, a mix of Grenache and Tempranillo, and its dark fruity flavor is great with everything from a rich chicken to cheese and crackers to a hearty steak. (thewinecountry.com)

7.  Domaine Andre Brunel, 2005 ($7.00)
This French Grenache is enjoyable in its simplest form by the glass, but it's also great for an elegant dinner. (winespecialist.com)

8. Nine North Ten Mile, 2006 ($9.99)
This is a four-grape California red is often recommended as wonderful accompaniment to duck. (ultimatewineshop.com)

9. Redtree, 2008 ($6.99)
Wine bloggers are crazy for this light-bodied California Pinot Noir, with flavors of clove and summer berries. (klwines.com)

(all photographs are from Country Living)

Happy Valentine's Day... and bottoms up!

Dinner Tonight Was...

Pasta Carbonara with Spicy Sausage
from Real Simple, March 2011

Chocolate Chocolate Make It Melt: Double Chocolate Cookies

Do you ever wake up in the morning and just crave chocolate?  Well, this morning was one of those mornings for me.  For Miss A's birthday in December, a friend had baked the most amazing chocolate chocolate chip cookies.  I normally am not a huge chocolate chocolate person, but when I crave chocolate, I CRAVE chocolate.  These cookies aren't overly sweet and have just the right amount of chocolate to satisfy.  The mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate keep them from being too heavy on the chocolate.  There's really nothing else to say about these cookies except that you MUST try them if you're even remotely a chocolate person. 

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

from Real Simple

makes 3 dozen cookies

hands-on time: 15 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

creaming the butter and sugars

Preparation:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed.

- Lower to medium speed and add the egg and vanilla extract.

- Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

- Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture on low speed; beat until fully incorporated.

- Form the dough into small balls using a small spoon (about 1 1/2 inch balls).  Place on a non-stick baking sheet (or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil).

- Bake for about 12 minutes (until the centers are just set).  Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.

 **I made exactly 30 cookies with this recipe - generously sized, but not too big.  If I were making this recipe again to share with others, I'd probably double the recipe so there'd be enough for me to indulge and to share with others!


Happy Sunday! 

Super Fast and Impressive Finger Food!

Party food is always a challenge for me.  I like to have lots of selection to please everyone's taste buds, but I also want to find easy ones.  Usually before hosting a party, I'm running around my apartment with Miss A frantically cleaning, sweeping, and vacuuming then hopping in the shower and getting ready as fast as possible since it's already 20minutes past when we told people to arrive.

To rectify this, I've been on the hunt for impressive but EASY appetizers.  I LOVE crostini (those little toasted baguette slices with delicious tastes on top.  I discovered this Artichoke and Olive Crostini recipe online and was so excited!  Miss A and I love artichokes and hadn't had any in a long time.  I'd suggested steamed artichokes for dinner earlier this week and was depressed to find out THEY'RE NOT IN SEASON!  Bummer!  So after all this hunting for delicious artichoke recipes to satisfy my craving, I was out of luck.  But then I realized this recipe called for artichoke hearts - A HA! - and you can get these canned all year long!

ARTICHOKE AND OLIVE CROSTINI

Thanks to Real Simple for a better

pic than any of mine!

Ingredients:

24 thin slices of baguette (from 1 small loaf)

5 bsp olive oil

1 14oz can artichoke hearts (rinsed and chopped)

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

kosher salt and pepper

fresh shaved parmesan

Preparation:

- Heat oven to 400 degrees.

- Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet (lined with foil for easy clean up) and brush both sides of the bread with 2 tbsp of olive oil.

- Bake until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes each side).

-In a small bowl, toss together the artichoke hearts, olives, and parsley with the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil.

- Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

- Top the baguette slices with the artichoke heart mixture and top with freshly shaved parmesan.

Happy Friday!!!