Geaux Niners!

And this is what I get for procrastinating...still really proud of my 49ers!!! Disappointing finish, but an amazing 2nd half. I have faith that we will bring it home next year. :)

It's Super Bowl time...Geaux Niners!!!

That is all. Oh, and here are some delicious 49er-inspired cupcakes I (Paula) created for my brother's Super Bowl party.

1. Red velevet cake with sugar frosting and sprinkles.

2. Lemon cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.

Happy tasting,
Paul/a

Melt In Your Mouth Marshmallows

This recipe is a little intensive, but once mastered, you will have the most amazing marshmallows you've ever tasted. Marshmallows were once considered a delicacy, but now we think of them as those rubbery things we buy in bulk. Please feel free to put these in a nice hot cup of cocoa*, on top of some ice cream, in a s'more, or enjoy one of these pillowy bites of heaven all by itself. WARNING: once you have these marshmallows, you will never want to buy the bag of Jiffy-Puffs again.

*Our very favorite hot chocolate is from a small chocolatier shop called Ginger Elizabeth. Please check out the online shop, and treat yo'self!

Yield: 25 marshmallows

INGREDIENTS:

2 envelopes (about 15 g) powdered gelatin
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup cold water
1 (200g) cup sugar
1/3 cup (100g) light corn syrup
4 large egg whites at room temperature
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
3/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup powdered sugar

*You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe*

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the 1/2 cup of water, in a small bowl, to dissolve and soften.

2. Mix the sugar and corn syrup with 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to keep the temperature.

3.  Pour the egg whites in to the bowl of a stand up mixer and beat on medium-low. Once a little frothy, add the salt and continue to beat the egg whites on this speed.

4. When the syrup reaches about 210˚ Fahrenheit, increase the speed of the mixer to high, and beat the eggs until they are thick and fluffy.

5. When the syrup reaches 245˚ Fahrenheit, slowly pour the hot syrup into the whites. You can lower the speed on the mixer if you would like, and make sure not to hit the whisk with the syrup when pouring it into the egg whites.

6. Scrape the gelatin and water mixture into the pan that you used for the syrup. The residual heat should be enough to melt the mixture completely.

7. Slowly pour the liquified gelatin and add the vanilla into the egg whites while it is whipping.

8. Mix the corn starch and the powdered sugar in a bowl.

9. Dust a baking sheet evenly and completely with the starch/powdered sugar mixture (you can use a sifter or a fine mesh strainer to do this).

10. Once outside of the standing mixer bowl is completely cool to the touch (this may take 7-10 minutes of whisking until cooled), use a spatula (I put non-stick spray on it) to spread the marshmallow mixture on a pan, in an even layer.

11. Allow the marshmallows to dry, completely uncovered, for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). If the marshmallows are damp on the bottom, after this drying time, this most likely means the mixture was not completely cooled before being spread out on the baking sheet. In this case, you can blot the moisture off with a paper towel and dry them with the damp end up overnight to dry them out further.

12. Once dried, dust the top of the marshmallows with the starch/powdered sugar mixture and cut the marshmallows into any shape or size you would like (kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter works well for this).

13. When the marshmallows are cut to your liking, toss them in the bowl that has the remaining starch/powdered sugar mixture, in order to coat all sides. Then toss them in a strainer and knock off any excess powder mixture.

14. You may store the marshmallows in an airtight container for up to one week, at room temperature.

15. Enjoy!

Happy Tasting,
Paul/a

Mama's Meatballs

Paul and I both have the amazing fortune of having wonderful mothers who just happen to be great chefs too. We are always delighted with their home-cooked meals and they are an equally incredible source for great recipes and cooking tips. We were lucky to have my mom in town recently, and therefore gifted with not only her lovely presence, but some delicious cooking as well. We asked her to share her meatball recipe as it is such a great staple comfort food, and we all know comfort = mom.  The recipe for these meatballs is authentic and has been passed down from Italian family friends. They are delicious in any pasta dish and also make a perfect bite-sized appetizer. We used all organic ingredients for this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium sized onion
- 5 cloves of garlic
- Handful of parsley, minced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan
- 1/2 of breadcrumbs
- 2 ounces of milk
- Salt & pepper

1. Finely dice the onions and garlic and sautee in olive oil until translucent and set aside.

2. Combine with the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. The consistency   should allow you to ball the meat without it falling apart.

3. Form golf ball-sized  rounds and place in a frying pan with olive oil on medium heat to cook. The outsides should be a lightly browned. Slice one of the rounds open to make sure they are cooked through. 

Happy Tasting,
Paul/a

Fresh Start Green Smoothie

Happy Monday Everyone! A fresh start is synomous with the New Year and we are jumping on the bandwagon. The post-Holiday season is upon us and everyone is getting into “detox” mode after an indulgent end to 2012.  We are all for getting the correct amount of nutrients and vitamins our bodies need: the easier the process, the better. Green smoothies are a great way to do this, and when made at home you get full control over the ingredients that go into these tasty health boosters. Below is an example of a smoothie that is high in nutrition, low on sugar, and that actually tastes great. Try our combination below and tweak the ingredients to your palate’s desire.

Approximately 2 servings:

1 large orange, peeled
1 cup kale (or spinach)
1 small avocado
1 cup apple, chopped
1 cup coconut water, chilled (add more if needed)
1/2 cup ice
4 tbsp lemon juice
dash cayenne (optional)

Combine these ingredients in your blender for a delicious and nutritious way to start your day.

Happy tasting,

 Paul/a

New year, Healthy New Start

Happy New Year Everyone!  We have made a few new years resoultions, the first being to post more on Tablespoon. The second, to make a bigger effort to eat pure, organic and nurtitious foods. That being said, the first step to getting off to a healthy new year begins with the first meal of the day: breakfast. While this meal should be priority #1, so many of us have trouble fitting this uber important meal into our compact schedules. We have come up with a super quick, easy and super delicious way to get loads of nutrients before you step into the office.

We decided to combine a mixture of fresh fruit, pre-made waffles (to save on time), peanut butter, raw honey and ground flax seed to give you the nutritious punch you need to start your day. We love the brand Nature's Path because unlike so many of its competitors, it is a third generation family owned and operated company. Nature's Path products are organic, fair-trade certified, and devoid of GMOs. If you are looking for tasty and nutrient dense pre-packaged cereals, waffles, and health bars, we highly suggest trying this brand.

Our breakfast waffles pack a nutritious punch with potassium, Omega 3s, Managanese, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folate, Thiamin, Niacin, Magnesium, and tons of fiber, antioxidants and healthy protein. 

Using honey instead  of maple syrup will give these waffles a hint of sweet without drowning them in sugar. Add some peanut butter for a little extra sticking power and sprinkle some flax on top for your daily dose of heart healthy Omega 3s. The blueberries pack memory boosting antioxidants and the banana provides those vital energy-packed minerals and vitamins. Bonus! Use local, raw honey to help fight allergies. 

Happy tasting,
Paul/a

Samurai Salmon Wrap

Difficulty Level: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Burrito cravings come often...sometimes too often. This led us to devise a healthier more nutritious take on one of our favorite foods...and BONUS this one won't leave you in a food coma! Feel free to substitute certain items as desired for your own take on this reinvented burrito. We chose whole wheat handmade tortillas, freshly grilled salmon, quinoa, avocado, fresh pico de gallo, steamed spinach, garnished with some lime and sriracha for a good kick. Turn your kitchen into you own Chipotle prep line, by preparing each food item and setting them aside in serving bowls for wraps made to individual desires.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups quinoa

2 avocados

3 filets of fresh salmon

2 limes

6 cups of spinach (pre-steamed)

2 whole tomatoes

1/2 white onion 

1 garlic clove

handmade wheat tortillas

Sriracha

1. Cook the quinoa, spinach and salmon (separately) and set aside in three separate bowls for serving.

2. Slice the avocado, sprinkle with a little salt and set aside on a plate for serving.

3. For the pico de gallo: dice the tomatoes and the onion and mince the garlic. Stir together and set aside in a serving bowl. 

4. Dig in and create your very own Samurai Salmon Wrap!

5. Enjoy!

Happy Tasting, 

Paul/a

Red, White & Blue Shortcakes

Difficulty level: Easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Have you ever wondered what the best dessert is to eat while watching the Olympics? Ever wonder how you could eat something that has British roots but is dominated by American pride…? We introduce to you the All-American Shortcake! The only way to feel more Olympic pride for Team USA during the summer games in London is to be eating this while high-fiving a bald eagle and Michael Phelps at the same time.

We hope you enjoy this gold-medal winner while rooting for the Red, White, and the Blue (American Style). 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour

2 tsps baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tbsp sugar + extra sugar to sprinkle

2 tbsps cold butter

½ cup half and half

Strawberries – washed and sliced

Blueberries - washed

1 cup cold heavy whipping cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

*Kitchen Note: Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer makes life much easier.

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ½ tbsp of sugar.

3.  Cut in the butter and mix together.

4.  Mix in the half and half, until well incorporated (this should make the consistency like drop a drop biscuit mixture)

5. Drop the mixture by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet to make 4 separate biscuits (parchment paper helps with clean up).

6.  Sprinkle the tops with sugar (turbinado or raw cane sugar is best for this part).

7. Put the biscuits in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

8. While the biscuits are baking, mix together the heavy whipping cream and the vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.

9. Use an electric mixer, on high speed, to whip the cream to form stiff peaks (this is your homemade whipped cream).

10. Once the biscuits are out of the oven and cooled, use a fork to open the cake into two halves (top and bottom).

11. Serve the biscuit with the whipped cream and berries.

12.  Enjoy!

Happy tasting,

Paul/a