Cook With Your Culinary Idols in NYC

Some of my favorite culinary idols are holding an amazing event next May and if there is a Santa, I hope he is listening!

This is the perfect gift for the aspiring chef in your life, and at the same time, you can support a good cause!

Passionate food lovers can cook side-by-side with David Bouley, Cesare Casella, Marc Forgione, Shaun Hergatt, Michael Lomonaco, Seamus Mullen, Marc Murphy, Michael Psilakis, Alain Sailhac, André Soltner, Christina Tosi, Marcus Samuelsson and Dan Barber many others at the fifth annual New York Culinary Experience on May 4 and 5, 2013 at The International Culinary Center in New York City. It is the only culinary event of its kind that gives event-goers the chance to enjoy an intimate weekend of hands-on master cooking classes, cooking and conversation with more than 30 of the most prominent chefs in the country.

A limited number of tickets for this year’s hands-on weekend are now available. The cost for the weekend is $1,395 per ticket and includes all classes, breakfast, lunch, and a cocktail/wine reception each day. A portion of the proceeds from the event will support The Future Chefs Scholarship, a program at The International Culinary Center established to provide scholarships for students who wish to pursue their dream of attending culinary school.

For more information about the New York Culinary Experience or to purchase tickets, please visit www.nymag.com/nyce.

Pin It

Inaugural Timed 5K Times Deux

There is an incredible sense of worth I feel today. Actually, that is pretty much the only thing that I can physically feel. After being sidelined by an injury, I am slowly getting back into my running game. Then I made the crazy decision to do not one but TWO races this weekend! Although I have done a couple of Fun Runs 5K, I have not done one with a real bib and a chip which would make me official. Official. Like a REAL runner. I know, I know, just lacing up my shoes and moving my feet up and down makes me a real runner. But this was exciting!

The Junior League of Daytona Beach is an organization that I belong to. I am also on the board as the Fund Development Chair. We have a 5K each year that raises money for the women and children in Volusia County. I had an amazing chair, Heidi who I adore, that organized the race with her team and it was great. The weather was kind of foggy and snow-like atmosphere, not temperature thank God! We had a good amount of runners and the event went off without a hitch. Although I didn't do awesome, well I did it...and that was really cool! I pushed myself out of aggravation of my slowness and was a little sore the next day but I had another race awaiting me.

The Santa Hustle in Daytona was a larger race that was both a 5K and a half marathon which my super duper runner friend Megan did. The weather was sunny and I was ready. It was on the beach which made me a little nervous as that is what caused my injury in the first place...but I was determined.

There is something to be said about crossing the finish line. I know that is the understatement of the century but forgive me, this was my first time.

I thought I would share with you what happens when they screw up your age when you register. What is worse....the fact that I am Zero years old or that three 10 year olds kicked my ass...

If you were wondering what kept me company during my 5K, I brought along a few of my friends:

You can download the full playlist here on Spotify. Pin It

Tis the Season For Your Favorite Foodie

Looking for a unique foodie gift this holiday season? Encourage your readers to stock up the spice cabinet for the cook in their life!

Spice Islands searches the world for the highest quality and most flavorful spices. They help new bakers add a little zest to their holiday cookies or give the experienced cook a chance to experiment with flavor. A custom Spice Islands spice set is something that any foodie would love!

Here are some suggested spice gift set combinations. A basket, some stuffing and a plastic wrap and you will make your favorite cook or baker very happy! All spices and extracts are available at your local grocery store or Amazon.com.

New Cook Starter Kit

· Salt

· Pepper

· Bay Leaves

· Onion Powder

· Garlic Powder

· Beau Monde Seasoning

· Dill Weed

· Summer Savory

· Parsley

· Basil

For the Holiday Baker

· Cinnamon

· Nutmeg

· Pumpkin Pie

· Vanilla Extract

· Almond Extract

· Ginger

· Poppy Seed

· Whole Nutmeg

· Allspice

· Cinnamon Sugar Grinder

Pin It

Hello Pumpkin!!

This holiday season, these pumpkin desserts that go beyond the traditional. From a creamy pumpkin cheesecake with hints of vanilla to to an awesome pumpkin mousse that was a hit at the table, these are great ways to doctor up the boring ole Pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups finely ground gingersnap cookies

1/4 cup finely ground walnuts

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1-3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 eggs

1 teaspoon Spice Islands Vanilla Extract

1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500ºF.

Combine gingersnaps, walnuts, sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom and 1-inch up the side of a 10-inch non-stick springform pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed. Transfer 2-1/2 cups to a separate bowl; set aside. Beat 1 egg, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin into remaining filling until smooth. Pour half of pumpkin filling into crust, then half of the plain; repeat. Swirl gently with a spoon.

Bake at 500ºF for 10 minutes; reduce temperature to 200ºF and bake 30 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil and continue baking for 1 hour or until center appears nearly set. Run a knife around top of cake to loosen from pan. Turn off oven and open door to allow cake to cool gradually for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and finish cooling on a rack for 15 minutes, then chill in refrigerator at least 6 hours.

TIP: Place a pan of water in the oven with the cheesecake while baking. This will help prevent the cake from cracking.

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 package instant vanilla or butterscotch pudding mix

1 Tablespoon Spice Islands pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Vanilla

1 teaspoon Spice Islands Cinnamon

1 cup cold milk

1 small tub of cool whip

Vanilla Wafers or Graham Cracker Cookies

Directions:

Begin by creaming a package of cream cheese in the mixer for about 3 minutes. Add a 1/3 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. Mix until the consistency is even. Add 15oz of canned pumpkin. Mix until combined. Add 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, a 3.4oz package of vanilla or butterscotch pudding and 1 cup of milk. Mix for another 3 minutes until consistency thickens. Remove from mixer and use spatula to fold an 8oz. tub of cool whip into the pudding mixture. Add a spoonful of pumpkin mousse to your dessert dishes, a tablespoon of crushed gingersnap cookies, followed by another spoonful of pumpkin mousse. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Source

Pin It

Parenthood Actress Guest Stars In Food Network New Show

Do you watch Parenthood? It is one of those wonderful show that baffles the beau's mind....laughing out loud one minute and crying like I lost my dog the next. Completely my FAVORITE kind of sitcom. I love the entire cast, but Monica Potter is outstanding. She also makes for a great interview, very funny!

I was excited when I found out she will be featured in an upcoming episode of the new Food Network show SUGAR DOME. The new series SUGAR DOME that premiered on Sunday, November 25th at 8pm ET/PT. Remarkable artists of all types team up for a one-of-a-kind competition to create the most jaw-dropping displays on earth. Each week, three teams comprised of artists from completely different disciplines enter the Sugar Dome to battle it out and create never-before-seen, food art masterpieces.

Premiering Sunday, December 16th, at 8pm ET/PT

“When Toy Stores Come to Life at Night”

Imaginations run wild as a cake artist, sugar artist, and toy designer team up to create innovative food art that answers the question – what happens when a toy store comes to life at night? After a grueling challenge filled with impossible twists, only one team will walk away with a $15,000 prize.

Guest judge: Monica Potter

Read below for more information on Sugar Dome or go to their website or like their Facebook page.

EXPERTS OF ALL KINDS TEAM UP TO CREATE INCREDIBLE WORKS OF FOOD ART IN NEW SERIES SUGAR DOME ON FOOD NETWORK

Each week, three teams comprised of artists from completely different disciplines enter the Sugar Dome to battle it out and create never-before-seen, food art masterpieces. Cake designers and sugar artists team up with professional fruit carvers, graffiti artists, sand sculptors and more for a delicious rollercoaster ride to compete for the champion title and a $15,000 prize. Hosted by award-winning TV host David Bull, the contest is judged by distinguished pastry chef and cake designer Paulette Goto (Unique Sweets, Jacques Torres Chocolates) and acclaimed pastry chef Pichet Ong (Sugar and Plumm) as well as a rotating guest judge including actress Monica Potter, Motocross champion Nate Adams and costume designer Randall Christensen.

“We wanted Sugar Dome to take cake and sweet artistry to levels of creativity and innovation never seen before,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network., “Viewers will be in awe of the spectacles created by these unconventional teams of food artists.”

In one episode over the course of the series, animatronics experts join forces with cake and sugar artists in a grueling challenge to create a work of art that captures the magic and danger of the legendary fire-breathing dragon. In another episode, teams of sweet artists and professional illustrators combine their talents to bring the iconic world of Dr. Seuss to life. The competition continues as Hollywood costume designers, cake and sugar artists work together in a whimsical battle to create edible displays inspired by The Wizard of Oz.

ABOUT DAVID BULL:

David Bull is the host of Food Network’s Sugar Dome. David is an award-winning TV host and over the last 15 years has hosted over thirty five shows on British and US network television, for major TV channels including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, Living, Sky and Food Network. David has had a unique career path, beginning his career as a medical doctor, working in London in the fields of General Medicine and Emergency Medicine. He started his broadcasting career as an on-screen doctor for Sky TV giving advice to those travelling abroad. Later, he joined Newsround on BBC1, the longest running children’s news show in the world, where he became the first person to broadcast exclusively to kids about health issues. Since then his shows have encompassed all genres including talk, entertainment, consumer, health and wellness, science and technology and teenage and young people’s issues. David crossed the Atlantic in 2009 starting his US career on The Rachael Ray Show and Web MD. Sugar Dome is his first US show as host.

ABOUT PAULETTE GOTO:

Paulette Goto is a pastry chef and cake designer and has worked in some of New York’s most famous restaurants. Paulette worked alongside master pastry chef Jacques Torres at Le Cirque in Manhattan before opening Jacques Torres Chocolates with her now husband, Ken Goto. Paulette graduated from the pastry arts program at the French Culinary Institute, where she won the Andre Soltner award of excellence. She has had her cakes published in Bride Magazine. Paulette is a contributor on Cooking Channel’s Unique Sweets.

ABOUT PICHET ONG:

Pichet Ong is a self-taught, award winning pastry chef for Sugar and Plumm, a bistro, bakery and chocolate maker on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He has worked with culinary luminaries including Jean Georges Vongerichten and Max Brenner. Pichet was was selected as a “Pastry Provocateur” by Food & Wine and named one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Arts & Design and Chocolatier. In 2002, he was named Starchefs.com’s “Rising Star”. His desserts, including those from Spice Market, Rick Moonen’s RM, Jean Georges, and P*ONG and batch, have garnered numerous “Best of” awards. He is a multiple nominee for the James Beard Award in several national categories. Pichet’s cookbook, The Sweet Spot, was nominated for the World Gourmand book award and was named one of the 10 best cookbooks of 2008 by Gourmet.

Sugar Dome is produced by Super Delicious.

FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring and empowering through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly. Since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine has tripled its rate base and delivers a circulation of 1.45 million. Headquartered in New York, Food Network has a growing international presence with programming in more than 150 countries, including 24 hour networks in Great Britain, India, Asia and Africa. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates Cooking Channel (www.cookingchanneltv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com), Great American Country (www.gactv.com), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), and Travel Channel (www.travelchannel.com), is the manager and general partner.

Pin It

Emerald Green Is Pantone's Color For 2013

Hear that?? That is the sound of me squealing! Like any good release, I anxiously await for Pantone's Color of the Year. I seem to take this to a new level, because I am a techy nerd and I like to plan big parties and big fun events and attention to detail is a must! Earlier in the year, I wrote about color schemes for weddings and parties using Pantone for Becoming the Mrs. and the neat ways you can really make a color scheme happen. But, the release of the Color of the Year always makes giddy! Especially when it is as beautiful as this year's choice! I am also excited that Sephora and jcpenney has launched some items to celebrate this announcement.

Check out how Pantone has steps it up in the social media arena to celebrate the announcement on their website and their different social media outlets:

Facebook

Twitter

Hashtag: #coloroftheyear

Just prepared to have a ton of fun with this announcement and all the different platforms and maybe like me you will be squealing for 2014 release!

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year for 2013:

PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald

From the press release

Radiant, jewel-toned Emerald promotes balance and harmony

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, as the Color of the Year for 2013.

The 2012 Color of the Year, PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, a spirited, reddish orange, provided the energy boost we needed to recharge and move forward. Emerald, a vivid, verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight, as well as promoting balance and harmony.

Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Emerald for Fashion

The prevalence of green has been steadily rising for several seasons, especially in the fashion and couture markets, and even on the red carpet. Appropriate for every occasion, Emerald’s classic elegance makes for striking and irresistible women’s formal and everyday wear as well as accessories. Emerald also makes a strong statement in men’s sportswear, knitwear and ties. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2013, including Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Barbara Tfank, NAHM and Marimekko, are incorporating Emerald into their spring collections. Balanced yet sophisticated, Emerald enlivens all colors in the spectrum and will continue to make a statement beyond spring and summer into fall and winter.

Emerald for Beauty

Equally harmonious on the cosmetic color wheel, Emerald dramatizes all eye colors as it beautifully enhances green eyes, is compatible to blue eyes, emphasizes the green undertone in hazel eyes and intensifies brown eyes to make them appear deeper. Emerald is also a perfect complement to peaches, pinks, roses, ruby reds and aubergines – offering a variety of lipstick and blush options. For those who want to sparkle and stand out, Emerald is the perfect punctuation point in nail color because of its complementary nature.

Sephora and Pantone proudly announce the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE™ 2013 Color of the Year beauty collection featuring PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, which will be available exclusively at Sephora in March 2013. Sharing a strong passion for how color can transform a face, mood or even an attitude, Sephora and Pantone continue to change how consumers wear, feel and think about color through the second annual radiant and modern Color of the Year beauty collection.

“At Sephora, we pride ourselves on giving our clients first access to what’s on trend – whether that’s a color, a formula or an ingredient story. With the 2013 Color of the Year collection, we achieve all of the above and we couldn’t have a better partner than Pantone,” said Margarita Arriagada, senior vice president of merchandising for Sephora.

The limited edition 2013 Color of the Year beauty collection features a variety of products in Emerald, including eye shadow, nail polish and accessories, and will be available at Sephora stores across the U.S., Sephora inside JCP and Sephora.com.

Emerald for Interiors

Enhance your sense of well-being at home by rejuvenating the interior with Emerald paint, accents and accessories. This jewel-like hue will create a luxurious feel in an entryway, powder room, dining room or study, and bring life to a living room as an accent wall. Add a splash of color to the kitchen and dining room areas with Emerald dinnerware, stemware and appliances.

Enliven your home with Pantone bedding, pillows, bath towels and accessories in Emerald available exclusively at jcpenney stores and on jcp.com beginning Feb. 1, 2013.

“As we re-energize our home department next spring, we are excited to partner with the leading authority on color to introduce the first-ever line of Pantone bedding and bath products,” said Paul Rutenis, jcpenney general merchandise manager for home. “The cheerful array of on-trend pieces will make it easy for customers to infuse the perfect color into any home décor.”

Cross-Referencing to Other PANTONE Libraries

PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald can also be cross-referenced to all other PANTONE Libraries including PANTONE PLUS for graphic design. For cross-referencing information, see www.pantone.com/COY2013.

About the PANTONE Color of the Year

The Color of the Year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

For more than a decade, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past colors include:

PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)

PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)

PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)

PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009)

PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008)

PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007)

PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006)

PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)

PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004)

PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003)

PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002)

PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001)

PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

About Pantone

Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world's color authority for nearly 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com. For the latest news, trends, information and conversations, connect with Pantone on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

About X-Rite

X-Rite, Incorporated, is the global leader in color science and technology. The company, which now includes color industry leader Pantone, develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rite's expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.

PANTONE®…The color of ideasSM.

Pin It

San Diego Pub Stays Classy With Its Yelp Reviews

Craft & Commerce Awesome Logo (from website)

As much as I push in my business that my clients must set up their businesses in its entirety on Yelp, Trip Advisor, Urban Spoon, etc. etc. dealing with the reviews when they come in can be trying.

Certainly when they are good, you can do many things with them...promote them on your social networks, use them as testimonials in your marketing materials, shout from the rooftops, etc.

But when they are bad, there is a method of madness.

I always say valid, warranted complaints are an unbiased review of your business...if you have streams of bad service, bad service, bad service complaints....you may have some personnel issues. The same thing with people that complain about the food.These type of reviews can be dealt with by addressing them with the customer and attempt to rectify the situation. You are being a good owner by hearing your customer and doing what you can to fix it.

But what if the complaint is not warranted. What if it is an ex-employee twirling his fake mustache in attempt to try to sabotage you because he is disgruntled. What if you have a reviewer that is Debbie Downer and hates everyone and you are the target of the day? What can you do if Yelp will not take your review down??

Looks like the gastropub, Craft & Commerce, located in San Diego's Little Italy district has the right idea. Embrace your online reviews indeed! According to the Yahoo article, they take their negative reviews and broadcast them using actors in their restrooms. Awesome!!!

How do you handle your negative reviews?

Pin It

Breathe During The Holiday Season with a Warm Treat

With the holiday season right around the corner, and the temperature slowly dropping even though in Florida it is very slowly!, it is the perfect time to warm up with a sweet treat.

When you need a little "me time," reach for a Dole Fruit Crisp, the perfect combination of all-natural fruit and crunchy oat and brown sugar topping. Try it warm from the microwave or right out of the bowl. Enjoy these delicious fruit flavors as a mid-morning snack, afternoon treat or evening dessert.

This guilt-free snack is available in three varieties: Apple Cinnamon, Apple Pear and Peach. Found in the canned fruit aisle of grocery stores nationwide, a 2-pack of Dole Fruit Crisp.

How would you like to win one for your very own?? Enter our raffle!! a Rafflecopter giveaway Pin It

December Musings

Ugh! I hate when a week goes by and I haven't had any time to check in. It is December! The most magical time of the year! Even though I am still not believing that the holiday season is upon us, I had better set a plan. I am still at bird flipping the radio station that plays 24/7 Holiday Music...but I need to get on it or it will get on me!

It has been a busy couple of weeks and it is about to get a little crazier. Thankfully, for whatever reason, I am not exceptionally busy professionally in December. This is a blessing because there is so much to do during this time, who has time to run a business? I will be lamenting over my taxes and my books that I haven't been too diligent again with...but there is still time to beat myself up over that next week!

Today is also my best friend's birthday. She has been there for me when noone else was and I owe her many many moments of gratitude. I can't believe that she is 14, it scares me...I want her to live forever and ever. Happy Birthday Freja!

Today started out with the giddy excitement that the Target for Neiman Marcus launch was FINALLY here!! Even though I posted a while ago to keep myself on track, I fear I went a little nuts. Oh well, I did list some items on Ebay and I am having a little buyer's remorse and may return an item or two.

December is also my birthday month and I am excited this year because it is the last year before I turn 40. Crazy! I usually make a pretty big deal about my birthday-but this year, I am choosing to do a little more low key and am having dinner tonight with friends and boyfriend at my favorite Italian restaurant. Next weekend Megan is taking me to dinner, yay! I hate that it falls on a Monday. I would also like to emphatically ~~kill~~ thank Tory Burch for sending me a gift certificate for my birthday. So looks like what I will be treating myself to...even though that has been my story and I am sticking to it for my trip to Dillards this week. I swear, we will make up any story to make us feel better about the overspend...huh??

This is the first year that we hadn't gone to our town's Wine Festival for my birthday. I kind of miss it, but I know tonight is gonna be fun. Here are some pics from the last two years....

2011

2010

I am a little more whimsical this year at birthday time. I have a lot of goals to accomplish and a lot of things that I want to do. I am looking forward to something mystical and amazing that is close to happening to my dear friend, as well as a stress free holiday season.

As I was shopping, I saw this quote from Marilyn Monroe and it really resonates with me!

"If you're gonna be two-faced at least make one of them pretty."

How do you make sure that the stress stays at a manageable level during this time??

Pin It

What To Do With Turkey Leftovers-Turkey Bolognese

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am excited that the season is upon us and I am gonna do what I can to make this the most economical Christmas season ever. I am also going to try to be a little more crafty this season, God help us all.

My Turkey Day ended too soon with a bout of stomach flu. To save you the details, the last thing I want to do is think about eating Thanksgiving food. Ever. So, I am on the search to find things that are non traditional with my turkey and its leftovers. Be sure to check out Skinny Taste and her Turkey Pot Pie Soup here. She is a rockstar at low calorie recipes and she is from my family's hometown of Oceanside, NY and I thought this looked really good. When I was watching The Today Show, they gave me the idea of taking my turkey and making a Bolognese sauce. I grabbed Giada's recipe and can't wait to try it!! I am able to take the leftover carrots, turkey, onions and celery and make an Italian favorite with turkey.

Check out her video here!!

Turkey Bolognese
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 pound shredded cooked turkey (preferably dark meat)
3 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and saute 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, stirring often. Stir in the basil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cool the sauce completely, then transfer it to a container and freeze for future use. Bring the sauce to a simmer before using.)

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Serve with the Parmesan

Copyright 2012 Television Food Network G.P.
All Rights Reserved

Credit:Culinary.net

Pin It

Socially Acceptable....Morning Pics

The holidays are upon us. This year, I haven't exactly started to feel it. My last year in my thirties are about to begin and I just can't believe another year is about to close. It has been an amazing year but how do you grasp time and make it hold still? One think I am thankful for is thanks to social media and its many platforms, my pictures and the memories that go with them are usually a click away. I have sent all my pictures from my phone to Google Plus and Instagram just makes everything so pretty...doesn't it?? I have started following a couple of people on Instagram that embody my love for NYC and I just love how an okay picture looks dynamic in Instagram. One cute program that I get a chance to visit every morning in my inbox is Morning Pics. According to their website, Morning Pics are memories delivered daily to your inbox.Wake up every morning to a small reminder of a special moment you captured and shared on Instagram.

It is awesome and I highly suggest it for a good pick me up each and every morning. I will warn you, however some mornings your heart will tug a little as you realize that it has been 72 days since you have seen your darling niece, 112 days since you visited your favorite place on Earth...and that night, THAT night happened 179 days ago.

But, isnt that what reflection is all about??

Pin It

It;s Spicy Guacamole Day!

Yay! Today, November 14th is National Spicy Guacamole Day! Timely, it was also my turn to make a meal for my Junior League Board members. so I took the lead from Wholly Guacamole and made my girls Chicken and Guacamole Salad. This recipe idea originally came from Kalyn's Kitchen here, but I reworked it a little to accomodate my love for Spicy Wholly Guacamole. Because I have to celebrate! It is an official no guilt time to enjoy the goodness of guacamole!!

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces

1 7-oz container of Wholly Spicy Guacamole

1 bunch of cilantro

1/2 bunch of green onions

1 bad of lettuce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sour cream

Mexican cheese shredded

Wholly Guacamole Salsa

Instructions:

In a food processor, chop up cilantro and green onions, add the chicken in a medium mixing bowl. Based on your company, you can either add the guacamole now, or can add it later as a layer. Salt and pepper chicken mixture to taste. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to blend the flavors.

The healthiest way to pull this off is to layer lettuce on the bottom and your chicken mix on top. Now add sour cream, salsa, cheese and guacamole to your liking. Let me know what you added to make it great in the comments!

Pin It

Amazon Introduces Wine. I am in Trouble

I was having quite a case of the Mondays yesterday....it just started off bad! Until I started going through emails and I had to do a double take. Amazon Introduces Wine. According to the press release, just in time for the holidays- Amazon is offering customers more than a thousand wines crafted by wineries around the country. The new store features easy-to-use shopping tools to help customers explore great wines and offers access to rich details directly from winemakers, such as tasting notes, recommended food pairings and total case production.

Starting today, customers can ship up to six bottles of their favorite wine for $9.99. At launch, shipping will be available to California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and the District of Columbia, with more coming soon. Customers can find more information about shipping at www.amazon.com/wineshipping.

Click here for more details and remember your friends and family and certain birthday girls (ahem) this holiday season! Pin It

Skinny and Clean: Eating on the Go!

Rickland Orchards Has Saved Me! Ok, that is a little dramatic but I am a tad obsessed with Rickland Orchards Greek Yogurt Coated Granola Bars. I am the worst at making sure that I eat something before yoga or a run. I know that it is important to keep your metabolism solid blah blah...but I am just not very good at it. This was until I was introduced to the awesome of Rickland Orchard Bars. They come in a ton of different flavors, and they are just what you need to get great protein and some balance any time of the day. Rickland has a good blog about it here.

The Greek Yogurt craze has become a national phenomenon over the past few years, and Rickland Orchards Greek Yogurt Bars have taken it to the next level! They are the first shelf-stable Greek Yogurt product, and combines all-natural ingredients (fruit, Greek Yogurt, nuts and granola) to create a delicious and nutritious on-the-go snack. They are a low calorie, low fat, filling and delicious snack that is perfect for parents, children, busy and on-the-go professionals, or anyone that wants to munch on a travel friendly snack without the guilt. Rickland Orchards Greek Yogurt Bars contain all natural ingredients, 5g of fiber, 7g of protein, and probiotics.

Apparently I am not alone in this worship! One of my favorite foodies Hungry Girl has been raving about Rickland Orchards and Maria Menounos has recently signed on the be the face of the Rickland Orchards Brand! She will promote healthy living and well-balanced lifestyle through a variety of videos, images, health tips and will even create her own flavor!

Just in time for the holidays, Rickland introduces two new flavors: Strawberri and Peanut Butter According to Hungry Girl Lisa-The Strawberri bars taste like Strawberry Pop-Tarts, and the Peanut Butter flavor (with dark chocolate) is predictably delicious! Packed with protein and fiber, each bar has 150 - 170 calories and 4 - 8g fat (PointsPlus® value 4*). Buy 'em online -- they'll be launching in stores soon!

Pin It

The Social Media Political Hangover

Credit:Mashable

Wednesday, I got up and started working at 5:30...normal for me and by 10am I was so tired I took a bed day and spent the rest of the day horizontal working with computer on a lap desk and remote in hand.

I am politically hungover.

I do love the political season....it is a good chance to get involved, pick up some new clients and make some money. This year, I struggled with my sanity a little bit more because in '10, social media was sort of new to us on a personal level, much less known on a business perspective. My business was just six month old and I picked up a US House of Rep client (he won, thank you!!!) and my new friend Cyndi and I figured out very quickly what belonged on social media and what belonged cluttering your mailbox, your ears or your eyes during the nightly news.

This election season was a little more intense and I learned a lot. Some things I removed off my candidates FB page would defy your belief in the human race. So sad....but using social media in a campaign gave me an opportunity to promote happy positive news and keep each candidate branded and top of mind.

This year I had six clients, only one didn't make the primary, but I thankfully picked up his opponent. I had a Sheriff, a Clerk, a County Council candidate. a Judge and another House Rep. (all W's!!)

Some takeaways for the next time I venture into doing social media for politics, although probably good tips for any Facebook campaign (pun intended!):

1. Set Up Google Alerts for the race your candidate is in, the area they are running in and their opponent (s). Feed it into Google Reader to keep it all in one place. This will give you an arsenal of Facebook posts and lets you be on top of articles that you may have missed. Also, make sure your custom url for Facebook is on all your marketing materials. You should be constantly sending people to your Facebook instead of your website and use FB to push material from your website. This way, once they like you...they are hooked and will constantly receive your updates. Its hard to get people to keep visiting your website at that frequency.

2 When you set up your Facebook page, use your Google Reader to get your Notifications. Unless you want to refresh every five minutes, this is a convenient way to respond to comments, observe chatter and monitor your presence. Get your RSS notifications here.

3. Warm and Fluffy Rules-Social Media is the place to make the candidate appear full of nothing but unicorns and rainbows. Do not attack your opponent, discuss anything negative or bash. Promote your candidate's good-doings, great news in their district, endorsements, volunteer help needed, events where you could use support, etc. Those negative ads? They belong in print, radio, direct mail...not social media!

4. Time and Frequency-Besides you, your team and your mom...no one cares about this campaign for as long as you do. You should post once a day every other business day until ten days before the election, you can then post once daily. Please keep the posts short and sweet, no more than two lines or you will lose them. Please post only during business hours. People do not want to see your rhetoric at 10p at night. Be the source for the election as a whole, posting general voting information. Your content should be not always about the campaign, mix it up a little. You can also talk and share any good news that organizations the candidate is involved in does.

5. Remove the Haters-Keep your eye on the notifications and ban the haters. Just be careful that you are not playing God when someone writes a fair balanced opinion. But definitely remove the yuck that talks ill about your candidate or supports the opponent. Stay on top of it, the notifications will help. Also, make sure you answer questions when people ask...the worst thing you can do is leave an unanswered Facebook message from someone looking to help support the campaign.

6. Hyperlink other businesses to bring them in. When you do an event, the next morning you should thank the business or organization that held it, if possible by tagging them. How to do that is here.

7. Hire a professional. Of course at some point I was going to mention this! It just makes a lot of sense because it really is work intensive to be a success on social media for your campaign. It helps that you have a member of your team paid or not to do solely just this. Staying on top of it and being consistent can be very hard to do when you have other campaign aspects to worry about. It is also helpful to have an impartial person that isn't emotionally connected to the campaign to post. That way it really can stay fair and balanced.

What did you like about this political season that you saw on social media?? Be sure to leave it in the comments!

Pin It

Skinny and Clean-Beau Monde Chicken Lollies

I was watching the Cooking Channel the other day and I saw a recipe for Chicken Lollies. They looked so good, but I searched and searched and couldn't find the recipe! So, I decided to make them on my own with some help from Spice Islands and their fabulous spices. I have been wanting to try their Beau Monde spice and I thought taking ground chicken, where you need to be creative with your spicing would be a good match. Beau Monde Seasoning is a perfect balance of celery, onion and salt with a touch of sweetness, Spice Islands® Beau Monde® seasoning enhances the flavor of virtually any savory dish and is great as a rub for roasted meats. This was so easy and it looked really fancy when I presented it, as you can see:

Ground Chicken

Diced Onions, one container-precut

Spice Islands Garlic Powder

Spice Islands Beau Monde Seasoning

Spice Islands Oregano

Salt and Pepper

1/4 c Breadcrumbs

Blend All Ingredients

Shape Into Balls, Insert a Skewer

Set oven for 375 degrees. Time to make a quick marinade before you stick them in the oven.

In a small bowl mix:

2 TB Spice Islands Allspice

2 TB Spice Islands Thyme

2 TB Spice Islands Oregano

1 TB lime juice

1 TSP Spice Islands Cayenne Pepper

1 TB Spice Islands Beau Monde Seasoning

3 cloves Garlic

2 dashes Soy Sauce

1/4 Olive Oil

Whisk well and pour over Chicken Lollies. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked, the Chicken Lollies will no longer be pink.

Pin It

Wholly Guacamole Homegating Website is Live!

So excited! Remember, when I told you about the Wholly Guacamole blogger fun I will be having this football season here and here?? The website is up and it is so awesome! Wholly Guacamole Headquarters has awesome products, recipes and HomeGating ideas to make this the best football season ever! It is a one stop Game Day destination for recipes, decorating and more using all your favorite Wholly Guacamole Products like their guacamole and salsas! Check it out here!

Look, I made the Blogger Playbook! So fancy!

Let's celebrate and get you in the Homegating Mood with a Wholly Guacamole Cooler of Goodies! This will be a good start to try all these great recipe ideas! The winner will receive one Wholly Guacamole Cooler similar to the one I received! Click below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Pin It

Pages

"If you're gonna be two-faced at least make one of them pretty."