Charlentrée

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

2010-10-22T09:54:00.000-04:00

A few nights ago I couldn't sleep and often when I can’t sleep I brainstorm ideas for recipes. I know that is a little quirky but I have committed myself to honesty in this blog no matter how weird I may sound. At 3AM when I am thinking about recipes, my mind does not typically drift to the world of health foods but rather to a more Willy Wonka like wonderland where ordinary things could be made from sweets. One thought led to another and I decided that mini pumpkin cheesecakes with cinnamon whipped cream would be tasty, pretty, and fun to make. The next day I made them and with great delight discovered that they were all three. Andrew loved them too *sigh of relief* I didn’t know how pumpkin would go over. I truly hope you will give these a try during this festive pumpkiny season. They are beyond easy to make and really embody holiday flavors without being the same ole same ole. They also have a surprising yet yummy gingersnap cookie crust that takes them over the top. Happy baking, and Happy Halloween!

For the cheesecakes:

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 c. canned pumpkin

1 t. cinnamon

¼ t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla extract

about 25 gingersnap cookies

Optional: 1 bag candy pumpkins

For the cinnamon whipped cream:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

½ c. sugar

½ t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Place a gingersnap cookie in the bottom of each liner and set aside.

2. Thoroughly blend the cream cheese and sugar. Add one egg at a time, blending well after each addition.

3. Mix in pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

4. Pour into muffin tin about ¾ full.

5. Bake 15-17 minutes or until an inserted toothpick yields small crumbs. Allow to cool and chill completely in the refrigerator, about 1 hour.

6. For whipped cream: whip cream using an electric mixer until just stiff. Add sugar and continue to whip until very thick. Gently stir in cinnamon and vanilla until incorporated.

7. Top chilled cheesecakes with a large dollop of whipped cream and a candy pumpkin if desired. Yields about 24.

Ina Garten

2010-10-21T10:46:00.000-04:00

I am reposting this entry because Charlentrèe will no longer feature "People" as a separate page.

I would like to use part of my blog to introduce you to people who inspire me. It was an easy decision to begin with my favorite cooking inspiration and master hostess, Ina Garten, better known as The Barefoot Contessa. Recently, my mama gave me one of Ina’s cookbooks as a gift (see picture below). I immediately sat down and read it cover to cover in about two hours. Seeing my enthusiasm, my generous mama pulled out one of her very own Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and gave it to me.

I absolutely love the way Ina uses fresh, simple, and seasonal ingredients to create elegant and sophisticated meals. In addition, she gives fantastic tips on how to create beautiful tables, host memorable get-togethers, and make guests feel comfortable and relaxed in your home. In her own words;

The most important thing about giving parties is to stay very, very cool. The same is true at home for your guests. They want to believe that you just whipped this party up in a few minutes before you got dressed, not that you have been slaving for a week and you’re too exhausted to speak. Otherwise, they feel bad that you have worked so hard, and the party is off to a rocky start.

- Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa PARTIES!

Here on Charlentrée you will likely see me attempt to recreate many of Ina’s recipes. I really do adore her. Because of that, and because you are so kind to be reading this, I will share a semi-embarrassing secret with you. When my mama and I get together and cook, it is not uncommon for us to do a little Barefooting ourselves. What I mean is, even if we are just making scrambled eggs or putting delivery pizza on paper plates, we will (out loud) describe it using our own versions of Ina’s cool demeanor and calm voice. I guess this is how big girls play pretend! So, as Ina would say, get your good olive oil, good vanilla, good chocolate, and all other good ingredients you have and start cooking. After all, how bad could that be?

Madison, Ga Kitchen Tour of Homes

2010-10-21T10:43:00.000-04:00

I am reposting this entry because Charlentrèe will no longer feature "Places" as a separate page.

I have just spent the most delightful day at the Madison, Ga Kitchen Tour of Homes. I had to blog about it immediately! I came across this local tour while searching for the dates of Madison’s renowned Christmas Tour of Homes. I almost had a heart attack when I saw that there was a kitchen tour of homes and it was just two weeks away, at the time. Everything about the day exceeded my expectations. To start, right after we picked up our tickets we were offered the opportunity to be chauffeured to each home on the tour in a Ford Model A… needless to say we took the offer! From then, I felt like I had died and gone to my very own “Charlotte” heaven. Each home was uniquely and beautifully decorated and showcased a local chef creating deliciousness to be sampled. Everything was decadent but some of the real standouts were the chocolate chip cheese ball, gazpacho, English toffee, and pizza from Amici. I brought home a souvenir cookbook, had more delicious food at Chophouse Grille, and finished the day exploring shops in downtown Madison. I am including pictures from some of the homes. I wish I could show you everything; however, some homes did not allow pictures. Here is the link to the Madison, Ga. Chamber of Commerce in case you want to book a tour of your own; I highly recommend it!

http://www.madisonga.org/

Madison Chamber of Commerce, Welcome!

The Model A

Valley Farm Clubhouse - Restored 1809 Farmhouse

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Chef from Amici making pizza

Live wreath with mini pumpkins and chili peppers. Garlic and chili pepper garland.

Unbelievable outdoor living space.

Another beautiful house on the tour

Early 1900's farmhouse, still a working farm

Vegetable garden (one of many) at the 1900's farmhouse

Stately Madison, GA Court House

Building a Bed with Storage

2010-10-21T10:40:00.000-04:00

I am reposting this entry because Charlentrèe will no longer feature "Things" as a separate page.

Although I assisted in the building of the bed, it was really my husband’s brain child. We live in a teeny tiny house and we have a teeny tiny guest room. We love having extra space for company but it often ends up being our catchall storage room. My husband had the brilliant idea to build a bed that would provide extra storage and free up space for guests and a desk (this room also triples as my office space). I am posting the pictures, but there won’t be any detailed instructions because I don’t really know how he did it! If you would like detailed instructions please leave a comment including your email address and I will get him to send them to you. I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

Purchasing materials

The blueprint.

Cutting wood.

Building storage compartments.

View from the foot of the bed, space inside for storage.

Side view.

Almost finished product, still to be painted.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

2010-10-19T21:22:00.003-04:00

Hallelujah blog reading friends! At last, the Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball recipe has arrived. After many requests, I have decided to bring this recipe out of my secret arsenal and share it with the Charlentrèe world. I was never really trying to keep it a secret. In fact I didn’t even create it and I have only eaten it twice. But this is the sort of recipe that makes an impression. When you taste the Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball, you instantly want the recipe and want to keep it as a secret treasure that only you can bring to the shower, the potluck, the Christmas party, the cookout, etcetera. So my friends, take it and all the credit, don’t tell anyone you got it from me and I wont tell anyone that I got it from the Historic Madison, Part on the Porch at Valley Farm cookbook!

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ c. butter, softened

¾ c. confectioners’ sugar

2 T. brown sugar

¼ t. vanilla extract

¾ c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for rolling (about ½ c.)

1 box chocolate graham crackers in pieces

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in both sugars and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes. Shape mixture into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in freezer at least 1 hour. Remove from freezer, unwrap, and roll in extra chocolate chips. Serve immediately with chocolate grahams.

Perfect for tailgating.

Autumn Apple Club Sandwich

2010-10-19T12:40:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought a bag of apples forgetting that I already had a full bag in my refrigerator. When I got home from the store and realized that I had about 30 apples I thought to myself, “When life hands you apples… make anything you can possibly think of so that they wont be wasted.” Some I ate daily so as to stave away that pesky doctor, with some I made apple cake, and with some I created the Autumn Apple Club! The spread is so sweet and delicious, a nice compliment to the apples. It is a little unexpected but I think you will find this a hearty, healthful sandwich you will make more than once. Happy autumn, and happy apple eating!

Ingredients:

1 oz Reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 T. light mayo

2 t. brown sugar

1/8 t. cinnamon

Sandwich thins or whole grain bread

Thinly sliced apple

Deli ham

Bacon, cooked

Sharp cheddar cheese

1. Combine first four ingredients until smooth and spread evenly on two slices of bread.

2. On one slice of bread, layer ham, 2 pieces bacon, 3-4 apple slices, and cheese.

3. Top with other slice of bread. Spread can be multiplied to make more sandwiches.

Signature Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

2010-10-15T08:56:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in the jicama post that I recently had an incredible salad at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Atlanta. I would consider myself a frequent salad eater but I am not the girl who only ever orders salad. However, this particular evening I was enjoying an incredibly fun time with some great friends from college whom I had not seen in several months. The night was more about the company than the food and thus for the sake of my pocket book and waistline, I ordered a salad… blah. Boy was I surprised when my Pappadeaux Salad (in case you would like to order it sometime) turned out to be hands down the best salad I have ever eaten. In the weeks following that evening, recreating that wonderful meal had been on my mind. But like salads tend to do, it was put off for things with better curb appeal like cavatappi and cheese, caramel apple cake, and chocolate chip cheese balls. I finally recreated it this week. Again I was surprised, even from my own kitchen, how well the unusual ingredients lend themselves to this dish.

I adapted a couple of things for my convenience and in case there is such a thing as copyright infringement of recipes (I need to research that). FYI: at Pappadeaux the salad is served with chili vinaigrette – mine is cilantro lime, theirs is topped with fresh avocado – mine is topped with fresh guacamole for longevity (I ate this salad for lunch all week and avocados do not keep well). Lastly, Pappadeaux gives the option of topping the salad with grilled shrimp, steak, or chicken. I topped mine with leftover flank steak from Monday night’s super. Now that you have read my dissertation about the salad, I hope it inspires as much passion for you as it did me! Enjoy!

For the Dressing:

1 c. packed cilantro

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 c. limejuice (about 2 limes)

1/4 c. orange juice

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until well blended OR finely chop cilantro, add other ingredients and shake vigorously for 1 minute until well blended. Makes 1 c.

Tip: If you plan to shake the dressing, cover the top with plastic wrap to prevent spilling.

For the Salad:

Your favorite lettuce (I used spinach)

Sliced red onion

Sliced Roma tomatoes

Sliced jicama (see previous post)

Roasted peanuts

Guacamole

Meat of choice

Assemble all ingredients in quantities that please you and top with cilantro lime vinaigrette. May be made as multi-portions or single servings.

Meet the Jicama

2010-10-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered Jicama (pronounced “hickuma”) in a salad I ordered from Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant in Atlanta. It is a root vegetable resembling the turnip. It is most commonly used in Mexican cooking and according to Wikipedia, jícama is often paired with chili powder, cilantro, ginger, lemon, lime, oranges, red onion, salsa, sesame oil, grilled fish and soy sauce. It can be cut into thin wedges and dipped in salsa. In my experience I find jicama to be very crunchy, sweet, and possess a texture similar to the water chestnut. I found my jicama at Publix but a friend recently told me that she found hers at Wal-Mart, who knew? Here, I am going to show you the jicama, explain how to cut it, and later I will post a recipe using it (actually a reproduction of the excellent Pappadeaux salad!) So grab your potato peeler and sharp knife and get ready to jicamize your world!

The jicama, sort of resembles the turnip and the potato. Start by peeling it with a vegetable peeler or a knife.

Once peeled, cut off the ends and slice the jicama in half lengthwise.

Next, slice each half into 1/2 inch wide pieces.

Finally, slice 1/2 inch pieces into matchsticks or dice according to recipe. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to one week.

Cavatappi and Cheese

2010-10-11T21:16:00.001-04:00

In case you were wondering, cavatappi is simply “corkscrew pasta” so yes; this is essentially a recipe for macaroni and cheese. But who doesn’t like taking something ordinary and making it gourmet? I like to think of this recipe as a more fanciful, sophisticated version of the classic comfort food. It is an adaptation of a Barefoot Contessa recipe; I have only changed a few measurements. It is a little complicated, but not at all difficult. Feel free to skip steps like grating the cheese if you prefer to buy it already grated or wish to save time. I think this dish is elegant enough to serve guests and it sure was a nice treat for a Monday night dinner this week!

Ingredients

2 c. cavatappi

3 c. grated cheese (I used 2 c. Gruyere and 1 c. mild cheddar but feel free to use any combo of your favorite semi-soft cheese)

2 c. milk

¼ c. flour

5 T. butter

¼ t. ground nutmeg

1 t. kosher salt

¼ t. pepper

5 slices white bread, crusts removed

1. To prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil pasta for 6-8 minutes, drain, set aside. Meanwhile grate 3 cups of chosen cheese, set aside. In a food processor, process bread into crumbs, set aside.

Beautiful little spirals

2. Over medium heat, melt 3 T. butter in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, heat milk in the microwave on full power 2-3 minutes or until piping hot but not boiling. Whisk flour into butter stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add hot milk to butter and flour mixture. Allow mixture to thicken slightly over heat about 3-4 minutes.

This is also known as a roux, a common base for many french sauces.

3. Add grated cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to mixture and stir until almost completely melted. Add pasta and stir to combine.

Mixture will thicken while baking.

4. Melt remaining 2 T. butter and combine with breadcrumbs. Pour pasta mixture into a 9X11 inch baking dish, top evenly with breadcrumbs, and bake 25 minutes on 375 or until crust it brown and bubbly.

Bread crumbs combined with butter to form thick crumbles.

Voila!

Hosting a Fall Cookout

2010-10-08T15:02:00.000-04:00

The first weekend of October Andrew and I hosted a small cookout for a few close friends. Andrew grilled hamburgers, I made some sides and did the decorating, and our friends brought something yummy to share as well. Below, I have posted some pictures to inspire you to get into the fall season! Everything was very simple and affordable - like dollar store affordable. As you prepare for your own gatherings, remember it’s all about making your company feel welcomed, taken care of, and relaxed! Enjoy!

Straight glass vases filled with candy corn, votives, and tied with a ribbon for the buffet table.

Glass pumpkin filled with candy corn and green apples for the buffet table.

Small vases filled with candy corn, votives, and tied with ribbon for the dining tables.

Buffet table centerpiece

Dining tables' centerpieces

Yellow table cloth with packing paper runner

I like to make labels for the food so that guests know what they are eating

Potted mums and pumpkins always make things feel like fall.

Chicken and Quinoa Casserole

2010-10-08T11:05:00.000-04:00

You may be thinking, “quinoa?” I thought the same thing when I first heard about it while having dinner at the home of my good friends Meghan and Rob. Meghan, a dear friend and fabulous cook, served turkey-quinoa meatloaf as the entrée to an unforgettable meal. The meatloaf was so delicious that Andrew and I each had two servings. Over dinner Rob explained that quinoa, a whole grain, is one of the only grains that is also a complete protein. Rob quizzed my undergrad biology knowledge and I failed to remember what a “complete protein” actually was. For those of you who may have daydreamed in bio that day too, a complete protein is one consisting of all of the essential amino acids (Rob, 2010). In simpler terms, quinoa=extremely healthy. Since that dinner, I have recreated turkey-quinoa meatloaf numerous times and have begun to experiment with my own quinoa creations.

What you have here is a dish akin to the feel good favorite, chicken and rice. I have successfully made is sub-par in the health department with the inclusion of butter, cheese, and cream of chicken soup. However, you may substitute any full fat items for their reduced fat counterparts, as I likely will in the future. Hope all you health nuts and brainiacs out there enjoy this new spin on an old classic!

Ingredients:

1 c. quinoa

2 c. low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 T. dried sage

1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. butter

kosher salt

pepper

paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly rinse quinoa in cold water. Combine quinoa and stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer 10-15 minutes or until most of the cooking liquid is absorbed.

2. To the saucepan add butter, soup, sage (grind in the palm of your hand first to release flavor), ½ c. Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Layer a 9X9 inch casserole dish with ½ of the quinoa mixture, chicken, and the second ½ of the quinoa mixture.

4. Top the casserole with remaining Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

* Quinoa may be purchased at any local health food store such as Earth Fare, Trader Joe's, or in Bainbridge, GA at Health Products and Yogurt Too. It may also be found in some grocery stores on the rice aisle.

Apple Cake with Caramel Topping

2010-10-02T15:28:00.000-04:00

Andrew and I are hosting a cookout tonight (post to come) and I made this cake to serve. I have already had a couple of requests for the recipe so I am posting it rather quickly and at the last minute. I will include a picture soon. I must give most of the credit for this recipe to Paula Deen, as it is featured in her cookbook The Lady and Sons. I have tweaked it in a couple of significant ways to make it a Charlentrèe recipe and I am giving more detailed instructions because I feel the published version of this recipe is a tad bit vague.

Ingredients

2 ½ c. sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 ½ c. vegetable oil

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. chopped walnuts

2 ½ peeled and diced apples (canned or fresh)

3 sticks unsalted butter

2 c. light brown sugar

¼ c. heavy cream or half and half

For Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar, eggs, and oil. Add flour; mix together until well blended. Stir in vanilla, nuts, apples, and cinnamon. Pour evenly into a 9X13 inch baking dish and bake approximately 45-60 minutes (mine took about 50).

For Caramel Topping:

While the cake is baking, heat the butter, brown sugar, and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until melted, stirring constantly. Once melted, increase the temperature so that the caramel topping begins to boil. Boil for 2 minutes continuing to stir constantly. Remove from heat.

To Finish:

Remove cake from oven. Using a knife or fork perforate the cake thoroughly to create crevices for the topping to be absorbed. Pour hot caramel topping over cake and let stand uncovered for 1-2 hours. It can be served warm after an hour, but it is best served one day later once the caramel topping has been fully absorbed by the cake. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

2010-09-17T11:33:00.001-04:00

Andrew and I LOVE chicken Parmesan and I have a fabulous Emeril Lagasse recipe that I use on special occasions (or when we decided to completely abandon all notions of good health). It takes a ton of time and is a ton of trouble not to mention it is breaded, fried, and smothered in cheese. These chicken Parmesan sandwiches are a simple and healthy take on the classic dish. Trust me reader, I will never post a healthy dish that does not taste amazing! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced or pounded thin boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 breasts)

1 c. Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

½ - ¾ c. of your favorite pasta sauce (I use Prego Traditional Heart Smart)

1 c. low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese

Any thin whole wheat/whole grain buns (I use EarthGrains 100% natural, 100% whole wheat thin buns)

Your favorite buttery spread (I use Fleischmann’s Olive Oil Spread)

Garlic Salt

1. Place chicken in a large zip-closed bag with Italian dressing and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Remove chicken from bag and sprinkle both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Cook on a grill pan or sauté pan sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat about 4 minutes per side or until cooked throughout (longer if your chicken beasts are thicker).

4. Meanwhile, spread both sides of your sandwich buns with buttery spread (about ½ tsp per side), sprinkle with garlic salt to taste (about 1/8 tsp per side), and toast under the broiler until brown and crispy.

5. Once cooked but still in the pan, spread about 1 tablespoon of sauce on top of each chicken breast (more or less to taste) and top each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of cheese. Place lid on pan to create steam to melt the cheese, about 2 minutes.

6. Spread one side (bottom) of each bun with another ½ tablespoon of sauce. Place chicken cheese side up on sauced side of bun and top with the other half of the bun.

* We ate these with homemade sweet potato fries but a salad or baked potato would compliment well too!

Healthy Pasta Bake

2010-09-17T10:55:00.000-04:00

Originally, I was not planning on blogging this recipe because it was sort of a whim and didn’t seem too special as I was making it. However, when it came out of the oven it was a different story! Luckily I have been taking pictures of all food creations for such a time as this. I am proud to share with you a healthy, delicious, easy to assemble casserole that you (as I did) can make a day or two ahead or freeze.

Ingredients:

1 ½ c. cooked 100% whole-wheat penne pasta (I used ½ of a 13.25 oz box)

1 c. chopped fresh or frozen broccoli florets

1 c. sliced or diced carrots, peeled (I used baby carrots and skipped the peeling)

1 c. of your favorite pre-made pasta sauce (I used Prego Traditional Heart Smart)

1 lb diced boneless, skinless chicken breast

8 oz reduced fat sour cream

2 c. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slightly undercook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water.

2. Layer a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooked pasta, broccoli, carrots, chicken, and sauce.

3. In a medium sized bowl combine cheeses, sour cream, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well blended.

4. Spread mixture evenly on top of the casserole. Bake for 1 hour until top is brown and bubbly.

* We were extremely hungry by the time this came out of the oven and I completely forgot to take a final picture before digging in. Use your imagination to picture the cheesy top, juicy chicken, and tender vegetables and you may want to make this tonight! (And I may want to think about writing romance novels!)

Making an Autumn Wreath

2010-09-11T11:48:00.001-04:00

Fall is upon us! While I do not feel it in the air yet (September 10^th and 95 degrees) I feel it in conversations and the onset of fall activities like school and football season starting. Honestly, I have never been a big fan of fall because I love summer more than life and fall means summer is over. However, this year I have decided to try to change my tune and one way of doing that is to DECORATE! For me, having my home reflect the season or approaching holiday creates a sense of excitement and anticipation. A wreath on the front door can be the first taste of a beautifully seasonal home. As a young woman on a budget I could not afford any of the beautiful wreaths I saw for sale, so I decided to make my own. I’ll show you how step by step!

1. I bought a simple vine wreath for $5 from a local craft store.

2. I chose the wreath inserts from the same craft store for about a dollar each. I really wanted gourds and apples and did not want my wreath to be too orangey. I laid them out until I found a pattern I liked. For my wreath, I have 6 larger inserts, each with a gourd or an apple, and two fillers made of berries in between each large piece. Totaling 6 large pieces and 12 fillers.

3. Next, I wove the stems of the large pieces into the body of the wreath and secured them using floral wire. Note: do not trim the excess stems.

4. After all the large pieces were in place, I repeated the process with the fillers. I was not able to cut the stems so I tucked them into the body of the wreath. This worked well because you cannot see them and it gives the inserts more stability. I then hung the wreath on my front door and voila! Fall is here!

Please don't mind the half painted door. Some projects come before others!

Real Woman Indeed

2010-09-09T23:15:00.001-04:00

Earlier this year I participated in an online cooking competition hosted by Paula Deen and Philadelphia Cream Cheese called "The Real Women of Philadelphia." I entered four recipes in hopes of becoming one of these so called "real women" but alas, I did not win. Even so, it was a fun experience creating original recipes and pretending to host my own cooking show. Better still was flirting with my handsome camera man/husband. Just in case you are wondering, I feel as "real" a woman as I ever have. I hope you enjoy watching these as much as I enjoyed making them. Bon Appétit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuk92ZcXd1U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za4duJpNRtc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY0e3vy4oTg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yYcuGTC2A

One of the creations that didn't make the cut, summer vegetable tart.