Nicole's Homemade Treats

Salivation Sunday

2012-01-08T13:41:00.002-05:00

Hello! Today I have an appetizer recipe that can be used as part of a main course in a pinch. Enjoy!!

SHRIMP BALLS

Ingredients:

* 1 lb shrimp, uncooked, peeled & thawed
* 1 egg white
* 1 tsp garlic chili sauce
* 1 tsp lemongrass
* 1 tsp ginger
* Zest of 1 lime
* 2 Tbsp shallots, minced
* 1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
* 1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 3 Tbsp bbq sauce (asian style)
* Cocktail sauce or asian bbq sauce

Equipment Needed:

1.) Food processor

2.) Citrus zester

3.) Sheet pan

4.) Parchment paper

5.) Food brush

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.) Line baking sheet with parchment, set aside.

2.) Make Shrimp Paste: process peeled shrimp in batches, until shrimp is pasty; transfer to large bowl.

3.) Add egg whites, chili sauce, lemongrass, ginger, lime, shallots, green onions, cilantro, and salt.

4.) Mix until well-combined.

5.) Form shrimp paste into small balls, 1" in diameter; arrange in single layer on baking sheet.

6.) Brush each shrimp ball with BBQ sauce.

7.) Bake 10-12 min, until internal temp reaches 165 degrees; check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of shrimp ball.

8.) Serve warm with cocktail or asian bbq sauce.

Fine Art Friday

2012-01-06T11:13:00.001-05:00

Hello & Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week - can you believe we are 6 days into 2012 already? Time has a way of just sneaking up on me, some days that is a good thing, but others it is bad... I find when I need to slow down, looking at art makes me take time to relax and enjoy! I hope you enjoy my selections today!

1.) Original watercolor by HappyAppleBumblebee
2.) Hypnotic circle by WhispersFromTheDeep
3.) Jellyfish by Mikeboston
4.) Starfish by Littlepaintshop

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-04T11:57:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T09:56:00.001-05:00

Tasty Tuesday!

2011-11-15T10:09:00.001-05:00

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow."
-Edward Sandford Martin

Hello! Sorry to not have posted in almost a month - time flies when you are having fun!! Life just has a way of throwing a kink into the best laid plans and something has to give and blogging is always the first to go! Enjoy today's recipe, it is my husbands requested dish for Thanksgiving!!

Roasted Vegetables with Chestnuts

Ingredients:

* 3/4 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
* 2 cups parsnips, peeled & diced
* 2 cups carrots, peeled & diced
* 1 bulb fennel quartered, cored, & diced (reserve fronds)
* 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
* 1 tsp sage minced
* 1 tsp rosemary minced
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* Salt and black pepper to taste
* 1 cup chestnuts, peeled, cooked & halved
* 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
* 1 Tbsp basil minced
* 1 Tbsp minced fennel fronds (feathery ends of the bulb)

Equipment Needed:

1.) 2 Large Bowls
2.) Baking sheet
3.) Aluminum foil
4.) Non-stick spray
5.) Large oven safe platter

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Line baking sheet with foil, coat with nonstick spray.
3.) Mix sprouts, parsnips, carrots, fennel, garlic, sage, rosemary, & oil in bowl.
4.) Season well with salt and pepper.
5.) Arrange veggie mixture onto sheet pan in single layer.
6.) Set bowl aside for additional use.
7.) Add chestnuts to bowl; stir to coat with oil & herbs that remain in bowl.
8.) Set aside chestnuts.
9.) Roast veggie mixture 15 min, stir.
10.) Continue roasting about 15 min, until just starting to brown.
11.) Add chestnuts and roast 5 min more, to heat through.
12.) Transfer mixture to large bowl.
13.) Add apple cider vinegar, basil, and fennel fronds.
14.) Season to taste with salt; stir to blend.

15.) Place on platter and keep in oven until ready to serve.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-09-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

Mosaic Monday

2011-09-26T09:19:00.000-04:00

Hello & Happy Monday! Enjoy today's mosaic, and remember: An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Apple Facts:
(source: Fowler Farms)

* Americans eat approximately 19.6 pounds of fresh apples annually.
* Apples are a member of the rose family.
* Apples are available year-round.
* The most popular variety in the United States is the Red Delicious.
* Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
* 50% of apples grown in the United States are sold fresh
* 50% are made into apple juice, apple sauce or dehydrated apple products.
* There are more than 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world.
* Almost 1/2 of the U.S. apple crop is processed into apple products.

Have a wonderful day!

Monday Mania: Giveaway Winner!!

2011-09-19T09:19:00.000-04:00

Hello! Sadly, my contest has ended - I appreciate all the comments and entries! So, without further ado I will announce the three (3) winners!

First Place:

Here are your random numbers: 62
Timestamp: 2011-09-19 12:50:39 UTC

Comment #62:

Blogger RoxyRigby said...

My sister (Deana Diefenbach) shared you with me. How fun are you?
Anyhoo, I've 'liked' you under the name Fiona Ritchie. I'm following you on twitter, retweeting you and following your blog.
Fantastic promo idea!
Thu Sep 15, 03:12:00 PM EDT

Prize: A canvas bag filled with goodies from 6 different Etsy shops and a large caramel & chocolate apple with your choice of topping from my shop.

Second Place:

Here are your random numbers: 9
Timestamp: 2011-09-19 12:54:24 UTC

Comment #9:

Blogger PoetessWug said...

I just tweeted your giveaway!
Mon Sep 12, 10:10:00 AM EDT

Prize: Goodies from 5 different Etsy shops and a small caramel & chocolate apple with your choice of topping from my shop.

Third Place:

Here are your random numbers: 53
Timestamp: 2011-09-19 12:56:11 UTC

Comment #53:

Blogger Mattos said...

following blog
Wed Sep 14, 09:26:00 AM EDT

Prize: $15.00 gift certificate to my shop

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

All three winners please post a comment letting me know you won, along with a way to contact you!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine Art Friday

2011-09-16T09:49:00.000-04:00

Hello and Happy Friday!! I am continuing with the fall theme this week, after all, "When in Rome!" Enjoy the work from these very talented artists, I certainly will!

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."
-George Eliot

1.) Modernist Painting-Intensity
2.) Autumn Forest
3.) Orange Autumn Garlands
4.) Tree Art - Welcome Change

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.
-John Keats

Have a great weekend!!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-09-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Monday Mania: Giveaway!

2011-09-12T09:27:00.001-04:00

Hello! I have decided to have a giveaway and 3 lucky people will win prizes!!

What: Nicole’s Homemade Treats Giveaway
Where: My Blog
Why: Because I can
When: 9/12-18, 2011
Who: Everyone in the USA & Canada
Prizes:
1.) A canvas bag filled with goodies from 6 different Etsy shops and a large caramel & chocolate apple with your choice of topping from my shop. ($60.00 value)
2.) Goodies from 5 different Etsy shops and a small caramel & chocolate apple with your choice of topping from my shop. ($30.00 value)
3.) $15.00 gift certificate to my shop
Rules:
1.) You will get 1 entry for doing each of the following for a max of 8 entries:
a.) “Like” my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/NicolesHomemadeTreats
b.) Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/nikid70
c.) Follow my blog
d.) Refer someone to any of my links above (they must note who referred them in a comment)
e.) Tweet my giveaway
f.) Post my giveaway on your FB page
g.) Blog about my giveaway
h.) Make a purchase from my shop: Nicole's Homemade Treats

Once you have done any or all of these things please leave a comment, for each one, in the comment section of this post.

Miscellaneous:
1.) Contest will end at midnight EST on 9/18, 2011.
2.) Any rude or malicious comments will be deleted.
3.) Winners will be picked on Monday 9/19/2011 via the random # generator.
4.) Any unclaimed prizes will not be re-awarded.
5.) I reserve the right to cancel this giveaway at anytime.

Thank You & Good Luck!

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

"When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains, and the sea. He means that he loves an inner air, an inner light in which freedom lives and in which a man can draw the breath of self-respect."
-Adlai Stevenson

"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."
-Abraham Lincoln

Fine Art Friday

2011-09-09T09:53:00.000-04:00

"The woods are full of fairies; the sea is full of fish; the trees are full of golden leaves; let's make an autumn wish."
-Anonymous

Hello! I hope you had a great week. I know mine flew by!! Both of my boys are in school now - talk about odd!! I am sure I will adjust though. Speaking of adjusting, another thing I have had to adjust lately is the thermostat. I have been able to turn the air conditioning off - YEAH!! Fall is my favorite time of the year, so I am looking forward to the enjoyment it brings. Today, Fine Art Friday will help you get in the fall spirit. Enjoy!

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
-Albert Camus

1.) Autumn Elegance Leaf
2.) Autumn Leaves
3.) Autumnal Maple Leaf
4.) Red Maple Leaf
5.) Fall Feelings
6.) Autumn Oak Leaf
7.) Fall Leaf
8.) Autumn Leaves
9.) Autumn Falling Leaf

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."
-George Eliot

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-09-07T09:06:00.000-04:00

Tasty Tuesday

2011-09-06T10:23:00.001-04:00

"I can't stand people that do not take food seriously."
-Oscar Wilde

Hello! I do not know if it is because I am Italian and grew up in a large Italian family, but my favorite food is Italian. My favorite Italian dish is braciola! Serve it with some polenta or pasta and a vegetable and you have a complete meal. Below is a recipe for braciola that I adapted to suit my tastes - Enjoy!

"I hate the man who eats without knowing what he's eating. I doubt his taste in more important things."
-Charles Lamb

Beef Braciola

Ingredients:

* 2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
* 2/3 cup Italian parsley, stemmed & minced
* 2 large eggs
* 2 Tbsp Pecorino-Romano cheese, shredded
* 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
* Sea Salt and freshly grated pepper
* 1 lb lean ground beef
* 8 top round beef cutlets (about 2 Lbs.)
* Pan Searing Flour
* 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
* 6 cups tomato sauce

Equipment Needed:

* Large bowl
* Waxed paper
* String
* Braising pan (oven safe)
* Thermometer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Prepare filling:
a.) Put ground beef in a large bowl.
b.) Add garlic, parsley, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, pine nuts, salt & pepper.
c.) Mix well with hands until well-blended.
3.) Line work surface with waxed paper.
4.) Lay cutlets flat on waxed paper.
5.) Place about 1/3 cup filling on lower 1/3 of cutlet.
6.) Roll up cutlets and secure with string on either end.
7.) Season beef rolls with salt and pepper.
8.) Dust beef rolls lightly with pan-searing flour.
9.) Heat olive oil in large braising pan on med-high, until oil faintly smokes.
10.) Add beef rolls, seam-side down, to pan.
11.) Turn rolls when color changes 1/4 way up & seared side is light brown.
12.) Sear other side about 2 min, until brown.
13.) Remove from pan.
14.) Remove excess drippings from pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp in pan.
15.) Lower heat to medium & add wine.
16.) Stir to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan.
17.) Add tomato sauce & stir well to combine.
18.) Return meat to pan.
19.) Bring liquid to a simmer (180°).
20.) Cover & place pan in oven.
21.) Braise about 2 hours, until meat is very tender.

"The cuisine of a country is the only exact attestation of its civilization."
-Anonymous

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

2011-09-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

“No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.”
-Denis Waitley

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.”
-Henry David Thoreau

Have a wonderful day - Be Well!

Mosaic Monday

2011-08-29T09:26:00.000-04:00

Hello! I thought water was a perfect theme for a mosaic today in light of the all the water Irene left for us! It is amazing that something so wonderful and needed can cause so much damage. Be Well!

Water Music

The words are a beautiful music.
The words bounce like in water.

Water music,
loud in the clearing

off the boats,
birds, leaves.

They look for a place
to sit and eat--

no meaning,
no point.

-Robert Creeley

Salivation Sunday

2011-08-28T11:44:00.001-04:00

"Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!"
-Author Unknown

Hello! All my best to those of you in Irene's path, be well! Once you have recovered, I think a nice dessert is in order and what can be better than Tiramisu? After all it means, 'Pick Me Up' in Italian!! Enjoy!

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
-Ernestine Ulmer

Tiramisu

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup granulated Sugar
* 3/4 cups espresso or strong regular coffee
* 2 Tbsp coffee liqueur
* 12 ladyfinger cookies
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 8 oz mascarpone cheese
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
* 1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* Cocoa Powder

Equipment Needed:

1.) 8 - 6 ounce glasses (or serving dishes)
2.) Stand mixer
3.) Food processor w/blade attachment
4.) Cookie sheet
5.) Rubber Spatula

Directions:

1.) Prepare syrup:
a.)In small saucepan combine sugar & coffee.
b.) Bring to boil on med-high, stirring occasionally.
c.) Remove from heat and add 2 Tbsp coffee liquor.
d.) Allow syrup to cool to room temp before using.
2.) Line cookie sheet with plastic wrap.
3.) Dip each ladyfinger into room temp. coffee syrup.
4.) Let cookies set briefly on cookie tray to allow ladyfingers to absorb syrup.
5.) Cut ladyfingers in half width-wise.
6.) Arrange pieces in single layer on bottom of serving glasses.
7.) Set aside.
8.) Prepare tiramisu filling:
a.) Whip 2 cups of heavy cream to medium peaks in a stand mixer; set aside.
b.) Add mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, wine, vanilla extract, to food processor.
c.) Pulse 10-12 times, until all ingredients are well-combined.
9.) Transfer cheese mixture to larger mixing bowl; add whipped cream.
10.) With spatula, fold whipped cream into cheese mixture until well combined & the consistency of soft-to-medium peak whipped cream.
11.) Cover ladyfingers with tiramisu filling to top of serving glass.
12.) Level with spatula.
13.) Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight, covered.
14.) Prior to serving top filling with sifted cocoa powder.

(adapted from a Wegman's recipe)

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-08-24T09:38:00.000-04:00

Mosaic Monday

2011-08-22T08:59:00.000-04:00

The Daisy follows soft the Sun

The Daisy follows soft the Sun,
And when his golden walk is done,
Sits shyly at his feet,
He waking finds the flower there,
Wherefore Marauder art thou here?
Because, Sir, love is sweet!

We are the Flower Thou the Sun!
Forgive us, if as days decline,
We nearer steal to Thee!
Enamored of the parting West,
The peace, the flight, the Amethyst,
Night's possibility!

-Emily Dickinson

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Salivation Sunday

2011-08-21T10:13:00.002-04:00

"Avoid fruit and nuts. You are what you eat."
-Jim Davis

Hello! Happy Sunday everyone - I hope you are enjoying your weekend! Today I have an easy recipe to share with you for a weekend brunch or anytime for that matter. Enjoy!

"As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists."
-Joan Gussow

Breakfast Souffle with Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

* Non-stick cooking spray
* 6 Tbsp granulated sugar & extra for sprinkling
* 9 eggs, whites and yolks separated
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup + 1 tsp sifted flour, divided
* Powdered sugar
* 3 Tbsp preserves (I use Raspberry, Blueberry & Blackberry)
* 1/2 cup blended low-fat vanilla yogurt

Equipment Needed:

* 8x8x2 casserole dish
* Electric mixer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Spray casserole w/non-stick spray & sprinkle a bit of sugar on bottom.
3.) Beat egg whites w/electric mixer in a clean bowl until frothy, about 30 secs.
4.) Slowly add 6 Tbsp sugar, beating as sugar is added, until soft peaks form.
5.) Beat egg yolks and vanilla with a fork in separate bowl, until blended.
6.) Fold egg yolk mixture slowly & gently into egg whites until incorporated.
7.) Slowly sprinkle w/flour, folding after each addition, until flour is mixed in.
8.) Pour into prepared dish.
9.) Bake 18-20 min, until golden brown and puffed.
10.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
11.) While souffle is baking, mix yogurt & preserves in a bowl to make sauce.
12.) Immediately scoop souffle into bowls & top with yogurt sauce.

"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do."
-P.J. O'Rourke

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

2011-08-08T10:02:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! I have been so busy, that I have not blogged in 5 days, sorry about that! I hope you had a great weekend, we received some much needed rain! Enjoy today's mosaic.

About Sea Glass:

Uses:

Because of its beauty, artisans use sea glass in jewelry, picture and mirror frames, and in mosaics.

Artificial Sea Glass:

Since is getting harder to find sea glass (with the decrease of littering), some people make sea glass in rock tumblers. It is possible to tell the difference between real and artificial sea glass using a microscope.

Fun Fact:

Sea glass may be the only case in which littering produces something of beauty.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-07-27T08:29:00.002-04:00

Tasty Tuesday

2011-07-26T10:01:00.000-04:00

Hello! Is it hot in your neck of the woods? If so, I am sure a simple summer salad is just what you need for dinner! Enjoy today's recipe - it is very delicious!

Grilled Peach, Prosciutto & Parmigiano-Reggiano Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

* 4 Tbsp pine nuts
* 4 peaches, each pitted & sliced into 4 wedges
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
* 1/2 lb Parmigiano-Reggiano wedge, cut in 12 wedges
* 12 slices prosciutto, sliced very thin
* Fresh black pepper
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* Balsamic vinegar for garnish
* 32 Arugula leaves

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Preheat grill to medium-high.
3.) Toast pine-nuts 3-4 min on baking sheet in oven. Let cool; turn off oven.
4.) Toss peach slices with olive oil; season with salt and sugar.
5.) Grill on medium-high, until peaches are char-marked.
6.) Chill peaches.
7.) Arrange salad on four chilled plates.
(3 cheese wedges, 3 prosciutto slices, 1 Tbsp. pine nuts, 4 peach wedges & 8 arugula leaves on each plate)
8.) Season with fresh black pepper.
9.) Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and drop balsamic on plate for decoration.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

(FYI: Christmas in July is still going on in my shop!)