Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Advanced Gum Paste Flowers – Class #3


© You Want Me to Cook?
We’ve had a couple classes of making parts of flowers and leaves.  When you’re dealing with ornate flowers, they have to be made in pieces and then fully dried before assembling and detailing them.

Tonight, we pull together almost all of our flowers.  Also, we make some of the other flowers we finished prettier.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 16, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Video!!!
Total Time: 1 hr 38 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 3 min
Yield: 6 servingss, servings size 3/4-cup
Level: Easy

Video!!!
Total Time: 23 min
Prep: 8 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 5 min
Cook: 1 hr
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 15, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Video!!!
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Prep: 45 min
Cook: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Intermediate

Total Time: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Easy

Total Time: 40 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Easy

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 14, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Weekend Recipe Round-up for May 12 to May 13, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other Cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 2 hr 40 min
Prep: 2 hr 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 40 to 50 cinnamon rolls
Level: Intermediate

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Advanced Gum Paste Flowers – Class #2


One of the things about making these ornate gum paste flowers is that you have to make them piece at a time and dry them thoroughly before moving to the next step.  By “dry them thoroughly” I mean 24-28 hours.  The classes are jam packed and fun, but maybe the blog posts aren’t as interesting as when I was turning out multiple designs every class.

So this class is a lot of prep work again, but I promise you’re going to see some incredible flowers after the third class.  Or at least I hope you will - it kind of depends on my skill level.  And of course there’s a lovely flower we started and finished in class in one evening.

Here is lesson plan for this course.  The red, bold text is what we covered in the class:
  • Blossoms
  • Gerber Daisies
  • Sweet Peas
  • Ivy Leaves
  • Lily Leaves
  • Briar Rose
  • Stargazer Lily
  • Stephanotis
  • Assemble Blossoms, Leaves and Bouquets
  • Using Flower Spikes
If you’re paying attention to the syllabus, you’ll notice I kind of skipped over the Sweet Peas.  We didn’t actually, but we only formed the Sweet Pea base.  We’ll be finishing them in class #3, but tonight we started out making several leaves.

First was the Ivy Leaf.  If you think it is as easy as cutting out a leaf shape and then drawing a pattern on it, you’re SO wrong.  You have to roll out the gum paste on a grooved board.  This creates a ridge on the back of your leaf.  Since these leaves are grouped together, you have to attach a piece of florist wire to the back using the ridge to keep it in place.  Easy, right?

Yeah, not at all.

Once you get the wire attached, you have to press the leaf impression to get the veins.  The impression mat was not cooperating for me and I had to try a lot of different positions to get the imprint visible.  Pressing around the wire is difficult because you’re not dealing with thick gum paste.  It has been rolled thin, so pressing too close to the wire exposes it.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Ivy Leaf

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 11, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Land o’ Lakes

prep time: 15 min
total time: 35 min
4 servings

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Hello? Anybody Home?

So you may be wondering where I've been.

I hope one day to generate cash from this blog - as most bloggers do - but until then I pick-up side work as a make-up artist/esthetician.  Well we're into wedding and prom season and your happy little blogger has been busy as ever.

Oh, and my oven broke.  

And it took a week to get fixed.

At first I got slightly excited because the first thing out of my husband's mouth was, "Well looks like we're getting a new stove."  OH YEAH.  Then I thought about the money it would cost and the number of smiling faces I'd have to do in order to pay for said stove.

No matter, it didn't take much to fix it, so we're all good.

Of course, now I'm incredibly behind.  I especially hate getting behind on my Recipe Round-Ups.  Tomorrow is one of my first free days and I'm keeping the fingers crossed that I won't have to go anywhere at the last minute.

So what I'm saying is... Look for A LOT of postings from me in the next several days.

Love,
- G

P.S.  If you're wondering about my make-up art, visit Day Spa Central for some examples.  Then hop on over to my Day Spa Central Facebook page and "like" it to see all postings as they come up.

P.P.S. While you're at it, hop over to my You Want Me to Cook Facebook page and "like" it as well.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 10, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Video!!!
Total Time: 1 hr 35 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 30 min
Cook: 55 min
Yield: 20 squares or 40 triangles
Level: Intermediate

Total Time: 51 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 31 min
Yield: 6 servings, serving size: 1 sandwich
Level: Easy

Friday, May 11, 2012

Advanced Gum Paste Flowers – Class #1


This week I started the final Wilton course in cake decorating – Advanced Gum Paste Flowers.  I am excited and a little bit sad.  I couldn’t wait to get started, but I’ve really enjoyed these classes and am sad that soon I’m going to be done with them.

Bacon and Tomato Grilled Cheese


Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 26, 2011
For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Bacon and Tomato Grilled Cheese recipe originally published by Food Network: 50 Grilled Cheeses insert – April 2012.

I get a lot of recipes that are salad and/or sandwich-like and very tasty looking.  I have a couple of issues… not with the recipes, but with my cooking schedule.  First, I think they are more appropriate for lunch and I find it hard to cook for just myself – even if the recipe is for a single serving.  Second, my husband has been working a later shift that extends past dinner into the evening and sandwiches often don’t keep well.  Last, I don’t feel these are dinner recipes.

That’s not to say they aren’t, I just happen to look for certain qualities in my dinner meals and sandwiches don’t necessarily pass my muster.  Again, not the recipe’s fault… just my neurosis.

Then life took a slightly unfortunate turn in terms of husband’s employment.  A situation now rectified, but it gave me an opportunity to start making lunch for us.  This was one of the first recipes I stumbled upon after he was home for lunch during the week.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Bacon and Tomato Grilled Cheese
I didn’t have a picture to compare my grilled cheese to since this was an insert in Food Network’s April issue.  They have some pictures, including a classic sandwich (as shown below), but nothing for me to compare mine against.  That being said…

This is probably the best looking grilled cheese I’ve ever made.  The bread is perfectly toasted.  The cheese is completely melted.  And I give full credit to the recipe writers.  Without following their instructions, I probably would have ended up with burnt bread or un-melted cheese.

Thank you Food Network for teaching me the best way to make a grilled cheese sandwich.  I honestly mean that.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 9, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 50 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs


Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 25, 2011
For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs recipe originally published by Pillsbury: Bake-off Winners – April 2012.

Since my husband has been home in the mornings, I’ve decided to try to make breakfast more often than just the weekends.  

Okay, total honesty here… my husband makes most of the breakfasts on weekends.  I assist!  

Okay, no I don’t... I watch TV while drinking coffee and reading magazines.

So yeah, I decided I need to start making more breakfasts.  I wanted to start easy and simple so I picked a pastry.  Looking for something different, I went with a mango and coconut puff.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Mango-Lemon Drop Sunshine Puffs
They look very tasty, but not quite like the picture on Pillsbury’s web site or in the magazine.  I think what I consider “golden brown” and what they consider “golden brown” are two totally different things.  Also, my glaze looks a lot darker, but I’m not too worried about that.  I used a different jam than what was used in the recipe.

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 8, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Recipe.com

Servings: makes about 1 cup
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 8 mins

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese


Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 25, 2011
For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese recipe originally published by Food Network Magazine – April 2012.

I make a mean macaroni and cheese.  Unfortunately, my mac and cheese has about a pound of cheese, milk and bacon in it.  I swear I could gain 30 pounds and/or have a heart attack just looking at it. 

When my husband got serious about fitness, we had to say a sad goodbye to our beloved mac and cheese recipe.  I tried once to make it hoping we could eat a spoonful here and a spoonful there keeping our daily diet in check.  Yet, every time I’d open the refrigerator door, the cheesy-deliciousness would be staring at me.  Then I thought I could cut the recipe in half, but what was the purpose of that?  Nope, I wasn’t going to take the chance of overindulging.

I’ve tried a couple of lightened versions.  They were tasty, but I always wanted something more.  Then I came upon this recipe in my latest issue and I decided to give it a try.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese

Notice how creamy and cheesy it looks?  And yes, it tastes as rich as it looks without all of the fat.

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 7, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 20 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Weekend Recipe Round-up for May 5-6, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other Cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Easy

Monday, May 7, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 4, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Video!!!
Total Time: 9 hr 10 min
Prep: 45 min
Inactive: 8 hr
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 1 (13x9-inch) cake
Level: Intermediate

Video!!!
Total Time: 1 hr 25 min
Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Easy

Video!!!
Total Time: 2 hr 10 min
Prep: 45 min
Inactive: 1 hr 5 min
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings (2 tacos per person)
Level: Easy

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 3, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Video!!!
Total Time: 50 min
Prep: 20 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Level: Easy

Video!!!
Total Time: 15 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 5 min
Yield: 1 cup (about 4 servings)
Level: Easy

Total Time: 1 hr 2 min
Prep: 35 min
Inactive: 20 min
Cook: 7 min
Yield: 8 tacos
Level: Easy

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 2, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 40 min
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Easy

Daily Recipe Round-up for May 1, 2012


If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Total Time: 25 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Easy