Christmas is almost here

Brewster Pastry provided us with last night's dessert.

Chocolate Mousse

4-minute Chocolate Mousse: "This incredibly decadent, luxurious chocolate mousse recipe comes to us from Gordon Ramsay (to whom I lovingly refer as Angry Chef). You have to try this! It's worth every single minute of effort.

Made this for Katie's birthday, which is today! - 21. I guess it must take some practice to get down to 4 minutes...probably took me about 12 minutes.
Now where is that bottle of wine?



WARNING: THE FOLLOWING RECIPE IS EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE"

'via Blog this'

Oreo Truffles first provided by Anu

Oreo Truffles Recipe - Food.com - 87967: "Oreo Truffles"

or from Anu's old blog


these are great!

Here is the actual recipe just in case the link goes bye bye:

Oreo Truffles Recipe
1 hour | 1 hour prep

40 truffles (approximately)

1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (using different extracts allows for subtle flavour changes...I've used mint extract, upped to 1 tsp) (optional)
1 lb milk chocolate
1/2 lb white chocolate

Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder.
With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.
In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate.
Dip balls and coat thoroughly.
With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off.
Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.
In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate.
Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls.
Let cool.
Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.

Reuse Your Keurig K-Cups!

My Keurig coffee maker stopped working a couple of days ago. It lasted 3 years and maybe I de-scaled it once (suppose to do this every 3 months). Anyway, while driving today I started wondering if you could create a cup of coffee with a K-Cup without an electric brewer. (Probably because I had to go yesterday morning without coffee or at least until I bought a new machine.) I was thinking about a french press that had a K-Cup holder at the end. Somebody must have thought of this before....well I couldn't goggle anything close to my idea.....

But I did find this cool thing.....


AND I THINK THIS IS GREAT

In Search of wild Chocolate

In Search of Bolivian Dark Chocolate | OutsideOnline.com



They called it Cru Sauvage. The impeccable Swiss packaging alluded to its aboriginal provenance, and inside were two bars wrapped in golden foil, 68 percent cacao. I'd paid $13 (plus shipping!) for these skinny little planks of chocolate, just 100 grams' worth of "Wild Vintage." That's $60 a pound. After savaging its wrapper, I placed a square of the dusky stuff on my tongue and closed my eyes. also see The Wild Thing

wooden boat show at Mystic Seaport

 
 
 
 






Barb and I spent Saturday at the 2010 Wooden Boat Show and then had an early dinner at Abbott's Lobster in Noank.

At the boat show we found some beautiful wooden rowing sculls and the Rowing Hall of Fame.

At Abbott's I found their famous Hot Lobster Sandwich.....A big pile (1/2 cup I'd guess) of lobster meat warmed with a little butter on a toasted bun with a little butter....yum, butter, yum

a meal in Philadelphia

I didn't want to forget this dish I had while on a business trip this week.....

Maggiano’s Little Italy specializes in creating authentic Italian-American dishes served in generous portions that are meant to be shared. located at 12th & Filbert
1201 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107-2818


Braised Beef Cannelloni ~ Fresh Pasta Stuffed with Braised Beef, Asiago & Parmesan Cheeses

so one way to do this might be....

Ok here it goes: I am going to try this and let you know how it turns out.

I am going to take Giada's recipe from the food network for Stacoto with Porcini Mushrooms (pot roast) Braised beef is pot roast. I am going to make this recipe because it makes a creamy mushroom sauce with it. After letting it cool I am going to shred the pot roast and make the sauce. (see recipe).

I will then take manicotti tubes (you can make fresh pasta and roll it in that or makes your own savory crepes. I am going to mix the meat with asiago and parmesan and then stuff them in the tubes, put in a baking dish, pour over the sauce and bake probably for about 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

another wrote...

I too had the braised beef cannelloni and loved it! I think I got close to replicating the sauce. Sorry, I don't have good measurements - the measurements below are estimates. Try this:

Sauce:

Saute 3 diced shallots on medium high.

Add about 4 finely chopped mushrooms, and chopped fresh parsley.

Deglaze pan with white wine (about 3/4 cup).

Add about 1/2 cup light chicken stock.

Add about 1/8 cup of balsalmic vinegar.

Add about 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Reduce sauce until thick, mix with pasta. Place pasta in a baking dish, pour more sauce on top, and top with cheese (parm & asiago). Broil til cheese slightly browns.

The flavor of the sauce was almost identical to what I remembered at Maggiano's. I also poured it over brussle sprouts which was great!

here is still another recipe....

Cannelloni

12 cannelloni Shells
3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tbsp Grated parmesan cheese
1 lb Ground beef
1/4 cup Chopped onion
1 Clove Garlic, minced
10 oz Package frozen chopped
Spinach, thawed and
Drained
1/3 cup Grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Milk
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp Dried whole oregano
1/4 cup Butter or margarine
1/4 cup Plus
2 tbsp All-purpose flour
2 cup Half-and-half
1/8 tsp White pepper


Cook cannelloni according to package directions; drain and set
aside.Combine tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; spread
1 cup tomato mixture in a lightly greased 13- x9- x 2-inch baking
dish; set aside dish and remaining sauce.Cook beef, onion, and garlic
in a large skillet until beef is browned, stirring to crumble meat;
drain well. Add spinach; saute 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup Parmesan
cheese, milk, eggs, and oregano; stir well. Stuffcannelloni shells
with beef mixture. Place filled cannelloni on tomato mixture in
baking dish; set aside.Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat;
add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Gradually add half-and-half; cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in pepper.
Pour over cannelloni; spoon remaining tomato mixture over cream
sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Yield: 6
servings.


This sauce is supposed to be close to Maggiano's:

Sauce:

Saute 3 diced shallots on medium high.

Add about 4 finely chopped mushrooms, and chopped fresh parsley.

Deglaze pan with white wine (about 3/4 cup).

Add about 1/2 cup light chicken stock.

Add about 1/8 cup of balsalmic vinegar.

Add about 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Reduce sauce until thick, mix with pasta. Place pasta in a baking dish, pour more sauce on top, and top with cheese (parm & asiago). Broil til cheese slightly browns.