I can’t believe this weekend is Memorial Day. Seems like just a few weeks ago we still had snow! Time, as always, flies by. So let’s get some recipe ideas out there for the official summer season, shall we? (Please forgive some of the old photos.)

Appetizers and Snacks

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (which goes so well with the next recipe…)

Fresh Summer Salad

Guacamole

Watermelon Nectarine Salsa with Homemade Chips - Two Ways

Teddy Graham Trail Mix (Don’t forget the kids!)

Garden Gazpacho with Hazelnuts

Balsamic Berry and Ricotta Bruschetta

Main Dishes

White Pizza topped with Fresh Greens (While not traditional cookout food, grilled pizza is amazing!)

Classic New England Lobster Rolls

Honey Lime Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (Just grill the chicken. Also, the pineapple salsa is great with chips!)

Tortilla Wrapped Burgers

Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Steak Wraps

Woodchuck Summer Cider Blueberry BBQ Sauce on Pork Ribs, plus All Purpose Grill and Smoking Rub

Grilled Sausage and Peppers on Naan

Steak Wraps with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce

Sides

Grilled Veggie Kabobs with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Fresh Rosemary

Mom’s Slow Cooked Boston Baked Beans (I’ve worked years perfecting these!)

Beverages

Homemade Fruit Soda & Lime Rickeys (Feel free to make these adult friendly.)

The Moscow Mule

Desserts (I seem to have a lot of these.)

Mixed Berry Pandowdy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Cosmic Brownies

Brownie Crisp Ice Cream Sandwiches

Raspberry Rhubarb Meringue Bars

Fresh Blueberry Pie (So easy!)

Even Better Than Ultimate Brownies

S’mores and Rice Krispie Treats

Let’s not forget Ice Cream!

Find all of my ice cream recipes by clicking on this photo:

Balsamic Berry and Ricotta Bruschetta

Think of your favorite olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Now imagine those oils bursting with flavors like Meyer lemon and tart lime, or raspberry, blueberry or peach balsamic. And more! Think of how you could enjoy them on so many foods--especially with summer upon us. The fresh vegetables and fruits that are so bountiful this time of year, and not to mention grilling. A splash of a flavorful oil or vinegar can take any dish from good to “oh-my-word-what’s-your-secret-ingredient?!”

A while back, Billy and I were having dinner with friends at their home. It’s always a lovely feast when we dine with Mars and Allison. This one time was different, though. Allison made a vinaigrette that I literally could not get enough of. Seriously. I had it on my salad. I had more salad just to have more vinaigrette. She made fresh bread with oil for dipping. I skipped that and poured some of her vinaigrette in a dish to dip my bread in. I ran my grilled chicken through more of it that I’d poured in my plate. I could not stop inhaling this dressing. there was something about it that made me not able to stop eating it. 

When I asked what it was made with, she told me how simple it was. Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar from FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars. She did a 50/50 blend of the two and shook it up in a jar. That was it. I knew right then and there that there was no way I could go on at home without these magical ingredients. That Monday, I contacted Nancy O’Brien at Fiore and asked if she’d be interested in sponsoring a giveaway here on my blog and she said yes. I was over the moon because I just want to tell everyone how fantastic these oils and vinegars are. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed! I'll never have a FIORE-free home again--these will always be stocked and ready to go.

You can read more about FIORE here on their site. They’re located in Maine in two locations, Bar Harbor and Rockland. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area, you can enjoy the tasting rooms at both locations for a truly delicious experience. You can also order directly from their site. If you’re planning a trip to Maine this summer, be sure to add FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars to your itinerary! From their site:

“FIORE, which means "blossoming flower" in Italian, truly captures the essence of our venture into the education and exploration of extra virgin unfiltered olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars in our tasting room. From Tuscany to Greece, Tunisia to Portugal, Spain and Northern California in the northern hemisphere then from Chile to Australia and New Zealand in the southern hemisphere, our tasting rooms enable you to go on a global tour of the purest, freshest oils and the most flavorful balsamic vinegars of Modena while benefiting from the numerous attributes of health first-hand.”

I’ve had the opportunity to test drive a few of these oils and vinegars, and let me say--there are so many ways to enjoy these! I’ll show you a few here, but don’t let me limit your imaginations. We’ve had them in salads, of course, but a bit of the vinegar splashed in a pan sauce is wonderful! Drizzle some piping hot grilled meats or vegetables with a flavored oil and some fruity vinegar and you’ll be in heaven. Marinades will never be the same when you use these--you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them, like I did.

First up, homemade white pizza which is basically pizza dough, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese and perhaps some good Italian seasoning. Basic, right? And good in it’s own right. But how about some fresh, tender Spring greens drizzled with Organic Persian Lime Olive Oil and Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar piled up on top of your hot, fresh pizza? Oh man, it’s like you’ve died and gone to heaven.

White Pizza topped with Green Salad

A couple of weeks ago, we grilled some sausage and I made veggie kabobs to go along with them. I didn’t season the kabobs first, but after they were grilled, tender and steamy, I removed the peppers, onions and small potatoes from the skewers and tossed them with salt, pepper, FIORE Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and fresh chopped rosemary. It took grilled veggies over the top with flavor!

Grilled Veggie Kabobs drizzled with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

I made a couple of desserts, too. They’re both incredibly simple to make, but people will think you worked hours on them. The first is a Berry and Ricotta Bruschetta. There isn’t even a recipe--that's how simple it is, but here’s what I did:

Balsamic Berry and Ricotta Bruschetta

1. Mix a little honey and orange zest into some ricotta cheese, to taste. Set aside in the fridge.

2. Slice some strawberries and toss them with some blueberries, honey or a bit of sugar, and some Fiore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar.

3. Toast some baguette slices and then spread them with some of the ricotta mixture, then top with some of the fruit. Drizzle with a bit more vinegar if you like, then add some fresh cracked black pepper over the top and enjoy!

Balsamic Berry and Ricotta Bruschetta

Raspberry Balsamic Truffles

These are incredible and only get better with age. Store them in the fridge, of course.

1. Follow this easy truffle recipe, leaving out the Chambord. Instead of adding the Chambord, add 2 ½ tablespoons of FIORE Raspberry Balsamic (or balsamic flavor of your choice) and 2 teaspoons of Fiore Roasted French Walnut Oil when the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

2. You can form these into round truffles if you prefer, but I find this method easier, less messy, and also--when someone’s got a fabulous tasting truffle melting on their tongue, they don’t generally care if it’s round or square. I'm still snacking on a stash of these in the fridge, and they're so tart, sweet and rich!

   Raspberry Balsamic Truffles

 Giveaway!

Nancy at FIORE has been very generous and is giving away three pairings of her lovely olive oils and vinegars to three lucky readers! I have three separate pairings for you guys:

These are all 375 mL (12.7 oz)  bottles and can be shipped in the US only. 

1. Summer Peach Balsamic paired with Roasted French Walnut Oil

2. Raspberry Balsamic paired with Organic Persian Lime Olive Oil

3. Blueberry Balsamic paired with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

    

   Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! I’ll choose three random winners next Friday, May 24th and let the winners know by email. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vintage Button Bracelet

Notions! This challenge was all about notions from the sewing section at the craft store. I can’t even tell you all how excited I was to see this challenge. Do I sew? No, and only when I absolutely have to repair a small rip here or there, or replace a button. Do I wish I could? Yes! But I can’t even make it through threading a machine. Sad but true.

Vintage Button Bracelet

So why was I so excited for this challenge? Buttons. Buttons! I saw a bracelet a while back that I wanted to make, and it was made with metal buttons--the kind with the shank on the back. Not cute little buttons with button holes, but the ones with the loop thing on the back.

Do you all have any idea how hard it is to find metal shank buttons? It is! I’d collected a few here and there, but my collection was sad and pitiful. That was until I found a bag of vintage buttons! All with the lovely shank on the back. I was ecstatic! And then…my gorgeous buttons sat there for a few weeks while I did other things. As it happens so often.

When the Notions challenge was announced, it took me exactly one second to decide what I was going to make. And it’s simple as heck, too!

Vintage Button Bracelet

Vintage Button Bracelet

For this you need:

• One length of link chain, whatever size you want. I used a 7 inch piece. Use a pretty good piece of chain, no wimpy little links. 
• Buttons with a shank back. The amount depends on the size. I had about 3 different sizes, and I used 24. They range from 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter.
• Jump rings, enough to attach each button, and one or two for the ends.
• One clasp of your choice, I used lobster claw.

Using pliers, open a jump ring, slide the shank of the button on to the ring, and attach it to the chain. You can do a random design or plan one out. I started at the center point of the chain with the largest button, then worked my way down each side of the chain, using the mid-size buttons next, then the smallest ones at the ends. I attached a jump ring and button to every third link on the chain.

When you're done attaching the buttons, add a clasp to one end and, if you like, a jump ring to the other end. I didn't attach another jump ring to the end because the chain links are large enough for the clasp to hook into.

This is also adjustable for those with a small wrist, because you can hook the clasp into any link on the chain.

That’s it! Easy, right? And you end up with a totally unique piece of jewelry!

Check out the Iron Craft Flickr Group for more inspiration! 

Vintage Button Bracelet

Some of you may remember my post from last summer about Kayem Foods. If not, we grilled Kayem Italian Sausage and put a little twist on the classic “sausage and peppers.” I was lucky enough to be sent another Box O’ Meat from them a couple of weeks ago. This time we grilled the delicious Italian Sausage along with veggie kabobs. It’s a simple and satisfying meal to prepare, and it’s great for a few people as well as a crowd.

I grew up enjoying Kayem foods, and now my kids enjoy them, too. Especially their hot dogs. We all love them! They’re super “snappy” with the natural casings. And they taste great! My husband is picky about hot dogs but he loves these.

I also have another Box O’ Meat to give away to one lucky reader, so read through to find out how you can win and kick off your summer grilling season!

Some fun Kayem facts:

Kayem is the official hot dog and sausage of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park and makes the famous Fenway Franks served at the ballpark.

Kayem is also the official hot dog of the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida State Seminoles, and Boston College Eagles.

Kayem has been in business for more than 103 years, and began by delivering products to neighboring communities via horse-drawn wagon.

The name Kayem is derived from the initials of its founder, Kazimierz Monkiewicz and is the largest hot dog manufacturer in New England. 

Kayem franks are made with only the finest cuts of meat and contain no by-products, fillers or artificial flavors.

Kayem produces over 100 varieties of hot dogs and 300 varieties of deli meats, sausage and dinner hams.

The difference between the Old Tyme Frank and the Regular Hot Dog is that the Old Tyme Franks have natural casings, which give them a “snap” when you take a bite, while the Regular Hot Dogs do not have a casing.

Helpful tip! Use tongs when grilling Kayem Franks so as not to pierce the casing. Tearing the casing will result in losing the flavor and the juice.

Kayem is the #1 brand of franks in New England!

Kazimierz Monkiewicz started his handmade sausage business in 1909, in Chelsea MA. He would deliver them using a horse drawn wagon. One hundred and four years later, their product line includes hot dogs, Italian sausages, deli meats and all natural chicken sausage marketed under the Kayem, al fresco, Triple M, Genoa Sausage, Schonland's and Meisterchef brands. Kayem is the #1 brand of franks in New England, and al fresco is the #1 brand of chicken sausage in the total U.S. To this day, Kayem is a local company owned by the same family, employing almost six hundred people.

We’ve been grilling up a storm the past couple of weeks, including the Kayem Italian Sausage, Kayem Brats and Kielbasa, and of course, hot dogs. The veggie kabobs we had on the side are simple onions, red bell peppers and small potatoes, grilled and drizzled with lemon olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary and salt and pepper. We boiled the brats and kielbasa in beer for about 15 minutes before grilling. Pierce the brats and kielbasa lightly, bring them to a boil in your favorite beer, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Grill to your liking. Serve them any way you like. We’re partial to grilled veggies on the side, but any one of these in a bun with the grilled veggies and a few squirts of mustard is heavenly!

Would you like to win your own Box O’ Meat? Here’s your chance!

What you’ll receive in the box:

• 12 oz package Kayem Old Tyme Franks
• 1 lb. ring of Kayem Polska Kielbasa
• 2 lb. box Kayem Old Tyme Beef Franks
• 20 oz package Kayem Original Bratwurst
• 20 oz package Kayem Sweet Italian Sausage
• I lb. package Kayem Lean Franks

(Products subject to change based on availability.)

A random winner (US shipping only) will be chosen on May 13, 2013.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Kayem products at no charge, but the opinions expressed in this post are my own and not paid for.

Iron Craft ‘13 Challenge #8 - Playtime

Playtime! Who doesn’t love that? Such a fun inspiration. I chose the classic Rubber Ducky. Only, he’s not rubber. He’s a sweet little charm with sparkly little crystals.

This one is easy enough to make. Ready?

You need:

1 Rubber Ducky Charm
1 strand of beads (I used one strand of Bead Gallery Dyed Quartzite Multi Nuggets, 10x15mm)
Beading wire, about 9 inches
2 crimps
2 jump rings
1 lobster claw clasp

Begin by adding and crimping one crimp to one end of the wire.
String your beads on until you get to about 3.5 inches down the wire, then add the ducky charm and make sure it's facing outward.
String more beads until you get to about 6.5 inches in length. Your crimps, jump rings and clasp will fill up the remaining length.
Crimp the open end of the wire, add a jump ring to each end of the bracelet, and then the lobster claw clasp.

That's it--you're done!

For more inspiration, check out the Iron Craft Flickr Group.

And now, I only have one thing left to say. Put Down the Ducky!

Did you all know that I have opened an Etsy shop? Yes, I have--it’s called Helle’s Bells. I’m making jewelry--right now, it’s just bracelets and earrings. That’s what I like, so that seems to  be what I gravitate to.

I decided to have a giveaway on Facebook. I’m trying out Rafflecopter for the first time, so if it’s a bit glitchy for any of you, please let me know. You can find the entry form here on my Helle’s Bells Facebook page. The contest is live now and will run until April 29th. I’ll ship anywhere on this one!

I’m giving away one bracelet and one pair of earrings. It’s an Aqua Blue Glass and Freshwater Pearl Multi Strand Bracelet plus a matching set of earrings. Good luck!

Yes--30 days full of grilled cheese ideas just for you! Not all from me, of course, but from 30 different bloggers. Land O’Lakes is celebrating Grilled Cheese Month, which is starting today and continuing for the month of April, with 30 different ideas for grilled cheese sandwiches using their classic American Cheese and their 4 Cheese Italian Blend.

My perfect grilled cheese? It includes the Land O’Lakes 4 Cheese Italian Blend, a tangy raspberry mustard, smoked apple Chardonnay sausage, and sliced apples, all griddled to perfection on sourdough bread. My daughter told me this was the best sandwich she’s ever had, and I have to agree--we love it!

It’s got everything covered--crispy, buttery edges, it’s slightly sweet from the mustard, a nice crunch from the apples, smoky sausage, and that fantastic blend of Asiago, Romano, Parmesan and American cheeses in the 4 Cheese Italian Blend. It’s a sandwich full of great taste and texture!

Did you know that Land O Lakes® Deli American Cheese is the number one seller in America? It’s true. They’ve been producing cheese for over 90 years, so they definitely know what they’re doing. Moms, Dads and kids love how versatile it is, and it tastes great. My daughter knows if I try to sneak another American cheese by her--she loves good old LOL American. And she finds it funny the the deli sticker on the package says LOL. Don’t forget that with grilling season approaching, you can add it to your favorite cheeseburger recipes!

How amazing is this? Pin a Meal. Give a Meal. Throughout April until May 1, Land O’Lakes will donate $1 to Feeding America every time someone pins or repins a Land O’Lakes recipe on Pinterest. That’s eight meals for a hungry family when you pin a recipe—and eight more every time anyone else repins it. Giving goes viral. Find your favorite Grilled Cheese recipe to pin on landolakes.com. So please get those pins going and feed some hungry folks!

Elle’s Grilled Cheese, aka Grilled Cheese with Smoked Sausage, Raspberry Mustard and Sliced Apple

Makes one sandwich

2 slices sourdough bread
Raspberry jam with spicy deli mustard stirred in, to your taste preference
1 Smoked Apple Chardonnay Sausage, or your favorite (I had a 4 pack from Trader Joe’s)
1 small apple (I used Fuji), cored and thinly sliced
4 slices Land O Lakes® 4 Cheese Italian Blend
Butter for grilling the sandwich, as much as you may need

First off, mix the raspberry jam and deli mustard in a small bowl. Adjust to your taste and set aside. Now, my sourdough bread was large, so I needed about ¼ cup of jam and 1 tbsp mustard, but amounts are up to you.

Slice the apple and the sausage and set aside. I like to slice the sausage on an angle for larger pieces and more bread coverage.

Heat your pan or griddle to just over medium heat. Spread the raspberry mustard on the bread and when the pan is hot enough, melt some butter in it--about 1 tbsp. You may also just butter your bread, but my butter was straight out of the fridge--too hard to spread on bread.

Place one slice of bread in the pan, mustard side up. Place two pieces of cheese down on the bread, followed by the sausage slices and then the apple slices. Place two more pieces of cheese over the apples, and add the second piece of bread, mustard side down, of course.

When the bottom bread slice is golden brown and toasty, use a spatula to carefully flip the sandwich over. I usually add more butter while I have the sandwich on the spatula--just have your butter ready to go and within reach.

When the bottom of the sandwich is golden brown, remove from the pan, let it cool for a couple of minutes and slice. Serve with your favorite soup or chips.

Visit Land O’Lakes online for more information and recipe ideas, and be sure to check out the other 29 grilled cheese ideas from the other bloggers in the series! Oh, and remember to pin those grilled cheese recipes and help to feed the hungry!

Click on the logo below to follow along and get more fantastic grilled cheese recipes!

Disclosure: this post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen Play Sidecar series. All opinions given are my own.

The latest challenge is all about the Peeps. Peeps--innocent enough, not the best tasting candy in the Easter basket, for sure--they’re just sweet fluff with pretty, sparkly sugar on them. But ask about them and everyone’s got their own way of eating them, if they do at all. Fresh from the package, stuffed between grahams and melted s’more style, or--and this one is weird to me, but I guess I’ll have to try it--stale. Yes! Some people love them stale and dry. I don’t know, don’t ask me. There are also entire competitions dedicated to Peeps Dioramas!

I decided to make a Peeps Cake. Not just any Peeps Cake, but an Angry Peeps Cake. We all know the story by now. Two groups--one group is stealing from the other, and a battle ensues. I present to you my Peeps Cake in a series of photos.

______________________________________________________________________________________

As you can see, the bunnies are advancing. To what? To the chick’s side of the cake. They’ve been stealing the chocolate eggs, and the chicks are pretty #$&^%fed up.

Just LOOK at the egg carnage! It’s such a shame. All of those broken little hunks of chocolate! (PS - I did not bite the eggs, I cut them with a knife. Never bite chocolate eggs and then put them on a cake. Ever.)

This little bunny seems particularly angry. Also? He appears to have rather saggy bunny boobs. Maybe that explains his anger issues…

The bunnies have already captured quite a few eggs! What are the chicks going to do?!

Here we see the chicks. They’ve still got a lot of eggs there. They don’t look very angry. In fact, they seem kind of laid back. They must have a plan.

This unfortunate looking fellow appears to have been hit in the face a few times with chocolate eggs already. Look at his eye, it’s below his face! What’s he hiding back there?

Whoa! The worst of the Easter candy! Black jelly beans. The “bombs” of the Easter basket. The bunnies will never know what hit them…

The End!

This cake is so simple to make--it’s done all in one bowl. Even the icing! Yes, you read that correctly. You mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar in a bowl, scoop out 2.5 cups, and that’s your icing. Cover it and set it aside till you’re ready to ice the cake. After removing it from the bowl, you add the rest of the cake ingredients and bake. It’s that simple.

• I decorated with Peeps, of course--the bunnies need toothpicks inserted into their little marshmallow fluffy bottoms to help them stand up on the cake. Warn the kiddos.
• Tint some coconut green by shaking it in a zip top bag with some green food coloring. Keep adding until you get the shade of green you want.
• The eggs are Cadbury chocolate eggs.
• The cake has cream cheese in it and it tastes like pound cake. The only change I made was to add a couple of pinches of salt to the icing.
• Find the cake recipe here at Domino Sugar. I was going to do two layers, but you can’t really have a proper battle on a 9 inch cake, so sheet cake it was. You can also make the entire thing in chocolate. You’re welcome!
• This cake is so simple, that you could decorate for any holiday. Think Halloween, and use chocolate cake/cookie crumbs for dirt instead of green grass. White coconut for winter, etc. Also, make it as a bundt, 9 inch layers, cupcakes--whatever you’re in the mood for.

Time for another installment of Iron Craft Challenge. This challenge was green in the literal sense, or green in the environmental sense.

I chose green in the literal sense--in the form of a bracelet and earrings. I had already been inspired by a bracelet on a beading site and wanted to do it with some green beads, and then the challenge was announced. It was meant to be!

This is a memory wire bracelet with white Heishi (shell) beads, dark green river shell beads, and light green Amazonite beads. There are also silver corrugated spacer beads thrown in for some of the shiny factor, which I love--the ridges in these beads really catch the light. I had some of the beads left over so I made a matching pair of earrings.

The Heishi beads just said “beach and summer” to me, so I had to add two sweet little silver sea turtle charms--one at each end of the bracelet.

All you need to make this is:

• Memory Wire (Large bracelet size)
• White Heishi Beads, 8mm (2 strands) ("Traditions" from Hobby Lobby)
• Dark Green Round Amazonite Beads, 8mm (1 strand) ("Traditions" from Hobby Lobby)
• Light Green Round River Shell Beads, 7-8mm (1 strand) ("Bead Gallery" from Michael's)
• Corrugated Silver Spacer Beads, 6mm (45 pce bag, but you wont' need that many) ("the Jewelry Shoppe from Hobby Lobby)
• Two Sea Turtle charms, found at Hobby Lobby

Start by cutting about 4 1/2 turns from the memory wire using memory wire cutters. Using round nose pliers, take one end of the wire and turn a loop to seal the end and keep the beads on.

Start stringing your beads on the open end of the wire in any pattern/bead count that you like, and push them all the way down to the sealed end. Keep going till you've filled up the entire bracelet. Carefully hold the open end so you don't lose the beads, and using round nose pliers, turn a loop on the open end so you seal the beads on to the wire. 

Attach the turtle charms on each end by opening the jump rings already attached to the charms. That's it, you're done! 

To make earrings, you need a few extra beads, earring hooks, and two head pins. String the beads on the head pin, turn a loop at the top using round nose pliers, and attach the head pin with beads on it to the earring hook. Repeat for the next one. 

I’m really enjoying the Iron Craft challenges so far, and at every reveal day I find myself very eager to find out what the next one is! I hope you’re all following along at the Iron Craft Flickr Group to see what everyone’s up to.

You can find this jewelry set for sale in my shop. Click on the photo below and you'll be taken right to it.

Read through to the end of this post to see how you can win a $50 Gift Certificate to Certified Steak & Seafood Company!

The lucky winner is Martha Cantrell. Congratulations, Martha!

I was sent some of their Chilean Sea Bass and Filet Mignon to try out. We were so impressed! Everything arrives beautifully packaged and ready for you to thaw out and enjoy.

A bit of info from the company:

“Our commitment to our customers is simple: Offer the highest quality products at the best price and back it with a 100% guarantee. We source directly with no 'middle man' making our supply chain the shortest in the industry. This allows us to maintain the highest quality standards all the way to your plate. On top of this, we sample all products at the moment of final packaging and have a world-renowned laboratory test for various types of adulteration or contamination. This ensures that the food you purchase from us is pure and safe.
 
Certified Steak and Seafood Company was formed by the three Frisch boys, Mark, Adam, and Steven; all of whom thought that everyone should be able to buy the highest quality steaks and seafood direct. The brothers experience comes from a three generation family owned wholesale company that is one of the largest seafood importers in America.
 
They have vast experience in sourcing and selling high quality seafood and meat products to the commercial trade — and bring you the same grade of products fine restaurants, resorts, hotels, and high-end retail stores demand – and at a direct price that gives you tremendous value for every purchase.”

“Buttery Prime Angus Filet Mignon

If there was ever a steak that you will believe can “melt in your mouth” the Certified Steak and Seafood Prime angus Filet Mignon is it. With a delectable almost sweet beef flavor, and a strong buttery undertone that only Prime angus offers, it has to be tasted to be believed.

Each Prime angus filet is slow aged,  custom cut and trimmed for consistency in color and quality. It is a flavor you will remember long after your meal is over. Great accompanied by grilled root vegetables and horseradish mashed potatoes.

Chilean Sea Bass

A popular favorite in restaurants across America, the best Chilean Sea Bass now comes to your table courtesy Certified Steak and Seafood. Harvested and processed under close inspection of the National Marine Fishery Service, this soft, tender and smooth fish is a smart and healthy purchase. Impress your family or give as a memorable gift. Facts: Easy to Cook, Wild Caught, 3rd Party Certified, Product of Chile.”

Visit the Certified Steak & Seafood website! Use coupon FBR125D to get $25 off your order.

My 17 year old took a look at this plate and said "I remember making this exact dinner out of Play Doh!" How hilarious is that?!

To cook the filet, get it to room temp and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and get an oven safe skillet nice and hot. Really, nice and hot. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add each filet. Cook for 2.5 minutes on one side and using tongs (not a fork!), flip each to the other side. Make sure you get some of the oil in the pan under each filet. Cook it for 2.5 more minutes and then add a tablespoon of butter to the pan.

Pop the pan in the oven for 2 more minutes and remember when you take it out that the handle is hot. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and tilt the pan carefully toward you. Using a spoon, baste each filet with the melted butter for about a minute. Remove the filets from the pan and set aside to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Put the pan back on the heat and add about 1/2 cup of red wine. Add a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of grainy Dijon mustard, and a teaspoon or so of agave or honey. Let it cook down for about a minute, taste and adjust for seasoning, and serve it with the rested filets.

To serve on the side, I quartered one pound of baby Portobellos and sautéed them in a bit of oil and butter for a few minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves, a good glug of red wine and 1 teaspoon of beef soup base. Add some black pepper and keep sautéing the mushrooms until they’re nice and dark and rich. Again, this is all to taste.

For the Sea Bass, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat each filet dry and place in a foil lined pan. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Drizzle each filet with olive oil and lemon juice. Add about 1/4 cup of white wine to the bottom of the pan. Place a pat of herbed butter (I used a Trader Joe’s butter that has garlic and herbs in it.) or regular butter on the top of each piece of fish.

Bake for 17-20 minutes. The fish will flake easily when done.

So as you can see, each of these can be cooked very simply, even on a weeknight. Don’t’ feel limited to special occasions when you can make any night special!

$50 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

1. So easy to enter. Just leave a comment here on this post and let me know what you'd most like to try from Certified Steak & Seafood Company. 

2. If you'd like any extra entries, you can share anywhere you like: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, etc. It's not required, but you can earn an extra entry for each share. Just leave a separate comment here on this post letting me know that you did.

I'll choose one winner (US only, please) in one week, on Friday, March 8th. Good luck!

This sponsorship is brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who we have partnered with for this promotion.

Probably not, but that’s okay, because we can!

Iron Craft ‘13 Challenge #4 - The envelope, please...

The challenge this time is--you guessed it--all about award season. Emmys, SAGs, Golden Globes, Oscars--all of them!

Our challenge was to come up with a craft inspired by a favorite movie or TV show, or something to show off on the red carpet. I gave it some thought and since I’d just watched Pride and Prejudice, I went with that movie. That’s my favorite version!

I figured I was probably going to make some type of jewelry, but what kind? I did some research and the movie was set in 1805-1810. In that time period, I saw that women wore a lot of coral, pearls, amethyst and garnet. I headed to the craft store with a couple of ideas in mind, but they didn’t have some of the things I needed. Again. This is getting frustrating! Out of two large chain stores--Michaels and Hobby Lobby, I’m having a hard time doing one stop shopping. At the last minute, I went with this bracelet. I love it. I’ve been looking a lot at the large beads available--they’re so pretty.

So as you can see, this bracelet is my shout out to the pearl and amethyst that was so popular in Elizabeth Bennet’s time. I love the delicate flowers on the purple and silver beads.

This is truly one of the simplest jewelry pieces to make! Just unscrew one of the ends of the bracelet, slide the beads on in the order you want, screw the end back on and you’re done! You can also easily change the look by just changing the beads to suit your mood. The two beads on either end are stopper beads. They have a silicone coating inside to keep them in place and the other beads from sliding all over the place.

Check out the Flickr Group for more Awards Season inspiration!

See my new shop for this and other handmade items for sale! Click the picute below to be taken to the shop.

NH has only 18 miles of coastline, but is it breathtakingly beautiful. We have sandy beaches as well as rocky ones. Quiet ones and some that are filled with people from sunrise to sunset. We have the smallest coastline of any coastal state, so we treasure it and enjoy it to the fullest.

When my kids were younger, we’d always come home from the beach with loads of rocks. We still have a few here and there, but for this project, I needed more. This meant a road trip! Billy and I took off on Super Bowl Sunday morning and hit the beach. We went to Bass Beach in Rye, NH. It’s one stop shopping for any kind of beach rock you could ever want. In fact, we’ve nicknamed it “Rocky Beach.” I love this beach because it’s not usually busy. Most people want sandy beaches and this one is anything but. We did however get ambushed by a large Golden Retriever puppy named Bailey while we were there. She was incredibly fuzzy and sweet. Dogs love beaches!

It’s incredible--when you first hit Rocky Beach, the rocks are big. As you head down to the water, the rocks get smaller and smaller. Tiny! If you really take the time to look, which we’ve done with the kids, you’ll find beautiful little rocks that have been “tumbled” by Mother Nature--no machine needed. They’re miniscule versions of the rocks you see when you first step on the beach!

My inspiration for this project came from just Lu. She collected her rocks on the Oregon Coast! I noticed how hers were mostly all one color, and it’s beautiful. I wanted to showcase a nice assortment of the rocks we see here in New England. We don’t find much (if any) beach glass here, so I went ahead and picked some up at Michael’s for some added color. I planned on leaving them as is, but in their dry state, they blended in with the shadow box too much. I took just Lu’s lead and sprayed mine with a sealer to make them look wet and shiny. I used Americana Acrylic Sealer/Finisher. It took one coat and dries incredibly fast.

When looking for a shadow box to use, I found the labeled “shadow boxes” all looked shiny and new. Not the look I was going for. I looked around the store and found so many other options in the unfinished wood project section of Michael’s. I settled on an 8x10 inch Basswood Canvas, which is “1/4 inch basswood cradled with a 1.5 inch pine wood frame.” It’s just what I needed, without the glass--which I wasn’t too concerned with, anyway.

What I Did:

1- I needed to make the box look a little weathered, so using what I had on hand--tubes of watercolors--I started blending some grays and browns and set to work. I used a cloth and applied the paint directly to the cloth, then dipped the cloth in water and applied them to the box. I finished up with a nice summery blue. If I could have found some sandpaper, I’d have “messed it up” a bit more on the edges. I love the finish, though--it looks cottagey/beachy to me. It was slightly damp, so I set the box in front of a fan to dry while I prepped the rocks, glass, and heart pattern.

2- On brown craft paper, I set the rocks out in small piles, sorted roughly by size. I chose some glass to add, and sprayed all of it with the acrylic sealer--outside. It’s very strong smelling. They dry very quickly.

3- On more craft paper, trace out the edge of the box. Draw the inside frame measurement so you know how much room you have to work with. I freehanded a heart shape inside the outlines. If you want, you can trace and cut out another heart to set in the box. Then you can trace it and have the heart shape in the box as a guide, as well. I didn’t. I eyeballed all of it.

4- Choose your rocks and glass and set them in the heart that you traced on the paper. When you get a pattern you like, one by one, transfer them into the box and get it set the way you want it.

5- Using a strong adhesive (I used E6000), glue the rocks and glass in one at a time. The glue doesn’t dry too quickly, but it is pretty fast, considering. If you need to adjust the placement of one of the rocks, you have a few minutes to do it. For mine, to glue all of the rocks/glass in, it took about 15 minutes. I started on one side and worked my way across the heart. Set is aside to dry completely, add a hanger to the back, and you’re done!

6- I did this entire project in one morning--I started at about 10:00 and finished at about 1:30, so it’s not terribly difficult or involved. Just have fun with it!

I hope you’ll check out the Iron Craft Flickr group--there are so many fun and beautiful projects posted, so you’ll find tons of inspiration!

The lucky winner of the prize pack is Schmidty. Thanks to everyone that entered and stay tuned for more fun things!

Some of you may remember a post I did last summer using Land O Lakes cheese. I grew up with Land O Lakes products in the house. My mom always bought butter and cheese from them. 

If you haven’t checked out their site yet, you should. It’s packed with recipes and information.

If you’d like a couple of easy recipe ideas, you can also check out the recipes I  made using their cheese--Supremely Tasty Puff Pastry Pizza Tart and Apple and Cheese Puffed Parcels. They’re both made with puff pastry, simple to make, and very tasty. They’d be great snack to put out for any party or get together you may be having.

Quickie Giveaway!

Today I have for you--from Land O Lakes--a prize pack including:

- One Emile Henry 12" pizza stone

- One large 18.5" x 12.5" white serving platter from Crate&Barrel

- One reusable refrigerated grocery bag

- One Land O’Lakes deli cheese coupon

I can tell you that the pizza stone and the platter are such great quality--you’re going to love them.

Easy Rules!

1. All you have to do is leave a comment here on this post and I'll choose a winner Tuesday, the 5th of February. That’s next Tuesday!

2. Want some extra entries? Totally optional, but if you want some, you can share this on any of your social media outlets, and you can leave one comment here for each share, no matter where it is.

That’s it! US only, please. Land O Lakes will ship directly to the randomly chosen winner. Please leave a valid email address so I can reach you, or I’ll have to choose another winner.

Disclaimer: I was sent a prize pack at no cost to me, and my opinions are my own. Prize pack will shipped directly from Land O Lakes.

Iron Craft ’13 Challenge #2 – Orange You Glad…

It’s time for round 2 of the Iron Craft Challenge--and this time, it’s “Orange.” Using either the color orange or actual oranges--out task was to have a finished orangey craft project.

I chose what I think is one of the easiest crafts I’ve ever done--making colored mason jars. With just three common items, you can make the most uncommon jewel toned jar! All you need is a glass jar, some Mod Podge (I used the Gloss-Lustre one), and some food coloring. That’s it!

I loved this challenge because orange isn’t a color I normally gravitate to, but man, it’s just gorgeous. These jars remind me of sweet orange hard candy. Or that big ball in the sky we call the sun, and let’s face it--in drab gray January, who couldn’t use a little sun in the house?

I added little battery powered votives that have been hanging around since the holidays, but you can use these jars for whatever want--except maybe for food. I wouldn’t put food in these, ok?*

Use them on your make-up table, your desk, outside on the patio this summer with candles--anywhere you want a nice splash of color. Sunny windowsills come to mind. And let’s not forget--you can make these in any color (holidays!), so choose your favorites and get ready for this simple project!

I found this tutorial at Lilyshop. She used some pretty jewels and puffy paints to decorate a couple of her jars. If I hadn’t been pressed for time, I’d have really gone all out on the crystals, but I actually made these yesterday morning. Can we say last minute? I picked up these little rhinestones that came stuck together like stickers. Pretty, but I feel like they could be improved. Next time--because I’ll be  making more of these, for sure!

One thing I did was after the jars had drained and before I set them upright to drain, I took a bamboo skewer and made sure that the top rim of the jar was covered with the Mod Podge mixture--just so it looked evenly covered. Also, since my jars have corners, I mixed the Mod Podge and food coloring in a small glass ramekin before pouring it into the jars. Clean up is easy since it’s water based. Thought the food coloring isn’t, so be careful of your work surface.

I hope you’ll check out what the other Iron Crafters have done, too! You can see all of them in the Flickr Group. There’s so much inspiration to be found there!

*Mod Podge is non-toxic, non-flammable and water based. There is an Outdoor Mod Podge available that is water resistant and is most durable when used on projects that are in a sheltered area.

The randomly chosen winner of the cookbook is Jen B. Congrats, Jen, and thank you to everyone that entered! 

I love Lidia Bastianich--I always have. She not only makes the most amazing Italian food, but I find her comforting. Her voice is calming to me. I want to be in her kitchen and have her talk me through making all of her recipes. Weird? Of course not! If you like more information on Lidia, check out her site, Lidia’s Italy. It’s filled with information, including recipes, a blog, Lidia’s appearance schedule, and more.

I recently received a copy of her new book, Lidia's Favorite Recipes: 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes, from Basic Sauces to Irresistible Entrees. I’m in love with this cookbook! These recipes are the ones that you’ll want to make and share with the ones you love. These aren’t over complicated dishes to make, either. There are no crazy long ingredient lists using fifteen pans to prepare and serve. They’re family style--and suitable for weeknight dinners as well as hearty Sunday dinners.

From the book’s dust jacket: “Lidia Bastianich—one of the most beloved chefs and authors in America—presents her most accessible and affordable cookbook to date, a gathering of the recipes that have become her go-to meals for her very own family. But these are not only Lidia’s personal favorites; this book is a love letter to her fans. Here, she is giving us the recipes for dishes that you have raved and written about over and over—the best, the most comforting, and the most delicious dishes in her repertoire.

  From the classic sauces to the delicious desserts, these recipes have been revised and updated to be more concise and clear, but just as soul-satisfying as ever. With new information about the affordability, seasonality, and nutritional value of the ingredients, this book shows there is no question why these dishes are the easiest and most enjoyable to bring to the family table for your most memorable moments. Beautifully illustrated throughout with full-color photographs, Lidia’s Favorite Recipes will give both new cooks and longtime fans something extraordinary to celebrate.”

This chicken and rice dish is a convenient one pot meal, and it’s ready quickly enough to be a weeknight meal, but also wonderful on those cold weekend afternoons and evenings. It’s also an inexpensive meal. I’m going to give you one warning, though. It’s filling! It’ll stick to your ribs, for sure. Take a serving that’s a little less than how hungry you feel, then go back for more if you think you need it. I’ve made this about five times already, and I still haven’t gotten this though my head. It’s just so tasty that I can’t help myself. It’s also husband and kid-approved, and let’s just say that it isn’t pretty when we fight about who gets the leftovers.

Traditional Rice and Chicken

Riso alla Pitocca by Lidia Bastianich
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup onion cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup carrot cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup celery cut into 1 inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled (I use 3, or 4 if they're smallish)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt (I use 2 teaspoons. Always better to start with less and season later!)
1 fresh bay leaf (I use 2 dried bay leaves)
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups hot chicken or turkey stock (I use Better than Bouillon, which explains why I use less salt.)
2 cups Italian short grain rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli (For great creamy risotto texture, don't substitute.)
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for passing

Trim any extra fat from the chicken and cut the thighs into 1 inch chunks, set aside. In a food processor, mince the onion, carrot, celery and garlic into a fine textured pestata. Not a puree, not large chunks, but in between--minced.

Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan with a lid, and set over medium high heat. (Seriously, a large pan. At least a 12 inch pan with a fairly high side, or a large saucepan. This dish grows as it cooks.) Stir in the pestata and and season with one teaspoon of the salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pestata has dried.

Toss in the chicken and the bay leaf (or leaves), and sprinkle with one more teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the chicken is browning and caramelizing. Raise the heat and add the wine, stirring and deglazing the pan. Cook until the most of the wine has evaporated. While stirring, pour in the hot stock and the rice. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to keep it bubbling gently (a nice low-ish simmer). Cook for 14-17 minutes (It's 14 for Lidia, and about 17 minutes for me.), or until the rice and chicken are fully cooked and the rice is a creamy consistency.

Turn off the heat and drop in the butter, stirring until it's completely incorporated, then stir in the parsley and the 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Check for seasoning  now. Spoon into pasta bowls and serve immediately with additional cheese to pass around at the table.

• As you can see, I forgot the fresh parsley. D’oh!
• This is a great dish to make and take to a friend/family in need of some nourishing love. New parents, friends dealing with a crisis, sick friends--you get the idea.

________________________________________________________________________

Giveaway!

Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Has generously offered to give a copy of Lidia’s Favorite Recipes to one of you! And entering is so easy…

• Just leave a comment here. That’s it!
• If you’d like additional entries, you can share this on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Google+. Leave an additional comment for each share here on this post letting me know you did.

I’ll choose the random winner (US only) on Thursday, January 31st. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a review copy of Lidia's Favorite Recipes at no cost to me. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House will be providing the prize for this cookbook giveaway and will send the prize directly to the winner. I did not accept monetary compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.