November 7, 2012

RECIPE: Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

I’m so excited it’s “that time of year.” There are so many wonderful traditions and dishes that we only make for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carrots is one of those recipes. We typically spend Thanksgiving with my in-laws and I have added this tasty side dish to our feast. It has become a favorite with the Wells; maybe it will become a favorite with you and yours too.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
(adapted from Silver Palate Cookbook)
4 large sweet potatoes (2 lbs.)
1 lb baby carrots
2 1/2 cups water
1 TBS sugar
3/4 cup butter
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 370 degrees
Clean potatoes, cut a deep, long slit in the top of each potato
Bake 1 hour until tender

Put carrots in a saucepan with the water, sugar, and 2 TBS of butter, salt/pepper, on medium heat, boil and cook uncovered until water has evaporated and carrots sizzle in butter, about 30 minutes.

Scrape out flesh of sweet potatoes into saucepan with carrots. Add remaining butter and sour cream. Mash until almost smooth.

Add nutmeg, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, to taste and blend/mash until incorporated.

May be made ahead. To heat/reheat, place in covered casserole dish in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until steaming hot.

ENJOY!

Winsome Wednesday! November 7, 2012

I{HEART}ART: Inspiration: BOUNTY

"Bountiful" acrylic on canvas 18x18, by Tina C. Wells

We are quickly approaching the big feast, Thanksgiving. While it is still a few weeks off, I look forward to looking around the table at my true blessings, the faces of people I love. The bountiful meal is an added benefit. May you be overwhelmed this season with all you have to be thankful for. Cheers!

October 31, 2012

I{HEART}ART: Inspiration: OWL

"Great Horned Owl" original painting on canvas by Tina C. Wells

Owls are all the rage. They are on dishes, pillows, in art, crafts, ornaments, etc. I have to admit, I’m a fan. Besides the obvious, that owls are beautiful, elusive birds, I have a sentimental attachment. Owls always nested in the trees on my grandmother’s property. In the front guest room, where I always stayed, I would hear the “WHOO-WHOO...WHOOOO” at night. I have always had an owl fascination, and finally decided to paint the Great Horned Owl. 

Owls are a little spooky too; they are carnivorous and nocturnal. More than once I have witnessed the owls keen hunting skills as he swoops down on unsuspecting prey that is carried off in his able talons. I was raised on the stories of the eye-plucking-owl on Mt. Helix that somehow mistook a teenage girl as his prey. You can fill in the blanks. It is Halloween after all...so be careful out there tonight if you hear a WHOOOOOing coming from the trees. 

Have a wicked Winsome Wednesday...

October 30, 2012

RECIPE: Pumpkin-a-la-King

"Pumpkin-a-la-King", Chicken-a-la-King filling in a baked sugar pumpkin

Baked, hollowed out sugar pumpkins become the edible bowl for Chicken a la King. Sugar pumpkins are readily available this time of year at most grocery stores, for about $2 each. Choose small ones as each pumpkin is for an individual serving. Because this is a bit time consuming, I recommend this for a smaller gathering of 4-6 guests.

Baked Sugar Pumpkins

Cut out the top of the pumpkin. Clean out the seeds, and scrape away the stringy insides. Rub inside with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Replace tops.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake pumpkins 25 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. 

Remove tops, turn upside down, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool.

Filling:
Simmer 1 hour:
Approximately 3 whole chicken breasts with skin and bones (or entire fryer chicken cut up)
1 qt water
1 TBS parsley flakes
2 carrots peeled and sliced 
1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper

Remove skin and bones, discard. Set aside chicken and carrots. Reserve 2 cups broth.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup diced celery
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup flour
2 cups broth (reserved from cooking chicken)
10 oz bag frozen peas
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sherry

Saute celery and mushrooms in butter until tender. Blend in flour; slowly add broth, then milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add chicken, carrots, peas; heat thoroughly.

To Serve:  Spoon warm filling into room temperature, baked pumpkins. Bake in 350 preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot with biscuits. 

October 26, 2012

I{HEART}ART: Inspiration: Trick-or-Treat

"Trick-or-Treat" by Tina C. Wells, 10"x10" mixed medium

This was a fun piece to create. Last Halloween, this picture was taken of our Trick-or-Treater group...in front of the garage door. I loved creating the right setting for this photo with a little paint and imagination. 

I think the one thing I truly like about halloween (because there are lots of things I don't like) is the creativity, and role playing. Both of my kids spend lots of time dressing up (year round). I love their world of imagination, and halloween is the one time that they get to celebrate it.

Have a safe, fun evening next Wednesday!

October 24, 2012

SIMPLY CREATIVE: Monster Cupcakes

Kristen's Monster Cupcakes

My friend Kristen first made these for her son's 2nd birthday a few years back. It has become tradition, as his special day is at the end of October. I absolutely love these! They are fun, funky, and oh-so-creative. As Kristen told me, there is no 'right' way of decorating these- just have fun! My motto exactly.

Some simple instructions and tips:

When using your basic cake mix, Kristen has a few great tips. She either slightly under bakes her cupcakes (start with a minute less than that of the given range, and test with a toothpick to make sure it isn't doughy). Her other great tip that always makes the cupcakes more moist, (plus has the added benefit of less fat) is that she substitutes the oil for applesauce, in direct proportion.

The cupcakes above are base frosted in 3 different colors, green, grey and white. They are decorated with all different kinds of candy: assorted licorice, white chocolate chips, different gummies, marshmallows, etc. She used these to create one-of-a-kind silly monster faces. 

Basic Buttercream Frosting:
8 TBS butter, room temperature
3 3/4 powdered sugar
3 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla

Add ingredients one at a time on low, and then beat on medium 1-2 minutes. Adjust powdered sugar or milk to change consistency.

Separate into several bowls and add a few drops of food coloring to get desired colors.

October 23, 2012

Halloween Party

Fun Jack-o-Lantern

I have such fun memories of Halloween as a kid, and the best is carving the pumpkin with my Dad. I remember feeling antsy about him getting home so we could get started. Being a man of methods, we always went out to the patio with newspaper to cover the table; the mess then was neatly wrapped up into the newspaper and thrown away. He was, of course, in charge of the knife, but we got to recommend placement of the eyes, nose, etc, and then help with pulling out the slimy insides. Mom often roasted the pumpkin seeds, which I still have a fondness for. The very best moment, however, was lighting the candle and seeing the Jack-o-Lantern face glow.

There seems to be 2 versions of Halloween out there, the terrifying kind, and then the Pottery Barn Kids type. I am a fan of the latter, a fun night out for kids playing dress up, candy and jack-o-lanterns. A couple of families will be coming over for dinner and then heading out to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood. It has become mandatory that the adults dress up too. We plan our menu and everyone brings food to share.  Three of our kids all have birthdays within 2 weeks of halloween, so my friend will be bringing her famous monster cupcakes she always makes this time of year. I will be experimenting with serving lime sherbet punch (very swamp-like) in a ‘cauldron’ of dry ice, and making Chicken-a-la-Pumpkin (chicken a la king served in a baked sugar pumpkin- more on that, later in the week). But, I am most looking forward to carving the pumpkin, now with my kiddos. I can’t wait to see their faces light up when the Jack-o-Lantern comes to life. Delight.

Halloween Party Treats and Decor

Adorable Trick-or-Treaters

Love this Jack-o-Lantern lined walkway!