Creamy Dreamy Goodness

Don't let the name scare you. Here it is... Pots de Créme. Ahhh!


Okay, really, it's not hard (coming from a person who stops reading a recipe if the ingredients number more than 6), and the end result? Well, it's soooo worth it. They are delicate, delicious, dark chocolate goodness, and you'll feel ultra proud of yourself when you can say, "Here, try one of my pots de créme."

Ingredients
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used chips this time, but I would even chop chips.)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks

What You'll Do
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Put 8 6-ounce ramekins into a large pan. (I had to use two different ones because my ramekins are larger than circular ones.) The ramekins should fit without touching.


- Put chopped chocolate in a bowl. (I used glass because the bowl needs to be heatproof.) In a pan over medium heat, warm cream, milk, and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk often, until sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to just simmering. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour over chopped chocolate. Let the cream and chocolate stand three minutes to melt chocolate. Then, whisk until smooth.



- In a second bowl, whisk remaining sugar and egg yolks until well combined--no more than two minutes. (It's important to wait until you're ready to move along to mix the sugar and egg yolks.)


- Whisking egg and sugar mixture vigorously, slowly pour about 1 cup of chocolate/cream mixture into the eggs. When well mixed, pour in remaining chocolate mixture, whisking well.

- Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup. This is to remove any grit from the chocolate.


- Evenly pour chocolate mixture into each ramekin.


-Pour enough hot water into the pans so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the pan(s) to the oven and bake until custards are set, 25 to 35 minutes. (This is when they jiggle slightly but aren't liquid still.)


- Remove ramekins from water bath. Let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill, at least 1 hour. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a little sprinkle of colored sugar for that extra kick of cute. Then enjoy!


I love making desserts in little ramekins. Do you have any other fun ones I should try?

Penny Pasta

This dish is called "Penny Pasta" because this whole dish is under $5 -- and two of the items were once a penny item at Publix. I do a good job at getting the penny item each week, but not such a good job at figuring out how to use it.

If I can say so myself, this was so yummy! So fresh and yummy. It'll be even better in the summer when I can substitute or supplement the zucchini for other yummy veggies like squash and eggplant (and for a lot less $$$).


Ingredients
8 ounces pasta (any kind; I used a combination of penne and farfalle because I had a little of both.)
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots (or 1 medium onion), sliced thin
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 cans (14 1/4 ounces) Italian-style diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

What You'll Do
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it's finished, drain the pasta. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, stir throughout, and keep the pasta warm.

- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, shallot, and garlic to pan. Increase heat slightly. Saute until lightly browned. Once browned, remove vegetables from skillet and cover up to keep warm.


- In the same skillet (so as not to make a huge mess), add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat until it's thickened (about 13 minutes). Stir in vegetables. Serve tomato-zucchini mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese if you wish.



Enjoy!

Happy Mardi Gras!

I couldn't let today pass without at least one Mardi Gras mention, and since it happens to fall in Foodie February, how about Mardi Gras cupcakes?



Ingredients
French Vanilla boxed cake mix
Classic Vanilla icing
Purple, Green, Yellow sprinkles or sugar

What You'll Do
Mix the cake batter as instructed on the box. Line 24 cupcake molds with paper liner. (I spray the liner so it's easier to take out the cupcake, but it's totally up to you.) Fill the liners 2/3 of the way. Bake as instructed (about 20 minutes).

Once the cupcakes are out of the oven, cool to room temperature on cooling racks. Next, I put all the cupcakes on a platter, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour. I've found it helps the cakes retain their moisture. (I have no idea why.)

Frost the cupcakes as usual. As soon as you frost, decorate with sprinkles or sugar as you like.



For the Flags...

You'll Need
Scrapbook paper in purple, green, and yellow
Cricut machine
Accent Expressions cartridge

What You'll Do
First, cut 24 circles (I did 12 of yellow and purple) at 1 1/4". Then, cut 24 fleur-de-lis at 1".

With a glue stuck, I glued the fleur-de-lis to the circle. Then, on the back, I made a line with school glue and attached a toothpick. Let dry several hours. When you're ready to serve, place a flag in your cupcake and...

Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!

It's Mardi Gras! So I'm joining these blog parties.

Mac & Cheese

Have you ever met a person who doesn't like macaroni and cheese? No? In some form, macaroni and cheese is just one of those dishes we all love, or at least like. a whole lot.

So in an effort to expand my mac 'n' cheese horizons (away from the boxed kind), I tried this recipe. And I love it. It's actually really easy to make and is sooo yummy.



Ingredients
3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
12 ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk, divided
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Bring six quarts of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta. Turn on your oven's broiler.

2. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once it's mixed, gradually add the remaining 1 cup of milk.

3. Bring to a boil and let it cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. Remove from heat. Let stand until the liquid cools to 155 degrees.


5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce (I used Tabasco but feel free to use your favorite), pepper, and bacon and stir.

6. Add pasta and toss until well coated.


7. Spray a 2-quart broiler-safe dish with cooking spray. Spoon pasta into dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Broil until cheese is melted as you like.

**I like mine a little crispy, so I left it about nine minutes.




Spoon out and enjoy! It's so yummy! Do you have any favorite macaroni and cheese recipes I should try?

I (Word) Searched My Whole Life For You

Discovery Education lets you make your very own Word Search, Cross Word, Cryptograms, and other fun word games for free!

Creative idea for Valentine's: Type in words that mean something to you and your hunny bunny, print out on pretty (pink) paper, and let him get to searching. If he finds them all, he gets a special valentine!

Curl Up With A Good Movie

All in all, I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day. Restaurants are packed; I feel bad for the flowers deemed not worthy of someone's sweetheart; someone will cry and say they aren't meant to be loved; and cheesy "you're the love of my life" cards send me into hysterical laughter. (I'm cynical. Surprise!)

But what do I really love? Cheesy love comedies. And what movies might that include? Well, I'm glad you asked.

Here's my prescription for the perfect Valentine's movie fix.

The Holiday

+

Knotting Hill

OR

Bridget Jones's Diary (One can only handle so much Hugh Grant.)

+

Sweet Home Alabama (Because home is Alabama, and that's sweet!)

+

A good dose of reality with The Break-up

=

The best Valentine's a girl could ever ask for.

DIY Valentine's Day Brownie Bags

Can I tell you I am so far behind in reading blogs and catching up with what you all are doing I might never dig out??? I guess that's what this weekend is for. So pardon my lack of commenting. I haven't been a very good blogger buddy lately! I will do better. Promise - ♥ Kimberly :)

----------------------------------------

I am so in ♥ with these V-day goodie bags from one of my favorite creative blogs, Twig & Thistle. (Actually, let me rephrase that. She's an amazing, knock-your-socks off graphic designer who I may or may not have a massive blogger crush on.) And guess what? You can print these and use them for your Valentine's Day treats. For free!



See the great posts here and here.

Then download the bags and print them - here and here.