CANNOLI POUND CAKE--GREAT HOSTESS GIFT

Welcome to Foodie Friday!

When browsing for recipes to share with you on Foodie Fridays, I seem to gravitate
toward those that have a healthy side, but today I just want to prepare you, this recipe does not fit into that category. 

Many of you are likely familiar with Cannoli. It's a very popular Italian dessert. It is a fried pastry cone filled with a creamy, sweet filling. The filling is either ricotta or marscapone sweetened a bit with sugar or honey and sometimes includes chopped pistachios.

Today's recipe is Cannoli Pound Cake. How unique right? I thought how terrific this would be as a hostess gift for the upcoming holidays.

Take a peek......

The cake batter is easy to prepare, and has many of the same ingredients that are found in traditional Cannoli dessert. It bakes beautifully, and the taste is quite a nice change from other pound cakes. 

You may find the recipe here:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/10/cannoli-pound-cake/

The mini chocolate chips and chopped pistachios are quite pleasing to the palette, if you know what I mean. 

As you prepare your gift list for the holidays, and you start to become overwhelmed, as we all do, remember this little sweet treat. (This recipe can be divided in half and used in small loaf pans too!)  Simply wrap it in a beautiful holiday cellophane, and add a Christmas ribbon or bow. There's nothing like a gift from the heart at holiday time!

Wishing you a sweet, safe and Happy Halloween!

Kathleen

BLACKBERRY-PEACH COBBLER with PRALINE PECAN STREUSEL

Summertime is cobbler time at my house! What could be easier and more delicious than using fresh fruits of the season combined with a light crumbly streusel topping.
Cobbler takes very little time to prepare.......it takes longer to peel the fruit than to assemble the entire cobbler.

Today's recipe combines the fresh taste of blackberries and the sweetness of peaches with an end result that is sooooo delish, especially warm! For an added touch, some enjoy a cold scoop of French Vanilla ice cream or whip cream on top......I love it just as it is!

SCRUMPTIOUS PEACH CAKE

We went to visit our oldest daughter last weekend. While we were driving, I spotted a roadside stand selling Georgia peaches! I LOVE Georgia peaches!! We stopped and bought enough for some snacking as well as for a recipe that I've been wanting to share with you.....Easy Summer Peach Cake. 

DECADENT CHOCOLATE DESSERT SALAMI

Welcome to Foodie Friday my friends!

Today I'm sharing a "sweet" recipe that would make a great holiday gift and be fantastic served at a party.

Since I've joined INSTAGRAM one of my favorites to follow is GIADAWEEKLY. You guessed it--Giada De Laurentiis.

Giada recently had a posting for Chocolate Dessert Salami. At first I thought, ewww.......that sounds a bit strange. My thoughts went to salami and chocolate.....really?? But then I read the recipe. So before you judge my choice today, here's a peek at the final product....

Do I have your attention now? You'll be amazed at how easy this is to make.

CHOCOLATE DESSERT SALAMI
Serves 6-8

1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) slivered almonds toasted
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) chopped walnuts, toasted
2 (5-inch long) plain biscotti, coarsely crushed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces,
at room temperature
1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as 
Ghirardelli
1/4 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
1 teaspoon orange zest (about 1/2 medium orange)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Arrange
the almonds, walnuts, and crushed biscotti in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the nuts are lightly toasted. Cool completely before
using.

Place the butter and chocolate in a medium bowl and place over a pan of barely 
simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth,
about 6 minutes. Stir in the coffee until smooth. Add the almonds, walnuts, biscotti
and orange zest and stir until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs. 
until firm but moldable.

Divide the mixture in half. Place half of the mixture in the center of an 18-inch-long
piece of plastic wrap. Using a spatula, mold the mixture into a log, about 7 inches
long and 2 inches wide. Roll up the log in the plastic and twist the ends together
to seal. Roll on a work surface a few times to make the log evenly round. Repeat 
with the remaining chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

Place the confectioners' sugar on a dinner plate. Remove the plastic wrap and roll
each log in the sugar until coated. Using a pastry brush, brush away the excess
sugar. Allow the logs to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Using a sharp 
serrated knife, slice into 1/2 inch-thick slices and serve.

COOKS NOTE:  The salami can be frozen for up to 1 month.  Defrost at room 
temperature for 25 minutes before slicing.

*****http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chocolate-dessert-salami-recipe.html

Now wasn't that easy? And look at the lovely presentation. Who wouldn't want to sample this delectable delight?

Whatever your plans are for the weekend I hope that you are able to stop and enjoy the season unfolding around you. It is the best time of the year!

Kathleen

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FOODIE FRIDAY--DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY PIE

WELCOME TO FOODIE FRIDAY!

When I was growing up we lived in the country and always had a big garden. My Dad and Mom would plant all kinds of delicious veggies. We even had Raspberry bushes, and Strawberry plants. I never realized how lucky we were at the time. Today what I wouldn't give for one of those gardens.  Fresh everything......yum!

Speaking of fresh-----it's Strawberry season here in NJ. Did you know that strawberries are full of antioxidants and contain malic acid which helps whiten your teeth? Now that's a great couple of reasons to enjoy them even more.

This year I came across a Strawberry Pie recipe that came with rave reviews from Chelsea at Two Twenty One. It's not only delicious, but it makes a beautiful presentation for almost any occasion. From picnics to family dinners, this pie will be the hit of the event.

Very simple ingredients below....you can make the crust yourself if you prefer. Bake crust prior to filling.

                 Cornstarch/water mixture.                                      Adding jello to the mixture.

Finished pie---My husband ended up eating 2 pieces!! He hardly ever eats dessert so you now know, this is truly a WINNER recipe!

 Recipe may be found at--http://www.twotwentyone.net/2012/06/strawberry-pie/


Hurry, grab your strawberries and make this for your family or maybe just yourself! It is truly delightful! You may add a dollop of your fav whipped cream to top it off if you like.


ENJOY!


Kathleen

***Have a wonderful weekend! See you on Monday.....Thanks for stopping by!

HEALTHY TWIST ON AN OLD SALAD & YUMMY SWEET KIWI BITES

Welcome to Healthy Foodie Friday!

I was thinking about what recipes to share today because I really wanted to keep with my theme of "healthy" summer salads. I think we should enjoy the fresh summer produce while it is in season. 

Today at my house we are having a quiet celebration. My husband is a guy that doesn't require a lot of attention.....fanfare is not his thing. But he has always told our daughters that we need to celebrate the "wins!" So today I made a special dinner for him.....celebrating his win. And what a wonderful "win" it is!

When I started planning dinner I started with a nice steak. We rarely have red meat so this would be the ultimate treat for him. Then I searched for a new salad recipe. I found a Cauliflower "Potato" Salad recipe that sounded kind of strange, but as I read the ingredients listed, they actually were quite an interesting combination. A cauliflower salad that looked like a potato salad? Hmmm........he loves cauliflower, but would he like it in a salad, with dill pickles?

He sure did like it! As you can see it looks like a potato salad. It was great with our steak. Although, he thought it was mayo on the salad when he tasted it, the actual ingredient is a much healthier sour cream base. Surprise!

There are 165.7 calories per serving, making this salad a great healthy choice and a wonderful side for those summer meals.

The original recipe may be found at:http://healthyrecipesblogs.com/2013/10/22/cauliflower-potato-salad/

 So---everyone needs a little something sweet when they celebrate. He's not a big cake guy (unless it's carrot cake), so I decided to try these KIWI BITES. It has always intrigued me to use chocolate and fruit together....how delicious!

Ingredients needed:

• Bar of 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate 
• Popsicle stick
• Kiwi slices

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Timing it based on how much chocolate you require for your slices.

2. Slice the kiwi in a rather thick slices. (see above)

3. Thread the kiwi on to the popsicle stick.

4. Dip in melted chocolate.

**I propped my sticks so that they leaned against the side of a small jar. You can use anything, they just need to be stored upright and placed in the frig to chill once dipped.

KIDS would LOVE these too! 

Hope you enjoyed this segment on Summer Salads and Sweet Treats keeping an eye towards the healthier side of eating.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kathleen

****Do you have a favorite summer salad you would like to share with us? 
Thanks so much for stopping by The Lavender Bouquet. See you on Monday!