Cookies Galore by Amber Spiegel!!

Since SB and I moved to Chicago, we have made some new friends and reconnected with old ones. One of these old friends that SB reconnected with is his childhood friend Tim, who also is a fantastically talented actor at Second City - an Improv Theater, right here in Chicago. If you ever get a chance you should really check out the shows there. SB and I went to a show and I can honestly say that I don't remember ever laughing as hard as I did at the show. If crying and getting stomach cramps from laughter is your thing, then you must get tickets immediately - now - do it!

Anyhow, it just so happens that his friend, Amber Spiegel, is a pastry chef. I hesitate saying this, because really what I want to call her is a pastry artist. Truly, that is what she is. What she is able to do with cookies and cakes are no less than masterpieces. When I saw her work for the first time I was in awe. Clearly, I am not the only one as she has caught the attention of InStyle magazine as well. You can check her out in the April 2011 issue, page 110 (Tina Fey is on the cover - how interesting, considering Tina Fey got her start at Second City). She has recently moved to upstate New York were she is planning on opening a bakery with her very own heavenly and awe inspiring creations. For the time being she is my fellow blogger and friend (you can check her out here) and you can also order your very own custom made set of cookies on etsy. These are a fantastic treat. Perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, cocktail parties, dinner parties, engagement parties, birthdays, anniversary parties or giveaways at weddings. Trust me this is a treat that your guests will NOT forget! Here is a tiny glimpse of what she does. But make sure you check out her blog for more!

These are all true works of art. She will work with you to create exactly what you need. However, not everyone needs to be a pastry artist to create something deliciously wonderful. Amber has shared with me this fantastic pistachio meringue cookie recipe. They are a heavenly cookies that are sweet and savory. They are super light, which is perfect for summer and your girlish figure :). Without further ado, here is the fabulous Amber!

Happy eating!!

J

Meringue cookies are one of my favorite treats to whip up. The ingredients are simple and you can flavor them with almost anything imaginable. Plus, these bite size confections are light and crispy, making them perfect for the approaching summer season.

Salted pistachios help to create the perfect blend of sweet and savory in these melt-in-your-mouth meringues.

Pistachio Meringue Cookies (4 dozen)

½ c egg whites (3 large eggs)

1 c sugar

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

½ c salted shelled pistachios

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp vegetable oil

Tools:

Mini food processor (4 cup capacity or smaller)

Medium saucepan

Whisk

Kitchen thermometer

Stand mixer with whip attachment

Rubber spatula

Piping bag

Large round piping tip (Wilton 2A or Ateco 804 work well)

Parchment paper

Cookie sheet

Small offset spatula

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place pistachios in the food processor and pulse until they are about ¼ their original size.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Continue to grind until the mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.

Separate egg whites from yolks by hand. Save the yolks to use them on another day (a perfect excuse to make crème brulee!).

Fill the medium saucepan about ½ way with water. Bring to a simmer. Place egg whites and 1 cup of sugar in your mixing bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water.

Whisk the mixture constantly until it reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Check under the bowl periodically to make sure your water is simmering and not boiling so that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.

Once the mixture has reached the desired temperature, move the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Add 1/8 tsp cream of tartar. Beat the mixture on medium-low speed for about 7-10 minutes. Increase the mixer to full speed for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the pistachios using a rubber spatula. Save about 1 tablespoon of the pistachio mixture to garnish the tops of the meringues.

Fit a piping bag with a round tip and fill the bag with meringue. Pipe 2” round meringues about 1” apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle the meringues with the leftover pistachio mixture.

Place meringues in the oven and bake for 3 hours. Turn the oven off and let meringues sit overnight to dry.

Gently remove meringues from parchment using a small offset spatula.

Enjoy!

Food fit for Royalty

Like most of the world, I got swept away by the Royal nuptials of William & Kate. How romantic and beautiful it was. I truly hope they will be happy together.

I wish I could tell you that I was there and could report first hand what the reception and food was like. Unfortunately, my invitation got lost in the mail. Since I wasn't there, I am bringing you the next best thing: an online article, that makes me wish even more so that I could have been there!

And here are some pictures of the cake!!



Happy eating (I wish!!)!!

J

Ravioli Party

Sooooo...... the Tiramisu.... yeah.... I must admit, it did, unfortunately, not go as well as I had hoped :(. Wa wa waahhh....

The flavors were great. If I had blind folded you and fed it to you, you wouldn't have known the difference. Having said that, for some reason the mascarpone espresso cream did not set very well. At first I thought it may have been because I didn't give myself enough time before the party, which is why it didn't get to chill in the fridge for long enough. Now, I am thinking that the lady fingers were soaked just a little too long so it made the whole thing a tad bit too soft and soggy. Maybe I didn't beat the egg yolks long enough. Maybe I put too much rum in it (he he he) or too little mascarpone. Or perhaps it was a combination of all of the above - I can't be quite sure. A bummer? Sure. Most importantly though - I tried! I will make it again, and again, and again and eventually it WILL be perfect. I can assure you - I will NOT rest until I get it right!!!

I can't say I hadn't been warned. SB said it might be a bad idea. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Who's to say. It's a matter of perspective really. The way I feel about the kitchen and life in general is: do your best, give it your all every time, and know that in the end everything happens for a reason. Life isn't about not taking risks, or being perfect, or not making mistakes - it's about learning from your mistakes, enjoying the ride, and after each and every experience, being a better version of yourself. That's what I strive for in life and in the kitchen, too :).

My Tiramisu may not have been a success but the ravioli party sure was. As predicted: the boys were doing all the work in the kitchen and the girls were doing all the drinking and eating. So fun! Thank you Joe & Annie for a great party! Here are some pictures...

Here's a sight I don't very often see: SB in the kitchen, in an apron no less! You go babe! Highlight of my evening :).

Sliced eggplant SB was breading.

Finished product: breaded and friend zucchini and eggplant. I'm so proud of you babe!! YUM!!

Delicious Bruschetta I couldn't keep my hands off of, all night!

Seafood platter by Steve R.

Some ridiculously good, spicy zucchini in marinara parmesan sauce concoction that Chuck made.

Joe & boyz making ravioli.

Here's the finished product after many hours of hard labor. You go boys!

My companion of the evening: Mr. Veuve.

T'was a wondering evening. 'Til next time, happy eating!!

J

The Tiramisu Experiment

SB and I are going to a Ravioli party tonight. Our new friends here in the Windy City, Joe & Annie, are hosting a homemade Italian food night and were kind enough to include us. From what Annie tells me, what that basically means is, we show up, we get a few pointers on how to make ravioli, we watch, we drink wine (awesome!), the boys will do all the work (even better!) and we eat. I can manage to do that. I can really do that! I'm excited to be at a dinner party where I'm not doing the cooking. What an interesting concept! Nonetheless, being the self-proclaimed foodie that I am, I can hardly show up empty handed. I figured, we're having Italian food, hence the only logical conclusion is: I must bring Italian dessert. Tiramisu it is! What a superb idea! The only problem being, I have NEVER made Tiramisu in my life. There's a first for everything, right? This should be interesting. They will all be my guinea pigs and they won't even know it. Ha, I love it! (FYI - I'd never recommend making something you've never made before, and bringing it to a dinner party. But what choice to I have??). SB, as a matter of fact, tried to persuade me not to make it. He says to me "Babe, you realize they are all Italians, right? (Um, ya, I'm aware of that, Captain Obvious!) Are you sure making Tiramisu for the FIRST TIME EVER today is a good idea?" Thanks for the faith babe! I guess we'll find out if it's a good idea or not!

After doing a little research on different Tiramisu recipes, I've decided on a recipe by Ina Garten from the Foodnetwork. It seemed like the easiest out of all of them and her recipes are usually really reliable.

Ingredients

• 6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature*
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
• 1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
• 16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 30 Italian ladyfingers, or savoiardi
• Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
• Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow.

Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 by 12 by 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Notes: To make espresso for this recipe in your electric drip coffee maker, use enough water for 4 cups of coffee plus 1/3 cup of ground espresso.

You can find savoiardi and mascarpone in an Italian specialty store. (Or Whole Foods, that's where I found it)

It is completed and it is now sitting in my fridge. I packed up some confectioner sugar and bittersweet chocolate and I'm bringing it with me. I'm going to dust it on, right before I serve it. Well - I hope it came out ok. Keep your fingers crosse for me. The pressure is on...

Happy eating!!

J

HAPPY EASTER!

SB's parents just sent us a basket of these cookies (Thank you MK & JCB!!). They were just too cute not to show you guys. How cute are these!! They are delicious too! They came in an assortment of different brownies and cookies. Absolutely adorable. And what a great gift idea too!

You can get these from www.cheryls.com and here's a 20% off code that I got: YUMMY20 (ends 5.25.11). A great idea for a Mother's Day gift too - if your mom is more of a cookie kind of a gal ;).



Happy eating!!

J