Share a Spoon Theme - NOVEMBER

Happy Saturday Smackers!

Can you believe we are heading into NOVEMBER?

Oh! Em! Gee!

There are only three weeks of Share a Spoon left before THANKSGIVING!  So for the month of November, I am going to go ahead and lay out what we will be doing all month so you all can prepare.

I have received loads of emails regarding Thanksgiving.

Turkey, stuffing, gravy???  HELP!!!!  Please post recipes for...kind of emails.

Never fear...Think Tank Momma is here.

This week is Family Tradition week.  What's that must have go to dish that is your family's favorite on Thanksgiving?  I will be posting  the Turkey and dressing this week.

I bought a Turkey, just for you all.  I am going to roast it tomorrow, take pictures and show you just how easy it is to make the perfect bird.  This is fool proof people and it is the best, juiciest bird ever.

I will also be SHARING my momma's recipe for dressing.  I don't stuff the bird, I make my momma's dressing on the side.  It's a cornbread herb dressing and it's super yummy.

So for the next week, we will do must have Thanksgiving sides.  Perfect mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls, biscuits, breads?  

Then the last week before Thanksgiving we will do MUST HAVE SWEETS.  Oh yes, the pies....the cakes, the pies, the cakes, dAlrightid I mention PIE?

Alright Smackers there you have it.

This week - Family Traditions

Next week - Thanksgiving Sides

Following Week - Thanksgiving Sweets

The following Thursday is Thanksgiving and Share a Spoon will be taking the day off.

I am available for questions all month long.  Please shoot me an email if you have any questions or you need a food 911.  :P  My friend Nancy says I am her go to FOOD 911.  Makes me giggle.

Seriously, let me know if there is a specific recipe you want for your Thanksgiving table this year and I will try to accommodate you!

LOVE!

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet

We have almost given up the traditional form of Trick or Treating here at Casa di Romano.  We live so far out from actual civilization in the sticks so trick or treating out here is close to impossible.  Plus, if you pull up the trusty website with the registered perverts & sickos sex offenders & predators, the idea of going door to door is well, freaking scarier than living next to Michale Meyers and Freddie Krueger.

So instead of endangering the lives of the munchkins we have been doing the Trunk or Treat option provided at many churches in our local area.  It seems to be the thing to do here.

KoopZombie

Kamalama the Jack O' Lamatern

Khylee the Jaguar Fairy

Trunk or Treat was Wednesday night so on Halloween we will be having some goodies and treats at home.  If we have Trick or Treaters great.  If not, well, we already had some good safe fun and we will just enjoy an evening at home.

So what about you?  Live in a great neighborhood?  Do you travel to another neighborhood where the candy is better it's safer?  Do you do a church festival or something similar?

Whatever the case have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN and enjoy stealing the kiddos candy the tricks!!

Share a Spoon - Peanut Butter Zombie Eyeballs

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Happy Thursday Smackers!
It's Share a Spoon - Spooktacular
compliments of
Sexy Steph from The Blue Zoo
Stephanie is quite the baker, you can find her over at The Spotted Cake as well, and she loves the sweet treat themes.  She asked for Halloween Treats so we are getting tricky with it today!  Everyone say "THANKS STEPH!"
Now, for some fun Halloween made up stuff to make it sound cool facts.  Did you know that all ZOMBIES have bloodshot eyes?  Did you know their eyes are made from peanut butter?  It's true.  I'll show you!
Peanut Butter Zombie Eyeballs
Ingredients:
2 sticks softened butter2 cups peanut butter1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract2 lbs Confectioner's Powdered Sugar1/2 bar Baker's Paraffin wax2 bags Milk Chocolate Chips (Semi-sweet may be substituted)1 bag White Chocolate Chipshandful of mini chocolate chips red, blue and green food coloring pens
In a large mixing bowl, or counter top mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, peanut butter and vanilla.  Slowly add confectioner's sugar.  You may not need all of the 2lb bag.  I typically use about 3/4 of a bag.  However, in the summer when it's really humid I tend to use more.  Mix until the batter is thick and pulls away from the attachment with ease and is not sticky.
Roll into 1" balls and place on a sheet tray lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate rolled balls for an hour.
Over low heat, in a medium sauce pan melt the wax.  Once all the wax is melted stir in the milk chocolate chips one bag at a time until smooth and shiny.

Using a toothpick, dip the chilled peanut butter in the chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the pot.

Work quickly.  Soft peanut butter balls will fall off of the toothpick when dipped in the warm chocolate.
Return the dipped balls to the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.

In a microwave safe bowl melt the white chocolate.  First for 30 seconds, stir.  Then  15 seconds, stir.  Repeat until white chips are completely melted and stirred smooth.  The consistency will resemble frosting.

Dip the completely set chocolate covered peanut butter balls into the white chocolate about 1/3 of the way.  Remove quickly, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl.
In the middle of the white chocolate place a mini chocolate chip for the pupil.  Return the refrigerator to cool and set the white chocolate.

Now the fun part.  Color a blue or green iris around the mini chocolate chip and add some bloodshot squiggles with a fin tip red food coloring pen.
Voila!  Zombie Peanut Butter Eyeballs.  They are fun and creepy and the kids love coloring the eyes.  

(These look awesome in a black cauldron with gummy worms tossed in.)

If you are not into the creepy eyes, these look beautiful without the pen details.  Especially for a black and white dinner.
Cook's NOTE:  I have tried all the recipes for PB balls out there.  Graham cracker in the mix.  Coconut in the mix.  Lots of fillers.  This recipe yields roughly 60 1" balls.  Those recipes will get you more.  My recipe gives you a very creamy peanut butter center.  

Have a Happy Halloween Smackers!  Remember, cook with your kids!





 

PINT - Singing in the Rain

IT'S STICKY LOVE DAY!

with THAT ONE MOM!

Alrighty Smackers!  That's all I have for you today.
Bring your Halloween treats Thursday for Share a Spoon!

Share a Spoon Theme - Spooktacular

Happy Saturday Smackers!
It's THEME TIME! 
and
It's SPOOK-A-RIFIC!

My good friend Stephanie from The Blue Zoo and The Spotted Cake chose today's theme.  She wanted treats for Halloween!  This should be fun!  I love treats and HALLOWEEN is just the funnest of all the holidays!
So, if you LOVE sweet treats, and you LOVE Halloween, or even if you don't but you make something fun, this theme is for you!
I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!
Now go....

Whip up your witch's brew!
See you Thursday!

Share a Spoon - Veggie Pie

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Welcome Smackers!
Share a Spoon 
is
VEGETARIAN
this week!
Michelle over at Momma's Pixie Dreams who owns three of the cutest little girls ever, asked for a vegetarian theme.  She's the hostess with the mostest this week so make sure you go love on her afta afta (best Mr. Miagi impression).
When I said it was vegetarian week to BDC, Kamden overheard me and almost had a melt down.  He was devastated and thought I meant we weren't eating meat all week.  I told the little carnivore to calm down, it was just one day.  Then he found out I was making pizza and he was completely fine with vegetarian after that.
It's funny, he doesn't realize how often we actually do go meatless.  I make a lot of pasta dishes.  A LOT.  Actually, it's kind of ridiculous how much pasta we eat.  Anycarbs, unless I make meatballs, or meat gravy (red sauce with meat), it's almost always a vegetarian meal.
That just goes to show you how well I hide the veggies much they pay attention.
So....PIZZA PIE al la vegetarian!
Pizza at home is soooooooo much better than delivery.  Plus, you control what goes into the sauce.  Now you can certainly buy pre-made sauce.  I really don't take any issue with it.  BUT....READ THE LABELS!
Big caution here.  Make sure, especially if you are going vegetarian, that there isn't meat in the sauce.  Even if it doesn't say meat sauce on the front.  READ THE LABEL.  There are some really great all natural sauces out there with no preservatives. No citric acid.  No from concentrate.  No MEAT.
Easy as Pie Dough:
1 cup warm water1 package active dry yeast1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon kosher salt2-3 tablespoons olive oil3 cups of all purpose flour
In a mixer, or large bowl add warm water, sugar, salt and package of yeast.  Let the yeast foam.  Takes about 5 minutes.  Turn the mixer on low and add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.  Start adding the flour slowly a cup at a time.  When all flour has been incorporated turn the mixer on medium and let the mixer knead the dough for 5-6 minutes.  (If all the flour doesn't incorporate, drizzle the extra Tablespoon of olive oil in.)
If you don't have a mixer with a dough hook, simply incorporate all the ingredients as discussed above with clean hands and knead the dough for about five minutes on a clean floured surface.
Add a couple of drizzles of olive oil around a clean deep bowl and add your dough ball to the bowl.  Make sure to coat all of the dough turning over once and then cover with a clean dish towel.  Allow the dough to rise for an hour or so until it doubles in size.

Now, I made two different pizzas.  One with a basil pesto for the sauce and the other with a sun-dried tomato pesto.
I made a fresh basil pesto but used a jarred sun-dried tomato pesto that I purchased at a specialty shop.  However, making a fresh one would be just as simple.  You could certainly also use a jarred pizza sauce that I talked about above.
Now, lots of people think they don't like pesto because all they have tried is some canned nastiness from the store.  While there are plenty of fresh pestos available out there, that stuff in a jar that looks...um...brown?  YUCK!
Fresh Basil Pesto:
1 handful (bunch) Italian Flatleaf Parsley2 handfuls (bunches) Fresh Basil3 large garlic cloves1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes1 lemon juiced1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (again no green can!)1/2 pecans (I use them because I like them.  Substitute walnuts or pine nuts if you like.)1/2 cup olive oil

Throw all the ingredients except the olive oil into the food processor.  Pulse a few times.  Turn the processor on and drizzle olive oil in until the pesto is creamy.

This pesto freezes great.  You can freeze it for up to 3 months.  It is great on pastas.  Boiled or roasted potatoes.  In salads, on panini sandwiches.
Assembling your pizzas.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.  I made a round pizza and a  sheet pan pizza.  I always line the counter top with wax paper and flour that.  That way there is no flour clean up.  Just fold the wax paper up and throw it away.
Sprinkle the pizza pan or sheet pan with corn meal so your dough doesn't stick.

Press the dough out to the sides.  Dimple the center of the dough with your finger tips.
Drizzle the dough with olive oil and spread over the entire surface with a pastry brush.

Add three heaping spoonfuls of the pesto to the pizza dough.

I sprinkle with a little Parmesan and then add the toppings.
For the basil pesto pizza, I spread several teaspoons of ricotta cheese.  Then top with a mix of Smoked Provolone and Mozzarella.
For the sun-dried tomato pesto, I chopped a seeded large tomato, 1/4 of a medium red onion and stirred in a heaping tablespoon of the basil pesto to make a bruschetta topping.  Top with the same mix of Provolone and Mozzarella. 
Bake in a 500 degree screaming hot oven for 10-15 minutes.  Your oven may be different then mine.  Keep an eye on the pizza.  The oven is HOT!  (If you have a pizza stone, cook the pizza as you normally would on your preheated stone.

That's it.  Slice and serve.  I promise, you will not miss the meat.
Now three things: 1 - Leave me some love.2 - Go love Michelle Pixie.3 - Link up your vegetarian recipes.
LOVE!

Wordless Wednesday - It's All About Me

How could you ignore that face?

My little Monkey Princess woke up in a great mood today!

She wants to play!

So, have a Happy almost Wordless Wednesday!

See ya back here tomorrow for some vegetarian delights!

PINT - New Rules

It is STICKY LOVE DAY!
Get sticky, it's fun!

(This has nothing to do with Survivor)