PINT - 300

It's Sticky Love Day!
So make some !
n'
Stick 'em Up!

Enter HERE!

Share a Spoon Theme - Celebrate Good Times

Share a Spoon Theme
Celebrate Good Times!

Google Images

Holiday Hor d'oeuvres

Google Images

It's that time of year again!  Holiday Parties!  They are going to start popping up at every turn.  You'll either host a party, or be invited to a party, or crash a party attending a family gathering.  Everyone has their own favorite starter or party food that only seem to come out or don our tabletops around the holiday party scene.
There are always crustinis, and cheese platters, cheese balls, stuffed something or others, pinwheels, tea sandwiches, dips, spiced nuts, and list could go on and on. 
This week's Share a Spoon is all about those special holiday hor d'oeurvres that you get excited about as soon as the holiday season starts ringing silver bells!
Now, for a little HOLIDAY LOVE....SHARE A SPOON and Think Tank Momma Style!  I have a special giveaway....from me to you!

See those sparkling shiny spoons?  They are Ganz Snowmen Holiday Measuring Spoons.  They are zinc-alloy, lead free, food safe and BEAUTIFUL!  I wanted to do something special for the holidays for all the support I have gotten this year from all you Smackers!  I've had so much participation in Share a Spoon and I appreciate all of your recipes and your Sharing!

So Smackers...how can you win these?  EASY!  
Mandatory Entry:
Since I purchased these myself for my followers you must publicly follow my blog through GFC.
Extra Entries:
1 - Follow me on Twitter @adrienzgirl1 - Tweet about #ShareaSpoon on Thursdays (1 entry per week)2 - Each Share a Spoon Entry between Dec. 2nd - Dec. 16th give you two additional entries.  That's three weeks of Share a Spoon.
That's it.I will select a winner Dec. 17th and mail them out that afternoon.
So....see you Thursday for this week's recipes!
Happy Holidays!

Share a Spoon - Give me the Raspberry!

<img src="http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu81/Adrienzgirl/Share%20a%20Spoon%20Warm%20the%20Heart/ShareaSpoon5.jpg" border="0" alt="Think Tank Momma"></a>
Happy Thursday my lovelies!
It's Share a Spoon Thanksgiving DESSERTS!
There are two phases of Thanksgiving Day eats.  Right?  I mean first you have that indulgent meal with turkey, dressing and all the delicious gravy.   Then there are the sides...the casseroles, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauces.  So that's the first phase.  DINNER.  (The links will take you to the two previous weeks...good stuff, sides, turkey, dressing and all the family favorites Shared.)
and then....later....when your food has settled...you know, after that turkey coma nap....there is.....*a light shines down and the music of angels rings and the skies part and there is a pause*.....DESSERT!
Oh how I love dessert on Thanksgiving.  I usually have a sliver of several things.  You know cause really...you have to try several things right?  RIGHT?!?
So usually we have a plethora of offerings on the dessert table.  Yes, I said dessert TABLE.  My daddy is all about lemon pies.  So there is that.  BDC loves pumpkin pie.  I make those for him, though I wouldn't put that on my fork...um..ever.  Eww!  It's a texture thing.  Can't do it.  Usually there are a couple other pies, chocolate creme, cherry, this year there will be a pecan pie.  My mom usually makes this Devil's Food cake trifle thingy with toffee bits (aka crushed Heath Bars).  I usually bake an assortment of cookies and breads like banana nut and pumpkin.
And then....there is the mother of all desserts.  CHEESECAKE!  But not just any cheesecake.....Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce.  *swoon*  OH HOW I LOVE CHEESECAKE!

Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients:
Crust2 cups (1 sleeve) cinnamon graham crackers crushed1 stick butter melted
Filling2 8oz packages room temperature Philadelphia Cream Cheese2 cups sour cream3 whole extra large eggs + 2 yolks1 cup granulated sugarZest of two large lemons1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (do not use imitation)
Raspberry Sauce
1/2 pint of fresh raspberries1 lemon zested2 lemons juiced1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 jar seedless red raspberry jam (roughly 1 cup)

You'll need a 9" springform pan.  Spray it well with cooking spray.  I use Pam.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Crunch the whole package of graham crackers into a food processor.  You can beat them into submission fine crumbs if you don't have a food processor.
Melt a stick of butter.  I use the microwave.  Feel free to do it on the stove top if you like.
Add the graham crackers to the melted butter and stir with a fork until all of the crumbs are completely coated.  It should look like wet sand.

Pour the coated crumbs into the prepared springform pan.  Smooth the crust out into an even layer pushing up the sides of the pan about 1/4".  I use a shot glass.  Seems to be the best tool for this, but feel free to use a flat bottom glass or measuring cup.  Put the crust in the refrigerator.

In a large mixing bowl or kitchen top mixer add the softened room temperature              Philadelphia Brand cream cheese.  (I have tried the inexpensive cream cheeses, off brands and whatnot...I DO NOT RECOMMEND them.  Pay the extra 0.50 cents.  TRUST ME.) Mix for a minute or two until the cream cheese is creamy and lump free.

Slowly incorporate the three eggs and the additional 2 egg yolks, one at a time.  Scrap the sides down periodically until everything is creamy.  Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is light and creamy.  Incorporate the vanilla and sour cream until completely incorporated.  Don't over mix.

Remove the set up crust from the refrigerator.  Cover the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil.  Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust.
Place the foiled springform pan in a large roasting pan or cake pan.  Add hot water to about half way up the sides of the pan.  Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. 

Remove from the oven.  At this point the cheesecake should be set, but still jiggle a bit.  It's done.  Don't over bake it.  Allow to cool in the waterbath for 30 minutes. 
Remove from water bath.  Remove foil.  Cover the top of your springform with aluminum foil or a plate and place in the refrigerator.  Now...the hard part.  Don't touch it for at least 6 hours.  Preferably overnight.  *sigh*
Sauce Directions:
Rinse the fresh raspberries.  In a small sauce pot, add juice of two large lemons, clean raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon zest.  Bring to a boil.  Stir the raspberries frequently with a fork mashing the berries as they boil.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
In the food processor or blender add the cup of seedless raspberry jam and the cooled raspberry mixture.  Blend for a couple minutes until completely combined.
Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a bowl and allow to cool completely.  Once it's cooled I usually put it into a condiment container (squeeze bottle).  You can certainly put it in a pretty small gravy boat or something similar.  Refrigerate.  This sauce keeps for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.  It's fabulous on vanilla ice cream!  
I'm very Thankful you Smackers have Shared this last year with me.  I wish you all a very Happy Tasty Thanksgiving!

I'll see you here Saturday for a very special Share a Spoon Giveaway!  

Pour Me Up a Cup o' GiftMatching with Gevalia

My friends over at Gevalia have this fun new Facebook application for gifting.  If you're anything like me, there are always people that you have no idea what to get for the holidays.  I mean NO CLUE!  Well, no worries.  The Gevalia Gift Matcher Application is a fun way to pick out something based on what your friends have already "liked" on Facebook.


So say, you are making up your Christmas lists, and you're killing time on Facebook, because you know, that's what people do, avoid those mundane tasks by playing with apps and games on FB instead of giving your full attention to the task at hand.  *ahem*  Don't judge.  You know you do.  You can seriously do both.  Score!  Based on that totally nonscientific stuff you have already "liked" on Facebook, the Gevalia GiftMatcher will select a totally wonderful gift package for you, your friends and family!


But wait....there's more!  If you order from the application?  You get 10% off your order of $50 or more just for playing!  Double score!  Oh....and free shipping!  Triple Score!


Wait...it gets better.  I have a Gift Set to giveaway to one of you Smackers!  

BOOYAH!

A baking set with Gevalia coffee for my Smackers?  YES!  You totally better bake something fabulous up and scoot back over to Share a Spoon and share the recipe!  Not. Even. Kidding!

Here's how you can score this giveaway.

Mandatory:  Tell me what you would bake up with this gift set.

Extra Entries:

1 - Follow me through GFC

1 - Follow me on twitter @adrienzgirl

1 - Follow @Gevalia on Twitter

1 - Like Gevalia on Facebook

2 - Use the GiftMatcher application on FB and come back to tell me what the app matched up for you.

2 - Grab my new snazzy button and post it on your site.

Note:  If your email is not visible in your profile, leave it in the comments.

Giveaway ends Tuesday November 23rd at midnight EST.  Winner will be notified via email.

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated for doing this review and giveaway.

Share a Spoon Theme - Sweet Dreams of Thanksgiving

THEME TIME
for 
Share a Spoon!
Happy Saturday Smackers!

Photos provided via Google Images.

The whole point of any meal, in my very humble opinion, is DESSERT!
So of course, on Thanksgiving, when we indulge....DESSERT is what defines the meal.  We always have a table for desserts!
It's time to SHARE your favorite sweet treat for Thanksgiving.  Is it pie?  Cake?  Tarts?  Cookies?  Jelly Rolls?  Pumpkin Rolls?  Trifle?  Bread pudding?  Cheesecake?  Cupcakes?
Join me on Thursday and Share your must have desserts recipe for Thanksgiving!

Share a Spoon - Kicking up Classic Cranberry

<img src="http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu81/Adrienzgirl/Share%20a%20Spoon%20Warm%20the%20Heart/ShareaSpoon5.jpg" border="0" alt="Think Tank Momma"></a>
Happy Thursday Smackers!
Share a Spoon
Thanksgiving Sides!

Let's be honest.  The turkey is on everyone's table.  Some people stuff it and put chicken and duck and sausage inside the turkey, but there is always TURKEY.  Heck, we often refer to it as Turkey Day.

BUT...

What differs from table to table is the sides.  Everyone has something that makes Thanksgiving dinner.  I remember when my daughter was born, my ex-husband and I went to his parents for Thanksgiving.  Dinner was nice.  His mother was an excellent cook.  However, it was "different", and it wasn't my family's traditions.  Ya know?

We have lots of family traditions.  One of my mom's traditions, that I have picked up now that I do the cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas is we have a ham and a turkey.  The ham I cook overnight.  Low heat oven.  I put it in before we go to bed (keep in mind I go to bed in the wee wee hours of the morning).  Then in the morning we have ham rolls or biscuits.  It's awesome, and it's just like my mom always did it!

In an attempt to please my dad, I tried year after year to find a substitute for cranberry sauce.  His mother used to make some orange cranberry relish stuff that he loved.  I was never a fan of cranberry sauce.  As a matter of fact, that stuff that comes out of a can?  G-ross!  It's slimy and it slides out onto the plate with a plop!  The suction in the can let's go and if you aren't careful, that gelatinous red goop will slide right off the plate onto the floor.  Not exactly the looks and sounds of appetizing.

So...after trying jams, jellos, compotes, conserves and multiple variations of those, I ended up with a conserve that is my mom and dad's favorite part of dinner now.  I have to make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I haven't made it yet this year, and I didn't have time this week to grab the ingredients.  However, here is a picture of what it looks like all done.

Google Images

Cranberry Conserve 

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 large granny smith apple (peeled and chopped)

2 lemons zested and juiced

1 navel orange zested and juiced

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup pecans chopped

In a sauce pan over low heat cook the cranberries, water, sugar and honey until the berries start to pop open.  Takes about 5 minutes.  Zest the lemons and the orange into the sauce pan and juice them into the mixture.  Add the chopped apple.  Stir well and cook for 15 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.  Remove from heat.  Add the raisins and nuts.  (Feel free to leave the nuts out if you don't like them, or substitute walnuts.)  Refrigerate.  This keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks just make sure you put it in an air tight container.

I love this on turkey sandwiches ANY time of the year, but it really adds a little something to your left overs the next couple of days!

BDC is a huge fan of green beans.  Just green beans, no mushroom soup, no fried onions.  That is to say, green beans hold the casserole!

So I thought I would share my green beans as well.

I wash 3-4 pounds of fresh green beans.  Snap off the ends and snap them into pieces.  Set aside.

In a large pot add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (twice around the pot).  Brown 5-6 slices of thick cut bacon over medium low heat.  You are looking to render out most of the fat, so don't crank up the heat trying to save time because you will lose some of the pork fat your looking for!  Once the bacon is crisped nicely add your clean snapped green beans.  Stir until you have coated all the beans with the bacon grease.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a box of chicken broth.  Add water to the chicken stock until the beans are just covered.  Put a lid on the beans and let them boil for 30-45 minutes.

Trust me....southern green beans are hard to beat!

Don't forget I already cooked the turkey and the dressing/gravy last week.  You can find the step by step here.

Now, SHARE your favorite sides so that I can add something new to my table this year!  Don't forget the link is open for a week.  I will be by to visit each and every one of you.

PINT - Thanks be to The Duck

It's STICK LOVE DAY!

Stick 'Em Up!

Speaking of Thanks....

If I were you...

If I were you I would never speak the way you do.
If I were you I would never allow my children to see.
But you are you.
And I am me.


If I were you I'd change some things.
If I were you I would never allow my child to sing what your child sings.
If I were you I'd put my husband in his place.
If I were you I'd change my face.


Fortuitous life mine seems to be
For you are you and I am me.


If I were you, I'd be sad and blue.
If I were you I'd see no way to be happy.
But you are you.
And I am me.


If I were you I would hide my head in shame.
If I were you I would crumble when those others called me names.
If I were you I would change, oh..this and that.
If I were you I'd work harder to not be fat.


Propitious karma shines through for me
For you are you and I am me.


If I were you I would never allow
My children to act so foul.
If I were you I'd limit their t.v. time and video games.
If I were you I'd never have given them those names.


Lucky for my children I am their mother.
And for them there is no other.
For you are you and I am me.
Life is as it was meant to be.


So remember when you try to share
All your wisdom, I do not care.
My life is just fine.
And those children...they are mine.


Lucky lucky I seem to be
For you are you and I AM ME.


It's funny, other people always seem to think that your circumstances would be, or could be, or should be handled differently.  It's fine to offer suggestions or help to your family or friends, but repeatedly telling someone that they should do it this way instead of their way can cross the line.

Share a Spoon Theme - The Real stars of the Show!

Happy Saturday Smackers!
THEME TIME
THANKSGIVING
SIDES!

(See there's one bird but look at all those sides!!!!!)

So, I know I already posted the themes for the whole month, but we need to talk about this week's theme.  I mean...SERIOUSLY!  Yes, we always wait for the perfect bird.  Stuffing, dressing and gravy are wonderful and identified with Turkey day.  However, it isn't Thanksgiving without all the supporting roles.  Just like in any great show or movie, it really is the supporting cast that makes that lead role SHINE!

Think about it....mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green been casserole, cranberry sauce, corn souffle, rolls, vegetables, the list is endless.  Everyone has their favorites, and eventually the Thanksgiving table looks like an endless buffet because we try to make everyone's favorite.  That one dish that is the difference between Thanksgiving dinner and just any other TURKEY dinner.

So this week you Smackers better bring it!  I want your favorites!  What is that one, or twelve dish(es) that you have to have to make it Thanksgiving?

Aaaaaannnnnd, if you are looking for a perfect recipe for a side that you want but don't have in your recipe arsenal speak up!  I'm sure we can hook a sistah or brothah up!

See you Thursday Smackers! Bring it!

PINT - Duct Tape is gonna OWE me

It's STICKY LOVE DAY!

with

That One Mom!

(All post-its referencing the selling of children are for dramatization purposes only.  Comedic relief if you will.  I would never sell them for tickets.  Maybe for some peace and quiet, but never for movie tickets.  Geez people!  Gimme a little credit!)