Fruit & Pastry Cream Torte

I love pie. Any kind – fruit, custard, baked, traditional and non-traditional. There are various crusts – cookie, graham cracker, pastry, vegetables, pretty much the sky's the limit! Use your imagination. Today I’m wanting a pretty pie, so that’s what we are making. It’s pretty easy to make, you can make the filling the day before. The trick is the chocolate melt that you brush the crust with. It keeps the crust from getting soggy!

Tortellini and Pearl Salad

I love a party. Give me a reason to decorate, and I’m there! I’m always looking for fun and fresh recipes to prepare, and this salad is GREAT for potlucks and parties! You can put it all together the day before, and just toss it one more time before serving.

Crispy & Spicy Garlic Parmesan Wings

Today we are going to ask the spirits to select a fun recipe to cook... First, we need to have my Grandma’s secret recipe box… where did I put that box? “Oh recipe box?” *poof* There it is, just where it is supposed to be!  OK, let us see what we have in here.

Ok, the spirits have selected a great one here... it’s Crispy & Spicy Garlic Parmesan Wings.  Sounds great!

Today is Sunday, a day of rest for many.  Seems the recipe the spirits picked is pretty easy and fun to cook.  I think a movie and wings sound pretty good! My pop loves to cook wings and eat WINGS. These particular wings are more on the mild side, but with a crispier skin, lots of garlicy/buttery flavor/extra cheesy! I learned a trick (maybe magic?!) to making these crispier than my dad’s ever were.  The magic ingredient? Baking Powder!  So, when you see it in this recipe, don’t skip it.

Shrimp & Bacon Poppers

It’s OSCAR TIME! Did you know the 1st Academy Awards were held in 1929, hosted by Douglas Fairbanks? Fun food a little bit fancy is on the menu for the Oscars here at our house. We love poppers, and tonight, we are making them a bit fancy with just a few extra ingredients. They are great with everything. As the main Star of the evening or just an appetizer.

Strawberry Pecan Biscotti

I learned to make Biscotti years ago. I started with just plain Biscotti, then I tried dipping one end in chocolate, then I tried adding nuts and caramel bits. These I've added fresh chopped strawberries and white melted chocolate. By far my favorite! Because of the fresh strawberries, they should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I froze half of this batch and they did great.

Hawaiian Pupu Chicken

In the Hawaiian language, pū-pū is a relish, appetizer, or hors d'oeuvre; it originally meant "shell fish'. Essentially, it's an appetizer, Hawai'i-style.   This recipe evolved over years of learning how to get certain flavors in my sauce.  When you see how simple this is, you’ll be like, “that’s it?” But, I promise, this is the most delicious chicken I’ve ever eaten. My children LOVE IT!  So now is their chance to have mom’s recipe! I’m ready, so like I always, say… Let’s get cooking!