Vanilla Passion Fruit Brigadeiros

 

Party planning is an essential part of running my charity, Be the Light of the Party Foundation.  Since we "give parties," it's the core of our service organization.  And the big focus of course is FOOD!  The goal of any event is to find and serve at least one delicious morsel that is memorable (in a good way!) and also easy to prepare for a large crowd.  When I entertain for family and friends, I like to choose bold flavors with an exotic flair. 

Brigadeiro is a Brazilian candy that's very easy to make and quite memorable.  In today's post, I put a spin on the traditional recipe by using vanilla powder instead of cocoa.  I also added passion fruit syrup for a little taste of the tropics.   

Vanilla Passion Fruit Brigadeiros

3½ tablespoons pure vanilla powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup passion fruit pulp
Decorating sugar or sprinkles

1.  Combine vanilla powder, butter, and milk in a medium saucepan.  Place over medium heat.  Cook and stir until mixture thickens and begins to loosen from the side of the pan.  This should take about 10 or 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

2.  Combine sugar and passion fruit in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

3.  When brigadeiro mixture is cool enough to handle, form candy into small balls and roll in cooled passion fruit syrup and then in decorating sugar.  Store on wax paper or parchment paper in the refrigerator. 

Makes about 24 brigadeiros. 

Molten Lava Cheesecakes with Champagne Sabayon

Happy Foodie Friday Everyone!!  Today I'm going "back to my roots" so to speak and presenting you with one of my cheesecake recipe creations.  I began my journey down the recipe writing path many years ago by experimenting with the versatility of cheesecakes.  I'll admit this dessert is time consuming, but well worth the effort!  I suggest serving these decadently delicious cheesecakes for a special occasion, a dinner party, or an upscale afternoon tea. 



Molten Lava Cheesecakes with Champagne Sabayon


Crust:
1 ¼ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup finely chopped macadamia nuts

Filling: 

3 pkgs. (8oz. each) cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs 
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoons flour                                                                         

Sabayon:
½ cup champagne
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup heavy cream

Garnish:  (optional)
12 strawberries

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Put on a kettle of water to boil.  Coat 12 (oven-freezer safe) custard cups or ramekins (6 ounce size) with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix crumbs, butter, and nuts.  Press about 3 teaspoons into the bottom of each cup.  Set aside.  

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Pour about a heaping ⅓ cup of cheese mixture over crust in each cup.  Place cups in a deep baking or roasting pan.  Add enough hot water to the pan to come half way up the sides of the cups.  Bake for 20 minutes or until center is set.  Remove cups from oven and water bath and transfer to a baking sheet.  Set aside.  Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. 

3. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high power for 1 minute.  Stir until chocolate is melted.  Stir in sugar until blended.  Whisk in eggs and egg yolks.  Stir in flour.  Top each cheesecake cup with a heaping ⅛ cup of chocolate filling and bake for 6-8 minutes or until sides are firm, but centers are soft.  Remove from oven and place cups in freezer for 5 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around edges and down sides of each cup.  Invert cakes onto individual serving dishes.  Let cool about 10 minutes or until warm, but not hot. 

4. Place sabayon ingredients (except for cream) in top of double boiler and whisk until well mixed.  Set over bottom of simmering water and continue to whisk until mixture thickens and is fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Immediately place top of double boiler in ice-water bath and continue whisking until cool.  In a small bowl, beat cream to soft peaks and fold into sabayon.

5. Serve cakes with sabayon and garnish with strawberries, if desired.  Refrigerate any leftover cakes.  To reheat “molten lava,” place cake in microwave (crust side down) and heat on 50% power for 20-30 seconds or until center is soft or “melted” to the touch. 

Serves:  12

 

 

  

Spaghetti Squash with Apple, Sage and Walnut Pesto

Spaghetti squash is a healthy alternative to pasta and a great option for gluten-free living.  It can be prepared like traditional spaghetti with red or white sauce and is also delicious when tossed with a little pesto.  Today's dish puts a spin on pesto by featuring sage, apple, and walnut instead of basil, cheese, and pine nuts.  It is lower in acid than traditional tomato-based sauces and lower in fat than Alfredo sauce.  And the sage gives this spaghetti a culinary kick, so the cheese is optional. 

This is one of my most versatile dishes.  It is gluten-free.  It can be prepared vegetarian or vegan.    You can add meatballs for the meat-lovers in your family (hint: pork works well with sage!).  And if you are on a low-acid or GERD diet, you can leave out the raisins and lemon juice to reduce the overall acidity.  So many options and so easy to make - ENJOY!!!     

Spaghetti Squash with Apple, Sage and Walnut Pesto


1 medium spaghetti squash
¼ cup walnut halves or pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium-sized red apple, cored and chopped
⅛ cup sage leaves
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Salt
Pepper
Romano Cheese, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Use a fork to poke holes all over the squash.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the squash is fork-tender.  When cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Scrape squash with a fork to remove the strands.  Place strands in a large serving bowl.  Set aside. 

2.  In a food processor or mini chopper, finely grind the walnuts.  Add olive oil, juice, apples, sage, raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Process until smooth. 

3.  Toss warm spaghetti squash with pesto.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. 

Serves:  4

 

9 Ways to Easy and Elegant Vegetarian Antipasto

 

 

I'd like to focus on easy entertaining today since it's a holiday weekend.  How about an appetizer that can be customized to meet the needs of any diet?  An antipasto board can be a great party pleaser.  Although it traditionally contains meat, a delicious antipasto can be vegetarian and still satisfy all of your dinner guests.  Here are five ways to ensure vegetarian antipasto success: 

 

 

1. Sweet - Always choose something sweet to include on your board.  It will balance out the other ingredients and appeal to children and/or sweet-loving-adults at the party.  I like roasted figs, dates stuffed with nuts and rolled in sugar, and fresh fruit. 

 

2. Salty and Tart - Select a food or two from the salty and/or tart category.  I usually include pickles and a few different types of olives. 

 

3. Crunchy - Sweet and salty are all about taste, but let's not forget about the other senses.  You want to hear your food too!  Add some crunch appeal!  Nuts, carrots, or breadsticks will make some noise. 

 

4. Protein - Adding a protein to your antipasto board will help guests with pre-dinner hunger cravings.  This will also satisfy non-vegetarians looking for meat.  Cheese and vegetarian pepperoni are easy options. 

 

5. Color - Try to pick foods that vary or contrast in color.  You want your board to come alive and be visually stimulating.  If you have green pickles, for example, and want to include a vegetable, choose the orange carrots instead of the green celery. 

 

6. Texture - Bumpy pickles, soft cheese, and creamy dip are good examples of "feel" variety.

 

7. Aroma - Include a fragrant food item to "wake" things up.  You could purchase blue cheese or even roast some garlic. 

 

8. Spice - Spices enhance flavor.  The same is true in antipasto.  Choose spicy buffalo cheese or cinnamon-sugar coated nuts. 

 

9. Uniqueness - Do you have anything unusual on your board?  Pick something to impress your guests and get them talking.  How about pickled watermelon or dried star fruit?   

 

 



 



 

 



Raspberry Burrata Affogato

Hello Everyone!!  I'm back blogging!!  I picked a "Foodie Friday" to start writing again since FOOD will be the new focus of my blog.  I'm reopening the recipe writing chapter of my life.  Although I may still occasionally post about book signings and my non-profit foundation, the main focus here will be FOOD.  YEAH!  AND YUM!!  So today I'm posting the recipe for my Raspberry Burrata Affogato.  I love affogato.  It's an easy and elegant dessert made with ice cream and espresso.  Burrata is a cheese made from mozzarella and cream.  It's decadently delicious and more like cream than cheese.  So this is obviously not a traditional affogato.  The warm espresso melts the dark chocolate and creates a sauce that pairs perfectly with the creamy cheese.  While the red raspberries add freshness and a "pop" of color.  It captivates the senses - especially if you like the smell of coffee!!     

Raspberry Burrata Affogato

8 ounces burrata cheese
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 cup fresh raspberries
Whipped Cream (optional garnish) 


Divide burrata equally into four dessert bowls.  Top each with chocolate.  Pour about 2 tablespoons of hot espresso over the chocolate in each bowl.  Garnish with raspberries and whipped cream, if desired.  Serve immediately.    

Serves:  4    

The Story of the Ring

Since I first started doing book signings and school visits back in 2010, I have often been asked about the gold ring I wear on my right hand.  I am also frequently questioned about my connection to England and the reason I support a few British charities along with the American charities on my list.  With today's blog entry, I will endeavor to answer both questions with the story of the ring. 

When I was a teenager, my dream was to attend college in London with a secret desire to live over there for an extended stay.  In the summer of 1988, I spent two wonderful weeks over in England.  But unfortunately, for many reasons, I never did get to fulfill my dream and was unable to return.  During that short stay, however, I did spend a day attending Royal Ascot.  On a grassy field near Ascot, I glanced down at the childhood ring I had on my finger.  In one swift, impetuous moment, I removed the ring and tossed it up in the air.  It was a symbolic gesture on my part; it was my youthful way of promising that I would return again someday and that part of my heart would remain in England. 

Many years later, in 2009 I started Be the Light of the Party Foundation (www.giveparties.org) as a service project to uplift the spirits of the homeless and other disadvantaged groups by sponsoring special parties.  And twenty summers after that memorable ring toss, I made the decision to broaden the mission statement to include sponsorship of charities in England.  In the spring of the following year, my husband made a business trip to France.  He took the Eurostar train to London, got on the Tube, walked a few roads, and ended up on Brook Street at Links of London (www.linksoflondon.com).  After some serious thought, he selected a beautiful gold cocktail ring from their Brit Lines Collection.  The Brit Lines rings with their famous links highlight the connections and bonds in a Londoner's life.  It was the perfect gift to celebrate my upcoming birthday, or so he thought, until he discovered that they did not have my size in stock.  But the very nice sales lady in the store took her own journey on the Tube to another Links of London.  An hour later, she returned with the ring that now rests upon my finger. 

So you see the ring, in many ways, is a labor of love - the love of a husband for his wife, the dedication of a woman in a jewelry store who loves her job, and the loving loyalty of a teenager who twenty years later fulfills a promise to "return" again to the land that holds a piece of her heart.  Today, a part of me "lives" in England through my involvement with British charities.  I have come full circle and have claimed back my ring from that grassy field and replaced it with a bond of servitude.  The knowledge, that children from Dandelion Time and Heel & Toe are benefiting from my books and that the homeless guests from West London Churches Homeless Concern (WLCHC) had a great party in 2010, is worth more than the weight of the beautiful gold links which now decorate my right hand.  Priceless! 

I included some photos with this post.  There are some photos of me wearing the ring, one of the store where my husband made the purchase, and one of two swans forming a heart that he took in London while waiting for the ring to be brought to Brook Street.  I also included a copy of a poem I wrote in 2010, celebrating Be the Light of the Party Foundation's first transatlantic event at WLCHC.  You can "click" on the photos to enlarge them.

Well, there you have it, the story of the ring!  I am now planning to visit England again for the first time since 1988.  My trip will most likely be near the end of 2012 or early in 2013.  I am looking forward to meeting all the wonderful people at Heel & Toe, Dandelion Time, WLCHC, and the British Stammering Association (BSA).  The BSA will be one of the dedicated charities for my next book.  And so the story continues .... 

The Ring

Today I give my ring to bind my heart,
A girl of eighteen
A grassy field in Ascot is my painter's palette
And the wind is my brush.
With a toss of my ring in the air
I paint love, eternity, and loyalty to this land.

Today I claim back my ring, to fulfill the promise.
The years have wrinkled my finger.
A city street in Chelsea, I am miles away and yet there
I am the white rose and the table is my canvas
It is colored with gold on chocolate and decadent buttercream cake
And I give my ring for the smiles of those in need.

Today I wear a new ring to remember.
It is bright gold with citrine and smoky quartz
It came from Brook Street, but now resides on my finger
Linked forever to the mural that decorates my heart.
It binds me to the girl on the grassy field in the land she loves
And to the forgotten, whose faces remain unpainted. 

 

Toe Jam Book Launch

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year! Hope you enjoyed the holidays. BounceU in Horsham hosted a special book launch for Toe Jam on Tuesday, December 20th. Children enjoyed "jamming" during Cosmic Bounce. Readings and signings were held throughout the night. My illustrator Carolyn Boscola and I had a great time. We received a fabulous response from all the kids. They loved Toe Jam and thought the story and illustrations were really funny. I had a photo taken with my special fan, Bronwen (see below). She remembered my visit and reading of Peacock Parade at her school and was excited to be a part of the Toe Jam reading and Cosmic Bounce. Thanks Bronwen and thanks to BounceU, Carolyn, and all the children and parents who attended the launch! A portion of the profits from the sale of Toe Jam benefits the children's charities Heel & Toe and Dandelion Time.