Mardi Gras ~ Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!

Mardi Gras ! ~ Let the Good Times Roll ~















We usually make Shrimp Gumbo for dinner on Mardi Gras ...





But it generally looks the same every year ~







So I thought I would share my Mardi Gras Cookies with you this year instead.





The cookie base is just a rolled sugar cookie dough, cut with cookie cutters (see below) and iced with an egg free Royal Icing, recommended to me by my friend Monique. It's wonderful to work with and tastes very good. Merci Monique!

I used edible gold dust to paint the cookies (I used the dust in its dry form, and mixed with liquid for more defined lines.) To mix the wet paint add either a few drops of vodka or clear vanilla to moisten it.

(The dust won't adhere with water, that's why some form of clear alcohol is necessary.)

The candy "jewels"edible ~ I've listed the source below.

The edible candy jewels, edible gold dust, gold dragees and transparent edible confetti (sprinkled on the platter) are all available from:

Fancy Flours










If you are interested in the cookie cutters, you can learn more & order them

by clicking the following links:

Fleur de Lis Copper Cookie Cutters and Crown Copper Cookie Cutter

If you celebrate Mardi Gras I hope you have a wonderful time ~

I'm envious as this is about as close to New Orleans that we'll get this year ...

Thank you for stopping by today!!

Mini Pies Baked in Canning Jars

This idea for baking individual pies in small canning jars has been in my "to make" file for at least two years. Today is the day!

I'm also participating in:

This week hosted by Lori of All That Splatters.

Please click the logo to learn more.













I first saw the idea on Lloyd & Lauren's blog, and if you do an internet search you can find several variations. I thought they would make perfect little Valentine's Day desserts.
















I made a few changes; rather than line the entire jar with pastry I made a cookie & nut bottom crust because I wanted a ratio of more fruit than dough ~ as the jars only hold 1/2 pint.



For the bottom crust I used crushed vanilla wafers mixed with ground toasted almonds and a little melted butter. I add a generous sprinkling of cinnamon to the mix (optional.) The food processor makes quick work of this step. (Crushed graham crackers or almost any type of crushed cookies, and any type of toasted ground nuts could be substituted.) I placed about 3 tablespoons of the mixture in the bottom of each jar then tamped it down firmly with the bottom of a small drinking glass and baked off for 5 minutes in a 375*(F) oven.

















Use any favorite pie filling ~ I took a shortcut this time and used THIS from Sur la Table. Although a little costly (one jar only makes 3 small pies), it is very good, not too sweet and not too tart.











Fill the fruit to 1/2 to 3/4-inch from the top of the jar and top with your favorite pastry dough. I cut the vent shape before placing the pastry on the jar, then "crimped" with the tines of a fork. Brush with an egg wash or heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar or sugar crystals if desired. Note: If you want to use the lid and band with the jar (for storage or portability reasons) you'll want to allow head room so place the pastry below the top of the jar. The filling and crust will expand a bit while baking, but will shrink back down as the jars cool.)

I experimented with small vent holes and large ~ and fork crimped, as well as folded and crimped crust.

I prefer the smaller size vent hole... but it's just a matter of personal preference.

The folded and finger-crimped crust stayed in place more securely than the fork crimped, and it didn't brown too quickly as the thinner fork crimped style did.

Place the jars on a silpat/silicone mat or parchment lined, shallow baking tray and bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling.

Serve warm or at room temperature... plain, with a dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Back to edit:

~CANNING JARS~

I've recieved several emails inquiring about the canning jars I used in for these mini-pies. If you have trouble finding them in your area they can be ordered from Amazon.com,

click the image to learn more:

I'm sending a big thank you to Lori at All That Splatters for hosting Saturday Blog Showcase this week.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Pasta with Walnut Sauce ~ Food For Thought

A Thousand Days in Venice

Welcome! This week I'm joining "food for thought ~ edible books"

Food for Thought

"In which we offer up a recipe in which somehow relates to a book we've read."

Please click logo above to learn more.

I chose A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena di Blasi

The author relates in voluptuous detail about her time in Venice ~ the sights, sounds, tastes and history of the city known as The Queen of the Adriatic in almost travelogue form.

Image by: 1001 Masquerade Masks (1001masquerademasks.com)

A food consultant, journalist and restaurant critic Ms. de Blasi conveys the story of her romance with a certain Italian banker who fell in love with her at first sight.

She eventually moves from St Louis, Missouri to marry him and settle in Italy.

While the story of their romance, marriage and periods of adjustment may be interesting... I was most captivated by her deep knowledge of the history, and her vivid descriptions of life in Venice.

I hardly had to look far for a recipe to tie-in with the book as the author shares a few at the end of the book.

This one is utterly delicious, rich & creamy elegant sauce with a very slight hint of sweet citrus in the background.

I've made it twice, once with homemade pasta (spaghetti a la guitarra/Chitarra) ~ "from the guitar", and the other time with store bought, dried Italian fettuccine. I think the fettuccine stood up to the stout sauce a little better than the finer homemade pasta.

Besides the pasta (homemade, or not) here are the ingredients needed for this lovely sauce:

Lightly toasted walnuts, olive oil, cream, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper and

a bit of slightly sweet wine. Fresh parsley, and finely grated orange zest. (My addition.)

I chose a local, Late Harvest Voignier. You can click the logo to learn more.

Marlena notes: " As divine as this sauce is, tossed with just-cooked pasta, it presents other delicious opportunities: Keep some in the refrigerator and place a spoonful over just-roasted chicken or pork; spread it on grilled bread and pass it along with cold white wine for an appetizer; enrich simple vegetable soups with a dollop, or try it as a condiment for steamed asparagus."

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you'll find it on my recipe blog... click HERE.

~*~*~*~*~

I receive many emails about some of the objects that I feature in my photos; whenever possible I will provide links to information about the items, please click the link(s) to learn more:

Copper Pepper Mill

Glass Cruet (similar, but not identical)

Fleur De Sel De Camargue French Sea Salt

Pillivuyt Round Eared dish (holding walnuts)

Round White Marble Cheese and Pastry Board

And the pasta maker ~

Of course you don't HAVE to make your own pasta for this recipe, and you don't need a pasta roller to make homemade pasta, but it is satisfying and rewarding to make your own ~ there is nothing the flavor and texture of homemade.


I use a pasta rolling machine similar to this one (this is a lighter weight version than my Italian one):

Pinzon Pasta Maker




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This is more similar to the one I use, it is a few dollars more than the lightweight version, but it receives much better reviews:





CucinaPro 150 Imperia Pasta Machine






Thank you for stopping by today!