Today I am entering my very first foodie blog event - the Master Bake challenge. This is an event created by Nikki and this is the first month of the challenge. I am looking forward to meeting other food bloggers and see what they create.

This months ingredient is cinnamon. Deciding to do this the night before I leave town I had to create something using what I had in my pantry last night as the deadline is fast approaching. The recipe I came up with is a combination using a brownie from Nigella Lawson and a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from Emeril.

The brownie is a dense chocolate but a bit thinner than I expected. The Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is very good but I should have made it a bit thicker. Either way, I still think these will get eaten up quickly.

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Even though I love to cook, being single doesn’t always inspire you to run home and whip up dinner. I am sure many working women, single or married, don’t always feel like cooking at the end of the day. That is why everyone needs a few super easy meals that can be quickly put together.

Balsamic Raspberry Chicken is one of mine. The sweet and sour fruity sauce complements the grilled chicken. I have served it for large parties and for a party of one, like tonight. It is also a hit with children, as my niece and nephews have enjoyed this several times.

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Every year I get together with a group of friends to watch the Academy Awards.  I don’t think I have missed a year since I was a child.  My family loves movies and the awards shows are always entertaining.  My friend Carol and I have thrown several large parties over the years but this year we were in the mood for a smaller, lower key event. 

Still, the Oscars call for something special, so I decided to try Beef Bourguignon from Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen cookbook.  Even though the recipe looks daunting once you get it going it cooks on the stove for almost 2 hours.  I wanted something I didn’t have to babysit once the show was underway. 

My pictures were taken quickly during commercial breaks so I apologize in advance.  I served this with mashed potatoes and a Lemon Parmesan Arugula salad.  I’ll share that recipe with you later this week.  

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When I was little we would go to this breakfast place where I discovered German Pancakes. They are puffy, light pancakes reminiscent of popovers, another childhood favorite. You had to wait, as they are made to order, and out would come this giant, golden brown delight!

The great thing is most of the items you have in pantry and you can top with your favorite fruits or whatever you have in the kitchen.

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I needed a quick dessert to bring for a meeting. I had some cream cheese in the frig so I decided to try these. I just bought a new to me cookbook, Gale Gand’s Chocolate and Vanilla Cookbook. They are easy to make.

The recipe is from Gale Gand’s Chocolate & Vanilla Cookbook.

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I am excited to share this recipe with you. About a year ago, my cousin and fellow foodie, Cassie, went to Pizzeria Mozza to check out Nancy Silverton’s newest restaurant. The restaurant is in Los Angeles and is a collaboration between Nancy and Mario Batali. I’ll tell you more about the restaurant another day. I have been back several times since and each time my friends and I take a bite of the the Winter Caprese Salad, we ooh and ah.

Burrata cheese means “buttered” in Italian. It is made of mozzarella and cheese…no wonder everyone loves it.

The salad is a flavor packed mixture of burrata cheese topped with a layer of pesto, topped with slow roasted cherry tomatoes. I used olive oil from Podere Pornanino, a family run extra virgin olive estate in Chianti. This summer I visited the estate and we had a private tour with the owner and his son. If you are ever there go visit.

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At my local farmers market this weekend almost every stand featured Meyer Lemons. I bought a bag with plans to use them in several recipes. Meyer Lemons are sweet lemons that are thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.

One of the ways I love to use them is in a Lemon Risotto. It is the mix of lemons, parmesan cheese and the fresh herbs that make it a great dish served with a salad or as a side to grilled chicken or beef. Last night I was teaching a cooking class and made it to serve with Bistecca di Fiorentina.

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Today I made my favorite soup. It is Ina Garten’s Roasted Tomato Soup. I love it because it is bursting with flavor and is earthy and very rustic. The Goat Cheese Biscuits I talked about earlier would be a great side to this soup.

While it might take a while, most of it waiting for the tomatoes to roast, it is worth the effort.

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When I tasted these goat cheese biscuits I knew I had to find the recipe to share them with you. Recently on a visit to Chicago, I visited Table Fifty-Two, a new restaurant opened by Art Smith, Oprah’s chef. You know the power of the O when you try to make a reservation and they tell you they book 60 to 90 days out. I, only 30 days out, settled for lunch.

The day we were to go was a wet, snowy day and so when they opened the doors at 11:30 everyone piled in at once. It was much smaller than I expected. No wonder it is so hard to get into!

It is in an old carriage house and very small, seating only 36. The décor is very warm and inviting. They serve local, organic ingredients.

While we were reviewing the menu, the waiter brought out these biscuits served in the cast iron skillet straight out of the oven. They melted in my mouth. What would be next?

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For my first post I thought it was fitting to make the recipe that introduced me to the world of food blogs. After Sprinkles came to Orange County I went on a mission to find the recipe for my favorite cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes. I knew Magnolia Bakery had one so I googled it and found Nosh With Me, where Hillary, an LA blogger had the recipe. I started reading her blog, following links to others and became inspired to try it myself.
I hope you enjoy!

Back to the cupcakes. I remember as a little girl growing up, my family doctor and a deacon at my church, would bring Red Velvet Cake to potlucks. I was fascinated with the deep red color and the great taste. Somehow it took me years, more than we will mention here, to try it.

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