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Wordless Wednesday-Christmas 2010

Making Tuesday Tasty-Ham And Cheese In Puff Pastry

I made this for our family Christmas Eve get together. It was simple, yummy, and very versatile. I used Black Forest ham, Provolone cheese, and spicy brown mustard. Here is the base recipe for you to make or adapt to your liking.

Ingredients

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

Giveaways!

I would love to win a Silhouette machine for the new year so I can have new ways to create gifts for my friends and family! Enter to win one at familylicious.com. Hurry to enter, ends January 2, 2011.



BusyMommy Media blog is giving away a Britax Frontier 85 car seat! Hurry ends January 10, 2011

Susan Heim On Parenting blog is giving away a Nook Color! Woot! Hurry and enter because it ends January 9, 2011.

Wordless Wednesday-December 26, 2006

Kaia Leilani was born at 8:13 a.m. on December 26, 2006. Happy Birthday week, baby girl!

Making Tuesday Tasty-Glazed Ham With Pineapple And Mustard

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for greasing pan
1 (8- to 10-pound) partially cooked smoked shank-end ham (preferably Cook's brand)
3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice (24 fl ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup Dijon mustard (7 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Garnish: sprigs of fresh thyme

preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Oil a large roasting pan.
If ham comes wrapped in plastic, rinse ham and pat dry. Cut away and discard any thick skin with a sharp paring knife, leaving a 1-inch band around shank end, then cut away all but about an 1/8-inch layer of fat where possible. Put ham, cut side down, in roasting pan. Pour 3/4 cup pineapple juice around ham and cover pan tightly with foil, then bake 1 hour.

While ham is baking, combine sugar and remaining 2 1/4 cups pineapple juice in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and gently boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 3/4 cup, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer pineapple syrup to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. Whisk in mustard, salt, and pepper, then pour 1/2 cup into a small bowl and stir in thyme. Reserve remaining mustard mixture for serving.

Discard foil from pan and brush ham with thyme mustard mixture, then bake, basting with pan juices occasionally, until thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 145 to 150°F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If pan juices evaporate during baking, add 1/2 cup water. Transfer ham to a platter, discarding pan juices, and let stand, uncovered, 15 to 30 minutes before slicing. Serve ham with reserved mustard mixture on the side.


*recipe courtesy of epicurious.com*

Giveaways!

Mommy Mandy and Rice Krispies is giving away $100 VISA gift card to one lucky winner! Hurry ends December 21, 2010.

Wordless Wednesday-Christmas 2009

Making Tuesday Tasty-Holiday Spice Cake

I usually don't go for Paula Deen's recipes because they're so rich but, I love a good spice cake and it seems to be perfect for this season! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cake:
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Quick Butter Cream, recipe follows
Finely chopped nuts, for garnish
Cocoa powder, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves.

Cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with the dry.

When the batter is well mixed and smooth, divide it amongst the 3 prepared cake pans and bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely. If the cake layers have domed a little during the baking process, slice off the tops with a long serrated knife so they are flat and even.

Place the first layer, cut side down, on a cake pedestal or serving plate. Spoon about 3/4 cup of butter cream onto the center of the cake. Spread it almost to the very edges with an offset spatula. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Garnish the top of the cake with finely chopped nuts and cocoa powder.

Quick Butter Cream:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
Pinch salt
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

Beat the butter, shortening and salt together until creamy with an electric mixer. Add half the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Combine the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Gradually beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar alternating with the cream mixture until it is all incorporated and the frosting is very light and fluffy.

Giveaways!

Flying Giggles And Lollipops blog is giving away a $500 gc to Kmart and participating sister stores!! Hurry, ends Dec 17, 2010.

Chic Shopper Chick is giving away a Helzberg diamonds package that includes a beautiful diamond knot necklace and pearl earrings!!! Hurry, it ends Dec 15, 2010

"Deal"icious Mom is working with Liquid Plummr to give away an Xbox 360, Rock Band, and a Kinect!!! Woo hoo. Hurry, ends December 16th, 2010

Cocktails With Mom is giving away a Dora the Explorer Talking digital camera! Hurry ends Dec 17, 2010.

The Gift Guide Girls are hosting a CBS giveaway that includes over $1000 in prizes!! woot. Hurry ends December 23, 2010.

Wordless Wednesday-3D At 26 Weeks

Making Tuesday Tasty-Eggnog Cookies

I'm always looking for a great recipe to use eggnog in since my whole family loves it! These got great reviews!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.

*recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com*

Such A Beautiful Christmas Song

Giveaways!

Abby Approved is giving away a pair of Umi shoes for little ones!-Hurry ends 12/15/10

I entered to win a $300 gift card from Dear Crissy & Bare Necessities! I want to win this to start off the new year right! I could really use a new swim suit for the hot AZ Summer too.

Flying Giggles and Lollipops is giving away a $500 gift card to Sears and Co!!!! Hurry and enter ends December 17, 2010.

Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy blog is teaming up with Lysol to give away an American Express gift card $100!!! Hurry, ends Dec 13, 2010.

Winter Jackets Anyone?

Living in the Phoenix metro area has made my "blood thin" as I would say. I'm so used to having Summer for around 7 months out of the year, that I hardly ever think about when the weather gets cooler. I get so excited about it though, that I forget that the desert gets pretty cold at night.

A couple of months ago, we moved into a new house and I got rid of a lot of clothing including my only winter jacket. It was old and I decided I would buy a new one. Well, I haven't bought one yet. I've been looking at a number of different styles and colors. Not sure what I want to buy in particular. I do like these north face jackets, they're insulated and have a slicker type outer layer for moisture and wind. I also like their color choices and styles.

I also noticed their jacket styles for men and children as well. My daughter of course has already grown out of her jacket from last year and we want to drive up north to see the snow. Yes, we have to drive to see snow, ha ha. I guess I need to get busy shopping!