Peach Bourbon Cake

I found this recipe here http://peacefulcooking.blogspot.com/2010/09/peach-upside-down-rum-cake.html
I purchased some beautiful peaches at the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and I just knew I had to make this cake. I had a little bit of bourbon left from another recipe and really didn't feel like buying a bottle of rum just for this cake so I used that instead. It was delicious. I served it warm with vanilla ice cream. The bourbon wasn't overwhelming at all and the peaches were so amazing juicy and sweet. Try it, I know you won't be disappointed.

Pumpkin Maple Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkins! Yay! Trader Joes has pumpkins now and I was so excited I had to stop myself from buying more than 3. Aren't they cute?



I found this recipe here http://www.theungourmet.com/2010/09/pumpkin-and-maple-baked-oatmeal.html
She has a great blog and her recipes are always delicious. I hope you give it a try. This can be made the night before and then baked in the oven the next day. Fast breakfast in the morning is always appreciated on work days.
Blopper: I forgot to add the maple syrup when I made it so I poured it on top after it was done baking....it turned out really yummy. I love it when a mistake turns out ok. Saves me from eating something I don't like cause I can't stand to throw food away.

Letters to Juliet

I just finished watching Letters to Juliet and even though I had a food post planned the romance of the movie diverted my attention to love. Do you ever watch a movie full of romance, love, affection and hope that it almost makes you a little sad? You let a few tears slip as you watch the final kiss of the movie and imagine them living happily ever after, all the while feeling a little wistful for such an experience. The idea of such passion and overwhelming infatuation that the characters in the movie are so moved by one another that they are willing to give up everything just to be together. Does that ever really happen? Oh I'm sure there is the is the occasional truth to some of these stories but in reality our busy, distracted lives don't lend to such dramatic expressions of adoration.
Do men as well as women truly offer each other grand displays of affection anymore? Do we make ourselves vulnerable to each other and really tell how much we are in love and how desperately we need each other? Don't get me wrong, I'm truly happy and content in my marriage (honey, if you are reading this, it's time to send me some flowers at work, LOL) but after watching the movie I found myself craving some romance. Craving the butterflies in my stomach, tingling in my toes and flush of excitement you feel on your first date, first kiss, proposal of marriage and of course, wedding day.
So in attempt to remind myself to step out of my comfort (or maybe lazy) zone, I'm going to add a little romance. They say the French and Italians are experts at love and if the movie is any indication then maybe I'll take a little motivation from them and of course some advice from you...my Blog Friends.
What do you do to keep the romance alive? Or better yet, what would give you that "I've been swept off my feet" feeling?

Blogger Secret Santa

Such a cool idea, check out the link to the Secret Santa Gift Exchange on the right of my blog.

Barley Bros Brewery- Lake Havasu

We went to Barley Bros Brewery to watch the Saint vs 49ers game- Go Saints! They brew their own beer and it's really good.

It's located right next to the London Bridge.

Potato Chips- yum!

Sliders with fries- just ok.

Wings with spicy sauce- yum!

Derby Pie- unbelievably delicious. As our waiter called it "life changing." I would go back to Havasu just to have this pie.

Lake Havasu, AZ

The London Bridge found a home in Lake Havasu, AZ. Weird but cool. This was our view from our hotel balcony.

We stayed at the Heat Hotel. Great view, great whirpool bathtub, great bed; however needs some maintenance. The carpet, walls, and furniture have taken quite a beating and need to be replaced. I'm sure it's from all the crazy Cali Spring Breakers. Oh and the front desk people (all who seemed to be teenagers) were really unhelpful. I got a lot of blank looks and "I don't knows" when I had questions. Overall though, I would stay there again.

The Heat Hotel patio bar. My first of many caloric cocktails, a pina colada. If calories don't count when you are on vacation then why did I come back with pants that are too tight? LOL

My favorite Havasu restaurant- Taco Hacienda. It's super casual, the staff is always friendly and it's cheap. Be prepared for lots of salt, tons of cheese and nary a veggie in sight.

I always get the Mexican Pizza without onions. If you're really hoping for a mild coronary, try the chimichanga.

I have family in Havasu so I make the trip at least once a year, but this is the first time the hubby and I stayed in a hotel. We were craving a little luxury after some tough work weeks. It was so worth it. We met up with family for lunches or dinners and the rest of the time was ours.

Have you ever been to Lake Havasu? Is there some place you visit annually?

Frozen Yogurt & Sausage with Lentils

We have a new Yogurt Shop in town called Wild Cherry so I had to share it with you. It's so yummy.

This is a recipe I adapted from http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/

Check out her blog when you get a chance.

This is my version of her Rice and Red Lentil Pilaf. I added Jalapeno Chicken Sausage and ready cooked lentils from Trader Joes. This was the first time I've used tumeric as a spice and I loved it.

Do you have any blogs you cook from? I'm always looking for good recipes.

Starbucks Oatmeal Cookies

I'm always on the hunt for a fabulous cookie recipe and this one is a winner. I think it was last year that Starbucks was giving away recipe cards for their bakery items. I found this in my recipe folder and decided it was time to try it. Verdict- so delicious and will make a perfect addition to the Christmas cookie list. Yes, I'm already thinking about Christmas. LOL The cookie has dried cranberries and raisins so I like to think they are healthy enough to have more than one each day.

You can find the recipe here;

http://www.food.com/recipe/starbucks-outrageous-oatmeal-cookies-383224

Apple Bread French Toast

I decided it was time to break out the bread machine. Something about the cooler Fall temperature had me craving homemade bread. I don't have the patience to make it by hand so I throw all the ingredients in the bread machine and it does all the hard work for me. I put this together Friday night and then woke up Saturday morning to Apple Bread. YUM! Actually, I woke up at 2am smelling wonderful delicious bread but restrained myself from getting out of bed and devouring the entire loaf. Instead, I waited until a decent morning hour and decided it would be perfect for french toast. It was total bliss. As was the nap I took after eating 4 slices with whipped cream.

What are you craving now that Fall is almost here?

Egg Casserole

This is a great brunch or even dinner dish that can be made quickly and for a lot of people.

I served it with avocados, salsa, tortilla chips and sprinkled with queso fresco.

Ingredients:

9 eggs

3 TB melted unsalted butter

1/2 Sour Cream

1/2 Cup Milk

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 C chopped green onions

1 C grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese

Queso Fresco for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 deg. In a large bowl combine eggs, butter, sour cream, milk, salt and green onions. Mix well and pour into a greased casserole dish. My dish was 8 x 11. Bake for 25 minutes and then top with cheese and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with queso fresco and Enjoy!

Recipe blooper- I didn't read the directions thoroughly and put the cheese in the egg mixture before baking. It was still really yummy but didn't have the nice cheesy crust.

Sugar Cookies

Since summer is coming to an end, I was craving brightly colored, sunny and fun sugar cookies. I decided to spend a day baking and decorating for surprise treats to give to my family and friends. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait for Fall. I love love love pumpkin. But there is something about the bright pinks, yellow, and blues that I'll miss about summer.
Below is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever made. It turns out perfect every time I use it.

Sugar Cookies

Cream together:
1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Once the mixture is light and fluffy beat in 1 Egg. It's best of the egg is room temperature. Then add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl combine:
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
Chill the dough at least 1-2 hours before rolling out. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until cookies are lightly golden around the bottom edges.

Bon Ami- Isn't the Label Cute?

I wanted to share this product with you. I wasn't asked to do so by the company but felt compelled to because it's great and won't scratch your pans or dishes. Plus, the label is too cute and it's an eco friendly product. I've used it for many years. My only complaint- it's hard to find. I can find it at one grocery store near me and that's it. Hopefully, more stores will start to carry it. If you try it out left me know. Or if there are any other eco friendly products that you use and would like to share, please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail. I'm always up for trying something new.

Labor Day Eats

Cranberry Orange Scones by the Barefoot Contessa. I made these for brunch before we headed to the beach. The scones are flaky, buttery and delicious. I've made them several times and they are always a hit. Especially with a little lemon curd (which you can get at Trader Joes).

Fruit Salad. I will miss summery strawberries but I'm excited for pumpkin.

Chocolate Cake. It's a bakery cake our friends brought over for after dinner. I may have had 2 slices- YUM!

Noodle Kugel. Yes, that's what it is called. LOL I saw the Barefoot Contessa make it and knew I had to try it. Unfortunately, it was not a crowd pleaser. Something about raisins, cinnamon and pasta all together was not the best combo. Oh well. At least I tried.

The grocery store was out of ham. Well, except for the kind in the tin can which EWWWW, I refuse to buy that. So, I settled for pork shoulder. Can you say salty? I will definitely do the water bath, rinse all the salt off before you cook it, next time.

My Honey made ham and bean soup with the leftovers. It was delicious. It was so fun sharing the kitchen with him. Now we have soup for lunch for the week. Oh and some cookies, which I'll be sharing in another post.

How was your Labor Day?

Isn't a 3-Day weekend a wonderful thing?