Rasberry Chocolate Kiss Martini is Perfect for Valentine's Day!

 

How delishious does this Martha Stewart Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Martini look?!

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Mint Infused Simple Syrup + a pinch more for the rim
3 Chocolate Chip Cookies finely Crushed
10 Raspberries
1/4 Cup Vodka
2 Tablespoons of Cranberry Juice
Ice Cubes
Directions:
Fill a shallow dish with enough simple syrup to just cover the bottom. Place crushed cookies into another shallow dish. Invert a martini glass into simple syrup and then immediately into crushed cookies to coat the rim of the glass.
Place raspberries in a cocktail shaker; crush with a muddler. Add simple syrup and muddle again. Add vodka and cranberry juice; fill shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain into prepared martini glass. Enjoy!

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VALENTINE DAY WHOOPIE PIE'S FROM ANNIE'S EATS!

 

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 oz. red food coloring

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Using a heart template cut out from card stock, trace evenly spaced hearts onto pieces of parchment paper sized to fit two cookie sheets.  Place the parchment on the cookie sheets so that the side you have drawn on is facing down; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated.  Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients.  Do not overbeat.  Blend in the food coloring.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.  Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the heart tracings as a guide. 

 

 Bake 7-9 minutes or until the tops are set, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack.  Repeat with any remaining batter.  Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.

Transfer the frosting to a clean pastry bag fitted with a plain, round tip.  Pair the cookies up by shape and size.  Flip one cookie of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.  Pipe frosting onto the flat-sided cookie of each pair, leaving the edges clear.  Sandwich the cookies together so the flat sides are facing each other and press gently to help the filling reach the edges.  To store, refrigerate in an airtight container. 

BORROWED FROM ANNIE'S EATS!

VISIT ANNIE'S EATS FOR MORE GREAT POSTS!

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WELCOME HOME SOLDIERS & THANK YOU!

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Keep the Holidays Simple and Remember the True Meaning of Christmas

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Annual Shabby Lane Shops Pumpkin Contest ~ Please Vote!

Just Click Button Below and Vote!

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Marshmallow Cream Filling

  Whoopie pies are soft, cake-like sandwich cookies with a creamy filling. These treats are from Portland, Maine's Two Fat Cats Bakery. 

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
• 2 teaspoons maple extract

CAKE

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preparation

FILLING

• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in
  
  large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add
  
  marshmallow creme and maple extract; beat until
  
  blended and smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 
  
  hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

CAKE

• Sift first 7 ingredients into large bowl. Using
  
  electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in
  
  another large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in
  
  oil. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between
  
  additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients in
  
  2 additions alternately with milk in 1 addition,
  
  beating to blend between additions and
  
  occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Cover 
  
  and chill batter 1 hour.
• 
  Arrange 1 rack in bottom third of oven and 1 rack
  
  in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2
  
  baking sheets with parchment; spray lightly with
  
  nonstick spray. Spoon batter onto baking sheet to
  
  form cakes (about 3 level tablespoons each; about
  
  12 per baking sheet), spacing apart. Let stand 10
  
  minutes.
• 
  
  Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers
  
  comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating
  
  sheets halfway through baking. Cool cakes
  
  completely on baking sheets on rack. Using metal
  
  spatula, remove cakes from parchment.
• 
  
  Line cooled baking sheets with clean parchment;
  
  spray with nonstick spray, and repeat baking with
  
  remaining batter.
• 
  
  Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling on flat side of 1
  
  cake. Top with another cake, flat side down.
  
  Repeat with remaining cakes and filling. DO 
  
  AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store in 
  
  single layer in airtight container at room 
  
  temperature.

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Vintage Inspired Pumpkins

 How about sprucing up your decorative pumpkins with some handmade silk rosettes, a vintage brooch, and a bird or two to give it some height?

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DIY Vintage Serving Tray

 Imagine serving your loved one in bed with this wonderful and easy-to-make serving tray.

Take a great old frame...

 

Some wallpaper too...

Get out some of these materials & start painting...

 

And add some fine touches like some glass-knob feet...


 

And there you have it! A Serving Tray to serve your loved one some tea on  Any Day!

Here's another great project with an old frame.   Use the same prepping procedure; just add caulk to the back.

 

Perfect for any shabby room in your home to keep your New Year organized and on the right track!

 

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Design Placement ~ Smaller Items In A Room Indicate the Character of the Occupant

 The personal touch...

  

is shown, or should be, in the smaller articles in the room,

  which by their choice and placement...

 ... indicate the character of the occupant.

Quote by: Frank A. Parsons

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Simple Ingredients, Great Taste ~ Italian Bruschetta Appetizer

What amazed me most about Italian Cooking when in Italy was its simplicity.  Only the freshest ingredients are used and very little ingredients to create the most incredibly tasting meals.  Now that late summer season is upon us a, here is a simple appetizer to serve guests with a glass or two of wine.

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• Crusty Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices -- 1 loaf
• Garlic, crushed -- 6 cloves
• Olive oil -- 1/3 cup
• Tomatoes, seeded and diced -- 6 or 7
• Salt and pepper -- to taste
• Fresh basil, shredded -- 1 bunch

Method

1. Prepare a grill with hot coals, or set an oven to broil. Grill or broil the bread slices until they are browned and crispy on each side.
2. Remove the bread from the grill or oven and rub each piece with the raw, crushed garlic cloves.Arrange the bread slices on a platter and brush each with some of the olive oil.
3. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the salt, pepper and any remaining olive oil.
4. Spoon some of the tomatoes over each slice of bread. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the bruschetta, sprinkle with the basil and serve immediately.

Variations

• If not serving the bruschetta immediately, serve the tomatoes in a separate bowl and let diners spoon them over the bread themselves.
• Use fresh oregano instead of basil if you like.
• Other possible bruschetta toppings: prosciutto, salami or other cured meats, bean spreads, fresh mozzarella,

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Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

Pasta con Broccoli di Rape e Salsicce  A terrific Sicilian Dish

½ pound sweet Italian sausage
2 pounds broccoli di rape
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound Pasta (Preferably Barilla)

¼ cup olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Grill or broil the sausage in advance. When cooked, slice it thin and set aside. Wash and drain the broccoli di rape and set it aside.

In a large pot, put 10 quarts of water to a boil, with 3 tablespoons of coarse salt added, and immediately start preparing the sauce. Add the pasta to the pot when the water boils and cook until al dente.

In a large, deep, heavy skillet with a fitted lid, heat the olive oil, add the garlic, and saute', uncovered, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli di rape, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper flakes, cover, and steam 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sausage. Add the butter and chicken stock, and cook over high heat, uncovered, about 3 minutes until the liquids are slightly reduced.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss gently. Sprinkle on half of the cheese, toss again, serve immediately, and distribute the remaining cheese over the pasta.

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Goodbye to Summer in the Northeast

 As I walk outside to my gardens in the morning with a light chill in the air...

I glance at  a vintage wash bowl delicately hand painted with shabby roses which sits atop a pedestal for birds to bathe. To my right a vintage tea cup atop a spindle for birds to feed....

 A statue of a boy seeking solace in the garden....

A statue of a woman worn by the winter's storms...

And the fountain with its over grown ivy...

And the Virgin Mary who watches over all....

And my eyes glance over  searching desperately for the last splash of color in my gardens... only to find the last touches of yellow...

And faded hydrangea that will make use for some wonderful autumn project...

And the bold red roses that will soon fade away only to be a memory until next Spring.

 

The realization that summer is over makes me feel melancholy knowing that all the blooms will be gone shortly...
 

And my private sanctuary will be soundless without the singing of birds who are all departing for the warmer climate down south...

And the squirrels are frantically gathering their nuts...

The realization that the cold is on its way as the cactus wither...



And the color palette will change to Autumn colors atop the many old oak trees which stand as tall as a fortress wall, as if protecting us from what's to come,  surrounding my entire property...

And I turn my back with acceptance....

accepting that the seasons must change and new birth will begin again.  Just as in life, time cannot stand still and change is part of life.

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Actress Kirstie Alley Selling The Perfect Shabby Chic Home

ISLEBORO, Maine -- Actress Kirstie Alley is selling her Maine vacation home on the island of Islesboro.The 3,140-square foot home was built on 16 acres of land in 1993. Alley bought it in 2003.The property is listed with Sotheby's International Realty for $2.35 million.

Alley's home is dominated by a country cottage decorating scheme overflowing with pale pinks, mint greens and floral fabrics. There are five bedrooms and 4½ baths.

From sheer lace white curtains, to floral and checkered fabrics...

With pale shades of color throughout and shabby chandeliers for a soft glow,

depression glass to accent the shelves and counters..

And vintage linens and throws throughout the bedrooms...

Ornamental antique frames as mirrors, hand painted porcelain china and vintage guest hand embroidered towels,

Hardwood floors throughout and galvanized pots dispersed here and there...

Reupholstered french provincial chairs by a cozy fire place...

Antique hand painted panels as a headboard...

With an inviting entrance of slate and stone walkway adorned with pots of geraniums...

And beds of perennials from stella doros to lillies...

With a porch and fireplace for evening gatherings by the lake...

Why sell when you have such a warm and cozy get-a-way decorated with such femininity and grace?

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