Your Pita is showin'.

T// Pita-Flatbread Appetizers

In an attempt to throw together an appetizer for a meal with the chicken already half-roasted in the oven, I twice halved pitas into substitute flatbread for my flatbread apps, shown in my 2009 summer BBQ meal post. The flatbread is usually brushed lightly with EVOO, but I used garlic spread on these pita-flatbreads and it made a huge difference. Includes the typical herbs and cheeses, with fresh button mushrooms and vine ripe tomatoes of my flatbread apps. They came out of the oven crispy, garlicy, and yummy. Love it. Definitely on the Repeat Menu.

It-sa Me-a .. Tiramisu!

T// Bailey's Irish Cream Mocha Tiramisu Cake

My first attempt at Tiramisu! I debated between doing a whole cake and doing individual servings in little cups and ended up obviously, with the cake, just because it's more practical for storage.. and quicker. =) Instead of lady fingers soaked in a liqueur and coffee, I made a moist chocolate cake and soaked it in 2 shots of expresso and Bailey's Irish Cream. (smiles x2 [I'm a coffee junkie]) The cake filling is the traditional Italian marscapone, egg yolks, and sugar. I frosted the cake with homemade whipped cream strongly spiked with Bailey's, finishing everything off with lots of cocao powder, dark chocolate shavings, and chocolate truffle shavings and served it a little bit of chocolate sauce. =) Bon Appetit-o?

Kum-quat? Kum-Again!

T// Kumquat Glass Custard Tarts

Kumquat glass after over an hour in the oven..

Custard Tarts before going into the oven


Final Result: Kumquat Glass Custard Tarts sprinkled with icing sugar
Delicious eggy-creamy-citrusy goodness. =)

Kh-uhm-kw-ahwt. Kumquat.

T// Candied Kumquat Tarts Served with sprinkled Icing Sugar

These were delish. Crispy and flaky crusts with savoury sweet and just-the-right-amount-of-bitter from the rind of the candied kumquats.

Delicious Tuesday Roast!

J// S&P and Fennel Crusted Prime Rib Roast



Ground rock salt, pepper corns, and fennel seeds.



Salt, Pepper, and Fennel Crusted Prime Rib Roast.



Delicious Crusted Prime Rib Roast on a bed of Roasted Veggies that were cooked under the Roast, picking up all that deliciousness.

Grandma Got Runover By a Reindeer!

T// Christmas Sugar Cookies with Homemade Royal Icing!

My first Christmas Sugar Cookies! Slaved all day baking and trying to cut out shapes with a steak knife, so is the life of the baker with no cookie cutters. Ended up with whimsical triangles decorated with icing as Christmas trees, actual Christmas tree shapes, candy canes, and one star/snowflake. The icing process was definitely the highlight. Had an afternoon bake-off with my momtoday; we made a combined total of 4 types of cookies, 6-7 batches total.

It's that time of the year.... PEANUT BUTTER WALNUT TIME!! (again)

T// Walnut Peanut Butter Cookies Part II

So I decided to dedicate the day to baking and settled on my good ol' walnut peanut butter cookies once again and something a little festive (see next post). I'm one of those people who get giddy-like-a-kiddy around Christmas time, so tying those little bows on my cookies at the end, reminiscent of gift-giving, made my tiring day slaving over my kitchenaid and the oven worth it. =)