Tasty Thursdays: Watermelon Magarita

How was your 4th of July? I spent mine with my boyfriend's family watching the fireworks from a VIP area at the Hudson River Park. I usually just spend this day at home with my family as we watch it on TV, but it was a nice change, especially since we live so close to where the Macy's fireworks are. There were definitely some beautiful displays.

Anyway -- I love watching The Chew whenever I'm home at the time -- they make such amazing meals & drinks. I was browsing through their website for the Pimm's Cup recipe, in honor of Wimbledon, but this Watermelon Margarita caught my eye -- looks so much more tastier! The following recipes serves 1.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces pueblo viejo blanco tequila (or any tequila)
• 2 ounces of watermelon puree
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup (if possible infuse with tajin)
• Watermelon spheres for garnish

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Tasty Thursdays: Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

My cousin sent me this recipe which she found on MyRecipes and it just sounds & looks absolutely delish! The following recipes makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 2 teaspoons canola oil 
• 12 ounces chicken breast tenders 
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1) 
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) 
• 1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces) 
• 1/2 cup green salsa
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided 
• 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas 
• Cooking spray 
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
3. Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro.

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Tasty Thursdays: Bare Fruit Snacks

For this week's Tasty Thursdays, I've been sent these delicious Bare Fruit Snacks - Cinnamon Apple Chips -- to review. They're all 100% organic, low in calorie, gluten & dairy free, fat free, and high in fiber. There isn't any added sugar, preservatives, or additives.

They had just the right amount of crunch and they're definitely a healthier alternative than the junk food I usually munch on, lol. I do wish they had more of a cinnamon flavor; I only tasted it slightly. Otherwise, these tasted great!

 

Missed yesterday's post? Read about how I spent my weekend cleaning up beaches in NYC with Surfrider & Barefoot Wine then celebrated with music artist, Joshua Radin! Click here :)

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Tasty Thursdays: Pomegranate Martini

Continuing with my cocktail calendar, here's June's recipe for a Pomegranate Martini. Cheers!

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz orange liqueur
• 3 oz pomegranate juice
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, for garnish
• lemon slice, for garnish
• sugar, for garnish

Directions: 

Wet the rum of the martini glass and garnish with sugar. Pour the remaining ingredients into shaker filled with ice. Shake well, pour into martini glass. Squeeze a couple of drops from the lemon slice into the glass, then garnish the side of the cocktail glass with the slice of lemon.

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Tasty Thursdays: Goya Fiesta

Instead of a recipe this week, I thought it would be the perfect day to share my personal review of Goya's Fiesta Baked Beans that they recently sent me to do so. These delicious new flavors still include original and vegetarian but there are now jalapeño and chipotle flavored beans. They have such rich, robust flavors with a Latin flair.

The original beans are mixed with savory pork, onions, mustard & spices then baked with sweet molasses and brown sugar. The vegetarian ones are baked in a hearty, sweet-and-savory tomato sauce with brown sugar, garlic, and spices.

The jalapeño one is black beans in a mild jalapeño sauce blended with sweet red bell peppers, tender corn, oregano, and other Latin spices (which was my favorite; I really loved the blend of flavors). The chipotle is red kidney beans in a savory tomato sauce with spicy chipotle peppers and sweet brown sugar (though, for me, it was more sweet than spicy but still tasted amazingly).

I haven't had a chance to try to quinua seeds just yet - still searching for a good recipe to use them for. Any one have any suggestions?

P.S. Today's my college graduation day! Whooo! :)

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Tasty Thursdays: Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

 

With my busy schedule, I haven't had much time to do anything but work and sleep -- which is why I love fast, easy recipes that are not only tasty but healthy! This recipe for this amazing Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese was found on MyRecipes and serves 6.

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
• 1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula 
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 
• 1/4 cup prechopped red onion 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions: 

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

What are your go-to quick meals?

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Tasty Thursdays: Tequila-Lime Mahimahi Tacos

 

Continuing on my wanderlust daydream to somewhere tropical, here is a recipe I found on Self for these yummy tequila-lime mahimahi tacos. The following recipe serves 4. 

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 3 tablespoons tequila
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb mahimahi
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 2 3/4 teaspoons tsp honey, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons 2 percent milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tsp finely grated lime zest
• 8 corn tortillas (6 inches each)
• 1/2 firm-ripe avocado, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, quartered

Directions:
In a resealable plastic bag, combine 3 tbsp lime juice, tequila, 1 tbsp cilantro, garlic and cumin. Add fish, seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate, turning once, 1 hour. In a bowl, combine vinegar, oil, 2 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add cabbage; toss well. In another bowl, combine sour cream, milk, zest, remaining 1 tbsp juice, remaining 3/4 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat grill. Remove fish from marinade; season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper. Grill, turning once, until just cooked through and lightly charred, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board; coarsely chop. Stir remaining 2 tbsp cilantro into slaw. Grill tortillas, turning once, 30 seconds per side. To assemble, spoon 1 tbsp sour cream mixture in center of each tortilla. Divide fish, slaw and avocado among tortillas. Garnish with lime wedges.

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Tasty Thursdays: Peach Martini

 

This month's cocktail from my drinks calendar is the peach martini - yum!

Ingredients:
3oz peach vodka

1/2 oz triple sec

Directions:
Pour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake well, and pour into a martini glass!

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Tasty Thursdays: Super Nachos

 

In honor of Cinco de Mayo this upcoming weekend, here is a recipe for super nachos by Rachel Ray. 

Ingredients:

• 2 bags corn tortilla chips in 2 colors or different flavors, such as blue corn, red corn, yellow corn, lime flavored, chili flavored or black bean chips -- pick 2 favorites

Pico de Gallo Salsa:

• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, for medium to hot heat level
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup, 2 handfuls, cilantro leaves, finely chopped -- substitute parsley if cilantro is not to your liking
• Salt

Beef and Beans Topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder
• 1 1/2 ground cumin, half a palmful
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce, giving you medium to hot heat level
• 1 can black beans, 15 ounces, drained

Cheese Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups

Additional toppings to choose from, optional:

• Sour cream
• Chopped scallions
• Chopped black olives
• Diced pimento
• Sliced avocado, dressed with lemon juice
• Hot pepper sauces

Directions:

Arrange a mixture of 2 varieties of corn chips on a very large platter or use your broiler pan as a platter.

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside for flavors to marry.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble with wooden spoon. Season meat with salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce. Cook meat 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.

In a medium sauce pot, melt butter and add flour to it. Cook flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk. When milk comes to a bubble, stir in cheese with a wooden spoon. Remove cheese sauce from the heat.

Pour cheese sauce evenly over the massive spread of chips and top evenly with beef and beans and the pico de gallo. Serve immediately as is or, garnish with your choice of extra toppings from the toppings list.

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Tasty Thursdays: Cherry Baby Cakes

Inspired by a super cute candle from Pookaberrys Candle Bakery that I received from Cameo PR's press preview (which I will post at a later date), I decided to make this Tasty Thursdays recipe about Cherry Baby Cakes. I found this recipe on Better Homes and Garden. This makes about 30 small cakes.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2/3 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup butter, softened 
• 1 egg 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 2/3 cup cherry marmalade or cherry preserves, large pieces snipped if necessary 
• 30 maraschino cherries with stems, drained 
• powdered sugar icing

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line thirty 1-3/4-inch muffin cups with miniature paper bake cups;* set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon of batter into each muffin cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cherry marmalade and top with 1/2 teaspoon additional batter.
3. Bake cupcakes about 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
4. Pat cherries dry with clean paper toweling. Frost each cupcake with about 1/2 teaspoon icing. Dip half of each cherry into remaining icing; place on top of baby cakes. Makes about 30 small cakes.

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Tasty Thursdays: Tiramisu Parfait

I was first searching for a berry parfait - so perfect for summertime, and found this recipe from Taste of Home for a Tiramisu parfait instead. Looks pretty easy to make and looks so tasty! The following recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 4-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 2 cups cold fat-free milk
• 2 packages (1 ounce each) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• 1 package (3 ounces) ladyfingers, split and cubed
• 2 cups fat-free whipped topping
• 2 tablespoons miniature chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon baking cocoa

Directions:
Dissolve coffee in boiling water; cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually fold in pudding.

Place ladyfinger cubes in a bowl; add coffee; toss to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Divide half of the ladyfinger cubes among six parfait glasses or serving dishes. Top with half of the pudding mixture, 1 cup whipped topping and 1 tablespoon chocolate chips. Repeat layers.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Just before serving, dust with cocoa.

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Tasty Thursdays: Perfect Cosmopolitan

Continuing with drink recipes from my calendar, April's drink is the Perfect Cosmopolitan!

Ingredients:
1 oz triple sec
2 oz vodka
juice of 1/2 lime
splash of cranberry juice

Directions:
Pour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake well, pour into martini glass.

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Tasty Thursdays: Apricot-Anise Tarts

Browsing around, looking for some a great Easter treat to share, I stumbled onto this recipe for Apricot-Anise Tarts on Epicurious. It looks so good! The following recipe makes two 10" tarts.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried California apricots (9 ounces)
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, divided

Master Sweet Dough
1 1/2 teaspoons whole aniseed
1 large egg
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
1 cup chilled heavy cream

Directions:
Combine apricots and 2 cups water in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring and mashing apricots occasionally, until fruit is very soft and broken down and most of liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar; stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in preserves and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Follow directions for Master Sweet Dough, adding aniseed as directed.

Punch down dough; divide in half. Place half of dough in the center of a 12"-square piece of parchment paper. Using your fingertips, shape dough into a 9" round. Slide dough on parchment paper onto one end of a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough on another piece of parchment; transfer to other end of baking sheet. Divide apricot mixture between rounds, leaving a 3/4" plain border.

Loosely cover tarts with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffed but not doubled in size, 45–50 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Beat egg with 2 teaspoons warm water in a small bowl.

Brush border of dough with egg wash. Bake tarts until crusts are golden, 25–30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. DO AHEAD: Tarts can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool completely. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, freeze in a resealable freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw before reheating.

Dust hot tarts with powdered sugar. Let cool slightly. Using an electric mixer, beat cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature with almond whipped cream.

What do you usually eat/serve on Easter?

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Tasty Thursdays: Lumpia

Last weekend, I went to this Filipino restaurant, Payag, to see my friend Johnny's cousin, John Pio perform along with Rae Ann. My family is from the Philippines so it was nice being around familiar surroundings. And let me tell you, John Pio & Rae Ann are absolutely amazing. They covered great artists like Bruno Mars, Adele, Michael Jackson and tossed in a couple of oldies as well as modern hits.
I went with my boyfriend Andres and we enjoyed the night with my friend Johnny. We listened to great music, had some good food, and did some catching up! Anyway, John Pio has a new single and below is the official music video. (It's in Tagalog).
A popular Filipino dish is lumpia. The ingredients can change depending on what you like in it, but here's this recipe from AllRecipes that includes the usual ingredients. (I like to have a little potato in there too).

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Ingredients:

• 1 lumpia wrappers
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 quart oil for frying

Directions:
1. Make sure the lumpia wrappers are completely thawed. Lay several out on a clean dry surface and cover with a damp towel. The wrappers are very thin and the edges will dry out quickly.

2. In a medium bowl, blend together the ground beef and pork, onion, green pepper and carrot. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture along the center of the wrapper. The filling should be no bigger around than your thumb or the wrapper will burn before the meat is cooked. Fold one edge of the wrapper over to the other. Fold the outer edges in slightly, then continue to roll into a cylinder. Wet your finger, and moisten the edge to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, keeping finished lumpias covered to prevent drying.

3. Heat oil in a 9 inch skillet at medium to medium high heat until oil is 365 to 375 degrees F (170 to 175 degrees C) Fry 3-4 lumpia at a time. It should only take about 2-3 minutes for each side. The lumpia will be nicely browned when done. Drain on paper towels.

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P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a 50ml bottle of Ageless by Harvey Prince! I'll be picking 7 lucky winners! :)

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Tasty Thursdays: Fettucine with Shrimp

I haven't posted a pasta dish in awhile, and I spotted this on Self. It looks so delicious! The following recipes serves 4.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano)
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated reduced-fat Parmesan
• 8 oz whole grain fettuccine, cooked

Directions:
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic, stirring, until onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine 1/4 cup water with wine, basil, bouillon, cornstarch and oregano in a bowl. Add tomatoes and shrimp to skillet. Cook until shrimp begins to turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in wine mixture. Cover; simmer until shrimp is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in parsley, cheese and pasta.
Divide among 4 plates; serve immediately.

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Tasty Thursdays: Irish Martini

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Continuing with the recipes from my monthly calendar, March's featured drink is the Irish Martini -- just in time for St. Patrick's Day!

Ingredients:

• 3 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz Irish whiskey

Directions:
Pour the Irish whiskey into a chilled cocktail glass. Swirl around the glass in order to coat; drain excess. Pour the vodka and vermouth into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon and serve.

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Tasty Thursdays: Aïoli Sauce

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One of my favorite sauces is aïoli - when made right, it has an amazing blend of seasoning and spices & a heavenly flavor. I've always had it pre-made but out of curiousity, I browsed online for recipes to make my own. I found one on Epicurious, and the following recipe makes 1/2 cup.

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife. Whisk together yolk, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl. Combine oils and add, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. (If mixture separates, stop adding oil and continue whisking until mixture comes together, then resume adding oil.)

Whisk in garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. If aïoli is too thick, whisk in 1 or 2 drops of water. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

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Seems pretty easy to make -- I definitely hope to try this recipe for myself in the future!

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Tasty Thursdays: Banana Tropical Drink

As I look forward to spring/summer weather, I've been craving tropical drinks. Found this lovely recipe for the Banana Tropical on Drinks Mixer, and not only does it sound heavenly, but so easy to make! (This recipe serves 1).

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 25g yogurt
2 dl pineapple juice

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for 3 minutes. If the mix isn't liquid enough (depends on the banana), add another shot of pineapple juice. Decorate with a piece of the banana and a piece of a pineapple.

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Tasty Thursdays: Red Velvet Cake

[image source]

Red velvet cake was perfect for Valentine's Day -- but tasty all year round! Still can't get enough :) This particular recipe is from the New York Times.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• Butter for greasing pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting pans
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 bottles (1 ounce each) red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

For the icing:

• 4 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened, plus additional if needed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, bourbon or rum
• Chopped or halved pecans for decoration

Directions:

1.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and then flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Combine flour, cocoa and salt in a sifter and sift three times to thoroughly mix cocoa powder. Beat the sugar with the shortening with an electric mixer until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat another minute at medium speed.

2.

Alternately beat the flour mixture (in four parts) and the buttermilk (in three parts) into the sugar mixture. (Do not overbeat.) Add the vanilla and food coloring and mix well to color evenly. Dissolve the baking soda in the vinegar and quickly fold it in. Pour half the batter into each prepared cake pan and bake until the cake top springs back when gently pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out layers onto wire racks and let cool.

3.

Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and gradually beat in the sugar with a whisk or mixer. Beat until the mixture is a thick pale yellow and forms a ribbon when a spoonful is dropped on the surface. Heat the milk to almost boiling and beat into the egg mixture by droplets. Pour into a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until mixture is thick enough to lightly coat the spoon (about 165 degrees on a candy thermometer). Immediately set the pan in a basin of cold water and beat until custard is barely tepid. Strain custard into another bowl and beat in softened butter by spoonfuls. Beat in flavoring. The icing should be smooth and thick. If it looks grainy or curdled, beat in additional softened butter, a teaspoonful at a time. Chill icing until cold but still spreadable.

4.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread some icing on top. Cover with second layer and spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top with chopped pecans or press halved pecans around the top edge.

Note: The icing may be refrigerated for several days or frozen for several weeks. To use, let stand at room temperature until it can be beaten to spreading consistency.

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Tasty Thursdays: Creamy Mashed Potato and Leek Soup

So, my mouth was watering from browsing through the Real Simple website last week, I thought I'd post another one from their website. I love anything with potatoes in it, and this just looks divine! The following recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 leeks, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 bulb fennel, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus 2 tablespoons fronds
kosher salt
3 cups mashed potatoes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
crisps or crackers (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, fennel pieces, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the mashed potatoes and broth and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Puree the soup in the pot using a handheld immersion blender (or, working in batches, in a standard blender).
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the fennel fronds. Serve with the crisps (if desired).

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On a side note, congrats to Tiffany of Breakfast with Tiffany for winning my giveaway for two ZOYA nail polishes! And stay tuned for another giveaway soon :)

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