Reliving my vacation...

It seems like forever ago, but my sister and I went on our "Sisters' Cruise" and had an amazing time.  I am officially addicted to cruising!  Since I can't go on another one yet, the next best thing was to try and re-create some of my favorites from our trip.  Enjoy!

Drink...

The Perfect Storm
My favorite bar on the ship was called Alchemy Bar.  I loved it because it had a cute theme (it was like an old apothecary) and had such delicious drinks!  These drinks were not just poured from a mix like the other bars on the ship, but were carefully crafted with a fiery show and all!  This drink was what I got one night when I asked the bartender to surprise me and it's now one of my favorite drinks.  I tried my best to remember what was in it and re-create it.  I didn't get it exactly right, but pretty close!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Me enjoying my drink!

Ingredients:

• 1 shot light rum
  
• 1/2 shot of dark rum (I only had light rum, so I just used that)
• 1 shot strawberry simple syrup
• 1/2 shot lime juice
• sprig of rosemary
• cinnamon

Directions:
for the strawberry syrup:

1. Make a simple syrup by heating and dissolving 1/2 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water.
2. Slice  1 cup fresh strawberries and add to the syrup.  
3. Simmer the strawberries in the syrup for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and smashing the strawberries to get the flavor out. 
4. Strain the strawberries from the syrup and let cool.

for the drink:

1. Fill a shaker with ice and add the rum, strawberry syrup, and lime juice.
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
3. Light a sprig of rosemary on fire until toasted.  Place the toasted rosemary into the drink.
4. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top (if you want to be extra fancy like on the cruise, you can sprinkle the cinnamon over a flame so it sparks before falling into the glass).

Dinner...

Mushroom Cappuccino
I know...you're thinking: mushroom cappuccino?!?  Gross!  But, wait...this is not gross.  Actually, it's quite amazing.  We went to a cooking demo on the ship where one of the chefs made this.  It really has nothing to do with cappuccino, except that he served it in cute little cappuccino glasses that we could sip the mushroom soup out of.  I didn't have any cappuccino glasses, so I just served mine in a bowl.  Also, on the ship they served it with a garlic crouton which was amazing.  I forgot to make that for mine...oops!
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 1 lb. chopped assorted mushrooms
• 5 tbs onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 oz butter
• 2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 pint cream
• few drops truffle oil (I didn't have this so I used truffle salt)
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs thyme

Directions:

1. Saute the onions and garlic in butter.  Add the assorted mushrooms.
2. Add stock and simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. When mushrooms are cooked, blend in a blender and sieve through a Chinois.
4. Return the puree to the pan and add cream and a few drops of truffle oil.
5. Adjust the seasoning and consistency.  Serve hot with garlic croutons.

Enchiladas Verde
At our first port, Cozumel Mexico, Kate and I had a delicious Mexican lunch included in our beach package.  I had enchiladas verde, which were amazing.  I must admit, mine weren't quite as good as in Mexico, but they still were great and definitely worth making!
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• olive oil
• verde sauce
• manchego or pepper jack cheese
• 2-3 tbs sour cream
• tortilla shells

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken breasts and shred the meat.
2. In a pan saute the onion and garlic with olive oil.
3. Add the cooked chicken, 1/4 cup of verde sauce, and the sour cream.
4. Place the chicken mixture in the tortilla shells and place in a baking dish. 
5. Sprinkle with shredded or crumbled cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Dessert...

Strawberry and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt 
*recipe from: Chocolate and Zucchini
One of our favorite things to do on the cruise was eat (which is probably part of the reason why I love cruises).  And one of the things we ate most was ice cream cones.  They had self-serve, soft-serve ice cream machines located throughout the ship and the ice cream was always there for us!  Our favorite flavor was the strawberry-chocolate swirl frozen yogurt.  My chocolate yogurt turned out pretty amazing with a great texture and good taste.  However, my strawberry frozen yogurt turned out a bit icy, but tasting great.  All I was missing was a cone!
Ingredients:
for the strawberry frozen yogurt:

• 2 cups strawberries
• 1 cup yogurt (full fat greek or plain)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
•  1/4 cup sugar

 for the chocolate yogurt:

• 3 1/2 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• a good pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon natural vanilla extract 
• 10 1/2 ounces full fat plain Greek yogurt  or plain yogurt

Directions:
for the strawberry:

1. Blend the strawberries in a food processor until pureed.
2. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir.
3. Place in the freezer and stir every half our until it reaches the desired consistency (about 3 hours).

 for the chocolate:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring frequently to ensure even melting.  
2. In the meantime, place the cream in a medium mixing-bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until no lump remains.
3. When the chocolate is melted, whisk it into the cream. Whisk the sugar mixture into the chocolate cream. Add the vanilla and yogurt, and whisk until well blended. 
4. Place in the freezer and stir every half hour until it reaches the desired consistency (about 3 hours).

   

   Me eating frozen yogurt (and popcorn)

Simplify Supper

I was running out of blog ideas, so I looked up holidays in August.  It turns out that the first week in August is "National Simplify Your Life Week."  Perfect!  Here is the simplest meal I have ever made for my blog.

Drink/Dessert...

Skinny Cookies and Cream Shake

*recipe from: My Fitness Pal
I told you I was simplifying things.  What could be simpler than combining the drink and dessert?  Since it's been so hot out, I thought a milkshake would be perfect to cool us off.  I'm definitely not being as strict as I was before the wedding, but I'm still trying to have a healthier diet, so I decided on "skinny" milkshakes.  These were good, but they don't really have a milkshake consistency.  The ice gives it more of a Frappuccino kind of texture.  Even though it's no milkshake, I would make it again.  You could even experiment with different flavors!
Ingredients:
(makes 2 [1 cup] shakes)

• 1 cup reduced-fat (1%) milk 
• 2½ reduced-fat Oreo cookies 
• 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding (dry mix) (I accidentally bought chocolate pudding and it was still delicious.  I want to try pistachio!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 package Splenda or Equal (I used Stevia)
• 1½ cups ice cubes 

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add a few more ice cubes if the shake isn’t thick enough. 
2. Serve at once. 

Dinner...

Chicken, Artichoke, and Pesto Quesadillas

*recipe from Snixy Kitchen
Nothing is easier than quesadillas.  These are a twist on the original - kind of an Italian quesadilla.  They were really good and really easy to make.
Ingredients:
(makes 2 quesadillas)

• 4 flour tortillas
• ½ cup pesto
• 2 cups shredded cheese of your choice
• ½ cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered, and ripped into smaller pieces
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast

Directions:

before adding the top tortilla

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces.  Salt and pepper the pieces and saute until cooked through.
2. Lay out two tortillas. Spread a thin layer of pesto on each tortilla, evenly distributing between both.
3. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pesto, reserving a cup of cheese.
4. Spread the chicken and artichoke hearts evenly over both tortillas.
5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chicken and artichokes.
6. Place another tortilla on top of each quesadilla.
7. Heat a skillet over medium low heat. One at a time, heat each quesadilla until the cheese begins to melt and the bottom becomes crispy and golden brown. Flip quesadilla over and cook until the other side becomes golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat, cut, and serve.

Healthy & Hearty

Since my wedding is coming up, I am trying to go into super-healthy mode.  However, even though I am trying to eat less and eat healthier, I hate feeling hungry.  I find that a lot of health foods just don't fill me up.  This meal is an exception.  It was not only healthy, but is very low carb and full of fresh ingredients.  And, it filled me up!  I would make these recipes again, even if I wasn't on a diet :)

Drink...

Tom Collins

I scoured the internet for a low calorie mixed drink.  Let me tell you, they are not easy to find.  Most of the mixed drinks available have a ton of sugar in them, which is precisely what I am trying to avoid.  The mixed drinks I found that didn't have a lot of sugar sounded gross, as they were mostly just straight alcohol or liqueur mixed with water—blah!  Finally, I found one.  It has artificial sweetener in it, which I know some people do not like.  But, I have been using Stevia extract lately.  I think it's a good replacement for sugar because it has no calories and is made from a plant extract, so it isn't full of chemicals.  I am not the biggest gin fan, but this drink was delicious and refreshing.  Plus, based on my calculations it only has 115 calories and no sugar (the only ingredients with calories are the gin and lemon juice).

Ingredients:

•1.5 (3tbsp)oz gin
•1 oz (2tbsp) lemon juice, or more to taste
•1 packet of Splenda or Equal (*I used Stevia*)
•Club soda
•Lemon slice for garnish

Directions:

1. Mix gin, lemon juice, and sweetener in a glass. 
2. Add club soda to taste, and then add ice cubes. 
3. Garnish with lemon slices.

Dinner...

Paleasagna 

*recipe from What Runs Lori
I am obsessed with goat cheese, so when I saw the ingredients included it, I was ready to make it.  When I saw the recipe, I was wondering how it got it's name.  In case you are like me, and have never heard of the Paleolithic Diet (Paleo Diet), you might be wondering the same thing.  According to Wikipedia, this diet is also referred to as the Caveman Diet or the Hunter-Gatherer Diet.  It is based on the idea that humans are genetically adapted to the diet of their Paleolithic ancestors, and we would be healthier if we ate their diet.  The diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture-raised meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.  It excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.  I don't know that I agree with this diet and this recipe doesn't conform to it exactly, but I do think it's good to eat fresh foods, low sugar, and low carbs, which this recipe has.  Besides the healthiness, it was quite delicious, filling, and easy to make.  My only suggestion is to add more seasoning than the recipe suggests, because I found it a bit bland.
Ingredients:
(makes 5-6 servings)

• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/2 pound of extra lean turkey, or ground sirloin
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes, low sodium
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Italian spice blend (*I would add more*)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pound of zucchini and/or yellow squash, cut into medallion rounds
• 1/2 cup raw goat cheese, shredded
• 1 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 head broccoli, roughly chopped (*I used eggplant since Doug doesn't like broccoli and it was delicious*)
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the diced onions. Sauté on medium-high until softened, about 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add the ground turkey, canned tomato and tomato paste, spices, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. Continue to cook all ingredients until the turkey is cooked through. Set aside when done.
3. In a medium bowl, combine raw goat cheese, Greek yogurt, broccoli (*eggplant*) pieces, and egg. Mix well.

eggplant mixture

  4.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 Pyrex glass baking dish. Place a layer of zucchini and squash rounds evenly across the bottom, making a sort of liner.

squash & zucchini

   5.  Add a layer of turkey-tomato sauce on top of the zucchini.

meat & tomato layer

  6.  Top that with some of the broccoli and yogurt mixture. 

eggplant, cheese, and yogurt layer

  7.  Continue with this layering process until you have used all of your ingredients.  Top the entire dish with more shredded goat cheese, if desired.

Final Product!

  8.  Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Dessert...

Chocolate-Coconut Mousse

*recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie

I cannot feel satisfied after a meal until I have dessert.  So, no matter how healthy I am trying to be, dessert is always included.  This dessert is a surprising twist on chocolate mousse and is sugar free! It has a strong coconut flavor, so liking coconut is a must for this one.  I found that it was even better after I left it in a bowl uncovered in the fridge overnight because it got thicker and was more of a mousse texture.  

To make it, you have to use thickened coconut milk.  This is a recent trick I learned, and I am still amazed by it (although it didn't work as well for me as expected).  If you put an unopened can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, the water will separate from it and you will be left with a very thick coconut milk that can be whipped with other ingredients to make things like mousse or whipped cream.  Simply amazing!

Ingredients:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup plus 1 T cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• sweetener to taste (I used a little stevia, but any dry sweetener will do.)

Directions:

1. Leave the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. (Don’t shake the can before opening.) It should get very, very thick. (If it doesn’t, you’ve gotten a bad can that won’t work for the recipe. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen, or especially Thai Kitchen Organic.) (*My first attempt at this failed.  I think it was because I poured it into a bowl and left it in the fridge.  For the second attempt, which worked much better, I left the can unopened in the fridge and tried the Thai Kitchen brand.  It worked much better.*)

 

1st attempt - fail :(

2nd attempt - success!

  2.  Once thick, transfer to a bowl  (leave out the watery bit at the bottom of the can) and whip in your cocoa, vanilla, and sweetener with a whisk, or even beaters if you want to be fancy.  
  3.  Stored uncovered in the fridge, the mixture gets even thicker.

Southern Supper

I'm back!  Sorry for the hiatus.  Things just got kinda busy and I was kinda lazy.  :)
I can't say I have ever really been to the true South, but I'd love to go someday.  This is my interpretation of a southern-style dinner.  Pretend you are in the deep south, and enjoy!

Drink...

Old Fashioned

As I have said before, I am not a whiskey fan, but this is another whiskey drink that I really enjoy.  Hmmm . . . maybe I really like whiskey?  Anyway, this drink has a bit of a bite, but once you get used to it, it's quite delicious (and potent).  The Old Fashioned is rumored to have been invented in the 1880s at a gentleman's club in Louisville, Kentucky.   If only I had a parlor in a southern home in which to drink it!
Ingredients:

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 lump Sugar
• 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Maraschino cherry
• Splash of water (optional) 
• Ice
• Orange slice and lemon twist (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Place sugar in the bottom of a glass. Wet the sugar with bitters.
2. Add the cherry (and splash of water if using it) to the glass. Muddle ingredients.
3. Add bourbon and ice.  
4. Stir gently. 
5. Garnish and serve. 

Dinner... 

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Fried Chicken Breasts

*recipe from Rock Recipes 
I did not think these were the greatest.  Fine, but not the greatest.  Doug liked them a lot more than I did.  They are fried though, which can never be that bad.  Plus, no food is more emblematic of Southern cuisine than fried chicken.
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 cups flour 
• 4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tbsp paprika 
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 4 eggs
• 8 tbs water 

Honey Garlic Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 – 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium soya sauce is best)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
   
  

Directions:

Frying the chicken.

1. Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.
2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat for good contact.  
3. Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. 
4. Drain on a wire rack.
5. Make the honey garlic sauce: 
1. In a medium saucepan add the oil and garlic.
2. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but do not let it brown. 
3. Add the honey, soy sauce, and black pepper.
4. Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily. 

    6.  Dip the fried chicken into the honey garlic sauce.

Dessert...

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

*recipe from Allrecipes.com 
I really like pecan pie, and what other way to make it better than add chocolate and booze?  This was a really good recipe.  Having never made pecan pie, I was a little intimidated.  But, it turns out to be super easy to make.  Y'all don't have to be from the south to agree that this pie is delicious!   
Ingredients:
(makes 1 large, 9 inch pie, or 2 smaller pies)

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter or margarine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter or margarine melts and sugar dissolves. Cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl combine eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Slowly pour sugar mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set and golden. May be served warm or chilled.

Spring Supper

Spring is here in NYC and we have been trying to take advantage of all the opportunities to be outdoors.  This is a light, delicious Spring dinner - enjoy it indoors or out!
Drink...

Moscato Spritzer 

*recipe from Make It, Bake It, Create It
This is a refreshing Spring drink.  Because it is so sweet, I think it would be perfect for a brunch, a luncheon, or a bridal/baby shower.  
Ingredients:

• Moscato wine
• Diet Sprite (I used Diet 7up)
• Frozen whole raspberries

Directions:

1. Put a handful of frozen raspberries in the bottom of a wine glass.
2. Combine equal parts of wine and Sprite (I would suggest using a little less Sprite, since the wine is already really sweet).  
3. Stir and sip!

Dinner...

Pasta Primavera

*recipe adapted from Mama Grubs Grub
In case you didn't know, Primavera means Spring.  So, this is Spring pasta!  The original recipe uses different veggies than I used (I made it with asparagus, bell peppers, green beans, onion, and tomatoes).  The great thing about this pasta is that you can pretty much put any vegetables into it.  Use whatever you have leftover or whatever is your favorite.
Plus, you can enjoy this dinner while working toward your Summer swimsuit body because it's only 250 calories per serving.  I looked up other recipes and they were higher calories.  You wouldn't know it from tasting this pasta though - it's delicious! (I thought maybe the addition of a little garlic would be good, but I love garlic in everything)
Ingredients: 

All my veggies

• Linguine (I used whole wheat Rotini)
• 2 teaspoon olive oil 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 
• 1 cup chopped organic carrots 
• Asparagus  
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 organic small red bell pepper,julienned  
• 1 cup sliced organic mushrooms 
• 1 cup organic vegetable broth (I used chicken broth) 
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch 
• 1/4 cup organic half and half



The colors in this pasta are beautiful!

• 1/4 cup Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according the package.
2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. 
3. Add the onion and saute for 3 mins or until soft. Add the black pepper.
4. Add the carrot and asparagus to the pan and saute to coat with seasonings. add the water,cover and allow the veggies to steam for 4 mins or until carrots begin to soften.
5. Add the red bell pepper and mushrooms and stir. 
6. Add the broth to the pan. 
7. Whisk the cornstarch into the half and half, and add to the pan. 
8. Cook for 4 mins or until the sauce thickens up toss in the pasta stir to coat.
9. Add the Parmesan cheese to the mix and toss well.

Dessert...

Bird Nest Treats

*recipe adapted from The Curvy Carrot

 These were so easy to make and really cute.  Plus they tasted great.  They are perfect for Spring and would be really great for Easter too.  They include Cadbury Mini Eggs, my other favorite Spring candy (last week I mentioned the other one - Cadbury Cream Eggs).  I took the peanut butter out of the recipe because Doug doesn't like peanut butter (I know, I think the same thing...how could you not like peanut butter???).  They were still great, but would be even better with the peanut butter!
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, for greasing the muffin pan (I just sprayed the pan with Pam and it worked well)
• 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of butterscotch chips
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 ounces (1/2 of a large bag) of chow mein noodles
• 36 mini Cadbury Mini eggs

Directions:

My nests in the muffin tin

1. Generously grease the wells of a muffin pan with the butter (this will help later when you are taking out the chilled nests).  Or, spray it with Pam like me!
2. In a large microwave-proof bowl, heat the chocolate and butterscotch chips in 30 second intervals until thoroughly melted, stirring after each increment.**It only took me two 30-second intervals.
3. Once melted, add the peanut butter to the chocolate/butterscotch mixture, mixing well until smooth and completely combined.
4. Carefully add the chow mein noodles, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until completely coated.
5. Using a large spoon, mold the mixture into the wells of your muffin tin, indenting the tops slightly with the back of the spoon.
6. Chill the nests until hardened, about 1 hour or so.
7. Once chilled, gently remove the nests from the muffin tin.***I used a butter knife as a lever to pop them out-this seemed to work.
8. Place three eggs (or colored jelly beans!) on the tops of each nest.  (I actually put the eggs in the nest while the chocolate was still melted.  That way, when it hardened, the eggs didn't fall out.)

Easter Lunch

I didn't feel like making a regular ham, which is what most people have for Easter dinner.  So, I decided to try something different and make an Easter lunch.  After seeing the meal all together, I realized that this would not only be great for lunch, but would also be great for Easter leftovers, or a kid's Easter meal.  It turned out to be such a fun, cute meal.  I loved making it and eating it!

Drink...

Caramel Cadbury Egg Martini

*recipe from She Knows Food & Recipes
Easter candy is the best candy.  One of the things I wait for all year is a Cadbury Egg.  I have always loved them and always will.  When I saw this drink I was pretty excited to try my beloved candy in a drink.  This drink was SUPER delicious, but not an original Cadbury Egg flavor.  Maybe one of the Caramel Cadbury Eggs, but I have never had one of those, so I don't really know.  I am a purist when it comes to my chocolate eggs and only eat the original :)  Anyway, it was really good and I kind of detected a Cadbury Egg taste in the aftertaste.  I give it my official seal of approval!
Ingredients:
(makes 1 drink)

• 1-1/2 ounces Baileys Irish Cream with Caramel (I used Carolan's Irish Cream because it tastes just as good and it's cheaper—no caramel flavor though)
• 1/2 ounce crème de cacao
• 1 ounce caramel syrup
• 1 ounce cream
• 1/2 tablespoon Hershey’s chocolate syrup, plus extra for rim

Directions:

1. Drizzle chocolate syrup around inside rim of glass.
2. Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Shake until chocolate syrup is completely incorporated.
4. Strain into glass.

Dinner (Lunch)...

Carrot Sandwiches and Chick Deviled Eggs

Everybody makes Easter dinner or Easter brunch . . . why not try an Easter lunch! 

Cute Chick Deviled Eggs

*egg recipe from AllRecipes.com

I saw these on Pintrest (my new favorite recipe source!) and there was no link to a recipe, just a picture.  You could use any deviled egg recipe you like and make these for a little Easter twist on a classic deviled egg.  The recipe I used was supposedly from a well-known 1970s restaurant in Indiana called the Durbin Inn.  They were a little sweet, but good.
Ingredients: 
(makes 6 eggs)

• 6 hard-cooked eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sugar (maybe less?)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard (I like mine mustardy, so I added more)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Paprika (since the chicks have the white tops on them, I didn't use the paprika)
• Walnut pieces
• Carrot pieces

Directions:

1. Hard boil the eggs.
2. Slice off the very top of the egg; remove yolks and set whites and tops aside. 
3. In a small bowl, mash yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard and salt. Mix well. 
4.  Stuff or pipe into egg whites. 
5. Top with the egg white tops.
6. I used walnut pieces for the eyes and carrot pieces for the beak.
7. Refrigerate until serving.

Easter Bunny's Carrot Sandwiches

*recipe from Hungry Happenings

These are soooo cute looking and soooo easy to make!  Plus, the great thing about them is that you can fill them with just about anything!  I did ham and cheese, but really I wanted to fill them with egg or ham salad.  Unfortunately, Doug doesn't like either of those, but ham and cheese was still really good.  Perfect for that leftover ham or eggs!  
The recipe says to use a cream horn to make the shape, but I didn't have one of those, so I used foil and it worked great.  Another wonderful thing about these is that you can basically make them any size.  I made 2 really big sandwiches, but you could make a bunch of small ones for kids or appetizers.  
Ingredients:
(makes 2 giant carrot sandwiches or lots of small sandwiches)

• 1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Crescent Seamless Dough Sheet (I don't know where you get this, so I just bought regular crescent rolls, pushed the seams together, and cut them into strips)
• 1 egg (whisked with 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash)
• yellow and red liquid food coloring (I happened to have orange food coloring, so that worked even better!)
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite egg or ham salad (or chopped ham and fontina cheese like I used)
• 1 bunch of fresh dill or parsley

Directions: 
(The link to the website has great step by step pictures!)

dough slices

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Unroll the crescent rolls onto a cutting board.  
3. Use a pizza cutter or a knife to cut the dough lengthwise into 6 equal strips. Brush one strip with egg wash.
4. Roll the strip into a 17"- 18" long log. I rolled the strip of dough up into a tube and pinched the seam shut. Then I rolled out the dough into a thinner, longer log by pushing and rolling  the log with both hands.
5. Repeat, brushing egg wash onto each dough strip before rolling each into logs.Create 6 logs.(I made more—oops)
6. Since I used foil, I sprayed it with olive oil first to make sure the dough didn't stick.  
7. Wrap one dough log around each cream horn mold (or foil mold), trying to keep the seam side against the metal mold. Repeat. Be sure your dough does not hang over the open end of the cream horn mold, as it will make it difficult to remove once baked. 
8. Line a baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper (I sprayed the foil and the foil with olive oil).  Squeeze about 30 drops of yellow food coloring into a small bowl.  Add one or two drops of red.  Stir to create orange.  Brush the orange food coloring all over each carrot shaped dough.  Set carrots on lined baking sheet.
9. If you don't want to paint your dough with food coloring, you can simply brush them with egg wash.  The carrot will bake up golden brown. 
10. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.  I suggest rotating the pan half way through the baking cycle for even browning.  Allow carrot crescents to cool for about 5 minutes.  Carefully remove the cream horn form by holding the carrot in one hand and using the other hand to twist the mold and gently pull it out. 

11. 

    My foil cones

    

    After wrapping dough around cones

    Fill each Carrot Crescent with egg salad or ham salad.  Press a few sprigs of dill or parsley into the egg salad for a decorative effect.  Your carrots will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but are best served the day they are baked.  Fill your carrots just before serving.  (I baked mine for a little less time to start with, took out the foil, and then filled mine with ham and cheese and baked them for a few more minutes to melt the cheese.)

    

    After adding food coloring

    

    After stuffing with ham & cheese

  

Dessert...

Oreo Truffle Eggs

Oreo truffles are such a great dessert and so easy to make.  Whenever I bring them to a party, people comment on how incredibly good they are.  They are shocked when I tell them how simple they are!
I intended for these to be pastel colors, but they turned out more neon.  Hey, bright colors are in this season, so my eggs are stylish!
Ingredients:  
(makes 20-25 depending on size)

• 1 pkg of oreos
• 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
• white chocolate
• food coloring

Directions:

1. Crush Oreos into crumbs.  (I do this by putting them in a Ziplock bag and pounding them with kitchen utensils, but it would be WAY easier if you had a food processor)
2. Mix in the cream cheese until it is kind of a mushy paste.
3. Form the Oreo/cream cheese mixture into an egg shape.
4. Dip the mixture into the white chocolate, shake off the extra, and place on wax paper to dry.
5. Mix food coloring in some of the white chocolate and use a piping bag to decorate.  (If you don't have a piping bag you can use a Ziplock bag with a tiny corner cut off the bottom, or you can just drizzle the colors over the eggs by dipping a fork in the melted chocolate and drizzling.)
6. Put in the refrigerator for the chocolate to harden.