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Anonville Manor Dinner Mystery Party

I have always wanted to host a mystery dinner party.  This year for our annual Halloween Party we were able to thanks to our friends who were eager to participate.  We hosted our party at my parent’s lake house which comfortably seated all 17 of us to a sit down dinner. 

I went to www.mymysteryparty.com and chose a party that was perfect for our group.  The game is played in three rounds of cocktail and appetizers, dinner, coffee and dessert.    Everyone was handed envelopes at the beginning of each round that instructs the characters what to do and say (there is a lot of improv).  The party was a success thanks to our friends who really got into their characters.  For example,our friend Marshall was Mayor Paul A. Tisshon he drove up with a sign on his car saying “Re-Elect Paul A Tisshon “ and handed out buttons for all of us to wear.  My husband played the part of a narcissist butcher much to well.  Good Times!!  I highly suggest this website.  They were quick to respond to my emails and very helpful.  They have mystery games for all ages and holidays.  Then even have scavenger hunts---maybe next year! 

Here are a few pictures from that evening.  For appetizers I served shrimp cocktails.  I went to the dollar store and purchased champagne glasses. I filled the bottom of the glass with crushed ice and topped it off with shrimp cocktail sauce.  Dinner was half of a Cornish hen with wild rice and steamed green beans. Dessert was Crème brulee ( will post recipe at a later time). 

        

 

 

Old-Fashioned Yellow Cake for Two



For those of you who have been following this blog awhile know that my husband does not like sweets.  I do!  I was craving yellow cake with simple chocolate icing but I didn’t want a large batch of cupcakes or cake.  I came across this cookbook a few years ago “Small-Batch Baking”.  Perfect!  Cake just for me!

Unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

3 Tbs.  buttermilk

1/8 tsp. baking soda

Yolk of 1 large egg

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Pans Required:

Two 14-or 14.5 ounce cans or small pan (I used a small wilton heart shape pan)

1 baking sheet

• 
  
  Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• 
  
  Grease the insides of the cans and lightly dust them with flour, tapping out the excess.  Place the cans on a baking sheet for easier handling, and set aside.
• 
  
  place the buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl, and whisk until the baking soda is dissolved.  Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and melted butter, and whisk to combine.
• 
  
  Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl and whisk to blend well.  Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk just until blended and smooth.
• 
  
  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) .  Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, about 25 minutes. 
• 
  
  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cans to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.  Then run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of each can, and invert them to release the cakes.  Place the cakes upright on the rack and let them cool completely.  (The unfrosted cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; or they can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.  Let them return to room temperature before frosting.)
• 
  
  Frost!!!

I used Betty Crockers Whipped Chocolate frosting.  I normally am not a big fan of frosting but this I could of ate the whole can!!

Paula's Shrimp and Creamy Chedder Grits

Hello everyone!  It’s hard to believe it has been this long since my last post.  Time sure does fly I can’t believe its fall!!  I love this time of year of course here in Tennessee we really don’t get fall like weather until next month. 

I know what you are probably thinking Shrimp and Grits?!! Have you lost your mind?  Not if you live in the South!

 My husband and I just celebrated our wedding anniversary (Sept 18th) and we went to one of our favorite quick getaway places...The Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN.  It is absolutely gorgeous in the fall.  This dish sort of reminded me of that.  Fall colors and white smoky fog.  I stopped at the Old Mill (http://www.old-mill.com/) for some stone ground grits and could not wait to get home to try them.  Some of you might be wondering what are grits?  It coarsely ground corn and it is often served with eggs and bacon in the morning a traditional meal in the South.  For some of you it is like porridge, malto meal or cream of wheat.  Grits is similar in texture to Cream of Wheat (which is made from ground wheat).  Hey don’t knock it until you try it!  It was delicious.

Makes 4 servings

6 slices of applewood-smoked bacon, chopped

1/2 cup diced red bell peppers

1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. Creole seasoning

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs. minced fresh chives

Creamy Cheddar Grits (recipe follows)

Thinly sliced chives (optional)

• 
  
  In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan, and drain on paper towels.  Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet.  Add peppers, garlic, and Creole seasoning; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add wine, and cook for 2 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm.  Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and minced chives.
• 
  
  Serve shrimp mixture over Creamy Cheddar grits. Sprinkle evenly with bacon, and sprinkle with thinly sliced fresh chives.  serve immediately.

Creamy Cheddar Grits

1 (32-ounce) carton reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup stone-ground white grits

1 cup half-and-half

1-1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese

3 Tbs. butter

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth and 1 cup water; bring to a boil over medium -high heat.  add grits, stirring until combined.  Return to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 1 hour.  Stir in half-and-half; cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently, or until thickened.  Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, butter and white pepper, stirring until cheese is melted.

Courtesy of cooking with pauls deen magazine september/october 2010

Cherry Cobbler

I usually like to eat my fruits fresh and not baked in anything....BUT...Wal-Mart had a sale on these delicious beauties a $1.00 a pound.  Yes, I went overboard and had plenty of left over cherries and I could not see them going bad.  So I made cherry cobbler courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.  It was a very simple recipe except I did NOT have a cherry pitter (hint hint family that would be a great stocking stuffer) .  It took me longer to pit them than to make this cobbler and not to mention it stained my fingers and nails for a week!!  It was worth it....served with vanilla bean ice cream....hmmmm....I love the combination of warm and cold.

--Serves:

6 Servings.
Ingredients
Filling:
•6 cups tart red cherries, pitted
•1 1/4 cups sugar
•1/4 cup water
•4 teaspoons cornstarch

Topping:
•1 cup flour
•1/4 cup sugar
•2 tablespoons brown sugar
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•3 tablespoons butter
•1 egg, beaten
•3 tablespoons milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan combine filling ingredients and cook, stirring until bubbling and thickened. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Meanwhile, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Mix together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Drop topping by tablespoonfuls onto filling. Bake for 25 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Chocolate Malted Cookies

Sometimes I like receiving junk mail.  Let me explain I preview a lot of cookbooks and they send me all sorts of offers...some are tempting others I send back.  I found this recipe on one of those flyer's you know which one I am talking about....the one that is a little blurred with size 2 font?  Well, I am a master optician....

Anyways, you have to make these !!  Right now!  I made the dough one evening and put the dough in the refrigerator and made them several days later.  Oh my goodness, they were just delicious....they hit the spot. 

The recipe calls for semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate but I thought the dough would be sweet enough so I went BOLD and used bittersweet chocolate.  HEAVEN....I'm Amazing....uhmmm...I mean the cookies were just AMAZING!!  ;)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter-flavor shortening
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup malted milk powder ( I used ovaltine)
2 TBS  chocolate syrup
1 TBS vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup milk chocolate chips 
( I omitted both kinds of chocolate chips and used Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate)

* In a large bowl, beat the shortening, brown sugar, malted milk powder, chocolate syrup and vanilla for 2 minutes.  Add egg.
*Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in chocolate chunks and chips.
*Shape into 2-in balls; place 3 in apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden (mine only took 10 minutes).  Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Prep/total time: 30 min  Yield:  about 1-1/2 dozen.

**recipe adapted by Taste of Home Grand Prize Winners mail flyer recipe submitted by Teri Rasey of Cadillac, Michigan.

PURPLE Potatoes

Back to the Kitchen….

It’s been awhile. I can’t believe it we are in JUNE!! Where does the time go? Well my husband and I just returned from our annual vacation to San Francisco. If you have been following this blog awhile you will know that we LOVE San Francisco! Love like if we won the lottery we would move there!! This time was very special we had three of our friends visit with us. It was a blast! I can’t wait to share some of our pictures (waiting on hubby)....

We went to the Farmer’s Market on Tuesday and I wish I could buy all of the veggies and fruit! They had beautiful baby artichokes, purple bell peppers, PURPLE potatoes….yup…I did ….had to buy them and yes I packed them in my suitcase and guess what’s for dinner tonight? (My friends already think I’m nuts)

My purple potatoes....

             

    




Tilapia with Purple Potato Crust and Chive Rosemary Oil
Ingredients
•4 (4- to 6-ounce) tilapia fillets
•8 to 12 ounces purple potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
•1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary leaves, plus 1 tablespoon
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons butter
•1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1/3 cup minced fresh chives
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the fish fillets on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Top each of the fillets with enough slices of potato to completely cover the surface of the fish, overlaying the potatoes like shingles. Sprinkle the potatoes with a bit more salt and pepper, and the 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves.
Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter is melted and the oil is hot add the fish, potato side down. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 15 to 17 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, chives, the remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

To serve, place the fish on serving plates, potato side up. Drizzle the fish and the plate with the chive oil. Serve immediately.
**Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis  **I found it difficult to layer the potatoes on the fish first then turn in upside down on the pan.  I layered it on the pan first then layed the fish on top.

AND BECAUSE.....I had left over potatoes.....how about??
Rosemary Roasted Purple Potatoes


5-6 medium-sized purple or other potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes well. Dry and quarter them as shown above.
Place potatoes in baking pan to form a single layer.
Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, sprinkle with crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss potatoes to coat with oil and spices.
Cover pan with foil and slide into oven.
Bake potatoes for 15 minutes.
Slide pan from oven and remove foil. Using a spatula, turn potatoes over.
Return pan to oven without foil and roast potatoes another 15 minutes.
Slide potatoes from oven, turn them one more time and continue roasting another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
**courtesy of copywriterskitchen.com