Sweet Peanut Brittle Recipe

Here's a recipe for Sweet Peanut Brittle that I found on kraftfoods.com that's perfect for bringing over to family gatherings this holiday season. The best part is, the entire thing can be prepared in the microwave!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
SPRAY large baking sheet with cooking spray. Microwave sugar and corn syrup in large glass microwaveable bowl on HIGH 5 min. Stir in butter and peanuts. Microwave 3 to 4 min. or until pale golden brown. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. (Mixture will foam.) Spread onto prepared baking sheet. Cool completely. Break into pieces.

MICROWAVE chocolate in 1-cup glass measuring cup on HIGH 1 to 2 min. or until chocolate is melted when stirred. Add peanut butter; stir until melted. Dip half of each candy piece in chocolate mixture; scrape bottom against edge of cup to remove excess chocolate. Place on sheet of foil or waxed paper. Refrigerate 20 min. or until chocolate is firm.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/sweet-peanut-brittle-95141.aspx

Feast of the Seven Fishes

As Christmas time approaches I thought I'd put up a little blog about a holiday tradition that my family had growing up -- one that has continued into adulthood as I grow my own family.

Growing up Italian-American Christmas Eve was often a bigger celebration than Christmas Day. One of my favorite things we did as a family was abstain from meat throughout the day, and have a large dinner feast consisting of fish. In the Italian-American culture this is known as the feast of the seven fishes. I've heard of different rules about the feast itself, some families (like mine) eat 7 different kinds of fish in a few different courses (a seafood chowder can use 4 or 5 types of fish on its own), others eat 7 different courses of fish.

A family favorite that graced the table as a child and will grace my own table this year is stuffed sole. Basically it's a filet of sole with a shrimp stuffing baked with butter in the oven until delicious. A new addition to the Christmas Eve spread is a clam-stuffed mushroom I created that my husband really enjoys.

I wonder what other types of fishy dishes will become my own family's favorites.

Turkey Leftovers? Make Turkey Pot Pie!

Thanksgiving comes with two guarantees. 1.) You'll eat yourself silly and 2.) You'll have enough leftovers to keep a small country fed for weeks. What do you do with all those leftovers? Well, if you're sick of the sandwiches and soup route, try making this turkey pot pie.

Ingredients:
leftover turkey, diced
leftover mashed potatoes, microwaved until warm and spreadable
leftover vegetables or frozen vegetables, warmed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can milk
leftover turkey gravy
Shredded cheese, whatever kind you like

Directions:
Combined the leftover turkey, vegetables, cream of chicken soup, milk, and approximately 1/2 can (use the cream of chicken soup can) of turkey gravy in a sauce pan and combine well. Pour into a casserole dish, spread the mashed potatoes over the top, and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350* until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly brown.

Kraft First Taste

A while ago I signed up for a program through Kraft called "Kraft First Taste". It's basically a community where you can get information about new products from Kraft and have coupons mailed to your house for free samples of new Kraft products. One of the newest products out right now is Jell-o Mousse Temptations and Kraft is offering a coupon to try it for free. In return all you have to do is go back to the website and rate the product after you've tried it -- and don't worry, they send you reminder e-mails a little while after they send you the coupons. It's completely free to sign up and you get to try things you might not otherwise buy at the grocery store or even necessarily know about. Visit www.kraftfirsttaste.com to sign up!

Holiday Gift Guide 2009

Wondering what to get the foodie in your life this holiday season? Here's my top 10 picks for the best holiday gifts in a variety of price ranges.

10.) Baker's Secret Silicone Baking Mat (2/pk)
Price: $9.99 at the Corelle/Corningware Outlet Store
The Baker's Secret Silicone Baking Mat comes in a 2 pack, which is perfect for baking cookies or making rolls for Holiday dinners. Nothing sticks to these little gems, and best of all, your crescent rolls will be golden on the top AND the bottom without burning! As an added bonus, these work great for kneading dough on since virtually nothing sticks to them.

9.) Chefmate Safe-Cut Can Opener
Price: $9.99 at Target
I know that a can opener doesn't really strike anyone as a gift item, but the safe-cut can opener belongs in every kitchen and would make an excellent stocking stuffer/basket stuffer. The main features of the can opener is that it leaves the edges smooth so you can't cut yourself on sharp edges and, the lids don't fall back into the cans.

8.) Rubbermaid Food Storage Containers
Price: $11.00 for a 24-piece set at Walmart
If you know someone who doesn't have a lot of space to store plastic containers, then the rubbermaid food storage containers might be the perfect solution for them. The containers are all the same shape, so they easily nest together. The lids snap together, so no lid gets left behind. The innovative design allows the same lid to be used for multiple sizes of the containers. They're microwave safe and dishwasher safe.

7.) Pyrex 14-piece Storage Plus Set
Price: $13 at Walmart
We all know and love the Pyrex name and now they've created a great food storage set. You can mix, serve, store and reheat all in the same bowl. Think about all the time you can save by not having a ton of dishes to wash.

6.) OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner
Price: $29.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond
A salad spinner isn't really a kitchen necessity, but it definitely makes a great gift, especially if you're shopping for a vegetarian or anyone who likes greens that tend to have a little more sand in them. It's a particularly nice gift for anyone with young children since kids seem to love to push the large black button on top and watch the lettuce spin -- and hey, who isn't trying to get their kids interested in vegetables?

5.) 4-Slice Toaster Oven
Price: $29.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond
Small toaster Ovens are great for college students, childless couples, elderly persons, or the host/hostess type. Any small meal (TV dinners, leftover pizza, Small Casseroles, etc.) can be easily prepared in a toaster oven saving the house from heating up in the summer time. During the holidays when the full size oven is full, a toaster oven is the perfect solution to heating tasty bite size treats like scallops wrapped in bacon or miniature egg rolls.

4.) Rival 5.5qt Smart Crock Pot
price: $36.79 at Target.com
Slow cookers make pot-luck champions. Regardless of what is in the pot, everyone gravitates towards it at a party wanting to sample it's wares. Just saying that you're making dinner in a slow cooker automatically elicits a "mmm... what are you making?" response. Slow cookers are comfort food creators and just make life easier for anyone who works full time and doesn't want to have to deal with dinner when they get home. Pair it with a slow cooker recipe book from the check out line of the grocery store and you've got a winning gift idea.

3.) Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker
Price: 79.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond
If you know someone who truly loves breakfast then a belgian waffle maker might very well be on their wish list. There's something about flipping the waffles that makes them so light and so delicious. The waffles that come out of this machine are better and fresher than anything you can get at a restaurant, regardless of what waffle mix you use with it.

2.) JCPenny Cooks Collection Pans
Price: $199.99 on Sale at JCPenny
These pans go from the stove top to the oven and will make you feel like you're on the food network. The glass lids are oven safe too. I've gone through a lot of pans in my culinary endeavors and the JCPenny Cooks collection has proven to be the best value for the price.

1.) Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
Price: 199.88 at Walmart.com
The Kitchenaid Stand Mixer is basically a second set of hands in the kitchen. From meats to sweets and everything in between this mighty mixer handles it all with ease leaving your hands free to do other tasks. The mixing bowl is equipped with a handle that makes transferring it's contents easy even with buttery fingers. As an added bonus, the mixer comes in a variety of colors to coordinate with any kitchen. You may buy the mixer for making cakes, but the first time you taste the airy whipped potatoes (plus cheese, bacon, and broccoli -- go ahead, it can handle it) you'll be looking for reasons to use it every day.