And the Next Great Baker is.......

Next Great Baker's finale show aired on TLC last night, January 30, 2012. The three bakers to make it to the finale are Marissa Lopez, Nadine Reibeling, and Ryan Cimorelli.  The show started off with an egg cracking contest. Marissa won the contest. Since Marissa won the egg cracking contest, she got to pick the first on her team for the "Baker's Challenge". 

The "Baker's Challenge" had an interesting twist. The bakers had to choose three of their best pastries and sell them in Carlo's Bakery. The pastries had to be approved by Buddy before they could sell them. Whoever sells the least pastries goes into the box truck to be sent home. Ryan had a bit of trouble with his cookies. Cousin Anthony and Ryan had words over his recipe, but eventually worked the issues out and they worked together as a team. In the end, the cookies did not come out, and he had none to sell in the challenge. Buddy said his vanilla cake was bad and his biscotti was ok. Nadine's pastries were okay except for the biscotti. Mary, Buddy's sister had to spit it out. Marissa's pastries were okay. Buddy advised her to make a few small changes and that was it. The three bakers did their best to sell as many pastries as they could with the help of Buddy's sisters. The final total brought Ryan to the box truck and Nadine was the winner of the"Bakers's Challenge". 

The next scene brings us back to the Cake Factory. Both Marissa and Nadine are exhausted. It is 2:30am. Buddy enters the room and is very excited about the last "Elimination Challenge". Their challenge is to make a cake of the American dream. Buddy talked about his father and how he came over from Italy. Every time Buddy talks about his father, you can hear and see the admiration on Buddy's face. Buddy goes on to explain that he wants a cake from the two girls showing  what the American Dream means to them. He is giving them 10 hours to create the cake and it must be at least 4 foot tall. Nadine and Marissa get to choose staff to help them from Carlo's Bakery. Nadine got to pick the first member of her team because she won the "Baker's Challenge". 

The time is up and it's  finally time for us to find out who the Next Great Baker is. The bakers and their cakes were on stage a long with Buddy, Mary (Buddy sister), and Randy Fenoli ( Host of Say Yes to the Dress ) was all on stage. Both cakes were very nice. Nadine's cake lacked color, but they both told a story. The final decision was made and the Next Great Baker title goes to Marissa Lopez!! 

Congratulation Marissa! I knew you would make it. You are an inspiration for many people and a reminder not to give up on a dream. I am very proud of you. 

Next Great Baker Finale Pre-Show

Buddy Valastro

I was very excited to watch the finale pre-show of Next Great Baker last night. The pre-show, hosted by Clinton Kelly who reviewed the best moments of the challenge with Buddy Valastro and the contestants of Next Great Baker Season 2. Most of the contestants were happy to see each other, but there were obvious, awkward feelings between a few of them.

Clinton Kelly spoke about the challenges which most agreed was making the life size cakes of Buddy's sister's. They spoke about the outlandish challenges and how Buddy made them up. Buddy said his favorite "Baker's Challenge" was between Nadine and Marissa. Clinton asked Chad about his emotions and then referred to an interaction between him Carmelo regarding a sculpted head. Clinton also spoke about Heather G. and Ryan. Ryan could not believe Heather G. did not know what the front of a CD player looked like. This caused conflict between the two of them. 

Minerva was questioned about her behavior and why she acted the way she did. Nobody will forget when Buddy personally shut the door on her in the box truck! He admitted he made a mistake by not getting rid of her sooner during her elimination on the show. Lisa, Buddy's wife told Minerva she was shocked by the way she spoke to Buddy. It was very disrespectful. Buddy spoke his opinion about Minerva and her illness. He feels her "illness" was brought on because of her awareness of pushing a pregnant woman. 

The objection Minerva made in order to stay against Tony came up. Tony discussed his feelings on how he felt about Minerva and Megan. He also surprised Buddy by making a life size cake of Buddy. Buddy looked very impressed. The cake was amazing! Heather G.'s pregnancy first came out on the show by her telling Marissa the baby was pushing on her bladder, and she had to go to the bathroom. Marissa's reaction was priceless and brought a smile to everyone. Heather G.'s husband brought out their baby girl. 

Clinton Kelly spoke about the loss of Wesley Durden. The contestants were broken up. It was difficult to watch. I could feel the bond and sadness they all shared together. 

It was an exciting finale pre-show and it definitely got me even more excited for the finale! Congratulations to all! 

Growing Your Own Herbs

I love cooking with herbs. I never realized how much herbs can influence the taste of food. They are delicious. I started watching Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network station, Giada at Home, during the summer of 2010. She uses basil in a lot of her recipes. I remember watching and thinking-basil? What is that? I realized I had never viewed the spices in the grocery store unless I was looking for a specific spice. I never cooked or even thought about cooking with fresh herbs before.

The more recipes I made, the more I learned about herbs. Believe it or not, basil has many benefits. Not only does it taste good, it is good for the body! Cooking with Basil  explains the benefits of basil and ways to cook with it. There is a difference between using fresh and dry herbs. Remember, you never know how long dry herbs have been on the counter. Fresh herbs give your food that spark it needs for the ultimate taste.

This is my beautiful basil grown from my AeroGarden.

My husband got me an AeroGarden from Amazon last Christmas. I love it because it allows me to have fresh herbs all year long. I grow my own big beautiful basil and harvest it right from my kitchen counter. There are many herbs and vegetables to choose from. So far, I have grown basil, chives, tomatoes, thyme, lettuce, savory, and more.

Not only can you grow herbs, you can grow flowers to beat the winter blues. On my last order, I customized my herb tray and got to pick exactly what I wanted. I picked my six favorite herbs to cook from. My AeroGarden is a treasure to me. I love it. It has provided me with many cups of fresh herbs and a lot of happiness watching them grow!

Who is Going to the Finale on Next Great Baker?

January 23, 2012 episode of Next Great Baker brings the final four: Marissa, Nadine, Chad, and Ryan  the table to create "Crown-Winning Cakes". We said goodbye to Megan and Carmelo last week. Next week is the finale. Who is strong enough to make it to the top? We will soon find out!

On this episode of the "Bakers Challenge", Buddy asks the bakers to make a perfect rose in 15 minutes. The person who wins this weeks challenge will win a Bakery Craft Copy Confection Edible Printer. An edible printer is used to make images for cakes that are edible. After 15 minutes, Buddy chooses his winner. Nadine and Chad made the two bottom roses and Ryan and Marissa made the best roses. The worst rose was made by Nadine and the winner was Ryan. 

Buddy presented Miss USA, Alyssa Campanelle for the "Elimination Challenge". Each baker will be working solo on the challenge. Buddy explains how important it is to interview a customer and listen to their likes and dislikes. Alyssa explained to the bakers what she liked. Buddy then explains the challenge is to make a beautiful cake celebrating Miss USA's  life. He requested something other than a pageant cake, but a cake about Alyssa and what she loves. The bakers have 10 hours to create the cake. 

Chad decides to make a bling cake. The other bakers incorporated different parts of Alyssa's life into the cakes. The bakers are running short on time. Buddy comes in to check on the progress of the cakes. He informs the bakers that customers sometimes have a change in plans and that people are constantly changing their mind about things. The bakers have four hours on the clock. Buddy explains he is taking two hours away, but he brought help to help them finish on time.

Ryan picked Carmelo to work with. Nadine chose Heather M. Chad chose Wesley and Marissa picked Jasmine to be on her team. The cakes were finished and it was time for judging. Miss USA liked all of the cakes, but she felt Chad did not listen to her likes and what she wanted on the cake. Buddy said although Chad's cake was flawless, he questions his judgement. His cake looked like a pageant cake. It was very beautiful with pink satin and a lot of bling.

Nadine's cake told a story about Alyssa's traveling background but it was small, and the girly-girly part did not shine through. Buddy told Ryan there was nothing eye catching on his cake and very little detail. He said he was disappointed with his vision. Marissa's cake told a story about Alyssa's journey in life and Alyssa understood the story. The details on Marissa's cake showed that she really did listen to what Alyssa said.

Buddy's decision was to send Marissa and Nadine to the lounge. They are both safe. After talking to Chad and Ryan, Buddy decided to send Chad home. Although Chad's cake is beautiful, it was not what the customer wanted and that what the business is about. He was sent to the box truck.

The final three bakers are Marissa, Ryan, and Nadine! I cannot wait to watch next week. The bakers are working at Carlos Bakery. Do not forget to catch the special cast show one hour before the finale.

Who will when the title of Next Great Baker? Which baker are you cheering for? 

What are your "Everyday Ingredients?

Giada De Laurentiis demonstrates excellent ways to make a menu out of everyday ingredients. Her menu today is Hearty Meaty Stew, Strawberry Cream Parfaits, and Artichoke Soup with Fresh Mint. She explains how many affordable ingredients can be put together from a well stocked pantry. She suggests to always have onions and olive oil in the pantry because a lot of recipes call for both of these ingredients.

This episode got me thinking about my own pantry and what ingredients I always have stocked. My pantry is stocked completely different now then it was before I started cooking on a regular basis. I discovered how much processed foods my family was eating. Now I have cans of diced tomatoes, cannelloni beans, olive oil, and kosher salt in my pantry. 

Last night, I cooked Giada's "Hearty Meaty Stew".  My husband said it looked delicious and went out to buy the ingredients. It was delicious, hearty and easy to make. It is perfect to eat on a cold winter night. This brings me to my magic question. What do you normally have stocked in your pantry?

Hearty Meaty Stew- Giada De Laurentiis

Meatballs:

• 1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
• 8 ounces 20-percent-fat ground beef (about 8 ounces)
• 2 sweet mild Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Hearty Meatball Stew:

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound large white mushrooms, quartered
• One 8 to 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/3-inch slices
• 4 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Directions

For the meatballs: Place the bread and 3 tablespoons water into a medium bowl. Mash to a paste with a spatula. Add the beef, sausage, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Blend the mixture thoroughly with your hands or a flexible spatula. Form the mixture into 10 to 16 meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until ready to use.

For the hearty meatball stew: Sprinkle the meatballs with the flour and turn to coat with any flour still on the foil. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Drop the meatballs into the skillet, spaced apart. Cook until the bottoms are set and brown, about 2 minutes. Using a flexible thin spatula, turn each meatball onto an uncooked side and cook until the bottoms are set and brown, about 2 minutes longer. Turn and cook a third side, until set and brown, about another 2 minutes, so the meatballs are browned and set all over. Transfer the meatballs to a large plate.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook until soft, 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, beans, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Benefits of a Bread Machine

Although I love making food from scratch, I decided I wanted to try a bread machine.  I was surprised to see how many different bread machines were available. They are not as pricey as I expected. We go through so much bread with having four children. Three of our children pack a lunch for school and our two year old and I like a sandwich for lunch.

I thought a bread machine would be a good investment for the family. Even though I am not doing the hard work, the bread is still made from the same ingredients, so it does taste the same as if I did.

Using my bread machine has saved us time and money. I can make more than just white bread. There are many choices of bread to make like pumpkin and raisin. As long as you follow the recipe, the bread comes  out perfect. Every once in a while I get a dry or burnt spot.

Do you have a bread machine? What are your favorite kinds of bread to make? Do you notice any difference between making bread by hand or machine?

This is an easy white bread recipe for your bread machine.

White Bread
1 cup of warm water
3 tablespoons of regular sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
3 cups of bread flour (All-purpose flour works too.)
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons of dry active yeast

Directions
Place water, sugar, salt, oil, flour, and yeast into the bread pan for the machine.
Bake on white bread setting. Before slicing, cool on wire rack.

Meaty Mushroom Lasagna

One of my family's favorite meals is Giada Delaurentiis's Meaty Mushroom Lasagna. The taste is truly amazing. I remember the first time I made this, I was so proud. I had never made lasagna before. The hardest part was making the béchamel sauce. I thought my arm was going to fall off. The whole process of cooking the lasagna took me almost three hours! Now, I get it done in a little less than two hours. 


For the Sauce:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups warm whole milk

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch ground nutmeg

8 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more if needed

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed

For the Filling:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus extra as needed

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

3 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms quartered,

I used cremini, oyster, and maitaki

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

9 lasagna noodles, plain or spinach

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil for drizzling

Start with the sauce:

Use a 2 quart sauce pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes (do not allow the mixture to boil). Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses and nutmeg. Stir until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the prosciutto, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.

Next is the filling:

Use a large skillet and heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden and the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.

Cooking the Noodles:

Place a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Assemble the Masterpiece:

Ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. (Be very careful handling the noodles when they are hot.) Lay 3 lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Spoon 1/2 of the mushroom mixture on top of the pasta. Ladle 1 cup of the sauce over the mushroom mixture and lay 3 more noodles on top. Repeat the layers using the remaining mushroom mixture, 1 cup of sauce, and the remaining 3 noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup smoked mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Drizzle top with olive oil and bake until top is golden and filling is bubbling about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Cut the lasagna into wedges and serve.

I followed the whole recipe except for adding the sliced prosciutto. I have made this recipe vegan too. I added non-dairy milk and cheese. When I first discovered this recipe I was not eating meat, but I love mushrooms and had to try it. I sometimes forget to add the thyme leaves. I grow my own rosemary and it tastes delightful combined with the mushrooms and onions. 


All in all, I would say this is a great recipe for the family. I would highly recommend trying it. Allow yourself some extra time if this is your first time making the Meaty Mushroom Lasagna. This dish is well worth the time with or without meat.


Do you have a favorite lasagna recipe that you would like to share? Has anyone tried this recipe before? 

Next Great Baker rocks out Headbanging Cakes

The bakers are slimming down to Marissa Lopez, Megan Hart, Carmelo Oquendo, Ryan Cimorelli, Nadine Reibeling, and Chad Fitzgerald. The January 16, 2012 episode of Next Great Baker starts off with the Baker's Challenge. Buddy Valestro explains the challenge is in three steps. The first step is to stock up his pantry. The bakers have to stock nine 50 pound bags of sugar. He tells the bakers if they cannot pick up a 50 pound bag of sugar they should get out now. The last 50 pound bag has flour in it. The next part of the challenge is to bring the flour back to the work room and scale out 35 pounds of flour by hand. The last part of the challenge is to frost a tray of cupcakes nice enough to put on the shelves at Carlos Bakery. 


Ryan and Carmelo start the challenge. Ryan comes out ahead with a winning time of 8 minutes and 13 seconds. Megan and Chad are next. Chad beats Megan and beats Ryan's time. The new time to beat is 6 minutes and 49 seconds. Marissa and Nadine are the last bakers doing the challenge. Marissa starts to feel sick, but still comes out ahead. Not only does she win against Nadine, she wins the Bakers Challenge with a time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds! She also won the KitchenAid prizes! 

The Bakers must build a heavy metal themed cake at least 3 foot tall and with pyrotechnics for the Elimination Challenge. It is Buddy's brother-in-law, Mauro's birthday. Mauro loves heavy metal and Buddy wants to honor him by throwing a party with a heavy metal band and cakes made by the bakers. Buddy picks the teams and makes the boys against the girls.

Megan is in charge of the structure of the cake. Nadine explains her idea of the cake to Megan. Megan tells Nadine she is unsure of how the structure of work because the top seems too heavy. Megan works on the flames for the cake, but they are thick and not holding to the cake.

Carmelo is in charge of sculpting the cake. He is working on a skull and a figure that stands in front of the cake. Chad is charge of the flames and Ryan is in charge of the structure of the cake. The boys team seems to be moving along better than the girls. However, both teams are moving at a slower pace than they should be according to Buddy when he arrives on day two. He is upset at the progress of the cakes and announces this will be the day two people will  go home. He notices that Carmelo's sculpture has fallen on the floor and the flames on the girls cake are peeling. Carmelo was going to try to fix and use the same sculpture that fell on the floor, but ended up making a new one.

The structure of the girls cake did not hold up, and the guitar fell in the box truck. The cake fell apart and was unsafe for pyrotechnics. The pyrotechnics on the boys cake did not shoot the right way, and they also forgot to write Happy Birthday Mauro on the cake. The girls are very upset over the situation and wait anxiously for Buddy's decision.

In the elimination room, Buddy tells the Bakers that neither cake won and he is disappointed. Buddy starts with Marissa and says she has shown great heart and will. She is safe. He tells Ryan he shows talent and drive. He is also safe. He tells Carmelo he has made fatal mistakes over and over. Buddy explains that he needs a "Great Baker" now, not in the future. He is sent to the box truck. Buddy tells Chad he needs to start speaking up more and is safe. The final two in the room are Nadine and Megan. Buddy asks them both why he should keep them. They both have a chance to tell Buddy why they think they are important. He tells Nadine she shows talent and leadership skills but there is something missing and he wants to see it. This leaves Megan who is sent to the box truck.

Do you think Buddy made the right choice? If not, who would you have sent home? I am sure he made the right choice by keeping Marissa. She showed her drive this week more than anyone.

The Result of my Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup

Today I made Giada De Laurentiis Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup. I was a little nervous because I have never cooked kale before. I threw the shallots and carrots in with the olive oil and the kitchen started smelling delightful. I did not use a bell pepper. I actually forgot to get one at the grocery. :) I am not going to have one bell pepper stop me from cooking!

Things really started to sizzle after I added the ground turkey and herbes de Provence. It smelled even better in the kitchen. The kids started to smell it upstairs, that is always a good sign. Along with having my babies, I have two older children. One 16 year old girl who is very finicky.

The kale mixed in with the tomatoes looked like Christmas in my pan. All the colors looked beautiful combined. I was really excited to see what the final product would look and taste like. I was not surprised with the results.

The whole family loved it, even my picky 16 year old. My husband said it was very hearty and moved it on top of his favorite soup list. It left me feeling warm inside. I would say this recipe is definitely a keeper.

"weeknights with Giada" Coming Soon!

Giada De Laurentiis will be releasing her new book "weeknights with Giada" March 27, 2012. I personally cannot wait to get my hands on it! Giada is my cooking hero. I have a story behind the reason. I never learned to cook when I was younger. Honestly, I tried a few things, but the dishes I made never came out. I could do basic cooking and that was it. I never knew what garlic or basil was. Now, I grow basil in my home and love to crush a garlic clove.

My daughter loves watching cooking shows. She was watching Giada at Home and I started paying attention. She said Mom, you should cook like that. I remember thinking, I wonder if I can do that? I started watching the show and now I am hooked. I love Giada's method of cooking. She does not go too fast and she explains what she is doing. I tell everybody Giada at Home taught me how to cook. Learning how to cook has improved my self esteem and I really enjoy learning and trying new things.

Giada's new book is going to have different foods that can be made in a half hour or less! Weeknights with Giada is perfect for anyone who loves to cook, or wants to learn how. Married or single, weeknights with Giada is a MUST HAVE! Most recipes in the  book can be made in a half hour or less! That's what I am talking about! I love having sit down meals with my family, but I do not want to spend all night making the dinner. Making dinner is sometimes feels like a chore in my house because of all chaos, but it is something I like and want to do. :)

Giada's new book has a variety of dishes and she even included quick and easy desserts. I cannot wait to start cooking and posting new pictures. Don't wait until March 27, pre-order your copy now!

Giada De Laurentiis's Spiced Pork Roast

Tonight I made my one of my favorite pork dishes from Giada De Larentiis. I am always looking for easy dishes to whip up for my family. In my opinion, this is the best way pork has ever been made. Every bite is juicy and delicious. I don't know about you, but I have had too many dry pork roasts and pork chops in my life. Thanks to Giada, you will never have to deal with dry pork roast again.

The combination of mustard, cumin, oregano, allspice, chili powder, brown sugar and garlic works amazing together. Mix these ingredients together until smooth.  Remember to season the pork with salt and pepper before placing it in the pan. Apply the mixture over the sides and top of the pork roast. Giada's recipe calls for onions and carrots to be added into the pan. I honestly did not have time for chopping today, so I skipped those. I only added potatoes and chicken stock.

I cooked the pork for 1 hour and 20 minutes.  The recipe says cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the thickest part of meat is 160 degrees. Be prepared for your kitchen to smell delicious. The meat cuts perfectly and looks beautiful. It is definitely one of my family's favorite!

Please let me know if you try this recipe and what you think of it.
Here is the link to Giada De Laurentiis's Spiced Pork Roast Click here for recipe.

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Bride-Zilla Strikes on Next Great Baker

TLC's Next Great Baker episode "Here Comes Bride-Zilla" heats up tonight as the baker's have to make a wedding cake for a bridezilla! Buddy Valastro starts the show out with the Baker's Challenge. Buddy want's to see who does the best cake piping in the group. Buddy returns after the time is up and examines each cake. The two bottom cakes are Carmelo's Oquenda's and Ryan Cimorelli's.  Nadine Reibeling wins the Baker's Challenge.

The Elimination Challenge starts with the two losing pipers picking their team. Team Ryan consists of Ryan, Marissa Lopez, and Megan Hart. Team Carmelo has Carmelo, Heather Grubb, Chad Fitzgerald, and Nadine Reibeling. Chad and Ryan both have a private consultation with the bride. She explains what she does not want on the cake more than what she wants. She barely touches on what she wants for a bridal cake. She requests off the wall colors like navy and pink.

Buddy brings Bride-Zilla in with him to checks on the cakes. Bride-Zilla is very unhappy with both cakes. She is especially unhappy with the design and color of Team Carmelo. Bride-zilla starts to cry. She does not like the stripes or color blue they made. Team Carmelo decides to start the cake over. Marissa and Ryan
are not getting along and Megan is in the middle. Marissa feels Ryan's leadership is not showing and decides she needs to take charge.

When time is up the bakers are instructed on where to deliver the finished cake to the reception. They make it to their destination only to find out that Buddy was pulling their leg, and there was no wedding. Bride-Zilla is an actress. Buddy's goal is to help the bakers deal with difficult people. The bakers go back wondering who is going home and the cakes are examined closely.

In the elimination room, Buddy chooses Team Ryan as the winner of the elimination challenge. He asks Marissa how she feels about Ryan's leadership and she explains how displeased she is. Buddy did not agree with Marissa and gave Ryan the trip to Italy for being the MVP of the team. Buddy explains he did not like Team Carmelo's cake. There were too many triangles and the fondant was sloppy. Everyone on Team Carmelo decides that Heather G. is the weakest link. They also concluded that Carmelo was not a confident leader. The two bakers in question to stay in the competition are Heather G. and Carmelo. Buddy decides for Heather G. to be sent into the box truck.

What did you think of this episode? Do you think Heather deserved to go home?

Using a Blender for a Juicer

It is possible to use a blender for a juicer. The key is to cut the fruits and vegetables into small pieces. If you have a powerful blender, you do not have to worry about having as small pieces as with a smaller blender. Peel the ingredients before adding them in the mixture. If you are making a smoothie, add small to medium size ice cubes. You do not need to add your ingredients in a specific order.

There is a difference between a blender and juicer. A juicer removes the fiber from a fruit. This makes the texture of the drink smoother. A blender combines both the fiber and fruit together making a thicker drink. Both a juicer and blender make delicious drinks and can be very good for you depending what kind of fruits you are using.

Make sure the blender is in place. After all of the ingredients are added, close the lid to the blender and start mixing. Place your blender on the highest setting. If it sounds like the blender is having trouble moving stop it immediately. Open the lid to see if anything needs pushed down or smashed. It will take a few minutes for the ice to melt and fruits or vegetables to mix. Open and enjoy the refreshing and healthy drink!


Visit Amazon's Buyer's Guide - Juicer 101

Giada Delivers a Power Boost

Giada De Laurentiis delivers a new menu of power boosting recipes in her new episode Power Boost aired on January 7,  2012 on the Food Network Channel. Giada's menu today included Baked Halibut with Arugula Salsa Verde, Blueberry Frozen Yogurt, Turkey, Kale and Rice Brown Soup, and Rise and Shine Juice. Everything looks healthy and delicious and I personally cannot wait to try it!

I plan on making everything on the menu but the Baked Halibut with Arugula Salsa Verde. My husband is allergic to seafood. I cannot wait to try the Blueberry Frozen Yogurt. I am always looking for healthy snacks my kids can eat. Blueberries contain natural antioxidants and one cup of blueberries gives the body 24 percent of vitamin C it needs a day.

The Rise and Shine Juice speaks for itself. How could anything made with spinach, apples, carrots, celery, lemon and ginger not be good for you? Giada uses a juicer. I do not have one, so I am going to use a blender and chop the food up into tiny pieces before starting the juicing process.

I cannot wait to try the Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup. I think this soup will be excellent to have on a cold snowy day. Kale is a great source of fiber and is loaded with antioxidants and beta-carotene.It has also been shown to help prevent osteoporosis.

I am so excited to cook these healthy recipes. I will be posting my review along with pictures soon. Please share if you will also be trying these recipes and what your thoughts are.

Giada has done it again! :)


Visit Amazon's Buyer's Guide - Juicer 101

Going Vegan? Meet Julie Hasson

Meet Julie Hasson the adorable host of Everyday Dish and author of five cookbooks including her latest book called Vegan Diner. Julie also runs Native Bowl, a hip food cart in Portaland, Oregon with her husband Jay.

I stumbled on Everyday Dish and loved it. Julie cooks great recipes and explains every step of what she is doing and why. In her blog, she explains that her language is best described as minimum fuss with maximum results. As a mom of four children, I love that language. :)

Julie's new cookbook, Vegan Diner focuses on everyone's favorite comfort foods transformed into vegan style. Her recipes are plant based, healthy and delicious!


Julie agreed to answer a few questions for me:

When did you decide to become vegan?
Julie Hasson: I really started to become vegan about six or seven years ago. It was a slow process for me because I was still in the midst of writing several cookbooks that were vegetarian, not vegan. So it took me a while to transition my career so that I could become totally vegan, which was about five years ago.

What should every cupboard be stocked with?
Julie Hasson: :) Fresh garlic, nutrtional yeast flakes, Bragg Liquid Aminos, Vital Wheat Gluten, many herbs and spices, olive oil, Sriracha sauce, Tamari or soy sauce, Dijon mustard, good olives… That would be a good start.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Julie Hasson: That’s a hard question to answer because it changes all the time. I guess if I had to pick something it would probably be dessert. Can you tell how much I love baking by the large dessert chapter in Vegan Diner?

When did you start Everyday Dish?
Julie Hasson: My husband and I started Everyday Dish about five years ago, and it’s still going strong. We wanted to show how easy and delicious vegan cooking can be.

Thank you Julie!! I love all of your recipes!

My First Try at the Donut Maker

This Christmas, I got a Bella Mini Donut Maker from my husband at Target.com. These donuts are not fried and healthier than a regular donut. There are different recipes in the owners manual for different flavors. I found a cinnamon donut recipe online that I used. You can also use your own topping or create your own. Some of the topping recipes in the manual call for pudding powder. I would rather make my own from scratch.

The Bella Mini Donut Maker gets very hot. It is important that nothing is around it. After the machine's temperature is right, slowly pour the mixture in. It is important to remember not to overflow the donut area. The manual calls to cook for 2-3 minutes. My donuts were ready exactly two minutes later. These cute little donuts are came out perfect and delicious.

I will be searching for more recipes and toppings and posting them. Do you have a donut machine and what are your thoughts on it? Do you have any recipes you would like to share?

The Importance of Keeping Your Kitchen Organized

It is a new year. It is time to get organized. I have made a goal for myself to get my kitchen organized and keep it that way. I love to cook. It is my escape. Cooking is not always easy when you have four kids. Especially when two of them are under the age of four. My little ones are two and four years old. My oldest is autistic and doesn't like when my two year gets upset over anything. Even though I love cooking, it isn't always easy with the constant chaos.

In order to save time and move at a decent pace, I have decided to get my kitchen in order. When everything is in order like it should be, it is easier to find what you need. Being organized in the kitchen will leave less room for error while making the food. It is easier to keep an organized kitchen clean.

Today, I cleaned out all of my pans and got rid of a few that have been sitting around. I had pan lids to pans that I have not had forever! Thankfully, I know have room to store a few of my new gadgets from Christmas. My kitchen is starting to look like a place I want to be again. It is amazing how different a kitchen looks and feels when things are organized.

I plan to clean out a door and place things in it strictly for my daughter to play with while she is in the kitchen with me. This will be her drawer and the items placed in the drawer will only be for when she is "helping me" in the kitchen. Hopefully this will help keep her distracted and also create great memories of cooking in the kitchen with mom.

Next Great Baker goes to Turtle Back Zoo

January 2, 2012 episode of Next Great Baker takes us to Turtle Back Zoo in Essex County New Jersey. Marissa Lopez and Chad Fitzgerald win the first Bakers Challenge and both get to pick a team they do not work with for each other. After the teams are picked, Buddy tells Marissa and Chad to change places. They are now the team leaders of the people they prefer not to work with.

After arriving at the zoo, Team Chad's bear, made by Heather Macia starts to fall apart and the beak of Team Marissa's toucan, made by Megan Hart starts breaking off. Overall, Buddy states Team Marissa had the stronger cake and they win! Buddy narrowed it down to two people for elimination, Chad and Heather. His choice was to send Heather home because of the bear falling apart. He told Chad he expects to see more from him because he knows he has it in him.

I do not think Heather should have been sent home yet. Do you think Buddy made the right choice or was Heather sent home too soon?

365 Photo Challenge Day #2

I love cooking. Anyone that knows me knows that I love Giada DeLaurentiis. My daughter introduced me to her cooking show two summers ago. This is one of Giada's amazing dishes. As soon as I watched the show, I knew I had to make it. I could not stop thinking about it.

My husband went to the store today and brought up the receipt on his phone. He bought all of the ingredients and surprised me with them. My husband is thoughtful and did this even with a headache. (We have been taking turns not feeling well in the house.) I was so happy to make this for him tonight. The thought behind it means the most. To top it off, he moved this dish up to his #1 favorite! This is what my finished product looked like. I took the photo to capture the beauty of the dish.

Here is Giada's link for the delicious dish! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-sausage-and-egg-bake-recipe/index.html

365 Photo Challenge Day #1

One of my twitter friends (PetiteMommy) tweeted about a 365 Photo Challenge. I was interested immediately, so I asked her about it. She led me to the link:
http://content.photojojo.com/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/

This is my Annie. I took this picture during play time today. We are soon going to take our Christmas tree down and I had a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas this year. When I look at this picture, I think of her reading her Christmas book to her baby doll. On the arm of the chair she placed her "Little People" baby Jesus and Mary. She looked at me and said "Look Moma", Baby Jesus was born! I will always cherish these moments because I know they go so fast!

My Review of: Baking with the Cake Boss: 100 of Buddy's Best Recipes and Decorating Secrets

My husband and I just started watching Cake Boss this year. He found it searching on Netflix. We are always looking for shows to watch together. Little did I realize just how interesting a show about how to bake could be. Once I started watching it, I was hooked. I did not know cakes could do the things Buddy makes them do. His creations are amazing! Not only does Buddy create amazing cakes, he is a wonderful father and places family number one. It is obvious his whole family means the world to him, but especially his wife and kids.

I was reading information about his other show the Next Great Baker and stumbled upon Buddy's new book Baking with the Cake Boss: 100 of Buddy's Best Recipes and Decorating Secrets. I read the sample online and knew I had to get this book! I am hooked. Buddy gives great advice and recipes out in his new book. I have already made cookies and I plan on trying a cake soon. Buddy explains each recipe with detail and a little history on it. I highly recommend this book to anyone. If you are a beginner, do not be intimidated by this book. I am new a baking and I have only been actively cooking for about two years. Cooking and baking are my escapes.

Here is a picture of my cookies. Enjoy!