Baked Bang Bang Shrimp~

We enjoy Shrimp..very much~ I have made Bang Bang Shrimp before..many moons ago~but not baked..I found this recipe on Pinterest..and I am grateful..but when I tried to go back..there was a flash from Google Chrome saying the site was flagged for suspicion..I don't want to lead anyone towards an error..I am glad I wrote the recipe down when I first saw it..I dare not try and go back..I won't mention the blog as I always do..for that reason..

So thank you   to the person who posted..but now I am leery ..

However I love the idea of Baked Bang Bang Shrimp and we enjoyed them so much I have made them again.:)

Baked Bang Bang Shrimp~ Adapted

12 Colossal shrimp

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup flour

Garlic powder to taste

Smoked paprika to taste

Salt and Pepper

1/2tbsp hot sauce

1 beaten egg

Panko

1/2 cup Mayo

2 tbsps chili sauce

1 tsp honey

1/2 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce 

Mix the the dry ingredients  except the Panko .. add the wet ones and combine.
I like a thick batter so I added a bit of cornstarch..you could start with less buttermilk..
Dredge the deveined and cleaned shrimp(tail on)..in batter and then coat with Panko.
Lay on a prepared baking sheet that has parchment on it~
Bake in a  preheated 400 degree  F oven for 10 mins on one side and 5 on the other~
(This time may vary..mine took less and they were huge:))
Serve with Mayo..recipe above~

Really good.
Delish actually~


PS Wonder if it is only w/ Google Chrome that these warnings appear on Pinterest..Not the first  time at all for me~?

Creativity~

Lots of links:)

You know this already:)~the above that is~

And I do like mugs too..

Just a little individual birthday cake..:)  Keep the mug and wee spoon!

I thought these mugs were so cute for Mug Cakes~They come with a small spoon~

The same day..I tried my hand at this:)

I am sure you know right away why I had to make it..In my teens..I dotted the i in Monique w/ a ♥~
No surprise there:)
But here is the surprise~

A heart is baked into the middle:)
It's a heavenly triple lemon cake..It would take pages  for me to write out and I type at the speed of honey trying to pour out.. that has hardened~
Suffice it to say it is from a baking Diva~
The premise..is that you bake the first portion of the lemon cake..(to which you have added the desired food coloring) in an 8x8..or 9 inch square pan before making the whole thing:)

I made mine the night before..
Then after it is baked and cooled..you cut it out in the shape you desire(I see stars in my future)..
wrap vertically in cling wrap..and freeze..
the next day..
you make the second batter..
place some of the batter in your vertical mold..
set the hearts(that are now kind of stuck together frozen:) )..in the batter and then place the rest of the batter all around and on top..
I would love to give you exact dimensions..but mine did not cooperate with the original recipe..
My heart cutter was ap 2.5 inches..but my pan.. 4x 8 1/2..
I could have used more batter(?)  but no..the secret for my cake will lie in a smaller cutter~
After the cake has baked..and make sure you cover the heart everywhere..so as to NOT get a dome..
you pour lemon syrup on it:)
and then..when cooled..you add the lemon glaze:)

I added edible blossoms:) Just for pretty.
Mme .Carrée..has the most beautiful photos and exquisite recipes..
When I first discovered her..I was still working..and perused her blog from tip to toe..entranced~:)
The next day..
Max came over for a visit:)

He takes art classes..and likes to hunker down and focus on art~
So he and I spent some quality time in my humble art room(means everything room)..
and decided on a picture for him to paint~
He chose a picture from Sharon Lovejoys..book..well one of her books..
It's an adorable book..that I love to peruse..
Max chose this  illustration to do..

The Pizza making section:)

That day I had decided to show him a technique a very wonderful artist showed me..

The Lighbox Technique..

Forgive the fuzzy pic..nana was in a bit of a rush ..as Max was quite impatient to dry it:)

Max is 5..I think he did a most marvelous job of his first ever Lightbox Technique:)

We then played with small watercolor cards..and Gouache ..and Titanium white:)

Max is wearing on his wrist..my favorite paint blotter..a cut off white athletic sock..he enjoys putting it on..And seeing how it looks after his works of art..heart:)

How cute are 5 yr old hands?:)

I asked him who his mini watercolor card and envelope were for..he said :"Jojo"..

"Jojo I asked?"  "She is our lunch supervisor:":)

I thought that was so cute!

But..after he discovered my stamp collection..and personalized his envelope with :"Hand made by"...And Happy Birthday..

He decided it would be for his mommy:)As her birthday was yesterday~

Loved that~

Before the boys came over..

I had prepared some bread..a new recipe~

That you can find here..

I used the link recipe at the bottom of her post..I did not have caramel color..and it appears I cannot get it in QC, Canada..so I added  1 tbsp of molasses..and I halved the recipe..and... I used 1/2 all purpose unbleached flour and 1/2 Robin Hood Multigrain Bread Flour.

I put everything in my bread machine on  the  dough cycle .

Then used my attached together 4 small loaf tin..and my very favorite baking pan from France given to me by Lee~Ann and Jon~

Let them rise..and then baked..

Delicious!

Honey Butter with them would be sinful:)

All in all a creative 2 days:)

Thanks Max~xx

Love,Nana.

Have a great weekend~

Simple Decadence~

I guess you have gathered by now..after all these years..that I seldom INVENT recipes..rather..I peruse cookbooks..blogs.. jot down recipes here and there and from our daughters or friends.
When I married I knew not how to cook a thing..
But with time a little passion emerged..and I loved filling our home with home made meals..and sweets..I bake many more sweets now than when our daughters lived at home..
Jacques is the sweet eater here and enjoys a bite or two after dinner..
When I saw these.. here..at..Hummingbird High~
I thought he would love these with his morning coffee too..
I usually have Puff Pastry on hand(President's Choice)..I have made my own puff pastry in the past..But now stick to this one for convenience sake.

These are as easy as 1-2-3..your hands will smell delicious..and everyone will agree..these are super good.

La Recette~


Zest of 1 large orange..(I used 2 clementines)
1/2 cup granulated  sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 sheet of puff pastry..mine is about 8x10?..

Preheat oven to 400F
Line a baking sheet with parchment
Mix the orange zest,sugar and cinnamon and rub between your fingers to impart the oils of the zest to the sugar and cinnamon..(Love that..like Dorie with her lemon and sugar)..
spread the mix all over the puff pastry.. and I used my pizza cutter to cut in one inch sections..
you cut again in the middle of each strip starting half an inch from the top and going to 1/2 inch from the bottom..
Fold over and twist using both hands..
Form spirals and tuck under to prevent uncoiling..
Refrigerate 20 mins..
Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.. and sugar starts to caramelize~

I had lovely little puddles on the baking sheet..:)
Please click on the Hummingbird link to see her beautiful shots and full details~
Enjoy~
I say these are simple decadence..because they taste so decadent..yet are so simple..
I must admit..hours later..room temp..they are even more pungent with that great citrusy,cinnamony,sugary taste.
Another keeper..
What can I say?
Except thank you to all those that inspire me~
PS I know I posted recently:)

But I want you to enjoy these..now:)
You will want to lick your fingers:)

Weekend Snippets~well.. Saturday:)

This weekend we celebrated our youngest daughter's birthday~ 36!

Un amour d'enfant..petite ainsi  que maintenant grande~et maman de 3 des "Alphabet Boys"..

Pinterest played a part in her birthday:)

I had loved the gifts I found on Pinterest..on my Wrapping Board:).. how they added black and white photos to the gift wrapping~

I scanned an old  color photo  of when she was perhaps 3..with long blonde curls pinned up..her bathing suit and water wings~

I loved her little face..I still do:)

The whole family got together at our other lovely  daughter's home..in her sweet sweet turquoise kitchen..for a family meal..

6 kids..6 adults..

A delicious meal of Ricardo's pork w/ beet sauce:)..all the Tostitoes I could eat before hand..veggies ..dip..a very "F" hd..delish..carrots potatoes..superb soup..leek with crisp pancetta topping:-) ..

I offered to bring dessert.

I don't love eating them but love making them~

Again I found many of this very same cake on Pinterest so I won't quote one source.

You simply bake..a 2 layer chocolate cake.. ice..surround with KitKats..individually and top with Smarties..I added a personalized circle of fondant on top w/ fondant candle holders..to place the candles..and to lessen the amount of Smarties~

Pedestaled and wrapped with a bow..it's a fun and easy birthday cake:)

And the kids were so excited:)

A cake mix can work fine for this kind of cake..

It was a lovely Saturday spent with all my favorite people in the whole wide world~

PS~

Did you spy one of my market bags?

If you did you must have spied those absolutely precious crocheted radishes and string beans?

Creative,thoughtful,perfectly stitched..they are my favorite addition to my market bag.This is THE market bag now~:)

No.... I didn't make them.... I wish!..A dear dear girl did:)

BlueBell and ButterCup's Vanilla Tray Bake~

Ok..it's not actually THEIR recipe for this delicious dessert..it's their mom's Marie~
She lives at The English Kitchen..and a few other places too..
This isn't the first time I have shared one of Marie's recipes..so many over the last few years actually..
But it is the first time I introduce you to 2 of her creations..well actually more..because all BlueBells' and ButterCups clothes are designed by Marie too..I think they picked up that cup in Aix~♥
I used to love HOME COMPANION~ Mary Engelbreight's magazine~ and ALWAYS flipped to Ann Estelle:) or one of her friends..the cut out dolls brought me back to my childhood:)
Well guess what? Marie..started creating her very own paper dolls and outfits..
So how could I resist purchasing some?
They are so so so adorable..and arrived so quickly!  Ahh the power of the internet!  A high resolution file is sent to us..:)

You can print them up at home..or do as I did and have them printed at Bureau En Gros(Staples)..
I had them printed on heavier cardstock as I knew they would be cooking and baking with me in the kitchen.
The first thing we made was for Jacques(and he thinks these dolls are so cute too!)...was Marie's Vanilla Tray Bake.It looked moist..and delicious.The kind of cake Jacques likes.:)
So we decided to give it a try..I used a large pan though w/ individual squares..

I wished and hoped and all went well..all the cakelets rose..:) and looked wonderful!
Both girls were happy with their first venture together in the kitchen~

  Just delicious!

You can find the easy peasy  recipe here~
If you have Flour,sugar,butter,eggs,sour cream and a few basic other ingredients you are on your way~
You can order Marie's cute cute dolls..(there are more)..at her other blog..The Artful Heart~
Fun to have for you or for any child ..or child at ♥ that you know:)
I just had to tell you about the dolls:)  And the recipe~
Enjoy.
And thank you Marie for everything you share~

This is scrummy ..As you would say~
Ces petites poupées sont des coups de ♥ pour moi~

Sew Cute~

I have been Pinning Button Cookies since I first saw them..and have a few Pins on My Cookie Cutter board~
But Jody's..made me make them..I was making different little cookies that day and thought..to give them a try..hers on her cute bakery shop bag were just too sweet to not try :)
Thanks Jody~

I used the recipe I was trying out that day.. same day I made the envelope and wafer paper cookies..
The Martha Stewart recipe..

And they worked out just right..

I made two sizes..and I find they look like Smiley faces too..just add a curve:)
I've never used that little sewing kit..It's a keeper for me..
It was in our room at La Ferme De La Huppe in Provence.. most charming place I have ever stayed at in all my life..(I know I have not been many places..but..I am sure it is a very special place even to many long time travelers:))
See how every needle is pre -threaded:)?
You would think it was gilded in gold to me:)

These Button Love Cookies..would be great packaged in a Valentine way also~
Have a wonderful week~

Knit One~Purl One~Froth One~Bake One~

Shamelessly,I am sharing my mug warmer..Tried a new set of stitches..knit one ..purl one..to make the mug cozy..But my wool was nubby..and my needles were big..so the seed stitch didn't really show up..But I had fun making it..crazy stitched some felt and sewed buttons..
I am TRYING to learn how to crochet with You Tube and YouTube is winning~ Sigh~


It felt good on the mug..though..with our weather?  More snow!!More Snow..all day!
Our daughters gave me a Nespresso frother for Christmas..and I enjoy it so much:)
Perfect froth every time!
Made some more sugar cookies..this time using Fancy Flours wafer papers I had..from before..all gone now..

I'll hang them from my Valentine's tree:)

I made the same hearts as last year also..

But this yr I used the Ateco food markers~  Hmm  they work nicely..but in 5 seconds all that black and red were all over Oli's fingers~

So..any tips?

I used Sol's Sugar Cookie recipe for these..I shared it here..

and used the same home made fondant as here:)

PS How cute are those arrows? They are Photoshop brushes that   I found here:) And how nice was she to give the tutorial!?

♥♥♥

Future Cookies~For Valentine's day..or not~

The boys..the two bigger boys ..came for a visit Sunday..
Lucas practiced his class presentation in front of us:-)

A star is born:)  In our eyes~
Did some math..while Max did crafts..they played chess..a lovely indoor afternoon on a very chilly day..
Their mom had told me they had enjoyed reading their fortunes at the Chinese Food resto they went to..
I decided to make some for them:-)
I made some ap.20 years ago..
For a girl get together..
I had wanted special ladies to meet..in the hope of matching 2 female friends recently widowed..and in the hope of ..kind of.. sort of ...arranging a meeting for a new relationship for a woman I knew at that time..and a man I had met..
The first never panned out ..but the latter married.
I remembered the cookies as being good:-)
I knew it was a Martha recipe..but tried a new one..
I should have stuck to the Martha..although it had a drawback too..the middle is never as crispy as the outer parts....they're not soft...but not crunchy..
However..these worked fine..and I like the whole idea of fortune cookies..
As a young girl..my mom and I sometimes went to Bamboo Village for Chinese food after church.
I loved it so much..the treat..the company..:-)
Spare ribs..chicken soo-guy..pineapple chicken..egg rolls..almond cookies..fortune cookies..
This is 45 -50 years ago..I can't believe those numbers when I say or read them.
I told Max I was 25:-) not a real lie..it was like a comparison..to his art teacher:-)
So how could this be?
I still remember it all.
We never went out..maybe that is why:-) It has made an indelible wonderful memory in my mind..
So..I made the cookies..wrote the fortunes and prepared tea for my 7 and 5 yr old grandsons..Chinese tea!

I was prepared..I know them:-)
And so it was...

Oh but could we have chocolate milk instead Nana?
-Sure.
Oh but could we just read the futures Nana?And not actually eat the cookies?
-Sure:-)

Now ..the title of my post makes sense..Lucas calls them Future cookies..I said ..they are fortune cookies Lulu..

No..future..they tell the future..
Well..to me they are  Now Future Cookies and I always plan on making them rosy.
For everyone.
Every future I will write:-)

La recette~

2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
3 tbsps vegetable oil
3 tsps water..
8 tbsps flour
1 1/2 tsps cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsps sugar



First of all write some fortunes on paper:)  Have them ready..

Preheat oven to 300F

In a bowl with a mixer beat the first 5 ingredients until slightly frothy..

add the rest of the ingredients that you have sifted together before..

Drop by tbsps full on a Silpat..  and spread to ap 3 inches..keeping them 3 inches apart..
Bake until the edges start to brown..about 14-15 minutes..

When done remove from oven..I placed my fortune..folded over then folded again by hoding it over a mug:)

Then I put it in a muffin tin..

Bake only a few at a time..:)

You can watch the video here..but the recipe and recipes,are on many many sites..I found the recipe somewhere else:)

And found the video here..

Fun for kids..:)  and for adults to make~

Remember? When we used to say this? Now it feels as if I am full for 2 days:)
Found on Google..

♥

You've Got Mail~

Loved that movie:)~
And I have been loving the envelope cookies I have been seeing here and there~
So I made some Martha Stewart Sugar Cookies~
And Made some Fondant~
And took out some new stamps~
And Food Coloring..
And twine..
And small sugar hearts..
And played~


And played some more when I found these oh so cute adorable printouts on Pinterest  from someone I love to Follow~

Coloring Paris~
I love them and saved them in an Altoid's tin too:)

Envelope inspiration found here....but first and foremost here..who had found them on Cake Opera...(Don't want to forget anyone here:) )
Fun to make:)~
You could personalize..

Personally..I am not nuts about actually eating fondant cookies..but I am not the sweet eater here..I like to decorate with them..make gift tags..shower favors.. holidays.
Little canvases.