Betsey Johnson Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear

This is the Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear collection of Betsey Johnson. We see lots of bold and dark colors for her collection, black especially. Fur is also evident as well as some mix-and-match outfits consisting of different kinds of fabrics.

What's For Lunch Honey's Monthly Mingle

Comfort Foods Monthly Mingle

I decided that I wanted to participate in this fun food challenge. Oh but have I set the bar high for myself! My comfort food is. . .drum roll. . .Hamburger Gravy and Mashed Potatoes with Sweet Corn.

Problem: I have never gone by a recipe, just by taste and sight. I had no idea how much of anything that I put into this recipe.

2nd Problem: My work is nuts and I have only 3 hours of home life before going to bed and starting over plus I have no idea if I am under the wire or not for this challenge.

Well, I am going to post anyways and hope I have not upset our wonderful host, Meeta. Meeta, I apoligize and I am still trying to get the hang of posting and joining these fun cooking challenges =D.

Creamy, Buttery, Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

5 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes

1/2 c. unsalted butter

4 ounces Cream Cheese

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

Potatoes Ready to Be

Boiled

Directions:

Quarter potatoes and put into a large, heavy pot. Fill pot with water till there is at least an inch of water over the potatoes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt into water. Bring water to boil and continue for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes no longer feel crunchy with jabbed with a fork.

Drain water from potatoes and return to stove for 30 seconds and continue to toss potatoes in pan over heat to finish drying them. Remove from heat and put into a mixer bowl. Add 1/2 c. of butter that is already cut into 1-inch cubes along with the 4 ounces of cream cheese. Use the wire whip utensil on mixer and mix at low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl down with spatula and put mixer on medium speed and whip for 1 to 2 minutes or until there are no lumps. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Now, put foil over bowl to keep mashed potatoes warm until ready to serve.

Hamburger Gravy

Ingredients:

2 pounds of hamburger

2 T. cornstarch

1 1/2 t. Instant Bouillon Beef Granules

1 1/4 t. granulated or powdered garlic

3 c. Light Cream or Milk, divided

2 t. Worcestshire sauce

1/2 t. Maggi seasoning or liquid gravy seasoning

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until there is no more pink.

While the beef is browning, mix the gravy thickening ingredients in a medium size bowl. First, mix together cornstarch, instant beef bouillon granules, and garlic. Add 1/4 cup of the light cream or milk to the dry ingredients and mix well so that there are no lumps. Everything is fully dissolved. Add worcestshire sauce and gravy seasoning. Mix well.

After hamburger is fully cooked, add 2 cups of light cream and stir. Now, add your cornstarch mixture to the hamburger and cream and stir together. Rinse rest of gravy cornstarch thickener in bowl by adding the last 3/4 c. of light cream and swish in bowl then pour into hamburger gravy.

Cook gravy over medium-high heat till gravy thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Lower heat and add more milk if gravy becomes to thick. At this time, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Putting Dish Together:

First:

Put a large scoop of mashed potatoes on plate. Smother with butter and make a wide well in the center for gravy.

Add a large scoop or two of hamburger gravy and watch the melted butter from beneath ooze out from under the gravy. Place a helping of steamed corn to the side. Enjoy! =D

My Mom used to make this when I was a little girl and she used to have this made for her when she was a little girl. Total Comfort Food! =D

80s Flashback!

These are some of the clothes showcased during the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo. The theme for this collection is The Breakfast Club wherein a taste for the 80s is brought back.






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SuperBowl 42

I cheered for the underdogs: Giants and Eli Manning! Yay! They won! Down to the wire, wasn't it?

Well, I did it! I made another superbowl party full of food and I want to list my menu so that next year I know what to change and what to keep. I have my old friends and I have new ones that are here to stay. Jello shooters and pudding shooters were a hit and will be here for other parties as well. The Buttery Nipple sounds a little on the naughty side BUT if you love butterscotch, you will adore these pudding shots. DELICIOUS! I made a layered salad for the health conscious and I made my old nemesis: Homemade Mac and Cheese. I know, I know. . .not your normal football eats but I wanted it this year! I will not be making it again for the party because this feeds 12 people and I am the only one that ate any. I am freezing the rest for later. Yeesh. Well, here is the menu:

Super Bowl Party:
Drinks:
*Hefeweizen beer
*Playboy Coolers
Jello Shots:
*Little Purple Men
*Twisting By The Pool

Pudding Shots:
*Buttery Nipple Pudding Shot
*Death By Chocolate Pudding Shot
FOOD:
*Doritos and Cheetos
*Nachos a la Butler
*Layered Salad for the Health Conscious
*Mac and Cheese (My Splurge)

*Crabbies
*Barbecue Cups
*Carrotcake Cheesecake

Playboy Coolers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces gold rum
1 1/2 ounces Kahlua
3 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce lime juice (fresh is best)
Cola
Maraschino cherry
Cracked ice
Ice cubes

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except the Cola and cherry, in a cocktail shaker or blender with cracked ice.
Shake or blend, and then pour into a serving glass filled with ice cubes.
Top off with a healthy splash of cola, and garnish with the cherry.
Enjoy.

Little Purple Men Jello Shooters

Ingredients:

1 small box grape flavoured Jell-O
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Sambuca liqueur
1/4 cup Raspberry Vodka

Directions:

Pour Jell-O crystals into a deep bowl.
Pour boiling water over, and stir well until all crystals are dissolved.
Add Sambuca and Raspberry Vodka; stir to mix well, allowing it to cool slightly.
Pour into individual disposable plastic shooter (or shot) cups.
Refrigerate until set.
Most fun to serve them WITHOUT the aid of spoons, straws, etc. I gave each guest a party toothpick to loosen the sides of the Jell-O, and told them to squeeze the shooters into their mouths, one whole swoop.

Twisting By the Pool Jello Shooters:

Ingredients:

1 small package lemon flavoured Jell-O
1 samll package orange flavoured Jell-O
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup Melon Liqueur (Midori, or Henkes Melon)
3/4 cup Peach Schnapps
30 LifeSavers candies

Directions:
Place the Jell-O crystals in a deep bowl, and pour the boiling water over. Stir to mix well, until all the crystals have dissolved.
Pour in both the liqueurs, and stir well, allowing it to cool slightly.
Pour into 30 disposable plastic shooter (or shot) cups. Refrigerate until firm.
Just before serving, place a LifeSaver on the top of each shooter.
These are the most fun when served WITHOUT the aid of spoons!

Buttery Nipple Pudding Shots
Ingredients:
1 small package butterscotch instant pudding mix
Bailey's Irish Cream, to taste (at least 1/4 cup, or more)
Butterscotch Ripple Schnapps, to taste (at least 1/4 cup, or more)
1 1/2 cups cold milk
Cool-whip non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (about 1/2 cup)
Hershey's Caramel Kisses

Directions:
NOTE: there's a fair amount of flexibility going on here, depending on how "boozey" you want these. I used 1 1/3 cups milk, 1/3 cup Bailey's, and 1/3 cup Butterscotch Ripple Schnapps (with a pudding that normally required 2 cups milk to make). Rule of thumb: just make sure that no more than 1/2 of the liquids are alcoholic, or they will not set properly. If you are having problems getting them to set, just put them in the freezer for a bit.
Empty the pudding mix into a bowl.
Stir in your milk (1 1/3 cups) well, and then immediately add your alcohol (1/3 cup Bailey's and 1/3 cup Butterscotch Ripple Schnapps).
Mix with a hand-held blender or a whisk until smooth, lump-free, and starting to set.
Pour (or dollop) into individual, flexible shot glasses (plastic, paper, or even medicine cups -- you can get perfect plastic shot glasses at your local party supply store).
Place on a base (cookie sheet) and put into the fridge or freezer to set.
Once set, add a wee dollop of Cool-whip, and place one Hershey's Kiss on the top.
Return to fridge, or serve immediately.

Death by Chocolate Pudding Shots:

Ingredients:
1 small package instant double-chocolate, or chocolate fudge pudding
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup Irish Cream
8 oz Extra Creamy Cool-Whip topping mix, thawed slightly
Chocolate candy of choice for garnish, if desired

Directions:
Mix the pudding and milk for a couple of minutes with an electric mixer, then add the alcohol and mix well.
Mix in the thawed Cool-Whip.
Pour (or dollop, as it ends up) into individual shooter or shot glasses (plastic, flexible type, medicine-cup type, or use glass ones but supply tiny plastic spoons also).
Refrigerate, or keep in freezer if need be, to allow them to set.
Remove from freezer just before serving, and garnish with chocolate candies, if desired.

Nachos a la Butler:
Ingredients:
Tortilla chips
2 1/2 c. refried beans, homemade or store bought (recipe follows)
1 pound of ground beef, cooked
1 onion, finely chopped
Los Barrios Salsa (recipe follows)
Guacamole (recipe follows)
8 ounces of Sour Cream
1 jalapeno sliced into thin slices
HOME REFRIED BEANS RECIPES:
1 T. vegetable oil or lard
2 c. cooked, salted pinto beans
LOS BARRIOS SALSA RECIPE:
6 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can of jalapeno chiles
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
GUACAMOLE RECIPE:
4 Haas avocados
1 t. garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
1 chopped Serrano pepper, optional
1/3 c. finely chopped sweet onion, optional

Directions:
LAYERING THE NACHOS A LA BUTLER:
**NOTE: If using a conventional oven instead of a microwave, preheat it to 350 degrees F.**
Spread the tortilla chips on 2 microwavable or ovenproof platters or large plates. Spread the beans on top of the chips and top with the ground beef. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Place 1 microwavable plate in the microwave and heat for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted. Or place the ovenproof plate in the preheated oven and heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Place dollops of half of the guacamole, sour cream, onions, salsa, and jalapeno chile over the nachos.
Serve immediately, and repeat with the second plate of nachos.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE REFRIED BEANS:
Mash the salted pinto beans with a potato masher or puree in the blender.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the beans, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE LOS BARRIOS SALSA:
Combine the tomatoes, chiles, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a blender and blend till you have a chunky mixture. DO NOT PUREE UNTIL SMOOTH. Transfer to a bowl till you are ready to add to the nachos. If making ahead of time, chill.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE GUACAMOLE:
Slice the avocados lengthwise in half and remove the pits. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the avocado, making it as chunky or smooth as you like. Add finely diced Serrano pepper and diced onion if you are using this in the recipe.
Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Chill till ready to use.

Mac and Cheese:
Ingredients:
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 T. unsalted butter
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt and macaroni and cook for 4 to 5 minutes (until the macaroni is half cooked). Butter a 3-quart baking dish, add 1/3 of the cooked macaroni and then layer the cheese, salt, and pepper; repeat this until the elbows have all transferred. Pour the milk and heavy cream over the macaroni. Cover the macaroni and cheese with tinfoil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the macaroni is brown and bubbling on top.

Layered Salad:

Ingredients:

4 c. shredded lettuce or spinach
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 small red onion, sliced, separated into rings
2 c. chopped fresh plum tomatoes
1 pkg. (10-ounces) frozen green peas, cooked and drained
1/2 c. Mayonnaise
1/2 c. Sour Cream
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
4 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Layer the lettuce or spinach, 1 cup of the cheese, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes and peas in a 3-quart serving bowl.
Mix Mayonnaise, sour cream and basil. Spread over salad to seal; cover.
Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. cheese and bacon before serving.

It is getting late so I will have to finish posting the Crabbies, Barbecue Cups and Carrotcake Cheesecake tomorrow night, after work. The pudding shots are my favorite along with the layered salad. I am so stuffed that I can't squeak =D.

Cold Winter Nights and Hearty, Warm Food

I definitely do not have snow like so many others around but we do have cold temperatures. I am back to working 10 hour days/6 days a week. I am fixing dinners that are one pot dishes after work because my commute is taking 2 hours to get home. This leaves me 3 hours before I have to go to bed and start all over again. I can't believe I just typed before I have to go to bed! This is a self-imposed bedtime but it is funny that when I was growing up, I just knew when I left home I would stay up all night and no one would issue rules. I think I have more self-imposed rules now then what I did when I lived at home. Not a warm, fuzzy thought. =D

Dinner tonight: Skillet Creole Chicken Fricassee (I just love that word "Fricassee". Kind of like a bugs Bunny cartoon word)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds). halved crosswise

3 t. Creole seasoning

8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

3 T. vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Cook sausage in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towel line plate, leaving fat in skillet. Cook chicken in sausage fat until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with sausage.

Add oil, onion, celery, and pepper to now empty skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and remaining Creole seasoning and cook until flour begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Slowly stir in broth until smooth. Return chicken and sausage to skillet. Cover and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.

Fall 2008 Lingerie Forecast

Here's the trend forecast for this year's fall lingerie. They can be pretty much be divided into five different categories depending on their styles:

Jewelbox - lingerie that adopts the colors of precious stones



The Look of Lounge - lingerie that focuses on comfort and casuality



A Wink of Vintae - lingerie that's uh...vintage-inspired



Wild Child - lingerie with improved animal prints



Out of Focus - lingerie go abstract

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