Young Grasshopper's Top 5 in 2012!

Remember me?  I am alive. Things just got so crazy over the last couple months I had to make some tough prioritizing choices and alas blogging took the hit {which even David said was a bad thing as blogging really made me a happier person}.  I'm hoping the New Year will afford me more blogging time as the holidays end, the company departs and "normalcy" resumes. 

Reflecting on 2012 it was a rough one in Chez Webb.... I lost my Mom in January, My Great Aunt {107 years old!} in September and my Father-in-Law in October.  It was a lot of sadness not only for me but all I love.  My kids lost 2 grandparents.... my Dad, a wife, my husband, a Dad and my most awesome Mother-in-Law lost the love of her life.  The sadness was potentially all consuming.

It can be hard to notice the positives when there's a lot of sad but noteworthy in 2012 is that the kids continue to shine in every aspect of their youth, David & I were lucky enough to have the opportunity of the Kress Building fall into our laps, we are all healthy and have the best support system in our extended family and friends.  And yes, we have each other.

Good & Bad I'm so very excited to kick this year out the door and ring in a glorious new year.... HELLO 2013!  I'm starting if off by running from Miami to Key West with my BFF and our 9 Ragnar teammates and then relaxing with MaryAnn & David for a couple days in glorious Key West.  I vow to truly relax and I'm hoping I will return renewed and ready to kick some ass in 2013!

To end on a blogging note and since I've been so MIA
I thought I would close out the year with a
 Featured 5 celebrating my Top 5 posts of 2012....
I always love those radio count downs.... 
You won't be surprised to find they are all cocktails....

Cheers to you all.....
 

#5 the Classic Whisky Sour

 
 



#4.... The St~Germain Cocktail....



 



#3 was a guest post by the
fabulous Messy Baker!
who served up a
Grilled Peach Bourbon
Old Fashioned!



#2 The Dark & Stormy 



& drum roll please.......


#1 My Champagne Mojito

 Happy New Year Everyone!

Hope to see a lot more of you in 2013 ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful.
Just generally.
Hope you are too.
Enjoy your day.
Lots of love and laughs.
XXOO

p.s. great recipe on my Facebook page for a Cranberry Mojito...

Simply Fall {Mini Acorn Treats}

These are 2 things..... ridiculously easy & ridiculously CUTE.

What you'll need
chocolate frosting
mini vanilla wafers
chocolate kisses
pretzel sticks

What You Do:
For each, use chocolate frosting to attach a mini vanilla wafer to a chocolate kiss.  Snap a 1/4-inch section from a pretzel stick for a stem and use more frosting to attach it to the wafer. Let the frosting set for 20 minutes before serving.

Seriously, that's it.  They take 10 minutes to make a really cute display and if you are even a little artier than me they be even CUTER!

Dark & Stormy Death Punch....

 

Dark & Stormy Death Punch

I made this for my Halloween soiree last year and EVERYONE loved it, both men & women.  It's a loose rendition of the Dark & Stormy but much more affordable when providing for a gaggle of 'weeners.

WHAT YOU NEED:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lime juice
750 ml bottle dark or spiced rum
2 liter bottles ginger ale




Dark & Stormy Death Punch

WHAT YOU DO:
In a pitcher, stir the sugar into the lime juice until dissolved; add the rum and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

In your vat, pour in the lime-rum mixture; add the ginger ale, stir gently and serve in ice-filled glasses.

If you want to get really ghoulish.... get a can of Lychees, I had to go to a Chinese grocery for them last year, and stuff the lychees with maraschino cherries and freeze them... great eye ball ice cubes!

Happy Halloween!!!

NOTE:  the top picture is with Captain Morgan, very tasty but not nearly as creepy as the Myers Rum version I did last year in the vat..... I will be using Myer's for Halloween!


 

HAPPY GOOD & PLENTY DAY & a Guest Post :)

Anyone remember Choo-choo Charlie?  I sure do.... [sorry about sticking THAT tune in your heads but I could not resist!]

My point? Well, CJ over at Food Stories asked if I'd like to Guest Post while she recouperated I said "ABSOLUTELY! What are my holiday choices oh Queen of Food Holidays?" When I saw Good & Plenty as a choice I thought HOW FUN! 

So, I set off to come up with a cocktail.... I know SHOCKING.  Head on over to Food Stories to check out what these beauties are!


 

& CHEERS CHOO CHOO CHARLIE!



BOO! {A Gaggle of Spooky Foods for your Halloween Party}

Halloween Treats & Fun

OK, I LOVE HALLOWEEN.
I love the kids dressed up.
I love my house spookified.
I love creepy cocktails.
I love the friends gathering.
AND
despite all my Pumpkin hate.
I actually LOVE a good cheese ball shaped like a pumpkin....
it's the thought of adding pumpkin to my coffee, risotto or even yes.... *shudder* my Martini that KILLS ME.


So, spooky food.....
arm me with a variety of Pillsbury products and I can bake up one killer Spooky Food Banquet. 
And I do.
Every Halloween.
It's one of my favorite things....
nothing gourmet.
Not fancy.
Probably bordering on 4th grade level execution
BUT F.U.N.

So, I want to share.... all the recipes are links,  I created NONE of this, I cannot take credit for the creativity but the execution [good and bad] is all me & my kids.... the crappy photography.... all me.  But none of this was done for a blog... this was done for the love of it.

I hope you love it too & HAPPY HALLOWEEN {I know it's early but what good would this post be ON Halloween! You'd be annoyed}!



Halloween Cheese & Dips

My pumpkin cheese ball is my FAVORITE I use for Halloween

and of course for Turkey Day

Super easy.  The top I actually rip a stem off a real pumpkin.... the recipe called for using a green pepper. 

I like my way better :)

 

The web dip was just on Yummy Mummy with a video that I'm linking, that's Ranch with Ketchup for dipping little mummies but you could use any dip in my opinion.

 

The fingers out of the dip below are baby carrots with red pepper triangles.  Cute and easy! 

 



Halloween Spooky Food with a little help from Pillsbury



On the far left are serpent "hoagies"

                    then little bugs.... a/k/a pigs in a blanket with dots

                                              then a couple examples of every one's favorite....

                                              the Cordon Bleu Mummy. 

                                              Do not make less than 2.  Actually delicious.

                                                                                        & bringing up the rear are the meatball caterpillars.... CUTE!



Quick Fixes to fill out the Spooky Banquet
Deviled Eggs with Olive Spiders
& Witches Fingers PBJs



 

& even with ALL THAT CANDY.... dessert is a must!





SPOOKY HALLOWEEN SWEET TREATS

 

The top right is a spooky log pound cake...

That is really as talented as I get.

I'm VERY proud of that.

 

That's Dylan with our "Witch's Hat" Cake.  BOO!

 

A friend of mine brought the Kitty Litter Cake.

Too freaking funny

& pretty darn tasty

presented in a real litter pan of course.

 

And finally my Candy Corn Trifle

I think that with practice it will end up being

a great addition but that was my first attempt!

It was yummy :)

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. I promise a spooky cocktail post within the week!

 

 

NOTE:  The links in this post are mostly from the original source but a couple I could not find so I chose a blog rendition that I felt was accurate & useful; a few I couldn't find anything other than the picture I had gone from and so I leave you with my picture as your guide... the log [which is a saralee pound cake cut in half, iced and marshmellows, M&Ms, gummiworms and almond slivers], the spider eggs and use your own yummy recipes!

 

The Pumpkin Boycott {Featured Non-Pumpkin 5}

OK, I'm boycotting pumpkin posts.... so here is my FEATURED 5 NON-PUMPKIN edition :)

Although if I wasn't boycotting Pumpkin I would say that you absolutely MUST go to the Hungry Couple and check out her Pumpkin Risotto.... but that would only be if I wasn't boycotting Pumpkin. Which I am.

So, who wins my non-pumpkin love this week?

I love all of you but I'm loving a little extra on.....


Kita from Pass the Sushi
& her Chicken Pad Thai

Laura @ WyldeThyme 
& her Sausage & Potatoes



Kayle @ The Cooking Actress
& her Waffle Iron Hashbrowns!



David Lebovitz
& his Char Siu Ribs



Anita from the Hungry Couple
& her Creamy Parmesan Corn
I'm forgiving the pumpkin in the background LOL

& of course ONE FOR GOOD LUCK!



 

 

 

Alex & Lori at Intoxicology101
and the CIDER JACK COCKTAIL


**ALL PHOTO CREDITS TO THE POST REFERENCED, HUGE

Thank you to all for letting me repost****

Housekeeping:
I owe you a giveaway :(
& I owe SUSAN.... my FABU FAN a shout
& congrats on winning September's
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
giveaway last month! CONGRATS &
Thanks for sticking with me <3

& last but never least congrats to Eileen
at The Joy of Caking and her awesome new cookbook
In the Sweet Of It.... Can't wait for mine to arrive!

Best. Darn. Mojito. {Happy Thirsty Thursday}



Blackberry Mojito

Last weekend some blackberries caught my eye and I bought them thinking I was going to try a Bramble.

That's how it all starts.

Well, I apparently saw something shiney and next thing you know my Bramble became a Mojito. And then my new Mojito became an inadvertent Denizen shout out.

You may recall when I did my Denizen review {and the Rum Collins post} I mentioned that I thought Denizen would be a fab Rum for a Mojito.  Well, I was right.  I really think this Rum and its fruity essence was a key component to what I will simply call....



Blackberry Mojito

The best darn Mojito.

What You Need:

1 oz. simple syrup

4-5 blackberries

Handful of mint

2 oz. white Rum (I used Denizen)

3 oz. club soda

Yup. No lime.

 

What You Do:

Muddle your blackberries,

simple syrup and mint.

Add rum.

Pack with ice,

top with club soda

and sit back

and ENJOY!

A Quick Share From The Cabinet.... Cowboy Caviar! YEEEEHAW!

COWBOY CAVIAR

Just a quick treat to share.... this was one of my Featured 5 and I've made it several times now.  SAVE THIS RECIPE.  It's a keeper.... nice combo of tacky & fresh :)

Thanks to Wine & Dine With Us for this awesomeness....








COWBOY CAVIAR

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of corn, drained... I used the sweet yellow & white combo
1/2 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 red onion, diced finely
2 avocados, firm but ripe... chopped
1 can diced green chilis
1 pkg Good Season’s ZESTY Italian Dressing [dry mix]
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/8 cup of vinegar [I used champagne vinegar]

WHAT YOU DO:
Mix all ingredients together, I did them in order listed and combined each as I added....I did not mix the dressing separate, just sprinkled and poured and mixed well again.

I've served with homemade tostadas or Frito Scoops..... YUM!

HAPPY FEATURED 5!!!

When you least expect me.....

EXPECT ME!

HAPPY FEATURED 5!

OK, so Uru has been on "break"
and she comes back with this
CRAZY post full of amazingness. 
Go check it out.... not the least of which
is the Feta & Sun dried Tomato Pull-Apart Scrolls!

 

As Fall is upon us I'm starting to think more and more about SOUP!
Unfortunately it's still in the 90s here!
But I'm stocking up on recipes...
this Roasted Poblano and Sweet Corn Chowder
 had my name written ALL over it! 
Thanks Wylde Thyme

Have I ever described how I do this blog?
Well, when stuff pops in my mailbox I save it in a folder....
 it makes it very convenient
but then when I slack off [like ALL the time it seems]
it's tough to pick only 5 from ALL those messages....
this one from the Hungry Couple was dated 8/31.  EEK. 
Anyhow, Loaded Potato Salad.... how YUM is that?

well.... she had me with her hashtag #kingshawaiian
I freaking LOVE those rolls.
Through some HONEY BBQ Chicken on there....
THAT's how you land a husband!
HA! Thanks Big Bear's Wife

How could I not include what Jennifer at

Peanut Butter & peppers touted as

The Best Coconut Macaroons EVER

Can't wait to try <3 







And ONE for Good luck!
But of course!

Can you say Potato Chip Brownies?
Gerry at Foodness Gracious can!
I'm not going to lie.... I have already had one FAIL at these
but in all fairness..... I didn't make HIS Brownie recipe
I used a prefab mix because I was being lazy. 
It made the chips soggy possibly
because it was too watery....
I'm trying AGAIN and following to a T!

 

 **ALL PHOTO CREDITS TO THE POST REFERENCED, HUGE

Thank you to all for letting me repost****
HOUSEKEEPING:





IT IS THE LAST WEEKEND TO ENTER....
To win this AWESOME saute pan! 
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.....
lots of ways to enter!

& last but never least..
wanted to shout a CONGRATS
to CJ at Food Stories
on her 1st e-Book....
click here for more info!

 

 

Thirsty Thursday & a Rum Collins

RUM COLLINS

I cannot tell you how excited I was when Denizen contacted me and asked if I'd like to try their Rum.... like really?  Me?  Little old Grasshopper?

 

Yup. They had seen my Rum Compilation and decided I was worth a bottle.... how right they are :)

 

So, once it arrived I sat with it displayed at the dinner table for a week.... the children shook their heads at me as they often do, the adults passed it around smelling it and eventually sipping.... it was a nice Rum.  Phew, it was nice [I was so worried it would suck]. It was VERY tropical smelling but not as intense as a Malibu.  Just an essence of tropical fruit.  I finally decided I would try a Collins with it for Thirsty Thursday.  Nothing too complex but a little tart to go with the sweet.  It was VERY nice.  I actually think this will be FABULOUS Mojito Rum.... and I'll report back on that!

 

TRY THIS IN THE MEANWHILE...

 

what you need:

2 oz. White Rum [I really enjoyed the Denizen]

1 1/2 oz. simple syrup

2 oz. club soda

ice

 

what you do:

mix the Rum, lemon juice & simple syrup together and then pack your class with ice.  Top with club soda and garnish with lemon. AHHH.  Cheers!

 

 

A Crostini Bar & some awesome Carmelized Pears: SIMPLE yumminess!

Caramelized Pears

I know I've been MIA way too much....  the good news is we've been pretty busy catering {which means I'm cooking!} and the bad news is I've no time to write about it and so the blog has been set aside..... I know, AGAIN.

So, don't want to waste this free time with excuses... one of the things we've added to our repertoire is the Crostini Bar. It is FABULOUS!  I originally saw this idea on the Yummy Mummy Kitchen {on the post I happened to WIN a $100 Layla Grayce Gift Certificate doncha know!}

Best part of this appetizer is that you can really include what you LOVE. 


Recommended set up includes:
          3 cheeses 
          3 toppings
          something crunchy or an herb.

I only have time to share one of our treats from our recents bars.... and I choose our caramelized pears.  SO. YUM. and yes, SO. EASY.

WHAT YOU NEED:
3 pears
1/3 cup granulated sugar

WHAT YOU DO:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.


Halve pears lengthwise; remove cores.
(A melon baller removes cores easily,
but a small spoon works, too.)
Place sugar on a plate.
  Press cut side of each halved pear in sugar.

Place cut side down in heated skillet;
cook until beginning to brown,
7 to 8 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water.
Cover; simmer until pears are tender,
about 10 minutes (depending on ripeness),
adding more water if sugar begins to burn.

Once tender, chop them into large chunks and pour pears and sauce in a bowl.... this goes great on any cheese.... goat would be my favorite but Gorgonzola also a great match.

ENJOY!

p.s. this would be a GREAT time to try to win the PERFECT pan to make these in!  Click here

And here are a couple of our recent Crostini Bars...

Honey Roasted Tomatoes
Roasted Grapes
Sweet Hot Pepper Jelly
Caramelized Pears
Ricotta
St. Albay
Goat
Candied Pecans
Assorted Toasted Breads

Roasted Grapes
Sweet Hot Pepper Jelly
Caramelized Pears
Bleu Brie
St. Albay
Goat
Candied Pecans
Fresh Basil
Assorted Toasted Breads