teacher by day - chef by night
I found the Jelly Shot Kitchen & Food Librarian weeks ago and vowed that I wanted to figure out some fun ways to make “grown-up jello”. Now, we have all had Jell-o shots (unless you are one of my students OR friends under 21 who …
![[Christmas] Stained-Glass Jello](https://www.teacher-chef.com/wp-content/themes/kale/sample/images/thumb1.jpg)
Cookies and Cakes and Pies and Mousse and JELLO… yes, especially during the holidays when we just eat and eat and eat Jello is the perfect addition, remember “There’s always room for Jello”! Also Jello won’t fill you up too much (or fill you out) …
Traditions mean a LOT to me – I think they help us hold on to our past and always remember where we came from and who helped shape us. There are some traditions that are family related, some that are regionally related, and some that no one really knows where they got their start! According to my research: eating Black-Eyed-Peas for a Prosperous (and lucky) New Year is one that most likely started during the Civil War in the South since the beans were not destroyed by the Northerners and therefor the Southerners had enough food to survive (the pork for luck and the beans for prosperity). This tradition also dates back as far as Rich can remember in his family (along with burning of bayberry candles).
So in order to give us a prosperous lucky year… I present to you: New Years Day dinner 2011 (keeping to Rich’s mother’s traditional recipe while spicing it up a little bit by own way with some online inspiration). We welcome 2011 with open arms and open stomaches…
Recipe (my version – stay tuned for 2012 for me to use Rich’s mom’s version)
Sauté bacon until cooked; add onion and garlic, and sauté until onion is tender. Add the ham and cook until that is lightly browned. To the same large pan: Add the peas and tomatoes. Mix well. Add about a cup of water and then mix in your rice. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, taste and season to your liking!
I hope that 2011 brings you much luck and prosperity. But remember, as Roman philosopher Seneca said “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Rich LOVES Cookie Dough (reminder here) so when I saw this recipe I knew that I needed to make it for his family’s Christmas Celebration! The best part about these truffles is that they are egg-free so you CAN eat your raw cookie dough (although …
The holidays are here (in case you didn’t know) and that means that although today was Christmas – you will probably be spending the next few days entertaining and visiting lots of friends and family. You never want to show up empty handed (Miss Manners …
YUM – I love Chocolate (although I hate headaches – one of which I had a pretty major one while everyone else was enjoying these at Aunt Pat & Uncle Mikes during our annual tree decorating this year)! Every year we bring dessert to Tree Decorating (and in recent years I have begun to take over the cooking from mom – and it is almost always chocolate) while Aunt Pat makes her Bacon/Cheese wrapped Hot Dogs in Buns with bacon beans – YUM (earlier mentioned headache kept me from taking photos of them like I had planned). The eclairs were made for this event and I also wanted to attempt to make these mousse filled chocolate cups.
To make these chocolate cups I melted down chocolate and put them in mini-cupcake paper liners. ADVICE… when if you try this, do it in two batches: first just get a very thin base on and then go reinforce the cups (since the bottoms were really thick). You must make sure to get it thick enough though so that after chilling in the fridge for a while you can peel off the paper.
To make this mousse just take a pint of heavy whipping cream (with some sugar) to make whipped cream & add about 8oz (my mouse was more like whipped cream – I did not add enough chocolate) of melted chocolate OR use your favorite mousse recipe! Then just fill the cups with the mouse (and top with whatever) and enjoy.
CHOCOLATE heals all – so get out there and enjoy it (and be sure to leave some feedback for me here on the blog)
One last thought/quote (found on the net) on this Christmas Eve: “I don’t understand why so many “so called” chocolate lovers complain about the calories in chocolate, when all true chocoholics know that it is a vegetable. It comes from the cocoa bean, beans are veggies, ’nuff said.”