Deviled Eggs ~ An Old School Throw Back!

294311_2389956150619_1302323511_32949022_1843959905_n-1Not Your Everyday Deviled Eggs.  Photo by my dear friend, Aimee McNamee.

 

Retro classics like my Not Your Everyday Deviled Eggs are guaranteed an enthusiastic greeting!  Make extra as no one can stop at just one or two!

Pretty.  Tasty.  Simple.

Old School Perfection!

 

Not Your Everyday Deviled Eggs Recipe (For 1 Dozen Throwbacks)

Ingredients

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs (chill for easier peeling)
  • 6 oil packed anchovy fillets, drained & minced (if salt packed, rinse first)
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish sauce
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
  • Smoked paprika

Method

  1. Peel then halve lengthwise the hard-boiled eggs.
  2. Remove the yolks to a food processor, setting the egg-white halves aside.  Add minced anchovy fillets, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, horseradish, and cayenne pepper to the food processor with the egg yolks. Pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Using a spatula, transfer the yolk mixture to a large freezer bag.  Snip one corner of the bag to create a tiny opening, about 1/4" round, from which to pipe the yolk mixture.  Gently pipe the egg yolk mixture evenly into the egg white halves.  Garnish each egg half with a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
  4. Enjoy!

What are some of your favorite Retro Dishes? Do tell!

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Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!

Includes recipe variations to make Sugar-fee or Virgin Cocktails!

 

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Frosted Sugar Rims on Limoncello Cocktail Glasses


Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!

A gorgeous, delicious cocktail. Oh so easy to prepare.  (Yes, you can make them in advance!)  You and you're guests will adore!  

This is a great recipe.  We had a great time.  I know you'll enjoy them too!  

 

Limoncello Cocktail Recipe (4 – 6 Servings)

  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 1/3 cup Sugar + 1 tsp. Sugar, separated (*Update- if you're sugar-free like I am now, sub coconut sugar)
  • 1 750 ml bottle Prosecco (*Update- if you want to make this virgin, sub lemon kombucha)
  • 4 tbsp. Limoncello  (*Update- to make virgin, sub lemon kombucha as noted above)
  • 8 oz. Fresh Blueberries (or substitute another berry or fruit currently in season)
  • 3 or 4 slices of thinly sliced Lemon
  1. Pour 1/3 cup water onto a small plate or saucer just larger in size than the circumference of your cocktail glasses.  Pour 1/3 cup Sugar onto another plate of exactly the same size.  Dip rims of each cocktail glass into water filled saucer, then into sugar filled saucer, coating rims evenly.  Set aside.  The sugar will harden, crystalizing beautifully onto the rims after about 15 minutes or so!(This makes refills work beautifully since the rims will remain sugar coated for that second pour!)
  2. Meanwhile, pour the Prosecco into a glass pitcher, add 4 tbsp. of Limoncello and a 1 tsp. Sugar (use more or less to taste depending on tartness of your Limoncello). Mix well to disolve the sugar.
  3. Regfrigerate for an hour or so.  Just before serving add 3 or 4 thin slices of lemon to the pitcher. 
  4. Place 8 or 9 blueberries into each sugar rimmed glass. When your guests arrive, pour the Limoncello mixture into the glasses and enjoy!

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Awaiting that sweet & sour Limoncello Mixture!
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At last! The completed cocktail! Taken by my dear friend, Bick's, cell-phone, no less:) Party time!

Dreamy Carrot-Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Dreamy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

At StyleNectar I share only my favorite recipes with you- and these Dreamy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are no exception!  As with many of my recipes, you'll notice they're healthed up a bit-  yet they remain decadent as can be to the tastebuds!

Entertaining?  Dreamy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are perfect!  Whip these little darlings up the night before without sacraficing one iota of fresh, moistness.  The secret to  keeping them fresh?  Store them in an airtight container on the counter overnight, UNFROSTED.  Storing cupcakes in the fridge before serving is the quickest way to dry them out.  Mix the icing the night before also, stowing it covered in the fridge.  The next day, decorate your cakes with the icing in all of about 4 minutes and…  Ta da!  Moist, perfect cupcakes that taste as if made the hour before your guests arrived 🙂

Dreamy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (For 1 Dozen Dreams)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, SIFTED (don't skip sifting unless you like lumpy frosting!) 
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Using a hand held mixer, starting out on the lowest speed, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon zest, until creamy and smooth.

Cupcakes:

  • 3/4 cup whole-wheat PASTRY flour (it's gotta be whole wheat PASTRY not reg whole wheat)
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped, LIGHTLY TOASTED, walnuts; Separated
  1. Position oven rack in middle of oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
  2. Sift together the first 6 ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour through nutmeg). In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar and eggs until combined. Next add in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in 1/4 cup of the chopped walnuts.
  3. Using a large ice-cream scoop, divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts.  Once the cupcakes are frosted they should be stored in the refrigerator.  

Make Ahead Note: To make cupcakes the night before, bake and cool cupcakes completely.  Then store UNFROSTED cakes in an airtight container on the counter overnight.  Stow the frosting, separately, in the refrigerator.  Frost the cupcakes the next day for perfectly moist, fresh cupcakes!

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Dreamy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanishing Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Cookies

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Vanishing Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Cookies


This is one of those recipes I've made so many times I've got it memorized by heart!  They're ALWAYS a huge hit! 

(Even the time during a power outage when I accidentally used corn starch instead of baking soda & they baked up into little rocks!  My guests were walking away with napkins full of them saying things like, "Oh no, I LOVE really crunchy cookies…" I just thought to myself – thank goodness!)  

In all seriousness though, Dried Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Chunk Cookies are easy-peasy to make and take no time at all.  However, consider yourself warned; you'll forever be receiving requests for these after you've made them just once!


Recipe for Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Cookies

 (Makes 2 Dozen)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup thick, old fashioned oats (NOT instant!)
  • 2 ounces best quality white chocolate, chopped (I like Green & Black's)
  • 1/3 cup dried blueberries (Not the tiny wild kind, they need to be the larger traditional size for the right mouth feel- I buy mine from www.Oh Nuts.com)
  • 1/4 cup Crystalized Ginger, evenly chopped (I buy the kind that comes in 1/2" cubes & quarter the cubes into aproximately 1/4" cubed pieces)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Whisk the flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and ground ginger together in a medium bowl.  
  3. Whisk egg, brown sugar, oil and vanilla in a larger bowl.  
  4. Gently add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula stirring until combined.  
  5. Add oats, chocolate, blueberries and crystallized ginger; stirring just till combined. 
  6. Arrange dough in rounded tablespoonfuls onto 2 ungreased cookie sheets (12 balls per sheet).  
  7. Bake until puffed and golden around the edges, approximately 8 (softer cookies) to 10 (crispier cookies) minutes.
  8. I'd tell you to allow them to cool for a couple minutes on the cookie sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely…but by this point everyone will have convened to the kitchen and be eating them HOT! Right out of the oven!

Adapted from recipe created by Anna Ginsberg

How many hours did your cookies last?  Do share!

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Vanishing Blueberry Ginger White Chocolate Cookies ~ this batch of FOUR DOZEN was gone in a weekend!

Coconut-Peach Yogurt Pops

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Coconut-Peach Yogurt Popsicles

Before I launch into the recipe for these fabulously tasty popsicles, allow me to advise you to use a rectangular shaped mold for this particular flavor:) After many a lewd joke cracked by my husband, I realized the futility of attempting to photograph these pops in any other fashion than the above! (lol)

Coconut-Peach Yogurt Pops

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey (or use liquid stevia as I did for 0 cal!)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (if you can, use Madagascar Extract, you will notice the difference!)
  • 16 ounces frozen sliced peaches, thawed
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons amaretto (optional)

Method

  • Purée honey and peaches in a blender until smooth. 
  • Whisk in remaining ingredients. 
  • Divide among molds. Cover; insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for a few seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds and serve. Enjoy!

Refreshing Summer Panache

IMG_1552Refreshing Summer Panache

This refreshing summer bevy known in France and Italy as a Panache, in England as a Shandy, and in Germany as a Radler, is a lovely fusion of pale ale and sparkling lemonade. Simple. Easy. Delicious. For a hot, summer day.

Summer Panache

  • Pale ale
  • San Pellegrino sparkling water
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Sugar

Combine equal parts chilled Pale Ale and San Pellegrino in a tall glass. Add freshly squeezed lemon and sugar to taste. Stir to combine. (Alternatively, substitute a french style lemonade for the Pellegrino, fresh lemon juice & sugar. It just happened I had the latter 3 ingredients on hand. And it was delicious!)

PS. Adding grenadine to the mix makes a Monaco!

What is your favorite refreshing summer bevy?

Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

IMG_1562Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

If it's summertime where you live, then you’ve been seeing tons of beautiful, nutrient dense Swiss Chard at the market, your local farm stand or, if you’re like me, perhaps in your own garden!

Swiss Chard has become a staple in our kitchen garden, providing continuous harvest from cool spring through a hot summer and far into late fall. As a result of its prolific bounty, I’ve learned many a delicious summer recipe incorporating this gorgeous green leafy.

Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and White Beans is one of my favorite go-to dishes. It's perfect for summer days when you want a delicious meal that’s a snap to prepare. Brimming with color, flavor and ooey-gooey cheesiness, it’s a hit every time! Serve with crusty bread alongside for sopping the delicious broth. Yum!

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Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans
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Swiss Chard Growing in our Kitchen Garden

Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound gnocchi, prepared according to package directions
  • sea salt (for seasoning gnocchi water)
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, leaves chopped into 1 inch strips; stems removed, finely sliced & separated (or substitute spinach)
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1/2 tablespoon medium-heat thinly sliced red chili pepper (substitute 1/3 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes)
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • crusty bread for serving alongside
  • fleur de sel and truffle oil (or best quality EVOO) for finishing (optional but encouraged!)

 Method

  1. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions adding a bit of sea salt to water for seasoning. Set aside cooked gnocchi, reserving a bit of the pasta water as well.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and finely sliced chard stems only to the pan and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, beans and sliced chili peppers (or dried chili flakes) and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved gnocchi adding a bit of the reserved gnocchi water if needed for the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, for 2 minutes or so.
  4. Ladle into bowls with crusty bread on the side for sopping. If desired, finish each dish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and a drizzle of truffle oil. (A never fail trick to take a dish up 10 notches!)
  5. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Woman's Day

Do you have any veggies growing in your garden this season? I'd love to hear about them!

Favorite Snacks Fridays ~ Chevre & Black Cherry Jam Crisps

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Chevre and Black Cherry Jam Crisps

At my house these are called cutting board snacks. When we gather around the big cutting board and dole out tidbits such as Chevre and Black Cherry Jam Crisps. I'm telling you these are awesome; a simple collaboration of three beautiful ingredients I'm inspired to share with you!

I pretty much only purchase St. Dalfour Jam because it's all fruit, sweetened with only apple juice, and produced in many beautiful flavors like Red Raspberry Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry and the aforementioned Black Cherry. Pair it with the creamy, subtle tang of a fresh goat's milk cheese such as a Loire Valley Chevre atop a light, fresh cracker (my fav: Wasa Crisp-n-Light 7 Grain) that allows the flavors of the toppings to shine. 

A lovely, light and delicious treat!

What are some of your favorite tidbit treats?

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Soon-to-be Chevre & Black Cherry Jam Crisps

Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins Bathed in Honey

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Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins Bathed in Honey

Honey melting over a moist interior of sweet, luscious, berry-laden… Um, perhaps whilst I go get another muffin 'twould be fine to let this one speak for itself :-) 

I make them all the time.

They're very good!


Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins

Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

3 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided

6 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, divided

2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Source) or whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large egg

1 large egg white

3/4 cup buttermilk 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (don't thaw) blueberries

honey to serve alongside

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F and coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
  2. Combine coconut, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 3 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, stir to combine and set aside.
  3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined (do not over-mix or you will have a tough muffin). Gently fold in blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts just til combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the reserved coconut topping on top, gently pressing into the batter.
  4. Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving. 
  5. Serve your favorite honey alongside.

 PS.  Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins freeze beautifully. Just wrap each individually in saran then place in freezer. Reheat in oven or toaster-oven on 350 F until heated through.

Recipe adapted from EatingWell

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Blueberry-Coconut-Macadamia Muffins

Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse with Basil Rouille

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Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse with Basil Rouille 

Tomorrow's the first day of Summer!!

My favorite summer-time memories revolve around family: picnics at the beach, backyard BBQ's followed by after-dinner croquet, bike rides, tennis, walks to the Sunday evening band-concert in the park…

Beautiful days!

Right up there at the top of that list are fond memories of my mom's summer clam-bakes. With all the gorgeous, sunny days of late, I've been craving those delicious, briny shellfish.

Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse with Basil Rouille is my homage to Mommy's clam-bakes. It's a quick dish that gets fabulous complexity of flavor from the clams and mussels while the Rouille, a garlicky Provencal style mayonnaise, provides a fresh punch.

The perfect dish to celebrate summer!

Ingredients  

  • 5 garlic cloves, divided
  • 1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup best quality mayonnaise
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 or 3 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small fennel bulb, cleaned, halved, thinly sliced
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1, 8 ounce bottle clam juice
  • 3 pounds mixed shellfish (such as mussels & littleneck clams) scrubbed
  • 1 or 2 pats unsalted, organic butter
  • fleur de sel (or use sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • crusty bread, sliced (to serve alongside)

 Preparation

  1. Chop 2 garlic cloves and transfer to a blender along with basil, mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons oil, anchovies and lemon juice. Purée until smooth. Transfer basil rouille to a small serving dish, cover and chill.

  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel and tomatoes, season with salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst (about 10 min).

  3. Slice remaining 3 garlic cloves and add to pot. Cook, stirring often, until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook, stirring often, until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Add clam juice and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Add shellfish and cook, covered, until opened (discard any that do not open), about 4 minutes. (Clams may take a few minutes longer than the mussels.) 

  4. Add 1 or 2 pats of butter and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Stir in parsley. Spread basil rouille on warm crusty bread and serve alongside. Enjoy!

    Recipe adapted from Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse, BonAppetit, July 2011

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