Category: Events

Marzipan Eyeballs…Great Hallow Tweet Halloween Blog Hop

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It’s that time of year again . Time for the Great Hallow Tweet. Now many of my faithful readers know that I like  to craft both the beautiful and macabre from edible sources. So naturally with Halloween coming up , why not some edible eyeballs amongst the pumpkins. I don’t have kids, but I think they will love this easy project. Serve them up on a bed of almonds for a homemade candy . You can make your own marzipan or buy it.  I find with most brands I like to add a bit of mine own flavor. Rather than knead color in , the colors are painted on. This a great gluten free, child friendly, no cook recipe project.

Be sure to visit my other ghoulish partners in the Great Hallow Tweet on my sidebar for other fantastic ideas and recipes.

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Marzipan  Eye Balls

Things you will need:

  • Food Grade Color gels from Wilton or other sugar craft supply source (White, Blue, Black, and Red)
  • Good quality Marzipan. A little goes a long way.
  • 3-4 small brushes used only for cake decorating.
  •  A few tablespoons Clear Vanilla Extract or Vodka/Rum to dilute food color gel
  • Piping tip to make indentation.
  • Toothpicks  to remove color and drag paint veins in eyes.

*Normally I steam finish my marzipan’s to set the color,however as this is a child friendly recipe, you can skip this step.

How To:

  1.  Roll marzipan’s into round balls.
  2.  Take a piping tip and indent the shape of an Iris. This will help keep your colors in place and add depth.
  3.  Dilute your white food color gel with clear alcohol (vodka or clear extract)
  4.  Paint eyeball white with the exception of Iris.
  5.  Paint Iris color of choice.
  6. Paint Pupil Black.
  7. Taking a thin brush or toothpick dragged in red gel, paint on veins on the whites.
  8.   Lift with offset spatula and let set and dry.

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Suggested Serving Ideas:

  • Boxed up for your  party guests
  • Cupcake or Cake toppers
  • On a tray of almonds

 

Art Wine Project at Three Peas Art Lounge

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I love to promote my adopted home town Chicago. In fact I feel more an affinity for this city in which I lived in for a decade than my true Hometown , Washington D.C. It was love instantly and Chicago really is my type of town. Chicago leaves you wanting for nothing culturally and food and wine wise. So its with pleasure I want to introduce you to a favored spot of mine. Three Peas Art Lounge. You may remember Three Peas Art Lounge donated their space for Stir It 28. Small and cosy in South Loop, Three Peas mission is to “support artists ‘ in atypical formats”.

Last week Maya and Chrishon invited me to their Press event to launch the Art Wine Project. I love these young ladies as they boldly have combined a gallery and social spot in an innovation setting. Keeping the innovation going they have created the Art Project. Three Peas now has private label wines featuring specially commissioned art work  on their labels byHebru Branltey and Krista Franklin. There are two varietals , a  2010 Cabernet Sauvignon featuring Hebru Brantley’s work and a  2010 Riesling featuring Krista Franklin’s work. I sampled both and they are excellent. When you purchase a case you get a signed print of the artwork.Individual bottles will be available for retail as well. The Art Wine Project installation actually runs from August 7- September 30. So there is still time to see these artists great works.

Here’s a clip about Hebru who tells me he makes a mean Macaroni and Cheese. Anytime you want to stop over to Coco Cooks come on over Hebru!

I will be taking a tiny break for a few weeks. But I may drop in with a post or two if time permits. Thanks for reading.

Spicy Cauliflower Pate for Meatless Mondays

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In our household its spring cleaning time. We are literally tearing down and cleaning up, to make  and transform my condo into a joint expression of us. It’s hard to let go of some things, and fun to transform and refurbish others. It’s a long process with our joint schedules , but we are getting there, gradually. The Main room which houses the kitchen, living , and and dining room is now painted completely. Next task is to move all the furniture back, and declutter. I am actually selling some stuff on Ebay, so its fun to make a little cash while cleaning up.One thing I will not let go are my books! So while moving the large bookcases  and bookstore paint the final long wall, I found an cookbook I have been looking for for two years!I’s that bad.Certain Someone says I collect, and don’t read books. I read them all.He’s just not here to see me do so most of the time, and when he is here I don’t have time to read.The cookbooks are endless source of reference for me. The long lost book was a bargain basement find of which I have never seen anything else like  it.Terrines and Pates from the Brockhampton Healthy Home Cooking series. Filled with lots of old world type beautiful terrines in Aspic, it also has  many ideas for light vegetable pates and terrines and desserts. Spicy Cauliflower Pate was a recipe I found I could manage without a trip to the store. I still lacked some ingredients, so I made some twists and variations for delicious dish. We ate this as starters for a normal  Sunday dinner with meat (Lamb breast with the Rhubarb Onion Sauce from the previous post). However on Meatless Monday , it will be my lunch. I served it with some frozen whole wheat pizza dough I had, which I grilled in some oil,( seasoned with dried onion, herbs, and salt),to replicate a Naan style of bread. Again, using what I had with little fuss.Enjoy this flavorful starter. The ginger gives it a zesty bite.

Spicy Cauliflower Pate
inspired and adapted from Terrines and Pates
Brockhampton Healthy Home Cooking Series
* I changed some ingredients and proportions.
1 tablespoon Grape seed or Vegetable Oil
1/2 onion , diced
7 sun dried tomato pieces( in oil)
2 plum tomatoes  chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1  cauliflower broken into small florets
1 inch ginger minced
Heat oil in a skillet on high. Add chopped onion, reduce heat to medium, and saute for 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, paprika , and garam masala ,dried minced onion, and salt.Continue to cook the mixture on medium until the tomatoes soften  for the next five minutes.At this point the cauliflower florets and cover pan. Cook on medium low until softened for 15-20 minutes. You may need to add a bit of water so it doesn’t stick. Add minced ginger at the last few minutes of cooking.
Puree the cooled mixture wither in a food processor or use and immersion blender until a smooth paste ios formed. Transfer to serving dish and place in the refrigerator for 15  minutes. Serve at room temp ( allow to to come to). Garnish with Paprika. Serve with crackers, Naan, or Pita.
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Stir It 28… The Actual Event Had a Ripple Effect

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You know about the ripple effect. You toss a stone into the water and see the endless ripples project out from the center of  where the thrown object landed. That’s what Stir It 28 was for me. I will not lie to say I was worried about meeting the expectations of the rest of the group for the Chicago side. From the get go, I had my network of people who were willing to help, and boy did they help. I could have never done it with out them. In between work and Master Chef auditions, February was just tight for time and focus. I was worried about the sales, as I had the least online sales compared to ATL, LA, and NYC. You cant say I didn’t promote the hell out of it via twitter and Face book, but the sales were not there. Chicago is huge city and asking for $30 on top of a cash bar with competing Restaurant Week  other fund raising initiatives and other events was hard. But I tried to stay positive and just wanted to get through Sunday. The words of  my mother  “Fret Not and to worry is a sin” stayed with me through out the day. I know fund raising is hard work and I approach it realistic expectations.I am grateful for every little bit I can get. At first I thought the venue would be too small. but in the need it was just right. At the stroke of 2:30 fabulous volunteers took charge and helped me set up  the place. Talk about tons of amazing food! The volunteers came through with some amazing dishes. One could barely make it down the buffet  and their plate was full. It would have taken three to four trips alone to sample all. The cash bar was flowing too. The afternoon was perfect and , while a small crowd, we managed to take in more at the door than online. Chicago foodies had a chance to meet and connect with others. Through their tweets and re tweets they inspired others to donate or attend one of the other cities events.  It was classic Midwest, down to earth , simple, and real.So you see the ripple effect happening here?

 And in the end, after we all cleaned up , the beginning of another heavy snow started. With so much food left,  even after people took their share, we had a few trays left. Homeless shelters in Chicago don’t allow you to donate leftovers  food from restaurants ,events, etc. due to health laws.So Certain Someone and I packed the trunk up and drove down to Lower Wacker. Lower Wacker a long running street underground that the many homeless people live on. Its not unusual to see tents and men and women making a home in a dark corner buffeted from the harsh  lakefront winter winds or sweltering summer heat. So Certain Someone and I found a man in his blankets who was eating something in wrapper. We stopped the car and explained we had food leftover from a party. He was happy to get it and the some paper goods so he could share it with others in his community. See the ripple effect at work here. It takes a massive devastating event to remind people to come together and  care for one another. Stir It 28 did that. Haiti will continue to need help even after these next few months. Rebuilding will take years. So whether your efforts are grand or small, everything is and will be appreciated. I cant say Thank You enough.


A Taste of Stir It 28 Chicago… Sunday February 21 at Three Peas Art Lounge

                                                                      
 Wow! When Chrystal and Bren approached me about raising funds for Haiti, who knew it would blow up into a multi city event. In a little over a month we have really planned something phenomenal. But planning aside, we really need your help, where it counts the most! We need those tickets sales for Chicago, LA, Atlanta, and Christy in New York. In between our busy schedules we have come up with some great donors of space, food, and time. I admit I could not have done it without Joelen Tan of the What’s Cooking Meet Up group. She really came together and got us a bunch of great cooks and dishes for this Sunday. Also Proud Italian Cook and Beth , and Afrobella have been remarkable. BUT WE NEED YOU to buy tickets and make donations so this is not in vain. Click on the left sidebar to purchase and  make donations.
Alan Richardson of Hello Cupcake has graciously donated copies of his fabulous book to all cities for a door prize.  Thanks to Christy and a shout out from Dorie Greenspan on Twitter.  We have some great support, now we need the participants! Visit our Facebook page now.
So all we need is you. Here is a taste of some of the dishes that will be served Sunday at the Fabulous Three Peas Art Lounge. There will a top shelf cash bar and sublime cupcakes for sell as well at Three Peas Art Lounge, out gracious donors of space.
 
Avocado Citrus Salad

Risotto

Baked Farfalle with Italian Sausage & Mushrooms

Sage & Balsamic Pork with Creamy Pumpkin Polenta

Italian bruschetta with Toasted Ciabatta Triangles

Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers with Sauces
 
Haitian Griot in both traditional Pork and Turkey versions
 
Rice and Beans
 
Fried Plantains
 
Vegetarian Chili
 
Shrimp  and Orzo Salad
 
and much , much more!
$30 online and $35 at the door. What a better way to spend Sunday Afternoon from 3-6pm.
*online ticket sales cut off Saturday at 6pm EST.
I hope to see you there!