Author Archives: heathermisner

Pig Napkin Rings

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Many years ago – ok, three years ago – I went out on my very first date with my husband. He took me to a fantastic upscale Southern restaurant, Jackson 20. The food is excellent, but what I love is that they have these really fun, really heavy-weight, pig napkin rings. About a year ago, I got it in my head that I would like some of my own, but didn’t buy any.

What did I find underneath the Christmas tree this year? Eight little perfect pigs – in the form of napkin rings! Expect to see these guys gracing future S&B posts. You can find some for your own home on eBay or antique websites.

Project 365: Intro and Day One

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In this new year, I have decided to take on a rather large undertaking: Project 365. The gist is that you take a photo every single day for a year and by the end, you have a beautiful “journal” of things you’ve experienced throughout the year. Here is a more detailed description of the challenge.

The past year just flew by and there were so many important events. This year is another big year for me and I want to be sure to capture more of that. Husband and I will be moving into a new apartment this spring, we’re taking a pretty big trip this summer, we will celebrate two years of marriage, our little puppy will turn 1, my niece will turn 1, one of my best friends is getting married, and that’s just the first half of the year!

With all that said, here we go!

10-Jan-12

My Favorite Calendar

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A new year is here! If you’re like me, and still have to buy a new calendar, think about this one:

Paper Source

Some calendars have lots of space for writing. Some are funny, some thought-provoking. Big, small, desk-size. There’s something for everyone.

But my favorite calendar is pure pretty. The best part about the Paper Source Wall Art Calendar ($30) is that it can be recycled and reused for cool stuff like notecards and gift boxes.

Creamy Confetti Vegetable Soup

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As summer draws to a slow close, many of us still find ourselves with an abundance of the season’s finest veggies – zucchini, bell peppers, corn, and even fresh garlic. What to do with it all?

That was the question I asked myself last week as I faced a refrigerator produce drawer with a bag of carrots, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 yellow squash, 2 green zucchini, and a bag full of purple and yellow potatoes. Soup came to mind as it is a great, easy way to use up items that have just about passed their peak.

This soup is thick and creamy, perfect for the largest of spoons. It gets its name from the pops of color – mainly the potatoes and green zucchini. It tastes just like like you’d imagine late summer would: still bright but with a hint of the coming season (cinnamon and thyme round out the flavors).

My favorite part? It’s so good for you. Except for the tiniest bit of cream, this soup is all vegetables and spices.

Serves 4, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:: 

  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 1 c onion, shallot, and garlic mix (buy the prepared mix in the produce section or dice up ~ 1/2 a white onion, 1 shallot, and 2 cloves garlic to make 1 cup)
  • 5 whole carrots, peeled, topped, and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 4 small potatoes, gold, purple, or mixed, cut into quarters
  • 2 green zucchini, cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 yellow squash, cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, an sliced into thin strips
  • 1/3 c heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • salt, pepper, to taste
Directions:: 
  1. In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion mixture, saute until soft, stirring frequently.
  2. Add all vegetables to pan, stir to coat with oil and onion mixture. Turn down heat to medium-low. Cover. Let steam for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat.
  3. Working in two batches, transfer vegetable mixture to blender or food processor. In first batch, puree vegetables until smooth, scraping down sides of blender when necessary. Transfer puree to large bowl.
  4. In second batch, add 1/2 cup water to vegetable mixture in blender, puree until smooth. Add to bowl. NOTE: Take middle piece out of blender lid and cover hole with a dish towel. This will transfer the heat from the hot vegetables out of the blender – rather than trapping the steam, causing an explosion – and save you a huge mess.
  5. Wash pot. Transfer pureed vegetable mixture back to clean pot. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring in heavy cream until warmed through.
  6. Add thyme, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Cannoli Cream Cups

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This little handheld delight was a bit of an accidental find. I was making Spanakopita Casserole (one of my favorite recipes) and had some leftover phyllo dough. Not wanting to throw it out, I decided to make phyllo cups and decide what to do with them later.

Also on hand, I had ricotta cheese, whipped cream cheese, and some Hershey’s Special Dark bars. After some experimentation, I came up with these cannoli cream cups. The filling is similar to what you might find in a cannoli, but less fluffy. I think the almond extract is really what takes these to the next level, but you can leave it out or try vanilla extract instead.

These would make great, small, party desserts. The best part? You can make this ahead – about 24 hours. It tastes better with a little time anyway, giving the flavors the opportunity to meld together.

To make phyllo cups, lay out several layers of phyllo dough on a workspace. Cut the dough into equal squares, about 3 x 3 inches. Gently set the squares in the wells of a standard muffin tin, then spritz each square with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a cookie sheet, then either use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Ingredients:: 

  • 3/4 c whipped cream cheese
  • 3/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2  bars (regular size) Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate, chopped
  • sugar, to taste
  • 8-10 phyllo cups, previously made
Directions:: 
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, and almond extract until smooth.
  2. Stir in chocolate until combined.
  3. Add sugar if necessary (taste first).
  4. Let mixture chill for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, evenly spoon cream mixture into phyllo cups.

Strawberry “Pop-Tarts”

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I love pop-tarts. Especially the strawberry kind. With frosting. And sprinkles.

Sure the ones out of the package are great – and original – but the homemade version? Wonderful. Also, I’m willing to bet that homemade pop-tarts become the next cupcake or whoopie pie in terms of small dessert trends.

These are grown-up, flaky, and have just the right amount of filling. Taking over for the frosting is powdered sugar, gracefully dusting the top. They pack well for picnics or movie nights in the park, and will be a crowd favorite among your friends and family.

Here are two options for your own homemade pop-tarts:

  • Pick up the Toaster Pastry Press from Williams-Sonoma, and use the recipe included
  • Do all the manual work yourself and use Bon Appetit’s recipe here
I used the Bon Appetit recipe. It is a bit labor-intensive and it’s definitely an “intermediate” level recipe, but wow, is it worth it.