Looking for some great small bites to serve for New Year’s Eve?  Well, look no further.  Here are some delicious ideas from the SGCC archives.  Whether you’re hosting a big bash or a more intimate gathering, these noshes are sure to impress.  

This New Year’s Eve as I watch the ball drop in Times Square, I’ll be curled up on my couch and wrapped in fleece. That’s exactly where I want to be. I’ll also be munching on some of these tasty tidbits in between sips of cold, crisp champagne.

Here’s wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May 2012 bring you all you ever dreamed of.

Every year, long before the Thanksgiving dishes are even dried and put away, the Christmas rush is on. That’s when so many of us find ourselves racing around, spending money we don’t have on lots of things we don’t need. It’s crazy! One way that I’ve found to minimize the stress of Holiday shopping – and spending – is to make delicious gifts for family and friends in my own kitchen. Not only are homemade gifts often more economical, but they can also be much more meaningful to their recipients.

Each year, I choose a different assortment of tasty treats to give as holiday gifts.  I package each in pretty decorative packaging and make up cheery goodie bags to deliver to the lucky recipients.  I usually choose a few easy recipes along with some that are a little more complex to get a nice balance in my bags.   I really enjoy doing this, and the whole process helps to get me into the Holiday spirit.  And, after all that has happened around here lately, I could really use some help getting my Christmas mojo on! 

When it comes to creating edible gifts, the possibilities are endless. From the simplest sugar cookies to more labor intensive items like candies or preserves, there are plenty of recipe options available, regardless of your level of culinary expertise.  Below are some of some of my favorite gifts from the kitchen from years past.  I hope you find a few that inspire you.

What are your favorite edible gifts to give and to receive?

I’ve referred to Mr. SGCC as a caveman many times over the years, mostly tongue-in-cheek – mostly.   While he is usually a pretty good sport about eating anything I put in front of him, what he really craves is meat – and lots of it.  Big, manly man-sized portions!   With Father’s Day just a day away, I thought I’d share a few of Mr. SGCC’s favorite recipes from the SGCC archives.  You know, just in case you happen to have a caveman of your own to feed.  

Knick’s Brunch Burgers with Balsamic Onion Marmalade are big, juicy, monster burgers made with ground ribeye, schmeared with silky, smoky and sweet caramelized onions, and topped with a soft, oozy, warm fried egg.  Magic!

Grilled Steak Fajitas with Guacamole start with skirt steak marinated in a mixture of orange and lime juices, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno and cumin.  The fork-tender meat is seared with lots of onions, peppers and mushrooms, and served with shredded cheese and cool, creamy homemade guacamole.

Who could resist Ribeye Steaks with a Spicy, Smoky, Cacao Nibs Rub?  These huge slabs of dry-aged, bone-in ribeye are smothered in a dry rub made with ground cacao nibs, brown sugar and lots of earthy, smoky spices.  They’ll send him straight to carnivore heaven!

I’ll admit, these Chiles Rellenos were a pain to make, but oh, were they amazing!  Huge roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a piquant pork piccadillo filling are dipped in an egg batter and fried to perfection.  Bathed in a cinnamon and spice laden tomato broth, they are heaven on a plate and totally worth the mess in my kitchen!

I almost had a heart attack in the Whole Foods check out line when I realized what I had paid for these magnificent veal chops.  They may have cost a king’s ransom, but my Pan Roasted Veal Chops with Chipotle-Lime Butter is definitely a meal fit for a king!

Mr. SGCC’s heart goes aflutter just thinking about Momofuku’s meltingly tender Bo Ssäm!  A massive hunk of pig is slathered with a salt and sugar rub and slow roasted for several hours until it literally falls apart on the plate.  Served with a variety of small side dishes called banchan, this intensely porky dish is a total foodgasm if there ever was one!

If your caveman prefers his slow roasted pork with a Latin flair, this Lechon Asado is the dish for you.  Marinated in a zesty garlic and citrus based mojo sauce, this lechon  is impossibly succulent and tender.  Whether sliced into a classic Cubano sandwich or just eaten off the bone with your fingers,  I guarantee that peace and contentment will abound in your house.

And since caveman cannot live by meat alone, you should also have a few macho desserts for your resident hunk, like these Candied Bacon Chocolate Chunk Cookies…

Or, how about a big old super fudgy Texas Sheet Cake?

So go ahead and spoil the caveman in your life this Father’s Day with massive quantities of meat and sinful desserts.  They deserve it!  And even if they don’t, do it anyway.  They just might be grateful enough to start working on that “Honey Do” list you’ve been saving for them.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Today is also Mr. SGCC’s birthday and we’re going out tonight!  I don’t know if we’ll do Mexican again or not, (we do it every year), but wherever we end up, I’ll be thankful that I don’t have to cook in this heat.  For those of you planning to cook, and who live in a more temperate climate, here are some muy delicioso Cinco de Mayo ideas from the SGCC archives.

Enjoy! 

Easy Chorizo and Potato Huaraches

Enchiladas Suizas with Quick Avocado Salsa

Chile Rellenos

Snapper Veracruz

Los Frijoles Refritos

Fideos Ole

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Guacamole

Spicy Melon Salsa

Pumpkin Flan

I don’t know what is is about Easter time that makes me crave cool, light and fruity desserts.  Maybe it’s because by the time Easter rolls around, our Florida temperatures have already crept up into the eighties.  Or, maybe it’s because they look so pretty and Spring-like in their rainbow assortment of soft and pretty pastel colors.    Whatever the reason – or the season – these lovely, citrusy sweet treats from the SGCC archives would make a welcome addition to any Easter table.  If you’re still looking for menu ideas, I hope you’ll try one of these.

Enjoy!  

Torta di Riso

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Lime Glazed Citrus Tea Cakes

Buttery Lemon Bars

Orange Tiramisu

Honeybell Sherbet

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Raspberry Swirl

Lemon Tart Brulee

Florida Pie

Honey Vanilla Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd

And, here’s one for the Easter Bunny!

Ultimate Carrot Cake

How about some Rumaki?

Or, Momofuku’s awesome chicken wings?

They go great with his Ginger Scallion Noodles.

Homemade Pita Chips are so much better than anything you can buy – and they are incredibly simple to make.

My Easy Sausage and Peppers Calzones are absolutely scrumptious and are made with refrigerated pizza dough – though, no one would ever guess!

Who doesn’t love a great sandwich?  The Rachel is just like a Reuben, except it’s filled with juicy hot pastrami instead of corned beef.

These Pacific Rim Burgers with Ginger Mayonnaise take a little prep time, but they are absolutely wonderful!  Seriously, I think they are my favorite burger of all time!

And, let’s not forget these adorable little Meatloaf Cupcakes!

Have a delicious Super Bowl Sunday!

Go Steelers!

Next Sunday is not just any old Sunday.  It’s Super Bowl Sunday!  If you’re anything like me, by kick-off time you’ll have a houseful of hungry football fans who need food.  And it had better be good food too.  Food-deprived, beer-soaked, Super Bowl revelers can be a dangerous thing!  Sure, you could open a bag of chips, order a pizza or some soggy chicken wings and call it a day, but I have a much better idea.  My easy peasy White Chicken Chili is made with a store-bought rotisserie chicken, can be prepared ahead and is utterly fantastic!

And, if you’re looking for a few other fab dishes to round out your Super Bowl buffet, here are few more great ideas from the SCGG archives. 

Who doesn’t love warm, crispy tortilla chips slathered with fresh Guacamole?

Or, with some Spicy Melon Salsa?

How about some Chorizo and Potato Huaraches…

or these sumptuous and velvety Enchiladas Suizas?

Everybody loves zesty Steak Fajitas…

and cute, little Smoky Chipotle Sliders!

If you’re really, really brave, you could impress with these Chiles Rellenos.

And, what’s a Super Bowl party without  a little dessert?

Wow your friends with these Candied Bacon Chocolate Chunk Cookies…

or these sinful Break-Up Bars!

These Nutella Rice Krispies Treats take five minutes to put together, and are so scrumptious!

Ditto for these peanut buttery Holycraptheseareamazing Cookies.

So, get your game on, Tex-Mex style, and start cookin’!

Well, here we are again.  Another year gone by and I honestly didn’t see it coming.  Seriously.  Where did the time go?  They say that time flies when you’re having fun.  If that’s true, then 2010 must have been one helluva nonstop party.  Too bad I can’t remember it!

I don’t usually make a lot of New Year’s resolutions.  Been there, done that.  I find that I usually break most of them by the end of January, and then spend the rest of the year beating myself up over it.  Who needs that kind of pressure?  I mean, I know that I’m never going to hoof it to the gym at 6:00 a.m. three times a week.  Almost everyone who knows me, knows it too.  So why set myself up for failure?    Instead, I try to set a few goals that I want to achieve, and work toward them in small, realistic increments.  I probably won’t be making many any pre-dawn visits to the gym. But, I might take Bella for an extra walk around the block from time to time.

The past twelve months have been a mixture of bitter and sweet for me.  I’ve had some wonderful new opportunities come my way, like my gigs writing for Edible Sarasota Magazine and the Tampa Tribune.  I’ve also had some not so wonderful things happen in my life, but I won’t bore you with the details.  A new year is on the horizon and that means a fresh start and a world of possibilities.  I have a feeling that 2011 is going to be my year.  I can taste it!  And, I hope you’ll all come along for the ride.

The slideshow below features my favorite SGCC recipes of 2010.  I’ve chosen one from each month.  Some may be familiar to you and some may be new.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing them with you.

January:  Ginger Scallion Noodles from Momofuku

February: Candied Bacon-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

March:  Honey-Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

April:  Lemon Linguine with Basil Pesto Shrimp

May:  Piece Montée

June:  Chiles Rellenos

July: Bing Cherry Sorbetto

August: Sweet & Spicy Wickled Okra

September:  Homemade Refried Beans

October:  Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

November:  Turkey Cutlets alla Milanese

December:  Russian Tea

Before I wrap up 2010, I’d like to leave you with a recipe for a great little snack to enjoy while you sip your champagne tonight.  My Sweet and Spicy Pecans are absolutely addictive and a breeze to make.  I included containers of them in my Christmas gift bags this year and they were a huge hit.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can adapt it in many different ways.  I used brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne and smoked paprika in my version, but you can use less sugar to make the nuts more savory, or switch up the spices however you like.   Not only are these pecans an incredibly delicious nibble, they can also be added to salads, veggies and lots of different baked goods.  Banana bread or apple muffins with spiced pecans, anyone?  Mmmm!

Thank you so much, dear readers, for your continued support of SGCC and of me.  I truly value each and every one of you.   I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.  May 2011 bring you all you ever dreamed of.

See you next year!

Can you believe it?  Thanksgiving is barely one short, little week away.  How did this happen?  I know that time marches on, but lately it feels like it’s been stampeding by!  I’ve been trying to plan my Thanksgiving menu, and it hasn’t been easy.  My problem isn’t deciding what to make for dinner, but rather what not to make.  Between my tried and true holiday dishes and all of the fabulous new recipes I’ve been finding on the web lately, I’m having a hard time narrowing the choices down to a manageable number. I want to try them all!  Still, there is only so much food that my family can eat – even at Thanksgiving – so I’m editing and re-editing.

Although, I’ll probably change my mind about a zillion times before then, here are some dishes from the SGCC archives that I’m thinking about so far:

Gougères

Italian Wedding Soup

Roasted butternut Squash Soup

Bacon Pecan Brussels Sprouts Sauté

Cauliflower Gratin

Holy Grail of Sweet Potatoes

Cornbread, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Favorite Oyster Stuffing

Caramel Apple Raisin Pie

Caramel Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Flan

Deb’s Mom’s Apple Cake

Cranberry Lime Galette

Everybody knows that Thanksgiving is all about the sides.  Yeah, the big bird gets all the glory, but the sides are the real stars of the show.  That’s where we foodies can really get our creative juices flowing (pun intended).   I’m loving these Honey Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables and this Spiced Cranberry Chutney.  And, I’ve been dreaming about the Butternut Squash Crumbles that I saw on Todd and Diane’s site a few weeks ago.  They look so amazing!  Of course, it goes without saying that I’m going to have to give Ree’s Delicious, Creamy Mashed Potatoes a try too.  Scads of butter and cream cheese?  Yeah, I’m definitely making those potatoes!  I may need to have those cardiac defibrillator paddles standing by, but it’s a chance I’ll have to take.

This gorgeous Apricot and Walnut Stuffing recipe from lol foodie caught my attention.  With lots of dried fruits, nuts and orange zest, it sounds heavenly!  Guilty Kitchen’s Sweet Potato, Kale and Sausage looks pretty terrific too – and would be a great way to sneak some healthy greens into your Thanksgiving meal.

How about some green bean casserole?  Here are two great, made from scratch recipes from Alton Brown and Pioneer Woman that look to die for.

Of course, there will be turkey too – and ham.  I’ve ordered two big, fat, organic free range turkeys from Suncoast Organics.  I know, I know, two turkeys?  Well, for one thing, you can never have too much turkey at Thanksgiving.  Besides gorging on the bird at the main meal, you’ve got to have enough left over for sandwiches when everyone gets hungry again about an about after the dishes are washed.  And, you have to save some for all of those great “after Thanksgiving” turkey recipes that you know will be popping up all over the blogs the next day.  Plus, let’s not forget about the fabulous stock you can make with those turkey carcasses!  So yes, two turkeys is a must here in SGCC-land.

For all of my stick in the mud more traditional guests,  one of my turkeys will be prepared the regular old boring classic way.  But, I’ve been really intrigued with some of the more unusual turkey recipes I’ve seen, like Maple-Brined Wood-Smoked Grilled Turkey, Plum-Glazed Roast Turkey with Spinach, Bacon and Cashew Stuffing and Plum Gravy, Bacon-Wrapped Turkey with Pear Cider Gravy or Deep Fried Whole Buffalo Turkey.  They all sound so wonderful!

For those of you who are planning a gluten-free holiday feast, there are lots of delicious choices out there.  Lori from Recipe Girl has put together a lovely, all gluten-free Thanksgiving menu.  Even though we’re not a GF family, I’m really tempted by some of those fabulous dishes.  Shauna, our beloved Gluten Free Girl (and the chef), has also compiled a yummy list of gluten-free delights to grace your Thanksgiving table, including her famous GF pie crust.

And, let’s not forget about the most important part of the meal – the desserts.    Martha’s Caramel Nut Tart looks divine!  So does her Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie.  Oh, the decadence!  (Glad I thought to have those paddles on hand!) Aran’s Sweet Potato and Crab Apple Clafoutis look absolutely delightful in their dainty little china cups.  So creative – and gluten-free too.  If you’re crazy for cheesecake, this Pecan and Salted Caramel Cheesecake from CHOW looks outrageously good.

You can never go wrong with one of David Lebovitz’s ice cream recipes, and his Pumpkin Ice Cream looks like another winner.   For a lighter frozen alternative, this Green Apple and Basil Granita from Kitchen Daily looks wonderful, especially for us folks down here in hot, muggy Florida.  I’ll bet it would perfect served in between courses as a palate cleanser too.

Wow!  I’ve had such fun checking out all of these fabulous Thanksgiving recipes!  I hope you enjoy them too.

So, what are you all serving for Turkey Day?  Wow me.  Thrill me.  Inspire me.  Make me drool!!!

* Top photo courtesy of istockphoto.com

Yesterday was my birthday.  At my age, birthdays pretty much come and go without too much fanfare.  We usually go out for a nice dinner somewhere and call it a day.  Since Mr. SGCC was out of town on business, we decided to postpone our celebration until this weekend.  Mini SGCC insisted that I shouldn’t have to cook on my “special” day, so she decided to take charge of last night’s dinner arrangements.  She did what any normal, red-blooded American teenager would do. She ordered pizza.  Except, she didn’t just order any old pizza. She got us a taco pizza.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical about that taco pizza at first.  But about three slices in, I was sold.  There wasn’t anything elaborate about the pizza – just taco meat, tomatoes, scallions and some lettuce, topped with a little sour cream and salsa – but it was pretty darn tasty!

It got me to thinking about how versatile pizza can be.  I started imagining all kinds of different ingredient combinations that would work on a pizza.  How about a pulled pork pizza?  Or, a Korean kimchi pork belly pizza?  Mu Shu pizza, anyone? A linguine and clams pizza, without the linguine?  Or even a bacon and eggs pizza?  See what I mean?  The possibilities are virtually endless. 

Then, I remembered another kind of pizza that I posted about a few years ago – Picadillo Pizza.  Now, that was one awesome pizza!  So awesome, in fact, that I thought I’d share it with you again.

Picadillo is a Cuban dish made with ground meat, tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers and various other ingredients simmered with herbs and spices.  Though, it’s typically served over rice, it is kind of like a Cuban version of taco meat, which is why the taco pizza reminded me of it.  The version I like to make includes green olives, capers, raisins and slivered almonds, and is flavored with cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and a dash of cinnamon.  Picadillo is very easy to prepare and is muy sabroso!  Picadillo also seems to get even better when it sits, so the leftovers are the perfect thing to use as a pizza topping for the next day’s dinner.

To make picadillo, first dice up your vegetables and sauté.

Then, add your meat and cook it all together.

Add the rest of your ingredients and simmer.

That’s it. You’re done!

You can enjoy your picadillo the traditional way, over rice, as a pizza topping like I did, as a sandwich filling or any way you like.  I’m thinking picadillo sloppy Joes sound pretty good too.