Cheesecake lolli pops

Here they are~ the simplest little treat on a stick! Kids and adults love them.  These babies are not difficult in the least, they just require some prep time.  Expect to make them the day before your party.  Tonight my friend Heather Brown stopped by to help me roll and dip these ones for Anna's roaring 20's party on Saturday!

These are super fun for kids birthday parties or class events. I have made them for party favors and gifts and placed them in small cellophane bags tied with ribbon.

For instructions on making the fun tiered stand check out my last blog post!

For the lollis
1 8oz package Philly cream cheese
1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or white. Only use Ghiradelli white, the others taste awful!)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

For the toppings
Because variety is so much fun I use 1 cup each of 3 or 4 assorted toppings such as:
Graham cracker crumbs, Oreo crumbs, Heath bits, coconut, crushed pistachios, roasted almond bits, mini m&m's
Half a bag each of two chocolate chip flavors of  your choice. I like white and milk for dipping.

50 candy sticks (Michael's has them on the candy aisle for a couple dollars)
50 mini baking cups, optional.  They look nice presented in them if serving from a tray

Beat cream cheese and vanilla with mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
Melt chips in microwave until creamy. It should take 1-2 minutes.
Stir after the first minute and every 30 seconds thereafter. 
Add melted chips to cream cheese mixture and beat for 1 minute.
Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl to make sure evenly mixed.  Transfer mixture to a shallow plastic container, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight.
Scoop mixture into 1 tablespoon balls, roll until smooth and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. 
Freeze cheese cake balls for at least 2 hours until firm.
Meanwhile, prepare toppings and place in small bowls on workspace.  Melt the chocolate of your choice to dip the lollis in. I use white and milk most often.  Take the balls out of the freezer and insert a stick, dip 1/2 in chocolate, roll in topping and place back on cookie sheet. Once all have been dipped and rolled, place cookie sheet back in freezer to firm up.  Keep covered tightly and refrigerated until serving.

Each batch makes 50, 1 Tablespoon size pops. I usually make one white and one milk or semi-sweet and dip both in two different melted chocolates for extra variety. My all time favorite combo  is the white dipped in white and rolled in crushed pistachios!!! Sweet salty goodness.

How to make a cheesecake lolli pop stand

I came across this idea last week and fell in love with it!  I have been making cheesecake lolli pops for years and wanted a fun way to display them.  This Saturday I am doing a dessert buffet for my dear friend and fellow blogger Anna Mosely's 30th birthday party. She is having a Roaring 20's theme so I chose glittery black wrapping paper and smoky rhinestones to embellish her lolli stand!  Here's how to make one for yourself:

1. Cut strips of heavy wrapping paper or wallpaper to fit around 5-, 7-, 11-, 13 inch diameter styrofoam cake dummies, or thinner rounds found at the craft store, with an extra inch sticking up at the top to create a rim.  For a decorative edge, trim top edges with a pinking blade.  Affix paper with spray adhesive, then hot glue the tiers together. Sprinkle the tops of the styrofoam with dusting sugar or edible glitter for more sparkle!

                                        simple supplies cost approximately $15 at the craft store

                      I pulled out my grandmothers pinking shears~ so glad she gave them to me!


2. Poke the lolli sticks into the styrofoam and create your fun display!  I used tootsie pops today, but will post another picture later this week with the cheesecake lollies along with the recipe to make them.  You can also use this idea for skewered fruit with a chocolate fountain, cotton candy on sticks, rock candy on sticks, brownie or cake lolli pops, suckers all in one color for a color-themed event, or small caramel apples. The possibilities are endless!

                                                Total work time was about a half hour

Grilled Portabello Mushrooms with Browned Sage Butter

This is a simple, savory preparation for mushrooms. I am a huge fan of browned butter in savory or sweet dishes.


2 large portabello mushrooms
1 stick salted butter
10-15 fresh sage leaves
salt, pepper to taste


Place butter and sage in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Simmer butter until it foams. Watch closely as the butter changes color from light to amber, then chestnut color. Remove from heat when it turns chestnut color. meanwhile, heat outdoor grill to high heat. Place mushrooms upside down on plate and spoon 3 tablespoons browned sage butter onto webbing. Season with salt and pepper. Place on grill for approximately 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and release their juices. Remove from grill. Slice into 1/2 inches pieces and drizzle with more browned sage butter if desired. Place crispy sage leaves on the mushrooms, or mix into an alfredo sauce for pasta. These are amazing over pasta, as a side to grilled chicken, as an appetizer, or served atop a bed of sauteed red onions as I have pictured here.

The butter will foam as it browns. Watch it carefully, to get the correct color.

Notice the rich color of the butter. The darker the milk solids get, the richer the flavor.

Garlic Herb Croutons

Today my baby girl Emily turned 15 years old.  I didn't need to ask her what she wanted for her birthday dinner, I already knew the answer. Her favorite dinner is my Chicken Caesar Salad with home made Garlic Herb Croutons. I make a large batch and give them as gifts in small cellophane bags, or freeze them in air tight containers and pull them out when we need them. They are fantastic on salads, or in soups.



Garlic Herb Croutons

2 loaves rustic french or Pugliese bread, cubed
1 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons dried basil
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
5 cloves minced garlic
2 cups finely shredded Pecorino Romano
or good quality Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for spicy heat)

Preheat oven to 400. Place cubed bread in large roasting pan.  Mix all remaining ingredients except cheese in a small bow.  Drizzle oil mixture over bread, stir to coat.  Sprinkle cheese over bread and stir to coat evenly.
Bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to brown.  Remove from oven when croutons are golden brown and crunchy. Let cool at room temperature.  
Add to salads, or soups, or just munch on a bowl~ so yummy!

The BEST ice cream sandwiches in the world

This ice cream sandwich recipe came by a 'test kitchen' method.  I was catering a wedding last September in which the bride and groom wanted a dessert buffet instead of a cake.  They were foodies from L.A. and had fantastic taste, so I knew I had to come up with something special.  I started with Barbara Bush's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.  It was good, but needed some depth.  My dear foodie test-kitchen friend Barbe Cervantes told me to add graham cracker crumbs.  The second change came from a recipe I love for peanut butter shortbread cookies which sautees the oats in butter until toasted.  I combined the different ingredients and came up with a thin, crispy, salty-sweet delight!  I bake them in different sizes depending on who my guests are.  For the wedding, I used a tablespoon measure, to create a small sandwich that could be eaten in two bites.  I use a small ice cream scoop to measure the dough for larger cookies.  In our house, we  love to have frozen cookie dough ready to bake any time, or just eat.  I double this recipe, make the balls and freeze half of them.  I named these sandwiches after the couple who inspired them, the DeSotos~

The DeSoto Sandwich

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

2 tsp vanilla

1, 12 ounce bag mini chocolate chips

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Sautee oats in 1/4 cup butter until toasted

3. In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugars

4. In another bowl, sift flour, soda, and salt. add graham cracker crumbs then stir into butter mixture

5.Add oats, vanilla, and chocolate chips

6. Mix together well and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour

7. Drop by spoonful size of your choice onto ungreased cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 10 minutes

Let cookies cool.  Freeze for 1 hour. 

Set ice cream out at room temperature for 15 minutes, then scoop into frozen cookies, sandwich them together, and freeze on cookie sheet until firm.  Store in the freezer in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

Why am I doing this? I'm not a blogger!

Let me just say I never thought I would have a blog. I read other blogs, but did not think I would have one. For years my friends, family and people I have met at parties have asked for recipies and ideas for hosting parties.  I have found this to be the best forum for sharing my favorite recipies and new ideas to make all of our lives a bit more delightful and delicous!  I love food. I am not ashamed of that fact.  I honestly believe food is the central part of living that brings us all together.  Meal time is a time of bonding, story telling, laughter and satisfying our bodies.  I want everyone to eat flavorful quality food all the time!
I have come across many stingy cooks in my life. You know the kind~ the person who will not share the recipie for the AH-MAZING cake or appetizer they brought to the party.  They say "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you."  Or, "It's my signature dish. If I give you the recipe we might end up bringing it to the same party some day. Sorry." Here is the way I see it: If the people love it, let 'em make it and eat it when they want.  That way more people in this world will be happy and content.
This blog is going to be filled with the food and wine I love, party ideas and silly sentiments to make us all smile a bit more!