Archives for October 2013

Spooktacular Halloween Bash

October 30, 2013

Tomorrow is the day! The best day of the year-Halloween. Personally, I cannot get enough of Halloween and ever since I was a tater-tot I was obsessed with the candy, costumes, and overall atmosphere of Halloween. All of the best movies and tv series would play, including: Hocus Pocus, Goosebumps, Halloweentown, and of course horror movies (which I wasn’t allowed to watch since I was little) But as you know, every little kid sneaks out of the room and hides quietly behind the wall, poking their head out trying to catch a few glimpses of any tv or movie that is on past their bed-time, and that was me! Keep in mind that I am a 90’s baby-so these movies and shows were right in my prime 🙂

This year, I threw a Halloween Bash at my apartment. Instead of being girly and sparkly, I went full force with spooky creations and more, but kept a fun-spirited ghoulish vibe.

To make your party a success-use fun food names such as: Scarecrow Screwdriver, Candyman Caramel Apples, Poltergeist Peanut Butter Grave, Omen Orange, and more! I simply thought of famous horror movies and placed them in-front of the food and drink. Also, get in touch with your scary side-embrace your fears, such as spiders! I absolutely am terrified of spiders-and yet had plastic ones covering my entire apartment!

Release your inner Martha-and have a monster mash!

Have a Super Spooky Hallow-Scream!

Weekly Recipe Wrestler: Peanut Butter Cupcakes

October 29, 2013

This weeks Weekly Recipe Wrestler was inspired for my Halloween Bash that I hosted over the weekend. As you are aware, food completes a party. To have a successful party, you must have some drinks, decor, people, and food! With that being said, I decided to whip up some peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate butter-cream frosting! YUMMY! To improve my Halloween Bash, I labeled my food with spooky labels, such as, Poltergeist Peanut Butter Grave. Creative-right?! For this recipe- I borrowed it from a dear pal, Sally-she too writes a food blog! Spooky!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (Unless you want a crunch-then select crunchy peanut butter)
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (Or microwave your butter for about 8 seconds)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons milk

Dark Chocolate Butter-Cream Frosting:

2 and 3/4 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, like Hershey’s
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
6 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

First preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Set aside.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. With a handheld or stand mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes on medium speed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add in vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed. Slowly beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly between 12 cupcake tins. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.
For the frosting: Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to assure there are no lumps. Set aside. – If you don’t own a sifter, don’t panic, I remove my powdered sugar clumps by pressing them down into a powder with a small fork.

5. With a handheld of stand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy – about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder alternately with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too dark. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Cupcakes stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

6. Garnish with a Reese’s Mini, or a cute cupcake sign. I used both.

** Another fun tip: one batch of these cupcakes I added some food coloring-turning my cupcake batter into a ghoulish grey, making them really seem more like creepy Poltergeist graves.

** A creative way to make this recipe even more delicious and keep moisture would be peeling and slicing up an apple, and adding it to the batter. Apples help keep baked goods from drying out-plus who doesn’t love apples and peanut butter?!

Sparkles, Fluff, and Love

October 23, 2013

Are you having a super sparkly day? Because Lennon and Rob recently had the sparkliest day of their relationship!

One of our favorite couples Lennon and Rob celebrated their love on October 19th. On this day, they married each other, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Their wedding and reception were both held at the Dallas Scottish Rite, where Lennon’s fun sense of style manifested. What emerged? A traditional style yet with chic romantic-glam pizzazz. Both the bride and her three flower girls walked down the aisle in beautiful over-the top flowing dresses. The younger girls had fluffy and bouncy feathered skirts, whereas the gorgeous bride Lennon had beautifully layered tulle. On top of that, Lennon selected a jewel encrusted “H” cake topper to make her day super sparkly!

Three Three Three is the place for me!

October 18, 2013

The venue Three Three Three is a popular destination for all sorts of events due to its location, event space, and because it is a blank canvas allows visionaries to put their ideas into a reality.

Our bride and groom Katie and Joseph did just that, and transformed this white walled space into a serene blue oasis.

Other fun touches making Katie and Joseph’s wedding unique was his active Marine dress blues, the couples radiant smiles, and the cake cutting performed with Joseph’s Marine sword.

Congrats on your marriage and wishing you a lifetime of bliss! Xoxo

Weekly Recipe Wrestler: Blackberry Apple and Cinnamon Explosion Muffins

October 16, 2013

This weeks Weekly Recipe Wrester was inspired by a lovely gal named Sally. I have never met Sally, and sadly will not meet her. I stumbled upon this recipe so naturally, via Pinterest! Ha-I am so in love with Pinterest that I could pin in my sleep. On this glorious site I found this totally delicious and healthy looking muffin. I clicked and was directed to a blog called Sally’s Baking Addition. Oh man, she’s one addict that may or may not need help 😉
After several hours of my mouth watering and hoping to taste this treat I decided that I simply couldn’t wait any longer and had to have it now!!!! Upon completion of this recipe, I took my first bite and it was magnificent! Not to mention my whole house smelled like heaven with all of the baked apples and cinnamon flavors floating throughout the air.

(I made a few tweaks so I wouldn’t be stealing it all from Sally, but I think I found a new best friend-these muffins!

Ingredients:

Muffins

3 cups flour (any type will do)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 very large apple, peeled and diced into small pieces (Honeycrisp-still baking with my 28 lb batch)
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light brown)
1/2 cup yogurt (I used a blackberry Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup –> You may use 1/4 cup more brown sugar instead of maple syrup.
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk (any milk you prefer)
1 pint (about 1 cup) fresh or frozen blackberries, chopped

Oat Streusel

3 Tablespoons brown sugar (dark-or light brown)
3 Tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. (I used baking cups-but it is your preference)

Making the muffins:

Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped apples together in a large bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, yogurt, (applesauce or oil), maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and milk together vigorously until combined and smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir with a large spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Do not overmix the batter.

-it is okay if you put all of the ingredients in one big bowl and mix-I have done it both ways and both taste the same 🙂

Making the streusel:

Combine the brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside. Layer 1 Tablespoon of batter into each muffin tin. Top with a couple chopped blackberry pieces, then layer with more muffin batter and a couple more blackberry pieces until you’ve filled the muffin cups all the way to the top. Sprinkle each with streusel.

Bake the muffins at 425F for 5 minutes. Keeping the muffins inside the oven, turn the temperature down to 375F and bake for another 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

I used all of my streusel and literally plopped it onto each muffin making them as full of the: brown sugar, cinnamon and oat concoction!

Bon Appétit

Weekly Recipe Wrestler: Blueberry Pie

October 11, 2013

“Violet, you’re turning violet!” This may happen to you once you eat this pie-yummy! But don’t worry, it wont actually be a Violet Beaurgarde mistake where they have oompa loompas rolling you out to the Juicing Room. Anyway, make this pie-it is delightful.

Ingredients:

6 cups of Fresh Blueberries, or 2 cans of blueberry filling-if blueberries are out of season

1 Premade Frozen Pie Shell, or 2 Rolls of Pie Crust (one for the base and one for the top)

1 Roll of Pie Crust for the top (if you buy the frozen shell)

3/4 Cup of Sugar

1/2 Cup of Flour

1 Egg

1/4 Tablespoon of Ground Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon of Lime Juice

Foil

Directions:

1-Mix your blueberries, flour, sugar, cinnamon and lime juice in a bowl.

2-Pour the mixture into your pie shell

–> Or if you are making your own pie shell or using a roll of premade, roll it into a pie pan

3-Unroll one sheet of crust, and use a melon scoop or small cookie cutter of your preference to cut holes out of the crust- leaving a pretty pattern.

4-Gently place your top layer of crust over the pie and filling

5-Pinch the two layers of the pie together

6-Take your egg, crack, extract the egg white-and gently brush over your pie crust.

7-Sprinkle some sugar on the top of the pie

8-Now place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let sit

9-Next take a sheet of foil that will fully cover your pie, fold in half (hamburger style-NOT hotdog) and cut a circle out from the middle. Make your cut approximately 3 inches from the edge of the foil and you will cut out a half moon. Unfold, and place the foil that now has a perfect circle cut out of the middle over your pie.

–> By doing this, your pie will brown, but your crust will not overcook and as an end result be the same color as the rest of your pie! Neato!!!!

–> Also make sure you actually pinch the foil to the pie pan or else it will not work effectively.

10-Place pie onto a cookie sheet so you have easy removal from the oven. (and it will catch any drips or falling crust)

11-Bake for 45 minutes at 400 Degrees Fahrenheit-or bake until golden.

* Some ovens cook differently, if your pie is browning too quickly (in the first 20 minutes of cooking and looks tan-dont bake it at 400 for the remaining 25 minutes, turn it down to 350.

*Also, do not remove your pie until your filling is bubbling, once you are satisfied iwth your pie browning, remove from the oven and let sit for 30-40 minutes before serving

12-Serve warm with one scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Bon Appétit

Arboretum After Hours

October 9, 2013

Each year the Dallas Arboretum hosts an Open House that allows future and past brides of the Dallas Arboretum to walk the grounds, enabling the beautiful gardens to be seen. In addition, guests tour through the Camp House, DeGolyer, and Rosine Hall where vendors are situated mocking an actual event.

Gil’s Elegant Catering was invited back to the Open House, where we set up in Rosine Hall to showcase our food, beverages, and our hospitable staff. To start the night, guests were served passed canapes including: lump crab cakes, Belgian endive petals with danish blue cheese and caramelized Bosc pear chutney, and finally a small canape featuring smoked chicken pistachio mousse topped with dried apricots and spring onions.

As our featured items, we brought two stations: a Texas Grilled Elote and a Traditional Carving station where we had a chef serve warm and perfectly tender slices of Herbed Crusted Sirloin.

While the musicians played, the lights gracefully changed colors, and flowers cascaded over the tables, our guests happily ate their foods with nothing but satisfaction on their faces.

HarryPhoto_OHF130104

Weekly Recipe Wrestler: Apple Turnovers

October 4, 2013

My close friend from Yakima Washington harvests his families apple orchards every year. This year he decided to ship me a box of apples. I was extremely excited when he asked me if I wanted some apples, yet a little concerned that he would send me a huge box of apples that I would never be able to consume on my own. He joked that he would be sending them individually by carrier pigeon. The most frightful thing is that he would in fact find a way to send them by carrier pigeon.

To my surprise, a large 28 LB box arrived at my doorstep, full of Honeycrisp apples, yummy! 🙂

So the first thing that I chose to bake were some Apple Turnovers.

Ingredients:
2 Honeycrisp Apples-make 4 Apple Turnovers
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
Egg White
2/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/16 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Roll of Dough
1 Tablespoon Flour

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees Farhenheit
2. Peel and core Honeycrisp apples ( I did this via the oldschool apple peeler (My favorite kitchen tool))
3. Slice if you havent already (keep in cold-room temp. water to prevent from turning brown)
4. Mix your flour, nutmeg, cinnamon sugar, sugar in one bowl
5. Unroll your dough on a cookie sheet
6. Dip your apple slices into this sugary mixture
7. Cluster a decent size pile onto each corner of dough
-> make sure that your pile goes vertical (almost as if youre making a cookie dough blob out of apples)
8. slice the dough into 4 squares
9. Fold each square over the top of the apple mound and press a fork into the dough, mending the two layers together
10. Paint on egg white onto the top of each apple-dough mound
11. Sprinkle brown sugar on the tops and edges (more the merrier)
12. Make small decorative incisions on the top of your apple dough, serving as a vent-allowing internal heat to release.
13. Bake for 10 minutes

Fall in Love: Open House

October 3, 2013

On September 26th, we hosted another one of our delicious Open Houses’ at the beautiful Dallas Scottish Rite. The ballroom was just gorgeous and set like a true wedding reception with linens from Seat by Design, flowers by A&L Floral, sweet treats from the sweetest Sugar Bee Sweets and great music and lighting from Le Force Entertainment. In the Lobby Blue booth was there with fun props and favors and Jonathan Goldwater brought a green screen too! Love Notes joined the party and showcased their services and Blue Diamond Limo had a fantastic get away car parked right out front!! And whats a bridal show with out gowns…Circle Park Bridal outdid themselves and filled the venue with stunning gowns of all styles, bridesmaids dresses and wedding accessories!Last but not least, Harry Photo captured some beautifiul shots of this marvelous Open House. If you are interested in the Dallas Scottish rite for your next event contact Events & Experiences to schedule your private tour! We hope to see you at our next Open House! Cheers!