Mangio Italiano!

Ciao!

Today, I have a couple of delicious Italian recipes for you. Well, technically, it's one Italian recipe and one bread recipe. But they're BOTH wonderful. Also, please excuse my Italian post title if it's incorrect. I took two semesters of it at Georgia last year, and I've already forgotten most of it. Isn't it so sad how that happens? If ya don't use it, ya lose it.

Now for the recipes. First up is a pasta recipe. Then, some of the TASTIEST bread you'll ever eat. For those of you who automatically run at the word "yeast", don't fear! It's not as hard as it sounds, and when you subtract the time it takes to rise, the prep time is super short. So I challenge you...try it out with your next Italian dish! Maybe some Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce? :)

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce 

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (20 oz) package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli

1 (16 oz) jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce

2 tablespoons white wine

2 medium-size fresh tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Garnish; fresh basil strips

Directions: 

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, pour Alfredo sauce into medium saucepan. Pour wine into sauce jar; cover tightly, and shake well. Stir wine mixture into saucepan. Stir in chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped basil, and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Toss with pasta, and top evenly with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish, if desired. 

Copycat Macaroni Grill Bread 

Copycat Macaroni Grill Bread 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Place yeast, sugar, and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.

2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. 

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.

4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

5. Add more flour if necessary.

6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it, and cover with a towel.

7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.

8. Punch down dough and divide in half.

9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.

10. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.

11. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

12. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

13. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

14. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired). 

Labor Day Lounging

It has been yet another rainy, gloomy labor day. Doesn't it seem that way every year? It's supposed to be the last hoorah of summer, and we spend it sitting inside. Oh well. Though we didn't get to go to the pool as planned, we enjoyed an afternoon of yummy eating and movie watching. We rented Blue Like Jazz, a movie based on the Donald Miller book, and I really, really enjoyed it. The book is subtitled "Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality" if that gives you a little bit of an idea of what it's about. I think it paints a really accurate, eye-opening picture of the way some people see Christians. I would really encourage everyone to watch it. I can go ahead and tell you this- it's not at all how you're imagining it.

Anyway, this post is more about my thoughts on the movie than anything else, as I only have a few pictures to show you. First, here's the fish cake I promised you when I posted the farm animal cake a couple of weeks ago.

Next, here are some Atlanta Braves birthday cupcakes.

And lastly, some "just because" cupcakes with a glimmer.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Labor Day holiday!

The Legacy of a Grandma

This past Friday, my sweet, sweet Grandma passed away. 

So many of you were so gracious to us. You brought us food, prayed for us, and even came to the viewing and funeral. My family and I are SO thankful for everything y'all did. She was the BEST Grandma I could have asked for, and she will be so missed here. However, I'm absolutely positive she's with the Lord right now...and loving every minute of it!

One of Grandma's staple desserts was dirt cake. She made it every Easter, always being sure to top it off with some gummy worms and plastic eggs (filled with money, of course). So, what would have been more appropriate than making dirt cake for my family and I to eat at the funeral home?! Unfortunately, I couldn't find the exact recipe she used. I had to turn to the internet. But, according to my cousins, it was just as good. Phew! 

We have an old, old picture where all of the grandchildren have gummy worms sticking out of their mouths, so we decided to reenact it. I wish I had that picture, but it's scrapbooked away somewhere in someone's house. The odds of me finding it, scanning it in, and posting it before Christmas (let's be real, probably more like next summer) were slim to none, so I decided to go ahead and do without. 

The best part of the story is the fact that we still have the bowl she used to put it in. It's a pretty crystal bowl with a handle that makes it look like an Easter basket. So, into Grandma's bowl the dirt cake went!

Also, since I love my readers, y'all get the recipe! Enjoy...it's a Smith family favorite :) 

Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:

2-3.4 oz packages vanilla instant pudding

3 1/2 cups milk

12 oz cool whip

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1-15.5 oz package Oreos

Gummy worms (if desired)

Directions:

1. Combine instant pudding and milk in a large bowl. Whisk for 5 minutes, or until pudding is soft set. Fold in cool whip then set aside. 

2. In a separate bowl, stir together cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add to pudding mixture and stir to combine.

3. Crush Oreos to fine crumbs.

4. Spoon 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs into the bottom of a large bowl. Top with 1/2 the pudding mixture, then 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs, the remaining pudding mixture, then the remaining cookie crumbs. Chill for at least 1 hour, then top with gummy worms before serving :) 

Old McDonald Had a Farm

Ee-I-ee-I-oh! (Get it? Check the post title.)

This is a farm animal cake I completed today for a little girl's birthday party. The cake is covered in regular frosting, and the animals, barn, tree, and fence are all made out of fondant. It took for. ever. BUT, it's what I love, so I really don't mind spending the time on it.

I also made some Kennesaw State cupcakes for my cousin who just started school here.

Check back next weekend for another animal cake. It may be a liiiiiittle bit different than this one, though :)

Slow and Steady

My focus this past week or so has basically been on one thing and one thing only- moving. 

I'm in the process of moving into a town home with some awesome girls, and boy is it exhausting. Who knew furnishing a house could be so thought provoking and time consuming? Pictures will be coming very, very soon...I hope! It's a slow process (hence the slow and steady blog title), but we're getting there. 

On top of moving, I'm working 30 hours per week (with work days beginning at 5:00 am, might I add). I can literally hardly keep my eyes open when the clock strikes 8:00. I know, I know. I'm a party animal.

However, amongst the busyness that is my life, I've managed to squeeze in a little baking.

These first cupcakes are Coca-Cola cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter frosting. 

These next cupcakes are Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Minnie Mouse decorations (obviously). I told y'all in my last post about the trip I took to Disney World. So, to thank the sweet family that took us, I made some well-suited desserts!

I know it's been quite a while since I've posted a good recipe for y'all to try, so I'll be sure to get one up soon! Hope everyone has a blessed rest of the week!