Happy New Year's Eve!

Hello, everybody!! Mary Jane here wishing you a VERY happy New Year's Eve!

If you haven't claimed your prizes, please be sure to contact us by our blogs or facebook pages so we can get those to you. :)

If you have a party planned but still don't know what to cook, check out our list of delicious appetizers, warm and filling easy recipes and melt-in-your-mouth delightful easy desserts!

Also, be sure to stop by Seekerville tonight for their annual New Year's Eve blowout! Lots of fun book chats and (of course) giveaways. Yours truly will be there around (counting backwards an checking time zones) 2PM Pacific Time so come on by and tell me what YOU do to beat discouragement!

I hope to see you there, and may your New Year's Day be peaceful and bright!

Baked Brie - An Indulgence Fit for a Speedbo-er

It's springtime in North Texas!

We spent part of the weekend planting flowers. Saturday was absolutely perfect. One of those days that beckoned you to drop everything else and get outside.

Even my irises are in bloom.

A few years back, on one of my visits to Ouray, Colorado, we joined a friend at the historic Beaumont Hotel for dinner and did what often do. Made a meal out of appetizers. 

On this occasion, my friend said, "You have to try to fried Brie."

Fried Brie?

Well, it involves Brie, so sign me up.

Oh. My. Word.

The cheese was basted in honey, then coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried to melty, gooey perfection. 

Well, I have yet to attempt fried brie, however, with that amazing recipe in mind, I've come up with a baked Brie that is almost as good.

It's very difficult, though, so pay close attention.

Here's what you'll need:

Brie and honey.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place cheese round/wedge on a baking sheet (I highly recommend lining said baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup) and drizzle with honey.

Bake until cheese is melting, 5-6 minutes.

You can serve this with fruit--apple wedges are good--or crackers. I prefer a water cracker, simply because they have no taste, so they let the flavor of the cheese and honey shine through. 

Or, you could just dig in with a spoon, but only if you're alone.

Imagine spending hours hunched over the computer to reach your daily Speedbo word count, then rewarding yourself for a job well done.

Sounds like motivation to me. ;-)

Happy Speedbo-ing!

Brie, Wonderful Brie...

I love brie. So smooth and creamy. Yummy alone, on a cracker or paired with fruit. You can bake it, turning it into ooey-gooey, delectable deliciousness as Jan did here. I like to put a round on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle it with honey and then bake it. 

Pure heaven.

Then I saw this recipe from the Pioneer Woman.

Be still my heart.

Brie and mushrooms? Together?

I can hear the angels singing.

I gave you a little teaser on this last week by showing you this picture.

So today, you get to find out how to make this yummy appetizer, just in time for the big game.

In addition to 8 oz of brie, you will need 1/2 a stick of butter, 12 oz white button mushrooms, stemmed and washed (I had baby bellas, so that's what I used), 4-5 green onions, sliced up to the middle of the dark green part, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have any so I used a couple of teaspoons of dried parsley) and a splash of chicken broth or white wine.

 That's the full recipe. I only had 8 oz of mushrooms, so I adjusted my measurements accordingly.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Now I prefer to get everything chopped and ready, so when it's go time, I can throw everything together. That's one of the things that makes this a great party dish.

Cut the brie into bite size pieces. It's up to you if you want to leave the rind or remove it. 

I've done it both ways.

Green onion and garlic are ready.

Now it's go time.

Melt your butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then toss in your mushroom caps and move them around a bit, making sure to coat them with the butter (about a minute).

Remove mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.

Add the green onions and garlic to the pan and saute for a minute. 

Add the parsley and a splash of wine or chicken broth and cook for another minute or two. 

Don't worry. This is only for flavor and a little moisture. Any alcohol cooks out.

Place the mushroom caps in a baking dish and add a chunk of brie to each one.

Kind of like filling belly buttons.

Then spoon the onion/garlic/parsley mixture over the top.

Bake 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

And serve.

Preferably warm.

There go those angels again.

Now if you don't like mushrooms... I'm sorry. I've got nothing for you.

Okay, you can have any leftover chunks of brie.

About that "big" game. For me, it's rather anticlimactic this year. I have no reason to cheer for either team. I mean, yes, I like the Cowboys, but I also like Aaron Rogers and Payton Manning. Those guys would give me a reason to cheer. But alas, twas not to be this year.

SIGH.

So now our big game party watching will go something like this:

Chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter...

Shhhhhh.... Hush, y'all! The commercials are coming on.

Save for the sound of the television, silence filled the room. 

Honestly, I'll probably sit this one out this year. That is, unless we decide to go to one of the parties we've been invited to. In which case, it's more of an excuse to fellowship. And let's face it, you can never get enough of that.

What are your plans for the big game?

Shrimp Love!

Tex here, and the only thing I love better than an easy dish that's yummy is an easy dish that's yummy AND quick AND versatile. These days, I'm all about quick meals. But quick doesn't have to be boring or blah. And this shrimp dish is neither boring or blah.

When I saw one of my favorite Food Network personalities make this, I had to try it. And I'm so glad I did. Whether you're looking for a meal or an appetizer, the PW's Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp fits the bill.

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 pounds raw frozen shrimp, deveined, shells on
• 2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 lemon, juiced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the shrimp to separate, and then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

To the bowl of a food processor, add the butter, parsley, salt, red pepper, garlic and lemon juice.

Pulse until combined.

Now, sprinkle the cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until the shrimp is opaque and the butter is hot a bubbly, approximately 10-15 minutes.

 

On this occasion, I put the cooked shrimp and some of the sauce into a bowl and served it family style with a loaf of french bread for a rustic dinner. The bread is SO good dipped in the sauce.

 

This also makes an easy appetizer for parties. Just pop the tray into the oven as your guests arrive.

 

And wouldn't this be delicious over pasta?

 

I have to apologize for not having any pix of the finished product. We got a little carried away and dug in before I even thought about the camera. Sorry.

 

Now don't let the spicy part scare you. It's not hot. Maybe cut back some on the red pepper flakes, but you definitely do not want to omit this entirely. You'll lose an important dimension of flavor.

 

Okay, so my world is completely topsy-turvy these days. I never know what to expect from one day to the next. But what's going on in your world?

 

Quick Party Faves!

This is NOT a lame post.

This is important.

Because every now and again I get invited someplace by an unsuspecting person who doesn't realize I might be the LAST PERSON THEY WANT AT THEIR PARTY...

So to curb the certain-to-ensue anxiety, I bring something delicious.

Now I don't always have time to bake a fancy-schmancy cake like this:

Oops, this wasn't supposed to be Jeter!!! It was supposed to be a pretty basket of flowers cake I made for a baby shower...

But I'm not one to argue with Jeter if he hops into my blog!!!! So he gets to stay.

Cupcakes like this are adorable, right? You just take a dotted "grass" frosting tube, fill the top with frosting "grass" and plunk a chick peep into the middle... then add some strategically placed jelly beans for eggs. EASY and impressive!

Shrimp is a big favorite of mine. No one can hate the woman with a shrimp tray:

And chocolate dipped strawberries are an easy crowd-pleaser for all ages and occasions!

Take fresh, ripe berries:

Melt 12 oz (or so) milk or dark chocolate... or white chocolate... and add about a teaspoon or so of vegetable oil to the melting chocolate:

Dip berries into chocolate using their stems to hold berries in place.... Then lay them onto foil-covered cookie sheets:

Chill... put on pretty plate and serve!

Those were a crowd-pleasing favorite at our Easter brunch!

And remember, if the budget is tight, chicken salad and crackers is a wonderful munch that most people won't think of... and fresh chicken salad is a wonderful thing!