Apple-Pear-Cranberry Pie

Recently I began baking (and getting paid!) for a local coffee shop. I delivered a pie and a batch of biscotti about 2 weeks ago. Apparently my pie was a hit and they've been WAITING for a 2nd pie - here it is, in the works. :)
Filling: 6 apples (I usually use golden delicious or gala when baking) + 3 to 4 firm pears (like bartlett or anjou) + dried cranberries + some sugar + some fresh-squeezed lemon juice + pumpkin pie spice + a bit of flour = YUM!

While I can't claim the recipes as my own (it's my mom's pie crust recipe and I have my other inspirations for the fillings...) - What I can say however, is that everything is baked or made with a "Bree twist" and with lots o' love! :) I've made this apple-pear-cranberry pie twice now & while I'm not normally an apple pie fan, I am thinking that it may have to be one of the MANY pies we have on our Thanksgiving dessert table this year!

Here's my pie - all rolled out - (homemade crust!) and ready for the oven! Our house smells delicious right now. :)

Birthday Cakes

Lydia's birthday was yesterday (June 20th) and Micah's was in April (April 2nd) - Usually, for birthdays, we just order a cake from Costco or make a quick yellow cake with a tub of chocolate frosting. But this year I took on Lydia and Micah's birthday cakes as a project for myself.

Micah is my baseball baby - I wanted him to have a Mariner's themed birthday cake. So armed with the internet (for ideas) and lots of buttercream frosting I make a "baseball" for him to smash and enjoy, and a baseball field for the rest of us to eat.

Lydia LOVES Horton. She has a stuffed "Hort-a-lort" that she sleeps with every night. Her first movie that she saw in the theater was "Horton Hears a Who." She loves Horton. Anyway, after 2 years of "princess" birthdays I attempted to steer her towards a "Horton" themed birthday. There's not much out there so I was creative and worked around Horton, the colors of his clover, and the teeny, tiny speck. The cake was a hit, Horton (made out of fondant - my 1st attempt!) stayed in one piece until long after the party, and we still have some yummy cake leftover. :)

A favorite from Enzo and Valentina

We used to go to a restaurant in Vicenza, Italia called "Enzo and Valentina." They served an amazing steak that was rubbed with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and then grilled. It was served over a bed of fresh rucola and topped with scales of grana padano. So good!

Here is my attempt at re-creating that dish from Enzo and Valentina's! :)

Sage and Fontina Stuffed Chicken

First I pounded chicken breast tenders flat.

Then seasoned each side of the flattened tenders with salt and pepper.

Next I laid 1 fresh sage leaf and about a 1/4 cup of fontina cheese on the flattened tender.

Last I rolled the stuffed chicken tender and cooked it in a skillet with olive oil and fresh garlic.

Yum... :)

Dinner is on the table! Sage and Fontina stuffed chicken with pasta and caesar salad.

What to do with leftover pasta?!?!

Last night I made a very yummy pasta! I used spaghetti and then tossed in asparagus, pancetta, and pecans. For the sauce I made a gorgonzola cream sauce. Oh baby, bring on the stinky cheese! :) John and I really enjoyed it but had lots leftover... So what do I do with the leftovers? I make a savory "Pizza di Pasta Encore."

For the pasta:

1. If your pancetta is not already chopped, chop it into small pieces
2. Brown pancetta in a large skillet
3. While pancetta is browning, chop fresh asparagus spears into 1" piecess
4. Remove pancetta from large skillet, place pancetta on paper towel to drain, but leave some of the yummy brown bits and some of the drippings
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil - toss in spaghetti - during the last 2 minutes of spaghetti cooking time add asparagus to pot
6. Meanwhile... Over medium heat melt 2 teaspoons unsalted butter in same skillet that browned pancetta, press 4 cloves of garlic and saute in butter for about 1 minute.
7. Add 1 tablespoon flour to butter and garlic
8. Gradually add 1 and 1/4 cups milk to flour, butter, and garlic - stirring with a whisk constantly prevent lumps
9. Once milk mixture begins to thicken turn off heat and add 1/2 cup of gorgonzola cheese and 1/3 cup light cream cheese - whisk until smooth
10. Add pancetta to gorgonzola sauce
11. Drain pasta and asparagus, toss into gorgonzola sauce.
12. To serve: sprinkle toasted pecans or walnuts, and 1 tablespoon of gorgonzla on top of each serving

The next day... "Pizza di Pasta Encore"

1. Take your leftovers out of the fridge and set aside
2. Crack 2-3 large eggs into small bowl and beat lightly
3. Pour eggs over leftover pasta and toss pasta to coat completely
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
5. Pour coated pasta into skillet and press down
6. Place lid on top of skillet and cook for 6 minutes each side
7. Slide the Pizza di Pasta Encore out onto a serving dish and slice into 8 slices
8. Serve with crumbled gorgonzola or freshly grated grana padano cheese.

** Both recipes are adaptations of Cooking Light's "Gorgonzola Fettucine with Asparagus" and Everyday Italian's "Pizza di Spaghetti" **

Biscotti Pictures

"Amalfi"

Limoncello-infused biscotti with the unmistakable tang of lemon,

crunch of toasted pignoli,

and balanced by the sweetness of white chocolate.

"Natale"

"Christmas Biscotti" - Peppermint-infused dark chocolate biscotti,

dipped in white chocolate, and then rolled in crushed candy canes.