Braided Spaghetti Bread
CAKE MARTINI
again, im on a sweet streak because summer is coming up and this is whats gonna be in style. its amazingly great how easy these are to make. enjoy.
1oz amaretto
1.5oz whipped cream vodka
1.5oz creme de cacao white
1/2oz white chocolate liqueur
1oz creamshake it up into a martini glass and rim with sprinkles.
(via lavvie55)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
*Note: this cheesecake, like any good, baked cheesecake, tastes best after being refrigerated overnight.
INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I like to use chocolate Teddy Grahams but you could use any chocolate wafer cookie or even Oreos)
Filling:
4 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream (I used light and it worked just fine)
Cookie Dough:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoon water or milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
An additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips to fold into the batter with the cookie dough balls
Garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks (add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar while whipping if you like a bit of extra sweetness)
Mini chocolate chips, for sprinkling
DIRECTIONS:
For the cookie dough:
In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugars for the cookie dough. Add the water (or milk), vanilla and blend. Mix in the flour, salt and the chocolate chips. The dough will be fairly soft. Gently roll the dough into small balls (about a teaspoon size, maybe a bit larger) and place them on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Place them in the freezer to harden while making the rest of the cheesecake.
For the crust:
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine the butter with the chocolate cookie crumbs (you could easily use a food processor to crush the cookies and incorporate the butter). Press onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.
For the cheesecake:
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Be careful not to overmix – incorporating too much air into the batter can contribute to a cheesecake cracking on top during baking.
Pour half the batter into the prepared crust. Gently stir in the cookie dough balls and the additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips into the remaining batter. Pour into the pan, spreading the batter to the sides of the pan and evening it out across the top (it is ok to see bumps of cookie dough here and there, smooth it the best you can). Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for one hour. Turn off the oven and prop the door open several inches. Let the cake sit in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled (ideally, overnight). To serve, cut into slices and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.
100 Things Restaurant Patrons Should Never Do
1. Snapping, waving, flailing your arms wildly is really not necessary. You look like a fool, and you’re only distracting (and annoying) your server while he or she attends to another table.
2. Do not ignore your server. When he or she approaches with a smile and a greeting, do not stare at your menu, all the while never looking up, and say “Yeah, I’ll have the salmon.”
3. Do not expect your server to be an octopus, or the god Shiva. Three plates are generally the maximum that a server will carry at a time, and when you’re a table of five and three plates are brought by your laden-down server, do not go “And where are our meals?!” It’s called a second trip.
4. Interrupting gets you nowhere. Saying “excuse me” loudly while your server is attending to the table next to you is rude to the server and the other table, and generally makes you look like an ass.
5. When dining in a small, heavy-volume restaurant (especially one expected to be a quick serve), do not sit 45 minutes after you have finished all food and drinks and have paid the bill. There is most likely a long wait, and you’re ruining everyone’s day.
6. Do not ignore the host or hostess. Those people standing at the door and saying hello to you are, in fact, people. Pretending they don’t exist will only make your wait for a table longer.
7. Along the same lines, do not attempt to do the host or hostess’ job for them. Creating the flow of a restaurant involves a lot more than just sitting people in empty chairs. When there are visible empty tables, it’s for a reason– either reservations or a section was triple sat. Never say, “but there is an empty table right there!” unless you like looks of contempt.
8. NEVER STEAL FROM A RESTAURANT.
9. I cannot repeat this one enough — Never, ever, EVER touch your server or hostess. Do you touch your bank teller? No? Then why do you think that grabbing your server or host/hostess is acceptable? It happens constantly and is inexcusable.
10. Do not stop a server/runner/backwaiter while they’re running heavy plates to another table. Heavy. Plates. You and your emergency need for more Splenda in your coffee can wait.
11. Know what you ordered. You’re the one who looks like a moron (and angers the entire staff) when you get your baked pasta with pancetta and cry “But I’m a vegetarian!” making us waste a plate of food and make something else for you. If you don’t know what something is, ask. It’s easier.
12. Be on time, and also know that a reservation is exact. Do not call for a reservation and say “We’ll be there between 7:00 and 7:20 or so.” No, you’ll be here at 7:00, or your table will be given away by 7:15.
13. “Yeah, I’ll take” or “Gimme/Get me” are not respectful ways to start a sentence. So don’t do it.
14. This almost seems too obvious, but tip your server. Even if you didn’t like the food, keep in mind that your server only had anything to do with, well, service. And remember that depending where you are, hourly wages aren’t even enough to pay taxes. (Here in MA it’s currently $2.63 for servers.)
15. Must you blow your nose on five different tissues and just leave them on your table for your server or backwaiter to pick up? What is this, TGI Fridays? Excuse yourself.
16. LISTEN to your server. When he or she asks if you would like milk, cream or sugar with your coffee, “yes” is not an appropriate answer.
17. This is a tip for non fine dining restaurants, but when your server comes up to the table with three plates on his or her arms, and you have a bread plate and a cup and saucer blocking the entire space in front of you, don’t just sit there. Move things, at least until one of the server’s hands are free.
18. Asking “What’s good today?” is pretty much the same as asking your server “What’s inedible here?” putting the server between a rock and a hard place. There is no correct answer to that uncomfortable question — be more specific, asking about particular dishes.
19. This also seems to obvious, but clearly announce any allergies/aversions you may have to your server. The last thing we want is a lawsuit due to the diner’s negligence (or the server’s, of course).
20. Standing up around your table for 15 minutes at the end of your meal is disrupting to all. If you all need a long time to put on coats/say goodbye, please move it along to the foyer.
21. Whether you’re in the industry or not, never tell restaurant employees what they should or shouldn’t do – as long as what they’re doing isn’t hurting or violently offending you, you have no say. Just go somewhere else.
22. I know you think you’re being helpful, but please don’t stack plates and silverware “for the server.” Everyone has different ways that they feel comfortable carrying stacks of plates, and your helpfulness could result in a floor-smashing mess.
23. Don’t name drop — it’s just tacky, and will not change the fact that every table is currently occupied. Especially do not name drop incorrectly — mispronouncing the name of the owner that you “know so well” will only result in your being mocked by the entire staff for the rest of the night. Because you deserve it.
24. It pains me to have to say this, but the “I’m in the industry” line is never amusing nor helpful, nor will it curry favor. You should know better.
25. Tourists, please don’t tip 10% because you know you’ll never be back to this restaurant ever again. I have no words for people like you.
Visit the source for the rest. Thanks!
(Source: endlesssimmer.com)
Lovin’ Fresh: Apple Dumpling Recipe
Dough
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2/3 c. butter (still cold)
1/2 c. milk
Apples
4 large apples
6 T. white sugar
3 T. ground cinnamon
2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. dried cranberries (optional)
Syrup
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 F. Peel apples and, using a kitchen gadget or sharp knife, remove all of the cores. Slice off just a small amount at the top and bottom of each apple to flatten them out so they’ll wrap in the dough easier. Rinse off the apples in cold water and dab dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using your hands to squish everything together, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in milk all at once and stir to form a dough. Add a little more flour if needed to make the dough less sticky. Do not overwork the dough as you want it to remain light and tender. Split the dough ball in half and on a floured surface, roll out one half to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into two 6″ squares.
Place a whole apple in the center of a dough square. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg listed under “Apples” above. Generously dust each apple with this mixture and fill the core with cranberries and a little more sugar mixture. Moisten the edges of the pastry square with a finger dipped in cool water and bring the corners together at the top of the apple. Press edges together to seal and pinch together any tears in the dough around the apple.
Repeat the rolling out of the second half of the dough and creating the other two dumplings. Place all four dumplings in a baking dish, one inch apart, and decorate with dough cut-outs of leaves or any other creative flare you can think to use.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the ingredients listed under “Syrup” above. Bring to a boil then remove from heat to cool slightly. Pour the syrup over the dumplings and sprinkle with additional sugar (this forms a delectable golden crust once baked). Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until apples are tender (use a fork poked into them to test) and dough is nicely browned.
Best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 200 F for 15 minutes.
