Bird Nest Cupcakes
March 29, 2010
Happy Spring, Happy Passover, Happy Easter from
Children of all ages will be thrilled with these whimsical beauties. When I was a little girl, my mom would make the coconut “grass” green by shaking it in a plastic bag with a few drops of green food coloring. I’ve opted for lightly toasting the coconut instead. Either way, this is an easy way to turn a simple cupcake (and who doesn’t love cupcakes?) into a charming Easter dessert or spring party favor.
Kids love helping make these, so get the whole family involved. I’ve posted a link to my Lemon-Coconut Cupcake recipe below, but if you are short on time, use a cake mix and canned icing. Or, buy cupcakes from your bakery to decorate. It’s really all about the decorating. That’s the fun part.
Click here for my recipe for Lemon-Coconut Cupcakes.
BIRD NEST CUPCAKES
Spread sweetened, shredded coconut out on a small baking sheet. Toast in a 300-degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly toasted. Let cool completely. Place about 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut in the center of a frosted cupcake, pressing gently in the center to make a nest. Press 2 to 3 jellybeans into the nest to make “ bird eggs.”
Looking for a way to use up all those leftover Easter eggs? Try my deviled egg recipe.
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Lemon Ducks
March 24, 2010
Surprise your guests with this recipe for fresh tasting, made-from-scratch “Jello Jigglers,”
compliments of Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets.
Happy entertaining!
LEMON DUCKS
Here’s another of my recipes from that book I coauthored for Chronicle called, Lemons – Growing, Cooking, Crafting. Use these whimsical waddlers as the centerpiece of an Easter luncheon or a child’s birthday party. If you’re not into ducks, use whatever cookie cutter shape pleases you. Mini cutters and aspic or canapé cutters produce bite-sized jewels perfect for garnishing a fruit plate or stacking in a fancy stemmed glass.
INGREDIENTS
(Makes about 18 (3-inch) ducks)
4 (1-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 to 2 drops yellow liquid food coloring (optional)
Mini jelly beans for eyes (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Place 1 cup cold water in a medium heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 3 cups water, the lemon juice, and sugar and heat until just boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Pour the hot mixture over the water-and-gelatin mixture. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in the food coloring, if using.
- Pour into a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Press cookie cutters into the congealed gelatin to cut out shapes. Use a spatula to lift the shapes out of the pan and place them on a large platter. Add mini jelly beans for eyes, if desired. Cut leftover scraps into bite-sized free-form shapes for snacking. Cover and refrigerate ducks until ready to serve.
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Picadillo Tostada Appetizers
March 16, 2010
Making drool-worthy party appetizers is a snap with this easy recipe,
compliments of Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets
I’ve raved on about the versatility and yum factor of Picadillo before… and here I go again. This Cuban classic, which combines ground beef with raisins and olives in a thick, spicy tomato sauce, can be used to make a variety of dishes. Keep a container of it in your freezer and you’ll always be ready for a party! Picadillo can be stuffed into taco shells, rolled into burritos, spooned over pasta, rice or polenta, or used as a filling for empanadas.
To simplify things I’ve made the instructions below for just one tostada, but you’ll need to make more… even if it’s just for a party of one!
Click here for my recipe for Picadillo
PICADILLO TOSTADAS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make one tostada, place a large flour tortilla on a nonstick baking sheet. Spread about 1/3 cup of cooled Picadillo on top. Sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese. Bake on the lower rack of the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is beginning to brown around the edges. Transfer tostada to a cutting board and sprinkle with chopped lettuce and thinly sliced scallions. Slice into small wedges and serve immediately.
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Spinach-Walnut Dip
March 8, 2010
Celebrate the coming of spring with this fresh, green dip recipe from
Happy Entertaining!
SPINACH-WALNUT DIP
Party dips never go out of style. Popular ingredients and combinations come and go (remember the old sour cream & onion soup mix classic?) but dip as a crowd-pleasing staple remains year after year. This yummy-masquerading-as-healthy dip is delicious with potato chips, pita chips tortilla chips, breadsticks, or as a dip for crudites. Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream, if you prefer.
Unless you squeeze every drop of liquid out of the spinach, the dip may separate a little after being refrigerated overnight. No worries. Just give it a quick stir before serving. If you need directions for roasting garlic, you can find them here.
INGREDIENTS
1 large clove roasted garlic
¾ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (16-ounce) tub sour cream
¼ cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted, plus more for garnish
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, mash the roasted garlic with a fork. Squeeze the thawed spinach in you hands over the sink to remove all the liquid. Add drained spinach to the bowl.
- Stir in the sour cream, chopped walnuts, sliced scallion, cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Garnish with chopped walnuts and serve immediately or store, covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Stir well before serving.
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Crispy Pierogi Bites
March 1, 2010
Knock their socks off with this easy, impressive appetizer recipe,
compliments of Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets!
Happy Entertaining!
CRISPY PIEROGI BITES
These cheesy, crispy potato bites look pretty fancy, but are a snap to prepare. They start with purchased fresh or frozen pierogies from the super market. The artful toppings are optional, but worth the extra effort if you want a showy, colorful platter. The toppings shown here (thinly sliced yellow tomato, chopped scallions, sliced cheddar, red pepper triangles, and pickled peppers) are just suggestions. Below is a list of alternatives. Olive or salad bars in large grocery stores or gourmet shops are a great place to find “grab & go” toppings. These irresistible appetizers also taste wonderful just plain. Either way, serve them warm from the oven with a variety of dips. My favorites are sour cream with chives, salsa, and pesto.
For the photo, I used Mrs. T’s frozen, low fat Potato and Cheddar pierogies. Don’t let the low fat part throw you. These pierogies are plump, rich and flavorful… just the way a pierogie should be.
INGREDIENTS
(Makes 24)
24 purchased fresh or frozen pierogies, prepared al dente according to package directions and patted dry
1 large egg and 1 egg white, beaten together
1 cup Italian dry breadcrumbs
Olive oil cooking spray
Assorted (optional) toppings such as colored pepper strips, pitted green and black olives, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cheese, pickled peppers, halved fresh mini mozzarella balls, chopped fresh herbs, pimento strips, chopped scallions and crumbled crisp bacon
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the breadcrumbs out in a shallow bowl. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil baking spray. Dip prepared pierogies into the beaten eggs, coating both sides, then into the breadcrumbs, coating both sides.
- Place coated pierogies on the baking sheet and spray the tops lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Add assorted toppings, if using, and serve immediately.
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