Roasted Chickpeas

OK These are amazing! I have managed to bypass all the recipes I have seen on this delicious treat and finally in a effort to find a healthy quick snack for the kids, I gave in and gave it a try.
Amazingly easy and if you are like me you will always have the ingredients in the house. It hard to judge bake time as I like mine SUPER crunchy, if they are not done right they will have a funky soft middle, not good. I have them on the kitchen counter in a bowl, kinda like nuts..:)

2 Cups Garbanzo Beans (cooked or canned)
2Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic (crushed) I love Garlic and use 4 cloves
1tsp. Kosher Salt
Cayenne Pepper to taste (I like mine spicy)

1. Preheat Oven to 375
   
2. Pat Dry Garbanzo Beans
3. Heat Garlic and Oil in skillet, be careful not to burn
4. Add Salt and Cayenne or other seasons that you like
   
5. Add beans and cook 2-4 minutes
6. Spread evenly on baking sheet and cook 35-45 minutes, keep an eye on them, you dont want them to burn, they will taste bitter..BUT, you want them crunchy like nuts.
7. ENJOY...these are healthy and addicting
   

Wish List

1. Kitchenaide Pasta Extruder
2. Potato Ricer
3. Food Mill
4. All Clad Electric Griddle
5. Raclette
   
6. Kitchenaide Ice Cream Maker Attachment
7. Breville Counter Top Convection Oven

I am sure I can add more to this list as times goes on! :)

Dirty Martini...My favorite cocktail! :)

OK...So I LOVE olives, LOVE LOVE LOVE them! I found a great recipe for my favorite cocktail on my new Android (this phone could be true love for me)

I got a fancy foo foo shaker that I use to make these, once I have it on my mind that I want one of these yummy drinks I think about it all day. Did I mention I LOVE olives?

OK so enough of my ramblings on my love for olives and my new true love Android.

3 oz. Vodka (Grey Goose Please)
1 oz. Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz. Olive Brine (ummm I use 2 oz. brine, I LOVE OLIVES)

Put all ingredients in your shaker filled half way up with ice...shake shake shake, strain over your best martini glass and garnish with OLIVES..:)

Great...guess what I want to make tonight now??

Old Fashioned Coconut Macaroons

OK These are perhaps the most delicious and EASY cookies I have ever made. Ken and Emily LOVE Coconut Macaroons, I usually get them from Sprouts as a special treat, NOT ANY MORE!

Surprisingly these cookies are pretty healthy, other than the buttered baking sheet they are pretty low in fat...My next try will be dipping them in chocolate, you know where I am going with this I am sure...Mounds candy, can you say YUMMMMM

SO are you ready for this?

1 1/3 Cups Flaked Coconut
1/3 C. Sugar
2 T. Flour
2 Egg Whites
1/2-1 Tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Mix together, coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg whites (in that order)

Drop by spoonfuls onto well greased baking sheet, they will look messy but, believe me they come out great.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes

Let cool and enjoy!! :)

THE BEST Cut Out Sugar Cookies EVER

I love Bakers Sugar, if you have not used this before in your baking projects give it a try, its worth the extra $$

I made two batches of these sugar cookies this year, they were a huge it! I have an OLD recipe of my grammies I used for years but have been looking for a more "fluffy" cookie, this is it!!

I have made cut-out sugar cookies every year since I was old enough to remember, either with my mom, sister or grammie, it is one of the only real traditions I remember as a child. I am happy to say my kids now have that tradition as well, even though two of them are teens they still LOVE to frost and decorate. I have a bit of a cookie sprinkle and food coloring obsession..LOL

This Recipe is from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 C. Butter (softened)
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Cream Sugar and Butter together until fluffy, add Eggs and Vanilla
Stir in Flour, Baking Powder and Salt
Cover and place in refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour
Take out 1/4 of the dough out of fridge at a time, lightly flour surface and roll out with rolling pin.

Place cookies on baking sheet 1 inch apart, bake for 6-8 minutes, watch closely so they dont burn.

I found this dough to be pretty easy to work with, it can be a little sticky, but if you lightly flour in between rolling you will be fine.

I use a simply frosting of powdered sugar and water..I don't have exact measurements, just make sure its not too thick or runny.

Woohoo now I can blog from my Droid

What will I make in 2010? Below is my list and I promise to do a better job of posting..:)

1. Tamales
2. Beef Wellington (have made it before but, time for a re-d0)
3. Tiramisu
4. Perfect pie crust
5. Korean Short Ribs
6. Marshmallows
7. Homemade Pasta
   
8. Meringues
9. Grandmothers recipe for brown bread
10. Doughnuts