Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Fish and Chip Sliders


We both work inside so we always make it a point to spend as much time as possible outdoors once we call it a day (or a week) at the office and the lab.  In Pennsylvania you spend most of the winter cooped up in your apartment so this time of year it seems like a sin not to head outside at the very first opportunity.  But we have a confession to make.  We've been breaking our own cardinal rule quite a bit over the last few days.  In fact, we've spent very little time outdoors and instead our bums seems to be permanently attached to the couch.  Why is that, you may ask?



The OLYMPICS, of course!!  That's right, The Spatularettes are true Olympic addicts!  We just can't seem to get enough oft the fanfare, the competition, the patriotism, the Visa commercials, or the way that Ryan Lochte looks in his bathing suit. ;)   We're willing to drop just about everything to catch that next gold medal event.

Another fun fact about Tall and Small: we have a true obsession with all things British--our apologies to anyone we've ever subjected to our British accents.  So what's a girl to do when her two favorite things come together for two glorious weeks?  Uhhhhh, make some awesome food!  Duh!

Nothing seems more British than the classic Fish and Chips.  We decided to spatularette it up a bit and turn it into a fun slider.  All of the components of this British meal come together as a little hand held sandwich so its perfect for serving at parties or picnics, and a great way to get kids to try something new!  This is the first time we ever beer battered and  fried, but were surprised at how easy it was.  Just a little disclaimer, Tall One has terrible ventilation in her kitchen, and her apartment was smelling a little bit... fishy... for a few days after Opening Ceremonies.  So crank up your fans, turn on your fryers and celebrate Great Britain, American style!


INGREDIENTS:
-1 lb cod
-12 oz bottle of beer
-2 cups flour
-3 tsp Old Bay
-1 large potato
-Canola or vegetable oil for frying
-Sea salt
-8 slider buns

Optional for serving:
-Cole slaw
-Lemon wedges
-Malt vinegar
-Tartar sauce

Pour the canola or vegetable oil about three inches deep into a heavy bottom pot or a dutch oven.  Turn the heat to medium-high.  Ideal frying temperature is 375 degrees and it will take 15-20 minutes for your oil to get up to heat.

While the oil is heating, prepare the potatoes and fish.  Simply slice the potato into 1/4 inch rounds and set aside until ready to cook.  When the oil is hot, add all of the potatoes at once and fry for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.  Drain the potatoes on a paper towel and generously salt them with sea salt.  Keep the potatoes warm in the oven while the fish cooks.

To make the beer batter, pour the bottle of beer into a large bowl.  Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of flour and 2 tsp of Old Bay seasoning until smooth.  In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup of flour and 1 tsp of Old Bay.

Cut the fish into 3 inch piece.  Submerge the fish in the beer batter and then coat it in the flour mixture before sliding it into the oil to cook for about 5 minutes.  Repeat with each piece of fish.  Don't try to squeeze too much fish into the oil.  You'll probably need to fry it in 3 separate batches unless you have a very large Dutch oven.  Once the fish is golden brown, remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow it to drain on a paper towel.  Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

To assemble the sliders, place one "chip" and one piece of fish on each slider bun.  Serve with the toppings of your choice.  We topped ours with a spicy slaw and lemon wedges.

**Fish and chip recipe is courtesy of the one and only Paula Deen.


(Fish and) chip chip cheerio mates!!

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Chocolate Stout Potato Chip Cupcakes


About a month ago, my friend Maria was checking the daily updates on Groupon and came across an awesome deal for a cupcake workshop.  She texted to ask if I would like to join her and it took about 2 seconds for me to respond with an excited YES!  We had no idea what to expect once we scheduled our class, but let's face it... a cupcake workshop has to be good, right!?  Well I'm here to tell you that it was way more than good :)

They call me Tall One for a reason!
The Little Hands Art Studio is located in East Falls and focuses mainly on children's parties and classes.  A couple nights a week though, Jess (the owner) opens up for special adult only cupcake workshops.  The events are BYO wine (because everything is better with a glass of wine!) and feature a super fab and original cupcake recipe.  The events are extremely low key and last about 2 hours.  All of the guests play a role in the prepping process, but there is plenty of time to mingle, chat, and sip your wine while the cupcakes bake.  To cap the night, the whole group sits around a long table together to frost and decorate the cakes.  So relaxing, so fun, and so delicious!

You'd have to be crazy not to enjoy this workshop.  Jess is funny, witty, and has some really great baking tips up her sleeve as well.  The workshop made for a truly wonderful evening with a friend, but this is also an  awesome date idea if you are trying to impress a spatularette (hint hint to all you spatulars out there).  Jess does private parties as well, so if you are looking for an idea for your next birthday, girls night, or work function, this could be it!  And if that description didn't sell you, then this recipe (courtesy of Jess at the Little Hands Artist Studio) for Chocolate Stout Potato Chip Cupcakes will!  Maria and I loved them so much that I decided to make them again this week for her birthday.  They are the perfect blend of sweet and salty that I guarantee you will not be able to resist!


INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:
-1 cup of stout beer
-1 stick unsalted butter
-2 eggs
-1 cup dark brown sugar- well packed
-3/4 cup sour cream
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 cup crushed potato chips

Frosting:
-1/2 stick butter- unsalted, room temperature
-8 ounces cream cheese
-4 cups powdered sugar
-4 tablespoons cocoa powder
-1/3 cup stout beer


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners.

Start by melting a stick of butter and 1 cup of stout beer on the stove top in a heavy bottom pot.  Let it cool for about 20 minutes and then transfer it to the bowl of your stand mixer.  Add 2 eggs and 1 cup of brown sugar to the butter/beer mixture and mix until well combined.  Add the sour cream and the vanilla and continue to mix for another 30 seconds.

In a separate bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking soda.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing on a low speed.  Fold in the crushed potato chips. (we used a food processor to make sure our chips were crushed very finely, but you could also use a rolling pin and a plastic bag).

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa and powdered sugar.  Slowly alternate adding the dry ingredients and the 1/3 cup of beer to the mixer, beating until smooth after each addition.

Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and garnish with crushed potato chips.
**Note: This is the perfect amount of frosting for spreading, but if you plan to pipe it I would suggest making a batch and a half.


Chocolate and potato chips go together like peanut butter and jelly... or wine and cupcakes!

XOXO,
Tall One

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Tomato Mushroom Couscous Salad


Tall One's Mom has been making Paula Deen's Tomato Mushroom Salad for a number of summers now.  Surprsiningly, being that this is a Paula Deen recipe, there is no butter, sour cream, or mayonaise involved.  Not surprisingly, being that this is a Paula Deen recipe, it is amazing in every way.

When it was announced that this week's theme for the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange is SALADS, we knew that Paula's salad was the perfect place to start.  We decided to make it a bit more hearty with the addition of Israeli cous cous and really loved the results.  So give our Tomato Mushroom Cous Cous Salad a try, or check out the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange hosted by Gimme Some Oven and Bake Your Day for even more tomato salad inspiration.  This week's exchange is sponsered by BigKitchen Store and Recipes for Change, so click on over to learn how you can win some awesome prizes and support our country's tomato farmers!


INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup of Israeli (also called pearl) couscous
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes
-10 oz package of mushrooms (we used baby portobellas)
-1/2 cup of red onion, chopped
-Bunch of fresh basil
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
-1 (.6 oz) package of Italian salad dressing mix
-Fresh ground pepper

Prepare 1 cup of dry Israeli couscous according to package instructions.  While the couscous is cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to a large bowl.  Cut the mushrooms into bite sized pieces and combine with the mushrooms.  Rough chop or tear a bunch of basil (we used about 20 leaves) and toss it in with veggies.  Also add the chopped red onion.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and Itlaian dressing mix and set aside.  When the couscous is cooked, add it to the bowl with the tomatoes, mushrooms, and basil and gently toss with a wooden spoon.  Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss again.  We like to add the couscous when it is warm to help it absorb the flavors.  Allow the salad to cool for a couple of hours and soak up the dressing before serving.


Another simple recipe that tastes like summer :)

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Greek Dip


Do you ever overbook your schedule?  Do you ever volunteer for too many things?  Do you ever feel like you should be paying someone to keep you organized?  Do you ever sign up to bring a snack somewhere and realized at the last minute that you have nothing prepared and need to throw something together in 20 minutes?

If  the answer the the questions above is YES, then have no fear, because you are not alone.  Even better, we've got you covered with the perfect 20 minute snack the next time you find yourself in a bind!

Not only is our recipe for Greek Dip quick and easy, it is also part of the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange hosted by Gimme Some Oven and Bake Your Day.  This week is all about tomato salsas and dips and is sponsored by Cuisinart  so go check it out for some awesome recipes and chances to win great prizes!  Also, visit Recipes For Change to learn more about how to support tomato farmers in our country.


INGREDIENTS:
-8 oz package cream cheese (reduced fat or fat free is fine)
-2 tsp dried dill weed
-8 oz container of hummus
-1/2 cucumber, chopped
-1 large tomato, chopped
-1/2 red onion, chopped
-4 oz crumbled feta
-Pita chips

Start by placing an 8 oz package of cream cheese in a medium bowl and let it come to room temperature (or zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds if you don't have time to wait).  Once it is easy to work with, add 2 tsp of dried dill weed and stir until it is well distributed throughout the cream cheese.  Spread the mixture in the bottom of a 9 inch round dish.  Dump the contents of an 8 oz container of hummus over the cream cheese and spread evenly.  Top the hummus with the chopped cucumber, tomato, and red onion.  Finally sprinkle the crumbled feta over the chopped veggies and serve with pita chips.


Quick, easy and also delicious... (tomato) LOVE when that happens!

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Friday, July 20, 2012

Bachelorette Party Ideas

All week we've been sharing recipes to serve at a really fabulous bachelorette party, but as we all know, bachelorette parties are about way more than the food!  There are tons of little and inexpensive ideas that will make your bachelorette feel extra special on her final weekend as a single gal.

T-SHIRTS:
This is definitely the priciest of our suggestions but they were a really fun touch and we wore them all weekend!  We also have a connection with a screen printer so we were able to have them printed for a very affordable price.  T-shirts are a great way to let everyone know your group is together, and to make your bride-to-be feel like a star.


SCAVENGER HUNT:
A scavenger hunt is a great way to challenge the bride-to-be and have some really good laughs!  Before heading out for the night, we wrote a variety of tasks on brightly colored cards and assigned them different point values depending on their level of difficulty.  At dinner we gave the cards to the bride-to-be and told her she had the rest of the night to earn as many points as possible... and she sure did not disappoint!

Scavenger Hunt Ideas:
-Find something in each of your wedding colors
-Find something old, new, borrowed, and blue.
-Get a free drink from a bartender.
-Have a man write his philosophy on marriage on a cocktail napkin.
-Get a kiss on the cheek from a bouncer.
-Have a guy leave a voicemail for your fiancee telling him he's the luckiest man in the world.
-Find something with the groom's name on it.
-Collect a guy's business card (bonus point if it's the DJ's business card)
-Ask the cutest guy at the bar to take a picture of you and your friends.
-Take a photo with a bachelor party.


RECOVERY BAG:
We wanted to make something clever as a party favor and nothing seemed more appropriate than these recovery bags.  They were super quick and inexepnsive to throw together and the girls loved them!


Here's what we put in our Recovery Bags:
-Bottled Water
-Ginger Ale
-Mint Mentos
-Pretzel Sticks
-Ibuprofen

Throwing a bachelorette party is all about having fun and being creative!  We hope our suggestions give you a starting off point the next time you are asked to throw a big bash!

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Lingerie Cookies

 Dear Pinterest,
What did we do before you existed?  You are so full of fantastic ideas.  We waste hours of our lives scrolling down in search of inspiration.  We neglect work, friends, family, and household chores in search of the perfect idea (even if we don't know what we are searching for).  You house so many great visions from fashion, to decorating, to fitness, to recipes.  You are so full of inspiration that you can be a bit overwhelming at times.  But sometimes between the funny quotes, crockpot recipes, DIY's, and 5 minute workouts, you lead us to something truly brilliant, like these Lingerie Cookies. 

As soon as we set our eyes on the Lingerie Cookies, we knew that Katie's bachelorette party would be incomplete without them.  A basic sugar cookie, royal frosting, and a little creativity is all you need to be the star of your next girls'  night!


INGREDIENTS:

Royal Frosting:
-1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
-3/4 tsp vanilla extract
-12 tsp milk (give or take)

Start by rolling your favorite sugar cookie recipe (ours is a secret recipe from back home so we're not allowed to share it!) or premade refrigerated dough on a floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make cut-outs.  Slice the bottom tip off of the heart before laying it on the baking sheet.  Bake the sugar cookies according to recipe or package instructions and let them cool completely before decorating.


To make the royal frosting, use a fork to combine the powdered sugar with the vanilla in individual bowls.  You'll want a separate bowl for each color of frosting.  We made three colors so we started with a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp of vanilla in each bowl.  Slowly add milk, 1 tsp at a time, to the sugar, whisking with a fork as you go until the desired thickness is reached.  It is definitely better to make the frosting too thick, rather than too thin, but you'll have to play with it a bit to see what will work best for your cookies.  We found that we liked the frosting to be thinner for spreading, but thicker for piping.  Once the right consistency is achieved, mix in food coloring to dye the frosting to your desired colors.  We stuck with Katie's wedding theme and made white, pink, and teal.  We actually made 2 batches of each frosting, 1 thinner batch which we left in a bowl to spread with a knife, and 1 thicker batch which we loaded into piping bags fit with the Wilton #2 tips.  Once your frosting is ready to go, decorate away!!

We wish we could offer better instructions for the decorating portion, but the best way to figure it out is to just look at pictures (we included a lot!) and give it a try.  There are so many different options, so be creative!  Here are a few tips though, for getting started.



-Use the piping bags to create the edge of your design before filling  it in with a knife.  This will help you achieve clean lines and a more polished finished product.
-Decorate with a friend or work quickly so as not to give the frosting time to get tacky.
-Start with simple designs to get the hang of it, before moving on to  the  trickier ones.
-Let the frosting dry COMPLETELY before stacking the cookies.  Otherwise you will uncover them to find a sticky mess.
-Most of all, HAVE FUN!  The cookies don't need to look professional (ours sure didn't) to be fabulous!


Because sometimes girls do just wanna have fun!

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Bachelorette Cake


Google "Bachelorette Party Cakes."  We dare you!  (just don't do it at work...)  You'll be sure to find some interesting search results to say the least.  Bachelorette party cakes are fun, but tend to be a little too... well... smutty for our taste.  Tall One knew she wanted serve cake and champagne at her friend's party, but definitely did not want to bake anything that resembled any part of the male body, as is commonly seen at bachelorette events.  So where did she turn for inspiration?  Pinterest of course!  And she stumbled upon an idea that she absolutely had to re-create.   This cake is a creative way to poke some fun at the bride at the bride before her last night out, without making anyone feel uncomfortable.  And just for the record, our bachelorette made out much better than the girl on the cake at the end of the night :)


INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
-1 strawberry box cake (or the box cake of your choice)
-Additional ingredients called for on the back of the box
-3/4 cup flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 Tbs cooking oil
-1/3 cups water
-1 tsp vanilla

Frosting
-3 sticks butter
-2 pound bag powdered sugar
-1 1/2 Tbs vanilla
-6 Tbs milk (approx)
-Food coloring

For decoration:
-Small doll (from the dollar store)
-Sprinkles
-Additional frosting


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare two 9 inch round baking pans by greasing, flouring, and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.  We highly suggest using the parchment paper whenever making a layer cake.  The little bit of extra work in the beginning saves you a lot of headache later.

For the cake we used an "Enhance a Box Cake" recipe that one of our friends would make in college all the time.  This really is a great way to bring the old fashion box mix to the next level.  In a large bowl, prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the back of the box.  Then add all of the additional ingredients and mix well.  We actually like to combine all of the dry ingredients, mix in the wet ingredients, and then finally add the eggs.  Once all of the ingredients are combined, beat the batter on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Pour the batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before flipping them out and allowing them to finish cooling on a wire rack.

For the frosting, beat 3 sticks of room temperatutre butter on high speed until light and fluffy.  Add about half of the suguar, 1 cup at a time, and beat on medium speed until well combined.  Add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.  Finally alternate adding the remaining powdered sugar (1/2 cup at a time) and the milk (1 Tbs at a time), beating after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.  The amount of milk required will vary depending on weather and temperature.

Set about 1 cup of frosting aside and use the food coloring to dye it to a desired hue to fill the cake (we used teal since that is one of Katie's wedding colors).  Set another half cup aside and use the food coloring to create a different color used for the piping on top of the cake.  We chose pink which is Katie's other color.  Leave the remaining frosting white.


To assemble the cake, place the first layer on a large serving plate.  Top the layer with the colored frosting (ours was teal) and spread it evenly so it almost reaches the edges of the cake.  Top the frosting with the other layer.  Use a large spatula to frost the entire cake with the white buttercream.

To decorate, we edged the cake with red and pink sprinkles.  We then laid the doll on her back with her shoe and purse astrew.  We finally used the pink frosting in a piping bag fit with the Wilton #2 tip to write on the cake.  Our cake said "Katie's Last Fling Before The Ring" which was the theme for the weekend.


Use these ideas or decorate your cake in a way that is fitting for your bride-to-be!

XOXO,
Tall and Small



Monday, July 16, 2012

Make-Your-Own-Quiche Bar


Can you think of anything a spatularette wants more than a hearty brunch the morning after a big night out on the town?  Yeah, neither can we!  If you peruse the internet food blogs you will be sure to find tons of great hot breakfast recipes, but most of them are pretty labor intensive. We are sure they are delicious but a complicated recipe makes brunch anything but enjoyable for the host.

When making plans for her friend's bachelorette weekend, Tall One knew she wanted to serve something special for brunch, but also knew she didn't want to spend her morning flipping pancakes, frying bacon, or making eggs to order.  And that's when it hit her!  What could be more adorable than a make-your-own-quiche bar!  Now don't get us wrong, these guys do take some work, but it can literally all be done ahead of time!  When brunch time rolls around, let your guests add the fillings of their choice to their crusts, pour in the egg mixture, and put them in the oven.  It's that simple!

Remember those mini 4 inch springform pans we used to make Very Berry Cheesecake a few weeks ago?  Well, we put them to use again to make these quiche and were thrilled with the results!  Check your local Michaels or online if you are interested in purchasing a few.  The mini springforms are definitely the best addition Tall One has made to her kitchen in a long while!



INGREDIENTS:

Pie Crust:
-2 1/2 cups flour
-1 tsp salt
-1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cub es
-1/4 cup water, refrigerated until cold

Egg Batter:
-7 large eggs
-1 cup buttermilk
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper

Suggested Filling:
-Green Pepper
-Onion
-Asparagus
-Tomato
-Cooked Bacon
-Cooked Sausage
-Cheddar Cheese
-Goat Cheese

Spray six 4 inch springform pans with cooking spray and set aside.

To make the crust, combine the flour and the salt in a medium sized bowl or the base of a food processor.  Use a pastry cutter or the steel blade of the food processor to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a course cornmeal.  Slowly add the cold water, 1 Tbs at a time and continue to pulse or pastry cut until a dough forms.  Chill for a few minutes in the refrigerator if needed.

Separate the dough into 6 equal pieces.  Use your hands to press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of each springform pan.  It should be a very thin layer of dough.  We tried rolling it out and laying it into the pans but found that it was much easier to do when we pressed it in with our hands.  Cover the dough-filled pans with foil and refrigerate until ready to make the quiche.  We made our crusts a day ahead of time!

The day before your brunch, finely chop the veggies, breakfast meats, and cheeses of your choice.  Place the fillings in separate bowls, cover them with foil and refrigerate until brunch time.


On the morning of the brunch, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Place each of the fillings out the counter and give a pie crust to each of your guests.  Ask your guests to fill the springform pan about halfway full with the fillings of their choice.  Pour the egg batter into each of the springform pans, filling them to about 1/4 inch below to top of the crust.  Drop each pan gently on the counter a few times to let the batter and the ingredients settle.

Bake the quiche for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Let the pies cool in the springform pan for about 10 minutes before gently removing the sides and serving.


Tall One's spatularettes friends were super smitten by these mini quiche and yours will be too!!

XOXO,
Tall and Small

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Bacon Tomato Cups


There is SO much to be excited about today and we can't wait to share with you!!  Tall One just hosted a super fab bachelorette party weekend for her friend Katie that was full of friends, fun, and food.  She made some really great recipes that you definitely have to try out at your next party!

In addition we are participating in a special 8 week recipe exchange hosted by some of our favorite food bloggers!  The Tomato Love Recipe Exchange is celebrating one of our favorite foods and bringing awareness to the sub par working conditions endured by many of this nation's laborers.  So come share in the tomato love at the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange hosted by Gimme Some Oven and Bake Your Day, sponsored this week by KitchenAid.  Also visit Recipes For Change to learn more about how to support tomato farmers.

Tall One kicked off the bachelorette weekend on Friday night by inviting the ladies over for wine, appetizers, and girl talk.  There is no recipe that celebrates love and tomatoes quite like these Bacon Tomato Cups (seriously, who doesn't love bacon!?)  The recipe comes from a friend's mom and these little guys are ALWAYS a hit at parties!  Make a batch for your next get-together and they will disappear faster than the bachelorette can finish her first glass of wine!


INGREDIENTS:
-10 pieces of cooked bacon, broken up into small bits
-1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped
-1/2 onion, chopped
-6 oz shredded cheddar cheese
-1 tsp dried basil
-1/2 cup mayonnaise
-2 cans Pillsbury Junior Buttermilk Biscuits



Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare mini muffin tins by spraying the individual cups with a nonstick cooking spray.  This recipe will make about 4 dozen cups.

To make the filling, start by cooking 10 strips of bacon.  We suggest turkey bacon because it is less greasy and gets nice and crispy.  Let the bacon cool and break it up into small bits.  In a medium bowl, combine bacon bits, chopped tomato, chopped onion, shredded cheese, basil, and mayo.  Mix all of the ingredients until they are well combined.

It is very important to keep the biscuit dough refrigerated until you are ready to make the actual cups and to work as quickly as possible since it is more pliable when it is chilled.  Open the can and separate the biscuits (there should be 10 to a can).  Cut each biscuit into thirds and flatten the dough.  Press the biscuit dough into a mini muffin cup and immediately fill it with a tsp of the tomato bacon filling.  The dough should rise slightly above the edge of the cup so they are easy to remove once baked.  After filling all of the cups, bake them in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the biscuit is golden brown and the filling is hot.  Let them stand for about 5 minutes in the pan before  removing and serving.

Bacon Tomato Cups make a great party snack, because you can prepare them ahead of time, cover them with foil, and store them in the refrigerator until party time.  When your guests arrive, simply uncover the cups and throw them in the oven for a few minutes to bake.  So simple and such a party pleaser!!


Here's to bachelorette love and TOMATO LOVE!

XOXO,
Tall and Small






Bachelorette Party

If there is one kind of party that a Spatularette should definitely know how to throw, well, its a BACHELORETTE PARTY, don't ya think?  When you are in your mid-twenties it seems like everyone is getting married.  Every day our facebook newsfeed seems to be full of "relationship status" changes, pictures of rings, and loads of wedding photos.  As Spatularettes we feel that one of the most important, yet often overlooked, parts of wedding season is the bachelorette party.  Every girl deserves one more night out as a single lady, right?

All too often though, bachelorette parties get a really bad reputation (sometimes deservedly so).  What comes to mind when you hear bachelorette party?  Probably way-too-drunk-girls stumbling out of a bar, party buses, stripper poles, Vegas, or baked goods crafted after male genitalia.  We aren't knocking that kind of party, if that's your thing, but we do want to share some ideas for how to throw a slightly classier "last fling."

Tall One just hosted a bachelorette weekend for one of her closest girlfriends and the party went off without a hitch.  The girls all arrived at Tall One's apartment on Friday evening for wine and appetizers before stopping by a local bar for a couple of drinks.  Saturday morning the ladies shared a Bachelorette Brunch complete with a make-your-own-quiche bar.  (The quiche were a big hit, btw!)  Saturday afternoon was a Magic Mike matinee and cheesesteaks at the famous Geno's on Passayunk Ave in South Philly.  The main event was Saturday night starting with dinner at El Vez followed by dancing and fun at the River Deck.

Check back all week for recipes and ideas to host the perfect bachelorette party!

Wine and Appetizers:
-Pulled Pork Sliders
-Spinach Artichoke Cups
-Hummus Trio with Homemade Pita Chips
-Bacon Tomato Cups
-Twice Baked Potato Bites
-Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Bachelorette Brunch:
-Make Your Own Quiche Bar
-Cheesy Potatoes
-Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
-Mixed Fruit
-Ambassador's Cocktail

Sweet Treats:
-Lingerie Cookies
-Bachelorette Cake

Little Extras:
-Bachelorette Scavenger Hunt
-Entourage T-shirts
-Recovery Bag Favors


Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Goat Cheese Topped Strawberries


Hi guys!  It's just Tall One today.  Small one is away on a pretty fabulous work trip right now, which I'm sure she'll tell you all about when she returns, so you're stuck with me!  In case you haven't noticed, we've been slacking on posting this past week.  You see, I had really great intentions to try out some fabulous new recipes last weekend that I'm sure would have been blogworthy.  I also had great intentions to clean my apartment, pay my bills, restock my pantry, go to Target, and update my resume.  Yeah, that didn't happen.

Instead I did the following:
-Saw Magic Mike
-Stayed out til 2AM
-Swam at my neighborhood pool
-Danced on the sidewalk to a street musician
-Ate sushi
-Sipped beers by the river
-Sat out on my roof enjoying coffee and a book
-Went to church
-Ran by the Art Museum

Gosh I love summer!!

In honor of the perfect summer weekend, I did throw together the perfect summer snack.  These Goat Cheese Topped Strawberries are sweet and tangy and refreshing... AND they only take about 10 minutes to make, so you should be able to find some time between all of your summertime fun activities.


INGREDIENTS:
-4 oz goat cheese
-2 Tbs whipped cream cheese
-4 green onions, chopped
-2 Tbs fresh mint, chopped
-zest of 1 orange
-strawberries

In a medium bowl, mix together the goat cheese and the whipped cream cheese with a wooden spoon.  The cream cheese isn't entirely necessary but I think it helps make the consistency extra smooth.  Add the chopped green onions and the chopped mint, and continue to stir until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Slice a bunch of strawberries (I used most of a 1 lb container) in half.  Feel free to hull them, but I just left the green part right on the berry.  Top each strawberry half with about a tsp of the goat cheese mixture.  I'm sure they would have looked a lot prettier if I had piped it on instead of spreading it... but do you really think I had time for that this weekend!?!  Finally top each berry with some fresh orange zest for an extra kick of flavor!


Quick, easy, and oh-so-summery!

XOXO,
Tall One


Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Mango Madras


Each year since she graduated highschool, Tall One and her dad have attended the Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.  What started 7 years ago as just a concert, has turned into THE event of the summer.  Now that Tall One has graduated college and moved away from home, she looks forward to the time with her dad (and their favorite country music superstar!) more than ever!

As the years have gone on, Tall One has invited friends to join in for the summer tradition, and Tall Dad has earned a reputation as King Of The Tailgate!  The party starts in the parking lots around 11 AM and the concert doesn't wrap until nearly 11 PM!  Tall Dad has become especially well known for mixing up some stellar island ispired cocktails that go perfectly with Kenny's beachy summer vibe.  The Mango Madras is Tall One's favorite so we decided to give it a patriotic twist and serve it up for 4th of July as well!

Jake Owen, Grace Potter, Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney
Photos compliments of Tall Dad

INGREDIENTS:
-Cruzan mango rum
-Orange juice
-Cranberry juice

Optional:
-Banana
-Orange slices
-Colored sugar


In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 1/2 oz  of mango rum, 1 1/2 oz of orange juice, and 3 oz of cranberry juice.  Shake well and pour into a clear glass.  Garnish with colored sugar or the fruit of your choice.

Since we are posting 4th of July recipes this week, we decided to go red, white, and blue with our drinks.  We lined the rims of the glasses with blue sugar and added star shaped banana floaters.  We sliced bananas a half inch thick and then use a tiny little star shaped cookie cutter to punch out the shape.  We think it was the perfect addition to make our Mango Madras extra festive!


Cheers to friends, family, and the land of the free this 4th of July!

XOXO,
Tall and Small