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Musings & Recipes From My Kitchen

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Archives for December 2014

Salted Maple Bourbon Marshmallows

December 27, 2014 By Laura 12 Comments

Salty, sweet and boozy, Salted Maple Bourbon Marshmallows are perfect for hot chocolate, coffee or even eating out of hand.  Happy Holidays! I hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful Christmas. We are still flitting from house to house and family to family, but I wanted to share these marshmallows with you so that you… 

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Filed Under: Boozy Desserts, Bourbon, candy, maple, marshmallows Tagged With: booze, bourbon, candy, confections, maple, marshmallows

Hot Chocolate Laced with Tequila; #CookMexico

December 21, 2014 By Laura 18 Comments

Tequila Spiked Sipping Chocolate

A Mexican inspired hot chocolate laced with tequila and a pinch of chipotle powder kicks the holiday season up a notch! This post was sponsored by Casa Noble Tequila, who sent me a bottle of their tequila, a small stipend, and who is giving away copies of Margarita Carrillo Arronte’s Mexico: The Cookbook to two of my lucky… 

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Filed Under: Boozy Desserts, chocolate, drinks, Mexican dishes, tequila Tagged With: #CookMexico, booze, chipotle, cinnamon, giveaway, hot chocolate, mexican, mixed drinks, sipping chocolate, tequila

Peppermint Whipped Cream Pound Cake with Shaved Mint Chocolate; #BundtBakers

December 18, 2014 By Laura 16 Comments

Peppermint Whipped Cream Bundt w Chocolate Shavings: Because it has no butter to be creamed, this cake is easy and fast! And delicious!

This Peppermint Whipped Cream Pound Cake with Shaved Mint Chocolate has no butter, which makes it come together quickly–instead it uses rich whipped cream and is sprinkled liberally throughout with mint dark chocolate shavings. Perfect for the holidays–or any time! Affiliate links were used in this post to link to items I am discussing.  I bet… 

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Filed Under: blog events, bundt cakes, cakes, chocolate chip cookies, mint chocolate Tagged With: #BundtBakers, bundt, cake, chocolate, heavy cream, hot chocolate, mint, peppermint, whipped cream

Polish Vanilla Hazelnut Crescent Cookies (Ciasteczka Waniliowe); #CreativeCookieExchange

December 16, 2014 By Laura 13 Comments

Polish Vanilla Hazelnut Crescent Cookies (Ciasteczka Waniliowe)

These Ciasteczka Waniliowe, or Polish Vanilla Hazelnut Crescent Cookies, are traditional at Christmastime and therefore perfect for this month’s Creative Cookie Exchange, which is celebrating the traditional cookies served during the various holidays occurring around the Winter Solstice all over the world. Affiliate links were used in this post to link to items I am discussing. So many cookies… 

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Filed Under: almonds, blog events, cookies, hazelnuts, Holiday and Christmas Cookies, Polish cuisine, vanilla sugar Tagged With: #CreativeCookieExchange, almonds, christmas, cookies, crescent, egg free, eggfree, hazelnuts, Holiday, holiday baking, nuts, Polish

Cookie Press Cookies in 3 Flavors for Your Holiday Tray

December 14, 2014 By Laura 2 Comments

Cookie Press Fiori di Sicilia Orange Snowflake Cookies--simple and fast with a cookie press!

The same simple dough for the cookie press flavored 3 different ways for the Holidays: Peppermint Christmas Trees; Salt and Pepper Maple Wreaths; Fiori di Sicilia and Orange Snowflakes. Affiliate links have been used in this post to link to items I am discussing. I am determined to slide these cookies in right before Creative… 

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Filed Under: Cookie Press, cookies, fiori di sicilia extract, Holiday and Christmas Cookies, maple, oranges Tagged With: citrus, cookie press, cookie tins, cookies, fiori di sicilia, Holidays, maple, orange, peppermint, vanilla

Cuban Spicy Oxtail Stew (Rabo Encendido); Review of To Cook Is To Love

December 12, 2014 By Laura 9 Comments

Cuban Spicy Oxtail Stew (Rabo Encendido): great for the slow cooker and can be made with brisket, chuck and short ribs as well!

This flavorful Cuban Oxtail Stew is everything that is wonderful about winter food: warming, comforting and filling. And it can cook all day in a slow cooker if necessary. A copy of To Cook Is To Love was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links were used in this… 

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Filed Under: beef, beef chuck, beef stew, chorizo, cookbooks, Cuban dishes, potatoes, reviews, sausage, slow cooker, stews Tagged With: beef, brisket, chorizo, crock pot, Cuban, oxtail, potatoes, red wine, slow cooker, stew, wine

Spiked Voodoo Mocha

December 8, 2014 By Laura 11 Comments

Voodoo Spiked Hot Chocolate: rum, coffee, chocolate and cream make for a delightful winter drink!

This Spiked Voodoo Mocha with real chocolate and vanilla rum is the perfect warming indulgence for a chilly winter night. Affiliate links are used in this post to link to items I am discussing. I am seriously actually impressed with myself when I manage to get something posted during the correct season. I seem to… 

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Filed Under: Boozy Desserts, chocolate, coffee desserts, Creole/Cajun, drinks, misc. dessert Tagged With: booze, chocolate, coffee, drinks, hot chocolate, mocha, rum, spiked drinks, vanilla

Review of 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes

December 4, 2014 By Laura 2 Comments

Stir Fry of Sweet and Salty Shrimp with Pineapple and Carrots; Review of 300 Best Stir Fry Recipes

Nancie McDermott’s 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes is full of great ideas for last minute weeknight dinners, such as this Sweet-and-Salty Shrimp with Pineapple and Carrots. A copy of this cookbook was provided to me in exchange for an honest review; affiliate links were used in this post to link to items I am discussing. Unfortunately… 

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Filed Under: carrots, cookbooks, pantry cooking, pineapple, reviews, seafood, shrimp, stir fry Tagged With: 300 best stir fry recipes, carrot, cookbook, cookbook review, natalie mcdermott, pineapple, shrimp

Hi! I’m Laura and I am a recovering history major who has re-channeled all of my passion for learning about the history of different countries to learning about their food culture. That doesn’t mean every dish on here is strictly authentic, but it does mean that even my adaptations are not undertaken lightly. My goal is to show you–by doing–that these dishes are possible in your kitchen. Including desserts because I have quite the sweet tooth! Read More…

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