Romy Raves

Being a Hollywood Gal and all (well I do actually live NEAR Hollywood ), I thought I would write a post in honor of the Academy Awards Ceremony this evening (Anyone have any big plans or fun parties they are attending??) I thought I would post a list of some of my all time favorite movies and if you haven’t seen them they are definitely worth checking out.  And as an added bonus, I am sharing a yummy AA worthy recipe to enjoy while you watch the big event. Have Fun!

Romy’s All Time Favorite Movies

• The Wizard of Oz
• Life is Beautiful
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Cinema Paradisio
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Pulp Fiction
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Schindler’s List
• Sunset Boulevard
• West Side Story
• The Sound of Music
• Something About Mary
• Babel

Caviar Dip
Barefoot Contessa 2001

This is a yummy, elegant easy dip that seems like a perfect fit with the Academy Awards and a nice glass of bubbly. It’s somewhat light, refreshing, tasty dip and great when served with old fashioned potato chips, Enjoy!

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons freshly minced dill, plus sprigs for garnish
1 scallion, minced (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon milk, half-and-half, or cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
100 grams good salmon roe

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer on medium speed, add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, scallion, milk, salt, and pepper. With a rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 of the salmon roe. Spoon the dip into a bowl and garnish with the remaining salmon roe and sprigs of fresh dill.

Serve with chips, toasts, or crackers.

Tags: Academy Awards, Favorite Movies, recipe

No offense to all of you die hard football fans, but for me the Superbowl is all about the funny commercials and the yummy eats.  So I thought I would share with you one of my all time favorite appetizers that is sure to be a hit at your Superbowl gathering.  Enjoy and please share your special, yummy, fun and easy appetizer recipes with me!

Dip Diana

7 oz.  Pesto
6-8 oz.  Chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
12 oz.  Whipped Cream Cheese
2  Tablespoons of butter
4-7  Cloves of fresh garlic
10-12  Thin slices of provolone
 
Blend garlic, butter and cream cheese in food processor and fold in pesto. Put about 6 slices of provolone cheese on the bottom of a medium dish with sides and spread pesto mixture over cheese slices, put half of the sun dried tomatoes over mixture (some oil is OK).  Cover with provolone and garnish with remaining sun dried tomatoes that have been blotted to remove excess oil. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and serve with a sliced baguette. DEELISH!

Tags: Cream Cheese, Pesto, recipe, Superbowl

Given all the festivities of the season, I thought you might enjoy a delicious and inspired egg brunch dish that I have been making for years and it always gets rave reviews. It is a very tasty Mexican egg casserole that is packed with flavor and easy to prep the night before. Enjoy! 

SALSA JACK BREAKFAST SOUFFLE

Serves 8

 1 pound Jack cheese or Pepper Jack cheese, cubed

1 cup cottage cheese

1-2 cups of hot/medium chunky salsa (to taste)

3-6 white corn tortillas, cut in small pieces

9 eggs

1 cup reduced fat Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, grease a 9×13 pan, sprinkle half the tortilla pieces in the bottom of the pan (you want to cover most of the bottom). In a bowl, mix cubed cheese, cottage cheese, and salsa until combined and then spread evenly in pan over tortillas.

Beat eggs and buttermilk together and pour evenly over cheese/salsa mixture. Sprinkle with remaining tortillas. Bake between 45 minutes-1 hour or until golden brown. Top with guacamole, avocado slices or sour cream if desired. Yummilicious!

Please post and share your favorite brunch recipes, I am always on the hunt for new inspirations.

Tags: Brunch, casserole, Easy Recipe, eggs, Mexican Food, recipe

I am a foodie to the core and am always on the hunt for seasonal inspirations. I absolutely LOVE persimmons, the lovely bright orange fruit that is available in the late fall and early winter. A friend recently gave me a bunch of Hachiya persimmons (which are best for baking BTW) and my search on the Internet lead me to this divine seasonal treat, James Beard’s Persimmon Bread Recipe–Simply divine Enjoy and let me know what you think by sharing comments in this post.

Persimmon Bread

Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard.

3½ cups sifted flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 to 2½ cups sugar
1 cup melted unsalted butter and cooled to room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2/3 cup Cognac, Bourbon or Whiskey
2 cups persimmon puree (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
2 cups raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates)

1. Butter 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

4. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

5. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Note: Using the higher amount of sugar will produce a moister and, of course, sweeter bread.

Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The Persimmon Breads take well to being frozen, too. Makes two 9-inch loaves.

Tags: James Beard, Persimmon, Persimmon Bread, recipe

You will be SO glad you came back for my final recipe because it so insanely good! You can serve it as a side dish or even dessert because it’s THAT decadent. But, however you eat it and whenever you eat it, you are going to love it! And it is even good for you too because of the beautiful orange beta carotene in the sweet potatoes, so eat up and know that while you are amusing your palate you are also nourishing your soul. Enjoy and please post and share your fav Thanksgiving recipes too!

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Cooking Light, November 2002

14 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato/yams (about 5 pounds)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Add 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper if you want to add a bit of heat to this sweet dish

Preheat oven to 375° Place potato in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over potato mixture.

Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated. Yield: 18 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

Notes: Assemble the potato mixture and sprinkle with the streusel, then freeze the casserole up to 2 weeks ahead of Thanksgiving. Thaw in refrigerator and bake as directed. Or cook just the potatoes a day ahead, mash and refrigerate and proceed with the recipe as directed (starting with the addition of half-and-half) the day you’re serving the dish.

Tags: Cooking Light, Sweet Potato Casserole, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Recipes