Hey, hey peeps! I am so excited to announce that we are going to have a new full time Recipe Contributor here at Mom 4 Real!!! This makes me soooo happy! I love food, and even though I have shared a couple of recipes with you, it’s just not my strong suit. Well, it is Barb’s! So please welcome Barb from The Everyday Home! She will be here once a month sharing one of her fabulous recipes!!!
Tyler Florence.
Wolfgang Puck.
Emeril Lagasse.
Sara Lee.
What??? Stop the car, honey!! Sara Lee?
You betcha! Oh, I know – the top three names are all famous Chefs who have worked tirelessly perfecting the art of their chosen cuisine.
So how did Sara Lee make the cut?
Well, its easy when you are an “Everyday Gourmet” like me.
You see…Sara (yes, we are on a first name basis) used to have a saying that went like this…
“When someone asks you if it’s homemade,
look them straight into the eye and say…yes.”
– Sara Lee
Sara has allowed Everyday Gourmets like me to pull off some pretty amazing dinner parties and present some pretty awesome desserts.
I have a personal cooking mantra. It’s basically along the same lines as the great advise that Sara gave us.
“Make your guests feel like you slaved in the kitchen all day – just for them.
Don’t let on that you didn’t.”
– Barb, The Everyday Gourmet
I love the challenge of creating gourmet-looking meals, without spending a fortune on ingredients and hours upon hours chopping, sautéing, pureeing
and praying… just to create a delicious meal.
I have three precious grandsons to spend time with… (not to mention about an umpteen unfinished projects to complete.) :-)
So… I have adapted lots of recipes that are easy, fast and come out looking as if “Bobby Flay Saved the Day.”
(yes, I’m a Blogger and part-time poet, too!)
So… I am here to turn you into Everyday Gourmets, too. For example, one of my favorite “go-to” desserts is…
Grilled Angel Food Cake with
Macerated Berries and
French-Vanilla/Almond Custard Sauce
That’s my other secret. Give your recipe a name that sounds so good they want to eat the words.
:-D
All you need for my recipes are some basic ingredients you may already have in your pantry – combined with some fresh ingredients and fresh herbs. That’s all it takes to earn your own “Everyday Gourmet” Chef coat.
If you have ever looked at Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking… you will soon realize that those fancy-shmancy French dishes are really nothing more than some basic ingredients.
So, when in doubt – give your dish a pretty French name and “voila” – gourmet cooking, baby! :-)
Now there is one other secret I have. Admittedly,
it’s one that may require a little creativity and a bit of practice. It’s amazing what cooking shows like
Iron Chef will teach you about plating if you watch close enough.
You don’t need real gold flakes or spun sugar tendrils to create a pretty dish. In fact, I think some of the prettiest presentations are put forth on plain white plates.
“Let the food speak for itself.”
Yes, it’s true. You eat first with your eyes.
But trust me, if it doesn’t taste good after that first bite… it doesn’t matter how pretty it is presented.
“They ain’t gonna eat it!”
– Barb, The Everyday Gourmet
So think of that plate as a blank canvas. The food is your paint.
Create a work of art your guests will love.
Wow them with your vision.
Impress their visual senses with your creative prowess.
Then lie like the dickens when they ask you if you cooked all day. Remember what Sara said…
“… look them in the eye and say yes!”
I would like to thank Jessica for inviting me to be
the new Recipe Contributor for Mom 4 Real. I am
both honored and thrilled to have the chance to share my recipes with you each month.
If you love this easy dessert, please let us know and I will share more recipes like this.
Or, I will type out the 50 ingredients needed for
Julia Child’s Coq au Vin. :-)
Grilled Angel Food Cake with
Macerated Berries and
French Vanilla/Almond Custard Sauce
Ingredients:
(1) Angel Food Cake, sliced about 1″ thick
(I plated two slices per serving)
Assorted Berries, about 2 cups
(2) Tablespoons sugar
(1) Tablespoon fresh chopped mint
(1) Package Instant French-Vanilla Pudding
(1) teaspoon pure almond extract
(3) Teaspoons Sour Cream
(1 1/2 ) Cups Milk
(1/2) Cup French Vanilla Liquid Coffee Creamer
*(sshhhhh, this is one of my gourmet secrets)
Butter for Grilling Cake
How to Fool ‘Em:
1) Slice berries as needed and place in a bowl.
2) Finely chop mint leaves. Add to berries
with sugar. Carefully fold berries to coat.
3) In a medium mixing bowl, add pudding mix with 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup creamer.
Stir well. Add sour cream and almond extract.
Beat with a whisk to mix well, according to package instructions. Set aside, and allow
pudding mix to set.
4) Heat a grill pan or frying pan on medium-high heat. Add a small pat of butter to pan.
Place cake slice on top of butter pat. Allow cake
to brown to desired color on one side only.
5) While cake slices are browning, add more creamer to the already set pudding mix to get a loser consistency. You want a sauce which does not stick to the spoon.
Add a sprig of mint to your plated dessert…
just to make it perdy! :-)
Now step back and watch the delight on your guests’ faces.
Congrats… you, too, are now an
Everyday Gourmet!
xxoo, Barb
Barb Garrett,
The Everyday Home Blog
“…it’s all about the details!”
www.everydayhomeblog.com
Farmhouse Decor Online Shop
Featuring French and American Farmhouse Accessories
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Wowzas! Isn’t she absolutely amazing???
And…she is an amazing designer!
Here are 3 of my favorite posts from The Everyday Home…
Thanks so much for hanging with us today, Barb! I can’t wait until you are back with more of your fabulousness!!!
This looks so, so yummy. I’ve had toasted pound cake before with ice cream on it, but never grilled like Barb’s recipe. And the sauce? Yum!
Suzy – you had this at Amy’s during High Point. Remember? :)
This is one of our favorite ways to eat it! Delicious! Great pictures too and congrats on the new gig, Barb!
p.s. It’s pound cake, though, not angel food cake! : )
Natalie – no this is Angel Food Cake. I bought it at my local market. Yes, its square, but its Angel Food. :)
ARe you going to have any water bottle printables for july 4th?? We are going to be at the beach and flying but want to make some fun decorations that are easy to take with me.
You know what? I hadn’t thought about it, but yes…I will make some and post! Thanks for the idea, Nina!
Oh my gosho, how delicious does that look?? Super excited to see more yummy recipes from you, Barb!!
Thanks Chelsea – I can’t wait to share more here with Jessica and you guys. :)
This looks yummy! How exciting to have Barb every month!
Thanks Leslie – super excited to be here!