Sausage, Fennel & Onions over Pecorino Mashed Idaho® Potatoes

By: The Food Hunter

After a long day at work, I walk in the house and my stomach immediately starts growling. My first thought is too cook something quick that will fill me up, but I don’t want to sacrifice taste or eat something unhealthy. That’s why I love eating potatoes for dinner; they are nutritious, filling and taste delicious.

Potatoes are low in fat, high in fiber and a key source of vitamins & nutrients. I know some will say potatoes have a lot of carbohydrates, and they do, but the majority of those carbs are complex, which helps keep you feeling full longer.

Whipped Pecorino Idaho Potatoes comes together quick and is delicious paired with grilled sausage and sauteed fennel and onions. Warning....make extra...leftovers are delicious packed for lunch.

The Virtual Potluck Group is excited to be partnering with Idaho Potato Commission to share our favorite easy weeknight meals featuring spuds. Be sure to stop by everyone's pages to see what they made:

Smashed Idaho Potato Pizzas
Veggie Chili Spuds 
Bacon Cheeseburger Twice Baked Idaho Potatoes
Idaho Potato Cheesy Tater Tots
Big Easy Meatballs & Red Gravy over Creamy Idaho Mashed Potatoes




Sausage, Fennel & Onions over Whipped Pecorino Idaho Potatoes

For the Sauce
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 large fennel bulbs, reserve fronds
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups onion, sliced into half-moons
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
½ cup tomato paste

Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into matchstick pieces. Pour the olive oil into a skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the onion slices and sauté until they are begin to wilt. Add the fennel and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fennel begins to wilt.

Clear a spot in the center of the pan, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring it in the spot for a good minute or more, until it begins to caramelize; then mix it in with everything else.

Ladle 3 cups of boiling potato water from the pot into the skillet, stir well and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer all over the pan.

Continue to simmer the sauce until the flavors have developed and the fennel is soft but not mushy, 6 minutes or more. The sauce should not get too thick: stir in another cup or 2 of boiling potato water, if it reduces rapidly. When the sauce is done, taste and add salt if needed.

For the Potatoes
4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 cups lightly salted water (see note below)
Salt
1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup pecorino cheese, grated

Place potatoes in a large pot, add salted water, cover and bring to a boil. Cook until very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. When potatoes are soft, drain and return them to the pot to mash by hand or place them in a bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt to taste and the butter. Beat ingredients. Adjust seasonings and add the cream and pecorino cheese and beat again.

For the Sausage
1 pound sweet Italian sausage links

Meanwhile, grill your sausage, about 10-15 minutes on each side. Plate the potatoes topped with fennel onion sauce and sausage. Sprinkle the dish with fennel fronds for serving.


**note: this may seem like more water than you need but it gets used to make the sauce.

A Fresh Look At One Of America's Top Appliances & a Giveaway

By: The Food Hunter

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann takes a new look at cooking with the Crockpot.  It offers over 350 recipes using fresh, wholesome ingredients, and modern flavors to demonstrate how invaluable the slow cooker is as a tool for entertaining. The recipes are all designed to serve anywhere from 6-20 people and focus on various entertaining styles.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker starts with an introductory chapter about the slow cooker and it's many sizes, shapes and uses.  It's then broken down into categories; punches, sauces, vegetables, poultry and fruit desserts to name a few.

With so many classic and innovative recipes it was hard to choose which to make. After much deliberation I finally decided on the Split Pea Soup with Ham. This is something I've made in the past but never in a slow cooker. The results were perfect.

The Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker turned making this soup into a breeze.  Offering three cooking modes; program, probe and manual, this slow cooker allows you to "set it & forget it" by automatically shifting to a warm mode when the cooking time is up. 

The Hamilton Beach is also perfect for entertaining both at home or away. The probe option makes it ideal for cooking large cuts of meats for parties; and the clip locked secure lid has such a tight seal there is never a need to worry about spills when traveling/transporting.

The Virtual Potluck Group has teamed up with Hamilton Beach to offer 8 readers (one from each of our blogs) a chance to win a slow cooker and cookbook of their very own. Enter below and be sure to check all of the VP blogger pages for additional ways to enter.

Split Pea Soup with Ham
(printable recipe)

Serves 8 to 12
Cooker: Large round or oval
Setting and Cook time: LOW for 13 to 15 hours;

meat shredded and bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper added at 12 hours
3 cups dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over
10 cups water or chicken broth
1 ham bone or 2 meaty ham hocks, rinsed
2 medium-size yellow onions, diced
3 large carrots, diced
2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Place the split peas in the slow cooker along with the water, ham bone, onions, carrots, and celery. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW until the peas are completely tender, about 12 hours.

2. Skim off any scum that comes to the top. Remove the ham bone, let it cool a bit, then strip off the meat. Discard all fat and bone. Shred the meat and return it to the soup. Add the bay leaves and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on LOW 1 to 3 hours longer.

3. Puree the soup in the cooker using an immersion blender, or in batches using a blender or food processor. Add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guacamole With A Fennel & Green Apple Twist...A Virtual Potluck Event

By: The Food Hunter

I'm pretty certain that everyone is familiar with traditional guacamole; the Mexican avocado based spread/dip.  But did you know there are hundreds of variations out there?  So many that my VP blogging group decided to host a little guac party to see what interesting twists we could come up with.

I decided I wanted to try a roasted fennel & green apple version I had seen online. The flavor combination just sounded intriguing to me. Mixed with your traditional avocado you didn't really taste the fennel but the green apple and lime juice really stood out.  If I had to use one word to describe this guacamole it would be refreshing.  I served it with pita chips; but it would be equally delicious served along side fresh veggies, like carrots or zucchini.

Next time your looking for something just a little different to serve your guests I would recommend giving this guacamole a try.  And be sure to check all the VP bloggers for other great ideas.

1. Green Guacamole
2. Winter Citrus
3. Mango Guacamole
4. Bacon Ranch
5. Pineapple Chipotle Mango Guacamole
6. Simple Guacomle

Roasted Fennel & Green Apple Guacamole
(adapted from Rick Bayless)
1 medium fennel bulb, stalks and fronds cut off
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
½ medium green apple, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 ripe medium-large avocados
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
crushed red pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the fennel bulb in half, and then cut each half into 3 wedges. Lay them in a single layer in a small baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Measure in ¼ cup water, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, cover with foil and slide into oven. Bake until the fennel is tender, about 1 hour. Cool.

Remove the fennel to a cutting board and pull off any exterior layers that seem fibrous. Cut out and discard the pieces of core that hold each wedge together, then chop the remainder into tiny pieces – the tinier the better.

While the fennel is cooking, put the apple into a bowl, sprinkle it with the lime juice and toss to combine. Refrigerate until you’re ready to use.

Cut the avocados in half, running a knife around the pit from top to bottom and back up again. Twist the halves in opposite directions to release the pit from one side of each avocado. Remove the pit, and then scoop the flesh from each half into a large bowl. With a large fork or the back of a large spoon, coarsely mash the avocado.

Add the thyme, basil, apples (including all the lime juice) and the chopped fennel to the avocado and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate until serving time.

The Everything Pan From Anolon...A Review

What can you make in an "everything pan," pretty much everything.  So when I was offered an opportunity to review any product I wanted from the Anolon Nouvelle Copper Stainless Steel collection I chose the "everything" pan. 

This versatile 9.5 inch stainless pan features a layer of copper on the bottom for optimvenue at conduction ....making for even cooking. Another great feature is the design of the lid. Domed and tight fitting it really locks in the moisture of whatever your making. 

So what did I cook in this pan:

Cacio e Pepe; literally cheese and pepper pasta. Typically found in Rome this dish is a perfect mixture of sharp salty cheese and pungent black pepper.

 Cacio e Pepe

1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound dried linguine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano

1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.
2. Meanwhile, set your everything pan over medium heat, add the pepper, and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the oil and butter and stir occasionally until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat.
3. Drop the pasta into boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain,
reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
4. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the oil and butter mixture, then
add the pasta and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated.
5. Stir in the cheeses (add a splash or two more of the reserved pasta water if
necessary to loosen the sauce) and serve immediately, with additional grated
Parmigiano on the side.


You can follow Anolon:
https://www.facebook.com/Anolon
https://twitter.com/Anolon (Twitter handle: @Anolon)
http://pinterest.com/source/anolon.com/

Artisana Nut Butter Power Balls

Nut butters seem to be all the rage these days. With so many different flavors available how could you not love them. I'll admit I'm hooked. I eat some sort of raw nut butter just about every day. It's a great healthy option; either spread on crackers or mixed into smoothies.

As part of Virtual Potluck I was given the opportunity to try Artisana Nut Butters. What makes Artisana Butters stand out from the rest? Well they use 100% certified organic nuts hand crafted in small batches with no added ingredients. Their butters have a smooth almost velvety taste and are amazingly delicious.

I'll be honest I've been grinding my own nuts into butter for some time now but with Artisana's wide variety of flavors I no longer need to do that. They offer Walnut Butter, Pecan Butter, Cashew Butter, Macadamia/Cashew, Cacao Bliss, and Coconut Butter.

Now that nut butters have become mainstream I really wanted to find a unique way to use them in a recipe.  I wanted to focus on turning them into an easy to reach for snack. Let's face it....we don't often have a jar of nut butter and something to spread it on just laying around.  That's when I came up with making a sort of "power" ball.  Incorporating the butters into a on the go snack.

Mixing the nut butter of your choice with other healthy ingredients like oatmeal, honey, and dried fruit and molding into bite sized balls you can have a great portable healthy snack option.

Want a chance to win some Artisana Nut Butter of your choice.  Leave a comment on this post by midnight 5/6/2012 and you will be entered to win an 8oz jar of your favorite flavor. For extra chances to win be sure to visit the roundup of VP posts.

Nut Butter Power Balls

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries, or cherries chopped
pinch salt
1/2 cup raw nut butter of your choice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flax seeds (optional)
2 Tbsp honey


In a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup of the oats until powdery.  Transfer to a dish.  In the same processor bowl pulse the remaining oats until finely chopped.  Mix in the rest of your ingredients until combined.  Form dough into balls and roll in the ground oats to coat. Store in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Coombs Farms Maple Syrup Roasted Carrots & Asparagus

I'm all about eating veggies.  And if it takes putting a little maple syrup on them to get your family to love them....then I'm all about that too. Whatever works is how I look at it.

Organic good quality maple syrup is the key.   Coombs Family Farms has been producing 100% pure organic maple syrup for seven generations. Naturally gluten free and made without any artificial flavors, preservatives or thickeners; their syrup is amber in color and ripe with flavor.

A few weeks back my Virtual Potluck group was asked to use Coombs Family Farms maple products in a recipe (be sure to check out all of those recipes here).  When most people think maple syrup they automatically think breakfast...more specifically pancakes.  Not me I actually eat my pancakes dry...I know I'm odd.

When I hear the word maple syrup my mind automatically thinks carrots.  So I decided what's good for carrots is good for asparagus...right?

Maple Syrup Roasted Carrots & Asparagus
1 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 pound asparagus, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup organic maple syrup


Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix carrots and asparagus with olive oil, salt and maple syrup until thoroughly coated.
Bake for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are caramelized and tender.
Serve.

Buffalo & Beans

I remember eating pork & beans as a kid. It was one of the few things my dad cooked for us. He was famous (at least in our house) for this yummy dish. His secret ingredient…maple syrup. I’ve come a long way since those pork & bean days. But for some reason I’ve been thinking of them a lot lately or maybe just thinking of my dad. So much so that when the Buffalo Guys sent the Virtual Potluck group various buffalo sausages to review I knew immediately I would try my own version of pork & beans…aka…buffalo & beans.

The Buffalo Guys, Peter & Ken, started their business in 2000 with the idea of providing the people with a responsibly raised superior tasting meat. Today they sell their range raised buffalo to hundreds of stores nationwide. Their sausages do not include any fillers, MSG or nitrates and they never use growth hormones. In general buffalo meat is lower in calories, fat and cholesterol in comparison to beef, chicken or pork. 

Interested in trying some yummy products from the Buffalo Guys?  Through the end of March receive 15% off your sausage order when you use the code VIRTUALPOTLUCK.

 Be sure to check out all of the other recipes from the VP crew over at Diabetic Foodie.

Buffalo & Beans
1 lb buffalo bratwurst, cut crosswise into slices
1 can of Great Northern Beans
1 medium onion, cut into large dice
1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces
2 carrots, cut into large dice
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 cups stock
1 lb cubed pork steak

Add all ingredients to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cover and let cook about 3 hours, stirring periodically. Remove bay leaf before serving. 

Fun with SoCal Avocados

Growing up in South Philadelphia we never ate avocados. I don't even remember eating guacamole until I was away at college. I'm not sure if it was a cultural thing or a neighborhood thing.  But looking back and talking with old friends it was something none of us ever ate.

I'm sure this skewed my opinion of these uber healthy pear shaped fruits (yes, they are fruits not veggies) because until recently I saw them as basically just fillers for sandwiches and such; nothing special. This all changed in late January when my Virtual Potluck group teamed up with SoCal Avocados and we were all shipped a box of 20 hand picked avocados to create recipes with.

SoCal is a small family owned avocado ranch in Southern California.  They grow several varieties of avocados (who knew there was more than one kind) including the well known Hass.  My box of avocados included 4 varieties and a description card to help distinguish each by shape, texture and taste.  You can read more about the different types on thier web page....and I suggest you do because it's really quite interesting.  SoCal also offers a avocado of the month program be sure to check it out.  Want to WIN some SoCal avocados.....keep reading for details.

This was probably one of the most enjoyable and enlightening food projects I've worked on.  I was determined to experiment and bring avocados into the forefront of my diet.  And why not the health benefits are amazing.  They have no cholesterol, they provide over 13 grams of fiber, are low in carbs and can help you lose weight when you choose them over other sources of fat.

So what did I make with all these avocados?  I started with a Caesar dressing...experimenting on substituting avocado for the egg in my favorite recipe.  It worked well...maybe even better than the original.  I moved on to ice cream.  I've heard people talk about avocado ice cream in the past and thought why not.  I pureed the avocado, mixed it with cream, sugar and some rum until I got the taste and consistency I desired.  Topped with crushed pistachios the finished product was good...different for sure. (see recipe below)

 My favorite dish by far though was the Avocado Fennel & Beet Salad. Thin slices of fresh fennel, avocado and red beets layered over a bed of peppery arugula and drizzled with olive oil and a pinch of lemon juice. This was heaven in a plate.

Avocado Fennel & Beet Salad
1 SoCal avocado; peeled and sliced
1 package Melissa's Peeled Baby Red Beets; sliced
1 fennel bulb; thinly sliced
1 bunch arugula
lemon juice
olive oil
salt & pepper

Place arugula on a serving platter mix with shaved fennel. Top with alternating layers of avocado and beets. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



Avocado Rum Ice Cream
3 SoCal avocados
4 tablespoon rum
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
crushed pistachios

Peel and pit the avocados. Add the avocados, milk, and sugar to a blender and puree. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and rum; whisk to combine. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and chill about 4 hours.

Process the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. For soft ice cream, serve immediately. If desired, place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours for firmer texture. Top with crushed pistachios.


CONTEST
SoCal has agreed to send one lucky reader a box of avocados to try.  All you have to do is visit their site and choose the avocado you would most like to try.  Come back here and let us know and you'll be entered.

Want a few extra entrees.... Follow me on Facebook or Twitter and let me know here. Already a follower...thanks! How about following one of the other VP bloggers or SoCal

Contest ends 2/26/2012 at midnight EST.

Chocolate Covered Mascarpone Layer Cake

In less than two weeks lovers everywhere will come together to express their devotion.  Whether it be with flowers, candy or a nice dinner; February 14th is the day people go all out to celebrate their love for each other.

With Valentine's day in mind the Virtual Potluck team have joined forces with Taste from The N8tion.com to create 3 delicious 4 course meals you can cook at home for your special someone.  Everything from soup to nuts; including drinks.  I signed up for the dessert course of meal #2.  (You can view meal #1's yumminess here) 

Who else is involved in this dinner?

APPETIZER: Tara  from the blog Tara the Foodie is making: Herbed Smoked Salmon Mousse Croûte
INTERMEZZO: Vanessa from Groovy Foody is bringing Pomegranate, beet root and blood orange savory sorbet with goat cheese and hazelnuts
ENTREE: Susan from 30AEats will share her Fondue (using lobster and beef)
DESSERT: The Food Hunter (that's me) Chocolate Covered Mascarpone Layer Cake

What is this Taste from N8tion.com?

"Taste is a new mixology show that features cool cocktails from the common guy. From the creative minds at N8tion.com, our resident “booze head” Otis showcases classic and not-so-classic cocktail recipes. Who is Otis???? We found him under a bar in downtown Atlanta nursing a Corona while holding a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. No seriously, after tending bars for countless college parties, he honed his bartending skills in local taverns on the nights he wasn’t moonlighting as a bouncer. Taste is a product of N8tion.com, an independent television and radio network founded by brothers Myron and Otis McDaniel."



What's for Dessert?

Chocolate Covered Mascarpone Layer Cake

 
When I think Valentine's I automatically think chocolate; so I knew my dessert would some how involve chocolate. I started out making a sponge cake and it just evolved from there. Drenched in Ameretto filled with whipped mascarpone cheese and covered in deep dark chocolate; sounds like true love to me.


Chocolate Covered Mascarpone Layer Cake

For the sponge cake
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbs butter
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 whole eggs
6 egg yoks

Heat milk and butter till butter melts, keep warm.
Sift flour with baking powder 2x, set aside.
Whisk sugar and eggs together over water bath until warm. Transfer to a mixer and beat on high speed till cooled, tripled in volume and thick.
Sift in 1/3 of the flour mixture and fold gently...continue this process until all flour has been folded in.
Fold in hot milk mixture scraping the bottom well.
Pour into a greased and floured 1/2 sheet jelly roll pan. Bake about 18 minutes on @350 until cake browns and starts to sink.

For the Whipped Mascarpone
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 fresh vanilla bean
1 17oz container of mascarpone

Whip together until thick.

For the Chocolate 
7 Tbs butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate
2 Tbs heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl whisk the butter, confection sugar and egg yolk until very smooth. Set aside
Put the chocolate and cream in a small bowl and melt the chocolate over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature, then stir it and the vanilla into the butter mixture. set aside.



For the Amaretto soak
5 Tbs warm water
2 Tbs sugar
4 Tbs Amaretto

Combine the warm water and the sugar in a shallow bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in the Amaretto.

Putting it all together
Cut sponge cake into even size layers.  Brush each layer with the Amaretto soak. Top the sponge cake with 1/2 of the whipped mascarpone.  Repeat with the next layer.  Top entire cake with chocolate and spread.






 

Virtual PotLuck Holiday Party & Barenjager Honey Liqueur

Welcome to our first Virtual Potluck Holiday Party sponsored by Barenjager Honey Liqueur. Produced in Germany Barenjager is made from 70 proof grain alcohol and all natural honey from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.  It was originally created to aid bear hunters by louring the animals out of hiding.

The VP group has come up with some pretty creative ways to use this amazing (and it is pretty amazing) liqueur.  Here's a teaser...feel free to stop by their blogs for the full recipes.





First up is the Colorado Bee Sting, created by Donna from Cookistry.  After making a yummy ham glaze with her honey liqueur Donna realized she wanted more.  Inspired by the classic White Russian cocktail Donna came up with the Colorado Bee Sting.  

Milisa from Miss in the Kitchen is bringing her famous baklava.  Always impressive and delicious the added Baenjager has made them even better. These Barenjager Honey Lemon Bakalava are the perfect dessert to bring to any party.  

Looking for a cool martini to try how about the Barren Pear Martini that Rachel from Not Rachel Ray is bringing to the party.   And in case that's not enticing enough for you how about trying her Barenjager Honey Caramel Sauce.  Sounds perfect drizzled over ice cream.

 

Another cocktail inspired by the legendary White Russian Jay from Bite and Booze brings us the Honey Chocolate Holiday Cocktail.  This holiday cocktail replaces coffee liqueur with Barenjager Honey Liqueur and a dash of chocolate liqueur to create a palate-pleasing, easy drinking cocktail!  Honey and chocolate are a great combination that now have their place in the cocktail world too! 










Heather from Farmgirl Gourmet is bringing this to die for BoozyBarenjager Shrimp Cocktail.  Large prawns marinated in Barenjager Honey Liqueur, Lime & Cilantro, grilled and served with a quick boozy Honey Liqueur Cocktail sauce.  This will make an elegant start to your holiday festivities.

They've been abuzz (and buzzed) all month over Bärenjäger's many uses over at The GrooVy Foody, trying it in drinks, in a Honey Bundt Liqueur Cake and adding it's nectar to a dark toffee sauce for use in Banoffee Pudding. Want the recipes? Visit The Groovy Foody

 
Another awesome cocktail brought to us by Tara the Foodie.  A mixture of Barenjager, Maker's Mark, Midori melon liquor, and juiced cucumber. Garnished with melon balls and a cucumber slice. It's a sweet drink with a fresh taste. It would be great as a digestíve or a drink to sip in the summer. 












How about a nightcap...one last drink before the party is over.  I'll fix us up a few Barenjager Cabin Honey Hot Toddies.  They are perfect for cold winter nights by the fire. (you can find the recipe here)

The Barenjager Cabin Honey Hot Toddy

What does one do on a cold winter night in a secluded cabin in the woods?  Drink Hot Toddy's of course...now what were you thinking??    And what makes this Hot Toddy better than any other you've ever had?  Barenjager Honey Liqueur.   Made with real honey; Barenjager has a pronounced honey flavor that mixes well in different recipes and is even better straight up.

I'm bringing this special Honey Hot Toddy to our Virtual Potluck Holiday Party. Don't forget to stop by all of the other VP blogger's pages to see what they are serving up.

Cabin Honey Hot Toddy

Ingredients

    2 ounces boiling water

    2 ounces Barenjager Honey Liqueur

    3 whole cloves

    1 cinnamon stick

    1 slice lemon

    1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions

Pour boiling water and whiskey into a mug. Spice it with the cloves and cinnamon, and put in the slice of lemon. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle, then sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg before serving.

Happy Holidays From Virtual Potluck!

Join us on Wednesday December 28, 2011 for our very first Virtual Potluck Holiday Party.  We will be celebrating with food and drink featuring Barenjazer Honey Liqueur (this means lots of cool recipes for you). 

You won't want to miss this event so stop by here on the 28th to see what I'm bringing to the party and for links to all of the other VP posts.

Until then Happy Holidays from all of us at Virtual Potluck!

Virtual Potluck....Are You A Cookbook Winner?

Did you enjoy our first Virtual Potluck?  I hope so....I sure did!  We have several exciting events planned over the next few months so be sure to stop back often.

Want a little sneak peek of what's coming up on Monday?  It involves vanilla beans, chili peppers, dried mushrooms, risotto and a giveaway! That's all I can tell you right now.

As for our cookbook winner:  Congratulations to Stacy @luvchampagne  If your on twitter you should follow her; she's a foodie that loves collecting recipes and cookbooks.

Thanks to everyone that participated in this event.  See you Monday.

Dolci: Italy's Sweets...Review & Giveaway; Our First Virtual Potluck Event

Welcome to the very first Virtual Potluck. What is VP?  It's a concept that a group of us food bloggers developed; where we'll occasionally work together to post about a specific theme. Generating a true potluck of posts on said topic.  We'll be talking about it on Facebook, Twitter and each of our blogs.  There's a total of 12 of us and we've all got different tastes, focuses and talents. We hope to provide you with interesting content about cool products, recipes, and all things food related.  I suggest you visit all of the blogs during these events...as each one of us will be bringing different things to the table.

So let's get this potluck started.  Our first VP is sponsored by Abrams publishing and being hosted by  Donna at Cookistry.  There are 8 of us participating in this event. What does this mean for you?  8 reviews, about 8 different cookbooks, possibly 8 new recipes and most importantly 8 chances to win.  That's right each of us will be giving away a copy of the cookbook we review; so be sure to check Donna's blog for links to all the other reviews.

If I had to pick one thing to specialize in it would be desserts...Italian desserts to be more precise. So it's only natural that I chose to review Dolce: Italy's Sweets by Francine Segan. This beautiful cookbook is filled with both classic and contemporary desserts for all skill levels. With a gift for making each recipe come to life, Segan shares cherished stories from Italian grandmothers, young and hip foodies, famous pastry chefs, bakery owners and food writers.

Recipes include favorites such as cannoli, and biscotti to the more specialty items like Sicilian watermelon pudding and a Tuscan sweet spinach pie. With so many fabulous recipes in one book I had a hard time deciding which to try first. 

I decided on the Ricotta Pear Cake.  Although, very time consuming and labor intensive this is probably my new favorite dessert. Two moist layers of hazelnut cake surround a fluffy ricotta and pear custard that keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to five days...but trust me it won't last that long.

Ricotta Pear Cake

For the Cake
2 cups  finely ground hazelnuts (toasted)
6 Tbs 00 flour
6 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
7 Tbs butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and lightly flour two 9 1/2 inch springform pans.
Grind the hazelnuts and flour in a mini food processor until very fine.  In a large bowl using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar and beat on high speed for 15 minutes, until the mixture has quadrupled in volume.  Gently fold in the hazelnuts and flour with a spatula until just combined.  then add in the butter. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until firm to the touch.  Set aside.


For the Pears
2 pears, peeled, cored & diced (I used jarred)
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs of brandy

In a small saucepan combine the pears, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch and simmer over medium low heat until the pears are soft. Remove from the heat, stir in the brandy, and let cool to room temperature. Set aside.


For the Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
4 Tbs brandy
1/2 cup water

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in brandy. 


For the Filling
17 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the ricotta, sugar and vanilla for at least 5 minutes, until creamy.

Meanwhile, beat the cream until firm peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture. Fold in the cooled pear mixture.

To Assemble:
Remove one of the cake layers from the pan and place on a serving platter large enough to hold the outer ring of the springform pan. Brush the cake with 1/2 of the syrup to moisten it. Pile the filling in the center of the cake and put the springform ring back over the cake.

Gently spread the filling to the edges and then top with second layer of cake.  Brush the remaining syrup over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer until set, about 2 hours. Remove the springform ring and refrigerate until ready to serve.




*****For the giveaway; there are 4 ways to win.  The first two are mandatory*****

1.Leave a comment on this page telling me your favorite Italian dessert.

2. Head over to Cookistry check out all of the other posts; leave a comment on one of them and come back here to let me know.

3. Tweet about this giveaway leaving a comment here letting me know. Use #virtualpotluck in your tweet.

4. Follow me on either Facebook and/or Twitter....and come back here to let me know

Contest ends Friday November 18th at midnight EST.  Winner will be picked by random generator and announced shortly after.