Sweets Spil'd

Dessert Tables

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:20:00 +0000

Eating requires much more than tasting, which is why a decorated dessert table always makes me smile. I had the opportunity of providing desserts for an event this past weekend that was beautiful. Below are some tips you should consider when hiring a vendor like myself.

Color and decor is just as important as the desserts that surround the table. If you are having an event and aren't sold on a cake, I always advise clients to do a small three tiered cake and a variety of desserts that guests can eat without a knife and fork.

It also makes for a fun scenery if you can make a variety of desserts that have different heights and colors within the color scheme of the event, which adds depth and makes for better photos.

You can also accomplish this with different sized tiers and don't skimp on the tiers or trays, it really makes all the difference between an elegant dessert table or last minute decision.

A little dessert decoration also goes a long way, especially on minis or cake pops. Chocolate tempered paper is an easy way to transfer a design or by adding fun fondant or gumpaste flowers and if you don't have time to paint you can apply luster dust with a small brush and a little vodka around the edges.

However you decide to design your table with decor and desserts make sure your vendor/client sends you color samples that you can match. The vendor should sketch out a design so you understand what you are getting for your hard earned money, dessert flavors are important to agree on and finally try to have fun with it as this can be the easiest and tastiest part of the event to handle! #APlateADay

Chilli and Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:19:00 +0000

Yesterday was one of the first Sunday Funday's at my house I wasn't present, but my food was. I was invited to the premiere party for The Real Housewives of Orange County last minute and left my husband with an amazing dinner to showcase. Luckily my earlier planning and running around during the day wasn't wasted. Below is the chicken chilli crock pot recipe with gluten free cheddar and jalapeno biscuits that will have friends skipping dessert in lieu of seconds.

Ground chicken chilli recipe:

1 pound of ground organic chicken
pepper
sea salt
cayenne pepper
crushed garlic
green and red salsa to taste
red chili pepper
cumin
mesquite seasoning

Cook in a skillet until chicken is fully cooked

1 large can whole tomatoes
2 cans of tomato paste
corn (preferably fresh and grilled, but can works too)
bean blend of your choice (I prefer white and red kidney beans and black beans)
3 serrano peppers finely chopped

Dump all ingredients into a crock pot, add cooked ground chicken, stir and cover. Should cook on high for about four hours, then reduce to low. Stir once or twice during and add salt pepper and garlic powder to taste (beans and corn dilute the seasoned chicken, so add to taste)

Cheddar and Jalapeno Biscuits:

gluten free red mill biscuit mix (follow directions)
add two cups of cheddar
two finely chopped jalapenos

Bake 20 minutes prior to serving chilli. Serve biscuits with chilli, add shredded cheese, guac, and light sour cream. #APlateADay

Fast Fit Faji-Ladas

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:59:00 +0000

There are some days when I'm so hungry the thought of cooking, even a quick meal, seems like light years away. This usually happens when I get home from spinning, after finding myself in grueling rush hour traffic and a much needed shower.

Last night this happened, and no it's not the first time, it's actually a recurrence on most Mondays and Wednesdays, but since I hate working out and I finally found a fitness center (Revolution Fitness), class and teacher I like, I'm stuck, for now.

So, I came home and asked the question that most women ask their significant other, unless you're blessed with another cook in the family, "What do you want for dinner?"

Rosa, my nanny, who I've mentioned is known for doing nothing, has been much nicer and more helpful these days. I wonder if someone read Rosa Rice to her. Instead of making one chicken thigh for Hayden, she made five so Andrew and I could eat, of course not a meal, but it's a start.

In all honesty, with how hungry I was I could have just ate the chicken, but my hubby said surprise him with dinner, so I knew I had to do more than just heat up a partial meal. Oy Vey! (which, by the way until about a year ago I thought this was an Hispanic expression and I'm Hispanic)

I had Mexican food the night before at one of my favorite restaurants in LA, El Compadre, and I didn't eat as much as I wanted. So, I looked in the fridge, found cheese, tortillas, red hot salsa, salsa verde and frozen onion and pepper veggie mix and decided to fix my lingering Mexican craving with fast, fit and gluten free fajitas with an enchilada twist.

Faji-Ladas: this picture doesn't do it justice, but I was so hungry I forgot to take a pic before diving in

I like to call them Faji-Ladas! Simple, light and roughly 30-40 minutes to cook, below is how it can happen to you:

Prep Chicken, in this case my chicken was already cooked, so I just cut the thighs in thin slices, you can also used ground turkey or steak (leftovers are best to speed the process along)
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Heat up veggies on the stove and season to taste. I used sea salt pepper, cayenne pepper and jalapeno
Grate cheese, ideally use Mexican queso, but I used sharp cheddar because it's what I had in the fridge
Once veggies are cooked, heat tortillas in the microwave, if you don't have one of those cool tortilla heating dishes, use a wet paper towel and wrap the tortillas tightly so it creates a moisture trap. heat 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, depending on your microwave
Then assemble. Take tortilla, which should be warm and flexible, add a tiny amount of cheese, chicken and veggies, roll up tightly and lay in a baking dish, repeat quickly before the tortillas get cold. I made eight.
Once they are all assembled in the baking dish, top with remaining cheese and add salsa's
Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortillas are heated all the way through
Add guacamole if you like
Serve and eat! Ole!

#APlateADay

Cream Pie Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:47:00 +0000

You know when your family is speechless, especially mine that a dessert is good. My sister who doesn't often compliment said, "I think this is the best dessert you've ever made." Her boyfriend admittedly didn't have any gluten-free jokes.

This dessert left me wanting seconds, which is rare. Since this is also one of my favorite desserts: banana's+cream, I was happy it turned out close to perfect.

I made banana cream pie with a gluten-free ginger snap crust and homemade whipped cream. I tried to make a gluten free pie crust, but it wasn't working the way I hoped, so I improvised on the crust and I'm glad I did!

Below is the recipe. The custard needs to be just right (preferably prepped the day or night before to allow for it to set) and takes a little forearm strength, but the end result is worth it.

Custard:

4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium size bowl beat the egg yolks and set aside. In a saucepan combine whole milk, granulated sugar, salt and cornstarch and bring to a simmer while whisking constantly, about 2-3 minutes.

Add a portion of the milk mixture to the egg yolks whisk, then add remaining milk mixture (you do this in increments so you don't scramble the eggs).

Then pour egg and milk mixture into a clean saucepan and whisk constantly until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.

Pour mixture into a clean bowl, cover with saran wrap pressing it directly on the surface to avoid skin from forming. You can put the custard in an ice bath or refrigerate for up to one day. I prefer refrigeration overnight.

Crust:

gluten free ginger snaps, I prefer Mi-Del's
1/2 cup of butter
2/3 brown sugar

Mix together and press firmly into pie plate, bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 tablespoons of confectioners sugar

Whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like. Set aside in fridge

Assemble:
Cut 3-4 bananas lengthwise and lay on the bottom of the cooled crust, spoon custard over the bananas and spread evenly with a spatula. Top with whipped cream and refrigerate for at least one hour and no more than one day.

When ready to serve, slice banana's and arrange on the whipped cream, snap a picture and post to Instagram, cut and enjoy. #APlateADay

Tip: this custard recipe can be made into chocolate an used in multiple recipes.

No-Dough-Nut

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 05:32:00 +0000

I've been baking all week. I had a weird birthday cake request, two orders of cake pops, tomorrow I'm prepping 300 minis for a Nickelodeon screening, Saturday I need to bake up something for Easter Sunday at my moms (hopefully banana cream pie) and Monday I'm making another pretty large birthday cake.

With all the sweets in my house, I'm still craving donuts. I have all the ingredients to make a gluten free version but I haven't gotten around to it, so instead I decided to research where I could find some.

Who knew we had so many options in LA! Check it:

Breakaway Bakery
Rising Hearts
The Gluten Free Goddess Bakery
Tia's Bakery
Cookie Good (ok, no gluten free donuts but the cookie flavors sound amazing)
Sinners and Saints (again, no gluten free donuts, but gluten free tres leches!)

#APlateADay

Goy Matzo

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:54:00 +0000

To continue my life as a non-Jew, I decided to attempt to make gluten free matzo ball soup, which turned-out delicious and just in time for me to celebrate passover, alone on my couch.

In all honesty, I wasn't feeling that great today and I have a busy week ahead of me, so I bought some chicken stock, which then turned into buying veggies and gluten free matzo crackers that I oohed and awed at when I found them at the store. I don't shop like a normal person, there is never a list and I talk to myself or the food on the shelves, a lot.

Anyways, matzo ball soup from Whole Foods or Bristol Farms used to do the trick when I was feeling a bit under the weather, but until recently, I felt restricted with my gluten allergy. Then, I decided to get a hold of myself!

I can cook, which means I should try and go out of my comfort zone and make gluten free versions of my favorite dishes. Don't get me wrong, I like you, have a fear of cooking sometimes.

I'm a perfectionist, so when something doesn't turn out right it doesn't make me feel good. When I was in my twenties I was making the company birthday cakes for E! Entertainment, if a cake wasn't perfect (usually enough to feed 100 people) I would throw out the entire cake. I've learned how to fix desserts and my neurosis, slightly.

Cooking is easier to adjust and if all else fails, unless you've charred something, your partner or dog will eat it. Below is the recipe I attempted today.

What's your biggest cooking/baking fear?

Matzo:

4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons of melted butter
2 teaspoons of parsley
About 1 box of gluten free matzo crackers
2 tablespoons of water

Slightly beat eggs add all the ingredients, until it forms a dough, if you need a little more water you can add more. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Chicken stock:

One whole chicken
Onions
Celery
Carrots
Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken stock until chicken is fully cooked, remove chicken and access fat. If preferred, chop up some of the chicken, add some additional veggies and return back to the chicken stock until veggies are fully cooked. If you need more liquid you can add up to two cups of water into the stock, but remember to season again to taste. Remove veggies as well as most of the chicken and set aside covered so they stay warm.

Remove Matzo dough from the fridge, roll into balls and set on a plate. Make sure chicken stock has returned to a simmer, not boil. drop in matzo balls, cover and cook for 30 minutes. They will expand and rise to the top. Don't lift the lid!

To serve, if guest prefer the chicken and veggies layer those at the bottom of the bowl, add two-three matzo balls per bowl and finally spoon stock into the bowl. It's best served piping hot, the veggies and chicken will reheat with the stock. Enjoy!

#APlateADay

Free WiFi

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:30:00 +0000

The past two months free WiFi and food have become really important to me, put the two together and it's like a tiny 'miracle find' for the day. Let me also preface this post by saying, this is might not be the most enlightening read, but I need places to work in case this becomes my permanent life.

Cafe Americano

If Urth Caffe had free WiFi I would be there all day, as I'm sure the rest of LA would. If Starbucks or Coffee Bean had almond milk, I could cope and I'm sure they'd have more business.

Every now and then a local restaurant will give me their private password, like D'Amore's Pizza on west 3rd in LA. But this got me thinking, when working virtually, where do you go?

I love my house, but I don't want to be there all day and I especially like it when I can work outdoors. Besides drinking coffee, sometimes a glass of wine or a good meal is in order, so where do I go besides Starbucks and Coffee Bean?

Well there is a list of places, that I just found (let me Google that for you).

Do you have a favorite spot?

Let me know, as I would love to get some insight, even if that means driving to the beach. ;)

#APlateADay

Drunk Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:05:00 +0000

I love a good cheese plate at the end of a meal, which means I also love a good cheesecake. This rich dessert can also be made gluten-free in a variety of flavors.

My pumpkin, chocolate and plain tart cheesecakes are among my favorites, but the one that always keeps the crowd coming back for more is my margarita cheesecake with a gluten-free pretzel crust. Yes, it includes alcohol and tastes just like a margarita. And since I will be making it for this Sunday's LA Foodie Drunkin Dessert Cart event, I thought there was no better time to share this easy peasy recipe that you can make at home.

Preheat oven to 325

Cheesecake filling:
3, 8 oz packs of cream cheese
3/4 cups of granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier (add this to taste and start with one tablespoon, I usually use the cap to measure) or 2 tablespoons of Triple Sec
2 tablespoons of Tequila
2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Blend sugar and cream cheese really well in a heavy mixer, add eggs one at a time, then continue with the ingredients as listed scrapping down the bowl between each addition. Important: Don't forget to taste throughout! Start out with one tablespoon of the alcohol ingredients and add as needed, remember most of it cooks out so the batter should taste like a margarita, but not too bitter.

Crust:
4-6 ounces of Gluten Free Pretzels, Glutino is my favorite brand.
3/4 cups of brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 stick of butter melted (1/2 cup)

Grind pretzels (not literally but in a Cuisinart) until fine. Add sugars, whisk and then add melted butter, should taste salty sweet! Also if the crust feels dry and is not sticking together, you can add a little more butter as needed, pending altitude and humidity.

Assembly:
Press crust into cheesecake pan, should go up on the sides as well. I like to pour a line around the edge and work it up and then fill in the center to ensure there is enough crust to go around and it is equally distributed.

Pour cheesecake filling into crust, filling will be higher than the crust. Then you can do one of two things. I have had success with both. Put the pan on a cookie sheet and bake until set, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, but cheesecake should not be brown. Or line pan with foil (very important if you choose this step, otherwise you will have a soggy crust), transfer to cookie sheet, put in the oven and fill cookie sheet with water to create a water bath.Remove cheesecake from oven and chill in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving.

Here is a great tip the Paul Hollywood, from The Great British Bake Off shared with me when I was auditioning for The Great American Baking Competition (no, I didn't make the cut). Anyways he said when the cheesecake is done, put it on the floor, literally on the floor, to cool before putting it in the fridge to avoid any sinking in the cheesecake.

Optional topping:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup of sugar

This topping is also great on fruit, especially strawberries. Spread on top of cheesecake and sprinkle with lime zest or a little bit of the leftover crust.

Remember have fun and if you don't succeed your partner or dad will be happy to eat it. #APlateADay

This Thai or that Thai

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 05:35:00 +0000

Since I've been on hiatus from real life, I've had a lot of time to eat, drink, exercise, cook/bake, spend time with my son and oh, did I mention eat? Luckily, I've lost weight, probably in part due to eliminating the ridiculous stress (harassment) that came with it and my new routine exercise plan.

You would think with all this spare time on my hands I would be cooking everyday, but I'm not. My hubby and I like to eat-out and order-in a lot. And while lately, I often feel like a Stepford Wife, telling him what shirt to wear in the morning and going out to pick-up a few things like Q-tips and toothpaste (yes this happened today), he still offers to pick up dinner from our favorite restaurants. I mean why would I turn that down?!

Tonight I was at my son's kinder-class open house, which is always a bit awkward because only two or three moms will talk to me. The dad's are nice, but it feels like a scene from the "Help" when Celia Foote tries to bring a pie over to Hilly Holbrook's house while she's having a luncheon and they all hide (no, not the "chocolate pie" scene with Minny).

My husband couldn't make it because he was stuck in a meeting, so he offered to pick up Thai from our favorite (hole-in-the-wall) place called Melanee Thai (rumored to be Quentin Tarantino's favorite date place) that we discovered when we moved into the neighborhood. Oddly enough we never have to discuss where to order food from either, it's like we can read each others tummies.

Melanee Thai is authentically amazing and they even offer recipes on their website that you can try at home. Paul Butpet's, inspired by his childhood experiences and his mother's cooking in Thailand, creates some of the most delicious and creative Thai dishes in all of Los Angeles. Have a look at Paul Butpet's history to learn more about his unique cooking style and how he became a Thai chef.

We usually order the Tom Kar soup and Pad Thai with vegetables and chicken (extra spicy). Tonight we added the Red Curry, so we could share leftovers tomorrow. I know we are really cute, not really we just really like to eat good food, everyday.

So today instead of this tie or that tie, it was this Thai or that Thai, which is just how I like it! #APlateADay

Finger Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:25:00 +0000

My husband has hockey on Tuesday nights, which means I generally don't cook. Don't take this the wrong way, but this is also one of my favorite nights of the week. I get complete control of the remote and I can eat whatever I want, which usually entails wine and finger foods.

Not sure if you have seen the movie Mermaids, but Cher's character (Rachel Flax) reminds me a little of my mom, particularlythe way she "cooks" or makes a plethora of snacks that she calls dinner. Some of my favorite quotes, aside from the dirty ones:

"A word about Mrs. Flax and food: the word is "hors d'oeurves." Fun Finger Foods is her main source book and it's all the woman cooks."

"I'm going to make real sandwiches; big ones that a man can sink his teeth into."

This is how I envision my Tuesday nights. Snacks galore. Aside from what you have already read (Dip with a Side of Chips), I love chocolate and wine and sometimes that makes for the perfect meal.

While I can't drink red wine because of allergies, if I could, I would pair it with a good chocolate bar. Some recent chocolates I have fallen in love with, listed below, were either featured at this year's Natural Products Expo West or can be found at Whole Foods, who will soon provide GMO labeling for products (or at least by 2014)!

Here are my recommendations for times when chocolate sounds better than breakfast, lunch or dinner:

Lily's Sweets
John & Kira
Chocolove xoxox
Bissinger's Handcrafted Chocolatier, Banana Pecan Caramel Bar, Coconut Caramel with Red Hawaiian Sea Salt Bar and Dulce de Leche with Sea Salt Bar
Endangered Species Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almonds and Dark Chocolate with Cherries
Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt
Lake Champion Chocolates
Justin’s Nut Butter, dark chocolate organic peanut butter cups

#APlateADay

Cake Crack

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Every time I host an event, no matter what's on the table, if there are cake pops those are the first to go. These pretty desserts that taste like yummy doughnut s covered in chocolate still fascinate people and are easy to eat and surprisingly easy to make.

Whether you make the cake from scratch or from a box, the frosting is key, ideally both are made from scratch, but if you don't have the time to make a cake at least make the frosting (butter, powdered sugar & extract flavoring). Below are some easy tips to make cake pops, please excuse all the "ball" references.

Cake Crack:

Once the cake is baked and cooled, you simple crumble it into pieces into a bowl (if the top and bottom of the cake are browned or have a crust only use the center of the cake).

Then add frosting, one cup at a time depending how much cake you're using. You want the cake moist enough to roll into a ball but not oily. Also don't work the cake too much as it will become more oily if reshaped a number of times.

Once frosting is fully incorporated, roll into balls and line on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Once all the balls are rolled, put the balls in the freezer for about fifteen minutes.

Use Wilton Chocolate, there are a variety of colors so you can have fun with this part as long as the flavors go together. They currently have a limited edition marshmallow flavor, which is delicious.

Melt the chocolate in deep microwavable bowl, about one minute and stir (pending your microwave temp). Take balls out of the freezer, should be cold and stiff (that's what she said), but not frozen or the chocolate will crack.

Take the stick, dip the end of the stick into the chocolate, and insert into one of the balls. Hold for a few seconds right-side-up to ensure ball is stable and "glued" to the stick with the chocolate.

Then dip the entire ball into the chocolate and place into a cake pop stand or Oasis or Craftfoam will also work, to ensure the chocolate dries.

Repeat process. I have found that one cake makes about 50 pops and one bag of Wilton's chocolate covers about 25 pops.

#APlateADay

Rosa Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:36:00 +0000

Anyone that knows me, knows my nanny Rosa does nothing. It's a long running joke amongst friends, "you still have her!" But every time I try and let her go, she starts crying and tells me that someone in her family "died" that day.

And while my son, age 6, now just orders her around, and I'm home for the time being, it's pretty pathetic really. The only reason I think I keep her around is because every now and then she makes what Andrew and I call "Rosa Rice."

It's amazing. I asked her the other day if she could make us some, and while she looked at me like I asked her to give me her first born, she said sure, but she needed some things...celery, onion, one bell pepper, frozen pees, carrots and corn.

Not sure how she does it but I know she uses a little bit of butter and I am pretty sure she sneaks in "Caldo Sabor a Pollo" chicken flavor bouillon, that she hides in the back of the cupboard so that I don't see it and tell her not to use it.

Sometimes she adds shredded chicken breast, which makes for a great meal. Here is a photo, and while she won't technically give me the recipe I'm pretty sure she browns the celery, onion and bell pepper in butter than adds the rice, water and frozen veggies till it cooks down as instructed on the bag.

#APlateADay

Juicers, Yogurt Stands and Blow Dry Bars, Oh My!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:11:00 +0000

Apparently Beverly Hills Juice has been around since 1975 and I only discovered it about three months ago. I know juicers have been popping up as quickly as yogurt stands and blow dry bars (it's the 1980's all over again) but this place is legit.

I will say I was intimidated the first time I went in and described it to my friends as the "juice nazi." The space is small and the door needs to stay closed, so only about three people fit inside at a time. The door must be closed behind you, so the line forms outside until there is enough room for you to go inside and order.

I was scared the first time I entered this establishment, so I ordered the first thing I saw, which was the Green Geenie. I immediately fell in love, the after ginger hit had me at first bite. Since then I have had the Banana Manna almond shake with a variety of different juices, which is practically two meals in one.

There are many more flavors I need to try, but if you're looking for something clean and pure that also tastes amazing, check this place out.

Beverly Hills Juice

8382 Beverly Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90048

323 655 8300

M-F: 7—6 SAT: 9—6

#APlateADay

Salad, the Next Day

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 04:26:00 +0000

I really wanted to make gluten free blueberry popover's today, but I got super lazy and "plan" on getting to them tomorrow. In exchange, I made the quickest easiest dinner for today's #APlateADay.

Last night I made roasted chicken and potatoes with a side of kale salad because I always want something green on my plate. The roasted chicken and potatoes were also a mindless meal, well seasoned and both in the oven at 375 degrees.

Since I had leftover kale salad, and kale actually tastes better marinated overnight, I used the remaining salad as the bed for my turkey burger.

Turkey burger was simply seasoned in salt and pepper and garlic powder with a little bit of mustard on a skillet and topped with a very thin slice of cheddar cheese.

I added avocado to the kale, topped it with the turkey burger and a little bit of horseradish. This is how I eat most of my burgers since I can't have bread and haven't found a gluten free bun I like yet. It also feels lighter and makes for a less filling dinner.

For dessert: chocolate chips straight from the bag, because I have to have my chocolate. Enjoy!

Kale Salad:

Grated carrots
Washed and blanched kale
Red cabbage
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinated overnight

#APlateADay

Dips and Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:05:00 +0000

I could eat chips and salsa for dinner any day of the week, add guacamole and I'm the happy camper add a margarita and I'll hang out with you all night. Make it nachos fully loaded and I might marry you.

My friend and I were talking the other day about how much we used to love potato chips with homemade onion dip, spinach dip, sour cream and chives you name it, but if it was in front of us we would eat the whole thing.

I always say the chip is just a vehicle to help you politely put the dip in your mouth. Really it's all about the dip.

Sundays are my day to lounge around, eat and drink without feeling guilty, so today we made some simple nachos with cheese and jalapeno in the oven at 350 with some salsa and my homemade guacamole, which is also very simple yet delicious (recipe below). I would love to hear what your favorite dips are, especially if you have a good spinach dip, since I always seem to get that wrong no matter how hard I try. #APlateADay

Guacamole:

Four avocados
1/3 cup lemon juice
Sea salt (to taste)
Pepper
Cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon horseradish

Almond vs. Soy

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:49:00 +0000

I'm still in bed and realized I missed yesterday's #APlateADay. I was at Natural Products Expo West and was able to eat my way through the conference and discover some really great new products. Exhausted and worn out, I made a quick turkey pasta, too soon, which I then managed to overcook when I was re-heating.

We all burn dinner or make something that isn't great every now and then, so instead I'll post my weekend breakfast: Almond Latte from Urth Caffe, which my husband hand delivers to me in bed every Saturday and Sunday.

This is my perfect cup of coffee and I'm secretly disappointed when people want to meet at Starbucks or Coffee Bean because I know I'll have to order soy, which got me thinking I used to love soy milk and replaced it with almond when I discovered I was gaining weight.

Some of my friends have a soy allergy and beyond just the milk, soy is a harder thing to avoid than you'ld think--it's in everything! A gluten allergy is easy in comparison. So what are we eating and why did CA voters reject Prop 37?

Prevention Magazine posted a great quick health comparison guide for Almond vs Soy, but what is soy doing to our bodies?

Some will argue that the estrogen levels in soy can cause a number of diseases and increase cancer risks, thyroid problems and cause stomach issues if consumed in large quantities. Traditional Asian diets are made up of whole foods and typically only contain two teaspoons of soy per day, found only in fermented condiments. So have Americans taken soy to far?

Surprisingly yes! Almost everything that is processed and packaged contains soy, which means that regardless of whether or not you have a soy allergy, you shouldn't be eating these foods. So for overall health purposes I'm challenging you to consider the Soy Allergy Diet guide during during your next three meals to determine how much soy you are consuming on a daily basis. You might be surprised and discover healthier alternatives that actually do a body good. #APlateADay

Cake and Icing

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:51:00 +0000

So I make desserts, a lot of desserts. I usually have one or two events per week, which gives me the opportunity to meet a lot of amazing people and connect with great organizations.

Funny thing is when I'm prepping and decorating, the last thing I want to do is eat, so I usually don't. After taste testing frosting and batter (when its gluten free) my sugar high is enough to get me through the night. Today I'm prepping and decorating, but since I promised #APlateADay I thought what better way to pull you into my kitchen then to share my basic cake recipe. Feel free to make it your own and be creative!

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon of baking power
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon if preferred

Wisk together in a medium size bowl

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
3 whole eggs
1 cup buttermilk

In a mixer or with hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until white and fluffy. This step is so important, the sugar needs to dissolve and can take up to five minutes. Don't worry about over beating this step as its the only part of the cake you should.

Add vanilla, add eggs one at a time scrapping the bowl down after each addition.

Once eggs are incorporated, you're going to add dry to wet and milk, dry to wet and milk, always ending with dry, which means add about half cup of dry and mix on low until blended into wet ingredients then add about 1/3 cup buttermilk and repeat process, until you end with dry.

Use a non stick bakers product to spray on your pan and divide into three 6 inch cake pans, or two 9 inch pans, or cupcakes/minis.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter
1/2 pound of powder sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix together on high until well blended, fluffy and white.

Cut each layer in half with a bread knife to make six tiers for the 6 inch cake or four tiers for the 9 inch cake.

Ice between tier...

Dirty ice...

Then add your final layer of icing and decorate as desired.

Dinner for One=Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 23:41:00 +0000

Yes, it's true sometimes I eat alone. Not one of my favorite things to do, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.

Since I have a new-found gluten allergy, it's not as easy as grabbing a bowl of cereal or making a piece of toast with peanut butter. I know there are gluten-free options for these quick meal replacements, but in all honesty, I like whole foods and my meals piping hot (warm and spicy).

Tonight I'm in the mood for eggs and with some leftover chicken in the fridge, it's as easy as...

Warm up leftovers (in my case chicken, can be Thai, Chinese, pizza, pasta, rice, or just eggs)
Add ingredients you have in the house, like salsa, cheese, or avocado
Top with two poached or fried eggs

If you need a little more carbs, start with a corn tortilla and repeat steps one, two and three.

#APlateADay

Gluten-Free Penne Pasta with Braised Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:44:00 +0000

Dinner can be a daunting task, especially for those of us with kids, a demanding job and/or both. In a effort to help you cook everyday I'm going to post A Plate A Day, where you can find easy, but delicious recipes that will wow your partner or last minute guests.

Gluten-Free Penne Pasta with Braised Chicken

Gluten-Free Penne Pasta with Braised Chicken Drumsticks

Braise the chicken:
Don't be alarmed by this word it just means to cook down the meat, for this particular recipe I used drumsticks, but you can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

Add drumsticks to a deep skillet
Sprinkle chicken with sea salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic powder on each side of the chicken and grill dry in the pan on each side until nicely browned
Add 1 cup of tomato sauce or pasta sauce and white wine, cover and cook chicken on medium heat until done, about 20 minutes

In a separate pot, boil water, add gluten-free penne pasta (my favorite brand is Pa stariso brown rice pasta)
Once chicken is done, pull each piece out and cut meat off the bones, if using chicken breasts do the same and cut into strips (keep sauce in the deep skillet)

Add cut chicken back to the skillet on low heat, add pasta with a pasta spoon or strainer so that some of the pasta water makes it's way to the chicken and sauce into the deep skillet. Cook down for a few minutes, then add lime juice from two limes to add some acidity and break down some of the salt and fatty chicken and stir.

Finally serve and eat! #APlateADay

Sugar cookie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:15:00 +0000

Well it's that time of year, and everyone is pulling out all their great holiday recipes. I love this time of year not just because of the food but because I get to spend a little extra time with my family.

Sugar cookies seem to be among the most favorite to make with friends and family. I'm hosting a fun party at my house where we'll be making Christmas sugar cookies and watching "Elf." So in light of this event, below is my sugar cookie recipe. It's easy and taste much better than that store bought roll.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup butter (or shortening Crisco)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup of light corn syrup (or pancake syrup)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 cups of all purpose flour (+4 tablespoons divided)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Baking instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine sugar,and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, syrup, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients including flour, baking powder/soda and salt
Once combined gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture at low speed
Mix until well blended without over mixing
Divide the dough into 4 quarters

Tip: If the dough is too sticky refrigerate for one hour in plastic wrap

On a sheet of waxed paper spread I tablespoon of flour and flatten one fourth of the dough by covering it with another piece of waxed paper to roll it out evenly
Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters and place on baking sheet
Bake for 5-10 minutes (depending on thickness) and let cool on a wire rack before decorating!

Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

Butter cream frosting:

While baking get the decorating ingredients ready and be creative!
The key with butter cream frosting is that for every stick of butter you use twice as much of powdered sugar and one teaspoon of almond extract
If adding food coloring you can use vanilla extract

Have fun and get the kids involved!

Your friends will think you entered a pie contest

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:34:00 +0000

OK, so since this KCRW Good Food Pie Contest I'm on a pie kick, which isn't surprising since I get addicted to yummy foods. And even though my margarita meringue pie with a pretzel crust didn't win I made another pie today to take to my moms for Labor Day.

This chocolate, banana, peanut butter pie is so easy your friends will think you entered a pie contest! The whole process should take a half hour tops--if its taking you longer you're doing something wrong. As a reference this blog took longer to write than the pie! :)

Recipe as follows:

Crust

1 1/4 graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup of sugar
5-6 tablespoons of butter (add more or less depending on altitude, should be sticky yet crumbly)
1/4 cup of sliced almonds (optional)

Mix together in one bowl with a spoon or fork and transfer to a greased pie pan, pushing the sides up first then filling in the center. Make sure it's packed nicely.

Filling

1 packet of chocolate instant pie filling
1 packet of vanilla instant pie filling (if using almond milk or a milk substitute this helps solidify the filling)
3 cups of milk (I use almond milk)
1 thinly sliced banana (optional)
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoons of nutmeg

Mix instant pudding with milk. Once it begins to thicken add banana and peanut butter. Pour into graham cracker crust. Preheat oven to 350.

Meringue topping

Don't be scared of meringue, it's easy and yummy.

4 egg whites, or 3/4 cups of egg white from a carton
6 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of cornstarch

Remember if you plan on adding anything else to the meringue do it quickly after the sugar and cornstarch has been Incorporated with an additional teaspoon of cornstarch blended with whatever you add.

Beat egg whites for 2-3 minutes until soft white peaks form, add the sugar and cornstarch mixture one tablespoon at a time until fully Incorporated. The egg whites should be stiff and stand on their own.

Spread the meringue mixture over the chocolate filling all the way out to the sides of the crust should seal the crust. Then pile remainder on top so it creates a fluffy mountain.

Transfer to oven and back for 10-12 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature and don't refrigerate.

WA LA you're done! Now don't just sit there! EAT!

Cookies for Kid's

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:17:00 +0000

As we get our little kiddos ready for back to school we can pretty much guarentee a bake sale will take place, either during after schools sports, theater arts events, fundraisers and cheerleading activities.

This morning I came across a great organization called Glad to Give. They posted information about Cookies for Kid's Cancer a great non-profit who among many things are matching all bake sale funds to benefit kids with cancer!

So as you get ready to plan those neighborhood or school bakes sales take a minute and register your baking event here: http://register.cookiesforkidscancer.org/ and Cookies for Kid's Cancer will match the funds!

We are all strapped for time so this is a great way to help without having to worry about another charity event to attend or organize. No excuses!

xo
Sweet Spils

KCRW Pie Contest--Come Cheer me on!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:17:00 +0000

If you are planning on attending the Taste of Beverly Hills Event this weekend (or even if you aren't) come cheer me on at the KCRW Pie contest! This event is FREE, I repeat THIS EVENT IS FREE and open to the public.

I'm entering in the cream pie category and will be featuring my Margarita Cheesecake Meringue Pie with a Salty Sweet Crust--yummy! We also get to feature our favorite aprons in a mini fashion show. Sweet I'll be the 5 foot model.

I hope you will all be there to cheer me on! There will be plenty of pie.

CONTEST DETAILS
The pie contest begins at 4 pm at the Taste of Beverly Hills event space behind the Beverly Hilton.

Bar 210 (formerly Trader Vics)
9900 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills 90210
(directly behind the Beverly Hilton)

PARKING
Valet - at the Beverly Hilton, $30
Self Parking - at 2030 MGM Drive in Century City, $12; Free shuttles will take to you the event site. Shuttles begin running at 3 pm.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The event begins at 4 pm. Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded at around 5:30 pm. The event ends at 6 pm.
We will have an apron fashion show brought to you by the Urban Craft Center. So please plan on bringing your favorite apron to show off. Chris Douridas will be DJ-ing throughout the event. After the pies are judged, we invite everyone to taste all the pies.

PRIZES
There are 5 categories (Fruit, Nut, Cream/Chiffon/Mousse, Savory, and Interpretive) and they'll be awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons for each category. One pie will be chosen for Best in Show. We've also added a "Best Crust" award.

Host a Child

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:50:00 +0000

The Summer of 2010 is almost over, but The Fresh Air Fund still needs loving host families. They are looking for families in the following areas: Red Hook, Columbia County, Saugerties, Delmar, Guilderland & Altamont, Latham and Rensselaer, NY. If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign-up to give a child the summer of a lifetime!

To sign up visit: http://www.freshair.org/sign-up-your-child.aspx
For more information on the Fresh Air Fund:visit: http://weneedfreshairfundhosts.com/

Cupcake Wars!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Spilsbury) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:19:00 +0000

I haven't blogged in so long! New goal is to blog and share tips once a week.

Also I wanted to share some news, I was recently asked to audition for the Food Networks "Cupcake Wars," so I submitted a video. Chcek it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR_nXxXcX_U

xo
-Heather