Delicious & Easy Home-Baked Bread

break bread with friends this holiday season

(recipe adapted from Jim Lahey with Sullivan Street Bakery)

Want to wow your guests this holiday season? This simple home-baked bread recipe will do the trick. No bread machine necessary, you just need to plan ahead.  Here's what you need:

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ONEHOPE Wine Tasting

good friends | good food | good wine

Any excuse for a party is a good excuse right? My thoughts exactly. Even better is when you get to host a party where you can involve charity and wine. Interested yet? This was the case at my most recent home gathering where I had the good fortune of inviting friends and loved ones over to sip on some delicious wine and donate proceeds to my charity of choice: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

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Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

A Gluten-Free/Paleo Dessert

Looking for a delicious (and nutritious) dessert recipe? Look no further - these chocolate zucchini muffins are delectable! I've made LOTS of zucchini breads, muffins and cakes in my day. But I wanted to try something different this time and it needed to be gluten free for a family member. Plus, my husband and I have been trying to follow more of a Paleo-style diet because of the great results it has provided in the past. 

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Magnificent Mugs

Sipping in Style this Thanksgiving

Wow! It's truly been a while since I've brought some fresh content to the blog. Life outside of The Unique Nest has brought some challenging adjustments to my career (moving from teacher to Assistant Principal in a large upstate NY high school) but I am back and ready to write!!! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for continuing to follow along and give me the love that you have. My readers are simply amazing! 

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Guinness & Coffee Pot Roast

This recipe is too good not to share!

I recently subscribed to Southern Living Magazine and boy am I glad that I did! They have the most delicious recipes and it's a break from the normal, traditional Northeast cookin' that I'm used to.

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Caramel Apple Cider Martini

Halloween Treats aren't just for kids after all :)

* Images by William LeBlanc Studio *

By now you must know how much I love Halloween!  A day to be different, a day to celebrate, and a day to entertain! While much of the focus is spent on costumes and candy, I'd like to offer up a cocktail that's delicious and simple for the adults...as well as a virgin version for the kiddos!

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Veggie Frittata

Greetings everyone!  I just had to share this delicious and guilt-free recipe with you. It is really yummy and easy to bake up. It's also very healthy and gives you the flexibility to use up left over vegetables in your fridge. My mother shared this with me after seeing something similar on an episode of The Biggest Loser. 

Here is the typed recipe from my wonderful mother...

***NOTE: We added phyllo dough in each muffin tin after spraying with non-stick spray

These are absolutely delicious and the recipe is easily modified based on what veggies you have in your home. Bon appetite! 

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Sweet Potato Pasty

OK - so it's Superbowl Sunday and I was trying to figure out what to make this year. I literally had four boxes of Pillsbury Pie Crust in my refrigerator from all of the holiday pies that I never made. I also had a sweet potato, onion and ground beef that needed to be cooked. Add these together and you'll arrive at my super-easy, and super-yummy "Pasty". Pasties are a traditional English recipe that comes from the Cornwall region. There are different variations and you can get creative with your filing.

For the sweet potato version that I made, you'll simply need the following:

1. One large sweet potato
2. 1 # of lean ground beef (you could easily cut this out of the recipe if vegetarian)
3. One onion (yellow will do just fine)
4. Seasoning: Nutmeg, Kosher Salt, Cracked Black Pepper
5. Olive Oil

This recipe is totally fool-proof. Here you go...

• Brown the ground beef in a non-stick pan (drain the grease)
• Once drained, drizzle about 1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
• Turn heat to a low setting and then season with 1 tsp. nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
• Add diced sweet potatoes (I always soften mine in the microwave first for about 5 minutes) and finely chopped onion
• Sautee on low for about 10 minutes - cover and let soften

• Remove pan from heat and set aside
• Take out your read-made pie crust. Cut down the center of the pie round making two, half-moon shape pieces of dough (One round = 2 pasties)
• Spoon meat filing in center of half-moon
• Fold together from each end and seal edges like you would a pie crust

• Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes 
• Pasty should be light brown in color
• Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving ~OR~ freeze in Ziploc freezer bag for a ready-made meal
• That's it! ENJOY :)

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Venison Bourguigon

Every year my husband tries to get me to eat venison - and every year I just can't get past the "gaminess" of the flavor. Our good friend Steve and his wife Andrea give us fresh venison each season (depending on how bow hunting season goes...he he) and while my husband Carmen is overjoyed, I'm not always as enthusiastic. But this year my husband was on a mission; a mission to cook a dish in which I wouldn't even know that I was eating venison. While I hate to admit it...his attempt was a success!

The recipe came from www.aspicyperspective.com The direct link and instructions to the recipe can be found on http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2011/11/venison-bourguignon.html 

Ingredients:

3 Tb. olive oil, divided
8 oz. chopped bacon
3 lbs. deer roast meat, chopped into large 2 inch chunks
2 lbs. carrots, chopped into large chunks
2 onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, halved
½ cup Brandy
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
2 cups Venison stock (sub. beef stock)
2 Tb. tomato paste
4 Tb. butter, softened
¼ cup flour
Salt and Pepper
3 lbs. baby golden potatoes

This really was a great winter meal for the whole family. Served over baby golden potatoes and with a warmed french baguette, it was really delicious! Give it a try...

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Sunday Brunch @ The Tailored Tea

The Tailored Tea

It does not happen often, but when the stars are aligned just right, I get a little girl time with my mother and daughter. Today we thought it would be fun and different to go out for a Sunday brunch at a local tea house. The Tailored Tea (located directly next to the Albany Airport) is set in an historic farmhouse that was built in 1785. The Ebenezer Hills, Jr. Farmhouse is certainly not short on character. Original wide-plank wood floors, quaint rooms and period decor make this the ideal setting for this wonderful tea house.

 

Owner Annie Misir has clearly put time and energy into all the details that make this place so special. The menu, linens, antique porcelain china, etc. are finely balanced to give you that nostalgic Victorian feeling. We selected the freshly brewed Irish Tea in a full pot which yields about six cups of tea (half-pots are also available). My seven-year old daughter opted for farm animal-shaped pancakes, which were really fluffy and delicious. I went with their eggs benedict served over a lemon and rosemary scone, also very good. My mother went with the special which was an egg and vegetable breakfast quesadilla (not pictured). 

  

The Tailored Tea hosts several special events and also has private rooms for showers, parties, etc. To find out more about The Tailored Tea, please visit their website at www.thetailoredtea.com  

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Easy Breezy Blueberry Scones

Every Sunday we have what we call "Special Breakfast". Not the most creative title, but we try our best to make something different and yummy. One of our favorites is Blueberry Scones. It's fun for the kiddos to help (my daughter Evey is awesome as a helper) and they aren't that difficult to make. You will feel like a Parisian pastry chef (OK...maybe that's pushing it), but you're palette is sure to enjoy this simple breakfast treat.

Start with the following:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (remember to always lower your temp if using a convection oven)

In a medium bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of flour, 2 tbsp. of sugar, 4 tsp. of baking powder and a 1/4 tsp. of salt. Cut in 1/3 cup of butter (I slice up a cold stick of butter ahead of time and keep refrigerated until this step). Your mixture should look like coarse crumbs - set aside.

In a separate medium bowl combine 2 eggs, 3/4 cup of heavy cream and about 1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen, either is fine).

Combine your blueberry/egg mixture with your dry ingredients and stir together until your flour mixture is all moistened. 

Flour a work surface to knead your dough into a circle about 10 inches in diameter (like a small pizza crust).

Cut your dough into eight wedges and place onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar on top before baking if desired.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 12-14 minutes.

Scones will come out fluffy and pretty!! My kids love them served with some drizzled honey and confectioners sugar (a side of bacon never hurts either) 

ENJOY!!!

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