Recipe4Living.com Launches 5th Birthday Celebration

If you've vowed to "cook more" is part of your New Year's Resolutions, Recipe4Living.com is here to help. They've got a few contests, giveaways and recipes going on which should help you get off to a good start stay on track for 2011 (and beyond).

January 1st, 2011: Recipe4Living.com Launches 5th Birthday Celebration
Recipe4Living, a recipe and cooking site with over 19,000 user-submitted recipes, is turning 5 and we're celebrating all month! We're making our birthday month special with all sorts of contests, giveaways, and recipe collections!

Here are all of the fun birthday features you’ll find on our site during the month of January:

***Contests and Giveaways***

The Recipe4Living 5th Birthday Contest, Sponsored by Scharffen BergerIt’s our 5th birthday, and what better way to celebrate then with a birthday cake! Enter your best birthday cake recipe and you’ll have a chance to win an amazing gift basket from Scharffen Berger, filled with baking chocolate, a cookbook, and tasty chocolate bars! Then vote for your favorite birthday cake, and watch and see which cake comes on top- the winner is chosen by you! Click here to read more and enter!

The January T-Shirt Giveaway: Help Us Get to 20,000 Recipes!
We’re determined to reach 20,000 recipes by the end of our birthday month, so we need your help! Submit a recipe- any recipe- and each day that you do so during the month of January, you will be entered into a drawing to win an exclusive Recipe4Living t-shirt! Prizes are given out daily, so enter now- you might just become the most stylish cook in town! Click here to read more and enter!

***Recipe Collections***

For our birthday, we decided to look back on the best of the best! From chicken dinners to desserts to crockpot creations, we found the highest rated recipes ever and put them into these special collections. Click the links below to see our users’ very favorite recipes from the last 5 years.

Our 10 Top-Rated Recipes EVER!

Our Top-Rated Recipe Collections of All Time!

Our Top-Rated Dessert Recipes Ever!

Our 10 Top-Rated Soup Recipes of All Time!

Our Top-Rated Salad Recipes Ever!

Our 10 Top-Rated Crockpot Recipes of All Time!

Our Top-Rated Chicken Recipes of All Time!

Our Top 10 Highest Rated Casserole Recipes!

Be sure to 'like' Recipe4Living.com on Facebook follow them on Twitter for updates.

Happy Birthday, Recipe4Living.com!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Sunday's PARADE: Kitchen Queens

Source: PARADE

Today’s PARADE features three of TV's favorite kitchen queens: Paula Deen (FoodNetwork: Home Cooking With Paula), Lidia Bastianich (PBS: Lidia's Italy) and Daisy Martinez (Cooking Channel: Viva Daisy!).

You can also check out this video, courtesy of PARADE, which contains delicious recipes, helpful hints, playful dialog and kitchen horror stories.

Check your local news stand for PARADE and get ready to plan a terrific Sunday Supper.

So. Let's eat!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Oscar Night: Recipes from Hyundai

Tonight's the night!

Its less than 11 hours to go (per the official Oscar Countdown) before showtime. Are you ready?

(I am!)

But. Just in case you're not, fret no more. Well, Hyndai (along with Serious Eats and Bakerella) has quite a few delish items to add to your last-minute "Oscar Party" menu. They've got everything from rough and rugged Inglorious Custards (totally guy-friendly!) to family-friendly UPcakes (how cute is that?!).

Check it out:




Keep in touch with Hyundai: Join their Facebook Fan Page, check out Hyundai "Blend Out", use Hyundai Genesis to "edit" your own coupe or sedan, follow them on Twitter and get your very own Party Guide.

In case you've missed it, check out our recent posts in the 'Oscar Night' blog series. Whether you're hanging out with your friends, getting acquainted with neighbors, chillin out with family, laying low with your better half or flying solo, we've got recipes to suit your needs and satisfy your pallet.

The 2010 Academy Awards airs today. Check your local listings for details.

Enjoy the show!

 *Smooches&Hugs*

Oscar Night-Plan Your Fab Menu: Aztec Chicken Roulade

Here's the last recipe from the Easy Leaf Products kitchen:

AZTEC CHICKEN ROULADE

By Wendy Brodie, Host of The Art of Food

(on behalf of Easy Leaf Products)

Makes 4 rolls, serves 4 to 6:
4 chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup caramelized onion paste*
1 cup spinach, wilted**
1 cup mushrooms, thin sliced and sautéed***
1 red bell pepper, 1/4 inch strips sautéed****

• Plastic Wrap  
• String (optional)  
• Two tone bell pepper purees (see recipe below)  
• Edible Gold Petals/Flakes or Edible Gold Powder/Sprinkles 

Procedure:

Lay out a chicken breast, with the side down that had the skin, between two sheets of plastic wrap. Place on a heavy chopping block or cutting board. Pound with a flat surfaced tenderizing hammer (not textured). Flatten to a 1/4 inch thickness, shaping as you pound so it does not leave gaps in the meat. However, don’t worry if you have some gaps, it will roll up nicely anyway.

  

Assembly:

Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Season breast with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Next spread about 2 tablespoon of caramelized onion paste on breast (like butter on toast). Then lay out ¼ cup of the wilted spinach, leaving about an inch on each side clear. Next lay ¼ cup each of the cooked mushrooms and red bell peppers in a mounded line in the same direction as you will roll the breast up. Roll the breast tightly, using the plastic wrap to keep it secure. Be careful not to roll the plastic wrap inside the roulade. When rolled very tight, holding each end of the plastic wrap twist each end in opposite directions. This will create the sausage like roulade and tighten it even more. Then tie the ends with string or use plastic wrap stretched out like a string.

Cooking:

In a large pot of boiling water, place the roulades and poach for about 15-minutes, remove from the water and rest for about 10-minutes. Unwrap the roulades and cut in 1/2 inch diagonal slices. Serve hot or cold on two tone bell pepper purees, topped with Oro Fino. 

• To caramelized onions, place chopped onions in a sauté pan over low heat with a little cooking oil. Slowly sauté until transparent and a bit golden but not too dark. The slow sauté allows the sugars of the onion to come out and cause the browning. Make a paste by putting the cooked onions in a food processor.
• Place spinach in a microwave bowl, cover with plastic wrap and heat about 50 seconds. Spinach should be just wilted and not watery.
• Cut mushrooms into thin slices and sauté in a little vegetable oil until tender and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut red bell pepper into 1/4 inch strips and sauté in a little vegetable oil until tender, season with salt and pepper.

Two tone bell pepper purees:

2 red bell peppers, diced and seeded

2 yellow or orange bell peppers, diced and seeded

2 cups Riesling wine

Salt to taste

Procedure:

In two separate sauce pans, place each color of bell pepper along with 1 cup of wine. Bring to a slow simmer and cook about 20 minutes until peppers are soft. Then puree each in blender or food processor.

Final Presentation:
On a large platter lay the yellow or orange and red bell pepper purees in an artistic pattern. (Such as zig zag lines) Then lay the chicken slices in the middle. Sprinkle ORO FINO powder on top of chicken and sauce and or lay a petal of gold on each slice of chicken.

I hope these recipes make for an outstanding Oscar Night gathering!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Oscar Night-Plan Your Fab Menu: Guilded Caviar

GILDED CAVIAR

Created by Lynn Neuberg
(of Easy Leaf Products) 

Ingredients:
Bite Size Blini
Beluga Caviar
Crème Fraiche
Fresh Herb, such as chive or tarragon
Gold Sprinkles/Coarse Grind-23kt

Method:
Make sure blini are room temperature. Gently place a teaspoon of caviar on top of each blini. Top with crème fraiche

Garnish:
On the side of the crème fraiche place a fresh herb such as a chive and then sprinkle with pure 23 karat gold sprinkles.

Tip: Blini are small, yeast-leavened, buckwheat pancakes that originally come from Russia. Classically they are served with sour cream and caviar or smoked salmon.

Stay tuned for more delish recipes in our Oscar Night series!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Oscar Night-Plan Your Fab Menu: No Ordinary Mimosa

Oscar Night: Plan Your Fab Menu!

NO ORDINARY MIMOSA
Created by The Ultimate Bar Chef Sean Bigley
(on behalf of Easy Leaf Products)

Ingredients:

¾ oz. Belvedere Pomarancza Vodka

½ oz. Caravella Orangecello

4 oz. Champagne or Sparkling Wine

1 oz. Orange Juice

ORO FINO (edible gold) Sprinkles (course powder)

1 lemon

Method:

Sprinkle ORO FINO (edible gold) course powder onto parchment paper.

Cut the lemon and use one wedge to moisten the rim of the champagne glass.

Twist the rim of the glass in the edible gold sprinkles until the rim is covered.

Mix the vodka, orangecello, champagne/sparkling wine and orange juice.

Serve immediately.

Stay tuned for more delish recipes in our Oscar Night series...

Bottoms up!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Oscar Night: Plan your FAB Menu!

I wasn't aware, until I saw the poster today, that Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were hosting this year's Academy Awards.

That's gonna be fun AND funny!

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards (aka "Oscar Night") airs LIVE on ABC Sunday, March 7th 8:00pm EST/5:00pm PT. Click here for details on this and other Oscar Week events.

Planning a viewing party for "Oscar Night"? If so, Easy Leaf Products has a few delicious ideas to try. These are suitable for the less formal/more relaxed/still FAB crowd. Many want to enjoy the show, minus the suit and tie. I'll be posting the recipes during the upcoming weeks leading up to Oscar Night. (Hence the recipe forthcoming remark.)

Consider that your Countdown. (Sorta)

Photo credit: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Check out the Press Release...

MEDIA CONTACT:
Razonia McClellan
RM Public Relations
432.686.9956
razonia@razoniapr.com

CREATE YOUR OWN FABULOUS OSCAR NIGHT

Easy Leaf Products Edible Gold Adds Glam to Oscar Parties

LOS ANGELES (February 16, 2010) – As movie lovers begin planning their Oscar Night (Sunday, March 7) guest menus, Easy Leaf Products offers a few suggestions to create a star-studded event at home. The same edible gold used since 2006 by Spago’s chefs at the Governor’s Ball Dinner, Easy Leaf Products offers the ultimate decoration for food and beverage with their ORO FINO (edible gold) product line. For more information on products and recipe ideas, please visit their Web site at http://www.easyleafproducts.com/.

First, start the evening off by serving guests a No Ordinary Mimosa (recipe forthcoming) or Martinis with edible gold as they arrive. Next, serve Gilded Caviar (recipe forthcoming) or even store bought Sushi and sprinkle a few edible gold petals on top.

For the main course, serve Aztec Chicken Roulade (recipe forthcoming). This savory dish is topped with edible gold and is as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the mouth. For the grand finale give each guest a chocolate truffle filled with champagne and gilded with edible gold by Chocolatique called Bubbly (retail: $35 for 15 pc / available at http://www.chocolatique.com/) or simply shake edible gold sprinkles on your favorite dessert recipe.

Until a few years ago edible gold and silver were available only to the professionals. Now, with the use of the cleverly designed and packaged shakers and boxes with bamboo tweezers, every culinary devotee can easily and efficiently adorn food and beverage in their own home. Edible gold and silver are available in three forms: leaves, sprinkles and petals. Amazingly, the products are quite affordable with prices ranging from $23.00 (100 mg shaker garnishes 25 drinks or desserts) to $120.00 (1 gram shaker garnished 125 drinks or desserts).

Easy Leaf Product’s uniquely packaged line of ORO FINO (23 Karat Genuine Edible Gold) and ARGENTO FINO (Pure Edible Silver) are perfect for gilding cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, wedding cakes, pastries, and savory dishes. Products are available for purchase on Easy Leaf Products e-commerce Web site (http://www.easyleafproducts.com/) and through a variety of retailers across the nation such as Dean & DeLuca; Fancy Flours (http://www.fancyflours.com/); Great News Cooks in San Diego; Neiman Marcus catalog and e-commerce site (http://www.neimanmarcus.com/); Surfas in Culver City; and Sur La Table stores, catalog and e-commerce site (http://www.surlatable.com/). Easy Leaf Products, a division of Neuberg & Neuberg Importers Group, Inc., is based in Los Angeles, CA and is the sole importer and distributor for all ORO FINO and ARGENTO FINO products in North America.

# # # 

 

Let us know if you plan on celebrating Oscar Night!

*Smooches&Hugs*

Bottoms Up: ROSANGEL Tequila

ROSANGEL 1800 Tequila

Talk about CUTE.

A very female-based spirit. ROSANGEL is a premium aged tequila, that is pink in color from being aged in Port wine barrels. Also, it is the first of its kind on the market, as it is infused with hibiscus flowers, giving it a very distinct taste and scent.

Perfect for your next Girls Nite In gathering! ;-)
 
Check out these recipes...

Click here for more information on suppliers & more recipes.

Until we sip again...

*Smooches&Hugs*

Bottoms Up: Three-O's "Three Step Hangover Helper"

Happy New Year's Eve!

(Finally.)

OK, party people...Resolutions or not, the last thing you wanna do is bring that mean 2009 hangover into 2010. Trust me. I've heard the stories, viewed pics, re-wound (is that even a word? *shrug*) the video footage, replayed the voicemails & have read the text messages. With that being said, I hope you've been paying close attention to my recent "hangover-helper" posts -- like you have my holiday cocktail/Bottoms Up series.

But, in case you haven't...Here's a recap ----> Happy Hangover-Free Holidays!


2010 is fast approaching, bringing with it New Year’s resolutions (blah!), a final slew of parties, champagne toasts and the dreaded first hangover of the year.

The Bloody Mary has long been appreciated as the ultimate hangover cure, but if you’re not feeling well enough to get to your favorite brunch spot, Three-O Tomato Vodka makes it simple to mix up “the hair of the dog” at home – even if you can’t bring yourself to turn the lights on.

(You may recall my previous Three-O Vodka post "Bottoms Up: The "Brunch-Worthy" Bloody Mary)

Capturing the essence of this classic cocktail, the Bloody-Mary-Ready Three-O Tomato is already infused with tomatoes, pepper, horseradish, and spices to formulate a smooth flavor with a zesty kick.

Three-O Tomato 3-Step Hangover Helper

• 1 1/2 ounces Three-O Tomato Vodka
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• Lemon wedge
• Mix ingredients with ice
• Squeeze in lemon wedge
• Garnish with celery stick

Have a safe, happy & hangover-free New Year!

Until we sip again...

*Smooches&Hugs*

Bottoms Up: Put some 'sparkle' in your Cider!

It's New Year's Eve-Eve!

*flings confetti*

Words cannot politely express how ready I am for 2009 to be over AND done with! This has been quite the year for me. It's had its ups, its down & somethings in between.

*le sigh*

I'm babbling. I digress.

Anywho, if you're anything like me & my friends, you'll be private-partying for the holiday. While you're in (or out), feel free to try out a few new recipes to wow the crowd. Get creative. Get cute. Let me know what you come up with.

As the New Year approaches, its time to get out with the old and in with the new. So, instead of toasting with the same old champagne, put some sparkle in cider with Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila. This diamond clear tequila offers fabulous cocktails like its, Diamond Celebration, which are sure to ring in your new year.  

Diamond Celebration

• 1 PART MAESTRO DOBEL TEQUILA
• 2 X FINE SUGAR CUBES
• 1 SQUEEZE OF LEMON WEDGE
• 3 PARTS FINE CHAMPAGNE (CHILLED)
• (Build in a champagne flute.)

Bling!

Dobel Manhattan

• 2 PARTS MAESTRO DOBEL TEQUILA
• 1 PART SWEET VERMOUTH
• 2 DASHES OF ORANGE BITTERS
• 2 COCKTAIL CHERRIES
• FLAMED ORANGE PEEL ZEST
• (Build in glass with ice and stir to perfection.)

Smokin!

 

Dobel Cran-Apple Toddy

• 1.5 PARTS MAESTRO DOBEL TEQUILA
• 0.5 PART TRIPLE SEC
• 1 PART CRANBERRY JUICE
• 2 PARTS HOT APPLE CIDER
• (Gently stir in all ingredients and serve hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.)

                                      Liquid gold!

About Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila

Maestro Dobel is a luxurious silver tequila with the complexity of an aged spirit. Created by Juan-Domingo “Dobel” Beckmann, the sixth-generation leader of the world's most prominent tequila-producing family, Maestro Dobel is diamond-clear - a result of a proprietary blending and filtration technique. Hand-crafted in Jalisco, Mexico, Dobel is a distinctive blend of three aged tequilas: Reposado (rested 15 months), Anejo (rested 24 months), and Extra-Anejo (rested for 36 months). Dobel is 40% Alc./Vol. and has a suggested retail price of $74.99.

Hint: Here's how to enjoy Tequila --->Swirl - Sift - Sip - Swallow

Enjoy & drink responsibly...Please & thank you!

*Smooches&Hugs*

get 'em girls: Baked Alaska...from Alaska!

Click here for a Baked Alaska recipe from the Experts Up North...

Blog Slackers: (I know, I know. Yeah, me too!) If you need to catch up, check out my GEG Archives for more fab, delicious, love, savvy, home, fit, green, family & shop posts!

Until we eat again...

*Smooches&Hugs*

Bottoms Up: The "Brunch-Worthy" Bloody Mary

Make Brunch-Worthy Bloody Marys From Home!

Any Sunday brunch devotee looks forward to that perfect Bloody Mary, but with the recession making it more difficult to brunch in style, hard working Americans are being forced to fire up their skillets and fend for themselves. And while some of us have perfected that egg white frittata, our Bloody Mary skills certainly leave something to be desired.

Thankfully, Three Olives Vodka has the solution with their Bloody Mary-ready Tomato Vodka. Capturing the essence of this classic cocktail, Three-O Tomato is infused with tomatoes, pepper, horseradish, and spices to formulate a smooth flavor with a zesty kick.

Retailing at just $19.99 a bottle, Three-O Tomato makes it easy and affordable to enjoy your favorite cocktail. So keep those pajamas on, kick up your feet, and give your wallet a break!

Bloody Martini

• 2 oz. Three-O Tomato Vodka
• 3-4 drops of hot sauce
• Dash of spicy Bloody Mary mix
• Shake with ice and strain into martini glass with Creole spice rim
• Garnish with grape tomatoes and mozzarella ball (speared)
• Chili pepper flakes optional

*Smooches&Hugs*

Bottoms Up: Holiday Host Gifts Under $25 & Cocktail Recipes

Everyone knows it’s a faux pas to show up to a holiday party empty handed… but how many bottles of wine does one host really need?

This year, mix it up with one of the 17 flavors of Three-O Vodka, or with some vibrant “Bar Art” from 1800 Tequila. Both options are available for under $25.

1800 Tequila’s Essential Artists Series - $24.99
1800 Tequila is thrilled to announce the release of the second annual collection of limited-edition Essential Artists bottles. Showcasing eleven designs gathered from over 15,000 online submissions, plus one special edition “celebrity artist” bottle designed by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One, this new line is a vibrant example of the undiscovered, yet soon-to-be-recognized talent residing across the country, and is the perfect addition to any bar.

Three Olives Vodka - $19.99
Featuring unique infusions like Pomegranate, Berry, Chocolate, Root Beer, Tomato, and Triple Shot Espresso, you can be sure to find the perfect flavor for everyone on your list. And priced at just $19.99 for a 750 ml bottle, feel free to stop worrying about spending that entire holiday bonus on pricey vintages.

Cocktail Recipes

Jingle Bell on the Rocks
2 oz. Three-O Grape Vodka
4 oz. cranberry juice
Splash club soda
Mix in a glass with ice and garnish with a lime wedge

Ho-Ho-Mojito
2 oz. Three-O Pomegranate Vodka
10 Fresh Mint Leaves
1/2 of a Lime
2 tablespoons simple syrup
Club Soda
Muddle mint leaves and lime in a tall cocktail glass.
Pour in simple syrup and fill glass with ice, add vodka and soda.
Garnish with a mint sprig and lime.

Blue Christmas
1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka
¼ oz. black raspberry liqueur
¼ Blue Curacao
Shake with ice and pour into a shot glass

Snowy Night
1 oz. Three-O Triple Shot Espresso Vodka
1 oz. white chocolate liquer
1 oz. half and half
Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with three espresso beans.

*Smooches&Hugs*

Recipe: Turkey Enchiladas

I love turkey.

Even more, I love leftovers! If you're not a fan or won't be unthawing the turkey, until Christmas, here's a recipe that might be of interest to you...

According to the National Turkey Federation, over 690 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving last year… leaving millions of Americans wondering what to do with all those leftovers after friends and family head out the door. For a tempting alternative to the traditional turkey sandwich, Dedric McGhee, executive chef of Thyme on the Creek, the in-house restaurant at the Millennium Harvest House Hotel in Boulder, CO is offering up his leftover-ready recipe for Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas.

Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2-4 ounce cans of chopped green chiles
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 1/3 tsp oregano
• 1/3 tsp coriander powder
• 1 ½ cups shredded turkey
• 2 cups cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
• 1 pack corn tortillas
• 1 pint sour cream
• 2 green onions, chopped
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Add the butter to a warm sauté pan.
2. Add onions and sauté until translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic.
4. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
5. Pour both cans of green chiles into pan.
6. Add cumin, oregano, coriander, chicken broth and a little salt and pepper.
7. Simmer for 5 minutes at low heat.
8. Place turkey in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the green chile mix, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and salt and pepper. Mix well.
9. Grease a 13x9 baking dish.
10. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and roll up. Place the rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Continue to add rolled tortillas until the top layer is filled.
11. Pour the rest of the green chile on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, green onions and salsa

*Smooches & Hugs*

Bottoms Up: Spiked Three-O Mocha

As the weather cools down, the cocktails are warming up!

The popular cold weather drink named “The Hot Toddy” is believed to have originated in the 18th century to make the taste of Scotch more appetizing to women. But if warm scotch still isn’t your cup of tea, there is a new spirit on the market that is perfect for taking the bite out of traditional cold weather cocktails – Three-O Triple Shot Espresso Vodka.

With not one, not two, but three shots of the finest Italian Espresso, Three-O brings coffee lovers the ultimate in espresso flavored vodka. Infused with a premium selection of imported roasted beans, the caffeinated cocktail also offers a hint of chocolate and caramel flavors.

Three-O Triple Shot Espresso captures the essence of the ideal after dinner drink, perfect for a chilly night on the town or for cuddling up by the fireplace.

Spiked Three-O Mocha

2 oz. Hot Cocoa

1 ½ oz. Three-O Triple Shot Espresso Vodka

½ oz. Amaretto liqueur

Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate

*Smooches&Hugs*