Sugar & Spice by Celeste

***Brad and my Uncle Hal have created a monster...an ice cream monster!  Brad surprised me with a Cuisinart ice cream maker as part of my Valentine's present this year.  I was so excited, because I've been wanting one for a while.  My Uncle Hal found this particular ice cream maker while we were shopping during their recent visit. Get this...it makes ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet...all just by flipping a switch.  There's no hand-churning, rock salt or bags of ice required.  This machine makes it so easy, which probably isn't very good for our waistlines!  Thank goodness we've both been working our butts off (literally, I guess!  haha) on the treadmill.  A little ice cream is a good reward for such hard work, right??  That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.  :-) When I asked Brad what flavor he wanted me to try first, his answer was a resounding Mint Chocolate Chip!  See, that's always been one of his favorites, if not h...

***Some things are so addictive - chocolate, a good book, coffee, shopping...and these Cheese & Sausage Balls!   My Aunt Julie brought the ingredients along when they came to stay with us last weekend.  Brad and I were both so happy!  This recipe is something that she makes on Christmas day every year, so it was a special treat for us to have them on William's birthday weekend!   The best part? - This recipe is incredibly easy but absolutely packed with yummy deliciousness.  Each little bite is like biting into a sausage biscuit from your favorite breakfast restaurant.  Even though they are made with hot sausage, they're not too spicy.  Let me just say this - I usually don't like anything that's super spicy, and these are amazing!  We did leave out the cayenne pepper, but if you like the heat, by all means add it in! This is the sort of thing that would make a perfect appetizer for a party.  They'd be so cute wi...

***I have had such a fabulous, awesome, and fun weekend...I am sad that it's almost over!  On Friday, my Uncle Hal, Aunt Julie and cousin William came into town for William's birthday.  I was so happy that I got to help celebrate his big day and even happier that I got to spend the whole weekend with them!  He turned the big 1-7, and I had just the perfect idea in mind for his cake.  A few weeks earlier, he mentioned that he had seen my cinnamon rolls on this blog, and that he really wanted to try some.  Well, what could be better than a birthday cake made entirely out of cinnamon rolls, then?!? When I was younger, I remember going to Hal & Julie's house for dinner.  We would eat spaghetti, swim in their awesome jacuzzi and eat Cookies & Cream Ice Cream... Oh.My.Goodness... That ice cream...   Uncle Hal working his magic... The whole gang... I still remember how decadently perfect that ice cream always was.  It was cr...

*** Prosciutto...Just the word brings back delicious memories from our time in Italy.  That's where you can find the finest Prosciutto di Parma in all the world.  I remember waking up at our hotel in Florence, Italy and walking downstairs to a gorgeous array of breakfast food - prosciutto included!  Sadly, the packaged prosciutto that you can find in the grocery stores here in the USA just doesn't compare.  However, I will say that The Fresh Market has some of the best that I've been able to find.  There, they cut it fresh for you. This recipe for Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken is simply delish.  The toasted pine nuts and nutmeg both add such wonderful flavors to this dish.  In fact, if you don't have nutmeg, don't make this chicken without it - It makes such a difference! When a trip to Italy isn't possible, this yummy dinner sure does do the trick! Bon Appetit!*** Florentine Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Source:  Look + Cook co...

***Just in time for the Chinese New Year, here is a stir-fry recipe that's packed with delicious, citrusy flavors.  I was so pleased with the way this dinner came out, and I'm thankful there are leftovers in the fridge!  The sauce is incredible...It's made up of orange marmalade, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and chicken stock, which couldn't be any easier.  The sauce has a fresh, delicate taste that isn't overpowering.  The orange flavors and fresh ginger are definitely the star of the show. This dish comes together so fast.  Take Rachael's advice and have all the veggies prepared and next to the stove.  As you can see, I used thinly sliced chicken when I prepared it.  Like Rachael mentions, you can also use pork or shrimp.  If you're feeling extra ambitious, you could even use all three and make it a stir-fry combination! WATCH THE VIDEO: You can watch Rachael Ray make this dish HERE ! If you want to learn more about the Chinese New Year, here ...

***I have a new obsession...It comes in the form of a crunchy cookie that when dipped in coffee becomes one of the most decadent bits of deliciousness that I could imagine.  What is this, you say?  Biscotti, of course!!  I posted a recipe for Dreamy Coconut Biscotti   back a few weeks ago, that really was the stuff that dreams are made of...haha.  I wanted to try another biscotti recipe, and this one for Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti sounded amazing for two reasons: #1.  I recently purchased a big bag of the most beautiful whole hazelnuts that I needed just the right recipe for. #2.  Chocolate - That's the best reason I can think of to make anything! In one bite of this heavenly biscotti, you might get equal parts crunchy goodness from the hazelnuts, and equal parts gooey goodness from the chocolate morsels.  Like any good biscotti, they are incredibly crunchy on their own, but when dipped into your favorite coffee, they become the perfect cons...

***Do you love Chinese food?  I know I do! This recipe from Rachael Ray is like having Chinese takeout at home.  It's packed with amazing flavors - orange, bell peppers, red onion, fresh ginger, Chinese Five Spice...I mean, wow!  This was the first time that I've cooked with 5-spice powder, but I liked it. And the rice...YUM!  The rice is flavored with orange zest, orange juice and scallions, which results in one amazing side dish.  The citrus adds such a fresh taste to this entire dish and will leave you wanting seconds. It's easy to halve this recipe too.  I made dinner for just Brad and myself, so I simply cut all the ingredients in half.  It worked like a charm. Next time, skip the expensive Chinese restaurant and make your own delicious meal at home! Bon Appetit!*** Zin-Zen Chicken Source:  Look + Cook cookbook by Rachael Ray Ingredients: 1 cup rice 2 cups chicken stock Zest and juice of 1 orange, divided 2 tablespoons EVOO...