A Little Slice of Heaven....in print!

I have decided to have my blog printed. Yes, that is correct....A Little Slice of Heaven will be a 280 page book.
This blog started out as just somewhere to keep recipes that I loved...but it has become so much more than that. Each post tells a story. In a way...they capture every memory, experience, every moment of happiness in my life. My blog tells the story of my life and all the wonderful people in it.
I am honored to have such amazing people in my life..whether it be friends or family. I love each and every one of you...with all my heart.

Happy Cooking...
XOXO,
Arge

Red Velvet Cake Bars

Red Velvet Cake Bars

For Cake -
1 box Red Velvet cake mix
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Cream Cheese Layer -
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, butter, vanilla extract and egg until combined. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined. Press cake mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake layer.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bars barely start to pull away from sides. Cool completely before cutting.

Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

I love this recipe...probably because I love carrot cake.

Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

1 package frozen carrot cake, thawed and cut into 1-inch cubes (I use Sara Lee)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden and black raisins
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 package instant butterscotch pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine carrot cake cubes, walnuts, and raisins.
Combine half and half, dry pudding mix and cinnamon; whisk until well mixed. Pour over carrot cake mixture, stirring gently. Pour into prepared casserole. Dot with butter. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until hot in center. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pretty Freakin' Awesome Skirt Steak Marinade

Pretty Freakin' Awesome Skirt Steak Marinade

1 1/2 lbs. skirt steaks, fat trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and fresh ground pepper

In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place the skirt steak in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade on top of the steak. Marinade for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill, when hot remove steak from marinate and season with salt and pepper. Place steak on grill. Cover and cook until seared, about 3 minutes. Flip steak over cook another 3 minutes. Transfer meat to a cutting board, tent with foil and let steak rest 8 minutes before slicing thin against the grain.

My Top 5 Places to Eat....

As you know, I am very picky about my restaurants. VERY PICKY!! Food is food...but awesome food is an experience. I have said this a million times, I don't care if the place is cheap, fancy, close to home, or a 2 hour drive. I don't mind paying $300 for a meal, as long as it knocks my socks off. There is nothing worse than paying for food that you walk away wishing you never ate. My thing is, a restaurant has to be consistent.
We don't eat out a lot, but when we do...it is only to a few "Arge Approved" places. Here are my top 5.

5. Yuki Hana - Little Ferry, NJ
Okay, Yuki Hana is a little, upscale hole-in-the-wall and just happens to be the only place that I will eat sushi at. I don't know what it is, but their sushi is just unreal. My suggestions - Rock Shrimp Tempura, Lobster Tempura Roll, Beef Yaki Soba, Fuji Roll.

4. George's Place - Cape May, NJ
Every time we go to Cape May, we stop at George's, usually for breakfast. I love, love, love George's. The food, the photos of his kids on the walls...everything. You seriously can not walk in there and not smile. Plus I love when owners work at their own restaurant. My suggestions - Bananas Foster French Toast, Waffle Nutella, Tiramisu Waffle.

3. PF Chang's - Hackensack, NJ
Okay, okay, okay...I understand that this is a chain restaurant BUT I have never had a bad meal there. Whether it was eat-in, take-out, at the bar, it was always good. Plus, I never said that this was the top 5 restaurant list of the Tri-State area. These are my favorite places to eat. That being said, PF Chang's has become the only place that we will eat Chinese food from..lol! My suggestions - Chang's Spare Ribs, Steamed Pork Dumplings, Mongolian Beef, Dan Dan Noodles.

2. Telly's Taverna, Astoria, NY
What restaurant list of mine would be complete without a Greek restaurant! I love Telly's. I love Nana, the owner, I love the food, I love the atmosphere. Their tzatziki is the best I have ever had. In my opinion, if you want awesome Greek food, it's worth the trip to Queens. My suggestions - Greek Salad, Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, Fried Zucchini and Eggplant, Grilled Octopus.

1. Frankies Spuntino, Brooklyn, NY
Billy and I had gone to Frankies for a birthday party. The atmosphere was charming. The front of the restaurant looks like an old school brownstone complete with a courtyard with small bistro tables in the back. The food just blew me away. Everything we have eaten there has been phenomenal. It is perfect for little romantic dinners, showers, girl's nights. I know people hear Brooklyn and think its too far away. But honestly, our drive only took about 20 minutes and we are coming from New Jersey. My suggestions - Antipasto with an assortment of meats, cheeses, olives and crostini, House-made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter, Meatballs with Pine Nuts & Raisins.

What are we, after all, without our memories......

For my wedding, I had printed and framed scanned copies of old family wedding photos. Surprisingly, my dad thought it was one of the greatest parts of my wedding. I remember him standing at the table, picking each one of the frames up and staring at the photos inside. There was a picture of his parents, my mother as a flower girl at age 4, my grandmother as a flower girl in 1927. To me, it was like having family, who have since passed on, there with us in a way. It was honoring their love and commitment to each other just as Billy and I had done earlier that the day.
The photos have since taken up permanent residence in our home, framed and hung on the wall at the top of our stairs. They are a piece of my past and of my heart.

My mother's aunt Anna and uncle Frank on their wedding day. On the left are my great-grandparents, Marie and Joseph.

My grandmother on her second wedding day, October 31, 1955. Aunt Julia and Uncle Frank are in the background.

My grandmother and my mom, 1948. She was a flower girl. The dress was turquoise. I always found that fascinating.

Billy's grandfather Oscar and his grandmother Charlotte.

My grandmother, bottom left, as flower girl, 1927.

My great-grandmother, Marie, on her wedding day, circa 1915.

My great-grandparents, Marie and Joseph.

My grandparents, my dad's mother and father, Argero and Konstantinos.

Memories from my wedding....

Sweet Corn with Bacon, Onions and Cream

Sweet Corn with Bacon, Onions and Cream

1 bag super sweet frozen corn, thawed or 10 ears of cooked corn, shucked
6 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup finely chopped scallion

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the garlic and onions and cook in the bacon drippings remaining in skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn and cream and cook over moderately high heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until corn is heated through and the cream has thicken slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in scallion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place creamed corn in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the bacon before serving.

Onion, Jack and Bacon Tart

Onion, Jack and Bacon Tart

5 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Generous pinch of salt
Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 pack cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 package pie crust dough

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 10 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust is set and partially cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. Cool crust while making filling but maintain oven temperature.
Sauté bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion and pinch of sugar to drippings in skillet and sauté until onion is deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Whisk cream, egg, egg yolk, white pepper, salt and nutmeg in small bowl to blend. Spread the onions over bottom of the baked crust; sprinkle the bacon over the onions, then the cheese. Pour in the cream mixture.
Bake until tart is puffed and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool tart on rack for 10 minutes. Remove pan sides. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb. small to medium white mushrooms, stems removed and caps wiped clean
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup minced shallots or red onion
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mozzarella, Parmesan and onion and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Position the rack at least 5-inches from the heat. Spoon a generous teaspoonful of the stuffing into each cap, mounding it slightly. Arrange the mushrooms onto a broiler pan and broil for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are hot and the stuffing is slightly golden brown.

Mariana - Toddler.....Career Woman.

Look......I have important calls to make!

Hold please...let me check my computer.....

Mariana - 14 months old
August, 2011

I'm sorry....BUT.......

....do people REALLY need a recipe for Grilled Cheese?

Good thinking!!

People are always asking me about my blog. What's it about..How do I find it...which leads to a small problem....argeslittlesliceofheaven.blogspot.com is long and kinda hard to remember. LIGHTBULB!!! Make business cards!! This way, whenever someone asks me about it, I can hand them a card. LOL....look how cute -

World peace through food.....

So I have come to the conclusion that risotto makes the world a better place.....

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Buttermilk-Avocado Dressing

This recipe makes a great appetizer also. The spiciness of the shrimp rub is cooled by the creamy buttermilk-avocado dip.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Buttermilk-Avocado Dressing

For the shrimp -
1 lb. jumbo or colossal shrimp, shelled, tail-on and deveined
2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Olive oil

For the dressing -
1 cup buttermilk
1 ripe avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the grill to medium.
Combine all the dry ingredients for the shrimp rub in a small bowl. Rub the shrimp with the spice mixture. Lightly oil the grate. Grill shrimp until they just turn pink, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, process buttermilk, avocado, parsley, shallots and lemon juice in a food processor for 30 seconds or until smooth. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve shrimp with the buttermilk-avocado dressing as a dip.

Footnotes - If you are using large or medium shrimp, you may want to use a grill basket or metal skewers to cook them.

4-Cheese Baked Ziti Alfredo

4-Cheese Baked Ziti Alfredo

1 - 16 oz. box ziti pasta
1 1/2 jars Alfredo sauce
1 - oz. container sour cream
1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
In a medium bowl, stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream and toss with ziti until evenly coated. In another medium bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs, 1/4 cup Romano, 1/4 cup Parmesan and parsley. Spoon half of ziti mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over pasta mixture. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cups of the Parmesan and Romano cheeses.
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.

Fun Food Fact.......KFC

When KFC first translated its advertising slogan “finger lickin’ good” into Chinese, it came out as “eat your fingers off".............LMAO!!!

I needed that laugh.....

Got my Williams-Sonoma fix....

My purchases from Saturday

Artichoke Appetizers

I got this recipe from my friend's mom. I love artichoke bottoms, even more than the hearts. This appetizer is so easy and tastes so good. Sometimes the simplest recipes are always the best!

Artichoke Appetizers

3 oz. block cream cheese
1 teaspoon chives
1 - 8oz. can artichoke bottoms
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 butter-flavored crackers, finely crushed
Fresh ground white pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously butter an 8-inch baking dish and place artichoke bottoms upright inside. Cut cream cheese into small squares, about 1/2-inch. Place 1 square in the center of each artichoke bottom. Combine white pepper, Parmesan, cracker crumbs and chives in a small bowl. Pat mixture on top of each artichoke. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly browned. Serve warm.

Sweet Italian Sausage and Caramelized Onion Bread Pudding

Anyone who knows me knows about my love affair with caramelized onions. I could literally put them on anything and believe me, I have tried.

Sweet Italian Sausage and Caramelized Onion Bread Pudding

4 oz. sweet Italian Sausage links, about 3 links, casings removed and crumbled
5 or 6 small yellow onions, sliced
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 - 1 oz. slices day old French bread, cubed
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup apple juice
1 large egg white
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups half and half
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 15-20 minutes until very soft. Add sugar and salt. Lower heat to low and continue to cook for 40 minutes until golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vinegar and blend well.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the half and half, dry mustard, salt, eggs and egg whites. Add the bread cubes and toss gently to coat. Let mixture stand for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In another small skillet, add the sausage and let brown for 10 minutes. Add the apple juice and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 15 minutes. Add the caramelized onions to the pan with the sausage and stir to combine. Add the sausage mixture to the bowl with the bread and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Stir again to combine. Spoon into a greased 8-inch square baking dish and bake for 40 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Tiny Princessa on Etsy....

I have known my friend Melanie since freshman year of high school. I say this a lot...thank God for facebook otherwise I would have never been able to reconnect with so many friends that I have lost touch with.
Around this time last year, I saw Melanie had posted these handmade hair clips for little girls. Well, you know me and anything handmade....I just had to have them! I bought 4 sets for Mariana for Christmas.
The clips....called Clippi's....are handmade by Melanie using recycled felt and craft thread. She also has little handmade ribbon Clippi's. My favorite is the ladybug! You can even order custom pieces!






Check her out on Etsy...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TinyPrincessa