TBB - English Dried Fruit Cake

December 07, 2014 by Monica in Baking, Baking Club, Cookbooks, Desserts, Fruit, The Baking Bible

Almost everyone has a strong opinion about fruitcake. It is one of those desserts that there is no in-between, you will find the “love them” group and “hate them” group in every bunch. For the love them group, it as much a traditional part of the holidays as the tree, the holly and Santa Claus.

Many cultures have a rich, fruit-filled cake that is baked only on special holidays. The Germans have their “Stollen,” the Italians their Christmas “pannetone.” In Russia it’s “kulich,” the Czechs make “vanochka,” to name only a few. Some are breads, with a yeast base; others are cakes. Some have lots of candied fruits, raisins and nuts, others not so much.

Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad

December 08, 2013 by Monica in Cookbooks, Entertaining, Rice, Salad, Savory

This past thanksgiving among the turkey, sweet potato soufflé, gravy, stuffing and all the other stuff that was on the table I manage to serve a vegetarian dish for some of my guest.

Now a day, there should not be an entertainment menu without a vegetarian dish. I would not even call this a vegetarian dish, but an awesome wild rice salad with some pretty fall ingredients in the mix.

GCC: Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin

May 20, 2013 by Monica in Cookbooks, Cooking Club, Dinner, Entertaining, Gutsy Cooks Club, Main Courses, Meat, Pork

This past weekend I had every intention of doing this dish, except that I spend it running around doing errands and Saturday dinner turned into pizza.

Instead I decided, I would do it for Sunday’s dinner.

Sunday came and went and back in the refrigerator everything went. But, I made a mental vow that I was going to do this for our Monday night dinner no matter what.

I had doubts that this was going to work out for a quick meal, but once more, I realized that there is always a way. And in less than 1 hour, I had it on the table for us to dig in.