Category: dessert

Back in May as I was checking the Places In The Home Facebook page a particular post from NESTLÉ Coffee-mate Natural Bliss caught my attention.

Coffee-mate was announcing their Publish My Bliss Recipe contest on the Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Facebook page.

The rules for the contest seemed simple enough.

The recipe submission must include at least one (1) Coffee-mate Natural Bliss ingredient (all-natural Caramel, Sweet Cream, Vanilla, or Low Fat Vanilla), step-by-step instructions, preparation instructions, cooking time and temperature, and recipe title.

The opportunity to have one of my recipes published in the Blissfully Delicious recipe cookbook along with those of celebrity chef Claire Robinson and NESTLÉ Kitchens was very appealing.

I submitted my Vanilla Bread Pudding With Vanilla Sauce recipe with high hopes and fingers crossed.

You can only imagine how thrilled I was to receive an email notification stating my recipe, Vanilla Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, was 1 of 10 selected in the Publish My Bliss recipe contest and would be included in the cookbook, Blissfully Delicious.

The holidays present the perfect occasion for A game dishes and desserts, and this Vanilla Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce recipe rises to the occasion.

Vanilla Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding:

1 loaf (1 pound) French bread

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup half-and-half

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ Coffee-mate Natural Bliss All-Natural Coffee Creamer

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

For the sauce

½ cup butter or margarine

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ Coffee-mate Natural Bliss All-Natural Coffee Creamer

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

For bread pudding:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 13 X 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Break French bread into small pieces; place into prepared pan. Melt butter or margarine.  Pour over bread. Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in large bowl.  Add cream, half and half, and Coffee-mate Natural Bliss; mix well. Pour over bread pieces.

Bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

For the sauce

Combine butter or margarine, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, and Coffee-mate Natural Bliss in small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil.  Remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Serve warm with bread pudding.

 

Valentine’s Day is a food lovers dream holiday, and these Valentine’s Day food ideas were developed with that in mind, appropriately revolving around the main ingredients found in Cupid’s recipe box of delicious delicacies.

Chocolate.

Strawberries.

Honey.

♥♥♥!

Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests and Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette top the Places In The Home Valentine’s Day food ideas list for a delicious celebration on the day of love.

Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests

Ingredients

12 sheets phyllo dough

½ cup sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced

3 squares dark chocolate, shaved

½ cup milk chocolate chips

3 teaspoons honey  or to individual taste

whipped topping

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

For Phyllo Nests 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on cookie sheet or counter work surface.

Using soft brush, brush over sheet with melted butter. Lightly sprinkle entire sheet with sugar.  Top with another sheet. Butter, sprinkle and repeat until  6 sheets thick.  Repeat to create another 6 sheets stack. Using a pizza cutter or large knife, make ten vertical slices and one horizontal slice down the middle of each stack.  Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Line each muffin cup with 1 of the phyllo pieces at a time, covering sides and bottom to form a cup.  Repeat making 12 cups. Using a microplane, shave dark chocolate over each cup to dust.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately place desired amount of chocolate chips in each cup allowing to melt.

Top melted chocolate chips with strawberry slices, drizzled honey and whipped topping.  Dust topping with cinnamon.

Up next is a delicious, light and easy salad perfect for  a Valentine’s Day lunch or a light supper starring none other than the official unofficial fruit of love, the strawberry.

Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

Ingredients

1  5.5 oz. container half & half salad mix~spring mix and baby spinach

1 ½ cups cleaned and sliced strawberries

1 cup toasted Creole pecan halves or pieces

½ medium red onion, peeled and sliced to desired thickness

Creole Pecans

1 cup pecan halves or pieces

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon Creole seasoning

Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sugar

2  tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2  tablespoons corn syrup

2  tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon honey mustard

generous squeeze fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon celery seed

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread pecan halves or pieces on ungreased baking sheet.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat or in microwave in microwave safe bowl on high at 5 second intervals, or until melted. Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Sprinkle Creole seasoning mix over buttered pecans, gently tossing with a spoon to incorporate seasoning. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

For Vinaigrette

Directions

In mixing bowl or glass jar with lid, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

Whisk or shake, blending all together.  Add remaining ingredients, stirring or shaking well.

Place salad greens in mixing bowl.  Top with sliced strawberries, onion slices and pecans.

Drizzle vinaigrette over mix in small amounts until you reach the desired amount.  Toss all together and serve.

Delicious!