Jet Chef

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Today is National Gumdrop Day!

Today is National Gumdrop Day! I love gumdrops, and gumdrops are a favorite cake and cupcake topping as they bring a smile to any face, young or not-so-young!

(image from marzipancandies.com)

Here is a darling Gumdrop Garden Cake from FamilyFun.com. I know I will be making this with my kids, looks like a fantastic way to celebrate spring! April Showers bring May Gumdrop Flowers?!

Gumdrop Garden Cake

Ingredients:
Pound cake or other loaf-shaped cake
Chocolate frosting
Ladyfingers
Chocolate wafer cookies
Sugar
Gumdrops
Green toothpicks

Preparation:

1. Ice the top and sides of the pound cake with chocolate frosting. Then trim the top of each ladyfinger into a point to resemble a fence picket. Gently press the pickets against the frosted sides of the loaf cake.

2. Seal a handful of chocolate wafer cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Sprinkle the crumb "soil" on top of the loaf cake.

3. Plant a row of tulips: Sprinkle sugar onto a waxed-paper-covered surface. Using a rolling pin, flatten gumdrops to a 1/4-inch thickness. With kitchen scissors, cut notches in the tops of the flattened gumdrops to create tulip shapes. Insert a toothpick stem into the base of each blossom.

4. Make a pair of leaves for each tulip by trimming flattened green gumdrops into teardrop shapes. Spear the base of each leaf with the toothpick stem and push it halfway up the stem. Now plant the tulips in the cake.

5. For a fun finishing touch, sprinkle coconut tinted with green food coloring around the garden to resemble grass.

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

Today is National Creme-Filled Chocolates Day!

Today is National Creme-Filled Chocolates Day! Otherwise known as....Happy Valentine's Day!

Jet-Chef.com hopes that you have a wonderful Valentine's Day and that you enjoy your creme-filled chocolates...along with any other kinds of chocolates that you receive from your loved ones!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Today is National Tortellini Day!

Today is National Tortellini Day! I have to say that one of the favorite summer salads in my house is a cold tortellini salad that I create with the packaged refrigerated tortellini from the grocery store. To that I add a variety of veggies, cheeses, some protein (usually salami) and toss it all with a homemade Italian dressing. One of my dear friends (lovingly, I hope!) refers to it as that "tortellini kitchen sink salad" as it is one that you can put anything into and it is still completely delicious!

I have the cold tortellini covered, and with the recent cold, rainy days here in Southern California I have been searching for new soup recipes. Here is a perfect tortellini soup recipe from Epicurious for a cold, wintry day!

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Bon Appétit October 1993
by Pam Blanton: Aspen, Colorado

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage or chorizo sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
5 cups beef stock or canned broth
2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
8 to 10 ounces purchased fresh cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Sauté Italian sausage in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic to Dutch oven and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Return sausage to Dutch oven. Add stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, wine, basil and oregano. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Add tortellini to soup and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.