When life gives you lemons...

Or a Ginger & Lemon Hot Toddy

Like most people this season I caught the flu and for the last four days-yes 1, 2, 3, 4 DAYS I have been in bed with the fever, sore throat, can't swallow flu. It has not been fun but like the sign says...when life gives you lemons, make lemonade or like I did make a Ginger & Lemon hot toddy. On Sunday morning when I realized that I had been caught by this flu I did an online search for homeopathic remedies for a sore throat and came across this a form called myhomeremedies. On this form was a recipe for hot water with ginger and so I sent Teddy to the store to pick up some fresh ginger root and lemons so I could get to work. It doesn't take the flu away but this Ginger & Lemon Hot Toddy makes the sore throat a little more bearable.

This has worked great for me and I just had to share it. One of the nicest things about this recipe is its easy to make and one batch can last a long time. Since ginger acts as an anti-imflamitory it helps with the swelling of the glands thus reducing the typical sore throat pain.

Ingredients:

3 Large ginger roots (purchased at local Grocery Store)

5-6 Lemons

Large pot of water

Honey (optional)

1. Use a peeler to peel the outside skin of the ginger. I don't know if you really have to do this but I feel like you get more from the root by doing it. It doesnt have to be completely free of skin but get as much as you can.
2. Slice and dice ginger into 1/4 inch-1/2 inch pieces
3. Place ginger in large pot and fill with water
4. Boil water and ginger on med for 10-15 minutes. The longer the ginger sits in the water the stronger the hot toddy.
5. Use a strainer or plate or whatever you have to fill your cup with some of the liquid.
6. Let the remaining liquid sit on the stove for 30 minutes and then transfer remaining ginger water to a container for later use.
7. Slice a lemon in half. Squeeze half a lemon in your hot toddy and sip while warm.

Your first hot toddy will be the weakest which is good because it will give you a chance to get used to the taste but as the ginger sits in the water it will make your next several hot toddy's VERY strong. For the last few cups I had to put a little honey to cut the tang of the ginger. Totally optional. You should feel some relief after the first cup is finished. Drink it throughout the day and right before bed. Always drink it warm.

Missing 2009 Sweet Treats...

A few projects that didn't make the blog but I wanted to share with you...

• Ralph Lauren Inspired Baby Shower Cookies
• Diamond Engagement Ring vanilla sugar cookies with sugar accented sugar crystals
• Louis Vuitton chocolate cake purse with Coffee buttercream filling.
• Individually wrapped Baby Bunny and Onesis sugar cookies
• Mini cupcake/cookie tower

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies!

What happens when you are given a great batch of strawberries and forget about them until its almost too late?

Three words- Strawberry Shortcake Cookies. Preliminary reviews from Mom, Dad and friend, Jay, say this is a recipe worth trying. We are having dinner with new friends tonight-I thought I would bring them a few wrapped in this pretty basket!

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

(from Martha Stewart Living)

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4″ pieces (2 cups)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. plus 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

6 Tbsp. (3 oz,) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 c. heavy cream

sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 Tbsp. granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub with your fingers (which was so easy), until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cream with wooden spoon until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture either by hand or with spoon.

Using a cookie scoop, tablespoon or your hands, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and bake until golden brown, about 24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.

Cookies are great served immediately or several hours later once the flavors have had time to marry one another. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

The only change I would make would be to serve cookies with either vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Got Kosher?

Got Kosher, anyone? Well if you don't, then you should. Got Kosher isn't your typical kosher restaurant, its a step into Tunisia and embodies the flavors of the owners best childhood memories. First known for his incredible challah, as a connoisseur of challah myself I don't know that I have ever had such a fluffy, melt in your mouth challah before. Imagine Grandma's Challah marrying Rockeninweagon's Pretzel Bread...a pretzel challah in a variety of flavors that will forever change your Shabbat table and Sunday morning French toast. With a variety of flavors from fennel and salt to a Kalamata Olives & Rosemary Pretzel Challah your palate is sure to thank you!

Got Kosher doesn’t stop with Challah, they impressed me with their AMAZING sandwiches. Their best seller is the Assuette Tunisienne which is Tunisian Tuna Plate with Harissa, Mechoula, potato, hard and soft boiled eggs, olives, capers, perpperoncini and perseced lemons. After one bite I felt like I was in Tunisia with all of its rich flavors and savory aromas. I understood exactly why this is their best seller. Its a MUST TRY!!!

Got Kosher is a deli style restaurant allowing you to order at the counter and take home or dine in with friends. They have a few tables inside and several on the sidewalk allowing you to really feel like you have stepped into another world. Got Kosher is located at 8914 West Pico Blvd just west of Robertson.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NORA!!!

This is a special post to wish the Beautful Nora Marsh and very happy birthday. Nora is the grandmother of close friends of mine who won my heart the first time I met her. She embodies the beauty and grace of a strong successful woman. Today I honor Nora Marsh and celabrate another blessed year of her life!

Love you!!!

Happy 6th Birthday...

Another delicious Kosher-Parve cake. The top tier was choclate with filled with two layers of pure vanilla flavored icing and the bottom tier was chocolate cake with my popular mint chocolate chip flavored icing.

I had a lot of fun designing this cake. This was the first time I tested shooting stars and will make a few changes next time but really like the added flare it gives the cake.

NY Cake West...

NY Cake West is a baker's heaven-a cake (and much more) supply store in Los Angeles, CA that recently opened. I visit the store at least once a week, spend no less than 45 minutes and when I walk in NY Cake West it seriously feels like a real live version of Candyland! My eyes get wide and my wallet gets emptied...

A special congratulations to NY Cake West as they have begun manufacturing some amazing products. In the upcoming months I will be showcasing some of their newest products. Testing them out and will let you just how well they stack up.

Sweet Treats will hold contests where you could win some NY Cake West products. Stay tuned!

Happy Challahween Shabbat!

Happy Challahween... This year I hosted a Callahween shabbat dinner for my parents...Mom and I made two amazing sweet challahs and tried a few new recipes. One of them included another Paula Dean favorite! Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus...For dessert, it was sweet sugar cookies, of course in the shape of little pumpkins. Notice the little halloween napkins-Nordstrom Rack $1.99...I couldn't resist myself.


The Story behind the phyllo wrapped asparagus: My mom was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in August so needless to say she hasn't had a lot of energy nor has she had a desire to cook. One day she was watching the Food Networks, Homecookin' with Paula Dean, and saw her making this recipe. She called to tell me that seeing Paula make these asparagus bundles made her want to cook again. When we decided that mom and dad were going to spend the weekend with me I knew we had to make this dish. So Mom sat on a stool and brushed the Phyllo with butter while I wrapped the asparagus inside the dough, when I finished wrapping all the stalks, mom topped the bundles off with some extra freshly grated parmasean cheese. Together we made these tasty little bundles and they were Mmmm Mmmm Good! Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful stayvcation at my new home! I love you both.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 8 or 9 asparagus spears, depending on size (We used the thick ones)
  
• 1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (We used probably a cup and doubled the rest of the recipe)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Unwrap the phyllo and cut the stack in half lengthwise. Reserve 1 stack for later use. Cover the phyllo with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. Take 1 sheet of phyllo and brush lightly with some melted butter. Sprinkle with some Parmesan. Place 2 to 3 asparagus spears on the short end of the sheet. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Place each piece, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Repeat until all the asparagus spears are used up. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Tory Burch's Newest line...

Can you say The Tory Burch Smore's Choclate Cake with a Graham Cracker Crust...This 30th birthday day cake can and did!

30 is the new 20...

Jay-Z has coined the statement "30 is the new 20"- even if you dont know who Jay-Z is, my guess is-if you are 29 to 39 years of age you would agree with this statement...I most certainly do. Who wouldn't want to be in their twenties again but with the wisdom and knowledge of their 30's!
New: Cookie Platters prices vary depending on size of cookies 10-12 cookies $26.00

Noah's Vader...

About a week ago a girlfriend of mine called and asked me to make her son's birthday cake. I said sure no problem! Well I had no idea what I was getting myself into but after it was all said and done I had the best time. This was the first time I had baked in a long while and boy o boy did it feel good to be back in the kitchen. With a little help from a fellow caker and my friend Natalie, Vader was a hit!