Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

I've always wanted to make panna cotta.  It's such an elegant dessert and the name's fun to say.  I've had it on my back-burner-of-desserts for quite a while, but when the occasion would come I usually went for something more decadent.

Which is insane considering that this uses three cups of heavy whipping cream.

Panna cotta is a cooked Italian cream typically found in the Northern region of Italy.  It's a mixture of milk, cream and sugar that is cooked and then set in the refrigerator.  It's similar to creme brulee without the carmelized topping.  Panna cotta can be flavored with a variety of ingredients, but this one is sweetened with honey.

The great thing about this dessert is that it is very rich, but it doesn't weight you down.  The Italian cream is silky in texture and pairs beautifully with the fresh berries.  The crazy brief prep time before the chilling doesn't hurt either.  In less than fifteen minutes (not counting chilling) you have a delicious and elegant dessert that is sure to impress all your dinner party guests!


Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients:


2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup strawberries, chopped


Directions:


In a saucepan, mix together the milk and powdered gelatin.  Let sit for 5 minutes, softening the gelatin. Put the saucepan over medium heat, and whisk for 5 minutes.  Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from heat and add mix in heavy whipping cream, honey and sugar, about 2 minutes.  Pour into either ramekins or wine glasses and let cool before covering and putting in the refrigerator.  Set either over night or for at least 6 hours.  Add the berries and serve.

Source:  Everyday Italian

Pet Peeve Wednesday

1.  I haven't done one of these in ages.  Basically, I ran out of things to complain about, which is surprising considering that about 80% of my day is spent complaining in some shape or form.  But...I'm bbbaacckkkk!!  I hope you enjoy your weekly dose of snark.

2.  I can't stop watching 90s teen dramas.  They're just so bad.  And good.  And so unrealistic, yet I still watch and complain about how my life is nowhere near that awesome and I will never meet a smart-ass-albeit-charming man like Pacey Witter who can cook me a pasta dinner while spouting off a bunch of super smart SAT words.  Life is unfair.

3.  Two months after graduation, Loyola decided to get it's act together and mail our diplomas.  TWO MONTHS.  What if I entered into some extremely risky bet regarding my graduation that could only be settled by seeing my actual diploma?  I'll tell you what -- I'd be screwed.

4.  I set my text tone as the Tardis landing, and now every time someone texts me I get super excited thinking the Doctor has finally come to pick me up for our intergalactic adventures.  This is not a complaint.  It's pretty awesome.

Btw, if you're like "What the frick is a Tardis?!", it's a blue telephone box that the Doctor travels all of time and space in.

5.  I'm moving out of my apartment and back home in two weeks.  An entire Pet Peeve post could be drafted about that.  Which I may or may not do next week.

Until then, lovelies!

So, tell me, what's peeving you off today?  Or are you one of those amazingly righteous people who are above being annoyed by things or people.  If so, pass on your wisdom, please!

Ham and Muenster Cheese Panini with Thyme

I watched Crazy Stupid Love for about the eighteenth time last night and my mouth went dry during this scene.

How can a man look so incredibly sexy eating a slice of pizza?  I don't know if it's the pizza or that suit, but I can say with absolute certainty that I would jump that man.  Correction:  I would eat that slice of pizza and then jump that man.

On a completely unrelated note, I made a sandwich.  This isn't just any sandwich, though.  Oh no, this is a sandwich so devastatingly delicious that I have made it no less than five times since these pictures were taken last week.  It's just the perfect combination of the sweet ham, salty cheese and tangy dijon mustard.  Add in the thyme and all of its grilled perfection, and I'm a goner.  This one's a keeper.  Much like Ryan Gosling in that suit.

See what I did there, yeah?  Brought it all full circle ;)    

Ham and Muenster Cheese Panini with Thyme

Ingredients:


1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 package Virginia honey ham
Muenster cheese, 4 oz (sliced)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp dried thyme 
1 tsp butter


Directions:


Slice the ciabatta into four equal pieces.  Halve each of the four pieces and smear mustard on both halves.  Sprinkle on the thyme and then layer the ham and cheese.  Heat a griddle pan on medium heat and melt the butter.  Cook 4-5 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted.

Garlic Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

I rarely make potatoes.  After making this last night and having my mind properly blown, my only coherent thought besides, "I want moreeee!!!" was "I need to make potatoes more!".

Could there be a more perfect and delightful food?  I don't care that there are like 100 calories in each tiny red potato.  Or that I am incapable of eating less than, like, eighteen of them.  DON'T EVEN CARE.  These are soft on the inside with a crispy herbed outside layer.  I think an added squirt of lemon juice would be all sorts of jazzy. 

I made these with herb crusted pork chops (recipe to come!) and they rocked my socks off.  Well, I actually wasn't wearing socks, but I'm sure if I were they would have been rocked off.  These potatoes were part of a dinner I made of a friend and my Dawson's Creek night where we sat on my floor and watched all the best Joey/Pacey episodes and mocked Dawson.  There really is no other way to watch that show.

While they do have to cook for quite a while (just under an hour) it's mostly hands-off cooking time which I think places these in the easy-weeknight-meals segment.  It makes a ton, too, so you'll have leftovers!

Garlic Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

Ingredients:

12-14 red skin potatoes, quartered

1 tbsp dried herbs (I used basil, oregano and parsley)

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

salt/pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and pat dry the potatoes.  Quarter the potatoes and spread them out on a baking sheet in one single layer.  In a bowl, mix together the herbs, garlic, salt/pepper and olive oil.  Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat.

Roast the potatoes for 50-60 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Femme Friday: Katie Holmes

I watch a lot of television.  I'm not surprised.  You're not surprised.  You're probably rolling your eyes right now and going, "Yeah Liz, those eighteen posts about your favorite television shows and how you have no life outside of the ol' boob-tube in no way gave us any clue about your voracious television consumption".

My recent binge-watching (the only way to watch, really) of Dawson's Creek re-introduced me to one Katie Holmes.  Before this, I basically thought of her as that chick who made Tom Cruise go all cray-cray and jump on furniture.  And as the mother of the cutest and best-dressed celebrity on this planet. 

 Eat your heart out, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.  

Dawson's Creek presented her in a new light, though, and in the wake of the TomKat divorce placed me firmly on our girl Katie's side.  A little research about the divorce, and my thoughts on it only solidified.

According to insiders, her and Tom Cruise fought vehemently about whether or not Suri would be raised as a Scientologist.  While that isn't cited as the reason for the divorce, I bet it's a fairly large factor.

I always thought Scientology was a little loopy (or maybe just Tom Cruise and Scientology) and I think it's pretty brave of her to fight back if she feels that her daughter being raised in that way isn't in her best interests.  It sounds like she really has her ducks in order with the plan of attack for the divorce, and I'm interested to see how it all turns out.

What side of the TomKat divorce are you on?  Do you have a side?  Do you even care to have a side?  Sound off in the comment section!

Some Funnies For Your Fourth

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!

Summer Lovin'

The best part of summer.

Happy Tuesday!