Magnifiques Macarons Français or Magnificent French Macarons!

I just happened to see on FB that the Pioneer Woman was hosting an amazing contest to visit her lodge, stay there, meet her, and the amazing Helene of Tartlette, so for the heck of it I entered the contest with this response and thought I would share it with all of you.  Enjoy!

I love, love, love macarons. My 29 year old daughter introduced me to the delicate little gems when she made them for Easter last year. They were gorgeous, precious, pink, little love filled heart songs…and they were tasty. I didn’t have another one until I got up the nerve to try my hand at them myself two weeks ago. My husband went to France on a business trip in mid May and told me about the religious experience he had just had with this delicate little filled chocolate cookie. When he described it to me, I knew what it was but he couldn’t remember the name. Also knowing I probably couldn’t compete with a “real” French macaron, I opted to try it in a lemon version. I ruined my first batch by beating in the almond flour (wasn’t paying attn), but the second batch….yum. I filled them with a zesty lemon mascarpone and lemon curd...and they were (to my surprise) delicious. Now, they still probably don’t compare to the macaron that gave hubs the OMG moment, but I held my own, for a non-baker. I am looking forward to trying some fun combinations, though I don’t know how long it will take for me to work up the nerve to try that chocolate in chocolate version he had in France.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

A little peek from our St. Patrick's Day gathering 2010. We had the most fun little gathering last year. Brandi made her delicious cake pops, green rice krispy treats, pesto ravioli and I supplied the green cheese!

St. Patrick's Day 2010

And an Irish Blessing for you!

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Wishing you all a safe and fun celebration! ~Blessings, Janet

Sophisticated Jello? You bet!

My husband loves Jello. I'm almost embarrassed to say it, much less print it for the whole world to see. His tastes are simple and old-fashioned. Give him chocolate chip cookies, vanilla ice cream, or Jello and he's a happy man. Me, on the other hand...not so much, that is, until I discovered this sophisticated version of the cool, wiggly, flavor bursting treat. I found this gorgeous little presentation at Home Confetti.

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Which reminded me that I had come across the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen some months ago. This Jello ain't for kids. Beautiful enough to serve at the most elegant of affairs, the creators come up with recipes that resemble the original cocktail. Take a look at just a few of my favorites.

White Wine Sangria Jelly Shot

Mimosa Jelly Shots with an edible flower

Don't they look just so very juicy...and delicious? If you want to see more...and there's lots more to see, click on over to their website and check it out. Then see what fun you can get your wiggle on.

Contain Yourself

My friend, Candace and I are off to The Container Store today to replenish our supply of 12 oz. spray bottles. A couple of years ago, I decided to start making my own cleaning supplies. Initially I used the big 32 oz bottles I found at Home Depot, and then...I discovered The Container Store.

I placed one of these cleaning kits in each bathroom cabinet, under the kitchen and one in the laundry room. That way, I don't have to carry the stuff from one room to the next. If I want a quick clean up in the master bath, everything I need is right there.

Mini Bathroom Cleaning Kit

There is white vinegar in the clear spray bottle with the white top, disinfectant (water, alcohol, lavender essential oil in the clear spray bottle with the black top, peroxide in the silver bottle (I emptied a bottle of Method stainless steel cleaner), baking soda in the parmesan cheese container, white bar mops, micro cloths, and gloves.

I love the sizes of these because they fit just right in my hand and in the basket and I'm not lugging these big awkward 32 oz bottles around. When I'm done, I just toss the cleaning cloths in the laundry and refill the basket with fresh ones. I can be assured that the baths are cleaned, disinfected, and free from harmful chemicals. Oh, oh, oh and it saves a ton of money too. ☺

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

Wishing you love, happiness and everything fabulous!

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♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

It is always interesting to hear what people think about Valentine's Day. My mom says that every day should be like Valentine's Day. Some of my single friends dread the day because they feel they don't have anyone to celebrate with and they're feeling left out. I have always thought of the day as a great opportunity to celebrate the loves you cherish, whether they are husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, best friends, children, parents, co-workers. I love pink, red, and hearts. I love chocolate and Sweetarts and Valentine's Day is a great time to enjoy those things. So whether you are single or otherwise...enjoy the day. You Deserve It!

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

Heart Warming Soup ~ And Date Night Update

I love how momentum in one area just seems to be contagious and spreads to other areas. I had a great meeting with a new "branding expert" who will be supporting me as I update my company brand. Her name is Dorothy Wolden and she owns Creative Intuition. That's not what this particular post is about though ☺ It is about gaining momentum in healthier eating and I am continuing to connect with other wonderful bloggers who are on the same journey. One of the main purposes of this blog is to share the idea that we can still celebrate in grand style and yet do it in more healthy ways. That is why when I make desserts, I make them with the highest quality and yes, full fat ingredients, but do them in mini versions. My guests always feel satisfied and special. Nothing like a little gold flake on that mini sundae ☺to make you feel like a star! And so I digress...again.

I just wanted to talk about today's lunch. After my meeting this morning, I drove over to Whole Foods to pick up some organic, free range, chicken eggs and tart cherry juice for hubs (recommended by Dr. Oz for all manner of things, inflammation, sleep, cholesterol) and I was feeling like it was getting to be lunch time. As I perused the store, I came across a fresh soup bar and this delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup caught my eye...and nose.

Chicken Tortilla Soup, Multi-Grain chips & Prickly Pear Lemonade

I enjoy trying different versions of soups and this one is pretty good. When I got it home, I garnished it with a little dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro, and pared it with a handful of multi-grain tortilla chips. A refreshing glass of iced prickly pear lemonade was the perfect beverage. Who knew? And I feel really good about it. Admittedly, there should be a salad here, but that will come at dinner, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I'm doing well to stay away from the cream soups. Cream of Broccoli has got to be my favorite, with New England Clam Chowder a close second. Corn Chowder is pretty good too ☺ Do you have a favorite soup?

~~Date Night Update~~

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, Date Nights have been getting better. Two weeks ago we enjoyed a very nice dinner at PF Chang's. Food was wonderful and I introduced hubs to Moo Shu Pork. Joel, our waiter, was extraordinary, not only in his attentiveness, but in his technique as well. Watching him prepare our sauces and later, the pork rolls was like watching a mini show. Of course, there was the 30 minute wait prior to show time, which in itself was its own entertainment. Three little tarts (had to have been barely 16), strutted in wearing teeny tiny short short (did I say short?) black tight, tight, (I said tight, right?) black dresses and stilty spikey 6 1/2 inch tall shoes. They all had gorgeous straight long hair and carried over sized bags. It really was the funniest thing to watch them standing there trying to keep their balance in those shoes. Wobble, wobble...I'm glad no one bumped into them. It would have had a domino effect on the whole tiny group of them. I feel for moms raising kids today.

Date Night Success

Last week, hubs suggested Mimi's Cafe and, oh boy I thought...Isn't that for the golden oldies? Okay, so it is, a little. No teeny tiny girlies, no ER sickroom, just a few of our Arizona Snow Bird crowd, whom we truly love (seriously)...but wait, there wasn't really a crowd, and the wait was only about 20 minutes. Food again, really surprisingly good. I had a wonderful Dijon salmon over a bed of deliciously prepared spinach (a fav), real mashed potatoes, and the best...really, the best asparagus I have ever, ever, ever tasted. Mimi's is known for their bakery and they did not disappoint us. My meal came with a salad and a mini (of course) dessert. I went for the Lemon Mousse (Don't do it, Yuck...this was like hospital mousse...gross) Rick went for the mini brownie and loved every 571 calorie bite. Our waiter, hmmmm, we'll call him Chris?, was awesome! So much so, Rick left an extra big tip.

Not sure what we are up to this evening...you? Have a great one. ~Blessings, Janet

Love Sweet Love

Truly, I've never met a fruit or vegetable I didn't like. Like people, they are so colorful, have wonderful unique textures and personalities. They literally come in every color of the rainbow. Red tomatoes and apples, cherries, and strawberries, green spinach, limes and lettuces, blueberries and blackberries, yellow lemons, orange pumpkins and oranges, purple grapes and plums. The list seems endless. My new blogging friend, Manzanita of Wanna Buy a Duck (I mentioned her yesterday) got me to thinking about the healthier eating goals I have.

When I thought about what I might have for lunch today, I spied a perfectly ripe avocado sitting in the fruit bowl. I l.o.v.e avocados...and my favorite sandwich just happens to be an avocado, tomato, cheese, sprout sandwich on multi-grain bread.

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I ate my before I got a picture of it...but this one taken by Divina of Sense and Serindipity of her delicious sandwich looks pretty close. My plate was a green paper plate left over from Super Bowl though. ☺Do you have a favorite sandwich?

Have a beautiful and healthy day! ~Blessings, Janet

Strawberry Sophistication ~ A Healthy Alternative for Valentine's Day

It can seem like we never get a break from temptation when the stores are marketing decadent chocolates for Valentine's Day before we have digested Thanksgiving and Christmas. Manzanita, who authors the insightful, Wanna Buy a Duck commented yesterday on temptation and it sort of pulled me back...more like yanked me back to the reality that there really are delicious alternatives. It just so happens that Rick's favorite flavor is strawberry and there is just no shortage of inspiration for beautiful, sophisticated and delicious ways to prepare and display this sweet little fruit.

Of course we can go with a mini version of the original strawberry shortcake. 

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Cristina Ferrarre arranged a trio of deliciously large sweet ripe strawberries dipped in a rich dark chocolate and garnished with delicate pink tipped rose petals within a decorative ring of chocolate sauce.

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Lori of All That Splatters prepared this elegant plate of strawberry covered crepes. I might add a swirl of whipped cream...just cause :-). But what a nice alternative to the cream filled crepes, no? Yes. :-)

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Taste of Home delivers this little cheesecake filled strawberry that is just enough to fill your sweet tooth and elegant enough to serve for a romantic dinner.

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And if you want to go all out healthy and still have a beautiful presentation, take a look at Naomi's of Baker's Royale Fruit Filled Strawberries.

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The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. I am imagining a sweet little strawberry nestled in a puddle of fruit puree and garnished with a swirl of flavored pink whipped cream. What are you imagining? :-)

Remember, February is Heart Smart Month ♥

♥ Blessings, Janet ♥

Two Bite Tuesday ~ Valentine's Day Favorites

I have a sweet spot for Petit Fours. Years ago when I was introduced to the elegant little dessert treat I fell in love with them. They provide a simple elegance to your dessert menu and are the perfect "just a bite" size. I love pairing them up with tiny mousse cups and panna cottas, and I have never, ever actually made them myself. I've always purchased them, which is why I am sharing this adorable little William Sonoma find.

1st Bite ~ William Sonoma Valentine's Petit Fours

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Are they not just adorable? I love the simple and delicate heart decoration. Layered in raspberry jam and chocolate ganache, they perfectly compliment an after dinner dessert wine or cup of coffee.

I wasn't always a huge chocolate fan. Growing up, I would have chosen red vines over chunky, sours over Kisses. One evening, when I was in my mid thirties and dating Rick, received a box of Ethel M's chocolates as a gift when he had been on a trip back East...and I fell in love, with chocolate...the jury was still out on him :-). And every Christmas (and at other times) he surprises me with a custom box of Godiva Chocolates. What I learned, is that I LOVE chocolate, just not the cheap, waxy, stuff of, well, you know. Godiva has now opened a bakery, which brings me to this next scrumptious bite.

2nd Bite ~ Limited Edition Pink Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes!

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Really? Yes, really. Simple...elegant...delicious....and, of course, at $28, a little pricey for 6 cupcakes, but what the heck, we're not doing it every day. Splurge, go easy on yourself, indulge a little...and when they arrive at your door...enjoy! Have a great day! ~Blessings, Janet

Big Hugs for New Friends!

Another short post coming your way because I have my God-daughter, Great-Grand Nephew, and Niece in town for the weekend so there will be lots going on :-) However, when I saw this adorable mug by Emma Bridgewater, I thought of all of you and your great blogs. You are all so open and willing to share your lives out here in blogland. You just make my life richer.

Emma Bridgewater

Have a wonderful weekend....and I hope YOUR team wins! :-) ~Blessings, Janet

Around the world at your table

Or just a state away...one of the things Rick and I enjoy when we travel is finding at least one delicious meal that we talk about for years. It is even better when we can talk the chef out of the recipe and bring it home to share with friends and family. I love it even more when the dishes are as big a hit with them as it is for us.

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Any trip to San Diego is not complete without at least one visit to Miguel's, our favorite Mexican food restaurant there. I had been vacationing in San Diego since my sister moved there in the early 90s but had not yet discovered Miguel's until Rick and I visited a few years ago and stayed on Shelter Island. They serve traditional salsa and hot sauce with tortilla chips as do most Mexican restaurants. In addition, they bring a delicious bowl of hot and a bit spicy jalapeno cheese sauce. At that time I had never asked for a recipe in a restaurant before, but this was so good we just couldn't resist. To both of our amazement, our waiter came back with a printed recipe card. We guessed they get that a lot :-)

It is on the menu for Super Bowl Sunday and I'm posting it below for you. ~Enjoy. ~Blessings, Janet

Miguel's White Sauce Dip

 2 c. Whipping Cream

 1 c. Sour Cream

 1 tsp. Chicken Base

 2 T. Clarified Butter

 1 T. Flour

 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced

 1 T. juice from bottled jalapenos

 1 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

 1 oz. shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Heat whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over high heat. When the cream is ready to boil, stir in sour cream. After sour cream dissolves, reduce heat to medium. Stir in chicken base and jalapeno juice and simmer.

While cream is heating: Make a roux by warming butter in a saucepan over medium heat, adding flour, and mixing with a wire whip until mixture starts to turn pale gold.

Just before cream mixture is ready to boil again, add roux, whisking briskly and constantly until roux is incorporated. Remove from heat; stir in minced jalapeno and the cheese.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

A Local Love In ~ Tammy Coe Cakes

Oh my, she's done it again. Tammy Coe Cakes and Sweets are legendary here in the Valley of the Sun. I can not go into one of my favorite little gourmet luncheries and not walk out with at least a Tammy Coe Ooey Gooey Cupcake. Today I took a gander through her website to see what she has going on for Valentine's Day and she did not disappoint.

Sinsational Flourless Chocolate Cake (Serve 4-6)

I love you....Just sayin'

Be still my heart!

Hugs and Kisses

Famous Mini Ooey Gooeys (Just like mama used to make :-)

So many ways to say I love you! I love Tammy's signature fondant draped cakes. They are so unexpected, vibrant, and delicious. Love, love, love! Do you have a favorite hometown go to bakery? Or several?

Two Bite Tuesday ~ Making it pretty and handy

I am all about easy and about finding ways that are attractive to store ingredients out in the open. This is going to be a quick post cause I've got a list a mile long today, but I wanted to share these sweet ideas with you.

1st Bite ~ I found this test tube spice rack over at Target...on sale...and I thought it would be fun to re-purpose it and use it for my decorator sugars and confetti. Cute huh?

Sugars for all seasons

I love that I can put all the Valentine decorations in the front row making it an instant holiday decoration as well as practical and handy to get to when I make those mini cupcakes later on.

2nd Bite ~ I've been using this ginger jar and these adorable Japanese style bowls for my breakfast bar for awhile now and I thought I would share them today. The bowls contain sliced almonds, granola, and dried cranberries right now. Sometimes I'll feel like walnuts or other dried fruits and I switch it out. I don't have to take up space in the pantry and this makes a nice little display on the kitchen island.

Breakfast ~ It does a body good! :-)

Hope you all are enjoying this crisp winter day. Enjoy a warm bowl of steel cut oats and bake some yummy cupcakes. It's that kind of day! ::-) ~Blessings, Janet

I'm Dreaming of a Mini Vacation

What is one supposed to do on a rainy, cloudy, cold day? Think about vacations, of course! :-) And I am thinking about some of my favorites. Rick and I have taken lots of little mini vacations throughout our twelve years together and I have to say that some of those overnights and weekend getaways have been some of the best. Here are a few of my favorites.

Niagara Falls (via}

There is nothing like viewing the falls at night. Hubs took me here the second time we visited his folks back in New York. We took a little overnighter from Maine up through Buffalo and across the border. It was amazing!

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Lake Tahoe is another of our favorite getaways. I remembered this beautiful place from my childhood and had an image burned into memory of the Lake framed by snow covered trees. An absolutely beautiful and romantic place. On a little mini vaca a few years ago, Rick and I bought a five dollar chicken lunch at the local grocery store and found a place right along the edge of a creek where we leisurely took in the beauty and enjoyed each other's company.

Durango {via}

We've spent our last two vacation in the beautiful Rocky Mountains above Durango, Colorado. There is so much to do and to see. This is where I jumped 100 feet out of a tree and zipped 1400 feet across the Animas River.

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I am drawn back to this spiritual place over and over and over. Rick and I were married here nearly seven years ago. We've enjoyed dining creek-side, jeep tours in the back country, browsing award winning galleries, and cozy bed and breakfasts.

La Jolla ~ April 2009

And finally, my favorite place for a weekend getaway. I've collected so many sweet memories in this luxurious little ocean side town. If I could own a home anywhere on earth...I think it might be here.

Over the years I've learned that even short little getaways give me the time and space to shake out the stress, renew, recharge and reconnect. Where are your favorite spots? ~Blessings, Janet

After glancing back over this post...and the photos, I see a theme emerging :-) ~~~~Water~~~~Interesting, yes? :-)

Reevaluating Date Night ~ I think I forgot how to do Date Night

Remember how I took a vow, well not a vow, maybe more like made a declaration to revive date night? That was about three weeks ago and I'm sort of starting to reevaluate. I think we forgot how. The first one was really great. We started off with happy hour at our favorite little neighborhood Greek restaurant and ended the evening with Bailey's and Coffee and a sweet movie at home. Week two hubs decided on Olive Garden (his fav comfort food) It was good and he surprised me by stopping by Cheesecake Factory for some fab cheesecake to take home. We both enjoyed that on the sofa with a movie. It was fun too...but not what I had imagined Date Night to be. Then...last week. Ugh!

Hubs thought he would surprise me by taking me to Red Lobster at 6:30...on Friday night. His heart was seriously in the right place because every time one of those commercials comes on with the lobster dripping with butter, I always go...."Mmmmmmmmmmm slurrrrrrrrrrrrrrp!" The thing is, have you ever been to Red Lobster at 6:30 on Friday night? It was packed!...and I dislike...really dislike crowds. And...I don't wait in line...for anything. Poor hubs. He asks me if I want to wait and I'm like, no, but anywhere else is going to be just as busy on Friday night too, so we suck it up, put our names in and stand in the middle of the waiting area. I start to look around at the benches and chairs that line the perimeter of this space and I swear...really, I mean I swear; Geeeeeez, it freakin' looks like the waiting area of the ER I spent Christmas morning in.

"Honey," I whisper in his ear "Look around. Doesn't this remind you of the ER?"

He looks around and rolls his eyes. I can tell he thinks I'm being a bit dramatic, so I turn back to him.

"Seriously," I say, "Look at everyone. No one is smiling, and they're like, all schleppy. No one is dressed up and some of them look sick. And look at all the kids."

I'm thinking this is how germs get spread but I can see his discomfort at my less than stellar attitude so I giggle. "Aren't you glad you married me?"

He chuckles....but doesn't answer. I wonder, hmmm.

So, tonight is Friday night...and yesterday he asked me if we are on for Date Night. Brave boy...I have NO idea what to do. He's like Meditative Mom's Practical Joe and the thought of spending $60 at Olive Garden or Red Lobster is a big deal. I'm thinking, back date night off to once a month and spend $200 in a quiet jazz club somewhere. Is there a happy medium? We have some really fun restaurants in our area:
Cork or DVine for example...I think people might dress up a little more...and would hire a babysitter...and not be sick...or sad. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how it goes. :-) Have a great weekend! ~Blessings, Janet

Through the Seasons ~ And other reasons to celebrate

Climbing out of our post-grad rut is a goal the hubs and I have agreed on this year. I mentioned here that we are reviving our date night DONE! :-) and here that we are just going to DO IT! either by planning outings or just spontaneously jumping right in. I have also mentioned a number of times that I am compiling a sort of Through the Seasons Family Cookbook. Another activity we are planning on raising from the dead is entertaining friends and family at home and I am thinking that this blog will be a good place to dream, organize, and share ideas and recipes as traditional and new events come up throughout the year. By year's end, I should have the cookbook completely compiled. This will be my first post in the series.

My nieces, who are avid football fans will be visiting next week and will be here over Super Bowl weekend. At home, in San Diego, their family puts on a Super Bowl party every year as do many families throughout the country. We haven't been one of them :-), however, this year we're going to have our first Super Bowl Party. If it's a hit...we'll make it a fun new tradition.

Easy, Breezy, and Beautiful is the party style I will be going for this year. As a self-admitted introvert, crowds of people tend to be intimidating so in order to get through (and I really do love parties) the event without worrying about the details, I have a cocktail, glass of wine, or some other such liquid libation to calm the nerves about a half hour prior to party time :-). As guests arrive, I am primed to party. And because I am so relaxed if something goes awry, I just let it go. No one would guess I'm a type A :-)...However, that is also why I do as much of the prep work ahead of time.

Since we don't really care who wins this time, (sorry, we're sort of lukewarm Cardinal fans and my nieces are die-hard Charger fans) we're going to go for Super Bowl logo color theme, red and blue. Also cause it matches my blue denim sofa and red pillows...and it's close to Valentine's Day. It works.

It will be a rather small gathering of close family and a few of Rick's colleagues, and will, of course, be casual. I'm thinking a help yourself with a sort of open house feel. A nice beverage bar sporting a drink dispenser of punch and a galvanized big ice tub of assorted canned and bottled beverages will start everyone one off with something to drink.

Chips, salsa, guacamole and a delicious melted jalepeño cheese dip (recipe from Miguel's in San Diego) and a few veggie eats to munch on before and during the game. Maybe I'll even throw together a cute assorted popcorn station.

At half time we'll put out a big crock pot full of pulled pork for mini sliders which will make a nice savory entreé. Sliders are already mini, right? Right, so, just sliders then cause I don't want them the size of marbles. Add a couple of cold salads and maybe, just maybe, some baked beans to round out the meal.

We'll do a separate dessert bar...simple, but with a bit of a WOW factor too! Old fashioned favorites updated to minis will be adorable and guests can enjoy a sweet bite at their leisure during the second half of the game.  I'm toying with serving, football shaped brownies, chocolate chip cookies (hubs fav), mini strawberry shortcake (cause I want to use my whipped cream maker), oreo truffles (to surprise hubs), and, of course mini cupcakes.

Verrines ~ Making it interesting, enticing, and intriguing

Did you know that layering different ingredients with contrasting temperatures, textures, flavors and colors in a small glass has a name? I didn't, at least not until today. Looking for some inspiration for an up-coming event,  I perused through images of elegant desserts and ran across this interesting little tidbit.

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When you are layering ingredients for a dessert, it is called Verrines Et Petits-Gateaux. I'm not quite sure how to pronounce that, but it will sure look elegant on a card in front of a pretty little tray of this sweet little lebkuchen cream genoise verrines with apple craisin compote. Doesn't that just sound delicious with a warm apple compote mingling with cool cream?

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This girl's got a passion for chocolate and I love how this little votive is layered with chocolate mocha mousse, whipped cream and garnished with gilded coffee beans, a signature chocolate disc and crunchy toffee. Just gorgeous presentations and not just for dessert.

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 This sweet little tomato and avocado salad makes a very nice presentation for a stand up buffet event. I love how the dressing coats the bottom of the glass and forms a nice nest for fresh diced red tomatoes and green avocado. I love avocados so I may just have to try this...It is a nice alternative to my favorite guacamole. Appetizers can look even more appetizing when layered in small portions.

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I love how this shrimp is layered over shredded crab in a tangy dip. This too would be a nice addition to any appetizer menu. I think you may have to double up on the number of them though because I think they would be pretty popular.