Gender Reveal Party!

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                                       Weddle it be?

What is this new explosion of gender reveal parties? They are CRAZY! I remember when we didn't know the sex until the baby came out the chute!! Well, okay I'm dating myself now, but, this is some serious fun!! And don't you ever think I am not going to be in on "Some Serious Fun"!! It is usually given by the expectant parents and instead of the party goers surprising the mommy-to-be with a shower, the baby's parents surprise their guests when they reveal the gender of their sweet child. I mentioned the idea to my daughter in passing, when we first knew she was expecting. A few weeks later, she said let's do it!! I was ecstatic! When the idea of "Gender Reveal" started  it was with a few photos of a small group, cutting a cake etc. Now they have developed into some serious all out events!!! Some do “Cravings” as the theme of the snacks, which is totally hilarious, as all pregnant women would agree. At the end of the party they opened a box of balloons with PINK OR BLUE balloons in it. And some do it really over the top with fireworks! There are themed parties with pink and blue shamrocks around St. Patrick's day or pink and blue costumes around Halloween. 

Onesie Sugar Cookies (Gender Reveal Party)

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My sister-in-law and her husband are expecting their first baby this summer and they wanted to reveal the gender with a party! I wanted to make these cookies for them as "favors" for guests to take with them and enjoy. I did a tutorial on rolled sugar cookies over the holidays with these Christmas Cookies

I used a variation of a basic rolled sugar cookie recipe from Glory over at Glorious Treats. She also has a great royal icing recipe that I like. 

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Irish Soda Bread~ St. Patrick's Day!

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St. Patrick's Day is only 5 days away and that means that it is time to start planning your St. Patrick's Day menu. I always enjoy planning my St. Patrick's Day meal as the dishes are always interesting and "Oh so Tasty"! It is a great time to cook with some alcohol such as an Irish beer, stout or ale or an Irish whiskey or even some Irish cream. Corned Beef and Cabbage is of course a favorite for a main but there are plenty of options and lets not forget that there are some really delicious desserts...list and links below. If you do make some corned beef, be sure to make a lot because the leftovers for a Reuben sandwich can be even better than the dish that they came from.

Chocolate icebox Tart-From True Food Restaurant

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 To say I love chocolate is a gross understatement..........I can remember going to the corner Bartell's drugstore and going straight to the back of the store where the Fountain was, with my Mom, (who is almost 93 years old and still addicted to chocolate) ordering a two scoop Hot Fudge Sundae with whipped cream, nuts and a maraschino cherry.......... These days, I am still a self professed "Chocoholic", but now I moderate.....ugggghhh!  However, I only eat good dark chocolate, my palate sort of changed as I got older, no more milk chocolate, it just doesn't do it for me. This recipe was part of the class I was honored to be a part of in January, given by Lov'n the kitchen. Other recipes that Chef Stebner created and I have blogged about, are listed below in a link. This tart is healthy, it is easy to make and no baking! I love it and I am pretty certain, if you love dark chocolate, you'll love it too!

Chocolate Icebox Tart
Chef Michael Stebner- True Food Kitchen

1 cup Unsweetened Shredded organic Coconut
3/4 cup Ground Almonds
1 1/3 cups Unsweetened Natural cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Agave nectar
1 1/3 cups Coconut oil
1/2 cup Almond butter

Crust:
In a bowl, mix together the coconut, almonds, 1/3 cup of the cocoa powder, 1/4 cup of the agave nectar and 1/3 cup of the coconut oil. Mix well to make the crust. Press the crust into the bottom and partially up the sides of an 11 by 7 by 2 inch sheet pan or baking dish. Chill for 30 minutes.

Filling:

Put the almond butter and the remaining 1 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup agave nectar, and 1 cup coconut oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the filling into the chilled tart shell and shill for two hours or until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares and serve. Cover and refrigerate any left over. 

Makes 8-10 servings

You can find this at Whole Foods 
and other health food stores in your area

Chick-pea-bruschetta-chef stebner 

Chiciken Farro Salad- Chef Stebner 

Tuscan Kale Salad- Chef Stebner 

Have a great start to your week!

Cheers!
JJ

Coconut Macaroon Nests

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I can't believe Spring forward is this weekend...what!? Don't get me wrong, I look forward to the longer daylight but I just think the year is flying by and it's only March!

I am such a "bakaholic" and have been obsessed with all the cute Easter goodies and DIY crafty projects that are on the Internet. These caught my eye 1) because I love coconut and 2) because who wouldn't...they are so stinkin cute! I bought a bag of those Cadbury mini eggs just for this project in mind. I had some sweetened coconut in the pantry so it was a no brainer.

1 year Blogaversary! Yahoo!

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One year ago March 7, I made the decision to dive into the blog world. With the help of a couple of family members I chose a name, and sitting on the veranda of our Ocho Rios cottage I created the web site. Trust that the "Sew whats cooking with Joan" website has changed dramatically, since that day. But, my goal to learn about the building of a website and implementing it, stimulating my brain and getting whats in that brain out to you has been successful. Believe it or not, my memory has improved and I am thoroughly enjoying writing the blog. Photography was never of interest to me, however, once I started taking the pictures of food, I became interested in improving the photography of that food. Wee Bear bought me a new camera and I played with settings, and also took some classes from a producer while on board a cruise ship.

Pork Shepard's Pie!

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St. Patrick's day is around the corner~Here's a twist to the traditional Shepard's pie that I think you will enjoy using "the other white meat"! This Shepard's pie which is typically made with mutton or beef, is lighter using pork. Because the shoulder has so much flavor you can opt to braise it in water instead of stock. I like using Yukon gold potatoes because they have a medium starch make up and can better absorb butter and cream. When it comes to cooking for a crowd, you want a all in one dish. Cooking many courses becomes difficult and overwhelming. This dish is perfect for a crowd and can be made in individual casseroles or one big one. I made individuals, then froze several for quick dinners going forward.

adapted from Chef Ryan Poli