ROYAL TART – Forum/Blog

Celebrate Elvis Presley’s birthday (or the anniversary of his 75th birthday on January 8, 2010) by whipping up the sandwich he made famous–Fried Peanut Butter & ‘Nana. It’s a quick fix and the mini-celebration is the perfect pick-me-up for your post holiday blue suede shoes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small ripe banana
2 slices white bread
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mash the banana witha fork. Toast the bread lightly. Spread the peanut butter on one slice of toast and the mashed banana on the other. Fry the sandwich in melted butter until each side is golden brown. Cut diagonally and serve hot.

Spin a few Elvis tunes and enjoy!

Cheers,

Tricia

www.RoyalTart.com

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During the holiday month’s (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s) old family traditions arrive like comfy sweaters–sometimes we don’t even recognize them as traditions or as special. This year, as I have every year since I was an adult I served hot mulled (spiced) cider and rum. My parents made and served this cozy drink during my entire childhood. It never occurred to me that everyone didn’t know how to make this or thought it special. So, as I have learned over the last few social gatherings/parties this hot mulled cider with rum is special and very much a Blum family tradition. Below is the recipe. I hope you add it to your holiday entertaining repertoire and food traditions.

Hot Mulled Cider With Rum

Ingredients:
1 gallon cider (preferably organic, unfiltered but use whatever you can find)
1 crushed nutmeg
2-3 cinnamon sticks, more for garnish
10 cloves
peel from one orange (optional)
Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum

Directions:
In a large pot or slow cooker place a gallon of cider (unfiltered, if available), 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 10 cloves, crushed whole nutmeg, and the peel from one orange. Allow to simmer for 1-2 hours (you can simmer for less time but the spices really come alive the longer the cider is simmered). Ladle into a holiday mug, add a jigger (1 1/2 oz) of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Instant holiday warmth.

Tip: If you are having a big Christmas party continue to add new cider to the pot throughout the event.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays.

cheers,

Tricia

www.RoyalTart.com

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

These twice bakers were a huge hit at our annual holiday book club potluck. Serve them up for a cozy Christmas dinner or a fancy schmancy New Years Eve dinner. Really you can add them to any menu knowing that you will serve your guests an unexpected and delicious side.

Bacon & Boursin Twice-Baked Potato Recipe:

Ingredients:
14 fist sized potatoes (small/medium)
1 package Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese
2 sticks of gourmet butter
1 can evaporated milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 cup cooked and crumbled crispy gourmet bacon (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare potatoes for baking; place potatoes into oven for an hour or so—check for doneness by gently squeezing potatoes. If they give they are done. Remove potatoes from the oven. Place butter and cheese into a large bowl. Cut potatoes in half; scoop insides of potatoes into bowl; add evaporated milk as needed; mash or rice potatoes as you would for regular mashed potatoes. Add more milk and salt and pepper to taste. Pipe or spoon potatoes back into skins. Garnish potatoes with bacon. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until tops get slightly puffy and crispy.

Tips:
Serves 12-16 people depending on size of appetites and potatoes; you may use smaller potatoes for a group that favors seconds or 6-7 large potatoes for big eaters. I took 24 potato halves to our book club holiday potluck. There were 16 people and only 2 potatoes leftover.

Potatoes may be made ahead up to 2 days in advance and covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated. Re-warm in a 350 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes.

You may place uncooked bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake it for about 20 minutes while you are baking the potatoes or while you are mashing the potatoes. Baked bacon tastes great and you don’t have the bacon grease splattered all over your stove. Check the bacon periodically for crispness.

Cheers,

Tricia

www.RoyalTart.com

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

Need a fabulous and decadent dessert for the holidays? Royal Tart made a recipe from Bon Appétit our own by adding chili chocolate and a decorative edge. Serve this at Thanksgiving, like I did, or at your next holiday party, on Christmas Eve or for New Years Eve (or any celebration)– serve it from a retro-holiday pedestal plate and you will win raves from all the chocoholics in your life. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pecans
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp provides real heat)
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Crust
1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 28 cookies, RT used Nabisco Chocolate Wafers)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (RT used Trader Joes 54% dark chocolate)
3.5 ounces chili chocolate, chopped (RT used Lindt),
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
pinch of salt

Directions:
For pecans:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk all ingredients except pecans in medium bowl. Stir in pecans. Spread in single layer on sheet, rounded side up. Bake until just browned and dry, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheet. Separate nuts, removing excess coating. DO AHEAD: Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. TIPS: 1)RT added more nuts to the bowl and made about 3 cups of nuts to use in salads or as fancy snacks, etc; 2) Add more cayenne pepper for heat (the ¼ tsp doesn’t add heat but instead an interesting nuance).

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moistened. Break several of the unused cookies in half; edge pan with curved side of cookie up and broken side down; press crumbs into 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with removable bottom. Bake until set, about 15-20 minutes. Cool on rack.

For filling:
Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolates; whisk until melted. Add butter, 1 piece at a time; whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour filling into crust. Chill until filling begins to set, about 30 minutes. Then arrange nuts in concentric circles atop tart. Chill until set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep chilled.
Serve tart with sweetened whipped cream.
Adapted Feb 2007 Bon Appétit Recipe

Cheers,

Tricia

www.RoyalTart.com

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

…the goose is getting fat…

Hey we are posting all of our Holiday, Christmas & New Year’s Eve Celebrations on our website, www.RoyalTart.com, over the next few days.

Today we posted our Peppermint Snowman Celebration. It is darling and so versatile with snowman decorations, tabletop, plates, party favors and even a suggested menu, recipes & party tips.

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

Eeeewwhhhh! This Halloween serve up an Alien Secretion as your signature cocktail. The name has the perfect ick factor, the color is very slimy-green and the cocktail itself is sublime–what a perfectly horrific combination!

Alien Secretion Recipe:
1 jigger Malibu rum
1 jigger Midori
½ a jigger pineapple juice
½ a jigger sprite

Mix ingredients in shaker with ice, pour into shot glasses.

Make a toast to all your ghouls…

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

We had a den of Tiger Scouts over on Tuesday night for some Halloween party fun. We served scary Halloween Foods. I will post our menu later but today I wanted to share a super fast seasonal recipe—bloody vampire fangs.

First pick up some apples, peel them and then slice them–no biggie really easy. Squeeze a little lime so the apple slices stay vampire fang white. My one challenge, what oh, what can I use for blood? I had heard strawberry puree or preserves. I had thought maybe Jell-o. But then I spied this super scary looking stuff in the pudding/Jell-o isle–Very Cherry Jelly Belly Pudding Snacks–actually at our store it was packaged as Kroger/Ralph’s ready to eat Very Cherry Pudding. The pudding has the perfect viscosity and color of blood. Perfect for Halloween.

As I was dumping the bloody goo into a serving dish I realized it carried the Jelly Belly brand name… Regardless of your thoughts on fake cherry pudding sold in small plastic cups for the price of 4 cups for $1.00 this stuff is the perfect color and viscosity of blood.

We used it on several of our bloody treats. Check it out…it works as the perfect eerie food decoration.

Cheers,

Tricia

Delivering Complete Prepackaged Designer Parties to Your Door

Today in my inbox I received a Country Living Entertaining Email. The subject line read, “Host a Vintage Halloween Party.” I was so excited to see this email for a number of reasons: 1) it validates Royal Tart’s own choice in our Trick-or-Treat Party —clearly we are on trend; 2) it is always interesting to see all the different ways ideas are executed; 3) our vintage inspired Halloween party is so inexpensive and easy– a Country Living/Bruce Elsass vintage Halloween party would take you an incredible amount of time, energy and lots of money and if you have those three things as well as inclination you would be able to host a fabulous party with Bruce Elsass’ great ideas. On the other hand, Royal Tart will provide you with a inexpensive vintage Halloween party including vintage-like invitations, decorations, a handmade Halloween banner, table setting, etc. and it will arrive at your door in one box for a mere $177.00 including shipping for a party up to 16– You cant’ beat that! And Royal Tart includes a Let’s Get This Party Started Blueprint with a suggested menu, recipes and party tips with the purchase of your party.