Posts in tips & tricks
tips & tricks: parmesan crisps

are you ready for the EASIEST trick i have ever given you. it requires 1 ingredient, tools you have on hand or could improvise and takes less than ten minutes. parmesan crisps are pretty much fool proof but look and taste IMPRESSIVE. 

if you are having a party, and want your guests to think you are amazingly creative and talented and spent WAY too much time in the kitchen (even though you didn't) serve something on a parmesan crisp or in a parmesan bowl. hell, if you just want to spice up your thursday night in, cook these bad boys up. is it bad that i made them and none of them survived to actually be a vehicle? i ate all of them. quickly. good thing it's easy to make more!

parmesan crisps

serves: 4 crisps

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 5-7 minutes

total time: 10 minutes

ingredients: 2 cups freshly grated (use a smaller grater size) parmesan cheese. 1 baking sheet lined with parchment (if you don't have parchment you can lightly grease your baking sheet and just use a spatula to remove them when done). cooling rack. paper towel. small bowls optional if you want to make parmesan bowls instead of crisps. 

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start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees f. using half a cup of cheese for each crisp, sprinkle mounds of cheese onto your parchment lined baking sheet. make sure you have evenly thin and round circles.

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bake the cheese once the oven is hot for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn a golden color. remove the cheese from the oven and allow it to stop bubbling.

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place your paper towel over your drying rack and either peal the cheese off the parchment or use a spatula to remove it from the baking sheet. either set straight onto the paper towel lined cooling rack OR if you are making bowls, gently place the still pliable parmesan on an upside down bowl and mold it around the sides. allow it to harden and then remove to the cooling rack for any excess oil to be removed. 

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use or store in an airtight container for up to three days. 

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xo, a

parmesan crisps

serves: 4 crisps

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 5-7 minutes

total time: 10 minutes

ingredients: 2 cups freshly grated (use a smaller grater size) parmesan cheese. 1 baking sheet lined with parchment (if you don't have parchment you can lightly grease your baking sheet and just use a spatula to remove them when done). cooling rack. paper towel. small bowls optional if you want to make parmesan bowls instead of crisps. 

start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees f. using half a cup of cheese for each crisp, sprinkle mounds of cheese onto your parchment lined baking sheet. make sure you have evenly thin and round circles. bake the cheese once the oven is hot for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and starting to turn a golden color. remove the cheese from the oven and allow it to stop bubbling. place your paper towel over your drying rack and either peal the cheese off the parchment or use a spatula to remove it from the baking sheet. either set straight onto the paper towel lined cooling rack OR if you are making bowls, gently place the still pliable parmesan on an upside down bowl and mold it around the sides. allow it to harden and then remove to the cooling rack for any excess oil to be removed. use or store in an airtight container for up to three days. 

tips & tricks: candied flowers

just like fruit, vegetables and herbs in my garden, i try never to waste a good home grown edible flower.

so i'm always looking for new ways to preserve my beautiful violas for future use. candying edible flowers or edible flower petals (you can find a long list of edible flowers HERE), not only preserves the flowers, it makes then a beautiful and sugar sweet addition to a dessert. 

candied flowers

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

inactive time: 4-8 hours

total time: 8 hours

ingredients: 1 egg white. 1 cup edible flowers or flower petals, cleaned and dried. 1 cup fine sugar. whisk. paint brush. drying rack. 

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start by whisking your egg white until it has some bubbles in it and is a bit lighter. pour your sugar onto a plate.

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gently brush the petals of your flowers with a bit of egg white.

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place the flower or petal on the sugar platter and sprinkle sugar over the top.

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set the flower or petal on the drying rack. repeat until you have finished all your flowers or petals.

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allow them to dry on the rack for 4-8 hours. until there is no remaining moisture.

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use them as a gorgeous garnish, or store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use. 

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xo, a

candied flowers

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 15 minutes

inactive time: 4-8 hours

total time: 8 hours

ingredients: 1 egg white. 1 cup edible flowers or flower petals, cleaned and dried. 1 cup fine sugar. whisk. paint brush. drying rack. 

start by whisking your egg white until it has some bubbles in it and is a bit lighter. pour your sugar onto a plate. gently brush the petals of your flowers with a bit of egg white. place the flower or petal on the sugar platter and sprinkle sugar over the top. set the flower or petal on the drying rack. repeat until you have finished all your flowers or petals. allow them to dry on the rack for 4-8 hours. until there is no remaining moisture. use them as a gorgeous garnish, or store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use.