Top Recipe Posts

Over the past year or so I've posted recipes that you readers loved. So why not remember the good times?
Here's a collection of the highest-viewed recipe posts from {A Dash of Spectacular}:

Boozy Cranberry Sauce. One of the most-viewed recipes that's not only beautiful, but so yummy, all year-round.

Kielbasa & Caramelized Onion Quesadilla. A recipe idea born from a grocery-store challenge. A delicious idea.

The Peach-Ginger-Hit Cocktail. Yes, she's a winner. Really.

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake. One of my personal favorites for a summer dessert with tropical or spicy cocktails.

Super Bowl Menu 2013

I don't know about you, but our game day was centered around the eating opportunities {just like last year}. Some of the things we served were health-oriented, and others I'm a bit ashamed of.  I'm sure we all feel the same, right? Right.
Our menu:

Knock-off Boneless Buffalo Wings, seasoned with Quaker, Steak & Lube's 'Louisiana Lickers' sauce;

Carrot and Celery Sticks with Husband's homemade Blue Cheese Dressing;

Chili in Wexford

The Texan in me is skipping again. Earlier this week Whole Foods in Wexford contacted me about their inaugural Chili Cook-Off this Saturday {1/12} with an invitation to come and taste the entries. I'm down! Too bad I can't enter the contest! I love making Nigella's Cornbread-Topped Chili or the Yam & Bean Orange-Scented Chili from Everybody Likes Sandwiches. What are your favorite recipes for chili?

Yam & Bean Orange-Scented Chili Via Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Here's the skinny on Saturday's event:

Warm Up From the “Chili”-Weather with Whole Foods Market® Wexford First Annual Chili Cook-Off Competition!  Enjoy assorted chili recipes while listening to local group Broke, Stranded & Ugly

WHAT:           Whole Foods Market Wexford is hosting their FIRST EVER Chili Cook-Off! From slow-roasted crock pot chili to one-pot chili casseroles, Wexford Team Members have begun preparing their best rendition of momma’s homemade chili.  Whether you are accustomed to lamb, lentils, or seafood chili or beef, veggies and tofu, there will be bowls of goodness filled with savory flavors for all palettes at this FREE event. 

For those who prefer the staple made from all organic ingredients to those who swear on canned made chili, the community is invited to vote on which Wexford Team Member’s recipe should hold the bragging rights for “the best chili ever.”  Along with sampling, all taste-testers will receive copies of recipes to try at home as they listen to live music performing in the café from local group Broke, Stranded & Ugly.

WHEN:          Saturday, January 12, 2013

                          12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Whole Foods Market | Wexford

10576 Perry Highway

Wexford, PA 15090

724.940.6100

I'm ready to indulge in mouthful after mouthful of steamy chili {even if the weather's supposed to warm up this weekend} at the new Whole Foods in Wexford.  However, I'm not sure about this band. With a name like that, what do they sing about?!

If you're going, join the Twitter conversation by following Whole Foods in Wexford @WFMWexford and me {if you haven't already!} @CristinAshley.  Tweet me pictures! 

Have a great weekend!

Thanks

This past Thursday I gave thanks for my husband, family, friends, the life we live, and...good food. We were able to celebrate on a small-scale, which was nice {keeping in mind that we'll be flying to and staying with family and friends in Texas for almost 2 weeks!}

The small feast started with Husband making Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery {are you seeing a trend yet?!} Buttermilk Biscuits.

Certainly worth the small amount of work required. It goes without saying that these were the best biscuits I've ever eaten. Including restaurant biscuits. Sigh.

A look at our tiny kitchen counter as we cooked.

Adding to the Wishlist

With the holiday season and someone's birthday coming up, I've been filling my wishlist to the brim {and purging it of a few items I must have added after a cocktail or three}.

An item that won't fit on that wishlist {as it's not offered through anyone but Williams-Sonoma} is this beauty:

via Williams-Sonoma

Now, I'm not one for overindulgence, but how can you say no to something that can make Thomas Keller's cassoulet? You can sear/brown meat or toast breadcrumbs in the metal insert, slow cook the dish, then finish it in the oven {bubbling, crusty cheese, anyone?}. It's such a multi-tasker in comparison to my current version. With a model with a timer I could make dishes on my own schedule, and not have to worry about rushing home {or having Husband rush home} to turn something to 'warm'.

via

It was love at first sight.  I've told Husband about it, but neither one of us can stomach the $250 price tag {which is reduced from the shelf price of $400!}.  I wish it could be mine.  I am, however, on the lookout for something similar within the sane price category.

What are you wishing for this holiday season?  Tag me in a Pin or tweet it to me!

Visual Evidence

I promise to stop blowing up your Twitter feeds, Google Readers and Facebook pages about the Giant Eagle Market District and Creta Farms event after I share this one last thing: You can catch photos and a video of the event on the Acrobatique blog, The High Wire. 

My thoughts on my demo: Someone should have told me to turn down the bubbliness!  I’m fairly sure I seemed like an idiot, and I apologize to bloggers everywhere for giving us a {potentially, likely eventual} bad rap!  I was just happy to be there!  Honestly.

Cooking Demo: That's me on the far left! {Courtesy of Acrobatique Creative}

In other news, this weekend was full of prepping for the aforementioned event, then was followed by recouping with Husband through the aid of homemade Thai food and movies on the couch.  Now it is Monday again, and it’s back to the grindstone.  Tonight is a laundry night, so you might get a two-fer posting today!

How was your weekend?  What did you think of the video?

Recipe Writing

Happy weekend, y'all!  How did you spend your weekend?  Husband and I installed our new A/C unit, did some errands, had some good friends over for dinner, cleaned up the house, and did a smidge of grocery shopping.  We picked up a few items for an exciting opportunity I have coming up:
Last week a representative from Giant Eagle invited me to participate in their I Heart Picnics event they're hosting with Creta Farms in honor of National Picnic month, which is July! The challenge is simple: Come up with a recipe featuring Creta Farm's lower fat sausage, kielbasa, hot dogs or bologna, then perform a demo of your recipe for Market District customers on July 14. Sounds fun, yes?

Thanks to Market District's supplies gift card, I picked up a ton of ingredients to recipe test with. I'm thinking of taking a multi-country dish that'll be perfect for taking to a picnic. These are the items I'm working with:

Any ideas on what I'm making? 

I'm so thrilled to be able to demo my recipe at the Robinson Township Market District - I went there to shop for ingredients, and it's huge! They even have a Williams-Sonoma style area you can buy any cookware or piece of equipment you'd need. I also passed by an area where they were hydroponically growing lettuce...there in the store!

Anyway, I'll post more information on where I'll be in the store for my demo - I'd love to meet you!

Photo Blink {Seestor's Visit}

My sister {Seestor, to those that know us well} came in town last week and stayed with us.  We went everywhere and ate a ton of food, but I'll share a photo blink of one of the meals she made for us on a Thursday night:

Left: Roasted {skinless} Asian marinated chicken leg,
on top of a sweet potato mash and garlic beet greens.

 Isn't is super colorful? And, there was a bonus:

Right: Roasted Beet Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese and Mint.

 Husband ate and liked beets for the first time!  {I sound like I'm talking about my toddler cousins, right?!}  Thanks for a wonderful weeknight meal, Seestor!  Miss you already!

{31 Blogging Days of May} DIY Friday: Mexican Chocolate Poundcake

Kyla asked for us to share a DIY {Do It Yourself!} with our readers today. Those that know me know that I love doing crafts, but I love cooking more...and what is more DIY than cooking?! 
Tonight I'm sharing a recipe I recently came across, by talking to my Mom on the phone. Yes, we gab about food. She was telling me about a chocolate pound cake that a coworker had made for a office party.   As she went on about the cake, the details got me: Mexican chocolate, buttermilk, cocoa... How could I not ask for the recipe?

Photo Blink!

I've been working on odds and ends over the past few weeks, mostly on our third floor guest suite {Sounds fancy, huh?}. Our weekends have been full of shopping for furniture, pillows, bathroom towels, and fabric. We've also worked on updating our dining room furniture, as you'll see later. 

I've been busy with those details, and Husband has been nice enough to cook me an Oates Family classic, the Cowboy Breakfast.

{Cowboy Breakfast}

Ingredients:

1 slice of bread

1 tsp. butter or margarine

1 tbsp. mayonnaise {we use light Hellmann's}

Cooking Spray

2-3 thin slices of deli meat {we use turkey, but it's traditionally ham)

1 slice American cheese or a melty cheese, sliced very thin

1 egg

coarse salt and pepper

Toast the bread, while collecting all of the other ingredients. Spread on butter then the mayo. In a small skillet, brown the deli meat with a little cooking spray, one minute on each side and browned on the edges. Place the meat on a plate in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Then, fry the egg in a little more cooking spray, then begin assembling the ingredients as follows: bread, meat, cheese, egg, salt and pepper. The cheese should melt between the meat and egg before serving.

I love this for a weekend breakfast!

Here's a hint at the fabric for the dining room chair overhaul:

 We stopped by Labriola's Italian Market in Cranberry Township to stock up on Italian goodies. I see a seafood pasta in our future!

 We checked out Smoke BBQ Taqueria last week, which Husband has been itching to try since we got here in December. Stay tuned for the PGH Dining review of this one!

 Husband tried his hand at pickling, which I've done in the past, to no avail. Evidently, the pickling thumb stopped at his mom and didn't carry over into the next generation. Alas. They were far too spice-laden, even if we followed the directions to the letter.

 At least they were pretty.

 Finally, I do have a "What I Wore" post up my sleeve. You'll notice I'm wearing somewhat warm clothing...all of that warm weather has disappeared, and it's now somewhat normal March temperatures. Yay, layering!

Have a great rest of your Sunday!

Meeting Pioneer Woman...Ree Drummond!

It's been an eventful Monday. This weekend while Husband and I were in Sewickley, we stepped into the bookstore that was set to have Ree Drummond, or Pioneer Woman, to come to do a book signing. I knew she was supposed to come do a signing on her tour, but I had no idea when or where. It was unfortunate though, because it was in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, and at 4:00PM {which is during my working hours}. Husband talked me into giving it a shot, and going after work in the hopes that she's still be there. She was!

And, she brought her adorable family with her! 

I arrived at 5:30PM, and got in the LONG line. {Pittsburgh showed up for PW!} I was #246. Husband drove in from Warrendale, and joined me about 10 minutes later. As we waited, we saw the three kids skip out to get Mom a coffee at Starbucks across the street. What good kids. ;)

As we made out way to the front door, Ladd's hat came into view. 

I'm so happy to see someone I know...from TV! 

He was greeting folks and signing "his page" in the cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier {p. 152}. It was a relief to see a family member!

 We then entered back into the line:

Then, climbed up the stairs to the kid's section...

And, there she was!

I gabbed about us moving from Texoma Land to PGH, and she asked how we were liking it. I said I didn't miss the 100+ degree weather, and she said she might come join us! Such a lovely person. 

I brought out the sorority pose for this one. You only have one shot!

 {Thanks for staying HOURS after you were due at Primanti Bros., Ree! You're a trooper!}

 Hands down, best book signing! {I hope she remembers me?}

Husband's Whoopie Pie

Amidst all of this holiday eating, Husband decided it would be okay to make a sugar-rich, butter-infused dessert the other night. Unless you've been sleeping under a rock, you've heard of the dessert sensation that is a whoopie pie. These pies are not new, but are quickly becoming national favorites.

Husband tried his hand at making a batch after seeing an episode of Chuck's Day Off. {Side note: This show is the perfect match of yummy cooking show for me, but still being somewhat manly for Husband. The host does play some mean hockey!} This is the episode, to be exact.

{Chuck's Whoopie Pies}

INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups/375ml all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup/125ml unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons/7ml baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon/2ml salt
• 1 cup/250ml sugar
• 1/2 cup/125ml butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon/5ml pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup/250ml milk
• 
  
• Marshmallow Filling:

• 1 cup/250ml sugar
• 2 tablespoons/30ml honey
• 1 teaspoon/5ml pure vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 
Beat the sugar, butter and eggs with a mixer for about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and beating until smooth. 
Using an ice cream scoop, drop mounds of the batter (about 1/2 cup for each) onto the lined baking sheet (6 per sheet as they will spread when baking). Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. 
For the marshmallow filling: Whisk together the sugar, honey, vanilla, egg whites and 2 tablespoons water (30ml) in a large heatproof bowl using a hand mixer. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat with the mixer until the mixture is thick, creamy and stands in peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat for a minute or so more, then let cool completely.
Spread a generous amount of filling on the flat side (bottom) of a chocolate cake. Sandwich with another cake, pressing down gently to spread the filling evenly. Repeat to make 8 whoopie pies. Serve immediately or wrap the whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap (they can be frozen).

Here's Husband's interpretation, with added espresso powder:

Complete with glass of milk.

I'm so proud of my handsome baker! You {know} I wouldn't attempt to do this. Baking is not really my forte, so I'm pleased to be married to a great baker!  

Super Bowl Sunday!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, a national holiday in America, and day of both elation and of terrible pain {depending on the performance of your chosen team}.
Today, however, in our household, it's most notably a day of good food. Usually, when we are fortunate enough to spend the day with family, we indulge in the fattiest of foods: Rotel Dip. Other heavenly items on the menu include hot dogs, baked beans, other chips and dips, mile-high sandwiches, and lots of chocolaty desserts. This year both Husband and I are trying to watch our weight and aim to be somewhat healthier in our food choices; thus, we have a calorie-conscious menu planned {still featuring some of our favorites}!

{The Menu}
Crab Rangoonies {a Hungry Girl recipe}
Chili Dogs
Napa Cabbage Asian Slaw {Based on this recipe}
Clementines
Neapolitan Ice Cream, Slow Churned & No Sugar Added

I plan to upload photos this afternoon, after the cookin' of course. Stay tuned!

{Update!}

Here are the photos from our Super Bowl feast:

Napa cabbage Asian slaw, before mixed.

After a good mix. I added chipotle powder and red pepper flake. 'Cause I can.

Crab Rangoonies with dipping sauce of light soy sauce, walnut oil, rice vinegar, red pepper flake and spring onion.

Ready for it's close-up, in all of it's baked glory.

The whole shebang, complete with 97% fat free hot dogs & 80-calorie buns. 

Plated slaw.

Clementine in the corner.

Local beer! And light!

What did you make for your Super Bowl feast? Did you participate in feasting? 

P.S. - HEY THERE to all my visitors from Taste of Pittsburgh! Welcome! Let me know what you think of my PGH Dining reviews!

Photo Blink & Tying Loose Ends

At some point today, I knew I was going to make time to post. Life has been incredibly busy since I last sat down to update {ADOS}. Mainly, I'm talking about all of the jobs I've been applying for and the house repairs we've been having. I mean, it is a house built in the early 1900s. You'd expect for it to have some shortcomings, especially after a huge renovation and overhaul. AND, it was 5 degrees on Friday, causing our kitchen sink pipes to freeze. Who ever heard'a frozen pipes?! This girl hadn't.

Anyway, I've been knee-deep in job applications and repair people for the last several days, and haven't had time for the lovely blog. I do have my priorities!

As sort of an update and tying up loose ends, Husband and I got busy {not like that, people!} and weren't able to enjoy the remainder of Pittsburgh Restauarant Week. We had intended on visiting both Meat & Potatoes and Frantuary, but life got in the way. I'll put those two high on the list for February. {Can you believe we're only a week away!?}

Finally, here's a blink at the last week or so, in photo form.

Another masterpiece from Espresso a Mano.

There's a review coming shortly for a favorite madeline stop - La Gourmandine!

There's also a post coming on a certain mans-wear for the winter.

I used our new XiaoXing rice wine to steam fish fillets in my bamboo steamer. Yum!

I made these Lasagna Cupcakes for dinner, and Husband adores them!

We purchased these gorgeous free-range eggs.

These are the lovelies Sephora sent me for my birthday!

Now that I've promised future posts, you know they'll happen. 

It's now time for me to go sweep & mop my dirty floors! {Who knew that snow and salt mixtures would be so tough to clean!?} Happy Wednesday, y'all!


P.S. - Only 5 more days to vote in my poll! Do it!