Chocolate Dessert Cups

I saw some fancy (expensive) edible chocolate dessert cups at the store and decided that I could make them myself--so I did. It's like my other favorite recipes: super easy, cheap, and comes out looking very impressive.

1 package chocolate bark
silicone cupcake liners

My chocolate bark came in a 24-oz package divided into 2-oz bars. Each bar made 3 cups.

Melt the chocolate per package directions. Spoon some into cupcake liner. Swirl to coat sides. Let cool. (To speed set, place in fridge.) Gently loosen the liner and push the chocolate cup out. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Fill, as desired, with ice cream, mousse, pudding, fruit, popcorn, etc.

You could probably make these in heavy duty foil paper liners, but I don't think the standard issue paper liners would hold their shape enough to make ridges with the hot chocolate. I'm not sure-you might want to grease paper/foil liners before using.

Cooking Tips: Grilling

picture from seriouseats.com

To get perfect grill marks on a piece of meat or fish, start with a hot, oiled grill. Place the item to be grilled at a 45-degree angle on the grill (so that its top points to 10 o'clock on an imaginary clock face). Once it's been marked, rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise (so that the top now points to 2 o'clock). Once that side is perfectly grilled, flip and repeat on the other side.

Some basic tips to make your outdoor parties a breeze: if your apps are a precursor to a meal, assume each person will eat about 4-6 hors d'oeuvres apiece. If you're only serving apps, go with about 12 pieces per person. Each person will probably drink 2 drinks in the first hour, then 1 drink per hour thereafter. When you're planning your snacks, go for a variety of colors, textures, and cooking methods--whatever you make, though, should be finishable in two bites or less, and easily edible with one hand.

Food Network 2011 Calendar

Mashed Potato Martinis

Here's a idea to take an everyday food and make it for a special occasion. I've seen mashed potato martinis at a dinner wedding reception and for a New Year's Eve buffet. They are cost effective because you can use whatever mashed potatoes you like-real, fake or a combo. For these, I used disposeable plastic martini glasses from my local grocery store. Then, just have an assortment of things people can use as toppings. Think what you would like in a baked potato. Some options...

Classic: with butter



Loaded: with cheese, sour cream and bacon bits

Hearty beef: with beef mushroom gravy

a fun idea for picnics and cookouts