Frosted Raspberry Pie Bars

I still haven’t been able to get over my berry craving, even though it’s currently February, and it’s costing me an arm and a leg. So when Lucky Leaf sent me a few cans of their pie filling, including raspberry, I thought that it would be a nice opportunity to feed my addiction without breaking the bank. So after browsing through some recipes, I decided on these delectable raspberry pie bars.

The dough is rolled out into a large rectangle, pie filling is spread on top, then more dough is placed in a lattice formation on top – then it’s all baked, chilled, and finally drizzled with a delicious cream cheese frosting before being cut into individual squares. I chose raspberry, but I think they’d be delicious with just about any variety of pie filling you’d want to use – I’m definitely looking forward to trying cherry and apple in the near future.

I was not having the best day when I made these…not feeling well in general, kids acting crazy, you know how those day go…so when I took the dough out of the refrigerator to take the chill off and roll it out, I let it sit on the counter a little too long. It softened quite a bit, and I had a little bit of a hard time rolling it out, and forming the lattice crust. So, make sure you act quickly when you go to put it together! Once in the oven, it baked up beautifully. The filling stayed in place, and the dough got nice and puffy – creating a gorgeous bar. I let them cool for about an hour before I drizzled them and cut, and enjoyed them after dinner for dessert. Everyone really loved them, and it was great to have all the delicious flavors of a pie in a bar form.

They’d be a perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day, either to share with your family – or that special someone in your life. And, it’s a break from all the chocolate that usually goes hand-in-hand with the holiday. We’ve also got something else pretty sweet for you guys – a set of these adorable Rachael Ray Bubble & Brown Individual Servers, and a Lucky Leaf gift pack to go along with them!

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They’re perfect for individual servings of cobbler, bread pudding, or even something like a creme brulee. To enter, just leave a comment telling us what your favorite berry is. I’d say mine is blackberries. Giveaway will run from today through February 14th (Valentine’s Day) at 11:59 PM. I’ll select a winner using the handy, dandy Random Number Generator and contact the winner.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home, October/November 2002

Disclaimer: Lucky Leaf provided me with products to sample. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Caramelized Onion & Bacon Pizza

We’ve got a big day coming up this Sunday. Not that I care as much where neither of my teams made the cut – but quite a few of my friends are Broncos fans, so we’ll be rooting for them in our house. And, of course I never need an excuse to fill up our table with football-munchie related items.

So when the folks at Musselman’s asked me to share a game day recipe with you guys that featured their delicious apple butter, I couldn’t say no. We’re big fans of apple butter in this house – just by putting it on a simple peanut butter sandwich or toast, or incorporating into a recipe, it’s always a winner. I first got hooked on the stuff after receiving a jar from the husband of one of my best friends who is from Michigan. Their family cooks a huge batch every year and then shares it amongst themselves. It’s rich, fruity, and delicious – without being overly sweet. So, to be able to find a jar of a quality apple butter on the shelf at my local grocery store is wonderful, and like I said – we use it regularly.

So, this pizza. It’s definitely not your typical pizza…but, that’s a welcome change in my book. A crispy crust with a layer of apple butter as the sauce, that’s then topped with plenty of smoky gouda and sharp white cheddar, caramelized onions, and crispy bacon. Then right before serving you top it with a bit of baby arugula for a fresh, spicy kick. It was really delicious, and different. The slightly sweet sauce and onions mingled with the smokiness of the gouda and bacon was an absolutely perfect pairing.

Jon and I both really enjoyed it, and I was kind of shocked that the boys loved it too! I figured where it wasn’t your standard pizza, they wouldn’t be interested – but their little palettes continue to surprise me everyday! If you’re looking for something new to add to your Super Bowl munchie lineup, give this pizza a try!

Musselman’s has also generously offered to host a great giveaway for our readers! A gift package featuring a jar of apple butter with a few recipe cards for some ideas to get you kick-started on what to make with your jar, and also this fabulous Wilton Armetale Grillware Pizza Tray. Which, I can vouch for – has been wonderful. My pizza stone cracked last week (my second Pampered Chef stone to crack in 1 year!) so this couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. It can go up to 1,000 degrees F, so is oven as well as grill safe! I’m looking forward to trying some grilled pizza recipes on this bad boy come spring.

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To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite game day snack is! Contest will run from today through Februrary 2nd at 11:59 PM. Winner will be selected by that nifty Random Number Generator and contacted that Monday morning. Big thanks to Musselman’s for hosting such a great giveaway!

Source: adapted from Fork vs. Spoon via Musselman’s

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Congratulations to Morgan who said that she loves Bbq beef short ribs, buffalo chicken dip and bacon wrapped shrimp on game day. Those are some of my favorites too!

Pink Moscato SangriaI hope everyone is busy planning their Mother’s Day festivities! Whether your the lady being celebrated, or are lucky enough to be celebrating with your mom this year – I think there’s one thing most ladies in your life could use: a lovely cocktail that includes lots of fresh berries this Mother’s Day! One of my favorite wines to drink in the summer months are Moscatos – and I’ve been seeing more and more of them pop up on the shelves these days. They are light and fruity, and if they’re good  – not to sweet.

One of my favorites is Bello Boy, a Moscato infused with rose petals to give it a distinct flavor, and a gorgeous shade of rose. It’s delicious, light & complex at the same time. The man behind it is Jaime Laurita, a well-known chef who’s worked with many notable people and artists in his culinary career. Incidentally, he also happens to be of the Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Laurita crew, which I’ve made no secret is a guilty pleasure. He’s got a couple bubbly wines under his label now, as well as some other wonderful Italian products – top notch olive oils and dried pastas to name a few.

The sangria comes together in a snap, and just gets better as it sits and the flavors mingle. I went with a berry theme – choosing strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. But really, any combo of fruit would be wonderful. Looking forward to fresh peaches from the orchard down the street, they’ll be a wonderful addition.

And to celebrate Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway! For the past couple months or so, I’ve totally been crushing on the folks over at Hen House Linens. They’re based right here in Maryland, and their selection of fun, colorful prints is out of this world. Any fellow food bloggers will know what I mean when I say “kid in a candy store”. They’ve been so kind to offer an adorable cocktail apron to one lucky winner. All you need to do is comment below answering the question: What are your plans for this Mother’s Day weekend? I’m looking forward to spending time with all my guys. And on Sunday, our first taste of crabs for the year at The Red Roost with my parents. It’s become our Mother’s Day tradition. You have to take a 2-car ferry to get there – the boys just love it, and so do we!Hen House LinensWant a couple of extra entries?:

Like Hen House Linens on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.
Like Bello Boy Moscato on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.

Contest will end Thursday, May 16 2012 @ 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be selected using a random number generator.

Congratulations to Entrant #2 – Diana. Thanks so much for entering, everyone!

Disclaimer: I received Bello Boy Moscato and Hen House linens to review at no cost. As always, all opinions are my own.

Magimix 5200XL

A couple of weeks ago, I received a Magimix food processor in the mail to review. I’ve been using it regularly over the course of the past two weeks, and I’m happy to report that I’ve kicked my old, chipped food processor to the curb. Okay, well maybe just to the garage – to take on camping trips or something!

Just the name “Magimix” conjures up warm fuzzy memories from me, as that is always what the great Julia Child referred to the food processor in her kitchen as. That’s because they’re the O.G. – made in France by hand, where they manufacture their own motors as well. A company dedicated to quality so much that they don’t trust anyone else to the job! They’re awesome. So awesome in fact, that they’re sponsoring the giveaway of a Magimix 5200XL 16-Cup Food Processor here at Tide & Thyme. Here are the deets on this awesome piece of kitchen equipment:

  • 6-cup, 12-cup and 16-cup mixing bowls.
  • 2 metal Sabatier blades, one for small bowl, and one for medium and large bowls.
  • Dough blade.
  • 2 grating discs; 2 mm and 4 mm.
  • 2 slicing discs; 2 mm and 4 mm.
  • Blender mix attachment.
  • Citrus Press.
  • Egg whisk.
  • Spatula.
  • Recipe book and DVD.
  • Storage box.

The 3-bowl system is genius. How awesome is it to be able to shred enough cabbage and carrots for egg rolls in one bowl? But then have a work bowl small enough to make chipotle aioli for fish tacos using the same machine? The protective storage box is also very handy – especially for someone like me, who has lots of little hands poking around the kitchen. Everything fits neatly into the easy to access box that I’ve put nearby on my pantry. It’s a wonderful, wonderful piece of equipment – and I’m happy to be able give one away to a lucky reader!

*The winner is Comment #99: Meryl, who will be making plenty of salsa and olive tapenade in her new food processor. Congrats, Meryl!

And here are the deets on how to win! Contest will open today, Monday April 22 – and run through Monday April 29th @ 12 AM. Simply leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite thing to make in a food processor? 

Want a few extra entries?

1. Like Tide & Thyme and Magimix on Facebook – Leave a comment below telling us you did so.

2. Follow Tide & Thyme on Pinterest – Leave a comment telling us you did so.

3. Follow Tide & Thyme on Twitter – Leave a comment telling us you did so.

Fine Print:  This giveaway is open to USA residents only and will run until Saturday, May 12th at 11:59 pm EST. Winner(s) will be generated via a random number generator. Winner will be notified via the contact email provided on the comment contact form. Winner will have until 5/2/13 to claim their Magimix by Robot-Coupe 16 cup Food Processor {$650 value} or we will choose another winner. Item will be shipped to the winner by Magimix.

Disclaimer: I received the Magimix Food Processor to review at no cost. As always, all opinions are my own. This giveaway is sponsored by Magimix by Robot-Coupe.