Welcome to Fashion Plate

You've found the home of my fabulous hand-sewn retro Barbie fashions and delectable recipes from my cookbooks, Chocolate Crimes and Five Step to Chocolate Rehab.



Monday, July 23, 2012

Frosted Lemon Cookies


The tangy lemon and added bonus of frosting make them a winning cookie.  They look and taste like something from a French patisserie!
cookie
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (two sticks), softened
Cream the sugar and butter.
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Add eggs and lemon zest and juice. 
2½ cups flour
1½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine dry ingredients and beat into sugar mixture.
Drop cookie scoopfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Really, these spread. Bake at 400° for 9 minutes until edges brown. Drizzle the warm cookies with glaze. Makes 5 dozen.
glaze
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 drop yellow food coloring

It has been over the hundred mark on the old thermometer and we are slowly melting.  Unlike the rest of us, Annette is looking very cool and collected in her lovely cotton dress with matching shawl.

She is on her way to dinner with a designer rep whose wife wasn't invited along.  When will that girl learn?

Monday, July 16, 2012

Cherry Pizza


crumb topping

½ cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup butter
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients and blend in butter until topping makes crumbles. If you have leftover crumble from another cooking adventure, you need about 2/3 cup.

one pizza crust, homemade or from a mix
I like Il Fornaio Traditional frozen pizza dough (14 ounces)
Prepare dough and spread on buttered 14-inch pizza pan.

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon coarse crystal sugar



Butter dough and prick with fork and sprinkle with coarse white sugar.  Bake at 450˚ for five minutes.  Remove from oven, re-prick and spread with cherry pie filling.
20 ounces cherry pie filling

Top with crumb topping and continue cooking for 18 minutes, until browned.





Top hot pizza with a little vanilla glaze, if desired. 
Wilton cookie glaze

We don't want to jinx Lucy, but we are all holding our breath.  Dirk seems to be a great boyfriend and she has finally stopped her charge account madness.  Even mean Ethel, her cat, has failed to scare off Dirk.  On Lucy, this sarong is sooo right.


Monday, July 9, 2012

White Chocolate Brownies


It is almost a crime to make a “brownie” that is not chocolate, but you can always pour a large helping of fudge sauce on top to ameliorate this shortcoming.

Melt:

6 tablespoons butter
4 ounces white chocolate

Add an additional:

4 ounces white chocolate

Stir until smooth.  Set aside. Beat:

2 eggs
½ cup granulated sugar

for 3 minutes.  Add white chocolate mixture. Add:

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon flour

Then fold in:

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Bake in a greased and floured 8x8 inch pan at 350˚ for 35 minutes.


Things are looking up for Lucy.  Since she met Dirk, her life has made a turn to the positive.  They are going to visit Dirk's mom today, so Lucy baked a batch of white chocolate brownies to take to her.  She resisted the temptation to buy a new dress and decided on this pretty white knit.  
Dirk has her credit cards on a short leash.  He is trying to stress the importance of pay as you go.  Lucy must be in love...she is actually trying!

Monday, July 2, 2012

4th of July Pie


I made this for the 4th of July and had a guess the ingredients contest. No one could figure out what was in it, but all agreed it sure was good.

chocolate cookie pie crust (prepared or purchased)

In glass bowl, microwave

20 large marshmallows
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon mocha powder

for one minute. Stir. Add

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

and heat for 30 seconds. Add

⅓ cup seedless raspberry preserves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir and let cool. Fold in:

8 ounces Cool Whip

Spread into crust.  Refrigerate 8 hours.

Top with:

Whipped cream
Shaved chocolate

Maryann will be singing the National Anthem at the baseball game on the 4th of July.  She looks hot as a firecracker and a voice to match.