temp-tations® by Tara

Get the inside scoop on my new temp-tations® 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set from someone who has put it to the test.

Team TT — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:14:53 +0000

My friend Julie is one of our web producers, and here’s what she has to say about the new TT melamine outdoor dinnerware set

Check out her beautiful pics and comments below.

Julie: “I bought the brown Old World and brown Polka Dot for myself, and gave the yellow Old World to my mom – so that we could share, as well as mix and match. They look so fresh and fun together. Can’t wait to use it all summer long and beyond.”

Julie: “I love big salads with everything in them but the kitchen sink. The more colorful, the better – kinda like my TTs In this one, I combined romaine lettuce with edamame, shaved carrot, cherry tomatoes, red onion, purple cabbage, and yellow bell pepper for a beautiful look and great, crunchy texture. And I really appreciate that the plates and bowls are so generously sized.”

Julie: “TT melamine, as modeled by my 7 year old, who is about to devour Flatbread with Parmesan & Honey. I love that it’s so kid-friendly, no matter how many times he drops it. Can’t wait to get rid of my mish-mash collection of kiddie-style plastic plates and bowls and just use this.”

Julie: “Really enjoyed our delicious family BBQ – especially the Grilled Chicken & Veggie Kabobs and Tara’s Mo’ Rockin’ Casserole from her new cookbook. (It’s Israeli couscous with apricots, cranberries, and almonds. Note: I didn’t have dried apricots, so I substituted apple!) Yum. Everyone served themselves, visited with each other, and mingled – which was easy because the plates are so lightweight and effortless to carry. I’m already thinking about all the casual buffet-style parties I’m going to host where these dishes will work beautifully – holiday lunch buffets, football parties, pizza parties, playdates and more.”

(Note: See Tara’s Mo’ Rockin’ Casserole from her new cookbook below. Sooooo good.)

Shop for the Old World or Polka Dot 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set today.

My New temp-tations® Melamine 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set creates a beautiful table indoors or out. See it at 12 noon, May 20th, on QVC.

erounsavall — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:55:31 +0000

Temp-tations 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set shown in Polka Dot Black

Just in time for summer and outdoor entertaining – my new Melamine 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set comes in both Old World and Polka Dot and tons of beautiful colors! Whether you go with a color or pattern that complements your current pieces, or branch out and try something new and vibrant for summer – this is a great opportunity to mix and match and have some fun. And isn’t that what summer’s all about? Beautiful, lightweight, shatter-proof, kid-friendly, dishwasher-safe, reusable, perfect for cookouts, picnics, BBQs, meals by the pool, on the patio, and more – obviously I could go on and on This set has it all – watch a video to see it in action and learn more.

Includes four 10-1/2″ square dinner plates, four 8″ square salad plates, four 7-1/2″ bowls, and four 12-oz. acrylic tumblers. And it’s available in Old World black, blue, confetti, cranberry, cream, green, lilac, spice, and yellow. Or, in Polka Dot blue, black, brown, cream, green, lilac, red, spice, and yellow. (Old World brown and Polka Dot turquoise have already sold out!) Buy more, save more: get $3 off each additional set, and save on standard shipping and handling as well.

Shop for the Old World or Polka Dot 16-pc. Outdoor Dinnerware Set today.

Mo’ Rockin’ Casserole

Team TT — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:16:59 +0000

This is a very welcome change from your average pasta or rice dishes. It’s light and subtle, sweet and nutty, and very easy to make. – Tara

Ingredients:

1 (6-ounce) package pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup peeled and thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup sliced dried apricots (5 dried apricots)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or Craisins)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Cook couscous according to package instructions. Alternatively: in a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add couscous, stir once, and reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered until water is mostly absorbed, about 12 minutes. Turn heat off. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a 1-quart temp-tations® dish, whisk together red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil in a slow stream. Add onions, stirring to coat. Set aside.
Drain couscous and add to bowl with dressing. Add parsley, apricots, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds; stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.

Tara’s Tidbits™: I like to add some roasted chicken to this dish, or just eat it alongside whatever main dish you’re having, such as lamb or beef.

Banana Nut Muffins

Team TT — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:15:20 +0000

Whenever I have bananas that are on the verge of turning brown, I put them in a food storage bag and freeze them. Then, when I’m ready to make a few batches of muffins like these, I thaw them out. Bananas tend to get more flavorful as they turn brown, so don’t throw them away, make muffins! – Tara

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray
1 large banana
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a temp-tations® 6 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a food processor, combine banana, butter, milk, egg, and vanilla extract, pulsing just until banana is finely chopped.
In a separate large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients, and then slowly fold in banana mixture until a batter is formed.
Pour an equal amount of the batter into each of the 6 greased muffin cups. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out mostly clean.

Tara’s Tip: These are great served warm with a little bit of butter, at room temperature, or even chilled. Personally, I like to slice one in half and heat it in a hot, greased skillet until browned.

Deep Dish Blueberry Pancake

Team TT — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:08:45 +0000

Fluffy, eggy, oven pancakes like this one are some of the most impressive breakfasts you can whip up. Though it does shrink a little shortly after being removed from the oven, it still settles at a nice size to feed the family! – Tara

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
5 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place butter in a 2.5 quart temp-tations® baking dish (round is best), and microwave for 15-20 seconds, just until melted. Shake dish from side to side to coat bottom and sides with melted butter.
Whisk eggs until very frothy and then whisk in remaining ingredients, except for blueberries, until very well combined and free of lumps.
Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish and top with blueberries. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fluffy and well-browned around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, maple syrup, or both.

Tara’s Tip: Although the batter may seem thin, it is entirely normal for a fluffy oven pancake such as this. Substitute 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in place of the blueberries to make a Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Pancake!

Turkey Sausage Strata

Team TT — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:43:05 +0000

Stratas are a lot like savory bread puddings, perfect for breakfast or brunch with a crowd, since you can serve 8 from one dish prepared the night before. I like to use turkey sausage in place of pork sausage to make this hearty dish just a little bit lighter. – Tara

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray
1 small loaf Italian bread
12 ounces turkey breakfast sausage
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Spray a 3.5 quart temp-tations® baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Break Italian bread into 1-inch pieces and place in baking dish. Bread should fill the dish about halfway.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook turkey sausage until well browned. Crumble the sausage as it cooks, especially if using breakfast links. Remove from heat, and then drain any excess grease.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over bread in baking dish.
Add sliced green onions and cooked turkey sausage to the baking dish, stirring until all are combined. Top with Cheddar cheese, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, uncover, and bake strata for 45-50 minutes, or until cheese is well browned, and the strata is set.

Tara’s Tip: Though it may not seem necessary, I highly recommend preparing this the night before, as the bread really softens as it chills, becoming a part of the strata – rather than just cubes of bread surrounded by egg.

Cinnamon Rolls

Team TT — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:09:46 +0000

While temp-tations® is also great for baking store-bought, canned cinnamon rolls, you have to at least make them from scratch once in your life! There is nothing like a fresh, homemade cinnamon roll straight out of the oven, and this recipe is one of the best! – Tara

Ingredients

Dough:

2 large eggs
1 (1/4-oz.) packet active dry yeast
1 cup milk, heated until warm
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

5 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Whisk in yeast, milk, and melted butter and let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the remaining Dough ingredients to the mixing bowl, and mix into a sticky dough. Transfer to a well-floured surface and knead, adding additional flour, just until no longer sticky. Return ball of dough to the mixing bowl, cover, and put in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
On a well-floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out dough, until it is a large, 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Spread the softened butter on the surface of the dough to start the filling. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.
Spray a 4 quart temp-tations® baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Grab the short side of the dough, and roll entire length of dough into a pinwheel, pressing firmly as you go. Slice rolled pinwheel into 1 1/4 inch thick rounds and place into baking dish. It’s okay if they are touching. You should have enough rounds to fill the dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake cinnamon rolls 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Combine melted butter and powdered sugar to create the icing. If icing is hard, microwave 10-15 seconds to soften. Spoon icing over cinnamon rolls while still hot, and serve.

Tara’s Tidbits™: For a warm place to let the dough rise, set your oven to its lowest setting for 2-3 minutes. Turn off, and then place dough in the oven, with oven door open.

Greek Pasta Salad

Team TT — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:36:47 +0000

Pasta salads always make the best potluck dishes, as they don’t require reheating once you arrive at your destination and only get better the longer they sit! I like this Greek version with crumbled feta cheese, as it offers a little something different than the usual Italian salads. – Tara

Ingredients:

16 ounces tri-color rotini pasta
1 (12-ounce) jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) can black olives, drained
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 (14 to 16-ounce) bottle Greek salad dressing
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Directions

Boil rotini pasta according to the package directions, and then drain and rinse under cold water.
Place drained pasta in a 4 quart temp-tations® bowl or dish and cover with remaining ingredients.
Toss all ingredients until well combined, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate before serving, (although 4-6 hours is optimal). Stir well and serve sprinkled with additional oregano or a sprig of fresh oregano for garnish.

Tara’s Tip: Any Italian salad dressing can be used in place of the Greek dressing, and shaved Parmesan cheese can be used in place of the feta cheese – if you’d prefer a more Italian-flavored salad.

Creamy Tuscan Bean Dip

Team TT — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:31:44 +0000

Colorful and tasty, this dip is a breeze to make and looks great surrounded by bright vegetables and mini pita chips. Remember, presentation is everything! – Tara

Ingredients:

1 (15.5-ounce) can of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted red peppers, drained
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Directions

Place beans, peppers, rosemary, paprika, salt, and black pepper in food processor; pulse 15 seconds to combine.
Transfer to a temp-tations® 1-quart dish; stir in sour cream and mayo until combined.

Tara’s Tidbits™: This is another foolproof favorite to serve while you’re entertaining guests and preparing dinner at the same time. It’s a great year-round appetizer and made from ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. You can also make this dish a day ahead. If you happen to have smoked paprika, try it in this recipe – it adds a wonderful flavor and makes a nice alternative.

Easy Lemon Sheet Cake

Team TT — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:12:01 +0000

This is a really delicious, super moist cake with a lot of lemon flavor. Mom and I often take it to get-togethers, and because there’s never any left, I wanted to be sure to include this favorite of ours. – Tara

Ingredients

Cake:

nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups cake flour
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice, well shaken
1 cup lemon yogurt
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup bottled lemon juice, well shaken

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 4-quart temp-tations® dish with nonstick cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour, knocking out any excess. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream the butter, sugar, and oil together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; scraping down the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, waiting until each addition is fully incorporated and scraping down the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and yogurt together and set aside. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt together, and on low speed, add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl in three additions, alternating by adding the lemon juice/yogurt mixture, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat on medium speed for a few seconds more, until batter is smooth.
Transfer the batter to the prepared dish and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make the glaze: whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together. Using a toothpick, poke holes in the warm cake and coat with glaze. Let the cake come to room temperature before slicing with a sharp paring knife and serving.

Tara’s Tidbits™: The frosting on this one is my favorite part! It’s also a great recipe to make with kids. They’ll have fun decorating it with their favorite toppings, such as colored sprinkles, coconut, white chocolate chips and more.

Orange and Cream Gelatin Parfait

Team TT — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:39:48 +0000

This parfait is a really light and refreshing dessert that you can easily prepare in advance to lighten your load come dinnertime. Cut into squares and serve from the temp-tations® baking dish into clear beverage or wine glasses for the best presentation! – Tara

Ingredients

2 boxes (3 ounces each) orange-flavored gelatin, may use sugar-free
1 can (8-10 ounces) Mandarin oranges
2/3 tub (8 ounces) non-dairy whipped topping, regular or light, thawed
fresh orange zest, optional

Directions

Place 1 1/2 cups of water in a 1.5 quart temp-tations® baking dish and microwave for 2 minutes, until boiling hot.
Add 1 box of the orange gelatin to the boiling water and stir for 2 minutes, until completely dissolved.
Drain the juice from the can of Mandarin oranges into the hot gelatin mixture, stirring to combine, and then drop the Mandarin oranges into the gelatin evenly. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until almost completely set.
Prepare the second box of gelatin in a large temp-tations® mixing bowl by stirring it into 3/4 cup of boiling water for 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of ice cold water and stir. Place in freezer for 15 minutes, just until very cool, but not set.
Place the non-dairy whipped topping into a blender and cover with the cooled gelatin from the mixing bowl. Pulse blender 4-5 times, just until smooth.
Pour this second, creamy mixture, over the refrigerated Mandarin orange gelatin and refrigerate all for 2 hours, or until well set. Serve sprinkled with fresh orange zest, if desired.

Tara’s Tip: You can make a Strawberries and Cream Parfait by replacing the orange gelatin with strawberry gelatin, the Mandarin oranges with 3/4 cup of sliced strawberries, and the Mandarin orange juice with 1/2 cup cold water or white grape juice.

Spinach Pie

Team TT — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:00:12 +0000

This recipe is a lot like a quiche that is dense with spinach, yet made creamy with the addition of ricotta cheese. Spinach pies are typically Greek and made in puffed pastry, but my recipe is more Italian and has a traditional pie crust that holds together better. – Tara

Ingredients:

1 rolled 9 inch pie crust, room temperature
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup diced yellow onion
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
4 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll pie crust and place in a 1 quart temp-tations® pie plate. Fold down and press top of crust into fluted edges of the pie plate.
Place olive oil and yellow onion in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cooking the onions until they turn translucent and begin to carmelize.
Add the chopped spinach to the onions in the pan and cook just until warmed throughout, about 5 minutes. Drain spinach and onions well.
In a large temp-tations® mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined. Finally, fold in mozzarella cheese and the drained spinach and onions.
Pour the finished filling into the pie crust and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until crust is well browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out mostly clean. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing into 6 equal slices.

Tara’s Tip: The pie crust used in this recipe is usually sold in a box of 2, near the cans of biscuits in the refrigerated case. The pie will puff up when cooking, but go down to a normal size as it cools.

Lemon Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Celery

Team TT — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:55:25 +0000

A good roasted chicken cooked over potatoes has got to be the world’s first “one dish meal”. It’s hard to improve too much upon something so classic, but I’ve always loved using a lot of fresh lemon when I roast chicken, as well as a little lemon pepper seasoning for even more bite. – Tara

Ingredients

Potatoes and Celery:

4 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch lengths
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
juice of 1 lemon

Chicken:

1 whole chicken, 4-6 pounds
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried dill

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all Potatoes and Celery ingredients into a 3.5 quart temp-tations® baking dish, tossing to combine and thoroughly coat.
Thoroughly drain chicken, remove any giblets and discard. Place chicken atop the potato mixture in baking dish.
Rub all surfaces of the chicken’s skin with the softened butter, squeeze lemon juice over top, and then sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and dill.
Bake 1 hour, basting once if desired, or until the drumstick moves freely in its socket, and chicken juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables and plenty of juice from the baking dish.

Tara’s Tip: Russet potatoes, more commonly known as Idaho potatoes, contain the most starch of any variety, so they cook up fluffy and absorb flavors well. However, if you’d like, you can use gold potatoes, with have a thin skin and do not require peeling to make this dish.

Everything Chopped Salad

Team TT — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:28:34 +0000

Though I’ll admit that I usually just throw a little of everything into my chopped salads, this combination with broccoli, Cheddar cheese, egg, bacon, and onion is one of my favorites – especially when paired with a creamy dressing. – Tara

Ingredients:

1 small head iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup crumbled bacon pieces
2/3 cup chopped broccoli
2/3 cup crumbled or cubed Cheddar cheese
your favorite creamy salad dressing

Directions

Place chopped lettuce in my 12-inch fluted salad bowl, or any 3 quart temp-tations® dish.
Arrange remaining ingredients in neat rows for the best presentation. Serve alongside ranch, creamy Italian, or any creamy salad dressing.
At the table, I like to add about 2/3 cup of dressing to the bowl and toss all before serving.

Tara’s Tip: You can make your own Creamy Italian Dressing by mixing 2/3 cup mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

My New temp-tations® Cookbook: More Hot Recipes in Cool Dishes™ by Tara® Features 117 All-New Recipes. Available March 18th on QVC.

Team TT — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:29:16 +0000

You asked for a second cookbook, and now it’s finally here! More Hot Recipes in Cool Dishes™ by Tara®. With this brand new cookbook, I’m inviting you into my home and sharing lots of personal memories, photographs, and cherished family recipes.

Get my new Cookbook at QVC.com, this Sunday, March 18th at 12 pm EST.

Flip through a few of the cookbook pages below, and get a feel for the yummy treasures inside.

Delicious New Recipes

You’ll find 117 all-new, traditional, quick, and easy-to-follow recipes! And every recipe has been developed for and tested in the specific size temp-tations® dish you’ll need to use, so there’s no guessing which dish to choose.

Gorgeous Recipe Photos

Included are 40 full-page, 4-color photographs with recipes like Stuffed French Toast with Bananas and Nutella®, Maple Glazed Baby Back Ribs, Sticky Chipotle Wings, and Our Family’s Famous Peach-Almond Cobbler. They’ll most definitely become instant family favorites.

Everyday Ingredients Already In Your Pantry

Plus, you get a convenient shopping list for each recipe. Nothing fancy, most of them are made from everyday ingredients you already have in your pantry! This cookbook shows you not only how to warm meals but also hearts – and create special memories with friends and family. And starting Sunday, March 18th at 12 EST, you’ll be able to buy it on QVC.com.

I hope you enjoy this cookbook as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it and that my family and friends’ traditions may become yours!

Enjoy these two yummy recipes from the new cookbook:

Tara’s Individual Meat Loaves

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Here’s just a taste of the wonderful recipes you’ll find in More Hot Recipes in Cool Dishes™ by Tara®.

Amy’s Turkey Chili
Baked Asian Salmon
Bet You Can’t Have Just One Nacho
Bimbi’s Blueberry Buttermilk Corn Muffins
Brodie’s Stuffed Devil’s Food Cupcakes
Caramelized Onion Tart
Chicken Enchiladas
Cozy Chicken Casserole
Creamy Sausage Vegetable Soup
Crispy Shrimp Rolls
Easy Lemon Sheet Cake
Game Day Bowties with Sausage and Broccoli
Grandma Maria’s Coffee Cake
Macaylan’s Fluffy Nutter “Wednesdae”
Mom’s Favorite Turkey Breast
Old World Fashioned Apple Crisp
Pecan Chocolate Pie Bars
Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
Spaghetti Pie
Stuffed Pizza Spirals
Tara’s Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
Temp-tationista’s Quichetttes
Verona Chicken Parmesan

Plus many, many more recipes!

Get my new Cookbook at QVC.com, this Sunday, March 18th at 12 pm EST.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Team TT — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:54:42 +0000

This is a great unexpected-guest recipe to make ahead and freeze. I’ll often grab one on my way to the studio, and by the time lunch rolls around, it’s thawed and makes a great meal next to a bowl of hearty soup or salad. – Tara

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese (1 1/4 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place bacon on a temp-tations® Lid-it® and cook until crisp, flipping bacon halfway through, 9 minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Wipe grease from Lid-it®. Whisk together egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk; set aside.
In a food processor with the blade attachment, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the size of large peas, then add the cheese and bacon; pulse 3 times. Add remaining milk, pulsing just to combine. Do not overmix.
Gently roll or press dough out between two sheets of parchment to 1-inch thickness. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut 10 rounds of biscuits from dough, re-rolling dough once, if necessary. Chill biscuits in freezer on temp-tations® Lid-it® 15 minutes.
Brush yolk mixture over biscuits and bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. (When going from the freezer to the oven, allow your temp-tations® dish and your oven to heat up together. Put the stoneware in an unheated oven, turn on the oven, and allow both to come to desired cooking temperature simultaneously.)

Tara’s Traditions: This was one of our Sunday morning specialties. Mom always told me that it took more time to boil an egg than to make this recipe, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better homemade biscuit anywhere. I find myself repeating that very same story to my niece and nephew Alexandra Maria and John David, when I bake Mom’s favorite Bacon Cheddar Biscuits on Sunday mornings. We all agree, Mom’s always right.

Tara’s Individual Meat Loaves

Team TT — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:46:59 +0000

This is a “Where have you been all my life?” recipe. A friend has a very picky eater for a son. When she involved him in preparing their meals, he not only cleaned his plate but also constantly wanted to repeat his performance for his friends! These adorable individual meat loaves can be prepared ahead of time and frozen…just minutes to the table. Who doesn’t love meat loaf? – Tara

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 slices bacon, stacked and cut into thirds
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 pound mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs, from 2 slices of bread
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 large egg
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons drained horseradish, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a temp-tations® muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a 10-inch skillet over medium high, heat oil. Cook bacon pieces until browned and crisp, turning once, 5 to 8 minutes. With tongs, remove bacon to paper towel to drain, reserve pan. Return skillet to medium-high, add onion, and cook 5 minutes. Then add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool onion mixture.
In bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and onion mixture. In a small bowl, whisk egg, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes with juice and 2 tablespoons horseradish; stir into beef mixture. Evenly divide beef mixture and press into the 6 muffin cups.
Bake until meat thermometer inserted in center of meatloaves registers 160 degrees, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over high heat, combine remaining diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons horseradish, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 minutes.
Turn out meat loaves and place one on each plate. Spoon some tomato sauce on top of each meatloaf. Garnish each with 2 pieces of bacon.

Tara’s Traditions: My friend who passed along this recipe loved to cook for children and sometimes used ketchup to write their initials on top of their very own meatloaf and stood little broccoli “trees” and “copper pennies” (carrot slices browned on the stovetop with honey and butter) next to them.

Our Family’s Famous Peach-Almond Cobbler

Team TT — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:38:51 +0000

I’m a sucker for the classics. If you live in the South and manage to go an entire summer without eating a gallon of this, then you obviously have my sympathy. Peach Cobbler is considered a southern classic. But almond has this way of captivating my taste buds. My entire family is addicted to this one. – Tara

Ingredients:

3 (10-ounce) bags frozen peaches, thawed (about 6 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the peaches, 1/4 cup sugar, almond extract, and cornstarch into a 2.5-quart temp-tations® dish or temp-tations® bundt pan, and toss to coat. Bake 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use your hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form.
Stir the milk into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Remove peach mixture from the oven. Drop spoonfuls of the batter over the peach mixture and sprinkle with almonds.
Bake about 25 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve immediately.

Tara’s Traditions: When you’re looking for a really good “old-fashioned” recipe, I just know your family and guests will scream with delight over this cobbler. Especially when it’s topped off with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Buy the exclusive 20-pc. Carved Old World™ temp-tations® bakeware set

Team TT — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:48:08 +0000

Wanted to fill you in on my exclusive 20-pc. temp-tations Carved Old World Set that’s perfect for mixing and matching with your existing collections, trying a new color or pattern, or giving as a gift to someone special. It features a hand-crafted pattern in five gorgeous colors – old world green, cobalt blue, butter cream, cranberry and black, and it has all the temp-tations bakeware pieces you need to create a beautiful presentation on your dinner table!

The exclusive 20-pc. temp-tations Carved Old World Set includes:

One 13X9, 4-qt. baker with Lid-It and wire rack. The 4-qt. baker is perfect for lasagnas and roasted chickens, while the Lid-it is great for baking garlic bread, cookies, and more.

Two 9×5, 1 ½-qt. bakers with 2 glass trivets and 2 wire racks. You’ll love using these loaf pans for fresh baked breads and sides dishes, while the tempered glass trivets double as cheese platters.

Four 10 oz. “EZ Hold” ramekins. Fill them with dips, condiments, and sauces, as well as individual-sized portions of your favorite recipes for portion control.

Seven snap-on plastic covers – 1 for each piece in the set. These convenient covers let you stack dishes in the fridge or freezer.

Get a free gift – my signature temp-tations cookbook, Hot Recipes in Cool Dishes™. This wonderful cookbook features 120 easy to make, one-dish recipes with prep time, cook time, number of servings, the temp-tations dish size to cook in, a shopping list, and substitution tips. Favorites include Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, Traditional Baked Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans with Cherries & Candied Pecans, and Microwave “Peanut Butter Cup” Fudge.

Here’s a great gifting tip: buy the 20-pc. temp-tations Carved Old World Set from www.Buytemp-tations.com, separate the pieces, whip up goodies in the various bakers, and delight friends and family with special treats, in bakers they can keep! Whether whole or split up into various groupings – this set makes a wonderful Easter gift, Mother’s Day gift, wedding gift, and more. Your family and friends will love it and think of you every time they use their temp-tations.

Try this exclusive 20-pc temp-tations set at www.Buytemp-tations.com. And get FREE shipping.

Bananas Foster

Team TT — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:02:55 +0000

I’m not going to suggest that you serve this the traditional way…on fire…instead, the alcohol in the rum simply bakes out! – Tara

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons spiced rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 bananas, peeled and sliced into 3/4 inch thick discs
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
vanilla wafers, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bananas in a 1.5 quart temp-tations® baking dish.
Add butter, brown sugar, rum, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a sauce pot over medium-high heat until simmering. Pour mixture over bananas.
Bake for 8 minutes, just long enough to soften bananas. Serve at the table, smothering over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and garnishing with a vanilla wafer.

Tara’s Tip: Slice the bananas on the bias for oval shapes that make a great presentation!