Un Amore Custom Designs!

I just HAVE to share my excitement about what's happening at this very moment!!   I have sent my blue 5 quart Kitchenaid mixer up to Washington for Nicole Dinardo to custom paint.  This isn't just any ol' paint job, this is AMAZING artwork!  I'm so excited and wanted to share her talent and gift with you all.  Truly passionate about her art and craft.  I'm sharing her vision for my baby girl...So, my baby will go from "boy blue" to, well, let's see...

Isn't she lovely?  And, yes, that's copyright protected
 so please respect the art and the artist. 
Original pinup artist's design used only for illustration purposes. 
Finished pinup artwork will be customized by Nicole.

She is going to be SOOOOOOOOOO CUTE!! 

Please venture over to Nick's website or her Facebook page for more of her amazing creations.  She also has a blog if you'd like to see other creations and participate in fun giveaways.  And, she has even more custom designs at her Custom Kitchen Couture webite if you're interested in decals or other cool kitchen items.  For inspiration, check out her, hot-off-the-presses, 2012 Calendar of Un Amore Custom Mixers for a bit more Un Amore Kitchenaid Eye Candy!

I'm truly, truly lucky to be one of her clients for my ~first~ Kitchenaid project.  And, yes, I said ~first~!!

Brandied Apple Pie - and Better Crust with Brandy!

Following my experiment with vodka pie crust, I decided to continue exploring these newfound possibilities of turning out perfectly crispy pie crust - with booze!

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This time, the variable was brandy. I used the same base pie crust recipe, from Martha Stewart. I followed these instructions, except that I used brandy where it called for water. The resulting pie crust was a little wetter and doughier (before baking) than the crust I made by substituting vodka for the water. I'm not exactly sure why this is; the alcohol contents were the same (I used E&J brandy, which is 40% alcohol by volume, and Skyy vodka, which is also 40%). I'll have to consult an actual scientist on this one...oh Ellen...

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with Cassis-Laced Raspberry Jam

What is Cassis, or creme de cassis, anyway?  There was no ingredient list on the bottle.  I found this explanation via the web, my new source for all things baking related.  It's made of the juice of blackcurrants*, or in Latin: Ribes nigrum.  Blackcurrants are berries, right?  I'll let you read about all the hoity-toity French pedigree of blackcurrants.  And, yes, it's "blackcurrant" and not "black currant."

I found this recipe looking for cupcake recipes on the FoodNetwork.  Huh?  It's a cookie called Raspberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies.  From Emeril Lagasse, the "BAM Man."  It called for Chambord or kirsch, neither of which I had.  I didn't want to buy more booze.  This recipe only called for a bit, and driving to the store and purchasing it just wasn't in the cards at 7am on a Saturday morning.  No company, no shower, just me and the cat.  Nuf said.

So, I embraced the Jacqueline mantra: Substitution is Key.  And, then I proceeded with cassis!