Sweet & Salty

This has been a trend for a while and I personally love it! I was the kid that used to dip my fries in my milkshake, so SWEET & SALTY combinations are right up my alley. The chocolate chip cookies above are from LGO (in arcadia), they are basically a big soft chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with large course sea salt = AMAZING! I am also a sucker for the "store bought" goodies seen below as well. The Caramel bugles might top my list.

I am going to try out those "Idle Hand Bars" this weekend to satisfy my sweet and salty craving and will be sure to let you know.

Idle Hand Bars

Base Layer

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup coarsely crushed pretzels 1. In double boiler (or a bowl resting over a pot of lightly simmering water), melt the first three ingredients.
2. While still over water, add egg and beat to combine (will thicken quite a bit here). Remove from heat and add crumbs and pretzels.
3. Press into an 8 x 8 cake pan. Set aside.

Middle Layer

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly.
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter (no salt added, reduce salt accordingly if using salted)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla 1. Add peanut butter and butter together in small bowl.
2. Mix in sugar, salt and vanilla to form a thick paste.
3. Dump onto base layer and smooth over, patting down to make a flat, even layer.

Top (final) Layer

5 oz. Semi Sweet Choclate chips (or other fine chocolate)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Pink Himalayan salt (or other fine sea salt) 1. In double boiler (or microwave), melt butter and chocolate chips together. Stir until complete dissolved and smooth.
2. Pour over peanut butter layer and spread out evenly.
3. Cool in fridge for about 5 minutes (should still be slightly soft on top but not warm).
4. Sprinkle, lightly, with Himalayan salt. Return to fridge, and let cool completely to become hard.
5. Cut into small squares and Happy snacking!

Poisonous Parfaits

Here is a fun recipe from our friends on Hostess with the Mostess Blog.

You’ll Need:
• 1 box Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Orange Gel Food Coloring
• Oreo Cookies, crushed
• Orange Sprinkes

Directions:
Make instant vanilla pudding as directed on box. *Stir in pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Tint pudding bright orange using orange gel food coloring. Gel coloring works better than drops and won’t thin the pudding out as much.

Fill your piping tool with pudding or use a ziplock bag with one of the corners snipped off. Layer the ingredients into the glasses, starting with a little bit of pudding, then a layer of sprinkles, followed by a couple small scoops of oreos. Repeat. You should end up with 6 layers total.

ENJOY!

Favorite Foodie Finds

Our catering team is a close knit bunch that love working with food both in and out of the office. In order to get to know our crew better, here is a list of how our foodies feed themselves!

Lauren - The Chew
Erin - Giada at Home
Patty - Better Homes & Garden Classic Cook Book
Jerry - Top Chef
Andy - Allrecipes.com
Renee - Cake Boss
Brent - Emeril Lagasse - Green
Darcy - The Pioneer Woman
Griselda - The Next Food Network Star
Christina - Chef Chloe
Craig - The Ultimate Chili Cookbook
Lori - Ludo Bites America

Valley of the Sun vs. Sunshine State

Arizona boasts the basics of any good Super Bowl: warm winter weather, a top-of-the-line stadium and ample hotels and resorts. Its successful staging of Super Bowl XLII in February 2008 puts it firmly in the running to host another one.

The NFL's choice between the Valley of the Sun and the Sunshine State depends on a slew of logistics, past experiences and the host committees' lobbying.

"They're looking for the total experience," Day said. "The whole thing boils down to the overall strength of 'What can you offer?' "

Tampa vs. Arizona for 2015

Tampa hosted the game more recently than Arizona by a year. Local football fans remember that 2009 game: The Cardinals made their Super Bowl debut in Tampa.

NFL owners may want to return to the West since Super Bowls over the next three years will take place in Indianapolis, New Orleans and East Rutherford, N.J.

Both Tampa and the Valley offer warm weather, but Tampa's stadium, eight years older than University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, does not have a retractable roof in case of rain.

Both are popular vacation spots, but the Valley has more hotel rooms and upscale resorts and golf courses, said Simon Foster of Texas-based travel agency On Point Events, which organizes Super Bowl trips for fans each year.

But Tampa will offer stiff competition as it plans to push its beaches, compact downtown and waterfront.

Arizona Vendor Praise

It is always fun to recognize our local vendor pals when they get some "National Spotlight!" for their work. Today we are happy to help get the word out about Gina Meola's Style Me Pretty post and Stacy Kokes's Borrowed & Bleu spotlight. Gina and Stacy are a couple of neat ladies in the Valley of the Sun that also know how to capture some AMAZING shots with their cameras. Be sure to check out the links to the full blogs and see all the dazzling photos.

Culture Pass - "Check One Out"

Art that inspires and engages, hands-on science that excites and educates, history, that brings the Valley alive, plants, and animals from here and around the world - all this and more are waiting for you at your participating library. Library cardholders can check out a Culture Pass for FREE admission at your for participating arts and cultural institutions. Times are touch and finding quality things to do for both you and your family, on a budget, is not easy. So take advantage of the Culture pass!

Arizona Historical Society

Arizona Museum of Natural History

Arizona Science Center

Cave Creek Museum

Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Deer Valley Rock Art Center

Desert Botanical Gardens

Desert Caballeros Western Museum

Phoenix Art Museum

Phoenix Zoo

Pueblo Grande Museum

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

10.1.11 Wedding at the Phoenix Art Museum

Tara & Karsten's wedding day was truly a showstopper! The attention to detail was amazing, from the lighting to the linens and, of course, the food.
They chose to have reception food stations to give guests plenty of options. Below is the menu that turned out AMAZING!

Artisanal Cheese Selection
Handcrafted Cheese and Local Cheese with Lavosh and Baguettes
Fruit Chutney, Local Honey and Toasted Nuts

Salad and Ahi Poke Bar
Nigiri Salmon, Shrimp and Tuna Ahi Poke Stack
Soy Sauce, Pickled Ginger and Wasabi
Southwest Caesar Salad with Hand Shaved Parmesan
Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Sonoran Tacos
Pork Carnitas
Carne Asada
Corn & Flour Tortillas
Fire Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa
Shredded Cabbage, Pico de Gallo and Oaxaca Cheese
Guacamole and Cilantro Crema

Pasta Station
Penne Pasta with Cumin Scented Roasted Tomatoes
Chorizo, Jack Cheeses and Cilantro Pesto

Long Fussili, Fresh Roasted Corn, Poblano Chile, Roasted
Garlic, Manchego Cream Sauce

Five Cheese Macaroni & Achiote Chicken
Crispy Sage Flatbread

Oven Roasted Garlic Beef Tenderloin
Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Parmesan-Peppercorn Mashed Potatoes, Horseradish Cream, Whole Grain and Dijon Mustard
Assortment of Breads