Recipes for a Sweet Life http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio en sweetlife@juliausher.com Copyright 2010 2010-01-22T17:21:00+00:00 Projects http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/projects #When:01:32:19Z Julia’s Project File

I love to craft just as much as I love to cook. (The large number of non-edible projects in Cookie Swap should have tipped you off!) There’s something very satisfying about shaping nothing into something with my own two hands. Plus, a handmade invitation, party favor, or gift is the truest expression of the heart. Make something special for your next party or event, and guests will know you genuinely care. Below is a collection of my latest crafting projects, classified by project type (invitation, place card, or menu; gift or favor; décor; or technique tip) and the holiday or occasion for which they’re best suited. Just click on the link for photo(s) and detailed how-to instructions!

Invitation, Place Card, or Menu
French Bistro Menu, All Occasions
Postcard Place Card, All Occasions

Gift or Favor
Love Letters, Valentine’s Day
Love Letters Redux, Valentine’s Day
Baby Rattle Cookies, Baby Shower or Birthday

Décor
Cotton Candy Cupid Clouds, Valentine’s Day

Technique Tips
Beadwork, All occasions (COMING SOON!)
Chocolate Lace Wraps, All occasions (COMING SOON!)
Marbling, All Occasions
Stenciling, All Occasions
Wafer Papering, All Occasions

 


>]]> Projects, 2010-02-09T01:32:19+00:00 Recipes http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/recipes #When:03:35:22Z Julia’s Recipe File

I started cooking alongside my mother I-won’t-say-how-many years ago. I guess those habits learned at any early age are hard to break, as I’m still dreaming up recipes at a rapid pace. Be sure to check back here often for the latest additions, both savory and sweet, to my file. And don’t be daunted by the length of any recipe. I like to fully script out all steps, so that every recipe is do-able, even for novice cooks and bakers!

Sweet:
Cinnamon Heart Marshmallows (with Lemon Peep & Bunny Variation)
Raspberry-Truffle Brownie Bars
Royal Icing with Consistency Adjustments
Flourless Chocolate-Guinness Stout Cake
Cinnamon-Walnut Crescent Cookies
PB&J Sandwich Cookies
Rhubarb-Strawberry Granita Parfait
White Chocolate-Basil Panna Cotta
Lemon Pavlova
Maine Blueberry Pancakes
Gingersnap Thumbprint Cookies
Mixed Seed Wafers 
Rugosa Rose Syrup 
Red Raspberry-Rose Sorbet 
Lavender Lemonade
White Chocolate-Lavender Panna Cotta

Savory:
Pancetta-Sage Mac ‘n Cheese
Guinness Braised Beef
Hard-boiled Quail Eggs with Curry Mayo
Cheddar-Chive Pinwheel Biscuits
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Roasted Garlic-Chive Cheesecake


>]]> Recipes, 2010-01-28T03:35:22+00:00 Baby Rattle Cookies http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/baby_rattle_cookies #When:20:56:06Z Ever since developing the projects for Ultimate Cookies, I’ve been smitten with the notion of 3-D cookies. (You’ll see everything from 3-D lizards and peacocks to handbags and other edible bling in my new book!) These treats are as tasty as everyday 2-D cookies, but their added dimension lends a touch of the unexpected - something I always strive for in my sweets. Here’s a very simple 3-D cookie - an outtake from Ultimate Cookies, actually - that makes a wonderful baby shower or birthday party favor.


]]> Projects, 2012-02-05T20:56:06+00:00 Isn’t This Jolly? http://www.juliausher.com/gallery/more/isnt_this_jolly #When:23:12:59Z Isn’t This Jolly? A vintage Santa motif adds cheer to Julia’s holiday tablescape. For more on the power of decorating with collections, read Julia’s Christmas 2011 party feature.


]]> Tabletops, 2012-01-28T23:12:59+00:00 Holiday in a Hurry! http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/holiday_in_a_hurry #When:13:52:51Z My husband often questions my habit of collecting throughout the year. In fact, my last antiques mall-find elicited a frown and dismissive, “What is that @#%*$?!!” Granted, I rarely return from my foraging with anything of real monetary value or legitimately deserving “antique” status. More often, my “treasures” are dented, worn, or scratched. And I no doubt confound hubby by shopping for Christmas at seasonally inappropriate times…

But fortunately - for both of us - I’ve gotten thicker skin. I’ve learned to blithely ignore all quips about individual finds, knowing full well that once they join their fellow collectibles, they’ll shine through any patina or nicks. You see, it’s all about power in numbers, a really simple decorating principle: if collecting is done well - a little at a time with a strong thematic bent - it can pay off handsomely, especially when last-minute holiday decorating.


]]> Parties, 2011-12-28T13:52:51+00:00 Field of Dreams http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/field_of_dreams #When:05:00:55Z Alfresco is one of my favorite ways to entertain. And late September into early October, after the summer swelter has passed, is the best time to do it here in Missouri. This farm-to-table dinner party took place at precisely this transition of seasons a few years ago, at Winding Brook Estate, a 16-acre lavender farm tilled into tidy, fragrant rows by my friends Deborah and Steve Nathe. The occasion: a simple respite from the rigors of tending 7,000 lavender plants! 

I was honored that Deborah asked me to plan and style her event (one that would be featured in a local magazine, no less). But I also recognized the challenge of adapting my “more-is-more” approach to her minimalist aesthetic. She wanted to keep the party down-to-earth, yet still give guests that ah-ha experience they’d never forget. Hmmmm . . . simple, yet over-the-top? Subtle, but showy? What had I gotten myself into, and was it even possible?


]]> Parties, 2011-09-16T05:00:55+00:00 White Chocolate-Lavender Panna Cotta http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/white_chocolate_lavender_panna_cotta #When:01:37:54Z A slightly more conservative, but equally tasty, spin on my orange-scented White Chocolate-Basil Panna Cotta!


]]> Recipes, 2011-08-30T01:37:54+00:00 Lavender Lemonade http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/lavender_lemonade #When:06:30:47Z Courtesy of my friends Deborah and Steve Nathe, owners of Winding Brook Estate, a 16-acre lavender farm in Eureka, Missouri.


]]> Recipes, 2011-08-29T06:30:47+00:00 Red Raspberry-Rose Sorbet http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/red_raspberry_rose_sorbet #When:02:32:36Z The base of this rosy sorbet is a mixture of raspberry purée and simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water) infused with the essence of Rosa Rugosa, my favorite summertime flower.


]]> Recipes, 2011-06-27T02:32:36+00:00 Rugosa Rose Syrup http://www.juliausher.com/kitchen_and_studio/more/rugosa_rose_syrup #When:02:29:59Z For some, summer in New England is marked by early morning wake-up calls from fishing boats revving up in the harbor for their day’s work. For others, it means lazy afternoons at the beach with warm sand between the toes, or sunsets that linger on the horizon.


]]> Recipes, 2011-06-27T02:29:59+00:00