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@Arula @whamm @leilay

I've recorded you all! Thank you for your lovely entries! ^^

@Marburg I eagerly await your entry! :D

Alright, Time to Enter! (finally, cutting this bit fine... And there may yet be more on the way) [b]Username and ID Number[/b]: Gallifreya #46013 [img]http://imgur.com/rwgBxRv.png[/img][img]http://imgur.com/2KdnErU.png[/img] [img]http://imgur.com/nt15vsY.png[/img] [u][url=http://imgur.com/a/16Smb#0]Larger images here[/url][/u] [b]Name of Dish[/b]: Lemon Meringue Frost Flowers [b]Entry Type[/b]: Sweet [b]Description[/b]: A crisp Filo pastry base and petals, with layers of lemon custard and lemon curd, topped with a swirl of meringue to mimic a palm-sized frost flower. Plus a dark chocolate ganache sauce for topping. [b]Recipe[/b]: Ingredients: (makes 6) 220g/7.5oz (roughly) Lemon Curd (Buy, or make your own with [u][url=http://gallifreyasbakery.tumblr.com/post/109349706337/lemon-curd]my recipe here[/url] [/u]- halve it]) 200g/7oz (3-4 Sheets) Filo Pastry 2tbsp Melted Butter [b]For Custard:[/b] 120ml Milk Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon 2 Egg Yolks (keep the whites, you'll need them too) 15g/0.5oz Caster Sugar [b] For Meringue: [/b] 3 Large Egg Whites (If you keep chickens and use fresh eggs, these eggs MUST be more than a week old, 2 weeks ideally, or there will be no meringue. If you buy from a shop you're fine.) DO NOT GET ANY YOLK IN THE WHITES. I suggest doing them one at a time into a small bowl which you then tip into a large one, so if you break a yolk you only discard one instead of all of them. 170g/6oz Caster Sugar [b]For Ganache:[/b] 90g/3oz Dark or Plain Chocolate, chopped 90ml Double Cream 15g/0.5oz/1tbsp Butter [b]Procedure:[/b] [b]Cook your Custard first[/b] (assuming Curd and pastry are already made/bought) Heat the milk and lemon [b]rind[/b] gently in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick. Pour half of the milk mixture into the yolk mixture and beat together, then pour this back into the saucepan and beat into the rest of the milk. Return to the heat and cook gently, stirring constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain into a bowl or jug and leave to cool. [b]Making the Petaled cases[/b]: Preheat oven to 150C/Gas Mark 2/300F, and grease 6 6-centimetre (2.5 inch) tart tins (I have no idea what the tray i used is called but they look like smooth sided tart tins so that'll do) Lay out your filo sheets and cut squares about 2cm larger than the tart trays are across, so that when pressed down the edges reach the top of the cup and the corners are outside. Layer the squares in the cups, offset from each other so that the corners protrude in different places. before each new layer brush with melted butter. After three or four layers are done, place a square of baking parchment into the cup and fill with baking beads or rice. bake the cases like this for 10-12 minutes, until just golden brown. [b] While the cases cook, make Meringue:[/b] Beat the egg whites vigorously until they froth into a foam that forms soft peaks when the whisk is lifted out (It forms mounds that don't immediately sink back down, but do round off a little) Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly, then continue to beat until the mixture is slick and shiny, and forms stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted (the meringue does not move and while the tip of the peak may fall over it stays up, even if the bowl is tipped) A good way to make sure your meringue is fully done is to rub a dollop between your fingers. If you feel grains, the sugar is not all dissolved. if it is smooth, it's done. Don't overbeat your meringue, or it can crack during cooking. Once the cases are out and sufficiently cool, which should be about when the meringue is ready, it's time to assemble the flowers! Divide the custard mixture between the cases, then spoon over the lemon curd (if it is stiff, warm it gently in a bowl in hot water until you can spoon it over. Give your meringue a quick stir in case it's settled. Starting at the edges, making sure it attaches to the pastry, spoon in dollops of meringue to cover the filling. Once all the cases are full, make the flower shape by using the back of a spoon in a swirling motion. Place the meringues in the oven, bake for 6-8 minutes and then turn the temperature from 150 to 120C (Gas Mark 1/2, 250F). Leave for a further five minutes - after which your meringue should be golden at the points - and turn off the oven, leaving the meringue inside. (This helps crisp up the edges, and stops them sinking, but won't cook it further.) [b]Just before serving, make the ganache:[/b] In a small saucepan, heat the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is melted, then stir in the butter. The ganache should be poured over while hot. If your ganache cools it can be reheated in a bowl or jug in a pan of hot water. Don't microwave it, and avoid getting any water in it. If (when) your ganache separates, keep stirring with quick, small circles. It will suddenly combine again. Serve cold pastry with hot ganache, and enjoy!

[b]Username and ID Number[/b]: leilay 122411 [img]http://img.rockmyphotos.com/w/dergs/leilay122411cupcake.jpg[/img] [b]Name of Dish[/b]: Penguin Cupcakes [b]Entry Type[/b]: Sweet [b]Description[/b]: Where the water meets the ice, penguins can be found effortlessly moving in both realms. While they may not be apparent in Flight Rising, the spirit of camaraderie and icy adorableness is certainly here. And what better way to build padding against the cold of the Southern Icefield than rich, wonderful chocolate cupcakes? [b]Recipe[/b]: [LIST] [*]1 box cake mix, quality over quantity. The mix I recommend is found in the black market of grocery, a "super market", aka Target. Immaculate Chocolate Scratch Baking mix [*]Other stuff for the cake mix. Each mix is different, read the box! If you're really adventurous, or have plenty of time on your hands in a blizzard where there's nothing to do and nowhere to go but you miraculously can still bake, make it from scratch. Scratch-scratch, not mix scratch. Who can go out to get a mix in a blizzard anyway? However, do NOT borrow eggs from the neighbors' nest without asking. Trust me. [*]1 box frosting mix. I used Betty Crocker Home Style Fluffy White Frosting Mix. It tastes like a lovely cloud of meringue or marshmallow. Use the fluff, embrace the fluff. No sense going halfway on your winter padding! [*] 24 paper baking cups [*] 26 thin chocolate cookies (Grasshoppers, Thin Mints, Fudge Oreos). ... 'thin' chocolate. There's nothing thin about this recipe. It's an illusion. [*] 1 lg bag Mike n Ike candy [*] 1 lg bag mini M&Ms [*] frosting bag/Ziplock and tip [/LIST] Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool completely. Ice, no issues there. :D Mix up the frosting according the package directions, preferably with a stand mixer. You don't want to burn any extra calories right now. It's cold out there. Go ahead and put some of it in a frosting bag with a tip. You won't need more than a half cup or so. Frost each cupcake, covering it with some pad room, but not so liberally it'll slide right off if you press on it. Cut cookies in half. Place 3 halves on top of each cupcake, using 1 half for the face and 2 for the wings. Use two orange Mike'n'Ike candies for feet that point up or down between the wings. Using your frosting bag, attach 1 triangle for the beak at the base of the head. Attach 2 mini M&Ms with frosting for the eyes. Then sit back and admire the cuteness. Perfect for those winter parties, wink wink.

Yay! More delicious entries! :D

@Gallifreya I've got you down for the raffle, and your food points will be on their way soon! :) Also, do you have a photo preference? I can't decide from the three you posted, but I'd like to have one main photo for each recipe for the judges to score. You can still have all three up, this is for the judges only. :)

@leilay Oh my goodness! At first glance, I thought this was a drawing and thought you must have posted your Art Contest entry here by mistake! ^^; They are adorable and indeed look like perfect party food.

@Auxotroph Thanks, for photos just use the top one I guess?

What is your favorite holiday food and why?

Hands down would have to be Kugel. It's a sweet noodle dish that my grandmother makes, traditionally shows up during big holidays. Even though it is sweet with stuff like cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins, it is always served with dinner. Sometimes it is served warm (the best) and sometimes served cold. Both ways are so tasty. Perhaps I just like that sweets show up on the table before dessert tho, hehehe. It is also possibly the reason I gain weight during the holidays....

@Auxotroph

May or may not enter the cooking contest later. Depends on if I have the supplies to pull it off...

[b]Username and ID Number[/b]: whamm, 63678 [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/rogue373/3ada37d4-6bc2-46b1-a842-881f591e7923.jpg[/img] [b]Name of Dish[/b]: Egg White Muffin Omelettes [b]Entry Type[/b]: Savory [b]Description[/b]: Fluffy light egg whites are baked together with turkey and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese to create this healthy breakfast snack. [b]Recipe[/b]: Ingredients: Eggs (~2 per omelette) Pre-cooked turkey, cut into small pieces Grated parmesan cheese Muffin cups Muffin pan Instructions: - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees - Place the muffin cups inside the pan. This is necessary, the eggs will stick to the pan otherwise! - Sprinkle turkey in the bottom of the muffin cups. Add as much as you'd like with your egg. - Break open eggs and separate egg whites. - Whisk egg whites - Pour egg whites into the muffin cups, filling each cup nearly to the top - Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the egg. When this melts it will create a semi-crust for the egg. Add as much as you want. - Bake the eggs for around 20-25 minutes, until egg is cooked. Enjoy! For this recipe I used egg whites and turkey, but full eggs and any other meat and cheese can also be used. Use your imagination! Whatever you like in an omelette will work with this, just be sure all meat and vegetables are prepared ahead of time.