Laptops and Stovetops

NEW SITE WWW.LAPTOPSANDSTOVETOPS.COM

2010-03-31T14:04:00.003-04:00

If you've landed here, hooray! But may I take you some where else?Laptops and Stovetops no longer updates this blog site as of February 2010.FOR ALL NEW POSTS, please go to the new and fabulous www.laptopsandstovetops.com. Thanks for stopping by San Diego or where ever you're from and I can't wait to catch up on the new site.Ciao!Rachel 'Tha Pizza Cutta' Joyce

Champagne & Roses Verrines Valentine's Dessert

2010-02-11T12:54:00.021-05:00

You can count me among those that revel in the Valentine's Day pageantry, but its not because I am looking for love in gift-and-dinner form. Its because I love to express love, and on this heartfelt occasion I do it the best way I know how-sweets. Last year I had lots o'down time following a minor yet necessary laser-zapping, so I went on a chocolate truffle journey and passed my personally

LAPTOPSANDSTOVETOPS.COM COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH!

2010-02-11T12:35:00.006-05:00

To my dearest Foodies & Food-ettes,I know I have been neary a figment of a food blogger since my last post, but rest assured I've been busy in the kitchen at the stovetop and at my laptop getting WWW.LAPTOPSANDSTOVETOPS.COM ready for her public debut! (You can do there now, but we are not done so please pardon the dust). This site has been a work of love and I hope you all enjoy the vibe as well

Creamy Potato & Broccoli Soup for 6 More Weeks of Winter

2010-02-02T20:39:00.007-05:00

Good ole' Punxsutawney Phil woke up this morning, had a hot cup of coffee, read some of today's news online, and pumped out a few perfect push-ups before having a shower, a shave, and a mirror-power-pep-talk preparing for his most important day of the year-Groundhog's Day. Turns out Phil did indeed see his shadow today indicting this cold winter will last well into March, and if you live in the

Eat Local this Week in Orlando!

2010-01-27T19:41:00.005-05:00

Eat Local Week is going on right now in area estab - lishments all around Orlando who use local ingredients in their cuisine or sell them at their markets. Eat Local Week is sponsored by Slow Food Orlando, a chapter of Slow Food USA and the idea is simple, spread the word and go patron the eateries who patron our local farmer's and artisans. Let's create a strong local food community!

Twice-Baked Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

2010-01-23T00:26:00.010-05:00

I seriously can not get enough of the Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip tested for www.LoveMyPhilly.com. I've had the dip form, the BBQ Pizza form, and now the twice-baked, twice-delicious potato skin form. I think this dip may have nine lives, and I intend to uncover and cook all nine of them. But for now, let's chat about these twice-baked potato skins.Yesterday I had the pleasure of having all four

Honey Nut Cheesecake Squares

2010-01-17T20:19:00.009-05:00

We covered dips and pizzas in our last two posts for Pace Picante Salsa and Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but there has been no attention in the kitchen paid to a Superbowl Party dessert. So, what gives? Sports fan love sweets too! It is highly unlike me to overlook the reason why most of us even eat vegetables in the first place; to earn the right to indulge in dessert. Making sure sweets have

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip & BBQ Pizza

2010-01-16T22:01:00.012-05:00

As the Superbowl Season of party food favorites for rowdy and ravenous crowds continues, this post highlights what simple Philadelphia Cream Cheese-based dishes can be crowd pleasers for you and your party guests. Side dishes and finger food such as Salsa Rosemary Chevre Dip and Mexican Pizzas keep appetites (and hopefully also tempers) at bay while your main dish event perhaps of some

Pace Picante Salsa Dishes Spice up Your Superbowl Party

2010-01-15T13:57:00.007-05:00

With the 2009 holiday season laid to rest its important to keep the celebratory spirit alive by menu planning for the 2010 Superbowl Party Season! I am a Philadelphia Eagles fan myself and even though they lost to the Dallas Cowboys (ugh, really?), I'm still all geared up with party food recipes made with the samples of Pace Picante Salsa provided to the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program. Even though

A Birthday Meal Fit for The King

2010-01-08T14:50:00.008-05:00

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy beeeerrrrrthday, happy birthday to me!Today is my birthday foodies & foodettes and although I am flattered everyone out there wants to celebrate my birth, some folks might also be celebrating the birthday of the King of Rock and Roll, the one and only Elvis Presley. Yes it's true Elvis and I (and David Bowie) all share the same birthday. And yes,

New Year Muses & Hazelnut Tiny Italian Cakes with Tangerine Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-01-02T13:50:00.019-05:00

Alo Gorgeous! You beautiful new year, you! I'm zen for 2010. I'm at ease, I'm calm, and I'm ready for the next horizon. First posts of a new year traditionally include resolutions, so why should I go about making new waves? I am a believer in setting resolutions and materializing them into realized goals to enjoy the rewards from these personal achievements that will flow forth. Last year I made

2009's Great Missed Dish #5 Spicy Asian Crab Cakes with Crispy Nori

2009-12-31T17:41:00.008-05:00

Since I used 1/2 lb. of a 1lb. can of lump crab meat in the #4 Great Missed Dish of 2009, Crab Tomato & Butter Spaghetti Rigati, the other half needed just as much attention for a different culinary point of view. This dish all started while watching Mark Bittman's video on NYTimes.com for Crisp Nori Chips. I recently came into some Nori from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program with

2009's Great Missed Dish #4 Crab Tomato & Butter Spaghetti Rigati

2009-12-31T16:19:00.010-05:00

Can't stop the momentum now! We are on Great Missed Dish #4 of 2009, Crab Tomato & Butter Spaghetti Rigati. To begin this story we have to go back in time to my senior year of high school in Naples, FL. I moved to Naples from PA at sixteen to live with my Dad and spend some quality time with the Irish side, the large and loving Joyce family. After working for my Uncle Jimmy's lunch truck and

2009's Great Missed Dish #3, Vanilla Terrier Cupcake Experiment

2009-12-31T15:07:00.014-05:00

Note above is the outcome we attempted to replicate. In continuation of my 2009 personal quest to experiment and explore the vast ocean of culinary knowledge, may I present the curious case of the Vanilla Terrier Cupcake Experiment. In late Fall I called up my darling friend Michelle Milu to see if she wanted to head to my place for some early Christmas baking. On the phone she did my offer one

2009's Great Missed Dish #2, Peach Turnovers

2009-12-31T12:59:00.012-05:00

2009 was a year of culinary exploration for myself. After dominating the Christmas Timpano in 2008 I knew I wanted to try more new and difficult dishes in the kitchen for 2009. I wanted to dive into ingredients and dishes previously hitherto scared the ever-loving-ish out of me, and do my best to become skilled with them. One such scary ingredient was puff pastry. Why was I scared of such an

2009's Greatest Missed Dishes, Blueberry Kiwi Cobbler Pie

2009-12-30T10:53:00.012-05:00

The twilight of 2009 is upon us now and 201o's sun is starting to rise. I am mega-eager for the new year. Pete and I only have a few short years before we turn the big 3-0 so this year we are going on an adventure. We haven't decided where too yet, but the anticipation is boiling over! When the information of where-to-next becomes available I will of course share it with all of you beautiful

Holiday Cookie Spread 2009

2009-12-24T14:23:00.015-05:00

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! I am tickled the season of giving is upon us and I am also a bit remorseful I haven't been posting much this month. I swear my absence is only due to my dedication to the Christmas Cookie Baking Ritual. I mean, I'm not trying to piss off Santa so every year I un-lease a bounty of cookies to friends (see 2008's cookie bushel here), family, and co-workers here and

Stop by Sweet! for National Cupcake Day

2009-12-15T16:53:00.003-05:00

Its another day of celebration of a beloved American food, National Cupcake Day. Be you young or old almost everyone adores cupcakes. Did you hear me, CUPCAKES!! Fortunately for us Orlando-ites we have a gourmet cupcake shop to call our very own. Sweet! by Good Golly Miss Molly offers our community a bevy flavors for both the giant and mini cupcakes all decorated to the utmost apex of cuteness.

Keeping Orlando Food Local with Big Wheel Provisions

2009-12-11T11:50:00.003-05:00

Buzz words can often be misleading and a smoke-and-mirrors tactic to excite the masses into a blur with no real delivery on promises of 'synergy' or something equally as ridiculous. Buzz words are infamous for being all-show and no-go which is totally bogus. Having said that, (any Curb Your Enthusiasm fans in the audience today?) culinary buzz words like such as 'local' 'organic' and 'sustainable

My Greatest Idea to Date, RETRO Lab Pie Day

2009-12-01T23:09:00.005-05:00

My oh my, how do I love pie! Work parties are a chance to cut loose and enjoy each other other than IMing one another from across the room. Our organization, The Institute for Simulation and Training has a cozy pie day every year where each employee gets to sample one piece of store-bought pumpkin or pecan pie. It's nice, but it lacks the flavor and energy it takes to get me going before

Going All Out for Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T18:56:00.017-05:00

There is only one phrase which fits my attitude pre-game for this year's Thanksgiving holiday; "all out." What does all out mean exactly? All out means 8-yes 8-different dishes for Thanksgiving dinner and dessert. All out means cooking from scratch as much as humanly possible. All out means cooking traditionally as well as using modern flavor profiles and pairing them together in a grammy

Puree Pumpkin Shortage, Problem or Prospect?

2009-11-19T16:02:00.003-05:00

Alert! Alert! Central Florida and other parts of the US affected by massive pumpkin shortage as we near Thanksgiving.To illustrate the ripples this shortage has created in the reality of holiday bakers, let me set a scene for you. Picture me with armfuls of groceries at the Winter Park Village Publix searching the fresh produce, baking products, and canned fruits aisles frantically with darting

Raspberry Walnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread

2009-11-17T13:10:00.015-05:00

***Please vote for my Raspberry Walnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread in the Bon Appetit Mag Blog Envy Bake Off. My entry is in miscellaneous, and you don't have to sign up, give our email or anything. Vote Today!***In honor of today's significance, either National Quickbread Day or National Homemade Bread Day (I'll let you choose), the generous people at Driscoll's Berries, whom not only grow my

Finding the Sunday Brunch Balance

2009-11-15T22:02:00.014-05:00

Sunday brunch is my second favorite meal of the week tying Friday night sushi and following the almighty apex, Sunday night dinner. Normally going out to eat brunch is either horribly disappointing or fantastically tasty, filling, and balanced but hardly ever is there a median experience. Because brunch out is a fifty-fifty gamble nowadays who wants to take the risk of possibly sacrificing not

Sayounara to Summer Salads Part 2: Pancetta & Peas Potato Salad

2009-11-09T18:35:00.014-05:00

First, a disclaimer - I am aware that summer is well over and done, and we are all in full plans and preparations swing for the upcoming holiday season. But that doesn't mean we still can't dream and cook with the whimsy of summer and enjoy it everyday of the year. Rules my friends, are meant to be broken. In Part 2 of my Sayounara to Summer Salads Series I wanted to bring it back home. Back to

Contestos Galore! Starbucks, The Orbbies & Examiner Photo Contest

2009-11-04T11:35:00.020-05:00

Dear Foodies & Foodettes,The time has come for me to shamelessly ask for your approval in the form of online votes. We are all trying to get a little ahead in this blogging world, and right now I'm trying the contest thing. Muchas Gracias, Grazie, Merci, and oh yea, Thanks!First up, Mocha Pumpkin Brownies is an official contender in the Starbucks Via recipe contest. All you have to do is give a

Brownies, Cookies, and Cakes Oh My!

2009-11-01T13:46:00.008-05:00

It's probably not a shocker to find out my favorite part of Halloween is the treats. Every year, the IST office runs a pumpkin carving competition among the labs. Accompanying the competition is a bevy of sweet selections supplied by employees. Sure, I could have stopped just with the two trays of my previous post, Mocha Pumpkin Brownies with Strawberry Frosting, but of course it didn't. To

Mocha Pumpkin Brownies with Strawberry Frosting

2009-10-30T19:27:00.015-04:00

***Please vote for my brownies in the Starbucks Via Recipe Contest. Vote Today! Thank you :) ***Remember those French Macarons us Daring Bakers posted for the October challenge? Well, maybe not us. I, for one, did not complete this challenge when I had a complete macaroon melt down. Truth be told, I rushed it but I did get feet so I am not a total, utter failure. Its just that I couldn't pipe

Trick-or-Treating Orlando Events

2009-10-28T16:00:00.003-04:00

Dear Greater Orlando Area Parents,We know you are concerned about your childrens' safety this and every Halloween. However let's remember from your kid's point-of-view, Halloween is almost as awesome and amazing as Christmas.The promise of copious amounts of free candy consumes their little minds for weeks on end. I should know; I was once a kid obsessed with Halloween. I also was a kid who was

Blogger Awards from Laura @LittleChef&I

2009-10-27T10:27:00.007-04:00

What is the best way to start a Tuesday? I think a new, shiny award is the best way to start a Tuesday. The lovely Laura from Little Chef & I across The Pond named L&S as one of her fav blogs and passed on the following two awards to me:Per my acceptance speech, here are 7 things about moi:1.) I have 3 tattoos and I want more. My tattoo-artist boyfriend and I are coming up on our two-year

The Stoner from Stardust Coffee

2009-10-25T14:23:00.004-04:00

If I told you there is a coffee drink out there with more calories than a full steak dinner would you believe me? It exists. The legend goes by the name of The Stoner, and you can find out what is in this mythic drink at my latest examiner.com/orlando article, Fall Coffee Preview Stardust Coffee & Video.

Sesame Chicken 2x's Thanks to Asian Food Grocer

2009-10-22T15:07:00.015-04:00

Once again, Foodbuzz Tastemaker's Program has rained down gifts from the food gods in the form of a $30 FREE coupon to AsianFoodGrocer. Just like the Japanese, I was super-awesome-mega-ultimate-excited because I have never, ever made any type of Asian dish from scratch. Eating Asian food has never been a problem. Well, eating anything in general isn't a problem for me; except for Wing Wah candy.

Caribbean Club with Lime Butter

2009-10-03T17:34:00.005-04:00

What is better than than free food to try? Nothing. Literally. Receiving products from Foodbuzz's Tastemaker Program during the office grind 9-5 workday is like hitting a foodie lottery. Just this past week, "Eureka!" I shrieked when I tore open a box to find 2 loaves of Nature's Pride Bread. The moment needed to be recorded, so I did.As a Foodbuzz Tastemaker, it is a sworn duty, an oath, to take

Sayounara to Summer Salads: Part 1 The Panzanella

2009-09-29T19:08:00.018-04:00

The summertime beckons cooks, grill masters, and chefs alike to ensure a crisp, clean, delicious salad is part of any meal providing that oasis of coldness on a hot summer eve. While Fall has just begun turning over summer, it’s so hard to say goodbye to the sweet season of potato salads, slaws, fruit salads, macaroni salads, crab salads, and of course salad salads before we begin efforts of Fall

Portobello Mushroom Parmesan Sub with a Quick Caponata

2009-09-24T10:47:00.017-04:00

By now the news of the Mezzetta Make That Sandwich Winner Ninette Holbrook from Orlando, FL (holla) taking home the 25K for her Open-Face Wine Braised Fig and Caramelized Onion masterpiece has made its through the buzz tubes of the intranets. While I am sporting hometown pride, I am a little salty my vegetarian entry didn't make the grade.I was stoked beyond belief when I crafted my Portobello

Sesame Semolina Bread from Scratch

2009-09-08T15:35:00.021-04:00

Sesame Semolina bread is a favorite around lots of Italian dinner tables. I know literally nothing about its origins, but I do know that is a mission impossible to find fresh sesame semolina bread in the Orlando, FL area (unless you wake up for the Saturday morning farmer's market in Winter Park). As a sidebar, Orlando is hurting for bakeries so come here and open up a lovely bakery full of bread

48 Hours to Eat in Washington, DC

2009-09-02T22:00:00.031-04:00