St. Paddy's Day Celebrations

Hi-Ho Nesters!!!
I know it's been awhile, but, I'm back with a special, beef lover's, St. Patrick's Day Special!!!

Fun times started over the weekend.

My Irish blood was boiling, so we decided to make it a culinary celebration!

Saturday it was a traditional boiled Irish supper.

We got to boiling some Chuck Steak in the slow cooker with: Guinness, Peppercorns, and a few Bay Leaves...


Later we added Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots. Mmmm....

But, the best was saved for the actual night of St. Patrick's Day.
addROC made a ridiculous Guinness marinated steak.
Which was cooked to perfection.



Then, we moved on to a traditional Irish treat that is so delectable and delightful, that its consumption with a beverage like Guinness or Jameson is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and really, just plain common sense.

The One...The Only....


IRISH SODA BREAD!!!!

We ate, drank, and were oh-so-very-merry.
Just as St. Paddy would have wanted it himself.

Cheers to the Irish!
Erin Go Bragh!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm sending some love out to you all, faithful Nesters!

Make something tasty for the one(s) you love!

And, if you don't have the time, or the patience, to make cupcakes...then promise me you'll eat an inordinate amount of chocolate.

See you soon! I'm off to spread the love!

Let's Get Crafty: DIY Crochet Hearts

Tomorrow is the most loved and loathed holiday of the year: Valentine's Day.

Whether you're a lover or a hater...it's coming.
So, why not have a little fun?
Even if you're single...impress your crush with the latest in my adventures in craftdom: Crochet hearts!
And, if you're not single, annoy your loved ones by having tiny crochet hearts ALL OVER your apartment.

While searching zee internets for random Valentine's Day crafts I came across this video:


And, not a second later, I was off to B.E. Yarn (784 Manhattan Ave near Calyer St.) in Greenpoint.

I got me some purdy new yarn, and hunkered down on the couch.
It was actually pretty easy. So, now, I'm all about the crochet tutorials. And, I have a shitload of pink, crocheted hearts laying all over my living room.


Seriously though, how precious are these?!

Even though they serve no purpose whatsoever, save for putting me in the Valentine's spirit, they're mad cute.

I'm think I'm going to use them as little doilies for chocolate.
Is that weird?

So, go forth, crochet hearts.
They're festive in that lovey-dovey way and oh-so-granny-ish.

And if you're going to be all:
"I hate Valentine's day. Psshah."

Then, get black yarn...and shut up.

Happy National Pie Day!!!

YES! It has finally arrived! The highly anticipated National Pie Day! And, this lady couldn't be more pleased.

I have two kinds of VERY SPECIAL PIE to share with you today.

As you can see above, last night we were celebrating the eve of this great day by eating some Chicken, Ham, and Fennel Pot Pies.

Freaking ridiculous. So good effin' good that it made me remember why I got so gung-ho about today in the first place.

Above, is the beautiful four-some that emerged from our oven.

Here's a before shot of our gastronomic gems with a little egg-wash:



And what kind of blog would we be if we didn't show you how soft and flaky our crust was?

So that was amazing. But, did you think that was all I was gonna pull out for National Pie Day?

Hells no. I wouldn't jip you like that. Check out the fantastic dessert from start to finish!

Strawberry Butterfly Pie

First, the gorgeous berries are washed:


Next, I rolled out an All-American double crust (notice I drink beer while I work, an absolute necessity):


Then I mixed our strawberries with tapioca, sugar, and cut some butter all around, because, what would pie be without LOTS of butter?:


Finally, it was time to assemble the pie, after cutting a lovely butterfly steam vent, of course:

Into the oven she went, and out she came, looking buxom and bubbly:


And, at last, slices were cut and many-a-tummy was made happy:


Amen! So good it's Godly!

Pie is a passion. And today we can go ALL-OUT!

Make pie, bake pie, and eat pie!

HAPPY NATIONAL PIE DAY!!!

Check out pictures sent to me from fellow bloggers and readers!!!

This beauty was sent to me by Mrs. Hess, one of my most favorite food bloggers! Isn't her Chicken Pot Pie fabulous?! Go check out her blog, Last Night's Dinner, this second! Her culinary adventures will get your mouth watering!



And, look at this bad boy!!! Nabeela, hostess of the wonderful blog Trial and Error, sent me a picture of her luscious Wild Blueberry Crumble Pie, ummm, SCRUMPTIOUS!



And here's a submission from Harry, of The Brooklyn Kitchen. He made a Pumpkin Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust....YUMMY!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to you all, my faithful Nesters!

May you have a happy and healthy New Year!

This year, here at The Brooklyn Nester, we hope to domesticate you even further by baking our way to bliss!!!

I had a great Christmas vacation and am feeling inspired now that I've returned home to my little slice of life in Ye Olde Brooklyn.

It's cold as fuck today, so, I'm sitting here in my cubicle thinking of nothing but steaming hot pies being pulled from my cozy little oven.

This Christmas, I believe, Santa went a little ape shit. addROC and I got soooo much kitchen stuff from our families that our cabinets cannot even contain most of it. Our counter and kitchen table are littered with gadgets, gizmos, pans, and knives.

And we're ready...to Nest bitches!

Join us, won't you, in our quest for domestic bliss in this urban jungle.

I can't wait to get cookin' AND postin'.

Best wishes to you all! The Bitch is back! And it's time to EAT!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

I hope that you Nest, with zest, straight into 2008!

See you in the new year! This Bitch is off to celebrate in style with addROC and the rest of my wonderful family!

Take care Nesters!

'Til then....

Ho Ho Ho!!!! Merry Christmas Bitches!!!

A Very Merry Mock-Christmas

With the tree decorated and friends abound there was one thing left to do...

EAT!!!

Yes, another mock-holiday filled Reid, Cliff, addROC and I with much joy.

So, we ate and drank a-plenty, because, well, it's what Jesus would have wanted us to do if he were still chillin' in his little manger.

So, first, addROC mixed up some fancy and tasty drinks, called,
Back Forty:


Then, after we were properly hydrated, it was on to the cheeses:



Then, king of all things pork, Reid, did his thing making some super tasty Bacon Wrapped Scallops for a nice hearty appetizer:

But, there was room for more.

Suddenly, lo and behold, addROC pulled from the oven our Basalmic and Dijion Glazed Christmas Ham.
And it was glorious.

So, like four drunken wise men...we approached, to give it praise:


And then, it was time for a breather.
And BOY-O-BOY did we need one.
Because, I had a special treat in the 'fridge.
Something I had toiled over (not to mention covered the oven in caramel after a slight explosion on the burner, whoops!)...

Yes, I made my FIRST EVER Cheesecake. And, if I do say so myself, it was a triumph. A true gift from heaven and the pastry gods at large.

So here she is, a Caramel Topped Cheesecake with Chopped Praline Chocolate:



It was so fucking fattening that I wanted to explode or die or something after eating it.

But, it was rich and delicious. And though I was near combusting, I was proud.
It was then we all looked at each other and knew, it was time to stop eating.
But, a lovely night it was indeed.

Many thanks to addROC, Reid, and Cliff, as usual, for making my season bright.

Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good night!

Me. Want. Cookie.

Hark!
The tradition of all traditions!
Christmas cookies!

After addROC and I put up our tree, I decided we needed a Christmas snack.
So, I wielded my mixer high in the air, and flung softened butter from the microwave to the mixing bowl.
I pulled out the trusty-dusty x-mas cookie cutters, gave 'em a rinse, and went to town on some HIGHLY caloric dough...

Butter Cookies.
I can already hear the Angels rejoicing!


I rolled out the first batch a bit too thin.
So, they were a little brownish...
Still very edible...

But, I wanted the $$$ shot:


Butter cookie delectable-ness Batman!

I didn't even bother to frost these guys, 'cause, well, I wanted to eat them NOW.

ME. WANT. COOKIE.

Cookie, cookie, cookie.
Mmmyum, mmyum, mmyum.

It's really great being an adult at Christmas.
It's a heartening reminder of how mature we've become, and, how some things never change.

Like, your bratty inner child...and her insatiable appetite for
COOKIES!!!!

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

I may have started the season off with a Bah-humbug, but, I've been bitten by the Elf of Christmas Cheer.

Last night, addROC and I headed down to the corner of Nassau Ave. and Diamond St. in Greenpoint to pay a visit to the Christmas tree man. We walked away, happily, with our lovely tree and a new stand.

I put on 106.7 Lite FM, to listen to some x-mas tunes (which, for some reason, are on this station 24/7) and got to work.

First, the lights must be strung (see above).
I can't help but smile like a 4 year old.
There's something about the smell of pine that acts like a hallucinogenic drug, catapulting me into the throes of Christmas glee!

Next, garlands must be made.
What would a tree be without a little cranberry and popcorn on a string!



Then, I got down to business cutting out some snowflakes.
I'm pretty sure that cutting these out increased my chances of getting arthritis 10-fold, but, it's worth it! Look how cute!



And finally, sitting back with a glass of Chianti, and looking at that bad boy.


A little scrappy? Sure.

A Work in progress? Sure.

But, last night, I was reminded of what Nesting is all about, in Brooklyn, Bavaria, Belgium, and beyond. It's about spirit people.

It's hard to hold back screams during the holidays. Everyone is so busy, tired, and spending money they don't have. But, in the end, all that stuff is beside the point. When all's said an done, it's about joy, giving, and sincere thanks for all the good in our lives...

1 Christmas Tree: $25
1 Medium Tree Stand: $10
1 Bag Fresh Cranberries: $2.99
8 Sheets of Uncut Snowflakes: $.08
1 Bowl Freshly Popped Corn: $.15

Finding Myself in the Holiday Spirit: Priceless, bitches!

Go get a tree, or, whatever makes your season bright.

It's all in the small stuff Nesters, it's all in the small stuff.

Let's Get Crafty: DIY Sno-Globes

December 1st has come and gone, and, while I may not have pulled out my reindeer costume just yet, I'm at least trying to be festive.

So, in preparation for The Diamond's tree trimming party, addROC and I nestled down to get to work on ornaments.

I decided to make a sno-globe.

This is VERY easy, and while they do look a teensy-weensy bit more ghetto than, say, a store bought globe, they're still fun and seasonal!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:


1-10 Small Double Sided Pictures or Drawings
Light Corn Syrup
Scotch Tape or Clear Packing Tape
A Globe Shape Jar (Goya Honey Jars, in your ethnic food section, work great)
Sparkles or Glitter
Water

1. Make your pictures waterproof by taping them back to back. Make sure that you get a good seal, and push out any air bubbles that may form. Do this at least twice to ensure that no water gets in and water logs your shit.
2. Place your waterproofed images into your jar.
3. Add an 1/8-1/4 of a TSP of glitter or sparkles. You can always add more if you're one of those crazy glitter people.
4. Fill your jar to the 1/2 way point with corn syrup.
5. Fill remainder of jar with water.
6. Cover tightly, and shake.

Voila.
Your very own ghetto sno-globe.
It costs virtually nothing and they're great for any occasion.

So, go make one. And, if you do...send us your photo!

Email photos to: thebrooklynnester (at) gmail (dot) com.

And I'll post any globe that's sent!

And, join addROC and I tonight for some beer and fun at:

The Tree Lighting @ The Diamond
8PM Tonight!
43 Franklin St., Brooklyn, NY 11222
nr. Calyer St.
718-383-5030

Remember to bring a weather proof ornament and get a free beer! Woo-hoo!

Ho Ho Freakin' Ho

The holiday season is upon us.

Nester that I am, should I be bursting with joy?
After all, there are pies to be baked, trees to be purchased and decorated.
Little gifts for friends tied up with ribbons (which, obviously, MUST be curled).

Neighbors have already put Santa-related shit in their windows.
Holiday shoppers piss me off as they run around Union Square like a bunch of wild horses, bucking through the crowd on route to the Christmas Village.

So, here I am amidst all this holiday cheer. And, folks, I'm not ready.

Is it just me? Or is it 60 degrees out and is it still FUCKING NOVEMBER?

I just want to tell everyone...calm down.

addROC and I sat down to a lovely weekend brunch at Sunset Diner, relaxing, enjoying the hum of the BQE...runny eggs...toast...and what's that I hear?

I'll Be Home For Christmas?
Fuck no...it couldn't be!
I was just AT home for fucking Thanksgiving, like, t-minus two minutes ago.

Back off you Holiday junkies.

December 1st is WELL on it's way.
Then you can Ho Ho Ho out your asses.

And, hopefully by then, I'll be ready to bake some cookies.

Duck-a-licious.

Yet again, Reid outdid himself.

We held a mock-Thanksgiving. But, instead of spoiling the Turkey-bird for the big day (and having a shit-load of leftovers for 4 relatively small people), Reid made a delicious duck. And it was seriously kick ass.

We ate. We drank. We digested.

And here's how all the eatin' went down:

For starters, Cliff (who, is responsible for all the lovely photography in this post), brought some beautiful and tasty cheeses:



Then, a cocktail of Champagne with Orange "Caviar." Care of the evening's mixologist, addROC.



Then, Reid pulls out the Duck plate. Yowser!



So the spread is, well, spread! And we feasted in all our duck-a-licious glory:




The Final Score:
Cheese and Champagne with Orange "Caviar"

Duck-a-licious Duck
Sage Stuffing
Giblet Gravy
Homemade Apple Sauce
Green Beans

Honey-Pumpkin Pie

Hells. Yes.

And, finally, an addROC aspertif to end the evening with the gang. This treat was a Vessel 75:



Happy Turkey Day to all. And, a very special thanks to Reid, Cliff, and addROC for their delectable contributions to our most successful mock-Thanksgiving!

I will post more on the big T-day after the weekend!