Well folks, it's that time of year again-green beer and corned beef for all!...If you're not exactly thrilled with the prospect of sporting some seriously stained teeth and boiling meat and potatoes, don't worry-you're not alone. While we are all big fans of the Irish-and don't necessarily mind the once-a-year corned beef and cabbage dish-we can certainly come up with something a little more appealing to celebrate with.Something appealing, something green....hmmmm.....Well, for starters, as soon as March rolls around you should pretty much know that winter is coming to a close. This weekend marks the "spring forward" in daylight savings time and the winter chill is finally starting to wear off.Birds all across the New York metro area have been chirping.Fortunately, the coming of spring means a whole new season of delicious vegetables and herbs to choose from. Our favorite green this month is the artichoke. Delicious and versatile, this veggie is truly one of nature's gifts to us-and March is one of the best times to buy it. If you've never prepared an artichoke, the task may seem a little daunting. Please don't fear it-the pay out is amazing. There are a number of great websites out there to help you with the basic preparation of an artichoke. We love the Becks and Posh blog for the breakdown. And, after you work on technique a bit and come to realize that you can never live without this particular vegetable again, you will be ready for our Artichoke Dip Recipe. It is a classic.Although the dip uses canned artichoke hearts, you will need to prepare at least 2-4 actual artichokes, so that you can serve the leaves. If you live in the New York metro area, visit Fresh Direct to get both tasty canned hearts, and fresh produce. And of course, if you're feeling adventurous, and you have some time on your hands, feel free to skip the can and go for the real thing!Have fun bragging to your friends this holiday about who's really the MOST green this year!Erin Go Bragh!Artichoke DipWe thought it would be fun to post the video for you this week. No going back and forth between the website and the blog! 

Handmade Kitchens

St. Patrick's Day and Spring Vegetables

Hello!! Here's an update on how we're doing and where we're going...You can now find our videos on all of the fabulous websites located on the right side of the blog. The list is growing every day, as we find more social networking and food-related video sharing sites. And, check out the press we're getting (also located on the right side of the blog)!We were recently featured on a live video cast which can be seen by clicking Here*fast forward to 16:23 to "the picks of the Interlitter" section.We were also featured in StamfordPlus and NorwalkPlus Magazines.Pick up an issue on newsstands now to read the article!We're now working not only with KitchenAid, but with Hellmann's Mayonnaise and Bertolli Olive Oil, which we're SUPER excited about!I'm going to leave you all with a few of our favorite appetizer recipes. They're classic-easy, delicious, and are sure to please all of your houseguests...even the littlest ones! Plus, they can all be made a day ahead of time to further help you beat the stress this weekend. Sit back, enjoy a glass of eggnog, and relax.Happy Holidays!!(and more to come in '08...) Stuffed Mushrooms Artichoke Dip Deviled Eggs Classic Eggnog 

A Little More About Us...

Just a quick hello from the Holiday Kitchen and HandmadeTV. Hope your holiday has been as great as ours has been so far. Now we're all looking ahead to 2008, and that New Year's Eve party! What are you serving this year? Well, we have a great idea for you-try our recipe for New Year's Noodles. It is a Chinese tradition to eat them at midnight on New Year's, ensuring a long, happy life. This dish is so easy to create and so delicious, you'll find it becomes a fast favorite and will make an appearance on the dinner table many times over the new year. Sesame Noodles 

Celebrate with Some Noodles!

It just wouldn't be the holidays without sweet treats tempting us from every corner. We came up with some pretty amazing recipes for cookies this year, including a white chocolate chip cranberry oatmeal cookie that was to DIE for! Everyone on set, from the director to the production crew, couldn't get enough of them.The below video gives you a basic sugar cookie recipe which is a must-have for the season (and yields cookies that are anything BUT basic). The best part is in the decorating though-as much fun for us adults as it is for the kids! Check out http://www.nycake.com for fun decorating ideas. Enjoy!*and don't forget to trek over to our website at www.holidaykitchen.tv for that oatmeal cookie recipe-once you try them, you will never be the same again! 

Cookies and Baking and Pies, oh my!

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