5 Star Makeover Archives - An Edible Mosaic™

White Bean Casserole with Crunchy Onion Topping

November 12, 2012 by Faith 29 Comments

This month’s 5 Star Makeover theme is holiday green bean casserole. I know most people have strong feelings one way or the other about this casserole; personally, I love it, but only if it’s fresh. Unlike most Thanksgiving dinner leftovers, this dish seems to lose its magic once re-heated.

At first for this makeover I was planning to do a more gourmet version of this classic side dish (an “ultimate” version, if you will), making everything from scratch – replacing the canned fried onions with homemade mini onion rings, making a lovely velvety béchamel instead of canned mushroom soup, and intensifying the mushroom flavor by using a mix of wild shrooms.

Then I thought about it some more, and did a quick Google search. As you might have guessed, quite a few bloggers have already shared gorgeous versions of homemade (or mostly homemade, which totally counts in my book) green bean casserole.

So onto Plan B.…

Butternut-Maple Butter and Spiced Maple Scones

October 24, 2012 by Faith 26 Comments

A couple weeks ago I was at a farmers’ market and I couldn’t help but stock up on winter squash. (Don’t blame me though…who could turn down a beautiful sugar pumpkin for $1?!) I also got a gorgeous, nearly four-pound butternut squash for under $2. And maybe the best part (even though it isn’t squash), was a huge (and I do mean huge…it was also almost four pounds!) rutabaga that I picked up for $1! When you buy more than you can use, you’re basically at the point where a bargain is no longer a bargain. Luckily, this was not the case since all the […]...

Lazy Sauerkraut Pierogi Casserole with Apple

September 24, 2012 by Faith 37 Comments

Once the familiar crisp chill of autumn settles in, my mom eases back into her routine of making big traditional comfort meals for our Sunday suppers, instead of casual dinners cooked on the grill. A few years back she started making a dish called Lazy Pierogies that she learned from an old friend of the family. I was recently craving this dish, and as my mom was reading me the recipe over the phone, I saw my next project materialize....

Cherry-Vanilla Sour Cream Scones with Vanilla Cream Spread

August 29, 2012 by Faith 29 Comments

I have always loved tea parties. I remember being a little girl and playing make-believe tea time with my best dolls arranged around a little table. I’d wear a hat, gloves, dress, and high-heeled shoes spirited away from my mom’s closet…and of course I always gracefully (haha!) tripped all over the place because of the shoes and too long dress. I only served water and crackers, but with a very proper (at least to my five year old ears) British accent, it always felt nothing short of elegant....

Spanakopita Puffs

July 23, 2012 by Faith 37 Comments

Given the choice between a big, one-plate meal (like lasagna or roast chicken), or a meal of several small dishes, I will choose the small dishes at least nine out of ten times. (That tenth time I just need roast chicken, lol.)...

Sweet Coconut-Cardamom Chilled Soup

June 27, 2012 by Faith 33 Comments

The theme for this month’s 5 Star Makeover was perfect for warm weather months – chilled soups! When it comes to cold soup, I enjoy savory soups like gazpacho (or even savory smoothies, which I sometimes eat like soup if they’re particularly thick) as well as sweet soups like fruit soup, and at first I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go for the challenge. But then I started thinking about it and decided it should be a dessert soup…I knew I’d have trouble getting Mike to eat a chilled savory soup, but he might go for dessert....

The Radish Challenge

May 28, 2012 by Faith 30 Comments

Sweet Velvety Radish Sauce One of my very first food memories is of radishes. Grandma, I questioned, Do you really like radishes? My grandmother was standing over her kitchen sink washing a bunch of radishes. She was lost in thought, looking out the window above the sink at a bird who was merrily chirping nearby. A refreshing breeze fluttered the curtains and brought with it the scents of freshly mown grass, lilac, and earth. It was late spring and we were about to enjoy what was probably our first meal of the season outdoors, in the backyard at my grandparents’ house. I was about six. She […]...

March’s 5 Star Makeover: Junk Food! {And getting creative with donuts.}

March 26, 2012 by Faith 52 Comments

The humble donut that started it all. The theme of this month’s 5 Star Makeover was junk food. Not to re-create junk food (like make a healthy version of chicken wings or a fancy version of French fries), but to use junk food itself in a gourmet recipe. Such a fun idea, right?...

If the Lady of Shalott Were a Dish

February 20, 2012 by Faith 27 Comments

The Lady of Shalott, Oil on Canvas by J.W. Waterhouse (Source) If the Lady of Shalott were a dish, I envision her as elegant and beautiful in a rustic sort of way. Feminine and ethereal (as fairy ladies are, of course ;) ). Complex, but not intimidating. Passionate, eccentric, and completely captivating. Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott is a beautiful Victorian ballad based on Arthurian legend. I’ve always been intrigued by tales of Arthur, and this poem in particular has always captivated me. Tennyson’s descriptions paint such a vivid, detailed portrait, and I couldn’t help but translate this into a meal....

Cheddar Cheese Ball Appetizer {aka Cheddar Pub Spread}

October 24, 2011 by Faith 44 Comments

At any party that my mom threw when I was growing up I remember a cheese and cracker tray being present. (Hmm, I guess it isn’t such a big surprise that as an adult I’m a cheese fiend, now is it, lol?) Between my sister and I, I was always the one who my mom delegated the job of arranging the cheese tray. And I didn’t mind at all....