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.…

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....

Oven-Coddled Eggs {With Chard, Parmesan, & Fresh Herbs}

July 25, 2011 by Faith 54 Comments

The latest 5 Star Makeover theme was Farmers’ Markets, a theme I really enjoyed because of how wide open for creativity it was. I can’t think of any way I’d rather spend a weekend morning than perusing my farmers’ market, looking for fresh goodies and thinking of how I want to eat them....

Olive Oil Scones with Cinnamon Figgie Butter

May 25, 2011 by Faith 53 Comments

This month’s 5 Star Makeover theme is “Gourmet Picnic Food” in honor of upcoming Memorial Day. Since this theme is so wide open, I had a lot of fun with it and chose a more non-traditional picnic theme: teatime! For my picnic, pack a thermos full of tea (spiced black tea is fantastic with these scones!), some finger sandwiches, and these Olive Oil Scones with Cinnamon Figgie Butter…...

Bacon Pate Toast Stack with Poached Egg Yolk

February 22, 2011 by Faith 57 Comments

I was honored when Natasha of 5 Star Foodie and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks! recently invited me to take part in February’s 5 Star Makeover (a huge thank-you to Natasha and Laz!), and then when I found out that the theme was “Bacon and Eggs” I was thrilled beyond words. Initially I didn’t know if I wanted to go the sweet or savory route for my dish, but after much brainstorming (to name just a couple of my ideas, how good does Herbed Choux with Bacon Custard or Savory Custard with Sweet Bacon Tuiles sound?), I decided on savory. Not only that, but I decided […]...

Spaghetti Quiche with Roasted Asparagus

April 27, 2010 by Faith 27 Comments

After a long, cold winter I look forward to seeing asparagus abound in the market…it means spring is here! When asparagus is in season I’m always looking for new recipes to use it in, so when Natasha announced that this month’s 5 Star Makeover Challenge was pasta, I knew I wanted to incorporate asparagus somehow. Quiche came to mind and I envisioned a golden spaghetti crust filled with a light quiche and roasted asparagus, and topped with bubbling cheese. The crust didn’t turn out as planned…the spaghetti wasn’t golden or crust-like. Instead, the pasta incorporated into the quiche filling (think spaghetti frittata). I think next […]...

Peaches and Cream French Toast Sandwiches with Warm Peach Compote

September 26, 2009 by Faith 16 Comments

These pretty sandwiches were made with the last of the local peaches I had purchased…a true last taste of summer! They’re headed off to Natasha of 5 Star Foodie for her Peaches and Cream 5 Star Makeover. A Note on the Sweetness: I don’t mind the tang of Neufchatel cheese, but if you want it a little sweeter you could either combine the cheese with honey to taste, or you could serve this with warm maple syrup or honey. If you haven’t checked out my giveaway yet, check it out here! Peaches and Cream French Toast Sandwiches with Warm Peach Compote […]...

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