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Birthday Cakes

Well, my 47th birthday just passed. Time is flying by. More of a reason to do what you love and love what you do. I was lucky enough to have two birthday cakes this year. I see a new trend in cakes. Hard Ganache. Everywhere I look, I see cakes with hard chocolate ganache dripping down the sides. I remember many years back, my aunt would always order a cake with hard ganche for birthday celebrations. It was always my favorite and somehow I fogot about it. I have baked a few cakes that had a poured ganache frosting. These cakes, however, seemed to have a more shiny, softer ganache. I like the type that cracks when you slice into it. I have attached a picture of a cake that has hard poured ganache on it. MMMMMMMMM.. Here is a recipe in case you want to try it........

Hard Ganache

Makes 5 pounds or about 8 cups

·4 pounds dark chocolate, finely chopped

·4 cups heavy cream

1. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Bring the heavy cream just to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and allow to stand for 1 minute, stirring until the chocolate is thoroughly melted.

2. The ganache can be used immediately, or it can be covered and stored under refrigeration, then warmed prior to use.


Glazing a Cake with Ganache
Keep in mind a cake's height when you are ready to glaze.

A shorter cake will need less ganache to cover the top and sides than a taller cake.

The ganache should feel slightly warm to the touch, between 100 degrees F and 110 degrees F, for glazing. This temperature ensures that the ganache will be fluid enough to flow over the cake, but it will not lose its shine or melt the buttercream coating underneath.

1. Place the cake on a cardboard circle that is the exact size of the cake. If necessary, trim the cake circle to fit the cake.

2. Place an inverted cake pan, or similar object that is slightly smaller than the cake itself, on a baking sheet. Position the cake on top of the inverted pan.

3. Prepare a hard ganache (see above). Once all the chocolate has melted into the cream, allow the ganache to cool to between 100 degrees F and 110 degrees F.

4. Using a ladle or a 1-cup measure, pour 2 cups of chocolate ganache onto the center of the cake; 2 cups is enough to cover a short 6-inch cake. When covering larger cakes, it is better to use more ganache than you think you will need because excess ganache will drip onto the baking sheet and can be reused.

5. Using a large offset palette knife, push the ganache from the center of the cake over the sides. Make sure the top of the cake has a thin and even coating.

6. If the ganache does not cover all of the sides of the cake, use a small knife or offset palette knife to spread some ganache onto those areas.

7. Allow the ganache to drip off the cake onto the baking sheet. Once the ganache has set, hold the cake from the bottom (remember, there is a cake board that you can hold onto) and trim any excess ganache with a small offset palette knife.

· from: Cake Art from the Culinary Institute of America

Cravings

Did you ever get a craving for something that you used to eat all the time in your younger years and haven't had it in ages? Remember those Raspberry Crumb Squares that were on the deli counters? I never could resist buying one when I was in a deli. I guess there aren't too may delis around like the ones that existed while I was growing up. We had a German deli that had the most amazing German and regular potato salad that was homemade. Now, delis sell potato salad that comes out of a big bucket. GROSS.

Baking up a storm!

Haven't posted in awhile, but have been baking a lot. Here are some pics of an awesome Brown Butter Raspberry Tart and cupcakes that I made recently.

Eat your veggies!

Even though carrots are full of sugar and should be avoided most of the time, why not enjoy a carrot cake every so often? This recipe came from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle. Love her recipes. This one is frosted with White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting.

OUR NCL CRUISE

Luck of the Irish!

St Patrick's Day is almost here. The streets will be full of drunken partiers. Me??? No alcohol for me.... How about a nice big hunk of IRISH SODA BREAD with some Kerrygold Butter? My favorite Irish Soda Bread is this Almond Irish Soda Bread. Sweet and delicious....ENJOY!! No Caraway seeds for me though........................

Almond Irish Soda Bread

Grated Almond Paste makes an extra moist Irish soda bread and combines wonderfully with caraway for the best flavor ever. Don't wait until St. Patrick's Day to serve this tasty bread, it's a treat any time of the year!


1 (7 oz) box Odense Almond Paste

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup raisins

1 Tbsp caraway seeds

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, melted


Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet.

2 Grate Almond Paste on large hole side of a box grater, directly into a large bowl. Add sugar and mix with finger tips until combined into small crumbs. Add flour, baking powder, soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds. Mix with spoon.

3 Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk, egg and butter. Stir until combined and mixture can be pressed into a ball.

4 Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly. Shape into a round, flat loaf about 7-8 inches in diameter.

5 Place on baking sheet and lightly flour top. With a sharp knife or razor, lightly score an x across the bread. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before cutting.

Hospital Cafeterias

Everyone always says that hospital cafeteria food is terrible. Well, I spent over ten years eating that food and loved every minute of it!! Turkey Divan, Corned beef hash and Swiss Steak are the dishes I remember. When I saw this recipe, it brought back memories of the Winthrop Hospital cafeteria food. Another easy one........

Swiss Steak
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), see note

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, cut into strips

1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions

Cut steak into serving-size pieces.
Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper.
Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil.
Transfer to Dutch oven.
Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water.
Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered.
Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper.
Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker, according to manufacturers instructions, on low for a most fabulous dinner. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 degrees F.

Note: to ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.

Another Comfort Food Recipe

Ooooey, gooey, smooth and creamy........ Who doesn't like Macaroni and Cheese? Paula Deen keeps bringing them on!! I can't wait to try this one!! Best part of this recipe is thay you make it in a slow cooker!!

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

12 servings

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes.
Drain.
In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese.
Stir until the cheese melts.
In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well.
Then add drained macaroni and stir again.
Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Spring has sprung...

I am finally seeing the buds on the trees and the bulbs sprouting in the ground. I am glad to know that the winter will finally be leaving us. All of the comfort foods will be leaving too which is sad. Let's get a few more in before BBQ season starts. This one is courtesy of Paula Deen and looks easy to prepare. You have to get your daily allowance of fruit in you know!!

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

2 (16-ounce) cans sliced peaches in heavy or light syrup, or in fruit juice, your choice

1 pint fresh blueberries, optional

1/2 cup baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)

1/3 cup sugar

Ground cinnamon

Topping:

2 1/4 cups baking mix (recommended: Bisquick)
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar combined with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; store in an empty spice shaker jar; shake well before each use)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a Dutch oven with vegetable oil cooking spray
Drain 1 can of the peaches.
Combine both cans of peaches, including the juice from the undrained can, the blueberries, if using, the baking mix, sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Place this mixture into the Dutch oven.

To make the topping: Combine the biscuit mix, sugar, butter, and milk in a resealable plastic bag.
Drop bits of dough, using your fingers, on top of the peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crusty.

HOLA!!

Feeling better today. Went to a COMPARE foods today. Latino heaven. I was VERY happy to find this place. RIght next door was a Colombian Bakery. Wake me up when this dream is over. I first stopped in the bakery and say gigantic Bunuelos. They are a round fried dough and I believe the Colombian ones have some sort of cheese mixed into the dough. DELISH. They had GIGANTIC apple turnovers and pastries, all kinds of breads and Colombian style cakes. I even eyed some arepas in the case. YUM-O. I ate my Bunuelo in the car and it was still warm...LOL. Nick will try his later. Moving on to COMPARE foods. I found everything I needed for my chicken and rice dish, including ajices dulces which are little sweet peppers. I never thought I would find these. I used them in the sofrito. I also found the one thing I have been searching for to make my chicken stock. CHICKEN FEET.. 8-) They do make an awesome stock. I used chicken feet, wings, backs and necks. I just packaged up the stock so that I can freeze it. The chicken and rice was very good also. I had to use Emeril's chicken stock since my homemade wouldnt be finished in time. Isn't it funny how quickly my food tastes change? I can not get bored with food. I always need to try something different. Now, I have plenty of sofrito in the freezer. It is all prepackaged in one cup portions. Maybe I will make some pork shoulder with some of it soon....MMMMMM. I will also make sme rice with gandules again soon too. VIVA DAISY!!

Note: The alcaparrado had olives with pits in it. Next time I think I will just use the pimiento stuffed olives. Also, I made my second loaf of NO KNEAD bread today. This time I used bread flour and feel this loaf was superior to the one made with AP flour, even though I thought that loaf was amazing. You should try a recipe for NO KNEAD bread someday. I will post it if you want it.................

Chicken with Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
Recipe courtesy Daisy Martinez, 2008

Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup Achiote Oil, recipe follows

1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces

Fine sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Sofrito, recipe follows

1/4 cup alcaparrado or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch ground cloves

4 cups long-grain rice

4 cups homemade or store-bought reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 large bottled roasted red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions
In a paella pan or wide, shallow pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the Achiote Oil over medium-high heat until the oil is rippling.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add as many pieces skin side down to the pan as fit without touching.
Cook, turning as necessary, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pieces as they are done and set aside.
Adjust the heat under the pan, especially after you start removing chicken, so the chicken browns without the oil darkening.
When all the chicken is removed from the pan, add the Sofrito and alcaparrado.
Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Raise the heat to high and boil until most of the water is evaporated from the Sofrito.
Add the cumin and cloves.
Stir in the rice until coated with oil.
Return the chicken to the pan, pour in enough broth to cover the rice by the width of 2 fingers (about 1-inch), and bring to a boil.
Cook over high heat until the level of liquid reaches the rice. Stir gently and reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed, the chicken is cooked through, and the rice is tender but firm, about 20 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork.
The arroz con pollo can be brought to the table right in the pan or transferred to a large serving platter.
Either way, garnish with the red pepper before serving.

Achiote Oil:

1 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds, see Cook's Note*

Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat just until the seeds give off a lively, steady sizzle.
Don't overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil will turn a nasty green.
Once they're sizzling, remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the sizzling stops.
Strain and reserve in a jar with a tight-fitting lid at room temperature for up to 4 days.

*Cook's Note: Achiote seeds are a deep orange seed with a nutty flavor. They are available in many supermarkets and almost all Latin markets.
Yield: about 1 cup

Sofrito:

2 medium Spanish onions (about 12 ounces), cut into large chunks

3 to 4 Italian frying peppers or Cubanelle peppers, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks

16 to 20 cloves garlic, peeled

1 large bunch cilantro, washed

7 to 10 ajices dulces (see Cook's Note*), optional

4 leaves culantro (see Cook's Note*), optional

3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut into chunks

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks

Chop the onion and Cubanelle or Italian peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped.
With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients 1 at a time and process until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully.

*Cook's Note: Ajices dulces are little sweet peppers that look similar to the fiery hot Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, only smaller. They have a wonderful fresh herbal flavor, almost like cilantro, but only a tiny bit of heat. Culantro is an herb with broad, round-tipped leaves. Its flavor is similar to cilantro, but much more intense. Both ajices dulces and culantro are available in Latin markets. If you cannot find them, simply increase the amount of cilantro to 1 1/2 bunches

Simple Things

Home sick with a cough. Was planning on a cooking weekend. Chicken and rice. Meatloaf. Hopefully, tomorrow..When I am sick, I usually crave the simple foods. Of course, chicken soup fits right in. Guess my stock will have to wait until tomorrow. Just took some antibiotics........... Was watching Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, with my fav Ann Burrell, on Food Network this morning. She is so uplifting. Her chicken dish looked amazing, but what caught my eye, was the simple profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Simple to make, yet you pay a premium for this dessert in a restaurant. Hopefully, I can make these for my next dinner party.

Profiteroles
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

8 to 12 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/2 stick butter

Pinch salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Pinch ground cinnamon

Ice cream

Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows

Special Equipment: Pastry bag fitted with large straight tip

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small saucepan combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and add the flour all at once and stir it vigorously with a wooden spoon.

Cook until the mixture has formed a ball and has a slightly sweaty sheen to it and it has pulled away from the pan.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough not to cook the eggs when added.

Using an electric mixer or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated.

Add in the cinnamon and beat for another second to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip and pipe 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

When done dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the pastry bag released the dough.

Be sure to leave at least 1-inch between each of the balls. They grow!

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking.

When done, the puffs should be light, airy and dry inside.

Cool on a rack.

When ready to serve, cut in half horizontally and fill with ice cream of your choosing. (I prefer a really high-quality vanilla.)

Top with warm chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce
4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1 good pinch ground cinnamon

Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water to a boil.

Put the chocolate in a metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water.

Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined. This is a pretty quick process, once the chocolate has melted remove it from the double boiler set up.

Spoon over the filled profiteroles.

This is best when served warm!

The sea

Peaceful. Quiet. Salty smells. Seagulls squawking. What a grounding experience. And what comes walking along, ready to attack anything that comes near it? Crabs!!! You can find them on the ocean beach and you can fnd them in your hair! In your privates and on your plate. In your sushi and in a quiche. Although, we cant eat the ones found in hair or privates...LOL... I have been craving crab cakes for a few weeks now. I keep looking at the frozen premade ones and always return them to the freezer case. Hopefully, I can sink my teeth into one soon. Maybe Valentne's day???? Here are two recipes using crab. They both caught my eye and sound delicious...

Crab Stuffed Flounder
Recipe courtesy Uncle Bubba

Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) flounder fillets

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Uncle Bubba's Crab Cake Mix, recipe follows

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Cooking spray

1 (1-inch) slice Crab Butter, recipe follows

Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle flounder with salt and pepper.

Stuff the flounder with the Crab Cake Mix, and press the sides down to cover the filling.

Sprinkle with paprika.

Coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the fish in the dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Without removing the dish from the oven, turn the oven to broil and broil for 5 additional minutes.

When the fish is done, remove it from the oven.

Slice a medallion of crab butter and place it on top of the grilled fish.

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top for added color.

Crab Cake Mix:
Recipe courtesy Uncle Bubba

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

3 green onions, green tops, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 small green pepper, finely chopped

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons spicy mustard

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

10 saltine crackers, crumbled medium to fine

1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked clean of shells

1/2 pound claw crabmeat, picked clean of shells

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet, melt the butter and saute the onions, garlic, parsley and peppers until soft.

Let cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, heavy cream, mustard, lemon juice and mayonnaise together.

Gently mix in the saltine crackers and crabmeat.

Add salt and pepper, if needed.

Set aside to stuff in flounder.

Crab Butter:

2 ounces claw crabmeat, picked clean of shells

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon seafood base

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Fold the crab, butter, seafood base, and onions together in a medium bowl and mix until smooth.

Remove from the bowl and shape into a log on a piece of parchment paper.

Roll up and place in the freezer.

Reserve for flounder.

Crowds

I have decided that a daily blog post isnt needed. So, I will post at least once a week. Hopefully, more.
Last night we had a surprise 70th birthday party for my Mom. It was a success. Being around this large group of people, got me thinking about feeding large crowds of people and foods for pot luck type get togethers. My chocolate chunk cookies were a hit as the party favor. I got three calls aready saying how delicious they are. Another reason to get more into this baking business. I saw this recipe on emeril live and it seems like it would be a real crowd pleaser.

Chesapeake Bay "Crabby" Mac
Recipe courtesy Pam Jensen

Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1 large shallot (or 2 small) minced

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese

2 cups grated manchego cheese

1 cup grated Cheddar

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

2 tablespoons sherry, optional

1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni

1 pound lump crabmeat

Topping:

4 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Add minced shallots and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to cook the flour.

Slowly, add 3 cups milk.

When milk is incorporated into the roux, add the seafood seasoning, and the block of cream cheese.

Cook until cream cheese is melted.

Add shredded manchego and Cheddar cheeses and parsley.

Cook until all the cheese is melted. Add the sherry, if desired.

Cook macaroni according to package directions or until just al dente.

Drain macaroni.

Stir cheese mixture into cooked macaroni and fold in crabmeat. (Be sure to fold in crabmeat so you don't break up the lumps too much, you want nice chunks of crab.)

Put mixture in a baking dish.

For the topping:

Mix melted butter, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, and parsley.

Sprinkle topping on the dish.

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes to make the topping crispy. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Rotten Fruits and Veggies

While shopping in Waldbaums, I found myself in front of the markdown rack in the produce section. Some of the stuff was pretty nasty. Who would buy this stuff and what would they use it for? I did find wrapped bunches of bananas that didnt look half bad. What popped into my head was a recent article on cupcakes. It was in the February issue of Living by Martha Stewart. I remembered that there was a recipe for Banana cupcakes with Caramel Frosting. Ok. The bananas went into the cart. Another reason to bake. Do I really need a reason though? LOL....
I baked them today and would up using 6 of the bananas. They were FANTASTIC!! The recipe isnt online, so if you would like it, let me know...I am posting another recipe by Martha Stewart which has a caramel frosting. Looks delicious also...

Chocolate Caramel Layer Cake

Makes 1 dozen squares.

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for sheet

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder

1 1/4 cups boiling water

2 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

2/3 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

Caramel Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet, and line with parchment paper. Butter lining. Dust bottom and sides with flour; tap out excess.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together chocolate, coffee, and boiling water in a separate bowl; set aside.

Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add sour cream; beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture.

Whisk chocolate mixture again; add to batter. Beat until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared sheet. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack.

Invert cake onto a rimless baking sheet; peel off parchment. Halve widthwise. Spread half of buttercream on top of one layer. Top frosted layer with second cake layer; coat cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into 12 squares

Caramel Buttercream


1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

6 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make caramel: Pour 1/4 cup water into a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush two or three times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is dark amber.

Immediately remove from heat; carefully pour in cream (caramel will bubble vigorously). Stir caramel until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.

Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff. Reduce speed to medium low; add butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking until smooth. Switch to paddle attachment. Add caramel and vanilla; beat on lowest speed until combined, 3 to 5 minutes. The buttercream can be made 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Before using, bring frosting to room temperature; return to mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth

Love weekends!

It was nice to relax in bed this morning. No need to rush out of bed to take a shower and deal with the traffic. Got my haircut at the mall. Went to the bank and had to deal with another dumb teller. She said she needed my social security number because she didnt know me! I told her that is why I had to show my license. Of course, the manager said I didnt need to put it on the deposit slip...just the last 4 numbers like I usually do. This is another reason why I like dealing with machines instead of people. One dumber than the other. Hit Waldbaums and Restaurant depot for more baking supplies....butter, cream cheese, buttermilk (just in case). Found some sherry vinegar which I have been wanting to try. Baked a mascarpone cheesecake, brownies, almond pound cake and Chocolate Coconut macaroon cups. Nick will bring these to his post holiday party at work. I made roast chicken parts and Penne with creamy mushroom sauce. Mascarpone made it creamy. It was delicious!! Try it, you'll like it!!

Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

4 to 6 servings

1 pound rigatoni pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound assorted mushrooms, (such as cremini, shiitake and button), cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 cup grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the shallots and garlic to the pan.
Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Turn the heat to high.
Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates.
Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese.
Stir until creamy.
Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl.
Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta.
Serve immediately.

LONG DAY!!

I had a long day at work today and a lot of annoying patients. Must have been the full moon this week. Whenever the patients stress me out I crave sweet things. Everyone knows eating sweet things will only clear the mind of these annoyances for a short period of time. They still taste good though. I know what was on my mind in the car on the way home.....CHOCOLATE.
So, here is a recipe with lots of chocolate in it to soothe the nerves........

Mudslide Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 pound semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 large eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 pound milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a heatproof bowl, or in the top of a double boiler, set over a pot of simmering water, melt together unsweetened and semisweet chocolates and butter; set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cooled, melted chocolate mixture, and combine on low speed. Add flour mixture, and continue to beat on low speed until almost combined, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer; stir in milk chocolate by hand. Using a 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets

That's Italian!

My parents came to visit us today. Mom made lasagna and meatballs yesterday and brought us the leftovers for dinner tonight. This was NOT on my diet! I didnt overindulge and so I think I will be fine. My contribution to the dinner was another new favorite side dish of mine. This recipe is courtesy of Lucinda Scala Quinn who works for Martha Stewart. Word of advice...Buy your frozen artichoke hearts at Trader Joes. They sell it for about half the price of EVERYWHERE else.....

Roses Baked Artichoke Hearts

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh curly leaf parsley

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 cup)

2 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated (1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, and savory, or Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 packages (9 ounces each) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dishes

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, cheeses, herbs, and salt in a medium bowl, and season with pepper.

Brush oil inside two 4-cup, 9 1/2-inch ceramic baking dishes. Divide artichoke hearts between dishes, and spread into a single layer. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over artichokes, pushing it into cracks between hearts. Tap bottom of dishes on counter to settle breadcrumb mixture.

Whisk oil, lemon juice and zest, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle dressing evenly over breadcrumb topping. Cover dishes with parchment, then foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 375 degrees. Uncover, and bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

GREEN.........

Key lime pie, spearmint leaves, pistachio ice cream and lime jello. NO!! Veggies. Are you eating more veggies Vinny? Are you juicing again Vinny? Add some salad Vinny. Brussel sprouts are great Vinny.....Slowly, my ears tuned it out. This was how the appointment with my nutritionist went. Is it real hunger? Do you think it is psychological? We can try kabbalistic healing. Drink herbal tea. Try some sour powers. Xylitol is good for you. You will find the right balance. Keep track of what foods satisfy you for a long period of time. My response... NEVER did I feel full after a meal unless I are a LOT of food at one sitting! It will come. You will get there. WHEN?? I'm HUNGRY! What a journey this is going to be............ Let's make a veggie dish. Nobody said it had to be healthy. Everything in moderation.. Thanks to the Neely's for this one!

Neely's Zucchini Gratin

4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

6 zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/4-inch thick

2 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded

1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole dish.

In a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter.

Saute onion and garlic until translucent.

Add zucchini and tomatoes, cook about 7 minutes

Add thyme, and flour.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.

In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half.

Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses.

Bake for 30 minutes.

The calm after the storm

I love the peace and quiet after a snowstorm. All sounds seem to be deadened by the layer of crisp white snow. The layer of snow today, however, was covered by a slick and shiny coat of ice. What to cook today? Slow cooked, warm, spicy and hearty. SOUP!! Split pea? No ham bone. Chicken soup? Boring. Tomato? Eh, too run of the mill. I know! Red lentil soup! I have consumed this soup from a local Turkish restaurant, Istanbul Cafe in Centereach.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/476126 Not too spicy, but just hits the spot. It is simmering on the cooktop as we speak. My only addition to this recipe was a cup of uncooked bulgur. I also used homemade beef stock instead of vegetable stock.

Spicy Rustic Red Lentil Soup with Thick Yoghurt

250g red lentils

2Tblspn olive oil

2 carrots, diced finely

1 onion, diced finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 tspn cumin

2.5 tspn sweet paprika

2 Tblspn tomato paste.

1.5l vegetable stock

finely grated rind of half a lemon

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

cayenne to taste

thick yoghurt (or use Greek yoghurt, creme fraiche, cream or feta)herbs of choice, chopped finely or Feta cheese

Sauté the carrot, onion and garlic in the oil over a low heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the paprika and cumin, and continue to cook over low heat for 6 - 8 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or two.

Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil.

Cook for 20 - 30 minutes, until the lentils are mushy and the vegetables cooked.

Stir from time to time.

Beat the yoghurt with the herbs, or cut the feta into cubes and roll in the herbs.

Serve the soup with feta cubes or a large dollop of thick thick yoghurt.

Everything White

Bright white. Blinding light. Cold white flakes. Piled up like confectioner's sugar. Anyone have a spoon? Today is the perfect day to have something white to eat. Match the landscape here in the Northeast. Potatoes, flour, sugar, salt, asparagus, cheddar cheese, milk...all come in white. My favorite of all though? COCONUT!! Pure white, sweet and juicy. Just so happens, I saw a recipe for Coconut Panna Cotta....rich, creamy, not overly sweet. I will probably leave out the fruit.. Who needs fiber anyway?

Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit (courtesy of Viva Daisy)

6 servings

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream (recommended: Coco Loco)

1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk

2 cups chilled heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Assorted tropical fruits, such as: kiwi, mango, and papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, for garnish (about 1 1/2 cups total)

Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 3 tablespoons of cool water in a small bowl. Set aside to soften.

In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Lower the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, stirring to make sure it is completely dissolved.

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Strain the coconut mixture into a bowl that will fit easily into the bowl of water. Set into the bowl of water to cool, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula until the mixture starts to thicken. If the mixture starts to set, remove it immediately.

Remove the bowl of coconut mixture from the bowl of water. Empty out the water and wipe the bowl dry.
In the dry bowl, stir the cream and confectioners' sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.

Stir into the coconut mixture.

Divide the coconut mixture evenly among 6 (7 to 8-ounce) custard cups or ramekins.

Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the molds and invert each panna cotta onto a serving plate. Spoon some of the diced fruit over each, allowing the fruit to spill onto the plate.

Always on my Mind

All day long, one thing kept popping into my mind. Bolognese sauce!! How weird is that? Some people pronounce this boh-luh-neez. However, any real Italian knows it is boh-luh-nays. Ann Burell, from foodtv, demonstrated making an awesome version of this sauce. I can imagine the taste of it in my mouth right now. Here comes the mouth watering again. Ann is so full of life and energy. She is best known as one of Iron Chef Mario Batali's sous chefs in the American television spin-off series Iron Chef America. Ann is my new favorite foodtv chef.

What I consumed today was far from gourmet. Lunch was chinese hot and sour soup, chicken egg foo young and brown rice. Dinner consisted of Organic beef roast (from Trader Joes), Garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It was pretty tasty and I guess more healthy than not. I am not a big fan of beef unless it is ground or cubed such as in beef stew and beef paprika. Once in awhile, I crave beef stew. I always follow my intuition and believe your body knows best. Sometime in the future, I will post my favorite Beef Paprika recipe, courtesy of my friend Martha Harvie.

Back to Bolognese. When I get something stuck in my head, there is no stopping me from eventually eating it. A few weeks back it was rice balls. I craved my favorite rice balls from T and F Pork Store in Franklin Square, NY. I have yet to taste a better made rice ball! This craving was so intense, I had to drive to Port Jefferson to try a rice ball from Napoli Italian Market. It was good, but still couldn't compare to my T &F. Now, I will be eating pasta with bolognese sauce very soon!! This weekend will be the perfect weekend to make it. What else is there to do when there is a snowstorm? Well...................that won't satisfy my Bolognese craving :-) Now for the recipe!

Pasta Bolognese

Cook Time:
4 hr 30 min
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste.

In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat.

Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

THANKS ANN!!

Beginnings......

After reading numerous blogs online, I felt drawn to start my own blog. I would like to focus my blog on baking and cooking, my passsions. Hopefully, this will turn into something unexpected!

Today is a pretty boring food day. Trying to lose more weight, so I didnt indulge in our weekly "free" pizza lunch at work. The Grandma pizza looked and smelled amazing. My mouth is watering while I think about it now. For some reason I keep thinking about Martha Stewart's latest TV demo on scones. I would love to have one right now. I thought about baking some for my co-workers, but I know if I did, I would eat too many of them. Hmmm...maybe in a few weeks. Since I have scones on my mind, I will post the recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart. Hope some of you get to enjoy these.

Mummy's Sweet White Scones
This mouthwatering recipe for scones is courtesy of Petersham Nursery.

Ingredients
Makes about 18 scones.

6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, superfine sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add butter. Using your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until a crumbly mixture is formed.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and milk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead lightly and shape into a round. Roll dough out until it is 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out scones and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
5. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg and brush the top of each scone; sprinkle each with granulated sugar. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.