Tag: Tasty Treat

Croissants

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Buttery.  Flaky.  Delicious.

That’s all I can say.  I only ate half of one, but it was more than enough.

Croissants are one of those things I was dying to make.  But seriously.  So. Much. Butter.  I felt like a combination of Paula Deen

and Ina Garten

So croissants happened, and I don’t think I want to do it again any time soon.  Not because it was time consuming but maybe more butter than I can handle (and I can handle butter).

But I must say they were oh so good!  Fun project for when you have a lot of time on your hands.

Have a great day!

Sunday Dinner

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I love big families.

My family is big and loving and fun.  When we get together, everyone is greeted with a hug and kiss.  There’s always a ton of food and generally some salsa music playing in the background (Laura, that Celia Cruz CD has a permanent spot on my ipod and in my heart).

Last week, I was lucky enough to meet and share a meal with a family that rivaled my own in enthusiasm and affection.

The Biscotti Queen talks about Sunday dinner with her family all the time, usually recounting the amazing things her grandmother makes.  She wasn’t kidding when she said Sunday dinner with her family is an event.

This lady made it all happen.  That’s the Biscotti Queen’s grandmother.  She made an outstanding meal all on her own!

Penne in Vodka Sauce with crusty ciabatta

Green Beans, Lamb, Corn, Potatoes, zucchini pancakes.  I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of it all.

and three desserts:

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse in Dark Chocolate Cups

Chocolate Pavlova made by the Biscotti Queen’s beautiful mama.  Oooooh myyyy goodness. I think this one was my favorite!  I’d never had pavlova before but it was aaaamaaazing!

and a sponge cake with peaches and cream.

You’ve probably noticed I love dessert.  I was in heaven… and luckily surrounded by wonderful people

and cute dishes!

Dinner was never this exciting (or long!  the whole meal took about 4 hours!) at my house!

I’m so thankful Sara’s wonderful family let me join them for their weekly family tradition!  This was most definitely one of my most memorable meals!

Nutella Makes Everything Delicious

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I want a big scoop of ice cream right now more than you’ll know.  Instead of giving in, I’m going to try to write about a fantastic dessert the Biscotti Queen and I made for Sunday Dinner with her family

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse in Dark Chocolate Bowls.

Do I need to say any more? Well maybe just how to make it.

Inflate some balloons to the size that you want your bowl to be.  Dip the balloons in melted dark chocolate chips, place on plate/sheet pan lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate (or put infront of the AC) until the chocolate hardens.

In the meantime, make the mousse.  Mix together a 13oz jar of nutella with 3 cup of heavy cream.  This guy comes in handy…

Whisk with a mixer until you get peaks.  Be careful!  I overmixed in the first attempt (don’t go thinking I let all that nutella and cream go to waste… more on that in a bit).  Once you’ve whipped up the mousse, pop the balloons!  You might have to peel them off carefully and gently like we did.  Be careful not to crack the chocolate or handle it too long, as it’ll melt.

Fill the bowls with mousse and refrigerate for a few hours.  We didn’t do this so we had sort of a soupier mousse than is desirable, but I’m sure if refrigerated in the bowls it would turn out great!

Serve with a strawberry!

The presentation is lovely and the taste is absolutely AMAZING!!  The best part… it’s SUPER easy!  Only 3 ingredients: Nutella, Cream and Chocolate!

Now onto my mistake.  So I accidentally overwhipped the nutella and cream!  Oops!  It turned to liquid again!  Boo!

Solution: Chocolate Hazelnut Creme Brulee

Chocolate Hazelnut Creme Brulee

1 13 oz jar nutella
3 cup heavy cream
7 egg yolks, lightly beaten
12 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 275F.  Combine the first 3 ingredients.  Pour mixture into 12 ramekins.  Put ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan, fill pan with hot water until ramekins are half way submerged.  Bake 45-60 mins.  Allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar and burn sugar using a kitchen torch or broiler.

Deeeeelish!

Best mistake I’ve made in a while.

Hmm… I still want ice cream.  Distracting yourself from your cravings with other delicious treats probably isn’t the best idea.  Oh well!

Coming up… Sunday Dinner with Italians!

Brooklyn Birthday

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I had a pretty amazing weekend.  Sure, it was my birthday, but really that wasn’t even the good part.

Let me tell you about it.

It started on Friday, when I drove down to the NYC area.  I picked up the Biscotti Queen at her parents house and we headed to Brooklyn to visit our friend who was subletting a place with the most AMAZING rooftop.

The view was outstanding.

Even better was the food

and obviously drink

Grilled french bread with dijon mustard, brie, avocado and sundried tomato.

Oh goodness.  Make it now!

This was only the beginning of the weekend of eating.   Stay tuned for more!

Cherry Cobbler

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Most of the time, I don’t have the heart to bake with fresh fruit that is delicious (i.e. blueberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.).  I usually think they should be enjoyed, raw, delicious and completely on their own (I don’t understand putting sugar on strawberries!), as nature intended.

But if someone gives me some fruit and asks me to bake something with it, do you really think I’d say no?

Cherry Cobbler

from All Recipes

3 tablespoons butter (I used EarthBalance)*
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk*
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups fresh pitted cherries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread cherries in a greased 9 inch pie pan or 9×9 square baking dish.   Combine the first seven ingredients in a bowl. Spread the mixture over the cherries.  Combine the 1 cup of sugar with a tablespoon of flour and a cup of boiling water then pour it over the batter and cherries.  Bake for 45 minutes.

*Use non-dairy milk and Earthbalance to make it vegan.

Potential Problems You Might Face in Making This Cobbler:

  • Pitting the cherries if you don’t have a cherry pitter.  –> Solution: Enlist the help of a friend.  Slice the cherries in half and pull out the pit with your fingers.
  • Temptation to eat the entire thing –> Solution: Give it to the friend who helped with the pitting.
  • Feeling that you need an occasion to make this.  –>  Solution: New season of Mad Men started last night, make this next Sunday and have a piece with Don Draper and an Old Fashioned.

Was anyone else as sorely disappointed as I was at that first episode last night?

Wafflezone-o-wich?

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Nope.  Those aren’t burnt waffles.

It’s a waffle, pizza, calzone, and a panini all in one!

Okay so I have no idea if I read about this or dreamt about it.  Let’s be realistic, I probably read about it because I doubt I could be this creative.

Actually nevermind, let’s pretend I’m great and I thought it up all on my own.

I made a quick whole wheat pizza dough by mixing together:

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or just 1 cup WW flour and omit all purpose)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/8 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tbsp olive oil

After kneading it for about 2 minutes.  I let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.  Then I divided it into two equal sized pieces and on a well floured surface, rolled each piece VERY thinly.  I topped one side with some pasta sauce, kale (obviously), smart dog and 1 string cheese.  I put the other thinly rolled piece of dough on top and sealed the edges by folding over and pinching together.  After I put it in a heated waffle iron for 5 minutes.  The dough shouldn’t reach the edges, you’re going to squish it down so it’ll get there but leave about an inch of room all around.

It got a little messy in the spots where the sauce oozed out.  But it was completely worth it.

Perfect for days like today when turning on the oven could easily qualify as murder.  Not to mention it takes about 20 minutes total to make and if you use store bought pizza dough, the process takes less than 10 minutes.

Also fun because I’m obsessed with this waffle maker!  While these were delicious, there’s always room for improvement.

A few suggestions:

  • Roll the dough very thinly,  maybe don’t use all the dough.
  • If something is in chunks (i.e. kale and smart dog in this situation), chop them very finely.  Big chunks are okay but I bet it would be less messy if the chunks were smaller.
  • Reduce the sauce or just use tomatoes.  Ragu is a little more runny than other sauces.  I’d reduce it a bit (or maybe I was just over zealous with the sauciness, as I often tend to do).

I should also note that this waffle maker is huge!  So one waffle is enough for two people.

If you have a waffle maker, try it!  Super easy and relatively healthy!

Introducing the Biscotti Queen

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Looks can be deceiving.  Sometimes I make things that look good, like this

But really they’re not that great and end up in the trash.

On the other hand, sometimes the lighting in a room isn’t the best so your pictures don’t turn out fantastic, but the end product is AMAZING.

You’ve seen Sara on here a lot.  She will from now on be referred to as the Biscotti Queen.

Why?  Because she makes biscotti that will make your Italian grandmother jealous.

I’ve tried to make biscotti numerous times.  It never turns out right.  But the Biscotti Queen has got it down. Way back when in January, she even sent me some in the mail!

Chocolate Hazelnut and Ginger Biscotti

from Epicurious

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix in 3 eggs until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips, hazelnuts and crystallized ginger.  Turn mixture onto a floured surface and shape into two logs, flatten to about an inch and a half high and 3 inches wide.  Transfer to a greased and floured baking sheet, brush with a beaten egg and bake for 35 minutes.

Take the logs out of the oven, reduce the heat to 325F.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes then cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Bake again for 7 minutes on each side.  Then drizzle with melted white chocolate if you’d like and give them as goodies!

We also made some White Chocolate Espresso biscotti, but sadly white chocolate does not work that well.  It all melted away and just left holes!  Still tasted delicious though!

The point of that is photos can be deceiving and the Biscotti Queen makes amazing biscotti!

Have a great day!!

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

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Apparently, it’s National Ice Cream month.  Good thing I took my neighbor‘s ice cream maker hostage.

After you read this recipe and try it, you have to promise me you will never EVER again buy Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream.  This one tops it.  That’s right.  I said it.

I took these pictures and put the ice cream back in the container but saved a spoonful for myself to try.  About 30 seconds later, I went back to the freezer and put the scoops I had returned to the container back into my bowl.

Then I had to brush my teeth and basically strap myself down to keep myself from eating more.

Better Than Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

adapted from Kitchen Chick

1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 1/3 cup half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla
7 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped

In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter and sugar.  Gradually stir in the milk, half and half and vanilla until the peanut butter is dissolved.  Chill in the freezer for a few minutes (about half an hour should be fine).  Put in the ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.  In the last 5 minutes of turning, drop in the pieces of Reese’s Peanut Butter cup.  Freeze for a few hours and serve.

This evening, I took it over to Sara(who will from now on be called the biscotti queen, I’ll tell you why another day)’s house.  It cannot be around here.  You can probably tell, this stuff is faaaaaaaaattyyyyyyy!  It’s one of those once a year type things.

Speaking of once a year… Yesterday was my friend Daniele’s Birthday!

Hey yo Daniele, Happy Birthday yesterday!!  Miss your face!

And Rhoda, we all always miss you!

Honey Coconut White Chocolate Chip Ice “Cream”

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Do you ever have those days where you spend the day doing random things and you don’t realize time went by SUPER fast?

Today flew by. I woke up late, I think it was 9:00am.  Had pie and cucumbers for breakfast (not together).

Went for a fantastic 5.5 mile run.

Hung out with this lady

Basically we were ridiculous (as we usually are).  We went by Six Mile Creek Vineyard for Sara to pick up some wine.

We also made ice cream (I’ll tell you about that one later in the week) but first let me tell you about this stuff I made at some point last week.

Honey Coconut White Chocolate Chip Ice “Cream”

2 cans of coconut milk**
1/2 cup honey*
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut

In a bowl mix together the honey and coconut milk.  Chill for a few minutes in the freezer or in the fridge for a few hours.  Pour into your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.  In the last 5 minutes of turning, drop in the white chocolate chips and shredded coconut.  Freeze for a few hours in a container before serving.

**I used one can of full fat coconut milk and one of light coconut milk.  You can also use two cans of full fat, which will make it taste even more delicious and the texture will be creamier.  I don’t suggest using two light cans.  I tried that and it turned out too icey.

*To veganify use agave nectar instead and vegan white chocolate chips.

Lovely and (almost) Dairy Free!

It also happened to go perfectly with the champagne brownies I made a few days ago, which by the way turn into full on FUDGE once chilled.

All sorts of amazing.

I need to give Slick Rick back his ice cream maker, ASAP!  There CANNOT be this much ice cream in my freezer!

What was the highlight of your weekend? I had a dinner party last night, super fun. Stay tuned for that!

The Thought Process of the Laziest Day Ever

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I woke up and looked at the clock. 7:09am.  That’s a reasonable hour to be awake on a Saturday morning.   Sat up and looked out the window and wondered what I’m going to do today. Hmm I can go to the gym, it opens at 10am on Saturdays.

In the meantime, I’ll have breakfast. I hop out of bed, make coffee and waffles.  Blog a bit.

10am comes around.  Hm I’m still full.  I’ll wait it out a bit.  Oh wait, maybe I should go to the farmer’s market real quick to pick up my CSA share since they recommend going before 12:00pm.

So I go to the farmer’s market, pick up my share and I’m home by 11:30.  As I put away my CSA veggies, I have a bright idea to make something with some of last week’s veggies. They’re going to go bad, obviously they can’t sit in the fridge an hour longer while I go to the gym.

I made some Cilantro Lime Slaw.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

adapted from Epicurious

1/4 cup greek yogurt
zest + juice of 1 lime
few shakes of cayenne
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
black pepper
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 an onion, thinly sliced

Combine all the ingredients together and mix well.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Then since it was sitting in front of me, I ate some Cilantro Lime Slaw.  Who else is going to eat that plate I just photographed?  I mean it can’t go back in the bowl that’s going in the fridge! I thought it was delicious!  When I was little my mom used to make cabbage with lime and salt, nothing else.  This tastes like a spicier, better version of that.  What can I say, I’m easy to please (…not true at all).

While I was at it I had some chips that my old roommate who moved out left behind.  Hmm now I’m too full to go to the gym.

Guess I’ll clean up a bit in the meantime.  As I clean, I see a bag of bread flour and have a bright idea!  Oatmeal bread!

Oatmeal Bread

adapted from King Arthur Flour

3 cups bread flour
1 cup oats
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp molasses (or honey or sugar)
2 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/4 cup milk, warm (microwaved it 30 seconds)
extra flour for dusting kneading surface

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl combine butter, milk, yeast, and molasses.  Let sit for a few minutes until it gets foamy.  Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together.  Once you can’t mix it any more, turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl and put in a warm place to rise for an hour.  After the dough has risen, put it in a loaf pan and let it rise for another hour.  Once it has risen about an inch or so over the rim of the pan, bake at 350F for about 40 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before slicing.

So I started making that.  As the dough rises, I peruse the internet and look at the clock.  It’s about 1:30.  Oh the Germany vs Uruguay game is at 2:30, this gym doesn’t have a TV.  I better not go now, plus I’m still full.

Instead I took a nap while my bread was rising.  At 2:20, I woke up repositioned my bread into a bread pan and let it proof one more time.  Perfect timing the game is going to start!

At the half time, I put my bread in the oven.

45 minutes later.  Germany wins.  I’m bummed but life goes on.  My bread is ready.  I should probably take pictures of it.  In that process I ate two pieces (the rest is now in the freezer).  Again too full to exercise. And damn the gym closes at 5:30pm.

Around 6:00pm, I finally gave up.  Forget this, I’m not exercising today. Instead I took a shower and went to the mall for two reasons.

To watch this by myself:

and to buy this:

I’m a lonely, midwestern housewife. Don’t tell.

Eclipse was terrible.  No two ways around it.

Sure, Taylor Lautner was pretty, but the movie was horrible.  I laughed out loud a few times (not always at intentionally funny parts).  I’m glad I went alone, I think I would have been terribly embarrassed if I made someone go see that with me, especially a boy (not that I have one to go with).  There were a fair number of men in the theatre surprisingly.  You know I’ll still see the next one anyway…

So it looks like I have a date with my bed and the above mentioned book (10th Sookie Stackhouse book, I can’t say no).

I must confess: I love cheesy books.  They make me so happy.  Sookie Stackhouse fills that need for me.  For the record, the books really aren’t that much like the show.

This is the perfect example of why I need schedules (activities and meal times) and planning ahead.

I overspent both my monetary entertainment budget and my calorie budget.

Tomorrow will be a better day.