Happy Cinco de Mayo

So one of my all time favorite days to celebrate is cinco de Mayo. I don't really know why we celebrate it, but nothing beats a party with a pinata, some good mariachi music and Mexican food! Some of our friends host the party every year--this year, we're bringing the pico de gallo and the tres leches cake (recipes below). I'll post pictures of the event tomorrow so you too can feel the spirit of Cinco de Mayo. A whole lot of Pico de gallo:

1. 8 lb Roma tomatoes (about 20)
2. 1/4 C garlic salt
3. 2 oz minced garlic or to taste
4. juice of 4 lemons (or limes)
5. 3 jalapenos (leave seeds in 1/2), finely chopped
6. 1 bunch of cilantro (cut off bottoms), chopped
7. 4 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

Seed and finely chop tomatoes. Add garlic, lemon juice, jalapenos, cilantro and onions. Serve with chips.

5 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 Cups white sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups milk

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream butter or margarine and 1 cup of the sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter or margarine mixture 2 tablespoons at a time, mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Pierce cake several times with a fork. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.

Whip whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup of the sugar together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy!

Baklava

One of my all time favorite deserts is baklava. Recently my sister and I made it for the first time and it was surprisingly easy. I found the recipe at allrecipes.com (my favorite recipe sites are: allrecipes, recipezaar--both allow you to sort recipes by rating which ensures you'll select a winner, therecipelink is also good if you're looking for copycat recipes--let me know if you're aware of any other good sites). Here's the baklava recipe:

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough (available in the freezer section at most grocery stores)
1 pound chopped nuts (I used 1/2 lb pecans and 1/2 lb walnuts, pistachios are also a good choice)
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Fool Proofing the Baby Shower

I pretty much couldn't love these baby shower plates more--they're modern, simple, and totally cute! They are available at showerherbaby.

If I don't go with a nesting theme, I might go with a pampering theme (I'm not going to tell guests what to bring as gifts or anything), but it would be fun to make scaled-down diaper bags like the ones above for party favors and fill them with lavender and small bars of soap that resemble diapers, or just candy (not both because no one wants candy that tastes a little like lavender when it shouldn't). The bags themselves will be pretty easy to make (you can purchase them for $15-$17 each, which is a bit much when I'm expecting 20-30 people), I'm not so sure about the hanger, that's going to be a trickier matter--anyone know where I can buy little hangers?

If we play any games (which I am oh so wary about), the prizes could be a massage (my neighbor gives them out of her house so I'm sure I could arrange a gift certificate), little spa kits (this could get really expensive), nail polish (that wouldn't be too costly), etc. So what do you think--nesting theme or pampering theme? Still no word on if the baby is a boy or a girl, but I'll take any ideas you have on invites. Less is more in my book, so nothing that's going to overwork me too much.
I know this is so dorky of me, but I'm already trying out recipes for the brunch and I found a definite winner: Lemon Dipped Blueberry Muffins--I've already made them twice this week and finally had Noah take them to work with him so I'd stop eating them. Here's the recipe:

• 1 3/4 C flour
• 1/2 C + 1/2 C sugar divided
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1/3 C vegetable oil
• 3/4 C milk
• 1 C fresh blueberries washed and dried (I used frozen and that worked great too)
• 2 tsp grated lemon rind (1 lemon)
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• juice of 1 lemon (the recipe calls for 1/4 tsp lemon juice, but I preferred a lot more)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 C of the sugar, the baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center. Combine the egg, oil and milk. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Toss the blueberries with 2 Tbsp of sugar and the lemon rind. Fold into the batter. Fill muffin papers or greased muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

While the muffins bake, prepare the topping by mixing the melted butter and lemon juice. Dip the warm muffins in the butter mixture, then in sugar. Note: I forgot to take a picture of them last night, and couldn't find a picture to do them justice--just know they look even better than that picture.

Makes 14 muffins.

Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

If you've every been to Magleby's restaurant in Utah for breakfast, you'll appreciate this recipe (assuming you liked the buttermilk syrup they put on pancakes and french toast). This may not be the exact recipe, but it's certainly reminiscent to it (and every bit as good). The pancake recipe is from The New Best Recipe, the syrup is courtesy of Kako.

Buttermilk Pancakes (270 calories in 1):

• 2 C buttermilk
• 2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to combine

2. Whisk the egg and melted butter into the milk until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl; pour in the milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined (a few lumps should remain). Do not over mix!

3. Hear a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add 1 tsp oil and brush to coat the skillet bottom evenly. Pour 1/4 C batter onto 3 spots on the skillet. Cook pancakes until large bubbles begin to appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the second side, 1- 1 1/2 minutes longer. Serve immediately. Repeat with remaining batter.

Buttermilk Syrup (200 calories in 1 Tbsp so watch it)!

• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 3/4 C buttermilk
• 1/2 C butter
• 2 Tbsp corn syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda

Boil all ingredients, except for the vanilla. Allow to boil gently for at least five minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla. Serve warm over pancakes, french toast, waffles . . . this can store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Crisp Potato Crust

This is probably the best fish I've ever had/ made and I'd venture to say that Noah would agree with me. It's from my now favorite cookbook (which everyone should own), The New Best Recipe.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Crisp Potato Crust:

• 3 Slices high-quality sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed.
• 4 oz high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough 1/8-inch pieces (about 1 cup)--I used Kettle chips and they were fantastic
• 6 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 whole side of salmon fillet (about 3 1/2 lbs), pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Heavy duty 18" wide foil

1. Adjust one oven rack to the uppermost position (about 3 inches from the heat source) and second rack tot he upper-middle position; heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. pulse the bread in a food processor until processed into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces about the size of Grape-Nuts cereal (you should have about 1 cup), about ten 1-second pulses. Spread the crumbs evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast on the lower rack, shaking the pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Toss the bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, and dill together in a small bowl.
3. Increase the oven setting to broil. Cut a piece of heavy-duty foil 6 inches longer than the fillet. Fold the foil lengthwise in thirds and place lengthwise on a rimmed baking sheet; position the salmon lengthwise on the foil, allowing the excess foil to hang over the baking sheet. Rub the fillet evenly with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper to taste. Broil the salmon on the upper rack until the surface is spotty brown and the outer 1/2 inch of the thick end is opaque when gently flaked with a paring knife, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven, spread evenly with the mustard, and press the bread crumb mixture onto the fish. Return to the lower rack and continue broiling until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
4. Transfer the salmon to a cutting board, remove the foil and serve the salmon from the board.

I like to serve salmon with asparagus and herb roasted potatoes

Oscar Night

For some reason unbeknownst to me, Oscar night has always been huge in my family. My mom made ballots for us (occasionally ahead of time so we could study the nominees and make educated guesses on the winners)--the ballots would include the main nominations as well as the best and worst dressed. I think it was supposed to have started out as a joke but ended up being taken quite seriously--now we all wear formals to watch the show.

This year, I'm going to make these chocolate dipped Oscar Strawberries to be served for the big night. For the tux: color brown dipping chocolate (not chocolate chips) with food coloring until the color resembles black. Dip each strawberry in white first, then tilt and dip two ways to create the "jacket." Pipe on a bow tie and buttons. For the Dress: Dip strawberry in white, pipe on a design, then dip a spoon in chocolate so it runs and quickly move the spoon back and forth over the strawberry to create decorative lines. Freeze the strawberries for 3-5 minutes to give them a great shine.

I'll probably also do some other appetizers, such as the artichoke spinach dip and perhaps a cheese tray (goat cheese, borsan, Gouda and Gruyere). You could go way overboard on refreshments but I'm trying to keep it simple so I don't stress myself out.

More on What to Cook on Valentines Day

Valentines Day Main Dish: Roast Beef Tenderloin (Super easy and a favorite of my Valentine; however since I just cooked this for my in laws a week ago, we're having ribs)

• 1 whole peeled beef tenderloin (5-6 lbs) patted dry with paper towels, silver skin cut, tip end tucked under and tied with kitchen twine.
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp coarsely ground black pepper (crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or with a heavy bottomed saucepan or skillet)

1. Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to bring the meat to room temperature.
2. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Set the roast on a sheet of plastic wrap and rub it all over with the oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and then lift the wrap to press the excess seasoning into the meat.
3. Transfer the prepared tenderloin from the wrap to a wire rack set in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers about 125 degrees (the meat will range from medium-rare to medium in different areas when it finishes), about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil until ready to serve. Cut into 1/2 " thick slices.
   

Side Dish: Sauteed mushrooms: I use a little olive oil or butter (1 Tbsp) and saute the sliced mushrooms on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices released from the mushrooms evaporate and the mushrooms begin to brown. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with the tenderloin.
Desert: Tart au Citron (Lemon Tart)

This was a favorite of mine when my family and I toured Europe. Every chance I got I'd jump into a French pastry shop and buy one of these. I've made "The New Best Recipe's" version of the lemon tart, but it tasted like American lemon bars to me--I wanted the real French "Citron." The recipe I'm posting is what I'll be making on Valentine's day and is from Saveur Cooks Authentic French cookbook.

For the Pastry:

• 2 C flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the Filling:

• 1 1/4 Cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 10 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• Juice and minced zest of 2 lemons

1. For the pastry, combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives (mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal). Sprinkle with up to 3 Tbsp ice water so that dough holds together, then form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, then flatten and roll into a 9" round. Ease dough into an 8" false-bottomed tart pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork. Cover dough with foil and chill for at least 20 minutes, then fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans and continue baking for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
3. For filling, beat sugar and eggs together in a bowl with an electric mixer until mixture is pale yellow. Continue beating as you gradually add melted butter. Then stir in lemon juice and zest. Spoon filling into tart shell and bake until crust is golden and filling is set and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

What to Cook on Valentines Day

So I've never much cared for Valentines day, I've always seen it as a sort of pointless holiday; however I'm liking it more now that I'm married--it has become the day that I get a box of chocolate covered strawberries, what's not to like?

This year, since I'm out of school and can actually think about things like this, I've decided to have French themed dinner. I thought it would be super fun to host a French party (not exactly sure what that would entail but it sounds fun) however we're going to be in Florida until the 11th and that's cutting it a little close don't you think?

The best French cookbook I've ever seen (not only for the food, some of which is too exotic for my taste buds, but also for the photography) is Saveur Cooks: Authentic French, available here for a steal.

Here's a taste of my Valentine's Day menu (I'll feature a some more in upcoming posts):

Appetizer: Cheese Fondue (Saveur Cooks)

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 1/2 Cups Savoyard white wine, such as chignin or crepy or other light, dry white wine (non-alcoholic cooking wine is available)
• 1 lb beaufort or gruyere cheese, grated or cubed
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Cup kirsch
• 8 thick slices of French country bread, cut into 1" cubes, each one with a piece of crust

1. Rub a medium-sized heavy pot with garlic, then discard garlic. Ad wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and gradually add cheese, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until melted. Do not allow to boil. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add nutmeg, pepper to taste and kirsch. Transfer to a chafing dish or fondue pot.

2. To serve fondue, put the fondue pot in the middle of the table, with the bread cubes in a basket. Diners spear cubes with their fondue forks and dip them in the pot. Stir the pot frequently to prevent the cheese from coagulating. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in 1/4 C of dry white wine.

First Course: French Onion Soup (serves 6) from The New Best Recipe

Soup:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 medium red onions sliced thin
• salt
• 6 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 3/4 C low-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 C dry red wine
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ground black pepper

Note: 8 cups of rich beef stock can replace the chicken broth, beef broth and the red wine.

Cheese Topped Crust:

• 1 baguette, cut on the bias into 3/4 inch slices (2 slices per serving)
• 4 1/2 oz Swiss cheese, sliced 1/ 16 inches thick
• 3 oz Asiago cheese, freshly grated (about 1 1/2 Cups)

1. For the soup: Melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt and stir to coat the onions thoroughly with butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are reduced and syrupy and the inside of the pot is coated with a very deep brown crust, 30-35 minutes. Stir in the chicken and beef broths, red wine, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping the pot bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits and bring to a simmer. Simmer to blend the flavors about 20 minutes and discard the herbs. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

• 2. For the Crusts: Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position; heat the broiler. Set heat-safe soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet; fill each with about 1 1/2 Cups of soup. Top each bowl with 2 baguette slices and divide the Swiss cheese slices, placing them in a single layer, if possible, on the the bread. Sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp grated Asiago and broil until well browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes (*I found 3 minutes to be perfectly adequate, watch it). Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip

This recipe is always a crowd pleaser and it's so easy that it's a win-win. Here's the recipe:

• 1 Cup chopped artichoke hearts (canned--not marinated, or frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 Cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer fresh)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• dash of ground pepper
• garnish with fresh cut tomatoes

On the Side:

• sliced crusty bread (toasted if you like)
• celery
• crackers

1. Boil the spinach and artichoke hearts in a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander when done.

2. Heat the cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave set on high for 1 minute (flip the cheese over after 30 seconds and resume). Or, use a saucepan to heat it over medium heat just until hot.

3. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts to the cream cheese and stir well.

4. Add the remaining ingredients to the cream cheese and combine. Garnish with chopped fresh tomatoes and serve hot with crackers, toasted bream and/or vegetables.

The Perfect Salad for a Winter Day

Red-Apple Walnut Salad (it's pretty awesome)--it actually looks prettier than the picture I got off of google, I didn't have time to photograph the salad for my blog, sorry. Here's the recipe:

• 4 red apples, coarsely chopped (sprinkle them with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning)
• Mixed salad greens
• 6 oz Gorgonzola cheese (optional but fantastic if you have a sophisticated palate)
• 3/4 C pomegranate seeds or Craisins
• Candied walnuts (directions follow)
• Winter salad dressing (directions follow)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with desired amount of dressing. Lightly toss.

Winter Salad Dressing:

• 1/2 C red wine vinegar
• 1/2 C vegetable oil
• 1/2 C honey
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

In a 1-quart jar, combine all dressing ingredients; shake vigorously. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Dressing can be made a week in advance. Makes about 2 cups.

Candied Walnuts:

• 1 C walnuts
• 1/4 C sugar

Cook almonds and sugar in a non-stick frying pan on low heat until sugar melts. Cool walnuts on wax paper.

Hands Down, The Best Spaghetti Sauce

It may be more work than emptying the contents of a bottle, but this spaghetti sauce makes me actually like eating spaghetti! Here's the recipe:

• 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage (or 1/2 lb of both), or omit all together and go veg.
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (or 1 8oz can sliced mushrooms)
• 2 14.5 oz cans chopped tomatoes with juice
• 1 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 8 oz can tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh, chopped)
• 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. minced, dried garlic

In a large skillet, brown the beef and/ or sausage until fully cooked. Drain off excess fat and put meat into a large sauce pot. In the same skillet, add oil and cook onion, garlic and mushrooms until tender. Add to the meat in the sauce pot, along with the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir in all seasoning and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if desired. Serve sauce over cooked pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.

Option: For a vegetarian marinara sauce, omit meat (duh) and add 1/2 cup each of finely diced carrots and celery to the onion mixture and cook until vegetables are tender.

Thai Coconut Soup

This is definitely a favorite of mine. Here's the recipe:

• 2 Cups of shredded chicken (about 3 breasts)
  
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  
• 1 inch of fresh chopped ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground)
• 1 tsp curry paste (available at most grocery stores or specialty markets)--comes in 2 colors, go for the green unless you've got superhero taste buds in which case red might just be your thing
• 3 Cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp fish sauce (available at international food stores)
• 1- 2 Cups Vegetables of your choice (I like red bell peppers, whole mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, and spinach)
• 1 Cup egg noodles (optional but fantastic)
• 1 1/2 C plain yogurt
• garnish with fresh cilantro (optional)
  

In a pot, saute the chopped onion in the olive oil until transparent. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste. Saute on medium heat until blended.

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken, vegetables (add the softer vegetables near the end) and noodles. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until vegetables and noodles are tender.

Remove from heat. Just before serving, add the plain yogurt. Stir to combine. Garnish and serve with rice.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well, The New Best Recipe Cookbook does it again! This is their recipe for chocolate chip cookies and I have to say they're pretty darn good--and I know my cookies! Here's the recipe:

2 Cups plus 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
1 C packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate--make sure you buy Guitard brand regardless)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray (*Kaila says: I've found that baking stones are superior to baking sheets when you're making cookies, and then you don't need parchment paper or cooking spray)
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of dough into a ball. For added texture, break the ball in two equal halves (each half will have a jagged surface), rotate each piece 90 degrees so the jagged surface faces up, and jam the two halves back together into one ball so the surface remains jagged.
5. Places the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets (*or stone--you really must have one if you don't already), jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.
6. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, the outer edges start to harden and the centers are still soft and puffy (*Kaila says: you don't want them to look completely done when you pull them out of the oven), 15-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway thought the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a wide metal spatula.
   

The Best Cure for Any Diet

This week's recipe comes from the kitchen of my very talented cousin, Jane. The first time I had it, I couldn't believe how good it was and I had to have the recipe. Now I'm passing it on . . . Today's recipe is for Double Rich Chocolate Decadence Cake with Chocolate Glaze:

Cake
1 lb dark chocolate (semi/bittersweet)
1 1/4 sticks butter (10 Tbsp)
5 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Cool slightly. Add 5 egg yolks (reserve the whites)--the best way to do this is to beat the yolks then slowly add some of the chocolate mixture. Combine yolks and chocolate mixture while stirring rapidly.

In a separate and sparkly clean bowl, whip the egg whites and gradually add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1 Tbsp of sugar until stiff but not dry peaks form. Fold whites into the chocolate mixture in about 4 parts. Fold in cream

Bake in a 10" spring form pan at 350 degrees with a pan of water (preferably larger in diameter than the cake pan) on the lower oven rack (below the cake). Bake the cake for 25+/- minutes, or until it looks done (the center shouldn't jiggle too much). The cake itself will be very moist because of the pan of water it was cooked above--it's supposed to be that way. Cool.

Glaze (this recipe comes from The Whimsical Bake House Cookbook, which every mom should have)

8 oz semisweet chocolate
2/3 C heavy cream
3 1/3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp light corn syrup

Garnish with Chocolate shavings, berries, or whatever you want

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. In a saucepan, warm the cream, butter and corn syrup over medium-high heat. Stir until the butter melts, then continue to heat just before the boiling point. Slowly pour the scalded liquid over the melted chocolate, whisking constantly until smooth. Strain the icing through a fine sieve. The icing can be used immediately or cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. If it has been chilled, reheat slowly in a double boiler before using. When ready to use, pour over the cake, allowing for the glaze to run over the edges and cover the entire cake. Use a rubber spatula to smooth and continue evenly coating. Garnish (I like to press chocolate shavings into the sides of the cake and have a few in the center--but wait until the glaze and cake have cooled, or you'll just end up with a melted mess).

Why Didn't I Have this Cookbook 6 Years Ago?

Mirjam recommended this cookbook to me a few weeks ago (along with a couple of others I'll blog about in future posts) and I must say it is awesome! Each recipe in the book was tested and improved dozens of times until reaching the "best recipe." Before each recipe is a complete description of the lengths they took until they reached the final recipe. It's easy to follow, interesting to read (it makes cooking somewhat scientific), it gives tips on the best cooking ware and ingredients, and it's better than any cookbook I have ever used. From beginners to advanced--everyone should own this book, but then again if everyone owned it, I wouldn't be able to shock my tasters with how my cooking became gourmet overnight. So DO NOT buy this cookbook; however, if you change your mind, you can buy it here or at Costco (they're currently $20 which is a great deal). This week's recipe comes right out of The New Best Recipe. I made it for dinner a few nights ago and Noah proclaimed, "I didn't know eggplant could be good--I think that's a first for the world."

Don't be daunted by the length--the descriptions are there to help you get it perfect! Here's the recipe:

Eggplant Parmesan
2 lbs globe eggplant
1 Tbsp kosher salt
8 slices high-quality white sandwich bread (about 8 oz), each slice torn into quarters
2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1 Cup)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
6 Tbsp vegetable oil

Tomato Sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 med garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 Cups)
1 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1/2 C)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn for garnish

1. For the eggplant: toss half of the eggplant slices and 1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt in a large bowl until combined; transfer the salted portion to a large colander set over a bowl. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and remaining 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, placing the second batch on top of the first. Let stand until the eggplant releases about 2 Tbsp liquid (30-45 min). Spread the eggplant slices on a triple thickness of paper towels; cover with another triple thickness of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, then wipe off the excess salt.
2. While the eggplant is draining, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on each rack, and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pulse the bread in a food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 15 -1-second pulses (you should have about 4 cups). Transfer the crumbs to a pie plate and stir in the cheese, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; set aside. Wipe out the bowl (do not wash) and set aside.
3. Combine the flour and 1 tsp pepper in a large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Beat the eggs in a second pie plate. Place 8 to 10 eggplant slices in the bag with the flour; seal the bag and shake to coat the slices. Remove the slices, shaking off the excess flour; dip in the eggs, letting the excess run off; and coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture. Set the breaded slices on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
4. Remove the preheated baking sheets from the oven; add 3 Tbsp oil to each sheet, tilting to coat evenly with the oil. Place half of the breaded eggplant slices on each sheet in a single layer; bake until the eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets after 10 min, and flipping the eggplant slices with a wide spatula after 20 min. Do not turn off the oven!
5. For the Sauce: While the eggplant bakes, combine the canned crushed tomatoes. Heat the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes; stir in the processed tomatoes and the remaining can of diced tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups), stirring the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To Assemble: Spread 1 Cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, overlapping the slices to fit; distribute 1 more cup of the sauce over the eggplant; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant and dot with 1 more cup of the sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and the cheese is browned (13-15 minutes). Cool 10 minutes, scatter the basil over the top, and serve, passing the remaining tomato sauce separately (or serving it with angel hair pasta).
   

My Favorite Key Lime Pie

If you don't so much care about dieting and you enjoy spending hours at a time in the kitchen, then this cookbook is for you! It really is one of my favorite meat-and-potatoes kind of cookbooks and not every recipe requires hours of time (though a good many do). My recipe of the day comes from this cookbook (it doesn't take much effort at all in comparison to others). You can buy the cookbook here.

This is definately one of my favorite pie recipes and I have to say, the crust makes it, so do not just get a ready made crust for this key lime pie, you've got to do it from scratch!

"Bangin' on the Keys" Lime Pie:
Crust:
1 Cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 Cup gigersnap crumbs
6 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
3/4 tsp grated key lime or lime peel
Filling:
6 egg yolks
1 2/4 Cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 Cup Key lime juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated key lime or lime peel
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp lemon oil
1/8 tsp salt

For the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, gingersnap crumbs (I use a blender to to get the crumbs fine), butter, brown sugar and lime peel in a bowl, Mix until crumbs cling together to form a coarse mixture. Press crumb mixture over the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Chill in the refrigerator.

For the filling, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk egg yolks in a bowl until blended. Stir in condensed milk, lime juice, lemon juice, lime and lemon peel, lemon oil and salt. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Chill, covered, until serving time. Garnish with whipped cream and decorative lime slices just before serving.

Peach Cobbler Bread (Does it get any better than that?)

Two of my favorite things are: peaches (especially in a cobbler) and homemade bread, so naturally this peach cobbler bread is at the top of my list. Here's the recipe:

1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
3 eggs
2 3/4 Cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Cups sliced fresh or canned peaches
3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumb topping
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 C brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter, softened

Cram butter; gradually add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix together the next 5 ingredients and add to the creamed mixture alternately witht the peaches. Stir in the orange juice concentrate and the vanilla. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cut the butter into the flour and brown sugar until crumbly. sprinkle crumb mixture on bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Serve.

BBQ Pulled Pork

I'd like to have some organization to my blog, so I'm going to start doing a recipe spotlight every Wednesday, and what do you know, today just happens to be Wednesday!

So one of my favorite (and simple) recipes is BB-Q pulled pork. I've tried many different recipes, but by far this is my favorite:

1 1/2-2 lbs pork shoulder
1 Cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 (18 oz) bottle of sweet baby ray barbecue sauce (trust me on the sauce, I've tried substitutes and it's just not as good)

1. Place unfrozen pork shoulder roast in the crock-pot on low (very important that it be on LOW, tried high and failed) with 1 cup of water, basil and rosemary for about 8 hours (can be done overnight).
2. Remove any skin or bone
3. Pull the meat apart into small pieces, I use forks, and return it to the crock-pot.
4. Add a bottle of BBQ sauce and a little water (1/4 Cup) and stir to coat.
5. Continue to cook on low for an hour or two
6. Serve on hamburger buns with coleslaw.