I took a small adventure to Aurora, CO. Who knew Aurora housed a beautiful biotech hub and the University of Colorado Medical Center and little Mexico? As I drove around looking for where I needed to go (the Med Center), I drove past a Mexican Grocery store. JACK POT!!! I've been on the hunt for Mexican Chocolate, specifically Ibarra. Mexican chocolate is not like your average Scharffenberger Chocolate bar which you take out of the foil wrap and consume. Instead Mexican chocolate is composed of extremely granular sugar, cacao nibs and cinnamon. Typically it is melted down in milk and made into hot chocolate. Tasty! Looks like Dan and I will be enjoying some extra spice and sugar in our hot chocolates this winter!
Besides Ibarra, what ELSE could make a typical Chocolate Cupcake amazing? Have you ever had a Spicy Chocolate Bar? Oh, who knew the flavor of chili spiciness could be so mutually symbiotic to chocolate... like champagne and oysters, it was meant to be! This flavorful cupcake has a lingering heat from red chili powder, a subtle hint of cinnamon and the crunch of Ibarra.
Ohhh la la!!!
Spicy Ibarra Chocolate Cupcake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream Frosting
ingredients
1 c AP flour
6 tblspn cocoa powder
.33 (.5@SL) tsp b soda
.33 (.5@SL) tsp b powder
.25 tsp salt
.25 tsp red chili powder
.25 tsp cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (minus 2 tblspn) white sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 egg
.5 c milk*
.33 c heavy cream*
*if @SL, 2/3 cup whole milk would be just fine
4 squares of Ibarra, chopped
instructions
cupcake
1. Preheat your oven to 375 (350@SL), prepare cupcake tin.
2. whipped butter and sugar together until creamed and fluffy
3. add egg until mixed, add vanilla
4. in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chili powder and cinnamon
5. alternating between dry, wet, dry, wet, ending in dry combine flour mixture and milk
6. fold in Ibarra chocolate
7. pour into pan (2/3rd full for standard, 1/2 full for giant sized)
8. bake 20 or so minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
9. let cool on wire rack
makes 6 giant cupcakes
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
ingredients
.5 c heavy whipping cream
3 tblspn powder sugar
.5 tsp vanilla extract
.25 tsp cinnamon
instructions
1. first mix sugar, vanilla & cinnamon
2. slowly add in cream until soft peaks form
3. do not over beat or else you will get butter
4. Top on cooled cupcakes and sprinkle addition cinnamon on top if desired.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Happy Post Labor Day Weekend! I just wrote and entire blog about how my meal I just ate (see photo) was the least environmentally plate ever. Greens from California, Fish flown from Alaska, Bell Pepper from Canada... oh but the onion, that's from Colorado...
Anyhow, I've been making all sorts of sandwiches and recently, its rekindled my love for the roasted bell pepper. sweet, tangy, and oh so delicious it is such a versitile addition to anything! I had one left over in the fridge from making sandwiches... but hm, an entire roasted pepper on a piece of fish? hmm... how about I food processor that up and dump it over some broiled salmon. Voila!
I chose to eat this on a bed of baby arugula and baby spinach sans dressing with a side of steamed broccoli. You can easily choose to eat it with rice, potatoes or whatever else side you want!
Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
ingredients
2 6 oz portions of Salmon (I bought King)
4 slices of sweet onion
1 roasted bell pepper
1 tsp olive oil + some
1 garlic clove, minced
s&p to taste
instructions
1. prepare salmon and onion by rubbing with olive oil, sprinkle with s&p; place on broiling pan
2. rub minced garlic on salmon
3. turn on broiler to low and allow 5 minutes for the broiler to heat up, then broil the fish and onion 5 inches away from heat for 5 minutes
4. while the fish is broiling, coarsely chop the bell pepper and place in a mini food processor. Pulse 4-5 times. add the olive oil and pule 3-4 more times. sprinkle in some salt to taste
5. flip the onion over, turn the broiler on HIGH for 3-4 minutes to brown up the fish and onion
6. Plate your fish, top with roasted red pepper sauce
makes enough sauce for 2 portions
Anyhow, I've been making all sorts of sandwiches and recently, its rekindled my love for the roasted bell pepper. sweet, tangy, and oh so delicious it is such a versitile addition to anything! I had one left over in the fridge from making sandwiches... but hm, an entire roasted pepper on a piece of fish? hmm... how about I food processor that up and dump it over some broiled salmon. Voila!
I chose to eat this on a bed of baby arugula and baby spinach sans dressing with a side of steamed broccoli. You can easily choose to eat it with rice, potatoes or whatever else side you want!
Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
ingredients
2 6 oz portions of Salmon (I bought King)
4 slices of sweet onion
1 roasted bell pepper
1 tsp olive oil + some
1 garlic clove, minced
s&p to taste
instructions
1. prepare salmon and onion by rubbing with olive oil, sprinkle with s&p; place on broiling pan
2. rub minced garlic on salmon
3. turn on broiler to low and allow 5 minutes for the broiler to heat up, then broil the fish and onion 5 inches away from heat for 5 minutes
4. while the fish is broiling, coarsely chop the bell pepper and place in a mini food processor. Pulse 4-5 times. add the olive oil and pule 3-4 more times. sprinkle in some salt to taste
5. flip the onion over, turn the broiler on HIGH for 3-4 minutes to brown up the fish and onion
6. Plate your fish, top with roasted red pepper sauce
makes enough sauce for 2 portions
Friday, August 27, 2010
Vanilla Cupcake with Palisade Peaches and Whipped Cream
I've recently begun to bake in Boulder. I thought I'd start with cookies but 5 batches deep now… I still haven't quite gotten it right… I found this great article on NPR about a women who did a DIY wedding cake for her brothers wedding and made a Alice Water's 1-2-3-4 Cake. Essentially, that's what my vanilla cupcake recipe entails, with a few high altitude modifications (slightly less flour, slightly more liquid, slightly higher temperature) and a little bit of Lisa touch. I also opted not to make frosting and instead made a peach compote type thing with a dollop of whipped cream to top it off. The cake itself is moist, dense and very rick in flavor.
These peaches are special. They are called "Palisade Peaches", and come from the south western corner Colorado. I always thought the best peaches came from California (best peach experience was when Craig Edelman brought me and entire case of white peaches fresh from the farmers market for my birthday) but no, in actuality, CO makes a darn good peach. They are extraordinarily fuzzy compared to any other peach I have ever seen and oh so very juicy, soft and nearly instantly ripe.
In the cake, instead of regular whole milk, I used buttermilk, which gives it such a nice creamy, tangy burst of flavor, a little trick I learned from my friend Jen in grad school. I'll do my best to keep it so that you can make this at sea level too, but here is the original recipe and the NPR article. You'll see I'll add a different value, # @SL, meaning use this amount if you are at sea level!
If you are super lazy, (although I don't really recommend it), canned whipped cream or cool whip would be sufficient as a quick topper.
Oh, and how am I doing you might ask? Ahh, just fine. And yes, I am still unemployed but am one happy camper!!
Vanilla Cupcake with Peach Compote and Whipped Cream
ingredients
cupcake
.75 tsp/2 tsp@SL baking powder
.25 tsp sea salt
1.33 c/1.5 c @SL AP flour , sift then measure
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated white sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
.5 c buttermilk
peach compote
2 tblspn unsalted butter
3 medium, ripe peaches, diced into .25 inch pieces
pinch of salt
2 tblspn brown sugar
whipped cream
.5 c heavy whipping cream
3 tblspn pwoder sugar
.5 tsp vanilla extract
instructions
cupcake
1. Preheat your oven to 375 (350@SL), prepare cupcake tin.
2. whipped butter and sugar together until creamed and fluffy
3. add one yolk at a time until mixed, add vanilla
4. in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt
5. alternating between dry, wet, dry, wet, ending in dry combine flour mixture and buttermilk
6. in a metal or copper bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form
7. fold in egg white mixture (by hand) in thirds until all egg whites have been incorporated
8. pour into pan (2/3rd full for standard, 1/2 full for giant sized)
9. bake 20 or so minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
makes 8 giant cupcakes, or 12 standard cupcakes
peach compote
1. melt butter on medium high heat. DO NOT CAUSE THE BUTTER TO BROWN
2. sauté peaches, add salt
3. add brown sugar and cook until peaches are soft and liquid around peaches is bubbly
4. you can also add a splash of amaretto or grand marnier at this point or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
whipped cream
1. first mix sugar and vanilla
2. slowly add in cream until soft peaks form
3. do not over beat or else you will get butter
THE WHOLE CUPCAKE
once the cupcake has been cooled on a wire rack and the compote has been cooled to RT, put the compote on the cupcake and then add a dollop of whipped cream. Voila!
These peaches are special. They are called "Palisade Peaches", and come from the south western corner Colorado. I always thought the best peaches came from California (best peach experience was when Craig Edelman brought me and entire case of white peaches fresh from the farmers market for my birthday) but no, in actuality, CO makes a darn good peach. They are extraordinarily fuzzy compared to any other peach I have ever seen and oh so very juicy, soft and nearly instantly ripe.
In the cake, instead of regular whole milk, I used buttermilk, which gives it such a nice creamy, tangy burst of flavor, a little trick I learned from my friend Jen in grad school. I'll do my best to keep it so that you can make this at sea level too, but here is the original recipe and the NPR article. You'll see I'll add a different value, # @SL, meaning use this amount if you are at sea level!
If you are super lazy, (although I don't really recommend it), canned whipped cream or cool whip would be sufficient as a quick topper.
Oh, and how am I doing you might ask? Ahh, just fine. And yes, I am still unemployed but am one happy camper!!
Vanilla Cupcake with Peach Compote and Whipped Cream
ingredients
cupcake
.75 tsp/2 tsp@SL baking powder
.25 tsp sea salt
1.33 c/1.5 c @SL AP flour , sift then measure
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated white sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
.5 c buttermilk
peach compote
2 tblspn unsalted butter
3 medium, ripe peaches, diced into .25 inch pieces
pinch of salt
2 tblspn brown sugar
whipped cream
.5 c heavy whipping cream
3 tblspn pwoder sugar
.5 tsp vanilla extract
instructions
cupcake
1. Preheat your oven to 375 (350@SL), prepare cupcake tin.
2. whipped butter and sugar together until creamed and fluffy
3. add one yolk at a time until mixed, add vanilla
4. in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt
5. alternating between dry, wet, dry, wet, ending in dry combine flour mixture and buttermilk
6. in a metal or copper bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form
7. fold in egg white mixture (by hand) in thirds until all egg whites have been incorporated
8. pour into pan (2/3rd full for standard, 1/2 full for giant sized)
9. bake 20 or so minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
makes 8 giant cupcakes, or 12 standard cupcakes
peach compote
1. melt butter on medium high heat. DO NOT CAUSE THE BUTTER TO BROWN
2. sauté peaches, add salt
3. add brown sugar and cook until peaches are soft and liquid around peaches is bubbly
4. you can also add a splash of amaretto or grand marnier at this point or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
whipped cream
1. first mix sugar and vanilla
2. slowly add in cream until soft peaks form
3. do not over beat or else you will get butter
THE WHOLE CUPCAKE
once the cupcake has been cooled on a wire rack and the compote has been cooled to RT, put the compote on the cupcake and then add a dollop of whipped cream. Voila!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Bailey's Dark Chocolate Gelato
about 8 years ago I developed this amazing love affair with ice cream that spawned into more then I could ever ask for. When I was 17 years old, I got the best job a girl could ask for: scooping ice cream with a bunch of 17 year olds... best part? IN A CASINO. haha! I worked for Ben and Jerry's until my sophomore year of college. Because of that job, I've made some ever lasting friendships and have some of the fondest memories with the people I worked with and hung out with. Much love for my Ben and Jerry's crew!
As many of you know, I have been DYING for an ice cream maker attachement for my Kitchen Aid. With the attachment costing $80, I haven't quite made the dive yet. Alternatively, here is my first non ice cream maker making ice cream experience. I found this on David Lebovitz's Blog. I'll call it more of a gelato, because it doesn't quite have the same consistency for ice cream. I made a few modifications, but click on the link for the original concoction. What a tasty treat! It is SO EXTREMELY EASY TO MAKE!! foolish if you can't. And if you like alcohol, why bother with an aperitif if you can have it in your ice cream :) The alcohol used in this recipe is essentially what is preventing the dairy from freezing and the banana gives it a creamy texture.
It's a tasty treat all right!
Bailey's Dark Chocoalte Gelato
ingredients
.25 c semi sweet dark chocolate chips (I used 60% ghirardelli chips)
1 very ripe banana, mashed
5 tblspn heavy cream
1 tblspn water
6 tblspn Bailey's
1 tblspn dark rum
instructions
1. take the mashed banana and mix well with heavy cream, water, Bailey's, and rum. mix until it is no longer chunky. you might want an emulsifying wand to help the process
2. take the chips and melt in the microwave or over double boiler
3. add banana/booze mixture and stir into melted chips (off heat if you used the double boiler). Whisk well, until it is a chocolate sauce.
4. If needed, send the mixture through a sieve or find strainer to eliminate chunks of banana.
5. place in a small metal or plastic container. cover with plastic wrap such that it makes contact with the surface
6. freeze for at least 2-3 hrs.
7. consume!!!
makes a tasty 4-5 medium sized scoops!
As many of you know, I have been DYING for an ice cream maker attachement for my Kitchen Aid. With the attachment costing $80, I haven't quite made the dive yet. Alternatively, here is my first non ice cream maker making ice cream experience. I found this on David Lebovitz's Blog. I'll call it more of a gelato, because it doesn't quite have the same consistency for ice cream. I made a few modifications, but click on the link for the original concoction. What a tasty treat! It is SO EXTREMELY EASY TO MAKE!! foolish if you can't. And if you like alcohol, why bother with an aperitif if you can have it in your ice cream :) The alcohol used in this recipe is essentially what is preventing the dairy from freezing and the banana gives it a creamy texture.
It's a tasty treat all right!
Bailey's Dark Chocoalte Gelato
ingredients
.25 c semi sweet dark chocolate chips (I used 60% ghirardelli chips)
1 very ripe banana, mashed
5 tblspn heavy cream
1 tblspn water
6 tblspn Bailey's
1 tblspn dark rum
instructions
1. take the mashed banana and mix well with heavy cream, water, Bailey's, and rum. mix until it is no longer chunky. you might want an emulsifying wand to help the process
2. take the chips and melt in the microwave or over double boiler
3. add banana/booze mixture and stir into melted chips (off heat if you used the double boiler). Whisk well, until it is a chocolate sauce.
4. If needed, send the mixture through a sieve or find strainer to eliminate chunks of banana.
5. place in a small metal or plastic container. cover with plastic wrap such that it makes contact with the surface
6. freeze for at least 2-3 hrs.
7. consume!!!
makes a tasty 4-5 medium sized scoops!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Pan Seared Mahi Mahi
Oh my goodness I don't even remember the last time I posted was… pre birthday maybe? ::checks blog::, yup June 1st. Okay, so 2 months later, what has happened?
1. I turned 25!
2. I graduated from Rush!
3. I moved out of Chicago
4. I drove across the mid atlantic with my parents back to CT. The most exciting part was probably somewhere in the middle of Ohio, where my car locked itself, with the keys in the ignition. WHAT?? you might say? Well, for some of you that have driven in my Corolla, I have been swearing on my life that my car is possessed and it goes nuts and goes locking wonky. Well, the one time I ever leave the keys in the ignition, the doors locked (windows closed) as my mother and I stood outside stretching it out. Thankfully 45 minutes later and some help from AAA, we are back on the road and make it safe to CT.
5. I had a great time in CT, love my shandrea
6. I met Dan's Mom!
7. Watched THE MOST EPIC FIREWORKS SHOW IN BOSTON EVER. AMAZING!!!
8. Dan met my mom and dad (again)
9. Dan and I began our trip out to CO, with a detour in Hoboken NJ (note to self, never take the GW Bridge, regardless of what time it is) and the Eastern Shore of VA.
10. We blazed across country from VA --> Indy --> Boulder in just 2 days. Missouri was the best because at Chick fil a, they looked like they never saw an asian in their entire life! ha!
11. I moved to Boulder, CO.
So what am I doing now you might ask me? Well, really I've been catching up on a lot of sleep. a lot. I'd say MONTHS worth. I've also been quite busy with the "job hunting" business, which, well is slow going, but going. Lots of hiking and biking and movie watching and really just enjoying everything there is to love about summer. I tried baking cookies once. They turned out mediocre at best. This high altitude baking, ::sigh:: well… I guess I have to start over! Other tasty things I have made have included no bake cheese cake, grilled stuffed zucchini, citrus brown sugar glazed salmon, stuffed chicken thighs, and things of the like.... sorry I haven't blogged them!
And today, what will we be focusing on? Ahh, the irony is that I am landlocked and I will be blogging about fish! Mahi mahi is not too steaky of a fish, not too flakey, just a nice in between. You might frequently see it in fish tacos too. Sear it in bacon fat and topped with caramelized onions? Suuureeee. If you are like me and don't frequently cook bacon, I suggest just going to a local butcher or Whole Foods, where they sell bacon in the deli/meat case and buy 2 or 3 slices. you want the nice thick kind. I used the applewood smoked. The scent of applewood smoked in the pan is enough just to eat bacon for dinner, let alone topping it on some pan seared fish that was seared in the bacons drippings. Don't worry about over cooking the bacon. I always loved the texture the crispy adds to the fish. Some bits might even be burnt looking by the end of the cooking process but sooooo good.
Other things: I've been trying to perfect the art of literally cooking for 2. Its hard, but I have been able to do it… sort of. This last dinner cooking round, was perfect. Nothing left over and perfectly satiated. I'm only going to blog about the protein part. Wilting spinach in garlic butter seems pretty self explanatory, and mashed potatoes, well they aren't really anything special. Minced fresh rosemary, fresh minced garlic, butter, and heavy whipping cream all whipped together with some boiled Idaho Potatoes and salt in a kitchen aid mixer.
TIP: you'll have to cube up the bacon into bits. since it is a fatty piece of meat, throw it in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start cooking. The cold will firm up the fat and make it much easier to chop up
One more thing.... from now on, my cooking times might be longer, baking times might be higher.... due the fact that I am at a little bit of a high elevation, so for times and temperature, please use your common sense... if it looks done, and is starting to burn, mayyyybeee it just might be done!
Pan Seared Mahi Mahi topped with Carmelized Onion & Bacon Crisps
ingredients
.75 lbs mahi mahi, portioned
2 strips of applewood smoked bacon (thick),
.5 sweet onion, thinly sliced
s&p to taste
instructions
1. take your bacon and cut it in half length wise, then cut the other way to cube it up
2. heat up pan to medium high heat
3. toss in bacon and cook until greeeassyyy (ie fat is rendered and meaty bits begin to crisp up)
4. toss in onion, sauté until onions become slightly browned, season mahi mahi with S&P
5. put in mahi mahi on top of the onion and bacon to sear, 5-7 min
6. flip and sear other side, 5-7 min
7. it will be cooked once it starts to be flaky or reach internal temperature (at the thickest part) of 145F.
8. serve topped with caramelized onion and bacon
nom nom!
.75 lbs of fish is enough for 2 portions. + sides
1. I turned 25!
2. I graduated from Rush!
3. I moved out of Chicago
4. I drove across the mid atlantic with my parents back to CT. The most exciting part was probably somewhere in the middle of Ohio, where my car locked itself, with the keys in the ignition. WHAT?? you might say? Well, for some of you that have driven in my Corolla, I have been swearing on my life that my car is possessed and it goes nuts and goes locking wonky. Well, the one time I ever leave the keys in the ignition, the doors locked (windows closed) as my mother and I stood outside stretching it out. Thankfully 45 minutes later and some help from AAA, we are back on the road and make it safe to CT.
5. I had a great time in CT, love my shandrea
6. I met Dan's Mom!
7. Watched THE MOST EPIC FIREWORKS SHOW IN BOSTON EVER. AMAZING!!!
8. Dan met my mom and dad (again)
9. Dan and I began our trip out to CO, with a detour in Hoboken NJ (note to self, never take the GW Bridge, regardless of what time it is) and the Eastern Shore of VA.
10. We blazed across country from VA --> Indy --> Boulder in just 2 days. Missouri was the best because at Chick fil a, they looked like they never saw an asian in their entire life! ha!
11. I moved to Boulder, CO.
So what am I doing now you might ask me? Well, really I've been catching up on a lot of sleep. a lot. I'd say MONTHS worth. I've also been quite busy with the "job hunting" business, which, well is slow going, but going. Lots of hiking and biking and movie watching and really just enjoying everything there is to love about summer. I tried baking cookies once. They turned out mediocre at best. This high altitude baking, ::sigh:: well… I guess I have to start over! Other tasty things I have made have included no bake cheese cake, grilled stuffed zucchini, citrus brown sugar glazed salmon, stuffed chicken thighs, and things of the like.... sorry I haven't blogged them!
And today, what will we be focusing on? Ahh, the irony is that I am landlocked and I will be blogging about fish! Mahi mahi is not too steaky of a fish, not too flakey, just a nice in between. You might frequently see it in fish tacos too. Sear it in bacon fat and topped with caramelized onions? Suuureeee. If you are like me and don't frequently cook bacon, I suggest just going to a local butcher or Whole Foods, where they sell bacon in the deli/meat case and buy 2 or 3 slices. you want the nice thick kind. I used the applewood smoked. The scent of applewood smoked in the pan is enough just to eat bacon for dinner, let alone topping it on some pan seared fish that was seared in the bacons drippings. Don't worry about over cooking the bacon. I always loved the texture the crispy adds to the fish. Some bits might even be burnt looking by the end of the cooking process but sooooo good.
Other things: I've been trying to perfect the art of literally cooking for 2. Its hard, but I have been able to do it… sort of. This last dinner cooking round, was perfect. Nothing left over and perfectly satiated. I'm only going to blog about the protein part. Wilting spinach in garlic butter seems pretty self explanatory, and mashed potatoes, well they aren't really anything special. Minced fresh rosemary, fresh minced garlic, butter, and heavy whipping cream all whipped together with some boiled Idaho Potatoes and salt in a kitchen aid mixer.
TIP: you'll have to cube up the bacon into bits. since it is a fatty piece of meat, throw it in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start cooking. The cold will firm up the fat and make it much easier to chop up
One more thing.... from now on, my cooking times might be longer, baking times might be higher.... due the fact that I am at a little bit of a high elevation, so for times and temperature, please use your common sense... if it looks done, and is starting to burn, mayyyybeee it just might be done!
Pan Seared Mahi Mahi topped with Carmelized Onion & Bacon Crisps
ingredients
.75 lbs mahi mahi, portioned
2 strips of applewood smoked bacon (thick),
.5 sweet onion, thinly sliced
s&p to taste
instructions
1. take your bacon and cut it in half length wise, then cut the other way to cube it up
2. heat up pan to medium high heat
3. toss in bacon and cook until greeeassyyy (ie fat is rendered and meaty bits begin to crisp up)
4. toss in onion, sauté until onions become slightly browned, season mahi mahi with S&P
5. put in mahi mahi on top of the onion and bacon to sear, 5-7 min
6. flip and sear other side, 5-7 min
7. it will be cooked once it starts to be flaky or reach internal temperature (at the thickest part) of 145F.
8. serve topped with caramelized onion and bacon
nom nom!
.75 lbs of fish is enough for 2 portions. + sides
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Cranberry Banana Flax Seed Bread
Right, so per usual, I shouldn't be blogging. I shouldn't even THINK about anything but school, graduation, and my upcoming move. More so, school with the plethora of work I have a head of me… 2 presentations, one on histology, one on clonogenic survival (BI2536 bitches!!), a manuscript, a paper, stats exam and my last pharmacology exam ever (I hope). Among other things, social obligations such as salsa dancing, Dim sum, BTN BARCRAWL (June 8th, Wicker Park), Grad College Banquet Dinner and what nots… gosh, my life is so hard!
Anyhow, In two short weeks, so much is happening: I turn 25, I graduate with an MS, Dan, Nan, James & Joey are visiting, my parents are coming, I'm going on a tall ships boat ride, I'm going home to CT for a bit, and then…….
EPIC ROAD TRIP!
Until then, lets talk cranberries. Yep, still have more in the freezer. Crow didn't eat all his bananas, soooo they were frozen and now in this recipe. Banana bread gets boring. Cranberry anything is delicious. Banana Cranberry with some whole wheat flour and Flax seeds, its a fiberous delight.
Cranberry Banana Flax Bread
ingredients
.25 c olive oil
2 eggs
1 c white granulated sugar
1 c AP flour
.5 c whole wheat flour
.25 c flax seeds, unground
1 tsp baking powder
.75 tsp baking soda
.5 tsp cinnamon
.5 tsp salt
1 c frozen cranberries, slightly thawed then chopped
3 frozen bananas, slightly thawed, peeled, then mashed
instructions
PREHEAT OVEN, 350F
1. mix olive oil, 1 egg, and sugar
2. add next egg. mix well
3. add bananas and cranberries, fold in (or let the whip attachment go around 2 or 4 times)
5. in another bowl, add all dry ingredients
6. add dry ingredients in 3 aliquots, making sure to mix fairly decently in-between
7. DO NOT OVER MIX. it will result in a chewy bread. cheeewwwyyy.
6. bake 20-25 minutes in two loaf pans, until cake tester comes out clean.
7. cool on wire rack.
8. Bring to your 8 am presentation meeting and hope it distracts enough to disregard the poor quality histophotos.
Anyhow, In two short weeks, so much is happening: I turn 25, I graduate with an MS, Dan, Nan, James & Joey are visiting, my parents are coming, I'm going on a tall ships boat ride, I'm going home to CT for a bit, and then…….
EPIC ROAD TRIP!
Until then, lets talk cranberries. Yep, still have more in the freezer. Crow didn't eat all his bananas, soooo they were frozen and now in this recipe. Banana bread gets boring. Cranberry anything is delicious. Banana Cranberry with some whole wheat flour and Flax seeds, its a fiberous delight.
Cranberry Banana Flax Bread
ingredients
.25 c olive oil
2 eggs
1 c white granulated sugar
1 c AP flour
.5 c whole wheat flour
.25 c flax seeds, unground
1 tsp baking powder
.75 tsp baking soda
.5 tsp cinnamon
.5 tsp salt
1 c frozen cranberries, slightly thawed then chopped
3 frozen bananas, slightly thawed, peeled, then mashed
instructions
PREHEAT OVEN, 350F
1. mix olive oil, 1 egg, and sugar
2. add next egg. mix well
3. add bananas and cranberries, fold in (or let the whip attachment go around 2 or 4 times)
5. in another bowl, add all dry ingredients
6. add dry ingredients in 3 aliquots, making sure to mix fairly decently in-between
7. DO NOT OVER MIX. it will result in a chewy bread. cheeewwwyyy.
6. bake 20-25 minutes in two loaf pans, until cake tester comes out clean.
7. cool on wire rack.
8. Bring to your 8 am presentation meeting and hope it distracts enough to disregard the poor quality histophotos.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Chocolate Mousse
One of my favorite ALL TIME DESSERTS is The Chocolate Mousse. Light, rich, chocolatey goodness. On a recent trip to the international market I came across an entire SECTION devoted to Mexican Sour Cream. What could be so special and unique about this said Mexican Sour Cream to have an entire dairy case devoted to it?
So I bought a small container and went home and tried to use it as dip. UTTER FAILURE. Turns out, Mexican sour cream is hardly like sour cream at all. It's much runnier and has only the slightest big of tang of what you would expect of sour cream. Instead, its more like an ultra thick, ultra rich heavy whipping cream similar to a creme fraiche. Apparently, chefs love this stuff because it holds up for days, rather then collapsing after a few hours, which frequently happens with heavy whipping cream whipped desserts.
I concocted a pretty simple to do Chocolate Mousse using said Mexican Sour Cream. The result: a very light, yet dense mousse. To me, it's almost like a really light ice cream, sans the frozen component. Rich, smooth, its an over all tasty success!
After making this, I would also think that crumbled Oreo Cookies would be a really good addition to it as a topping or layers (remember those chocolate pudding earth cups you got as a kid?)
Chocolate mousse
ingredients
1.33 c mexican sour cream
.5 c heavy whipping cream, divided
2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
3 oz strong coffee or espresso
1 tblspn dark rum
1 tblspn Godiva liquor (optional)
3 tblspn butter
1 tsp granulated gelatin
instructions
1. put your mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) into the freezer
2. in a double boiler mechanism, bring about 1.5 - 2" of water to just below a simmer
3. in a small heat proof measuring cup, measure out .25c heavy whipping cream. sprinkle on the gelatin into the measuring cup
4. in large, heat proof mixing bowl (that can be comfortable over your pot of just below simmering water), put in the chips, coffee, rum, liquor, and butter
5. with a whisk, mix until just about all the chips have melted, at this point remove from heat and continue on whisking
6. cool by occasional stirring, until just warm to the touch.
7. turn the heat off the double boiler and place your mixing cup (with the gelatin/cream mixture) itself into the water. stir until it is throughly heated, warm to the touch
8. pour the cream/gelatin mixture into chocolate mixture and stir
9. remove bowl and beaters from freezer. put in sour cream and remaining heavy cream. beat until peaks form
10. stir in .25 of the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture. fold in remaining whipped cream in 3rds of what remains (add whipped cream mixture three times)
11. DO NOT OVER MIX OR ELSE YOUR MOUSSE GOES SPLAT! It's okay if there will be white streaks in the chocolate mixture
12. spoon into desired containers: ramekins, martini glasses, one 9x9 baking pan
13. chill for 1 hr, consume with happiness!
makes uh... well, depends on what you use as a container. I ended up pouring into 1 large martini glass and the rest into a 9x9 pan, making a layer of mousse about 1.5" thick.
So I bought a small container and went home and tried to use it as dip. UTTER FAILURE. Turns out, Mexican sour cream is hardly like sour cream at all. It's much runnier and has only the slightest big of tang of what you would expect of sour cream. Instead, its more like an ultra thick, ultra rich heavy whipping cream similar to a creme fraiche. Apparently, chefs love this stuff because it holds up for days, rather then collapsing after a few hours, which frequently happens with heavy whipping cream whipped desserts.
I concocted a pretty simple to do Chocolate Mousse using said Mexican Sour Cream. The result: a very light, yet dense mousse. To me, it's almost like a really light ice cream, sans the frozen component. Rich, smooth, its an over all tasty success!
After making this, I would also think that crumbled Oreo Cookies would be a really good addition to it as a topping or layers (remember those chocolate pudding earth cups you got as a kid?)
Chocolate mousse
ingredients
1.33 c mexican sour cream
.5 c heavy whipping cream, divided
2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
3 oz strong coffee or espresso
1 tblspn dark rum
1 tblspn Godiva liquor (optional)
3 tblspn butter
1 tsp granulated gelatin
instructions
1. put your mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) into the freezer
2. in a double boiler mechanism, bring about 1.5 - 2" of water to just below a simmer
3. in a small heat proof measuring cup, measure out .25c heavy whipping cream. sprinkle on the gelatin into the measuring cup
4. in large, heat proof mixing bowl (that can be comfortable over your pot of just below simmering water), put in the chips, coffee, rum, liquor, and butter
5. with a whisk, mix until just about all the chips have melted, at this point remove from heat and continue on whisking
6. cool by occasional stirring, until just warm to the touch.
7. turn the heat off the double boiler and place your mixing cup (with the gelatin/cream mixture) itself into the water. stir until it is throughly heated, warm to the touch
8. pour the cream/gelatin mixture into chocolate mixture and stir
9. remove bowl and beaters from freezer. put in sour cream and remaining heavy cream. beat until peaks form
10. stir in .25 of the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture. fold in remaining whipped cream in 3rds of what remains (add whipped cream mixture three times)
11. DO NOT OVER MIX OR ELSE YOUR MOUSSE GOES SPLAT! It's okay if there will be white streaks in the chocolate mixture
12. spoon into desired containers: ramekins, martini glasses, one 9x9 baking pan
13. chill for 1 hr, consume with happiness!
makes uh... well, depends on what you use as a container. I ended up pouring into 1 large martini glass and the rest into a 9x9 pan, making a layer of mousse about 1.5" thick.
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