Move Over Chocolate Lava Cake, Brownie Pudding Is In Town!

Food and Wine Magazine recently published an article entitled, “5 Signs You’ve Picked a Bad Restaurant.” While a few of the signs make sense — for example, it’s never good to be ushered into a restaurant off the street — Sign #3 might as well be culinary blaspheme: chocolate lava cake.

How can a hot-out-of-the-oven, decadent chocolate cake filled with oozing chocolate ganache (read: lava) be a bad thing? I understand that the dessert may have jumped the shark — Food and Wine insists that “apathetic Italian, Asian and American restaurants” all serve the “now identity-free dessert” — but I can’t deny its deliciousness.

That said, if the culinary geniuses at Food and Wine say we can’t indulge in chocolate lava cake anymore, we should listen. And lucky for us, I’ve found an even better substitute for the dessert-that-shall-no-longer-be-named: Chocolate Brownie Pudding. Think crème brûlée meets chocolate lava cake: a crunchy chocolate exterior protecting a gooey-molten brownie center. Ina Garten is the brainchild behind this recipe, exclaiming “The edges bake like a brownie and the insides are like molten chocolate. Your friends really will go crazy.” I’ve made it several times now and it’s become my go-to dessert. Ina couldn’t be more right.

Chocolate Brownie Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder (Trader Joe’s version is great)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (alternative: 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)
• 1 tablespoon Framboise or Cointreau liqueur, optional
• Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, Framboise or Cointreau, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

When the temperatures go higher and I’m looking for a cool dessert, I usually think: light, fruity, cool, creamy. A trifle is all of those things and can be even more. The version I made today is light and fruity. I’ve made other versions in the past that are rich and chocolaty. The trifle is an entirely flexible dessert.

This version capitalizes on fresh fruit, cool pudding and tropical flavors. Pour a tall glass of iced tea, serve a helping of the trifle, and your patio may turn into a seaside resort. Add a CD of Hawaiian music and a couple of Tiki torches to help the atmosphere. You may have use your imagination to achieve the full effect.  I know central Ohio doesn’t feel like a tropical beach, until the humidity of July gets here!

Tropical Trifle

1 Pound Cake
1 container (16 oz.) of Strawberries, sliced
1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin Orange slices, drained
1 can (20 oz.) Pineapple chunks, drained
1 Banana, sliced
1 package (3 oz.) French Vanilla pudding mix, prepared
Maraschino Cherries
Coconut Flakes

Slice the pound cake into 1-inch pieces. Find a pretty glass bowl or several tall dessert glasses. Using the ingredients, you will layer alternating cake, fruit and pudding. There is no set pattern to this process. The goal is to make it look pretty! Top with toasted coconut flakes and Maraschino cherries.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Servings Per Recipe: 16, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245, Total Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 213mg, Total Carbs: 37g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 4g.

Make it a Meal: Serve as dessert after a sandwich or salad. A trifle could pass for breakfast, but you have to convince yourself the benefits of the fruit outweigh the guilt of the pudding before 9 a.m.

This dessert is a family favorite. My husband (who isn’t bashful about telling me if he likes a particular food) loves this dish! He’s not alone. I’ll be making it often this summer. I’m even looking for a way to pack it on the sail boat. Hot weather? No worries. We’ve got dessert covered!

Hi everyone! I’m so excited today.  Not only is this my very first post as a Culinary.net contributing writer, but I made fudge.  Not any ordinary type of fudge. Cake Batter Fudge. Yes. The ooey, gooey, sweet, sinful taste of yellow cake batter in fudge form.  Chocolate fudge…. you’ve met your competition.

Raise your hand if you’re guilty for licking that giant wooden spoon after mixing up some cake batter. C’mon. You know you do it! I am certain that the only thing better than the actual finished cake is wiping my finger around the sides of the mixing bowl after I pour that silky, creamy batter into the baking pan.

Mmmm. Raw cake batter.  Heaven on earth.  Then I remember those raw eggs…ugh. Life is so hard.

But wait!  I’ve found a way around the samonella, people.  FIVE ways to be exact.  First, there were my very popular cake batter blondies.  Then, my cake batter chocolate chip cookies. Then, my funfetti granola bites + cake batter rice krispie treats. And now? A sprinkled, no bake masterpiece I’d like to call Cake Batter Fudge. 

5 minutes of prep, 1 hour of chilling, and you’re done.  No oven, no mixer, no sweat, no fret!

This cake batter fudge combines yellow cake mix from a box, powdered sugar, butter, milk, white chocolate chips, and a ton of sprinkles.

Life…is just better with sprinkles.

This fudge is so easy and delicious, you’ll want to make it time and time again.  It’s also a fun treat to make with the kids! Add in different colored sprinkles for different holidays.  It’s my birthday this month, so I threw in rainbow sprinkles.

PS: don’t forget to come see me + all my recipes over at Sally’s Baking Addiction. I love connecting with new readers!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 tbsp Betty Crocker Supermoist yellow cake mix (or any brand yellow cake mix)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Directions

1. Spray 8×8 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. Mix together cake mix + powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add milk + butter (do not stir them in) and microwave for 2 minutes.  Once done, immediately begin mixing everything together.  The batter will be very thick. Fold in white chocolate + sprinkles. Stir gently.  You do not want the sprinkles to leak their color too much!
3. Spoon into prepared baking pan, making sure it is level and smooth at the top.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

Note: Store fudge in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from girl meets life.

Photo courtesy of PortugueseGirlCooks.com

Mother’s Day is all about celebrating the woman who fixed you breakfast before school, hand-made your Halloween costumes, taught you how to braid your hair or tie your shoe laces, and talked you through your first major breakup, (or some variation of these roles). While it can be difficult to thank her for everything she’s done, a good place to start is with a lovely brunch the whole family can enjoy together on Mother’s Day.

To help you organize a menu that will be enticing to all — including both savory and sweet options — I’ve created the following list.

First up, the photo to the left features an Overnight Cinnamon Bun dish from Jessica of PortugueseGirlCooks.com. Just like the title says, the batter for these buns can be put together the night before and baked the morning of your brunch, which leaves you with more time to share a good cup of hot coffee with Mom before everyone arrives.

Made with buttermilk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter, the buns are rich and soft, while the frosting is light and fluffy, with just a hint of cream cheese.

I so enjoyed the way Jessica photographed this dish too, and I’m a big fan of the striped paper straw. You can purchase striped straws on Etsy.com and cutetape.com. And if you’re looking for the mini milk containers, just reuse the glass containers from Starbuck’s coffee drinks purchased at grocery and convenience stores.

Photo courtesy of www.PortugueseGirlCooks.com

Another fantastic sweet treat to share on Mother’s Day is this Lemon-Blueberry Drizzle Bread, also from Jessica of PortugueseGirlCooks.com. Jessica’s mantra is that she bakes to share, and I’m so glad she feels this way, because I know my mother will absolutely love this lemon dessert bread.

If you’re a fan of lemon desserts, Jessica says you’ll love this bread, as it boasts lemon zest, is brushed with a warm lemon syrup and then drizzled with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. My mother will be so happy!

Jessica also provides tips for making this bread dish all year long by replacing blueberries with poppy seed — another of my mother’s favorite combinations.

For those who are looking for additional brunch recipes, check out the Thyme Pancetta Quiche and Make Ahead Pancakes — both from www.BakedBree.com — in my recent post “It’s Brunch, but Better.” Also, Culinary.net offers a wide variety of brunch recipes.

And if your mother is a big fan of Dutch baby pancakes, try the Honey Cloud Pancake recipe from ThingsWeMake.wordpress.com in the post “Why I Use Pinterest.”

No matter what you decide to make, remember to give your mom a big hug and thank her for all she’s done for you.

The Chiquita Banana Jingle. Chances are, you can sing, or at least hum, a few bars of the famous Chiquita Banana jingle. The song first hit the airwaves in 1944 when Miss Chiquita made her debut. It was written to help teach Americans how to ripen and use bananas, which were, at the time, an exotic tropical fruit. At its peak, the jingle was played 376 times a day on radio stations across the United States. It was one of the most successful commercial jingles of all time.

“I’m Chiquita banana and I’ve come to say – Bananas have to ripen in a certain way – When they are fleck’d with brown and have a golden hue – Bananas taste the best and are best for you – You can put them in a salad – You can put them in a pie-aye – Any way you want to eat them – It’s impossible to beat them – But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator – So you should never put bananas in the refrigerator.”

I made my dessert into parfaits, because I needed to feed more people. But I highly recommend you try the pie, because in addition to tasting dreamy it also presents beautifully.

Ingredients:
4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 prepared graham cracker crust
2 medium bananas, sliced
2-3/4 cups cold milk
2 packages (4 serving size) vanilla or banana instant pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip (I used real whipped cream)

Directions:
Microwave chocolate, milk and butter in medium microwavable bowl On HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread evenly in crust. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Arrange banana slices over chocolate.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 1 minute. Let stand 5 minutes. Spoon over bananas in crust. Spread with whipped topping.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Makes 8 servings. Prep time: 20 minutes. Refrigerating time: 4-1/2 hours.

In Rice & Curry: Sri Lankan Home Cooking journalist and second generation Sri Lankan-American S.H. “Skiz” Fernando, Jr. takes readers on an unforgettable culinary journey through Sri Lanka: demystifying ingredients, spices, and flavors; clarifying the differences between Sri Lankan and Indian food; and proving that Sri Lankan food is an easy-to-prepare, immensely healthy option for our modern lifestyles.

The book includes:
• More than 100 easy-to-follow recipes
• An introduction to Sri Lanka’s history, culture, and cuisine as well as a detailed travel section for visitors
• A comprehensive spice guide, time-saving tips, and menu suggestions
• Stunning color photographs throughout

To win, fill out the below registration form and we’ll select one entry from all the forms we receive on Monday, May 14th at 9am CST.

Good luck!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Fresh from the garden and tossed with an old-fashioned celery seed dressing, this salad stays cool and crisp in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

It’s bright and sparkly in both flavor and color, and it’s pleasing for adults and children alike.

Serve this along with the first grilled chicken breast or burger of the season.

Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Red Bell Pepper Salad
Adapted from Heartland: The Cookbook.
Serves 8

2 medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped
2 medium yellow summer squash, trimmed and chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

Celery Seed Dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces feta, crumbled or goat cheese

• Combine the vegetables in a large bowl.
• In a jar, combine the vegetable oil, cider vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, dry mustard, salt, white pepper, and garlic.
• Secure the lid and shake to blend. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, topped with an optional sprinkling of cheese.

Frozen Raspberry Layer Cake (courtesy Bing.com)

It’s not too late to plan a little something to make mom feel special on Mother’s Day. From easy recipes to fancier ones, menu ideas and foodie gifts, I’ve got you covered.

Mother’s Day is really soon (nope, I’m not ready either), so let’s get right to it, shall we? We’ll start with the recipe for the stunning cake you see above. Don’t worry – it’s really pretty easy.

Frozen Raspberry Layer Cake

2 10 3/4-ounce frozen pound cakes, crusts removed, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

4 cups raspberry sorbet, slightly softened

1 pine fresh raspberries, rinsed and picked over

3 tablespoons Chambord, or other raspberry-flavored liqueur

Trace and cut out a 9-inch circle from parchment paper and fit it into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Cut out a 3 x 27-inch strip of parchment and fit it around the inside of the pan. Tape to secure parchment paper, and set aside.

Assemble the cake: Cover bottom of pan with a single layer of pound cake slices, and spread ice cream evenly over cake. Freeze until ice cream hardens, about 25 minutes.

Spread 2 cups sorbet over ice cream, followed by another layer of pound cake slices. Return cake to freezer for 10 minutes.

Combine raspberries and Chambord together in small bowl. Remove cake pan from freezer and place berries evenly over cake.

Top with a final layer of pound cake and remaining sorbet. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Crustless Broccoli & Cheddar Mini Quiches (courtesy Nestle)

Next up, some cute little quiches. These Crustless Broccoli & Cheddar Mini Quiches are easy to make and can be a part of a simple breakfast or family brunch.

Individual Oven-Coddled Eggs with Mashed Potatoes and Herbs

Need some full menu ideas for Mother’s Day? Bon Appetit has a menu for every Mother’s Day eating occasion – from Breakfast for 4 or Afternoon Tea, to  Picnics, Dinner and a Do-Ahead Brunch (which includes the Oven-Coddled Eggs pictured above).

Ok, you’ve got the food part covered now – what about gifts?

Homemade Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Go Gingham

Go Gingham has a sweet round up of Frugal and Fancy Mother’s Day ideas that anyone can do. They’re sweet, simple and from the heart – just what mom wants.

Unless, of course, she wants chocolate. Then you might want to go with this baby:

Chocolate Filled Purse from Sucre

You can find out more about this sweet little number in a round-up of Gift Ideas for Foodie Moms over at Delish.com. There’s another delicious selection of Foodie Mom Gifts from Etsy at the Huffington Post, too. If you don’t think you’ll be able to get any of those items shipped in time, shop around locally for something similar, or put together a look-alike gift yourself. She’ll love it. Especially if it comes with chocolate. I’m just sayin’.

So what are you doing for your mom on Mother’s Day?

Photo courtesy of Betacyanin.com

I was having a conversation with a friend recently about carbohydrates — specifically — about how we both love them more than we should. I try to limit my carb intake. In fact, I try not to keep them in the house.

But that doesn’t mean I avoid them when I eat out. And on occasion, I find myself craving good pasta sauces and therefore give in to the power of pasta — be it angel hair, linguini or macaroni.

Then one day I realized (because I had been on my best behavior at the grocery store and therefore had no pasta) that I could replace the pasta with a can of French cut green beans I had on hand. Couldn’t hurt to try right? Turns out, I loved the combination and have been eating that quite a bit lately. Plus, it keeps me full and I don’t feel guilty later.

Because of my love for Pinterest, I ran across this vegetarian recipe a few weeks back and decided to give it a try Monday night. Created by Sofia of the food blog Betacyanin.com, this Kale Stem and Parsley Pesto with Carrot “Pasta” eliminates the need for traditional noodles altogether, much like spaghetti squash dishes.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to run to the store before I whipped up dinner, so I was short on some of the ingredients. That said — I simply followed her pesto recipe, as well as the instructions for preparing the carrot “noodles,” and thought the dish was wonderful.

While I’m not a huge fan of peeling carrots (I have — no joke — four, rather dull carrot peelers), it was well worth the extra effort.

How about you? Do you have any tips for swapping vegetables for carbohydrates?

Today, however, it’s not an ice cream recipe that I’m going to share with you. It is my dear friend Mary’s recipe for Baked Ginger Custard.

Mary's Baked Ginger Custard

Mary is an acclaimed writer and teacher, but has clearly inherited something of a talent for cooking – her grandmother was born in Switzerland and trained as a cordon bleu chef, subsequently working as a professional chef in London.

Just sidetracking for a moment, the term “cordon bleu” is worth looking at more closely. It is French for “blue ribbon,” but of course and most people know it is synonomous with the highest level of culinary skills. One of the most recognizable international chicken dishes also uses the term: Chicken Cordon Bleu. However, the origins of the term were not in food, but goes back centuries to the era of chivalry and knights in armour! It is believed that the Cordon Bleu was a blue ribbon awarded for chivalry to knights of the highest order by the Bourbon Kings of France.

Anyway, back now to the culinary arts and our recipe for today! Mary insists that the secret to the success of this dessert lies not so much in the skills of the cook, but in the quality of the ingredients. She always uses organic produce and quality, fresh fruit to get the best results.

Baked Ginger Custard Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1  pint whole milk
2  large, free-range eggs
2  large chunks of stem ginger in syrup, (plus 2 teaspoons of ginger syrup)
1  cup of plump sultanas
1  cup of best quality cranberries

Instructions:

Step 1 – Break the eggs into an ovenproof dish and whisk to a froth.

Step 2 – Chop up the two chunks of stem ginger and add them to the beaten eggs. Also add 2 teaspoons of ginger syrup. Beat briskly.

Step 3 – Add to this a small amount of the milk and, once again whisk well.

Step 4 – Add the cranberries and the sultanas.
NOTE: Allow them a little time to soak up the mixture before slowly adding the remainder of the milk, beating constantly as you do so.

Step 5 - Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

This could just be one of the best baked custards you have ever tasted!

This recipe starts by preparing your favorite recipe (or boxed mix) for a 9×13-inch pan of brownies. Using your family’s favorite just means this recipe can only get better. After those have cooled completely, mix up the cookie dough, spread evenly over the top of the uncut brownies and refrigerate until firm. Firm-ness is the key because they will cut much prettier that way. Finally you can drizzle a bit of melted chocolate on top, and with a few more mini chocolate chips you are ready to go!

The cookie dough ends up acting as a very thick dense layer of frosting. Normally I am not a fan of excessive frosting, but this is cookie dough not frosting, so load it on! This results in some mighty fine looking brownies if I do say so myself. Go ahead, take a big bite.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES

Makes 32 brownies

Ingredients:

1 recipe of your favorite cooked brownies cooked in a 9×13-pan, cooled

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3 Tbsp milk

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup semisweet chips, plus 1 tsp shortening for drizzle, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Spread cookie dough evenly over the cooled uncut brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is firm. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies. You may need to wipe the knife off with a paper towel in between cuts.
3. To add chocolate drizzle on top, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave; stir until smooth. Scoop the melted chocolate into a zip baggie and snip off the corner. Squeeze the bag to drizzle the chocolate on top of each brownie. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired.

Source: Adapted slightly from Recipe Girl.

If you are anything like me, you go to the grocery store with wonderful intentions.  You try to spend the majority of your time on the outside perimeter of the store (the “food-group” aisles), avoiding the rows of canned, boxed and processed foods in the middle of the store.  I try to keep the pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy food options and more often than not, I’m pretty successful.

This is why I buy three pounds of apples, two bunches of grapes and ten bananas at a time.  I figure if they’re in the kitchen, we’ll eat them.  After all, it’s easy to grab a piece of fruit on your way out the door and voila – healthy snack.

But then, we have a crazy week sneak up on us.  We’re hardly home, we eat dinner somewhere else, or we just don’t have time to cook.  Those ten bananas start to develop spots, then turn brown, and finally get thrown away.  And then, I feel guilty.  Wasted food makes me feel awful.  Not only are there people out there who don’t have easy access to food, but it’s expensive and irresponsible.

Now, I know that overripe bananas are great to bake with.  However, making time to bake with them before they go from overripe to just plain rotten — that’s another thing.  Then I read that you can freeze bananas and thaw them for cooking.  It made my day.  Just peel them, cut them into chunks or puree them, and freeze until you need them.  My wasted banana guilt problem was solved.

And, since I now have a nice supply of frozen banana in my refrigerator, I can bake treats like these anytime I get the urge…which is fantastic, because these are quick, easy and delicious.  They’re chock-full of nuts, have a moist banana flavor with just a hint of warm cinnamon and a slightly crunchy sugar coating on the top.

I doubled this recipe and made jumbo muffins, but otherwise this will make 12 standard-size treats.  I would definitely recommend a cupcake liner because it will make cleanup easier and the papers help to keep the muffins moist during storage.

Don’t forget to come see me over at Lemon Sugar!  I’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into pieces
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
4 ripe, small bananas
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Approximately 1/2 cup white sugar, for topping
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line 12 muffin cups with high-quality, greaseproof liners.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Add butter, and using a pastry cutter, combine until butter is coarsely crumbled.  Stir in walnuts and pecans.

In another bowl, combine bananas, milk, eggs and vanilla until bananas are mashed and all ingredients are combined.  Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix until just combined.  Batter will be lumpy.

Liberally sprinkle the top of each muffin with about a teaspoon (or two) of sugar, followed by a sprinkle of sliced almonds. Very lightly press the almonds into the top of the muffins so they adhere while baking.

Evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups, but fill no more than 2/3 full.  Bake until a cake tester comes out almost clean, about 25 minutes.  Immediately remove from muffin pan and cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

My kids love it when I make pancakes for dinner. Traditional pancakes can make a fun “breakfast for dinner” kind of meal, but I usually crave savory foods at dinnertime, so this savory pancake made everyone happy. I was inspired to make these pancakes while looking through Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian cookbook (which I highly recommend).

INGREDIENTS

 PANCAKES

1 cup garbanzo bean flour

½ teaspoon Himalayan salt

1 cup water (or liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms)

3 tablespoons olive oil

 
TOPPINGS

2 heads roasted garlic

½ cup dried mushroom mix, chopped once reconstituted

½ large onion, sliced into moons and caramelized

1-2 teaspoons oil

½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

½ teaspoon Himalayan salt

pepper to taste

Set the oven to broil.

Pour hot water over the mushrooms to reconstitute.

Place the garbanzo bean flour, salt, and ½ teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary in a mixing boil. Use a whisk and incorporate well. Combine with the water (or 1 cup of cooled liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms) and olive oil.  Once mixed well, set aside for 30 minutes.

Place the onion and 2 teaspoons of oil in a sauté pan and caramelize. Alternatively, you can water sauté the onions by placing them in the pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir the onions as they cook and add more water as the pan dries out. Continue with this method until the onions are caramelized.

Mix together the roasted garlic, chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary.

Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter into a lightly greased pan (spread out the batter). While the pancake begins to cook, top it with some of the topping mixture.  Once the pancakes have browned, set them aside until all of the pancakes are browned and ready to go into the oven.

Once all of the pancakes have been browned, place them directly on the oven rack under the broiler for 8-10 minutes (you may need to rotate them after 4-5 minutes).  Broiling the pancakes will make sure that the batter on the top cooks through.

Serve with a nice salad or some steamed veggies on the side.

Welcome May to your table with a lovely basket of flowers.

This basket cake is perfect for spring, but can easily be customized through the seasons with fresh fruit, favorite flowers or holiday candies. For this spring cake, I chose a variety of silk floral stems.

To make the basket shape, bake your cake in two round pans and allow them to cool completely. Place one cake layer on a cake plate and frost the top. Keep a glass of hot water nearby as you ice the cake. Dipping your icing spatula into the water periodically will help the spatula glide across the surface of the cake, creating a smooth finish.

Cut the second layer of cake in half diagonally, and place one semi-circle on top of the cake to form the basket. With a serrated knife, cut out the center of the second semi-circle. The resulting arch will form the handle of the cake when placed on top. Secure the basket and handle with a little icing. Ice the rest of the cake, including the inside of the handle and basket.

Now the fun begins as you add the basketweave to the bowl of the basket. Use an icing bag fit with a wide, flat tip with serrated edge. I used Wilton tip 48. The collage below shows the process of piping the basketweave.

1. Pipe a straight line down the cake.

2. Pipe a series of perpendicular lines across the first line, leaving a tip’s width between each.

3. Pipe a second line down the cake, covering the ends of the first set of perpendicular lines.

4. Pipe perpendicular lines across the second line, starting from the first line and extending over the second. This second set of perpendicular lines will fill in the spaces left between the first set of perpendicular lines.

5. Continue across the cake, adding a straight line and crossing it with perpendicular lines.

This cake uses the basketweave technique to cover the bowl of the basket, which includes the top and sides of the cake. To do this, start on the top left side of the cake and use a toothpick to lightly mark a straight line down the basket. Now begin piping a basketweave on the side of the cake, starting from the left. Continue piping around the side until you reach the indented line of icing. Continue piping the basketweave, but start from the top of the cake and cover the top and side as you work around the cake. When you reach the right edge of the basket, finish the top and then the side.

Use the basketweave tip to cover the outside and inside of the handle, then add final details to the top of the handle and brim of the basket with a star tip. Finish the cake by filling the basket with seasonal treats.

Photo courtesy of yevgenia on Etsy.com

Lately I’ve been bad. I haven’t been budgeting very well; too many brunches on lazy Saturday mornings, too many last-minute lunch plans with coworkers.

In addition, my love of all things latte led me to spend an absurd amount of money last month on my morning Cup o’ Joe à la Sarah — meaning a non-fat latte with just a pinch of sugar and plenty of cinnamon — from the coffee shop en route to work. (Apparently today I’m feeling the need to use what little left-over French I gleaned after 7 years of study. Yup, that’s all that’s left!)

However fun lunch outings with coworkers may be, and however satisfying a coffee shop latte is on a sleepy morning, I’ve been trying to spend less money on food items. This week — in an effort to remind myself to yes, pack that lunch the night prior — I’ve rounded up some great packed lunch gear for grownups.

Containers, Lunch Sacks and To-go Mugs

First of all, you have to have the proper gear. While you may end up paying more up front, the savings down the line will certainly add up. And sure, you can turn to resealable plastic bags, but how about something more sustainable instead? Here are some great options:

The stainless steel containers — Pico Green and Duo Orange — on the top row are made by Lunch Bots and come in a variety of compartment options; some are even insulated to keep things hot or cold.

Just like the Lunch Bots, Bento Box from Laptop Lunches allows you to mix and match items on your menu. However, this version also features separate lids for each section, which can allow you to grab just a portion of the meal, should you need a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

The Brown Paper Sack is actually — despite its name — not just a brown paper sack, but an insulated and reusable option that looks like the real thing. It’s available for sale on Amazon.com.

Made by the Artifact Bag Co., the Khaki Lunch Tote safely packs your lunch, while maintaining a professional look, perfect for taking to the office.

Finally, the hand-painted Ceramic Eco-friendly Mug may cost a pretty penny, but I’m certain you won’t forget it anywhere. Created by Etsy.com artist yevgenia, this mug is the perfect way to take your coffee with you in the morning, and skip right past those expensive latte shops, (be strong, you can do it!)

Here’s to saving a penny or two down the road!

Ingredients:
One package dark chocolate silken tofu (like Nasoya Silken Style Creations)
One 8-ounce package 30%-reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons caramel sauce
One 9-inch prepared chocolate graham cracker pie crust

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. To make the filling, place the tofu, cream cheese, cornstarch, and caramel sauce in a large bowl, and use a hand mixer to combine until smooth and creamy (you can also use a food processor). Scrape down the sides as necessary.

3. Pour the tofu mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 1 hour until set. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours, uncovered, until cooled completely. Slice and serve.

Tip: Serve with an extra drizzle of caramel sauce and some fresh raspberries on top.

How can one little ol’ coconut cupcake give so much pleasure?

Could it be the irresistible cream cheese frosting thickly slathered over the top
and sprinkled with strands of sweet coconut?

Or is it the small piece of moist, melt-in-your mouth yellow buttermilk cake hidden just below?
Break it open and look at its soft buttery crumb…then breathe in the delicate vanilla scent.

How can this little bit of coconut heaven get any better?

Fire!

A brilliant, celebratory candle and a rousing chorus of
Happy Birthday does it for me.

And when tossing and turning just after midnight wondering if you should get up and indulge: do it!
Go quietly without guilt. Scoop, lick and savor every last crumb. Being naughty is so much fun!

Coco Loco Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 recipe Ultimate Cream Cheese Frosting
~  sweet shredded coconut

Directions

Place  24 paper liners in muffin tin.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Prepare the cake batter.
2. Fill the liners 2/3 full. Do not overfill.
3. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool the cupcakes thoroughly in their tins before frosting.
5. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle liberally with the shredded coconut.

Preparation Time:  25 minutes preparation; 22–25 minutes baking.

Email or print a copy of my Coconut Cupcake with Ultimate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe for your convenience.

Strawberry Yogurt Crepes (Courtesy Wheat Foods Council)

Strawberry season is coming soon – get ready with a basketful of sweet and savory recipes that make the most of this scrumptious berry. Technically, sure – you can get strawberries any time of the year. And, yes, strawberry season is hitting places like California a bit early this year. All good news for us strawberry lovers. But if you can also get local strawberries at their peak in May/early June – my oh my, will you make your mouth happy. No matter when you get your strawberries, you’ll want to find some great-tasting ways to enjoy them (besides sprinkled lightly with vanilla sugar, of course). I’ve found some delicious recipes that show off both the sweet and savory sides of my favorite berry.

Strawberry Yogurt Crepes- Not as hard as you might think. Make the batter on a Friday or Saturday night, and let it chill in the fridge. Then, swirl a little in a hot pan, and in a few minutes you have crepes. Add a little vanilla yogurt and strawberries – voila! Y0u’ve just made a fancy breakfast.

Roasted Strawberry Sundae (Courtesy California Strawberry Commission)

Roasted Strawberry Sundae – Oh. My. Goodness. I think this one’s going on my next dinner party menu.

Makes 6 sundaes

Roasted Strawberry Sauce

4 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) fresh California strawberries, stemmed & quartered, divided

3/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

Chocolate Sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons water

3/4 cup heavy cream

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon Black Opal Shiraz wine

9 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) California strawberries, stemmed & quartered

To make Strawberry Sauce:

Heat oven to 350.

In blender, puree 1 1/2 cups strawberries; strain through fine-meshed strainer, pushing on strawberry puree with spoon. Combine puree with remaining strawberries and sugar. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Add bean and seeds to strawberry mixture. Let stand 10 minutes.

Remove vanilla bean and transfer mixture to shallow baking dish large enough to hold strawberries in one layer. Roast in oven about 20 minutes, or until strawberries are cooked and juices have reduced to syrup.

To make Chocolate Sauce:

In saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add cream and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts.

Remove from heat; add wine.

Assemble Sundaes:

Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce in bottom of each of 6 sundae glasses.

Add 3/4 cup scoop ice cream. Top with 2 tablespoons strawberry sauce.

Repeat layers. Top with 1/4 cup fresh strawberries.

Chicken, Strawberry & Fennel Salad (Courtesy California Strawberry Commission)

Chicken, Strawberry & Fennel Salad- Next time you grill chicken, grill some extra and make this gorgeous salad for lunch or dinner the next day.

Field Greens with Oranges, Strawberries & Vanilla Vinaigrette (Courtesy McCormick)

Field Greens with Oranges, Strawberries & Vanilla Vinaigrette- Here’s another beautiful salad for you. This would be nice alongside some grilled steak, I think. If you’ve never tried vanilla vinaigrette, I encourage you to do so. A little sweet, a little tangy – a whole lotta yummy.

Salmon with Strawberry Mango Salsa (Courtesy Sutter Home Winery/California Strawberry Commission)

Salmon with Strawberry Mango Salsa- Here’s a little something for you salmon lovers. You can broil or grill salmon, then top it with this fruity/spicy salsa (which would also be good with chicken, I think).

Strawberries & Cream Shortcake (Courtesy Eagle)

 Strawberries & Cream Shortcake – And let us not forget the ever-popular strawberry shortcake. But let’s ramp it up just a bit, shall we? This recipe lets you shortcut the shortcake recipe a bit by baking a pound cake mix in 2 cake pans, rather than a loaf or Bundt pan. Looks like a lovely way to finish off a special dinner… Poke around Culinary.net a bit to find more strawberry recipes – and let us know your favorite ways to cook with strawberries.

During the bakers’ showcase, local artisans showcased their beautiful breads and other baked goods.  At one of the booths, Emily Buehler, author of Bread Science demonstrated how using different fermentation times brings out the depth and flavor in breads.

We tasted two sourdough breads: a 20-hour rustic bread and a 44-hour country bread.

Rustic Bread

Country Bread

Both loaves were made using the same dough; the difference being the fermentation time was extended for the second loaf. The first loaf was good, but the second loaf definitely had a little more flavor and a slightly different texture.

The basic formula for these breads is courtesy of the artisan bakery where Emily worked. She doesn’t know who created the original formula, but she gave me permission to share it with you.

Rustic and Country Bread Recipe

Makes: 2 one-pound loaves

Ingredients:

• 420g white flour (~3 cups)
• 52g whole wheat flour (~1/3 cup)
• 5 g wheat bran (1 Tbsp)
• 113g sourdough starter (~1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 309g warm water (~1 1/3 cups)
• 11g salt (1 3/4 tsp)

Directions:

0 Hours:

Feed sourdough starter. Let 113g of it rise at room temperature. It will be ready in 8-10 hours. Refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.

Mix ingredients except salt. You want a mixture that is slightly sticky with no large dry spots. Don’t start kneading! Let the mix rest 20 minutes. Add the salt and knead. Let dough rise (1.5 hours for dough that is 75-80 degrees F.) Fold dough. Put half, covered, in the refrigerator. Let half rise again.

Rustic Bread (20 hours):

When the dough is risen, smack the gas out, fold it into a tight block, and let it rise again on a floured towel in a basket or bowl. Instead of folding the dough into a tight block, I shaped it into a ball and placed it in a round proofing basket, sprinkled with a mixture of all-purpose and rice flour.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. for at least an hour, with a pizza stone on the middle shelf and a steam pan on the bottom shelf. When dough is fully risen (about an hour or so), flip it over onto a baking sheet or baker’s peel sprinkled with cornmeal. I used a parchment-lined, baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Score the top in the desired pattern using a lame or serrated knife.

Slide the loaf (on the parchment paper) onto the hot pizza stone. Carefully add a cup of hot water to the steam pan. Spray the loaf with water, then lower the temperature to 450 degrees F. and bake 20-30 minutes until the loaf is browned and makes a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Remove the parchment paper partway through baking to ensure the bottom gets baked through.

Country Bread ( 44 hours):

The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator, smack the gas out, and pre-shape into a ball. Cover and let dough relax for 2 hours. Shape into a batard. Refer to this tutorial for more info on shaping a batard shape. Let it rise for 2-3 hours, covered, on cornmeal on a towel, or on parchment paper on a baking sheet. I placed the dough on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. for at least an hour, with a pizza stone on the middle shelf and a steam pan on the bottom shelf. When dough is fully risen (about an hour or so), score the top in the desired pattern using a lame or serrated knife.

Slide the loaf (on the parchment paper) onto the hot pizza stone. Carefully add a cup of hot water to the steam pan. Spray the loaf with water, then lower the temperature to 450 degrees F. and bake 20-30 minutes until the loaf is browned and makes a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Remove the parchment paper partway through baking to ensure the bottom gets baked through.

General Notes:
The recipe will change with the type of flour and season. Adjust water to get a slightly sticky dough before the rest period. Add flour by flouring your hands, if necessary, while kneading, but don’t overdo it. Adjust water temperature for a final dough temperature of ~77 degrees F. In general, dough rises until it is full of gas, before folding or shaping. Refrigerated dough will feel less gassy and active.

Photo courtesy of BakedBree.com

One of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning is meeting friends and family for brunch. I’m lucky to live in Kansas City, a town with many fantastic, locally owned restaurants that cater to what I like to refer to as the “brunch extraordinaires.” Extraordinary, of course, in that we seek out fantastic fare on a limited budget. If you’d like a list, just ask.

An even better budget-friendly brunch, however, is to cook for loved ones at home. It’s much more pleasant when you can stretch your brunch even longer, without having to worry about hogging a cafe table.

Recently I stumbled upon this gem. Pictured at left is the Thyme Pancetta Quiche from one of my favorite bloggers, Bree of BakedBree.com. Her mantra is “Eat well, Laugh often.” How can you not enjoy someone with that outlook on life?

This recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg, cayenne pepper, thick-cut pancetta, green onions, fresh thyme and chives, aged cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Hungry yet? I know I am…

The best part of this recipe, however, is that you can make it ahead and reheat when the guests are sitting at the table enjoying their mimosas. Read: You don’t have to get up extra early just because your friends are headed over. Simply throw on some good tunes, mix up some mimosas and pop this dish in the oven to warm.

Photo courtesy of BakedBree.com

In addition to her quiche recipe, Bree also recently guest blogged about her Make Ahead Pancakes as well, so whether your guests prefer the sweet or the savory, you’re covered.

This pancake recipe calls for eggs, sugar, buttermilk, whole milk, strawberries and pure maple syrup. Bree walks you through the process from start to finish, and offers suggestions for making the batter thinner or thicker — thinner batter, you can imagine, results in thinner, more delicate pancakes.

The best part about a make ahead brunch menu, is that you won’t feel frazzled as the guests arrive. Get everything prepped and ready to go, including drinks and table settings, and you’re ready to put on the finishing touches shortly before guests arrive. It’s brunch, but better.