Welcome to my new Blog! After reading tons of my “What's Cooking?” Nestie friends' amazing food blogs, I was inspired to try my hand at one of my own. Luckily, my sweet hubby, Joel is a computer programmer, so I had him build this blog for me...I couldn't be happier with the end result! I decided to call my new food blog (and latest obsession) “Sing For Your Supper” for a couple of reasons: 1. I love to sing and am lucky enough to be able to do it for a living (no, I'm not a pop star or anything - I sing opera); 2. I also happen to be a Broadway junkie – (my XM satellite radio is permanently set to the Broadway station) there's a song from the Broadway show, The Boys from Syracuse, called “Sing For Your Supper” that I always get stuck in my head. It goes, “Sing for your supper, And you'll get breakfast, Songbirds always eat, If the song is sweet....” Its just the cutest little song (great, now its stuck in my head...), and as I was trying to think of a blog name, those words hit me and I just couldn't resist! And obviously, the third and very obvious reason I chose this title...it has to do with singing and food. That one pretty much explains itself, I'd say. :-) I absolutely love being in my kitchen. I am lucky enough to have a husband who will eat anything I put in front of him, which makes cooking very fun! Please be patient with me as I grow and learn, and please feel free to leave comments/advice! Enjoy!

Oops - I forgot to include this recipe in the "For Mommy" post below....so, since I'm lazy and don't want to go back and add it - I'll just make a new post. And now that I think of it - I believe this bread is good enough that it deserves its own post! So there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Finally, some decent pictures!!) This recipe is great - I made it specially for my mom because she and my dad are on a "mango kick" right now and can't seem to get enough mangos. I personally, thought it sounded  a little odd, but as it turns out, this is a pretty tasty loaf!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Mango Bread
from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

3 large eggs
3/4 cup flavorless oil, such as canola or safflower oil (I used vegetable)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups diced mango
3/4 cup golden raisins (I omitted this)
grated zest of 1/2 a lime

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350′. Butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and tap out the excess. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other.

2. Whisk the eggs and oil together.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Rub the brown sugar between your palms into the bowl, breaking up any lumps, then stir it in.

4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, switch to s sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix until blended. The batter will be very thick (really more like a dough than a batter) and not easily mixed, but persevere, it will soon come together.

5. Stir in the mango, raisins and zest. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

6. Bake the bread for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. (If the bread looks as if it’s getting too brown as it bakes, cover it loosely with a foil tent.)

7. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool 5 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mmmm, yummy!!! Go make some!

Mother's Day was kind of unfortunate this year. My mom was having my sister and her family and my grandparents stay for the weekend, and I offered to have a Mother's Day brunch on Sunday morning for everybody (9 people total). I was so excited to have everyone over - neither my grandparents or my sister had ever had a meal at my apartment. Joel and I worked so hard to get everything ready the night before so that all I would have to do Sunday morning was pop the casseroles in the oven. Everything was perfect. And then, as luck would have it, I ended up being sick all through the night. I was still feeling horrible Sunday morning, so my mom told me to go back to bed and she and my grandparents would just come back the next morning. So, it sort of worked out anyway - although my sister and her husband weren't able to be there, nor my dad, which sucked. However, we still had a really good time, and hopefully they enjoyed the food.

My menu consisted of:

Fresh Mango Bread

Pioneer Woman's Breakfast Potatoes

Baked Caramel French Toast

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Strata

Peach Bellinis

I had made the french toast before at Christmas and it was delicious - once again, it didn't disappoint. Please, please, PLEASE excuse my appalling pictures- it was early Monday morning and I was expecting guests in any second, and I was still a little under the weather. I probably shouldn't even post these pictures, but I wanted you to have some sort of idea of what the dishes look like (even if they do resemble something you might feed to your dog).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(That's the baked french toast, in case you can't tell.....I barely can)

Baked Caramel French Toast

- from The Magic of Christmas Gooseberry Patch Cookbook

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 loaf french bread,cubed (I used Challah)
6 eggs
1 1/2 Cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
cinnamon to taste

Blend together butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Pour into ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Place bread cubes in baking dish over sauce. Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla until well blended; pour over bread and sprinkle with cinnamon. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour (my plan was to let this sit overnight, but since we ended up having guests the next day, it sat for 2 nights and was still perfect! I just splashed a little half and half over it before i baked it). Bake at 300 degrees for one hour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This egg strata was amazing - I can't wait to make this again. Even with the bread, it was still light and fluffy and full of flavor! Once again, I present you with an unbelievably horrible picture. Please don't base your opinion of this dish on my picture - it tastes SO much better than it looks!! Give it a try!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Strata

from allrecipes.com

12 thick slices white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (I used almost a whole loaf of french bread)
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon (I used half a pound)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
12 eggs
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I also used a little dry mustard)
(I also added a small can of diced green chiles and a little garlic powder)

Toss cubed bread with bacon, cheese, and mushrooms, and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and mustard (this is where I added the green chiles) until smooth, then pour evenly over cubed bread. Cover dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove plastic wrap from the baking dish, and bake strata in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, and the eggs are set, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Blake!! I was one of  98 (or 99 - I can't remember) lucky food bloggers to win three bars of Amano Chocolate from www.blakemakes.com. This stuff is amazing - nice and dark, with a slight fruity taste....it was hard for me not to just sit down and eat all three bars right then. However, I knew I wanted to use it to make something that would really show off the flavor of the chocolate, so I limited myself (with some difficulty) to sampling just one tiny square from each bar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew I had to come up with something good for this chocolate - originally I had planned on chocolate pudding, but one night as I was perusing my favorite food blog, Joy the Baker, I saw a her recipe for hot fudge (Lord almighty, this looked good!) atop Dorie Greenspan's blueberry sour cream ice cream, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my Amano chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now,  you will have to excuse the wretched picture - as soon as my chocolate sauce was finished I decided I couldn't wait for my ice cream to harden completely, soooo, the ice cream was more like soft-serve, thus, the horrible, "melty mess" of a picture. (I'm not sorry - it was delicious, and I'd do it again, given the chance!)

Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge
 - Joy the Baker

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped (such as Amano! Mmmmm!)
2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cup into 1/2 Tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

 

I decided not to post the blueberry ice cream recipe, but if you would like to have it, go here. And if you wanna know more about Amano Chocolate (and trust me, you do), go here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so you're probably wondering, “what's with the dorky 'Rachael Ray-esque' title?” Well, this week's TWD recipe (Peanut Butter Torte, chosen by Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food) was sort of two-fold for me. As always, it was another baking adventure that pushed me to try things out of my comfort zone, but it also served as a celebratory (or celebra-torte-y, if you will....hehe) cake for me. Allow me to steer away from the subject of TWD for a second:

As sort of a “second job”, I sing in the chorus of a nearby opera company every summer. Last summer was my first season with them and the opera we did (called Falstaff) had a teeny-tiny chorus role. The chorus was on stage for a total of 5 minutes, maybe. This year, however, is different – this year we're doing Puccini's Turandot and the chorus plays a significant role in the opera...we're on stage practically the entire time! Woo hoo! So, the other night in rehearsal, we came to a part of the score where there was a small soprano solo. I wasn't even paying attention because I just figured the director would give it to one of the ladies who had been in the company for a while. Out of nowhere, I heard the director say my name, and as I looked up, sure enough, he was pointing right at me (This would be the part that, if I were telling you this story in person, I'd be jumping up and down and screaming). So, after I had sort of gotten a grip on reality and my face had turned four shades of red, it finally occurred to me, “omigoshomigoshomigosh I just got a solo! I just got a solo! I just got a SOLO!” Now, this is a pretty big opera company, mind you; and I'm just a lowly chorus mignon; so hopefully you can understand my excitement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, anyway, when something big like that happens, I always make some kind of fun dessert or meal to celebrate (last year, when I auditioned and made the opera company for the first time, I made cranberry white chocolate cookies); well I was already making the Peanut Butter Torte for Tuesdays with Dorie and that's pretty fun, fancy dessert, so I thought, “I'll just make this as a 'congratulations to me' dessert!” And that's just what this torte is; something to celebrate with! I don't think I would make this for anything other than a celebration or a big dinner party – its one of those desserts you only need to eat once a year, if not less – its chock full of fat and calories (but worth every bite, in my chubby opinion). You could always halve the recipe, though, if you wanted to make it for two or even four. However you make it, though – its darned delicious. The espresso powder gives it a slight coffee taste, which just adds mountains of flavor to the peanut butter mousse filling. I also loved the crunch of the peanuts and chocolate chips – and that oreo crust....heaven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the perfect (don't worry, I'll say it normal this time-) celebratory dessert – and from now on, whenever I make this delectable peanut butter torte, I'll always look back and think on the time I got my first solo with a big opera company!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Torte

 

1 1/4 c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/4 c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

 

Getting ready: center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Crape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.

Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse. Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Scrape the mouse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.

To Finish The Torte: put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Um....YUM. That's pretty much all there is to say about these little cakes. Molten, gooey, chocolatey goodness oozing from the center of a dense, warm chocolate cake. (Ok, now do me a favor and wipe the drool off of your mouth.) These Gooey Chocolate Cakes have quickly become my favorite "I'm-craving-something-warm-and-chocolatey-and-I-need-it-NOW" desserts (They surpassed brownies and chocolate chip cookies long ago). When you cut into them, the warm gooey filling oozes out all over your plate. (Sheer ecstasy!) Its almost like sitting down and eating a bowl of raw cake batter (don't deny it - you know you've always wanted to do it)....except so much better!  And the fact that they only take about 13 minutes total to make...well, that would make any chocolate-craving-woman-on-the-edge jump for joy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, we've covered the fact that these cakes will satisfy even the most severe chocolate cravings, but they can also serve as a fancy "show off-y" dessert when you're having company. I served these when I recently had some friends over for a nice sit-down meal and they were a HUGE hit. I'm pretty sure my guests were on the verge of licking their plates clean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gooey Chocolate Cakes

-from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces coarsely chopped milk chocolate,
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
6 tablespoons of sugar

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. butter (or spray – it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposable aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet. (I discovered that there is just enough batter to perfectly fill 4 ramekins)
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted – you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates.  Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogeneous.  Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.  Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs.  Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake the cakes for 13 minutes. (the first time I made these, 13 minutes was too long - they came out totally firm in the center. Now I bake them at 11 minutes and they're perfectly runny and gooey every time.)  Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)
Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board.  Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah....don't deny it...you're drooling, huh? Yeah...me too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I typically don't try new lasagna recipes. I figure, if I'm going to make lasagna, I'm going to use my mom's recipe - it's by far the yummiest (same situation with banana bread, banana pudding and pot roast, to name a few - but that's another post.) But, last week I was having company (two good buddies and fellow opera singers, one of whom was a cook in a really nice restaurant in London for a couple of years), and I wanted to serve an impressive, yet "comforting" meal - and while my mom's lasagna would have definitely fit the bill, I wanted something a little more unusual and slightly "different". I flipped through all kinds of cook books, cooking websites, food blogs, and my personal favorite recipe resource - the Nest's "What's Cooking" discussion board (love ya, girls!!) and finally found myself thumbing through my "Giada's Family Dinners" cookbook, pausing to glance at the Lasagna Rolls recipe thinking, "hmmm, spinach...prosciutto...bechamel, all rolled up in pasta....now that's impressive and different..." I decided lasagna rolls would be perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needless to say, these were delicious - so delicious in fact, that I made them again only one week later! Its a nice change from your usual meat and cheese lasagna! My dinner guests really enjoyed them - they ate two huge helpings and cleaned their plates! Success!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lasagna Rolls

-from Giada's Family Meals by Giada DeLaurentiis

Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally, I had found a pretty good sounding recipe for pulled pork on allrecipes.com, but somehow, I ended up sort of ditching the recipe and just throwing in whatever I thought sounded good. As it turns out,  I ended up with a pretty tasty result (if I do say so myself).

Pulled Pork

1 pork butt roast (2-5 pounds, depending on how many servings you need - I used a pretty small roast since it was just the two of us)
1/2 Cup Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ sauce (however much you want, really), plus 1/2 cup
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Season pork roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and place in crock pot with 1/2 cup water. Cover with 1/2 C. BBQ sauce, and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or low heat for 6-8 hours. (Cooking time will really depend on how big your roast is).

For the Sauce:

When pork is done, remove from crock pot and set aside. Pour the remaining juice into a medium sized pan over medium heat. Stir in a little flour (approx. 1 tablespoon) and whisk. After flour is fully incorporated, add remaining BBQ sauce and whisk until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Take two forks and pull apart the pork roast into small "shreds". Pile shredded pork on top of kaiser rolls and top with homemade sauce and pickles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few years ago (before I was married, still in college, and living at home with my parents), we lived in a house next door to our really good friends, Chris and Scott (and their two boys). Its so nice to live next door to your friends - you can just walk right over and hang out whenever you want (and they have a really nice pool, so they probably saw more of us than they cared to!). Anyway, Chris is a really good cook - one of those kinds of people who can just throw something together with a few random pantry items and create a fantastic dish (I wish I were one of those kinds of people. But hey, I'm not bitter.....stinking clever people with their stinking pantry items......), which is how this tasty dip came to be. I don't remember the specifics, but here's gist of the story - (sorry, Chris, if I totally botch this up....) apparently, Chris found out she needed to entertain some last minute guests (probably my parents) and needed to serve a little something to "nibble on". She searched the fridge and pantry for anything she could throw together and came up with a refreshing, delicious black bean and corn concoction she dubbed, "On Demand Dip". Well, needless to say, it was a huge hit at her little get-together, and now me, my mom and my sister serve it at most of our get-togethers! I've taken it to one of Joel's family shindigs and it was a big hit! You'll definitely want to serve this at your next party - its a perfect alternative to regular bean dips or cheese balls! Perfect for summer! Oh! - and it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge!

On Demand Dip

- by Chris

If I've somehow changed it up from the original recipe - sorry, Chris!
A lot of these ingredients are just thrown in there according to how much you like, so just taste is as you go a long and add as needed!

1 regular size can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 regular size can Rotel tomatoes, with their juice
1 regular size can white shoepeg Corn, drained
a handful of chopped fresh cilantro (as much or as little as you want - we like a lot!)
Juice of 1-2 limes (Or more if you want - this is what gives it most of the flavor)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour (Like I said, it gets better the longer it sits). Serve with tortilla chips (Tostito's "Scoops" are best, in my opinion!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMMMMM!! Thanks, Chris!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, when I found out that this week's TWD recipe (chosen by Caitlin of Engineer Baker ) was Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake, I was like, "what the heck is that?" My buddy Jessica and I were a little wary of making this cake for a couple of reasons: 1.) we're not big fans of figs, and 2.) polenta?......in a dessert??? But after some encouragement from both of our moms and the decision to use another type of fruit, we decided to go for it! Try everything once, right? And plus- I mean, come on - if Dorie says its good, then you can bet it'll end up in my kitchen!

You know, this cake was actually really tasty! I decided to use dried California apricots instead of dried figs, and they really went well with the polenta. I also forgot my lemon zest (one of those recurring "oops" moments that happen so frequently in my kitchen), but the tartness of the apricots made up for it nicely. My mom and dad happened to be visiting just as I had finished the cake, so I decided to use them as "guinea pigs". They really loved it! Especially my mom (I ended up sending the whole rest of the cake home with her she enjoyed it so much!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot of the TWD girls commented on there being almost too much sweetness to the finished product, so I only used 1/2 a cup as opposed to the 3/4 cup it calls for and it turned out perfectly sweet. All in all, this is a great recipe! I'm so glad I didn't "wuss out" this week and skip it just because it sounded different. I'm proud of myself for trying something new and I think now my mom has a new favorite! Thanks Caitlin, for pushing me to try something new and "different"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake

About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed (I used dried apricots)
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
3/4 c. sugar (I only used 1/2 c.)
3/4 c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs


Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump.  If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry.  If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth.  With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light.  Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated.  You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs.  Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top.  Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes.  Cool to warm, or cool completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You know, “oops” happens. Life would be pretty boring if there were no “oopsies” every now and then. Me, I think I'm probably the Ambassador of “oops”, when it comes to being in my kitchen (except when I have an “oops” moment, its not so much a quaint, lady-like “oops” that comes out of my mouth, so much as a steady stream of expletives, accompanied by flying pots and pans and poor Joel running for cover). I think, probably my biggest “oops” moment was the time I decided to try brioche. Yeah, BIG “oops” there (you know the saying, “when it rains, it pours”?). Now, slowly but surely, I'm getting to the point where “oops” moments are happening less and less frequently for me - I guess that means I'm improving. But every now and then, something will go wrong here and there. I'm only human, right?

So, this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe was Bill's Big Carrot Cake, chosen by Amanda of Slow Like Honey. Well, to be totally honest, I'm not a big fan of carrot cake; its encompasses everything I don't particularly care for in a dessert- raisins...coconut...nuts. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind nuts in a dessert...but coconut, raisins and nuts – well that's just too much for me to handle! But who am I to turn down a dessert challenge? Especially when its my second TWD recipe to make....I couldn't have possibly chickened out on carrot cake! I decided since I wasn't particularly fond of it, I would just send it to work with Joel the next day. Genius.

Now I know what you're thinking - “if you don't like raisins and coconut, why didn't you just leave them out?” Because Dorie said to put them in there to begin with, that's why! I don't care how much I dislike something – if its good enough for Dorie, by gosh, its good enough for me! Obviously, she knows what she's doing, and I (obviously) don't. Therefore, if she says it tastes good, that's how I'm going to make it. Plus, I'm a purist - I like to follow recipes pretty darn closely, and if it tastes bad, well, then I'll know for next time. So in went the raisins, coconut and walnuts.......

This cake was super easy to make. Throw the ingredients in a bowl, spread it in pans, and you're done! And can we talk about that cream cheese frosting? - YUM. I think I ate half of it before the cakes were even finished baking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My house smelled heavenly as the cakes baked away in the oven. After taking them out and letting them cool, it was time to put the cake together! This is where the “oops” comes into play....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The little buggers STUCK! As I inverted the pans onto the plate, something felt wrong. Sure enough, there, on the plate, was half of my cake....the rest was still stuck in the pan. “No big deal”, I figured....I'd just discard that unfortunate layer and just use the other two. Um.....yeah....another “oops”. Long story short, all the cakes stuck....I ended up with a huge mess, and large “chunks” of carrot cake to work with. So, instead of getting mad and throwing it all away, I decided to still take pictures of it. And hey, even if it didn't look good, we could still have a taste, right? Joel and I each had a large “chunk” of cake slathered with cream cheese frosting (by far, the best part), and I have to say, this cake was pretty yummy, despite my issues with raisins, coconut and nuts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, here they are...my wonderful pictures of carrot cake “chunks”. Please don't disown me, TWD members....have pity on a humble “oops”-prone baker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill's Big Carrot Cake

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 large eggs

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Getting ready:

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

To make the cake:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

To make the frosting:

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.

To assemble the cake:

Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

 Serving:

This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it's good plain, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd.