No-Knead Pizza Dough - Bon Appetit

I love this picture from this month's Bon Appetit magazine. And I love this recipe equally as much. It really is so easy and after having many failed homemade pizzas I think it is safe to say that my search for crust perfection is over.

The basics of the recipe are below (this seriously takes two minutes, you just have to remember to make it the night before). The details on how to shape the dough (never roll it!) can be found HERE.

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Ingredients

• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1000 grams) plus more for shaping dough
• 4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Preparation

• Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours.
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  For our pizza's I blended a quick sauce from diced canned tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and sugar to season. I had forgotten to drain the tomatoes so I reduced it in a pan. For toppings I used: fresh mozzarella (which the kids did not like), shredded gouda, basil, pancetta and red onions. But of course, there are a million variations.

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• Here is Miles' version which looks fittingly like an owl with pepperoni eyes.
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Note : The secret to this is having a really really hot oven (550 F), and if you have a pizza stone, preheating it in the oven as well. It only takes 5-7 minutes to cook!

Hungry Bird

When going through my pictures I found an interesting common thread in the photos of Cruz. Not surprisingly, he is always eating. And at least 75% of his vocabulary is food related.

Chicago

Ben had a conference and a course in Chicago (so free hotel) and two days off in between which happened to coincide with my birthday and the willingness of my mom to babysit...again. So off I went. I packed my bags with all of the clothes that I want to wear but don't want to get smeared with the usual goo, every piece of jewelry I own, six pairs of shoes (for a four day trip), three books I've been trying to finish, four magazines, one camera, a removable hard drive and laptop so that I could catch up on my blog and catch up on others blogs.

I didn't get as much as I wanted done...or anything at all, but I had a really great time, wore all of the shoes and enjoyed every moment of it.

Although not as warm as I had hoped, the entire city was in bloom.

But who cares about flowers. I travelled all of this way for one singular reason. A date with Rick Bayless. A unilateral date, with Ben as a third wheel, but it was my birthday wish fulfilled. And Ricky did not disappoint. We skipped his more expensive establishments in favor of his new hip quick-service cafe XOCO (don't click on this link unless you want to be sad and hungry). And the quicker this food could get into my mouth the better. Fresh churros, homemade vanilla ice cream and bean-to-cup hot chocolate, tortas - delicioso!

We went back another day for breakfast and had french toast with bacon and pecan sprinkle, more churros, savory empanada and the most refreshing drink I've ever had (I'm usually a water girl, so maybe that's not saying much) coco-lime-pineapple (with a hint of basil) agua fresca.

In between trips to XOCO we were tipped off to another Rick Bayless gem...at Macy's no less. The largest Macy's in the world actually (formally Marshall Fields). I had read that the food is essentially the same there as you might find at his sit down restaurants, just take-out with nothing over $7.50. Again, disappointment was nowhere to be found. Corn poblano soup, tamales, tacos, raspberry prickly pear aqua fresca, guacamole. (I am currently experiencing similar pangs to when I think about living in Hawaii, but am not there.)

Below is Ben taking a post-Bayless nap in the home furnishings dept. He wanted to buy that recliner.

While he napped I couldn't help but go back and grab a hamburger from Frontera Fresco's neighboring take out place Marc Burger, by Marcus Samuelsson, another celebrity chef. It was very good with homemade pickles and spicky ketchup, but not cravable. But then again, I'm a one-man woman (that sure doesn't have the same ring that the reverse does).

But that's not all of the eating we did. We hit up Lou Malnati's for some classic butter crust deep dish. Butter (and pizza) is very dear to me, but I have to go with the salad at this place. It was great. We had brunch at a place that was healthy and okay but I can't remember the name of. We did dinner at Goose Island Brewpub which was not memorable. As in I am racking my brain and I can't even remember what I ordered. I think they are known more for their brews. I did have a ridiculously good birthday dinner at a restaurant with another proprietor of Top Chef fame - Stephanie Izard from a few seasons back. Restaurant: The Girl and the Goat. I tried to get reservations here or at Bayless' Topolobampo for my big day. Even a month prior they were booked. As of April 30, the next available reservation was June 22. That doesn't stop me. It didn't stop me from getting a table a few weeks back for Seattle Restaurant week*. And it wasn't about to stop me as I was celebrating another year older and wiser too. They were open until midnight, which is lucky for me since I got to spend the earlier part of my night watching one of my least favorite things on the planet - UFC (if only it weren't such a great time to get together with friends). It ended at 11:15, we hopped into a cab and got to Girl and the Goat by 11:30. who has reservations at 11:30? There was still a 20 minute wait. But alas, we could be served the full menu in the bar, so we grabbed a couch with our friends who were also attending the conference (the more the merrier at a restaurant with tasting plates I say) and we indulged in things like fried oysters, goat belly confit, really great green beans, "pig face" (just might be the best part of a tasty animal) and desserts like lemon rhubarb shortcake and buttermilk panna cotta, parsnip pot de creme with pistachio cake and bittersweet chocolate cake with shitake gelato and toffee creme fraiche. The chocolate cake was maybe the best we've ever had. But mushroom ice cream? It just tastes weird. It wasn't bad, but why not just throw some McDonalds soft serve on there and knock it out of the park. Anyway, thumbs up to Girl and the Goat (better make that a golden thumbs up b/c it's fairly pricey for the portions, but I don't think that's what you are paying for.)

So besides eating, Chicago also has a good music scene. We weren't sure where to go, so I did my best reseach and we landed at Kingston Mines and B.L.U.E.S Chicago. And it was two clubs for one cover.

It was also where we were when we got this news...

I imagine that Bin Laden's Abottabad hideout probably looked something like this place we were at anyway.

The music was groovy and we enjoyed ourselves until I got wrapped up in this embarrassing "booty call" with a few other female victims, which culminated in me doing he only dance move I really know, which is the worm. And as usually happens when the worm appears, Ben has us make a quick departure.

All in all it was fun times in the windy city. I hope I am invited back some time.

*I was going to tell a story about a Seattle restaurant we visited recently. But it deserves it's own post.

Hot Chocolates.

It's a little late to have these chocolate treats for Valentines Day but I thought I'd better get these recipes out there while there is still a little bit of chill in the air. Not that there is ever a bad time to indulge. So here are a couple recent finds that are easy and delicious.

First is Coconut Tres Leche Hot Chocolate. This came from Better Homes and Gardens. I'm pretty sure the original recipe I have calls for an entire can of sweetened condensed milk but I'm glad to see that they made it only 1/2 can because I was going to make the suggestion that it was too sweet. Perhaps I read the recipe wrong b/c I have also never put vanilla in it but the online version also makes that change. I doubt it adds much to it.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fat-free milk
• 1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 of a 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (2/3-cup)
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

1. In medium saucepan combine fat-free milk, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Whisk in cocoa powder until well-combined.

2. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve in mugs topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Makes 5 (1-cup) servings.

This next one I made for Valentines Day. Apparently this has been waiting to be tried since I ripped it out of a Bon Appetit in 2003! I'm sure I add to my recipe folder faster than I work through it so I'd better get crackin in case there are more great finds like this in there (I've had more losers than keepers lately so it's actually really nice to find one worthy of sharing).

The only change I made to this and I would do it again was to add an extra egg - it is bread pudding after all! This is so easy so hopefully you have some extra french bread laying around! And of course some ice cream along side doesn't hurt either.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

• 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 large egg (consider adding another but let me know if one suffices)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 ounces French bread with crust, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk egg and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool chocolate custard 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add bread cubes and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips to custard and toss to coat. Transfer to 1 1/2-quart-capacity shallow oval baking dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over mixture. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

Rock n Roca

We like to rock out at our house so I was excited to take the kids to their first concert today. Technically, they had seen this band play before at the library but this was a real show, and one where the kids would be a part of the next album (there's not much that annoys me more than kids music where kids are actually singing the songs but kids have a very minor role in these songs so it's okay). Ben would have loved to have go but had to work so I was happy that Sarah A. was also husbandless for the weekend and wanted to go. The band is Recess Monkey (made up of three Seattle elementary school teachers) and I recommend their album Field Trip (you can listen to samples here on Amazon or watch a not so good recording taken by yours truly) if you are looking for fun kids music that doesn't suck.

We hit up Randy's Restaurant on the way home - the diner I had planned on visiting the week previous with my mom. It was about what was to be expected. Sassy service, kitschy aviation decor, okay food. Not a bad place to take kids though or if you want a cheap but good pancake (with fake syrup) served 24/7.

If we hadn't had enough fun already, Sarah led us to the Almond Roca Factory/Outlet, which is a local treasure I had heard of but never visited. I ended up scoring a large assortment of Roca's (macadamia, almond, cashew, candy cane, sugar free) some nuts and some other chocolate for $5.

More local eats.

My mom came for a quick visit last week and I got two categories of things done - exams (eyes, teeth, real estate) and eating. I have a long list of eating establishments to try and only a few years left to do it in so I definitely appreciate the help. Plus considering the portions at some locations it is nice to have someone to split things sometimes - especially when you have a baby sitting on your stomach.

Monday - Harmon's Brewery and Restaurant, Tacoma. This place is below where I get my hair cut and I've always wanted to try it but I'm not much for dining alone and parking in this part of town is limited so I've never had time to check it out. We went for a late lunch so parking wasn't too bad and we ended up sharing an Ortega Turkey Melt and Parmesan Fries. I don't usually love fries but these were exceptional. Miles had a burger, tater tots and Oreos. This would be a great place to go with a group especially during happy hour when some of their large appetizers (including a pizza, burger, a giant hummus platter) are $5. (Mon 3 to close and T-Fri 3-6)


Tuesday - The Bread Peddler, Olympia. We always drive by this place on the way to the farmer's market and it is always full. When Sunset magazine featured it it only made me want to try it that much more. The place had more patrons than seating and when you did get a seat the tables were teeny tiny. I might try it again when I am not third-trimester huge. We got a croque monsieur and clam chowder. The food was tasty. It just wasn't an altogether pleasant experience.

That evening Ben got in on the gluttony fest when he and I escaped for a quick date which took us back to downtown Tacoma and landed us at El Gaucho steakhouse. A place he had heard good things about. The atmosphere is very cool - dark and fancyish - with live piano music and meat and desserts being flambed all around. Luckily we arrived during happy hour which gave us the chance to order off of the "bar bites" menu which was half price. And when a sandwich is $28 you can definitely appreciate the discount. We ordered the steak sandwich and the scallops and prawn linguine. I would get the sandwich again but not the pasta - it was just okay - but I forgot all about it when we ordered the most delicious banana bread pudding.


Wednesday - As masculine and swarthy as El Gaucho was, the place we tried today was all sugar and spice and I don't think Ben would dare enter Steeped in Comfort - "a quaint tea room and gift shop", although he might want me to bring him home a scone - they were super light and delicious with devonshire cream, fresh lemoncurd and raspberry jam served along side it - not dry at all. My mom noticed that Miles became much more "male" when we went here. An involuntary reaction to the flowers and lace I guess. I had soup and a sandwich and a pot of tea complete with a cozy and although I wasn't blown away it was a very satisfying and comforting meal that I would enjoy experiencing again. It would be a fun place to take a group of girls (young or old) for a proper tea experience.


Thursday - On a recommendation from my dental hygienist we headed to Marcia's Silver Spoon cafe for breakfast - a diner known for it's ultra large portions. I'm pretty sure they used an entire bag of potatoes for our hashbrowns. Because I was feeling brave and wanted to try their special, I ordered the oyster omelet. It was good. If you like oysters. We also got a side of biscuits and gravy, one of my favorite things. They were decent. I would go here again once my appetite returns, if it ever returns. Service was great especially considering there was one waitress for the entire diner.

Thurday evening we took the kids to the Burke museum at UW. It was a toss up between the Museum of Flight and Burke as both are free on the first Thursday of the month. If we went to the Boeing museum I was hoping to try Randy's restaurant - and I still want to - but I just couldn't do two diners in one day after the giant breakfast at Marcia's. So instead we just took the kids to Beechers at Pike Place for some mac n cheese.


Friday - This is the day I had been waiting for all week. I woke up at 4:45am and couldn't get back to sleep in anticipation. The restlessness probably had more to do with needing to study for my real estate exam but I was very excited for the burger I was going to have at Lunchbox Laboratory in Ballard. I was so glad it wasn't a disappointment. I ended up ordering the Dork (duck, pork and I read somewhere a little pepperoni) 101 which had grilled onions, gruyere and I'm not sure really what else. It may have been the best burger I have ever had (and for $14 it had better be right?) but I'm not going to claim that until I have tried it again. I also had a smores shake which was pretty good but mostly I got it for Miles. Here's a fun photo collection someone has of each of their visits to the restaurant. Don't go there if you are hungry though. It is tortuous.

Photo by Drew McKenzie, The Stranger

Saturday - We finished off the week with a trip to Mama Stortini's and where we have had a couple of good meals before and unfortunately this time we just simply ordered wrong. We did the family feast for four intending to taste a variety of pastas and entrees. The salads that came with it were probably the best part but the rest was not up to par with what we had had before. Miles ate his weight in bread and butter though so it was worth it. Plus we had leftovers.

Truffles

Clockwise from top left: Lemon Thyme, Coconut, Raspberry, Mint & Peanut Butter.

I've always wanted to make truffles and had two recipes to do so - one from Bon Appetite and one from Real Simple. So I took tips from both, bought a ton of dark chocolate from Trader Joes (I couldn't find a good bittersweet which would have been preferrred) and set to work. The first part - the filling was easy enough - just melt the chocolate with some heavy cream and butter, whisk it up and put it in a shallow pan to cool. I did make a couple variations on the basic filling by infusing a portion of the cream with thyme and mixing in lemon peel and also doing a raspberry puree version. I really wanted a chocolate peanut butter combo so I did another batch with peanut butter, sugar and cream. I didn't have a recipe but since I used natural PB I should have added more sugar.

My intention was to do the whole she-bang in one day but that turned into three days until I came out of the chocolate coma I had induced on day one. Then came the harder part. You have to work fast to roll them into balls because they will start melting all over the place. Then you have to refreeze/refrigerate them before they get dunked in another coating of just pure chocolate. This can only be done a few at a time if you want to put any kid of decor or final coating b/c you can't let the chocolate shell dry. It helps to have all of the potential toppings in separate bowls when you start. And it is really messy.

I didn't really have anyone to give them to by the time I finished b/c I didn't have time for deliveries before we left for vacation. Plus I wasn't sure if they were any good because I was in a second chocolate coma/overdose by this time. I did send Avery off with a box for her teacher and the bus driver with a warning that they were super rich. Next year I will try to seek out bittersweet chocolate if I try it again because the dark is so... well dark (and for me usually the darker the better. this is where ben would insert a joke about him liking his chocolate like he likes his women...to which I would do one of two things - roll my eyes or giggle uncontrollably - depending on my mood). Anyhow, I still have some in the freezer so depending on how they keep, those in the local vicinity are welcome to come over and try some.

But speaking of chocolate did anyone get to try the Belgian Chocolate Mini Bar assortment from Trader Joes? They were so good and since I figured they were a seasonal item (they were dressed in shades of red and green) I stocked up because they are the perfect bite of dark chocloate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate espresso or milk chocolate with tiny almond bits. I don't think I have enough to last me until next Christmas but I have enough to stave off post partum energy slumps. Maybe. I just ate four as I wrote this last paragraph.

Seattle Sweets (and a little Salt)

I've just recently started exploring Seattle beyond Pike Place Market and what I have suspected is true - it is a very tasty city. Of course one can't just go explore on their own with only a three year old for company which is why I love visitors. My mom is particularly good for exploring with and often times she will do a little vetting on her own then let me know what is worth seeing, doing or eating. Everywhere we have lived she has found some of the best places. (And she is a human mapquest which is nice) So far the memorable eats we have had together are sandwiches at Salumi - a tiny restaurant owned by Mario Batali's parents. It opens at 11 with a line already formed well before that on most days. Basically it's a cured meats shop and they slap that on some good bread with some good cheese and voila you have a cult following. Seating is limited and you just file through and order at the counter. It's one of those places that intimidates you because the line is moving and you just keep staring at the menu on the wall without a clue how to pronounce most of the things, much less what to order. The first time I had...well...I myself ordered a spicy soppressata sandwich with fresh mozzarella and some thin, salty but delicious spread of something - garlic, anchovies? I don't know for sure but that's the sandwich I've ordered the last two times I've gone as well. The first time I also ordered the kids a meatball sandwich which I delightfully got to eat half of and my mom ordered the Porchetta at the recommendation of someone in front of us in line. Eh. It was a bit underseasoned for my taste. But that unfortunately didn't stop me from eating half of that one too. But enough about meats.

After seeing Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate, Fried Food Episode we had to go to Lola on Giada's recommendation and have the doughnuts. (Different day than the Salumi trip - by a couple of months actually) I am not a doughnut person. Occasionally I'll have an old-fashioned or a chocolate cake variety but Krispy Kreme or doughnuts like that I don't enjoy. These are kinda along the lines of those - light and fluffy - but small and served hot and shook up at your table with cinnamon and sugar on it. The doughnuts, while o-kay, were merely a vehicle for what accompanied them. Vanilla-Marscapone sauce and fresh seasonal (this time huckleberry) jam. Those parts were yummy. I would have them again yes, but I would go across the street and order them at Tom Douglas' bakery for a dollar less. I do want to go back to Lola though and order their Octopus Hash for breakfast. At least I think I do. In addition to the doughnuts we split a regular breakfast plate (eggs, bacon, toast, smashed potatoes) that was very yummy. Our intention was to hit up another Douglas restaurant across the street Serious Pie which was also featured on the Food Network for it's pizza. But we weren't quite hungry enough an hour later. So we went to Dahlia bakery and ended up with the Triple Coconut Cream Pie bites - I really really want a whole one but it's over $30. And the mini one at $16 just doesn't seem like the greatest deal either. But they might be worth it. The macaroons are super good too.

There is another place in Seattle that I have been having dreams about ever since I went there. This time it was with my sister-in-law Alise who was in town for a brief visit and our friend Meka who is lucky to live very near all of this culinary action. The place - Theo Chocolates. I had really wanted to go on one of their tours because it sounds like fun. But they were booked up when we went even though I called a week in advance, however, a visit to their storefront was not disappointing. It was pretty much an all-you-can-taste chocolate fest. Between my kids and I we probably ate...I don't know in weight but at least 20 dollars in chocolate. In addition to the usual milk and varying degrees of dark chocolate they had some wacky flavors like coconut curry, chai, ghost chili, etc. My favorites were the mints - peppermint and spearmint I believe, the cocoa nibs and the bread and chocolate which I had never heard of but was the best - a little sweet a little salty and a lot chocolaty. And Theo chocolate I guess is the only organic/fair trade chocolatier in the U.S. which should probably mean more to me but I just really like their samples.

Hopefully I'll get some more visitors after this.

The Sandwich Stoppe

Just wanted to spread the word about Anna and Mese Ugapo's new restaurant in Beaumont -

The Sandwich Stoppe.

225 E 6th St Beaumont, CA 92223

951-845-9344

Mon-Fri 9am-4pm

Go there to get some tasty food. I've never eaten there personally but I have had food prepared by them elsewhere and I think a restaurant is a great place to showcase their talents. Also, I want them to still be in business the next time I make it down. If you have eaten there feel free to leave comments on your favorite menu item (that way I know what to order ;)). Also if I have any info wrong let me know so I can fix it.

How does your garden grow?

There were two things I was really excited about when we got close to finishing our house - having a housewarming party and growing a garden. The housewarming party hasn't happened - at least not with the elaborate menu I daydreamed about - but we have had numerous BBQ's and gatherings so what we lacked in quality we have made up in quantity.

And the garden... well, the jury's still out on what kind of bounty we will have but we did finally get stuff in the ground. I started seeds indoors in early April. They didn't get transplanted until mid-June. Then they promply went into shock. But the good news is - we are enjoying a revival. Everything managed to perk up, although it has yet to bear fruit. Unless you count the lettuces. They've been ready for weeks.

Ben built me some garden/grow boxes and this is what I planted:

- Mesclun (which is basically a mix of leafy greens - lettuces, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, frisée, mizuna, oak leaf, mâche, radicchio, sorrel, kale etc.

- Carrots (rainbow variety)

- Tomatoes (heirloom variety, roma, early girl, sweet 100's & sungella)

- Squash & Zucchini (two plants that are taking over an entire box)

- Peppers (Bell, Jalapeno, Anaheim, Habenero)

- Radishes (I heard these helped carrots grow better)

- Herbs (Cilantro, Parsley, Thai Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Chives)

- Cabbage (Red and Savoy)

- Onions (Red, Sweet and Green onions)

- Brussel Sprouts

- Giant Pumpkins

- Peas and Long Beans

- Red Grapes

- Berries (Blackberry (rampant and inhereted with the lot), Blueberries and Seascape Strawberries)

-Mystery Plants - I have more than a few that I can't figure out. Some may be weeds.

I also have tiny dwarf orange, lemon and a lime tree but I think I live in the wrong climate for them to produce.

There are more things I would like to add - Raspberries, maybe a type of small potato, some fall/winter squash varieties, garlic. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. My garden philosophy is to grow things that either you usually just need a bit of but have to buy in larger quantities at the store (i.e. herbs), things that are expensive or things that are rare. But mostly I just like to watch things grow.

Chocolate Sheet Cake.

"You're not going to make that from scratch are you?" Those are the loving words I was greeted with after announcing that I was going to make a cake. A cake I had been thinking about for two days. A cake I ran four miles for, just so I would not feel the least bit of guilt when I indulged. A cake I had to buy a new pan for because the other is in storage*

(I apologize in advance to any Catholic, Lutheran or other friends honoring Lent** by giving up chocolate. Or if you are on a chocolate-free diet. You may just want to skip to a post that won't stir any passions - may I suggest "Choosing Paint")

I defiantly continued to pull out the flour and cocoa from the cupboard. I was going to make it from scratch - despite my dismal baking record. It's only dismal from Ben's perspective anyhow. I have quite liked the things I make. But I can see why, maybe he wouldn't like my desserts. First of all, I don't bake often so maybe he's mad at me about that. When I do bake, I just can't bring myself to take the time to measure exactly. But I've found that if you say "close enough" when you pour the baking soda into the palm of your hand and toss it in that things generally work out fine.*** The most egregious of my baking sins however, is my need to add things to the recipe. Generally to increase the nutrition. Things like ground flax seeds and wheat germ tend to find their way into the bowl, even when I promise myself I will follow the recipe exactly. I just can't help it. And I should probably just stick to making granola bars.

But I'm glad I made the cake. And judging from the seconds and thirds that Ben had (darn him and his never expanding waistline) he was pretty grateful himself. So without further ado here is the recipe I stole from The Pioneer Woman. It won't be the last.

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa.

Stir together.

Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.
Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.

Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.

Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.

Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar (whatever that comes out to...?)

Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
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So I did use white 100% whole wheat flour (Trader Joes has a good one) and I thought it tasted a little wheatie at first but after it cooled it was unnoticeable. The cake isn't the point in this recipe anyway, it's the frosting. And since it was so healthy the four of us ate the whole thing in under 24 hours.



* My first choice was to make this cake- http://ugapo.blogspot.com/2009/03/molten-chocolate-cake-recipeheaven-on.html, but my ramekins are in storage and I figured an extra jelly roll pan will be more useful. But when I unpack I will be making this.

**I just learned how long the Lenten period is - I don't know why I always thought it was just one or two weeks. But 40 days (now I get the symbolism)plus x number of Sundays (46 days total this year) of going without whatever - that is quite a sacrifice - which I do realize is the point.

***Check before you use this method. The crook of my palm is a perfect teaspoon, yours may not be. ;)

"Top Shep". Or, Why my children play with knives.

We like to cook. And I just happen to have two very talented sous chefs who love to pull up a chair and lend a hand. They can trim, chop and peel (garlic is Avery's specialty), stir and measure.

She also washes dishes and sets a mean table:

I'm gonna have to make that plaid dress into an apron one day because she seems to like to wear it when she's helping (these pictures were taken in different months in 2008 - back when we were all still tan)

Miles, on the other hand, is still in training. This is what happens when he tries to make breakfast (two separate occasions):

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Explanation for the knives in apple picture below. I was around the corner, about 12 ft away, watching "Top Shep" as Miles calls it (Top Chef) . Usually we watch it as a family affair (What? Bravo bleeps out all the bad words) but this time he was taking the opportunity to hone his knife skills in the kitchen. There would be no plastic knife for him this time! I kept hearing him say - "It's a king!", so I think he thought he was making a crown for the apple. Poor defenseless apple half. Part of me was horrified (a very very small part) , part of me giggled and part of me was amazed that he could get all those knives in there, climb down off the counter and bring it to me. I figured that the photo would horrify some and make others laugh, or like me, maybe a little of both.

There's a first time for everything.

After nearly seven years of providing gourmet-ish meals for the man of my dreams, he dropped a bomb on me. He wanted me to make a casserole. If you know me very well, you might have figured out that I am not a crock-pot, casserole, one-dish meal type of gal (chili doesn't count). Let me clarify however that - I will gladly eat and find delicious any meal cooked via those various techniques, but it pains me to even think about making them myself. After all, it's hard to plate those items in an attractive fashion and I am a bit of a snob when it comes to the way my food looks (And thus by saying this my meals will now be subject to scrutiny I'm sure. I hope not.)

I have made one other casserole, it was this Christmas for breakfast and it had feta and spinach in it. It was beautiful. The one Ben wanted me to make included - rice, ground beef, onions, cheese and yikes, I can't even write it, cream-of-junk (Rachelle I hope you don't mind me using your term). It was not beautiful but it didn't taste half bad, although "not as good as" his moms. Fine. I didn't want to be known for my awesome rice casserole anyway. And I made the unforgivable mistake of not having tortilla chips to eat it with. I didn't realize it doubled as a dip.

So another (equally disturbing) culinary first that I had this week was buying something I promised myself I would never buy - American Cheese - aka - Processed Cheese Food Product. What is that?! I've always been wary of Velveeta - how can you trust a cheese that can keep for years on your pantry shelf?

Anyhow, I read an article interviewing Padma Lakshmi, the gorgeous hostess on Top Chef, where she claimed that American Cheese made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. I figured that she was just trying to sound common and that only the finest artisinal cheeses pass her lips, however, against my better judgement and instinct I stood in front of the Cheese Food section for 10 minutes trying to decide which package to buy (I had the incorrect notion that there was only one kind - Kraft Singles). After nearly becoming sick while comparing labels, I choose the cheapest one. They all seemed disgustingly similar to me, why waste another two bucks on an experiment. Apparently, this was the wrong choice as I wasted some darn good bread making three sandwiches in which the cheese failed to, well, melt, Ben informed me that Kraft Singles were the only quality cheese food product, besides Velveeta of course. I don't think I'll be trying them - in my kitchen anyhow. But if you want to make me a sandwich or a burger with the stuff - I will not bat an eye. I might even enjoy it.

Baken bacon.

Bacon is not an ingredient/side dish/star of the sandwich that is treated lightly in our house. We have had many discussions about how to properly prepare it...it's a hot spot really... as some of you who were at the Lake Powell '07 trip may well know. I like mine melt-in-your-mouth crispy, nuked in the microwave or 'grilled' on the George Foreman. Ben likes his...however Chelsey made it. But we both agree that this may be the best bacon we have ever had and keep having. I think it's pretty healthy too :) I wish I had a pretty picture but it goes too fast to photograph. If you make it, make a lot.

From: Marth Stewart via Darby Van Uitert

This delicious recipe is adapted from the May 2004 issue of Everyday Food. It's the perfect addition to any breakfast meal, and it's a Good Thing.

Ingredients:

16 slices medium-to-thick-cut bacon (about 1 pound (or two)), cut in half crosswise (or not)
Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (or not). Place a wire rack (like for cooling cookies) over parchment paper; spray racks with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange bacon in a single layer between the two racks (or if you only have one rack like I do do one at a time, if you don't have one, take your tax return money and go buy one, it's worth it). Evenly sprinkle with pepper and sugar.
Bake until bacon is crisp and browned, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Eat immediately (or someone else will).

Serves about eight maybe two.