Affogato Americano

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Ice cream and espresso are two of my favorite things.  This twist on the Italian affogato (vanilla gelato/ice cream with a shot of espresso) is actually a modified version of my favorite drink back at UCLA.  For those who knew me anytime between 2001 and ~2008, you'd know my go-to drink was the Mocha Roma- hot coffee with a scoop (sometimes two) of Baskin Robbins' Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream.  It was only served at Kerckhoff and between ~2006 and 2008, it was basically a secret menu item, since it was no longer on the main menu, but there was still a button for it on the register.  Eventually, they changed the registers and the Mocha Roma was lost forever...until now.  This Rocky Road Affogato (Rocky Roma?) may not have the same kick as a Mocha Roma, but it's still pretty darn delicious.  And really, a traditional affogato and a Mocha Roma are only a pint/quart/gallon of ice cream away.

Crock-Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

adapted from Foodnetwork.com

INGREDIENTS

- One 4-pound beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for coating
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped

(I added potatoes and mushrooms, cut into big chunks)

PREPARATION

- Sprinkle the roast all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Coat in flour and shake off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast to the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the roast to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker, along with the carrots, celery, onions and garlic.

- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir until the oil begins to turn brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and wine and whisk until thick (it's OK if there are some lumps). Add the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, allspice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and bring to a simmer, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.

- Pour the gravy into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The roast and vegetables should be tender.

- Remove the roast and let rest for a few minutes. Discard the thyme stems and strain the vegetables, reserving the gravy. Toss the vegetables with half the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir the remaining parsley into the gravy and season with salt and pepper. Slice the roast against the grain. Serve the meat and vegetables on a platter, moistening them with some of the gravy; serve the remaining gravy on the side.

(Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-pot-roast.html?oc=linkback)

Welcome back!

Making whoopie

Whoopie Pies
recipe from Epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS

For cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

For filling

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

PREPARATION

Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Make filling:
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Cooks' notes: • Cakes can be made 3 days ahead and kept, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.

• Filling can be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Bye bye, Magpie

Chocolate Guinness Cake
easy to make and delicious--from Nigella Lawson/NPR version

INGREDIENTS

for the cake:

1 cup Guinness
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

for the topping:

8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

PREPARATION

Preheat the over to 350 F, and butter and line a 9 inch springform pan.

Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and baking soda.

Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the frosting. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sift over the confectioner's sugar and then beat them both together. Or do this in a processor, putting the unsifted confectioners' sugar in first and blitz to remove lumps before adding the cheese.

Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

There's a hole in this cake!

Coffee cake- boont, I mean bundt form.

I fixed it!

Blu-uuuuuuuuueberry breakfast loaf

Tasting, 1-2-3

Birthday cupcakes for J and wedding cupcake "tasting" for J&T. Top to bottom: Vanilla, Caramel and Tiramisu.

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back...

Lucille's Baby Back Ribs, full rack. Get In My Belly! After months of craving BBQ ribs, I finally got what I wished for. Thanks, to J for turning a year older and picking this place to celebrate with us, and Ate Stella and Paul for treating-- de-li-cious.

ENJOYing cupcakes and wine tasting

On the way to our second annual camping trip, we took a little detour to do a cupcake and wine pairing/tasting in Los Olivos, CA.

First of 6 mini cupcakes: Blueberry Chardonnay (Chardonnay cake, filled with a blueberry center, topped with lemon frosting and a Chardonnay soaked blueberry)


The others (left to right, top to bottom): Whipped Peanut Butter (Chocolate cake, filled with peanut butter mousse, topped with whipped peanut butter frosting & a peanut butter cup), Chocolate Blackberry Syrah (Chocolate, syrah infused cake, filled with dark chocolate Belgium fudge, topped with blackberry frosting and a wine soaked blackberry that's rolled in sugar crystals), Chocolate Bailey's & Cream (Chocolate cake, with a creamy chocolate bailey's filling, topped with chocolate frosting & chocolate sauce), Sugar Daddy (Vanilla cake, filled with vanilla bean caramel, topped with cream cheese frosting - swirled with caramel) and Chili Mango (Vanilla bean cupcake filled with chili mango curd, topped with mango frosting and sugared ground chili).

Tart tarts

Shortbread Tarts with Cream Cheese filling
recipe from joyofbaking.com, introduced to me by Jess

INGREDIENTS

Shortbread Tarts:

1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (65 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch or rice flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling:

1-8-oz. (227 grams) package cream cheese - softened

1-14 ounce (396 grams) can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

Zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

Garnish:

Any combination of berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) or other fruit such as slices of kiwi.

DIRECTIONS

Shortbread Tarts: Lightly butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, 36 miniature muffin tins (approximately 2 inch (5 cm) in diameter). Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together (approximately two minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix just until incorporated.

Divide the dough into 36 even pieces and place one ball of dough in the center of each muffin tin. With your fingertips, press the dough up the sides of the individual muffin tin so there is an indentation in the center. Once filled, place the tart pan, with the unbaked shells, in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the shortbread can become firm. (This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up during baking.)

Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through the baking time, lightly prick the bottom of each shortbread, with the tines of a fork, if they have puffed up. Check again after another five minutes and prick again if needed. Once they are fully baked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan. (These may be made in large quantities and frozen.)

Cream Cheese Filling: In your food processor or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and process just until smooth. (Do not over process or the filling will be too runny.) Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. (It is best to make the filling at least a day in advance to give it time to become firm and for all the flavors to mingle).

To serve: Using two small spoons, fill the tart shells with the cream cheese filling. The filled tart shells can be made several hours in advance and refrigerated. Just before serving top with fresh berries or cut up fruit.

Makes about 36 - 2 inch (5 cm) miniature tarts.

Put the lime in the...cupcakes

Key Lime Cupcakes
adapted from several recipes I found online

INGREDIENTS

• 1- lemon or yellow cake mix [I used yellow]
• 1-4.3oz. instant lemon pudding mix (dry) [largest instant/cook & serve box)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners (makes ~24).
2. Mix together all ingredients.
3. Pour into prepared cupcake cups until 2/3 full.
4. Bake cupcakes for ~20min, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. (I like to rotate the pans in the middle of baking.)
5. Cool cupcakes before frosting.

Cream Cheese and Graham Cracker Frosting

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz softened cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1-1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 4 pieces of honey graham crackers
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Whip cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup portions, mix well. Repeat until all is added.
   
3. Cream mixture until smooth.
4. Crush graham crackers until you have smooth crumbs. You can use a food processor, though I used a mortar and pestle, which was easy and fun. If you don't have either, place the crackers in a plastic (ziploc) bag and crush them with anything handy.
   
5. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, then roll cupcakes (frosting side down) in graham cracker crumbs.
6. Cupcakes can be kept in the refrigerator for storage. I enjoyed them cold and at room temperature.
   

Maggie-cally delicious

Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake
Maggie's birthday cake (2011)
adapted from www.epicurious.com

Mousse

• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur

Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk constantly until candy thermometer registers 60°F, about 5 minutes.

Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and very thick, about 10 minutes.

Place chocolate in top of another bowl over simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool to lukewarm.

Combine cream and Irish cream liqueur in medium bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Pour lukewarm melted chocolate over egg mixture and fold together. Fold in cream mixture. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cake

• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder and salt in large bowl until mixture thickens and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour over and gently fold into egg mixture. Repeat 2 more times (do not overmix or batter may deflate).

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Turn out cake. Remove pan bottom. Peel off parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and chill.)

Syrup

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in whiskey. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Assembly
Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place bottom cake layer on platter. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with second cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread remaining mousse over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake while preparing chocolate bands.

Chocolate Curls

• 12 1-ounce squares semisweet baking chocolate (I just bought a giant bar of Dark Chocolate from Trader Joe's, didn't microwave it like the directions said and just made curls until I had enough to cover the entire cake)

• Powdered sugar (I didn't add this)
  

Line baking sheet with foil. Unwrap 1 square of chocolate. Place chocolate on its paper wrapper in microwave. Cook on High just until chocolate begins to soften slightly, about 1 minute (time will vary depending on power of microwave). Turn chocolate square onto 1 side and hold in hand. Working over foil-lined sheet, pull vegetable peeler along sides of chocolate, allowing chocolate curls to fall gently onto foil. Form as many curls as possible. Repeat process with remaining chocolate squares. Place curls decoratively atop cake, mounding slightly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate cake.) Sift powdered sugar over chocolate curls before serving cake.

Sometimes you feel like a nut...

Caramel Pecan Pound Cake

I saw. I wanted. I baked.

I heart sweets

Rice Krispie treats for Valentine's Day.

Are you ready for some football?

Football Cocoa Rice Krispie treats
Recipe adapted from www.ricekrispies.com

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Cocoa Rice Krispies®
• 2 Tbs white chocolate for frosting*

DIRECTIONS

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Cool slightly. Using buttered hands shape mixture into sixteen 3-inch footballs.

4. Melt white chocolate and transfer to small sandwich bag.* Decorate footballs. Best if served the same day.

I'm thankful for...

... THE BEST cupcakes I've ever made/eaten. Fluffy cake batter, strong coffee, a dash of liquor and a lot of cream. What more can one ask for? I made a slight modification to the existing recipe, so ask me what it is, if you're interested.

Tiramisu Cupcakes
recipe from marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Makes 18

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
• 3 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• Coffee-Marsala Syrup
• Mascarpone Frosting
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Heat milk and vanilla-bean pod and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until melted, and let stand 15 minutes. Strain milk mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard vanilla-bean pod.
2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and sugar. Set mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk by hand until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk until mixture is fluffy, pale yellow, and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds when whisk is lifted.
3. Gently but thoroughly fold flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches; stir 1/2 cup batter into the strained milk mixture to thicken, then fold milk mixture into the remaining batter until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until centers are completely set and edges are light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
5. To finish, brush tops of cupcakes evenly with coffee-marsala syrup; repeat until all syrup has been used. Allow cupcakes to absorb liquid 30 minutes. Dollop frosting onto cupcakes; refrigerate up to overnight in airtight containers. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving.

I heart fruit tart

Iolo's Halloween birthday cupcakes

Bourbon Steak-a real San Francisco treat

Fries

18oz Bone-in Rib Eye

chocolate cake- chocolate brittle- chocolate malt

chocolate bourbon balls