A Little Taste of Independence. July 1, 2009 at 11:03 pm Hey everyone – happy 4th of July! I know most everyone has a special Independence Day tradition. Most people spend the day with their family and friends, others go to neighborhood potlucks and barbeques, and still others go to the park to watch the fireworks burst beneath the stars. My personal tradition? When we first moved into this house, I was so happy to discover that the neighborhood was full of kids. Boys, it turned out. We’re not little kids, and unfortunately I don’t go out and play with those boys anymore. While I wish I could claim credit for it, the idea of a flag cake was completely my father’s. I used a white cake flavored with coconut milk. I wanted the cake to be completely white on the outside, keeping the richly colored layers hidden. So, want to know how it’s made? Bear with me, it’s a bit hard to explain without pen and paper.
To make the cake, you use three layers of white cake. Whew! Update – More help! Like this: Like Loading... Brown Butter Baked Alaska & Ice Cream Petit Fours. August 27, 2010 at 11:57 am Maybe you’re sick of hearing me saying it, but it’s the only thing on my mind right now – I’m so excited for college. It’s been coming for months. I felt it in my bones as I reread my acceptance letter, checking and double checking every sentence.
It crept up my spine as I leaned over a map of Massachusetts, marveling at the thrill of my school printed there on the paper. And even though my friends have slowly left one by one, the change hasn’t felt real until the past week, when I myself began packing. One of the best parts? In all honesty, it was difficult. Individually, I’d made the ice cream, meringue, and glaze recipes before. But I shouldn’t have been afraid. The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. How cool is that? Since my access to a kitchen will be limited the next ten months, this was my last Daring Bakers challenge, and admittedly my favorite one. And as you’re reading this right now, what am I doing?
Bacon + Chocolate = World Peace? December 29, 2009 at 1:47 pm When I was in 5th grade, my class went on an overnight trip to a pioneer farm. We took a tour of the farm, learned about the equipment and tools, and slept that evening in a real pioneer cabin. The next morning after breakfast, we were given our authentic pioneer chores. Mine was cleaning up after the farm’s pig, Susan Bacon Anthony. While some of my friends pressed apples into cider, and other classmates tried out the tools at the blacksmith house, I trudged through the mud towards the barn. By the time my parents arrived to pick me up, I had an announcement to make – I was becoming a vegetarian so that I never had to eat a Susan Bacon Anthony, or any of her friends, ever again. My parents seemed complacent enough throughout the drive home. As a child I was passionate about bacon. As the pan sizzled and the house filled with the smell of bacon, I ended up going outside. I’m not fooling anybody.
When faced with bacon brownies, I think many people are divided. Blackberry Jam Almond Bars. April 2, 2010 at 3:41 pm I was almost fooled by the week of sunny weather Seattle’s seen, but the rain has finally begun to pour. Just last week, the cherry blossom trees stretched over my head in airy, arching bloom, but these days I have to duck to avoid the low branches laden with water. Rain streaks down the windows, bathing everything in a steely blue glow. Umbrellas pop open like strange flowers when I walk outside. I usually like this kind of weather, but right now, I can’t stand it. I am tired of being patient. I was patient all through Christmas break, through the slush of February and the bitter chill of March. After months of waiting, I finally received the last of my college decisions yesterday. The whole day was simply killing time. I skimmed the first line and immediately knew.
I read it, read it again, read it a third time with burning eyes. Have you ever felt like you’ve been waiting patiently your whole life for something? [PS: Happy birthday Grandma. Like this: Guess-the-Ingredient Brownies. August 26, 2008 at 1:34 am I think I’ve probably tried a hundred brownie recipes. Every kind of chocolate, different spices, fudgey and cakey and everything inbetween. But seriously, I’d never tried any brownies like these ones before. Sometimes a recipe sounds so intriguing that you have to try it, even if it means a trip to the grocery store. These brownies are soft, rich, creamy, and fudge-like with the occasional walnut. Any idea what’s in them? They’re black beans! Black Bean Brownies 4 oz baker’s (unsweetened) chocolate 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups soft cooked or canned black beans, well drained 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup natural coffee substitute or instant coffee 1/4 tsp salt 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups light agave nectar or honey Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butter on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs for about 1 minute until lightened and creamy. Like this: Maple and Walnut Nanaimo Bars (Daring Bakers) January 27, 2010 at 2:17 pm Lately, I’ve been in a writing rut. I’ve been in food ruts where I made the same types of desserts over and over, and I’ve had weeks where inspiration simply escaped me. I’ve had photography ruts, too, where every post would somehow have the same style of photographs. I think every food blogger has those moments where you long to shoot images of vintage cars, textured bark or copper kettles, anything but another cookie.
These days, I haven’t had any recent baking disasters and my photography can only improve. But I’ve never experienced a writing rut before, and even stringing those two words together makes my heart ache like a bruised peach. I tried to pinpoint where it started, and I think I know. At first, I was exhilarated. I’ve never received disparaging comments before. But honestly? I remember for the first time, dreading my next post. I wrote a lighthearted post instead, and kept my feelings to myself for once. Bottom Layer Chocolate Top Layer Like this:
The Bar That Needs A Warning Label – “Dangerously Good” June 17, 2009 at 6:28 pm I used to love the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a kid. Chocolate waterfalls, ice cream that never melts, everlasting gobstoppers? It seemed almost obscene! I am a chocoholic who might need rehab, a cinnamon-sugar addict who suffers from withdrawals, a sweetened coconut junkie. I have quite the sweet tooth, if you didn’t notice. My mom, on the other hand, does not think much of sugar. Sweet. A chocolate studded brown sugar and coffee shortbread, cooked crisp so that the edges are caramelly. They were the perfect gift for my lovely neighbor who did my prom hair out of sheer kindness. And oh, she got nuts. You might remember another thing from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the amazing television commercials that Willy Wonka was perfecting. You’ve got the recipe. This is an easy recipe that came together pretty quickly and made the house smell wonderful. It cut into really beautiful bars that I felt proud to deliver next door.
Like this: Frozen Watermelon Basil-Lime Bars. August 4, 2010 at 10:06 pm We don’t spend hours in the kitchen every evening. Sometimes, I just pop a bowl of cold fried rice into the microwave for a quicker than quick dinner. On Tuesdays my mother and I steam broccoli, chop watermelon into chunks, sit down to watch Chopped and call it a night. I’ve even leaned against the fridge and eaten cold chicken salad straight out of the tupperware. Our kitchen is always stocked with enough leftovers to make us low-maintenance weeknight diners. Weekends, though… That’s an entirely different matter. Sometimes the whole day revolves our food. My parents and I frequently head to the farmer’s market right after breakfast to shop for dinner, usually without a meal plan in mind.
Don’t be fooled, though. Usually, it’s chaotic frustration. Yet once we carry plates to the table, settling down in our usual chairs, it’s calm. Usually when I’m in the kitchen, I’m alone. When I’m baking by myself, the kitchen is perfect for one person – spacious, even. April Showers bring May Migraines – and Cold War Brownies. May 5, 2009 at 5:35 pm Oh, my gosh. What makes these Cold War brownies? Maybe it’s like this. There’s cream cheese, yeah? Then there’s the chili powder. And the nutella. And it’s like… They’re all together, on the playing field.
Alternatively, maybe it’s because, as my friend G- put it, they’re bomb. !!! …Orrrrrrr, maybe they’re Cold War Brownies because I (sort of) studied and baked at the same time. No matter what, they’ll make a pack of exhausted, brain dead juniors smile again. Yes, I confess. Yesterday? And the rest doesn’t get much better. So who can blame me for coming home and not being in the mood to study?
Jeez, I sound like a big complainer. These brownies just sort of came together. Oh, hello! As I was making them, I got a bit of inspiration. These brownies are thick, chocolatey, and intense. Cold War BrowniesAdapted from David Lebowitz Makes a 9″ pan Topping8 oz cream cheese, room temperature 1 large egg yolk 5 tbsp sugar 1/8 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp cinnamon 4 tbsp Nutella.