California Roll

For lunch today I made California Rolls. They were super yummy! Its not really a recipe really...just a list of stuff to assemble :)

California Rolls

white rice
toasted seaweed sheets
avocado
carrots
cucumbers
ginger
soy sauce and wasabi for dipping

Corned Beef and Cabbage

I find that boiled dinner and bland and tasteless when you only use the seasoning packet that it comes with. So I add a bottle of beer (I used the Shipyard Export this time as it was in the fridge), garlic, and bay leaves to give some added flavor. For the most part I follow the directions on the package of meat. I get the grey corned beef, so it doesn't have that red coloring being added needlessly. I did forget to put the carrots in this time *whoops*......Martha has a recipe to corn your own brisket....I may try that sometime in the future!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
aka: boiled dinner

1 bottle of beer
Potatoes
Head of Cabbage
Onions
Corned Beef and seasoning packet
8 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves


I use a crock pot, I put the meat in with the seasoning packet, bay leaves, garlic, and bottle of beer. Then I fill the crock pot with enough water to cover the beef completely. Typically 3 parts water to one part beer seems to work for me. I get around a 3lb brisket. I cook it in the crockpot on high for about 5 hours or so....then I add the Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and a couple medium onions. I cut them all up into large wedges or chunks. Cook until they are all tender. Another hour or so.

Shrimp and Barley

This was adapted from a recipe I found in Real Simple Magazine. I used a parmasan, romano, and asiago blend of cheeses in place of the straight parmasan. It was originally a vegetarian dish and I added some shrimp and white kidney beans. Mainly because I love putting beans in things....and because my husband has a hard time eating things that do not have some sort of *meat* in it.....even if its a very small amount he will be happy. He definitely got this from his mother, who was a very bland cook, who put copious amounts of meat in EVERYTHING. So it has taken him a long time to get used me cooking with less meat (whether that is meat, poultry, fish, etc.). It helps that he absolutely loves my cooking :). Probably because it has flavor!

Shrimp and Barley

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion
salt & pepper
2 cups quick cooking barley
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
8 cups fresh spinach
2 oz brie
1/2 cup parmesan
1lb raw shrimp

1. Dice onion and add to pot with olive oil. cook till translucent
2. Add barley, tomatoes, wine, 2 1/2 cups of water, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes
4. Add spinach, cheeses, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp is opaque. ~5 minutes
5. Serve and sprinkle with parmesan

Double Chocolate Cake

After I made my friend a cake...my husband wanted one too....he got a full gluten version ha! Very good....obnoxiously chocolately....cream cheese frosting :) Got this off of the Epicurious website.

Double Chocolate Cake

• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat 300

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Gluten Free Cake Flour

I made a graduation cake for a friend of mine. She can't have gluten, so I made a gluten free Red Velvet Cake for her this weekend. Turned out pretty good I think! And I received some good comments :)

Gluten Free Cake Flour:

3 cups fine ground white rice (you can find it cheaper in the Mexican food area)
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 1/4 teaspoons of xanthum gum

Mix together really well....and sift it when putting into a cake :)

Turkey & Bean Chili

This was not spicy in any way, I like some sort of heat with my chili. I took this recipe out of Real Simple Magazine. It was listed as a "under 400 calories" dish...of course it called for green beans which I hate...so I swapped in corn instead. I also cut back on the quantity of diced tomatoes (called for two 16oz cans, I used one) and added black beans. Overall a very yummy chili, and not an overwhelming quantity. Typically whenever I make chili I make WAY too much! I can feed an army ha! So this is a nice way to curb my overenthusiastic cooking :) In real simple it was supposed to be 4 servings...but this is easily 6 servings.

Turkey & Bean Chili

1 tablespoon oil
4 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion
1/2 pound ground turkey
3 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoon chili powder
16oz diced tomatoes
15oz red kidney beans
15oz black beans
2 cups frozen corn
salt & pepper
sour cream and shredded cheese for toppings

1. Cook turkey in a pot with a little oil until brown and cooked through
2. Dice onion and add to meat, cook until begins to clear
3. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat meat evenly
4. Add corn, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and black beans juice and all.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes
6. Serve with sprinkling of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream

Macaroni and Cheese

This is Martha Stewart's recipe for macaroni and cheese. Last time I made it I remember it tasting so much better. Its still pretty good....but not nearly as wonderful as my stepfather's mac and cheese....which of course isn't anything that he has written down. The BEST part of this recipe is the homemade croutons on top....I used a mixture of olive oil rosemary bread and roasted garlic bread (not *garlic bread* as in buttery garlic toasted for pasta.... but roasted pieces of garlic baked in the loaf.)

Macaroni and Cheese

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
4. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
5. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce
6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

Red Velvet Cake w/cream cheese frosting

I didn't use any coconut as dew doesn't like it, and I didn't cut the cakes in half to make it four high. Obviously it was good without ha! Pretty happy with it. LOVE LOVE LOVE this frosting! Sooooo good! I got the recipe from the Joy of Baking website. It really is red looking.....this picture makes it look brown...

Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (15 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 1/2 (360 ml) cups heavy whipping cream

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

Red Velvet Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a

mixing bowl together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the freezer for at least an hour. (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

In your food processor, or with a hand mixer, process the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and process until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. With a large spatula, gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream, in two stages. If the frosting is not thick enough to spread, cover and place in the refrigerator for an hour, or until it is firm enough to spread.

Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.