Braided, Egged, Frosted and Occasionally Roasted

Passover Goes South...

2013-04-01T11:00:00.001-04:00

Day 6, and I don’t think I’ll make it out of here, alive....oh wait, I’m not on some deserted island, or locked in a terrible French jail w/ Hugh Jackman?

No. It is just the annual, 8 days of repeat meals, constipation, and, “oh you don’t have potato vodka? I’ll just have a soda water, thanks.” Yep, still Passover, and if I eat one more bite of tuna or Manichewitz macaroon, I’m gonna punch Baby Moses in the face. Take that Uncle Moshe!

It is about this time every year when my supplies start to run low, and the matzo starts to interfere with my brain functions. From my apartment in Adams Morgan, my mind begins to wander back home. To the South. Where our K4P foods used to come shipped CSA style (Jews are always so ahead of their time) from the big cities of Atlanta and New Orleans, where there were Kosher butchers. Could the place of my birth inspire me to get through these final days? Well, for one day, at least, the answer is a resounding HELL YEAH!

A few weeks ago I took off for the Republic of Texas for a twofer trip. I started my journey in Austin to see my bestie, Rachel, who I’ve known since I was 2 yo. and who had moved there a little over a year ago.

The second half of my trip was spent, mainly in the Westin Galleria in Dallas for the Jewish Federation of North America’s National Young Leadership Conference. But it was those first days in Austin that inspired my Passover Sunday Brunch.

I’m a planner. I’m not going to hide it. I get it from my mother, who would schedule every minute of our vacations, and be on a first name basis with both hotel and restaurant staff wherever she goes. That trait ensures that wherever I travel in life, I will have an itinerary prepared, and it is dictated by where and when I am eating. Since this was my first time to Austin, I was sure to consult anyone and everyone I know who lives or lived there. That led me to reaching out to my friend Becca; an Austin-native, and like me, loves nothing more than giving visitors to our hometown’s a detailed list of things to eat, see and do. I’ve heard of this mysterious breakfast dish called migas, for a while. Some tex-mex thing everyone in Austin eats, but I wasn’t sure, 1. what it was? and 2. where do you go to get it? Becca sent me and Rachel to Juan in a Million; a local jewel and the kind of place that started as a tiny establishment, and then awkwardly built onto the original building every few successful years.

Migas ordered, and a few minutes, and crap ton of chips and salsa later, a plate of fluffy eggs with bits of red and green peppers arrives at our table. Rachel and I go silent as we dive into our first plate of migas. Simple Googling post-meal gives me Migas 101. Eggs, peppers, onions, jalapeño, tomatoes, cheese, tortillas. So simple, so delicious.

Fast forward two weeks, and my mind is on Pesach-mode. Passover breakfast is almost always eggs in some form or fashion. One particular favorite dish, is our wannabe-French toast dish called, Matzo brie. Basically you coat matzo in egg and fry it up and top with honey, cinnamon and sugar, jelly, or go the savory route with onion, or ketchup, maybe salmon. Got me thinking...how would it turn out if I tossed out the not-Kosher-but-oh-so-delicious-corn-tortilla and threw in some matzo? Welp, y’all. The answer is, DELICIOUS!!!

Ben's Matzo Migas!

(serves 6-8)

*Adapted from the Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

4 whole matzo
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeds And Membranes Removed, Finely Diced
4 whole Plum Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Green Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Roughly Chopped
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
12 whole Large Eggs
1 cup of cheese. (I found colby jack at Brookville market that was K4P)
1/3 cup Cilantro, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup milk or half and half

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Salt and pepper eggs, then set aside.

Soak matzo with enough water to make it maliable (like you would for a matzo lasagna) and cut into small pieces, and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil with the butter. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until starting to turn brown/black, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in diced jalapenos and stir to combine. Add tomatoes to the skillet and stir around, then add matzo pieces, stirring gently to combine.

Reduce heat to low.

When the heat has decreased, pour egg mixture into skillet. Stir gently to cook with the peppers, folding mixture very gently as it cooks. Add in grated cheese and chopped cilantro, and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Give a few shakes of your favorite Kosher hot sauce to a little added kick.

Ok, so breakfast is covered, but I still am not satisfied. And why? Because I'm Southern, and the fact that I haven’t had fried food in a week is really starting to mess with my stomach. Oh, another Mandarin orange?!? Where am I from??? California???

Time to break out the chicken breasts i forgot were in the back of my fridge and get to work, y’all. If you’ve never made fried chicken before, you basically set up an assembly line with a wet station, a dry station, and then whatever you are using to cook up the chicken. Since I don’t have a deep fryer, I decided it was best to save my apartment from being coated in grease, and go the oven-fry route.

1lb of boneless skinless chicken breast
2 and 1/2 matzo ground up (or about a cup and a half of matzo meal)
salt
pepper
additional seasonings
olive oil

Put a piece of heavy duty foil lightly greased with olive oil on a cookie sheet or baking dish

Take your chicken breasts, pull off the tender and set aside. Wrap your chicken in plastic wrap and use a kitchen hammer or can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup and beat it up till you’ve got a cutlet about 1/4 inch thick.

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and get your stations ready.

Station 1 (wet): Olive oil (enough to coat desired amount of chicken)

Station 2 (dry): Matzo meal, salt, pepper and seasonings mixed

As far as what seasonings to use, you can’t go wrong with just salt in pepper, but maybe shake a bit of garlic powder, some dry parsley, paprika, lemon zest, zaatar, Let you freak flag fly. Dredge your chicken in the oil till lightly coated and press into the dry ingredients, flip and repeat till the chicken is coated and loose breading falls off, and place on the greased baking sheet. Give each piece a little shot of salt and pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil and place in the middle rack for about 15 minutes. Turn the baking sheet around to help ensure the heat gets distributed evenly, and switch to broil for 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on the chicken. If it starts to burn, switch back to 400.

They turned out crispy and delicious!!! Just what I needed to get me to the end of Pesach 5773! Bread, we'll be reunited in no time.

The Passover Dessert Scene

2013-03-22T18:03:00.001-04:00

I'll just start by admitting what you all probably already know, I loved Hebrew School.

My brother liked Hebrew School too...for the most part...I think. We each had our separate reasons for adoration though. While my brother's fondness was couched in a combination of the spoils of the bribery my mother washed over us every Sunday morning to lure us out of bed and out the door (RIP Marvelous Market french toast, because I'm pretty sure they don't make it anymore), and the actual learning about our religion part, mine was based primarily on the social scene (I know, SHOCKING).

I was smitten with the Temple Sinai social scene. In addition to being surrounded by friends I'd known for-eva, there were BOYS, occasionally the opportunity to drink wine, and what seemed like a constant parade of festivals and parties.

But I too, occasionally, listened and absorbed a lesson or two. Like the one about inviting strangers to your Passover table. Over the years I've only gotten better at that one and it's spread to just about every holiday, Jewish or not. Thanksgiving? Awesome, count me in mom, I'll need a plus 5. Christmas Eve Chinese? I met a few people volunteering at the J today... I can't help it, I just love bringing new people into every celebration. So to atone (wrong holiday) for my over-extension of invites to my mother's table this year I plan to whip up some extra goodies (plus-ones?) in addition to the haroset I was tasked with this year (oh did I mention I bought myself a 14-cup Cusinart food processor?!).

In addition to my parent's seder, I'm heading to a friends on Tuesday so I'll have plenty of opportunities to try out a few of the Passover recipes I've been eyeing.

A round up of some gems from my Pinterest Board (who am I kidding, this will mostly just be a paean to Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen)...

I'll start with a perennial family favorite, Ann Amernick's Passover Chocolate Cake (this gem lives in Joan Nathan's cookbook The Jewish Holiday Baker which incidentally was a bat mitzvah gift from Mother Would Know)
Coconut-Almond Macaroons from the fabulous Laura Kumin of Mother Would Know
Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers) from Smitten Kitchen
Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon Torte also from Smitten Kitchen
Haroset Balls from Susan Barocas h/t my awesome friend Ben
Chocolate Passover cookies from Martha Stewart
François Payard’s Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies h/t Smitten Kitchen

Happy Passover baking y'all! Would love to hear what you're baking this weekend in the comment section below.

And remember, friends don't let friends buy Passover cake mixes.

PS: Don't forget a Pesach-friendly Bloody Mary to wash it all down!

Brownies Make Everything Better

2012-09-19T07:42:00.000-04:00

A best friend will be there for you no matter what.

No, this is not the start to a Judy Blume novel (side-note, if this was it would be called "Are You There Bartender? I'm the Girl Who Left Behind My Cellphone, Clutch and Dignity Last Night"—and yes Nini, it would be historical fiction because I would never do something that irresponsible). Additional aside. If you're pining for a Judy Blume fix and share my adoration for her, go read this now, think good thoughts for her swift recovery and come back to my post later (I'll understand).

But in all sincerity, in a crazy world, it's good to know there's someone a phone call away to talk some sense into you (or in Lisa's case, to bake you brownies).

When you're a few drinks in and lose your footing on U street (I swear that girl pushed me), she's the one who comes to your rescue with a helping hand (and a fresh beverage). She talks you out of calling that boy that broke your heart and talks you into going out with her on a Tuesday when you are on cold meds. She'll bring her mother by your apartment at 10am on a Sunday morning for a tour, and you will return the favor by promptly alerting the mommy-alert system that there is a boy in the picture that someone hasn't heard about...

She remembers when you learned how to swim, because she was on the kick-board next to you (and probably kicked you in the head), and she forgives you for cutting her bangs (at a rather heinous diagonal) on the day before picture day—no doubt inspired by Iman's sultry sweep on the cover of L.A. Style in April of 1987.

Cover of L.A. Style, April 1987

And best of all she will be there for you at a moment's notice (okay maybe it's just because she lives around the corner).

So when my bff (the one who upon entering my apartment never fails to make a beeline to my freezer for "chocolate morsels") called to say she was standing at a bus-stop in the pouring rain during a tornado warning after a crappy day, you better believe I dropped everything I was doing (reading a Judy Blume book while waiting for the season premiere of The Mindy Project to be uploaded to Hulu), whipped her up a pan of brownies and met her at the bar down the street.

With no chocolate "morsels" on-hand to make my go-to recipe and a tornado warning still in effect I took to my cupboard and the interwebs for some inspiration. The forks at Epicurious assured me I could in fact undertake brownies with the ingredients I had, but Smitten Kitchen's enthusiasm for this recipe sealed the deal (she had me when she confessed to not knowing if the recipe would work in the microwave because she doesn't have a microwave *swoon*).

While I may have been swept up in my desire to get to the bar to meet my friends, I followed the directions to a tee. Minus the part where in my haste I forgot to line the pan (whoops). But the brownies accepted my injury with grace and aplomb (I did generously grease the pan with unsalted butter). They may have even better than my go-to recipe which I just realized, I may never have shared with you and lives in a Betty Crocker chocolate cookbook at my parent's house. Blind taste test anyone?

Best Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet

Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (mailed from Texas by way of Mexico if you're lucky enough to have an aunt as awesome as my Aunt Sally)
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional, I did not use this time around)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Here comes the part I forgot: "Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides." If you are in the mood to forget this step, feel free spray pan with non-stick butter spray or grease with 1/2 tablespoon butter using a clean paper towel.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a saucepan or small pot small enough that the bowl does not touch the bottom of the water, with about 2-3 inches of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside until the mixture has cooled slightly. Mine looked perfect even in the absence of a double boiler but Smitten Kitchen cautioned that if "it looks fairly gritty at this point, don’t fret —it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added."

Double boiler free since 2003!

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until thoroughly incorporated, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan (or in the case of yours truly, pour into a well greased pan if you're not paying attention to directions).

Unlined but just fine!

Bake until a toothpick poked into the center emerges slightly moist with batter. It took my brownies 25 minutes to set. Let cool completely on a rack.

If you actually lined the pan (overachiever), at this point you'd lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board.

Finally cut up the brownies (16 or 25 squares or whatever your heart desires), dust them with powdered sugar and deliver to Stoney's before closing time. Take an adorable picture of said bff opening up the tin of brownies capturing the sheer joy and surprise on her face in real-time. Then somehow erase picture between bar and your apartment and frantically call her boyfriend to take another picture so that you can post something first thing in the morning.

Brownies (like bff's ) always make things better.

Running for Banana Bread

2012-06-05T23:22:00.000-04:00

According to the regular updates I've been getting from my Aunt's iPad, my grandmother's iPhone and my cousin's iTouch (okay she also has an iPhone but I wanted to go for the hat trick) my precious cousin Leo went from his first steps to sprinting in a matter of days. While my precious cousin Leo was a scooter, I think we can all agree you have to master crawling before he got to his new breakneck pace (which I cannot wait to see when I make it back to Austin next - an aside, visiting someone in the middle of a Texas summer is a mark of true devotion)..

Baking too needs a crawling period. You need to master the art of something you have a lot of confidence in putting together on a whim before you graduate to the harder stuff. like, oh say this beautiful cupcake house my friend Elana and I constructed at her fabulous confection-filled bridal shower last week.

My dream house made of cupcake (look inside there is an industrial sized standing mixer).

Banana bread was that step between crawling and walking for me. You know that saying, "first comes pancakes, then comes banana bread then comes a challah loaf as big as your head?" Oh then I guess you were not "raised" in my house (if you're my real friend you will never forgive that pun).

The best part about this recipe is its ability to forgive. Maybe I'm just blinded by my love for this recipe, but I honestly think I could swap out any of these ingredients and end up with something edible and delicious. I have done this bread many an injustice. I have made it with two bananas plus whatever fruit I have on hand (as I did today), I have thrown in dried cranberries, fresh blueberries, chocolate chips, carob chips (which I still contend are gross) and more chocolate chips, swapped in fruit flavored yogurts for buttermilk/sour cream/yogurt, whole wheat flour and the occasional handful of pecans.

This past Saturday morning I attempted several rounds of injustices on this recipe. There were the aforementioned two bananas vs. three minimum, but then there was the matter of what to do once my batter once ready. I've been in my apartment for almost a year and I only just (as in once I was ready to put this puppy in the oven) discovered that the whole time I have been sans loaf pan. Cue 8x8 glass Pyrex to the rescue, with nary a complaint from my taste testers. With old college friends on their way over for brunch, friends who've seen me through many incarnations of myself, I could think of no better recipe to make.

Thanks to my beautiful mother for giving me this recipe (my grandmother even gives her credit in her excellent collection of spiral bound family recipes), but most of all for showing me how to make a recipe that can change with me (and the ingredients in my fridge). And thank you all for forgiving me my Instagram transgressions. Banana bread was never meant to be sepia coated.

Susan's Banana Bread

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
1 cup sugar (white or brown or mixed)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour (I use unbleached white whole wheat this time around but you can swap in your preference)
4 tablespoons sour cream (or yogurt or buttermilk)
3-4 ripe bananas (tip, if a banana's too brown for you to eat, throw it in the freezer and take out at least10 minutes before you're ready to make this recipe)

Optional

1 cup "other stuff" which can be a combination of nuts, raisins, blueberries or other kinds of berries (better if they're on the riper side as well). This time around I used a cup of chocolate chips and a cup of blackberries and strawberries (this was in lieu of said third banana).

Using a hand mixer (or a standing mixer if you've got one) cream together the sugar and the butter. One light and fluffy add eggs and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Add salt, baking soda and flour and combine thoroughly.

In a separate bowl mash up the bananas using a fork until they look like something you think your mom would let a baby eat, then add to the batter and combine once more. If you're putting in the "other stuff" that will be your final addition, make sure to combine in using a spatula or a wooden spoon however to protect the integrity of the ingredients.

Pour batter into a well greased large loaf pan (or two medium ones, or one 8x8 pan) and bake at 325 degrees Farenheit for an hour or more. You'll know your bread is ready if it's firm to the touch and it passes the toothpick test.

Lesson learned, if throwing random blueberries into banana bread, DO NOT take the picture on Instagram because the whole world will think you're baking purple Gak.

Not Gak.

Definitely Gak.

The final round of injustices to this recipe I refuse to take responsibility for. My friends dove in before I had a chance to take a picture of the final product.

Whoops.

Happy baking!

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

2012-04-24T22:51:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, we celebrated of one of my favorite people in the entire world, my friend Ben who had a birthday earlier this month. Like much earlier this month. As in April 5th earlier. Why the delay in celebrating? Life. A wedding, a bachelorette party (not in that order), a few DC2NY round-trips, Passover, DVR fueled marathons of Happy Endings etc.

But seriously, Ben is incredible. So just here at Braided and Egged we're going all out. As you might remember last year's Ben Birthday creation was an orange and blue cookie creation I dubbed Gator Bait in honor of Ben's alma mater (go gators!). They were amazing. I might not be able to top it, but I sure as heck am going to try.

Ben and I have been friends for years, but it never fails to surprise us both when we realize funny parallels in our upbringings. We both have fabulous moms (hi Sharon and Susan!), great style, a love of DC, a family history in the scrap business (junk not DVF swatches), and a passion for banana pudding. Now it's pretty incredible that given my personal affinity for banana pudding I have heretofore never made it on my own. Sure I've helped my grandmother layer the bananas and Nilla Wafers a time or two, but make it on my own? Chalk it up to fear of consuming the entire batch by myself or perhaps a distrust of insant pudding packages not purchased at an HEB. But if you know how awesome Ben, you're acutely aware that I would be willing to take such risks. Without further ado, I present to you the Banana Pudding Cupcake.

I started with the classic 1-2-3-4 cake I learned at the lap of the best. My timeworn copy of Fanny at Chez Panisse (truth it is in fact possible to give a kid a present they will use forever).

Banana Pudding Modified 1-2-3-4 Cake

"This cake is called 1-2-3-4 because it is a very old recipe and people could remember the ingredients by the numbers without having to write it down." - Fanny at Chez Panisse

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

2 not yet entirely rotten bananas, smashed with a fork

1 package instant vanilla pudding prepared according to directions on box
2 "just right" bananas
1 container Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350° F.

Sift the cake flour, scoop into a measuring cup, scrape a knife across the top of the cup to level it, and measure 3 cups. Put the flour in a separate bowl. Add baking powder and salt to the flour and combine.

Separate the eggs. Put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.

Beat the butter using a hand-mixer until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, and smashed bananas and beat again until very fluffy and light yellow. Add the egg yolks and beat them in briefly. Add vanilla and mix well.

Next add the flour and milk in parts. Sift about half of the flour over the butter mixture and lightly stir it in. Exchange the spoon for a large rubber spatula, and pour in about half the milk. Use the spatula to gently mix the milk into the batter. Sift over the rest of the flour and stir it in. Pour in the rest of the milk and gently mix it in.

Using a very clean metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand-mixer. When the whites are very fluffy and will hold a soft peak shape when you lift up the whisk, they're ready. I always have to remind myself to be patient at this point. They'll get there.

Scoop up some of the whites with the spatula, add to the batter, and very gently stir them in. This will lighten the batter and make it easier to fold in the rest of the whites. Then pour the rest of the whites onto the batter and begin to fold them in. Use the spatula to lift up some of the batter from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over the whites. Turn the bowl a little and fold again. Do that just until the egg whites are mixed in. Try not to crush the air bubbles in the whites, this is what gives the cupcakes a light and delicate texture.

Add the batter to your lined cupcake tins, they should be about half-full, and put in the center of the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. When the cakes are lightly browned, and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, they're done. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

make 32 cupcakes.

While the cupcakes are baking prepare your instant pudding according to directions on the box. Mine required 3 cups of milk and approximately 5 minutes to chill. Not made from scratch but I'll take it.

Once the cupcakes cooled I cut a little circle in each that was about an inch deep. I took the cupcake scraps and threw them into the pudding (no reason to waste good cake) and mixed in two cups of Nilla Wafers broken up into pieces. I then poured the pudding into a sandwich bag to pipe into the cupcakes (my friend Liz thought up this genius move) and cut a one inch hole in the corner of the bag.

Liz handled the piping so if you have any questions about that part you'll have to consult her. I was busy straightening my hair in preparation for the torrential downpour awaiting us once we stepped out my apartment door. Time well spent.

Anyway after that we packed up the cupcakes and brought them over to Ben's in the fabulous cake carrier he got me for Hannukah.

When you're ready to serve the cupcakes, simply take our your container of Cool Whip and using a spatula spread about two tablespoons onto the top of the cupcake. Garnish with a Nilla Wafer or two and a slice of banana and you've got a party (especially if you have Ben with you). Happy birthday Ben!

But I hardly even know you!

2011-07-22T15:17:00.000-04:00

There is nothing more fraught than the relationship between a baker and their oven. An oven that's too hot, not hot enough, one that shuts of on a whim or worse, one that doesn't cook evenly. Like any new relationship, it takes a while to figure out how you'll communicate and learn to manage temper tantrums (mine, not the oven's). But new apartment oven, I haven't even had a chance to get to know ya. I've yet to test even a pan of brownies, nary a cookie in your gas powered caverns. Sure you're not a looker, nor are you even full-sized (I know, how could I have chosen an apartment without a full-size oven) and yes, our first encounter coincided with my first call to maintenance (pilot light out). But even still I have high hopes for us. I've picked out our song, and our china patterns, I have recipes at the ready for us to bake together.

For now though, we have to keep our distance. Even I won't go near an oven when the thermometer creeps over 100. So if you need me I'll be by the pool and in the event of rain, making pickles (I was inspired by the pickle backs at American Ice Company last weekend).

To my oven and my dear readers, I have not forgotten you. I'm not even cheating on you (the freezer doesn't count right?). I'm bound to get sick of sitting on my couch eating frozen grapes eventually.

I'm so optimistic in fact that I bought two pounds of unsalted butter (our poison of choice) at my new Whole Foods just yesterday.

Stay cool folks. Oh and let me know if you swing by Whole Foods, I need more grapes.

Baby, You're A Fruit Crisp

2011-07-04T11:01:00.001-04:00

I love the Fourth of July. Everything about the holiday is seeped in awesomeness for me. Hot dogs? Bring on the Hebrew Nationals and cover them with literally every topping available. Watermelon? I'll even eat them with seeds. Parades? I would go to a parade everyday if that was an option. Fireworks? Bring it. If I could find anyone left in the city who would go to the Mall with me on the Fourth I would be there right now, camping out amid the tourists who are looking for the Cherry Blossoms (sorry, you're a little late) and fighting for a spot with a vendor who specializes in FBI t-shirts and stunna shades.

As a kid the Fourth meant the Palisades Parade in the quaint DC hamlet that tricked me into thinking I was raised in a sleepy small southern town. As an adult things haven't changed much. If I find myself in DC, I'm usually back at the Palisades Parade giving out candy and stickers (now I know why Santa is always so jolly) while shilling for a local candidate. But afterwards I usually retreat to a more "adult" activity like sneaking out onto illicit rooftops and drinking wine out of a Nalgene with 100 of my closest friends.

This year won't be too much different except that instead of the parade I'll be mattress shopping (girl's gotta sleep), packing for my impending move and spending time with my grandmother who is in from Texas (hi Nini!) before sneaking out onto a rooftop with my girls. Because baby, I can't miss the fireworks.

What to make for a pre-Fourth celebration? Apple pie you say? I hope you give me a little more credit than that. For one, I'm not the biggest fan of pie crust. I don't mind making it and I certainly won't mind eating it, but to me, there really is nothing better in the summer than fresh local fruit topped with butter and sugar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But since I have trouble picking favorites from the bevy of beautiful fruit laid before me at the market, I threw them all in. You of course can just pick one or two and go with it.

Like the United States of America, this recipe is both an original and a fruit salad (tell me I'm not the only one who went to liberal schools and learned we're more like a fruit salad than a melting pot). Come on fruit, let your colors burst. But please, whatever fruit you choose, serve this crisp with vanilla (or ginger) ice cream, it's the American way.

Red, White and Fruit Crisp

Filling Ingredients:

2 peaches, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups blueberries, washed and devoid of stems
1 lemon juiced and zested
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons uncooked tapioca pearls

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon crystalized ginger (optional)
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds (or your choice of nuts)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl throughly combine prepared fruit with lemon juice and zest, sugar and tapioca. Pour contents into deep pie pan. Put aside until topping is ready.

Slice butter into 1/2 inch cubes and pulse with flour, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and salt in Cuisinart until combined. Remove contents to large bowl and using your finger tips (or if that grosses you out a wooden spoon) combine oatmeal and almonds with mixture until nice and crumbly. Distribute topping evenly on top of fruit.

Bake for 45-50 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (after 35 minutes I put foil on top to ward off any chance of burning).

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Anything I can do you can do better!

2011-05-31T14:28:00.000-04:00

Bad news folks. I am going to start working full-time again tomorrow. Will I find time to bake for y'all? But of course. Will I be rolling out cake balls and washing them down with sangria everyday? Not so much. While I adjust to life as a working woman once more, I need your help. Have an idea for a blog? Shoot it on over and we can discuss how you can post a guest blog of your very own.

Annie get our your pie pans, I'm sure you can do better :)

Pour Some Sugar (and Cinnamon) on Me

2011-05-27T11:39:00.001-04:00

It's true, I want to be Ina Garten.

While I admire so many celebrity chefs, and while my first love will always be Alice Waters (Fanny at Chez Panisse was the best birthday present I have ever gotten) and my second favorite is former White House Pastry Chef Ann Amernick and my third Paula Deen and my fourth Warren Brown and how could I forget Mark Bittman (ok so I crush a lot) Ina is my true idol.

Did you know that the Barefoot Contessa has her pilot's license, was a White House nuclear policy analyst and used to flip homes in my favorite neighborhoods in DC (Kalorama and Dupont)? Like me she's a Jewish Democrat who loves to entertain and has a home in East Hampton and several cookbooks under her belt. Ok so maybe only half of that is true but I can dream (just like Liz does on 30 Rock).

Liz Lemon: I'm like that woman on the Food Network whose husband only comes home on the weekends, and spends the rest of the time eating and drinking with her gay friends.
Jack Donaghy: Her name is Barefoot Contessa, Lemon, and you will never be like her, starting with the 'barefoot' part.

I love watching Ina as she cooks for her fabulous friends and her adorable husband Jeffery with her collar popped. But most of all, I love the Contessa because her recipes are always winners. So when Ina told me how to make rugelach, I was all ears. Pour some sugar on me, I can't get enough.

I gotta go now, Jeffery just pulled into the driveway (and by Jeffery I mean my awesome cousin Emily and by driveway I mean the DC2NY bus).

Rugelach

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins (I used Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (obviously optional but I am in shock that Ina didn't include this)
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot (or raspberry, I did 2 dozen of each) preserves, pureed in a food processor
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins (or whatever you are using), chocolate chips, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough.

Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. This is a great time to get out that pizza cutter you bought and never use. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or of course a Silpat). Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Cake Ballin'

2011-05-19T11:24:00.000-04:00

Come on admit it. At one time or another in your life you have found yourself faced with the prospect of eating a grocery store sheet cake and saying yes. Be it at an office party/kindergarten graduation/best friend's cousin's bat mitzvah reception, you saw it in the corner of the room awaiting it's pomp and circumstance and then quick demise. Your thighs say no, but your eyes say yes. Then finally the moment of truth. The songs have been sung, the cake has been cut, plates are being passed. You pass up the first plate ("oh no, that's way too big"), you even pass up the second. But then the third piece you're responsible for taking or passing, it's just perfect. Somehow against all odds, it seems that every single flower that was on that ginormous cake is now nestled on your plate. Fate has intervened. There is no way you can pass this little piece of perfection. You dig in.

For me, it's all about the frosting in this scenario. The cake is inevitably a disappointment so you've set the bar for that low, but the frosting, you always hope that it can carry the team. Heaven forbid that if your beloved frosting has that tell-tale taste of food coloring and playdough which so often mars a beautiful grocery store creation. There is only one way to salvage this situation. Throw the cake away? You are sadly mistake my friend. The obvious answer is to think back to what your 7 year-old self would do. She would take the back of her fork and squish the cake and frosting together until there was a disgusting looking paste and then enjoy the fruits of her labor. This my friends is not doubt the way that the cake ball was born.

Whip up a cake today and prove me wrong that this isn't the best way to eat a sheet cake. Kudos to Scho for introducing this concept to me via her friends at Bakerella.

Today I was in the mood for Red Velvet Cake Balls, but I have also made delicious cake balls using the Red Wine Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from the lovely ladies at We are Not Martha. The tartness of the red wine was a fantastic complement to the sweet duo of frosting and chocolate shell.

You're going to judge me, but I can take it. While I have made many a sheet cake from scratch, there are times (you can count them on one hand) where I have used a boxed cake mix. This my friends was one of those times. I like to think I make up for my transgression by making my own frosting.

Cake Balls!

Directions for the easiest recipe you have ever attempted. Seriously, cake + frosting = cake balls!

1) Using your favorite cake recipe (or least hated cake mix), bake a 13x9 sheet cake and let cool COMPLETELY. I made red velvet.

2) Whip up a batch of your favorite frosting (or buy a tub on aisle 7). The best pairing for red velvet is most certainly cream cheese frosting and lucky for you that is the easiest frosting to make from scratch.

Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese (obvi I use 1/3 less fat)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla your aunt smuggled back from Mexico (or whatever you find on aisle 7)

Cream together cream cheese and butter using an electric hand mixer (or a standing mixer if you have it). On medium speed mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla one teaspoon at a time until thoroughly combined. When your frosting looks perfect (don't get lazy and leave any lumps, you will regret it), cover and put in fridge to chill until you are ready to start ballin'.

3) When your cake is totally cool and not a moment sooner, get out a knife and rip that sucker up into a large mixing bowl. Seriously, you want it to look like this.

4) Mix frosting into bowl of cake crumbs using a good spatula, combining well.

5) Let mixture chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes-1 hour (or longer if need be).

6) Using cookie dough scoop or melon baller to measure roll little your cake balls into semi-precious little lumps and drop onto wax covered cookie sheet. Repeat 75 times (yes this recipe makes 75 cake balls).

7) Let cake balls chill in freezer until you are ready to dip in chocolate.

8) To cover cake balls in chocolate, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips one cup a time in microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes depending on microwave, stir until completely melted.

9) Using two spoons roll cake ball around one at a time in the melted chocolate until it's completely covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Return cake ball to wax lined baking sheet. Repeat 75 times. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.

10) You can chill cake balls in the fridge or the freezer depending on your preference. The last time I made them my friends stashed them in the freezer early in the party and shared them as a treat with people they liked (secrets, secrets are no fun).

Serve chilled, frozen or at room temperature.

Scho's beautiful Fourth of July cake balls from last year, my cake-spiration

Cornbread: A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll

2011-05-18T14:26:00.000-04:00

For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, I have always been obsessed with Donny and Marie's classic "Little Bit Country/Little Bit Rock and Roll."

Maybe it's that I identify with the duality of the song (after all I am a Gemini). Having been raised a dual citizen of sorts, conveniently enough smack dab in the middle in Washington, DC, a city which itself often gets characterized as in a perpetual identity crisis. With one parent from Texas and the other a dyed in the wool Yankee (but luckily not a Yankee's fan) I have always had the best of both worlds. I got an appreciation for Bruce Springsteen and summers in the freezing Atlantic Ocean as well as a knack for knowing good Tex-Mex and a love of Governor Ann Richards.

While my mother was horrified by my preference for sugar in my grits (instead of the requisite salt, pepper and even hot sauce) my father was, actually who am I kidding, apart from rooting for the Red Sox my father has pretended he's from Texas since 1976, but I digress. And then I digress further.

I have always found the North/South divide most interesting when it comes to corn bread. I don't like gritty corn bread. A black iron skillet? Only if you've got a little sugar and certainly some butter in there. If I'm being really honest with myself, I most adore the corn bread at Whole Foods. Sweet, moist and consistent. But I know it's not true to form.

That why I love this recipe so much, it's got spice, real corn meal, CHEESE, and it's still a little bit sweet. I kicked Ina up a notch (double Food Network pun!) adding a can of creamed corn but you don't really need it I guess. If this cornbread can make me forget the cake they sell at Whole Foods, then it will make anyone a true believer. Also if you don't own this cookbook you should, it's awesome.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn

Directions

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, jalapenos, and creamed corn and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ah-mazing.

Something sweet (but not quite round)

2011-05-13T16:56:00.000-04:00

Making a new challah recipe every (or almost every) week can be daunting.

I've learned a lot about the science of proofing yeast and some general rules about working with dough, but there is something especially daunting about starting from scratch (ha!) with a new recipe each week. I do on occasion go back to recipes I've made before, (I think we all recall my obsession with dairy challah made with buttah aka Paula Challah). I'm guessing I'd lose my audience though if every Friday you found a blog about the my latest favorite video from YouTube and Ben's rants about the DMV. So onward and upwards with a new recipe, this one from our buddies at Zabars, which needless to say is one of my fav New York spots.

This challah recipe has a lot going for it. 1) It was easy enough to make. 2) Needed only 2 hours and 45 minutes to rise. 3) Stole my heart when it called for 2 packages of yeast for one loaf (the yeastier the tastier). 4 & 5) Has enough sugar in it to please Zach Lainer and raisins to boot which would make my brother very happy were he not en route to Louisville for the weekend (which reminds me happy graduation Leah!).

But bake up nice and perfect? Not so much. I'm going to take part of the blame for this since it was my first attempt at a round challah. But just like Beauty dug deep and found love for the Beast, I found love for this challah. Watch this sucker closely though, you will almost certainly need to tent it with aluminum foil to keep it from browning too much.

Next time I am going to make sure my dough is less sticky and throw some more flour on while kneading as well as oil my hands well before rolling out the dough. I was left with an enormous loaf which is probably about the same size as my friend Kellie's perfect baby boy born this morning (but far less attractive).

Bradley Alexander Susterka! 7lb 6oz. 20 inches. Born May 13 at 5:01am.

Simple Sweet Challah

Recipe adapted from Andrea Watman
Published online by Zabars

Ingredients:
2 packages dry yeast
2/3 Cup Warm Water (110 degrees)
5 Egg Yolks – Lightly Beaten
3 Whole Eggs – Lightly Beaten
7 Tablespoons Corn Oil
½ Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Salt
4 ½ Cups Flour
1 Cup Raisins (Optional)
1 Egg Yolk – Beaten
Poppy Seeds (optional)

Preparation:

1. In cup or small bowl dissolve Yeast in the warm water with approx 1 tablespoon of sugar. After just a few minutes the yeast should begin to "bloom". It will become foamy and it will give off a sweet smell. If your yeast is not fresh this will not happen – do not go any further – start over with fresh yeast (ATTENTION RACHEL FOX).

2. In a large bowl mix Egg Yolks, Eggs, Oil, remaining Sugar, Salt and Yeast mixture.

3. Add enough flour to form stiff but sticky dough (I obviously used a standing mixer with a dough hook attachment, worked like a charm).

4. Then turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (adding more flour if needed) – about 6 minutes – work in raisins as kneading.

5. Form a ball and place in a greased bowl and turn dough so all sides are greased. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in warm area to double in bulk – about two hours.

6. Punch down and knead briefly.

7. Roll dough into a 24” long rope. Create a spiral round loaf. (Sometimes I divide the dough into three parts, then I make three smaller ropes and braid them – then I form a circle from with the braid).

8. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment.

9. Brush loaf with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle top with poppy seeds (if desired), and allow too rise until dough doubles in size – about 45 minutes.

10. Bake until golden brown in a pre-heated 375 degree oven – 35 to 40 minutes.

I told you Bradley was better looking!

11. Allow to cool before slicing and enjoy!

¿Rachael Ray? ¡Si Señor!

2011-05-10T08:39:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make. I know many of you will judge me for this, but the rumors are true, I have in fact watched entire episodes of Rachael Ray. In my defense, I don't start out on any given day to watch her show. Check my DVR and you will see nary an episode. But if it's on and I'm couch-bound and she's not making something I will absolutely not make (Rollover Roast Pork Loin? I think not) I'll hear her out.

Way better than a picture of Rollover Roast Pork Loin.

One recent weekend I found myself glued to Food Network while celebrity chef after celebrity chef waxed poetic about their affinity for Mexican food, teaching viewers how to make a "Muy Bueno Feast for Your May 5 Celebration." Muy authentico? Not so much. Muy delicioso? ¡Si Señor!

I'll also admit to being lazy and Rachael called for a lot of ingredients that I did not have on hand, so here is my adapted version of her Egg Tostado-Frittata with Rainbow Tomato Salsa (aka pico de gallo).

Egg Tostado

Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

- 4 red heirloom or plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
- 12 large organic eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (more or less depending on your proximity to Texas)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 to 4 handfuls tortilla chips (I made my own with corn tortillas)
- About 1 1/2 cups cheese (I used 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija and 1 cup shredded mozzarella)
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)
- 1 avocado, sliced

Directions

Chop the tomatoes and place in a mixing bowl. Add the red onion, jalapenos, spinach and cilantro. Dress with lime juice and salt and toss to combine. Let stand until ready to use.

Preheat a 10 to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Also preheat the broiler with the rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Heat the garlic until lightly browned and aromatic, making sure not to burn.

Whisk the eggs with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Lightly crush the tortillas and add them to the pan, pour the eggs overtop, and stir to combine. Settle the eggs and lightly brown them, then transfer the pan to the center of the oven and broil the eggs for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Remove the eggs from the oven and spread chicken and avocado on top, stopping 1-inch from the edge all around.

Top with shredded cheese and return to the oven for 1 to 2 more minutes to melt the cheese. Lightly drain off the tomato water from the tomato mixture and mound the salsa over the eggs. Rachael told me us she keeps the tomato water for cocktails her husband makes, stay tuned for what I do with that (Bloody Mary Monday?).

Slice and serve warm. Rachael knows me too well: "Serve extra salsa at the table."

Elijah's Cup

2011-04-22T19:20:00.000-04:00

How do you make a Good Friday, a Great Friday?? Start with a half-day at work, add a trip to two different DMV's, and end it with inventing a new drink and watching a Daria marathon on Logo!

I started the afternoon at the DMV in Southwest, and after an hour gave up all hope that I would get through the line before next Pesach.

After some consulting with REL, I made my way to the Georgetown DMV, which smells a lot better and gave me an opportunity to answer tourist questions in the Shops at Georgetown parking garage. "Excuse me? Where is the Washington Cupcake?" "Ugh, you mean Georgetown Cupcake? Walk out to M Street and walk towards the crowd of people wearing tie-dyed DC t-shirts and CIA baseball caps."

Two hours later, I escaped with new license plates in hand, but a super empty belly. Note to self: eat before going to the DMV.

I received a very nice invite from REL to come over for tuna melts on matzo. I didn't need much convincing. Two melts and 4 Daria episodes later, we began discussing Passover-friendly cocktails.

As you have been reading this last week, there are a ton of restrictions during Passover and nowhere is that more evident than with alcohol, as most liquors are made with grains that are no bueno for Pesach.

The exception being, the often derided by Jews, and loved by goyim, Manischewitz. The super sweet wine, that your cousins got wasted on at your Bar Mitzvah is a standard at any respectable Jewish home, yet often times, just for show, never for imbibing.

I recalled that at the Star & Shamrock on H Street, they do a Manischewitz-based sangria.

Off REL went in search of the right travel-able container after I put the kabosh on, "how about ziploc bags?" and "I have the perfect soup pot!". Passover miracle of miracles she came up with not only a container but a container with a top to prevent a meltdown on our way down to Dupont later this evening.

So the result is the perfect K4P cocktail for your next Seder (or Passover Pre-game):

Elijah's Cup!!!

Cut up the following into small chunks or slices and put in large bowl:

Half a pint of fresh strawberries
Half a lemon
Two Oranges
One Red Apple
One Green Apple
One Cup of grapes halved

Add to fruit 4 750(ml) bottles of Manischewitz (we used two traditional concord grape, one cherry and one medium-dry concord grape, but you can use whatever you have on hand).

Add 3 cinnamon sticks and stir.

Let marinade for 1 minute to overnight, depending on how long you have till service.

Say the Bruchah and serve in Kiddush cups.

Shabbat Shalom ya'll!

- Ben

They Say It's Your Birthday, It's Passover too Though...

2011-04-22T09:58:00.002-04:00

This time of year means a lot to a number of my family and friends. It's definitely a busy birthday season. My Nini kicks off the season in our family with an April 2nd birthday often marked by, you guessed it, PASSOVER CAKE. "Gross!" you say? Yes, often times Kosher for Passover cakes are gross. But this chocolate cake is so good, I would not be opposed to it being served for my birthday. Our family needs to make sure our wheelhouse is stocked with plenty of K4P cake options because as of late Wednesday night we have a new addition to our potential Passover birthday crew, Leo Parker Schneider, an 8 lb. bundle of joy! Welcome to the family cuz!

Leo and Daddy Michael

Passover Chocolate Cake by Ann Amernick
From The Jewish Holiday Baker by Joan Nathan 1998

Ingredients

10 ounces good imported bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or parve margarine, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

5 large eggs, separated

1/3 cup finely ground almonds (done in a food processor)

2 tablespoons kosher-for-Passover brandy

Whipped cream (optional)

Fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease well a 9-inch springform pan; line the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water. When the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool slowly.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter or margarine with 1/4 cup of sugar until the mixture is fluffy and almost white. Add the egg yolks and beat for 1 minute. Add the almonds and brandy and beat for 2 minutes more.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating the whites until they are stiff and shiny.

5. Add the cooled melted chocolate to the egg-yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold one quarter of this chocolate mixture into the egg whites; then gently fold this egg-white mixture back into the rest of the chocolate mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out covered with a thick, moist (not wet), and crumby coating.

7. Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan. Loosen the edges with a knife, remove the sides, and carefully turn the cake upside down onto a plate. Remove the baking parchment. Sprinkle with sugar.

8. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled with whipped cream and raspberries on the side.

Yield: 10-12 servings

A few more birthday shout-outs...

Happy birthday Caitlin Christian! I will never forget changing your diapers and and our fabulous trip to St. John's. Your sister and I will probably have a joint nervous breakdown the day you get your drivers license...

Happy birthday Adam Berman! So happy to have you in the DPhiE family. Cherry Blossom Festival 2010 4eva.

While her month may have passed, it's never too late to wish Emily Friedman a happy happy. Especially when she is far and away the most famous person I know these days. And yes, THAT Emily Friedman you heard on the radio the other day is indeed OUR Emily Friedman.

17 Hours and Counting

2011-04-19T12:24:00.000-04:00

So it's been what, 17 hours since your last carb? 24 hours? Or are you eating a bagel right now?

Have the cravings kicked in yet? I for one was devastated by the revelation that my plan to eat sashimi and seaweed salad for the next week or so was not K4P (like I would ever let a little rice wine vinegar stand in my way???).

My friend Ben was apparently over Passover bright and early this morning because he was ready with suggestions for post-Pesach challah. Sounds like a jelly doughnut disguised as a challah, which of course I have no problem with.

So what do you miss or would you miss if you were keeping Passover this year? Anything delicious at your seder table last night you want to brag about (this is your cue Nini)? I want to hear from you!

First reader to send me a video of themselves singing the Frog Song wins a jelly doughnut challah.

Zeesa Pesach! (Have a Sweet Passover!)

PS: The Key Lime Pie was a huge hit last night. If there was even a sliver left I would post a pic but no dice. Highly recommend if you have time to make for seder tonight!

I'm Kosher for Passover

2011-04-18T11:57:00.003-04:00

My friend and loyal reader Neesha asked a great question after my last post. What is required of a recipe to make it kosher for Passover? I for one thoroughly dislike most products made specifically for Passover. Pesachdik cereal/cake mix/pizza? No thank you, give me a heaping plate of matzo brei covered in maple syrup or slathered with apricot preserves any day.

While I am far from an expert on Jewish dietary law (hello dairy challah and kosher for Passover shrimp), the premise is simple enough. We avoid any leavened bread ("chametz") or anything that could possibly be contaminated by something leavened. A lot of it stems from days of old where barrels were used and reused and cross contamination was a reality. That's why Ashekenzic Jews are told to avoid corn, oats, rice, peas (no problem for me there) and beans for instance. "Kosher for Passover" foods are made with flour that is specifically prepared for Passover and are made under the supervision of a rabbi in a kitchen scrubbed clean for Passover. I have heard from some people that they prefer K4P Coca-Cola because it is made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup, but as you well know, I would obviously never taste it.

Like most things Jewish, while that all make sense on the surface, it gets complicated. For instance the New York Times rocked Passover kitchens across the world yesterday when it brought to the attention a question that has been simmering (ha!) in the underbelly (I am too funny) of the Orthodox world, is quinoa actually kosher for Passover? I prefer to stay on the sidelines for this debate and keep it simple. Passover for me is tuna salad, hard boiled eggs, lots of fruits and vegetables, plain yogurt, salads, nuts and anything covered in chocolate (I'm looking at your dark chocolate covered matzo, watch your back).

Also wanted to point my vegan friend Neesha in the direction of my first idol, Mayim Bialik who has an excellent blog post about the difficulty of keeping K4P as a vegan.

Speaking of watching things, I just pulled my Key Lime Pie out of the oven (snaps again to Zach Lainer for finding the recipe). I loved this recipe because it didn't require any weird substitutes, although I will say that it takes a lot of teeny tiny Key Limes to squeeze out 1/2 cup of juice.

KEY LIME PIE
Adapted from "Irresistible Passover pastries: Who knew it was possible?" By Linda Morel, www.jta.org 04/01/11

Crust:
4 tablespoons pareve margarine
2 cups ground walnuts (walnuts can be purchased ground or can be prepared from 4 cups of walnut halves ground in a food processor but not as fine as flour)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
8- or 9-inch pie pan

Filling:
5 large eggs, plus 3 yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
7 limes, or 14 Key limes (which are smaller than regular limes)
1/2 cup (1 stick) pareve margarine
1 drop green food coloring, optional

Meringue Topping:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Candy thermometer
2 large egg whites

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust: Place the margarine in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat for 45 seconds or until melted. Add the walnuts and brown sugar; mix until combined. Place this mixture into the pie pan and press to cover the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave the oven on.

To make the lime cream filling: Place the eggs, yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl and set over a medium saucepan with simmering water (or use a double boiler). Zest 3 of the regular limes (6 of the Key limes) and add to the bowl. Stir to combine. Juice the 3 zested limes, plus the remaining 4 limes (or 8 Key limes) to obtain about 1/2 cup of juice. Then stir juice into the egg and sugar mixture. Cook uncovered over simmering water for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a thick mixture forms. Be patient and do not stir too much. If the water in the saucepan or double boiler boils too fast, turn down the heat. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the margarine in small pieces until the lime cream is smooth. Add the green food coloring, if using, and stir.

Pour the lime cream into the prepared crust and smooth. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the outside edges of the lime cream are set (the inside can remain wobbly). Let cool and then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

To make the meringue topping: In a small heavy saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 230 degrees on the candy thermometer. You can dip a pastry brush in water and wipe down the sides of the pot, if any sugar crystals appear on the sides. While the sugar is cooking, in a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff. When the sugar is ready, turn the mixer speed to low and then slowly pour the cooked sugar into the bowl, down the side of the bowl, not directly onto the wire whisk. When all of the sugar has been poured in, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 1 minute, until the meringue is thick and shiny.

Use a silicone spatula to spread the meringue all over the top of the pie. You can use a blowtorch (um who actually has one of those in their home?) to lightly brown the top or place the pie in a 450-degree oven for a few minutes, watching the entire time until the top browns. Chill in the refrigerator. Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Yield: 8 servings

Challah in a Hurry

2011-04-16T17:12:00.001-04:00

Monday is the start of Passover meaning a goodbye to the three things I hold dear, sushi, challah and sushi.

While I've been busy trying to fit in as many sushi dates as possible, I have neglected blogging. I am sorry. I apologize especially to my Nini who has been diligently checking my blog and chided me Thursday for my negligence. I also got a push from my good friend Zach who is anxious to start a conversation on Passover friendly desserts. He sent me a great link to some recipes which I will start working on tomorrow.

With the clock ticking Friday afternoon I searched the web for an answer to my lazy girl challah prayers. While this wasn't the best challah I've ever made, it certainly was far from the worst and the perfect answer to my speedy challah prayers. I will be keeping this recipe in my back pocket for times I don't start my dough the night before. Too bad instant yeast wasn't around in the days of Pharaoh. Next year in Jerusalem!

Challah in a Hurry

Adapted from "Challah in a Hurry" AnneElena Foster

Recipe makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 cup canola oil
3/4 cup white sugar (or honey)
3 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 cups bread flour
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons poppy seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, blend together warm water, melted margarine, sugar, and 3 beaten eggs
In a large bowl, mix together yeast, salt, and 7 cups of the flour. Gradually stir in liquid ingredients, and mix until dough holds together.
Knead dough on a floured surface with remaining flour until smooth OR use a standing mixer with a dough hook.
Split the dough into 2 large pieces. Split the 2 large pieces into 3 pieces each. Roll each third into a rope 3/4 inch thick and braid 3 strands together. Repeat. Place shaped dough onto cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a Silpat Baking Mat. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about two hours).
15 minutes before you are ready to bake, brush dough with remaining beaten egg. Add poppy or sesame seeds, if desired.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree F(165 degrees C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes (or until you knock on the loaves and they sound hollow).

Chag Sameach!

Gator Bait

2011-04-06T10:39:00.001-04:00

Today's post is a tribute to my good friend Ben's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN!). Because I'm a sucker and because Ben is awesome, I decided to hold my nose and bake a birthday tribute to Ben's beloved Florida gators. Oh the things we do for love (at least he didn't go to OSU)...

I love when my friends have birthdays because it's a great excuse for me to whip out a new cake recipe I've been dying to try and avoid getting the guilt trip from my friends and family that I'm trying to fatten them up (I swear I'm not). While I had dreams of a delicious orange layer cake with orange butter-cream adorned with fresh blueberries, I remembered the all to real realities of schlepping a cake to a bar and then trying to figure out plates and knives etc. while getting yelled at by managers peeved at our party. Anyone who attended my last birthday party knows that I have mastered the art of schlepping copious numbers of cupcakes to the bar (the secret is to walk over to the nearest pizza joint and sweet-talk them into giving you a clean extra large pizza box) but since my dad is out-of-town for the week I was left driver-less.

So what to do about a Metro commute friendly birthday treat? Cake balls? Just did that and I need to claim my creative bona fides (note to self I need to blog on that). The first thing Ben goes for when he comes over is a glass of OJ so I knew I was on the right track with oranges. Loyal reader, former Washingtonian, and bff Rachel had a fabulous idea, cookie sandwiches.* I assembled a few as sandwiches before I realized they taste just as fabulous "open-faced", aka cookies with frosting on them. I call my creation Gator Bait.

Gator Bait
Adapted from White Chip Orange Cookies recipe by NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE

Cookie Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
zest of one orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
Red and yellow food coloring (only if you're planning a Gator tailgate)

Preheat oven to 350° F (unless you are preparing dough in advance).

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. If you're aiming for extra orange cookies add a couple of drops of red and yellow food coloring until the mixture is slightly more orange than you'd like the cookies to look.

Beat in egg, orange zest and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets OR Silpats.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown, since I was making cookie sandwiches I wanted the tops to be slightly flatter so I used a spatula to press them down a little. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries washed and well dried
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar (reserve for decoration)
Blue food coloring (optional for decoration of sugar)

Simmer blueberries in small saucepan that comfortably fits blueberries. Watch closely to make sure they don't boil and burn. Stir berries frequently and make sure none are sticking to sides of pan. Remove saucepan from heat when just about all the blueberries have popped. Pour berries into a heatproof bowl and refrigerate until cool (at least 30 minutes).

Cream butter and sugar together in a medium size bowl using a hand or standing mixer. Add vanilla and blueberries and mix until well combined and frosting looks spreadable.

If you're not ready to assemble your cookies cover frosting with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Since I realize that blueberries once cooked turn purple and that blue isn't actually a naturally occurring color, I put a few drops of blue food coloring into a small plastic tupperware and poured in 1/2 cup of sugar. Make sure top is fitted tightly on sugar container and shake well to make homemade blue sprinkles.

To make things more fun, I thought I'd bring the cookies, frosting and blue sugar to the bar so that our friends could assemble their own cookies. This might have been one of the best ideas I've ever had. Turns out even "adults" at dive bars on the Hill like decorating cookies! These cookies were a hit, they reminded me of Creamsicle which of course is the highest compliment coming from me. Will be making again.

*Note to readers: Rachel asks that you not tell her lovely UGA alum of a boyfriend that she aided and abetted in a Gator-themed confection.

Chicken Soup for Liza

2011-03-29T11:26:00.000-04:00

Chicken soup can cure anything. Sick? Hungover? Cold? Pissed because you picked the worst bagel place in New York City to stop at for a nosh before your long journey back to the bagel desert of Washington DC (on that note, just say no to Bagel Maven by Penn Station)? Yes, a thousand times yes.

I am an avowed chicken soup fanatic. Chicken soup is a year-round staple for me and even though the weather has gotten "warmer" here, there's always an excuse for chicken soup. My excuse today was two-fold, my dear friend Liza has been begging me to walk her through the recipe and my mom has a cold. Since Liza might be my most loyal reader (and definitely my most loyal commenter) and my mother is my favorite person on the planet, I complied.

I am obsessed with the pursuit of pollo perfection. But like challah, I'm not the biggest fan of making the same recipe over and over again. Chicken soup for me is shaped by the seasons, what's in my fridge, and what I forgot to buy at the grocery store. All you really need is chicken, onions, garlic, pepper and parsley, a root veggie or two, a giant pot and the rest is up to you.

Another loyal reader, my good friend Allison (who is not an MOT) told me recently that she liked reading my blog because it made her feel like she had a Jewish grandmother. Allison, I promise you that this recipe will make your apartment smell like your imaginary Jewish grandmother just dropped in for a visit (love you Nini!).

My Favorite Chicken Soup

Adapted from Harriet Roth's Deliciously Healthy Jewish Cooking

Ingredients

1 (5-pound) whole chicken (taking out the liver and gross stuff in the chicken cavity)

4 quarts (give or take) cold water

3 medium onions, peeled, cut in half and cut into slices

1 leek, split lengthwise, washed, and cut into slices

1 parsnip or a Daikon radish, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into circles

5 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 carrots, peeled and cut into circles 1/4" thick

1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, tied with string (DO NOT USE STRING THAT HAS DYE IN IT. I'm sure you've seen Bridget Jones Diary and seen how that turns out.)

6 peppercorns (or several twists of your pepper grinder)

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped (optional)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed slightly with the back of a knife

1 bay leaf (optional)

Salt to taste

1. Wash the chicken inside and out in cold running water. Place in a large stockpot and cover with enough cold water to cover the entire chicken. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low and skim off the scum carefully for about 20 minutes, using a perforated flat spoon.

2. Add the onions, leeks, parsnip, celery, carrots, ginger, garlic and bay leaf. Simmer (on low heat), partially covered for 2 hours.

3. Add the 1/2 bunch parley and the pepper and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes more, or until the chicken is tender. I also like to throw in matzo balls now if I'm making them, so that they have a chance to meld with the flavors of the soup.

4. This is where I break with tradition, call me crazy but I like vegetables and chicken in my chicken soup. The thing I won't stand for however, is bones in my soup. Remove the chicken from the soup using a slotted spoon and let the chicken stand on a cutting board until it's cool enough to cut up. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut up chicken into bit-size pieces. Return chicken to the soup.

5. Remove peppercorns from the soup using a slotted spoon. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

6. Let the soup cool THEN refrigerate. If you just have to eat the soup right away I will not judge you, but trust me when I say that it tastes better the next day.

7. Remove and discard the fat that has congealed on the top of the soup (I know, gross, but like scooping out bagels* a Jewish girl's gotta do what a Jewish girl's gotta do).

8. If you're ready to serve, bring the soup to simmer and throw in egg noodles (follow directions on the bag, they should be semi-cooked before going into the soup), boiled rice, or whatever you want at your discretion. I think this soup tastes great on it's own, and usually for breakfast with a delicious baguette.

*I've said it before this is not Sushi With My Girls and as such this does not constitute an endorsement of scooping out bagels.

It's Friday, Friday, Friday

2011-03-25T10:18:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday! Before I make the mad dash for my bus to NYC (is there any other way to approach a bus?), I thought I'd share one of my new favorite challah recipes. I like to think that this is the kind of challah Paula Dean would make if she were ever so inclined to host a Shabbat meal. Anyway it's delicious.

If you're interested in making this pareve for a meat meal, be my guest, my friend Avi might have a few suggestions. My suggestion? Butter makes it better.

Adapted from "The Silver Palate Cookbook" by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.

Ingredients

2 cups milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) sweet butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 packages active dry yeast
4 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons salt
6 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (I use half bread flour, half regular unbleached)
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon cold water
poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

Bring milk, 6 tablespoons of butter, and the sugar to a boil together in a medium-size saucepan. Remove from heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and let cool to lukewarm (105º to 115º F).
Stir yeast into the milk mixture and let stand for 10 minutes.
Beat 3 of the eggs well in a small bowl, and stir them and the salt into the milk-and-yeast mixture.
Stir in 5 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, until you achieve a sticky dough. Flour a work surface lightly and turn the dough out onto it. Wash and dry the bowl.
Sprinkle additional flour over the dough and begin kneading, adding more flour as necessary, until you have smooth elastic dough.
Smear the reserved 2 tablespoons of butter around the inside of the bowl and add the ball of dough into the bowl, turning to coat it lightly with butter. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside to let dough rise until tripled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours (letting it rise in the fridge overnight will do just as well).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut into halves. Cut each half into 3 pieces. Roll the pieces out into long "snakes" about 18 inches long. Braid three of the snakes together into a loaf and tuck the ends under. Repeat with remaining snakes. (I skipped this in favor of my previously disclosed 4 strand method).
Sprinkle a large baking sheet with the cornmeal, and transfer the loaves to the sheet. Leave room between the loaves for them to rise. Cover loaves with the towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Beat the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon cold water together well in a small bowl. Brush this egg wash evenly over the loaves. Sprinkle immediately with poppy seeds to taste.
Set baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when their bottoms are thumped. Cool completely on racks before wrapping. Makes 2 large loaves or 3 medium loaves.

While not the prettiest challahs I have ever made, Crossing my fingers they will be yummy.

Shabbat shalom ya'll and have a great weekend!

The 36-Hour Rule

2011-03-22T10:37:00.004-04:00

There are many things my family has given me. My father has given me his pale skin that burns at the mere mention of a trip to Dewey Beach and his impeccable parallel parking skills. From my mother I would like to think I've gotten a little of her political finesse and a discerning taste for quality hair products. My aunts and uncles and grandparents have given me life lessons, recipes, and an affinity for a certain high-end department store out of Dallas.

Many lessons and gifts stand-out in the long list of things that have been passed on to me, but two things stand-out among all the rest. A love of chocolate chip cookies and the New York Times. Almost everyone in my extended family despite the fact that almost (did you catch that Leslie and Jack?) none of us call New York home, reads the New York Times, and very likely has it delivered.

Our dog Rio keeping up with the latest in NYT Business.

While not all of us are as adept at the crossword puzzle as my Nini, not reading the Gray Lady on Sunday especially when we're all together, feels tantamount to inviting everyone but Cousin Eva Ruth to an Austin bar mitzvah. Needless to say a Sunday without the New York Times would be as depressing as doing the electric slide in socks and a straw hat covered in glow sticks without ER.

How could I forget little Lola and her Sunday Styles?

It's very fitting that my favorite recipe for chocolate chips cookies incorporates my family and the New York Times. While the recipe is the brainchild of my Aunt Andrea in Houston, the execution is all NYT. Inspired by reading David Leite's "Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie" in the Times back in 2008 I tweaked Andrea's recipe slightly, purchasing Ghiradelli Baking Chips which are slightly flatter than standard chocolate chips, playing with a combination of less semi-sweet chocolate in lieu of a full bag of semi-sweet and most importantly not baking the cookies before they have spent ideally 36 hours covered in the fridge. Keep in mind though, these cookies will still be great if you use standard semi-sweet chocolate chips and throw them straight into the oven.

Obviously white chocolate chips play a large part in the delish factor of this cookie, but if you're in a pinch you could use another bag of semi-sweet or do a bag of semi-sweet and a bag of bittersweet to keep things interesting.

Aunt Andrea’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks (or ½ cup) unsalted butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar (increase ratio of brown sugar: white sugar for crispier cookies)
¾ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 ¼ cups flour
1 (12 ounce) bag white chocolate chips
1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips OR 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking chips and 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chips
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
If you happen to have a block of semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate (like they used to sell at Trader Joes) a few shaves into the dough is extra delicious (optional)

Cream butter and sugars well using a hand mixer or a standing mixer.

Add vanilla and eggs to butter mixture.

Mix together baking soda, salt and flour, then add to butter mixture and blend well (electric beater or standing mixer once more).

Mix in nuts and chocolate.

OPTIONAL (this sure really say ideally because the cookies taste so much better): Put cookie dough in a bowl or plastic container and make sure it is covered well before putting in fridge for 12-36 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove dough from fridge, ball cookies one teaspoon as a time and place on baking sheet covered in a sheet of parchment paper or onto a Silpat Baking Mat.

Bake cookies on sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes (or until edges are brown) or 9 minutes for super soft cookies. Take cookie sheets out and let sit on counter for 1 minute before using a spatula to remove from cookie sheets and letting cool on rack (obviously my favorite is from Sur La Table).

These cookies will go fast, but if you’re able to hide any make sure to put them tightly away in a container or plastic bag to keep them from drying out.

And because I know you need a Tuesday Timeout...

Guiness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-03-16T09:20:00.015-04:00

Thanks to Arielle for the mysterious introduction and serious pressure to actually publish today. Here goes for nothing for my inaugural blog post:

Saturday night was my beer geek boyfriend's 31st birthday party, and also an early St. Patrick's Day celebration for those of us who can no longer spend twelve hours drinking on a Thursday. For the occasion I found a recipe that combined both of our great loves - beer and chocolate.

Guiness Chocolate Cake
Adapted from BonAppetit.com
Makes one two layer nine inch cake

For the cake:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup stout
2/3 cup freshly brewed coffee, room temperature

For the cream cheese frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Butter and flour two nine-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper
3. Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each
7. Add the stout, then the coffee. (Batter gets liquid-y at this point, don't worry)
8. Add the flour in three portions; beat until smooth and creamy
9. Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans
10. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
11. Leave the cake in the pans for 20 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Remove the parchment rounds.
12. Trim the domes off the cake layers once entirely cool. Use a serrated knife.

Frosting Directions:
1. Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl
2. Beat to soften the cream cheese
3. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth
4. Sift in confectioners sugar, continue beating until smooth
5. Add vanilla, stir to combine
6. Make sure the frosting is at room temperature, and cakes are cooled, then frost your cake.

I asked Martha for some tips on frosting, and then got to it.

My comments on the recipe:

1. Don't skip the parchment paper. Even if you don't keep 9" circles of parchment paper stocked in your kitchen (I mean, who doesn't do that?) then trace the 9" bottom of the pan on to a regular sheet of parchment paper and cut it out.

2. Have fun with the stout. I used regular ole Guiness because I didn't want to waste a delicious, expensive beer on a cake that I wasn't sure would even taste like beer. Guess what...it tastes like beer! So go for the good stuff. Next time I will use Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout.

3. Warn fellow eaters THIS CAKE HAS BEER IN IT. Because otherwise they will think you seriously messed up your chocolate cake.

4. If cream cheese frosting is not your thing, chocolate ganache would be yummy too. Or add some Bailey's to the cream cheese.

5. I tripled the frosting recipe because I wanted to have enough to do a beautiful frosting job. This left me with a tupperware full of leftovers, but I didn't hear any complaints from guests who dug in with a spoon. Doubling the recipe will yield plenty.

Eat, drink and be merry...Happy St. Patty's!

Elizabeth

Special guest blogger tomorrow!

2011-03-15T17:49:00.000-04:00

I know you all are sitting at home (or more likely your office) wondering, what on earth does Braided and Egged have in-store for us this St. Patrick's Day. A patented family recipe for jello shots? A breakdown of the health benefits of green beer vs. normal colored beer? A shamrocking rock candy recipe?

Scorekeepers in Ann Arbor serving up green beer.

The answer is even better folks (although now I am curious about the green dye thing, let me know if you want to guest post on that).

That's right, a guest blogger with a cake recipe involving beer. So stayed tuned for her debut tomorrow!

And because you asked so nicely, my recipe for spirited jello (I know my Nini will really appreciate this one).

Shamrocking Jello

Ingredients:

2 boxes NON-SUGAR FREE lime green Jello (I repeat, please do not try to out sorority me, this is not Sushi With My Girls for the love of the Irish do not use sugar-free Jello)
2 cups boiling water
2 cups chilled Boone's Farm flavored beverage of choice

Directions:

Pour contents of Jello into large bowl. Pour boiling water over Jello. Stir until powder dissolves. Pour chilled Boone's into bowl. Portion out Jello to fit into small plastic cups of choice, placing cups onto a baking sheet. Put baking sheet in fridge and chill until set. Make sure not to get caught leaving the sorority house with said baking sheet.

Enjoy responsibly!

Most decidedly not guest blogger.

The most amazing hamantashen on the planet (at least until tomorrow's recipe)

2011-03-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

Tip of the HAT (get it? Purim pun!) to Gale Gand for this spectacular hamentashen recipe.

It's like Gale has access to my gustatory archives and has corrected the sins of the many bad hamentashen I've eaten in my lifetime (hello, temple bake sale). Now if only she could erase the sins of the many ugly dresses I wore to many a bat mitzvah party.

While Purim might not start until this weekend, some of my lucky friends might be celebrating early...

Only change I would make to this recipe is to cut down a bit on the orange juice for the filling unless you don't mind cooking down the contents for a lot longer. Also I ended up with a ton of extra filling, (make sure to measure the apricots after they're chopped rather than before). So be prepared to see a bit of a repeat tomorrow, but hey, who doesn't love an apricot hamentashen?

Chag Semeach Purim!

Hamentaschen

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

Filling:

2 cups finely chopped dried apricots
1 1/3 cups orange juice
2/3 cup honey
1/2 orange, zest grated

Dough:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 orange, zest grated

Equipment:

2 1/2 to 3-inch round cookie cutter (I used a juice glass, works just as well).

Directions:

To make the Filling: Place the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until soft and the liquid is absorbed. Add water, if needed. Let cool.

To make the Dough: Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, egg, egg white, and orange zest. Add it to the processor and pulse to mix, being careful not to over mix. Divide into 2 disks and chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2 to 3-inch disks. (You can re-roll the scrapes to make more disks.) Place a disk of dough down and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Pinch the disk in 3 places to form a triangular shape with the filling still showing in the center. They will look like 3 cornered hats. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Continue until all the disks are made.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes (watch carefully, these suckers burn fast) and let cool on favorite cookie rack of your choice.