The Urban Domestic Diva

RECIPE: Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 16:18:00 +0000

Today at my home it is a Happy Sunday!

First, a BIG Happy Birthday to my father! Today is his birthday, and even though we are officially celebrating next weekend, my daughter announced "We need to visit Nonno! We should bring brownies!" So any day visiting the P's is a good day indeed.

Secondly, it is sunny, which after our big "Thunder-Snow" incident this week, makes for a wet-yet-cheery day.

And thirdly, I get to share this lovely, hearty meal that you still have time to throw together in your slow cooker! It will make for a savory, home-spun meal this evening. I know, because we made it last Sunday. It is based off of a great cookbook from Cook's Illustrated called, The Best Slow and Easy Recipes. We love Cook's Illustrated. They really test recipes and explain the science behind cooking. It's like going to culinary school via a magazine. This book is great. I urge you to check out a copy from the library and see if you would enjoy it. So back to this recipe, I wanted to deepen the broth flavor by using "Better Than Bouillon". I also felt the recipe was light on vegetables, so I kicked up the carrots and added peas toward the end. I also kicked up the wine 'cause....you know, I'm Italian.

I love the slow cooker. You can buy inexpensive cuts and let them cook all day without a thought. And lets face it, Sundays can get busy. You have the week to prep for! Laundry, cleaning, shoveling (or gardening), errands, homework, the list is endless. Phew, I'm getting depressed thinking about it.

Good thing Nonna is cooking for us tonight!

Dust off your slow cooker and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
3 Tbsp. canola oil
3 medium onions, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. minced, fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock (or see *note)
2 cups chicken stock (or see *note)
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pearl barley
2 lb. blade steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:

In a food processor, puree the tomatoes with their juices until smooth. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the onions until beginning to sweat. Then add the tomato paste, thyme and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat. Once the vegetables begin to brown (about 10 minutes) add the red wine and scrape off any brown bits off the bottom as the mixture simmers.

Add the mixture to the slow cooker. Add the processed tomatoes and stir. Turn on low.

* note: If using "Better Than Bouillon", heat 4 cups of water until near boiling in the microwave. Divide water into 2 cups each. In one mix 2 tsp. of the chicken flavor until dissolved. In the other, mix 2 tsp. of the beef flavor. Add these stocks to the slow cooker.

If using canned stock instead, add them to the tomato mixture in the slow cooker. Add the carrots, soy sauce and barley and stir.

Take the blade steaks, and trim off fat. Also, if the pieces are wide enough, cut horizontally as well to cut away the middle sinew. All pieces should be roughly around 1/2" in size. My blade steaks were cut pretty thin. So my soup was ready to eat around 7-8 hours. If your steaks are thicker, you may need more time. The meat should be fork tender, and even broken down in some cases to the point that tiny bits of meat are woven throughout the soup.

After your meat is trimmed and ready to go, add your cut up meat to the slow cooker. Nestle it deep into the liquid using a spoon. Cover and cook on low for 7 -10 hours (half the time if on high). The last hour of cooking, add the frozen peas, stir and cook until peas are tender. Serve warm with some crusty bread.

TUESDAY INFOGRAPHIC: Spring means Flowers, Warmer Weather and Pests!

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000

infographic from orkin.com

My gardening 6th sense is tingling these days in the Midwest. I think Spring is coming early. My daffodils are 2 inches out of the ground, and that means business!

That also means that the warmer it gets, the earlier things get hatching under ground. And I, for one, hate grubs and slugs. They trash my garden and lawn. Grubs will hatch the minute is gets up to 60˚F. Once they run rampant in your yard, they are hard to control. So in honor of the slightly warmer weather where I am at, I am sharing this great infographic on pests according to areas of the USA.

This is to not gross you out (although my daughter was quite upset I put this up on the blog, she hates bugs...worms to be exact). I hope to motivate you as well me to get on top of our yards sooner rather than later. The earlier you get on top of Spring yard care, the sooner you can enjoy a mint julep sitting in it!

RECIPE: Carrot Fritters

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:12:00 +0000

You say you can't get your kid to eat any veggies? They just want buttered noodles? They cry at the sight of any color on their plate? They just want beige or brown colored foods?

I feel your pain, even though we are foodies over here! My daughter gobbles sushi and Thai food! But even she gives me a hard time with certain veggie sides.

There are many ways to sneak veggies into your child's meals. Sometimes, even a baked good can hide a good helping of vegetables. (Try my zucchini chocolate bread-known to be fought over by picky 4 year olds! My whoopie pies even hide pureed spinach!)

As far as lunch and dinner, fritters are an easy way to add a unique veggie side. These carrot fritters are very flavorful and an easy way to add "veggie-color" to your child's meal, even if you are giving them something simple like chicken nuggets. They will never know they are eating carrots, onions and celery in every bite. I serve these with plain Greek yogurt, but my daughter prefers them plain. I think Ranch dressing would be a great condiment for them as well.

One final note, I based this recipe off of the carrot fritter recipe in "Power Foods" cookbook from Whole Living Magazine. The cookbook is packed with super fresh and healthy recipes. Some of them are a little challenging for younger palates, so I adapt many of these for our family so there is less conflict at the dinner table! It's a great cookbook! Check it out!

Carrot Fritters

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup grated carrots
2 stalks finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely grated onion, squeezed through cheesecloth until liquid is dispelled and they are "dry"
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded Grana Padano Paremsan Cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt or Ranch dressing

Directions

In a bowl, beat your two eggs. Add the carrots, onion, celery and mix to coat. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley and cheese and mix. Add the salt and pepper, and mix again.

In a large non-stick pan, heat the oil over medium heat. With your hands, shape the mixture into a 1 1/2 -2 inch patty and plop it into the pan, Continue until pan is filled, allowing about 2 inches of space between each patty. You will need room for flipping so don't overcrowd. I let the pan heat up again, then lower to a medium heat. You want to cook them until golden but you want them to cook through. It takes about 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Continue until all done! Serve warm with yogurt as a garnish.

RECIPE: MultiGrain Pine Nut "No Knead in No Time" Artisan Bread

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:26:00 +0000

Recently I posted a very hearty "No Knead in No Time" artisan bread. Since then I have been playing with the recipe, adding various mix ins and grains. I wanted to try a Bob's Red Mill Grain mix to add some good grain options as a base without having to buy bags and bags of various grains to keep in the pantry. I love millet and flax, but if not used up quickly, will get stale. Then a cranky husband cleaning out the pantry mumbling as he is throwing away "money" ensues and it's just not a good scene. So you can say Bob's Red Mill saves marriages? No, maybe not that far. But close.

After all, nothing makes a man happier than warm, home made, hearty bread from their wives. It's a June Cleaver thing...I think.

So, back to Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain bread mix... it makes amazing bread. This variation on the process is pitch perfect. It is my best one yet, and I think it was the abundance of olive oil with the pine nuts I mixed in. The pine nuts and oil a mellow, nutty flavor with a really moist crumb and chewy crust. I brought it to my Wine and Dinner Club and the wives packed up the leftovers before I could sneak it back in my bag to bring home for later! People fighting over your food means you did something right!

Multi Grain Pine Nut "No Knead in No Time" Artisan Bread

Ingredients

Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Bread Mix

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup roughly chopped pine nuts

3 1/4 cups lukewarm water

4 1/2 tsp. dry yeast (use some from the packet provided in the grain mix then add more)

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

extra olive oil for coating the dutch oven

cornmeal for sprinkling

Directions:

In a mixing bowl mix salt, honey, sugar, olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Let sit for about 3 minutes, or until yeast is bubbling.

In another bowl, mix Bob's 10 grain mix, the whole wheat flour, the oats and the pine nuts. With a kneading hook attachment on the mixer, mix in the flour mixture into the yeast mixture and work the dough for about 7 minutes. The dough will pull away from the sides when ready in a workable ball (see above). If the dough is too wet, add more whole wheat flour a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is workable.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and plop the dough inside. Wet a lint-free towel until it is damp. Lay it over the bowl and place in a dark place. (I use the oven). Let it sit for 1-2 hours. (When pressed for time, 1 hour has worked fine.) The dough will have doubled in size. Take it out. Pull the dough from the sides and fold it over itself a few times. Cover with the towel again and let sit again for 1 more hour. It will rise again.

Coat a dutch oven with olive oil on all sides and even the bottom of the cover. Heat oven to 425˚, placing the Dutch oven bottom in there while preheating. The Dutch oven will create a crisp crust if it is hot.

When the oven is at 425˚, pull out the Dutch oven and sprinkle the insides with a handful of corn meal. Pull your dough away from the sides of the bowl again, fold it over a few times on itself, then plop into prepared Dutch oven. You can hear it sizzle as you plop it in, which means you have your pot hot enough. With a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut 3 slits along the top of the dough and cover with the oiled cover. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another ten minutes, or until crust is crisp and golden. Flip bread onto a cooling rack before cutting. Serve warm.

RECIPE: Whole Wheat Pecan Apple Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:18:00 +0000

I had so many apples in my crisper a few weeks ago- they were like tribbles (shout-out to all you traditional Star Trek fans)! I am not sure why we had so many apples, but I blame my husband.

It's just easier that way.

Anyway, as my husband grumbled about how many apples we had and how they were going to get mealy if we did not do something fast, I began brainstorming some recipe ideas to clear out the apples. Well, the first idea I had was an easy one, an apple crisp. I tried to "grain it up" to make it healthier. It's easy and delicious warm. The best part is that you can clean out a crisper drawer of apples in no time. Well, unless it's OUR crisper drawer. I even had to make a crock pot apple cake to make a decent dent in our apple population.

But that's another recipe.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pecan Apple Crisp
Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup regular flour
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened

4 1/2 cups apples, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the oats, pecans and sugar. Cut in the softened butter and mash with a fork until streusel topping is clumpy and crumbly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the apples with cinnamon, cornstarch and brown sugar. Let macerate for 15 minutes or more.

Preheat oven to 375˚. Spray cooking spray in a 13 x 9 x 4 oblong casserole dish with a lid. Pour the apples evenly in the bottom of the dish. Pour the water over the apples. Evenly crumble the streusel topping over the apples. Bake on center rack for 30 minutes, uncovered. Then cover the dish and bake for another 15 minutes. The apples will start to become bubbly and thick. Uncover again for the final 5-10 minutes of cooking. Streusel should be a golden brown and the apples should be bubbling and syrupy. Let cool. Serve with whipped cream.

Mommyhood: The Importance of Reading Aloud

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:20:00 +0000

I recently was asked by a wonderful organization called litworld to be one of their brand ambassadors for World Read Aloud Day on March 7th. I was excited and honored. I have been an avid reader my whole life. From when I read my first book by myself to this very day, reading is a therapeutic past time for me- and I love discussing what I read (thus my "mammaslibrary" book review blog). I am asked by other women how I can find time to read!? As busy and stressed as I am, I don't know how I couldn't. Reading is the only way I can wind down before bed, even if it's all of three pages, I have to do it. Reading to me is like a glass of warm milk.

But becoming a WRADvocate for litworld.org has forced me to evaluate my influences in reading from when I was very young. My obsession with books was something I took for granted about myself. When I really stopped and thought about it, however, my parents did not read to me when I was little. They had immigrated here from Italy in the mid 1960s, knowing practically no English. By the time they had me, they only spoke self-taught broken English. So reading to me like other American parents did every night was not happening in my home. So as I answered my WRADvocate profile questions, I became baffled. How did I become such a voracious reader and writer if my poor parents were struggling with the language themselves?

Well, when you hear it takes a village to raise a child, nothing could be more truthful then when it came to my upbringing. Looking back, I can tell you distinctly the first time I was given a book and had someone read aloud to me. It was my father's American cousin and his wife who arrived at our home with a Little Golden Book of Disney's Robin Hood. They read it to me in bed. I had to be 4 years old. It was wonderful and I was hooked. Though my parents' English improved through the years and bought countless books for my sister and I, they still only read to us rarely. It was the wonderful reading time with teachers and the school librarian that fed my hunger for reading. It was an escape for me as it is for all kids. Even as our class moved into chapter books, I remember my third and fourth grade teachers reading aloud to us. They would always stop at a cliffhanger, leaving us wanting more. It was such a great way to introduce us to the intrigue and rewarding perseverance that chapter books provide. It is something I struggle with at home now with my daughter. She finds long chapter books daunting. I am using the "few chapters a night" aloud approach right now to see if it works.

If it wasn't for my father's cousin, my wonderful public school teachers or an extensive local library, I am not sure who would have nurtured my reading skills. I won the school's Young Author's Contest in for both 4th and 5th grade levels! This, from a child whos parents still spoke broken English at home.

It is so very important to support programs to help children read. Children come from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds and reading support may not always come from home, no matter how good a parent's intentions are. It does take a village to keep kids reading and writing. And we need to help make sure those supporting literacy get the resources they need to help children. After all, we may have the next Hemingway out there!

Think about the children in your neighborhood, or around the globe. And especially your own children. Read to them often. Take them to the library with a big old tote bag to fill. Create your own family "book club" (see my post on this great idea). Urge your school or parish to run a book drive to support a local used book shop or library. Donate or raise funds as a community service project for organizations such as litworld.org.

And for litworld's World Read Aloud Day, plan a cool event at your local library, child's school, scouting troop or just at home with your family! Litworld.org has great downloads, ideas and kits to print and use to make that day reader-ific! Or simply, take ten minutes on March 7th with your kids, grab some books and read aloud. It's the best gift you can give them. I am living proof of that.

In honor of my father's cousin, Vito, who with his wife, was the first person to read aloud to me. We lost Vito to colon cancer on New Years 2012. He holds a special place in my heart, always.

About litworld

LitWorld is a 501C3 nonprofit organization led by Executive Director Pam Allyn, a renowned literacy educator and advocate. We work to cultivate literacy leaders worldwide through transformational literacy experiences that build connection, understanding, resilience and strength. LitWorld joins together with teachers, parents, community members, and children to support the development of sustainable literacy practices across the world.

Literacy is the foundation for emotional and physical well-being, intellectual growth, and economic security. The right to read and write is a fundamental human right and belongs to all people.

Worldwide at least 793 million people remain illiterate. Two-thirds of them are women. All over the world, children are hungry for learning and for the power it brings. Research shows that children learn to read and write best by writing and telling the stories of their own experiences. Yet it is rare to find safe spaces where children feel fully comfortable to do so.

LitWorld is changing that.

TUESDAY INFOGRAPHIC: Home Gardening in a Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:14:00 +0000

Today in good ol' Chi-town, we flirted with 60 degrees. It is the last day of January, and we had the warmest day since 78 years ago!

So, I have a Spring vibe going on. I know it won't last. I know Chicago is a cruel temptress when it comes to Winter weather. She will tease you with sunny love and then smack you upside the head with SNOWMAGEDDON...like last year's blizzard that landed ironically on the same day as today.

Well, I wanted to revel in spring for today in honor of our very nice day. So here is an infographic that breaks out the most popular vegetables to plant in the country and some other fun garden tidbits.

*Siiiigh. Makes me want to dust off the garden journal and start planning.

ENJOY!

And visit http://www.mnn.com where I found this, it has some great posts and articles!

RECIPE: Double Apple Crock Pot Breakfast Cake

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:21:00 +0000

I have heard tell of being able to make cakes in a crock pot/slow cooker. I was always sceptical yet fascinated about making a cake this way. Would the center actually cook? Would it brown? Or would it be mushy? I also could see the benefit of being able to whip up a dessert for unexpected guests in a couple hours in a slow cooker while cleaning the house and preparing dinner. Anything to help a working mom to be a domestic diva is all right in my book! So when I found an abundance of apples in our crisper drawer that needed to be used immediately, yet it was a busy Sunday to do anything with them, I thought about letting the crock pot help me out. And I came up with this recipe. It has a healthier tact than most on account of the whole wheat flour, less oil and oats. I also think that the cake itself is not too sweet, perfect for breakfast! Give it a try! I want to play with this concept more, like try a chocolate or a vanilla cake.

Double Apple Crock Pot Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup white flour
2/3 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Apple mix
About 2 1/2 cups peeled and sliced cooking apples
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 Tbsp. apple juice (can use lemon)

Streusel
1/4 cup flour
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix apples with the ingredients under apple mix. Let macerate while making the rest of the cake.

Combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar and oats in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk the oil and eggs until foamy. Add the apple sauce, vanilla. Whisk well. Then mix the apples and the dry ingredients in with the eggs. Mix well with a spatula. Spray the inside of a crock pot with nonstick spray. Pour the batter evenly into the crock pot. Cover, and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the crock pot to low. Sprinkle the streusel on top, and cook the cake on low (covered) for about 20-30 more minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch. When cooking is done, turn the cover side ways to let some of the steam out so the cake doesn't become too soggy. Cut triangle pieces and lift them out carefully to serve.

Mayor Emanuel, Keep your Hands off my Library. Thank You.

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:03:00 +0000

originally posted on my sister site, mammaslibrary.com

Irony is when you are asked to become a brand ambassador for a worldwide literacy organization, and asked to plan an event for worldwide reading day...

and you find that literacy is soon to become a luxury in your own city!

A couple months ago I was asked by litworld.org to become Chicago's World Read Aloud Day brand ambassador. I was floored, honored and excited. I was tasked to plan a fundraising and awareness event, big or small, for March 7th.

One of my ideas involved a library, so I went to visit my regional public library, Sulzer. They have a great storytime room and my daughter and I just love milling around and filling our tote bags with treasured books. After talking to one of the librarians, I was sad and frustrated.

She told me that the Mayor, due to budget short falls, has cut staff and hours. She said they are now closed on Mondays and they have laid off about 20 people over the past two months. She said that basically, the way the hours are being handled, they have to work 6 days but are really only getting paid 5. Meanwhile, they don't even have enough bodies to keep up with getting books back on the shelf (I noticed carts and carts of books in aisles, waiting to get put back.), let alone doing any kind of community outreach which they always felt was important, including children's story hour!

In the first nine months of this year, the Chicago Public Library system offered 15,228 children's programs, serving 418,055 children of all ages, according to Dempsey. Librarians also made 740 visits to area schools to talk to teachers and students about what they can offer. But with fewer librarians, those programs will likely shrink. Reducing morning hours also closes the library at a time of day popular with young children, according to Lynn Elam, president of the Illinois Library Association. Elam said helping children get a jump-start on school through reading is a big part of what libraries do. (Chicago Tribune, 10-25-2011)

"Emanuel's budget also includes funding cuts that would slash full-time public library staff by 32 percent--and that comes on top of a 10 percent staff cut in 2010. The mayor's proposal would also cut eight hours a week from the branches' hours of operation. Such cuts would have far-reaching effects: Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey pointed out, for example, that library branches had over 8.3 million visitors--and that 60 percent of people using library computers were using them to search for jobs." (Chicago Tribune, 10-25-2011)

Ok. I get it. The economy stinks. All cities have had to make cuts to balance budgets that never can seem to be balanced. But what I take issue with is Mayor Emmanuel giving breaks where they arguably are not needed and would actually fund the city. But a social program that citizens count on, such as the local library, is getting screwed.

"For example, according to NBC Chicago blog "Ward Room," "When the General Assembly's fall veto session begins...Mayor Rahm Emanuel's legislative priority will be securing a tax cut for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)." Emanuel is seeking $120 million in tax breaks for the CME and the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Emanuel is also pressing for an ordinance that would cut taxes for 2,700 Chicago-based companies at a cost to the city of $23 million. Companies with more than 50 workers are taxed $4 per worker per month, and Emanuel is aiming to abolish the tax completely by 2014". (socialistworker.org, 2011-11-10)

So here I am, trying to plan an event to help children globally with literacy and reading. And it seems that even though children in Africa need books and resources, there will soon be many children in my own city that I love, in the United States of America, that are going to need this event as much as any child across the globe.

I will let you know what event(s) gets solidified, but sadly, it won't be at a Chicago Public Library.

If you wish to write the mayor's office, here is the form:
http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/eforms/org/cityofchicago/eforms/controller/contactUsForm/preFeedbackForm.do

Sources:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/8156275-418/emanuel-to-cut-chicago-libraries-hours.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2012/0112/Rahm-Emanuel-and-public-sector-union-play-hardball-over-Chicago-library-hours
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-25/news/ct-met-library-cuts-focus-20111025_1_chicago-public-library-library-employees-library-services

RECIPE: Cuatro Leches with Pineapple Cake

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:42:00 +0000

We had a recent dinner party with my 'n laws that thematically involved a lot of Latin cuisine and flavors. I opted for dessert (of course) , yet became concerned when all I could find were flan, fried ice cream and chocolate filled empanadas. I was looking for a cake of some sort, and I found this cuatro leches cake on kitchn.com. I changed up quite as few things, but the essence of the cake-a light yellow cake soaked in a 4-milk glaze overnight-stayed the same. I made a richer, creamier frosting for it, and added a pineapple jelly to the layers. All in all, its a creamy, tropical fiesta in your mouth!

Cuatro Leches with Pineapple Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Milk Glaze:
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla

For assembly:
1 cup pineapple jelly
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray 3 9"x2" round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut parchment paper in 3 circles to fit at the bottom of each cake pan. Place them there and spray again. Set them aside.

In a small bowl, mix the cake flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl. whip the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add the evaporated milk, then add the yolks, whipping until thick and lemon colored. Add the vanilla and whip some more. Set the butter mixture aside. Clean your beater attachment very well, and use a fresh clean bowl. Put the egg whites in this bowl, and whip whites until soft peaks form. While still beating, add the last 1/4 cup sugar until whites are glossy and stiffer peaks form.

Now pour 1/3 of the egg whites into the butter mixture, gently folding them into the mixture. Next, pour 1/3 of the flour mixture and fold gently until combined. Keep alternating 2 more times until all the flour and egg whites are gently combined. Try very hard not to overwork the whites (fold versus mix/whip).

Pour the cake batter evenly into each prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. The cake will spring back to the touch and a toothpick will come out clean, and there will be a very light, golden color to your top and edges. Let cool on wire racks, inverting them out their pans and peeling off the parchment after about 10 min.

While cake is baking it is time to make the milk glaze. This is what makes this cake special. In a medium size saucepan, mix all the milks and vanilla. Cook on medium hat until bubbling. Let it simmer and bubble for about 10 minutes. you want to cook the milk until it gets to be as thick as the consistency of evaporated milk. Set aside and let cool to room temp.

In 3 large pie pans and/or Pyrex pans, pour a thin layer of the milk glaze. With a toothpick, poke holes gently on both sides of the yellow cake layers. This will help the cake absorb the glaze. Place each cake in each pan, right on the milk glaze. Now pour and even amount over the top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and chill over night (or at least 8 hours).

Assembly:

For the frosting, heat the milk, cream and flour in a small sauce pan, whisking constantly. Cook the milk until it becomes a thick "custard". Set aside to cool to room temp. (if this is too warm it will cause the butter to melt and separate.) Whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk custard and the vanilla, whipping until light and fluffy. Chill lightly until ready to use. If the frosting gets too stiff in the fridge, let it sit out at room temp until you can work with it.

Also, in a small sauce pan (or microwave) heat up the pineapple jelly until it is spreadable as well. Set aside.

Now it is time to build. Using your serving platter, place one glaze-soaked cake on the bottom. (I used spatulas to help me lift them out of the moisture so they did not tear off the pan or break. Be gentle and don't rush.) Spread half the jelly evenly on top. Then spread a layer of vanilla frosting over the jelly, careful not to disturb the jelly layer. The jelly stiffens up as it sits on the chilled cake, so it won't give you too much trouble. Layer a second cake layer on top. Cover it with the last of the jelly and some more frosting. Add the 3rd cake layer. Now spread a thin crumb layer of frosting over the whole outer of the cake. Wipe your frosting spatula clean, then thoroughly frost the cake. Sprinkle the top with the coconut. Wipe the edge of your serving platter clean with a wet paper towel and VOILA! Time for a fiesta!

TUESDAY INFOGRAPHIC: Who is your TV Valentine?

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:32:00 +0000

So in honor of impending chocolates, flowers and (hopefully) jewelry...this is a fun Valentine infographic. Take your path and see what TV hunk should be your valentine! It's kind of like the dating game, but with more cheesy celebrity.

It seems that I should be with Don Draper. Big surprise (sarcasm). Heck, I am in advertising. I like vodka as much as the next gal. He's hot. Works for me.

Who is your TV valentine?

(Thanks to TV squad who developed the graphic. Way fun! Nice job!)

WOMANHOOD: What is a wife really?

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:43:00 +0000

My dear friend and writer, Kathleen, refers herself to her husband as a V.P. of Operations in her household. And I have come to use that term myself around my house. It makes my husband laugh, and we can all use a chuckle now and then.

But, it is true. After all, who...

finds mittens
finds the lost sock
finds addresses
finds that pickle jar that is staring right at you right behind the mayo (just move a jar over, a whole world awaits you on the refrigerator shelf!)
coordinates 5+ schedules
sews buttons and hems pants
coordinates buying gifts and wrapping them on behalf of the family
writes cards and thank yous (especially to n-laws so husbands HAVE a relationship with their family)
cleans
cares for pets
cooks & bakes for pot lucks and activity events
volunteers
contacts the schools and teachers to discuss anything of concern
helps with homework and coordinates purchasing or getting any materials needed for homework

If I go on. I will get tired. Hell, I am the V.P. of Operations in my household. I already AM tired!

*disclaimer: I love my husband. He is a doll and helps me A LOT. If it were not for him helping all the time, I would not even have time to have this blog. I will have to give him a title as well. Let me think on it.

RECIPE: Easy Roasted Parmesan Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:10:00 +0000

I often get bored with the "vegetable side". Oftentimes, weeknight meals at our house need to be quick. That usually allows for a steamed vegetable tossed with butter. YAWN.

Last Sunday, I was in charge of dinner. We had broccoli planned for the week's menu. Ugh. Broccoli tossed with butter again?! YAWN.

So I tried something new! We have tossed greens with lemon and garlic before...and cheese is always great with broccoli. And I wanted it very low maintenance. So I roasted the broccoli with lots of olive oil. I love when the oven does the work.

Give it a try tonight. This makes 4 small side portions. Double for a family of 5+ or a really hungry family of four.

Easy Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
With Lemon and Garlic

2 large heads of broccoli, cut into florets, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
Ground black pepper
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400˚. Move rack to the upper middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. Layer the broccoli on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands until all is well coated. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic. Toss again. Layer evenly again. Roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Things will be starting to get tender and begin to brown on edges. Take sheet out and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese evenly over broccoli. Roast for about 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and starting to brown on edges. Take out of the oven and squeeze the half lemon over broccoli, drizzling juice evenly. Serve warm.

TUESDAY INFOGRAPHIC: New Year's Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:10:00 +0000

I loved this infographic. I loved some of the resolutions on it. I also am a sucker for the color peach/coral. I love beautiful typesetting.

A couple things jumped out at me.

I think I do sweat once a day, but its not from working out. LOL! Its usually "Oh crap, I left the milk out all day" or "What do you mean the client wanted to see three more ideas by tomorrow and I agreed to it?" kind of sweat. So does that mean I am covered there?

I can't move somewhere interesting. I am pretty much chained to my house until my child goes to college. But I do think Chicago is pretty darn interesting. It's the 2nd city, baby!

So, here are the ones I am going to focus on based on this infographic:
Adopt a normal sleep schedule.
Get out of debt.
Make more things fun.
Save money.
Get ride of useless things.

The whole lose-weight thing...Geesh. I am always trying to do that, I'm a girl! New year's isn't going to magically change that.

What about you?

PARENTING: When you stop yelling, you stop the yelling

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:44:00 +0000

The transition into 4th grade for us has not been an easy one. Our daughter has been forced to grow leaps and bounds to keep up with her older classmates. It seems there is such a difference between 9 and 10 year olds. My daughter is one of the younger 4th graders. Her challenges have run the gamut from resolving social conflicts with the gaggle of girls that she has never been able to connect with to all the new pressures of the advanced academics that our school imparts. For 6 weeks before Christmas, we were at our wits end. It seemed that our daughter was having some real alienation issues with the girls, well...one in particular (isn't it always really just one?). It seemed that she became the brunt of "fat jokes" in the locker room, and was singled out to be ignored during basketball practice and recess (and these are just the highlights). She would be in tears every time I picked her up from practice.

As things escalated as I tried to alert the coaches and teachers as to what was going on, I received some disturbing feedback about our daughter's behavior as well. All the growing conflict began to make her feel victimized, blowing everything out of proportion and becoming defensive and disruptive. It turned out, she was yelling a lot; at the teachers, her classmates, even us. I understood, she was angry and hurt. But all this was causing her to be very difficult at school and at home as well. She was lacking focus. She was talking back to us as, which caused us to just yell louder over her to be heard. We had been seeing an escalation of tempers and conflict, and it was not pretty. So two things happened.

One, our homeroom teacher decided to help Carla deal with how she reacts to situations. She created a journal for her to carry to each classroom. Each teacher would write down her behavior, good or bad, to bring home and share with us. Then we all could discuss how better she could have reacted to situations. She wanted Carla to be more self aware, and realize she can control her reactions to things, even if she couldn't control the other children and how they behaved towards her. But as she regained control of herself, she may turn around some of her relationships at school. Of course, the first entry was abysmal. But what jumped out at me out of all her behavior that day was more of the yelling. And as I was reading it, she and my husband started to yell at each other about something in the other room...I don't even remember what. And it dawned on me, she is learning it here! She is learning how to deal with conflicts by just yelling more, like we seem to be doing.

So this leads me to the second thing we did. I walked into the dining room and said, "This family is starting a yelling jar. Each time someone loses their temper and yells, 25¢ goes into the jar." Carla seemed fine with it. My husband said to me, "I don't yell." Well, hello irony! He owed the jar 75¢ within the hour. Of course, his response was "Well, she MAKES me yell."

(men. *snort.)

Within the first day, we had quite a bit of change in the jar. Each day, however, there has been less and less. The jar made us all self aware of our own behavior. I think it was quite eye-opening, especially "Mr. I don't yell" husband. And we found that if we kept our cool, and dealt with our conflicts in different, better ways, our daughter would learn the same. And it seems she has.

Since school has started back up again, the journal has been a lot more positive. Even my husband said Tuesday night that we have turned a corner during homework time. She seems more in control, more focused and more positive. Even the basketball coach wrote me a note saying that our daughter was one of the more focused and determined players at practice this week. I almost fell out of my chair! When working through things at home, I calmly talk to her and if she gets upset and begins to speak disrespectfully, I try not to do the same back. I take a deep breath to help swallow my frustration and firmly and calmly talk to her. I tell her she owes money to the jar and ask to repeat what she wanted to say in a more productive way. Now even as I say this, I know it isn't easy. A spirited 9 year old can try anyone's patience. In fact, in the middle of writing this post, I lost it in the kitchen as she was wandering around the kitchen slowly making herself late to her game. I swear she has no sense of urgency! As she walked out the door, she sheepishly said to me, "We both owe 25¢". Well, at least she is paying attention. Before, she would not have thought twice about it.

And I guess that is the whole idea. Just trying to make our whole family self aware, and in doing so, make our 9 year old more self aware of herself and her actions. And this is hard. A 9 year old is still very young and it takes maturity to be more self aware. I explained to her time and again during all this that at the end of the day, the only things you can control in life, is you. You can't control what another person says or does, but you can control how you react to that person. You can make it better, or you can make it worse. And yelling, we have found, makes it way worse.

Recipe: No Knead in No Time Multi Grain Artisan Bread

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:38:00 +0000

We finally had our first snow to herald in the first Monday in 2012. And it wasn't just a fluffy snow, but a crisp, icy snow that likes to blow around. I have to admit, Chicago has had almost springlike temperatures. I was beginning to wonder if cranky-pants, old man Winter was going to forget about us. Well, wishful thinking. Being a seasoned chi-town girl, I should know better. So the blustery day made me want some crusty bread baking in the oven. The problem with craving bread is time. Usually when I want it, it's too late to do anything about it. But I remembered a no-knead recipe from Williams-Sonoma from many years ago. But just because it was no-knead did not mean it was less time. The recipe I recalled took 2 days. I began poking around the web, and I combined kitch'n.com's no time no knead bread with the traditional no knead bread recipe. Then I made up my concoction of whole grains to start the year off right and healthy. All in all, I think it turned out pretty good!

You can make this in an afternoon easily. Kitch'n even has a trick with the microwave to cut the time to a total of an hour (Imagine throwing down fresh bread right after work? You will make your significant other swoon with delight!). It does change the bread flavor and consistency. The crumb is more delicate as well as the artisan flavor. That is why I took the best of both worlds and allowed the bread to rise twice for a total of three hours...though you could probably just do two if you are pressed. The best way to make no-knead bread is in a Dutch oven. If you don't have one, visit Kitch'n.com for some Dutch oven substitutions. Also, flax seeds and the yeast amounts make the bread tangy and earthy. You can add a little honey to sweeten the bread a little and take down the tang.

Mmm. I can smell it right now. When will Google provide smell a vision?

No Knead in No Time Multi Grain Artisan Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups lukewarm water
4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 Tbsp. flax seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ (or cracked wheat, pumpkin seeds, steel cut oats or other grains and seeds)
1 Tbsp. honey (optional)

Plenty of nonstick cooking spray
A handful of cornmeal for dusting the pot

Directions:

In a mixing bowl sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Let sit for about 3 minutes, or until yeast is bubbling.

In a small food processor, pulse oats until roughly chopped.

With a paddle attachment on the mixer, mix in 2 cups whole wheat flour, regular flour, salt, oil, vinegar, flax seeds, pulsed oats and wheat germ into the yeast mixture. Move to a kneading hook (but I stayed with the paddle and it worked fine, fyi) and work the dough for about 7 more minutes while working in the last cup of whole wheat flour. The dough will pull away from the sides when ready in a workable ball (see above).

Grease a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and plop the dough inside. Wet a lint-free towel until it is damp. Lay it over the bowl and place in a dark place. (I use the oven). Let it sit for 2 hours. The dough will have doubled in size. Take it out. Pull the dough from the sides and fold it over itself a few times. Cover with the towel again and let sit again for 1 more hour. It will rise again.

Heat oven to 425˚, placing the Dutch oven bottom in there while preheating. The Dutch oven will create a crisp crust if it is hot.

When the oven is at 425˚, pull out the Dutch oven and sprinkle the insides with a handful of corn meal. Pull your dough away from the sides of the bowl again, fold it over a few times on itself, then plop into prepared Dutch oven. You can hear it sizzle as you plop it in, which means you have your pot hot enough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 slits along the top of the dough and cover with the top, making sure it, too, is sprayed down with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another ten minutes, or until crust is crisp and golden. Flip bread onto a cooling rack before cutting. Serve warm.

Even faster?
Kitch'n says you can make the basic dough, then put it in a greased bowl and microwave on high for 25 seconds. Let it sit for 5, then microwave for another 25 seconds. Then let it rest for 15 minutes. Plop dough into prepared Dutch oven and bake! I am not sure how this would work. But I may give it a try one night I am pressed for time. I'll let you know.

RECIPE: Chocolate Sprinkle and Chocolate Peppermint Cake Pops

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:33:00 +0000

I made these cake balls for a holiday school bake sale 5 weeks ago, and am just putting them up now. I have grown to love making cake balls for big events where I need to make a lot of something for a lot of people. Usually big potlucks, festivals, parties and fundraisers have a lot of activity going on. Usually the guests don't have both hands and a chair to enjoy what you bring. Cake balls are great for just that. You can even eat these while walking around with one hand.

You can get a lot of cake balls from this recipe. I was able to make about 50 cake pops. As Marie Barone said on Everybody Loves Raymond, "Honey, I am the bake sale!" You show up with 50 of these cake pops sold at around $2 a pop, and you can really raise some good money AND make a lot of tummies happy. I rolled half of these in peppermint candy bits, and I sprinkled the other half with colored sprinkles.

One more note, this cake batter is AMAZING. It is so moist and delicious, and is derived from the cake ball diva herself, www.bakerella.com You can really eat the cake on its own with a light whipped cream frosting. Conveniently, the recipe makes a massive amount of cake. You will only use a little over 3/4 of the cake in the 15" x 10" pan. So save the other saved rectangle of cake for eating later when you have had a rough day and need chocolate therapy, which happens weekly over here!

Chocolate Sprinkle and Chocolate Peppermint Cake Pops

Ingredients:

Assembly:
50 or so small cupcake liners
candy/lollipop sticks from a craft store (can use Popsicle or bamboo sticks)
2 bags Wilton milk chocolate candy melts
canola oil (about 2 Tbsp. total)
double boiler
1 1/2 cups broken candy cane bits
decorative sprinkles

Cake Recipe:
nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups good quality unsweetened cocoa
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups water

Frosting for ball mixture:
1 8 oz. square cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 350˚. Spray a 15 x 10 inch Pyrex pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cocoa powder. Set aside.

Mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. With a paddle attachment, mix the oil, buttermilk, vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add hot water. Scrape the sides and blend a few minutes more until smooth.

I cut that little piece because I wanted to taste it. It was worth it.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes on the middle rack. The cake should spring back to the touch and toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Cut chunks off the cake and crumble finely with your fingers into a large mixing bowl. Cut away leaving a 5"or 6" x 8" strip of cake for eating later. Crumble away with your fingers until a fine texture is in the bowl. I use fingers versus a food processor, because I want the cake texture to still be in the balls. A food processor makes the cake texture too fine for my tastes.

In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and whip some more, adding milk and vanilla as you go. Whip until fluffy and smooth.

Add the frosting into the crumbled cake, mixing with a spatula until the mixture is malleable and able to be shaped. Shape the cake into balls the size of a large walnut. Push a stick at the center sticking up and set, ball down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Keep shaping more, sticking them and adding them to the sheet. When the sheet is filled, store in the freezer. Continue until all the mixture is shaped. Store in the freezer until ready to be dressed up.

Melt the first bag of candy melts in the double boiler with a Tbsp. of oil. Mix until smooth. Dip each frozen ball into the chocolate, coating it completely. Either roll it then in the peppermint bits and set down, or set down directly and sprinkle it with colored sprinkles. Do the same with the 2nd bag of melts as you need it, adding oil to keep things smooth and workable.

Store balls back in the freezer until ready to serve. When ready, place in small cupcake/truffle liners and let them sit out at room temp. 5-10 minutes before serving. Freezer works better than the refrigerator for storing, otherwise they sweat too much in storage and look wet and sloppy when served.

Now go have some chocolate therapy...with or without vodka!

RECIPE & PRODUCT REVIEW: Play and Freeze Ice Cream Ball and Milk Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Santa brought my daughter this really fun toy called The Mega Ice Cream ball. She had her eye on it for a while and I was not sure if the thing really would work. We tried it twice and it worked both times, and the ice cream was really great!

The premise is that your child and siblings or friends roll the ball around back and forth for about 30 minutes. The shaking of it with the freezing ice surrounding it creates ice cream in the central container.

We really have enjoyed this gadget. Here is what I like about it.

It works.
It was affordable.
It gives the kids some exercise.
It keeps them away from the TV.
You get enough ice cream to save in the freezer for later.
Use it outside in the summer or inside as something physical to do in the winter months. Roll it on a carpet.

We tried a couple of recipes and approaches, and we found that the Ben and Jerry's recipe base is a creamier ice cream, being able to be stored in the freezer better. Unfortunately, this is the higher fat version. It is very good, almost like Haagen Dazs. We tried a version with lighter half and half with no eggs, and it was good. But it became icy as we tried to store it for a few days. Here is a picture of the half and half mix so you can see. My daughter still enjoyed it. This was a "hot cocoa" ice cream. using 4 packets of instant hot cocoa inside the half and half.

Hot cocoa with half and half. See the ice? More water, more iciness. Less creamy.

Below is the recipe we made that I highly recommend. It does use egg and full cream, but it is oh so good. Supposedly you can make a sorbet with the ball as well. We will give that a try soon. If you are a mom trying to figure out a way to keep the kids moving and distracted from video games and the TV this winter, this funky ball will help. It helped me!

Milk Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Hershey's chocolate bars, broken up

A lot of ice
1 1/4 cup kosher salt, plus 1/3 more

Directions:

In the bottom of the ball, fill with ice and add the salt. Tighten cap with the tightener provided. Turn over and uncap the ice cream receptacle.

In a bowl, whisk the egg until it is foamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking really well after each addition. Add the cream and milk, whisking until well combined. Add the vanilla and whisk again. Pour into the container.

Finely chop the chocolate. Add the chocolate to the container and mix. Put the cap on and tighten with the tightener gently.

Roll the ball around, shaking and tossing and rolling for 15 minutes. We set a timer, tell jokes or take turns playing I spy as we roll back and forth. My daughter came up with wearing mittens as we do this, because the ball gets very cold and hard to handle. When the timer goes off, uncap the ice cream with the tightener, and scrape the sides with a plastic spoon or wooden spoon, mixing the solids with the liquids. Cap tightly again. Turn the ball over and uncap the ice opening. Drain off the water, using the cap to block the ice from falling out. Fill with more ice and add 1/3 cup more salt. Cap tightly again, and shake again for 15 more minutes.

Your ice cream is done! Scrape out the ice cream and store in an air tight container.

Try not to use a hard metal object in the ice cream container, it will scratch. Use plastic, wood or rubber.

RECIPE: Baked Chocolate Panettone French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

OK. I have to kind of pre-apologize for this recipe. I know its close to New Years Resolution time and all, and this recipe is really not on that regime whatsoever. Its decadent and delicious. But it is great for brunch guests for sure, which you still may have between now and New Years Day. This makes great use of left over Chocolate Panettone. We Italians always have a plethora of these holiday sweet breads around the house. Unfortunately, I end up nibbling the left overs a week after opening it, not helping with my will power. So, I decided yesterday, the way I see it, get the eating of the leftovers in one sit down and than you can get back to your diet. This is a great recipe to use it all up.

If you have just the plain panettone versus the chocolate, I would spice things up with some coffee/espresso and cinnamon, or even mixed spices with a little orange juice. Also, I have included a couple recipes for some whipped mascarpone cream you could dollop on top if you wish. We just used syrup but if you wanted to be all fancy with guests, this would be a lovely addition.

Baked Chocolate Panettone French Toast

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (2% or full fat)
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
Butter
3/4 to a whole chocolate covered and/or filled panettone, sliced 1/2" thick
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 cup cocoa powder
Maple syrup for garnish
Hazelnut or Almond Mascarpone Creme (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400˚, with a rack in the middle of the oven, and one at the top.

Generously butter 1 or 2 rectangular Pyrex pans, depending on how many slices you have. In a bowl, whisk eggs, condensed milk and regular milk. Add the vanilla and cocoa, whisk some more.

Dip each bread slice in the batter, let drip, than lay in the pan. Continue with all the slices, fitting them snugly in the pan. With the left over batter, divide between two pans, pouring evenly over the slices. With the back of a spoon, push down on the bread so it soaks up the batter, taking care to see if stiff, dry ends need special attention. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, tilting the pan around periodically do the bread absorbs all the liquid.

Bake at 400˚ for about 20 min on the middle rack. Bread will have absorbed all the liquid and beginning to puff up. Raise temp to 425˚, and place pans on the top rack for 3-5 minutes. This will add a crisp, golden color.

Serve warm with maple syrup and if you wish, mascarpone creme.

For the hazelnut mascarpone crème from gildedfork.com

1 tablespoon hazelnut cream paste (such as Nutella)
½ cup mascarpone cheese
1 dash freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip until light and fluffy, serve.

For the almond mascarpone crème

2 cups mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp. almond extract or Amaretto

Whip until light and fluffy, serve.

CRAFT: Upcycled Easy T-Shirt Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:52:00 +0000

Here is a great, green craft idea that is fashionable and easy. I found the idea on a wonderful craft blog at http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/super_easy_tshirt_scarf. I wanted to post this earlier, but I did not want to spoil the surprise to some of my friends and family that were receiving this as a gift for Christmas. If you were purging your closet and getting rid of old, large T-shirts, this is a great way to keep it out of the landfill and make better use out of it. I prefer to use large or extra large shirts. The more squares you can get out of a shirt, the longer the scarf. The longer it is, the more you can have it go around to create the fluffy, textural shape around the neck line. I also like shirts that have some nice graphic accents to them. When the design gets cut up and spread out throughout the scarf, it adds a nice graphic, edgy touch. It also allows the wearer to have better flexibility with what she could wear with it.

I made about 14 of these for Christmas. They are quite easy, especially if you use a rotary cutter and a mat. It creates clean edges on the squares and goes much quicker. If you don't have enough T-shirts in your attic, a local thrift shop will have plenty of large and extra large shirts at a very affordable price. I actually went in the men's section for these and made a lot of earthy-colored scarfs. I wanted to make sure I had enough squares per scarf to make it long enough. Each scarf had about 30-45 squares. The longer, the better.

Here is how I made them:

First, launder the shirt. Cut the side seams right up to the sleeve. Then cut the sleeve off evenly with the seam, as shown here. You want straight edge right up to the top.

Next, use a ruler and a rotary cutter to clean up the edge. Then, using a 4 1/2" square template, line up a ruler and cut a 4 1/2" strip. Keep going until you have the shirt cut up into 4 1/2" strips. Next, line up the template on the 1st strip, and cut vertically until all strips are cut into 4 1/2" squares.

Next, place one square in front of you, right side up, in the shape of a diamond. Be sure you are turning around every other square to be right side up (because they will not be on account of a T shirt being right sides outward.) Place the next square on top of the first, with the bottom tip in the center point of the bottom square, in the shape of a diamond. Pin it in place. Then place the third on top of the last one, bottom point in the center of the last. As you move up, roll the bottom gently upwards. Continue pinning the top upwards and rolling the bottom half as you go until all is done.
You will end up with a pinned roll of squares.

Under the sewing machine, place the scarf, topmost square outside of the roll, under the foot and unroll the first batch of squares, laying the rest of the roll in your lap. Sweep your hand under the unrolled squares so points lie flat under the scarf. I found points roll under or fly up, so be sure you stop every few unrolled squares so make things lie flat as the squares feed through the machine. I used a straight stitch, but you can experiment with zigzag stitches or other decorative stitches in you wish. As squares feed into the machine, unpin as you go, as squares will unroll nicely out of your lap so that fabric is easy to control. Keep going until all squares are all sewn together.

And there you go! A fun, chic scarf!

RECIPE: Cran-Apple Orange Shortbread Thumbprints

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Are you baking?

I just spent three days straight baking. We Caputo women take it pretty seriously. I take vacation time and hang with the lady folk of our family, baking traditional Italian stuff while listening to carols. It's nice. I started the tradition over 15 years ago so we can force ourselves to slow down and spend time with our mother, and each other. Good times.

Then, on the third day, mamma has some fun. I forgo Christmas carols for some Frightened Rabbit and Joy Formidable, and mix crazy things together like lemon lavender cookies, eggnog drops and coffee cocoa ribbons!

I know...crazy.

Well, last night. I was out of eggs to finish my final batch of cookies, lime cremes. I had shortbread thumbprints with nothing to fill them with. So I turned up the music with my creativity and whipped up these. Lime cremes are now...

Cran-Apple Orange Shortbread Thumbprints

Ingredients:

Shortbread

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks. room temp
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup applesauce
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 tsp. cornstarch

Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325˚. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla and salt until well whipped and light. Turn mixer on low and add flour until well combined. Shape dough into 1" balls. Set them on a lined cookie sheet 1 1/2 " apart. Use the end of a wooden spoon to make an indentation in the middle of the cookie. pushing it on an angle and around to make the whole a little bigger. Bake 12-15 minutes, switching pans halfway through for even baking. Cookies will be set, but not brown. Let cool for one minute on sheets, then remove onto cooling racks to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, mix the cranberries with the applesauce, orange juice, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat for five minutes, or until cranberries are softened. Mix the cornstarch with the marmalade. Add it to the cranberry mix, stirring well. Cook until thick and bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely. It will gel up and become thick.

Fill cookies with cranberry mixture. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

INFOGRAPHIC TUESDAY: Do Men or Women Achieve Work/Life Balance?

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Well, get prepared to be a little depressed. According to this study, men seem to be happier with better work/life balance. They seem to take more breaks for themselves, make more money and do less housework.

SO, what lesson is this for me?

I am going to take my walks at Starbucks during my workday.

I am going to call a cleaning lady.

I am going to ask for a raise.

The smoking and more sex part is negotiable. The latter is only because I have a sneaky suspicion that a good night's sleep is also very good for work life balance, too.

Enjoy...sort of.

RECIPE: Northeastern Apple Maple Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:16:00 +0000

I recently finished a school project with my daughter about the Northeastern States. She had to collect a handful of recipes that were representative of those states. She really wanted to make sure she had a handful of maple and apple recipes in her cookbook. And in typical Mother/Daughter style, we could not agree on which muffin recipe to choose. One was a simple traditional recipe from historical sites in the Northeast that she wanted to use. However I found a recipe in a Time-Life series we own about regional cooking that had maple and hazelnuts in it. Of course, it was her project, and she won. But, we had to make something from the cookbook to bring to class. I decided to add maple, milk, apple sauce and extra spices to the recipe-after all, I have a baking reputation to uphold in her class! The recipe my daughter chose was a little to plain for my tastes. This recipe yielded 24-28 medium size muffins.

Northeastern Apple Maple Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
26-28 paper cupcake liners
Brown sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

Place a paper liner in each muffin tin and set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients with a fork (flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder). In another bowl, whisk eggs with milk until lightly beaten. Add oil, apple sauce and maple syrup, and whisk until mixed. Add half the liquid to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Add the rest of the liquid and whisk with either a whisk or fork until just combined. Do not overmix.

With a tablespoon, pour the batter into each liner to about 2/3 full. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of each. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until puffy and lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes, then pull out the muffins to put on a cooling rack to cool completely.

CRAFT: A Dragon Cinch Sack-ROAR & CHOMP!

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:35:00 +0000

My daughter has become obsessed with dragons, preferably Asian ones-but she will take any as long as its big, fierce with lots of teeth and scales. Recently, she had to do a book project in which they had to create a bag for the book, and put items in it that relate to the story. We were talking about what her plan was going to be, and of course her book had to do with a white mountain dragon. I laughingly said, "Wouldn't it be fun if the sack looked like a dragon's mouth and it looked like it was eating your hand as you pulled items out to share with the class?" Of course, I should learn from my day job in advertising, never mention anything you don't plan on executing. SO my daughter's eyes lit up and 10 minutes later she and I had a sketch for our "Dragon Bag". It would involve simple sewing, ribbon, notions and some remnant fabric. But in the end, she had a bag she could keep to store other stuff and of course, her teacher loved it.

I am sharing it on the blog because, though our execution was a little rudimentary (my daughter did have to do most of the work-it was her project), I think if a true crafter did a tidier version of this, it would make a pretty nifty gift for a dragon lover anywhere. You could use silks and velvets for an Asian dragon, or fake furs for a furry dragon. You could make different animals with teeth-a fox or alligator? It took a couple hours plus a trip to the craft store, a voila! A sack that could eat anyone's arm off in style.

To follow our dragon sack you will need:
1-2 yards, depending on the size of your bag, of the outer fabric of the dragon. I got mine in the remnant bin.

Same amount of red fabric for the inside of the cinch sack, to look like a mouth

1 square of white felt for teeth and eyes

1 square of stiff glitter felt for the back scales

3-4 yards of "scales", I used tassle fringe trim, but you can get tulle trim, sew felt "scale" shapes in a row to a thin ribbon as "trim", strips of fur or even textured lace

black sharpie

two jewels for eyes

1/2 yard ribbon for the closure-or whatever you bag needs to have enough to cinch close and open

Cut your outer fabric a little bigger than the finished size you want. I wanted mine to be roughly 14" long, so I cut a rectangle of about 15-16". Measure and cut your red fabric the same size.

Use fabric glue or sew the "scales", starting at the bottom of the right side of your outer fabric, overlapping slightly as you go. Leave an open area near the top for eyes and nose, if you wish. Do the same for the other side.

Sew the red fabric to both pieces of the outer fabric with the scales on, right sides together, as if you were sewing a pillow. For each "side", sew all edges except the one at the top. Turn them inside out.

Now, right side together again with white/red pieces, sew all edges except the top.

Roll down the top about 3/4" so you make an area to thread your ribbon, and cut away a white strip so you see a red edge from the outside. Now sew along the bottom of the fold edges on both sides, leaving an open area near the edges so you can thread the ribbon through.

Turn inside out. Now cut your teeth by measuring the length of your felt and the bag, and sketching out your teeth shapes. Cut and use fabric glue to adhere the teeth to the red edge of the mouth. Do the top and bottom. Let dry for 10 minutes. Use a safety pin and pin the edge of your ribbon. This is your "handle" as you thread the ribbon through the top of the bag. Scoot the ribbon through the inside of the seam, pushing the pin through until you get to the side you started at. Pull it out, take off the safety pin, cut access and tie a knot.

Using your marker, cut an almond shape for the eyes, cut and glue. Use a marker to draw irises on the jewels, and glue to the felt shapes in the middle. Let dry.

Cut a large scale shape with triangles from the stiffer felt that will go down the center of the front of the bag. Fold a crease along it about 1/4". This will help to glue and adhere the scales to the bag. Let dry a few minutes.

There! You have your fierce dragon cinch sack!

RECIPE: Muddy Buddy Cookie Dough "Pops"

noreply@blogger.com (The Urban Domestic Diva) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:24:00 +0000

One of my favorite flavors in the world is peanut butter and chocolate together. You can bet I am the one rummaging through my daughter's trick or treat bag after Halloween squirreling away the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Once, a mother of a friend put a snack in a bowl that looked like dark, powdery Chex Mix. It was, in fact, a treat called Muddy Buddies. A delicious snack of chocolate, sugar and peanut butter coating Chex cereal. It was...DELICIOUS. Where had I been that I had missed this delectable treat all my life? Well, they are in my repertoire now...the recipe for traditional Muddy Buddies are here on my traditional website.

So when I saw Confessionsofacookbookqueen (a hilarious, talented, amazing food blogger I follow religiously-check her out!) post these Muddy Buddy Cookie Dough Truffles, I wondered if I could make them into "pops" to sell at our school craft fair. That way, people could eat them while still shop the craft tables with a free hand. They worked out beautifully and held up well out in room temp for 4 hours. They are no-bake which makes them very easy for you or for little kitchen helpers! And if you are looking for a blog to follow with great recipes and a healthy helping of personality to go along with it, please visit the cookbook queen's blog.

Muddy Buddy Cookie Dough "Pops"

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp. lowfat milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour

Coating:
2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups (or more) powdered sugar

Directions:

With a hand mixer in a medium bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat on low until combined. Don't overmix.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil. Make sure whatever size sheet you use can fit in your freezer.

With your hands, take clumps of the dough and roll into walnut-sized balls. Line them about an inch apart on a baking sheet. Use candy sticks from the craft store's candy making aisle, or bamboo sticks or popsicle sticks to make your pops. Insert your stick into each ball gently, careful not to go all the way through the other side. Freeze balls for about 30 minutes to an hour.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the butter on medium power for minute and a half intervals, mixing in between until chocolate is smooth and melted. In another plate or bowl, add the powdered sugar. Take your pops out of the freezer and dip each into the chocolate until evenly covered. When covered, roll in the powdered sugar until pop is covered. Place back onto the baking sheet. Reserve the powdered sugar. Freeze until 30 minutes before serving. Then take them out and roll one more time in the powdered sugar until well covered. I placed these in cute mini cupcake liners to serve. They defrost to room temp as they sit out.

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