tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67238969838878917302024-02-18T22:24:16.334-08:00Just Shmying AroundEmmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-39275305788544274812013-10-07T08:18:00.002-07:002013-10-07T08:18:16.122-07:00Smoothies Galore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKCduq4g_LtoDWMGVxVooiWbGe44-bG2N_Pn617QYkEHRGVrWPpz4oTmqaAxHKBf9W4EOK77ZW7V4ba19KcGDQVDhfG4drlvndn20Q6V_hKQBxvtWLael3C2kxC4C3xHqZdAUdH8ofYfH/s1600/DSC_0803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKCduq4g_LtoDWMGVxVooiWbGe44-bG2N_Pn617QYkEHRGVrWPpz4oTmqaAxHKBf9W4EOK77ZW7V4ba19KcGDQVDhfG4drlvndn20Q6V_hKQBxvtWLael3C2kxC4C3xHqZdAUdH8ofYfH/s640/DSC_0803.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This off-colored "smoothie" is why I have not been baking (and sub-sequentially blogging) much lately. My mom and I are on a NutriBullet kick - or at least I am. Every morning for breakfast I <strike>enjoy </strike>choke down one of these yellowish-greenish drinks in an attempt to get more fruits and veggies in my diet. So you can see why, after making it through one of these, it would seem a bit counterproductive to bake.<br />
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This particular smoothie contained a handful of baby spinach, one (peeled) blood orange, a plum (also peeled), a banana, 8 almonds, 1 tbsp goji berries and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds. All this (along with some crushed ice and water) goes into my handy-dandy NutriBullet blender and gets blended into a frothy (and borderline chunky) drink.<br />
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Look at all that healthful goodness.</div>
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Yum? I'm kidding.. being totally dramatic. The drinks really aren't so bad. You can't taste the spinach at all - even though it is the culprit for the drink's unappetizing color - and I'm drinking more fruits and nuts than I would ever eat throughout the day. So for now, this is all I've been whipping up in the kitchen. But don't worry dear readers (ahem, <i>dad</i>), for pumpkin season is upon us and it is only a matter of time before I make <a href="http://nancycreative.com/2011/12/06/pumpkin-bread-with-pumpkin-buttercream/" target="_blank">pumpkin bread</a> and <a href="http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/baked-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-cinnamon-glaze/" target="_blank">pumpkin doughnuts</a> and <a href="http://www.takeamegabite.com/pumpkin-crepes/" target="_blank">pumpkin crepes</a> that I could use instead of regular crepes in my <a href="http://www.justshmyingaround.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-hazelnut-crepe-cake.html" target="_blank">crepe cake</a>. Now that's YUM. </div>
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Also, in case you're having a rough day, here's a cute picture of my sad cone-headed pup. He got his you-know-whats snipped. </div>
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Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-38400993289524222662013-08-29T18:28:00.000-07:002013-08-29T18:28:50.573-07:00Fresh-picked Blueberry Almond Spongecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was the first cake I've ever made that was entirely devoured in the first night.</div>
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Well, almost entirely. There was a small piece left that I'm pretty sure was eaten the following morning. Basically, this cake is bomb. Not only does it taste like the happiest marriage of blueberry, almond and cream, but there is NO added fat (to the cake part.. the mascarpone blueberry filling and topping are certainly fat-full).<br />
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This is actually one 9-inch round cake, baked in a spring-form pan so it's taller than usual. Then I sliced it in half, layered it with tons of fresh-picked blueberries mixed with mascarpone and confectioners' sugar (they were actually fresh-picked, my boyfriend and I went to a pick-your-own farm earlier that day and got lots of fresh berries).<br />
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I only frosted the top because I wanted to be able to see the blueberry filling and the spongy texture of the cake. And because I was trying to make it <i>somewhat</i> of a healthier dessert. Though let me tell you, that is not easy. I just love chocolate and butter too much. But this cake satisfied my sweets craving enough and I didn't get the usual after-dessert-guilt.<br />
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I followed <a href="http://playingwithflour.blogspot.com/2011/07/almond-sponge-cake.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, which was fairly simple. The only thing that I wasn't used to was whipping the egg whites and yolks separately, which makes for an airier cake. As for the filling and topping, I mixed together a 17.5 oz container of mascarpone with Cool Whip and confectioners' sugar (to taste). For the filling, I mixed 1 pint of blueberries with 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a saucepan until it was thickened. I let this cool before mixing it into the mascarpone cream, et voila. Blueberry cream filling! Delicious <i>and</i> sort of nutritious.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-18958196456247839722013-07-09T18:16:00.000-07:002013-07-09T18:16:46.416-07:00Fruit and Mascarpone TartSo this is my fourth of July post... it's only a few days late.<br />
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My main reason for posting late (besides the fact that I made this the day of and couldn't blog on the 4th) is that you can (and should!) make this tart for any occasion. Personally, I'd like it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I wouldn't suggest doing that. Though it does have fruit, and mascarpone isn't entirely unhealthy...<br />
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Since I didn't have a chance to take a picture of the inside of the tart after it was cut into (the dessert scavengers at the party swooped in too quickly), I figured I'd create a layer-by-layer shot so you could see the inside. Just to give the tart an extra oomph, I added a thin layer of ganache to the bottom. This, paired with the creamy and lightly sweet mascarpone and the tangy fruit, was OOC (which, for my non-Rachel-Zoe-watching readers, stands for Out Of Control).<br />
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<i>Fruit and Mascarpone Tart</i><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 17.5 oz container of mascarpone cheese<br />
3/4 c. confectioners' sugar<br />
strawberries and blueberries for decorating (I used around 7 strawberries)<br />
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips<br />
1/3 c. heavy cream <br />
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For shortbread crust:<br />
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar<br />
1/4 tsp. salt<br />
1 stick plus 1 tbsp (9 tbsp) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
For the shortbread crust, follow the instructions at the bottom of <a href="http://www.justshmyingaround.blogspot.com/2013/01/lemon-squares.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a><b> </b>and bake in a greased 9 inch spring form pan<b>. </b>To fully bake the crust, bake in a 375 degree F oven for around 30-35 minutes. Let cool fully before adding fillings.<br />
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To make ganache, place chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Boil heavy cream in a medium sauce pan. Once slowly boiling, pour cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 30 seconds. Stir in slowly widening circles until chocolate and cream are incorporated.<br />
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Spoon a thin layer of chocolate over the cooled crust (can use as much or as little ganache as you want). Put the crust in the refrigerator to harden the ganache.<br />
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In a medium bowl, mix the mascarpone cheese and confectioners' sugar until fully combined. Spread cheese mixture over the ganache in the crust. Top with desired fruit and enjoy! Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-62147564835008851252013-07-02T11:19:00.000-07:002013-07-02T11:19:13.114-07:00Healthy Oatmeal Raisin CookiesSo healthy is used loosely here... just go with it.<br />
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As I've admitted in this blog many times, I'm a sugar addict. I'm usually only content with oatmeal cookies of any kind if they're loaded with chocolate chips and other sugary delights. These cookies were baked for my father, who has an odd affinity for oatmeal raisin cookies sans chocolate chips. I must say, however, that I enjoyed these more than I thought I would. The cookies were plump and chewy, with deliciously crispy edges. And, since the recipe calls for whole wheat flour along with regular flour, these are practically dietetic.<br />
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<i>Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies</i><br />
(makes around 14 medium-sized cookies)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1/2 c. whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp. baking powder<br />
1/3 c. butter, melted (around 5 1/3 tbsp)<br />
2/3 c. packed dark brown sugar<br />
1 large egg, at room temperature<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1/2 c. rolled oats<br />
1/2 c. raisins<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.<br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours and baking powder. Set aside.<br />
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In a larger bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, and stir just to combine. Mix in the oats and raisins.<br />
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Spoon dough onto baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cookies are done when they look crisp around the edges and golden brown and puffy in the center.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-57723785718938682013-04-15T13:07:00.001-07:002013-04-15T13:07:24.364-07:00Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past weekend my boyfriend came to visit me at school for my final sorority formal (how depressing is that?!) and as with each visit, I reward his 6-hours of driving with something decadent and delicious. This weekend, it was <a href="http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2013/04/peanut-butter-cup-cookie-dough-crumble-bars.html" target="_blank">peanut butter cup cookie dough crumble bars</a> from Averie Cooks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy8k8L0_oriyIbTkA7WUWi_xxOOMLdN9GpxVx6CTfmz7zeBf6CJzM4Ow1os-mbz0fv_X7Hk5AKpqYTQPQdTdI25Wv27Rv9R31uW8y-7cHDofbe3noHWj_d1EAzFYujiprKtistmd6ebsS/s1600/DSC_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy8k8L0_oriyIbTkA7WUWi_xxOOMLdN9GpxVx6CTfmz7zeBf6CJzM4Ow1os-mbz0fv_X7Hk5AKpqYTQPQdTdI25Wv27Rv9R31uW8y-7cHDofbe3noHWj_d1EAzFYujiprKtistmd6ebsS/s640/DSC_0555.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've never met someone who loves the peanut butter-chocolate combination as much as this boy does. For Valentine's Day, I sent him a 1-pound peanut butter cup, and when the company failed to deliver it by the holiday they sent him another one for free. He hadn't even opened the second one, so we chopped it up and used it in these bars.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYYHLfDEllr0WIR1lh2xh0MqjfWm8g_ndtL2mZwZYBwYWTmRwGUj7NVouX7c2t5hbThZOQ5Xo9oJq0QHx-zbb3a5Eg57MQ0A-lyhT38-u-57MMhS-97HWJKjjmxbHVf7JQ1gj3jrkLKE4/s1600/DSC_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYYHLfDEllr0WIR1lh2xh0MqjfWm8g_ndtL2mZwZYBwYWTmRwGUj7NVouX7c2t5hbThZOQ5Xo9oJq0QHx-zbb3a5Eg57MQ0A-lyhT38-u-57MMhS-97HWJKjjmxbHVf7JQ1gj3jrkLKE4/s640/DSC_0551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just as Averie describes in her post, this recipe is super easy. The cookie dough base and the "crumble" on top are made from the same batter, and the filling is just chopped pb cups and sweetened condensed milk, which makes them melt-in-your-mouth gooey. Also, as per her instructions, make sure to let these bars sit for at least three hours after baking. While it's tempting to dig right in, the soft center needs to set before cutting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHdtnsK5bfsph8R_JBYoH0tXADMLWsPFlBndgC58GAIXKo7IcZJD3G94QhjMGVGcCt0XfrBPLuFNcAB9iIGQXsR0qw1IHGHubENWJLECz-gpgrlB6g8y_cULdcV6xGG0Hxph55aIdu777/s1600/DSC_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHdtnsK5bfsph8R_JBYoH0tXADMLWsPFlBndgC58GAIXKo7IcZJD3G94QhjMGVGcCt0XfrBPLuFNcAB9iIGQXsR0qw1IHGHubENWJLECz-gpgrlB6g8y_cULdcV6xGG0Hxph55aIdu777/s640/DSC_0552.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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If your significant other/friends are anything like mine, these will be gone within the day. This recipe only made around 16 bars (which seems like a lot but really isn't when they're being eaten by six people) so I would suggest doubling it and baking them in a 9x13 inch pan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOnTupMZBaGcEiejocrNzFvHowBlFs8-fSm1gKURILPckthuNabuaRhlJ-e7x_hP0wPXN4lob0qA0elUWoL1GLfnTDgd3Ylu5rEtJCLDgeV8mSweeflRLZrGIkbCMFlIstgG9EG3o11kA/s1600/DSC_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOnTupMZBaGcEiejocrNzFvHowBlFs8-fSm1gKURILPckthuNabuaRhlJ-e7x_hP0wPXN4lob0qA0elUWoL1GLfnTDgd3Ylu5rEtJCLDgeV8mSweeflRLZrGIkbCMFlIstgG9EG3o11kA/s640/DSC_0559.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My favorite helper, trying (unsuccessfully) to talk and chew. You can find this recipe in the link at the top of the post!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-80249691107915108012013-04-10T12:29:00.000-07:002013-04-10T12:29:45.554-07:00Strawberry CakeI'm really excited about this cake. Here's why:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbtieS4-03vGDndozfoYB82B5wlBzkDa_-LzkWVt7R3C3gQiqaDzWxtELof4dys451QCaM6hKA1SCvAoIg7WajQ_RMEen6zSEIaWKUDXBW-5bMl0wUl4YX9ICY9_YXEa4cQB4jeYv4u6j/s1600/DSC_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbtieS4-03vGDndozfoYB82B5wlBzkDa_-LzkWVt7R3C3gQiqaDzWxtELof4dys451QCaM6hKA1SCvAoIg7WajQ_RMEen6zSEIaWKUDXBW-5bMl0wUl4YX9ICY9_YXEa4cQB4jeYv4u6j/s640/DSC_0540.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So first of all, it's super pretty. But more importantly, it's also really good. Like moist (sorry, I hate that word too, but I don't want to say "it has a nice wet to dry ratio with a good crumb" because I think that just essentially means "moist" and why would I waste so many words?) and light with a hint of strawberry flavor. It also can be played around with to make a bunch of combinations! I could use blueberries or blackberries in place of the strawberries, and then the cake would be blue! Definitely trying that next.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgVWHgPxKcEh8AWtqZIMyh_FU1W7GtgpVptq1MWewjOEg3pJZ3m37tCjuPzbdF8DokNt5QIKAuqrlmtmBCnYdFJgGAsg1R8fgpV58XaChz3-itjbACITtBaajfkjEXYa20wHn8lY86vXg/s1600/DSC_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgVWHgPxKcEh8AWtqZIMyh_FU1W7GtgpVptq1MWewjOEg3pJZ3m37tCjuPzbdF8DokNt5QIKAuqrlmtmBCnYdFJgGAsg1R8fgpV58XaChz3-itjbACITtBaajfkjEXYa20wHn8lY86vXg/s640/DSC_0535.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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I had to include a shot of the cake without any of its adornments, since it baked up so nicely. I did a single layer cake because it was approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night and I didn't feel like assembling a layer cake. I was even tempted to leave it sans frosting, but the pudding/dream whip topping was too good to leave off.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkRRkuUa_LaBhIZwnO8uaTlBTeNwpS8BNH2Ej5yga0Usa040PMpuysecKTHIKthNEu_AVY_AnyEA7ya27sl-NsKfXVYHgtJkEu60Y1eHQd2Ra1S4BiTYNDQYl8OlJxqvu0tbo8tfJkOBB/s1600/DSC_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKkRRkuUa_LaBhIZwnO8uaTlBTeNwpS8BNH2Ej5yga0Usa040PMpuysecKTHIKthNEu_AVY_AnyEA7ya27sl-NsKfXVYHgtJkEu60Y1eHQd2Ra1S4BiTYNDQYl8OlJxqvu0tbo8tfJkOBB/s640/DSC_0543.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I adapted this recipe from <a href="http://www.thelawstudentswife.com/2013/04/sprinkles-strawberry-cake-with-fluffy-cheesecake-frosting/" target="_blank">The Law Student's Wife</a>, though only because I was without certain ingredients. Either way, I would highly recommend this recipe. She suggests making it for an anniversary (so cute!) but I'll be using this recipe for any and all warm-weather festivities.</div>
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<i>Strawberry Cake with Vanilla Whipped Frosting</i></div>
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(makes two 6-inch rounds or one 9-inch round)</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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2/3 c. fresh or frozen whole strawberries (thawed)</div>
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1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour</div>
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1 tsp. baking powder</div>
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1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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4 tbsp. 2% milk (or whole milk)</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature</div>
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1 c. granulated sugar</div>
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1 large egg, room temperature</div>
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2 large egg whites, room temperature</div>
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<i>For the frosting:</i></div>
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1 packet instant whipped topping, like Dream Whip</div>
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1 package instant french vanilla pudding mix (the smaller box)</div>
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1 1/2 c. 2% milk</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the cake pans.</div>
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Food process or smash strawberries with a fork (I did the latter, no such luxury as a food processor in my college apartment) until they are liquidy.</div>
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In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, vanilla and strawberries. Set aside.</div>
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In a stand mixer (or in a medium sized bowl by hand) cream the butter until it is light in color and fluffy. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat. Slowly add the egg and egg whites, mix until just combined.</div>
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Slowly add half the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mixing until incorporated. Add the milk mixture; mix. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix!)</div>
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Pour batter into pans and bake around 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.</div>
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<i>To prepare the frosting:</i></div>
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In a stand mixer (or by hand), whisk together the instant whipped topping and instant pudding mix. Add milk and mix until blended. Increase mixer speed to high and beat 4 to 6 minutes until stiff peaks form. Frost cooled cake and top with whatever your sweet tooth desires.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxasL4AsxH3dkI7ijvO_Ju4_3sZhhUCyVaAYi3FK480vb-nypzCB24DqTnhQhVjyzX-VjiYc8aLTo6ovY7YCsgrPksGn15DgHWQE4vm6q-ItpMDyTeKjjKkJK4I-q39nL9xw5P7UcCwAi/s1600/DSC_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxasL4AsxH3dkI7ijvO_Ju4_3sZhhUCyVaAYi3FK480vb-nypzCB24DqTnhQhVjyzX-VjiYc8aLTo6ovY7YCsgrPksGn15DgHWQE4vm6q-ItpMDyTeKjjKkJK4I-q39nL9xw5P7UcCwAi/s640/DSC_0546.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-59191178684331423302013-03-27T13:17:00.000-07:002013-03-27T13:17:34.479-07:00Chocolate Babka<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If I had more blogging self-control, I would just post this picture with the link to the recipe and say no more, because this picture says it all. But obviously I can't <i>not</i> talk about chocolate babka.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhfzgS0W2gmHAEJLo_Uwgz0bHjvL9qSQqfWLTMK5UdL3_t4IFIBCE4CTL8ioV3sviCgvTRZnG1TVPA7SXshqrP3x4wLQbw0QMxQkaPMK9eIOj1IiD200vMEAI-79FYhjhrOrfSWTM-p1s/s1600/DSC_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhfzgS0W2gmHAEJLo_Uwgz0bHjvL9qSQqfWLTMK5UdL3_t4IFIBCE4CTL8ioV3sviCgvTRZnG1TVPA7SXshqrP3x4wLQbw0QMxQkaPMK9eIOj1IiD200vMEAI-79FYhjhrOrfSWTM-p1s/s640/DSC_0386.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Look at those chocolatey-cinnamoney swirls. And a streusel topping! My parents call me their "dealer" (because sugar is their drug) and when I'm home they refer to my baking delights as "getting their fix."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-2kWdvvOgnBQ1vBlm_0c_Qz11y3WlDe8nS8Vv3sCcJ5g1yT_Ehda9eHjVvgW9oYx6IiMDIzxaP5ki8tCYs6SgqAk2Y6NH-n8Uo18GGIKY329auK-BdPJM2x0JCwIvhWxxq36Vndi8x-2/s1600/DSC_0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-2kWdvvOgnBQ1vBlm_0c_Qz11y3WlDe8nS8Vv3sCcJ5g1yT_Ehda9eHjVvgW9oYx6IiMDIzxaP5ki8tCYs6SgqAk2Y6NH-n8Uo18GGIKY329auK-BdPJM2x0JCwIvhWxxq36Vndi8x-2/s640/DSC_0373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately I halved the recipe so this fix went reallyy quickly. Obviously I followed <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/09/mmm-bab-bee-bab-ka/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from The Smitten Kitchen, since who else would I trust when making a jewish/chocolate dessert?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-PzilqEMDoaxEE2cPA6474TiFF6u4ZX_Lykn0SVJCOz6iAillJd5TRq5zadufJyMpjxbS775nkYvQ-pWEN_fYeZSs8URVrrBK0RnCgQ-WudubrSk5IFnUpAmy6S4f3dA88xs4WWi8vgR/s1600/DSC_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-PzilqEMDoaxEE2cPA6474TiFF6u4ZX_Lykn0SVJCOz6iAillJd5TRq5zadufJyMpjxbS775nkYvQ-pWEN_fYeZSs8URVrrBK0RnCgQ-WudubrSk5IFnUpAmy6S4f3dA88xs4WWi8vgR/s640/DSC_0376.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I almost don't want to tell you this because then you may never experience the joys of making babka yourself, but it took me about four hours from when I started with heaping amounts of ingredients to when I was sitting on the couch, butter-slathered piece of warm babka in my hand (because naturally, using two and a half sticks of butter in a recipe isn't enough for me!) Though that time commitment definitely sounds daunting, there's a lot of rising time for the dough. Which means more time for you to do other important things, like watch a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills marathon, or paint your toes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV0me-4UxxeAIEqP7I_ERClQP2f2BFWKtIJXSP8Q3GFoTgHVwp5Inpjam7OkazqsISouqWjoFOa34UPi7OoauTv6_DL-mV6EL2jAqqZj29UE6VXzayUcvaJukXuPM3TmM8VuB3fSFRX3k/s1600/DSC_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV0me-4UxxeAIEqP7I_ERClQP2f2BFWKtIJXSP8Q3GFoTgHVwp5Inpjam7OkazqsISouqWjoFOa34UPi7OoauTv6_DL-mV6EL2jAqqZj29UE6VXzayUcvaJukXuPM3TmM8VuB3fSFRX3k/s640/DSC_0380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I don't love the lighting of this pic (I'm still working on my photography skills, the Nikon is a lot different than my baby Sony Cybershot), but I had to post it because you can see all the doughy crevices and the texture of the crumbly topping. This recipe really turned out perfectly. Like if I had to change a thing I would double the recipe and freeze some of the loaves for holidays or give some of them as gifts. Because really, who wouldn't want a loaf of glorified brioche stuffed with chocolate swirls topped with buttery streusel?<br />
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P.S. I promise that the next post (or maybe the one after that, I still have one more waiting in the wings) will include a recipe that I develop, enough of this linking-to-other-peoples-blogs four times in a row.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-66773321126713798322013-03-25T07:38:00.002-07:002013-03-25T07:38:21.641-07:00Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM77qXL41biOCzAF3kJCkELKEJUOuzsrglr3E9v-F4qRiYPeCNb_vQbaCobZA0npU2GM7_5gMZXEohnpgCL0XdfEggoPzZr2Sf2Y21YYpDxG7xaxwjahU-SK3D7Wgn3aSOZPhXIM6VTvo/s1600/DSC_0360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>If you haven't heard of a crepe cake, or a mille crepe cake (made famous by the Lady M bakery in Manhattan), then you're in for a treat.<br />
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As you can see, it's layers of crepes stacked together with cream in between each layer. What you can't see is that the crepes are brown-buttery and light-as-air, and the cream filling is a hazelnut pastry cream. All topped with a semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Yeah. It's serious stuff.<br />
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It took a while for my hazelnuts to turn into the clumpy powder that they
needed to be for the pastry cream, but besides that it was fairly simple
to make.</div>
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My baking style is a bit haphazard, so sorry for all of the things in this
picture. Once you make the crepes (I ended up with around 18 after
eating two that had "broken") it's time to stack them up with the pastry
cream.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AK6tJzw0TNm-_oOAxJ_hRHylayuEwJhRgo3tSoSOp3imNGxoj7IyOXarcw2tFiCcqV-VgMGgKu8OM9GmMrhPbWyx2yyxa15grZV2qx99FzZKc8tddhoFo7rO16e7GFIyOdD49PtGGRHq/s1600/DSC_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6AK6tJzw0TNm-_oOAxJ_hRHylayuEwJhRgo3tSoSOp3imNGxoj7IyOXarcw2tFiCcqV-VgMGgKu8OM9GmMrhPbWyx2yyxa15grZV2qx99FzZKc8tddhoFo7rO16e7GFIyOdD49PtGGRHq/s640/DSC_0354.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />Ta da! How pretty is that?? And no baking required! This cake isn't super sweet, so if you have a major sweet tooth (like me), then you'll find yourself wishing that it was filled with alternating layers of nutella and marshmallow fluff. But hey, that's just me. You can find this wonderful recipe in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Smitten-Kitchen-Cookbook-Perelman/dp/030759565X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364221695&sr=8-1&keywords=the+smitten+kitchen" target="_blank">The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook</a>. If you haven't heard of <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/" target="_blank">The Smitten Kitchen</a>, then I'm doing you a favor. Go click on over and soak up all the perfectly-crafted recipes that Deb (it's creator) has to offer. Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-24331832021815632082013-03-18T08:26:00.000-07:002013-03-18T08:26:21.364-07:00Samoas Salted Caramel Ice Cream<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I feel bad doing this.</div>
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Dropping such a decadent dessert in your lap so early in the week, when you're likely still trying to stick to some healthy eating plan. Desserts like this should really be eaten on Friday nights, after making it through a long week of salads and diet ice cream bars. But I've never been good at waiting.<br />
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I'm sure that you, like me, have been bombarded by the adorable little diet-ruiners (aka Girl Scouts) selling their wares outside of every. single. supermarket. When I'm home, I go to the supermarket at least every other day (I don't always make lists and tend to forget pretty crucial ingredients. Like flour, or butter). Every time I leave the store, there are hoards of little girls in green vests trying to get me to buy a box (or 12) of cookies. I usually try to avoid eye contact and keep my head down, which has worked for me this year. Unfortunately, my mom got suckered into buying a couple of boxes (from my adorably cute cousin, I should add) and so this ice cream was born.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKh1ZQxkOL7JqXe9fv7kBc4ox56zJa2HXJX_s9acZNx_3FvqQZnwDay5HKLFrFlAht4EYOFrF66w0LQDgYhNDy3MIqgc2hHxWyKiWnBIX7hCSawsIZwQS0wAF6FblneyuhumaKCMAYdqq/s1600/DSC_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKh1ZQxkOL7JqXe9fv7kBc4ox56zJa2HXJX_s9acZNx_3FvqQZnwDay5HKLFrFlAht4EYOFrF66w0LQDgYhNDy3MIqgc2hHxWyKiWnBIX7hCSawsIZwQS0wAF6FblneyuhumaKCMAYdqq/s640/DSC_0366.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Because what goes better with caramel-chocolate-coconut cookies than a salted caramel custard? This ice cream is hands-down the most rich and creamy ice cream that I've ever eaten. I followed <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salted-Caramel-Ice-Cream-354517" target="_blank">this recipe</a>, except next time I would double the salt and leave out the last 1/4 cup of sugar. It's plenty sweet, especially when you add chewy chunks of cookies (I added 7 cookies, chopped up). Also, a word of advice, if you've never made caramel before, don't worry. It's really easy, you just need to watch it like a hawk because the caramel can go from a delicious perfect amber to burnt sugar in a second. And no one wants burnt sugar flavored ice cream.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-25132701231216044242013-03-07T17:07:00.000-08:002013-03-07T17:07:04.256-08:00Stuffed Cheesy Pepperoni BreadI need to tell you all something. It's cheesy and buttery and herby and too good to be true.<br />
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This stuffed cheesy bread is crisp and toasty on top and buttery and and gooey in the middle. It's every carboholic's dream (or every Atkins-follower's nightmare - but who does Atkins anymore anyway?) The ingredient list can be a bit overwhelming (I do NOT want to know the amount of fat grams in this loaf) but just pretend that butter and cheese are healthy for a sec and indulge yourself.<br />
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Look. At. It. If that's not food porn then I don't know what is.<br />
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Another photo, ya know, just in case you weren't convinced. If you're still not convinced, I can't help you. You're a bread-and-cheese-loathing human. And I'm sad for you. The recipe my friends and I followed was adapted from <a href="http://joansfoodwanderings.blogspot.com/2012/10/stuffed-cheesy-bread-on-crack.html" target="_blank">Food Wanderings in Asia</a>. We subtracted the dijon mustard, poppy seeds, parsley and added sliced pepperoni and scallions. Next time I'm thinking of using brie as the cheese and caramelized onions as the accoutrements, or maybe I'll melt the butter with an apricot jam and let that soak up in all the nooks and crannies. SO many possibilities. Guess I'll just have to make it again this weekend!<br />
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The loaf took four people six minutes to finish, which I'm not sure if that's impressive or repulsive. You can decide for yourself when you make it (I'm thinking it's impressive..)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUzKeTiyzjEgWo9LvWLdGt8Q9PsRV8PBaPHc1KmGaa7MLvdwPz3Dla65DG2GQZgL6KKOX0JjuXj9LvXjyu8rZaHo92YogUnJl58KS66uzVvjiJ1pM0OiU0-DSFrRlOrJddU1su4PP2dp5/s1600/DSC_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUzKeTiyzjEgWo9LvWLdGt8Q9PsRV8PBaPHc1KmGaa7MLvdwPz3Dla65DG2GQZgL6KKOX0JjuXj9LvXjyu8rZaHo92YogUnJl58KS66uzVvjiJ1pM0OiU0-DSFrRlOrJddU1su4PP2dp5/s640/DSC_0300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fin.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-88360359863031968882013-03-05T13:57:00.000-08:002013-03-05T13:57:37.700-08:00Chocolate Chocolate Chip Donuts with a Marshmallow Glaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So the glaze isn't as photogenic as I would have hoped. But it tastes like the most delicious marshmallowey-rice-crispy-treat-glue, so I got over it.<br />
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You may have guessed, by looking at these here donuts, that I bought a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Nonstick-6-Cavity-Donut-Pan/dp/B004CYELOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362518877&sr=8-1&keywords=donut+pan" target="_blank">donut pan</a>! So many other bloggers were raving about cakey baked donuts and how easy it is and blah blah and I was jealous. So I placed my order and 5 quick days later I was testing it out.<br />
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Except that my first try (see above) at a vanilla cake donut did not turn out as expected. Before I try out any recipe I peruse through the food blogosphere to see if others have tried it, how it turned out, etc. Anyway, <a href="http://www.shugarysweets.com/2013/02/vanilla-bean-baked-donuts-with-strawberry-frosting" target="_blank">this recipe</a> seemed to be the go-to recipe for vanilla donuts. So maybe I messed something up? I don't know. The recipe called for only 2 tbsp of butter for about 12 donuts and that seemed wrong but I didn't question it. And guess what? They were super dry. Like needed to be dunked into milk for at least 15 seconds in order to be able to swallow.<br />
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But they were pretty, and fun to make glazes for. The chocolate one is a standard ganache with some added cocoa powder, and the other one is a maple cinnamon glaze (aka confectioner sugar mixed with maple syrup, some milk and cinnamon). But back to the chocolate donuts. They're deeply chocolatey with pockets of melted chocolate chips, and they stay good for at least two days. Not that they'll last that long..<br />
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<i>Chocolate Chocolate Chip Donuts with a Marshmallow Glaze</i><br />
adapted from <a href="http://mamasgottabake.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/chocolate-doughnuts/" target="_blank">Mama's Gotta Bake</a><br />
(makes around 15 donuts)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour<br />
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 1/4 c. brown sugar<br />
1 tsp. baking powder<br />
1 tsp. baking soda<br />
3/4 tsp. salt<br />
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
2 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
3/4 c. milk<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
2 tsp. vinegar, white or apple cider<br />
1 stick (8 tbsp.) butter, melted<br />
1 c. mini marshmallows<br />
2 tbsp. butter<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the donut pan, set aside.<br />
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In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips. Set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. Slowly add the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter, to the wet. Mix to combine, but don't over-mix.<br />
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You can either spoon the batter into the pan, or put it into a ziplock bag, cut off the tip and pipe it in (this was easier for me, though since the batter is thick it's not much of a problem either way.) Fill each donut well around 3/4 of the way full.<br />
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Bake the donuts for around 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Flip pan over and allow donuts to cool on a wire rack.<br />
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To make the marshmallow glaze, put marshmallows and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until marshmallows have melted and are a thick, liquid consistency. Spoon/drizzle over donuts. The glaze will become slightly tacky when cool, so plan on eating right away or wait to glaze the donuts until just before serving.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-30690685996111813992013-02-19T11:11:00.001-08:002013-02-19T11:37:53.685-08:00Homemade Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Homemade pasta.</div>
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It's a lot easier than you think. I didn't even have a pasta machine. Or a rolling pin (we'll get to that later).<br />
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What I did have was some fancy Italian flour from Fairway that my mother sent to me via my boyfriend, who came to visit just in time for Valentine's Day and homemade pasta. He's a lucky guy.<br />
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The first time I made pasta was almost exactly a <a href="http://www.justshmyingaround.blogspot.com/2012/02/cooking-class-roma.html" target="_blank">year</a> ago. Last Valentine's Day, while I was in Rome, I took a cooking class and we made tagliolini all'amatriciana. I haven't attempted to recreate the dish since then, so I figured it was time to try my hand at pasta-making without a very skilled Italian chef leading the way.<br />
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Except that I wanted pappardelle bolognese, like what I had when I was in <a href="http://www.justshmyingaround.blogspot.com/2012/03/wine-and-dine.html" target="_blank">Tuscany</a>. Since I had never made pappardelle before, I followed Michael Chiarello's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/homemade-pappardelle-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">recipe</a>. I halved it, since I was only cooking for my boyfriend and me, but I almost instantly regretted that because now I don't have a ready-to-shape ball of pasta dough in my freezer waiting for me. I would suggest making the full recipe.<br />
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This meal is super easy and doesn't nearly warrant as much praise as it receives. The bolognese is simple and hearty and can be made far in advance or just before (I made mine a couple of hours before serving so that the flavors had plenty of time to meld together).<br />
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Remember that rolling pin I told you I didn't have? Right. So I used a can of Pam Spray (except it's not even the brand name kind, that's too much of a splurge for a college budget). As per expected, this method of rolling pasta didn't yield quite as thin a sheet as I would have liked, but it was no less delicious.<br />
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I could have gotten all fancy and measured out the width of each individual noodle, but I chose to cut them freeform instead. Some were thinner and some were definitely thicker, but who cares when they're smothered in sauce and cheese?<br />
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<i>Classic Bolognese</i><br />
(makes 4 servings)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 lb meatloaf mix ground meat (trio of ground veal, pork, and beef)<br />
2 tbsp. olive oil<br />
1 medium onion, diced<br />
1 medium carrot, diced<br />
1 stalk celery, diced (you can add more, I don't love celery)<br />
1 c. chicken stock<br />
1 c. red wine<br />
1 28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes<br />
2 tbsp. tomato paste<br />
1 tsp. dried parsley<br />
1 tsp. dried oregano<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
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In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced vegetables and cook until tender. Add meat and begin to brown, making sure to break up the larger pieces.<br />
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Add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has cooked off. Add wine and simmer until liquid has cooked off.<br />
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Add crushed tomatoes and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened up. Add herbs, tomato paste and salt and pepper. Let sauce simmer for another 20 minutes. At this point it is ready to serve, though it'll only get better the longer it sits. I usually cover it and leave it on the stove, that way it's ready to warm up once the pasta is done.<br />
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*A quick note about Chiarello's pasta recipe: you cook the pasta for around 4 minutes, though taste it as it's cooking to make sure. I'm not sure why he doesn't include cooking instructions, since cooking fresh pasta is timed differently than dry pasta.<br />
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** Another note about these pictures! As you can see, my hands are elbow deep in pasta dough in most of them, which means that I was not the sole photographer. My best friend/very talented photograhpher <a href="http://rosenthalphoto.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Rachel</a> took pictures 2, 3, and 4. My wonderfully helpful boyfriend Chris took pictures 5 and 6, and I photographed the rest.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-27420209943064398512013-02-06T11:50:00.000-08:002013-02-06T11:50:36.009-08:00Chubby Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ah, alliteration.</div>
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But really, look at them. They're totally chubby, and I will tell you from having eaten almost all of them at an astounding rate that they are indeed chewy. These cookies were the product of an impromptu sugar craving that swedish fish and sugar-free hot chocolate would not squelch (as a side note, those are <i>not</i> my go-to sugary snacks, they were just the only things to be had in my food-scarce apartment). Sometimes, nothing but fresh baked goods will suffice.<br />
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But seeing as I had no butter or white sugar on hand, these cookies stray a bit from the usual. I expected them to be totally flattened out and lackluster without the butter, but I was happily surprised. These cookies are puffy and light, with a gooey chocolatey center. Are they perfect? Definitely not (I'd prefer a crispy, buttery cookie any day). But if you're stuck in a butter-less predicament like I was, these are a respectable rendition.<br />
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<i>Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies</i><br />
(makes 18 large, or 24 regular sized cookies)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/5 c. brown sugar<br />
1 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 c. vegetable oil<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
2 c. chocolate chips<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.<br />
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Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and oil, mixing well until no clumps remain. Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients, making sure not to over mix. Fold in chocolate chips (I used a mix of semi-sweet mini chips and regular sized chips, though next time I might use chocolate chunks or discs).<br />
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Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown and puffed. Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool.<br />
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<br />Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-16665235281129563232013-01-30T14:52:00.000-08:002013-01-30T14:52:05.102-08:00Lemon Squares<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just as I start to get into the swing of baking and photographing and blogging, I have to go back to school. The place where blogging (and motivation) go to die. It's not that I can't bake in my miniscule kitchen, it's just that I don't have all the ingredients. So I'll have to make a list, then go to the store, then lament over all the things that I need to buy because my house always seems to have flour/butter/sugar/vanilla/eggs and my apartment is oddly lacking all those things at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: line-through;">any</span> every given moment. Hence, I am easily deterred from baking. Which is OK (for now) because (hopefully) someday in the future I'll own my own bakery where baking will be a daily necessity.<br />
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Yes, I'm aware that's just a picture of (nicely stacked) lemons. But there aren't many things to photograph whilst making lemon squares (only the shortbread crust and the lemon mixture - which is just all the ingredients whisked together - and neither of those are wildly visually appealing). Anyway, these are the quintessential summer dessert. Except that my family clamors for them in every other season, too.<br />
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Be warned though, that while it is almost difficult to have two of these in one sitting because they have such a strong flavor (though I have managed to push through), these little squares will soon become smaller and smaller as the people in your household will very sneakily slice off the edges so that it doesn't actually look like they've had 5 whole squares in a single day.<br />
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Not that anyone in my family does that.. I'm just saying.<br />
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<i>Lemon Squares</i><br />
(makes one 9 x 13 inch pan)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
6 large eggs<br />
2 1/2 c. sugar<br />
2 tbsp lemon zest<br />
1 c. lemon juice (about 5 lemons)<br />
1 c. flour<br />
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For shortbread crust:<br />
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar<br />
1/4 tsp. salt<br />
1 stick plus 1 tbsp (9 tbsp) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside.<br />
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In a food processor (or in a bowl, my food processor is temporarily broken so I've been making this without one - works just fine the old fashioned way), combine flour, confectioners' sugar and salt and pulse to mix.<br />
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Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely combined. The pieces of butter should be different sizes, some smaller and some larger.<br />
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Stir the egg yolk and add it to the mixture a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is completely in, pulse for about 10 seconds at a time until the dough starts to come together and form clumps.<br />
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Turn the dough out onto a work surface and lightly knead just to incorporate any dry ingredients that didn't get mixed in. Gently press the dough evenly over the surface of the pan and slightly up the sides. (The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick). Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.<br />
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To partially bake the crust, butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and press it, buttered side down, against the frozen crust. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes. (If you want to fully bake the crust for another recipe, bake an extra 8 minutes).<br />
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Set the pan aside and lower the oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
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Combine all the ingredients for the lemon squares. Whisk together and pour over fully-cooled crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until about 5 minutes after the bars are set. Let cool to room temperature, dust with confectioners' sugar and cut.<br />
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*A trick for getting the most juice out of citrus fruits: roll the fruit against a hard surface, applying pressure with your hand. Then, microwave the fruit for 20 seconds before slicing and squeezing.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-83025280837679478262013-01-16T17:55:00.001-08:002013-01-16T17:55:56.746-08:00Cherry Chocolate Chip Biscotti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGc-LW-l4J0xBzEKq3Jnt73W2mish7u553XvIk0PPpTggolmXnX_WlKiTSoh-XbTmMN7-6ElgQEJLY3REd3rDGxQR8RSZvK1LAW0MU2B5fqNfS6agS4n8Zp3SIOGy7samqe4M7CRABQkg/s1600/DSC_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGc-LW-l4J0xBzEKq3Jnt73W2mish7u553XvIk0PPpTggolmXnX_WlKiTSoh-XbTmMN7-6ElgQEJLY3REd3rDGxQR8RSZvK1LAW0MU2B5fqNfS6agS4n8Zp3SIOGy7samqe4M7CRABQkg/s640/DSC_0108.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I guess you could call these biscotti. Except they're not rock hard and dry like biscotti usually are. These are more like a cookie in the shape of a biscotti. A biscookie, one might say. They're chewy and slightly sweet, perfect with a cup of coffee (or tea, or water, or just by themselves). So if break-your-teeth biscotti are your kind of thing, then these are not for you.<br />
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I was sent this recipe after I interviewed and wrote a story about a chef for my internship last semester (he's one of the executive chefs for Safeway!). My dad loves anything with cherries so I figured I'd try them out. The night before Thanksgiving I made a batch and left them on the cooling rack while I went out to dinner (my mistake; one should never leave hot-from-the-oven sweets unguarded). My father called me while I was out, asking how many biscotti he was allowed to eat. When I came home, there were three left.<br />
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(Sorry dad, but you seriously ate the whole batch.)<br />
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I made a double batch the next day for Thanksgiving dessert and they flew off the table. They're now my go-to for gifts, impromptu gatherings, afternoon snacks and anything in between.<br />
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<i>Cherry Chocolate Chip Biscotti</i><br />
(makes around 15 pieces)<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
6 tbsp butter, softened<br />
2 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
2/3 c. sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
2 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 c. dried cherries (sweet or sour)<br />
1 c. chocolate chips (I used white for these)<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.<br />
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In a stand mixer (or a medium sized bowl), beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder until smooth. Add eggs and mix until just combined.<br />
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Lower the mixer speed and add the flour. Mix until smooth (but be careful not to over mix).<br />
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Add in cherries and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined, then turn out the dough onto the baking sheet and shape into a log (around 13 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick).<br />
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Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.<br />
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Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.<br />
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Slice the biscotti into 3/4 inch thick pieces. Do not lay each slice down on its side like traditional biscotti recipes, keep the whole log intact (this is what allows them to maintain their delicious chewy centers and not dry out).<br />
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Re-bake the biscotti another 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are just turning golden brown. Transfer individual slices to a rack to cool.<br />
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Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-71063397365382222102013-01-08T13:48:00.000-08:002013-01-08T13:48:25.325-08:00Grandma's (revised) Baklava<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you don't know what baklava is, here's a little history lesson for ya. It's a middle eastern/mediterranean dessert (popular in Greek restaurants, though my Turkish grandmother prepared it as part of her culture) that combines layers of fillo dough and chopped nuts that are smothered in a simple syrup that absorbs into the pastry, making it sticky and super-sweet. And if that doesn't entice you enough, here's a picture.</div>
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Not only is it one of the easiest desserts to make, but it's impossible to mess up. I'll post the recipe but it doesn't even really matter if you follow it. The first time I tried to make it I used way less fillo dough and more sugar, and it was great. The second time (that I photographed) I used more fillo and less sugar (as per my father's request), and it was still great.<br />
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I used walnuts and breadcrumbs for the filling (minimal breadcrumbs, supposedly my grandma used to use like 7 slices of bread but I thought that was a bit excessive, so I used a half a cup). But some recipes call for almonds or pistachios. I just like walnuts best (and sometimes have a slight allergy to almonds, best to stay away from them).<br />
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So basically you just layer the ingredients to your liking. Mine goes like this: 2 slices fillo, brush with melted butter, two slices fillo, brush with butter, one slice fillo, top with half the nut mixture, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, butter, two slices fillo, rest of the nut mixture, two slices fillo, butter, one slice fillo.<br />
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But I swear it's easy.<br />
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Now, sorry to backtrack but it's important, while you're layering and brushing and all that, get a small pot on the stove with two cups of sugar and two cups of water. Let this come to a boil (until the sugar is entirely dissolved) and then simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. Then when you're done layering, cut the baklava into pieces (it's way too messy to try and cut it after it's baked) and spoon about 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup over the baklava. This helps to keep the top layer of fillo in place (I didn't do this the first time and while it doesn't change the taste at all, it prevents the fillo from drying and curling; it's all about looking pretty).<br />
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<i>Traditional Baklava</i><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
16 oz walnuts (amounts to around 3 cups when crushed)<br />
1/2 c. breadcrumbs (I used a slice of stale white bread)<br />
1/2 stick butter, melted<br />
package frozen fillo dough<br />
2 1/3 c. sugar, divided<br />
2 c. water<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
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Crush or food process the walnuts to a grainy mixture (should be partially powder but still have small chunks of walnuts). In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup sugar. Set aside.<br />
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To make the simple syrup, combine water and 2 cups sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, simmer for around 15 minutes (or until the liquid thickens slightly). Remove from heat.<br />
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Generously butter a 9 x 13 inch pan and layer two pieces of fillo dough (if the dough doesn't fit the pan, feel free to trim the edges). Using a basting brush, brush the top of the second sheet with the melted butter. Add two more layers of fillo, brush with butter. Add one more layer and then top with half the nut mixture. Top that with two layers of fillo, brush with butter, and repeat this process until there's eight layers of fillo on top of the nut mixture. Top with the rest of the nuts, then two layers of fillo, brush with butter, and one final layer of fillo.<br />
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Score the top of the baklava with a very sharp knife (cut into as many squares as you want) and drizzle 1/4 cup simple syrup over the top.<br />
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Bake for 50 minutes, or until the top of the baklava is golden brown. If it seems to be browning too fast, feel free to cover with a piece of tin foil.<br />
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Once the baklava is out of the oven, pour the rest of the simple syrup over the top. It might seem like a lot, but it absorbs into the fillo dough. Let the baklava rest out on counter (uncovered) for AT LEAST four hours. This is the hardest part, but try to resist the temptation to cut a square as soon as it's out of the oven. The syrup is the most important part and if it's not entirely absorbed the baklava will be dry.<br />
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**Fillo dough dries out really quickly, so make sure to cover the sheets with plastic wrap and a damp cloth while you're working.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-54535691322511551262013-01-02T08:14:00.001-08:002013-01-02T08:21:45.887-08:00New Year, New Start<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Something huge has happened since I last posted. So huge that I'm even making all the pictures bigger, just to emphasize the importance.</div>
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Can you tell I'm excited?</div>
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I've never wanted anything so much as I've wanted a KitchenAid stand mixer. And my saint of a boyfriend got it for me for Hanukkah. He even got it in the sweetest ice blue color to match my ice cream machine (see <a href="http://www.justshmyingaround.blogspot.com/2012/07/pie-and-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">here</a>). And so now there's a whole new world of delicious recipes I can make, like cinnamon rolls, breads, pretzels, homemade pizza dough, and challah.<br />
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Mmm, challah.<br />
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I had never made challah before. Well, that's sort of a lie, I made it in preschool once and ate the entire loaf before I got home. I meant to share it with everyone. Whoops. So 18 long years later, I was ready to tackle the recipe (with the help of my new mixer, of course).<br />
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It was a process. From letting the yeast bubble to making the dough, then letting that rise and then making the loaves and then letting those rise and then baking to the perfect golden brown... it might have been more than I bargained for. Except that when the two glossy braided loaves came out of the oven and the whole house smelled like fresh bread, it was worth it.<br />
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For my first attempt, I followed <a href="http://www.thechallahblog.com/2011/01/basic-challah-recipe-1-with-honey.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from The Challah Blog to a tee. Next time I might try playing around with how many eggs I use because my family's used to a lighter challah. This recipe yields a thicker, more dense loaf. It's perfect for french toast or bread pudding, or just for toasting up with some butter.<br />
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Oh and on a complete side note, my picture quality will be drastically improving because I just purchased a Nikon D5100. No more blurry/grainy/overall bad photos for me!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-69355738982450848622012-11-28T16:05:00.002-08:002013-01-02T08:17:50.904-08:00So it's been a while...After returning to school and, subsequently, my 8 ft by 8 ft box of a kitchen in my college apartment, I haven't blogged. It's not that I don't bake (just ask my roommates), but that I can't seem to get any half decent pictures of what I bake. Which wouldn't be an issue for any normal food blogger, but it bothers this slightly neurotic perfectionist. But at my father's repeated pleads, I will give the people what they want.<br />
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A birthday cake for a sweet 14 year old</div>
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My birthday-cake-baking began years ago, when my father requested a homemade carrot cake for his birthday. I've since lost that recipe, but have found and tested many more. This particular cake, while drenched in chocolatey goodness, is pure vanilla on the inside. I love Magnolia's vanilla cake recipe. It's easy and reliable and dense but still moist and cakey. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z35N5cOa6jxZ9Km-WSSP_kasvxp6PUCIUps2KWQJVZ9K7C623cB3svEkUZ0b9BFi1F2V6VaoFzUBf1y7b0GUu1GIJPJa84wuDaKR9Uydon3Hl6KulaZI4VFfpNeglm-3cyeyhWNIRHBv/s1600/DSC08443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z35N5cOa6jxZ9Km-WSSP_kasvxp6PUCIUps2KWQJVZ9K7C623cB3svEkUZ0b9BFi1F2V6VaoFzUBf1y7b0GUu1GIJPJa84wuDaKR9Uydon3Hl6KulaZI4VFfpNeglm-3cyeyhWNIRHBv/s640/DSC08443.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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vanilla chocolate chip filling</div>
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The filling is any regular vanilla frosting (or marshmallow filling, if ya wanna get fancy) with mini chocolate chips. The light brown frosting around the outside of the cake is just some of the vanilla frosting mixed with some of the chocolate ganache that's poured over the top of the cake. This same recipe will also make around 24 cupcakes. For a two layer cake (with each layer sliced in half like I did), you'll need two 9-inch pans. Also, if you don't have self-rising flour, or don't know what it is, it's just one cup of all-purpose flour with 1.5 tsp of baking powder and .5 tsp salt.</div>
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<i>Magnolia's Vanilla Cake Recipe</i></div>
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(adapted from a Food Network recipe that was pulled from Magnolia's cookbook)</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b>:</div>
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1 1/2 cups self-rising flour</div>
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1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened</div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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4 large eggs, at room temperature</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)</div>
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<b>Directions</b>:</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</div>
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In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.</div>
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In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer (or with a wooden spoon and a strong arm), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat them together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. After each addition, beat until ingredients are combined but be careful not to over mix. Divide the batter between the two greased cake pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes (until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).</div>
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If you want to bake the cakes the night before, cool the cakes completely and remove from pans. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Cakes will be easier to slice and frost in the morning.</div>
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<i>Chocolate Ganache</i></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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12 ounces chocolate (I always use semisweet), chopped into small pieces</div>
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1 cup heavy cream</div>
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<b>Directions</b>:</div>
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Put the chopped chocolate in a large bowl</div>
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Heat the cream in a saucepan on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for a minute, and then stir until the chocolate is completely mixed and glossy. Let the ganache cool before pouring it over the cake, or let it cool completely (in the fridge helps) before whipping into a frosting.</div>
Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-75492429433504234802012-09-01T18:03:00.000-07:002013-01-02T08:18:38.942-08:00Eataly = ItalyAfter much prodding from my father that he's "resigning himself from reading my blog" because I haven't uploaded in so long, I've returned. August was just really hectic and flew by. I finished my internship, went back to school, dealt with cockroaches and dead mice in my apartment (please, don't ask) and had my first full week at school. But don't think I forgot about blogging! I took tons of food pics over the summer, but just didn't have the time to upload them.<br />
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(house made mozzarella, prosciutto cotto and crusty bread)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD03jcysQm1yFA5CDeKbunM9tVAwCGFa-bx_iTWVT7jgNZbCm4Hm8GyT8Y4QFPfgyWUuAqKhscZ6XTcUFYVgPRGUTpEyV8T-tGbTjsn0UMKHvs-V3tQLUaAo4GDK5LVR4MHfperEE7V-3/s1600/DSC08408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD03jcysQm1yFA5CDeKbunM9tVAwCGFa-bx_iTWVT7jgNZbCm4Hm8GyT8Y4QFPfgyWUuAqKhscZ6XTcUFYVgPRGUTpEyV8T-tGbTjsn0UMKHvs-V3tQLUaAo4GDK5LVR4MHfperEE7V-3/s640/DSC08408.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(the Piazza in the center of the market)</div>
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I was skeptical about Eataly. After all, I lived in Italy for four months and just didn't think that anywhere on this side of the pond would really be an exact replicate. I was happily surprised that Eataly came pretty close. It's a giant indoor market in Manhattan that sells authentic Italian cheeses, coffees, snacks and just so much more. There are a bunch of different food stands that you can sit down at and try what they have to offer. We stood at one of the bars in the middle of the Piazza and tried the mozzarella, which was some of the best that I've had [in this country]. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3usEM47TTuw5r0X36-G2NNSIdlmjLN0PSxT1u02TEMV0DuOHzQgKltID9IWQu5oRpBPyhRA86kw69AOl7hvZZB1cVh1M_drDsE_F4EKtGC6N55841kDYoeeJkuT5EZgpGRA22FwYBwuPg/s1600/DSC08413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3usEM47TTuw5r0X36-G2NNSIdlmjLN0PSxT1u02TEMV0DuOHzQgKltID9IWQu5oRpBPyhRA86kw69AOl7hvZZB1cVh1M_drDsE_F4EKtGC6N55841kDYoeeJkuT5EZgpGRA22FwYBwuPg/s640/DSC08413.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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(homemade pasta for sale)</div>
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(hi guys!)</div>
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And because my boyfriend and I are bottomless pits (it's actually absurd), we went to dinner after (we did do some shopping in between, we're not that chubby). After a lot of research we decided upon Alta, which is right on the edge of the West Village. It is strictly a tapas restaurant, though they call their menu, "a menu of small plates." With 47 dishes to choose from (not including desserts), we were able to customize our meals to exactly our tastes. And, even better, we got to try a lot of different dishes because they were small (and not like usual-sharing-plates-small, they were pretty teeny).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fGG8GBURqT7x-km03ToVxr3bgpej1lou-ZYsftIFWCVuwIVh6_IKp2hJxUk-CiQ-TCSPiIjIE7mG9CbmsKLMa8qG4HNxirSqAC_hS7rjHcYqzyN53geFian3WBrZcoXNycmW3ZJHM-V2/s1600/DSC08417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fGG8GBURqT7x-km03ToVxr3bgpej1lou-ZYsftIFWCVuwIVh6_IKp2hJxUk-CiQ-TCSPiIjIE7mG9CbmsKLMa8qG4HNxirSqAC_hS7rjHcYqzyN53geFian3WBrZcoXNycmW3ZJHM-V2/s640/DSC08417.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(lamb meatballs in a sweet tomato sauce topped with a yogurt sauce and an egg yolk)</div>
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We ordered four dishes and a dessert, and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: line-through;">we</span> I was stuffed by the end (my boyfriend probably could have had one or two more plates). We started with the lamb meatballs because so many reviews raved about them. I personally don't like lamb and I loved these, so I guess that says it all. Also, I love yolky runny egg yolks, so that's always a plus in my book. After, we had "the best appetizer of all time," according to the bf. That mighttt be a bit of an exaggeration, but it really was unbelievable. It was a bruschetta with cream, braised artichokes and tomato jam. It was sweet and crunchy, smoky and cooling, and all together the perfect bite.</div>
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(the picture doesn't do it justice, but I was rushing to shove the whole thing in my mouth)</div>
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(avocado relleno with with crabmeat and shrimp, frisee and orange)</div>
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That looks weird, I know. It's a little nugget of crabmeat and shrimp, diced together, surrounded by avocado slices. I loved this, but we ranked it the lowest out of our four dishes because the others were just so good. To round out the meal, our last savory dish was a grilled shrimp and chorizo skewer with avocado cream. I didn't take a picture because we inhaled it. Oops.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO_IwefW6OWXssdrbt69Zg0Vj0ieURTKqAKqaSFLhxYxSB29WRuRBw3QfvFXCJRDflHz60ReNOJF4h6MmAsKFMJy04lIr7SxOmSdLzHWAQjkdmvaaqHnULu9iCVj8bXdJ2APIboLrZ9Ji/s1600/DSC08421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJO_IwefW6OWXssdrbt69Zg0Vj0ieURTKqAKqaSFLhxYxSB29WRuRBw3QfvFXCJRDflHz60ReNOJF4h6MmAsKFMJy04lIr7SxOmSdLzHWAQjkdmvaaqHnULu9iCVj8bXdJ2APIboLrZ9Ji/s640/DSC08421.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(angel food cake with bananas and ice cream)</div>
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And because we always save room for dessert, we ended with a sweet and tart angel food cake confection. The malted milk ice cream was to die for. Maybe I'll try that next in my ice cream machine (although since everyone in my apartment is dieting, they might kill me). I promise I'll be blogging more often, I have to make up for lost time!</div>
Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-41219589211806856022012-07-29T12:17:00.002-07:002012-07-29T12:17:54.438-07:00Graham Cracker Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBkVFwUW1vRRyKBei6lL3UbwdO63DMZzhdVnMXTNQrOd27kx5icfSVgcLDskbbtTZpKZaG3OLbiqnWNztFpaPA7tMFPPNgNpfF-sEkQZ_dmWCEJKkQZqxhVnkT4QzzHBGGHuUs_JO3zvm/s400/DSC08400.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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Now this, this alone is a pretty convincing reason to get an ice cream machine. It's so easy to perfect a flavor when you can taste as you go along. Of course, there are still things I would change, but this ice cream is prettty good.</div>
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Most of the time at my internship I'm uploading recipes. Every now and then I find a recipe that I like, and I go searching for it on the blogs that I like, and then I get totally off track and stumble onto things like <a href="http://shewearsmanyhats.com/2012/06/blueberry-pie-ice-cream-redux/" target="_blank">this</a> that make me rush home to my ice cream machine and get churning. This ice cream is so simple, just prepare your basic vanilla recipe and add three crushed graham crackers (next time I would definitely add more). Once the ice cream is finished, layer it in a freezer container with blueberry pie filling (though not so thick, or you'll have frozen chunks of blueberry filling which is what I had. Not that that's a bad thing, at all, it's just a preference).</div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SDOj7crFj84GQxWl_by0Sr2oUhhaTWRkRx2PB0j1kaJO5FRJfdnfM65_5IHX_ag25AD_PVPzl49C83peYDBqGnlyXVvdsw34VU6UAvDSl3JoJfBfwr2kLIiD8vbbu-d9G-z24eKFOXLL/s400/DSC08401.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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The ice cream was graham-crackery, creamy and delicious. And it saved me the trouble of having to make a pie and ice cream separately. I love twofers.</div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-79302034372816036932012-07-08T09:04:00.000-07:002012-07-08T09:04:17.311-07:00A Pie and Ice Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfQ9JeQuZyMZumjWs9_mwYLvKSNdjOH-kgpfMpO2zlyWJETGtsu0Xr1PX8se0pkIopVxuEo9xH6Bj2LQDHujZuwWZtG0LWeM59iQGlOXt9anEdxJOab6pYGq8UvIc3pUM9x6UCa5Q05hR/s400/DSC08377.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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(triple berry pie)</div>
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Let me start by saying that berry pies are not my fave. Would I take a slice at a party? Probably not. If I were stranded on a dessert island with nothing but a berry pie, would I eat it? Absolutely. I like fruit desserts, I just like chocolate/caramel/chocolate better. But the 4th of July calls for a pie, a triple berry pie with oozy fruit filling and a flaky buttery crust. And what's a pie without homemade ice cream.</div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zBypyyeNy9yasKiedTsKC9vdN-b9q01vIX9VfQp5aoxrkx5MVwVtNHHnNoS6a0CEhJ1LMPik4saLD1j7-QY53-PCjuKleLI5VYrNOaQy0tkSFt7ZDN0oZiiR12R4JH4rJV_9J6bbcWMF/s400/DSC08374.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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My brand new ice cream machine. Cause, ya know, I needed it. I was getting jealous of so many food bloggers who post delicious homemade ice cream recipes. They brag how simple it is, and how the machines are so affordable and kitchen friendly that there's no excuse for not having one. And it's robins egg blue and just so cute.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGv0zC7HBkvxkD8m_PB8Nmf_vYPGHFMptx38-zWqav0-ffFcAYyaZCDVs0cRTVZ_GQLafG5RZ-9uFZCXxljMcD3kIJxudWehHEvd5M5MniETRVa9Z5LnFCu6Fv9hYZrbotJNhNRYGNqMW/s1600/DSC08376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcGv0zC7HBkvxkD8m_PB8Nmf_vYPGHFMptx38-zWqav0-ffFcAYyaZCDVs0cRTVZ_GQLafG5RZ-9uFZCXxljMcD3kIJxudWehHEvd5M5MniETRVa9Z5LnFCu6Fv9hYZrbotJNhNRYGNqMW/s400/DSC08376.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh hello.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8vk2uL99n4LN1dCHf7OdQvmD9fSxdxrc7VdaJeuppDKVVXC_56EvaaHYocTVrLAIEYNPLRboE5rb8rf2u-0eWRxE_LncBV1SlK1J8jdZA0JlUvGtRfkUlYnIjkmWWFU5q4pa0ZjejgrN/s1600/DSC08367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8vk2uL99n4LN1dCHf7OdQvmD9fSxdxrc7VdaJeuppDKVVXC_56EvaaHYocTVrLAIEYNPLRboE5rb8rf2u-0eWRxE_LncBV1SlK1J8jdZA0JlUvGtRfkUlYnIjkmWWFU5q4pa0ZjejgrN/s400/DSC08367.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anyway, back to the pie. I'm not going to post the ice cream recipe because it was your standard vanilla. Just some heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and sugar. And it was a bit sweet for me, so I'm going to test out different ratios before I post <i>the</i> go-to vanilla recipe. So the pie. It uses a ton of berries, like I still didn't add as much as the recipe called for and the pie was overflowing, so I don't know, maybe I have a shallow pie pan. Or maybe my berries didn't reduce as much. </div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6Vt9Lnnqe7M7iNfUyPHRx5JuX8Lp8VxvkjvxQmYWhLA5jJ4uYmFIK9hX-dkQeG1JKU6drNLTqPnnVOPccrrlZfmtHi7SO7kfFWC1nogBU51_cKg1qLDwnBTB7S5lqOnrzH1ODBWlaVOo/s400/DSC08369.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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And my attempt at a lattice pie crust worked out well! It was actually so easy, I used <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/" target="_blank">this</a> tutorial. My dad thought the pie was a bit sweet, but I thought it was perfect with the tartness of the berries (my blackberries were particularly tart, also $3.99 a container, I should invest in my own blackberry bush).</div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpH42yY2S_5jWnOAgZQ5ZlYGNxYySWWT1c5jB75E8gzDKf5uq6LhlbBCq6D9hK1X_Mie6gOZmuu4w-Kto6qyU0iwxDTBg98DEqYdjaUbHZWU1amsIHO9phCWg6YCM3DYEheC-JYwal-629/s400/DSC08379.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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I followed <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Three-Berry-Pie-with-Vanilla-Cream-108420" target="_blank">this</a> recipe for the pie, just altered the berry ratios. I used a lot more blueberries because I felt the need to buy a pound of them because they looked so good. </div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbI56VP-aAuPtSWEZni0VFjellbH0YsBNjz2419wgY5mZbfC6krMlHapWqB2MsONtzbGe-PPOGsI2p1GNN957RrkLhzRrJB0aJueCO33qY1tDzPOxyV3_5P9Ut4mhc3gIC6I51Gw6601A/s400/DSC08380.JPG" width="400" /></div>
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The pie was gone in a day. So much work for just a few hours of deliciousness. I'll post more ice cream recipes when I get around to making them. Chocolate's next. Or salted caramel. Or s'mores. Or all three...</div>
Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-89032855640918930012012-06-27T18:57:00.000-07:002012-06-27T18:57:21.550-07:00Gluten-Less MeI would comfortably say that I am a carboholic. I love crusty bread, eggy challah, warm everything bagels with a schmere of cream cheese, pita chips, and baguettes galore. It's more than that though. Wanna know what my favorite fruit is? Bananas. Wanna know which fruit has the highest amount of carbs per serving (26 grams, mind you), bananas. I can't help it, carbohydrates make everything chewy and delicious and starchy and just delicious and so satisfying. So why, would you ask, am I trying out a gluten-free diet when I'm not medically required to be gluten-free? A diet where bready carbs are the enemy? Cause of blogs like <a href="http://glutenfreegirl.com/" target="_blank">this</a>, where all her recipes look so delicious, and yet contain none of the gluten devil. And because my boyfriend was almost diagnosed with celiac disease, almost, but thankfully not quite.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kLT_Sy6kU-kZcFDfOmHaYz5FHaqHRo3CfcWHBA2NDPmFnu8DqXYjo58MqVGAPxVKXvg0VWh6-kJ-ia1HFibQuMpCpnHkCS7iUtJjGlTv4doE4HpljeVTO0IIkCDZ745zb2YtQgwTBE2-/s1600/DSC05473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kLT_Sy6kU-kZcFDfOmHaYz5FHaqHRo3CfcWHBA2NDPmFnu8DqXYjo58MqVGAPxVKXvg0VWh6-kJ-ia1HFibQuMpCpnHkCS7iUtJjGlTv4doE4HpljeVTO0IIkCDZ745zb2YtQgwTBE2-/s400/DSC05473.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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(I can still eat that!)</div>
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So what does one eat in a land sans gluten? Well, a lot of quinoa, veggies, grilled meats and fish, froyo (just double check, some ice creams add hidden sources of gluten), and salads, lots of salads. Sounds icky, I know, but the benefits! I'm not tired around 3 p.m., you know, like an hour after you eat lunch and you feel like you could sleep forever (or kill someone for a coffee), I don't have that now. And there's no feeling like a glob of bread is just sitting in your stomach for hours after you eat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizSAeRsrKLpsiJWHXg0dby8hM6EpDDnTmibK4or1k42fV0dIw9XHHXqGhUgDRLGdxI1TX38_6dylUSH3L2Vtnhbad7eREVih_wnHvJQ8-Gr34lAMb9tczpDhn8tEuPAI568yR2VKHkYrZ/s1600/tuna+tartare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizSAeRsrKLpsiJWHXg0dby8hM6EpDDnTmibK4or1k42fV0dIw9XHHXqGhUgDRLGdxI1TX38_6dylUSH3L2Vtnhbad7eREVih_wnHvJQ8-Gr34lAMb9tczpDhn8tEuPAI568yR2VKHkYrZ/s400/tuna+tartare.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(tuna tartare with avocado, following photos taken at Lavo in NYC)</div>
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Anddd you get to eat fancy foods, like tuna tartare, cause ya know, you can't eat pasta or bread or anything.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ9VT7B5hBQYZ9elpm0hF8NqgwFkjKHGSs7-9qRYJa24s4L26MTZOWXKTYCqvVHwueZO_dFlUsmUgPOUZSketG5kTGNXjFLVfgQnJ9RgiDrcoTGYilBrfp6oKQCeECnfiwddo5s8ZV4Oh/s1600/sea+bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ9VT7B5hBQYZ9elpm0hF8NqgwFkjKHGSs7-9qRYJa24s4L26MTZOWXKTYCqvVHwueZO_dFlUsmUgPOUZSketG5kTGNXjFLVfgQnJ9RgiDrcoTGYilBrfp6oKQCeECnfiwddo5s8ZV4Oh/s400/sea+bass.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(chilean sea bass with crispy portabello strips, a garlic-butter-tomato sauce and baby asparagus in the background)</div>
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Sorry for the photo quality. These are from my phone. I didn't think anything could be worse than the little digital camera I have now, but apparently I was wrong.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusTIl0x7dfV-dsnOHKNpldhyphenhyphen1TKiIfUefUBXpYmc9TX8n03_CjbK61UbCmWYMeu3UKCFwDlbVjMRelNyCvDJ-vzacdWz2OgvWeRn4bT-al6z_gsqysdw91KgiWZtjtjiFS0_rRinIgOdT/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusTIl0x7dfV-dsnOHKNpldhyphenhyphen1TKiIfUefUBXpYmc9TX8n03_CjbK61UbCmWYMeu3UKCFwDlbVjMRelNyCvDJ-vzacdWz2OgvWeRn4bT-al6z_gsqysdw91KgiWZtjtjiFS0_rRinIgOdT/s400/salmon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(grilled salmon with zucchini "pasta")</div>
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Anyway, I haven't been gluten-free long enough to know if it'll actually change anything, but I'll give it as long as I can handle, until I break down and bake every muffin/cake/cookie in my recipe book and stuff my face. (I give myself a week before my willpower runs out).</div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-28918792171079000192012-06-21T08:47:00.000-07:002012-06-21T08:47:02.421-07:00Mile-High White Chocolate Hummingbird Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7ZNGvyiKMqqI5OF_YlSimFCWRQ1GN1B1plcgyNKsDCUqA29jPEEa0HZ1_cLg0lOQVaWnX5X4p7Dx5gsoUKL3lyiAA0OoRujqIOHG0h0qqa8BgHG81fywcWRFZ0y9fgnuX43I7KEQ0-bw/s1600/DSC08311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7ZNGvyiKMqqI5OF_YlSimFCWRQ1GN1B1plcgyNKsDCUqA29jPEEa0HZ1_cLg0lOQVaWnX5X4p7Dx5gsoUKL3lyiAA0OoRujqIOHG0h0qqa8BgHG81fywcWRFZ0y9fgnuX43I7KEQ0-bw/s400/DSC08311.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Father's Day is a big holiday at my house. It's our holiday, so we're in charge of feeding and entertaining around 25 (or more) relatives. I always make a special dessert for my dad, anything that he requests. This year, it was my mistake to send him <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mile-high-white-chocolate-hummingbird-cake-10000001727431/" target="_blank">this</a> while I was browsing through recipes at work, because naturally, that's what he wanted. This 8-layer, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink behemoth of a cake is easy to prep but a pain to assemble. It requires a lot of freezing and patience, and is totally a labor of love. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_wrFFDf5HW7vlIn9LujZASn_kHDiRgwZug5cac6himVNGKZBceHOlyd38LNS-hzdm-5CpAo6Am-5yeWUIfcvLKy-5xAT27S8tPrlzo9h1mhO_TPM6BzyAiefLurXOI7dZgjkQfS7YDXj/s1600/DSC08294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_wrFFDf5HW7vlIn9LujZASn_kHDiRgwZug5cac6himVNGKZBceHOlyd38LNS-hzdm-5CpAo6Am-5yeWUIfcvLKy-5xAT27S8tPrlzo9h1mhO_TPM6BzyAiefLurXOI7dZgjkQfS7YDXj/s400/DSC08294.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Don't be thrown off by the strange combination of ingredients. I wouldn't have thought to put coconut, bananas, toasted pecans, pineapple and white chocolate together in the same cake, but they meld so nicely. It has a similar texture to that of a carrot cake, but without the healthy stuff (like carrots - I have a strict no vegetable policy when it comes to desserts).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BzY1BP23yFiv6DtT6sBT0blIL8Bksi0uNc6PK1jlvrJUdAtEYaJrSeQTLuGK7DQF7j2J1jMMhv6_2d2Uz6Y3drO0uK7LhvsfjEQgrC3XEes2hPJHSscWcAi_nZ9vOvUSrF8DTND7dfWJ/s1600/DSC08301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BzY1BP23yFiv6DtT6sBT0blIL8Bksi0uNc6PK1jlvrJUdAtEYaJrSeQTLuGK7DQF7j2J1jMMhv6_2d2Uz6Y3drO0uK7LhvsfjEQgrC3XEes2hPJHSscWcAi_nZ9vOvUSrF8DTND7dfWJ/s400/DSC08301.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Like I said, a pain to assemble. I ended up making only three layers (so once they were halved, 6) because I only had 3 circular cake pans. I don't know if I would have been able to add two more layers though, it might have tipped.</div>
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The only thing I omitted from the recipe was the almond extract, mainly because I didn't have any on-hand, but also because I find that once I add almond extract, everything tastes like marzipan. The cake didn't taste too strongly of any one ingredient, though some reviews said that if you use too-ripe bananas, then that flavor is overpowering. This cake is definitely for special occasions only, but after my father happily ate three slices and it got rave reviews, it was worth it.</div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-54664223976529315182012-06-14T11:36:00.000-07:002012-06-14T11:36:35.634-07:00Soft Chocolate Blueberry TartI know I've been the laziest blogger alive, but this blog is undergoing a transition and I wasn't sure how to approach it. You see, since I'm no longer abroad, my material is, well, a bit less intriguing. After all there aren't quite as many culinary adventures to be had in New Jersey as there are in all of Europe. So my challenge was how to adapt <i>Just Shmying Around</i> to my life on this side of the sea. I'll still be posting things that I find (and subsequently eat) while I'm shmying, but I'll also be posting recipes! And hopefully, my picture quality will improve as soon as I can save enough for a dslr (any suggestions?). So to start, I give you a tart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgv1YXMlrvN_3Utbk08Rqgb9bhyphenhyphenFmOhpYoFfajvmvDuCwdWZZ6pIDQ_gcTe9NfJqJRQMQ998MsyE_xMmbQUo55M_Q0YMxMQd4NIWmXVARFuqpKb-XoNMsRJk4sWgGQRl9tpRg5m9U-p4kc/s1600/DSC05546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgv1YXMlrvN_3Utbk08Rqgb9bhyphenhyphenFmOhpYoFfajvmvDuCwdWZZ6pIDQ_gcTe9NfJqJRQMQ998MsyE_xMmbQUo55M_Q0YMxMQd4NIWmXVARFuqpKb-XoNMsRJk4sWgGQRl9tpRg5m9U-p4kc/s400/DSC05546.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yesterday at my internship (at delish.com, check it out!) my job was to research and piece together a bunch of blueberry recipes. I also happened to bring the largest and most delicious blueberries to work as a snack. By sheer coincidence I wore a blue jacket. And the sky was blue for the first time in days. And so, I think the world was telling me to blog about this soft chocolate and blueberry tart. I think it was meant to be.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu5ysdKbuGDEFTou_wG64MXd3Up-1o6TaWi4xrduPoLvX_aTixSUHY76OjDiEtcYpjOGS_y0xVCONN-GrVSkc05cC38robXr3dztbKWXhjyPkgtaKIekqvrOl3mvHjDIFjMUyfZ8X29d6/s1600/DSC05541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibu5ysdKbuGDEFTou_wG64MXd3Up-1o6TaWi4xrduPoLvX_aTixSUHY76OjDiEtcYpjOGS_y0xVCONN-GrVSkc05cC38robXr3dztbKWXhjyPkgtaKIekqvrOl3mvHjDIFjMUyfZ8X29d6/s400/DSC05541.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is a favorite in my house. The crumbly short bread crust (as picture above), with its light sweetness and mellow saltiness, pairs perfectly with semisweet chocolate and tart blueberries. Top it off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, and it's gone in seconds (actually seconds, I've seen my family polish off the whole tart in a single sitting).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_PdEr-2JGx5s_fuO6hhN7KLVo_SLxKTEYs3PtkqTjui4r0JavzSY0fdniIqi1y3SeOKfv37TGsvt2AruLN2not2VXCOMBKYyKHHMc5YVH3TkGIjwstlBC778-dbg96-uroWIjWJTDz2B/s1600/DSC05544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_PdEr-2JGx5s_fuO6hhN7KLVo_SLxKTEYs3PtkqTjui4r0JavzSY0fdniIqi1y3SeOKfv37TGsvt2AruLN2not2VXCOMBKYyKHHMc5YVH3TkGIjwstlBC778-dbg96-uroWIjWJTDz2B/s400/DSC05544.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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It's actually pretty simple too. Once the dough is par-baked, the chocolate filling is assembled and poured over the blueberries. After a half hour in the oven, and some time to let it chill (if you can wait) this tart is ready to serve. </div>
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<b>Soft Chocolate and Blueberry Tart</b></div>
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I love using blueberries because I find that they're the perfect contrasting tartness to the sweet chocolate, but this would work great with cherries or raspberries as well.</div>
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Yield: one 9-inch tart</div>
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ingredients for sweet tart dough:</div>
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1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
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1/2 cup confectioners' sugar</div>
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1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
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1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 tablespoons) very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into pieces</div>
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1 large egg yolk</div>
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ingredients for filling:</div>
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3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped</div>
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2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped (I use Ghiradelli chips)</div>
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1/2 cup heavy cream</div>
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1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces</div>
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1-1/2 tablespoons sugar</div>
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2 large eggs, at room temperature</div>
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1 large egg yolk, at room temperature</div>
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1 cup blueberries</div>
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I adapted my ingredients from this recipe, so find the rest of the directions <a href="http://ldylvbgr.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-tuesday-with-dorie-soft-chocolate.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6723896983887891730.post-82219237865798614032012-05-28T07:32:00.000-07:002012-05-28T07:32:01.200-07:00Cacio e PepeFor the past two weeks, I have refused to go out for Italian food. I know that it won't be as good as it was abroad, and I don't want to ruin Italian-American food for myself for forever. But despite my aversion to Italian restaurants in the States, I still crave a hearty bowl of perfectly al dente pasta. So, rather than scour the local Italian joints in search of my favorite dish, cacio e pepe, I figured I would give it a try.<br />
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaP5oRq7z-bH8E-PTlK6N9EYACsgI3dKs0nK1e-_Tch_Qi5r9YNAuMF3HKLytEYpFAr063Fe6z8JxNotXnYn_d2aKxDcUA6G0zAMs7hK_6_ORU34AMwUufNIbk5tRJsrIxbZAWTI1ryLx/s400/05-21-12+015.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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Armed with 2 lbs of fresh fettuccine from Fairway, $20 worth of grated Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses, <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/05/cacio-e-pepe" target="_blank">this</a> recipe and my mother as sous chef, I attempted to compile a few of my favorite dishes from abroad into one meal.</div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAC_tl0IiJeDwfjSQr4ycd21WG46nMA5g7fzEt2GO4xtyVgtENSNWMrngbdtGVk0GywqyjGey4FuplspdK1px0XUKtz8l1MxEiFsgSau3fYHy88HjKOO-FZzwGp8w9IO6MgH-w2DmgnfCH/s400/05-21-12+013.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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One of my favorite appetizers that my parents and I enjoyed when they came to visit was burrata cheese with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh baguette. I found fresh burrata from Fairway (my favorite supermarket, I'm really sorry if you don't have one, you're totally missing out), threw some sun-dried tomatoes in the food processor, and voila. The plate was devoured within seconds.</div>
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBfZXRFpEBG3lbIUTW9nFH_D9UpKkJ5JB8pdaO9KCdhgLQVS_fUAIqPqC3iRk6hWlqXcxZl5vQThJ_3kecsyjUTcBl8yRT4KkVJc2EJAfwV1uuI2f5vTd-ue2XJfxmkLZYnXkx3K5dbf6/s400/05-21-12+017.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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Cacio e pepe easily translates to cacio cheese and pepper. It's a simple, traditionally Roman recipe that requires little prep or cooking time. The fresh pasta cooks in a minute, then is thrown into a pan with cracked black pepper, some butter and some pasta water. It's tossed until evenly warmed, then hit with handfuls of Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses. Toss some more, add more pasta water if it's too thick, and serve. It's such a simple yet satisfying dish. For sides, we had a fresh tomato and basil salad tossed in a garlic infused olive oil (simmer olive oil with two cloves of garlic until the cloves are browned, removed cloves and pour oil over the tomatoes), and asparagus baked with shaved asiago and butter toasted breadcrumbs. Not heart-healthy or waist-friendly, but so easy and SO delicious. My father's still raving about it, two full weeks later.</div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06009676582389585947noreply@blogger.com0