Cake fail that was so NOT a fail!

About a week ago I was baking a carrot cake (from scratch 'cause that's how I roll) for my work Holiday Party - which is a pot luck style set up.

Several "trauma's" occurred while the baking was in progress ... however, my co-workers LOVED it ... and I must say they were 100% accurate, it was delicious (pat pat pat on my back - sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do)!

I thought those KitchenAid mixer "covers" were supposed to keep things IN the bowl???

Gaaaaaahhhh...the cake is falling apart ... but I will fix it will icing!

Time to cut the cake ... and to eat it!

Baking Party!

It's going to happen in the New Year ... so stay tuned!

Pesto

So, my basil plant recently went berserk ... ok, not true, it's just been plentiful and I've not cooked dishes that use it, so ... I had a LOT of basil.  And, as it happens some times, I also had pine nuts in the house.  So ... bam, pesto!

Currently cooking pasta to give it a try-o!

Pickle Steaks, O'So'Goot!

Pickle Steaks, more commonly known as Rouladen, is one of those dishes that I've known since childhood.  A German dish, made often by my Mother who lived with my Father in Germany for 3-years, I really can't say enough good things about Pickle Steaks.

Beef - yes.
Pickle - yes.
Bacon - yes.
Mustard - yes.
Cooking in beef-brothy-goodness ... for hours ... YES YES YES!
Served with Spaetzle and Red Cabbage ... ohhhhhhhh yes!

Yummmmmmmmmmmmo!

My Mom recently had a dinner party, and though I wasn't at the party, she made me one too!  Woot woot.  And then my Dad brought it to me the next day.  My folks ROCK!

Penzy's Spices ... oh hell yeah!

So, I know it's not just me ... Penzy's spices are AWESOME!  There's now a Penzy's store at the mall, a short 10 minute drive from my home ... do you know how hard it is to stay out of that place???  If you like to cook then I am sure you do.  I could spend an entire weeks pay check without blinking an eye ... if I was one of those folks who didn't have to worry about money (who are those people anyway and how do I meet a tall dark and handsome - SINGLE - one???)!

But I digress...the point of this post is to talk about how much I love their spice magazine that comes to me very few months.  

A.) There is always a coupon for a spice on the front cover - with a small purchase (like the salt or pepper one uses) you get a freebie!  Woot woot!  Who doesn't LOVE a freebie?!

B.) The recipes inside are great with a capital G!  I've used several to date, and they have all come out great!  (Absolutely NO rhyme intended there...I'm awesome!)

With all of that said ... I need to go make me some dinner.  Peace.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

So after my foray into the wonderful world of homemade hummus, I decided to try my hand at BLACK BEAN HUMMUS.  I googled a simple recipe, and after making it and tasting it I'm calling it Spicy Black Bean Hummus.  

Again, super easy to make and super yummy to eat!

Ingredients:

1 Can Black Beans

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Tahini Paste

3/4 Teaspoon Cumin

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Paprika

Salt to taste

How to: Combine in a food processor until desired consistency using some of the Black Bean liquid to reduce thickness of the hummus.  Transfer to a bowl and enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Homemade Hummus ... first time I've made hummus and I don't mind tooting my own horn when I say it's delicious!  And so much more inexpensive than the pre-made stuff at the store.  

INGREDIENTS
1 Can of Chickpeas (and up to 1/4 cup of the liquid from the can)
Fresh Lemon (3-5 tablespoons)
Olive Oil (2 tablespoons)
Tahini Paste (2 tablespoons)
Crushed Garlic Clove (2 Cloves)
Salt

Mix in a food processor ... and then eat with pita chips, veggies, or on a sandwich!

Burnt and crispy...LOVE it!

It's not a typical thing to write on a foodie blog, but the truth is, there are a few things I actually like when they're burnt ... or crispy.

#1 'When the mallow is flaming...'
Toasted Marshmallows, there is something so totally perfect about a burnt marshmallow, especially if you then stick it between 2 graham crackers and some chocolate.  (Oh, and a little birdy recently suggested one use a reese's pieces peanut butter cup for the chocolate, and I was like ... 'holy moly YEAH')

#2 Potatoes, onions and garlic in veg packs.
Veg packs are sooooooooooooo yummy, and the number one reason why?  Well that's easy, it's the bottom layer that gets the intense heat from the grill and turns the bottom bits into "almost burnt" and totally crispy pieces of heaven!  Oh yeah.

#3 Toast / bagels (sometimes...)
I'm not entirely sure why I like this one, but I do.  Now don't get me wrong, a totally blackened piece of toast is not good.  But a bagel or piece of toast that's just started to burn a bit...I love it.  No really, I do!

What about you?  Is there anything you like when it's a little bit burnt - or super crispy?

Downton Abby's "spicy fish n chips"

Totally made some awesome fish n chips for dinner tonight.  Beer battered in my own brew (Maggie Moo Slobber) and soooooooooo tasty!

I used a recipe from my "Downton Abby" Cookbook.  

And though the true Brit would serve it with mushy (pronounced m-uh-she) peas, I don't particularly care for them that way ... but I do LOVE fresh (or frozen) peas with my fish n chips!

I cooked it at my folks place - for me and them - and it was nice enough (and cool enough) that evening to eat alfresco ... woot woot!

Tzatziki

God I love tzatziki (I love it so much that once it's in my bowl, and this is the truth, I will totally lick the bowl / drink the last few drops, before washing the bowl ... hahaha).  At any rate, I made a bowl of it today, and though I accidentally used my folks "fine" zester for the cucumber (which made it a bit soupier than I meant) it was/is true DELICIOUSNESS!!

I also bought a package of small pitas to go with it, and tried my hand at making "toasted pita" bites.  I put a bit of oil in a frying pan - with some Penzy's "sandwich sprinkle" - and "toasted" them for a few minutes on each side, then I sliced them into bite size pieces to dip and munch.

Yummo!

It is a very easy dip to make.  (I may have put this recipe on here before ...)

Ingredients:
1 English Cucumber
1 Lemon
Fresh Dill
2-3 Cloves Garlic
Plain Greek Yogurt (I use Fage)
Black Pepper - optional

How to make it:
Pour yogurt into a medium sized bowl.  Peel and grate the cucumber into the bowl.  Add the juice of 1 lemon (and some zest too, if you'd like).  Peel and chop the garlic, add to the bowl. Wash and snip a fair amount of fresh dill into the bowl.  Add a bit of freshly grated pepper.  Mix ... and viola!

*This is a "recipe" that a Greek friend of mine gave me.

I recently saw a recipe that says to add fresh spearmint, which I think I'll try net time

Pantry Staples

Everyone culminates "their" pantry staples, right?  I mean, as you learn what you like to eat and cook, your pantry becomes distinctly "yours."  When new members of your family come along, pantry needs shift ... and as ones tastes evolve the pantry does the same.  I also believe that pantries betray the season, don't you?  Hot chocolate is much more prevalent in mine during the winter than in the summer, but I digress.

Some of my staples are:
Fluff
Grits
Oatmeal
Golden Syrup
Maple Syrup
Cous cous
Tuna Fish 
Beans - for chili, hummus, English Breakfasts etc...
Tomato Sauce
SPICES!!!  :o)
Pasta - usually elbow noodles
Veggies
TEA - Lady Grey, English Breakfast, MInt and a few others
White Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Brown Sugar
Brownie and or Cake Mixes
and
Cereal - usually Honey Nut Cheerios

I mean, it's pretty much a guarantee that you'll find these things on my shelf.

At certain points in the year Cream of Mushroom Soup is there.  And there are times when I've got my "Greek" on, and you'll find Dolmas in there too.  And of course ... the things that come and go when the mood strikes...but staples are staples and you can almost ALWAYS find them in my closet!  ;o)

What about you?

Peppercorn Fish

For dinner tonight I made Peppercorn Swai Fillets ... yummo!  The fillets are lightly breaded (in a flour creamy peppercorn spice mix - thank you Penzy's) and fried in olive oil.

And for dessert ... the final two (small) leftover cupcakes and frosting. 

Summer Salad

This salad is something that a friend of mine taught me while I was living in London.  She's from the Middle East, though I don't know if this is a "traditional" dish or just something she made ... at any rate, I love it ... it's simple, spring/summery and delicious!

Ingredients:
Celery, chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Parsley (large leaf), chopped
Tomato's, chopped
Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh Ground Black Pepper & Salt to taste
Olive Oil

Combine ingredients in a bowl ... mix ... eat.

Black Bean Salsa

This is one of the best things I've made in a while ... YUM!  I used a recipe that was in a Penzy's spice catalog.

Black Beans
Corn (fresh from the cob)
Red Bell Pepper
Sweet Onion
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh Parsley
Cumin
Crushed Black Pepper
Fresh Lime Zest & Juice
Olive Oil

Chop, spice, mix ... DEVOUR!!!!

4th of July "BBQ"

This years 4th of July was SUPER low key for me...as in, I'm the lame-o who didn't do anything or go anywhere.  But I digress...it was the 4th of July, so I made some summer salads, corn on the cob, a "grilled" Portobello Mushroom and "BBQ'D" Chicken.  Tasty!

Red Potato & Rosemary Salad, Tomato Salad & Deviled Eggs

This is how one grills (and slightly burns) a piece of chicken when they don't have an outdoor grill...

Garlic SCAPE Pesto

Well, today marks two culinary firsts for me.

1.) Working with garlic scapes (sounds horrible doesn't it ... they are just the flower stalks of garlic plants) ... they look rather silly -->

2.) Making a pesto.  Something I've never done before.  The scapes, and the recipe, came with this past weeks co-op vegetables.  So, thought I'd give it a go.

What's in the pesto you ask?

Garlic Scapes

Pine Nuts

Parmesan Cheese

Olive Oil

&

Salt & Pepper

In a little while I will cook some pasta and a piece of chicken to use the pesto ... smells divine just as it is, so I'm kind of eager to for dinner.  :)

Kale Chips

Garlic Kale Chips ... something I'd never heard of ... a vegetable I've never purchased (my folks are very generously sharing their co-op veg with me) ... and let me tell you, they rock (my parents and the kale chips)!

Super easy recipe:

Preheat oven to 350

Wash fresh kale.

Break kale into 'bite size' pieces.

Toss kale in a small bowl - with a bit of olive (or avocado) oil - use your hands to ensure kale is sufficiently covered.

Place kale in baking dish (the recipe I used called for a baking sheet with baking parchment on it which I didn't have ... so ...).

Sprinkle a bit of garlic powder on the kale.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Sprinkle a bit of salt on them ... and crunch away!

Basil & Onion Hamburgers

Today I cooked fresh basil (grown on my kitchen windowsill thank you very much) and chopped onion burgers.  Very tasty!!!  I was actually, and pleasantly, surprised that with the basil in the burger, they didn't need ketchup and mustard.  :)

And as I'm trying to cut down on my carb intake, no buns!

Head cheese ... Is not cheese!

About a week ago I went out to dinner with my father, we went to this great place called New World Bistro.  (Mom was out with friends...).  We shared a few tapas style appatizers, one of which was something I had never tried before, head cheese...which is not a cheese at all!

Head cheese is a jellied loaf or sausage made from chopped and boiled parts of the feet, head and sometimes tongue and heartbof an animal, usually a hog.

Yup.

I actually liked it.

Salads.

I love the colors in a good salad.  Pretty and tasty.

Stir fry over brown rice.

This is my blog post about a chicken stir fry over brown rice that I made - first use of my mini-wok.  (Is it sad that I bought a mini-wok ... being single and all that ... sigh?!?)

Ingredients:
Chicken
Sliced Onion
Fresh Broccoli
Chopped Carrots
Chopped Celery
Sliced Garlic

Cooked in veggie oil and stir-fry sauce.

Now ... onto Brown Rice.
I really like brown rice, so I bought a bag of it.  I've cooked it twice now, and I have yet to "properly" cook it either time ... it always comes out a bit too crunchy ... any suggestions from the throngs of readers I possess?  Hahaha...

Hamburger Pie

Today I made my own version of a Hamburger Pie.

Ingredients:
Chop Meat
1 Onion - chopped
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
HP Sauce
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pillsbury Biscuits 

How To:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown chop meat with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste.  When it is almost done add the chopped onions, and a few tablespoons of HP Sauce.  (If you can't get HP Sauce try using A1 Steak Sauce.)

"Pour" meat mixture into pie pan (lightly coated with olive oil).  Cover the meat with shredded cheddar cheese and the biscuits.  (I actually sliced the biscuits in half - thinning them out a bit.)

Bake for approx 15 minutes (or until the biscuits are browned).

Tasty.  

Though, next time I do it I need to figure out what to use in the mix to make the "meat" hold together a bit better as pie filling.

First Brew - Secondary Fermentation

Transfered my brew from the initial bucket into the carboy for its secondary fermentation.  And now, we wait ... again.  :)

 Opened the bucket ... it smells so good.

Sediment at the bottom of the bucket.

She's in the carboy now ... in 2-4 more weeks I'll get it in the bottles, and then we drink!

Brownies ... on display.

I made a batch of brownies over the weekend for the sole purpose of using a new cake / cookie / brownie (etc...) stand that I recently acquired [Thanks Aunt Kris]!  

They look so good.  

Toad In The Hole

Bangers in Yorkshire Pudding with Gravy.  Looks a bit ridiculous, but OH. HOLY. YUM!

Spicy Peanuts!

These are an interesting find ... I really do love the Asian Supermarket.  :)

My First SOLO Brew

Today marks the occasion of my very first - one hundred percent - SOLO brew!  Caribou Slobber has entered phase one.

Activate the yeast, yup, the pack has been "smacked" and is in the process of expanding.

Getting everything ready to brew.

The "dry" ingredients.

The "tea bag" of grain.

Steeping the grain.

Still steeping.

Adding the liquid malt.

Dry malt added too.

The 60min boil begins.

Adding the second of three types of hops - smelled so good.

Cooling the wort.

The wort's been transferred to the first fermentation bucket and is continuing to cool.

The expanded yeast is about to go into the bucket.

Yeast's been pitched, cover's on, air lock in place ... now we wait for fermentation to begin, go bubbles!