A Baking Challenge: Pie Perfection

Who would've thought that at 31 years old, I would be living back at home with my parents. Don't get me wrong I love them to death, but still, this is not exactly where I thought I would be at this point in my life...especially since last year I was living it up out in lovely San Francisco. But now I'm back in Jersey, chillin with the parental units.

It's a somewhat different food environment here in NJ then when I lived in SF. Sweets, desserts and junk food were a rare find in my apartment out West. For the most part our shelves and refrigerator were full of veggies, fruit, lean proteins, vitamins and supplements, and coconut water (thanks to Joe). My parents house is a different story. M&Ms, tortilla chips, ice cream, cheese, wine & beer, bread, and pies/cakes are always on hand. Healthy items like yogurt, fruit and rice cakes can also be found, but the ratio of "junk" food to healthy food is basically 2:1. I don't mean to make my parents out to be unhealthy people. they are actually in great shape and eat quite well. Even though the "junk" food is always around they are proponents of eating it in moderation.

But this love of food, especially dessert, actually works in my favor. First of all, my mom is not a good baker. She tries, but normally her attempts are not successful. Store bought cakes tend to be her go to. However this past weekend, her dessert item of the week was a frozen Sara Lee blueberry pie. Please note, she didn't purchase the frozen pie. It was given to her (she may not have the skills, but my mom certainly understands the value of freshly baked goods). Well the pie comes out of the oven and this is the finished product:

Does this look appetizing to you? Cause let me tell you, it was not. I mean look at that photo. The synthetic blueberry filling is literally oozing out. Just looking at this pie sitting in our kitchen made me feel bad for my parents. How can I allow them to eat something like this???

So I gave myself a personal baking challenge; to make an amazing blueberry pie. Something that would blow this pie out of the water.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present my Blueberry Pear Pie with a Walnut Streusel Topping!

I have a few notes to add before I wrap this post up. Instead of cooking the pears in orange juice, I used some mango juice we had in the house. I also grated in a teaspoon or so of fresh nutmeg during this process. Lastly, when combining the pears, blueberries, sugar, etc I added in 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest. 

I think it's safe to say, I got very close to reaching pie perfect. Dare I even say, even close than Sara Lee and her blueberry pie.

Italian at Heart

In my opinion there is one true test that proves how much of an Italian you are at heart, and that is the test of making great sauce. Every Italian family has their own recipe, and every family thinks their sauce is better than the rest. So, there tends to be a lot of pressure placed on one's sauce recipe.

I had a friend visiting for the weekend a few weeks ago and I decided that now was as good a time as any to test my sauce making skills. I had no recipe to follow, just instinct and learnings passed down from generations. I harnessed my Italian relatives and went to work. The keys to making good sauce are such:

Do not, by any means, add sugar
Don't lose the integrity of the tomato flavor by bombarding it with other ingredients
Low and slow cooking is the best
Fresh herbs and San Marzano tomatoes are a must

Oh! And I decided to make meatballs as well, just for good measure. But these were healthy, turkey meatballs.

Now part of me wants to share the recipe, but part of me wants to keep it as my own family secret that I can pass down to generations to come. So for now I would say just admire the pictures, and use the tips above to come up with your own sauce recipe. Who knows, you may find that you're a true Italian at heart.

Ode to Brussel Sprouts

Over the years I have developed an immense love for the brussel sprout. What was once thought of as an unappetizing side dish, has now become a craved accompaniment. The tiny cabbage-esque shape gives way to an amazingly appetizing bitter flavor, that only becomes "sweeter" when tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted. Lemon, garlic, bacon, white wine, or red pepper flakes only enhance the punch these little guys pack. So next time you see a container of brussel sprouts as you walk down the produce aisle, don't pass them by. I have a feeling you'll learn to love them, just as I have. 

In Search of the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Over the years I have baked countless batches of chocolate chip cookies. With every venture down this baking path, I have searched for ways to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. After last night's baking experience, I am happy to say that I have mastered the art of cookie baking. AND I believe I have found the secrets to making the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

• Secret #1 - Room temperature butter and eggs are key
• Secret #2 - Make sure you take the time to cream the butter and sugar to a light and fluffy consistency
• Secret #3 - Always sift the dry ingredients
• Secret #4 - Don't overbake. Cookies will continue to cook for another minute or two once they come out of the oven
• Secret #5 - Cookies don't need much time to cool. I give them about 5 minutes and then instantly put them in a tupperware container. They will stay soft for days. (This secret is my best discovery)

And in the end...perfection!

Bringing Some Southern Comfort to San Francisco

Dinner parties are a great way to spend some quality time with your friends, as well as try new cuisine and new recipes. Since I have moved to San Francisco, my girl friends and I started throwing themed dinner parties. The first was a Vegetarian dinner. The next was a Valentine's Day red themed dinner, then a San Francisco food themed party. This week our theme was food from the last vacation we have been on. Well kudos to my friend Pauline who thought up the theme. The meal consisted of a pumpkin coconut soup to start, in honor of my friend Pavitra's trip to Africa. Then we moved on to Hawaiin Poke courtesy of my friends' Andrea and Catherine last vacation. Pauline also visited Hawaii recently, so she made baked talapia with a mango avacado salsa, quinoa and fruit salad.

My last vacation was a family trip to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. So in honor of the south I baked a Sweet Potato Pie. The recipe was simple, but I tweeked it slightly in order to make it my own.

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe:

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 1 sticks butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 can evaporated milk
• 1 store bought pie crust, thawed (I used a whole wheat crust)
• pecans for decorating
• whipped cream (optional)

PREPARATION:

Peel and dice potatoes. Cook potatoes until done in boiling water until fork tender. Strain and then put back into pot. Slice butter over them and mash. The transfer to a large bowl and beat with rotary beaters at high speed. When smooth, rinse beaters and continue beating at high speed, adding sugar gradually. When dissolved, add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat a few more minutes. Stir in milk gently.

Pour mixture into 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until firm in center. Decorate with pecans. Serve with whipped cream.

It was a fabulous dessert that brought a little bit of Southern Comfort to our dinner party.

Food Tourin' from East to West

Since my move to San Francisco back in November, I have been bouncing back and forth between the two coasts a lot. I have the benefit living out West and enjoying all that the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer, while still being able to go back East and spend time with my family and friends whom I love so dearly. Oh and of course, enjoying the amazing food that both coasts have to offer.

On a recent trip back East, my family and I traveled down the coast from New Jersey to Kiawah Island, South Carolina.  Located on a beautiful barrier island just a few miles from historic Charleston Kiawah Island was a great location for a long awaited family vacation. We sat on the beach, rode bikes around the island, visited a plantation, and most importantly, went food touring in Charleston. This was the first food tour I had ever been on, and it's definitely a great way to learn a city, meet new people and eat some great food. As part of the Charleston Culinary Tours, our tour guide Glenn took us to 4 different restaurants in the city. Due to my excitement and initial hunger, I didn't get photos from our first stop, but was able to get most of the rest. Here is what we ate:

Chicken Pot Pie Soup & Duck Confit Wrap @ Leaf

 

Grilled Ceasar Salad @ Leaf



Boccadillo Sandwich with Parmesan Truffle Fries @ Leaf



Chicken Parm @ Eli's Table


 

Banana Spice Caramel Cake @ Kaminsky's



Chocolate Martini @ Kaminsky's



Needless to say we left South Carolina very relaxed and about 10 pounds heavier! 

I returned to San Francisco the week before Memorial Day weekend. With a 3 day weekend approaching, I wanted to make sure I had some fun things planned. In lue of the Charleston food tour, I decided that taking a food tour of San Francisco might be a perfect way to fill a day. I texted my friend Kris (also a lover of great food), googled away, and booked our Mission Food tour. Thanks to our amazing tour guide, Chris Milano and his company Foodie Adventures Kris and I embarked on a 4 hour eating and walking tour. We made 7 stops, taking in the Latin food and culture that the Mission has to offer. Here are some photos of the food and the fun we had along the way:

 

Kings Bakery where we enjoyed amazing Coconut Rolls

  

Murals in the Mission

 

Pupusa

 

This was my favorite!



 

Of course Kris (left) won a prize at the end



Yeah that's a Pork Brain Crispy Taco!



So the moral of the story is this, no matter where you are, no matter who you're with, take some time and go on a food tour. Your tummy will thank you. 

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

A lot of my friends have come to recognize me as the resident baker of the group. With this recognition, they constantly send me blogs, recipes, articles, etc all relating to food and things I should bake (or better yet hint to things I should bake for them).

Recently one of my friends sent me this article from Bon Appetit, "10 Ways to Make Better Brownies." The end result was the following:

Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies. And it was as simple as making boxed brownie mix, and adding 2 tablespoons of slightly melted peanut butter (microwave for approximately 20 seconds) and bake per the box directions. 

And I always make sure to share with as many of my friends as possible.

'Red' is in the Air

Since I moved to San Francisco I have met some wonderful ladies who have become great friends. Not only are they great women, smart, funny, gorgeous, and down to earth, they are also single (as am I). So for Valentine's Day we decided to celebrate our love for one another by having an all red dinner party. Everyone had to bring something red for us to eat or drink. The ladies executed the task with perfection. We had red wine to drink, tomato tarts and pigs in a blanket for appetizers; stuffed red peppers, mashed red skin potatoes and beet salad for dinner; strawberry pie and red velvet brownies for dessert. My contribution - the stuffed red peppers and the red velvet brownies. I didn't get to photograph the peppers, but I did get to photograph the brownies. Needless to say there was lots of love, and red, in the air

Keeping it Short and Sweet

For this post I am going to keep things short and sweet. The goal of my latest baking experience was simple, make a kick ass carrot cake cupcake. With this objective in mind I searched the web to find a great carrot cake recipe. I succeeded. Smitten Kitchen's blog was the recipe of choice http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/carrot-cake-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/

Here are the images of my baking process:

I think the photos speak for themselves. 

When Life Gives You Ripe Bananas...Make Banana Bread!

Having a (guy) roommate has allotted me a few new joys. There is always someone to talk to. There is always someone to clean up after (not truly a joy but you know what I mean). And most importantly, there is always someone to bake for!

Two weeks ago my roommate bought a bunch of bananas. However, before he could eat them all, he had to leave for 9 day business trip. We are very considerate roommates when it comes to food. I don't eat any of his without permission, and the same goes for him. Not that either of us would really mind if we ate the other's food, but we try to be polite and considerate of each other's things. So needless to say, the bunch of bananas that he had bought continued to ripen and go uneaten, until he returned.

However, even upon his return, he realized there was no way he could eat all these bananas. So the question became "What are we going to do with a bunch of ripe bananas?" MY solution: make banana bread!

A day and a half later this was what had become of the banana bread

I think my roommate is enjoying my solution.

*For the recipe check out Banana-Bread-Recipe.com

MIA but still baking, cooking, eating away!

Ok, ok so I have been extremely MIA. If my old boss and friend, Mark, were here right now he would be shaking his head in disappointment, since I have not kept my promise to blog once a week every week. My sincerest apologies Mark...and anyone else who reads this and has missed me (I know you're out there).

What can I say? Life has been busy. My move from NJ to San Fran has been a huge success. It took a while for me to get settled in, but I am finally in my apartment, making friends, and eating, baking and cooking like no other. San Francisco is a foodies paradise. There are a million different restaurants to try, lots of fresh and healthy produce and food options to cook with, and lots of dinner parties with friends. So needless to say, I have been in food overload...in a good way.

Here are a few things that I have been cooking, baking, eating, just to bring you up to speed.

Halloween: My friends out in Palo Alto had a Halloween party. I was asked to partake in devising the menu as well as cook and bake some things. The end baking result were the following cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting decorated to look like garve stones and pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting to look like, well,  pumpkins.

Dinner with Friends: Some of my new friends and I decided to make dinner one night. We worked up a menu and each took one dish to buy the groceries for and cook. We decided on baked cod, a mixed green persimmon salad and a warm couscous salad with roasted butternut squash. The salads were a thing of beauty

The rest of my experiences I, unfortunately, don't have photos of but I'll give you a run down and try to provide you with as many links as possible so you can get the best possible idea of what I have been doing.

For "Friends"giving I made an oatmeal nut crunch apple pie

Also at that Halloween party I made "Hungry Girl's" pulled pork sliders

I made spaghetti squash for the first time, with sundried tomatoes and garlic. Just whipped that up on my own.

I have eaten at The Plant, Marlowe, Super Duper Burger, Susie Cakes, Kara's Cupcakes, Bar Bocce, Tacolicious.

So you can see, I have been busy. I will try not to stay away for so long from now on, but if I am please know that I am still baking, cooking, and eating away!

New Chapter

So normally I write about food, but I am taking a break from food to talk about the new and exciting chapter in my life that is about to begin. Tomorrow morning I am getting on a plane and moving to San Francisco. I have lived in New Jersey my entire life. Even my college experiences (both undergrad and grad school) were in New Jersey. So when I was out in San Francisco this summer I decided that at this point in my life, it is time to make a change. I love the city. I have been there about four times over the past three years and the more I visit, the more I fall in love with San Fran. Therefore, why not move to a city that I am crazy about?

I have been counting down the weeks, and finally the day is here. I am ready to try new things, meet new people, and most importantly eat lots of amazing food. San Francisco is a foodie's paradise and I am more than ready to go out there and conquer! So next time I write I will be telling you all about the foods I ate, the restaurants I have been to, and the things I have baked...all from the West Coast!

Get ready California, a Jersey girl is making her way over.

A Sweet Spot in Morristown

This past weekend I decided to surprise my friend with a visit up in Morristown, New Jersey. She is a hair stylist and just moved to a new salon (For Hair and Body) right in the heart of the town.

So upon my visit, we decided to go and get some coffee. "Our options are the following," she said to me. "A Starbucks down the road, a bagel place, or this cute little cafe around the corner." Well I immediately pick the cafe, and what a great choice. We walk around the corner and entered The Artist Bakery

What a find! A diamond in the rough, if you will. We walked in, greated by a display case filled with sweet treats. Miniature cucpakes, freshly bakes pies, tarts, muffins, and even s'mores lined the shelves. As you walk further in, an eclectic mixture of chairs and tables awaits, making it feel like you are sitting in the comfort of someone's home as opposed to a carbon copy of a coffee house that started in, let's say, Seattle.  The staff is small but welcoming, and the baker is there to answer all your questions.

My friend ordered a chai latte and I a regular cup of coffee. But the best was the dessert that I ended up taking home with me. I decided to get my dad a lemon tart, my mom a warm chocolate souffle cake, and a s'more for myself. Everything was AMAZING! Good thing Morristown is not one of the closest towns to me, otherwise I think I would be at the Artist Bakery all the time. But for now, I know where to go when I am in town and I need a sweet treat.

The Test

So as I have said in numerous posts, I am kind of obsessed with ice cream. Now as we all know, ice cream comes in hundreds of different flavors and can be eaten in hundreds of different ways.

Some may prefer hard cherry vanilla ice cream, while others prefer soft serve vanilla/chocolate twist. Some like to drink their ice cream in the form of a milk shake, others prefer having it scooped or swirled onto a cone. Some like hot fudge or caramel sauce, while others just like whipped cream and a cherry. Toppings can be placed on top, or if you like, blended right in. Either way, ice cream paves the way for multiple flavor combinations and textures.

But how do you tell if a brand or an ice cream parlor has the best ice cream? Well I have devised a method. It’s simply called “The Soft Vanilla Ice Cream Test.” In my opinion, the more basic the ice cream the easier it is to tell if it is truly amazing. Like anything in life that is good, it needs a good base, and what’s more basic than vanilla???

So over the past few years I have heard of two places in New Jersey that supposedly have the best ice cream around, Polar Cub in Whitehouse Station and Hoffman’s in Spring Lake. So naturally, they both got the test…and passed with flying colors. I brought my family to Hoffman’s this past weekend and as we were driving there I told my brother (who tends to be very good at knowing good food) about how it passed my Vanilla ice cream test. At first he was skeptical. He hadn’t known about “The Test” up until that moment. He took my word for it and ordered the vanilla anyway…and low and behold, he agreed with me (a rarity between us siblings).

So if you don’t think “The Soft Vanilla Ice Cream Test” holds water, go try it for yourself.

Feeling Inspired

A few weeks ago I was watching the Food Network, when they did a segment on this show called “Unwrapped” on Mallomars®. Now, for those of you who don’t know, a Mallomar is a vanilla cookie, topped with marshmallow which all of which is coated with a milk chocolate shell. And if you are a marshmallow fan (like I am) they are truly one of the best cookies on earth.

So I got to thinking…what if I made a Mallomar cupcake? The cookie actually translates quite nicely. Vanilla cake, filled with marshmallow filling (Fluff® would be used for this), coated with a chocolate ganache frosting. Genius!

Here is the recipe:

Vanilla Cupcake (courtesy of Foodtv.com)

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• Regular or silver cupcake paper liners
• 2 cups Fluff®

Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer with a whip attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to cream. Gradually add the vanilla and eggs and mix in well. Sift together the dry ingredients; then mix into the butter mixture alternating with the milk. Pour batter into cupcake paper-lined muffin tins filling them 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and firm in the center and light golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. (Freeze at this point, if necessary.)

When cupcake is cooled fill a piping bag with Fluff®. Insert the bag into the top of the cupcake and squeeze Fluff® into the center of the cake. Note: the Fluff® is a little tough to work with so you may need to “fill” the cupcake more than once to get the right amount of filling.

Ganache Frosting (courtesy of Foodtv.com):

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
• Mini marshmallows (optional) for decorating

Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate, cream, and espresso powder (if using). Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Here is the end result:

After my Mallomar cupcake creation came to life, I was left with a good amount of Fluff®. What do you do with an almost full tub of Fluff®? The first thing that came to mind was that now I get to eat lots of fluffernutter sandwiches! Again, for those of you that don’t know, a fluffernutter sandwich is simply peanut butter and fluff between 2 slices of bread. Delicious! Soooooooo, why not make a fluffernutter cookie sandwich?
The execution was simple: bake peanut butter cookies and sandwich Fluff® in between two of them.

Here is the peanut butter cookies recipe (courtesy of allrecipes.com):

Ingredients
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

2.In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Press a criss-cross into the top using the back of a fork.

3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Then simply spread a tablespoon or so of Fluff® between two cookies.
I didn’t get a chance to take a picture, but the result was exactly what I had hoped. They were delicious and enjoyed by all.

A little inspiration can go a long way!

The Hostess with the Mostest

This past weekend was Father’s Day, and what better way to spoil dad (a.k.a. Big Ron) than by having a barbeque with some great food and great people. But this barbeque would be different. I decided that I really needed to take the reins on this one. It would be my job to organize the time, the place, and (most importantly) the food. And dad wasn’t allowed to do a single thing!

Now I have helped organized many functions in the past, so in terms of planning, this was a no brainer. However, this event I fully emerged myself in the role of hostess as well as cook.

But first things first, let’s talk about the menu. There were certain things I had to take into consideration for some of the people attending the barbeque. Some had limited palettes. So I tried incorporating some classic, traditional items into a menu that I wanted to make fun and very summer-esque. As a result here is what we ate:

Starters
Homemade Guacamole* and Chips & Salsa
Bruscetta

Main Event
Barbecued Chicken**
Marinated Flank Steak
Grilled Vegetables (baby portabella mushrooms & zucchini)
Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Onions
Salad
Bread

Dessert
Warm Grape Cake***
Grilled Watermelon & Pineapple Skewers drizzled with Honey

Now that seems pretty simple, and for the most part it was. But I made lots from scratch. The guacamole, barbeque sauce, and the cake were all made by yours truly. Also, the chicken had to soak in a brine; the cake was served with a warm honey ginger syrup (from scratch) that got poured over it, along with homemade whipped cream (my specialty).

It was a lot of work. I was in and out of the kitchen for 2 days, in front of the grill almost all day Sunday, and probably sat for a total of 30 minutes all day, but in the end it was worth it. Big Ron didn’t move an inch all day, and the food was enjoyed by all. By the end of the day I certainly considered myself the hostess with the mostest!

*Guacamole tips provided by M. Krajnak
**Barbeque Chicken Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence
***Warm Grape Cake Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli

Eat. Pray. Travel.

Lately my life has been kind of busy, but in a good way. I have been taking every opportunity to try and live life to its fullest. This means hanging out with friends, trying new things, and most importantly traveling to new places. For each new place I have traveled, I have been able to enjoy some amazing cuisine.

My first trip took me to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. This was my first trip ever out of the country, and it was amazing. I went with my friend, Marissa. We stayed at a beautiful resort where every room had a view of the Pacific Ocean. We relaxed. We sat in the sun. We ate and drank!

And we ate and drank!

After Cabo, my tarvels brought me to New Orleans, Louisiana. This was a work trip, but I must say, the people I work with, they know how to live it up. We took full advantage of all that the Big Easy has to offer. We went to Commanders Palace one night (a well known New Orleans eating spot).

My meal started off with a trio of soups: turtle soup, shrimp gumbo and butternut squash bisque. This was followed by roasted Quail stuffed with corn bread and andouille sausage. Dessert was a pecan praliene sundae. The next night, we went to a restaurant in the French Quarter called Muriels. This was possibly the best meal I ever had. I wish I had photos of all this food because talking about it doesn't do it justice. Tuna carpaccio, double stuffed pork chops and bananas foster shortcake. AND I ATE ALL OF IT! If you're ever in New Orleans you need to eat here (http://www.muriels.com).

My last trip took me to Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was a short trip and it wasn't totally about the food, but I did have the best breakfast burrito ever. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, and green chilli. I have been craving it ever since I left.

But for as wonderful as all this food was, the best of these trips was the great experiences with some great people. Old friends that became better friends; New friends that became better friends; New sights and experiences that will never be the same as the first time they are experienced. And for all this, I am grateful.

*Special shout out to Mark K. for help with this title

What Could’ve Been a Birthday Treat Gone Awry

Today is my boss’ birthday so, in honor of him and his love for carrot cake, I decided to bake carrot cake cupcakes.

All week I searched for what I thought would be the perfect recipe, finally landing on Ina Garten’s carrot cake cupcakes. The recipe seemed simple enough, and most importantly, it contained all the classic ingredients: cinnamon, raisins, walnuts, carrots and of course, cream cheese frosting.

Sunday afternoon, the baking process began. Everything was going very well, until I took the cupcakes out of the oven. DISASTER! I don’t know what I did wrong exactly, but what I ended up taking out of the oven was not a pretty sight. The edges were baked to a crisp and the middle sank las if the cake were being sucked into a black hole. What a mess…

But if there is one thing that I have learned over the years it’s that, in baking, when one (oven) door closes, another opens. I had been smart enough, in my shopping, to buy extra carrots and raisins, so I regrouped and decided to ditch the cupcake idea and go with something a little safer…Martha Stewart’s Carrot Cake Cookies.

The result…well let’s just say they looked a lot prettier. Now it’s just a matter of time until I see if they are a hit with the birthday boy.

A Cake Ball by Any Other Name Would Taste as Sweet

This past weekend, I had a small get together at my house. Ok, so it was one of those silly jewelry parties, but the way I looked at it was just a good excuse to have some good food and good company. I made sure I had plenty of wine, and some good afternoon snacks cheese and crackers and veggies with roasted red pepper hummus.

The biggest decision, of course, was deciding what to have for dessert. Originally I was thinking of making cupcakes...chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate chip frosting to be exact. But then I remembered a go-to crowd favorite, Cake Balls! They are perfect party dessert finger foods, basically a piece of cake and frosting rolled into a ball coated in chocolate. What could be better? And for this particular day I decided to go with a yellow cake, in which I mixed honey Teddy Grahams, with white frosting covered in semi-sweet chocolate. Um, can we say delicious!?

The word 'cake balls', however, doesn't have the most elegant ring to it (as my boss pointed out). So he presented me with the challenge of renaming this scrumptious, bute-sized dessert. I posed the question to my guests this past weekend and here are a few names we came up with:

Cake Bon Bons
Cake Rocks
Torta di Palle (cake balls in Italian)
Cake Ballz (the z makes the name a little cooler, was someone's rationale)
Cake Conglomerates
TriCakes (since there are 3 components)

In the end, though, we all agreed that cake balls might just be the best. But really whatever you want to call them, a cake ball by any other name would taste just as sweet!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Fried Foods

The Food Network has been a huge part of my life since it's inception. Chefs like Bobby Flay, Paula Dean, Giada de Laurentis, etc., have become food icons to me. When all else fails, and there is nothing good on tv, I can always turn to the Food Network for a good cooking show.

One of their newest shows is "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" where these famous chefs/hosts tell us "not only what they like to eat, but where we can get it" (quote from the opening credits). Each show is topic based: chocolate, meat, cheese, salty, barbeque, and any other food category you can think of. With every show my parents and I discuss what we would pick if we were asked what our favorite _____ would be and where...

Well this weekend I found my answer to "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Fried Foods." I decided that I could use a little getaway, and in the spirit of the weekend (Presidents' Day), I decided to head down to Washington, D.C. A friend of my brother's lives in the city, so we decided to have dinner together. He took me to this placed called Founding Farmers (http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/). It's a sustainable restaraunt, that was actually featured on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" for its devl-ish eggs. Well, I'm sure those are good, but for me, I would have to say if you ever get to go there, you must have B Baby's Beignets. These are, by far, the best beignets I have ever had!

For those of you that don't know, here is Wikipedia's definition of a beignet:
A beignet (pronounced /bɛnˈjeɪ/ in English, /bɛˈɲɛ/ in French; French for "fried dough") in the U.S. is a pastry made from deep-fried dough, much like a doughnut, and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, or frostings.

But enough of the techinicalities. Let's get to the good stuff...These beignets were out of this world. They were brought to the table simply displayed, brown paper bag, dusted with powered sugar, and served with 3 sauces (raspberry, chocolate and caramel). Well just by the look of them, my mouth was watering. But then we dug in. The beignets were served fresh from the frier, warm enough so the sugar began to melt just a little, forming a glaze. We tore them open, revealing a moist, airy center. We then dipped the half into a sauce of choice and then ENJOYED. Wow, they were sweet bites of heaven that dissolved in your mouth. And the sauce I would have to say was the best was the caramel. The heat from the beignet melts the caramel slightly, and when combined with the glaze from the powdered sugar...well there aren't words to describe.

So if you are ever in DC you must go to the Founding Farmers and get the beignets. I promise you, they will be one of the best things you ever eat.