The Art of Food Coloring

Frozen Mint Brownies, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

I'm a natural girl. Well, I love a nice pair of leather shoes (in peacock, please) as much as the next person, but I recycle, I use my own bags at grocery stores, I get after the kids for wasting water and electricity (and sometimes my hot husband, too. Uhh, sorry about that. I swear, I'm not a nag), I try not to buy foods with preservatives or added colors. But, I just can't do mint brownies without adding the green food coloring. I've tried it. It messes with my mind. It's almost like they don't taste as minty just because they don't have green icing. You see yellow, you think, "Lemon." Red--Cherry or Cinnamon, Purple--Grape. Green is mint. You can try and keep them natural and just go with the white icing, but yours just won't taste as good as my green ones.

Frozen Mint Brownies

Brownies:
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour and dash of salt

Frosting:

3 T butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2-4 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
2 sq unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate
2 T butter


Melt chocolate and butter together for the brownies. Beat eggs and add sugar. Add chocolate and butter mixture and mix. Add extract, flour, salt and mix thoroughly. Spread in a 9x13 greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely (I rush cooling process by putting them into freezer).

Mix frosting ingredients together and spread on cooled cake. Cool in fridge, covered (or freezer for faster).

Make glaze by melting chocolate and butter. When at room temp, spread on top of frosting.

Place in freezer for 5 minutes to set chocolate. Cut brownies. Place in a container and keep in the freezer until you eat them! They are best right out of the freezer.

Holiday Leftovers

IMG_6605, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

We still have the tree up, wreath hanging, and a list of people I need to get presents to, but I know the end of the holidays is here. Now what am I going to do with all those CANDY CANES? They SEEMED like a good idea when I saw them for 88 cents, but I am not the biggest fan, and I definitely don't want the munchkins eating all those cavity-canes. So, I came up with a recipe to get rid of them--Candy Cane Chocolate Cookies. I plan on giving them to friends and bringing them to our "Mediterranean New Years" tomorrow night (I know, not very Greek, but I need to get them out of our house).

I used bread flour for these cookies--something I learned from S.'s Aunt JoAn. They make the cookies so fluffy. Also, I rarely use margarine (like Crisco, it freaks me out), but there is a little in these, also learned from Aunt JoAn (man, we love when she visits--not just for her fun personality, but she always brings her perfectly made cookies). So, make these before you start those New Year's resolutions! Time is ticking...

Candy Cane Chocolate Cookies

2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 T vanilla
6 T margarine (softened)
12 T butter (softened)
3 cups bread flour (I use King Arthur)
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
24 candy canes (about two cups), broken into small pieces

Unwrap candy canes and put into a ziplock bag. Break into pieces using a rolling pin.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine sugars, vanilla, eggs, butter and margarine. Beat in a mixer until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda in another bowl. Add slowly to the butter mixture.

Add the candy cane pieces to the dough. Using a cookie scoop get dough, but then roll into a ball in your hand so they all look the same. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies sit for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Note: Aunt JoAn also swears by Air Bake pans, and I went and bought some--LOVE THEM! I've had perfect cookies since.

Caution: I wouldn't advise using Spree candy canes, or Jolly Rancher candy canes in place of the peppermint.

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

Black-Bottom Cupcakes, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

There is a cupcake craze going on. There are shops for cupcakes alone, blogs of only cupcake recipes, and man I could really eat one right now. Enter Mom Mud's amazing Black-bottom Cupcakes. So moist, (eww, I hate that word. See Vanessa's blog), and delectable. Maybe they should be called "Rock-bottom Cupcakes." Something to eat when nothing is going right, when you're a little down. Naaa, they should be eaten anytime (especially right after your 30th birthday).

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

1 1/2 cup flour, unsifted
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine above in a large bowl. Set aside.

1 cup water
5 T oil
1 T cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

In another bowl, combine above (water-vanilla). Add to flour mixture and stir. Set aside.

8 oz cream cheese
1egg
1/3 cup sugar
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat together above ingredients until smooth.

In lined or greased muffin cups, fill half-full with cocoa mixture. Add about 1 tablespoon of the cream-cheese/chocolate chip mixture. Makes about 18 cupcakes. Bake for 25 minutes or until cupcake springs back.

Taco Zucchini Bread

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

My brother, Craig grew some huge zucchini in his garden this year and I finally got around to making zucchini bread with it. I love zucchini bread. It is connected to my childhood--my mother would always make multiple batches to give away and freeze the rest and I would sneak them for breakfast. Mmmm, cold zucchini bread with cold milk.

My father made one thing for dinner when I was growing up--Soft corn tacos with meat. He would heat oil and fry the corn tortillas just until they were soft. Afterwards he would pore the oil back into the original bottle before getting rid of it. Enter, my sister, Jeannie. She decides to make some zucchini bread. She grabs the bottle to put the required oil into her recipe. The hot zucchini bread comes out of the oven and we all dig in. And we all quickly spit it out. Jeannie had used the taco oil in her zucchini bread on accident--not a good combination. It's a wonder I still eat zucchini bread today.

I have come up with a recipe that is yummy and healthy and I can rationalize eating it for breakfast with that big glass of milk. When we were making it Boo asked me when we eat it. She didn't know if it was a dessert, bread that goes with dinner, or what. My answer? ANYTIME!I

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

2 cups whole wheat (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I use kosher)
1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 small bread pans (2 1/2 X 5 1/2--you could use one large pan, but I love the crusty parts so the smaller the better).

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl combine oil, sugar, zucchini, eggs, and zest and mix. Add dry ingredients just until combined, add pecans, if desired. Pour into bread pans. Cook for 35-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean (If you use a large bread pan you will need to up the cooking time to 55 minutes).

Store in the fridge, if you like it cold. If you prefer it hot, you can put a slice in the microwave for 25 seconds.

The Barbarian in me

Warm Chocolate Tart, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

My stomach is divided in two. One side is for breakfast/lunch/dinner, the other side is for dessert. I was taught this theory when I was about 4 years old and it stuck. My brother-in-law, Dr. Dan would probably tell me it is scientifically impossible, but I truly believe mine is. I ALWAYS have room for dessert.

I have been at many restaurants, having a civilized dinner (usually the ones without my kids), having civilized conversation, but when dessert comes I turn into a barbarian (some might disagree that I am civilized the whole time because I usually begin a meal by sweeping my hair up into a pony-tail so that it doesn't get in my way as I plow through my food). I have actually fought friends and family over the last piece of dessert. Maybe I should learn my lesson and always buy my own. Here's a chocolate tart that you, too will fight over. My advice? Eat it slow and savor each bite (for the record, my sister told me the reason she is a little skinner than me is because she eats a lot slower than I do and knows when she's full. I guess I should listen, but sometimes I have to beat whomever is sharing with me!)

Warm Chocolate Tart
adapted from epicurious.com
Serves 8

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

Make crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter, yolk and vanilla and process until large moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; knead briefly to combine well. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes (sometimes I speed up the process by putting in the freezer for 10 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap to 11- to 12-inch round. Peel off top sheet of plastic. Turn dough over; press into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Peel off plastic. Fold in any excess dough, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes.

Bake crust 10 minutes. Using back side of fork, press crust flat if bottom bubbles. continue to bake until crust is golden, about 5-10 minutes (crust sides may shrink slightly.) Transfer to rack and cool.

Lower temperature to 350°F.

For filling:
Bring whipping cream and milk to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add
chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk eggs, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Pour filling into warm crust.

Bake tart until filling is set in center and puffed at edges, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool 15 minutes. Serve warm. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, reheat in 350°F oven 10 minutes or microwave individual slices at 5-second intervals until warm.)

I'm crazy protractor man, give me some caramel popcorn.

Caramel Popcorn, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

I am obsessed with caramel popcorn. I don't know when it began. I remember eating caramel popcorn at my friend, Carrie's house and watching Adventures in Babysitting. When we lived in Charlottesville we had an Easter brunch with some friends with an Easter Egg Hunt afterwards for the kids, AND the adults. The adults wrote things on small pieces of paper that they would do for others and put them inside an egg. For example: a free dinner, free babysitting, or my personal favorite: caramel popcorn. The egg we found had a note which read "One large bowel of caramel popcorn." We had a nice laugh at the misspelling, and I ate almost all of that popcorn by myself. I eat it until I get sick. I can't stop myself.

I am a Nazi when it comes to what my kids eat, so you can imagine my brother-in-law's surprise when I made caramel popcorn for the cousins. He was also shocked that my kids had never had butter popcorn, yet they had had caramel popcorn (which has a whole stick of butter in it)! Some things are too good to be missed.

Wondering about that title? Gotta love S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night. Especially the old school days. Everyday my daughter asks me when we are going to Pumpkinville. I tell her that it's not open until Halloween time. Who doesn't associate caramel popcorn with Halloween? Adam Sandler should have said "I'm crazy newspaper face, give me some caramel popcorn!"

Caramel Popcorn

5-6 cups cooked popcorn (I have even used microwave popcorn)

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, milk and salt together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and stir. Pour over popped popcorn and mix.

Fairyland

Fairyland Chocolate Cake, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

We finally had a birthday party for my 4 year old (her birthday was in June). We made our house turn into fairyland and the kids were fairies and elves once they earned their wings. After games and decorating our star cookie wands (sugar cookies on a popsicle stick) we ate fairy fare.

Star Cucumbers and Baby Carrots with Red Pepper Hummus
Magic Fruit Wands
Star Pizzas
Fairy Punch with Edible Flowers
Fairy Chocolate Cake

The Fairy Chocolate Cake was made by my mother-in-law and is the recipe I chose to feature (and if you're wondering why there are 5 candles on a 4 year old's cake it is a Mud tradition to put one to grow on. It's going to get confusing in the photo albums mixed with my family's tradition of putting the number you are turning). This recipe has been used for 25 + years at the Mud household. Every birthday, this is the cake that is made (except when the only girl, Mary went through a phase where she wanted store-bought cakes because all of her friends did). I have not quite perfected this cake as Mom M. has. Everyone looks forward to sinking their teeth in this cake, always with the choice of Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Chocolate ice cream. MMmm....one of my Mud nephew's birthday is next weekend. I can't wait.

Mom Mud's Chocolate Cake

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup margerine (or shortening)
2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

3/4 cup cocoa
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp soda
1/8 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter, margarine and sugar. Add vanilla and two eggs. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients and milk with creamed ingredients, alternating. Flour and grease two 9-inch round pans. Pour in batter. Bake for 20 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Wet a kitchen towel and lay out on counter. Place pans on towel to cool. Remove from pans (using a knife around the edges one at a time. Frost 1 cake, including the top, place the other round cake on top and completely frost cake.

Fudge Icing:
1 lb powdered sugar
2/3 stick butter
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch of salt
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan melt butter, add powdered sugar, salt and milk (a little at a time, you might need more), cocoa and vanilla. Stir together and place on cake.

Dreaming of a tropical island

Coconut Tart with Lime Curd, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

With baby #3 on the way, S. and I are itching to get away on a vacation--by ourselves. We have never done this since having B., 4 years ago (yesterday). The only time I have been away from her was while I was at the hospital after having Little Man. I remember all the trips we took before kids. Some of my favorites: Costa Rica, Hualtuco, Mexico (all over Mexico, actually), Hawaii, London...

It does make me a little nervous to leave the kids for a long time. I mean, we don't have the best luck on trips. During our honeymoon in Costa Rica we almost died 3, yes, THREE times. Here's how it happened: We arrived in San Jose, and boarded a small, single-prop plane to Playa Langosta (no biggie, right? Keep reading). We were kayaking in a river and we saw a crocodile right by our kayak, it came a little too close for comfort. After staying a few nights at Playa Langosta we headed to the Arenal volcano that heats some hot springs at the nearby Tabacon resort. As we approached the volcano we saw hundreds of toucans flying away from the volcano, not usually a good thing. As we got closer, ash started falling on our little VW van. Uh, how do you say, "turn around" in Spanish? We arrived at the hotel, only to be directly evacuated down the other side of the mountain to another, not so posh, hotel. As we were driving down we saw a wall of volcanic ash rolling down the side of the volcano. It was the largest eruption in 30 years. So, we continued our vacation, eventually returning to the original hotel, and then to San Jose for our last night. As we were waiting to board our plane back to the states, S. was reading a local paper and saw that the same plane we had taken to Playa Langosta had crashed in the jungle the night before.

So, as we think of where we might go, my mind turns to the potential cuisines. This inspired me to make a Coconut Tart with Lime Curd.


Coconut Tart with Lime Curd

Makes 6 individual tarts
2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place coconut and sugar in a food processor to blend. Add egg whites and mix. Press mixture into a well-greased 4 inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Lime Curd
adapted from Barefoot Contessa

4 limes at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt

Remove the zest of 2 limes with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the limes to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lime zest. Add-- the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lime juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lime curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Carefully remove tarts from pans, pour curd into coconut tarts. Wait about 20 minutes until curd is set. Add sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.

I want to try this crust with chocolate and almonds--an Almond Joy-type creation. Yum.

A doll from the eighties

Strawberry shortcake, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

I am a child of the eighties. I loved Rainbow Brite, Bonkers candy, E.T. cereal (thank goodness they came back with Reese's Cereal), jellies (as in the shoes--have you seen they have some in the dollar section of Target?!??! I'm so tempted), Pee Wee Herman (you know you can do the Tequila dance), and watching the Take on Me video over and over. Occasionally I'll get emails forwarded to me like, "You know you're a child of the eighties if..." I am always hit with nostalgia and wonder how I could have forgotten about such funny, seemingly important (at the time) things.

Well, now children of the eighties are parents, and you can see it when you go to the toy store. They have Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Ponies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake. They know we will buy the toys--not just for nostalgic reasons, but the fact that we can (no more asking mom and dad). Man, I wanted a Cabbage Patch kid so bad. I finally got one, but by that time my friends had FIVE Cabbage Patch Kids. I have to admit, it is nice that my mom still has some of my old toys--B. can play with that Cabbage Patch Kid (it's a preemie and it's birthday is the day before mine--I still remember) and my Strawberry Shortcake dolls when we visit. I don't mind playing with her (B., that is), either.

I love Strawberry Shortcake, not just the doll. With the strawberry season here I knew I had to make my shortcake. I have made so many different recipes of shortcake and S. always asks me why when my usual is always the best. Here's the best.

Strawberry Shortcake

Makes 12 servings

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
approx. 6 cups sliced strawberries
approx. 1 cup Whipping cream, whipped with about 2 T powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and sugar. Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Combine milk and egg in a separate bowl. Add milk and egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Drop onto cookie sheets in large mound (about 2-3 inches in diameter). Cook for 18 minutes. Let cool. Slice in half horizontally. Place a generous dollop of whipped cream on bottom of biscuit, top with just under 1/2 cup of strawberries each. Place top of biscuit back on and add whipped cream to the top with a few more strawberries. Add more or less whipped cream and strawberries to your liking.

I always eat the leftovers for breakfast with a big glass of milk. Hey, it's fruit and an egg!

Miniature size me

Banana Cream pie, originally uploaded by One of the many Mudricks.

Everything is cuter smaller. We just went to a farm to see some baby animals. Animals that normally would gross me out are actually cute when they are teeny. The piglets were adorable as all 9 of them slept on top of each other, the lambs ran around chasing each other like they were playing a game of tag, and the kid had a little "MAAAA" that made you want to hug him and squeeze him and stick him in your pocket.

Between the ages of 8 and 16 I remember spending my hard-earned money on candy. Why couldn't my parents stop me? There is a strange addiction to candy when you are young. Every time I got money I thought, "How am I going to get to the candy store?" One time I remember purchasing a package of "miniature candy." It had minature gummi bears, jaw breakers (I know, it kind of defeats the purpose), licorice, and even chocolate. I loved it. I thought, "This is SOOOO cute!" (As any 11-year-old would). Yes, it was a waste of money not just because it was candy, but the fact that it probably cost more than it would have to buy the candy in it's original size. But, it was little, and cute and I just HAD to have it.

Here is my Miniature Banana Cream pie. This will be the first of my "miniature" recipes. It tastes just a little better because it's your own pie that you can eat without feeling guilty about eating the whole thing and it's "cute." I also chose to not use a special tart pan so you wouldn't have to buy more kitchen things that you never use.

Miniature Banana Cream Pie

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 egg, lightly beaten
Pinch of baking powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the flour, egg, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix. Divide the dough evenly and pat into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 20 minutes (you can make ahead of time and put in fridge for 24 hours).

Roll 1 disk of dough out 1/8 inch thick on a well-floured surface (you will need to work quickly so the dough doesn't get too sticky to work with. If it does, just place it in the freezer for a little longer). Cut out five 4-inch pastry circles and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the pastry for 10 to 15 minutes, until dry and lightly colored. Do not overbake, or the pastry will become too brittle. Let cool on a rack (Can be made 2 days ahead of time. Store at room temp in an airtight container).

Custard:

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 cups skim milk (or whatever milk you have on hand)
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in whipping cream and milk, then egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk over medium-high heat until custard thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in unsalted butter. Transfer custard to large bowl; cool completely, whisking occasionally, about 1 hour.

Caramel: (Easy)

For a harder, but tastier version go here

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water

Place sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the syrup to a boil over high heat. Boil until the syrup turns a deep golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream, until smooth. Return to low heat and cook until thickened slightly, 3-4 minutes. Let the sauce cool to lukewarm before serving.

To Assemble:

Pastry
Custard
1-2 Bananas
Caramel
Whipping cream (whipped, with sugar added to taste)


Place 2-3 Tablespoons of the custard on the pastry. Slice banana diagonally and place on top of custard (about 4 slices). Put caramel in a piping bag, or a ziplock bag with a small hole cut on a corner. Drizzle caramel over the bananas and custard. Place a dollop of whipping cream on top of bananas and caramel. Serve immediately.

Never return a plate empty

Flourless chocolate cake, originally uploaded by One of the many Mudricks.

Behind our home in Charlottesville was a dumpster. It was actually really convenient. We never had to figure out what to do with our large pieces of trash. We had an old desk and chair. We put it out by the dumpster and by the time we got to our back door our neighbors were bringing it into their own house. Our neighbors were Kurdish refugees from Uzbekistan. They were a nice contrast to our white-trash-stalker neighbor. One night there was a knock at our back door and in a thick accent someone yelled, "S., S.!" It was our neighbor with a plate full of food. I was amazed. Here was a family, living in a foreign country, struggling to make ends meet, using our unwanted furniture, bringing us a delicious meal. It's because of S. He can make anyone feel good. He is so personable and charismatic. He could hold conversations with them and neither one spoke the other's language.

S. would literally give you the shirt off his back, or tie. We have been married for almost 7 years and he has had some nice looking ties over that period of time. Well, others liked them, too, so he gave them to them. We would come home from church and I would say, "Where is your tie?" or "Where did you get that tie?" He had either traded ties (because the other person liked his tie, not that his "new" tie was cool) or just given his tie to someone. In fact, a friend of ours in C-ville had commented S. on a certain tie so many times that he was going to give it to him if he was in church one particular Sunday. Too bad for him, it was graduation day and he skipped out.

So, being married to S. I have had to kick it up a notch in the friendship/giving area. Sure, in college if a friend needed me I would drop everything (I'm talking classes, homework, papers, the works), but I also got something out of it--fun, because we'd to do something exciting. It wasn't really selfless. After our neighbors gave us this food I of course had to return their plate with something yummy. In about a hour, S. was knocking on their door returning their plate with a scrumptious Flourless Chocolate Cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
(FOOD magazine Jan 2004)

6 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 8 oz chopped)
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 275 degrees, with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.

In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.

Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

This is actually really quick to make and always turns out. And who doesn't have these ingredients? We add whipping cream and fresh raspberries, too.

Persuasion+Dessert

Persuasion+Dessert, originally uploaded by One of the many Mudricks.

We had book club at my house last week. It was reminiscent of my days as the co-pastry chef of our Book and Dessert group in Charlottesville. Every month Amy and I would cook the dessert for our book group and everyone would pitch in some money. I don't know if we ever came out even, but it was a lot of fun. Some things we made were Pear Cranberry Sorbet in Frozen Pear Cups, Coconut Tarts with Lime Curd, Chocolate and White Chocolate Fondue, Crepes...the list could go on.

This month the book was Jane Austen's Persuasion and I will tell you that I didn't have to persuade anyone to eat the food I made:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Chips, Carrots and Cucumbers
Chocolate Flourless Cake
Pavlovas

Are you wondering what Pavlovas are? My mouth is watering just thinking of them. My mother-in-law found this recipe for her only daughter's (M.) wedding reception. M. got married in New Zealand in November, so the reception was in VA in December. Her five brothers couldn't make it to New Zealand (let me tell you how SORRY I was that WE couldn't). But, what would one expect with Dr. Oldest Brother, Attorney S., Law Student 3rd, Missionary in Japan, and Freshman at Princeton. We're all either creating debt, in debt, or paying off debt.

These Pavlovas are great for Easter because they look like little nests.

Pavlovas

2 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form (I use my electric mixer).

Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition. Continue whisking until eggs are stiff and glossy. With a rubber spatula, fold in vanilla and additional flavoring, if you are using.

Meringue variations:
Fold 2 tsp sifted cocoa powder in with vanilla
Fold 2 T ground blanched hazelnuts in with vanilla
Fold 1 T dark brown sugar in with vanilla
Fold 1 T chopped, unsalted pistachios with vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use the tip of two teaspoons to place small walnut-sized spoonfuls of meringue 1 inch apart on parchment paper. Make an indention on the center of each meringue with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 5 minutes, then turn temperature down to 250 degrees. Continue baking until firm to the touch, 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing from parchment paper.

**You can make up to this point two days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

1/3 cup whip cream
1 T sugar
1 kiwi
20 raspberries, blackberries or strawberry pieces
2 tsp powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Whip cream until it holds soft peaks. Add sugar. Set aside. Peel and cut kiwi into 6 slices, then each slice into fourths. Wash and dry berries. Place whip cream on meringues, and top with one kiwi slice, one berry and dust with powdered sugar. (Can be assembled up to 3 hours in advance, store at room temperature. I usually just have everything cut and whipped, and put them together just before serving). These are SO easy, but they are such a hit. My kids can DOWN them!

Somewhere Over the Jello

Somewhere over the Jello, originally uploaded by One of the many Mudricks.

I was able to spend St. Patrick's Day in Dublin one year when I was on a study abroad in London. We went expecting a river of green, real leprechauns and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was actually a bit of a disappointment. Instead of the Lucky Charms guy parading down the street, I saw high school bands from the good 'ol US of A playing their tubas and trumpets. It was a green Fourth of July sans fireworks. Replace the beer everyone was drinking with this jello and it would have been a better celebration!

I make jello one time a year, so here it is. It is definitely worth the effort. The jello is one that I had as a kid and I was always so excited to get it. One year my mother-in-law came up with the idea to do it for St. Patty's day, but add the "cloud" and the "pot of gold." It completes the traditional meal of Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots, and Potatoes. Just make a little Irish Soda Bread, buy some Jones soda in green (Apple), white (okay, clear--Cream Soda), and Orange (we get IBC Orange Cream soda). Whaaalaaa. A fun themed meal. Just make sure to pinch anyone not wearing green.

Rainbow Jello

3 oz grape jello
3 oz berry blue jello
3 oz lime jello
3 oz lemon jello
3 oz orange jello
3 oz red jello (cherry, raspberry)
2 cups sour cream

Boil 1 cup water. Pour into a bowl and add 1 box of jello (starting with
the grape). Mix until jello is dissolved. In another bowl place 1/3 cup
sour cream. Add 1/2 cup of the jello water to the sour cream. Stir until
combined. Pour sour cream mixture into 9x13 pan. Place in fridge for 20 minutes or until firm. Add 3 T cold water to the remaining 1/2 cup of jello water. Pour over sour cream mixture in the 9x13 pan. Continue with all the other jello ending with red.

Serve with whipped cream on the side and rolos for the pot of gold (or any other candy wrapped in gold foil, such as almond kisses or gold coins).