Denver Breakfast

 

Whole wheat English Muffin
Cream Cheese
Sour Cherry Jam
Lemon Curd
Front Porch

Chickory Coffee, Frothed Milk, Cinnamon

Things work differently in Denver. There was not a piece of bacon in sight.

A Note On Cookie Dough

93% (this is a real figure from Wikipedia) of American adults have sugar-y childhood memories involving wooden spoons, flour, semi sweet chocolate and kitchens. Based on the sales of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream the love doesn’t stop at 18 years.

What makes the cookie dough even better than the cookie? Is it the romantic danger of consuming uncooked eggs? Fuzzy, safe, chilhood mother memories? Perhaps the 'rare' childhood satisfaction of a job almost "well done' HA.

For me the pull is undeniable. For every cookie that I bake and eat, 1/2 of a cookie equivalent of dough has been consumed prior. I enjoy reaping the spoils of my labor 2/3 of the way through the job. No waiting. No cooling. No milk. Just me, my wooden spoon and that raw vanilla-y, chocolate-bit glob over there.

When you bite down you can actually feel the sugar between your teeth crunch like sand.
A little much, yes, but also Perfect.

Headline: Confused Ice Cream tries to Play Football

GIANT TUB OF CHOCOLATE COVERED ICE CREAM ATTEMPTS TO PLAY FOR THE COLTS. GO HORSE.

Dec. 27, 2009

A large tub of bite sized chocolate-covered ice cream bites, named Dibs, attempted to rush the field at Lucas Oil Stadium yesterday during the mid season Colts/Steelers game.

While the players were about to take the field, the misguided & giant cardboard tub rolled onto the field to get into position.
When stopped by security and an over enthusiastic mascot, who then pried open the top and tried a sample, Dibs expressed his love for the team and a belief that he could be an asset due to a successful high school career at the Edy's Ice Cream Factory.

To the relief of Colts fans and lovers of bite sized foods everywhere, Dibs was peacefully escorted off the field and the game resumed.

The Lucas Oil Stadium field was not damaged in any way by melting ice cream.

As seen in the Indianapolis Star :
(not really, but based on my recollections of their idea of 'news' it could be)

Heat Wave.

 

It reached 94 degrees today in Brooklyn. An entire bag of Organic strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries was entirely called for...

Trouble.

 

The cause of half of my 2001-2007 dental bills.

Fette Sau: It's a Beautiful Day for Delicious Meats & Moonshine

“Today is a perfect day for delicious meats and moonshine!” my text message declared. The day was gorgeous... Fette Sau Fette Sau Fette Sau Fette Sau Yesssssss...

It is no secret that this place is supposed to be amazing. I just wanted to take a little time to say that it is. I love you Fette Sau. I love you.

Delicious Meats:

1/4 Chicken
1/4 Lb of brisket
1/4 lb of pulled pork
1 House made Sausage

Moonshine: sadly wasn’t on the menu

Flight of Whiskey: New School - I drank way to much New School to recall which delicious whiskeys were a part of it. But I do remember that the rye was the best.

“Queens” cocktail - some sort of margarita tasting concoction of tequila and citrus. Ask for it on the rocks.

Amazing. All of it. Great day. Great picnic table. Perfect time - go at four if you are going on a Sat.

Highs:
- pulled pork
-Jenna & Ryan’s ribs that I wish were mine
-Sausage
-Cole Slaw

Lows: there were none but some things were better than others
- Brisket was deliciously fatty but was the least popular on the plate. Too rich with the pulled pork, I think.
- Buns...maybe? Were dull but actually were perfect for making sliders.

I am really searching for lows here, guys. This is my absolute favorite summer Bbq place in
Brooklyn that begins with “F” - in the bald category (30 Rock ref here)

Beware: Do NOT Eat These Guys

 

Please. Whatever you do, do NOT try to eat these cute puppies. Frequently sweets are adorable but this puddle of puppies is not edible. But they are certainly part of That Sweet Life...

As seen on Bedford Ave. Saturday afternoon...

Salty Nut Bark: Working Title. The Wave of the Future

(this is song...)
First you take some cashews, dump it in some metl-y chocolate, stir it in some sea salt...you’ve got Salty Nut Bark.

Salty Nut Bark is going to revolutionize the way you eat cashews, nuts, chocolate, and sea salt. America will never be the same again. Although Salty Nut Bark is not currently for sale, our sources have found that is actually the number one food in America.

Please note that Salty Nut Bark is the working title. Other considerations for the name of this wonder food are:

Chocolate Salty Nut Bark
Cobble Nut Chocolate
Chocolate Nut Slate
Captain Blackbeard's Bark...Aaaargh
Salty Nut Chocolate Plank. Walk it!
Walk the Chocolate Nut Plank
Shiver me Nuts & Chocolate Bark
Shiver me Tim-bark
Bark by the Sea
Sea Bark

1 12 oz bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 12 oz bag of Milk Chocolate Chips
2 Cups of Cashews - not whole, either pieces or broken in half- but still chunk
1/2 cup of Walnuts - chopped but in large pieces
1 1/2 table spoon coarse sea salt ***or to taste

Pre-mix the walnuts, cashews and sea salt
Mix the chocolate over 3” of boiling water in a double broiler while it melts.
When the chocolate melts, mix in the nuts and salt in the bowl. Do this as quickly as possible before the chocolate cools.
Spread out evenly on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, being careful to stay clear of the edges.
Refridgerate for 30+ minutes until hard.
Break off huge pieces and Enjoy.

Strawberry/Raspberry Shortcake

 

If Strawberry Shortcake was named after the Strawberry Shortcake Doll and not vice versa, this is what it would taste like. Fluffy, lighweight, commercial, but delicious.

Classic White Cake Mix
1/3 cup melted butter instead of 1/3 cup oil
3 Eggs ***would only use two next time to make the cake denser.
Water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

Chopped Strawberries and Raspberries***the combo was AWESOME. Quality of the berries was only okay, but the raspberries carried the strawberries. Anytime this summer this dessert will be ten times better.
***sprinkle a VERY small amount of sugar on top to bring out the juices but not to sweeten the fruit
***chop up almost a full tub of strawberries into small pieces. Keep some for garnish.
***mix with raspberries. Keep some for garnish.
***Make mash of the mix with a fork

Whipped Cream *** I do not have a hand mixer so I can't make my own and had to use Redi Whip. MAKE YOUR OWN if you can. Soooo much better. Plus, lets be frank, the Redi Whip look is a bit cheesy

Cut cooled cupcakes in half and assemble bottom to top:
Cake
Strawberry/Raspberry Mash
Whipped Cream
Cake
Whipped Cream
Pieces of fruit for garnish.

The fruit mash is FAR and AWAY the best part of this. Make extra to serve along with the cupcake

Bbbbrrrrooklyn Breakfast

 

I had never had a breakfast sandwich until I moved to New York City. Then I did...and a love affair started. This Brooklyn Breakfast courtesy of Jenna Rogers.

Onion Roll from Northdside Bakery
Jenna Scramble
Very crispy bacon
Extra sharp super New Yorky white cheddar

Potato dumplings from Northside Bakery...some sort of Polish fantastic-ness
***couldn't eat after the sandwhich honestly

Cheap coffee - milk no sugar.

Bad Day Cure

 

1. Chocolate Milk Shake from Pop's. But any milkshake will do, of course. A Steak'n'Shake Cookies & Cream Shake perhaps...
2. Jigger of Maker's Mark

Mix. Done. That is it. It works.
Thanks!!

Candycup Electric

 

After my sister's birthday party, the Candycups got dressed up to go out.

Juliette & BananaGrams & Cheese plate

 

Summer weekends: Juliette rooftop, white wine spritzers, excellent cheese plate & my very first BananaGrams victory. Yessss...

http://www.juliettewilliamsburg.com/

Fudgemallow Treat!

 

I don't care for this picture at all but I loved the treat. For my roomate's birthday I also went with an alternative to the cupcake. Perfect for a chocolate lover with an enthusiastic sweet tooth. The Fudgemallow Cup is a great example of riding that fine line between soooo good and way tooooo much. It delightfully stayed on the soooo good side.

Fudgemallow Treat

Dark Chocolate Fudge Chunk Cookie Mix
***I have never used a cookie mix before, ironically deeming a cookie mix "too lazy.' I would use it again, especially for a chocolate cookie. The mix had pretty large dark chocolate chunks that were very good.
Chopped up semi-sweet chocolate
***To semi-sweet the chocolate mix as I always worry mixes won't be chocolate-y enough
Butter instead of Oil
***HIGHLY recommended. The cookies were extremely moist and fudgy.
***The cookies won't really spread much in the oven so don't use this as a guage for cookies done-ness.
Water and Egg as directed.

I baked the cookies and they were amazing.

Place two cooled cookies upside down in the microwave, only one will have the marshmallows but heat up the other cookie so it is warm and the chocolate chunks are melty. Then place two jumbo marshmallows on one of the cookies, turn on the microwave until they are about to pop and fall over. Quickly open the microwave and plop the other cookie on top. TA DA! Pour milk immediately.

Enjoy. Your tummy and dentist will thank you. Follow up with intense flossing so your dentist will thank you less.

Turn it Down!

 

I said TURN IT DOWN.

Candy Cups

 

The first rule of baking is to know your audience. Don't prepare a fancy fruit-jam filled cake for a 2 year old. Do not make carrot cake cupcakes for people who don't like carrot cake. Apparently, despite all your hard work they still don't like carrot cake. I struggled with my sister's birthday. What do you make especially for someone, while always appreciative of your work, just doesn't really eat baked goods? I wanted to bake her something ubber-complicated to show her how much work I felt her birthday deserved...but instead decided to make something she would actually eat.

Candy Cups

All her faves- Swedish Fish, Gummi Worms, Butterfinger bites, chocolate covered peanuts, Peach rings, & Cinnamon bears. Presented like cupcakes they pleased both of us!

The Truth About Cacti

 

An extremely late Happy Cinco de Mayo to you and you. Did you know that inside every cactus there is Laffy Taffy and Jolly Ranchers? I did not.

Silly Cupcake

 

Why so serious Silly Cupcake?

Idiot Tarts Part 2

Fantastic fruit art by Suzanna Rogers. Once again, people were mind boggled that something so tasty only takes 20 mins!
Use seasonal fruit for sure. All but the raspberries were disappointing, but so pretty. I am very interesting in figuring out a way to use real whipped cream instead of tub whipped cream frosting. No ideas yet, but am would love any suggestions.