Not too long ago I was a bittersweet chocolate snob. I would only eat
chocolate bars with a very high percentage of cacao, the higher the
better. But I've discovered some milk chocolate recently that I really
love. If you only eat high percentage cacao, I urge you to try some of
the more exquisite milk chocolates on the market. They may surprise
you. They certainly surprised me.
Milk chocolate has milk
powder or condensed milk as an ingredient and generally has much lower
percentages of cacao. Having tasted lots of chocolate, I am still very
fussy about what I like and what I don't like. Regardless of the cacao
content, good chocolate has to have clean flavors, it can't be too
sweet, too salty or overwhelmed by flavorings such as vanilla. It
should melt smoothly without a hint of graininess. It should be so good
that even a little bit satisfies.
Comfort Foods and Indulgences
Comfort Foods and Indulgences
Cinnamon Cake Squares
I am damned if I do and I am damned if I don’t! The husband does
complain at times about the “fresh baked” treats that adorn our kitchen
counter(no one else seems to complain…). And when I do take a break
from endless hours in the kitchen, and there is nothing under the glass
dome, he sighs, makes a comment, and pouts.
This past Friday night was one of those occassions. We had just finished a lovely Friday night dinner of roasted salmon with homemade teriyaki sauce, baked brown rice, and sauteed zucchini. No dessert. I did, however, have frozen cookie doughs in the freezer, but that wouldn’t do. Although it wasn’t what he wanted, the kids talked him in to a Pinkberry run. I was perfectly happy with my mini yogurt with fresh berries, but I knew that baking was going to be part of the weekend agenda.
Strawberry Muffins
These are more like a cake than a muffin. Light, not at all dense and the perfect balance of sweet and savory (I added a touch of balsamic). These would be a delicious addition to any brunch menu or they could really just stand on their own.
I like making muffins for breakfast. The ingredients can be measured out the night before, they take 5 minutes to mix up and only about 25 minutes to bake. Muffins are best eaten the day they are made.
I usually send the uneaten muffins to their teachers and the school’s office staff. If I didn’t, I would eat them, all of them, and that just wouldn’t be such a good thing!
Turkey Pot Pie with a Gluten Free Crust
Comfort food with a crust. Need I say more? Thanksgiving, for me, is all about the sides. I do love my gravy, but I prefer it over my rustic herb stuffing. Forget the turkey and save it for a big batch of turkey potpie or a morning hash.
This recipe has been part of my repertoire for the past 20 years. It has evolved over the years but one thing has remained constant; there is very little fat and no cream in the recipe. And in making this dish, over and over again, the cream is not even missed. The filling is delicious but what really makes this dish is the crust. And this gluten free crust is a winner (thanks to Shauna).
In doing all of my planning, marketing, and organizing on Sunday’s, I always find a lot of inspiration in cleaning out my vegetable bin. Soups, stir fry’s, salads, stratas, and frittatas, are dishes created from neglected or almost “not edible to eat” veggies. Food rarely gets wasted in our home and it gives me great joy to not see money thrown into the compost bin.
To all of my friends and readers who have supported me over the years, I am grateful to you for your support, questions, advice, and friendship. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter "Cake"
This is a funny little recipe. It only has four ingredients and requires no baking. I used to make this cake when my boys were little and it always amazed me. I was looking through my recipes the other day for something and came upon this and had fond memories of it. I can't even remember where
I got this recipe from anymore, but it's a winner.
How does a cake require no baking? It's made from chocolate graham crackers and after you've frosted the crackers and let the cake sit for several hours, they soften up and become cake-like. No kidding. It works very well. You make two frostings, one with peanut butter and one with chocolate. It's easy and a great make-ahead little cake with very little effort.
The frostings are definitely worth making from scratch. They are basically just flavored whipped cream frostings, one peanut butter and one chocolate, and they are light and fluffy and absolutely delicious.
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