or at least eat your Vampire Cake! I got this idea from Baking Bites. I was going to make cute little coconut cupcakes to go into these adorable boxes I found for Halloween; but, then decided I need something scarier! I can not wait to give them to M, E, and M, when they come trick and treating tomorrow!
I made a basic chocolate cupcake, filled it with very red buttercream and then frosted it with more buttercream! Kind of tastes like a twinky - of course, I had to have one!!
The Daring Bakers strike again! Our hostess for this month's challenge was Mary over at Alpine Berry and she chose the Bostini Cream Pie. The original recipe is from Donna Scala & Kurtis Baguley of Bistro Don Giovanni in the Napa Valley as well as Scala's Bistro in San Francisco. By the way, the mashed potatoes at Scala's have even more butter in them than the Bostini!
Long story short, I put this challenge off until the very last moment - today! I just was not that inspired, maybe it was because I am not a big fan of the Boston Cream Pie and this was all to similar. Then I thought about it ... my man is from Boston, the Red Sox's will probably win the series and I should just challenge myself regardless if I like Boston Cream Pie or not. So, I seized the bull by the horns and did it! The recipe is very straight-forward and simple. I think I was done within two hours. My custard came out really nice - even though it did not set in the molds; but, I did anticipate this, so I saved some just in case. My cake had a spring to its step and the blood orange juice/zest I used was divine. You can not go wrong with dark bittersweet chocolate and butter for a glaze!
As I mentioned I was suspect on the custard in the mold and I am glad I went with my gut .... it did not work. So, I spooned the leftover custard on a plate and went from there! The outcome, we both really enjoyed it! The creamy vanilla custard was fantastic with the orange cake and a bit of chocolate. Would I make it again, Yes; but, for company who do not have a heart condition - something like 1000 calories a serving!
We were driving over the bay bridge early afternoon and noticed that the bay was very calm ... almost eerie, actually. I hate to say it, as I just put L. for a plane, and I would hate to be home alone, but it seems like earthquake weather. Or maybe the eerie is because of the big H. day coming up this week. ;)
Regardless, we decided it was a good reason to pick up some steaks and toss them on the barbie! They were Marin Sun Farmsbeef steaks and they were OUTSTANDING! Really truly OUTSTANDING! Just coated with some olive oil, salt and pepper and grilled them up! Served along side was a warm "french" potato salad, which I learned in my French Cooking class a couple weeks ago. Can not beat a steak and potato dinner served up with a little red wine to wash it all down! Nice meal before putting my man on a plane .... :(
Not the kid kind though! This was the adult version! My friend E. found these cute little O's at Trader Joe's. As soon as I saw them, I knew I must have them. I made a sauce with slow roasted yellow onions, garlic and pancetta. Then I added some nice thick Pomi Tomato sauce as well as some left over red wine from the night before. I then created my famous meatballs and made them into minis, browned them and tossed into the sauce. After a couple hours .... Voila! Served with a very hearty Italian Red wine, can't beat it!
another late night spinning. Luckily, I had a few minutes before we left to toss together a gratin. So all we had to do was pop it into the oven and Voila, lovely french food for dinner! This was an endive and prosciutto gratin that I learned to make in my French Cooking classes a couple weeks ago. When I started putting it together, I had a feeling L. was going to give it a BIG VETO like he did to the Leek Soup; but, he did not! It was too tasty with all that smokiness of the Prosciutto and cheesy sauce!
for a WARM night! Well, the menus were planned last weekend so we will eat! One of our favorite winter dishes is a spicy Kale Soup with White Beans - L. loves an egg on top, I do not like eggs on things that they should not be on .... pizza, soup, etc... I have been dying to make some dishes from my French Cooking weekend so I tossed together this super yummy watercress and celery root salad. Dessert, we had some Roasted Pumpkin Ice Cream left over. I found it not as sweet as I would had liked so I made a warm caramel sauce for the top - okay, after sitting in the freezer for a day and a half the pumpkin has really combined in flavor and with the caramel sauce on top, can you say "Thanksgiving"?
to the rescue. We love our Tuesday Night spin class, except for the fact that we do not get out of there until almost 830pm and our instructor is informing us that we NEED to drink a liter of water and eat protein within the next 45 minutes to fully reap the benefits! Okay ... besides eating a crappy bar this is next to impossible. By the time we walk thru the gym, say hi to a couple people, get into the car, drive home, look for parking and then attempt to make something, we are past the 45 minutes! Until now! We declare Tuesday EGG NIGHT!
Sauteed zucchini with shallots and olive oil turned into an Omelet served along side a tossed green salad and some crusty warm bread ... and some water and a Liter of Wine?! ;)
Last week, definitely felt like fall ... crisp air filled with the aroma of crunching leaves and even rain, that left us cold, damp and turning on the heat. This inspired me to grocery shop thinking along the lines of comfort foods - lots of apples, squash, whole wheat pastas, that sort of thing; warm cozy food! Well, the weather turned, the day was hot and the evening was romantically warm. Which was good as it gave us a chance to put away the patio heater, the deck umbrella and clean up the garden.
Tonight's dinner started out as a cozy warm evening in (due to what we thought was a early fall/winter arrival), but came around as a nice evening at home, together! Linguine and Clams served over whole wheat pasta! A glass of crisp buttery white wine! A loaf of warm Crusty Bread! Homemade Roasted Pumpkin Ice Cream for dessert - which, was inspired by my step-mother's pumpkin pie recipe, she makes the best pie I have ever had!
As well this dinner was part of a special event GYO -Grow Your Own. Our hostess, Andrea, over at Andrea's Recipes initiated it. Thanks to the insane weather we have been having ... rain on & off the past couple of weeks, upper 70's and low 80's this week, our herb garden is doing outstanding! All the peppers we thought would die are turning vibrant red and the basil and thyme are growing like crazy again! For this dish we used our Portuguese Peppers and Basil from our garden.
Well ... the next best thing! Poached Egg with Curly Endive Salad, courtesy of Alice Waters and the Art of Simple Food. The salad was delicious - simply delicious! I love this style of salad and always forget just how much until I have it. This recipe will or has become a staple in our house!
Dessert was the last of the Mascarpone Ice Cream with the last of the season Blue Organic Strawberries which I roasted and we will have for another couple months - slurpy yummy!
Late night Tuesday w/working and the gym. So, I took the left over soup soup from last night and threw in some soup I had hid in the freezer ... remember that oh, so delicious soup from the past!? Served with a toasted baguette and goat cheese which was sprinkled with Thyme from the garden and cracked black pepper.
The perfect way to end the evening? Why, homemade marscapone cheese ice cream drizzled with Scharffen Berger Chocolate Ganache.
Sunday night I was exhausted from all the cooking I had done over the weekend, so I roasted a chicken for dinner. I took half of a chick, lifted up the skin and slide butter, shallots, garlic and thyme between the skin and meat. I then sprinkled course sea salt over the top, threw it in the oven with some acorn squash and roasted them all. The meal was simple and delicious.
Monday night, I took the left over chicken and turned it into a simple roasted chicken broth & tossed in a little thyme and pasta, whipped up some biscuits and we had dinner. Perfect meal for an evening that came upon a rainy day.
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I took a French Food and Wine Course over the weekend - which I highly recommend. The school is small, intimate and very professional with a casual and laid back feeling all rolled into one fantastic program. Mary Risley, the founder of Tante Marie is very personable and welcoming - as if we all just came to her home! Everyone taking the course was interesting (from all over the country as well as Bay Area) and we all enjoyed the same passion - COOKING and FOOD! The instructors, Jessica Lasky (food) and Shelley Lindgren (wine) are knowledgeable, fun and very personable. I can not say enough pleasant things about my experience - I will definitely go back!
We spent the entire weekend learning about the different regions of France with regards to food and wine as well as getting our hands dirty in the kitchen. We made everything from Pepper Gougeres (can you say super YUM), Salade Lyonnaise, Classic Bouillabaise, Beef Daube, Duck Cassoulet, Quail with Grapes, Celeryroot and Endive Salade, Fig Clafouti, Crepe Suzette, and the list goes on and one!
We tasted and drank wines from Champagne, Alace, Bordeaux, the Rhone and may other wonderful areas in France.
I wish I could give you all a nibble; but, I can't. You can entice your taste buds here! This is simply a wonderful way to spend a weekend!
The Purple Box does to me, what the Blue Box does for most women I know!
Our friends E & W just got back from Paris .... when they asked what we wanted all I could think of was a new copy of my beloved Plan de Paris par Arrondissement and French Macaroons.
Much to our surprise we got just that as well as extract goodies! Let me just say this ... Salted Caramel, is to die for! Not to mention we were able to relive our holiday thru their memories!
When is the next plane leaving??!!!
I remember my mom making this once before, when I was very small. I thought it was funny that you could get spaghetti out of squash. I do not remember ever having since. We were enticed at the grocery last week, so it came home with us and sat on the counter, where we stared each other down until last night.
I roasted it - after I dulled my knifes trying to cut it in half - covered with Spanish Olive oil and salt and pepper. Then I tossed together a sauce of browned butter with sweet Italian peppers, shallots, garlic and capers - sprinkled lightly with Parmesan cheese just before serving!
We are in love with Blue Organic Strawberries - if you can find them, BUY them! We are pretty sure these are the best strawberries in the Bay Area right now. I am so crazy over them, I always buy two boxes ... we eat one and I roast the others! For dessert tonight I used the leftover Tapioca and drizzled some Roasted Strawberries over the top - YUM! The orange flavoring in the pudding with Roasted Strawberries is wonderful!
We both have been exhausted the past couple weeks. Look at the stove, let the ideas float in and out of our heads and just plop down. Have been craving radishes so I made a simple green salad with radishes, kidney beans and ultra creamy blue cheese, served it with warm crusty bread for dinner. As well, a little comfort food for dessert - Tapioca flavored with orange and cardamom, not quit like grandma made but still comfortable!
Finally got a chance to check out the movie Ratatouille & let me say, I was inspired by that Rat, to make his favorite dish for dinner tonight! I made a roasted layered Ratatouille which was fantastic! Served it with a simple green salad with radishes and pomergrantes and lightly drizzled with simple french vinaigrette. Last week I was inspired by Jaden over at the Steamy Kitchen, to make her perfect coconut rice - which is easy & fantastic. Tonight, I took it to another level ... made the rice and then turned it into Coconut/Cardamom Rice Pudding - YUMMY!
Friday night found us both exhausted. I tried to come up with something good for dinner but did not have it in me, we were two tired souls for dinner. All I could come up with was Eggplant Masala (into Indian food lately) and a caramelized shallot Quinoa. Simple and good!
I have not had a chance to get behind the stove all week, hence the reason for no new stuff! L. is traveling (which is not the excuse) and I have been working over-time! I have some great ideas brewing, though, and can not wait to WOW my man when he gets back with some great meals. Hoping to hit the kitchen, again, tomorrow. So please keep checking in & dine with us soon ......
to know what the October Challenge is! I was hoping it would be announced before I start my day. I am an addict now - an addict to the DB group! Someone, Help Me!
Plums, Pizza & Pinot Noir and some Lamb (yes, I know, more meat); but, we did cut down portions! We have been waiting to open up this bottle of Pinot Noir, that our friend I. and company (Dept. C) are making but we needed the right dish.
Recently, there was an article in the SF Chronicle on Pinot Noir and what to serve ... there it was Lamb, Plum & Smoked Mozzarella Pizza , so we whipped up a mini, tossed together a simple mixed green salad with radishes (just like grandma use to make) and popped up the Dept. C. Point Noir - the meal was great, the pizza was interesting (I will make again but add more spices to it) and the Pinot was smooth and definitely complimented everything in the pizza. As well, this was the last meal for our Eat Local Challenge - everything was local this time!!!
