Monday, April 28, 2014
My Life as a Public Safety Dispatcher & Sour Cream Coffee Cake
I am a Dispatcher by day and a food blogger by night. Yes, I am that voice on the other end of your 9-1-1 calls, the voice you hear on police/fire radio scanners and the voice that is often forgotten as soon as the crises has ended. I have been in this profession for nearly 19 years. What started as a way to work my way through college became a career, a profession, a passion and my life. I have had countless heartbreaks and celebrations throughout this journey-heard voices that haunt me, carry with me scars from the calls I have handled and have memories that play out over and over again in my head. As many of you know I am in the process of completing my first book, about my career and about the impacts it has had on my life, good and bad. However, my copy editor recently asked me,"how have you survived nearly 20 years in this profession? How is it that you are still positive and not cynical and jaded?" And I have thought about this question over and over again for the past few weeks and this is my answer:
- I make a conscious choice to celebrate life because I have heard death. I gave CPR instructions over the phone to a Mother who found her 6 month old dead and death won. I wake up every morning and celebrate the fact that I am alive.
- I make a conscious choice to smile and laugh because I know just how quickly happiness can be taken away. I have heard the screams of my officers fighting for their lives or the sound of a gun shot on the other end of the phone as a life is taken.
- I make a conscious choice to stay positive because when you witness so much death and destruction you never want to let "them" win. The negativity of this profession can suck the life out of you, but only if you let it happen.
- I make a conscious choice to find balance because I have sacrificed everything for this career-family, friends, marriages and I have learned from those mistakes. I tell those who mean the world to me I love them, I make time for the people who are important to me and I take care of myself because I can't save lives unless I am healthy.
- I make a conscious choice to find the beauty in little things because as a Dispatcher my imagination is worse than reality and I have images ingrained in my head that I can't escape. I do not know if it is truth or fiction because I don't get the closure or the visual images that come with responding to the calls. All I can tell you is that when I awake from nightmares in the middle of the night they are my reality. And to make them stay away I look for beauty in every aspect of life.
One of my guilty pleasures involves baking on a Sunday afternoon. So yesterday I decided to make Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Let me start by saying I like the combination of the ground oatmeal, the whole wheat flour and the all purpose flour as it gives the cake a nutty flavor. I also love brown sugar so pretty much anything with brown sugar in it makes me happy. And the sour cream, although I couldn't really taste it, does add some moisture to the cake, otherwise I think it might be a little too dense.
To begin with toast the oatmeal.
Take the majority of the oatmeal and grind it in a food processor until it is kind of the consistency of steel cut oats. I was actually pretty surprised that this technique worked, primarily because I just thought the oatmeal would whirl around in the food processor and do nothing, but it did get ground up.
Combine the ground oatmeal with the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. On a side note I love using coarse salt when I bake, especially for recipes like this one, as it gives a slightly salted caramel flavor to baked goods. Yum!
Next in a mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla.
In the mixer, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream, ending with the dry ingredients (I am not sure why, but I just blindly followed the recipe on that one)....and it worked.
Add the mixture to a greased spring form pan.
In a small bowl, combine the leftover oatmeal, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender cut in the chilled butter until blended. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the coffee cake.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for...well...the recipe says 38 minutes (random number I know)...but I did closer to 30 minutes. And it turned out looking pretty darn good!! Woot woot!!
Here is the actual recipe:
Ingredients
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (about 2.5 ounces), divided
Cooking spray
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 ounce whole-wheat flour (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) carton light sour cream (such as Daisy)
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.
3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
5. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.
6. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.
Happy Monday and it is official I am counting down the days until I leave for Italy...yes, I said Italy...eat your heart out...pun intended.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Zucchini & Penne with Hot Pepper Pesto
Let me start by saying I know this is such a bad habit, but I am horrible at feeding my pets off the table. It started with my lab, Harley, who is no longer with me, but we had this tradition where I would get off work and we would have a glass of wine together. Ya know I am not drinking alone because Harley would have some too and seriously, no joke, this dog loved wine!! He also loved to eat everything including some very expensive eye glasses, countless pairs of panties, his own poop and anything that was under 5 feet off the ground (he was tall and weighed more than I did). Miss my buddy!!
However, this bad habit has rolled over to my cat. She now heads to the kitchen as soon as I get up in the morning. She is a cereal fiend...and sure I would love to say this is unprovoked, however my ex-husband started giving her the bowl of milk when he was done with his cereal...and I have continued with this tradition...and taken it to the next level. Because now if it is the afternoon or evening she is also in the kitchen with me and come to find out she loves cheese, salami, lunch meat (especially roast beef) and sushi...yes I said sushi....she is a Persian cat so of course she likes sushi. So far I have not convinced her that she enjoys wine, but soon I am sure I can persuade her.
Last night I got the bug to cook late at night, so I decided to make Zucchini and Penne with Hot Pepper Pesto. Have I mentioned how much I love to cook late at night? It just makes me happy. And this recipe is just different, it is a slightly zesty herbacious pesto and I love the crunch of the pistachio nuts and well I couldn't really find much of the zucchini, but pasta always makes me happy...so this recipe is worth your time and effort.
So here it is 2100hrs and I am cooking pasta. To begin with cook the penne pasta according to the package. I always salt my pasta, but follow your heart on that one, there are so many opinions when it comes to salt and olive oil in your pasta water that I just surrender on that issue. However, before you drain the pasta make sure you reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid to add into the sauce. This is important because otherwise the sauce is a little thick.
Next add the following ingredients to a food processor-Parmesan cheese (please do not use the green bottle, fresh please, truly it makes a difference), parsley, mint, jalapenos, garlic, pistachios, lime zest, lime juice and salt/pepper. Puree until smooth and then start drizzling in the olive oil, until it has the consistency of a paste.
In a skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. Saute the zucchini for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown. How can you go wrong with anything cooked in butter, right?
Combine the drained pasta with the pesto mixture, the pasta cooking water and toss with the zucchini. Instant yum!! This pasta has a lot of flavor, is not traditional and has flavors that are reminiscent of a chimichurri sauce, however with a little bit more Italian spin. Bottom line I really enjoyed it!
Here is the actual recipe:
ingredients
salt and pepper
1 pound penne pasta
2 handfuls grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves
2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeded
2 cloves garlic, pasted
3 - 4 tablespoons pistachios, toasted
1 lime, zested and juiced
about 1/3 cup EVOO
2 tablespoons butter
2 small or 1 medium zucchini, halved, seeded and sliced into half-moons
directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is working, using a food processor, finely chop the cheese, parsley, mint, chiles, garlic, pistachios, lime zest and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. With the machine on, stream in about 5 tbsp. EVOO to form a pesto.
In a large skillet, heat about 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium- high heat. Add the butter and heat until foaming. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Add the pesto and reserved pasta cooking water to the pasta and toss, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in half of the zucchini. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and top with the remaining zucchini.
Hope you all have an incredible hump day!! Cheers!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Hot and Sour Soup
When I was a kid hot and sour soup was the cure for many an ailment, common cold, allergies, you name it. Remember I was raised by a hippie Mom so I didn't get chicken noodle soup or 7-up and saltines like the rest of the world, I got hot and sour soup. The idea being that it was so spicy it would kick the ailments ass and take names. Sure as a kid my eyes might be tearing up, my nose might be running and I might be coughing from the heat, but my sinuses were clear...logic, pure logic I tell you. And so after countless years of hot and sour soup I learned to love it.
However, unfortunately like many a childhood memory it is hard to replicate in an adult life, so I am on the constant quest for the perfect hot and sour soup...which is what led me to trying to make it myself. Let me say that this is a good soup with good flavor and it is definitely a comfort food, but my quest will continue as this is not the soup of my dreams. It just wasn't spicy enough, pure and simple. It had the texture, it had the flavor, it had the tofu chunks that I remember and it had the bamboo shoots that I love (don't ask me why I love bamboo shoots they are one of the oddest foods ever, but I do). But my eyes did not water, my nose did not run and I wasn't gagging on the pepper.
So to begin with you want to remove the excess water from the tofu. Place the tofu between layers of paper towels and weigh it down with a heavy cast iron pan. Let it sit for 30 minutes. This technique helps to dry out the tofu. I am not quite sure why this particular recipe wants to dry out the tofu since it is going into a soup, which is liquid, but I followed this direction and it tasted fine. Dice the tofu into cubes.
I decided to use fresh shiitake mushrooms instead of dried so I skipped the next step in the recipe. I just combined the chicken broth and water and brought it to a boil with the mushrooms in it. This helped to leach some of the mushroom flavor into the broth.
Next I added the vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, pepper and garlic to the broth mixture and I simmered it for 10 minutes.
Combine the water and cornstarch in a bowl and combine until it is a liquidy paste consistency. Add the cornstarch mixture, bamboo shoots and tofu to the broth and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat.
This next technique I actually really liked and I will use it again. Beat an egg and drizzle it into the hot broth mixture. Do not stir. Place pan over low heat and cook for 1 minute. Stir to combine. This will cook the egg and give it the same consistency that you see in egg drop soup. Love it!!
Finally add the green onions, either to the entire batch of soup or as a garnish on top of the soup. And it is done!!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) package firm water-packed tofu, drained
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 (1/2-ounce) package dried sliced shiitake mushroom caps
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into julienne strips
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup thinly diagonally sliced green onion tops
Preparation
1. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels. Cover tofu with several more layers of paper towels; top with a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard paper towels. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.
2. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture, tofu, and bamboo shoots into broth mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Slowly drizzle egg into broth mixture (do not stir). Place pan over low heat; cook 1 minute. Stir soup gently to combine. Sprinkle with green onions.
Hope you all have an incredible week! Cheers!!
However, unfortunately like many a childhood memory it is hard to replicate in an adult life, so I am on the constant quest for the perfect hot and sour soup...which is what led me to trying to make it myself. Let me say that this is a good soup with good flavor and it is definitely a comfort food, but my quest will continue as this is not the soup of my dreams. It just wasn't spicy enough, pure and simple. It had the texture, it had the flavor, it had the tofu chunks that I remember and it had the bamboo shoots that I love (don't ask me why I love bamboo shoots they are one of the oddest foods ever, but I do). But my eyes did not water, my nose did not run and I wasn't gagging on the pepper.
So to begin with you want to remove the excess water from the tofu. Place the tofu between layers of paper towels and weigh it down with a heavy cast iron pan. Let it sit for 30 minutes. This technique helps to dry out the tofu. I am not quite sure why this particular recipe wants to dry out the tofu since it is going into a soup, which is liquid, but I followed this direction and it tasted fine. Dice the tofu into cubes.
I decided to use fresh shiitake mushrooms instead of dried so I skipped the next step in the recipe. I just combined the chicken broth and water and brought it to a boil with the mushrooms in it. This helped to leach some of the mushroom flavor into the broth.
Next I added the vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, pepper and garlic to the broth mixture and I simmered it for 10 minutes.
Combine the water and cornstarch in a bowl and combine until it is a liquidy paste consistency. Add the cornstarch mixture, bamboo shoots and tofu to the broth and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat.
This next technique I actually really liked and I will use it again. Beat an egg and drizzle it into the hot broth mixture. Do not stir. Place pan over low heat and cook for 1 minute. Stir to combine. This will cook the egg and give it the same consistency that you see in egg drop soup. Love it!!
Finally add the green onions, either to the entire batch of soup or as a garnish on top of the soup. And it is done!!
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) package firm water-packed tofu, drained
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 (1/2-ounce) package dried sliced shiitake mushroom caps
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into julienne strips
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup thinly diagonally sliced green onion tops
Preparation
1. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels. Cover tofu with several more layers of paper towels; top with a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard paper towels. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.
2. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture, tofu, and bamboo shoots into broth mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Slowly drizzle egg into broth mixture (do not stir). Place pan over low heat; cook 1 minute. Stir soup gently to combine. Sprinkle with green onions.
Hope you all have an incredible week! Cheers!!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Happy Easter & Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
For some odd reason I do not have a lot of childhood Easter memories. I usually have a plethora of food memories surrounding just about every holiday from Groundhogs Day to Christmas, but when it comes to Easter my food memories are somewhat void. I do remember wearing cute Easter dresses, at times complete with gloves and hats. As a kid my attire ranged from girly girl to overalls, ok I guess it still kind of does. I remember going to church with my Grandparents on occasion and squirming like a crazy person because I had to sit still for so long. I remember coloring Easter eggs and dreading the fact that I would have to eat them, back in the day I hated eggs. I remember being excited about the Easter bunny and my Easter basket, but I wasn't a huge candy kid so my baskets were usually a little more random.
I also have to say that since I wasn't raised with a huge religious presence, Easter for me was not about the religious connotations and more about things that I deemed important, like Cadbury eggs or dipping peeps in chocolate (yes both delicacies are way important). And my Mom used Easter as more of a celebration of Spring and rebirth and growth so for me this morning that is what I woke up thinking about. So this am I just felt grateful for-sleeping in, hearing Miss Kitty purring on the bed, a glass of chai tea in my hand as I write this, the tulips on my dresser, amazing family and friends (old and new) and a beautiful Spring morning. I am a lucky girl!
Last night I went to a friends house for a BBQ and I decided to bring Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, figure we should start the holiday off a day early, right? Now if you are a traditional deviled egg fan this recipe is not traditional. However, I used Cajun smoked salmon and these eggs had a lot of flavor. Now did you know that deviled eggs have been traced back as far as the ancient Romans? The name also came about in the 18th century, deviled being associated with spicy or zesty foods. Did you also know that in some circles they are referred to as stuffed eggs, salad eggs or dressed eggs to avoid the devil connotation? Hmmm cause I am sure Satan is gloating over the fact that he has an egg dish named after him, just sayin.
This recipe is incredibly easy. Make hard boiled eggs. I just cover the eggs in water and bring to a boil. I turn off the heat and let them sit for 15 minutes. I either let them cool naturally or cool them with running cold water if I am in a hurry. This part depends on how well I procrastinated that day. Peel the eggs, cut in half and take out the yolk.
Next mash the yolk with fat free sour cream, light mayo, Dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, fresh dill and fresh chives. I really liked the use of fresh herbs as it adds a nice flavor and color to the dish. Add in the chopped smoked salmon.
Stuff the yolk mixture back into the egg halves. I sprinkled the eggs with paprika and garnished with some extra dill just to make it look pretty. Easy peasy!
Here is the actual recipe:
Ingredients
8 large eggs
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream $
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise $
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces cold-smoked salmon, finely chopped
16 small dill sprigs (optional)
16 small tarragon sprigs (optional)
Preparation
1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with cool water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool.
2. Peel eggs; cut in half lengthwise. Place yolks in a medium bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Add sour cream and next 7 ingredients (through salmon); stir well. Spoon mixture into egg white halves (about 1 tablespoon in each half). Garnish with dill and tarragon sprigs, if desired.
Hope you all have an incredible holiday with lots of amazing food, family, friends and chocolate bunnies or peeps or cadbury eggs. Cheers!
I also have to say that since I wasn't raised with a huge religious presence, Easter for me was not about the religious connotations and more about things that I deemed important, like Cadbury eggs or dipping peeps in chocolate (yes both delicacies are way important). And my Mom used Easter as more of a celebration of Spring and rebirth and growth so for me this morning that is what I woke up thinking about. So this am I just felt grateful for-sleeping in, hearing Miss Kitty purring on the bed, a glass of chai tea in my hand as I write this, the tulips on my dresser, amazing family and friends (old and new) and a beautiful Spring morning. I am a lucky girl!
Last night I went to a friends house for a BBQ and I decided to bring Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, figure we should start the holiday off a day early, right? Now if you are a traditional deviled egg fan this recipe is not traditional. However, I used Cajun smoked salmon and these eggs had a lot of flavor. Now did you know that deviled eggs have been traced back as far as the ancient Romans? The name also came about in the 18th century, deviled being associated with spicy or zesty foods. Did you also know that in some circles they are referred to as stuffed eggs, salad eggs or dressed eggs to avoid the devil connotation? Hmmm cause I am sure Satan is gloating over the fact that he has an egg dish named after him, just sayin.
This recipe is incredibly easy. Make hard boiled eggs. I just cover the eggs in water and bring to a boil. I turn off the heat and let them sit for 15 minutes. I either let them cool naturally or cool them with running cold water if I am in a hurry. This part depends on how well I procrastinated that day. Peel the eggs, cut in half and take out the yolk.
Next mash the yolk with fat free sour cream, light mayo, Dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, fresh dill and fresh chives. I really liked the use of fresh herbs as it adds a nice flavor and color to the dish. Add in the chopped smoked salmon.
Stuff the yolk mixture back into the egg halves. I sprinkled the eggs with paprika and garnished with some extra dill just to make it look pretty. Easy peasy!
Here is the actual recipe:
Ingredients
8 large eggs
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream $
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise $
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces cold-smoked salmon, finely chopped
16 small dill sprigs (optional)
16 small tarragon sprigs (optional)
Preparation
1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with cool water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool.
2. Peel eggs; cut in half lengthwise. Place yolks in a medium bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Add sour cream and next 7 ingredients (through salmon); stir well. Spoon mixture into egg white halves (about 1 tablespoon in each half). Garnish with dill and tarragon sprigs, if desired.
Hope you all have an incredible holiday with lots of amazing food, family, friends and chocolate bunnies or peeps or cadbury eggs. Cheers!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Cookies N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies
So this is one of those decadent over the top dessert recipes. I do have to say that although this recipe was good...really good...seriously how could anything with Oreos be bad, right...mine did not look like the picture at all. The original recipe looks all fudgey and decadent and well mine looks like brownies with Oreos...granted good brownies with Oreos, but just not the same. Here is the link to the original: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dessert/cookies-n-cream-oreo-fudge-brownies.html
And here is mine:
So I rarely bake with packaged products. I am not sure why, it is not as if I am a purist or food snob when it comes it baking, I just don't usually do it. So this recipe was super easy and super out of the ordinary for me.
To begin with the recipe calls for a box of brownie mix. Since I never purchase brownie mix I didn't realize that most of them come in a "13x9" size and since this recipe is for an 8x8 pan that was my first challenge. I went with a Ghiradelli brownie mix, figuring how could I go wrong with one of the kings of chocolate.
Next add the eggs and oil as described on the back of the brownie box. However, do not add the water. The next bump in the road for me was the fact that the brownie mix I bought had an extra packet of chocolate gooey stuff and I was torn as to whether or not to add it. I did not.
Add 1/2 cup cookies n cream ice cream and 1/4 cup hot fudge topping to the mix. This was my next area of confusion, should I heat the hot fudge or leave it gloppy (yes, that is a technical term). I ended up heating it up just to get it out of the bottle. And I ate a few bites of ice cream just because I never eat ice cream and it was a guilty pleasure. Combine the batter.
Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Add a layer of the brownie mix.
Next add a layer of Oreo cookies. And this was my final area of confusion. The recipe calls for a package of Oreo cookies, however there was no way I could fit an entire package of Oreos into these brownies...so I just did a layer...seemed to work out ok.
Top the Oreos with an additional layer of brownie batter.
Bake for 40-50 minutes at the temperature that is directed on the back of the brownie box, mine was 325 degrees. And voila!!
Obviously very easy and the ingredients were easy to find and they were a hit! So if you are ever looking for a fast dessert, especially one to take to a soiree that looks more complicated than it is...this is my recommendation...well at least for the moment. Cheers!
And here is mine:
So I rarely bake with packaged products. I am not sure why, it is not as if I am a purist or food snob when it comes it baking, I just don't usually do it. So this recipe was super easy and super out of the ordinary for me.
To begin with the recipe calls for a box of brownie mix. Since I never purchase brownie mix I didn't realize that most of them come in a "13x9" size and since this recipe is for an 8x8 pan that was my first challenge. I went with a Ghiradelli brownie mix, figuring how could I go wrong with one of the kings of chocolate.
Next add the eggs and oil as described on the back of the brownie box. However, do not add the water. The next bump in the road for me was the fact that the brownie mix I bought had an extra packet of chocolate gooey stuff and I was torn as to whether or not to add it. I did not.
Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Add a layer of the brownie mix.
Next add a layer of Oreo cookies. And this was my final area of confusion. The recipe calls for a package of Oreo cookies, however there was no way I could fit an entire package of Oreos into these brownies...so I just did a layer...seemed to work out ok.
Top the Oreos with an additional layer of brownie batter.
Bake for 40-50 minutes at the temperature that is directed on the back of the brownie box, mine was 325 degrees. And voila!!
Obviously very easy and the ingredients were easy to find and they were a hit! So if you are ever looking for a fast dessert, especially one to take to a soiree that looks more complicated than it is...this is my recommendation...well at least for the moment. Cheers!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Life Lessons from Mama Kathleen & Pea and Pasta Soup
I was raised by a single Mom who truly sacrificed her entire life to give me an amazing childhood. She is truly one of the most courageous, independent and kind hearted people I know. We are so incredibly different, but she did an amazing job raising me on her own and so I wanted to take a moment to share some of the Life Lessons from Mama Kathleen:
1. Homemade pizza makes everything better...scraped knees, divorce, jilted by 5 year old best friend...there is nothing that pizza can not cure and when you are 21+ it becomes pizza and wine. Love it to this day! After every tragedy in my life I fly home for pizza and wine.
2. When you are going through hard times or heart break or you got ran over by a bike, a Mom can always kiss you and make you feel better...can't tell you the countless times I ran home to Mom to make my boo boos go away...and still do to this day.
3. There is no place like home...my Mom taught me from an early age that home is truly where the heart is and you can make a home anywhere. However, there is something about going home to Mom that makes it a little more cozy.
4. Do not chase boys...and believe it or not I follow this rule today...I may encourage, but I will not chase. If people do not see your greatness it is not your job to show them. And she always reminds me, to this day, that when I walk in a room people can see me for who I am. Love you Mom! And yes I know when in E-town I need to tone it down. XOXO
5. Listen to your body...your body will tell you what you should eat and shouldn't eat, when you should exercise and when you shouldn't...however my body seems to fail me when it comes to telling me when to stop drinking wine...it's ok Mom I know the wine thing is a hard lesson to teach a 4 year old.
6. To make my own choices...my Mom always told me both sides of every decision I had to make as a child and every time I asked a question she would explain my options to me. She in hand taught me independent thought...and even when I made some wacky decisions like dressing up as George W Bush one year for Halloween, stealing lip gloss or dating a gang member she still let me make my own choices.
7. The world is my playground...she never used that phrase, that phrase is mine...but she taught me early on to explore life, enjoy life, go on field trips and do things that take you out of your comfort zone. To this day I love play dates and field trips!
8. Listen to the stars...my Mom is a huge fan of astrology and she has always been amazing at telling me who I should date, when I should sign contracts, get a new job, etc based on the astrological sign...and I have been amazing at not listening and dating every Mr. Wrong on the planet.
9. Follow your dreams...she let me have an incredible imagination and she never told me there was anything I couldn't do. She may have sat me down and strongly encouraged other options...like maybe running away from home at the age of 6 wasn't the smartest idea or digging a hole to China or trying to adopt a black baby at the age of 7...just sayin...not always wise.
10. Try everything once and if you don't like it you never have to do it, eat it or see it again. It has made me adventurous and open to new things...I never should have incorporated this lesson into my dating life.
So the other night before my run I decided to make some homemade Pea and Pasta Soup. Thought it sounded like the perfect comfort food and the pasta would help with the night before a race carb loading gig. And this soup recipe was so incredibly easy and tasty. I loved how salty it was from the chicken broth and how it contrasted with the pancetta and Parmesan. It was light and just felt healthy. Love! I do have to mention that when it comes to leftover soup, the broth is absorbed by the pasta, still tasty, but just don't be surprised.
I had leftover pancetta from the lasagna the other night, so I sauteed it in olive oil.
Next I added the onion and sauteed until soft, approximately 8 minutes. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and peas and cook for approximately 10 minutes. By the way, I used orzo (rice shaped pasta) instead of ditalini, just because I had some and I like orzo in soup.
Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Serve in bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese.
ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or thyme
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen peas
salt and pepper
1 cup grated parmesan
directions
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it begins to brown and render its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and lower the heat if necessary to prevent it from burning. Add the marjoram and cook until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the ditalini and peas; season lightly with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan.
Happy Monday and Cheers!
1. Homemade pizza makes everything better...scraped knees, divorce, jilted by 5 year old best friend...there is nothing that pizza can not cure and when you are 21+ it becomes pizza and wine. Love it to this day! After every tragedy in my life I fly home for pizza and wine.
2. When you are going through hard times or heart break or you got ran over by a bike, a Mom can always kiss you and make you feel better...can't tell you the countless times I ran home to Mom to make my boo boos go away...and still do to this day.
3. There is no place like home...my Mom taught me from an early age that home is truly where the heart is and you can make a home anywhere. However, there is something about going home to Mom that makes it a little more cozy.
4. Do not chase boys...and believe it or not I follow this rule today...I may encourage, but I will not chase. If people do not see your greatness it is not your job to show them. And she always reminds me, to this day, that when I walk in a room people can see me for who I am. Love you Mom! And yes I know when in E-town I need to tone it down. XOXO
5. Listen to your body...your body will tell you what you should eat and shouldn't eat, when you should exercise and when you shouldn't...however my body seems to fail me when it comes to telling me when to stop drinking wine...it's ok Mom I know the wine thing is a hard lesson to teach a 4 year old.
6. To make my own choices...my Mom always told me both sides of every decision I had to make as a child and every time I asked a question she would explain my options to me. She in hand taught me independent thought...and even when I made some wacky decisions like dressing up as George W Bush one year for Halloween, stealing lip gloss or dating a gang member she still let me make my own choices.
7. The world is my playground...she never used that phrase, that phrase is mine...but she taught me early on to explore life, enjoy life, go on field trips and do things that take you out of your comfort zone. To this day I love play dates and field trips!
8. Listen to the stars...my Mom is a huge fan of astrology and she has always been amazing at telling me who I should date, when I should sign contracts, get a new job, etc based on the astrological sign...and I have been amazing at not listening and dating every Mr. Wrong on the planet.
9. Follow your dreams...she let me have an incredible imagination and she never told me there was anything I couldn't do. She may have sat me down and strongly encouraged other options...like maybe running away from home at the age of 6 wasn't the smartest idea or digging a hole to China or trying to adopt a black baby at the age of 7...just sayin...not always wise.
10. Try everything once and if you don't like it you never have to do it, eat it or see it again. It has made me adventurous and open to new things...I never should have incorporated this lesson into my dating life.
So the other night before my run I decided to make some homemade Pea and Pasta Soup. Thought it sounded like the perfect comfort food and the pasta would help with the night before a race carb loading gig. And this soup recipe was so incredibly easy and tasty. I loved how salty it was from the chicken broth and how it contrasted with the pancetta and Parmesan. It was light and just felt healthy. Love! I do have to mention that when it comes to leftover soup, the broth is absorbed by the pasta, still tasty, but just don't be surprised.
I had leftover pancetta from the lasagna the other night, so I sauteed it in olive oil.
Next I added the onion and sauteed until soft, approximately 8 minutes. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and peas and cook for approximately 10 minutes. By the way, I used orzo (rice shaped pasta) instead of ditalini, just because I had some and I like orzo in soup.
Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Serve in bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese.
ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or thyme
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen peas
salt and pepper
1 cup grated parmesan
directions
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it begins to brown and render its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and lower the heat if necessary to prevent it from burning. Add the marjoram and cook until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the ditalini and peas; season lightly with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan.
Happy Monday and Cheers!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Everything I Learned About Dating I Learned in Kindergarten & Falafel Burgers
So I loved that book about learning everything that was important in kindergarten (don't remember the exact title but it was fun). And since I have been on the dating circuit for awhile I started to realize just how much the dating rules also go way back...so here is my version...Everything I Learned About Dating I Learned in Kindergarten:
1. If a boy pulls your hair they like you or they are into S&M (you can decide whether or not that is your thing)
2. If a boy runs away from you on the playground (plays hard to get) run the opposite direction…drama!
3. If they invite you to their birthday party they want cake…interpret that any way you want
4. If a boy stutters, looks embarrassed, looks at his shoes when he talks to you he is totally into you and is probably a really good guy. Give him a chance or at least a second date.
5. If a boy is cocky at the age of 5 he is going to be cocky at the age of 38 and by then he would have slept with your best friend, made a ton of money through shady business deals, drove a Porsche that screams future mid-life crisis and become a power hungry short man with a bald spot
6. If your little friends like him, think he is cute, talks about him a lot or randomly mentions his name-stay away from him. Always put your girls first!
7. If you have fun together he is a keeper. If you both enjoy dodge ball, hide and seek (not like that get your mind out of the gutter), racing down the slide, playing on the jolly jump or baseball it is a positive, always good to have things in common.
8. If you find a guy who lets you eat out of his lunch box (or lets you eat off his plate) do not let this guy get away!! It is even better if his Mom is a good cook.
9. If a guy invites you over for a slumber party…say no…you are not that kind of girl…wait until you are older…much older. I don’t care if he has a cool bunk bed, says he only wants to be friends or has a really cool remote control car…ploys…all ploys.
10. If a guy makes you smile or laugh do not let him get away…that is when you want to become a child bride…just sayin’
It was also about the age of 4 or 5 that I developed a love of falafels. If you are unfamiliar with falafels they are a Middle Eastern food that takes chickpeas and spices, grounds them up and deep fries them and puts them in a pita with sauce and vegetables. I have fond memories of being a young hippy child eating falafels on the Arcata plaza and making friends with random hippy adults. Now that would be considered "stranger danger," but back in the day it was "free love."
However, since it is 2014, Food Network came up with a modern version of falafels, the falafel burger. And of course I had to try it....it was good! It has a lot of good flavor from the cumin, the jalapenos and the cilantro. The creamy yogurt dressing adds a nice tangy kick that is kind of reminiscent of tzatiki sauce minus the cucumber and it just made me happy. I do have to say that since they are pan fried instead of deep fried the consistency is slightly different and they do fall apart a little more readily, but they are still really good.
So to begin with, combine 2 cans of chickpeas, garlic, scallions, cilantro, pickled jalapeno peppers, panko breadcrumbs and cumin into a food processor. The recipe says that you need to chop everything, but I chopped nothing it worked great. I figured the whole purpose of a processor was to well process and chop food so I put everything in there whole and it did the rest.
Next heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Take the chickpea mixture and mush (yes, technical food term) into patties. Cook the patties 3 minutes on each side. They should have a golden crust on the outside and still be soft on the inside.
Next make the yogurt dressing, which consists of well yogurt and the juice from the pickled jalapenos and salt.
Toss the salad greens, chopped tomato, cilantro and scallions in a bowl and dress with half of the yogurt dressing.
Serve the falafel patties on buns on bread and top with yogurt dressing, sliced tomatoes and pickled jalapenos. Serve the salad on the side.
Here is the actual recipe if you want measurements:
Ingredients
2 14 .5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
4 scallions (white and light green parts only), chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup pickled cherry or jalapeno peppers, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons brine from the jar
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
Kosher salt
1 6 -ounce bag mixed salad greens
2 tomatoes (1 chopped, 1 sliced)
4 whole-wheat sandwich thins, lightly toasted
Directions
Pulse the chickpeas, garlic, half each of the scallions, cilantro and pickled peppers, the panko and cumin in a food processor until smooth, about 3 minutes. Form into 4 thin 3-inch patties.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until a golden crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt with the pickled pepper brine in a medium bowl and season with salt. Toss the salad greens, chopped tomato and the remaining scallions and cilantro with half of the yogurt dressing in a large bowl.
Put the falafel patties on the sandwich thins; top with the sliced tomato and the remaining yogurt dressing and pickled peppers. Serve with the salad.
Happy April Fools Day and Cheers!
1. If a boy pulls your hair they like you or they are into S&M (you can decide whether or not that is your thing)
2. If a boy runs away from you on the playground (plays hard to get) run the opposite direction…drama!
3. If they invite you to their birthday party they want cake…interpret that any way you want
4. If a boy stutters, looks embarrassed, looks at his shoes when he talks to you he is totally into you and is probably a really good guy. Give him a chance or at least a second date.
5. If a boy is cocky at the age of 5 he is going to be cocky at the age of 38 and by then he would have slept with your best friend, made a ton of money through shady business deals, drove a Porsche that screams future mid-life crisis and become a power hungry short man with a bald spot
6. If your little friends like him, think he is cute, talks about him a lot or randomly mentions his name-stay away from him. Always put your girls first!
7. If you have fun together he is a keeper. If you both enjoy dodge ball, hide and seek (not like that get your mind out of the gutter), racing down the slide, playing on the jolly jump or baseball it is a positive, always good to have things in common.
8. If you find a guy who lets you eat out of his lunch box (or lets you eat off his plate) do not let this guy get away!! It is even better if his Mom is a good cook.
9. If a guy invites you over for a slumber party…say no…you are not that kind of girl…wait until you are older…much older. I don’t care if he has a cool bunk bed, says he only wants to be friends or has a really cool remote control car…ploys…all ploys.
10. If a guy makes you smile or laugh do not let him get away…that is when you want to become a child bride…just sayin’
It was also about the age of 4 or 5 that I developed a love of falafels. If you are unfamiliar with falafels they are a Middle Eastern food that takes chickpeas and spices, grounds them up and deep fries them and puts them in a pita with sauce and vegetables. I have fond memories of being a young hippy child eating falafels on the Arcata plaza and making friends with random hippy adults. Now that would be considered "stranger danger," but back in the day it was "free love."
However, since it is 2014, Food Network came up with a modern version of falafels, the falafel burger. And of course I had to try it....it was good! It has a lot of good flavor from the cumin, the jalapenos and the cilantro. The creamy yogurt dressing adds a nice tangy kick that is kind of reminiscent of tzatiki sauce minus the cucumber and it just made me happy. I do have to say that since they are pan fried instead of deep fried the consistency is slightly different and they do fall apart a little more readily, but they are still really good.
So to begin with, combine 2 cans of chickpeas, garlic, scallions, cilantro, pickled jalapeno peppers, panko breadcrumbs and cumin into a food processor. The recipe says that you need to chop everything, but I chopped nothing it worked great. I figured the whole purpose of a processor was to well process and chop food so I put everything in there whole and it did the rest.
Next heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Take the chickpea mixture and mush (yes, technical food term) into patties. Cook the patties 3 minutes on each side. They should have a golden crust on the outside and still be soft on the inside.
Next make the yogurt dressing, which consists of well yogurt and the juice from the pickled jalapenos and salt.
Toss the salad greens, chopped tomato, cilantro and scallions in a bowl and dress with half of the yogurt dressing.
Serve the falafel patties on buns on bread and top with yogurt dressing, sliced tomatoes and pickled jalapenos. Serve the salad on the side.
Here is the actual recipe if you want measurements:
Ingredients
2 14 .5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
4 scallions (white and light green parts only), chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup pickled cherry or jalapeno peppers, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons brine from the jar
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
Kosher salt
1 6 -ounce bag mixed salad greens
2 tomatoes (1 chopped, 1 sliced)
4 whole-wheat sandwich thins, lightly toasted
Directions
Pulse the chickpeas, garlic, half each of the scallions, cilantro and pickled peppers, the panko and cumin in a food processor until smooth, about 3 minutes. Form into 4 thin 3-inch patties.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until a golden crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt with the pickled pepper brine in a medium bowl and season with salt. Toss the salad greens, chopped tomato and the remaining scallions and cilantro with half of the yogurt dressing in a large bowl.
Put the falafel patties on the sandwich thins; top with the sliced tomato and the remaining yogurt dressing and pickled peppers. Serve with the salad.
Happy April Fools Day and Cheers!
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