As mentioned in the last post, my wonderful friend who flew down to LA to visit me did not do so empty handed.  She bought me a cookbook called Seriously Simple.  In the first flip through, there was one page that stood out more than the rest… so much so that I had to keep flipping back to it to admire the beauty.  Chocolate Fudge Cake.

We were feeling ambitious during the first half of the day and thought about making dessert in addition to dinner so we went ahead and bought all the ingredients and tools we would need.  None of us were surprised that by the end of the night we simply weren’t up for it afterall.  So the weekend passed and she flew home but I had all these groceries and a new springform pan just waiting to be used.  All I needed was an excuse.  And it came.  Labor Day weekend I went over to my boyfriend’s sister’s place and I cooked dinner for four.  I made filets and potatoes and asparagus (my faithful trio) and all was a success.  But I’ve written about all those recipes before.  This post is about this beautiful thing.

I could be wrong, but until that day I don’t think I had ever made a cake before.  Granted, this cake was borderline brownie (coworkers actually referred to it as brownie after eating leftovers at work the next day) and I have made brownies before, but that isn’t the point.  The recipe says it is a cake, so therefore I have made a cake.  And it was yummy!  If you’re going to try it, definitely do not skip the ice cream, as you really need something to calm down the sweetness.  Plus, right out of the oven hot and right out of the freezer cold, both in one bite… you can’t really beat that.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

frosting:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

1.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Butter a 9-inch round springform pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda.  Stir well to blend.

2.  In a medium (3-quart) nonstick saucepan, combine the water, butter, cocoa powder, and espresso, if desired, and stir to blend.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until well blended and it just comes to a boil, about 2 minutes.  Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until blended.  Reduce heat to medium.  In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla together.  Add to the batter and mix vigorously for about 1 minute, or until well blended.  Remove from heat and pour into the prepared pan.

3.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the top just begins to crack and the center is still slightly moist when pierced with a skewer.  Remove from the oven.

4.  While the cake is baking, make the frosting:  Rinse out the pan used to make the batter.  Add the butter, cocoa powder, and buttermilk to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until blended.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and walnuts and mix to combine.  Remove from heat.

5.  While the cake is still hot, pierce holes all over the top with a skewer and pour the frosting over.  Keep piercing the cake after you have poured over the frosting to create a fudgy interior.

6.  Transfer the cake to a platter and release and remove the sides of the springform pan, allowing the frosting to drip down the sides of the cake.  Let sit for at least 15 minutes, or until the frosting is set.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yeah… good luck letting it just sit there for 15 minutes.  Nom nom nom.

As you read in an earlier post, I recently (yes, two months ago still counts as recent) had a high school friend come visit me.  Honestly, I don’t think there is a bigger ego boost than to know there are people out there who will pay money for a plane ticket simply to hang out with you for a weekend.  And what do I do to show my love and appreciation?  I put the girl to work.

first night in LA… prep work in my kitchen

last day in LA… prep work in Project Angel Food’s kitchen

Good thing is, the girl likes to chop!  And she is the best prep cook ever in my opinion.  After you read the ingredients/recipe for the dinner we made that first night, you’ll understand why.  It was something I had been eyeing, but there was no way I was going to do all that myself.  This was the final product.

RECIPE COURTESY OF FINECOOKING.COM

Broiled Spiced Flank Steak with Walnut-Roquefort Butter

serves four

2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 flank steak (about 1-1/2 lb.), trimmed
3 oz. Roquefort, crumbled
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 2 pieces
1/2 shallot, roughly chopped
1/2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
2 oz. (about 1/2 cup) lightly toasted walnuts
2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives (optional)

In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin and coriander, shaking often, until fragrant, about 1 min. Let cool. Combine with the peppercorns and chile flakes; grind briefly in a spice grinder (or pound in a mortar until still a little coarse). Combine the spices with the oil and spread evenly all over the steak. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

I made this meal exactly two months ago today.  So long ago that I don’t even remember what the meat dish was called nor where I found it, and therefore I can’t find the recipe anymore.  Just as well though, because the one thing I do remember about it is that I wouldn’t be making it again.  And while I do have the spinach recipe, I am not going to post it because I don’t recommend anyone making that either.  You are probably looking at the picture saying, “holy crap that is a lot of cheese” and you would be right.  I thought the same thing about half way through dumping it on, but the recipe still called for more so I continued.  As I watched the mound of grated parmesan grow I simply couldn’t take it anymore and had to stop.  About 1/3 of what the recipe stated still remained in the measuring cup, but I wanted my greens to taste somewhat healthy.  I should have stopped myself way earlier.  Needless to say the “veggie” side tasted more like cheese than it did spinach.

While we did clean our plates of everything, the only part I would actually consider good were the crescent rolls.  You can find that recipe on the cannister.

On September 1st a person whom I don’t know made a comment on my post awesome recipe recommendation.  Her name is Catherine, and this is what she had to say:

The pics seem ok but to be honest, the food doesn’t look that appetizing at all.Dunno, maybe it’s  the dull lighting.Your blog used to be one of mah faves.Oh well.Glad it tasted good to you, though.

For reference, here are the pictures that were included in that post:

I doubt any of you actually saw this comment because I deleted it as soon as I read it.  Apparently I don’t take criticism all too well.  However, the more I thought about it the more I realized how silly my reaction was.  It was too late to recover the comment at the point of this realization, hence why it now gets an entire post of its own.

So here is the thing, Catherine.  I am not a professional photographer.  I am not even an amateur photographer.  I take pictures of what I make for two reasons.  One, I find blogs with pictures more interesting and entertaining to read.  Two, I dislike recipes that don’t include pictures.  So you see, it would be hypocritical for me not to take and post pictures.  What I should have paid more attention to in your comment is the fact that my blog used to be one of your favorites.  That in itself is a huge compliment.  I thank you and am sorry I lost you as a reader.

Now that being said, why do people say negative things on blogs of people they don’t even know?  Getting comments from “randoms” is exciting and can make me happy for days, but not when they are rude.  What purpose does that serve?

I will start his post the same way most everyone else these days is starting them…

I am a terrible blogger.

Good thing is I’m not alone.  What is the deal, why am I and all my blogger friends so dang busy all of a sudden?  With the exception of one, it isn’t like we all returned to school this fall.  Well, I can’t speak for them, but here is what I have been up to for the past month and a half since I last posted:

- Went to an apartment warming party for friends

- Put a deposit on a brand new apartment being built down the street from where we currently live

- Volunteered three times at Project Angel Food and went to an awesome event of theirs

- Hosted great couchsurfers from Austria for a little over a week

- Had one of my most favorite people come visit and stay with me for a weekend

- Quit my job and started a new one (which has included lots of overtime and some weekends)

- Got to hang with my sister and niece during their six hour layover in LA flying from Seattle to Australia

- Went to a Dodger vs Giants baseball game and got to see fellow LHS alum, Tim Lincecum, pitch live

- Turned 26

- It is football season

At least that is what I remember of it (with the help of my google calendar).  And now, we leave for Peru one week from tomorrow!  I feel a bit like this

only I haven’t been able to fit in any reading or gym time.  Sometimes I wonder how people do it all… work, social life, “me” time, exercise, hobbies… when I have the first all the rest is shot.  And then some of you even go to school or have kids!  How do you do it?

To be honest, I actually had planned the following menu before seeing the movie:

Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce
Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon
Great Garlic Knots

What I hadn’t planned for until after the movie gave me that little boost of extra motivation, however, was dessert.  Gianduia Mousse.  I always need something sweet after Italian food.  Here is how the day/night rolled out.

I had taken the day off because we are in an economic crisis and are supposed to take days off when there is nothing to do.  Well, lately there hasn’t been a single day that fit that description, but Friday was going to be the closest thing.  Or maybe I just made it seem that way in my head so I felt justified in taking the day off to cook.  First step was grocery shopping and between all the different grocery stores, all the ingredients were found with the exception of broccoli raab.  The produce guy at Gelson’s said they do carry it but were currently out and were expecting a shipment the next day.  The next day didn’t work for me, so Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon became Sauteed Broccolini with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon.

The first thing I made was the dessert, which I picked because it actually seemed pretty easy.  Let me tell ya, skinning hazelnuts is not easy.  I followed all the instructions and about 1/3 of the skins came off.  But to get the rest… that is an hour of my life I won’t get back.  The end result was decent, but not worth ever doing it all again.  Just too sweet for my taste.  The whipped topping, however, will probably be used again.  Two ingredients, only minutes of work with an outcome that is light and fluffy.

And something else that isn’t easy… tying dough into knots.  I couldn’t find refrigerated breadstick dough anywhere so I went with refrigerated pizza dough instead, which a few reviewers said was the better way to go anyway.  I decided to make garlic knots because I thought there would be a lot of sauce leftover from the main dish and we would need something to dip in it.  Turns out we had zero sauce left over, which is unfortunate because they really needed to be dipped in something.  I chose the healthiest garlic knot recipe, so of course it was probably the least flavorful.  They were nothing compared to the little pieces of heaven at C&O Trattoria in Marina del Rey, but they are worth making again as long as next time there is something delicious to dip them in.

I chose tilapia because my boyfriend said he wanted to try fish again and my mom ha told me before tilapia was a good fish for people who don’t like seafood because it doesn’t really have a taste of its own and just takes on that of which it is served with.  So cooking tilapia and smothering with tomato sauce sounded like a great idea.  And boy was it!  Honestly, we had know idea we were eating fish, it just tasted like flakey goodness.  One lesson I learned is don’t use tongs to turnover and serve fish because it will fall apart.  But yes, it was delicious and he ate every bite unlike my last attempt at fish, a salmon dish I had to finish for him.  He particularly loved the tomato sauce, which is great news since it was super easy.  The tilapia was easy too, except for chopping all the herbs.  Not a fan of prep work, as you know.

I may have started cooking the broccolini a little late in the game and therefore was rushing so it probably was not as good as it could have been.  I bought a lemon zester for the occasion, but when it came down to game time I realized I didn’t know how to use it.  So I squeezed in some lemon burst instead.  And then at the end I forgot to squeeze the lemon juice over it.  Oh well, I don’t care for veggies that have too strong of a lemon flavor anyway.  The scant 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes definitely added a kick though.  May try the recipe again if I ever get my hands on some broccoli raab.

So all in all, not a remarkable meal, but I am still pretty proud of myself.  I made a lot of food and all of it was edible and we stuffed ourselves full.  The main course, at least, has definitely earned a spot in regular recipe rotation.

Herb and Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce

serves four

In a small (1- to 2-quart), heavy saucepan, cook the garlic in 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat until it begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, on a large plate, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, herbs, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on to help it adhere.

In a 12-inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add two of the fillets and cook until the coating is nicely browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spatula to move the fish. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Serve the tilapia with a spoonful of the sauce.

Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Chili, Garlic, and Lemon

serves four

Gianduia Mousse

I went and saw Julie & Julia last Thursday, not because I had a strong interest in the movie, but because I was invited to a free screening.  This post isn’t going to be a movie review, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised.  Of course, how could I not have liked it considering one of the two main characters blogs about cooking.

The reason I am mentioning it is to give background information for my next post… meaning it will explain why I couldn’t wait to get in the kitchen and cook the next day and why I may have gotten a little carried away.

The good news is, no, I do not plan to copy Julie Powell and work my way through Julia Child’s cookbook which I know does sound like something I would attempt to achieve.  But its been done already, obviously.  And while I wouldn’t be surprised if the movie does spring many copycats, I’m not going to be one of them.  I mean, if you see the movie, my kitchen is about the same size as hers except I don’t have a full-sized fridge, and believe me, she is not making meals like this out of that kitchen:

One of the cool things though is that her blog is still out there in cyberspace.  And she has a new one that she still uses.

The Julie/Julia Project

What Could Happen?

So while I am not going to repeat Julie Powell’s undertaking, when I move into a new place with a bigger kitchen I very likely will buy Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and try a few recipes here and there.  The easier ones.

You are probably wondering why the sudden motivation to get caught up on food blogging?  Of course you are.  Well, the reason is last night’s dinner.  It looked a little something like this…

Ok, it looked exactly like that.  It was that.  And it was good.  Really good.  After finishing it off, my boyfriend said I had every right to quote him on my blog saying, “That was the best main dish you’ve made to date.”  He went a little overboard with the compliments through the whole meal, but I wasn’t going to stop him!

I found this recipe on finecooking.com and just couldn’t resist.  Or should I say I found a picture and reviews of the recipe.  The website only shows a few recipes to those who aren’t paying members, and I refused to pay since so many recipes are available elsewhere online for free.  However, the more I looked the more I kept coming back to this one.  So, I called my mom who first told me about the site figuring she was a member and I could use her login information.  Unfortunately she no longer is a member, but fortunately she has back logs of the recipes, including this one!  She was a sport and read the whole thing to me over the phone.

In hindsight, it would totally have been worth paying for and I am now a member so that I can pass it on to you!  Well, that and now I have access to all their recipes which I hope are just as good.  Since I am still a beginner cook, a lot of times cooking at home actually turns out to be more expensive than eating out because I don’t always have all the spices, herbs, and other small ingredients I need.  This one however, we definitely saw the savings.  The meat itself was $18 for the two filets, maybe another $10-$15 for remaining ingredients I didn’t have.   So we’ll say $30 total for two filet dinners.  You’re not going to see that price at any fine dining restaurant!

One thing that the website doesn’t have that I was able to get since my mom had the recipe from a different source was recommended wine pairings.  It mentioned Petite Syrah, something with a little spice, so we stopped by BevMo and picked up a bottle that seemed to match that description.  What a great pair!

I could continue to go on, but how about you just try it for yourself.

FILET STEAKS WITH AN IRISH WHISKY & PAN SAUCE

Season each steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based (preferably cast-iron) skillet that’s large enough to hold the steaks over high heat until quite hot. (Add the 1 Tbs. vegetable oil if not using cast iron.) Test by touching the edge of one steak to the pan surface; it will sizzle briskly when ready. Immediately drop in the steaks and sear one side for 2 minutes. Sneak a peek to see if the first side is nicely browned. If not, continue to sear that side for another minute or so. Flip the steaks and sear the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium high, cook for another 2 minutes, flip, and cook until a digital instant-read thermometer in the center of the meat reads 120°F for rare or 125°F for medium rare, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the steaks to the warm platter and let them rest, covered loosely with foil, while you make the sauce.

To make the pan sauce: Return the unwashed pan to medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the whisky or brandy and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce, raise the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Whisk in the mustard and then the cream. Continue to cook at a boil, stirring, until reduced to a saucy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve the steaks with the sauce.

And though I didn’t talk about them, the GREEN BEANS WITH SHALLOTS are worth trying too.

Ok, I know it isn’t the most photogenic of chicken dishes, but don’t judge the ugly chickling!  At only 268 calories per serving and 30 grams of protein, not to mention I had just about every ingredient in the apartment already, this dish was a great find.  Not the best chicken dish to date, but definitely one of the better ones, I even ate about half the mushrooms you see in the picture above.  Now that’s saying something.

Click the link below for recipe:

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND GARLIC

My friend Sarah posted some recipes from her cooking class and they looked/sounded so good I couldn’t wait to try them myself!  One more reason why I enjoy blogging and recipe sharing.  I get to reap a few of the benefits of a cooking class without spending the time and money for the actual class!  Thanks Sarah for letting me do so!

MARINATED LAMB KEBABS

While these tasted great, the best part was actually the smell.  Just that little touch of cinnamon made them mouthwatering!

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

The only downfall to these is there is a lot of prepwork involved.  Lucky for me, however, is that when I need assistance my boyfriend is always willing to help!  He is better at chopping anyway and his eyes have a better tolerance for onions than mine do.  So for me on this particular occasion, there was no downfall!

And since I didn’t have to do any of the prepwork, making these was actually really fun!  Not sure why, but I really enjoyed flipping them like pancakes, trying to get the timing just right.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever made pancakes before.  I guess that is why that thrill seemed new to me.

Anyway, the outcome was fantastic and we both ate way more of them than we thought we would.  In my opinion, the yogurt recipe wasn’t needed for these, but it did go well as a dip for the kebabs.  I ate the leftover fritters for breakfast but they were definitely better the first time around.  Morning after, the taste of the feta was a whole lot stronger and just too cheesey for what I can handle in the early hours.  For dinner though, man were they yummy!

Thanks again Sarah!  This meal is sure to be repeated.