Sass & Veracity

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars & Awards to be Shared

Sometimes, you never quite know which direction your life will take.  Some of us are quite purposeful, and others are more inclined to act on a whim.  But when you step back a bit and consider each type of individual, I'm one who will say there is little difference.  It's all about perception, and you know what is said about that, right?

Perception is everything.

Regardless, my mother decided to relocate to the East Coast after more than 40 years of living here.  She sold nearly everything she owned, and what she couldn't sell, she gave away, packed her car, loaded up her kitty and set out for the 3,000 mile drive with the help of a younger sister.

That was last summer, and things being what they sometimes are, she is now here with us after driving the distance again by herself.

She's 70 years old.

Needless to say, we've been busy settling her in, moving things around, and working on attempting to try to think about developing a plan for the idea of a new routine. Hopefully you caught the nebulousness of that statement. We're a bit drifty, but we do have fun.

You know.  So I might just maybe get back into the swing of blogging.  There are just not enough hours in the day.  They evaporate before I can get everything lined up, and I'm left thinking about tomorrow.  This isn't such a tragedy to me, other than I enjoy blogging, and miss it when I don't have time for it.  Okay, so it's a disaster.

Besides, my iPhoto stash of food photos certainly hasn't stopped.  And when I go back through them, if I haven't written about them, I forget what was on the menu.  What a loon, yes?

So to celebrate getting back on track, or at least my attempt to get back on track, I must say that I've been given the honor of receiving the Yummy Blog Award, gifted to me by Zainab & "Meedo" of Arabic Bites, a glorious place full of heavenly spices and flavors -- some of which are new to me, and others, I can't wait to dig into in my kitchen.

                                                      

The Yummy Blog Award requires me to list my favorite dessert or desserts I've either prepared myself or have eaten.  This includes candy...can you imagine the possibilities on this?  My brain is getting fat just thinking of it.  Of course I would be remiss if I didn't pass the award along, because I can think of umpteen gazillion people who deserve it.

So I'll be creative.  What else is new, right?  And thanks again, Zainab & Meedo, for taking the time to recognize my little speck in the bloggosphere!

My first favorite is:  An old favorite from my childhood...

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Bars

My friend Becky's mother used to make these bar cookies to take to Square Dances of all things.  She'd drag the two of us along, and we'd oogle at all the brightly colored swirling skirts and hover around the dessert table, sneaking all that we wanted.  Although her mother made something I remember as "Congo Bars," they were essentially chcocolate chip cookies in bar form with nuts.  How can you go wrong? This recipe is Guittard's.  To make the bars instead of the cookies, spread the dough into a 9" x 13" pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.  We like the bars chewy, so if you're like us, make sure you don't overcook.  You may want to cut these small.  They're pretty sweet and a little bit goes a long way with a glass of milk, cup of coffee or tea.  They pack well for school lunches, too!

Cheesecake

I love cheesecake any way I can get it.  Although I've made a few in my lifetime (understatement) I've only written about a couple of them since starting this blog last year.  But I know somebody else who loves cheesecake and everything I've seen on her blog is beyond delicious, so there's no way I can pass up peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody who has to be the Queen of Sweet Yummies. And the only thing that could possibly be more heavenly to me than cheesecake?  Cheesecake made with goat cheese.  Oh.  Yum.

Chocolate Mousse

I love chocolate, and a dark chocolate mousse is something I enjoy languishing over.  I've tried many recipes for mousse over the years as well, but remember making it last year for the very first food event I entered.  When the round up was posted, I was blown away by the other's creations and knew that there would never ever be enough time to try all the recipes.  And I think maybe that's how I met Helen who is the incomparable Tartelette.  What?  You haven't been there yet?  Well what in hell are you waiting for?  Now would I ever have thought of putting my mousse in a clever glass?  Um.  No.  But I have learned so much since starting this blog, and Helen's creations have always been an inspiration.  AND she's hilarious!  What better combination goes with chocolate mousse? 

Apple Pie

What do you suppose it is about apple pie? Is it the cinnamon?  Or the hint of citrus?  Perhaps the nuts that are sometimes added.  Who cares?  I love apples sauteed, baked, and encased in flaky pastry and laced with spices.  Love.  Apples.  I'll take them with a bit of cream or with ice cream, too, if you force me.  And it's not a challenging task.  Cheers to Deborah of Taste and Tell for always being one who tells it like it is with the food she makes.  She's someone to count on.

 
Cinnamon Rolls

So if you're me, once you've tasted a Cinnabon, you're wasted.  No cinnamon roll will ever compare.  If you're disgusted about now and are thinking, "whatever," then fine.  But trust me.  You have no clue.  I love the perfect cinnamon roll.  Not too bread-like.  Not oozing with toping that cloakes the flavor of the cinnamon.  Just the right combination of ooey gooey need to wipe your fingers off after you're done stuffing the loveliness into your mouth.  Yes, that kind of cinnamon roll.  Simply amazing.  And if you've never met someone who "gets" yeast, then acquaint yourself with Breadchick of The Sour Dough or Susan of Wild Yeast.  They'll set you square.  But plan to read, because if I've learned anything about yeast people, it's all in the text.  You can't drive by either of their sites.  Really.

Is that enough awards to pass on?  Let's see:  In case you missed them, those deserving of the Yummy Blog Award from my perspective would be (and the links are above...):

• Peabody of Peabody's Culinary Concoctions
• Helen of Tartelette
• Deborah of Taste and Tell
• Breadchick of The Sour Dough
• Susan of Wild Yeast

Of course there are others.  Lots of them.  But these few represent my favorite desserts, which linked with the award. 

Clever, don't you think?

Happy eating.

Chocolatey Butter Bites

I've written before about my old dream of one day having a tea shop.  Or some kind of bakery.  A place where people wanted to walk in and sample the sweet and savory creations sitting just on the other side of the window case.  Sometimes, the dream morphs into a more of a cafe where fresh salads of not so usual vegetables and fruit are served alongside a great bowl of soup. 

Like I said.  Dream.

Although that dream has been buried for a while, occasionally, I'll see something that reminds me it still must matter, and that if I wanted to, I could dust it off a bit to give it renewed attention.  Consider whether it's possible.

Maybe.

Not too long ago, Food & Wine featured the delectable treats created at Big Sugar Bakeshop in Los Angeles. Big Sugar is the brainchild of Lisa Ritter and Mary Odson, women not all that different than me:  they like to bake and had a dream.  As I read, I couldn't avoid lusting after the photos of their baked goods, but I was more interested in thinking again of the remarkable ability that some have to act on their dreams, and know that although I have done that myself, it has been for far different reasons. Wistfully, I glanced back at the photos, scanned the ingredients, and for the thousandth time thought, "I can do that." 

But I haven't.

I tagged the pages with colored post-its knowing that I would get around to making some, but not all of the recipes.  And when I finally got around to trying one of them, I'd enjoy thinking about whether someday, I'll finally give in to a dream that never quite goes away.

Chocolatey Butter Bites

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
semisweet chocolate for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large jellyroll pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat. 

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter and 1/2 of the powdered sugar with a few pulses making sure that all the butter is evenly distributed throughout the dough.  Add the cornstarch, vanilla and flour, processing until a soft dough forms.  Pour out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four equal pieces. 

Roll each of the pieces of dough into ropes about 12 inches long and then cut each into 12 pieces.  Roll each  of the 12 pieces into a ball and organize all on the baking pan.

While the cookies are baking, melt the chocolate slowly in a double boiler. 

Bake the cookies in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes or just until beginning to brown around the edges.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Have ready a sheet of wax paper on another baking sheet as well as a fine mesh strainer to sprinkle powdered sugar with.

To finish the cookies, invert each, one by one, and put a dollop of melted chocolate on the bottom.  Turn each over, placing on the wax paper covered pan, pressing very gently on each to push the chocolate from under the cookie to just beyond the edge.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over as you go.  If desired, put a small dollop of chocolate on each cookie.

Cool completely if you can wait that long before sampling one of these delicate pieces of cookie yumminess.

Notes: This recipe was adapted from Big Sugar Bakeshop's recipe for Baby Buttons.  I did not alter anything in this recipe except for adding the chocolate, and yet my cookies spread out quite a bit more than what is shown in the photographs accompanying the recipe in Food & Wine.  The cookies also did not cook nearly as long as called for in the original recipe.  In some cases, most likely because my butter may not have been soft enough, while baking, two or three balls of dough completely melted, fanning out like florentines.  It was pretty hilarious and my 16-year-old and I have a good laugh over it.

The powdered sugar needs to be sprinkled on while the cookies are still warm.  Yet, it sort of dissolves, so you have to keep adding it and decide when enough is enough.  The chocolate is excellent with this cookie.  I did try some nuts as well, but it was beyond messy and not very attractive, so clearly, I need to go back to the drawing board on that one.  Oh, the possibilities...

I need to give this recipe another try.  I really want to get that cute button look featured in Food & Wine.  The cookies are good, but not outstanding. They're light, not too sweet, and crumble easily.  Without the chocolate, they're good, but not to die over like these. 

But that buttony cuteness?  I love that.

Mine? They looked more like some kind of strange dessert slider.

Honey Berry Granita

Remember the snow cones the ice cream truck had for sale?  Hard-packed, brightly colored paper cones of ice that never quite lived up to what I imagined they'd be, and more work than they were worth, requiring biting and gnawing.

No wonder I was so skinny then.

My mother used to make Kool-Aid and pour it into those aqua plastic ice cube trays, twisting them so one or two flavored cubes would pop into a melmac cup, ready to slurp on a warm afternoon.

But even those never quite hit the mark I'd always imagined:  cold, intensely flavored, slushy iciness that is easily enjoyed.  No work.  Just refreshing deliciousness.

Have you ever tried granita? 

This is another one that has me thinking of the all the possibilities.

Fill the bowl of your food processor nearly full with hulled fresh strawberries.  If you have some blackberries that need a home like I did, throw those in, too.  About 4 cups of fruit in all.  Heat 1 cup of water and dissolve 1/4 cup of honey into it.  Run the processor, and slowly pour the honey water into it, keeping an eye on the consistency.  You don't want it to be too watery.  Try a taste, and check the sweetness you'd like.  Less is more for me.  I love the tart sweetness of the berries.  Add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, give the mixture another swirl, taste one more time, adjust flavor if necessary (by adding a few more berries, or more honey water if you've not used it all, or a bit more lemon juice...)

Get a large metal pan.  Aluminum is fine.  Pour the mixture into the pan and place it in the freezer.  Check it in about 20 or 25 minutes to begin scraping the forming ice crystals from the edges of the pan into the center, smoothing it back down each time.  Set a timer so you don't forget to do this every 20 minutes or so, until the pan is full of nicely "fluffed" ice crystals.  You'll be able to tell when it's nearly ready because it will no longer appear wet.  At that point, using a fork, loosen all the crystals so that they are not holding together in clumps.

Pour the granita into a well-sealed container and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy in bowls, cups, glasses, or, maybe even a paper cone...

Healthy, not loaded with sugary syrup...perfect.

And might a splash of tequilla and a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of salt be in order?

Like I said.  Possibilities.

Banana Pound Cake with Chocolate Morsels

Bananas, chocolate, and I go way back.  In a banana split, as far as I'm concerned, the only purpose for the ice cream is to hold up the bananas and chocolate syrup.  And frozen bananas dipped in chocolate? 

Oh. Yum.  I'll never forget the first time I had one of those -- Knott's Berry Farm when I was in the 7th grade and had one of my grandmothers in tow.  Okay, so probably the other way around.  But still.

Where was I?

Bananas on cereal, banana cream pie, banana ice cream.  When you're on a diet, sliced bananas just barely frozen dipped into non-fat Cool Whip.  Shhhh....don't tell anyone. 

Bananas.  I love them.  So you'd think I always have them in the house, and able to bask in their wonderfulness whenever I'd like, right?  But no.  The guys in the house let them get brown.  I have to practically wave them under their noses to get them to notice.  What?  It's a chore to peel one and chew it?  To sigh at the not too sweet flavor of the fruit, and realize you've just had dessert?

How can anyone not like that?

There is one lovely thing about bananas that have gotten beyond the "peel and eat" stage.  They become...

Banana Pound Cake. 

With chocolate chips, of course.  Could there be anything better to have coffee or tea with early on a sunny morning?

2-1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. goat cheese
1-1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. extra fine sugar
2 lg. eggs
2 very ripe bananas, fully mashed
3/4 c. bittersweet chocolate morsels (62% cacao)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x5x3" loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment before spraying again.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together three times and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the buttermilk and goat cheese until well blended.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter with the cinnamon using the paddle attachment.  Then, one tablespoon at a time, add the sugar very slowly with the motor running on high.  The sugar will blow around a bit, so be prepared...This takes about 8 minutes to do, so be patient. After all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides.  The mixture will be very light in color and extremely fluffy.

Now add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides.

Starting with the flour mixture, add 1/3 and mix just until incorporated.  Then add 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture, and so on, mixing each time until just mixed.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, fold in the bananas and the chocolate morsels.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake on a rack positioned in the center of the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a baking rack for about 15 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely at room temperature.

 

Notes:  This recipe is adapted from Sherry Yard's Banana Pound Cake in her Secrets of Baking.  I used a convection setting and tented the loaf with foil 30 minutes into the cooking time.  The cake rises very quickly, and browns deeply.  About half way through the baking time, I turned the oven down 5 degrees.

This is a delicious cake that would be just as lovely without the chocolate chips.  It cuts well, and is easily stored at room temperature if it lasts long enough.

This is the second pound cake I've made from this book and can say that the slow addition of the sugar really delivers a very lovely, airy cake.  I can't wait to try it with berries...

Spicy Pea Salad with Chipotle Glazed Pork

I have been trying half-heartedly to organize my cooking, but I think it's hopeless.  If it wasn't for my memory, which is better than good, I'd be screwed.  Of course, maybe I am screwed and I just haven't figured it out yet.  That would be why my fridge is packed with science experiments.  Why my freezer(s) have food in them I don't recognize. 

You probably know the routine:  It's the weekend.  You have some time to sit and relax and wonder about what might be on the "Chez You" dinner for the upcoming week.  You have all those cookbooks, some food magazines, eight trillion bookmarks from foodblogs at your beck and call -- what could be more perfect?  So you settle in with your recipes, some stickies, and a pen.  Oh, and a beverage.  You see this, and that, and drool over all the possibilities.  But do you actually make a decision about what will be cooked past Monday?  Is there a grocery list?  Um.  Nope.  Let's just call it best laid plans and move along.

Regardless, I have been better about using food I have, and cutting down on left overs.  Or when I have left overs, actually do something with them.  You know, something the guys can't live without.  Something that causes them to wander to the kitchen, mindless, and wanting to sit down to eat.

Okay, so maybe not.  But I can say this meal comes close.  And (hang on to your shorts now..) not only does it feature leftovers, but it revisits a recipe I made not too long ago: Pea Shoot Salad with Bacon & Lime.  Will wonders never cease?  I didn't think so.  It's those pea shoots.  I love them.  I don't know if it's because they're new and different to me, or that they have a perfect crunch when I bite into a fork full.  Maybe it's the contrast of textures between the shoots and the tangy bite of the dressing.   

Trying to recover from an excess of Cheesecake Pops?

Dig into this.

Spicy Pea Salad with Chipotle Glazed Pork for Three

3 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp grated lime zest

1 T Asian fish sauce

1 T chili oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 lb. snow peas

1/4 snap peas, cut into diagonal pieces

3 c. pea shoots

1 spring onion, bulb sliced thin

3-4 lg. basil leaves, torn (about 1/4 c.)

2 T torn mint leaves

3 left-over pieces chipotle glazed pork from this recipe

Make the dressing:  In a small jar with a lid, combine olive oil, lime juice, zest, fish sauce, and chili oil.  Put the lid on, and shake vigorously.  Season with salt and pepper, shake some more, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables with your hands.  The pea shoots are a bit unwieldy, so this seems to work best.  Give the dressing another shake and then drizzle on a bit, just to moisten the greens. 

Pop the pork into the microwave and heat on half power for about 1-1/2 minutes.  With microwaves, I always prefer lower "heat" for more time, and the amount of time cooked will be dependent upon your microwave.  Alternately, you could spray a skillet with Pam, and over medium high heat, quickly fry the pork.  The goal would be not to dry it out since it's already been cooked once, so I prefer to use the microwave.

Slice a piece of pork for each plate, then arrange some of the pea salad alongside.  Drizzle dressing over and serve.

Notes:  This pea salad is inspired by Chef Ratha Chau's Crunchy Asian Pea Salad with Honeyed Bacon which is extremely good.  The recipe is easily adaptable -- both dressing, and salad.  Protein or no protein, I love the combination of flavors in this.  When you make the dressing as written above, consider also adding some ingredients in the original recipe intended for the bacon:  2 T honey, 1 T soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder.  It sweetens it, and adds a nice contrast to the pea shoots.

Fish Sauce:  If you turned your nose up when you saw fish sauce in the ingredients list, I get it.  It just doesn't sound appetizing.  But it's no different than the idea of adding anchovies to salad dressing, or for that matter Worcestershire sauce.  Does anyone really know what's in that stuff?  Do we want to know?  What I do know is that it adds flavor to my recipes. Regardless, there are lots of varieties of fish sauce -- including a Basque variety.  I haven't tried that with this recipe, and since I'm not a fish sauce expert, I can't say whether that would work for this recipe.  Fish sauce is a thin, salty, rich flavored mixture that actually isn't very sauce-like at all.  It is often used as a dipping sauce as well as an ingredient in Asian cuisine.

If you can't find pea shoots (and it wasn't easy for me the first time...) then a salad with greens you enjoy, with sprouts that have a bit of a bite would be nice.  Radishes are good, too.  I may have snuck some spicy Asian salad greens into this, but I honestly can't remember.  The point would be to create the combination you'll enjoy.  Experiment and have fun.

For the protein, if you choose to add that, and you don't want to marinate the pork, then chicken, shrimp, or pork right from the fridge briefly marinated in 2 T honey, 1 T soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder, then grilled or broiled would work just fine.  In fact, that would be what the original recipe suggests, except for with bacon.  And if you're in the mood, or can afford the calories, it's really tasty.

Black & White Cheesecake Pops

We've reached the end of another month, and you guessed it:  another Daring Baker challenge.  This challenge month has been special because it marks my first year as a member of that lovely group.  One year of fun, and learning about more than just baking:  a year of having the opportunity to get to know some of the nicest people I've met.  Ever.

As far as the learning goes, the challenges are a springboard for me.  Sometimes a technique is featured about which I don't know as much as I should.  Other times,  an opportunity to focus on something that I know I need to work on presents itself -- even if it may not be a challenge for others.  If there is one thing that I do know about myself with respect to cooking, and baking in particular...no, wait...make that life.  There is always something I can learn.  Always. 

It's called attitude.

So welcome to Daring Baker's Challenge number 12 for me:  Cheesecake Pops, hosted by the great team of Deborah of Taste & Tell, and Elle, from Feeding My Enthusiasms.  The original recipe, which can be found here, was created by Jill O'Connor in her cookbook, Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey.

Cheesecake is my favorite dessert.  Period.  For as long as I can remember, it's been my birthday cake of choice.  Clearly, I know my cheesecake, and since I've tried my hand at quite a few, I'm also familIar with the method often referred to as a bain marie, or water bath.  It can be used both in the oven and on the stove top to surround a dish, often custard, with moisture, cooking it gently.

To create a bain marie, you need two pans:  one large enough to contain a second, with enough room to allow hot water to be poured into the outside pan, surrounding the inside pan about half way up the side.  The size of your pans depends on the size of your oven and the amount of food you are preparing.  To use a bain marie, heat a kettle of water.  The quantity of wanter needed will be dependent on the size of your pans, so it is important to experiment before baking time to find out the quantity of water needed to rise about half way up the side of your cake pan.  On the counter, place the smaller pan in the larger pan and fill the smaller pan with the food you are preparing -- in this case, the cheesecake mixture.  Place both pans on the center rack of a preheated oven.  Push the oven rack most of the way into the oven and then carefully pour the very hot water in the larger pan so as not to splash into the cheesecake mixture.  Slowly push the rack all the way into the oven, being careful to not make "waves" with the hot water. Bake for the required time.

I halved the recipe and my cheesecake cooked at 350 degrees F on a convection setting for 25 minutes.

So what was my particular challenge with this technique?  Well.  Have you ever wondered whether a silicone baking pan would work in a bain marie?  I did.  You're laughing already, right?  I knew I wasn't going to scoop my cheesecake to make the pops.  I wanted to cut squares and diamonds, so needed an easy way to remove the entire cheesecake when finished.  I knew that after cooling, I'd be able to "pop" -- get it?  Pop?  Okay, whatever.  I'd get to pop the cheesecake out of the silicone with no problem.  Plus, my cakepan is square, eliminating waste -- no rounded pieces to mess with!

The other concern with using silicone in general is that it always needs to be on a sturdy surface like a baking pan so that it can be moved easily without dumping the ingredients.  The first time you use silicone, if you haven't thought of this, it's pretty funny.  There's no way you can lift that pan.  You can, however, sort of drag it onto a baking sheet if you have one handy.  How do I know this?  Because I learn certain things the hard way.  Moving right along...Since I'd have the silicone pan in the larger roaster, and was more focused on whether the pan would float or not, I didn't think about removing the pan after it was cooked.  And the water would be scalding hot. 

The silicone cake pan did float at first -- even filled.  But as it cooked, it settled a bit.  Regardless, it wasn't a problem.  The silicone doesn't heat up, so I was able to grab the edges and lift the cooked cheesecake out of the bain marie with no mess and no burns.

Another "challenge" for me this month was thinking about how I'd present my pops.  These cheesecake pops just scream "Kid's Birthday Party!"  All my kids are nearly grown, with the youngest being nearly 16, so a kid's party was out.  And there was no dinner party planned, unfortunately, but we do often have them and I think people would really think these pops are fun -- especially since you can just pick them up and not have to fuss with a plate.  So I enjoyed my planning for that experimenting with squares and diamonds with the theme of a Black & White Ball.  I think if I worked on it more, it could be pretty elegant with all the combinations possible.  I thought of using dragees, but they're not recommended for consumption, so I passed on that one.

 

Here's what I experimented with:

Dark Chocolate (Ghirardelli 60% cacao)

• white non-pareils
• shredded coconut
• shaved white chocolate
• melted white chocolate

White Chocolate (Girardelli)

• chocolate jimmies
• shaved chocolate
• cocoa powder
• melted chocolate

I cut the recipe in half and measured the 9-1/2 x 9-1/2" finished cheesecake so all the pieces would be as similar as possible.  Each square or diamond weighed 2 oz.  I inserted paper sticks into the chilled cheesecake on a flat side for half of the squares, and on the point for the rest before popping the pops into the freezer for about 3-4 hours.

I used the smallest sauce pan possible to melt the chocolate so I'd have enough to dip my square pops into.  After removing them from the dip, I turned the pop to allow the chocolate to begin to harden on the stick before sprinkling non-pareils, or placing the pop into the coconut.

Working with the dark chocolate was not a problem.  I'm fortunate to have chocolate burner on my stove so can leave it directly on the heat, keeping it warm between dips.

Working with the white chocolate was not as easy.  It coated the pops differently, and did not harden as quickly.  Plus, my experimentation with the diamond shaped pops became my greatest challenge.  Two of the sticks broke through the cheesecake and it all crashed into the chocolate.

ARG!  The diamond pops were too heavy to dip into the chocolate with the stick positioned at the point.  I'll have to go back to the drawing board on this one, most likely pouring the chocolate over the pop while resting on a baking rack and then turning to coat the back side.  That means quite a bit more chocolate and a bigger mess.

In retrospect, the pops needed a longer freezing time -- at least for the white chocolate.  As far as the coatings went, the cocoa (which was mixed with icing sugar and sifted before coating the white chocolate bars in it) tastes great, but didn't match my theme.  It wasn't dark enough.  Maybe if I'd put it on the dark chocolate, it would have looked better.  The shaved dark chocolate was the same.  I was going for a truffle effect on both of these coatings, and I just didn't like the way they turned out appearance wise.  Picky picky, right?

Another challenge for me was thinking about how I'd present these at a dinner party, and the jury is still out.  I think they need to be propped in something, and I did try that, but clearly I need to think on it more.  Florist supply shops have blocks of green squishy stuff that I think will be perfect.  It can be easily disguised inside a box, or container and then wrapped or filled with raffia to look festive.

All in all, these were very easy to put together, so if you know how you'd like to decorate them, it's a fun way to entertain your adult guests, too.  I'm already thinking of other options, like, caramel and chocolate and nuts...Mmmmm....

Oh, and by the way, they're great for breakfast on a Sunday morning with coffee while blogging!

Don't forget to check out the other Daring Bakers to see what creative ideas they're featuring with Cheesecake Pops.

Chipotle Glazed Country Pork Ribs and Beans

From time to time when reading what others write about food -- whether printed on paper or published on the web -- I've come across a person here and there who comment about what they describe as pretentious food.  It always causes me to stop and wonder what that might be, knowing that everything is relative.  Pretentious to one person may be another's idea of food heaven, and I'm not sure that I consider anything pretentious about food.  To me, food is somewhat like art or music, its connotation different depending on the artist, the style, and even the time and place it was first enjoyed. 

As much as I can say that I may not enjoy all varieties of any of the above-mentioned types of creative expressions, I do appreciate that someone created it, and that others consider it a favorite whether I like it or not.

That philosophy is most likely what allows me to enjoy eating occasionally at restaurants that serve small amounts of food perfectly displayed on large plates that cost more than I should be able to afford.  If anything bothers me, that would.  The price.  But I've learned over many years, that excellent food has often been prepared with finely honed skills, and superior products.  Who am I to do anything other than savor the experience when I can?

I appreciate those opportunities even more because I was raised on very simple food that was comfortingly flavorful.  We were bony things growing up, well, except for my sister, who ironically is the thin one now.  So my mother fed us food that others describe as something that would stick to our ribs.  As my dad would say, "For dinner tonight, we're having hundreds of wonderful things." 

We quickly learned that meant beans.  Pinto beans cooked slowly in a very large pot.  Definitely anything but pretentious!  The recipe most likely came from the bag the beans came in with a touch of this and that from my mother or grandmother. The meal usually included coleslaw, rice, and biscuits if we were lucky.  It was heavenly.

Now, when I make a pot of beans, it includes my own touches, of course.  And most often, we have some sort of meat or barbeque alongside.  It's not quite as satisfying as my mother's , but you know how memories are.  They sort of improve with age.

Courtesy of Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, I've adapted his "Chile-Glazed Country Ribs" or Costillas Adobadas recipe for you here, as well as a rendition of our family's Pinto Beans.

 My Pinto Beans

1 lb. dried pinto beans
1 lg. onion, quartered
3 lg. cloves garlic, peeled
3 pieces thick bacon
2 green chilies, roasted, peeled and seeded

garnish of cheese & cilantro

Rinse and examine beans to remove any small stones.  Pour into a large pot and cover with boiling water by about 2 inches.  Let sit for at least an hour to soften the beans.  It's fine if they soak longer.

Pour off water.  Cover beans with fresh water.  Add onion and garlic and bring to a boil before turning down to a low simmer.  Cover and cook for about 1 hour.  After that time, check the consistency of the beans by tasting one for texture.  You want the skin firm, but there shouldn't be a crunch.  Add the bacon and the green chilies, and season with salt & pepper.  Replace the lid and continue cooking over a very low heat, making sure the beans are simmering for about 30-45 minutes. Correct seasoning and serve with your choice of cheese and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

While the beans are soaking before you've begun to cook them...

Make the marinade for the ribs.

Chipotle Glazed Pork "Ribs"

4 lbs. pork shoulder "country ribs" (boneless slices)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 chipotles in adobo
3/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. pepper
pinch ground cloves
two pinches ground cumin
2 T white wine vinegar
1/4 c. water
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 T honey

To make the marinade, roast the garlic in the skin by heating over medium heat in a skilled until blackened in spots.  Let sit to soften, then peel.

In the bowl of a food processor, place chipotles, peeled garlic, oregano, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin, and vinegar.  Process, and add 1/4 water as you go, until the mixture is a smooth puree.  Strain through a strainer for a finer texture if you wish.

Brush pork with marinade, reserving about half.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably as long as it takes for the beans to cook.  Bayless suggests that overnight is fine.  To the reserved sauce, add  1-1/2 T honey and mix well.  Set aside.

To cook the ribs, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  When the oven is hot, transfer the meat to a large oven proof dish, juices and all.  Pour in 1/4 c. water, cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven, baste with the reserved sauce and put back in oven for an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered.

Pour off excess juices, turn oven up to 350 degrees F, and brush with sauce.  Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes until meat is dark and glossy with the sauce.

Serve.

Notes:  I was going to put these on the grill and cook them very, very slowly.  Alas, the propane tank was empty, and no, nothing will get me to drive down to The Home Depot if I don't have to.  My oven works just fine!   These "ribs" are so moist and tender, the sauce not too spicy, and are well worth trying.  I love this particular cut of meat.  It's usually not expensive, and lots can be done with it.  It's perfect for this dish.

With respect to the beans, the turn out a bit differently each time I make them.  Sometimes they're more soupy, and others, they're firm and in a cloudy thin broth.  No matter.  They're beans.  Have fun playing around with them.  And if you've never made a pot of pintos, you should try.  They're hundreds of wonderful things good for your body!

Brown Butter Ice Cream with Salted Almond Brittle & Pound Cake

I'm convinced there's nothing quite like being under the weather for four whole days to put myself behind in all the expectations I had of posting a series of savory recipes in a logical and timely manner.  So much for best laid plans.  But I'm raring to go now, and taking pity on you for having to look at carne asada for days and days.  I decided a treat was in order instead.

I apologize that it's not low in calories.

But I saw a few recipes that I just couldn't resist putting my own little touch on.  You understand.  I know you do.

And then, there is that salt I purchased not too long ago...

It all started with the January 2008 issue of bon appetit, Best of the Year.  It was their Flavor of the Year choice that many other cooking publications soon followed: brown butter.  If there is anything that could be as heavenly as butter, it would be brown butter.  Oh my.  One of my very favorite dishes is pasta with brown butter and mizithra.  Wait.  Make that sage and brown butter on pasta.  But that wouldn't be the treat I mentioned above.  No.

Days went by.  Maybe weeks.  Or was it that the days just felt like weeks?  Whatever.  But one day as I was lurking around David Lebowitz' website I nearly swooned when I saw his recipe for Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream.

I wondered whether I'd actually read salt and caramel, and butter in the same phrase.  With ice cream?  Oh.  My.  The only possible thing that could make this better is...

...you guessed it.

Brown Butter.  In fact, Brown Butter Ice Cream.

With pound cake.  And not just any pound cake.  It's buttery, and light.  It's so moist and has the finest crumb.

I'm really sorry about the calories.  Truly I am.  But I couldn't resist.  And do you know what's worse?  Now that I've tried it, I can think of so many ways to make it even better.

Party on.  With food, of course.

Brown Butter Ice Cream with Salted Almond Brittle with Sherry Yard's Pound Cake

Make the pound cake first:

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. + 2 T granulated sugar
4 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1-3/4 c. cake flour sifted 3 x
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and make sure your baking rack is centered in your oven.  Prepare a loaf pan (9x5x3-inch) by spraying with oil and lining the bottom with parchment.  Spray the parchment as well.

Pre-measure all ingredients ahead of time.  Sift the cake flour with the baking powder and salt so they are well mixed.

In the bowl of a standing mixer using a paddle attachment, beat butter on high speed until creamy -- at least a minute. While the mixer is running, slowly pour the sugar into the bowl over a 5 minute period of time.  You will notice that the mixture becomes very light and fluffy-looking during this process.  Scrape down the bowl when you are finished. 

Add eggs one at a time making sure to run the mixer each time until the egg is completely incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl each time you finish.

Then, slowly add the flour about 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer running on low.  Add the salt and mix well.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes keeping an eye on the top so that it won't brown too deeply.

Remove from oven when a wooden pick inserted is removed clean.  Cool briefly in the pan on a baking rack before turning out to cool completely on the rack.

Notes:  This is the Master Pound Cake from Yard's The Secrets of Baking book.  I've made two pound cake recipes now, and can say that it's worth it to whip the sugar into the butter on high as directed.  The resulting bread is so light and airy, it cuts and toasts beautifully.  If you have trouble with the idea of adding the sugar over the expected period of time, set a timer.  Be warned if you don't have a shield on your mixer, though.  The sugar does blow around!

This recipe comes together extremely quickly, so is perfect to put into the oven while busying yourself with other things.

Make the Salted Almond Brittle next:

1/2 c. extra fine sugar (caster sugar, baker's sugar)
3/4 tsp. Fleur de Sel
1/4 c. coarsely chopped almonds

It is extremely important to have everything ready for this recipe.  Prepare a baking pan by lining it with a silicone mat or by lightly oiling it.  Make sure the pan and salt are right next to the pan you'll be cooking the sugar in.

Spread sugar in a pan evenly over medium heat.  As the edges begin to melt, use a silicone spatula to lightly push the unmelted sugar toward the melted parts to make sure all is dissolved.  Stay with the pan, watching it closely until the sugar is a rich caramel color, just barely, slightly beginning to smoke and getting ready to burn. 

Immediately, sprinkle the salt over the surface without stirring, then quickly pour onto the prepared baking pan.  Pick up the baking pan and move around to allow the caramel to run and spread as much as possible.  Quickly sprinkle the chopped almonds over the brittle before it hardens.  Set aside to cool.

Now, make the ice cream:

6 T unsalted butter
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
6 lg. egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla
crushed salted almond brittle

Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium low heat, cooking until the butter turns a dark amber color, making sure to stir once in a while.  Make sure it doesn't burn.  Pour it through a very fine strainer to remove the dark brown residue.  Set aside.

Prepare a bowl with an ice bath.  You'll pour the heated custard into this.  (See notes)

Whisk egg yolks, sugars, and salt in a large bowl until it is thick and well blended.  Meanwhile, heat milk and heavy cream over a medium heat in a large sauce pan until simmering.

Add the brown butter to the egg yolk mixture.  Then pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring quickly.  Pour the egg mixture into the hot milk, again stirring quickly as you pour.  Using either a candy thermometer you can attach to the pan or an instant-read thermometer, heat mixture until it reaches 178 degrees F, about 5 minutes or less.

Strain the custard into a large bowl before setting into the prepared ice bath and stirring frequently until cold.  Stir in vanilla.

Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. 

Crush the salted almond brittle using a rolling pin, making sure large pieces are reserved for serving if you wish.

Add the crushed brittle to the ice cream mixer slowly during the very last few seconds of mixing.  Scrape into a container that can be sealed well and placed in a freezer for at least one hour before serving.

To serve:

Slice the pound cake and dollop ice cream over.  If you reserved and pieces of salted almond brittle, sprinkle over the top.

Notes: To prepare an ice bath my way, fill your sink with cold water and add either ice cubes or those refreezable lunch packs and place the bowl you'll pour the custard in into the sink, weighted down with anything that's clean until you're ready to pour.  Classically, an ice bath is a large bowl filled with ice and water, fitted with a smaller bowl.  In my experience, the ice melts, and has to be replaced, so I like the sink idea better.  Plus, you can multi-task (read prepare dinner) while the custard is cooling in the sink, stirring it occasionally...Trust me.  It works.

The crushed brittle in this ice cream is beyond amazing.  It sort of melts in the ice cream and you get this caramelly effect with an occasional crunch from still hard brittle or an almond. 

And the salt?  Ohhhhhh....

The salt.

You have to try this.

How to make it better?  Well, I was dying for sauce.  I know that's horribly decadent, but still.  I wanted it.  I didn't get it, of course, because I'm still thinking. 

And why oh why didn't I make David Lebowitz' Salted Butte Caramel Ice Cream?  Uh.  Because it required an extensive amount of refrigeration (8 hours).  Now, that isn't bad unless you're me, and didn't plan properly.  I completely plan to make his luscious ice cream and have every sense that I will find what was missing in mine.  Well, except for the brown butter.  Jeez.

As far as my planning goes, just to convince you I'm entirely crazy, I came home from the grocery store at just past noon on a Saturday and made this before putting together a lasagna with a homemade bolognese (I'd made the sauce earlier) and clams in white wine and lemon for starters.  Guests arrived at 6:30.

Fun was had by all.

Carne Asada with Anaheim Chili Sauce

We love Mexican food.  But I'm the one that loves the heat the most.  Not so much that I can't taste the food, but enough to get my guys to say, "It's spicy," after they've taken only one bite.  I generally tell them to suck it up and keep eating, that it's an acquired taste and if they keep an open mind, they'll get to the point that they can keep up with me.

So when I happened onto a conversation about grilling and "Barbeque" at Great Cooks Community in the Barbecue College group, it was easy to join in the debate about whether using propane constitutes real grilling.  Jerry of Cooking by the Seat of My Pants said, "No problem," when I said, "Saddle up, dude, and we'll find out."  I'm always good for a debate even if it's about apples and oranges which I think this is.  No, not grilling apples and oranges.  Debating whether using propane vs charcoal vs wood is best.  They're all different methods of the same thing, allowing the cook to explore different options.

So with my new Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen cookbook in hand that I finally splurged for a few weeks ago, and a propane BBQ out on the patio, I was ready to roll...erm...grill.  Sans my hunkster, of course.  He was still buried at work, and I figured I could somewhat live without my sous chef on this one.  After all, how difficult is it to turn a knob on our grill?

Evidently, more difficult than I thought.  The plan was to delve into Bayless' recipes (and a few others  as well...)throughout the entire week, with one recipe leading to the next, whether focusing on a dry rub, or type of salsa, or a slow grilled roast. It would be quite the tasty experiment.

Sounds great, right?

Well, I only got as far as the carne asada the first night, freezing left overs for later use.  The next day, slow grilled boneless "country style" ribs were planned right up to the part where the barbeque wouldn't light.  Apparently, we were out of propane.  And because I didn't feel like dragging out the small Weber we keep around for outings, I ended up cooking inside that night.  Not one to throw in the towel where food is concerned, I also thawed a gorgeous six pound rib eye roast I had delicious plans for.  So I took the time to go to Home Depot to get a new canister of propane.

I brought it home, we hooked it up, and guess what?

It was empty.  I paid for an empty canister of propane.  I know.  I should have been paying