Chocolate Decadence Cake

I will make this cake again! I discovered it searching easy decadent gourmet chocolate cakes to make for a friend's birthday who wanted chocolate.  Described as “The perfect, fudgy chocolate cake recipe” and originally from the Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé book I decided to give it a try.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

Ingredients:


8 3/4 oz. bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
(she used Valrhona, 71%, I used Lindt 80%)
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 Tb. all-purpose flour


Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9 inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, butter the parchment and flour the pan or I used a 9x3 spring form pan with baking spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, set it aside to cool. It should be just warm when you mix it in with the rest of the ingredients.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer with the paddle attachment for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each egg for about one minute.

With the mixer still running (not too high), add the chocolate and beat until just incorporated.

Again with the mixer still running (not too high), add the flour and beat until just incorporated. Finish mixing the ingredients with a rubber spatula, being sure all the flour has been incorporated into the batter.

Fill the cake pan and bake for about 28 minutes or so. When you take the cake out, the middle will look like it's not yet cooked. That is normal. A knife inserted in the center will come out with some batter on it. That too is normal. You don't want to over-bake the cake.

Cool on a wire rack. When the cake is at room temperature, place the cake in the refrigerator for an hour or two, this makes it easier to remove from pan. I did this, but with a spring-form pan it’s easier.

Un hinge the spring-form and place cake onto a wire rack and then invert onto a serving platter.

It said this cake is fabulous with whipped cream or ice cream, so I spread Jello’s white chocolate instant pudding made with whipping cream instead of milk over the top.  Then I simply decorated with fresh raspberries marking the 8 portions then drizzled a black raspberry vanilla syrup my husband previously made over it when plating it to serve.

The cake can be kept wrapped at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days, or frozen for up to a month.

Quinoa has quite a bit of protein

Sunday, we tried quinoa for the first time with great success as our dinner guests liked it.  It is tasty and so full of protein and fiber.  Here's a 5 star recipe from allcooks for the quinoa salad we served for the vegetarian option in our roast beef Sunday dinner.   Just click on the title for the link where you'll find a photo. 

Quinoa Veggie Salad with Zesty Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 cups quinoa
• 4 cups water
•  
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup canola oil
•  
• 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
2. Place the vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mustard into a blender. Drizzle in the oil while blending at high speed until the dressing is thick.
3. Add the cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, tomato, and olives to the bowl with the quinoa. Pour the dressing overtop and gently fold until evenly mixed.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 215 | Total Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Father's Day included prime rib, strawberry salad, key lime pie

When I was asking some friends for a new salad recipe, K recommended this strawberry salad everyone enjoyed when she served it at Easter, so I took it to Father's Day dinner at B&D's with a similar result.  You add strawberry jam to the dressing and strawberries to the salad.  We love strawberries and I learned to add fruit to a green salad from K! 

I thrill to find my Mother's handwritten menus of dinner parties so I'll include D's menu with the recipe below. This strawberry salad is pictured in the back left corner in the wooden bowl my Mother loved to serve salad in.


D's Father's Day Menu
prime rib w/ horseradish
mashed potatoes w/ gravy
corn
jello salad
green salad

fresh fruit:
cherries, grapes, strawberries
pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe
Drinks: 
cucumber water
raspberry lemonade
Desserts:
chocolate pie
pineapple pie
*key lime pie

Here's a link to * Paula Deen's key lime pie recipe! Once you get there just scroll down to see the recipe and comments.  D used chopped pecans in the crust and grated white chocolate on top.

Strawberry Salad
Lion House Cookbook


Dressing:
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt
1/2 c strawberry jam
Mix and let sit in refrigerator to let flavors blend.


Salad:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
1 pkg of spinach
1/2 c red bell pepper chopped
1 purple onion sliced
Mix these vegetable salad ingredients together.  

Then prepare the remaining ingredients but wait to add them 

along with the dressing until right before serving,
so they don't become soft or soggy.
1 c strawberries sliced
1 c cashew pieces
1/3 c bacon pieces
1/2 pkg wonton skins (cut in 1/2 (strips) and fried)

Cowboy Cookies

Our daughter stayed up last night to make these for class.  I decided to make a batch for a group of boys who were coming over after school today. I haven't made these in forever. Now I'll have this recipe handy online as well. My sister-in-law's sister gave me this recipe a few years ago.

Cowboy Cookies
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash salt
2 c flour
2 c oatmeal
2 c chocolate chips
nuts if desired

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla, baking soda, and baking powder and salt. Stir in flour, oatmeal, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Hubby's Thai Food Tests

Thanks to my thoughtful friend C, I recently visited a Trader Joe's near her and purchased many fun treats for my family.  One item was meal ready green curry thai sauce.  Thanks to my husband, who wanted to make Thai food and loves to experiment in the kitchen, we had a wonderful homemade Thai meal.  He offered us green curry shrimp and/or red chili shrimp over jasmine rice and pad thai noodles.  I know my Mother would have loved tasting this!

  
Green Curry Shrimp
a bottle of Trader Joes green curry sauce, warmed
add in some whole peeled prawns
serve over rice
Note:  Even in our small town we can find Thai Kitchen products and great recipes on the internet, so to make something similar to us with out a Trader Joe's, we can use Thai Kitchen green curry paste and a 14 oz. of coconut cream.  


Red Chili Coconut Shrimp
1 14 oz. can coconut milk
3 T Thai Kitchen roasted red chili paste
2 T Thai Kitchen premium fish sauce
1T  white sugar
Stir ingredients together, simmer on medium low heat for 7 minutes. 
Add 1/2 cup frozen green beans sliced asian style  
1 water chestnut, diced and optional
1/4 cup frozen peas
Continue to simmer for 3 more minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add 7-10 cooked, peeled prawns or 1/2 cup smaller shrimp and serve as soon as warm over white jasmine rice.  


Note: You may use chicken or pork of course, but one of our son's announced 2 weeks ago that he is not vegetarian, but will eat fish -- thus this further exploration in the kitchen. 

Toronto Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package pad thai rice noodles
• 1/4 cup tamarind paste (To substitute for tamarind paste, blend equal parts dried apricots, prunes, dates, plus lemon or lime juice. Use 2 tablespoons of this mixture for every teaspoon of tamarind paste.)
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 limes, juiced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili paste (sambal oelek)
•  
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground peanuts
• 5 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl, pour in enough very hot tap water to cover, and let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain the noodles, and set aside.
2. Stir together the tamarind paste with boiling water in a bowl until well mixed, and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Press the paste mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to strain, and discard any fibers or seeds. Combine the strained tamarind paste with the ketchup, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and chili paste in a bowl.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Cook and stir the garlic and tofu until the tofu begins to show brown edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the eggs, and scramble for 30 seconds, then add the noodles, tamarind mixture, and bean sprouts. Cook and stir until the noodles are separated, heated through, and covered with sauce, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with peanuts and sliced green onions.

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

I just tried this quick, simple recipe and our whole family loved the taste.  The taste of course will depend upon what flavor of salsa and seasoning packet you use.  It's perfect for one of those kid taxing driving nights.  Give it a try!

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
1 cup salsa
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups water
2 cups raw Minute Rice
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
Sour cream

Bring chicken, salsa, seasoning mix and water to boil in a large skillet.
Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Return to boil.
Stir in rice and sprinkle with cheese and cover.
Cook on low heat 5 minutes.  Top with sour cream.

Valentine's Day Lunch

Happy Valentine's Day to you!  This photo is an example of the type of menu and table setting my Mother would set -- this time for Valentine's Day.  She was instrumental in the start of this holiday in her homeland when she returned as a goodwill Ambassador later in her life.  It's called Friendship Day there.  Today on Valentine's Day or Friendship Day we will receive the public to honor her life as she passed away earlier this week.  Happy Valentine's Day Mommy.  I love you always and forever.

Quick Sugar Cookies

Over at our house tonight we have the 12 and 13 year old Young Women over making Valentine sugar cookies.  They have decided to give them to the family of our ward member who died in an avalanche.

Peggy's "quick" sugar cookie recipe

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

cream together

2 tsp baking powder

3 c flour -- add 1 cup at a time

400 10-12 minutes

Derek's Frosting

A ton of powdered sugar (like a cup and a half)

A capful of vanilla
While stirring, add 2 tablespoons or caps full of milk at a time until consistency
Add 2 drops of food coloring to get a light color.

Fudge Brownies

My Dad bought that new brownie pan that separates your brownies for you.  So, I'm trying this basic brownie recipe my brother liked so much when we were growing up.  They aren't fancy and we not frost them.  They are simple.  

Fudge Brownies
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 squares chocolate
2 cups flour
1 cup nuts, optional
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Melt the margarine and cocoa together.  Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Mix with cocoa and margarine.  Beat thoroughly, but don't over beat because brownies aren't as good then.  Add flour and nuts.  Mix well.  Bake in jelly roll pan or in this case the "new brownie pan"  Bake at 350 for 15-30 minutes depending on which pan you  use.

Lion House Wassail is the Best

We served this at our daughter's birthday party because she tasted Wassail and loves it!  If you make one, make this one.  Lion House Wassail

Rated: Submitted By: Audrey Wariner Photo By: Juno Suks At Cooking But Eats Servings: 36

"This recipe is Great! to have with or after Christmas dinner. It's one of our Christmas traditions."

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups white sugar 4 cups water 2 cinnamon sticks 1 slice fresh ginger root 4 cups orange juice

2 cups lemon juice 8 cups apple juice 8 whole allspice berries 1 tablespoon whole cloves

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, and ginger. Cover and let stand in warm place for 1 hour.
2.	Strain liquid into a large pot. Just before serving, add juices and cider and quickly bring to boil. Remove from heat and serve.

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Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/8/2010