2011 Gardening Season

Last years class photo.

I realize reading this post may make you question the name of my blog. I mean after all the name implies that this blog may be solely about cupcakes....but its not. Cupcakes are just a part of my being and a large part of my business but I'm a much more diverse person overall. Along with my love for cupcakes, cake, Caribbean food, and Asian food I also have a new found love for gardening. I started planting last year as my own little urban renewal project. Living in the city its very common to be faced with only brick walls when you open your window. My front windows faces the street where trees and other plants are grown but my kitchen window faces this depressing grey wall that I just couldn't stand to look at anymore last year this time. After reading a couple of urban gardening blogs I set out to the farmers market with cash in hand and a hopeful green thumb. Last year was my first season growing and I learned a lot of things and I also scared myself half to death because despite my love for gardening I cannot stand BUGS and we all know where theres dirt there are creepy crawlies! Last summer I grew heirloom brandywine tomatoes, various herbs, peppers, petunias, marigolds, and a couple other flower varieties.

My baby Brandywines from last year

Gardening overall is hard work but its even harder when its done in a small space such as a fire escape. Even though its hard growing your own plants is one of the most rewarding experiences. Even if you don't have access to a rooftop/yard/or fire escape you can grow a few herbs of flowers on a windowsill or counter that has access to sunlight. Target and my local farmers markets have been great resources for me. Target has cute pails and gardening tools in their dollar section, even seeds are available in the dollar section. In Targets outdoors department there are more seed varieties and plant containers you can buy. Farmers markets have starter plants that you can buy throughout the growing season if you don't want to grow from seed. The farmers can also give you tips on how to care for your plants when you get home.
This year I have tried to challenge myself by buying seeds to start most of my plants instead of only buying starter plants from the nurseries. Its the last week in April and so far I have sunflowers, wildflowers, asters, morning glory's, curly parsley, chive, big boy tomatoes, and some other herbs from last year. R.I.P to my habenero pepper plant, sage, and spanish thyme they just didn't make it through the rough winter.

This years class so far..they are still babies but their coming along.

As soon as extra money presents itself I will be planting some hanging vine plants to cover the entire top of the fire escape to create my own urban oasis.  I also want to plant carrots, cucumbers, a next variety of tomatoes, and some more herbs.  I learned so much between last year and this year garden wise and I hope to keep learning and improving my green thumb. Maybe you all will decided to start up a few plants of your own like some fresh herbs to sprinkle on your dishes or even plant marigolds which help keep pest away from other plants and can be seeped in hot water to make a medicinal tea that is cleansing and detoxifying.  You can even plant wheat grass and make your own wheat grass shots instead of buying them.
Here are a few gardening tips from me to you:

1- Make sure you check your growing location for steady sunlight. Most plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.

2- Use a good soil mix that contains organic material(compost), perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss. you can make your own or sub with miracle grow.

3- Feed your plants regularly for the best possible growth. Read up on the individual plant so that you know when to feed them. 

4- Choose a container with drainage holes to prevent water logging plant roots. You can make your own drainage holes in pots by using an ice pick if they don't already have.

5- To make your garden more eco friendly you can reuse old bottles and containers to plant seeds. 

6- Beware of garden pest! If you notice an infestation try to take care of it asap! 

In the picture below I had a problem with fungus gnats in my sweet pea seedlings and sprinkling ground cinnamon on the entire plant helped to get rid of them.

Finally don't hesitate to contact you local botanical garden for help with gardening. If you are in the Brooklyn Area the Brooklyn Botanic Garden offers various gardening classes for beginners and experts! With that said I hope you decide to activate your green thumb...HAPPY GARDENING!

Spicy Butter Rum Pan Seared Tilapia

Spicy butter rum pan seared tilapia...that's a long name ain't it!? Whew!
It is long but it accurately describes the entire dish. Tilapia is a pretty new fish to the pink room kitchen. I only started to cook with with it regularly a few months ago after having a bad experience with it as a teenager. The short version of the story is that one time my mom brought home tilapia fillets from one of our local supermarkets and when we put the fish to cook it reeked of BLEACH!!!! This isn't something unheard of in fish markets and you really have to get your fish from a reputable fishmonger. I have a good rapport with my local fish market and they always suggest really good fish. One day the fish I was looking for wasn't available and they suggested I try tilapia so I went for it. I've been in love with it since.  So far I have only been pan searing it but ill venture into new cooking techniques with tilapia eventually. Today's recipe only uses a few ingredients and its pretty quick which makes it perfect for weeknights. I have mentioned my love for Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar before but if you don't want to go all the way to TJ's you can just use red/white wine vinegar that should be available in most supermarkets.

I love this stuff!

 I made this recipe twice using two different dark rums from my family's island of Trinidad. I first use Angostura 1919 and then I used the very newly available(only in Trinidad) Angostura Single Barrel rum. I personally like the recipe using the single barrel more but only by a very little bit. You don't have to limit yourself to these rums that I mentioned(granted I would like you to and to support the Trinidadian products) you can use any dark rum you have on hand. I ate this fish with brown rice and sauteed greens but you can serve this your favorite green salad to keep things light. Oh..and why not use the extra rum to mix up a Caribbean cocktail to accompany this awesome dish. Enjoy!

Spicy Butter Rum Pan Seared Tilapia

Serves 2

2 Tilapia fillets

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup orange champagne muscat vinegar(or other kind)

3 tbsp green seasoning

2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp sea salt

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp canola oil

1 large tomato chopped

2 tbsp rum

- marinate tilapia fillets in lime juice, vinegar, green seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt for a half hour to an hour.

- heat butter and oil in  nonstick skillet over high heat until butter starts to turn slightly brown.

- add in fish fillets immediately along with marinade liquid.

- cook fish for 3 minutes on the first side and then flip to finish the fish.

- tomatoes can be added in now

- cook fish for another 3 minutes or until fully opaque and turn off the stove.

- immediately pour the 2 tablespoons of rum over the fish.

- serve as soon as possible

Prim and Proper Petit Fours

My moms birthday was last week thursday and I wanted to make something special for her along with challenge myself to make something a lil harder than what Im used to...I strive for excellence always so I have to push myself. With that said I decided a regular cake wouldnt do and maybe petit fours would be in order. The recipe was not hard to do at all but it was tedious especially when it have to covering every little piece of cake in poured fondant. I dont think I will add these to my catering menu because it is to labor intensive for a one man team and I want to tweak the recipe a bit. Nonetheless my mom was very surprised, she loved her petit fours and that was all the thanks that I needed.  If you would like the recipe it can be found at Baking 911.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Homemade Flaky Layer Biscuits

Flaky Buttery Goodness!

I always liked the grands flaky layer biscuits that are available in the supermarket. Since I have been trying to make all of my store bought favorites at home I decided to attempt these flaky layer biscuits. Well not really I just had some buttermilk I needed to use. This recipe from food.com looked really delicious with all the individual buttery layers so I decided I would give it a try. The first few steps are pretty easy but when it comes time to make the folds that is when things get serious. Unlike regular biscuit making this particular recipe is like making puff pastry with all the folds involved. I recommend using a silpat or any silicone baking sheet to roll out the biscuits instead of a table top along with a bench knife to remove the dough easier. These biscuits bake up with a crispy bottom and top and buttery flaky layers in between. This recipe is  just really tasty, and makes for a wonderful treat during a special dinner.

Homemade Flaky Layer Biscuits

Adapted from Food.com

4 1/2 cups white lily all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter or 1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup shortening, cut into pieces
1 3/4-2 cups cold buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature,cut into 1 tablespoon portions
2 tablespoon unsalted butter or 1 tablespoon margarine, melted,for brushing tops
 

- Preheat oven to 450° (500° if using a convection oven).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
- Cut cold butter or shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
(Mixture will resemble coarse crumbs, with no large chunks of butter.) If butter gets very soft at this point, refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
- Add 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, stirring just to moisten all ingredients.
Dough should be soft and moist; add remaining 1/4 cup as needed.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 10 times, or just until dough holds together.
- Roll or pat dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle.
- With short side nearest you, spread top two-thirds of dough with 3 tablespoons soft butter, leaving bottom third, closest to you, un-buttered.
- Fold dough into thirds (like you would fold a letter) by pulling bottom third up over center and then pulling top third over middle.

- Turn dough so short side faces you.
- Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.
- In same manner, spread again with 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold letter style.
- Turn once more in the same manner.
- Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle; spread with remaining 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold up.
- Work quickly and gently so as not to overwork dough.
- Pat dough into rectangle 3/4-inch thick on floured surface.
- Cut into squares with a sharp chef's knife.
- Place on pan, 1 inch apart.
- Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
- Bake in center of hot oven about 15-20 minutes (about 12 minutes in convection), until golden brown and firm.
- Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Fish Tacos with Tomato Pepper Salsa

This one didn't have any lettuce..yummy none the less.

Growing up my dad loved making tacos for dinner...along with sloppy joes and spaghetti it was one of the easiest things he could make outside of barbecue season to satisfy the picky palette of three little kids. Back then the tacos of choice were either ground beef or chicken but now after going pescetarian ill stick to fish, shrimp, or veggie tacos. I usually buy my fish tacos from a local Mexican spot called Chavella's for $3.50 a pop! They do taste great but being on a budget $3.50 for a small taco can add up to a big bill when trying to feed a few people so I decided its about time that I attempt my own. I did look over a few recipes to get a general idea of what I needed to do but decided that I would create my very own recipe. This isn't the quickest recipe and require a considerable amount of time for prep but it is so worth it. This recipe makes enough to fill six large soft tortillas.

Tomato Pepper Salsa

1 large carrot cut julienne

3 tbsp champagne vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1tbsp granulated sugar

salt and pepper to taste

6 jalapeños cut small dice

1 small red onion small dice

1 bulb garlic, peeled and cut small dice

1 tsp olive oil

1 yellow pepper cut medium dice

2 large tomatoes cut medium dice

3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tbsp lime juice

-Place a small pot of water on the stove under high heat, when it comes to a boil, place carrots in the water for 1 minute, remove and place strained carrots in ice water to cool.

- When carrots are cooled strain and set aside.

- In large bowl pour in vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil, whisk until emulsified, continue to whisk and add in sugar, then finally add salt and pepper to taste (this is your dressing for the veggies).

- Put dressing to the side and place a large saute pan under medium/high heat and place 1 tsp olive oil in pan.

- When the oil is shimmering add in onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Saute until onions turn clear.

- Toss in yellow peppers and cook for one minute more and then turn off the stove.

- While you allow the onion mix to cool, take carrots, tomatoes and parsley and toss into vinegar dressing. 

- Now add in onion mixture to dressing, toss, and finish with 1 tbsp lime juice. Set aside.

Fish Tacos

1/2 small head of lettuce, washed and chopped

6 soft flour tortillas

6 boneless fillets of white fish such as tilapia

juice of 2 limes

2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 tbsp Green Seasoning

1 tsp of your favorite taco seasoning (optional)

1 tbsp golden ray cooking butter (if available)

2-3 tbsp canola/vegetable oil

- Heat oven to 350 degrees.

- Take tilapia fillets and toss in mixture of lime juice, lemon pepper seasoning, chili powder, red pepper flakes, green seasoning, and taco seasoning.

- Heat large skillet under high heat with golden ray(if using) and canola/vegetable oil.

- When oil is slightly smoking add in fish fillets.

- While fish is cooking spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place tortillas on it and place in the oven to warm.

- Fillets should be opaque by now, so begin to break fish into pieces.

- If fish pieces are fully opaque turn off the stove.

- Remove tortillas from the oven.

- Fill tortillas with fish mixture and top with chopped lettuce, tomato pepper salsa, and a lil sour cream...Voila!!! Dinner is served

** Many persons of Caribbean/West Indian background like to soak their seafood and meats in a lemon juice/salt/vinegar mixture to "cut the freshness" of the meat/fish. Its not a necessary step for this recipe but you can do prior to cooking it if you need to or if its just habit.

Chocolate Espresso Pot De Cremes

My sister is a chocolate pudding person like Jello and Snack Pack Chocolate pudding use to be the end all and be all of snacks for her up until last year...in recent time it seems as if shes grown tired of the readily available chocolatey stuff. In my attempt to revive her love for chocolate pudding, finally use my ramekins, and use some leftover egg yolks...I decided to try out Chocolate Espresso Pot De Cremes. I think the recipe is very easy and quick outside of the three hour chill time, but this is an simply elegant recipe that can make you receive oohs and aah's come dessert time. Ramekins will cost you about $2.00 or less for one but I must say that the colored ones you see in the photos are from target and cost $2.50 for four in the dollar section. The chocolate I used was Trader Joes Dark Chocolate Pound Plus bar that I had in the house, its very good chocolate but if you want it to be extraordinary try something like Valrhona or Barry Callebaut chocolate which may be available if high end supermarkets like Whole Foods and other specialty stores. I also want to say that the recipe does call for espresso but not everyones pallette takes kindly to the strong coffee flavor so if you have young children or non coffee lovers you may want to cut down to half a teaspoon or even a 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder. I am still waiting for my sister to give this a taste but so far one person thinks it has too much coffee in it and one person loves it, I had some even though I don't too much care for mousse like desserts but I think it was lovely. The dark chocolate and espresso compliment each other well and the smooth silky texture is something that no cup of store bought pudding will have!  I am hoping jasmine likes it..if not I will just continue to make and tweak it till its her taste. I also hope that you all decide to try this recipe as its soo good..top each with a lil whip cream and your ready to wow them!

Chocolate Espresso Pot De Cremes

epicurious.com

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Active Time: 30 min

Total Time: 5 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup whole milk

½ tsp instant-espresso powder*

6 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: 8 (4- to 5-oz) ramekins or pot de crème cups

Garnish: bittersweet chocolate curls (see cooks' note, below)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.

Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste), and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved, then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on towel. Poke several holes in a large sheet of foil with a skewer. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath , pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.

Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Busy Busy Bee

I have been such a bad contributor to my own blog these days. I have an excuse(what another one!) though...I have been trying to get my own business up and running. Pink Room Caterers has been in the works for some years now off and on but I want it to be a household name soon. So far I have been doing a ton of orders for people but I am still not sure of the exact direction I want to take things so right now I am just selling what I can make..there isn't a set menu at the moment but I trust as time goes along I can figure out a select set of items I want to sell. I am also thinking of opening up an Etsy shop to ship certain things such as cookies and brownies. I feel blessed that things are going the way I want them to finally...I trust that they can only get better! Before I go I want to show you a few things I have been doing for my customers so that you know I just haven't been sitting on my tail lol! Soooo...if your in the Brooklyn/NYC area and need my services don't hesitate to contact me!

25th Birthday cupcakes!

Mint chocolate Cupcakes with hand drawn hearts!

Black and Gold Cupcakes for an 80th Birthday Party!

67th birthday party cake with hand drawn and hand painted stars!

Real Maple Syrup vs Pancake Syrup

Do you all remember early saturday mornings where you got up, popped your frozen waffles in the toaster and you reached for your favored Aunt Jemima or Log Cabin syrup to drench your warm waffles in? Those were the days weren't they? Well sadly I cant live so carefree anymore...especially when it comes to my diet. Also my taste have changed over the years and the super sweet "pancake syrups" make me feel like my teeth are rotting instantly. I have personally started using 100% pure maple syrups for pancakes, waffles, french toast and the like. I think it is less sweet and it gives me the satisfaction of knowing its pure maple syrup from an actual maple tree. Let us cross examine the usual suspects.
So here is the nutritional facts from Aunt Jemima's Original Pancake Syrup:

www.quitehealthy.com

So here you can see that with every quarter cup(4 tablespoons) worth of syrup you are adding on an additional 210 calories, 120mg of sodium, and 32g of sugar to your pancakes. Ingredients include: CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.  
Did you all think that all of these ingredients were necessary for pancake syrup? I dont even know what some of these ingredients are, and therefore deem it unnecessary for my personal consumption.


Now here is the light version my brother and mother refuse to give up so we keep it stocked at home. 

This lighter version is only 100 calories for the same serving size BUT it has 190g of sodium and contain 7grams less sugar. I am still concerned about the unrecognizable ingredients in this version as well but I will say this version may be favorable to those counting calories. 


Now here is what I started to buy from Trader Joes:

So this maple syrup does have a high calorie count per serving just as the Aunt Jemima original version and is higher than the others with actual sugar per serving But there is only 10mg of sodium. Also you can be sure you are eating something pure just as your great grandparents and grandparents ate. Just as the label says there is nothing artificial and no preservatives. 
To end this all I can say is the decision is yours. The corn industry says there is nothing wrong with high fructose corn syrup but I am sceptical of those statements. If you are only concerned with numerical data for your diet then the Aunt Jemima light may be your best bet but for those of you like myself that may be trying to get on the clean eating train...switching to all natural maple syrup is the way to go. I also know some of you may be concerned with the cost. The high cost of real maple syrup is what kept me from buying it regularly for years but this bottle I bought from Trader Joes was only about $5. If you want to go ultra maple gourmet and are willing to spend upwards of about $18,  there are all different kinds of syrups available at local greenmarkets and natural markets that you can try out. There are even natural berry syrups or artisan/gourmet honey that you can switch out for maple syrup on your favorite breakfast treats. If you all have any questions on where to look for these items in the Brooklyn/New York City area don't hesitate to drop me a line. 

Back to Reality

Maracas Bay Trinidad W.I

Its been soo long since we talked to each other. Well I am sorry but I can explain my absence. I was in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for carnival. I was down there for two and a half weeks having the time of my life, I mean I always have fun in Trinidad. Along with going to a million parties and playing mas I always get to eat great food. Heres the bad part though...I forgot my blasted camera battery home and didn't get it until carnival friday when my sister came down, so theres no pictures but here are some of the food places I tried and a little bit about them.

El Pecos - I went to the location at 68 Aripita Avenue in Woodbrook. The style of this place is a buffet where they weigh your food by the pound. There is lots to choose from especially if your a meat eater such as various barbecued and stewed meats. There was only barbecued fish that I could choose from and I paired that with some vegetable fried rice and fries(I know what a combo). The food was average but tasty. I wouldn't go out my way to eat there but if your hungry its a nice place to get a quick bite. Theres not too much seating so if its a rush period seats may be scarce. Overall the place is clean, centrally located in the action, quick service, and many tasty options. I give my eating experience there a 7 out of 10.

Sweetlime Restaurant - I went to the location on the corner of French St and Aripita Avenue. I eat at this restaurant regularly when I'm in Trinidad. In this trip alone I ate there three times! This is a mid level restaurant with great ambiance that's good for families, groups, and dates.  Its located in a very accessible part of port of spain on a main avenue that has tons of  bars, casinos, and places to hang out. The service is at the better side of what I would expect in Trinidad and the hostess that was on duty for the carnival season(the girl with the locs) was friendly and professional. The food goes above and beyond my expectations as always with something on the menu for everyone. Some of the nights I was there they had live entertainment and karaoke. I give Sweetlime a 9 out of 10.

Patraj Roti - I had always heard of Patraj Roti shop on Tragerete Road in St. James for years but had never made it there and then last I heard their shop had burned down and reopened. While in St. James handling business I passed their shop and decided to stop in take a look at the new digs and try out the food. From what I've gathered this is one of those famous tourist-ty food places in Trinidad so I walked in expecting some sub-par roti but I was pleasantly surprised. First off the establishment was air conditioned, the ordering area was spacey and clean, and the line was short. The menu had several options to choose from, any kind of curry you could think of. I ordered buss up shut(paratha roti) with curry potato and channa with curry shrimp. I can honestly say it was the best best best curry I have tasted! The curry was seasoned to perfection. The seating area is clean and there is a sink area that you can wash your hands before you dig into the curry. I love the roti at Patraj and would definitely return, I give Patraj Roti a 8 out of 10.

Mr Chows Smokehouse - I heard about this place the entire carnival and the night of jouvert me and some friends went out to try it. The place is like a Trinidad Habana Outpost in that its mainly a food truck parked in a space with a drinks/condiments area and a basic seating area. This is a place to go for a quick bite on the run but not to actually sit down and eat. I ordered the grilled shrimp with fries and mashed potato salad(which is cold mashed potatoes, bleh!), I was completely underwhelmed and don't think the food was worth the money at all. My entire crew felt the same way about their food and vowed not to return. The food also took very long to come. I don't have much good to say outside of I give them kudos for carrying fish and shrimp items on the menu and being in an accessible location. I would only return if it was my only option for food at a late hour, with that said I give Mr Chows Smokehouse on Tragarete Road a 5 out of 10.

*** Notation 3/21/11
Japs Fried Chicken - I stopped at this place on my way to pick up my sister from the airport carnival friday. I had always heard about how great Japs food is and alongside their famous fried chicken they also have fried fish that is to die for. The line was on the long side and the fish would take a few extra minutes to come out but I was willing to wait. I must say that the wait was definitely worth it for the fish and chips. The chips were nothing out of the ordinary but the fish had the perfect golden brown color, crispy texture, and fresh seasonings that took the fish to another level. I definitely would recommend anyone to eat at Japs because it a LOCAL fast food restaurant that is completely rooted in Trinidad and Tobago. My only complaint with Japs is that majority of the locations are in the eastern corridor of the island so its a trek for people outside of those areas, especially tourist who may be concentrated in the Port of Spain area. I give Japs a delicious 9 out of 10!

I did eat at way more places but nowhere that wasn't reviewed already or out of the ordinary. I hope that you all enjoyed the reviews and if your ever in Trinidad that you decide to try out the various delicacies they have to offer.
 

Mocha Caramel Brownies

When you have tons of leftover ingredients from past baking experiments what do you do? Do you throw it away or choose to turn it into something new....I definitely choose the latter. I had some caramel sauce leftover from christmas and chocolate leftover from valentines day. I decided that the easiest thing would be to make some brownies and swirl the caramel in...nothing innovative just simply yummy goodness. I used my favorite brownie recipe and added 1tbsp of espresso powder and swirled in my homemade salted caramel. For this recipe you can simply use store bought caramel sauce but if you want the recipe I used just email me.

Mocha Caramel Brownies

8tbsp unsalted butter

5oz semi sweet chocolate

1 tbsp espresso powder

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup caramel sauce

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper foil

- Melt chocolate and butter in large sauce pot ove low heat.

- When chocolate and butter is melted, add sugar and espresso powder to the same sauce pot and whisk until combined.

-Whisk in eggs one at a time followed by vanilla and salt

- Finally whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and uniform

- Pour brownies into prepared pan and then add dollops of caramel sauce on top of different sections of the pan.

- Use a butter knife to swirl the caramel throughout the brownie mixture.

- When your finished swirling put your brownies in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

- Prepare a sheet pan with ice an leave to the side.

- When brownies are finished sit the pan on top of an ice bath and allow to cool and then cut as desired.

Orzo Pasta with Broccoli

When you first look at it you may think the tiny pellets are rice but they are actually little pasta noodles. I cant recall the first time I had orzo but from the first time I ate it, its been a staple in my home. Orzo can be cooked in boiling water like most any pasta or done in a pilaf method which is my favorite. For this orzo recipe the ingredient list is simple just orzo pasta, salt, pepper, vegetable bouillon cubes, stock/broth, broccoli, grapeseed/olive oil, and additional water.

The Dream Team

This recipe is really simple and hearty, especially if you sprinkle on some grated parmesan or romano cheese it can easily become the main course at dinner. If broccoli isn't your thing you can easily replace it with spinach or any vegetable of your choice. Just make sure and adjust cooking times accordingly.

Orzo Pasta with Broccoli

1lb orzo pasta

4tbsp grapeseed oil

1tbsp butter

1 shallot minced

1/2 bulb garlic, peeled and minced

1qt vegetable stock

1 vegetarian bouillon cube

20 oz fresh or frozen chopped broccoli 

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan (optional)

- Set large saucepan over medium/high fire and add in oil and butter.

- add shallots and garlic to pan, sauté for 2 minutes

- add in orzo pasta and sauté for an additional minute

- add in stock and bouillon cube, lower heat to medium/low

- cover pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes

- add in broccoli, salt, pepper, and replace cover, add in additional water in necessary

- let cook on low until done.

Quick Tips - Reconstituting Bread

You ever buy or bake a loaf of bread and have it for a day or two and it gets aerated and hard? Sometimes  that happens to me and I used to microwave it for a few seconds but I decided that there must be a way to get it as soft as the day it was baked. When I bought a sourdough loaf to make tuna sandwiches last week from trader joes it got a bit hard after a few days but I didn't want to throw it out so i decided to soften it a bit and get a toasty crust at the same time. Heres how I did it:

1- I took a skillet pan and set it over low heat. Then I took my slices of bread and drizzled a mix of grapeseed oil and water onto one side. You don't need to drench it just sprinkle about a tablespoon amount of water/oil mix for each slice. Also If you don't have Grapeseed or olive oil you can spray the slices with cooking spray and drizzle on the water.

Bread on the pan.

2 - While the bread is in the skillet the low heat will and the water in the bread will create steam to soften the bread. The oil will give your toasted bread a nice crust and additional flavor. Touch the bread and if the softness is to your liking you can raise the heat to allow the bread to toast. Flip you bread to toast the other side if desired and remove from heat. Enjoy!

Yum!