Nutella Crunch Bars

Today is October 22^nd and what I consider the first “cold” day in Minnesota. Everyone was freaking out about snow yesterday but I didn’t see it and it didn’t stay on the ground so I say it doesn’t count. All-Star season for roller derby is over and it’s going to be winter soon. All I want to do is stay home and snuggle with Chad and bake all the things!  So, I have sort of been baking all the things. I often forget about the blog and the fact that I should be posting this stuff here. Most people know that patience isn’t my strong suit and sometimes I can’t be bothered to take a photo of some partially finished dough or the milk in the double-boiler ready for six ounces of chocolate chips to take a dive into.

In the past week and a half, I’ve baked pumpkin cream cheese bread, pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese, jalapeno cornbread, and these chocolate hazelnut crunch bars. It is one of my teammate’s birthdays and I’m bringing them to share. I pawn off roughly 70% of what I bake and we eat the rest. These are so rich and wonderful and perfect for the chocolate and Nutella freak in your life. I was inspired to make them after having Forepaugh’s (haunted and yet classy St. Paul institution) made this candy bar-like dessert that I wanted to replicate. When I found this recipe, I was in!  Left photo is my dessert from Forepaugh's and right is thekitchn.com. I think I'd add a layer of whipped ganache to the recipe to make them even closer to the dish I had in the restaurant.

This recipe comes from thekitchn.com and contains one ingredient you certainly won’t have in your kitchen. It calls for 2 cups of pailleté feuilletine which I had to immediately Google. After a bit of digging around I found out that I could replace it with crunched up wafer sticks or if you want to use the Pepperidge Farm term, “Pirouettes.” Normally I would buy these at the Vietnamese grocery store since they have them in bigger volumes at a lower price, but this was a last minute project and the hazelnut version of the Pepperidge Farm ones were going to have to do.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Bars by thekitchn.com

*with a few alterations by me*

Makes one 9x13 tray, bars cut as big or small as you like. I went small since these are RICH.

For the crust:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
10 ounces (about 1 cup) chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
5 ounces (about 2 cups) pailleté feuilletine (again, I used the Pirouette cookies)

For the filling:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream
2 ounces (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the crust, line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to hang over the long sides of the pan to act as handles. This is a necessary step as I’m pretty sure that the whole thing would stick to the dish like crazy if you skipped it.

In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate (I used a shortcut in this and microwaved the chocolate in a glass bowl for 30-second intervals) and chocolate-hazelnut spread and stir until smooth. Fold in the feuilletine/crushed cookies until combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Use a sheet of wax paper (or a nonstick Silpat mat) to press the mixture into a smooth, even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while making the filling. I popped mine in the freezer for a minute to speed this along.

For the ganache, I completely ignored their method as I think the one I’ve got down is best. Over a double-boiler, heat your cream until it is just barely bubbling. Dump your chocolate in and stare impatiently for about a minute. Whisk the cream and chocolate slowly and drop your bits of butter in, continuing to whisk. You’ll now have a beautiful and velvety ganache to pour over your Nutella cookie crust, smoothing with a spatula.

Transfer to the refrigerator until set and firm, about 1 - 2 hours should do but I left mine overnight. Slice into bars before serving and then sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts if you wish. Next time, I may just mix the hazelnuts right into the ganache for extra crunch. Keep stored in the refrigerator and serve chilled. These are sitting in my car right now on this first cold (36 degree) day waiting for hungry roller girls to devour. Hope they like them! 

Food Vines and a Manicotti

Here are two food Vines for your enjoyment. I know not everyone is impressed by the wonderment that is Vine, but I sort of love it. I can watch a seven second video on a loop for a ridiculous amount of time. While much of it is full of cats, I'm going to try and fill it with more food. Seven seconds of dripping chocolate would be hypnotizing.

How much do you want that bubbly manicotti? The recipe is a mash-up of two recipes and my own additions. The bulk of it comes from Health Magazine (don't be mad) with cooking time in the oven hurried up by Giada De Laurentiis. I have a family that cooks some amazing Italian meals, please don't tell them (especially my grandma) that I used cottage cheese and kale in this, everyone would be ashamed of me. But this manicotti has only mild levels of guilt and plenty of deliciousness.

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided (I skipped this to be healthier and used more cottage cheese) 

1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese (I used 24 ounces)  

Huge bunch of kale, they used spinach, but I like kale much better 

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese  

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (I used Penzey's Tuscan Sunset) 

1/4 teaspoon salt  

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1 (8-ounce) package manicotti (14 shells)  

1 (26-ounce) jar fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce 

Cooking spray  

1 cup water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine cottage cheese, and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked manicotti. I tried to use a piping bag to do this and it was a bit of a mess, but totally worth a try! 

Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange your stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce, and top with the remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into dish. I had some of my favorite Trader Joe’s Toscano cheese in the refrigerator, so I put a nice blanket of that over the top. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Hurry up and get your phone so you can Vine the bubbles before they’re gone!

Now, I know we're nerdy, but here's a bonus one of my husband making pickles after a visit to the St. Paul Farmers Market last Saturday (don't mind the large vinegar splash).

Happy 101st Birthday, Julia Child!

Today would be your 101st birthday, Miss Child! I think I've always admired you so much because I like to think we're a little bit alike. I imagine your husband laughed at you often as you spilled all over, filled a kitchen with smoke, or smiled as you admired your work, just like mine does. You were perfect in your imperfections and my heart fills with joy when I can watch you cook. PBS made this video last year for your 100th birthday, but I wanted to be sure to share it. Life is beautiful for those with homes filled with love, food, laughter, and friends (not necessarily in that order). I'll be sure to toast with a big glass of red wine in your honor.

"A party without cake is just a meeting."

“I think every woman should have a blowtorch.”

 - Julia Child 

Caramel sauce to put on....anything!

It was a co-worker's birthday and the office decided we'd do an ice cream social to celebrate. It suddenly dawned on me that I have NEVER created a caramel sauce from scratch. I know everyone is obsessed with salted caramel anything right now, but sometimes I feel as though someone dropped the salt shaker into my dessert. So I went for a classic sauce by the very classic Ina Garten. While the internet is full of absolutely terrible recipes that are full of FAIL, Ina will never fail you. This recipe is simple and delicious and while it was great on ice cream, I'm thinking about using it in between layers of banana birthday cake, now we're talkin'!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix the water and sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Ina's directions say not to stir, so don't stir. Not stirring is very difficult, but just do what she says! Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes (this part took me more like 9 minutes, it may have to do with my stove), gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture (SWIRL, don't STIR). Don't get this on your skin, it will peel it right of! Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt and bitter very quickly. Turn off the heat and stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. The cream will bubble violently and the caramel will form, be ready to stir at this point.

Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.

After some internet searching, I found that people recommended this be kept in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. I also rewarmed it in about 15 second intervals in the microwave in a mason jar. I'll let you know how it goes with the banana cake in a few weeks!

This is another great and basic recipe to keep on hand, you know...for when you absolutely NEED caramel sauce.

A Smash Cake for Addycakes

As is tradition, my niece needed a cake to smash and dig into for her first birthday. I tried my hand at an ombré petal cake. I used the old go to recipe of the Smitten Kitchen's yellow cake, a classic vanilla butter cream, Wilton's pink coloring, and glanced at a few tutorials for the petal method (there are some long and really annoying ones out there, but this is a nice and abbreviated version). I have sinned and forgot to capture the inside ombréness with my camera, but just imagine layers of escalating pink colors. Addy tore it apart like a pro, I wish she would turn one every weekend.

MONTHS Behind

Hello Friends,
I am months and months behind on the blog. How about I just post a short summary of a few of the things I've made and we'll go from there? I hope you don't mind, here are just a few things to please your eye.

Meatloaf Cupcakes - Not Just for Lovers

I’ve been meaning to make meatloaf cupcakes for a while, but hadn’t had the right occasion. Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with these deliciously meaty treats for my lover. After looking at many recipes, I did what I often do and combined two recipes to make one that I REALLY liked. My fiancé informed me that this is not necessarily for the beginner cook, but please don’t be afraid to try. They took about an hour to make, and were 100% worth it. We almost couldn’t get over how good they were. I have a feeling that these will be requested often! This recipe makes 12 meatloaf cupcakes.

I used recipes from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy and From Dahlias to Doxies while adding some of my own touches to come up with what were truly delicious meatloaf cupcakes.

Ingredients for the meatloaf:
Almost 1 lb ground beef
Almost 1 lb ground pork
1 small onion (small dice)
1 large tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Handful (a few large tablespoons) of fresh parsley – I prefer Italian flat leaf
3 tablespoons roasted red pepper from a jar (I had these sitting in the fridge and wanted to use them up, they’re not necessary to make this work)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing veggies)

For the drizzle:
3 tablespoons of Famous Dave’s Rich and Sassy (use whatever you have)
1 teaspoon Sriracha

The potatoes:
3 cups potatoes, chopped into medium chunks
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Sauté the chopped onions and garlic over medium-low heat with a splash of olive oil until soft, set aside to cool a bit. Prepare the meatloaf by combining all ingredients together in a large bowl. Remove all valuable jewelry and get in there with your hands, mixing until incorporated. Don’t forget your onions and don’t fuss with the mixture too much, because you can turn it into meat bricks. Spray or lightly grease a twelve serving cupcake pan. Spoon the mixture into your cupcake pan, pressing ever so lightly into your desired shapes.
Prepare the sauce by whisking the Sriracha and BBQ sauce. Drizzle over the raw meat and pop in the oven. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

While the meat is baking, boil the potatoes (about 15 minutes). I put the cream, salt, egg yolk, and butter into the mixer so it was ready to be married with the cooked potatoes. Drain potatoes, whip all of this together and wait for your meat to be ready. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip (I was out of pastry bags and used a large Ziploc) and when the potatoes are no longer at a bag-melting temperature, fill and set aside (do not refrigerate).

Remove your meatcakes from the oven and turn on the broiler. Using a fork I removed the meatcakes from the pan and placed on a cooling rack, just like real cupcakes! Pipe some potato “icing” on top of each cupcake. I used cracked black pepper and some bacon bits that were sitting in the fridge as sprinkles, it’s just a fun little extra that again, isn’t required to make these awesome. You can leave the cupcakes on the cooling rack, or move to a cookie sheet and broil for a few minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and see if you can stop yourself from eating any less than three! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,
Lisa and her meat cupcakes

Sky Juice and a Happy New Year!

I've been thinking of my dear friend Marie a lot this holiday and as an ode to her, I'm making Sky Juice martinis for New Years Eve. They are delicious, coconut-y, and remind me of the amazing holidays I've had visiting my Bahamian bestie. One can make them as a mixed drink over ice, or shaken and served in a martini glass.

What you'll need:
One part gin
Three parts coconut water
Heaping teaspoon of sweetened condensed milk (leftover from those pumpkin pies you intended to make)
Ice

Shake or stir these ingredients over ice and imbibe! Happy 2012, everyone!

Don't mind the potatoes and asparagus in the background, New Years dinner of steak and pommes frites is about to go underway.

Torta Caprese

You know those absolutely delicious meals or dishes that haunt you forever? This is one of them. The day after my fiancé and I were engaged, we shared this amazing dinner in Riomaggiore, Italy. I’ll spare you the details of the sunset and the crying and the long hike along the coast. But, the details of this cake will not be spared. It was warm and gooey and had a light crunch on the outside, with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. It was heaven. Six months have passed since our trip and I have not forgotten about the cake. Through some internet stalking, I managed to find out that the owners of the restaurant, Il Grottino, are actually Sicilian. This tidbit sent me on the path for Sicilian chocolate recipes. Rummaging through the Google images, I found it: the Torta Caprese! This was the cake I needed to make. Kathy, over at Food Lover's Odyssey, recreates foods she has had in Italy and France, and I have stolen this recipe from her. It is spot on. Not only is this the most delicious cake in the world, it is naturally gluten free! This means it’s healthy, right?

Ingredients:
9 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces (Cadbury Special Dark, mmmmm)
1 cup butter
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups ground blanched and toasted almonds (I use Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour. It’s a great product that makes perfect macaroons, as well, and can be found in almost any grocery store)
6 eggs, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 310°F (that isn’t a typo, your oven really does go to that temperature) and line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. I gave the sides of the pan a good covering of nonstick spray, because I’m paranoid about cakes sticking to pans.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter over a double-boiler. What’s a double boiler you ask? Fill a small pot with water about half way and bring to a boil. Place a glass bowl on top and let the heat from the water gently melt the chocolate and butter together. I chopped the butter into one tablespoon pats and mixed with the chopped chocolate. Don’t be too tempted to just drink this rich liquid you’ve created now, it will be better once baked into a cake.

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the melted chocolate mixture, the cocoa powder, almond extract and sugar until combined. Add the ground almonds and whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, adding each egg after the first has been incorporated into the mixture. I like to crack my room temperature eggs all into one bowl, that way they’re easier to plop into the mixer, one at a time. 

Pour the mixture into the spring form pan. Make sure the mixture is level and smooth on top, drop it on the counter or floor a few times, and poke the bubbles with your finger or a toothpick. Bake for 60 minutes and be sure to let cool before serving, so it can set. I topped mine with a heart stencil and dusted it with powdered sugar. This cake is rich and will live in your dreams for years to come. Your gluten-free and gluten-full friends will thank you, propose marriage, and offer other various acts to you for making this cake.

Kale Chips

Since we can't have cake for every meal, we must have recipes with vitamin-packed deliciousness on hand.  These are extremely simple and delicious chips made from a vegetable that is in season year-round, did you know that this hearty green can be grown well into the colder seasons in Minnesota? These crunch and immediately melt in your mouth, similar to pork rinds, but with far less pig skin.
All you need:
1 large bunch of kale
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Tear your kale into pieces about the size of large tortilla chips.  Toss with olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.  I used two sheet trays since you don't want to overcrowd your chips, we want them crispy, not steamed. Giving each chip room, spread out on your pan.  Once your oven is ready to go, pop both pans in and set your timer for 10 minutes.  Check your chips at this point, if they still look a bit floppy, give them another minute or two.  I found that the magic time for my oven was 13 minutes. I was extremely pleased with how they came out and made them three days in a row.  Even the meat-loving fiance devoured the thin, crispy, and healthy treats.  If you don't think turning a green into a crunchy snack is possible, you must try making kale chips.

Cantaloupe Sorbet (Sorbetto al Melone if you're fancy)

I had a group of amazing ladies coming over and wanted something refreshing and light for dessert. I always try to use whatever might be sitting around the house and on the counter at the moment was a large and extremely ripe cantaloupe.  Since my melon was so big (insert boob or head joke here) I ended up doubling this recipe. In the future, I think I will use half the amount of sugar the recipe calls for.  Melons are so sweet and juicy on their own, I know it will be just as delicious with mostly its own sweetness shining through.  If someone tries it before I get around to it, let me know!  This really was pretty easy, you just have to have time to freeze it and whip it with your mixer and then refreeze.  If you have an ice cream machine, I imagine this would come out like a smooth melon dream. This comes from Bon Appetit Magazine, so you know they know what's up.
Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded cantaloupe (about 1/2 cantaloupe)
Preparation

Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Transfer to 11x7x2-inch glass dish and chill until cold, about 2 hours. I did this by sticking it in the freezer to speed along the process, I'm an impatient lady.

Puree cantaloupe in blender until smooth, use some of your sugar syrup for lubrication if it needs help getting smooth. Combine with the rest of your sugar syrup in dish and stir until well blended (I did this in my KitchenAid mixer and then poured back into the dish). Freeze until almost firm, stirring occasionally, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Transfer cantaloupe mixture to large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until fluffy. I ended up wrapping the mixing bowl in a towel soaked in hot water so it would help warm things just slightly, making it easier to whip.

Return to freezer and freeze until firm (do not stir), at least 3 hours or overnight, storing in an air-tight container. You can prepare this three days in advance. Now your melons will never go to waste again!