Last Night's Dinner

We had a yummy yummy dinner last night! I made Tyler Florence's Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger, and Lime. It was delicious!

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger, and Lime
Recipe by Tyler Florence

2 big handfuls fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, sliced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced

In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.

I served this with Brown Rice and this Edamame.

This recipe was absolutely delicious and everyone LOVED it!

We had a birthday boy in the group so I was trying to come up with something yummy for dessert. I have been wanting to try Bakerella's 14-layer cake for a while now, so I decided to brave it yesterday. To my surprise, it turned out great!! It was delicious and turned out exactly as it should. I am usually not scared to make anything, but this one intimidated me.

Fourteen Layer Cake
Recipe by Bakerella

14 Layer Cake

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter , at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs , at room temperature
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , preferably Dutch process
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut up
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pecan halves, for garnish
Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly butter four 8 1/2- to 9-inch cake pans (you will bake the cakes in three batches) and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Flour the pans and tap out the excess.

To make the layers, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a scant cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.

Staggering the pans on the racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely. Wash and prepare the pans. Repeat the procedure until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled. When the last batch of cakes goes in the oven, it's a good time to start making the icing.

To make the icing, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.

Then, after the icing cools and before it hardens, you can start spreading a little bit on the top of each layer of cooled cake. Before you start… place the cake on a cake board. Place the board on a wire rack. And place the wire rack over a jelly roll pan to catch any icing that drips.Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread with a few tablespoons of the icing, letting the excess run down the sides. Stack the remaining cakes, icing each layer. Pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides. Place pecan halves around the top perimeter of the cake. Let stand until the glaze sets. (The cake is best served the day it is made. To store, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)

Since the cake looks messy like this, Bakerella (and I), addred another coat of frosting just for the smooth effect. Plus, it is delish that way!


Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa)
1 box (1 lb) confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-3 Tbsp milk
Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer. Add the cocoa and vanilla. Add the confectioner's sugar in small batches and blend on low until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the consistency you desire.


Here is my picture progress.

Cakes, cakes and more cakes




Pre-second coat of icing. So drippy!




Lookin' good



Ta da!! 14 scrumptious layers!

Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Roasted Lemons

I made this dish last night for dinner and it was very yummy!! I used to be so-so on green olives. I think they are one of those acquired tastes, but now I can't bet enough of them. Kind of like cilantro. But back to the recipe, in this dish, the olives are just divine!

Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Roasted Lemons
adapted from Food and Wine magazine


1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 lemons, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 5-ounce bags baby spinach
1 clove minced garlic
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup pitted green Sicilian or Spanish olives, sliced
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil on the parchment, then arrange the lemon slices in a single layer. Drizzle the lemons lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the lemons begin to brown around the edges.

Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet. Add the garlic and spinach and cook over high heat, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a strainer; press out the liquid. Put spinach back in the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute and then keep warm.

In a deep medium skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with the flour, shaking off the excess. Cook the chicken over high heat, turning once, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the olives, capers and stock and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the stock is reduced by about two-thirds, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted lemons, butter and parsley, season with salt and pepper and simmer just until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.

Transfer the chicken to plates, served over the spinach and spoon the sauce on top.

I doubled this recipe because we had dinner guests. It was really good! I was afraid it would be too salty with all of the olives and capers, but the lemon and butter balanced it out. The chicken was very tender (although I had to cook it for longer than the recipe said) and the sauce thicked up very well. I served it just like the picture above, except for that I served it on orzo. The orzo was a great accompaniment to the meal! I just tossed the orzo with a little bit of yogurt butter and freshly grated Parmesan and then seasoned it with salt and pepper. Then served orzo, spinach, and then chicken all on one pile. It looked pretty and tasted great. We enjoyed the meal with a nice glass of white wine and it was prefect!

Bon Appetit!

Green foods

In honor of St. Patty's Day, I will share a couple of my favorite green food recipes.

The first is Guacamole. Guacamole is one of my very favorite things in the world to eat. I like it on chips, sandwiches, salads; I even like it eaten plain with a fork! The trick to guacamole is garlic. And Salt. As long as you get these two right, you cant fail with your guacamole! Here is how I make it.

Guacamole

5-6 Avocados
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, diced and with a few seeds reserved
kosher salt
Lime

Scoop half of the avocados into a large bowl and coarsely mash them with a fork. Mince garlic and mash with the kosher salt, making a paste. I do this so the garlic isn't too bitter. Sometimes when garlic isn't cooked, it can be bitter, so making a paste to be mixed in with the avocado will help spread the flavors.

Stir in the juice of one lime, cilantro, onion, garlic & salt paste, and jalapeno. The spicier you like guacamole, the more seeds you will reserve. Usually I only keep a few! A little goes a long way when it comes to jalapenos. Scoop chunks of the remaining avocados into the bowl; stir lightly with a spoon. Season the guacamole with more salt as needed and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. If you taste it and feel like it "needs something", it is almost always more salt!

**Tip for storing**
Keep a couple of the avocado pits in the guacamole to help keep it from turning brown. Remove before serving.



Another one of my favorite snacks is Edamame. It is healthy and delicious and my kids love it, too! Here's how I make it. Made this way, it reminds me of boiled peanuts. YUMMY!

Edamame

1 bag frozen Edamame, in the pods
Kosher salt
Soy sauce

Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil. Add Edamame a handful at the time. (Tossing them all in at once can cause boiling water to be splashed all over you. Getting 2nd degree burns can hinder you from getting to eat your Edamame. Not fun!) Bring back to a boil and cook for about 5 more minutes. Drain and toss with Kosher salt and soy sauce. I like them served warm, but you can also pop them in the refigerator at this point and then serve them chilled.

My first cooking blog!

I have been wanting to do this for a long time...but there are so many cooking blogs out there. I decided to do this for friends and family who are always asking me for recipes. I will update this blog with yummy recipes I have made during the week. I am NOT a Chef, just a good cook (or so they say), so I will share my recipes and where they came from.

I guess last night is a good place to start! We had hot dogs, potato salad and pound cake. Real healthy, eh? Actually, besides the cake, the meal was not too bad.


Hot Dogs with Grilled Cole Slaw
Food and Wine magazine

One 3-pound head of green cabbage, cut through the core into 8 wedges
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 pickled jalapeños, seeded and minced, plus 2 teaspoons pickling liquid from the jar
10 hot dog buns, split
10 hot dogs


Light a grill. Brush the cabbage wedges with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the cabbage over high heat until charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a work surface. When the cabbage is cool enough to handle, finely slice it crosswise with a sharp knife.
In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the cider vinegar, jalapeños and pickling liquid. Add the shredded cabbage and toss well. Season the grilled coleslaw with salt and pepper and toss again.
Grill the hot dog buns over high heat until crisp, about 30 seconds. Grill the hot dogs over high heat, turning several times, until lightly charred and heated through, about 4 minutes. Place the hot dogs in the toasted buns, top with the grilled coleslaw and serve.

***I used light mayonnaise in this recipe and it turned out GREAT!! Very spicy, but it had a great, smoky flavor.

And who says wine does not go well with hot dogs!? A light, crisp white definitely fits the bill for these.

Warm Potato Salad with Arugula
Food and Wine Magazine

3 pounds white potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby arugula (6 cups)

Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch wedges. Scatter the potato wedges on 2 large rimmed baking sheets, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 25 minutes, until browned and crisp. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil with the mustard and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the onion and arugula. Top with the dressing, toss again and serve right away.

***I added feta to this recipe, and also a little more oil, vinegar and salt because I thought it needed a little something extra. It was delicious!!

Almond Sour Cream Pound Cake
Paula Deen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Almond Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a tube pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar together and then add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add extracts and stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes and then unmold and cool completely on a wire rack. Frost cake when completely cooled.

Almond Buttercream Frosting:
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

With an electric mixer, cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Slowly beat in the sugar until smooth and creamy and sweetened to your liking (about 2 minutes). Add almond extract and stir to blend. Frost cake when fully cooled. If you are not using the frosting immediately, store it, covered, in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature just prior to using.

Yield: 3 cups

***I did not use the frosting for this cake. I don't like the idea of frosting with pound cake, so I made a simple glaze to go over the top. You can make a simple glaze by adding 2 C. of powdered sugar to 1/2 stick melted butter. Add 2 T. milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if the texture is not 'pourable' over the top. Pour right on top and it will drizzle down the sides on it's own. YUMMY!!

So my first food blog DONE! YAY! Now you can see what I am cooking and if I had to add things here and there. I try new recipes all the time and I don't always like them. I will only post the recipes I *do* like. Why waste time typing out the bad ones? I will try to add pictures in the future. Bon Appetit!!