Whether the apple of your eye is a human baby or a fur baby, may all of you doting moms have a wonderfully-relaxing day.
Obladi, Oblada, life goes on bra
La la how the life goes on…
Like this song? It pops into my head whenever the stress of everyday life starts to mount. But it’s been in my head for several weeks now, so I’m passing it on to you. The song, not the stress. Catch!
I wonder what it is about this Beatles song, that lifts my spirits the instant it reaches my eardrums. Which song would you say has a positive effect on your emotional well-being?
Yes, music tends to have an effect on our emotions, and so will this delicious Spring bouquet.
A bouquet of perfectly-delicious sugar cookies, and each one created using only one cookie cutter, the teardrop shaped cutter. If you already own this one, then you know how versatile it is.
For the Spring symphony, I was initially inspired by my bipolar Dogwood tree in the front yard. A tree which will bloom profusely, whenever it feels like it.
But, it's a show worth waiting for.
Violets, being one of my favorite flowers, were also an inspiration here. But, they needed faces, and since I always listen to my inner voices, I went ahead and made them using marzipan and a face mold (the mold makes this a very quick project). Painted the faces and attached them to the cookies with royal icing.
And, since daisies always add a touch of fun to any spring bouquet, they were also included.
If you’re as bored as I am with the formulaic, flat sugar cookie, I’m going to show you a way to add depth and interest to your edible bouquet. Pay attention, this is a very complicated procedure.
1. Go in your kitchen and grab a sheet of aluminum foil, one and a half times the length of your cookie sheet.
2. Grease foil lightly, then crumple it up with your hands. And place it on your cookie sheet.
3. Smooth it out very, very lightly, leaving enough mountains and valleys for your flowers and leaves to be propped on. Bake.
4. Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from amorphous foil bed. 
Because these cookies are three-dimensional, icing them the conventional way (outlining with a pastry bag and flooding), would be a nightmare. Instead, get a good artist’s brush and paint the icing on. No outlining, and no mess.
While I usually ice my cookies with a confectioner’s sugar glaze, for these cookies, I prefer the body and coverage that royal icing offers. But if you use a glaze, you might need several coats of “paint” to cover the cookies completely. And you'd also need to allow the first coat to set before re-applying.
Some of the butterflies were baked flat, iced, and airbrushed over a stencil. Other butterflies were baked on a folded piece of aluminum foil (as pictured) to keep the wings elevated and to provide some stability while they baked.
Again, try not to move cookies baked in this way, until they are completely cooled to avoid any casualties.
Sugar Cookies
2¼ cups AP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until blended. In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients (flour and salt). On low speed, gradually add them to the butter mixture, until incorporated. Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap well, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll out to 1/8" thick on a lightly-floured surface. Cut out and bake in a 350°F oven, for 8-12 minutes. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
Source: Rose's Christmas Cookies by RL Beranbaum.
Guys, I woefully regret being MIA for 5 weeks. Please Forgive.
Best Wishes to my peeps for a wonderful Spring!
Oh, sweet mother! I just had (what appeared to be) a huge spider land on my wrist. It turns out Thumper was just playing a trick on me. I'll be fine, as soon as I scrape my butt off the ceiling.
Well, back to my theme music...
Obladi, Oblada life goes on bra...
It’s been a while since I’ve made this family favorite. It’s a dish that makes me wish I were Italian. It never fails, every time I make it, I envision myself in a sunny Tuscany kitchen, with seven kids running around … none of which are mine, because, let’s face it, I’m a traditional Italian, therefore, a virgin.
Look, as disturbing as this thought bubble may seem, it is still my thought bubble, ok?
So, there I am, all decked out in my flour-y apron, paired with the stereotypical black, orthopedic shoes, which only help to accentuate the sexy nylon hose, neatly rolled around my ankles, while wrestling an unruly mass of pasta dough, preparing the following Italian feast.
...and now, for my talent portion...I give you, Sage. The Sage I grew with my two little hands.The Sage I rescued last Fall by bringing it into the house. The Sage that is presently blooming, under my care. In February. Somebody catch me!
Ker plunk!
Spinach Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce
Fresh Pasta
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup Semolina
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon olive oil
In food processor, pulse first three ingredients together. Gradually pour in the egg mixture and process until it just starts to gather into a ball. Wrap and keep refrigerated until filling is made.
Ravioli Filling
10 ounces of spinach, washed and stemmed
1 pound whole milk ricotta
3 ounces of mascarpone *
1 large egg
3 ounces of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pinch of nutmeg
Cook the spinach in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 30 seconds.
Drain thoroughly. Set aside to cool a bit. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach, and finely chop.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mascarpone, egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, and nutmeg, until smooth. Fold in finely chopped spinach. Season with salt to taste.
Bring the pasta out, and place a bowl over it to keep from drying out while you work.
With a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll out the pasta dough as thin as possible.
I used a KA pasta attachment. I initially fed the pasta through the machine at its widest setting and ran it through to #5. I feel this is thin enough for making ravioli.
Cut the dough into 4 sheets, measuring 6 inches by 18 inches. Using a small ice cream scoop, I placed a row of filling down the center of 2 pasta sheets, spacing the filling 2 inches apart.
With a skinny, artist brush, brush around the filling with water. Quickly cover the filled pasta sheets with the two remaining pasta sheets. Press around each mound of filling, sealing the pasta sheets together. Using a ravioli cutter, or 2 ½” round cutter, cut out the ravioli. Place ravioli on a plastic wrap lined baking sheet, which has been floured generously. Sprinkle with AP flour or semolina and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Sage Butter Sauce
3 tablespoons shallots, minced
½ cup dry, white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauté shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter, about 3-5 minutes. Add white wine, heavy cream, chicken stock and lemon juice. Simmer until sauce is reduced by half. Gently whisk in remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Adding butter only until the previous addition has completely melted. Add sage. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water, about 5 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Drain well. Transfer ravioli to a serving bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Pour the sage butter sauce over the ravioli and sprinkle with as much Parmigiano-Reggiano as your little heart desires. Serves 6.
*If mascarpone is not available, substitute with Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
I often serve this with either Semolina or Olive bread. Old picture below; face palming.
Btw, this makes a lot! Non ti preoccupare, this also freezes quite well. Buon Appetito!
...and life has been frantically looking for me, trying to keep me busy, trying to keep me from blogging, and trying to keep me from hanging out with you guys.
Quick, hide me!
Why not go after the likes of Gary Busey? Now, there's a character who should never be left unsupervised.
Speaking of being left unsupervised, I've been happily tasting some of the chocolate treats I've made for the upcoming, romantic event. It's okay. I eat chocolate strictly for the antioxidants. Doesn't everybody?
Uh-oh. I'm having a romantic interlude with Valentino and some tango theme music. Please hold.
Oh, how I would've loved to've shown him something in a size ME.
Let it be known, I'm happily married. But, it's Rudolph Valentino who comes to mind on V-day. He was so incredibly gorgeous, with his masculine, chiseled good looks that, given the opportunity, I would've boiled his boxers and headdress to make tea.
Okay, fantasy trip is coming in for a landing. Crash.
Anyway, so far, I’ve baked a cake, I’ve molded chocolates, and I've also made a batch of my favorite brownies.
And, I figured, if a little chocolate is good for me, then a lot of chocolate must be better, right? Okay. So I glazed these fudgy little bites with more chocolate.
Overkill? Nonsense! As Moliere once said, “We die only once, and for such a looooong time.”
Btw, fondant wings were attached to the back of the hearts with a dot of royal icing. Melted chocolate would also work, but it will take longer to set up.
For the topiary cake, I made the flower pot using my sour cream pound cake recipe, which were baked in 3 8-inch square pans, instead of a Bundt pan. The topiary heart was made by tinting half a recipe of Rice Krispies treats dark green, and shaping it into a heart while mixture was still warm. You can do this by hand, or you can pack the mixture into a small heart-shaped pan and pop it out the pan onto parchment paper, but, leave the heart uncovered while it cools.
I wanted the topiary to have the look of ivy, so instead of rice krispies, I used corn flakes.
But, for a mossy look, rice krispies would be ideal. And, while still warm, I pushed two wooden skewers through the bottom of the heart, to insert into the cake later.
This is also important, I used a bit less than half of the rice krispies treats mixture. This kept the heart from being too top heavy. So keep that in mind, if you try this.
The cake was covered in vanilla buttercream. The roses, leaves, butterfly and ribbons were all made of gum paste.
If you’re short on time, but still want to make something that will impress your sweet Valentine, get yourself a pretty candy mold and mold your own chocolates. This is quick, and if you can melt chocolate, infallible.
Gild the lily by dusting your molded chocolates with edible gold luster dust.
Don't you love that pink glass heart? It's a vintage little box by Fenton. So dainty and feminine, unlike me. Maybe that's why I love it.
Here are the recipes used for the cake, as well as the brownies.
Sour Cream Pound Cake
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325°F. Cream butter and sugar until light, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture and sour cream, alternately to creamed mixture (beginning and ending with flour mixture) Beat after each addition, Add vanilla extract. Pour in prepared Bundt pan*, and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
*I used 3 8-inch square pans, which were parchment paper lined.
Supernatural Brownies.
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso (I used Medaglia D’oro)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
One 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment.
1. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of water. Stir occasionally until melted.
3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in salt, sugars, instant espresso and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in flour. Add the chopped nuts last, if using.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm. Cool in pan on a rack. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature overnight.
5. To cut brownies, unmold onto a cutting board, remove paper, and replace with another cutting board. Turn cake right side up. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares. Makes twenty-four brownies. Adapted from Nick Malgieri's Chocolate.
The brownie hearts were glazed with, what else, more chocolate. Oh, like you weren't thinking it.
It's a well-known fact that I can't function without chocolate. I'd rather share a needle with Amy Winehouse and bid adieu to this cruel world than live without chocolate. So, yeah, you could say I like the stuff.
As for the paper roses, well, most of you know, I was not blessed with a green thumb, so I've compensated over the years, by making my own roses from mediums such as gumpaste, marzipan, buttercream and even chocolate clay.
But, check this out! I made Paper Roses (cue Marie Osmond's song).
I had a stack of sheet music I just couldn't part with, but I didn't know what to do with it either. Then, I remembered my mom showing me how to make crepe paper roses when I was a kid. And a new use for sheet music was born!
I'm so tickled with this new project. I also made roses using coffee filters (see white rose above). I could've tinted the petals, but, I sort of liked it plain.
These roses I give to you, my dear friends... 
And may you all get poked by Cupid's arrow this Valentine's Day!
"I know I'm looking forward to getting poked." that's what she said.
...if you know Sweet Melissa. No. Not the Allman Brothers 60’s hit song. Quit sniffing the patchouli, you hippies.
I’m referring to the Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy. I’ve only had this book for about a month, and so far, I've tried one recipe. Please, hold off on the lynching for a moment. Like most foodies, I have far more cookbooks than I have time to read them. But, I intend to turn to this book often, with its simple and mouthwatering recipes.
Ok, back to my point, if I had one...
...Sweet Potato Bread was the first recipe I tried from said book. And may I add, a very delicious choice, as well. I made only one change, which I'll include below.
Oh, and I baked it in this...say ahlo to my leetle friend:
It promised to make better cakes, so I had to get it. Ain't it a beauty? I'm powerless over vintage cake pans. I don't know how well you can see it, but this model comes with a curious little trapdoor. It might've been put there so you could insert a knife to loosen cakes, or perhaps to act as a vent. I dunno. What do you guys think?
And you know, contrary to popular belief, these old pans are not at all the pain-in-the-ass-tronomical-sense-to-clean you might think they are. As long as you: grease and flour it; parchment paper it, or pan coat it.
Hmm, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it were me who went off on a tangent, again.
But seriously, this is a very moist and flavorful bread, and I found it tastes even better the next day. It also keeps well if wrapped in plastic wrap for 3 days. And it freezes well. Give it a try.
Sweet Potato Bread with Cinnamon-Rum-Orange-Glaze
Makes one Bundt pan
Bread:
Two 15-ounce cans sweet potatoes, drained *
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large eggs
2 cups AP flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Cinnamon Rum Orange Glaze:
¼ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup rum
½ cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven t0 350°F. Butter and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan.
In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed, mash the sweet potatoes until smooth. Add the sugar and oil and mix to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture in three batches. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Do not over mix. Stir in the pecans.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Level the batter by lifting the pan a few inches and dropping it onto the counter a couple of times. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting onto a rack for glazing.
For the glaze: Combine the orange juice, rum, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a small nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat and reduce by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly before glazing the bread.
Use a pastry brush to glaze the warm bread generously. Wait 10 minutes and glaze again.
* I used roasted sweet potatoes, instead of canned. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake (unpeeled) sweet potatoes for 1 hour, or until tender. Set aside until cool and comfortable enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
I served this with Cranberry Sorbet , which came from Simply Recipes. Lacking white cranberry juice, I substituted freshly-squeezed orange juice, with great results. So, if you like cranberries, you'll enjoy this.
I garnished the plate with Candied Orange Peel, which I made using the entire fruit (the orange peel and its juice) to make the syrup. Use the juice, instead of water, for optimum flavor - swear to Gad. That's a little secret from me to you.
And, instead of candied orange strips, try using small cookie cutters, or, as I did, heart-shaped hors d' oeuvres cutters, for a little variety. But, cut them out before crystallizing.
Well, I'm off to treat myself to a dainty little sliver of this rich and delicious bread.
Did I just hear a "Pffft!"
Ok, so I'm a hypocritical liar. Why, I'm practically a member of Congress. And, I confess, I've had 23 dainty slivers, so far.
This meeting is adjourned.
Are you guys ready to welcome jolly old Saint Nick with open arms for breaking into your house, raiding your cookie jar, and delivering every present on your list?
Yeah, me too. My heart is thumpin' with anticip . . . ation!
I've been baking goodies all month long, in the hopes that my relentless kissing-up will get me back on Santa's Short, but Nice List , and I've got a few more days to go.
Jeepers. I'm almost willing to bet my little scheme will guarantee a nice present under the tree with my name on it. However, if said plan fails, we're all going out the old fashioned way, guns a blazin'!
Of course, I'm kidding. You don't really think I'd heckle the dude in the red suit, and certainly not three short days before Christmas. Besides, I know I can count on my friends' awesome power of intercession, to bail me out. Be you the friends who will vouch for me? Well, be ya?
In the meantime, I'm hoping this will help clear my name...
Everything you see pictured above is gingerbread. I know it's late to post the instructions for this colossal cookie, but it's actually pretty basic, achieved with mostly straight cuts for the rustic sign, ribbons and bow.
The pine boughs and pine cones were rolled into 2½" long sticks, and the pine cones were rolled into slightly-elongated oval shapes. They were all baked, and cooled completely before piping the needles and petals with royal icing, using #4 tip for needles, and #102 for petals.
I used white royal icing for all the "greenery" and once they were completely set, they were airbrushed in the appropriate colors. You could also paint them, following the instructions here.
Once fully dried, the pine cones were lightly dusted with gold petal dust to give them some depth.
The bow consisted of two pieces, each about 4½" long. Each piece was wrapped around (greased and floured) cannoli tubes, and baked. Allowed to cool at least 15 minutes before sliding off the molds.
Here's the recipe for the gingerbread I use. This is an old recipe, which is pretty tasty and also pretty strong, and it's the only one I use for gingerbread houses and even the choo-choo train on the right. I've also used it for making Christmas tree decorations. You hear that Santa baby? I be good.
Gingerbread
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
4½ cups AP flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, molasses and salt, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Set mixture aside to cool.
Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in cooled molasses mixture and blend well. Dough will be stiff. Knead lightly until it just comes together.
Press dough into a thick flat disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When ready to use, roll it out onto a lightly-floured surface to a ¼" thickness. Bake gingerbread on parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies for several minutes, or until they're firm enough to lift. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peace and Joy to you, my friends.
...or Eddie Van Halen...Jimmy Page...Carlos Santana...Thumper?
The crowd roars! Thumper it is.
Without further ado, I give you our newest Guitar Hero: Thumper!
Between Thumper and his sister they have a total of 6 (not all pictured) guitars in their possession.
Oddly enough, that's not what our rocker dude has been favoring lately. Granted, his ability to play an actual guitar is still in the embryonic stages. But, the dexterity in his fingers hovering over the --made in China-- stringless guitar makes this groupie squeal with utter delight. So much so, I baked him a cake.
Motherly? You bet. But, my offerings featured dark chocolate cake, chocolate flames, and a guitar facsimile made entirely of sugar, which he was encouraged to break into smithereens, after his concert performance. 
The design was very simple, because the chocolate flames set up quickly, and the cake was simply iced in buttercream. Since the cake was covered with chocolate flames, it did not need to be iced perfectly smooth. Get thee behind me Martha!
Not to mention I only had one day to make this cake. Yes, desperate times call for desperate deeds...done dirt cheap. Any AC/DC fans out there?
You could forgo the buttercream, and use rolled fondant for the cake and royal icing for the flames. I chose buttercream because my dear husband has this silly notion that fondant and royal icing should be relegated to minor household repairs.
I tend to disagree. Besides, I have a feeling that someday, he'll learn to like fondant, and all it's gonna take is a gentle thwack of my cast iron pan upside his mangy little head.
In any event, the cake consisted of 4 layers, 2 - 8" layers, and 2 - 7" layers, all torted. I wanted a bit of a ledge, if you will, to support the massive wall of chocolate flames made to wrap around the cake.
For the flames, I melted 1½ pounds of white chocolate, and tinted it with a small amount of yellow paste food coloring. Using a dessert spoon I picked up a small blob of chocolate and dropped it onto parchment paper. I then used the tip of the spoon to quickly drag the melted chocolate to an irregular point.
Btw, roughly calculating the height of the assembled cake before making the flames --like I did-- is strictly prohibited. Please, carefully measure your torted and stacked tiers to determine the size needed for the flames on your cake. Keep in mind that at least half the flames should extend a bit beyond the height of your cake.
Once the chocolate flames were firm, I lightly airbrushed their edges in red. Don't worry if you don't have an airbrush. Brushing the flames with petal dust in the appropriate color will give you the same effect. 
The pattern for the guitar was drawn freehand onto poster board, and cut out with an x-acto knife. The pattern was then placed onto thinly rolled pastillage (pastillage is a sugar based, modeling medium that dries faster and stronger than gum paste) and cut out. Once dried, the guitar was also airbrushed.
Again, if you don't own an airbrush, simply paint the guitar with paste (or powder) food coloring combined with clear alcohol, such as Gin, Vodka or Everclear. Lemon and Almond Extracts also work very well.
Because Thumper does not appreciate biting into a piece of chalky pastillage, the letters were cut out of green Tootsie Rolls, using mini-alphabet cookie cutters. Incidentally, you could use any malleable candy available in your area, such as Edo Candy Dough or Starburst candies. 
The following chocolate cake is the birthday boy's favorite*
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup hot strong brewed coffee**
½ cup sour cream
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 - 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over simmering water. Or melt in the microwave, checking and stirring often, until almost melted. Remove and set aside, the residual heat will melt the chocolate completely by the time you're ready to use it.
Sift the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the hot coffee, sour cream and vegetable oil until blended.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the coffee mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Stop to scrape down the bowl several times while mixing.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, and mix on medium-low speed until smooth, 10-15 seconds. Scrape the bowl each time. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans and place them on the center rack of the oven.
Bake until a tester comes out dry, 35 to 38 minutes. Cool the layers in the pan for about 15 minutes, remove from the pans and cool completely on a rack before icing the cake.
Yields: 12 to 16 servings. Adapted from Rosy's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed Baking Book.
* I prepared two separate batches for the birthday cake.
** I used instant espresso, Medaglia D' Oro.
Well, looks like visiting hours are over. Crank up your ovens, my friends.
I've been busy battling Old Man Winter, and guess who's about to raise a white flag.
It's been snowing since Sunday afternoon. It is now Monday, and I'm ready for Spring.
This is what awaited me as I stepped out in the front porch this morning. Incidentally, that is not a picture of my cat. I stole it from one of my favorite sites, I can has cheezburger? 
Oh, merciful Heaven, how much more of this fluffy, white stuff must a mere mortal endure!?
I'd like to take a moment (while I freeze my assets off waiting for Spring) to thank dear Jain from Once in a Blue Moon Iris for honoring me with the Brillante Weblog Premio 2008.
Thank you Jain! Please, check out Jain's lovely blog.
And now, allow me the honor to pass along this award to the following bloggers:
The Village Voice, whose creative blog is filled with her artistic photography, wonderful travels, equally wonderful recipes and inspiring quotes. If we lived next door to each other, I'd be the Kramer (Seinfeld's intrusive neighbor) in her life. Please, visit her amazing blog.
Just the Right Size. Kathy has a penchant for good food, good wine and good humor...better than ice cream [G].
Food Box, here you'll find beautiful pictures of wonderful food and travels. Pure eye candy.
Y - Why ask Y? Because she's a baker extraordinaire. Check out her yummy blog.
Cooking my Life Maureen is a delightful writer, her blog covers everything from her cooking and travels, to her crafts. She carries a big (glue) gun, and she knows how to use it.
Happy Loves Strawberry If you like cookies, cakes and a myriad of treats with a nod to healthier ingredients because you want to make your momma happy, then Indigo's blog is for you.
Artsy Foodie. Alexa's site focuses on healthy fare. A look at her pictures and recipes prove that healthy can also mean delicious, in the right hands.
Here are the rules for the recipients:
1. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
2. Add a link to the person you received the award from.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.
4. Add their links to your blog.
5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on in the comments section of their blog.
Our weather, this fine November afternoon, is clear and sunny. With temperatures in the 70's. Birds are singing. And our president-elect is Barack Obama. So, unless I get hit by a truck today . . . it's . . . a . . . beautiful day in the neighborhood . . .
I would like to apologize for my absence these past few weeks. I was TKO'd by an unholy cold that ripped right through me like an F3 tornado. I'm not out of the woods yet, but, I had to breath a little life into this blog - which, btw, has been sanitized for your protection.
So, come my friends! Let us indulge in not one, but three delicious treats, which I infectionately offer here. The first one is just right for the season. Pumpkin Cheesecake. I omitted the crust in this rendition, but I'll include the recipe for that too, in case you're interested. 
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Bourbon Sauce and Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Crust
1½ cups fine gingersnap crumbs (about ½ pound gingersnaps)
¾ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
½ pound cream cheese at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée, fresh or canned
5 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
Maple Bourbon Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons bourbon
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
2 cups sugar
3 cups pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
½ cup corn syrup
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. CRUST: Lightly butter a 9-inch cake pan that is 2 inches deep, and line bottom with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the gingersnaps crumbs, nuts and butter. Mix well. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
3. FILLING: In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add both sugars and spices. Beat until light in texture, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pumpkin purée and mix just until blended. Stir in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the cream.
4. Pour batter into the crust and put the cake pan in a roasting pan. Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until cheesecake is firm to the touch, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Allow cheesecake to cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When the cheesecake is completely chilled, lower the pan into a hot water bath for 2-3 minutes to loosen. Place a large plate on top of cheesecake, invert the pan and remove. Put a second plate (or cookie sheet without sides) on the bottom of the cheesecake and turn it right side up. Cut with a hot knife and serve with Maple Bourbon Sauce.
6. Cheesecake will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days. It can also be stored in the freezer for several weeks.
MAPLE BOURBON SAUCE: In a saucepan over low heat, combine butter, sugar, maple syrup, dark corn syrup and heavy cream, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved (about 5 minutes). DO NOT bring this mixture to a boil. Stir in bourbon. Serve hot or cold.
PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE: Combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a large heavy pan. Cook over medium heat, until candy thermometer registers 250° F. Add pumpkin seeds, stirring until candy registers about 300° F. Remove from heat. Quickly and vigorously, stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour candy onto a slightly buttered cookie sheet, spreading as thinly as possible. Allow to cool and break the brittle into serving pieces
And for those of you who are fed up with pumpkin desserts, I give you:
Gâteau Fondant au Chocolat
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 2 cups)
4 ounces (½ cup)unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 large eggs, separated
2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
1 cup Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows), melted
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 10-inch Springform pan with no-stick spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large, heat resistant bowl, set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up, and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to High, and gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip to medium-firm peaks. The peaks will droop slightly when you lift up the whisk. Stir in the egg whites into the warm chocolate mixture, until there are no white streaks visible. You need not be gentle, as this cake is best without a lot of air incorporated into it. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth it out, and pour 1 cup of the ganache on top. Using a spatula or the handle of a wooden spoon, marble the ganache into the cake batter.
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (approximately ¾ cup)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (approximately ¾ cup)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to the scalding point over medium-high heat. In a medium heat-resistant bowl, combine both chocolates and corn syrup. Pour the scalded cream over the chocolate mixture and gently whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
4. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center of the cake no longer looks shiny. The cake will puff up, and set on the edges, but will be a little wobbly in the center. Run a knife around the edges and leave cake to cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
5. Slice the cake with a knife which has been dipped in very hot water, and excess water wiped off. This cake can be kept 3 days at room temperature, or 5 days refrigerated.
This cake is somewhat similar to the 80's sensation Molten Lava Cake...
...in several ways, except aesthetically. For it is, without question, the ugliest chocolate cake you will ever bake. But, if you ever find yourself battling the Seven Dwarfs of Menopause (Itchy; Bitchy; Sweaty; Sleepy; Bloated; Forgetful and Psycho), this rich cake will whistle them menopausal demons right out of ya.
A reader requested more information on the butterfly topper for the chocolate cake.
You could use plain tuile batter for this, but since I had Pumpkin Seed Brittle, I decided to use it, as it yields delicate, gossamer decorations. Do not make these on a hot, humid day.
For 4 butterflies, break up two large shards of Pumpkin Seed Brittle (or use your favorite nut brittle) and run the pieces of candy through a food processor until finely ground. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay a plain stencil on top.
Put the ground nut brittle in a fine sieve and evenly sprinkle this mixture over the stencil. Carefully remove the stencil. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for 7 to 10 minutes; watch it carefully after the first 7 minutes, to keep the tuiles from burning.
To serve this cake, you could slice it into 12 wedges, or try, as I did, an ice cream scoop to scoop out this sticky, chocolaty mess. If you like, warm individual servings in the microwave for a few seconds before serving to soften the ganache ribbons running through it. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Adapted from The American Boulangerie.
Any typos or slurring heretofore courtesy of cherry flavored NyQuil.
Well, I stumbled onto a great sale for red and yellow bell peppers recently. So, I Minnie-Pearled myself over to the colorful store display, and elbowed my way through the competition.
Most zealous shoppers were defeated. Most, that is, but for this cranky little matriarch, wearing an elegant black voile dress, lovely black pumps . . . and pink, spongy curlers in her hair. (?!)
"This ain't Opposite Day!" I softly murmured.
So this menacing, curler-wearing, heat-packin' (Bengay), wicked witch (well, if the broom fits!) with a None Shall Pass look in her eye, proceeded to blackball me, right there, in the middle of the produce department!
And, being the civilized one of the two (not to mention, the most frightened), I let her go nuts, and patiently waited my turn with a God-is-watching-and-taking-notes-Jezebel look on my face. Which I'm sure had no effect on her, whatsoever, but it was the best I could do, under the circumstances.
Fast forward to my safe return home. Once there, I sat and pondered how I was going to use my superabundant rainbow of peppers. Hold on to your seats, my friends, I made . . . soup, glorious soup! 
Are you still with me? I hope the suspense didn't kill you. But, I like soup, and I really like red pepper soup, and I really, really like roasted red and yellow pepper soup. The recipe that follows can be used with either red or yellow peppers. I chose to make two separate batches, one red, one yellow, because I can.
Roasted Red (or Yellow) Pepper Soup
5 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
pinch of red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and Black Pepper
Slide the peppers under the broiler, skin side up, and grill until the skins are charred. Place the peppers in a plastic bag, seal and allow to stand about 15 minutes. Remove from the bag and peel away skins.
Heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped onion. Cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add the peppers, thyme, red pepper flakes, and chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return mixture to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the soup is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4. Recipe adapted (boy howdy) from Donna Hay's The New Cook.
To plate both soups, I decided to use two glass measuring cups to simultaneously pour each into shallow soup bowls. These were garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme and served with warm flatbread. 
The flatbread dough was rolled out into an oval shape, about ¼" thick, and cut into the sides, using a pizza cutter, to resemble a leaf. Then, covered and allowed to rise about 45 minutes. And baked until golden. I'm not providing a recipe for flat bread because everyone has their favorite. Enjoy.
