Friday, June 28, 2013

Norham Kale and Garlic, Purple Mashed Potatoes


I never ate kale until the past two years. It was popping up all over the blogosphere as an amazing health food trend. It's a nutritional powerhouse, full of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and calcium. Research indicates that this combination can help prevent cancer as well as reduce cholesterol. Plus, a friend of mine swears up and down that it's great for losing and maintaining a healthy weight.  Though those are all great reasons to eat kale, i didn't know any of them!


Our greens were in need of a little spruce up so at the recommendation of a co-worker (thanks MP), I decided to give baked kale chips a shot. They were an instant hit! After several other fantastic recipes like kale with sweet potato, it slowly became a weekly staple. It's a pretty merciful vegetable and has great taste. I'm not sure how to explain it... some say it's bitter but I never got that impression. It plays nice in the kitchen and pairs well with most savory dishes.


One evening, it was a "everything but the kitchen sink" type of feeling. I threw a few things together and came up with a dish the hubby (tee hee... hubby) and I call "Norham Kale." It's quick, easy to make, and healthy (just don't go crazy on the sausage!) Never would I expect a primarily veggie dish would be such a beloved meal in our home! There are only a handful ingredients involved: kale (regular or baby leaf), red onion, chicken sausage (go with the least amount of sodium), honey crisp apples, olive oil, red pepper, garlic, and black pepper. That's it. Not terribly wild! Feel free to toss other veggies in! I think of it as a warmed salad.



If you're looking for a little starch to balance it out, may I recommend purple mashed potatoes? Purple potatoes are very good for you as well! They're packed with antioxidants. It seems anything that's red or purple is beneficial to blood pressure. They're very similar to red potatoes in flavor and texture. 

Hope you enjoy these simple noms!

Norham Kale

5 ounces Kale or Baby Kale
1 honey crisp apple, thinly sliced
1 chicken sausage link, chopped into quarter width slices
1/2 red onion, sliced 
1/4 cup olive oil
couple cloves finely chopped garlic; we love garlic!
crushed black pepper and red pepper to season

In a small bowl, pour olive oil. Add the finely chopped garlic, a generous amount of black pepper, and some red pepper for heat. Give it a good stir and set aside.

Set the oven broil (high). In a 9x13 baking pan, line bottom with chopped sausage. Broil for about 3 minutes and then flip. Let it cook for an additional 3 minutes; you want that juicy flavor of the sausage as the base. Remove from oven. Add the kale, apples, and onion to the pan and toss carefully (don't touch the pan, it's still warm!). Drizzle enough olive oil to give a very light coat to the kale. Too much olive oil, and the kale becomes soggy. Return to oven and let it broil for another 5 minutes. It's done with the apples have softened and the kale is tender. Ready to go!

Garlic, Purple Mashed Potatoes

1 small bag of small, purple potatoes, halved (about 2lbs)
head of garlic (yup, the whole thing), chopped
1/2 teapsoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
generous amount of black pepper

In a medium pot, add the halved potatoes. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the chopped garlic and salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Cook until the potatoes are tender and easy to crush, 15-20 minutes. Pour potato mix into strainer to discard water. Immediately place hot potatoes in a deep serving bowl and add butter. Mash until softened; add 2 tablespoons of cream/milk. Continue to mash. Add more cream/milk until reaching desired consistency. Season with black pepper. If you're a real garlic lover, add a little dried garlic!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

My Favorite Carrot Cake!


I've been struggling with how to start this post. Heck I deleted the first draft entirely. Sometimes it's difficult to articulate things that are personal.

So as you know, Father's Day recently passed. My father and I don't have a close relationship; it's a long story. I'm sure there are quite a few reading this that are in the same boat hence I felt the need to be open on this subject. It's wonderful to see stories like Joy the Baker's relationship with her dad and it's uplifting to know that sort of thing does exist.


While it is nice to see, just make sure that you never compare; "comparison is the thief of joy." It's apples to oranges! Families rarely reflect those sentimental hallmark cards and that's okay. Seriously- it's okay *hugs* What is important is that you don't short change yourself. Spend your energy and love on people and activities that make you happy. It doesn't matter if it's hanging out with your peeps, making a gourmet meal for your cat, taking a walk, or baking a cake (wink wink). In with the good, out with the bad.



My focus on Father's Day was friends and family. I dropped off Mike to watch Super Man with his pops and then spent some time with my amazing big brother. As luck with have it, there was a convenient surprise near the restaurant! Our "second" set of parents, Olga and Tonito, had just finished lunch so we got to catch up with them for a little bit. I got to give a big hug to Tonito which meant a lot; he's always been incredibly kind and doted on me growing up. This is the man who still tried to cut my pizza into bite-size pieces... when I was 24. Love him! Afterwards, the evening was spent relaxing with the in-laws and grubbing on Mexican food!

Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better Father's Day.


I wanted to make something special for my father-in-law. He is a lovable guy and a touch on the silly side. More importantly, I appreciate the connection he shares with his son. Mike nominated carrot cake again as it is his pop's favorite cake (which I find adorable considering his wife is a "carrot-top" feisty red head). I've tried a few recipes here and there but decided to bust out the big guns, also known was America's Test Kitchen. Yes, I'm a total sucker for their recipes. They were recommended by a caterer so you know they must be doing something right.


With no bias, I have to say: this cake is awesome. It is now my favorite carrot cake recipe of all time. Where to begin? Super moist, easy to make, balanced, and refined.  Everybody who tried this cake raved about it and I was thrilled to see my father-in-law like it so much.

The ingredients are thoughtful and new to my carrot cake arsenal. Instead of raisins, this recipe calls for dried currants. I've never cooked with these before! Currants are sort of like raisins, but they are less sweet and smaller in size. You can usually find them in the same aisle as the raisins. The currants just about melt into the cake.




The other highlight of the cake was the genius cooking method. As luck would have it, the recipe calls for a 18x12 cooking pan which I had JUST bought for a custom cake order. You pour the entire batter directly into the pan as a solid block of cake. Make sure you have a wire rack that can handle holding this bad boy! When the cake has cooled, you cut it into 4 thin, even 9x6 slices. This eliminates the need to level the cake entirely and creates perfectly even layers. Professional and excellent!

Cream cheese frosting is always a treat. This rendition is not overly sweet and has another unique ingredient: powdered buttermilk. Trust, I wish I understood what magic this brings to the frosting but it was delicious! Make sure when you frost the cake to go easy on the interior; that's 4 layers of cake and it adds up.

  
Finally, the toasted pecans are a perfect accent flavor. They compliment the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting and provide a nice subtle texture. Feel free to sprinkle them in between the layers as you frost if you're a pecan lover.

Make sure you grab yourself a slice- it goes quick! The pictures are used with the remaining cake so it's not to full size. For the full recipe, you have to sneak a copy unless you have a subscription to America's Test Kitchen. I found my version here.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake


Last year, I got a little frisky and risky in the kitchen and concocted a Lite Mixed-Berry Cheesecake. It was essentially the cheesecake version of "everything but the kitchen sink." I grabbed an assortment of leftovers in the fridge and threw them into a springform pan. The end result was silky, smooth and chopped full of berry goodness.  I wouldn't have even given this recipe a second thought except for one tiny detail.

A detail named Brandon, a.k.a kuya.

Brandon would not stop bringing up the "berry cheesecake" that he saw on the blog. Good grief. At the mention of baking his eyes would light up and he would say "what about that cheesecake?" I had no clue it was like that! In all the years I've known B, the only sweets I've seen him fiend over are peach rings during Kung Fu Movie Night. I took this little bit of information and stashed it in the ol' back pocket for a special occasion.

The time to strike came on his birthday about a week or so back. Instead of using my mash up recipe, I wanted to go for something a little more refined. The cheesecake of choice is by Ina Garten and has fantastic reviews. The berries are not incorporated into the batter; they are used as garnish. The plan was to omit the berry topping and decorate the cheesecake with raspberry swirled hearts instead. Seriously, you need to check out how freaking adorable raspberry swirled hearts can be on a cheesecake. 


Unfortunately... much to my dismay... I over did it on the hearts. What you're SUPPOSED to do is make dots with the raspberry puree and then drag a knife down the middle of the circle to instantly create a heart pattern. My bright self painstakingly made the hearts with the puree with the help of a toothpick. When I dragged the knife through the pattern, it distorted the hearts and the pattern became too chaotic. To cover up my tracks, I swirled the puree all over the place creating a marbled look. It's pretty, but not what I was going for. Next time, raspberry swirled hearts. Next time.


The other error in this cheesecake is rather visible without the raspberry topping. See in the above photo that chasm going across the top? Yah... that's wrong. Perfect cheesecakes have perfectly smooth tops. There are several methods to help ensure this in your cheesecake- none of which I followed- such as baking it in a waterbath to seal in the moisture. Honestly, I don't think the oven condition was the issue. I'm pretty sure I over-mixed the poor thing due to a split attention span. 

Sooooo to cover up my tracks further.. I back pedaled and added fruit on top of the cheesecake. The topping of choice is simply raspberries cooked over the stove at a low heat for a few minutes; a sprinkling of sugar is optional. Remember, the heat makes the berries release all those natural juices so you may want to let it drain before using as garnish. It's all just another lesson learned! In review:
  1. All ingredients should be at room temperature
  2. Don't over-beat the mix
  3. Beat the cream cheese seperately before adding the other stuff to ensure there are no lumps
  4. For a safe bake, use a waterbath
  5. If you are garnishing, do so right before serving so the color doesn't bleed into the cake
  6. If you mess up, cover your tracks! Swirl and garnish!
Bottom line, everybody loved this recipe. The tartness of the raspberry was a welcome treat to the smoothness of the cake. It's refreshing and screams summer time. The best part was getting a hug from B. Mahal kita kuya! 

For the full recipe, check out Food Networks post by Ina Garten. I strongly recommend reading other baker's reviews before making this cake. If you're into the idea of cute raspberry swirled hearts, head on over to Cooking Classy's site for a great tutorial.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Lemon Coconut Cake- Goodness!


As I sit here on the couch, I realize that I am covered head to toe in Autumn fur. This kitty is a shedding MACHINE. The usual amount is pretty bad but due to the heat... it's out of control. I could knit a sweater out of what's currently on the couch. Spring cleaning has a new meaning. This simply reaffirms my love for the fall. 



There are a few perks to the spring weather. Flowers are in bloom; the warmth of the sun kissing goodbye to chilled breezes; puppy parks are packed; and citrus flavors appear in abundance. Of all these tastes, lemon reigns supreme in my book! It's extremely refreshing and versatile. It has the ability to be a perfect splash of a little something something or the star of the show. Lovely luscious lemon. 



For mother's day, I decided it was time to welcome lemon to the kitchen with a Lemon Coconut Cake. (oh mom... adorable) It seemed appropriate to have a dessert that was light and happy on such a sunny afternoon. Plus, to make it extra cutsie, we bought a Mediterranean ceramic candle holder decorated with lemons and a lemon based hand soap for her house. Coordination on coordination! 

This recipe is slightly modified from What2Cook. I used a different base cake because I wanted to use 6-inch rounds instead of the standard 9 inch. No sense in four people trying to eat all that cake! For the "full size" version, simply click on the original post. 


This cake boasts three layers of awesomeness. It's a white cake so it's a clean slate for flavor.  There's a perfect touch of lemon zest folded into the batter. Not too much now! We're not making a sour patch here. In between each layer of cake is a good dollop of lemon curd. You can purchase pre-made lemon curd but the home-made stuff is far more addicting. As a bonus, you determine how thick the lemon curd is if you make it from scratch! Keeping it all together is an incredibly smooth and mellow cream cheese frosting. It compliments the slight tartness of the citrus with it's cool texture and mild sweetness. 


And of course... as if this cake couldn't be anymore charming... it's garnished with toasted shredded coconut. The coconut adds subtle texture and pockets of natural sweetness. Heaven! 


There is one little detail I would like to point out.... I made a mistake and managed to cover it up. The final layer of this cake, on top of the cream cheese frosting, is supposed to be lemon curd. Because I made a smaller cake, I halved the original amount of lemon curd to 1 1/2 cups. You still need that full 3 cups if you want to make it all the way through the cake. In a rush, I ended up making a lemon glaze out of lemon juice, confectioner's sugar, butter, and a dash of cornstarch. It's not as pretty but oh me oh my... this cake brought it's A game. Even my big brother said, "this is a good cake."

Thank you lovely luscious lemon!


Lemon Coconut Cake

To put it all together, frost the bottom layer of the cake with a very thin layer cream cheese frosting. Spread a big dollop of lemon zest on top. Sprinkle some toasted coconut (optional). Add the second layer of cake and repeat. And the third layer and frost the entire cake with cream cheese frosting, keeping it thinner at the top. Add the final dollop of lemon curd and spread smooth. Decorate the sides with the toasted coconut.

White Cake
from The Food Dash

1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift first, then measure)
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup salted butter, room temp
3/4 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
Zest of 1/2 lemon (approx 1/2 tbsp)

Preheat oven to 350F; grease, line and flour three 6" round cake pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter until creamy and add in sugar gradually, beating it until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

Add in the dry ingredients and milk alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients until it is well mixed (but not overmix!). Pour into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 20 mins or so, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Lemon Curd
adapted from Ina Garten
makes 3 cups

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith.

Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar. Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice, salt and cornstarch. Mix until combined. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Cream Cheese Frosting
from What2Cook

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.

Toasted Coconut
1 1/2 cups shredded or flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Evenly spread coconut in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place coconut in oven. Check after about 2 minutes. Continue checking every minute until the coconut is the desired color. Gently shake the pan to get all sides toasted. Remove from oven and cool.