Even though we are back in Maryland again to finish up the house hunting, I made sure to make quite a few new things before we left. So now we have plenty to talk about!
One of the things we had for dinner before we left was Thai Beef Rolls. For the outside tortilla, I used a flavored honey-wheat version from Tumaros that we already had on hand. Next time I make these, I will use the chipotle flavored kind just to add a hint of heat. The tortillas are first brushed with a fresh dressing made from garlic, ginger, sesame oil, lime juice and fish sauce for a bit of saltiness. Thin deli-style roast beef, tender lettuce greens, crisp carrots and a zesty addition of mint fill out the thick roll. Jeff and I both agree this was simple and excellent, but kept thinking it was missing something - we were both looking for some heat to the dish. Next time, I would add some chili-garlic sauce to spice things up.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Buzzed up peanut butter
Since we had a stay over in Minneapolis when we went to the wedding, we went on over to our old stomping grounds...
As we wasted time wandering around, we came across a store that was not there the last time we were. P.B.Loco is a store that only sells different jars of peanut butter and is set up to make a grilled sandwich or a veggie snack with the peanut butter of your choice. They had free samples and after we ate way too many, we ended up picking out a jar that captivated our overloaded tastebuds the most.
It was slightly sweet, smooth and creamy with cocoa undertones. There was a distinct coffee aroma and taste. We had most of it on bagels or on some crisp celery. Unfortunetly, the jar did not last nearly long enough for the price - but I would not hesitate to buy this again if we were in the area. We were tempted by some of the savory options (Asian curry spice anyone?) but I would love to try some of the other flavors in some baked goods.
As we wasted time wandering around, we came across a store that was not there the last time we were. P.B.Loco is a store that only sells different jars of peanut butter and is set up to make a grilled sandwich or a veggie snack with the peanut butter of your choice. They had free samples and after we ate way too many, we ended up picking out a jar that captivated our overloaded tastebuds the most.
It was slightly sweet, smooth and creamy with cocoa undertones. There was a distinct coffee aroma and taste. We had most of it on bagels or on some crisp celery. Unfortunetly, the jar did not last nearly long enough for the price - but I would not hesitate to buy this again if we were in the area. We were tempted by some of the savory options (Asian curry spice anyone?) but I would love to try some of the other flavors in some baked goods.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Cookies with a unique flair
Jeff was going to be going into the Phoenix office to finish packing up his cube and go on some conference calls, so I thought I could make something for his coworkers. Since he does not go in often, we don't get to do the Wednesday Treat Day - but we could still bring something!
Instead of going with your average cookie, I had to change things up a bit. Not Your Ordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies have a spicy bite from strong Vietnamese cinnamon and a surprise addition of black pepper. I don't think you could necessarly tell there was black pepper in them, but it added just enough to keep your tastebuds working to find out what was in that cookie! The cinnamon, chocolate chips and toasted pecans add a unique change.
The texture can be somewhat manipulated by how long you bake them. If you let the edges get a slight golden, but set in the center, they will have a crisp edge with a soft and pleasant chew towards the center. If you prefer a cookie that is crispy from the outside to that last bite in the middle, you can bake them for just a couple minutes more. Try baking one or two first and see how you like them - we found them to be best when they had a crunch around the edge, but leaving the center a bit chewy. I used a combination of butter and shortening so I could get that buttery flavor to the cookie, but the structure the shortening gives just can't be replaced. I have had really good success with using specturm organic shortening in baking.
Instead of going with your average cookie, I had to change things up a bit. Not Your Ordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies have a spicy bite from strong Vietnamese cinnamon and a surprise addition of black pepper. I don't think you could necessarly tell there was black pepper in them, but it added just enough to keep your tastebuds working to find out what was in that cookie! The cinnamon, chocolate chips and toasted pecans add a unique change.
The texture can be somewhat manipulated by how long you bake them. If you let the edges get a slight golden, but set in the center, they will have a crisp edge with a soft and pleasant chew towards the center. If you prefer a cookie that is crispy from the outside to that last bite in the middle, you can bake them for just a couple minutes more. Try baking one or two first and see how you like them - we found them to be best when they had a crunch around the edge, but leaving the center a bit chewy. I used a combination of butter and shortening so I could get that buttery flavor to the cookie, but the structure the shortening gives just can't be replaced. I have had really good success with using specturm organic shortening in baking.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Counting the days until we move...
Record heat here in Phoenix today - 110! It is suppose to get to 112-114 over the weekend and this is just the beginning. So crazy! Just going to get the mail today made it feel like you were on fire. It will be nice when we get going with the move and get to some cooler weather. Even the pool water is in the 90s...
I was never a fan of broccoli growing up, but I have grown to love the clean crisp flavor - we often even have it raw in salads or to nibble on for a snack. Broccoli plays a big part in tonight's meal - Chicken Divan. This baked dish is filled with tender cooked chicken breast and fresh broccoli combined in a creamy, thick and nutty Parmesan flavored sauce. To perk up the sauce, a tiny amount of dry sherry is added. Mayonnaise adds to the rich creamy texture and helps to bind it together.
If you want, you could always use about 20 ounces of frozen broccoli, thawed, if you have it on hand - but we enjoyed the fresh vegetable better in this recipe (and in general). I served this over whole-wheat egg noodles, but this would have been good enough on its own.
I was never a fan of broccoli growing up, but I have grown to love the clean crisp flavor - we often even have it raw in salads or to nibble on for a snack. Broccoli plays a big part in tonight's meal - Chicken Divan. This baked dish is filled with tender cooked chicken breast and fresh broccoli combined in a creamy, thick and nutty Parmesan flavored sauce. To perk up the sauce, a tiny amount of dry sherry is added. Mayonnaise adds to the rich creamy texture and helps to bind it together.
If you want, you could always use about 20 ounces of frozen broccoli, thawed, if you have it on hand - but we enjoyed the fresh vegetable better in this recipe (and in general). I served this over whole-wheat egg noodles, but this would have been good enough on its own.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
New favorite veggie side dish...
When we have a heavy main dish planned, I often like to include a lighter side to try and balance it a bit. I've been looking for a new carrot based side and I think I found the one I will use for sometime! Jeff was a little nervous when he saw it had raisins though...
Grated Carrots with Cumin-Orange Dressing has 7 simple and common ingredients that combine to make a refreshing and a little sweet side dish. As I have a food processor, I went ahead and grated my own carrots - but if you don't have one and want to speed things along, feel free to buy the pre-shredded ones. The dressing is a mixture of fresh squeezed orange and lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toasting the ground cumin before hand brings the spice back to life and adds a slight smokiness. Golden raisins add another layer of sweetness and a different texture admist the crisp carrot strips. To my surprise, after no more than 3 bites, Jeff was quick to ask and make sure he could have the leftovers as a part of his lunch tomorrow! This will definitely be made many more times here.
Grated Carrots with Cumin-Orange Dressing has 7 simple and common ingredients that combine to make a refreshing and a little sweet side dish. As I have a food processor, I went ahead and grated my own carrots - but if you don't have one and want to speed things along, feel free to buy the pre-shredded ones. The dressing is a mixture of fresh squeezed orange and lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toasting the ground cumin before hand brings the spice back to life and adds a slight smokiness. Golden raisins add another layer of sweetness and a different texture admist the crisp carrot strips. To my surprise, after no more than 3 bites, Jeff was quick to ask and make sure he could have the leftovers as a part of his lunch tomorrow! This will definitely be made many more times here.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Light summer time treat....
Since we had been gone for some time, I didn't have any treats on hand or in the freezer. I wanted to bake some treats that were somewhat light, summery and a bit different.
Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes are individual tender cakes that are light as air with a luscious buttery lemon icing. These are made pretty much the same way as other angel food cakes, but are baked in muffin papers instead of a tube pan. The addition of fresh lemon zest in the batter brightens up the delicate flavor and takes these from ho-hum to oh-yum!
You may notice that when you fill the papers that it seems to be overfilled some - the original recipe called for 16 servings, but I think 12 is a better fit. I also noticed that instead of spreading out like some cupcakes or muffins might do, mine baked straight up like a souffle and slightly deflated as they cooled. While a large cake is always nice, these smaller sized cupcakes are just the right size for a treat at a summer picnic or barbeque. The icing is pretty sweet and I think I would try to cut the sweetness with a dash of popcorn salt next time. I use that salt because it dissolves better and won't leave the frosting grainy. I garnished these with some edible flowers.
Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes are individual tender cakes that are light as air with a luscious buttery lemon icing. These are made pretty much the same way as other angel food cakes, but are baked in muffin papers instead of a tube pan. The addition of fresh lemon zest in the batter brightens up the delicate flavor and takes these from ho-hum to oh-yum!
You may notice that when you fill the papers that it seems to be overfilled some - the original recipe called for 16 servings, but I think 12 is a better fit. I also noticed that instead of spreading out like some cupcakes or muffins might do, mine baked straight up like a souffle and slightly deflated as they cooled. While a large cake is always nice, these smaller sized cupcakes are just the right size for a treat at a summer picnic or barbeque. The icing is pretty sweet and I think I would try to cut the sweetness with a dash of popcorn salt next time. I use that salt because it dissolves better and won't leave the frosting grainy. I garnished these with some edible flowers.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Back to the food...
Since we just got back, I needed something that would use up stuff from the fridge and the pantry as we didn't have time to go out and shop for groceries just yet. I picked through the recipes and came up with one that used everything we had on hand. It got bonus points for using a shape of pasta we had not used before that I bought on a whim.
I used Cellentani pasta from Barilla in the recipe Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese. This pasta is like a long version of Cavatappi. This quick to make recipe utilizes the time waiting for the pasta to cook to create a thick and creamy sauce that is packed with cheesy flavor. The recipe originally called for cream cheese, but since I didn't have any on hand, I used Laughing Cow's Creamy Swiss Wedges. It melted well and the smooth swiss flavor went very well with the stronger Asiago and Provolone cheeses that I used. The bite from the mustard and Worcestershire was subtle, but added a nice background of flavor and just enough saltiness. If you wanted a less pungent cheese flavor, feel free to use cheddar which will also give it a classic yellow hue.
I used Cellentani pasta from Barilla in the recipe Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese. This pasta is like a long version of Cavatappi. This quick to make recipe utilizes the time waiting for the pasta to cook to create a thick and creamy sauce that is packed with cheesy flavor. The recipe originally called for cream cheese, but since I didn't have any on hand, I used Laughing Cow's Creamy Swiss Wedges. It melted well and the smooth swiss flavor went very well with the stronger Asiago and Provolone cheeses that I used. The bite from the mustard and Worcestershire was subtle, but added a nice background of flavor and just enough saltiness. If you wanted a less pungent cheese flavor, feel free to use cheddar which will also give it a classic yellow hue.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Final set of wedding pictures...
Okay - last set of wedding pictures coming up! We flew back into Phoenix today and are finally back home for a few days. Look for new recipes and food posts starting tomorrow! *As always, pics are clickable for larger and more clear viewing if you so choose. You also may need to click it again depending on your browser as they may try to resize it and it can get pixilated.
Here's the cake fully put together and brought outside - yes, no accidents occurred! And yes, while Mom could have had this part done by someone else (to relieve some stress!), she took care of this too with some friendly help!
Mom arranged a surprise that few people knew about (we knew though!). The bridal party thought they would be arriving to the farm in limos - much to their surprise, they were picked up by horse-drawn carriages (which were also used to give rides later on!)
PS... You would think she had done way to much already right? Nope, she also made the Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid dresses!
Steve was very taken aback by this surprise and Jen couldn't believe the fairy tale ride!
Here is my sister Jennifer being walked down the isle by Dad.
About midway through the ceremony they did the lighting of the unity candle.
When they were almost done, they each were given a dove to release to signify the start of their life of love and happiness.
The whole event was a lot of work, but it was well worth all of the effort from everyone who contributed. Jen and Steve are enjoying their honeymoon in Walt Disney World - you two better be having a blast! We hope you enjoyed the series of pictures - thank you again for bearing with us!
Here's the cake fully put together and brought outside - yes, no accidents occurred! And yes, while Mom could have had this part done by someone else (to relieve some stress!), she took care of this too with some friendly help!
Mom arranged a surprise that few people knew about (we knew though!). The bridal party thought they would be arriving to the farm in limos - much to their surprise, they were picked up by horse-drawn carriages (which were also used to give rides later on!)PS... You would think she had done way to much already right? Nope, she also made the Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid dresses!
Steve was very taken aback by this surprise and Jen couldn't believe the fairy tale ride!
Here is my sister Jennifer being walked down the isle by Dad.
About midway through the ceremony they did the lighting of the unity candle.
When they were almost done, they each were given a dove to release to signify the start of their life of love and happiness.
The whole event was a lot of work, but it was well worth all of the effort from everyone who contributed. Jen and Steve are enjoying their honeymoon in Walt Disney World - you two better be having a blast! We hope you enjoyed the series of pictures - thank you again for bearing with us!
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Set one of two from the wedding...
I am going to split the wedding pictures into two posts as there are quite a few. I promise we will try to get back on track with the food posts after I get the next set of pictures done. Thank you again for bearing with us! We are flying our way back home tomorrow and I can't wait to get started cookin' and bakin' in the kitchen this week! *As always, pics are clickable for larger and more clear viewing if you so choose. You also may need to click it again depending on your browser as they may try to resize it and it can get pixilated.
I showed you in the last set some of the open areas of the farm. This was quickly changed as we set up just under 250 folding chairs.
Mom turned this old tree that had to be cut down into a large circular plant holder near the house.
She worked very hard to get even the smallest details done for Jennifer and Steve. She planned out and put together this large iron archway for the minister and wedding party to stand by. She decorated it with grapevines just cut from the farm along with some of the flowers she grows.
Here is a rare shot of her - still working in her dress no less. She is placing red roses on the kneeling bench for them to give out later.
Jen and Steve met and fell in love in a bowling league of all places, so Mom made sure to come up with many references to that. Here is one of the pieces she made.
They wanted to have the reception and dance also at the farm, so two huge tents were put up - after we got all of the tables set up, we had to get them covered in tablecloths and decorated.
Here is how Mom had us decorate the head table - MANY fresh lilacs were freshly cut and set on each of the guest tables as well. Behind them are several lattice panels in different heights laced with more grapevines, flowers and some lights.
Your dorky food blogger dressed up for the wedding....
Here's a sneak peak of the happy couple - we will post tomorrow the final set of wedding pics and then back to the food!
I showed you in the last set some of the open areas of the farm. This was quickly changed as we set up just under 250 folding chairs.
Mom turned this old tree that had to be cut down into a large circular plant holder near the house.
She worked very hard to get even the smallest details done for Jennifer and Steve. She planned out and put together this large iron archway for the minister and wedding party to stand by. She decorated it with grapevines just cut from the farm along with some of the flowers she grows.
Here is a rare shot of her - still working in her dress no less. She is placing red roses on the kneeling bench for them to give out later.
Jen and Steve met and fell in love in a bowling league of all places, so Mom made sure to come up with many references to that. Here is one of the pieces she made.
They wanted to have the reception and dance also at the farm, so two huge tents were put up - after we got all of the tables set up, we had to get them covered in tablecloths and decorated.
Here is how Mom had us decorate the head table - MANY fresh lilacs were freshly cut and set on each of the guest tables as well. Behind them are several lattice panels in different heights laced with more grapevines, flowers and some lights.
Your dorky food blogger dressed up for the wedding....
Here's a sneak peak of the happy couple - we will post tomorrow the final set of wedding pics and then back to the food!
Friday, May 26, 2006
House hunting and more of the farm....
So we have been busy out here looking at houses when Jeff is done at work in his new office. We have seen 9 - while they were very nice and gave us a few options, none of them unfortunely had that "this is the one" feel when we walked through. I think if we picked any of them, it would be like we were settling and since we are not pressed for time yet, I think we will just wait until the week after next to see if anything new comes on the market.
Before we start the wedding pictures, I went through some more of the farm ones we took and wanted to give you a few more to see where I spent my time growing up. I hope you don't mind!
Mom is pretty creative and crafty when she finds leftover stuff - she made some play things out of old tires for the swingset.
As I mentioned before, Mom has flower gardens all over - here is another shot of one. Since we have a lot of old trees on the farm, she makes good use of them if they fall down or get hit by lightning - edging for the beds!
Here is a close up of one flower that was opening the morning we arrived.
This view is from the patio on the side of the house. Way in the back you can see where she has started her endless rows of fresh vegetables to use or sell at the farmers market. The rows go up and behind the set of trees on the left.
The farm is on the outer skirts of town so when people are tired of their pets or can't keep them, a lot of times they end up dropping them off in one of the pastures or even on the side of the road. Mom has taken many animals over the years and nursed them back to health and kept them on the farm. Here is one of the outside kitties trying to peak in one of the many tubs she uses. I think he's lookin' for some hidden fish!
Here she has a circular bed of brillant yellow tulips in front of an old chestnut tree - and yes, roasting of the chestnuts is known to happen!
Here's a different view, the tulips are in the center and in the back is a very old chicken coop.
The goats need some shelter, so here is where they stay in one of the older barns. In front is where some of the chickens and turkeys are located. Upstairs is filled with bailed hay and straw. I certanly don't miss the time of the year when that happens (oops... you didn't just read that Mom!)
The goats like to pretend they are rock climbers so she built up an area with some large old logs. They like to show off when they have visitors.
Many new goats were born at the farm this year, these two cuties are just over a month old. Jeff has yet to name them, but I'm sure that won't last long!
I hope we are not boring you! We are flying back to Phoenix on Monday, so hopefully I can get back in the kitchen and get some food cookin' soon!
Before we start the wedding pictures, I went through some more of the farm ones we took and wanted to give you a few more to see where I spent my time growing up. I hope you don't mind!
Mom is pretty creative and crafty when she finds leftover stuff - she made some play things out of old tires for the swingset.
As I mentioned before, Mom has flower gardens all over - here is another shot of one. Since we have a lot of old trees on the farm, she makes good use of them if they fall down or get hit by lightning - edging for the beds!
Here is a close up of one flower that was opening the morning we arrived.
This view is from the patio on the side of the house. Way in the back you can see where she has started her endless rows of fresh vegetables to use or sell at the farmers market. The rows go up and behind the set of trees on the left.
The farm is on the outer skirts of town so when people are tired of their pets or can't keep them, a lot of times they end up dropping them off in one of the pastures or even on the side of the road. Mom has taken many animals over the years and nursed them back to health and kept them on the farm. Here is one of the outside kitties trying to peak in one of the many tubs she uses. I think he's lookin' for some hidden fish!
Here she has a circular bed of brillant yellow tulips in front of an old chestnut tree - and yes, roasting of the chestnuts is known to happen!
Here's a different view, the tulips are in the center and in the back is a very old chicken coop.
The goats need some shelter, so here is where they stay in one of the older barns. In front is where some of the chickens and turkeys are located. Upstairs is filled with bailed hay and straw. I certanly don't miss the time of the year when that happens (oops... you didn't just read that Mom!)
The goats like to pretend they are rock climbers so she built up an area with some large old logs. They like to show off when they have visitors.
Many new goats were born at the farm this year, these two cuties are just over a month old. Jeff has yet to name them, but I'm sure that won't last long!
I hope we are not boring you! We are flying back to Phoenix on Monday, so hopefully I can get back in the kitchen and get some food cookin' soon!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Around the farm...
Before things started to get extra busy with the wedding, we went around and took a bunch of pictures of some fun stuff on the farm. The next few posts will not really be food related, so I apologize early! As with all of the other pictures, don't forget to click and get a bigger view if you wish!
The farm is in Southern Minnesota - near Albert Lea. As you first drive by the house, you notice this sign.
Mom has a ton of chickens and they are really producing the eggs this year. She sells them fresh from the farm and at the local farmers market.
As you can imagine, there are plenty of birds that hang around the area. Mom has lots of bird feeders and houses located all over. Here's a small one hidden in the midst of a very large pine tree that seemed to get a lot of traffic.
This feeder was close to the house and could be seen outside the kitchen window over the sink.
Even though our pups are still at Jeff's Moms house in PA until we get settled in out here in MD, we did get a chance to see Max's papa! This is Jax - we originally got him as a birthday present for Mom so she could breed her female American Eskie.
Since you have seen baby Sam, you know there must be goats around the farm. When you even think about getting close to the fence, they come running for some attention! These guys are way too fun to pass up a chance to pet.
And since we mentioned him, here is the baby as he goes on his daily walk. Yes, he is getting walked around on a leash - one of the younger kids was taking him out... (and boy did Jeff get jealous!)
So now you have seen some of the area that I grew up in. I have some more pictures that are less animals and more views that I will put up in one of upcoming the posts. Next post I am getting ready to talk about the preparation for the big wedding on the farm! Mom had all sorts of small things going on - this is of a small wagon that she turned into a stand that held a display for cards to be put into!
The farm is in Southern Minnesota - near Albert Lea. As you first drive by the house, you notice this sign.
Mom has a ton of chickens and they are really producing the eggs this year. She sells them fresh from the farm and at the local farmers market.As you can imagine, there are plenty of birds that hang around the area. Mom has lots of bird feeders and houses located all over. Here's a small one hidden in the midst of a very large pine tree that seemed to get a lot of traffic.
This feeder was close to the house and could be seen outside the kitchen window over the sink.
Even though our pups are still at Jeff's Moms house in PA until we get settled in out here in MD, we did get a chance to see Max's papa! This is Jax - we originally got him as a birthday present for Mom so she could breed her female American Eskie.
Since you have seen baby Sam, you know there must be goats around the farm. When you even think about getting close to the fence, they come running for some attention! These guys are way too fun to pass up a chance to pet.
And since we mentioned him, here is the baby as he goes on his daily walk. Yes, he is getting walked around on a leash - one of the younger kids was taking him out... (and boy did Jeff get jealous!)
So now you have seen some of the area that I grew up in. I have some more pictures that are less animals and more views that I will put up in one of upcoming the posts. Next post I am getting ready to talk about the preparation for the big wedding on the farm! Mom had all sorts of small things going on - this is of a small wagon that she turned into a stand that held a display for cards to be put into!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Surprise snack....
Since we are going to be getting in pretty late night, I thought I would use the time on the plane from Minneapolis to DC to write up a post on a snack cake we made just before we left. I wanted to surprise Jeff with a snack from home for him to enjoy on the plane ride to MN and since he likes the flavor espresso gives in baked goods, I picked this recipe.
Espresso-Walnut Cake is pretty quick to throw together since you melt the butter in the same bowl you end up mixing the batter in. A sweet streusel mixture is first made from toasted crunchy walnuts, strong Vietnamese cinnamon and a bit of espresso powder. This combination is split in half and layered in the middle and scattered on top before baking. As I was spreading the batter in the baking dish, it seemed pretty thin and I was wondering how I would end up getting the top layer on without disturbing the middle streusel layer. So instead of pouring the other half on top, I dropped dollops of batter all over and then used an off-set spatula to connect the dots. This worked pretty well and the layers did not mix too much. It did not seem to fill that pan too much, but as the cake baked, it rose up quite a bit higher than I thought it would.
Since Jeff did not know I was making this, I had to play his usual part of "Quality Control" and see if it passed his standards. Hee hee! As I plunged my fork through the first piece, I was able to see just how moist and tender the cake was. The combination of the sweet nutty streusel inside and on top made the difference. The subtle coffee flavor was just right and did not overwhelm even though we used the full tablespoon of powder as the recipe called for. This "coffee" cake would be a great addition to a brunch table or even a quick bite for an on-the-go breakfast.
Espresso-Walnut Cake is pretty quick to throw together since you melt the butter in the same bowl you end up mixing the batter in. A sweet streusel mixture is first made from toasted crunchy walnuts, strong Vietnamese cinnamon and a bit of espresso powder. This combination is split in half and layered in the middle and scattered on top before baking. As I was spreading the batter in the baking dish, it seemed pretty thin and I was wondering how I would end up getting the top layer on without disturbing the middle streusel layer. So instead of pouring the other half on top, I dropped dollops of batter all over and then used an off-set spatula to connect the dots. This worked pretty well and the layers did not mix too much. It did not seem to fill that pan too much, but as the cake baked, it rose up quite a bit higher than I thought it would.
Since Jeff did not know I was making this, I had to play his usual part of "Quality Control" and see if it passed his standards. Hee hee! As I plunged my fork through the first piece, I was able to see just how moist and tender the cake was. The combination of the sweet nutty streusel inside and on top made the difference. The subtle coffee flavor was just right and did not overwhelm even though we used the full tablespoon of powder as the recipe called for. This "coffee" cake would be a great addition to a brunch table or even a quick bite for an on-the-go breakfast.Sunday, May 21, 2006
Arrival at the farm...
Sorry for the upcoming non-food related posts - but as we are travelling, I thought I would put up some of the pictures we have been taking along the way for the wedding and house hunting. I do have some food related posts in the works, so I will not be off-topic too often I hope. Thank you again for bearing with us as we are transitioning between states and whatnot!
We arrived early at the farm on day one - who needs an alarm clock when you have this going off at 5am....
Mom has several large flower gardens going throughout the farm for selling at the market- here are a couple of pictures that we snapped while we were sneaking around....
Here is the last shot for the night - This is Sam, as Jeff has "offically" named him; he is a runt baby goat that was rejected by his mom. My mom had nursed him back to life and now he follows people around on the farm like a puppy! Yes, I had to make sure we didn't have a baby goat hiding in the car somewhere as Jeff wanted to bring him with us.
(PS... Susan at FarmGirl Fare, I think we have some new playmates for your herd of animals!)
We arrived early at the farm on day one - who needs an alarm clock when you have this going off at 5am....
Mom has several large flower gardens going throughout the farm for selling at the market- here are a couple of pictures that we snapped while we were sneaking around....
Here is the last shot for the night - This is Sam, as Jeff has "offically" named him; he is a runt baby goat that was rejected by his mom. My mom had nursed him back to life and now he follows people around on the farm like a puppy! Yes, I had to make sure we didn't have a baby goat hiding in the car somewhere as Jeff wanted to bring him with us.
(PS... Susan at FarmGirl Fare, I think we have some new playmates for your herd of animals!)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
But it tasted real!
Well, we are back in the hotel room and are happy to say the wedding at the farm took place without any major hassles! Jeff and I made sure the food supply kept coming and I tried to sneak some sandwiches to the photographers and others who would have probably missed out if they waited any longer. We will try to put up a few photos of the farm and wedding since we will be travelling and going through baking withdrawls... but we are suppose to have a microwave at the hotel when we leave for Maryland on Monday. Maybe we will have to try and make something in that... it might not be good, but who knows!
Jeff had been wanting me to make up some beef ribs before we left and we just did not have enough time to get things together. So instead, we decided it would be a good time as ever to try out this "veggie version" of ribs from Gardenburger.
We heated the ribs in the oven, instead of doing them in the microwave, in hopes of them coming out a little more tasty. After they had cooled enough to handle, Jeff took a bite and had this huge grin on his face. He says... "Holy cow! Hey... they kind of even taste like they come from one too!" The sauce was thick and smoky with a strong BBQ type flavor. We were pretty surprised by how much better they tasted versus what we had expected. I baked some toasted corn tortillas that we rubbed with limes and coarse salt on a firey hot pizza stone to serve along side.
Jeff ended up putting one on a hoagie-type bun later on and had himself convinced it was just like a McRib! We will definitely have to get these again while we are out house hunting in Maryland!
Jeff had been wanting me to make up some beef ribs before we left and we just did not have enough time to get things together. So instead, we decided it would be a good time as ever to try out this "veggie version" of ribs from Gardenburger.
We heated the ribs in the oven, instead of doing them in the microwave, in hopes of them coming out a little more tasty. After they had cooled enough to handle, Jeff took a bite and had this huge grin on his face. He says... "Holy cow! Hey... they kind of even taste like they come from one too!" The sauce was thick and smoky with a strong BBQ type flavor. We were pretty surprised by how much better they tasted versus what we had expected. I baked some toasted corn tortillas that we rubbed with limes and coarse salt on a firey hot pizza stone to serve along side.
Jeff ended up putting one on a hoagie-type bun later on and had himself convinced it was just like a McRib! We will definitely have to get these again while we are out house hunting in Maryland!
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