Mexican Mocha Iced Coffee

So after the last two weeks, I’m kinda thinking I might want to crawl under a rock and never come back out. 

It’s been hectic, and just plain old weird.

Exactly two weeks ago my 80 year-old grandmother had a dizzy spell & took a tumble in the middle of the night. She fell and hit her head.

Badly.

Poor Grammy Vittles suffered from a broken nose, two black eyes (one eye was completely closed), a lot of bruising, and above all - a serious scare.

Well let me tell you. So did I.

My stepdad & I spent most of the weekend helping her until my aunt was able to get there Sunday afternoon.  I even had to call in the big guns (my dad) to convince her to get checked out at the emergency room.

Needless to say, it was a stressful weekend... and I was pretty freaked-out over those events alone.

But the freaking-out was actually just getting started.

A week later, Mr. Vittles and I were watching some TV in the living room.  We had crazy thunderstorms that night with a ton of rain (some towns in the area had serious flooding) and I was thinking how happy I was to be inside when I saw something flying out of the corner of my eye.

Initially I didn’t think much of it since, after all, we do have a bird that makes a habit of flapping around the house.  But when I noticed my husband was holding the bird next to me, I realized we had a little problem on our hands.

Yep.  It was a bat.

...in the house...

...zooming around our living room.

Thank goodness for my husband, who put on some gloves, got a fishing net & a headlamp, and (about 10 minutes later) was able to capture the bat and let him loose back outside.

After the bat was out we had a pretty good laugh over the whole thing.  I was still shaken up though.

But the shaking-up was actually just getting started.

Tuesday I was out driving for work, and I wanted to run some errands on lunch so I decided to just grab a quick sandwich at a convenience store & eat in the parking lot.

As I was sitting there, listening to the radio, the car started shaking so noticeably that I thought something was wrong with it.

So I turned it off, but the car was still shaking. I heard the fluids inside sloshing around, and could not figure out what in the world was going on.

It stopped as suddenly as it started, so I turned the car back on & went about my munching. But via the radio I quickly learned that there had been a 5.8 earthquake in Virginia, and there were reports of people feeling the rumblings all the way up to Canada.

Now I know there are probably many of you who have experienced much more than a brief rumbling.

But guess what.  I live in New Jersey.

We don’t have earthquakes here.

So I was a little shocked.

But the shocking was actually just getting started.

There have been numerous mandatory evacuations of coastal & low-lying locations in NJ, including my town, due to Hurricane Irene - which (as of now) is supposedly heading right for us as at least a Category 1.

Now while our house is about 6 blocks from the beach, we also live very close to a lake.  So even if this just ends up coming through as a tropical storm, surges could pose a very serious threat to us - not to mention the effects of heavy rain and sustained high winds. 

And this month has already been one of the top ten wettest Augusts New Jersey has seen since the 19th century.

Umm... seriously?

I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida and also the Outer Banks of North Carolina, so as you can imagine I’m no stranger to hurricane threats.

But again… this is New Jersey.

New Jerseyans having to evacuate for a hurricane is about as likely as the Governor temporarily suspending the collection of tolls along the southern half of the Garden State Parkway (the North/South main artery of the state). 

Which he did starting at 8AM today, to help lessen the burden of evacuation.

In fact, in just a couple hours they are completely closing the southbound lanes of the parkway altogether, starting about 10 miles south of here.  No one will be able to travel south on that road after 8PM tonight.

So.  Now I’m waiting for a mudslide or tornado to happen next.  

Who knows, perhaps that's what awaits Mr. Vittles and me as we head west to my in-law's house!

Or, maybe all those wackos that thought the world was going to end a couple months back were actually on to something. 

(Side note:  I just Googled that out of curiosity, and in case you were wondering we are still on track for doomsday - it's now scheduled for October 21, 2011.  Which is conveniently my best friend Lauren's birthday! Guess we better celebrate early :))

But in any case, I’ve been too busy securing all my outdoor furniture, placing all the boxes in our basement on raised plywood platforms, removing air conditioning units from our windows, and reading news updates to make any new recipes.

So I went with the one recipe that I had already written in Blogger - Mexican Mocha Iced Coffee.

It's good.

And… that is all.

Wish me luck!

Mexican Mocha Iced Coffee

• 1 T. chocolate syrup (if you want to make your own, try this one)
• ice cubes
• 1/2 C.cold café de olla (recipe below)
• 1 T. heavy cream or half-and-half
• pinch cinnamon

Drizzle some chocolate syrup on the bottom of a glass.  Add ice cubes, the shot of coffee liquor and café de olla.  If you'd like to create a floating layer or cream, carefully pour the cream over the back of a spoon on top of the drink (otherwise pour on top to mix it all together).  Sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.  Makes one drink.

Serves one.

Café de Olla

• 4 C. water
• 1/4 C. packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 t. molasses
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2/3 cup whole or coarsely ground coffee beans (not espresso)

Bring water, brown sugar, molasses, and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a large saucepan or pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Stir in coffee and boil 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher or clean pot, discarding coffee beans and cinnamon stick.  Serve hot or chill to make iced coffee recipe above.  Makes about 4 cups.

Iced Coffee Recipe Addapted from Girl Cooks World (who adapted from Amor y Tacos); Cafe de Olla Recipe Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, via Epicurious

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels

In the afternoons, I tend to get really bored driving around by myself for work.  Radio is the only thing to keep me company, and although I was always a strictly-music type of gal, hearing the same songs over & over can wear on you.

So lately I have been listening to a radio show where these two guys, Deminski & Doyle, have people call in and comment about things.  They'll take something that's in the news, something in their life, a political issue, or even just a random thing they saw and turn it into a question.

Like, "What's a movie that you can never resist watching when it's on TV?"

Or, "Should NJ limit the amount of times you can get married?

I have been wanting to call in for a while, and when I heard the question "What was the shortest time you ever held a job?" I knew I had the perfect story for them.

When I was 16, the summer after my sophomore year of High School, I got a job at an ice cream & candy place on the boardwalk.

I showed up for work the first day, and the manager (a middle-aged woman) told me my shorts were too short and to go home, change, and come back.

I was shocked.  My mom was somewhat lenient with my choices in clothes, but she also would never let me leave the house in something completely inappropriate - especially for a job. 

So I stood there dumbfounded for about 10 seconds, then I walked out and never went back.

But the best part of the story is that I just went a little ways down the boardwalk, to a frozen yogurt stand that was managed by a young guy.  I told him the whole story, and asked if he was hiring.

I think he was a little taken aback, but he said something along the lines of "If you work here, you can wear as short of shorts as you like."

And not too long after I started, I became his assistant manager.  It was a lot of hours for a 16 year-old but it was a fun job.  And as I told you a few weeks ago, I ate my weight in frozen yogurt that summer.

Surprisingly, I really never got too tired of eating it, but every now & again I needed a break.  Luckily, the stand next door sold giant soft pretzels and the Latino guys that worked there would trade us yogurt for pretzels.

I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations has passed so it's ok to tell you that now ;)

But those pretzels.... ugh. Insanity. 

Eating just one probably exceeded your weekly allotment for carbohydrates, but it was sooo totally worth it.

And ever since then, soft pretzels have been on my (long) list of food weaknesses.

I got it in my head recently that I wanted to try to make soft pretzels at home, incorporating whole wheat flour.  I haven't had the best luck with yeast in the past so I typically try to avoid recipes that use it, but I threw caution to the wind.

And if you read my post a few days ago, you would know that the first attempt was pretty much awful.

But Take Two came out perfect.

I was about to throw "thankfully" into that last statement ... but I'm not exactly thankful that I ate half the batch in one afternoon?

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels

• 1/2 C. + 2 T. warm water (about 110 degrees)
• 1 1/2 t. rapid-rise, dry active yeast
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
• 1/4 C. baking soda
• 1 1/2 C. hot water
• kosher salt for sprinkling
• melted butter, for brushing tops after baking (optional)

Dissolve yeast in warm water, and let sit 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, salt, and flours.  With mixer on low, pour in yeast & water mixture, and mix only until well-combined and no flour streaks remain.  Dough should form a smooth ball.  (However, do not knead – the dough will become overworked & tough).

Cover bowl with plastic & let dough rise until doubled, at least 20 minutes.  (FYI – I was too impatient to let the dough rise, but the pretzels still came out great.  Just sayin’.)

Divide dough in 6 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a skinny rope, applying even pressure to get a uniform width, until about 18 inches long.  Grab each end of the rope and cross one hand over the other to form into a pretzel shape*.

Once all pieces are formed, make the dipping solution: Dissolve baking soda in hot water, and pour into a pie plate or other shallow dish.  Dip each pretzel into mixture, front & back, then place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle tops with kosher salt (or other toppings) OR you can bake them plain then brush melted butter over tops before sprinkling with toppings.  Place in oven and bake about 10 minutes, until pretzels are puffed & browned.

Remove from baking sheet and cool slightly before eating (or adding toppings).  Pretzels are best when consumed immediately, but they can be frozen or kept in an airtight container for a day or two and reheated later.

*Note: There’s no need to limit yourself to just a pretzel shape.  You can get creative and make your dough into letters, braids, nuggets, etc.  Just make sure you adjust the baking time if you want bite-sized pieces – check after 5 minutes for doneness.

Recipe Adapted from Allrecipes.com

The Magic

Since we moved into our new house this past March, we haven't had all that many visitors.  But almost everyone who's come here has made a similar comment when they walked in the kitchen.

"So this is where the magic happens."

Magic?

Really??

Let's set the record straight.  What happens in my kitchen is typically far from magical.

Unless you consider magic to be me singing to myself and occasionally dancing.

And my husband hovering & pestering me in a way that only he can.

And me breaking glasses, and chipping dishes, and clattering pots & pans because I'm a giant klutz.

And the bird flying in to see what all the ruckus is about.

And me nearly mortally wounding myself on a daily basis with sharp knives and mandoline slicers that I probably shouldn't even be allowed to use.

And me dropping an entire marinade mixture of oil & vinegar down a heating vent in the floor.  (If my landlords are reading this - don't worry, that was in our old house!)

And... me making soft whole wheat pretzels that look really pretty but kinda taste like salty sandpaper.

Nope. Definitely no 'magic' happening there.

Pasta Caprese

As you all now know, I am a reality TV junkie.

I've seen about 70% of the Bachelor/Bachelorette seasons.  Name a "Real Housewives of..." and I've probably seen it.  Actually, I've watched probably half of the shows on Bravo.

Yikes.

I'm not proud of it, but those are the facts.

One of my favorites is Real Housewives of New Jersey - for the obvious reason, that NJ is my home state.  And as crazy as some of the ladies on there are, I feel like I can relate to them more than any of the other Housewives.

But it worries me sometimes that people get the wrong idea about Italian-Americans... especially ones from Jersey. 

Growing up, I never thought much about it.  But these days, between the housewives, Jersey Shore, and even The Sopranos, I wonder - does the rest of America think we're all crazy, fist-pumping 'guidos' & 'guidettes' with weird accents and an uncle in the Mafia?

I've noticed it becomes much more obvious whenever I leave (what we call around here) the "tri-state area".

I attended college in Florida, and was in for an eye-opener when I got questions like "Oh you're Italian? From Jersey??  Is your family in the mob?"

And my response was usually an extremely confused, "Huh??"  In 18 years, no one had ever asked me that question before.

Then during my senior year, I was standing outside the office of one of my Sociology professors, and she had up a map of the breakdown of most common ancestries in the US, by county.   And I saw that the only counties where Italian ancestry was dominant was a small scattering in the Northeast - mainly New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

So that kind of put things in perspective for me... but it didn't make it any less disconcerting!

My dad's not in the mob.  We don't give people cement shoes to sleep with the fishes.

We don't flip tables at dinner, or start fist-fights at christenings (ahem, Teresa Giudice?)

We don't gel our hair into sharp points, or 'GTL,' or fist-pump to awful dance beats.

At lunch a couple months ago, I was talking to my co-worker & friend Lou (@LouRinaldi) who has pondered this very same issue.  How is being Italian-American perceived by others who don't share this background?  Especially considering the way the culture is portrayed in movies and television?

And how does that affect our own sense of identity in relation to our families & traditions?

He even made what I found to be an extremely interesting mini-documentary about it (shown here courtesy of Current TV).

So naturally Lou was the first person I told when I got an email from Yummly that they were featuring my baked ziti on their blog... in a post that was entitled "The Ultimate 'Jersey Shore' Dinner (After You GTL)," in anticipation of the season premiere of Jersey Shore on MTV.

Ok.  Not that The Best Baked Ziti isn't the perfect recipe to gear up for a night of Snookie & Pauly D.  And I was both flattered & extremely excited that something on V&B was noticed by the writers of Yummly's blog.

But I guess it just caught me a liiiittle by surprise to see V&B and "The Situation" in the same post, especially in light of this recent conversation with Lou.

Then this past weekend, I went to my cousin George's wedding in Connecticut.

Lindsay & George

And let me tell you something.

My family is awesome.

my cousin's fiance, my aunt, my cousin, myself, and my grandmother

The day was filled with laughter, dancing, tons of food, and so much love.

my cousin Sandi's son Dylan

my dad & George

And you know what?  That's what it means to me to be Italian-American.

my cousins & I, May 2008

That... and fresh mozzarella.

What??  I'm just sayin'.

Pasta Caprese

• 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 t. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 t. minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 lbs. grape tomatoes, halved
• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut in 1/2" cubes
• 1 lb. penne or other tubular pasta (I like to use whole wheat)
• 1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 t. to 1 t. sugar (depending on how sweet your tomatoes are)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Whisk oil, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/4 t. pepper in large bowl.  Add tomatoes and gently toss to combine; set aside.  (Do not marinate tomatoes longer than 45 minutes).

While tomatoes are marinating, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a stockpot.  Add 1 T. salt and pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente.  Drain well.

While pasta is cooking, place mozzarella cubes on a large plate or platter, and freeze until slightly firm (about 10 minutes).

Add sugar, partially-frozen mozzarella, and pasta to bowl with tomato mixture and gently toss to combine.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in basil and sugar, and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and sugar.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4-6.

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Mango Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Sometimes I wonder if the best preparation for having kids isn't having a husband.

They do messy things that result in getting very dirty.

They don’t much like to pick up after themselves.  

They take great joy in pestering you.

They look at you with pleading puppy-dog eyes to fix them a sandwich because "you make is so much better, though."

And they don’t like to eat their vegetables.

Or wait... maybe this is just my husband? 

In any case, Mr. Vittles has a rather short list of acceptable veggies, especially when it comes to the cooked variety.

So for that very reason, I tried to sneak the zucchini into this dish before he got home from work.  But as luck would have it, he walked in just as I as I grating it.

Warily eyeballing the pile of vegetables, he demanded, “What’s all that green stuff?”

“Just bell peppers,” I said (knowing full well that was definitely not the green stuff he was referring to).

“No," he persisted, "the other green stuff.”

Argh!  Caught red-handed.

(Or green-handed, as it may be?)

“It’s zucchini,” I admitted, and the look on his face told me that no matter how delicious this meal might end up being, for him it would be completely tainted by the thought of this foreign ‘green’ vegetable lurking in every bite.

But during dinner, I still asked my usual - "How is it?"

And he replied, “Alright."

Then, "It tastes kind of weird though.”

(Wait for it...)

“I think the zucchini is ruining it.”

Right. 

Lastly, he threw in "And I don't like mango."

Ok, ok!  I get it.  I'm waving the white flag,  'Don't ever make this again,' is what you're really trying to say.

Which is a shame, because I rather liked it.

To his credit, he did eat it that night, and also for lunch the next day… but quite begrudgingly.

Thankfully, however, the recipe is easily adaptable.  So if any of your family members don't like certain ingredients, or if you prefer a more 'standard' enchilada sauce, then by all means - do some experimenting.

But I bet that as long as they don't see that 'green stuff' go in, they will never even know it's there :)

Mango Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

• 1 1/3 C. enchilada sauce (see recipe below for Mango Enchilada sauce)
• 1 lb. thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1/2 C. diced bell pepper (whatever color you choose)
• 14 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes & chiles, drained
• 1 C. corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/4 t. salt
• 8 8” whole wheat tortillas, cut in 1” strips
• 1 1/2 C. shredded Mexican cheese

Prepare Mango Enchilada sauce, if using.  Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Slice a stack of 4 tortillas in half, then 3 slices the other way (to create 8 strips).  Peel them apart then repeat with remaining 4 tortillas.  Keep piles separate from each other.  

Slice chicken into 1” strips and toss with 1/3 C. enchilada sauce.  Place mixture in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium heat and cook until chicken is no longer pink (about 3-5 minutes, depending on how small your chicken pieces are).   Remove chicken from pan & set aside.

Return pan to stove (you can wipe clean with a paper towel first) and add grated zucchini, bell pepper, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, and salt.  Stir to combine, and cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat until mixture is heated through.  Set aside.

Grease a 9x13” casserole dish, and scatter half of tortilla strips to loosely cover bottom of pan.  Scatter half the vegetable mixture over tortillas, then half the chicken, then half the remaining enchilada sauce, then half the cheese.  Repeat the same 4 layers, ending with cheese, and bake in preheated oven 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8-10.

Recipe Adapted from Eating Well

Mango Enchilada Sauce

• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 large tomato, quartered
• 1 t. canola oil
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1/8 t. dried chile flakes
• 1/2 C. water
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. cumin
• 1/4  C. cilantro leaves
• 1/2 t. kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 mango, diced
• squeeze of lime

Place large, nonstick fry pan over medium to medium-high heat and add quartered tomato & onion, cut sides down.  As the vegetables brown, turn to other cut side.  Once each is roasted, add to a blender and blend about 30 seconds until fairly smooth.

Briefly clean & dry pan, then return to stove over medium-low heat.  Add canola oil, then garlic & chile flakes and sauté about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Then add blender mixture back into your pan, along with water, chili powder, cumin, cilantro leaves, kosher salt, and diced mango.  Bring to a gentle simmer, increasing heat if necessary, and cook 3-5 minutes until mango is soft.

Pour the entire mixture back into the blender and blend until smooth.  Strain through a sieve to catch any large solids.  Return to the pan, add in the lime, and stir to combine.  Use immediately or refrigerate up to 2 days.

Recipe Adapted from Fat & Happy

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Cake

Last weekend we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday with my husband's family.

And a fabulous woman deserves a fabulous cake.

Actually... fabulous is putting it lightly.

Let's just say that any woman who would dress up in a hawaiian shirt, flowered bathing cap, and oversized sunglasses to do a ridiculous 'photo shoot' on the boardwalk with my sister-in-law and me deserves a cake that's out-of-this-world.

(Terrifying, yes - but don't even play like you wouldn't take advantage of the wigs, clothing, and props the photo place has to offer!)

For the birthday shindig we toned the outfits down a bit.

And ate delicious, velvety, fudgy, minty, insanely fattening cake.

Pammy Vittles' favorite candy is Peppermint Patties.  So I wanted to make something that incorporated chocolate and peppermint. 

I wasn't able to find any recipes that I liked so I decided I was just going to have to construct my own 'peppermint patty' cake. 

Originally I considered a flourless chocolate cake with some sort of peppermint ganache, but I figured a birthday really calls for layer cake. 

Which was a great idea until it was an hour and a half before we had to leave, and I went to whip the chilled ganache. 

People, let me tell you something.  I went to town on that ganache. 

And whipped it too much. 

Just past the point of whipped-ganache perfection and into the realm of runny, grainy MESS.

In my panic, I turned to the internet, where Martha Stewart assured me that all was not lost and that I could just re-melt, re-chill, and re-whip.

As usual, she was right.  But I got a little gun-shy.  So there was no re-whipping, just spreading. 

And it came out perfectly lovely.

So let this be a lesson to you. 

1) No need to panic when the ganache-whipping gets out of hand. 

And 2) It's ok to wear Hawaiian shirts and flowered bathing caps.  Because they're cool.

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Cake

Sour Cream Fudge Cake Layers

• 1 C. dutch cocoa powder
• 2 t. instant coffee or espresso powder
• 1 C. boiling water
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 C. sour cream
• 16 T. (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 C. granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4. salt

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9 by 1&1/2 inch round baking pans with shortening or nonstick spray.  Line bottom of pans with rounds cut out of parchment or waxed paper - grease the top of the paper as well.  Dust pans with a little flour or cocoa powder, and tap out excess.

Mix cocoa with instant coffee in a small bowl; add boiling water and whisk until smooth.  Cool to room temperature, then stir in vanilla and sour cream. 

Beat butter in bowl of electric mixer set at medium-high speed, until smooth and shiny (about 30 seconds).  Gradually sprinkle in sugar, beating until mixture is fluffy and almost white (3-5 minutes).  Add eggs one at a time, beating a full minute after each addition.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.  With mixer on the lowest speed, add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to batter, followed immediately by about 1/3 of the cocoa mixture.  Mix until ingredients are almost incorporated into batter.  Repeat process twice more.  When batter appears blended, stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.  Return mixer to low speed, and beat until batter looks satiny, about 15 seconds more.

Divide the batter evenly between pans.  Use a rubber spatula to spread to sides of pans and smooth top.  Bake the cakes until they feel firm in the center when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean (with no more than a crumb or two adhering), 23-30 minutes.

Transfer pans to wire racks and cool about 20 minutes.  Run knife around perimeter of each pan (I didn't need to do this- my cakes separated from the sides while cooling) and invert cakes onto racks.  Peel off paper liners and cool completely before frosting. Once cooled, place one layer on a decorative plate or cake stand, with the top of the cake on the bottom of the plate (this way the flattest part is on the top).  Then make filling below.

Peppermint Buttercream Filling

• 1/2 C. butter, softened
• 1 T. + 1 t. milk
• 1 1/2 t. peppermint extract
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 C. powdered sugar

In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, milk, and extracts on medium speed until well-combined.  On the lowest speed, gradually add powdered sugar until combined.  Then increase speed to medium-high, and beat mixture until fluffy and white.  Spread evenly over top of first layer and top with second layer (top of the cake facing down into filling, so again the flattest side is facing up).  Then make ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

• 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate*, chopped in small pieces
• 3/4 C. heavy cream
• 2 T. butter (unsalted is recommended, but I used salted & it was fine)

Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set aside.  Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring just to a boil.  Immediately pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit, without stirring, about 3 minutes.  Then stir gently (and sparingly, so as not to incorporate too much air) with a spoon or whisk until smooth.

Let the ganache sit until it firms up to a spreadable consistency (sort of like peanut butter).  If you are in a hurry you can put it in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.  (Heck you could even put it in the freezer for a bit, if you're REALLY pressed for time).  Spread evenly over top and sides of cake with an offset spatula.  If desired, use the back of a tablespoon to swirl patterns into the ganache.

Serve, or cover for later.  You can put the cake in the refrigerator if necessary, but it's not recommended.  It should keep at a cool room temperature for a couple of days, covered.  Serves 12.

*Note: I know there are really amazing brands of chocolate out there, but my problem is that the are usually also really expensive.  If you are looking for a brand that's good and affordable, I would recommend Hershey's Special Dark.  And (unfortunately) I am not being paid to say that.  :)

Recipe for Sour Cream Fudge Cake adapted from Cook's Illustrated; Recipe for Chocolate Ganache from Joy of Baking

S'mores Bites

I was recently contacted by the publishers of the book Sweet Chic: Stylish Treats to Dress Up for Any Occasion by Rachel Thebault (who is the founder & head confectioner of Tribeca Treats in NYC) about doing a review for the blog.

Naturally, I agreed; who in their right mind would turn down a free copy of a fun new cookbook?

I have never been to Tribeca Treats, but by the looks of their website, it seems they have some pretty amazing desserts.  And the book is really cute in that it likens each of the treats to a piece of clothing or accessory that's considered a staple in every stylish woman's wardrobe.

For instance, scooped cookies like Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodles are the basic white tee.  Brownies like Mint Swirl and Peanut Butter are considered the cashmere sweater.  Chocolate truffles are the leather jacket.

And when Devils Food Cake is paired with Caramel Buttercream... the Little Black Dress meets knee high boots.

To be honest, I'm not much on fashion, but I still thought that was a fun touch.

The only complaint I had was that not every recipe was accompanied by a photo.  I base a lot of my decisions on the way a finished product looks (hence my sick obsession with sites like foodgawker) so I'm thinking the book might benefit from a few more photos?

Nevertheless, the recipes themselves did not disappoint!

I've actually been wanting to make homemade graham crackers for a while now, and when I saw that this recipe had ingredients like whole wheat flour and wheat germ I was very intrigued.

And what better to pair with homemade graham crackers than some marshmallows and chocolate?

I also found a new pearl of wisdom amidst the 'basic techniques' chapter of the book.  I am pretty awful at tempering chocolate (no patience) so I'm interested in trying a shortcut the author shared - apparently, adding 1 T. canola oil per 2 C. chopped chocolate helps avoid the notorious "blooming" effect.

Hate when that happens.

And, umm... just FYI, graham crackers are considered 'the perfect-fit jeans' of your culinary wardrobe.

Which I found rather ironic, because I think I might have eaten so many of these addictive little morsels that I no longer fit into my real jeans.

Oh well.  I'm over it.

Now where are the rest of those s'mores bites?

S'mores Bites

Graham Cracker Dough

• 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 C. untoasted wheat germ
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1 stick (8 T.) butter
• 1/2 C. packed brown sugar
• 2 T. honey

Topping

• approximately 3/4 C. mini marshmallows
• 4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

In a small bowl, combine flours with wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine well.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter on high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add brown sugar, crumbling it with your hands as you add it to remove any lumps, and mix on medium-high until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add honey and mix until well combined.  Scrape down sides & bottom of bowl with rubber spatula halfway through mixing to ensure even distribution.

Add about half the flour mixture and mix on low until just incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Repeat with remaining flour, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.  Cover & refrigerate dough one hour.

Once dough is chilled, preheat oven 350 degree and grease the cups of a mini-muffin tin.  Distribute dough evenly amongst cups using a heaping teaspoon and press dough into bottom of each cup.  Then poke 2 rows of holes in each dough round using the tines of a fork.

Bake in preheated oven 12-14 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until they are a dark golden brown color.  (Dough will puff up, maybe even above the top of the tin, but don't be alarmed - when you take it out it should deflate into a nice little cup to hold your marshmallows :))

Remove from oven and turn your oven's broiler on high.  Immediately fill each graham cup with 3-4 mini marshmallows.  Once all cups are filled, place pan under broiler until marshmallows puff and brown (since all broilers are different, I would not walk away from the oven - keep an eye on them!)

Remove pan and place on wire rack. Let sit 15 minutes, then remove cups from tin to cool completely.  Once cooled, microwave 3/4 of chopped chocolate in 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until just melted & smooth.  Then add remaining 1/4 of chocolate and stir until completely melted.

Drizzle chocolate over tops of cups (or spoon over, as desired).  Place in refrigerator about 10 minutes to set, then return to room temperature and serve.  They are best eaten that day, but they will keep in an airtight container up 2-3 days (perhaps longer in the refrigerator).  Makes 24.

Recipe for Graham Cracker base slightly adapted from Sweet Chic

Note: While I did receive a copy of the book from the publisher, I did not receive any other compensation to write this post- the opinions are my own.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Growing up, I had just about every summer job you can imagine.

I always babysat, but I got my first 'real' job at 14, the summer before I went into high school.  I worked in the gift shop of a local aquarium on the boardwalk.

From there, I went on to work as a chambermaid in a bed & breakfast, an assistant manager of a frozen yogurt stand, a counselor at a day camp, a typist at a newspaper, an inventory-taker (!), and even a telemarketer (!!).  I also worked in a tanning salon, and the nursery of a gym where parents would drop off their kids while they worked out.

But one of my personal favorite employers was a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop I worked at during college.

First of all, I got a really cool bulging forearm muscle from scooping hard ice cream.  And secondly, I got to eat delicious ice cream every day, which is basically a dream come true.

To be honest, I took advantage of that perk much more at the frozen yogurt place than Ben & Jerry's (let's not lie, a cup of ice cream on a daily basis would be a little much).  But I did treat myself at least once a week.

And I probably tried 75% of the flavors there, but I always came back to Oatmeal Cookie Chunk.

Ummm... whoa.  Cinnamon sweet cream base with chunks of oatmeal cookies and fudge.  What could be bad about that?

So when I realized that July is National Ice Cream month, I decided I needed to try & replicate my old favorite.

But I wanted it to be completely homemade and I didn't feel like first whipping up a batch of oatmeal cookies just to crumble up for ice cream. So I devised a sort of crispy, sugary oatmeal crumble instead.

And while it's not a dead ringer... it's pretty freaking close.

Not to mention pretty freaking delicious.

And the cool part about it is it's an eggless ice cream! I've never made one of those before, but it came out really well.

Which reminds me- don't be tempted to replace the corn syrup, that's part of what keeps it scoopable (if you're like me & try to avoid the stuff whenever possible, this might make you feel better).

Either way... I think my former employer would approve.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Oatmeal Crumble

• ½ C. old fashioned oats
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. granulated sugar
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• pinch salt

Cinnamon Ice Cream

• 2 C. lowfat milk
• 1 T. plus 1 t. cornstarch
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 T light corn syrup
• ½ t. cinnamon
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 C. chocolate chunks

Make the oatmeal crumble: Preheat oven 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium-low until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Spread oat mixture on prepared baking sheet and cook for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through baking.  Empty oats back into skillet to cool.

Make the ice cream:  Measure out the 2 C. milk then take 2 T. of it and mix with the cornstarch in a small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.  Prepare an ice bath in a container big enough for the bowl with the cream cheese to fit in it.  (An ice bath is just cold water with ice).

In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon over medium heat. Whisking occasionally, bring the milk mixture to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Return to a boil (watch carefully so it does not boil over) and whisk over medium heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until room temperature (about 30 minutes).  Then refrigerate mixture until chilled, about 2 hours.

Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. With ice cream maker still on, add chocolate chunks & about 2/3 of the oatmeal, and mix to evenly distribute.  Pack the ice cream into a plastic container, and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream. Close with an airtight lid, and freeze the ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.  Use remaining 1/3 of oatmeal for sprinkling on served ice cream, if desired.

Ice Cream recipe adapted from Jeni Britton Bauer on Food & Wine; flavor inspired by Ben & Jerry's

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

Ok so... seriously?

With this heat?

I can't even even.

I have no idea how Mr. Vittles works outside on days like this.  Although he must be a glutton for punishment because he just got home from work... and decided to go for a run.

Isn't that what everyone does when it's 96 degrees out?

But hey, the longer he's out of the house the longer I have to finish watching last night's episode of the Bachelorette on the DVR.

Er... I mean... who watches that garbage?

As you can probably imagine, Mr. V is not a fan of the show. 

I know he's right, it's hardly 'reality' and the couples never even stay together.  But that doesn't stop me from watching every silly episode of every silly season.

I just have to do it by myself.

Similarly, my husband's surprising distaste for these tostadas probably will not dissuade me from making them again. 

For myself.

He thought the chipotle was too much, I thought it was absolutely delicious.  But he also prefers more Americanized Mexican dishes and while I love me some sour cream and loads of shredded cheese, these were good in a totally different way.

Ah well.  We can't like all the same things.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (about 2 breasts)
• 2 small yellow onions, divided
• 1/2 C. + 1 C. diced fire-roasted tomatoes in a can (14.5 oz), drained
• 2 garlic cloves, divided
• 1/2 one 7-oz. can chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1 t. salt
• 8 prepared tostada shells
• queso fresco, for sprinkling (I used feta)

Cut one of the small onions in half.  Place one half in the bottom of a medium stockpot, and add 3 C. water, 1 t. salt, 1.2 t. minced garlic (or 1 garlic clove, cut in half) and chicken breasts.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Simmer 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken, but reserve stock for later.  Cool the chicken and shred.

In a blender, combine other half of onion, 1/2 C. fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and another 1/2 t. garlic.  Add 1/2 C. reserved chicken stock, and blend until smooth.  Set aside chipotle sauce.

Dice remaining onion.  In a large saucepan/skillet, heat 2 T. canola oil over medium heat.   Add onions and saute about 5 minutes until translucent.  Reduce heat if necessary, and add remainder of drained tomatoes.  Saute 5 minutes over medium-low.

Add shredded chicken and chipotle sauce, and increase temperature enough to bring to a boil.   Then reduce heat back to medium-low and cook 7-10 minutes until most of liquid is absorbed.

Serve on tostada shells with sprinkled queso fresco.  Serves 4 (2 tostadas each).

Recipe Adapted form Muy Bueno Cookbook

Coconut Rum Horchata

So on my way home from work today, I got into a car accident.

Really it was just a fender bender - both cars were completely drivable, and thankfully no one was hurt.

And, it was in no way my fault.

Yessssssssssss.

(Just sayin'.)

But get this - I was hit by a woman making an illegal left turn into a Dunkin' Donuts.

Who, as it turns out, did not even have a license to drive a car.

I guess she really needed some donuts?

I can kinda relate though.

After waiting an hour in the heat, humidity, and impending thunderstorms for the officer to do his thing, I was wishing like Cher that I could turn back time and pour me some of this coconut rum horchata I made over the weekend.

I mentioned I had something up my sleeve for "Rum Day" at the beach, and let me tell you - this drink did not disappoint.

If you've never heard of horchata, it is a traditional sweet Mexican drink made with rice and cinnamon.  Which sounds kinda weird, but trust me when I say it basically tastes like rice pudding in liquid form.

Now I honestly have no idea how 'traditional' the original recipe is that I adapted, but I decided to take it to another level and use coconut milk & coconut rum.

Holy smokes.

Even people who said they do not like coconut thought this drink was awesome.

FYI - it's also quite scrumptious without the rum, so don't feel compelled to add it.

Unless you had an afternoon like mine.

In that case, feel free to double the amount!

Coconut Rum Horchata

• 1 C. uncooked long grain rice
• 2 quarts warm water
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1 C. coconut milk
• 1/4 C. fat free half & half
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 C. coconut or light rum, or to taste (this is optional – drink is great virgin!)

Mix the rice and warm water together in a bowl, and let stand for half an hour. Reserving the water, drain, and place the rice in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cinnamon and process until a paste forms. Return the rice to the water and let stand at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally as the water turns milky white.

Strain the rice through a very fine sieve (I used a coffee filter) into a bowl or pitcher, and discard the solids. Re-strain liquid to ensure all particles are removed.  Stir in coconut milk, half & half, condensed milk, vanilla, and rum (if desired) until evenly blended. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

To serve, divide ice cubes between eight glasses, and pour the chilled horchata over the ice.  Serves 8.

Recipe Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Red, White & Blue Berry Trifle

Happy 4th of July, everybody!

Despite the rain we had all day, Mr. Vittles and I went to a cookout at my dad & stepmom's house tonight.

The weather didn't get us down one bit.  We ate a veritable feast of grilled steaks, sweet corn on the cob, grilled zucchini & carmelized onion, and mozzarella di bufala with basil, tomato, and balsamic glaze.

Woooo wee.  I had to practically roll myself outta there.

As Mr. V put it, my dad doesn't know how to cook for less than 50 people.

But... that didn't stop me from eating it all.

Plus this trifle.

I was feeling in the holiday spirit, so I wanted to make a red white & blue dessert.  I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website, and thought it was such a fun, festive dish.

But knowing that we'd be eating a ton for dinner, I wanted to use something a tad lighter than your typical store-bought pound cake.

I decided on this yogurt cake, which is really more of a quick bread - definitely not as sweet or as rich as a pound cake.  But waaaay better for you.

The lemon-lime syrup and whipped cream cheese icing probably negate that, but that's ok :)

There's also berries and those are healthy.

Right?

If you're feeling less guilty than I, feel free to use your favorite recipe or store-bought pound cake - but I included the yogurt cake recipe in case you want to give it a try.

In any event, I am pretty excited for the holiday this year.  There's a lot of good stuff on the docket for tomorrow.

For starters, my dad, stepmom & their friends all go to the same beach and it's our 2nd annual 'Rum Day' where everyone brings a rum drink to try.

Last year I made the Choco-Almond Chai Tai, which turned out to be a hit.  And this year I have something equally weird but fun up my sleeve.

Heh heh.  More to come on that soon.

I am also excited for the fireworks in Asbury Park tomorrow night - which I must admit is unusual for me.  I know it sounds awful, but growing up in a town where they put on a weekly fireworks show in the summer really desensitized me to them.

But it's been years since I was able to just go down the street to watch fireworks, until now.  This year I can see them without having to drive and deal with traffic, parking, and all the general craziness that usually comes with 4th of July at the Jersey Shore.

We live so close to the beach/boardwalk that we can just walk to see the fireworks.  And we have some friends coming over tomorrow night to do just that.

How lucky are we?

Anyway, hope you all have a safe & happy holiday! Enjoy, and Happy Birthday, America!


Red, White & Blue Berry Trifle

• 1/4 C. plus 1/3 C. sugar
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 homemade (see suggested recipe below) or store-bought pound cake loaf, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 8 oz. Neufchatel or reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
• 3 C. fresh blueberries (three 1/2-pint containers), rinsed and dried
• 3 C. fresh strawberries, rinsed & dried then hulled & sliced

Make lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool completely, then brush over both sides of cake slices. Quarter each slice.

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with remaining 1/3 cup sugar on high speed until lightened. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add heavy cream in a steady stream; continue beating until mixture is light and airy (mixture will be like a very soft whipped cream - should take a few minutes of mixing).

Arrange half the cake pieces in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. Spoon half the cream-cheese mixture over cake in dollops; spread to sides of dish. Scatter half the blueberries and strawberries on top. Repeat layering with remaining cake, cream-cheese mixture, and berries, piling berries in the center.

Cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.  Serves 6.

Trifle recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Whole Wheat Yogurt Cake

• 1/2 C. butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 C. coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 5 T. agave nectar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 C. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 C plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, coconut palm sugar, agave, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in small bowl; stir into the batter alternating with the yogurt.

Spread batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack.

Cake recipe adapted from Chobani Yogurt

BBQ Chicken Pizza Bites

Oh my.

Have you ever had to put on a happy face for hours on end and just feel emotionally drained?

I'm sooo there.

Not that all of it was a show.  There was definitely genuine happiness and enjoyment.

But it all sort of runs together after a while. 

And the worst part is, I'm only just getting warmed up for this marathon.

You know, stretching the quads & hammies.  A few arm circles, a quick jog in place.

And I'm already ready to quit.

I... don't even know what to say to you guys right now.

Except maybe - "Eat these."

It will make us both feel better.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Bites

• 1 1/2 C. shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/3 C. your favorite barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's), or more to your taste
• 1 can Pillsbury pizza dough (in the refrigerated section) or your favorite pizza dough recipe stretched into a rectangle approximately 12x8
• 1/2 to 2/3 C. mozzarella cheese
• olive oil
• garlic powder & Italian seasoning for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a pie pan and set aside.

Roll out pizza dough on lightly floured surface, and pat to flatten evenly (the long sides should be horizontal).  Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, make 2 slices to create 3 horizontal rows.  Then make 5 slices to create 6 vertical rows (which will make 18 rectangles).* 

Divide chicken and mozzarella evenly between dough rectangles, placing filling in the middle of each & being careful not to overstuff them (otherwise you won't be able to close them).  Once the filling is in, then pull the sides of the dough into the middle, gathering and pinching together to seal it shut into a ball.

Place balls seam side down in greased pan.  When all rolls are in pan, brush tops with about 1 T. of olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little garlic powder & Italian seasoning, if desired.

Cook in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Serve plain or with dipping sauce (such as ranch dressing).  Makes 18.

*Note: The original recipe calls for 24 squares but I find that when they're that small it's a little tougher to fill - totally up to you though, that way would make more bites.

Recipe Adapted from Our Best Bites