couple in the kitchen

Best Chocolate Cupcakes Ever

2011-01-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

I am not a chocolate cupcake fan. Which is weird since I like both chocolate, and cupcakes, individually. But this little cake turned me around and taught me the error of my ways. Oh it's so rich, so moist, so delicious.I stumbled across this concoction at Love and Olive Oil, and apparently it was taken from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (perhaps a book I should purchase). I highly recommend

Tomato Lentil Soup and Parker House Rolls

2011-01-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

Another easy dish from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two with a bit of James Beard's Parker House Rolls on the side for dinner tonight! Very late dinner (around 1 am) since Phil works until 12-midnight.The soup has brown lentils, onion, carrot, celery, thyme, 1/2 of a bay leaf, tomato paste, water, and fried pancetta. After 7 to 9 hours in the crock pot red wine vinegar is swirled in

Daring Cooks January 2011

2011-01-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman.Yay! My first Daring Cooks attempt!With recent dietary restrictions

Cheesecake-y-ness

2010-12-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to tackle that sordid collection of food magazine clippings (Bon Appetit in this case) coincided with my desire to use fresh cranberries this week. Luckily, the recipe is also online in case anyone else is tempted to make Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with Raspberry-Cranberry Compote.As you can probably see, I tweaked, it's a problem-I just can't leave well enough alone. You see, my

Sugar High Friday #72: Trifles

2010-12-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

The foundation of this trifle, my first ever to make or eat, was a marbled chocolate/vanilla pound cake from Dorie Geenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. It was so easy to make, and smelled so delicious, I had such high hopes for eating it.For the rest of the Trifle I went with Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Cherry Trifle recipe from Feast. This recipe called for sandwiching black cherry jam and

Gingerbread Cookies!

2010-12-12T21:47:00.000-08:00

I love gingerbread, and have liked every recipe I've tried, so this time I decided to try a new one from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook by Leslie Mackie (p. 251). It used fresh grated ginger and cayenne pepper, intriguing.Festive Gingerbread People (not exactly as well written as in the book)Makes 6 to 8 six inch cookies3 1/3 cups all purpose unbleached flour2 tsp baking soda2 tsp cinnamon2

Harvest Pie

2010-12-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

This pie is from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook (p. 249), and seemed unlike anything I had made or eaten before.It begins with a crust made of ground toasted sesame seeds and whole almonds. The filling consists of Granny Smith apples, Bartlett pears, fresh cranberries, whole toasted almonds (I omitted!) and lots of sugar. Then to top it off is a struesel of flour, sugar, rolled oats, almonds

Orange Teriyaki Chicken

2010-12-03T00:56:00.001-08:00

(yes I am aware of the fact that this may possibly be the ugliest and most unappetizing picture ever)Cooker: 1.5-3 quartSetting and Cook Time: High for 2.5 to 3 hours4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I had six)1/4 cup regular or low-sodium Japanese soy sauce2 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry (Used a few generous glugs of orange juice instead)1 tablsepoon light or dark brown sugar (I used 1.5

It's been a while...

2010-12-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Back?

Ice Cream Maker

2009-09-13T16:02:00.001-07:00

(Blueberry ice cream and a pineapple tart, I don't know why the salt and pepper shakers are there)As a consolation prize, for not staying in China, my wonderful husband bought me an ice cream maker! Since I got it a week ago, we have made Caramelized Cocoa Nib Ice Cream, Dark Chocolate Sorbet, and Blueberry Ice Cream. There have also been French yule logs, pies...(French Yule Log, slice)(French

China

2009-09-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

China was crazy, especially when Phil wasn't in isolation.This was our first meal in China, from a dirty little restaurant, very greasy Chicken and Mushrooms in Noodles.A view from our apartment.Hotpot in Jin Li, the regional dish. Yes that dish on the left is pork brain.Jin Li.The one blue sky we saw in Chengdu, also, the view from our hotel room.

Wedding Cakes

2009-08-07T21:22:00.001-07:00

(My dog Chuck doing something that may be illegal, but cute)Phil and I are getting married on Friday the 14th. We met in Fall 2007, in an Imperial China history course. Of course I knew he was meant to be mine, but he took convincing! After a few abortive attempts to ask each other out for the first time, and then a disastrous first kiss here we are. Getting married and leaving for a ten month

Fraisier and a New Cookbook

2009-07-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

The local Borders had Linda Dannenberg's Paris Bistro Cooking tucked away in the cookbook section for $3.99. I can't resist great cookbooks, especially under five dollars. Who can?At least now the last copy is safe at home with me, in addition to two pounds of fragrant strawberries. So, despite the fact that I have never seen, eaten, or made a g