My Best Baking Secrets

Since it's been such a long time since my last post, I felt I had to bring you something super awesome to make up for lost time.

Fall and winter have always been big baking seasons for me and I'm already into it this year. After doing a lot of my own research and testing (ie, bringing goodies to work for opinions), I have a few tips that have improved my baked goods dramatically. Instead of you having to scramble to Google for these kernels of wisdom, I've done all the work on this one. Take what you like and leave the rest, as they say!

1. Substituting olive oil wherever a recipe calls for butter, veggie oil, etc. It's been working like a charm and it's much healthier for you. My old secret was apple sauce which, while it made recipes lower in fat, seemed to make everything a little too light and fluffy. Olive oil is dense and tends to give my cake and breads a lot more weight which increases the enjoyment factor. I've been using extra virgin grade but not necessarily expensive brands.

2. Using confectioners sugar to keep baked goods from "sticking." This one is a God send! I spray my pan with Pam® (the olive oil version; keeping up with my new trend), spread it evenly with a paper towel, and use the sugar as I would if I were using flour. When it's time to cut the cake -- viola! -- no more fighting. It comes out of the pan effortlessly.

3. The best way to make crumbs. Sounds simple but I never gave it a thought until I had to make a cheesecake crust. Put your cookies or graham crackers in a Ziploc® baggie, squeeze the air out really well, seal the bag, and use a rolling pin to crush it all up. Of course, you have to be completely sure the bag is sealed or else you have a giant mess on your hands.

I hope these tips add joy and some homemade goodness to your holidays!

Top 5 NYC Food Memories

I grew up in central New Jersey with New York City in my backyard. Now that I live in LA, I always jump at the chance to visit. I love the people (yes, I think New Yorkers are very warm and friendly contrary to any stereotype) and the vibe of that great city as well as what it has to offer in terms of culture and, of course, FOOD!

I just spent last week in NYC, knowing the food there was going to be one of the highlights of my trip. The Big Apple never disappoints and I had some amazing food while I was there. Here are my top 5 from this trip:

Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse (Midtown)

44 West 56th St., New York, NY 10019
www.unclejacks.com

This place has a great, old school vibe with food that’s off the chart. I could definitely see the Rat Pack sitting around and enjoying some prime rib at this joint! The menu is on a chalkboard, the waiters wear tuxes, and the sides are all served a la carte. These are a few of my favorite things! The crab cake appetizer was excellent but I had a NY Strip that knocked me on my ass. I definitely recommend you save room for dessert because the sweets are as good as the steaks.

Uncle Jack’s is fantastic but not cheap. A 16-ounce NY steak costs $35 (and worth every freakin’ penny!).


John's Pizzera of Bleecker St.

278 Bleecker Street, (between 6th and 7th Aves), New York, NY 10014
www.johnsbrickovenpizza.com/

Also has some strong atmosphere going on with its funky art and church-pew styled booths and tables. Its a no-frills type of joint where they serve the pizza on trays and Cokes in plastic cups. Honey, with food this good, I'd eat it off of a dirty paper plate. My native NY friend said John’s is consistently vote as one of the Top 3 pizza places in the city. Hey, in case you didn’t know, there’s a pizza place on every corner in the city so that’s sayin’ something. I recommend pepperoni.

Dafni

325 West 42nd Street (between 8th Ave & 9th Ave), New York, NY 10036
www.dafnitaverna.com

According to Greek mythology, Apollo fell in love with a beautiful nymph named Dafni. It didn’t work out so she opened a restaurant in Midtown. I had a delectable moussaka with a side of green beans in Greek-style marinara sauce. The Gods and Goddesses were smiling on us the day my traveling buddy found that joint. A world traveler, she lived in Greece and swears its one of the most authentic Greek food she's had. It was easily some of the best moussaka I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot!)

Halal Food
corner of Broadway and Cedar St. (Wall Street)

There’s a little truck on Wall Street with the most killer gyros ever. On a whim, I decide to try some street food and wasn’t disappointed. Five dollars bought me a mountain of rice, gyros, and salad covered in this deliciously tangy tzatziki sauce. Not sure if it was the way the meat was cooked or the seasonings but it had my taste buds doing the Macarena. I know those street guys vary from place to place (and tend to be territorial) so be sure to check them out if you're on Wall Street.

Mr. Softee

found on street corners all over the City

If you’re a kid who grew up in the Northeast, chances are you have some great memories of a soft serve ice cream cone somewhere in your memory bank labeled under “summertime.” I’m no exception. I grew up on soft serve ice cream and rainbow sprinkles. Since there wasn’t a Carvel readily available, Mr. Softee was the obvious choice for soft serve. The creamy sweet consistency brought me back to the Jersey shore, circa 1979. Three dollar make you holla: why don’t they have this in LA?

Extra credit: Long Island bagels

Long Island has the best tap water in the country so it only makes sense that they have the best bagels in the world. They’re the perfect consistency and go great with any ole schmear you decide to top them with. My wise mother-in-law did say there are a lot of different places selling bagels and that the best bet is to stay with a joint that specializes in them.

As always, "The City That Never Sleeps" was kind to me and the places I've named were absolute stand-outs. Definitely be sure to visit the folks above and have one for me!

Quinoa Pancakes

Once again, being the Girl Who Lives In the Bubble when it comes to food allergies, I found breakfast to be one of the toughest meals to improvise. Luckily, I found a great recipe that I made my own revisions to and am super pleased with the results.

To make delicious wheat-free/gluten-free pancakes you'll need:

2 eggs
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/4 cup of apple sauce
2 tablespoons of water
a dash of cinammon

Mix it all up and...I hate to admit that I never really knew how to make a pancake so I'll share some about that too...

Be sure your skillet or frying pan has a minute to warm up before adding your batter. Once you do, start keeping an eye out for bubbles in the batter. You'll see them crop up and, before they all burst, turn your pancake. It seemed to me that quinoa cooked faster than any wheat batter I had ever used so be aware.

Once the pancakes are done, they can be topped with fruit & whipped cream or butter and syrup. Viola! -- breakfast of non-wheat-eating champions.

Marvelous Mini Cheesecakes

Beware: this recipe is so good, you might want to go the gym prior to making it!

It's another creation from the good folks at AllRecipes.com. The way they set up their recipes, you can decide how many you want to make and it will adjust the ingredients accordingly. That Internet thing sure is handy!

Check this one out:

Mini Cheesecakes via All Recipes

I've been bringing them to my unofficial food critique panel (aka, the office) and they've been a giant hit. Because of the thickness of cream cheese, this is a recipe that really calls for a KitchenAid® mixer. The last time I made a batch, I mixed the cream cheese for 20 minutes. Not only was the batter smoother, the final product was the most scrumptious yet.

Happy baking!

Spring: the perfect time for juicing!

Yes, it's that time of year. Time to dust off the juicer and drink to spring. Leafy greens and other veggies are good for the liver which, according to my acupuncturist, is really the organ to concentrate on this time of year.

Do I have a favorite juicer? Of course I do! The Jack LaLanne Power Juicer™ was a purchase I made about two years ago and have loved ever since. What other appliance can you throw a whole tomato into? That's why it's awesome!

The funny thing about juicing is that I'm still surprised at the veggie-to-juice ratio. A big ole apple might only make a quarter cup of juice which always seems like less than whatever I imagined.

Here's a quick recipe that I've perfected over the years that's not too exotic. You can play with the exact amounts to taste but here's my favorite spring and summer veggie juice combo:

1 large tomato (3 small tomatoes will suffice)
1 medium apple
2 - 3 celery stalks
2 - 3 carrots

It's important in juicing to add a sweet fruit or veggie (apple, beet, carrot) to keep your juice from tasting like dirt.

Have fun juicing and knowing that you're doing something really good for your body. Enjoy!


For more info, check out: www.powerjuicer.com.

Irish Oats: the Easy Way

As you probably already know, steel-cut oats are a much healthier, better source of nutrition versus your old-fashioned type with the Quaker guy on the package. I love the Irish variety but always found it so high maintenance to make. Not anymore!

Yes, dear readers, my handy dandy Rival® Crock-Pot® sure came to the rescue on this one! McCann's® Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal has an overnight method and, when I hear "overnight," I think Crock-Pot®.

The recipe calls for 4 cups of boiling water and 1 cup of oats. Put those together with about a half cup of brown sugar and set to "low" for the night. When you wake up, you'll be thrilled to have a hot, healthy breakfast all ready to go.

Enjoy!

Girl Scout Cookie Time Again!

Yes, indeed, ladies and gents. Three of my favorite things about March are St. Patrick's Day, March Madness, and Girl Scout Cookies! Those little ladies are quite the marketing geniuses and who can blame them with a product like that?

I read an article in Yahoo bringing up the fact that they're now $4 a box and, to that I say, so? They were $3 a box for forever (and worth every penny) but times is tough and I'm fine with paying an extra dollar for the delicious goodness that is Thin Mints.

I've never tried to bake anything that's remotely close to a Girl Scout cookie -- you know why? Because sometimes you have to leave certain things to the experts. Tandoori chicken, King Cake, and Girl Scout cookies shouldn't be attempted at home. Other than those 3, have at it!

I'm definitely a Thin Mint fanatic so that's the flavor I order ever year, along with the ever divine Samoas® (now known by their more PC name, Caramel deLites®). This year I decided to branch out and order some of Lemon Chalet Cremes™ and, trust me, they do not disappoint. I did notice some envy when I saw one of my co-workers with boxes of Trefoils, aka "shortbread cookies." Luckily I can order a few more before the season is over and you can bet Trefoils are on the list.

I'm all about supporting Girl Power and what better way is there to encourage young, female entrepreneurs?

Support the home team & check them out for yourself:

Meet the Cookies

A Dollar (plus tax) and A Dream

On a whim, I bought a yellow cake mix from the 99 Cents Only store (Country Value Premium Moist) and I'm really happy with the results. The recipe called for soy bean oil which I was plum out of so I substituted olive oil.

The mix was really thick and made more like 15 cupcakes vs. the 12 the box promised. I probably could have made 20 because they rise nearly twice the size I thought they would. Two tablespoons of the wet mix will yield a normal-sized cupcake.

I was pretty impressed by this mix and would highly recommend it ("cost effective" and "delicious" are 3 of the best words in the English language). I hope your cupcakes come out just as well.

Happy baking...

Sprinkles: a critique

I know, I know, I'm probably pretty biased toward my own baked goods but, I have to tell it like it is. We had Sprinkles for someone's birthday last week and here's my analysis:

Cake: not moist enough
Icing: too sweet

There, I said it. My apologies to Oprah and everyone else who thinks Sprinkles is "da bomb."

Another Happy Addition to the Family

I'm not even exaggerating when I say: I've been baking since age 11. And it occurred to me that, during that entire time, I've never owned a round baking pan. Square and rectangle, yes. Round never. How is that possible?!

Not sure but I reconciled all those years by going out and getting my first. Of course, as soon as I walked out of the store, I realized that one isn't going to do the job. If I'm going to make a layer cake (and I am, trust me), how is one layer going to work?

I got inspired today while scoping the Internet for Southern style cakes. After realizing on Monday that Mardi Gras season was going on, getting an idea to try my hand at a King Cake, and promptly deciding "no way," I did some research for some other cakes that wouldn't require anything that felt like bread making.

Leave it to those inventive folks in the South to come up with some of the most decadent deserts ever. It's not your mother's Betty Crocker, honey! I found this great recipe for something called Pig Picking Cake. That was charming enough but I found Pig Picking versions I, II, and III.

Version III of this cake sounds like the bastard son of yellow cake and ambrosia. I hope to have some field-tested cake out there soon and will definitely report and how that's received.

In case you're inspired, check it out for yourself!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pig-Picking-Cake-III/Detail.aspx


(another helpful hint: every recipe I've ever used that came from "AllRecipes.com" has been extraordinary. I trust them implicitly!)

My New Favorite: Hemp Milk!

So what does a gal who can't tolerate dairy, shouldn't have soy, and is allergic to rice & almonds do when it's time to make a bowl of cereal? Why hemp milk, of course!

Who knew? Hemp, the organic wonder plant, had a big buzz (no pun intended) in the 90s. After a closer look, I was also delighted to know hemp is a great addition to the diet. It boasts containing all the "essential amino acids and essential fatty acids necessary to maintain healthy human life." (courtesy of Wikipedia.com)

I happened upon hemp milk for the first time ever at my last Whole Foods trip and was thrilled to see it. Definitely thicker than soy or almond milk with a frothy texture and it tastes great. I'm a huge fan of letting cereal soak in milk to the point of being soggy and that's another great benefit. Hemp milk seems to speed that process up and makes cereal moist pretty quick. If you're not a fan of that phenomena, eat your cereal quickly.

The cost of hemp milk isn't the best bargain, unless you're like me and practically have to live in a bubble due to food allergies. I bought a 32-ounce container of Living Harvest®, which retails for $3.99 (or 12.5 cents an ounce). Granted, Whole Foods can be an expensive store and I'm on the look-out for other stores that might carry it.

Meanwhile, enjoy hemp milk!

Bang for your Buck

We've established that I like to cook and bake and I'm sure you do too. Before we can tackle any recipe, though, we have to make that trip to hunt and gather for ingredients.

Everyone is talking about value and stretching dollar power these days. I related to that even before the R-word had the world buzzing. I mean, who doesn't want to get more for less?! I'd love to tell you about some places to do just that!

There's this euphoric inspiration that goes through me while cruising the aisles of Costco. All of that food and all of those possibilities get the creative wheels doing double-time in my brain. There is definitely a lot one can do with a 20-pound bag of oatmeal not to mention the pallets of Campbell soup and the industrial-sized condiments. It's hard to tell what's more delicious: the sense accomplishment that can only accompany polishing off the last of the giant jar of pickles or actually buying the jar in the first place. Try that one in the field for yourself!

I did a little price comparison and there are a few items I feel are an absolute steal at Costco. And, after today's trip, I can tell you spices aren't one of them (!). The vanilla extract, however, is. A half pint of the real deal for $5.99. Unbelievable! Especially if you're a prolific baker.

I would also recommend buying Philly® Cream Cheese in those 48 ounce tubs if you're planning on making a cheesecake any time soon. At $7.49 a tub, that translates to 15.5 cents an ounce. Even on sale, you can find an 8-ounce bar for $2.99 at the grocery which comes out to 37 cents an ounce. When I buy those big tubs, I usually plan around it so I can actually use the whole thing up in this century. Above all else, it's important to remember it's only a bargain if you use it!

For spices, I know I might surprise you but I have two new favorite places. Believe it or not, the 99 Cents Only stores are a fabulous place as well as Big Lots! (that exclamation point is part of their name, I swear). Most of the spices you'll find are going to be pretty standard: cinnamon, dill, onion, seasoning salt, and all the usual suspects, but grocery store spices are, easily, 3 times the amount. My one word of advice is to check and be sure you're buying locally and/or from somewhere in the country. Standards of quality and safety vary and I haven't been let down yet by sticking to this rule.

Happy shopping!

Two of My Favorite Rival® Crock-Pot® recipes

I promise, once I figure out how to follow the words "Crock Pot" with a registered trademark sign, I will start using it!

In the meantime, however, feel free to try these 2 delicious recipes.

Delicious Beef Taco Bake

You'll need:

1 - 1 1/2 lb. of chopped ground beef and/or ground turkey
1 can of tomato soup
salsa
milk
tortillas
cheese


1. Brown 1 - 1 1/2 lb. of chopped ground beef and/or ground turkey. Drain and set aside.

2. In crock pot, mix meat, 1 can of condensed tomato soup, 1 cup of milk, & 1 cup of salsa together.

3. Cut 4 - 6 tortillas into 1 X 1 inch squares. Mix all ingredients into the crockpot.

4. Cook on "low" for 8 - 10 hours.

5. Turn off crock pot and cover the top of the mixture with your choice of cheese. Let sit for 30 minutes and then serve.



Chicken & Rice for Two

You'll need:

Chicken breast
1 cube of chicken bouillon
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
Spanish rice
Dry onion soup mix or dried onion

1. Dissolve one chicken bouillon cube in 2 cups of boiling water.

2. Add 2 cups of bouillon to one can of cream of mushroom soup and a half package of Spanish rice. (If using a larger size crock pot, add the entire package).

3. Rinse chicken breasts and gently place in the mixture.

4. Sprinkle the top with either dry onion soup mix or dried onion.

5. Cook on "low" for 8 - 12 hours


Happy slow cooking!!

My Pre-KitchenAid® Days...

Dated August 2008:

To KitchenAid® or Not KitchenAid®?

That is the question.

When I registered for our bridal registry last year, I wasn't sure if one of those big-ass KitchenAid® mixers was something I had to have or not. I felt a little like Betty Crocker even considering putting one of those massive things in my kitchen.

And it didn't help that I had conflicting stories from my married girlfriends. One told me it was the biggest paperweight she owned while another went on and on about how it creamed butter so well that it allowed her to make cakes that had the neighborhood picket outside her house for more.

As it turned out, I decided not to sign up for one. So far, there's been only one time that I had non-buyers remorse and that was when I was cooking up this massive amount of cupcakes that called for 2 pounds of butter. While I stood there, for minutes at a time with my hand mixer and the start of what I was sure was carpal tunnel, I did wish that the KitchenAid® fairy would fly by and drop one off.

I caught myself, today, at the close-out sale at our local Linens & Things walking really slowly past the KitchenAid® mixers. All they had left over was some dodgey looking floor model with a tag that boasted "50% OFF!" Unfortunately it looked like that thing had been dragged through a muddy bog and was missing attachments. Again, I declined but we'll see if that changes.

Ah, another exciting day in the suburbs.

Welcome to My New Blog!

After much deliberation about a theme for this here blog, I decided to write about one of my favorite subjects that I consider myself to be an expert on: cooking.

Now when did I decide I was an expert? Was it after I bought that KitchenAid® mixer? The second Rival® Crock-Pot®? The third fondue set? Actually, it was after I caught myself going to write another status update on Facebook. I was telling the world every time I baked cupcakes. Uh, yeah, it was time!

What is this blog going to be? I dunno yet but I'm sure I'll think of some cute little pun to sign off with. Something like...we'll see what's cookin'. Or something.