Chocolate Marble Cake

Cook Time: 65 minutes

Total Time: 65 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 7 eggs, separated 
• 3/4 cup cold water 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 1/4 cup boiling water 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted 

Preparation:

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients; add oil, 7 egg yolks, cold water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat the 7 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Pour egg yolk mixture over the entire surface of egg whites, gently folding in to blend. Remove 1/3 of the batter to another bowl. Blend boiling water, sugar and chocolate; fold into the smaller portion of batter. Spoon half of the light batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan; top with half of the chocolate batter. Repeat layers. With a butter knife or narrow spatula, swirl marble cake batters gently to marbleize. Bake at 325° for 65 minutes. Invert and cool. Frost marble cake with chocolate butter frosting or other frosting.

I added a chocolate covered pretzel and Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Syrup as garnish. For those of you that know me well; Yes that is Patron Cafe in that glass.

(Source: southernfood.about.com)

Honey Wheat Pretzels

I recently had a bag of pennysticks Honey Wheat pretzels and I have to be honest, they were a big let down and barely tasted like honey. Stick with the Rold Gold if you must go store bought. But it made me want to try my own hand at it. It was quick and the result was delightful.

Ingredients

• 1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) 
• 3 tablespoons honey 
• 1 1/2 cups warm water 
• 2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour 
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more, if necessary 
• 1 tablespoon plus 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 egg 
• 1 teaspoon water 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine yeast, honey and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let sit for 5 or 6 minutes, or until mixture begins to foam.

While yeast mixture is sitting, combine whole-wheat flour, all purpose flour and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture and oil to yeast mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated and dough begins to form. Switch to dough hook and mix on low to medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until dough is smooth but still pliable. If the dough is very sticky, add all-purpose flour, by the tablespoon, as necessary.

Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a long log. Cut log into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a 10 by 1-inch tube. I wasn’t happy with the crunch factor os size of these pretzels so you may desire to make them smaller.

Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Twist each dough stick several times and arrange sticks on cookie sheets, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart. In a small bowl beat the egg with water and brush on dough. Sprinkle salt evenly among dough pieces.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a golden crust has formed but pretzels are still soft inside. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Variations: honey glaze or sesame seeds.

(Source: foodnetwork.com)

Reblog if

bakerhi:

waiting for your baked goods to cool is one of the hardest parts of life.

(Source: bakerhi, via nicolehering)

Sweet Ginger Fish

This is a great “dinner for two”. I like to serve it over some wild rice. If you want to go the easy route some Zattarain’s Long Grain & Wild Rice does just fine. Forgot to take my own pic when I made it… had to borrow this one.

Ingredients

• Parchment paper
• 4 fillets of Tilapia
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces on an angle
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 3 to 4-inch knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons tamari sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rip off 4 pieces of parchment to form packets each about 12-inches long. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place a piece of parchment in a shallow dish then in the center of the paper stack 1/4 of the scallions and shiitakes, layer with slices of ginger and garlic and top with fish. Combine the honey, vinegar and tamari and pour 1/4 of the sauce over fish. Fold over the top of the parchment then roll the sides in to form a sealed pouch. Repeat with remaining parchment and ingredients. Arrange the pouches on a baking sheet and roast in hot oven 12 to 14 minutes (fish should flake apart when cooked).

Still haven’t gotten the parchment paper rolling down. It seems to be a bit hit or miss for me. This recipe is from the food network, using Tilapia in place of Sea Bass (personal preference).

(Source: foodnetwork.com)

Grandpa Wolcott’s Pasta Revenge

Be prepared because this dish is not for the faint of heart (or people prone to heart disease). Best enjoyed served over rotini pasta so it grabs the sauce. This dish is one that tastes even better re-heated.

Ingredients:

• 1lb Ground Beef
• 1lb Hot Italian Sausage Meat
• 1lb Lean Bacon (chopped)
• 2 Bell Peppers (rchopped)
• 1 Yellow Onion (chopped
• 1/2 bulb of Garlic (chopped)
• Campbell’s Tomato Soup (Large Can)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Thyme
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

In a large deep sauce pot add bacon and cook on medium. Once the bacon has cooked push it to the side of the pot and add the sausage meat (do not drain). Brown the ground beef in a separate pan and put aside. When sausage is done cooking push aside and add garlic, onions, and peppers to the pot. Once the onions are translucent add the can of tomatoe soup, bay, thyme, and salt & pepper (to taste). Simmer for 30 minutes and serve over pasta.

Oh… and PS don’t eat this within 3 days of any date you may have scheduled.

Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya

My roommate found this recipe in Esquire Magazine. I could go on eating it for days (and did).

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
• 8 link Cajun Style Andouille or other smoked ready to eat sausage
• 2 medium Yellow Onion
• 2 cups Celery
• 2 large Green Bell Pepper
• 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
• 3 Garlic Clove
• 4 lb Rotisserie Chicken Pulled (about 5 cups)
• 1 qt Chicken Stock
• 28oz Crushed Tomatoes
• 3 tbsp Tabasco Pepper Sauce (or less if desired)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 8 sprigs fresh time and 2 bay leaves tied together with kitchen twine.
• Chopped Scallions
• 4 cups Parboiled Rice

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 and start chopping. (Dice andouille; Chop/dice onions, celery, bell peppers, hot peppers; Mince garlic; Pull chicken & discard skin and fat)

In a large pot (at least 8 quarts, with a tight-fitting lid), melt butter until foamy over medium-high heat. Add andouille and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add onions, celery, bell peppers, hot peppers, salt, and pepper and cook until onions are translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add pulled chicken, chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaves, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and paprika. Stir to combine. When liquid comes to a simmer, add rice, cover, and transfer pot to preheated oven. Cook until rice has absorbed all of the liquid and is tender, 30-40 minutes. (The rice should be moist but not wet with excess liquid.) Do not remove lid before 30 minutes to check - quickly - for doneness, as you will interrupt th steaming process. (Note: Cooking any grain is about steam. The cooking time here depends on your pot’s ability to retain heat and the lid’s ability to trap steam.)

Remove from oven. Discard bundle of thyme and bay leaves. Add scallions (1 bunch, chopped) and stir thoroughly to combine. Salt to taste.

Serve in bowls, passing extra hot sauce on the side. (Note: There is always carryover cooking with rice, so if you’re not serving immediately, transfer to a large platter or bowl). Serves 10-12

Special thanks to the guys behind the Stamford Pizza Tour for this meal: http://stamfordpizzatour.com

(Source: esquire.com)

Chicken Can Can Enchilada

This recipe has evolved from looking through the fridge with my dad and scrounging up leftovers to an actual meal. My idea started with the Chicken Can Can Casserole concept and adds a Mexican twist. I admit that this picture does not feature amazing plating… but this is a hit nonetheless.

Ingredients:

• 26oz Can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 26oz of Milk
• 1 Box of Instant Rice
• ~1lb Chicken Breast Cutlets
• 1 package of Mushrooms (roughly chopped)
• One Onion Chopped
• Mexican Chili Powder
• Hot Sauce
• Bag of Shredded Mexican Cheese (Unspiced)
• Big Can of Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce
• 1 Package of 8 Burrito Size Tortillas
• Vegetable Oil

Add soup into large pot on High heat. Use empty can to measure out an equal amount of Milk. Stir until the soup consistency evens out and let it come to a boil. Using the empty soup can, add to cans worth of instant rice to the soup. Stir in and cover (following instant rice directions).

Cut the chicken into little chunks and cook in a skillet in a little oil. You will also cook up the onions and mushrooms in oil as well.

Now add the chicken, onions, and mushrooms into the rice mixture and mix thoroughly. Now add the chili powder and hot sauce. I usually coat the top with powder and stir it in and then repeat once. Then i drizzle a little hot sauce in.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a deep baking dish or pan. Put a large amount of the filling on each tortilla (about the size of your fist). Sprinkle some cheese on top of the filling and then roll the tortilla, folding the sides in about halfway through the roll. Place tortillas in the pan, add cheese, enchilada sauce, and more chili powder on top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for another 5 minutes. Enjoy. They are really good heated up in the microwave, so stuff your left overs in a zip lock and you’ll have great lunch to take to work.

I’ve also done different variants of sauces and fillings, but this is my favorite so far.

Tried this recipe? Reply with some photos!