Spork or Foon?

And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'!

Seriously. Williams and Sonoma. What are you doing to me? In times of an economic recession, I still can't resist your bakeware. A Chocolate Bar Brownie Pan? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???

Conversely, if I buy this, I'm helping out the economy. 

Right?

Source

That's Not Chocolate, It's "Mockolate!"

We all know that Hershey's purchased the beloved Scharffen Berger (I always have to Google how to spell that and it drives me crazy every time) back in 2005, pledging to maintain the quality of brand.

Let's discuss Scharffen Berger's quality, shall we? We shall.  Scharffen Berger is a chocolate that many bakers love to use due to the artisinal chocolate's smooth, complex flavors and is definitely a favorite among professional bakers and baker/bloggers. Click here to get a taste (bad pun, sorry) of how the artisinal chocolate maker produces its chocolate.

Unfortunately, Hershey's has decided to close the factory where Scharffen Berger chocolate has been produced due to rising costs. 

Now, you may say that there is nothing wrong with this (besides the fact that 150 people will be losing their jobs, which is problem enough).  But you have to wonder if this means that the production of our delicious Scharffen Berger chocolate will be affected by changes. We all know that when large conglomerates purchase smaller houses, changes are made. Hershey's recently changed the formula of their milk chocolate candies by replacing certain ingredients with more inexpensive ingredients due to the rising cost of raw materials.. The biggest change?  They have replaced cocoa butter with vegetable oil. Again, what is the big deal? Well, since there is no cocoa butter in the recipe, Hershey's cannot call the products milk chocolate. 

Dum, dum daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahm

Now, items like Mr. Goodbar, Hershey's Kissables, and Milk Duds (for crying out loud!) are called "Chocolate Candy" or "Chocolaty" rather than "Milk Chocolate". 

Will Hershey's eventually change the recipe to Scharffen Berger? Scharffen Berger is one of only 12 companies in the US to purchase raw cacao beans and manage the process from start to finish.  Will they no longer seek out these raw cacao beans?  Will they eventually start using a synthetic chocolate substitute, forcing us to call Scharffen Berger Chocolate "Scharffen Berger Mockolate", a la the Friends Episode where Monica, desperate for work, decides to try to create recipes such as "Pumpkin Pie with a Mockolate Crust" and "Mockolate Chip Cookies"? Will the chocolate crumble when eaten, bubble, and leave an aftertaste "that'll last 'till Christmas?"

Only time will tell, my friends. Only time will tell.  Let's put our faith in Hershey that they will do what is right. 

Green Lentil "Pate" Bruschetta

...With a Poached Egg and Honey Balsamic Sprouts.

What a mouthful. Literally.

(Ba-dum-chhhh)

This was inspired by a recipe that I saw on Chow, but I gave it my own twist. To be honest, I wouldn't use the sprouts again, but they do add a nice variation on the texture. If you like sprouts, then definitely keep them in.

The pate alone is delicious with the bread, but top it with a poached egg for some extra oomph.

Please note that if you are using dried lentils, soak the lentils overnight or use a quick method (noted below).

Serves 2

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided - 2 tbsp and 2 tbsp)

1/2 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 cup baby bella mushrooms

1 cup green lentils, cooked

1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs

white wine vinegar

1/4 cup sprouts (I used alfalfa)

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp honey

2 slices french baguette or other crusty bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.

Honey Balsamic Sprouts

Mix 2 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey and whisk vigorously.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Lentil "Pate`"

Pour 1 cup lentils into a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to boil and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for one hour.

After one hour, boil lentils for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and saute` for 6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and saute` for one minute more.  Add lentils, paprika, salt and pepper and place in a blender or food processor.  Pulse several times until the mixture looks like a spreadable "pate".  Adjust seasonings to your preference.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, drizzle olive oil on bread and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Poached Egg  

You can poach the egg with a egg poacher, but I prefer to do it the old fashioned way.  Fill a saucepan half way with water.  Sprinkle water with white wine vinegar (I use about 2-3 tsp). Bring water to a simmer. Crack egg into a coffee cup and carefully lower egg into the water (I like using this method, as it keeps the egg from separating with the white).  Repeat with second egg.  Poach for 4-5 minutes or until white is firm. Carefully remove the egg with a slotted spoon. If the eggs will be sitting for a while, place them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking.

To assemble, spread a generous amount of lentil pate on the toasted bread and top with the poached egg.  Mix sprouts and honey balsamic vinaigrette and place on top of the egg. Serve immediately.

RecipeKey.com

During the cold winter months, I rarely want to leave my warm and cozy apartment to venture out into the frigid and icy tundra to go food shopping. Some nights, I opt to eat stale cheerios straight from the box rather than leave the comforts of my own home. So I crank up the heat to 85 degrees (my boyfriend hates it) and cuddle up on the couch, stomach rumbling and vision slightly blurry from the hunger.

Well, I will be hungry no more!  Thanks to Recipekey.com, my life will no longer be dictated by the weather! Recipekey.com is an “innovative recipe searching technology”.  The user first enters all of the items into “My Pantry” that can be found in his or her pantry (the items are pre-sorted and the interface is extremely user friendly. Just drag and drop!). Then, with the click of a mouse, the website finds recipes that match what is currently in the pantry!

Can it get any better than this?

YES.

There is an ingredient match feature that automatically removes recipes by dietary requirements, meal types, cooking methods, prep time, difficulty and cuisine. But that isn’t the best part (because, frankly, there are a million website that do this. Sorry Recipe Match!)  You can create a digital shopping list and the website will filter by category so that your shopping experience is a pleasant one! 

You know who I feel like when I write these posts about websites I love? The ShamWow guy. You know him?

Shamwow!

I should totally get paid for these endorsements.

Visit Recipekey.com to check it out!

Crazy Pumpkin Pizza with Leeks, Chorizo, Pine Nuts, Feta...

Now, I know what you are thinking. This pizza sounds crazy. But let me tell you this. This is an unbelievably delicious, completely satisfying, and unique pizza.  I saw this on Tastespotting maybe two weeks ago and have been itching to try it ever since. 

If I open a restaurant or find myself on Top Chef one day (because I could make scallops and gremolata and be a part of this cast. Even though this is "Top Chef, not Top Scallop!"), this is the type of thing I would make that would really make you go "hmm".  And if you are making this for the non-adventurous eater ("Meat and potat"uh"s", as my father says), this would be one of those dishes where you tell them the ingredients after they try it (and fall in love with it).

I made some changes to the recipe, but you really have to give credit to Mike at Mike's Table for coming up with this amazingly crazy recipe.The creamy pumpkin "sauce" along with the feta and chorizo and roasted squash was like nothing I have ever tasted before. The flavors were spicy and sweet, with a hint of pumpkin and warm flavors, and were complimented by the perfectly crunchy dough.  I will be sure to make this again and again.

Recipe adapted from Mike's Table

Dough (good for 2 pizzas, or one thick crust)

3 cups flour

1 cup warm water

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1.75 tsp active dry yeast

1.5 tsp honey

1 tsp salt

Pumpkin Sauce

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 shallot, minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon thyme

1 1/2 tablespoon sage, roughly chopped

1 dried chile (I used a California chile)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or use your own combination of cloves, cinnamon, ginger or all spice to taste)
salt and pepper to taste


Toppings

20-25 kalmata olives, sliced

1 leek

1 cup butternut squash, diced and roasted

6-8 oz feta cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

3/4 cup chorizo


Directions


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.


Dough

First, prepare the pizza dough as that needs time to rest.

In a small bowl, pour warm water (as in pretty warm, but not piping hot) and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until the water is cloudy or foamy. Mix remaining dough ingredients together. A food processor with a dough hook is definitely easier, but you’re welcome to use a hand mixer, too. Once the yeast is ready, add to remaining ingredients and mix well. The dough should naturally come together into a ball, being neither goopy nor overly tacky. If it is, add small amounts of water or flour to get the right consistency. Punch and knead the dough until it is smooth.


Very lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in a bowl, covering the top with a towel. Let sit in a warm place for about an hour. 


After the dough has risen for an hour, cut it in two and form a ball out of each half and place these two on a lightly floured surface. Cover with a towel and place this back in your warm place again. Let the dough rise for an additional 45 minutes (the dough should roughly double in size).


Toppings

If using a pizza stone that requires heating, place it in the oven to heat. While heating the stone, rub a halved acorn squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and let it roast in the oven. When fork tender (anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour), skin it, cube it, and set it aside.


In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts for 2 minutes or so. Set aside.


Remove chorizo meat from casing and brown for 7 minutes. Drain grease and set aside.


Rinse the leek well and chop finely.

Sauté the leek for 7 minutes or until tender. Set aside.


Slice olives and set aside.


Sauce

Begin by dry toasting the pepper in a pan for a minute or two. Sauté the minced shallot in a bit of olive oil over medium heat for 6 minutes and then add the minced garlic for 1 minute more. Add the pumpkin purée to the pan along with the vegetable broth, herbs, and seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes and puree in a food processor or blender. Return the sauce to the pan and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes further until you reach your desired texture. Set aside.

Finally, working quickly, toss your dough to the size appropriate for your pizza stone. Throw a generous sprinkle of cornmeal (to prevent sticking) or spray with vegetable spray, lay on the dough, ladle on the sauce, and toss on the toppings (if you have more handy than you can fit on your pizza, don’t overcrowd it–just hang onto it and eat them later). Bake this in the oven for roughly 20 minutes or until crust is golden.

TWD: Ginger-vitis

When I saw that Heather of Sherry Trifle chose Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread, I immediately thought of one of the greatest episodes of South Park of all time. 

For those of you not familiar with the show, it is a cartoon on Cartoon Network known for it's "off-color humor, pop culture parody and biting satire that covers a range of topics".  It revolves around the life of four fourth graders named Stan (the protagonist), Kyle (also a protagonist who happens to have red hair), Cartman (antagonist) , and Kenny (whose language is stifled due to his tight hood on his parka, so the viewer can never understand what he is saying and is killed in every episode by a freak accident) in fictional South Park, Colorado.

In this episode, Cartman is giving a presentation to his classmates about a new epidemic - "Gingervitis".  "Gingervitis" is suffered by "Ginger kids", aka redheads, who carry a recessive "ginger gene".  These poor souls are hated and hidden by their parents and cannot walk in daylight due to their pale skin.  The ones who can walk in the sun (are identified as redheads without light skin or freckles") are called "daywalkers" and must also be avoided at all costs.

Now, I know you are wondering, "What does this have to do with gingerbread?" So am I, my friends. So am I.

But I, like Cartman, also had my prejudices towards "gingers" of another kind. Real ginger.  

I was never a fan of ginger. I didn't like gingerbread. I didn't like ginger cookies.  I hate the ginger that comes with sushi.  

In the episode, to give Cartman a taste of his own medicine, Stan and Kyle break in to Cartman's house in the middle of the night and dye his hair red and tattoo him with Henna freckles. Because of this, Cartman is experiencing the hatred that he spewed only days earlier. His mother all but disowns him and his doctor hurls insults at him. He starts the "Ginger Separatist Movement" in order to obtain equal rights for all redheads.

I have joined this movement. Dorie has, in a way, tattoed me with Henna freckles and changed my outlook. This gingerbread is absolutely amazing. Soft, moist and packed with spices, the gingerbread only gets better with time. It is made with bits of chocolate and topped with a chocolate coffee ganache, which at first I must admit I wasn't a fan of, but has completely grown on me and complements the ginger very well (I also think a white chocolate topping would be great on this, as well).  I, of course, don't read directions and accidentally made this a loaf, but it all tastes the same going in! 

Please check out Heather's blog for the recipe.  You'll be glad you did.

Because of my newfound way of eating (and my newfound love of ginger), however, I also made Dave Leibovitz's Nonfat Gingersnap cookies. Please, please make these. You won't even know they are nonfat (and only 95 calories!). They are unbelievable. Click here (or scroll down one post) to see the recipe.

I have to make a disclaimer here. I hope I didn't offend any redheads reading this blog! I am only quoting the show. I myself, love redheads (my boyfriend was one as a child) and am jealous at their ability to wear hunter green and bright blue and all seem to have the most gorgeous, healthiest hair. 

Check out TWD for more ginger goodness!

Nonfat Gingersnaps!

David Leibovitz, you are my hero.  Now, we all know that I have undergone some crazy adjustments to my diet to knock off the holiday weight (which worked like a charm and I've lost the 7 pounds I gained over the holidays plus 4 more! And these changes don't make me want to eat my arm off anymore!  Score!), but I have reintroduced coffee and alcohol because I couldn't take it anymore (and I reintroduced both of them by having an Irish Coffee. Two birds. One stone. Happy Teanna) and now I will introduce these amazing cookies.

These cookies, my friends, are unbelievable.  Perfectly spiced, large and incredibly soft, these cookies are only 95 calories each. 95 CALORIES! NO FAT! 

I will warn you, at first, the spices are overwhelming. But on the second day, they are absolutely subtle and perfect. I can seriously eat 100 of these. And apparently, these are amazing when sandwiched around a nice hunk of vanilla ice cream. Let me know how that works out. 

These snaps get "two snaps up, a twist and a kiss!"

Remember that?  From In Living Color! Men on Film! Anyone? Remember? Come on!

Please click  here for Dave's recipe and the story on how he came to create these amazing cookies! 

Cheeeeesy.

Haha oh man, Kraft Foods. What are you doing? A "Cheesy Football" for the superbowl? Cheesy is the word I would use to describe this, but not in the way that they are thinking! Is it bad that I secretly almost want to make this, though? 

Yes, yes it is.

Click here for the recipe, if you dare.

Foodzie. It's like Etsy, but for food.

KA-CHING! Click here for the best website this side of Spork or Foon (HA! I keed, I keed!). Foodzie a fantastic site where you can purchase food from small artisan producers and growers. From chocolates to cheeses to exotic olive oils (blood orange olive oil!!!), this is the go-to place to get those unique items that you can't find in your local grocery store. 

Not only can you purchase these amazing items, but you can sell on here as well!  No capital to start your own bakery?  Maybe you can start up your own little company to carve out your niche in the world of food!  Set up your own store and get some customers. This could be the start of something great! You do need to rent from a commercial kitchen and have insurance (in line with the laws from most states about selling foods from "home"), but it beats paying rent and other forms of overhead! 

The possibilities are endless! 

Click here and prepare to be amazed! 

TWD: And Now a Message from the President of the United States of America

Hi Everyone! I'll post my Berry Surprise Cake tonight. For now, I'm at the INAUGURATION!  DC was a madhouse this weekend, and I definitely was a happy frequenter of all of the fine establishments over the past few days.  With the influx of people, I felt like I was back at home in NYC again - with secret service, thousands of police officers, celebrities, bomb sniffing dogs, an enlarged police force, and humvees added. I've played the part of the "direction giver", "bar suggester" and "metro guide" to many-a-tourist this weekend, but mainly, I've been "celebrator". And my body is paying for it today. With my head aching, stomach turning, and knee swelling (I fell!  Poor me!), I'll be freezing my a** off while listening to the fine words of President Obama. 

So Berry Surprise, tonight!