Author: Wendi

Breakfast/Brunch

Flashback Friday – Pecking Order

by Wendi2 Comments on Flashback Friday – Pecking Order

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 9/12/08 at Exit 51.

Pecking Order

The ants are back.  Instead of climbing the walls of the building, they are swarming our trashcan.  There must be something irresistible down there to cause this urban safari.  Emerging from a crack in the sidewalk is a steady line of workers on their way to the target.  Mixed into the line are the ants that have already collected their bounty and are headed back to the colony.  They meander this way and that, around debris laying on the ground and each other.  Watching it reminds me of bumper cars. The zig, they zag, they bump off of one another, and they get back on course. And then the intruders show up.

In most situations, there is an established pecking order.  A before B.  B before C.  And so on.  Usually, the bigger you are, the higher you are in that order.  Think about how we are obsessed with the idea that bigger is better.  Supersize meals.  McMansions.  SUV’s.  More is more and the biggest one wins. Except that sometimes, bigger is NOT better.

Take those ants.  They are your typical picnic ant.  Not big at all, maybe 1/8 of an inch.  But when bigger ants show up and try to get in on the action, that little picnic ant becomes a mighty giant.  I watched in wonder as the big ants tried to cut through the line.  When they got close to a smaller ant, it’s like they got zapped by an electric shock.  They would jump back and twitch.  Every time.  It was fascinating.

Less can be more in the kitchen too.  Sometimes that heavy meal is just no match for something lower in the pecking order.  I’ve had dinner parties where we’ve eaten breakfast for dinner.  Pancakes, waffles, and bacon taste just as good at six o’clock in the evening as they do at six o’clock in the morning.

This recipe could not be easier and showcases how less can be more.  Pair it with a salad and serve it for brunch or dinner.

Less Is More Frittata

  • 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup regular or 2 percent milk
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 coarsely chopped spring onions (scallions), white and tender green parts only
  • 2 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (Note: I usually set the oven lower, 390-400, because I can never remember how oven safe my nonstick pans are.  If you lower the temperature, you will need to increase your cooking time slightly).

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese, chives and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach, cover the pan and cook for 1 minute. Remove the cover and stir the spinach just until it wilts. Add the remaining oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Let the oil heat for 1 minute, then pour in the egg mixture. Use a fork to evenly distribute the spinach without scrambling the eggs. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes without stirring until you see the edges just starting to cook. Transfer to the oven.

Bake until the frittata has puffed and browned around the edges and is firm in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. To serve, slide the frittata onto a platter or invert the frittata onto the platter so the browned side is face up. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken, Main Course

Baked Bree’s Butter Chicken

by Wendi11 Comments on Baked Bree’s Butter Chicken


I like having options; this way or that way.  Even if I end up choosing one more often than the other, I like knowing there’s more than one way to get from Point A to Point B.  Think of your daily commute.  You use the same route day in and day out.  But when the traffic is just not moving, you need an alternate route.  For me, cooking is no different than driving.  Sometimes I want the scenery to be different or need to avoid a backup.  So I go a different way. I still get to my destination…whichever route I choose to use.

So it should be no surprise that my files contain different recipes for the same dishes.  These are usually baking recipes; chocolate cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, buttercream frosting.  There’s more than one way to make ’em.  But the savory dishes are there too.  Take Butter Chicken.

I’ve been using this recipe for Butter Chicken that I saw on Anna Johnston’s blog.  And as long as I remember to prep the chicken the night before, I get where I need to be.  But then I saw a post on Baked Bree for Butter Chicken that didn’t need to sit overnight.  And my forgetful self liked that idea.  A lot.

Now, I will say that Baked Bree’s method involves a little more work and just as many ingredients.  But when your destination is Butter Chicken goodness, this is an equally good route.  Try it yourself and see.

Butter Chicken

Adapted from Baked Bree

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 thai chili (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 cans chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat and cook the onion, ginger, garlic, and thai chili (if using) for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened.  Add the spices and cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Transfer the onion spice mixture to a food processor.  Add the tomato paste and one can of broth and process until smooth.  Return the mixture to the pan, add the remaining can of broth, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, add half the butter, and cook until the liquid reduces to about 3 cups, stirring frequently.  Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

While the sauce is cooking down, dry the chicken breasts and cut into bit sized cubes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Melt the remaining butter in a large frying pan and cook the chicken, in batches if necessary, until it is well browned.

Transfer the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the cream to the sauce and stir to incorporate.  Simmer for 5 minutes more and then serve over rice.

{printable recipe}

Breakfast/Brunch

Chewy Granola

by Wendi31 Comments on Chewy Granola

I’m filing this recipe under “Work In Progress”.  Chewy Granola and I first met over at Inspired Taste when Adam and Joanne posted about their adventures making chewy granola bars.  They ran into a few obstacles in their quest for the perfect bar.  Chiefly, how to get them out of the pan and how to keep them from falling apart into huge granolay crumbles.  Since I’m no stranger to recipes that don’t quite go as planned, and they had already identified some of the pitfalls, I figured I could try my hand at them.

There’s another reason why I wanted to try making these.  I can’t eat most of the prepackaged granola bars.  They usually have some kind of seeds or nuts which are verboten in my world.  After an especially long relationship with seeds, seeded fruits, and nuts, I was informed that I had to choose between them and a functioning colon.  My choice to pass on a colostomy bag has meant that I can no longer randomly pick up a bag of this or a pack of that without checking the list of ingredients.  This has resulted in breaking up with many things I used to enjoy eating.  But if I am picking the ingredients, I can rekindle my relationship with granola bars.

And so it began.  I took Adam and Joanne’s recipe, eliminated all those pesky seedy things, and introduced a substitution or two.  I carefully prepped my pan, mixed my ingredients, and patted and pressed until the pan was fully of chewy granola goodness.  I waited patiently while the granola baked.  I waited even more patiently while the granola cooled. When I could wait no more, I went in for a taste.

And the damn things fell apart on me.

So it’s back to the drawing board to try and find a better way.  I’m inclined to think that the granola should A) bake longer; B) cool completely before being cut; C) be stored in an open container, not an airtight one.

And please, take it from me…you don’t want to put chewy granola in a plastic bag and then forget about it in the pocket of your coat for a day or two.  Believe me when I say it’s not a pretty sight.

Chewy Granola Bars

Adapted from Inspired Taste

BAH Tip:  Use two sheets of parchment to create a sling for easy removal of the granola after baking.  Fold or cut the sheets to the exact width of your pan and then lay them in so that the ends of the parchment extend over the sides of the pan.

  • 1 2/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats, processed in food processor until finely ground
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup honey

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 8 or 9 inch square baking dish with a parchment sling.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cranberries, and coconut.  In a second bowl, or large measuring cup, combine the corn syrup, vanilla, butter, and honey and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Dump the granola in the prepared baking dish and press it to an even thickness.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Cool the granola in the pan completely before cutting into bars.

Serve as bars or crumble into a bowl with yogurt.  Store leftover granola in an open container.

{printable recipe}

Uncategorized

Flashback Friday – Thoughts On A Recipe

by Wendi4 Comments on Flashback Friday – Thoughts On A Recipe

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 9/10/08 at Exit 51.

Thoughts On A Recipe

Don’t you just hate it when you’re making a recipe that you’ve found somewhere, in a book or online, but you don’t know what it’s supposed to look like?  I do.  And despite my own hatred of it, I find too often that I do it here.

There’s nothing worse that being excited to try something new only to get into it and figure out that you have no idea what the end result is supposed to be.  Oh sure, you might have a vague idea but don’t those pretty pictures give you clarity?  Now I’m not saying that when I make one of these dishes that mine looks exactly like what some food stylist toiled over four hours.  But at least I know if I’m heading in the right direction. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Thoughts On A Recipe” →

Chicken, Main Course

Milk Braised Chicken

by Wendi13 Comments on Milk Braised Chicken

I’ve been trying to distance myself from the lure of sweets for months now.  For example, on the day of my yearly Christmas cookie baking extravaganza back in December, I distracted myself from all the butter and sugar with milk braised chicken.  I started prepping the chicken before my baking collaborator left and she demanded the recipe before the dish even got in the oven.  The smell of chicken browning in a pool of butter made me forget all about the cookies cooling on the table.

All I can say is that the simplicity of this dish is amazing.  Please don’t let the idea of milk baking into a curdled mess keep you from trying this at home.  The liquid can be strained once the chicken is removed.  And what you’ll be rewarded with is succulent chicken and a silky brothy sauce.  If loving that is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Milk Braised Chicken

Adapted from Jamie Oliver and Sassy Radish

BAH Note: For more Milk Braised Chicken love, please check out The Kitchn and Big Red Kitchen.  And for the how and why it works, The Kitchn has you covered here.

  • 1 whole chicken, approximately 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 4 cloves of garlic, skin on
  • 3 cups of whole milk
  • 1/2 cup half and half

Heat your oven to 375 degrees.  Melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven big enough for the chicken to fit snugly inside.

Remove the bag from inside the chicken, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Brown the chicken in the dutch oven, turning occasionally, until it is golden.

Once the chicken is well browned on both sides, remove the pan from the heat, and transfer the chicken to a platter.  Carefully empty the dutch oven of the used oil and butter, leaving as many browned bits on the bottom of the pot as possible.

Return the chicken to the pot, add the remaining ingredients, cover and cook in the oven for 90 minutes.  When the chicken is done, carefully transfer it to a cutting board and then strain the juices from the pot through a fine mesh sieve.

Carve the chicken and serve it swimming in the silky milky sauce.

{printable recipe)

Chicken, Food Memories, Main Course

Food Memories – Chicken Pot Pie

by Wendi29 Comments on Food Memories – Chicken Pot Pie

Today’s Food Memory comes from fellow Big Summer Potluck attendee Jennifer of Bread and Putter.  I had no way of knowing at the time that Jennifer and I would become bff’s on Twitter (@breadandputter).  Don’t tell The Mistah but I think she knows more about me via my twittering than he does after 6 years of marriage.  Is that bad?

Here’s a little of what Jennifer has to say on her About page:

My early cooking adventures were kind of pathetic.  I once cooked a hot dog in a frying pan that was burned on the outside and still frozen in the middle.  I could always bake – I can follow instructions pretty darn well, but cooking always seemed a little more loosey-goosey. There are things about cooking apparently you are just supposed to know instinctively or something, and I didn’t.

Yeah, I can totally understand that.  Maybe she and I are kindred kitchen spirits.

If you still need another reason to skip on over to Bread and Putter and check out what’s going on in Jennifer’s kitchen, I give you this:

I really love cheese and bacon. I hate coffee, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, beets and anything that leaves orange cheese powder on my fingertips. Dark chocolate is the best chocolate but milk chocolate is good too if there’s peanut butter in it.  There’s nothing quite like hot crusty bread fresh out of the oven with some good butter on it.

I’m going to pretend that she didn’t include coffee, brussel sprouts, beets, and cheetos on her list of dont’s.

Chicken Pot Pie

For our second date, my now husband invited me to his house for dinner. I didn’t know what to expect.  I arrived with a bottle of wine in hand but he didn’t have any wine glasses. So, we drank it out of regular glasses but in retrospect, who was I to judge? It was white zinfandel.

When it was time for dinner, I was impressed when his creation came out of the oven – a homemade chicken pot pie! This guy was racking up points fast! For our first date, he had invited me to a play.  Classy, right?  And then he bakes up a pie for me. What wasn’t to like? When he cut open the pie and served me a slice, my excitement waned a bit. In addition to the chicken and gravy, there was a lot of broccoli in the pie. At the time, I really was not a broccoli fan.  And all I could taste in that pie was broccoli. But, I was gracious and I ate up my whole serving and I complimented him on that pie.

I would later learn that the pie dough was from a box and the gravy was from a can, but I still give him lots of credit for that pie.  There was still a lot of measuring, preparation and assembly involved. As the years passed and I confessed my non-love of broccoli, the pie took on other incarnations with carrots and peas replacing the wretched broccoli.

And then a funny thing happened. He was a single father and was doing his best to put food on the table for his two daughters and trying to set a good example. So, in turn, when I was dining with them, I tried to set a good example and not be fussy and eat what I was served. And over time, my palate grew in an unexpected way.  I learned to like, if not tolerate, just about everything. Including broccoli! These days we even grow broccoli, in our garden at our home together.

Here is his original chicken pot pie recipe. These days I usually make my own crust and my own gravy if I am making it, but I promise, it is still pretty darn good with the boxes and the cans.  And if you make it for someone else with love, isn’t that what really counts?

B&P Note: I’ve transcribed this exactly as written. It amuses me.

2 boxes –total of 4 Pillsbury or whatever pre-made pie crusts. Take out 15 mins before using

2 ¼ + lbs boneless breast of chicken, trim crap off – cut up, refrigerate

2 medium potatoes diced

1 bunch + broccoli crowns, trimmed of most of stem

3 or 4 carrots cut up diced

 

Boil veggies till soft (nothing falling apart.) Strain.

Open 2 cans Franco-American chicken gravy – cook till hot.

While cooking gravy, prepare two pie shells in pans.

Throw in chicken & veggies into hot gravy. Mix. Fill pies. Cover pies with remaining pie crusts. Baste with butter. Slit pie crust tops to vent heat before putting in oven. Cook covered in preheated 425 degree oven 20 mins. Remove foil cover & cook 25 mins more. Remove & let sit a minute before cutting.

Mr. Bread and Putter’s Chicken Pot Pie

BAH Note: I have to admit that I didn’t exactly recreate the original incarnation of Mr. B&P’s chicken pot pie. I was short on supplies and had a pie crust that was well past its prime.  My loosey-goosey version went something like this:

  • 1 rolled pie crust (premade)
  • 1 jar chicken gravy
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • frozen peas and carrots
  • diced rotisserie chicken (without the skin)

Heat oven to temperature called for on the back of the box of pie crust.

Combine gravy and cornstarch in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened.  Add the peas, carrots, and chicken and stir to combine.

Transfer the filling to a 9 inch pie plate.  Top with the pie crust, crimping the edges as you go.  Cut four small slits in the top of the dough for steam to escape.  Place on a sheet pan and bake until the filling is bubbly and the top has browned.

If the edges of the crust are browning too fast, cover them with a ring of aluminum foil.

{printable recipe}

Uncategorized

Flashback Friday – Jammin’

by Wendi8 Comments on Flashback Friday – Jammin’

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 9/8/08 at Exit 51.

Jammin’

I’ve spent the last god knows how many weeks avoiding sugar.  Frankly, I don’t use sugar a lot.  That is to say that I don’t go adding sugar to things.  But in the course of any given day, sugar would sneak its way into a little bit of everything.  My morning cereal?  It’s there.  OJ?  There too.  And my beloved can of Coke?  Of course.  But a world completely sans sugar is a pretty lofty goal.  One that I am just not ready to adopt.  So I find myself straddling two worlds – Sugar and Splenda. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Jammin’” →

Main Course, Pasta, Side Dishes

Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

by Wendi29 Comments on Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

This winter has been especially frightful.  I can’t even begin to image what it has been like for people living in the midwest or northeast who have been utterly beaten down with snow.  I survived Snomageddon 2010 and know the misery that comes when the forecast calls for accumulations measured in feet instead of inches.  Y’all have my sympathies.

While I can’t personally help you dig out from Snowpocalypse 2011, I can offer you a recipe that will have you imagining a land of picnics and potlucks, warm breezes and sunny skies, and flip flops and halter tops.

Don’t forget to take along some imaginary sunscreen.

Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

Adapted from Pam Anderson’s Perfect One Dish Dinners

BAH Note:  If you showed up to a potluck at my house with this dish, you would earn a special place in my heart.  I kept tweaking the dressing because the lemons I used were extremely sour.  I had to add agave nectar to balance the extreme puckering produced by my produce.  Feel free to add a minced clove of garlic to the dressing to turn up the flavor. And if you like your dressing with more olive oil, add it.  I purposely scaled the olive oil down to suit my tastes (Pam’s recipes calls for 1/2 cup).

BAT Tip: When you cut up the raw shrimp, you want the pieces to be approximately the same size as the scallops so they cook in the same amount of time. And yes, as unconventional as it may seem to cook your seafood with your pasta, it works beautifully.

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound small pasta
  • 1/2 pound bay scallops
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, and cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into halves
  • 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • dried oregano

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, and garlic (if using).  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set the dressing aside.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions until it is just al dente, approximately 10 to 12 minutes depending on your pasta.  Add the seafood to the pasta pot and cook for one to two minutes until the shrimp and scallops are just cooked and opaque.  Drain the pasta and seafood without rinsing and transfer them to a large bowl to cool slightly.

Just before serving, mix the tomatoes, feta, and oregano into the bowl with the pasta.  Add the dressing and stir to combine.

{printable recipe}

Baking, Dessert, Sweets

You Can bake! with Nick Malgieri

by Wendi25 Comments on You Can bake! with Nick Malgieri

 

Photo by Beth @ 990 Square

Every so often, the Universe sends Opportunity knocking at my door.  I’m usually pretty leery about answering if I’m not expecting company.  Because more often than not, the person on the other side of the door is trying to sell me something…eternal salvation, Girl Scout cookies, or a weekend subscription to the newspaper.  I usually take a gander through the peep hole and then stand there quietly until the knocker goes away.  But recently, Opportunity left me a calling card in the form of an invitation to spend an evening with Nick Malgieri.

Perhaps I should clarify that statement so as not to give anyone the wrong impression of my moral character.  I was invited to join a group of Baltimore bloggers for an evening of food and drinks organized by Dara of Dining Dish.  Nick Malgieri was the guest of honor.

I’ve said before that my knowledge of the culinary world is pretty narrow.  At least I know that I don’t know squat about the culinary Who’s Who.  And that’s really something that I should work on.  Not so that can I drop names left and right in casual conversation but so that I can expose myself to the wonderful talents of the folks who have turned their passion for creating good food into learning opportunities for home cooks like myself.

That’s how it came to be that I fixed my hair, put on mascara and my cute heels, and set out with a dutch oven full of Commitment Chili and a few dozen Puffy Hearts…I had some learning to do.  And what I learned is that people are people.  It doesn’t matter if you have over 30 years of experience and 9 cookbooks to your credit, or you’re a home cook who blogs about your kitchen (mis)adventures.  We each bring our talents and unique perspectives to the table.  How could that be the recipe for anything but a great evening?

My thanks to Nick for sharing his thoughts with us on the culinary world and being gracious and generous with his time, his talent, and his baking.  I have been drooling over the pages of his latest book – bake! – since bringing it home that night.  I think this description sums it up best:

“After 30 years of teaching and 9 cookbooks, Nick Malgieri is finally writing the book he’s meant to write–a collection of over 30 essential techniques, and recipes derived thereof–outlining the easiest ways to learn the essentials of baking. The 20 chapters cover all the main techniques of fine baking, starting with simple pastry dough and moving through puff pastry and Danish pastry, to all sorts of breads, quick breads, cakes, and cookies. The 125 recipes will take all the intimidation out of baking and promise delicious savory and sweet results.”

If you’ve hung around these parts a while, you know that I can get intimidated by the  mere utterance of “yeast”, “dough”, or “pastry”.  But after reading the recipes, I think that even I can produce satisfying cakes, breads, and tarts with Nick’s help.  I’d like to also thank him for including variations on several of the bake! recipes that I can use to avoid  things like seeds and nuts but still work on improving my techniques and enjoying the results.

I hope the next time opportunity comes knocking at my door, it maybe brings me a pair of stretchy pants.  Because I fear that I won’t be able to control myself once I jump into bake!

Nick Malgieri’s Chocolate Bourbon Cake

Reprinted with Permission

Copyright © Nick Malgieri 2011, All Rights Reserved

BAH Note: Not only did Nick share his baking talents with us in person, but he’s given us permission to share one of his unpublished recipes with you.  How does Chocolate Bourbon Cake sound? I tasted this cake and it is heaven on a plate.  Moist, but dense and richly chocolate, it lulls you into its web.  And then it wraps you with a bourbony hug.  You could omit the bourbon, but I can’t imagine why you’d want to.  I asked Nick whether the cake required a water bath in order to achieve its silky texture and you could have knocked me over with a feather when he said no.  Don’t believe me?  Try it for yourself.

Nick says, “The sweet, mellow flavor of Bourbon has a great affinity for chocolate.  Serve this unadorned cake with a little unsweetened whipped cream.”  I could not agree more.

Makes one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings

  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons best-quality Bourbon
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • One 8-inch round 2-inch deep pan, buttered, bottom lined with a disk of buttered parchment.

1.      Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2.      Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, allowing it to sizzle and get really hot.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk smooth.

3.      In a bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, flour, and salt together; add all the eggs and Bourbon.  Whisk together smoothly.

4.      Stir the brown sugar into the butter and chocolate mixture and stir into the batter.

5.      Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake the cake until the center is still soft, but no longer liquid, 25 to 35 minutes.

6.      Cool the cake on a rack.

7.      To serve the cake, invert to a platter and remove the pan and paper.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap if not serving immediately.

{printable recipe}

Uncategorized

Comfort Food

by Wendi11 Comments on Comfort Food

I have always known that food has the power to comfort us.  I am particularly susceptible to the comforts offered by macaroni and cheese, cinnamon rolls, and pie. When I am anxious, nervous, or stressed, my instinct is to reach for carbs, whether they be cheesy and creamy or sugary spiced.  I’m predictable like that.

And when I use food to try and bring some of that comforting power to others, I find that I reach for the same recipes over and over.  There are some dishes that are like the embrace of an old friend, or their reassurance that we will get through the trying times.

I found myself calling upon these old friends recently.  And ever the trusty companions, they did not disappoint.  So I would like to thank Joanne’s Creamy Vegetable Soup, Pam’s Spinach Mushroom Lasagna and Chicken Pot Pie, Beth’s Cinnamon Rolls with Deb’s Cream Cheese Frosting, My Meat Sauce, and Abby’s Emergency Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting for being with me in the kitchen and providing some much needed comfort.