Auroras birthday dinner

AS Princesses like to be spoiled I have quite the birthday dinner planned for Aurora.

Grilled Halumi
Spicy Hummus
Roasted Garlic Bread
Figgy Porty Pork 
Charmings Colcannon made with parsnips shallots instead of potatoes scallions
Braised Leeks
Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and chocolate covered straweberries

I realize that not much here is new.  Considering I struggled with this menu as I did not want to repeat the same menu for the figgy porty pork that I would post this as a creative alternative that would retain the flavor balance necessary for this meal to be balanced.

Quiche

Quiche is probably one of the easiest things ever.  Unlike a souffle that is known for being temperamental.  It is basically a baked custard in a crust with fillings.

I can not give an actual recipe as I eyeballed everything.

CRUST

A standard pie crust, layers of filo, puff pastry or even a thinly rolled biscuit dough will work.  Line a pie pan with it.  I mixed bacon drippings with flour until it resembled fine crumbs then added enough milk to form a dough.

Roll thin and put in a pie tin

FILLING

Mix 4 eggs, 1/2 c milk, 1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper 1/8 t nutmeg and set aside.

Cut 1/2 lb asparagus into 2" lengths and spread evenly in crust.

Cut 1/2 lb baked chicken into small cubes and spread evenly on top of asparagus.

Grate 1/4 lb Manchego and spread evenly over chicken.

Pour egg mixture over all other ingredients.

Bake at 500 for 15 minutes then lower to 350 until the top is lightly golden brown.

Cool then serve.

That is how I made it.  The reality is that you can use any combination of 1/2 lb vegetables, 1/2 lb meat, 1/4 lb cheese.  Have fun with it.  It is great to make quiche with left overs.

Mexican Hot Cocoa Mix

Many ions ago I came up with a hot cocoa mix that my husband loved but I was OK with.  Recently a friend who frequents my house wanted some hot cocoa and was not nearly as excited by it as my husband is.  So, I decided it was time to come up with a mix that I love.

INGREDIENTS
3/8 c cocoa powder
3/8 c raw sugar
1/2 c powdered milk
1 t cinnamon
1/2 vanilla powder
1/8 t chipotle
1/8 t nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
*  Mix 1/4 c into a large mug with hot water


NOTES:
*  This was inspired by my love of Mexican Hot Chocolate and http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/mexican-spiced-hot-chocolate/

Double chocolate chip Mexican spice cookies

I have been so in love with the flavores of Mexican chocolate that I had to add that flavor to chocolate chip cookies.  There us something to be said about the Mr. Saying that "there is something about the crack like flavor".  So let me share my addictive new concoction.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c peanut butter

1/4 c Nutella

1/2 c butter-unsalted

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/8 t chipotle

2 1/4 c flour

1 c walnuts

2 bags dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1)  Preheat oven to 350
2)  cream the butter, peanut butter and nutella
3)  continue to mix in eggs and sugars until homogenous
4)  mix in baking soda, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, chipotle, flour and walnuts then chocolate chips.
5)  scoop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat in 2T balls and bake for 15 minutes, until firm, cool and serve  

Spiced chocolate pots du creme

Despite the name it is just a fun chocolate baked pudding, otherwise known as a custard.

INGREDIENTS

1 pt heavy whipping cream

1/4 c milk

1/8 c espresso or strong coffee

5.2 oz dark chocolate

1 c sugar (can be made with stevia)

8 egg yolks

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t chipotle

DIRECTIONS

1). Melt chocolate in milk, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and chipotle over medium heat, stirring constantly-remove from heat when homogenous

2). Beat egg yolks with sugar until light in color and thick

3). Beat whipping cream into egg/sugar mix

4). Slowly mix all of chocolate mixture into egg mixture

5). Pour equal amounts if custard, about 1 cup each, into oven safe ramekins.  Place ramekins in 2" deep baking dish and place in a 350 oven.  Pour hot water in baking dish to level even with custard, making certain not to get water into custard and bake for about 1 hour, or until knife inserted comes out clean.  

6). Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably 24 hours as it allows the spices to fully blend.  Do not cover until completely cool

7). Remove from refrigerator and serve

NOTES

This is beautifully dense, almost fudgy in texture.  If you want a lighter texture whip the whipping cream and fold everything into it instead of mixing it directly with the eggs and sugar.

I also did a version with stevia instead of sugar and it turned out just fine.  As someone who does not use alternative sugars I did not care for the taste.  But, the friends I made it for is diabetic and used to stevia.  I was surprised he did not lick his ramekin clean.  He gladly took the extras home.

Sunny side up caprese

After our Sunday morning rituals we got home and my husband asked me what was for lunch.  I had been dying for caprese (mozzarella, basil & tamatoes) for a while and had the ingredients.  Unfortunately that is usually an appetizer and not a complete lunch.  I remembered some polenta I had in the cupboard...

Now for the rest of the story

UNGREDIENTS

1 lb mozzarella

1/2 t pepper

8 slices prosciutto

2 Roma tomatoes

16 basil leaves

18 oz polenta

2 T balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil or bacon drippings

DIRECTIONS

1). Heat your pan in high, preheat broiler

2). Slice polenta into 16 rounds, put oil in pan then add polenta rounds.  Cook for about 2 minutes then flip

3). Cut prosciutto in half to make 16 squarish pieces and cut mozzarella and Roma tomatoes to make 16 rounds each

4). Place prosciutto on polenta, followed by tomato, a light sprinkling of pepper, a mozzarella slice, then a basil leaf, cover and cook for about 2 minutes

5). When the mozzarella starts to melt uncover and move to a low broiler setting until the cheese gets a little bit if color

6).  Move to a platter and lightly sprinkle with balsamic vinegar before serving

Chocolate pound cake made into a chocolate orange strawberry triple layer cake

Last night it became evident, to me at least, that when I work with chocolate I am incapable of making it anything other than decadent.  I'm fairly certain that after reading this, those of you who know me are rolling on the floor laughing saying "DUH!".  A friend of mine had a birthday. She requested a chocolate cake it was not rich or overly sweet.  So, I tried to oblige.  I started by making three small chocolate pound cakes. Then I brushed triple-sec on both sides of each of the cakes followed by putting strawberry jam between the layers and deciding to top it with strawberries.  But I still have to figure out the frosting. Normally I would use cream cheese frosting, but this friend has dairy issues.  Ultimately I decided to mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder and triple-sec to make the frosting.  This unfortunately was too sweet, as is the risk with a plain powdered sugar frosting.  So I decided to add a tart marmalade to the mix. Which took the sweetness down to an except able level.  When my friend taste the cake she said that "it was not overly sweet but it was still very rich".  I thought she was delusional, until I took my last bit of cake, when it hit me just how rich this cake really is.

INGREDIENTS for each layer

1 stick butter (1/2 c)

2/3 c sugar

1 3/4 c cake flour

3/4 c dark cocoa powder

2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

1)  Preheat oven to  450

2)  Grease pan and coat with cocoa powder

4)  Bake for 10 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

*DO NOT OVERCOOK AS IT WILL BE DRY!!!*