Anything cake is good

The holidays get me in the baking spirit... Or maybe it's the fact that I'm too cold to go outside and would rather be cooped up by a stove. Regardless, I have found the best bark. I know a lot of people are into peppermint chocolate bark, but peppermint ain't everyone's thing. HOWEVER I know what IS everyone's thing-- cake.

The author of "How Sweet Eats" posted a recipe that had me drooling instantly... And feeling alright that my birthday isn't until June. Cake batter bark is the answer to all of the world's problems, at least my own.



For one batch of bark (enough to fill 4-5 nice sized gift bags) you'll need:
2 bags of white chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)
1 bag of dark chocolate chips (at least 70% cacao, preferably)
1 tsp. yellow or white cake mix
Sprinkles to top

(You can also use chocolate bars, but in my case, finding white chocolate bars in Moscow, Idaho is more difficult than you'd think.)

*Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
*Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. If you choose to microwave, be cautious as it can burn easily. Put the chocolate in for 60 second intervals, stirring after each time. Stirring will also help move the heat around and expedite the melting process.
*Pour the melted dark chocolate onto the wax paper and smooth it out.
*Freeze for 20 minutes
*While the dark chocolate is freezing, melt the white chocolate.
*Mix in 1 tbs. of cake mix to the white chocolate... And then stop worrying about what you'll do with the opened box of cake mix. 1 tbs. (even 2 or 3) will not affect a cake. But, if you're so worried, you can always add in flour to make up the difference. Or, you can make cookies out of the mix and not need all of the package, anyway. Are you so worried, though? You're about to have great bark, come on!
*Take the dark chocolate out of the freezer, pour the white chocolate on top and shake sprinkles all over. You can't have enough sprinkles, so go crazy. Just make sure you do it before the white chocolate starts to harden.
*Freeze the bark for another 20 minutes. When it's ready, break that bad boy into a million little pieces and have at it. Or, get candy baggies and make gifts for people; the choice is yours.

It's the season for giving, but it's also the season of weight gain... So make sure there's enough for you.

Happy holidays!

For more recipes from How Sweet, visit
www.howsweeteats.com

As the semester simmers...

I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.
I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.
I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.

I can't believe I haven't written on here since September. I think about this blog weekly and know I should, but then I look at the clock, realize it's time for bed and think:
I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.
I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.
I promise I will write a new blog entry this weekend.

My absence boils down to the fact that I'm trying my hardest to get a 4.0 this semester. Getting straight A's is hard work and time consuming (forgive me for my lack of awareness, I'm a rookie to the "cry when I get a 'B'" thing). I'm not really sure how close I'll get to my goal or even why I'm so motivated to do this now-- now that I'm out of chances to receive a scholarship or really boost my GPA. Regardless, I'm going for it!
But this weekend is THE weekend. I've got a recipe you can all add to your gift baskets for the holiday; I sure did... and gave them to teachers that can perhaps aid in my 4.0.
Oh yeah, I'm that student.

Cilantro reminds me of Chipotle

The other night, I made cilantro and lime shrimp burritos. While the burritos were delicious, I was left with about as much cilantro as I started with. Who knew bundles of the herb would seem so infinite? However, I am not a food waster. In fact, I was the daughter that would not only clear my plate before I left the dinner table, but the plates of my sisters, too. No, "not eating food" isn't really in my vocabulary; this cilantro was destined to be used.

With my Southern friends being such an inspiration in my daily life, barbecue anything has sounded good lately... like, really good...

With no further ado, in a happy marriage of southern inspiration and green-in-your-teeth goodness, I present to you:
Barbecue turkey burgers.

Or, as this photo highlights, what remained of Nick's burger.

To make two burgers, you'll need:
1/2 pound ground turkey (I used 99% fat free)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (varies depending on sauce's heat or sweetness)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of cheese (colby jack and cheddar are our favorites)
A few slices of red onion
Whole wheat buns

-Combine the first five ingredients (come on, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.)
-Separate mix into two patties
-Cook patties on a hot, well-oiled pan
*Cooking times will vary depending on thickness of the patties, but four minutes each side should do it.
-While the patties are cooking, add in a few red onion slices to the pan to soften them up.
-When the meat is just about finished cooking, place a slice of cheese on each patty and let it melt down.
-Spread a thin amount of barbecue sauce on one side of each bun. Put your patties and red onion slices on top of the other sides, close them shut and eat up!

We also made some easy baked fries to go along with our burgers. For that you'll need:
1 potato
Olive oil
Salt (or garlic salt)
Grated parmesan (optional)
Cooking spray (I used PAM)

-With a damp paper towel, gently remove the dirt on the potato.
-Cut the potato into thin, even-sized wedges.
*Cutting food into equal sizes helps ensure that the cooking time is consistent throughout
-Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.
-Lay the potato wedges on the foil and drizzle olive oil on top.
-Rub the potatoes around in the oil and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and parmesan if you choose to use it.
-Bake at 425 for about approximately 40 minutes.

Now, what else can I make with my barbecue sauce...

Fizzy fantastic

It was a success.

I'm not one to dabble with science experiments in the kitchen. Until I have children whose teachers are sending them home with assignments to produce green gak and erupting volcanoes, the most experimenting my kitchen will see is applesauce replacing butter in a muffin. However, I was feeling adventurous last week. The wind had taken over our original plans to play tennis, so baking was the obvious substitution. Down the street from where we were going to buy rackets is a market. We were craving lemon cake, I was craving something new. I remembered multiple blogs writing about this soda in cake substitution, so I thought, "why not? If this doesn't work out, it's a sign from the health gods that I wasn't meant to compensate exercise with baked goods."

I slowly combined a 10 oz. sprite with boxed cake mix. All of the other ingredients listed on the box are omitted but the recommended cooking temperature and time remains the same. Because this wasn't a normal cake, I took the chance to not use normal frosting. I don't know if I was expecting the final product to be some type of carbonated, floating dessert, but the thought of it being so made me want a really light topping. I mixed a tub of fat-free cool whip with a packet of cheesecake instant pudding.

It was a success.
When the timer went off and I saw my cake, I was surprised. The real test was in the taste, though. As the blogs promised, you could not tell a real difference using this substitution. Because we didn't use sugar-free soda (we probably will if we make it again), I'm thinking that the added sugars contributed to a little bit of a stickier cake than usual. The stickiness wasn't significant; it was just on the top, anyway. We put a dollop of the whipped cream mixture on each slice and had at it.
*For white cakes, use clear colored drinks. For chocolate, darker drinks will work great. A chocolate cake with a cherry Pepsi drink might add a subtle cherry flavor. Try it!

Boise is not a state

This was the last first week of school I will ever have-- unless I choose to go to graduate school-- and I savored every second of it. I have reaffirmed my love for Moscow and being a Vandal. I'm sitting in the front of my classes, taking notes and am even reading the optional assignments. My goal this year is to get [almost] all As and stay on the Dean's List, totally obtainable.

My apartment is like a little cabin; the whole unit is made of wood. And even though I get a little frightened when I broil fish or light a candle, I think I live in Moscow's hidden gem. I live with one of mine and Nick's closest friends here, Tara. She plays Eminem on repeat and doesn't really know how to use any sort of "inside voice," but that's okay... At least until school gets harder, and then I'll have to remind her I'm not hearing impaired and can, in fact, hear her when she's not screaming her stories.

As I expected, my favorite class is nutrition. My professor is the real version of the Eat. Pray. Love character. She traveled around, learning and eating, and I can't get enough of her adventures. I'm still very much into my PR courses as well, though. I got a job doing PR for a local coffee shop, Red Star Coffee Co. I'm doubling that job with a semester long project I have in a PR class- to do various assignments for a chosen client. I can't believe my luck with the opportunities I've been given. I thank my lucky stars each day and then, of course, pray for an employer to notice me next spring when I apply for jobs.

So, until my next post (which will include a recipe), I'll leave you with this: stick to leafy greens and abandon your romaine. The greener the vegetable the better, although orange is pretty darn good, too-- compliments of Nutrition 205.

Crunchwrap Supremer

I can't tell you the last time I ate fast-food. I've watched one too many documentaries about what might be in the deep fryers and ovens of America's beloved fast-food chains, to forever defer me from my nearest drive-thru. That, and I have this "thing" about knowing exactly what is in my food. The nutrition charts many chain-restaurants provide show only the disturbing amount of calories in their meals, not ingredients.

But lets be honest, there are no fries that have quite that addicting taste like McDonald's do. And when it comes to totally non-traditional, yet strangely satisfying Mexican food, Taco Bell really hits the spot.

Which leads me to my fast-food vice-- the Crunchwrap Supreme. For some reason, I think the crunchy and soft meal is completely wonderful. But since my health kick began and I became more creative in the kitchen, I knew that if I wanted a Crunchwrap, I'd have to make it myself.



And boy, did I.

Ingredients:
1 extra large tortilla (used wheat)
1 tostada shell (substituted with three crushed chips)
1/2 small chicken breast
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 lime juice
1/4 cup tomato
1/4 cup lettuce
2 tbs. sour cream (used fat-free)
2-3 tbs. grated cheese (used 2% milk, reduced fat cheese)

-In a skillet on medium heat, cook chicken for two minutes. Add salsa and lime juice and cover with lid.
-When chicken is finished cooking, shred with two forks on a cutting board.
-Lay out tortilla and spread sour cream in the center-- the width of the tostada.
-Place diced tomatoes and chopped lettuce on top of that.
-Place tostada shell (or chips) on top of veggies.
-Put chicken and then cheese on top of shell.
-Fold over tortilla six times. Each flap should over lap the next.
-Place crunchwrap on a skillet on medium-high heat. Press down firmly with spatula to add weight. Flip when the first side is golden to your liking.

For a vegetarian option, substitute the chicken for black beans.
Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 clove garlic
1/2 lime juice
3 tbs. salsa
Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients together using a mixer (I use my blender) then heat in a pot over medium heat.

Enjoy! I served it with blue corn tortilla chips and roasted red pepper salsa, yum.

Good, better, best

I have made some changes these last couple weeks. I have stopped working at Seattle Children's Theatre. What I wanted out of an internship wasn't what they wanted from an intern. It wasn't a hard good-bye, rather something both SCT and I knew needed to be done. I came to Seattle and put my life on hold to apply my skills and gain PR work experience. After my departure from SCT, I didn't waste any time trying to find a company that would meet my expectations. Lucky for me, I found one that has exceeded them.

This time around, I found a business that is more closely related to what I now know I want to pursue, something in the culinary industry. I am the PR intern for Dish it up!, a cooking school, wine, kitchenware and counter design store, and I couldn't be happier. I'm thrilled to work for Dish it up!. I'm doing work I love in a fantastic environment. I get to walk through cupcake liners when I need a pen; I sit at a kitchen counter where blueberry pies were made the night before. The staff is warm and the work is applicable to my PR degree.

SCT started my summer in a direction I didn't want to go, but my new internship has completely changed its course. I have learned what I don't want in a job and what I do. I don't, in any way, think that makes this experience lackluster. Dish it up! came along and put a lot into perspective-- better late than never, right?

I am also helping my long-time friend, Liz Bateman, doing PR for her sister's wedding cake company, Cake Couture. Their cakes are incredible and I am honored to help her family in any way I can.

Life is good.



New recipe to come.. soon. :)

www.dish-it-up.com