Sock It To Me Cake

As most of you know, I'm not much of a baker.  It's too messy... you have to be accurate... not a lot of room for creativity... yet I still end up doing it on a regular basis.

My good friend, Brandy, posted a recipe for this cake in our group.  What?  A cake made entirely in a food processor?  I got a beautiful Cuisinart with a huge work bowl for Christmas last year... MUST TRY!!!

It turned out wonderfully.  A little too easy, if you ask me... I'll be tempted to make it far too often!

Now, about that name (because I know you're wondering like I was)... this is the explanation I found- "When Laugh-In popularized this phrase it became ubiquitous.  Everybody was using it, even a President of the US. Yep, ol’ sourpuss himself, Richard Nixon got in on the act.  The Betty Crocker company decided to appropriate it also and included a recipe on the back of their butter cake mixes and named it that.  Leave it to commerce to leave no stone unturned to make a buck.  I’m surprised Rowan and Martin didn’t sue them just for the publicity. But it was a less litigious time back then."



Sock It To Me Cake

Streusel

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup pecans, toasted


Cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled


Glaze

1¼ cups confectioner’s sugar
1½ tablespoons whole or low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Process the flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer the streusel to a bowl and wipe out the food processor.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In the food processor, blend sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly pour in butter until incorporated, then add flour mixture and pulse until just combined.

Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and top with the streusel mixture. Cover with the remaining batter, using a rubber spatula to smooth the surface. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 20 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, whisk confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Turn out the cake onto a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the warm cake. Cool completely, at least 2 hours. Serve.

(I really should have had some pretty garnishes for this photo, but I made the cake on a whim and didn't have any... not even any ice cream!)

Note-  It's even better the second day!

I guess I was craving balsamic...

Several weeks ago, my darling man sent me a link to foodgawker.com.  I browse it occasionally when I need some inspiration for dinner.  One of the recipes I ran across was for a pasta with ricotta and spinach.  It sounded really good, but you can't have just that for dinner (well you might, but I wanted some MEAT also)!  Off to the kitchen I go, thrashing through the cupboards and freezer.  Chicken breast... salad... hmmmmm... why do I have FOUR bottles of various grades of balsamic vinegar?  I must do something about that.  Marinate the chicken breasts... make a reduction sauce... salad dressing... that should do it.



Balsamic Grilled Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. balsamic vinegar (I used the Costco stuff for this.  It's not bad... it's just the lowest quality balsamic I had on hand)
1/2 C. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. onion powder
1 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. dried rosemary (or 1 T. chopped fresh)
1/2 t. dried oregano
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in gallon ziplock bag, shake to coat chicken evenly.  Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).  Grill until cooked through.

I served them with a drizzle of balsamic reduction.  Bring about 1/2 c. of GOOD quality balsamic to a simmer in a small non-reactive saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid starts to get syrupy.  Remove from heat and let cool.  It will thicken as it cools.  If you want to make more sauce to use later, start with one cup or more of balsamic, reduce to desired consistency, cool, and store in a plastic squirt bottle in the fridge.



This pasta recipe is quick, easy and delicious!  I used cellentani pasta, which was a really nice shape for holding the sauce.  You can use just about anything.

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese

1 pound ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
1 10-oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound campanelle pasta or fettuccine
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, butter and chives in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place in a low oven.

Just before the pasta is al dente, remove about 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Whisk enough of the hot water into the cheese mixture to give it the consistency of a creamy sauce.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss well. Add the grated cheese and toss again, adding more water if needed to thin the sauce.

Serve in warm bowls.



The salad dressing was just your basic vinaigrette...

1/4 C. balsamic
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Whizz it all up in a mini food processor until emulsified.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.


So there it is.  If you have a bottle of balsamic sitting there pining away in your cupboard, I hope I've given you some inspiration to crack it out and put it to good use!

Handy little trick

I love IQF (individually quick frozen) boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  I always keep a bag of them in the freezer.  They're handy, healthy, versatile, and (almost) everyone loves them.  However, sometimes you're pressed for time and they're still... FROZEN.  I do not like thawing meat in the microwave because no matter how careful I am, they always seem to get cooked on the ends before they're thawed in the middle.  Icky.  I also know it says you can cook them from frozen (which I have done in a pinch), but what if you want them marinated?  If you have about an hour before you need to start cooking, you can thaw AND marinate them at the same time!

1. Put chicken breasts in a gallon size resealable bag.  If they don't all fit in a single layer, use more than one bag.
2. Pour in your marinade of choice, making sure chicken is completely coated.
3. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
4. Place in sink full of COLD water.
5. Walk away.

In about an hour, the breasts will be completely thawed, marinated and ready to cook.  This method is also much safer than thawing in the microwave because parts of the chicken do not get heated into the "danger zone".  Be careful not to let them sit much after they have thawed though.  If you decide to not use them right away after all, remove them from the water, dry off the bags, and plop them in the fridge.  They can sit there for another couple of days.

Another trick I use is when we're going camping.  Follow steps 1-3, then put the bag(s) in the ice chest (on the bottom).  They will act as additional "ice" for a couple of days, and you'll have marinated chicken to throw on the grill when you're tired of burgers and hot dogs!

It all started with the words...

"We need to do something with this watermelon."

I had bought a small watermelon for Cinco de Mayo.  It was the smallest one I could find, but half of it still sat in the refrigerator taking up space.  After shuffling it around several times, Brian uttered the words that apparently sent my brain into creative mode.

We could just eat it.  I had also been contemplating a watermelon pie for several weeks, but that would have meant me going to the store for more ingredients.  Determined to make a complete meal with only the things I had on hand, I went to work.  About an hour later, I had it all typed out and ready for a test run.

Watermelon Salsa

4 C. diced watermelon

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 large jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced

1/2 sweet onion, diced (I used Vidalia)
1/2 C. chopped cilantro

large pinch kosher salt

1 T. GOOD balsamic

Combine all ingredients.  Cover and chill one hour.

Curry Spiced Grilled Pork Loin

4 large cloves garlic

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons water
1 pork loin, 2-3 lbs

In small food processor (mini chopper), combine all ingredients except pork. Process until thoroughly combined.  Place pork in large ziplock bag. Pour spice mixture over meat and shake around until evenly coated. Seal bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Preheat gas grill to medium high.  Quickly sear on all sides, then turn flame down to medium-low.  Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through (about 40 minutes or until internal temperture reaches 155 degrees).  Remove from grill and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Coconut Couscous

1 T. butter
1/2 bell pepper (red, yellow, orange), diced

1 large clove garlic, minced
2-3 green onions, sliced
2 T. fresh lime juice

1/2 C. unsweetened coconut milk

1 C. chicken broth

2 T. cilantro, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1 C. couscous

Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Saute bell pepper and garlic until tender but not browned.  Stir in green onions, lime juice, coconut milk, chicken broth, cilantro, and pepper to taste.  Bring to boil and remove from heat.  Stir in couscous, cover and let stand five minutes.  Fluff with fork and serve.


Lemon/Garlic Broccoli Spears

1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into spears
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. lemon zest

salt and pepper to taste

Steam broccoli until just tender.  In small saucepan, slowly melt butter with remaining ingredients.  Toss broccoli with lemon/garlic butter and serve.




Oh.  My.  God.

This was probably one of the best overall meals I've ever made in my life, and the amazing part is I didn't even look up other recipes to get ideas!!  I just stood in my kitchen, seeing what I had, and jotting down things I thought sounded good together.  I completely impressed myself... hahahaha!!

Now when you go to make this yourself (because you know you will!), it may look rather complicated.  It's not.  Much of it is do ahead, and the rest of it is toss-together while the pork rests.  If you can find someone to watch the pork on the grill for you, that's even better.

If you like grilling and quick, easy, flavorful side dishes, this is the meal for you!

A quick question to my readers...

Would it be REALLY annoying if I added more advertising to this blog?  I was very resistant to having any at all, but then I thought if I was going to put that much effort into it, I should get something back... so I added the bare minimum.

The first few months I made like $1.83... over 6 months...

Not exactly profitable.  I started whining and begging and I've been making a little more lately... like $23.00 during the entire existence of my blog.

I didn't start doing this for money.  I did it because I got tired of my friends asking me to type out the same recipes and tell them about the same restaurants and etc. etc. etc. over and over.  I admit I'm easily frustrated when I have to repeat myself.  However, taking the pictures, editing them, adding text, testing recipes, traveling, going out for meals... it costs money!!  I adore it, but I put out a LOT!  I'm not looking to make this blog my career, but a bit more financial return... like to cover costs of future posts... would be nice.

If I were to add more advertising, would that put you off my blog?  Is one of the reasons you like it BECAUSE there is minimal ads?  If there were more ads, would you view it less?  If I leave the ads the way they are, would you click on them more to prevent me expanding the advertising?  If I added more would you click them?

I know this is a lot of questions, but I want to know what YOU like in my blog before I go and change it.  Without you, it's just me rambling on into thin air.  I want your feedback.

Okay so maybe the question wasn't so quick.  Please leave your comments here or on my Facebook, if I have you there.

I really appreciate each and every one of you... even the random ones from Uzbekistan...

Arroz con Pollo y Chorizo with Stuffed Avocados

Decided to take another stab at arroz con pollo tonight.  Once again, the rice turned out more moist that I was going for, but the flavors were SPOT ON!  I have adjusted the amount of liquids in the recipe here, so hopefully it will turn out closer to what I had in mind next time.

(you may notice I use the Wal-Mart house brand of many items... that's so I can afford the good beer... hahahaha!!)



I might also try to find Spanish chorizo, which is more of a hard, cured sausage... unlike Mexican chorizo (shown here), which is similar to a spicy bulk sausage.



I always use my Le Cruset for things that start on the stove and finish off in the oven.  Fantastic stuff.  Worth every penny.  It truly is an investment.

Arroz con pollo y chorizo

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed with 1 t. salt

1 1/2 T. distilled white vinegar

1 t. dried oregano, crumbled

Combine garlic, vinegar and salt in medium bowl.  Add chicken and coat well.  Marinate for 1 hour.

1- 10 oz. package pork chorizo

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried oregano

2 T, smoked paprika
1/2 t. cayenne

1 packet Goya Sazon seasoning

2 large bay leaves

1- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1- 12 oz. bottle beer (not dark)

1 C. chicken broth

1 1/2 C. long grain white rice
1 C. frozen small peas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook chorizo in a large ovenproof casserole or dutch oven over medium high heat until some fat is rendered.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add cumin, oregano, paprika, Sazon, and bay leaf.  Cook and stir one minute. 

Add chicken with marinade to chorizo mixture and cook uncovered over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, beer, chicken broth, and rice.  Bring to a boil, making sure rice is as submerged as possible in the liquid.  Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Remove from oven, stir in peas, cover and let stand for about 10 minutes.


Stuffed Avocados

3 large avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 C. cooked baby shrimp

1/2 C. mayonnaise

juice of half a lime

1 T. chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except avocados.  Chill until ready to serve.  Slice avocados in half, remove pit and skin, place cut side up on serving dish and stuff with shrimp mixture.

Hominy Grill, Charleston, SC

For our spring break vacation, we went to visit Brian's dad and his wife in Summerville, SC, which is a suburb of Charleston.  It had been so cold and wet here for so long, we had to go somewhere warm just for our own self-preservation.  I had never considered going to South Carolina before, but family was there and the time was right.  We bought the tickets and THEN I started researching where we were going.  It usually works the other way around.  The more I read up on the area, the more excited I got.  THEN I realized we would be near Hominy Grill...

For those of you who don't know me, I am the person who decided to drag my daughter to Savannah, GA a few summers ago, just to eat at a couple particular restaurants.  Yes, I'm one of THOSE people... the ones who plan an entire trip around certain places to eat (or things to eat, as the case may be).

I'm not going to talk a lot about the food or the restaurant itself, because it is nearly legendary.





  Yes the food is awesome.  Yes the dining room is open and friendly.  Yes the ceiling is beautiful and historic.



You can find out that much from any Travel Channel show or tourist website.  I'm just going to post the photos of our food with a brief description.  Try not to short out your keyboards with drool.

Since we had already decided this was going to be one of our splurge meals, we ordered an appetizer even though it was just lunch.  We got the shrimp and okra beignets, because I had read about them on another food blog.  I'd never had okra before, and of course I'd heard tell of it's notorious slimy potential, but I figured Hominy Grill would not do me wrong.



Beignets are described as doughnut-like, but I would consider these more of a fritter.  They were served with a cilantro lime sour cream and topped with a pico de gallo.  They were very delicious, but they could have used a little more shrimp.



For main course, Brian ordered the low country purloo...



It's a little bit of everything... rice, shrimp, chicken wings, sausage... he said it was awesome.  We also had to order the cornbread...



Miko wanted a turkey sandwich.  They did not have a turkey sandwich.  She ordered a turkey club sandwich, hold the tomatoes and bacon...



Viola.  Turkey sandwich.  This photo also reminds me about the pickled okra.  Remember my trepidation about the okra in general.  I had to try this.

I am now hopelessly addicted to pickled okra and seriously jonesin' for some good stuff here in the Puget Sound area.

Of course, I had to get the shrimp and grits.  It's their signature dish, and I hadn't had a chance to order it when we were in Savannah.  I HAD to get it at least once when I was actually in the south, just to make sure I was doing it right at home.



It was fantastic, but I do have to admit I replicated it almost exactly as soon as I got home.

This was one of those cases where you go to a place for the experience, if nothing else.  The food was great... being able to say I used the same bathroom as Adam Richmond and Tony Bourdain was great (I think... that still kinda disturbs me)... spending $70 on lunch was a bit of a shocker, but what the heck.  We DID say it was a splurge meal!

Stink- Cheese & Meat

Stink is the new "aroma of Tacoma"... take a big whiff... we smell GOOD!!!



And I must say, they do.  They don't just smell good.  They smell incredible... and they taste even better!

I heard about this store/deli through a couple friends, way back at the beginning of the year.  There was talk around town about a new cheese shop in the works, and everyone was buzzing.  Gritty Tacomans need their cheese!  We were ecstatic to hear there would soon be one in the north end.  Through Facebook, I found the Stink- Cheese & Meat page and immediately "liked" it.  I anxiously awaited updates.  Having grown up in retail, I have an idea of how long it takes to actually open a store, so I was patient.  And I waited.

And waited.

And waited (patiently, I might add).

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, the Stink opened it's doors!!!  And I missed the announcement.  I must have blinked or something.  This actually turned out to be a good thing for me, as it gave me a chance to hear other people's opinions on what to order on my first trip there.  Even with their concise menu, I probably would have stood there for half an hour drooling all over the counters before I could decide.

Last Saturday, I dragged The Petulant One (Miko) out of the house for our first foray to Stink.  I told her we were going downtown to take pictures and maybe have lunch.  I didn't EXACTLY lie... we DID take pictures and we WERE downtown, but my prime objective was LUNCH!

Stink Cheese & Meat is located at 628 St. Helens Ave. in what I would consider the Stadium District (but I'm old school).  More recently it has been glopped into the theater district, and even MORE recently it has been called the Triangle Neighborhood.  If you're from the north end, you'll know where it is.  If not, call them at 253-426-1347 and I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you where they are.

(at this point I have to admit I was completely remiss in asking everyone's names and taking pictures of them to include in this post.  I feel really bad about that, because they were all so wonderful to us!!)

In the months leading up to the store's opening, I was hoping it would be more of a traditional cheese and cured meat store... not like a butcher shop or anything, but more like a complete meat and cheese shop you would see in parts of Europe.  It's not so much like that... yet.  They have a small meat and cheese case...



...with a small but impressive assortment of meats and cheeses...



They also have a wine rack (please note the sign for in-house consuming)...



and several beers on tap (Bitburger Pilsner, Leavenworth IPA, New Belgium Abbey Ale, and Pike Monk's Uncle Ale).

The space itself is industrial/cozy.  I adore the color scheme and the general decor.  I love the live rosemary plants on every table.

The Petulant One waits for her food...



We ordered THE Turkey sandwich.



 That's not a typo.  It is THE Turkey sandwich... and it is mouth-wateringly delicious.  Sliced smoked turkey with mixed greens, a mango chutney mayo, and the creamiest bleu cheese you've ever tasted on a magnificently fresh rustic roll.  It comes with a small side house salad, which was the same greens and cheese from the sandwich, sliced red grapes, candied nuts, and their house balsamic dressing.  The one sandwich and salad fed the two of us quite nicely for lunch.

There were many things on the daily list that I wanted to try... the grilled cheese of the day... with king crab, fontina, avacado, and red onion aioli almost distracted me from my mission.  There is also the house mac and cheese that I must try, being the mac and cheese snob... I mean afficianado... that I am.  In the end, I wanted to buy some of the marvelous looking proscuitto in the case, but we were going to be in town for several more hours and I didn't want to leave it sitting in the car for that long.



DEFINITELY next time!!!  I'm drooling just looking at the picture...

You might just be able to tell that I was slightly happy with my experience at Stink.  Just a little.  I might just go back.

As soon as possible.

Click here for their Facebook page.

MENU (not including daily specials)-




Revisited- 5/4/2011

Yes... we went back already...

This time I had the prosciutto and brie with rosemary/fig confit sandwich, like I had planned...



It was wonderful.  HOWEVER... I had a bite of Brian's salami sandwich and almost started making inappropriate noises right then and there...



Oh.

My.

God.

The best thing I've had there so far.  THE BEST!!  I almost regret ordering the prosciutto and brie (but not really... it was fantastic too... just not quite as good as the salami).  Brian also had the soup of the day, which was vegetable couscous.  Again... one of the best things EVER!!

Something else I discovered today...

They sell real balsamic.  REAL balsamic.  In unlabeled bottles.  For only $12.00!!  I can stop hoarding my last bottle from Canada and start making my balsamic cream chicken again!!  I am overjoyed!!!  If you don't know the difference between real balsamic and the stuff you get at the grocery store, ask for a small sample.  It's amazing.