Sacher Torte

I am an emotional baker. I know this about myself and I am at peace with this.

Today was no exception.

The news came yesterday that Doctor Charles “Chick” Davis, the founder and former director of the Emory & Henry Concert Choir, beloved by so very many people, had passed away. Doc (as I have always known him by) influenced my own life in immeasurable ways and my heart was broken. He had been sick for quite awhile at the end and while I am so grateful for him and for his family that the suffering has ended, I am still grieving for the loss of such an incredible man. Another former Concert Choir member said that she is certain the heavenly choir of angels is thrilled with their new director, and I found such comfort in this thought.

The times I spent in rehearsals and performances with Doc deeply formed my own understanding of spirituality and connection to God through music and I know with certainty that a vast number of former choir members feel the same way. In fact, one friend commented that she was not only grieving for Doc’s family and for the loss of his life, but also for the fact that she knows she will never be a part of something so magnificent as Concert Choir again. Her words spoke volumes to me and I realized that this is why I have never been able to fully commit to any other choir, church or otherwise. I think deep down I feel like everything else will fall short of what we had with Doc. He was gifted in so very, very many ways but to me the most amazing talent he had was that he could take voices from many of us who would likely never go on to sing solos and transform those individual sounds into something so beautifully communal.

Twenty years ago today, our choir embarked on a journey to Europe, largely due to the fact that Doc wanted to honor some of the greatest composers of all time. We began in Salzburg, Austria where we sang the New Year’s Mass in the Dom where Mozart was baptized. When we ended with our traditional choral benediction, we remained still, awaiting the seven second echo delay when we heard our own voices drift back towards us. Watching Doc, as tears streamed down my face, was truly one of the most sacred moments of my life. There were many other deeply spiritual moments on that trip, but this one I will never forget.

This trip also gave me my husband of 11 years. As we watched fireworks light up the New Year’s Eve sky in Salzburg, I stood wishing for my imaginary prince to come along soon. Little did I know, he was standing right beside me. I paused yesterday to give thanks to Doc for this amazing life I now have!

I woke up this morning grieving even more now that I was truly living with the reality that Doc has really left this earth. I hadn’t seen him since our last Concert Choir reunion in 2008, but he was ever present in my heart and when I learned recently of how much his health had declined I thought of him all the time.

I took my scrapbook of our trip to Europe out to remember all the details and to find pictures of Doc’s infectious smile and was quite grateful that my eldest daughter indulged me in sharing my memories with her. I rose from the table knowing exactly what I should do with this grief.

While we were in Vienna, several of us made sure we went to the Sacher Hotel café to try their world-famous Sacher Torte. I remember vividly how decadent it was and how perfect it felt to be sitting in that café surrounded by my friends. Revisiting the pictures of that afternoon prompted me to reach for my copy of The America’s Test Kitchen Baking Book where I recalled years ago spying the recipe for Sacher Torte.

Tonight, we will share this torte with my dear friend Angela and her family. Angela, it turns out, made fast friends with Doc’s daughter, Alicia, when they taught together years ago. For the serendipitous ties that bind, I give thanks.

I know many of my readers eschew what you perceive to be the more difficult of the recipes I share and that this one will be no exception. I am perfectly all right with that this time, because honestly, this project really is not about the cake. It is about remembering a man I loved so very much. If by some chance, you decide to make this cake, I ask that you raise a fork to Doc; I know I will!

In all reality, the cake really is not that hard and I have faith that you can do it if you just follow the directions carefully! Make sure you allow enough time in between the steps.

Sacher Torte (click for printable version)

Chocolate Genoise (fancy name for fluffy chocolate cake)

1 cup of cake flour

¼ cup cocoa (I used King Arthur Black Cocoa blend for a deep chocolate flavor, but any cocoa will work)

5 large eggs, room temperature (you can warm the eggs to room temperature by letting them sit in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes)

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Filling

1 1/3 cup apricot jam

Chocolate Glaze

2/3 cup heavy cream

¼ cup light corn syrup

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely (I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Genoise:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. DO NOT GREASE!

Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl and then pour mixture into a sifter. Set aside.

 In a large glass or metal bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until thoroughly mixed. Bring about an inch of water to a low simmer in a saucepan that the bowl with eggs and sugar will fit on top of without the water touching the bottom of the bowl. Heat the egg and sugar mixture for just a minute or two over the simmering water until it is just warm but not hot, whisking the entire time.

Remove hot egg mixture from stove and immediately whip with an electric mixture on medium-high for about 5-6 minutes or until the mixture is thick and of a good volume. DO NOT STIR! You want the mixture to stay fluffy. Add vanilla and whip briefly.

VERY, very gently remove one cup of the egg mixture and set aside.

Sift about half of the flour/cocoa mixture over the remaining egg mixture and GENTLY fold it in with only about 15 folds. Sift remaining flour/cocoa mix and fold again for just about 10 folds. BE GENTLE!

Add the melted butter to the 1 cup of reserved egg mixture and gently stir.

GENTLY fold the egg/butter mixture into the flour/cocoa mixture just until combined.

GENTLY pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when poked in the middle of the cake.

Remove cake from oven and cool in pan until it is entirely cool, about 2 hours.

Run a small knife around the edge of the cake and then take the edge of the pan off. Turn the cake onto a plate lined with waxed paper and remove the bottom piece of paper. Turn it right-side up and throw away all the paper you used.

Carefully slice the cake into two layers. Set one layer aside while you assemble the bottom.

Filling the cake:

Place a piece of waxed paper over a large baking sheet and set a wire cake rack on top.

Place the bottom layer on the rack.

Using a food processor, process the apricot jam for about 20 seconds to make it smooth and slightly runny. This will help with assembling the cake.

Spoon about ½ cup of the jam over the first layer and gently spread it all the way to the edges. Set the second layer on top of the jam and push on it lightly to help it stick. Spread the rest of the jam on the top of the cake letting any excess fall over the sides.

Place the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Glazing the cake:

Place the cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in a large microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 second increments, stirring in between. Heat until it is all melted and completely smooth.

Allow glaze to cool until it is easy to pour. This will take about 20 minutes.

Pour the chocolate glaze all over the filled cake. Spread it evenly over the sides. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until the cake is entirely set.

To serve, move cake to a platter and allow it to sit out of the refrigerator for 30 – 60 minutes.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

    Snickerdoodles are way at the top of my list of favorite cookies so what better idea than to turn that buttery, cinnamony flavor into a decadent cupcake?

    The PTA at my daughter's elementary school does a wonderful job of taking care of the teachers and provides lunch for them several times a year. I always try to contribute something special because I truly, truly appreciate all these sweet souls do for our children!

   Recently, they had a luncheon so I turned to my cookbooks to figure out what I could make for it.  I often start with my Cake Mix Doctor book because I know I can trust the recipes I find in it and I know that the directions are failproof. This book has been around for quite awhile and I am so grateful that I inherited my grandmother's copy. Every time I open it, I think of her and the many delicious cakes it inspired. All of them begin with a cake mix but end up tasting completely homemade given they indeed are "doctored" to taste that way!

   This time the Snickerdoodle cake recipe seemed to be calling to me so I decided to give it a try. Based on the feedback I received from the teachers, this recipe is a keeper! I stuck to the cake recipe entirely but then I used my regular buttercream recipe with an addition of cinnamon. To add a little pizzazz, I sprinkled a couple of mini cinnamon chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

    Next time you need to provide dessert for a crowd or are just needing a little comfort food, give this recipe a try!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (click for a printable version)

1 package plain white cake mix (I always prefer Duncan Hines)
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 whole stick) salted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon (I always use King Arthur Vietnamese cinnamon)

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

1 cup of salted butter, softened
8 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (I always use King Arthur Vietnamese cinnamon)

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Combine all cupcake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix on low for 2 minutes and then scrape down the sides. Turn mixer up to medium high and mix for 2 more minutes.

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean.

Cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Add butter and 4 cups of powdered sugar to a mixer bowl. Cream until combined well. Slowly alternate remaining powdered sugar with milk. Add more or less milk until you reach the right consistency. Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix briefly until well combined.

Frost in whatever method you desire. I really love to make rosettes on the tops of mine (that's what is pictured above) because they are easy but look very impressive. Here is a great tutorial for making them.

Rum Glazed Eggnog Pound Cake with Spiced and Spiked Whipped Cream

 
    Welcome back!  I am actually welcoming MYSELF back since I have taken such a long break from my blog.  The past six months have been extremely busy for me for various reasons and I just haven't taken the time to post any recipes.  That doesn't mean I haven't been cooking and baking, though!

   I knew that I needed a really good recipe to share if I had any hopes of asking my followers to join me again, and wow, did I find one this weekend!  I just got the recipe yesterday and have already made one of these Eggnog Pound Cakes.

  The cake part of the recipe landed in my lap at our annual United Methodist Women's Christmas program and luncheon.  All of our circles gather together in early December for a beautiful, moving worship service and then reconvene in our Parish Hall for a catered luncheon.  One of the really fun parts of the luncheon is seeing how each circle decorates their table for the holidays.  Yesterday there truly were some stunning displays on these tabletops!  My own circle is comprised of women around my age who either have multiple children and/or work outside the home and none of us could get it together this year to decorate.  We arrived in the Parish Hall to find our table bare save the salt and pepper shakers and luckily, a recipe card! None of us minded the missing decorations as we were just happy to have the time to be together for a couple of hours but we sure were grateful for the recipe card.

    As it turns out, the recipe came from a member of another circle who happens to be one of our hometown celebrities!  Heather Grubb was a much beloved contestant on the second season of TLC's Next Great Baker and has shared many recipes on our local NBC station, WBIR.  In fact, here is a clip of Heather making her Eggnog Pound Cake on WBIR!  So, needless to say, it was so nice to be handed a recipe card with a recipe we know has been tested and loved.

   The cake sounded so good that I immediately stopped at our local convenience store, Weigel's, for a quart of their eggnog.  I usually don't just drink eggnog straight up, but my husband assures me that Weigel's is the some of the best he has ever had.  I am not surprised to hear this since we buy all of our milk from Weigel's because they have a local dairy of their own.

   Anyone who knows me and my baking habits knows that I just can't leave a recipe alone, and this one was no exception!  I knew the cake recipe itself was a keeper because it was so easy to assemble simply delicious. I added a tiny bit of salt to the recipe but other than that, I made it exactly as Heather wrote it.  The flavors of the spices and eggnog are perfect and the cake is extremely moist.  I just wanted to jack it up a bit so I added the glaze from my rum cake recipe and a dollop of spiced and spiked whipped cream.  Heather's recipe suggested covering it in whipped cream but I decided I preferred serving it on the side.  I wanted to bring out the eggnog flavor even more in the whipped cream so I added nutmeg and rum and was quite pleased with the results.

   I have already begun planning my Christmas Eve and Christmas menus and I will definitely be including this cake!  After reading the recipe, my bet is that you probably will too!

Eggnog Pound Cake (click for printable version)

1 cup softened salted butter (2 sticks)
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour (only and always White Lily for me)
1 cup eggnog (homemade or purchased)
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon (I used 1/2 t. Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus Blend and 1/2 tsp. King Arthur Vietnamese cinnamon)
1/2 t. ground cloves
1 t. vanilla

Rum Glaze

1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup rum (I used Captain Morgan's spiced rum)

Spiked and Spiced Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 T. granulated sugar
1 t. rum (I used Captain Morgan's spiced rum)
1/2 t. nutmeg

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour a Bundt pan (my method is to melt 1 T. butter and then add 1 T. all-purpose flour.  Mix together and use a pastry brush to brush the entire pan).  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and spices.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together, mixing until it is very light, about 3 - 5 minutes.  One at a time, add the eggs.  Beat thoroughly until the mixture is very fluff, about 3 minutes.  Turn mixer to lowest speed and alternate adding in the flour mixture and the eggnog.  Mix until just combined.  Add vanilla and mix quickly.

Pour cake into Bundt pan.  Depending on the size of your pan, you might need to pour a little of the mixture into a smaller pan as well.  Just don't overfill the Bundt pan.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean.

Remove from pan and allow to cool.

For the glaze:
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Using a fork, poke holes in the pound cake.  Pour glaze slowly over the cake.

For the whipped cream:
Chill the mixer bowl and whisk in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Combine all ingredients in the mixer bowl and mix on medium speed until the mixture is frothy.  Turn mixer on high speed and whip until cream has soft peaks.  Be careful not to overmix.

Cajun Grits Casserole

    Several years ago, our family was lucky enough to receive an invitation to a fantastic Sunday Brunch Club and we have attended so many amazing meals with these friends!  Our friend Kevin is the event planner and mixologist extraordinaire and always offers at least two well-researched, handcrafted cocktails.  One of our other friends has a stellar blog, Inside of Knoxville, who knows about all the great events and projects happening in Knoxville so we always learn more about our great downtown.

    I should probably at this point also mention that the food is always fantastic!  Kevin almost always gives us a theme so for our last gathering we celebrated Mardi Gras (a wee bit late!).  I racked my brain trying to figure out what to take and finally decided to start with one of my tried and true recipes as a base with the intent of "Cajunning it up."  How's that for a great phrase?

   One of my favorite recipes to take to brunch is cheese grits casserole.  I used to think I didn't like grits, but it turns out that if you add enough cheese and butter, I love them!  You  For this recipe, I started with sauteed andouille sausage, red peppers, and onions and then added them to my standby recipe.  They were absolutely delicious!

   I love this recipe  because you can make it up the night before and stick it in the refrigerator.  Just add some extra baking time if you do this to make sure the casserole sets up properly.

Cajun Grits Casserole

1 andouille sausage link, chopped into large chunks
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
1 T. olive oil

6 cups water
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 cups grits
4 cups cheddar cheese, cut into small chunks (you could also use shredded)
1/2 cup milk
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously butter a large casserole dish or baking dish.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and saute sausage, bell pepper, and onion until vegetables are soft and sausage is slightly browned.  Remove from heat.

In a large pot, heat water, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until it is boiling.  Add grits and stir until completely combined.  Turn heat to low and simmer until the mixture has thickened.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Add the milk slowly and stir to combine.  Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in butter chunks.   Add about 1/4 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs and stir.  Add another 1/4 cup of the mixture and then pour the egg mix into the pot.  Add the sausage, peppers, and onion into the mix.

Pour the grits into the greased casserole dish and bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the casserole is set.

Gorgonzola Caprese Slices

    If you are anything like me, you are dreaming of summer and all the wonderful fruits and veggies that come with it!  This time of year I begin planning my trips to my local farmers' markets and imagining all the great dishes I can make once everything is in season.  Beautiful ripe tomatoes are always at the top of what I miss in the winter and I can't wait for my first "real" one!  I recently found some decent ones (for early spring, that is) at my local grocery store and served them with this these delicious Gorgonzola Caprese Slices.

   The recipe for this appetizer came from my sweet friend Cayce.  Every few months or so I host a small group of my friends at my house and Cayce is among that group.  This little circle of women is so sacred to me and I relish the time we spend together.  We always have plenty of good food, wine, laughter, and honesty!  I often think of our time together as some sort of confessional where I know I won't be judged no matter how nutty things might get.

  We actually all became friends through our daughters.  The girls formed a Daisy troop together when they were in kindergarten and once every two weeks we would gather together at the back of the classroom while the girls had their meeting.  Just like our little Girl Scouts, we found ourselves making new, silver friendships with one another that have now become gold.  I treasure each of these women and am so thankful that our girls will grow up not only with one another but with these extra mommies as well.

  Luckily for all of us in this little group, we have some great cooks!  Cayce's Gorgonzola Caprese Slices were definitely the hit of our last gathering and I knew I had to share this recipe.  Once tomatoes and basil are in season, I feel certain it will become a staple at our house.

The original recipe called for twice the ingredients but I found that to make too much so I have cut it in half.  Feel free to double and make two rolls if you are serving a large crowd.

As you are preparing this, be sure to overlap the edges of the mozzarella slices so that it will hold together.  Before slicing, your roll should look like this:

Be sure to allow plenty of time for this to chill so that you can slice it easily.

Gorgonzola Caprese Slices (click on title for a printable version)

1 8 oz. container of spreadable cream cheese
1 5 oz. container of crumble gorgonzola (generic brands such as Kroger's Private Selection work fine)
1 heaping T. sour cream
1 1/2 T. cream
1 heaping T. dried basil
1 8 oz. package of mozzarella (be sure to get the long slices and NOT the little squares)

freshly sliced tomatoes (Romas work great)

fresh basil, cut into ribbons

balsamic vinegar reduction (purchased in a bottle or homemade by simmering 1 C. of balsamic vinegar with one T. sugar until it has reduced and thickened)

soft French bread slices



Allow all cheese ingredients to sit out for a little while before combining so that they will mix together more easily.

Combine cream cheese, 1/2 the container or gorgonzola, sour cream, cream, and basil together in a bowl.

Using a long piece of waxed paper, lay mozzarella slices side by side, overlapping each by about 1/2".  Seal the edges together by pressing on them.

Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the mozzarella slices.  Sprinkle the remaining gorgonzola and a little more dried basil over the cream cheese mixture.

Fold the slices from the bottom into thirds so that you form the roll.  Use the waxed paper to help guide the mozzarella slices.  Wrap tightly in waxed paper.

Refrigerate the roll for several hours or overnight.

Slice the roll into 1/4" slices (or a little larger) and serve with tomatoes, bread, balsamic reduction, and fresh basil.

Italian Lemon Cookies

    Be forewarned, this post contains a shameless plug for utilizing your local public library services!

   Several months ago, my friend Jamie asked me if I would consider leading the monthly Knox County Public Library book discussion called All Over the Page.  I quickly agreed but then immediately became quite intimidated when I envisioned myself actually doing it, especially when I saw the list of other discussion leaders, all of who are immensely talented in various ways.  I mean, sure, I was an English teacher in my former life and have led many a book discussion as a high school librarian, but still, me?

    Luckily for me, the members in attendance were not at all intimidating and I ended up absolutely falling in love with this group!  So much so that I bought the next month's selection straightaway and was so excited to begin reading it.  There are a number of things that made me want to return to this group.  First of all, most importantly, THEY ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE BOOK!  While I have been a member of several book clubs in the past and wouldn't trade the camaraderie and friends I have made for anything in this world, it really is nice to focus only on the book for an entire hour.  I also found the group to be so thoughtful even in disagreement over various points.  I also love that the discussion takes place at the library.  I always feel so at home in a library so it's nice to have one evening on my calendar that feels so comforting.

  I can hardly wait for our meeting tomorrow evening because the author will be leading the discussion. Her name is Pamela Schoenewaldt  and she lives here in Knoxville.  We will be discussing her second book entitled Swimming in the Moon.  It is truly one of the most beautifully researched and written pieces of historical fiction I have ever read.  The moment I finished it, I went searching for her first book, When We Were Strangers.  I found it to be just as incredibly crafted and moving.  Both books deal with Italian immigrants spanning the late 1800s and early 1900s and the incredible struggles they faced.  I fell in love with the characters and found myself living in these time periods even when the book covers were closed.

  I decided that I would contribute a few themed snacks to our gathering tomorrow evening, so I made pizzelles with my pizzelle maker from a King Arthur flour recipe.  Lemons play an important role in Swimming in the Moon, so I made a batch of Italian Lemon Cookies.  The base of the recipe is from my Delicious Sugar Cookie post and then I simply added a fresh lemon glaze.

  I am so looking forward to our discussion and to sharing the cookies with our group!  If you are searching for your next book, I urge to you to pick up either of Schoenewaldt's books and once her beautiful images of lemons start to tempt your taste buds, try these Italian Lemon Cookies!

Italian Lemon Cookies (click title for a printable version)

3/4 C. salted butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour (Always and only White Lily for me)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Glaze:

1 C. sifted powder sugar

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

coarse sparkling sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and continue to cream until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Slowly add flour mixture and mix just until combined.  Be careful to not overbeat.

Chill dough for at least one hour.

On a flour-lined counter or board, roll out dough to no less than 1/4" thick.  Using cutters dipped in flour, cut cookies into various shapes and place them on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with decorating sugar or bake as they are and glaze when they are cool.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or just until sides are set.  DO NOT LET THEM GET BROWN!

Cool completely if you are planning to glaze the cookies.

For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together until smooth, thinning with a little milk if necessary.  Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.  Sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar if desired and allow to dry on racks.

Chicken Caesar Salad

    Let me confess up front that this really is not a recipe per say but rather a very simple set of directions for one of my favorite meals.  Think of it merely as a suggestion for dinner.  I will say, though, that choosing the right ingredients for this salad is key to it being as delicious as it is at my house.  None of that wimpy, sadly shredded parmesan for us!

   Many years ago, I left everything I knew in Virginia and moved to Atlanta to be with a boy.  That boy later became my husband.  Luckily for me, it all worked out!  My very first night in the city, he offered to take me out on a date.  That date turned out to be to Boston Market.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, out of the vast culinary offerings this huge city has to offer, he took me to Boston Market.  Good thing I didn't base my decision about whether to stick around or not on his ability to wine and dine a girl.

   I have to admit, though, that I am really grateful for that date given that this is where he introduced the perfect Chicken Caesar Salad to me.    The combination of tender rotisserie chicken (which Boston Market is known for), crisp romaine lettuce, huge croutons, and perfectly shaved parmesan led us back time and time again.

  I have duplicated this recipe many times at home since we no longer live near a Boston Market and have just shaved the parmesan myself but it never turned out perfectly right.  Recently, though, I stumbled on a bag of parmesan and asiago in the fine cheese section that caused me to turn my cart around and grab all the rest of the ingredients I needed to make one of our favorite salads.  Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I am a huge fan of Sartori cheeses.  I had no idea that they made the perfect topping to my salad!  I recently received several varieties of their cheeses but this one was my own find.  If you can find this in your grocery store, buy a bag!  I promise you it is just the right ingredient to make this salad truly special.  The shavings are so thick and hearty.

    As for the other ingredients, I love the Texas Toast Caesar croutons.  In the past I have tried many different kinds of Caesar dressings and none of them came very close to what I loved at Boston Market.  This time the Kraft Caesar caught my eye because of the large pieces of ground pepper.  It turned out to  be absolutely delicious!  I will no longer go searching for a better one.

   You could certainly use grilled or baked chicken for this, but I can't imagine it without rotisserie kind.  It shreds so easily and is so tender.  Plus, it makes the whole salad much easier to assemble.

   So if you don't have a Boston Market close enough to take a special date to, just gather up the ingredients for this salad at home and turn on some romantic music!

Chicken Caesar Salad (click on title for printable version)

romaine lettuce (I don't recommend the bagged kind)
rotisserie chicken, shredded
parmesan shavings (I find it best to use a vegetable peeler if you don't buy it pre-shaved but I really, really recommend the Sartori shavings)
large croutons
Caesar dressing
cracked black pepper

Wash and dry lettuce thoroughly.  Tear or cut into pieces.  Place in bowls.

Top lettuce with chicken, parmesan, croutons, and dressing.  Top with freshly ground pepper.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

    My entire life I thought I didn't like frosting on cakes.  I usually just scraped it off and ate the cake, unlike any other kid I have ever met.  Turns out I just don't like frosting that has Crisco in it which is what you generally get if the decorator took a Wilton's class.  One bite of the Magnolia's Bakery buttercream recipe and my scraping days were over!  All butter; no Crisco.

   The entire Magnolia Bakery Cookbook is fantastic and great even for beginners.  The original buttercream recipe is quite stained in my copy as I make it for all birthdays and special occasions.  I am not so hot at decorating but when I do attempt to use a pastry bag and tip, this frosting works perfectly.

  Recently I made a lemon cake from a box and since I refuse to use canned frosting, I turned to the buttercream recipe and added one ingredient to make it work.  I absolutely adore Fiori di Sicilia from King Arthur Flour and add it any time a hint of citrus is needed.  I added just 1/4 teaspoon of the flavoring to the frosting recipe and it was perfect!  Fabulous alternative to canned frosting.  Don't worry if you don't have this ingredient, though, as I am providing the substitutions from The Magnolia Bakery  Cookbook.

   If you want to make just a regular buttercream, substitute just add one extra teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract for the Fiori di Sicilia.

   This recipe will frost one layer cake or 36 cupcakes.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting (click on title for a printable version)

1 C. (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
8 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. Fiori di Sicilia *

Place 4 C. of powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add butter and mix thoroughly.  Slowly add milk, vanilla, and Fiori di Sicilia, and remaining powdered sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Depending on how thick you want the frosting, add more milk or powdered sugar.

* If you don't have Fiori di Sicilia, replace milk with fresh lemon juice and 1 T. grated lemon peel.

Italian Alphabet Soup

    One of my treasured recipes from my Aunt Donna is her Italian Stew.  When I was little, I used to love being at her cozy farmhouse in the winter when she would make this soup.  My favorite part of the soup were the little alphabet pastas she would add at the end.  I always loved the thought of that alphabet soup in a can but never liked it once it was opened so with Aunt Donna's recipe, I could have the little ABCs but in a wonderful, homemade soup.

   Recently my friend Gloria shared her recipe for what she calls Spaghetti Soup with me.  Not only did she share the recipe, though; she also brought me a bowl of it for lunch during a very busy week at work!  I was so grateful for the warm soup and am also grateful for her recipe as I ended up making it this weekend.  I followed Gloria's advice and used fresh vegetables as opposed to the frozen ones the recipe originally called for.  It didn't take much longer and the results are well worth it.  You can certainly substitute the fresh carrots and green beans for a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, but I can't promise your soup will taste as good as mine or Gloria's did!

   Never one to leave recipes alone, I decided to merge Aunt Donna's recipe with Gloria's.  Instead of the spaghetti that Gloria's calls for, I used the alphabet pasta of my childhood.  It reminds me of Aunt Donna and also makes my own two girls really happy.  In fact, my 3 year-old and I ended up sitting down and playing with some of the dried ones.  The recipe calls for just throwing the pasta in at the end, but I really don't like the extra starch you get when you do that so I always boil my pasta separately for a little less time than the box calls for, drainin the pasta, and then add it in after I have completely finished the soup.  If the starch doesn't bother you, you can just skip this step.

  I have made pasta e fagioli in the past and love the addition of the parmesan rind as a last step.  I keep a bag of leftover rinds in my freezer just for this purpose.  Any time I finish a wedge of parmesan, I just throw it in the freezer so that I have it for soup.  I decided this would be perfect for my Italian Alphabet Soup.  You could also just grate some parmesan on the top if you don't have any leftover rinds.  As always, I recommend using Sartori parmesan from the fine cheese section of your grocery store.  It's my very favorite!

   While it's still cold outside, give this soup a try!  My 8 year-old deemed it the best meal she has ever had!

Italian Alphabet Soup (click on title for a printable version)

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 t. minced garlic

2 14.5 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes
2 cans French onion soup
5 cups of water
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 t. sugar

4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 lb. stringless green beans, broken into 1/2" pieces

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Barilla marinara sauce)

1/2 c. dried alphabet pasta

parmesan rinds or grated parmesan (I always use Sartori brand)


Brown ground beef, onions, and garlic in a large pot.  Drain grease.

Add tomatoes, French Onion soup, water, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Add vegetables.  Cover and simmer for 1/2 an hour.

Add spaghetti sauce and parmesan rinds if using.  Simmer for 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, boil alphabet pasta for about 4 minutes (a little less than the package calls for).  Rinse with cold water to remove extra starch and drain well.  Add to soup.

Antipasto Salad

    When I was growing up, every time I saw my mom making this salad, I knew it meant company was coming!  As a grown-up, I find myself turning to this recipe all the time when we have invited friends over for dinner.  The salad is so big that it seems silly to make it for just our small family given that my husband and I are the only ones who eat it.  My hope is that one day my own two girls will make this recipe one of their own go-tos for entertaining but first they have to learn to eat odd things like mushrooms, black olives, and pepperoncinis!

   Our New Year's Day tradition is to invite our friends, the Irvines, over for dinner.  We rarely do anything on New Year's Eve but I so look forward to our traditional meal with our friends.  I always make Italian Rice Balls (at some point I might share this recipe with you but it's pretty involved and I'm not ready to scare you off yet!) and some other Italianish appetizer so this salad goes perfectly with that theme.

   Make sure that you give yourself enough time to prepare this salad because the magic of this recipe is really in the marinated mushrooms and peppers and they need at least 12 hours to soak in all the flavors.  I usually prepare that part the night before so it's easier to prepare the the next day.  You can find my super easy directions for roasting the red pepper on my post for Fried Green Tomatoes with Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade.

  The assembly of the salad takes a little time, so if I know I am going to be rushed before my company arrives, I prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time and store them separately.

  Now, all you need to do is invite a couple of friends over and share this salad!  My amounts are just suggestions; adjust quantity of vegetables to your liking.

Antipasto Salad (click on title for a printable version)

1 large bunch of leaf lettuce (green, red, or romaine lettuce) washed, dried, and torn
matchstick or shredded carrots (I use about 1/2 a bag)
2 cucumbers
1 small can black olives, chilled
about 8 - 10 pepperoncinis, chilled
10 thinly cut slices salami (I prefer Boar's Head Italian Dry)
10 thinly cut slices provolone cheese
8 oz. sliced, washed white mushrooms
2 tsp. minced garlic
olive oil
1 red pepper, roasted
red wine vinegar
2 roma tomatoes
finely shredded Parmesan (my favorite is Sartori brand)
croutons
Italian dressing of your choice

The night before, or at least 12 hours in advance, cook mushrooms and garlic in olive oil in a small skillet until mushrooms are tender but not overly cooked.  Place in a bowl and top with sliced, roasted red pepper.  Pour red wine vinegar over mushrooms and peppers until they are nearly covered.  Stir and refrigerate until ready to use in salad.

Place lettuce over the bottom of a large platter.  It helps if the platter has some depth to it.  Depending on how big the bunch of lettuce is, you may not need all of it.  Be sure to leave room for the other veggies.

Scatter carrots over the top.

Add cucumbers next.  I peel them and run the fork tines down them before slicing.  It makes them prettier but isn't necessary.

Add chilled black olives and pepperoncinis.

Around the perimeter of the salad, alternate rolled up salami and rolled up provolone.

Drain mushrooms and red peppers and discard liquid.  Scatter mushrooms and red peppers over the top.

Place sliced Romas around the top of the salad.

Top the whole salad with finely grated parmesan cheese.

Scatter croutons on the top.

Serve with Italian dressing on the side.

Winter Guacamole

    I know.  I get it.  You don't want to hear ANYTHING about ANYTHING that has to do with winter anymore this year.  Give me a chance with this recipe, though, and I promise any cold, gray, heavy-clouded day will be instantly brighter.

   As I am sitting here typing this, I am watching the snow pour down on my little Tennessee yard and listening the forecast of several more inches by morning.  We don't often get snows of this depth here, so my family and I are all prepared to enjoy a good old-fashioned sledding and snowman construction party tomorrow!

   Yesterday as I was making my snowy forecast grocery list, I had to laugh at myself a little bit given that the chances anyone would be fighting me over the items I had written down were pretty slim.  Snow days for me mean lots of baking and cooking, especially things I often don't have time to prepare.  This time I had the recipe for winter guacamole on my mind and I was in search of pomegranates.

  I attended a party at a friend's house last Sunday night and was so happy to see that my daughter's teacher, Carolyn, was one of the guests. She truly is the life of any party and I always have so much fun when I get to hang out with her.  Right now, my 8 year-old loves it that I am friends with her teacher . . . let's see how she feels about that when she gets a little older!  I was even happier still to discover the fantastic appetizer Carolyn had brought to the party.  From the beginning of the year, I have been sending Carolyn baked goodies and had no idea what a fabulous cook she herself is.  After trying her guacamole, I can't wait to get my hands on some of her other recipes.  I also couldn't wait to make this one right away.

  Back to the pomegranates.  To me, these are what make this recipe really special.  Not only does the slight tartness add such great flavor to the dip, but the color of the little arils brightens it up, too.  Look at me with my fancy knowledge of what pomegranate innards are called!  Now, go forth and impress your own friends with this word.

   Actually, let's talk about those little arils for a moment.  Ideally, you want to do what Carolyn does and just buy a container of the arils which have been removed from the skin.  She buys them at Trader Joe's but our local Publix carries them as well.  I couldn't find them in my part of town, so I ended up buying the whole pomegranate and pulling the arils out.  I found directions on several websites that suggested separating the arils in a bowl filled with water.  This worked great for me and afterwards, I just placed them in a colander and let them dry really well.

   Carolyn found this recipe in a fabulous Jr. League of Houston cookbook entitled Peace Meals.

Winter Guacamole (click on title for a printable version)

4 ripe avocados
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. coarse salt (I use Kosher)
1/3 cup minced onion (I use red onion)
3 minced serrano peppers (including seeds)
1 C. red grapes, halved
1 C. finely diced, fresh pear (I use a green d'anjou)
1/2 C. pomegranate arils plus a few to sprinkle on the top


Peel and cut avocados.  Mash slightly with a pastry blender or a fork being careful not to mash all the chunks out.  Mix in lime juice and salt.  Add onion, serrano pepper, grapes, pear, and pomegranate arils.  Sprinkle arils on top and serve with tortilla chips.

No Mixer Needed Chocolate Chip Cookies

   

   About a week and a half ago my mixer died.  My Classic white KitchenAid mixer that I bought 14 years ago out of desperation one night when I was tackling dozens and dozens of Christmas cookies finally gave up the ghost.  I guess when you use them about 5 times a week for that many years, they just get tired.

   There was no question about whether or not to replace it.  When I first bought it, I was still fairly young, single, and living in an apartment. At the time, it seemed like such an extravagant purchase.  Now, it's simply a necessity in the baking world I live in.  I opted for a beautiful Liquid Graphite Artisan this time which gives me a slightly bigger bowl and more engine power.  The engine power part kind of cracks me up.

   During the time when I was waiting for the arrival of my new mixer, my family and I found ourselves snowed in for a couple of days.  Snowed in with NO MIXER!  Baking and cooking are my favorite snowy day activities so I was truly at a loss.  I ended up surviving, but I tell you, it was really roughing it around here!

   After the mixer arrived, my cousin Mary Alice posted a picture of a jar of beautiful cookies on her Facebook wall and commented that they did not require a mixer at all.  Now, I sure wish I had known about her magical recipe while we were snowed in!  Every recipe for chocolate chip cookies I have ever used requires me to thoroughly beat the ingredients so  I was intrigued by this recipe.

  I thoroughly trust Mary Alice's judgement on baking because not only did I sample many of her delicious dishes and treats growing up, I also happen to know she learned from the masters, my grandmother and my Aunt Argie.  I treasure the memories I have of her working alongside Aunt Argie in our family's farmhouse to prepare the midday meal and can still picture her in her aprons. Mary Alice must have taken a great deal of mental notes and paid careful attention when she was in the kitchen because she is now a fount of knowledge for me as I attempt to duplicate many of our family recipes.  I am so grateful that she is willing to share so many tips with me and that we are able to bond over our recipes.  I am also thankful for the new images I have of her baking for her two sweet granddaughters and passing along our family's love of cooking to a new generation.

  Tomorrow the PTA at my daughter's school is hosting a luncheon for the teachers so  I thought this would be the perfect time to try out Mary Alice's cookie recipe.  Mary Alice suggested adding 3 T. of cocoa to the dough and replacing some of the chocolate chips with butterscotch chips.  I decided to try it without the modifications this time but used half regular chocolate chips and half mini-chips.  Next time, I think I will experiment with her suggestions but for this time around, I couldn't have been happier with how the cookies turned out!  Hopefully my daughter's teachers will love them, too.

   One of the things I loved about this recipe was that it called for dark brown sugar and while I have always used only light brown in chocolate chip cookies, I really, really loved the dark in these.  I think it added a little more depth to the base.  I would definitely suggest that you follow that part of the recipe if you have dark brown sugar on hand.  I am sure the light would work fine, too, but I will definitely be using the dark from now on.

 Mary Alice's notes on the cookies indicate that she found these from The Food Network and you can find the original recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies on the site.  My only modification was to use replace half the chocolate chips with mini ones and to use salted butter in place of the unsalted.  This is just a matter of taste, though.

No Mixer Needed Chocolate Chip Cookies (click on the title for a printable version)

1 stick of salted butter (1/2 C.)
3/4 C. dark brown sugar
3/4 C. granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour (I only use White Lily in my cookies)
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer Hershey's)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt butter in a microwaveable bowl.  Allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together melted butter, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until combined and no streaks of flour remain.

Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, place balls of cookie dough on baking sheets.  Roll into balls.

Bake for 12 -14 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on baking racks.

Quiche Your Way

    Behold, readers, a recipe that will serve you well any time you need something for breakfast, lunch, or dinner . . . quiche!  I have sampled many a quiche in my lifetime and will always contest that this is by far the best recipe I have ever tasted.  The base is extremely simple to put together and makes for a fabulous weeknight dinner.

    I take a great deal of pride in this recipe because it was the very first recipe I ever found on my own that my grandmother and my mom began to make as well.  I first discovered it in Seventeen magazine when I was just 16 and for some reason thought that I wanted to learn to make it by myself.  I must have done ok with it because we all three fell in love with it right away and have continued to pass it on to many friends and family through the years.

   As always, I suggest that you start with a homemade crust.  Remember how I provided you with my favorite pie crust recipe and step by step directions many months ago?  Remember how I challenged you months and months ago to try making your own and stockpiling them in your freezer?  Remember how I told you that those store bought ones just don't measure up?  Now is the time to perfect that crust!  If you really must, grab one of those from the freezer aisle, but as always, don't blame me if your version is a little lacking!

   My original recipe called only for onions, cheddar cheese, and bacon as the add-ins and often this is how I still make it.  Recently, though, I decided to shake things up a bit and add some other flavors in.  Part of the reason for this was because after I posted my recipe for Prosciutto Wrapped Parmesan and Pears and recommended that you use Sartori  Parmesan, Rachel from the Sartori Family sent me a lovely gift box with all kinds of samples of their cheeses along with a wonderful folder packed with information about the company.  I already knew I loved their cheeses, but I was so impressed with the company after reading their literature!  I am always drawn to food companies that are based on family traditions and are dedicated to farm to table.  Sartori embodies both of those traits and I am proud to support them on my blog.  Pick up any of their cheeses in the fine cheese section at your grocery store and be prepared to fall in love!

   One of the cheeses Rachel included in my gift box was a Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago and so I decided to swap my normal cheddar for this in the quiche.

    This proved to be a fantastic decision!  I decided to build on these Italian flavors by adding a Rosemary Sundried Tomato Ham from Boar's Head.  I am quite picky about my deli meat (and many, many, many other things in life) and generally only buy Boar's Head.  This is another great company!  I also added some sundried tomatoes and red pepper to the quiche.  Just be careful to not add in too much of the other ingredients because you need room for the filling.

   I was so pleased with the end result of these changes that I don't think I can go back to making my plain quiche for quite awhile.  I already tracked down the Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago at my local Earthfare and can't wait to make another one with it!

   I am including the ingredients for the traditional quiche in the recipe below, but feel free to swap out and add in as you see fit.  If you do nothing else, though, I would suggest trying this with the Sartori cheese!

*****Disclaimer --- Although the cheese was provided to me courtesy of Sartori, all thoughts, opinions, and recipes are my own******

Quiche Your Way (click on title for a printable version)

1 9-inch pie crust, deep dish works best  (again, I ALWAYS use a homemade crust)
6 eggs
1 C. milk (I use 2%)
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried parsley
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
3/4 C. grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, asiago, etc.)
3/4 C. diced onions
1 C. cooked and chopped bacon or chopped ham
Other add-ins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Press pie crust into pan or use prepared crust.  Place pie pan on a baking sheet lined with foil to catch spills.

Sprinkle cheese, meat, and vegetables in the bottom of the pie shell.  Place Set aside.

Mix together eggs, milk, and spices with a whisk, mixer, or blender until thoroughly combined and frothy.  Pour mixture into prepared shell very carefully.  Do not overfill.

Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until golden brown and filling is set.

Allow quiche to rest for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting and serving.