Here’s an article to humble you this weekend.
Sushi, dried fruit, tofu, wraps and more… they’re all the enemy!
I remember when I worked in an office and cake or cupcakes were brought in for a birthday… in the crowd there were always a few frosting people.
Frosting people only go for the frosting, sometimes only eating the cake part that actually touches the frosting or no cake at all. In either case they’re easily identified by leaving a pile of untouched cake left on their plate. I’ve never understood these people and certainly have never been one.
The frosting has almost always been my least favorite part of any cake.. homemade, store-bought, wherever. I’ve made buttercreams, whipped and meringue frostings myself, but none of them were really outstanding. Many times I make cake without frosting at all, just adding some powdered sugar or Cool Whip. Remember my Kitchen Tips post on Broken Buttercreams? Yeah.. I was no stranger to broken buttercreams either.
Then a few weeks ago my Sur La Table The Art and Soul of Baking cookbook hit another home run (seriously, guys.. please buy this book?). The winner this week is White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting. Yes.
I first made it to go with Devil’s Food Cupcakes for a friends birthday. I found myself going for the bowl of leftover frosting in the fridge in the middle of the night (please tell me I’m not alone here?). For weeks after that I tried to find a cake to make that would really compliment the frosting (the Devil’s Food Cupcakes were a little too dense). My plan was to make a Guinness Cake with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting mimicking the head on a Guinness beer. My cake failed.
Last week though I paired it with Cookie Madness’ Really Good Chocolate Bundt Cake. Like the title says, the cake is really good! I’ve made it twice before and it’s always perfectly moist with a light crumb. I love adding coffee to chocolate cake because it really helps the cake actually taste like chocolate instead of flour (I’m not typically a big fan of chocolate cake.. they’re just not chocolatey!). This bundt and a drizzle of white chocolate frosting are a beautiful match. Please try it, and save some frosting for me.
White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking
makes enough to drizzle over one 10 inch bundt
adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking
makes enough to drizzle over one 10 inch bundt
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used low-fat with fine results)
3/4 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate (I use white chocolate chips, I can’t stand the taste of melting chocolate)
Consider rereading my Kitchen Tips post on Broken Buttercreams – using room temperature cream cheese and butter is pivotal to avoid broken frosting.
Blend cream cheese, butter and lemon extract on medium/low speed in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer, but increase the blend time a little) for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for a few seconds. Sift in confectioners’ sugar and blend on low for a few seconds. Scrape down the bowl again and add vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
Melt white chocolate (see our tips for melting chocolate), and cool for a few minutes. Stir white chocolate then add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat thoroughly.
Use immediately, or, frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance if kept refrigerated in an airtight container. To soften, allow it to sit out to room temperature for 30 minutes.
Oh, happy day. My kind of mail arrived via UPS this morning.
You know, minus the berries. 🙂
Too bad it’s for Morgan…
What? I’m supposed to go back to posting recipes now?!
Thanks for hanging in with me while I posted a weeks worth of Jeopardy updates. It was a close and hard fought game last night, one that I know my husband would love the chance to play again, but he had a fantastic run! Thank you for watching him and for all the support and enthusiasm!
Food wise, the last week has consisted of night after night of Jeopardy viewing parties. Chips, pizza, cakes… and all my work on food moderation flew out the door.
I’ve been noticing what some of my fellow grad students bring to class to eat or have at cookouts – yogurt/oatmeal/fruit mixture breakfasts, brie/bread/fruit lunches and lentil/brown rice/goat cheese sides for dinner with freshly baked wheat bread. The way they eat blows my mind, and I’m envious. On a weeknight when I’m strapped for time, my fall backs are spaghetti & marinara or a quickly thrown together chicken dish. I just never default to vegetarian dishes; I would have no clue how to make a filling meal out of it.. yet their dishes always look hearty, healthy, natural and delicious. I guess I have to reprogram my meat and potatoes brain?
So this meal was something I was able to throw together quickly, but I did try to venture somewhat outside the box. The zucchini fries don’t taste like french fries, but they are good. They’re crunchy and non-greasy, and depending on the spice you give them they can take on a couple different flavors. The original recipe for them is from Weight Watchers, but I kicked it up with some cayenne because I found the original to be a tad bland. I don’t do fake substitutes for fatty things (sorry dad, you can keep your cheeseless cheese), so I found these fries to be a nice compromise.
Chicken-Spinach Wraps with Zucchini Fries
For the wraps –
low fat flour tortillas
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked and seasoned like this, except heat oven to 400F and cook for 20 minutes)
1 can black beans, drained and warmed
1/3 package of frozen spinach, cooked according to package instructions
For the zucchini fries (adapted from Weight Watchers) –
olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
dash of Old Bay Seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cups dried panko bread crumbs
2 medium zucchini, cut into 4 chunks, then each chunk halved
2 large egg whites, whipped to almost soft peaks
Begin to make zucchini fries when chicken is about halfway done cooking (using suggested method above).
Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, Cayenne, Old Bay, flour and salt. Place panko in another small bowl.
Dredge a zucchini fry in flour mixture and then dip into egg whites followed by bread crumbs. Place coated zucchini on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces; liberally coat with cooking spray and add to oven under the chicken (peaking at chicken for doneness). Turn once about halfway through. For crispier fries, cook longer.
When chicken is done, cool slight and cut into small pieces with a knife and fork. Add black beans, cooked spinach and chicken to wraps and fold. Serve zucchini fries immediately.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
From “Feast” by Nigella Lawson
Anyone ever made this cake? I tried it over the weekend, and it’s the first bundt cake I’ve ever had actually fall apart when I turned it over to get it out of the pan.
ANGER! 🙂
Good morning, DC readers!
Just sending out a reminder to tune in tonight for Day 3 of my husband, Morgan Saxby, on JEOPARDY! This experience has been so exciting – thanks everyone for watching!
Check out this new Washington Post article for crock pot skeptics – Cooking for One: Discovering slow cookers.
More shameless plugging!
One more day until my husband is on Jeopardy! Click here to see what time the show is on in your area.
I spent Easter sleeping. Having just come off of a night shift at the hospital, my body was angry. These photos are from the day before Easter, which was the first day back of the Cville City Market and the day of the Charlottesville 10 Miler (don’t worry, I did not participate). After we loaded up on farmers market goodies, we took Biscuit to a great dog park we just found that has a lake area for pups to swim. He had the time of his life.
So I took a raincheck on Easter this year, though I did make Smitten Kitchen’s Spinach and Cheese Strata for dinner along with some kielbasa. The strata was amazing, but let me caution you to use a low baking dish – I used corningware and it took twice as long to cook. D’oh.
I just don’t understand how people enjoy running these things..
A pretty awesome string band (and their dog) played as the runners slogged by.
There weren’t too many vegetables out yet, but there were lots of great potted plants.
My husband zeroed in on the one stand selling apples.
Herbs and flowers were all around.
I want to say these are bright and gorgeous ranunculus – any flower experts out there?
There were some fresh and lovely looking lettuces.
There were also some new vendors this year; I like this girl looking pensively at the colorful skirts and tops.
Then it was time for Biscuit to enjoy the dog park.
The pups try to intimidate some geese.
Then Biscuit’s new friend says, “Come on, the water’s great!” But Biscuit has never been in the water before.
He tests the water a bit, but keeps close to the biggest dog I’ve ever seen.. apparently an Alaskan Malamute.
See that speck in the water? Someone has found his new love.
Everyone joins in the fun. Hope you had a great Easter!
