Tuesday, March 2, 2010
My dear readers, Before I give you the 411 on the above Tuesdays With Dorie weekly dessert, will you allow me to vent?? Not to sound ungrateful b/c I LOVE my new house but the natural lighting (or lack thereof) is driving me (coco)NUTS! I think I just need to bite the bullet and ask the lighting guys at Home Depot for help on how to add some OOMPH to my kitchen lights. Me thinks the builders probably didn’t spring for the mega wattage that I need for taking non-flash food photography. I swear I have photography envy these days. Le sigh… //end vent
This week the TWD bakers are tempering and whipping up some Coconut Custard Tart for your viewing pleasure hosted by Beryl of Cinemon Girl. You can find the recipe on her blog.
I was pretty excited for this one. Besides cake, I’m kinda smitten with my tart pan. Initially I was going to cut the recipe in 1/3 to make mini tarts but I threw caution (and my diet) to the wind and said “What the heck! I’m making the whole thing! FTW.”
What I learned this week:
FYI burned coconut actually doesn’t smell very good. Heed my warning! Don’t turn your back on those sneaky suckers or you might be spraying your house with Febreeze to get the smell out of your couch, pillows, hair, clothes, dog…
As much as I J’DORE my KitchenAid Mixer, it’s kinda nice to take breaks from our relationship now and then and use my food processor. It made mince meat out of all that buttah.
I may or may not have read Dorie’s instructions word for word when she said to break up the yolk and slowly add it to the food processor but rather just opted to drop he whole yolk blob in. *looking innocent*
This step right here is my favorite part of tart making: putting the dough in the tart pan. I never met a Sweet Tart Dough I didn’t like.
Look! I sifted the cornstarch into the sugar for the custard just like a good little recipe reader. But I need work on my egg yolk separating. Some yolks stayed blobs but other yolks broke and oozed through saucepan like the Nile through Sudan.
No matter. All their fates are the same. Blobs or ooze. They still temper the same. Since we don’t drink whole milk in my house (Hubs only likes fat free) I substituted with half-and-half. Not sure if it’s really a true substitution but it seemed to work out pretty good.
Before adding the butter, the custard looked kinda like soft scrambled eggs. I admit I started hyperventilating but what a difference adding some butter makes. Smooth as a baby’s butt. Not that you really wanna think about “butt” while you’re baking a tart but… (no homonym intended. HA HA!)
Look! I sifted the powdered sugar into the heavy cream like a good little recipe reader. Do 2 rights make a wrong right? I hope so.
I heart fresh made whipped cream. Although I have to admit, right before I added the toasted coconut to the custard I had reservations.
Look at that mound of whipped cream! Does it get any better than this?
Husband rating: A/A-
He had nothing but good things to say about this tart but I know it wasn’t an “A+” though b/c he didn’t ask for a second slice.
Wifey rating: A-/B+
I like coconut but in moderation. I knew I should have gone with my gut and omitted the toasted coconut from the custard. I liked it as a garnish on top of the whipped cream but I like my custards smooth and creamy and the chewy coconut bits distracted my taste buds. Oh… and I think I’m gonna have to get myself some whole milk. Custard was good but not as silky as I’ve had before using whole milk. Live and learn.
Next week: Thumbprints For Us Big Guys page 164
Saturday, February 27, 2010
My twin nieces came home on Thursday (FINALLY!) after a month long stay in the NICU. Hubs and I finally got to see them for the first time today. Since it’s my Hubs’ birthday tomorrow, he said seeing his nieces was the best birthday present he’s ever received. Aawww….
My Hubs was smitten the first moment he laid eyes on them. Just call him Uncle Sucker from now on b/c those girls are going to walk all over him.
But I suppose that’s what uncles are for… So it’s all good.
Allison. My BIL said she’s a good sleeper during the day but a screamer at night. Good times.
Three generations. Hubs holding Whitney (L). Hubs’ mom holding Whitney (R).
Whitney. My BIL says that she is a good sleeper at night and she’s bright eyed during the day.
Me holding Allison. (Notice the iPhone on my lap. It’s never out of my sight.)
Hubs’ taking pictures of me holding Allison in mid tweet. Multitasking at its finest! (L). Allison has the tiniest hands and fingers but a very firm grip! (R)
Hubs and Whitney. I’m swooning.
Me holding Allison. I love how Hubs is cradling her head. *heart flutter*
I felt many different emotions seeing them for the first time. Joy, anxiety, happiness, nervousness and an overwhelming desire to nurture, protect and sing a lullaby. It’s amazing how quickly that instinct kicks in. They are the MOST BEAUTIFUL babies I’ve ever seen.
I’m sure all aunts feel that way about their nieces, eh?
But mine really ARE the most beautiful. Yup. It’s a fact. Just ask Snopes.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tweet Tweet! (That’s Happy Friday in Tweetanese just in case you were ignorant.)
* Click each image for a direct link to tweet.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
(Source)
I’m feeling strange emotions right now. I’m actually a little dizzy. And I need to clear my head.
When I need to clarify my thoughts. I write them down.
Readers, don’t you feel special you get to read my innermost thoughts. Or maybe not. I aint gonna lie. Sometimes I’m a pretty selfish individual. Like now.
I just found out via Facebook (talk about impersonal) that an old high school friend is pregnant. We use to be very close friends. Best friends. I remember when I use to eat dinner with her family more than my own. But as time does for many of my relationships. We grew apart. Only Facebook is keeping us in each others’ lives. But even our wall conversations had become pretty generic these days.
A little something you probably didn’t know about me. I am TERRIBLE at the friendship game. I’m very reserved, shy and enjoy my ME time. Why do you think I rarely go to blogger conventions or book signing or Martha Stewart’s show or other foodie related activities? I’d rather be on a computer. I get the interactions I crave but none of the friend/social networking responsibilities.
So it doesn’t surprise me that I just found out about her being 21 weeks pregnant about 5 minutes ago. What reason did she have to email me or call me personally to tell me when she initially found out? None really. I’m beyond happy for her and her husband. But I can’t help feeling sad. And a little… envious.
(Source)
I’m surrounded by preggo friends and family. I don’t have enough fingers or toes to count how many ppl I know are pregnant, just had a baby, trying to have a baby etc etc. Something big and new and exciting is happening to them. Their life is changing. While here I am trying to be content with my life not changing. I really shouldn’t complain. My life not changing is purely by my choice. I’ve always known that I didn’t want kids. I’m just not “mom” material.
But the newest pregnant friend revelation makes me think I kinda wanna drink the water.
It’s for all the wrong reasons though.
Which reminds me yet again that I am way too IMMATURE to have children.
Catch 22.
It’s ok. I know what you’re thinking. You’re a horrible selfish person, CB. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Scroll up.) I’m glad I didn’t let you down.
What’s a child-less wanna-be entrepreneur to do?
Bake of course! Maybe after a few brownies in my belly I’m sure to be the happy go-lucky anti-mom you always knew and loved.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to call me selfish in comments. I know I deserve it.
Monday, February 22, 2010
This afternoon, I was tweeting with my friend, Rebecca (@ezrapoundcake) of Ezra Poundcake about pizza. Hey! We’re both foodies. It’s what we do. And I mentioned to her… “Invention is the mother of necessity” also known as: I came up with this pizza b/c I had leftover meatballs and marinara sauce in the refrigerator and it would break my heart to throw it away.
Pizza’s pretty much my go-to for leftovers. You can put (almost) anything on a pizza and it will taste good. (I’m not down with the pineapple!) Look at how that concept made Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax of California Pizza Kitchen a phenomenon. I’m “wild” about their Wild Mushroom Pizza (corny line alert!) but my Hubs is less traditional with his love of their Greek pizza (blech!).
So I figured why not? Meatballs on a pizza could totally work.
And it did. Even better than I imagined.
Oh btw… Did you notice my rectangular baking sheet instead the usual circular pizza pan? It’s the way my mama use to make us pizza when I was younger so I’m kinda partial to the rectangular shape.
Eventually I’d like to own a pizza peel but until then, mother knows best.
Peppers and Meatball Pizza
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes
Makes 2-10" pizza or 1-12"x16"x1" pizza (extra doughy!)
Ingredients:
FOR PIZZA DOUGH
1-1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
1 package (2-1/4 tsp) of active dry yeast
3-1/2 cups bread flour*
2 tbsp olive oil (I used TOOC Basil Olive Oil)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
TOPPINGS
favorite meatball recipe (here)
1 red bell pepper, stem+seeds removed and thinly sliced
favorite marinara sauce (here)
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, rough chop
1/4 cup chopped onions**
* You can substitute all purpose flour but that changes the texture of the crust.
** Feel free to use more if you are an onion lover. My hubs isn't.
Instructions:
TO MAKE PIZZA DOUGH
In a stand mixer, fitted with a flat beater, add warm water and yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Mix in the olive oil, bread flour, sugar and salt for about 1 minute. Exchange flat beater for dough hook. On low-medium speed, knead the dough until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes. (Mine took about 5 minutes.)
Prepare a large bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil. (I sprayed with PAM olive oil.) Place pizza dough into large bowl and move it around the bowl so that dough is coated with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until dough doubles in size about 1-1/2 hours (or more depending on the temperature). Punch the dough down so it deflates. Let rest for about 10 more minutes.
TO ASSEMBLE PIZZA
Preheat oven to 450F.
Roll dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface. Take your hands and work your way around the perimeter pulling the dough outward while moving in a circular motion. You can finish by hand or use a rolling pin to increase the size of the dough to fit your pizza pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil and using a pastry brush spread it across the surface of the dough. Add your toppings (except basil).
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is crispy and cheese is golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil.
ENJOY!
Husband rating: A
He really liked this pizza but since he’s not a big bell pepper fan he asked if next time I could switch out the bell peppers for tomatoes. Sure thing Hubs!
Wifey rating: A+
The meatballs, basil and bell peppers were so yummy together. Love love love this pizza dough. So thick and bread-y. Just the way I like it. I wonder if I could use whole wheat bread dough and it would taste just as good? Definitely will make again!
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