About admin

My name is Christy and I was born, raised, and still live in Austin, TX. I love to travel. I have been all over the US, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, etc. My second favorite place in the world is Negril, Jamaica where I have been 10 times and counting. I am a trained pastry chef but I am not currently working in "the industry" right now. I became a pastry chef in part to complement the fabulous dinners conjured up by my best friends Ethan and Michelle, who hopefully will be contributing to this blog as well. We went through a 2 year period of "Tuesday Night" dinner parties which were a smorgasbord of bloody meat and red, red wine. Friendships and laughter. The men did all the cooking while the women got tipsy, as all dinner parties should be. If I wanted to participate with food, I had to bring something and I became Dessert Girl. Eventually I attended the Le Cordon Bleu program at the Texas Culinary Academy and received a certificate in Pastry and Baking. I have had several baking jobs but found it hard to make ends meet, so I earn my living elsewhere for now. I have had the pleasure of working with several celebrity chefs including Rebecca Rather, Bronwen Weber, and David Lebovitz. I have also cultivated some amazing friends and resources in the Central Texas area and would like to share my knowledge with all who care to join me. My most recent honor was winning Best Sweet at the Bacon Takedown during SXSW 2011. As the culinary icon Ms. Childs' says, "Bon Appetit!" ***CONTACT ME at christy111luv@yahoo.com or twitter @christy111luv***
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admin has written 74 articles so far, you can find them below.


Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Poundcake

Filed under Sweet by on May 3, 2010 at 10:57 am {no comments}

This recipe came as a result of my favorite kind of dining, guerrilla dinner party.  Picture it, an assortment of Austin hipsters are hanging out on a porch in Buda.  And I know they are hipsters, myself included, because they would be really pissed to find out someone was trying to define their coolness with something as bourgeois as a label.   They are drinking Lone Stars in truly vintage t shirts that some might pay a fortune for but I know for a fact came from the bar one used to work at as a gimme from the beer company and another was actually purchased at the Fishbone concert in the 80′s and it looks washed and worn because it has been.  At least they are not fake hipsters.

Anyway, said hipsters on the porch happen to be a couple of miles from one of the best meat markets around that also functions as a Mexican market/gas station.  I know exactly how to get there but I am not sure of the address.  I just know all the roads you turn on start with RR or FM.  The boys bring back 5 gorgeous New York Strips for less than $5 each, a suitcase of Natty Light, and more Lone Star. 

I  brought a beautiful box of produce leftover from the chef demo tent at the Wine and Food Fest, so Michelle and I start making sides with the vibrant purple cabbage and sweet, fresh corn.  But we need something for dessert.  I had given Michelle an autographed copy of The Essential Baker by Carol Bloom who I had the great pleasure to work with at the Central Market Cooking School a while back.  Michelle had made the cornmeal pound cake before and thought she might just have the ingredients to make it.  Lucky for us she did!

I added the blueberries to the batter instead of the compote that Ms. Bloom used and  kicked up the tartness with a fabulous lemony glaze that sent us in to a puckery heaven with the crunch of the cornmeal crust.  This cake is a wonderful cross between cornbread and blueberry muffins.  Enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Cornmeal Poundcake

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries-  if you use frozen, do not thaw or your batter will turn purple

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups cake flour*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze
zest (optional but adds a wonderfully tart texture) and juice of 4 lemons, approximately 1/4 cup

1 cup confectioners sugar

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 8 1/2 inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon butter.
  2. Place the 12 tablespoons butter in large bowl and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream together. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing and scraping in between each egg addition.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, powder, salt, and cornmeal. Add to the butter mixture in 3 stages, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Add the lemon zest and juice.  Fold in blueberries.  Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. It should be very thick, so spread it evenly throughout the pan. Bake 45 minutes, until the cake is light golden on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out slightly moist.
  5. Combine lemon juice and confectioners sugar.  Let cake cool about 10 minutes and pour 1/2 of glaze over cake.  Let sit for another 15-20 minutes and pour over rest of glaze over cake.

* if you do not have cake flour, use 1 TBS less of all pupose flour.

Luncheon at Fall Creek Vineyard

Filed under Events, Wine by on April 20, 2010 at 3:21 pm {no comments}

Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Fest is one of my favorite foodie events of the year.  I attended for the first time 7 years ago and had so much fun that I have volunteered every year since.  I always start the fest with one of the luncheons in the Hill Country at a winery.  For the last few years I have been lucky enough to attend the luncheon at Fall Creek Vineyards.

Susan and Ed Auler are luminaries of the Texas wine world.  The very first fest 25 years ago, the legend goes, was planned around Susan’s kitchen table along with a now megastar in the wine world, Karen MacNeil, author of the Wine Bible and beloved PBS host.

Here is the menu we enjoyed with pictures:

1st Course

Seared Texas Shrimp and Blue Crab with White-Truffled Gazpacho

By Chef Jon Bonnell

Peregrine Hills Chardonnay

2nd Course

Texas Coffee Rubbed Grilled Strip Steak,
Roasted Parsnips, Candied Garlic, Mesquite Syrup

By Chef Josh Watkins

Fall Creek Vineyards Tempranillo, “Salt Lick Vineyards”, 2008

Dessert Course

Pound Cake, Fresh Seasonal Berries and Lemon Curd

By Chef Randy Evans

Llano Estacado Moscato

The grounds at Fall Creek are gorgeous.  Especially charming during this lush spring were the bluebonnets blooming among the vines.  Only in Texas!!

Chef Jon Bonnell prepared a creamy gazpacho that perfumed the air with the scent of white truffle.  The soup was topped with blue crab and Texas Gulf shrimp and matched with a crisp Chardonnay from Perregrine Hills.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Josh Watkins.  He shines like no other at the Carillon.  But have you ever had a steak cooked to a perfect medium rare at any kind of large event off site from the restaurant?  Josh’s solution is to cook the steaks sous vide, which basically means searing the meat off, sealing in a plastic bag, and then placing them in a large warm bath where they can be brought up to the perfect temperature.  Another advantage to sous vide is that almost the entire steak is the correct degree of doneness and not just the pink center with a ring of gray around it.  The steaks where enhanced by a lovely Tempranillo from Fall Creek but what I really wanted was the big, bold, and hard to come by Meritus that Fall Creek produces.

And I learned the secret to Josh’s candied garlic garnish!  Maybe I will share in another post.

Of course, as a pastry chef, dessert is my favorite!  I have an obsession with lemon curd which almost bloomed into a business at one point and Randy Evans did not disappoint.  The pound cake was toasted for textural crunch, placed upon a layer of lemony buttery curd, then topped with fresh Texas strawberries and lightly whipped cream.  Beautiful and tasty, it inspired me to create a blueberry version over the weekend which I will post along with recipe soon.  Chef Evan’s version was paired with a not too sweet, almost musky Llano Estacado Moscato.

What a great start to a lovely weekend!

Peepshi

Filed under Sweet by on April 10, 2010 at 8:41 am {3 comments}

When I saw the post from Serious Eats on making sushi out of Rice Krispie Treats and decapitated Peeps, I had to give it a shot.  Their recipe called for store bought Rice Krispies and Fruit by the Foot.  Of course, I had to make my own! 

Here is the recipe straight from Kellog’s website for Rice Krispie Treats:  

Ingredients   
  • 3 tablespoons  butter or margarine
  • 1 package (10 oz., about 40)  regular marshmallows
  • - OR -
  • 4 cups  miniature marshmallows
  • 6 cups  Rice Krispies®

    •  

     

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

     I thought it would be easier to mold the the Treats before they were set.  It wasn’t.  I found the easiest method was to let them set fully and then cut off slices about 1/2 an inch thick.  Also a good idea to butter your hands and have a cup of water standing by to quickly wash off sticky goo. 
     Fruit leather is very simple  and a heck of lot cheaper and tastier to make yourself.  Basically you make a fruit puree by peeling and pureeing in a food processor whatever fruit you feel like and then straining out the solids.  Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, add sugar to the puree to taste.  You can also add a touch of lemon or any spices you want at this point.  Cook the puree on the stove top until thickened.  This will vary depending on the water content in your fruit.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with sturdy plastic wrap (the kind that is microwave safe) or use a silpat baking mat.  Pour out the purée into the lined baking sheet to about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.  Place the baking sheet in the oven, try to keep any plastic wrap from touching the sides of the oven or the oven racks. Also try to make sure that the plastic wrap hasn’t folded back over on top of the purée. If this happens, the purée won’t dry out. Heat the oven to a low 140°F. If you have a convection setting, use it, it will speed up the process and help dry out the purée. Let dry in the oven like this for as long as it takes for the purée to dry out and form fruit leather. I usually keep it in the oven overnight, so about 8-12 hours. The fruit leather is ready when it is no longer sticky, but has a smooth surface.  I have even over dried it before and it became almost brittle but I just brushed it with some water and it became pliable again.
     I found it easier to shape individual pieces of the sushi and cutting the leather to fit the pieces.  It might have been possible to shape in rolls like regular sushi but I did not have a rolling mat.  I used Pop Rocks to garnish like roe as well as sesame seeds and chocolate sprinkles. 
I took these to a birthday celebration and had to get a shot of my biggest fan!!
 
 

BBQ Cookoff

Filed under Events by on March 22, 2010 at 8:49 am {no comments}

Yeehaw!  I am not really a country music fan.  Like most little girls, especially in Texas, I did grow up with a fondness for horses but I was never really drawn to the rodeo.  Until I discovered free beer and barbecue at the BBQ Cook off at the Star of Texas Rodeo.  I have to say it again, FREE BEER AND BARBECUE.  I love Texas!

In addition to the livestock show, roping competitions, and carnival rides, a couple dozen teams compete in the annual barbecue cookoff.  They set up their smokers and in a few cases elaborate tents meant to draw in the public to taste their wares.  There are actual judges for different categories such as best brisket and best beans but the public gets to vote as well with their dollars into tip jars that go towards the Austin Rodeo Scholarship fund.  Many of the venues hand out beer, wine, even jello shots to raise money. 

This Saturday a final bitter winter wind blew into Austin on the first day of Spring.  The whipping wind may have discouraged some from attending but by 3:00PM most of the tents were packed with patrons enjoying the live music as well as the food and drinks.  The La Pasadita tent pictured above is always one of the favorites.  Maybe it was all the free beer but I found myself returning again and again to this tent for the tasty brisket, crispy fried catfish, and the great entertainment from LC Rocks. 

Despite the chill in the air, the rodeo means spring festival season in Austin is upon us.  Look for me at Reggae Fest, Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Fest, and, of course, Eeyore’s Birthday Party.  And for those of you visiting for SXSW,  try and make it out of downtown and come to the rodeo next year!

Drink Me potions and edible playing cards | Heston Blumenthal recipes – Times Online

Filed under Uncategorized by on March 17, 2010 at 9:15 am {no comments}

Drink Me potions and edible playing cards | Heston Blumenthal recipes – Times Online.

Heston Blumenthal from The Fat Duck in the UK is on a relentless quest to present diners with opportunities to “play” with their food.  His creativity, along with Wylie Dufresne from wd-50 in Chicago and Ferran Adria from El Bulli in Spain, propelled molecular gastronomy into the global spotlight.  Even though the trend is waning in these economically tough times to upscale comfort food, all three are a constant beacon to further my creativity.

Bacon Pecan Toffee

Filed under Sweet by on March 15, 2010 at 2:17 pm {5 comments}

Found this great pic of my toffee surrounded by other bacony goodness at adventures of a florida girl in dc blog.

Had a very long and intense weekend with the bloggers workshop on Saturday and Bacon Takedown on Sunday.  Although I did not win the Takedown, I had a great time, especially with the Bacon Bloody Mary’s (thank you Lucky 13 Mixology!! ). 

As promised, here is the recipe for my Bacon Pecan Toffee with Candied Bacon.  Candy can be very temperamental and I prefer especially with these recipes to use a scale for more accurate results.  An accurate candy thermometer is not necessary but highly recommended.

2 lb Fresh Salted Butter

2.4 lb Granulated Cane Sugar

0.4 lb Baker’s Special sugar **see note for substitution**

4 oz chopped candied bacon*** see recipe below***

12 oz cooked and crumbled bacon****see note below****

1 lb Whole pecans, lightly toasted

0.8 oz Salt

0.3 oz Lecithin*see note below*

6.4 oz Warm water

12 oz Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips (can use milk, dark, whatever you like but these are my go to chocolate chips)

12 oz butterscotch chips

The procedure:

Place butter in a heavy pan. Bring to boiling point and add the warm water. Again bring to the boiling point and stir in the granulated cane sugar. Wash down sides with water and a pastry brush. Bring to a good stiff boil and add the lecithin. (*The lecithin is optional but helps ensure butter and sugar do not  separate during cooking process.* )   Cook to 250°F. Add the roasted pecans. Cook to 280° -290°F and then lower the temperature on the stove. Cook to 300°-306°F. Take the pan off the stove and add the salt, crumbled bacon (not the candied bacon, that goes on top) and Baker’s special sugar(** I used equal weight of regular sugar and pulsed it in the spice grinder 7-8 times.  The purpose is to seed the sugar in the candy to produce a fine grain to your toffee, so you want the consistency to be somewhere between granulated and powdered sugar.**)   Mix well and pour onto a buttered cooling slab or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper that has brushed with butter or if you are feeling really naughty, use the bacon fat left from cooking off bacon.  Quickly spread batch.  Top warm toffee with a sprinkling of both chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  When chocolate is melted, use a skewer to draw a marbled pattern with the butterscotch.  Top with crumbled candied bacon.  Store in refrigerator for at least a couple of days but preferably for a week for toffee to achieve maximum grain and butter flavor.  The easiest way to break up the toffee is to turn it toffee (as opposed to chocolate) side up, cover with a lint free cloth, and hit with a hammer.  Store it in the refrigerator or freezer. 

*** Candied Bacon-

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the strips of bacon flat and not overlapping.  Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the bacon.  Place in oven and then turn oven on to 325 degrees F.  You want the bacon to cook low and slow to render out as much of the fat as possible.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, to your desired doneness. 

****I used candied bacon in the toffee for the first batch but found it to be grainy and chewy.  I much prefer to use the candied bacon on top and regular bacon inside the toffee.  You can cook off large batches on sheet trays similar to the candied bacon method but without the brown sugar and do not cook on the same tray.  The candied bacon is much more sensitive to burning.

Taste of Austin 2010- Review

Filed under Events by on January 28, 2010 at 2:38 pm {no comments}

2010-01-27_20.23 TASTE OF AUSTIN GARRIDOLooks like tomatoes on top of a mini nacho but that is watermelon.  Slow cooked pork on top of goat cheese with pepitas and a spicy piquant watermelon sauce was Gariddo’s little bite at Taste of Austin last night.  It was crunchy and creamy with a touch of heat and the slightly sweet notes from the watermelon.  I was all set to name this the best bite of the night.  http://www.garridosaustin.com/menu/ 

2010-01-27_20.26 TASTE OF AUSTINAnd then I tried this.  Green chile mac from Moonshine.  Grilled chicken, corn relish, and a green chile cream.  Warm, spicy, creamy comfort in a cup with a sweet crunch of corn.  I loved them both and declare a tie.  http://www.moonshinegrill.com/menus.php

 

I had a great time at Taste of Austin last night at the Palmer Events Center last night.  Around 50 restaurants participated in this scholarship fundraiser.  It is a fun way to try both new restaurants and old favorites in one location as well as socializing with your fellow foodies. 

I have been debating since last night if I should also post the worst bites at the event.  There was a crunchy risotto, bland bangers and mash, and a cold, mushy stuffed mushroom from a place that was advertising their catering services.  Serving from a small booth at a tasting event is a far different animal than serving from your own kitchen so I am inclined to cut some slack to those that showed poorly but if you are there to plug your catering services, you need to figure out how to serve a hot hors douvres.  I have decided to hold my tongue for now.  A restaurant deserves a fair review over several visits, especially if you are going to publish something negative.  But please, veal osso bucco should not taste like it has barbecue sauce on it.  You know who you are.

Back to the good!  One of my favorite cookie places in town is Kevin’s Cookies.  http://www.kevinscookies.com/  Trey and his adorable wife Jen run this little operation.  They now only have a location south, so I don’t make it over there much but Trey sends out a great newsletter that makes me feel like part of the family.  Last night they had half a dozen different varieties of their delicious cookies.  Crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and full of chips, nuts, etc.  My favorite last night was probably the white chocolate chip.  And I hate white “chocolate”.  I believe the darker the chocolate, the better.  But these gems were delicious. 

Spec’s had a booth and I <3 Spec’s!  http://www.specsonline.com/  Very knowledgeable wine staff, great prices on wine and liquor, and a decent assortment of gourmet goodies.  Some of the stores have a bigger selection than others.  I frequent the one at Arbor Walk which also has a deli case but I hadn’t gotten around to trying it yet.  I am pretty picky about my sandwiches, so when I got the sample from them, I thought, “Turkey on white, just another sandwich.”  But it was really good.  Fresh bread with very flavorful turkey.  If they do that well on a little sample for the masses, I will be trying them in store soon.

I recently had Craigo’s pizza for the first time and was impressed.  http://www.craigospizzaandpasta.com/  Last night they were serving pasta.  There was an ok lasagna that had a little too much fennel for my tastes but they also had a spinach ziti that I believe was vegetarian and it was yummy. 

One of the most exotic offerings came from Frank, the “purveyor of artisan sausage” at Fourth and Colorado.  http://www.hotdogscoldbeer.com/ That is  tony talk for $7 hot dog.  Last night they were offering the Jackelope- antelope and rabbit sausage with a huckleberry compote, siracha aioli, and applewood smoked cheese.  Good, different, innovative-  yes.  Worth $7 a hot dog?  Not so sure but I was intrigued enough to want to at least check out the happy hour sometime soon.  

There was a classmate of mine from culinary school passing out little bundt cakes from franchise outfit Nothing Bundt Cakes.  http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/index.php For something ever so slightly different from a cupcake, these cute little cakes were moist and rich with a bit of cream cheesy icing.   

There were a few places I did not get to try because the lines were way too long.  I tasted the sushi from Piranha Killer Sushi at La Dolce Vita this year and really liked it but the line only got longer last night as the evening wore on.  What is really frustrating is when you see a full tray of food at the head of the line and people obliviously standing there and grazing like there aren’t 50 people behind them in line.  Move it, people!!!!!

Taste of Austin is usually my first big foodie event of the year.  It signals the beginning of my favorite time in Austin, spring means festival season!  Before you know it, Austin Restaurant Week http://restaurantweekaustin.com/ will be here.  Then my personal favorite, Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Fest! http://www.texaswineandfood.org/  You can buy discounted tickets for the Sunday Fair now for $25 (reg $45) through this link.  http://twff.frontgatesolutions.com/choose.php?b=1&lid=39935&eid=46543  Price good only till February 1.

Zuppa Toscana

Filed under Savory by on January 18, 2010 at 1:30 pm {no comments}

zuppa toscanaI am a champion for all things local for many reasons.  I believe it is better for the environment, tastes better, and helps the local economy.  I try to shop local, drink local, and eat local.  But I do have a guilty secret.  I LOVE the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden. 

There are many better Italian restaurants in Austin (Vespaio, Mandola’s, etc.) but no place serves this particular soup.  Probably because it is more traditionally a Portuguese soup than Tuscan.  Olive Garden is about as “authentic” as Taco Bell but in this cold weather, nothing satisfies like a big bowl full of potatoes, sausage, and kale. 

I am pleased to report that I no longer have to stoop to wearing a disguise because I am too embarrassed to dine at Olive Garden to get my Zuppa Toscana fix.  I adapted this from various sources of copycat recipes.  I wanted to print my own version so all the friends I have made this for can make it themselves as well as trying to liberate others from the tyranny of below average ethnic foods being  served up by corporate chains. 

¡Viva la Revolución!

Zuppa Toscana

  • 3-4 slices pancetta (bacon is an acceptable substitute, canned bacon bits ARE NOT)
  • 1 pound Italian sausage-  I find that the HEB store brand of mild sausage matches EXACTLY the taste of the Olive Garden but you are welcome to use hot or whatever brand you prefer.  It does need to be Italian sausage, though, as the fennel plays an important part in the final product.
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced-  many of the copycat recipes call for onion or some garlic.  This is an ok substitute but the shallot flavor is also essential if you are trying to match the flavors exactly.
  • 2-3 pounds of small white potatoes-  actually any potato you have on hand will work here but it sure is easier slicing the small ones into disks, skin on.
  • 3 cans chicken broth-  yes, you are a kitchen god/goddess if you make your own weekly from locally sourced chickens but the canned stuff works fine
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 bunch Kale-  remove the large stem in the middle, clean leaves thoroughly, roll into a tight cigar-like bundle and slice about 1/8 of an inch wide strips-  Swiss chard is also an acceptable substitute.
  • 1/2 cup milk-  you can use cream, half and half, even skim-  the higher the fat, the better it tastes but I use 2% milk and it saves a ton of calories.
  • 1/2 pound parmesano reggiano-  what you really want is the rind off the cheese to flavor the soup and shaved bits of cheese to garnish.  This is way more cheese than you will need for the soup but chef deserves a treat, so keep some back for “quality control”.  And no, the crap in a green shaker container or anything similar is NOT acceptable.
  • salt and pepper to taste

Remove sausage from casing.  Lots of the recipes I saw called for the sausage to be cooked in the oven or cooked in its casings and then removed.  WRONG.  You want the bits left in the pan after browning the meat.  That is where the flavor comes from.  You also want to use a non stick skillet and cook the meat in a single layer that does not crowd the pan.  If you overcrowd the pan, you will see all the liquid come out of the meat which will then steam the sausage instead of browning it.  Another common mistake is to stir the contents of the pan too often.  Let it cook till it browns.

The toasting or browning of foods that exponentially adds to the flavor is known as the Maillard reaction.  The little bits of brown goodness that stick to the bottom of the pan is called the fond.  Both of these are very, very good things.  Now that we know a couple of new terms, back to the soup.

Brown the sausage without the casings.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Brown pancetta in the same pan.  Remove and set aside.  Pour off any excess grease.  Add shallots to the pan and saute until translucent.  Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock.  As you add the liquid, the fond (dark and lovely sticky bits on the bottom of the pan) should loosen as you stir and become part of the cooking liquid.  This is called deglazing the pan.  Ain’t we fancy!  Add the remaining broth, water, and rind from the parmesan.  Bring to a boil and add the potatoes.  Cook until potatoes are tender.  Add browned sausage, pancetta, kale, and milk.  Bring back to simmer to heat thoroughly.  Serve with a healthy dose of parmesan. 

Mangia!

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg Make Brownies

Filed under Uncategorized by on January 12, 2010 at 1:16 pm {no comments}

snoop-marthaMartha likes the sticky-icky-icky.  It is so obvious and pandering but absolutely hysterical.

 

 

Snoop-Dogg-on-Martha-Stewart

Beater Blade

Filed under Tools by on January 12, 2010 at 10:42 am {no comments}

beaterbladeI am a cheapo.  For years I could not understand why anyone would spend $300 for a KitchenAid Mixer when you could get a handmixer at the grocery store for about $10.  Until I used one.  There is no better way to get a professionally consistant result.  The only pain was the constant scraping down of the bowl.  For everything to be properly distributed in the batter, you have to stop the mixer, lower the bowl, scrape the sides and the blade with the spatula, raise the bowl, and mix some more.

Until I found the Beater Blade.  To quote the website, “Patented BeaterBlade “wing-system” design acts like a wiper blade that continuously scrapes the sides and bottom of bowl while it mixes. Oh, and BeaterBlade is also a Spatula!” 

If you have a KitchenAid or love somebody that does, the Beater Blade is a must have!

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