Chocolate Lava Love

This cake is supposed to have molten chocolate lava oozing out the center. Because, well, molten chocolate lava is romantic and sexy. And if you're making molten chocolate lava cakes for your sweetie for Valentine's day, you want to up the sex appeal. You could also bake this cake while wearing nothing but an apron and heels… or an apron and work boots, for all the romantic guys that are reading this. Yes, that. I love a man in an apron. Wait, where was I? 

Oh yeah, lava cake. It sounds dangerous—to bake in the buff—and kind of uncomfortable, but your Valentine will like it. Trust. He or she won't even care if there's lava or not. Champagne helps too. 

I didn't care if there was lava or not either, because I wasn't going for hot and steamy. I made these molten chocolate lava cake with a gal-pal, not my sweetie. Tasha came over to whip up some sweet treats in preparation for Valentine's day. It's her first Vday as a wife. Romantic, right? I know, that's why I wanted to be there for it. I mean, actually there, on Valentine's day. We're double dating…I'll probably sit between them. Super sexy. The good news is, you don't need just one special day to be romantic with your sweetie. Surprise that lucky guy or girl with a molten chocolate lava cake on a totally random night, and desired results will be achieved. 

Note to Evan: The way to this girl's heart is pulled pork. Ok, pulled pork and diamonds. Just sayin.   

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Adapted from McCormick 

4 ounces dark baking chocolate, broken in pieces

1/2 cup  butter

1 tablespoon brandy (or a flavored liqueur, or wine)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

6 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Optional toppings: powdered sugar caramel sauce whipped cream fancy pink candies or sprinkles

Preheat oven to 425. Butter 4 custard cups or 4 muffin tins.  Heat chocolate and butter together, either for a minute in the microwave, or in a double boiler, until butter is melted. Whisk together until chocolate is melted. Whisk in brandy, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir in eggs and extra yolk until combined. Stir in flour cinnamon, and ginger. Evenly divide batter among muffin tins.  Bake for 9-12 minutes, until sides are firm and centers soft. Take heed—I baked 13 minutes, which resulted in not having a runny lava center. They were, however, still extra delicious, lava or lava-less.  Loosen edges with knife, and remove cakes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, caramel sauce, and whipped cream...and little pink candies.

A Lil' Cabbage Bacon Love

Maybe it's because of my eastern-European roots that I love cabbage, and because of my Oklahoma blood (on my moms side) that I love bacon (my grandma Carol cooks everything in bacon grease…we even have a family recipe for salad smothered in warm bacon grease dressing, but that's for another day). 

Or, maybe it's just that these two things effing rock. Which they do. Especially together. And even more especially when you add little gems of mini cabbage heaven—Brussels sprouts—to the mix. And triple, no, quadruple that especially by throwing in some sour cream and lemon. You heard me. Cabbage, bacon, Brussels, sour cream, lemon. And the bacon is actually pancetta, fancy-town. Oh, and I'm talkin' about soup. I know! Life=complete. 

Cabbage and Potato Soup with Crispy Topping & Lemony Cream

Adapted from Bon Appétit 

1/2 cup sour cream

juice and zest from half a lemon

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped

1 large onion, diced

3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes 

1 bay leaf

6 cups (or more) chicken broth

1 sprig fresh thyme 

salt and pepper

1 cup thinly sliced brussels sprouts

2 1/4th inch thick slices of pancetta, diced small*

olive oil

salt and pepper

Whisk sour cream, lemon juice, and zest l in small bowl. Cover and chill. 

Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and onion, and sauté until just tender but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in potatoes, add bay leaf and thyme. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Spread brussels and pancetta on a sheet pan, and light drizzle with olive oil. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until pancetta is crispy and brussels are slightly charred but not burnt. Keep an eye on it, it could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes (and you may want to give it a stir after a few minutes). Remove from one and set aside. 

Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig from soup. Using immersion blender (or regular blender, working in batches), puree until smooth. Simmer until heated through, adding more broth if soup is too thick. 

Top each serving with some of the crispy brussels and pancetta, and a hearty dollop of the lemony sour cream. 

*I get the 2 pieces of pancetta from the deli/meat counter. You can get exactly as much or little as you need, just thick enough, without paying a million dollars. 

Cheeseburger Chimichangas

  

Superbowl time! Who cares about the football game (oh, you do? sorry)… I'm in it for the food. Superbowl Sunday is one of the greatest junk food holidays of the year. It's pretty much the only day of the year that I'll eat chicken wings AND nachos in the same day. I mean, really, it's pretty much the only day of the year I eat chicken wings, period. These mini-baked-cheeseburger-chimichangas are perfect Superbowl food. I mean totally made for this occasion. Or maybe a 6 year old's birthday party. Whatevs. Like cheeseburgers? Me too. Like tortillas? Of course you do. Put them together, and you're all set for the big game.

Mini Cheeseburger Chimichangas (baked)

Makes 8 chimichangas

1/4 of an onion, diced small

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

pinch granulated garlic

1 tomato, diced small

3 medium-sized dill pickles, diced

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon mustard

salt & pepper

1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese

8 small flour tortillas (the 'fajita size')

olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a large skillet over medium, drizzle a bit of olive oil to coat, and add onion. Sauté until just starting to brown, and add beef and granulated garlic. Cook until beef is almost cooked through, and drain off excess liquid. Add tomatoes and dill pickles. Cook until beef is all the way done, and tomatoes have basically melted into the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in mustard and ketchup. Taste, and add more seasoning if desired. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese.

Prior to rolling, you'll want to heat your tortillas. You can do this a few at a time in the microwave for 10 or so seconds, or wrapped in foil in your oven while it preheats. Just make sure they're soft and pliable. Add filling to center of tortilla, fold in edges, and roll from bottom to top. Arrange on a  greased sheet pan, fold side down (they should hold form if you set fold side down). Bake for 10 minutes, or until bottom side is golden and cripsy, and flip. Bake for another 10 or minutes, until both sides are golden and crispy. Serve with mustard and ketchup (or you can get fancy and go the fry-sauce route). 

Southwest Grilled Cheese

My friend Kristy is getting married, and I'm her maid of honor! Kristy was my randomly assigned roommate in the dorms freshman year, and we were pretty much inseparable from the moment we met. We had booze-addled study sessions to get through our philosophy homework together, stayed up until 4 am laughing every night, and had a million inside jokes. After freshman year, we moved into a big old house near greek row with a bunch of other girls, and then after that we got our first apartment together. Kristy was the one who introduced me to Evan, through her high school pal Bree (who's now one of my bff's too), and I introduced Kristy to her fiancé Mark, though my friend from high school, Jimmy. 

Kristy was the inspiration behind this boozy kahula cake, and this chai-spiced biscotti. She also makes a killer taco salad with an unlikely combination of secret ingredients (including nacho cheese Doritos and creamy French dressing). When we lived together (for 5 years!) we pretty much always had an unending supply of black bean and corn salsa in the fridge. We went through phases where we practically lived on the stuff. We would mix up a giant bowl of black beans, corn, onions and bell peppers, sometimes with tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado, sometimes with sour cream. Then throughout the week we'd have it inside quesadillas, on salads, or simply with tortilla chips. 

It's also really good sandwiched between two pieces of chewy bread, grilled crispy, with melty cheese oozing out the sides. 

Southwest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 bell pepper- diced

1/2 white onion- diced

1 tomato- diced

1/4 cup- finely cilantro

1/2 cup sour cream

juice of one small  lime

pinch cumin

salt, pepper

Unless you're making sandwiches for a crowd, you'll probably have extra salsa afterward, so get some tortilla chips too. 

Thick slices of sourdough bread

mayonnaise (I learned this trick from Ruth Reichl)

shredded cheese (I used white cheddar)

In a large bowl, mix together beans, corn, pepper, onion, tomato, and cilantro. Stir in sour cream and lime juice. Add cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.

To assemble: heat griddle over medium heat. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. The mayo adds extra tang, and doesn't burn the way butter does. To assemble, add bread (mayo side down) to griddle, add a layer of cheese, a few big spoonfuls of the bean mix, and another layer of cheese. Top with second slice of bread (mayo side out) and grill several minutes on each side, until bread is crispy, and cheese is melty. Sometimes if the bread is crisping faster than the cheese is melting, I'll cover the griddle for a minute, which steams everything up to help melt the cheese. You might need to use two spatulas to flip without losing the filling. 

Food Blogger Unplugged: Q&A

So, there's thing called Food Bloggers Unplugged. It's a Q&A for food bloggers, but the idea is that you get tagged, and then fill out this fun interview, and tag other food bloggers, and it just keeps on goin'. But, well, I haven't been tagged! Is it weird if I do it without an invite? 

I'm totally goin' rogue here. I'm showing up unannounced and uninvited, an absolute party crasher. I'm not even using the official Unplugged logo. Instead you get a chicken. I know, revolutionary. 

This is for all of you that ever got picked last in gym class…or something like that. 

What or who inspired you to start your blog?

In 2009 I was laid off from my job, and had a lot of free time on my hands. I spent a lot of time perusing food blogs and dreaming about Anthony Bourdain. I think I back-read Molly's entire blog in a week. I was also cooking up a storm since I was home all day, so it just made sense. 

Who is your foodie inspiration?

I love Anthony Bourdain. I mean, I love him. But I'd say my biggest foodie inspiration is my mom. And my dad. Even though I grew up in a tiny rural town,  my parents always found ways to use interesting ingredients and make creative dishes. In my tiny school, I was probably the only 2nd grader bringing whole pomegranates, smoked salmon dip, artichokes, and leftover cordon bleu in my sack lunch. 

Your greasiest most batter splattered cook book is? 

The original Fannie Farmer. Its the best for the ol' fashioned basics like muffins, quick breads, and chocolate chip cookies. I also reference my old Gourmet mags on a regular basis, and Evan's my iPad pretty much lives in the kitchen. 

The best thing you have ever eaten in another country, where was it and what was it?

That's a tough one, because I've had some pretty amazing food in Mexico, and the fruit in Tahiti was out of this world. But, I'd have to say that the very best was a liege waffle from a little kiosk at the train station in Antwerp, Belgium. I proceeded to eat about a hundred more liege waffles when we got to Brugge, many of them freshly made, some covered in chocolate or strawberries and whipped cream…but none of them added up to that plain pre-made train-station waffle. 

Another Food Blogger’s table you would like to eat at?

Sara from Sprouted Kitchen. That girl makes whole foods and veggies look better than I could ever dream.

What one kitchen gadget would you like Santa to bring you?

Does 'a bigger kitchen' count? No? Then maybe really good pots and pans…maybe copper ones (mostly because I love how they look). 

I’m coming to you for dinner, what is your signature dish?

Pulled pork. I'm obsessed with slow roasted pork, shredded and served all saucy with a side of roasted veggies, stuffed into a tortilla carnitas style, or doused in BBQ sauce and piled high on a bun. I don't know if I'd call it my signature dish, but I make a mean pork butt, and it's great for a crowd. And if you're coming for dinner, we might as well make it a party. I throw one hot taco party. Carnitas with fresh taco fixings, a pot of black beans, and some pico. And of course, some ice-cold Pacifico. 

What is your guilty food pleasure?

Cheese. The grocery store by my house has a little basket of priced-by-the-pound odds and ends from their fancy cheese section, and I buy at least two every time I go there. Which is almost every day. It's kind of past 'guilty-pleasure' territory, and on the way to being a problem. I also love a good spoonful of peanut butter, almond or cashew butter, or nutella (or, if I'm really lucky, all of those on a  spoon together!)

Reveal something about yourself that others would be surprised to learn? 

I love rockabilly music, Quentin Tarantino, and really good hoppy beer. Screw wine and Love Actually. Give me a Hop Lava from Double Mountain Brewery, paired with a Grindhouse flick or some CCR tunes (don't judge) and I'm yours. 

And finally...

This is the part where I 'tag' five other food bloggers who I'd love to dine with.  This was a hard one, because I admire so many other food bloggers out there.  Honestly, this list changes daily. So tonight, my ideal dinner party would include:

Joy from Joy the Baker: Joy seems like a real down-to-earth kinda gal, someone that's super hip and fun to be around, and isn't afraid to call it like it is, or use a little butter now and then.

Nicole from La Buena Vida: I love Nicole's photos and style, and her fresh approach to food. She also seems like a genuinely awesome, creative person.

Vanessa from V.K.Rees Photography: Vanessa always makes super good-for-you amazing looking food, and I love her photography. And, she includes a picture of her cat in every post, so obviously we'd get along. 

David Lebovitz from Sweet Life in Paris: Do I even need a reason? David is amazing. And hopefully he would host this ideal dinner party (in Paris).

Sarah from 20 Something Cupcakes: Sarah is another quarter-life blogger, who loves throwing dinner parties, making cocktails, and cooking delicious food. If David doesn't host, we can move the party to Sarah's in sunny Florida.

If this group got together, we'd have a pretty bitchin' time. I wouldn't even make you listen to CCR. Well, I'd turn it down low, at least. 

Cheater, Cheater, Cookie Eater

These cookies aren’t dessert, I swear.

Every January, Amanda and I do a cleanse, of sorts. Last year we gave up meat and booze for the month. This year, we decided to give up dessert. Actually, it started out as no sugar, but my friends all said I was pretty boring this time last year, so I didn’t want to exclude alcohol. So, it became less about sugar, more about sugary-dessert-food. Cookies, cakes, pastries, candies, ice cream, brownies—off limits.

Friends, this is hard for me. Really hard. I’m a cookie-a-day kinda gal. I’m a firm believer in dessert after dinner. Or before dinner. Or—who am I kidding—instead of dinner. But, ya know what? It wasn’t too bad! The first two weeks were a breeze. I stopped craving sugar, started eating an apple-a-day, and even resisted sweet treats at the office. No biggie.

But then, something happened. Snow. I’ve been snowed in all week (for all you people calling us wimps, these picture were from the beginning of the snow-storm...duh). And you know what I want to do on a cold, snowy day? Bake. It’s an animalistic instinct, people. Snow makes bears hibernate, and it makes humans bake, it’s just nature’s way. 

As quickly as the snow started falling, my resolve started crumbling. I found myself staring at dessert blogs, then at the snow, then at the oven, then back at the desserts…a vicious cycle. Just as the urge became almost unbearable, I stumbled upon Heidi’s sugarless, butter-free peanut butter cookies.

I called Amanda to see if this was cheating. She said it was. To be fair, we agreed that pure maple syrup and peanut butter were both ok. Technically, these cookies were within cleanse regulation. But, they did contain a cup of syrup, which I guess tips the scales (and my scale) in the other direction. Desperate to have cookies (I think I was literally salivating and clawing at the peanut butter jar at this point), I cut the recipe in half, and then substituted half the remaining syrup with Mel’s home-canned applesauce. A quarter cup of syrup divided amongst 16 cookies is fine, it’s fine I tell you!

At first they didn’t taste like peanut butter cookies. So I tried another one, and another. And ya know what? After 3 cookies, there it was! Peanut butter cookies! These are SO not dessert.

Right?

Absolutely Not Dessert Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1 cups whole wheat flour

½  teaspoon baking soda

Pinch sea salt

½ cup chunky peanut butter

¼ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup apple sauce (or more)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: shredded coconut, sliced almonds, chocolate chips (I mean, if you’re eating that sorta thing)

Preheat oven to 350. Place racks in the top third.

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a larger bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, apple sauce, olive oil, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until combined. It should be a crumbly still, but if it seems too dry, add more applesauce. Taste, and add more salt, syrup, vanilla, applesauce—as needed. Since there aren’t eggs, you can taste a few more times, if you’d like. Hell, you can just eat it as is, if that suits your fancy. Stir in optional add-ins.

Roll into small balls (should make about 16 cookies), and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Press down to flatten each one. Bake for 10 ish minutes, sprinkle with more sea salt, cool on a drying rack, and eat—guilt free.

The BLE

Amanda and I have a favorite sandwich. It's not really even a sandwich, but more like some stuff, on toast. We named it the BLE. That doesn't stand for bacon, lettuce, and random-ingredient-that-starts-with-E. It stands for Best Lunch Ever. And it is. It's really easy to make, pretty affordable, and is so good that I could eat it for lunch every day. At least for a whole week. 

First, you need to spread cream cheese on toast. Or on a bagel. The BLE is pretty flexible. 

Second, mash up half an avocado, and spread that on top of the cream cheese. Then add salt and pepper. That's your basic BLE. 

There are lots of variations though. Like adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to the avocado, maybe some tomato slices, maybe even some leafy lettuce and red onion. At that point, it starts turning into a veggie sandwich, but whatever. You can still call it a BLE.