Chocolat....

This past weekend I made my way up the North Fork of Long Island otherwise known as home. It had been almost nine months since I had last visited. And you can bet that I was feeling pretty home sick. I could not have picked a better weekend to make my way back. Derby Day is a tradition for my best friend Kerry and her family. I have missed the tradition for the past three years so I was definitely ready to celebrate. As it is always the first weekend in May, Mother's Day usually lands on that Sunday making for an even better reason to come home. But thirdly my dad's birthday is May 11 which just happened to fall pretty close this year. So with three things to celebrate I was anxious to get there. Being home always brings back so many fond memories of growing up in a small town. It was great to see all of my friends converge on the Gagen household. We were able to celebrate the engagements of Jennifer and Scott, and Kendra and Nick, sharing in their excitement. All signs that time just flies. It was so great to spend time with friends and family and to feel the love. I realized just how much I miss seeing their faces and listening to all of the things that are going on in their lives. DC just seemed all the further away. But with a great amount of singing (thank you Danielle for the karaoke machine) and a great amount of dancing (always a staple) a great weekend was had.

And now for the good stuff....Chocolate. Who doesn't love a delicious chocolate treat?

My mother and sister prefer a salty sweet, but when it comes to my father and I it is sweets all the way. Put a piece of cake or pie in front of me and no matter what feast I may have eaten prior I will make room for that decadent slice of sweet satisfaction. Growing up my dad always had a little sweet something with his morning coffee. Whether it was a piece of Enteman's coffee cake or one of those sleeves of 99 cent cookies you could count on Dad enjoying it with a cup of black coffee. So I thought since I was finally home close to his birthday I would make him a sweet chocolate treat. And what better than Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes. They came out absolutely yummy or so I was told, there were none left when I went to grab one! But no worries I had made them earlier in the year so I can attest that they are indeed delicious. Here is the recipe:Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

I made two dozen regular sized cupcakes instead of the jumbo. 

             

To continue on my chocolate rant I am going to include the Chocolate Babka Recipe that I used for this years Easter breakfast. I have brought my Polish traditions with my down south. My mom's family always enjoyed a Polish breakfast on Easter Sunday that included babka, hard boiled eggs, kielbasa, and fruit salad. So to keep the tradition going even though I wasn't home I cook this breakfast for my family in Richmond. For the past two years I had taken on the task of making my own homemade babka. And to spice things up this year I tried a crumble topped chocolate babka. It was quite the task but was well worth it!  I must say I am quite proud of the results. Although, I think I would have changed a few things to tweak the recipe I will try that the next time because this recipe definitely will be used again! 

Here is the recipe: Babka!

April Showers....

So I know it has been quite some time since my last post. I have not been neglecting my overall goal of new recipes but I have been slacking a little in the cooking department. So much has been going on over the past few weeks I don't know where to begin. Let's start here, I recently received a promotion at work! Yay, but with that comes more responsibility and a lot more energy needed during this transition period. I am in the process of hiring my replacement and start the new position this coming Monday. I am already feeling the effects and I haven't even started. But with all that I feel reenergized and inspired to work even harder than before! In my personal life I have taken on the world of online dating...wooohoo Renee is putting herself out there. With that there was my one week "boyfriend" and a slew of lessons learned there.  But let's get to the good stuff, an April bridal shower for one of my bestest friends in the entire world, Kristen. Myself and the five other bridesmaids have spent the last few months planning this special day. And since I do love to cook I took on the task of planning the menu. With a luau theme the menu was as follows: Coconut Shrimp with Curried Apricot dipping sauce, Tossed Salad with homemade balsamic dressing, Mini Baked Brie Bites, Chicken Satay with Peanut dipping sauce, Pineapple Fried Rice, Hawaiian Flatbread Pizzas, Black Bean Salad, and Pina Colada Cake.

I'm going to share the bride's favorite recipes with you as well as a few of mine. So I have known Kristen since my very first day at JMU. She was my freshman year roommate, and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect match. Although, we might have started off with some pretty key differences we have managed to keep a close relationship for close to 8 years. She is one of the most kind hearted, thoughtful people you will ever meet. If you were to ask any of her closest friends what her best aspect is I would bet that they would reply that she is a loyal and true friend. She takes the time and effort to stay close with those she loves and she always makes her friends and family feel loved with small gestures that are full of care and thought. With that in mind I wanted to create a menu that I thought reflected some of Kristen's favorite things.
Bride Favorite #1 Mini Baked Brie Bites (Kristen makes a mean baked brie and this was a small homage to that)
Ingredients:
30 mini phyllo cups (I found them at my local grocery store in the frozen food section)
1 large wedge of Brie
Mango or Raspberry Jam (I did a mix of both)
4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a small dollop of jam in the bottom of the phyllo cups (about 1/2 tsp. maybe a little less), place a small cube of brie cheese on top filling each phyllo cup with the jam and brie.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until brie is melty. Take the brie cups out of the oven and sprinkle a little brown sugar on each then replace in the oven for 2-3 more minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Bride Favorite #2 
Coconut Shrimp with Curried Apricot Sauce
The only change I made to this recipe was I used sweetened coconut since I couldn't find unsweetened. I really like this version since it is baked rather than fried. It really allows for the shrimp taste to come out.
My Favorite #1 Pina Colada Cake
This cake I found on my favorite food bloggers website, Smittenkitchen.com. It was so easy to make and  came out moist and delicious. The only options I changed or used were that I omitted the rum in the actual cake but used it in the glaze and I brushed the warm cake with pineapple juice which I think enhanced the moist texture. Check out the recipe here: Pina Colada Cake
My Favorite #2 Homemade Balsamic Dressing
This is my go to dressing any day of the week but I think it was the perfect occasion to highlight.
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp. Honey
1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper
Whisk all ingredients together and pour over your favorite salad.
If I don't have any honey on hand Agave Nectar works just as nicely but be sure to use less as it is much sweeter.
It was a beautiful day for a beautiful and special friend. All of the bridesmaids did such a wonderful job in making sure our good friend had a memorable day. Can't wait for the wedding!

Slainte

So much to catch up on since my last post...These past two weeks have been a crazy ride. Leaving off last time in a quest to try an old recipe that has been sitting in my cookbook binder for about 2 years. I had cut the recipe out of an issue of Vegetarian Times and I had been dying to try it, but I did not own a doughnut pan. Oh, by the way, the recipe was for Vegan Apple Cider Doughnuts. I had literally searched high and low for a doughnut pan. Rummaging through every cooking supply store in the DC area to no avail. Then about three weeks ago I stroll into Crate and Barrel on a rainy day after church and it was as if the clouds parted and the sun was shining down on these beautiful pans!

Not only did they have doughnut pans, but they also had mini-doughnut pans. I am a sucker for small things (I think I get this from my friend Beth, who has an affinity to buy things in their smallest form) but I held myself back and only purchased one. Now I was fully equipped to try out this recipe. Have you ever been hoping to try a recipe and you build up all of your expectations convincing yourself that it is going to be the best thing you have ever made?? Well imagine having a recipe brewing for 2 years. Nothing, not even Dunkin Doughnuts itself could live up to the expectations I had for this recipe.

But, I was determined to go for it. And since my lovely friend Kym was willing to try out my baking skills, I went to work.

You will notice that I have not included a picture of the finished product. That is because I just couldn't bear to admit complete failure. The doughnuts were a crash and burn, a disaster really. They were chewy instead of caky. They were tangy instead of sweet. There were no real redeeming qualities. But you live and you learn (and then get hugs---funny, no I didn't think so). I am attaching the recipe just to remind myself when looking for new and delicious doughnut recipes what not to do. Vegan Apple Cider Doughnuts
With the bad comes the good...that is the saying right??? Well since enjoying a lovely visit with Kym and rocking out to some Scythian and Dropkick Murphy's, I have been one busy lady. I flew out to beautiful San Francisco for the International Health, Racquetball, & Sportsclub Associations annual conference for work. I spent the week learning all the new tricks of the trade, what the newest and best fitness equipment was (and no the shake weight is not a legitimate piece of equipment; it was the running joke throughout the conference), and listening to some amazing speakers. Just to name a few, Dr. Regina Benjamin (US Surgeon General), Phil Keoghan (host of the Amazing Race), Daniel Pink (former Clinton speech writer), and Tony Hseih (CEO of Zappos.com). What an amazing experience to be completely engulfed in all that the fitness industry has to offer surrounded by like minded individuals. It was truly a great opportunity that offered a wealth of knowledge for me to bring home. And to top it all off I rocked out to Sugar Ray front row, and even sang into Mark McGrath's microphone while dancing with the Surgeon General. Now, how many people can say that?
Upon my return home I spent this past week catching up at work and at home. Last night I hosted a Post Patty's Day dinner party with some great friends.

And since this is a food blog I'll let you in on the menu.  We enjoyed homemade Irish Soda Bread (recipe included in my last post), Potato Leek Soup (my grandmother's recipe), Reuben Sandwiches, Asparagus Gruyere Tart, Baked Salmon with Dill Sauce, and to round out with dessert Chocolate Orange Guinness Cake. The two new recipes I have linked up. The asparagus tart was a home run in my opinion, thank you Martha again! It was the perfect pairing of crisp puff pastry, fresh asparagus, and mild gruyere cheese. The chocolate orange guinness cake was not a complete disaster but definitely could not compare to my classic Guinness Chocolate Cake with chocolate ganache icing that I have made in years past. The cake was very dense and the frosting couldn't compare to last posts cream cheese frosting. The evening overall was a hit. It was great to have friends over to enjoy some food, drink, good conversation, and a rocking game of 3-rounds.
Big changes are coming for me in the next few weeks. All very exciting! 2011 really is going to be my year. Slainte!! (cheers)

10 weeks in...

We are 10 weeks into the 2011 year. My goal one new recipe a week. So, how am I doing so far?? Well, I've concocted 12 new recipes. I'll be honest I snuck a few recipes into the same week so I may have missed a week or two. But overall, I'm pretty proud of that fact that I have stuck out this little blog adventure.
This week has been a whirlwind at work so my cooking has lacked slightly. But last weekend I did make an attempt at two new recipes, Carrot Cupcakes and Baked Artichoke Dip.

Let's start with dessert first. I decided to go with the cupcakes because I was going down to my cousin's house for a visit. My mother always taught me to never show up empty handed. And I had a slight feeling that my little cousin who is just a toddler might enjoy a little frosting. The cupcakes were easy to make and came out quite tasty. However, I felt like the cake was more of a bread then an actual cupcake. It lacked a certain light and fluffiness to it. The real star was the cream cheese frosting. Who isn't a sucker for some sweet velvety frosting?? Well, with it's touch of citrus it had me at hello. You better believe I will be using this frosting recipe again. Thank you Martha Stewart!

Working on my piping skills!

The baked artichoke dip I found on one of my favorite blog sites 101 CookBooks. I think Heidi (the blogger) try's really interesting things and has some beautiful photography to go along with her posts. She uses really natural, healthy ingredients. This was definitely something new for me. I had never used silken tofu before in a recipe. It definitely changed the texture of your regular spinach and artichoke greasy cheese filled dip. But, I am a fan. It kept the dip light and brought out the flavors of the artichoke instead of covering it up. I enjoyed it with some reduced fat Wheat Thins and did not feel one ounce of guilt while doing so.

This weekend my good friend, Kym, is coming in town for a visit. We will surely be enjoying some good times at the National ShamrockFest on Saturday. However, to start off the morning I am going to try a recipe that I have had sitting in my recipe binder for almost two years now. Be on the look out for my next post to hear all about it. But to keep you until next time and get you ready for St. Patrick's Day, I'm including my traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe that I have been making with my Mom since I was a kid. (Wendy feel free to omit the raisins, I am confident it will still be delicious)
Irish Soda Bread
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. caraway seeds
3 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup raisins
milk for brushing
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Knead dough for approximately one minute so all ingredients become incorporated. Shape and cut a cross on the top. Brush with milk and bake for 35 minutes.
Flaky, yeasty, and delicious with some black tea!

Sister Sister

My beautiful, kind hearted, amazing sister came down to visit me for the long weekend. It was a little last minute in the planning, and if you know me at all I love to have a plan and the further in advanced the better. But sometimes it is nice to just go with the flow. And Tara is the perfect person to flow with! After arriving early Saturday morning, the two Goldsmith sisters headed off on our first adventure, breakfast in Eastern Market. After some strolling about we decided on Le Pain Quotidien, which I kept pronouncing as quotient. But no worries Tara was there to correct me. She does after all live with Christine who is fluent in French. We each enjoyed some soft boiled eggs with toast, fresh berries, and a delightful chai tea. My favorite discovery was the Praline spread, which dare I say is even better then Nutella. Give it a try some time and tell me you don't love it. Next, I introduced Tara to the coolest little bookshop that is literally wall to wall books. Then in true DC fashion it was time for a museum, the Newseum to be exact.

I had never been to the Newseum in the four years I have lived here (to be fair I think it just reopened last year) and I know Tara has an uncanny love for NPR. So, I thought this could be fun learning about the media and maybe even enjoying some interactive fun. Shout out to Kristen for the recommendation! My two favorite exhibits by far were the Katrina and 9/11 exhibits. They were raw, honest, and brought you back to the exact moments you first heard of those horrendous tragedies. If it weren't for all of the people around my tears would have been much more pronounced. I was truly moved by the heroic stories of those that were on the front lines. If you are in DC, I highly recommend you check it out! And since this is a food blog, onto lunch, falafel at the Amsterdam Falafel House in Adams Morgan. I love this delicious fried treat and the best part about Amsterdam is you get to put on all of your toppings yourself and as much as you would like. My favorite, the pickled turnips mmmmmm. The rest of our day consisted of a lot of lounging and a few movies.
Sunday we made our way to the beautiful little city Annapolis. Tara was determined to go somewhere she had never been this winter break, and Annapolis is so close it seemed like a good idea. Upon arrival, Tara made the comment that she couldn't believe how quiet it was there. It was an ideal Sunday morning, if just a little chilly, to walk around enjoy the sweet salty sea air and the colonial style of downtown Annapolis. We of course had to make a stop at one of my favorite shops, Annapolis Pottery, and I of course had to make a purchase. After a little more walking and window shopping we made our to lunch at Middleton's Tavern. It uncannily reminded me of The Chowder Pot Pub and The Rhumbline which brought me back to home. We enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch accompanied by some delicious pickled Bloody Mary's. It wouldn't be a Sunday lunch with some Mary's. And to end our trip in Annapolis a quick hello to a fellow Southold native, Sheila!
I really thought I was going to plan a nice dinner and try something new while Tara was visiting but sometimes you just need to raid the pantry for dinner. So to share here is what we enjoyed:
Soup (Pacific Natural Foods)
Tara--Carrot Ginger
Renee--Red Pepper and Tomato
If you have never tried these you should there delicious and healthy!
Sides
Shoestring French Fries
Edmame--we had to have at least one vegetable on the table
French Bread toasted with ketchup and the only thing homemade on the table courtesy of the guest chef Tara, garlic and lemon aioli
Baked Chips and Holy Guacamole (by far my favorite non-homemade guacamole out there
No main entree as Tara is a vegetarian and I eat mostly vegetarian and there was already an insane amount of food for just two people.

But perhaps the most important item of this meal was the

 Bedell 2008 Cabernet Franc that served as an accompaniment. 

This is by far the best Cab Franc I have ever tasted. It is full of spicy notes with a delicious bouquet that warms the soul.  Hopefully I can pick up another bottle the next time I head through the North Fork because one was just not enough. I had been saving this for a special occasion and what better time then a little sister sister time. 

I am my own sweet Valentine

So my Valentine's Day consisted of a trip to the dentist and a girls night in. 

My friend Sarah joined me for dinner and a movie. On the menu, Chicken Sausage with Peppers and Onions over farfalle pasta, whole wheat baguette garlic bread, and for dessert chocolate covered strawberries. We kept the Valentine's theme going with a lot of red! The chicken sausage was delicious, it was roasted red pepper and garlic flavored. This was a very easy, fairly quick recipe. Note to self: the pasta takes the longest, so put the water on right away. This is pretty much what I put together: 

Chicken Sausage and Peppers over Pasta

3/4 of a box Whole Wheat Farfalle Pasta

4 Chicken Sausage Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic flavor

1 medium onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell  pepper, sliced

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 32 oz. can whole tomatoes and their juices

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed on box. Slice the chicken sausage and brown in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. In the same pan add onions, green peppers, and red peppers, 1 tbsp. olive oil and saute for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes or until peppers soft and onions slightly caramelized. Add tomatoes and crushed red peppers. Using a spatula or wooden spoon break the whole tomatoes down (you can use diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes if you prefer, I like the texture of the whole tomatoes). Allow vegetables to simmer about 5 minutes, then add sausage and cooked pasta, salt and pepper to taste. 

Some additions per next time, suggestions compliments of Sarah :) -- grated parmesan cheese, fresh spinach

Chocolate covered strawberries must be the easiest dessert to put together. They were just the right amount of sweet after a slightly spicy dinner. Using a double boiler, just melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the strawberries in to cover them with chocolate. I inserted a toothpick into the top of the strawberry to make it easier to dip. Then place the dipped strawberries on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Enjoy! I had some extra chocolate so I dipped pretzels into the remaining chocolate for a little sweet snack the next day. After the strawberries, we watched the movie "Catfish" which was not at all what I expected. It kept me interested the entire time, I would definitely recommend it! 

Any suggestions for my next post?! Leave a comment :) 

Is it Spring Yet?

So, I'm pretty sure a missed a week of new recipes. Forgive me?? To make up for it I'm trying something that I have always wanted to but never had the guts to...

I spent a fabulous night out with friends on Friday. Enjoyed a rousing round of karaoke, and yes Sir Mix A Lot was involved. There may have been some dancing at Mr. Day's Bar and a egg and cheese bagel to recover. And then Saturday afternoon came.....my first sickness of the winter weather. I came down with a horrible cold that has lasted through today. My voice still slightly resembles that of a frog. Hence no new recipes. I spent Saturday through Monday in a fog of sleep interrupted with fits of coughing, sneezing, and sniffling. I felt like one of those pathetic Tylenol Flu commercials. Therefore, cooking was pretty much out of the question. I was lucky that I could boil the water for my ramen noodles. So now that I am back to work and feeling much better a trip to the grocery store was necessary for some fresh ingredients to stock the fridge. And what did I come across? But some beautiful artichokes. I have always wanted to try and steam an artichoke to dip into a little melted butter. I, however, have always been intimidated by the shape of artichokes. I just didn't know how they would cook up. Also, I never grew up eating them really. I think I may have had the jarred version but never fresh artichokes. I'm a sucker for the baby frozen artichokes (fabulous in risotto). They are super easy just defrost and use. So, since it is 2011, I went for the challenge with these beauties.

I turned on my new favorite pandora station, Florence + the Machine and got started. But who do I turn to when I'm not sure exactly how to cook something?? Well, Mom first of course. But, she could not help. So, I went to the second best person, Mark Bittman. My friend Kim got me this great cookbook "How to Cook Everything", by Mark Bittman and it has been a life saver. This book is literally cooking for dummies without the dummy. Literally, anything you think you don't know how to cook Mr. Bittman can help you step by step. And there it was, a "Basic Steamed Artichokes" recipe waiting there for me. Here it is:

2 Large artichokes

Salt and Pepper

1. Using kitchen shears or scissors trim the tops of the leaves. Cut 1/4 inch off the stem and cut 1/2 off the top of the artichoke.

2. Place the artichokes in a large pot with about 1 inch of water (enough to steam without drying out the bottom of the pot). Cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes. (it took me about 25 minutes) You know they are done when the outer leaves pop off easily. 

3. Drain them upside down for a minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

I served them with a little lemon butter (melted butter with lemon zest and juice). I accompanied the artichokes with a chicken piccata (Giada DiLaurentis has a great recipe in her Everday Italian cookbook) and a sweet potato.

Thoughts on the artichoke?? A lot of work for not a lot of gratification. I was thoroughly delighted with the outcome as far as how well I cooked it. But honestly for all the work I put into cutting, trimming, and steaming it I wouldn't repeat this often. That said the lemony chicken and lemon dipping sauce did remind me of Spring! It also reminded me of my trip to Monterey this past September driving past the miles of artichoke farms. Artichokes grow above the ground and are these big bushy plants with little artichokes that pop up like flowers. Ahhh, good memories. I'm excited to be heading back to beautiful California next month for a conference in San Fran! Maybe I will try something new, Dim Sum anyone?? Definitely looking forward to some warmer weather.

Who knew that this is what the inside of an artichoke looked like?