Black Forest Cherry Trifle

If you like chocolate covered cherries, and I mean real chocolate covered cherries - not the artificially flavored kind you find at the drug store during the holidays, but real cherries covered in real chocolate - then you will love this black forest cherry trifle. Be warned - it's very rich, very chocolaty and sure to send your blood sugar levels through the roof....but it is worth it!

Start by making the custard as it will need time to cool and during the cooling process you can assemble the remainder of your trifle ingredients.

Melt 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate in a double broiler....set aside.


Combine 1/3 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup sugar, sifting well to remove all lumps. Add 7 egg yolks and whisk together until well combined.


Combine 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla in a large saucepan heating until just beginning to steam; add the cocoa and egg yolk mixture and whisk well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly for about ten minutes - do not walk away from it!


After the custard has begun to thicken, add the melted bittersweet chocolate and stir well to combine. Pour into a bowl to cool and prevent a "skin" from forming by covering custard with plastic wrap.


Now, you're ready to assemble the rest of your ingredients....

You'll need some cake. A nice dark chocolate cake works best, but you could easily use your favorite chocolate cake at the moment.


You can make this in a full-size trifle dish as well....I chose the mini trifle because they're cute and...I like cute. Turn the mini trifle upside down to score the cake and cut accordingly...



Mini trifle dishes are lacking in stature and your initial cake round will be quite high, so you'll need to cut the cake circles in half and then in half again, resulting in a total of eight rounds of cake....



Make sandwiches by slathering on cherry preserves and smushing a second cake round on top (yes, "smushing" is a made-up word) - this will be the first layer in your trifle...



Gently smash a cake sandwich into the bottom of each trifle dish and top with a drizzle of cherry brandy. If you have an aversion to alcohol or, as in my case, you happen to be pregnant and think avoiding fetal alcohol syndrome is probably a good idea, then you can use the cherry syrup from your jar of maraschino cherries. Next, layer with maraschino cherries and then chocolate custard. Cover and chill for at least an hour or even overnight. Top with freshly whipped cream just before serving.




Black Forest Cherry Trifle
(makes 4 mini trifles or one full-size trifle*)

1 9-inch round chocolate cake
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate*
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
7 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large jar maraschino cherries
1 jar cherry preserves
2 cups heavy whipping cream for whipping*

Melt chocolate in double broiler, set aside. Combine cocoa, sugar and egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together well. Combine milk, heavy cream and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat until just beginning to simmer. Stir in cocoa and egg yolk mixture. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat for about ten minutes or until thickened. Stir in melted bittersweet chocolate and pour custard into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from from forming as custard cools. Set aside while you assemble your cake.

Cut chocolate cake into small rounds that fit easily into the bottom of your mini trifle dish. Each round should measure no more than 1/2 inch high, so trim accordingly. Sandwich cherry preserves between 2 1/2-inch rounds and press into the bottom of your trifle dish. Top with cherry brandy or liquid from maraschino cherries. Layer maraschino cherries on top and cover with chocolate custard. Cover and chill for at least an hour or overnight. Top with freshly whipped cream just before serving.

*Live-It-Up Variation: Can substitute semi-sweet chocolate to result in a milk chocolate flavor if dark chocolate is not your preference. If using a full-size trifle, split 9-inch round cake in half horizontally and make one large cherry sandwich. Dress up your whipped cream topping with chocolate shavings or red sprinkles.

Got Beef?

I have recently become fond of mustard. I've always liked mustard, but with my developing pregnancy I've come to know mustard as my true love. Of all the things a girl could crave, at least mustard has a fairly low caloric and fat content.

This stroganoff reminds me of Chateaubriand as both require dijon mustard in the sauce - have no fear, the mustard in this stroganoff is not overwhelming and the whole family cheered at the final result.

First, you'll need some pasta. I chose farfalle because...well, I think it's cute and it's easy to stab with a fork - I know that reason does not involve a refined culinary point of view, but it will have to do. You'll also need beef tenderloin (or sirloin for the budget conscious), a large yellow onion, baby bella mushrooms, sour cream, beef broth, corn starch, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.


Okay, so the onion is not in the above picture...I have flaws...

Make the sauce first. Stir 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 cup hot broth, whisking to prevent lumps. When barely beginning to thicken stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 Tbs. dijon mustard. If sauce overheats and becomes too thick, simply stir in additional broth or water.


Next, coat beef with 1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt and 1 tsp. coarse black pepper. In a large pan, heat 2 Tbs. canola oil over high heat. Stir in your beef and cook until browned, but do not over cook - think medium/rare - your strips are thin and will cook quickly, so just about 2-3 minutes is all you'll need.


Remove meat from pan and set aside. Add an additional Tbs. canola oil to your pan, if needed, and throw in your onions. Cook until tender and brown. Someone got her thumb in the photo...remind me to fire her...


Add in the baby bella mushrooms and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.


Return beef to your pan and stir in your broth/sour cream mixture. Combine well.


Serve over piping hot cooked pasta. Refrigerate leftovers and eat at midnight!


Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. beef tenderloin, thinly sliced into strips
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
1 cup beef broth (low-sodium if available)
2 Tbs. dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 Tbs. cornstarch

In a saucepan, heat beef broth and whisk in cornstarch. Heat until just beginning to thicken, then remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and mustard. Cover and set aside. Toss beef strips with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbs. canola in large skillet. Add beef and saute until browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Add an additional Tbs. canola oil to beef drippings and stir in onion, cooking until tender and brown. Stir in mushrooms, cover and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Return beef to skillet and stir in sour cream sauce. Heat thoroughly and serve over piping hot pasta. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler, Baby!

The Music Man looovvees cobbler. On a recent trip to my home state of Ohio, he devoured some super yummy cobbler whipped up by my sweet cousin Liz. I thought this would satisfy his cobbler cravings, but it appears that it merely whetted his appetite for more. When his birthday approached he asked for cobbler instead of cake. Here's what we made...

Peach Cobbler

Filling:
5 cups sliced fresh peaches* (about 6-8 peaches)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

Topping:
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
4 Tbs. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup half & half

Filling: Place sliced fresh peaches in a large sauce pan, barely cover with water and heat just to a simmer, cook for five minutes then remove from heat and let set another five minutes, barely softening the peaches. Drain peaches, reserving your liquid. Combine sugar and cornstarch with 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Place your sliced peaches in a shallow baking pan, cover with sugar mixture and set aside.

Topping: Finely dice or grate butter and place in the freezer to set. In the bowl of a food processor combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt - pulse till well combined. Add grated butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (8-10 pulses). Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl and gently add the half and half, stirring until just combined. Spoon balls of mixture on top of the fruit. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. The topping should be golden brown and fruit should bubble.

*Live-It-Up Variation: can substitute 5 cups of fresh blueberries in place of peaches, adding the zest of 1/2 lemon and leaving all other ingredients the same.

Oh, Do You Know the Muffin Man?

We like muffins for breakfast...or at any time of day really. We also have a household obsession with fiber. Combine the two and the possibilities are endless! These Coconut Pecan Oat Bran Muffins were a big hit and at 3 grams of fiber per muffin, I could rest easy as my son devoured four of them. What can I say? He's growing and who could resist giving plenty to a boy who waited with so much anticipation...


I hope you enjoy them just as much we do!


Coconut Pecan Oat Bran Muffins

2 1/2 cups oat bran
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup shredded coconut*
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Turbinado Sugar for topping

In a large bowl, combine oat bran, sugar, coconut, nuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined. Spoon into prepared muffin pan, sprinkle the tops with turbinado or demerara sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

*Live-It-Up Variation: can substitute 1/4 cup chopped apple, raisins, or banana in place of coconut.

Back from Sabbatical

Okay, I thought sabbatical sounded so much nicer than simply saying "I done got busy". Sabbatical indicates that I've been doing something important with my time and therefore have neglected posting...and when you consider the camping trip I took with my family followed by the wedding I catered upon my return, well...I did do something important with my time. Nothing like ending a summer hiatus with a mad whirlwind of work! Check out a couple of pics from the work I've been doing and rest assured more recipes will follow soon!

My lone employee, Nicole, and myself working our hearts out...


The yummy buffet for 120 that we served up with smiles...


What did we serve?

~Bite-size Crab Cakes
~Salmon Skewers
~Chicken & Pineapple Skewers
~Herbed Bleu Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
~Assorted Fruit and Cheese
~Mini Quiche
~Strawberry Punch and Bottled Water

Simple, Buttery Side

I'm a black and white kind of girl, so I need to be upfront with you from the very beginning...if you don't like citrus, then stop reading right now. If the tartness of lemon makes your kisser pucker and your eyes cross a little, then you will not enjoy my Citrus Garlic Linguine. However, if you appreciate a little zing from time to time and you want a simple pasta side dish to accompany fish or poultry, then read on.

Start with 6 tablespoons of butter, regular butter, not unsalted and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy skillet and saute 2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic. Yes, I know this is a lot of butter and garlic, but we're going to coat a lot of pasta so hang with me. Garlic burns easily, watch it carefully. You will only need to saute it a minute or two. Add in 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Give a quick stir and then add in the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Make sure to prep all of your ingredients before you start to keep it simple when the heat is on. This is what your sauce should look like in the end:


Pour the sauce over 12 ounces of cooked linguine and toss together with tongs:


Serve while piping hot and top with fresh grated parmesan. Transform this side into a main dish by stirring in cooked shrimp or shredded cooked chicken breast into your sauce after adding the seasonings, but before adding the citrus. I had a little leftover grilled salmon that I separated into loose chunks and stirred into a small bowl of the linguine to turn it into a lunch portion.

Citrus Garlic Linguine

12 oz. package linguine, cooked
6 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 1/2 Tbs. minced garlic
zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
zest & juice of 1/2 orange
1/2 cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Place butter and olive oil in skillet; when butter is completely melted, add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add zest and juice of both the lemon and orange. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Pour citrus garlic sauce over cooked linguine and toss gently with tongs. Serve while piping hot. Enjoy!

A Little Selfishness

I design cakes for clients every single week. Sometimes, I'm a little envious when the creations leave my kitchen. They're awfully cute, a lot of work and every once in a while...I want one all to myself! I decided this past weekend that I was going to put the same painstaking effort into a cake just for me. Colors I like, a theme that I like, a design I want, yes a cake all for me. Something that makes me happy when I see it. I like bright colors. Visit my house and you'll find bright green kitchen walls and a big, red, comfy sofa. I made MY cake bright. When I was finished its brightness almost seemed a bit obnoxious, but I like it and it's mine all mine. Strategically, I made it small so I can avoid a little guilt when I eat the entire thing.


Though I am quite the chocoholic, when it comes to cake, I like vanilla or strawberry cake...I couldn't decide what to make, so I made a layer of each. No plain buttercream in the center for me, I'll take bright purple please...in all fairness I should take a picture of my pretty purple teeth, but I'll let you use your imagination.

I Made Something Without Garlic?!?

When I set out to make this dish, I truly intended to have a little garlic involved, but absentmindedly forgot all about it in the process. The thing is, it doesn't really need it. This version of mac & cheese is so yummy, I almost ate the whole batch by myself. I refrained...sort of. I love making a variety of mac & cheese - it's such a versatile dish, that it allows for experimentation with different flavors. This time, I was craving jalapeno's. Here's what you'll need to get started making Jalapeno Mac & Cheese.


Pictured is a 1 pound box of pasta - you will only need about half the box (4 cups cooked). I usually cook the entire box anyway, douse what I don't need with a little olive oil (helps it keep its youthful glow) and refrigerate for later use. This time I used mini farfalle because my daughter insisted and really, who could resist this face?


Three ingredients I forgot to photograph, proving once again that I'm not perfect (please don't take away my pedestal), are salt, pepper, and cornstarch...

Melt 2 tablespoons butter while you chop up the jalapeno's and red onion - you'll need 1/2 cup chopped red onion. I like jalapeno's so I chop up two, but just do one if the heat makes you nervous. Remember, the heat is in the seeds! Saute your onion and jalapeno's in the piping hot butter until nice and tender...


Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch....


Then pour in your half & half...Stirring until thoroughly heated and just beginning to thicken, then add CHEESE!


This time I used about 1/2 cup of monterey jack, 1/2 cup of colby and 1/4 cup sharp cheddar. If you really want to spice things up, use pepper jack instead of monterey jack. I've done this and really liked it. The family, however, did not and I was forced to eat the entire batch myself...no wonder I can't button my shorts...I digress...

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir your cheese sauce until nice and creamy; stir in your cooked pasta. Remember that pasta can absorb quite a bit of salt, so don't hold back - you'll need a good full teaspoon at the very least.


Pour yourself a beverage, dish it up and enjoy!



Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

4 cups cooked pasta
2 Tbs. butter
1 cup half & half
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1-2 chopped jalapeno's
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack
1/2 cup shredded colby
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pan; add onion and jalapeno's; saute until tender. Whisk in cornstarch and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half & half and cook until just barely beginning to thicken; add cheese, salt and pepper; continue to stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy. Stir in cooked pasta and serve.