Nichole's Birthday - Automne Apple Cider Cake

I fell in love with a gorgeous photo a friend posted on her Pinterest site. Immediately I was dreaming of birthday cake, even if my birthday was still two weeks away! I was intrigued by the whole wheat pastry flour, and the rustic finished product I would savor in the end.

I started tweaking the recipe : Carmel OUT, I'm not a big fan, well, maybe I'll keep half the carmel to please my guests. Apples IN, What?! and apple cake with no apples? There must be some mistake. I'll keep the applesauce the original recipe calls for and add... three apples. I mean really, how can you enjoy an apple cake if there aren't at least a few chunks of home grown apples in each slice?

 Automne Apple Cider Cake

1½ cups (250 g) light brown sugar
¾ cup (160 g) canola oil
¾ cup (130 g) unsweetened applesauce
½ cup (80 g) caramel sauce or less ;)
2 tsp (càc) vanilla
3 eggs
1½ cups (350 g) buttermilk*
2 cups (260 g) whole wheat pastry flour
1¾ (175 g) cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (càs) baking powder
1½ tsp (càc) baking soda
1½ tsp (càc) cinnamon
½ tsp (càc) salt
3 apples

APPLE CIDER FROSTING
7 1/2-8 cups (1 k) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup (3/4 d'un brique) butter, softened
1/2 cup (23 cl) apple cider (pommes préssées) or apple juice (jus de pomme)
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F (170 C).

Chop the apples in bite-sized chunks.

In a very large bowl, beat sugar and oil together with an electric mixer until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add applesauce, caramel and vanilla, beat for 30 seconds, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the buttermilk. Then add slowly the dry ingredients : whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and continuing to beat until well combined.

Grease and flour two (8 or 9 inch) round cake pans and set aside. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Set aside to let cool for 10 minutes, then gently loosen cakes and turn out onto a cooking rack; set aside to let cool completely.

APPLE CIDER FROSTING
Beat sugar, butter, cider, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Arrange one cake on a large plate and spread about 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the top. Arrange second cake on top then frost top and sides of entire cake with remaining frosting. Set aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow frosting to set before serving.

Makes a tall 2-layer, 8-9 inch round cake.

*faites votre buttermilk maison en adjutant une cueillir à soup et demi de vinaigre d'alcohol à 350g de lait 5minutes avant d'ajouter à la préparation.

(adapted from A-Hint-Of-Honey, merci Pinterest for this birthday inspiration)

The Infamous Morris Family Fruit Dessert Pizza

This classic Morris family recipe has become so infamous I actually found three copies of it in my own recipe book!

Fruit Dessert Pizza Simplified
One frozen sugar cookie dough rolled out like one big giant cookie.
One philly cream cheese whipped with one cool whip.
Tons of fresh fruit.
Glaze: Heat one cup of orange juice plus 1/2 cup sugar and whisk in 1 tbsp corn starch. This will keep your fruit from turning brown.

Fruit Dessert Pizza From Scratch

SUGAR COOKIE
2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

CREAM
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

FRESH FRUIT

GLAZE
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
dash of salt
--------------------------

SUGAR COOKIE
Mix all of the ingredients and roll out one giant sugar cookie. Bake at 365°F (200°C) until golden brown. Cool completely.

CREAM
Blend cream cheese with sugar. Whip the cream. Mix cheese, cream and vanilla. Spread on the cooled cookie.

FRESH FRUIT
Starting with the outside row. Arrange fruit in a beautiful pattern. Do not be shy, squeeze as much in as possible each layer overlapping the next.

GLAZE
Heat 1 cup of orange juice plus 1/3 cup sugar and whisk in 1 tbsp corn starch. This will keep your fruit from turning brown.

Waldorf Salad On Croissant

I used non GMO (OMG) chicken breasts. It always feels good to do something healthy for my body once in a while.

Serve on croissants sliced in half to make the perfect brunch sandwich.

5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup (75 g) sliced almonds
1 celery stalk
1 cup (1/2 grappe) white grapes
1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup (25 cl) crème fraiche*
1 tbsp (càs) dijon mustard
salt
cayenne pepper (piment d'espelette)
12 croissants

Dice the chicken breasts and sauté in olive oil. Chill.
Toss with diced apple, sliced celery, and halved grapes.
Mix dijon mustard into sour cream and pour over the salad.
Sprinkle with almonds and cayenne pepper.

*The closest thing to real crème fraiche is light sour cream. Some recipes call for mayonnaise or fromage blanc. I thought mayonnaise sounded too heavy this morning, but you can probably do a mixture of any or all of these creamy sauces depending on the flavor you're looking for.

Bubba's Traditional Polish Pierogi

Bubba is Polish for Grandma. My Bubba was my Grampap's mother. She made homemade pierogis every week for the entire family, and extended family!

I loved my Bubba. She was a petit firecracker of a woman. She loved to play games, her favorite was Yahtzee - and she cheated at every game!

Bubba's Traditional Polish Pierogi

Makes about 8 dozen. Can be made ahead and frozen.

FILLING
8 to 10 potatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
6 tbsp margarine or butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Boil until tender. Reserve cooking water for dough. (aha! That's why we had you make the filling first!)
Meanwhile, saute onion in butter, set aside to cool.
Mash potatoes, add onion with butter, cheeses, season to taste and mix well. Set aside.
This is our family's traditional filling. In the old country you just used whatever cheese was around the house. If you had cows, you made fresh homemade soft cheese. If you happened to have goats in the backyard, you'll use goat cheese. You can also use cottage cheese, or even sauerkraut in your mashed potatoes.

DOUGH
2 1/4 cups reserved potato water, cooled to lukewarm
2 eggs
6 T veg. oil
6 to 7 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt

Combine potato water, eggs and oil; mix well.
In a very large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour water/egg mixture into well and stir until mixture is smooth.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times.
Place dough in well greased bowl, turning once, and cover. Let rest for at least 20 minutes, 2 hours is better.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough into circles with a jelly glass.
Place dough circle in the palm of the left hand. Plop a teaspoon of potato filling into the center of the dough circle. Fold one half over the potato mixture and pinch the open edges together. Experienced Bubbas do this with a little twist. Be sure they are tightly sealed or the filling will ooze out during the boiling.

IF YOU ARE FREEZING SOME FOR LATER: Place on baking sheets lined with wax paper. Once frozen, place in a large zipper-style plastic bag to store in freezer.

COOKING: First bring a large cooking pot of water to boil. Cook pierogis in batches of 6 in boiling water. They are done when they rise to the surface.
Then fry them in butter and onions until golden.
Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream.

Pizza Soup

Pizza Soup

1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 cup (12 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
2 (8 in / 20 cm) zucchini / courgette
14.5 oz beef broth
14.5 oz tomatoes
16 oz can pizza sauce
1 lb (4 oz) fully cooked smoked sausage links
1/2 tsp herbs de provence (pizza seasoning)

GARNISH
shredded cheese
sour cream

In a medium saucepan, combine onion, sweet pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, and 1/4 cup of broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer covered for 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the sausage.

Stir in the remaining broth, the undrained tomatoes, pizza sauce, sausage, and seasoning. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.

Dollop sour cream on each serving and top with cheese.
Makes 6 servings.

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

2c ham roast
8 raw potatoes
Boiling water, just enough to cover the top of the potatoes
6 bouillion cubes
¼ cup parsley
¼ tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper
16 oz sour cream

Start with a ham roast that is well cooked it should it falls off the bone, cut into spoon sized chunks.

Boil first seven ingredients. (15-20 min) When the potatoes are tender, gently mash them, leaving lots of small lumps. Then stir the sour cream into the soup before serving. At the very end, if the soup is thin, add instant potatoes until thickness and creaminess are as you like it. ;)

Tradition Meets Inovation - Quinoa Chili

What happens when all the best stuff of life converge together in a bowl of chili?

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
3 tomatoes (or one 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes)
2 (19 ounce) cans black beans
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 jalapeno pepper
1 tbsp chipotle pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, soften the onion in a tablespoon of water over medium heat. When the onion is transparent add the spices : garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook and stir 1 minute to release the flavors. Add 2 cups water. Stir in the diced vegetables : tomatoes, black beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, zucchini, jalapeno pepper, chipotle pepper, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in the cooked quinoa. Remove from the heat, add the cilantro to serve.

Köttbullar "Mom's Meatballs" - Swedish Meatballs From Scratch

Growing up, swedish meatballs were a staple in our family. The recipe has been perfected over centuries, then promptly ruined by commercialization. Now we're getting back to the roots of a real, hearty, good for you, swedish meatballs from scratch recipe.

Swedish meatballs are essentially beef, onions and mushrooms in a sour cream and parsley sauce. Any dish called "Mom's Meatballs" is bound to have variations inspired by each household, that's why Köttbullar or Swedish meatballs must be prepared, above all, with love. So if you're trying your hand at this timeless recipe, don't feel intimidated by the variety of choices, just go with your gut and make a dish you would enjoy. Apparently, in southern Sweden many people prefer their meatballs with a little more fat, but the further north you go, the less pork you will find in the meatball mixture. Some things remain constant however, bread dipped in milk is a must!

KÖTTBULLAR MEATBALL
2 pounds of hamburger (preferably 1 1/2 lbs. beef and 1/2 lb. pork)
3 slices of bread - your favorite grain
1 cup milk
1/2 onion
2 eggs
salt, white pepper
Butter or lard for frying

SWEDISH CREAM SAUCE
1/2 onion
10 oz (300g) mushrooms
1 tub of sour cream
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley

First dice the entire onion and soften it on the stovetop, set it aside.
Then sauté the sliced mushrooms - don't crowd the mushrooms!

Meanwhile, stir together half of the onion and all of the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl. Tear up the bread and get it wet in the milk, it will mix more easily. Frying the meatballs might be the most authentic method, but you can also bake them in the oven on a sheet of parchment paper, less mess, less fat.

Chop the parsley with scissors and mix the sauce ingredients together, perhaps in your mushroom pan to heat the sauce one last time before serving.

Tradition would have you serve the meatballs separate from the sauce, and generously pour the gravy over the meatballs. Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Always accompanied by lingonberries on the side.

Don't Crowd The Mushrooms

Claire's Pizza

This is the easiest pizza ever! I think Claire was in junior high when she started making this wonderful recipe. It's an American-style pizza which means you can whip it up in ten minutes. No yeast means there's no need to wait for the dough to rise, you just throw it on the baking dish and put the toppings on right away. It's that simple.

Claire's Pizza

5 1/4 cups (520 g) of flour
4 tsp (15 g) baking powder (levure chimique)
3 tsp (15 g) salt
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil or olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Wash your hands. Take off your rings. Mix with your bare hands, folding the dough over on itself until all the ingredients are absorbed into the ball of dough.

Split the dough into two balls, and press onto two pizza stones. *If you are using metal or glass baking dishes you'll want to oil the surface before pressing out the dough.

Spread tomato sauce on the surface of your dough, top with cheese and your favorite toppings!

Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.

The day channel six came to my house - Cheesecake Video

Writing The Cheesecake Song

My bestie is a journalist who has a cheesecake blog. Every time she spots a new cheesecake in Paris, she'll write a juicy review. This month REAL Philadelphia Cream Cheese has just been released for sale in France at all your favorite grocery stores - Read more on Céline's blog! - oh yea, her blog is in French ;)

So, one fine day Céline gets a call from M6 asking if she would be willing to give them a tour of all the best places to find cheesecake in Paris, for one of their nationally syndicated television shows. Céline's response? No problem. She'll take them on a tour of all the best places to find cheesecake in Paris, but the BEST place to find cheesecake is at Nichole's house. So the show ends with a cheesecake party in my living room.



If you would like to learn to make the cheesecake shown in this film, you'll find the step by step guide here.

Give A Man A Fish - Fish Tacos

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." - Maimonides

Fish Tacos

Tilapia. Cooked in olive oil and seasoned with chipotle seasoning.

Amazing Fish Taco Sauce. Half sour cream and half light mayonaise seasoned with chipotle seasoning.

Pico de Gallo. Fresh diced tomatoes, diced onion, and generous amounts of chopped cilantro drenched in fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Red Rice.

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 fresh lemons

SHORTBREAD
Blend the softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups flour. Press into pan, bake 15 minutes 350°F (175°C).

LEMON GANACHE
Whisk the last four ingredients and pour over the baked shortbread. Bake another 20 minutes. The ganache will firm as it cools.

Raspberry Roast

A light roast that says, spring is here! Let's all get twitterpated!

If you're feeling like mashed potatoes just won't do the trick tonight then try this nice potato gratin ; parboiled sliced potatoes, cheese, cream, white wine, nutmeg.

Raspberry Roast Sauce
1/4 cup black raspberry preserves
1/4 cup red raspberry preserves
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup wine/grape juice
1/2 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) reduce to 325°F (160°C) when putting the roast in fat side up smothered in sauce. Cook 25 minutes for each pound (500g).

Pure Hearts Make Better Soup - Rotisserie Chicken Soup

"Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup." - Ludwig van Beethoven

This winter my hubby invented the best soup ever! I was feeling under the weather, and the moment he saw me miserable, the big soft teddy bear in him came out. "What can I make you for dinner?" he asked. It's uncanny, every time I catch a cold the first symptom to present itself is laryngitis. So naturally, the first thing I want to eat is a nice soothing soup. Rob's Rotisserie Chicken Soup is not super complicated but the order you cook the ingredients may surprise you. Follow his advice, start with the little veggies, their tender juicy flavor is worth the extra attention...

Rotisserie Chicken Soup
olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
1 branch of celery
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 rotisserie chicken
18oz (500g) noodles

Heat your olive oil, simmer the diced onion, carrot, and celeri until soft. Add the chicken broth and rotisserie chicken and bring to a boil. Add the noodles. Serve when the noodles are tender.

*Looking for an extra challenge? - If you would like to make this recipe from scratch, you can start with a small whole chicken. Butter the chicken and roast in the oven using either a roasting pan or roasting bag to contain all of the juices. After an hour of roasting use all of the juices and the chicken parts in your soup.

Red Velvet Dream Cake

Valentine's weekend and I awake to the sweet scent of bright red cake baking! My super hubby has made me a red velvet cake! The photo doesn't really do it justice. The cake was a luscious deep dark red, and ohh, soo moist!

Thanks Honey-Bunny! I love you !!!

Red Velvet Dream Cake
2 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter
4 tbsp (càs) water
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
3 eggs
1 C buttermilk
2 tsp (càc) vanilla
2 tbsp red food coloring
2.5 C flour
1/2 C cornstarch (maïzena)
1/2 tsp (càc) baking powder
1/2 C fine sugar

Cream Frosting
1 C cream cheese (fromage à tartiner)
3 tbsp (75g) unsalted butter
3 tbsp (càs) fine sugar
1 tsp (càc) vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter two nine inch (23 cm) round baking pans and dust with flour.

Heat butter, water and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring constantly, without boiling.

Beat together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring until frothy. Beat in the butter mixture. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Add all of this plus the sugar.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 min.

For the frosting, beat together all the ingredients until smooth.

Smooch your hubby ^^

Rock-N-Roll - Burger on a Half Bun

"Rock and roll is the hamburger that ate the world." - Peter York

Okay, is it presumptuous to want to write about a hamburger? I mean, who doesn't know how to make a hamburger right?

Here's what I'm thinking - This post is all about the inspiring photos, and maybe one or two highlights. Hey, after all, someone out there has probably never deseeded an avocado before, let's give them some tips... but really, honestly, I just wanted to showcase my awesome hubby, who incidentally, makes the best hamburgers in the world!

LAYERS
Fresh Sliced Onion
Banana Pepper
Canadian Bacon
Big Thick Slice of Avacado
Mega Dose of Tomatoes
Bed of Arugula - Nutty Leaves
American Cheese
Quarter-Pounder
Lightly Toasted Open Faced Bun

Burger on a Half Bun

Step one - Send hubby to the grocery, preheat the oven.

Step two - Put the french fries in the oven, and the fresh green beans on the stove.

Step three - Put the bun in the toaster.

Step four - Slice tomato through it's equator. One tomato made four perfect slices leaving only two quarter sized ends to snack on while cooking. Slice the onion and the banana pepper.

Step five - Slice avocado. You choose a ripe avocado the same way you choose a ripe peach. Don't be scared of it's unsightly rough skin, it should be soft to the touch, not soupy, not hard, peach-like. Use a sharp flat knife (not a butter knife, not a steak knife, a smooth non-serrated knife). Flip your avocado over so you can see it's stem, which always grows crooked, so look it straight in the eye and look for it's seem. Hold your knife handle toward your belly button, and blade facing down. Slice straight in the stem and through the avocado until you hit the seed then maintaining contact with the seed slice backward around the seed until you've made a complete circle. Remove your knife and twist the two halves of the avocado like an oreo cookie. Set the half of the fruit containing the seed on the table in front of you. Wielding your knife like a mini ax, you should be able to wedge the flat sharp blade of your knife into the seed with one flick of your wrist. With the blade embedded in the seed, twist the seed gently and it will dislodge from the avocado. Peel the skin off with your fingers starting at the stem and slowly undressing it. Slice as you like. Wrap unused avocado tightly in plastic wrap, or better yet, eat it immediately.

Step six - Fry the bacon. Canadian bacon has more meat, less fat, and is shaped just right for a burger.

Step seven - When the fries are done, turn off the oven and leave them in to stay warm. Start your burgers. Heat your pan on the stovetop, medium hot. Choose a low-fat meat. (Really, the price difference is worth it, if you don't believe me, try this : buy the cheapest variety, and the leanest variety and cook them side by side and compare the size of the patty after it's cooked!) Season with fresh ground pepper and sea salt.  Cook on one side until it is visibly cooked half-way up the side of the burger. Flip once. Cook on the other side until cooked thoroughly. Add the cheese.

Step eight - Assemble your Hamburger.

Step nine - Eat with a fork and knife.

Here's The Suggested Presentation :

And Here's How I Like To Eat My Burger :

;) YUM!

Cook With Abandon - Enchiladas Verdes

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~Harriet van Horne

Apparently I'm getting wimpy. I thought it would be wise to put in half of the peppers and then taste the salsa to see if it needed more spicy hot. So I made it up with three little green chili peppers and tasted it and it kicked back. So I had my guest try it, warning him it's spicy hot. He took a taste and stared off into space. Thinking it must have taken his breath away, I go, "So, what do you think? Is it too spicy?" He goes, "I'm still waiting for it to kick in." I'm like, hum, that's odd.

Then I serve the meal and warned another friend it was spicy. She goes, "Maybe just a small piece, I don't like spicy." Then she LOVED it and ate the the WHOLE thing! Meanwhile, I could barely get mine down it was so hot. Finally, I just picked out all of the little green pepper pieces and left them on my plate. My hubby says I'm a wimp and next time I need to put all five peppers in. I'll let you judge for yourself...

Enchiladas Verdes

One Fresh Chicken
2 cups frozen chicken broth or 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tsp (càc) salt
1 pound fresh tomatillos - about a dozen
5 fresh green serrano peppers - I use three
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
1 pinch salt
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup (6cl) vegetable oil
1 cup (100g) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 onion
1 bunch fresh cilantro

In a large pot, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a crushed garlic clove, and salt. Cover the pot over medium-low heat, and boil the stuffing out of that chicken! (about 20 minutes) Pull the chicken out of the liquid, and let it cool in a strainer over the pot in front of a big drafty window.

When it's cool enough to handle shred the chicken with your hands.

Place the tomatillos in a pot of water, enough to cover them. Bring them to a boil, and continue boiling just until the tomatillos turn a different shade of green (bright green to dull army green). Strain tomatillos and place in a blender with the reserved chicken broth, and another quarter piece of onion, another crushed garlic clove, a pinch of salt, and serrano peppers chopped up with scissors. Blend. Ta-da! Green Salsa!

Fry your corn tortillas in vegetable oil and layer with paper towels between them. Dip the crunchy tortillas in salsa to soften them, stuff them with shredded chicken and a scoop of salsa. Roll the wrap, top with a scoop of salsa, queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and the rest of the onion, chopped.

***VARIATION - Flour tortillas stray a bit from the authentic tradition, but sometimes I need recipes that I can make ahead and pop in the oven at the last moment. So I shredded the chicken and purée the salsa then right before my guests arrive I stuff big floppy burrito tortillas with chicken, salsa and sour cream. Then I wrap them and snuggle them together for a nap in a shallow baking dish. I cover them with green salsa while they bake fifteen minutes. Then I serve them with extra green salsa, onions and sour cream. Yum!

A Serene Day's Bliss - Grammie's Buns

"The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight." - M. F. K. Fisher

"[Breadbaking is] one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world's sweetest smells... there is no chiropractic treatment, no Yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music-throbbing chapel, that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of making bread." ~M.F.K. Fisher, The Art of Eating

The calming rythmique motion of kneading is toning your muscles, but this time you're not lost in the beat of the song, or counting the seconds until your work-out ends. Embracing this old world tradition means listening to your heart and soul and conversing with the dough.

*Professional photograph thanks to http://erwanmasson.com

"My friends are constantly asking me, 'Nancy what's your secret? How do you stay looking so young?' I just tell them it's three things. Drink lots of water. Stay out of the sun. And be a good girl." - My Grammie (oh, and that good girl comment... she means no smoking or drinking - just in case you didn't get that ;)

I remember my Grammie teaching me to pull the rolls when I was only a child. I reached my double washed hand into the gigantic metal bowl where the freshly risen dough awaited. The dough was warm and soft and retreated at my touch. Grammie showed me how she choked the bulging dough catching the air bubbles before they could collapse. "The less you touch the dough the fluffier your rolls will be." My tiny hand had already squeezed the life out of the bit of dough I managed to pull off. "Like this," she said, "You open your hand wide, and sneak up on the bread with your thumb and forefinger." I was miserable, as I tried desperately to make a perfect ball of untouched dough, so smooth and taught as Grammie had.

I never practiced making my own bread until I was grown and on my own. My first batch was ruined because I played with each ball of dough until each bubble collapsed. But Grammie's tender lesson eventually came back to me, and I trace her finger movements now with grown-up hands.

I've had to call her from time to time seeking advice. One year during the rising process the dough turned to soup, yuck! Help! Seeing that I was living 5000 miles away, I surprised my Grammie out of her stockings when I called for a quick troubleshooting session and laughed and chatted as we caught up over the phone. I learned that the temperature was too hot (I thought I set the temperature to 50°F - it was actually set to 50°C !!!) and it killed the yeast. Add a little bit more flour and you can make a heavier loaf bread, great with bits of cheese and bacon baked into it. Another year, my dough wouldn't rise after many hours and I learned that if the temperature is too low - simply turn up the heat, and with more time the bread will rise as expected.

TECHNIC

If you form a loop with your thumb and forefinger and look through the hole. Imagine that you will need to pull a bubble of dough (the size of a ping-pong ball) slowly drawn through the inside of this hole, thus creating a taut baby-bottom smooth outside surface while not popping the little air pockets that reside inside your bread.

To accomplish this you open your circle as wide as it will go and hover above the surface of the bread, imagine the arch created by your hand to be the edges of a draw string bag. You gently loop a ball of dough, and slowly pinch your fingers together under this arch until your fingers meet and the little pouch of dough sits quietly on the back of your hand. There's nothing like that split second when your thumb and forefinger cross paths and begin to constrict the bottom of the ball until it breaks loose, and like cutting an umbilical cord, he is set free and balances peacefully.

Move the little round body onto a well buttered cooking sheet. Only handle the little rolls by their belly-button where several fragrant air pockets have already been sacrificed. Try not to touch any other surface of the bulging baby. Set it down gently belly-button side down. Keep them warm, so they can continue rising and re-puff after the trauma of being shaped into rolls.

Grammie's Buns

• 3 pm  - Add 2 packages of dry yeast and 2 tbsp (càs) of sugar to 1/2 cup (12cl) of warm water in a 40 cup (10L) Stainless steel mixing bowl.  Mix and set aside for ten minutes. (away from any drafts)
• 3:10 pm - Add 1 rounded cup (215g) of sugar, 3 tsp (càc) salt, 1 cup (25cl) vegetable oil, 4 cups (1L) warm water, and 14 cups of flour - that's a five pound bag minus 2 cups or simply 2 kilo bags. Take off your rings, knead with your hands. The dough will be very sticky. Scrape all of the bits of flour off of the sides of the bowl (I like my rubber scrapper spatula for this) and stick them all together in the ball of dough you are forming in the middle of the bowl. Now you are going to oil the bowl. Over the bowl, pour vegetable oil into the palm of your hand. Smear the oil all over the inside of the bowl around and under the ball of dough. Loosely drape a large sheet of plastic wrap over the edge of the bowl and snuggly hug the baby ball of dough, and back up over the other edge of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep it warm. Stow it comfortably in a warm place, but where it won't dry out. (I get the best results when my bowl is setting on top of the stovetop while I'm baking something else in the oven, so plan a big bake-ahead day and bake up a storm to keep the oven running and the room warm and moist.)
• 6 pm - Peek under the towel, the dough should have doubled in size. Lift the plastic wrap, roll up your sleeves and give the rising dough a big punch right in the middle. Watch it relax, the dough really takes on a personality at this point. Place the plastic wrap back over the bowl hugging the dough. Cover again with a towel, and continue to keep it cozy and warm.
• 9 pm - Slather 6 dozen muffin tins with a thick layer of butter. Uncover the big mountain of dough. Begin pinching off ping-pong ball sized puffs, and place three in each muffin tin, belly button side down. Reread the introduction for inspiration and reminder of how to pinch the dough. Cover each tray of muffin tins with a towel. Snuggle in a warm place overnight.
• 6 am - Bake your buns at 350°F for 15 - 20 minutes (176°C for 8 minutes in a convection oven)
• Tip the buns out onto a sheet of aluminum foil while they're still warm. To reheat your buns, wrap 20 in a large sheet of aluminum foil, crimp the edges, place in a hot oven. Serve toasty and hot.
• Grab a bun with two hands and tear it in half, it should open up like a flower revealing it's soft melt-in-your-mouth center. Serve with cold real butter. 

Fuel For Imagination - Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

"If God had intended us to follow recipes,
He wouldn't have given us grandmothers."
~Linda Henley

Vacationing with friends and I suddenly remembered one of my friends would be celebrating his birthday! Like, in two days! He deserved the very best and I wasn't going to slack off just because we were away from home. I was imagining a luxurious moist chocolate cake with thick chocolate fluff for icing, maybe even multiple layers...

I remembered the basics to my favorite recipe, I improvised the rest, and here's the result. Another recipe you guys have been begging me for. Good thing I took lots of photos. You'll get to experience the step-by-step walk through complete with video clips! Yeah!

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

2 cups (400g) flour
1/2 cup (60g) baking cocoa
2 tsp (càc) baking soda
1/4 tsp (càc) salt
2 cups (425g) brown sugar (sucre vergeoise / sucre roux semoule)
2/3 cup (150g) butter
3 eggs
1 tbsp (càs) bailey's irish cream
1/2 tsp (càc) vanilla
1 cup (120g) sour cream
3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and sides of two round pans, 9x 1.5 inches; lightly flour.

Cream the brown sugar and butter softened, but not melted in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in irish cream and vanilla.

Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and add them to the mixture with the sour cream on low speed. Stir in the boiling water until blended. Pour into pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and allow them to cool completely.

Chocolate Mousse Filling

1 1/3 cup (320ml) heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup (85g) powdered sugar
1 bar of baking chocolate
1/2 tsp (càc) vanilla
1/2 tsp (càc) Bailey's irish cream

Freeze the whipping cream and a large glass mixing bowl. Pulverize the bar of baking chocolate in a food processor. Whip the cream in the chilled bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's stiff, add the other ingredients. *


Chocolate Whipped Cream  Icing

1 1/3 cup (320ml) heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup (85g) powdered sugar
1/3 cup (40g) baking cocoa
1/2 tsp (càc) vanilla

Freeze the whipping cream and a large glass mixing bowl. Whip the cream in the chilled bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's stiff, add the other ingredients. *

Here's the Step-by-Step as I recreated this recipe with a good friend - Her first time ever baking a cake !!! You GO girl!

 Stiff Peaks of Cream

 Pulverized Chocolate Bar

in the Chocolate Mousse Filling

Frozen Bowl - Very Very Cold Cream 

Whipping the Cream 

Chocolate Whipped Cream Icing 

 Ice the cakes on parchment paper for easy turning and let the paper get messy, you'll remove it before presenting the finished product.

Decide if you want one four layer cake or two two layer cakes.

I love the thrill of a four layer cake, but we decided it would be easier to cut 30 pieces if we had two cakes ... logistics won out this time.

* If you have a hard time whipping the cream, here are a few tricks of the trade. 

- Purchase a quality brand whipping cream that is in the refrigerated section.

(usually, I don't have a problem with the little generic boxes, but if you are struggling this can give you an edge.)

- Freeze a large glass mixing bowl two hours.

- Chill the carton of whipping cream - even put it in the freezer for fifteen minutes.

- Move to a location that is less warm, perhaps infront of that drafty window will help.

- If your cream does not stiffen perhaps your mixer is set too high. Try a lower setting.

- If you still can't get a thick mousse consider adding "Cremefix" or another stiffening agent for that purpose.

!!! - If you are using a tabletop mixer you'll have to be very careful to use a low setting and the stop the machine the second the cream begins to pile ontop of itself - 30 seconds too long and you'll have butter.

A Pure Demonstration Of True Love - The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves. ~Thomas Wolfe

*Professional photograph thanks to http://erwanmasson.com

University, three roommates learning to cook (and impress the guys). One time we decided to bake chocolate chip cookies, but five minutes of research revealed dozens of recipes as different as the women that bake them. Well, then, how is one supposed to choose a good recipe? How do I know it won't be too crunchy? or flat? or bland? Think, think, think.

And a great idea came to us. The men's dorm was having a big party, let's just bake all of the recipes and have a taste-testing!!! The best recipe would be treasured for a lifetime.

I half-expected there to be a tie. The recipes were as different as they get, some sharing only the chocolate morsels and flour as common components. But different people have different expectations of their chocolate chip cookies, as you may know. None-the-less the results of the taste-test were unanimous. I mean, one hundred strapping young men, and they all agreed on one thing - gooey!

So if you're looking for a chocolate chip cookie that is soft, chewy, and gooey in the middle ... even the next day, then you've come to the right place!

In my opinion a good chocolate chip recipe should never make less than six dozen. So here goes, enjoy!

The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 C (375g) Crisco (in France you can use Astra, but they won't have the same lift and fluff. Do NOT melt it first.)
1 1/2 C (320g) brown sugar (sucre vergeoise / sucre roux semoule)
3/4 C (165g) sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp (càc) vanilla
3 1/3 C (700g) flour
1 1/2 tsp (càc) soda
1 tsp (càc) baking powder
1 1/2 tsp (càc) salt
2 C chocolate chips (1 bar baking chocolate)
*1/2 C chopped nuts - optional

Cream the first five ingredients.
Add flour and dry ingredients slowly.
Add chocolate last.
Bake at 350°F for 8-10min (200°C for 6min).

Special thanks to Dana Shaffer who first published this recipe in the Baptist Church Cookbook!