Summer Classic

I actually have a goal this summer. Other than relaxing and looking fly, I fully intend to finish every Nancy Drew book this summer. I just can't get enough of that girl! She's crafty, always looks good, she's determined, and she always appreciates a good meal. She's a timeless character. A classic.

This summer I am committed to the classics. Even my baking has gone old school. Fresh ingredients are good for a dusty recipe, like Betty Crocker's Coffee-And-Spice Drops.

Kick it in the kitchen this summer.



Coffee-And-Spice Drops Intriguing flavors from the Far East

Mix together thoroughly:
1 cup soft shortening
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs

Stir in:
1/2 cup cold coffee

Sift together and stir in:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Chill at least 1 hour. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until set... just until, when touched lightly with finger, almost no imprint remains.

Temperature: 400 degrees F.
Time: 8-10 min.
Amount" About 6 doz 2 1/2" cookies.


Keep it classic

Things That Stay

Lately my padres have been mentioning when I move out. Not like a "when you move out... because I'm counting the days" but a "this is something that you'll take with you when you do" kind of way. I don't have a hope chest or whatever, but I'm becoming increasingly aware that my days of grown-up-hood are coming to get me.

The two items that have truly kept me on my toes are possibly the greatest purchases I've ever made.

My dutch oven, Walmart.

Triple Fringe Minnetonka moccasins.

I guess some things just stay with you, like a good pair of boots and a cast iron pot.

Back in the Kitchen

I'm back! Sorry, I've been super duper busy with driving, homework, and art stuff. My baking was getting the shaft, and so was the blog... and you. My bad!
But I'm back, and my kitchen seemed to have missed me and I missed it's bomb diggity smells.
To make myself at home all over again, I made this:


This Souffle is bomb. The ingredients are little, and the flavor is dynamite! I used orange, but any citrus is where it's at. The sauce was on the fly, just to add an extra fruity flavor, but the wine made it deep and a little bit more fancy schmancy.


Orange Souffle Pudding with Reduced Raspberry Cabernet Sauce

Souffle Recipe adapted from Joy The Baker

1 cup granulated white sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, room temp.
3 large eggs, separated
1 teasponn vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons orange zest
1/3 cup all p. flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and position oven rack in center of oven. Butter three two cup ramekins or any oven-safe bowls you have. (you can even use a nine-inch pie dish)

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the sugar (from the 1 cup listed) to use when whipping the egg whited. Place remaining sugar in a medium bowl with the zest. With the back of a spoon, work and grind the zest into the sugar, making it more fragrant and colored (doing this loosens up all the good oils in the zest that really make the flavor happen). Then, with a mixer cream the fruity sugar and the butter. Add the three egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. After that beat in the extract. Add the flour and salt and beat until combined. With mixer on low speed, slowly and evenly pour in the juice and the milk. Let that sit while you work on the Egg whites.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and keep beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter in three additions, mixing only until incorporated (I kid you not fool, do not over-mix the whites, no matter how many fluffy chunks you see. By over-mixing, you'll deflate the whites).

Carefully pour the batter into the ramekins. The batter doesn't rise much so you can fill it to the brim if you like. Place ramekins in a basting pan.

Boil a teapot of water to create a water bath around the ramekins in the pan. Put the pan in the oven first, carefully pulling the rack out a little. Carefully pour enough water into the pan so that its halfway up the ramekins. slide the rack back in all the way and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the cakey tops are golden. Remove from water bath and let cool a little before serving.

To make the sauce, I just put about a cup of frozen raspberries in a small saucepan with 2-3 tablespoons sugar. Once the berries cooked down and caramelized a little I added a splash of my pop's cabernet. Let it boil and reduce to a fragrant syrupy sauce. Let cool and pour over souffles.

Yeuuhh boii I'm back! I'll try to keep up, can you?

Outfit post and more groovy shiznits to come fools.

What I Wore Today: 70's Bedsheet

Hand-me-downs are my favorite. they're either really ugly and too big with all the potential in the world, or they're just fab in the first place. On some rare occasions though, the hand-me-downs are mad fly in the first place, but just keep getting better.

This dress was originally a super groovy sheet handed down to my momma from her best hippie homie Miss Lisa (never minus the Miss). My Momma didn't see it like that though, she saw it as this dress and only that.

Pretty much ever piece of clothing or textile has potential. Some people can just see it like my mom. Others have to stare at for a while before bedtime like me. Look for that potential, make it a quest! No T- shirt has to be just a T- shirt, and bedsheets don't always belong on a bed.

Leftover pancake fab

I think you all should know the wonders of leftovers.

If you think stale, cold, or unwanted when you think of leftovers, think again!

I love leftovers for the simple reason that it's and opportunity to teach and old dog new tricks. The pancakes are already there, but the pizazz of leftovers lies in a foil covered can of black beans and some frozen spinach.


Want some?

microwave 1 half of a leftover buttermilk pancake (make them fresh if that floats your boat) topped with 1/3 cup frozen spinach for 1 minute. Then top that with 1/2 cup drained canned black beans and microwave an additional 45 seconds. season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with a fried egg over medium, parmesan cheese, and a dash of oregano. dig in!

Love Letters from One Cook to Another

Yesterday was a great day. Wanna know why? Sure you do!

I scored an original 1950 copy of Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook.
Early Wednesday morning after my momma and I worked our butts off (no joke) on the terrible treadmills, we stopped by the local farmer' s market and secondhand bookstore (SHOUT OUT TO COAAAASS!) Coas: My Book Store.
First stop in the shop? Coffee. Then? Cookbooks of course! Before I could even look around I saw it. That red book was shining like a beacon of culinary excellence...no joke. I snatched that bad boy up with a gasp and visions of myself in the 1950's baking strawberry shortcake. I can dream can't I?

Just to add to the coolness of my score, I found these goodies tucked insideAll of these are handwritten recipes. The one on the far left is a recipe for banana nut cake, dated 1933. Banana Depression cake! Something sweet on the cheap. I can dig it.

My momma said my finding these recipes and clippings was like love letters from one cook to another. Someone got a lot of joy and frosting out of these recipes, even when times were super hard. Now it's my turn to make something bomb, despite the crappy status of the economy and whatnot.

I'm ready to take that challenge, are you?
If so, please enjoy this recipe for Coca Cola Cake, found in my new favorite book.

Coca Cola Cake (as written on the back of an office memo)

Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for approx. 50 minutes or until done

1.Mix well in large bowl
2 cups unsifted flour
2 cups sugar
3Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt

2.Beat together
2 eggs
1teaspoon soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

3. Heat to boiling
2 sticks margarine
1 cup coca cola

Pour #3 over #1 Mix- Add #2-
Mix well, add 1 1/2 cups baby marshmallows

Batter is thin
_________________________________

Frosting:

Heat 1/2 cup margarine & 1/3 cup cake mix, 3 Tablespoons cocoa with 1 lb. box powdered sugar. Add the hot margarine & cake- Mix well. Add 1 cup chopped nuts and pour over HOT cake.

Curious Cardamom

Cardamom: The Vanilla of India...

How majestic sounding is that right? I've never cooked with cardamom before, in fact I'd never even heard of it 'til last year when found a super groovy Chai Snickerdoodle recipe. I'm not sure if this fancy-schmancy spice is like the best kept secret of India or if I'm just a tard, but I am totally sure that cardamom tastes like the bomb diggity shiznitz! I kid you not fools.

Before I really committed to cardamom, I thought it would be smart to fondle it a bit and see if it slaps me in the face.

The fondling started with my favorite cake recipe. Just plain old, minimal, cheap ingredients that make a bomb white cake that can be adjusted and changed easy-lemon-squeezy. I added 1 Tablespoon Cardamom and a 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt for moisture, and made up a glaze for added goodness and decoration.

So, if you're just as oblivious to the wonders of cardamom as I am,try this cake.

Cardamom Cake with Raisin Cardamom Glaze

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cardamom
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease and lightly flour a 9x9x2 inch baking pan (I used a nine inch round cake pan). In a small mixer bowl combine all ingredients. Beat with electric mixer until combined. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Turn into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before inverting and glazing cake.

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cardamom
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup raisins

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer on low heat until reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer over cake and spread far enough for glaze to drip over edges. Dump raisins from strainer onto center of cake.