Miss me??

Not to worry. I am back! Sorry for the lack of posts the past week. G and I just got back from a few days in IL to see some family, and it took me awhile to get back in the groove.
However, for all of you anxiously awaiting my next post (aren't you all?) I've got a goodie. A couple of years ago, Seth and I spent a week on the north shore of Oahu. Everyone told us we had to stop at a little place called Ted's Bakery to get this.

Chocolate Haupia pie. Haupia, for you non-Hawaiians, is coconut pudding.
So the pie is basically chocolate pudding layered with coconut pudding, and topped with fresh whipped cream & chocolate shavings. Personally, I've never been much of a coconut person.. but this pie changed my mind. It was delicious. Chocolately, creamy deliciousness.

When we returned, I was determined to re-create this pie.I found a recipe online.. and while it is quite delicious, I won't lie to you and tell you that it is as good as Ted's. It totally isn't. But it IS pretty tasty.

Chocolate Haupia Pie

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
• 1 cup milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Call me lazy, but I use store-bought crust. Making pie crust just doesn't sound all that exciting to me, and Marie Callender does an excellent job so why re-invent the wheel?

First, Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, coconut milk and 1 cup sugar. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water. Bring coconut mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and slowly whisk in the cornstarch. Continue stirring mixture over low heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.

In a glass bowl, microwave chocolate chips for 1 minute or until melted. Divide the coconut pudding evenly into two bowls. Mix chocolate into one portion. Spread on the bottom of the pie crust. 

Pour the remaining portion of pudding on top of the chocolate and spread smooth. Refrigerate for about an hour.

While the pie is refrigerating, make the whipped cream.  Whip heavy cream with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Layer the cream on pie; if desired garnish with chocolate shavings. 

 I like to add the chocolate shavings to make it pretty and professional-looking. I just used a dark chocolate bar that I keep in my freezer for chocolate emergencies.
And when you cut it open, it should look beautiful and layered.. unlike mine, which looks messy. (where's my food stylist??)

 Aloha! 

Baby Foodie: Squash it up

 My brain is feeling a little muddled today thanks to several random wake-ups by a certain blue-eyed babbler last night. (He doesn't even look apologetic, does he?)

 Anyway, so I apologize that this recipe isn't exactly re-inventing the wheel or anything.. however, it is seasonal, economical, easy to make, and delicious.



 
This is one of those things you can easily buy in jars at the store, but you can actually make it yourself for very little money, and it's something you'd actually want to eat. I'm talking about butternut squash. Squash is everywhere this time of year, and it's really quite cheap. I like to buy mine pre-cut and packaged at Trader Joe's, because I'm lazy like that. But you can always buy a whole one and chop it up if you wanna use your muscles a little bit.

Simply roast your butternut squash on a cookie pan, tossed with a little olive oil, in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Yum right? Don't worry about overcooking it. The longer it cooks, the softer it will get.. and soft is good when you're puree-ing.
1 cup roasted butternut squash + 1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce + 1/4 tsp cinnamon =

Tastes like Thanksgiving. :-) You really don't need the applesauce, but it does help with the consistency in the puree process. You could always use a little water instead.

Griffin really likes this one. The consistency is a lot like mashed potatoes, but better for you. And you can sneak bites for yourself without feeling guilty.. unlike what I'll be making this weekend. I'm taking a few days break from making sweets to prepare for the calorie feast that will be consumed on Sunday, the first day of football season!! I'm planning a yummy Hawaiian treat to share with ya'll next week, you'll have to check me out to find out what it is. (Hint: Ted's Bakery makes it and they make it AMAZING!!)

Food Porn Friday: Everything's better with sour cream

Yes, even cupcakes.

Ok, I can't take total credit for these beauties. I got the recipe for the cakes from Anne Burrell's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.  Yes, I'm slightly obsessed with the Food Network.. there's something relaxing about watching someone cook, right? Plus, you get a lot of ideas.

Anyway, she was making sour cream cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting for a kid's birthday party. And, turns out, I've been on the lookout for a good basic cupcake recipe for G's upcoming 1st birthday party, which I'll be turning into Elmo faces (yeah, stay tuned for that.) The cake really turned out great, kind of dense, but with a really mild vanilla flavor.. and super easy to make. Oh - and ya know what else makes baking easier?

Ohhh yeah.. the bonus of having a bigger kitchen means finalllllllllllllllllly being able to bring out my Kitchen Aid mixer! A most amazing wedding gift (thanks Norm & Gail!) that's been sitting in our garage for oh, well over two years. Aside from the small learning curve (i.e. careful when dumping flour in there at high speeds) it was very easy to use and made the baking process so much more fun.


Anne Burrell's Sour Cream cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Reserve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugar. Using the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Slowly add the vanilla, milk and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually mix in the flour.

Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 of the way, dividing the batter evenly among the lined cups.

Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Check about halfway through the baking process to make sure everything is going along great and also rotate.
The cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Anne used a chocolate buttercream frosting that looked delicious, but the reviews on foodnetwork.com were less than stellar. Three sticks of butter to 1/2 cup powdered sugar? Possible recipe misprint?? Anyway, I found this recipe on another blogger site, and it was WONDERFUL.


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

 I used 1% milk simply because that's what I had. I think cream would probably just make it that much better.

In the future, I might add a little almond extract to the cake, as I think it would give it a little more flavor. Plus, I just love almond extract.
But they were pretty delicious as is.. so I had two yesterday. And I might do it again today.
Happy Labor day to me.

Baby Foodie: Smoothies!

My hope for G is that he'll be the kind of kid who isn't afraid to try any type of food. (Unlike his mama, who was a terribly picky eater. Sorry mom.) Therefore, I really want to introduce his palette to all kinds of things while he's still open to it. So far, it's going well. This kid will eat anything you put in front of him. Seriously - guacamole, tuna, salmon, eggs, peas, spaghetti-o's.. you name it, he'll eat it.

So lately, I've just been taking whatever we have on hand and throwing it in the Cuisinart. It's been kinda fun, coming up with fun & yummy combinations - like this one. Ya know that baby food that you just want to steal a few bites of for yourself? No? Well.. this is about to change that.

A handful of strawberries + half banana + 1/4 cup greek yogurt =

Kinda like a breakfast smoothie. You can sub out the fruits however you want. Today I did nectarine and strawberry, and it was a hit. You could also add a touch of cinnamon if you prefer.

Ummm mom, why are you eating my food?