Sometimes I buy in bulk:Potato Artichoke Pancake

I think it's time for a new camera. This is getting bad.

Do you ever find those really good deals that you can't pass up? Yes, I know there are the shoes and that really cute shirt you've been eye-balling. I'm talking about food though. Sometimes I do and I find myself in possession of large quantities of things for much less than I could buy small amounts for. One day I bought ELEVEN pounds of ham. For the two of us. Yeah, I don't know. A bit ago potatoes were on sale. Two different sizes both for a mere two dollars. So I had a decision. For two hundred pennies I could come home with five pounds or fifteen. So as you can guess I purchased fifteen pounds of potatoes. It took a separate trip to the car to bring them in the front door but I did it. Well, it's about time I used some of them up.
Kurt's mom made delicious parmesan hash browns at Easter that disappeared even before her delicious ham. So I decided to make something similar by combining what she made, something I didn't quite successfully pull off and a little latke technique. I guess simplifying isn't always better, it came out just how I hoped.


Potato Artichoke Pancake

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
• about 4 artichoke hearts, sliced
• 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
• 2 tablespoons flour
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
  
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Place grated potato in a large bowl with COLD water, allow to sit for a few minutes, drain water and cover in water again.
In a large skillet heat half of the oil and cook onion and garlic until softened.
Remove potatoes from water and place onto a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove excess water. Place potatoes into a large bowl and toss with flour, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in artichokes, cheese and egg.
In a large, non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat, press mixture firmly into pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes until well browned and crisp. Invert onto a plate. Place remaining tablespoon of oil into pan. Slide the pancake off the plate and back into pan. Continue cooking until brown and crisp. Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Blustery Day: Lemon Lavender Country Cake

There are some things that strike me as off year after year. I suppose I just can't quite get used to the way we always seem to want what we don't have. Each winter we all seem to come in the door, stomping the snow off our boots, and wishing for warmer weather. Summer finally arrives and we dread donning that swim-suit and lock ourselves inside with the frigid air conditioning. Even though I find the irony confusing every year I find myself in a different sort of predicament. I always seem to live in climates that can't quite decide which season to stick with. For three days we will have beautiful summer weather. Eighty degrees and sunshine gets me craving refreshing citrus desserts. The following days of contrasting wind and rain are just what I need. The chill in the air makes the warmth of the oven all the more inviting.
So today when the weather reminded me more of the chilly northern California coast than a mountain summer I cozied up to the oven. However, since this simple cake doesn't take much work you don't have to wait for a cold day to enjoy it. The hardest part is having the patience to not eat the filling while waiting for it to set up.

Lemon Lavender Cake with Lemon Custard

Filling:

• 1, 12oz. package white chocolate chips
• zest of 1 1/2 lemons
• 4eggs
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup milk

Sprinkle gelatin over milk and allow to sit for about five minutes. Then heat it up till it REALLY hot. While you're waiting the five minutes place chips, zest and eggs in the blender and give it a few whirls. Now with the blender on (use the little hole the lid) s-l-o-w-l-y pour in the hot milk. Let it process for about 30 seconds or so. Pour into a bowl, cover, and place into fridge.

Cake:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (hefty)teaspoon dried lavender (optional)
  
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• zest of 1 1/2 lemons
• juice of half lemon

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 9 inch cake pan with parchment, Grease and flour the pan. Using a mortar and pestle combine lavender and a few tablespoons of the sugar and smash it around until your lavender is ground. Place lavender sugar, remaining sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add in vanilla.
In a small bowl combine yogurt, zest and lemon juice. In another small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, add in 1/2 the flour, then half the yogurt and mix to combine. Add remaining flour and yogurt, mix until just combined.
Smooth batter into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Cool for five minutes then remove from pan to finish cooling on a wrack.
Once cooled, cut cake into two layers. Spread 2/3 of filling onto bottom layer and top with second layer of cake. Top the cake with remaining filling. Now carefully package and mail to me so I can eat more of this.

Overcoming fear: "Asian" Noodle Salad

I have to admit that I have a somewhat irrational fear of Asian food. Actually I love to eat it. However, when it comes time to prepare it I get a little skittish. I like to blame it on being unfamiliar with the flavors. Admittedly, there are also some techniques that I know nothing about. Combine this with my inability to actually follow a recipe and I'm in trouble.
A couple weeks ago Kurt and I went to lunch at PhoFusion and I had a tasty salad. It was very simple and composed of only noodles, tender greens, carrots and a little chicken topped with a peanut dressing. Problem is that I can't get it out of my head. I can't seem to justify taking myself to lunch everyday just to satisfy my cravings so I needed to come up with a solution. I'd also been eye-balling a recipe in one of my cook books for a pork with coconut sauce. So I took it as a jumping off point and an excuse to feed my recent need for coconut at the same time.
I am starting to think my biggest issue is that I over-complicate things. This was actually pretty simple and super tasty. The list of ingredients may look a little long but it goes very quickly. It made a great dinner on a warm summer evening.

Noodle Salad with Coconut dressing and Grilled Lime Pork
Serves 3 or 4

• 1/2 lb. chow mein or soba noodles
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• a few handfuls baby spinach
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 6 oz. coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 inch piece of fresh or candied ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or more)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/4 lbs. pork chops
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper
• Sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
  

Season pork chops with salt, pepper, zest and juice of the lime. Set aside.

Cook noodles according to package directions and rinse with cold water. Toss in a medium bowl with carrots, onions, cilantro and spinach. Preheat your grill and toss on the pork!

In a blender combine all other ingredients (coconut milk through sugar) in a blender. Process until smooth.

Thinly slice pork into strips and toss with noodles, veggies and sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

And if you're wondering what to do with the rest of your can of coconut milk: I've got an idea. If it pans out I'll let you in on the secret.

You might be a foodie...

You might be a foodie if when your husband is in the "dog house" he brings you cheese instead of flowers.

He get's older every year: German Chocolate Cake

Every year Kurt has a birthday and gets a little older. He seems to be doing quite well with it. Personally, I think this next birthday will be my last. I think at that point I will have reached my stride and will convert to anniversaries. It's not that I have a problem with getting older. I just think we have to put a stop to this before things get carried away plus, I have a hard time remembering my age with it changing all the time. This will just be easier for everyone.
Enough about me though, Kurt is the one getting older. Each year Kurt "officially" gets older on May 5th. That's right Cinco De Mayo. So can you guess what Kurt has most years for his birthday dinner. Honestly, most years myself and one of the sisters in law hijack the whole thing and he really has no say in it. He puts up with us controlling, bossy women pretty well. He does get a little variety, some years it's tamales, another fish tacos, another carnitas. So this year I was feeling nice (Don't worry, I'm trying to put a stop to that. I blame the baby hormones.) and actually ASKED KURT what he wanted. The response? "Beer Bratwurst, Potato Salad, and German Chocolate Cake. Plus, *whatever healthy thing* you decide." I gotta tell you that me deciding on a healthy thing was the toughest part. Thank God for the four pound bag of spinach in my fridge.
The German chocolate cake? Well, my SIL had one for her birthday a little over month ago. She said it was good but felt like it needed a little more filling. So I set to work. I made the filling remembering my first try at German chocolate cake years ago. I didn't really understand the process. I am pretty sure I either didn't cook the coconut filling because that just seemed silly or tried to microwave it. No amount of stirring was going to pull it through. Needless to say I ended up buying a can of frosting. Not this time. Happy Birthday Honey!

I modified this slightly because of personal preference and family allergies, the original is great!

German Chocolate Cake (A modification of the David Lebovitz recipe)
Filling:

• 4 oz. butter
  
• 3 cups sweetened coconut, toasted
• 1 1/3 cups cream
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

• 8 oz. dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 oz butter
• 1 tablespoon honey

Syrup:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons rum extract (liquor collection is lacking right now)/or vanilla

Cake:

• 2 oz. (1/4 cup) dark chocolate chips
  
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  
• 6 tablespoons hot coffee
• 2 sticks butter (I used salted butter, if you use unsalted add 1/2 teaspoon salt)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 4 eggs, seperated
• 2 cups flour
  
• 1 teapsoon each, baking powder and baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Cake: Butter 2, 9 inch cake pans and line with parchment paper or brown paper bag circles if you're cool (read: cheap) like me.
In a smal bowl combine chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and coffee. Stir gently until melted and well combined. If the chocolate won't melt completely heat in the microwave (on reduced power) or over double boiler. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar on medium for 5 minutes. While that's creaming sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Add chocolate mixture to butter and beat until well combined. On at a time, add your egg yolks fully incorporating between each addition. Mix in half of the flour, then all the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour. Set this part aside.
In a clean bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.*
Fold 1/3 of the whites into your batter, then the rest. Divide between two pans and bake in oven preheated to 350 for 40-45 minutes.
While the cake is baking......
Filling:
Place butter and coconut in a large bowl. In a medium sauce pan cook cream sugar and yolks until they thicken over medium heat. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. Pour over coconut and add vanilla, stir. Cover and set aside in the fridge.

Ganache:
Place butter, chocolate and honey in a medium bowl. In a small sauce pan heat cream till almost boiling. Pour over chocolate. Allow to sit for one minute then stir until smooth. Set aside. I chose to whip mine before frosting, but that's up to you.

Syrup:
Place everything in a small sauce pan and boil for a few minutes. Phew, that was tough.

Allow the cakes to cool for about 10 minutes in pan then turn onto racks to cool. Once completely cooled cut the layers in half (now you have 4 layers). Then you do this, four times:Brush cake with syrup, spread 1/4 of coconut filling on layer, top with another layer, do it all again. Then spread the ganache (which I chose to beat so it was fluffy) on the sides. Do a fancy edge if you want. Yea for cake!

*This is the part where I contemplated how much I must really love Kurt. I never make cakes where I have to beat things in a separate bowl. Then I have to make a filling. Then ganache. And syrup. I must really love him. I told him this. I think he felt pretty guilty. No, not really. I think he felt like I was interrupting his baseball game.

The Baby Shower for "J"

Kurt and I aren't the only ones around here producing offspring around here. "Little E" will be coming in about a month so it was time to hook her up with some gifts (and diapers). Opening presents is a lot of work so it's important to be well-fed.Petit Fours (by SILJ)

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (By SILJ)

Fruit Bouquets (By SILJ)

Lemon Lavender Muffins

Cucumber Dill Sandwiches

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella