2 careers and apple cake

Published April 25, 2010 Desserts , Recipes Leave a Comment
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How many of you are chasing two careers. You have one that pays most of the bills, and one that is your passion. Or maybe your passionate about both.

Everyday I seemed to obsess over how to fit everything I want to accomplish into my 24-hour day. Most days I don’t accomplish half of what I set out to do and I retire to my bed with this gnawing feeling of stagnation and failure.

It wasn’t until just a few years ago I started excepting the fact that I wouldn’t live forever. “What, are you serious, not me, no way”. I also started really analyzing what I had accomplished so far in my life and I found I was really dissatisfied. Don’t you want to leave a mark, a daily reminder that you somehow made the world a little better by being here.

I know I have done that with my children. I have taught them to be good people, conscious of their world, to give back and care for the less fortunate. And even though as teenagers they look at their parents as ignorant and clueless, I know there will be a time when they will come back to a common ground and appreciate the things we have taught them. Maybe they will even realize that we are the intelligent, incredible people that they looked up to as a young child. At least in theory. Where am I going with this?

 I guess the bottom line I am struggling with is I have two careers that I am passionate about. One is veterinary medicine, the other photography. Both are challenging, rewarding, and can be profitable. But there isn’t enough time in a day to really feel like I am giving enough to either.

During many days we take broken animals and fix them. We comfort people dealing with loss, and find a companion for a lonely elderly person who just lost their spouse. We explain to children about proper care for their new puppy and develop programs to help less fortunate pets receive much-needed medical service. Tell me what is not to love about that.

But then there is the photography part of my career. Sometimes it gets pushed to the back burner. This part of my life really grounds me from the stresses of my other career.

This career feeds my soul. I can escape after days of emotional crisis at the hospital and heal with my photography. When I am composing an image I am breathing, I fall into a state of calm, all my thoughts dissolve. I meditate.  

At least I think that is what happens. Maybe the closest  I every really get to the practice of meditation. In the past I  have taken classes on  meditation. I have also failed miserably.

While the rest of the class is clearing their minds, getting closer to a physical and mental state of wellbeing, I’m the one frantically trying to concentrate on not concentrating. I sit in the back of the room and can’t stop thinking about what I am suppose to not be thinking about. Over and over I try to put those thoughts on clouds, blow them away with my exhalations, they come back bigger, on bigger clouds.

But I am beginning to realize that photography is my meditation. When I am composing an image I am in that state of tranquility that the great masters always talk about. As I looked into this phenomenon more I realized that I was really on to something.

Miksang is a Tibetan word that translates as ‘Good Eye’. Based on Shambhala and Dharma techniques of the late meditation master Chogyan Trungpa, contemplative photography with ‘good’ meaning a mind uncluttered by preoccupation, relaxed and open.  This technique incorporates the eye being in sync with the contemplative mind. A visual capture, with the mind’s eye, of reality in its most simplest form!

 I am starting to understand that meditation can come in many different forms. I could sit (which does not work as previously discussed), I could walk (walking meditation is a common practice for many), or I could follow my passion AND create wellbeing within.

Check out their website about Miksang and the process of bringing together the art of photography and the discipline of meditation. I have a friend who follows this practice and her photographs are absolutely inspiring. You can check out her website at www.manonfrancoeur.com .

So last but not least, when life gives you apples, make cake!

This cake is, well maybe not to die for but really, really good. To really grasp it’s complexity let it cool completely.

Apple Cake With Carmel Topping

non-stick vegetable spray

3 c. all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur)

2 t. ground cinnamon

1t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 pound Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 c. (packed) light brown sugar

11/2c. vegetable oil

1 c. sugar

3 large eggs

4 t. vanilla extract

3/4 c. pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 c. whole milk

Preheat oven to 350′F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Transfer 3 Tablespoons flour mixture into the bowl of cubed apples, toss to coat apples. Combine 1 cup brown sugar, vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs, and 3 teaspoons vanilla in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining flour mixture. Fold apple mixture and pecans into batter; transfer to Bundt pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer cake pan to rack to cool. Let stand while making caramel.

Melt butter in a heavy small skillet over medium heat, Whisk in remaining 1 cup brown sugar, then milk. Continue to whisk until topping is smooth and blended and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. (be careful it will platter a bit). Spoon 1/4 cup of caramel mixture over warm cake in pan. Let stand until topping is absorbed into cake, about 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto plate, and pour the rest of the caramel topping over cake. Let stand until cool, at least one hour.

A Puppy and an island

Published April 19, 2010 Travel Leave a Comment
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Disappeared from the blogging world for a short bit but I am back! Lots going on right now! First of all Oliver has come into my life.

This little bundle of black fur, has turned life into a wonderful rollercoaster ride. Between the potty training, chewing, walks, more potty training……life is good. Apart from his arrival I have also had a few adventures, which in turn has made his part of my life a little tumultuous.

In March I flew to Long Island in the Bahamas where I have been working on a book about the food, cultural, and life on the island.  Located 165 miles southeast of Nassau, Bahamas, the  island is 80 miles long, and 4 miles wide at its widest point. The Tropic of Cancer splits the island in the northern quarter. Some areas of the island are so narrow that you can actually stand and see the rocky Atlantic Ocean on the east side and the turquoise blue, calm waters of the Caribbean Sea on the west.

Originally I came to the island to visit my brother. Years ago he and his wife had been looking for a warm place to escape to while the New England winter roared. They found a beautiful piece of land overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Salt Pond, a little more than halfway up the island. They settled here in the winters, soaking in the sun, eating good food, drinking and laughing, and loving the winter again.

I have visited the island quite a few times since they settled there, documenting my visits with hundreds of photographs and notes about Long Island.  Not for the “glitz” searchers, those of us who want casinos and fenced off beaches. Nightlife is found in tiny little bars that dish up real Bahamian food, alongside of real Bahamian islanders. The people are genuine  and soft-spoken, you can take them or leave them, they really don’t seem to care either way. This is their island, their way of life, and they are not looking to change it for us. I love that!

Max's Conch Bar

On the latest trip I photographed lots of food at Max’s Conch Bar in Deadman’s Cay. The book  will showcase Max’s (Gary Ritchie’s)  flair for delicious, honest and unique Bahamian food. He not only whips up an incredible conch salad, but I am told his macaroni and cheese ( though not traditionally Bahamian) is to die for.

So back to reality! Lots of pictures to process and recipes to collect. Planning to be back on the island in July for a quick final shoot.

Blueberry Muffins- The BEST, REALLY!

Published March 7, 2010 Breakfast , Desserts , Recipes Leave a Comment
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There are probably as many blueberry muffin recipes as there are….. people in this world to eat them! Everyone has their favorite, except me. That was until recently when I stumbled across a recipe for basic blueberry muffins in the King Arthur Flour baking cookbook.

Muffins have always been a challenge for me. Whenever I attempted them I would feel my heart start quickening, my palms would start sweating and I felt generally nervous. Odd I know, a simple little muffin, probably the first recipe taught in any junior high school home economics class. Maybe it was because my teacher, the one that first introduced me to the world of muffins made such a point about how the ingredients were mixed. The dry ingredients waiting in a bowl for “THE WELL”, that little hole that was dug out in the flour mixture to pour the wet ingredients into. Then there was the mixing, too much tough muffin, too little, flour chunks…..ugggg.

So over the years my muffins never turned out. Sometimes they were flat, other times they would rise up and over the tin. Seriously, it was some kind of war between me and the mix. No matter how I tried to prepare myself for the mix I never got it right, too much, too little.

So when I happened upon this recipe something caught my eye. It was a muffin revelation. Not once was I warned about over mixing. In fact the recipe called for  mixing, serious mix master mixing! I was in love! Finally a muffin that I could beat the hell out of and it would still be edible. This muffin is more than just edible, it is the best tasting blueberry muffin I have ever had. Sometimes I mix raspberries in instead, or cherries, chunks of bananas and chopped up walnuts. No matter what I do to it the muffins ALWAYS turn out perfectly.

(hint: I have found that if I freeze the berries for a short time I can mix them into the batter without squishing them. Works great!!)

Classic Blueberry Muffins

8 T. Butter (1 stick)

1 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 large eggs

2t. baking powder

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (I always use King Arthur)

1/2 c. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. fresh blueberries (or frozen)

2 t. sugar for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 375′F. Lightly grease or line with paper muffin cups a 12 muffin pan.

In a medium mixing bowl cream together until light the butter, sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, beating (oh yea) well after each addition. Add the baking powder, then add the flour alternately with the milk, beating well after (oh yea yea) after each addition. Add the frozen blueberries to the batter then the vanilla.

Mound the batter into the muffin tim, filling each completely (even over the top the batter is so thick). Sprinkle with sugar if you would like and bake the muffins in the oven for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes then remove muffins from pan.

Kiwi Summer Roll- Pesticide Sex Change

Published March 3, 2010 Appetizer , Dinner , Recipes 2 Comments
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My first cup of coffee was not strong enough to comprehend the morning headlines, “Major Herbicide May Turn Male Frogs Into Females”. Turns out a new study out of Washington shows that male frogs exposed to the herbicide atrazine, found commonly in our streams and rivers can affect development , turning them completely female and able to mate and lay viable eggs.

Disturbing to say the least. I am always concerned about the chemicals they use on our fruits and vegetables and what long-term effects they may have on all of us, especially children. The Environmental Working Group has come up with a list of “Clean 15″, fruits and vegetables that have the lowest amounts of pesticide residues. If you choose to go conventional and not spend the extra money on organic then these are the safest for how much they retain the chemicals.

onions      avocados   corn   pineapples   mangoes   asparagus  

sweet peas   kiwifruit   cabbages   eggplants   papayas   watermelons

broccoli   tomatoes  sweet potatoes

I was so glad to see Kiwi on this list. I love the color, the texture, and the taste. Better yet it is full of health benefits. Full of vitamin C and E, it also is a powerful antioxidant aiding in immunity, healing wounds, and iron absorption. Kiwi also helps prevent macular degeneration of the eye. Some research shows this fruit may be responsible for lowering triglycerides (fats circulating in the bloodstream that lead to high blood pressure).

Choose firm fruit that give slightly to light pressure. If kept in the refrigerator at this stage they will last up to 4 weeks. If you choose unripe fruit, place it in a brown paper bag with a banana at room temperature. The banana releases ethylene gas which speeds up the ripening process.

These rolls are so refreshing and tasty. I served them with myfabulousrecipes Dak Bulgogi which was a great contrast hot and spicy, cool and sweet yet a bit of heat! Enjoy.

Kiwi Rolls

1 ou. rice noodles

4 T. honey

1 T. fresh lime juice

1/8 t. chili powder

1 T. red pepper flakes

10 round rice paper wrappers

3 kiwifruit peeled, sliced in half, then sliced thinly across

1/2 c. cashews coarsely chopped

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. water

Cook noodles according the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Towel dry and put in medium size bowl with 1 T. honey.

Make dipping sauce. Whisk together 3 T. honey, lime juice, sesame oil, chili powder, pepper flakes, and water until smooth. Set aside.

To make rolls, soak a wrapper in a bowl of warm water for about 30 seconds until soft and pliable. Transfer to flat work surface and place three slices kiwi, small bunch of rice noodles, 1 t. peanuts on one end of wrapper. Fold end over filling then the sides, the begin rolling the wrapper up tightly to enclose filling completely. Place on a serving plate and cover with wet paper towel and begin process all over again. Cut rolls in half and serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Chocolate Krisps – Beating the Hourglass

Published February 25, 2010 Cookies , Desserts , Recipes , kids 2 Comments
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I don’t know about you but sometimes a need a wakeup call. Sometimes it’s a funeral for a friend, missing an important birthday, realizing you haven’t told someone you love them for a long, long time. Not that you do it on purpose, we all get caught up in our “lives”! First there is the immediate responsibilities, children and husband. I tend to beat myself up about not spending enough time with each of them, I’m told it’s a mother’s path. Then there’s the career, friends, responsibilities……

I have been working at our veterinary hospital way more than I anticipated lately. We are soon to open an emergency hospital, and it keeps me up at night thinking about the volume of work ahead of me. So I was cleaning my kitchen floor and picked up a large, red, dried out looking object. It happened to be under a very large hanging cactus-type plant which gave me my first clue of what it was. This particular plant only blooms once a year, usually only one or two flowers at the most. The flowers only last for a day, and they are magnificent. Wow, I was so busy I  missed it, never even noticed it, time to slow down, way down.

So I am in the mood for creating delicious meals and desserts that are not as involved as I usually tackle. Right now time is of the essence. I want to spend time in the kitchen just not long periods of it, concentrating intensely on a procedure or recipe. I also love when my kids cook or bake, especially if I am creating one part of the meal and they another!  There is something to be said about a family that cooks together…….. and these are simple, fun to make and delicious! Can’t beat that.

Chocolate Krisps

ingredients:

five 2ou. Heath Bars (or your favorite bar)

5 T. butter

3 c. crispy rice cereal

8 ou. milk chocolate, melted

3 ou. bittersweet chocolate, melted

12-hole mini muffin tin

mini paper or foil muffin cups to line tin

optional: if you would like these are great additions added to the crispy cereal.  1/2 c. raisins, dried fruit, peanuts, cashews, or hazelnuts. I usually up the milk chocolate by 3 ou. if I add one of these additional items to the rice crispy cereal so that it is moist enough to incorporate everything nicely.

Line the muffin tin with the paper liners. Chop the candy bars into slices for garnish. Melt butter and milk chocolate over a barely simmering water bath in a medium pot stirring until smooth. Stir in the rice cereal and optional ingredient if desired. Press mixture into paper liners in muffin tin. Melt bittersweet chocolate over simmering water bath and stir until smooth. Spoon chocolate on top of each krisp.

Gently press a slice of chocolate bar onto each little cake and refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. Enjoy!

My Happy Birthday Party!

Published February 20, 2010 Desserts , Recipes 4 Comments
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Yesterday was my birthday! As a kid my mom always made sure that it was a magical day. From the moment I rose out of bed to the last hug of the night I felt like a queen. This wasn’t always easy for her, my father was an alcoholic and times were more than trying. She would endure much suffering in order to keep things together for us kids.

When any of us had a birthday we could request anything for dinner. She would make anything!

I always requested Dobostorte, a fantastically amazing combination of many layers (12) of thin sponge cake, sandwiched between a chocolate buttercream filling.  I would ask for Beef Wellington and baked tomatoes stuffed with creamed spinach, or scallops in their own little shells, snails sautéed in garlic, and lobster bisque. She would make fragrant crispy duck, little finger rolls, and the best garlic mashed potatoes. My mom never said no, she would get out her well-worn collection of cookbooks and start searching for recipes. Those were the best memories.

My children are getting older now and each of them is pretty good in the kitchen. My oldest also likes to make me a feast on my birthday. She has created some unforgettable meals over the past few years, each finished with a fantastic and elaborate cake.   This year she missed the celebration since she is now in college. When she called to wish me a happy birthday I could hear  hesitation in her voice. I think she was finally missing home a little.

 My twelve-year-old daughter has since moved into her sister’s apron. She convinced her father to help her create a birthday meal for me. After many text messages back and forth between the two, he at the grocery store, her pouring over my cookbooks, he finally managed to find all of the exotic ingredients she had requested. I was banned from the kitchen, the two of them needed “room”.  After a few short hours the house smelled wonderful. They made spirals of salmon stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and a pretty caesar salad. The grande finale involved a chocolate cake that graced the cover of Fine Cooking in their December-January 2010 issue. They choose to cover the cake with raspberries instead of marshmallows which I thought was an excellent choice.

My husband (whom I don’t believe has ever made a cake that didn’t come out of a box mix) warned me, ” this is going to be deadly, you would not believe what is going into this beast”. Butter, eggs, heavy cream, chocolate, the ingredients of food ecstasy! Oh what a delicious concoction they created. Unforgettable.

 I have the best family! I hope they continue this tradition of creating memorable meals for the people they love (especially me!). Thank you.

Hot Chocolate Layer Cake

For the cake:

6 oz. (3/4c) unsalted butter, more for pans

13 1/2 oz. (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, more for pans

3/4 c. canola oil

4 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

3 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c.  natural unsweetened coca powder

3 large eggs at room temperature

3/4 c. buttermilk, at room temperature

2 T. pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. kosher salt

For the Frosting:

2 1/2 c. heavy cream

6 T. unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and seeds scrapped out

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 c. granulated sugar

2 c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder, more for decorating

1/2 c. Lyle’s Golden Syrup

1/4 t. kosher salt

Make the cake:

position racks in bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat oven to 350′F. Butter three 9×2 inch round cake pans ad line each with a parchment round. Butter the parchment, then dust with flour and knock out excess.

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the butter, oil, chopped chocolate, and 1 cup water. Heat over medium heat until melted.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until combined.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Set two pans on the top rack and the third on the lower rack. stagger the pans on the oven racks so that no pan is directly over another. Bake, swapping and rotating the pans’ positions after 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center  of each cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on racks for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks, remove the parchment paper and cool completely.

Make the frosting: In a 4-quart saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, butter, and vanilla bean and seeds and stir until the butter is melted. Remove the vanilla bean and whisk in the chopped chocolate until melted. Whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, syrup and salt until smooth, be sure the cocoa poswer dissolves completely. Pour into 9×13 inch pan and freeze until firm, about 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight.

Assemble the cake- remove frosting from freezer or refrigerator. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes to soften. Change the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put a cake layer on a flat serving platter or a cake stand lined with strips of waxed paper to keep it clean while icing. Top layer with 1 1/2 c. of the frosting, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula to the cake’s edge. Repeat with another cake layer and 1 1/2 c. frosting. Top with third layer. Continue frosting the cake and refrigerate until the frosting firms enough to seal in the crumbs, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If necessary, you can rewhip the remaining frosting to loosen and lighten it.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Published February 12, 2010 Desserts , Recipes 4 Comments
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Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!  On this very cold morning in February I am longing for spring. While the southern states along the East Coast are getting more than their share of snow, we here in Vermont have been shorted! There is something unsettling about bare ground and bone chilling cold. Our pond has fared well, the ice has been perfect for skating. A few weeks ago we had some friends over for an evening skating party. Unfortunately the night temperature hovered below zero degrees fahrenheit, and the pot of chili was cold by the time it reached the bowl. Needless to say we still had fun standing around a bonfire reminiscing while the children darted around the tiki torches lighting the pond. The kids gathered up sticks and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the glowing embers. We all lasted longer then I would have figured, but as the wood pile grew low and that cold started to set in we all hurried back to the warm glow of lights we cold see through the branches of the bare trees.

If there is no snow in sight, please bring on the spring!

Early in the spring my grass is filled with sweet violets. Over the years they escaped their cultivated boundary and spread everywhere. I let them go, multiplying in white and every shade of purple you could imagine. When we first moved into our very old farmhouse (1785) the previous owner had goats that roamed freely. I mean freely, they lived in the house, they ate every plant in the yard, they ruled the roost. Somehow the violets survived. My husband always gets impatient  by the third or fourth week of their floral display because  I won’t let him mow the grass. By then the dandelions are starting mix in with the display, he hates dandelions!  I finally give in to his incessant complaints, but not until after I pick the very best blossoms and candy them.

The process of preserving edible flowers is very simple yet a bit time-consuming. I pick the flowers in the morning after the dew has evaporated but before the sun grows very warm( never pick flowers that have been sprayed by pesticides or along roadways where they concentrate pollutants). I lay the flowers out on paper towels very careful, they bruise very easily and then don’t preserve well (no shrinking violets please). With a small, brand new paint brush I carefully paint the petals especially the tips with egg white then sprinkle granulated sugar on them. Let them dry for about an hour, then store in a container between paper towels in a cool, dry place. These flowers will then keep for about a month, as colorful as the day you picked them. I use them on top of cakes and cupcakes, in salads, on cookies, as decoration. The sky’s the limit! Any edible flowers will work, though the larger the petal the more difficult it is to keep them from bruising and browning.

Hot and Spicy- Valentine Dessert

Published February 10, 2010 Desserts , Recipes Leave a Comment
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Hot and Spicy- Valentine Dessert

The last thing you want after a hot and spicy special meal is not to be able to feel your lips. When Cupid’s arrow sticks, that special kiss should feel like something, not numb fumbling! So if you chose to make a spicy, exotic meal for your special Valentine, I would recommend this absolutely sinful ice cream cake to follow. This is a take on the classic Tiramisu, just as delicious but easier to prepare. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ice Cream Tiramisu

ingredients:

1/2 cup strong black coffee cooled

1/3 cup Kahlua liqueur

2 packages of sponge finger cookies

2 cartons Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream (or your favorite brand)

2 cups of grated excellent quality dark chocolate

Line a 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides.  Combine the coffee and Kahlua in a bowl. Briefly dip the sponge cookies into this mixture and line the pan evenly with the cookies. Layer half the ice cream on top then sprinkle the grated chocolate. Repeat with the layers, finishing with grated chocolate. Place in freezer for at least 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, place in refrigerator to soften. Lift the cake out of the pan, and cut into serving slices.

Hot and Spicy- My Valentine

Published February 10, 2010 Appetizer , Dinner , Recipes 4 Comments
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Hot and Spicy- My Valentine

So I wanted to do something different for Cupid’s special celebration. A meal that would combine a vision of warmer days to come, hot and spicy yet finish with a barefoot walk in shady green grass. I was inspired by Hannahbanana‘s Stuffed Anaheim Peppers, which reminded me of a dish I love to make with stuffed poblano peppers. My favorite part of creating this recipe is charring the peppers over my gas stove, the aroma fills the air and transports me to the dirt streets of Mexico. So I decided to create a meal around stuffed spicy peppers. I will accompany the peppers with my very yummy Mango and Melon Salsa and finish the meal with an irresistable Ice Cream Tiramisu Cake. Spicy, hot then just enough cool to bring your lips back to earth so that you can feel that thank you kiss!

Mango Melon Salsa

Ingredients:

1 large ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 cups seeded and diced ripe melon of your choice

1/4 c. cilantro (for you cilantro haters this is optional)

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 t. chopped garlic

1-2 jalapeño chile (I like the red ones for color), seeded, diced

1 avocado, seeded and diced

salt and pepper to taste

lime juice to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside so that their flavors will meld.

Seeing the Light-Cream Cheese Brownies

Published February 5, 2010 Cookies , Desserts , Recipes Leave a Comment
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Sometimes you see it and sometimes you don’t. Sometimes your mind is so busy thinking, you don’t see anything at all! I was driving home from meeting with a chef about an upcoming photo session. Late afternoon winter light in Vermont can be absolutely incredible. I drive this stretch of highway sometimes four times a day, but never really saw the mountain in front of me until today. The way the low angle light hit the leafless trees and rock crevices, weaving  in and out around the dark, thin limbs, the mountain came to life. I was afraid to look away, afraid that I either was finally seeing light like one of my favorite photographers Jay Maisel , and unless I completely understood what I was seeing I may look away and it would be lost, again. I looked away enough to keep the car on the road, thinking for a while how much I must be missing rushing here and there.

Strange as brains tend to float from one thing to another, I found myself for some reason thinking about Nigella Lawson’s cookbook “How To Be A Domestic Goddess”. I had recently picked the cookbook up in a resale shop, and had tried a few recipes. Now you have to know I have never really connected with Lawson’s cooking style. My first introduction was with her book “Forever Summer”. I collect cookbooks, first for the photography (lame I know), I figure a good cookbook is shown through images, and a cook who doesn’t care about the photographs probably isn’t that great a cook (can you follow my logic).  I make the analogy to my main career veterinary medicine, if you have dead plants in the waiting room, your clients may think “ if you can’t keep your plants alive how can we expect you to keep our dog around!”

So Nigella’s style of cooking just seems so simple, and her knack to always add 2 tablespoons more of ingredients (I have tried it and it really does not make a difference most of the time), 1 cup flour plus 1 tablespoon, 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon. The photography was also un-inspiring.

Anyway, I want to find out what the big fuss is about this particular person’s skills so I have half heartedly been cooking my way through the “Goddess” book. So far I am at 50/50, 50 percent of the recipes are simple and really delicious, 50 percent are not worth trying (banana muffins) again for various reasons (my research pool is only about 4 recipes deep so not statistically large enough to mean anything).

These cream cheese brownies were very delicious and very easy. This is the first time I have seen the cream cheese incorporated as itself, not mixed with sugar and such. It is a nice touch, saves messing another bowl, and the cream cheese on its own combined with the sweet chocolate cake is a refreshing change. So I am trying to keep an open mind, see Nigella with a different light. Who knows, I may become a fan after all! p.s. the photos in this book are better than “Always Summer” I thought.

Cream Cheese Brownies

ingredients:

4 ou. bittersweet chocolate

1/2 c. unsalted butter

2 large eggs

3/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1/3 c. plus 2 T. (there she goes again) all -purpose flour

pinch of salt

7 ou. cold cream cheese

9-inch square pan, greased and lined with parchment or wax paper

preheat oven to 350′F

Melt the chocolate and butter over medium to low heat in a heavy saucepan. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the sugar and vanilla. Measure the flour into another bowl and add the salt. When the chocolate mixture has all but completely melted, take the pan off the heat. It will continue to melt in the next few minutes. Cool slightly, before beating into the egg and sugar mixture. Finally add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour half the mixture into the prepared pan, slice the cream cheese thinly and lay on top of the batter. Pour over the remaining batter to cover the cheese completely, use a rubber spatula if needed to spread it evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, the top should be slightly paled and dry, but a cake tester poked in the center will come out still sticky, so don’t use this method to figure if it is done. Cool about 10 minutes before cutting into squares and eat warm or cold.

Makes 8-10

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