Ultimate Cake

We made what may be the best cake I've ever eaten.  It is a homemade wonder full of pantry staples and goodness.  I highly recommend it.

Mississippi Mud Cake (Changed bit from the original Martha Stewart version)

CRUST
1 package of regular Oreo cookies - filling removed.  Process to a fine texture in a food processor.
5 T. melted butter - Mix with cookie crumbs and press into a 9" springform pan.  Try to keep the layer thin and go up the sides to within a 1/2" of the top edge.  Freeze for 10 minutes to set, then Bake 300 for 10 minutes.  If any of the crust falls, press back into place with a metal spoon.

CAKE
3/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
4 T. butter
Melt together in microwave about 30 seconds if the butter is room temp.  Stir until smooth.
1/4 c. hot water
pinch salt
1 T. vanilla
1 T. cocoa powder
Whisk together
Mix with chocolate/butter until smooth.
6 egg yolks - room temp
1/2 c. sugar
Beat together on med high for 5 minutes.  Mixture will be thick and airy and eggs will be lighter in color.  Add to the chocolate mixture and stir unit fully incorporated.
6 egg whites - room temp.  Beat until foamy.
1/2 c. sugar - Add gradually and beat to soft peak stage.
Fold by thirds into chocolate mixture.  Fully incorporate so no egg white streaks remain.  Bake 350 for ~ 40 minutes.  Cake will rise and have a crackly top.  It will jiggle, but be set when done.  Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate for 2 hours. 

PUDDING
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. corn startch
dash salt
Whisk together in saucepan.
2 1/2 c. whole or 2% milk - Add gradually and whisk out all lumps.  Cook on med high until mixture thickens and is smooth.  Remove from heat.
3 T. butter
2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
Add to pudding and whisk until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate until cold.  Spoon and smooth over cake layer when both are cold.  There may be too pudding much depending on how high your crust is.  The cake should fall and leave a crater to be filled with the pudding.  You can spoon it clear to the top of the crust/crater and it will keep it's shape.

CREAM
1 c. cream
1 T. sugar
Beat to stiff peaks.  Spoon over pudding and serve or refrigerate.  You may make more if you like a thicker layer of cream.

Dutch Oven Bread

I found a great no knead bread recipe that is baked in a cast iron dutch oven.  Dutch ovens should be used at least three or four times per year to keep them from getting rusty or letting the oil turn rancid.  If you have one with a little rust, try rubbing a salt and water paste vigorously with a plastic pot scrubber or cloth to remove the rust, rinse, dry in a hot oven, and rub with Crisco to seal the metal.  If the oil has turned, you can wash it as your would for rust, or burn the oil off in a hot oven.  The goal with a dutch oven is to create a layered patina that protects the metal and creates a non stick surface for you to cook in.  Washing with salt will remove your patina and you have to start conditioning it from scratch so only use that method when washing and scrubbing with plain water won't work.  I pulled out my dutch ovens and both needed a little work.  I've been making this recipe to keep them in shape and the bread is great too.

No Knead Bread

6 c. flour - can use bread flour, but not needed
2 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. yeast
2 2/3 - 3 c. warm water

In a large bowl or container place the flour, salt, and yeast.  Stir together.  Pour in most of the water and begin to stir.  The dough will be sticky and can be stirred with a spoon.  The original recipe calls for the smaller amount of water, but I've found that I needed the full three cups to incorporate all the dry ingredients.  Cover and let raise 12-18 hours in a warm place out of the sun.  Stir again and pour out onto an oiled surface like a cutting board or a frying pan (something that can be lifted and won't stick to the dough).  Let raise for one hour.  Preheat oven with dutch oven inside to 475 degrees.  You want the dutch oven to be hot.  Remove the lid, tilt the dough into it, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the lid and continue baking for 15-25 minutes.  Remove from dutch oven and let cool before cutting.  This makes a great artisan loaf with a complex texture and good chew. 

Simplified Sundays

We've discovered a simpler approach to Sunday meals.  Nachos and Omelets!  They're super easy and we always have the ingredients.   The best part is that the kids can help with most of the prep work.

Oven Nachos

Place tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet.
Top with shredded cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted.
Serve with salsa, sour cream, refried beans, ground beef, etc.

(Aaron likes to toss the chips in enchilada sauce before topping with cheese)

Omelets

Eggs
Cheese
Onions
Ham

Grease a small nonstick pan and heat to medium high.
Crack two or three eggs in a bowl and whisk until foamy.
Pour into pan and pull eggs into the center leaving uncooked eggs around edge. (These folds are what makes the omelet fluffy).
When almost all of the egg is set, lay toppings on one half of cooked eggs.  Fold over the plain side and continue cooking until cheese is melted.  You may need to flip the omelet over to the other side. 

(I like to add canned, rinsed garbanzo beans.  They add a nice texture and have a great mellow flavor)

Beth's Cookies

Beth's Ultimate Housewife cookies recipes.  I love Beth's chocolate chip cookies and have wondered just how she made them.  If you were lucky enough to watch her demo on Tuesday, you now have the inside scoop.  For the rest of you, here's her recipes and some notes.  Beth makes these by hand so as to not over mix and toughen the cookies.

Ana Olsen's Chocolate Chip Cookies (This is the recipe Beth demonstrated)

3/4 c. unsalted butter - softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream together butter and sugars until smooth,  Add egg and vanilla and blend in.  Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in chocolate.  Drop be Tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.


America's Test Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookies

10 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 35 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two cookie sheets with parchement.  Take 10 Tablespoons butter and melt and brown in a metal pan, swirling mixture as milk solids in the butter begin to brown.  Pour into a heat proof bowl.  Add in 4 Tablespoons cold butter and whisk until melted.  Whisk in the two types of sugar.  Whisk in the salt, vanilla and then the eggs.  IMPORTANT: Let mixture stand for three minutes and whisk again.  Repeat this process two more times.  Combine flour and baking soda.  Stir into wet mixture with a large spoon until incoroprated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Place 3 Tablespoons of dough into mounds two inches apart on cookie sheets.  Place in center of the oven (only one sheet at a time) and bake for 11-14 minutes.


Notes

A little extra vanilla never hurt anybody!

More brown sugar than white creates a chewy cookie rather than crispy.

Butter tastes better but makes a flatter cookie (unless using melted butter recipe).  Crisco or margarine holds its shape better but some don't like the taste and prefer no hydrogenated oils.

If you use margarine - make sure it is AT LEAST 80% vegetable oil.  Otherwise there will be too much water and the cookies will flop!

Consider browning the butter for a more "caramel" flavor.  Yum!!

When using softened butter recipes make sure you cream sugar and butter long enough to incorporate enough air.

Do not overmix.  Mix until flour is barely incorporated.

Do not overbake.  Bake until barely brown around edges and then let cool 2 minutes on pan before removal.

Vanilla Waffle Cookies for Strawberry Shortcake

Vanilla Waffle Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter - softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
Cream together.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
Add salt and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well before adding next egg.
3 cups flour
Add and stir in until just incorporated.
Scoop a 2-3 Tablespoon ball into each section of a waffle iron, close lid and cook until golden brown.

Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix together and brush onto warm waffle cookies.

Top with sliced strawberries!