recipes

of chocolate cake

a day in the life, recipes, stories, words

So: this is mostly for my future reference. Or just to get this out of my head.

It’s ridiculous how many links I follow to find crazy things on the web… and I can never remember how I find things!

Like, I almost went through 16 pages of chocolate cake recipes on Bon Appetit because I thought that’s where I found the recipe for my chocolate birthday cake back in February…. and then I realized where the recipe actually was. On the recipe blog of this cool girl who lives in NYC and shoots all her food photos WITH FILM. So impressive. They’re beautiful photos. But, that’s where the chocolate cake recipe was from. The enormous, three layer, batter too big for the bowl cake. Right here. And the tinier vanilla three layer cake I made that for that party also was from that blog. My cake was small because I think I 2/3rds the recipe or something. (I am aware that the above sentence is not proper grammar.)

It was a great party, by the way. My 18th birthday, it had to be good. Go stalk my celebrations here.

And since I’m talking recipes: these are the best brownies ever, and this pie is amazing. And my Mom made a granola recipe from the Bon Appetit magazine today, and it made me so happy. Surfers Granola, accompanied by Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys.

My goodness this post is quilted with links. Did you know that all of the fireworks in San Diego went off at once? HAH

Happy July, enjoy your summer, and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen! (Today was Safety Day at the pool… I’m a swim instructor. It’s great.)

Advertisement

peach pie

a day in the life, photos, recipes, words

This is now my favorite kind of pie. Ever. If you haven’t had it, you’ve missed out. But really, you’ve got to make it yourself. A store-bought pie could never compete with the flavor, the texture, the just-right-sweetness of homemade.

I got my 10 peaches at Rosemeade Market, where I work. Local Texas peaches are above all others. And I used this recipe from Bon Appetit, with some adaptions.

First step: blanching them in boiling water (directions here – except I did longer than 40 seconds – more like a minute), and  peeling them, which is easy; they’re just slippery.

Second step: cutting them up. (I’m not sure why I didn’t think to eat any at this point.) You combine these with sugar, I also added some lemon juice.

Third and fourth and fifth steps?: pie crust, which you put in your pan, and spoon in the fruit, and put on the top crust, and crimp the edges, and cut slits in the top, and bake. To make this:

…

best sandwich EVER

a day in the life, photos, recipes, words

BLT. No tomato for me, I use cheese instead. A BLC? Maybe.

What really makes this more than just  good is… the pesto sauce.  Spread on the bread next to the bacon, and… there are no words to describe how good this is.

I guess there might be some. Like best sandwich EVER.

[homemade whole wheat bread, bacon, sharp cheddar, spinach, and homemade (from homegrown basil!) pesto sauce.]

This lovely plate is Clara’s, thrifted recently.

I’ll go make myself another one.

…

Mrs. Fields Cookies

photos, recipes, thoughts, words

My family has had this recipe for who knows how long.  The copy we have is stained, torn, faded.  But the cookies the recipe makes are oh-so-good.

The story behind it I first heard from my Uncle Moky, and then I read it again on the copy of the recipe we have.

A woman bought the recipe for the some of the delicious Neiman Marcus/Mrs. Fields cookies, thinking that it cost $2.50.  But no, it cost $250.  So she determined to share this recipe with others, to get her money’s worth out of it.

And here it is.

.

Mrs. Fields Cookies

Cream together:
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
Add:
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Mix together:
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal (put small amounts in blender until it turns to powder. Measure first, then blend. Follow exactly.)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix together all ingredients and add 24 oz. bag of chocolate chips and 1 large Hershey bar (8 oz) grated and 3 cups chopped nuts, any kind. (note: 2 cups chocolate chips enough)

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet. Maybe golf ball size cookies, place 2 inches apart and bake at 375º for 10 -12 minutes approximately. Makes 112 cookies.

[i am drooling over this picture now… i wanna go have another one.]

*This story is said to be an urban legend, but it is still a fun story.   Link here.

…