A Mouse in the Pantry

Summer Wedding Cakes

With the beginning of wedding season comes the beginning of the great wedding shower.  Gaggles of women, mini sandwiches, tea, champagne, and the threat of a torrid evening with the girls at a later date, are all part of the game plan as wedding dates approach.

And with all the world heading to green pastures, it was a joy to be outsourced as a "local" provider of ever so cute cupcakes for the daughter of Petaluma's own Karen Peterson-Nau. A woman who truly wears many hats, she also is quite skilled at pulling out all the stops for the perfect and Petaluma pretty bridal shower.  Not a beat missed in planning her daughters eco friendly and daisy inspired summer wedding.

Summer Wedding Cakes with iLeoni toppers!

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar.   Beat on medium until light and fluffy, scrapping down the sides of the bowl with mixer off, as needed.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Alternating between dry ingredients and buttermilk, add to butter mixture beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Add lemon juice and zest and mix briefly to incorporate.

Divide batter among muffin tins filling 2/3 full.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on rack and frost as desired.  Cream cheese frosting would be delish’

You too can learn to cook!

Teaching a cooking class is so invigorating.  It heals the ego.  It proves to the self conscience that in fact "you are a good cook".  It's downright fun too.

This Sunday May 17th, I will be stepping into an intimate little group of students to do some hands on Easy Morning Pastries at Sonoma's own Ramekin's Cooking School.

Don't have plans and want to learn how to whip up a muffin on the go, or berry turnover for that someone special? There's still time to get on board.  Visit www. ramekins.com for more info.

Here is just one of the many recipes we will be executing this weekend:

Brown Sugar Coffee Cake
Serves 16

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter –room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
Brown Sugar Filling:
¼ cup flour
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ cups brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter generously and flour a 10 inch tube pan (angel food cake pan), set aside. 

In a large bowl combine and whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter until soft. Gradually add sugars and beat until fluffy and light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl to thoroughly mix. Beat in vanilla.

Measure out sour cream. Add dry ingredients and sour cream to butter mixture, alternating scoops. Example: Add ½ cup flour mix, beat a little into butter. Then add ¼ cup of sour cream and beat. Begin and end with dry mixture and beat just until ingredients are moistened. Set aside while mixing filling.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl combine ¼ cup flour, 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ cup brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Cut 1/3 cup butter into dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two forks. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans.

Assembly:

Spoon 1/3 of the cake batter into the tube pan and spread evenly. Evenly spread 1/3 of nut filling over cake batter and press into batter with a wooden spoon. Repeat process twice more with the rest of the batter and nut filling – ending with nut filling. Smooth top gently.

Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in center comes out with only crumbs.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Release center of pan and cool for additional ½ hour on rack. Release cake from base of pan.

Copyright 2008 Meloni Courtway.  All rights reserved.  Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

It's Chili Time Again!

"Come one, Come all..The Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off is here again"

If you missed out last year, this gas-passing, bean-busting, spice-sprocket event is a must have for local salsa, chili and micro-brew beer enthusiasts.  Stretching the limits of their fairground venue, local and regional competitors wowed hundreds of visitors in 2008 and expect to do it again in 2009 - only bigger!

Can't imagine splurging some cash on yourself this weekend?  Then do it for the kids.  This one of a kind event benefits the Cinnabar Theater's Children's Program.

When: 1 to 5 pm, Saturday May 9th.
Where: Herzog Hall (you know, the oddly round building on the Sonoma-Marin fairgrounds in Petaluma)

Visit www.cinnabartheater.org

A Winner?

Well, last weeks P-Town Quiz in the spirit of Butter and Eggs Days had some fabulous responses. 
Our winner "Lizzie" got the closest to the correct answers - BUT - she left no contact info.
Lizzie can you hear me?  I think second runner up must go to the unstoppable Heather Irwin, fellow chili judge, food writer, and at home cheese maker.  For sure her answers were "exciting" if not correct (except sadly, they were mostly correct).

Lizzie, comment back again and collect your reward!

New contests coming soon.

Answers to the April 25th Quiz:

#1 What town does Mouse in the Pantry write most blogs from?
P-Town
#2 What are two things this town is known for?
Eggs and Arm Wrestling (but cows and chickens seemed to be popular)
#3 Name one famous actor/actress from this town?
Winona Ryder (Or...)
#4 What is one major event happening in this town this weekend?
Butter and Eggs Days, the Antique Fair, Cow chip toss...
#5 What is the definition of a Malapropism?
 - an act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, esp. by the confusion of words that are similar in sound (something I do all the time!).
#6 What is the most traditional fruit used when making Clafouti?
Cherries
#7 What is a pullet?
A young hen
#8 What kind of chicken lays eggs like these?
They were blue eggs from an Araucana Chicken

Egg free cake and a little health

 

Pardon to all Mouse in the Pantry readers for such a long station identification break.  Some kind of illness swept through the ranks, and so many days later (and one giant volcano cake, one egg less-dairy-free cake, two b-day parties, a few cuties doing the hula , a now six year old in the family, and a pint sized round of Pneumonia), we are finally tidying up the ends of it - I hope.

Back to business...
...Three new recipes to share!

First up:

A fabulous Egg Free Chocolate Cake. This was to accommodate some sensitive tummies attending a party at our house, and thank goodness I tried it.  So worth it and strangely addictive.  Wonderful on its own, great with a little whipped cream, or lathered in frosting for good measure.  I truly wish I knew where I got this recipe from; it is too good not to give credit.

Egg Free Chocolate Cake

    4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
    3 cups white sugar
    1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    1 cup vegetable oil
    3 cups water
    3 teaspoons baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3 tablespoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan (or  use 24 cupcake papers).
   2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt. Add sugar and mix together.
   3. Add oil, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
   4. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Prizes, lots of prizes

Hello Mouse in the Pantry readers.

I'm throwing the first ever (with no promises of stopping or continuing) Mouse in the Pantry Contest.

The first reader to comment back the correct answers to this short but "sweet" quiz will win a homemade batch of cookies mailed to your home by Mouse in the Pantry staff (ahem...Me).  It couldn't get any better could it? Free cookies!!!

So, here it goes.

#1 What town does Mouse in the Pantry write most blogs from?
#2 What are two things this town is known for?
#3 Name one famous actor/actress from this town?
#4 What is one major event happening in this town this weekend?
#5 What is the definition of a Malapropism?
#6 What is the most traditional fruit used when making Clafouti?
#7 What is a pullet?
#8 What kind of chicken lays eggs like these?

Times a wasting....What's your answer?

(to post a comment, you must visit the site directly.  Click on the  "comment" icon at the end of the post and then proceed.  Any answers emailed directly to me will not be counted.  Good luck)

Riding Horses

It isn't any wonder that America's obesity rate is sky high.  The lure of high fat, high sodium, high carb munchies is almost too much for many to handle on their own.  Even Mouse in the Pantry is guilty of craving the worst of the worst out there in the convenience food department.

Always a kind of "Team Player" I have been exchanging encouraging words with a fellow belly buster for the last few months.  We email, we call, we sit in coffee shops and stare at croissants.  We're making progress - slow, painful, progress.

There isn't anyone out there (ok, maybe my cousin Cam) who couldn't do with a little mid-line encouragement, and if only for your amusement, I'm going to share what has become an online diary between a fellow eat-better pal and myself.  Funny encouraging, sad and sometimes pathetic, we are sure to be honest, and you get to peek.

What's that you say? You don't care about my whiny wimpy weight-loss stories?  Fine, your loss (actually mine), this stuff is hilarious!

So here it goes.  Post dated from many months ago. Follow the bulge and the belly busting laughs.  I'll post them once and awhile when they're good and dirty.

*For anonymity's sake my pal shall be called "Soccer Mom".  This is such a loaded title, as she is anything/everything but a soccer Mom!

 Superbowl - Monday - after one week on task.

Soccer Mom:
"OK, so I fell of the horse.

But I'm getting back on.  Today. 

I weighed myself.  Not pretty.  Still weigh like a cow.  Thought I'd have dropped 20 pounds or so by now.

The problem is, I didn't weigh myself last week.  Scale was broken.. GUESSED at my starting weight.  Boy was I off ;-(

So I bought a battery, put it in the scale, stripped down to my birthday suit and got on.  OK.  Now I know.  Now I know the cold, hard, ugly truth.  I WEIGH MORE THAN I DID WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY 11 POUND BABIES!!!!!!!!

So I got off the scale, moved it to a different time zone in the bathroom.  Phew.  I lost .8 lbs just moving it to a friendlier location!!!!  Cool. 

Bad news.... the scale broke again.

Is it a sign?"

Me (Mouse in the Pantry):

"The famous psychoanalyst Dr. Fattie McFatterson once said, “A broken scale is just a brick wall between you and your dream of being a supermodel.  It is your subconscious trying to undermine your true reality!”

Did you like that?  I just made it up.

You have every right to fall off the wagon.  And no better reason than a nail biter ending to a great game.

So, I did lose, but when putting on my pants this morning I falsely led myself to believe that there would no longer be the usual tug-and-pull action that is required these days to get into my pants (husband's trying too).  No, it seems I lost my few pounds around my big toe, and maybe a little off my ears.  Nothing, and I repeat, nothing, off my ass.

I had oatmeal for breakfast with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.  2 1/3 points.  Coffee at Aqus, cuz’ I’m out here. 2 points.  Your email this morning – priceless!

M.

My Own Personal Crack House

Oh, for a moment there you thought we had actually purchased a home, didn't you?

No, no, that's a whole different blog.

Today is for crack, or chocolate covered crackers.

This year, in an effort to celebrate all the holiday fun, I tried out a recipe of chocolate covered matzo crackers (sorry this recipe is so late in coming Marcie and Marina!). 

They seemed simple enough.  A few crackers, which are in supply with Passover and all, a little chocolate, a little caramel.  No biggie.

Ha! Except that I overlooked the main ingredient combo, a lethal mix of chocolate, pecans, brown sugar and yes, butter.  Damn it all.

It was recommended that I should freeze any extra crack(ers).  So whatever I couldn't give away I threw in the cool box.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"I don't really care for them" said my hubs.  Of course.
Apparently he cares for ginormous thighs though, because without his help, I am going to eat all the crack myself.  I'm serious.  It's almost gone people.

As I no longer have two hands to work with on any given day, baby tucked on hip and all, I thought that doing laundry one handed (crack in the other hand) was perfectly suitable too.

Bite of crack.
Scoop of laundry to dryer.
Bite of crack.
Scoop of laundry.
Bite of...Oh crap!  My crack just fell on the laundry room floor.  Pecans, chocolate, matzo everywhere.

"Oh beautiful crack.  Sweet lover of mine.  You didn't deserve this?"

So I picked it up.  And....
I almost ate it, lint and all.  But I didn't. But it was close.

If you've ever seen that Sex in the City episode where Miranda eats chocolate cake out of her garbage can, then you know where I was.  Totally addicted, a little over-weight, and barely holding on.

I threw the crack bits away. 

Here's the recipe! (matzo is on sale now).

Chocolate Caramel Crack
(Adapted from David Lebovitz)

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it’s really not necessary.)
Cool completely.

Lemon Cake at Bodega Dunes

Nothing quite like a week off from school duties to push the Mouse in the Pantry crew outdoors for some fun.  Leave it to us however to pick the windiest and coldest of places to head, on (might I add), the windiest of weeks, to share some time with friends.

Despite the the cards stacked against us (bitter cold, little prep time, tired from Easter, new baby), we did it, camping in a tent, eating by the fire, and yes, picking sand from our teeth and hair.

To ward off the morning chill we dined on a little leftover Easter Lemon Cake. It may not have been warm, but it warmed our souls.  This recipe is absolutely worth repeating and borrowed with thanks from one of my favorite kitchen sites . 

Lemon-Blackberry Loaf
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who borrowed it from Ina Garten, and with my own twists!)

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (if you’re skipping the fruit, you can also skip the last tablespoon of flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup  vanilla yogurt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the blackberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50  minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in (a pastry brush works great for this, as does using a toothpick to make tiny holes that draw the syrup in better). Cool.

Perfectly Boiled Eggs

If you talk to any given person on the street you will probably hear a different variation of how to boil the perfect egg from each;  Specifically, how to make the perfectly peel-able egg.

There are many schools of thought, personal preferences, folklore, old wives tales, methods and mayhem involved in our fascination with this wonderful little package.

Hopefully this recipe will come out just right for your holiday weekend.

The Perfect Boiled Egg:  great for deviled, salads, Easter...

Start with old eggs!  You heard me, old eggs.  If you just scurried off to buy some fresh from the market, save those for the dyed ones that will inevitably be eaten by the dog or left to rot in a field.  For any eggs bound for the table, try to round up some that are at least a week old - two is better.  Check your fridge - Any old ones in there?  Great.

Place eggs in a large pan of cold water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon oil.  Yep, oil.   Bring the eggs to a boil over high heat.  When they begin to boil (bubbly water and all), cook for 8 minutes.  After 8 minutes of boiling turn off heat and let eggs sit for 1 more minute. 

Using a slotted spoon, or carefully tilting pan to remove hot water, submerge eggs in ice water.  You can either have a bowl ready if working with a spoon, or, pour ice water into emptied pan over eggs.

Once the eggs are chilled, remove from water and store in the fridge, if not using right away.

I find that storing them over-night makes the shell removal even easier.
NOTE:  The oil used in boiling could make it difficult for egg dye to stick.  Consider this, and omit the oil if your eggs are just for "pretty".  Also, older eggs without oil will still peel well.