Did you celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day?

Yesterday, after a beautiful nap (punctuated by the most perfect soundtrack), I woke remembering

three things.

1. It was National Chocolate Cake Day
2. It was Family Literacy Day
3. I really love naps

So I did what any sane person would do. I decided to bake a chocolate cake.

I have a great chocolate cake recipe but since my husband had previously declared it 'unnecessary' to bake a cake for National Chocolate Cake Day, I decided to find a different recipe to try because I like new things. I Googled "Easy one bowl chocolate cake" and honestly tried the first one on the list. It had good reviews, it was easy and went together quickly. I did two 9" round pans -  it seemed like it should be different (than what I usually do) so I could pay proper homage to the Chocolate Gods.

Twenty minutes later it was in the oven. Thirty five minutes later, it was out of the oven. After brief consultation with my sister about the appropriateness of a filling, I whipped one up, made the frosting and waiting for the cake to cool.

After piano class, it was time to eat that decadent piece of awesome.

And awesome it was. It has been said I have a flair for the dramatic but I summed the cake eating experience like this: It is like a giant slice of sex, heaven and good wine rolled into one, chocolate laden piece of gold.

Click the link to discover the Magic Sex Cake recipe. For my filling I combined 1/2 an instant pudding cup with about 2-3 ounces of plain cream cheese. I then made my 'usual' frosting, which goes like this:

Creamy Frosting
3 tbsp margarine
3 tbsp cocoa
1-1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp cream

I baked the cake in two, parchment lined pans. I spread the filling on one half, topped with cake and smothered that bad boy in my creamy frosting. I refrigerated it because it seemed like a good idea. It was and it is still moist and delicious.

I'll also add two final thoughts. Although i make chocolate cake all the time, I rarely eat it. This cake, however, is all I want to eat. Maybe it's PMS, maybe it's a full moon, but I can tell you although I already had my slice (two, who am I kidding? Lunch needed dessert today too), I am seriously considering doing extra time on the elliptical so I can eat more of that wondrous creation.

My final thought is this - my husband, the King of All Things Chocolate was 'meh' about the cake. He thought it was 'heavy' and although he hasn't turned down a piece, he said he still prefers my other recipe.

He is wrong, but I love him and I will still make him his favourite.

Recipe Swap Thursday: Spinach Lasagne Rollups

Spinach Lasagne Rollups

My menu plan had "Lasagne" on the menu for February 21 (a statutory holiday where I live). Sunday night as I looked at the plan I realized I did not want heavy, overfilling lasagne. I wanted light and tasty and creamy. So I searched around for a while and decided to try these Creamy Lasagne Rolls. But looking at the recipe, it just looked blah and somewhat unappealing to me. But, I did decide I liked the idea of lasagne rolled up with a savory filling and a cream sauce... But what kind of cream sauce? I knew my Alfredo would be too heavy. I thought about adapting my sauce from the Mushroom Linguine recipe I use. But part of what makes that recipe so tasty is the ton of mushrooms and sauteed onions.

So I went back to basics and started thinking about the tried and true white sauce recipe I use from my grandmother's 1958 Edition of the Five Roses Flour Cookbook. This is a staple recipe in my kitchen and I use it as a basis for many dishes. So if I added some different seasonings, thinned it a bit more, it might just make a good pasta sauce. So, I set to work.

Roll Ups
12 lasagne noodles, par-boiled
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 package chopped spinach, drained and squeezed of water
1/2 orange pepper, finely diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 egg

-Par boil lasagne noodles until firm but pliable (you'll need to fill and roll them up but too soft will cause them to tear)
-In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients until well blended. Reserve half cup of mozzarella cheese.
-Beginning filling noodles. Pat noodles dry and spread a nice layer of filling over the entire length of the noodle. Roll carefully and lay seam side down in a large casserole dish (I believe I used a 2 qt Corning Ware dish)
-Continue until all the filling and noodles are used.
-Set dish aside and make sauce.

Sauce
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups milk
1/4 cup dried basil or 1/2 cup fresh
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

-Put margarine and flour in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir constantly for two minutes. Ensure the butter/flour mixture DOES NOT brown
-Add salt and pepper, stir well.
-Pour milk in slowly, stirring to combine and to prevent lumps. Once well combined, reduce heat a bit and add in basil.
-As the sauce starts to thicken, add cheese and stir to melt. Once melted, remove from heat and pour over roll-ups.

-Sprinkle reserved mozzarella cheese on top of roll-up and sauce mixture.
-Bake covered at 350 F for about 30 minutes, remove lid and continue to bake another 10 to 15 - broiling on low for last few minutes to brown cheese.

Note: After adding the sauce and cheese, I put mine in the fridge as I prepared it in the morning. It baked up just fine although we prefer our pasta a little saucier. Next time I make this, I will increase the sauce by a half recipe to make it creamier and saucier.

Recipe Swap Thursday: Cloud Pie

This past weekend (as part of our Valentine's Day dinner) I made one of my husband's favourite desserts... Something he's named "Cloud Pie"! It is a decadent, creamy and chocolaty flavour experience that we all adore!

It is very simple and so tasty! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Cloud Pie

1-8oz package cream cheese
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1-1/2 cups milk
1 chocolate graham pie crust
Cool whip topping

Soften cream cheese in microwave. Add pudding powder and milk. Use a hand blender to mix. When nearly combined, 3 or 4 heaping tablespoons of cool whip. Blend well for 2 or 3 minutes.

Pour into pie shell. Decorate the top with Cool whip and drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Refridgerate two to three hours before serving.

Recipe Swap Thursday: Alberta Beef Cheesesteak Subs

Since I started seriously blogging in May, one thing came to my attention: I wasn't creating very much in the kitchen. I'd defaulted to a few tried and true recipes and opted for simplicity instead of creativity.

A few months ago, I decided to take that leap back to kitchen creativity and 94% of the things I've attempted have been really good. The other 5% were 'good'. This weekend, I created that one dish, that rare and elusive 1%, that is unbelievably fantastic, sell it to a restaurant good. I'm a good cook, of this I have no doubt, but this weekend, I excelled to Awesome Cook. I might have to make myself a badge...

This idea came to me as I didn't want what I'd planned. A quick trip to the bakery for fresh sub buns and one half hour prep and cooking time (plus Garlic Chipolte Mayo chilling time), and it was an easy, simple, have on hand dinner.

Without further self-adulation, I'm very, very pleased and proud to present...

Premium Edmonton Cheesesteak Subs with Garlic Chipolte Mayo



Ingredients
Filling:
1 pound Sirloin Steak (or the most tender cut available to you)
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1/2 green pepper, julienned
1/2 yellow pepper, julienned
1/2 medium white onion, sliced into rings
4 very large mushrooms, halved and then sliced thin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp Seasoned salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Mozzarella cheese

Garlic Chipolte Mayo:
1/4 to 1/3 cup Miracle Whip Dressing (or mayonnaise)
2 tsp minced garlic or 2 to 3 fresh cloves, minced
Dash + of Chipolte Seasoning

Method
-Toss steak in freezer for up to 40 minutes to firm it up before slicing thin. (when I made ours, it was mostly frozen as I decided late in the day to make this dish)
-While steak is chilling, slice vegetables and set aside.
-Combine mayo, garlic & Chipolte seasoning in a dish. Refridgerate 1 hour (or more), then remove when you start cooking to allow it to blend. Stir occasionally.
- When steak is sufficiently chilled, slice steak into thin strips
-Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan. When very hot, toss in all your steak. Pan sear, then turn down heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Saute 2 to 3 minutes. If steak is nearing 'done' (meaning just a thin thread of pink), add peppers and seasoning. Toss and continue cooking on med-low. Cover with a lid.
-Slice buns and put on a cookie sheet. Preheat broiler to "low".
-Spread a generous amount of Garlic Chipolte Mayo on bottom half of bun and a thin layer on top.
-Toss meat mixture and then divide equally onto three sub buns. Top meat size with thinly sliced mozzarella cheese.
-Place under broiler until cheese melts and starts to brown.

Remove, close, slice and serve. Makes 6 servings (1/2 a sandwich each).

Part of what made this meal absolutely fantastic was the Premium Alberta Beef we are able to get at our local butcher, Beverly Meats. As a former vegetarian, I can tell you that if you start eating meat again, seek a local butcher who sells locally grown product. You cannot go wrong. We've never had a tough cut and his prices are competitive with, if not better, than the local chain store price and the quality is out of this world.

Recipe Swap Thursday - Cheesy Burritos & Mexi-Fries

This week, we tried a 'new' recipe - but like usual, I added and modified and revamped it to make it more interesting. I then decided to pair it with "Mexi-Fries". The result was good - everyone ate well and agreed it was a "do again" meal.







Cheesy Beef Burritos
1 lb hamburger
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup salsa
6ea 10" flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 diced green onions
6 leaves, chopped fine, romaine lettuce
1 tomato, diced
sour cream

Scramble fry hamburger until nearly done, add chili powder and cook until done. Drain if necessary and then add salsa. Simmer on low. Stir in about 3/4 cup of shredded cheese, stir until melted. Keep warm while tortillas heat.

Warm tortillas in oven (450 F for 7 or 8 minutes - wrapped in foil).

Remove hot tortillas, place spoonful of meat mixture down centre of tortilla, top with shredded lettuce, tomato, green onion and sour cream. Add a sprinkle more shredded cheese if desired. Roll tightly and slice in half. Repeat until all tortillas and fillings are used.

Makes 6 servings, 1 burrito each.

Mexi-Fries
16 oz Tater tots
3 - 4 tbsp Cheeze Whiz
3 - 5 tsp Enchilada Sauce
Sour cream, if desired

Cook tater tots according to package directions. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of Cheeze Whiz in microwave, when nearly melted, add 3 to 5 teaspoons of enchilada sauce. Stir and heat another 30 seconds.

Put 9 to 12 tots on each plate, top with Cheeze Sauce and a dollop of sour cream. Makes 6 generous servings.

Recipe Swap Thursday - Quick & Easy Italian Cheese Bread

Italian Cheese Bread
2-1/2 cups flour
2 pkgs yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine

2 eggs

2-3/4 cups flour

FILLING:
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pkg of dry salad dressing mix, like Salad n Dips Italian or Country Herb
1/4 tsp garlic powder.

METHOD:
Combine first 4 ingredients, mix well in large mixing bowl.

Heat milk, water and margarine well (until hot and margarine is melted). Stir to combine and add to dry ingredients. Add in two eggs and beat on low until well combined. Turn mixer to medium and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Add second amount of flour, one cup at a time until blended and dough is sticky.

Turn onto lightly floured surface and kneed gently. Cut into two pieces and shape into a two balls.

Grease a 12" bundt pan well. Sprinkle lightly with Sesame Seeds. Poke hole in one of the balls and fit into bundt pan.

Combine filling ingredients and put on top of dough in pan.

Poke hole in second ball and place on top of filling and first lot of dough.

Cover with greased wax paper and clean tea towel. Place in COLD oven with only the oven light on. Wait 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and preheat to 350 F. Put uncovered pan of bread in oven and bake 30minutes (or until done - bread should sound hollow when knocked). Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Hints & Tricks to make it better
The bread was good but a little 'heavy' and 'cakey' so I may try just putting it in the bowl first, letting it rise and punching it down before forming (assuming I've got the time to do it). Also, it was a little short on flavour. Next time, I'd add the seasoning packet to the dry ingredients (first 4). I'd likely omit the butter in the filling too and just either add the cheese into the dry ingredients or put it in the middle as originally suggested.

The good news is it is quick and makes a nice addition to a pasta dinner. It also would be very good with a supper salad (like Chicken Caesar Salad). I hope you try it - original or modified!

One more note: It makes a bundt pan full - we are a family of three... When I made it the last time, I cut it into three sections and froze two for later use. We've eaten both pieces and I'm happy to report that it stays fresh and tasty for several months in the freezer (I froze it in late October, we ate the last piece a week ago).

Photo courtesy of Blackstone Images


For more great recipes, check out the Recipe Swap at Prairie Story!

Recipe Swap Thursday - Sweet & Sour Hamburger

On Sunday night, I'd planned to make spaghetti but TroubleMaker informed me he wanted RICE! I had a craving for Chinese takeout, but the foot or three of snow we'd had over the weekend had made the streets a nightmare and I knew if we ordered in, we'd likely be waiting hours for it to arrive. So, out of my desire and TroubleMaker's insistence for RICE, this recipe was born...

Sweet and Sour Hamburger with Fried Rice

1 lb hamburger
1/2 green pepper, large dice
1/2 red pepper, large dice
1 to 2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 white onion, sliced into rings
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
1 rib celery, sliced on the diagonal

Sauce:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp flour

Directions
1.Scramble fry hamburger in large frying pan or electric skillet (with a lid), keeping the pieces bite size (like small meat balls) until no longer pink.

2.Add onions, carrots and celery. Saute until tender crisp. Add other vegetables and saute a few minutes more.

3.Combine all sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup, whisking to combine until no flour lumps remain.

4.Pour sauce over meat and veggies and stir to combine well. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until firm vegetables (carrots) are soft and broccoli is slightly wilted or reaches desired doneness (we like it quite soft).

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We served it with my Fried Rice (a long time family favourite) but the sauce was tasty and I think it would be good with plain rice too!

For more great recipes, check out the Recipe Swap at Prairie Story! This is my first link to her site and I'm so excited to share it!