Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains

After weeks of watching the Presidential conventions and sideshows, my patriotic spirit has been slightly dampened. While there certainly have been a few inspirational moments, nothing has been more disheartening than watching the darker sides of this year's political process play out. But then this past weekend I started to feel differently or rather start to feel more like myself again as my resiliency kicked in. Or I should say was rather kicked. The pride, hopes, and dreams I have for this country (and the world) returned. What caused this 180 degree shift in restoring my patriotism, my love of country? The 2016 Olympics. Quite possibly the most perfectly scripted, well-timed event to happen.  Am I not the only one who needed this year's summer Olympics to get a much needed patriotic adrenaline rush? Not only as a reprieve (or at best a diversion) from listening, watching or reading about the Presidential candidates and their campaigns, but to restore an optimistic, unifying spirit. Between the individual and team events along with the back stories on athletes themselves, the 2016 Olympics may seem to be a temporary distraction from everything else going on in the world. Except, their impact extends well into the future. From planting seeds of dreams for future generations both on and off the athletic playing fields to promoting peace and unity, the individual and collective impacts of the Olympics seem to have gone well beyond what the Ancient Greeks had conceived in 776 BC. And, I for one, could not be happier.

A few weeks ago I took a cooking class with a couple of running group friends. After having a margarita at A Todo Madre (an incredible Mexican Bistro in the western suburbs of Illinois) we walked across the street to Marcel's (an amazing locally owned culinary and food emporium) to learn all about the making of Summertime Street Tacos. Although the focus of the class was on tacos and not the Mexican Rice side dish, I first tasted and learned how to cook with plantains while in this intimate, hands-on class. Can you believe I had somehow managed to live a plantain free life? Who knew some of the takeaways from this class were opening my eyes to the deliciousness of a Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains and discovering that White Rice with Fried Plantains is a perfect side dish for tacos!

In addition to cooking plantains for the first time, my eyes and palate were opened to the flavor (and heat) of Serrano chiles. Apparently my culinary life has been a little more sheltered than I have been willing to admit. This Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains was the perfect way to expand my gastronomic horizons.

In addition to being insanely delicious, it is a relatively inexpensive dish to make. A little olive oil, celery, half of an onion (sweet yellow or white), garlic, half of a Serrano chili, a small bunch of cilantro, some long (or extra-long) grain rice, some kosher salt, chicken broth, two black (ripe) plantains and some vegetable oil make up the ingredients. 

I used a sweet yellow onion instead of the white onion we used in class. Feel free to use either one, although the white onion is the onion of choice in classic Mexican cooking. Both the onion and celery should be cut to fine dice. While the garlic and Serrano chile are finely minced. The heat in this rice dish comes from a half of Serrano chile, seeds and all. As someone who doesn't really do 'hot' well, this rice dish had just the right amount of heat. 

After the diced onions and celery are sautéed until the onions are slightly translucent, the garlic and chile are added and cooked for 30-45 seconds before the rice is added. Long grain rice is the rice most commonly used in Mexican cooking. Chefs like Rick Bayless and Zarela Martinez recommend using a medium-grained white rice for best results as the long grain rice found in the US is not comparable to the long grain rice found in Mexico. Having learned that after I made this rice dish and using extra-long instead of long grain rice, all I will say is that my choice of rice did not at all affect the incredible flavor of this dish. What it did affect was my rice cooking time.

Before the chicken stock is added to the saucepan, the rice is cooked along with the sautéed vegetables until it is slightly translucent (approximately 3-4 minutes). During this phase of cooking, you will be stirring the rice constantly. However, once you add the chicken stock and reduce the temperature to low, the covered pot remains undisturbed for at least 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Side note: My cooking time was almost 25 minutes.  

According to Wikipedia 'Plantains contain more starch and less sugar than dessert bananas and are therefore usually cooked or otherwise processed before being eaten'. Sometimes referred to as the pasta and potatoes of the Caribbean, they have found their way into the produce section of many grocery stores. As the peel changes to black, the plantain becomes sweeter while still retaining the firmness necessary for frying.

The skin of a plantain is much thicker than that of a banana and requires a few knife cuts to remove it. By making several long cuts though the skin from one end of the plantain to the other, the skin removes easily. When frying the plantains in vegetable oil, keep these two things in mind: (1) make sure your vegetable oil is hot and (2) work in batches so you don't overcrowd the plantains. The cooking time for 1/4" slices is approximately 1-2 minutes. Transfer the cooked plantains to a dish lined with paper towels and season with kosher salt. Side note: You can make the plantains either before or while you are making the rice. They don't necessarily need to be hot when added to the rice.

The cooked rice is finished with chopped cilantro and the fried plantains served either in a bowl or platter. If you are not a big fan of cilantro, this Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains might have you changing your mind.

In addition to being a perfect side dish to tacos, this Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains would compliment a grilled chicken dish or any other Mexican entree. Although I could just eat this rice as a meal. Especially if margaritas were involved! Or maybe to pay homage to the Olympics in Brazil, I should serve this dish with some Caipirinhas (Brazil's national cocktail) using some of the Cachaca (clear sugarcane hard liquor) the person who shall remain nameless brought back from a work trip to Brazil last week. Served with or without alcohol or with or without tacos this Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains could end up being one of your favorite side dishes. Or if you are anything like sheltered me, open your palate to the deliciousness of fried plantains.

Recipe
Mexican White Rice with Fried Plantains (ever so subtle changes to Robin Nathan's Mexican White Rice with Sweet Plantains recipe)

Ingredients
Rice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large sweet yellow or white onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Serrano chile (with seeds), finely minced
2 cups long grain or extra long grain white rice
4 cups chicken broth
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Plantains
2 ripe (black) plantains, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
Vegetable oil for frying
Kosher salt

Directions
Rice
1. Heat oil in a heavy medium sized pan or stock pot. 
2. Add onion and celery, sautéing until onion is slightly translucent (approximately 2-3 minutes).
3. Add garlic and chiles, continue to cook for an additional 30-40 seconds, stirring constantly.
4. Add the rice and stir to coat with vegetables. Cook until rice becomes slightly opaque (approximately 3-4 minutes).
5. Add broth and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a quick simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook undisturbed for 15-25 minutes (or until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice). Note: My cooking time for the rice was almost 25 minutes. This may have been due to the level of heat or size of pot. Would recommend checking for doneness at 15 minutes and then continue cooking until rice is done.
6. Fluff with a fork and transfer to serving bowl or platter.
7. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro

Plantains
1. In a large, preferable non-stick skillet, pour in vegetable oil to coat bottom of pan and to a height of approximately 1/4".
2. When oil is hot, add a third or half of the plantain slices (you do not want to overcrowd the pan). Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, flip when lightly browned. Repeat with remaining plantains.
3. Place cooked plantain slices on a plate lined with a paper towel. Season with kosher salt.
4. Arrange plantain slices around the edge of the bowl/platter of Mexican White Rice. 
5. Serve immediately.

Images from a walking tour of Philadelphia (Summer 2015).

Blueberry Dutch Baby

Breakfast seems to be one of these meals we are often in a hurry to eat. Usually this means when going out for breakfast we set relatively short time parameters around the time it takes to place the order to the time it is brought to the table. Invariably we often avoid ordering any menu item requiring a twenty minute wait time. For some reason twenty minutes in the morning is considered an endless eternity. We need to convince ourselves we are much too busy to wait that long. Although we think nothing of waiting in endless lines at the coffee shop, at the ice cream shop on a really hot summer's day, or at an amusement park. Essentially our perception of 'too long' is consistently inconsistent. Because if we really want something badly enough, we usually manage to deal with the wait time.

Dutch Babies are those 'do I really have to wait twenty minutes?' breakfast menu items causing us some angst. As soon as we place a breakfast order for anything other than a Dutch Baby, it seems the universe conspires against us. Within seconds of the server leaving our table, another server delivers a a tray of Dutch Babies to the table sitting next to us. The sight of them immediately makes our mouths water or drool or both. Suddenly our perspective shifts and we silently admit a twenty minute wait is really not that long at all. So instead of going out for breakfast and not ordering what you  crave, why not just stay in and make some Dutch Babies!

With the possible exception of wild blueberries, you more than likely generally have all of the ingredients for the making of this Blueberry Dutch Baby on hand. Less time consuming than making traditional pancakes and with a greater visual wow factor at the table, Dutch Babies are an impressive breakfast or brunch dish. By using different seasonal ingredients (blueberries, apples) or simply topping with a homemade lemon curd you may never grow tired of either making and devouring them. 

A prior dutch baby recipe post (Dutch Baby, At Last) used slightly different ingredients in the batter. I would be hard pressed to say which one of these Dutch Babies I liked better. Although in one bite of this Blueberry Dutch Baby and I was immediately smitten with the flavor the smaller, wild blueberries, lightly sprinkled with fresh squeezed lemon juice and finished with a generous dusting of confectionary sugar brought to it. Unfortunately fresh wild blueberries (a much smaller version of the blueberries most of us are familiar with) are not readily available here in the midwest. Driving to Maine or Canada is not a feasible option, so I instead used frozen wild blueberries (with success!). The recipe in Yankee Magazine called for using only one half cup of wild blueberries, but I can tell you now your Blueberry Dutch Baby really needs somewhere between three-quarters to a full cup of them.

The key to making the batter for a Dutch Baby is three-fold: use the best possible ingredients, use room temperature eggs, and whatever you do, do not over blend the batter. A lumpy Dutch Baby batter is a really good batter.

Cast iron pans and Dutch Babies are inseparable. Not only do they conduct heat evenly, they can stand up to relatively high oven temperatures (like the 425 degrees (F) oven temperature called for in this recipe). Cast iron pans at antique stores or flea markets may be a little more expensive than the newer ones made today although either of them will work (this comes from someone who has both). Never ever use a non-stick pan when making a Dutch Baby. Both your pan and your Dutch Baby will be ruined.

Getting the cast iron pan hot is important when making this puffy pancake. The best way to accomplish that goal is to first preheat the oven before placing the pan with the three tablespoons of butter in it. Not only will your butter melt (within about a minute) perfectly, your pan will be evenly heated. Once the butter is melted, the batter is poured into the pan first and then topped with the blueberries. In about 20-22 minutes you will the most beautiful, insanely delicious golden browned, puffy pancake. 

As soon as the Dutch Baby has finished baking, remove from the oven and immediately squeeze a half of small lemon over the top and dust generously with confectionary sugar. Serve immediately! Because part of the experience of a eating a Dutch Baby is taking it in with your eyes make certain everyone is at the table ready and waiting as the Dutch Baby will slightly deflate in a relatively short period of time. While it is as delicious fully puffed as it is deflated, seeing it puffed might make everyone at the table think twice before passing on ordering a Dutch Baby the next time they go out for breakfast at a restaurant. Life may be short, but who wants a life without a Dutch Baby, especially a Blueberry one.

Recipe
Blueberry Dutch Baby (slight adaptation to Yankee Magazine's Blueberry Dutch Baby recipe, July/August 2016)
Serves 2 generously and 4 slightly less generously

Ingredients
1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
3/4 to 1 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
3 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Confectionary sugar for finishing
Optional: Maple syrup

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F) and position rack to lower position in oven.
2. Lightly beat the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, salt and nutmeg. Do not over beat as batter should be slightly lumpy.
3. Place butter in 9 inch cast iron pan. Place in oven. Allow butter to melt (about 1 minute).
4. Carefully remove pan from oven, immediately pour batter into the heated skillet and sprinkle with wild blueberries. 
5. Place pan in oven and bake until puffed and golden, approximately 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven.
6. Immediately sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and generously dust with confectionary sugar.
7. Serve immediately.

Notes: (1) I used one cup of wild blueberries here, but 3/4 cup could work as well. Anything less and well, it wouldn't be as delicious, (2) In the midwest, finding fresh wild blueberries (from Maine or Canada) is a challenge. Most grocery stores sell smaller wild blueberries in the freezer section, (3) Serving with maple syrup is optional, but not necessary. Personally I prefer a Dutch Baby without maple syrup, (4) This recipe definitely calls for the use of a cast iron pan. You can find vintage cast iron pans in antique stores and some flea markets or you can find new ones in a good culinary store. If buying new would recommend Lodge cast iron pans. Everyone should have at least one cast iron pan and (5) Feel free to make the base of this Blueberry Dutch Baby using the Dutch Baby, At Last recipe posted on the blog.

Views in Bar Harbor and on Mt. Desert Island (Maine)

Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake

"Never photograph anything you are not passionately interested in." (Lisette Model) As I was reading "Diane Arbus: Portrait of a Photographer", a biography written by Arthur Lubow, I couldn't help but wonder why my very amateur photographic eye has been drawn more toward capturing landscapes, animals, and, of course, food rather than people. Of the thousands and thousands of photos I have taken over the last five years, there are relatively few having either familiar or unfamiliar people as the focal point. Often when photographing landscapes or the iconic images within them, I have positioned my lens or waited for the capture to be free of human life. Being unable to telepathically ask people to move slightly to the right or the left, I will shamelessly admit to, on a few occasions, kindly, yet boldly asking if they could please pause in place while I took a few photos. Fortunately I have yet to meet anyone telling me to, as they say, 'go jump in the lake'. Whatever the reason or reasons explaining my photographic interests, obsessions, and exclusions, something in this biography has opened my eyes to the possibilities of taking my photographic endeavors from a different, or rather, broadened vantage point. While I don't see myself going from one end of the continuum to the other, I can see myself experimenting with shifting away from, rather than staying only at the single end of it. Along with broadening and expanding the photographic concept of balance, who knows where some of this introspection might lead.

I would like to think I use the same kind of discerning eye when taking a photo as I do when reading new recipes. Rather than completing disregarding a recipe when I perceive something is a little 'off', I generally use a combination of my intuition and knowledge along with other recipes to come up with a version I think might work. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it doesn't (you don't ever get to see the things that don't). My path to the recipes I want to try are not alway linear, as something in my deeper search frequently leads me in a completely different direction. However, being side-tracked can sometimes be very good thing. Recently I came across a recipe for a Cardamom Coffee Cake made in a 9"x12" baking pan and piled high with a topping of sugars, butter, pecans and spices. Intrigued by this recipe, I began a search to see just how many other versions there were of a coffee cake having cardamom as its' main spice. Not many actually. However, I ultimately came across a recipe from the famous Moosewood Cafe, one made in either a bundt or tube pan with a nut filling sprinkled between the layers of cake's batter. This Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake is a hybridized version of the Moosewood Cookbook recipe and the one initially peaking my baking interest.

If you search for the Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cafe's Cardamom Coffee Cake recipe, you will discover that version and this one look very different. Instead of a light colored cake crumb with discernible streaks of nut filling, this one is darker with an almost invisible distinction between the cake and nut filling layers. Was it because I used sour cream instead of the other options of buttermilk or yogurt in the batter? Was it because the filling was made with toasted pecans instead of walnuts? Or was it because I added some melted butter, vanilla, and salt to the filling? I don't really know which one or ones were contributing factors. But what I do know is that I loved the deep, rich color of this moist, perfectly spiced coffee cake more than the ones I found on other foodblogs.

This is the kind of cake you want to make when you are having a brunch or weekend guests, needing to bring something to a gathering or a hostess gift if invited to spend a weekend at the home of a friend, as a gift for a friend or new neighbor, or whenever you have grown tired of the store bought bakery confections brought into your office. Easily made the night before, this moist cake actually improves in flavor if allowed to sit (well covered) overnight. Although I wouldn't pass up the chance to serve this cake while slightly warm.

With the exception of the cardamom, more than likely you have all of the ingredients for this Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake in your pantry and refrigerator. Although, as luck would have it, when I began assembling the ingredients for this cake I discovered there were more than a half dozen boxes of dark brown rather than light brown sugar in the cabinet. Apparently I must not be able to keep an accurate mental inventory of brown sugars in my head or somehow think there will be a shortage of dark brown sugar when I go shopping. When making the cake batter, alway remember to give your eggs and butter time to come to room temperature. I generally take them out of the refrigerator the night before baking. The resulting cake batter will be very thick, so a standing mixer with a paddle attachment makes it easier on your arms to prepare.

The nut filling in the original Moosewood Cafe cookbook called for only for a quarter cup of packed brown sugar, one tablespoon cinnamon and one half cup chopped nuts. However, in this version I used one cup of (toasted) pecans, a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar, some melted butter, cinnamon and kosher salt. I used almost four tablespoons of melted butter, however, would recommend scaling this back to 2 or 3 tablespoons. You want just enough to bind these ingredients together. Feel free to use walnuts instead of pecans, but you will definitely want the full tablespoon of cinnamon in this filling.

There are two recommended pan options for this Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake: a tube pan or a bundt pan. Considering this is such a dense cake, I would strongly recommend the use of a (10 inch non-stick) tube pan to ensure evenness in baking. By adding a glaze to this coffee cake (and/or some additional chopped nuts or edible flowers on top) it will be so 'dressed up' you might not even miss the 'bundt' cake look.

Regardless of which pan option you decide to use, make certain to use some non-stick spray to ensure easy removal. There are essentially five layers to this cake: three of batter and two of filling. Beginning and ending with placing one-third of the cake batter in the pan. In a preheated oven, the baking time for this Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven will be anywhere between 70 and 90 minutes or until it the top is beautifully browned and a probe all the down to the bottom of the cake comes out clean. Depending on your oven (or pan), you might want to begin checking for doneness at 60 minutes. The aroma emanating from this cake as it bakes in the oven is downright intoxicating.

Consider the confectionary sugar glaze as a necessary option. Just remember, a smooth glaze requires the use of sifted confectionary sugar.

Once the cake is removed from the oven, allow it to sit in the pan for an additional twenty minutes before inverting onto a cake stand or platter. And then wait another twenty to thirty minute before pouring over the glaze.

The best description of the difficult to capture in words flavor of cardamom was shared in an article written by Serious Eats....."part nostril-widening menthol, part dew-drenched flower, part honeyed syrup. There is nothing subtle about cardamom, so when used in all but sparing amounts it will dominate whatever it's paired with. Used properly, it elevates sweet and savory dishes, adding layers of flavor that stay on the tongue..."  Used in both sweet and savory dishes, cardamom is one of those spices you want to have in your life. The original recipe called for only the use of 1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom. But in reviewing other's adaptations to this recipe, many increased the amount to 1 tablespoon. And happily so did I. Between the cardamom in the batter and the cinnamon in the pecan filling, this cake was satisfyingly delicious!

I often will take photographs of the same landscape. No two photos are ever the same. The time of year and day along with my choice of aperture or millimeter settings significantly affect the final photo. Invariably after declaring a photo a 'favorite', another capture of the same view has me proclaiming it to be my new 'favorite'. Like my photos, I have now discovered a new 'favorite' coffee cake. And it may just one of those 'melt in your mouth' coffee cakes having the distinction of being the most favored of all. I won't say never (shudder the thought of permanently closing the door on anything), but it will definitely be long awhile before I look for or bake a different one.

This is not one of those coffee cakes that everyone will eat just because it's there. Rather it's one your family and friends will be hoping you make.

Recipe
Cardamom Pecan Coffee Cake (an adaptation of the Cardamom Coffee Cake recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook and the Food and Wine recipe for Cardamom-Spiced Coffee Cake)

Ingredients
Cake
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
16 ounces sour cream
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon ground cardamom (Note: The original recipe called for 1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom, but I loved the flavor imparted by the full tablespoon. Feel free to use an amount as little as 1 1/2 teaspoons or as much a 1 Tablespoon)

Pecan Filling
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
2-3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze
1 cup confectionary sugar, sifted
4 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a 10" bundt pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes).
4. Add eggs, one a time, beating until incorporated.
5. Mix in vanilla.
6. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately, beginning and ending with the flour to the batter. Do not over mix. Batter will be very thick.
Note: There will be 3 additions of flour and 2 addition of the sour cream.

Pecan Filling
1. In a small bowl, mix together the pecans, brown sugar, sugar, butter and salt until blended. Set aside.

Glaze
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectionary sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Note: If glaze is too thin, add a little more confectionary sugar. Conversely if it is too thick, add a little more milk. Set aside.

Assembly
1. Spoon one-third of the batter into prepared pan. Smooth slightly.
2. Sprinkle one-half of the pecan filling over the batter.
3. Spoon another one-third of the batter over the pecan filling.
4. Sprinkle remaining one-half of the pecan filling over the batter.
5. Finish with remaining batter, smoothing out surface with an offset spatula.
6. Bake for 70-90 minutes or until brown on top and a tester comes out dry when inserted all the way through the cake.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
8. Invert pan onto cake plate or platter. Allow to set another 20-30 minutes before pouring on the glaze.
9. Drizzle glaze over the top and sides of the cake.
10. Cut into slices and serve. Cover cake with plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Notes: Cake can be made a day ahead. Will keep for 3-4 days if tightly wrapped. Feel free to double the amount of glaze, particularly if you like a heavily glazed cake.

One typical photo and one a slight departure, both taken on the streets of Tombstone, Arizona (2016)

Kahlua Affogato Sundaes

One of the upsides to having some of my favorite television shows coming to their season's end is that I now spend even more of my discretionary time reading. With many more months to go before Homeland, House of Cards, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and The Affair return, I have completely immersed myself in newly purchased books as well as ones sitting on my library shelf, patiently waiting to be read. Of all of life's simplest of joys, reading a hard covered edition of a book is one of them. While patience is not high on my list of virtues, I would gladly wait a day or two for a book to be delivered from Amazon Prime before downloading a book on a reader or any other device. Yes, I am admittedly and proudly old school when it comes to book reading. Something almost unexplainably magical happens each time I open a hard covered book. My unwillingness to give up this book format may be because I feel a greater connection to the words, to the emotions, or to the characters in the book or it might just be because it feels as if I am holding a piece of priceless art in my hands. Whatever the reason or reasons, I genuinely hope that, in this sometimes unpredictable world we live in, hard covered books will remain a constant well beyond my lifetime.

Affogato, coming from the Italian word 'affogare' ('to drown'), is traditionally made with a scoop of gelato and a shot of freshly brewed espresso. Partly eaten with a spoon and partly enjoyed as a drink, it is a dessert best described as decadently blissful. While there are an infinite number of variations to the ingredients (gelato or ice cream, freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso, the addition or absence of a complimentary liqueur), there is generally only one universally shared opinion of this classic Italian hot-cold confection. Delizioso!

If you were ever looking for an easy, simple to assemble dessert to completely impress and WOW your friends and family, make these Kahlua Affogato Sundaes. Seriously, you will be more exhausted from listening to everyone's rave reviews than from the effort and energy that you put into assembling them. 

I may have shared with you in a prior blog post that one of my most favorite flavors of ice cream is vanilla. This is due in large part to overindulging in continually tasting the richer ice creams served at the Baskin Robbins I worked at during college. Because sometimes it was slow and well, what else were we supposed to do? After living out east for several years, my repertoire of ice creams expanded to include coffee, chocolate espresso and coconut. While a vanilla ice cream, or the more traditional gelato, works incredibly well in these Kahlua Affogato Sundaes, feel free to combine ice cream flavors that compliment one another as well as the coffee/espresso and liqueur of your choosing. 

The addition of freshly lightly sweetened whipped cream along with a garnish of maraschino cherries (or chocolate covered espresso beans) is what makes these Affogato Sundaes a slightly more over the top dessert. You don't like making whipped cream, well, simply omit it. Although a cup of heavy cream whipped together with one tablespoon of confectionary sugar until light peaks form is the proverbial icing on the cake. 

Possibly one of the biggest decisions to be made when assembling these Kahlua Affogato Sundaes is deciding which glass or dish to serve them in. Whichever glass or dish you choose, it should be a clear one so everyone can visually see the beauty of this dessert. Because it can be partly eaten with a spoon or sipped, consider choosing a short-stemmed martini glass or other beautiful drinking glass. Drinking a dessert from a bowl may not so bad when no one is around to witness it (we have all done this), but around a dinner table drinking from a bowl may be something even your most laid back, not a pretentious bone in their body friends might give pause. 

Any number of liqueurs would work well. In addition to Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream, or Tia Maria would be equally delicious and subtle enough to still allow the flavor of the coffee or espresso to come through.

If you are not going to go the sundae route with these affogatos, finish them off with the maraschino cherries or chocolate covered espresso beans. If you are really looking to splurge on this dessert, consider the Luxardo Maraschino cherries from Italy as they are not anything like their neon red American versions. But making these Kahlua Affogato Sundaes without them is not a deal breaker. Instead top with some chocolate covered espresso beans or allow the dollops of freshly sweetened whipped cream to be the finishing touch.

An affogato is a timeless, classic dessert. One destined to be hopelessly, deeply loved by your family and friends. If you are looking to keep it classic, make it only with gelato and espresso. But either way you decide to serve it, you can't go wrong. 

Recipe
Kahlua  Affogato Sundaes (ever so slight adaptation to Ina Garten's Affogato Sundaes recipe)
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 pints of high quality vanilla ice cream or gelato (or use a combination of vanilla and coffee flavors), slightly softened
8 Tablespoons of Kahlua (or Bailey's Irish Cream or Tia Maria)
8 Tablepooons freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso
Freshly whipped sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate covered espresso beans and/or maraschino cherries (recommend 

Directions
1. Place 2 to 3 generous scoops of slightly softened ice cream in serving glasses or dishes.
3. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of Kahlua (or liqueur of your choice) over the ice cream.
4. Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the strong coffee of espresso over the ice cream. Note: I used 2 Tablespoons
5. Dollop with some freshly whipped lightly sweetened whipped cream.
6. Garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans and/or maraschino cherries. (highly recommend Luxardo Maraschino cherries)
7. Serve immediately.

Notes: (1) Make scoops of slightly softened ice cream, place on a tray and return to the freezer until ready to assemble, (2) Serve Affogato Sundaes in martini glasses as when fully melted makes for a delicious drink ending to the dessert, and (3) Splurge on the best ice cream. On the east coast my splurge would be Bliss ice cream (freshly handpacked), but here in the midwest my go to is Ben and Jerry's vanilla or Graeter's vanilla.

Early morning along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (2016)

Seasoned Pretzels

My rather overactive imagination is currently failing me. For some reason I thought reading Summit, an incredibly well written book with Mt. Everest as the part of the backdrop, I could somehow transport my body from this oppressively hot midwestern weather to a much cooler climate. Sort of like the whole mind over matter concept. I know that sounds like a bit of slightly delusional thinking. But consider this. If a book has the power to take one's mind to unexplored places and/or one's heart to feeling a book's full range of emotions, shouldn't it be possible for one's body to vicariously feel the setting? Like the 50 something degree temperatures (F) in Lhasa, Tibet this week? I only wish our imaginations were that powerful. Because if they were, while envisioning what the 'not enough words' to fully capture the views at the summit of Mt. Everest might actually be, along with allowing my heart to race with feelings of exhilaration and angst, I would want my body to feel the frigid climbing season weather. Momentarily, of course. Or at least just long enough to give me some relief from this 'when will it end' heatmagedon. 

I haven't been able to bring myself to turn on the oven this week even though the person who shall remain nameless is home for a few days. Fortunately there was some leftover Peach Cobbler in the refrigerator (it reheated beautifully in the microwave) and some Cowboy Cookies in the freezer (perfect for ice cream sandwiches) to satisfy his sweet tooth. So while the list of absolutely have to make recipes requiring an oven grows longer by the day, I will 'uncharacteristically' wait for slightly cooler temperatures to return before I try them. Yes, the house is air-conditioned, but the humidity in the outside air seems to creep in each time I open any of the outside doors.  

In yet another one of my usual self departures, I discovered one of those less than six ingredients, needs no baking, quick and easy, made entirely of packaged/bottle ingredient recipes. I actually tasted a version of these Seasoned Pretzels while on my short Michigan vacation with my sister and her family. While sitting on the beach, my brother-in-law's sister came over and asked if we wanted any pretzels. Craving salt, I took a small handful. I got much more than the expected taste of salty pretzel. At first I couldn't discern all of the flavors of the pretzels, so of course, I had to have another handful. This time one slightly larger than the first. These slightly addictive pretzels were salty, buttery, mildly garlic-y, and bursting with an array of seasonings.

As soon as I came home I started doing a recipe search for them. While there were some ingredient variations, the ones having a package of Hidden Valley Ranch Mix, garlic powder, and onion powder were most appealing. As a disclaimer, these may not be the healthiest pretzels to pass your lips. Due in large part to the twelve ounce bottle of Orville Reddenbacher's Popping and Topping. But they are definitely some of the most flavorful, destined to be habit forming pretzels you will eat!

The amount of pretzels recommended in the myriad of recipes I came across ranged from two to three pounds. I went with two and a half pounds. But next time would use only two and a quarter pounds to ensure all of the pretzels are equally well seasoned. I also used only 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and would keep that amount even if slightly reducing the amount of pretzels. 

Making these pretzels in one of those jumbo (2 to 3 gallon sized) ziplocking baggies is almost a necessity. In addition to keeping the pretzels fresh, they not only make the process of gently tossing (or flipping) the pretzels in the mixture easier, the liquid from the buttery topping has a greater chance of becoming equally absorbed. 

If you are looking for the perfect party snack to serve in the summer (or year round), especially one taking minimal effort, these Seasoned Pretzels might be the hit of your next gathering. Oh, did I tell you they pair perfectly with ice cold beer? And unless you live in a cool climate, have access to a pool or a body of water, that might be a good way to cool off! No imagination required.

Recipe
Seasoned Pretzels (inspired by multiple sources)

Ingredients
2 - 2 1/2 pounds pretzels (recommend using a combination of pretzel shapes of similar size) 
12 ounce bottle of Buttery Flavor Popcorn Oil (recommend Orville Reddenbacher's Popping and Topping)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Mix 
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 - 3 teaspoons garlic powder (I used 2 teaspoons)
Jumbo ziplock baggies
Serving suggestion: Your favorite ice cold beer.

Directions
1. In a jumbo sized ziplock bag, add pretzels.
2. Pour in Buttery Flavor Popcorn Oil. Seal bag and gently shake.
3. Carefully reopen ziplock bag and pour in Hidden Valley Ranch Mix, onion powder, and garlic powder. Reseal and gently shake to distribute dry ingredients.
4. Lag bag flat in a cool place. Turn every 60-90 minutes for the first 8 hours. Turn/toss every so often after that or until all of the oil is absorbed (approximately 20-24 hours).
5. Transfer seasoned pretzels to a clean ziplock bag.
6. Serve and savor. 

Notes: The smaller sized pretzel rings and waffle shapes work well. Next time would make with no more than 2 1/4 pounds of pretzels to ensure all of the pretzels are equally well seasoned. Make these pretzels a day in advance to ensure all of the buttery topping is fully absorbed. Surprisingly these Seasoned Pretzels are not all wet or greasy.