Chocolate Mousse Cake

For the Chocolate Lover. Tons of calories, worth every one. Make this for guests or plan on giving 1/2 away. It's too much for one family. Whenever I have served this, people close their eyes after the first bite and chew very slowly, as if their tastebuds demand full attention. It's so good. But it should be, there's no flour in this cake.

Cake:
1/2 lbs. unsalted butter
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 oz. pieces
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites

Melt 2 Tbls. of the butter. Brush 3 round 9 inch cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter again.

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt remaining butter and chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly.

In large bowl, whip egg yolks and sugar on high until slightly thick and lemon colored, about 4 minutes. Scrape down sides, beat 2 minutes more.

Whisk 4 egg whites until stiff, but not dry.

Fold melted chocolate into egg yolk mixture. Then fold in egg whites. Divide batter evenly between the 3 pans. Cook at 325 for 25-30 mintues until toothpick near center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans 15 minutes. (Durring baking, the surface of the cakes will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse when the cakes are removed from the oven. Then invert, remove parchment paper and cool on cooling racks in fridge for 30 min.

Filling:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 oz. pieces
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbls. granulated sugar

Melt chocolate on low in heavy bottomed saucepan, stirring constantly. Combine cream and sugar. Whip on high until soft peaks form. Use hand whisk to combine 1/4 of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until smooth and completely incorporated. Add chocolate mixture back to the whipped cream and fold until smooth.

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbls. unsalted butter
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/2 oz. pieces

Heat the cream and butter in pan to boiling. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Once cream boils pour over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Stir untill smooth. Let stand at room temperature until ready to assemble cake.

Assemble:
Spread half filling on one cake circle. Top with 2nd cake. Spread other half on. Top with 3rd cake. Chill 2 hours. Coat sides and top wtih room temperature ganache. If desired, coat sides of cake with grated chocolate, cookie crumbs or chopped nuts.

Frozen Strawberry Lemon-Basil Mousse

This is so delicious and the basil makes it a sophisticated dessert that will wow guests. (Am I too cheesy?) Don't go easy on the basil, I often put a little more in.

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup
3 cups quartered strawberries
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin, or 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup sliced strawberries, for garnish
1 tablespoon chiffonade of fresh basil, for garnish

Process the basil and the 1/2 cup sugar in a blender, until basil is small, no need to obliterate. Place quartered strawberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the basil sugar. Allow the mixture to stand for 20 minutes.

Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the lemon juice with 3 tablespoons of water and the gelatin in a small bowl. Allow gelatin to soften, about 5 minutes. Puree sugar-basil-berry mix. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and press to release the juices, discard the pulp and seeds.

Cook 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the 1/3 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Just before the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the gelatin mixture.

Combine the gelatin mixture with the remaining strawberry puree in a medium bowl. Chill in the fridge, Stirring every 10 minutes until cooled and syrupy.

Fold the reserved whipped cream into the syrup mixture, gently but thoroughly. Fill individual glasses with the strawberry mousse, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Allow mousse to stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. May garnish with fresh sliced strawberries and basil.

Grilled Plums with Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce

Bobby Flay

6 plums, halved and pitted 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 tablespoon honey Pinch ground cinnamon Pinch finely grated orange zest Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce, recipe follows Preheat oven on broil. Brush cut side of plums with oil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey, and sprinkle with a pinch each of cinnamon and orange zest. Place plums on cookie sheet, cut side down, and broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown and slightly caramelized. Turn over and broil until just heated through, approximately 1 minute longer. Place 3 plum halves in each of 4 bowls and top with a few tablespoons of the Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce. Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate if not using right away.

Pear-Walnut Ice Cream

Made this last night. It is Di-vine.
Williams-Sonoma Desserts

1 lbs. very ripe Barlett or Comice pears, peeled, cored, chopped
1/2 cup canned pear nectar
6 Tbls. sugar
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
2 Tbls. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnut halves, toasted

Cook pears, nectar and 3 Tbls. of the sugar over medium high heat until boiling. Once boiling cook 1 minute. Puree in blender.
Combine egg yolks, corn syrup, and remaining 3 Tbls. sugar. In saucepan heat cream to boiling. Then slowly add to egg mixture, whisking continually. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until slightly thick. Do not boil.
In a bowl mix the custard, pear puree, and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold.
Freeze in an ice cream maker. Add nuts the last minute. Transfer ice cream to container. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours, up to three days.
Makes 3 1/4 cups

Cabin Chili

2lbs  ground beef chuck

1lb bulk Italian Sausage

3 (15oz) cans Chili Beans, drained

1 (15oz) can chili bean in spicy sauce

2 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

1 large yellow onion

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 green chili peppers, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 T bacon

4 cubes beef bouillon

1/2 cup beer

1/4 cup chili powder

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1T minced garlic (we added more)

1T minced oregano

3/4 T of cumin

1 T hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

1 t dried basil

1 t salt

1 t ground black pepper

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t paprika

1 t white sugar

optional: serve with sour cream, fritos, cheddar cheese

Heat large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Crumble ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned.  Drain excess grease.

Pour chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste.  Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon, bouillon, and beer.  Season with chili powder, worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar.  Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  The longer the chili simmers the better it will be.  Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day.

Garlic Chicken FarFalle

i totally stole this picture off of a friend's blog.








Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: about 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8

(This is the only pasta dish Go likes. Because it's delicious. And there's bacon in it.)

2-3 chicken breasts
1 (12 oz.) bottle of Lawry's Mesquite marinade with Lime
16 oz. bow tie pasta
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 Tbsp pepper
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. butter

The night before, marinate chicken breasts in mesquite marinade and refrigerate until ready to cook. Grill chicken and cut. Boil pasta. Melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. In large pot, add pasta and sauce and heat through.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz. softened cream cheese (or Neufatchel)
4 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
1 small can diced green chiles

Smash ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or bread.

Roast Sticky Chicken

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: about 4 hours
Servings: about 6

*START THIS THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WANT TO EAT IT!*

1 whole chicken

1 onion, quartered

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix last 6 ingredients together in a bowl. Empty out, rinse chicken, pat dry. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place onion quarters inside chicken’s cavity. Place chicken in bag and REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.

Preheat oven to 250. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake, uncovered for about 4 hours.

Lentil Soup with a Curry Crema, Parsley Oil and Fried Carrots

My all-time favorite soup By Emeril Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time: 1 hour Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts)

3 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large onion, minced (1 cup) 3 carrots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (1/2 cup) 1 rib celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup) 4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon) 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 pound dried lentils 2 quarts chicken stock 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves Parsley Oil, recipe follows Fried Carrots, recipe follows In a large saucepan cook the bacon over medium heat until it has rendered most of its fat, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chopped ginger, salt and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the lentils and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Use a spoon to skim any foam from the top of the soup, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are very tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. While the soup is cooking, make the Curry Crema by combining the creme fraiche and the curry powder in a small bowl and set aside. When lentils are very tender, puree the soup using a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternately, puree the soup in batches in a blender after it has cooled slightly.) Add water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Add the lime juice and parsley, stir to combine, and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve garnished with a rounded tablespoon of Curry Crema, drizzle with Parsley Oil, and Fried Carrots. Parsley Oil: 1 bunch parsley, leaves picked and washed 3 cloves garlic 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil 2 limes, juiced Salt Freshly ground black pepper In a food processor, add parsley, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice and puree until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Fried Carrots: 1/2 pound carrots, peeled 1/2 cup flour Salt Freshly ground black pepper Preheat a fryer to 350 degrees F. Cut the carrots into long, thin strands on a turning slicer. Alternately, cut the carrots into a julienne on a mandoline. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with flour, salt and pepper, just to coat the carrots with flour. Shake the carrots, to remove excess flour. Place in the fryer and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil, place on a paper towel-lined plate, and season, to taste, with salt.

Naan

Servings: 14
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 7 min.
Ready in: 3 hours

1 (2.5 oz) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: at least 1 hour to marinate
C0ok Time: 40 min.
Ready In: 2 hours

1 cup yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
4 long skewers
1 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and 2 tsp cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 1 tsp salt. Stir in chicken, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 tsp cumin, paprika and 1 tsp salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.