Coleslaw

Coleslaw is one of those foods you like a certain way. For me, I have to be in the mood for it. I like mine a little sweeter than tangy. My husband likes coleslaw a lot but he loves mayonnaise. Yes, he will eat raw cabbage but only if there is a lot of mayonnaise. 

I think the best way to have coleslaw is with barbeque or a picnic. I prefer the picnic but there is too much snow outside and I figure we will have to wait. We have held a picnic in the living room but we have a crazy dog and I think it just wouldn't be pretty. I will admit I did not shred the cabbage but I bought the coleslaw package. It is faster.

Coleslaw
1 cup of mayonnaise
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp celery seed plus a little more for garnish.
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, and celery seed in a large bowl.
2. Add the shredded cabbage and carrots. 
3. Toss well.
4. Taste and if needed add a little salt and pepper.
5. Top with additional celery seed for garnish.
6. Chill for at least half an hour and enjoy!

Recipe from Jen of Sweet Morris.
 
Did you already know.....
-Coleslaw word is from the the Dutch word koolsla which is cabbage salad.
-The Ancient Romans prepared a similar dish with cabbage, eggs, vinegar and spices.
-Another name for coleslaw is cold slaw or slaw.

Baby Back Ribs

My son kept asking for me to make baby back ribs. I do not recalling if he had ever had baby back ribs before. Why he wanted them? I have no idea. Then we went out to eat and my oldest daughter order ribs. It isn't something she normally orders but she was nice enough to share with my son. Well, he loved them. So, my son has continued to ask for me to make them. I broke down and did it. He told me I did a good job. Guess what he wants me to make him for his birthday meal?

I have never made baby back ribs. I asked the young butcher at the counter about them since I had no clue. He brought me over to the beef section. Luckily, my husband had asked the person packaging the meat section and he was able to give us baby back ribs. See how knowledgeable I am since I couldn't even tell you if baby back ribs was beef or pork. I learned it is pork.

This week I am going to blog the meal I made in sections. So today will be the baby back ribs. Tomorrow will be the coleslaw then followed by baked beans and corn bread. You will need to start the ribs and beans the night before. It is a perfect Sunday meal. Enjoy!

Baby Back Ribs
Dry Rub
4 Tbsp brown sugar, tightly packed
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder


1 rack of baby back ribs
1 bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Original No. 7)


Directions:
Combine all the dry rub seasonings in a bowl. 
Place the ribs on a large piece of aluminum foil with the shiny side down on top of a baking sheet.
Rub down the ribs on both sides with the dry rub. 
Cover the ribs with half the barbecue sauce. 
Place the baking sheet with the ribs inside the refrigerator over night.
Preheat the oven the next day at 300 degrees.
Cook the ribs for 2 1/2 hours and the internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Remove from oven and brush with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before slicing.


Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Did you already know.........
-Other names for baby back ribs are pork back ribs or loin ribs.
-Piglets are not used to make baby back ribs but the name is from the where the shorter ribs are found on the hog.
-Baby back ribs are meatier than spare ribs.

American Beauty Cake

Do you watch pageants like Miss America? We normally do not but recently we saw a child beauty pageants television show and my youngest daughter thought it was great. She was ready to enter any pageant she could. I didn't want to discourage her but I have a full time job plus a hockey schedule for my youngest son at this time. So, I took the easy route and said, "You know dear those dress cost a lot of money so you really should talk to Grandmom about making you one. Since it is late, you will have to call her tomorrow." Lucky for me, she forgot all about it. However, today she went with my sister and Mom to look at wedding dresses so she may remember after all.

The only reason why I bring up pageants is this week on PQ was the American Beauty Cake picked by Alice of This Home Plate. My cake will not win any pageants for beauty. Now, talent is another category and it would rock. As my son says, this cake is Awesome! Since my cake didn't look the prettiest no matter what angle, I included a more attractive subject. My son didn't care because he was eating.

This cake takes a day to make since it needs to be frozen for at least six hours. It is a rich, decadent dessert. I did cheat and used store bought mousse. Please check out the other members cake for recipes of the mousse. I would definitely make this again especially for a special occasion like an anniversary. My son enjoyed making it with me since all he did was help with the whip cream but took credit for making the whole dessert. Doesn't he look proud?

American Beauty Cake
Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Mousse 
Dark Chocolate Glaze:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
Place the cake pan in a roasting or baking pan to make sure it fits.
Set a metal bowl over a saucepan that is holding  2 inch of simmering water.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the metal bowl stirring until smooth. 
Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.
Whisk the sugar and eggs into the chocolate mixture until well combined. 
Stir in the vanilla and mix well.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the cake pan. 
In the roasting pan, fill the pan with hot water to come about two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan. Be careful no water enters the cake pan but just surrounds the cake pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan and the cake will settle back down after rising. Do not remove the cake from the pan.
On the cooled cake, spread the mousse filling the pan to the top.
Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or up to 3 weeks.

To make the glaze:
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In a sauce pan, combine the corn syrup, whipping cream, and vanilla. 
After the mixture boils, pour it over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.
Allow the glaze to cool at room temperature.
To assemble:
Remove the cake from the freezer and dip the bottom of the pan in hot water. 
Invert the cake onto a plate and then invert the cake onto another plate so the mousse part is on top.
Pour the glaze over the mousse making sure the glaze needs to cover the sides of the cake.
Allow the glaze to set at least one hour.
After the glaze sets, cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook.

Don't you love his million dollar smile with the missing tooth? He looks like a hockey player.

Did you already know......
-In 1921, a beauty contest was sponsored in Atlantic City to increase newspaper circulation.
-In 1923, Miss Mary Katherine Campbell wins the title Miss America two years in a row. Since her winning, a new rule was instated that no woman can hold the title for more than once.
-From 1929 to 1932, the contest is discontinued due to the Great Depression and bad publicity.
-Miss Maine has never won Miss America.
-The 2012 Miss America winner is Miss Wisconsin, Laura Kaeppeler.

Mushroom Burgers

I am going to share something with you. After you read what I'm going to tell you, you may want to send your condolences and you can. It may make me feel a little better. You see I am not even 40 years old but my oldest daughter is 18 years old today. 18! 18! It is just shocking. How can this be? I remember being pregnant with her and unable to move so I tried to do a cart wheel. Don not try this stunt. It doesn't work. Your feet will not move off the ground. However, my daughter did decide to enter the world a couple of days later. Maybe it helped? I will never know. 

As I've shared before, my oldest daughter loves hamburgers. She could eat them everyday. The other day I was craving a mushroom burger. I occasionally go to this tavern and I order their mushroom burger. It is so good. So this is my creation of trying to duplicate their burger. It was similar but I liked the results a lot. 

 So I made two of them. One for me to eat. The other one to photograph. I have to try it before I photograph because if it isn't good why take the photo. Good logic, huh? After I took the photo, I went to my daughter's room and asked her if she wanted a mushroom burger because there was one on the counter. She went into the kitchen and then came to find me. She was not happy. "Where is the burger?" Misunderstanding her, I reply, "What do you mean? It is on the counter." "No, it is not. What happen to the hamburger?" I found this to be very funny and replied, "No dear, I asked you if you wanted a mushroom burger. I did not say mushroom hamburger." She then informed me that my mushroom burger is not a burger. She ate it any ways. She even grudgingly told me that she liked it a lot. I will continue to call this a mushroom burger especially since the tavern does.

Mushroom Burger


2 large portabella mushroom caps
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 strips of roasted red pepper
1/2 cup of fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 slices of Provolone cheese
2 hamburger buns ( I toasted mine)


Directions:

1. Remove the stems of the mushrooms and clean well.
2. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
3. Brush the caps with the oil mixture.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
5. Spray the skillet with cooking spray and add the spinach leaves.
6. Saute the leaves for about 3-5 minutes until they are welted. Set aside in a small dish.
7. Add the roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes.
8. Set aside with the spinach.
9. Mix the spinach and red peppers with the Parmesan cheese.
10. Add the caps stem side down into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip the cap and cook the other side for 5 minutes.
11. Add the spinach leaves and red pepper cap to the middle of the portabella mushroom cap.
12. Top the mushroom cap with a slice of Provolone cheese.
13. Remove from the skillet and place on top of a plate to allow the juices to settle before placing on the bun (which I should have done).

Recipe from Sweet Morris.

Did you already know...............
-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lewis Carrol were born.
-In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his incandescent light.
-In 1888, the National Geographic Society was founded.
-The #1 song on US charts was "All for Love" by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

     I love fresh rolls. If a restaurant serves great tasting rolls, I am so there. I love Panera bread and I am so glad that I do not live close to one. Can you imagine having a futuristic button to press and out came your request like a vending machine but everything was fresh? What would you have in your futuristic vending machine? Panera bread? Godiva chocolate? Fresh picked strawberries?

     My sister is so good since she follows a gluten free diet but pasta and rolls are my down fall. No wonder my sister is so small. I know this is the way to convince you to make these rolls, huh? 

     The best thing about these rolls are how short the start to ready to eat time. I only had a couple of hours to make rolls before my guests were arriving. I needed rolls for meatballs. I normally buy the store rolls but they are gummy. Then you place a meatball inside and it is a bigger mess. The rolls were perfect to serve with the messy meatballs. My husband liked these rolls but his pick would be the Texas Roadhouse copycat rolls posted earlier.

Fluffy Dinner Rolls
3/4 cups milk
4 Tbsp butter
3/4 cups hot water
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package of active dry yeast

Directions:

1. Microwave the milk with the butter for 90 seconds. 
2. Preheat oven to 170 degrees F.
3. Measure the hot water from your faucet. The water needs to be slightly uncomfortable to the touch.
4. Add the hot water, milk and butter to a mixer.
5. Add the sugar, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Mix for 1 minute.
6. Add the yeast and mix then add one cup of the remaining hour at a time. Stop adding flour to the mixer when the dough has come together and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
7. Continue to mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
8. Stop mixing and cover with plastic wrap tightly to trap the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Coat the inside of a 9x13 pan with butter.
10. Spray your working area with cooking spray.
11. Place your dough onto your working area and cut the dough into 24 pieces. 
12. Roll the pieces into balls and place into your buttered pan.
13. Place the pan into the warm preheated oven and let rise for about 20 minutes.
14. After the dough has risen, turn the heat to 350 degrees with the dough staying in the oven.
15. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

 Recipe adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up! 

Did you already know...........
-In 1981, Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. was founded by Louis Kane and           Ron Shaich.
-In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. purchased Saint Louis Bread Co, a chain of 20 bakery cafes.
-In 1999, the company sold all of the Au Bon Pain business units and renamed the company Panera Bread.
-In 2010, co founder Ron Shaich opened Saint Louis Bread Co. Cares which is a non profit cafe which patrons pay what they can.