Completely Consumptual

Nathan's Lemon Cake

2011-01-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

After taking several years to consider the following statement, I am ready to announce that Nathan's Lemon Cake is my favorite dessert ever. So refreshing and so sweet. The lemon flavor is so fresh every bite feels like a summer time picnic, playing whiffle ball on fresh cut grass, all while taking down a cold glass of recently pressed lemonade.

Nathan's Lemon Cake

Servings: 16

from Cooking Light Magazine, May 2008

Cooking Spray

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 cup nonfat buttermilk

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon lemon rind

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

lemon rind strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare cake, coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust pans with 2 tablespoons flour, and set aside. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended

(about 5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and nonfat buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack; remove wax paper from cake layers.

To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and the remaining ingredients (except lemon rind strips) in a large bowl stir with a whisk until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread half of icing on top of cake. Top wit remaining cake layer. Spread remaining half of icing over top of cake. Garnish with lemon rind strips, if desired.

Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

Ice Age Headphones

2011-01-19T18:04:00.000-08:00

Without counting the obvious and ever-important things such as my wife, my family, the Gospel, and food, perhaps the thing that I have a hard time going an extended perioud time without would have to be music.

Life is well-deserving of a soundtrack. There is plenty of recorded sound out there to pair with almost any weather, mood, setting, necessity out there. And until someone (my guess would be Apple) figures out how to create some omnipresent playing of music that somehow only you can hear as you walk down the street (a la "Stranger Than Fiction"), I will gladly confine my OST to a pair of headphones.

Here comes the dilemma.

One week ago, my headphones mysteriously went missing.

This is not the first time. I have a horrible habit of leaving important things in unimportant places, particularly my car keys under the church pew. However, the lost item is usually found within the day, or at least the next. I was missing out on prime listening time. The grounds of Provo were covered in snow and nostalgia always brings me back to Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago" to appreciate the calm peacefulness that a snowfall can bring. But without headphones, I was stuck with my own thoughts and the sounds of rubber tires spinning on ice.

7th day without headphones...the plot thickens.

This brings me to today. I had been especially missing my headphones. I knew I had a walk to campus and a trip to the gym on my schedule today, two activities that should hardly ever been attempted without music. I drove to work in the dark morning, taking in as much iPod as I could in the car. The snow around town has mostly melted by this point. A warm front and brief rainstorms had helped clear the streets. I pulled into my favorite workplace parking spot (its free picking at 6:30 AM) and put the car in park.

As I opened the door my eyes looked down and I beheld one of Winter's most beautiful sights: a pair of silver headphones! Not just any headphones either, these were my headphones. My heart leapt with joy as my brain fired away, trying to figure out how they got there, and how they went seven days untouched.

My conclusion is this:

My headphones must have dropped from my car/pocket/backpack/jacket sometime last week at work. Not noticing, I must have driven away, completely satisfied with the speakers in my car. My headphones must have been preserved in the snow, like Brandon Frazier in "Encino Man," held in a safe place until one week later, the snow would melt and I would find them, lying perfectly next to my parking spot.

When it comes down to either a pleasant day in the sun, or a chilly winter's snowstorm, I will almost always choose the former, but this time, I am in debt to a nice coat of snow.

And we're back...

2011-01-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

Well, look who's back. Sorry it has been a long time since we last posted (over 18 months if you were curious). The New Year has found us busy as always, but hungry as ever.

The blog you are reading is heading into a new direction. Due to the consistent encouragement of a few select friends, we will now be widening the parameters of our posting and including more general adventures of Katie and Keith (we do do some fun things that don't involve food...doodoo hahaha).

But for now, enjoy a classic completely consumptual post: Roasted turkey breast, potato-gruyere gratin, roasted vegetables. Oh yeah, and Katie's RIDICULOUS honey-peanut butter rice krispie treats.

Roasted asparagus with grape tomatoes

Gratin

The completed meal

please stop staring.

Be a part of Completely Consumptual!!!

2009-04-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

If you have food reviews, recipes, tips, or questions, email them to completelyconsumptual@gmail.com and I will put them on the site! As the site begins to fill up with more recipes and reviews we will start categorizing and hopefully turn completely consumptual into a huge community or recipe sharing and food idea swapping.

Marlene Meer has already contributed and I hope more people will!!!

Bistro-Style Short Ribs

2009-04-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

From Marlene Meer

This isn't my personal recipe, but it's ALWAYS a staple at every dinner party or when we're celebrating good company on a Tuesday night. There are minor adjustments to the recipe. I don't have a dutch oven, but any big pot works, it just took a little longer while simmering. I just braised the short ribs on a cast iron center burner, instead of using an outdoor BBQ. Also, the recipe requires some dry red wine, but the dish still has strong flavor without it. Lastly, the puree of vegetables makes a big difference in the sauce/gravy. I don't prefer a runny thin sauce...I feel the vegetable bits add more of a rustic/homely feeling.

Served over polenta.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/bistro-style-short-ribs-recipe/index.html

Completely Consumptual on Facebook

2009-03-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Completely Consumptual is now a group on Facebook!

This will allow everyone to come together in a community type setting and make their own contributions.

Join to share your favorite recipes, suggest a new restaurant, or just to see what else everyone is doing in the kitchen!

See you there!

Going Greenhouse

2009-03-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

Whether in a poor economic situation or rich, herbs are dang expensive. Unfortunately, they are as important in good cooking as gasoline in an automobile. However, our good Swedish friends at IKEA designed a greenhouse that fits perfectly on our windowsill.

Katie and I have loaded up our house with some Basil, Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, and Rosemary. After one week we had little sprouts in the Basil and Oregano, and are hoping the harvest will be great. We hope that we can save a little green on the greens sometime by late spring.

If anyone has greenhouse (or faux greenhouse) tips, send them our way!!!

It's not actually green

Basil

Oregano

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

2009-03-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

Lately, we have been on a bit of a soup trend and this is our favorite to date. The recipe comes from everyone's favorite Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten and was so good we made it two weeks in a row.

The tomatoes roast for a good while giving your house a powerful aroma for the remainder of the evening, but it is completely worth it. After the simmering time, the red pepper flakes really give the soup a kick. If you are more of a mild heat kind of person, I'm sure the amount can be lowered.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

Ingredients

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Duke vs. UNC with Aunt Wilma

2009-02-13T19:57:00.001-08:00

So this really has nothing to do with food, but it was something I'd like to share.

My great aunt Wilma is the biggest Duke Basketball fan in the world. For their big night against UNC we went up to watch the game with her.

Here is some of the action:

Sad Day

2009-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

I read the news today, oh boy...

grab a box of tissues and click here.

Carne Asada Tacos

2009-01-22T19:00:00.001-08:00

One of my biggest loves and culinary desire...the carne asada taco. Meat, onion, cilantro, avocado. Edible proof that less is more. Growing up in the Bay Area, these were a dietary staple, but this was my first attempt at doing it at home.

There are plenty recipes out their for the meat, but I think one fun part about this food (as is for many) is making it your own. So go out there, grab some steak and play around. Just don't forget the onion, cilantro, and avocado (and the lime of course).

All of the neccessities ready to go

The finished product. Or should I say 2 of the 5 finished products...

Condiment Gun

2009-01-22T07:23:00.000-08:00

If anyone feels like being extra nice, I would be ecstatic if one of these appeared on my doorstep one afternoon...

The Condiment Gun

Chicken Parmesan with Smashed Cauliflower

2009-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

Last night I kicked Katie out of the kitchen (politely). She didn't seem to be too upset, though she did offer her help more than once. I was pretty excited about some recently found recipes and wanted to give them a go. I thought Katie could use a bit of relaxation at the same time. Both recipes were a lot easier than I was expecting, and the taste was great. In personal previous attempts with Parmesans, there have been some major failures. I used a bottle marinara sauce by Barilla. It was surprisingly tasty and could easily be doctored up with some fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil (I don't stand for cute abbreviations around here).

Chicken Parmesan
from yahoo recipes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
1 cup marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium (see Tip)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
4 soft whole-wheat sandwich rolls, toasted

1. Position oven rack in top position; preheat broiler.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan until the chicken is an even 1/4-inch thickness. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add half the chicken and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken; transfer to the baking sheet.
5. Top each piece of chicken with the wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve on rolls.

Makes 4 servings.

Smashed Cauliflower

from foodtv.com (I am not taking back my e.v.o.o. diss from above, but so everyone is aware, this recipe did come from Her Royal Highness, Rachel Ray. I guess credits given where credits due at completely consumptual).

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 cup shredded white extra-sharp Vermont Cheddar (recommended: Cabot brand)

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano

Coarse black pepper and salt

A generous grating nutmeg

Place cauliflower in a medium shallow pot or pan. Add stock, cover and place pot over high heat. When liquid boils, reduce heat to simmer and cook covered 10 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat to medium high and allow the broth to reduce by half, 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and the cheeses and smash the cauliflower with a masher to the same consistency as desired for mashed potatoes. Season the cauliflower with black pepper, a pinch of salt and nutmeg.

Cupcake Tour 2008: Annihilated

2009-01-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

For those who read about the Cupcake Tour 2008, or for those who didn't, it was a great time. Cupcakes were abounding and pretty tasty. But there was one thing that bothered all of us on board: Were the cupcakes really worth their cost? I could have told you right then and there that the answer would be no, but at the same time, you can't really put a price on quality family time and trying new foods together.

Today Katie made Coconut Cupcakes for a small get together with some friends. These little cups of coconut dusted heaven are the answer to the store bought cupcake. Forget the trend, the fancy "green" utensils, and all of the clever marketing. This is a darn good cupcake.

Coconut Cupcakes

Batter:

3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks butter)
2 cups sugar
5 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks butter)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the
butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to the baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Fenton's Creamery

2009-01-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

To top off a great holiday break, Katie's parents took us to Fenton's Creamery in the Piedmont area of Oakland, California. If you are ever in the Bay Area, this is a must have. I went a few years ago and got a Reuben Sandwich. The pastrami was delicious and the sauerkraut was right on. I planned on getting this sandwich again and again until I stopped by the 115 year old establishment with Katie. She suggested getting the Crab Salad Sandwich, which I did. This sandwich of all sandwiches blew me away. The most recent trip was my 3rd time getting the Crab Salad and it has yet to disappoint. Of course, no trip to Fenton's would be complete without some sort of sundae. This time we left our standard "Black and Tan" to try the "Cookie Connection." No regrets. The only thing that could be better is if Ice Cream could last in a doggy bag. Fenton's also has a small shop in the Oakland Airport, so if you ever have a layover, treat yourself.

Crab Salad Sandwhich

Cookie Connection

From Fenton's Menu:
Cookie Connection

Crazy for Cookies? Picture this - A cookie creation that
starts with a warm chocolate chip cookie under scoops
of Cookies n' Cream and Cookie Dough ice cream
topped with hot fudge, marshmallow topping, whipped
cream, crushed Oreos and a cherry.

No photoshop tricks here, just a huge sundae

James and Angela ready to dig in

A Tale of Two Curries

2009-01-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are wrapping up and Katie and I have returned back to snowy Provo. We had the greatest time over the break and enjoyed lots of wonderful times with family and friends and also got to eat a lot of fantastic food.

August 2nd, 2007, was the first time Katie and I went out. We went to Los Gatos to dine at Thai Spice. We have been back many many times since then and we always order the same thing: Yellow Curry and Pad Thai. It has become, easily, my favorite meal of all time. Every bite is packed with so many different flavors. I would eat it all the time if I could. It is also a great little restuarant with awesome people working there. The atmosphere is really relaxed. After Katies first bite of the curry, she knew she could marry me. Maybe, I made that part up.

Being home also meant homemade cooking. Katie and I are both fortunate to come from families that enjoy both cooking and eating. Katie's mom is pretty exceptional in the kitchen. Our last night in town, she made a red curry that was equally as delicious as something you would sit down and pay for. Enjoy!

Pad Thai with Chicken
Thai Spice, Los Gatos, CA
http://www.thaispicecuisine.com/menu/Losgatos.pdf

Yellow Curry with Chicken
Thai Spice, Los Gatos, CA

Thai Red Curry with Chicken
Servings: 4

2 large chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red curry paste (or more, up to 2 teaspoons)
1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped basil

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in saute pan and add chicken. Saute chicken until brown on both sides. Remove chicken from pan. Add curry paste and saute for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar. Boil for 5 minutes. While sauce is boiling, slice chicken into thin strips. Add to sauce in pan along with red pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Stir in basil. Serve over plain rice.

Recipes

2009-01-01T21:56:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays Everyone!

The posts are now going to be featuring recipes!! This time I am serious!

The five-course meal

2009-01-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

On February 14th, 2008, I received a Valentine's Day gift any guy would be happy to receive: an I.O.U from Katie for a 5 course meal. The next day, Katie and I decided to get engaged and by the end of the weekend, we had a wedding date set. The next ten months became a whirlwind of schoolwork, finals, weddings, honeymoon, trips to Boston and Orlando, more schoolwork and more finals. But on December 17th, 2008, I redeemed my coupon for my 5 course meal.

1st course: Homemade Butterflake Rolls

These were so good that we ate them before remembering to take a photo. Actually, our camera was just about out of batteries and we wanted to be sure to capture course #5, but in case you were wondering, the rolls were insanely delicious.

Buttery Dinner Rolls
Servings: 12
from Miriam Richins

4 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened or melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups warm milk
2 teaspoons salt
7 cups flour, approximate (1/3 whole wheat flour is good)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in 1 tsp sugar and let stand.
In mixer, mix well the butter, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups warm milk, 2 teaspoons salt. Mix in 2 cups flour.
After yeast has activated, add it to the mixture and blend in. Add 2 more cups flour. Mix well.
Add 2-3 more cups of flour, one at a time, mixing in after each addition.
If hand kneading, knead about 10 minutes. If kneading in mixer, knead 4-5 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky.
Place dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover and put in a warm place to rise. Let rise until double -- about one
hour.
Punch down dough and shape into 24 balls. Put into two 9x13 pans (lightly sprayed or greased). Melt 1/2 cube of
butter and brush over the rolls.
Cover and let rise until double (about one hour).
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top.

2nd course: Baby Spinach Salad with Cranberries, Walnuts, and Bleu Cheese

Something about Bleu cheese and spinach makes for the perfect salad. Katie used a raspberry vinaigrette and red onions which added a good amount of spice and flavor. The walnuts gave good texture and counter balanced the strong flavor and odor of the cheese.

Baby Spinach with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts
and Bleu Cheese
Servings: 4
from Trader Joe's
6 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Combine spinach, onion, walnuts and cranberries. Toss lightly with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing. Sprinkle with
bleu cheese on top and serve immediately.

3rd course: Broccoli and Cheese Soup

This has to be one of my all-time favorite soups. Cheese and broccoli is such a winning combination of flavors and to have it in a soup form...pure genius. Thank you to whoever first put a head of broccoli and a hand full of cheese into a boiling pot. And thank you to Katie, for doing the same.

Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
Servings: 4
from Pampered Chef

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-fat milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
6 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chives or chopped green onion tops

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook and stir for 30 seconds or until bubbly.
Add milk, salt, mustard, and cayenne pepper; bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring frequently.
Add broccoli and red pepper; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
Add cheese; stir over low heat just until cheese melts. DO NOT BOIL. Ladle into four soup bowls; top with chives.

4th course: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Katie told me the day she gave me the I.O.U. that this is what she was planning on cooking. For 10 months I thought about, dreamed about, and salivated about these stuffed bell peppers. Normally, for me, when something is so hyped up, it loses its luster and I am not so impressed. Not quite the case for this meal. The bell peppers were everything they were stuffed up to be. They were packed to the brim with a delicious beef and onion mixture which cooked into a giant meatball surrounded by tomato sauce and pepper. We had leftovers the next day and added some brown rice which turned out to be a great way to add additional flavors to the meal.

5th course: Apple Dumplings a la mode

If you are attempting a new year's resolution to eat healthier and to shed a few pounds, stop now. Feel free to go on if you are into amazing treats. I wish I had more elaborate writing skills to give this dish a bit of the justice it deserves, but suffice it to say...dang. Warm apples, crisp flaky crust, and a delicious caramel sauce. This one has it all.

Apple Dumplings
Servings: 8
From Grandma Cranmer

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup shortening (lard or butter)
1/2 cup milk
6 apples, pared, cored and cut into eighths
sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter
Syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter

Sift flour, salt, baking powder; cut in shortening. Add milk all at once; stir until moistened. Roll 1/4 inch thick; cut
into 5-inch squares. Arrange four pieces of apple on each square; sprinkle generously with sugar, cinnamon, and
nutmeg; dot with butter. Fold corners to center; pinch edges together. Place 1-inch apart in greased baking pan.
Combine syrup ingredients and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Pour hot syrup over the dumplings in the baking
pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve hot with cream, or ice cream or whipped cream.

Cupcake Tour 2008

2008-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know much about popular food trends, but I do remember a few growing up, though they probably never appeared in Zagat. You know, the uncooked ramen noodles and Lucas Salt from the ice cream man; all the cool kids were doing it. Recently, it seems health nuts have brought a boatload of "trendy" foods to the limelight for whatever reason. Sea salt, raw chocolate, acai berries, and other assorted things that don't necessarily taste good.

Apparently, cupcakes are now in and every hip kid wants one. Don't think for a second we were going to pass up this year's must-have.

December 27th marked the 1st annual(?) Bond Family Cupcake Tour. We hit up three bay area cupcake hotspots to sample the goods.

1st Stop: Satura Cakes, Palo Alto, CA
http://www.saturacakes.com/

Satura Cakes
Palo Alto, CA

Flourless Chocolate Souffle

More "cup," than "cake," but still a good eat. The cake was a lot of frosting, but that was ok, being as the cake itself was slightly dry. I suspect the gluten-free recipe might have something to do with this, but maybe it just happened to be that batch. Either way, it was tasty, and appeals to our Celiacs Disease stricken friends.

Red Velvet Cake

If cupcakes are to 2008 what boy bands were to the late 90's, Red Velvet is Justin Timberlake. In the three stores we went into everyone wanted a piece. Just ask Yahoo. They say only Inside-Out Cheeseburgers, Cowboy Tacos, and Burrito Pie get more nods. I thought the cake was delicious. Let's be honest though, with cream cheese frosting, you can't go wrong.

2nd Stop: Sprinkles Cupcakes
http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com/

Sprinkles Cupcakes
Palo Alto, CA

Milk Chocolate

Out of all the cakes we tried, this was the most dry. I was not impressed by the cake itself, but the overall appearance gets a few drools. The utensils and plating were all biodegradable, only adding to the (sometimes overbearingly) chic, hip attitude of the Stanford Shopping Center establishment. I say quality over atmosphere any day. Sorry, Sprinkles.

Strawberry

Better than its Milk Chocolate predecessor, but still too dry for my taste. I thought the frosting was killer, though. Not too strawberry-ee, and not to sugar-ee, either. If you could put the frosting on a moister cake, you'd probably sleep better at night, knowing you charged $3.50 for a good cupcake, rather than a mediocre one.

3rd Stop: Kara's Cupcakes
http://www.karascupcakes.com/

Kara's Cupcakes
Palo Alto, CA
(also at Santana Row, San Jose, CA)

Meyer Lemony Lemon

By far, the best cupcake of the day. The cake was moist, the frosting was not overbearing (easy to do with a powerful flavor like lemon), and there was a nice lemon custard filling for surprise. If I were to ever spend the gut-busting, bank-breaking price of $36/dozen, I would do it on this cake. Lemon is one of my favorite dessert flavors, and this one took the cake. (See what I did there?)

Raspberry Dazzle

Though not quite as good as the Lemon, the raspberry cake was delicious. This was not a featured "filled" cupcake, but this is not a disappointment. I don't think a raspberry filling would have done any justice for the cupcake. The frosting was a good flavor and normally chocolate/raspberry combination is my favorite, but I guess this time, I just felt like buying a lemon.

Katie's Birthday

2008-11-16T22:00:00.001-08:00

Today was Katie's birthday. We celebrated the best way we know how...in the kitchen. The ultimate outcome was a fun dessert party with some good friends. I am learning that as long as I am around Katie, unless I become a Food Network star, no one will ever believe I am responsible for anything delicious coming out of the kitchen. Oh well.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Dessert Tower

Giant Cupcake (Lemon Poppyseed)

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mini Brownie Raspberry Torts

Apologies

2008-11-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

Sorry I have been lagging on adding new posts. Things have gotten really busy in the realm of school and I haven't had as much time to keep up on the blog. Here is a simple graph to explain.

Sorry again, and I will update as soon as I can! Thanks!!

-Keith

p.s. Drool on this for awhile....

Cape Cod French Toast
Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe, Boston, MA

Tomato Basil Soup with Italian Sausage Muffins

2008-10-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

I don't know if it is because the air is getting colder, or if we are just on a trend, but last night we made some soup again. I am definitely not complaining. Katie put together an incredible soup. The tomato basil soup had a creamy taste, but the sauteed onion allowed for the perfect texture. Creamy enough to swallow without having to chew forever, but thick enough so it doesn't feel like your taking spoonfuls of water. On top of basil, there was also thyme and bay leaf in the soup. The mix of herbs gave it a lot of spice and a little bite.

Tomato Basil Soup

This was the second time I made the Italian Sausage Muffins. I always associated muffins with blueberries and crumbled tops, so the idea of a savory muffin was intriguing. There is half a pound of Italian Sausage dispersed throughout 12 muffins, giving you a bit of meat in every bite. The other major ingredient, spaghetti sauce, rounds out the overall taste and makes the muffins almost like little compact meals.

Italian Sausage Muffins

The muffin and the soups made a great combination (unless you really dislike tomatoes, of course). For me, though...sausage, tomato sauce, and onion...its fail proof.

Recipes to follow. I kind of promise.

Lemon Pork Chops with Grilled Zucchini

2008-10-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

This will be a landmark post. Due to popular demand, I am going to start posting recipes along with some of the foods I post. I hope by doing this people will try them out and also do some swapping.

Lemon Pork Chops

Last night we tried a new recipe: Lemon Pork Chops. The pork cooked in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers and lemons for about 6 hours. The pork was so tender that we didn't even really need to use our knives. That is pretty much desirable. The recipe made 4 pork chops (though we could've easily fit more into the pot). The only thing that stopped me from eating a second one was Katie's reminder that we decided to have leftovers on Thursday.

We ate it with Parmesan Couscous. The really strong lemon flavor from the pork was a perfect match with the simple flavor of the Couscous. Couscous is a great side to have with any meal really. If you haven't had it, try it. Imagine the taste of pasta or rice, but chopped up extremely small. It also tends to soak up a bit of whatever sauce it touches.

Grilled Zucchini

The zucchini was really great as well. Just a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt, salt, and pepper were all they needed. My dad grills these at home all the time. Due to the lack of grill in our small Provo apartment, we just used our panini pan. It seemed to have done the trick.

Lemon Pork Chops

1 T vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops
3 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 T lemon-pepper seasoning
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 large lemon, quartered

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Brown pork chops on both sides. Drain and discard excess fat. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Combine tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, lemon-pepper seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Add to slow cooker.
3. Squeeze juice from lemon quarters over mixture; drop squeezed lemon quarters into slow cooker. Cover; cook on low for six to eight hours or until pork is tender.

Sushiya and Gloria's Little Italy

2008-10-19T09:58:00.001-07:00

To round out a weekend full of international cuisine, Katie, my brother Brian, and I paid a visit to Sushiya for a night of all you can eat sushi. I thoroughly enjoyed every fish-filled bite. The rolls were just like they should be: big and never ending. There isn't too much more you could ask for. Katie really enjoyed the Crunchy California Roll, I ate the majority of a tuna-topped, tempura shrimp roll, and Brian was the only one who ate the Roe. In addition to those, we tried the California Roll, some Spicy Tuna roll, a Crystal Shrimp roll, The Playboy Roll, and a few pieces of Nigiri before tossing in the towel.

But that didn't mean we were done.

Katie and I have a favorite little eatery in Provo: Gloria's Little Italy. Located just south of Center Street, it has the most amazing desserts. It was the bakery that first caught our attention, but we have gone there for dinner as well. The dinner entrees match up perfectly to the quality of the desserts. We both favor the Chicken Carbonara but would also recommend the lasagna with meat sauce. We wanted to end the evening right so we headed on over, but being filled with about ten feet of sushi, we stuck to the dessert menu.

Keith's Pick

For me, it was between this thing of beauty and a different chocolate cake with Italian creme covered in shaved chocolate. I chose this one after a employee recommendation and was not let down in the slightest. The cake was moist, the creme was delicious, and the crumbled topping also was also soft cake, dusted in confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder. Like any other dessert from Gloria's, the only disappointment is when it is gone. Oh, I almost forgot, this piece was so big, they had to use the large size to go box, rather than the normal sized boxes (see pictures below).

Katie's Pick

The few bites I stole from Katie's piece of cake were absolutely delicious. It was a soft, moist, vanilla cake with Italian creme, raspberry filling, and shaved coconut around the outside.

Brian's Pick

Another amazing chocolate cake and creme concoction. This cake was covered in a rich chocolate shell and drizzled with caramel. Honestly, this place can do no wrong.

We were excited to see that Gloria's announced they are opening a bigger restaurant on Center Street. The floor plan looked much larger, with more dining area. It is really exciting to see a new, yet small, restaurant succeeding and being able to expand. If you live in or near Provo, you must check out Gloria's Little Italy.

Four Seasons Hot Pot

2008-10-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Four Seasons Hot Pot is a solid answer for anyone who feels there isn't enough diverse restaurants in Provo, or Utah as a whole. On a recommendation from a good friend, we decided to pay a visit to the small restaurant on University Avenue.

This was the first time either of us ventured into a "hot pot" experience. Wow. We chose a spicy broth and made our way to the raw ingredients table. The owner of the restaurant walked us through our first round. We added shrimp, chicken, beef, meatballs, Tilapia, a collection of vegetables including Chinese Mushrooms, and a few different varieties of noodles. All of the ingredients get put into the boiling broth on your table top and all there is left to do is grab your chop sticks and enjoy. We made a second soup with noodles, broccoli and beef. The highlight of the meal and what will have us returning often to Four Seasons were their dumplings. I am not, by any means, a food critic, but these dumplings were one of the best things I have ever tasted. We had the pork and cilantro filling and I look forward to trying the other fillings.

Pork and Cilantro filled Dumplings

The most standout aspect of these drops of heaven is that they are made fresh to order. We placed an order and got up to get some more water and saw our waitress rolling the dough and pinching their edges. They were served in a bamboo steamer on our table. Completely amazing!

After a few goes with the hot pot, we were a bit full, so we took a few of the dumplings home. Of course, they didn't last more than 15 minutes.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

2008-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

In recent Thursdays we have been joining up with our great friends Lauren and Tyson Johnson for dinner. Two weeks ago Katie made a pasta dish with Italian sausage and broccoli. It was a recipe from her mom and I am sure we will be having it again so keep your eyes other sensory organs peeled for that one. The Johnson's brought over chocolate melting cakes for dessert.

This past Thursday it was our turn to provide the dessert so Katie made a Lemon Poppyseed Cake. I would say it was pretty much flawless.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

The cake was ultra moist and had the perfect amount of lemon flavor in the cake and icing. The icing did end up a little thin and spread thin over the cake, but it didn't alter the deliciousness factor. All in all, another perfect 10 from the kitchen of Katie.

Chicken Chili

2008-10-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

If you and I were talking face to face right now, you would find trace scents of stewed tomatoes, green bell pepper, and ground cumin fresh on my breath. That is how fast I am coming at you with this post. The dishes have not even been washed yet; they can wait.

The snow is starting to fall in Utah County and that makes it prime time chili time. Katie had this one sitting on the stove when I got home from class tonight (yes, that is my plug for marriage).

Chicken Chili

You know that tingling you get in the bottom of your mouth, right under and to the sides of the tongue when you smell something strong and delicious? Well that happened when I opened the door to our apartment. Apparently, there is only a teaspoon of cumin in the entire pot, but it is definitely the king of the spices in this dish.

A special thank you goes to Megan Christensen, my sister-in-law, for this recipe.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-10-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

There is a big cold front on its way from the Northeast to Provo. Katie decided to plan accordingly by making a big pot of Chicken Noodle Soup. I was surprised by how easy it is to make a good chicken noodle soup. The only thing that came out of a can is the chicken broth. Add a few vegetables, some noodles, chicken, and spices and you have a delicious bowl of warmth.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Roasted Garlic Hummus

2008-10-08T12:07:00.001-07:00

The other night, Katie and I faced a tough situation: lots of pita bread, and no hummus.
We normally buy hummus from the store. It tastes great, isn't horribly expensive, and makes a great snack or add on to a meal.
Fortunately, a few weeks ago, we had the idea of making our own and purchased a couple cans of chickpeas. The hummus making project was underway.
For some added flavor, I roasted a head of garlic with some olive oil. The garlic slid right out of their skins and blended well with the chickpeas and additional olive oil.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

The end result was fantastic. It was much heartier and rich tasting than store bought hummus and leaves so many options for additional flavors (roasted red peppers, jalapenos, curry, etc.).

Ham and Cheese Strata

2008-10-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

This one came out of a crock pot recipe book. We were excited to see more than just stews and your basic "throw in a bag of chicken and everything else in your fridge and let cook for eight hours" recipes. (Don't get me wrong, I really love those "throw in a bag of chicken and everything else in your fridge and let cook for eight hours" recipes). Anyhow, we decided to try the strata for a breakfast for dinner type meal. It took three hours in the crock pot and about fifteen minutes to eat.

Ham and Cheese Strata

The recipe called for French Bread, but we are thinking of using sourdough next time and replacing the ham with a flavored sausage, like apple chicken. It also has a lot of green onion which happens to be my favorite add on right now. It makes everything taste incredible.

Except for muffins.

Orange Pecan Muffins

2008-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

I have a new found love for muffins. They are relatively simple to make and can pack a lot of flavor in a single bite.

I recently tried out a few new recipes. An Italian Sausage muffin and Orange Pecan muffins. The Italian Sausage muffins were awesome! They are made with, of course, Italian Sausage and spaghetti sauce. I always associated muffins with breakfast, but these made a good lunch. Katie suggested we eat them with some tomato soup next time. Something to definitely look forward to!

The Orange Pecan Muffins are my new favorite. They would make a good breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, ice cream topper, picnic treat, you get the point.

Orange Pecan Muffins

The zest of an orange goes into twelve of these pieces of heaven making each bite ultra refreshing. Right when they come out of the oven, you brush fresh squeezed orange juice on each muffin top then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Katie thought a little more orange zest wouldn't hurt and I agree. Orange is a fantastic flavor, especially in pastries and baked goods.

Fun on the grill

2008-10-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats food off of the grill. I learned to appreciate grilled food from my father who, I believe, would gladly replace any indoor oven with a Weber grill and a few Dutch Ovens.

Before we moved back to school in Provo, I took advantage of my Father-in-law's grill to cook a few dishes for Katie and me. The recipes came from a Weight Watchers cook book given to Katie as a bridal shower gift. Cheers to the gift giver for their culinary appreciations.

Spinach salad over Hummus on a Grilled Pita

Hummus is another love shared with me from my Father. It has a delicious taste and with the many available flavors, it is a really versatile spread or dip. The salad was simple and had a vinaigrette made with some citrus juice and ground cumin. The pita you see is a second try. The first one was left on the grill too long and turned into a black frisbee.

Sauteed Mushrooms over Grilled Polenta

This was definitely my favorite dish of the meal. The polenta was grilled and topped with Mozzarella. The mushrooms were marinated with rosemary and soy sauce. After sauteeing the mushrooms they were added on top of the polenta and the dish was done. Simple and incredible.

Grilled Chicken stuffed with Herb Goat Cheese

This one was a bit messy to make. The herb goat cheese in combination with the texture of the raw chicken made things a bit greasy, but in the end, it was much worth it. As the chicken grilled, the cheese melted into the chicken. The dill, parsley and other herbs mixed in with the cheese was a killer combo that you got with every bite.

The only problem Katie and I had with this meal was finishing it all. Everything reheated pretty well and made some good leftovers.

Introduction

2008-10-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

I love food.

I always have. I love to eat, cook, prepare, grocery shop, and dine. I love to talk about food and try new recipes. I am a college student studying Nutritional Science and married to the most beautiful girl, Katie, who studies Dietetics. Not only is she incredibly smart, she is extremely gifted in the culinary world.

As I talk with fellow students about food, I have made a sort of realization: I eat incredibly well for a college student. My days of top ramen and mac and cheese are behind me, I suppose.

I hope to share my love of food discovery and consumption with anyone who stumbles across this blog. I would love to receive your comments, suggestions and shared recipes as much as you would like to give.

-Keith