The first ingredient is loooooooove.

Kaela’s Layered Peppermint Crunch Bark

For the holiday season! Half of the fun is licking to melted chocolate. Mmmmm…

Ingredients:

17oz white chocolate (Lindt, Baker’s, ect), finely chopped

30 red/white peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

7oz bittersweet/semisweet chocolate, chopped (we did half semisweet and half 85% dark-the bite was heavenly)

6tbsp heavy whipping cream

3/4tsp peppermint extract (accidentally threw a little vanilla into the 1st batch and this was also lovely)

Preparation:

You need about 12 x 9 inches of flat pan surface to spread the chocolate over. Cover the baking sheet/pan with foil.

Stir the white chocolate in a metal bowl over a saucepan of just simmering water (basically a makeshift double boiler)-avoid letting the bowl sit in the water. When the white chocolate is done it will be melted and completely smooth (if you have a candy thermometer it should read 110F, but I did fine without one). 

Pour 2/3 cup of the white chocolate onto the foil rectangle, and using an icing spatula (or spoon :p), spread it evenly.  Sprinkle with 1/3 of your crushed peppermint candies. Chill until set, about 15-20minutes.

While that is in the fridge, mix the dark chocolate, cream, and peppermint (maybe vanilla?) extract into a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat until the mixture is melted and smooth.  Let this cool until barely lukewarm, which will take approximately 5 minutes.  Pour the dark chocolate in long stripes across the hardened white chocolate, then spread it evenly with the spatula/spoon. Add another 1/3 of your crushed peppermint candies, and put the tray back into the fridge for about 25 minutes, or until the chocolate is very cold and firm.

Rewarm the remaining white chocolate back to the 110F (or is easily pourable and smooth), using the makeshift double boiler.  Quickly pour this onto the cold chocolate, spread it evenly, add the last of the peppermint candies, and chill for another 20 minutes. The chocolate should be completely firm again.

TaDa! You have peppermint bark. You can try to cut it into neat squares if you want, but I just grabbed edges and broke off chunks.  Put it on a pretty plate and serve or store it in the fridge until party time.  

Yummy!

Kaela’s Homemade Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

4 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

Topping:

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

8 hard red-and-white peppermint candies (I used green and red candy canes=pretty colors)

Drink:

3.5 cups milk (whole)

8 ounces “good-quality” white chocolate (not chips, brand to use: Baker’s or Lindt)

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (feel free to add more if you LOVE peppermint)

additional coursely crushed peppermint candies/canes

PREPARATION:

Beat cream and crushed candies in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate whipped cream.

Bring milk to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add white chocolate, whisk until melted and smooth. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly. Mix in peppermint extract. Ladle into 4 mugs. Top with dollops of whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional coarsely crushed candies and serve.

This same recipe can be used for milk chocolate or dark chocolate if white just isn’t your thing. The only way to drink this is with friends and family. So, enjoy.

Homemade Chow Mein

Easy, delicious, fattening. =)  Makes two or three servings.  Or, you know, maybe just one serving.

1 packet ramen noodles

oil (olive or peanut, ideally)

garlic

vegetables (good options: onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, celery… in my ideal world, bok choy and seaweed would be involved, but anything works)

salt, spices to taste

Cook the ramen noodles (and throw out the creepy seasoning packet).  Only boil them for a minute or two so they are still slightly crunchy.  Drain and set aside.

Sauté the vegetables (start this while waiting for the noodle water to boil).  Heat about two tablespoons (be generous) of oil in a skillet.  When hot, add the onions (if using) with your desired seasonings and cook for one to five minutes.  Then add dense vegetables like carrots, broccoli and celery.  Cook until soft (five minutes?) and then add lighter vegetables like peppers and mushrooms.  Cook for another five to ten minutes.  Add oil as needed during this process.  

Finally, add the garlic and drained noodles to the pan at the same time.  Make sure to use enough oil and stir frequently so the noodles don’t stick to the pan.  Cook for another one to five minutes until the noodles are lightly crispy.  If you like, you can line a bowl with a paper towel and pour the chow mein in it to absorb some of the oil before serving.  Eat with chopsticks.

Susie’s Tuna Salad

Normally I am not the biggest fan of tuna — my mother bought me four cans while she was down here and they lasted at least three months.  This one, however, turned to be quite delicious.

By way of explanation, I do not have measuring spoons.

1 can of tuna

plenty of dried dill (to taste)

black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste

other spices* to taste (e.g. rosemary, parsley, basil, marjoram, thyme — whatever you have on hand)

a few splashes of unsweetened kefir**

a touch of lemon juice

Mix the tuna and all the spices together.  Add the kefir a little at a time until the tuna salad reaches your desired gooeyness.  Add a little lemon juice (if so inclined) and enjoy!  I find it is best eaten with salty tortilla chips.

__
*I don’t have many spices, but I did find a spice blend from Trader Joe’s called 21 Seasoning Salute, which is what I use for this.  It has everything listed and more.

**Kefir is a delicious cultured milk that tastes a lot like yogurt.  The tangy taste goes wonderfully with the tuna and it makes a healthier alternative to mayonnaise.  Honestly, I only used it because I didn’t have anything else to make my tuna not tortuously dry… but it was delicious.  There’s a brand called Lifeway that I can always find at Safeway, but my favorite brand is Nancy’s, which I usually find at Sunflower.  It’s more delicious, doesn’t go bad nearly as quickly and comes from a creamery that was founded by Ken Kesey’s brother.  So yeah. :D

Alex’s Birthday Cake (Martha Stewart lemon cake + chocolate frosting)

Cake (exactly as Martha instructs)

5 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups sifted cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Beat the eggs until thick and pale yellow.  Gradually beat in the sugar.

Mix the flour with the baking powder, salt and lemon zest.  Set aside.  Mix the lemon juice and vanilla with the heavy cream.

Alternately add the flour and cream mixtures to the eggs, beginning and ending with flour.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the cake feels firm to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Frosting (…less precise)

honey and/or powdered sugar

cocoa powder

butter

milk

Have all ingredients at room temperature.  Mix in whatever measurements come to you!  =)

Perfect Irish Soda Bread

With this recipe, go with what you feel.  If you feel like something denser, use more wheat flour; something saltier, add more salt.  It is so easy that you can make it a hundred times if you wish, but I’ve never made a loaf that didn’t quickly disappear.

2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 & 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons coarse/Kosher salt (or more, or less)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 & 2/3 cups buttermilk (or ordinary milk, in a pinch)

1. Whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  With a pastry blender (or hands), cut butter into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork (or hands) until the dough holds together.  You may need to add a little extra buttermilk.

2. Pat the dough into a thick dome about seven inches across.  Place it on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.  Lightly dust the top with flour.  Wet a knife with buttermilk and cut a large cross, reaching almost to the edges, about 1/2-1 inch deep across the top of the dough.

3. Bake at 350 degrees, rotating the sheet half-way through, for at least an hour.  Depending on your oven it may bake better at 325 degrees, but it’ll be fine either way.  Test for doneness turning the loaf over in an (ideally oven-mitted) hand and tapping the bottom.  If it sounds good and hollow, it’s done.

Likes