Memorial Day Weekend, Part I

Alright! I'm finally sitting still for a hot minute, so I can expand on this blog entry. Basically, it is part one of my crazy memorial day weekend. Part I involved driving to Lansing for my BFF from HS's birthday!! Yay! When I asked her what kind of cake she like, she said her favorite was funfetti, but it was up to me. Well. Clearly I couldn't just bake up a box of funfetti, that's no fun!

So I made myself some funfetti frozen yogurt. And contemplated my plan of attack. It was tricky because my yogurt was so pretty and yummy. But also it was very inspiring, so it worked out.

So. I made up some of Matha Stewart's vanilla cupcakes and I added some confetti sprinkles. Look at how beautifully they turned out!!

So pretty. They were a little dry. I like really moist cupcakes, but these were definitely more muffin-y.

Ooooo. Glamour shot.

And of course they needed frosting! So I made some of Martha's Buttercream frosting which was just heavenly. I'll probably use it for everything now.

Ta Da! Furthering the colorful, festive, funfetti theme, I did each cupcake a different color. I gradually tinted the buttercream, which I had divided, using gel colors. They really turned out beautiful.

I really liked this technique. It was somewhat tedious, but it really turned out a beautiful batch of cupcakes.


Then there's Liz! They sang a very, very inappropriate song to her for her birthday. But it was a great night!!!

Goodbye Jim :-(

 My friend Jim moved to Texas today :-(   :-(   :-(  We were housemates our senior year in college, and he lived very near to me after we graduated, so now I am very sad that he is gone. So, for his going away present, I made him a delicious Snickers cheesecake. Which was dumb, I should have made myself a Snickers cheesecake because I am soooooooo sad now. But alas, I had promised Jim another cheesecake, and he requested Snickers, so here it is. Bye Jim, I'll miss you!!!!

 Look at the batter! So chunky and full of delicious EVERYTHING. Seriously. It was our joke the night Jim, Myself and our friend Amanda went out to send him off that I had gained five pounds just reading this recipe. Its probably true.

 

Can I please get a close up on that caramel ribbon? Oh yes, there it is. Beautiful and delicious!

 

Look! My cheesecake is sad that Jim is leaving :-( Actually, its because I made this late on a Friday night, before I had to get up really early, and I didn't want to wait the hours it takes cheesecakes to cool. I probably could have just left it in the off oven overnight, but then I wouldn't have been able to do the ganache topping. What can I say, I'm a very busy girl.

Ta da! It is beautiful. It was even more beautiful out of the pan, but I didn't get a pick of that. We had to go out and have an excellent night to wish our good friend Jim good luck on his new adventure!

**Sidenote. They opened a new Bar Louie at Great Lakes Crossing. You should go to it. It is very very fun! Shout out to Kristen T and Aaron, our AMAZING bartenders!!

Goodbye Jim Snickers Cheesecake

Crust

35 oreo cookies

4 tbs. melted butter

2 tbs water

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cover bottom of springform pan tightly with tin foil, and Pam it
3. Crush up all the Oreos. Mix with butter and water.
4. Press crushed Oreos into the bottom of the pan. 
5. Bake for only 6-7 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Filling

24 oz. Cream Cheese at room temp

2 eggs

8 oz. sour cream

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

3-5 Snickers Candy bars (I used 3, plus a Mr. Goodbar for peanuty-ness) 

1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy
2. Add in eggs, sour cream and sugar and beat until well blended and homogenous
3. Gently fold in chocolate chips and chopped up candy bar pieces
4. Fold in caramel sauce (you can buy it pre-made I suppose or just follow my recipe below)
5. Pour batter onto crust and make sure it all spreads out evenly
6. Place in an oven with some sort of drip catcher underneath, like aluminum foil, just in case
7. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until the edges are brown and set but the middle is still jiggly
8. If you're patient, and have lots of time, turn of the oven and maybe crack it open a bit so it cools down. Let the cheesecake cool slowly in the oven maybe for up to a couple of hours to prevent cracking. Or if you don't care as much about presentation, and you just want your darn cheesecake, then skip this step.

Ghetto Fabulous Caramel Ribbon

*I do a lot of things the "ghetto fabulous" way because I am poor, or I forgot an ingredient at the store, or I just shopped without a list and got the wrong thing. This is one of those times.

A package or two of chewy caramel candies, depending on your love for caramel

about 2 tbs butter

about 2-4 oz heavy cream

1. In a double boiler melt butter
2. add in cream and warm
3. add in caramels. probably if you were more patient than me, you could do this gradually. I just threw the whole bag in there, which resulted temporarily in a big caramel boulder, but it all melted well in the end. Don't forget to stir a lot!!

Chocolate Ganache Topping

2 tbs. butter

5 oz whipping cream

1 cup Chocolate of some sort. I used Hershey's bars

1. Bust your double boiler back out. In it melt the butter. 
2. Add in chocolate chips and 1/3 the cream and melt. 
3. Stir in remaining cream and stir until smooth. I'm sure there's a purpose to this, but I skipped it and just added all the cream at once. I MUST LEARN PATIENCE SOMEDAY!! And sharing. But that's another post ;-)
4. If you are not transporting your cheesecake, run a knife around the egde and remove it from the pan now. Slide it onto the cake plate (if you're smart like me, this isn't too hard because you lined the inside bottom of the pan with foil). 
5. Pour the chocolate glaze stuff into the shallow in the center of your cake. Chill overnight for best results. 
6. Give to your friend who is moving far away to stupid Texas, or, do the smart thing, and eat it yourself to make yourself feel better.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

 Guess what! It's Spring! And that means Rhubarb! I've actually never cooked or baked with Rhubarb.But, I've been meaning too since it seems to be all over the blogsphere and very a very popular springtime veggie. If you'll notice, its on my to-do list. And I've had rhubarb jam and really liked it, so I decided I'd give the tart little veggie a whirl. But I didn't feel like making a pie, so I made a crumble. They're so super tasty anyways. So I picked up a very fresh batch at Eastern Market yesterday, hunted down a recipe, and set to work.

 Mixing up the topping. I happen to have some measuring spoons that were gifts at a cousin of mine's wedding. I feel it is very appropriate that my brown sugar is measured out in little hearts.

 Oh hello fruit. Super tasty, super fresh and ripe rhubarb and strawberries. Plus a handful of raisins because I really like raisins. Probably all that concentrated fructose. YUM.

Look at all that topping!! Thanks Smitten Kitchen!! I love plenty of topping with my crumble, don't you?

 Wa la! Gorgeous, bubbly, browned crumble, fresh out of the oven. Quick! For your own safety, go fold laundry or take a stroll around the block so you don't suffer 3rd degree burns in your mouth trying to devour this straight out of the oven.

Ok, so crumble is pretty annoying to photograph. But, I think this turned out quite well. Look at those glistening, juicy chunks of strawberry and rhubarb, and all that crumbly, sugary, crisp topping. MmmMMmmMmmm.


Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble
Inspired by Smitten Kitchen

TOPPING
1 1/3 c. whole wheat flower
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tbs. sugar
3 tbs. brown sugar
splash lemon juice
1 stick butter, melted

FILLING
1 1/2 c. rhubarb
1 quart plus a few strawberries
splash lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbs. corn starch, 1 tbs. flour
generous handful of raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix topping ingredients until clumpy.
2. Toss topping ingredients in greased 9" baking dish.
3. Cover fruit thickly and evenly with topping. Place baking dish on baking sheet and bake 45 minutes.

Saturday Morning Eastern Market Fun

For those out there that think there is nothing good in Detroit, well you're full of crap quite plainly. I agree, Detroit and Michigan have fallen on some hard times. There are a LOT of problems we face, most notably in the economic and educational areas. But I think Michigan has some great offerings, if people would just take a closer look. One of the gems of Detroit, yes, Detroit, not one of the 'burbs, is the Eastern Market. 

The Eastern Market is truly a Detroit institution. A Farmer's Market which has been operating since 1891, it is a six block bazaar of over 250 merchants. The market always has an amazing selection of produce, jams, honey, baked goods, meat, nuts, flowers, plants, and food vendors. If you're interested, just hop on 75 and take the Mack exit to Russel. I recommend getting there early if you're coming from outside the city limits, as when I was leaving the market at around 9:30 am, cars were already stacked up a half mile back waiting to get off at Mack. You can get more info at the Detroit Eastern Market website.

My herbs from Easter Market are already 8 inches high!

 I had a great time this morning, even though its plant month. Plant month is May, and it means most of the vendors are selling flowers and plants, and most of the patrons are dragging around wagons which you have to watch out for. I still found plenty of produce and whatnot to buy.

 The first purchase I made was a pretzel roll from Zingerman's, but I ate that, so you don't get a picture. I also bought some herbs, which were a pretty good deal at $1 a plant. Much better than the $1 mini pots and seed kits I bought in the Target clearance section. My poor oregano looks anemic, and my tomatoes and strawberry seeds never grew. I bought two basil plants, a peppermint plant, and an Italian parsley plant. Then, very conveniently, on the way back to my car I bought a nice $5 pot from the Potter Man to put them in.

Bitty Baby Oregano from Target

 As you can see, I bought a few other things as well...

 Whole wheat bread, rhubarb, strawberries, and honey!

 That bread is cool, because the proceeds go to Gleaner's food bank. On average, each loaf generates enough profits to make 6 meals for needy people. At $5 for a whole wheat loaf (they had others fancy flavors too like tomato basil and cranberry walnut) I thought a loaf of bread that also benefited a good cause was a great deal.

 Super ripe and beautiful rhubarb and strawberries. I have plans for you....

And then of course I got honey, which was primarily the reason I went. I got this raw unfiltered Michigan clover honey from my Honey Man, who I met and bought some jars of honey from last fall when I first went to Eastern Market. Thank goodness he was there again! His name is Pat Brady, and he is always set up on a little table in the shed near the welcome center, on an end near the Market Restaurant I believe. I just wander around until I find him. He always lets you taste the different honeys, and he usually has a few different varieties. Today he had some clover, some buckwheat, I think some honeysuckle and some Orange Blossom honey, which was really really good, but not from Michigan. He takes his bees down to Florida for the winter as he informed me. I went all the way to Eastern Market for honey, because since I bought his honey last fall, my allergies haven't been as bad. Now, who knows, it may be coincidence, but he even said that people take the unfiltered honey for allergies, and I've heard that from other people too. That its like a natural allergy shot. So I got some, and its delicious, and I am soooo happy.

I recommend that everyone who lives in Michigan, or visits Michigan, make a stop at the Eastern Market. Its an experience you don't want to miss!

25K! I did it!

If you haven't done the Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids, you need to do it. Sing up now so you are sure you have it planned! I did it last weekend and it's amazing!!!!!!!! And if I'm saying that, its a big deal. Three years ago, running a lap around a soccer field was a loooooong run. I was terrible. I held like 12 minute miles for a flat two mile run. And then I needed a couple days to recover before I was up to it again. So, for me to run 15.5 miles, and LOVE it, is a big deal.

What's so great about the River Run you ask? Well, let me just tell you.

First of all, its in Western Michigan, which I'm always excited about. Western Michigan is gorgeous, it's where my parents live, and its where I went to college. So I'm always looking for an excuse to do events out there. Also, its usually cool the first week in May ie it was about 40 degrees and overcast, with a few misting showers Saturday morning, which to me is perfect running weather (race announcer man said they have had problems with heat though too - welcome to Michigan weather!). 

Second, its been run for like 3 decades, and its the USA Track 25K championships, so you are guaranteed that they run a quality event. There were aid stations every 1.5 miles with water, gatorade, ice, porta potties and first aid. After mile 8 there were also orange slices at the aid stations. And there was my favorite energy gel, Gu at miles 6 and 12. There were also some lovely course entertainment - high school cheer squads to cheer you on, DJs to pump you up, and some great spectator cheering sections.

Third, the course. is. perfect. Its flat and downhill most of the way. There were a few little baby roller hills between miles 9-13, but if there were any uphills anywhere else, I didn't notice them, and I would, cause I'm not a climber. Its also a beautiful course. You start right downtown in front of DeVos place, and then run out of town along the river. The start in the city is fun, and then you run out through a little bit of industrial area, and then its smooth sailing along a smoothly paved road, through woods and along the river. Then you cross the river, and run back through some wetland nature park type area along the river, through some neighborhoods, and back through downtown to the finish. 

Fourth, the finish. Its so fun to finish downtown in a big circus of crazy runner enthusiasts. There are some great post-race refreshments - I had water and two cinnamon raisin bagel nuggets courtesy of Panera, but I skipped the bananas, granola bars, and yogurt. I also skipped the Michelob Ultra and Buffalo Wild Wings post race tent with free beer for participants :-) But I did hit up the gorgeous Grand Rapids YMCA which provided free hot, individual showers (and towels!!) to race participants. I can't tell you how good that shower felt. To me, that's the biggest downside of most Tris I do. You're hot, sweaty, dirty and smelly, and you gotta get back in your car and drive, when all you want is a shower and to go out to eat!

So, all in all, I LOVED this race. I had such a great time, and was clear under my goal time. I look forward to doing it again next year, and hope you'll join me! But sign up early, because even though 20,000+ people take part in the event, registration sells out before race day, so sign up early!

Ta da! I did it! :-D

Tangent #1: I have discovered an amazing thing. Amazing. Can't believe I suffered so long, it is so simple, cheap and has been in my house all along. BAKING SODA PEOPLE!! 2 Tablespoons in the wash

 Tangent #2: We all know that exercise is important for good health, but just how important is it? Well, I could go on and on and on and on about the benefits of physical activity for health (read PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, not dieting - you gotta get movin!). But for a Clif's notes version that should get you motivated to move, check this out.

Thank God its Sunday!!!!

Ok, so it seems I have a stockpile of cooking adventures that I just haven't gotten around to posting. Sorry about that, but its just not easy, it turns out, to work three jobs and go to school full time and train for Tris, and have a life and STILL update my blog. Ok, rant over. So here is one of my old adventures. Enjoy!

I loooOOOoOooOoOooOve pancakes! So very much. I can't wait for a morning when I can get up, slap some fresh pancake batter on the griddle, and savor delicious pancakes with coffee and the newspaper. But lets be honest. Between working 2 or 3 jobs, tri training and school, I don't really have time for that (or I shouldn't, but sometimes I procrastinate a little).

But, I've been having some tough times lately. Things just don't seem to be going my way. Well, that's not entirely true. But I've been working very hard, and I'm at a place where I don't feel like I'm moving upward exactly. So I took a Sunday morning for myself, and made some healthy, dense, delicious pancakes.

Mmmmm. Mushed up bananas. Take that bananas!

Yeah, I don't have a griddle. And I get a little impatient making one pancake at a time, so my pancakes tend to run together. Or, maybe they just love each other so much, they can't stand to be apart, you decide. Invariably, my pancakes always have a few flat edges where I had to separate them from each other.

A little brown from the spices and wheat flour. So delicious!

Glamor Shot!!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Sunday Healthy Banana Pancakes 
1 c. oats
1 c. flour
1 mashed banana
2 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. applesauce
milk
some agave
Some sort of music playing system

1. Set your music to Jack Johnson. Playlist must include Banana Pancakes.
2. Mush up the bananas with a whisk
3. mix up all the rest of the ingredients. Add agave to taste. Add milk last, adding and mixing up until you get a good, pourable, pancake batter.
4. Pour onto a preheated griddle. Cook until the edges are firm and there are a whole lot of bubble in the batter. I usually cheat and peak to see if the bottom side is tan.
5. Flip. Cook until both sides are nice and tan. Serve with warm maple syrup.
6. Enjoy your chill Jack Johnson tunes, your yummy pancakes, and savor your Sunday. :-)
   

Really, its ok if I have more....I...uh....need the carbs

Listen, I want to put all my cards on the table. What I am really recommending is that you make this ONLY when you have a huge crowd of people coming over, and are SURE there won't be leftovers. This is because, from my experience, once you make this, you'll find no reason why you can't eat breakfast all day long, and any time of day. So please be careful.Then proceed, with caution, to The Pioneer Woman's post about how to really make Cinnamon toast. It will change your life. But, if you're not careful, it will also change your waistline....for the worse.

Most delicious cinnamon toast EVER