Monday, December 15, 2014

French Chocolate Molten Cake



A french girl in Jeremiah's section at HBS came over a few weeks ago and made these cakes for us. If you are a chocolate lover then you will LOVE these. So so goodand perfect with some vanilla ice cream. I've never been a huge fan of molten chocolate cause I feel like it had weird ingredients but this is simple and rich. But mostly I'm posting it to keep a record of it.

Ingredients (for 5/6 ramekins):
200g (7 oz) of dark chocolate (I use 70% in general of Lindt if available) 
120g (1/2 c) of butter
90g (~1/2 c) of sugar
5 eggs
2 tablespoons of flour

Recipe:
1.       Preheat the oven (400F)
2.       Brake the chocolate in pieces and put 5/6 pieces aside (one per ramekin)
3.       Slowly melt the chocolate with the butter (putting metal bowel in pot of hot water and heating up on stove)
4.       Mix the eggs with the sugar and mix it until the batter becomes a little clearer and foaming. Then add the flour. Mix again.
5.       Add the melted chocolate and mix well.
6.       Fill each ramekin with the batter. Add one piece of chocolate per ramekin, and push it down slightly so that it will ‘disappear’.
7.       Bake for 9 minutes exactly. The test if it is done is if the middle doesn't jiggle.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Broccoli- Cauliflower Casserole

I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and thought it was super delicious.  Its a vegetable indulgence, if you will....and I mean that in that its not necessarily low-fat.  But, its a great vegetable dish for a nice dinner because you can make it ahead of time and it can sit on the counter for a good amount of time while you pull the dinner together and still taste fresh and not soggy.  I didn't use the breadcrumb and butter topping (save the calories and time!) and it was still fantastic, so its not a necessary step.
Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 1 head (large) Broccoli
  • 1 head Cauliflower
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 2-1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
  • 1-1/2 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese, More To Taste
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter (optional)
  • 1/3 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs (optional)a

Preparation Instructions

Break the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets, cutting off the thick stalks as you go. Steam them for 3 to 4 minutes until the broccoli is bright green, then remove them from the heat. Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter and saute the onion and garlic until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top, whisk to combine, and cook for another 45 seconds. Pour in broth, whisking constantly, then cook until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and add the softened cream cheese, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and paprika. Stir to combine until the sauce is nice and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, making sure it's nice and flavorful! Keep warm.
(Optional topping) In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Set aside.
Mix and layer the broccoli and cauliflower in a large casserole dish. Pour on the cream sauce, then sprinkle on the cheese. End with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve warm.