Miracles in a basement; or, Coffee Almond Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

So last week, a few days before my exam, I went to study at a local coffee shop. I couldn't keep studying at work-- I'd get distracted and want to run experiments-- and I couldn't keep studying at home-- I'd just panic about how cluttered my house was and go on a massive, cathartic cleaning spree. So... it was coffee shop time.

There are two Dunn Brothers shops near where I live. One is particularly quiet and peaceful-- perfect for studying.

However, twenty minutes into studying, just when I had settled down with an evil blueberry muffin and a tall glass of iced coffee, a blond woman wearing a Bumpit (you know what I'm talking about) walked in. She sat over twenty feet away from me, ordered nothing, and just smacked her gum.

Yes. Over seven yards away, and I could hear her gum smacking. With my headphones on.

I had just come from yoga, so feeling zen and whatever, I turned up my music. No dice. I could still hear the gum.

And then, she answered her cell phone. And the conversation (at least from her side) went something like this:

Big Haired Lady: [in a Southern drawl] Yeah, I know. If it weren't for Jesus' help, I wouldn't have been able to clean my basement out and reorganize... [SMACK!] Yeah, He really helped me find all sorts of missing things, like my tennis racket... [SMACK!] I think Jesus is going to help me figure out how to redecorate it now that it's refinished... [SMACK!] 

Now, I'm all for freedom of religion and everything, but this was a bit too much. I never realized that Jesus was an interior designer... I mean, carpenter, yes... It was all I could do not to burst out laughing. I rushed to pack up my computer and books before I peed my pants and left.

I forgot to take my coffee, though. So, naturally, I made coffee ice cream, and threw in a few accessories. Because that's what any good interior designer would do, right?

Oh, and I ate it. In complete silence. A blessing.

Coffee Almond Chocolate Chip Ice Cream


Adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones

1 3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground coffee
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until light in color. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat milk and sugar until just at boiling point. Slowly pour half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Again whisking constantly, pour egg mixture back into saucepan.  Add coffee grounds and steep. Cook mixture until it holds a line across the back of a wooden spoon (~8-10 minutes).

Pour custard into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of coffee grounds and any eggy bits. Chill mixture for 2-12 hours.

Prepare ice cream in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer's instructions. Add in chocolate chips and almonds towards the end. Transfer to a storage container, and place in the freezer to firm up. Serve in coffee cups!

Shuck it; or, Friday I'm In Love

I love a good deal. So last weekend, I was super excited to score 12 ears of corn for $3 at the farmer's market. It was such a high-- such a deal! Could life get any better?!

Then I got home and realized... I have 12 ears of corn. And I am a single lady. Whoops. I've blanched and frozen some of it for the winter, but seriously, my freezer can only hold so much sweet, golden goodness. Ergo, this week, I'm highlighting awesome corn-y recipes.

I'm in love with: sweet corn and quinoa salad-- get in mah belly!

I'm in love with: this corn pizza. I've been dying to make this since Tracy posted it-- it's happening!

 I'm in love with: smokey corn salsa. Bomb diggity.

 

I'm in love with: breakfast nachos. Brilliant-- these are happening Saturday morning fo' sho.

 I'm in love with: this video. Enough said.

Happy Friday, friends!

Highbrow/lowbrow; or, Chocolate Pomegranate Rice Krispy Treats

Now that the exam is over (and passed! Woo!), let's get back to business.

This is sort of an un-recipe... It was made in the throes of studying and is simply a riff on a classic. In college, they used to sell massive slabs of rice krispie treats in The Grille in the student center. I lived on those when I was studying, and felt a craving coming on this week.

I am no longer a bachelor's candidate, though-- I was aiming this week for PhD candidacy. So I stepped up the lowbrow rice krispy treat with some decadent add-ons.

Enter these beauties: classic Krispy Treat recipe (straight from the back of the box) with slivered almonds, mini chocolate chips, and dried pomegranate added. Super simple. Heavily inspired by the recipe from Christina Tosi  (Momofuku Milk Bar) in the June/July Rachael Ray mag.

Also great in Krispy treats (as I discovered over the past week): chocolate and peanut butter Cheerios, chocolate sprinkles, pretzel M&Ms (sensing a theme here?) and golden raisins. I'm surprised I haven't turned into a krispy treat yet.

Oooh, man-- get on it!

UPDATE: Great minds think alike! Tracy of Shutterbean posted a krispy treat recipe today too-- inspired by the same recipe in RR's magazine! What are the odds?!

Livin' in the fast lane; or, Mixed Summer Veggie Quinoa Salad

So, the exams are around the corner, and my calendar is packed with work, studying, and a few fun things (Relay for Life-- Donate!-- and the Color Run!)

However, I refuse to cave and nuke Lean Cuisines for dinner. I just don't know what's in there... and no matter how busy I get, that still creeps me out.

So here's a shortcut: take an hour to cook up a bunch of quinoa or rice, slice and marinate some tofu, and chop up some veggies. Keep them in containers in your fridge, and mix and match with salad dressings. 5 minute meals throughout the week. Fresh, delicious... and no preservatives (which keeps your inner hippie happy).

This particular bowl was a success. Avocado, cherry heirloom tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, red kidney beans, quinoa, and a lemon-mustard vinaigrette. For the win.

This is how I'm living right now, dear friends. Working hard, playing hard... and living right.

Lemony Raspberry Breakfast Rolls

I love this time of year. Farmer's markets, sun dresses, running outside, escaping the heat waves with ice cold drinks...

And berries. For days.

I love to have something special on Sunday mornings for breakfast, even if I'm breakfasting solo. In the winter, it's easy-- pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls. But in the summer, it's hard to choose, since carbs feel so heavy.

So on the day that I went to Firefly Berries and went bonkers picking currants and raspberries, I knew I had to challenge myself to make a summery baked good. Then I remembered this amazing recipe from Joy the Baker.

Lemony, soft, flaky rolls filled with fresh-picked lemon-raspberry filling, topped with a light lemon glaze. Perfection.

It'll take about five hours to make these. And about five minutes to eat five of them.

Note that I ate only berries all day. I even somehow worked them into a ketchup-sweet potato fry situation. Successfully.

SUMMER BUCKET LIST

1. Going to a drive-in movie theatre
2. Tubing with friends
3. Taking a road trip with a killer playlist
4. Picking TONS of berries-- and eating only berries for an entire day with no guilt
5. Saying "yes" to everything for a day (frightening)
6. Saying "no" to everything I don't want to do for a day (empowering)
7. Throwing an old-fashioned pajama party with the girls and staying up all night
8. Hosting a "Tour de Franz" (running back and forth between friends' apartments and mine while sampling boxed wines and wearing mustache tattoos)
9. Buying a new novel, going to a coffee shop, and sitting outside sipping iced americanos while reading an entire book in one fell swoop
10. Go to a music festival and be the first one dancing
11. Putting the strangest things I can think of into cookies and sharing them with you
12. Learn to make one signature cocktail 

Lemony Raspberry Breakfast Rolls

Adapted from Joy the Baker

For dough:

1 almond cup milk

2/3 cup sugar

1 packet yeast

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour + 1/2 cup for kneading

For the lemon-raspberry filling:

1 pint fresh raspberries (lucky me-- I picked mine that morning!)

1/3 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar for dusting

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1 tsp lemon extract

In a small saucepan, warm the almond milk about 95-100 degrees.  Pour the warm milk an electric stand mixer. With a paddle attachment, mix the sugar and yeast into the warm milk and let sit for 5 to 7 minute, until foamy.

Add the butter, eggs, lemon extract, and sea salt to the yeast mixture; combine, then add 4 1/4 cups flour.  Beat on low speed with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes.  Replace the paddle with a dough hook and beat dough on medium speed for about 10 minutes.

Dust a clean counter with flour.  Scrape the dough out onto the work surface.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of flour and knead for about 2 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough.  Cover with a damp kitchen towel, and place in a slightly warm place to rise for 2 hours (this is the first of two rises).

Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Set aside.

Medium bowl toss together raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.  Crush the raspberries gently--  I used my hands.  Set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, knead gently on a floured surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to approximately 1/4" thick.

Spread the butter over the dough then spread filling. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

Tightly roll up the dough into a long log.  Cut the log into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 pieces.  Quickly and carefully place rolls in pan. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and allow to rise another hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Bake rolls 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven, allow to cool for 30 minutes.

While the rolls are cooling, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, lemon extract, and water.  Drizzle glaze over cooled rolls and serve. 

What's new, cupcake?; or, Friday I'm in Love!

I'm in love: with Up Cupcakes (or, as I like to call them, "upcakes")!

I'm in love with: Pirate cupcakes! ARGGHHHHH!

I'm in love with: Olympic Torch Cupcakes! (I couldn't find the how-to link-- if you know of it, please share in comments!!!)

I'm in love with: The way this bakery is serving cupcakes! (They used Smarties-- stateside, I'd say go for M&Ms)

Finally... perfect for a kids party...

I'm in love with: Elmo Cupcakes! (I now have this song stuck in my head after looking at these).

Happy weekend, all!

Dance like nobody's watching; Or, Operation Summer Bucket List Continues

About a week ago, knowing that I wanted to hit up a music festival this summer, my Gentleman Caller (as he shall heretoforth be known) took me to the inaugural River's Edge Music Festival on Harriet Island in St. Paul, MN. It was a GORGEOUS day.

I love music festivals. It's always great to see old favorites, like Motion City Soundtrack (whom I had already seen about 1000000000000 times).

And check out new groups, like Gardens and Villa (adding them to my summer rotation-- check them out!

The BEST part, though was, after nine years of loving and listening to their music like a crazy fangirl, I FINALLY got to see Scissor Sisters! IT WAS AMAZING. I will DEFINITELY be seeing them next time they come through the area! Definitely a live band.

There are no pictures from that one. Gentleman Caller and I were too busy being the first to dance our butts off and make idiots of ourselves.

SUMMER BUCKET LIST

1. Going to a drive-in movie theatre
2. Tubing with friends
3. Taking a road trip with a killer playlist
4. Picking TONS of berries-- and eating only berries for an entire day with no guilt
5. Saying "yes" to everything for a day (frightening)
6. Saying "no" to everything I don't want to do for a day (empowering)
7. Throwing an old-fashioned pajama party with the girls and staying up all night
8. Hosting a "Tour de Franz" (running back and forth between friends' apartments and mine while sampling boxed wines and wearing mustache tattoos)
9. Buying a new novel, going to a coffee shop, and sitting outside sipping iced americanos while reading an entire book in one fell swoop
10. Go to a music festival and be the first one dancing
11. Putting the strangest things I can think of into cookies and sharing them with you.
12. Learn to make one signature cocktail

Adventures in Self-Rising Flour; or, Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

When I was a kid, I always wished I had a summer birthday so I could have the day off, play outside, be able to have all my friends over... Don't get me wrong, winter is my favorite season, but the freedom of a summer birthday was so alluring (and sounded so much better than sharing my birthday weekend each year with the Superbowl-- blech!)

Speaking of summer birthdays-- happy birthday, Mom! If I were home, this cake would totally be for you.

Chocolate is great, but summer birthdays call for lighter fare, in my book. There's so much great fruit action going on to take advantage of!

So when one of by BFF's birthdays rolled around in mid-June, I knew I had to work some Meyer lemons into the picture!

A light lemon cake, lemon buttercream, and raspberry filling-- that's the stuff!

This recipe called for self-rising flour, which I had never used before. I guess I don't see how it could be that much more difficult to just add leavening and salt to flour, but I gave it a shot, and it turned out great.

I put crumbled graham cracker crumbs on the outside. Summer is about ease, and who wants to spend a ton of time cooped up in the kitchen when there's sun to soak up?

Slivered almonds... just for pretty.

Happy birthday, Nicole! That's a whole pack of 24 candles on that cake, yo!

Of course... demolished.

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

Adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook


For the cake:


1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1.5 cups self-rising flour
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350F; grease and flour three 9' round cake pans.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together; add eggs one at a time, combining well. Combine flours and add in to butter mixture, alternating with the milk and lemon juice/zest. Divide batter among the three pans, and bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely before removing from pans.

For the frosting and filling (I made two batches):

1 jar (16 oz) spreadable fruit (I used raspberry)
2 sticks butter, softened
8 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Almond milk, to achieve desired consistency

Combine the butter and sugar in a mixer until thick. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract; mix well. If frosting is too thick, thin with some almond milk.

To assemble cake, frost each side of each layer with frosting before spreading raspberry filling (this keeps the fruit from making the cake stained and soggy); layer and repeat. Frost outside of cake with remaining frosting; decorate as desired (I pressed graham cracker crumbs into the side and put almond slivers on top).

Give to your bestie for her birthday. Summer birthday success.