Thai Coconut Red Curry Chicken (or Pheasant!) Soup ( Can be altered for Vegetarian)

I have literally been working on this recipe for over 5 years.  It has finally reached perfection and tastes exactly how I have been wanting it to.  It is now ready to share with anybody that is looking for an amazing soup.  It is perfect for the first course of a great Thai meal or even hearty enough for the main course.  The soup has the lovely flavor of lemon from the lemongrass, a touch of lime and cilantro, and a subtle heat in the back of the throat.

 I love Thai food ("Americanized-cooled-down-in-spice Thai food").  I generally like my food pretty spicy, but nothing quite as spicy as what I experienced in Thailand. When DH and I ate there it was a battle of wills.  We were hungry.  We needed to eat, yet the food that we ordered was way too spicy for us to actually eat. It was painful to say the least.   I distinctly remember us with snotty noses and tears running down our face trying to get nourishment and not waste food or money. 

Whenever I cook Thai food I never make it as spicy as authentic Thai food can be nor can I really make it as spicy as I would make if I were making it just for myself (DH doesn't like really spicy food).  This recipe is not too spicy for DH, so if you like spicy food, you may want to add more curry paste than the recipe calls for.  If you don't like a lot of spice, then use the lesser amount listed or cut it even more. From past experience I have learned (unfortunately the hard way) that you can always add more spice later, but you cannot take it out.

I have also made this soup meatless and vegetarian.  It also comes out great.  If making it meatless, add more veggies to replace the chicken.  Zucchini, sugar snap peas, and even beans would be great in this soup.  If making vegetarian, substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock.

When preparing the soup, it is best to have the lemon grass, ginger, garlic, curry paste, stock, fish sauce, and sugar are ready to go, because the first couple of steps go pretty fast. 

Ingredients: 

1 T olive oil
2 stalks of lemon grass, lightly crushed ( I use the flat end of a meat mallet), cut into 2-3 inch pieces
2 T minced fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 T Thai red curry paste
3 c chicken stock, if store bought*(or vegetable if you are making for the vegetarian version)
3 c water
2 T fish sauce
1 T sugar

2 (14 oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 large cooked chicken breasts (boiled), cut into bite size pieces or 1 cooked pheasant (boiled) with meat pulled off and cut into bite size pieces (about 2 cups)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes or 2 c chopped fresh tomatoes
2 c carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c green beans, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c sliced mushrooms

3 T lime juice
1/2 c loosely packed chopped cilantro


*If you are using homemade stock (which is less salty than store-bought), use 6 cups of chicken stock and add no additional water.

1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the lemon grass, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.  Add curry paste and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds more.

2. Add 1 c chicken stock to the pot and stir to dissolve the curry paste.  Add the remaining stock, water (if using), fish sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken (or pheasant) and other veggies.  Bring back to simmer and cook until the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Syrups and Sauces for Espresso Drinks, Ice Cream & Desserts

If you are a fan of flavored syrups for coffee, desserts, hot chocolate, or Italian sodas, you don't have to purchase them.  Sometimes flavors are hard to come by depending on where you live and can get pricey. You may be amazed at how easily they can be made and how many of the syrups can be made with common pantry items that you already have purchased. Below you will find sauces and syrups that can be used for desserts such as crepes, coffee, hot chocolate, ice cream, or Italian sodas.  When the recipe says "Sauce/Syrup" expect it to be pretty thick. If it just says "syrup", then it will be somewhat thinner and more like the flavored syrups used for drinks rather than over ice cream.  

Homemade (ultra chocolatey)Chocolate Sauce/Syrup

 Some recipes state the necessity of the cocoa powder being "high quality".  I used Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, which I don't consider either low or high quality and it was great.  I personally wouldn't worry about using something more expensive like Ghirardelli for the chocolate sauce.  I love Ghirardelli chocolate for all of my desserts that I make and won't use anything else, but for this purpose I really haven't noticed a difference between the two.

Ingredients:
1 c unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 c sugar
1 c water
2 t vanilla

This is really so very simple.  You will find that it doesn't take that long and makes a superior product to most of the chocolate syrups sold in the store.  It is exactly the same flavor as the higher quality chocolate syrups you can buy, but at a fraction of the cost.

All you need to do is combine the cocoa, sugar, and water in  a saucepan and cook on medium- low for about 10 minutes until it thickens up a bit.  You will want to stir frequently to prevent scorching.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Stir to blend well. The sauce will thicken a little more when you refrigerate it.

Orange Sauce / Syrup

This can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled if needed.  The recipe below only yields about 1/4 cup which is plenty for the purpose I needed it for. . . for topping Orange Mochas.  It would be really good on cake, crepes, or ice cream.


Ingredients
Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange (about 1/2 c)
2 T sugar
1/2 T butter
1/2 t cornstarch

Again, this is so simple and so good. Add zest, juice, sugar, and butter,  together in a saucepan.  Simmer for  10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Strain. 

Put strained contents back in the pan and add cornstarch.  Simmer 5-10 minutes more or until desired thickness has been reached. 

Cherry Sauce/ Syrup or Berry Sauce/ Syrup

This is a great sauce for ice cream, desserts and crepes also. It can easily be used with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries or a combination of berries. It makes an awesome cherry sauce too. I use it in my Black Forest Mochas.   This sauce recipe is so versatile and can be used on french toast, waffles, or pancakes if you wanted something decadent for breakfast or a brunch.

The almond extract can be omitted, but I really feel that it brings out the flavor of the cherries, especially if you are using frozen. 


Ingredients: 

This recipe can easily be increased.  It makes about 1/4 c of sauce.

1 c pitted cherries (or berries), can be frozen if you don't have fresh.
2 T sugar
1/8 t lemon zest
1/2 T lemon juice


1 t cornstarch
2 drops of almond extract (if making cherry sauce)

Directions: 
Cook cherries (or berries) in sugar just until hot, smashing and mashing the cherries or berries up with a potato masher.


Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and simmer a couple of minutes longer.

Strain.

Mix strained liquid with cornstarch and cook over low heat, stirring until thickened.


Remove pan from heat and add almond extract if making cherry sauce. 

Vanilla Syrup (Like Torani Syrups)

1/2 c simple syrup
1/2 t vanilla extract

To make simple syrup, place 1/2 c sugar and 1/4 c water in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved and it turns completely clear.  Remove from heat immediately.

Add vanilla extract to simple syrup and allow it to cool.  Syrup will thicken up once it cools. 

Caramel Sauce

Coffee House Drinks Like Starbucks (Truly the Best!)

Make coffee house drinks (Mochas, Lattes, Frappuccinos)just like Starbucks at home.

 I will always love and support Starbucks, but going there frequently is not that practical.  For starters, it can be quite an expense.  Additionally, the closest Starbucks to me is an hour away, so it is definitely not convenient to go on a regular basis.  For these reasons I like to view Starbucks as a treat when we happen to go to the city or on a road trip.  In order to support my coffee habit, I brew my own coffee at home and make my own espresso drinks.

I have spent the past ten years or so making coffee house drinks at home trying to mimic Starbucks drinks and have perfected the recipes.  This post will be a work in progress, because I am sure there are other drinks that I haven't thought of at the moment that need to be included.  Additionally it will take some time to put up all of the drinks that I know how to make at this time.  Please contact me with any requested drinks that I may have left out and I will put the recipes up for you.

All of the recipes are easy to make.  The other day I timed how long it takes to make a regular iced mocha.  Including the time it took to gather all of the ingredients, make the espresso, make the mocha, put the ingredients away, and put the measuring utensils in the sink, it took me 4.5 minutes.  This is far less time than it takes to drive a nearby coffee house (assuming you don't live as far away as I do), order the drink, wait for them to make it, and pay.   If you want fancier drinks, they will take a little more time and possibly prep time if you want to make certain drinks.

Tips for Making Espresso:

To make the espresso I have found several tips to yield the best results. I also admit that I tend to break some of the rules... I am sure that it makes some difference, but not enough to make a tragic cup of coffee.

Tamper for Espresso

1.  Make sure that you use espresso roast and espresso ground coffee.  If you are grinding your own espresso it should look like the consistency of sugar.  (If it is too coarse of a grind, the water will just pass through.  If it is too fine, like powder, then it will come out too bitter.)

2. When putting the grounds into the filter basket, fill to the desired measure and really press and compact the grounds with the back of the measuring spoon. They make a device called a tamper.  Maybe someday I will break down and buy it.  I am sure that it works far better and is far easier than using the measuring spoon, but I just haven't felt the need to spend money on one. Compacting the grounds really makes a big difference in the quality of the espresso. When I first started out making espresso, I did not know that you needed to do this.  I just filled the filter basket like I did for my regular coffee machine--- loosely.  My espresso came out really watery and weak.  Compacting the grounds will prevent this.

3. Water quality is always important when making any kind of coffee.  I have a water filter built into my sink and I just use that water.  A lot of people talk about the importance of using purified water and I think it is because it removes chlorine and other impurities.  We don't have chlorine or fluoride or anything in our water because we have well water (awesome well water, in fact).  I know in the past I used regular tap water and it seemed fine to me, but espresso connoisseurs will probably cringe.

4. Fresh coffee is always preferred. . .even better freshly ground coffee.  Here again, I break one of the cardinal great espresso making rules.  I don't live close to a store.  The closest store for organic coffee beans is an hour away.  The closest store for conventional coffee beans is 30-40 minutes away.  I buy my organic coffee in bulk and I use the store's grinder, which means by the end of the supply, it is not fresh nor freshly ground.  A coffee grinder is on my list of things to eventually buy, but has not hit the priority list yet.  I use old ground coffee and I am still rather happy.

5.  You don't really need an expensive espresso machine either.  I have been using the cheapest machine for years with stellar results. 

Syrup vs. Powder

You can technically use chocolate syrup for all of the mocha recipes (hot or iced), I have found that I prefer the unsweetened cocoa powder and sugar for the hot drinks and chocolate syrup for the cold ones.  The cocoa powder and the sugar do not work too well for the iced, because it tends to become separated.

The Case for Homemade Syrups

Any store-bought syrups can be used if desired.  I tend to use pure extracts when I can for flavoring instead of the flavored syrups (such as Torani) that you can buy.  I personally find the syrups too sweet when you combine them with other syrups like chocolate.  Some of them contain corn syrup (not Torani- thankfully they use cane sugar instead), potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, and the "sugar free" contain artificial sweeteners.  When I can't get an extract I make homemade syrups instead (the recipes I have posted).

I find that my homemade chocolate syrup recipe is superior to anything purchased and doesn't contain any odd ingredients like Potassium sorbate (preservative); Mono- and Diglycerides; Xanthan gum; Polysorbate 60; Vanillin; Artificial flavor or Corn Syrup. Homemade chocolate syrup is thick and rich and oh so chocolatey.  If you make it once, you'll have a hard time wanting anything different.

Mochas

Regular Mocha

1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 T sugar
1 c warmed milk
2 shots of espresso
Whipped Cream (optional)

1. Make espresso.

2. To your mug add the cocoa powder and sugar.

 3.Pour in the two shots of hot espresso.  Mix until dissolved.

4. Next pour in warmed milk and stir well to combine.

5. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder if desired.

 

 

Chocolate-Orange Variation: 

Add 1/8 t orange extract to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk). 
To decorate top with orange sauce (click here for recipe), if desired.

Chocolate-Raspberry Variation: 

Add 1/8 t raspberry extract to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk). 

Peppermint Mocha Variation: 

Add 1/8 t peppermint extract to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk). Add 1/4 t if you want it more minty than chocolatey.

Mounds Bar Mocha (Coconut Mocha) Variation:

Add 1/8 t coconut extract to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk). 
To decorate top with toasted coconut and a drizzle of chocolate syrup, if desired. 

Black Forest Mocha Variation

Add 1 1/2 T cherry syrup (click here for recipe) to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk). 
To decorate top with a drizzle each of cherry and chocolate syrup and a cherry.

Cinnamon Mocha Variation

Add 1/4 t cinnamon to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk).
To decorate top with a sprinkling of additional cinnamon. 

Milky Way (Caramel Mocha)

Add 1 T of caramel to the cocoa and espresso stirring well (before pouring in the milk).  Instead of cocoa powder you can add 2 T chocolate syrup.  To decorate top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.

Regular Iced Mocha

2 T chocolate syrup (see recipe here for homemade)
1 c milk
2 shots espresso
Ice
Whipped cream (optional)

1. Make espresso.
2. To a tall glass add chocolate syrup and 2 shots of espresso.  Mix well.
3. Pour in milk and stir together.
4. Add ice
5. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Iced Chocolate Orange Mocha

Iced Chocolate-Orange Variation (This one is my absolute favorite!)

Add 1/8 t to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.
Decorate with whipped cream and orange syrup (click here for recipe), if desired. 

Iced Black Forest Variation

Add 1 1/2 T cherry syrup (click here for recipe) to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.
Decorate with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate and cherry syrup, and top with a cherry, if desired.

Iced Black Forest Mocha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iced Mounds Bar (Coconut Mocha) Variation

Iced Mounds Bar (Coconut Mocha)

 Add 1/8 t coconut extract to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.
Decorate with whipped cream, toasted coconut, and  a drizzle of chocolate syrup, if desired.

Iced Peppermint Mocha Variation

Add 1/8 t peppermint extract to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2. 
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings, if desired.

Iced Cinnamon Mocha Variation

Add 1/4  t cinnamon to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.
Top with whipped cream and additional cinnamon, if desired. 

Iced Raspberry Mocha Variation

Add 1/8 t raspberry extract to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa power of chocolate shavings, if desired.

Iced Milky Way (Caramel Mocha) Variation

Add 1 T caramel sauce to chocolate syrup and espresso in step 2.  Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate and caramel sauce, if desired.

Lattes

**According to Wikipedia outside of Italy a Cafe Latte typically has 1/2 inch thick foam, whereas a cappuccino  has 3/4 inch thick foam.  I don't measure.  I don't really care enough to measure.  I just pour in however much I want or make at the time. 

 Pumpkin Spice Latte (like Starbucks)

This latte is so incredibly good. . . I have a hard time making anything else.  It is the perfect coffee for fall. There's nothing like sitting on the porch swing in the cool crisp autumn air, sipping on a Pumpkin Spice Latte. 

 Pumpkin Spice Syrup (makes 1/2 c)

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
1/2 T pumpkin pie spice*

1. Make simple syrup by bringing water to a boil.  Then add sugar and stir constantly until it dissolves completely.  (The liquid will turn completely clear)
2. As soon as the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat and stir in pumpkin pie spice until mixed throughout.  The syrup will thicken once it is cool.

 *Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can easily make it.  This recipe makes 2 Tablespoons worth. 
3 t cinnamon 
3/4 t nutmeg
3/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t + 1/8 t ground cloves

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 T Pumpkin Spice syrup
1-2 shots espresso (depending on whether you want a single or a double)
1 c steamed milk (using milk frother attachment)

1. Make espresso
2. Put syrup into the cup and add espresso. Stir well to blend.
3. Steam milk with frother attachment and pour milk in first followed by foam.  I use a spoon to hold back the foam while pouring the milk.**
4. Sprinkle top with additional pumpkin spice, if desired. 

Vanilla Latte

2 T vanilla syrup (like Torani or Da Vinci Gourpet or homemade click here for recipe)

1-2 shots espresso (depending on whether you want a single or a double)
1 c steamed milk (using milk frother attachment)

1. Make espresso
2. Put syrup into the cup and add espresso. Stir well to blend.
3. Steam milk with frother attachment and pour milk in first followed by foam.  I use a spoon to hold back the foam while pouring the milk.**

Frappuccinos

Frappuccinos may take a little more time, but they are well worth it. It may take a little planning in advance to make and chill the espresso and crush the ice if your blender doesn't crush ice or you don't have an ice maker that offers crushed ice (we still use ice cube trays).  If you have everything prepared ahead of time, the process is extremely fast. . . about as fast as your local coffee shop can make them.  I have never personally made frappuccinos with anything other than whole milk, but I don't see why it wouldn't work with other kinds of milk or dairy substitutes.

Mocha Frappuccino 

1 1/2 c crushed ice
3/4 c whole milk
2 T sugar
2 T chocolate syrup
2 shots (1 oz) espresso
whipped cream (optional)
additional chocolate syrup (optional)

I find that it works better to first blend all of the ingredients except the crushed ice, then add the ice and blend until smooth and mixed completely.  Serve with whipped cream and additional chocolate syrup, if desired. So easy and so good!

Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino

Follow the Mocha Frappuccino recipe and add 1/8 - 1/4 t peppermint extract, depending on how minty you want it to be.

I will be adding additional coffee drinks as soon as I possibly can.  Please send any requests to me if there is a latte, mocha, frappuccino or other coffee drink that you are craving and I will put the recipe up for you.

Simple Garlic Bread

I hate to admit when I love things that are most likely bad for me.  I love that garlic bread that you buy in the supermarket and put it in the oven.  I am assuming it contains a lot of things that are artificial .... sigh.  So instead here is a recipe for really great garlic bread that will be a great substitute for the one in the store.  It does not taste the same. . . but it is really good and easy to make.   This bread is perfect for mopping up extra sauce from pasta or dunking in your soup.  Yum!

All you need are slices of sourdough bread, softened butter, parsley flakes, and of course roasted garlic (one to two cloves per slice of bread- depending on the size of bread or how garlicky you want it to be).  Just butter the bread, spread one clove of roasted garlic on each slice, sprinkle with parsley and bake in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes until nice and toasty.

Grilled Vegetable Vegetarian Lasagna

DH and I are definitely one-hundred percent omnivores and eat a wide range of foods, but I would say that we are part-time vegetarians.  We eat meatless meals at least twice a week. 

Like many of my meal decisions, I made this recipe up based on what we had in the house.  Often I go through the cupboards, fridge, and freezer to decide what to make.  It usually turns out great, but sometimes it turns out simply amazing. . . this was one of those cases.

Why does grilling vegetables take them from ordinary to phenomenal? I will admit that it adds more time to the recipe, but it is well worth the time.  It adds so much flavor to the lasagna.  This is one of those vegetarian meals, where you don't miss the meat at all.

If you have a summer garden, most of ingredients (if not all) can come directly from it.  Of course the vegetables I list for ingredients can easily be substituted for different ones depending on what's available.   

Grilled Vegetable Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe 

Ingredients for Lasagna:

 For the Grilled Veggies:

• 2 Tomatoes, grilled then chopped
• 2 Red bell peppers-quarter, then grill and slice
• 1 large onion, sliced, then grilled
• 2 large zucchini, sliced longways into 4 strips, grilled, then sliced into thin strips

Other Veggies/Herbs: 

• 8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
• 1/4 c basil, chiffonade
• 6 c chopped greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard or a combination)- steamed  or sauteed until slightly wilted

For the Sauce: 

• 5 T unsalted butter
• 4T flour
• 4 c milk
• 1 head garlic, roasted- - reserve 4 cloves for garlic bread (recipe here), if desired

• Lasagna Noodles- Cooked according to package instructions.

About 1/2 box.  I used 14 total noodles, but that is mainly because it is what I had left.

The all important cheese:

• 6.5 oz soft herbed cheese ( I used Boursin herb and garlic, but herbed goat cheese would also be good)
• 
  
• 1 c shredded mozzarella, divided

Preparation of the Lasagna:

Before

1. Roast garlic, but slicing off the very top of the head of garlic to expose cloves, place in an oven proof dish, drizzle top with olive oil, and roast at 400 F for 30-45 minutes until cloves are golden and soft.

After

2. Grill vegetables and chop or slice accordingly.

3. Chop and wilt greens

4. Chiffonade basil:
If you have never done this before, its rather simple.  Take several basil leaves and stack them on top of one anther.  Roll basil tightly along the long side of the leaves.  Slice into thin ribbons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Make sauce for lasagna:
Melt  butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and allow to cook for about a minute.   Add milk in a steady stream gradually while whisking continuously.  At first it will form a paste and then gradually become "liquidy" again.

Once garlic is done roasting, blend roasted garlic (minus 4 cloves if you are making garlic bread) and sauce in a blender.  Allow sauce to cool a bit before blending.  If it is too hot and you try blending the steam will build up under the lid in the blender causing it to pop the lid and splash hot sauce all over the place and yourself. 

Assembling & Baking the Lasagna: 

1. In a large baking dish ( preferably 9 x 13) spread a thin layer of sauce along the bottom. 

I had to use a 10 x 15" glass baking dish, because years ago my cat broke my 9 x 13.  He had crawled into my kitchen cupboard and when I yelled at him  he scrambled out of the cupboard knocking out my dish resulting in a spectacular glass explosion and one shell-shocked cat.  There have been too many things that I have needed instead of investing money in replacing the broken dish.
But I digress. . .

2. Put a layer of cooked noodles on top of the sauce, half of the cooked greens,  veggies,  basil,  herbed cheese, and sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 c mozzarella cheese.

3. Repeat with another layer of noodles and the remaining greens, veggies, basil, herbed cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 c mozzarella cheese.



4. Top with one more layer of noodles and 1/2 c mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake lasagna at 375 F for 30- 45 minutes.  Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Cake Pops (100 % From Scratch)

There are a plethora of cake pop recipes available, but when it comes to recipes that are completely from scratch, they are very few and far between. Most recipes call for box cake mix, canned frosting and/or candy melts. I personally do not like to use cake mix or canned frosting, because I don't think they are cost effective and I like to be able to control what I put in my food. Candy melts contain sugar, milk solids, vegetable oils, flavorings, (Which flavorings? Where do the flavorings come from?) and colors (I personally don't like food coloring). So I decided to come up with my own recipes to control what is in the cake pops and create my own combination of flavors. Besides, food made from scratch always tastes better.

I started out by finding recipes for basic layer cakes and halving the recipe so I would end up with only one of the layers.

On a side note, my mom taught me a trick for keeping the cake from sticking to the cake pan.   I am assuming she learned it from my grandmother and maybe even my great grandmother.  It is not as essential of a tip if you have nonstick pans (I would like to eventually find a non-coated cake pan), but it still makes it a lot easier to get the cake out of the pan.  Although, as you will see, it really doesn't matter how nicely the cake comes out of the pan in this case, because you are going to destroy the integrity of the cake anyway.  It's still a helpful technique if you want to make a cake in the future and have it come out intact. 

 If you are making two single layer cakes or a double layer cake cut and fold a piece of parchment paper (you can also use wax paper) in half so it is double layered.  If you are only making a single cake, then you only need to cut the paper so it is slightly larger than the cake plate.  Set the cake plate on top and in the center of the paper.


               Next, open scissors all of the way up.  Using one of the 
                         blades, carefully trace around the cake pan etching
                         the parchment paper in the exact size and shape of
                         the cake pan. 

It should look something like this

Then cut out the circle(s).

Butter or oil the bottom and sides of the cake pans and place the parchment circles in the pan. You can pour the cake batter directly on the paper and your cake won't stick.  

Chocolate Cake Pops 

Variations: Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pops & Chocolate Orange Cake Pops

There are 3 basic components to cake pops: the cake, the frosting, and the covering.

First make a basic chocolate cake (the measurements are a little odd, because the recipe was cut in half to make only one of the two layer cakes:

Chocolate Cake (makes 1 (9-inch round) cake)

1 egg
1 c sugar
1 c + 2 T all purpose flour
1/4 c + 2 T cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 c boiling water
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 1 (9-inch) cake pan

2. Beat eggs and oil using an electric mixer
 
3. Add sugar and beat well

4. Whisk together four, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. (I use aluminum free baking powder to keep aluminum out of my body.)

5. Gradually add some (about 1/4) of the four mixture to the sugar mixture and blend.

6. Add milk and water, beat until well mixed.

7. Then add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.

8.   Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

A lot of recipes call for butter cream frosting.  The problem with this is it is kind of heavy and makes the cake pops really sweet (for my own tastes, it almost makes them sickeningly sweet).  The cream cheese frosting is light and so good.  I promise it won't disappoint.

2 T unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 oz (If using ghirardelli it comes to 3 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 c confectioner's (powdered) sugar
8 t half and half
1/2 t vanilla

1. Combine butter and cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy with an electric mixer.

2. Add melted chocolate, sugar, half and half, and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/2 c raspberry jelly or jam to the frosting in step 2.  If using jam and you don't want any seeds, you can warm the jam and put through a strainer to remove the seeds.

Chocolate Orange Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/2 t orange extract to the frosting in step 2. 

"Variety Pack" Variation

I wanted a variety of different cake pops, so I divided the frosting after step 2 into two small mixing bowls. I put 1/4 c of the "de-seeded" raspberry jam in one bowl and 1/4 t orange extract in the other and beat until each was well combined. 

Assembling the Cake Pops:

Materials Needed:

• Cake/cookie lollypop sticks
• 12-16 oz  milk, or dark chocolate chopped
• Double Boiler or bowl on top of simmering water
• Room in the freezer
• Styrofoam block or small cardboard box with holes punched in it                                                 (I used an egg carton the first time and I didn't feel like it worked that well and decided to move to using the cardboard box)
• 2-4 oz chopped white chocolate, melted (optional for decorating) or zest of one orange mixed with 1 T granulated sugar (optional for decorating)
• Pastry bag or zip-lock bag with corner one cut to pipe the melted white chocolate if using

*For "Variety Pack"Variation: 

Divide the cake in half and put each half in two separate bowls. Then continue following the directions.

Assembly For all of the Chocolate Cake Pop Variations:

Using a fork (or your hands if you like) crumble the cake. (This step always seems weird to me.  Normally I try so hard to keep the cake looking beautiful and here it gets destroyed into a crumbled mess).

Next mix in frosting and shape into cake balls. Melt 1/4 c chopped  chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl set on top of a pot of simmering water.  Dip cake pops in melted chocolate and then into cake balls (the melted chocolate acts like glue to hold the sticks in place). Place in freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes. 

Melt 8-12 oz chocolate and then put in a small bowl for dipping.  The smaller the bowl, the better.  I used one of my anchor glass ramekins and it worked really well.  Dip cake balls into chocolate and tap stick gently on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.  Stick cake pops into styrofoam block or cardboard box to dry (if you want to expedite this process you can place the block or box in the freezer once you get the cake pops made).

Chocolate Raspberry Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/8 t to 1/4 t of raspberry extract (to taste) to the melted chocolate before dipping.

Chocolate Orange Cake Pop Variation

Add 1/4 t to 1/2 t of orange extract (to taste) to the melted chocolate before dipping.

"Variety Pack" Variation

Divide the chopped chocolate  in half and melt half of the chocolate and dip half of the chocolate cake pops at a time.  To one half of the melted chocolate, add 1/8 t raspberry extract (or a little less depending on the strength of your extract) and add 1/8 to 1/4 t orange extract to the other half of the melted chocolate.

Decorating the cake pops:

If desired, pipe melted white chocolate on top.  If you want the white chocolate to be pink to reflect the chocolate raspberry variation, add a small amount of raspberry jelly or "de-seeded" raspberry jam if you don't want to use food dye. 

For the chocolate orange variation, sprinkle orange zest (from one orange) mixed with 1 T sugar immediately after dipping in melted chocolate so it sticks to the top (see picture below).

Lemon Cake Pops

 If you have ever had See's Candies' Lemon Truffles, these cake pops taste just like them. They are so incredibly good and they are my favorite of all the types I have made.  You can coat them in white, milk, or dark chocolate (my personal preference is the dark chocolate---simply amazing).

 First make the cake:

Lemon Cake (makes 1 (9-inch round) cake)

1 1/2 c cake flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t salt
6 T unsalted butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 c buttermilk
1/8 t cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch cake pan

2. Combine flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt and whisk together.

3. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy

4. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time

5. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla

6. Beat in the flour mixture and buttermilk, about a quarter at at time of each, alternating between flour and buttermilk.   Start with about one quarter of the flour mixture and then add 1/4 c buttermilk.  Repeat, ending with the flour mixture.

7. In a glass or stainless steel (nonreactive metal) bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into batter.

8. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean with inserted in the center.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T unsalted butter, softened
1 c confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 T heavy cream
2 T + 8 t lemon curd (It adds a lot of the yummy lemony flavor to the cake)

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Add butter, sugar, cream, and lemon curd and beat until blended and whipped.

Assembling the Cake Pops: 

Materials Needed:

• Cake/cookie lollypop sticks
• 12-16 oz white, milk, or dark chocolate chopped
• Double Boiler or bowl on top of simmering water
• Room in the freezer
• Styrofoam block or small cardboard box with holes punched in it
• 2 T lemon curd, warmed (optional) 
• Pastry bag or ziplock bag with corner one cut to pipe the curd if using

Using a fork (or your hands if you like) crumble the cake.

Next mix in frosting and shape into cake balls. Melt 1/4 c chopped  chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl set on top of a pot of simmering water.  Dip cake pops in melted chocolate and then into cake balls (the melted chocolate acts like glue to hold the sticks in place). Place in freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes.  (See the pictures for the chocolate cake pops if needed for assembly.)

Melt 8-12 oz chocolate and then put in a small bowl for dipping.  The smaller the bowl, the better.  I used one of my anchor glass ramekins and it worked really well.  Dip cake balls into chocolate and tap stick gently on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.  Stick cake pops into styrofoam block or cardboard box to dry (if you want to expedite this process you can place the block or box in the freezer once you get the cake pops made).

If desired, pipe warmed lemon curd on top for decoration. 

Grilled Lamb with Yogurt Sauce

This recipe can be made with either back strap medallions (like what I had) or lamb chops.  Last year we raised 3 grass-fed lambs, so we are lucky that we can have this luxury meat often. I served it with a baked potato, garden salad, and grilled corn.  It would also be excellent with my recipe for "Garden" Tabbouleh Salad.

DH loves meat with sauces.  The cucumber-yogurt sauce is a great accompaniment to the lamb.  If you have leftovers you can put the meat in a pita pocket with tomatoes and lettuce and have a great lunch or dinner. 

Yogurt is one of those miracle foods.  The bacteria in it can strengthen the immune system and help ulcers heal more quickly.  It may also help prevent yeast infections.  Some evidence shows that yogurt may also work against bacterial infections.  As we all know there are large amounts of calcium in milk, but millions of people are lactose intolerant.  Yogurt is an easy-to-digest alternative to milk for a couple of reasons.  Reason #1: the live bacteria help the body break down the lactose for you, making it less likely to cause discomfort.  Reason #2: yogurt contains more calcium per serving than milk.  Just 1 cup of yogurt provides more than 40% of the daily value at 414 mg whereas one serving of milk contains only 300mg.

Grilled Lamb with Yogurt Sauce Recipe

Ingredients: 
1 lb. lamb (backstrap medallions or chops)
salt and pepper

SAUCE
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 T lemon juice
1/8 t paprika
1/8 t cumin
1/4 to 1/3 c cucumber, diced small

Directions: 
1. Season both sides of lamb with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare grill or grill pan- lightly oil and heat high.

3. Grill lamb for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side for rare.

If you like your meat more done than rare follow the next direction: 
4. Turn off grill and leave lamb on the grill for 5 minutes longer to reach medium-rare or around 7 or 8 minutes longer -depending on thickness- to reach medium doneness.
(A lot of people like lamb rare.  I personally do not. I cooked mine to medium.)

5. Whisk plain yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, and cumin in  small bowl.  Stir in cucumber.  Serve sauce with lamb.