La Cuisine Paris (Cooking School)

You know what they say - when in Rome.... except in this case, when in PARIS, do as the Parisians do. 

One of my must-do's when I was Paris was to take a cooking class.  There are lots of options to choose from.  A search on the internet will pull up lots of classes run out of people's local apartments, and the Ritz is also well-known for their classes.  Trufflepig help set us up with a great option, La Cuisine Paris, an English-speaking cooking school located minutes away from Notre Dame.  

They offer a variety of classes, from cooking to pastries, but we opted for a French classic (and one I've always been intimidated to attempt at home!) - Soufflés!  We learned how to make both a sweet (chocolate) and savory (cheese) kind which I'm itching to try again now that I'm back home.  They both came out delicious.  

Cheese soufflé and vinaigrette salad

There were about 10 students in my class and I was very glad to hear that the instructor was a real honest to goodness American!  Woohoo, no need for that French-to-English iPhone app.  But not to worry, we weren't taking lessons from a newly transplanted American.  No, that wouldn't do.  Chef Randall moved to France over 20 years ago and has been cooking his way through the country since.  We were in good hands.  

Baking: Paula Deen's Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding

On a quiet Friday night, I decided to have Paula Deen keep me company.  A friend recently posted a delicious looking picture of homemade banana pudding so I decided to follow suit and make one of my own. 

Paula Deen's recipe for Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding came highly rated so I gave it a go. Wow!  Not only was this easy to make, but it goes down like crack!  DE-LI-CIOUS and get this - I don't even like bananas! 

I only had half the cream cheese called for in the recipe at home, so I just cut the whole recipe in half.  But next go around, I'm definitely making the full recipe.  Its just so tasty!  I hope you give this quick and easy recipe a try.

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe from Paula Deen via Food Network

Ingredients
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Baking: Red Velvet Cherry Cake Roll

Lately, I've been into everything cherry.  I ran across a recipe from Food Network for a Red Velvet Cherry Cake Roll and just HAD to give it a go!  

Food Network's version of the cake (Pic from Food Network)

While my first batch wasn't exactly flawless, it definitely tasted delicious!  And my coworkers thought so too and obligingly polished it all off.  

My version of the cake - not bad for a first attempt!

The ingredient listing may look impressive, but since I was able to finish a completed cake roll (and on a weeknight!) I know you can do it!  I couldn't wait to share this recipe with you all...

Almond Tofu

One of my favorite desserts from childhood is Almond Tofu.  A surprising fact that I recently learned about it - there is actually no tofu in Almond Tofu!  Second fact I learned?  It's super easy to make!

While my mom was able to tell me what ingredients I would need and directions on how to make, she's pretty old school in terms of giving measurements (just a pinch here, swirl or two there...).  Sooooo, I pulled up a basic recipe from allrecipes.com and incorporated a few alterations based on user reviews and my own trial-and-error.

Also, as I'm not a huge milk fan, I substituted the milk (which gives the Almond Tofu its opaque-y white color) with soymilk!  The end result is a great blend of almond flavor with a touch of soymilk and the combo is surprisingly wonderful!

Chinese New Year and Dragon Cupcakes!

It's the year of the Dragon!

I'm hoping that this new year will bring good tidings to you all [and a change of luck to those of us who need it!].  It doesn't hurt to follow the usual Chinese traditions to start the new year off on the right foot.  Hey, I need all the help I can get!

Here's my checklist:

• Get together with family [check]
• Have a new year's feast [check]
• Clean the house apartment [check]
• Clean myself! [check]
• Wear red [eh... I'm hoping pink counts! Red just didn't match today's suit]
• Wish friends and family a happy new year! [check and check]

As my family gathered over the weekend to celebrate the new year, we ate lots of traditional food like fish (to wish for a plentiful new year), noodles (longevity), meat balls with strings of seaweed (prosperity), and oysters (good tidings).

Chinese New Year feast cooked by my Dad!

My contribution to the feast was dessert - hoping to put my skills from cake decorating class to good use! I wanted to do cupcakes this time and wound up honoring the new year of the dragon.  I got the idea from Hoosier Homemade's blog and was so impressed/inspired by her dragon cupcakes!  Here is how I put my own spin on it...

Baking: Andes Creme de Menthe Cookies

I've recently gotten into the habit of walking up and down the baking supply aisle in every grocery store I go into.  Most aisles are pretty basic here in the city so when I took a trip to Target in Brooklyn, I was awed at all the goodies they have there!

One thing that caught my eye - Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips!

Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips (pic from amazon)

I've always been a fan of the Andes Chocolate Mints when I was little, so why not make cookies using these baking chips!  I went on the Andes parent company website (www.tootsie.com) and pulled down a recipe for their Andes Creme De Menthe Cookies.  Its a basic cookie recipe with a minty twist - perfect for you all to try!

Andes Creme De Menthe Cookies 
Recipe from http://www.tootsie.com/rec_cdmcookies.php 

Inegredients
1/2 cup salted butter - softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package (10 oz.) Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips
2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Baking: Peppermint Layer Cookies

Are you still searching for cookie recipes to round out your assortment this year? These Peppermint Layer Cookies (recipe via myrecipes.com) are so pretty and perfect for the holiday season! They also taste delicious too, it's like eating a candy cane in cookie form.  The peppermint flavor from the extract and also the crushed candy canes give it an extra special twist.

This recipe involves a lot more steps than my recipe for cookie press cookies, but the extra effort does show.  Look how pretty they are!

Peppermint Layer Cookies

Peppermint Layer Cookies

Makes ~70 cookies

1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup Sugar
3 cups Flour (have more on hand for rolling the dough)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Whole Egg + 2 Egg Yolks
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract

20-25 drops Red food coloring
15-20 drops Green food coloring
10 oz. White Chocolate, melted
4 Candy Canes, very finely crushed

Baking: Butter Cookie Recipe for Cookie Press

Yesterday I got on the step stool and pulled out my collection of sprinkles, holiday cookie boxes, and all my baking tools from the top shelf of my cupboards.  You know what that means! It's time for holiday cookies!!

I love gifting baked goods for the holidays - it's thoughtful and delicious too!  One of my basic staples for the holidays (and not just Christmas!) is butter cookies made with a Cookie Press.  Some poo-poo cookie press cookies as an easy way out, but I totally disagree! These wind up taking me just as long to decorate as it would to bake a more complex cookie.  Besides, they're so delicious, you can't have just one!

Here is a butter cookie recipe that has been passed along from my mom.  It calls for minimal ingredients, all of which are kitchen standards anyway.  This is also a great holiday activity to do with kids!

Basic Butter Cookies
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, left at room temperature for 15-20 minutes
1/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed!)
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Flour

For decorating:  Sprinkles!!!

Cream butter and sugar. (Begin by cutting the butter into the sugar using two knives, until the butter is is tiny chunks.  Then finish off with a pastry blender).

*Baking tip: Don't throw away that butter wrapper just yet! Use it to grease your cookie sheet.*

Pumpkin Bread and Happy Thanksgiving!

It's my favorite holiday of the year! We have much to be thankful for, especially you - our readers who share our love of all things food.  Sending you wishes to enjoy the day with plenty of food, drinks and loved ones!

In honor of the holiday, here is my mom's recipe to her delicious Pumpkin Bread.  It doesn't feel like Thanksgiving without it!

Baking: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I am obsessed with the Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster.  No, I’m not exactly a fan of the place, but I’ll go and sit through a meal there just so I can eat those biscuits!  Am I alone here?

Sadly, living in NYC, I have yet to set foot in a Red Lobster because 1) it’s in Times Square and 2) I’m sure it’s an even bigger rip-off than it is back in the ‘burbs of Jersey.  Yet I desperately crave these biscuits.  No other option but to make something similar myself mmm...

My completed Cheddar Bay Biscuits!  Read on for the recipe

After scouring the web for a good recipe, I settled on the one below from allrecipes.com (which is an awesome site btw as they have a recipe for anything you could ever want to make and includes reviews and tips).  I made some Piggy KK adjustments as I went along and, if I do say so myself, made some AWSOME biscuits.  And with Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I’d be nice and share the recipe…

Part 1: Making the biscuit mix

Adapted from allrecipes.com 

Baking: Three of a (Chocolate) Kind

What better way to kick off a trip to Atlantic City than with cards and dice? Made of chocolate, of course!

While preparing for the upcoming trip (with three boys nonetheless!) I knew munchies were an absolute must.  Luckily I stumbled upon a cards and dice-theme chocolate mold while browsing N.Y. Cake, a haven of all things baking-related.  It's a no-frills store and fairly reasonably priced given its NYC location.  The aisles are tightly lined with an overwhelming variety of baking and decorating tools.  Spare yourself the guilt and just resign all self-control at the door. At least that's what I do!  It's a family-run store and they even offer cake decorating classes. (More on that in posts to come, stay tuned!)

N.Y. Cake Storefront (Source: http://newyork.seriouseats.com)

Along with the chocolate mold, I also picked up a 1 pound bag of mixed colored chocolate melts.  Mine came with regular milk chocolate, white chocolate and orange chocolate melts.

Now let's get started! One color at a time, microwave the chocolate melts on 50% power for 1 minute in a microwavable bowl.  Stir and repeat until the chocolate is melted.  The consistency should be fluid, so that it easily dribbles off your spoon. Yummm, go ahead and lick that spoon, indulge yourself!