My Bloody Valentine Whoopie Pies

(Please note that I used a bit too much cocoa powder, so that's why it lacks it red tinge common with red velvet cake)


The Whoopie-

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 vegatable shortening
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 ounce (one small bottle) red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.

In the work of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, and both sugars on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and red food coloring and beat just until blended.

Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the batter and beat on low until just incorperated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and 1/2 cup buttermilk and beat until completely combined.

Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 miutes each, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

The Cream-

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablepoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups (one 16-ounce box) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed. Add the sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium; beat until creamy and smooth, about 4 minutes.

Then pipe or glob some of the cream on the cakes. Then add some cherry pie filling a top the cream and enjoy.

~Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

Bohemian Rapsody

Breakfast.The most important meal of the day as they call it. When I think breakfast, I think of  the smell of cinnamon, family around the table, and most importantly Pancakes! Hub caps, flapjacks, circles of life, butter gutters, no matter what you call them, pancakes are a necessity to breakfast. Sure you can say waffles are better but, they're really just "plaid" pancakes. Millie's Pancake Haus has mastered the art of the pancake down. On my trip to Mimi's Pancake Haus flooded my brain full of breakfast nostalgia. All those HolidaySunday Brunches suddenly came to mind. The look of the place reminded me of a "summer cottage". The flowers outside were a nice touch which complemented the white windows. There wasn't a table open so there was a bit of a wait but, it didn't take long to get in. The inside was had the amibence of "grandma's" house with wooden chairs, knic knacks, old pantings all the basics. My mother had the Poached Salmon ($9.95) a 6 oz. fillet of salmon, served with cooked carrots and choice of potato, with homemade hollandaise on the side. The hollandaise was so good, there was a reason why it was in the center of the plate. The tender salmon and the tangy hollandaise was a nice marriage. The entree came with homemade apple butter and bread along with a tossed salad.  I had was the Bohemian Pancakes ($6.25) which were buttermilk pancakes with apricot topping and whipped cream. They were nothing short of specacular. It had a peach cobbler kind of taste to it. Also I had Bacon ($2.75), 2 Eggs al carte ($2.25), and Home Fried Potatoes ($2.00) on the side. Which was good. But let's get back to the Bohemian Pancakes! They were not overbaringly sweet. Each bite just kept getting better and better and BETTER! I tried, I honestly tried too eat and focus on my eggs and bacon but I just kept going to the Bohemian Pancakes. My only regret is that, I couldn't finish them in on sitting. Swing on over to Millie's Pancake Haus if you want great breakfast cuisne and some Bohemian Pancakes.



Millie's Pancake Haus:                              Hours:
6530 E. Tanque Verde Road                     Sun-Sat 6:30 am-2pm
(520) 298-4250                                          Monday:Closed

Gnocchi soffiati alla parigina (puffed gnoochi)

Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp melted
1 cup all-purpose or "00" flour
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 oz)
3 large eggs

1. Put the water, salt, nutmeg, and tbsp butter in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, drop the flour into the mixture at once and mix quickly with a wooden spoon. Stir until the mixture forms a smooth mass that sepetates easily from the sides of the saucepan. Cook ans stir for about 40 seconds longer to dry the mixture further.
2. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or you may want to use a regular bowl and mix with your hands. Let the mixture cool slightly, and then add half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 of the eggs. Mix at low speed ( or by hand) until the egg is incorperated. Add another egg and mix again, and then repeat with third egg. At first the mixture will seem to separate, but keep mixing and eventually it will tighten up. Cover and let cool.
3. Place 3 inches of salted water in a large saucepan and heat it over medium heat until there are several small bubbles, rising around the edges ( 180 degrees F). It shouldn't boil completely; if the water is too hot the dumplings will cook too fast, which will cause them to expand and eventually (once baked) deflate. They should just pouch and expand later in the oven when baked.
4. Using 2 spoons to shape the dough or pastry bag with a plain 1-inch tip, drop the dumplings into the water; they should be 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Work close to the surface to the water so you don't get splashed.
5. Poach the gnoochi until they rise to the surface, about 3 minutes. Lift the gnoochi out with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water to cool. They will sink to the bottom of the bowl when cool. Drain and use them right away, or refigerate for later use.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch baking dishes and arrange the gnoochi in them so that they have enough space to expand in the oven ( they will almost double in size).
7. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, drizzle 1 tablespoon of melted butter on top, and, bake until doubled in size and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve the gnoochi right away, before they begin to deflate.
~ Italian Cooking by Gianni Scappin, Alerto Vanoli, Steven Kolpan