St. Patrick's Day Jello Cream Cake

St. Patrick's Day Jello Cream Cake

Happy almost St. Patrick's Day!

You know I have a major thing for Jello and my co-workers love it too. So, I pulled out a card from my mom's cookbook and made this Jello cream cake. My auntie used to make this every holiday season as well (it is great with a topping of Cherry Jello!)

The crust is butter, brown sugar, flour and nuts. Easy peasy to make! Bake it off and let it cool before adding the next layers.

The ingredients are simple. Jello, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and a little more sugar. The middle layer is cream cheese and sugar with whipped cream folded in. The lemon Jello is dissolved and gives the layer stability because of the gelatin.

A big tray of this gelatin treat is always a big hit at potlucks or...the library! :)

If you don't want to make this one for St. Patty's day, try the Ice Cream Jello I made two years ago!

Jello Cream Cake

Printable Recipe here

Crust:
1 1/2 sticks - butter, softened
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream Layer:
1 - 3 oz package of lemon Jello (small box)
1 c boiling water
1/2 c sugar
8 oz package of cream cheese (one block), softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Jello Layer:
1 - 6 oz package lime Jello (large box)
2 c boiling water
1 c cold water

1. Make the crust. Cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add flour and nuts to the mix. Press dough into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. I use the Pyrex pan. Bake crust for 10-15 minutes in pre-heated 375 degrees oven or until crust is brown. Let cool.
2. Make cream layer. Dissolve lemon Jello with 1 cup boiling water. Let this mixture cool. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and cream cheese. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks (but don't make butter). Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Don't worry about it blending perfectly. Add the cooled lemon Jello and hand whisk together. Pour cream mixture over cooled crust and chill until firm in the refrigerator.
3. Make the Jello layer. In a large bowl, dissolve lime Jello with 2 cups boiling water. Add 1 cup cold water. Let this mixture cool. Pour on top of cheese mixture and return to refrigerator to cool completely.
4. Cut and enjoy!
5. Notes: You can, of course, change the color to suit your mood or holiday. This makes a bunch and can get pretty tall! When you add the cream layer, make sure you leave space for the top Jello layer. I usually place the 9 x 13 pan on a half-sheet pan in case I have spillage when placing the top layer on the cake!

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

The water heater died and needs a new part. I wash my hands about 100 times while baking/cooking so that  is out for a bit. (I've been visiting my folks for the shower :).  I made this broccoli salad last month and am finally posting it. Do you have a lot of "draft" posts as well? I really need to have a bit of spring cleaning in my queue and post 'em!

I'm making this salad "with Pam and Toby". My friend Pam lives in Berkeley and I'm sharing a few recipes with her and her cute son, Toby. This salad is really easy, keeps for a day or so and you can mix and match lots of toppings.

Raw broccoli, salted & roasted sunflower seeds, chopped red onions, golden raisins, dried cranberries, turkey bacon and mayo-based dressing. I also added fresh mandarin oranges to a batch of the salad and loved it.

I used turkey bacon. Um...turkey bacon is no regular bacon. It is way salty and just isn't the same. Next time, I'm going back to regular bacon, or just make it vegetarian.

Broccoli Salad

Adapted from Modern California Cookbook by the Los Angeles Times and appears in "The Best of Lucks" article by Jennifer Lowe, Los Angeles Times, December 08, 1999

Printable Recipe

Dressing:
Mix together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours:
1 cup mayonnaise (I used "Light" mayo)
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Salad:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds raw broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces (broccoli crowns are perfect for this)
1/2 cup golden raisins (or regular raisins)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (original recipe only has raisins)
1 cup salted sunflower seeds
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 fresh tangerine, peeled and sectioned or can of mandarin oranges, drained (optional) (I added this, not in the original recipe)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine the salad ingredients. Dress with chilled dressing right before serving.

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake Bundt - Lemon Week 2011

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake Bundt

It's Day 3 of Lemon Week! Hello. My name is Mary and you may have heard...I Like Big Bundts. So, of course we had to have a Bundt cake. But this one is a Meyer Lemon Bundt!

Friends Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet and Jenn of JustJenn are celebrating lemons this week.

I made Martha Stewart's recipe for a pound cake but made 1/2 the recipe. I think I baked it a bit too long or over-mixed the ingredients because it was a bit dry. I'll have to try the recipe again!

I baked it in the pretty Bavarian bundt pan. I really like this bundt pan...just be sure to spray the heck out of it...them curves? Very sexy but lots of opportunities for stickage.

Be sure to check out JustJenn and the East Coast Mary recipes too. You don't have an excuse not to make something lemony! :)

Recipe:
Martha Stewart's Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
I made 1/2 the recipe and baked it in 10-cup Bundt cake pan. I baked it for 60 minutes but found it a bit dry so I would check it much earlier next time.

Meyer Lemon Ginger Muffins - Lemon Week 2011

Meyer Lemon Ginger Muffins

For the past couple years, I've dropped off a big bag of Meyer Lemons on justJenn's porch...a lemon fairy. justJenn had Lemon Week 2009 and 2010 and this year, I'm celebrating my dad's Meyer lemon tree with a week of lemon recipes too. Sure, I'm losing enamel on my teeth, but Meyer lemons make your kitchen smell fantastic so it's worth it!

It's Lemon Week 2011! Check out what justJenn is making, and check out my friend Mary on the East Coast who received a box of lemons from the Lemon Fairy. So far, she's made scones, muffins, and pasta.

This recipe has fresh ginger and lemon zest. You whiz them together with some sugar in a food processor.

I always use a disher to, well, as the name implies, dish out the batter so they are all relatively the same size. The crown on the muffin is really nice and perky. :)

After coming out the oven, a lemon/powdered sugar glaze is drizzled on top while the muffins are still a bit warm.

Recipe:
Simply Recipes - Lemon Ginger Muffins
My adaptations: I used Meyer lemons, I rubbed the zest into the sugar before adding it to the butter, and I used sour cream instead of yogurt because that's what I had in my fridge! I made 1/2 the recipe and got 9 muffins...so you might get more than 12 if you make the full recipe.

Self-Frosting Nutella Cupcakes for World Nutella Day 2011

Happy World Nutella Day!

Make some Self Frosting Nutella Cupcakes today!

World Nutella Day celebrates its 5th anniversary today! Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso are the masters of ceremonies for this delicious foodie holiday.

Who doesn't love Nutella?! I hope indulge in some Nutella today...on toast, with peanut butter, on a crepe, or in a cupcake...or just straight from the jar! :)

 

After making the batter, one teaspoon of Nutella is marbled into the cupcake. The crumb is more muffin than light cupcake. The Nutella topping is rich and gives it enough sweetness.

Each one is very unique depending on how much your marble the Nutella. This would be a fun and easy recipe to make with kids!

Recipe:
Find the complete recipe on Esi's Dishing up Delights blog

P.S. I'm running in the LA Marathon's 5K in March and raising money for Noah's Wish animal rescue during disasters. Check out my fundraising plea (with cute doggie!) here and thanks for the support! 

Earl Grey Milk Tea Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

Earl Grey Milk Tea Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

I went over to JustJenn's house for New Year's Oshogatsu yumminess...along with tons of traditional Japanese foods she created Royal T Milk Tea Cupcakes. They were delicious and I couldn't wait to try them myself!

Milk used in the cupcake is heated and the tea steeps in the milk. The frosting is so light and delicious. An easy combo of mascarpone cream, sugar and whipped cream...it is just so good!

Remember my 40th Birthday? I went to Bouchon's pop up bakery in Beverly Hills with justJenn and stopped by Crate & Barrel. I gifted myself this new cake stand...and had them gift wrap it!! I brought it home and put it aside...then came Christmas and mochi making and I forgot about it. Imagine my delight when I opened this Perfect Gift this year! :)

This absolutely cute and beautiful cupcake stand is handcrafted by Oakland, CA-based ceramic artist Whitney Smith. Thank you so much my dear friend Sumi for this delightful birthday gift!

These are just lovely cupcakes! Be sure to give them a try.

Recipes:

JustJenn's Milk Tea Cupcakes (I used 4 bags of Trader Joe's Earl Grey tea instead) (I got 22 cupcakes and they baked for 23 minutes. Jenn and I have very different ovens :)
Just Jenn's Mascarpone Frosting (This frosting is my favorite!!)

Homemade Mochi Filled with An Sweet Red Beans

Sweet Mochi with An or Sweetened Red (Azuki) Beans

Fresh Mochi.
Soft.
Chewy.
Filled with An or Sweet Red Beans.
Delicious.
And now...made at home!

I went over to JustJenn's house on New Year's Eve and Jenn taught me how to make homemade anko filled mochi. Yay, that's how us party animals celebrate!

As you know, my family makes a boatload of "unsweetened" mochi for New Year's celebrations. However, I haven't made sweet mochi. This is the one you find in Japanese confectionery stores like Sakuraya (in Gardena...THE BEST), Fugetsu-do, and Mikawaya. It is filled with anko or an - sweetened red or azuki beans. You can get the beans "rough" or "smooth" - we used smooth or koshi an today.

The ingredients:
1. Mochiko sweet rice flour from Koda Farms. They are the best makers of mochigome. I would never use anything else. The Japanese grocery store sells it for $1.10 - $1.60, and I've seen it for almost $4 at Vons. Crazy. It is gluten free.
2. Food coloring. Jenn used a couple drops of the gel food coloring. We made a batch of pink and purple mochi.
3. Potato starch. Before you ask, I don't know if there is a substitute. It is super duper soft stuff and doesn't really have a flavor...making it a perfect coating to the sticky mochi.
4. Sweetened Red Bean Paste (Smooth or Koshi) An. Jenn prefers the one in bag over the cans (she believes it is smoother).
5. Sugar. You'll need some sugar to make this sweetened mochi.

I think mochi making is definitely a team sport! For the "stir, stir, stir" part, it is helpful if you have someone hold the pot steady with a good grip and oven mitts. The other person takes a wooden spoon and stirs, stirs, stirs until the whole batch is smooth. Mochi is RICE and RICE is sticky...thus it is hard to stir. I had to stand on a step stool (curse of being short) to get good leverage and hold the wooden spoon with two hands to stir. Everything goes quick...so make sure everything is ready to go.

The hot mochi blob goes on a heavily covered potato starch board. Cover the mochi with more potato starch and you have a mochi baby. So soft, warm and cushy.

How to make mochi: Cut off a piece, flatten it out, place a piece of an in the center and pinch close. Put the closure seam on the bottom, shape into a round and perfecto! Mochi! Make sure the entire mochi (and your hands) are covered in potato starch...or it'll stick.

Jenn made a few filled with peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly and Nutella. I stuck with traditional an or sweetened red beans. I found it helpful to make little balls of an prior to making the mochi.

You can also make the mochi "dough" in the microwave, but I like the stove top method. I don't have to go to the gym. Check out this book Hawaii's Best Mochi Recipes by Jean Watanabe Hee for more ideas.

Then we got silly with our mochi and made some old man faces. Jenn has these candy eyes...totally edible!

Perfectly soft and chewy mochi. Sweet.
Mochi is Rice. Mochi is Nice.

Recipe:
justJENN recipes has the full recipe for Sweet Mochi

Agar Agar or Kanten Fruit Jellies (aka Vegan Jello)

Fruit Jellies made with Agar Agar or Kanten

Whew. Tomorrow a new oven gets installed. My cousin bought a double oven. Sweet. I'll be a baking machine in the mornings. But, until then, I'm continuing on my no-bake desserts! Today, more freaking Jello...but this time it is made with agar agar or kanten!

Today, I'm going to my roots for Agar Agar or as it is called in Japanese, Kanten. Oh, Google the term and you'll get lots of info. It's made from seaweed (The Tokyo Foundation has a photo essay). The last time you saw it was probably at the bottom of a petri dish in 8th grade science. You may have seen it in a Japanese restaurant as Anmitsu, a fruit cocktail, red bean and kanten cube dessert.

Agar agar has lots of advantages over gelatin or Jello. First, it doesn't smell like gelatin. When you bloom unflavored Knox gelatin, you know there's gelatin in the room. Second, Agar Agar can withstand warm conditions. Most Asian countries use agar agar and it gets damn hot in the summer. It sets up super fast, even without refrigeration (although I recommend refrigerating your dessert). Since it is made from seaweed, it is vegan and kosher. It's also a "diet" food in Japan. They were on a big kanten craze because it has no calories and lots of fiber...making you feel full. Of course, I add sugar to mine, so don't hop on my diet train.

However, the texture is different! Agar Agar is definitely firmer than Jello - it doesn't giggle or melt on your tongue. Not everyone will like it, but that is their loss. :)

There are a bunch of different products out there. Kanten sticks (found in a Japanese grocery store), agar agar powder and flakes. You need to soak the sticks before use, and I read online that different brands/types might set up different...so I'm making no guarantees on this recipe.

Since I bought my Kanten powder at the Japanese store, the instructions were in Japanese. I photographed the instructions and sent them to my friend, Yuko in Japan to translate! Thanks so much Yuko!! Each envelope has 4 g of powder. I've seen large bags of Agar Agar in the Chinese market too. Everyone says it is crazy expensive in the health food store or vegan section...so you may want to wander into an Asian market if you have one nearby.

By the way, you need to check out Vivienne from Green Cilantro's absolutely beautiful fresh fruit mold - stunning! She's a creative genius! I'm definitely going to try this!

For these treats, here is what I did:
1. Place 2 cups (about 500 cc) of water in a pot.
2. Sprinkle one 4 g envelope of powdered agar agar into the pot.
3. Add 1 cup of sugar (I wasn't adding any fruit juice (a popular option) because I wanted the jelly to be clear...but it was a little too sweet. Sorta like eating firmed up simple syrup. Next time, I'd cut the sugar)
4. Bring to a boil and stir to make sure the agar agar dissolves. Boil for 1-2 minutes.
5. Pour into molds. Remember, agar agar makes things firm up super quick so you need to have everything ready! I used my mini tartlet molds and one ramekin, with fresh raspberries and canned mandarin oranges (my favorite comfort food). I don't use the tartlet shells very often, so it was fun to pull them out!

Chocolate Rice Krispies or Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats - Everyday Food

Chocolate Rice Krispies with Bittersweet Chocolate Drizzle

Happy Tuesday! I'm in complete denial that Christmas is coming soon. Complete denial. I turned on the TV and saw "It's a Wonderful Life" playing...and wondered why they were showing that! I think Los Angeles' recent heat wave (it was 80+ degrees) didn't help any. But today it will be freezing ;) with temperatures below 70 degrees! Bundle up Los Angeles! So, the little Santa hat on these treats is the start of my holiday spirit.

The official name is Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats thereby avoiding all mention of name brands. But everyone knows it's Chocolate Rice Krispies made with Valrhona Dutch Cocoa and Trader Joe's Bittersweet Chocolate.

My oven is still out of commission. Ugh. Sorry for the lack of Tuesdays with Dorie today, but here is another no-bake treat. (Dude, remember yesterday's Christmas Jello? It was mentioned on the LA Times Food section blog, The Daily Dish! So cool!!)

Add cocoa powder to your usual Rice Krispies treat and top with a bit bittersweet chocolate. What can be easier? In the holiday season, you can even toss a few Christmas sprinkles on top!

I put them in individual cupcake holders (I buy them in 500 count packages at the restaurant supply store) to make them easier to grab at the library.

Have a great day! - mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Crispy Chocolate-Marshmallow Treats - Everyday Food 

• I used a restaurant 1/4 sheet pan
• Be sure to let the chocolate drizzle set before trying to wrap it in plastic...just sayin'
• I cut mine smaller and got 48 little squares