Russian Cream

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The summer of 1988 was for me a wild and crazy time. That was when I spent three months working in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a small western touristy town just south of Yellowstone National Park. Since my goal was to earn enough money to put me through another year of college, I worked five jobs. Beginning each day at 4:30 a.m., I was a waiter at a restaurant catering to busloads of tourists. When breakfast ended, I headed to another restaurant for the lunch shift. Then at 6 p.m., I was an actor in a wild west shoot out show in the town square. Next, I performed in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at the Jackson Hole Playhouse. And finally, I finished the day serving the late night crowd at yet another restaurant. Looking back, I honestly don't know how I did it. Just writing about it has worn me out. I think I'll go take a nap.  

...later

I'm back from my nap and feeling much better for it. 

The reason for reminiscing about my Jackson Hole days is that this recipe for Russian Cream reminds me of those days. For the lunch shift, I worked at the Cadillac Grille. I did a quick search on the Internet and was happy to see it's still open. Looking around their Web site, I noticed the restaurant has been remodeled and they have a completely different menu. 

Throughout my summer at the Cadillac Grille, they had two weekly contests awarding prizes to the waiters who had the highest dollar amounts in alcohol sales and overall food sales. Unfortunately, I had two strikes against me. First of all, the daytime waiters didn't stand a chance in overall food sales against the evening waiters. And secondly, as a Mormon, I didn't feel good about pushing the alcohol. One day, I was called into the manager's office who showed me my sales compared to the other waiters. My sales were the lowest of everyone's. I was told I needed to sell more alcohol or look for another job elsewhere. After standing there for a moment in shocked silence, inspiration came. I asked, "What if I made up the difference with dessert sales?" My manager thought it over and finally decided we could give it a try. A third contest was added—highest dollar amount in dessert sales.

I was determined to win, and that's when I made friends with the dessert chef. I can't remember her name, but she taught me all about her creations, the methods of making them, and the ingredients. She even helped me come up with great ways to describe the desserts. And best yet, she let me eat anything that didn't meet her high standards (a cheesecake that developed a crack, a piece of cake not cut with laser precision, etc.).

And it worked! I won the dessert contest each week for the remainder of the summer.

Of all the desserts, Russian Cream is probably the one that almost exclusively saved my job. Whenever a ladies lunch bunch came into the restaurant, I knew it was time to pull out the secret weapon. As they finished their lunch, I would bring the dessert tray by. I could always tell by the looks on the women's faces they really wanted to order something but didn't dare. That's when I would describe the Russian Cream, a wonderfully smooth and creamy dessert with fresh local raspberries. I then would add that I had all the calories taken out. And before you could say, "Howdy Partner" it was Russian Cream all around!

And what I love about this recipe is that for all it's deliciousness, it's incredibly simple to make. Give it a try. It saved my job. Who knows what it may do for you.

 

Cool bowls, eh?

With fresh fruit, it has to be good for you, right?

Chocolate Macaroon Bird’s Nest Cookies

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Here are my favorite Easter candies in no particular order:

1. Yellow or orange jelly beans (and never, ever black)
2. Chocolate bunnies (solid not hollow)
3. Reese's peanut butter eggs (I like anything with peanut butter.)
4. Marshmallow Peeps (I like them stale and chewy.)
5. Cadbury mini-eggs (I have to be very careful not to eat the whole bag at once.)

Easter only comes around once a year, I had to stock up.  And since it's so close to Easter, all of it was on sale at the grocery store. Lucky me!

However, I decided to use some self restraint. I would buy only one thing now, and then raid the kids' Easter baskets in a few days. I also decided to justify my purchase by finding some way to use the candy in a recipe and post it on my blog. I thought it was a great idea, but I knew Katie would give me the one eyebrow raised look.

I pondered over the candy trying to decide which would work in a recipe. The Reese's peanut butter eggs could work well in a cookie or cheesecake, but after cutting them up, they wouldn't be very Easter-y. Same with the chocolate bunnies. And, I couldn't think of anything to do with a Peep chick or bunny.

So, there I was contemplating between the jelly beans and the Cadbury mini-eggs. Hmm... Then, I remembered seeing something somewhere long ago–little nests made from coconut with jelly bean eggs inside. That was it, but I was in the mood for chocolate, so I grabbed a bag of the mini-eggs.

I used a chocolate macaroon recipe for the nests. My five year-old, Tomas, was my sous chef. He did exceptionally well except for when I tried teaching him how to crack an egg. We had a couple of casualties. Tomas was an expert in shaping the nests and making sure each nest had three different colored eggs.

Tomas also helped me deliver the treats to coworkers and students at the office. He was very proud of his creations as he received many "oohs" and "aahs." And, I was very proud of my little baking buddy.

I think they turned out rather well, don't you?

I just wish I had a stale Peeps chick to sit on the nest.

Easier Than Math Chocolate Cake

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Recently, someone told me my recipes are too complicated and asked if I could post something simple. My first reaction was, "Really...? Complicated...? You've got to be kidding." But then, I thought it over for a moment. I have never in my life been able to do math–something that is simple for a lot of people, like my kids. And it's a good thing my kids understand math because they aren't getting any help from Dad.

So, here it is–an incredibly simple chocolate cake recipe that is not only good but ready to eat in just 30 minutes.This is helpful for FHE treats, a potluck event, or if you just need a quick chocolate fix. It doesn't need frosting, and it's best eaten warm.

If you've read through many of my posts, you might be thinking everyday is a birthday at the office. There are certainly times it feels that way, but I am more than happy to bring treats. However, an easy recipe like this comes in handy when life gets hectic, and there's something scheduled every night of the week (last night it was Liam's soccer game in the bitter cold wind). So this morning, I whipped up the batter and popped the cake in the oven in just a few minutes. By the time I finished showering and was dressed for work, it was done. I let it cool over breakfast, and then I was out the door with cake in hand.

It really is that easy, so give it a try.

Happy birthday, Danielle! I thought it would

look better if I cut the cake into squares and

piled them on a plate. Looking at the photo,

it appears rather messy. But, it's a tasty mess.

And, look how simple and easy it is to dress it up.

Death Cupcake for Cutie or Chocolate Stimulus

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If you're into baking, following baking blogs, or visiting bake shops, you know that cupcakes have been the rage for a while. About a year ago, I decided to try and create the ultimate cupcake. To do this, I combined the best from about four recipes into one, and the result was fantastic.


I needed a name, however. Katie immediately came up with Death Cupcake for Cutie. This is a combination of the "death by chocolate" idea and the name of a popular indie band, Death Cab for Cutie. I thought it was a great name, but later that day at work, Katie called me with the name Chocolate Stimulus. At the time, we were all tired of hearing about the economic stimulus ad nauseum. I liked this name equally as well because in my opinion most problems can be solved with chocolate. Who couldn't use a little chocolate stimulus? So, there you have it. Go with whichever name works for you.


But, I must warn you. These cupcakes are for adults. If you're going to put this kind of time and care into creating cupcakes, don't waste them on children who would be just as happy with something from a box. These cupcakes are so rich and chocolately, a child might go into chocolate shock.


The reason I made a batch of these cupcakes this morning is because it's parent/teacher conference time. The PTA arranges for parents to bring in dinner and dessert for the teachers. Not only do the teachers at our school deserve the best, but Liam has a little ground to make up with his math teacher. I guess she got a little ticked when he showed up on St. Patrick's Day with green hair. I guess there's a rule against that. Ooops. Well, a little chocolate stimulus will make everything right.

I piled the frosting a generous inch high.

Can you ever have too much frosting?

I think not. Katie said she'd eat it on 
dog food.

How could a teacher resist? (the cupcakes

and the boys)

Ooey Gooey Kaplooey

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Yes, I know it sounds weird, but that's what we call them. I don't remember who in the family came up with the name, but it's our brownie version of those molten chocolate cakes* that seem to be the rage lately.

When they come out of the oven, they look like your average brownies. However, beneath the crispy thin top crust lies a layer of chocolate ooey gooey goodness. They are best served warm, but I must sternly warn you. They are so chocolaty rich that if you eat too much too quickly, you might explode–hence, kaplooey. To prevent a chocolate overdose, I suggest serving the brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or tall glass of milk.

Liam, my 12 year-old, has been begging me to make these brownies for weeks. Since he had a tooth pulled today in preparation for braces, I thought he deserved them.

And I'm embarrassed to admit, the pan is empty.

Please ignore the creepy plastic clown. Certainly family 

members who shall remain nameless like to tease me about

my blogging obsession. They thought the clown would be

a nice touch. Just focus on the gooey chocolate. Mmmmm!

*I have a very simple recipe for molten lava cakes. I'll see about whipping some up in the near future and posting the recipe.

Cream Cheese Brownies

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Guess what? I finally got the fancy schmancy camera of my dreams. I can now take amazing photos of my culinary creations that will make you want to lick your computer screen. Well, that is until I first learn how to use the camera. I've read the manual, watched the accompanying DVD, and browsed through countless Web sites about photography. I think it's going to take me a bit longer than I expected before I start producing photos I'm satisfied with.


So, I wanted to bake something and try out the camera. We invited some friends over for dessert, and I had my opportunity. I decided to make Cream Cheese Brownies, a new family favorite. 


After the brownies cooled, I cut them, and put some on a plate. I took a bunch of photos and downloaded them onto the computer. I was not very happy with the results. Each photo had something wrong. Some had bad lighting, some were blurry, and some were at an odd angle. 


As I murmured to myself  at the computer, Liam came and looked over my shoulder and said, "Dad, I like your photos. The food looks real." 


"What do you mean?" I asked.


"Well in magazines and cook books. The food is perfect and you know they use weird ways to make it look that way."


My twelve year-old son who has an unnatural gift of remembering odd facts then spouted off a list of the tricks of the trade, most of which were certainly new to me.


Did you know that...

1. Blowtorches and brown shoe polish are used to brown meat and create grill marks.
2. Cotton balls soaked in water and then heated in a microwave are used to create steam coming from food.
3. Lipstick is used to make strawberries look perfectly ripe.
4. There's a good chance the ice cream is actually mashed potatoes, and the chocolate syrup on top might be motor oil.
5. White glue is used instead of milk for cereal.

Well, I'll be! Liam certainly has a knack for knowing how to lift those around him, and I certainly felt better about my photos. So, here it is. I promise you each and every out of focus crumb is real, and tastes yummy!

I feel a Snarf-fest coming on!

Alfajore Lamingtons

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Not a birthday, but another special occasion at the office... Heather, one the students I have worked with the past couple of years, is going on an LDS mission to Australia. Today, she goes into the Mission Training Center.

Heather was stopping by the office for one last goodbye, and I wanted to bring treats–something Australian. Even though I've never tried an Australian dessert, I recently read on a food blog about Lamingtons, an Australian dessert consisting of cubes of cake with some sort of filling covered in chocolate and coconut. Mr. P, the author of the blog, was holding a competition to come up with new and creative versions of the dessert from down under. I originally thought of entering, but never got around to it. You can check out some of the entries here.

Since I had recently made one of my favorite cookies, Argentine alfajores, I immediately thought Lamingtons with a dulce de leche filling sounded pretty incredible. Actually, anything with dulce de leche sounds pretty incredible. For the cake, I decided to go with pound cake. For the glaze, good chocolate is a must since I personally can't stand that waxy fake stuff. And when it comes to shredded coconut, I prefer toasted.

Once I finished, chocolate and coconut was literally everywhere, but my Lamingtons looked every bit as good as the ones I saw online. And how did they taste? Well, one of my students gave it this review: "It's heaven on a plate!" And do you know what? I completely agree.

So, give these a try. They're worth it.

I think I might try some of the other inventive Lamingtons on Mr. P.'s blog. Or, maybe I'll come up with some new combinations. I'll keep you posted.

Good luck in Australia, Heather! And may

you enjoy many wonderful Lamingtons!

pound cake + dulce de leche + chocolate + toasted coconut = heaven on a plate

Now, that's math I understand!