madcity girl

Early last month, a few friends a I celebrated my friend Kim’s birthday with a festive dinner party. It’s become somewhat of an annual tradition…my best friend and I cook dinner for Kim and I bake an elaborate cake. Last year, I made a Malt Ball Cake. This year, I chose a recipe from the same cookbook (Baked: New Frontiers in Baking), the Sweet and Salty Cake. According to cookbook authors Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, the cake is their “signature creation, most loved cake, and most requested recipe.” They describe the cake as “an indulgent but sophisticated adult cake: The perfectly salted caramel contrasts beautifully with the rich chocolate layers, giving the cake balance and character.” Definitely sounded like a dessert I needed to try. And what better occasion than Kim’s birthday?

The recipe is more than a little daunting with 24 separate ingredients and a long list of directions that kept me busy for several hours over the course of two days. The directions include steps for making the three layers of classic chocolate cake, the salted caramel filling, the whipped caramel ganache frosting, as well as directors for assembling the cake. Instead of including the full text within this post, you can check out the recipe here.

Our birthday dinner was another great success and I think Kim very much appreciated and enjoyed the cake. I really thought I would love it, too—normally I’m a big fan of the combination of sweet and salty. But I have to admit, the cake was almost a little too salty to me. I did love the chocolate cake and the chocolate ganache, though. Luckily Kim and her husband Matt agreed to take the rest of the cake home—maybe they were just trying to be nice, but they sure made me feel like it was the greatest cake ever. If I make this cake again, I’d definitely ease off the salt just a bit.

As a devoted brown-bagger, I’m always searching for healthy lunch options beyond PB&J. I came across a nice alternative in a recent issue of Triathlete magazine. The recipe was submitted by Jessi Stensland, who serves the red pepper hummus wrap and quinoa salad lunch at her popular MovementU workshops. The recipe sounded particularly tasty and healthy, so I decided to give it a try.

I loved the red pepper hummus wrap—the vegetables provided crunch and fill, while the red pepper hummus added nice flavor. The quinoa salad, however, was disappointing. Despite the lime, mint, salt & pepper, and EVOO, the salad was still bland and flavorless. I’ll definitely make the wrap again, but the quinoa salad, while interesting in concept, still needs some tweaking. Overall, it’s a great lunch idea—especially this time of the year, when most of the ingredients are available at local farmers’ markets.

Red Pepper Hummus Wrap & Qunioa Salad with Lime and Fresh Mint

(Wrap)
1 whole grain wrap
1/4 cup red pepper hummus
Sliced raw red bell pepper
Sliced raw cucumber
Handful of baby spinach

(Quinoa)
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Lime juice
2-3 fresh mint sprigs
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper
Handful of quartered grape or cherry tomatoes

Well, the truth is, I’m not quite ready with my race report from Ice Age 50. Admittedly, I’ve been a huge procrastinator. I’m not sure why reflecting on and writing about my races always proves so difficult for me. What I’m asking for is a deadline extension. So for now, let’s just jump straight to the aftermath, shall we?

Luckily, my race recovery went well. After a day or two of hobbling around on blistered feet, I was able to jump back into my workout routine relatively unscathed. A big part of recovery is replenishing the body with essential fluids and nutrients. Some people drink protein-enriched recovery drinks. I much prefer pie.

I was very happy to see the first signs of rhubarb at this past weekend’s Dane County Farmers’ Market. In fact, it was everywhere. I purchased about 1.5 pounds for $3. I always look for skinny stalks that are straight, crisp, and well-colored. For several weeks, I’d had my eye on a recipe from a recent issue of Real Simple Magazine for Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie. I knew as soon as fresh rhubarb popped up at the farmers’ market, it was game time.

The recipe was relatively straight forward—lots of slicing and chopping. And although the recipe calls for store-bought pie crust, I always prefer to make my own whenever possible. This time I had disc of homemade pie dough in the freezer leftover from my recent derby party, but had to rely on a store-bought crust for the top crust. It was a nice compromise.

The pie came out of the oven oozing with rhubarb juices and a perfectly golden crust. I served the pie the next day with a small gathering of friends for a belated birthday celebration. The rhubarb had a nice tart kick, followed by a rush of sweetness. It was the perfect choice for a late spring evening.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie (Reader Recipe From Melanie Scherenzel)

2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1/2 pounds strawberries, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2  large eggs
2  store-bought refrigerated rolled piecrusts

1. Heat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Lightly beat one of the eggs, add to the fruit, and toss to combine.

2. Fit one of the piecrusts into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with the fruit mixture, pressing it in firmly. Lay the second crust on top and press the edges of the crusts together to seal.

3. Trim the crust to a 1-inch overhang, fold the overhang underneath itself, and crimp. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar and cut vents in the top.

4. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fruit mixture is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Let cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 8.

You might be curious as to what I served during this year’s Kentucky Derby dinner party. Essentially, my menu included the best of last year’s dishes, as well as a few new twists to keep things interesting. All of the recipes I chose originate from the South, and many incorporate a healthy dose of Bourbon. The recipes come from many sources—a Louisville native, cookbooks such as Baked:New Frontiers in Baking and The South (a regional cookbook from Williams Sonoma), as well as online sources such as Southern Living, Epicurious, and Allrecipes. Here’s the full run down:

Mint Juleps
Bourbon Slush
Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Salt-and-Pepper Cheese Puffs (Gougeres)
Peach and Bourbon Basted Pork Chops
Sugar Snap Peas with Mint Julep Glaze
Sally Lunn Herbed Rolls
Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
Bourbon Balls

I think it’s quite obvious I take great pride in my annual Kentucky Derby party. I plan months in advance, carefully attending to the menu, and many other small details like invites, music, place cards, and horse decor. I also make the entire meal myself, from scratch. This year I probably made ten separate trips to the grocery store in the span of a week and literally cooked for 24 hours straight. Of course my friends asked what they could help with and bring, but this is the one party each year for which I insist upon doing everything myself.

I think the food turned out great. After much practice, I’ve become a master mixer of mint juleps and a professional bourbon ball maker—if I do say so myself. My pork chops and desserts in particular always receive rave reviews. My only failure was this year’s attempt at making Southern Pecan Pralines. Without a candy thermometer, I was relying on intuition alone, which obviously didn’t serve me well. I ended up with unsalvable mix of hardened sugar and pecans. Luckily, I wasn’t really lacking in the dessert department without the pralines. Even with that minor glitch, I’d say the meal was successful. Perhaps my friend Kim summed it up best—”the drinks were strong and tasty…and the food was gourmet and delicious.” Cheers to another great Derby dinner party…here’s for hoping for many more to come!

This is another great recipe I found in the March issue of Real Simple magazine. I’ve made this meal for dinner at least three times in the last few weeks—so it must be a keeper. Tried and proven. It’s so simple, healthy, and gourmet-tasting. I will continue to break out this recipe over the next few months as I begin to really step up my Ironman training. It’s really the perfect recovery dinner. Can’t get enough of those omega-3 fatty acids!

Salmon with brown butter, almonds, and green beans
Real Simple, March 2010

4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/4 lbs. skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp. capers

Heat 1 tbsp. of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

Meanwhile, fill a second skillet with 1/2 inch of water, bring to a boil, and add 1/4 tsp. salt. Add the green beans, cover, and steam until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes; drain and transfer to plates.

Wipe the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until the almonds and butter are golden brown (but not burned), 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the capers. Spoon over the fish and green beans.

I recently made another great recipe from the March 2010 edition of Real Simple magazine—Pasta with Bacon and Cauliflower. The recipe is specifically designed for people who do not like to shop—hence it’s limited to only five ingredients. Meaning that you can get in and out of the grocery store in a flash. So if you don’t enjoy navigating endless aisles while battling impatient cart pushers, this recipe is for you. Preparation is straightforward. Again, only five steps. It’s a great option for a week night meal—easy, fast, and flavorful. Simple gourmet that leaves you satisfied…with plenty of time to spare. And you know how much I like me some bacon.

Pasta with Bacon and Cauliflower
Real Simple, March 2010

12 ounces spaghetti (3/4 box)
6 slices bacon
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into small florets
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup grated pecorino (3 ounces)

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Crumble.

3. Add the sage to the bacon drippings in the skillet and cook over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to the paper towel–lined plate.

4. Add the cauliflower, ¼ cup water, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bacon drippings in the skillet and cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing frequently, until golden and tender, 3 to 4 minutes more.

5. Add the reserved pasta water and ½ cup of the pecorino to the pasta and toss until creamy. Add the cauliflower, sage, and bacon and toss. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of pecorino. Serves 4.

Sometimes you stumble upon a great recipe when you least expect it. This was one of those times. A few weeks ago, I came across a recipe for Heath Bits Peanut Butter Cookies on the back of an 8 oz. bag of Heath English Toffee Bits. At the time, I was making Chocolate Fudge Cookies with Toffee and Dried Cherries (which sadly, didn’t turn out all that well.) But luckily something good came out of the situation, because it essentially connected me to a much better cookie recipe. Imagine an extra chewy peanut butter cookie with a magical dusting of Heath English Toffee Bits. Peanut butter and chocolate—always a match made in heaven.

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Reese’s creamy peanut butter (I used natural)
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) Heath milk chocolate toffee bits, divided

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup toffee bits; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet; top each with reserved toffee bits. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

I’m always a big fan of the recipes featured in the Real Simple magazine. They’re great for the perfect mid-week dinner—quick and easy, but still unique and tasty. I just received the March issue in the mail last week and particularly enjoyed the feature entitled “Put Down the Knife: save time on shopping, chopping, and cleanup with these no-hassle meals.”

I was instantly drawn to the recipe for Asian Dumpling Soup with Shiitakes and Edamame. Nothing beats a great, hearty soup  in the dead of winter. The recipe was featured as a “If you don’t like cleaning up…try a one-pot recipe.” Which is perfect, actually. I love to cook, but I hate cleaning up! This one’s definitely a keeper in my kitchen. So good.

Asian dumpling soup with shiitakes and edamame
Real Simple, March 2010

2 32-oz. containers low-sodium chicken broth
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 16-oz. package frozen pot sticker dumplings or Japanese gyoza
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 oz. shiitake or white mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 bunch watercress, thick stems removed (about 3 cups)
1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
Kosher salt
4 scallions, sliced

In a large saucepan, bring the broth and ginger to a boil. Add the pot stickers and carrots and simmer until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and edamame and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the watercress, soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Sprinkle with the scallions before serving.

The addition of toffee and dried cherries in this recipe for chocolate cookies is what initially drew me in. I found this one in a cookbook my brother gave me for Christmas—In the Sweet Kitchen: The Definitive Baker’s Companion, by Regan Daley. Ever since I baked up a batch of Thick and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies earlier this month, chocolate cookies have been top of mind. Those may have been the best cookies I’ve made yet—so chocolaty and uniquely chewy and brownie-like. But perhaps I just needed to try another recipe to confirm their perfection.

I had high hopes for the Chocolate Cookies with Toffee and Dried Cherries. And they were pretty tasty straight out of the oven. But disappointingly, by the next day they had hardened quite a bit and were anything but soft and chewy. And the toffee and dried cherries didn’t add much—in fact, they only seemed to overwhelm the cookie. So my advice? if you’re going to make chocolate cookies, stick with the best.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup plump, moist, dried sour cherries
8 oz. bitter or semisweet chocolate chopped into chunks about the size of the cherries
1 cup English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two heavy baking sheets, not non-stick, with parchment paper and set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flour-mixture in 3 additions, blending just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the chunky ingredients and mix until they seem evenly distributed.

2. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets and place them in the center of the oven. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes, or until barely set in the center and just firm around the edges. Rotate the sheets once or twice. Cool the cookies on the tray for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before storing. Store the cookies in airtight containers, layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper for up to 5 days.

Valentine’s Day is always a great day to bake—there are so many festive options. This year, I decided to make sugar heart cut-out cookies with raspberry jam filling. I tried a recipe for sugar cookies from my favorite cookbook: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. According to authors Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, “the humble sugar cookie doesn’t often get its due. Too often it’s coated in bright garish icing and is inedibly sweet. Our recipe delivers a simple, chewy cookie that’s the perfect canvas for our favorite minimal, almost stark, decoration.” It’s these little humorous recipe previews that I like most about the cookbook—well, that in addition to the fact that not one recipe has let me down yet.

After chilling the dough in the refrigerator for several hours, I rolled it out and cut out heart shapes using two different sizes of heart-shaped cookie cutters. I then baked and cooled the cookies, after which I assembled each “sugar cookie sandwich” and spread a thin layer of rasberry jam in between. In hindsight, it would have been a nice touch to sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar on the cookies. Nonetheless, I think they looked lovely and tasted terrific. Hope you had a happy valentine’s day!

Classic Sugar Cookies
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
Yield: 15-18 2 1/2″ cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the chilled dough, and put it directly on the work surface. Roll the dough to 1/4″ thick. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut shapes in the dough, and transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they are set but not browned. Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.