Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Fudge Marshmallow Frosting

I admit it.  I look down on cake mixes.  I always think to myself, I have everything I need in my cupboard to make this mix so I should just make it from scratch.  Despite this grocery aisle snobbiness, the hard truth remains that I don't always have time to make a cake from scratch.  Enter Ann Byrn's The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!  I had a friend's birthday coming up and while I wanted to make a cake, I really wanted to spend more time making the apartment look nice for her than I did slaving over the stove, so I went the time-economical route.  Byrn's description of the "Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Fudge Marshmallow Frosting" as the most desired birthday cake in her household made it a natural choice for the upcoming celebration.  Let's dive into the fudginess, shall we?

Meet the new kids on the block!

Thanks to my loving family I am happy to welcome three new cookbooks into the fold: Marcella Says... by Marcella Hazan, Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food, and Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh, My! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson.  Yippee!  Expect some new posts forthwith!

Hot Summer's Night in Barcelona Macaroni Salad

My air conditioning hasn't been too dependable lately, so I decided to find something yummy that required minimal heat.  Enter Marlena Spieler's Macaroni & Cheese, which has a great "Soups and Salads" chapter where I spied a recipe that required me to cook just one thing - the macaroni.  Eureka!  With promises of transporting me to Spain, "Hot Summer's Night in Barcelona Macaroni Salad" was a shoe in for my weeknight menu.  I had a bunch of the ingredients already - another big plus.  Let's get not cooking!

Marinated Strawberries over Pound Cake

Yes, I have a favorite cookbook.  How'd you know?  A friend let us borrow a shelf of his fridge while we were moving and we were without a full-sized fridge for nearly two weeks.  To repay him, I offered to make him dinner.  He requested Italian and I immediately knew what book to reach for: Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis.  In my meal planning, I was naturally first concerned with dessert.  I'd just had some lovely strawberries, which inspired me to try "Marinated Strawberries over Pound Cake," basically an Italian take on strawberry shortcake, but better!

Popovers

One of the lovely things about getting married is receiving the advice and words of wisdom passed down from those who have loved and learned before you.  One of my favorite bits of advice came in the form of this cookbook, Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook: Recipes for cooking together by Gayle Pirie & John Clark.  It is part of a set, which also contains a guide to entertaining, for a true amateur such as myself.  The books set the stage for a sharing, harmonious kitchen, if only you would follow their simple directions.  As we all know, marriage is no fairy land and we make do with what we have, but there are some great tips and recipes in here.  I was inspired to make breakfast for my slumbering hubby, and as usual I had failed to plan for something fancy for breakfast, so "Popovers" stood out to me as something that didn't require a ton of technique and had a really short ingredient list.  Best of all, while simple, they're really easy to dress up.

Salsa All'Amatriciana

I enjoy a good tomato sauce as much as the next Italian American, but I don't always have time to simmer marinara for an hour plus (especially if I don't plan ahead on the weekend).  Sometimes, I want my dinner in half an hour.  And sometimes I want bacon.  "Salsa All'Amatriciana" from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian fits the bill, giving me lots of tomato-y, bacon-y goodness to pile on my pasta without a ton of time in front of the stove, which is always a plus during the height of the summer heat.  Time to sizzle...some bacon!

Pancakes

When I moved into my new apartment, all I wanted was some comfort; something familiar and warm to make me feel at home in unfamiliar surroundings.  Add to that the complication of not much food in the house yet and just a mini-fridge for perishables, options were slim.  Pancakes - good old fashioned pancakes - came to mind as something simple and easy to make.  Not to mention, pancakes always remind me of my mom and cozy weekend mornings with my family.  As always, when I go for the basics, I reach for Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.  I've probably made these 100 times, but I can never remember the portions.  I do, however, remember the page number of the pancake recipe in this book (p.128 if you're interested...)

Now if you've never made pancakes before, there is a fun yet overly complicated episode of "Good Eats" that will give you more information than you ever need to know.  I prefer to use the knowledge learned peering over the countertop as my mom cooked them, but whatever floats your boat.  On with the yumminess!

Pasta Primavera

In another effort to incorporate more vegetables into my diet, I decided to add them to one of my favorite things, pasta!  When I think pasta, I think of Giada.  Consequently, I pulled out Everyday Italian and selected the "Pasta Primavera."  Here in Southern California our weather is pretty mild and produce is abundant for most of the year, so I figured I could stretch the "spring" reference in this recipe.  Are you ready for some spring in August?  Me too!

Sticky Toffee "Pudding"

I am afraid of baking cakes. I can never seem to get them right.  Usually, they come out too overdone on the outside and underdone inside.  Oven malfunctions?  My inexperience?  I was never totally sure.  Therefore, it was with some trepidation that I cracked open Rose's Heavenly Cakes in search of a recipe to serve at our Redcoat Appreciation Party (before 4th of July, of course).  I'm lucky enough to have traveled to England, and while there I had a fantastic toffee cake dessert, referred to as "pudding".  Upon a brief perusal of Beranbaum's book, I found that the "Sticky Toffee 'Pudding'" recipe fit the bill, so it was time to take a deep breath and preheat the oven.  Here goes nothing!

Grilled Apricot + Feta Salad

Continuing in my quest for the perfect summer side dish comprised of produce, I turned to one of my favorite sources of inspiration, Nadia G and her cookbook, Cookin' For Trouble.  I was intrigued by the color of her "grilled apricot + feta salad" and I've had some fantastic poppy seed dressings like the one in this recipe in the past, so I was excited to give it a try.  I'd also recently seen Bobby Flay grilling some peaches on Food Network and wanted to try my hand at grilling some fruit as well.  Time for some girl on grill action!

Alpine Macaroni and Gruyere with Creme Fraiche

One can never have enough macaroni and cheese.  And by one, I am of course referring to myself.  I enjoyed the "Roasted Green Chile and Tomatillo Mac and Cheese" but did not find the silky creaminess I was hoping for.  I decided to crack open Macaroni & Cheese by Marlena Spieler once again in pursuit of creamy stovetop perfection.  The picture for "Alpine Macaroni and Appenzeller with Creme Fraiche," the first recipe in the book, stopped me immediately (see it on the right). It looks totally creamy and delicious, right?  Like the blue box, only fancy 'cause it has Creme Fraiche in it :)

Grated Beet Slaw

I'll be the first to admit that my fruit and veggie repertoire is fairly limited.  Crudite and ranch dip, anyone?  This is somewhat shameful knowing that my grandfather and uncle were both farmers and my grandparents still grow lots of their own fruits and veggies in a garden in their yard.  It's high time I started expanding my range, so I looked to the Weight Watchers PointsPlus Fruits & Veggies A to Z for a zesty, cool counterpart to my "Alpine Macaroni and Gruyere with Creme Fraiche." Early on in the alphabet, the "Grated Beet Slaw" stood out for its promise of tangy vinegar, sweet grapes, and awesome beet-tastic color.  Time to break out of my comfort zone and start grating those funky-lookin' roots!

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, & Red Pepper Flakes

Lately I feel as though I don't want to cook.  Inspiration is hard to come by, and I'm just scouring the cupboards for something quick, easy, and minimally messy.  Enter the "From the Pantry" section of Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian.  This section is really short - just three recipes.  It really doesn't matter, because the "Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, & Red Pepper Flakes" recipe is all this section needs.  Lazy weekday evening, here I come!

Spinach Quiche

When I think of a brunch, I think of a few quintessential egg dishes: omelets, frittatas, and of course, quiches.  I had never made a quiche before, but decided Mother's Day brunch would be an excellent time to try.  I looked all over for a fun spring recipe, but everything looked so complicated and I really wanted to keep my first attempt somewhat simple.  As you may have guessed, I deferred to the kitchen bible, New Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  I chose the "Spinach Quiche" recipe because of the veggie content and the great color that I thought it would lend to the brunch table.

I made my own pastry crust, recipe also found in this cookbook.  I think next time I'll either make it the night before or just *gasp* buy it from the store.  It turns out that making your own crust the morning of the brunch is too time consuming and also a huge pain in the butt.  To be honest, this recipe requires quite a bit of prep and may be best prepared in its separate components the night before to help the cook avoid a very special kind of kitchen meltdown...I'm better now :p

Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles

As Mother's Day approached, I decided to put together a charming spring brunch menu.  To me, spring inspires fresh, floral and herbal flavors, so I sought out recipes with those qualities.  I knew I wanted a carb in addition to the berry parfaits and quiche that I was making, and I had barely scratched the surface of what was contained in Waffles: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Every Meal by Tara Duggan, so I cracked it open and began the search.  I finally settled on "Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles" for the floral poppy seeds and the bright citrus of the lemon, as well as the similarity to the poppy seed muffins, which made the waffle all that much more whimsical.

Keeping in mind the all important lessons I learned about making Belgian waffles while making PB & J Waffle Sandwiches, I dove right in to making these waffles amidst the brunch making madness that was the morning of Mother's Day.

Pasta alla Checca

I was already at Trader Joe's shopping for the penne pepporanata (for my last post), so I decided to apply some of the goodies that I had at home along with a couple unique ingredients from TJ's to create "Pasta alla Checca" from Cooking with all things Trader Joe's.

The flavors all sounded right to me.  Pure, non-frilly, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil make spaghetti something totally elevated and I just don't understand why.  I'll eat it any day of the week anyhow.

Penne Pepperonata with Shrimp and Asparagus

A couple of years back, I became slightly obsessed with Trader Joe's.  I totally dug the fun shopping environment and great customer service.  Did you know they have free wine tasting?  When I found out there was a cookbook that could tell me how to use all their wonderful wares in new and inventive ways, I was immediately smitten.  I lingered in front of Cooking with all things Trader Joe's at every bookstore for what felt like a year before it was gifted to me on my birthday by my very handsome husband.

A note on this cookbook: Keep your excitement in check.  Some of the recipes in this book look awesome, but Trader Joe's is always rotating products in and out and does not guarantee that the ingredients in the book will be in the store.  Regardless, when you can find all of the ingredients, the result can be really fun.  I've been trying to expand my seafood repertoire, and I'm always up for pasta, so the "Penne Pepporanata with Shrimp and Asparagus" sounded like a good idea.

Bratwurst + pinto bean stew

When I was home for Thanksgiving last year, there was a marathon of the television show, "Bitchin' Kitchen" on the Cooking Channel.  Nadia G is the host and she is beautiful, sassy, and totally hilarious!  Most importantly, her food looks DELICIOUS.  I couldn't believe that I could have so much fun watching a cooking show.  After dropping some not-so-subtle hints, I received her cookbook, Cookin' For Trouble, for Christmas.  I've been looking for any reason whatsoever to use it since then.

It's been a little gray and rainy lately, April showers and all that jazz, so I decided to make a stew.  Nadia G's "Bratwurst + pinto bean stew" is a one pot meal, which makes me happy, and there's lots of meat in it, which makes my husband happy.  I'm hungry and there's no time to waste!  Come on you newrdz, let's get to cookin'!

Peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate ganache icing

I started working at my new job today and decided to preemptively make nice with my new co-workers by whipping up some cupcakes for my first day.  I consulted my chocolate bar cookbook by Matt Lewis and Alison Nelson for the perfect recipe.  All I had to do was look at the cover of this cookbook and I knew what I was going to make - "Peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate ganache icing." I made these cupcakes for my wedding reception a couple of years ago and they went over beautifully, so I knew they were a safe bet.  They're easier to make than they look!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

As I've grown older and more fond of my kitchen, I have found treats produced from my kitchen to be the best way to show people that I care.  This week is my last week at a lovely job that I've held for almost six years.  The people who work in my office, including a few professional staff and lots of hungry college students, have lit up my day, every day for a long time and I can't think of a better way to say thanks then a yummy batch of these classically, always good, chocolate chip cookies.

Once again, for the basics, I turn to my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.  It's not the prettiest cookbook or the most fun to read, but I'm of the opinion that you should perfect the basics before you try to get all fancy with them.  It helps to know why a recipe turns out well before adjusting it.  That's why, more often than not, I open up the red and white kitchen bible.

Roasted Garlic Spread

Saturday night was date night, and the husband and I both felt a hankering for some garlic.  We drove ourselves to Garlic Jo's, which used to be quite the garlic-laced dinner spot.  I was very disappointed this time around to receive an appetizer of "roasted garlic" that was still hard... Hard garlic?  At a garlic restaurant?  Fuggedaboudit!

I was determined to do better, but was in need of a guide.  Enter the cooking bible - the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, with the answer: "Roasted Garlic Spread."  I just LOVE the fixins list for this one...

PB&J Waffle Sandwiches

Waffles have been my nemesis since I received my Belgian waffle iron for Christmas from a dear friend.  I had been yearning for the appliance, and it was finally mine.  To make a long story short, I went through three waffle irons before I discovered that it was I who was preparing the waffles wrong and not the parade of waffle irons being defective...embarrassing to say the least.  Once I discovered the root of my waffle debacle, I tried yet again to create the tasty waffles of my childhood.  The result was finally cooked properly, but was also dense, oily, and most definitely NOT tasty.  The waffle iron was banished to a cupboard, until now.

The same friend that gave me the waffle iron must have sensed my desperation, and for my birthday she gave me Waffles: Sweet & Savory Recipes for Every Meal by Tara Duggan.   After perusing the basics, I had my "aha!" moment.  For the correct texture for Belgian waffles, you are supposed to whip the egg whites separately and add them to the batter at the end!  Salvation!  Armed with my new found knowledge, I mustered up the courage to open the cupboard and dig out the waffle iron.  What better way to break the cycle of waffle misery than with a classic childhood treat, peanut butter and jelly?  PB&J Waffle Sandwiches, to the rescue!

The Lady's Warm Potato Salad

I was reading Paula Deen - A Memoir - It Aint All About the Cookin' on the bus as I rode home from work.  I hit the "Food, Glorious Food, Southern Style" chapter, and I new my dinner fate was sealed.  I've had a hankering for potato salad and have so far been dissatisfied with most pre-made varieties that have crossed my path.  It is high time, I decided, to forge ahead and create my own path, bespeckled with bits of potato and spoonfuls of mayo, of course.

The Lady's Warm Potato Salad comes from The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook by Paula Deen, owner of the Georgian restaurant by the same name.  Since I started reading her memoir last weekend, I've been dying to make one of her recipes.  It's Friday at 6pm, I'm in my pajamas, what is a girl to do but open up some wine and whip up some southern yumminess?

Roasted Green Chile & Tomatillo Mac & Cheese

I adore macaroni and cheese.  It is the quintessential comfort food and is my favorite dish - to eat.  I specify, to eat, because unless it comes from the blue box, I have yet to achieve homemade macaroni and cheese perfection.  The finicky bechamels, the endless cheese grating, and the annoying need to bake the concoction all add up to frustration on my part as I strive for something that hearkens back to my childhood - creamy, cheesy, dreamy, and no silly breadcrumbs.

I'm not a purist necessarily and I will be the first to admit that there are a number of ingredients that can indeed enhance a bowl of mac & cheese, like bacon or broccoli.  When I came across the recipe for "Roasted Green Chile and Tomatillo Mac and Cheese" in the stove-top section of my new Macaroni & Cheese cookbook by Marlena Spieler, I knew I had to try it.  Green chiles and cheese?  Dynamite flavor combo!