I've moved!

I've moved. I've changed. I'm now lizsloves at wordpress.com

Facebook Pictures by Uncle Troy

I think I have the most beautiful kids ever. It's just the way it is. All moms think that about their kids. We're just built that way. But the thing is...I know that right now, Jayden looks girly and Harper looks boy-ish. I mean... duh. JJ is my mini me and Harper is mini Vinh. Harper could be wearing all pink with a head full of bows and people will still ask me how old "he" is. And when Jayden's hair is beyond long, people will ask me if "she" wants to ride the train. I don't really correct them because I know we'll never meet again, and it really is hard to tell with babies (and with kids too, I guess). But let's take a mental note people, look at the clothes first.

A few weeks ago my brother-in-law posted these pics of the kids. His album was titled Sunday with the Nephew and Niece .....

Can you see where I'm coming from? 

P.S. I got a new van! 

Kevin and Amanda's Pulled Pork

I bought a pork butt a long time ago with the intentions of making Kevin and Amanda's Perfect Pulled Pork. The idea of roasting a pork in the oven for hours and hours seemed completely daunting, but... I am trying to clear out my freezer and pantry before I buy more groceries, so I needed to do it. I put this thing in at 4 AM and it didn't finish until 2 PM... and that's me pulling it out before the recommended temp of 200 degrees (or maybe my thermometer is broken). I ate it on King's Hawaiian Rolls with some Salt Lick BBQ Sauce. My brother and hubby ate it with rice... we are Asian/Islander after all, and no meal seems complete without rice. I don't think that way though because I don't love rice... I banned it as a kid for months, but that's another story.

 

Perfect Pulled Pork
recipe from Kevin and Amanda

1 whole boston butt
 
Dry Rub

1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix well and store in an air tight container.
 
Brine Solution
 
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 qts cold water
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp dry rub mix

Add salt to cold water and stir very well until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub, and bay leaves and stir well to combine.
 
Pork shoulder preparation:
 
Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container, pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Then remove pork shoulder from brine solution, pat dry with paper towels, place in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least a inch in length and width and at least 3 inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub onto the surface of the shoulder and massage in such that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides. Make sure the fat layer on the shoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan uncovered in a 225 degree F oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200 degrees. When the shoulder has reached 200 degrees, shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices) then cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170 degrees or slightly lower, remove from oven. Place on a large, clean work surface such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat on the top. Pull apart with two forks, it will pull apart very easily.

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been wanting to try this recipe for awhile because so many people love it, but I decided that I'm just not that into it. I thought I would be because the dough alone tasted delicious... and just so you know, I'm not like one of those indie types that likes to go against the grain. I can jump on bandwagons with the rest of them, but I really and truly love Ina's recipe best for now. I think what turns me off with this cookie is that it didn't brown enough for me. I tried to cook it longer but it just made my cookies hard. No crispy outside and chewy inside. Rock hard. I still have tons of dough in the fridge, so I'll keep testing... it still tastes good after all. But final verdict: Ina 1, NYT 0. 

Update: I pulled some dough out of the freezer to bake up for family, and the cookies tasted much better to me. They baked up really pretty... but Ina still has the edge. :)

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookes

recipe from New York Times

adapted from Jacques Torres

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Extras

-I scooped 2 oz mounds of dough and it was still a pretty big cookie. 

-I weighed all my ingredients. 

-Used Ghiradelli and Hershey chips since that's what I have on hand. 

Things I don't want to forget

Jayden was kind of a late talker. He really didn't express himself until he was closer to 2. I think a part of it is because he seems shy. Now that he talks a lot more, I don't want to forget the words that were hard for him to say.

Kitchen. For some reason, he can't say it. I will enunciate it for him and I see him watching my mouth. But no matter how many times I correct him, he always says, chicken. That's right, chicken.

Heater. Our house is two stories, and the heating is horrible. During the winter, no matter how high we turn up the heat, the first floor is ice cold. So we have portable heaters planted throughout the house. He asked what it was one day. I told him, heater. Then one day, he says, "Mommy, I want to turn on the Peter." Peter. And again, I enunciate it for him. Sound out the H sound. He watches my mouth very carefully. But Peter still comes out.

Blue. He used to say that word very clearly. I swear before 2. Then one day he started to say Byoo. I don't know why. I don't know what happened, but he says it now.

More = mo-yore
Store = sto-yore
Door = do-yore
Please = pyease

Love that kid.

P.S. I think Harper is going to crawl soon. Go, H, go!

Potty Training, Part 2

So I'm talking about potty training... of course poop will be involved.

JJ has a hard time going number 2. He has since about 11 months. Because of this, he's had a prune filled life... from juice, puree, to prune mixed with other fruit. Then there was benefiber and miralax. All not so fun. And because of some painful experiences from 15 months on, he started holding it in. I didn't realize he was doing that until I read Toddler 411! It made me so sad, especially when friends would kind of joke about it because he would run off and hide. I know it wasn't malicious, but it still hurt me. Like other parents, when my kids are in pain, I am too. But anyways. The whole point of all this is that finally... Finally!!! He went #2 on the potty without my husband and I having to chase him down, pretty much wrestle him, and get him to sit on the potty! Normally when we force him to sit, he'll cry, complain and get really angry. But last night, he finally realized it wasn't so bad! He let his dad help and he went! I feel like I'm about tear up just thinking about it. 

Potty training is not my favorite milestone. I very much hated the whole process, but to watch my son change and mature (is that the right word?) really makes it all worth it. On Facebook, I have friends who hate statuses by parents who give play by plays on their kids... on different milestones they have reached or icky things... like pooping. I get it... and I'm usually one of those parents.... But to know what we've been through for almost two years... I really want to scream it from the rooftops and tell everyone that will listen... JJ is now pooping on the potty!!!!! I love, love, love that kid!

New Cookbook

Lately, I've been getting some crappy baguettes from my neighborhood grocery store. I feel like it's such a waste of money... so I bought a new cookbook! The famous, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day!! I'm an Amazon Prime member, so it'll get here pretty quickly, and I'll be testing recipes soon! I'm so excited!

Bumbleride Indie Twin

I purchased the Bumbleride Indie Twin (Movement Edition, Fog) a couple months ago, and I haven't really had the chance to use it. I have always been too tired or too busy to use it. And I'm also a bit chicken... In the winter, it was getting dark around 6 PM, and I'm not a fan of walking in the dark by myself. My intentions with this stroller are to walk my kids and get back into shape. Although the Indie isn't a full fledged jogging stroller (like the Bob), it can handle light jogging. And let's face it, I haven't really ran since I got married; so I thought it was a good fit. My children are always so comfortable in it. Harper seems to fall asleep pretty quickly, but Jayden likes to fight it off until the very, very end. 

The pros:

It's pretty... I don't say the same about the Bob

huge basket

Two front tires (I have that people complained about the Bob Duallie tipping over b/c of its single front wheel)

huge canopy

Adjustable footrest

Movement fabric is waterproof

Adjustable handlebar 

Great push

The cons: 

Front wheels shake when jogging; you must lock the wheels.

The model I purchased didn't come with a pump or rain cover as years passed

Buying the accessories can get expensive

Vita is discontinued (This con is really for me...a personal thing and shouldn't be taken seriously)

If I was a serious runner; I think I'd definitely get a true jogging stroller.... Just because I don't like that I have to lock wheels in order to jog. That's just my preference. I heard that the 2013 Indie Single has been updated to be more of a jogging stroller, so it can still be considered... but the Twin has not been updated at all. 

I went for a walk this past weekend with the kids and it was probably one of the most miserable walks of my life. Mostly because I had to wear my glasses; and because of the heat, they kept sliding my down my nose. It just really bothered me... plus I had a runny nose because of my darn allergies. And the wind. You'd think I lived in Chicago. During the walk, there were a few hills. And to get through it a bit faster, I tried to jog up them. Let me tell you, I run at a snail's pace. If you saw me from the road, you'd think I was walking. And the stroller shook. It bothered me that I wasn't even going that fast... a very, very, very slow jog (in high school, we called it slug). How can it not handle that pace? I will trying running with the wheels locked to give my true opinion on its jogging function. 

Even though I was miserable, I was happy to get a workout in... and c'mon. Look at how happy the kid is! It was worth it!

Time to make the donuts!

For a couple of months of now, I've been wanting to make homemade donuts for the family. I have memories of my mom making them for me when I was little except she made them from canned biscuit dough. She would fry them up in her cast iron skillet, and I would shake them in a paper bag full of sugar. It was such a treat for me, so it's something I was excited to do for my son. And while I was daydreaming about how happy my son would be to see me making donuts in the kitchen, how he would ask me to make them every weekend, how excited he would be to cut the donuts out with the cutter... he was completely oblivious in real life. He preferred to play Subway Surf on the couch and watch Cars on TV. And when I gave him a little donut hole to start off with, he reacted the same as if we got them from Shipley's. Fun. But I haven't given up hope yet.

Yeast Raised Donuts

recipe from King Arthur Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

3 cups (12 3/4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

1 large egg

1 cup (8 oz) milk

2 tablespoons (1 oz) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups (2 lbs) vegetable oil or shortening (2 1/2 lbs), for frying 

1.Whisk together the dry ingredients.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter and vanilla and stir into the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand or mixer until you have a smooth, soft dough.

4. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turn it over to grease the top, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

5. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

6. Gently roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with a round cutter.

7. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise again for about 1 hour, until doubled again.

8. Place oil or shortening in a heavy pan or deep skillet and heat to 350°F.

9. Place the doughnuts in the oil, two or three at a time, and fry until golden brown.

10. Turn over and cook the second side. This should be no more than a minute on each side. Overcooking will make the doughnuts tough.

11. Drain on paper towels.

Glaze

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

3 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 cup Cold Water Or Milk

1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.

2. One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)

4. Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)

5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

Potty Training

I hate potty training. I can't help it. I do! It's been a pain on my backside since I've began. I feel guilty for even saying it. But the truth is, if potty training was a person, I wouldn't be friends with him. They say that boys are harder or that some kids just train easier than others. But I think it's just luck. You just have to pick the right method at the right time. I've tried starting with Jayden before he turned two. I wanted to get him used to sitting on the potty, so I would just put him on it every night before his bath. He hated it, so we took a break. Then after two, we tried again. He still hated it and took another break. At about 2.5, we tried to focus on training but it was almost like a game to him. Even up until a month ago, we had a hard time. I pictured him being 10 and in diapers. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. Then at the recommendation of his teachers... I switched him cold turkey to undies. They told me to bring tons of clothes and they'll just do what they can to make it work. And all of the sudden it clicked for him. For that whole week he was in underwear, he went on the potty at school every hour. He had one accident on the playground and none at home. The scary thing about the transition was that after only five days, we were going on a road trip to Houston. I went back and forth on what to do... if I should put him back in the diaper, but I read it would confuse him... So I put him in underwear, packed him in the car, and crossed my fingers. I'm happy to say that there were no accidents. NONE! He even started telling me that he had to go instead of me just mechanically taking him to the potty every hour. I was beaming with pride. I can't believe how much this kid has grown. And although we have conquered the number ones.... we are still working on his number twos. :( He's getting there though, and I'm ok with that. 

Some things I'll remember for when Harper starts PT:

-Don't feel pressured to PT just because everyone else's kids are ready. It's not a race. 

-Maybe train her on the toilet instead... I hate cleaning those trainer toilets.

-Or maybe I should consider elimination communication and get her started before she knows how to complain. 

Vinh's birthday!

This is us exactly 9 years ago on Vinh's 30th birthday. His hair was short and spiky and mine was on its way to being blonde. We weren't dating yet, but I guess we were getting there. We all had dinner at a nice restaurant. We went out to a friend's bar and celebrated into the wee hours of the night. Then without any sleep, I left to catch a 6am flight to Colorado to go on a snowboarding trip! The ride to the airport was pretty painful... but oh my have times changed since then. Just the thought of an all-nighter hurts me!

For my hubby's 39th birthday, we spent a quiet evening at home with our kids and some family. I made an Italian dish, and to be quite honest, I'm not even sure if Vinh really likes that type of food. My inspiration was an episode of The Pioneer Woman that featured her Chicken Parmigiana dish. She made it for her husband on his birthday... so I kind of copied her. 

To continue with the theme of Pioneer Woman inspired recipes, I made her blackberry cobbler, too. I love this recipe because it's more cakey than a true cobbler. I've never been a cobbler fan until I've had this one. It's so easy to bake and very simple. 

To round out the desserts, I made the rest of Ina's chocolate chunk cookies. Tasted even better and baked so beautifully after a few days of refrigeration. 

(Just bought a Silpat and love it!)

(A few snapshots of kids... Harper loves that Cozy Coupe!)

And at the end of the birthday dinner, we gathered around and sang happy birthday to Vinh... and of course, the little guy blew out the candles! Whew. I'm so tired from all the cooking, but so happy that everyone enjoyed the food and had a good time. I'd say this birthday party was a success! Happy birthday, honey!!

Chicken Parmigiana

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

4 whole (up To 6) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, trimmed and pounded flat
½ cups All-purpose Flour
Salt And Pepper, to taste
½ cups Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cubes Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pound Thin Linguine

Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large plate. Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside. At this time, you can start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook linguine until al dente.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately.

Blackberry Cobbler

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

1 stick Butter
1-¼ cup Sugar
1 cup Self-Rising Flour
1 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries (frozen or fresh)

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.

Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

Extras

-For the chicken dish, I used chicken broth instead of wine. I'm not opposed to cooking with alcohol, I just didn't have any wine.

-I didn't use any onion because I don't like them... unless it's an onion ring.

-I did freshly grate my parmesan. I actually freshly grate all my cheeses now. I learned it from Ina. 

-I used one big can of crushed tomatoes and a small can of diced since I couldn't find three small cans of crushed. 

-I used frozen berries in the cobbler.

Red Velvet Cake

I baked this red velvet cake and... oh my goodness... the batter alone is most definitely what dreams are made of. Trust me! I've scoured the internet and I've read a lot of comments on what a true red velvet is. There's all kinds of different information out there. What seems to be consistent is that the cake was made famous by New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Which is strange to me because I always considered it a Southern Cake...  I mean Hello... On Steel Magnolias the groom's cake for Shelby's wedding was an armadillo shaped red velvet! But all historical information aside, this cake is a winner! I was really interested in trying a roux based frosting for this cake, but I decided to go with cream cheese because I was just too lazy to make the roux.

I threw out all the extra frosting before I realized I could have piped some pretty borders on it. It would have definitely covered up my bad icing job. But even though I think it's a little plain, my son gave me tons of encouragement by telling me how pretty it is. Love that kid!

And since it's my husband's birthday tomorrow, I decided to do an early blowing out of the birthday cake. Mostly because I was eager to cut a slice and I'm not baking another cake for tomorrow (he's getting a birthday cobbler). And also because my oldest just loves the whole thing... the song, the cheering, and especially blowing out them candles. He's a hoot! 

Red Velvet Cake

recipe from Hummingbird bakery

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 egg

5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

4 Tablespoons red food coloring mixed with 2 Tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Turn mixer to high and add  the eggs.  Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste.  Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.  You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk.  Add half of the flour and salt and mix until combined.  Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour.  Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar.  Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

recipe from Hummingbird Bakery

4 2/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, cold 

Beat the powdered sugar, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Do not over-beat as the frosting can become runny.

Extras

-I used 2 9-inch pans, but sliced the cake into four layers and I ended up needing double the frosting.

-I froze my cakes after it completely cooled because I read that it made cakes extra moist. I could not tell the difference, but it might be a trial and error kind of thing. 

-I only had one 2 oz bottle of red food coloring (McCormick Red) so I added an additional 1/4 tsp of gel (Americolor Super Red). 

Baking Bread

Yeast used to intimidate me. Just everything about it. Using the right temperature to activate it, waiting hours for it to rise. Then after the first rise, you let it rise again. Then hoping that it doesn't fall during the baking process. It just seems like this long, scary ordeal. But despite all of that, I tried making bread a few weeks ago... and it turned out fine! I used King Arthur Flour's recipe for their classic white sandwich bread, and it was a hit with my family. 

  

I placed all the ingredients (recipe listed below) in my stand mixer, and after it reached the right consistency, I stuck it in an 8 cup pitcher and covered with a tea towel.

  

Here it is after it's first rise. The pitcher really helped me see when the dough doubled in size.

 

Once doubled, I gently punched it down and shaped it into a loaf. I covered it with a towel and let it rise one more time. After it's final rise, I baked it off in the oven. My house smelled fantastic and the bread was so, so delicious. I can't wait to try out more recipes!

Classic White Sandwich Bread

recipe from King Arthur Flour

1 1/3 to 1/12 cups of lukewarm water

1 heaping tablespoon of honey

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons soft butter

4 cups AP Flour

1/3 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk granules

Mix all the ingredients in the order listed, and mix and knead - by hand or using a stand mixer - to make a smooth dough. It won't be particularly soft or stiff, it should be smooth and feel bouncy and elastic under your hands.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup. Cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's become quite puffy, though not necessarily doubled in size.

Gently deflate the dough and shape into a fat 9" log. Place in a lightly greased 9x5 loaf pan. 

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's crowned 1" to 1 1/2" over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350.

Bake bread for 20 minutes. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, till it's golden brown. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center will read 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the bread from oven and turn it out onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.

Extras

-I used SAF Instant Yeast

-My dough rose pretty quickly and under the recommended times. It didn't affect the final result.

-I started off using the smaller amount of water. It was a bit humid that day, so I knew it would affect my dough.

-I lined the pan with parchment paper. This made it easy to lift the loaf out after it finished baking.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Whenever I think of chocolate chip cookie recipes, I think of that one Friends episode. You know... the one where Monica is trying to figure out Phoebe's grandmother's secret family recipe. And Monica makes maybe a dozen test recipes until Phoebe finally remembers it was by a relative named Nessley Tooollhouz. And then Monica screams, "Nestle Tollhouse!" Oh man, it was a good episode. But like Monica, I, too, wanted to find that perfect cookie recipe. Desperately. Every recipe I tried (Nestle Tollhouse, Crisco, Neiman Marcus)... no matter how fresh my ingredients were or how chilled my dough was. It always came out paper thin, so I decided to take a break from baking cookies. But one day, I was watching the cookie special on Food Network and watched Ina Garten make her Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I was suddenly inspired to try again... and those Food Network Chefs just make everything look easy. 

My first batch was a little flat, but after I figured out what worked best for my oven, I started getting consistent results... and a much better looking cookie! So for those of you out there that's given up hope on making great chocolate chip cookies, please give this recipe a chance. (P.S. I hear the New York Times recipe is fantastic, but I haven't tried that one yet.)

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

recipe from Ina Garten

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 extra large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chunks. 

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Extras

-The first time I made this recipe, I flattened the cookie dough as instructed. It resulted in a large, flat (but not paper thin) cookie. I didn't flatten it this last time, and I really liked the way it looked. Nice and fluffy, but still crispy and chewy. They are delicious either way. 

-I have used regular chocolate chips before, and I like the chunks better. 

-I used both a 1- and 2- tablespoon scoop. I preferred the way the 2 tablespoon scoop baked up (comparison pic above). 

-It tastes really good with a sprinkle of sea salt on top. Balances out the sweet!

-Ina uses this same recipe to make blondies. Just put it in an 8x12x2 pan and bake for 30 minutes. 

Funfetti Cupcakes for Vday

For JJs Valentine's day party this year, I signed up to bring the cupcakes -- as usual. And in normal Liz fashion, I got way too stressed out about it. You see... I'm one of those nervous cooks, kind of like Ina Garten (at least that's how she describes herself). I can't serve anything unless it turns out just right. I always think that something is wrong. I want feedback on how I can improve a dish, but feel a little sad inside when someone doesn't like it. So, I'm just one big stressball until the whole eating experience is over. Things I'm working on though.

Back to the cupcakes. I normally make a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream, but I wanted to do something fun, and the obvious choice was Funfetti. This was the first time I made it from scratch. It's basically a white cake with sprinkles, right? So that's exactly what I did. 

I still haven't found my HG of white cake recipes, but I tried one from King Arthur Flour for the first time and it turned out delicious. It was pretty easy to make, too! After I finished making the cake batter, I added some confetti quins. As someone who has made box cakes all her life, I was pretty impressed with the way it turned out. I topped it off with a pale pink buttercream and piped rosettes on top. My son loved them, and I hope you do, too! Enjoy!

Tender White Cake

from King Arthur Flour

makes a 2 layer cake or 20-24 cupcakes

2 3/4 cups (11.5 oz) unbleached cake flour

1 2/3 cups (11.75 oz) sugar; superfine sugar is best

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

4 large egg whites + 1 whole large egg

1 cup (8 oz) full fat vanilla yogurt or whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8" x 2" or 9" x 2" round pans; a 9" x 13" pan; or 2 standard cupcake pans (20 to 24 cupcakes) by greasing and flouring; or lining with parchment, then greasing the parchment. Note: Make sure your 8" round pans are at least 2" deep; if they're not, use one of the other pan options.

Mix all of the dry ingredients on slow speed to blend. Add the soft butter and mix until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand. It may form a paste, depending on the temperature of the butter, how much it's mixed, and granulation of the sugar used.

Add the egg whites one at a time, then the whole egg, beating well after each addition to begin building the structure of the cake. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt (or milk) with the vanilla and almond extracts. Add this mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the batter. Beat 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes for 8" or 9" rounds; 36 to 42 minutes for a 9" x 13" x 2" sheet cake; or 18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven, remove from the pan, if desired (not advisable for a 9" x 13" sheet cake), cool on a rack, and frost.

Whipped Vanilla Frosting 

from Sweetapolita

3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (375 g) unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups (400 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed until pale and creamy. 

Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy. 

Best used right away. 

Extras

- I weighed all my ingredients.

- I didn't have superfine sugar, so I blended regular granulated sugar in my blender 

- I am not an experienced enough cook to know what do with all those egg yolks, so I bought a carton of egg whites. 

- I used buttermilk instead of whole milk or yogurt.

- All my ingredients were room temperature
- I added confetti quins (they are also called sequins) after the batter was made. You can also use jimmies. I forgot to measure it, and I kind of eyeballed the amount.
- For my oven, the recommended cooking time of 18 minutes was too long. It's best to check on them even earlier, so they won't become too dry.

- I used heavy cream instead of milk in the frosting. I'm not sure if it makes a difference. 
- I piped the cupcakes with a Wilton 1M tip. 
- This is one of the best buttercreams I've ever tasted. It tastes like ice cream!

A messy home is a happy home.