Truly Madly Deeply

I meant to post this yesterday, but it was a long and busy day so here it is, a day late.

Valentine's Day of 2011 was three days after my first date with Zac. While we didn't exchange valentines, he did tell me to check this video out. (The video must be viewed to understand anything else that follows). Zac thought it was funny and a good video to watch in the spirit of the day. When I first watched it I thought he was clearly just being blunt about how he felt, but according to him he had never watched the last 10 seconds or so of the video and totally missed the message it was getting across...I'm sticking to my version of the story and that's probably the story that I will tell the kiddos in the future. 

We watch this video every year over Little Caesar's pizza and Martinellis, which is, my very favorite way to spend Valentine's Day. 

Chinese New Year Celebrations

Zac and I celebrated Chinese New Year a day early this year and had lunch at the Four Seasons Hotpot in Provo. We heard about the place from Zac's colleague in one of the Chemistry labs he works in and were told that this place is authentic and indeed it was. We loved it!

We ordered The Xiao Long Bao and Shui Jiao dumplings which were delicious (we called in about two hours in advance since they make everything from scratch) and shared a hotpot. It was our first time and I was so excited to try everything that we ended up with SO much food. I would definitely suggest going for one or the other (dumplings or hotpot) not both.

If you have never had a hotpot before the concept is very simple.

Step 1: Choose your broth--we chose half miso, half spicy Szechwan. Your broth is brought to you and placed on a gas burner or electric burner to keep it nice and hot.
Step 2: Choose your veggies, seafood, meats, noodles, etc. We had tons of crab, prawns, mussels, cabbage, broccoli, bean sprouts, tofu, pork, chicken and mushrooms.
Step 3: Drop everything in the hotpot, mix with chopsticks (this step, according to the sweet lady that showed us how to do it, is vital).
Step 4: Allow hotpot to come to a full boil and cook to desired doneness.
Step 5: Devour with chopsticks, spicy garlic, and peanut sauce.

 Getting the first bite...I believe it was fish

Sauces and appetizers 

 These were the Shui Jiao dumplings with pork and cilantro. The wrapping was so thin and wonderful!

The veggies were excellent in the spicy broth

Happy Chinese New Year! Don't forget to eat noodles tomorrow...it will bring you good luck :) 

Chocolate Cake

When we were dating Zac claimed he preferred pie over cake for his birthday. Last year, however, when I told him I was making him pie he confessed that what he really wanted was chocolate cake and  so I made him one and the result was delicious. This year I made Ron Ben Israel's chocolate cake. He is suppose to be the king of cake and so I had very, very, very high expectations for his recipe. To his credit, the cake did not disappoint! He is in fact, a sweet genius! The cake is moist, decadent, and intensely chocolaty (I have not tasted a complete slice but have been nibbling here and there for some quality control). This batter was also the runniest batter I have ever worked with but just have faith it is suppose to be very, very soupy!

I think Zac will be very happy with the turn out of the cake and I am super excited for him to have it on Monday. He is turning 25 years old! That is a quarter of a century! 

Ingredients

Runny batter

cooling

6 layers of cake, frosted with chocolate mousse in between each layer

made pretty with big milk chocolate curls

My Adjustments

*I got his recipe from food network's website. He does not add the two cups of water the recipe calls for in the directions in the ingredients list, and thankfully I did not skip over reading the directions like I usually do and was able to catch it. 

*I also used cake flour instead of regular all purpose flour. Make sure to use 1cup+1T of cake flour for every cup of all purpose flour you are replacing. Cake flour is much finer and so need a little more of it to get the right proportion of dry to wet ingredients.

*I also used a combination of light brown and castor sugar (2 cups of each). 

*This recipe calls for 2 cups coffee that can be replaced with 2 cups of very strong postum (you can do any barely/wheat drink, or even just hot water --just avoid hot chocolate or anything of that nature because it will only make the cake sweeter).

*I filled the layers with Nigella's chocolate mousse. 

*I also did not use his ganache recipe but instead used Ree Drummond's. 

The result? Chocolate cake goodness! 

 tall and beautiful!

New Year, New Obsessions

I am not sure if it is because it is the beginning of a new year, or if I am just recently realizing some new interests but lately I have been crazy about a few things.

Here's that list:

1. Sewing...dresses and skirts. My mother is a compulsive seamstress. I think she secretly has plans to sew an entire wardrobe for her future grandchildren (though she may have already started) and has lured me into the world of sewing by getting me a sewing machine this past Christmas. The results are mediocre but certainly wearable.

One of the projects I am working on (and also the first pattern I am using)

2. Processing...anything and everything in the food processor Zac's parents got me for Christmas. I am not sure what it is, but everything seems to taste better when it comes from the processor. Pizza doughs, crepes, marinades, smoothies, everything!

2. Pita Bread. I am not sure where this came from, Zac is known to devour an entire package with a tub of red pepper humus, but my obsession with pita mainly rests with cucumbers, feta, the occasional spread of garlic--must be garlic--humus and tahini, and pizza toppings. Is it bad that I have been clipping and searching for Pita Bread coupons and stalking sales so that I can buy a ton and stash it in the freezer?

3. Chocolate covered ju-jus. This one is very new. My boss had a meeting for the employees at the bookstore and brought some for the group to share. I have consumed at least half a pound a day for the past...8. Good thing they are a seasonal treat and I can plan on avoiding them after Valentines Day.

The very last JU-JU...minus the stash I have in the pantry...and in the glove box in the car...and in a sterilized piggy bank I may or may not have made Zac think is filled with my food splurge savings.

4. Carmallow Popcorn. This time last year I was obsessed with caramel popcorn. This time I am obsessed with Carmallow. It's honestly one of the most addicting treats ever and basically consists of brown sugar, butter, marshmallows and popcorn. I am a sucker for rice crispy treats and figured combining the two could only be a match made in heaven. My BIL gave me a microwavable popcorn popper bowl last year (one of the greatest inventions ever) and it has made my Carmallow addictions so much easier to appease. I made some for the primary kiddos last Sunday for our FST (fourth sunday treat) and I think they are hooked on it. The only person I know who is not the biggest fan is Zac. But then again, I think he is just in denial.

Popcorn caramel goodness that takes but moments to make

I am hoping these obsessions fade pretty soon because I am finding myself spending more and more time at the gym to compensate for the calories. Until then I am keeping a log of these recipes and keeping them in my little black recipe book so I can rekindle them in the future.


Heres one of those recipes.

When I miss a gyro from NY rub:

1/2 teaspoon of Cumin
1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme (plucked from sprigs)
1 garlic clove
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespon pesto (I make my own then freeze it but store bought stuff is good as long as it comes refrigerated...I have yet to find a bottled version that isn't super separated)
Handful of italian parsley
1/4 of a shallot
S&P to taste
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Blitz in the processor (or blender, mortar and pestle, or if you are brave and don't mind having the smell of garlic in your hands for what may seem like days,  by hand)
slather over chicken/pork loin/lamb

Your marinating meat should look something like these very lucky pork loins...shining with olive oil and covered with green savory goodness

Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes
Cook meat on very hot skillet, no need for oil, until brown and perfect for stuffing into PITA BREAD ( I only ever use my cast iron skillet to cook meats and it works great here)
I usually add a slather of sour cream that's been doctored up with some tahini, tomatoes, boston lettuce, and cucumbers. Stuffed pita heaven!

Things Lately

Here's the top 5 updates on things lately:

1. We are in our last semester of college...our LAST! (However Zac has a long way to go before he will be done with his schooling). We graduate in April. It sounds pretty cheesy but our college advisors told us we could even walk and have our names called together since we are in the same college. Zac is still not convinced this is a good and very cute idea but I am determined to sway him to be excited about it. 

2. We are currently obsessed about anything related to losing weight and exercise and have been consistently taking our daily dose of adult vitamin gummy bears. If only I had my camera to record the excitement experienced when I discovered that there was an adult vitamins version and for a very reasonable price at Sam's.  

3. We are for sure leaving Utah late July for medical school. Most likely Texas will be the destination since the schools Zac got accepted to have great programs and tuition costs.

4. Zac's new free time activity has been reading Sherlock Holmes and my newest is sewing. My products are by no means revelatory of a hidden sewing talent  (and I can tell my sewing capacities are very limited) but I love learning how to use my machine and all the fun possibilities it brings. 

5. I am starting an internship that is quite possibly going to determine whether I will continue a career path in public health or go for culinary school once we move in July. So far it has been awesome and I am loving it.

Christmas was spent in Houston and it was great fun being with family and eating endlessly. We drove to Texas and though I tried my best to contribute to the one-way, 17-hour drive Zac only let me drive about a total of 4 hours (the most impressive part is that we/he drove it in one straight setting, both times). The temperature didn't go a degree below 60 but when we came back to Utah  we were welcomed with snow, snow and more snow! We spent New Year's with Zac's family in Mountain Green and also had a great time. It was cold but we had so much fun shooting, eating, watching Jack Reacher (Zac's new favorite movie character) and just relaxing. 

And now, back to reality! 

Here are some pictures of our winter break

 Nate, Landon, and Zac looking very ready to do some shooting

 I actually hit one this time and managed not to shoot anyones foot

 Houston with the cousins

Zac's awesome homemade beanie and booties--that came in very handy when our heater wasn't on!

The Macaron and I part 3...SUCCESS!!

My first few attempts at macarons were mediocre and I was utterly disappointed that I could not produce the feet which are the genuine mark of a macaron. I had ordered some almond flour and decided I needed to try again. When the package of almond flour (and trader joe's meringue cookies) arrived on my doorstep I pushed everything aside and once again plunged into another attempt. This time they were PERFECT. No cracks. Just smooth tops and beautifully ruffled feet.
I literally screamed for excitement and almost got light headed because I was moving around so frantically looking for my phone to take a picture.


Zac was at school attending a chemistry review, my landlord (who is the cutest old woman in Springville that I know) was busy with friends upstairs so naturally, the only outlet I had was instagram and my blog. If you only saw how absolutely disjointed I was these past few days because of the macaron mishaps that were haunting me. Thank goodness they worked out!!

 The changes that made the difference:

I used almond meal/flour instead of grinding my own
I used egg whites from a carton instead of separating and aging my own

I have been planning for a while now to give out macarons for christmas gifts to families in our ward and neighborhood, thank goodness they actually look like macarons now.

half way point in the oven

filled with chocolate ganache and absolutely scrumptious

25 Days of Thanksgiving

In an attempt to save some money for christmas presents and to make sure all the food that we were sent home with from Thanksgiving dinner does not go to waste, we decided that all of our meals for the next 25 days will only come  from ingredients already in our fridge or pantry and the leftovers. I portioned the turkey legs, ham slices, green beans, stuffing, and what remains of last week's groceries and what's left in my freezer and if we do it right, we should have more than enough until December 20th. We will be leaving on the 21st for Texas so this will be a perfect way to clear the fridge before the holidays.  Zac agreed to this so long as we continue going to the grocery store for chocolate milk and bread. Apart from that, innovation and substitution will be the name of the game.

The Starting list (in our fridge)

2 turkey legs,  1 turkey wing,  about 4 oz. sliced turkey breast

HAM (I don't think I can even quantify how much, lets just say I was able distribute it into 12 ample portions that I zip-locked and stashed in the freezer)

3 cups of stuffing

16 oz. gravy

2 lbs. green beans

2 lbs. sweet potatos (baked) 

1lb. oven roasted deli turkey 

1 celery bunch

1 bag of carrots

4 roma tomatos

Sage sprigs 

12 large eggs

Shredded mozzarella/mexican blend/medium cheddar cheese

6 tortillas

16 oz. lemon curd

5 lemons

16 oz. smoked Gouda

3 romaine hearts

1 can grands biscuits

Tofu 

16 oz of fresh baby spinach

...and then some other random things that aren't really worth mentioning. 

Our freezer has some other frozen veggies too...but for the most part this is what I have to work with.

Tonight we had soup. It was simple, but delish and I used some stuffing to thicken it, half a turkey wing, some shredded dark meat and the sage leaves I could salvage from the few sprigs left. We ate our soup with a cranberry and gouda grilled cheese, which could very well have been my favorite part. 

Cranberry, Turkey and Gouda Grilled Cheese 

2 slices honey whole wheat bread

cranberry relish/sauce (I only had dried cranberries so i mixed it in with the cream cheese so they would stick and not fall out)

1 slice smoked gouda cheese

1/2 teaspoon cream cheese

1 thin slice deli turkey

butter

Spread thin layer of cream cheese on one slice of bread.  Top with gouda, turkey slice and slather of cranberry relish. Top with other slice. Slather butter on one side and place this side down first on grill/pan/pannini press-- whatever you want. Butter top side. Cook until both sides are evenly browned. DEVOUR.