Hot Cocoa --- room for improvement!

Just made the best Hot Cocoa ever!  But still has room for improvement.

1/2 cup splenda
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup water
dash of cinnamon
dash of salt
 - whisk together in saucepan over medium heat
 - stirring constantly to prevent burning

2 cups heavy whipping cream
 - heat 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in microwave for a minute to warm up
 - whisk warm cream into chocolate sauce
 - cook until just starting to boil

2 cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla
 - heat of 2 cups of milk in the microwave for a minute to warm up
 - whisk warm milk into creamy chocolate sauce
 - whisk in vanilla

Drink! 

-----

There are two point that I would like to improve:
1) the after-texture leaves a powdery mouthfeel -> want a creamy afterfeel.
2) it tastes like it was made with artificial sweetener (maybe because it was?!?) -> want the sweetness to balance the bitter of the cocoa, but not the chemical bitterness from the sweetener, but still can not use sugar.

Ideas?

2009 Oct 11 - Photos Haight+Asbury San Fran

Sunday October 11th in the Haight+Asbury of San Francisco.

Aprilia, Dr Lyndsay, Dr Kay, Dr Lee, and I traveled to the Bay for the day. (Aprilia keeps smart company: 3 doctors and Mom!) We started out going to Thrift Town on Mission. Two stories of everything anyone ever needed and/or needs. Miss Lyndsay gave us a bag pretty pearls and trinkatree-trinkets that shall become part of an art piece or jewelry that I will make.

After meandering through the maze of amazement, we moseyed on for lunch. We, being hearty folk, were in search of some good German food. So we went to The SuppenKuche.

While we were waiting for a table, I was perusing the drink list. I was in the mood for a normal German beer. So that's exactly what I ordered with pancakes (Kaiserschmarrn mit Afel und Pflaumenmus) - a normal German beer ( Hofbrau's Oktoberfest ). Lee had the waiter recommend a beer, that was fantastic! (Aventinus Eisbock - I think?) Lee's beer actually went better with my mixed fruit pancakes than my beer did. Lyndsay ordered Jägerschnitzel in Champignonsoße
mit Spätzle und Grünem Salat and Lee ordered Steak (I don't see it on the online menu). And of course we had to order the sourcreamed cucumbers!!!! (Gurken Salat). So once we all started sharing our food, I needed to take a picture of the most unusual combo of foods I've ever had for breakfast: pancakes, steak, spatzle, potatoes, and cucumbers all with a nice beer. Yes, this was very very very yummmy.

We then traveled to Haight-Ashbury to explore the funky shops.

Petra's Christmas Wishlist

The 2009 Nieman Marcus Christmas Book appears to have been written just for my Christmas wish list.   www.NeimanMarcus.com/christmasbook



As an artist, paper is a very important medium for me.  So, I just can not live without this fabulous paper dress and headwear!  Since all of the photos are shown with the model standing inside a studio, I'm not sure how well such a beautiful paper dress would hold up in any weather conditions.  Nor am I sure how it might fair in an office setting where I would need to sit in a chair.  I wonder if the ink rubs off?




But I know Christmas is not all about me.  Christmas is a time of sharing with loved ones.  John & I already have his & hers matching motorcycles.  Thanks to Nieman Marcus, I now understand that our marriage really can not be complete without His and Hers airplanes!  And look they could fit on our moto-trailer! 

So stylish, so modern, so need those!!!

Speaking of motorcycles... this one looks very pretty!  It's electric! (du-du-doo-doo-du)

 

 Sorry - got distracted by bright, shiny, fast!   I wonder what it sounds like?

Okay, back to the sharing with loved ones...

As new parents we want to instill the understanding and love of all things mechanical, motorized, and mobile.  So we have the giant set of primary colored keys for Aprilia to chew on. We have the driver's wheel noise-making vroom-vroom-honk-honk toy.  We have the GT leather seat bouncy-jumper car.  All of which we encourage the use of proper riding gear during operation. 

But I was wondering...

what is the appropriate vehicle to get for Aprilia in that stage

between the BigWheels trike and the DirtBike?  

Well, Cupcakes, of course!!!

 

Start saving up now!  Christmas is just around the corner.

Love playing with Wordle (http://www.wordle.net) 1 John 3 - 4

ooohhh.... pretty..... Thanks Bethany!

Thank You Miss Bethany!  

I'm having fun playing with the blog backgrounds and settings from

http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com

boredom leads to bugs

So I took Nala outside for her lunch and was busy bring separating packaging into trash and recycling bins when I noticed the dragonflies hovering about.  I grabbed the camera and started snapping.  As I walked back in the house, noticed that there was something stuck to the side of the house - a praying mantis.  Took its picture too.   Once inside, I played with the colors and lighting of each of the photos and came up with this collection.  I call it "Bored to Bugs"

mmmm..... aebleskivers..... mmmmm....

from http://www.culinate.com/books/collections/all_books/The+Cast+Iron+Skillet+Cookbook/Ebelskivers+%28Scandinavian+Pancakes%29

Ebelskivers (Scandinavian Pancakes)

From the book The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne

Serves

4 to 6

Introduction

Ebelskivers (also spelled aebleskivers) are like little doughnuts without the fat. (They’re very similar to the Dutch pancakes called poffertjes.) Traditionally they’re filled with apples while cooking, but it’s much easier to simply slice them open and fill them by hand after they’re cooked.
This recipe calls for a special cast-iron pan with seven round molds. You drop some of the batter into each mold, cook for a few minutes, then turn the dough and cook on the other side.
Serve ebelskivers with maple syrup, or slice them in half and fill with jam or lemon curd and mascarpone; sprinkle a little powdered sugar over everything and you’re done.

Ingredients

	1½	cups all-purpose flour
	1	tsp. baking powder
	½	tsp. baking soda
	¼	tsp. salt
	2	eggs, beaten
	2	cups sour cream
	½	cup milk or buttermilk
	~	Butter or canola oil for greasing the pan
	~	Jam, maple syrup, and powdered sugar for serving

Steps

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and milk. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Heat a cast-iron ebelskiver pan over medium-low heat. Place a tiny bit of butter or canola in each mold and spread it evenly around the molds before filling each mold with a spoonful of batter. Cook until light brown, about 2 or 3 minutes. Turn gently with a fork or skewer and brown the other side. Transfer to a platter and serve hot.

This content is from the book The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne.

Copyright © 2004 Sasquatch Books

Chocolated Covered Cherry Cheesecake Cake

At the end of August, I was so excited that Dad & Mom were coming to visit and that it was shortly after Mom's birthday. That means CAKE!!!!

Let's see here... she likes...
chocolate...
chocolate covered cherries...
cheesecake...
What cake has all of these? None!
So I made one up!

Announcing the latest recipe creation....
CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY CHEESECAKE CAKE

Ingredients:
2 cans of Cherry Pie Filling - I prefer the Loaded with Extra Cherries one.
2 boxes of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie mix
    + water, oil, eggs to make according to the box's instructions
1 New York Style Cheesecake from the Joy of Cooking cookbook

Special Equipment:
6 tin-foil disposable 8" SQUARE cake pans
You'll need the disposable kind because you will cut the corners of the pans and peel it off of the cheesecake.

Instructions:
Brownies
Mix up the two boxes of brownie mix according to the instructions on the box.
Spray 3 of the tin-foil pans with Pam.
Divide the batter evenly between the three pans and bake according to the box.
Remove the brownies from the oven and let set and cool completely.
Once completely cooled, cover the pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Cheesecake
preheat oven 500F
2.5 pounds cream cheese (that's 5 of the 8oz blocks)at room temp
2 cups Splenda
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c Amaretto liqueur
Cream together until smooth.
Beat in one at a time just until mixed
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
Fold in
1/2 cup Sour Cream

Divide evenly between the three tin-foil cake pans.
Place pans on cookie sheet and back for 15 minutes at 500F
Turn down to 200F for about 45 minutes
-- Keep an eye on them !!! --
Shut the oven off when the edges start to golden.
Leave in oven over night with door slightly ajar.
Once completely cooled cover each pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate.


Cherries:
Open each of the two cans and pour over a colander to separate the filling sauce from the cherries. Keep both!

Assembly:

Starting at the bottom
Layer 1 = Brownie.
Carefully turn the brownie out from the pan on to a cake plate.
Layer 2 = Cheesecake
When the cheesecake cools the center will fall, creating a ridge. This is a perfect ridge to hold the cherries. So, when placing it on the brownie, place it ridge side up. "But how in the world do I get the cheesecake out of the pan!?!" Easy. Cut a slice down each of the corners of the pan. Turn over on to a plate lined with plastic wrap. Carefully peel the pan off of the cheesecake. Then using the plate to help transfer, flip the cheesecake onto the brownie. Viola!
Layer 3 = Cherries
Spoon the cherries and a little bit of the sauce on to the center of the cheesecake, keeping it all within the ridges.
Layer 4 = Brownie
Layer 5 = Cheesecake
Layer 6 = Cherries
Layer 7 = Brownie
Layer 8 = Cheesecake
Layer 9 = Cherries and a lot more sauce than what was used in the middle.

I didn't have a very tall ridge on the top cheesecake layer, so I added a ridge of frosting to keep the cherries & sauce in.

Serve the remaining cherry filling sauce as a sauce over the slices when served.

Birth Announcement

Hello!
Mom and Dad are very happy that I have arrived and thought that I should introduce myself to you all. I decided to start making my way out early Tuesday morning. Mom and Dad picked up Miss Lyndsay and we all went to the hospital at 8:30 am. I was very comfortable and tried my best to stay cozy in Mom, but then at 10:17 pm I figured it was about time to take a peek at the outside world. Miss Lyndsay cut my umbilical cord as the doctors showed me to Mom & Dad. They were all crying big happy tears! I overheard the nurses tell Daddy that I was 8 lbs and I'm 20.5 inches tall. We hung out in the hospital for a couple of days getting poked and prodded, moving from room to room. Then on Thursday afternoon we went for my first ever car ride in Daddy's muscle car. Friday was another exciting day, as I went on my first shopping spree. I got a set of onies that fit me just right and the cutest little socks. Then Mom & Dad stopped by this place called Sonic and got a Mocha Java Chiller and a Grape Cream Slush. I'm learning that ice cream is something of great importance and priority for both Mom & Dad. There have been so many fascinating things to explore. As much as I'm inspecting my new world, Mom & Dad seem to be inspecting me. They tell me that I have Daddy's eyes and nose. Since my ear lobes are attached to my cheeks, they say I have Mommy's ears. I definitely have Mommy's pudgy cheeks. I have Daddy's long fingers and toes. And with all the wiggling I do, I have Mommy's hyperactivity. I have red hair just like both Daddy & Mommy. We haven't decided if I can curl my tongue like Mommy yet or not. Since I knew I was going to be born in California, I thought I'd start my tanning process right away. I was born with a lovely golden glow. Apparently I over did it a bit, because the nurses were calling it jaundice. Mommy has been feeding me lots and we get to sit in the sun to help flush it out. My blue eyes are looking more and more blue everyday as the yellow fades. The three of us will be hanging out a home for awhile and I have Mom & Dad's permission to have as many friends over anytime I want while were at home on one condition; you bring food. Well, it has been very nice meeting you. Mom wants her computer back, so, I'll have go. (attached is my picture. I know, I'm adorable!)

Sincerely,
Aprilia Karinda Borchert
8lbs 20 1/2 inches
7/28/2009 10:17pm

pronounced: ah-PRI-leah KAR-inda
(Karinda: combination of Karen & Linda)

Sent with permission from my parents:
John & Petra Borchert
3911 Helen Perry Rd, Ceres, CA 95307
john@igofast.com
petraborchert@gmail.com