Time to Party

So my darling girl turned FOUR years old last month, and we had a party. It was delightful little event with plenty of Bria's friends running around. I tried to keep the food simple, since life was a little crazy last month, and it turned out just right. We had watermelon and strawberries, chips and salsa, pigs in a blanket, and sandwiches. I made the same ones as last year: cream cheese & cucumber and roast beef with horseradish mayonnaise, with the additional ham with brie this year. And at 10:30pm the night before the party, I decided to scratch the homemade bread and use baguettes from Target: one of the best time-saving decisions I've ever made.

The cake went much better than last year. Bria and I brainstormed the perfect cake, which mostly means she came up with crazy impossible ideas, and I steered her towards something I thought I could pull off. I used a vanilla buttermilk cake recipe (take a look at that thing-- you don't cream the butter and sugar first and then add the eggs. I double and triple and quadruple checked that thing before proceeding very cautiously. but it worked!). Then we layered it with vanilla pudding and macerated strawberries, all topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting. And it was totally, completely awesome.

all you need

Valentines this year was a culinary success. We started festivities the weekend before with a date to finally check out ShopHouse (the new Asian Chipotle). I am so glad we went! I had a tofu bowl with noodles, green beans, and their green curry sauce. It was worth the hype, but I have to tell you, it was so spicy! Like, my tongue was still burning even after we had frozen yogurt for dessert. And the green curry was the "mild" of their two curries. They do have another sauce I will try next time in an attempt to save my mouth from the fire. I am a total wimp when it comes to spice (I kept telling myself "this is what it takes to build your tolerance! buck up, McPhie!"), but even Sam concurred this was pretty intense. However, I can attest to the great flavor. I think such extreme spice often covers up flavor, but I was willing to endure the pain of the spice for such great depth of flavor.

On the actual day of love, we decided to make fondue. I could seriously eat that every day. But the thing I was most concerned about was dessert. I have been doing this health challenge thing with some friends, which means I'm limited to one day of sugar each week (which is maybe the normal healthy thing to do anyway) (but it's almost over! and I'm only one point behind the current leader!). So, the dessert was a big deal to me. I recently saw a link to this double chocolate raspberry pavlova and instantly knew this was The One. And it turned out beautifully.
And oh so deliciously! It's a new obsession really. I was so sad the rest of this week watching Sam eat the leftovers without me. This is my ultimate sacrifice in trying to WIN this challenge. But regardless of the victor, one thing's for sure: this will be the first thing I make when it's over.

Cornucopia

Thanksgiving this year was infinitely better than last year. We ate with Sam's one remaining local brother, and it was the best of both worlds. I made several dishes, but I didn't have to host or clean my house or even clean up my cooking mess immediately after. Though I still dream of making a turkey some day.
Since we spend the holidays at home rather than traveling to visit family, it's important to me to make nostalgic dishes. Stuffing was spoken for on the Thanksgiving menu, so I made my mom's stuffing for Tuesday night dinner to make sure I got my fill. And when brainstorming what I could bring to the feast, I found a perfect balance of recreating McPhie traditional dishes and experimenting with new recipes. One of the new ones was the curried brussels sprouts, which were Bria's favorite side dish-- a new tradition perhaps.
Non-photographed dishes contributed included this McPhie family favorite jello and Martha's incredible green bean casserole. Below you will see the evidence of pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie (the ultimate crowd-pleaser of the night), corn custard, and Martha's curry spiced brussels sprouts.

The Cake

Several weeks ago, I emailed Sam a list of possible cake options for his 4th of July birthday. He took a couple days to decide, but predictably went with The Cake that Shouldn't Be Called Cake-- a white cake with a sweetened sour cream filling and sour whipped cream topping with chocolate shavings.The only difference from this cake and the ones I've made before is I made the actual cake from scratch, rather than from a box-- obviously it only made it more delicious. We had a couple friends over for cake, ice cream, and You Don't Know Jack to help Sam ring in the big 2-9. The gathering was probably more for me than for Sam, but it doesn't feel very practical to make a huge cake for three people (especially when one of those three can't even eat a whole piece).The remaining cake stayed in the fridge for another two days while we sneaked bites here and there until the whipped cream was past its prime. I've really gotta learn how to make things smaller. Throwing away 1/3 of a cake just makes my heart hurt.Also, having a birthday on a holiday means this isn't the only dessert we were eating all weekend. Maybe I just need to learn how to stuff more sugary things in my stomach without passing out. Yes. That is a much better aspiration.

Try This Tuesday

And we're back! I've overcome the intimidation of photo file organization on our computer. I uploaded 200 photos today, and I'm ready to start sharing some incredible things we've eaten in the last two weeks. So, in the sometimes-recurring series, Try This Tuesday is here to save the day.

I think I've perfected the Hawaiian pizza. This crust (add 1T olive oil to the dough); Trader Joe's pizza sauce, canned pineapple chunks, and canadian bacon; and Safeway mozzarella cheese (Lucerne brand, the mozzarella log that is not water packed).

My friend Erica has some great recipes, and this Mexican Tortilla Bake is one of them. It's easy to freeze ahead of time, and adding some homemade pico de gallo on top turns it into a fresh, filling meal. Funny enough, I made this meal during National Vegetarian Week-- along with four other meat-centered dishes that week. We usually average less than one meat dish a week, so the strange carnivorous menu was delightfully ironic.

I just discovered the dreamy 101 cookbooks blog. Do you know it? The photography is delightful, and most of the recipes have me reaching for a pen and my shopping list. This Pappardelle with Spiced Butter was delicious. Warm, earthy, and complex. It was fun to make, though I think I need to steer clear of recipes that require to me to buy ingredients I'll never use again (I'm looking at you, wilting and dead mint plant sitting on my counter). I'm all for branching out and trying new things, but sometimes it's not very economical. It's a delicate balance though, because I'd love to make a permanent leap into new food territories-- one where scary new ingredients become familiar friends-- but it's a long process to create familiarity.

Do you read Cup of Jo? Because you really should. Last week she posted about Greek Yogurt and Berry popsicles and Avocado popsicles. I know, right? So we made them this weekend. They were just as she described them-- the avocado were surprisingly sweet and the yogurt were tart and creamy (we used raspberries). I will be making both again and again (especially the avocado!).

It's no surprise my favorite food blogger continues to be Molly Wizenberg. I can never get enough of Orangette. We tried her Baked Pasta with Homemade Tomato Sauce and Fresh Mozzarella for dinner on Sunday and were absolutely smitten. If I had to commit to one cheese and forsake all others, might I choose fresh mozzarella? I can't say for certain, but it's a definite possibility.

More on this later, but I made a batch of granola for my dear sister Lindsay, who just had a baby (darling, precious Chloe Eve!). Smitten Kitchen's is my favorite granola because it results in a crunchy, clustery granola. Also, pepitas? Yowza. Those things are TASTY when they are all baked up in sugar and honey.

Are you still reading? Wow. You're a trooper. Well, I appreciate it. I also promise more (and shorter!) posts to come in the following days. Now I'm off to frolic in the gorgeous weather (not quite 80 and no humidity!)-- a rare, but greatly appreciated late-spring gift from Mother Nature.

Roughest, Toughest Cowgirl Party

I promise to get back to my NYC posts, but first, Bria's party. Bria turned three years old on Monday, so on Saturday we had a little party for her. Let's be honest though, the party was more for me. I have this tendency to Think Big-- just to get overwhelmed and in over my head before settling for something small. For Bria's party, I have to say I am proud of myself for having artistic vision and realistic expectations. All this means I accomplished everything I wanted for the party (except for a banner, but I'm ok with that).
We settled on a cowgirl theme months in advance, so there were games like Pin the Badge on the Sheriff, a Shooting Gallery (bean bags thrown at empty root beer bottles), and an Obstacle Course. Our friends down the street were generous enough to offer their backyard, so there was plenty of room for the kids to run around.
But my pride and glory was the pinata. I have not crafted papier mache since elementary school, so I tapped my inner 10 year-old and set to work every night the week before the party. I used this as my guide, and it turned out perfectly. I estimate about 6 hours of labor, but it was worth it. The kids couldn't whack it open (they could only muster light taps), so our friend Trent had to use his adult muscles to knock it open with the bat. (We at least made him do it sans glasses.)

And then there was the food. Besides the pinata, this was the real labor of love: corn cut from the cob, loaves of homemade bread, Swiss buttercream, ganache, homemade ice cream. Let's just say I am still doing dishes.

I forgot to tell my photographer (Sam) to get pictures of the spread, but just use your imagination. The menu:
PW's fresh corn and avocado salsa
My mom's salsa (recipe coming soon)
Taquitos (from Costco)
PB & Js for the kids
Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches
Roast beef and horseradish sandwiches
Fresh strawberries (from Hannahwob)

(the aftermath)

I wanted so badly to make this rainbow cake for the party, but Bria was very insistent on having a chocolate cake. So I went with Orangette's Far-From-Disaster Cake layered with ganache and Swiss buttercream. And, you know what? 1 am the night before the party is the bad time to learn you don't like buttercream, but it was too late to change my mind, so I went with it.


Plus buttermilk frozen custard (and a batch with sweetened strawberry puree mixed in) made the perfect birthday party dessert. If you have an ice cream maker, you simply must try this ice cream. It was so full of flavor. That buttermilk adds the perfect slight tang and a depth of flavor often absent from homemade ice cream.
The main reason I cook and bake is to show my love for people in my life, so it follows that I would bake and cook my little heart out to show this girl how much I love her. And it was the perfect way to celebrate her turning THREE.

I've Won Them Over With Sugar

Last week we trekked out to Ashburn to watch Marc and Jenn's kids while they took David out to BYU. Yes, we have a nephew who is 18. Isn't that weird? I'm closer in age to David than I am to five of Sam's six siblings. In fact, Sam's oldest brother is closer in age to my parents than he is to me. So, I'm kind of a baby. Anyway, we've watched Marc and Jenn's kids several times, and I kind of love it because they're like dream children. They are helpful and kind, and they always play with Bria so it makes my job super easy.
We didn't do a whole lot because it's the tail end of summer, they were headed to the beach the next week, and it's kind of hard to find things to entertain three kids ages 7 to 15. We kind of just hung around doing nothing (and Amanda roped me into watching Real Housewives of New Jersey and DC) until the last day when we decided to make cupcakes.
I really wanted to take them to Georgetown Cupcake, but Ashburn is like five years away from DC, so it wasn't the best idea to haul the little kids (Bria and Colin) to Georgetown just for a cupcake.
Another benefit of watching Marc and Jenn's kids is they marvel at all the things I make from scratch. I was craving a quality cake and frosting, so we went with Ina's recipe, and it was scrumptious. Also? From-scratch cake batter is soooo worth the risk of salmonella. Seriously.

And then it was back to our regular routine this week. I did, like, 12 loads of laundry at Marc and Jenn's house (which saved me $36 from our coin-op machines in our building), and it's been a little sad to see how fast those empty baskets filled up this week. Plus Bria's been super bored (and therefore whiny) because I'm just not as entertaining as Colin, Myles, and Amanda. I think this means Bria needs some older siblings, which I'm pretty sure isn't possible at this point. Oh well, looks like she's still stuck with just me.

Official Statement

Let it be known that Georgetown Cupcake is not overrated.

(photo via)

Courting and Cupcakes

Thanks to my friend Sarah, today Sam and I went on our first, real-live date since we moved here almost six months ago. I dropped Bria off to play and then went straight to the metro to pick up Sam. We spent the next hour wandering around Old Town Alexandria, mourning the sudden disappearance of spring, and enjoying our freedom. It's amazing how just a short time of un-child-interrupted talking and walking can be so rejuvenating. Plus, sometimes it's fun to pretend that Sam and I just started dating.

A picture of warmer times. Like on Wednesday:After dinner at King Street Blues, we headed back to pick up our full and happy Bria, played hide-and-seek at home (Bria loves to be scared), then sent her off to bed. We turned on a movie and then opened our treat. While walking through Old Town, we stumbled across Alexandria Cupcake and decided to pick up some dessert. They were nearing the end of their day, so they only had three kinds of cupcakes left: almond, vanilla bean with cocoa frosting, and coconut. We opted for the first two, and, I have to say, I think they were the best cupcakes I have ever had. That might sound dramatic, but I'm not kidding. I have been craving cupcakes lately (I even had one last week at a church activity, but it was dry and bland), but I haven't been able to justify making an entire batch for no reason. I often find the trouble with cupcakes to be that they all taste the same-- a tasty same, but same nonetheless. I was so happy when our respective cupcakes were full of unique flavor. And there was just the perfect amount of frosting. I am afraid this could become a new addiction.

A bad picture of the tasties:

Jiggle

I spent more time than I ever wanted to at the DMV yesterday and today registering our car in the state of Virginia. So, now it's official! I can stop driving in fear that our 2-months-expired Utah plates will draw the attention of a nit-picky police officer. The only glitch is that we didn't know we needed an emissions test, so our new plates expire in one month. I think we can handle getting it all done in a month.
I have to admit that I also spent more time than I ever wanted to eating sugary confections over the last week. But it was Christmas, so I don't feel too bad about it. We had a lovely Christmas, just the three of us. Bria didn't fully understand it all, but she did get it enough to continue asking me for presents (or "puppy" as she calls them) for several days after. We were happy to have two of Sam's brothers living in the area, so we had a Christmas dinner with them. I have to retract a former statement, I think. The turkey we had on Christmas was SCRUMPTIOUS. I had three whole servings of turkey. It was a tryptophan spectacular. Sam's brother Marc prepared the bird using brine-- which I've heard does wonders, and now I have proof. It was so moist and juicy and full of flavor. Man alive! I loved that stuff. It's seriously weird to me how much I liked it. I'm feeling all anxious and giddy at the thought of someday cooking my very own turkey. Joy and rapture abound in my imagination right now.
Which brings me to the next topic. Jello. The McPhie family Christmas dinner usually takes place on Christmas Eve (more on this later), where we have the usual stuff, but also jello. Not just any jello-- and certainly not green Utah jello with carrots or cheese or cottage cheese or any such weirdness. This jello is spiced with cinnamon and cloves and then stuffed full of citrus. Topped with freshly whipped cream, it's simply delightful. The only picture I could get was of the last two pieces, all disheveled in their tupperware, right before I devoured them (and licked the tupperware clean!). And while I'm sorry to have not shared this with you before Christmas, I will assure you that this jello's place does not reside solely with December 25th. This jello would be happy at any holiday party. So if you're thinking of something snazzy to serve at a New Year's Party. This is a delicious way to make jello a little more posh and exciting.

Christmas Jello
6 ounces raspberry jello (the big box, and don't even think about using sugar free)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t (heaping) cinnamon
generous dash cloves
2 c boiling water
1 c cold water
1 small can cranberry jellied sauce
2 oranges
2 grapefruits
1 apple

In a bowl (or a mortar and pestle if you're lucky enough to own one) mix the jello powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together. Make sure there are no clumps of the spices.
Dump the jello into a 9x13 and add the 2 c boiling water. Stir until the jello is completely dissolved, then stir in the cold water.
Dump in the cranberry sauce and stir until it is fully incorporated. This can be a little tricky and frustrating. I ended up dumping the jello through a sieve into a new 9x13 and then mushing the little cranberry sauce chunks through. This worked really well, but then I had two dirty pans. So, it's your call on that one.
Stash the jello in the fridge while you prepare the fruit. Cut the oranges and grapefruits into small, bite-sized chunks, removing all the pith (and I mean all!) (and pith is the white stuff). Cut the apple into small chunks as well. This will take a while and it will be messy, so just prepare yourself, or have your husband do it, like I did. :)
Dump the fruit into the pan and stir it all to distribute the fruit evenly. Then smooth the top back out and stick it back in the fridge. You might not use all the fruit. Just add enough to suit your tastes. I like mine very fruity.
Refrigerate for at least four hours. Cut individual squares and serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. This would look particularly lovely with some pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top.

Cranberry Pear Cake, aka HEAVEN IN CAKE FORM

Several years ago, on a cold December night, my mom went to a party at her neighbor's house. Little did she know the food she would eat there would change her life and the lives of those she loved.
My mom's neighbor Mary introduced my mom to the cranberry pear cake. The cake batter is simple: flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, fresh cranberries, and an entire can of pears. The cake naturally forms into rough layers as it bakes, the most cake-like parts at the bottom followed by mashed pears, with the cranberries rising to the top. As the cake goes into the oven, the cranberries glisten on top, like floating little jewels. The heat of the oven causes them to burst, shining like rubies, juicy and vibrant from the heat. The crowning glory comes in the form of a sauce. Let me tell you four reasons the sauce will change your life:
1. Butter
2. Cream
3. Sugar
4. Vanilla


Combine those in a pan with some heat, and you might begin to cry from joy. The sauce is so sweet, it balances the tart cranberries, and the smoothness of the sauce covers the weirdness I usually feel from eating mushy, cooked fruit. Indeed, this cake is the one exception I make for cooked fruit. Plus, covered with a hefty dollop of freshly whipped cream-- this cake is truly perfection. I offer a 100% guarantee that this cake will wow your friends' and your own socks right off your feet. It's a perfect holiday party dessert.

this is my work and my glory

Cranberry Pear Cake
from Mary Brinkerhoff
2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t baking soda
1 large can pears, with juice, mashed
1 bag cranberries

Combine all ingredients. I like to add everything except the cranberries and then use my hand mixer, which effectively mashes the pears, then stir in the cranberries with a wooden spoon. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. (My mom swears hers bakes in 40 minutes, but mine always takes infinitely longer.) Do a toothpick test to be certain it is done.

Sauce:
3/4 c cream
1 c sugar
3/4 c butter
1 t pure vanilla extract

Combine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Drizzle (liberally) over individual pieces of cake and top with a hefty dollop of freshly-whipped cream.

You're welcome.

homemade pizookies

I was going to say that I've had a real sweet tooth lately, but the truth is that I always have a sweet tooth. I commonly make brownies and cookies, but I'm always on the lookout for something exciting and new. And back in March, we took a little trip to Arizona to visit Sam's sister, and we had pizookies. What's a pizookie? It's a giant cookie baked in a little tin served hot and gooey with a giant serving of ice cream on top. I was remembering how delish it was and decided to mimic it for our home enjoyment.
I decided I needed to start with a nice, hearty, delicious cookie dough-- because it's served slightly underdone. Also, I was fairly limited on white sugar, so I needed to find something that didn't require very much. I did a little searching and decided on this cookie from Orangette. It was perfect, firstly, because it only calls for 1/4 c white sugar. Secondly, it's perfect, period. I've decided that this oatmeal chocolate chip is hands-down the world's best cookie dough I have ever tasted. And I don't take that very lightly. This is serious stuff.
So I whipped up the cookie dough, made fairly large cookies (and just baked them like regular cookies on a cookie sheet with a silpat), and as soon as they came out of the oven (which was when they were a minute or two from being done), I flopped them into big bowls with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
This dessert hit the spot in so many ways. The cookie dough is so incredibly rich, but the ice cream counters that so you don't have to stop before you want to. And it's so comforting and wonderful-- simultaneously warm and cold, and chocolatey and gooey and chewy and creamy all at once-- it's perfect. I replicated the dessert a couple nights in a row, since we only used enough of the dough for two pizookies a night (plus a couple regular cookies for lunch the next day). If you're in a dessert rut (and hey, even if you're not), I highly recommend this.

P is for Pumpkin

When Sam and I were making the list of places in Utah to go one last time, one of our last stops was Nielsen's Frozen Custard. We went the night before Sam set out on the Great Trek Across the Nation, and to our delight, the flavor of the day was pumpkin. I am all about pumpkin. This is one huge reason why autumn is my second favorite season (to spring): pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup, pumpkin curry, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin custard. Last fall, when Bria was eating her first solid foods, her first choice was always freshly baked and pureed pumpkin. In high school, I went absolutely nuts for pumpkin bagels from Einstein's. I would go after school and buy every pumpkin bagel they would give me. It bordered on obsession.
So, with pumpkins on my mind, I decided we needed to mimic Nielsen's amazing creation. I purchased the ingredients several days ago, and finally found time in the lazy Sunday afternoon yesterday to whip it together. While the custard froze in the ice cream machine, I baked my favorite brownies, and then we had something to look forward to for the rest of the day.

As I should have guessed, Bria went nuts for it. As I transferred the custard to a freezer tupperware, Bria spotted me. She ran over and demanded some. I gave her one little taste, and that was it. She was signing "more" before she even finished each bite. She ate quite her fair share before I finally managed to distract her and stash the custard in the freezer. And when Bria finally turned in for the night, I dished up some bowls of custard and brownies, which we devoured while watching old episodes of 30 Rock. It was the perfect way to end the weekend and gear ourselves up for Monday.

The Cake that Shouldn't Be Allowed to Be Called Cake

Sam flew back to D.C. today, so there was sadness all around. But I'm planning on going out there in a couple weeks, so I'm not a complete emotional wreck. So last night I made Sam a celebratory bon voyage dinner to please and soothe his soul via his taste buds. I hadn't yet made him the Mediterranean-style meatballs, so I made those along with cous cous and a simple salad. My mom even made pita bread, which was positively lovely. And, just as I had hoped for, Sam nearly died from gastronomic delight. He said they were better than he even imagined they would be, and I have been talking those puppies up for weeks! A chef could never feel so happy.
And for dessert, Sam requested his favorite cake. The cake he says should not be allowed to be called cake because it makes all the other cakes feel bad: I first made this cake several years ago, and have made it billions of times since then. I started with this recipe, but since Sam (horror of horrors) "doesn't like coconut" (I think he secretly does, because how do you not love coconut?), I decided to substitute chocolate shavings. I am still dying to try the coconut, because, clearly, I love coconut (pine for it. lust after it. dream about it. covet it.). But alas, I think I will never get the opportunity. My bro-in-law Jason doesn't like it either. Weirdos.

Anyway.

This is the recipe now:
1 box white cake mix
splash almond extract
1 c sour cream
1 c sugar
2 c whipped cream or cool whip
Chocolate bar (I use a semisweet Ghirardelli bar)

Bake cake according to directions in 2 9- or 8-inch cake pans. When cakes are cool, make the frosting and filling as follows. Mix sour cream, and sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Grate in chocolate-- as much as you like. I just start grating and stop to stir everyone once in a while to see how much there is. This last time I probably grated about one square or so of the bar. Mix thoroughly. Put on cake upside down on cake plate or serving platter. Spoon several spoonfuls of mixture onto the bottom (not the top) of the cake. Spread the mixture around, coaxing it into all the nooks and crannies of the cake. Keeping spooning and spreading until you've used just over half of the mixture. Spoon a little more onto the bottom of the other cake-- just enough that the mixture soaks into the cake. Place the second cake on top of the first, bottoms together.
Mix the whipped cream or cool whip and the almond extract together with the remaining mixture. Frost the entire cake. Shave more chocolate all over the cake. Eat it up, yum.