Kitchen Kapers

In the past few years, cake balls have slowly become the new dessert craze. It was not until Angie Dudley, the blogger of Bakerella.com, decided to take it one step further and placed the cake balls on a stick. Then came Cake Pops! What I love about cake pops is that they are the perfect dessert for any event. Whether it is a baby or wedding shower, birthday, holiday or just a Tuesday-you can make cake pops for any occasion! For inspiring ideas please check out Angie’s book Cake Pops.

In light of the cake pop phenomenon there is now an appliance that makes cake popping even easier: the Babycake Maker! This past weekend I knew I was going to be stuck inside due to inclement weather so I figured it was the perfect time to see what all the excitement was about. Before I begin I must admit that baking is not my forte. I would much rather roll up a spicy tuna roll then bake a cookie any day. So, if I am successful baking cake pops then literally anyone can do it!

Since I am not a successful baker naturally I tend to prefer dishes more on the savory side. So I started to think, what else can I make with this Babycake Maker? I created a menu of sweet and savory items that I was going to try. My list was as follows: Blueberry Muffin Bites, Brownie Bites, Red Velvet Cake Balls, Corn Fritters and my personal favorite-Crab Cake Balls. Although, the Babycake Maker comes with recipes I decided to get store bought mixes to save time and the mess.

First, I decided to make the Blueberry muffins for breakfast. I poured the mix into the bowl and poured a little extra water, since I read if the mixture was too dense it may not cook all the way through. I also read not to pour too much mixture or it will overflow. Well I guess I under poured and the result was more like football shaped muffins-but nonetheless they were delicious. The machine heats up extremely fast and just as a warning it gets very hot! I was able to whip up a couple batches in less than 10 minutes!

Now that I felt more confident I decided it was a perfect time to try out my cake balls as a snack to have throughout the day. The crab cake recipe I followed is my own and I make it to taste as I go. You are more than welcome to try it out for yourself by combining the following items into a mixing bowl:

• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• minced garlic to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of mayo
• 1/2 cup of sour cream

The crab cakes took a little longer than the muffins but the end result was well worth it! They were amazing and I mixed cocktail and tartar sauce together for the dip!
Inspired to “bake” some more, I decided that brownie bites would be my next project. Usually when I try to make something that should be soft and chewy on the inside and a little crispy on the outside it ends up being a failure. Not expecting anything spectacular I whipped up the batter and baked a couple batches. Again, they took a few minutes longer since the mixture was dense but once again they were worth the wait! Since my opinion was biased I decided to bring them to work the next day to get a true consensus and they were a hit!

Well, I have to say I’m three for three so now it’s time to step it up and make some Cake Pops!

Once again, my southern influence is showing with my love for red velvet cake. For anyone that has not made this truly decadent dessert before, be careful and wear gloves because the batter will stain your fingers! From what I have read it is recommended to use candy coating for your cake pops because of the light texture. Since I have never used candy coating before I decided to stick with what I know and see what kind of mess I can make with frosting. While it is traditional to use cream cheese frosting with red velvet I opted for a fluffy white frosting hoping that the alternative would be lighter and easier to use.

First, I mixed the ingredients together following the directions on the box-again adding a little bit more water so the batter is not as dense.

Then I poured the mixture into the babycake maker and 4 minutes later they were done! I set them onto the specially made cooling rack that comes with the maker.

While they were cooling I attempted to “melt” the frosting. I placed the frosting in the microwave for 30 sec at 10 sec intervals while mixing in between. So far, so good. Then I took a stick, included with the maker, and dipped it into the frosting and then carefully placed the cake ball on top. The frosting will help hold your cake pop in its place. Next, I twirled the top of the cake pop into the frosting-not submerging it completely since I knew the frosting was too thick. The cooling rack also doubles as a decorating tray/stand for the cake pops so I placed them in there as I went.

Then I added some sprinkles for some extra fun and voila! Cake Pops!

Babycakes was definitely easy to use and easy to clean and fun all the while using it- I highly recommend it to anyone!!!

Well fall is certainly here but you still have time to take one last fishing trip! If you are looking to fillet your own fish and need some tips then you are in luck! We have some great pictures and helpful hints from Wusthof’s President, Scott Severinson. So grab your rods and let’s catch some dinner!

Here is Scott Severinson using the Wusthof Classic 7” Fillet Knife, that comes with a leather sheath(not shown).

Listed are 5 easy steps to filleting a fish.

First step: Catch the fish!

Second step: Make a deep cut behind the gills.

Third Step: Cut a slit a few inches in length along the top of the fish.

Fourth Step: Using the flexible tip of the knife to separate the flesh from the bones.

Fifth Step: Finish cutting away the fillet by moving the knife along the spine.

These guidelines are recommended for fish over 5 lbs. If you are filleting smaller fish the steps are a little different. First cut the head off just behind the gills. Next, with the blade pointing away from you and across the body of the fish, begin to cut toward the area where the head used to be. To remove the skin hold the knife crosswise across the fillet and cut between the skin and the flesh and glide the knife towards the head of the fish.

Below is the Wusthof Silverpoint 7” Fillet Knife that also includes a leather sheath and is only $39.99!

In the culinary world there are two guys that have collectively and individually done it all. I am talking about the local authors of Fire it up, Andrew Schloss and David Joachim. If there was a book written solely about their accomplishments I would have to guess it would equal in size to the 4 lb. cookbook Mastering the Grill, that they also wrote together. An example of other cookbooks that the talented twosome wrote together include: Mastering the Grill Deck, Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks and The Science of Good Food, which won an IACP award for Best Reference Cookbook.

Besides creating innovative recipes, Andrew and David also founded a line of seasoned salt blends called Chef Salt. They collaborated with international salt expert, Mark Bitterman, to produce six mouthwatering flavors. These taste bud treats include NY Steak, Bacon BBQ, Tuscan Herb, 7 Salt, Bamboo Curry, and Tunisian Fire. The blends are made to enhance the flavor of anything your little heart desires.

In addition to co-owning Chef Salt, Andrew is the President of Culinary Generations a product development company for many food manufacturers. Schloss is also the former director of the Culinary Curriculum for the Restaurant school of Philadelphia and the owner of the former Center City restaurant ‘In Season’. In 2005 he was nominated as Cooking Teacher of The Year by the IACP, where he was also a former President. Somehow in the midst of teaching and consulting, Schloss also found time to write 17 books, my personal favorite of which would have to be The Art of the Slow Cooker.

David Joachim led a similar but not identical career path. Some of you may or may not know that David has been a drummer since high school. While he went to Binghamton University and taught writing for three years, music has always been a part of his life. In the 90s he was even in a couple music videos. Now he plays drums, percussion and provides vocals for the band Tavern Tan. Aside from his musical achievements David has written, edited or collaborated on more than 35 books thus far. I highly recommend Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey, written with Mark Vetri a James Beard Award Winner.

Together the dynamic duo have been traveling the country conducting book signings and demonstrations for their new book, Fire It Up. We are happy to say that our EastGate Square location will be one of their stops on August 20, 2011 from 1-4pm. I have to say that anyone that grills Watermelon, Donuts and Salted Caramel S’mores is definitely someone that I want to meet!!!

New to the market is the Cuisinart Blend & Cook Soup Maker, and I’m really excited about this product. It’s the first of its kind and I can’t believe that someone hasn’t thought of this before! This is a sort of blender/cooker combo. A lot of people might think that they don’t need an appliance like this, but if you’re looking for a blender and a food processor, this could probably take the place of both and save you some money. Here is what the blender looks like when you take it out of the box and assemble it:

It really does everything. You can make sauces and soups in it from start to finish including sauteing onions and vegetables, grind and chop nuts, make bread crumbs or cookie and cracker crumbs, crush ice, grate citrus zest, make frozen drinks and smoothies, and even make baby food! I would have loved to have had this when I was in college. Actually I would still really love to have one because it’s a time-saver. You don’t have to worry about cooking soup on a stove then precariously having to transfer the hot liquid to a blender to puree it. Because you can cook and blend in the same unit! I also like the fact that it’s not a uni-tasker. I don’t like buying a lot of appliances that only do one thing. So this is great if you have to be conscientious of counter and storage space too. After taking the product out of the box and looking it over I’m really impressed with how well it’s made too. The jug of the blender feels heavy in your hand, but not unpleasantly so. Take a look:

It feels sturdy, so there’s no doubt in my mind it could hold up well in my kitchen. Plus it has some seriously sharp and powerful looking blades. You can see them and the nonstick cooking surface on the bottom of the jar here:

The base of the jug has a unique connector/cooking element that plugs into the base of the blender. Here on the left is the base of the jug and on the right is the base of the blender.

All you have to do is align white arrows on each item and the two fit together easily and perfectly. Fitting the two pieces together is no more difficult than docking an iPod or charging a cellphone. The cooking element part removes easily from the jug, making it a breeze to clean too. Personally, I think this is a great new appliance and I can’t wait to see it in action!

As much as I like to bake,when the summer heat hits I want to spend less time in the kitchen. But I still desire a sweet treat every now and then. In my opinion, there is nothing better on a hot summer day than a popsicle to satisfy that craving. Even better than a store bought popsicle would be a homemade pop that can freeze in about 7-9 minutes. Impossible? Not with the new Zoku Quick Pop Maker! This innovative popsicle maker makes creating delicious, unique pops quick and easy.

I must say I was a little skeptical at first. I have had plenty of trouble with popsicle molds in the past. So often the pops have gotten stuck in their molds, or slip off their sticks. And they always require lengthy freezing times. The promise of a popsicle ready in 9 minutes sounded too good to be true.

First, I needed to place the maker in the freezer for at least 24 hours. Really, this is the most difficult part - the waiting! To solve this problem, just keep the maker in the freezer at all times. Then there is no need to wait - the possibility of a delicious popsicle in 7-9 minutes will always be an option.

I wanted to try several different types of popsicles for a true test. I found amazing popsicle recipes in the fantastic book, Pops! Cookbook. In fact, there were so many wonderful recipes in this book that I had a hard time narrowing down my choices. I chose the Mint Tea Pops for my first batch.

First I set out all of my supplies.

This included the maker, as well as the innovative sticks and the “Super Tool”. Which really is super, I later found out.

Here’s the recipe for the Mint Tea Pops:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1/3 Cup caffeine free loose green tea, or 5 tea bags
• 12 Sprigs fresh mint
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 Cup honey, or to taste
• 1/4 Cup edible flowers
• 1/4 Cup blanched almonds

1. Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Pour into a heat-resistant pitcher with the sugar and stir to dissolve.
2. Add the tea, 10 of the mint sprigs, and the lemon juice. Cover and let steep for 1 hour.
3. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in honey to taste.
4. Add a few fresh mint leaves, flowers, and almonds to each pop mold. Pour in the tea and insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
5. Remove from the freezer. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds.

I was a little nervous about adding the mint, the flowers and the almonds. Would they stick to the wall? Sink to the bottom? Make the pops difficult to pull out?

I filled the pop maker with the mint tea mixture, careful to avoid going past the fill line lest my pops get stuck. I then watched in amazement as the mixture literally froze before my eyes, from the outside in. It was really, really cool. Yet I was still nervous about the extraction part. When using the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, you place the super tool on top of the stick, twist clockwise, and pull. To release the pop, twist the super tool counter clockwise.





The popsicle came right out, with minimal effort. The Super Tool truly does all of the hard work for you.



It turns out that ZOKU has a Quick Pops! recipe book! I love Peanut Butter Cups, so for my second pop I naturally gravitated to the chocolate - peanut butter recipe in that book. This recipe required layering. This is a fun way to make pops, but it typically requires a lengthy amount of time. You pour one layer, wait hours for it to freeze, then pour another layer, wait for that to freeze, and so forth. Not so with the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, . You literally watch the liquid freeze before your eyes, within only minutes. Layering these popsicles took slightly longer than when making a solid popsicle. However, they are still completed within minutes. And again, these pops came out easily and perfectly from their molds





Finally, I attempted to add some fruity additions to a pop. The Zoku Quick Pop Tool Kit comes with some fun accessories including a fruit wand. The fruit wand allows you to adhere sliced pieces of fruit to the wall of the maker. Then you add the sticks, and then the liquid. I found a tasty yet simple kiwi strawberry recipe to utilize the fruit wand.

First I stuck a thin slice of kiwi on to the frozen wall of the molds.



Then I poured in the strawberry/simple syrup mixture.



And here’s the result.



So every recipe I tried was a success. Each type of pop came out perfectly every time. The extra tools worked exactly as advertised. The Zoku Quick Pop Maker, is definitely a must have for those long hot summer months when nothing but a delicious cold treat will satisfy your sweet tooth.

The last thing I want to do in the summer is cook, but when you’re making a low country boil it is well worth turning on the stove. For those of you that may not know what this southern delicacy is then you are missing out. With zero prep time and basically one-step required, it is no surprise that our laid back friends of the south have made this one of their most popular recipes.

For a while, I believed that the term low country boil came from the fact that the only step in this recipe is to do just that-boil. But after doing a little research I came to find out that the interpretation of this term is ‘social gathering’. So that is exactly what I did. Since Father’s Day was approaching I thought this would be a great opportunity to try out my southern cooking skills.

What I like best with making this dish is that there are no set rules as to what you can put in it. Louisianians prefer crawfish in theirs while Chesapeake Bay folks opt for blue crabs, oysters and clams. Since I spent quite some time in Georgia I decided to make it just the way I remembered. My ingredients included Crab legs, shrimp, corn, onions, potatoes and a ton of Old Bay. Of course, I had to put my northern flare on it and so I added Kielbasa.

Once you have all of your ingredients the next steps are fairly painless.

• Heat a large pot of water on the stove or on an outdoor cooker
• Add the Old Bay seasonings to taste (if you don’t put enough in the pot you can always add more once your done).
• Add the potatoes, sausage and onion for 10 minutes
• Add the corn and crab for 5 minutes
• Add the shrimp for 2-4 minutes (you know they are done when they turn pink)

Once, the shrimp are pink then proceed to drain the pot and pour the contents over a newspaper-covered table. Another great thing about this meal is that there is practically no clean-up! Everything can be consumed by hand, so there are never utensils or dishes to clean once you are done. Just roll up the wastes in the newspaper and toss!

For other summer inspired recipes checkout The Beach House Cookbook

Stay hungry my friends!

Cherry Season!

Cherries are ephemeral. Their peak season is extremely short. I take advantage of this limited time frame every year to purchase, eat and bake with as many fresh cherries as possible. Eating these gorgeous scarlet hued fruits straight from the bowl is one of the best ways to enjoy them.

Even though they are perfect little packages as is, there are many other ways to enjoy cherries. They are wonderful in any number of desserts. From cherry cobblers to cherry ice cream, there is an endless variety of ways to utilize this beautiful fruit. One drawback to cooking or baking with cherries is the daunting task of pitting them. There are many homemade solutions to this problem, from using nails and even paper clips. However, with so many great tools out there, avoiding those messy DIY methods is easier than ever. Cherry pitters abound and they range from the practical Oxo Cherry Pitter, to the absolutely adorable Cherry Chomper
Armed with one of these fantastic gadgets, I decided to bake these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes I found in the amazing cookbook The Farmer’s Markets Desserts Cookbook. The cookbook features seasonal ingredients that are whipped up into a dizzying array of delicious treats. This recipe looked too good (and easy!) to pass up.

Easy Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

• 36 Firm-ripe cherries, at least 12 with stems
• 1 TA kirsch

• 1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 TA cold water
• 5 TA canola oil
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream or creme fraiche, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp kirsch

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack near the center. Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with paper, aluminum, or silicone liners
2. To make the cupcakes, set aside the 12 nicest cherries with stems. Stem and pit the remaining cherries and cut into halves if small, quarters if large. Toss with the kirsch. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until combined. Fold in the cherries, including any juices in the bowl.
4. Scoop into the prepared liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center of a cupcake tests clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack until cool enough to handle, then transfer the cupcakes diretly to the rack to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, combine the chocolate chips and the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over (but not touching) gently simmering water and melt, stirring as needed, until compeletely melted and perfectly smooth. (Or melt in a microwave oven.) Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and stir in the sour cream and kirsch until well combined. Set aside to firm up until spreadable, about 20 minutes.
6. Using an icing spatula, or pastry bag fitted with a no. 16 star tip or your preferred tip for frosting, frost the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a reserved cherry while the frosting is still soft. Serve immediately, or let stand for up to 2 hours before serving.
7. Refrigerate leftover cupcakes, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.

I chose to embellish my cupcakes a little differently.

Cherry season always ends much too soon. The best thing to do is to take advantage of this all too short season in as many ways possible. These delicious cupcakes are just one perfect way to enjoy them.

I love pickles. They just satisfy that salty and crunchy craving so well. I really enjoy them in the summer, when the days are hot and the cold pickles are at the ready, no cooking necessary. They are perfect for having on hand for picnics and backyard barbecues. With the dog days quickly approaching, this is the perfect time to play around with creating interesting pickles. While canning and fermenting are a great way to preserve summer’s bounty, sometimes a quick recipe is the way to go. These pickles are fast to make, require no canning methods, and still last for a couple of weeks to a couple of months in the refrigerator.

This recipe really utilizes the garden’s bounty. The recipe is adapted from the book Quick Pickles: Easy recipes, for Big Flavor by Chris Schlesinger

Famous Back Eddy House Pickles

2 Lbs. pickling cucumbers
3 TA kosher or other coarse salt
3 TA vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
1 Lb. carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1/4″ slices
1 Red bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2″ pieces
2 med onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
4 cups cider vinegar
2 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp ground cloves
2 bay leaves
1 TA yellow mustard seed
2 TA prepared Dijon mustard
2 tsp whole allspice berries, cracked
2 tsp coriander seed, toasted and cracked

Trim and discard the blossom ends of the cucumbers, then cut the cucumbers into rounds about 1/4″ to 3/8″ thick.

In a medium non-reactive bowl, combine the cucumbers and salt and toss to coat. Cover with ice cubes or crushed ice and let stand in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Drain the cucumbers, rinse them well, then drain them again. In a medium sauté pan, combine the oil, garlic, carrots, bell peppers and onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, until the carrots “sweat” and soften a bit, 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and combine with the cucumbers.

In a non-reactive pan, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, and all the spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Combine to boil for 5 minutes to flavor the syrup with the spices. Pour the boiling syrup over the vegetables, allow to cool to room temperature, and then cover and refrigerate.

This pickle will keep covered and refrigerated for 1 month.

I like storing homemade pickles these in pretty glass jars.

Ball jars with screw top lids also work well. It would be cool to have an array of different pickles available when entertaining using these great new melamine trays by Le Cadeaux. These durable and pretty trays are perfect for any outdoor gathering. You can give your guests multiple options and at the same time show off your awesome new pickling skills!

For Memorial Day weekend I decided to put a different spin on the traditional BBQ spread. Instead of hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken I opted for ahi tuna, salmon burgers and grilled Caesar salad. Yes, that’s right… Caesar salad on the grill!

I found all the ingredients I needed at a local gourmet deli & market. I grabbed tuna steaks (preferably 1-2 inches thick), head of romaine, pre-made salmon burgers (or you can make your own following this recipe http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Salmon-Rosemary-Burgers/Detail.aspx), asparagus and red potatoes for my sides.

Prepping was minimal… I whipped up a marinade for the tuna that consisted of teriyaki, soy sauce, lime and a touch of sriracha (aka rooster sauce). An ideal amount of time to marinade the tuna would be at least an hour. After rinsing off the veggies, I drizzled the asparagus and potatoes with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt and pepper. I placed the asparagus directly on the grill and wrapped the potatoes in foil with minced garlic. Then I cut the romaine head in half and placed it directly on the grill with the flat part facing down. When the ends of the leaves started to brown I took the lettuce off the grill and placed it onto foil and drizzled Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese and salt & pepper on top. The dressing almost marinates the lettuce creating a melt-in-your-mouth experience.

I then placed the salmon burgers on the grill… I’ve noticed that 4-5 minutes on each side will cook them properly if the grill is on high (if you’re cooking on a charcoal grill it tends to be at a higher temperature and you may not need to cook them as long). While they were cooking I caramelized onions for the burgers and whipped up my favorite condiment – spicy mayonnaise. If you don’t mind a little kick to your food then you will love this easy to make concoction that simply consists of mayonnaise and sriracha. (For other ways to incorporate sriracha into everyday cooking, check out this new Sriracha Cookbook.) If you do not altready have this amazing Thai hot sauce at your disposal then any hot sauce will suffice. At this point the tuna was about ready so I took the steaks out of the fridge and placed them on a plate. I sprinkled them with garlic salt and lemon pepper and rubbed crushed peppercorns all over. Depending on how thick your tuna steak is and how well you like them done, they should only be on the grill for 1-2 minutes on each side. For the dipping sauce I mixed teriyaki, honey and lime.

To say the least, the end result was absolutely phenomenal! Besides the fact that this alternative feast is healthier and easier on the waistline, the food was unbelievably flavorful and easy to make! If you need other grilling ideas to help you think outside the box check out Fire it Up by two local authors from Philly.

Happy Grilling!

We’ve just added a bunch of new information about Omega Juicers on our site. We’re really excited about them right now. They’re really good at juicing wheat grass, leafy greens, and other vegetables. The Nutrition centers, such as the Omega 8006, can do other things, like make pasta and grind coffee.

We added a huge buyer’s guide, which can help you compare machines. Learn the difference between the Omega Juicer 8005 and the Omega Vert in our test kitchen last week, and we just added that to the site. The Vert is great if your goal is to juice wheatgrass, leafy greens, or other fruits and vegetables. It has a high capacity and a convenient, space saving vertical design.

We want to hear from you! If you have an Omega Juicer, please review it so that others can know what you think. Just click on your specific juicer on our Omega Juicers page.