Easy, Basic, Low Fat Rice Pudding. Part One

2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup rice
2-4 tbls sugar*
pinch of salt

Bring the sugar and milk just to a boil, add the rice and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the rice is tender and most of the milk is absorbed, ~30 minutes (maybe more). Chill in the fridge for a few hours or eat warm.

*different sugars will give you different flavors. I've used brown sugar, white sugar and honey, they are all fantastic.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mmm, rice pudding. Who knew something so awesome would be so easy? So this isn't going to be a big post where I do a lot of talking and share a lot of pics. Mostly because I don't have a lot of pics, but also because I'm going to be making it again soon and will post about variations in the future. This way I can just link back to this post for the basic recipe. Also I realized I hadn't posted this week... heh. Anyway, is this recipe awesome? Yes. Is it low fat? Yes! Which is good because my doctor very gently guilt tripped me into eating better. So, stay tuned for more puddingy adventures kids, for they are imminent.

Repost: Molten Chocolate Cakes

I feel bad. I promised things that didn't happen. So here is a repost of one of the best things I've ever done. It doesn't matter that the girlfriend I'm referring to is no longer someone whose tastes are relevant, nor does it matter that Valentines Day was some time ago. The cake speaks for itself. Chocolate usually does. Enjoy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I got an email a while ago from Kate of Serendipity. She wanted to know if I wanted to take part in a Valentines Day roundup where she would send me some chocolate, I would do something with it and post about it.

At first I was kind of dubious, seeing as how I'm really not a big V-Day person. I get my girlfriend flowers (which I do periodically anyway), a card, I cook her a dinner she enjoys (which I do all the time regardless), probably some champagne in there and yeah, that's it really. I didn't even do a post about it last year.

But then I remembered where Kate lives.

She lives in Belgium.

So, to recap, she offered to send me Belgian chocolate and all I had to do was make something with it? Yeah, I'm down. Completely. Always happy to take part in activities with my fellow bloggers. Heh.When the package came it was like Christmas. I opened up the envelope and let out a most undignified (not to mention unmanly) squeal of delight. Four bars of chocolate, two in foil and two in plastic with a sticker declaring they were artisan. Or that's what I'm guessing "artisanale" means. Because I'm clever like that. I don't have pictures of all of them, some of it mysteriously (and rapidly) disappeared. Mostly the big bar from that artisan place. Yeah, no idea what happened that. Heh. The question was, what to do with it? What to do with it, indeed.

But the answer, really, was simple. When you have awesome chocolate you have to make an awesome chocolate cake. That's it. So, molten chocolate cakes it was. Because really, is there a more awesome chocolate cake? I'm not convinced that there is. Plus it's so ridiculously easy. I didn't use the same recipe from last time I posted about them, I used this one from Tasty Kitchen. It used all bar chocolate, instead of some cocoa powder, so the cakes weren't so dark. Which means my girlfriend likes them more, too. Which is good, for Valentines Day.

So thanks Kate! This was a lot of fun. Now, have you kids all been to her blog? If not you should, she takes wicked good pictures. And I'm not just saying that because she sends me chocolate. Heh.

Oh and since it is Sunday, here's Noodles. Wanting what she can't have.
Check out what the other folks did with their chocolate, here is a link to the roundup.

Something Else to Do With Pizza Dough: Cinnamon Bread with Icing

The other day I wanted something sweet, but my cupboard was bare and I didn't want to go to the store. Then I remembered that some pizza places make variously shaped cinnamon things with pizza dough. I thought to myself, self you can do that. I replied, really? You think I can? I told myself I could. Then I looked around to make sure no one had noticed me being extra nuts. The real Bob had, but I somehow doubt he cares. Of course they say if you can't talk to yourself who can you talk to? But please don't ask me who "they" are. Heh.

Ok, enough about my mental problems, I'm sure people are more interested in my sweets problem. So. This is simple and fantastic, you just need some pizza dough, butter, cinnamon and vanilla sugar. You could use normal sugar, but I didn't want to. All you need to do is butter up a cake pan, or something similar, and stretch out the dough in the bottom.

How thick it is determines the texture, thin will make it crispy, thick will make it more bread like. The choice is yours and yours alone. Don't be shy with the butter either, this is a dessert and more butter means more ... well, butter. Also without it you don't get the golden crispy bottom. But you should bear in mind that you're going to be slathering the top with more butter mixed with cinnamon and sugar before it goes in the oven. Those are the next two steps.

It only takes about 10-15 minutes in a 425 degree oven and then it's done, assuming you don't want icing. Oh, you want icing? Well, I mixed up some cream cheese, vanilla and sugar. Then I slathered it on the hot, cinnamony goodness. Then I ate it and it was fantastic. The bottom was golden and crispy, the top was gooey, buttery, cinnamony and marvelous. I have now made this several times, although I don't have a recipe written out. I'll just have to make it again and write it all down. Such sacrifice, such selflessness. These are the things I do for you guys. Heh.

Pecan Tassies

I have a fairly large family (I'm the youngest of seven) so for Christmas we just draw names out of a hat and get a gift for one person/family unit. This year one of my sisters got my girlfriend and me and along with some amusing t shirts she sent a couple dozen of these. These are pecan tassies and they are deadly. They're like mini pecan pies with a cream cheese crust. And no, there isn't one missing from that pack. I swear I didn't eat any before taking a picture because they just looked so good, it only appears that way. All right? All right.Anyway, my girlfriend and I almost came to blows over the last one.

It went down like this:

*Intense stare down, High Noon whistle. I loom over her, almost a foot taller and much heftier.*

Me: "You think you can take me, girl? I have over 100 pounds on you and years of martial arts under my belt!"

Girlfriend: "Uh-huh. Hey! Noodles is scratching your guitar! Go stop her!"

Me: "Whaa?!" I turn my back.

I turn back after noting that no, Noodles was not scratching my guitar but my girlfriend is covered in crumbs and grins. The bastard.

Ok, that didn't really happen. But civil discussion isn't half as amusing.

So anyway, I figured I'd have to make them. But that hasn't happened yet and since I want to clean up my camera I'm going to post about them anyway. My sister used the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, but I don't feel like writing out a recipe today. So instead I'm going to link to a few of my favorite bloggers who have posted a recipe for them.

Evil Shenanigans has one that uses golden syrup, which I bet gives a great texture to them.

Here is one at The Joy of Baking that looks an awful lot like the BH&G version and if it is I can testify to its awesomeness.

And here is a gluten free pecan tassie recipe from Simply Gluten Free, which I am intrigued by. I'm not a gluten free needing person but they look fantastic and if that's something you're into you should check that out.

Who out there has had these? Has anyone ever subbed other nuts? I was thinking cashews or almonds. Maybe chocolate and peanuts...

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Pudding

A while ago a buddy of mine came over and brought a couple mini banana breads. We ate one while he was here and the other on got wrapped up and, sadly, forgotten for a week. So it was pretty stale by the time I rediscovered it. I certainly didn't want it to go to waste, so I decided to make some bread pudding out of it. You might have already figured that out by the title. Heh.

Now, I'm not known for following recipes, especially when I'm doing something on a whim. And this was no exception. Also it was quite a while ago that I made it, I really kind of tossed it together and frankly, I don't have any idea what I did. But I'm going to post about it anyway because I have the pictures.

What I do remember is that the banana was frozen, so it put out a bunch of liquid when I thawed it. And I remember there was about two cups of bread cubes. Ah, photography. So much better than my memory. Anyway, I put it together like you would any kind of bread pudding. Eggs, sugar, milk, mixing. Pouring the goop, which I should have made more of, onto the bread and chocolate chips. Then baking the whole thing until it's cooked through and brown on top. It was good, but not great. Needed more goop, like I said before. Tasty though it may be, it isn't really very pretty once you scoop it onto a plate. Heh. The concept is sound though and I'll be doing it again. Maybe even with a recipe.

Weird, I just went to look at the other time I made bread pudding, when I did a croissant one, and it was posted on December 23rd. Apparently something about the end of the year makes me think about bread pudding. Hm.

Anyway, I'm definitely making it again soon and I'd love some advice. Who wants to share their favorite bread pudding recipe with me?

Snickerdoodles Two Ways

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

2 tbls sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
(optional) 2 tsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 400. Combine the flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Beat the sugar, butter and shortening together. Add the eggs, one at a time mixing well to combine. Add the dry and mix well. Chill the dough for an hour. Mix the cinnamon and 2 tbls of sugar together. Make tbl sized balls of dough, roll them in cinnamon sugar and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. If you want, mix the cocoa in to the cinnamon sugar and roll some in that too. Bake for about 8 minutes. Cool for a minute on the sheet then transfer to a wire rack.

If you under cook these a little they will be nice and chewy. If you like them crisp cook them a bit longer.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mmmm, snickerdoodles. I mean really, who doesn't have that reaction when they see these buttery, cinnamony, sugary things? If you don't, well, you're probably a robot. This recipe came to me from one of my lovely sisters and while I was making it I thought it would be fun to add some chocolate in there somehow. It worked out... ok. Maybe working some chocolate into the dough itself.... hm. More experiments are clearly needed.

Snickerdoodles couldn't be easier, here's how you do it.

Ok, first off I didn't use shortening. I know it makes a crispier, lighter texture, but I'm a bit of a butter hound. So, butter and sugar. Mix them together. Then eggs. Well, egg, this is a half recipe. It's just two of us in the apartment and I don't like any of my neighbors enough to give them cookies. Heh. More mixing, then the dry ingredients. More mixing and then it's time to chill. I just cover it with plastic wrap in the bowl as is, can't think of anything easier. Now you have an hour to kill, you should probably start preheating the oven. At least if your oven is as crappy as mine is. But what else you do with the hour is your business, I'm not the nosy type. Then it's time to whip up the cinnamon sugar (and cocoa, if you're doing that) and roll some dough balls in it. I didn't get any shots of the cocoa/cinnamon sugar mixture, but I did get one of the dough balls on the cookies sheet. So that's something. And there you have it, two kinds of snickerdoodles. Like I said, the chocolate ones didn't turn out as I hoped. I'm definitely going to try it again though, there is much promise there. How would you folks add chocolate to snickerdoodles?

Toasted Pound Cake

My girlfriend has today off which means I'm thoroughly booked, but here's a quickie for you guys. Looks good, huh? Couldn't be easier either, here's what you do.

Heat up a nonstick skillet to medium-high. Melt a little butter in it and plop down a nice thick piece of pound cake. Let it sit for a minute or two and then flip it, with a little more butter if you need some, and let it toast on the other side. Now put it on a plate with some ice cream and eat it. The outside gets crispy like a grilled cheese and the inside is warm, super soft and almost gooey. Yeah, that's the stuff. Elegant and fancy? Not really. Wicked fricking awesome? Hell yeah. In fact, it's my new favorite way to eat pound cake, it's even better than just eating a slice out of hand. I wish I had gotten an interior shot for you guys, but once the fork goes in there's no stopping until it's gone.

Hazelnut Chocolate Cheerio Treats

1 11.5 oz box of Chocolate Cheerios
1 10.5 oz bag of marshmallows
3 tbls butter
1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Grease a 13x9 pan. Melt the butter and marshmallow in a pot over medium-low heat. When it's all melted turn off the heat and mix in the Cheerios and nuts. Quickly transfer the mixture to the prepped pan and spread/press it into it. You can use a greased piece of foil or parchment to cover it so you can press it firmly without it sticking everywhere. Let sit for ~1 hour or until firm.

Other stuff that would be good: chocolate chips, pretzels, chopped dried cherries
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, this is an almost pointless recipe to post, since everyone knows the cereal treat formula, but I got a couple decent pictures so I figured, what the hell? Plus it's not your normal treats, being made with Chocolate Cheerios and hazelnuts. This is actually what my girlfriend requested for her birthday. Heh, it's not quite as weird as all that, see she had three days of birthday dinners in a row with various people and there were many baked goods consumed. So she wanted something simple and it doesn't get much more simple than this!The treats came out wicked good, the toasted hazelnuts went perfectly with the sweet, chocolaty Cheerios, adding a more adult twist on what typically is a kids treat. Not that it being a kids treat stops me from eating them whenever they're around. Heh.

So, have you guys had Chocolate Cheerios? They're the bomb. I like Cheerios in general, particularly Honeynut, but these are my new favorite. They aren't too sweet, they basically taste like Count Chocula without the little marshmallow bits. Which is fine by me, I hate those things.

Oh and I'm the Blog of the Day on Foodista! Excitement.

Bacon and Butter Cake French Toast

Yeah, it's exactly what you think it is. I was looking at this chunk of bundt cake that was sitting on my counter (a butter cake mix that my girlfriend had really wanted me to make) and I just thought to make this.

Butter cake, dipped in a mixture of egg, milk, vanilla and a pinch of salt. You know, french toast. But I sprinkled some crumbled bacon on it before frying. And then I ate it with maple syrup. It was ridiculous. Ridiculously awesome. I'm going to make it again, repeatedly, but with pound cake. The sandwich loaf shaped slices would be better, they would hold more egg and bacon. And more bacon is a goal worth striving for, don't you think?

This could just as easily be dessert as breakfast, since it is pretty rich and sweet. And I do count this as breakfast kids, cake is a perfectly fine breakfast food. The way I see it, if donuts are ok to eat for breakfast, anything is.