Cookbooks

Niobe posted pictures of her bookshelf on her blog and I thought it was fun, so I decided to post a pic of my cookbooks ( a portion of them, anyway.)

Marbled

Happy Easter!

How To Boil Eggs

This egg cooking technique comes from a cookbook called Egg: From Benedict To Brulee. I absolutely LOVE eggs. You can put them in so many things, cook them in so many different ways and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! What more could you want- they're eggs-traordinary?!? Okay, so that was a corny joke, but they really are one of my favorites and they're such a versatile food. Since Easter is just a few days away, and the kiddos (ages 2-92) are expecting to hunt down colored eggs, here are some tips for a perfectly boiled egg, without the grayish ring around the yolk (which is caused by over cooking). Cook your eggs accordingly and they'll turn out perfectly every time.

Soft Boiled Eggs

• Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Put the egg onto the spoon and gently lower it into the water. Lower the heat so the water is simmering, so it's not boiling and jiggling the eggs all over the pan.

• Cook for 4 minutes and then use a spoon to scoop out the egg. Transfer to an egg cup, slice off the top and eat. The yolk will be soft and runny (like the one on the cover) and the white will be just set.

Medium Boiled Eggs

• Follow the method above but allow the eggs to cook for 5-6 minutes before removing them from the water. The yolk, though still soft, is almost cooked and the white is fully set.

Hard Boiled Eggs

• Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with COLD water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.

• Remove the eggs from the water, slice the top off and eat. The yolk should be fully cooked and only slightly soft in the center. The white will be fully cooked. If you're not going to eat the eggs right away or are going to dye them, peel them for deviled eggs, or use them in another recipe, cool them under cold water to stop further cooking.

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NOTE: Arrange the eggs in one single layer in the pan. Don't stack or overcrowd them in the pan. Also, there is no need to use a lid to cover the pot.

I have found it's easier to peel the eggs when they have cooled completely. I place the eggs in a bowl and cover with cool water. When the water and has come to room temp, I pour it out and add more cool water until the eggs have cooled completely.

Lucky You!

My neighbor makes Irish Cream every year during the holidays and passes it out to his friends for gifts. It is so much less expensive to make than to buy a bottle of Baileys and is perfect for your St. Paddy's day celebration. Drink up!

Irish Cream from Jim and Andrea

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 c. half and half
• 4 large eggs
• 2-3 tbsp. chocolate syrup
• 2 tsp. instant coffee
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. whiskey

Blend all ingredients in the blender til smooth. Refrigerate for up to one month. Makes one half gallon. Add this to your coffee for a nice pick-me-up, or use it in other recipes. Be sure to share with your friends, maybe you'll get lucky :-)

Looking Back...

...To the day we said "I do".

March 6, 2005

Make A Wish

*Birthday 2007*

Happy Birthday Mr. H! I love you honey :-) This cake is not the prettiest cake, but it is so good and easy-peasy. It's just a simple Texas sheetcake- chocolate cake, chocolate icing and pecans. I add a little cinnamon to the icing to give it a real depth of flavor. It really makes the chocolate stand out, but a little espresso would be good too. This recipe comes right off the Duncan Hines cake mix box. I prefer to make my cakes from scratch, but this one is so good, I didn't feel the need to.

Pecan Fudge Sheetcake from Duncan Hines

Cake:

• 1 pkg. Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Fudge Cake Mix

Icing:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. milk
• 3 1/2- 4 c. (1 lb.) powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x 9 inch glass pan. Prepare cake according to package directions. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool slightly before pouring icing over the top.

To prepare icing, place butter, milk and cocoa in medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while continuing to stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and chopped pecans. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely.

NOTES: This cake is best if made the night before or in the morning, so the cake has plenty of time to cool and set up. You can also use a different chocolate cake mix, if you have a favorite brand, but the butter in the recipe makes it extra rich and yummy.

I add an extra 1/2 c. of pecans (total 1 1/4 cups), but you can add other nuts if you prefer.