Pot de creme (super awesome chocolate pudding)

I saw this on one of my favorite cooking shows Mad Hungry. As soon as the host, Lucinda Scala Quinn, described it, I knew I had to make it. OH MY GOODNESS! It is so amazingly good! My husband has declared it as one of his favorites of all time. I will be making this again!
The top has a little bit of a crust while the inside is a perfect pudding consistency. I replaced the liquor in recipe with a little cinnamon. Since I made this to go with a Mexican dinner, that was the perfect flavor to add. However, I have some ideas for variations, which I listed at the end of the blog.

Makes 4 servings
Total cost: about $5 or $1.25 per serving


1 1/4 cups of half and half (yeah, this isn't low fat at all...)
3 oz. of dark chocolate (I used 4 oz.)
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Bring 1/2 and 1/2 to a simmer and remove from heat. Add chocolate and sugar. Set aside for at least five minutes.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir the chocolate mixture until blended. Gradually add to yolk mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour into 4 custard cups or ramekins in a shallow roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it is about half way up the sides of the custard cups. I only had two larger sized cups, so I put two servings in each.
Bake for 30 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they will not be solid in the middle. Remove from the water bath and refrigerate. Serve cold. 


Ideas for modification:
* Make with white chocolate
* Serve with raspberry sauce
* Add orange zest
* Line the bottom of the cups with crushed hazelnuts or toffee

* Mix in a teaspoon of peanut butter (not sure if this will work, but I am wanting to try)

Chocolate torte with raspberry sauce

One thing that I miss about living in a bigger city is eating at P. F. Changs. Well, more specifically, the flourless chocolate dome that Celiacs and gluten-ators alike drool over. I have been trying to recreate that dish, and I have with success! I don't shape it into a dome, but who cares? It all goes down the same. For the most part, I use a recipe I found on at AllRecipes.com with only slight modification in the preparation process. This isn't super cheap to make, but it is less expensive than driving two hours to Birmingham to eat a torte.

I made this yesterday for a play date with three other mommies. We all needed a chocolate break and this was perfect! It is quick to get into the oven and tastes like heaven.

Serves 10
Prep time: 15 minutes for the torte, 5 minutes for the raspberry sauce
Cook time: 50 minutes for the torte, 10 minutes for the sauce
Cost: about $7 or $0.70 per serving


Torte:
18 oz. of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup of water
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 sticks of butter
6 eggs
Sauce:
1 bag of frozen raspberries (or strawberries or mixed berries or whatever you want)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
squeeze of lemon

Grease a spring form pan. I use olive oil (yeah, I know, but it really works well with chocolate!) Preheat oven to 300. Fill a large casserole dish with water and place it in the oven on the lowest rack. The torte will cook in the middle on the oven over the water.
Soften butter in the microwave and set aside so it won't be hot when you mix it in. In a small saucepan, mix water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
Melt the chocolate in a microwavable container that is large enough to hold everything. (30 seconds on high, stir, repeat until smooth). Fold in softened butter1/3 to 1/2 a stick at a time. Folding it easier than stirring it in unless you have a stand mixer. Stir in sugar water. Add one egg at a time and mix well. Pour into spring form pan. Cook for 50 minutes. It will look liquidy in the middle when you take it out of the oven. That is the way it is supposed to look. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Cut with a wet knife.
While the torte is in the oven make the raspberry sauce.
I use the same small sauce pan I used for the sugar water. Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes stirring two or three times. Some people strain it to remove the seeds, but I like them!

Some ideas I have for modification:
- Instead of using water in the torte, I might try coffee or orange juice
- Add cinnamon to the melted chocolate
- Make a caramel or vanilla cream sauce instead of raspberries
- Make with white chocolate
- Make half with white chocolate and half in bittersweet and swirl it (oh heck yeah!)
- Line the bottom of the spring form pan with crushed nuts or toffee

Coconut Rice Pudding

Most of my life, I have pretty much hated coconut. However, it isn't the flavor I don't like, but rather the texture. The coconut milk has a light flavor and in this dish, the flavor is super subtle. Also, the coconut texture is not there. It is worth going out and getting; plus, this recipe is much easier than classic rice pudding with milk and eggs. I actually really enjoy cooking with coconut milk, which is a thick liquid made from pureeing the tender coconut closest to the shell with the coconut water from the middle. Many people think it is just the juice from the inside of the coconut, but that isn't correct.  Even though I find this pretty easily at the grocery store, I usually swing by the Asian food store to pick this up. It is always less expensive there.
This is a great dish to make for someone who has other food allergies since this dairy and egg free as well.

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: none really!
Cook time: 30 minutes
Cost: $ 2.00 or $0.33 to $0.50 per serving


1 cup of uncooked rice
2 cups of water
1 can of coconut milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda - equally as good here!)
Handful of cranberries, dates or raisins
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of salt
dash of cardamom (optional)

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. (You know, make rice...)
While the rice is still steamy hot, add the coconut milk and butter. Stir on low for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining dry ingredients. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
This is best after it has sat for a few minutes, so I usually make it while I am making dinner so it can sit while we eat. So easy, so good!

Jambalaya and Spanish sheet cake with cinnamon mocha icing

In the spirit of the holiday season, my Sunday school class is getting together this evening for a night of frivolity and gluttony. Since we are Methodist, it is, of course, a pot luck. So, I am bringing the two dishes that people request the most with us this evening: good ole' Cajun jambalaya to honor our Louisiana background and Spanish sheet cake with cinnamon mocha icing. Both are the ultimate in comfort food for anyone!

Jambalaya
The jambalaya is a dish I make often in our house. It is my husband's favorite dish I make. Plus, even though it is a dish that takes some time to prepare correctly, each step is easy and allows you to do the prep work for the next time while things are simmering.
This is a modification of an amazing recipe found in The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine by John Folse. His uses more oil, bacon drippings, different sausage and less parsley. This recipe makes about 8 servings.

Prep time: about 30 minutes total, spread out
Cook time: 2 hours
Cost: approximately $1 a serving

3 chicken breasts with bones
olive oil
1 package turkey sausage
1 bell pepper
3 stalks celery
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1/2 package of button mushrooms
2/3 a bunch of parsley
4 bunches of green onion
4 cups of water (or broth if you don't want to make your own)
2 1/2 cups of rice
Tony's (or salt, pepper and cayenne if you don't have it)

Start by taking as much meat off the bone as possible and cutting the chicken into bite sized bits. In a smaller pan, place chicken bones and water on to boil. Cover and allow to simmer until you need the broth. In a large pan, such as a dutch oven or extra large saute', lightly coat the bottom with olive oil. Brown chicken in the pan until it is reddish brown. This takes about 30 minutes and is what gives it the color and taste that is jambalaya, so don't skip it. In that time, slice the sausage and set aside. The veggies need to be divided into two groups after they are chopped: the onion, celery, garlic and bell peppers in one group and the mushroom, green onion and parsley in another.

When the chicken is browned, add the sausage and saute for about three minutes. Add the first group of veggies, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to caramelize for about five to ten minutes. Make sure all that brown goodness has lifted from the bottom on the pan. While the veggies are cooking, drain the broth into a measuring cup. Make sure you have four full cups, so you will most likely have to add a little water to it. Add the broth. Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste. I usually over season it since I am adding rice. Add the second group of veggies and rice. Reduce to low and stir every fifteen minutes until rice is cooked (usually takes 45 minutes).

Spanish sheet cake with cinnamon mocha icing 
This is a recipe that I adapted from one my mother has made my entire life. However, I am a little bit of a cheat because I am not making the icing from scratch like she always did. Everyone thinks this a "from scratch" cake because it really tastes like it. Really, it is just a cake mix that I modify.
This is one of the very few items that I buy that is specifically gluten free. I have been able to find the cake mix in every grocery store, though. Also, the mix is much cheaper than any of the others I have seen AND is the best tasting one. Makes ten servings.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 43 minutes
Cost: about $4.50 or $0.45 a serving

1 box Betty Crocker Gluten free chocolate cake mix
1 cup of left over coffee
1 tablespoon instant coffee (optional)
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 stick butter, softened
3 eggs
1 container chocolate frosting
cinnamon, 3 teaspoons, divided

Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix cake mix, coffee, butter, eggs, 1/2 the bag of chocolate chips, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon together. Blend well. In a 8x13 sheet cake pan, bake for 43 minutes.
Melt the remaining chocolate chips (microwave for 30 seconds, stir, repeat until blended smooth). Remove all the foil from the frosting container and microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Fold the warm icing and melted chocolate together with the remaining cinnamon and instant coffee.
Pour the icing over the cake while it is still hot from the oven. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

You can put Nutella on anything, and it will taste good.

Nutella is the food of the gods, I am sure of it. When I was pregnant, I think I put Nutella on just about everything in the house. Apples? Check. Bananas? Super check! Strawberries? Heck yeah! However, my favorite way to get my Nutella fix in my third trimester, besides just eating it with a spoon, was on rice cakes. All of the large rice cakes made by Quaker are now gluten free. Some, but not all, of the small snack sized ones are as well. Plop a little dab, or in my case a large dab, and there you have an instant chocolate fix.
One jar of Nutella is good for about two packages of ten rice cakes.
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: none
Cost: approximately $5.50 or $0.28 per rice cake

http://www.nutellausa.com/