Double Coffee Tiramisu

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We are finally home in Charleston, and while we had a great time, it is so good to be back.  The last week we spent up in Linville, NC, getting ready for the Fancy Dress Ball.  This year, instead of family with us, we had some of our closest friends up to participate in the fun.  We all had a great time, and Walker was quite the motivator as Saturday wore on, and we had no plan for what to do.  We ended up coming up with a very funny and very short skit that my brother, who was up with us, MC’d wonderfully.  While we didn’t take home first prize, we did take home 4th, which for the amount of effort we put in (minimal), we were all incredibly happy.  Saturday evening turned into very early Sunday morning quickly, and by the time we all went to bed, we knew the rest of Sunday was going to be a bit rough.  I don’t drink coffee, which is a problem on these mornings, and I was trying to find something that would help me on our long drive home.  I did not find this recipe until today, but I think if I had had the forethought to make this on Saturday in anticipation of Sunday, this would have been a nice little breakfast treat!

Double Coffee Tiramisu

Ingredients:

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
2 (3-oz.) packages ladyfingers
1/2 cup grated semisweet or dark chocolate

Directions:

Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture.
Stir together 1/2 cup hot water and coffee granules until dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup liqueur.
Arrange ladyfingers evenly around sides of 8 (6-oz.) coffee cups or ramekins. Drizzle ladyfingers with coffee mixture. Spoon or pipe cream cheese mixture into center of ramekins. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Note: To serve the tiramisù in a single dish, prepare recipe as directed through Step 3. Arrange half of ladyfingers in bottom and up sides of a 2-qt. serving bowl. Drizzle evenly with half of coffee mixture. Top with half of cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers once. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Back in the South

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We sadly left Twilight this past Sunday, but we drove to Linville and are thrilled to be here.  This view is worth any amount of driving!  As I have said before, Linville in the summer always makes me think of blueberries because we used to have blueberry bushes on the hill behind the house.  There are so many amazing things you can do with blueberries- full scale berry wars with your cousins and friends being at the top of the list, but there are also so many delicious recipes as well.  Here is another favorite of mine for Blueberry Cream Muffins.  Perfect on a crisp mountain morning.

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sour cream

2 cups blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

In large bowl beat eggs, gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.

Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.

The Best Ginger Snaps

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The temperature has dropped to a very lovely 68 degrees, and I went for a great ten-mile hike this morning.  Well, it was only supposed to be about 6 miles, but I got lost, and I saw a bear, so it ended up being about 10 miles.  The bear didn’t have anything to do with getting lost; it was just kind of exciting. When I finally got to where I wanted to go in the first place, the view was so magnificent that the extra 4 miles were worth it.  Here is the view. Also, in the last couple of weeks, we have gone to breakfast at a wonderful spot down in Phoenicia called Sweet Sue’s.  I am having a hard time thinking of a breakfast that I have enjoyed more.  But, by far and away, the ginger snap cookie we had as an appetizer (yes, we had a cookie as an appetizer before breakfast) was ridiculous.  I could eat a lot of those cookies. A whole lot of them.  While I can’t quite recreate it, here is the recipe that comes closest.

Ginger Snap Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

 

What to do in a heat wave?

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The entire East Coast seems to be in a massive heat wave, and Twilight is no exception.  Clearly, it is not as bad up here as it is in New York City, where the temperature is currently 99 degrees with a “real feel” of 107.  That is not a lot of fun.  So, we have been spending a lot of time at the pool keeping cool, and I took Walker and his friend Jake to Zoom Flume yesterday.  It is a water park in East Durham, NY.  It is a pretty drive to get there and funny too, because you are driving along through very rural residential neighborhoods, and all of a sudden, there is a big water park.  The boys found a nice lounge chair and then ran off to the new wave pool.  We all had a blast- I finished my book in the shade, and they rode all the water rides and had funnel cakes.  Zoom Flume is a great way to beat the heat, but since we can’t do that every day, we rely on the pool and ice cream sandwiches of course.  Here is a great recipe for Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches.  They are even better if someone else makes them and you can just enjoy!

Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 to 5 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

For the mint chocolate chip ice cream:

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and 1 to 2 cups of water. Place a medium bowl fitted with a fine strainer inside the ice bath.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and begins to steam, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Carefully whisk half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, one ladleful at a time, until the egg mixture is warmed. Whisk the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers around 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
Immediately strain the mixture through the fine strainer into the prepared ice bath. Stir in the extracts and food coloring, if using. Cool the custard in the ice bath until it reaches room temperature, stirring often. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add the chocolate chips during the last 5 minutes of churning. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap against the ice cream surface, and freeze until the ice cream is firm and the flavor is ripened, at least 2 hours.
For the chocolate sugar cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, then roll in the sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets and flatten with the bottom of a measuring cup to a 2-inch diameter.
Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Freeze the cookies until firm, at least 1 hour. The cookies can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For assembly:
Top one cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Place another cookie on top of the ice cream and gently press down to form a sandwich. Immediately place the sandwich in the freezer. Repeat for the remaining cookies. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

Sweet Corn

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Does anything say summer more than sweet corn? And a fresh corn salad is about the best thing in the world.  It is a touch warm up in Twilight this week, but that means it has gotten above 80, so really it is not warm at all, it is perfect.  We have done some amazing hikes and are currently anxiously awaiting the arrival of great friends from Charleston who are coming up for a week.  I am dying for them to get here!  Our plan tonight is to porch sit- big surprise, and the picture is of our wonderful porch.  But I have a very delicious corn salad that will go perfectly with grilled burgers.  Yum!

Fresh Corn Salad

Ingredients:
5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

More Porch Life

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We have been up in Twilight for just over a week now, and I could not be more relaxed.  It is heaven up here except I don’t think my waistline would be expanding this much in heaven, but other than that, it is pretty perfect.  We have had a great time hiking and swimming, and we celebrated the 125th anniversary of Twilight Park this past weekend with a wonderful parade and a great picnic.  The whole park got so involved dressing up in period costumes, and everyone had a ball.  We have also had some great porch nights with friends, and on one particular evening last week, our friends Rob and Lauren and Rob’s sister Megan and her husband Jay were telling us about their family version of Top Chef.  Megan and Lauren cooked dinner one night and Rob and Jay the next, and Rob and Megan’s parents were supposed to declare a winner.  However being the wonderful parents that they are, they of course could not decide between their two children and called it a tie.  The dinners sounded fabulous, but one dish that Rob and Jay made sounded so unique.  It was an appetizer called and Eggvocado.  Basically, you cut an avocado in half, remove the pit, and put in an egg and cook it.  They all said it was fantastic, and I have yet to try it, but I can’t wait to.  Just another great tidbit picked up sitting on a porch.

Baked Eggvocado

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado
2 eggs
Salt & pepper, to taste
Other seasonings, as desired

Directions:

Cut avocado in half, remove pit, and scoop out a little bit of the avocado flesh to make a hollow big enough to hold an egg. Place avocado halves in a small foil-lined baking dish. Crack an egg into each avocado half (don’t worry if a little bit of the egg white spills over). Sprinkle each egg with salt, pepper, and/or other seasonings, to taste.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes until eggs reach desired doneness. Serve warm.

Ahhh…Porch Life

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We arrived in the Catskills on Friday night after a very long 14-hour drive.  My wonderful husband drove the whole way.  We got up to Twilight just in time for the Friday night drop-in dinner at the clubhouse, which was a welcome treat.  After a quick bite and hello to old friends that we hadn’t seen since last summer, we came up to the house to unpack and relax.  Friends in Charleston were asking me before we left what we did up here.  To be honest, we don’t do much- there are pretty much only two questions to be answered during the course of the day.  What hike will we do, and whose porch are we sitting on tonight?  The hiking I love, but porch life is what I look forward to all year long.  The Swansons’ porch has one of the better views, and hanging on that porch usually involves some sort of meaty treat.   Our porch always brings a plethora of cheese (after all, it is my porch), and Dave’s porch is usually reserved for after-dinner cocktails and fireside chats.  It really doesn’t matter whose porch we are on; it is always a good time.  However, I did want to spice up my cheese offerings this year.  And, in honor of my two favorite cookbook authors, The Lee Brothers, who coincidentally have a house close by and we are hoping to see next weekend, I am going to try to recreate their Henry’s Cheese Spread.  I have had it at a cocktail party they threw during Spoleto in Charleston, and it is fantastic.  I think everyone in Twilight will love it as much as everyone in Charleston.  Stay tuned for more “porch” recipes!

Henry’s Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

10 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups)
2 ounces (1/4 cup) lager or ale
Juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained
2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Crystal
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Transfer to a small bowl to serve.

New Mom Meals

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My dear friend Kendall is having a baby today, maybe even as I write this.  It was scheduled which is how I know it could be happening right now.  I am currently hanging out with her first son Kevin before I take him to camp, and then I will pick him up this afternoon and take him out to the hospital.  I think that is going to be a very difficult ride.  Kendall and Robert do not know what they are going to have, but they will send out a text to all of us who are waiting very impatiently to tell us all the good news.  When I pick Kevin up from camp this afternoon, I will know if it is a boy or a girl, and he still won’t, and of course, Kendall and Robert want to be there when he finds out.  So basically I am trying to bribe Kevin not to bribe me into telling him.  I am pretty sure I am going to win this one.  I texted Kendall this morning asking if there was anything I could bring her this afternoon like beer, cold cuts, soft cheese or anything else she has not been able to eat for the last 9 months.  She said she would let me know.  In that vein, I found a great web site (TheKitchn.com) for 10 great meals to bring new moms http://www.thekitchn.com/what-foods-to-bring-a-new-mom-10-recipe-ideas-176173.  Chances are I will bring donuts and beer mainly because I think she will like that better than healthy chicken.

Brownie Dessert

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Pinterest always makes me hungry.  I love looking at the wonderful food photography, and all of the recipes are great.  I did read a really funny quote from DJ Joe Kelly about all of the food photography that is constantly on Facebook and Pinterest.  He said:

“Remember the old days…when you used to have dinner…then grab the camera, focus it, and take a picture of your food? You’d then take the roll out of the camera, drop it off at the Fotomat place, and you’d pick it up a few days later…. Then, you’d pick out the best photo of your food, go back to the Fotomat, drop off the negative, get copies of the photo made….then, pick them up a few days later. You would then take the photos, put them in envelopes, add stamps, then run down to the post office and mail the pictures of your dinner to all your friends. Remember all that?

Of course not! You didn’t use to take photos of your food – why are you doing it now?

Studies show Facebook would be much less traveled if people just stopped taking pictures of their food!

Apparently, your friends onhttps://thesouthwillrise.com/wp-admin/post-new.php Facebook aren’t the only ones tired of this practice.Some restaurants are now banning picture taking in their dining rooms since all the camera flashes are disrupting the ambiance and disturbing other diners.

If you eat a nice meal and don’t take a photo, did it really happen?”

I thought it was pretty funny, but despite that, I do love this new trend.  Here is a fantastic Dessert Brownie recipe I found on pinterest via Luscious Food Recipes for the Soul while drooling on my desk.

Brownie Dessert

Ingredients:

2 brownie mixes
1 extra large egg
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz.) containers whipped topping
1 (3 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding
1 (3 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 Hershey candy bar or chocolate syrup

Directions:

Mix brownie mixes according to directions. Add egg. Bake in 9×13 inch greased and floured cake pan. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 container whipped topping. Put this mix on top of the cooled brownies. Blend puddings and milk together and put on top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with another layer of whipped topping. Put chocolate shavings or chocolate syrup on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

So Many Cravings

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It has been an eventful week in our house with Walker out of school.  I took him fishing with a friend on Tuesday where he caught one red fish, two blue fish, two baby sharks, six big sharks and the biggest stingray I have ever seen.  Needless to say we did not swim in the ocean on Tuesday.  Yesterday, Corby, Walker, Nemo and I drove up to Lake Summit in North Carolina to drop Walker off for three weeks at Camp Mondamin.  This is Walker’s third time at Mondamin but his first time for three weeks.  He was so excited, and fortunately for me, the camp puts up pictures every day for the parents to see how the kids are doing.  And from the pictures this morning, it looks like the first day was a blast.  So, now that Walker is off for a couple of weeks, Corby and I have decided to do a cleanse.  I guess this is a good time to do it since we don’t have to cook Walker meals and there are not snacks in the house.  But on the other hand, now also would be a good time to go out to dinner and movies and bars etc since we don’t have to get a babysitter.  But, alas, we have chosen the cleansing route and this being the first day, I want to eat my desk.  My lemon, maple syrup, cayenne pepper concoction is not really doing it for me right now.  I am instead thinking about cheese, pastries, bread, crackers, milkshakes, cheese, hamburgers, bread and more cheese.  So I have decided to post my all time favorite recipes and to live vicariously through writing them out.  Here is the first one- keeping it pretty simple here with an old fashion grilled cheese sandwich.  (The two pictures are of Walker and his shark and then the car ride up to camp- Nemo did not want Walker to go!)

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 slices of white bread

3 tbsp butter

cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add 1 slice of cheese. Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place butter-side-up on top of sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining 2 slices of bread, butter and slice of cheese.