Chocolate Cherry Cake

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Here is what I made for one of my favorite foodie guinea pigs tonight.  Something new and fun to eat.

You can make it all from scratch or use pre-made mix or pre-made icing depending on your time.  I went cake mix this time, but promise that the next time I'll share my famous made-from-scratch chocolate cake. Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

cake
favorite chocolate cake recipe or mix
3/4 cup chopped fresh cherries

filling (makes enough for two cakes)
1-3/4 cups powder sugar
1 cup Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tsp. Kirsch or cherry liqueur
1/2 cup fresh cherries, pureed

icing & finishing
chocolate fudge icing
whipped cream
fresh cherries

Mix up your favorite chocolate cake mix/recipe.  Mix in 3/4 cup of chopped fresh cherries into the batter and bake up according to directions in two (2) 8" round pans.

Rough chopped the pre-pitted cherries.

In a small mixing bowl, blend together powder sugar, whipped cream cheese, softened butter and Kirsch until smooth and creamy.

 

Fold in cherry puree and mix until well blended. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

When the cake is done baking, let cool completely.

to assemble

Put the bottom layer on a plate. If you want, using a pastry brush pat the cake down with a layer of Kirsch and then slather on a layer of filling.

I made a ring of icing along the edge first to keep the filling from spilling over.

Top with the second layer. Brush with more Kirsch (if you want).  Cover with icing.

Dollop around the edges with whipped cream.  Cover each dollop with a cherry...or really cute tool candles...and present to dear ole dad.

NOTES

To de-stone the cherries, I cut a circle around the outside, twisted them apart and then dug out the stone with my fingertip.  It took very little time.

The filling is really good by itself, FYI, would be tasty on some pound cake or a toasted bagel.

You can make this Kirsch-free.  Substitute water for the kirsch in the filling.

I used Cool Whip in lieu of real whipped cream because it holds it's shape longer.

Stuff You Wanna Know

 

For part of his Father's Day gift, I have promised Guinea Pig Dad a new treat -- Chocolate Cherry Cake. Mmm-mmm-mmm, it's going to be great...once I figure out what I'm doing to make it. Sometimes I just make these things up as I go along.

Since I'm going to post it on Sunday, I thought I would ramp up the excitement by talking about how good and good for you cherries are since fresh cherries are going to be part of Sunday's dessert, but then I realized I've already told you how good cherries are. Hmmm...

So I thought I would talk about all the wonderfulness and variety of chocolate there is since there is going to be some chocolate action going on, but then I realized that I've already told you how wonderful and varietous chocolate is. Hrumph...

Maybe it's just the vacation-is-still-a-ways-away talking (which by the way is in Maine so be ready for some fresh seafood posts in the near future), but I'm drawing a blank on what to do tonight so I'm going to take this opportunity to put out a call for requests.

STUFF YOU WANNA KNOW

I love doing food research and finding out new things, so let me know what's been eating at ya?

What do you gotta to know more about?

Got an ingredient you don't know what to do with?  Let me know and I'll figure something out for you.

Help me to help you. Please.

So send me some subject matter ideas to theculinarycreative@gmail.com and I'll do a look-see and come up with something fun to make or test or do or whatever.  Did I mention please?  And thank you!

Mint Strawberry Shortcake

 

Was talking with my friend Julie (Hi Julie!) yesterday about post ideas for today.  I said I still had a fridge full of berries and thought about doing something with those again.  She suggested doing a write-up about the proper way to make strawberry shortcake because depending on who you talk to, the make-up is different, some people do biscuits, some people do sponge cake, was there a reason for the difference, what was the what?

After doing some research, I discovered that there's really not much to it, but as not to leave you hanging, here's what I discovered in a nut shell.

In the 1840s, someone decided hey, if I cut open a shortcake (rich biscuit) and fill it with mooshed strawberries and throw some icing on it, it tastes pretty good.  Mmm.

Then somewhere down the line, someone decided, hey, instead of a biscuit, what if I put mooshed strawberries on some sponge cake/lady fingers/angel food cake and top it with whipped cream, it tastes pretty good.  Mmm.

Then somewhere further down the line, someone decided, hey, I think I want mooshed strawberries on a split biscuit with whipped cream.  Mmm.

The end.

So I dug through my old cookbooks and found this shortcake recipe in my 1941 Magic Chef Cooking cookbook.  Added some mint to the strawberries and voila!

Mint Strawberry Shortcake

1 qt. fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

1-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4-1/2 tbsp. butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup milk

Leaving 2-3 whole, hull and chop the rest of the strawberries. Mix in a bowl with the sugar and mint, then set in the fridge until ready to use.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Chop the butter into small cubes, then using a pastry blender or fork, work into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.  Will have a crumbly appearance, don't want it to be smooth.

Make a well in the middle of the mixture, then pour in the milk.  Using a fork, incorporate the milk until a sticky dough forms.

 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured mat and roll out to 3/4" thickness.

Cut dough with a biscuit cutter.  Dough can be re-rolled to make more biscuits.  You can get about eight 2-1/2" biscuits or six 3" biscuits from the dough.

Place biscuits on a greased or baking paper lined cookie sheet and brush with milk.

Bake at 450 degrees for 13-15 minutes until a golden brown color.

Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.  Cool to room temperature or you can eat them warm.  Though it might melt your whipped cream.

Split biscuits in half and cover bottom with berries.  Add a dollop of whipped cream before putting the biscuit top back on. A little more whipped cream, a strawberry slice or two to garnish and you are ready to go.

NOTES

The original recipe called for 4-1/2 tbsp. fat, so you could use shortening instead of butter if you wanted.

The sugar will bring out the strawberry juices, which soaks into the biscuit nicely.

Blackberry-Raspberry Almond Crumbly Cake

 

This time of year my fridge is stocked with berries. I usually eat them plain and by the handfuls since they make a quick easy snack, but tonight I felt like doing something a little different with them.

Was rifling through some recipes using berries and saw one for a golden raspberry crumb cake. Since my raspberries are just the plain Jane red ones, I thought I'd change up the recipe a bit, make a few K2 modifications, and come up with something new.

May I just say mmm, mmm, mmm.

Blackberry-Raspberry Almond Crumbly Cake

batter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted and room temp
2 tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sour cream

crumbly top
3/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, chopped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped up a bit

pan prep
baking spray or shortening
flour for dusting

Lightly grease an 8 x 8" baking pan with either baking spray or shortening.  Dust with flour, shaking off any excess, and then place in the refrigerator.  Don't ask questions, just do it.

In a large bowl mix together 1/4 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add in 1/2 stick melted (and cooled) butter, vanilla and eggs.  Whisk together until smooth.

Set aside and let sit for 10 minutes.  The batter will thicken up while it sits.

In the meantime, in another bowl, mix together the brown sugar and chopped butter bits. Do NOT over-mix.  You don't want them blended, just pulled together more than not.

Add in the flour and using a pastry blender or fork, mash together until the mixture forms crumbs, lots of no-bigger-than-a-pea sized crumbs.

Add in the chopped almonds and mix until evenly distributed.

When the batter's 10 minutes are up, fold in the berries and sour cream.

Remove pan from the fridge and pour the batter into the bottom.

Sprinkle the crumbly top on top of the batter, spreading it out evenly.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

NOM!

NOTES

Like I did, you can substitute your favorite berry or non-berry fruit.  I think fresh peaches or apricots would be quite tasty in this form too.

If you don't like almonds, this is also an interchangeable ingredient...or can be left out entirely if you have any nut allergies.  It will still be crumbly delicious.

The cake is equally fabulous straight from the oven or at room temperature.  Makes a great companion for coffee, or a little scoop of ice cream if you wanted to fancy it up for a dessert dish.

Steak Roll-Ups

 

Here's a little treat for all the red meat fans out there.  If you don't like or don't eat red meat, I think this recipe would work just as well with chicken breasts.

Steak Roll-Ups
Goat Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato, and Spinach Steak Roll-Ups with a Red Wine Reduction

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. flank steak, trimmed
2 oz. sun dried tomatoes
2 tsp. olive oil
3 oz. soft goat cheese
2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 cups red wine

Since no two steaks are going to start out the same, let me tell you what end result you are shooting for -- you want the roll-up steaks to be approximately 4-5" W x 7-8" L x 1/4" thick.

After trimming off the extra fat, I cut my original flank steak into 4-5" wide strips, then butterflied each to get two steaks out of each section.

To help flatten the steaks and tenderize them, cover them the wax paper or plastic wrap and give them a good once over with a meat mallet.  Flank steak is a cut that needs a little beating to make it more malleable.

Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, fine chop the sun dried tomatoes with the olive oil. Found out the hard way that my favorite sun dried tomatoes are not puree-friendly, but they worked out okay anyway.

 

Add goat cheese to the tomatoes and mix until well blended.

Lay out each steak and spread with a thick layer of the sun dried tomato-goat cheese spread.

Cover each slathered steak with a layer of baby spinach leaves.

Carefully roll up each steak and secure with toothpicks.

In a hot non-stick skillet, sear each rolled steak until nicely browned.  If you don't have a non-stick pan, make sure to add a little oil or cooking spray to the pan to keep the meat from sticking.

Once they steak rolls have a nice sear, finish them off in the oven preheated to 350 degrees.  Cook them uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the center of the steak reaches your preferred state of doneness.

To make the red wine reduction, pour 2 cups of your favorite red wine in a sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced.  For a thinner sauce, reduce to 3/4 cup liquid, for a glazier sauce, reduce to 1/2 cup.  I used a Valpolicella, a slightly sweet Italian Veneto red.

Once the steak rolls are done, remove from oven, plate and drizzle with the reduction.

Bon appetite!

NOTES

Don't forget to remove the toothpicks before serving!!! Fiber is important in a diet, but I don't think wooden toothpicks count.

In case you can't find soft goat cheese, you can blend together 2 oz. of crumbled goat cheese with 2 tbsp. of plain Greek yogurt to get the same effect.

 

If you can't find the California Sun Dry sun dried tomatoes, I would recommend using jarred SDTs.  They are usually packaged in oil, so drain off any excess and don't add any extra oil when you process them.  They may actually paste up easier than mine did.

Check It Out: California Sun-Dry Tomatoes

 

So I have a new culinary staple that I wanted to share with you -- California Sun-Dry Sun Dried Tomatoes.

If you haven't tried sun-dried tomatoes before you should give them a whirl.  They're basically ripe tomatoes (traditionally plum tomatoes) that have been dried until the bulk of their water content is evaporated.  In a process similar to creating a reduction, what you are left with afterwards is a nice intense rich tomato flavor in a slightly chewy form.  Mmm, chewy food.

As much as I love them, I am very picky about buying sun dried tomatoes.  I've gotten them jarred and reconstituted with oil, but I find they tend to be very slimy.  Ick, slimy food.  I've also bought them vac-packed but they were too dry and it was more like eating tomato jerky.  Boo, tough chewy food.

And then there were these.  I bought them on a whim and fell in love.  Like the package promises, they are extra moist and very flavorful.  I chop them up and add them to my favorite dinner treat, mini veggie pizzas.  But you can add them to anything...sauces, pasta, stir-fry...or you can process them into a paste and use them as a sandwich spread.  One of my favorite breakfast sandwiches is egg whites with cheddar cheese and sun-dried tomato paste on a toasted bagel.  Seriously, it has life-changing capability.

I'll see if I can come up with something fun to make with them this weekend, but in the meantime, see if you can't find some for yourself.

And you're welcome.

Chicken and Angel Hair a la Grecque

 

I like to eat a little lighter in the summer so wanted to do something flavorful, but not too heavy on the belly.  This is a little number I threw together in my sleep last night.  Yes, I dream about food. 

For those who aren't familiar with the term, "a la Grecque" is French for "in the manner of Greece" and since this pasta dish was inspired by Greek salad it seemed appropriate.

Chicken and Angel Hair a la Grecque

1/2 box (uncooked) multigrain angel hair pasta
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
flour for dredging
1-1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
4 cups baby spinach
1/3 cup crumbled feta
salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Prepare the angel hair according to package directions.  When done, drain, rinse with hot water, drain again and set aside.  Meanwhile, back at the stove...

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized strips and dredge lightly with regular flour.

 

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add dredged chicken strip pieces.  Cook over medium-high heat until browned, but not cooked completely through.

Add fresh lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, and chopped black olives to the skillet.  Stir well, cooking for an additional minute or two.

Lower the heat to low.  Add spinach and drained angel hair to the skillet, cover and let sit for 3-5 minutes to semi-wilt the spinach.

 

Uncover skillet, add in add feta, 1/2 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp white balsamic.

Mix well and serve up.

NOTE

If you are adamantly anti-olive (and I know who some of you are), you can leave them out.