Archive for January, 2010

Chocolate Heart-Shaped Cake with Chocolate Glaze Recipe – Scharffen Berger Chocolate Review & Giveaway

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

I am very excited! This week, I cooked my very first cake from scratch! Behold my first cake!

Doesn’t that look delicious? Let me tell you, if you love dark chocolate, this is the recipe for you! It uses two types of chocolate, courtesy of Scharffen Berger – 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate and 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate.

Scharffen Berger - Bittersweet Chocolate Scharffen Berger - Semisweet Chocolate

As part of my first time baking experience, I got to melt down the chocolate by putting it in a bowl over simmering water. This process is absolute torture because the aroma of the Scharffen Berger chocolate wafts up to your nose while it is melting and you keep wanting to dip your finger into the chocolate just to have a taste. Sure, one little bit won’t hurt, but when I started doing my third, fourth, fifth “taste” I knew I had to step away from the stove. Here’s what the Scharffen Berger 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate looked like after it was melted.

Scharffen Berger - Bittersweet Chocolate Melted

After about 50 minutes in the oven and another 20 minutes of waiting for the glaze to cool before I spread it onto the cake, I finally got to taste the cake. I was amazed at the rich flavor of the dark chocolate that permeated each and every bite, yet the cake wasn’t too heavy and the flavor wasn’t overwhelming. I think I slightly over-baked it by a couple of minutes and I don’t think I waited long enough before putting the glaze on the cake, but it was still wonderful! It’s only been three days and there is only a corner of the heart left. Since I’m snowed in today, I fully expect the cake to be gone by the end of the day. Enough typing…here’s the recipe for you to create your very own Scharffen Berger Chocolate Heart Cake. You can win all of the tools you need to bake this cake by entering the WCatDD Scharffen Berger Heart Cake Giveaway! (Giveaway info is after the recipe.)

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Heart Cake

Chocolate Heart-Shaped Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients:
9.7 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate
18 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 eggs, separated
1 – 2 tablespoons brandy
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

Glaze Ingredients:
6 ounces SCHARFFEN BERGER 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate
7 fluid ounces cream

Directions:
1. Grease and line a heart-shaped cake pan or 8-inch round pan with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
3. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt, with butter, in a bowl over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
4. Whip the egg yolks, brandy and sugar in an electric mixer until thickened and creamy. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and baking soda over the top of egg yolk mixture until all the flour is combined.
5. In a clean bowl with a clean beater, whisk the egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture until completely combined, being careful to blend until incorporated and no white streaks remain, but not long enough to deflate.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Bake until the cake is just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the baking pan.
7. To make the glaze, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering heat. Stir until smooth and melted. Let it cool to room temperature and a soft, spreadable consistency.
8. Turn the cake out of the pan. Cut the heart shape. Lightly spread the glaze over the cake

Recipe courtesy of the Scharrfen Berger – www.scharffenberger.com.

What’s Cooking at DD Scharffen Berger Chocolate Heart Cake Giveaway!

The Prize:

Three winners will receive the Scharffen Berger 9.7oz 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking bar, 6oz. 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate, and a heart shaped baking tin.

To Enter:

Make sure you follow the directions carefully. All giveaway entries should use the ENTRY FORM. You only need to fill out the ENTRY FORM once, unless you decide to additional earn extra entries at a later time. You can earn up to 14 entries into the WCatDD Scharffen Berger Chocolate Heart Cake Giveaway by doing one, some or all of the following:

Ways to Earn Entries:

Make sure you use this ENTRY FORM for your extra entries to count!

THIS ENTRY IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OTHER ENTRIES TO BE VALID (+1): Visit www.scharffenberger.com and tell me one thing you learned about their chocolate.
Post this giveaway on your blog (+3)
Tweet about this giveaway using the “retweet” link at the top of this post or by tweeting “Baking a delicious chocolate heart cake from the heart with the @WCatDD Scharffen Berger Heart Cake Giveaway! http://bit.ly/bLxjez” (+1)
Subscribe to WCatDD (+1)
Follow WCatDD on Twitter (+1)
Fan our WCatDD Facebook Page (+1)
Follow us on Google Friend Connect (+1)
Follow us using Network Blogs (+1)
Add the WCatDD button to Your Site (+2)
ONE TIME BONUS: Vote for us for the Web’s Top Giveaway Blogs (+2). After voting, don’t forget to comment on this post as well for your chance to win $100 if we win!

The Rules:

Three winners will be selected at random for this prize.

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST, February 5, 2010.

Visit our Giveaway Rules page for general giveaway rules that also apply to this giveaway.

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive free Scharffen Berger Chocolate and a baking tin from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

Posted in Food & Drink, closed giveaway, dessert recipe, giveaway, recipe, review | View Comments

Is it the 29th Yet?

Friday, January 29th, 2010

A message I left last night:

Hi X. It’s me. It’s 11:30 my time so it’s 8:30 where you are. I just wanted to call and wish you a Happy Birthday! I hope you’re out having fun! Wait…it is the 29th, isn’t it? Oh wow. Well, if it isn’t the 29th, then I really need the weekend to start. If it is, then happy birthday! Give me a call back when you get the chance.

I check my phone. It’s not the 29th. It’s the 28th. 20 seconds later.

Hi X. It’s your sister again. I’m such a noobster. I just checked and it’s the 28th. Let’s pretend that I called you 30 minutes from now. I hope you like your gift! Happy Birthday!

Yeah…That happened

And now that it is officially January 29th on both the east coast and the west coast, I’d like to send a big shout out to my brother X and wish him a very happy birthday! I took a suggestion from @notaprilbrooks and got him this great gift for photogs:

Joby GP3 Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod for Digital SLR Cameras

HAPPY BIRTHDAY X!

Posted in pondering | View Comments

Rules for Riding the Metro

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

I have occasion to be on the Metro quite a bit. And on my journeys it’s always interesting to people watch and see how people behave. I’ve noticed that few people follow what I thought are general basic train riding etiquette rules. One particular experience occurred to me when a middle aged man decided to lean on the wall right next to me (so close his jacket kept brushing my shoulder) when the entire car was empty. Why? Why? I even politely asked him to move, which he actually refused to do. I decided to give up my prime spot instead of suffer through a 40 minutes ride next to him.

So with that experience in mind, here are some basic rules (and reminders) for how to correctly, considerately, and politely be a metro train rider.

1. Priority Seating – There are designated seats for people who are elderly or have accessibility issues. If you see someone who appears to be >60 years old, be considerate and offer up your seat. The same applies for pregnant women and people with canes, crutches or casts. It was just last week that some poor lady in a cast had to sit on the GROUND because people didn’t want to give her their seats. That should not be happening. View those seats as the handicapped parking spaces of the metro train. Sit in them if no one is there, but if someone gets on the train who needs them, back it on up and offer them your seat.

2. Parents with Young Kids – If you see parents with one or more young kids walking with them, then consider giving them your seat. It will make things easier on the parents and would be appreciated. This is especially important on crowded trains to help prevent kids and parents from getting separated.

3. The 3 Foot Rule – This is a violation that occurs MUCH too frequently. I understand that during rush hour, it’s pretty much reduced from a 3 foot rule to a 3 mm rule, but during non-peak hours, please position yourself at least 3 feet away from the nearest standing passenger. Here’s a useful diagram to help demonstrate good places for you to stand.

The general idea here is that if I am on the train first, you should MAXIMIZE the distance between you and me. The best place is the location that’s furthest from me. The worst is the location that is right next to me. If you ever opt for position #6 instead of positions 1-4, it will be noticeably odd to the person you’re unnecessarily standing close to.

4. Share the Pole – The vertical poles are places for people to hang on to while they are standing near the pole. If you are completely leaning your full body against the pole, the only thing they could grab for stability would be you, which I’m sure you don’t want. Therefore, please be considerate of your standing neighbors and give them the ability and ample room to hold onto the pole. The same applies for looping your arm completely around the pole as if it was the only thing holding you up. That pole doesn’t belong to you. No one is going to steal it from you. It’s meant for sharing. Even if your body isn’t leaning on it, if it is in very close proximity to the pole, it still doesn’t offer people the opportunity to grab the pole without invading your personal space. If you’re still not convinced, when you lean your back and derriere against the pole, it is not flattering to your figure (pole wedgie anyone?) Please don’t be a pole hog.

Those are the four big rules I could think of. The general theme of all of the rules is to be considerate of others. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Did I miss any?

Posted in pondering | View Comments

Zap Your Way to Delicious Italian Food – Michael Angelo's Review & Giveaway

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

One of the things that I’ve noticed about TV dinners is that they most often smell better than they taste. I’ll pull out a freshly zapped dinner of Salisbury Steak thinking that it smells absolutely divine, only to be sadly disappointed by the singular flavor and mushy texture. I understand that there are some limitations to making microwaveable meals – especially when you consider the technology that’s being used (radio waves cause water, fat and sugar particles to move rapidly, creating heat) but I want more than different colors of mush that taste the same. Enter Michael Angelo’s.

Founded in 1982, Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods is a family run company that embraces the tradition of real Italian cuisine to create a delicious line of authentic Italian entrees. One of the things that I really like about Michael Angelo’s is that their frozen meals are made-to-order, meaning they don’t have a stockpile of frozen dinners stacked in the back freezer somewhere. Each day, they use fresh ingredients to cook their sauces and their meals from scratch, then package and ship the meals with 36 hours of the ingredients’ arrival. It’s also important to note that they do not use artificial colors, flavors fillers, chemical preservatives or additives, which helps bring the home-cooked flavor to their dinners.

Michael Angelo’s has a wide variety of frozen dinners to choose from with different serving sizes (for single serving, family, and bulk) and flavors to suite even the pickiest palettes. I got to try the 10oz Michael Angelo’s Baked Ziti and Meatballs.

Michael Angelo's Baked Ziti and Meatballs

When you pull the tray out of the box, you can see the different frozen elements of the meal. In this picture, you can see generous amounts of cheese on top, a meatball in the left corner, some fresh herbs (that are actually green) on top, the ziti pasta, and the sauce.

Frozen Michael Angelo's

This is what it looks like after being microwaved.

Michael Angelo's Baked Ziti and Meatballs

After heating up Michael Angelo’s Baked Ziti and Meatballs, my mouth was watering. It smelled absolutely delicious and I could only hope that the actual flavor of the food conveyed as well as the smell. It did. While I won’t go so far as to say it was like eating in Italy, I will say that I would be happy if some of the Italian restaurants I’ve eaten at served me food that tasted this good.

The pasta was cooked perfectly – tender but not too firm (except for one or two pieces that were slightly overcooked – which I think is due to the microwave process). The meatballs were more than just bland balls of beef and seemed to have a subtle blend of herbs infused through each bite. These cooked up slightly tough on the outside with a very tender inside. My only beef with the meatballs (haha!) was that they only gave me 5. I wish I could’ve had more meatballs because they were very tasty. The cheese was smooth and added that little umph to the meal. And finally, the sauce was oh-so-good. You could definitely tell that Michael Angelo’s puts a lot of TLC into making their sauces because it was more than just tomato sauce with oregano. The sauce had tons of flavor with a great infusion of herbs.

If you would like to learn more about Michael Angelo’s please visit their website at www.michaelangelos.com. On the site you can use their store locator to find your nearest store that carries Michael Angelo’s, find recipes that have been submitted by fellow Michael Angelo’s lovers, and their online community – the Family Table. Create an account with The Family Table and you can even get a Buy One, Get One Free coupon by watching videos and answering some (super easy) questions about the videos. The videos are a part of their new ‘From Field to Table’ video series, which offers insight into ingredient sourcing and selection. You can also enter to win the WCatDD Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods Giveaway!

The Prize:

One winner will receive THREE coupons for FREE Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Food’s products.

To Enter:

Make sure you follow the directions carefully. All giveaway entries should use the ENTRY FORM. You only need to fill out the ENTRY FORM once, unless you decide to additional earn extra entries at a later time. You can earn up to 15 entries into the WCatDD Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods Giveaway by doing one, some or all of the following:

Ways to Earn Entries:

Make sure you use this ENTRY FORM for your entries to count!

THIS ENTRY IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OTHER ENTRIES TO BE VALID (+1): Visit www.michaelangelos.com and tell me which product you would like to try the most.
Become a Michael Angelo’s Facebook Fan (+1)
Post this giveaway on your blog (+3)
Tweet about this giveaway using the “retweet” link at the top of this post or by tweeting “Heating up delicious Italian frozen dinners in a flash with the @WCatDD Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods Giveaway! http://bit.ly/ahwgev” (+1)
Subscribe to WCatDD (+1)
Follow WCatDD on Twitter (+1)
Fan our WCatDD Facebook Page (+1)
Follow us on Google Friend Connect (+1)
Follow us using Network Blogs (+1)
Add the WCatDD button to Your Site (+2)
ONE TIME BONUS: Vote for us for the Web’s Top Giveaway Blogs (+2). After voting, don’t forget to comment on this post as well for your chance to win $100 if we win!

The Rules:

One winner will be selected at random for this prize.

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST, February 4, 2010.

Visit our Giveaway Rules page for general giveaway rules that also apply to this giveaway.

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a coupon for a free Michael Angelo’s dinner from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

Posted in Food & Drink, closed giveaway, giveaway, review | View Comments

Cheeseburger Quesadilla Recipe – Mission Tortilla Review

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

My friends tell me I need to eat more red meat, which as been a bit of a struggle for me because I really only ate red meat in hamburgers or steak. Last month, I bought four pounds of ground beef, which I then froze in little plastic containers until I could figure out what on earth I would do with that much beef. I was really excited when I not only received samples of Mission Foods Tortillas but also found an awesome recipe for Cheeseburger Quesadillas!

First, a little bit about the Mission Foods’ Tortillas I received – the 96% Fat Free Heart Healthy Flour Mission Tortillas and the Life Balance Whole Wheat Mission Tortillas.

Mission Tortillas

I’ll admit that before I received these Mission Tortillas, I thought one tortilla was just like any other tortilla. I didn’t realize how healthy tortillas could be and how many ways they could contribute to a healthier diet. For example, both the Life Balance and 96% Fat Free tortillas have 0 trans fat and 0 cholesterol. In addition, the 96% Fat Free Mission Tortillas have omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your heart and the Life Balance Mission Tortillas contain 23 vitamins & minerals and have as much calcium as a glass of milk. That’s way healthier than the white bread I usually eat.

To test out the flavor, I cooked up the Cheeseburger Quesadilla recipe that I found on the Mission Foods website. They were totally awesome! I slightly modified the recipe by using a cheese blend and cutting out the onions, but the resulting meal was still delicious and fulfilling. I thought the flavor of the plain cheeseburger quesadilla was just perfect for me, while my fellow testers enjoyed them with some salsa on the side.

Out of the bag, the Mission Tortillas were fresh and flexible. One of my pet peeves about tortillas is when they’re brittle and flake in the middle when you try to fold them over. This was not the case with the Mission Tortillas, which were able to successfully fold in half and bake up to a perfectly crispy quesadilla shell.I loved that the Heart Healthy tortilla tasted like a normal tortilla – which I wouldn’t always expect from something that’s 96% fat free. It wasn’t too doughy or too thick with “flour flavor.” I haven’t had a chance to try the Whole Wheat Life Balance tortillas yet, but I’m searching for another recipe to cook up for those.

For more information about Mission Foods’ Tortillas, including their Carb Balance and Multi-Grain tortillas, please visit their website at www.missionmenus.com. The website also has a great collection of recipes in their Mission Cookbook. You can also register to receive a coupon for $0.55 off any package of Mission Corn or Flour Tortillas.

Mission Tortilla Cheesburger Quesadilla

Cheeseburger Quesadilla
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 Mission® 8 inch Medium Flour Tortillas
1 pound Ground Beef
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese shredded
1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Red Onions diced
Cooking Spray

Directions:
1. In a skillet, cook the ground beef, adding seasoning salt and pepper, until completely cooked. Drain off the juices and place the beef in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Pour the two cheeses and onions into the bowl with the cooked hamburger meat and thoroughly mix. Place an equal amount of the cheeseburger mixture on each tortilla.
3. Fold each tortilla over to create a “half moon” and press down lightly.
4. Coat the skillet or griddle with cooking spray and warm to a medium heat. Lightly brown each quesadilla for two to three minutes on each side until the cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp.
5. Remove quesadillas from the pan and cut each into 3 wedges. Serve with your favorite cheeseburger fixings like lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.

Recipe courtesy of Mission Foods – www.missionmenus.com.

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive two free bags of Mission Tortillas from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

Posted in Food & Drink, beef recipe, recipe, review | View Comments