Goofy Cake with Walnuts

Normally, I avoid baked goods with nuts. I just don’t care for nuts in desserts anymore. But, when I’m told that it is the best! thing! ever!, I had to try it. I loved it, nuts and all.

I asked for the recipe and I received a piece of paper titled “goofy cake”. I have no idea why it’s called goofy.  When I did a quick google search, I got “goofy” chocolate cake recipes or the actual Disney Goofy character cake instructions.  Finally, I saw one obscure site with a recipe similar to the one below, minus one egg and walnuts.

As I’m not experience enough to know what one egg more or less would do, I decided to follow the family friend recipe.  Of course, typical of a recipe written by people of certain generation, there was a list of ingredients and the very helpful instructions like, mix, whip, bake until done.

Okay, perhaps not quite as bad, but pretty darn close. The directions are not hard, but again, I’m not experienced enough in baking to guess or approximate.

I added a few additional sentences for those of us who are novices.  Also, a little goofy cake goes a long way.  It is very sweet and a one inch square piece is a perfect portion size.

I brought this over to Peanut’s daycare staff.  I also made D, Soso, and a few co-workers sample the cake.  I got two too sweet, two love, one okay.  I wonder if I can put less powder sugar?

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Goofy Cake

Prep time: 15 mins   Cook time: 35 mins

Ingredients

1 stick butter, softened
4 eggs
1 box Duncan Hine’s Yellow Cake Mix with Butter
3/4 box Confectioner’s Sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1.5 cups walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13×9 pan.

With an electric mixer set to medium speed, mix  2 egg and butter until creamy. Add in cake mix until all liquid is absorbed.  Mixture will look like pie-crust dough.  Pour into greased pan, pressing lightly to spread the mixture.

Whip 2 eggs and cream cheese. Add in powder sugar and whip until creamy. Pour over the cake mix. Sprinkle walnuts on top. Bake 30 – 35 mins or until the outer edge starts to brown.

Cut cake into 1 – 1.25 inch squares when thoroughly cooled.

Fish Tacos

*I made the fish tacos and wrote it up weeks ago, before we left for Korea in fact and I never got around to uploading the photo until now.

Up until two years ago, I never knew you could make tacos with fish.  Well, you can and you really should.  Why?  No good reason except that it is yummy and easy and just a new way to eat fish or taco for that matter.

Most fish tacos recipe calls for shredded cabbage, but I never have cabbage on hand and just use shredded lettuce.  This time, I tried to be authentic and bought cabbage.

Here’s the problem with cabbage.  First and most importantly, I didn’t love the cabbage topping with the fish taco.  Neither did D or S.  I’m not sure why it is the topping for fish tacos and not lettuce.  Secondly, now I have almost a whole head of cabbage in my fridge that I don’t know what to do with, that will probably rot and be thrown away.

Almost makes me want to buy a rabbit just so I can feed cabbage to him.  Almost makes me want to start a compost that Soso’s been trying convince me of ever since a school assembly about recycling and reducing waste.  Almost, but not quite.

But I just got a brilliant idea.  I’ll throw the cabbage out the backyard and surely the numerous rabbits and the family of groundhogs will eat it.  Right?

So, all this to say, I’ll stick with shredded lettuce next time.

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Pan-fried Fish Taco

Prep time:  15 mins     Cook time:  10 mins

Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients

Fish Taco Spice Mix
1/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika or chili powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder, optional
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pico de Gallo
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1.5 – 2 pounds cod or tilapia or any firm white fish, cut into 2 – 3 smaller pieces
1 lime
olive oil
8 – 10 hard taco shells or soft tortillas

Directions

First, some prep work. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 teaspoon cumin and rest of the spices.  In a medium bowl, mix tomato, jalapeno pepper, onion, half the cilantro with juice from 1 lime. Salt and pepper to taste.  In a small bowl, mix sour cream, cilantro and cumin.

Prepare tacos or tortillas per instruction. I usually throw the hard shells into a toaster oven and the tortillas into a microwave for about 20 – 30 seconds.

Rinse fish in cold water and pat try. Squeeze juice of the second lime all over the fish. Season fish lightly with spice mix. Set a large fry pan on medium heat and add oil. Add fish to pan and cook on both side until fish is flaky and white. Break up fish into large chunks.

Finally, to assemble the taco, put the shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, fish, and taco shell/tortillas on the table. Let everyone add some fish, top with sour cream, lettuce, and pico de gallo to their taste and enjoy!

Some other optional toppings can include fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage I mentioned, and avocado slices.

Irish Soda Bread

I’ve mentioned my good friend Baker Mom from time to time. She’s a really good baker. I’ve also written about her soda bread a couple of years ago. Well, now I have the recipe! Yay! Except now I feel like I need to make my own instead of relying on her. But, that’s a problem I’ll worry about next year since she’s kindly given me one again this year. I can’t wait to eat it tomorrow for breakfast. Food makes me happy. Check that, good food makes me happy and satisfies my soul.

Anyway, Baker Mom is sharing the recipe with you all as well. Yes, all 4 of you! Take it away Baker Mom!  And a huge thank you for the write up, the lovely photos and the soda bread!!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!

Growing up, St. Patrick’s Day was a big deal in our house. The wearing of the green, corned beef & cabbage, the NYC parade on TV. And, of course, Irish Soda Bread. I think my sisters and I were in our early teens when we started helping my dad out by making the bread. And now, many, many years later, I’m sure between us we’ve made hundreds. There are many different types of soda bread that I’ve come across – some more cake-like, some on the dry side with a lovely crumb. But please – do not get me started on those supermarket soda breads with the white icing. Yuck!!

This soda bread is on the dry side, like a scone. Perfect with a big slab of butter and a cup of tea or coffee. I like lots of raisins so I try to squeeze in as many as possible, but you can adjust to your preference. I also don’t much care for caraway seeds in my soda bread, but many do. Feel free to add in 1 or 2 tablespoons when you add the raisins.

This time of year, there are lots of articles and discussions regarding the history of Irish Soda bread, whether or not it is really considered “Irish” and what the true recipe should contain. Bottom line to me – this is the bread my family has always had and this is the way we’ve always made it, so its part of our family tradition. It just wouldn’t be the same St. Patrick’s Day with out it!!

This recipe is quite easy, so don’t be afraid to give it a go. This recipe makes 2 loaves – perfect for having one for your family and one to share with the blogger who is publishing your recipe!

The ingredients are pretty basic, so you probably have many or most of them in your cupboards already. Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, raisins, butter (I only use unsalted, but if you only have salted, just add a little less salt), 1 egg and buttermilk, both at room temperature. (I only use King Arthur unbleached flour – I find it incredibly consistent and worth the extra pennies.)

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in a large bowl. It’s easiest to cut the butter up into small cubes, then add it to the dry ingredients, cutting it into the flour using a pastry cutter or your hands. You want to really incorporate the butter into the flour until you don’t feel any chunks of butter. I find it easiest to do this with my hands.

Then in another bowl, beat the egg and add it to the buttermilk. Now here comes the messy part! Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and get your hands in there to incorporate. You’ll end up with slightly dry, slightly shaggy looking dough.

Pour in the raisins (I’m using the full 2 cups here) and mix into the dough by folding the dough onto itself until most of the raisins are incorporated.

Note that your dough still looks a little shaggy and not very smooth. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Don’t use too much flour – you only want enough to keep the dough from sticking. I find it easiest to spread a thin layer on my board, and then have some extra in a pile up near the corner. If the dough starts sticking, I slide a small bit from the pile to where it was sticking. That way I don’t add too much more flour to my dough.

You want to knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. You just need to keep folding it over onto itself and pressing it down. Try folding it from the top down and then from the side, and repeat a few times. Raisins will pop out as you go – just stick them back in. After a few minutes, you’ll see your dough has developed a lovely smooth look, almost a little satiny looking.

Cut the dough in half and shape each half into a circle.

Using a small bit of softened butter, lightly coat the surface of the two circles with butter. This helps give a nice coloring to the finished bread. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross into the top of each loaf. Technically, this cut allows the bread to expand as its baking while retaining its basic shape, but we were always told that it helped let the ‘spirits’ escape while it was baking. I like that version much better!

Place each loaf in a pie pan or round cake pan that has been lightly greased.

Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes. The bread should be lightly golden and sound hollow when you thump on the bottom. The bottom should also have a nice dark golden color which may be an easier way to tell it’s done than listening for a hollow sound.

Let the bread cool a bit before slicing. Your kitchen should smell delicious by now, so it will be tough! But it will slice better when it’s a little cool.

And this is what I’ll be having for breakfast all week – black tea and some warmed soda bread with a bit of butter. Yum!

Sláinte!

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Prep Time: 15 mins      Cook Time: 40 – 50 mins

Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 egg, room temperature
1 ¾ cups buttermilk, room temperature
1-2 cups raisins
2 lightly greased cake or pie pans

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add butter and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with fingers.

In another bowl, beat egg. Mix in buttermilk. 

Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture. Stir until well blended. Add raisins and mix.  Knead gently on a lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Divide dough into two pieces. Shape into round loaves and lightly cover with softened butter. Place in pans and press down a bit. Cut cross ~½ inch deep on top of each loaf.

Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes. Bread is done when the top is lightly golden, the bottom is a darker golden color, and the bottom sounds hollow when lightly thumped.

Enjoy!