May 27, 2009

I have to admit it, I have a confession to make.  My name is BigSis, and I’m a baking-from-scratch snob.  If I’m going to go to the trouble to bake something, I think it’s better if it’s made from scratch.  It’s always felt like it’s cheating to use a mix.  It’s not that I think I’m Miss Pastry Chef 2009, and that everything that emerges from my kitchen has a halo above it’s head.  I don’t think that at all.  So I don’t know why I have this snobbery about baking mixes, I just always have.

However, I recently entered a baking contest that required the use of a cookie mix, and I also used a brownie mix in another contest.  And guess what?  They were pretty darn good!  I was pleasantly surprised!  Now I’ve had to reevaluate my prejudice toward scratch baking, and admit that some mixes are worth using, and that there is no shame in using them!  Truth is, (gasp) you sometimes can’t even tell when a mix has been used.  For example, the Kahlua Bundt Cake I made recently used a mix, and so does this Triple Chocolate Cake I made for a co-worker’s birthday last week.

In my opinion, “doing things” to these mixes is the trick.  Add some vanilla, some coffee, some puddin, some licker…you get the idea.  For this cake, I took a tweak from the Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor, and jumped off from there with some changes of my own.  One important note is that the original recipe called for baking the cake 58 to 62 minutes.  When I checked mine at 50 minutes, however, it was already done and I think it might have been done a minute or two before that, so keep an eye on this bugger.

Triple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing
(adapted from Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor)

For the cake:

1 pkg Devil’s Food or Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
1 3.9 oz pkg Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup canola oil
4 extra-large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish if desired (I used the swirled chocolate/white chocolate chips)

For the chocolate icing:

1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dash salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with flour-added non-stick spray, or grease and flour the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for about a minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for 2 or 3 minutes.  The batter will be very thick.  Fold in the chocolate chips, mixing well to evenly distribute them.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth out.  Bake in the preheated oven until the cake begins to pull back from the sides of the pan, and a tester comes out clean, about 48 to 52 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes.  Carefully run a long thin-bladed knife around the perimeter of the cake to loosen it, and invert it onto the rack to continue cooling.  Meanwhile, make the icing.

In a medium-size saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and coffee.  Stirring constantly, bring it to a boil over medium heat, 3 or 4 minutes.  Continue stirring for an additional minute to ensure the sugar is dissolved completely.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla and salt, and then the chocolate chips.  Stir to melt the chips.  Icing should be smooth and shiny.

Pour the warm icing over the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.  Sprinkle additional chocolate chips over the top of the cake if desired.

Happy Birthday, Chocolate Lovers!

This cake was rich, and very very chocolaty!  I’d make it again, and start checking it for doneness around 45 minutes.  The icing is really unusual, and good but pretty sweet.  I think the bittersweet chips were a good choice in it; I absolutely wouldn’t use milk chocolate chips in it.  They’d be way too sweet.  Oh, and don’t worry about a strong coffee flavor in this cake.  I didn’t taste coffee at all actually; the coffee just brought out the rich flavor of the chocolate.  I might also add some cinnamon to the batter next time since I love that coffee-cinnamon-vanilla-chocolate combo.

So would I use another cake mix?  Sure, I would.  But would I rather make a cake from scratch if I had the time?  Oh, yeah!  There’s something so satisfying and fun in that experience.  But if time is short, I think a doctored-up cake mix still shows someone that you cared enough to fire up your oven, heat up your kitchen and get chocolate batter all over your favorite shorts, rather than drive to a bakery!

~BigSis

May 25, 2009

We’ve talked about food and drinks for Memorial Day, but we know those are just minor things in the big scheme of things.  They’re fun things, but they are trivial.  Memorial Day is all about gratitude.

• To all of the men and women who have given their lives in the service of our country, we say thank you.

• To the families and friends of service men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we say thank you.

• To all of the men and women who are defending our country this very day and this very minute all around the world, we say thank you.

• To the loved ones who are living their lives thousands of miles away from their family members who are serving now, we say thank you.

• To all of the veterans who have returned home after serving in the military, we say thank you.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone.  And thank you.  We appreciate you.

~BigSis

May 23, 2009

I can’t believe that Memorial Day is here already, that is; summer is here already.  Wasn’t it just Christmas, for cryin’ out loud?  Seriously, time is going by scary fast and it freaks me out.  The next time I turn around I’m going to be on Social Security, when I still feel like I should be on Spring Break instead.  How does life get by us so quickly?

So.  What I was about to talk about before I wigged out?  Oh yeah, food for Memorial Day.  Alrighty then.  We’re supposed to have rain here the whole DING.  DANG.  WEEKEND.  The whole weekend.  My first reaction was to be hissed off.  We work all week long, and then when the long holiday weekend comes along, we get rain?  3 days of rain?  Seriously?

But then I got a grip on my attitude and decided that I would make the best of the weather, whatever it was.  I can’t control it so there’s no point in getting worked up about it, right?  We still have 3 days off work.  Hallelujah!  So I vow to whine no more this weekend, even if I get mildewed by Tuesday morning.

However, with the weather being so sketchy, I haven’t wanted to commit to any plans that rely on a sunny day so I’m not doing the cookout thing.  That doesn’t mean I can’t think about what I would make for a Memorial Day soiree if I was having one.

Memorial Day is traditionally a burger/hot dog grilling kind of a day.  But maybe some of you are looking for ideas for Monday, and maybe you’re like me and want suggestions that don’t involve eating critters?  Allow me to give you a sample menu that I would make if I were making it.  I’m going with a Mediterranean theme, up until dessert when it’s unapologetically patriotic all the way!  Check out this menu, and enjoy your weekend…soggy or not!  I’m reminded by my conscience that this weekend is about the sacrifices made by our military men and women; NOT about whether I get to sit by the pool or not!

• Olive Garden’s Bruschetta from Todd Wilbur’s “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes” via Cooking with Good Morning America

• Grilled Portabella Mushroom Burgers with Tarragon Mustard Aioli from DIY Network

• Spinach and Orzo Salad from AllRecipes

• Cherry Tomato and Olive Salad from RecipeZaar

• Berry Cheesecake Pie from Taste of Home

• Red White ‘n’ Blue Salad from Taste of Home

Red White 'n' Blue Salad from Taste of Home

~BigSis

May 21, 2009

LilSis is right; neither us watch too much TV.  The few things I do watch are things I really love.  Lost, for example!   And So You Think You Can Dance!  The season starts tonight on Fox!  This show is so awesome.  They audition dancers of all genres, much like American Idol does with singers.  You see incredible dancers of all types compete against each other:  hip hop, lyrical, crumping, ballroom, contemporary, broadway, you name it.  Throw in some of the most fabulous choreographers in the business and the result is unbelievable dancing that you just have to see.  Imagine a break dancer and a Latin dancer competing in a modern dance or country two-step round, for example.  It’s amazing, inspiring and dramatic.

I came to the SYTYCD party late, but now I’m a fervent viewer.  Need a reason to check out the new season?  How about two?  These are some of my favorite performances from last year.

Twitch and Katee – performing what may be my favorite dance of the year!

Chelsea and Mark (recognize her from this season’s Dancing With the Stars?  Guess where she got her big break!)

~BigSis

May 19, 2009

When I got back from vacay, I had finally received the little box of fun Hello Kitty goodies I ordered that came all of the way from Japan!  You might think they would only appeal to an 8 year old, but I love Hello Kitty and these are the most adorable things.  Even the packaging is precious!  The fact that you can’t get these items in the U. S.  just makes them more desirable to me!  I think the appeal of Hello Kitty is that she is so innocent and so girly, and you have to smile a little bit when you use something with a Hello Kitty theme.  That’s my theory at least.

So, here’s what I got.  My items cost $17, and the shipping (albeit slow shipping) all the way from Japan was just $6.55.  It was well worth it to me for all this funness and cuteness!

• Hello Kitty 3D Cookie Cutter ($6.20).  How sweet is this?  Picture a birthday party or baby shower with a bunch of these all lined up!

I can't wait to use these!

• Hello Kitty Boiled Egg Shaper ($6).  Don’t ask me why I want boiled eggs shaped like Hello Kitty.  I just do.

Silly, I know, but irresistible!

• Hello Kitty Mayonnaise Cup and Spoon Set ($4.80 – itty bitty containers for whatever).

No idea what I'll use these for, but it doesn't matter!

Did I need ANY of these things?  Well, no.  But kind of.  Like all of you guys, I need to have some pointless little trivial fun every now and then.  Not a big trip to an exotic beach, not a new expensive handbag, not a new car, not even a massage and a pedicure.  Just a little somethin somethin cute, cheap and fun.  There are lots of other cute things too on J-List, which is where I got all these little jewels.  How about a Hello Kitty pancake shaper, bento box, training chopsticks, seaweed punch set, rice shaper, pudding mold, ice cube tray, or muffin mold? You never know when you might need these things!

If you need a little inexpensive Japanese fun in your world or in your daughter’s or granddaughter’s world, check out J-List.  They have a huge selection of products other than Hello Kitty, but I was only there to get my Kitty fix! Meow!

~BigSis

May 17, 2009

It seems like just last week that LilSis and I had so much good pink fun with our Pink Potatotini.  It’s time already for the next Potato Ho Down, hosted this month by the creator of this fun event, Noble Pig!

When the weather warms up, I think of cool salads and I love a good potato salad.  Our family’s classic potato recipe is really good, but this potato salad with a twist caught my eye in a Williams Sonoma cookbook called “Potatoes”, which isn’t the same one LilSis cooked from this month.  I made a few substitutions to make this a little lower in fat.  Next time, I’ll boost up the amount of basil in the pesto, and add more garlic.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
(adapted from Williams Sonoma’s “Potatoes”)

1 large clove garlic
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained
2 Tblsp fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 to 4 Tblsp hot water

In a small food processor, mix the garlic, tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and olive oil until a thick paste forms.  If needed, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency.

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Potato Salad
(adapted from Williams Sonoma’s “Potatoes”)

2-1/2 lb small red potatoes

For the dressing:

1 7 oz container 2% Greek Yogurt
4 Tblsp sun-dried tomato pesto
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tblsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp mustard
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 Tblsp dill relish or capers
2 Tblsp chives, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the unpeeled potatoes in salted water until just done; don’t overcook.  Drain and let cool slightly. Slip the skins off the potatoes or leave them on, depending on your preference.  Cut the potatoes into large bite size pieces, and salt lightly while warm.  Set aside and make the dressing.

Combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.  Toss with the potatoes and adjust the seasonings.  Potatoes absorb salt, so more salt may be needed.

Refrigerate for an hour or two to blend the flavors.

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Potato Salad

This potato salad was really good!  I’m not one to eat a whole big pile of potatoes of any kind, so I served a small amount of the salad on a bed of baby spinach, with lots of grape tomatoes, a drizzle of low fat balsamic vinaigrette and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. It made for a very delicious, and very summery lunch!  Give this a try for Memorial Day!

~BigSis

May 15, 2009

There’s so much going on in TV-land this week!  American Idol is down to the top two finalists now (sorry, Danny, I didn’t vote), Dancing with the Stars is down to the top three couples, Gray’s Anatomy had their season finale episode last night, and The Biggest Loser wrapped up this week. Those are the big ones I know about and I’m sure there are lots of others.  But do I care about any of these shows?  Nope.  All I care about is one thing…Lost!  Wednesday night’s episode is the last one that I’ll see before the final season starts.  I think I’m mourning it already.  Lost is the one show I faithfully watch without fail.  I’ll watch Idol and enjoy it, but it’s no biggie if I miss it.  Do I miss a minute of Lost?  Oh, hell, no!

So what happened Wednesday night?  What didn’t happen!  These are the notes I scribbled down to talk about with my fellow “Losties”:

• So Jacob met young Kate stealing?  And young Sawyer at his parents’ funeral?  And Sayid when Nadia died?  And Alanna in bandages? And John Locke after he flew out the window?  And Sun and Jin at their wedding?  And Jack at the hospital?  And Hurley outside the prison?   And he was speaking all those languages?  And flying around in time?  What the heck does it MEAN??

• What’s in the guitar case Jacob left in the cab with Hurley?

• How long had Jacob been living at the giant statue?  Why is there only an ankle and a foot left?  How did Jacob get there?  Who was the other guy who wanted to kill him?

• Is Jacob really dead?  How could he let Ben kill him?  Surely he knew it was coming!

• What’s the deal with Jacob being so kind and caring?  Didn’t we think he’d be monster-ish?  He was downright nice!

• Why did the other plane survivors, led by Alanna, turn weird?  Or maybe they were always weird and we’re just now seeing it.  What does it mean that they think Lapidus is a candidate?

• We were all digging the new confident John Locke, right?  But now we have a question.  WHO IS THE NEW LOCKE??  Did the dude looking for a loophole just assume John’s identity?  What??

• Hasn’t Jack changed a TON since getting back to the island?  First, he’s Mr. Philosophical Man…it’s our destiny, the island wants this or that, blabbedy blah.  Second, he’s Mr. Gun-Toting Man.  Have we ever seen him shoot anyone?  I can’t recall it if we have, but he was shooting anything that moved this week, like he’d just channeled Dirty Harry.  And, thirdly, now he’s Mr. Fight Club?  He and Sawyer have definitely been building up to the Mother of All Fights for years, but this was a bloody doozie!  What would have happened if they’d been allowed to fight to the death?

• On a lighter note, what was the point of finding Bernard and Rose playing house in the jungle?  I was kind of hoping we’d seen the last of wimpy Bernard.  But it was nice to see that dear old Vincent was still a survivor.

• Once the nuke had been tossed into the hole, why were these people all standing around the drill site pickin’ their dirty noses??  Wouldn’t you run like heck?  I would.  But that’s just me.

• Ok, as much as I loved this last episode, there’s one thing I’m just not buying, and that’s the whole mind-changing thing going on with the girls.  Juliet is so convinced – by her nemesis Kate, no less – of the wrongness of Jack’s bomb plan that she gives up her last chance to get off the island, while she’s in the ding dang sub, for cryin’ out loud?  But 5 minutes later, she’s changed her mind?  Huh?  And increasingly-annoying Kate is on her self-righteous white horse to stop Jack from making this mortal error, but five minutes later, she’s changed her mind too??  What?  I get it…a woman’s prerogative is to change her mind, but I didn’t buy it this time.  Sorry, it seemed contrived to me.

• So we think we’ve seen the last of Juliet.  Finally!  Whew!  Isn’t it ironic that she’s been so periodically untrustworthy and generally irritating, and now she may actually turn out to be a martyr and secret hero for cussing out the bomb and bashing it with a rock?  That is, if the bomb plan worked…once it blew, did it work?

Those are my thoughts, although I should say those are my questions.  Isn’t that what we love about Lost though?  That as much as we learn, we always have more questions and we can never predict what will happen?  Oh, and there’s one more thing that I love about Lost.

Did you think I could leave Lost til next season without a little more deliciosity to get us through these long, cold, lonely months?  Oh, hell, no!

~BigSis

May 13, 2009

When LilSis mentioned Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred video, I was immediately intrigued. I’ve seen The Biggest Loser a couple of times, so I knew that Jillian was a hard-core trainer. Who wants Jillian to get them shredded? Me! Who wants to see results in 30 days (or 30 workouts)? Me! Who wants to see a change in their body as summer approaches? Me me me!

I have an “all or nothing” personality, so when I decide I want to start a new eating plan, workout or whatever, I want to do it NOW! So I marched myself up to SuperTarget and got the video on sale for $13. If you’re more patient than me, Amazon has 30 Day Shred for $8.99. This video is the #2 biggest seller out of all their Movies and TV category! There are 3 workouts on the DVD, all at around 25 minutes each. Level 1 is the easiest so you start there, and then move up to Level 2 and then Level 3 as your fitness level improves.

I started the DVD right away, and I just finished my fifth workout at Level 1. When I did the workout the first time, I thought it was kind of short and wanted a little longer workout. The next day though, I realized the 25 minutes was plenty long enough. My entire body was sore…I mean: arms, back, pecs, legs, butt, abs…the whole kitten caboodle (however you spell that). I was surprised to be that sore since I do cardio and weights at the gym 5 times a week, and walk outdoors whenever the weather allows. Obviously, this workout hit my muscles in a new way which is a great thing!

This is not a fluffy little dancy DVD! Oh no no no! It’s push-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, tae bo punches, jumping rope, lunges, zercher squats …you get the idea. It’s stuff that a trainer would have you doing in a gym if you paid him or her $180 an hour. All you need is a mat and a set of hand weights. I love the way Jillian combines small muscle movements, like bicep curls, with large muscle movements, like lunges. Jillian is encouraging and motivational, and gives clear instructions about the correct form.

So the million dollar question is, do I see results? Heck, yeah! Woo hoo! After my third or fourth workout, I caught a view of my arm in the mirror and was surprised to see some new definition there! I’m not kidding. My lower “quadrant” feels tighter, thanks to the squats and lunges, and my core feel stronger. I’m going to stay with this workout, and see where it’ll take me. I can’t believe I’m seeing results of this magnitude already. It’s truly amazing. Because of this positive outcome, I’m already trying to persuade my friends to try a similar workout and they all seem up for it, especially my friend that said he’s willing to try it because it gives him an excuse to have a look for some of the best men’s workout shorts on the market. Well, if that persuades him to take part, then so be it. When it comes to myself though, I can’t wait to continue with this workout journey. If I can, I’d like to do 5 more workouts at Level 1, and then move up to Level 2 for 10 workouts, and end with 10 workout at Level 3. That’ll be the 30 workout barometer, and I’ll report back about my progress…if Jillian hasn’t killed me!

If I have one note of caution to add, it’s to be very careful if you’re like me and have bad knees (too many years of step aerobics!). Be sure to strictly use the proper form in every exercise. The side lunges were hurting my knees, so I’ve backed off that exercise a little and substituted a move with less knee stress.

Overall? On a sister scale of 1 to 10, I give this video an 8.5 so far! Oh, and LilSis, thanks for the suggestion of this video. And I apologize for this post…I hope you don’t feel like I’m rubbing your nose in the fact that you’re still in that darn boot and can’t exercise for a while! You’ll be back to your old working-out self soon, don’t worry!

Update: This video is now #1 on Amazon as of May 14th! And Jillian has two other videos in the top 10! I’m tempted to order these two but I’m going to wait until I finish this first 30-workout challenge.

~BigSis

May 11, 2009

This week is National Women’s Health Week, and Monday May 11 is National Women’s Checkup Day. If you want to know more about this important day, check it out at women’shealth.gov.  We know how critical early detection can be when it comes to all kinds of health conditions: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and lots of other conditions.

We all need a reminder every once in a while right?  So consider this a reminder.  Or consider it a kick in the pants, if that’s what it takes to get you into action.  Call your doctor today and make that appointment you’ve been putting off.  Better yet, do it right now before you forget! And then get yourself a treat for being a big girl and doing what you need to for your health!

~BigSis

May 10, 2009

We’re taking the day off to spend time with our family.  Have a wonderful day!  See you tomorrow.

~BigSis