What's for Dinner

My Thanksgiving.

2009-11-26T17:23:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING 2009Well the wife and I are home for Thanksgiving. Not going anywhere and not having any company, we did not want to have to deal with alot of fuss.So a trip to the store:1 lb Bacon2 potatoes1 small jar minced garlic1 pork loin1 red onion1 can crushed pineapple1 can cranberry sauce with whole berries1 bag shredded cheese1 can collard greens2 cans mandarin orangesI marinated the pork

Turkey Day Chocolate

2009-11-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

So I was wandering around in a Micheal's and kinda got sad about not being a pastry cook anymore, so I went home and started baking. I had some left over "good" chocolate so ganache was made. That led to a Devil's food cake. Just had to pick up some blackberry jam for part of the filling.Cake:I kinda cheated with the actual cake and used to box cakes (duncan hines, I think). The two fit into

Sausage Biscuit with Egg – The Delicious Daily 11.22.2009

2009-11-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

Sausage Biscuit with Egg – The Delicious Daily 11.22.2009: "Homemade sausageBrunch of champions."

Minty Sweet: Peppermint Whoopie Pies by Kitchen Witch

2009-11-22T16:10:00.000-08:00

Minty Sweet: Peppermint Whoopie Pies by Kitchen Witch: "When I unexpectedly found myself with a $25 gift certificate for RegionalBest.com (thanks Keren!), I immediately set myself to the task of buying the most delicious-looking thing that cost closest to $25 including shipping. The result? A half-dozen peppermint Whoopie Pies from Kitchen Witch, a holiday take on the Amish / New England classic.

Kugelhopf

2009-02-05T20:41:00.001-08:00

---begin-tinykitchen---Title: KugelhopfSpongeMilk, yeast, and bread flourto 2x sizeCakeCream butter and sugar and salt (paddle)add eggsDough hookAdd flourmixadd raisinsPan buttered almonds on sidesbowl, spray, wrap, ferment2xflour surface, punch slightlyshape in to long log shapeinto angel food pan (buttered etc)Proof 2xbake 375 degreesout of pan coolpowder sugar coat---end-tinykitchen---

Orange Cake

2009-02-02T16:58:00.001-08:00

---begin-tinykitchen---Title: Orange CakeTakes a long time to cook will look done but is not,Ingredients:1 cup butter1.5 cups sugar4 each eggs, separated2-4 each oranges, zested3 cups all purpuse flour, sifted1 tablespoon baking powder, sifted.5 teaspoon baking soda, sifted.5 teaspoon salt, sifted1 cup orange juiceDirections:Cream butter, sugar, zest, salt til greasy (creamed well)sift dry

Le Weekend, poundcake

2009-02-01T16:59:00.001-08:00

---begin-tinykitchen---Title: Le WeekendIngredients: * 3 ounces butter * 7 ounces sugar * 3 each lemon zest * 3 each eggs * 2 each yolks * .5 cup sour cream * 5 ounces ap flour * 1 tsp baking powder * 1 ounce cornstarch * 3 tbs. rumDirections:butter, sugar, lemon zest creamed heavily, scrapeadd eggs slowly incorporate, scrape down each timeadd sour

Chocolate Caramels

2009-01-29T20:52:00.001-08:00

---begin-tinykitchen---title: Chocolate CaramelsIngredients: * 370 grams sugar * 500 grams heavy cream * 350 grams glucose * 24 grams butter * 50 grams honey * 50 grams dark chocolate , can be express, orange, etcDirections:Cream, sugar, glucose, honey cooked to 248 degreesoff heatadd chocolate and butterpan, spray paper spraypour into a quarter sheet pan, coolShould be firm but

Baguette dough

2009-01-29T20:35:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:21.25 ounces bread flour16 ounces water, warmed.5 ounce yeast, fresh.4 ounce salt1.5 ounces wheat germDirections:water, yeastflourgermsaltmix around 7 minutesbowl, spray , dough, coverfermentpunchscale 16oz (2)shaperestshaperestin pan proof

Why?

2009-01-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

Why is there no photo support in iBlogger iPod app???[Posted with iBlogger from my iPod touch]

Gingerbread season went well

2009-01-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well Xmas has come and gone. Our gingerbread village went very well and had very few structural problems. New Mexico weather tends to dry out the royal icing fast but we just had daily inspection to keep the houses up and looking good.

Green Man Finished.

2008-09-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well My Green Man Chocolate Display piece is finished.It took alot of my time and is now sitting in the display window for the resort store. Hopefully the general manager will not give it the thumbs down, he is picky and weird.This is a view of the side, had to be double sided to go in the window.This side is my favorite of the two.

Started to Build

2008-09-24T17:52:00.001-07:00

I have stepped up the building of my chocolate piece. Today I got the headpiece mounted and some leaves molded and attached. I also got the headpiece's coloring much more blended and fixed.side 1side 2I plan on adding some(probably) Royal Icing leaves to the brown vines, small ones. and something on the base for coverage...not sure. Maybe some extra sugar spikes and pieces sticking out, maybe

Almost Ready for the Showcase Window

2008-09-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ok so I have begun to assemble my Chocolate Piece, slowly but surely. Mostly white chocolate with milk chocolate modeling chocolate vines. I am going for a forest/fall theme, hence the tree-like appearance.The base will be covered with these white chocolate curved vine-y (hard to explain) things. Also there will be molded leaves around the head piece (see below), along with small green leaves

Plated Dessert

2008-09-10T15:21:00.001-07:00

Frangipan with Strawberry and Strawberry Sauce and Almonds, Peach Soup, Dark Choco Ganache Brownie with Choco Sauce and Passion Fruit Sauce

A Normal Day

2008-09-09T11:00:00.001-07:00

A Dessert for on of our restaurants.A Dessert for a Banquet, you can see they loop around the table.Small party plate up, Frangipan Tart with Brandied Caramel Pineapple and Papaya and pineapple compote with a Brix garnish and Fried Basil, with Vanilla simple syrup.I had a rough day and then I had to come up with this on the fly.

Random thoughts and a mess of mama's BBQ

2008-08-28T18:06:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about the entry into next years Chocolate Fantasy. I have been combing the property for styles and ideas and I think I have hit upon one. Not going into it but I think it should work. May include a plant like theme but then I don't know the actual theme to Choc. Fant. yet so that hinders me.We need to revamp the truffles at work, the flavors are getting dull. Also need

Busy Breakfast

2008-08-27T16:11:00.001-07:00

Well the end of summer is bringing the upswing in business. Mornings are getting busier and parties are getting bigger. Above is just half of the pastries for a large party, restaurants and such at work.I am still waiting for my coworker to email me photos of my plated desserts, hopefully she will get around to it soon. To avoid this problem I have taken a camera to work and stashed it in my

BBQ Song for the Southern United States

2008-08-19T16:50:00.001-07:00

I was searching around and found this awesome BBQ video on Trailer Trash BBq.Enjoy

First Professional Dessert Plate UP

2008-08-17T19:16:00.001-07:00

Well several days ago I was told to plan a dessert for our high end restaurant, there was going to be a party of 16. So did the research and some thinking and this is what I came up with....pictures to come soon I hope.A Pistachio Buttermilk Tart with Red Plumes simmered in Chardonnay with a Pistachio Nougatine garnish.

Sorry Mom the secret is out!

2008-08-14T19:58:00.001-07:00

Some great cookies.

Edible Flowers and other Whimzies

2008-08-14T19:14:00.001-07:00

So what does one do with Marzipan flowers? Eat them? Freeze them? Not sure.I am trying to get a Buttermilk Tart recipe to function at work but all our pre made tart shells keep bursting or are too soft after baking. I am going to have to use some sugar dough and make my own shells. Going to have the Buttermilk tart with a sugar dough shell, nougatine garnish with White wine simmered peaches.

Mother's Day Dessert Buffet 2

2008-05-12T08:20:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day Dessert Buffet 2Originally uploaded by shovelmonkey1Second Aframe on Dessert Buffet....Fondant Native Story tellers in middle shelf

Mother's Day Dessert Buffet 2008

2008-05-12T08:17:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day Dessert Buffet 1Originally uploaded by shovelmonkey1Our Mother's Days setup...Chocolate fountain on the left, holds 11+ pounds of chocolate

Challah 2007

2008-02-14T15:59:00.001-08:00

Challah 2007 Originally uploaded by shovelmonkey1 Challah bread with dried red chiles

Colleen's 28th bday cake

2008-02-14T15:58:00.001-08:00

Colleen's28thbdaycake Originally uploaded by shovelmonkey1 French vanilla cake with bottom layer of brownie, with lemon lime chantilly creme and rum soaked cherries and pineapple iced in italian meringue