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Get the handcuffs: Best grilled cheese, from the 80′s

17 Nov

Do you remember the original Sandwich Press that came out in the 80′s?

It may have looked like this:

Or possibly:

Product Image

Okay. So now that you remember it, did you ever have one? I wanted one SO BAD when I was growing up. But obviuosly my parents had NO VISION, and chose to spend their hard earned cash on other, less necessary things like bills, food, insurance, blah, blah, blah! (parents just don’t understand!)

The other night, Paul and I were having dinner at Luke’s place (Paul’s best friend). Luke lives in a great condo in Belltown (a part of downtown Seattle for those of you that don’t live around these parts).

I was searching through the kitchen drawers for a spatula or something, when I came upon the most beautiful sight: An original Corningware Sandwich Maker from the 1980′s.  When I asked him how he liked it, he said “uh, I’ve never used that.” I asked “WHAT?!” in shock and horror that this precious relic was sitting there gathering dust.

He then said, “yeah, you can have that.” So, I packed it up, took it home, cleaned it off, and what you are about to witness is my first set of fabulous sandwiches in my new favorite kitchen gadget.

Enjoy kids.

and then:

Get the handcuffs: Macrina Bakery’s Upside Down Ginger Pear cake

19 Oct

I am going to make this sometime this week. Sometimes (like right now in Seattle), even though the leaves are absolutely beautiful, it’s cold, rainy and generally nasty out. You would much rather bundle up inside, put on a rerun of SATC (or insert football game here for my male readers) and make something delicious.

I got my Macrina Bakery newsletter in my email today, and wanted to share their yummy sounding and looking recipe with you. I’ll share my results later this week (tips, tricks, substitutions and pictures).

Enjoy! -Siiri

Macrina Bakery Upside Down Ginger Pear cake

Fall is a fantastic time of year for some amazing desserts. Our Ginger Pear Upside Down Cake has often made an appearance on our Thanksgiving and Christmas menus. Topping with caramelized fruit, this cake is spectacular. We call for pears in this recipe, but you can substitute ripe plums, nectarines or apples. I recommend serving this cake warm, with whipped cream. It is pictured here with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
 
Makes one 9″ cake
 
Topping:
  3 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
  1/2 cup light brown sugar
  1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
  4 to 5 ripe pears – peeled, cored and quartered lengthwise
 
Batter:
  8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  3/4 cup light brown sugar
  2 Tbsp grated ginger
  3 each eggs
  2/3 cup molasses
  3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
  1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  1-1/2 tsp baking soda
  1/2 tsp salt
  1-1/2 cups buttermilk
 
 
Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a 10-inch circle of parchment paper.
 
Preparing the topping:
  
In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Melt the butter over medium heat for about 1 minute, and then pour into the springform pan, completely coating the parchment paper. Place the quartered pear on top of the butter and sugar mixture, lining the pieces up tightly so that none of the pan’s bottom shows through. I like to fan the slices into a decorative circle. Set pan in center of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
 
Preparing the batter:
  
Cut butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of a stand mixture. Add brown sugar and using the paddle attachment, cream the mixture on medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes. Butter will become smooth and pale in color. Add the grated ginger and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Switch to low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. After the last egg has been added, slowly pour in molasses and continue mixing until fully distributed. The mixture will look like it’s breaking up but will come together after the dry ingredients are added. Remove bowl from stand mixer.
  
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate medium bowl. Toss together with your hands.
  
Alternately add small amounts of the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, mixing with a rubber spatula just until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Take care not to over mix the batter. Pour batter into the pear-lined springform pan, filling it to just below the top. If necessary, use a rubber spatula to smooth out the surface.
  
Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the center rack of the oven and bake for just under two hours or until golden brown. Test center with a skewer. It will come out clean when the cake is finished. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cover the springform pan with an upside down serving plate, and then carefully turn them over. Release the sides of the pan and lift. Gently lift the pan’s base off the cake and peel away from the parchment paper.

If you like this recipe and would like to be on their newsletter mailing list (FREE), go here! http://macrinabakery.com/index.html

Get the hand cuffs: Pumpkin bread/cake

13 Oct

Sometimes in life, something comes along that changes you, truly shakes you to the core.  You can mark chapters in your life by this thing, you remember where you were the first time you saw this thing, and you spend the rest of your life telling everyone you know about this thing – even when the conversation is totally not applicable.

The pumpkin bread/cake I make is one of those things. In fact, it’s “get out the hand cuffs” good, as in, I need to be arrested for making something so delicious and nutritious.  And everyone else needs hand cuffs to stop themselves from eating too much, too quickly.

Brace yourself. If you don’t like to cook with recipes, I totally feel you on this. It’s a very forgiving recipe, but if you can’t bring yourself to bake it, I’ll understand, honest.

For those that feel the need to introduce themselves to a new vice, proceed.

I give you, Pumpkin Bread/Cake (clever name, I know, I know).

Pumpkin Bread/Cake

Pumpkin Bread/Cake

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

4:29 PM

Bread/Cake:

1c. Nonfat, plain yogurt

2 & 3/4c. Sugar

3 Eggs

2-2 & 1/2c. Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin)

3 & 1/2c. Flour (I used gluten free rice flour, it worked like a charm, but any flour will do)

1/2tsp. Baking Soda

1tsp. Cloves

1tsp. Nutmeg

1tsp. All spice

1tsp. Cinnamon

1tsp. Salt

 

Frosting:

8oz. Cream cheese (regular, not nonfat)

1tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2c. Powdered Sugar (add more as needed, after first 1/2c. Is incorporated)

1Tbsp. Butter

 

Directions:

  1. Cream butter and sugar together (can be done by hand, but if with mixer, on medium high for 4 minutes.)
  2. Add eggs
  3. Add pumpkin
  4. Add dry ingredients in 3-4 batches (which you combined first in another bowl)
  5. Grease two baking pans (I used 8×8″ square cake pans, great size, you can also use 2 rounds of 9″, 2 loaf pans of 8.5″ x 4″, or muffin tins, but I wouldn’t use muffin tins…)
  6. Evenly pour batter into pans, and use spoon or rubber spatula to evenly distribute to the corners.
  7. Bake @ 325 for 50 minutes. Check with a toothpick.

 

While it’s baking, mix up your frosting:

  1. Mix room temperature cream cheese and butter till incorporated
  2. Add powdered sugar
  3. Add vanilla
  4. Leave at room temperature to spread on bread/cake
  5. Let bread/cake come to room temperature, preferably overnight before frosting
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