Daily Thoughts

Sunday In Newport

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What a gorgeous day we had today. Began our day at church, where we were so blessed and then headed down to Newport to take in the wonderful sunshine and scout out some new restaurants for when Don and Janece come in from Dallas next month. Randy had had me google seafood restaurants in Newport on the way down and after reading the menu, decided on what we thought would be a great discovery. We headed down there with the directions on our phone and were excited as adventurers could be..we drove into the parking lot but didn’t see any cars. I went back to their web page and then I saw the hours…..Sun 5-10 p.m.   He just looked at me and shook his head…guess I should have looked a little closer, It is now 2 and we are really starting to get hungry. I mentioned that we had driven by a place called 333 several times before which overlooks the water, and suggested that maybe we go there. We were starving by this time and thought to ourselves, even if the food isn’t grand, we are so hungry anything will taste good. So we head down PCH 1 and drive into the parking lot to find it extremely busy, which to us was a good sign. We walk in and they take us to a table for 2…well, actually it was more than just a table, it was one of those tables that you need 6″ spike heels to climb into the chair, but after a few attempts at jumping up, I finally landed on the edge of the seat, not wanting to look conspicuous, just ended up sitting on the edge the whole meal, as I never could scoot back into the chair; BUT it did look out over the water, so we were excited and hungry. We then began to look around and noticed that we were the only ones in there over the age of well, let’s just say that we were probably the only ones in there that had Tums in their pockets and needed the food not to be spicy in order not to upset our tummies, which would interfere with our sleep tonight. But…it was rocking and rolling in there with young ladies which apparently hadn’t realized that it is still cold outside. We saw the shortest skirts and the lowest necklines we had seen in quite a while. Randy remarked that if they were wearing this now, he couldn’t wait till summer. After I glared at him we ordered, as we were too embarrassed to walk out, we didn’t want them to think we weren’t “cool” enough to be in there, so we stayed. Actually, our fish tacos were really good, but by the time we left, we both had headaches from the loud music and all the laughter coming from all the “youngsters” around us. I wonder if their mom’s knew where they were. We watched young men, out canoeing and beautiful yachts coming and going. We both played and texted on our iPhones, so everyone around us would think that we were “hip”. The afternoon gave us some laughs and showed us that, no matter our age, no matter the place, we enjoy new places and new adventures. We feel blessed to be able to have days like today to get out and walk in the sunshine, have eyes that can see and enjoy the beautiful ocean. But…after we stopped for ice cream, we headed home to our little quiet abode to catch up on Wheel of Fortune that we had recorded from Friday night; and to refill our pockets with a few more Tums.

I am leaving for a week but will try to find free wifi spots do I can write updates or new recipes I come across. Have a blessed week, sharing friendships and recipes with someone …..Trudy

Breads

Pesto Bread

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We were up at Big Bear, the weekend before it became the focus of a manhunt for a cop killer which I’m sure you have heard about.

One of the friends up there one night cooked meatball soup and pesto bread. It was wonderful. She made little meatballs and dropped them in a hug pot filled with a tomato broth, with added chicken broth with a package of frozen Italian Mixed veggies. She then whipped up this amazing pesto bread. Very simple, but so good, I could have eaten 3 or 4 slices. She just took ordinary white bread and spread a good brand of pesto over each slice. Then just grated fresh parmesan cheese over this and broiled it until the cheese was melted and slightly browned. Wow, we all were just in heaven, the bread was so simple, but oh so delicious…Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Desserts · Fruit

Houston’s Key Lime Pie

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We hit a home run. Yesterday, I had said on FB that we wanted Houston’s Key Lime pie, which is our top favorite pies in the world and because it was Valentines and I just knew I would earn more points if I was showing my “thriftiness” by trying to make one at home instead of going and buying 2 slices which would cost about $17, I came home and googled “Houston’s Key Lime Pie” and ding dong, there on the page was a recipe that I tried last night and we sat there just in Key Lime Pie heaven…apparently, there is a chef that goes around and calls himself the CopyCat Chef by trying to duplicate different famous recipes from restaurants that people want, but cannot get…so he had one for Houston’s Key Lime Pie…I did tweak it just a little, because I totally believe their crust has cinnamon in it, plus ground up pecans or walnuts, so I did change the crust he had listed…so will give you my version of the crust, because I feel like it is closer to the real thing than what he had…so here it is!

Make your regular graham cracker crust but add 1 teas cinnamon and substitute light brown sugar for the granulated sugar. Because I was at Trader Joe’s I ended up buying their cinnamon graham crackers which are really good and then just had to add the brown sugar and crushed pecans. I made my crust in a food processor which made the crumbs really finely crushed…I also put the pecans in it at the same time plus the brown sugar.  Add the amount of butter the recipe calls for. Put crumbs mixture into a 9″ pie plate and be sure that you have pushed some up the sides of the pie plate also..bake at 350 for about 8-10 min. Cool completely.

For Filling, I used 2 cans Eagle Brand Milk, 2/3 cup lime juice and 6 egg yolks. Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until light and all ingredients are blended well. I think using the food processor and whipping the mixture well, made it so much more light and fluffy than a normal key lime pie you get at restaurants. Pour into pie shell and bake for 15-18 min until the middle feels almost firm to the touch.

Cool completely and frost with the real thing, whipped cream that you have sweetened, but no vanilla. It will tastes just like Houston’s Key Lime Pie.

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Happy Valentines Day

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You are seeing a new look to Chocolate Castles today. Be patient with me, as I am working out the kinks and since I am old, it is taking me longer to do that…hope your Valentines evening is filled with wonderful food, great desserts and sweet new memories. 

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

More Chocolate for Valentines-Chocolate Strawberry Thumbprints

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In my new Food Network Mag for March, it had a whole section called the United States of Chocolate and lists lots of places where you can go for chocolate meals, candy factories across the states or spas where you can have chocolate facials…..so this is now on my bucket lists, to go to every “chocolate Event” before my cholesterol gets to high for me to eat chocolate…before this happens, I will be baking with chocolate at any given opportunity. These are from the Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook and are simply put….DIVINE!

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teas salt

2 oz semisweet chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp (I wonder, if I used salted butter, could I eliminate the 1/4 teas salt) I think I will be daring and try it sometime, but not for Valentines, how awful for me to serve Romeo chocolate cookies tonight and he would look at me and say, “you don’t expect me to eat these, do you, they have no salt”?

1/4 cup plus 6 1/2 teas sugar

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teas vanilla

4 oz room temp cream cheese

2 tables powdered sugar

4 oz strawberries, (about 6 medium, stemmed and finely chopped)

Sift flour, cocoa and salt into a bowl. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth; set aside. ( I nuke the chocolate in 15 sec intervals)

Put butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar into the bowl of a mixer and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy (I think you can guess what you can use as your model on this one)

Mix in yolk, vanilla and chocolate. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate covered for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Put 6 teas granulated sugar into a small bowl. Form dough into 3/4″ balls, roll in sugar to coat. Space 1″ apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Press center of each ball with your thumb. Bake 10 min. Press centers again with end of a wooden spoon, making 3/4″ indentations. Bake until sightly cracked and set, about 5 more minutes more.

Cool completely on racks. (Unfilled cookies can be stored in airtight containers for up to 3 days at room temp or frozen up to 1 month)

Stir cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl. Toss berries with remaining 1/2 teas granulated sugar in another bowl.

Spoon cream cheese mixture into centers of cookies; top with berries, dividing evenly.

Place on a red valentine doily and Happy Valentines Day to all of YOU!!!!

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Chocolate Strawberry Eclair Fantasy

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This amazing recipe came in on Fri on Just A Pinch Post and I just had to pass it on. It is just like a huge eclair filled with yummy strawberries and chocolate. What a way to begin Valentines Week…..
3/4 c water
6 Tbsp butter 

get recipes @ goboldwithbutter.com

3/4 cup all -purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt
3 lg eggs
1 1/2 c(9 oz.) semi-sweet # chocolate morsels, divided
3 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1 pkg(8 oz.) neufchâtel (light cream cheese), softened (I just used regular cream cheese)
1/2 c powdered sugar
15 lg strawberries, hulled and tops trimmed level
1/3 c seedless raspberry jam
1 3/4 c frozen whipped topping, thawed
 powdered sugar
Directions
1

 PREHEAT oven to 450° F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. FOR ÉCLAIR SHELL:
Heat water and butter to a boil in small saucepan. Stir in flour and salt.

 
2

 Reduce heat to low; stir vigorously for 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes.

 
3

 Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until smooth. Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pie plate.

 
4

 Bake for 15 minutes or until sides puff up. Reduce heat to 350° F.; bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Press center down when cool.

 
5

 FOR FILLING:
Place 1¼ cups morsels and milk in medium, uncovered microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Do not overheat. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of éclair shell. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

 
6

 Beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Arrange strawberries on cheese layer with pointed sides up.

 
7

 Microwave jam in small, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; stir. Brush jam over strawberries and drizzle between strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

 
8

 Pipe or dollop whipped topping between strawberries and éclair shell edge. Place remaining morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut small hole in corner of bag. Squeeze to drizzle over strawberries. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

   
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Bobby Flays Peanut Butter Cream-FIlled Cupcakes* Taken from Food Network Magazine

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Another great chocolate recipe for Valentines Month. I am hoping that this will be the recipe that will “convince” my sweet Valentine to let me order the matching His and Her’s iPhone covers that have I (half of a heart) on his and (half of a heart) You, so when they sit side by side,the cover’s make a whole heart. Today when I called my little Cupid to tell him what I had just seen on the Today show and could I order them…..well, I’m sure he really wants me to order them, but maybe he pretended that he didn’t want them because he has already ordered them…oh my gosh, I bet that’s it! After I bake these little cupcakes, he will even let me order the Valentine pillow cases that was also being shown for His and Her’s Valentines gifts. Will keep you posted.

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas baking powder

1/2 teas salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tables

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teas vanilla

1/2 cup hot strong coffee

Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Ganache:

4 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 325. Line one 12 cup and 1 (6 cup) muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

Make the cupcakes by sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together three times. Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer at high speed for 15 seconds until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy. About 6 more minutes. With mixer at it’s lowest speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla, then another 1/3 flour mixture. Beat in the coffee and then the remaining flour mixture. Fill the muffin cups 1/2 full and bake for 25 min, or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Set the pans on a rack to cool.

Make the peanut butter filling. Beat the butter and peanut butter with a mixer on medium until blended. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in powdered sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat 3-5 min, until smooth and fluffy. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. Insert the tip into the top of each cooled cupcake and squeeze approximately 1 1/2 tables filling into each cupcake.

Make the ganache by placing the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until scalding. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit 1 min. Whisk until smooth. Let sit 10 min until thick but still pourable. Dunk the tops of the cupcakes into the frosting to coat, then place on a rack and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Cool completely to serve. 

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Paula Deen’s Frozen Chocolate Mousse Pie

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When I received my Food Network magazine with a whole section of chocolate deserts, I knew I would be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, trying each one. This one came up a real winner. Thank you Paula for showing us another new recipe that will add to our collection of desserts that we will have in our recipe boxes and our hearts for years to come. 

1 sheet refrigerated pie crust dough *(I like to use the oreo crumb pie crust shell)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tables chocolate cream liqueur (or use 2 teas almond extract or vanilla extract)*(if you use the extract instead of the liqueur, you don’t have to add the 1 teas vanilla that is called for in her recipe, but if you use the liqueur, add 1 teas vanilla)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 quart heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 if using regular pie dough crust. (If you use the cookie crumb prepared Oreo crust, you can skip this step). Line a 9″ pie plate with the pie crust dough; crimp the edges as desired. Prick holes in the bottom of the pie shell. Bake in oven 11 min or until golden brown; let cool.

Combine chocolate chips, milk and chocolate liqueur in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring until smooth, about 1 min. (If using extract instead of liqueur, do not add yet, as extract should be added in after cooking the chocolate and milk. Mix in extracts and let the chocolate sauce cool.

Combine the powdered sugar and heavy cream in a mixing bowl that is free of any grease. Whip with a mixer to make the whipped cream. Gently fold about 1 cup of the whipping cream into the cooled chocolate sauce. Gently fold the remaining whipping cream in two to three batches. Pour the mousse mixture into the pie shell. Add chocolate chips to the top of the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze a few hours or overnight. 

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A Month of Chocolate

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Several days ago, I mentioned that every recipe I posted this month would have chocolate as the main ingredient. We were out of town since Friday, so today is the first chocolate recipe to post….and it is a real doozie. in the 70’s and 80’s our family would go to a restaurant named Gallaghers in Corpus that was known for its German Chocolate Pie. My sister-in-law and I were just crazy about it and when the place closed down, we went crazy thinking that we would never get this pie ever again. So we put our heads together and came up with what we feel tastes just like the one we always loved at Gallaghers. The other day, I pulled out my little spiral notebook from the 70’s and there it was. In my own handwriting that I had not seen in years, so I made it and it is still just as gooey and delicious as I remembered. I truly don’t know why it has been so long since I have made this great pie. Top it will homemade whipping cream and you have a great way to begin this Valentine month. In fact, this morning, I was thinking, I think I will put the pie crust in my little heart shaped pans and make individual pies to serve. If you do this, just fill little individual pie shells about 1/2 way full and you will fall in love with this great dessert. Very easy. A lady that had a piece the other night when I took it to an event, came up to me and told me that this was just an amazing pie and could she have the recipe. So, give it a try and see what you think….

1 bar of German Chocolate, divided into big chunks (melts easier with the butter)

1/4 cup of butter

1 can eagle brand milk (sweetened condensed milk)

1/2 cup hot water

2 eggs, beaten

1 teas vanilla

1/8 teas salt

1 1/4 cups pecans (optional) I don’t use them, but Gallaghers had them in the pie

Combine butter and chopped chocolate and melt in microwave for 1 min. Stir after the minute until chocolate is completely melted. If you need to, put it in again for 15 seconds and stir until all chocolate is melted.

Stir in Eagle Brand milk, hot water and beaten eggs. Mix well, by hand until all is combined.*If using the nuts, combine at this step before pouring into pie shell.

Pour into chocolate crumb pie shell. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. When center of pie is almost firm to the touch, pie is done. Cool completely and top with whipping cream to serve. Store in fridge, if you don’t eat it all. 

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Valentines Day Prep

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It has begun. The days before Valentines Day when I search out little “wifey” things that I should have been doing all year long, but I just didn’t want to. But knowing that Valentines day will be here in 16 days, I am frantically looking around to see what things will earn me really nice presents. Today, I noticed him searching through his little box of collar stays, so in the sweetest tone I could muster up at 7:00 a.m. I said, “honey, I notice that you are getting frustrated at not finding the right sizes of collar stays that you need, how about if I go through them today, between organizing your sock drawer and washing your brush and comb, and then stack the stays according to their sizes”? You should have seen the look he flashed my way. You would have thought that I never did anything for him, although I have to admit that it has been several months, wait…make that this time last year, since I have organized anything for him. But tonight when he comes home, he will see clear plastic bags marked, “short fat” (no I didn’t use my body size to compare), short skinny, (wait, yes, I did), long skinny and long fat……I cannot wait to see the shock on his face. Surely that will at least get me some pink tulips and maybe even Ethel M Chocolates.

Tomorrow, I am going to clean out and arrange all his shoe polish drawer and sew on the missing buttons that he had asked me about doing, months ago. I try to wait close to a holiday to do these little honey do’s because it assures me that great little presents await me on holiday mornings. This is my own way of getting presents without having to remind him that there are so many days left to shop. I wonder when he will start to notice that I only do the things that I don’t like to do, close to gift giving holidays? 

Yesterday I even made tapioca, which I really don’t like, but anything for my little poopsie.

Tomorrow, yellow cake with chocolate frosting will be a most fitting end to his favorite meal, chicken fried steak. He knows that I really don’t like yellow cake with chocolate frosting, so this will most assuredly get me a great Valentines card. I am closing now to go arrange his ties by colors…..this year should be the best year of gifts, ever! Will keep you posted.