Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

       Photo: Cynthia Campbell

                                                              
Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links: From Denny:  Louisiana is fond of food competitions and New Orleans attracts the top chefs who are willing to compete for charity events and industry competition too.  This tasty recipe competed in a New Orleans Wine and Food Experience competition, developed by Pastry Chef Erin Swanson, Restaurant R’evolution, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the 2014 desserts category silver medal winner.  All those lucky tasters were found returning for seconds of this delicious simple cake!...

... To satisfy your foodie curiosity here's what the other medal winners were cooking and the New Orleans restaurants from which they hail are linked so you can go visit and check out their stellar menus: ...
                                                              
Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

Sleep Majesty King Duvet

Sleep Majesty: Restful, blissful, restorative sleep reigns supreme to pump up our attitude to take on a new day!  Easy to coordinate with other patterns!

Check out what other products besides bedding are available in this design.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Also note that I leave up all my designs from year to year so you have the security knowing that you can purchase as your budget permits to coordinate a room.

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All: From Denny:  This sheet pan cake of creamy goodness only requires two cups of fresh blueberries.  First you make a simple syrup of water and sugar, add cornstarch to thicken, then add the blueberries.  Set the blueberry topping aside to cool while you create the crust.

The crust is a yummy combination of finely chopped pecans, butter and flour that you pat into the sheet pan and bake for about 10 to 20 minutes to make your tasty crust.  Set aside to cool.

To make your filling you combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar together and when that is well combined you add in the whipped topping, pouring it into the cooled crust.

After the blueberry topping has cooled then pour over the cream cheese-powdered sugar-whipping topping mixture.  Now set the sheet pan of blueberry goodness into the fridge to chill well.  Serve to screams of total delight!...



Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

Recent related articles:

BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Grilling: Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

BBQ Grilling: Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes

Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat

Summer Food:  Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

Summer Food:  Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

Cooper Name Mug

Shooting star Cooper says, "I'm the man!" What confidence! Who doesn't want to drink coffee every morning with him?  More products available in this name design for your pet or your man! 

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Cream Cheese Pastry Blueberry-Apple Cobbler and Traditional Blueberry Cobbler

     The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND 

                                                                                  
Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Cream Cheese Pastry Blueberry-Apple Cobbler and Traditional Blueberry Cobbler: From Denny:  Blueberries.  The awesome blue food we all love.  So, I went hunting for something interesting in the cobbler department for us this week.  The first recipe is from our local newspaper, a blueberry cobbler made with a cream cheese pastry and a filling that consists of a combination of blueberries, apple and lemon.  A cream cheese pastry always tastes great with a fruit filling, especially blueberries!  It's a simple and straightforward pastry recipe with flour, salt and butter but also with cream cheese and a bit of orange juice added to the pastry to spike up the flavor.

The filling calls for fresh blueberries, an apple and lemon juice and lemon zest.  While this recipe calls for sugar I often substitute brown rice syrup or agave syrup in its place for a lower glycemic index than refined white sugar.  Try it half sugar and half agave as an idea, whatever you like at your house, just try experimenting until you find that sweet spot Goldilocks zone for your taste buds!

The second recipe is a traditional blueberry cobbler made in a 9-inch square baking pan like you do for brownies and is from a local Louisiana blueberry grower.  When a recipe calls for margarine, well, I'm no fan of margarine, so I use clarified butter.  If you don't have the time to make your own clarified butter it's now available in grocery stores as I saw a jar in Trader Joe's just last week.

Also note that I use "Tablespoon" and "teaspoon" as an easier read so you don't get confused by small type - by writing it out instead of an abbreviation and also capitalizing Tablespoon.  There have been those moments when I was busy and scan read a recipe only to make a mistake with too much or too little of an ingredient so I changed all my recipes to reflect what I do here on my food blogs.  The whole point is to enjoy a good food experience!

Oh, and the Denny Lyon Gifts ads are from my Cafe Press store.  The profits go to my two favorite charities:  the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank that feeds half of Louisiana and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital that has helped thousands of children on the Gulf Coast.  After all, should anyone go hungry in America?  Should any parent have to emotionally stress and experience financial ruin because their child got sick?  Thank you to those of you supporting my gift store effort!...

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Cream Cheese Pastry Blueberry-Apple Cobbler and Traditional Blueberry Cobbler

(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

Recent related articles:

BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce

BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

BBQ Grilling: Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

BBQ Grilling: Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes

Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat

Summer Food:  Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

Summer Food:  Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

Louisiana Seafood Reusable Shopping Bag

Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Romancing The Chocolate: Beautiful and Easy: Decadent Chocolate Mousse Pie

Romancing The Chocolate: Beautiful and Easy: Decadent Chocolate Mousse Pie: From Denny: I love searching through the recipe databases of various companies promoting their food products. You never know what gems you will find to inspire you to try something new or tweak a family favorite.

The recipe database at Spice Islands is a real treasure trove of goodies - and I've only started on the dessert section! Color me into the Well Impressed Corner. :)

Related articles

• Romancing The Chocolate: Valentines Day Cookies: Reverse Chocolate Chip (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Chef Recipe: Chocolate Tart with Caramel and Cream (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)

Dennys Food and Recipes: Awesome Holiday Dessert: Baked Pear Parcels With Lemon Chamomile Sauce

Dennys Food and Recipes: Awesome Holiday Dessert: Baked Pear Parcels With Lemon Chamomile Sauce: From Denny: Pears come in season during the Christmas holidays and are plentiful. But have you thought about what to do with them beyond enjoying them fresh or giving as holiday gifts?

Our local newspaper here in Louisiana included some recipes from USA Pears, so, of course, you know I just had to go explore their site. The site is set up to promote the pear growers' product and awareness of the fruit. Since I've been thinking about setting up my own organic orchards I've been visiting a lot of sites like this one.

While their recipe section is not extensive it has some gems like the following recipe well suited for the holiday table when you want something special to wow the family or your guests. If, you are like me, you like to try new recipes or variations on a popular theme - like baked pears. A nice touch is the lemon chamomile sauce that snuggles up to these pears.

Dennys Food and Recipes: Easy and Simple: How To Make The Best Key Lime Pie

Flounder's Key Lime Pie, in Pensacola, Florida, a stacked key lime pie

Dennys Food and Recipes: Easy and Simple: How To Make The Best Key Lime Pie: "From Denny: Making your own key lime pie is so simple - and rewarding! It's definitely one of my favorite desserts, especially in the heat of the summer. The tartness really cools you off. FYI, any tart food cools down your liver, which, in turn, cools off your body in hot weather. So, think apples, limes, grapefruit and blackberries if you want to cool off the healthy way.

Florida is known for their key lime pie and there are fans of it all over the country now. The real secret to making this simple and easy famous pie is to purchase real key limes for the recipe. Key limes are very small, very tart and thin-skinned. When ripe they turn from green to yellow.

Most limes in our American grocery stores are those large beautiful, neon green and thicker-skinned Persian limes. Persian limes are also much less tart so they don't deliver that full flavor to the pie cooks, and tasters alike, desire.

How simple is this pie recipe? Really simple: 100 percent key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and a good graham cracker crust with a little melted butter, brown sugar and chopped nuts. At our house we make the chocolate graham cracker crust while others choose to use traditional pastry crust. It's your preference."

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blue Independence Day Cake

*** Bake an unusual and patriotic attention-getting cake to wow your friends and family this Fourth of July!  Please help support Warriors Pearl Foundation, helping homeless female military veterans come home at Denny Lyon Gifts from Cafe Press.  Come see what's new!




Photo from White Lily Flour


From Denny: We eat with our eyes before we eat with our taste buds. This pretty patriotic cake sure gets your attention! Red, white and blue layers of cake are slathered with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting and decorated with summer fresh blueberries and strawberries.

For a beginner baker - or if you are pressed for time and don't want to fuss with a difficult icing - this easy cake is for you. The cake layers are made from scratch and use buttermilk for great taste and texture, much like using sour cream in a cake or muffin.

When you finish icing the cake and have to wait a few hours before serving, hold off on the fruit garnish. With cakes like this I like to garnish with fruit as I serve the slices. That way you don't have to be concerned about the fruit starting to break down its juices and start to run watery all over your perfect cake and icing, sliding off like some summer park water slide! :)

Have a great Fourth of July weekend and thanks for visiting!

Update, July 2014:  Since this cake recipe published four years ago, many bakers have moved away from manipulated fats (think Crisco and similar offerings).  I prefer unsalted butter as at least you know what is in the product.  No mystery labeling here! :)

Also, many have moved away from the traditional red food coloring offered in the standard grocery store as most were made from crushed beetles (serious yuck! factor), some toxic chemicals, and known to contain carcinogens.  The substitute natural red food coloring that is more palatable as is offered from grocery stores like Whole Foods, Amazon and other online baking sites does not color as deeply but sure tastes better!  

           * * * Listed below are some sources for finding natural food coloring. * * *

So, however you choose to make this patriotic fun cake:  enjoy your efforts and celebrate our country's birthday!

Celebrate America iPhone 5 Case

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  - see what's new!









Independence Day Cake


From: White Lily Flour and The J.M. Smucker Co.

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray (or a Tablespoon of soft butter)
3-1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsps. baking powder
1-1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1-1/4 cups all-vegetable shortening or unsalted butter (2 sticks + 1/2 stick)
5 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbl. red food coloring
1 Tbl. blue food coloring

Sources for all natural gel food dyes and colorings:

AmeriColor @ Amazon
NaturesFlavors (made from red beets)
India Tree @ Amazon (less intense colors producing more pastels and unenthusiastic reviews but at least it's all natural and no toxic chemicals)

Garnish:

Fresh blueberries and strawberries, optional

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting:

2 cups butter, softened
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 (13-oz.) jar marshmallow cream

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat three 8-inch round pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper, cut to fit. Coat paper with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large bowl. Add buttermilk and shortening. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg whites, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat an additional 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

3. Pour ont-third (about 2 cups) of batter into prepared pan. Divide remaining batter into 2 medium bowls. Stir in food coloring to make one red and one blue batter. Pour batter into remaining pans. Tap pans on counter several times to remove air bubbles.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes before removing from pan. Remove cake and cool completely on wire rack.

5. For frosting, beat butter in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until fluffy. Beat in almond extract. Stir in marshmallow cream until well blended.

6. Place blue cake layer on cake plate and generously frost top. Stack white layer and generously frost top. Add red layer, frosting top and sides of entire cake. Garnish with fresh blueberries and strawberries, if desired.

Celebrate America Woven Blanket

*** Check out more recipes: Muffin Monday and Cake Tuesday

*** For more Fourth of July posts see also:

63 Quotes About Freedom and Liberty: Happy Birthday, America!

How Do We Live Freedom and Liberty? Libations Friday - 2 July 2010

Fourth of July When Life is Simple poem - Libations Friday 25 June 2010

Cake Tuesday: Red, White and Blueberry Shortcakes

Dennys Photo Gallery: Fourth of July Watermelon

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  - see what's new!

Subscribe in a reader to Unusual 2 Tasty

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Lighter Than Air Almond Macaroon Cookies

From Denny: When you want something a little sweet but without all the extreme sport calories, often macaroons are just the ticket. My favorites are either coconut, chocolate or almond; there is just nothing like using almond paste in a recipe, awesome!

This recipe comes from a famous institution of a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia: Nikolai's Roof. We had a lot of wonderful times at this restaurant. These cookies are a snap to make and would make lovely gifts for the holidays for friends and family or to serve at your gatherings!

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: These cookies are a fixture on Nikolai's Roof's dessert menu and are a snap to re-create at home. Almond paste can be found in a tube or a can in the baking section of grocery stores. These cookies can also be dropped by teaspoon, but using a piping bag speeds the prep and guarantees perfect circles. Try them out for the holidays.

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 22 minutes
Serves: 50

Ingredients:

8 ounces almond paste
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups 10X confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 egg whites

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix almond paste, both sugars, flour and egg whites until well-blended and smooth. Pipe one-inch rounds onto a paper-lined pan using a plain piping tip fitted in a pastry bag. With damp fingertips, press down any peaks. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pans before removing from paper.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 43 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 1 gram fat, no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often!

4 Funny Posts and 4 Yummy Recipes

Cartoon by Todd Zapoli

Dennys Funny Quotes: 42 Monday Morning Funny Coffee Quotes, Coffee Cartoon

The Social Poets: Roundup of Sunday Funnies: Hillary's Stressed, Obama Dances

Romancing The Chocolate: Funny Chocolate Quote 17 Oct 2009

Recipe: Fun Halloween Oreo Spider Cookies

Todays Funny Chocolate Quote 15 Oct 2009

Recipe: Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake

Comfort Food From Louisiana: 3 Recipes: 3-Step Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs, Sweet Tangy Slaw, Sweet Potato Roasted Garlic Turnovers

Easy Key West Ribs From the Slow Cooker

*** Apologies to anyone who read this post earlier, now corrected.

Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Nirvana Cake

From Denny: While I must admit the title had me curious, I just had to take a look at this delightful recipe over at the Jif site - and then laugh. Someone really knew what they were doing by giving it this title with the idea of dessert nirvana! :)

What are its awesome ingredients? Chocolate pudding, chocolate chips, Devils Food Cake and peanut butter are the winners combined to create dessert nirvana.

You might want to try out this easy recipe as a trial baking run before the holidays begin. After all, we do need to make sure it really is that good, right?! :) And practice makes perfect...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nirvana Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 55 min

Ingredients:

CAKE

• Crisco® Flour No-Stick Spray

• 1 (18.25 oz.) box Pillsbury® Devils Food Cake

• 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil

• 1 1/4 cups water

• 4 large eggs

• 1 (3.9 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding and pie filling mix

• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

FROSTING

• 1/2 cup Pillsbury® Whipped Supreme® Vanilla Frosting

• 1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

• 1/2 cup milk

• Chocolate curls or shavings for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup fluted pan with flour no-stick cooking spray.

2. COMBINE cake mix, oil, water, eggs and pudding mix in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. BAKE 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

4. BEAT frosting, peanut butter, almond extract and milk in medium bowl with electric mixer until well combined. Spoon frosting over cooled cake. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.