Zucchini Madness

My mom did a lot of renovation on her garden while I was away at college, mostly so it's smaller and she can actually take care of it. This summer her garden has grown gargantuan zucchinis. Seriously, they fill up the window sill above the kitchen sink. We have had piles of these zucchini sitting in the garden and in the window awaiting us to figure out what to do with them. Of course, that means zucchini bread is in order - especially after I found Cooking Light's "Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Quick Bread".

The recipe description says "the citrus-y glaze makes it special enough for dessert" and let me tell you there is no lie there. I have baked over 4 loaves (I've sort of lost track at this point) of this and it is devoured a little over 24 hours later. My mother brought one into work and they called it cake and kept coming back for more. One woman even dreamed of it and wanted to break into work to take the leftovers. And, I mean, just look at it:

All that should attest for the sweet, moist, delicious bread that I'm about to pass onto you.

Ingredients Include:

• 2 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (I say whole wheat rather than their all-purpose, better for you and extra delicious)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil (or canola)
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
• 1 large egg
• Cooking Spray
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Begin by shredding the zucchini if you haven't yet, this takes the longest unless you're actually grating lemon rind by hand (oh god, the tediousness), so make sure you have those two things done and ready to make the whole process less painful. My mixer had a great shredding attachment where I just pushed the zucchini through and it popped into the bowl all shredded - this is helpful.

Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Get a large bowl and add the whole wheat flour. Combine with next six ingredients (aka granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg) and once combined make a well in the center of the mixture.

In another, probably smaller bowl, combine the 2 cups zucchini, milk, oil, lemon rind, and egg. Get that all mixed up nicely so you have a moist mixture and add it to the dry flour mixture. Stir it all up until all of the flour mixture is moist. It'll look like a nice brown and green mixture and should taste really yummy - I end up licking the bowl just like I do with brownie or cake mix. Grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with the cooking spray (be sure to get the sides!) and bake at 350 for around 50 minutes. Long time, right? I usually set my timer for around 45 minutes and check up on it. If you double the recipe to make two loaves (which we did with our giant zucchini) it'll take longer, but 45 is a good time to check up on it. Using a toothpick to make sure the center is set and it comes out clean is the best way to really know.

Then be sure to cool the loaf in the pan for a few minutes (5-10 preferably). Then remove the loaf from the pan. It'll be a lot easier if you stick a butter knife all around the edges of the pan to make sure it's not sticking. Then flip onto a wire rack and cool completely. And I mean completely. I didn't let mine cool 100% and the glaze drooped a little more than it should have on the warm loaf. Be patient, it'll be worth it.

Once it's cool you can make your lemon glaze! Be sure to sift the powdered sugar, because that makes all the difference. If you want it a little less sweet or less glaze you can cut down on the amounts - I did that for later batches to cut back on calories. Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice, whisk, and drizzle all over the loaf. I was happy with the cracks in the top of my loaf, because it let the glaze seep into it and create a cool look. Then you have your beautiful zucchini bread to enjoy, share, and feel good about. I mean, it's only 190 calories for a slice and has 3 grams of protein. So don't feel bad about having a sweet zucchini dessert.

- Mollie

Guilty for Gigi's

Although Chicago is my home and probably one of the greatest food factories in the Midwest, I have been traveling about for a little over a month. This means, there's a plethora of other foods I've tried and baked in other cities, homes, states, etc. That doesn't mean I'm not going to share them with you though, oh no, especially when it comes to Gigi's Cupcakes.

My trip to Georgia was a long 11 hour car ride to a place where, in reference, there was mostly banjo music and beer discussed. Both are not ideal for a girl like me. Yet when my boyfriend and I had settled a bit into his apartment and decided to venture out into Athens to discover what it had to offer, I found out it wasn't quite the stereotype we had heard. Of course it wasn't Chicago, but not banjo music on the corner either. In fact, I knew I was okay when we found a Starbucks, Ben and Jerry's, Five Guys, and a cupcake shop all within walking distance of each other. I salivated a little, then texted one of my favorite baking partners, Ashley, about this new little cupcake store I had discovered named Gigi's. Of course, she's not new to the south (or cupcakes!) and told me they were wonderful, so I knew I had to try it out.

My last day in Athens, Georgia just before I waited at the bus station for my 21 hour bus ride, we got dessert at Gigi's. I was impressed alone by the cute counter tops with high stools to sit at, rack of t-shirts and Gigi gear, as well as the colorful array of cupcakes that sat beneath the glass. The thing I first noticed: "HOLY FROSTING!" GiGi does not skimp out, but instead uses the frosting very decoratively to create a tower of swirl that stands beautiful and doesn't look like you could destroy it. Of course, this made me a little skeptical to the countless complaints I hear from other foodies about the cake to frosting ratio, but I wouldn't turn down a cute cupcake due to that.

My boyfriend and I split a White Midnight Magic Cupcake. Beautiful name, although I had trouble remembering when I had to order and did a back bend to reread the sign beside it, but got me giggly as the kind, hard working girl got it out for us.The magic is the great combination of dark chocolate and cream cheese that still is light and fluffy. Dark chocolate cake and dark chocolate chips make me excited on it's own, but their frosting was extremely interesting. In fact, so interesting I probably annoyed my boyfriend. I was so determined that it couldn't be cream cheese frosting (this was before we looked it up) due to the fluffy and almost sugar granule texture that made it up. My boyfriend said it was like a marshmallow Peep and I agreed excitedly. He hit it on the nose. A Peep. That same fluffy, sugary, treat that I adored so much, yet lightly topping a cupcake. It also wasn't as thick since it had that dark chocolate mixing so well with it.

So not only does Gigi have this beautiful selection, but as we watched a large crowd fill in and out of the small store, we realized a menu full of cupcakes showed the variety of selections they offer. With a rotating schedule, but orders available for all their varieties, it was no wonder the crowd that flowed in and out of Gigi's. Everything from college girls in their sweats, families, nurses, mothers, to men came in to get a cupcake and enjoy it then or picked up boxes full of the great treats. I had to snoop online and found you can meet the cupcakes, which is probably the cutest phrase a cupcake company could come up with. Just a taste of their variety includes: S'mores, Banana Split, Lemon Ice Box, Kentucky Bourbon Pie, Merry Margarita, Wedding Cake, Texas Milk Chocolate, Birthday Surprise, Hunka Chunka Banana Love, and Champagne. There are even daily specials such as the Cherry Cordial we saw.

Not only was the small cupcake store just what I needed to feel comfortable in Athens, but they're quite the chain; locations range from Alabama, Texas, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Nevada, Missouri, North Carolina, to Colorado. This is not just some itty bitty cupcake store, like I had thought. Yet, the cutest part? The hometown feel. I was pretty much a giddy school girl when I saw the painting to the left. Two Bulldogs, the University of Georgia's Mascot, kissing over their cupcakes and the Gigi's Cupcakes logo. How could you not love it? If I end up with my boyfriend in Georgia, I will apply to Gigi's in a heartbeat. Not only for the cupcakes, but for the fact that they have Gigi's merchandise that includes a "Ms. Princess" t-shirt with a cupcake on it. It might be for kids, but I want it!!

It just goes to show that people appreciate cupcakes no matter where you are, especially with that hometown feel and that sweetness to keep you coming back for more.

- Mollie

Boyfriend's Birthday = Ice Cream Cookie Cake

Today is my boyfriend's birthday!

Yet, to both of our displeasure, we are not in the same state or even time zone today. He's in Georgia at Graduate School and I'm back home getting ready to travel to London. Very different places, not to mention he had class today so it wasn't all that fun for him.

But! to try and make up for me not being there, his birthday being on a Tuesday, and the loneliness that involves a birthday without that group of friends beside you, I made him a birthday cake last Friday before I left on the bus Saturday. I stole his car Thursday, loaded up with ingredients, hid them, and then while he was taking a 3 hour nap on Friday I baked. I think the best part of that was that he woke up and asked "Were you cooking?" and I told him no. He assumed it was some weird dreams. tehehe.

The recipe came from my good friend Betty Crocker: Here.

It is entitled: Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Dessert.
I call it the Ice Cream Cookie Cake.

It took me a while to debate between this or Brown Eyed Baker's Root Beer Float Cake. Yet, when it came down to it, my boyfriend looooves ice cream, ice cream cakes, and cookie cakes. So what would be better than mixing it all together?

Not to mention the ingredient list was pretty simple:

• a 1 pound 1.5 oz bag of Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 7.25 oz bottle of hard shell chocolate topping (like the Hershey or Smuckers ice cream kind)
• Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (it says 6 cups, I got a big thing and used however much I wanted and had leftovers)

You begin, of course, by preheating to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You should then either spray, butter, or cover in tinfoil a 13 x 9 inch pan. I did tinfoil since a lot of reviews said it was hard to get the cookie crust off the pan. Then you stir in a bowl the cookie mix, softened margarine (or butter), and egg to form a soft dough. This may be more difficult than you expect,especially if you're like me and you're used to brownie or cake mix that uses oil and not margarine. The softened margarine is a lot less liquidy and it'll take more effort to mix it together to get a consistent soft dough.

Then you take a cookie sheet and spoon out 5 cookies worth of dough. I just used a teaspoon and made smaller cookies, since they'll just be crumbled on top of your finished product and you'd rather have more to spread over the bottom of the pan.  Bake these 9 to 11 minutes, if you make them smaller it may only take 8 though. Then cool them for around two minutes, remove from the pan and finish cooling on a cooling rack. The two minutes isn't as important, but you don't want them to fall apart when you take them off because they're too hot. I know, seems silly since you are crumbling them, but that's a lot later and the crumbles don't belong on the stove or the counter.

While they're cooling, you can begin the grueling task of putting the rest of the cookie dough into the bottom of the 13 x 9 inch pan. This is one sticky job. A lot of people recommended using wax paper to press the dough down, since it's messy, but I don't mind really getting my hands in there. Instead I wet my fingers lightly and used them to press the dough after I spooned a bit into each section. Doing it in sections also helped me be able to spread them across the pan evenly. It reminded me a lot like trying to press pizza dough into a round shape - the only difference is the enormous difficulty you'll have trying to get it all evened out. You want it even like cake batter, but it's a lot harder to spread across when one side is thicker. It took a lot of time, but ended up being kind of fun having doughy fingers afterward. Once it's even and you feel satisfied with the dough, bake it for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookie is set. Then you have to cool it for quite a while - it says 30 minutes, but mine took closer to 45 minutes to completely cool (which is what you want).

Beginning the ice cream process on top of the chocolate

When it's finally cool to the touch, spread the hard shell chocolate topping over the baked crust. Again, recommended 1/3 cup, but I just made sure it was a nice, pretty even layer over the entirety of the cookie crust. Flash freeze that for 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer to help it set quickly. Also: NEVER keep a bottle of the hard shell topping in the fridge. It says not to, so read that and do it. Instead keep it in a cupboard or other room temperature state, because it'll become a shell and not come out of the bottle until you re-melt it if you keep it in the fridge. I was really frustrated after the cookie had cooled and I had to hold the chocolate topping bottle under hot water to get it to melt.


                                                                 Speaking of melting... you see that transition there? Pretty nice.

You'll want the ice cream to soften just as you're taking the crust with the frozen topping out of the freezer. This way it'll be ten times easier to spread evenly over the crust in the pan. Which, again, is pretty time consuming and more difficult than you think. Especially since i wanted not too thick of a layer and for it all to be even. Those cookie dough bites just get in the way! I used my hands, a spoon, and a butter knife to help me even it out all across. The hands might be more risky if it's for more than just your boyfriend, but either way make sure you clean your hands a lot.


With ice cream set, even, and beautiful you crumble your baked cookies on top. This may be the most fun, especially if you steal nibbles like I did. Smoosh the cookies up and make them whatever size you'd like on top. Then drizzle more chocolate topping over the cookie crumbs and ice cream however you'd like. As you can see, I did a swirl and waves for a fun ice cream topping look. Cover this and then freeze for 2 hours.




When you're ready to surprise your boyfriend, or just serve up your delicious Ice Cream Cookie Cake, let it thaw for around 5 minutes and cut into it. Just be sure that you aren't serving up the tinfoil as well.
Doesn't it look yummy?

Just be careful using a fork to break it apart, the other side might fly across the room - aka what happened to my boyfriend. It was a sweet, simple tasting, warm dessert for my love's special day. I hope you can make your loved ones smile with it too.

- Mollie

Family Meals: Summertime

Take 1 apartment. Add a flood and sewage backup. Toss in an almost ruined computer. Fold with a block away from friends. Bake for 20 minutes as packing and zip car are produced. Combine. What does this make? Family Dinners between two apartments and 5 people.

This was my last week in Chicago. As stressful as it was, it was bliss to have a group of amazing friends so close that were willing to house us and put up with us for so long. They helped us pack, clean, move stuff, and dealt with our kitten and late night shenanigans. So in return we brought ALL our food over to share, eat, and cook together. Of course, this was our family dinners. And really, family dinner isn't complete without a delicious dessert.

Our biggest accomplishment was a fruit tart which combined a Costco size box of Bisquick I brought over, fresh fruit, and whatever else we had in the baking department together. To say the least, it was a fun adventure for Caylie and I.

Caylie working on the glaze for the tart.

First off, I made the dough. It was a simple 2 cups of Bisquick, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup soft butter, and 1 egg. The instructions say to mix the Bisquick and sugar first, then cut in the butter until crumbly, then mix in egg until the soft dough is formed. I just threw all the ingredients into a bowl and mixed it all up into a soft dough. Although this probably is the less-than-ideal, it still turned out okay. Sometimes instructions aren't hard and fast rules. The one you should follow, though, is to make sure your pan, sheet, or whatever you're placing your crust into is greased and floured. We just greased it and some of it was quite hard to get out of the tart pan, losing it's fun shape and becoming more of a crumble. Spread the dough across the greased and floured pan, press into all the spots and when ready bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes and cool completely.

While a lot easier than your typical tart crust, it does have more of that buttery, Bisquick flavor rather than the usual tart crunch. It's not the same and some will poo-poo it, but for a quick fix it's not bad. It just may feel less like the usual tart, but it's got a nice sweet crumbly taste to it.

The filling was from a cook book of Caylie's that she took care of and seemed quite simple.
Ingredients include:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks (oops we used whole eggs!)
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temp

You begin with bringing the milk to a boil. While that's working on it's bubbly self (keep an eye on it!) whisk the yolks (or just whole eggs like we did) with sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Keep whisking though and drizzle in about 1/4 cups of the hot milk, you know, once it's been boiling for a bit and not overflowing or anything horrid. Once the 1/4 cup is nicely mixed in, you can slowly add the rest of the milk. Once this is nicely mixed up you can change the heat to medium (if it isn't already) and start whisking with all your might. Bring this to a boil and keep it there for 1 to 2 minutes before removing from heat.

Now that you've got your egg, milk, sugar, and cornstarch mixture off the heat you can whisk in the yummy vanilla. Let this sit for 5 minutes, let yourself have a break, and then you can whisk in bits of butter until the cream becomes smooth and silky. This filling looks beautiful as is, but you'll want it to cool in a sealed bowl (with plastic wrap most likely) until cool. The freezer helps quick it up, but you don't want it to be frozen! We got impatient with this and ended up adding it to the crust a little too fast - nothing bad happened, but it doesn't have the same tart flavor when it's still warm.

When the filling is finally cool, and you're dying to eat it, you can pour it into the crust and arrange any types of fruits on top in whatever style you'd like. We had fun adding strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. This is probably my favorite combination ever, because I am a berry fanatic. The sweetness and great combination with the tart filling makes me pretty excited. Our layout wasn't very fancy, but this is where you can let yourself just have fun with it - or add your own creative flair!



When you're just about done arranging your fruits, you'll want to start on the glaze. It's pretty easy as long as you don't let it cool down because you're distracted by berries and then have to heat it all up again. Trust me. All you do is mix 1/3 cup jelly (whatever flavor you'd like! we used apricot) and 1 teaspoon of water and bring to a boil in a saucepan.

Once it's boiled you can glaze the tart. As you can see, Caylie has had practise before and knows what she's doing. The pastry brushes are always the best. I'm kind of in love with mine for various things. If you want you can always make a little more to do a layer of glaze, but just a little brush over all the berries is fine as well. It all depends how much sweetness you'd like on top of your naturally sweet fruits.

Now feel free to dig in and enjoy!
The filling is really great, and better when actually cold and not still warm like we did it. Berries are always a perfect summertime dessert, especially with the coolness of the tart and filling having been refrigerated. You don't even have to worry too much about the oven heating up the kitchen with this little sweet treat. Remember you can always decide on your own fruit combinations as well!

Cool down with this dessert and enjoy your family dinners! (I know I did.)

- Mollie

*Cupcakes: Kind of an obsession*

Okay, so not your typical blog today, but my apartment flooded. Which means I'm crashing a friend's place and feel strange doing my typical bake and write process. Therefore, this feast is for the eyes. (A real blog will be posted later this week)


I love cupcakes.

Love.

Capital L is for the way you look so cute. O is for the obvious sweetness inside. V is very very extraordinary way you can look or taste with creative bakers. E- everyone can't help but adore.... Cupcakes.

Okay, I'm definitely not a song writer or parody writer.

I've spent a good deal of time looking for my future career path on the Food Network website; Bios of every host, chef, and judge have been thoroughly scanned to discover majors, minors, masters degrees, and progression of careers. While I'm still at a loss due to my lack of le cordon bleu and money to attend - I have enjoyed quite the eyeful.

Enjoy:

Cupcake Wars: On-Set Cupcakes on the Food Network

  #5 Green Flower Swirl: shows my love of the beautiful accents fondant can add

#6 Chocolate Pink: probably a combination of my nieces two favorite things ever

In addition:

Candy Cupcakes on the Food Network

#2: Snickers is probably my favorite candy ever and I have saved the recipe to bake and share later

#4: Butterfinger. The cupcake makes me want to actually buy the candybar - though I might prefer the cupcake.

Enjoy the photos, the cupcakes, and the food network. I'll have more for you later.

- Mollie

*Sharing is Caring: Taquitos*

We've all learned "Sharing is Caring" and although it's hard to share some of our favorite foods, I find myself more inclined to do so if it is not chocolate. If it is chocolate, you better stay ten feet away or suffer the gnashing of teeth.

Meaning, today I don't have sweets to share. (Shocking, right?)

Don't worry. There will be more to come later this week. I just found this website HelloGiggles via a friend on facebook and was fascinated with the clever, down to Earth treats page created by these girls. While I bet the rest of the site is fabulous, I have to admit I always just go straight to the food section without thinking much about the rest. They have rants, raves, how-to, beauty, entertainment, and other things that probably draw in other girls, but treats did it in for me. So feel free to check the rest out, but I'm sharing a recipe I found for Baked Chile and Potato Taquitos.

First off, I enjoy this section because they have every so often posts entitled "Recipe from My Boyfriend". Men? Who cook? Major win in my book. Not only do they cook, but they share their recipes and let their girlfriends post it all over the internet for others to enjoy. That's a real keeper.

I also am fascinated by the combination of potatoes inside taquitos. My boyfriend usually just gets the chicken and cheese taquitos you find in the frozen food section. I mean, I can get major points off of this recipe as a girlfriend. He'd be so impressed. "You made me taquitos?! They're not frozen?" Not to mention the recipe feeds 2 - perfect portions!

So thank you Marissa A. Ross for sharing this recipe. Check it out at HelloGiggles Here or look below at the copy I've placed.

Baked Chile & Potato Taquitos
Serves Two

Ingredients:
• 2 large potatoes
• ½ medium onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 Anaheim pepper
• 1 red chili
• 1-cup cheddar cheese
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning
• Olive oil
• 10-12 corn taco shells

Directions:
1. Use grater and shred the two large potatoes. Add to large skillet with olive oil. Turn
to high heat.
2. Dice onion, jalapeno, Anaheim pepper and red chili. Add to potato mixture in skillet.
3. Sauté until potatoes are golden brown.
4. Grease 13×9 pan with olive oil.
5. Take a warmed tortilla and spread a thin-ish layer of potato mixture in center and
roll into taquito formation. Continue process and arrange on tray.
6. Heat oven to 350 and bake for 25 – 35 minutes – to be safe, monitor for desired
crispiness. Personally, the crispier the better.
7. Serve with DIPS!

- National Ice Cream Sunday -

Did you know that the 3rd Sunday in July is officially National Ice Cream Day?

Ronald Regan was the one who designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the 3rd Sunday as the official day. I made this discovery because yesterday (July 17th) was this year's official National Ice Cream Day!

Of course, I had to take advantage of a reason to eat ice cream - especially after I had finished off everything in our fridge.

Although we had some tasty options for ice cream - like the wide variety at the grocery store - we wanted to go for something big and special. I mean, it was National Ice Cream Day. Go big or go home. Yet our local Bobtail ice cream place was losing the usual sparkle it did when we first moved in and spent many a hot August day visiting it.

Therefore, we opted for a typical favorite: Baskin Robbins. First, because it's the only other just ice cream store nearby. Second, because it's something we both had at home. Baskin Robbins was my late night runs to get ice cream and vent with my best friends. It was where we sat in the backs of cars in the parking lot shoveling the cold treat into our faces, laughing, and making a mess. It's where we let ourselves feel free for a sweet moment while everything else whirled by. This is why I enjoy Baskin Robbins despite the actual lack of 31 flavors behind the counter.

So my boyfriend and I grabbed our friend and headed to the combination Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins on the corner of Clark and Belmont - formerly known as "Punkin' Donuts" due to the high amount of punk kids who hung out outside of it and in the area.

The one problem I do have at here is making any sort of decision. I'm surprised my boyfriend and the people behind us in line didn't smack me across the face. It's hard not because of the wide variety, but a combination of your typical flavors and expenses. I'm a college student and can't spend a ton of money on a brownie sundae that doesn't come from Windy City Sweets. I mean really, quality versus price is something I have to keep my eye out for.

The ice cream behind the glass was mostly typical. Fat Free Frozen Yogurt Vanilla, chocolate, cookies and cream, chocolate chip, strawberry, and a few twists like the Super Soldier Swirl for Captain America. These less exciting ice creams made me want a 31 Below - which is soft serve vanilla swirled with anything you want. It has my favorites like Snickers and Oreos and cookie dough. But why get oreo 31 below when there's cookies and cream? This is the biggest debate I had.

And when they were out of Snickers, I knew I had to get the cookies and cream.
But, I spiced it up by making it a sundae.

The best part too was that the girl who we ordered from and who made my sundae was new. In fact, it was her first day. Therefore they had to teach her how to use the whipped cream and pump the chocolate. It was cute watching her learn, flustered how to pump hot fudge and that she had to ask about almonds and cherries on top. It was especially good for me, because I got extra hot fudge on top due to the learning curve. I'm not complaining.

On a hot summer day, what could be better than an ice cream sundae? Even as my boyfriend's 31 below got liquidy and I slurped most of it up for him on the walk home, I was just in sugary bliss.

- Mollie

What's your favorite ice cream flavor or combination?

Raspberry Rugelach - oh and chocolate too!

Although I landed safely back in Chicago, I've still lingering taste buds from delicious meals in Delaware. Before they disappear I thought I'd share a new found sweet sensation - at least for me.

I'm sure most people know what a rugelach is. Or perhaps not?

I had never heard of it before.
We were offered them as an option for dessert one night. I was told I had to give it a try. Of course, I never refuse a new sweet treat - especially in cookie form. The best thing about cookies that are small is that if you don't like it you don't waste a lot and you aren't tasting it for hours later.

Yet not tasting it hours later, these rugelach left my mouth watering for more hours later. If you don't know, here is a rugelach:

Photo via Flikr: Neil W Strathearn

The beauty about these little cookie treats is that they're filled with a variety of things. The pack we had from Harris Teeter (a new grocery discover that isn't in Chicago!) had raspberry and chocolate rugelach. Two flavors that I cannot resist in a dessert.

The beauty of rugelach is the swirled pastry that cushions the filling. It's not too sweet, not bland, and when frozen (as we had it) it's cool, crunchy, crumbly, and carries it's more flavorful filling friend. The pastry just felt like I could pick layers off as I would a fresh croissant roll from the bakery - which makes sense because (as wiki says) rugelach and the croissant may share an ancestor, and before they're cut the rugelach are usually in a similar croissant shape from rolling a triangle of dough.

Anyone who knows me will be shocked by this: I actually liked the raspberry more than the chocolate.

... let me give you a moment to take that in.

Okay.
The fluffy pastry though was perfect for that light fruity flavor. It was like sweet jam giving those bright flavors to toast. Not to mention I was on a fruit kick from all the delicious cherries, apples, and fruits we had in Delaware. The chocolate might be better, and sweeter, if not actually frozen. It fell flat for me due to the lack of pop in contrast to the pastry. Instead I knew there was that bit of chocolate, but it was closer to the hard inner chocolate of a Panera bread pastry than the bright pop of flavor this cookie called for.

These Rugelach came in a nice big container from Harris Teeter. It was convenient so I could nibble on a few each day. They were delicious in vanilla ice cream (which softened the chocolate filling a bit) as well as perfect nibblers for a picnic

Since rugelach are Jewish pastries,  I'd like to see if "The Bagel" on Broadway has any and give them a second taste test. If you've any tips or tried any in Chicago, let me know! The corner bakery has also gotten great reviews of their rugelach on yelp. So give these treats a taste, especially since there's probably a hundred other flavors in store for everyone.


- Mollie

- On the Boardwalk -

Hello from Delaware Internets!

If there is one thing Delaware is lacking, it is unsecured wireless networks to steal from. Therefore making my attempts at trolling, exploring, facebooking, writing, and killing time online much more difficult than expected. Instead of screen time, I've been reading books, sunbathing, at the beach and the pool, and enjoying so many delicious foods.

One thing Delaware doesn't lack: Ice Cream.

And after a morning at the beach, a rest in the air conditioning, and a walk on the boardwalk there is nothing better than an ice cream cone as you watch the waves crash upon the coastline. Kids love it. Adults love it. Teens in teensy bikinis love it. And twice we have gone to the boardwalk in Bethany Beach for Dickey's Frozen Custard.

The first time was a rough day. Everyone had gotten into their bathing suits (which is difficult for an almost 2 year old and a 4 year old included) and we were packed up when *KABOOM*
... lightning and thunder.
It had been completely dry for weeks here. Then the Chicagoans show up and here comes the rain.

Therefore, to suppress the sadness, we later went out for pizza and ice cream on the boardwalk. I didn't expect the wide array of ice cream flavors at this little ice cream place in a small beach community. But they know that people love their ice cream.

While my nieces had chocolate with patriotic sprinkles (picture left), I opted for a tollhouse cookie. Oh boy was I in for an unexpected surprise. At most, I thought it'd be like the Reese's with just little bits of cookie bites in vanilla ice cream. But oh, it was more than that. Vanilla ice cream, cookie pieces, chocolate chips. Soft, flavor in every bite. I didn't even think of there being just "plain" vanilla in between the bits I really wanted. It felt like there was something perfect in each bite. I got my cookie and I got my ice cream.


The second time the girls still got chocolate and coated themselves as it melted in the afternoon sun. I decided to try "Fudge Tracks" - which at first confused me. I wanted to ask them if they understood about Moose tracks. But oh no, Dickey's knows their flavors. Without even flinching, the woman working told me it was vanilla with fudge bits, chocolate sauce, and peanut butter bites. Oh yes, perfect. The peanut butter bites even looked like itty bitty Reese's cups. The fudge was decadent, soft, and full of that rich chocolate that blended so well with the vanilla ice cream. It melted as I licked at it. Of course, the crunch of the cone made it even better. Unless you're too young to eat the ice cream before it melts, I'd just opt for a cone no matter what. They're so yummy!

With my new golden toasty tan I feel confident as I devour the ice cream. And although there are quite a few options here in Delaware, I'd say if you're in Bethany Beach to go for Dickey's. The local authority (who I'm staying with) always picks it first. And don't worry, it's summer, the calories don't count right?

-Mollie

Summer and Sundaes and Sweets! Oh My!

Oh My! have I been slacking on my writing.

My sincerest apologies, but this summer has already been sweet - as well as lots of sweets to survive the suffering of finals week. So expect plenty of updates in the coming weeks, as well as any tastey news while I'm in Delaware from July 3rd to the 12th. I'm sure there will be lots of ice cream on the beach and babies devouring desserts with me - so stay tuned!

To catch myself up, today I'd like to focus on Windy City Sweets.

This candy shop has caught my eye various times with their window displays of chocolate turtles, chocolate covered strawberries, hello kitty plushies, and high stools beside tall tables against the window. I have to admit it, hello kitty alone made me sound like a 5 year old. "Guys! Helllo kittty! Do you see her? She's in the window! there!" But the fact that there was chocolate made me drool every time I walked by. Finally, after a date dinner at Noodle Company (we're classy), my boyfriend and I decided to stop in and check it out.

Now, walking in, the colors, counters covered in candy, and displays knock you right off your feet. I couldn't help a squee of delight. There was a rack of sale candy from Easter just inside the door, a tall display of stuffed animals, a whole wall to the left covered in Jelly Beans and other bins full of sugary sweets, a fudge bar, and counters where everything from chocolate covered sandwich cookies, chocolate covered cherries, and marzipan looked out at you, tempting you with their luscious looks.

I felt like a kid in a candy store.

In fact, I was.
Windy City Sweets is a candy store with gourmet chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. And the layout and chocolate turned me into a small child once again.

We had a small chocolate factory on the corner near my house that I frequented as a child, but it paled in comparison to this Lakeview luxury. We decided to split a brownie sundae that was just tempting us from their chalkboard sign above the wide selection of ice cream. It was a perfect, classic sundae. We choose the type of ice cream to top our large, warm brownie with. Then they disappeared with it and we received a classic little plastic boat as a bowl holding our brownie topped with ice cream, drizzled fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry.

I literally licked the boat by the end. The hot fudge wasn't your typical bottle of Hershey's from the grocery store. It was actually their gourmet nice chocolate drizzled atop. I wanted some of that fudge in every bite. The brownie too was soft, luscious, and melted nice with it's cold ice cream friend. It was the kind of sundae that you took your time enjoying every bite - rather than slurping down before it melts. My heart is almost a flutter at the thought of it.

If you haven't stopped in, give Windy City Sweets a peek and you won't want to go anywhere else for your chocolate fix. The best part is, the owners are always there and they're friendly and doing it all on their own. I wonder if they'd like an apprentice?

- Mollie