The Kamikaze Cook #47- Chocolate Cake

Even though I'm not much of a chocolate cake fan, I had a craving a few days ago and decided to make one at home. Imagine my frustration when I realized I didn't have enough flour to make it! Well, thanks to an overactive need for chocolate, I found a way....

I started with the Joy of Cooking's "Hurry-Up Cake" recipe and made adjustments from there. You'll notice that this is a white cake, not chocolate. Here's the recipe as it reads in the cookbook:

1 3/4C flour
1C sugar
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1/2 C milk
1/2 t salt
1 3/4t double acting baking powder
1t vanilla
(*note: t= teaspoon, T= tablespoon in recipes)

Combine all but flour and sugar until smooth. Sift flour and sugar together, then add to mix. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Here's what I did instead:
1 1/4 baking mix (like Bisquick)
1C sugar
1/2C cocoa powder
1/2C butter
2 eggs
1/2C milk
1/2t salt
1 3/4t double acting baking powder
1t vanilla
1 individual serving chocolate pudding (ready to eat)

Combine as stated above. Prepare baking pan with butter and dust with sweet chocolate powder or cocoa powder. Bake as above.

This was the most dense, wonderful cake I've ever made in my life! I made an easy buttercream frosting for the top and was in heaven. You should try it!

The Kamikaze Cook #46- The BEST Chicken Soup, EVER...

I don't want to brag, but I could open a restaurant, and ONLY serve this one dish, and people would flock from all around the world to eat it. This is the BEST Chicken Soup, EVER!

Now, to make you aware, it does take a lot of prep work. You could use short cuts, but then it wouldn't be the BEST.... Pay attention.

Marinate chicken breast in: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, garlic powder (or real chopped), sea salt. Overnight is best, but 4 hours will do.

Cook chicken breast as follows: Take a large piece of foil, place marinated breast in center (one per piece of foil), garnish with more balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, garlic, sea salt. Seal foil. Repeat until all breasts are ready for oven. Cook chicken in oven at 250 for at least 3-4 hours. Trust me...

Once chicken is done, let cool a bit and then put in refrigerator overnight. (I know what you're thinking- I have this wonderful smelling stuff and I can't eat it?!? Trust me...)

Now that your chicken is ready, take a large pot, add several cups of water (probably 3-4) and add 2 chicken boullion cubes. Bring to boil. Meanwhile, cut up chicken into bite size pieces, cut carrots into bite size pieces. Once boiling, add chicken and carrots. Bring heat down to low-med. simmer. Simmer for 2-3 hours.

About a half hour before you want to eat, grab a bag of crackers (such as Saltines), an egg and some milk. Put the crackers in a large bag and crush them to bits. Pour cracker into large bowl, add one egg and a little milk. Using your hand (yep, gotta be your hand), mix well, adding a tiny bit of milk at a time until the stuff is sticking together but is not sticky. (If the mixture is too sticky, it will fall apart in the soup- don't ask how I know this.) Once the mixture is ready, make golf ball sized balls and drop them one by one into the soup. You can do all of this using one hand.

Simmer the soup with the cracker balls (an old family recipe from Grandma Verne) for about 20-25 minutes. Then....serve, enjoy, live in ecstacy.

The Kamikaze Cook #45- Quinoa and grains with Balsamic Steak

Quinoa (Qeen wah) is a grain which happens to be a complete protein. When I went vegan for a while after a bad "burrito" incident, I befriended a fellow worker who is vegan and picked her brain dry. Sorry Shawna.

In any case, quinoa being chalk full of good stuff, I decided to buy some of the red version (which is supposed to have more vitamins and stuff than the white version) and created the recipe that follows. Obviously, since quinoa is a complete protein, you don't need to add steak, but I like steak, so there.

Marinate your favorite steak cut in olive oil, roasted garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar and basil for a few hours or overnight.

My grain mix is variable. I used four tablespoons of quinoa, one tablespoon of flaxseeds, two of lentils, two of berrywheat and four of whole wheat couscous. Put in pot and pour enough water to cover well and add one or two boullion cubes (beef, chicken or vegetable work). Bring to boil then simmer with cover until water is abosorbed. Meanwhile, cook steak lightly then add to pot. Serve with favorite vegetable.

The Kamikaze Cook #43- Pomegranate and Walnut Chicken

A few years ago, I had a meal at a Middle Eastern restaurant and I fell in love. Shortly thereafter, the restaurant closed- of course.

After searching the net for a recipe, I gave up and decided to just make my own from what I remember of the dish. The owner told me that it was made with pomegranate and walnuts and that it simmered for 24 hours! My recipe is lacking something, but if I decide to make it again, I'll have to figure it out. Here's what I tried...

Pull the seeds from one or two pomegranates and place them in a large, deep pot on the stove. (In the future, I will use Pom juice instead of seeds.) Ground up some walnuts (maybe 1 to 2 cups) and add them to the pot. Cover with water and add a dash of sea salt. Bring to boil and then simmer for 2 hours. Add chicken (I used strips), some sugar and saffron. Bring to boil again, then simmer for another 2-4 hours.

Remove chicken and be sure to remove all nuts and seeds from chicken (VERY important). Take the liquid part (which will have the nuts and seeds) and in small portions, liquefy them in a high speed blender. If you don't liquefy them, you'll have seeds getting stuck in your mouth during your meal. Return liquid and chicken to pot and simmer for 5 minutes.

I served this over rice and while it was good, it was rather bland. I think I might add some tart cheese, such as feta or even gargonzola next time. I may also investigate some Middle Eastern spices as an option.

The Kamikaze Cook- A Kamikazeism

World peace would easily be obtained by sharing chocolate- who could be upset with all those endorphins running around?

The Kamikaze Cook- Lessons, Notes & Flops

Note to self (and anyone else as stupid as self), never deeply inhale the aroma of freshly reduced (boiled down) Balsamic VINEGAR! Unless you'd like a big whole in your nasal cavity...

The Kamikaze Cook- Tip (Dishing it out)

When you've made a delicious stew or chili and you're getting ready to dish it up to yourself, family or friends but you realize "Oh, I don't have a ladle!", fear not! You can use a 1/2 or whole measuring cup (with a handle). It's even a wonderful way to keep track of how much you're serving so that everyone gets the same amount!