Baking Frenzy: Banana Nut Bread

I don't know why, but I just have to bake lately! Sara says it is the cold weather, but I think it might be a big stress reliever. I have been anxious lately about many things (e.g., jobs...), and when I bake, all that stress goes away for a little while. So, bake I must: it's a better addiction than heroin, I suppose.

Yesterday being Valentine's Day, I had the perfect excuse to bake. Since Karl and I are somewhat busy during the week, we are celebrating the Day this Sunday. I'll be making a plum tart Sunday to follow up a lamb dinner. However, for the actual Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something simple that would let Karl know just how much I do love him. I wracked my brains, and came up with that simple delight: banana nut bread.

I didn't have a tried and true recipe, so I googled "best banana nut bread." The first entry was my winner!

I had a minor setback after I'd gone to the store for bananas and pecans when I realized my loaf pan was missing from the ranks of pots and pans in my cupboards. I'm not sure where the two loaf pans I had disappeared to, but I then had to decide whether to make banana nut muffins, banana nut bundt cake, or banana nut squares. I settled on the latter (using an 8x8-inch square Pyrex dish). The baking time actually turned out to be about the same (50 minutes), though I thought it would take less time in a square dish than in a loaf pan.

Banana bread smells absolutely heavenly as it bakes, regardless of how it turns out. I highly recommend it as an air freshener. And for a Valentine's Day bonus, according to this article from MedicineNet.com, the aroma of banana nut bread is an aphrodisiac for women! If you find it necessary to have an aphrodisiac for men, your best bet is pumpkin pie.

I added a teaspoon of vanilla to the recipe, since I love vanilla. And one additional recipe note: the recipe list calls for baking powder, while the instructions reference "soda". I used baking soda and the bread was great. Next time I'll try powder and see if things turn out differently.

The bread turned out lovely. Moist and not-too-sweet. If I had it to do over again, I probably would use riper bananas (over-ripe). Since I baked spur of the moment, my bananas were just ripe: not ideal for baking. Still, everything turned out well, and Karl enjoyed a warm slice with butter after dinner. Yum!

Happy Valentine's Day (a day late I know)!

Old-Fashioned Banana Nut Bread
This is an Old-Fashioned Banana Nut Bread recipe taken from the
Breakfast and Brunch volume of the Oxmoor House Southern Heritage Cookbook Library.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (4 medium, ripe to over-ripe)
1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Cream butter in a medium mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, flour, soda [sic], salt, bananas, and pecans; mix well. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x5x3 loafpan. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve. Makes 1 loaf.

Coffee-Frosted Chocolate Cake

Tuesday, I had to bake. I really wanted to try making a cake from scratch, so I pulled out a random cookbook from our collection and flipped to the dessert section. The cookbook I was using was 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes, by Sue Spitler and Linda R. Yoakam. The recipe: Coffee-frosted Chocolate Cake.

Unfortunately, I was almost out of unsweetened cocoa powder, and the weather on Tuesday was pretty miserable. I didn't feel like trekking a mile to the grocery store through wet, icy snow; nor did I feel like scraping the 4-5 inches of snow and ice from my car to make the journey on slick, congested roads full of panicky drivers. Since the CVS right across the street from my apartment didn't carry cocoa powder, I almost gave up. But then I decided that the need to bake was strong: so I bought a bar of Lindt 85% dark chocolate, which I melted down as a supplement to the 2 TBSP of cocoa powder that I did have.

The results were lackluster, in my opinion. The cake was kind of dry (i.e., required lots of milk for washing down), even with the addition of the melted chocolate. Luckily, I was helped in eating most of it by my friends at Tuesday night coffee at Oh Yeah!. They all seemed to enjoy it, so maybe I'm just picky.

Eventually, I want to make the most delectable cake on the planet. I'm just not sure how to go about experimenting. So hopefully I'll find a good cookbook that will help me along a little.

I've adapted the recipe's instructions to be a little more enlightening.


Coffee-Frosted Chocolate Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk

Frosting:
1 TBSP instant coffee granules
1 TBSP hot water
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 TBSP milk

Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter with an electric handmixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract (if substituting melted chocolate, add that in as well, making sure it's not too hot), and mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix with a spatula about 1/3 of the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Then mix in 1/3 cup of milk. Repeat this alternating process until all the dry ingredients and milk are just incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans that are greased and floured. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Cool completely (on wire racks if you like).

To make the frosting, dissolve the coffee in the hot water. Using an electric handmixer, slowly add the confectioner's sugar, then add enough milk to smooth out the consistency.

Frost the cake with the frosting (or just drizzle it on, like I did because I used too much coffee).

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah! Part II

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub
232 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-253-0955

This week, the Tuesday nighters braved the "freezing rain" that was forecast after our morning mini-blizzards and forged ahead in our Coffee Crawl. Except we found ourselves back at Oh Yeah! for more ice cream and good coffee.

This time, Karl and I split a scoop of the Mint Tea Cream, probably one of the most delicious ice creams I've ever had. The peppermint refreshes the palate with a fresh burst while the subtleties effervesce up into your nose. Absolutely delicious. We didn't get a mix-in this time, but I can think of a number of things that would have been delicious mixed into this one.

We also had a coffee, which was really nice and well-balanced (despite our mixing half decaf and half dark roast).

Did I mention last time that there is a delightful (leashed) dog on the premises? Depending on your love of canines, this may or may not be a selling point for you. The dog is very friendly, a large-ish black boxer mix. No barking has been heard up to this point, but the dog is very desirous of playtime, even with fairly new-found friends. Don't be surprised if you find his head in your lap with a ball while you're sipping your coffee!

Another bonus: clearly marked recycling receptacles for of all plastic utensils and cups. Yay! The more I got to Oh Yeah!, the more I like it.

Coriander-Scented Carrot Soup

Did you know that when you toast coriander seeds, they smell like Trix cereal?

The SmartCook Collection: Soup, the cookbook I was using yesterday to create "Coriander-Scented Carrot Soup" described the scent as "orange-like," but I beg to differ. While there is a distinct citrus element to the scent, if you really get your nose into the seeds after you've pull them from the hot pan and ground them up a little in your mortar, you'll be transported back to Saturday mornings when you were allowed to have the sugar-laden cereals (at least, that's how it was in my house!).

Anyway, this soup was a tad underwhelming. It really just tastes like carrots. And the somewhat strange title is apt: the soup is only coriander "scented": you can't taste the coriander at all. I was surprised at the absence of onions from the recipe, but I tend to give a recipe one chance before I try to improve ie. Next time, I'll definitely sauté some onions with the garlic, because this soup needed something.

The only changes I did make to recipe were:
1) I didn't peel the carrots. I just gave them a good scrubbing.
2) I substituted Greek-style yogurt for the crème fraîche, since I already had the yogurt. Enjoy!

Coriander-Scented Carrot Soup


1 TBSP coriander seeds
2 TBSP butter
2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small garlic clove, crushed through a press
5 cups chicken stop or vegetable stock
3 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
2 TBSP crème fraîche or heavy cream, plus more for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Begin by dry-roasting the coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring and tossing them around for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they begin to look toasted and start to jump in the pan. Place them in a mortar and crush them coarsely.
2. Next, heat the butter in a large saucepan, then add the carrots, garlic, and three-quarters of the crushed coriander seeds. Stir well, then cover the saucepan and let the vegetables cook over gentle heat until they begin to soften -- about 10 minutes.
3. Next, add the stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring everything to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, partially covered, or until the vegetables are tender. Let the soup cool a little, then puree it in batches in a blender or food processor (a large bowl to hold each batch of pureed soup is helpful here). After that, return the puree to the saucepan and stir in the chopped cilantro and 2 TBSP of the crème fraîche. Reheat the soup, then taste to check the seasoning, and serve in warmed bowls. Garnish each one with a swirl of crème fraîche, a sprinkling of the remaining toasted coriander seeds, and a sprig of fresh coriander.

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah!

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub
232 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: 412-253-0955

Last night, the Tuesday crew chose the new Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Bar and Coffee Pub as the destination for mid-week merriment and de-stressification from the arduous life of law school.

Oh Yeah! is in a two story house (it's situated on the first floor). You walk up the stairs to the porch and into the wide-open door (it was warm last night). The walls are covered in burlap coffee sacks, hung like artwork, with a smattering of paintings. Its somewhat tropical ambience is supported by the patio tables, complete with open umbrellas, that are the only source of seating other than the retro bar stools near the espresso bar. I also liked that Oh Yeah! supplies a few rows (and stacks) of well-loved books for cafe reading, from Simpsons comic books to Jonathan Swift and John Steinbeck to Gilbert & Sullivan's (opera libretti!)! A rather eclectic selection to choose from.

The main draw of this place is that they tout the use of almost exclusively local and organic products. They serve a variety of ice creams (with vegan options) with a TON of available mix-ins. The ice creams are products of Woo City, an Ohio company that makes hand-packed ice creams, sorbets, and frozen tofus (or "woo fu" as they call it) using all organic ingredients. The cream used to make the ice cream comes from grass-fed Amish cows, making it, supposedly, a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Great! Ice cream is now healthy! Ice cream flavor choices included Amaretto Peach, Guinness and Bass flavors, and Grasshopper, among others.

The coffee, though obviously not locally grown, is locally roasted at La Prima in Pittsburgh. The cafe also sells baked goods and other products of local businesses. Pretty cool, in my opinion.

In the interests of giving Oh Yeah! the proper review, Karl and I were forced to try the ice cream, though the rest of our group stuck to the coffees and teas. I got a small scoop of the Malted Vanilla Woo Fu (which was, I learned later, a frozen tofu -- NOT ice cream!) blended with habenero pepper powder. The scoop + blend costs $2.75 (a bit pricey, if you ask me, but probably worth it considering the organic ingredients and hand-packing). To create my blend, the barrista scooped the ice cream into a cup, sprinkled the powder on it, and then used a Matrix-like drill to blend it: this is not your average Blizzard machine!!!

I know, I picked a strange combination, but sweet and spicy is probably one of the more overlooked taste combinations. In retrospect, I should have mixed the habanero with either the regular (albeit sugar-free) vanilla ice cream, or possibly the 5-star Chocolate ice cream. It was still pretty delicious, and I didn't even notice that I wasn't eating ice cream (which is kind of incredible).

Karl got the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla ice cream blended with candied ginger. I'm sure it was delicious, but for some reason, the taste of my ice cream made the Caramel Bourbon Vanilla taste like dish detergent. Karl verified the effect after tasting mine, so I know the ice cream doesn't actually taste like dish detergent. Just be forewarned in the highly unlikely event you try to have both at the same time...

We also tried the espresso ($1.85), which was really pleasant, even as it cooled. The acidity factor was pretty low, but the espresso was dark and rich and really well-balanced. This was no stomach-eating Starbucks espresso, that's for sure.

One weird quirk: the bathroom door is a one-way mirror. So you can't see into the bathroom, but you can watch everyone while you go! I have severely mixed feelings about this, but I applaud Oh Yeah!'s attempt to liberate its customers a little.

I'll definitely be going back, especially once it warms up a little bit.

HoneyBells: Oranges Extraordinaire

I don't usually enjoy oranges: they're often dry, pithy, and slightly bitter. The cheaper ones you get in the grocery store have more seeds to deal with than flesh. Peeling them barehanded is a nightmare after which the scent of oranges follows you for days.

Enter the HoneyBell orange into my life: so juicy, almost seedless, very little pith, and low acidity. And look how cute it is!

The catch? They're only available during January and February, and, unless you live in Florida, you must order them from Honeybell.com (or possibly some other online fruit distributors).

Karl and I got lucky. His parents sent him a care package of these delightfully succulent oranges, so we have been devouring them for the past couple of days. The oranges are delicately sweet and so juicy! The lack of acidity is the best part: there is none of that mouth-puckering sourness that often accompanies oranges these days.

Perhaps the secret is that HoneyBells are not actually oranges at all (fooled you!). According to the informative pamphlet that arrived with the care package, HoneyBells are actually the result of cross-breeding Duncan grapefruits and Dancy tangerines. Now that is one science experiment I can get behind!

Chimay: Beer and Cheese

I gifted a bottle of the Chimay Blue Grande Réserve to Karl for Christams, and we decided to enjoy it this weekend by pairing it with the Chimay Grand Cru cheese, which we picked up from Giant Eagle (at $16.99/lb).

These products are very special because they are produced by Trappist monks in Belgium. Proceeds from sales of the three beers and four cheeses, all made on location at the monasteries, go to meet the needs of the monasteries and foundations involved, and also serve to sustain employment in the relevant regions. You do end up paying quite a bit more than you would for a Bud Light (a 750 mL bottle of Chimay Blue is about $15), but the quality is fantastic and well worth the occasional splurge.

The cheese, which I tasted first, smelled strongly of broccoli and sweaty, vinegar-y body odor: strange, but not exactly unexpected in a ripe cheese. It tasted delicious! It's very creamy (a semi-soft cheese), with some tangy funkiness. It doesn't coat the palate too strongly, which in my opinion makes for a great cheese to pair with wine or beer. The cheese also has a sweet, nutty element akin to toasted almonds.

The beer is a pretty classic Belgium, except that it tastes far more polished than most. Most Belgian beers tend to be sweet and caramelly, and the Chimay Blue is no exception. I usually don't enjoy sweet beers, and I therefore don't usually like Belgian beers, but the Chimay is very enjoyable even to my palate. There are dark, roasted malt flavors underlying the caramel and honey-like sweetness which bring a wonderful measure of balance to the table. The after-taste is almost floral and never degenerates into that sour taste that you often get with many beers: that, in my opinion, is a sign of a well-crafted beer.

When paired, I actually didn't find the cheese or the beer was enhanced. I generally don't enjoy my cheese paired with any beverage besides water, though, so I'm a bit of a tough sell on any cheese-pairing. Not many beverages can compete with the way a cheese tends to completely coat the mouth with its texture and flavors. The exception are highly carbonated or fairly acidic beverages with effervescence that cuts through that coating (e.g., sparking wine, acidic beers, etc.). Even then, it's important for the flavors to be complementary.

That doesn't happen with the Chimay Grand Cru and the Chimay Blue, in my opinion. The beer lacks any acidity, and its smooth sweetness merely runs over the cheese film on the palate without creating any sort of flavor combination.

Still, it was fun to try the beer and cheese together: that's what trying new things is all about! I certainly would recommend either the beer or the cheese to any beer or cheese enthusiast.

Cookbook Baking: Caramel Apple Cake

I have been looking forward to baking this cake since I went through my cookbooks early this week seeking out potential recipes to use to fulfill my new year's resolution to actually use cookbooks instead of just collecting them.

I received Paula Deen's Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook several years ago as a gift from my college roommate, Meg. I tried a couple of the recipes from it, but they all seemed so sinfully fatty (Paula loves the mayo and the butter) that I didn't really go back to it. You simply cannot eat like that every day unless you are a marathon runner...and even then, I doubt that your arteries could stand up to the 3 jars of mayo and 10 pounds of butter per week that Paula wants to feed you.

When I was trying to choose a recipe from this book to use, I figured I'd better stick to the desserts, since those are supposed to be an indulgence. The very first recipe in the book's dessert section even seemed healthy...sort of. So, that's what I baked: Caramel Apple Cake.

Notes on the recipe: I am not impressed with Paula Deen's recipe structure. For one thing, it doesn't tell you anything about what the consistency of the cake batter should be. My cake batter turned out pretty thick, almost like a cookie dough. I kept checking the recipe to make sure I hadn't put too much flour in. If she had simply made a note that this cake batter wasn't as typically runny as most cake batters, I wouldn't have been so nervous.

In general, the recipe seems a little too bare bones. My cake turned out fine, but if I had been a beginner, I might have had to guess on a few too many things. Granted, this is a fairly simple recipe, so minor blunders probably wouldn't affect the outcome too much. Little things bug me though, like failing to specify whether the 2 cups of brown sugar should be tightly packed, lightly packed, or loosely packed or whether the apples should be peeled before dicing.

I also modified the recipe slightly by using two 9-inch round cake pans instead of a 13x9 inch cake pan. I didn't want to have one huge cake: I like to share the love, so I made two smaller ones. This decreased the baking time by quite a bit. My cakes were finished after 36 minutes, so if you do the same modification, keep that in mind.

I'll update when I've actually tasted the cake: I'm waiting for Karl to finish grading papers!

UPDATE: Oh, my word.
This is the most sinfully delicious cake I have ever eaten.
Karl and I had a piece for breakfast this morning, since last night we were both too full and too tired to eat any. I heated it up in the oven for about 10 minutes (on 250˚F) to get the caramel a little soft.
This cake melts in your mouth, literally. Karl said it tasted just like a caramel apple from a state fair (minus the hardness). It's really, really, really rich, but simply amazing. I will definitely be making this again.


Caramel Apple Cake
from Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cooking by Paula H. Deen

Cake:
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups apples, diced (fresh or canned)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cream the sugar, eggs, and oil until smooth. Add the flour, then mix in the apples, walnuts, and vanilla. Spread into a lightly greased 13x9 inch cake pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Poke holes in the top of the cake, and pour the topping over it while warm.

Caramel Topping
3/4 lb butter (3 sticks)
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 milk

Mix all ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour immediately over warm cake.

Ice Cream Heaven: Perfectly Pumpkin

I'm the kind of girl who will eat ice cream all year round. My passion for it wanes only slightly during the coldest parts of winter (and that may be somehow connected to the inevitable (and short) attempt to cut back on sweets around the turn of the New Year).

One ice cream in particular has captured my heart this year. I know it's the end of its seasonal run, but I just have to laud this amazing effort by Double Rainbow, a company that produces premium ice creams in over 70 flavors. I chanced upon Double Rainbow's Perfectly Pumpkin flavor in Trader Joe's ($1.99) during October or November when pumpkin-flavored everything was all the rage (and no, I am not complaining!).

The moment I tasted it, I was in pure pumpkin heaven. The ice cream is silky and rich and bursting with the flavor of Mom's pumpkin pie (except spiced a little more heavily): cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and brown sugar are incorporated into the almost alarmingly bright-orange ice cream base.

Last week, I was lucky to find the last few pints of it (I can't believe people aren't buying it by the case!) in the frozen section at TJ's, so I grabbed two at the sale price of $1.49.

If you are paying $4 to $5 for a pint of Ben and Jerry's or Haagen Daz, you need to check out Double Rainbow's ice creams. They are half the price and, if Perfectly Pumpkin is any indicator, twice the flavor! I'm not knocking B&J's (I am a diehard fan of "Everything But The..." and "S'mores"), but the price tag is outrageous. The 2 for $5 sales just don't happen any more! I'm looking forward to seeking out some other flavors in the near future (maybe once it warms up).

Coffee Crawl in Pittsburgh: Tango Cafe

Tango Cafe
5806 Forward Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone: (412) 421-1390
www.tangocafepgh.com

The Tuesday night crew continued its search for the perfect Pittsburgh cafe with a visit to the Tango Cafe in Squirrel Hill. Boasting an authentic Argentinian menu of pastries and coffees, this unassuming little cafe packs a serious punch.

Our group of seven arrived around 9 p.m. (the cafe closes at 10 p.m.). Immediately when you walk in the door, your eyes (if they are dessert-seeking like mine) will be drawn to the small pastry case containing Argentinian pastries and cookies. Karl and I decided we had to split a Merengue ($1.99), which consisted of sweet, thick and delicious dulce de leche sandwiched between two perfectly baked merengue cookies drizzled with chocolate: the yum-factor was strong in these cookies.

I also ordered a cafe con leche ($2.10), although I really had my eye on the Tango Submarino, which the barrista informed me in her lilting Spanish accent was a bar of dark chocolate submerged in a mug of steamed milk ($3.10). I'll definitely be trying that next time!

I'm enjoying trying out different coffee shops. It's a shame that last year's regular Tuesday night meeting place, Make Your Mark Artspace and Coffehouse, is no longer open until 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, but at least we are getting to try out some of the other great locally owned cafes in our area. I wonder where we'll end up next Tuesday...?

If there is a limit to all things and a measure
And a last time and nothing more and forgetfulness,
Who will tell us to whom in this house
We without knowing it have said farewell?

from "Limits" by Jorge Luis Borges of Argentina (1899-1986)

Too Much Chicken

Yesterday, I was trying to clear out some freezer space (and actually use the food I had in there for once) so that I can soon defrost the barely hollow iceberg that it has become. So, I grabbed a 3-pound bag of boneless, skinless chicken thighs that I don't even remember buying (it must have been months ago) and set it out to defrost.

Only today did I realize I had no idea what I was going to do with 3 pounds of chicken thighs. But, having defrosted them already, there was nothing for it but to cook them all up. I started by grilling a few in my heavy-as-lead cast-iron grill pan. While I was doing that, I thought: MARINADE!

Not having much on hand, I swiped one of my sister's ridiculously cheap 12 oz. cans of beer, stared hard at it for a minute, then whipped up a marinade (see below for the recipe).

I'm pretty pleased with myself. After a couple of hours marinating in the refrigerator, I roasted the chicken in the oven for about 45 minutes. I had some of it today, and it is really tasty! Not bad for a spur of the moment idea.

Plans for the leftover chicken include:
~ 1 chicken and broccoli casserole
~ sliced chicken wrapped in pita with white-bean hummus and greek yogurt (great for lunches)
~ cubed chicken in my leftover spicy bean soup

It's fun to be able to finally be able to avoid looking up a recipe every time I'm in a bind. Although, this is kind of defeating my resolution to actually use my cookbooks this year...

Beer Marinated Chicken Thighs

12-oz. can of cheap lager
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 TSP garlic powder
salt and pepper
olive oil

Massage 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs with olive oil (use your hands: it feels nice!). Rub a little salt and pepper into the chicken, too. Put the chicken in a shallow dish, a bowl, or a large ziploc bag. (Now wash your hands, please!)

Pour the beer over the chicken. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle the garlic powder over the top. Using tongs (or, if you like the feel of chicken, use your hands! Just always remember to wash after handling raw chicken, or any meat for that matter), toss the chicken around and make sure the garlic powder gets mixed in pretty good. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and place in one layer in a shallow baking dish. Discard the extra marinade (no need to baste). Let the chicken sit out for about 15 minutes (to allow to come to room temperature) while you preheat the oven to 350˚F. You can keep it covered if you want. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until internal temperature is between 160˚F and 165˚F.

Let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into them. Delicious hot or cold.

East Liberty Presbyterian Church

East Liberty Presbyterian Church
116 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: (412)441-3800

Karl and I attended East Liberty Presbyterian's 11 a.m. service Sunday morning in keeping with Karl's resolution to go to church this year. The service was very similar to Shadyside Presbyterian's, with a few exceptions:

(1) There was only one special song sung by the chancel choir (and I didn't like it: the choir wasn't nearly as well-trained as Shadyside's, plus the piece was a modern, and hence, less sonorous arrangement of the text).
(2) There was a 5-minute children's sermon in the midst of the service (a practice I have mixed feelings about, though this particular one wasn't so bad).
(3) The reverend made announcements as if he knew members of the congregation personally (at Shadyside, it was much more impersonal and generally applicable).

Overall, East Liberty was a tad less polished than Shadyside, but somehow, that made it all the more likeable.

One interesting note: the church organist for this Sunday happened to be a 13-year-old student of Hope Academy (who, I'm sure, is not on the payroll). Because the organist is almost always hidden from view, I only realized this after I got suspicious during the hymns and checked the program.

If you have ever listened to an experienced organist play hymns in a large, reverberating sanctuary, you may have noticed that such an organist pays no heed to what he or she hears (e.g., the congregation's singing). Of necessity, the organist must simply play in a steady tempo without adjusting for auditory signals. It's pretty difficult for an organist to train him- or herself to do this, but it's really the only way. No matter what happens, the congregation and the actual sounds of the organ will always be a beat or two behind the organist's fingers striking the keys. That's just the nature of sound! Anyway, on the performance pieces, our 13-year-old was rather spectacular, but during the hymns, her inexperience showed.

Regardless, the service was nice, and the sermon was really quite good. Also, the sanctuary was simply breathtaking. It is quite large, with very high ceilings. If you are seated facing the front of the sanctuary, you have a marvelous view of some elegant stained glass (a dying art) and extraordinary stonework. I believe the Cathedral of Hope (the current building for the ELPC) was completed around 1935 or so. It's worth a look just for the architecture.

Another good church! Next week, we may check out St. Paul's Catholic Diocese, so be looking out for that blog!

"Jazz" in Pittsburgh: Paparazzi

Paparazzi
2100 E Carson St
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Phone: (412) 488-0800

Saturday night, Karl and I went out with one of his friends, Neal, and Neal's girlfriend Heather who was visiting from out of town. Neal had expressed interest in finding a good jazz club as the site of our Saturday escapade, and he settled on Paparazzi, which was supposed to have a jazz band performing that night.

Paparazzi is a combination bar and restaurant. The restaurant is on the second floor, and the bar is on the first floor. The bar has a very small dance space (supposedly to accommodate swing dancers for their monthly swing nights): it doesn't seem large enough for more than two pairs to really heat things up, though.

When we arrived, the band was still setting up, so we just took our seats and ordered drinks. My Pomegranate Truffle martini ($7) was pretty delicious, I have to confess. Karl ordered a Yeungling for $2.50.

Then the band started playing.

Now, I don't know if they changed their lineup because there was an undergraduate fraternity playing "Bar Golf" passing through, or if they really weren't a jazz band at all: the first song they played was a cover of Usher's "Yeah!" Then they played "Kiss" (Prince), "Sexyback" (Justin Timberlake), and "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson), before they settled into some old-school soul and R&B (following the exit of the golfers).

Needless to say, I was not terribly impressed. Although, to be fair, they were a good group of musicians. The covers were very good. I was probably not enthused because i had come expecting jazz.

Ah well. I wouldn't mind going back just to hang out at the bar. The patrons were an eclectic mix of senior citizens (dressed in their finery), middle-aged businesspeople, 20-somethings, and, of course, the undergraduate fraternity/sorority crowd. Any bar that hosts such a mixed crowd is ok in my book!

Pomegranate Truffle Martini

2 oz Pomegranate Flavored Vodka
1 oz White Crème de Cacao
1 oz Fresh Cream
½ oz Grenadine

Shake well with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

Breakfast in Pittsburgh: Coca Cafe

Coca Cafe
3811 Butler Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 7am - 3pm
Saturday 9am - 3pm
Sunday Brunch 10am - 3pm
Phone: 412-621-3171


After an early-morning service project with the Pitt Legal Income Sharing Foundation (PLISF), seven of us decided to change our breakfast plan from Pamela's, the staple student breakfast venue in the Oakland and Shadyside areas, to trying the Coca Cafe in Lawrenceville. I had been there last year for Sunday brunch with my friends Matt, Katie, Ben, and Dave and enjoyed it very much, but hadn't gotten around to going again.

The decor, as you can see in the photos, is very artsy, but bright and uncluttered. With a party of seven in a fairly small space, we procured a table immediately at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. When I came last time on a Sunday, the place was swarming with people and my party of five had to wait 40 minutes for a table.

The food was spectacular, even more so than I remembered. I had been planning to eat as cheaply as possible. The obvious choice in that case would be to get the Hot Irish Oatmeal with brown sugar, dried fruit, walnuts, and milk for $5.00 (fresh berries an additional $1). However, when I saw on the menu Herbed Goat Cheese French Toast with Berries ($7.75), all thoughts of frugality and budgeting fled my intrigued mind.

After waiting only about 15 minutes, our food arrived, piping hot and all at the same time: quite a feat for a small kitchen! My French Toast (made with Challah bread stuffed with a basil goat-cheese and served with fresh strawberries and blueberries) was perfect. I had worried that the flavor combinations would be a bit strange, but the mild, creamy tang of the goat cheese melded wonderfully with the berries' sweetness. The three thick slices of golden, crisp Challah were the perfect canvas for the simple yet sophisticated flavor combinations.

I passed out nibbles of my adventurous French Toast to other inquisitive diners, and they all agreed that it was, at least, interesting! In exchange, I got to try Ariel's Egg White Omelet with fresh spinach, basil, goat cheese, and tomatoes ($6.50) and Ruchi's Southwest Breakfast Wrap (scrambled tofu [substituted for eggs], roasted peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, and Meunster cheese in a wheat wrap ($6.50)); both tasted scrumptious.

One minor annoyance: for a party of our size (7), the restaurant has a policy of refusing to split the table's check to accommodate several methods of paying. For larger parties of modern card-carrying consumers who don't often carry cash, this could be a major setback, especially for new or infrequent diners.
The restaurant does accept credit cards.


Note: The menu on the Coca Cafe website is a little out-of-date, but most of what is currently on the menu can be viewed there. Just be aware that the prices may have changed (usually increased).

Kelly's Bar & Lounge

Last night, my sister made good on her promise to take me out to a bar (part of my Christmas present this year). I chose Kelly's, a bar and lounge I've been meaning to check out for a while now. Thankfully, Karl joined us after a long day of skiing at the Seven Springs Resort, so we didn't have to walk the mile and a half to the bar and back.

The inside of the bar looks more like a diner. There are no tables, just a couple of rows of booths separated from the bar by a 3-foot-high divider. The decor is very retro, kind of like a 1950's style diner.

The special of the night was the Manhattan ($4), a cocktail I've never had before, so Sara and I started out with those. Sara had hers on the rocks (over ice in an old-fashioned glass), while mine was up (no ice, served in a martini glass). I enjoyed mine so much I ordered three more, while Sara switched to beer, of which there wasn't a huge selection, but it wasn't exactly slim pickings either. There were 8 or 9 beers on tap. Karl had the Penn St. Nick, and Sara had Iron City, Yeungling, and Straub.

Karl ordered some food since he hadn't had dinner, so I got to taste his fried fish tacos ($7.50). They were piping hot and absolutely delicious. I usually think of fish tacos as having grilled fish, but these were lightly breaded and fried slabs of tilapia. I didn't get much of a taste, since Karl was so hungry that he scarfed both tacos down in about 5 minutes.

I was starting to get hungry, but I refrained from spending money on the other tasty-looking items on the menu: pierogis and kielbasa ($9), sweet-potato french fries ($4.50), macaroni and cheese ($6, or $4 for a small plate)...etc, etc. I had to put that menu down!

One thing I really liked about Kelly's was their association with Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC), an organization whose mission is to "breed, raise, and release cocktails that are endangered or even believed to be extinct." As a result, Kelly's serves classic cocktails like the Grasshopper, the Pink Squirrel, The Gin & Sin, and the Firefly ($7 each). I'd like to go back and try some of them some time, maybe when they are on special.

The only things I wasn't crazy about was the really loud jukebox (classic style, not the touch-screen kind) and the smokiness. I'm not against smoking in bars, but there wasn't much air circulation in that small space, so it sort of exacerbated the situation.

I'll probably be going back, though!

Make your own Manhattan (and other classics)!

Manhattan

3/4 oz sweet vermouth
2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry

Place cherry in bottom of martini glass. Shake the vermouth, whiskey, and bitters in a shaker with ice, and strain into the glass. Enjoy!
(Can also be served over ice in an old-fashioned glass)

Grasshopper

1 oz Creme de Menthe (or other mint liqueur)
1 oz Creme de Cacao White
1 oz light cream
chocolate shavings (garnish)

Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.

Pink Squirrel

1 oz Creme de Noyaux
1 TBSP Creme de Cacao White
1 TBSP light cream

Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a martini glass.

Gin & Sin

1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz orange juice
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 tsp grenadine

Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a martini glass.

Firefly

1 oz vodka
4 oz grapefruit juice
1 tsp grenadine

Shake the vodka and grapefruit juice in a shaker filled with ice and strain into a martini glass. Add the grenadine in the center of the drink (don't stir), then serve.

Where Frugality and Nutrition Collide: Beans

Karl once told me about a clash of food philosophy he once had with his home economics teacher in high school. His teacher had been talking about living within your means by sticking to a budget. When it came to food, she said, it was best to eat average, moderately priced food all month long, always having enough as well as variety, rather than to blow the majority of your monthly budget on one grand meal then scraping by with meager monotony the rest of the month.

Karl is of the opinion that eating frugally most of one month is a small price to pay for having one extravagant, luxurious, and delectably pricey meal. The contrast makes him appreciate the good stuff all the more!

I think I agree with him, in theory. In practice, however, I have difficulty eating the same thing over and over, even with the promise that, every 30 days or so, my bored taste buds will experience sensory overload in a culinary Las Vegas.

Now that Karl really is operating on a budget, he has put his philosophy into practice. He received a 5-qt Rival Slow Cooker for Christmas and has made good use of it.

For example, for the past two weeks, he has been eating almost nothing but rice and beans for lunches and dinners. He didn't calculate the cost of those meals, but he has just whipped up a fresh five quarts of bean-veggie stew that will feed him, presumably for another 2 weeks, along with rice, for the stunningly low cost of about $12 (see below for a recipe and a breakdown). To mix it up for a bit of variety, he adds various hot sauces (Sriracha is the current favorite) and spices.

As if the cost alone weren't enough to drive you to a diet of rice and beans, think of the nutrition side! Karl's stew contains no added sodium, or even spices. There is no oil, and it is vegetable- and protein-rich. As long as he drinks some milk and eats some fruit every day (an apple a day with lunch, milk with his raisin bran in the morning), Karl is eating ridiculously well-balanced meals for about $0.50 each.

This is all well and good. I know I should be jumping on the rice and beans boat, but I just love having variety in my diet. At some point (probably two days into the two week marathon of beans), I would be craving something else, and the sight of a bowl of beans would make me feel ill. This is probably a purely psychological issue that I can, and should, overcome, in the interests of saving money and actually eating better as a result. I guess I'm just not ready.

In the meantime, I do enjoy a bowl of Karl's delicious stew every once in a while. But I'd rather eat a Swad Microwave Curry with my rice (paneer a must!) one day, and a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich the next. Variety, for me, seems to be a little more indispensable than for Karl.



Karl's "Budget Bean Stew"
1 32-oz bag of dried mixed beans (15-bean mix) (follow soaking instructions on bag)
1 16-oz bag of dried lentils
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 yam, cubed
1 medium parsnip, chopped
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3 or 4 packets Trader Joe's low-sodium vegetable broth concentrate (or low-sodium bouillon cubes)
2 or 3 cups shredded cabbage
3 or 4 cups water

Put all ingredients, except water, into a 5-qt slow cooker. If you have a smaller slow cooker, you'll probably want to pare down the amounts or your slow cooker will be overflowing.
Once you have all the ingredients in, pour water in until you can see it approaching the rim. Set your slow cooker to low, and cook for 8-12 hours. You really can't over-cook this.

Enjoy with rice, or just as a stew!

Spanish Cuisine in Pittsburgh: Mallorca

Yesterday, after feeding our spirits at Shadyside Presbyterian and feeding our inner-outdoorspeople at REI, Karl and I feasted mightily at Mallorca, a Spanish restaurant on E. Carson and 22nd in the South Side.

The Pittsburgh City Paper named Mallorca for "Best Outdoor Dining" and "Best Spanish Food" in Pittsburgh. While it was a bit chilly (17˚F) to test the former, I certainly agree with the latter award!

Right next door to Mallorca is its sister restaurant, Ibiza, a tapas and wine bar that Karl and I enjoy frequenting for its delicious and varied array of tapas and inexpensive wine flights ($10 and up for 4 half-glasses). We were pretty excited to explore the heftier Spanish fare at Mallorca.

Mallorca would clearly have been out of the question price-wise for two poor graduate students (entrees $17-$40) had it not been for the uber-generosity of Karl's parents. His father, while in town for a convention a couple of months ago, had chanced across Mallorca for lunch, enjoyed the goat immensely, and consequently promised Karl that he and I could have a meal there on him.

Well, we didn't get his goat. We had all the best intentions of ordering goat for lunch, but the first special we heard in our waiter's thick, Spanish accent changed our plans: wild boar.

Neither of us had ever had wild boar previously. We briefly considered the rabbit entree but settled on Plan A: splitting the wild boar ($36, with an extra plate costing a mere $6.00) and ordering two bowls of soup ($4.95 each). It seemed like it would be a nice light lunch. We assumed that the wild boar entree would be a lunch-sized portion...

Though the wine list doesn't list any, Mallorca does offer wine by the glass. Since we didn't want a bottle, we ordered two glasses of their house Rioja ($8 each) in anticipation of a good pairing with the boar. The Rioja was delicious: the nose smelled obviously of chocolate-covered cherries that carried over into the taste. The bottle had clearly been open for a while, allowing the tannins of this Tempranillo wine to soften and highlight the bright berry notes with faint spice.

We started off with salads of mixed greens, onions, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in a mustard-y version of thousand island dressing (included in the price of entree). I nibbled at mine, picking out the hearts of palm (my favorite!). I didn't want to spoil my appetite, after all.

Our soups arrived shortly after the salads: one Sopa de Ajo (Garlic soup) and one Caldo Gallego (Spanish Vegetable Soup). The Sopa de Ajo was delicious, with the traditional soft-cooked egg in the bowl. I enjoyed the Caldo Gallego soup, too. The hot soup chased the chills from our bones.

Then came our "light lunch."

Two legs of falling-off-the-bone boar in a delicious sauce with lima beans , a plate of yellow rice, a plate of freshly fried potato slices and a bowl of mixed vegetables later (most of which we had wrapped up to go), we ordered a piece of almond cake (who can resist almond cake, I ask you?). The waiter also brought us two complimentary almond liqueurs from the bar. Did we feel like royalty? Oh yes!

Waddling out to the car, our bellies full and with the promise of a repeat meal (due to our sizeable doggy bag), we decided that we'd definitely return some day to taste the goat.

New Year's Resolution: Attend Church

Yesterday, Karl and I made good on one of his New Year's resolutions to find (and go to) a church in the Pittsburgh/Oakland area when we didn't make it out to North Huntingdon with my parents (kind of a trek!). So, we attended a service at Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Great music, scattered sermon, but an all-around nice church. I'm glad we went. Next week, we're going to investigate East Liberty Presbyterian.

Two things I've decided I like about the Presbyterian church: the music and the architecture.

Music
We sang hymns yesterday! I forget how much I miss hymns sometimes. The church at which I'm a member is fondly referred to among its members as the "Rock-and-roll" church. We have a band, including drums, electric and acoustic guitars, bongos, a keyboard, and an electric bass. It's fun and exciting, but I often feel that a more serene, solemn service is just what I need. I'm not always fond of the organ used in most traditional services, but the organist at Shadyside Presbyterian was very nice.

I also enjoyed the presence of a chancel choir. It's good to have harmonies when you're singing hymns, and I also love when the choir sings short pieces to enhance the worshipful atmosphere of the service.

Yes, I do appreciate some good music! Yesterday's service included some lovely music, which you can actually listen to (along with the sermon and hymns) at the Shadyside Presbyterian website.

Architecture
Just take a look at these two buildings!

Shadyside Presbyterian and East Liberty Presbyterian

In sum: I enjoyed going to church!

Christmas Makes my Hobbies Possible

I love my family. I love giving presents. I love getting new things. And I love eating like there are no consequences at least once a year!!

I just love the holidays. I'm very happy that this year the ice was broken between me and my parents regarding my consumption of alcohol...so my brother Jeremy got me some delightful stemware and stemless stemware. Sweet! I also used a gift certificate from my brother Jesse to purchase a decanter, among other kitchen appliances. AND, my sister bought me the board game Winerd, which is supposed to a fun way to explore your palate with friends! So, now, I am completely set to pursue my passion for wine in the new year! I cannot wait to break in that decanter, and maybe put all my new stemware to use at a little wine-tasting party with some friends!

Christmas evening, my brother, sister and I decided to go see the newly released movie, Juno, a tongue-in-cheek film about a teenage pregnancy. The dialogue is fast-paced, sharp, and utterly ridiculous, but somehow it works well enough to keep you laughing at a pretty constant rate. I highly recommend this film, even though the ending was rushed, and, frankly, really stupid. The rest of the film is worth it. The cast is pretty great, including Jennifer Garner, Michael Cera (George Michael, from Arrested Development), Jason Bateman (also from Arrested Development), and a cameo from Rainn Wilson (Dwight, from The Office). Juno, the title character, is played by Ellen Page, a less-well-known name, but the perfect actress for the part. Go check out the film!