mocha chocolate icebox cake . . . and a casual birthday brunch

 

It's been a whirl wind month for our family. February is always busy for us.

The month begins with celebrating our oldest son's birthday, followed by a birthday celebration almost every weekend through the end of month. Nick turned 21 this year, so I was sure to add personal (and special) touches to his birthday gathering . . .

         .     .     .     .         

mocha ice box cake

MOOSE sugar cookies (Nick's favorite animal!)

a mocktail bar with a signature grapefruit drink 

 * 21 gifts *
sparkler number candles!

delicious skillet dishes
spicy Italian strata & baked french toast
 .     .     .     .  

My favorite time of day to entertain is late morning, early afternoon. It's the perfect time for brunch, which I think is one of the best times of day to entertain! So we celebrated birthday after birthday over brunch, every Saturday . . . and I enjoyed every minute of it!

So let's talk cake!

Have you ever heard of an old-fashioned Icebox Cake?

Well, I hadn't heard of one until I saw Ina Garten make one in an episode of the Barefoot Contessa last year. Ironically, the episode aired just days after hosting Nick's 20th birthday brunch; and after watching the episode, I knew that I was going to make it for his 21st birthday!

It has all of his favorite things . . . . chocolate chip cookies and mocha flavored whipped cream, layer upon layer upon layer. YUM!

They're so easy to make, and there's NO BAKING; that is, unless you choose to bake the chocolate chip cookies that go into layering this cake.

Ina uses TATE's Bakery chocolate chip cookies, which I was lucky enough to find at our local Wholesome Market . . . so I couldn't resist buying them for the cake.

It takes just minutes to whip the ingredients . . .  heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, instant espresso powder, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and coffee flavored liqueur . . . and then the layering can begin. It's so simple . . . and delicious!

I can't wait to make a Spring and Summer version using lemons and lemon cookies!

mocha chocolate icebox cake

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

2 cups cold heavy cream

12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua (optional)

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 (8-ounce) packages chocolate chip cookies, such as Tate's Bake Shop

Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks.

To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch spring-form pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some cookies to fill in the spaces.) 

Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. 

Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.

courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

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dutch baby . . . an oven-baked pancake

Dutch baby . . . an oven-baked pancake!

Have you ever had one?

They're quite impressive with their sides that inflate into billowing PILLOWS while baking in the oven . . . and then slowly deflate after taking it out, its tender (bread pudding like) texture, and simple flavor.

GORGEOUS!

Ina Garten prepared a very similar oven-baked pancake, which she called Tri-berry Oven Pancakes, in one of her episodes called "Cooking with Friends" that originally aired in 2012.

She made four individual ones in small gratin dishes, and then topped them with strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. I loved the idea of making them when I saw the show, but I never got around to making them myself.

And then my sister-in-law made "Dutch Babies" for us during our Winter break a few weeks ago, and I loved them!

They're incredibly easy to prepare. Ridiculously easy, in fact. And their tender flavor makes them a perfect canvas for fresh fruit, powder sugar, and maple syrup . . . or savory sides, like herbed scrambled eggs and grilled sausage and onions.

Although I recommend baking your Dutch Baby in a cast iron skillet, you can also bake it in an 8- or 9-inch glass dish. 

I've baked them in both, and prefer a cast iron skillet, as its PUFFS are more dramatic, yields a better crust, and it cooks faster, too. 

I'm planning on baking several of them for our youngest daughter's 4th birthday BRUNCH next month. I can't wait to share this baked treasure with our family and friends!

  

dutch baby

oven-baked pancakes

.     .     .     .     .     .

3 large eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)

 ¼ cup butter, salted

.     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Whisk eggs, milk, flour, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.

Melt butter in a 10” skillet, preferably cast iron, in the oven.

Carefully pour pancake mixture over melted butter. Return pan to oven. 

Bake until pancake is puffed and golden brown around the edges and center is set but still custardy, 12–15 minutes.

Slice and serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or fresh fruit . . . or a savory side dish. Enjoy!

**If baking in a glass dish, add 3-5 minutes to baking time.

another oven-baked pancake recipe

mini puff oven pancakes

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Summer garden pasta . . . spaghetti with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella

 

Our little potted garden is producing more tomatoes than I know what to do with.  The photo below shows one week's worth of pickings, and that's not including the big, beautiful heirlooms we're growing too.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! We've been enjoying them straight from the garden as a snack, in omelettes, tacos, and salads . . .  and, my favorite, in simple Summer pasta dishes . . . like this one.

If you watch Barefoot Contessa then you've probably seen her make a dish similar to this one. 

In fact, it was her Summer garden pasta that inspired my version, which includes additional herbs and fresh mozzarella. 

So what makes this simple Summer pasta dish so darn good?

Besides the beautiful red, orange, and yellow tomatoes from our garden, I added lots of fresh herbs too . . . sweet basil, Greek basil, and Italian flat leaf parsley. I also love the addition of fresh mozzarella! It's light & creamy flavor and texture is a perfect compliment to the pasta and tomatoes.

Perhaps what makes this dish special too, is its preparation . . . 

I add quality olive oil and fresh grated Parmesan cheese to the hot pasta, immediately after draining it . . . which allows the cheese to cling to each strand of pasta . . . so that every single bite is flavored with this salty goodness. Yum!

Add the fresh basil and tomato mixture, crushed red pepper flakes (see photo) for a little kick, and creamy mozzarella & fresh herbs for a final touch . . . and you have a light and flavorful dish perfect for any Summer day!

Summer garden pasta

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

quality olive oil

3 pints of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

12 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see photos below)

salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound spaghetti

1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
2 cups of fresh mozzarella (add more if you love it!), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped for serving

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for at least an hour.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt to the boiling water, and then add the pasta. Cook al dente, according to the directions on the package. 

Drain the pasta well and pour into a large serving bowl. 

Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over the hot pasta, toss; and then sprinkle 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta, toss well. 

Add the basil tomato mixture, fresh mozzarella cubes, extra fresh basil and Italian flat leaf parsley. Toss well. 

Serve with extra Parmesan cheese on each serving. Enjoy!

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potato basil frittata

  

le grand petit déjeuner  

. . . translated "the big little lunch" . . . 

I LOVE hosting brunch . . . . 

Because its a meal eaten between or instead of breakfast and lunch, the possibilities are endless.  Your menu can lean more towards breakfast, or lunch, or a combination of both. 

 I prefer to host what I call a "true brunch" ~ a combination of breakfast and lunch that includes fresh seasonal fruit, yogurt & granola, scones or sweet rolls with a variety of spreads, and a hot dish (preferably savory).  

  

. . . And a wonderful hot dish to serve at brunch is a frittata. Their possibilities are endless! You can make them vegetarian, or with meat.  

I hosted a brunch for my daughter's 1st birthday, and served two kinds of  frittatas. Both had the same base, different add-ins . . . 

Potato Basil Frittata

with yellow, orange, and red peppers

~ and ~

Potato Basil Frittata

with sweet and spicy Italian sausage

The frittatas that I made were inspired by Ina Garten's Potato Basil Frittata recipe.  In addition, I made hollandaise sauce to serve as a topping. It was a wonderful addition this dish.

As with most dishes, I have a few tips to share . . .

Although you can assemble this dish in advance,

I recommend leaving the egg mixture

in a bowl until you are ready to pour it over the 

potatoes & onions to bake it.

~

For presentation purposes,

I recommend baking it in a spring-form pan.

Upon release, it will yield a beautiful pie-shaped frittata!

~

Let the frittata sit for approximately 15 minutes before cutting.

A few simple ingredients . . .

 

 

 

~ I recommend using a spring-form pan ~

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided

2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)

1 yellow pepper, finely diced

1 orange pepper, finely diced 

1 red pepper, finely diced 

8 extra-large eggs

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 pound Pepper Jack cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

In another pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and saute onions until golden and tender. 

Remove onions and add to fried potatoes. Set aside.

In another pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and saute the peppers until tender.

Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Pepper Jack, sauteed peppers, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Line the bottom of a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan with parchment paper, and then put together the spring form pan so that the paper sticks out from the base. 

Generously spray with cooking spray. 

Pour the potatoes and onions on the bottom of the spring-form pan. Spread evenly. 

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and onions, and place the pan in the center of the oven on top of a baking sheet.

Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.

 ~ released from spring-form pan ~

~ Slice and enjoy! ~

  

Serve with hollandaise sauce!

Bon Appetit!

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