Monday Must Have: Bob's Red Mill Products & A Quinoa Salad Recipe

A few weeks ago I had the AWESOME opportunity to visit the Bob's Red Mill World Headquarters to take a tour of the mill and then do some SERIOUS shopping at the Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Store--and believe me when I say, it was like being in a whole grain heaven!

Monday Must Have: Fat Daddio Tart Pans

Happy Monday!  After way too long a bit of time off from posting, I'm back with an AWESOME Monday Must Have--the Fat Daddio Oblong Tart Pan! 

Lately I have found that this tart pan is the perfect choice for summer fruit tarts and since it is finally showing signs of summer weather here in Oregon, I have plans to use this pan many times over the next couple of months.

Monday Must Have & My One-Year Blog Anniversary

It is Monday.

And being that it is Monday, it's time to feature a new Monday Must Have, since it has been a bit too long since I've had one. AND it just also happens to be the exactly one year ago today, I started Jillicious Discoveries, and I still can't believe how fast the year went. But more on that a little later.

My Monday Must Have: Vacation!

This is proof that spring is right around the corner!

March is here! And it is Monday! Usually this means either the Monday Must Have or Heavenly Bakers, but today is extra special, because Monday, March 1st is the official start of my two week vacation!

I'm so giddy with excitement, I might just be doing the dance of joy right now while typing this post! Where am I going, you ask? I'm traveling somewhere I've never been before and have planned a fun and relaxing vacation. I'm going to visit my best friend who's wedding cake I made last june and I finally get to visit her in her new home state!

So dear blogging friends, I will take tons of pictures to share with you in a couple of weeks and of course I will be checking out the local food scene and take in some bakeries too. And since I will have some extra time while waiting at the airport and during the flight, I will be catching up on this list and will share the highlights later in the month.

Have a great couple of weeks and I will visit your many wonderful blogs when I get back and catch up on your busy lives as well.

Monday Must Have: Rose's Heavenly Cakes Book and a New Baking Group.

Whew! The weekend just FLEW by way too fast and the first week of February is already a distant memory. But, I have a treat for you today. Not only do I have a fabulous Monday Must Have, I also joined a new baking group based on the book I'm highlighting today.

Let's start with the Monday Must Have. I have had my eye on this book since I heard that Rose Levy Beranbaum was releasing a new book last September called "Rose's Heavenly Cakes" and I finally purchased it last week. You may be wondering what took me so long, but as I've mentioned before, I own a TON of baking books and I was trying to show a bit of self-control and purchase things I NEEDED, not things I WANTED. I had received a Border's gift card for my birthday (last October) and recently received a 40% coupon and I decided it was time to buy myself a belated birthday gift (thank you Jenna!). I can't believe I waited that long.

Monday Must Have: My Favorite Rolling Pin

Every kitchen needs to have certain tools for cooking and baking.  You don't need to have every new and fancy gadget that comes out on the market (although some of those gadgets are cool and can be useful), but you should have some basics. 

Today's Monday Must Have is one of those basics--the Rolling Pin.

Monday Must Have: The Beater Blade (and the reason I've been M.I.A.)

I know, I know, it's been three weeks since my one and only post in January so far. But it's Monday, so let's start with the Monday Must Have and then if you want to know more about what I've been up to, I'll give you the scoop.

Monday Must Have: Book List for 2010

One of my 2010 New Year's Resolutions is to take time to read more food books.

Let me explain what I mean by food books. Of course cookbooks are always something that I think one can never have too many of (and believe me, I test this theory every chance I get), but I'm referring to books that are written about food, the history of food, people's experiences with food or in the food industry, food from different cultures or food theme novels, and so on.

I received several fascinating books from my sister for Christmas, that I'm dying to read and have already started (THANK YOU again sis!!) and that inspired me to create a themed book list for 2010.

So here is the Monday Must Have challenge for you; whatever your reading interests are (food, biographies, mystery, drama, fiction, non-fiction, etc.), to compile a list of books that you want to read by the end of the year.

I've started a list of books already on my shelf. Started is the key word, this is the beginning of my 2010 list that I will continue to add to during the year. And to hold myself a little more accountable, when I've finished the book, I will post a summary and my thoughts about the book and list them over on the side bar under the title, 2010 Book List.

Jill's 2010 Book List (so far):

1) My Life in France [by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme] *I started this before the holidays and I need to finish it this month.

2) The Art of Eating [by M.F.K. Fisher]
*This is a compilation of five of her books:
Serve it Forth
Consider the Oyster
How to Cook a Wolf
The Gastronomical Me
An Alphabet for Gourmets

3) Pomegranate Soup [by Marsha Mehran]

4) Rosewater and Soda Bread [by Marsha Mehran]

5) Tender at the Bone [by Ruth Reichl]

6) Comfort Me with Apples [by Ruth Reichl]

7) If You Can Stand the Heat [by Dawn Davis]

8) The Food of Italy [by Waverly Root] *This is a second read--I first read it in culinary school five years ago and I think it would be interesting to see what more I get out of it now.

9) Blue Trout and Black Truffles [by Joseph Wechsberg]

10) Roast Chicken and Other Stories [by Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham]

I'd love to know what books you are looking forward to reading in 2010 and of course recommendations are ALWAYS welcome!

Monday Must Have: Christmas Stocking Gift Ideas

PSST!! I have a secret to share with you...

I DON'T HAVE MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE YET!!
Yep, that's right, I'm not quite ready for Christmas, because I've been busy baking Jillicious Dessert orders and helping others get ready for their Christmas celebrations. So, although I should be stressed, I'm just taking it all in stride and I'll get done what I can and not worry (too much) and just call "late" presents, gifts for the New Year.

YOU probably have all your shopping done, packages wrapped and now you are just enjoying the holiday festivities. But for the few of you who still need some gift ideas, here are my top five stocking stuffer gifts that are all under $20 and make great presents.

Jill's Top 5 Monday Must Have Gift Ideas:

1) Lemon Stretch Wraps (a.k.a. Lemon Shower Caps)
[Click here for more information about these cute and handy little caps]



2) The Scoop
[Click here for more information about some of the uses these handy gadgets provide]



3) The Melon Baller
[Click here for examples of what you can use this handy tool for in your kitchen]



4) The Microplane Zester/Grater
[Click here for more information of one of THE best kitchen gadgets ever!]



5) The Citrus Squeezer or Reamer
[Click here to decide which one is your citrus gadget of choice]


Happy last minute shopping!

Monday Must Have: Chocolate Truffle Sauce & Gift Idea

Are you wishing it was still the weekend? Or maybe any other day than Monday?

I have three words that should make your Monday better from this point on:

Chocolate. Truffle. Sauce.

Tell me your heart just fluttered, because mine did. Just the mere mention of chocolate and you have my attention. And let me just say, that you NEED to try this recipe and share the love.

A couple of years ago, my Mom came across this fabulous recipe in the paper and after a few adaptions, we created what I think is a SUPER DELICIOUS Chocolate Truffle Sauce. It's the perfect homemade gift and easy to make.

Any type of food-grade jar will work for the chocolate truffle sauce. This year we decided to use the small 4 oz. mason jars, which can be used again and they are the perfect size to give someone a nice treat.



The Decoration:

To decorate the jars, cut out holiday material with pinking shears for a festive look. Just place the material over the lid and place the ring over the material. You should be able to tighten the lid even over the material.



You can also tie a ribbon with the directions attached around the lid of the jar. Because this sauce should be refrigerated, at the very least I like to include these simple directions:

- Refrigerate sauce immediately.
- When ready to use, take out of jar & warm for 20 seconds in microwave.
- Use as a topping on ice cream with whipped cream & nuts for a wonderful dessert.

You could also include the actual recipe with these directions.



The Recipe:

Chocolate Truffle Sauce
Adapted from Jan Dominquez's "My Special Chocolate Truffle Sauce" recipe.

Yields = Makes about 2½ cups sauce.

8 oz. Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips
8 oz. Guittard Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
5 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1) Place the chocolate chunks into a large, heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with hot (not boiling) water. Let the chocolate mixture begin to slowly melt.

2) In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and immediately pour it over the chunks of chocolate, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted. Keep the bowl positioned over the hot water because this will help keep the temperature at the melting point.

3) Once the chocolate is smooth and creamy, stir in the butter and vanilla and continue stirring until the mixture is well blended and smooth. *I've found that at this point, if I strain the chocolate mixture (a fine mesh strainer or china cap strainer will work great), it will be very smooth and you can sift out any tiny pieces of chocolate that didn't melt completely.

4) Pour the sauce into clean jars and let cool completely before screwing on lids. Refrigerate the sauce. It will become firm, but just scoop out the sauce as needed and either warm in a pan on the stove or at low power in the microwave. Or enjoy directly from the jar.



If you like to have a bite from time to time, this is what it looks like straight from the refrigerator:



Or if you prefer to warm it up, you can use it has a sauce over ice cream or other desserts:



*My favorite combination is a really good vanilla bean ice cream or a peppermint ice cream, with the chocolate truffle sauce and crushed peppermint candies--and yes, even though it is so COLD here (it's only 27 degress so far today), I did look for some ice cream and nope, there wasn't any in the freezer here in the Jillicious Kitchen (which is why I only have a picture of the toppings).



I love giving something homemade to my family and friends and this chocolate truffle sauce is always appreciated.

What is your favorite homemade gift that you like to share?

Monday Must Have: Be Thankful For What You Have

In honor of Thanksgiving this week, I think it's very appropriate to pause in our very busy lives and think about what we are thankful for in our lives. I've had the topic of gratitude on my mind for the last few days and it's been good for me to reflect about the many blessings in my life.

Here are ten (of the many things) that I am grateful for:

1) My Mom--She's always there for me and supports me in all that I do.
2) My spiritual beliefs
3) My health
4) Doing what I love for a living
5) Friends
6) Opportunities for education & learning
7) Good books
8) Being able to share my talents with others
9) Experiences I've had in all aspects of my life
10) The hope of what lies in the future

I would challenge you to take a few moments during this holiday week to write down what you are thankful for at this time in your life.

P.S. A couple of weeks ago I received a nice surprise from Anula over at her blog Anula's Kitchen. Thank you Anula!!

This blog award is just another wonderful example of how supportive people are in the blogging community which I really appreciate and am grateful to be part of this online community.


I am passing this award to five blogs that I've really enjoyed following. Reading each of these blogs have made my days a little brighter and I thank you for that!

Sue at Munchkin Munchies
Kate at Serendipity
Julie at Willow Bird Baking
Kate at Apple & Spice
Cooking School Confidential

Monday Must Have: Find your favorite kind of CAKE!

Let's talk CAKE.

I have a theory...there are two kinds of people:

Group #1) Those who like cake, and
Group #2) those who say they don't.

I find this interesting, especially the second group who claim that they are not cake people. To them I would say that they haven't had the opportunity to taste a really GOOD cake. I've been given this reason time and time again, when meeting with clients for a wedding cake tasting during a consultation. Actually, when I hear that, I have to hold back a grin, because I know that they are soon going to change their perception and move to the first group of those that like cake. I take them on as a challenge to help them open their eyes to the wonderful world of cake; quality cake that is.



I think there are several reasons why people say they don't like cake. Their experiences have included poor quality frosting or too much frosting, dry cake, or cake made with inferior ingredients. I know that some people love boxed cake mixes, but a box mix can't compete with a cake made from scratch, using quality ingredients.

Most celebrations revolve around the cake; weddings, birthdays, baby showers, office gatherings, and holidays. We have all had some kind of cake at one time or another. And on top of that, there are many flavors of cake to choose from--white, yellow, chocolate, marbled, cherry, red velvet, lemon, orange, strawberry, carrot, and on and on. Everyone has their preferred flavors and then you could really divide the cake people into chocolate lovers and the rest. But that is another topic for another post.



What makes a cake really GOOD?

I believe that there are three key aspects that make the difference between a "just OK" kind of cake and a "WOW, this cake is AMAZING". They are: ingredients, technique and the correct ratio of a QUALITY frosting to the amount of cake layers. All three of these attributes are very important and when they are done correctly, you will have a DELICIOUS cake. If even one of these are missing, then the cake is less than excellent and just becomes another cake that isn't memorable (or at least not memorable in a good way).

Ingredients = Need to be fresh, of good quality and the amounts need to be measured accurately, so the cake will come out correctly every single time it's made.

Technique = A cake needs to be mixed using the correct method. Cake batter can be over mixed, under mixed, ingredients incorporated at the stage or at the wrong temperature--all of which can result in problems during the baking process and ultimately the final product.

Correct ratio of a QUALITY frosting to cake = More frosting is not necessarily better. The icing on the cake should compliment the cake or enhance the flavor, not take over completely. And a quality buttercream makes all the difference. Ever eat a cake with too much frosting and the taste leaves a lingering unappealing aftertaste on your tongue? You know the kind I'm talking about--this can ruin a potentially good cake. Picture a smooth, creamy buttercream that is so silky and is filled with a vanilla flavor that works with the moist cake, so that one bite is never enough. That is what GOOD cake should taste like.



I know I haven't mentioned the appearance of a cake. Yes, it should look appealing, because seeing the cake is the first of several senses we use and that first impression is important. My goal with every cake I make, is to make it beautifully delicious; which means it needs to look inviting and with that first look, you just know that the taste will match or exceed its appearance.

Back to those clients I have had over the past several years that have come in to taste wedding cake samples. I'm happy to have them come in and sit down to taste different flavors of cake to help them make a decision for their big day. I've even had the bride or the groom mention again, how although they really aren't cake people, that they just need to find something that will be suitable for their guests. I just smile and say, "It's OK if you don't eat the entire piece of cake, but just give it a try." I cut them a piece of the cake, made just hours before, and set it in front of them.

And then I watch and wait.

The bride loves cake and digs right in. The groom, tentatively cuts his with his fork and takes a small bite. I watch as a look of surprise passes over his face. He goes in for a second bite. Neither is saying anything, but I'm hearing sounds of enjoyment. And then it happens--the moment I've anticipated and enjoy every single time. The bride asks the groom, "So, what do you think?" The groom doesn't say anything, because he is on the last bite of cake and the plate is almost as clean as it was before the cake slice was laid on it. Finally, I hear "WOW, this cake was so GOOD! And I don't even like cake!"

And just like that, another non-cake person experiences a change and is open to moving up to the first group of those who like cake. I love watching this happen. It's just another perk to doing what I love and sharing it with others.



If you haven't enjoyed a really good slice of cake--keep looking. It's out there. Sometimes you have to taste many kinds of cakes from different sources, but you will find it. And if you happen to be in my area, try a Jillicious Cake--you might just become a member of group #1; those who like cake. I love a challenge.

What is your favorite kind of cake?



P.S. My current favorite is the Caramel Hazelnut Spice Cake (pictured in this post) & the latest edition to the completed 2009 Jillicious Holiday Menu found here.

Monday Must Have: Kitchen Inspiration

My first sugar showpiece in culinary school.

Creativity. I love it. I need it. I crave it.

I enjoy what I do for a living because I have this outlet where I can create something that is a part of me, for others to enjoy.

One of the things I loved about culinary school was the constant learning of new skills and techniques and it seemed like the creativity just happened being in such a conducive environment. I remember the first day of my Confectionery & Showpiece class, where the chef demonstrated a FANTASTIC sugar showpiece (which I wished I had taken a picture of to share with you). When she finished, she had us pick out three colors of cooked sugar and said, "OK, now it's your turn to make a showpiece in the next couple of hours."

I had picked three colors that didn't really seem like they would work together and the perfectionist in me began to panic. As I worked, practicing the techniques that the chef had demonstrated, I began to gain confidence in learning another new skill. Although we had a choice in the colors, we still needed to incorporate the hedge rose flowers and the pulled sugar technique in our project.

The above picture was my very first sugar showpiece and although it's not anywhere near what you might see on a Food Network show, I was very pleased with how it turned out and when I look at this picture, it brings back memories of the excitement and the challenge of learning something new and allowing my creativity to shine through. Overall, this picture represents a time when I thought something was impossible and how with a little direction, practice and creativity it became possible.

But every once in awhile, there are times where the creativity doesn't seem to flow and I need a little extra help to get those creative juices flowing. At times like these, I turn to those things or people around me to get going again.

Things or people that INSPIRE me:

Cookbooks
Cooking Magazines
Collected Recipes
Created Recipes
Favorite Food Blogs
Other Pastry Chefs
My Mentor Chef D.
Ingredients
Seasonal or Local Produce/Ingredients
Bakeware/Cookware/Kitchen Gadgets
Culinary Classes
Prints/Patterns/Themes
Art/Paintings
Places I've Lived/Visited
Experiences

What INSPIRES you in the kitchen?

Monday Must Have: Le Creuset Pastry Brush

Picture from Sur la Table

I know there are many brands of silicone pastry brushes out there, but my favorite is the Le Creuset brand. I have several brushes in a few colors and each one looks brand new, even though I've had them for years.

Top 5 reasons why the Le Creuset Pastry Brush is a MUST HAVE:
1) Easy to clean & stain proof (the brush is removable from the handle and is dishwasher safe).
2) Heat resistant up to 800 degree F. (You may not ever be dealing with that extreme type of heat, but good to know that if you accidentally leave it in a boiling pot, it won't become part of your food).
3) Great for applying butter or egg wash to pastries; flexible but won't damage even the most delicate doughs.
4) Gentle on bakeware or cookware & will not scratch or leave unwanted bristles (as some synthetic brushes break off at times).
5) AWESOME color choices to match any kitchen!

Picture from Sur la Table

Which is your favorite color and which kitchen task do you use it for?

Monday Must (Have) Make: Homemade Fruit Syrups

Last week during the early hours of the morning, I was baking some dessert orders and when I looked out the kitchen window, I saw this beautiful sunrise! I quickly grabbed my camera and was able to capture a few pictures of a foggy, yet lovely sunrise.

With the fall season upon us, comfort foods seem to be very appealing and well, yes comforting. One of the things I love to make for dinner, is breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast, omelets, pancakes, and my favorite Belgian waffles. And what is a delicious topping? Homemade fruit syrups!

Last week, we canned over 40 quarts of grape juice (oh yes, I will be posting about the "fruits of our labors"--don't you just love a good pun?) and to make some room in our freezer for a meat order arriving soon, we decided to juice the frozen cherries we put up last year. Black cherries make a wonderful juice and a tasty syrup. Although we used a juicer/steamer to extract the juices, if you don't own one, you can still make syrup and it's very easy to make.

Cherry Syrup
Adapted from So Easy to Preserve, pg. 225

Yields = About 3 pints

3 cups prepared cherry juice
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
3 Tbsp. lemon juice

To Extract Juice
If you own a juicer/steamer, this is a great way to extract juice from fruits and vegetables. If you don't own one, here is a link that explains how to extract juices using a saucepan.

To Make Syrup
1) Sterilize canning jars. Combine ingredients in a saucepan.
2) Bring to a rolling boil and boil one minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
3) Pour into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.
4) Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.
*If you will be using syrup right away, you don't need to process in a water bath. When the syrup is cool, store in the refrigerator.

Monday Must Have: The Bench Scraper

Today was a busy day and it included teaching great 4H group of kids (ages 7 to 13 years old) how to make French Galettes & Mini Turnovers, getting the rest of the grapes picked, and putting away the garden hoses and getting ready for the cold weather coming our way.

And this was how my day off went by so fast.

While I was teaching the group how to make Flaky Pastry Dough by hand, one of the parents asked me why I used the bench scraper instead of a pastry cutter. I love it when people ask me this question, because I think that sometimes this handy tool is often overlooked. I explained that ever since I began using one in culinary school, I've never gone back to a pastry cutter, because you can use this handy tool for so many steps in baking.

Here are a few ways you can use the Bench Scraper in your baking & cooking projects:

1) In making pie dough, it cuts cold butter quickly and then when you are finished with making the dough on a cutting board, you can use it to easily scrape up the leftover flour and clean up the board.

2) It's a great tool for dividing bread dough for loaves or rolls.

3) You can cut bars (brownies, shortbread, etc.) easily in a sheet pan, without scratching the pan like a sharp knife would do.

4) It's helpful when transferring delicate desserts to a serving tray or lifting pastries from the pan.

5) It also is a great way to chop some vegetables quickly and then use it to scoop up the cut vegetables to be used in cooking.

*Bench scrapers come in a variety of sizes and materials, I have several white plastic ones that are great for scraping bowls clean and not wasting any batter.

What task do you use your Bench Scraper for and why?

Monday Must Have: The Bread Baker's Apprentice Book

I have a little confession to make.

If you have been following my blog for a little while, you may have remembered me mentioning something about joining a bread baking group about five months ago (or maybe not and now I've pointed out something that I haven't followed through on). This group called The BBA Challenge(Bread Baker's Apprentice) was formed by Nicole at Pinch My Salt and the goal was to make a recipe per week and post about each result.

From the very beginning, it was stressed that although many people would follow a weekly schedule, you could go at any pace that is best for you and your schedule, so don't worry if you didn't bake a recipe every single week. I was very excited and all ready to jump on the bread baking wagon, especially since I owned the book and had made some recipes from it while I was in culinary school. Now, here is another bit of information to add--I also joined the Daring Baker's Kitchen at about the same time and have found that a monthly challenge has worked much better for me and my level of commitment at that time.
Back to my confession.

I made the first bread recipe (LOVED IT), posted about it and then...work and life got busier and I never made it back for the second recipe (if you look at the side bar with the labels, you'll notice there is only (1) BBA post). I used to follow the google discussion groups and other members of the groups blogs for the first month or two, but then I felt SO guilty about not keeping up, that I had to stop. And it's not like I'm even being held accountable for whether or not I'm making any of the breads, but I still feel a twinge of guilt about not following through. I guess I am on the slow, slow, SLOW schedule and have now made a goal to bake at least three more recipes by the end of the year (yep, I think I can perhaps handle one per month).

So what is my point today? Just this. I saw the book on my shelf, looked outside at the overcast, cold, fall-ish weather outside and thought, "Hey, today is a great day to make bread and maybe others would like to know more about this great book." Also, we have some freshly ground hard white wheat that needs to be used (see picture with large container of flour two pictures down). And hey, fresh warm bread straight from the oven? I think I can make that sacrifice on my day off.

Let me introduce or re-introduce (if you are already aware of this book), The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart.



This book is a wealth of great information and contains excellent directions for making delicious bread. Even if you haven't had much experience in baking bread, but want to learn and know more, then this book is for you. If you don't have this book, but would like to try a recipe from it, click over to my post about the Anadama Bread recipe. Try it and let me know what you think about it.

I will be making one of the many great recipes from this book today and later this week, I'll post pictures and more information about how it turns out.

In the meantime, I'd love to know what your favorite bread to make is or if you don't make bread, what is your favorite bread to eat?
Happy Bread Baking Monday!

Monday Must Have: The Palette Knife

The palette knife isn't really a true knife. In fact, the palette knife wasn't originally made for kitchen work, but rather for artists to mix paints and apply them to a canvas. But some of the best tools have come from other professions and have been adopted into the culinary field.

Remember this Monday Must Have? Another great example of a tool that made the cross over to the kitchen.

In my drawers of many kitchen tools, I have nearly a dozen palette knives in several different sizes as part of my collection. These are some of the handiest kitchen gadgets around. I use them daily; for icing cakes, cupcakes, lifting small pastries, lifting cakes for stacking and many other baking projects.

Here are a few of my favorite sizes:


The largest one in the above picture is my favorite size. I use it on almost every cake size that I frost and because of the straight "blade" it allows me to get my icing super smooth and if it's a square cake, it helps create straight and even corners too, which was really helpful on this wedding cake I made last weekend.


The angled palette knife (a cousin to the regular palette knife) is called an off-set spatula and many of the same baking and decorating can be accomplished with either one. But the off-set spatula is a great tool for spreading batter for cakes and jelly rolls, and fillings evenly.

These are just a few of the tasks made easier during my day, thanks to these handy artist/baker tools.
Do you have a palette knife or off-set spatula in your kitchen tool collection? If so, I'd love know how this great tool has made your life easier in the kitchen.