Black Bottom Brownies - SMS

As you're reading this post, we're enjoying the sunshine of a Caribbean cruise. We're enroute from Fort Lauderdale to the Cayman Islands aboard the Crown Princess.

Brownies are one of those desserts that can so easily overbake. I have the hardest time telling whether or not they are done. These were no exception. The cream cheese filling began to brown, so I pulled them out a few minutes early. The texture and flavor were perfect. Not sure what I did but my cream cheese seemed a little too soft and as a result my chocolate chips sank down on top of the chocolate layer. Everyone at my house loved these, they were gone in no time!!!




Thanks to Cynthia of Bakingtherapist for choosing a yummy recipe. Check out the other baker's creations here!

Bon Voyage!! Pomegranate Infused Vodka

A cocktail post seemed appropriate on our departure day for the cruise!! We fly to Ft. Lauderdale today. We're leaving a couple of days early, just in case we encounter any midwest weather. We set sail for the Caribbean on Saturday. To all of my blogging friends, I will catch up on all of your great posts when I return on the 30th.

Hubby's camera was packed, so sorry no photo on this one!

A couple of weeks ago, I was able to purchase quite a few pomegranates at a really good price. What an interesting fruit! You cut the end off and break the fruit open and scrape out the ariels. Don't do this unless you have some time, it takes a while to get all of the ariels out of the fruit.

Now that I had all of these ariels, what am I going to do with them. I did some reading and saw the suggestion you can eat them. I tried them and while I didn't dislike them, I didn't find them particularly delicious. Maybe on top of salads or something like that but not just to eat alone.

When we owned our lake house, I used to make infused vodka. It made beautiful summer drinks or incredibly strong shots. Either way, it was an often requested item during the summers at the lake. Pomegranate drinks seem to be all the rage these days, so how about pomegranate infused vodka? I did some reading and based on several recipes, created my own version.

Pomegranate Infused Vodka

750 ml bottle of Vodka
2 cups ariels
Peel of two medium limes
Cinnamon Stick

Pour all of the ingredients into a large glass jar with a lid. Using a potato masher, smash the ariels. Secure the lid. Shake to mix all ingredients. Place jar into a cool, dark place for two weeks. Strain and pour into a clean vodka jar. Use immediately or allow to age further.

Grapefruit Granita

I love fresh citrus fruit. Grapefruits are so beautiful and a wonderful breakfast treat. Since we're getting ready to leave town, I am following my "Use It Up" philosophy and trying to make sure I use as much as I can before we leave town. I was trying to think of something fun to make with grapefruits. I've never made a granita. They are so pretty and easy to make.

Grapefruit Granita

Juice of 2 ruby red grapefruits
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey

Bring water to a simmer, remove from heat and pour in the honey. Allow to cool and stir in grapefruit juice. Pour into 9 x 13 glass pan. Freeze for at least six hours. Scrape with the tines of a fork and place into a pretty glass for serving.

There's so many possibilities for a granita...add a splash of vodka or tequilla, citrus fruits, coffee, herbs. I can't wait to experiement and create some new combinations.

Lemon Walnut Sour Cream Pound Cake - SMS

This week's Sweet Melissa Sunday's recipe was chosen by Raeann of Basically Baby Boots . Great choice, Raeann!!! I love pound cake!! I couldn't wait to try this recipe. Sour cream pound cakes are my favorite!!! This cake batter had the most beautiful lemony color and fragrance.

I have a habit of not always reading a recipe thoroughly and missing a ingredient or a step. Not this one, this recipe came together perfectly. Somehow I messed up the timer and went to check how long left and what? it wasn't counting down. I had to estimate how long it had been in the oven, so I began checking it way before it was done. I believe it took close to 1 hour and 30 minutes to bake. I did feel that some of the edges were getting too brown before the center was done. I covered it with foil for the last 10 minutes.

The end pieces of the pound cake were a little dry. Once you made it to the middle, those pieces had a nice moist texture and the best flavor. This recipe is a keeper!!!


Next Sunday's recipe, Black Bottom Brownies.

Please Donate!

I don't know about you but sometimes I take all we have for granted. Clothes, food and shelter! I pause to be thankful for my family and my friends but too often forget to say thanks for those everyday pleasures that I know I take for granted.

I was traveling on business this week and watched quite a bit of the coverage on the earthquake in Haiti. Words cannot describe the tragedy in Haiti. As a food blogger, I'd like ask all the food bloggers to donate to the relief efforts in Haiti. Skip a post and donate the money you would have spent on the food for that particular post.

Use It Up!

Sandy Gluck does a great segment on Everyday Food on Martha Stewart Living Radio called "Use It Up". She takes the ingredient(s) you have in your refrigerator and comes up with a dish to make with them.

My Use It Up for this week is Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Soup. I had butternut squash leftover from the risotto, sweet potatoes in the pantry and pomegranates on the counter. I was actually looking for something to do with my pomegranates and ran across this recipe on the POM website.

This is such an interesting combination of flavors. Would I like it or would it be a failed recipe? I loved this soup. It has the wonderful butternut squash soup flavors with sweetness added from the sweet potatoes and pomegranates. The texture is beautifully creamy and smooth. This one's a keeper!!!

Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Soup
Adapted from POM Wonderful
Serves 6

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup arils from 1 large pomegranate
1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons green chiles, chopped
3 cups chicken broth (or water)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry or other white wine
1 cup milk (nonfat or low fat)
1 cup crispy corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.).

To make pomegrante juice, place arils in the blender, pulse until juiced. Strain, reserving juice.

Place butternut squash and sweet potato on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for 30 minutes.

In a stockpot, add butternut squash, sweet potato, green chiles, chicken broth and pomegranate juice. Cook over medium heat until hot and flavors are well combined. Add salt, pepper and sherry or white wine. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Process soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.Return soup to the stockpot, add 1/2 - 1 cup of milk and reheat. Serve in bowls with crisp corn chips, pomegranate arils and sunflower seeds.

French Toast

Alton Brown is one of my favorite Food Network chefs. French Toast is a weekend breakfast favorite at our house. Imagine my delight when looking for a new French Toast recipe to try, I found Alton's recipe. I have lots of french toast recipes that require soaking overnight, baking in the oven and consquently take quite a bit of time. I was looking to spice up a quicker version of French Toast.

I added vanilla and cinnamon to the recipe. Vanilla and cinnamon are two of my favorite flavors, especially in French Toast. Alton's recipe browns the French Toast on the stove top and then finishes it in the oven. I decided to just make it in my electric griddle and it turned out fine.

This French Toast is amazingly delicious! The addition of the honey gives it a nice sweet flavor and the half and half adds a bit of extra richness. Okay after all the holiday goodies we have eaten, did we need this richness. No, but it sure tasted good!




French Toast
Adapted from Alton Brown

1 cup half-and-half
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat a stove top or electric griddle to medium heat/350 degrees. Melt the butter.

Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place slices of bread into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.