I Sing In The Kitchen

Life Of The Party Layer Cake. Listening To Native Sun.

Posted on June 1, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Yeah. I say ‘Fuck’ a lot.

What do I have to say to this year, so far………Why don’t you just Fuck Off?

The personal blows I am experiencing in 2023 have been spectacular in number and scope. I feel like I am fighting for all that is important in my life…and not sure I am winning.

Fuckety Fuck Fuck.

Who wants cake?

Amirah Kassem of Flour Shop has created this over the top cake that is so many layers of fun. Multi-colored vanilla cake, multi-colored cream cheese icing and a delightful deluge of colorful candies that spill out when you cut into it.

Just what my potty mouth and heavy soul need.

Life Of The Party Layer Cake

Ingredients:

Vanilla Cake Layers (recipe follows)
Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
1½ cups sprinkles, chocolate disks, dried fruits, candied citrus peel, and/or candied nuts (for filling)

Directions:

1. Use a 2-inch ring cutter to punch a hole in center of each cake except orange cake.

2. Place half of yellow icing in piping bag (a resealable bag with a corner cut off also will work).

3. Pipe a circle of icing onto a serving plate. Place black cake on top and pipe several rings of icing on top of cake. Stack pink cake on top, lining up center holes, and pipe several rings of icing on top. Repeat with red, yellow, and green cakes.

4. Add desired fillings to hole in center of cake. Place orange cake on top to close.

5. Frost outside of cake in an even layer. (It doesn’t need to be perfect; this is the crumb coat to keep stray crumbs and cake pieces from coming loose during the cake decorating process). Chill, uncovered, until icing is firm, about 1 hour.

6. Coat cake in another layer of icing, trying to make it even. If the icing isn’t firm, chill another 30 minutes (important when you add the other colors).

7. Divide the reserved 1 cup icing among 4 small bowls and add orange, green, red, and black food coloring to reach desired hue.

8. Place dollops of each color of icing all over cake. Run scraper around cake in one continuous motion to create smooth streaks of color.

Do ahead: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store uncovered in the refrigerator.

Serves 8

Vanilla Cake Layers

Ingredients:

2⅔ cups (335g) flour
1 Tbs baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups (300g) sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1⅓ cups whole milk
1 Tbs vanilla extract
Orange, green, yellow, red, pink, and black food coloring

Directions:

1. Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly coat six (6-inch) pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

5. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture in 2 additions. Mix well after each addition.

6. Divide batter evenly among 6 small bowls (If using a scale, each should weigh about 200g).

7. Color batter in each bowl with orange, green, yellow, red, pink, and black food coloring, adding and stirring in until you reach desired hue.

8. Scrape a color of batter into each prepared pan then smooth surface.

9. Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through if browning too much in one spot, until tops spring back when very gently pressed and a tester (inserted all the way to the bottom in center of each cake) comes out clean, 16–20 minutes.

10. Transfer pans to wire racks and cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around inside of pans to loosen cakes, then turn out onto racks. Remove parchment and let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 (8oz) packages chilled cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 lbs (907g) confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Yellow, orange, green, red, and black food coloring

Directions:

1. Using a mixer, beat butter on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese a few pieces at a time, beating until smooth.

2. Beat in vanilla, then reduce speed to low and add confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, beating until smooth.

3. Mix in lemon juice and salt.

4. Scoop 1 cup icing into a small bowl and set aside. Add a few drops yellow food coloring to icing in a large bowl, stir well then add more food coloring until you reach desired hue.

Recipes from Bon Appétit

Let’s dance that cake off.

Today’s song comes from Brooklyn-based band Native Sun. It’s emotional and beautiful and just what I needed right now.

“And she looks at the rain
And she dances with the pain”

Check out Native Sun on the band’s Website and Bandcamp where you can buy their music and learn of upcoming shows on the US east coast.

Cheers!

Posted in Cake | Tagged Native Sun | 2 Comments

MacSagna. New Music From Hanna Ögonsten.

Posted on May 4, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

I love macaroni and cheese.

I love lasagna.

Put them together and you get MacSagna.

This insane recipe uses prepared sheets of macaroni and cheese in place of lasagna noodles. It’s a truly delicious smash up.

MacSagna

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mac And Cheese Sheets (recipe follows)
2 cups browned Italian sausage crumbles
2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella
Favorite marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
Fresh basil, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.

2. Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

3. Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish.

4. Place one of the mac and cheese sheets on the bottom of dish (Two large spatulas are helpful to do this.Don’t worry if the sheets tear…you won’t be able to tell once it is all assembled).

5. Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese sheet, then scatter the cooked sausage over top of the ricotta.

6. Top with the remaining mac and cheese sheet.

7. Cover the top of the MacSangna with mozzarella.

8. Bake on lower rack of oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.

9. Slice into pieces and place on individual serving plates. Ladle some warm marinara over each slice and garnish with basil.

Serves 6 to 8

Mac And Cheese Sheets

Ingredients:

8 ounces elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
4 ounces processed cheese, such as Velveeta
10 ounces shredded sharp provolone
Splash hot sauce

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until very al dente. Drain.

2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for two minutes, until smooth. Stir in the milk, bring to a simmer and cook over medium low until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the processed cheese and provolone and stir until melted. Add the hot sauce then mix in the macaroni.

3. Evenly spread the warm macaroni and cheese onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with another sheet of parchment and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

4. Cut the macaroni and cheese sheet into 2 equally sized rectangles.

Recipes from Jeff Mauro

“Big Teeth” is new from Swedish artist Hanna Ögonsten. The song title is what grabbed my attention. I mean, big teeth are usually funny unless they are yours and you are a pre-teen, pre-braces (Oh yes, that would be a call back to my painful adolescence).

I love the nineties dance-pop, club vibe.

Check out Hanna Ögonsten on Facebook where you can look for updates on where to buy her music.

Cheers!

Posted in Main Courses, Pasta | Tagged Hanna Ögonsten | Leave a comment

Tunisian Orange Cake. Listening To Peter McVeigh.

Posted on April 17, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

This past November, my sister-in-law brought me to Ballymaloe House while I was visiting her in Ireland. I’ve been over to Ireland many times in the past 30 years, but somehow never made it to Ballymaloe. It’s lovely.

We didn’t take a cooking class, but did get to peek inside the lovely inn and have coffee in the cafe. The gift shop and garden on the grounds were both impressive.

I have been making recipes from the Ballymaloe House Cookbook for years. My sister-in-law mentioned that her family’s favorite cake for birthdays is the Tunisian Orange Cake from the book. I had never tried it, but was so happy when I did. This citrus-syrup infused cake has a wonderful texture from the breadcrumbs and ground almonds. It’s like taking a bite of sunshine with each forkful.

Tunisian Orange Cake

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (50g) stale white breadcrumbs
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (100g) ground almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
200ml sunflower oil
4 eggs
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of half a lemon
Citrus Syrup (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Line the base of a round 8-inch (20cm) wide cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the tin.

2. Mix together breadcrumbs, caster sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.

3. Whisk the sunflower oil with the eggs then pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in both zests.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and place into a cold oven.

5. Turn the oven on and set to 350°F/180°C.

6. Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes or until it’s golden brown. Allow to cool for five minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.

7. Make the citrus syrup after cake is removed from the oven.

8. While the cake is still warm, prick it several times with a fork. Pour the syrup slowly over the cake so that it soaks in.

9. Arrange the cinnamon stick and cloves on the top to decorate.

10. Serve the cake with crème fraîche, greek yogurt or whipped cream, if you like.

Serves 8

Citrus Syrup

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of half a lemon
1/3 cup (75g) granulated sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. Mix all of syrup ingredients in a stainless steel saucepan.

2. Bring mixture slowly to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely.

3. Simmer for three minutes.

Recipes from Ballymaloe Cookery Book by Darina Allen

This beautiful tune from Belfast-based artist Peter McVeigh makes me tear up every time. Sometimes we just want someone to take care of us and take comfort that they will always be there, right?

“This time
Bring me all your joy your sorrows
This time tomorrow
I’ll still be yours”

Check out Peter McVeigh on Bandcamp where you can buy his music.

Cheers!

Posted in Cake | Tagged Ballymaloe House, Emma Langford, Peter McVeigh | Leave a comment

Cheesy Baked Bagel Pudding. Listening To Kosha Dillz.

Posted on March 29, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

My son resurrected that video earlier this month. Just as ridiculously funny to me now as it was years ago.

Any time I have a crowd to feed for breakfast, I look for recipes that can be assembled the night before. Here’s one that is fun and different.

Bagels are given the bread pudding treatment being baked in a generous bath of milk and eggs. Add an herby mustard sauce, pickles and lots of cheese and you have a memorable, cozy breakfast dish.

Cheesy Baked Bagel Pudding

Ingredients:

6 plain bagels, halved
80g butter, softened
6 eggs
650ml whole milk
6 Tbs mustard (try a mixture of 3 Tbs yellow mustard and 3 Tbs English or French mustard)
20g finely chopped fresh herbs (such as a mix of dill, parsley, and chives)
200g emmental cheese, grated
150g dill pickles, halved (I used cornichons)

Directions:

1. Spread the cut side of the bagels with the butter.

2. In a measuring cup, mix together the eggs and milk then season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix the mustards in a bowl, then stir in the herbs and 75ml of the milk mixture.

4. Layer half of the bagel halves, cut-side up, in a greased, ovenproof, 3 quart baking dish. Pour over half the milk and egg mixture and sprinkle with three quarters of the cheese. Add the rest of the bagel halves, cut-side down, then pour over the rest of the milk and egg mixture.

5. Press the bagel halves down with your hands to help them soak up the liquid.

6. Drizzle the herb-mustard mixture over the bagels, tuck in the pickles and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

7. Refrigerate the casserole for an hour or overnight.

8. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

9. Bake the bagel pudding for 30 minutes until golden brown and slightly puffed up. Serve while hot.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe slightly adapted from Delicious Magazine

We started off with a ridiculous video and today we end with one.

Total respect to these hilarious guys and their loving ode to the bagel.

“In God we crust”

😂

Check out Kosha Dillz aka Rami Even-Esh on his Website where you can buy the music.

Cheers!

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged Kosha Dillz | Leave a comment

Short And Sweet. Pecan Toffee Squares.

Posted on March 9, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Hurry up and grab some graham crackers and 3 other ingredients to make these scrumptious Pecan Toffee Squares. Just 15 minutes and no candy thermometer! Definitely sweet.

Pecan Toffee Squares

Ingredients:

12 graham crackers, whole
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1⁄2 cups pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with non-stick foil. Place a layer of graham crackers onto the prepared pan.

2. Melt butter and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook exactly 2 minutes.

3. Pour mixture over graham crackers then sprinkle with nuts.

4. Bake at 350℉ for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack.

5. Cut into small squares to serve.

Recipe from Food.com

Here’s a foot stomping short song.

And a sweet song.

At least he treated her right before he inevitably dies. It’s the little things. :)

Check out Reina del Cid on Bandcamp where you can buy her music.

Cheers!

Posted in Dessert, Short And Sweet | Tagged Reina del Cid | Leave a comment

King Cake Cupcakes. Listening To Quintron And Miss Pussycat.

Posted on February 21, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

There isn’t a baby in any of these cupcakes. Too afraid of ever causing anyone to choke.

What is in these King Cake Cupcakes is all the magical colors and flavors of Mardi Gras king cake. They are super easy to make, too, as crescent rolls stand in for the usual homemade yeasted dough.

King Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
⅓ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon milk
Colored sanding sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil or paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients.

3. On a lightly floured surface, unroll each of the packages of crescent dough, and separate each sheet into 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal.

4. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons brown sugar mixture down center of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch border on short sides.

5. Beginning with long side, roll up each rectangle. With seam on top, fold the left-third of dough in to center. Fold right-third of dough in to center. Place dough, coiled side up, in prepared cups. Repeat procedure with remaining rectangles.

6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cakes in pan then sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Makes 1 dozen

Recipe from Paula Deen

Naturally, we should go to New Orleans for today’s music.

“Stroller Pollution” from NOLA’s own Quintron and Miss Pussycat is a fast paced corker of a tune bound to get you moving.

“And I don’t think that your baby’s really that sweet”

Cracks me up.

Check out Quintron and Miss Pussycat on Bandcamp where you can buy their music.

Cheers!

Posted in Cupcakes | Tagged Quintron and Miss Pussycat | Leave a comment

Beeting Heart Martini

Posted on February 13, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Swap out the olive for a cute little beet heart and toast your Valentine, or yourself, with this cheerful martini.

Beeting Heart Martini

Ingredients:

1 ounce dry vermouth
4 ounces premium gin
Ice cubes
2 pickled baby beets

Directions:

1. Chill 2 martini glasses in the freezer.

2. Add the vermouth to each glass, dividing evenly then swirl to coat the glasses. Discard the vermouth after swirling.

3. Add gin to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled then divide among the vermouth coated glasses.

4. Cut out a heart from each pickled baby beet, using a small heart shaped cutter.

5. Gently drop a beet heart into each glass and serve immediately.

Serves 2

Recipe from Martha Stewart

I first heard ‘Beating Heart’ in college. Let’s say that was a long time ago!

The original version, from a mixtape my boyfriend at the time made me, is very different from the remix here. This is more techno, but the romantic lyrics are warmly intact.

Check out Section 25 on Bandcamp where you can buy their music.

Cheers!

Posted in Beverages | Tagged Section 25 | Leave a comment

Sheet-Pan Omelet With Sausage And Home Fries. New Music From Luke De-Sciscio.

Posted on January 31, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

If you bothered to click on the video, I’ll bet you lasted less than 30 seconds. Imagine you are me and that is going on outside your house ALL DAY LONG. To say my nerves are fried is an understatement. Noise cancelling headphones help, but can’t absorb the shudders that course through the house Monday through Friday, nor eliminate the sight of endless trucks and machines passing outside my kitchen window.

I have power lines on my property (unfortunately quite close to my house) that the Vermont electric companies have right of way to repair and maintain. Since December, a full road, turnarounds and construction infrastructure are being built on my land to create thoroughfares to bring in hardware to replace the massive power line structures. It’s a fucking nightmare. The project is not going to be completed until after October 2023. Even worse, I can’t find a lawyer to help me hold the electric companies’ accountable to their promise to dismantle the roads and mess and restore my land to its original private, rural landscape when the project is safely completed.

Happy New Year to me.

Enough of that.

On to this amazing Sheet-Pan Omelet With Sausage And Home Fries. It’s the ultimate one pan breakfast or breakfast for dinner meal. I adore the idea for the omelet trough and the home fries are the best I have ever made.

Sheet-Pan Omelet With Sausage And Home Fries

Ingredients:

2 pounds large red-skinned potatoes (about 4), cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground thyme
12 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk
3 green onions, sliced
12 frozen fully cooked sausage patties (I like these)
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Toss the potatoes, bell pepper, onion, vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons salt, a few grinds of pepper, the paprika, garlic powder and thyme on the baking sheet and spread out. Bake, stirring once, until the vegetables are browned around the edges and tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet so that they cover about half the pan.

3. Make a 6-by-9-inch tray out of a double layer of foil with the sides about 1 1/2 inches high.

4. Place the foil tray in a corner of the baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

5. Whisk the eggs, cheese, milk, 2/3 of the green onions, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the foil tray.

6. Arrange the sausage patties, overlapping if necessary, in the remaining space on the pan.

7. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the omelet is puffed and set and the sausages are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before serving.

8. Top the omelet with the tomatoes and herbs and sprinkle the sausage with the remaining green onion.

Serves 6

Recipe from Food Network

I am thankful that even when life is ugly right in front of one’s face, there is beauty and comfort in music. I want to cry every time I listen to ‘The Tourist’. I’m moved by every minute of it.

“Get out, go outside
We’re all waiting on your smile”

Check out Luke De-Sciscio on Bandcamp where you can buy his music.

Cheers!

Posted in Breakfast, Main Courses | Tagged Luke De-Sciscio | Leave a comment

Gingerbread Spiced Nuts. ISITK Is 12 Today!

Posted on January 6, 2023 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Another year, another gingerbread recipe. This time we’re going nuts. Gingerbread Spiced Nuts to be exact. Pecans and almonds are tossed with some pretzels and baked up to a salty/sweet snack with a hint of the spices of the season.

Gingerbread Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons gingerbread spice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/3 cups pecans
1 1/3 cups almonds
1 1/3 cups pretzels

Directions:

Whisk 1 egg white with 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon each paprika and pepper. Add 1 1/3 cups each pecans and almonds; toss. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 325˚, stirring every 10 minutes, until mostly dry but still slightly sticky, about 25 minutes; add 1 1/3 cups sesame sticks during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let cool.

Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network