Tasty Tuesday!

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cud and Mascarpone
From Epicurious.com


Ingredients:

Lemon curd

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Cake

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 14 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Filling and frosting

• 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 8-ounce containers chilled mascarpone cheese*

Directions:

For lemon curd:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until thickened and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 10 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter; whisk until melted. Transfer 1 cup curd to small bowl for spreading on cake layers. Reserve remaining curd for filling. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of both curds. Chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line bottom of two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with parchment paper (do not grease pans or parchment). Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 7 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick and slowly dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 7 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff and glossy. Fold half of whites into yolk mixture, then sift half of flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt over and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in remaining whites, then sift remaining flour over and fold in just until combined, being careful not to deflate batter.

Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pans on racks.

Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto 9-inch-diameter cardboard rounds, tapping on work surface if necessary to release cakes. Cut each cake horizontally in half (layers will be thin). Peel off parchment.

For syrup:
Place sugar in small metal bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water; stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in lemon juice.

For filling and frosting:
Beat whipping cream and sugar in large bowl until peaks form. Add mascarpone to lemon curd in medium bowl; whisk until blended. Fold whipped cream into lemon-mascarpone mixture.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Brush with 1/4 of syrup. Spread 1/4 cup lemon curd over, then 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling. Top with second cake layer; brush with 1/4 of syrup and spread with 1/4 cup lemon curd and 1 cup lemon-mascarpone filling. Repeat with third cake layer, syrup, lemon curd, and filling. Top with fourth cake layer. Brush with remaining syrup, then spread remaining lemon curd over. Spoon 2 cups lemon-mascarpone filling into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch star tip (to be used for rosettes). Spread remaining lemon-mascarpone filling as a frosting over sides of cake. Pipe small rosettes of frosting over top of cake, covering completely. Cover cake with cake dome; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Tasty Tuesday!

Blueberry Pie!



Ingredients for filling:

• 3-4 cups of blueberries
• 7 tablespoons of corn starch
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 9 inch pie crust in a deep dish pie plate
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Splenda

Ingredients for crumb topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour (use whole wheat!)
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Make pie crust (unless you're using pre-made)
2. Wash blueberries in cold water and pick out the stems
3. Combine the dry ingredients (sugar, Splenda, corn starch and spices)
4. Mix in the liquids (water, lemon juice)
   
5. Add blueberries into the pie crust and pour the liquid mix into the pie
6. Combine the crumb topping ingredients and add them to the top of the pie
7. Bake at 375F for 1 hour
8. ENJOY!

For more information on this recipe go to: http://www.pickyourown.org/blueberrypie.php

The AmeriCorps Year Comes to an End.

July 29th was the last day of my year of service and work with this wonderful crew of people.


During our AmeriCorps graduation we were asked to reflect on some of the projects that we have been a part of and some of the successes that we've had, and I got pretty overwhelmed by all the things that Elisa and I accomplished this year. To name a few of our projects:

• We've started 2 walking groups, providing individualized exercise information to over 60 patients
• We've started the Sea Mar Smart Food projects, and provided nutrition counseling and grocery store tours to about 50 patients
• We created and carried out a 6 week tobacco support group curriculum
• We built a comprehensive system of health education referral follow-up reaching over 200 patients since January
  
• We were part of the Hypertension Quality Improvement Initiative, and I was able to lead 3 hypertension classes reaching over 20 patients

All in a year's worth of work. I'd say we did a pretty good job. The thing is, none of it would have been possible without our fearless leaders and mentors. As well as without our team's support and inspiration. So, after a year of hard work, I say "Good work, Team" and a big big big THANKS!

Tasty Tuesday!

Spinach Basil Pesto
Courtesy of Prevention.com

Serves 4

8 ounces whole wheat pasta, such as elbows or penne
2 cups packed baby spinach
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, cut in half

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and toss with pasta. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Stats Per Serving (1 1/2 cups): 264 calories, 9 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 390 mg sodium.

Tasty Tuesday!

Mexican Style Quinoa!

Ingredients

Makes 3 1-cup servings

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Rinse quinoa well. Add all ingredients to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cover with lid, reduce heat to med-low and cook for 20 minutes until quinoa is tender.

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Nutrition Information | Per serving (1/3 recipe)

calories: 233; fat: 3.6 g; saturated fat: 0.4 g; calories from fat: 14%; cholesterol: 0 mg; protein: 9.1 g; carbohydrate: 42 g; sugar: 6.2 g; fiber: 5.4 g; sodium: 195 mg; calcium: 52 mg; iron: 3.3 mg; vitamin C: 19 mg; beta-carotene: 254 mcg; vitamin E: 2 mg

Oh No! Where to Start?

It's been a while since I've had a moment to sit down, sip some tea, read a book, and update the blog! Many things have happened since April. Many. Here are some highlights:

• Member Led Training on Gender, Sexuality and LGBTQI health disparities - check
• Two graduations one week apart - check
• Roadtrip - check
• New old furniture purchases - check
• Teaching a class about hypertension to funny older folk - check
• Starting a new season of Tobacco Cessation classes - check
• First ever one-on-one official health education session with older Russian lady who doesn't give a hoot - check

An a cherry on the top - I lost my phone. Fun times!

This month and a half has been really good though. I'm riding my bike more often and enjoying the scenery around me with some wonderful company to boot. I'm getting more confident in my professional skills, which is great, since I'm now having to look for a job. That's not too exciting but hopefully soon there will be a check mark next to that as well.

Things I'm looking forward to in the next months?

• Camp Sunburst in two weeks
• Teaching more group classes
• Sunshine and warmth of the PNW summer
• Finding a job that I'm really excited about AND that pays better
• Road trip to Canada!!
  

On that note, I'll go look up a nice recipe for Tasty Tuesday that's long over due!

Tasty Tuesday!

Molly's Birthday Cake
(there's nothing healthy about it!)


Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts (hazelnut meal)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
• 1.5-2 (11 oz) packages bittersweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

Make cake layers:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 (7- or 8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together water, cocoa, and espresso powder until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.

Sift together flour, hazelnut meal, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing at low speed until just combined.

Divide batter among pans (about 2 1/3 cups per pan), smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes for 7-inch pans or 20 to 25 minutes for 8-inch (whole batter, in a 10 inch pan, coked for about 40 minutes) . Cool in pans on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.

Make ganache while cakes bake:
Bring cream to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in chocolate until smooth. Transfer ganache to a chilled bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened but spreadable, about 4 hours. (If ganache becomes too thick, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)

Assemble cake:
Arrange 1 layer on a cake stand or plate and spread 2/3 cup ganache evenly over it. Top with another cake layer and 2/3 cup ganache, spreading evenly, then third cake layer. (Chill ganache if necessary to keep at a spreadable consistency.) Chill cake until ganache filling is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency, chilling when necessary.

Spread a thin layer of ganache over top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs, then chill 30 minutes. Spread remaining ganache evenly over top and sides of cake.Decorate the sides of the cake with hazelnut meal if there's any left over.

I adjusted my recipe from this original epicurious recipe:

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Ganache-Cake-105133#ixzz1L3VrCqW7