Skillet Ziti - From America's Test Kitchen to Mine

Before I share this quick and easy dinner-- I would like to thank those of you who either offered sympathy or suggestions with my plea for help with my broken feedburner. What is "feedburner", some of you might wonder?  It's Google's free service that allows readers to subscribe to my blog.  In theory, each time that I post a new recipe, subscribers will receive a copy of it in their email.  Suffice it to say, that after hours of trying to figure out what the problem was-- and my husband tinkering around--  my most recent post did arrive in my email this morning.  Unfortunately, email subscribers will only receive a summary and will need to "click" to jump to my blog, if they want to see my photos and read all about it. I'm sorry about that, but I think the problem has been fixed.  'Nuff said. At least,  I hope so!

Back to this pasta recipe.  A few weeks ago, I caught this current episode on America's Test Kitchen, and so I bookmarked the recipe.  Fast forward to last week, when I had come home from work and my sister-in-law was cooling off from the Missouri heat visiting us in California.  My husband wasn't going to be home for dinner, and the two of us preferred to stay home.  Bingo!  I have lots of fresh basil and zucchini in our backyard.  I had just purchased a refrigerator staple of fresh mozzarella.  I tend to hoard pasta, and while I didn't have ziti pasta, I had a bag of rigatoni. Close enough!

I try to keep at least one can, each, of tomato products in my pantry.  Fortunately, I had crushed tomato. The rest of the ingredients are six cloves of garlic, red pepper flakes, water, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. 

I decided to add one zucchini (from our garden) to this recipe, for a little extra crunch and to "healthify" it a little more. 

America's Test Kitchen used the kind of grated mozzarella that comes wrapped in plastic.  I rarely buy that, preferring fresh mozzarella.  Either way works fine, I am sure.

I simply sliced the mozzarella thin (like 1/2")

The sauce is very easy to make, by sauteing the garlic and red pepper flakes in some olive oil.  Then you add a can of crushed tomatoes.

Next, you add water, salt and the pasta and cover it.  The pasta is cooked until it's tender-- about 15 to 18 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475F.

While the pasta was cooking, I quickly sauteed the zucchini in a little olive oil and lightly seasoned them with salt & pepper. Then, when the pasta was tender, I added the zucchini. One pan cooking-- how easy is that?!

Last, stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan and fresh basil...

Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. NOTE: Because I used fresh mozzarella, the cheese melted but it didn't brown. 

Total prep and cooking time took about 30 minutes. While the pasta cooked, I had time to clean my mess, and that is such a help on a work night.

VERDICT:  The sauce was delicious.  I liked the garlic flavor, which was definitely present but not overpowering.  The red pepper flakes were very subtle, and it added a little bit of heat.  The heavy cream turned the sauce a light pink color, and toned down the tomato flavor. I liked it.  Of course, I had to add more fresh basil.   My only criticism, is that I thought the sauce was a little runny for my liking. I'm not sure what the fix would be.  I'd be hesitant to reduce the water, as the pasta has to cook in the sauce and it does absorb a lot of the liquid.  I'm glad I added the zucchini, as it added some texture.  The next time I make this, I might consider adding cooked Italian sausage (maybe even turkey sausage) and/or mushrooms. 

Overall, it's a simple pasta dish that rates "very easy".  

A printable recipe card can be found at the end of this post.

Cheers!

Zebra Birthday Cake | Zebra Birthday Cake Ideas | Zebra Birthday Cake Recipes 2011

Zebra Print Fondant Birthday Cake

Children are fun party themes. You can not get out. The choice of theme for your children's party, however, can be a headache. There are literally thousands of ideas for topics to choose from. So, how are you? Take the initiative from the birthday child. Asking the right questions, and will come with the correct answers. The first thing to do, ask the child about their likes and dislikes now. Children can be fickle, and it is worshiped in the last year, not necessarily be the same this year. Think about your hobbies and activities. Do you have a passion for a particular sport or love the ballet? Do you love arts and crafts? You will have a favorite TV show never lost? All of these areas, ideas for great party themes that are ideal presents for your child is available.

Zebra Birthday Cake Hot Pink

Once you have your theme, think about how you follow them through the party. Everything from invitations, decorations, food, clothing, games, surprises and of course the birthday cake, can be adapted to the subject. Use your imagination just decide, and marking where the most suitable for your party.

Zebra Birthday Cake Photos

Theming not be expensive. For example, if your character as a subject not mean that everything has to have this character in it. You can choose a coordinating color and use it for balloons, plates, straws and table, then put the napkins and cups to add character to the theme and the look together. This not only looks good, but it is more profitable than with characters of all, cheaper than regular courts in general.

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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake | Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Frosting | Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Recipe 2011

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake and Frosting

Chocolate mayonnaise cake glaze first, it is new, it can be done back in 1937 a man married to a distributor of mayonnaise was unusual, we return to the same old, as a means of further There is a possibility that might be considered. Not only is it delicious, and include the mayonnaise in the recipe, since it contains all the ingredients, egg, mayonnaise, add other ingredients to make chocolate cake, like salt and oil You can not worry about it.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Best

Whether it does not provide a moist and delicious cake or chocolate, add mayonnaise cake. When you make a cake like this may cause you just want to frost cake. In addition, the garnish, you can use other ingredients to a dessert. For example, you add the chopped nuts into cake always, more can be said much better.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Coffee

Can be outside of the cake decoration engraved with walnuts and pecans and press your frost. After decorating the chopped nuts in a decorative pattern around, please consider adding a cherry on top of strawberries and chocolate glaze. Of course, with each cake decorating, your creativity and imagination, we guide you in choosing the various ingredients that may be used to garnish the pie.

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Best Pancakes. I'm serious. With or without Olallieberries?

I have made this pancake recipe three times, in the last month. I feel it is my duty to share this recipe with all of you. You will thank me.  I spotted this recipe on "Coleen's Recipe's" in early June.  Coleen named them "Best Pancakes", and that's a tall claim!  Truthfully, I don't eat traditional pancakes very often, but my husband loves them.  I'm more of a "Swedish Pancake" lover, but I have to say that Coleen was being very accurate.  The first time I made this recipe, I added olallieberries to the batter. These pancakes are also delicious just plain.  Coleen's claim turned out be very accurate.

Olallieberries are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. 

This recipe hasn't made a lot of pancakes, as every time I've made them, it's has yielded about 8-9 pancakes. That's fine with us, as I don't want leftover pancakes-- but recently I doubled the recipe and it yielded about 15 pancakes.   The dry ingredients are unbleached white flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  The wet ingredients are beaten eggs and melted butter and pure vanilla.

The soured milk helps to activate the baking soda.  This creates fluffy pancakes. Trust me. Just read the recipe directions carefully-- the key to this recipe is to make "soured milk" by combining vinegar with milk.

Add the soured milk to the eggs and vanilla, then add all of the wet ingredients to the dry and gently mix. A few lumps are okay, but don't overmix!  Be sure to allow the mixed batter to sit for about 10 minutes, until you see bubbles.

 The pancakes puff up, very nicely. 

You can't see the berries, but they are inside these pancakes.  Plain is fine, too. But, for the love of Pete, use only pure maple syrup! WARNING: These hotcakes soak up the syrup fast!

Are these fluffy enough for you? They are for us!

VERDICT:  Nope, not a trace of any vinegar flavor. Fluffy. Tender. Flavorful. The syrup was quickly soaked up. The plates were licked clean.   You don't need a box mix.   I still like the "Fluffy Pancake" recipe that I posted, last April, but that recipe involves folding in fluffy egg whites.  This recipe has become my "go to" pancake recipe.  Sure, you need to wait about 20 minutes for the batter to do it's "magic", but it's so worth it.  According to my pancake loving son, these are the best pancakes I have ever made! Thanks Coleen!

A printable recipe card is at the end of this post.  

Homemade Carrot Cake | Homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes | Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe 2011

Homemade Carrot Cake and Frosting

During the spring months of 'years, I always like to put on my apron and voice in my kitchen to bake some homemade carrot cake bars. With this recipe, you can use bought or homemade frosting cream butter. This recipe takes some time to prepare but is well worth your efforts cooking.

Homemade Carrot Cake and Icing

1 cup granulated sugar
Vegetable oil 3 / 4 cup
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 / 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 / 2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup shredded carrots Fresko
1 container (16 ounces) butter cream frosting prepared.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unger and flour a 13 "by 9" baking pan.

Homemade Carrot Cake Buttermilk

In a large mixing bowl, beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil and eggs together using an electric mixer. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt until all ingredients are blended is. With a spatula, silicone, gently stir in the shredded carrots. Pour your batter into your pan. Place the dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until they are made. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting with butter cream frosting. Once done, cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

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Carrot Pineapple Cake | Carrot Pineapple Cake Ina Garten | Carrot Pineapple Cake Recipe 2011

Carrot Pineapple Cake Barefoot Contessa

Carrot cake like grandma does, what it come from? When my wife and I first met, I had too much cake eater. Lemon pie was my favorite, but when I gave her a piece of carrot cake I've become a cake-eater on the site. Carrot cake can be eaten plain, but it is usually glazed and decorated with white frosting or cream cheese icing and pecans and walnuts, usually chopped. It is often covered with icing and marzipan, which looked like carrots. The cake is popular in a bread, cake and cupcake leaf shape, but the circular layer is probably the most popular.

Carrot Pineapple Cake Cream Cheese Icing

Some people, carrot cake is a misleading name, let's say the cake looks more like a quick way of preparing bread. All wet ingredients such as eggs and sugar mixed together all dry ingredients are mixed and then added the wet to dry and the final consistency, which is usually thicker than the traditional cake and has a coarser crumb. My wife says that mixing the dry ingredients and mix them in the wet. Differences makes the world go round.

Carrot Pineapple Cake Low Fat

Carrots are used in sweet cakes of George Washington crossed the Delaware River, during which time the sweeteners were scarce and expensive, while the roots, more sugar than other vegetables except sugar beet contains it was much easier to come and was used to make sweet desserts. The beginning of the carrot cake are questionable, but expected from Sweden. Now my wife says it came from grandma, and she probably got from his popularity grandmother.The carrot cake was probably restored in Britain, because the division during World War II.

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Old-Fashioned Cooked Vanilla Frosting-- for my self-made Birthday Cake

Today is my birthday. (Thank you, in advance, for your best wishes.)  I'm taking the day off, to spend the anniversary of my arrival into this world.

Honolulu, Hawaii.  Age? Not sure, but about six months old. Why do I look so cranky?

 My birthday card/gift from my brother, Fred.  I love it!

I'm happy to say that how I feel on the inside, doesn't match my true age. My birthday coincides with the that great leap for mankind-- our first landing on the moon. I was fourteen years old.  Yes, you can do the math and that's my age. 

Question: Is is strange for me to bake my own birthday cake?

There are very few good bakeries where I live.  The ones I do like are expensive.  I do not like cakes that come from those warehouse businesses (and I won't name names).  Suffice it to say that I don't care for frosting that is made with shortening.   Canned frosting is the devil.  I won't buy it, and I can taste it blindfolded with a clothing pin on my nose.  Chemicals, I tell you. Gross.   My preferred cake frosting is a Swiss Meringue, and I've finally mastered how to make it-- it's surprisingly easy.  A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a recipe for Old-Fashioned Cooked Vanilla frosting.  I was intrigued about a frosting that uses a roux of milk and flour.  Very interesting!   I started to fixate on my favorite chocolate cake recipe.  I'm not a big fan of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting-- but chocolate cake with white frosting?  Yes!! We had a barbeque, this weekend, as an early birthday celebration.  I decided to bake my favorite moist chocolate cake (recipe card will be at the end of this post.)

First you make a "roux" of flour and milk (I doubled the recipe, since I planned to frost a cake, instead of cupcakes.)  I've mentioned this in a few previous posts, but I only use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.  Sure, the flour costs a few quarters more, but it's the best quality flour I've ever used. You want to cook the milk/flour mixture on medium heat, until starts to thicken; then cook for 1-2 minutes more.  You don't have to do this, but I decided to run the roux through a fine mesh sieve because I didn't want to risk having lumps.  It's a bit labor intensive, but the roux looked nice and smooth.  Next, you want to use unsalted (softened) butter and granulated sugar... not confectioners, which is used for a more traditional buttercream.  Allow the roux to cool to room temperature, but don't refrigerate it!

You'll want to stir the roux every so often.  The consistency is thick and creamy. Perfect!

Whip the butter and granulated sugar until it's fluffy.  Add the roux a couple of tablespoons at a time...

...this is where the "magic" begins.  The butter/sugar mixture begins to morph into a very creamy texture (about 6-8 minutes)..

Amazing! This is beginning to resemble whipped cream.

This icing even tastes like whipped cream!  I added a little vanilla and then gave a final taste.  

VERDICT:  Delicious!  Creamy! Sweet, but not nearly as sweet as a classic buttercream-- and I like this!

I detect a bit of sugar grains.  Hmmmmm....

Time to frost...

This frosting is quite nice to work with...

Since there was leftover frosting, I decided to do a little piping. I was curious about how well this frosting would work in a pastry bag.  I decided to chill the frosting for about 15 minutes, since it was a bit soft.

Not bad!  I wanted roses on my cake, but I failed that part of my Wilton cake decorating class. My roses kinda looked like cabbages.  I gave up. Someday, I'll attempt to learn how to make them again.   (The "blob" of frosting, in the center,  was to support the real roses.)

I decided to go "monochromatic" and cut a few of our white roses.  Real roses would do just fine!

Happy Birthday to me!

Who wants a slice? 

I love the contrasts of the dark chocolate and vanilla.  I can hardly wait to serve the rest of my guests, so that I can have a taste.

FINAL VERDICT:   If I do say so myself, this is one of the best cakes I've ever made!  The chocolate cake is incredibly moist. It should be, since I've used both buttermilk and canola oil in the batter. The coffee that I've added intensifies the chocolate flavor-- though the cake doesn't taste at all like coffee.  The frosting is silky and creamy and fluffy... and so good!  My guests ooh and ahh over this cake, and several ask for seconds. Best of all, the sugar "graininess" that I initially detected, was unnoticeable as I ate the cake.  

As a side note, once the remaining cake was refrigerated, the frosting hardens.  I enjoyed the texture of the frosting just as much this way, as I did at room temperature when it was soft.  

Now, I'm on the search for the Ultimate Moist White Cake!  I promised some friends that I'd bake cupcakes for them, and I plan to use this very same frosting recipe.  

I am linking this recipe to A Latte' with Otta-A's July's Iron Chef Challenge.  This July's challenge is "Flour", sponsored by King Arthur Flour. Heaven only knows how many of their products are in my pantry-- I love their baking ingredients.