Recipe of the Week: Cocoa Crepes With Mascarpone and Blackberries

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/08/cocoa-crepes-with-mascarpone-and-blackberries.html

My Father-in-Law (aka The Gourmet Chef) made these for dessert a while back and they were absolutely amazing!  Like, fill your mouth with heavenly delights amazing.  They have the perfect blend of flavors.

Cocoa Crepes With Mascarpone and Blackberries
Recipe by Jenny McCoy on seriouseats.com

These incorporate cocoa powder - I recommend Valrhona brand - into the crepe itself; the crepes are then rolled with blackberries and a mascarpone filling.

For the Cocoa Crepe Batter:
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk

For the Mascarpone-Blackberry Filling:
2 cups mascarpone
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 pints blackberries

First, for the cocoa crepe batter combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Strain mixture though a fine-mesh sieve and let rest in refrigerator for one hour or up to two days.

Next, over high heat, warm a non-stick saute pan or crepe pan, lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray, until very hot.  Reduce heat to medium, ladle about 1 ounce of batter into pan, swirling batter until it evenly coats base of pan.  Similar to a pancake, cook the crepe until small bubbles appear and batter is matte in color.  Gently flip the crepe and cook for about five more seconds.  Invert pan over a plate or parchment-lined tray, lay crepe flat to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.  (To evenly distribute the crepe on the pan, take the pan off of the heat before adding the batter, swirl and then put the pan back on the heat.)

For the mascarpone-blackberry filling, use a large bowl and stir the mascarpone, cream, and sugar together with a rubber spatula until smooth. (Honestly, using a mixer should work just as well)

Finally, dollop about 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each crepe, top with 5-6 blackberries, and gently fold crepe in half twice.  Scatter the remaining blackberries over the folded crepes.

Enjoy!  No, seriously. Enjoy.

Most Recent Read: Onward

I enjoyed reading Onward, and would highly recommend it. Or at least the first few chapters.  Granted, I would take it with a grain of salt; it is a book about Starbucks written by Starbucks' CEO, Howard Schultz.  Even so, I found Schultz's insights and ideas inspiring.  Furthermore, Schultz's passion for life was contagious, transcending the pages of the book to motivate me to work harder and dream bigger.

One of my favorite quotes from this book shows Schultz's passion, as well as his moxie:  "There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust.  But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do.  We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.  This is the kind of passionate conviction that sparks romances, wins battles, and drives people to pursue dreams others wouldn't dare.  Belief in ourselves and in what is right catapults us over hurdles, and our lives unfold. "Life is a sum of all your choices," wrote Albert Camus.  Large or small, our actions forge our futures, hopefully inspiring other along the way."

While the story focuses on Starbucks' rise and fall in the past couple years, it also touches on issues relevant to today's society as a whole, such as the tough economy and globalization.  It was interesting to read how Starbucks has tried to keep their products relevant to the areas the stores are located (which is everywhere, except Antarctica and the Moon) by incorporating local ingredients.  For example, in China they have developed more oriental flavored drinks, such as Peanut Mocha Frappuccino, Iced Oriental Beauty with Aloe and Black Sesame Green Tea Frappuccino.

I'm just looking forward to the seasonal flavors here in the States.  I hear the gingerbread hot chocolate is divine.  Something to look forward to this winter, other than Christmas of course.

Recipe of the Week: Strozzapreti

This recipe is super simple and makes spaghetti noodles. I found in the New York Times and is adapted from Oretta Aanini De Vita. It is a recipe it make when you have a lot time to prepare dinner.

1 Cup Grano Duro Flour or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (More as Needed)

2 Large Eggs

Salt

The recipe says to mix the flour and eggs with your hands, but I find it works better to combine the ingredients in a mixer and blend until the dough is uniform. After, dust your hands with flour (the dough is very wet) and then knead the dough briefly. The dough should be moist, but not sticky.

Now shape the dough into what you want the noodles to look like. I like to spread out the dough with a rolling pin and then make star shaped noodles with a cookie cutter. Make sure to keep the shapes pretty thin so that it can cook all the way though later. After the shapes are all done, put the dough in a bowling pot of water. The noodles only take a minute or so to cook, so stay by the pot. Be careful not to undercook or overcook them. Check to see if the noodles are done after they float to the top of the pot. The noodles should be tender, slightly chewy and no longer raw in the center. Drain cooked pasta and pour into a large bowl. Add sauce and/or vegetables or what ever else you want add, and then toss quickly and serve hot.

Thunderstorms

I especially enjoy the smell of rain in the air. Incredible thunderstorms have been brewing here last night and tonight! Lightning bolts every few seconds, lighting up the sky, followed by the rumble of thunder. Even though it was overcast all evening, it did not start raining until it was dark.

Most Recent Read: Through The Grinder

It's kind of funny I read this book when I have never even tried coffee. But, I do love the smell of coffee beans. I usually stop in the grocery store aisle and breathe in the smell for a second or two and then move on.

This book was a lot more edgy and macabre than the books I usually read. However, minus a couple pages in the book that I skimmed over (Ahem), I loved it. Even though this wasn't the first book in the series, I was able to get right into it and figure out what was going on. The book takes place in New York City, and I really like how Coyle describes the architecture and atmosphere.

My favorite parts were paragraphs like this one, which were so descriptive I felt like I was there, "Tonight, while I had the chance, I wanted to take my time and enjoy the radiant charm of streetlights glowing though gauzy lace... They say time slows for people in this part of the city. The pace is more leisurely, the objectives more mannered than midtown's lean, reaching towers of commercial sport. On a twilight evening like this, however, with a thick white blanket muting sounds of car traffic, ambulance sirens, and cell phones, time didn't just slow, it stopped altogether... My boots crunched with every step as I walked, breathing in air that smelled fresh and crisp, enjoying the intimate stillness of the streets, the hush of all things around me".

I also liked how the ending was unexpected, but realistic, which seems rare in romance mystery novels. Over all, I would suggest reading it, but be ready to skip over a few parts here and there.

Most Recent Read: The Sweetness of Salt

I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It was definitely a page turner. I liked how it was sort of a social commentary for how many of my fellow graduates and I felt just after high school graduation. It is a super stressful, but really exciting time, where you can literally decide to do anything or become anyone. Be warned though, there is a lot of swearing. Like, she could give Michael Crichton a run for his money swearing. I've just learned to skip over the words.

Most Recent Read: Watch For Me By Moonlight

I can't seem to fall asleep, so I finished the last Midnight Twins book, Watch for Me By Moonlight. I'm not going to lie, the ending made me cry. I think this one may have been the best book in the series. It really made me think.

Most Recent Read: Look Both Ways

The second book in the Midnight Twins series. It was really good. I would suggest reading it. I really like how Mrs. Jacquelyn writes. Her similes make me laugh, like this one... "The cheerleaders approached the car and absorbed Meredith as she hopped out of the backseat, as if they were first graders playing amoeba tag".

Most Recent Read: The Midnight Twins

This book was slow getting into, but it ended unexpectedly. I really liked it.

Christa McAuliffe Space Center

Lake Tahoe with Lauren and Dad