Easy Strawberry Cake

I love making easy food, "easy" as in less than 10 ingredients, minimal prep, and great flavor.  So when I needed to bring a dessert for a movie night the other weekend, I scoured the internet for some sort of strawberry sweet treat since I had so many fresh strawberries on hand.  Thanks to Martha Stewart, I found this recipe for a simple strawberry cake.

Other than the berries, if you have a relatively basic baker's pantry, you have all you need to make this cake.  Now I'll be honest, the final product didn't taste like a light, fluffy cake, but more like a big ol' strawberry muffin, but I don't mind that.  I'm a muffin fan, and you other muffin fans out there, you'll be just fine with this cake.  If you want, top your slice with some freshly whipped cream or, especially if the cake is still warm, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Strawberries and cream get along so well.

Strawberry Cake

from Martha Stewart

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg (room temperature)

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a medium bowl.
2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture (add a third, let it combine, then add the next third and so on). Transfer to buttered pie plate.  Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut side down and as close together as possible.  Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over berries.
4. Bake cake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.  Bake cake until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

High Five for Friday

Yay for Friday!  I'm happily linking up again with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk.  Here's what made this week's Top 5:

1. Celebrating my 100th post on Wednesday.  Lots of recipes over the years...thankful for all I have learned and having this blog as a platform to share all of it with you.

2. Completing a sweet, rich, edifying Bible study on 1 Peter that has met on Tuesday nights since September.  Led by Cas Monaco, a woman of great wisdom and strength, this study challenged me--in my own walk with Him, in my relationships with family, friends, and co-workers, and understanding His gospel's call on my life, a call that gives great hope and simultaneously draws me out of my comfort zone.  As it always faithfully does, God's word has meet me in every way and from every angle, and while there a number of verses that mark the year's journey through this study, His Spirit most often brings to mind verses from Chapter 3, that His intention is to mold me into a woman whose "adorning [is] the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:4 ESV).  Like Sarah and other women throughout His redemptive history, my prayer is that the LORD refines me to be a woman who continually puts her hope in Him (3:5) and therefore, a woman who does not give way to fear (3:6).

3. Enjoying perfect running weather on the American Tobacco Trail.   I'm not a marathoner by any means, but I do find a long run (as in excess of 3 miles) graciously therapeutic for my all-too-cluttered mind.  It gives me time to pray, to listen, to process, to offer up to Him all of my heart and mind and let Him speak truth over me, usually in a podcast from Mark Driscoll @ Mars Hill in Seattle.   I was one who never even thought about running until about two years ago, and now I can't imagine life without it.

4. Going to Six Plates in Durham tonight with Doc, Amber and Robb.  Excited to try it (I've had this place on my list for a long time) and spend a relaxing Friday evening with good friends. I plan on nabbing one of those sassy, high-backed red chairs.

5. Starting Hamlet with my seniors this week.  No unit makes me happier to teach as both my former and current students well know.  The play is complex, gripping, and downright witty.  And to share some of that wit with you without making you read the play, here's some Hamlet-y humor in a cartoon from The New Yorker:

100th Post!

As an English teacher, I'm not much for math, but I can add together two-digit numbers.  And so adding the two-digit numbers of my blog post archive indicates that this post is my 100th.  100 posts!  I've come a long way, baby.

I began this blog in 2009 with the intention of tracking my progress in kitchen education, and I allowed various and sundry cookbooks to chart my path.  Over the years, especially the last nine months, it's been more about providing a place to share cooking triumphs, life musings, and even some heart strings with you.

And so on this day, this 100th post day, I want to say thank you for reading this blog, whether it's been to see what's been happening in my kitchen or in my life.  If anything in this Ranger's adventure has been of value to you, if you've cooked anything I've posted, if you've laughed at any silly English cartoon, or if you've simply stopped by to visit and found you liked the place, do let me know by dropping a comment below.  I would love to hear from you.

To show a bit more aptitude for math and to remind you of some blasts from the past, the square root of 100 is 10 (right?), so here are my Top 10 favorite recipes from the past 100 posts (in no particular order; it's too hard to rank these lovelies):

Chicken with Mushroom Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

Restaurant Style Salsa

Creamy Orzo

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, Gorgonzola and Herbs

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
(baked in muffin tins)

Rosemary Bread

Foster's Cream Cheese Pound Cake 

(with 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips added) 

Pasta Ponza

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Dulce de Leche Coffee

What a yummy stroll down memory lane. I've made each of those recipes multiple times, and they are all de-lish.  Being in the kitchen has truly been fun, and sharing all that's happened within it has been even better. Thanks for being with me the first 100, and get ready for much more.  There's work to be done and recipes to be found!

Strawberry Salad with Sugared Almonds & Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Look familiar?  That's because it is.  I posted this recipe last summer, and since strawberry season is here again, I couldn't wait to make this salad again, and in turn, to tell you to make this salad again. Thanks to a friend at work, I had a gallon of the most perfectly sweet strawberries straight from a farm in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Combined with delicious dressing and the delightful company of my roommate, this meal made for a most enjoyable evening. Two warnings:  1) The sugared almonds are addictive; you'll want to eat them as soon as you take them off the pan. 2) The dressing is more addictive than the almonds;  I legitimately wanted to drink it like a smoothie, but I refrained...for the most part.

Strawberry Salad

1 package baby spinach (you can also add arugula or use a spring mix)
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese
1 cup sliced strawberries
Sugared Almonds (recipe below)
Strawberry Poppy Seed dressing (recipe below)

1. Assemble ingredients according to your heart's desire and enjoy.
2. For those who want to add some protein, add slices of grilled chicken (as I did) or even a sweet glazed piece of salmon.

Sugared Almonds

1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons sugar

1. Heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and almonds.
2. Cook and stir just until nuts are golden and coated with melted sugar.
3. Spread on a sheet of foil to cool.

Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sliced strawberries
3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

1. Place vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard in a food processor (or blender).
2. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in oil until creamy.
3. Add strawberries and process till smooth.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

all recipes slightly adapted from Aimée @ Simple Bites

High Five for Friday

1. End of an era.  I don't really have the words to express the magnitude of who Pat Summitt is to Tennessee and women's basketball, so I'll let Kara Lawson do it:

2. Going to Summit for Matt Chandler's Explicit Gospel tour with worship led by Shane & Shane.  I keep thinking about the staggering beauty of this verse: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13, ESV).  The evening was encouraging, challenging, powerful, rich. And if you haven't heard the song "Liberty," you must.  As in now.

3. Going with Elise to a local blogger meet-up hosted by Kate, Lauren, and Carrie @ Benelux Cafe in a quaint little section of downtown Raleigh.  A fun night of lattes and chatting was had by all.  What a treat to connect with other gals of the blog world.

picture courtesy of Abi @ Gadding Gal

4. Getting this lovely gallon of the sweetest strawberries from a friend @ work.  Fresh from Rocky Mount, these are hands down and feet up the best strawberries I have ever had.  How did I use them?  Recipe posts forthcoming.



5. What I don't want to hear from my seniors on graduation day:

Artichoke and White Bean Crostini

Ok, before I get started, I know some of you are afraid of beans.  You see the title of this recipe, and you've already written it off because you have some legume fear, likely rooted in your childhood when you were forced to eat five.  I understand, but hear me now: don't be afraid of beans. With their abundant protein, excellent fiber (ahem), and low cost, beans are simply a good idea.  And if eating beans in their traditional state still scares you, using beans as this recipe does truly transforms them, maybe even to the point you forget you are eating them.  Again, don't be afraid of beans.

And back to the recipe. From the basil to the lemon to the artichoke to the prosciutto, I think this combination of tastes and textures will make most any palate happy.  Other than a food processor, which I consider a non-negotiable kitchen accoutrement, no fancy equipment is required.  All ingredients can be found at your local grocery, though I will say that if you can, shop at Trader Joe's, particularly for its economically-priced prosciutto, Pecorino Romano and a larger bunch of basil (leaves some to spare for caprese salads or whatever floats your basil boat).

Following the recipe, I put the artichoke/bean mixture on crispy baguette slices, but you could also use it as a dip for crackers, veggies, or even as a spread on a sandwich.  My roommate said the texture rivals hummus, so anything you would do with hummus, you can do with this.

Artichoke and White Bean Crostini
slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

4 very thin slices prosciutto
15 (1/4 inch thick) baguette slices (cut at an angle)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1 (15-ounce) can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest (always zest before you juice!)
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees F. Place a silpat on a baking sheet (or spray with vegetable spray).
2. Lay the prosciutto in a single layer on the silpat/prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
3. On another baking sheet, arrange the bread slices in a single layer.  Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the olive oil.  Bake at 375F until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes
4. In a food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, beans, cheese, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Pulse until the mixture is chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Spoon the mixture onto the crostini. Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with oil and serve.

Salad Party (with the best salad dressing ever)

About a month ago, my friend Amber sent me this Pioneer Woman post: New York Style Chopped Salad.  Without much delay whatsoever, we decided to have a much-needed girls' night by way of salads.  And so we set a date, emailed the ingredients we were bringing, and poof!  Instant Girl Party.

Start with lots of greens, like Bibb lettuce, baby spinach, spring mix, and arugula.

Then pile on toppings as you wish.  The combinations are endless and give everyone a creative culinary opportunity.  Do olives complement Gorgonzola?  How about black beans with dried cranberries?  Our spread of options included the following: dried cherries, slivered almonds, kalamata olives, chickpeas, orange and red bell peppers, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes, baby bella mushrooms, baby carrots, cucumber, black beans, Gorgonzola cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, and avocado.

Here are our creations (see if you can figure out what's on each plate):

Brittaney

Kelly

Amber

Elizabeth

Me

We had so much fun assembling our plates, each salad reflecting our unique taste buds.  Regardless of the combination, I'd say the key to it all is the dressing, Ina Garten's Champagne Vinaigrette (which I don't have a close-up picture of...apologies).  I first tasted it at a New Year's party thanks to Kelly, so I begged her to make it again and bring it with her. People, this is the best dressing ever.  I mean it.  Just one taste and you'll be a believer too.  And you'll never buy pre-made at the store when you realize how simple it is to make dressing at home.  Here's the recipe:

Champagne Vinaigrette (for easy printing, click the "print" button below)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 half teaspoon pepper.
2. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified (fancy schmancy term for when the mixture begins looking creamier).
3. Serve immediately and/or store in the fridge for about 3 days.

The evening was a great success: delicious salads, perfect music (try an Etta James mix on Pandora), tasty wine (Cocobon @ Trader Joe's), yummy bread (dipped in balsamic and olive oil), and sweet friends.  Simply wonderful. 

Try this salad party idea out  for a girls' night in (oh, that was inadvertent word play...haha.  Goodness, I am such a dork).  And don't forget the dressing.  Seriously. 

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday peeps!  This past week has been blurred a bit with the week before, so this post reflects that blurring.  I need to go put in my contacts...

1. Bought this album on iTunes and so glad I did. Non-Foodie Nugget review to come.

2. Saw my sweet nieces last week over Spring Break.  Miss them like crazy.

3. Spent most of the afternoon on Easter Sunday with Doc @ Foster's Market.  Sunshine and good food were in abundance.  We shared a piece of this loveliness below (click picture for the recipe).  I wanted it as an appetizer, but Doc wisely advised it should be a dessert.

4. Shared Chipotle's chips and guac last night with Doc.  Guess what he did?  He gave me the last chip for the guac (which were particularly lime-y and salty).  Good man.

5. Been in the library this week guiding both classes of seniors through literary research. I hope the situation below does not become my reality in three weeks when the paper is due.

Chocolate Oat Dulce De Leche Bars

Hello, chocolate.  Nice to see ya.

Oh, and you brought dulce de leche with you?  How kind.  And tasty.

Ladies and gents, you won't regret making these rich, gooey, chocolate-y, oat-y, yummy bars.  Again, they are rich...so much so that you definitely need a cup of coffee and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance out the richness.  I certainly do not object to coffee or ice cream, so no issue for me.

Overall, this recipe is simple, and with the exception of the dulce de leche, all ingredients were in my relatively well-stocked pantry.  I did try to figure out a substitution for the dulce de leche, and while you could use a really thick caramel, I would just stick to the prescribed ingredient.  Never heard of it?  Don't know where to find it in your local grocery store?  Look in the Hispanic foods aisle (the can I bought is made by Nestle).  My only complaint is that I experienced an epic fail in cutting these in nice, straight lines.  I'm blaming that on my waning geometry skills.

Thanks to Jen @ Beantown Baker and Kerstin @ Cake, Batter, and Bowl for sharing the recipe of this uber-decadent treat.  Chocolate and dulce de leche are officially welcome in my kitchen anytime.

Chocolate Oat Dulce De Leche Bars
makes 16 bars

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 13.4-ounce can dulce de leche
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Place flour, oats, brown sugar, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until butter and chocolate are melted, stirring after 30 seconds.  Mix melted butter into dry ingredients until crumb forms.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup of crumb mixture.  Place remaining crumb mixture in a greased 8x8-inch pan and press down evenly.  Bake crust for 10 minutes.
5. Place dulce de leche and milk in a small bowl and mix well until smooth.  Evenly spread dulce de leche over partially baked crust.
6. Top evenly with remaining crumb mixture and chocolate chips.  Bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until set.
7. Cool 1 hour at room temperature and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set.  Cut into 16 bars and store in the refrigerator.

Printable Recipe: Chocolate Oat Dulce De Leche Bars

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

If you've been reading this blog, you know that I am a huge Chipotle fan.  And it's all Doc's fault.  Last April he took me there, and one salty-lime chip dipped in guacamole later, I was sold.  Signed, sealed, delivered.

While I could literally eat my weight in chips and guac, I try to round out my meal with a chicken burrito bowl.  I love the combination of flavors--cilantro lime rice, black beans, chicken, pico de gallo, cheese, and sour cream (and sometimes the corn salsa too).  Doc tops his with romaine, but I tend to leave the green to the guac.

As much as I would love to eat at Chipotle once or twice a week, that's probably not the best idea (um...confession...I have done that...many times).  Remedy for incessant Chipotle cravings?  Make it at home! In order to do so, the slow cooker and I got reacquainted last week and what was the result?  Perfectly seasoned, tasty Mexican chicken that helped create a burrito bowl in my very own kitchen.

You can make a burrito bowl fake-out like me, or you can use this flavorful chicken a number of other ways: tacos, nachos, quesadillas, tortilla soup, enchiladas, etc.

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
slightly adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 envelope taco seasoning
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 6 boneless chicken breasts)
1 16-ounce jar of salsa (I used Chi-Chi's original recipe salsa)

1. Put everything into the slow cooker and stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa.
2. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.  When finished, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.  Yes, it's that easy.

Allyson's Burrito Bowl Fake Out

Slow cooker Mexican chicken

Brown rice seasoned with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro

Black beans (add cumin and chili powder to taste)

Sour Cream

Cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, whatever you like)

Avocado (inordinate amounts work best for me)

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Arrange ingredients as you wish.
2. Eat with a fork or chips.
3. Go back for seconds.

He is risen indeed!

Easter.  This is the day that changes EVERYTHING.

For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have been justified by his blood, much more shall we saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."

Romans 5:6-10, ESV

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.  And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:5-9, NLT

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10, ESV