Taste Test – Ramblin Randol

Lacy Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Compote

In keeping with the breakfast trend, this month’s second recipe is Bon Appetit‘s Lacy Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Compote. It was featured in their May magazine from a chef who cooks with inspiration from her South African roots.

5 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Bread

There seems to be an endless supply of leftover ingredients after making or baking any recipe. You know, half bags of pecans or walnuts. That extra bag of brown sugar you bought because you couldn’t remember if you had it at home so you bought one for good measure. You know the song and dance.

So this past weekend I did an inventory check in my fridge and cabinets to see what I had and could use to make this week’s taste test recipe. Google is magical for these moments. After searching “less than five recipes” I found this one!

Anything with chocolate has to be good right? Scroll to find out.

Here is this week’s recipe:

THE RECIPE:

3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
2 cups sour cream
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat eggs, sugar, and sour cream until well blended. Gradually stir in flour. Fold in chocolate chips. Transfer to a greased 9×5-in. loaf pan.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 65-75 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

BAKING HACKS/MY FINDINGS:

Full disclosure: I cut this recipe in half because I didn’t have two cups of sour cream on hand and I was NOT going to the g-store to get more! Mentioning because maybe(?) this had an effect on the rising and settling of the dough.
When the bread came out of the oven it looked like the picture featured on Taste of Home, but after it cooled it sank and felt VERY dense. Now, I’m not sure if cutting the recipe in half messed with science or if this is what happens with this recipe after the bread cools.
I did shake the chocolate chips in some flour so they wouldn’t all fall to the bottom, maybe that contributed, too?

WILL IT MAKE THE CUT:

Nah…banana bread will always be my number one. Sorry, not sorry!

ps: original recipe found here.

RamblinRandol is my journey back to loving myself (which happens to include baking because it helps me in times of stress and anxiety to keep my hands busy). It’s an open letter on how I’m growing through what I’ve been through. And like Maya Angelou said, “the ache for home lives in all of us…” It’s time for me to feel at home in my own skin.

Click here to be my digital penpal and receive an email from mwah twice a month or hang out with me on Instagram @sjrandol.

WTF is a Sweet & Spicy Peanut Butter-Bacon Sandwich & Should You Make It?

Yes, you read that right. A sweet and spicy peanut butter-bacon sandwich IS today’s taste test recipe for the weekend and per usual, the Hubs will do his Stuff My Wife Makes review down below. Spoiler alert: his face when the heat hits his throat is hilarious…

fI you’re new here: I make or bake new recipes to build my own family favorites and he (the Hubs) finally puts his peanut gallery comments to good use and reviews the goods. Scroll for the recipe, my recommendations, and any baking hacks I learned along the way.

Here is this week’s recipe:

THE RECIPE:

1/4 cup peanut butter
4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 crisp cooked bacon strips
2 teaspoons honey

Spread peanut butter on 2 bread slices; sprinkle with cayenne. Top with bacon and drizzle with honey. Top with remaining bread.

BAKING HACKS:

Pretty self-explanatory (lol) BUT, I would like to remind you less is more when it comes to experimenting with heat. I like spice, but 1/8 tsp. was a little too much (even for four slices of cinnamon raisin bread) eve for me. Start with half of the 1/8 and work your way up.
Omit the cayenne if you’re not a spicy kind of person.
If you add banana some call it The Elvis Sandwich (going to try this next and probably LOVE it)

WILL IT MAKE THE CUT:

placeholder://

He won’t even eat it without the cayenne now, LMAO. But trust me, it’s flipping delicious! I am adding it to my breakfast rotation. Who knew I would come to LOVE cinnamon raisin bread, especially the homemade kind from a few weeks ago…click here for that recipe.

ps: original recipe found on Taste of Home.

RamblinRandol is my journey back to loving myself (which happens to include baking). It’s an open letter on how I’m growing through what I’ve been through. And like Maya Angelou said, “the ache for home lives in all of us…” It’s time for me to feel at home in my own skin.

Click here to be my digital penpal and receive an email from mwah twice a month or hang out with me on Instagram @sjrandol.

Foul Proof Recipe For Your Next Gathering

Are you looking for a foul proof recipe for your next gathering that’ll be a flipping crowd pleaser? I don’t usually participate in skipping pages of a story to get to the good part but I can’t help it, today’s recipe IS your foul proof recipe for your next gathering.

A few weeks ago my MIL surprised me with a recipe book from Balboa Island’s art festival and it was filled with family recipes…so of course I flipped thorough it IMMEDIATELY. (I love recipe books, it’s my guilty pleasure, anyone else?)

This week’s recipe is called Grandmother Ruth’s Apple Goodie by Christy Hardison Ward, and it’s a good. Full disclosure: I’m not a huge warm apple fan. I don’t know why…I love hot apple cider. Anyways, my Hubs is happy to eat all of my warm apple recipes.

Scroll for the recipe, my baking hacks for this recipe, my Hubs’ review, and if this bake makes it into the I’ll make this more than once recipe book.

The Recipe:

Apple Filling

3/4 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. sliced apples

Topping

1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. butter, room temp.

Preheat oven to 375.
Sift flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together. Combine apple slices and place in the bottom of greased casserole.
Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and baking powder. Mix butter into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over apples.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve hot or cold.

Baking Hacks:

I translated 2 cups of apples into 2 apples, not because I Googled it to double check but because I wasn’t going to go back out and get any more apples. LOL
When recipes call for x to y minutes I always set it for whatever is the middle between x and y. For example, between 35 – 40 minutes translated to 37 minutes and ended up being the magic number.
YOU CAN’T MESS THIS UP

Stuff My Wife Makes:

Ps: Hell to the yes I would make these again, it was quick and easy for the most part (if you have the Pampered Chef apple peeler, corer and slicer, I bet it would make it WAY more easy) and my Hubs loved it.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. OR JOIN MY COMMUNITY 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THIS LINK eepurl.com/dienvj

Taste Test: Upside Down Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

This Friday’s Taste Test recipe is Tasty’s upside down banana bread cinnamon rolls. How could I NOT make these? *In my Chandler Bing voice. Banana bread is my freaking favorite. I could eat a whole loaf with no guilt, seriously.

You know what banana flavor is awful? Can you guess? I’ll tell you at the end, think about it 😉 Anyways, will I love the shit out of this recipe because I love banana bread so much? Scroll to see if it made the cut!

But first, a quick reminder I’m not a food blogger. There will be no flour-dusted cutting board photos in-between hefty paragraphs filled with adjectives. The word foodie sends an awful noise of nails on a chalkboard down my spine.

I only want to share the recipe and what I learned when baking or cooking it for the first time. The act of making food for others is how I show love, and it’s my fun time. Trying to make something for the first time is always exciting for me because you either nail it or you don’t.

Here we go:

THE RECIPE:

1 cup whole milk  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 stick  ¾ oz instant yeast, 1 packet  ⅓ cup granulated sugar  ¼ teaspoon salt  3 ripe bananas, mashed   4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided  2 tablespoons oil

FILLING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

CARAMEL SAUCE   ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick  1 cup brown sugar  1 teaspoon salt  1 teaspoon vanilla  ¼ cup honey  1 cup walnuts, chopped

In a large, microwave-proof bowl, combine the milk and melted butter. Microwave for 40 seconds, until the milk mixture reaches 110˚F (45˚C). Add the yeast, then let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the granulated sugar, salt, mashed bananas, and stir.
Add 3½ cups (435 g) of flour, ½ cup (60 g) at a time, stirring between each addition.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes, adding more flour ¼ cup (30 g) at a time if the dough is sticking to your hands or the surface. Form the dough into a ball.
Add the oil to clean large bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, roll it out to a ¼-inch-thick (6-mm) rectangle about 18×12 inches (20×30 cm).
Make the filling by mixing the melted butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Roll up the dough and slice into 15 1½-inch (4-cm) thick slices (discard the ends).
Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and honey. Keep stirring to prevent the sugar from sticking to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, then remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the caramel sauce into a 9×12-inch (23×30-cm) baking dish and sprinkle the walnuts on top of sauce. Arrange the rolls in the dish so there are 3 rows of 5 rolls.
Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 15 minutes, in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls for 40 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Let cool for 20 minutes, then invert the rolls onto a serving platter. Leftover cinnamon rolls can be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

MY FINDINGS:

I used all 4 1/2 cups of flour, the recipe calls to mix 3.5 and then add 1/4 cup as needed while kneading but it is the stickiest dough EVERRR so it took all 4.5 cups.
The yeast

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

Maybe. The verdict is still out. Everyone BUT me was in love with them. 😂

Have you tried this recipe, too? What did you think about it? Tell in the comments, belowwwwwwww.

ps: It’s yogurt. Banana flavored yogurt taste like spoiled mayonnaise. Woof, just think I barfed a little…my bad!

pss: The original recipe can be found here.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

https://bit.ly/2wMpE29

Taste Test: Baked Alaska

This Friday’s Taste Test is the Baked Alaska which is considered a unicorn in the dessert world because you don’t see it much anymore. What makes this recipe a challenge is the damn meringue.

Molding the layers of ice cream is the best part! You feel like a sculptor of foods and it’s satisfying to know you’re creating layers of goodness. An easy cheat to making the cake bit is using a white cake box mix. And you best believe I did this cheat 😉

I made this for Christmas at my Father In Law’s house, and I failed miserably. So miserably it’s comical. Never in my life had I ever made meringue and after 15-ish minutes of hand mixing the egg whites I called it good…big mistake.

As you can guess the meringue DRIPPED down the sides as everyone watched. You can’t win them all folks. Scroll to see if it made the cut and the photo proof evidence how terrible it came out.

Here we go:

THE RECIPE:

2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

8 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8×8 inch pan.
Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until the center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, and sugar until stiff peaks form.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in the center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.

MY FINDINGS:

If using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites until you have carpal tunnel…seriously. My recommendation would be to only make meringue if you have a stand mixer because 1) easier on the wrists 2) it’s quieter, hand mixers are LOUD.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

Yes, but not until my ego has healed. It was pretty delicious tasting, dripping meringue or not.

Have you tried this recipe, too? What did you think about it? Tell in the comments, belowwwwwwww.

pss: The original recipe can be found here.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

https://bit.ly/2wMpE29

Taste Test: Low Carb No-Bake Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies

This week’s #TasteTest recipe is a low carb no-bake peanut butter coconut cookie. I’m not on a diet but sometimes I like to try these low carb ‘treats’ just to see if they’re as good as they look. Do you think it’ll make the cut? Scroll to find out!

Here we go:

THE RECIPE:

```
⅔ cup natural peanut butter
```
```
2 tablespoons coconut oil
```
```
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
```

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flake

Place the peanut butter and coconut oil in a medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir to combine. Add the vanilla and stir.
Add the unsweetened shredded coconut flakes and mix until evenly coated.
Dollop the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Each cookie should be around 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
Freeze until solid, about 15-20 minutes. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or bag.

56.03g total carbs 37.5g dietary fiber 18.53g net carbs/per serving 18.53g/8 cookies = 2.31g net carbs per cookie

MY FINDINGS:

It is goopy and will spread all over the place, don’t make your scoops too heaping because it WILL run all over the place, haha.
My trick would be to accidentally put sweetened coconut flakes in instead of unsweetened. Just say ‘oops’ so it counts as accidental.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

Not a chance in Hell. I would make these with Jiffy and sweetened coconut flakes though…

Have you tried this recipe, too? What did you think about it? Tell in the comments, belowwwwwwww.

ps: The original recipe can be found here.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

https://bit.ly/2wMpE29

Taste Test: Molten Churro Bombs

This week’s #TasteTest recipe is molten churro bombs which is code for fried drops of heaven filled with chocolate. Apparently, once you click on one recipe by Tasty you will be FLOODED with recipes on your timeline. The name alone would make anyone stop the scroll…

Do you think it’ll make the cut? Scroll to find out!

Here we go:

THE RECIPE:

- ```
1 cup water
```

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 stick

½ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

- ```
½ teaspoon salt
```
- ```
1 cup all-purpose flour
```
- ```
3 large eggs
```
- ```
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
```
- ```
18 milk chocolate truffles
```
- ```
oil, for frying
```
CINNAMON SUGAR COATING
- ```
½ cup sugar
```
- ```
2 tablespoons cinnamon
```
```
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
```

1 piping bag, with a small closed star tip

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and the salt, and bring to a boil.
As soon as the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the dough comes together to form a ball, about 1 minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes before proceeding to avoid accidentally cooking the eggs.
Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. Then add the vanilla.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip.
Pipe 18 1½-inch (3 cm) spiral rounds onto the baking sheet. Top each with a milk chocolate truffle. Pipe the dough in a spiral to cover the truffles, being careful to completely seal the chocolate. Immediately transfer the tray to the freezer and freeze for 1 hour, until solid.
Heat the oil in a deep pot until it reaches 350˚F (180˚C).
Fry in batches of 4 until nicely browned, about 3 minutes, turning so they fry evenly. Drain on a cooling rack, or paper towel-lined plate and dab off any excess oil.
Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar (100 G) and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the warm churro bombs in the mixture to coat.

MY FINDINGS:

No piping bag, per usual. A good ‘ol Ziploc freezer bag with the end cut worked just as well.
When you mix the eggs in one by one it takes a while for them to mix in with the dough, don’t panic, just keep stirring. *in my Dory voice
The recipe mentions 3 minutes at 350, but mine took closer to 4 minutes to get a golden brown look. A good tell was when they began to float, mine would float a little past 3 minutes and then I’d leave them in its oil bath for 30 more seconds.
Also, don’t wait until they’re completely cool to dunk them in cinnamon sugar, the coating won’t stick as well if they don’t have a little hot oil still on them.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

The Hubs didn’t feel the same way….here’s his review.

Yes! The melty chocolate makes for a good dipping sauce. Who wouldn’t like to dip fried cinnamon sugar bread into gooey chocolate? Hellooooo. I also feel obligated to say Hubs did not appreciate the chocolate, he’s a purist who believes the original recipe shouldn’t be messed with…but that if the chocolate was solid he might get on board. You can’t see me but my eyes are rolling, again because they rolled when he said it, too. Haha.

Have you tried this recipe, too? What did you think about it? Tell in the comments, belowwwwwwww.

ps: The original recipe can be found here.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

https://bit.ly/2wMpE29

Halibut Poached in Duck Fat

Do you like mild fish? Then this recipe is right up your alley. It is packed with flavor thanks to its duck friend and SUPER simple to make, albeit a little pricy.

Today’s Taste Test recipe is from Anthony Bourdain’s Appetites cookbook. Here we go!

THE RECIPE:

1 lemon

1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

Seeds from 2 cardamom pods

1 bay leaf

4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2 halibut fillets (about 12 ounces each; ask your fishmonger to remove the white belly skin but to leave the dark dorsal skin attached)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 quart rendered duck fat (available at various
gourmet retailers and some butcher shops)

Serve with mashed potatoes

⁣Using the microplane grater, finely grate the lemon zest into a small mixing bowl and add the oil, fennel and cardamom seeds, bay leaf, and garlic, mixing well. Rub the fish on all sides with the mixture and refrigerate in a casserole or zip-sealed plastic bag for at least 2 hours and up to 24.
Remove the fish from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you’re ready to poach it. Brush off the excess garlic and seeds. Season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
In a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat the duck fat over medium heat until it reaches 150°F, monitoring the temperature with the instant-read thermometer. Slip the fish into the pot and ladle the fat over so it is submerged. Let cook for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish has an internal temperature of 150°F.
Carefully remove the fish from the pot with a slotted
spoon or fish spatula, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve with mashed potatoes.
Serves 4

MY FINDINGS:

The temperature of the duck fat is VERY important. Pay attention and monitor it.
It took a little longer for me to poach the fish because the halibut wasn’t submerged completely in the fat, if I were to make it next time I would make sure it’s better covered.
Tons of flavor. The best tasting halibut I’ve ever tasted.

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

No. I love Bourdain but there are plenty of other fish in the sea I’d rather eat. I’d say making it once to impress and check it off your list. Unless you don’t like strong tasting fish than this might be the next best thing since sliced bread!

If you make them this weekend, share your pictures in the comments or tag me in your post if you share on Instagram @sjrandol.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

eepurl.com/dienvj

Graham Cracker Rolls

Who loves graham crackers? I do! Who loves bake fails? I do! The last couple of months I’ve been sharing recipes with successful bakes, so I thought it was about time to share a huge fail recipe. My bread never rose, I persevered to see how they’d come out regardless and I made rocks.

My awful rock rolls are pictured below, they’re pretty terrible. It’s laughable. I’m sharing the process anyway.

Today’s Taste Test recipe is from Southern Living. Here we go!

THE RECIPE:

1 envelope active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tsp. sugar, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, divided
Parchment paper
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine first 2 ingredients and 1 tsp. sugar; let stand 5 minutes.
Beat egg, shortening, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add boiling water; stir until shortening melts. Stir in yeast mixture. Stir flour and 1/2 cup crumbs into egg mixture.
Place dough in a lightly greased (with shortening) bowl; cover, and chill 8 to 24 hours.
Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times. Roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds with a 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps twice. Place rolls 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and brush with melted butter.
Stir together remaining 1/4 cup cracker crumbs and 1 1/2 tsp. sugar. Sprinkle mixture over rolls. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80° to 85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, uncovered, 15 to 18 minutes or until golden.

MY FINDINGS:

It’s really important to care about the temperature of the water to dissolve the yeast.
Do not over knead the dough and cover it properly (tight) so the air doesn’t get to it. I think too much air got to my dough and it wasn’t able to rise. I had the wannabe plastic wrap that didn’t stick to the bowl and hardly covered the top of the bowl.
After the chilling process if your dough hasn’t risen, don’t bother continuing steps four through six, unless you want to be twins…

WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?

Yes. I didn’t get to taste them because who wants to eat rocks? And I love graham cracker anything.

If you make them this weekend, share your pictures in the comments or tag me in your post if you share on Instagram @sjrandol.

COME BE MY FRIEND ON INSTAGRAM. I’M HILARIOUS.

OR

BE MY PENPAL/DEAR DIARY SERIES 👇👇 & SIGN UP VIA THE LINK

eepurl.com/dienvj