Sorry to say, but this site has been so depressing for a few days. I thought I'd ask an average, everyday question....to make us all feel a little more normal today.
I made Eggplant Lasagna, and my BIL and SIL are coming for dinner. They leave for Cali tomorrow to see their beautiful grand daughter.
Sorry, sometimes we just need some REGULAR conversation.......or at least THIS caregiver does.
I've only ever been to the Pete's at Western and Madison. I always wondered if all the hot and cold food bar offerings are standard in other store locations, or if that one is special due to proximity to the Loop. I have fun exploring all their food stuffs, they have a lot more than Aldi does.
That is the original recipe for the Tunnel of Fudge cake that won the Pillsbury Bake Off YEARS ago. Unfortunately they have discontinued the Boxed frosting mix.
I have a recipe that was printed in the paper that is an update of it. The interesting thing is they subbed the nuts with Cacao Nibs to make it nut free but I would imagine you could use nuts in place of the Nibs. The nibs give it the same texture though but it amps up the chocolate a bit.
It is an outstanding cake
Tunnel of fudge #2
2 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
3/4 Cups cocoa powder
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/2 Cup boiling water
2 Cups flour
2 Cups CONFECTIONERS sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Cup cacao nibs
1 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 Tb vanilla
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a Bundt pan then dust with a bit of cocoa rather than flour. Tap out excess
Place bittersweet chocolate in a small heat proof bowl; pour boiling water over chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature
Whisk together the 3/4 Cup cocoa powder with the flour, confectioners sugar, salt and cacao nibs.
Beat the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (use paddle attachment if using a stand mixer). Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla. Add the cooled melted chocolate, beat until combined.
Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes (Do not use a cake tester it will not come out clean)
Place cake on wire rack and cool for 1 hour 30 minutes Do NOT try to take the cake out of the pan earlier than this it will not come out.
Invert onto a wire rack let it cool completely about another 1 1/2 hours.
If you wanted to use nuts rather than the cacao nibs I would replace them with the same amount of chopped nuts.
And I just searched for a particular brand of Lard for Pork Carnitas I plan on making this weekend. ( Found it at Woodman's) Funny thing is when you ask for LARD people look at you like you have grown a second head!
I LOVE Spanakopita and make it fairly often. I get the Feta at Costco it is the only place that I have found that carries a Sheep's Milk Feta all the other is made from Cows' milk.
PLEASE make sure you write down the treasured recipes from your Grandparents. It would be a shame to loose them
Wow! Sounds like a killer cake!
Is that your favorite cake?
What do you mean by frosting mix? A box of frosting? Please clarify. Thanks.
I have downloaded that to my hard drive by taking a screenshot.
My dH did it for me. Something new.
Is the cake chocolate, or just the fudge tunnel?
Here's Mom's recipe just as she wrote it.
"Tunnel of Fudge Cake"
1 and a half cups butter(3 sticks)
6 eggs
1 and a half cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 package of frosting mix
1 bag walnuts
Bake in bundt pan at 350* for 50 minutes
Mom knew how to layer it,so she didn't write that part down,but I'm sure you put part of the cake mixture down ,then all the frosting on top that and then you put on all the rest of the cake mixture left and bake it that way.
And also,she baked her love inside it,so you'll have to do that too~
I looked up that website for the preserves. Oh my gosh, they have a pork loin recipe that looks fantastic that is made with mustard and apricot preserves.
I want to try it. It’s cooked on the grill. Looks simple to make but sounds yummy!
What products have you bought from them? Have you tried the apricot preserves?
Your grandpa sounds like he was a wonderful cook.
My grandpa didn’t cook food but he made candy. It was fantastic. He made peanut brittle and pralines. I adored my grandpa too.
I didn't get any lamb tonight but I will soon, can't wait!
I have 2 Greek grandpas, both married to my maternal grandmother, and the one I'm talking about isn't related by blood but was my step grandfather all my life, I was around him often. He had a pizza shop in Indianapolis. It was the best pizza. It always smelled so good in that shop. I don't have a whole lot of happy memories from childhood due to my mom's chaos, but spending time in that pizza shop was always such a great time. I'd eat too much pizza and drink a Coke and take naps in the back because I'd be so full I'd fall asleep. :-)
We always have spanokopita at family holidays, maybe some other Greek dishes.
Sounds great!
You have a Greek area in Chicago, right? With wonderful restaurants. I have heard that it’s terrific.
Like your pizza but my favorite kind of pizza is a New York style pizza. Just like NY bagels and cheesecake!
I live in New Orleans. We are known for our cuisine and music. We have too many good things to eat to mention. It’s all good!
One of your musical guys is originally from New Orleans. I am speaking about Buddy Guy. Love him!
Buddy Guy moved to Chicago a long time ago but when he plays at our Jazz festival he walks out on stage and always says, “It’s good to be home!”
He’s got a soft spot in his heart for New Orleans even though he moved to Chicago.
What is your favorite Chicago dish to eat?
The grocery store is a Pete's Fresh Market in Chicago. I don't know if that's a local chain but I imagine it is. It's very big and has all these hot and cold prepared foods, and a big meat/butcher and seafood area.
This is all the special food bar areas they list online,
Salad Bar, Taquería, Cheese Island, Juice Bar, Olive Bar, Royale Liquors, Lotus Café, Ceviche Bar, Fresh Baked Pizza, Fish Fry, Gelato, Smokehouse, Organic, Hot Foods, Sushi Bar.
It's like going to a fair or something at the grocery store. I love shopping there but it isn't my regular stop, it would take too long to round up everything. I shop Aldi for the essentials and Pete's for the special stuff.
I love lamb too! My favorite way to eat lamb is the way Greeks cook it. I love Greek cuisine.
I adore the Greek festival that we have here. Incredible food! They slow roast lamb. It’s delicious! This year it was canceled due to Covid.
We do have a few Greek/Mediterranean restaurants.
The seasonings used in Mediterranean food are wonderful. The different dishes are so delicious.
I made a slow roasted lamb. I love lamb but no one else in the family likes it so I used this as an excuse to make it.
I also made a large Banana Bread with a Streusel topping.
Next planning on a dinner with my sister and a few friends for Sunday. I am now looking for a GOOD Flan recipe (hint hint) I did find one in a Cooks Illustrated magazine so that is the go to for now.
It might be an excellent gift to send also!
Can I get the recipe?
I'm coming and I can't wait to hear the band~
Any flavor will do,but a Tunnel of Fudge cake is my top choice.
The Cardinal is making an appearance for those who need encouragement in strange times. Maybe if we all had wings we could fly away to a fantasy land, or at least around the house like my Tweety-bird, a parakeet.
I really like your avatar Beatty.
PS love your new plucky red bird!
Chocolate Ice Cream
Banana
Hot Fudge
Whipped Cream
Is that a Banana Split, or a Hot Fudge Sundae? 🍨
I would like to share it with you!
Note: I put all this in a huge, red, health conscious dish that is used for salads.
Well, well, well, look who's here.
I haven't seen you in many a year.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake,
baked a cake, baked a cake.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake.
How-ja do. How-ja do, How-ja do.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a band,
grandest band in the land.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a band
and spread the welcome mat for you.
Now I don't know where you came from
'cause I don't know where you've been.
But it really doesn't matter
grab a chair and fill your platter
and dig dig dig right in.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake,
hired a band, goodness sake.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake.
How-ja do. How-ja do. How-ja do.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake,
baked a cake, baked a cake.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake.
How-ja do. How-ja do, How-ja do.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a hall,
great big hall, band and all.
Had you dropped me a letter I'd 've hired a hall
and spread the welcome mat for you.
Now I don't know where you came from
'cause I don't know where you've been.
But it really doesn't matter
grab a chair and fill your platter
and dig dig dig right in.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've kept the pot,
coffee pot nice and hot.
If I knew you were comin' I'd 've baked a cake.
How-ja do. How-ja do. How-ja do.
we eat ALOT of cake at our house~
My sous chef turned the heat on the oven down.
Muffins are not done 20 minutes later.
Banning him from the kitchen, again.
He does this with the boiling spaghetti water, and other things.
Mwahhhh!
Coming out of the oven now. Eating them while hot.
Thanks to Luckylu for the great idea to bake something to distract myself from unsolvable issues of 2020.
Pammzi,
I am going to order some of that Orange Cranberry Marmalade
for next time I have a box of pound cake! Thanks.
I agree. Some things don’t lend themselves to being converted to a health conscious dish! We have to do the original recipe!
My husband has a coworker that is a meat and potato kind of guy. He married a vegan. Geeeez, he tells very funny stories. She is very strict with her vegan diet. He eats anything and everything, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, sausages, etc!
She does not cook for him because she refuses to handle meat. He understands that. He won’t eat any of her vegan dishes. She knows that he isn’t going to budge.
They grocery shop separately. Cook separately. Eat separately, other than that, they get along fine!
Hahaha, she even insists that he cooks with his own pots and pans using separate utensils so nothing gets mixed up! They have a dishwasher but she will not allow him to use any of her pots, pans or utensils. No meat or byproducts can ever touch something of hers!
They have two kids. They follow the vegan diet.