International Food Blogger Conference 2014- Day 1

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A while back after I started this blog that I wanted to go to a blogger conference to learn more about how to food blog.  Most of the conferences would have required a plane to attend.  After a bit of research I found IFBC!  I decided to attend because the cost was very reasonable.

When I was signing up I was just hoping to learn more about blogging.  As the conference became closer to reality I was really hoping to meet new people who enjoy food as much as I do and learn new tips and tricks for my new blog. 

Here is how my prep for the conference and the first day went!

Packing: 
I figured I would be eating...ALOT!  So far that is accurate!  I made sure to pack shirts that were a bit loose and pants that weren't too binding.  So far this has been an amazing choice.
I also packed a backpack because I was not staying at the Westin where the conference was held and I wanted to be fairly hands free  I am staying at a cute little boutique hotel called Hotel 5 that is about 3 blocks down the road.  (I recommend it!  The people are so friendly!)

I also packed my tablet to blog, business cards and a notebook.

Arrival:

I arrived in Seattle around 11:30am and was starting,  Our first IFBC event wasn't scheduled until 1pm so I headed to Pike Place which is about 6 blocks away.  I had Piroshkys. 
YUM!  I walked back to the hotel and it was about time to head to the shuttle to Sur la table. 

I am a total introvert at heart so when I arrived at the lobby I got overwhelmed because there were 49 other people there who all seemed to know each other.  I kept reminding myself that one of my goals were to meet new people but in the moment I felt impending doom.  I swallowed my heart back into my stomach and got onto the bus.  I sat in one of the first seats and hoped that whoever ended up sitting next to me wasn't a total asshat.  Lucky for me, my seatmate was a total sweetie.  We bonded over our introversion and had a good time. 

The Sur la table excursion was fun,  They did a cooking demo of homemade pasta with pesto,  and a cranberry tart ( I will be making that one soon!  YUMMO).

I couldn't believe the swag that we received.  A great start to this conference to a swag whore that I am.

After I returned the two bags of swag back to the hotel, I went back to the Westin to go to the Gift Suite.  The sway whore in me went crazy.  So much free stuff to try.

They also fed us too!

Even though I have eaten a crazy amount of food, I still went out to dinner at a local bar named Palace Kitchen.  I had a drink that had cherry, vodka, and moscato in it.  It was a soft and sweet drink.  I had an appetizer of Olive Poppers and dinner was a potato corn soup that had smoked salmon in it.  It was a great atmosphere and really yummy!

Now I am currently unwinding in my room watching food network and will soon be calling it a day once I finish this post!

So far... totally worth it even if I have to make myself a bit uncomfortable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt's Almond Birthday Cake

adapted from aaronandyolanda.com

I have an almond cake obsession!  So when Matt asked for an almond cake recipe I was excited to look for something outside of the box that I typically don't think of when I make an almond cake.  The coolest thing about this is that this cake is made up of ripped up muffins.  I had about 6 left over muffins that I was able to have for breakfast after making this cake.  It's a twofer!  This was a delicate cake that has soft and subtle flavors!  Right up my husbands alley!

No picture today!  I totally made this amazing cake and forgot to take a picture....You have to trust me...it was pretty and super tasty.  If you want to see what this bad boy looks like check out the link above.

INGREDIENTS

Strawberry Almond Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 large yolk, room temperature

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups strawberries

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, amount depending on desired consistency

Other components:

sliced blanched almonds, lightly toasted

raspberry jam 

DIRECTIONS

Raspberry Almond Muffins:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs and yolk. Add in sugar, melted butter, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.

In three additions, pour wet mixture into large bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until combined. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide batter into prepared muffin tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until muffins are golden in color and a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing and allow muffins to cool on wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add salt and vanilla. Mix until combined. Slowly add sifted confectioners' sugar. Mix until smooth and desired consistency is achieved.

Layer Cake Assembly:

Take an 8-inch cake ring and place on a slightly larger cake board. Alternatively, place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut a 3-inch wide acetate strip to line the inside of the cake ring.

Take the raspberry muffin scraps and divide it into three equal parts. Take one part of the scraps and make the first layer inside the ring. Use the palm of your hands, the bottom of a drinking glass, or a tamper to push the scraps together into a flat and even layer.

Spread about 1/4 cup of raspberry jam in an even layer over the cake.

Spread about 1/3 of cream cheese frosting over the raspberry jam layer.

Add another layer of cake scraps. Repeat the process for the first layer. Add the third layer of cake and cover with the remaining 1/3 of cream cheese frosting. Garnish with toasted sliced almonds.

Let cake rest in freezer for at least 1 hour. Gently remove cake ring and gently peel off the acetate strip while cake cold. Let cake defrost in fridge for a couple of hours before serving

© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal

Hamburger Pie

Please excuse the horrible picture of this.  I totally forgot to take a picture of this while it was hot and yummy.  This is all that was left when I remembered to snap a picture.  Maybe this is the best picture I could have cause you know we ate a large portion of this!  

This recipe is a fun way to change up cheeseburgers.  Especially for the winter months when you can't get outside on a grill. The best thing about this recipe is the flavor of the meat!

Get in the kitchen and make this!

Adapted from melissassouthernstylekitchen.com

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 [20] oz package refrigerated hash brown potatoes
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 large egg, beaten
For the filling:
4 slices bacon
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp mustard
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
12 dill pickle chips, pat dry

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9 inch deep dish pie plate with cooking spray.  Mix together the crust ingredients and press onto the bottom and the sides of the pie dish.  Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.  Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.

On the stove top, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and crumble.  Discard all but 2 Tbsp of the pan drippings. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.  Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.  Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains.  Drain any excess fat from the pan.  Season with hamburger or steak seasoning [Tip: Adjust the amount based on the brand used] and Worcestershire sauce.  Remove from the heat.  Add panko breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, 1 cup of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and beaten eggs.

Mix until combined then spread over the hash brown crust.  Arrange the dill pickles on top.


Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until set and the edges are golden.  Rest for 5 minutes before cutting.  Serve with an additional drizzle of mustard and ketchup if desired. Yield: 6-8 pieces


© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal