Wine Maker Dinner Benefiting KIDS Center 2014

Back in July, I attended a Wine Maker Dinner for Cork & Barrel benefiting KIDS Center at 10below in Bend, Oregon. The food at these dinners are so great and it is always a great experience to get to meet the wine makers in an intimate setting.  Take a closer look at the menu and food porn.

© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal

Cranberrry Tart and IFBC

During my weekend at the International Food Bloggers Conference I went to many different break out sessions.  I went to one that was all about beef.  I cook with it all of the time and it is probably my favorite meets to cook with.  It is so versatile. Here are a few things I learned during that session.

Top Sirloin is a great value and is the least expensive

Chuck roast is cheaper but great to braise

Eye of round steak is super lean and cheaper.  This is best if you marinate.

Beef Grade

USDA Prime- Has the most marbling.  It is typically sold in high-end restaurants

USDA Choice- Have less marbling and is most widely available in the grocery stores.

USDA Select has the least amount of marbling, is leaner and a bit less juicy.

Picture from here

 

My favorite part of the trip was where I attended the Sur la Table/KitchenAid excursion before the start of the conference.  We watched a kitchen demo where they made pasta (I have always been intimidated by pasta) and watched them make Warm Cranberry Crumble Mini Tarts.  They had passed around the cranberry mixture and I knew that this would be one that I would be making soon.  I did make a few adjustments to their recipe and made one large tart out of it. 

I have to say I am not a huge cranberry fan.  I don't like it with my turkey.  And the only way I have been able to eat it is with marshmallows, in what Matt's family calls fluff.  I was so happy when I tasted the mixture at this event and when I tasted the cooked tart at my house I was elated.  I will be adding this tart to my holiday pie round up.  It is nice and tangy and will be a good addition to the overly sweet pies I tend to make.  Note:  I used Kerrigold Butter for this recipe and I think it makes a world of difference!

 

You need to try this tart!!!

 

Warm Cranberry Crumble Tart

Adapted from Sur la table test kitchen

 

Ingredients

Tart Dough:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 tablespoons ice cold water

 

Topping:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

 

Filling:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Finely grated orange zest from 2 oranges

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 apples (peeled) and cored

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1 tart pan

 

Directions:

Tart Dough:

Put flour, sugar, salt and butter into the food processor and pulse the mixture until it is fine breadcrumbs.  Then add the almond extract and cold water to the mixture.  Run the food processor again.  The flour mixture should quickly turn into a ball.  When this happens turn off the processors and dump the flour ball  onto your work surface and shape into a flat circle disk.  Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

 

Topping: 

Clean out the food processor and the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in the bowl of the food processor and pulse the machine until the butter is the size of small peas.  Make sure not to over pulse this mixture.  Place this mixture in a bowl and put it in the refrigerator.

 

Filling: 

Clean the bowl of the food processor and add the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, flour, apples, and vanilla extract.  Run the processor a few times until the cranberries are chopped coarsely. 

 

Assembly: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Either flour your work surface or put down wax paper.  Roll out the pastry dough until it is as wide as the tart pan.  The dough would be about 1/8th inch thick.  Place the rolled out dough into the tart pan and press the dough into the sides of the pan.  Make sure to trim the edges. 

Spoon the filling into the crust and spread evenly into the pan.  Sprinkle the topping over the cranberries.  Now you can place the tart in the oven.  Mine took 50-60 minutes.  You know the tart is done when the topping is golden brown.

Remove tart from the oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes. 

Serve as is or with ice cream.

 

The tarts will last for 1 day at room temperature.  You can store with plastic wrap for 3 days.  You can reheat in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal

Torso Cake

My good friends 40th birthday was not too long ago and she happens to also be my Zumba instructor.  So what better than to make her a boob cake!  It was a spice cake with cream cheese frosting!  No recipe but there are awesome pictures of the assembly!

Maybe my next fondant experiment needs to be a butt cake!?!

© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal

Strawberry cake

This strawberry cake I made for a breakfast for when my friends were in town.  Typically I make breakfast cakes that are totally overly sweet and this one was nice and tart and the cake was dense yet flaky.  Anytime I get to use my spring form pan I will jump at the opportunity.  I would make this one again!

Adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 Tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Cake

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (120ml) milk*

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour

2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8-10 fresh strawberries, sliced* (you can also use raspberries)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

Vanilla Glaze

3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Sugar (Optional)

Directions:

Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 8-in or 9-in springform pan with non-stick spray. Springform pan is required. Set aside.

Make the crumb topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender or mix with hands until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This crumb mixture must be chilled.

Make the cake: In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the egg and melted butter together on medium speed until combined. Add the milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until thoroughly mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. With the mixer running on low, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking pan.

In a medium bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth. Add remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until combined. Spread over the crumb cake batter. Layer with sliced strawberries as shown in the photo above. Top with the crumb topping and gently press the topping into the batter.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out free of cake crumbs. I covered the cake with aluminum foil after 40 minutes to help avoid the top from browning too much. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before glazing.

Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla together. Remove the sides of the springform pan and drizzle the glaze over the cake. The cake will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 4 days.

Make ahead: Bake the cake as directed and freeze without the glaze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees to warm it up. Glaze before serving.

*Any milk including soy, almond, buttermilk, regular is OK for the cake. I used 1%.

*Frozen strawberries are fine - thaw and blot dry before using.

© Kim Bohme and A Bohme Cooked Meal

My new favorite yoghurt!

I went to a food bloggers conference in September called the International Food Blogger Conference. There were tons of things to learn and eat.  However, I have to share my favorite food find from the conference... Noosa Yoghurt.  I have seen this brand of yogurt in the store but haven't put a second thought into it.  One of the breakfasts at this event was sponsored by Noosa.

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I walked into the conference room with tables adorned with all sorts of yoghurt toppings.











I sat down and this was sitting infromt of me.  I have to say that although I love pumpkin.  I am a bit weirded out by the idea of pumpkin in my drinks and in my yoghurt.

I pulled off the top and peeled back the foil seal.  I took a spoon and took my first bite.  I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this yoghurt.  It is so creamy and smooth.  It reminded me of pumpkin pie!  There is nothing about this yoghurt that I don't like.  I ate the entire thing.  I vowed to myself that I was going to buy more. This pumpkin flavor is only available at Target.  I have tried most of their other flavors and I have yet to be disappointed.

















Please do yourself a favor and buy a few of these amazing flavors.  They are a little pricey but you can't go wrong.