Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes

I know yesterday was Fat Tuesday. I ate king cake, too; and no, I didn't find the baby. But, I did find a way to continue the sweet tooth throughout this week as we lead up to Valentine's Day. Inspired by Memphis' culinary master Wally Joe, I took a toffee sticky pudding cake from the dessert menu of Acre into my own kitchen. I added a caramel toffee sauce simmered with Pipcorn, a delicious all-natural mini popcorn. It's vegan, gluten free, non-GMO and high in fiber. But most importantly, it's addictively delicious.

Try it out with your hon' this weekend. Or treat yourself. Either way, you'll be sweetly satisfied.

Makes 2 servings

2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2/3 cup dates, pitted, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup warm water 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 1 large egg 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoons rum 1/4 cup sea salt Pipcorn

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour two 8-ounce ramekins and line bottom of each with round of parchment paper cut to fit. Set prepared ramekins in deep-side baking or roasting pan lined with clean dish towel.

3. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.

4. Combine half of dates with warm water and baking soda in glass measuring cup and soak for 5 minutes. Drain dates, reserving liquid, and transfer to medium bowl.

5. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another medium bowl. Set aside.

6. Process remaining dates and brown sugar in food processor until just blended, about five 1-second pulses. Add reserved soaking liquid, eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 5 seconds. With food processor running, pour melted butter through feed tube in steady stream.

7. Transfer mixture to bowl with softened dates. Gently stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed.

8. Distribute batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Fill roasting pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of ramekins, making sure not to splash water into ramekins. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, crimping edges to seal.

9. Bake pudding cakes until puffed and small holes appear on surface, about 40 minutes.

10. While baking, melt butter, cream

adapted from Food.com

Dark Chocolate Stirrers

This month's thematic elements of luxury and romance hand us the excuse (and undeniable desire) to consume and covet an unnatural amount of chocolate. I'm rarely inclined to pine over a box of unrecognizable flavor-filled chocolates, but I've found that using the sweet as an additive to dessert, drinks or snacks makes the ingredient totally acceptable. Right?

During my weekly visit to the brand new (and absolutely beautiful) Whole Foods Germantown, a few bars of whole trade organic dark chocolate somehow landed in my cart. Upon reading the label, I learned that Whole Foods' whole trade program was created to honor its commitment to ethical trade, wages and working conditions. The products--including my new chocolates--are sourced in an environmentally-conscious approach.

So, what to do with them? I melted down the chocolate varieties and created an assortment of handmade chocolate stirrers with spoons on-hand. You can use paper spoons if you prefer to wrap them in cellophane as a gift! Miscellaneous pantry products adorned each spoon, from sweetened shredded coconut to pecans and dried cranberries.

This weekend, when temperatures will cool down to the twenties, I'll warm up a mug of almond milk and stir in a chocolate spoonful. Join me, why don't you?

This post is made possible by Whole Foods Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

A Galentine's Grilled Cheese Party

Grab your ladies, and grab the cheese. It's time for a grilled cheese party that will make your guests melt in satisfaction (and style)! If you're a fan of Galentine's Day -- whether or not you have a man on your arm -- this party setup is a perfect platform for celebrating. As hostess, I like to provide the staples -- sourdough, multigrain, brioche, and multiple cheeses -- but invite your guests to bring their most creative grilled cheese topping. Basil pesto, fig jam, prosciutto, caramelized onions, arugula, avocado are just a few ideas.

If your group is feeling crafty, cheesy Valentine's cards with headlines such as "Brie Mine" and "You're a Gouda Friend" are an absolutely adorable gesture. Of course, chilled rosé or champagne will add an extra level of fanciness.

Watch the following video (by Noah Glenn) for step-by-step grilled cheese party instructions...And cheers to a cheesy gathering!

[embed]https://youtu.be/z-LMoIWjO_4[/embed]

(featured image via joy the baker)

No-Filler Jumbo Crab Cakes

No filler? No problem. I'm fairly reluctant when I see crab cakes on a menu (with the exception of Clark's in Austin) for fear of disappointment in the crab-to-crumbs ratio. I seek excellence when it comes to a crab cake, as the sweet shellfish is immeasurably best when not tampered with too much. My version celebrates the crab with herbs and just enough fresh breadcrumbs to hold the cakes together. Serve atop an arugula salad or alongside roasted vegetables. No filler, but much satisfaction.

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds jumbo lump blue crab meat 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 teaspoons seafood seasoning 6 scallions, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 large eggs Black pepper 4 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs Olive oil

1. Gently over the crabmeat to remove any shells, and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix together mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, scallions, basil, eggs, and salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the crabmeat gently mix together. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the crab and continue to mix. Divide mixture into 6 parts and mold cakes with your hands. Do not rinse hands between mixing and forming the cakes.

3. Refrigerate the cakes for 30 minutes. Then, paint the crab cakes with olive oil and sear on a griddle top until lightly golden brown on both sides. Carefully flip to ensure the crab cake do not fall apart.

4. Place the pan in the oven for approximately 5 minutes. Serve immediately with an aioli of your choice.

adapted from food network

Triple Mushroom and Cipollini Gnocchi

With meetings and events and travels, I have hardly taken a breath to spend quality time over the stove, prepping and plating meals of my imagination. Thus, New Years Day posed my ultimate opportunity. I gathered gorgeous recipe rip-outs and jotted-down notes, ventured to the grocery and prepared five plates. No, they did not go together; yes, each was wonderful. My mother was my sous chef--I miss spending routine nights with her in the kitchen--and we had a few friends over to taste the large quantities of food. Among these dishes was a triple mushroom gnocchi, which requires attentive handling and extra time for caramelizing. Sure, a quick sauté will satisfy; though the extra thirty minutes yield naturally sweet undertones and a fragrant kitchen you'll never forget.

As I stood over the range with my wooden spoon that evening, oblivious to time or schedule, I realized the reason for Caramelized. The blog is about unleashing those extra moments--the commonly forgotten step or the seemingly unnecessary break--that bring out the most treasured moments (and meals, too). Time is precious. So, let's allow ourselves to spend extra time in that invigorating novel, or on that "never-ending" walking trail, or at that relative's home we're ready to escape. Who knows--the sweetest moments might arise from such extra focus. I'm confident they will.

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds mixed mushrooms, sliced into 1-inch pieces (I prefer baby bella, shiitake and trumpet) 1 pound cipollini onions, peeled and quartered 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound gnocchi 1 pound shrimp, sautéed in olive oil (optional, for main course topping) Kosher salt and pepper Italian parsley, to garnish Shaved parmesan, to garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and continuously toss until fragrant, approx. 30 seconds.

2. Add onions and mix, caramelizing for approximately 10-12 minutes. Onions should be translucent yet hold their shape.

3. Add butter and, upon melting, add mushrooms. Turn heat down to medium and toss occasionally, caramelizing mushrooms for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes (or according to package instructions). Drain and add gnocchi to mushroom medley. Stir until gnocchi is golden brown and crisped, approx. 3 minutes. See image above for visual guidance.

5. To serve, plate gnocchi with shrimp, a sprinkle of parmesan and Italian parsley.

No-Bake Granola Bars

Snacking is a particular weakness of mine, especially in cheese form. Confession: I treat a cheese board as a form of conquer + attack rather than as a light hors d'oeuvre before or between meals. At Bounty on Broad last week, I relished in the brie and bleu so much that I could hardly take a bite of the esteemed scallop and brisket entrées. Alas, homemade goodies such as these flax seed granola bars save me from such patterns. I hope you'll take this recipe with you into the new year and enjoy its natural sweetness as much as I do.

Makes 12 servings

1/4 cup coconut oil, butter can be substituted 1/2 cup raw honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/8 cup flax seed, milled or whole 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup unsalted almonds

1. Add coconut oil and honey saucepan over medium heat. Stir to melt and combine. Once bubbling, keep watch until the mixture reaches a nice amber color, about 30 seconds-1 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

2. Add oats and flax seed. Stir until combined.

3. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Pour in oat mixture. Using back of a spatula, press until about mixture is evenly distributed and about 1/2 inch thick.

4. Sprinkle dried cranberries and almonds over oats. Press into the mixture. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to cool. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

recipe adapted by live simply