seven layers of heaven.avi

So I've been participating a bit in Paula Deen's Real Women of Philadephia cooking competition (you make different dishes using cream cheese). I've never tried competition and I had never made a video before this. Its the last week, and since they only pick 2 out of thousands of videos my chances are slim. Thats okay though, I learned a lot and had fun! I still have a shot with this video (dessert) and my entree- aji de gallina... both not as good as my side dish that didn't make the cut though! I learned after the fact that they look at personality first then recipe, no bueno. Not that I have a bad personality, its just that if I can barely stand to watch it I can only imagine how painful it could be for a perfect stranger. At least in this one I have a cold, my voice is deeper and I sound slightly less like a squirrel. (I refuse to believe my voice is as tiny and high as my vid camera exposed it to be...but I should still practice mimicking a woman voice from now on, my goal: Catherine Zeta Jones! ha.)
Anyways if you'd like to try this heavely (and sinful) dessert I dreamed up this week, here is the recipe:
SEVEN LAYERS OF HEAVEN
1 pkg cream cheese
2/3 Can cream of coconut
2/3 C melted semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 C white chocolate chips
2 containers prepared chocolate pudding
1 C frozen whipped topping
1 small can dulce de leche
2/3 C marshmallow cream
1/2 C nutella
1/2 C cream
1. Whip together cream cheese and cream of coconut until smooth. Spread on the bottom of a shallow bowl. 2. Add 1/4 C hot cream to semi sweet chocolate chips (microwave if not fully melted) spread over cream cheese mixture. 3. Heat dulce de leche in mocrowave 30 seconds with 1-2 Tbs cream to soften. Spread over chocolate layer. 4. Stir pudding and frozen whipped topping together, spread over dulce de leche. 5. Melt white chocolate chips with 1/4 C warm cream, spread over pudding layer. 6. Spread marshmallow cream on top of white chocolate. 7. Warm nutella 30 seconds in the microwave, spread over the top. Garnish with coconut flakes and chopped macademia nuts. Serve at room temp with strawberries, cubed angel food cake, bananas, brownies, pretzels, graham crackers, or any dippers you dream up!

Dear Lil' Wayne

Today was the first day of my last semester of nursing school, I'm on a children's psychiatric unit.  It's actually been a horrible day... I've been sick and felt crappy all day as rambunctious little kids threw themselves on me. I assumed since today was just an orientation we'd end early. Not the case, a full day with no breaks except a 15 min lunch on site. Since I didn't bring lunch that meant no food all day. I am so happy to finally be sitting at home eating cereal in my PJs. This note, transcribed for one of my little "patients", really brightened my day: (I changed her name just to be safe.)

Fresh Roasted Coconut

I'm not a big nut person (except hazelnuts and macademia nuts), but coconut fascinates me. Just looking at it makes me happy. It has such a distinct smell and flavor that I can't get enough of. Coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut extract, coconut oil, coconut flakes...love it, love it, expecially roasted coconut. I've had it at a random stand on a little road in Maui, and some of the nut carts in NY have roasted coconut too. I don't really have the opportunity to get it that often, so I was pretty excited to give it a try after I cracked open that coconut the other day. Expecially since I can make a whole bunch for $3, cheaper than a tiny, tiny bag from a cart dude.

COCONUT
They say you can hit coconuts with the back of a knife in a cirle to open them, that didn't work so I just chucked mine out on our porch and drained the excess coconut water. After that I put it in a 250° oven for about 10 min to loosen the skin, then it came out pretty easy just using a butter knife (the light brown skin is fine to leave on). I used 2 coconuts. (one I had tried to blend, leaving big chuncks and shavings)

ROASTING
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
½ C brown sugar
1/3 C sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
3 C diced coconut (or you could use almonds etc.)
Heat oven to 250°. Beat egg, add vanilla and pour onto coconut in a sealable containter, stir. Mix sugar, salt, and cinnamon and sprinkle onto coconut, seal and shake. Spread onto a sheet covered in foil. Bake 60-80 min, stirring occasionally. Store in an airtight container.




Its okay that I ate this for lunch, right? 

My mom said when she lived in Mexico they would cut up fresh coconut and put lime juice, chili powder, and salt on it. Yum, that'll have to be my next coconut adventure!

dia de la mama

An awesome thing about being married is sharing the holidays, we’ve pretty much been celebrating every holiday twice. I guess being married implies that motherhood is imminent so even though I’m not a mommy, I even got some special treatment today. At church I was given one of the flower corsages, the Hagens gave me a money tree, and Brad got me a dehydrator! It was so sweet of him and I was so surprised, I wonder if I’m only person who had been brought to tears by the gift of dehydration?

Now I think this story is pretty hilarious, and I have no shame in sharing it...

A few months ago I was talking to my mom about when her and my dad lived in Samoa. My parents served a mission there as a young couple for a couple years with 2 little kids and had kid #3 in Samoa. She told me her favorite thing to eat there was this delicious Palusami, taro leaves cooked with coconut milk. My parents haven't been back there in over 30 years. As mother's day approached I decided to plan a special meal for my mom and to surprise her by featuring Palusami. I figured I could do some google research and figure it out. I do that all the time, but normally with something I've at least seen or tasted before.

I planned a "perfect" island themed dinner. Jamaican Jerk chicken pizza, marinated & grilled pineapple, palusami, and mango flan for dessert. I literally worked on the meal all day. I cracked open coconuts. I washed giant taro leaves and poured coconut milk with sauteed onions in them then wrapped them in foil. I felt awesome.

I brought my parents outfits from Samoa for them to wear and a bunch of their Samoan décor from the storage room. I was so excited for this special meal I thought I had planned perfectly for my mom.

Apparently, guys at Polynesian markets and people who blog about how to make palusami assume you know how to cook with taro leaves… from what I saw on the Internet cooking times varied, so I guessed. We began taking bites and my husband suddenly said he was having an allergic reaction, all of the sudden we all had tingly mouths and throats. My mom passed the Benadryl around the table. What had gone wrong? I washed the leaves… Once the reactions had subsided we discovered on Wikipedia that taro leaves are toxic and contain calcium oxalate which is removed by fully cooking them, apparently low doses undercooked can cause tingling sensations and swelling in the mouth and throat. In larger doses it can cause comas and such. So instead of having a “perfect” meal, I poisoned my family for mother’s day and created a “perfect” memory.

Today we had Brad’s family over and I had a much safer meal planned- Italian.
Gnocci, this stuffed mini focaccia (I entered it a while back in an online cooking competition, this is my no shame post...), and a chocolate raspberry trifle for dessert. Very safe, very yummy. Very much forgot to take a pic.

En final- My mom is probably one of the nicest people I know. Everyone who knows her likes her- she looks for the best in people, is very down to earth, and has had amazing experiences in her life that she always faces with faith. My mom rocks. I’m happy to have a new mom to celebrate with in my life now too, Annabella is an ideal mother-in-law and has made me enjoy sharing in all the new experiences and traditions with the Hagens.

Happy mother’s day!

My Rosata Gnocci: (I made it up trying to copy Gloria's Little Italy, Brad says he likes it more!) :)

GNOCCHI

4 med potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 Tbs kosher salt
2 eggs
≈2 C flour
Boil potatoes in a large pot with salted water until cooked, ≈15 min. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve liquid. Rice potatoes with a ricer and place on cookie sheets to cool. Let potatoes dry at least 5-10 min. Add more water to the pot and bring potato water to a boil. In a bowl whisk eggs with salt and add potatoes, stir. Gradually but quickly stir in the flour. Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll each into a ½” rope on a floured surface. Slice ropes into ½”pieces. (Can roll with the back of a fork to create ridges if desired.) Drop gnocchi into boiling water in batches. Cook for 2-3 min; they should rise to the surface when fully cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain slightly before continuing. Toss in browned butter and Parmesan cheese, Rosa sauce, pesto, or coat with any pasta sauce.
ROSATA SAUCE (rough measurements)
2 tomatoes
½ can tomato sauce
2 pinches sugar
basil to taste
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbs red wine
≈1/3 C cream
Garlic salt/powder, pepper, pollo seasoning (chicken boullion)
While boiling potatoes for gnocchi: Blend tomatoes and simmer in a sauce pan ≈10 min. Add remaining ingredients except cream. Bring to a boil then add cream. In a large frying pan heat 1 Tbs butter with 1 Tbs olive oil. Add gnocchi as it finishes cooking and sauté in the oil with 1-2 cloves minced garlic. Add tomato cream sauce, then ≈1/3 C parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

I'm a cougar

Graduation: BYU vs. U of U
Last year I graduated from BYU, only to begin my second bachelors at the U. Here's a few comparisons:

graduating w/ boyfriend (not even fiance!)                       graduating w/ husband

I always have lots of family support :)

My mom got that decorative sash thingy that I actually bought last year, (I also wore an 09' tassel both years, thanks for your grad gear Lauren!) My mom should have got a degree from BYU with all the help she gave me. Shes the only person I know who remembers chemistry well enough to tutor a daughter.

Different friends and people come into your life.

I stick up my left foot, and I wear my pink grad shoes. 

I didn't really plan to attend either graduation, but always decide to follow the cerimonial ritual last minute. During my time at BYU I was probably a bit overly critical of the BYU stereotypes and didn't always appreciate the beautiful campus and exceptional teachers, but I must admit what didn't happen in 4 years at the Y happened in about 2 days at the U- I realized I bleed blue.

Graduating from the U is way better though, because I actually CAN'T WAIT to leave. I could make a big list why, but thats a whole other story. I'll just enjoy pretending like I'm done for a few more days.  I still have a little time left at the school where the greatest lesson I've learned is how awesome BYU really is.
Love me some cougs.

Cinco de Mayo Drinks

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In honor... 2 awesome latin drinks to serve with your meal:

I couldn't decide between these two, so I made them both yesterday to drink tonight.

HORCHATA
1 1/3 C uncooked long-grain rice
5 C water
1 C milk
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 Tbs vanilla
1/2 C sugar/splenda + sweetened condensed milk to taste

Blend rice with 2 C water and cinnamon sticks for a minute or two. Add remaining water. Let stand and room temp at least 3 hrs or refrigerate overnight. Strain into a pitcher and discard rice. Stir in milk, vanilla, and sugar/condensed milk, add ground cinnamon to taste. Chill and serve with ice.

*After finishing this, I would actually add the remaining water after straining the rice so that I could pour it over the rice/strainer to get more rice juice out of it. And don't be skimpy with cinnamon or the condensed milk, you could even buy fat free if you worry about that. Me and Brad LOVED it!

The rice/cinnamon sticks looked pretty when I strained it, but I learned uncooked/unsweetened rice doesn't taste pretty. I got the awesome container for the occasion from big lots, $4. I love it!

A perfect compliment to our spicy steak mole tacos! (I should really use a different table cloth for pics once in a while... this is my springiest one :))

Now, I'm not sure if they make limeade like this in Mexico, but I don't even know if they celebrate cinco de mayo down there either...  The family I stayed with in Costa Rica back in the day used to make something like this. This recipe is all over the internet, so I have no idea who is the originator. I made it yesterday, but felt like I could taste too much rind. It's still yummy. I think next time I'll try just squeezing the juice in then zesting the limes...

BRAZILIAN LEMONADE
4 juicy limes
1 C sugar (or splenda)
1/3 C sweetened condensed milk
6 C water
Wash limes and cut into 8 pieces, remove ends. Blend with the water, pulsing a few times. Pour through a mesh strainer into a pitcher. Add sugar and condensed milk, using more milk/sugar if your limes were too bitter. 

Huckleberry Cobbler

I've always been hesitant about cooking with rhubarb. I'm such a chocoholic, normally if I'm going to make a dessert, I'll avoid something that looks like red celery. Until this happened.
If you've never cooked with rhubarb or think you don't like it, this is soo easy and delicious I swear it will convert you. My sister who doesn't even like fruit loved this cobbler. And rhubarb is in season and fun to say, so you should try this!
I got this recipe from a lady in Dillingham, Alaska- since huckleberries aren't abundant here in Utah I decided blueberries+blackberries= huckleberries. :)

                                                                          

HUCKLEBERRY COBBLER
5 C rhubarb, chopped in 3/4" pieces
2 C huckleberries (or 1 pkg blueberries + 1 pkg blackberries)
1 large pkg strawberry jello (sugar free works great)
1 C sugar
1 C water
1 white cake mix
½ C melted butter
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Combine rhubarb, huckleberries, jello, sugar and water. Add a little cornstarch if too thin. Place in a baking dish and top with cake mix (you may not need it all). Pour melted butter over the top and bake at 350° for 30 min or until golden. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream and everyone will love you, I promise. :)

*I guess rhurarb can be a bit hard to find, I got mine at The Store. I think I'm going to grow my own next year!