Chocolate Hummus Bundt Cake

Yes, I said Chocolate Hummus Bundt Cake!

When I was in Richmond, VA as Sabra;s guest, Executive Research Chef MaryDawn Wright made our group a hummus cake & it was amazing! I've never had anything like it. So tasty and moist. I asked her how she did it and like a true chef, she said she really didn't have a recipe but that she had substituted Sabra Classic Hummus for butter. I knew right then that I was on a quest to recreate this amazing dessert!

Once I returned to Philly I got ahold of a chocolate cake recipe from my grandmother's handwritten cookbook. The first two times I tried to make a hummus cake, I was unsuccessful with the cake dry and heavy, more like a pound cake.

Determined, I marched on & like they say, the third time's a charm. Today's cake was just what I was shooting for. Moist, light & flavorful with a hint of nuttiness imparted by the hummus, this cake was off the hook! I'm overjoyed with the result.

Below is the recipe if you'd like to give it a try.

Ingredients: 
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup shortening, 3 cups white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5 eggs, 1 cup milk, I cup Sabra Classic Hummus plus one tablespoon.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream hummus, shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk. Mix well.
Pour into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 325 F for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack, lightly ice cake while still warm so icing runs down the cake and cool completely.

Once out of the oven you'll have a delicious dessert that looks like this:

Sabra Tastemakers

Two weeks ago I was invited to Richmond, VA to participate in a program initiated by the Sabra Dipping Company, the makers of Sabra hummus and many other tasty dipping and cooking products. This program is called Tastemakers. Food bloggers & foodies from diverse parts of the United States are invited to Richmond to visit Sabra's factory, learn about Sabra's products, what goes into making them, & why Sabra is the number one hummus producer in the United States.

Joining me on this incredible whirlwind trip were Bree Hester: http://bakedbree.com/  , Amie Valpone: http://thehealthyapple.com/ , Laura Fuentes: http://www.supergluemom.com/ , Brandi: http://www.branappetit.com/ , Vianney Rodriguez: http://sweetlifebake.com , & Heather Hoffman: http://spicestationsilverlake.com/ 

I suggest that you check out each one of these lady's websites. Each in their own way does a great service and you'll be missing out if you don't give them each a look.

After sitting on the tarmac for over an hour in Philly on my tiny rubber band plane we took off and my adventure began. After landing in Richmond I was met at the airport by Stephanie from Seymour PR who drove me to the hotel and got me situated there as well.

An hour later I was showered, dressed and in the lobby meeting the other Tastemakers. What an incredibly diverse group of individuals we were. Different backgrounds, different parts of the country but all drawn to Richmond by our amazing love of all things Sabra. We boarded a party bus and headed off to Can Can Brasserie where we got to know each other and had a most amazing dinner. 

The next morning our rocket fire adventure began with a 30 minute ride to the Sabra factory in Colonial Heights, VA where we had a brief introduction to Sabra's history & story which provided some great information on how a small upstart company with vision and a dream has become America's number one hummus producer.

 

Next we geared up to tour Sabra's production facility. Hardhats, lab coats, & goggles were the uniform of the day. Let me tell you, I was in hummus heaven! Sabra has a state of the art production facility that is amazing to say the least. The factory has been LEED certified, meaning it's a "green" facility. All of the chickpeas used to make Sabra's hummus are grown on chickpea farms in Idaho & Washington. Their factory runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week & in an 8 hour shift the facility produces 60  tons of hummus! Let me tell you that we were all in awe of what goes on behind the scenes of this amazing production facility. It's funny because you go to the store, buy your Sabra hummus, & take it home. End of story. Except it's not. Now I, and the other Tastemakers have seen the process of hummus production from beginning to end & have a new appreciation for what goes into making the greatest hummus on earth. 

Following our factory tour we returned to our conference room where we were each presented with an unfinished chip and dip bowl that we were going to paint. Horror of horrors! Now my un-artistic side will manifest itself! In an effort to keep it simple, I painted my bowl olive green, threw in some colored dots, and finished with an "Eat More Hummus" slogan on my bowl. Hopefully when it's fired and glazed in the kiln it will look a bit brighter than it does here. Although I did have fears at first, this was a fun activity to do.

Our next activity on this frenzied day was a product tasting of all things Sabra. Hummus, Greek Yogurt Dips, Salsa, Guacamole, & Mediterranean Salads. It was Sabra-tastic to say the least! 

Each product was incredible, fresh and so tasty but by far my favorite was Carribean Mango Hummus! I'll bet you've never heard of it! That's because it's a new product that's slated for release in June. This hummus had an amazing taste. Sweet mango, a little pepper, & the creamy goodness of fresh hummus is an incredible combination of flavors that's sure to be a hit with consumers this summer!

Following this product tasting we went into the kitchen of Sabra Executive Research Chef MaryDawn Wright. This was the part of the trip I was most looking forward to. Chef Wright is one of my hero's. I have followed her blog, watched her videos and now I was standing in her kitchen. I was like a kid in a candy store! Chef Wright is an amazingly personable lady who brings warmth to those in her presence. She explained how she researches new products for Sabra and what her daily routine entails. Chef Wright created an amazing lunch for us consisting of lamb kebabs, roasted eggplant with hummus, &  talbouleh. It was an incredible lunch filled with great conversation about all things food!

Chef Wright then surprised us with dessert. She created a hummus cake! Yes, I said hummus cake! It was delicious! It's amazing what hummus can be used for. So versatile and tasty!

Following lunch we returned to our conference room for some more information on Sabra, after which Heather Hoffman from The Spice Station did a presentation on spices, salts, & their uses. Heather is an amazing learned woman and her presentation was very educational. This was very eye opening and in a way brought me back to Turkey when Aleppo Pepper was discussed. More commonly known as Turkish Pepper Flakes, Aleppo is a cooking staple in Turkish homes and restaurants. We each also received an assortment of spices from the Spice Station to take home and experiment with.

Following Heather's presentation we boarded our party bus and headed off to the chickpea fields of Virginia State University where Sabra & VSU are partnering in an effort to grow chickpeas in Virginia. 

As we were told, this presents a difficulty because the humid summers of Virginia are not conducive to growing chickpeas but they are committed to overcoming this issue and bringing chickpea farming to Virginia.

A couple different versions of dried chickpeas.

When our farm tour was over we returned to our hotel for a little rest and relaxation before meeting in the hotel lobby and going to dinner at Lemaire Restaurant in The Jefferson Hotel. 

We laughed, talked, & had an amazing meal where discussed our experiences, each bringing home something new and exciting to share.

The following morning we met in the hotel restaurant, had a nice breakfast, & departed for the airport where we said our goodbyes and returned home to our cities, full of new Sabra knowledge!

Final notes. This was an amazing trip. I learned so much about chickpeas, Sabra, & the entire product line carried by Sabra. This was truly an eye opening experience & hopefully by sharing what I saw and learned, others will be inspired to try Sabra's products and be as bowled over as I am by their amazing fresh flavors and varied tastes. Thanks Sabra for giving me, your number one fan even more reason to preach the Gospel of Sabra.

More information on Sabra and it's products can be found here:

Sabra's Website

Jazzed Up Whipped Cream

Today I was going to share with you this amazing Pecan Pie recipe that was my grandmother's personal favorite. Molasses, cane sugar, eggs, toasted pecans. Real old school stuff. Anyway, while the pie is baking, I decided to try  hand at making whipped cream for the pie. How hard could it be? Heavy cream, vanilla extract, a little brown sugar & a stand mixer. Right?

Once I've assembled my ingredients, lightbulbs started going off in my head! How can I improve this? How can I make this my own? What will put this over the top? Then it hit me like a brick. Bourbon! Not just any bourbon though. This requires something special like Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon.

Ingredients, measuring devices, & shot glass in hand, I head for the mixer. Using the theory that you can always add more, I make generic whipped cream with 1/2 tbsp of bourbon. It was ok but the brown sugar definitely was the strong  ingredient. 

So now the pie is out of the oven, cooling on a rack at the end of the counter & it's back to the mixer for me. Long story short; three more trial runs and I had one banging whipped cream chilling in the fridge. 

The pie was also a success and what a combination the two were together! Below is the recipe that I came up with & let me tell you that the taste testing was the best part!

Jazzy Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons bourbon

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl. With mixer set at medium speed, beat until stiff peaks form ( about 2 minutes or so ). Refrigerate for 90 minutes before using. Enjoy!

Upping My Game

Things have been busy in the firehouse lately with our call volume increasing, fire prevention duties, community service stuff, residential smoke detector installations, and a new lieutenant working on our shift. Our crew works our tails off. We are probably the most active platoon in the station and now that the cold weather is here it's just going to get busier.

Before the really busy season starts I wanted to treat the crew and the new lieutenant to a really good dinner (I know how to suck up to a new boss too!). Something over the top. A wowza meal. Something they would remember. This was going to take some planning. The biggest issue is time management because as everyone knows, at a moments notice we go from 0 to 60 and are on our way to answer a call.

After careful planning this is what I came up with:

Spring Salad

Baked Salmon over Truffled Cauliflower Puree

Razzberry Turnovers

Well, unbelievably the meal went off with out a hitch and it was well received by all. In the interest of sharing my love of food and cooking, the recipes and pictures are below.

Spring Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups baby arugula leaves, washed 

2 cups babay spinach, washed
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves
1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
1 cup shelled peas, blanched *

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese 

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

* To blanch peas: Drop it in boiling water for one minute, then place in an ice bath for one minute & drain

Directions:

Combine arugula, baby spinach, 

mint, parsley, chives, radishes and peas in a large bowl.  Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Pour 2/3 of the dressing over greens and toss to combine.  Arrange on plates.  Top with shaved Parmesan and lemon zest. Drizzle with remaining dressing. 

Baked Salmon over Truffled Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients: Truffled Cauliflower Puree   

                                                                                

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, chopped

1 pound cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon white truffle oil

Directions:

Heat butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Sauté shallot until translucent, then add cauliflower florets, cream, salt and pepper.

Stir to combine.

Cover pot and bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is soft, about 10 minutes.

Add salt and white pepper; stir in truffle oil.

Transfer mixture to a blender.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Ingredients: Sauteed Swiss Chard

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard (about 1 large bunch), cut into strips

 (baby spinach works if you can't find swiss chard)

1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

Directions: 

Heat oil in a large skillet.

Add onion and garlic, and sauté until fragrant.

Add the Swiss chard and sauté until slightly wilted, about 4 minutes.

Add the wine, salt and pepper; simmer until wine is reduced and Swiss chard is tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients: Baked Salmon

1 cup breadcrumbs (I use Panko breadcrumbs)

1/3 pound smoked salmon, very finely chopped

1/3 cup prepared horseradish

1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

4 (6-ounce) filets salmon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 280°F.

Combine panko, smoked salmon, horseradish, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir until breadcrumbs absorb oil and mixture is combined.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sear salmon on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Cool to room temperature. Evenly distribute panko mixture among the tops of the salmon filets.

Bake salmon for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden and salmon is just cooked through.

Razzberry Turnovers

(Ok. So I cheated on dessert)

Well, that's it. from prep time to plating took me about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

I hope you enjoy!

Apple-less Apple Pie

Back in the day, during World War II, there was a shortage of apples. I'm not sure of the correlation between war and apples but it happened. So says my grandmother. Anyway, being the creative sort that they were, the people of her time improvised and made due with what they had. Below is my grandmothers recipe for apple-less apple pie. Give this a try. It's pretty darned good.

Ingredients:

Pastry dough for a two crust 9 inch pie. (You can use a pre made crust if you wish)
1 3/4 cups of Ritz crackers, coarsely crumbled (about 36 crackers)
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Roll out half the pastry dough and line a 9 inch pie plate/tin. Put the cracker crumbs in the prepared crust and set aside. Heat water, sugar, and cream of tartar to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice & zest. Let cool. Pour the cooled mixture over the cracker crumbs. Dot it with butter or margarine. Roll out remaining pastry dough & arrange over pie, cutting slits in the top to vent the steam. Egg wash the pie crust to enhance the golden color of the crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until pie crust is golden and crisp. Allow to cool before serving.