Flip-Flop Cake

I made this cake for my niece's 13th birthday. I made the cake in a 13" X 9" pan, and just used some flip-flop cutouts to trace and shape the cake into two flip-flops. The icing is plain white icing with red and blue food coloring, and the decorations were made with plain M&Ms, Fruit by the Foot and edible flowers. It's time intensive to decorate, but it's fun and was a huge hit.

Wii Birthday Cake

The birthday cake I made for my nephew's 9th birthday:



Very simple to make. Just used some basic decorating tools and the real Wii remote as a guide. It was a huge hit!

Glazed Lemon Wedges

When I think dessert, I think chocolate: chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cake, churros con chocolate... So, this Easter, I decided to try a little something different. I made Glazed Lemon Wedges from a Betty Crocker recipe.

Behold, delicious lemony goodness:



The recipe is super-easy:

Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist butter recipe yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 egg

Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp grated lemon peel, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Grated lemon peel, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F and spray bottoms and sides of two, 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour (or line with foil).

In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, butter, 2 tbsp lemon peel and egg with an electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Beat on medium speed until dough forms. Press half of dough into each pan.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the glaze ingredients until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the warm shortbread; spread to edges of pans. Cool completely, about 50 minutes. Garnish with lemon peel.

I then cut each shortbread into eight pieces, like a pizza pie.

Everyone loved them, and they're only six Weight Watchers points each. Hurrah!

Pulpo a Feira

My family doesn't really need an excuse to get together and break bread, but holidays are always a good reason to do it. Plus, it usually means we'll get to enjoy some of my mom's cooking. Good food + someone else's cooking = a very happy Maria.

For Easter, Mom made us some of her famous Pulpo a Feira, which is octopus with olive oil, paprika and garlic:



I would share my mother's recipe, but then I'd be disinherited -- and I kind of like the family I've got.

Suffice it to say, it was delicious. And this is why I rarely eat at Spanish restaurants or make Spanish food. It's way to easy -- and delicious -- at Mom's house.

The Next Iron Chef is...

Watch your back, Bobby Flay! Your replacement is waiting in the wings.



My 8-year-old nephew David is an aspiring chef (although he alternates between that and wanting to be a construction worker, which I suppose makes sense, since both involve building things and working with your hands).

Yesterday, Chef David treated the family to a special dinner he prepared himself, with the help of his sous chef, Joe (aka Dad).

We arrived at the "restaurant" -- aptly named We Make It, You Eat it -- right on time, per the request of Chef David. (Apparently, it's a very popular restaurant, and they keep things to a very tight schedule...)

The appetizer was a delicious bruschetta, topped with freshly shredded cheese:



Chef David then prepared for us a very special entree, steak and spaghetti (or pasghetti, depending on your age):



The evening did hit a snag when Chef David realized he did not have the necessary ingredients for the dessert he had planned, fruit smoothies. However, Sous Chef Joe had prepared for this by purchasing Portuguese custard pies that morning. What a good sous chef! Chef David, give that man a raise!

Following dinner, Comedian David regaled us with his favorite knock-knock jokes, and his sister Claudia provided an impassioned rendition of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You." It was a wonderful night.

On my way out, I thanked the chef, who hugged me and thanked me for coming -- and then looked me right in the eyes and asked, "Where's my tip?"