Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganache

Welcome to adult life. I'm a new kitten mom and starting a real job on Friday. With a retirement plan. So weird, honestly. But also I read a tweet saying that adult life gets better once you realize you don't need an occasion to make and eat a cake. So that's what I did, although arguably I'm celebrating my new kitty.

Meet Nissa:

I got Nissa unexpectedly this past Saturday. My fiance and I had been talking about getting an animal for quite awhile, but he was gunning for a dog or bunny. I had begged for a cat, but pretty much given up on ever having one. I made all my arguments for a cat, explaining that it was probably the best pet for our lifestyle, but my fiance wasn't really swayed.

Enter Nissa.

On Saturday I was in a store with a friend when I suddenly heard high pitched meowing. A guy had come in with a little kitten in a cardboard box. He explained that he had found her under his car and couldn't keep her and that since it was kitten season all the ethical shelters were full. My heart melted. I asked if I could touch her, and she leaped right into my arms. I explained to the guy that I needed my fiance's permission, but was interested in keeping her.

After some begging, sweet Alex reluctantly agreed. Nissa was mine. The Humane Society thinks she's about 8 weeks old, and other than being a little skinny, was healthy. They even gave me a grant to get her spayed and her shots for free, a long with some kitty kibble.

She is the kitten I always wanted. She's playful but loves to cuddle, and loves to "talk" to me. She's the sweetest little thing, purrs like a lawnmower. I'm so in  love. I feel like a new mom, constantly posting pictures of her everywhere, but I can't help it. She's mine. Since I haven't started work yet, we just cuddle and play all day.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganaches

cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup coffee, cooled

filling

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup whipping cream

8 Reese's miniatures, chopped

icing

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (buy it on Amazon. it's cheaper than buying the pods. and amazing.)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1. To make the cake, start by stirring together the dry ingredients.
2. Add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, and blend together until smooth.
3. Pour in coffee. Batter will be thin, once stirred together.
4. Pour into two pans (I used 9x9 squares, but rounds will work just as well). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the middle springs back when touched.
5. Let cool thoroughly, and remove from pans.
6. Using a wooden spoon, poke holes in the top of one of the cakes (like the picture above).
7. While the cakes are cooling, make the ganaches. Melt together the peanut butter and coconut oil, then stir until smooth. Let cool.
8. Melt together the chocolate chips and cream. Stir until homogeneous.
9. Once the cake is cool, spread the peanut butter onto the cake, making sure to get it into all the holes. Sprinkle on the peanut butter cups, then carefully spoon on most of the chocolate ganache. I sprinkled on some salt at this point. Highly recommend.
10. Stack the other layer on top, and let set.
11. Make the buttercream frosting. Ensure that the butter is room temperature and soft. Stir in two cups of the powdered sugar.
12. Add in the cream, the remaining sugar, and vanilla paste. I also added a dash of salt, but that's up to you and your taste.
13. Carefully frost the cake, then drizzle on remaining ganache, swirling with a spoon. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat.

Strawberry Shortcake Waffles

Hi. I've spent too much time talking about how much I love breakfast food to not share more breakfast recipes, so here I am. With waffles and whipped cream, which makes me feel like Leslie Knope. These are the important things in life.

Anyway, let's talk podcasts. I love them, because I like having stuff to listen to while I walk or clean or do other mindless stuff, and audiobooks are way to expensive. Most of mine revolve around either true crime or psychology, but I'm open to most things, so if you have recommendations pleeeease send them my way.

Let's see, on the true crime vein, I loved Serial. Season 1 is much better in my opinion, but both are good. Sarah Koenig takes you inside her investigations of a couple crimes, and I loved "seeing" it all slowly come together. She also lets her listeners form their own opinions which I really appreciate.
I also highly recommend Serial Killers, if you're into that. They spend a couple weeks on each serial killer and talk some about the psychology of psycopathy, and I LOVE that. Neither of the hosts have psych degrees, so their opinions are kinda questionable sometimes, but other than that, GREAT. Just don't listen if you're easily scared.

For psychology, I highly recommend Invisibilia. They talk about different human phenomena and the reasons behind them, such as our insatiable need to solve things--even if it's a problem that should maybe be left alone. There are a lot of deep truths about life and human nature in this one and sometimes it makes me cry.
Another one is The Hilarious World of Depression. Comedians come on and talk about their experiences with depression and other mental illnesses, and I'll be honest--if you have the right sense of humor, they have a point. Depression is kind of funny.

Strawberry Shortcake Waffles
waffles
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups milk

topping
1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp sugar (more if it's not berry season)
juice of 1 lemon
whipped cream

1. Start by browning the butter: place the butter in a pan over medium heat. As it melts, swirl the pan a bit. It will start to crackle--this is the water boiling out. It's a good thing. Once the butter turns light brown, remove from heat and let cool.
2. Next, make the topping. Gently stir together the strawberries and sugar. Dribble in the lemon juice, then set aside to do their thing. This is called macerating; it means the strawberries will release their juices.
3. To make the waffles, stir together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
4. Create a well in the center, then add eggs, vanilla, and butter. Stir together.
5. Add milk and stir until smooth. Let sit while you preheat the waffle maker.
6. Butter the waffle maker and ladle in about 2/3 cup of batter (depending on size of your waffle maker). Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
7. Serve waffles with strawberry topping and a swoosh of whipped cream.

Watermelon Lemonade

Hello summer.

I just love watermelon, so much. To me it tastes like summer, especially if it's cold from the freezer. Unfortunately, I grew up in a melon-hating household, so it wasn't something I got to eat that often. But now I'm an adult (apparently) and do what I want.

I made this lemonade to go with brunch this past weekend, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was the perfect accompaniment. If you're into it, you could probably add some champagne and make brunch more fun. Actually, sweet tea probably wouldn't hurt this at all either.

It tastes like summer in a glass, friends. I highly recommend making it, pouring it over ice, and sitting on your front porch sipping it with a colorful straw. If you have a front porch, that is. Otherwise, drink it at brunch with your favorite people who love bacon.

Watermelon Lemonade

Ingredients

1/2 cup lemon juice (for me this was 4 lemons)

1/3 cup sugar

4 cups warm water

1/5 of a large watermelon, cut into chunks

1. Combine the lemon juice and sugar in a pitcher. Stir.
2. Add the water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Place the melon chunks in a blender and puree until smooth. Add to pitcher and stir.
4. Refrigerate until cold and serve over ice. Enjoy!

My Favorite Way to Eat Vegetables

I ate most of this in one sitting....

If I've ever made you dinner, or if you have me on SnapChat, or honestly, if you let me tell you about food at all, you're probably well-aware that I love roasted vegetables. Especially broccoli. Like, I know it's lame, but I'm pretty sure roasted broccoli is my favorite food. I eat it almost every day. If not broccoli, it's probably Brussels sprouts. All roasted. Always. It's the best way to eat vegetables, I promise. It's also vegan friendly, if you're into that. Oh yeah, highly recommend dipping the broccoli in hummus. I love.

I got you a new phone background.

The day I made this, my car broke down. I'd love to say it came out of nowhere, but I like to think we're all friends here, so I'll admit that it was a part my dad told me to fix a month or so ago. So.....lessons learned. Sorry Daddy. But I digress.
Anyway, I pulled out of the apartment I'm currently trying to sign a lease at, and realized my power steering had quit. Have you ever had to use your entire body weight to move the steering wheel? It's interesting. So, I pulled into the nearest parking lot and called my dad, who probably would've laughed at me if he'd been in a better mood, and then informed me that I couldn't drive the car. While I was freaking out to him, for some reason trying to talk him into saying it was okay to drive, a man appeared. He told me that he was the owner of the bike shop (which apparently was the parking lot I pulled into) and that he knew what was wrong with my car and was willing to go buy the part for me and put it in.
I was shocked and confused and explained it to my dad on the phone, who told me to take help where it's offered. The man (his name is Paul, he owns the bike shop on the corner of NW 6th St. and NW 21st Ln. support his business if you're a Gainesville local.) proceeded to fix my car, and only asked that I reimburse him for the parts and buy him a lottery ticket, even though I offered beer and cash. As someone with a stats background, this feels like a stupid statement, but I really hope he wins. I returned the next day with cookies. I don't know how I got so lucky. All I can say is that God was keeping an eye on me. 

Sometimes good things happen. Celebrate with broccoli, that's what I did.

Roasted Veggies
1 head of broccoli/1 lb. Brussels sprouts/1 lb. green beans/1 sweet potato/etc
3 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
garlic powder

1. Place the veggie of your choice on a baking sheet lined in foil in a single layer.
2. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. It's okay if they aren't all coated, they just need a little sheen.
3. Season to taste.
4. Bake at 425. For broccoli, I find that it's best after 20 minutes, Brussels sprouts are great after 25, green beans take 20, and sweet potatoes take more like 30-40, depending on size. You just want the vegetables to be cooked through and golden brown where they touched the foil. So good.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Poorly lit kitchen strikes again

Hi. What's this? Another cinnamon roll recipe? Yeah, sorry. I love them to death. Also, where have I been for the last few months? I don't know. Death by undergrad...which I finished. Thank God. Planning a wedding (I said yes to the dress, and cried). Working two jobs which were equal parts rewarding and draining. Trying to enjoy my last semester of undergrad with the people who supported me along the way.

More recently: handling a bizarre and unpleasant turn of events that left me jobless post-graduation. After handling the aforementioned turn of events, I really just haven't felt so good, mentally or physically. Once I finished crying (change is really hard for me), I attacked the job hunt, trying to figure out what the hell you do with a BS in psychology. I have a couple things going, but let's wait until the ink is totally dry until we talk about them.

Dough is calming. Especially the proofing stage. I love.

Quick anecdote: In the process of making these, I somehow touched the heating element of the oven, which I don't recommend. That was quite awhile ago and I finally have all my fingerprints back. Yay.

In other news: I'm applying to medical school, which is weird and daunting but also fun. I've started having weekly brunches at my apartment because honestly, friends, pancakes, and good coffee are better medicine than anything else I've found. Stuff hurts, change is hard, but I think my goal shouldn't be to force joy, but to love the people I care about as deeply as I can and to find the happiness in the time I have with them. Easier said than done? Sure. But cinnamon rolls help.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

rolls (adapted from Joy the Baker)

1/4 oz yeast (this is the amount in the little packets)

1/2 tsp +1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk (higher fat content=better)

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 yolk

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

filling

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup

3 green apples, diced

dash of salt (unless you're using salted butter)

glaze (only if you reallllllyyyyy have a sweet tooth)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1. Start the dough by adding 1/4 cup warm water to the 1/2 tsp sugar and yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 15 minutes. If it doesn't foam, your yeast has issues.
2. Add the remaining sugar, milk, brown sugar, egg, and yolk. Stir until combined.
3. If you have an electric mixer (I'm jealous), fit it with a dough hook and add the flour half a cup at a time. If not, still add it only half a cup at a time, and use your muscles to smooth it out after each addition.
4. Let rise for 2 hours. In the last half hour of the rise, make the filling.
5. For the filling, melt the butter and combine with remaining ingredients, other than the apples.
6. When the rise is complete, dump out of the bowl onto a floured surface. It should be fairly fluffy. Gently roll out into a rectangle.
7. Spread filling on top of the rectangle, then sprinkle on the diced apples.
8. Carefully roll up the dough into a tight tube, then slice with a sharp knife. I got 8 rolls.
9. Place in buttered pans, then allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
10. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
11. For the glaze, whisk together the sugar and milk. Pour over hot rolls. Serve and enjoy.

BBQ Hummus

Hi squad. Happy 2017. How are we feeling about this year so far? Are you a resolutions type of person? I'm not, but I think it's just because I make goals for myself constantly, so making even more at the start of a new year seems almost redundant. But anyway, this little paragraph is probably redundant, since the year started 18 days ago. Whoops.

But anyway, this year so far: I baked quite possibly the best thing I've ever made about a week ago now. It was this babka from How Sweet Eats and oh my goodness. I didn't make it into muffins but kept them in little swirls like cinnamon rolls. They were buttery and chocolate and fluffy in all the best ways. I'm sort of in love with dough right now. Bread doughs are fun for me because they need just a bit more finesse than other stuff, and I like having my hands busy. I've made cinnamon rolls in the last week and I'm not slowing down. Sorry. Recipe to follow.

In other news, I watched my first anime all the way through and I don't know how I feel about it, but I can definitively say that Yuri on Ice was really good and made me feel things. Also on the TV topic, I'm watching Series of Unfortunate Events and WOW. It was basically my favorite book series growing up and I love the Netflix adaptation so much. NPH as Count Olaf originally made me nervous but he nails the characterization perfectly. I'm on a nostalgia high like no other.

Last few things: I'm trying to pick guitar back up, which currently involves a whole lot of sounding like crap while one of my friends "teaches" me, which mostly involves him making fun of me. I spoke Spanish to a customer at work for the first time yesterday and the look of gratitude she gave uncomfortable, awkward me made it so worth it. I was given almost 20 pounds of flour recently, so baking will not be slowing anytime soon. Buy me flours, not flowers, friends. Sorry.

BBQ Hummus
Ingredients
2 cans of chickpeas (only drain one of them)
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the onion
1 small onion, cut thin
3 tbsp BBQ sauce

1. Put the onions in a pan with a bit of oil over medium low heat. Saute until translucent.
2. Meanwhile, Combine the other ingredients (minus BBQ sauce) in a blender or food processor until smooth. Place in serving dish.
3. Once onions are translucent and soft, add BBQ sauce, removing from heat when totally combined.
4. Top the hummus with the BBQ onions, or stir them in if you'd prefer. Serve with chips or anything else you'd like.

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

I'm having an issue. I have a recipe and pictures, but I don't have too many words today.

These were a part of my annual holiday baking binge (which isn't much different from my every day life, but still....). I've realized I love working with dough, so I made cinnamon rolls a couple different ways, but these were my favorite.

I hope you all had a lovely holiday and wish you a happy new year.

Yum.

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze
Ingredients

dough (adapted from How Sweet Eats)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

filling
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar

glaze
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat milk in microwave for about 1 minute, until lukewarm. Add vegetable oil and sugar, stir. Sprinkle in yeast and let sit about 15 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Move mixture to an electric mixture and add flour, baking soda, powder, and cinnamon. Stir until combined, then run mixer for about 6 minutes, kneading until dough is elastic and smooth.
3. Allow dough to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled.
4. Punch the dough down, then empty onto a floured counter. Roll out into a rectangle, making sure dough is roughly 1/2 an inch thick.
5. To make filling, combine melted butter, sugars, and cinnamon. Spread evenly on the dough, then roll into spiral tube.
6. Slice into 1-inch sections, then place rolls into a buttered pan. Let rise for 30 minutes.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. To make glaze, blend ingredients together. Pour over warm rolls and enjoy.