Pesto!

Alright seriously this was cool. Did you know how much there is to learn about pesto? WOW!

So, I research everything I cook and try to find the most amazing authentic awesome recipes. I did a lot of digging on this one and there are soooo many different variations! Well, after all my searching I deducted that I wanted to go the super authentic route. I didn't really use a specific recipe I did a lot of it by taste and look and I combined the ideas from recipes I read. I decided to use a pestle.

Pesto

You will need:

Pine nuts
Fresh basil (the smallest freshest leaves possible)
Olive oil
Garlic
Salt
Parmesan cheese

Now, I have done this twice and before I do it again I will be getting a larger pestle.

First you will need a large bunch of basil. Pick all of the leaves off and if there is a large vein running through the leaf pull the leaf off around it. wash all your leaves and lay them out on a towel to air dry.
while you are waiting I would slightly toast your pine nuts to give them some extra flavor (you can also use walnuts). You want to use about a handful of pine nuts and just dry roast them in a small pan. (set aside to cool)
Next roughly Chop up two to three cloves of garlic depending on taste (this makes it easier to crush in the pestle)
here comes the fun part...lol...toss the pine nuts and garlic in to the pestle and begin crushing.
after that's pretty smashed up add in some leaves. little by little keep adding the leaves until you have added them all.
Make sure to taste is every now and then to make sure you like the flavor (it's a super concentrated taste so be objective to that fact.)
After you have all the leaves in add the cheese (you can use just the shredded stuff in a can but I'd recommend getting the good stuff) use about a 1/2 cup and put in a few pinches of salt (i prefer sea salt)
then add the olive oil.

tips:
This can all be done with a food processor if you prefer however, DO NOT use extra virgin olive oil it does something funny to it and can ruin the taste.

You can also just chop everything very fine.

(with these other methods it's still good it just doesn't taste quite the same.)

Cupcakes!!!

So me and mom spent the whole night making cupcakes last week!We made two different kinds, Strawberry and S'mores, and it was kinda cheater style we used box mix for them but to the one recipe we added lots of good stuff and we made the frosting for both of them.

It was really fun though and seriously such good cupcakes!

Chocolate Tiramisu

So I told my Mom I would make dessert for Easter....I got some wild hair up my ass to do tiramisu (even though I had never even had it). So I go to work researching it and all the different ways to make it and it's origin. Well from what I understand it originated in Italy in the sixties at a cafe. So I was going through all these different recipes and I finally decided on Giada De Laurentiis Chocolate Tiramisu recipe(not the most authentic but my family loves chocolate). It turned out quite well, everyone seemed to like it even my grandma! I recommend getting some whip cream to serve with. Don't let any left overs sit for too many days in the fridge the espresso works its way down to the bottom of the pan. Also note that it gives you one hell of an caffeine rush so don't plan on sleeping right afterward. Here is my slightly modified version of her Recipe and I will include a link to hers at the bottom of the page.


Chocolate Tiramisu

You will need:

• 6 ounces container mascarpone cheese
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows
• 2 cup warmed espresso or espresso coffee (I went to Starbucks and they hooked me up with about two cups for like $7 I think?
• Approx 32 crisp ladyfinger cookies (they were a bitch to find)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
• Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish

Chocolate Zabaglione:

**make first it needs to chill**

2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry Marsala
Pinch salt

Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, it could take up to 15 minutes use your cooking intuition you want it to be like a custard/pudding consistency. Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Be careful the chocolate mixture isn’t too hot. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.
After the Zabaglione is chilled:

Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.

Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, quickly dip cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the last row of cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Un-wrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu (not too thick or it can be to strong) and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top.

Here's Giada De Laurentiis recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chocolate-tiramisu-recipe/reviews/index.html