Simply Chocolate

Today was a day for chocolate! I have been missing my friends back in Ohio so I wanted to make myself feel better.....and there's no better way than with good chocolate!

I love making individual desserts so I made these mini chocolate mousse cups. They're soooo good with a bit of fresh whipped cream or some fresh raspberries! Yum!

Mini Chocolate Mousse Cups:

2 cups Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (I use 1 cup bittersweet, 1/2 cup dark and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips)
2 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
1/4 cup hot brewed coffee

12 cupcake liners

In a large bowl whip the cream on medium speed to form light peaks Refrigerate until later. Melt the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Meanwhile, whip the eggs with the sugar at medium-high speed for about 10 minutes, until very fluffy and thick. Stir the coffee into the melted chocolate chips. The mixture should start thickening so quickly stir in the beaten eggs, and then gently fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Garnish with Hershey's kisses or fresh berries.


If you want to make these look prettier, use an icing or pastry bag to pipe the mousse into the cups.

For the love of BACON!

Ok...so I have a slight...well maybe quite obsessive love for bacon. I know this might gross some people out but I have to admit it is in the top 5 favorite foods of mine. For my 30th birthday...my girlfriends handed me a lovely Victoria's Secret box...when I opened it up....there was a nicely wrapped pound of bacon in it....and honestly...it was the perfect gift for me....for bacon just might arouse me as much as Lacy panties from VS!

I used to put bacon on everything and when I was in college I used to make these boiled egg and bacon sandwiches that my roommates loved (plus they were the perfect hangover cure!...must be the salt in the bacon) So when I was designing the menu for my restaurant I was encouraged to add my "EggBLT" sandwich to the menu. I didn't think it would go over too well...but surprisingly...it ended up being one of our top sellers!

So today I woke up with just a slight headache (I mean hangover) (the family was over yesterday and I had too much Riesling)...and decided it was EggBLT time. Here's a very easy recipe for one heck of a sandwich....

Avesta's EggBLT...actually...EggBSA (bacon, spinach & avocado)
1 boiled egg (peeled and sliced)
(here's tip...if you want to boil the perfect egg...add the eggs to cold water (about 1 inch above the eggs) and bring to a rapid boil...remove the pan from the heat and cover the pot. Let sit for for about 15-17 minutes (I think Julia Child says exactly 17 minutes) remove the eggs from the water and put in a bowl of ice and water (for about 2 minutes)...put the pot back on the heat and bring to a boil again....put the eggs back in the boiling water for just a few seconds and then put the eggs back in the ice bath. This process will help so the egg shrinks away from the shell and it's easier to peel...and the eggs will be cooked perfect and you will not see that greenish/black color around your yolk. If you do not have time or energy to go back and forth...well then just boil like I said and then after letting the eggs sit in the pot...put in an ice bath and skip the second boiling...it just might be a bit harder to peel your eggs)

1/2 piece of lavash flatbread (I use the whole wheat and flax kind which is only 50 calories a serving..you can find this now in most supermarkets...if not use a small tortilla or thin foccacia bread)
1 slice Muenster or Havarti cheese 1/4 avocado (sliced)
handful of spinach leaves
4 pieces bacon
(here's another tip...you wanna know how to cook perfectly crisp and flat bacon? do it like restaurants do....IN THE OVEN!!!!)
I use parchment paper (it's amazing for so many things!) and lay out my bacon on the parchment paper and cook at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (turning once half-way through the cooking) you have to try this out and cook the bacon to your liking...I like crisp but not burnt....but I'm telling you....cooking bacon like this is so much cleaner...safer and you will have such better looking and tasting bacon!

the smell of bacon cooking makes me crazy!

So when you're done cooking your bacon...all you've got to do is stack your ingredients on the lavash and then fold it over...slice in half and serve with some fresh fruit...and you've got a new and exciting version of the classic BLT! See pics below....
(hint...I sprinkle a little season salt on top of my avocado for added flavor!)

Summertime means shortcake to me.....

I love chocolate but in my mind...there's nothing better than dessert made with fresh berries! You have to take advantage of the season you're in and use what's available. The berries at the market today were just unbelievable! The colors were so bright and I could just tell how sweet they were going to be just by looking at them. Homemade shortcake is great but if you don't have a lot of time or baking know how....here's a great recipe for a simple...but very impressive berry shortcake.

Mini Berry Shortcakes:
1 box frozen puff pastry (defrosted)

Vanilla Custard Filling
2 pkgs white chocolate pudding mix
3 cup milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Berry Mixture
3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
12-18 whole fresh raspberries


Preheat oven to 400 degrees



Make the pudding as directed on the package, in another bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Beat the mixture at medium speed just until stiff. Fold the whipped cream mixture into the pudding until combined. Refrigerate to chill well, several hours or overnight.

While the whipped cream mixture is chilling, seperate the puff pastry and cut into 2 inch squares. You can either use a muffin or cupcake pan and form your pastry squares into little shells or you can use cupcake liners on a baking pan and form your shells in them and serve them in the liners. Bake the shells in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Let the shells cool completely.

Combine the chopped strawberries and sugar and refrigerate until ready to put together shortcakes.

When the puff pastry is completely cool, seperate the pastry in half...leaving half in the cupcake liner or pan and putting the other half to the side on wax paper. Pull out your custard filling and put a heaping spoonful of the cream in each of the shells. Top the cream with your berry mixture then add a small spoonful of cream on top of the berries (this will help "glue" the tops of the puff pastry to the bottom half). Top all the bottoms with the pastry tops and add one more spoonful of cream to the top of each shortcake. Garnish with an upside down raspberry. If you have extra berry and/or cream filling left...put in small bowls and serve along side your shortcakes in case your guests want some more filling. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

These mini shortcakes are great for parties because they are individual sized and if you use the cupcake liners your guests can just grab one and eat it right out of the liner. I make them for weddings and showers and guests are so amazed by how good they look! Plus they're minature so if there's several dessert options, you can have more than just one dessert!

Unbelievable beauty....

I bought some amazing flowers today in the market. I love the yellow & orange roses...and I love to mix purple flowers with them in arrangements. I also found these great sunflowers that looked more like big puff balls than suflowers...they're just breathtaking.

Flowers just make me happy.....whenever I cater an event...I like to add fresh flowers to my food displays (you should do this at home whenver you have guests).

The flowers I bought today are inspiring me to do something with fresh fruit.....tomorrow...I will make some homemade berry shortcakes with fresh whipped cream. Look for the recipe...these are much simplier than you'd think and your guests will be very impressed.

Pink Lemonade....Adult Style Baby.....

I remember one night in college (I went to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio)..yes...that big party school with the huge Halloween Block Party....when I woke up every hour thinking about Subway's pink lemonade. I know this sounds strange but my good friend Michelle and I used to party all night and wake up (right around lunch time) and eat tuna subs and drink pink lemonade from Subway religiously...I mean at least 2-3 times a week. Well for some odd reason...this night...my timing was off....I was up every hour on the hour...starting at 3:00am thinking about that damn pink lemonade. Well I gues my body goes through that pink lemonade craving every so many years bc today...I could NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT PINK LEMONADE!!!!

Well I already had plans for watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics so I figured I couldn't go to Subway for dinner (plus it's Friday night...going to Subway for dinner on a Friday night is soooo embarrassing...especially for a chef...right?!?! :) sooooooo...it's time to make an adult pink lemonade drink! It turned out oh so yummy....I believe this drink surpasses anything that I have ever craved from Subway............at least on Friday nights...........

Summer Passion Lemonade:
2 oz Absolut Pear Vodka
1 oz sour apple schnapps
2 oz X-rated Fusion Liqueur (whatever...I'm addicted)
sprite or diet lemon-lime soda if you must have diet (yuck!)
fresh lime slices

In a tall rocks glass, fill until about 1 inch from the top with ice, add the vodka, schnapps and fusion liqueur, top with sprite and squeeze one slice of lime into the drink and add the other slice to the rim of the glass for garnish...stire and enjoy!

And on an Olympics note....after having one...two...ok...ok...three or four...of these oh so yummy cocktails....and watching the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics...I want to TRAVEL (more)!!!! I don't know how people who have never left this country don't think about all that they are missing out there....I am well-travelled....been all over the world and think....damn...I need to travel! I mean...where the hell is San Marino or Mali or Burindi? I cannot believe that I don't even know where these countries are! I realize more and more that life is short...I take advantage of enjoying every minute of it....but I cannot keep putting off the adventures that will only happen if I make them happen today....not tomorrow. On a drunken note.....that is my advice for the day............drink yummy cocktails that make you remember your college days....and get out and do what you've been dreaming of doing...wanting to do....need to do!!!!!

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