everything's better in texas. even sheet cake!

i have two questions.

1) why did blogger erase my comments? (sorry, bethany, i didn't even get to read yours!)

2) has anyone ever had texas sheet cake with cinnamon?

here's the scoop. i made some sheet cake for heather because she is the best. also, she was packing and i was sad. is there ever a time when you are sad and choose not to bake...or eat? uhhh just wondering what that is like. cannot be sure.

anyway. heather is used to texas cake avec cinnamon but my mom never added it (that i know of? mom??) so i am over here. in my apartment. just wondering what your sheet cake ingredients are?

cinnamon or not, this stuff is delicious and great for all of those summer picnics coming up! get out there and make some cake, people!



texas sheet cake my way

for the cake:

1 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c brown sugar, loosely packed
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 c butter
1/2 c water
2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate

for the icing:

6 tbs milk
2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate
1/2 c butter
4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

- combine the flours, soda, and salt. whisk in the buttermilk and eggs.
- in a saucepan, heat the butter, water, and chocolate and bring to a boil. allow to cool a little, then stir into batter and pour into buttered and floured 9x13. bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

- combine milk, chocolate, and butter in small saucepan over medium heat until melted. stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. pour over warm cake.

lemon-ricotta pancakes with blueberry syrup

what a mouth full, in more ways than one... SHOO!

spring is here! and with it, freedom. FREEDOM! what joy fills my heart! i am finally finished with my master's degree. a whole new world has opened up and i feel like braveheart. like no joke.

anyway, my friend heather is visiting from cleveland and we have been enjoying the sights (and tastes) of austin together! today, we had breakfast in and i roped her into being my sous chef. evil, i know.

we made an intriguing recipe that should interest you pancake lovers out there. the almost savory pancake with sweetened syrup makes for an almost typical pancake experience. but the ricotta, lemon and maple elements make it just weird enough to be atypical. give it a try. we'd like to know your thoughts. i'm not a huge pancake lover but i thought they were blog-worthy!




blueberry maple syrup
makes about one cup

1 pint blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbs lemon juice

- combine ingredients in small saucepan and reduce over medium heat for about ten minutes or until desired consistency is reached, stirring often. set aside.

lemon ricotta pancakes
makes 8-10 medium sized pancakes

1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c all purpose white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 c ricotta
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tbs lemon zest
2 tbs lemon juice

- combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and combine wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. once wet ingredients are well incorporated, pour into dry to combine, removing most lumps.
- heat a tbs of olive oil over medium heat in a skillet, making two pancakes at a time, using a 1/4 c measure.

this one's for you, mama darlin'!

you know you're from the south when you refer to your mother as mama darlin', right? it's ok. i am proud of it. and so proud to be her daughter. my mother is the quintessential southern lady and i love everything about her <3

she is an opinionated, wise and passionate woman and she instilled those things in her daughters, for better or worse! my mom could kick it with martha stewart and could totally whoop paula deen in a battle of southern food. do you know how weird it is to see recipes on her show that i have eaten my whole life? did paula d. steal my mom's recipe book? like, seriously.

so, thanks mom. thanks for sharing your knowledge and love of food. thanks for having the house that everyone wanted to come to for dinner growing up. thanks for the elaborate birthday celebrations that were the envy of all of my friends. but most of all, thanks for loving me so much and for giving me the best example of how to be a lady.

here's a little recipe to honor my mom today. hardly a day went by in our house without fresh biscuits for breakfast, always served with butter and honey. i tried a whole wheat version today and i am quite pleased. crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, just like mom's.

whole wheat southern biscuits

serves 12

1 c white flour

1 c whole wheat flour

4 tsp baking soda

1 tbs sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 stick of butter

1 c buttermilk

- combine dry ingredients, cut in butter. stir in buttermilk until incorporated.

- roll out to desired thickness (the thinner, the crispier!) and cut with round biscuit cutter (or a goblet like i did! haha)

- bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes.