Award-winning Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Eating this cake is a truly memorable experience, particularly if fine cocoa and dark chocolate are used. Missy and I use Scharffen Berger cocoa powder that can be purchased at Whole Foods. It's a bit pricey, but so worth it for a special occasion. Gently melting 2-4 oz. of your favorite dark chocolate (I'm talking fine chocolate here: Amedei, Amano, Scharffen Berger, Valrhona etc.) in a bowl over a pot of water on the stove and mixing that in to the frosting also adds a very, very welcome richness and texture to the frosting. Warning: this cake is so moist and so decadent that all others will pale in comparison after eating it.

Perfect Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. Scharffen Berger Cocoa Powder (100% Cacao)

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on med. speed 2 min. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans.

3.Bake 30-35 min. or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with frosting recipe below.

Icing, Icing Baby

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter

2/3 c. Scharffen Berger Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

2-4 oz. of your favorite fine dark chocolate (65-75% Cacao), melted

1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa.

2. Alternately add powered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

3. Let melted chocolate cool slightly, then fold it into frosting mixture.

Kerala Fish Curry

This popular dish comes to you from the gorgeous state of Kerala on the west coast of India. Serve with simple Basmati rice. I made this for my first time the other day. It's simple and delicious. One word of warning, however. If you can track down the green cardamom pods and remove them before eating, that would be best. If you end up biting into one while eating, the potency of the flavor can be quite shocking.

Ingredients:

4-5 whitefish filets (such as tilapia, catfish, or cod)
1 t. turmeric powder
6 T. vegetable oil
1/2 t. black mustard seeds
2 green cardamom pods, bruised
2 cloves
8 fresh curry leaves
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 t. grated fresh gingerroot
Table salt, to taste
1 t. red chili powder
1/4 t. turmeric powder
1 t. coriander powder
1 (14 oz.) can light coconut milk


1. Place the fish filets in a bowl. Rub the filets well with the turmeric and set aside for about 10 minutes. Rinse filets and pat dry.

2. In a medium-sized nonstick skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add 1 filet at a time and shallow-fry until brown on both sides. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Continue until all the filets are fried. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining vegetable oil. Add the mustard seeds, cardamom, and cloves. As soon as they begin to sputter, add the curry leaves, onion, and ginger; sauté for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions are well browned.

4. Reduce heat. Add the salt; red chili, turmeric, and coriander powder; sauté for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and simmer for about 10 minutes. Don't let the coconut milk boil.

5. Add the fried fish to the coconut curry and spoon the sauce over the fish. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until the fish is completely heated through. Serve hot.

Italian Sausage

This is a recipe from Emeril, and BAM! he kicked it up a notch on the spices. It's perfect for my tastes, but too much for Missy. You can vary the amount of cayenne and black pepper you use to adjust it to your tastes. I've cased it as well as cooked it loose and it's a winner either way. Especially in pasta or as a pizza topping!

Ingredients

• 3 pounds well-marbled pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons dry red wine
• Pork casings, optional

Directions

Combine the pork butt, garlic, paprika, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, cayenne, anise, parsley, and red wine in a large bowl and toss well to coat. Refrigerate covered overnight or up to 24 hours.

Pass the mixture through a meat grinder fitted with a medium die. (Alternately, transfer to a food processor in 2 batches and process until finely ground.) To test the seasoning, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet, and cook about 2 teaspoons of the mixture. Adjust seasonings, to taste.

Using the sausage attachment on a mixer, stuff the meat into the casings, if being used. Twist and tie off to make 4-inch sausages. Alternately, shape into patties. Cook sausage in usual manner, making sure the internal temperature of the sausage links reaches at least 150 degrees F. Uncooked sausage can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze and use within 3 months.

Basic Pizza Sauce

Since this is just a basic sauce, you can customize it any way you like. If you want to do everything fresh, just score, blanch and peel fresh tomatoes rather than using canned. Just be sure to drain as much of the water from the fresh tomatoes as you can. Also, the seeds do not affect the flavor of the sauce, but do affect the color. If a bright red sauce is what you're looking for, then you may need to go the extra mile and remove seeds from the fresh tomatoes. I know Patrick loves doing this.

Ingredients

• 1 can (28-ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, in juice
• 1 small white or sweet onion, finely diced and minced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 to 4 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch salt
• Pinch fresh ground black pepper
• Pinch sugar, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, to saute

Directions

Empty the contents of the tomato can in a mixing bowl and coarsely crush the tomatoes with a fork or your hands, leaving them just a little chunky (I just pulse it a little bit in a food processor. Much faster). In a heavy bottom 2-quart saucepot, add the olive oil, over a medium high flame and heat a little. Add the onions and saute until slightly translucent. Add the garlic and saute about a minute until golden. Quickly add the crushed tomatoes to the mix. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the fresh basil and oregano. You can add a touch of sugar if desired or if tomatoes are tart. Simmer on a low flame, stirring often for at least 15 minutes. If not using right away, cool down and store in airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 week.

Pizza Dough

I've used this pizza dough recipe many times with great results. It works best if roll it thin and cook it on a pizza stone.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling (Chef's Note: Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can't find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour which will give you a chewier crust.)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 envelope instant dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Directions

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Buttermilk Syrup

So, so delicious. Just make sure you use a large enough pot so that when you add the baking soda it doesn't foam over. I'm speaking to you as a man who has made this mistake and had to deal with the sticky consequences.

1 c. Sugar

1/2 c. Buttermilk

1/2 c. Butter

1 t. Vanilla

1/2 t. Baking Soda

Mix sugar, buttermilk and butter and bring to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat.

Then add vanilla and baking soda.

Super-secret Seeley Family Waffles

Yes, I stole this from Missy's family. Very simple waffle recipe that is very delicious. It goes very nicely with the syrup recipe to follow

2 c. Buttermilk

1 t. Baking Soda

1 1/2 t. Baking Powder

1/2 c. Shortening (melted)

2 T. Sugar

1 t. Salt

4 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

Beat eggs to death. Then add 1/2 of the buttermilk, mix in shortening. Then add dry ingredients. Then add the remaining buttermilk.

Challah French Toast

Makes 8 large slices

Mom made this for us when Missy and I went to watch conference at their house. It made a real impact on me. This is Sunday breakfast with the volume turned up. You can use leftover challah from the freezer, and the orange zest comes from the oranges you’re going to squeeze for fresh juice. The rest you probably have around the house. And your family will love you.

6 extra-large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon good honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large loaf of challah or brioche bread

Unsalted butter

Vegetable oil

TO SERVE

Pure maple syrup or buttermilk syrup

Good raspberry preserves (optional)

Sifted confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the challah in 3/4-inch-thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until it’s all cooked. Serve hot with syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or confectioners’ sugar.

Basil Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise

This is easily the most delicious burger I've ever eaten. Do yourself a favor and enjoy these with your family tonight!

Prep: 25 min. Grill: 10 min.

Yield: 4 servings

1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)

1 c. boiling water

1 c.  mayonnaise

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

2 t. Italian seasoning

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t. pepper

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 lbs.  lean ground beef

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

6 hamburger buns, split

Additional fresh basil leaves, optional

1. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes and water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain. In a food processor, combine mayonnaise and tomatoes; cover and process until blended. Chill until serving.

1. In a large bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, basil, Italian seasoning, garlic, pepper and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 8 thin patties. Place 3 T. cheese on four patties; top with remaining patties and press edges firmly to seal.

1. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 106° and juices run clear. Serve on toasted buns with mayonnaise mixture and additional basil if desired.