What Do You Do When You've Had One of THOSE Days?

Yes, Some Days, You Need THREE Cartons

So, today has been one of THOSE days.  You know, the ones where nothing seemingly goes right?  AKA, a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  Truthfully, you don't need anything to actually be or go wrong to have one of these days.  But if you're having one of THOSE days, everything can feel like its going wrong.  Small things like a mannerless lady stealing your parking spot that you've been waiting for with your signal on (you know who you are and karma will find you!) or perhaps your professor called on you and you felt like an idiot in front of all your fellow MBA classmates (it never feels good to momentarily appear to be the dumb one amongst geniuses).

Anyhoo, like I said, it was one of THOSE days.  So, I took life into my own hands and did something about it.  I have a few guilty pleasures in life.  Prepare to judge - I know you will - and frankly I don't care.  I will still love these things.  Taco Bell, a childhood favorite, always brings comfort (although, I curse them for taking away my beloved Chilito.  P.S. if you find a Taco Bell that still serves these - tell me!  I will fly pretty much wherever!).  I also find solace in my UGGs (judging again), and general TV watching (killing brain cells always makes a day better).  However, at the end of this long, rainy day, (did I mention one of my windshield wipers stopped working?) I chose to stop at the grocery store.  And bought some Ben & Jerry's.  Soothing my woes in ice cream.  Didn't you know that Ben & Jerry found a way to contain sunshine and happiness?

I had recently found the elusive new flavor, Flourless Chocolate Cake (I had to scour several Walmarts to find this sucker - so I bought three) but I decided a day like this required more. I needed B&J's Boston Cream Pie and while I was at it, might as well try their new Milk & Cookies.

I dove into the Milk & Cookies first.  It's described by B&J's as, "Vanilla Ice Cream with a Chocolate Cookie Swirl, Chocolate Chip & Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies."  I think its always a good sign when you peel off the lid and immediately see "texture."

Check my swirl!

Yum, I could SEE the Chocolate Cookie Swirl already!  This was the only flavor my husband was interested in (and you thought I was a pig and going to eat all three by myself?  So wrong - I'm eating all three, minus a bite or two).  The cookie swirl was like a very finely ground Oreo.  The two cookies were a bit tougher to scout out.  But I finally found them.  No getting away from me, you yummy ice cream bits.  The cookie pieces (both chocolate chip and chocolate chocolate chip) were good but I was in no way wowed by this ice cream.  The ice cream base was not creamy enough.  Perhaps they were attempting a "skim" milk version of Cookies and Cream.  There is just no "oomph" to this ice cream.  Good but I'd rather leave my stomach space to the next.

I'm worth the wait

Ohhhh, my heart just did a little leap!  Okay, I'm trying to be patient and tell the story, but I can't be.  This ice cream was soooooo worth the multiple ventures into crazy land, aka, Walmart.  Pictures cannot possibly capture the creamy, fudgy deliciousness of this ice cream.  B&J's courtesy description, "Chocolate Ice Cream with Pieces of Flourless Chocolate Cake & a Chocolate Frosting Swirl."  YUM. YUM. YUM.  My day just got better.  The ice cream base is creamy, chocolatey, and the perfect dark chocolate balance.

Ribbons of frosting and chocolatey goodness

The frosting swirl (which I was unsure of - I don't really love frosting) is more like a thinned ganache and is subtle throughout.  But the flourless chocolate cake - whoa.  Crunchy, chewy perfection.  Amen.  Heaven on a spoon.  Buy it.  You won't be sorry.  You'll be sorry if you only buy one.  And Ben & Jerry's?  You guys had better permanently add this or I shall be forced to buy several freezers for my garage.

See the cake?  It's hiding but its definitely there

Finally, my evening finished with a few bites of Boston Creme Pie.  By this point I was feeling so much better.  But, why not?  It's been haunting my crave taste buds ever since I ate it the first time.

Go Sawxs!  Makes me laugh everytime.  If only all of B&J's packaging were so comical.

So, if you're having one of THOSE days, what do you eat?  Personally, it depends on my mood, what's available, and the severity of that day.  But, do tell, what makes it all better for you?

Shiny New Product Review: Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream. Go Sawxs!

I've fallen off of the wagon.  My attempt to eat a little healthier went right out the window after I found out that I'd been accepted into the 2010 NYC Marathon and after I read about Ben & Jerry's new flavors.  One of them in particular I was giddily willing to throw my healthy eating out the window for - marathon or not.  Serious Eats did a review on the new flavors which is where I learned of them.  They also reviewed some new limited edition flavors, one of which is Flourless Chocolate Cake - a Walmart exclusive.  YUMMM!  (the YUMMM is for the ice cream not for Walmart - I know some of you were going to go there - so I stopped you, okay?)

Was the promise of potentially melty delicious ice cream enough to draw me in to Walmart?  If you know me, you already know the answer.  Duh - I'm known for a few things (or at least I used to be). 

1.) Eating entire cartons of ice cream in one sitting (and I don't mean Ben & Jerry's sized)

2.)  Eating straight out of the carton (it saves dishes!)

3.)  Picking the best parts out (brownies, cookie dough, Oreos)

I don't do one of those anymore.  You can guess which.

So, I ventured to one of the local Walmarts in search of a creamy, cool treat.  Alas, the fabled flavor of Flourless Chocolate Cake was not there.  However, Boston Cream Pie was.  And while not a pie lover, I am a Boston Creme Pie lover (its really not anything like pie). 

Here are my discoveries (I should totally be paid for this - its like an expedition.  There's danger, wild animals, and either disappointment or an unearthment of something incredibly life changing.) 

First off, the packaging is wicked awesome.  It has a picture of Paul Reveah (the guy on the horse) and a cow saying, "Go Sawxs!"  The cow is even holding a four leaf clover on another part of the carton.  Go Irish!  How can you not love it already?  Boston Cream Pie is described by Ben & Jerry as:  "Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream with Yellow Cake Pieces, Fudge Flakes & Swirls of Pastry Cream."  I was definitely excited by the prospect of cake - not as sure about how pastry cream would translate into ice cream.   

Here Goes.

The pastry cream was a little sweet but overall good.  If you don't know what pastry cream is, I'll tell you the poor man's version - vanilla pudding - and if you don't know what vanilla pudding is, I can't help you but maybe a therapist can help you leave your house once in a while.  The cake pieces were divinity and deliciousness.  I wish there were more - but carefully added so as not to overdo the cake/ice cream ratio.  They were spongy and made me think of buttery pound cake.  I will tell you my one true criticization (remember? I make up words).  The "Fudge Flakes" just don't do it for me.  When I've eaten Boston Cream Pie in Boston I don't remember eating little bits of hard chocolate.  Ben & Jerry apparently need to travel a bit more.  It shouldn't be too hard.  Boston is not all that far from Burlington, Vermont (did I mention I've been to THE Ben & Jerry's?  I even have an official ice cream scooper from there).  I realize it might be scary to venture down south where they shave and shower but still, they should find out what the real stuff is.  Especially, because you don't want to anger Bostonians.  They're a rough crowd.  And you definitely don't dare to defile a Boston delicacy by doing it improperly. 

Boston's Ben & Jerry's Tea Party

  Ben & Jerry, if you are listening.  Please add CHOCOLATE GANACHE.  That is all.  Oh, and I'd eat it again.  

 

Easter With My Peeps, Yo!

Them Be Fightin' Words!

Okay, so it's not exactly Easter anymore.  Your point?  You think I live within the restrictions the world sets?  Just for that, I'm having breakfast for dinner - booyah - now that' living on the edge! 

After reading the different ideas and uses for Peeps on my fave food blog Serious Eats I decided to take action and do my own creative thing.  Had I planned further in advance than five minutes and chosen not to sleep in - this could've been much more awesome.  But, I figured who cares - I'm expressing myself.

Here goes:

Mud Wresting Peeps Boston Cream Pie
I found this really fun website, Foodista.com  and thought I'd try out a recipe from it.  It's kind of like Wikipedia but for food - at least in that people can edit the entries.  I found this recipe and decided to give it a go. 

I'm going to put this out there in case you dare to follow my lead and try this out.  The person who wrote this either had ADD or was still hungover because they missed a few things.  And not that it would have been hard to figure out but because I have ADD (well, I don't know if I really do but I figure most of us do at this point) I made a few of my own goofs.

Okay, we're really starting this time.  I'm going to cheat and copy the recipe over (and maybe add some commentary).

Step 1: In large bowl, let eggs warm at room temperature (I'd say an hour). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. At medium speed, beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until very thick and light, about 5 minutes.

Step 2:  Meanwhile, sift flour with baking powder and salt. In measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup water (the ingredient list says nothing about water so I thought they must have meant milk - I've never added lemon juice to water - but I have to milk to substitute for buttermilk.  I also made the jolly mistake of having all 1 1/2 cups of milk measured out and thought it went here.  Fortunately I caught myself at 1/4 c - and was to lazy/cheap/curious to go back), 1 teaspoon vanilla and lemon juice.

Blend flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, into egg mixture, alternately with water mixture. Beat 1 minute. Turn into 2 greased 9 inch layer pans, dividing evenly. Bake 25 minutes, until surface springs back when pressed with fingertip. Invert pans, setting rims on 2 other pans(I broke the rules here and used a cooling rack, also make sure to do this step - it will not be so easy to get cake out if you don't invert - turn upside down if you're not into fancy words). Cool 1 hour (or for however much time you have, I was running behind and let it cool for 20 minutes).

Step 3:  Make Filling: Make pudding as label directs, reducing milk to 1 1/2 cups; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool; refrigerate, with sheet of waxed paper (I did not do the wax papered thing - its pudding!  Pretty darn hard to mess up, which is why you should love it - also why you should use instant) placed directly on surface, several hours.
 

Step 4:  Make Glaze: In small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Remove from heat; add sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, mixing until smooth. Stir in 2 1/2-3 tablespoons hot water (don't go crazy with the water - it'll thin quickly), 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is of pouring consistency.

To Assemble: On cake plate, put cake layers together with filling; pour glaze over top, letting it run down sides. Refrigerate - about 1/2 hour.

I'm Bananas!

Back to me now.  First off, the author of this recipe also does not know how to add vanilla or pudding counts if you actually paid attention to the recipe (I didn't until I was knee deep).  Also, I think it should sit longer than 30 minutes.  The best Boston Cream Pies are super moist and delicious - and it helps if you let everything sit for awhile.  I actually don't think it would hurt to cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight.  Make sure not to over bake your cakes - depending on where you live - your bake time may vary.  Watch your cakes like a hawk at the end. 

Now for the fun part!

My husband likes Ultimate Fighting (the UFC) and all that other wrestling, fighting crap.  I make him turn if off when I'm in the room.  But in the spirit of Easter (and an excuse to do something stupid/fun) I decided to indulge him.  Mud Wrestling is classier, don't you think?

We Be Mud Wranglin' Peeps

How freaking awesome am I?  Totally am.  Too bad it didn't taste anything like the most amazing Boston Cream Pie - from Boston.  It was okay - but I don't settle for okay if I'm putting effort in.  I'm using a different recipe next time.  Maybe from someone who doesn't have ADD or a hangover.