LizzyHouse

valday treats

some Valentine treats never hurt anyone.

Ben helped me make the pistachio truffles, then I made white chocolate fudge with cranberry, orange, and almonds... kind of Christmasy in flavors... and heart shaped shortbread. Which was not Christmasy because it was in the shape of a heart.

If you were here I would share with you. But I will share the recipe instead

Pistachio Truffles:

12oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate, chopped or broken
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon butter
3/4 cup finely chopped pistachios (roasted and salted are best)

In a biggish bowl place all your chocolate, set aside.
Over medium high heat bring the cream to a boil.
As soon as it starts to boil, remove from heat and pour over chocolate.
Now stir it up. Stir it until it is smooth and no bits of chocolate remain unmelted.
Toss in butter. Stir that too, until everything is smooth.

You have yourself a ganache. Now if you have a lot of time you can put it in the fridge and wait for it to solidify. If you have only a bit of time, you can stick it in the freezer. It should take about half an hour...

When it has gotten pretty firm, this is the part where you need a melon baller or a teaspoon or if you are extreme a tablespoon. I always keep a glass of warm water around to dip whatever utensil it is I am using into. Scoop out a little ball, and throw it onto the chopped nuts. Which should be on a plate. Roll it around, and then stick it in the little dream cup of your choosing.

You can eat these right away or refrigerate them for about a week. They also freeze pretty well. But they are best for sharing. The combination of the dark chocolate with the sweet and salty of the pistachios makes a killer truffle. But not killer in a literal way.

More like Italian Dream Cake

So, I'm a little obsessed with making cakes, but my friends are the recipients of the obsession...no one seems to be complaining. Carla's birthday was on Tuesday! So, as soon as I got back from Florida/Texas I got to work. I knew that I wanted to make an Italian Cream cake for two reasons: 1. It was she and Bob's wedding cake and 2. No one in Idaho makes Italian Cream cake... I guess it's kind of a Southern cake...

I made a couple of changes to the cake, but the most delicious addition was putting my favorite apricot preserves in between the layers. It's an English brand called TipTree. They don't use any corn syrup or anything. There are two ingredients: apricots, sugar. The way it should be. But the combination of the cake flavors, the pecans, the coconut, the buttermilk, and then the tangy sweetness of the apricot plus the tartness of the cream cheese frosting made for something really so nice.

Also, this cake calls for a combination of butter (some recipes call for margarine, I still used butter) and shortening, and I just want to say how grateful I am that brands like Spectrum exist, and make non hydrogenated products. They are heart healthy and not creepilly processed to the point that your body can't recognize or figure out what to do with it.

I bejeweled the side of the cake with chopped pecans, and then glued on whole ones every once and a while to create a pattern (I can't help myself).

If you are wondering about the nice and tall candles I use, they are by a brand called TAG, and I found them in a bakery in San Francisco, but for you and you alone I found some online, so you can adorn your next cake with them. They come in six different colors.

The cake was a big hit. We had a fun night too. Per usual one of my impromptu parties with a cake and a game of Art Auction. I don't ever seem to get bored! But I would like to say how grateful I am for Carla. She has been a wonderful mentor and one of my dearest friends over these past years. I don't know what I would have done without her, and her sweet family whilst here in Rexburg. She is the kind of person that improves the quality of your life just by knowing her. I would make her a cake any day. Happy Birthday.

Some sweet action projects with Lizzy Dish coming very very soon. Also, for you peeps who can't take surprises or waiting for that matter, a sneak peek VERY soon.

have a great weekend!

Half birthday hilarity.

Another cake post...

Last night was Izzy's, of the JimJam family fame, half birthday. I guess at her school if the kids birthday's are in the summer, they celebrate their half birthday. So Carla, decided to make a cake for her! We were going to make it orange something, but then Izzy got involved and it turned into chocolate filling and vanilla frosting... It was my brilliant idea to make it a "Half" cake, and so two 8in. cake rounds turned into eight half rounds... It got really high... it was swaying. We would have to tip it forward to level it out so it wouldn't swing back so fast. We just laughed and laughed. The best part was singing "A very happy un-birthday" from Alice in Wonderland, and of course trying to slice the cake...

There's always money in the banana stand.

One of my favorite friends had a birthday this week. Nick Bontorno is a dream of a printmaker, a really nice poet and the kind of person that you are just grateful to know. How was I not supposed to make him the very best cake that I could? To be eaten at one of my parties with cake and art auction... So I asked him what kind of cake he would want, and I just got this list from him...

I like chocolate
but I also like chocolate chips
but then again I like zucchini
or banana
I don't know, chocolate is good...
chocolate with chocolate chips?

Every cake I make, I make with objectives. With the intention of always being a better baker. I want to always be progressing in whatever it is I am doing. So I went through some recipes, and played with some ideas, but ultimately came up with what I refer to as, "There is always money in the Banana Stand-Chocolate Cake". Here is what of it consists of: 3 layers of chocolate-chocolate chip cake, with a banana cream filling, chocolate butter cream, and a whipped ganache frosting. The results were pleasently surprising. Even peeps who weren't banana fans were digging this cake.

I made the whole thing up so I will have to formulate the recipe and share it, but it was the perfect combination of banana and chocolate; it kind of cut through the sweet, and the census was that the chocolate chips in the cake really added something. Maybe a contrast of texture? I'm still on the fence about the chips.

We had the cake, and played the game over at our friends the Jimison's and ended up staying till nearly three in the morning discussing anything and everything. I'm so grateful for like minds. Isn't it an amazing thing to have friends who you can really express yourself with, and know you are safe? It's so important that we find these people in our lives. When we do, we really have the opportunity to strengthen each other.

hooray for tonight. I just love a good party

what a week.

it really has been quite the week. Here is a recap: 

Sunday- I was in the emergency room! I had some kind of out of control allergic reaction, to no one knows what. I was poppy red, literally. I got a 5 inch shot in my hip! Woo. I just walked up to the temple, like I always do, and I got there and my neck started burning. Within five minutes it was covering my arm. I walked home called my sister, Melissa to come look at me. I took my shirt off and watched it cover me. I was watching myself change colors! My wind pipe never closed off, but it did give me a really bad case of the chills.

Monday- I started my last semester of my undergraduate career!

Tuesday- I received my strike offs in the mail! and skipped my first class of my last semester

Wednesday- I sent away my strike offs. Talk about torture.

Thursday- I met a lady in the grocery store on Wednesday night. I had decided that I needed some swiss chard, and I couldn't find any worth buying, so this lady comes up to me and asks me if I am looking for swiss chard, and proceeds to tell me that she has more than she knows what to do with and I can have as much as I would like. On Thursday I walked to her work, and she gave me a huge bag of the most beautiful greens I have ever seen.

Friday- my cuties little hair was destroyed! The cut I asked for and the cut I got were two very different things. It was very nice of my friend Allen to wait for me the WHOLE 2.5 hours it took. There is a funny line from a Bob Hope movie that I would always say to make my sisters laugh... it's, "what do you take me for? A round haircut?" Well, now that's all you can take me for. A round haircut. Luckily my favorite movie came in the mail. I have like five actual favorites. I also made this recipe. It is a new standard for sure. Oh, and my mom had a hurricane...

Saturday- I ate so much cotton candy I made myself sick. Cotton Candy in all quantities makes me really happy. What a way to end a week. It was pretty good.

      

it's that time again.

it's been a couple of months since I had a quilt to work on. I've always got a million things going on, but for the next couple of weeks i'm just working on my BFA by day, so why not a quilt by night? I am going to do our new (sort of new...) pattern by Cherry House Quilts: Foreign Currency. It's going to be sweet action. I was really proud when I bought the fabric. I got everything for the entire quilt, including the back, for under $70! Cool, huh? The great part about the pattern is that you use 20 fat quarters so it makes everything really easy, and most shops offer some kind of deal on fat quarters. The back of the quilt was a  real steal because the shop in Idaho Falls, the Quilted Daisy, has a great discounted section and I got nearly half of a bolt for 60% off. Too bad it's really beautiful fabric, too. I am not way into reproduction stuff, but I just really like this one pattern, by Jo Morton, and my peeps at Andover. It couldn't be softer and the printing is really nice. So, needless to say I was very pleased with myself.

So, Mal's birthday was fun. I made s'more cupcakes like I said I would, but the funniest thing happened. I originally got the idea from these peeps, but they do more of a graham cracker flavored cupcake, and we wanted chocolate, but the one bowl recipe for chocolate cupcakes is easy enough to make vegan... if you wanted to make them vegan, lower fat, and or kosher. All dreams come true. Well, here is the funny part. I made essentially what is a butter cream frosting with marshmallow cream. Well, marshmallow cream has this inherit desire to be one with the lowest possible point of possible contact. This frosting would creep! At first I thought, "disaster!" but then I thought it just looked like a melted marshmallow, and the graham cracker crumbs made it look at little burnt. Plus they tasted really good (kind of messy though), and the villagers rejoiced.

we thought the matches were a nice touch.

We played a really great game of charades, and by great I mean we came up with some really impossible/ hilarious things for the other team to act out.

It's been a really eye opening week. I feel like a new person... not because of the cupcakes, but just a lot of different things, and I couldn't be happier. I feel like I really have a new understanding of who I am, and what I am supposed to accomplish. It's a good feeling.

Also, thanks to everyone for all your kind words of encouragement and everyone who has bought something from the shop. Your support means a lot to me.

Let's all have a really good week!

an entire week of happy.

We really did a whole week of celebrating which was so great.

Monday one of my dearest friends Amy left from Rexburg. We got a whole two weeks with her though, which was nice. She's probably moving to Utah which is sweet action, obviously.

Tuesday was my birthday. It was a wonderful day. Ben and Mallori planned a 50's murder mystrey party for me. Mal and I went to the costume shop and got dresses for the occasion. Also, Mallori and I made a pistachio roulade. We changed out the chestnut for pistachio... it was great.

we served it with pistachio paste, chocolate mousse and pistachio ice cream. It was a beautiful thing.

In the Murder Mystery game I ended up being the killer... is anyone surprised? Then we went swinging at a playground. All together it was a really good day

Wednesday was second birthday. We had cupcakes and played Masterpiece (art auction). I have become quite frustrated with the game as of late... as I have not won for quite some time. We ended up with less money than we started with in the game. Booo!!! Maybe tonight will be better.

the cupcakes carried over the chocolate mousse and pistachios but I introduced a white cake. New favorite recipe. Also, in Apt A-13 we have decided that Almond is the new Vanilla when it comes to extracts.

Thursday was wonderful because my best friend Jessica came from home. Best birthday present ever! We had our rematch night... which has been changed to a match night, because the rematch never turns out very well. We played trivial pursuit, and I am just awful at that game... i get the worst questions and then I answer incorrectly to the questions that I know... I just kind of space out. It's like me in the testing center. I am going to fail.

We also attempted dumplings but had not steam device... so they became pot stickers. Also, of course I forgot to take pictures while Jessica was here. Hopefully I will be able to get down to Austin soon to spend some time with her.

Friday was lime day. We had purchased 10 limes for $1 with the agreement that the limes would go to good use. Another recipe of the white cake, lime curd, and almond whipped cream... and we had lime cake. The night was filled with other Shenanigans... it was a good night, and a really good time with Jessica. We all wished she could have stayed longer.

Saturday I printed. I woke up early took Jessica to the bus stop, came home worked on some fabric design, fell asleep for little while, and then went and printed an entire edition. Woo! I was beginning to forget what printmaking means to me. No worries. I remembered.

This coming week is going to be crazy. Planning out the rest of my school career... seeing my lil' Ashlee, turning in a paper, flying to NYC... lots of things happening. But know that they are good things, and I am grateful for my life, and for all of my dear friends. I have been really so happy lately.

love to all of you, and thanks for the birthday wishes.
Lizzy

friday nights

so my Friday nights should probably be spent going on dates or something... but they aren't. Let's be real. They are spent with my new best girls. My Sewing Team, the printmakees. We (Amy, Me and the Jimison's) all stay in at the Jimison's house. Two weeks ago we made cinnamon popcorn, and Isabelle, age 9, ran around with my camera taking the most wild pictures. It was fun to look through them afterwards. But we had the best time. We just sat around and talked, and cut fabric... ate cinnamon popcorn. The Works. The only thing that would make it better was if my Mom was there too.

the recipe is as follows:

Pop enough popcorn to have about 10 cups.
one 7.5 once box of red hots
half a stick of butter
two tablespoons corn syrup

melt the butter, red hots, and corn syrup in a pan on the stove.
once it's melted poor it over the popcorn in a large bowl, and mix mix mix (remember Mrs. Fields baking show on food network?)

couldn't be easier
couldn't be better

and I usually let it cool on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper... or I quickly form it into balls while it is still sticky. So the primary song is true...

This past Friday we made Indian food. WOW. It was awesome. Both Carla and Amy are really good at making it. I contributed by being a good little samosos triangle philo folder. Delicious. After which we watched an old British series called Red Dwarf followed by the unexpected Spanish Inquisition, Monty Python and the Flying Circus style.

happy October!

Such a Tart!

My Grandma lives on the other side of town, and I really only get to see her about four times a year, which is sad. We usually meet at some restaurant in town, and we talk for an hour and that's it. I didn't feel like going out or driving somewhere to eat something that I really didn't want to, to see my Grandmother that I did really want to. I have a great Grandma

So my suggestion was to stay home! My mom remembered that my Grandma has a great bakery near her house, so she could some pastries, and then we would do a fruit something. She ended up getting these great croissant sandwiches, and I couldn't just do a fruit salad. No. I decided to make a fruit tart. I had been trying to figure out a way for days to make a fruit something, because the produce here is incredible, and well priced, as opposed to Rexburg, where everything is outrageously expensive, and not very good. Berries are so expensive I only ever dream of using them. Well not here. Plus, everything is so beautiful. I could spend HOURS at H-E-B. In some cases... we have. So this fruit tart also became a bit of an experiment. I have been discovering some food allergies of mine, which is quite alarming... one including what could possibly be gluten; so, I wanted to make the crust using mostly almonds. Hooray for the food processor! I essentially created an almond flour, and used that 2 parts to 1 part regular flour from the original recipe. It worked out nicely

Almondy Crust-

• 1/2 white or wheat flour
• 1/2 almond flour (grind about 3/4 cup of whole almonds in the food processor till you reach a flour like consistency)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter really cold cubed
• 1-2 tablespoons cold water

Then in a food processor blend together the first four ingredients until incorporated (about 4 good pulses). Then start tossing in the cubes of butter and the ingredients will start coming together slightly and then the cold water will really encourage them. Start with less water than you think you will need, because more water equals more water, and you remember in chemistry that some things you can separate once added, and some you can't. That water isn't going anywhere so be careful. It should start to clump together.

Once it has done so, you can turn out the dough onto some cling wrap and refrigerate it and roll it out, or you could do what I did, which was press the dough into the bottom of the dish that I used

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 425°. Make sure that you take a fork to the bottom of the crust so that air can do it's thing, and not puff it up. You could also weight it with beans or rice or something... but I don't normally do that, and it hasn't been an issue yet. Bake it for 15 minutes until it's golden, and a dream crust.

the Cream Cheese Filling!!

In the food processor (it was it's night to shine, as I will not see another one until Christmas), mix 2 packs of cream cheese (I always use the reduced fat. It's a little more tart and it makes me feel better about my life), with a whopping dollop of sour cream and 1/4 cup brown sugar and a splash of vanilla.. also a squeeze of lemon will really brighten it up... ha my recipes are like my patterns... just mix that until there aren't any lumps. If you like yours sweeter, than go ahead and add more sugar!

I made mine the night before so it would re-set up. It did it's job diligently.

And then for the top, I suggest using whatever you love, or what smells best... or what is on sale... or in season. I used kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Heaven Tart.

It was a great morning. I am so glad that we stayed home and did our own thing! We had a great visit, and we had a great breakfast.

Enjoy!