Chocolate Chip Coffee Shortbread

Do you look at Foodgawker?  I have an app on my phone and I’m constantly looking at all the gorgeous food pictures.  I get inspiration on what to cook and bake next, and I just have fun looking at food.  Sometimes I go and look at the most gawked all-time, or the all-time most popular on foodgawker.  And almost always, the number 1 are these Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread by Use Real Butter.  Finally after seeing these cookies sooo many times, I made them! 

The main flavor of these cookies is coffee and chocolate chips.  The original recipe uses espresso, but I wanted a subtler coffee flavor.  They are crumbly and buttery, and truly have a great shortbread texture and taste.

These cookies would go great with a big cup of coffee or tea.  Or if your me, a tall glass of milk!  They also work really well as a snack because they are not overly sweet.

Now I know why these cookies are so popular! Don’t follow my example and wait so long to make these cookies.  You should really, really bake them yourselves… Now :).

Baked Farro with Artichoke and Peas

My house is a mess.  A complete mess.  This is not my style.  I try to keep a very clean home.  I like things that are neat and clean, and not at all messy.  But, right now, I can’t keep the house clean.  And it’s because we are packing and moving out. 

In just one week exactly we are moving cross-country to Florida.  For at least one month, we will be in Florida for Steve’s Baseball Spring Training.  Then, who knows where will be.  All I know is that I will be with my husband on the road until September.  But for right now, I’m packing, packing, and packing some more.  

One thing that takes me away from all the mess of packing is cooking and baking.  I get in the kitchen and simply forget about what’s going on around me.  I’m comforted by the kitchen and food, and this meal is one of my favorites.  

It’s Baked Farro with Artichokes and Peas.  Farro is a grain very similar to Arborio Rice (the rice you use for Risotto).   However, Farro is a little bit chewier and thicker than Arborio Rice, but it still cooks up very similarly.  In this dish, Farro is baked with Strained Tomatoes, Vegetable Stock, and some herbs.  Then at the end you add in peas and chopped artichoke hearts, and finish it off with parmesan cheese.  It’s simple, delicious, and comforting.  

This is also a great way to make Rissotto.  Instead of slaving over the stove to cook up a batch of Risotto, use this exact recipe but substitute Arborio Rice instead.  The result will be just as fantastic as Stove-Top Risotto.

Enjoy!

Milk Bar Mondays – Apple Pie Layer Cake

Last Wednesday morning I woke up and realized that I had to make this whole cake, plus photograph it, all in one day.  See the reason I had to do this on that Wednesday was because on Thursday morning we left for Steve’s sisters wedding.  We weren’t going to get back until late Sunday night, which leaves no time to bake the cake.  For some reason I totally misplaced the time and thought I had more of it.  But I didn’t. So I woke up Wednesday morning and made this complete cake – all 6 components of it.  

I made the Brown Butter Cake, Liquid Cheesecake, Pie Crumbs, Apple Cider Soak, Apple Filling, and Pie Crumb Frosting, all within a few hours.  Then I assembled the cake, let it chill for a couple hours (your supposed to freeze it for 12 hours but of course I couldn’t wait), and then photographed it.  And because I needed to reward myself, I ate a big piece of this Apple Pie Layer Cake. 

Wow!  That’s all I’ve got to say about this cake.  Wow!  It was incredible.  It was sweet, salty, buttery, crumbly, soft, rich, and smooth – Seriously, it really hit every flavor and texture perfectly.  

This recipe was chosen by Nicole of Sweet Peony for Milk Bar Mondays {where we bake our way through the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook}.  Head on over to her blog to view the recipe of this wonderful Apple Pie Layer Cake.  

Don’t forget to check out the others girls’ version of this cake:

Cassie from Bake Your Day
Audra from The Baker Chick
Erin from Big Fat Baker
Nicole from Sweet Peony
Jacqueline from The Dusty Baker

Enjoy!