Monday, January 24, 2011

Viv Goes to Town, Part 2

As I was saying, my kitchen was mayhem over the weekend.  I love experimenting with new recipes, and I was intrigued by Russell James's Tomato and Macadamia Mozzarella Linguine because:

a.  I relish every opportunity to say "mozzarella" in a thick, Italian accent (you know you want to...)
b.  It involved making veggie noodles (hello, Cook Help!)
c.  I could make a pasta tower!
d.  One must drink wine while eating (and making?) pasta.



This recipe was enjoyably creamy, but maybe a little bland.  I added a lot of red pepper flakes to compensate.  I also didn't have any fresh basil, which probably would have helped.  

The next thing I made was Cafe Gratitude's Coconut Curry Soup.  This recipe is a keeper.  It had that perfect Thai restaurant curry flavor, even though I had to substitute coconut flakes blended with water for the young coconut the recipe called for.   I had it again for lunch today over veggie noodles and it was really yummy.


For a dinner party dessert I knew I needed to make something fabulous and appealing to a mainstream group of eaters.  Here's how I got busy with the springform.

Layer 1:  Chocolate coconut crust from Pure 2 Raw's Grasshopper Pie
Layer 2:  Caramel sauce #2 from Sweetly Raw's Just Desserts 
Layer 3:  Nutless Chocolate Creme from Sweetly Raw's Just Desserts
Layer 4:  Whipped Cream from Sunny Raw Kitchen's Banana Chocolate Cream Cake
Layer 5:  Chocolate caramel candy bits: 
  • Spread a layer of chocolate (1/2 cup raw cacao, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup melted coco oil, dash of vanilla and sea salt) on wax paper and freeze
  • Layer Caramel Sauce #2 on top and allow to freeze
  • Add another chocolate layer, freeze, and chop to bits.


This pie, which I am calling "Are You Kidding Me?!", was devoured after a blissful sauna.  I barely escaped the raving fork-wielding mob with a piece intact.   Seriously fabulous.  



Question: Do you have a recipe that you rely on consistently as a crowd pleaser?  






2 comments:

  1. Congratulations on a successful party! Both of those recipes look like they are just to die for! I especially love the idea of the curry soup. One of my favorite meals was a random restaurant in Mackinaw City, Michigan, where I got Pad Kra Prow and it was a delicious coconut curry sauce fulled with mushrooms and veggies. Yum!

    I've mentioned before that I don't cook, but it doesn't mean I don't know how! I have an amazing pasta sauce recipe gleaned from an Italian man I once knew. Everyone loves that sauce except my husband, who doesn't like anything I make, which is the reason I don't cook :) He cooks for me, and that is fine!

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  2. That Pad Kra Prow sounds delectable.

    In my house I'm the picky one so I'd probably do the cooking, even if I didn't enjoy it. TH does the dishes though, which is one chore that I abhor.

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