Heat has happened here.
Sun sure’s scorching.
Temperature topped triples today.

It’s #*$%ing hot out.

Which probably explains why I’ve been craving frosty milkshakes like it’s my J-O-B. Cold, cold milkshakes in a festival of fun flavors.

I really like this particular milkshake because, although it has a bunch of different stuff going on -coffee, vanilla, melted Mexican chocolate, canela- it’s a super simple shake to prepare.

Thick shake lovers take note:  if you owe your allegiance to dense straw-hating shakes alone, this one’s probably not for you; it is cold and it is creamy, but it’s looser than, say, soft serve ice cream.

Whatever. It’s refreshing. And that’s just what I need right now. Because, baby, it be blazing, boiling, blistering!

Mexican Mocha Milkshake

1 disk (3.15 oz.) Mexican chocolate, roughly chopped
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract (preferably Mexican vanilla)
1/4 c. brewed black coffee (preferably Mexican café)
1 c. whole milk
whole canela sticks for garnish (optional, and whole cinnamon sticks may be substituted)

To melt Mexican chocolate, place pieces in a small microwave-safe bowl. Note that melting Mexican chocolate is simple:  because it is already so grainy in its solid form, there is absolutely no need for tempering. Instead, just microwave the chopped chocolate on high for one minute, followed by more microwaving, as necessary, in 15 second bursts, mashing with a fork in between. Two minutes of microwave time should be sufficient for achieving fully melted chocolate, which will be a thick, hot, shiny paste.

Place all ingredients, including melted chocolate, into the canister of a blender and blend to a uniform liquid. You can serve immediately, garnished with canela sticks, but I find that these shakes are even better after sitting in the refrigerator overnight.

YIELD:  approximately 2 servings

I may have mentioned that I like to run.

I run as frequently, as far, and as fast as my body and my schedule will allow, all in the name of mac n’ cheese, pizza, and cake. Ohhhh the cake.

The truth is that I enjoy running – it’s the one time of day that I can decompress, filter my thoughts, and clear the cobwebs. And as with anything else, having the proper equipment on hand only makes things more fun.

Which is why I was so delighted to come across Albion Fit.

Albion Fit deals in women’s fitness, swimwear, and workout clothing, and, man, do they do it right. I was lucky enough to take their Mantra Yoga Pant and Love Racer tank for a spin; the pants have a lovely fold-down waist, notched hems, and a fabulous fit. I love them. But let me tell you about the tank.

I wear the tank to run.
I wear the tank to sleep.
I wear the tank to breakfast.
I wear the tank to dinner.

I have worn my Love Racer tank so much since receiving it that A. recently politely mentioned that I may want to consider purchasing a few more. Score!

And guess what? Today is your lucky day because I’m giving away a $100 gift card to Albion Fit!

To enter to win a $100 gift card to Albion Fit simply ‘like’ Albion Fit on Facebook here, pin an item from Albion Fit dot com to a pinboard on Pinterest, and leave a comment on this post with a link to that pin.

Want extra entries to win? You got it!

You can ‘like’ Scarletta Bakes on Facebook here and leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so.
You can follow Scarletta Bakes on Twitter here and leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so.
You can follow Scarletta Bakes on Pinterest here and leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so.
You can follow Scarletta Bakes on Instagram here and leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so.
Aaaaaand you can subscribe to Scarletta Bakes via email here and leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so.

Whew! That’s a gobton of extra entries!

And since we’re all winners on Fridays, you can also use the coupon code scarletta15 at checkout when shopping Albion Fit dot com to receive a $15 savings on any purchase of $50 or more. This coupon code is good through May 15, 2013.

This giveaway closes at 12:00 a.m. PST, Thursday, May 16, 2013. One (1) winner will be randomly selected to win one (1) $100 USD gift card to Albion Fit. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours from notification to claim their prize.

This giveaway is sponsored by Albion Fit. I received merchandise from Albion Fit for the purpose of review. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

UPDATE:  This giveaway has ended and Becky R. is the lucky winner! Thank you for all of your entries!

Doesn’t it seem like there’s an expert on everything these days?

Surfing experts!
Snake handling experts!
Couponing experts!
I even tuned into the TODAY Show the other day and found Natalie and Savannah being schooled by a dishwasher loading expert! (At which point I questioned, for the 121st time, why I watch The Today Show!)

I have never climbed on a surf board, I generally try to avoid snakes and coupon clipping, and, as A. will most certainly confirm, I am far from an expert when it comes to loading my poor, put-upon dishwasher.

I am, however, a confirmed Nacho Expert, both in terms of preparation and consumption.

And today, I’d like to share some of my most expert tips with you.

Expert! Get ready!

Tray after tray of nacho goodness has taught me that there are 3 cornerstones to perfect nachoing:

1.  Construction.
2.  Cheese Meltiness.
3.  Condiments.

Let’s break it down.

Construction:  Most establishments serve their nachos as a platter of chips topped with gobs of gear and finished with melted cheese. I’m here to tell you that 9.65 out of 10 Nacho Experts, including myself, strongly eschew this mode of nacho construction. Why? Because when it comes to nachos, there’s no need to gild the melted cheese lily. You’ll get your fill of additional flavors when we get to the condiment stage. Instead, when it comes to construction, the focus should be on spreading your chips in an even layer on strong, rimmed baking sheet and topping with just a sprinkle of one or two fresh ingredients. I usually opt for green onions as I love their herbaceous flavor. Here I’ve added in some silly good roasted, smashed chickpeas. Other options are black beans, chopped chives, whole kernel corn, and fresh or pickled chiles. And now you’re ready for the cheese.

Cheese meltiness:  I’m just going to hit you with this one straight up – I strongly advise grating your own cheese when it comes to nachos. The truth is that hand-shredded cheese melts WAY more easily and evenly than store-bought shredded cheese. I know, I know, the whole elbow-grease factor…  if you’re really not in the mood for an upper body workout, feel free to shred your cheese using the proper attachment on your food processor. But do yourself and your nachos a favor and skip the store-bought shredded cheese. In terms of selection, you’ll want to go with a mild to medium sharp melting cheese; I most often opt for queso Chihuahua, cheddar and/or Monterey Jack.

Condiments:  This is your chance to go nuts! Nuts, I say! I usually try to plan a balanced but thorough condiment selection including a tomato-based salsa, an avocado-based salsa, a cream- or crema-based sauce, and at least one pickled offering. If you’re going to skip any of these, don’t skip the pickled stuff:  tart pickled preparations are the perfect topping for crunchy, creamy nachos – you can go with anything from pickled chiles to pickled jícama to pickled corn, just don’t skip the pickle.

You’ll note that one thing that I didn’t mention is chip selection. I’ll be honest with you:  while I make so many things in my pantry and refrigerator from scratch (ketchup, salsas, tortillas, hot sauce, etc.), I rarely make tortilla chips from scratch; I just don’t feel that it’s necessary. Just a few moments on the chip aisle can easily yield a sack of preservative-free, trans fat-free delicious tortilla chips, thus rendering your own need to get your fry on completely unnecessary. You can use the time that you would have been frying your tortilla chips to grate your cheese! See how this is all working out? That’s the benefit of getting your advice from a bona fide expert!

Now that we’ve discussed the basic tenets of successful nachoing, you’re reading to dig in with some fantastic Roasted Chickpea Nachos and a selection of the best fixings around, including Guasacaca (an avocado-based salsa) and some Quick Pickled Chiles.

It’s my expert opinion that you’re going to love these nachos.
It’s my expert opinion that you’re going to love these fixings.
It’s my expert opinion that you’re going to love these nachos and fixings way more than you would some expert advice on how to load your dishwasher.
I’m just sayin’…

Roasted Chickpea Nachos With All The Fixings

recipe for the Guasacaca adapted from Serious Eats

For the pickled chiles:
1 1/2 c. sliced chiles (While you can use any variety of mild to hot chiles that you would like here, I have found that jalapeño chiles, Fresno chiles, and serrano chiles work best. To prepare, simple remove their stems and slice horizontally into thin rings.)
4 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp. white distilled vinegar
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

For the guasacaca:
2 large avocados, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 large jalapeño, stemmed and roughly chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, packed and roughly chopped
1/4 c. parsley, packed and roughly chopped
1/4 c. white distilled vinegar
1 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

For the nachos:
1- 12 oz. bag tortilla chips
2 bunches green onions, ends remove and diced
2- 15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
2/3 c. + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coriander, ground
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1 tsp. ancho chile, ground
juice of two large lemons
1 c. Monterey Jack cheese, hand shredded
2 c. medium sharp cheddar cheese, hand shredded

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the pickled chiles, toss all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Note that I will often prepare these pickled chiles several days before serving as their flavor only deepens with time. If preparing in advance, store the chiles in a sealed container, preferably a glass jar, in the refrigerator.

To prepare the guasacaca, place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process to a smooth, uniform sauce and, with the motor still running, stream the oil in through the feed tube. Remove and serve immediately or store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

To prepare the nachos, spread the tortilla chips onto a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Top with chopped green onions and set aside.

Meanwhile, toss the dried chickpeas, one tablespoon of the olive oil, the salt, coriander, cumin and ancho chile together in a ziptop bag until the beans are evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes or until the chickpeas are shriveled, darkened and fragrant. Remove and set aside to cool slightly. Place cooled chickpeas with lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process to a thick, uniform paste. With the motor still running, stream the remaining olive oil in through the feed tube, stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary. Finished chickpea paste will be thick, uniform and moist.

Remove chickpea paste and drop in large spoonfuls onto the tortilla chips. Top with even layers of shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted through. You may choose to place the nachos under your broiler for just a few minutes to finish. Remove and serve immediately with Guasacaca, Quick Pickled Chiles, a tomato-based salsa such as this one, and a cream-based sauce such as this one.

YIELD:  approximately 6 servings

What You’ll Be Eating This Cinco de Mayo Week continues with some tacos, some crazy good crema, and some truth talk:  tell me true – do you ever find yourself becoming that person???

That person who insists on humming along with the radio throughout an entire 8 hour road trip?
That person who puts empty milk and juice cartons back into the fridge?
That person with that habit you swore you’d never, ever, ever, never -not EVER- be like?

Don’t forget, this is truth talk time…

I can remember back before I moved to Arizona listening to people prattle on about avocados:

‘Oh, those avocados, they’re just the best!’
‘Did you hear that avocados are fantastic for your hair?’
‘I read that avocados are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin PERFECT!’
‘I was too busy to do my laundry yesterday so I just smeared some avocado all over my washing machine and two hours later my entire wardrobe was clean, pressed, folded and stacked in my closet!’

I just couldn’t relate and I just couldn’t figure it out.

After moving to the southwest I began seeing avocados everywhere and decided to give them an honest try. Plus I needed some help getting the laundry done.

I started bringing avocados home whenever I could, working them into breakfast, then lunch, and soon even dinner. Sweet, savory, it really didn’t matter, after a while I was looking for excuses to eat avocados.

Aaaaaaaand I had become that person. That person prattling on about avocados.

C’est la vie. It’s the circle of life. And if you like then you better put a ring on it. So I guess this is me putting a ring on avocados.

To come back to the point at hand, we’re serving these delicious Grilled Shrimp Tacos for Cinco this year, but I would be a liar with my pants ablaze if I didn’t admit that they fully came into being as nothing more than a vehicle for this Coconut Avocado Crema. This crema that is the magical combination of fresh avocado flesh, sweet coconut milk, one slightly smoked roasted pepper and just a hint of tart lime.

I love you Grilled Shrimp Tacos, I really do. But this Coconut Avocado Crema has stolen my heart and returns it for just long enough to get a load of whites done. We’re a match made in avocado heaven.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos + Coconut Avocado Crema

For the crema:
6 large cloves garlic
2 large avocados, peeled, pitted
1 tbsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, stemmed
1- 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
salt to taste

For the tacos:
1 lb. 13-16 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 jalapeños, roasted, peeled, stemmed
3/4 c. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 c. lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the crema, toss the garlic cloves together with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt on a sheet of tin foil. Wrap the cloves and seasoned oil together and roast for 30-45 minutes or until the cloves are tender, golden, and extremely fragrant. Remove cloves to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the avocado flesh, lime juice, and bell pepper and process to a paste. Add the coconut milk and process until uniform. Season with salt to taste and remove to glass jars for serving/storage.

To prepare the shrimp tacos, place the shrimp in a large bowl. Process the jalapeños in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until pulverized. Add the lemon juice, lime juice, oil, and salt and process until uniform. Pour the marinade over the shrimp and set aside to soak for just 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat your grill to medium. (Note that you may opt to skewer your shrimp or grill them individually. The cooking times are the same either way, just be sure to soak your skewers if they are wooden in advance of loading them up with shrimp.) After 30 minutes of marinating, place the shrimp on your preheated grill and cook for just 2-3 minutes per side or until opaque.

To assemble your tacos, warm your tortillas and top with cooked shrimp. Finish liberally with crema and serve immediately.

YIELD:  serves two hungry people (note that this crema recipe yields approximately 3 1/4 – 3 1/2 cups)

Hey, hey, hey, you’re in the right place today!

And you will be when you stop by tomorrow and the next day, and the next…

because it’s What You’ll Be Eating On Cinco de Mayo Week on SB! With recommendations a go-go for you and your Cinco spread!

Today, since my sweet tooth has been overdrive lately, we’re starting out with the sweet, sweet end of your meal:  a festive Peanut Butter & Jelly Tres Leches Trifle, rumor of which will get your fiesta started, and reality of which will shut your fiesta down in the very best way possible.

I generally think of trifles as old fashioned relics of a kinder, gentler time; it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Betty Draper or Mrs. Brady assembling a trifle in their kitchen before going off to play bridge or what have you.

Well I’m on a one-woman mission to bring trifles back into style for a few very simple reasons:

1.  Trifles are simple to assemble.
2.  Trifles feed an army.
3.  Trifles are oh so pretty to behold.
4.  Trifles are moist and delicious beyond compare.

Will you sign my petition? You won’t even be required to learn how to play bridge…

This particular trifle is salute to the flavors of my dreams these days:  peanut butter and jelly!

The peanut butter cake is sturdy enough to absorb a classic tres leches soak without breaking down. Then move on to healthy doses of whipped cream, plump fresh strawberries, dollops of sweet preserves, and then a sprinkling of chopped peanuts to finish.

Layer after layer, filling up your pretty trifle bowl with everything you need to keep your party people, or just yourself and a large empty spoon, happy for hours on end.

You can serve your trifle right away or let it set up for a few hours in the refrigerator. It doesn’t really matter, does it?

Either way, you’ve got a kinder, gentler dessert to serve and you didn’t even have to step into a time machine. Or contend with Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Tres Leches Trifle

For the cake:
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. dark brown sugar, tightly packed
3 large eggs
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. canela, ground (ground cinnamon may be substituted)
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. chunky peanut butter

For the soak:
1- 14 oz. can sweetened, condensed milk
1- 12 fl. oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 c. whole milk

For the trifle:
5 c. whipped cream
2 lbs. strawberries, stemmed, sliced
2 c. strawberry preserves
chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together oil and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually add the flour, baking soda, salt and canela, finally beating in the buttermilk and then the peanut butter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Take care not to overbake this cake. Remove and set aside to cool slightly before unmolding.

Meanwhile, whisk the ingredients for the soak together in another large bowl and set aside.

Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan and slice into small pieces. Note that this trifle sets up best with extremely small pieces of cake – I recommend cutting into 1/2″ cubes.

To assemble your trifle, line the bottom of a trifle bowl with an even layer of approximately 1/3 of the pieces of cake. Top with one cup of the soak and an even layer of two cups of whipped cream. Top the cream with approximately one third of the strawberry pieces and several spoonfuls of preserves. Repeat this pattern. After the third layer of cake and soak, skip the whipped cream and top with the remaining strawberries and preserves. Finish with a spread of the remaining whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts. Note that the assembly of this trifle is not particularly scientific and can be altered slightly if you so choose. Just be sure that the cake pieces are always followed by the soak.

YIELD:  approximately 14-15 servings

If you stop by here with any regularity, you know that I generally like to keep things a little silly.

Life can be challenging.
Putting a healthy, thoughtful meal on the table for your family each and every day can be challenging.
Which is why I think it’s so important to make time for laughter as often as possible.

But, quite obviously, life is not always chuckles and cupcakes. And one thing that has been sticking to the back of my brain lately is some serious stuff about social media.

We all do it, right?

We post on walls, we send out tweets, we pin on boards. We stumble. We tumble.

It’s like legwarmers coming back into style:  everyone is wearing legwarmers now. Everyone! So you have to wear legwarmers too, right?

But what if you’re not entirely comfortable wearing legwarmers?

What if legwarmers leave you feeling exposed? You’re showing so much more of yourself than you would ever want to, but everyone’s still blissfully wearing those legwarmers. So you keep yours on. You’re not even entirely comfortable telling other people about your dislike of these legwarmers…

And then there are the feelings of inadequacy. No one ever shares photos of themselves looking ugly in legwarmers!

It’s the nature of the beast, don’t you think?

You show pictures of your perfectly laundered legwarmers, fitting perfectly on your toned legs, stretched out on your perfect sofa, next to a coffee table that is perfectly clean and arranged with flowers and books on art.

And after a while, everywhere you look you’re surrounded by a constant stream of perfect pictures of, well, perfection. And you feel ashamed that your legwarmers, your sofa, your life doesn’t look perfect too.

I’m sure you’re wondering where I’m going with this, and what legwarmers ever did to get such a bad rap from me.

Last week, as events unfolded in Boston, I was as shocked and horrified as the rest of the world. Boston holds a very special place in my heart and my husband’s heart, and it just didn’t feel right to be blogging about cake on Friday while family members were literally trapped in their homes praying for safety.

But what astonished me the most was what I found when I logged on to social media.

I am actually a very private and shy person. And I have been guilty, at one point or another, of everything that this post is railing against. But that’s the point:  we’re all guilty.

Overshares. Tipsy shares. Thoughtless shares. Cruel shares. Even downright criminal shares.

I’m not sure when silence became so unfashionable, but I’m ready to get it trending. If legwarmers can do it, surely taking a step back from social media can become cool too.

So I have installed an ‘Are You Sure?’ button on my keyboard for when I’m logging in to share something on the book of face, the tweeter, the what have you. I just think the world would be a better place if social media wasn’t such a strong and prevailing force in our day to day lives. And, frankly, more social! And possibly even more civilized.

I hope you don’t mind my bringing the serious today. I promise to return with the silly tomorrow. And in the interim, I encourage you to help yourself to a big, fat piece of Brown Butter Flan Imposible. When you’re done, you should go talk about how delicious it was on Facebook! Just kidding. See? I wasn’t going to make you wait too long for the silly.

Brown Butter Flan Imposible

A few notes:  this recipe is a riff on a classic chocoflan or flan imposible, named as such because of the separation and migration of the cake and flan batters during the baking process. Traditional chocoflans involve a chocolate-flavored cake, which this recipe swaps for some nutty brown butter, so it’s technically not a chocoflan but remains a flan imposible. Preparing flan imposible is not for the faint of heart and yet it is the recipe that I am most often asked about, with the most common complaint being difficulty in removing the baked cake from the pan – flan imposible is a visually stunning dessert so you want to be able to get it out of the pan in one piece! Which is why I wrote this recipe to involve baking in a springform pan:  you should be able to cleanly remove your cake from the pan with ease, you can serve it warm from the oven if you choose, and you can even avoid the step of inverting it. That said, assembling this dessert takes a bit of concentration and quickness, so I strongly recommend reading the whole thing through before you begin, just to ensure that you are familiar with the process.

For the cake:
12 tbsp. unsalted butter (hang on to the butter wrappers for greasing your pan)
3/4 c. dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. canela, ground (ground cinnamon may be substituted)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. cajeta, at room temperature (Dulce de leche or any other traditional caramel sauce may be substituted here, but it must be at room temperature.)

For the flan:
1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 c. Greek yogurt, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan (you need a pan with a depth of at least 3″ for this recipe). Note that most springform pans don’t have a perfect seal at the bottom, which means that liquids can leak slightly. For this reason, I recommend having all of the elements of your cake -the cajeta, the cake batter, and the flan batter- on hand before you assemble in your pan. This way you can immediately transfer the filled cake pan to your water bath and then into your oven so that it begins to bake and set immediately, thus reducing the time it has to leak. It will leak slightly into your water bath – don’t panic when you see this. A little seepage is unavoidable and won’t keep the magic from happening.

To prepare the cake, slice the butter into tablespoon-sized pats and place it in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. As soon as the butter is melted, begin whisking occasionally and watch closely as small brown bits form at the bottom of your pan. As soon as the butter has turned a deep golden color and smells nutty, remove it from heat, continuing to whisk occasionally. Remove to a large bowl to cool slightly before proceeding. Beat the sugar  and then the egg into the browned butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, canela and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Beat in the vanilla.

To prepare the flan, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds until the ingredients are completely incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Spread the cajeta over the bottom and sides of the greased pan and immediately top with the cake batter, spreading the batter out as evenly as possible. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Place your filled pan into a large roasting pan, carefully add approximately one inch of water to the roasting pan and cover loosely with tin foil (you may opt to tent the foil so that it does not adhere to the top of the cake as it bakes). Bake for approximately one hour and 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the bullseye center of the cake comes out clean. When the cake is done remove it from the water bath and immediately run a sharp knife around its edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan.

With regard to serving this flan imposible, you should be able to unmold it and serve it immediately if you so choose. If you do serve it straight from the oven, I strongly recommend inverting it:  the warm flan will not be strong enough to support the weight of the cake. If you opt to serve it after chilling overnight in the refrigerator, you may serve it inverted or exactly as it came out of the pan with the flan on the bottom and the cake on top. This flan imposible is absolutely perfect when served with extra cajeta and freshly whipped cream.

YIELD:  approximately 8-10 servings

Well look-uh here, finishing up Skillet Week right on Earth Day…  it’s almost like someone, you know, got their planning on!

I do find my skillet to be the most environmentally responsible tool that I have in my kitchen, mainly because it will last my lifetime and hopefully that of my cookin’ babies.

It also takes nothing more than natural oil and a clean, reusable cloth to maintain, and doesn’t emit anything other than delicious foodstuffs, unlike the toxic fumes that can be a byproduct of cooking with certain types of nonstick pots and pans.

So what better way to celebrate Earth Day tonight than by preparing a succulent cheese and rice casserole in your eco-friendly cast iron skillet? (Answer:  there isn’t one.)

I love baked rice. I love preparing it, I love serving it, and I love eating it. This particular dish is no exception.

It’s the simple work of a gobton (technical term) of cooked rice, 3- 3- 3- (!!!) types of cheese, and some flavorful butter-fried sage.

If you’ve never tried frying sage before, your time has now come. In a matter of seconds the leaves turn from puppy-ear softness to crispened wafers that pack the herbaceous flavor of fresh sage along with the sweet cream flavor of the butter in which they were fried.

I don’t know how to explain it…  I don’t really know what to say about it…  you iz going to lurve it.

So happy Earth Day to you!

I will be celebrating our planet tonight with some Cheesy Sage Baked Skillet Rice, while skillet celebrates the completion of a week of hard work by lighting some candles and taking a nice, long bath in some seasoning oil. It was either that or a trip to Disney World so I’m going to look the other way on the candles.

Cheesy Sage Baked Skillet Rice

7 c. cooked medium grain rice (Note that a shorter grain rice works best in this casserole. You don’t need to use Arborio or any other short grain rice, and long or extra-long grain may be substituted in a pinch, but I prefer medium grain rice here.)
2 c. Oaxaca cheese, shredded (shredded mozzarella cheese may be substituted)
1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 c. green onion, diced
14 large sage leaves, minced
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sour cream
1 c. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

Chef’s Note:  This recipe yields an extremely large casserole so you’ll need to use a skillet that is at least 10″ around.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Toss rice, Oaxaca cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese together in a large bowl and set aside.

Heat the butter in a 10″ ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over a medium flame. Add the green onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the sage and sauté for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and stir in the sour cream. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the rice and cheese mixture one cup at a time. Carefully smooth the top of the rice and cover with an even layer of the cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted through and the edges of the casserole are crisp and golden. You may choose to finish the casserole by placing it under a low broiler for 3-5 additional minutes to get the top extra-golden brown. Serve immediately.

YIELD:  approximately 8 servings

There really isn’t that much to say about this cobbler…

Except maybe that it is the work of 1 humble skillet, 11 simple ingredients and 40 short minutes in the oven.

Or perhaps that it’s the perfect vehicle for crisp, sweet, springtime apples, such as the lovely Pink Lady and some tart Granny Smiths, both of which fairly burst with flavor when cooked into a luscious caramel-coated cobbler just like this one.

And it may be worth mentioning that baking this cobbler off yields the very best kind of eau de delicious, set to waft through your house and draw friends, family, and small animals into your kitchen to beg for mercy and even the very smallest piece of cobbler.

Then again, I think the only thing worthy of note about this cobbler is its peculiar effect on the male species:  since it’s no real biggie, try leaving your hot, filled skillet out on the kitchen counter. No need to booby trap it or even cover it because, after all, this cobbler is just not really worth much at all.

Don’t even check on it.

Don’t even check on your cobbler an hour later, only to find your male better half standing over a half-empty skillet with nothing but a spray can of whipping cream, an oversized spoon and a Shame Face to show for himself.

Don’t worry about it.

Because, like I said, this cobbler’s really not that big of a deal at all.

Dulce Apple Skillet Cobbler

For the batter:
3/4 c. light brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 c. dulce de leche (I really like the flavor of dulce de leche in this particular cobbler, but any other caramel sauce may be substituted)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. buttermilk

For the filling:
3 Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, roughly chopped (Note that I opted to incorporate a mix of apples into my cobbler, specifically 3 reds and 2 tart greens. You may substitute any combination of apples that you prefer or have on hand, just be sure that you have 5 apples total and that you prepare them in the same manner that I did by peeling, coring, and roughly chopping them into large chunks.)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, roughly chopped
1/4 c. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. dulce de leche (again, any other caramel sauce may be substituted)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare the batter by beating the sugar, three fourths cup of dulce de leche, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth and even. Gradually beat in the salt, baking powder, and flour. Beat in the buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, mixing just until you have a uniform batter. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toss the apple pieces and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a 10″ ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over a medium flame. Stir in the apple mixture and then the dulce de leche, tossing carefully to coat all pieces as evenly as possible and sautéing for just 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the skillet from heat, gently spread the apple pieces into an even layer across its bottom, and pour the batter over top (don’t worry if all of your apple pieces aren’t covered with batter; I recommend pouring into the center of the pan so that if any apple pieces remain exposed they will form a neat ring around the outside of the skillet). Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cobbler comes out clean. Finished cobbler will be deep golden brown across the top and bubbling at the edges. Serve immediately, ideally with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.

YIELD:  approximately 8 servings

Let’s face it:  quesadillas are all kinds of messy. Which is why they’re the perfect candidate for skillet containment.

You could bake your quesadillas on a baking sheet. Sure, you could do that.

But let’s just sit for a spell, talking of skillets, and then see if you want to bust out that baking sheet. We’ll see…

We all know that there are 3 keys to perfect quesadilla construction:

1.  Tortilla crispiness.
2.  Stuffing flavoriness.
3.  Cheese meltiness.

Here’s how I hit the trifecta with my skillet:

1.  Sauté some luscious springtime vegetables in said skillet until they are tender and smelly in all the right ways.
2.  Remove lovely cooked vegetables and carefully begin quesadilla assembly by lining the same skillet with a fresh tortilla.
2a.  Yeah, I said it. You’re going to fry your quesadilla in the remains of your luscious springtime vegetables. Goodness on the inside and goodness on the outside. I’d like to see you try that, baking sheets.
3.  Top your tortilla with your luscious stuffing, a gob and a half (technical term) of cheese, and one last tortilla, return your skillet to your stovetop, and watch the magic happen.

Quesadilla perfection:  achieved.

I should mention that I use a sharp knife to carefully slice my quesadilla into quarters as it cooks:  if you can flip a whole 10″ quesadilla without disaster ensuing then you are a better person than me.

Which is another way of saying that this method of preparing quesadillas yields a substantive single quesadilla that you can serve in crisped wedges; it’s actually a lovely meal for two!

So give your skillet a big fat kiss (please allow for cooling) – it just yielded tonight’s dinner! With delicious goodness on the inside and the outside! My hero!

Spring Pea Skillet Quesadillas

1 lb. English peas, still in their shells (see note below regarding preparation and substitutions)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek, ends removed, chopped
1 bunch green onions, ends removed, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2 large 9-10″ flour tortillas
1 c. Oaxaca cheese, shredded (Shredded mozzarella cheese may easily be substituted here. Note that as I mentioned above, when melted cheese is an important part of a recipe, as it is here, I strongly recommend shredding the cheese yourself. I think you’ll find, as I do, that hand-shredded cheese melts much more easily and evenly than cheese that is purchased pre-shredded.)
1 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

To prepare your peas, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Break the ends off the shells, peel open, and gently scrape out the peas. Note that I opted to use fresh English peas still in their shells in this recipe, but you could easily use English peas that have already been shelled or even plain canned or frozen green peas. One pound of English peas in their shells generally yields approximately one cup of peas. Place the shelled peas into the boiling water and cook until tender and bright green, approximately 5-10 minutes depending on how mature your peas are. Remove, drain and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 10″ skillet, preferably cast iron, over a medium flame. Add the leeks and green onions and sauté, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and peas and sauté for just 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat and remove sautéed mixture to a large bowl. Toss the cheese together in another large bowl. Carefully line your skillet with one tortilla and top with an even layer of approximately half of the cheese. Spread the cooked vegetables in an even layer on top of the cheese, then top with the remaining cheese. Finish with the second tortilla and return to heat, again cooking over a medium flame.

As the quesadilla cooks, carefully use a sharp knife to cut it cleanly into quarters. Cook for 5 minutes, flip each piece and cook for just 2-3 minutes more. Finished quesadillas will be browned with the cheese melted through. Remove and serve immediately.

YIELD:  approximately 2 servings

Confession time:  I love skillets.

I love cooking in skillets.
I love baking in skillets.
I love broiling in skillets.
I love wearing skillets as dangly earrings on date nights.

Really? No. Maybe? Only every third one.

The truth is that even before I got serious about cooking, I was always intrigued by meals that can be assembled and prepared using just one pan. Specifically, cast iron skillets, because they are so inexpensive, so versatile, and such efficient conductors of heat; they are the very best multi-tasking kitchen tool I’ve personally ever encountered.

And since my cast iron skillet has been such a solid player in my kitchen happenings over the years, I’m returning the favor with a week-long skilletpalooza in the form of recipes and posts each day featuring dishes, both savory and sweet, that can be cooked in just one skillet.

Today’s skillet-tastic recipe is one that is truly near and dear:  sweet skillet cakes are, in my opinion, the eighth wonder of the modern world, and this one is no exception.

I should back up and talk just a bit about how I care for my cast iron skillet.

We all probably know that cast iron should be seasoned, not scrubbed, right? I season early and often, and actually subscribe to a rule similar to that on cooking with wine:  I only season my cast iron skillet with high quality oil with which I would cook or bake. Why? Because it has been my experience that cast iron absorbs the flavor of seasoning oil, which is why I wouldn’t want to season and ‘flavor’ my favorite skillet with the taste of an oil or fat that is, for lack of a better word, gross. Once I have seasoned my skillet, I will let it dry and set it aside in a cool, dry area for the next time I’m ready to use it.

I should also note that seasoning is not the same thing as greasing or preparing your skillet, as is called for in this recipe. When I make this cake or one like it, I may choose to season my pan with oil first, but I will then take the additional step of greasing my pan with whatever fat works best with my recipe, in this case butter.

Onwards to the cake.

I make this cake when I’m in the mood for butter:  I’m just not going to pull any punches about it.

1.  Prior to baking, I grease my skillet liberally with sweet cream butter, which absorbs into the cake as it is baking.

2.  I then line the inside of this cake with a butter-based streusel that is sweet and packed with crisp oats.

3.  I give the final KO to my butter craving with some toasted pinyon nuts (pine or pignoli nuts may easily be substituted), which are the nut-embodiment of butter as far as I’m concerned.

It’s just a butter-lovin’, skillet-huggin’ dream…

So bust out your cast iron skillets, friends, because they’re going to get a workout this week.

Best get your salivary glands some sweat socks as well, because they’ll be pretty busy too. I’ll bet my beloved skillet on it…

Pinyon Streusel Skillet Cake

For the cake:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter for greasing the pan
1 c. white sugar, granulated
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. canela, ground (ground cinnamon may be substituted)
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. buttermilk

For the streusel:
1/2 c. pinyon nuts (pine or pignoli nuts may be substituted)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. light brown sugar, tightly packed
1/4 c. unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
1/4 c. rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare a 10″ ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, by greasing the bottom and sides liberally with butter. Set aside.

Spread the nuts in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and golden brown, just 3-5 minutes. Note that pinyon and pine nuts are notoriously quick toasters – I recommend watching yours like a hawk and agitating often. The nuts should not take more than 5 minutes to toast in a preheated oven. Remove toasted nuts and, once cool enough to handle, roughly chop and set aside.

To prepare the cake batter, beat the sugar and oil together. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the flour, baking powder, canela, salt, and the buttermilk. Set the batter aside to rest.

To prepare the streusel, place the flour, brown sugar, butter, oats and nut pieces into a large bowl and work together using a fork or clean hands into a coarse, chunky meal.

To assemble your cake, spread approximately half of the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the streusel spread in an even layer, and finish with the remainder of the batter poured over top. Note that in order to cover the bottom of your skillet evenly in batter you may need to use more than half of the batter, which will leave you with less to top the cake – this isn’t a problem. You can simply pour the remainder of the batter over top in the bullseye center of the cake leaving an outer ring of exposed streusel. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Finished cake will be golden brown at the edges, which will be pulling away from the sides of your skillet. Remove and set aside to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

YIELD:  approximately 6-8 servings