Easy As Whoopie Pie

Looking for a fun and EASY recipe to make for dessert? Look no further because all you need is probably already sitting in your pantry right now. It's a recipe that's literally easy as whoopie pie. A box of your favorite cake mix and a jar of frosting. That's all it takes to make you the whoopie pie ever! If you've never made some before then this is definitely a recipe for you to try.

I wasn't even trying to make a whoopie pie at first. I was in the mood to bake, so I took out a box of Pilsbury Funfetti cake mix to make cupcakes with. Then I felt like doing something new and different, so I thought of making whoopie pies with the cake mix and frosting! It was so easy to do, and they really taste good! A whoopie pie is basically two pieces of cake held together by frosting! A portable slice of cake that's not as messy as a cupcake.

To make these whoopie pies first preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then make the cake mix as the box says (any cake mix will do...be creative!) to then spoon tablespoons of batter onto cookie sheets that have been previously lined with aluminum foil and then buttered. You can probably get away with spraying the aluminum with something like Pam if you wanted. Once you have spooned the batter onto the buttered baking sheet pop them into the oven! Let them bake for about 10-11 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cake springs back when you touch it. Nice and moist and spongy.

Then move each whoopie pie half to a cooling rack to prepare for icing! I like to play around with colors and food dye when I'm baking, so I made my white vanilla frosting a bright purple color with a few drops of food coloring. When the pie halves are totally cool and you don't feel any warm spots on them, then you can lather one half up with frosting and attach another half to the top. It's only necessary to ice one side of a whoopie pie otherwise there's an icing overload and it gets messy and too sweet. They are so fast to make and so delicious to eat! I've only had a half of one and I think that's all I'm going to need to satisfy my sweet tooth. The rest I'll give away to friends to enjoy.

xx

Lindsay

Porto's Bakery & Cafe

One of the best places I visited while in Glendale, Calif. was a sweet place called Porto's Bakery & Cafe. My aunt Pat and cousins all told me that I had to make it there before I left because this place was really something else, and they were all right. From the outside of the bakery it's hard to tell that on the inside a magical world of baked treats, authentic Cuban cuisine and pastries awaits you. It looks almost like a warehouse, but on the inside prepare to be mesmerized. Not only is the food simply delicious and so reasonably priced, but the staff also provides such a warm and friendly environment.

When the Porto family immigrated from Cuba to California in the 1960s the only thing they had in their mind was working as hard as they could to make a better life for their children. Along with Rosa Porto's passion for baking the Porto family set out to create better opportunities for themselves. Porto's Bakery & Cafe went from a bakery being run out of their home to three locations in southern California.

Not only does Porto's sell decadent desserts and pastries, but they also sell a wide range of Cuban cuisine such as their famous Cuban sandwich. For less than five bucks you can have a real Cuban sandwich that will fill you up. Or for the same price just about you can have a freshly made tuna sandwich on Cuban bread, or a Media Noche Cuban sandwich, which is a regular Cuban sandwich with ham croquettes in the middle. I didn't get to try that one, but my cousin got it there and she told me it's the one she always gets.

There's definitely a good and a bad time to go to Porto's and luckily I managed to get there at a good time both times I went. The first time my Aunt Pat took me with her to pick out some desserts for our family dinner and we arrived minutes before a huge crowd, so we were able to get helped and get out quick. Even if you do see a long line snaking around the cafe don't be discouraged because the line moves quick! The pastry case is about a mile long though, so when the young lady who was helping me asked me what I wanted I really had no idea what to say.

I just started pointing and saying "two of those, and two of those..." and before I knew it we had a good three boxes filled with treats. Aunt Pat was in a different line to order a carrot cake, which also was so reasonably priced and tasted amazing! So moist, but not too sweet. They had everything from red velvet cupcakes, coconut macaroons, biscotti, guava pastries, coconut glaze balls, cherry turnovers, brownies and my personal favorite--the cheese roll. I was introduced to the cheese roll by Aunt Pat and I can say I've never had anything as tasty and simple as a cheese pastry roll. Another popular bakery item at Porto's is the savory potato ball, which is a savory deep-fried ball of mashed potatoes with perfectly seasoned  ground beef in the middle. A favorite among members of my family, and a new favorite for Gyles too!

I loved how organized and chaotic Porto's was at the same time. There's two different places to order from, and even a large area with seating. You can order pastries and desserts from one side to-go, and from the other side there's a miniature collection of pastries to order with your sit-down meal, and there's also the whole menu of Cuban food to choose from.

Of course along with a freshly baked chocolate croissant you can order up a hot latte, or freshly squeezed orange juice. It's just an amazing place with so much to offer, and to think of how far the Porto's have come on their journey is amazing. Just goes to show that we have every opportunity in life to do whatever it is we dream of doing.

Next time you're in the Glendale, Burbank or Downey, Calif. make sure you stop into Porto's Bakery & Cafe and enjoy a cheese roll or a potato ball at least! I doubt you'll leave with just one thing on your plate, or in your to-go box.

xx

Lindsay

Pretty Much The Best Cookies Ever...

I finally stumbled upon a recipe for cookies that I will certainly use over and over again for a long time to come. These cookies come out so chewy, crispy and delicious and they're so easy to make! Every recipe box should be armed with a cookie recipe that you can turn to at any time and for any event. Until now I really didn't have that clutch go-to recipe for cookies, but this one is going in my recipe box and staying there for good. They remind me of a cookie that you would find in a  cute, little boutique-type cafe in a posh town like London or Los Angeles. They really  are that good. Maybe not so good for you, but that's a given considering that they are still cookies. They aren't so bad when you eat just one at a time; it's when you eat seven in one sitting that they become bad for you. Everything is good in moderation though, so get your oven mitts out and whip up a batch or two to give to your friends! They will love you forever if you do.

What you'll need:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 sticks of butter (or 1 cup)

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

 - 1 large egg

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 1/2 cups sugar (I prefer to use turbinado)

- 2 cups white, milk or dark chocolate chips (a whole bag)

- coconut flakes (optional)

- I didn't add any to mine, but 1 cup of any kind of nut would be good too if you're a fan!

To make these lovely little chocolate chip cookies follow these directions:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees then get two bowls out. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the first bowl mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. In the second bowl combine the butter with the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. I recommend working with room-temperature butter. Next, add in the egg, vanilla extract, coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Mix, but don't overdo it. Then slowly mix in your bowl of dry ingredients until you have a nice dough. It will be a little sticky. Drop balls of cookie dough by the spoonful onto the parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. In the first batch I made I baked them for 20 minutes and they came out very, very crispy. For the next batch I made I baked them for 15 minutes and when I took them out I let them cool for about five minutes before I transferred them to cooling racks. In my second batch I also decided to use white chocolate chips and coconut flakes and the feedback on them was amazing. Everyone loved them! I love them too, but I can't wait to try this recipe again with new add-ins.  Let them fully cool down before you bag them up and give them away as really sweet and thoughtful gifts. If you happen to make these please let me know how you and your friends liked them!

Enjoy!

x x,

Lindsay

A Simple Salad!

Hello, loves! Today I decided it was finally time to taste a bit of my arugula plant, which I planted in my backyard in a box on May 2 along with some bell pepper plants. I knew that my arugula plant was full of leaves, but I wasn't quite sure when I should make a homemade salad from them. Today was the day though. It was like a calling from the arugula plant itself telling me to come make a delicious and peppery salad with its hearty, green leaves. So I did! That's a picture of one of my three arugula plants, which I picked the most leaves from. Of course I remembered to snap a pic halfway through the picking frenzy, but the next time it's full of leaves I'll post a picture! Promise!

After I picked the crisp leaves off my arugula plants I moved on to my basil plant, which I have mentioned before. Here's a picture of it! It's huge!

I snapped off the leaves of my basil plant, but only picked as much as I was planning to use for my salad. Then I snipped off the flowering parts of the plant because when a basil plant starts to flower you have to do that, or else the basil will stop growing. Off to the kitchen for some highly necessary washing. We have a lot of spiders and other small critters on our patio, so I made sure to wash the leaves as soon as I finished. Then I patted them dry with a paper towel. Next is the best part. It's the part where I made the dressing for which I would use to really bring out the strong, bitter and nutty taste of freshly cut arugula. It's a dressing I saw my Aunt Pat make for us a few times when we were visiting in California this Summer. I've always made a dressing similar to the one she made, but I never made it quite like her and now I do every single time. Here's what you need:

- a lemon

- a clove of garlic

- 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil!)

- Pinch of sea salt

- Pinch of black pepper

In a small bowl add the juice of the lemon. I used only half a lemon today because I was making a salad just for one, but if your salad is going to be bigger then I would definitely use the whole lemon. Next, dice up the clove of garlic into tiny chunks and add it to the lemon juice. Pour in the EVOO, the salt and the pepper and with a fork or a whisk start mixing the dressing. You'll notice that it transforms with  bit of whisking from a juicy, kind of watery dressing, to a nice creamy dressing. It's a very smooth texture--perfect for any salad.

Pour that lemony-garlicky dressing right on top of the arugula-basil combo and mix. I like to add a few shavings of Parmesan to my salads too, so if you happen to have some in your fridge then I highly recommend adding some. The flavors just really mesh well with the dressing.

 There you go! A refreshing, light and simple salad perfect for lunch, dinner or as a side. I'm already looking forward to my arugula plant sprouting more leaves so I can enjoy eating another super tasty salad! I could always go to Publix and pick up a bag of arugula, but trust me nothing tastes better than growing it yourself. Thanks, Lauren for those seeds!

xx

Lindsay



Pasta Salad: A Must In Every Fridge

One thing I love about when my parents come to visit is that my mom always makes me a huge batch of pasta salad before she leaves. That means I have a giant bowl of the perfect foundation for lunch or dinner at my disposal in my own fridge. So, today I knew that after a long, hard workout at the gym I was going to want to refuel my body with some sort of carb and protein combination. I chose my mom's homemade pasta salad as my base and as my source of whole grain carbs. If I'm going to reach for a carbohydrate I always make sure that at least it's 100 percent whole wheat or whole grain. Then I grabbed a few more ingredients:

-whole, fresh mozzarella

-a pack of white albacore tuna in water

-a pinch of salt & pepper

-fresh basil from my plant

With these simple ingredients that I usually always have on hand I mixed up a post-workout pasta salad that left me feeling full and fit!

I mixed about a cup of pasta salad into a bowl with the tuna, which I drained. Then I diced up the fresh mozzarella, which I purchased from Costco at a VERY reasonable price compared to some supermarket prices. I tossed the mozzarella chunks with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper then added it to my  bowl of pasta salad and tuna. I picked fresh basil from my own basil plant (a gift from my parents!) and added it as a final culinary touch to my bowl of delicious fuel-food! 

That picture doesn't do this dish enough justice, but I promise it was super tasty, filling and healthy. I love having pasta salad in my fridge at all times because it makes for such a great base for any meal. All you have to do is be creative and add whatever you have in your fridge or pantry to the mix. Some of my favorite pasta salad add-ins:

-Sunflower seeds

-Blueberries

-Goat cheese

-Diced chicken breast

-Fresh spinach

-Garlic

-Green bell peppers

-Tuna

Just to name a few. 

The pasta-bilities are endless! 

xx

Lindsay

My Latest Obsession: Instant Coffee

OK, so I know it's been a really, really, really long time since the last time I blogged about ANYTHING, but luckily for you...I'm back! I'm starting the Moldy Bread 2.0 because a) I can't remember my password for the first Moldy Bread blog and b) I love blogging about food and I haven't done so in a while. 

For starters I need to tell you about my latest obsession. Instant coffee! Listen people...I know exactly what you're thinking. You'd rather have that freshly brewed, freshly ground, steaming hot cup of Joe the real way, but with the prices of coffee these days I had to find another way to enjoy my favorite morning treat. For a skimpy $4.99 you can buy a decently sized jar of Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee from your local supermarket and it'll last you a LONG time! A LOT longer than your average pack of coffee, which can cost anywhere from $6-$10 (or more!). 

To begin the instant coffee-making process you're going to need hot water. I have a wonderful electric kettle that I use to boil water in a mater of minutes. If you don't have one yet I highly recommend them. You can also get hot water fast by running just water through your coffee machine. Or boil it on the stove with a kettle. Or microwave it. You get the point. Next, dump a heaping spoonful of instant coffee in your favorite mug. Pour the hot water in, but leave enough room for cream and sugar, or for whatever you add to your coffee. I like to add organic milk and agave nectar to mine. Stir it up and sip your way to a caffeine-filled morning, afternoon or night! 

Even if you're not sure about this just try it! For five bucks what do you have to lose? Cheers!

xx

Lindsay