Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

       Photo: Cynthia Campbell

                                                              
Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links: From Denny:  Louisiana is fond of food competitions and New Orleans attracts the top chefs who are willing to compete for charity events and industry competition too.  This tasty recipe competed in a New Orleans Wine and Food Experience competition, developed by Pastry Chef Erin Swanson, Restaurant R’evolution, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the 2014 desserts category silver medal winner.  All those lucky tasters were found returning for seconds of this delicious simple cake!...

... To satisfy your foodie curiosity here's what the other medal winners were cooking and the New Orleans restaurants from which they hail are linked so you can go visit and check out their stellar menus: ...
                                                              
Romancing The Chocolate: New Orleans Chef Competition Winner: Macadamia Nut Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake, New Orleans Restaurant Links

Sleep Majesty King Duvet

Sleep Majesty: Restful, blissful, restorative sleep reigns supreme to pump up our attitude to take on a new day!  Easy to coordinate with other patterns!

Check out what other products besides bedding are available in this design.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Also note that I leave up all my designs from year to year so you have the security knowing that you can purchase as your budget permits to coordinate a room.

Summer Food: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake Says It All

From Denny:  This sheet pan cake of creamy goodness only requires two cups of fresh blueberries.  First you make a simple syrup of water and sugar, add cornstarch to thicken, then add the blueberries.  Set the blueberry topping aside to cool while you create the crust.

The crust is a yummy combination of finely chopped pecans, butter and flour that you pat into the sheet pan and bake for about 10 to 20 minutes to make your tasty crust.  Set aside to cool.

To make your filling you combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar together and when that is well combined you add in the whipped topping, pouring it into the cooled crust.

After the blueberry topping has cooled then pour over the cream cheese-powdered sugar-whipping topping mixture.  Now set the sheet pan of blueberry goodness into the fridge to chill well.  Serve to screams of total delight!

Cooper Name Mug

Shooting star Cooper says, "I'm the man!" What confidence! Who doesn't want to drink coffee every morning with him?  More products available in this name design for your pet or your man! 

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake

                                                                         Photo: The Advocate/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

 

From Denny:  This is an easy to assemble cake, practically a dump cake after you add together the dry ingredients and milk.  You pour the melted butter over the batter without stirring and layer loads of blueberries on top and then bake to get this marbling effect.

Make sure you are using aluminum free baking powder, an easy find at most grocery stores these days and always at health food stores like Trader Joe's.  You could also substitute agave syrup for the white sugar to lower the glycemic index.  I'm considering trying it with brown rice syrup to see how it performs so I'll let you know later how that turns out.  (First we have to finish off my experiment with a rice pudding recipe that came out quite well.)

While this recipe calls for Louisiana blueberries there are plenty of other blueberry growers with very delicious berries in Texas, Mississippi and California and other states too.  Since blueberries have grown in popularity more farmers have turned to growing them.  Get what is local to you so the berries will be fresh.  Buy USA berries which supports workers and farmers in America.

This is a small pan cake (9" x 9") so it is suitable for just a snack for a few friends or a couple of people who regularly cook for two - with leftovers.  Oh, that's too bad, you mean there might be more to enjoy for breakfast?  This would be wonderful at tea time or a coffee break snack at the office or home as this little cake will travel well for picnics and gatherings too.  It would even taste great chilled for the hot summer weather.  Blueberries are awesome and healthy!

Oh, and a big thank you to those of you supporting Denny Lyon Gifts by purchasing products like aprons, t-shirts, pillows, bedding and mugs.  My profits (paid by Cafe Press) go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank here in Louisiana that basically feeds half of the state and also to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, two of my favorite charities that help a lot of children.  Who should go hungry in America?  Who should experience financial ruin because your child gets sick?  So, I started up my small store at Cafe Press for some creative fun of designing and to give to these charities.  So, again, thank you for your support.  You guys rock!...

Lucy Name Mug

Is your fav person, dog or cat named Lucy? Check out fun products for her! "Lucy is in the house!" Loads of other names available so check back often as new ones added.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Lucy Name Canvas Lunch Tote

Lucy - whether human or beloved pet - deserves her own special tote for her yummy treats!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle

Advocate photo/HEATHER MCCLELLAND

From Denny:   Could this week get any hotter?  With 100 degree highs and a 115 degree heat index this summer is turning out to be a real scorcher.  It brings to mind a Downton Abbey episode when Lord Grantham was arm-twisted by the women of the family to quit drinking for six months until his health issue was confirmed or denied: "Good God, man! Steady on!"  Any time we don't like something or want to complain at our house that's our new go-to phrase for laughs.

Cooling summer desserts come to mind when the weather is uncooperatively too hot.  In fact, before the age of air conditioning it was custom to never eat a hot meal.  The vegetables were as cold as the meats on the plate.  You still see some of that mindset in places like Greece where the concept of a hot vegetable is considered strange.  They boil their vegetables and then chill them before even considering offering them to a guest or family.  With this kind of outrageous weather the idea sounds good!  It certainly takes the stress off the body for getting too hot.

What?! You've heard enough about the ridiculous hot weather and Greek culture?  How about this easy recipe that is kid friendly too that the family could help with this one.  This one is easy to assemble as it involves a purchased angel food cake torn into chunks, cream cheese (whipped or not), sweetened condensed milk, a box of Jell-O vanilla pudding, whipping cream, toasted pecans (Louisiana pecans, if you can get them, because they sure are wonderful) and a honking huge quart of fresh blueberries.  Remember, this trifle does serve 10 to 12 people.  Enjoy!...

Lucy Name Mug

Is your fav person, dog or cat named Lucy? Check out fun products for her! "Lucy is in the house!"  Loads of other names available so check back often as new ones added.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Lucy Name Canvas Lunch Tote

Lucy - whether human or beloved pet - deserves her own special tote for her yummy treats!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Holiday Recipe: Easy Caramel Pumpkin Cake

2TheAdvocate photo: Catherine Threlkeld 

From Denny:  Want a simple dessert that simplifies your life while cooking the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner?  Even if family and friends help bring their favorite dishes to contribute to the holiday feast it's always a good idea to have a dessert that is simple to put together and cooks itself while you are distracted by other preparations, waiting to go on stage and show off. :)  

This cake is full of melted caramel candy and Heath toffee brickle bits complementing the autumnal pumpkin flavor.  This dessert texture is a moist pudding cake that friends well with a happy dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream or whipped topping or just a sprinkle of the toffee brickle bits - you decide.  

When I serve desserts like this I offer my guests their choice of toppings as they enjoy getting involved.  Holidays are often when I try out new recipes.  Since I value their opinions my guests enjoy morphing into the all important taste tasters to evaluate the recipes, determining if  the new ideas survive to see another holiday gathering.  It's all great fun and gets everyone involved to express their likes and dislikes, helping to perfect a recipe.  Sometimes, all a recipe needs is a better way to serve it, like a good topping.

This little pudding cake dessert gem cooks in a slow cooker on High for two hours, giving you plenty of time to serve the dinner before the crowd starts breaking into the table of desserts.  This dessert is assembled at the last minute into individual dessert dishes so you can serve as little or as much as your guest prefers.  Besides, this dessert cake gives you a chance to use those tiny custard or individual flan dishes some older relative gave you but you just didn't know what to do with them.  Enjoy!...

Santa Diva Cat Round Ornament

Get a laugh and make sure your family kitty has her own Christmas ornament to grace the tree with her awesome presence! Check out Diva Cat adorned with her Santa hat just in time for the season.  Design also available: in other styles of ornaments, phone cases, makeup mirrors and greeting cards!  Santa Diva Cat sports her divine image: on plenty of mugs, teapots, cocktail plates and platters.

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

From Denny:  This is the perfect holiday table dessert!  It's so showy it's sure to impress.  Three layers of tasty goodness are the gingersnap cookie crust as it's sturdy foundation to hold the spiced pumpkin cheese layer that is marbled with a vanilla layer.

Like most big cheesecakes, this one should be baked in a springform pan, where the cake cools in the pan for several hours before you remove the sides of the pan.  If you have never used a springform pan, it's so easy it will make you laugh, definitely nothing to be intimidated about at all. 

Like any tasty cheesecake, this one is rich in calories too, so a small serving would be welcomed by most.  At a dinner party I like to cut a normal to small sized slice, placing it on one plate and then encourage couples to share so people don't have to feel guilty about busting their diet plan.  After all, the whole point of entertaining is for people to enjoy their tasty treats!...

Floral Blush Woven Blanket

Floral Blush: Enjoy wrapping up in Spring's first blush of azalea blooms to chase away the winter blues!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Currently giving proceeds to Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Summer Slow Cooker: Strawberry Shortcake

Photo/Patrick Dennis @ The Advocate

From Denny:  Summer heat.  Bring on the berries!  If you enjoy fresh strawberries and blueberries - along with a side dish of easy to make dessert - then this recipe is for you.  Our local food columnist is a master at kid friendly recipes, quick recipes and less effort recipes for the working or busy parent.  So, when the summer heat gets you tired, think: what can the slow cooker do for me so I don't have to stand over the stove?  

Julie Kay recommends this slow cooker recipe is best if you are home to make sure it does not over cook. In fact, it's one of those desserts that can be cooking while you serve dinner.  If you have any extra fresh blueberries in the fridge then feel free to add them after the shortcake has cooked.  This pretty dessert would be perfect for the Fourth of July holiday celebration too.

Remember:  Cook this dessert on High so that the dough topping will get a chance to brown a bit.

Serve:  Be sure to reserve a cup or two of fresh strawberries to add as a colorful garnish when serving this dessert and you also get those layered tastes of both cooked and fresh strawberry!

Floral Blush Clutch Bag

Made of elegant and durable microfiber, this pretty women's clutch bag is super cute. The women's wristlet wallet includes unique designs sure to impress. Take this small clutch purse out on the town!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Caramel Frosted Apple Sheet Cake

From Denny:  You know me; I just have to rummage through a favorite product's recipe database to root out some interesting items to share.  Journalists like to research.  Martha White flour is a favorite at our house, more so than Gold Medal (which we also buy) when it comes to making tasty breakfast items like biscuits and scones.  Though Martha White really could use some help in the naming of their recipes so they made more sense to a reader and a search engine.  (The original name is below with the recipe.)

No, I don't represent Martha White or any of these companies.  Oh, that they would pay me! :)  But no, all my 24 blogs are done for the love of sharing and the love of writing as I can squeeze in the time.  Google AdSense ads are the only piddly income.  It pays for snail mail stamps and keeps me in copy paper...

Mod Blue Swirl iPhone 5 Case

Mod Blue Swirl: Get your retro mod fashion going on quick with this wow design! Design available for more phones and also as bedding, blanket, clocks, area rugs, pillows and curtains!

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

8 Easter Posts To Enjoy: Food, Funny, Poems, Photos

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: 8 Easter Posts To Enjoy: Food, Funny, Poems, Photos: From Denny:  Check out the fun facts posted about Easter on my blogs from traditions, origins of the holiday, a photography post of awesome sunrises by many good photographers, a funny Easter Bunny Rap music video, recipes and Spring renewal Easter poems.

May you enjoy your renewal this Spring!

Funny Easter Bunny Abby the Bunny

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Romancing The Chocolate: Prize Winner: Peppermint-Hot Chocolate Cake, Fudge Filling, Marshmallow Frosting

Romancing The Chocolate: Prize Winner: Peppermint-Hot Chocolate Cake, Fudge Filling, Marshmallow Frosting: From Denny:  Love hot chocolate?  Thought of making it into a cake?  Britainy Shaw, 25, of Louisiana (before that she lived in Texas and before that in Montana) decided it was a brilliant idea.  She heard of Southern Living magazine's contest and decided to enter just for fun, taking third for this cake recipe.

She said her thoughts immediately went to her favorite Christmas flavors.  “For some reason, all I could think of were drinks.  I love hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in it.”

Her cake consists of three layers of buttermilk chocolate cake that is filled with a fudge-mint filling, frosted with peppermint-tinged marshmallow crème frosting.

Fat Elf Christmas Square Cocktail Plate

Delivery: 1 fat elf stuffed full of good cheer! Awww, come on; you know you are part of the I Believe Club.  Take home a fat elf today! 

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: 15 Funny Tasty July Fourth Posts

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: 15 Funny Tasty July Fourth Posts: From Denny:  Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday time off.  It certainly is hotter than ever this summer.  And we have global warming to enjoy for years to come.  So laugh a lot while you are figuring out how to adapt to this new extreme weather sport:  scorching summers.

Meanwhile, I have some great photography to give you a smile and some amusing poems to read while you try some new recipes.  Be sure to check out the July Fourth quotes both funny and serious that will certainly make you think.  Happy July Fourth!

America Mug

America: Does it get any better?

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - helping homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  - see what's new! 

Romancing The Chocolate: Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake

Image via Wikipedia

Romancing The Chocolate: Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake: From Denny: Looking for an easy to make chocolate cheesecake? Chef Sara Moulton is always coming up with great ideas that are simple to make.

Usually, we serve cheesecake chilled. Have you ever thought of eating your cheesecake while still warm from the oven? Sara likes this recipe to enjoy that warm creamy chocolate delight.


Sara bakes these chocolate cheesecakes in small ramekins. She didn't offer up a photo but check out the awesome one I found of another version of chocolate cheesecake at flickr, decked out in blackberries.

Related articles

• Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Triple Chocolate Pistachio Mint (dennysguestbloggers.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Chef Recipe: Chocolate Tart with Caramel and Cream (thehealingwaters.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: National Chocolate Cake Day Today! 2 Recipes (dennysfunnyquotes.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Awesome Chocolate Pecan Tart (dennysfoodandrecipes.blogspot.com)

Unusual 2 Tasty: Valentines Day: Warm Upside-Down Pear Cake With Tangerine Custard Sauce

Unusual 2 Tasty: Valentines Day: Warm Upside-Down Pear Cake With Tangerine Custard Sauce: From Denny: For pear lovers - and lovers - this is an outstanding dessert good enough for any holiday!

Like any upside down cake this one is practically beginner cook and foolproof. The custard requires a more experienced cook and a little time but is well worth the effort.

Related articles

• Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: New Orleans Zulu King Cake (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Comfort Food From Louisiana: 2 Recipes: Coffee Cake and Apple Cake Topped with Pecan Streusel (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: National Chocolate Cake Day Today! 2 Recipes (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake: From Denny: Dates are loved around the world. In the Middle East they are a traditional part of the culture, offered as a sign of hospitality. Dates are served with strong black coffee and sometimes yogurt to balance the intense sweetness.

We love them in America too, especially here in Louisiana, and we never miss a chance to check out a cake recipe featuring them. One beautiful characteristic of dates is that cakes like this freeze well and can be enjoyed months later.

This recipe is from a long time famous food writer, Sheila Lukins. Read on to find out about her many cookbooks she has authored as she has worked for Parade Magazine and co-founded the restaurant takeout shop at the Silver Palate Restaurant.

Comfort Food From Louisiana: 2 Recipes: Coffee Cake and Apple Cake Topped with Pecan Streusel

Comfort Food From Louisiana: 2 Recipes: Coffee Cake and Apple Cake Topped with Pecan Streusel: From Denny: Lots of tasty pecans throughout this dense coffee cake, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a great cup of dark coffee. Here in Louisiana we love Bergeron pecans! Find the freshest pecans you can and buy them in large pieces as they will still retain more of the flavor.

Of course, we cake folk all know how delightful it is to use sour cream in any cake or muffin. The tenderness and full flavor can't be matched by anything else except maybe a high quality yogurt.

While searching for a photo to go with this post I happened upon a Rick Bayless recipe on flickr that is so unusual you just have to take it out for a foodie spin: Apple Coffee Cake with Pecan and Bacon Streusel.

Romancing The Chocolate: Flourless Chocolate Cake and Mocha Buttercream Icing

Romancing The Chocolate: Flourless Chocolate Cake and Mocha Buttercream Icing: From Denny: Check out this all time favorite - the flourless chocolate cake. This time it's paired with another favorite flavor - the all important coffee! Somehow, I just have to figure out how to grow coffee beans in my back yard. Can you imagine how sweet that would be to pick your own beans and then roast them? While we are dreaming we might as well include our own cocoa plants, right? Hey, "Go BIG or go home!" :)

Happy Holidays and thank you for all your support this year!

Romancing The Chocolate: Decadent Chocolate Cake

Romancing The Chocolate: Decadent Chocolate Cake: This chocolate cake uses high end chocolate, just perfect for the discriminating tastes for the holidays.

Easy Dessert: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake

From Denny: What could better describe a trip to Heaven than fresh blueberries, sugar, real butter and a creamy whipped filling for this delectable cake? A simple recipe that is as easy to make as it is to eat!

We love pecans at our house so you might enjoy sprinkling a few more chopped pecans on top of the blueberries for more crunch. There is nothing like the flavor of a toasted pecan.

After you put this cake together it goes into the fridge for chilling time, about an hour. Make it before you start dinner and it should be properly cool by the time everyone finishes dinner. Try not to cheat and choose the dessert as the first course!

Romancing The Chocolate: Blueberry Pound Cake

Blueberries Image via Wikipedia

Romancing The Chocolate: Blueberry Pound Cake: "rom Denny: Talk about an easy recipe! It comes from a cake mix as its base. And, with the summer heat two months early here in south Louisiana all we can think about are refreshing cold drinks and berry desserts. :)

Even though the Mississippi River is above flood stage, and not expected to go down until sometime in late July or August, we are in a drought. Guess that's a good thing because the levees are earthen levees. So, the good news is we don't have to worry about more rain on the way to weaken those levees."

Readers Recipes: Apple Upside-Down Caramel Cake, Louises Birthday Cake

Image by Mrs J Park via Flickr

From Denny:  Upside-down cake is one of the first cakes I learned to make when I was a child.  They were so easy and even smelled good as you assembled them into the iron skillet which was our pan of choice.

This apple caramel cake is unusual in that it employs canned sweet potatoes too.  We love our sweet potatoes in Louisiana and eat them all year long, finding new ways to use them.  This is the first I've seen used in an upside-down cake.  Everyone knows that brown sugar and sweet potatoes are a natural and perfect taste combination!

The second recipe for an unusual birthday cake uses a spice cake mix and pumpkin pie filling.  That makes for a dense moist cake topped by cream cheese icing  - low fat cream cheese and low fat whipped topping, of course. :) To gild the lily the special cake is topped off with white chocolate bark.