Daring Bakers’ Challenge: Chocolate Marquise

I am so glad to finally be back on the Daring Bakers bandwagon! After missing a few challenges in April and May due to school and scheduling craziness, I have completely and totally rejoined the addictive, uplifting group that is The Daring Bakers. And let me tell you, it’s a good thing I came back when I did, because this challenge was not to be missed. The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

The Chocolate Bar

Look at this.

It is a hot chocolate shot. As in, a serving of hot chocolate that is so decadent, so creamy, so mind-blowingly fantastic that you can’t handle a normal-sized serving.

Want some?

Chicken and Hummus Wraps

Sometimes—oftentimes—the best things in life are the simplest. From changing out of blue jeans into sweatpants, to a quiet, rainy day after months of endless sunshine, to a celebratory cappuccino after finals, it’s the little treats that put a smile on your face each day.
There are things that truly are little, like a favorite song coming on the radio, and there are things that seem little, but subsequently occupy every ounce of your attention. For instance, I just discovered the wonders that can be found on Tumblr and cannot imagine a life in which GIF images do not exist.

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That’s also how I felt the moment I tasted homemade hummus for the first time. Talk about simple goodness. With just chickpeas, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil, this stuff is ten zillionmilliontrillion times better than anything I’ve ever tried from the grocery store. It led me to not only eat this dish for lunch, but for dinner that night and lunch the next day. Seriously yummy.

Guest Post at Deeliciouz

Hey guys!

I wanted to pop by for a moment and let you know that I wrote a couple of guest posts over at deeliciouz.com. After being a fan of Dee’s blog for quite some time, I was fortunate enough to get the chance to chat with her readers while she’s been out of the country. If you like reading about more of my kitchen mishaps (this one involves avocado ice cream) or the fun little food adventures that occur in between the lines of La Kocinera, go have a peek!

 

Guava and Manchego Empanadas

In a way, spring is a time for reflection. You’ve made it through the New Year and the worst of winter, decided upon your goals for the months to come, and set out to achieve them. As spring begins to edge into summer, there comes a time to evaluate your progress—resolutions kept, resolutions broken, classes passed, classes failed, chances taken, chances missed, yada, yada, yada.

Don’t worry, I didn’t fail any classes.

Three A’s and a C.

Stupid government.

Anyway, before it’s time to break out the grill and buy your Fourth of July firecrackers, it’s a good idea to take stock of things, to ponder your choices, to adjust the sails, and, in my case…to realize just how much you hate the taste of guava.

Pork and Mango Stir-Fry

There was a blogger called Koci,

When offered food she’d say, “Oh sí!”

In cookbooks she looked,

And she cooked and she cooked.

Her school schedule strained,

To her desk she was chained,

Government attacked,

English books stacked.

She wanted to blog,

Sleep like a log,

Finals were nigh, stress was high,

Time was sneaky and sly.