Strawberry Cream Cake

I was searching around for a white cake recipe for my Dad's birthday when I came across this recipe on Cook's Illustrated website.  The idea of the whole thing just sounded mind blowing.  I mean who would not love a giant size gourmet strawberry shortcake with a cream cheese whipped cream topping.  Heck, the whipped cream recipe alone won me over.  This cake is so light and fluffy that it is great for the warmer months when you just don't want to eat anything that will make you feel like you ate a brick.  Light, fluffy, and fantastic -  A must try dessert!  

Strawberry Cream Cake
Source: Cook's Illustrated

Cake
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar 
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Filling

2 pounds fresh strawberries (about 2 quarts), washed, dried, and stemmed
4 - 6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Kirsch
pinch table salt

Whipped Cream

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream

Instructions 
FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.
FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

Chicken, Corn, and Black Bean Quesadillas

Mission accomplished, craving satisfied!  These quesadillas were so simple to make and something that I will definitely be making more often.  I'm even considering the possibility of making some to freeze for a rainy day.  I did change the recipe from what Elly had originally posted, if you have the ingredients on hand; go ahead and roast corn on the cob and add some onion and jalapeno into the mix, check out her version, I am sure they are incredible.

Chicken, Corn, and Black Bean Quesadillas
inspired by Elly Says Opa!

-Makes 4 hearty quesadillas-

Ingredients
2 tablespoon canola oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups corn kernels 

1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded or cubed*

1/3 cup water or broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 can black beans
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups Mexican blend cheese (PepperJack would be great too)
4 large (burrito sized) flour tortillas

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large skillet, stir in the garlic and corn and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken, water (or broth), cumin, chili powder, oregano, and black beans and bring to a light boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cream cheese.

Heat another large pan (grill pan, or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, brush pan surface with canola oil. Place a flour tortilla onto the hot pan.  Build a quesadilla by layering a handful of cheese, 1/4 of the chicken mixture and another handful of cheese on one half of the tortilla.  Fold tortilla in half and apply pressure to top to create a sear on the bottom of the tortilla and to make everything stick together.  Once the bottom of the tortilla is browned flip over and brown the other side, once again applying pressure to the top to help the browning process.  When both sides are browned remove quesadilla from pan and cut into 4 even triangles with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.  Repeat process with remaining tortillas, brushing pan with canola oil before each quesadilla. 

* I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and chili powder and grilled it over an open flame to bring more flavor to the dish.

Guacamole

I remember going to California a few years back and thinking that it was so strange that Subway asked everyone if they wanted avocado on their subs.  I had never even eaten an avocado let alone spread it all over my sandwich.  Turns out that avocados are actually quite delicious and are great spread upon sandwiches, wraps, or layered into a salad.  As seen below, they obviously make an awesome dip for tortilla chips too.  Guacamole and I might just be new best friends!   

Not only are avocados delicious but they are also a superfood!  Yes, they are pretty high in fat, but it is mono saturated fat, the kind of fat that is good for you and heart healthy.  Avocados also pack in a high fiber content and have double the potassium of a banana. 

Garlicky Guacamole
adapted from Rachel Ray


Ingredients
3 ripe small Hass avocados

1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 roma tomato, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

Cut avocados in half around the pit. Separate the halves. Pop out pit with spoon, then scoop flesh of avocados into a bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over the avocados. Add garlic, tomato, and salt to the bowl. Mash and mix the ingredients into a chunky dip using a fork. Serve with corn tortilla chips.