Yeah, I Made Cadbury Creme Eggs

The Husband has always loved Cadbury Creme Eggs; along with Reese's mini-eggs, they are his springtime candy  favorites. However, since Cadbury was acquired by Hershey, the Creme Egg recipe hasn't been the same.

Per The Husband, the insides are grittier than they used to be. Instead of a smooth creamy "egg" center, he claims he can feel the sugar.  And it appears that he is not alone in this, Facebook pages have popped up, articles have been written, people are very very emotionally attached to the Cadbury Eggs.  Take a few seconds and Google "Cadbury Creme Egg Change Complaints" and you'll see page after page of people writing about this particular subject.

So when I came across a recipe on the Food52 Blog for DIY Cadbury Creme Eggs, I thought I'd try it. I changed the chocolate mixture, but otherwise kept it pretty close to the original. The most challenging thing for me was to find Golden Syrup. I could have ordered it on Amazon, but I work in The Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago and we have a gourmet cooking shop in the building. So during a much needed break from work on Friday, I wandered down the way to The Chopping Block and inquired about Golden Syrup.

Lie to Me: Chocolate Shortbread

I love baking. I think it's a lot of fun.  However (and I know this will shock most of you....ha) I somehow manage to pick rather complicated recipes whenever I bake (or cook). I can't just buy a frozen crust, I have to make my own, I can't just use a box mix, I have to make a triple layer Devils Food Cookie Dough Peanut Cutter Cup Cake. I some how manage to make a One-Pot Meal into a Three-Pot Meal and have the four dirty spoons and spatulas to boot.

So it's always hard for me to be able to temper myself, especially when I'm having people over for dinner. I have a tendency to do three too much. It always turns out well, but I end up getting all harried right before everyone shows up.

On these occasions   I do have a few quick dessert fall-backs  one of which  is a super delicious Chocolate Shortbread Recipe. Everyone thinks I spent AGES on it, but it's super fast and incredibly delicious. And honestly, I know I should lie and say "Yes, it took hours" but I don't....maybe next time.

Put Andouille On It!

As it is Wintertime, I do enjoy a good soup. I have a tendency to fall back on favorites, Tomato Soup and Open Face Veggie Sandwiches, Italian Wedding Soup ,some deliciously comforting Ribollita, or just a hardy bowl of The Big G’s Lentil Soup, however The Husband does get tired of this list. And well he should, most people don’t have the same love of soup and sandwiches that I do. Honestly, I would probably eat either a bowl of good soup or a great sandwich for every meal if I could. I’ve always been like that.

So I try to change it up once in a while, so The Husband doesn’t grow that weary of my obsession. When I came across this recipe in the Food52 blog, I thought it was something we both could enjoy. I changed a few things, simply because I didn’t have some of them when I made this, or because I thought that three tablespoons of ketchup is just really unappealing.

Cheddar Biscuits and Waygu Beef

Growing up, I never had a casserole, I never had a potpie, I'm pretty sure I also never had Jell-o salad or any of those super "American" foods that you see at All American barbecues. I'm sure there's a laundry list of typical foods that most families grow up eating in some variation that my family didn't have. Honestly, I don't feel like I've missed anything and I've never really had the desire to eat them.  Again, maybe it's because I just didn't ever have them growing up, but I lack any form of nostalgia for them. A nostalgic dinner to me is The Dad's gravy (meatballs and sausage in a red sauce served over ravioli) or The Mom's comforting shredded beef (beef round that's flambéed and then slow cooked in beef broth and served on kaiser rolls with provolone cheese).

On the other hand, The Husband grew up with more of these traditional foods.  So when I come across a recipe that seems like it would be in his wheelhouse (but also goes with things I enjoy) I try to make them. This potpie recipe stood out because it doesn't use the typical cream or milk that many other recipes call for.  I decided to use Waygu beef instead of the typical ground chuck because I thought it would add a nice flavor and also it fancies up the dish a little.

The Three Milks

When it comes to picking a dessert when we are out at a restaurant, The Husband is a good man. His palate leans towards fruit desserts, one of his favorites is Key Lime Pie.  I, on the other hand, am a hard core chocolate lover. If the dessert is called Death By Chocolate, I will take that challenge and be happy if the outcome is what the dessert is called. More often than not, The Husband will forgo his fruit dessert in order to share some chocolaty deliciousness with me. Whenever we come to this dessert conundrum and The Husband selects the chocolate, I'm reminded of why I love him so much.  

I came across this recipe for Tres Leches and thought that it would be a good way to split our difference.  Part of why Th Husband  enjoys fruit desserts is because they're light, part of why I enjoy chocolate desserts is the sweetness (and obviously the chocolate....). I wanted to try something a little different that played to some of the things that we enjoy. Also, it has strawberries, so The Husband gets his fruit too.

This dessert is great. You make it, throw it in the refrigerator and eat it the next day or the day after, or the day after. The longer it soaks, the better for you.