Hot Fudge

It's been so long since I've posted a recipe.  I have so many stories to share and recipes to write about but I'm not particularly in a writing mood I just really want you to make this hot fudge sauce before summer is over.  It will make your family and friends so incredibly happy.  I love how bitter and dark yet creamy it tastes.  It's silky smoothy but perfectly sticky and just how you want hot fudge to be.  I highly recommend it poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a scattering of crushed peanuts.  I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly but the original is perfect so I will share that.  Of course as you can imagine, the quality of the chocolate you use really comes through, so take that into account when choosing your ingredients.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

2/3 heavy cream
1/2 cup organic corn syrup 
1/3 brown sugar (recipe calls for dark but I used light)
1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (regular is also fine)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, divided in half
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan (I use an enamel milk pot which I love and highly recommend for your kitchen), over medium heat, bring cream, syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt and half the chocolate to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla, stir until smooth and incorporated.  Let cook for 20 minutes before using (it will continue to thicken).  Store in an air tight container for 2 weeks.  To reheat, you may microwave or heat in small sauce pan on stove (I use a small Turkish coffee pot which I also recommend for your kitchen).
      

Kale and Farro Salad

Oh what??  A blog post?  Do people even blog anymore?  Or are Instagram posts enough these days?  I've certainly fallen off the face of the earth but for some completely valid reasons.  My camera broke for starters, which was tragic.  We tried to get it repaired but in the end it was just as economical to purchase a new one.  Also, I'm expecting, and I had the worst morning sickness ever.  It lasted well beyond the first trimester, and only around 20 weeks did I start finally feeling better.  So much better that I've been scouring new recipes and back in the kitchen with gusto.  Despite the nausea I still had a hungry family so there was plenty of cooking going on but not with a smile on my face, that was for sure.  I was, however, smiling and excited when I was making this salad.  Do you like how I just flew by that pregnancy announcement?  Apologies to close friends who are finding out this way, I haven't quite figured out if people really care when you're expecting your third.  That, or I've grown a bit weary of the "Mmm, OK, good luck with that" look.  But back to this salad.  If you haven't cooked with farro you really should.  It's a fantastic whole grain with great texture and flavor.  The equal partner in this salad is the kale and the goat cheese and pesto just make it that much better.  Such a hearty salad, you guys.  And kale holds up so well to dressings that it will stay in the fridge for a few days while it waits for you to dish it out in your lunches.  I threw a dressing together so make what you will of it, or make your own.  You can't really go wrong.  I say that a lot don't I?

2 cups farro (perlato, pearled)
4 cups water
1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur kale)
1 clove garlic
salt
goat cheese 
1/4 c toasted pecans
for dressing, juice from one small orange
t honey
t balsamic reduction (optional)
1 t mustard
2 T olive oil
2 T basil pesto
pinch of pepper

In a medium sauce pan heat a bit of olive oil along with a clove of garlic, pressed.  Add farro and toast for a minute.  Add water.  Let water come to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.  Pearled farro should cook relatively faster than non pearled (the outer husk is removed).  Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and then with a fork fluff up the farro and toss into a large bowl.  Wash, prep and chop kale very thinly.  Whisk up dressing.  Pour half into farro and toss.  Toss in kale and stir in remaining dressing.  If the farro is still pipping hot it will tender the kale a bit, or, you could wait until it has cooled.  Next, crumble and stir in goat cheese.  How much you want in there is up to you.  I added an entire small log which I feel is about 6oz?  Maybe I'm crazy, but definitely a few tablespoons.  The creaminess of the goat cheese is so perfect with the nutty farro and leafy kale.  Lastly, toss in pecans.  Serve at room temperature.  This truly gets better the longer it sits around.  I would actually let it sit for a few hours before serving so the kale has chance to tenderize.