Happy Thursday #musicfriendsofTenaciousM!
The Dazz Band is an American funk music band that was most popular in the early 1980s. Emerging from Cleveland, Ohio, the group’s biggest hit songs include the Grammy Award-winning “Let It Whip”, “Joystick”, and “Let It All Blow”. Wikipedia
Keep the message alive. #BringBackOurGirls
Preparing this mouthwatering chocolate cake takes only 30 minutes and you can make it up to two days ahead. Enjoy!
PREP: 30 MINS TOTAL TIME: 6 HOURS 30 MINS
SERVINGS:10
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick cooking spray
14 ounces semisweet chocolate (do not use chips)
2 containers (15 ounces each) part-skim ricotta cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafers (about 44 cookies)
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare pan: Remove sides from a 9-inch round springform pan (see note, below). Place a sheet of waxed paper over bottom, leaving an overhang; lock sides onto bottom, firmly securing paper. Spray inside of pan with cooking spray; line sides with a strip of waxed paper 28 inches long and 4 inches wide.
STEP 2
Make chocolate-ricotta mixture: Break 12 ounces of chocolate into pieces. Place in a heatproof medium bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
STEP 3
In a food processor, blend ricotta until very smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl. Add warm chocolate; blend until smooth. In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in chocolate-ricotta mixture.
STEP 4
Assemble cake: Arrange half the cookies in an overlapping pattern to cover bottom of pan. Spoon half the chocolate-ricotta mixture on top of cookies; smooth top. Cover with remaining cookies; top with remaining chocolate-ricotta mixture, and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.
STEP 5
Before serving, release sides of pan and remove waxed paper from sides. Using bottom piece of waxed paper, pull cake onto a platter; with a metal spatula, lift cake and remove waxed paper. Using a vegetable peeler, shave remaining 2 ounces chocolate over top of cake. With a knife dipped in hot water, cut cake into 10 slices (wipe off knife, and dip in hot water after each slice).
Catherine Malandrino’s Spring Summer 2014 Collection showed a clear nautical theme. Inspired by Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the red, white, and blue coloring, sailboat and ocean motifs, and stripes all gave a literal representation of this.
Crisp, voluminous bottoms and triangular shaped skirts provided a more subtle nautical tone, resembling to some degree a mast of a sailboat. Whether land or sea, there are some key pieces in this collection we’d be excited to wear just about anywhere!
Credit: Style Pantry
Matthew 5:14-16
14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Happy Thursday all! The weekend is waiting just around the corner!!
Yes, you read that right: six decadent layers of salted caramel and chocolate. Dive in!
PREP: 45 MINS TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 20 MINS SERVINGS: 12
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablepoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
FOR THE CARAMEL
4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
Coarse salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
FOR THE FROSTING
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Coarse salt
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
Garnish: flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
STEP 2
Divide batter among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.
STEP 3
Make the caramel: Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is dark amber, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully pour in cream (mixture will spatter); stir until smooth. Return to heat, and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour caramel into a medium bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Let cool completely.
STEP 4
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk together cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl until cocoa dissolves. Beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and a generous pinch of coarse salt in a clean bowl with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes before using.
STEP 5
Trim tops of cakes using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Cut each in half horizontally to form 2 layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter, and spread 3/4 cup caramel over top. Top with another cake layer, and repeat with remaining caramel and cake layers, leaving top uncovered. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
STEP 6
Frost top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Originally posted by By Boko Haram,on Bossip:#BringBackOurGirls: Nigeria FINALLY Accepts U.S. Help To Rescue Kidnapped Girls But Is It Too Late?
MAY 7, 2014
Why is Nigeria lagging in the effort to find the 300 kidnapped schoolgirls?
Nigeria Accepts US Help To Rescue Kidnapped School Girls
Via CBS News reports:
President Obama said Tuesday that the U.S. would do everything possible to help Nigeria find nearly 300 teenage girls missing since they were kidnapped from school three weeks ago by an Islamic extremist group that has threatened to sell them.
Mr. Obama said the immediate priority was finding the girls, but that in the longer term, the Boko Haram group must also be dealt with.
Speaking to CBS News Tuesday, Mr. Obama said the U.S. was “sending in a team of our military, law enforcement and other experts and we’re really glad that Nigeria has accepted the help.”
CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan said Secretary of State John Kerry first told Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday that the U.S. would send in the team, which would include hostage negotiators and intelligence experts, to help in the search.
“We remain deeply concerned about the welfare of these young girls, and we want to provide whatever assistance is possible in order to help for their safe return to their families,” said Kerry.
The technical experts heading to Nigeria will include U.S. military and law enforcement personnel skilled in intelligence, investigations, hostage negotiating, information sharing and victim assistance, as well as officials with expertise in other areas, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
U.S. armed forces were not being sent, Carney note.
Nigeria’s police have said more than 300 girls were abducted from their secondary school in the country’s remote northeast on April 15. Of that number, 276 remain in captivity and 53 managed to escape.
Another eight girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants early Tuesday morning or late Monday evening, according to local police and villagers who spoke to Reuters by phone. French news agency AFP reported Wednesday morning that 11 girls were actually seized in that latest raid on the village of Warabe. The discrepancy in numbers could not be immediately reconciled.
We hope to God it’s not too late to save these innocent girls! In a perfect world Boko Haram loses captivity of these girls when it sells them. All 300 have well-established identities from photos. Getting them out of the control of BR should be a top priority. But then they can be freed from their less militant captors one by one. Then, the monsters who perpetrated these kidnappings can be caught up with and themselves taken as prisoners.
This recipe is just one bowl with everyday, simple ingredients and is both vegan and gluten free! But, it’s infused with creamy, salty peanut butter and chocolate in the form of cocoa powder and dairy-free chocolate chips!
PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 1 hour TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 mins
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
1 flax egg ( 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 Tbsp water | or sub 1 egg)
3 medium ripe bananas (~1.5 cups)
3.5 tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
1/3 cup salted natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
2.5 Tbsp grape seed or coconut oil, melted
scant 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2-3 Tbsp agave or maple syrup, depending on ripeness of bananas
3/4 cup unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk
1 1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup gluten free flour blend (my go-to blend, or I recommend Trader Joe’s all purpose GF blend)
1 cup gluten free oats
1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup Peanut Butter Chips
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
2. Prepare flax egg in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes to activate.
3. Add banana and mash thoroughly.
4. Add all ingredients through almond milk and whisk vigorously to combine.
5. Add cocoa powder, almond meal, gluten free flour blend, oats and stir.
6. Last, stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips (if using).
7. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes. When ready, it should feel firm and be crackly on top. My sweet spot was about 1 hour 5 minutes.
8. Let cool completely before cutting or it will be too tender to hold form (preferably overnight).
9. Store completely cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to several days, though best when fresh. Slice and freeze for longer term storage.
Egos & Buffaloes 