Well! We have had quite the week in this household; lots of craziness going on over here. Classes are finally finished and I’m opting to blog instead of studying for a final in the morning. I spent a few days in NY at the end of last week, spending some time with my mom and sister (when she wasn’t working and getting me sweet discounts on shoes) and managed to sneak away solo for a rendezvous with the rest of these fabulous ladies! As Marilla said, Franny’s was fantastic, delicious, in my words, amazeballs. I ate the rest of my pizza at 1am watching Bobby Flay (could that night seriously have gotten better? I think not!). Bar(n) was great – what a cute little place, I could definitely see myself hanging out there. We were all a little bummed our schedules didn’t work with Giulia’s, but there’s always next time, and if all the places she recommends are that good, we’ll be heading into Brooklyn quite a bit!

Saturday we enjoyed some time with my dad back in PA- which brings me to some happy news He had gotten me a pair of faboosh boots for my birthday that were waiting on my doorstep when I came home on Friday… but when he showed up, Christmas gifts in tow, we decided we’d all tear into them and not wait. I am so glad I didn’t! I got my mixer!!! wooooooo! My poor husband looked at me like I was a freak – I was flipping out. I don’t think he’d seen me jump up and down like that since I found out I was pregnant LOL!

She’s fantastic, she’s beautiful, I have a crush on an inanimate object. Meet her! Since every mixer has a name, I knew I had to think of something perfect. So, without further adieu, please meet the newest addition to my kitchen – Betty!

Isn’t she gorge? Love her!

Anyway, back to the blogging! Brett’s dad came up today to visit and I had said he could choose what I made for dinner. His choice? Haddock. Now, honestly, I’m not really a super fishy person – I love love shellfish, but I just don’t eat other fish all that much. So, what do I do? I turn to Giulia, whose book has fast become my failsafe when I’m in the mood to make something and don’t know what. She has quite a few seafood recipes in Spaghetti, but this one I found to be simple enough for who I was cooking for. The recipe uses sole, but I found it to be yummy with the haddock. The guys loved it! And I used my baby for the first time – to make angel food cake for dessert!

Incendiery Sole*

*I used halibut. Any firm, white fish should taste good in this recipe, but beware that the cooking times will vary slightly.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup olive oil
1 heaping cup bread crumbs
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbs chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds sole or flounder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine butter and oil in a wide shallow bowl; season the bread crumbs with salt, parsley and pepper and spread on a plate. Dip the fish in butter and oil, covering thoroughly, then dredge through the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until the crumb topping is slightly brown.
Serves 4-6.

This was delicious. I served it with my homemade mashed potatoes (yes, I used Betty this time for those!). You can find that recipe here.

Now, this isn’t from Giulia’s book. BUT I feel like I should post this because this isn’t a recipe you come across very often and it’s beyond amazing. I’d been looking for an exceptional angel food cake recipe for Brett’s birthday this past September. Of course, I turned to Marilla to enlist her help. She found this recipe from one of her baker friends, and my husband refuses to eat any other angel food cake. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
12 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

NOTE: Note: For those not use to making angel food cakes Don’t get any yoke in the whites, if you do throw out and start over. I always separate the egg in a glass first. Then if no yoke pour into measuring container.

DO NOT GREASE PAN!

Heat oven to 375°.
Sift the cake flour and 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar; set aside.
Combine the extracts in a small bowl; set aside.
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until it forms peaks.
Add the other 3/4 cup of sugar slowly, then beat on high until stiff peaks form.
If you have a mixing guard for your mixer bowl now would be a good time to attach it.
Beating on LOW, add flour mixture and extracts slowly.
Make sure you fold in the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl. You can fold in flour mixture by hand but this way is faster. Spoon into an angel food cake pan.
Move a knife through batter to remove air pockets.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly with finger.
Invert pan onto a tin funnel to cool completely.
To remove the cake from your pan run a knife around the rim of the cake pan just to get the ‘crust’ away from the pan. Then firmly spank the sides of your pan. You could use a knife but this sometime tears the sides of the cake. Invert onto your serve plate then take the knife to the now top which was the bottom of your pan and gently cut cake away from the pan insert.

Enjoy!!