Dynamo DONUTS

If you know me, you know that I obsess about food. If I hear of a delicious morsel somewhere, I WILL stop at nothing to get to it. And if I don't I will never forgive myself or the person who came between me and my FUhd. Example: the Red Iguana experience or should I say NON experience. Still have not forgotten or forgiven my husband, for that missed-adventure, in Salt Lake City. Dynamo Donut turned out to be somewhat of a MISSED-adventure also, but I will get to that in a minute.

Here's the scoop. I love food, I love to travel, and when I travel it is really all about the food. This weekend I was at a conference full of "foodies", although there was nary a one that would go with me on this adventure to Dynamo Donuts. (I twittered it people.) It's OK I am a big girl, I can do these things on my own.

I have seen Dynamo Donuts on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", a few times, so when I found out I would be coming to Bloghers Food conference in San Francisco I just knew come "hell or burnt bacon" I was going to have myself a Maple Glazed Apple Bacon donut as seen, on the show, eaten by Chris Cosentino.

There's Hank, my cab driver, sweet man, not sure what his name really was but I'm going with Hank. Hi Hank! 7:30am I departed with Hank in search of possibly the best donut I would evER eat!

I asked Hank to wait for me while I took pictures, and chatted up the boys behind the counter, and purchased my donuts and coffee.

Oh my, my Oh, yes, yes! I tramped myself on back to see what was happening in the back of the bakery. AAAAmaaaZingness. I was doing the donut happy dance. Probably good no one chose to join me they would have been mortified at my shuffle-ball-toeing for a donut.

No donuty grease smells here, only sweet aromas of chocolate, spice, and coffee. It was luverly.

Cutting each donut by hand, with a....is that a soup can? I think it is. Perfect, just like at home.

There is the man that was very sweet. I ordered 3 "bacon" donuts, and ask for an assortment of 5 more to make 8 donuts in all. He placed my donuts in the smart looking box, and handed it to me with a cheesy smile. I like cheesy, I had confidence in his donut packing expertise. I trusted him. Unlike the people at Wendy's. I did not check my box...as I check my bag at Wendy's before I drive away. I trusted him. Did I say I trusted him and I did not check my box? I did? OK.

There he is, the man I trusted, with my 3 Maple Glazed Apple Bacon, 2 Spicy Chocolate, 2 Apricot Cardamon, and 1 unidentified donut.

There is the cutie pie with the dimple that I was hoping would dip me after I did my happy donut dance. This picture does not do him justice...he was flirting with me, I was nervous...I have four kids and a husband dag-gum-it, and a cab waiting....don't get this donut luvin' mama flustered.

Back in the cab. All aflutter from the excitement of eating the anticipated MGABD, and from being flirted with by the dimpled cutie, with the big brown eyes, that poured my coffee. The smell was amazing. I had to wait to partake of my donuts, because my germaphobia prevented me from eating in an environment that was, ummm well kinda germy. I did text big D, my sweet seestor, my son, my husband and anyone else that I thought might care that I got THE donut!

Poor Hank had to smell them all the way back to the hotel I always say "it's nice to share" so how could I not, share with my cab driver. He opted for a Cardamon Apricot. Hank you have good taste baby.

There it is. The Maple Glazed Apple Bacon Donut. How was it Lester? I hope it was extremely tasty. I pray that you ate it, and didn't accidentally bump it on to the floor off your bell stand.

Lester was so sweet. He said, "I love the MGAB donuts at Dynamo".

"Oh my goodness", I said "I have 3 of them, take one, please take one."

"Oh no Ms. Johnson I couldn't."

Me, "Oh please do, I have 3 of them...take one."

Lester, "No Ms. Johnson, I just couldn't."

"Will you get in trouble for eating at the bell stand?" I asked. "Please JUST take one!" I insist.

"OK Ms. Johnson, thank you so much."

"My pleasure Lester." I say as I skip back to my room, all giddy about, jumping back into bed, and dropping my face in my box of donuts. Finally sinking my chompers into "THE" donut to end all donuts!

You think that's bacon? I did. At a glance it looks like bacon. Peering past the donuts that were on the top of it, it appears to be bacon. It's NOT. You heard me. This is not a Maple Glazed donut with Bacon Crumbles. I really don't know what the dad-blame flavor of this donut was, I was so annoyed. I frantically dug through the box........

This is a shot from the edge of my bed as I fell back and cried out, "NOOOoooooo, say it isn't true. How can this be.....waahahawahhhaha."

I have had a few disappointments in life. I will get over this. It's not personal or life changing....well it might have been life changing, but I will never know. I was very tempted to run back down and see if Lester would share a bite with me. Just one bite. I think I could have put my idiosyncrasies about germs behind me and actually eaten off the bell hops donut. I sucked it up. And honestly I did enjoy the Chocolate Spice and the Apricot Cardamon Donuts from Dynamo. Yes, I ate two! They were amazing, truly mouthwateringly delicious!

I also REALLY enjoyed my coffee. It was awesome. Look at the sludge in the bottom of the cup. Now that is what I call a cup a JO! The real thing, something I can sink my teeth into.

Unlike this measly morsel....there it is the elusive Maple Glazed Apple donut with Bacon crumbles....in the paw of Lester.

I still am a firm believer of "it's nice to share".

LuvYa,

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Right now I am some where over Minnesota flying to San Francisco. I planned on finishing up my post for my mom's Amazing Apple Spice Cake, but like the numb skull that I am, I forgot to load all the pictures, of the cake, from my home computer into the post. Just posting it with out all the pictures wouldn't do this cake the justice that it deserves. Since I have rotting bananas on my counter at home that I should have made muffins out of before I left. Which I am having mom guilt over not making them, because my son asked me to make muffins and I didn't have time to, or should I say I chose to go to bed instead up staying up and baking....now I am wishing I would have stayed up, because I didn't get that much sleep anyway...serves me right...denying my kid muffins and all. So I'll share my Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin recipe with you sans pictures. Maybe you can make your kiddos some muffins and that will help my guilty conscience.

These muffins are very similar to my Banana Cake recipe, except I use mascarpone cheese in them. Did I hear a Hoop and a Hollar for the mascarpone? I like saying it, "mascarpone, mascarpone, mascarpone". I have amore' for mascarpone'....sorry..it's the altitude.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

printable recipe

1 stick butter softened

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup mashed banana (approx. 2 bananas)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Blend, butter, mascarpone cheese, and sugar together, scraping down sides of bowl.

2. Add eggs and blend well, scrape down sides of bowl, add vanilla and mix again.

3. Measure out flour add, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to flour. Mix dry ingredients with the butter/cheese mixture.

4. Add milk and banana's mix well, again remember to scrape down sides of mixing bowl

NOTE: Yes I am a freak about taking the time to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl during the mixing process of baking. It is necessary. It is important. Your baking and your reputation depend on it! So refrain from getting irritated with me always reminding you, in my instructions, to scrape, scrape, scrape down the sides of your bowl. I love you and I care about the outcome of your muffins.

5. Now you can fold in your mini chocolate chips with a spatula, you can use regular chips, but I prefer the way the mini chips add chocolate throughout, with out taking away from the texture of the muffin. Go ahead add more if you like.

6. Prepare your muffins tins with either muffin cups or you can spray them with non stick cooking spray. Fill tins 2/3 full with batter bake 18-20 minutes. Makes 12-14 muffins.

These muffins are addicting you may just want to make a double batch. They freeze well too. My kiddos like them so much that after they have cooled completely, I pop them in Ziploc sandwich bags and put them in the freezer, for their lunches.

Well, my travels have been smooth so far...no bumps or major snafu's. Now I'm going to research some good places to chow down when I arrive, I am starving! I did eat the 3 pretzels and 11 peanuts, that I was so graciously given, and washed it down with a few Motrin and a cup of water. Motrin because my glut's are killing me to the maximus after doing that freeeeeaking Cardio Yoga yesterday morning.

Oh I wish I had a muffin...I hope you make them. Please eat 5 for me. Thanks.

I luvYa!

Tailgater Hot Wings

Do you tailgate? I mean really tailgate...not like the college drink beer at 9:30 am kind of tailgating. I love football, I love food, so naturally I love to tailgate! Last Friday night was Homecoming for our High School, and my good friend Cath put together a little party to celebrate. There was so much food....good golly. I was not sure I was going to be able to make the trek from the parking lot to the stands. There was Cathy's Famous Chili, Pulled Pork, Meatballs, my Hot Wings and many other delicious morsels.

My boys love hot wings....my second son actually is nicknamed Hotsauce....the kids eats Cholula hot sauce on everything! They were not happy with me because I deviated from the Buffalo Hot Wing recipe that they love. Sorry boys, mama gets bored with the same old recipes...

To start you will need to rinse, dry and trim the wing tips off 30 chicken wings. Place them in a plastic or glass bow.

Next you will need to introduce these two clowns to each other. 1/2 cup Franks and a 1 stick of butter, melt butter in sauce pan and whisk in the hot sauce, pour over wings. Let this marinate minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Toss them around a few times to make sure that all the wings are enjoying the party.


Now at this point you can throw these wings in hot oil and fry them or you can throw them on your grill, and cook them that way. Of course I chose the fried version....hey I was trying to get them as close to restaurant style as possible.

Put 2 cups flour seasoned with Lawry's seasoning salt in a Ziploc bag. Pour 1/4 inch vegetable oil in bottom of a frying pan, turn heat on medium. If the oil sizzles when you put a pinch of flour in, then you are ready to fry-em-up!

Dredge the wings in the flour, make sure they are well coated, that butter and hot sauce with help the flour take hold.

Zip up the bag, give them a friendly toss.

Then put as many in the pan as you can fit at one time. 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Have a cookie sheet lined with paper towels waiting to drain wings on.

There they are, all ready to to take a dip in the hot sauce again.

Sweet&Hot sauce recipe is below, mix up the ingredients in a sauce pan , bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. If you want to make the original Buffalo Hot Wings then that's easy, just repeat the 1 stick butter and 1/2 cup Franks Original Hot Sauce.

Dip each wing in the sauce, just the top side, lay them on baking sheets.

Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Now if you chose to grill them you would follow the same steps after the grilling, dip, lay, dip, lay, until they are all dipped and laid out on baking sheets.

Oh Yeh, that's what I am talkin' bout. Finger lickin' good. Place them on a platter with celery sticks and my homemade Blue Cheese Salad Dressing and you are ready to head to the party. I baked mine just before we were going to head out and then covered them with tin foil until we were ready to eat.

Tailgater Hot Wings

printable recipe

30 chicken wings

1 sticks of butter

1/2 cup Franks Redhot Original hot sauce

vegetable oil for frying

2 cups flour

Lawry's seasoning salt

Hot&Sweet BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup Franks Redhot Original hot sauce

1/2 barbeque sauce (any kind, I use Sweet Baby Rays original)

1 stick butter

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons honey

Blue Cheese Dressing

printable recipe

1 1/2 cups crumbled Blue Cheese

1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

So there you have it. Still a lot more football to be had. It's a great excuse to tailgate or just have a few friends over to watch the game and eat. I have a confession to make regarding hotwings......for me....hmmmhmm...umm, well for me it's all about the Blue Cheese. My ratio of blue Cheese Dressing to wing is a bit heavy on the dressing side. I actually think I might have a serious problem.

This smokin' hot man in the bumble bee vest, is Kenny, he does not care for blue cheese( I have come to terms with it, you just can't have everything in a man...and he is a great guy, so I have been able to move past it), but he does love football, thus the goofy grin, he was running the chains, during the football game, on the opposite side of the field from were I was sitting...hence...blurry picture.

GO TEAM!

A day in the life....

This week is wacky around here. I am getting myself and my family ready for me to be gone for four days, as well as trying to get some yummy recipes ready to post. I took this picture of my bottom "Tupperware" drawer. There ain't hardly no Tupperware in this drawer but that's what we call it. Is that not a crazy mess? Everything thrown in there helter skelter. And there is never a lid that fits the bottom. Why is that. I set out to organize this drawer today, because heaven forbid I leave my husband and kids with an unorganized Tupperware drawer. Why when I have so many things to do, do I let myself get sidetracked with silly stuff?

Well then when I went to post this picture, just real quick, I couldn't find it. But I found all these pictures in iPhoto. Some I took some I think the dog took....cwazy...

These are the legs of my second son while playing soccer. Very nice picture, so glad I have it. Might need to get it canvas printed.

This is also my second son....otherwise known as pretzel face.

These little pals are what my eight year old is currently obsessed with. "They are only 99cents mom.....(whineeeee)".

Is there a theme here? Also second son, peering through the window at a tree frog. Hmmm very interesting. Cwazy fawg.

And well, this just looked really yummy.

The field in front of my house was covered with these all summer long. Deep sigh...Summer gone, but fall is here. And when I quit getting sidetracked I will give you a couple yummy Fall recipes.

LuvYa!

more ArtPrize

The Top Ten artists of ArtPrize were announced this past Thursday. I didn't even get a chance to vote. It's a little overwhelming. There is something like 1600+ entries. How could one human being see that much art in a three week period? Now you are only able to vote for the Top Ten. My favorite did not get into the top ten. Wondering if my vote would have made the difference.....

These first two pictures are of two of the top ten. (I did not take these two photos, so you know) I really liked the above entry. It was mesmerizing. The pig was fun, but I kept thinking Mel Gibson was going to climb in its backside with Tina Turner and float away, it was a little Mad Maxish.

This piece is in the Grand Rapids Art Museum. It is composed of salt. Loose salt, on the floor. Very fragile. It is also in top ten. It was amazing. The picture really was ghostlike.


Now this is my second choice to win the Prize...very close second, well really I would have a hard time choosing. I love this one. The picture was drawn with #2 pencils, it took over 800 hours.

Look at the details.

Look at how large it is.....eight panels, but unless you look really close you would never know it was in panels.

Now this is my other favorite. It is like every little girls fantasy playhouse. It was made of felt, handmade felt.

It took up an enormous amount of space.

The colors were amazing and it continued out of the building into the courtyards. This one did not make it into the Top Ten. Boo-hoo.



This painting of Rocks looked so real. It was gorgeous. That is the artist standing in front of his work.

This wood carving made it into the top ten. It is on the river, sort of like an amazing piece of driftwood landed there on the shore. Do you see all the animals hidden in it? The children loved this one, on our field trip.

Here is an interesting entry. The artist asked people to write down dreams they had, then she interpreted them in these jars and put them on display. They were all tagged with the dreamer and their dream.


Lips. Lips made of straws. Lots and lots of straws. What people won't think of. So many creative people. I am already looking forward to ArtPrize 2011!

I don't know the name of this one, but I would have named it SMOOCH!