Week 7 (Baking) - Valentine's Day Treats

Week seven's theme was Valentine's Day and since I am not a lovey dovey Valentine's Day celebrating sort of gal I used this theme to share some love for strangers.

The Setup from one of the happy couples

Seriously, how cute are they?

As I believe I've mentioned in previous posts, I like to send out treats to strangers over on reddit. This month instead of giving out treats through RandomActsofCookies I decided to offer up Valentine's Day care packages to couples with the best/most interesting story. This opened the flood gates and when I thought I'd send out one, maybe two packages, I wound up fighting just to narrow down my selections to three deserving candidates.

My selection included; the most adorable high school couple I have ever seen, a young couple with a baby who's expenses were obviously tied up with thing less frivolous than the Hallmark holiday, and a college student who was down on her luck and solo for the holiday of love.

Each package was a little different based on my whims, but the goodies were as follows:

• Dark Chocolate Espresso Truffles
• Crunchy Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Truffles
• Cake Batter Truffles
• White Chocolate Covered Pretzels 
• Red Velvet Cookies
• Crunchy Pink Heart Sugar Cookies 

Alone on Valentine's Day? More treats for you!

Dark Chocolate Espresso Truffles 

I've actually posted this recipe once before, for my Halloween 2011 post.  However, since that was when the blog was just starting to get off the ground and few people actually were reading at that time, I'll re-share the recipe here. 

• 8 oz Ghiradelli Intense Dark Espresso Escape
• 1/4 c heacy cream
• 1 tsp coffee powder (use a heaping teaspoon if you really love coffee flavoring, which I do)
• Approx. 1/2 c cocoa powder for rolling the truffles

1. Finely chop the chocolate, either by hand or in a food processor.
2. Combine the chocolate, cream, and coffee powder over a low flame, stirring often. Do not whip/over-stir this, just gently continue to mix as the chocolate melts. 
3. Once the mixture is fully melted and smooth, remove from heat. 
4. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 4+ hours, or freeze for 2. 
5. Remove from fridge/freezer, let stand at room temperatire until pliable, 20-40 minutes.
6. Pour cocoa powder into a bowl.
7. Dip hands in cocoa powder.
8. Scoop by generous teaspoon and roll into balls.
9. Roll ball cocoa powder until coated. Set on a baking sheet or flat plate.
10. Repeat for the remaining ganache*.



I forgot to take picture of the truffles,
so here's a pic of one of the happy couples instead. 

11. Refrigerate until ready to use, allow truffles to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature prior to serving.

Yields approximately 20 truffles.

*Ganache is any frosting, filling, etc. created from a mixture of cream and chocolate. 

Crunchy Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Truffles

• 8 oz milk chocolate
• 1/4 c heavy cream
• Approx. 1 c crunchy peanut butter
• Approx. 1 1/2 c salted peanuts, ground up
• Approx. 1/4 c cocoa powder, for your hands

Notice how the truffles doubles in size?

1. Finely chop the chocolate, either by hand or in a food processor.
2. Combine the chocolate and cream over a low flame, stirring often. Do not whip/over-stir this, just gently continue to mix as the chocolate melts. 
3. Once the mixture is fully melted and smooth, remove from heat. 
4. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 4+ hours, or freeze for 2. 
5. Remove from fridge/freezer, let stand at room temperatire until pliable, 20-40 minutes.
6. Pour cocoa powder into a bowl.
7. Place crunchy peanut butter in microwave safe container and cook in 30 seconds intervals until soft and liquidy. Do NOT let the mixture get hot, otherwise the truffles will start melting. Eek!
8. Dip hands in cocoa powder.
9. Scoop by generous teaspoon and roll into balls.
10. Dip the truffle in the melted peanut butter, allow to drip for a few seconds.
11. Place the truffle in the ground up peanuts and roll around until coated. Set on a baking sheet for flat plate. 
12. Repeat for the remaining ganache*.
13. Refrigerate until ready to use, allow truffles to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature prior to serving.

Should yield approximately 20 truffles.

Cake Batter Truffles

Recipe from chef-in-training

Sadly for the time being I cannot access this recipe, the site is listed as fraudulent and my work computer is just not having it. They were delicious and very cute and I hope to rectify this in the near future, but for now I'll have to settle for some pictures.

The "truffles" before coating

Sprinkled and dipped

The delicate inside

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels

You don't really need a recipe for this, right? Well, just in case...

• White Chocolate 
• Pretzels
• Sprinkles

1. Melt the white chocolate. 
2. Dip the pretzels in the white chocolate, allowing to drip for a few seconds. 
3. Place on a grid cooling wrack over paper towels or wax paper.
4. Sprinkle.
5. Allow chocolate to set before removing. Store in an airtight container - if you can resist the urge to eat them right away.

This is the chocolatey sprinkled aftermath of the pretzels.

Red Velvet Cookies
Recipe from food.com

I'm sharing this recipe in hopes that someone else may find a way to tweak it/make it more delicious. These cookies were kind of a bust, at least in my opinion; they managed to be simultaneously dry and moist, and were quite lacking in the flavor department. Oh well, we can't win 'em all.

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• Approx. 1 c confectioner's sugar

Attractive looking batter, isn't it?

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Dough will be very thick and heavy.
3. Stir by hand just until combined.
4. Dust hands with confectioner's sugar and pinch off roughly 1" balls from the dough.
5. Roll each ball in the confectioner's sugar.
6. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
7. Repeat for remaining dough.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes. 
9. Remove from oven, allow to rest on cookie sheet around 2 minutes. 
10. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling wrack.
11. Allow to cool to room temperature, and store in an airtight container. 

Crunchy Sugar Cookies 
Recipe from bhg.com

This is a crispy delicious cookie that can be made in any shape using a cookie gun/press.

• 1 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1 c packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract






• 3 1/2 c all purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Beat butter until fluffy.
3. Add in sugar and baking powder, beat until combined. 
4. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. 
5. Mix in the flour slowly. 
6. Scoop dough into cookie gun with desired shape inserted. 
7. Follow the directions for your cookie gun to make shapes.
8. Bake 7-10 minutes, until a light golden brown.
9. Cool on the pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling wrack to cool completely.
10. Finish with sprinkles or icing. 

In addition to the treats, my besty over at ThunderCrafts donated a handmade card and some spare PartyLite tealight candles to really romance up the care packages. I threw in some red streamers,, $1 heart table clothes, and heart shaped plates and Presto! Valentine's Day in a box.

In my excitement to pack the perfect Valentine's Day date box, I forgot to take pictures of most of the items. Luckily the receivers picked up my slack and sent me adorable pictures of their Valentine's Day festivities.

To see the entire Valentine's Day Album, click here!

Week 6 (Cooking) - Pudim de Coco (Brazilian Coconut Pudding)

Week six of the cooking challenge is upon me and wouldn't you know it, this run of the mill white girl doesn't know a thing about Brazilian food. To the internet!

As per what seems to be a developing cookiecrumbles tradition, I had originally opted for a very different recipe. But, as luck would have it I could not get a proper translation of it at home. The recipe I had found for pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese rolls) translated fine at work, but when I pulled up the same recipe at home it kept telling me that I needed 4 cups of candy as the first ingredient; as exciting as that sounds, it just wasn't right. It turned out this was a magnificent misfortune as about 1/2 of the other 52weeksof participants seemed to have opted for the same dish and I like to stand safely outside the norm.

Pudim de Coco

Be sure to absolutely mangle the can while opening it.

• 1 can (13.5 oz coconut milk)
• 13.5 oz milk
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp corn starch
• 3 tbsp coconut flakes
• Additional coconut flakes for serving (optional)

Recipe comes from sonia-portuguese.com

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium size pot over medium heat.
   
   

   

   
   

2. Cook 10-15 minutes (I pulled mine right at 12), stirring regularly, until mixture becomes very thick. . Make sure you're scraping the bottom as you are stirring otherwise the coconut will settle to the bottom and burn.
   
   

   

   The pudding will bubble and boil so keep stirring.

3. Transfer to a pudding mold that has been rinsed in cold water. I don't own a pudding mold so I divided the pudding into 4 large muffin cups.
   
   

   

   No pudding mold? No problem! Muffin tins are close enough.

4. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Refrigerate until the pudding is somewhat solid and retains it's shape.
6. Unmold, plate, and sprinkle with coconut flakes.
   The unmolding didn't turn out quite as pretty as I would have liked - one transfered neatly onto the kitchen floor though - so I mashed it up a bit before sprinkling. No one will ever no. Unless, you know, you post it on the internet.
   
   

   

   No quite a perfect mold, but flavor has no shape.

   
   

I opted not to make the plum sauce listed in the original recipe not because I hate plums, but because I just didn't have any in the house and there was absolutely no way I was dragging myself to the store for them. The pudding was delicious without it, I can't imagine adding a sweet sauce over this dish.


Do you have any experience with Brazlian food? How'd I do?
Have a recipe you want to share with me/the rest of the world?
Questions? Leave a comment or email me at BakeMeUpButtercup@gmail.com

Week 6 (Baking) - Chocolate Stemware Cakes with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

The theme for week six was elegant. Much like the previous weeks, I started the week off with good intentions, but as the daily stresses of my life weighed upon me, I found myself pressed for time and with even less patience. In addition to the problems that plagued my week, I couldn't find my digital camera so I got to take all of my photos with my tablet. I explain this as a slight off-handed apology for the lackluster quality of most of the pictures. But hey, at least there are pictures.

My original plan was to make beautiful individually portioned chocolate souffles. I found a suitable recipe, bought all of the ingredients, ... and dropped the ball. Perhaps sometime in the not too distant future I will get around to those and post my results accordingly, but for now I will offer up what I do have; chocolate mug stemware cakes.

Everything served in a any stemware is fancy.
True Story.

Mug cakes have always intrigued me, but I've never gotten around to attempting one; baking in the microwaves seemed a bit crude, for lack of a better term. But, I had gotten myself into a jam and wound up at 4pm on Sunday wondering how the hell I was going to make a souffle, pudim de coco, and get dinner on the table. I had a mini-breakdown followed by a moment of genius. Just because the challenge needed to be elegant didn't mean it had to be time consuming, and really, what's fancier than stemware? Thankfully I had whipped up a batch of homemade mint chocolate ice cream earlier this week to satiate a craving the BF had been having. I figured I could justify having baked my weekly submission in the microwave if I doused it in creamy delicious goodness. It worked.

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

• 1 cups skim milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5-2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 1/4 c dark chocolate & mint baking chips

Recipe courtesy of Darryn Briggs from allrecipes.com

The original recipe called for 2 cups 2% milk and 2 cups heavy cream. I had plenty of heavy cream on hand that I needed to use up and we only skim milk in the fridge. So I changed things up to account for the lack of fats from the skim and to use up the last of the heavy cream. The first night while the ice cream was particularly soft, it tasted like a bowl of thick, minty whipped cream. A bit overwhelming for the BF, but I was more than happy to help down his share. However, after the ice cream set up overnight I think the texture was divine, perfectly silky and smooth with a rich minty finish.

As far as directions go, this one is fairly self explanatory provided you're using an ice cream maker; put all of the ingredients into the basin of your ice cream machine and follow the directions from there. My machine took about 40 minutes to whip this up, but it was a better consistency after sitting in the freezer overnight. No real surprises there as my machine is just the bare-bones essential to stir and chill the mixture. I have no real experience making ice cream by hand so YMMV if you go that route. If you do make ice creams by hand, I'd love to hear your results; successes and failures alike.

Chocolate Mug Stemware Cake

• 4 tbsp flour (cake flour if available)
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• Pinch baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp oil
• Few drops of vanilla extract
• Extra chocolate for drizzling (optional)

Yum.

1. Mix it all together in a mug or small bowl. Seriously, I didn't  even bother to separate wets & drys; when baking in the microwave, I think all formal baking techniques are out the window.
   
   

   

   
   

2. Divide the mix between two wine glasses.
   This part is important.  I originally thought that I would be making just one serving of mug cake (in case it didn't turn out so great) but the recipe had other plans. I didn't realize just how much this cake would expand while "baking" so about 40 seconds in I had to stop the microwave and divide the mixture into two glasses and finish cooking. This made the results a little less attractive than I would have liked, but there was no way around it, the cake was hitting the top of the microwave - which thankfully I had just cleaned, otherwise, ewww.
   
   

   

   40 seconds in the cake was HUGE!

   
   Also make sure the wine glasses fit in your microwave before you begin, mine just barely squeezed in there because I didn't think to check that first. 
3. "Bake" on normal power for 1:30. Cakes should be springy and cooked all the way through.
   
   

   

   
   

4. Allow to stand for one minute before removing from the microwave. Stemware gets hot!
5. Scoop ice cream on top of cakes.
   
   

   

   
   

6. Put chocolate (chips), - I used the leftovers from the mint chocolate ice cream - in the microwave on medium/defrost mode at 30 second increments, stirring after each round, until melted. Use a fork or spoon to drizzle across the the top of the ice cream.
   
   

   

   Drizzling is messy work, do it over a paper towel to save yourself the cleanup heartache.

   
   
7. Grab spoons and enjoy.
   If you're anything like us, it will be pre-dinner since I didn't know if this was going to be a success. Dessert can precede dinner when you're a grownup.
   
   

   

   This dessert was totally worth the effort. All 3 minutes of it. 

   
   

Do you have a go to dessert recipe when you need a sweets fix but don't want to put in a lot of effort?

Have a recipe you love and want to share with me/the world?

Questions? Leave a comment or email me at BakeMeUpButtercup@gmail.com

Week 5 (Baking) - Orange Mini-Chocolate Chip Muffins

The original plan for week five's breakfast baking challenge was scones. Then I got lazy/ran out of time/didn't have the ingredients I needed in the house. So I did the next best thing and worked on, and I'd say finally perfected, a muffin recipe I have been fretting over for some time.

I love muffins. What's not to love? It's like a sweet crumbly bread that tastes like dessert but is socially accepted as breakfast. However, every time I try to make muffins from scratch they just never come out quite as delicious as the store bought or box mix muffins I'm accustomed to. Some people will argue well that's because true baking blah blah blah... Whatever, I want soft delicious muffins, is that really a crime?

No.

Good.

I've had some version of this recipe around for a while and I've been slowly refining, tweaking, and adapting it to better suit my desires. Hold onto your hats folks, because this is it! This is the mother of all muffin recipes! Your search is over! Other such sentiments to show extreme excitement and joy! I am a bit overwhelmed with my happiness, you'll have to excuse me.

Orange Mini-Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4-1 c mini-chocolate chips (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp orange extract OR 1 tbsp orange zest (optional)
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c orange juice (optional)
  If not making orange muffins use 1 cup milk and no orange juice
• 2 tbsp sour cream OR unflavored greek yogurt
• 1/4 c oil
• 1/2 c sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 375°
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Stir in all but a small handful of the mini-chocolate chips (if using.)
4. Mix the eggs, vanilla, orange extract/zest (if using) milk, orange juice (if using), sour cream, and oil.
   
   

   

   Mmm, doesn't think look tasty?

5. Add the sugar to the egg mix and stir just until combined. Do not beat/whip, just stir.
   
   

   

   
   

   
   
6. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingrdients.
   
   

   

   
   

7. Using a fork gently stir just until combined, do not over mix here!
8. Spray with cooking spray/line either:
          * 12 standard muffin cups
          * 6 large muffin cups
   
   

   

   I love giant muffins!

   
   
9. Spoon mixture into each cup, filling each 2/3s full.
   
   

   

   I was solo this weekend, so I figured a 1/2 batch was more than enough for  just me.

   
   
10. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chip muffins across the tops of each muffin.
11. Place on the center rack in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 
12. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean of crumbs. Melted chocolate is okay.

The magic of this recipe is that is can be tweaked and adjusted endlessly to customize to your palate.
Don't like orange? Don't use the extract or juice.
Want blueberry muffins? Add a cup of blueberries, cut out the chocolate chips and orange juice...

I hope you love these as much as I do. 

Tell me what you think:

Do you have a favorite muffin? What is it?

Have a recipe you love? Feel free to share it!
Questions? Leave a comment or email me at BakeMeUpButtercup@gmail.com

Week 5 (Cooking) - Spinach, Tomato, Sausage, and Ravioli Red Wine Bake

Already the first week of February has come and gone and with it the week 5 cooking challenge of alcohol. I hemmed and hawed over this challenge but couldn't make up my mind on a dish; I don't typically cook with alcohol and nothing sounded particularly appealing. So in the end I did as I always do, when it doubt, make it up as you go along!

I spent a day or two thinking of flavor combinations I enjoyed and then pieced this together with what I had in the house. I had to run out for ravioli and sausage, but all in all not too shabby. The dish I created was a baked cheese ravioli with spinach, tomatoes, and hot Italian sausage, tossed in a red wine sauce; then covered in shredded cheese - pepper jack & part-skim mozzarella - and baked to perfection.

• 1 package (5 links) Italian sausage
• 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or diced, optional
• 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
• Spices to taste - Oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds...
• 25 oz (give or take) cheese ravioli, fresh or frozen
• 1/4 c - 1/2 c shredded cheese - I use about a 1/4 pepperjack (because I love spicy things) and 1/4 c shredded part-skim mozzarella. 

1. Remove sausage from casing and cook over medium-high heat on a large non-stick pot/wok breaking into small pieces, until browned.
2. While sausage is cooking bring a large pot of water to boil.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°.
4. When the sausage it browned, set it aside in a separate dish, and pour off any grease remaining in your pot; however, it's not necessary to wash/wipe out the pot. 
5. Cook spinach for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, garlic cloves and spices.
   
   

   

   As you can see here, I didn't cook my spinach first...live and learn.

   
   
7. Bring sauce to a boil.
8. Stir in the cooked Italian sausage.
   
   

   

   
   

9. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
   
   

   

   
   

10. Once the water is boiling, add ravioli and cook according to package instructions.
    
    

    

    
    

11. Drain ravioli and toss in reduced sauce.
    
    

    

    
    

12. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
13. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
    
    

    

    
    

14. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and just begins to brown.
15. Remove from oven and allow to cool for roughly 5 minutes before serving.
16. Dig in.

Note: If your sauce seems too thick you can thin it down with an extra splash of wine before adding the ravioli. If it's REALLY thick, you can add store bought marinara sauce until your desired consistency  is reached. If this affects your flavors, add additional spices, wine to taste.

As mentioned in the above photograph, I didn't cook the spinach beforehand because... well... I didn't think I needed to. So while this dish was delicious, the spinach was a bit stringy and definietly should have been cooked briefly before adding the other elements. I've corrected that for you, and will do so for myself in the future.

Happy dining!

Week 4 (Cooking) - Pan Frying Coconut Chicken & Mango Avocado Salsa

For the theme of pan frying I chose to make one of my favorite dishes of all time, coconut chicken. And because coconut chicken in incomplete without fantasimic sides to compliment it I made a big batch of mango salsa, and a side of cilantro & lime rice steamed white rice from the Chinese restaurant down the road. Can you say yum?

It looks a little dark, but it was perfectly crispy and moist. 

Mango Salsa

• 3 mangos, peeled and sliced
• 3-4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 roma tomatoes, seeded & chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1-2 jalanpenos (according to your tastes) seeded if you prefer, diced
• 2 avocados, peeled, chopped
  A handy trick for peeling avocados if you're lazy or not skilled with a knife (I am both) - remove the seed but leave on the skin. Create long slits lengthwise down the avocado avoiding piercing all the way through  peel. Flip it over onto the counter and pull. back the peel. It should release easily, leaving behind the strips of avocado.
  
  

  

  I felt like Macgyver when I figured this one out.

• The juice from 2 limes
• Pinch or two of salt

1. Mix together the mangoes, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, and jalapenos.
   
   

   

   
   

   
   
2. Pour the lime juice over the mixture.
3. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Stir.
5. Taste, adjust jalapenos, salt, lime juice as needed.
6. Add the avocados and toss gently. I add these last so that the rest of the mixing doesn't mash down the delicate avocado chunks.
7. Chill for 2-3 hours if possible to allow time for the flavors to mingle.
   
   

   

   Mmmm, so delicious.

   
   
8. Serve with chips, coconut chicken, ... just about anything works with this salsa.

The dicing/chopping aftermath.

Coconut Chicken

This recipe is obscenely easy, the term recipe is used very loosely.

• Approx. 1/2 c flour, seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and salt; to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Approx. 2 cups, sweetened flake coconut
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/2c vegetable oil - or any other preferred oil - for cooking
  
  
  

  

  The battering station.

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Put a large skillet over medium heat with cooking oil.
3. Roll each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour mixture.
4. Dip into the beaten eggs, coating fully. Allow excess to drip off.
5. Roll the chicken in coconut, assuring a thick, even coating.
   
   

   

   Working down the assembly line.

   
   
6. Set on a plate while you prepare the rest of the chicken pieces.
7. When oil is sufficiently hot carefully place chicken pieces in oil, allowing room on each side of the strips of chicken.
8. Cook for 1 - 1/2 - 2 minutes until coconut is browned evenly.
9. Flip.
10. Cooking the other side for roughly the same amount of time, removing when browned.
    
    

    

    This batch got a little dark for  pretty picture making, but I like it crispy.

    
    
11. Remove pieces from oil, pat off excess oil using a paper towel and place a baking sheet  in an even layer with a small amount of room around each piece.
12. Repeat with all remaining chicken.
13. Bake for 10-12 minutes until centers are no longer pink and juices run clear.
14. Move to a serving platter.
15. Dig In.

As mentioned above, I had attempted to make a fun cilantro lime rice to go with this dish but two very awful things happened to prevent this from moving forward.

1. I added add a 1/2 c lime juice as part of the liquid when making rice.  Never ever ever repeat this mistake. I thought I was doing something amazing to make super limey rice. It was absolutely terrible.
2. My rice cooker decided it was cool to super overcook the rice into a giant vat o'mush. Way to go rice cooker, you saved me from having to admit to my family that I'd ruined the rice by adding a ton of lime juice to the mix. Instead I just got to say that the texture was the reason we weren't eating it. To be honest though, I'm not sure what was worse, the texture or the taste. It was bad. Really, really, exceptionally bad. 

This contains lime juice & fresh cilantro.
Do not ever do this to your poor rice, it didn't do anything to you.

My mom saved the day, and family dinner which I had haphazardly agreed to host, by running down the street to a local Chinese restaurant and picking up a few containers of white rice. They know how to make rice not suck, I apparently should be taking notes.