Hungry Hungry Hippo

Some days you just want to stuff your face.

It usually includes an unhealthy amount of carbs, and in this case I decided on an unbelievably delicious pugliese loaf.

If you haven't ever tried this kind of bread, you should. It has a very distinct rustic taste, crunchy on the outside crust and soft on the inside. Kinda like a country boy.



I wanted to make some bruschetta Julie & Julia style, but couldn't find heirloom tomatoes anywhere- probably too early in the season. So then I just made my own kind of bruschetta.


I rubbed the bread with a garlic clove (the bread acts as a kind of grater and the flavour spreads easily) and drizzled it with extra virgin olive oil and then pan fried it til it was a bit crustier in the middle. I'm sure grilling or putting it in the oven would have the same kind of effect. Once it was done I added some sea salt and pepper.

I cut some plum tomatoes into chunks and then added tons of basil and some more EVOO. Let the flavours make out for awhile in the bowl.


So simple but man, they just go so well together. I wish I had a backyard so I could plant the tomatoes and basil together (because according to some people that makes the tomatoes absorb the scent of the basil and then they're even more delicious.) Man, I'm a Nonna already.

Add salt and pepper to the tomatoes right before topping the bread, because the salt releases the juices of the tomatoes and bruschetta is messy enough as it is.

And there you go. It's so easy and definitely hits the spot.












But, a craving is never satisfied without meat. (These sexual innuendos are really not done intentionally... usually.) I made a quick marinade with olive oil, red wine vinegar, some worsteshire (love saying that word) sauce, rosemary, oregano, thyme and salt and pepper. You can't really go wrong when you just throw in a bunch of flavours you like.


I threw it all into a ziploc and let it sit in the fridge for 3 hours while I made dessert.

Eventually, I indulged.

Who needs a barbecue when you have your magical Cuisinart grill. Really, the key to most meat is letting it sit before you jump in. The juices need to re-settle so just setting it in the plate with a loosely covered piece of tinfoil for 10 mins makes a huge difference. And yes, this one was amazing. But I'm easy to please.







Dessert was simple. I'm always making cupcakes for other people (and inevitably these will be handed off to others because keeping a dozen cupcakes in your home is never a good idea) so this time I did it for myself.


Double chocolate (i.e. chocolate batter with chocolate chunks) baked to perfection, if I do say so myself.

I split the icing half and half. Vanilla for 6 and mocha for the other 6.

This icing is my secret weapon. People become obsessed. It could also give you a coronary. So much butter and sugar should not be allowed, but has to be.



Quite, quite unhealthy.

Then I decided to try something new from scratch, coffee and cocoa powder just make it so easy. Whipped some cream and added ingredients til it tasted heavenly.

I want to lick my screen.













And voilà. Bruschetta, steak and cupcakes, a happy girl makes.