Father's Day

Easy German Chocolate Cake Sundaes for Dad

by liz · Feb 4, 2021

My dad’s favorite cake has always been German chocolate cake. Early in this cake’s life, that meant using Samuel German’s baking chocolate to make a light-bodied chocolate layer cake, then adding coconut, caramel and pecan icing or glaze in between the layers and on top. You can see why he liked it so much!

When I was young and super picky, this was NOT my favorite cake to eat (no nuts or coconut for this little girl, thank you) and it wasn’t the easiest cake to make either. My dad sometimes received a leaning tower of cake mess, other times a whole new version of the cake without layers or coconut or nuts. One time, after apparently misreading the salt/sugar measurement—I accidentally switched the salt and sugar amounts—I dumped the entire thing into the creek behind our house. And for this, he should be thankful.

Today, I join my dad in loving German chocolate cake. And even though I now know how to make chocolate layer cakes, I really love to make these German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream Sundaes instead. It’s easy and satisfying and I don’t even have to turn on my oven! The ice cream even has little bites of chocolate cake in it (and if you can’t find the special German Chocolate Cake summertime flavor, any chocolate ice cream with brownie chunks will do). The flavor takes me right back to countless Father’s Days and birthdays for my dad, which I can now make taste richer and creamier.

Here’s to you dad!

German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream Sundaes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut
6 scoops German Chocolate Cake Spectacular Ice Cream
1/3 cup whipped cream (optional)
6 maraschino cherries (optional)

Directions:

COMBINE evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolk and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thickened, as shown above.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract, pecans and coconut. Pour into a bowl; cool to room temperature.

PLACE scoop of ice cream into each of 6 bowls; drizzle with topping. Garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired as shown above. Serve immediately.

Happy German Chocolate Cake Day & Early Father's Day

Author: Meals.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 6 servings

My dad's favorite cake has always been German chocolate cake. Today, I join my dad in loving German chocolate cake. And even though I now know how to make chocolate layer cakes, I really love to make these German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream Sundaes instead. It's easy and satisfying and I don't even have to turn on my oven!

Ingredients

½ cup Evaporated Milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup toasted chopped pecans
½ cup flaked coconut
6 scoops German Chocolate Cake Spectacular Ice Cream
⅓ cup whipped cream (optional)
6 maraschino cherries (optional)

Instructions

COMBINE evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolk and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract, pecans and coconut. Pour into a bowl; cool to room temperature.
PLACE scoop of ice cream into each of 6 bowls; drizzle with topping. Garnish with whipped cream and cherries, if desired. Serve immediately.

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Chinese Inspiration: Shanghai Steamed Black Cod with Summer Vegetables

by liz · Jun 10, 2018

Written by Liz –

Eating out is probably my very favorite thing to do. I love to pick out a new restaurant, then go check out its neighborhood and decor, imagining myself living nearby and becoming a regular, noting coffee shops on the corner I might frequent in the morning and places to find new wines after work. I always ask the server what the chef recommends – after all, he is the expert. She is the one who knows what’s fresh, what’s done best in her kitchen.

I especially love small, family owned, neighborhood Chinese joints, where you can find dishes so authentic you could only dream of recreating them at home. On a recent visit to one such place, I promptly asked “What should I eat?” Chef sent several dishes: all traditional Chinese slightly tweaked to accommodate local ingredients and Chef’s recent culinary obsessions. My favorites were the Szechuan Lamb Loin in Traditional Orange Peel Sauce and the Braised Fresh Black Cod with Szechuan Chili Sauce. Chef gallantly shared his black cod recipe with me, which was 3 pages long and included ingredients I couldn’t pronounce! I immediately set about making a simpler version that’s also easy to cook (based on Chris’ fish packets recipe).

I love Szechuan cooking: really spicy but also a sweet or cooling element to balance it. In this recipe, you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to get just the right level of spice that you will love. Gourmet Chinese food at home! Also a great fish recipe if you’re eating fish on Friday.

Shanghai Steamed Black Cod with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients for 4 servings:

4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Grated peel and juice from 1 Mandarin orange or tangerine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup MAGGI Seasoning Sauce
1/4 cup sake or dry white wine
1 bunch green onions, half bunch sliced thinly lengthwise and other half diced for garnish
4 quarter-sized slices fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 (4 to 5 ounces each) about 1-inch-thick Alaskan or Black Cod fish fillets (can use other white fish such as wild halibut, red snapper, orange roughy or talapia)
1 bunch thin asparagus spears, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups total)
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch circles (about 1 1/2 cups total)
Heavy-duty foil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 450° F.

HEAT 1 tablespoon sesame oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until brown.

COMBINE remaining 3 tablespoons sesame oil, browned garlic, orange juice and grated peel, chicken stock, seasoning sauce, sake, thinly sliced green onions, ginger, brown sugar, chili flakes and cinnamon in large bowl. Mix well, as shown above.

ARRANGE four 12 x 13-inch pieces of foil on work surface. Divide asparagus and zucchini evenly down center of each foil sheet. Place one fish fillet over vegetables.

FOLD up foil sides to create small foil bowl. Pour about one-quarter cup of the sauce over fish and vegetables for each packet. Double fold top and ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place on 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet.

BAKE for 17 to 20 minutes or until fish is just opaque in center and vegetables are crisp-tender. Carefully open packets, allowing steam to escape away from you and let cool briefly. Using a spatula, gently push the fish and vegetables onto plate. Top with sauce, diced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. (This is also great served over rice.)

Cook’s Tip:

Fish packets are also great on the grill! Preheat grill to medium. Place packets on grill; cover and cook over indirect heat for 20 minutes or until fish is opaque in center and vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from grill and open carefully.

Links:

More fish recipes:

No Mess Summer Fish Packets with Pesto

Lemon-Dill Salmon recipe

Summer Grilling: Beat The Heat By Bringing Cooking Outdoors

by liz · Jun 14, 2012

Written by Liz –

It’s the time of year to retire the oven and do a little backyard cooking, especially with Father’s Day just around the corner! With just a grill and tongs, the great outdoors can provide a natural setting for creative menus. Here are some tips and tricks for firing up your mealtime in the warm months ahead:

Arm Yourself with the Right Tools. If it’s always grill season for you, consider investing in a high-quality grill that can be used year after year. Next, buy a set of flat metal skewers—they do not require soaking and they will not fall apart like the wooden ones. The flat edge keeps food from turning, which is an added bonus.
Master the Classics. No barbecue is complete without hamburgers and hot dogs. Toasted buns should be placed butter side down for a few minutes until golden brown. Make handmade patties 3⁄4 of an inch thick and use chopped onions, dry onion-soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to season. Hot dogs should be turned often until slightly blistered on all sides. For veggie lovers, portobello mushrooms marinated in equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar are a tasty alternative.
Experiment. Grills are for more than just meat! Pizza, fruits and vegetables gain new appreciation when cooked on an open flame.

Kids and adults will both love this Grilled Fruit with Apple-Maple Syrup as a summertime treat. Brushed with a warm blend of 100% apple juice and pure maple syrup, this grillable dessert is ideal with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Fruit with Apple-Maple Syrup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1/2 cup Apple NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® All Natural 100% Juice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 slices ripe pineapple, peeled
2 peaches, cut in half, pits removed
4 scoops Vanilla DREYER’S or EDY’S SLOW CHURNED Light Ice Cream

Directions:

COMBINE Juicy Juice and syrup in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

PREHEAT grill. Brush fruit lightly with a small amount of syrup. Grill fruit, brushing occasionally with additional syrup, for about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned.

REMOVE fruit to individual dishes and top each with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with remaining syrup.

Links:

Related grilling recipes:

Linguine with Lemon and Grilled Baby Artichokes

Grilled Pound Cake with Seasonal Berries and Apple-Ginger Syrup recipe

Grilled Pound Cake with Seasonal Berries & Apple-Ginger Syrup

Summer Grilling Recipes: Ribs, Rubs & Chicken Galore

by liz · Jun 2, 2011

When the weather gets warm, I head outside to cook. Grilling season is here! Recently I’d eaten an entire meal of grilled food in Spain. And Memorial Day is a good time to pull off the cover and blow the dust away. The grill is your new best friend.

Grilling meat may seem daunting if you’ve never done it, so rest assured you can use a grill almost the same as you would an oven. Many recipes have directions for both an oven and a grill, and you can also use rubs, sauces and marinades to season any type of meat: beef, poultry, pork, lamb and more. All it takes is a little research and recipe hunting.

I started my summer grilling by using this Coffee-Spiced Rub recipe, which is perfect on ribs as shown in the recipe. But I wanted to grill a whole chicken using this rub, so I modified the cooking time since chicken has a lot less fat than ribs.

Coffee-Spiced Rub

(covers 4 pounds meat, shown on ribs at top)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons NESCAFÉ TASTER’S CHOICE House Blend 100% Pure Instant Coffee Granules or NESCAFÉ CLÁSICO Pure Instant Coffee Granules
1 1/4 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa

Directions:

COMBINE sugar, coffee granules, salt, garlic powder, coriander, pepper and cocoa in coffee or spice grinder; cover. Process until smooth. Lightly rub meat with oil. Sprinkle with rub mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere to the meat.

To learn how to grill a whole chicken, I turned to YouTube; it looked so easy! I had a whole chicken and some beef brisket as well, and I still wanted to use this recipe’s method of first slow cooking the meat over beer or wine, then grilling it to perfection at the end. Plus, I was dying to use a handcrafted pecan beer I got at the local beer festival – in the South – to perform this duty.

Since I was cooking chicken and brisket, the meat only needed about an hour in the oven at 250 (it made the house smell so good!) then I put it on the grill to finish the cooking and crisp up the outside. The leftover beer plus drippings in the bottom of the oven pan smelled so good, I used it to make a sauce.

For the sauce:

Pour the liquid from the pan under the meat through a sieve into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and add a bit of butter. Cook until it reduces by about half and serve alongside the meat.

For my next backyard dinner, I decided to marinate and grill a whole chicken. The marinade in this Chardonnay Marinated Chicken recipe captured my heart and I set to work. I doubled the amount of chardonnay to almost cover the chicken, and created a custom herb mix made from every herb growing in the garden around my house, including rosemary, thyme, parsley, lavender and mint. I also used good, local olive oil and large sea salt. Turning the chicken in the marinade a few times during the evening made me lick my fingers! I couldn’t wait to eat it.

To grill, I followed my handy YouTube instructions, and it turned out perfectly cooked. 15 minutes before the chicken was done, I added zucchini, asparagus and broccolini to the grill. I also made a warm spicy-vinegar potato salad and mini lemon tartlets to fill every last bit of space in my guests’ tummies.

My grill is now the most popular kid in town.

Links:

Related Grilling Recipes:

Skewered Sesame Chicken (oven or grill)

Grilled Pound Cake with Berries & Apple-Ginger Syrup