Restaurant Review: Webster House, Kansas City, MO

Webster House - visited for dinner on August 3, 2013

I was in Kansas City, MO earlier this month for a Hallmark ornament convention (why, yes, my freak flag did just hoist itself).  It's held every 2 years and I've gone to at least 6-7 of these events. Probably more but that's all I can remember to admit to.  Recently, they've been held in Kansas City which is Hallmark's headquarters.  I usually have a good time although my obsession interest in Hallmark ornaments has waned in the last few years.  This year though, the highlight of the trip for me ironically had nothing to do with ornaments.  Instead, I met two people I've gotten to know from my online fitness board but had previously interacted with just virtually.  One of them, Debbie, I had met two years earlier, the last time I was in Kansas City and the other, Mel, both Debbie and I finally met in person a few weeks ago.

Pretzel Rolls

Mel was able to get us reservations at Webster House in Kansas City and off we went.  Webster House is on the National Register of Historic Places so it was really cool to go somewhere a little different for dinner.  I wish I had thought to take pictures of the inside because I don't have the right words to describe it sufficiently.  The restaurant is located in a big brick building which also houses antique shops.  It's on the second floor and you go through rooms that look like they could be libraries or parlors of stately homes in times gone by.  Classy all the way and not your average eatery.

Fresh Basil and Tomato Campanelle Pasta with Shrimp

Our very nice wait person, Sarah, brought us a basket of pretzel rolls that were still warm and were delicious.  Despite a reasonable amount of menu selections, all three of us decided we wanted the pasta and added shrimp.  Being from a coastal state, I made a wisecrack about whether I could trust shrimp so far inland and Debbie came back with: "We do."  Ha, fair point.  Considering I once had great barramundi fish and chips in the Australian Outback many miles away from the ocean, shrimp in Kansas City at a good restaurant didn't seem like a big risk.  And it turned out to be a good choice because the pasta was amazing.  From the menu, the description read: "sliced garlic, white wine, pepperoncini and shaved Grana Padana."  What it didn't say it was the light broth the pasta came in had an excellent flavor and you can tell it was freshly made with quality ingredients.  The shrimp was also excellent and the pasta was cooked perfectly.

Chocolate Creme Brulee

Needless to say, you can't get together three women who exercise regularly and not have dessert.  I don't know about the other two but I know I workout as much as I do because I eat dessert.  Debbie and I went with the Chocolate Creme Brulee (Silky Chocolate Custard infused with Meyers Rum) and it was pure smooth creamy chocolate goodness.  Again, you can tell they used "the good chocolate". It's something meant to be savored slowly in small bites; otherwise it might be a little too rich to consume all at once.  I didn't finish all of it but I gave it my best shot and came close, except for the part under the whipped cream. At least the whipped cream gave me a reason not to lick the dish; otherwise, you never know how much I was willing to embarrass myself in pursuit of good chocolate.

Key Lime "Pie"

Mel, whose kryptonite is cheese rather than chocolate (we like her anyway), opted for the Key Lime "Pie" (menu decription: Semifreddo of Key Lime Curd, Vanilla Bean Mousse & Graham Cracker Crust, Served with a Raspberry Coulis & Candied Lime Slices).  I'm not a big fan of key lime but I had a taste of her dessert and had to admit it was quite good - perfect blend of tartness and sweetness.  But I was quite happy to stay focused on my chocolate creme brulee.

Speaking of chocolate, I have to give a shout out to Mel who also brought me a box of Christopher Elbow fancy artisanal chocolates: a sweet collection of uppity chocolate truffles with all sorts of exotic fillings. Christopher Elbow is a local Kansas City chocolatier so it was the perfect gift for this small-business chocoholic supporter. The chocolate creme brulee fulfilled my chocolate quotient that night but I will confess that I broke into the box of chocolates on my plane ride home the next day.  Two of them didn't land at the airport with me, at least not in their original form in the pretty little box. Mmmm, they were good, smooth, creamy, beautifully decorated and presented and, rest assured, they went down easy.  Now that's the good chocolate.

White Texas Sheet Cake

White Texas Sheet Cake - made August 10, 2013 from Frieda Loves Bread

Back again with another version of a Texas Vanilla Sheet Cake.  I'm really liking the simplicity and goodness of this type of cake, whether it's chocolate or vanilla.  I'd had this pinned to my baking pin board for awhile and it's been so long that (once again) I thought I had already made it.  But nope, I've made something very, very similar but not this exact cake.  Most of the difference from what I've made before is in the frosting but I had evaporated milk and sour cream to use up so it seemed like a good time to experiment with another recipe. Plus, let's be honest, I enjoy this type of cake so much that I look for the slightest excuse to make it.

Despite the name, I never bake it as a sheet cake since I don't want it to be too thin.  Instead I always make it in a 9 x 13 pan.  It does bake up thicker and I don't always remember to let it bake long enough so you can tell when it's underbaked because it's more dense than it should be.  But that doesn't detract from the flavor and it still comes out pretty well.  The frosting is a bit sweet so feel free to cut back on the sugar.  If you make it as a 9 x 13 cake, you'll end up with more frosting than you need...unless you're someone who likes a little cake with their frosting.  Otherwise, only spread enough frosting for the thickness you want and save the rest for another cake.

If you're a novice baker or someone who doesn't bake that much, this is an easy recipe to start out with because it's really easy to put together, it only uses one pan, the frosting is easy to make and you spread it directly on top of the warm cake and let it set.  No worrying about stacking layers, frosting top, sides and in between layers, crumb coating or finish coating.  Just mix, bake, frost and eat.

1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups + 4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

Frosting
1 cup butter
6 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
4-5 cups confectioners' sugar (I used less, just enough for the sweetness and consistency I wanted)
1 cup pecans, optional (I left them out)

1. Put butter and water in a large bowl.  Heat in microwave for 2 minutes.  Stir until all the butter is melted.  Add sugar, flour, salt, and soda.  Stir with a wire whisk until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Stir in sour cream until all is blended. 
2. Pour into a 9 x 13" baking pan, lined with foil and lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. 
3. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched or toothpick inserted in center comes clean.
4. Remove from the oven and make the frosting.
5. Cook butter and milk for 3-4 minutes in microwave.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a dash of salt.  Beat until smooth. Add nuts, if using, and gently spread on warm cake.

Bakery Review: Prolific Oven

Prolific Oven - visited July 31, 2013

I first heard of Prolific Oven over 15 years ago when I brought my Chocolate Caramel Brownies to work.  One of my coworkers said she brought one home to her husband and came back to me the next day with "he said he would divorce me and marry you for your brownies."  And that those brownies could put Prolific Oven out of business.  Huh.  Brushing aside the facetious marriage proposal, my ears only heard "Prolific Oven" which translated in my brain as "new bakery I must try".

Back then I only found them in Saratoga but, 30 years since their start, they're still a family-owned business and now in four locations.  The expansion is well deserved as the first thing I discovered about Prolific Oven is they make really good cakes.  I haven't tried a brownie in recent memory as I rarely buy anyone else's brownies since I prefer my own (okay, that sounded vain but I can't help it) but I couldn't beat Prolific Oven's cakes even if I tried.  Rest assured they're not going out of business due to my baking anytime soon.

I recently went there with one of my coworkers to get a dessert to go.  What I like about them is you can buy any individual-sized desserts, even a slice of cake.  The cakes in the display case always look so mouthwatering and unlike some other bakeries where I'm leery of having something that's been in a refrigerated display case for too long (which means they can be dry), I've never had a bad cake slice from Prolific Oven.

For this particular trip, I chose the Chocolate Mocha Cake.  The cashier took the partially sliced cake out of the display case, cut a piece for me and packaged it up in their plastic to-go container.

Unfortunately, the paper sleeve she used to situate the cake inside the container smushed the frosting so this isn't the best picture so in this case a picture might not say a thousand words but a forkful of this cake does and they all start with "yum......."  I love the soft texture of the cake and it was moist with a perfect mocha flavor enhancing the chocolate.  More importantly to me, it was just a simple, no-frills, all-goodness mocha cake: blend of coffee and chocolate with a reasonable amount of frosting.  That meant I didn't have to scrape off piles of frosting and waste it and there was no jam or jelly or fruit to interfere with my enjoyment of a good mocha cake.

Their bakery cafes also offer savory items and entrees for lunch but I'd rather save my calories for their cakes.

Restaurant Review: Lion & Compass

Lion & Compass - visited for dinner on July 30, 2013

If you're keeping an eye on the dates when I bake things and when I go out to eat, I'm caught up to August for my baking experiments but the eateries are still where I've gone in July. Yeah, I really do eat out a lot.  And this isn't the last restaurant/eatery/bakery post for July either.

Macadamia-Crusted Seabass

Lion & Compass is the quintessential restaurant for business lunches and dinners.  It's in a bit of an odd location in that it's a standalone restaurant amidst a residential area of condos and apartments but across from a half-empty office park and right off the freeway. But the restaurant is large and portions of it can be sectioned off and there are little rooms that would cozily hold a party of 8 and a library (yes, it really seems to be a library if you call a room lined with bookshelves and books with dim lighting a library) that can hold a larger group of 16-20.

Grilled Filet Mignon

Its cuisine is best classified as upscale American fare and they do a nice job with various seafood, pasta and meat dishes. They also have a good selection of salads and vegetarian entrees so it's usually safe to take business acquaintances and colleagues here and not have to worry that someone won't be able to find something to suit their dietary preferences.  It's a higher price point but the food is generally pretty good. For this dinner, I ordered the filet mignon pictured above and it was cooked perfectly, was tender and the mushroom sauce was delicious.

Someone ordered this but I can't remember what it was

I get together regularly with a group of former colleagues from my last company.  Our get togethers started out as my VP and another VP doing combined team dinners so all the team members can relax and get to know each other.  Turns out we liked each other outside of the office too and it's now morphed into friends getting together for dinner, no longer bound together just by work.  Which is really nice, especially considering that out of the 9-10 people in the regular group, only 1 person is still at our old company yet we all continue to get together because we like seeing each other.

Soy-Seared Salmon with Shrimp Potstickers

There were seven of us at this last dinner as a few others couldn't make it but we had a good time and were lucky enough to be in an enclosed room.  It wasn't such a tight squeeze that we were sitting on top of each other but it was secluded enough from the rest of the restaurant and the bar just outside the room that we could talk comfortably and not worry about making too much noise or having the noise from the rest of the restaurant intrude on the conversation.

Butterscotch Pot de Creme

All the pics posted here aren't what we got at the last dinner (just the first 4 above were taken then) but since I've been to Lion & Compass often enough before, I'm also adding the pictures I've taken on previous visits.  I had the filet mignon and didn't have room for dessert this time around so these dessert pictures are from past visits.  The Butterscotch Pot de Creme above is my dessert of choice when I want to indulge (and have room).  While I normally don't like custard-type desserts, I make exceptions for creme brulee and creamy custards like this one.  I also don't normally like butterscotch since it can get too sweet but the one from Lion & Compass was really good, smooth and creamy with the perfect butterscotch flavor.

Apple Tart

The Profiteroles are quite good as well because a) they're filled with ice cream instead of whipped cream, b) the choux pastry is crisp and light and c) they're smothered in chocolate sauce.  What's not to love?

Profiteroles

German Chocolate Brownies

German Chocolate Brownies - made August 5, 2013, adapted from The Brownie Experience by Lisa Tanner

I had made this recipe long, long ago, back during my college days when I first got The Brownie Experience. I've had this book for so long that it isn't even easily available at retail anymore and you pretty much have to get it secondhand.  I'm keeping mine until it disintegrates or I've documented everything from it online because I've gotten some good recipes from this book.

Even though I'd made these before, it was so long ago that I had no memory what these brownies tasted like so it was like trying out a new recipe again. And let's just say I'm glad I did.  I like German chocolate versions of brownies and cakes, usually because of the topping because I love that coconut-pecan combination.  But in this particular case, the brownie base was the star. It had a soft, moist, fudgy texture that I loved.  Usually the drawback with German chocolate brownies is it literally uses German chocolate which is a sweet chocolate so by definition, it's more sweet than chocolaty.  This version, however, uses unsweetened chocolate and is only billed as a German chocolate brownie because of the topping.  That works for me because the unsweetened chocolate gave it a lot more chocolate punch.

The only thing I would do differently though is I think I cooked the frosting too long even though I did it for 12 minutes as the original recipe directed.  But that thickened and evaporated it just a trifle too much so I think I would take it off after less than 10 minutes on the stove before adding  the coconut and pecans.  In case you want a more gooey frosting.

2 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate (I used 3 ounces)

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

¾ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup flour

Coconut Pecan Topping

½ cup evaporated milk

½ cup sugar

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

¼ cup butter

½ teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup coconut, flaked or shredded

½ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Butter an 8” square pan.
2. Melt chocolate, set aside to cool.  Cream butter with sugar and eggs.  Stir in vanilla, then flour.  Thoroughly blend in melted chocolate.  Spread batter in pan.
3. Bake about 20 minutes. 
4. Let cool in pan, then spread with Coconut Pecan Topping.  Cut into squares.
5. Coconut pecan topping: Combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla in a small saucepan.  Stir constantly over medium heat until thick, about 12 minutes (remove after 9-10 minutes if it already seems thick enough).  Remove from heat.  Stir in coconut and pecans.
6. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.  Mix in chocolate chips.

Makes 16 brownies

Eatery Review: The Habit Burger Grill

The Habit Burger Grill - visited July 27, 2013

I like a good burger but I typically don't have it that often unless I'm at St John's.  I don't go to fast food places more than a few times a year, if that (if you've ever read Fast Food Nation or watched Supersize Me, you'd know why) or to specialty burger joints because, honestly, I hate condiments and all the "stuff" most places pile onto a burger.  I'm often looked at cross-eyed when I ask for a burger "plain", meaning I want the burger and the bun and that's it. The cashier always wonders if he or she has heard me correctly and anyone I'm with rolls their eyes (yeah, they judge) but I stick to my guns.  I have them add cheese if I'm feeling indulgent and lettuce if I want the illusion of virtue but that's all.  No ketchup, no mustard, no pickles (shudder), no tomatoes, no onions, no mushrooms, nothing!

My friend Cindy, on the night we went to ToBang, told me about The Habit as a good burger alternative to In N Out (if I do go to fast food, I go to In N Out before anywhere else, both because they have good burgers and because they pay their employees a higher wage than your average fast food place) so I thought I'd go see what they were like.  According to their website, The Habit started out in Santa Barbara, CA when two brothers borrowed some money from their mom and bought what was once a burger stand in Goleta, CA.  Since then, they've built the Habit to what it is now, including a 70-location franchise. 

I hadn't really noticed this one near me until Cindy mentioned it and since it was in the pathway of my usual round of weekend errands, it was a perfect opportunity to try it out.  I was there a little before noon so it wasn't too crowded.  I gave my order to the nice cashier (ahem, plain hamburger with lettuce for virtue and cheese for indulgence) plus sweet potato fries which lately had become my caloric splurge of choice over regular french fries.

I took it to go and the wait for my food wasn't too long - not so short that I would think they just took a burger patty out from under the heat lamp but not so long as it make me impatient.

The burger was pretty good and the bun was fresh. The patty wasn't as thick as the ones at St. John's though so it doesn't usurp their spot as my favorite burger place. The only drawback to The Habit's burger is I would've preferred leaf lettuce instead of what I consider lettuce shreds.  Otherwise, Cindy was right and it is a good burger alternative to In N Out.  I liked that their prices were similar to In N Out in terms of cheapness ($6.20 for a burger, fries and drink but I upgraded to sweet potato fries and paid around $8) but not so "99-cent menu" as to make me wonder what the burger or fries were made of (or not made of).

Plus, really, I like any place that serves yummy sweet potato fries. Two thumbs up for The Habit.

Brown Sugar Toffee Cake

Brown Sugar Toffee Cake - made August 7, 2013 from Baking Style by Lisa Yockelson

Sometimes the downside of baking so much is I could swear I've already made a particular recipe because it seems so familiar.  But when I can't find it on my blog or in my "already made" files, it's time to admit I just think I made it but actually haven't.  In my defense though, this recipe is so similar to other brown sugar and/or toffee pound cakes I've made, that it's easy to be mistaken.

Remember how I always seem to need to use up buttermilk so I have to make this cake that uses it or that one which also does before my buttermilk expires? Someone told me I could preserve buttermilk by pouring it into ice cube trays and freezing them until I needed buttermilk again. But I could never remember to buy ice cube trays (in these days of ice makers in freezers, I can't even remember last time I saw ice cube trays in a store) and I kept having to throw out buttermilk on its expiration date.  Well, I finally crossed the chasm and decided to give powdered buttermilk a try. I tried out this one from Hoosier Hill Farm via amazon. It got good reviews and was made in the USA - that's good enough for me.

Although the directions don't say so on the packaging, thanks to the info on amazon, I knew to mix 4 tablespoons of the buttermilk powder with 1 cup of water to get 1 cup of buttermilk.  It was much more watery than I expected.  I think I was expecting something like the thick, creamy consistency of the fresh buttermilk I bought from Trader Joe's but that wasn't the case with reconsituted buttermilk. Nevertheless, I forged ahead.

This was a pretty standard pound cake recipe and it was fairly good although I don't know if I found it particularly memorable, a rare occurrence for a Lisa Yockelson recipe.  Neither the brown sugar or the toffee really came out in the flavor and this didn't even seem that buttery.  It was just a somewhat bland (to me) pound cake. The texture was good but I'm not going to remember the flavor as anything particularly striking. It did go fairly quickly at work the next day so I guess this is another case where my taste buds are annoyingly picky.

3 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped toffee bars

½ pound (16 tablespoons or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.
4. Toss the toffee with 2 tablespoons of the sifted mixture in a medium-size mixing bowl.
5. Cream the butter in the large bowl of a freestanding electric mixer on moderate speed for 4 minutes.  Add the granulated sugar in 2 additions, beating for 1 minute after each portion is added.  Add the dark brown sugar and beat for 1 minute longer.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds after each addition to combine.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  On low speed, alternately add the sifted mixture in 3 additions with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the sifted mixture.  Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl thoroughly with a rubber spatula after each addition.  Stir in the toffee, making sure to fully incorporate the candy.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan.  Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
7. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until risen, set and a toothpick inserted into the cake withdraws clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. 
8. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.  Invert the cake onto another cooling rack.  Lift off the pan.  Cool completely.  Store in an airtight cake keeper.