Tomato Basil Bruschetta

I fell in love with bruschetta when we visited Italy a few years ago.  There are so many ways to make bruschetta, but I prefer the traditional tomato basil recipe.  I requested this for Mother's Day this year, and I loved it so much, I also made it and brought it along to our annual Girls' Weekend too. 

It's a simple recipe but won't short you on taste.  I promise. :)

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

1 baguette, sliced and toasted

2 tsp minced garlic

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 1/2 cups minced roma tomatoes

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add tomatoes, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper. 
2. Mix thoroughly and let sit for at least 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to marinate. 
3. Slice and toast bread, and spoon the mixture onto the top of individual slices. 

Notes: 

I omitted the vinegar when I made this recipe because it's not my favorite, but I still included it in the recipe because it is traditionally included when you make bruschetta.  Try it both ways and see what you like. 

The basil is the key here. I cannot stress enough how it totally makes this recipe.  I always grow basil and use it fresh from the garden.  

Can Two Rights Make a Left?

Time will tell, I suppose.  Doesn't every parent wonder at some point whether their wee one will become a righty or a lefty?  I sure do.  Lexi primarily sucks her right hand, but she will occasionally suck her left thumb too.  She picks up toys and food pretty equally with both hands at this point.  

Our pediatrician agrees that it's still too soon to know with Lexi.  However both John and I are righties so we have always tended to assume she will be too.   But in both cases, we both have moms who are/were lefties as well as siblings who are lefties too.  So I suppose there is a family connection somewhere in there too. 

With all that in mind, I decided to do a little research to see what the experts say.  It is actually pretty interesting, in that handedness is in fact genetic.  However, it's not as simple as right handedness being dominant and left handedness being recessive.  If that were the case, then two left handed parents would always make a left handed child, and two right handed parents would never make a left handed child, but as it happens, neither is the case.  

It turns out that in our case, two right handed parents still have a 1 in 10 chance of having a left handed child.  The same holds true if only the dad is left handed.  The odds rise to 2 in 10 if the mom is left handed, and 4 in 10 if both parents are left handed.  Clearly there is something other than genetics at work here.  If you look at identical twins, they start with the same DNA, however when one twin is a lefty, the other is also a lefty only 76% of the time.  Hmmm, very interesting. 

Experts believe that environment also plays a key role. Babies can be born genetically predispositioned to become a lefty but ultimately something needs to trigger it for that to happen. There is also some research to suggest that birth order plays a part as well.  That research indicated that first borns were less likely to become lefties than children who were born later in the birth order. In both our cases, that held true.  Misty is our lefty and she is the youngest of the three Harris sisters. In my husband's family, he is the first born and is a righty, but his younger brother is the lefty of their bunch. 

In many ways, I think it sure would be cool for Lexi to be a lefty.  But I also think it would be harder on us as parents to try to teach her to do things if she did them opposite from us.  Either way, she will be perfect.  And as I say, time will tell.  Until then it sure is fun to try to figure it all out.  :)

Grasshopper Poke Cake

One of Ryan Barrett Walkush's absolute favorite things is mint. So, when I happened upon this recipe, I knew that the right thing to do was to stash it away and test it out on his birthday. It was the right thing to do.

This cake is layers of chocolate and mint yummi-ness. Hard to go wrong. And while we used it as a birthday cake, this would also make the perfect dessert to bring to any upcoming Summer and holiday cookouts.

Grasshopper Poke Cake

1 box of devil's food cake mix

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk

12.8 oz jar hot fudge sauce

10 oz package Keebler Grasshopper Mint & Fudge Cookies, crushed

16 oz container Cool Whip 

2 capfuls peppermint flavoring

4.67 oz package Andes Mints, chopped

green food coloring (if desired)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 11 x 13 pan. Set aside.
2. Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute until ingredients are incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. The batter should look well blended.
3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 28 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
4. Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the entire cake (about 24 holes). Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the cake, making sure to fill the holes.
5. Heat the hot fudge sauce in a small bowl in the microwave to soften, about 15 seconds.
6. Mix half of the crumbled cookies into the hot fudge sauce. Spread the cookie/fudge sauce over the cake, making sure to fill the holes.
7. In a large bowl, mix together 2 capfuls of peppermint flavoring and the Cool Whip. If desired, add green food coloring until desired color is achieved. Spread the whipped topping over the fudge layer.
8. Spread the remaining cookie crumbs over top of the Cool Whip. Sprinkle the chopped Andes Mint over top.
9. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Notes: 

If an even easier version of this recipe is desired, prepare the boxed cake mix according to package directions. Directions given are for a Doctored Devil's Food Cake and this same cake can be paired with your favorite frosting in lieu of making as a poke cake.

If you are interested in other Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, give these a looksee:

Doctored Confetti Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Doctored Cake with Strawberry Filling and Frosting

Doctored Reese's Peanut Butter Cake