Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie

Boston Cream Pie

In these 4videos, I was showing how to make a simple Boston Cream Pie. Start here and scroll up for the full sequence. sb

Making Parfaits

We had a good time yesterday making parfaits together. My brother and I got a case of the giggles while we were filming but we couldn't help ourselves. Watch the videos and make some of your own. What flavor combinations do you like?

Parfait video 2

Perfect Summer Parfaits

Sophie makes a great snack

Ian's Pizza - State Street, Madison WI

Last week I went to Ian's Pizza on State Street in Madison. Ian's is not just a regular pizza place. They use fresh ingredients in all different kinds of ways so the pizza tastes awesome and is healthier, too. I went with a friend and my mom, and I will tell you about our pizza, the staff at Ian's and the restaurant setting.

I ate the seasonal special "Chili Cheese Fritos". It had real Fritos, cheese and chili, just like it says. It was delicious!! My friend had "Pepperoni Mushroom". She had never liked fresh mushrooms before, but she gave it a try and the mushrooms were her favorite part. She said "I can't stop eating my mushrooms!!". We shared a "Mac n' Cheese" pizza, and this was my favorite. The noodles were cooked perfectly "al dente" (not too mushy, not too hard) and the sauce was rich and creamy. My Mama Mia ate a Mediterranean piece called the "Kalamata Mozzarella". It had greek olive puree, fresh mozzarella slices and roasted red peppers. She could taste every ingredient and thought the combination was perfect together. On all pieces, the crust was light (like a crisp cracker) and didn't take away from the flavors of the toppings (like a thick crust would). The price of an Ian's slice fit in my mom's budget at $3.50.

We went to Ian's around 5:00pm, and we were greeted immediately by one worker, and another asked us if we had any questions about their menu. Behind the counter there were about 5 pizza pies with different combinations of slices. She gave us a "tour" of what was there and told us about all of the ingredients. They looked freshly made and it was pretty hard to choose what to order. There was also a good selection of drinks, including a line of Izze soft drinks. The pomegranate flavor was suggested to us, and we were not disappointed! It was a little sweet and a little sour, and went very well with our pizzas.

I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff. They seemed excited and proud of the food they were selling to us. They even let me come behind the counter and take a picture with them, holding a piece of my favorite "Mac n' Cheese".

The restaurant itself was clean and tidy. There are newer wooden booths, the lighting was slightly dimmed (too bright of lights can make it feel like a cafeteria), soft funky music was playing and there was funny poster art on the walls to give diners a laugh. Last but not least - a sign of a well kept restaurant is a clean bathroom. Ian's passed the test!

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest rating, I rate Ian's a perfect 10. Every pizza is made with fresh, flavorful ingredients. There are combinations my mom likes and wacky ones for me, too, and they all taste awesome. Their fresh ingredients makes me excited about food and trying new things with my friends. The staff is friendly and helpful, the setting clean and relaxing, and the cost is the same as a greasy fast food chain. When there's a choice, I suggest Ian's every time!

Monday Night Molasses Cookies part three

Monday Night Molasses Cookies part two

Monday Night Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies

Tonight I made molasses cookies from a recipe off of Brer Rabbit Molasses. It was easy to make and the cookies were sugary and sweet and perfectly chewy. My parents made some videos of me making the cookies and we will post them soon. It was fun.
After I baked a batch I got too excited and touched the hot baking sheet and burned my finger. Tip: When you burn yourself in the kitchen, run cold water over it for a minute and it will feel better. Oh yeah, and another tip: don't get too excited over freshly baked molasses cookies and burn your hand reaching for one. Wait for it to cool first.

Here's the recipe......They are delicious!

Molasses Sugar Cookies
Source: Bottle of Brer Rabbit Molasses (Mild Flavor)

3/4 cup marjarine (we only use real butter!!)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup Brer Rabbit Mild or Full Flavored Molasses
1 egg
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
granulated sugar

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat together marjarine (butter!) and 1 cup sugar untile creamy. Add molasses and egg, beating until well blended. In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and ginger. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Cover and chill.
Form dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each in sugar; place on non-stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 1 minute. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Stay tuned for my videos.

And next I will review a local pizzeria.

Thank you to my mom for helping me type out this entry.

Little Sophia's Kitchen

I love tasty foods and I want to show how cooking is easy and fun. I love food from other countries and different parts of the United States. I love to taste new and different things and learn how to make them. I love sharing great meals with friends and family. Everything I will cook is made from scratch. I will also share reviews of restaurants and food shopping tips. Oh Yeah, and "bon appetit"!