Food for thought

I have been losing sleep the past few nights. Why? I can't seem to shake off all these food thoughts, ideas, recipes coming to my head. For no reason, or for a reason, whatever it is of my passions, food seems to be the one tugging at my heart the most right now. They first come in vaguely. Like a simple, common food pairing or a dish. Then it starts to morph a little bit. A little change here, a little exotic twist there. Then the visualization comes in. The colors, the layers, final "look" and the plating- placement, cherry balsamic reduction swirl there, a dab of green herb sauce for accent... Once it starts, I just can't stop.

I've also been indulging in discovering and snooping around different food recipe blogs. Usually jumping from a blog I like to another recommended on it. As Picasso said "Good artists borrow, great artists steal." And seeing as cooking is art, let us steal and improve upon our knowledge so we can do better and dream bigger and always cook scrumpdiliciously. Being an aesthetics lover and nut I tend to only love sites that have good recipes, but also great over all design and great photos. Here are some of my favorite ones (Yumsugar is the one I go to regularly. Not necessarily a blog, it's just a really fun food site.)

Cream Puffs in Venice
Rice and Noodles
Seven Spoons
YumSugar

This obsessing over food does mean I have been neglecting my other loves. Of my top three- art, travelling, and food seeing as I just did some travelling out into beautiful Santa Barbara county, CA this past weekend (which also involved WINE TASTING) I am only neglecting art. Which, really is the worst one to neglect. Good news though, I just bought 2 yds of canvas today. I have less than two weeks before I leave for Chicago (well plus roadtrip days) which means I have only that time, really less than, to paint something on it. This means lots of fun, tons of painting and being happy. Also I have a few "people in LA" drawings I'd like to start on soon. I will post some fresh art ASAP. That's a promise.

Anyway, here is a really fun recipe I'm going to try out ASAP.


Red Velvet Cake Balls

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Bakerella (for more photos and other recipes)