Just me, gushing...

I am so fortunate to be a member of such a friendly, helpful, amazing blogger community! Although it is mostly foodie-bloggers, it is not only foodie bloggers. I feel like an actor at the Academy Awards when they say that they have "the best job on the planet!" Except for the fact that I don't get paid- ah well. I just wanted to thank a few of those awesome people around me for passing some awards my way. First up is a fairly new friend...Rebecca from Chow and Chatter. Rebecca is a dietitian, a writer and a personal trainer...and she still finds the time to comment on many blogs and make new friends! She is a lovely person and has been keeping me informed on a variety of subjects from health to markets to fun facts to drool-worthy food. Thank you so much for passing this on to me Rebecca! Since I've passed this one on before, I'm going to sit on it for now ;)

Another one of my newer friends here in blogland is Jenn from Bread+Butter. Not only is Jenn a foodie who cooks up awesome meals and shares helpful tips...she's also a filmmaker (currently busy writing something wonderful)! Jenn shared this award with me recently...thanks Jenn!

I'm supposed to pass this on to a few (Okay 7, but we'll see) blogs I've recently discovered.... -Angel in the Kitchen I discovered her when she was featured on FFF...and fell head over heels for her tasty recipes, gorgeous photography and lovely personality. -Chow and Chatter Well, you all know how I feel about Rebecca's blog (if you've been paying attention, that is!). -Madly Creative LadyP has mad skillz...Great photos, thoughtful, creative and great taste in food. -Bytes from Texas Miss Hornsfan herself...a woman after my own heart with a love for family and a passion for great food! -Alosha's Kitchen I've always enjoyed Melissa's cooking and kind words, but I knew I'd always come back to her blog when she told us we'd better make an awesome dish (2 actually) that she'd found or else...she would "kick us in the shins"! Ha! -Karen Cooks Okay, Karen isn't new to blogging, but I've only just found her and I'm loving every minute of her yummy food and kind spirit! -Whatcha Eatin? Kristin has made me ga-ga over her food (I want that puffed pancake) and she's made me cry over the joy of being a mom... -Cooking Tip of the Day I don't know how she finds the time to do all she does...always offering up not only delicious recipes, but fabulous tips and hints for your time in the kitchen...Linda does it all!

And then there is this hilarious award...ha ha ha. It's from Sophia at Burp and Slurp~...Sophia is bravely sharing her journey of recovery from an eating disorder (she calls him ED)...all the while making and eating some delicious food & exploring the wonder that is human nature. Thanks Miss Burpilicious...you are an inspiration.

I would like to pass this award on to: -Chef E, the Behind the Wheel Chef at Cook Appeal and TMI Because she has become a friend and lent me support, made me laugh and become a source of happiness to me :) -Natashya at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies...she is a true inspiration both in the kitchen and as a lovely person. -Gin (whom I love to bestow awards upon) at Once Upon a Gourmet Gin because she is one of the coolest cyber-friends I know...she's always there to inflate my ego, make me drool, and inspire me to reach higher! Okay, wow...I've gone on and on...and I bet if I didn't make myself stop, each one of you would be listed here because I truly do learn something, laugh about something, feel support from someone and admire each and every one of you on a daily basis! Thanks for being such a great support system. ****Today is the absolute final day to submit entries for my Chile Pepper roundup and Giveaway!!! Thanks to everybody who has sent entries my way....and GOOD LUCK!!!!****

We go together like...

...peanut butter and jelly? Or maybe peanut butter and chocolate? Dare I say peanut butter, jelly AND chocolate? I'm going to let you in on a little secret (okay, it's not that secret), I do NOT like peanut butter and jelly together; separately, yes. However, peanut butter and chocolate together, I adore. I know some of you are cursing me now. Doesn't like peanut butter and jelly!? Ha, how un-American is that! Who does she think she is? Is she too good for peanut butter and jelly? Why, I never. I know, right. I remember a babysitter I had as a kid...she made everybody else peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and I said, "Hold the jelly, Sue" (well, I don't actually remember her name, but Sue sounds good). Sometimes in the summer on one of those long days spent in the sun and the pool with loads of family, we'll end up taking a peanut butter sandwich break. It always makes me laugh to see everybody, young and old, shouting out their order! Smooth! Crunchy! Grape! Strawberry! HOLD THE JELLY!! I will eat just plain peanut butter with a big, ice cold glass of milk...but I also like peanut butter and honey or peanut butter and bananas (my uncle's fave is actually grilled peanut butter and bananas...channeling Elvis!?). And from my mom I get the love of a grilled, crunchy peanut butter sandwich and a peanut butter and lettuce sandwich. But, I digress. I am actually here to tell you about these fab looking bars I saw in the Food Network Magazine's past issue. A few of the FN chefs were given a regular pantry ingredient (Saltines) to make into something new. Check out these bad boys!

PB&J Chocolate Bars by Sarah Copeland, Food Network Magazine J/J '09 FOR THE BASE: 1 stick unsalted butter 1/3 c. granulated sugar 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 large egg, beaten 1 sleeve saltines (40 crackers, regular or whole wheat), finely crushed 3/4 c. finely chopped roasted peanuts FOR THE FILLING AND GLAZE: 1/4 c. grape jelly 7 Tbs. + 1 tsp. unsalted butter, softened 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter 1/2 c. confectioners sugar 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or chips) First thing I did was to put the saltines in a baggie and roll them until they were finely crushed. I actually did the same thing with the peanuts. MAKE THE BASE: Line an 8" square baking pan with foil, extending it over the sides. Put the butter in a medium heat proof bowl; position the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water". Once the butter melts, stir in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the egg; cook, whisking, until the mixture is warm and the consistency of hot fudge, 6 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in saltine crumbs and peanuts. Press the crust into the pan. Set aside the saucepan of water...then, MAKE THE FILLING: Spread the jelly over the crust in the pan; place in the freezer for a few minutes. Beat 5 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. butter, the peanut butter and confectioners' sugar with a mixer until light. Spread over the jelly layer; return to the freezer while you make the glaze. Place the chocolate and remaining 2 Tbs. of butter in a heatproof bowl; set over the pan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. When cool but still runny, spread over the chilled peanut butter layer. Freeze another 30 minutes. Bring the bars to room temperature. Use the foil flaps to remove the bars from the pan; cut into squares.

I urge you NOT to make these on a hot day like I did...or you'll have a hot mess on your hands! Bring them to room temp in an actual "room temp" room, not a sauna. The bottom layer stays nice and firm, but the peanut butter layer will slide right off of the jelly layer and the top chocolate layer will keep on sliding after that. HA..it was actually pretty funny; I mean, I couldn't really get mad about something so out of my control as the weather, so I just had to smile. The good thing about them, though is that you can just set them into the fridge to firm up and no harm done! I actually ended up keeping leftovers in the fridge, too. Okay, they were good. Not good enough to make me join the school of We go together like peanut butter and jelly, but good enough that I've eaten more than one. ***There are still a couple of days left to send me your recipes that included Chile Peppers from the month of May for my end of the month Round-Up!! You may even win a cool prize :)

"We go together like... Ramma lamma lamma ka dingity ding da dong Shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yippity boom da boom Chang chang changity chang shoo bop Dip da dip da dip do wop da dooby do Boogy boogy boogy boogy shooby sho wap sho wap Sha na na na na na na na yippity dip da do ...we'll always be together"

Grilling Up Fun...and Salad.

Even though I haven't had any actual "grilling" posts, we've grilled out quite a few times already this month. For some reason, it's one of things that I end up outside and busy and forget to take pictures...I start talking or basking in the sun or chasing around kiddos or running from the sprinkler, so I haven't really had anything to show you. Well yesterday, I strapped on my camera as I headed out the door with a couple of trays of food that were destined for the grill. Although it almost feels incomplete because I don't have any "before/naked food" photos. I have been craving corn on the cob. It has ALWAYS been one of my absolute favorite things to eat. For the last couple of years, I've been waiting until it's actually in season to eat any. I gave up that this year...because I wanted it, craved it, NEEDED it!! I found some gorgeous, bi-color sweet corn...(Florida in origin...I almost feel guilty)...really I think I'll just blame on my youngest, sweet-faced, angel-eyed son. I mean, he would not let me pass by the corn stand in the market. Seriously would not let me!! He was determined to walk around carrying a few ears of corn right up to that register if I wasn't going to. So, I gave in (to both of our weakness). There is seriously not much better than corn on the cob fresh from the grill. On the menu: *Arrachera (Mexican-style, thin-cut, tenderized skirt steak) -I marinate this in lime juice, minced garlic & salt...I'll do a whole post on just this someday

*Honey Chipotle Chicken Tenders

-Marinade: honey, chipotle chiles in adobo, minced garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper

*Corn on the Cob

-peel off only the outermost layers of the husk. I used to think you HAD to soak the corn like this before you set it on the grill. Mexichef gave me all kinds of guff about this saying they NEVER soaked it "in Mexico"...blah, blah, la, la...okay, whatever you say...well, tail between my legs. He was so right. Enlist the kiddos if there are any around to do this easy-peeling task right outside by the grill. Mine WANT to do it...ASK to do it, so why not! On a separate note, I decided to start an "off topic" blog to post miscellaneous stuff like this that some people may not be interested in seeing...less foodie related (even though I always seem to end up back in the kitchen). Check it out if you're interested.

*Poblanos

-just washed.

*Tortillas

Now, just give everything it's own time on the grill. Do the corn and poblanos first, then set them on the warming rack keep warm while cooking your meat. Throw on the tortillas toward the end.

Don't freak out...that corn is PERFECT! The husks are black, but the insides are smokey, sweet and perfectly tender. So, raise a toast to the gorgeous weather, time with family and friends and enjoy your grilled goodies! Salud! Yes, once I've pulled down the husk (the silks come right with it), I slather it in crema, squeeze a lime wedge all over it and sprinkle it with chile powder of some sort. I usually roll it in queso en polvo (basically powdered Mexican cheese), but I forgot to pick some up this time. Still killer.

From the leftover bounty, I decided to throw together 2 different kinds of South West Salads for lunch the next day (today).

Grilled Southwest Salad- 2 ways

by girlichef

2 corn tortillas

1 head Romaine

1/4 seedless cucumber

1 small tomato, cut into 1/4's lengthwise, then sliced thin into wedges

1-2 ears of corn on the cob, cooked on the grill

1/2-1 Poblano chile, roasted on the grill- peel, seed, chop

1 c. cooked black beans

avocado

grilled steak OR grilled chicken

lime for squeezing

shredded or crumbled cheese

for Lime Vinaigrette:

Juice of 2 limes

Olive oil

salt & pepper

First, cut tortillas in half. Stack on top of each other and cut into thin strips. Fry in shallow oil until crisp. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to soak up grease and cool. Set aside.

Wash & dry Romaine. Chop it up and put in a large bowl. Slice the cucumber into thin slices and add to bowl.

Add the tomato. Slice the corn from the cobs and add to bowl.

Add the poblano. Add the black beans. Toss everything together.

Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette (ratio of 3 to 1, lime juice to oil). Pour over salad and toss well.

Place salad into serving bowls. Top with your choice of grilled Steak, cut into strips or grilled Chicken. Squeeze another lime wedge over the whole thing. Add some avocado, tortilla strips and cheese as garnish. Serve & enjoy!

This was a perfect salad for this hot & steamy weekend...I'm sending it over to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for this week's edition of SOUPER SUNDAY...be sure to check out this week's other entries!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway...last day to enter is this coming Wednesday, the 27th of May!

Inspired by this week's Farmer's Market offerings...

There is an awesome little Italian Deli permanently located at my Farmer's Market (Oh, Mamma's!). This is where I get all of my prosciutto...and it was screaming my name this time. So, my first item of inspiration was this beautiful Parma Prosciutto. A few stalls down, there sat some thin little asparagus spears...flaunting their purple tips...item numero dos.

I also found a few bunches of sage...which magically disappeared from my photos...guess it was some shy sage...so I decided to use it in a dish where it is not very visible, but it's flavor shines through. With the crazy heat we've been feeling here in Northern Indiana lately (87 degrees already!! Hey, Northern Indiana, people). I haven't really been feeling like roasting in the kitchen along with my tasty morsels, so I've been thinking "quick". Not every meal, but more than the cooler months. I picked up some thin-cut chicken breasts on sale the other day and decided to make a quick version of Chicken Saltimbocca. I saw them make a similar dish on America's Test Kitchen once, but didn't write down the recipe...I know this is fairly close to their version, though. Did you know that Saltimbocca translate roughly to "jump in your mouth"?! Ha! Jump in my mouth, chicken!

Quick Chicken Saltimbocca

by girlichef...adapted from a recipe seen on America's Test Kitchen

2 lb. thin-cut Chicken breasts

~1/3 lb. Prosciutto, sliced thin

bunch of sage, leaves picked and chopped

flour

black pepper

1/2 c. dry white wine

1 c. chicken stock

1 Tbs. butter + extra for pan

1 Tbs. parsley, chopped

First, pat the chicken dry with some paper towels. Mix flour and freshly cracked black pepper on a large plate, for dredging. I know you're tempted to add salt...but DON'T DO IT!! The salt in the prosciutto is plenty! Dip each chicken breast in flour and shake off excess. Sprinkle each breast with an even amount of the chopped sage. Cover with a slice of prosciutto. In a heavy skillet that has been sitting on the burners getting hot, drop in a small pat of butter. Add the chicken carefully, prosciutto side down. Once it is cooked about 1/2 way (just a couple of minutes with this thin-cut chicken), flip over and finish cooking (another couple of minutes). The prosciutto will adhere to the breast with the help of the heat, via shrinkage...and the flour. Remove to a rack set over a sheet pan to make the sauce. While pan is still hot, pour in the wine and deglaze (scrape up those flavorful bits) the pan. Add the stock and reduce to about 1/2 c. total. This only takes a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and parsley. Spoon over chicken. Before you start cooking, I put on a pot of this awesome whole grain blend by Rice Select called Whole Grain Royal Blend....it contains Texmati brown and wild rice with soft wheat and rye berries...YUM! I also just steamed that lovely asparagus. Voila...quick meal for those days when it is just too hot to stand around in the kitchen all day (well, with all the hot stuff going full-steam, at least)! Don't forget to enter my giveaway and chile pepper round-up...just 5 more days to enter, including today!! ****I have been having trouble opening some people's blogs lately (and believe me, I've given it the good, old college try...). Please excuse me if I haven't stopped by to visit you lately...as soon as I can figure out what in the world is going on, I'm gonna have to devote a whole day to catching up!!!****

Baked Goat Cheese for TFF

I love that scene in French Kiss; the one where Kate is on the train in France and Luc walks up to find her slathering that amazing fromage all over her bread...and there is so much cheesy goodness on the table in fron of her! Well, this recipe from Tyler Florence for Baked Goat cheese reminded me of that cheese-lovers moment. The only downside is that I was unable to find a firm goat cheese. But I like to defy the oven gods. I went ahead and bought 2 kinds of soft goat cheese...AND I even put them in the oven to bake. Pfft..I showed them. Baked Goat Cheese from Tyler Florence's Dinner at My Place p. 78

1 French Baguette

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 log or medallion (~8 oz) firm goat cheese I used one log & one pyramid of soft

1 c. store bought olive tapenade I made my own...recipe to follow

I also tried a couple of other toppings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To make crostini, slice the baguette into thin rounds and set on a roasting tray. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes, until golden, then set aside.

Simple Olive Tapenade by girlichef

garlic stuffed green olives- ~4 large

kalamata olive, pitted- ~10

olive oil

herbs, if you wish

Chop up the olives. Drizzle in some olive oil & toss. Add some freshly chopped herbs. See...easy.

Place goat cheese on a roasting tray and top with freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until it is warmed through and just starting to melt. Soft goat cheese won't be all gooey and melty like the firm would, but it is still warm & soft. Serve warm goat cheese with crostini and olive tapenade. I also tried serving with some store-bought sun-dried tomato tapenade and some chutney...hmmm, neither were as good.

This was a fun afternoon lunch to share, paired with a bottle of white wine. The nice crisp of the crostini with the soft, earthy goat cheese spread and the saltiness of the olives was nicely washed down with a crisp, fruity Pinot Grigio. Head on over to Tyler Florence Fridays to see what other Tyler recipes will tempt you this week! ...and hooray, today was the kiddos last day of school!! Perfect way for mom & dad to celebrate. Don't forget to enter my giveaway...time is quickly passing.

Food so good it may send you "over the edge."

To compliment my "all things lead to food"-type obsession...I also find myself drawn to movies with great "food scenes". Chocolat, Under the Tuscan Sun, Tortilla Soup, Woman on Top...the list goes on. One movie in particular, amidst the violence, gore, people- who range from unsavory to Oh-So-Savory (Johnny Depp...aaaahhhh), is Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Johnny's character (Agent Sands) orders his favorite dish in any cantina, taqueria or restaurant he's in. Have you seen it? Remember when he practically forces somebody else to try his Puerco Pibil? He is so obsessed with this dish and finding the best version of it, that when he DOES find the perfect plate of it, it sends him over the edge (don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it...and want to).

Since I enjoy most of Robert Rodriguez's work (Director/Producer extraordinaire..think Spy Kids, From Dusk til Dawn (Clooney, Donna), Sin City, Planet Terror and the two movies that basically find their finale in this particular movie, El Mariachi and Desperado), I did end up buying the movie as soon as I could. Now, as much as I enjoy the movie, it's the "extras" that make me particularly pleased with myself. Good thing you bought the movie, or you may not even know this was here, girlichef!! The special features include a featurette titled 'Ten Minute Cooking School'. Rodriguez himself teaches us how to make that amazing Puerco Pibil that was just too much for Agent Sands to handle. And believe me, it's definitely a "killer" recipe....

Puerco Pibil
by Robert Rodriguez
5 Tbs. annato seeds
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbs. whole black peppercorns
8 whole allspice
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
2 habanero chiles
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. white vinegar
2 Tbs. salt
8 garlic cloves, peeled
Juice of 5 lemons
splash of Tequila
~5 lb. pork butt (shoulder)
banana leaves
First, place first 5 ingredients into a spice grinder (or coffee grinder...kept separate for spices) and grind until it is a very fine dust. Annato (or achiote) seeds are super hard, so be sure to get them to a powder or you'll be cracking a tooth on them later.

Next, carefully dice your habaneros. Remove the seeds & veins...or leave them in if you'd like to set your mouth on fire.

Add the habanero, along with the orange juice, white vinegar, salt and garlic cloves to the jar of a blender. Dump in your spice mixture and blend. Add the lemon juice and splash of "best quality" tequila (tequila is "optional", but come on...Rodriguez says this was that extra little something that sent Sands over the edge). Blend everything together until well combined.


Cut your pork butt into 2" chunks. Place in a large zippered baggie and pour the mixture in the blender over the meat. Close it and make sure all the meat is covered well. Set aside for a bit.
Line a large, deep pan with the banana leaves. Pour in all of the contents of the baggie. Cover again with more banana leaves to seal it all in. This will add flavor and keep all the steam inside. Before I put it in the oven, I also cover the whole dish with foil.


Cook in preheated 325 degree F oven for 4 hours. Remove from oven carefully and remove foil.


Carefully (steam!!) pull back the banana leaves.


Serve over plain rice (white or brown...I used brown)...scooping some of the juices over the meat. Eat as is or roll some into a warm corn tortilla. Beware...this dish is so good it could push you "over the edge", too!!

This plate of goodness contained habaneros....another tasty addition to my chile pepper roundup!! Don't forget to send me a link to any of your recipes containing chile peppers (along with a photo) by May 27th...can't wait to sweat my way through this tasty lineup!!

I think I will also send this over to Gloria at Tex-Mex Recipes for Taco Tuesdays...mmmm, Puerco Pibil filled tacos....

A Simple Sunday

Hope everyone has a perfect Souper Sunday! I'm just lazing around, eating one of my all-time favorite sammies, a BLT.

To see if anybody was more ambitious than me today, head on over to visit Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for this week's installment of Souper Sundays...which now includes sandwiches and salads! And then head over to enter my Giveaway if you haven't yet...enjoy the day. :)

The best flan (that isn't an old family recipe).

When I first started blogging, I armed myself with a notebook to write down my ideas and plans. I am no good without a list of some sort (all the women in the family blame it on genes). I mean, I'll even put something I did for the day on my list, just so I can cross it out. Well, one of the first things on my "to blog about" list was flan. My hubby loves flan and for many years asked me to make it for him (especially around birthdays). It was something I hadn't made previous to meeting him, although I'd eaten it...and loved it. All of the recipes I'd found were so involved and you had to take the time to make a custard. You had to make caramel and coat individual ramekins. You had to put them in a roasting pan and set them into a water bath. Well, back then I didn't have any ramekins. I didn't have a roasting pan. I didn't have the tools!!! I did eventually get my ramekins...and my roasting pan. What this really meant is that I now had NO excuse NOT to make flan.

 I looked to my favorite Mexican cooking guru (everyone together now...the genius...Mr. Rick Bayless). He had a few different methods, ending in different results and I kept thinking I just don't know. I procrastinated a bit longer. I procrastinated right up until the day I bought a newly released cookbook called Nigella Express, by the lovely Nigella Lawson. What, you say? Nigella is British!! What does she know about making flan? She knows she's a Brit, she acknowledges that her recipe is a simplified one...but she also says that a Mexican camera assistant she once worked with said that her flan was as good as his mother's (!).

And yes, it was the opposite of intimidating. The recipe is almost too simple. So, I made her version (no ramekins required); just a pie plate and my antsy roasting pan (use me, use me). Mission: accomplished. This was the best flan I'd ever tasted. It was smooth, creamy and perfect. I have made it countless times since. It's one of the things I send along for workplace potlucks (people actually request it) and various celebrations. Nobody is the wiser that it isn't made from a recipe passed down through the generations (on hubby's side).

 I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can FINALLY cross flan off that list started some 3 months ago. It was actually Spryte who gave me the motivation...she made a flan last week...and I knew it was time for me to share this ridiculously simple recipe. Just don't tell any of hubby's friends my secret...hey, I enjoy being praised.
Flan 
recipe slightly adapted from Nigella Express 

3/4 c. sugar
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put on a kettle or pot of water to boil.

  Put the sugar into a 9" pie plate (**metal), and place over low heat until the sugar begins to turn into a liquid syrup. Swirl the sugar every now and then as it melts. The sugar will begin to caramelize-just before the sugar reaches the color of maple syrup, take the pan off the heat and place it on a cool surface.

  I use a regular spoon to stir it around because the pan gets so hot after a bit. It helps to press down the sugar chunks towards the end of the caramelizing process. Yes, it will be covered in caramel when done...just run it under the hottest tap water until it melts off. Also, note the dark ring formed around the middle of my pie pan, this WILL happen to you, too...it's from the gas flame. It doesn't affect the pans performance, but if you want yours to stay pretty for pies & what-not, set aside a separate one just for making flan- you will definitely want to make it again. While the pan is cooling down a little, swirl the caramelized sugar a little up the sides of the dish before it sets. Empty the evaporated and condensed milks into a bowl and whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Yup, it's just that easy. Pour this mixture over the syrup-lined pan. Set your pie plate into the roasting pan first; it makes it much easier. Put it into a roasting pan, Fill the pan with boiling water, about 1" full. I try to set the roasting pan on the oven rack before I do this. But, inevitably, while pushing the rack back into the oven, I slosh some of the flan mixture into the water. EVERY TIME! It has become kind of a ritual. I think of it as part of the process. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until firm and set. Even though you may be tempted to leave it in longer than 50 minutes...DON'T!!!! It should look a little wobbly. Honest. 


Lift the dish carefully out of its water bath and set aside to cool. I just let it sit on the counter until cool. Then wrap it well with plastic film. 


Leave the flan in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, turn the flan out onto a dish with a enough of a lip to stop the syrup running off. If the flan is going to travel, I leave it wrapped, in the pie plate, and send along a plate to turn it out onto. It's much easier to turn it out at your destination point. After setting a slice on the plate, use a spoon to get some extra caramel sauce to drizzle over the top. Be prepared for requests to make this again. The nice thing about this flan, other than it has worked perfectly every time, is that you can change it up a bit if you like. I have subbed almond extract for the vanilla. I have added expresso powder to the evaporated milk (stir & dissolve) before adding it...and Spryte, I bet you could even stir in some lemon zest and it would be awesome. I think I'm going to sprinkle in some cinnamon and mexican chocolate for fun next time!