The food: There’s nothing—and I mean nothing—like your grandma’s cooking. Try as she might, your mom can never perfectly replicate her mom’s recipes. There’s just something about the love our grandmas put into their food. Or at least, that was…

The MTV Video Music Awards are Sunday, Aug. 30. You read that correctly. MTV still awards music videos despite no longer playing music videos. If, like me, you were born in the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, aka “the MTV Generation,” you remember fondly when…

Making pizza dough is much easier than homemade bread. There is a time commitment waiting for the dough to rise (below right top and bottom), but otherwise it’s a simple six-ingredient recipe. This dough is suited to those who prefer their crust extra thin, almost cracker like. It will feel a bit sticky, and you have to be careful not to roll it out too thin, but it creates the perfect crispy pizza. Try this crust with my recipe for Grilled Fig and Pancetta Pizza (below left).

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. yeast
• 1 ½ tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 2-4 tbsp. for kneading)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, salt, and hot water. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk in oil. Stir in flour, a half cup at a time, until dough forms a soft ball.
3. Transfer dough to floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding a bit of flour at a time, if needed. Form into a smooth, firm ball.
4. Place the ball into a large, greased bowl and cover with a warm, damp towel (don’t let the towel touch the dough). Place in a warm area and let double in size, 1-2 hours. Punch down dough.
5. Place dough on floured surface and divide in half. Cover with dry kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Makes two 10-inch crusts.
6. To cook, roll out each ball into a thin round. Top as desired. Cook for 10-15 minutes in a 450 degree oven, or grill them.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/crispy-pizza-dough/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

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The food: My boyfriend’s birthday was last week (I won’t say how old he is, but he does have more white hair than I), so I surprised him with a homemade cake. Cake is often much too dry for my taste, so I set out to make the moistest chocolate cake possible. Also, I’m not a fan of typical frosting, which can be gritty or flavorless, so went with a rich and creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting. As I type this, I’m starting to realize this cake was a lot more about me than him. Oops!

The music: When I’m making something sweet and rich, Ella Fitzgerald is my go-to gal (my Classic Cheesecake is another example). This time, I chose “Early Ella: Great Ballads by Ella Fitzgerald” because we had found it uncovered a few days earlier at an estate sale—for $1! This 1963 Decca LP includes 12 smooth and soulful that truly showcase the beauty of Ella’s voice. It’s one of the best albums for those who prefer slow, sweet Ella to peppy, sassy Ella. It’s the kind of album that will make you fall a little more in love, and it pairs perfectly with decadent desserts and white wine.

Although I much prefer pie to cake, this dense and super-moist chocolate cake recipe is something I’ll actually eat—and enjoy. It’s made all the better, of course, with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting. In the past, I’ve been guilty of ruining cakes by being impatient and trying to ice them too quickly. For a photo-worthy cake, let the cake cool completely before adding this nicely spreadable frosting one section at a time.

Prefer bars to cake? Try my recipe for Chocolate Chip Brownies, too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• For frosting:
• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with an electric mixer. Batter will be thin.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pans.
5. While cakes cool completely, make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat cream cheese, 3 tbsp. milk, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, cocoa, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable. Add milk if needed to make thinner. Spread evenly between and over cakes.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/moist-chocolate-cake/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: Cheesecake—especially the classic baked New York style—is a true crowd pleaser. Its rich, creamy flavors appeal to most tastebuds, and both the taste and the appearance fool people into thinking it is difficult to make. In fact, it’s a relatively… The food: There are two kinds of people—those who like sweet cornbread and crazy people. That may sound unfair, but this is my blog and I get to make the calls around here. Sweet cornbread is the perfect side for chili (try my Slow Cooker Chili recipe), red beans and… The food: Baking bread is the greatest smell on Earth. For many beginner cooks, the idea of making bread from scratch is downright scary. Take a deep breath. I’m a novice here to tell you that homemade sandwich bread is not so difficult, especially when you use… The food: Sometimes you just want ooey gooey, all-American chocolate chip cookies. When the craving strikes, I like to bake rather than buy because homemade tastes so much better and they are really easy to make. I created this super-simple recipe by combining several…

The food: Almost every week, we buy a bunch of bananas … and almost every week we have at least a few that get too ripe before we eat them. Instead of wasting the overdone fruit, I use them in bread. After all, other than the bananas, this recipe uses baking… The food: About a year ago, I ate Mexican street corn for the first time … and fell in love. It’s charred sweet corn, onions, jalapenos, lime juice, and seasonings, all mixed with a healthy dose of mayonnaise. The results are spicy and creamy — the… The food: I’m not a big fan of scones. Most of the ones I’ve tried from various coffee shops are too dry for my liking. When it comes to baked goods, I prefer ooey-gooey treats. After discovering a glazed berry scone at Panera that I actually love,… Note: I owe you an apology. It’s been a few months since I’ve posted. There are reasons (excuses), but all that really matters is I am sorry for taking such a long break, and I promise not to let that happen again. I’m back, I’m energized, and… Almost everything tastes better with butter, and that definitely includes bread and other baked goods. I’ve recently learned about making compound butters, which is just a fancy way of saying mixing stuff into butter. If you like adding a bit of sweet… The food: Starting a food blog has its perks. For example, I recently attended a culinary class sponsored by Mann’s. There were about a dozen bloggers there, drawn by the promise of learning some cutting skills and a few recipes (oh, and receiving a copy of The…

The food: In most cities, the only options for delivery food are pizza and Chinese. I eat more Asian food than I’d like to admit because it would mean owning up to my incredible laziness. What drives me nuts about ordering in, though, is how damn expensive it…

The food: We were gifted a KitchenAid stand mixer with the ice cream maker about a year ago (thanks, dad!). Since then, I’ve been experimenting with recipes in hopes of figuring out the easiest way to get creamy delicious homemade custard. I think this fits the… The food: In my Q&A with Chef George Formaro earlier this week, I discovered his guilty food pleasure is a juicy steak with decadent Bearnaise sauce. He was kind enough to share his recipe for a classic steak Bearnaise, along with some helpful hints for getting it… The food: Admit it. There are times when nothing (and I mean nothing) is as satisfying as chocolate. On those days, it’s smart to have this recipe for chewy chocolate cookies handy. These cookies super rich and moist, which tends to happen when you use a couple… The food: Growing up and developing a sophisticated palate is wonderful. Now that I’m 40, I love pâté, brussels sprouts, Chardonnay, and much more that I’d have hated as a child. Just because I now appreciate the finer things, however, doesn’t… This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our link. Clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money and they help keep this site up and running!   The food: It doesn’t get much better on… The food: It’s always handy to have some recipes in your back pocket for those nights when it seems there’s nothing in the house to eat. This cheeseburger soup is a great example. It’s a fantastic way to use up leftover ground beef, and it comes…

The food: In most cities, the only options for delivery food are pizza and Chinese. I eat more Asian food than I’d like to admit because it would mean owning up to my incredible laziness. What drives me nuts about ordering in, though, is how damn expensive it… The food: Sometimes you just want ooey gooey, all-American chocolate chip cookies. When the craving strikes, I like to bake rather than buy because homemade tastes so much better and they are really easy to make. I created this super-simple recipe by combining several… Top crab cakes, fillets, or other fish and poultry dishes with this cool and creamy spicy mayo. It takes only a few minutes to make (using ingredients you probably already have) and can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Print Yum Spicy Mayo Prep Time: 5… Run out of chili powder? Prefer the economics (or pride) of making your own? Either way, it’s super simple to make from-scratch seasoning for chili (or meatloaf, pasta, and more). All this easy recipe takes is five spices from your cupboard, and about one minute… Why buy Italian seasoning when you can make it in a matter of seconds? It’s easy to mix up the spices to add great depth of flavor to your pasta dishes. This recipe requires only five spices that you likely already have in your cupboard. Print Yum Italian…

The food: Brownies are either great or awful, and most of that depends on personal taste. People who like their brownies cakey rather than gooey are probably good people, but I just don’t understand them. For my money, a brownie shouldn’t bother calling itself such unless it is nearly batter-like, but with a perfectly crisp crust. After plenty of trial and error, I’m happy to say I’ve come up with a recipe that meets my very particular demands. Plus, the chocolate chips add creamy goodness when warm and crunchy bite when cool. This is over-the-top chocolate that also happens to be the perfect foundation for a brownie sundae.

The music: Chocolate screams romance…or PMS. Either way, the perfect soundtrack is the moody and seductive Ray LaMontagne and his third album, 2008’s “Gossip in The Grain.” It kicks off with “You Are the Best Thing,” a fairly upbeat love song, but quickly transitions into “Let it Be Me” and the soulful, melancholy sound for which LaMontange is known. Feeling madly in love? This pairing makes delicious foreplay. Hate the opposite sex and want to wallow in your sorrow? This pairing feels your pain. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Want more chocolate dessert ideas? Try my recipes for Moist Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Covered Strawberry Truffles, too.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ sticks butter, melted
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Using stand or hand mixer, beat eggs until fluffy.
3. Add sugars, beat until mixed.
4. Add cocoa powder, flour, vanilla, butter, salt. Beat until mixed.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour into greased 8×8 or similar pan.
7. Bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/chocolate-chip-brownies/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)

The food: I’m not one of those people who likes to watch the same movie or read the same book again and again. Likewise, I’m not interested in eating the same meal day after day. My anti-leftover attitude meant I needed to come up with a way to repurpose… The food: Mexican food is such a great guilty pleasure. After all, it’s very often deep fried and loaded with cheese—and when you visit a hole-in-the-wall restaurant (the best kind), it’s likely also swimming in oil, butter, or lard. To save us all a few…

This is the 50th post on Cooking With Vinyl, and this week marks the end of the blog’s fourth full month. We’re still small potatoes in the blog world, but 100-250 people visit the site every day. Wow! We’re also closing in on 1,000 Facebook fans,… The food: Frittata sounds fancy, but it’s really just Italian for baked omelette. This hearty breakfast dish is quick, easy, and tasty. You can load it up with any ingredients your family likes and have a substantial meal on the table in about 10 minutes….

The food: Pulled pork is a hit-or-miss meat. When it’s good, it’s moist, flavorful, and nearly impossible to stop eating. When it’s bad, however, it’s dry, tasteless, and not worth the calories. The good news is I have an easy recipe for…

The food: I only recently heard the term overnight oats when my Pinterest feed was flooded with recipes for them. For days when I get sick of cold cereal, I hoped this grab-and-go oatmeal would provide a tasty and easy alternative. After reviewing a dozen versions of overnight oats, I realized that making them boils down to an easy formula of a few base ingredients plus custom toppings. Spend just a few minutes at night to have a yummy and filling breakfast waiting for you in the morning.

The music: This recipe is quick. So quick, in fact, that it takes only one song to prepare, and that song should be “Morning Has Broken,” by Cat Stevens. The song is actually a Christian Hymn from the 1930s, but Stevens popularized it when he released it in 1971 (it went to No. 6 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 list). The lyrics are simple yet beautiful, and the melody is sweet and serene. It’s an inspiring, but not jarring, way to kick of the day. If you have time to listen to the rest of Stevens’ “Greatest Hits” album while you eat your oats, you’ll be treated to a bunch of awesome songs, including “Wild World,” “Moonshadow,” and “Peace Train.” I don’t think Stevens gets the props he deserves for his contribution to the 70s folk music scene.

Making overnight oats is really easy, folks. There are six basic ingredients that form the base (below), and then it’s a matter of personalizing your creation with other mix-ins or toppings. I like to eat mine cold with blueberries on top; my boyfriend eats his heated with cranberries mixed in. I’ve also made chocolate oats, which are rich and delectable and a fairly healthy alternative for dessert.

Love oats for breakfast? Try my recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars, too.

Ingredients

• 3/8 cup (3 oz.) oatmeal
• 3/8 cup (3 oz.) milk (Cow’s, soy, almond, or any milk product. For a real sweet treat, try chocolate milk!)
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• Optional: 1 tbsp. baking cocoa, frozen fruit, dried fruit, nuts, other toppings

Instructions

1. Place oats, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a lidded container (optional: add cocoa for chocolate oats). I use an 8 oz. glass Ball jar. Secure lid and shake ingredients until combined.
2. Open container. Top with frozen or dried fruit, if desired (only use toppings that can sit in the mixture overnight; avoid nuts or other things that will get too soggy). Replace lid and place container in the refrigerator overnight. Contents will expand slightly as they chill.
3. To serve, heat the container or eat the oats cold. If desired, add nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, or other toppings.

https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/duet-overnight-oats/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)