Chocolate Truffle Cake With Strawberries and Ganache

We all like strawberries, right? Well, most of us. And most of us like chocolate. If you want a wonderfully easy, absolutely rich chocolately dessert covered with strawberries – this is it. You can make this in no time – it takes more time to chill than it does to actually assemble everything. You can make the ganache at the same time so it can cool also.

The cake is smooth and about as chocolate as you can get. Then layer on some strawberries and pour over a rich chocolate ganache.  You don’t need a giant piece of this – a sliver will do because it’s so rich. Or many slivers.

Chocolate Truffle Cake With Strawberries and Ganache

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Prep Time: 25 min + chilling time + assembly

Cook Time: 30 min

CAKE:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs, well beaten

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch springform pan liberally with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a medium-sized glass bowl in the microwave (about 1 to 2 minutes). Add the chocolate and microwave for 30 more seconds. 

Let sit for about 3 or 4 minutes, then add the sugar and stir until blended. 

When cool, stir in the beaten eggs. 

Pour batter into prepared pan 

and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a crust forms on top. Cool to room temperature; then refrigerate overnight in pan.

Run a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. I left the cake on the pan bottom – if you put it on a pretty plate, no one will ever notice.

GANACHE:

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. semisweet chocolate – cut in chunks or chips

Bring the cream to a boil in a saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Shake the bowl just a bit to make sure the cream covers the chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes. 

Stir in a gentle figure 8. 

Don’t whip or stir vigorously. Stir about 2 minutes until the chocolate is thoroughly incorporated. 

Refrigerate and let cool about an hour.

TO ASSEMBLE:

You can do this however you want. You may need to slightly heat the ganache so it spreads and pours well – just until it’s barely warm. I spread on a thin layer of ganache, then a layer of sliced strawberries,

 then a layer of ganache, then another layer of strawberries. 

Then I poured ganache over the whole shebang. 

Garnish with more strawberries and whipped cream. The whipped cream will cut some of the richness of the chocolate.

Yeah, baby!

Herbed Greek Chicken Salad

I am a sucker for salad, especially in the spring and summer when fresh veggies are so available. This salad is quick, easy, and so delicious! You can get tahini (which is sesame-seed paste) in most grocery stores – it gives the dressing an interesting twist with lots of flavor. Have the dressing made and the vegetables cut up before you cut and cook the chicken. It goes so fast!

Herbed Greek Chicken Salad

Serve with toasted pita wedges.

Cooking Light

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Cooking spray

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 teaspoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup peeled chopped English cucumber

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

6 pitted kalamata olives, halved

1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

Combine oregano, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. 

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken 

and spice mixture; sauté 2 minutes over medium-high heat, without stirring. Turn meat over with a spatula and cook another 2 minutes without stirring. Stir briefly and cook another 2 minutes until chicken is done. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon juice; stir. Remove from pan.

Combine remaining 2 teaspoons juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, yogurt, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. 

Combine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and olives. 

Place 2 1/2 cups of lettuce mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1/2 cup chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese. Drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

This is wonderful in the summer when you don't want to heat up your kitchen when cooking dinner! Enjoy!

Chicken and Couscous with Artichokes, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I had never used pearled couscous before (I really like to type the word, “couscous”) and it was delicious! Cooked fast, and tastier than plain rice. This is quick, yummy, healthy and just generally fun to eat!

Chicken and Couscous with Artichokes, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Though grains of Israeli or pearled couscous are larger than those in Moroccan couscous, they still cook faster than rice or pasta.

Cooking Light

About 4 servings

2 1/3 cups water, divided

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth

1 3/4 cups uncooked Israeli or pearl couscous (I just used the whole box and followed the measurements on the box for the liquid)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I grilled one for 8 minutes on each side)

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used curly leaf parsley and I definitely think the flat-leaf would be better)

2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, undrained

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine 2 cups water and tomatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 3 minutes or until water boils; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft. 

Drain and chop; set aside.

Place 1/3 cup water and vegetable broth in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and remaining ingredients.

Just sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and grill 8 minutes on each side. Then chop in bite size pieces.

Couscous couscous couscous couscous. There. That was fun. Try it some time. And try this sometime! So good!