One of my favorite Bakeries

At first the name Puppy Dog Tails doesn't sound so bad. But when it refers to food, it can leave a weird impression. Don't ask me why this name stuck, but Puppy Dog Tails are to die for, and can be found at one of Minneapolis' local bakeries, Isles Bun and Coffee. I also tried the nasty looking carmel pecan roll pictured on their homepage during my last visit. Boy did I feel happy, satisfied, and sick afterwards. A welcomed roller coaster of feelings.

Chocolate Orange Pudding

Don't be intimidated. This is one of the easiest dessert recipes ever! You can do it! All you need is a few simple ingredients and you'll be all set to impress.

3 C. 2% milk
1/3 C. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. orange extract

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the milk, the cornstarch, and the salt. Whisk together until smooth. This is the thickening agent that will be used later. Now in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of milk, the chocolate chips, cocoa, and sugar. Stir this over medium-high heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture begins to barely bubble. Once you've reached this stage, pour in the cornstarch mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and continuously whisk for the next 3-4 minutes. You'll start to feel the change in consistency pretty quickly, so you may need to remove from the heat earlier. Once thickened, remove from the heat, continuing to whisk so that it helps being the cool-down process. Whisk in the extract. You may wish to strain this to remove any clumps, but that's optional. Pour into serving cups (usually 4 servings), cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to cool. The plastic wrap is key if you don't want to create a thick skin on the pudding - make sure the plastic covers the surface.

One of my new favorite ingredients - high quality cocoa powder from Penzy's

I used parchment to cover - let's just say plastic wrap is the way to go. This didn't work out to well from keeping the skin from forming. But I ate it anyways!

Fajitas!

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 or 3, split/butterflied)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. cumin
Salt and Pepper
2-3 large poblano peppers
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks (optional)
tortillas
salsa
Monterey jack cheese, shredded
cilantro

Mix the chili powder, coriander, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts with the dry mixture and set aside.

Over high heat, place the poblano peppers, red pepper, onion, and carrots on the grill. Let these begin to char, rotating every 5 minutes until tender -- approximately 15 minutes total. Remove from the grill. Place poblano peppers in a paper bag and allow to cool 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the poblanos from the bag and carefully remove the skins. Then remove the stem and seeds. Slice into strips along with the red pepper and onion. Wrap the poblanos, red pepper, onion, and carrots in tinfoil. Set aside so you can begin cooking the chicken.

Over medium-high heat, place the chicken breasts on the grill, and cook roughly 5 minutes on each side until no longer pink. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve sliced chicken with the grill vegetables on a tortilla and top with salsa, cheese, and cilantro.