Kitchen Sink Quinoa

I was quite pleased to find golden beets in a recent CSA share. I love beets, but dealing with the classic red ones makes your kitchen look like a crime scene. Praise the Lord for non-staining and delicious Golden Beets. 

I didn't know what I wanted do with these little gems, so I just roasted them up. Thankfully,  a delicious dinner just kind of happened. I grabbed whatever what going on in the fridge,  added it to some quinoa and topped it with a poached egg ... hence kitchen sink quinoa.  This is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal. Below is the recipe for what I threw together, but have fun with it! Swap out the veggies and make your own additions. Clean out that fridge!

Kitchen Sink Quinoa

- 1 bunch of golden beets
- 1-2 Tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 granny smith apple chopped or grated
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 bunch of asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces
- A couple of pieces of bacon
- Pea shoots
- 2 Eggs
- Goat cheese
- Prepared quinoa

This is quite the mix up of ingredients. I apologize in advance for a hap hazard recipe

1. Roast up some veggies (in our case golden beets). Olive oil drizzle + s&p + 375 degree oven + 30 minutes = roasted goodness.
2. While you are roasting away crisp some bacon and crumble, make some quinoa (I use the microwave, don't tell)
3. In the pan you cooked the bacon in, grate the apple and onion and cook it over medium heat in coconut oil till soft, add in the garlic and  asparagus and cook through. 
4. Combine it all together and top with a poached egg (Erin will teach you how here), goat cheese,  and some pea shoots from your CSA :)

So that's hardly a recipe, but trust your instincts, use up those veggies, and make your own version of some delicious kitchen sink quinoa! 


This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

Berry Berry Delicious

Just a little post to let you know ....

There is not much better in the world than the following ingredients quickly thrown on a plate for dessert. Oh who am I kidding ... for breakfast even. I want to lick the plate. 

local strawberries + goat cheese + balsamic glaze + raw sugar

 
Go eat this. Right this instant. You want to trust me on this one. You can even buy balsamic glaze pre-bottled at TJ's in the "new products" section. 

 

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

Berry Rosemary Cocktail

Our potted rosemary sprigs are out of control right now. We're talking big ol' rosemary stalks the size of snakes. Something had to be done. To be honest, I had no idea how to correctly harvest rosemary, so I followed my instincts and cut off one large sprig of rosemary from it's base. 

This is a simple springy cocktail that, most likely, uses ingredients you already have on hand (or in your herb garden!). I used blackberries, but raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or a combination would be delicious. Perhaps what is fresh at your local market or arrives in your CSA box would do the trick.  It's sweet, but the rosemary adds just a hint of herby flavor, which I happen to love in a  warm weather cocktail. 

Berry Rosemary Cocktail

20 berries of your choice
1 large rosemary sprig, or 2 smaller ones
Juice of one lime
3 Tablespoons of Simple Syrup
1/4 Cup of Gin
Ice
Sparkling Water

Muddle the berries and rosemary in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add lime juice, simple syrup, gin, and ice. Shake well till chilled and flavors are combined. Fill glasses 3/4 full and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and fancy straw. 


This post is part of the From the Garden and Farm Summer Series

From the Garden and Farm

As you may know, we are garden newbies and recently purchased a home with a garden full of insane amounts of chard and cauliflower. We are also first-time members of a CSA from a nearby farm and will receive our first share this week. 

So, it is my pleasure to introduce the From the Garden and Farm summer blog series. 

Throughout the summer you can follow along with me as I put local produce to good use in our kitchen. My dear friend Erin will also be along for the ride. We will spend the summer sharing our culinary adventures using fresh, local, and often homegrown ingredients. We will tackle new-to-us foods and even preserving! We'll share preparation and storage tips, our recipe successes ... and disappointments, and our husbands may even pop in from time to time with growing and harvesting tips.

I've also started a board on Pinterest to gather together culinary inspiration based on the weekly harvest, follow along! 

We are looking forward to sharing our summer with you!

Basil Juleps

Summer is officially here and with the onset of warmer temperatures, fresh fruits and veggies, and grill season ... we needed a Julep. I already had some basil simple syrup on hand I had made for lemonade, and we really needed to harvest up some of our basil from the back yard. The result? The most delicious bourbony cocktail that has quite quickly (in 2 days) become our new summer favorite. 

There is something really wonderful about growing your own food, even if it's just to booze on. Jake is the resident gardener and mixologist. I credit this basil deliciousness to him. And, let's just take a 2 second break to notice how totally in love I am with the fact that there is dirt under Jake's fingernails from our new garden and callouses on his finger tips from the guitar. Adorable. 

Juleps are strong drinks. It's basically just bourbon poured over ice with a touch of sweetness. I'm not complaining, just be forewarned. I think the drink gets even better as the ice melts into the bourbon. It's easy to understand why this is a classic southern porch sitting concoction. 

Basil Julep
2-3 Fresh basil leaves
Bourbon
Basil Simple Syrup (see recipe below)

This drink is a 3 parts bourbon to one part simple syrup ratio. 

1. Muddle the basil leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the simple syrup. 
2. Add 3 parts bourbon to the one part simple syrup. 3. Stir and pour over cups or jars filled with crushed ice. 4. Garnish with a large basil leaf. 

Basil Simple Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 handful of fresh basil leaves

Heat sugar, water, and basil over stove top till sugar is dissolved and just boiling. Remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour. Remove Basil leaves. Store in a bottle or jar in the fridge. Simple syrups are yummy in iced tea, lemonade, and of course cocktails. 

Strawberry Basil Shortcakes

Strawberries are super delicious right now. So, I knew exactly what I had to make for this week's community dinner ... Strawberry Shortcakes! Since I used store-bought pound cake, (hangs head in shame) I decided to spruce these short cakes up a bit with strips of fresh basil from our herb garden. The basil paired oh-so-wonderfully with the strawberries and fresh whipped cream. In fact, I'd like to stuff my face with a big bowl of berries and cream right this instant. 

Homemade whipped cream is one million bazillion times better than any can or tub of cream you can buy at the store, and is also free of gross unpronounceable chemicals. Plus, it is one of the easiest things to make on the universe, and for some strange reason I find it incredibly enjoyable. This whipped cream recipe comes from our good friend and master gardener, Justin. You will want to thank him later. This stuff is good. See that perfect bowl of cream right down there? See that small section of delicious whipped cream missing from the lower left corner?  I couldn't help myself. 

Strawberry Basil Shortcakes

1 giant carton of Strawberries
2 Tablespoons of white sugar
Zest of one lemon
A handful of basil leaves (about 10)
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pound cake, angel food cake, or sweet biscuits

1. Hull and slice strawberries. Don't worry, hulling is just a fancy word for chopping off the top and scooping out that tough little middle piece. 
2. Toss strawberries in sugar and lemon zest
3. Cut, chop, tear or chiffonade your basil into little pieces and toss it in with the berries. Set the berries in the fridge while you whip up your cream so they can get all juicy and delicious. 
4. Beat together heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. The cream will come together quicker if you use a stainless steel bowl you've chilled in the freezer. Beat on medium till soft peaks form from the cream when you lift the beater. 
5. Assemble berries and cream over your preferred vehicle for sugary carb goodness. 

Enjoy

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

 

Our best friends, who are also our neighbors, have a gigantic covered patio. I consider it my home away from home during all warm months. Patio dinners just cry out for fresh vegetables, herbs, and bright citrus flavors ... which is why this salad is oh-so-perfect for such an occasion.

 

We are all not-so-patiently awaiting the arrival of fresh herbs and vegetables from Justin and Erin's raised bed garden. With an upcoming bounty of locally garden-grown veggies, I have a feeling this salad will be a mainstay of our summer patio gatherings. Ribbons of raw zucchini are tossed with lemon Parmesan dressing, toasted pine nuts, and strips of fresh basil. It's simply delicious.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Lemon Parmesan Dressing

adapted from Mary's Bites

Serves 4-6

3 medium sized zucchinis, cold

2.5 tablespoons pine nuts toasted

2 teaspoon lemon zest

Juice of one whole lemon

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for topping

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

A handful of fresh basil leaves

1. Heat a small dry skillet until very hot.  Add the pine nuts and roast for a 1-2 minutes or until they are light brown and smell toasty delicious.  Remove and cool.

 
2. Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and olive oil and blend until almost smooth. A mini food processor works best I store dressing in a mason jar for easing shaking right before the salad is served.

 

 3. Wash and dry zucchini, cut off each end.  Peel zucchini with a vegetable peeler lengthwise into ribbons. 

4. Combine zucchini ribbons, pine nuts, and torn basil leaves in a large bowl. Dress the salad just before serving, tossing to combine. Top with Parmesan shavings if you're feeling fancy.

6. Get out on the patio with a bourbon sweet tea and eat a delicious meal with your neighbors.  

Almond Butter

We just got a Ninja Blender, and I'm obsessed with it. You can make your own almond butter in TEN MINUTES. So fast, in fact, that I started this lil' experiment about 12 minutes before we needed to leave for an event last night. I totally finished in time .... THIS IS VERY EASY! This also works with any high-power blender or food processor.

Homemade Almond Butter:
1 cup almonds of your choosing. I used the 50% less salt, dry roasted and salted Almonds from TJ's
1 spoonful of coconut oil (optional)
1 spoonful of raw agave nectar (optional)

1. Pour almonds in blender.
2. Turn on high.
3. Leave on for 10 minutes until buttery smooth. You may have to stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides. 
4. Blend in any extras of your choosing. - coconut oil, agave syrup, vanilla extract, chopped almonds
5. Store in a cute mason jar and say your husband about a million times, "Isn't this SO COOL?!"

Sparkling Mint Smoothie

It has been in the 80's here in St. Louis, so needless to say I've been a bit smoothie obsessed. We made these delicious sparkling mint smoothies last night for dinner, and I was surprised by just how much we loved it. It's nice to have a smoothie every now and again that isn't berry flavored. This smoothie is delicious, nutritious and surprisingly very filling! We grow a ton of mint in the summer, so I'm sure this smoothie is here to stay. 

Sparkling Mint Green Smoothie 
Yields 2 full glasses. 

2 Tbsp Chia seeds
2-4 Tbsp raw agave nectar 
1/4 cup almond milk
1 cup sparkling mineral water, such as San Pellegrino
3-4 handfuls of spinach leaves
12 mint leaves
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 ripe banana

Combine all ingredients in blender and mix on high till smooth and frothy. Enjoy!

As with all smoothies, adjust your ingredients to taste and your desired consistency. You  may want to add a bit more milk if you like a creamier smoothie, or throw in some greek yogurt if you like a thicker smoothie, up the agave nectar (or use honey) if you like a sweeter smoothie. 

Olive Oil Granola

There is something really wonderful and exciting about homemade recipes. This homemade olive oil granola is a favorite around our home. It's quick, simple, delicious, and makes your house smell AMAZING. Crunchy pistachios, juicy apricots, sweet maple syrup, and spicy cardamom make this granola far more delicious and satisfying than any you could find in the store. It is quite tasty served over vanilla greek yogurt with fresh berries. Trust me, you really really really want to make this.

Olive Oil Granola adapted from the New York Times

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted. 

2. Bask in your home smelling absolutely fantastic.

3. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots and cherries, tossing to combine.

4. Serve over sweetened greek yogurt with fresh berries. 

Stout Braised Short Ribs

This meal is warm, comforting and the perfect dish for a Sunday dinner with friends.  Please forgive my lack of photo with this recipe, but ribs braised for 3 hours make for less than attractive photography.  Picture or no picture, these were SO GOOD I just had to share. 

Stout Braised Short Ribs from Gourmet Magazine, 2005  

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika (not hot)

1 tablespoon curry powder (preferably Madras)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

4 to 4 1/4 lb beef short ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces 

(Short ribs are expensive so I only used 2 pounds. It worked wonderfully and easily served 4)

4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped (2 cups)

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)

3 celery ribs, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

1/4 cup chopped garlic (5 to 6 large cloves)

1 3/4 cups beef broth (14 oz)

2 (12-oz) bottles stout 

2 (14- to 15-oz) cans diced tomatoes

Instructions

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together brown sugar, paprika, curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and mustard in a small bowl until combined.

Pat ribs dry and arrange in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan or a shallow dish, then generously coat all sides of ribs with spice mixture. Marinate, uncovered and chilled, 1 hour

Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leeks and drain in a colander.

Heat oil in pot over high heat until hot but not smoking and quickly brown ribs on all 3 meaty sides (but not bone side) without crowding, in batches if necessary, about 1 minute per side. Transfer meat to a large plate, then add leeks, carrots, celery, and bay leaves to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add broth, beer, and tomatoes with their juice, then add ribs with any juices and remaining spices accumulated on plate and bring liquid to a boil, uncovered. Cover pot and transfer to oven, then braise until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Skim off excess fat from surface of sauce. Discard bay leaves.

Serve with buttered egg noodles and crusty french bread for sopping! 

Short ribs improve in flavor if braised 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat, covered, in a 350°F oven until hot, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Making these ahead of time not only improves the flavor, but makes serving this dish to guests super stress-free also!

Buttermilk Roasted Chicken

There is nothing more comforting than roasted chicken. So when I saw this recipe for Buttermilk Roasted Chicken from Smitten Kitchen, I knew I had to give it a try. This is a very simple recipe. You prep everything ahead of time and brine the chicken in buttermilk and smoked paprika for a day (yum) ... so it comes together quickly - perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.  

Buttermilk Roasted Chicken: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients: 
2 cups buttermilk
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed or copped
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts (I used a pre-cut whole chicken from TJ's)
Drizzle of olive oil
Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish

Directions:
1. Whisk together the buttermilk, garlic cloves, salt, sugar and paprika. 
2. Place chicken parts is a lidded container (I used a pyrex 9x9).
3. Pour buttermilk brine all over chicken, place lid on container, and gently shake to coat chicken.
4. Let the chicken brine overnight in the refrigerator.
5. When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, remove chicken from the brine and arrange in a cast iron skillet, or other baking pan. 
6. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, paprika, and coarsely ground black pepper. 
7. Roast at 425 for 30-45 minutes. The juices should run clear.
8. Enjoy! I served the chicken with baked potatoes (with goat cheese!) and roasted Brussels.

Let me know how it turns out!  

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Brussels sprouts have totally made a comeback, as I'm sure many of you know. There are a million recipes like this out there, I know. But these are a favorite around our house so I figured I'd share!

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crisped Pancetta

Ingredients: 
- 2-4 big handfuls of brussels sprouts. (I buy the bags at TJ's)
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- Coarse salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil 
- I package of diced pancetta

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Slice each sprout in half.
- Spread all the sprouts out on a jelly roll pan lined with a silicone baking mat
- Toss with olive oil
- Shower with coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper
- Drizzle with maple syrup and stir to coat
- Bake for 30 + minutes until fully roasted and soft in the middle. They may be a bit charred,  
  don't worry. 
- While the sprouts are roasting, crisp your pancetta in a pan over to stove and drain on a 
   paper towel. 
- When the sprouts are done, toss with the pancetta and serve. 

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel & Chocolate Shortbread Bars

It would be an understatement to call these a "hit". They were DELISH! I brought these to a dinner and every single one was gobbled up. The saltiness is just perfect if I must say so. I assembled these over the course of a super busy two days and they came together quite easily. They also store and travel well. If I were you, I would add these to the "must make list". 

Salted Caramel & Shortbread Bars from: Annie's Eats

INGREDIENTS: 

For the shortbread layer:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

For the caramel layer:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup sugar

4 tbsp. light corn syrup

2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

For the chocolate layer:

8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tsp. light corn syrup

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Fleur de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

• To make the shortbread layer, preheat the oven to 325° F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with a fork to blend, and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1-2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden.  (If the crust puffs up a bit while baking, just gently press it down while it is cooling.)  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• To make the caramel layer, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly.  Continue simmering and stirring until the mixture turns an amber color and thickens slightly.  Pour the mixture over the shortbread layer, smooth the top, and allow to cool completely and set.  (I chilled at this stage to ensure that the caramel layer would not melt when the warm chocolate was added.)
• To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour evenly over the caramel layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Allow to cool for a minute or two and then sprinkle with fleur de sel.  Chill, covered, until ready to slice and serve.

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted veggies is the way to go people. You can roast almost anything. It's quick, easy and delicious, especially if you douse those nutrients in maple syrup. These little squash squares are the perfect quick and simple side dish without compromising taste. 

I don't have an exact recipe, so bear with me as I explain. I promise it's super simple. 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Take however much squash you want and peel and cube it. Or buy it pre-cubed from TJs!

3. Spread all those darling little cubes out on a rimmed baking sheet. If I were you, I would line it. I LOVE and I mean LOVE my silicone baking mat for roasting and baking, I highly recommend you get one. 

4. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and toss till coated. 

5. Shower with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. 

6. Drizzle with around 1-2 table spoons of maple syrup and toss till coated. Use your judgment on how much. Trust your gut when cooking. It's usually right. 

7. Pop those suckers in the oven and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until tender when poked with a fork. 

8. Enjoy while brainstorming all the other veggies you can roast up with a touch of sweetness!

The Perfect Pear

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

I know Thanksgiving is over.

I know it's time to move on to minty chocolately things. 

But just in case you're like me and you're willing to extend all things pumpkin far past their threshold of seasonal appropriateness, I come bearing a recipe. 

I give you Pumpkin Crunch Cake. 

It's freakin' delicious. 

Recipe found over at Chef Dennis.  

I made a couple minor changes from his recipe. I used pecans instead of walnuts and did 2 layers instead of 4. 


Crunch Topping

3 Cups Pecans, finely chopped
3 Cups Vanilla Wafers (about 75 cookies)
3 Cups Brown Sugar
3 Sticks Butter

1.  Melt Butter
2. In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb
3. Then Pulse walnuts to a fine chop
4.  Add in Brown Sugar and mix well.
5.  Add in Melted Butter and blend together.
6. Divide mixture into 2-4 Cake Coated Cake Pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into the cake pans.   Reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake.
7.  Set pans aside and begin cake.
8.  Pre heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Softened Butter
1 16 oz can Solid Pack Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs

1.  In your mixer beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scrapping down the bowl frequently .
2.  Add In Pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended.
3.  Add in the Eggs, one at a time just until blended.
4. Divide batter equally into your 4 prepared cake pans, smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.
5.  Place remaining crunch mixture in another cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes.
6.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25  minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   If you use 2 racks to bake on in the oven, at the halfway mark rotate the pans.
7.  Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire racks and allow to completely cool.
8. break up the extra crunch mix to very small bits to use to decorate the cake with.

While your cakes are baking prepare a Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 8 oz packs Cream cheese
16 oz  Marscapone
2 sticks Softened Butter
1 lb  Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla

Whip the cream cheese, marscapone, and butter till very smooth and creamy
Slowly add in the 10x sugar while mixer is on low setting
Add in Vanilla and mix well.  Set aside till needed.

After your cake is completely cooled (you can even refrigerate for a few hours) begin frosting the layers and putting the cake together.  After you have assembled all the layers with some frosting between them, start to spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top.  When finished frosting, coat sides and top with your extra crunch mixture