Freezer to Slow Cooker Vegetable Tagine

Vegetable tagine, a North African stew of spiced vegetables, goes from freezer to table with the help of an array of frozen veggies and trades the eponymous tajine for a slow cooker set to low.

With a few extra ingredients, you're six hours closer to turning the contents of your freezer and pantry into a rich, flavorful dinner. Here's how you bring this colorful freezer-to-table meal to life.

Embrace Frozen Vegetables
As far as convenience foods go, frozen vegetables are at the top of the list. They're usually frozen right after being harvested, maintain lots of their vitamins and nutrients, and a few bags in the freezer means that it's okay if the produce drawer is empty.

While there are more frozen vegetables to choose from these days, not all work in the slow cooker. Veggies like green beans will turn to mush during an extended cook time, so we're using a combination of carrots, cauliflower, pearl onions, and butternut squash since they all can stew slowly together and pair well with the sweet and sour flavors expected in a tagine. Here, we're using sweet raisins and diced tomatoes to that effect.

Harissa to the Rescue
Harissa, the spicy Middle Eastern and North African paste, is a flavorful powerhouse. Just a tablespoon in this tagine adds layers of spicy flavors so you can skip the garlic and hot peppers. To ensure this dish has the aromatic presence we expect from tagine, a healthy dose of cinnamon, coriander, and cumin are all present.

When the tagine is ready, serve it over regular or cauliflower couscous, top with fresh cilantro, and feel free to add some almonds for extra crunch. Like any stew, this dish is quite good on the first day, but by day two the flavors really sing.

RECIPE
Freezer-to-Slow-Cooker Vegetable Tagine

For the tagine:

• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon harissa paste, plus more for serving
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen crinkle-cut carrots
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 (14-ounce) bag pearl onions
• 1 (10-ounce) bag butternut squash chunks

For finishing and serving:

• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cooked couscous or cauliflower rice, for serving
• Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• Coarsely chopped roasted almonds (optional)

Place the tomatoes and their juices, raisins, oil, harissa, cinnamon, salt, coriander, and cumin in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, season with pepper, and stir to combine.

Add the carrots, cauliflower, onions, and squash and stir as best you can to combine (it may be hard to stir because the vegetables might stick together; that's okay). Cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 5 to 6 hours on the LOW setting. Stir halfway through if you can for even cooking.

Stir in the garbanzo beans and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice as needed. Serve on couscous topped with cilantro and almonds, if using.

Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

I'm afraid you're about to make your neighbors very jealous. They will smell this cooking as they walk up to, and then pass by, your door — forced to smell those aromas of garlic, chicken, and cumin, all without getting a single bite.

You, and only you, will get to come home from work, take a bowl from the cupboard, and proceed immediately to the table without even needing to turn on the stove. It's white chicken chili for dinner tonight, my friends! Inviting the neighbors is up to you.

What defines a "white chicken chili" is a rabbit hole that I'm not sure we want to go down when dinner is waiting. Personally, my aim is a hearty chicken stew with big white beans, Southwest spices like cumin and coriander, and a few cans of fire-roasted green chilis. It's a nice balance of creaminess from the beans, warmth from the spices, and tangy brightness from the green peppers.

This particular recipe makes a very mild chili. If you'd like a bit more heat, roast a few poblanos or jalapeños, chop them up, and add them along with the other peppers at the beginning of cooking. You can also add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes, or do as I do and bring out the hot sauce collection when dinner time rolls around.

As long as we're adapting this recipe to our own personal taste, perhaps you're looking for an extra dose of creaminess here? If that's what you're craving, make a quick white sauce thickened with flour and whisk that into the chili toward the end of cooking. Instructions for this are in the Recipe Notes at the end of the recipe.

Do you have a favorite riff on white chicken chili? I'd love to hear it and try it in my next batch!

RECIPE

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chili peppers, preferably "fire-roasted", drained
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspooon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• To serve: shredded Monterey jack cheese, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, sour cream, hot sauce

Combine the chicken, onions, celery, green chili peppers, garlic, cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, coriander, oregano, and bay leaf in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to make sure the spices coat everything, and nestle the chicken into the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth over top, covering the chicken and vegetables by an inch or so.

Cover and cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours on the LOW setting for 6 hours. (It's fine to cook for 8 hours on low, if needed, but the chicken tends to fall apart a bit more when you shred after cooking, rather than staying in pieces.)

About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the lid of the slow cooker and add the beans and corn. Taste and add another 1/2 teaspoon of salt or other seasonings as desired. Cover and cook for the remaining time.

Transfer the chicken onto a large plate and shred it into large, bite-sized pieces with 2 forks. Stir the chicken back into the chili and remove the bay leaf. (For a creamier chicken chili, see Recipe Notes below.)

Serve with shredded cheese, wedges of lime, chopped cilantro, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes

Creamier chicken chili: For a creamier chili, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk. Once all the milk is added, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Stir this into the slow cooker along with the beans and corn.

Spicier chicken chili: Roast 2 poblano peppers and 2 jalapeno peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler until charred. When cool enough to handle, rub away the skin, remove the seeds and membranes (or save for an even spicier chili!), and coarsely chop. Add to the slow cooker along with the chicken at the beginning of cooking.

Smaller slow cookers: If you have a smaller slow cooker, divide all the ingredients in half and cook as directed.

Stovetop chili: Rather than a slow cooker, you can also cook this chili on the stovetop. Follow the same instructions, but simmer the chili in a stockpot or Dutch oven over low heat on the stovetop for about an hour, or until the chicken easily shreds apart.

Storage: The chili will keep for 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

How To Make Burgers on the Stovetop

If you're craving a juicy, tender, cheese-topped burger — one that you can really sink your teeth into — then you've come to the right place, my friend. No dry hockey pucks here! Just the kind of burger you'd normally pay big bucks for at a restaurant.

Today we're talking burgers. From the best kind of ground beef to use to tips for shaping the patties, with a step-by-step recipe for simply the best burgers you've ever had — at home or elsewhere. Ready?

The Best Beef for Burgers

After playing around with adding this and that to the ground beef in my quest to make a better burger, I finally realized that it's really just about the beef. Buy good beef, and you'll have a great burger. It's that simple.

The ideal ground beef for burgers should be 80% lean and 20% fat, though I can often only find 85% lean and think this still makes great burgers. Just avoid anything leaner than 90% — those burgers can easily end up dry and crumbly.

If you can, buy freshly ground beef from the butcher case. Not only does this tend to be a bit fresher than the packaged meat, but it's also less compressed, which is important for my next point. (Keep your eye out for deals on good-quality ground beef, too — you can stock up and freeze the shaped patties for later meals.)

Use a Light Touch

Maybe even more than the fat content or the quality of the beef, I've found that using a light touch is the real difference between a burger I relish eating and one that becomes tough. The more you handle and mash the beef as you shape the patties, the more compressed and tough the finished burger.

Instead, try to handle the beef as little as possible as you form the patties. Break off big fist-sized chunks of the ground beef and press them into rough patties against your work surface with the palm of your hand. Then gently pat the edges into a uniform round shape. Don't worry if the edges look a little lumpy or have cracks — resist the temptation to make the patties look neat and tidy. Those cosmetic imperfections are all in the name of a supremely tender burger.

Do the Dimple

Our food editor Christine taught us all this dimpling trick, and I haven't looked back since. By pressing a shallow "dimple" in the middle of the patty, you avoid the problem of the burgers shrinking to half their size and doming up in the middle. After years of tiny, round burgers, this feels like magic.

To make the dimple, just use your fingertips to pat the middle of the patties slightly thinner than the outer edge — maybe a quarter of an inch more shallow, at most. I always think the finished patties look like tiny frisbees.

Listen for the Sizzle & Flip with Confidence

Cook your burgers in a flat pan over medium-high heat. The patties should sizzle when they hit the pan, and when you flip them, you should see a nicely dark, golden-brown sear on the underside. That's the sign of a good burger!

Also, a wide, very thin spatula works best for flipping — it lets you quickly slide under the burger and flip it without messing up the nice crust you just formed. It also keeps these looser burgers from falling apart as you flip. (Though if they do fall apart, just press the pieces together and carry on — top with cheese and no one will ever know.)

I find that the spatulas sold for cookies or pancakes work best. A fish spatula would also do a fine job in a pinch.

Do Not Overcook

Stovetop burgers are a quick weeknight meal — very quick. Even if you prefer your burgers well-done, burgers will be ready in 10 minutes tops. Cook any longer and that's when you wind up with dry, crumbly hockey pucks, no matter how diligently you followed the advice given above.

It's a little nerdy, but I usually set a timer so I don't accidentally get caught up in conversation or another part of the meal and forget about the burgers. You can also keep an eye on the sides of the burgers — when you see just a bit of pinkish-red in the very middle, medium-rare burgers are ready; the second that pinkish line disappears, your burgers are medium.

Sink Your Teeth In

Despite all this talk about what makes the "best" burger, a stovetop burger is really a very quick and simple thing. I just love burgers so much that I tend to get carried away — don't let all my jabber intimidate you. Bottom line: Buy ground beef with a bit of fat, use a light touch when forming the patties, and pay attention so they don't overcook. Do these things and I think you'll be very happy with your burgers!

What are your best tips for stovetop burgers? Any favorite toppings or mix-ins to share?

How To Make Burgers on the Stovetop

Makes 4 (6-ounce) or 6 (4-ounce) burgers

What You Need

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80% to 85% lean
• 4 to 6 hamburger buns
• Butter or oil, for the pan
• Salt and pepper
• 4 to 6 slices cheese, like cheddar, swiss, American, or provolone (optional)
• Burger toppings: sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, pickles, relish
• Equipment
• Griddle or skillet — cast iron, stainless steel, or nonstick
• Wide, flat spatula

Instructions

1. Divide the ground beef: Break the ground beef into 4 or 6 big chunks, roughly the same size.

2.Shape the patties: Gently press each chunk of ground beef against the counter into a disk roughly an inch thick. Press the middle to create a shallow "dimple" and pat the edges into a round — the patty should look like a frisbee and be slightly larger than your burger buns. Don't worry if there are some cracks in the edges; try not to mash the beef too much as you shape the patties.

3.Warm the pan: Set your pan over medium heat. Add a pat of butter or a teaspoon of oil, and let it warm with the pan.

4.Toast the buns: Press the buns into the warm butter or oil, and toast until the surface is golden. Repeat with any buns that didn't fit in the pan, adding more butter or oil as necessary. Transfer the toasted buns to a serving plate.

5.Increase the heat to medium-high: Increase the heat to medium-high, and keep a careful eye on the pan. When you see the first wisp of smoke, you're ready to cook the burgers.

6. Cook the burgers for 3 to 5 minutes: Transfer the burger patties to the hot pan, leaving a little space between each one. Work in batches if necessary. The burgers should sizzle on contact — if they don't, nudge the heat up a little. Sprinkle the tops generously with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Flip the burgers and cook another 3 to 5 minutes: Quickly slide a spatula under the burgers and flip to the other side. You should see a dark brown sear on the underside — if not, increase your heat next time. Sprinkle the other side generously with salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes to your preferred doneness. If the burger falls apart when you flip, just press the edges together and carry on — your burger will still be great!

8. To make cheeseburgers: If making cheeseburgers, top the burgers with cheese as soon as you flip them. If the cheese isn't melting fast enough, cover the pan with a lid or other dome to encourage the cheese to melt.

9.Finish the burgers: When the burgers have finished cooking, transfer them to the toasted buns and finish with your favorite burger toppings.

Recipe Notes

Burger Cooking Times

• Medium-Rare (red in the middle): 6 minutes total
• Medium (pink in the middle): 7 to 8 minutes total
• Medium-Well (a smidge of pink in the middle): 9 minutes total
• Well Done (no pink): 10 minutes total

Double-Batch of Burgers: If you're making burgers for a crowd, cook the burgers in batches and cook the burgers to just under the desired doneness level. Transfer the cooked burgers to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 300°F oven while you finish the rest of the batches.

Smoked Salmon Potato Cakes with Herb Crème Fraîche

Smoked pork has hogged the spotlight long enough. It's time bacon stepped aside and let smoked fish enjoy a little well-deserved attention. Smoked trout is my weekday lunch staple, but when it comes to weekend brunches or other special meals, I splurge on smoked salmon. In this recipe, pungent, smoky slices flavor a soft potato cake that is dredged in panko and cooked until crisp, then drizzled with an herbed crème fraîche. Bacon who?

In Japan, panko-crusted mashed potato cakes like this are called korokke("croquette"), and versions of them can be found in restaurants, at supermarkets and in home kitchens. I have a special place in my heart for the first korokke I ever tried, a salmon-flecked version served with a spicy fish egg mayo.

So when a co-worker made a crisp potato cake with smoked whitefish, the wheels started turning. Flavorful, oily smoked fish seasons the potatoes without the need for a lot of extra salt, fat or dairy, resulting in cakes that feel creamy and moist yet light.

In this ode to my first korokke, a couple tablespoons of mayonnaise, a little lemon juice and pepper, and half a cup of chopped smoked salmon flavor and bind the mashed potatoes, while the crunchy panko coating adds textural contrast. A simple herb-flecked crème fraîche sauce brings in acidity and freshness. I'd be happy to eat these for brunch anytime, or even as a light dinner with a lemony salad and a glass of wine.

And since both the cakes and sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated, and the cakes are cooked four at a time in the oven, this is a practical yet elegant-looking option for a sit-down brunch. Take that, bacon.

Smoked Salmon Potato Cakes with Herb Crème Fraîche

Makes about 4 (3-inch) cakes

For the crème fraîche

• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (dill, chives, parsley, etc.)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• Pepper

For the cakes:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 1 cup panko
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Make the crème fraîche: In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, herbs, salt, lemon zest and pepper to taste. Set aside at room temperature while assembling and cooking the cakes to let the flavors meld.

If cooking cakes in the oven (see Additional Notes below), preheat oven to 450°F and place a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet on the middle rack to preheat.

Peel and chop the potatoes. In a medium pot, cover the potatoes with water and a big pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Drain.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, add the salmon, mayonnaise and lemon juice and thoroughly mix with a fork. Add pepper and a little more salt if needed. Form the mixture into 3-inch patties. (Cakes will be very soft at this point. You can either chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to firm them up, or proceed with the recipe, handling them carefully.)

In a wide, shallow bowl, beat the egg. Put the panko in another wide, shallow bowl or plate. Dip a cake in the egg, then in the panko and set aside. Repeat with the remaining cakes.

Pull skillet out of the oven. Coat the bottom with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place cakes in the skillet and bake for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the cakes are golden-brown and crisp. Serve with herb crème fraîche and lemon wedges, if desired.

Additional Notes

• The cakes can also be cooked on the stove: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cakes, flipping halfway through, until brown and crisp on both sides.

• The herb crème fraîche can be made up to 24 hours before. The cakes can be formed and refrigerated up to 12 hours ahead. Dip them in egg and panko just before cooking.

Duck Breast with Pomegranate-Citrus Glaze

Is duck breast a meal you ever make at home? No? Why? Is it too unfamiliar? Is it associated with fancy restaurant meals — too intimidating to make in your own kitchen? Let me help dispel those fears and say that duck breast is a delicious, special meal to make at home. If you'd like to try something a little different this weekday Valentine's, why not try duck?

Read on for my go-to duck recipe, and step by step photos of cooking duck breast.

Duck breast can be every bit as expensive as steak, and it has a juicy richness to match a good steak's luxury. But it's a little lighter, and, done right, not quite so fatty and overwhelmingly rich. I adore a few slices of duck breast for dinner — its robust flavor and tender texture make it a treat. I especially like it when brushed with this simple, quick glaze — a mix of intensely tangy pomegranate molasses (found in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern grocery stores), fresh citrus, and spices. It adds some tangy brightness that plays nicely with duck's rich flavor.

When cooking duck, the first step is the most important: Render off the fat. Duck breast comes with a pillow of fat, deep and chewy, that cushions the meat and must be rendered off slowly before the meat is done. The finished piece of meat should have a crisp, melting outer strip of caramelized fat. It shouldn't be chewy or thick by this point (nothing quite so unpleasant as biting into a rubbery layer of fat on top of a nice piece of duck breast!).

After this you will have a little pot of liquid gold: Duck fat. This will keep for days in the refrigerator (or months, frozen) and it's the most ridiculously delicious stuff for frying potatoes and turnips, or adding to roasted vegetables. Don't waste it — it's half the reason to make yourself a handsome duck breast for Valentine's Day.

Duck Breast with Pomegranate Citrus Glaze

Serves 2 with leftovers. Glaze adapted from SpiceLines

• 2 duck breasts, about 12 to 16 ounces total (split into two pieces if sold still joined by the skin, as pictured
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons white vermouth
• 1 large orange, juiced (about 1/4 cup) 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom

Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the duck breasts fat side up on a cutting board and use a small sharp knife to crosshatch them, cutting just through the layer of fat but not into the meat itself. Sprinkle thoroughly with salt and pepper.

Place them fat side down in a large skillet. Turn the heat on to low. Cook the duck breasts over very low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, letting the fat render out. The fat shouldn't spit or flare up; the heat should be low as possible. The goal here is to avoid cooking the duck breasts too much, and just to render off the fat.

While the fat is rendering, mix the pomegranate molasses, vermouth, orange juice, honey, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches a temperature of 210°F. Turn off the heat and set aside.

When the fat on the duck breasts looks cooked through and crisp (see photos above), turn off the heat and remove the duck breasts. Carefully pour off all the liquid fat into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate, unless you plan to use some right away (as I did with the sautéed turnips you see on the plate above). Return the duck breasts to the pan, fat side up now, and brush lightly with the pomegranate syrup. Put the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches your goal.

Personally, I like to cook my duck breast to medium rare, so I shoot for about 130°F. (The photos here notwithstanding — I left the duck breast on the stove for much longer than usual in order to get the photos I needed for this recipe. The hazards of cooking and writing at the same time!) This should give you duck breast that is dark pink or magenta inside.

If you prefer to cook to USDA standards, then cook for a few minutes longer, to 160°F. This will produce duck breasts that are brown throughout, with a hint of pink in the center. This is way too done for my personal taste, but it is still tasty.

Remove the duck breasts from the oven, place on a cutting board, and tent with foil to rest for a few minutes. Brush again with the glaze (rewarm the glaze if necessary) and slice very thinly. Serve immediately. I liked to serve thin slices of duck breast fanned out over wilted greens or radicchio, with sautéed turnips or root vegetables on the side.

I love leftover duck sliced very thin, served cold with a little mustard and a salad. It's almost better than it is hot out of the oven.

MY CELEBRATORY BIRTHDAY WISH CAKE

Hello Thursday! I don’t know where the weeks continue to go, but it still amazes me how quickly time seems to fly! As you can tell by the title of this recipe I am super happy to say that we reached my “Birthday Wish” goal! We raised just over $400, and I only planned on making around $250! This is amazing, and I was smiling from ear to ear on the 18th when I check to see how far we got!

I would love to thank everyone who took time to donate, and show me love! It means alot to me, more than most of you will ever understand. So for that I am so thankful!

Like I have told all you before, and I will say it again birthdays do not really mean much to me.  I just think it is a day you get to spend feeling happy, and grateful to be alive! And I did just that on my birthday, with a side of kick ass cake but with a total twist! For the cake itself I used my Banana Bread (make the exact same way, but divide into 3 5″ tins).  I layered each delicious cake between candied blood oranges, and completely drizzled with Salted Caramel Sauce from DamnSugar – this made the cake for sure!

This cake is perfect for special occasions, and honestly quite versatile as I think you can literally use your favourite cake or loaf recipe and turn it into a masterpiece!

This cake is super sticky, moist and is just a burst of flavours in your mouth.

Fun fact time: I  used blood oranges because I did not want to waste them as they were about to go off.  So for this recipes I would maybe try making candied pears, apricots, or even peaches!  Just something that goes really well bananas.  Not that the Blood oranges did not , they went perfectly but I not everyone has this citrus fruit available to them right now!

Sorry I cant stay long but I have some recipes to create, and time is not on my side today! Busy Busy Bee!

Love from your Greek Food Goddess.

INGREDIENTS

• Banana Bread Cake – three tins, greased with coconut oil
• Candied Oranges:
• 1 blood orange
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup maple sugar or coconut syrup (this is where the cake gets cheeky, but if you’re only doing once a year who CARES!)
• Salted Caramel:
• 1/2 of Damnsugar salted caramel
• 3 tbsp of vegan butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350C.
2. Prepare your ” Banana Bread” – link is in the above the recipe!
3. Cook for around 15-20 minutes, or until they pass the tooth pick test!
4. In the mean time lets start preparing the candies blood oranges.
5. Add water and syrups of choice to a large pan, and reduce till the sugar has dessolved.
6. Now thinly slice your blood orange and add it to the pan.
7. Simmer on medium-high hit till the pith of the orange becomes tranluscent.
8. Stir the oranges every once and awhile, and cook for about 35-40 minutes.
9. Flip the oranges here and there so they are fully coated by this delicioous goodness.
10. Your cakes are ready at this point so have them ready to begin layering.
11. Cake, oranges, cake… you get it. AND you better be using the left over blood orange juice from the pan and pouring into onto the cake!
12. Now for the Salted Caramel Sauce.
13. Heat damnsugar (could also use Coconut sugar with Cacao, as long as you use the same ratio – Ex 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp cacao) in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
14. Once damnsugar has melted, add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
15. Stir butter into damnsugar until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes.
16. Add the agave and gently stir. Keep watching it so it does not burn.
17. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
18. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using.
19. Once cooled get pouring this amazing goodness onto your cake!