Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

8 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup(s) (packed) light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 package(s) (12-ounce) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen

Lemon Coffee Cake

1 3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour, (for streusel)
3/4 cup(s) packed light-brown sugar, (for streusel)
1 teaspoon(s) coarse salt, (for streusel)
6 ounce(s) (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, (for streusel)
5 Meyer lemons, cut into paper-thin slices, ends discarded
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour, (for cake)
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse salt, (for cake)
4 ounce(s) (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan, (for cake)
1 cup(s) granulated sugar, (for cake)
3 tablespoon(s) finely grated Meyer lemon zest (from 4 to 5 lemons)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
1 cup(s) sour cream
1 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, (for glaze)
3 to 4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Directions

1. Make the streusel: Mix together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until small to medium clumps form. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 3 days).
2. Make the cake: Cook lemon slices in a medium saucepan of simmering water for 1 minute. Drain, and repeat. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch angel food cake pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream.
4. Spoon 1/2 of the batter evenly into cake pan. Arrange 1/2 of the lemon slices in a single layer over the batter. Spread remaining batter evenly over the top. Cover with the remaining lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter.
5. Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and remove outer ring. Let cool on rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the center tube. Slide 2 wide spatulas between the bottom of the cake and the pan, and lift cake to remove from the center tube. Let cool completely on rack.
6. Make the glaze: Just before serving, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake, letting excess drip down the sides. Let glaze set before slicing, about 5 minutes. (Cake can be stored for up to 3days. The lemon flavor will intensify with time.)

Serves 10 to 12

Mini Cornbread Puddings

Butter, room temperature, for pan
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup(s) sour cream
1 package(s) (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in upper third. Butter 24 mini muffin cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, whisk together egg, sour cream, and corn. Mix with flour mixture just until incorporated (do not overmix).
3. Dividing evenly, spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake until tops have browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes in pan; turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve, or cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Makes 24

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Pretzel Jello

2 c. crushed pretzels (twist ones)
3 1/2 T. sugar
1 cube of melted butter
Mix-stir together. Put in 9x13 pan.
Bake @ 400 for 5 minutes. Let cool completely
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8-12 oz. frozen raspberries
6 oz. raspberry jello
2 1/2 c. boiling water
Dissolve jello into boiling water. Add frozen raspberries. Put into fridge for a half hour or less. Let the jello become a little firm, but not too much.
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8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. sugar
Mix in mixer
Stir in an 8 oz. cool whip with spoon
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Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled pretzels
Put in fridge until you are ready to add the jello
Gently scoop the jello mixture over cream cheese mixture

Make the night before or first thing the morning of
Makes around 15 squares

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Creamy Frosting

6 tablespoon butter at room temperature
1 1/2 c powder sugar
2 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl & mix on low stopping a few times to scrape the sides. Add food coloring to color it.

Focaccia Bread

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 Cup warm water
Nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter/margarine
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 Tbs. dried)

Place yeast, sugar and water (it should be pretty warm to hot. If you get it just warm the yeast won't activate) in a large bowl or food processor and allow the mixture to become bubbly. Mix in 2 C flour and salt. Knead for about 10 minutes or process in food processor for 15 seconds or until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. Oil bowl (I just sprayed it with Pam instead), put dough in it and cover with a towel. Let dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Let the dough rest for a few minutes. Coat 2 9-inch square pans with nonstick spray.

Press dough down into pans. Melt butter. Brush over the the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle rosemary over the loaves and lightly press into the surface. Let the loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat over to 450 F. Lightly sprinkle salt over the loaves. Bake for 20-25 minutes until ightly browned.

Chicken Noodle Soup

6 Cups Chicken Stock (you could also use boullion cubes)
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled, halved & thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 oz dried thin egg noodles
3 T. chopped parsley
salt & pepper to taste

In a large sauce over medum-high heat bring the stock to a simmer. Add chicken & simmer until tender 8-10 minutes or so. Remove from heat & let chicken cool in liquid. Take chicken out & cute into cubes. Set aside. Return chicken stock to a simmer. Add onions, carrots & celery. Simmer till softened, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, noodles, parsley, salt & pepper. Simmer till noodles are ready, about 10 minutes.

Fresh Peach Pie

Mix
1 cup sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/2 c cold water
1/4 t nutmeg
3 blended peaches

Cook over medium heat until it boils. Boil 2 minuets. Cool slightly.
Slice 5-6 peaches into baked crust. Pour sauce over. Chill.

I buy the Marie Calenders two pack. They are small so you can get two pies out of 1 mixture of the sauce. Sometimes we use more than 6 peaches. It just depends on what we have.