- • Melt 2 sticks of butter
• On the side, boil one cup of water
• Add four heaping (and when I say heaping, I mean basically just keep going. Maybe use the biggest excuse for a spoon you can find in the house) tablespoons baking cocoa to the butter and whisk it in. Add boiling water. Let it bubble for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat and set it aside
• Combine 1 cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour (danger! We're deviating from the Pioneer Woman's carefully laid plans now!), 1 cup sugar (maybe even brown sugar. Ha! Take that!) and some salt
• Add in chocolate mixture, only stirring slightly
• In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a dash of vinegar), 2 beaten eggs, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp baking soda
• Add to the chocolate/flour mixture and mix well
• Pour into a 9 x 13 pan because this used to be a sheet cake but I don't have a sheet cake pan. What are you going to do about it?
• Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean, which for me was exactly 20 minutes
MEANWHILE, and this is the really nefarious part:
• Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter, whisk in 8 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa (just kind of keep going until it's ludicrously chocolately) and add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. (Sweetened condensed milk isn't really sugar, friends. It's a dairy product.)
• Chop & add 1 cup walnuts if you're so inclined. Whisk in a splash of milk or maybe some WHIPPING CREAM and the nuts and let it all bubble for a little, stirring until smooth, and then turn off the heat
• When the cake comes out, poke holes all over it with a stick that you bought to make carmel apples with. Then pour the glaze all over the poor unsuspecting cake, being sure to drown the living daylights out of it.
• Best eaten straight out of the hot pan with a fork. Or you can cut it and pretend to be civilized if you must.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Ignorance is Bliss Cake
subtitled: It's OK, butter is actually good for you in a way that margarine never was, says Michael Pollan
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Market Street Grill Clam Chowder
1 cup potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup chopped clams (canned or fresh)
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half-and-half
Directions:Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.
From: Amanda Wilkinson
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup chopped clams (canned or fresh)
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half-and-half
Directions:Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.
From: Amanda Wilkinson
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ham and Cheese Rolls
From Robyn Green:
"Start with 3 cups flour (I never measure exactly when I'm making bread, by the way). Add 1 1/2 T salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional, but this makes the bread softer...you can also use regular milk as a substitute for some of the water), and 3 T yeast. About the yeast---I use the instant yeast from Sam's--it comes in a brick and I store it in a plastic container in my freezer. This type of yeast can be added directly to the flour, making it much easier, and it taste better than the regular yeast.
Sift that all together.
In a small bowl, mix 1 egg and 1/3 cup oil. I use a separate bowl so I can beat the egg before adding it to the flour, and I add it after the water because it mixes better...but you don't want to cook the egg in the hot water, so adding it to the oil helps. Just a tip.
Measure out 4 cups hot water--the hottest you can get from the tap. Add 2 cups of water to the flour and mix, adding more water and mixing until it is smooth and creamy, but not too watery (about 3-3 1/2 cups water, typically). Add the egg and oil mixture.
At this point, you need to add about 3-4 more cups flour, but I suggest doing it one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Too much flour will make the dough dry, and it is easier to mix if it is added slowly. After about 2 cups, I usually turn it out onto a floured counter top and start kneading, adding more dough as I go. Keep kneading until the dough is tacky, but not sticking to the surface. The more you knead, the softer it will be. This is kind of a tricky point--and much easier if you have a mixer, which I don't. If you have a mixer, it is still best to add the dough slowly to avoid adding too much flour.
Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let it rise until doubled--usually 45 min to an hour. The rule is--the slower the rise, the softer the dough. It is also easier to roll out when it has risen properly. In a pinch, you can help it rise faster by putting the bowl on the stove top of a warm oven. When it has risen, divide it in half and roll it out on a floured surface. Make it into a long rectangle.
For the filling: I use a dry Alfredo sauce mix, made with a little less butter and milk so it is thicker than regular sauce, but you can also use jarred Alfredo sauce, thick salad dressing, or even spaghetti sauce. I also chop ham, and use whatever shredded cheese I have on hand (last night I used Monterrey jack, mozzarella, and cheddar). When I'm feeling fancy, I add drained spinach and artichokes, or make pizza rolls with spaghetti sauce and pepperoni and sausage( these are messier to make because the sauce is typically watery).
Spread the sauce, then the ham, then cheese, and roll up like cinnamon rolls. Slice about 1 in thick and place on a greased pan. Let them rise a few more minutes (maybe while the oven is preheating) until they look a little puffy, and bake until they look pretty--about 18 minutes.
These freeze really well if they are wrapped tightly--to reheat, just stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so!"
From: Robyn Green
"Start with 3 cups flour (I never measure exactly when I'm making bread, by the way). Add 1 1/2 T salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional, but this makes the bread softer...you can also use regular milk as a substitute for some of the water), and 3 T yeast. About the yeast---I use the instant yeast from Sam's--it comes in a brick and I store it in a plastic container in my freezer. This type of yeast can be added directly to the flour, making it much easier, and it taste better than the regular yeast.
Sift that all together.
In a small bowl, mix 1 egg and 1/3 cup oil. I use a separate bowl so I can beat the egg before adding it to the flour, and I add it after the water because it mixes better...but you don't want to cook the egg in the hot water, so adding it to the oil helps. Just a tip.
Measure out 4 cups hot water--the hottest you can get from the tap. Add 2 cups of water to the flour and mix, adding more water and mixing until it is smooth and creamy, but not too watery (about 3-3 1/2 cups water, typically). Add the egg and oil mixture.
At this point, you need to add about 3-4 more cups flour, but I suggest doing it one cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Too much flour will make the dough dry, and it is easier to mix if it is added slowly. After about 2 cups, I usually turn it out onto a floured counter top and start kneading, adding more dough as I go. Keep kneading until the dough is tacky, but not sticking to the surface. The more you knead, the softer it will be. This is kind of a tricky point--and much easier if you have a mixer, which I don't. If you have a mixer, it is still best to add the dough slowly to avoid adding too much flour.
Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let it rise until doubled--usually 45 min to an hour. The rule is--the slower the rise, the softer the dough. It is also easier to roll out when it has risen properly. In a pinch, you can help it rise faster by putting the bowl on the stove top of a warm oven. When it has risen, divide it in half and roll it out on a floured surface. Make it into a long rectangle.
For the filling: I use a dry Alfredo sauce mix, made with a little less butter and milk so it is thicker than regular sauce, but you can also use jarred Alfredo sauce, thick salad dressing, or even spaghetti sauce. I also chop ham, and use whatever shredded cheese I have on hand (last night I used Monterrey jack, mozzarella, and cheddar). When I'm feeling fancy, I add drained spinach and artichokes, or make pizza rolls with spaghetti sauce and pepperoni and sausage( these are messier to make because the sauce is typically watery).
Spread the sauce, then the ham, then cheese, and roll up like cinnamon rolls. Slice about 1 in thick and place on a greased pan. Let them rise a few more minutes (maybe while the oven is preheating) until they look a little puffy, and bake until they look pretty--about 18 minutes.
These freeze really well if they are wrapped tightly--to reheat, just stick them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so!"
From: Robyn Green
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
These are my current obsession. I ADORE them. I tagged the recipe as a main dish because that's how I've been eating them lately!
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
fresh ground pepper (about 10 turns of a pepper mill
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray. Don't use a silpat, or parchment, or anything like that. You want them right on the cookie sheet. Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. I like mine to be 1/4", or maybe a tad bit bigger.
It's important that all of the pieces are evenly sized to ensure even cooking. So toss any irregular pieces aside (or eat them in another dish). When you're ready you'll have something that looks like a pile of carrots.
Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Use your hands to make sure each one is coated. If you've got more than a pound of sweet potatoes, add a little extra olive oil. They should all be glistening, just eyeball it. Then sprinkle on all of the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated. Place the fries on the baking sheet. It's very important that they are not touching, but can place them pretty close together.
Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Don't open the oven door, not even for a peak! Let them do their thing. After 15 minutes take pan of oven and flip the fries. If you try to do it one at a time it will take forever, I take a long spatula and get a bunch at at time. It's super quick. Just flip, and then make sure they're spaced out again. Be careful because at this point they're quite soft.
Put the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. They should be nice and golden brown.
From: ourbestbites.com
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
fresh ground pepper (about 10 turns of a pepper mill
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray. Don't use a silpat, or parchment, or anything like that. You want them right on the cookie sheet. Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. I like mine to be 1/4", or maybe a tad bit bigger.
It's important that all of the pieces are evenly sized to ensure even cooking. So toss any irregular pieces aside (or eat them in another dish). When you're ready you'll have something that looks like a pile of carrots.
Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Use your hands to make sure each one is coated. If you've got more than a pound of sweet potatoes, add a little extra olive oil. They should all be glistening, just eyeball it. Then sprinkle on all of the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated. Place the fries on the baking sheet. It's very important that they are not touching, but can place them pretty close together.
Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Don't open the oven door, not even for a peak! Let them do their thing. After 15 minutes take pan of oven and flip the fries. If you try to do it one at a time it will take forever, I take a long spatula and get a bunch at at time. It's super quick. Just flip, and then make sure they're spaced out again. Be careful because at this point they're quite soft.
Put the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. They should be nice and golden brown.
From: ourbestbites.com
Gluten and Dairy Free Mini Muffins- (a work in progress)
1 cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup grapeseed oil
In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, blend together eggs, agave and oil. Blend wet ingredients into dry. Scoop batter 1 tablespoon at a time into greased mini muffin tins. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes. Cool then remove from muffin tins and serve.
Adaptations:
- Replace agave nectar with brown rice syrup. You should add more syrup than the amount of sweetener called for- twice the amount of syrup when replacing agave.
-Replace eggs with flax. 2 T ground flax plus 6 T water equals 2 eggs. Let the mixture sit before adding to recipe. I tried making with eggs this time and it was the first time I've tried them in a while. I got sick. Don't know if it was the eggs or if it was something else, but hopefully I'll find out when my tests come back. This will probably work just as well with the flax.
- Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 tablespoon lemon zest- packed and heaping. This is what the recipe originally calls for, but I thought it was way too much rosemary. I'm wondering if it was a typo. If I try it again, I'll update the amount I actually use.
-Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. I added pumpkin to the unchanged recipe and then added spices and vanilla and the oil should have been reduced or eliminated. They were still good though. I will certainly be trying to improve this one. I miss eating pumpkin laced treats.
Still a lot to work on before perfecting this one. I served them at a girls night the other night and made a double batch. I forgot to not double the baking soda. They were disgusting. I threw them away. But the pumpkin ones I made this morning worked pretty well. Poor girls night friends. I wonder if they will ever eat my food again.
Adapted from: elenaspantry.com
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup grapeseed oil
In a large bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, blend together eggs, agave and oil. Blend wet ingredients into dry. Scoop batter 1 tablespoon at a time into greased mini muffin tins. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes. Cool then remove from muffin tins and serve.
Adaptations:
- Replace agave nectar with brown rice syrup. You should add more syrup than the amount of sweetener called for- twice the amount of syrup when replacing agave.
-Replace eggs with flax. 2 T ground flax plus 6 T water equals 2 eggs. Let the mixture sit before adding to recipe. I tried making with eggs this time and it was the first time I've tried them in a while. I got sick. Don't know if it was the eggs or if it was something else, but hopefully I'll find out when my tests come back. This will probably work just as well with the flax.
- Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 tablespoon lemon zest- packed and heaping. This is what the recipe originally calls for, but I thought it was way too much rosemary. I'm wondering if it was a typo. If I try it again, I'll update the amount I actually use.
-Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. I added pumpkin to the unchanged recipe and then added spices and vanilla and the oil should have been reduced or eliminated. They were still good though. I will certainly be trying to improve this one. I miss eating pumpkin laced treats.
Still a lot to work on before perfecting this one. I served them at a girls night the other night and made a double batch. I forgot to not double the baking soda. They were disgusting. I threw them away. But the pumpkin ones I made this morning worked pretty well. Poor girls night friends. I wonder if they will ever eat my food again.
Adapted from: elenaspantry.com
Friday, October 23, 2009
Banana Sweetened Granola
1 ripe or frozen banana
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 375° F.Using a blender, blend together banana, water, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt until very smooth.Toss banana puree together with rolled oats and nuts. Lay everything out in a single layer on a tinfoil lined baking pan (it may stick a little). Bake for 40 minutes until oats are starting to brown. Stir 4 times throughout, breaking up any clumps that are forming.Add shredded coconut when there are 12 minutes left of baking time to lightly toast.Remove from oven and add the flax seeds and raisins. Serve with milk or yogurt or as a snack on its own.
Adaptations:
Replace banana with 1/2 c pumpkin. Increase cinnamon to 1 T, add 3/4 t allspice, 1/2 t cloves, and 1 1/2 t ginger.
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 375° F.Using a blender, blend together banana, water, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt until very smooth.Toss banana puree together with rolled oats and nuts. Lay everything out in a single layer on a tinfoil lined baking pan (it may stick a little). Bake for 40 minutes until oats are starting to brown. Stir 4 times throughout, breaking up any clumps that are forming.Add shredded coconut when there are 12 minutes left of baking time to lightly toast.Remove from oven and add the flax seeds and raisins. Serve with milk or yogurt or as a snack on its own.
Adaptations:
Replace banana with 1/2 c pumpkin. Increase cinnamon to 1 T, add 3/4 t allspice, 1/2 t cloves, and 1 1/2 t ginger.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Nearly-Instant Applesauce
INGREDIENTS
- 4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup white sugar (though I would use a bit less next time)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a crockpot, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours (or until apples are soft). Run to through the blender til smooth. Allow to cool and then store in the container of your choice.
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