for the base:
quarter cup brown sugar
1 and three quarter cups powdered sugar
half stick unsalted butter
three quarters cup smooth peanut butter
for the topping:
7oz milk chocolate
3oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 x 9 inch square brownie tin, lined, preferably, with Silpat
Stir all the ingredients for the base together until smooth. I use the paddle attachment to my mixer but a bowl and a wooden spoon will do the job just as well. Press the sandy mixture into the lined brownie tin and make the surface as even as possible.
To make the topping, melt the chocolates and butter together (in a microwave for ease, for a minute or two on medium) and spread on the base. Put the tin in the fridge to set. When the chocolate has hardened, cut into small squares.
Makes approximately 48.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Nigella's Comforting Beef Casserole (Stew)
Wow, I saw this on tv today and made it tonight and it's really really good. I think the allspice and orange are what make this so special. I halved the recipe for Sean and me and leftovers. Yum!
1/2 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin), or vegetable oil
2 pounds onions, roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds carrots, cut on the diagonal to give slanted oval slices
1/2 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 1/2 pounds stewing or chuck steak, diced
1 large orange, zested and juiced
2 cups stout
2 cups water
4 bay leaves
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan or deep casserole, and fry the onions and carrots until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
1/2 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin), or vegetable oil
2 pounds onions, roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds carrots, cut on the diagonal to give slanted oval slices
1/2 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 1/2 pounds stewing or chuck steak, diced
1 large orange, zested and juiced
2 cups stout
2 cups water
4 bay leaves
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan or deep casserole, and fry the onions and carrots until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Remove the softened and oil-glossed vegetables to a bowl, and add the remaining oil to the pan. Put the flour into a large freezer bag along with salt and pepper, sage, and allspice; add the beef pieces to the bag, tossing in the flour, before searing the meat in the pan. Do this in batches, browning the meat a little and removing all of the beef to a large dish as you go.
When all the meat is browned and out of the pan, whisk or stir in the orange juice and stout and let it come to the boil. Add the water and then return the meat and vegetables to the pan. Stir in the orange zest and bay leaves, bring to the boil and then turn the stew down to a soft simmer. Cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours. This is best reheated 1 or 2 days after, but if you are serving the stew on the same day, then add another half hour to the cooking time just to make sure the meat is soft, mellow and tender.
Friday, November 23, 2007
French Toast Turkey Sandwich
These are so good, this is adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe, I've made these a few times and it's a heavy sandwich but very satisfying. I made these today for lunch, but just two for Sean and Me.
Serves 4
8 slices whole wheat bread
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg
Butter, for greasing skillet - or Earth Balance trasfat free spread
1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1 (6 to 8-ounce) brick Vermont sharp cheddar, thinly sliced - whatever sliced cheese you have is fine, I have used cheddar or havarti
3/4 pound deli sliced smoked turkey breast
Begin to assemble an assembly line leading to your pan. Place a pile of bread next to a shallow dish or disposable pie tin containing the eggs, beaten with milk, sugar, and nutmeg. Nestle a piece of cold butter in a folded paper towel and keep on hand to wipe and grease your skillet. Pile apples, cheese, and turkey on the cutting board to finish your assembly line.
Preheat nonstick griddle or large skillet over moderate heat.
To make sandwiches, coat pan with butter, dip 4 pieces of bread on both sides in the egg, and place in the pan. Cook 2 minutes and turn 2 slices over. Top the 2 slices you turned with thin layers of cheese, apple, turkey and another slice of cheese. Top sandwich filling with the other 2 slices of bread, keeping the uncooked side up; you are just sliding these pieces over from pan to top of sandwich. Now flip the entire sandwich over to cook the opposite side of the sandwich. Gently press down on the sandwich as it grills the last minute or two. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.
Cut sandwiches on a diagonal and serve.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Nana's Chinese Salad
I am working on getting these transcribed, but for now, I will direct you to the scanned image from her recipe box.
Nana's Chinese Salad
Nana's Chinese Salad Dressing
Nana's Chinese Salad
Nana's Chinese Salad Dressing
Sausage Cheese Balls
Sean's family has been making these for years. They are really good - and so easy!
1 pound sausage (Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage in a tube)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the sausage, cheese, and dry baking mix. Mix together, and shape mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a lined cookie sheet (foil, parchment, silpat). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.
1 pound sausage (Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage in a tube)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the sausage, cheese, and dry baking mix. Mix together, and shape mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a lined cookie sheet (foil, parchment, silpat). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Popovers
Plain Popovers
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
melted butter, for brushing
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well with the melted butter and place in preheated oven for 1-2 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt. Sift flour over mixture and whisk until smooth.
Remove heated muffin tin from oven and divide the batter evenly into the buttered muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F for 25-30 min.
Makes 12 popovers.
Update: I've gotten better at these. Here's exactly what I do now.
I walk into the kitchen and I put hot water from the tap in a medium bowl about half full.
I put the 2 eggs (don't crack them yet) just put the cold eggs in the shell in the bowl and fill a glass measuring cup with 1 cup milk and I set that in the bowl - this makes them come to room temp quickly.
I turn on the oven to preheat. When the oven is hot enough I put the muffin tin in the oven,
I microwave a spoonful of Earth Balance Whipped Organic Butter spread in a small dish for 30 seconds.
I pour out the bowl of hot water into the sink and crack the eggs and put that in the same medium bowl with the salt and milk and whisk until mixed thoroughly.
I dump in a cup of flour and wisk until smooth - don't aerate, just mix, otherwise it's not as custardy in the middle when it's done.
I pour that mixture into the glass measuring cup that housed the milk - so you can pour into the muffin tin more easily.
Take the muffin tin out and brush each spot in the muffin tin with the melted butter using a silicone pastry brush.
Then quickly pour the batter about half way up the muffin cups.
Pop back into the oven for about 27 minutes and then eat immediately.
I saw on a tv cooking show that you can cut a little slit with a knife in each popover and put back in the oven to stay warm and you can do that but I found that they got tough. If you eat them right away they're great.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Chinese Chicken Salad
---------------------------SALAD---------------------------
2 pk Top Ramen soup mix, chicken
- 3 ounce packages
1 Small head cabbage
- chopped OR shredded
- about 8 cups
4 Green onions, chopped
- about 1 1/4 cups
1 c Toasted almonds
2 c Cooked, cut up chicken
-------------------------DRESSING-------------------------
1/3 c Vegetable oil
3 tb Rice vinegar
2 tb Sugar
2 tb Soy sauce
Flavor packets from soup
2 tb Toasted sesame seeds
To make salad, break noodles into pieces; toss with
cabbage, green onions, almonds and chicken. To make
dressing, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and
flavor packets from soup; mix well. Toss dressing and
sesame seeds with salad. TESTER'S NOTE: Add 1 to 2
tablespoons sesame oil and an additional 1 to 2
tablespoons rice vinegar to dressing for more flavor.
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