Double Fudge Brownies

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These are super chocolaty and walnuts would go well with these if you have them. I didn't have any.If you are more of a cake brownie person these aren't for you. These are very moist and very easy to make. You could even top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup if you desired.

You will need:

8 oz. bittersweet baking chocolate, broken or chopped 1/3 cup butter, cut up into pieces1 cup white granulated sugar1/4 tsp. salt2 T. water2 large eggs1 tsp. vanilla extract3/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup chopped walnuts ( optional)

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.

• In a small saucepan over a very low heat, add the chocolate, butter, sugar, salt and water. Heat stirring often until the chocolate and butter are melted.
• Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour. Stir in the nuts if using.
• Pour into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 9 squares.

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Beef Chili with Masa Harina

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This is an adapted recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Collection Series. This has a good equivalent of spices and heat, and it's not too hot. It's cold outside and a good time to have some Chili. Let's Eat!

  American Southwest  Mexican corn flour, Masa  Harina is used in this recipe. 

Ingredients:

5 T. vegetable oil or Olive oil3 lb.beef chuck, ground for chili3 large yellow onions, finely chopped8 garlic cloves, minced1 jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped1/2 cup chili powder2 T. ground cumin1 T. ground oregano1 T. sugar1 tsp. salt2 tsp. ground coriander1 1/2 cups lager-style beer2 1/2 cups beef stock1 can ( 28-oz.) crushed tomatoes1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped1 can ( 15-oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained1 can ( 15-oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained3 T. masa harina

Directions:

•  In a large non stick skillet over medium heat, you will brown your ground chuck in  1 T. oil, one half at a time. Drain off the fat and cook the other half in 1 T. oil set aside.
• In a large pot over medium heat add the remaining 3 T. oil and saute the onions stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, oregano, and coriander. Stir well until combined and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add the beef, beer, stock and tomatoes and beans. Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the masa harina, cover and simmer  stirring occasionally, for about 50 minutes.

Note: Serve with small bowls of sour cream, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions for the  toppings if desire.Corn bread is really good with this chili and a grilled cheese sandwich always hits the spot.

Easy Tarragon Chicken

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This is a simple recipe incorporating tarragon, butter, chicken broth and chives along with yogurt, into a sauce for the chicken and  your asparagus too.

 You will need:

1 lb. asparagus, halved if desired2 T. olive oil, divided4 chicken-breast halves ( 4 oz. each)1 tsp. seasoning salt2 tsp. each butter, chopped  tarragon and chopped chives
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook asparagus in 1/4 cup water for 4 minutes. Add 1 T. oil. Cook 2 minutes remove from skillet and keep warm.
2. Season chicken with seasoning salt. In the same skillet, cook chicken in remaining olive oil 8 minutes or until inserted thermometer reads 165 degrees F., turning once.  Keep warm.
3. In a saucepan cook next 3 ingredients for 2 minutes add broth and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in yogurt. 
4. To serve, slice each breast in 3/4-inch slices and drizzle sauce over chicken and asparagus.

Chocolate-Cherry Fudge Brownies

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These are tasty and taste more cherry like the next day...This brownie has dried tart cherries in the mix. This is yummy good, if you like cherries in your brownies.

Here's what you will need:

1 cup dried tart cherries coarsely chopped1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter4 squares ( 1 oz. each) unsweetened baking chocolate2 cups sugar4 large eggs1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour2 tsp. vanilla extract1/4 tsp. salt1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 15 X 10 X 1-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick foil.
2. Combine the chopped cherries and 1 cup of hot water in a bowl. Soak for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and whisk to slightly blend. Microwave another minute and whisk again. 20 seconds more if needed. Whisk until smooth.
4. Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Switch to a spatula and add in the flour, vanilla and salt. Drain softened cherries and stir in to the batter along with 3/4 cup of the mini chips. Spread into foil lined pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of the mini chips.
5. Bake brownies at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 24 squares.

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Country Club Chicken

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I was wanting something a bit different to make with some chicken and I decided on Country Club Chicken. This recipe comes from Kayotic Kitchen. This was my first time at preparing this dish and I do like the mushroom infused sauce. For a meal that's filling this hits the spot.
Photo credit: Patricia Hinkel

You will need:

1 pound spaghetti4 chicken breasts ( I used chicken breast halves)1 large onion,chopped7 oz. mushrooms2 cans of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup4 or 5 slices bacon1/4 cup dry white wine2/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese1 apple ( I used a golden delicious) peeled and mincedbutter or oil salt & pepperPreheat to 350 degrees F.Serves 4
Chop the onion. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Wash the apple, peel and dice. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Cook the bacon and drain. Add butter and brown the chicken breasts on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a casserole dish. Set the bacon aside.
Cook the onions for 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes, add the minced apple and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine, add the crumbled bacon, mushroom soup and the shredded cheddar cheese.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and cover all well. Put the casserole in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is hot and bubbly.

Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to package directions. To serve- put the spaghetti on the plate, top it with a chicken breast and cover with the sauce.
Garnish with extra bacon if desire.

Pasta alla Tuscana

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This pasta dish comes together in about 15 minutes start to finish, and it just makes me happy each time I have it. Tender angel hair pasta is blanketed in the sweet tomatoes bursting with their juices, flavored simply with the garlic and olive oil and finished off with ribbons of sweet-spicy basil and nuggets of melting fresh mozzarella.  
Optional changes - This particular dish is vegetarian, however in the past I have added a handful of crumbled bacon (or pancetta) to the dish.  You could certainly add in some grilled chicken strips if your family balks at the idea of a meatless dish.... or add in some fresh shrimp in the last couple of minutes!!  I have also had this in the past with fresh baby spinach.  I just add the spinach in the beginning while everything is sauteing, and  they wilt right down, adding lots of nutrition and great color.  And lastly, it is fairly common for Tuscan pastas to be served all'arrabbiata... which means spicy!  So you could add in some red pepper flakes or a minced jalapeno if you want to go that route.

Italian cuisine is characterized by its extreme simplicity, with many dishes having only four to eight ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. Ingredients and dishes vary by region; however many dishes that were once regional, have proliferated with variations throughout the country.  Simplicity is central to the Tuscan cuisine, with many dishes having peasant origins.  Having visited the area a couple times myself, something that becomes immediately clear is the theme of Italian chefs using simple, seasonal, top quality ingredients.Click for Printable Recipe     or Watch the video presentation here!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pint of mixed yellow and red grape heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 - 3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced 
• seasoning - kosher salt, cracked black pepper, 1 tsp dried basil
• fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes (quantity up to you!)
• a handful of fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons 
• 1/2 box angel hair pasta

Method:

Get a pot of water started for the pasta, because this comes together VERY quickly:   Saute tomatoes and garlic in hot olive oil for a couple of minutes.  Season them simply with kosher salt, black pepper, and dried basil.  Now add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water - these will only cook for about 4 minutes.  At this point, turn the tomatoes down all the way to the lowest setting.  They are done.  Add the ribbons of basil to the tomatoes.  You don't want to add fresh herbs in during the cooking process because they will lose flavor.  We are adding them just add the end, where they will perfume the dish and get warmed by the sauce.  The juice from the tomatoes and the olive oil create the "sauce" for the dish.  If it seems to need a little more, add a little extra olive oil and cook on low a couple of minutes for the flavors to marry.  But this is a very light and simply dressed pasta.  It shouldn't be dripping in sauce.  Drain the pasta and serve the tomato sauce over the fresh, hot pasta.  Add some chunks of fresh mozzarella to the sauce and let them start melting.  Garnish with a little extra basil ribbons and some fresh cracked pepper.
Step-by-Step: Get a pot of water started for the pasta, because this comes together VERY quickly.  Saute tomatoes and garlic in hot olive oil for a couple of minutes.

2 - 3 cloves of minced garlic, EVOO, grape tomatoes

 Season simply with kosher salt, black pepper, and dried basil.

kosher salt to taste

black pepper to taste

dried basil, maybe 1 tsp or so.

Add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water.  These will only cook for about 4 minutes.  At this point, turn the tomatoes down all the way to the lowest setting.  They are done.

half a box of angel hair pasta

Add the ribbons of basil to the tomatoes.  You don't want to add fresh herbs in during the cooking process because they will lose flavor.  We are adding them just add the end, where they will perfume the dish and get warmed by the sauce.  The juice from the tomatoes and the olive oil create the "sauce" for the dish.  If it seems to need a little more, add a little extra olive oil and cook on low a couple of minutes for the flavors to marry.  But this is a very light and simply dressed pasta.  It shouldn't be dripping in sauce.

handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons

Drain the pasta and serve the tomato sauce over the fresh, hot pasta.  Add some chunks of fresh mozzarella to the sauce and let them start melting.  Garnish with a little extra basil ribbons and some fresh cracked pepper.      

Want more great pasta dishes?  Visit my Recipe Index for lots of ideas with step-by-step tutorials.  As my little ones say "Eat noodles and be happy." 

Blueberry Lemon Bars

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These dainty Meyer lemon bars are made extra special with the addition of fresh blueberries and a toasted coconut shortbread cookie crust! 
There are SO many recipes around for lemon bars, that it is really hard to know where to start!  But when I came across a recipe by Mountain Mama Cooks for lemon bars with toasted coconut in the crust, I KNEW it was the one for me!!  Then, I kicked it up a notch with the addition of a big handful of fresh juicy blueberries.  They add a wonderful color and texture balance, and just a hint of tartness to balance out the sweet lemony filling.  Keep in mind that Meyer lemons are not quite as tart as regular lemons, and a little sweeter.  They are a like a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange.
Click for a Printable Recipe  or have a look at this -->  Link to Video Recipe
Ingredients:Crust -

•  2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted and cooled
• 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Filling -

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 Tbsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
• 2 tsp all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries + 1 tsp flour to dust (or cornstarch)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.  Line the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish with parchment paper, allowing it to come up the sides.  Later, we will use that to pull the whole dessert out of the dish. Add the coconut into a rimmed pan and broil to toast (~ 6 minutes total), shaking the coconut around every couple of minutes.  Watch it carefully! 
To make the crust - combine flour, sugar, salt, and coconut in a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Then add the cold cubes of butter and pulse until the whole mixture resembles wet sand and begins to clump together a little bit.  Press the dough into the baking dish.  Bake crust for 25 minutes at 350 F. 
While the crust is baking, make the filling - Into the food processor (clean first, please), combine sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Process this mixture on low until well mixed and smooth.  In a small bowl, dust the blueberries in a little flour and shake the excess off.  The flour will help to keep the blueberries from bleeding. 
Pour the filling over the warm crust, add the floured blueberries, and return the dish to the oven.  Bake for another 25 minutes uncovered.  Cool completely and garnish with powdered sugar.  Use a sharp knife to go around the short ends of the dish where the filling is in contact with the dish, then use the parchment to lift the whole thing out.  Cut into squares or bars.  
Step-by-Step:
Crust -Add the coconut into a rimmed pan and broil to toast (~ 6 minutes total), shaking the coconut around every couple of minutes.  Watch it carefully!  

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Toasted coconut... yum!!

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and coconut in a food processor.  

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup toasted and cooled coconut

Pulse to combine.
Then add the cold cubes of butter and pulse until the whole mixture resembles wet sand and begins to clump together a little bit. 

12 Tbsp cold butter, cut into 1/2" squares.

Press the dough into the baking dish.  You can use your fingers, or a meat pounder, or even the bottom of a drinking glass.    

Bake the crust at 350 F for 25 minutes.

You want a nice uniform thickness.

Filling -Into the food processor combine sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice, flour, baking powder, and salt. 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

3 Tbsp lemon jest (I needed 4 lemons for this.  You may need more lemons depending on their size.)

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice

2 tsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Process this mixture on low until well mixed and smooth.   Pour the filling over the warm crust.

In a small bowl, dust the blueberries in a little flour and shake the excess off.  The flour will help to keep the blueberries from bleeding.  

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

A little flour or cornstarch.  No need to really measure.

 Add the floured blueberries, and return the dish to the oven.  Bake for another 25 minutes uncovered.

 Cool completely.  Use a sharp knife to go around the short ends of the dish where the filling is in contact with the dish, then use the parchment to lift the whole thing out.  Cut into squares or bars. Garnish with powdered sugar.  I actually let mine cool overnight in the fridge.  
 




Looking for more great desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth?

• Check out the Desserts/Pastries section of my Recipe Index!!