Month: December 2012

Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Cinnamon Brownies

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These brownies take a normal brownie to the next level. Took them to art class today and everyone loved them and wanted the recipe. When I told them to just make  your favorite brownies recipe (and yes, if you are like my husband, Frosty, who loves even the Duncan Hines box brownies) just add 1 1/2 cup cinnamon flavored chips to the batter. I buy the chips at Walmart and I used to see them at Tom Thumb at Christmastime. In years past, because they weren’t always available at other times of the year, I would buy a dozen or so packages and freeze them so I could have Cinnamon brownies whenever I wanted. They just add such a great flavor to the brownie. Then just sprinkle sugar over the brownies when they come out of the oven.

We are leaving to spend Christmas with some of our kids tomorrow so please have a wonderful and blessed Christmas. Remember, it is not what you cook that keeps family coming back, it is the love in which you serve the food  that keeps them wanting to come back. So love on family and friends this season, it will bless your heart. Merry Christmas!  Remember the reason for the season! Thank you Jesus for coming to this world as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes to save us from our sins….Noel

Desserts

Pecan Cheesecake Bars

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Yesterday I had an Christmas Cookie & Chat Open house. These cheesecake bars were the hit of the day. It’s interesting to me that each year we do this, there seems to always be one item that gets all the attention. Last year it was the Meltaways and this year, the Cheesecake Bars. Out of over 40 ladies who attended, more than half wanted the recipe. So here it is. It combines the flavor of cheesecake and pecan pie, which truly is a great combination.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

2 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teas vanilla

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter, (1 stick) melted

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and 3/4 cup of the brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Press mixture evenly in bottom of a 13,9 inch baking pan, bake for 10 min. Set aside to cool while preparing the cream cheese mixture.

Beat at medium speed until smooth: cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined. Pour over cooled crust and bake for 12-14 min. Remove from oven and cool while preparing the pecan mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and eggs. Stir in the pecans. Pour over cream cheese mixture and return to oven and bake for about 40 min, or until middle feels “set” to the touch. Cool and place in fridge until ready to cut into bars. If leaving in fridge, be sure to cover the bars, after they have cooled completely.

Chicken

Chicken A La Chardone

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Last week, I told you that I would be posting a new chicken recipe when I received it from the lady who cooked it for us at her house. She sent it to me today so here it is. Pat, thanks for introducing us to a most amazing delicious recipe that is just so easy and so good. The chicken was just the most moist and flavorful I have tasted in quite a while.

4 half breasts (boned and skinned – Pat uses thin sliced breasts)

1 egg

1 stick of butter

salt and pepper (optional) Pat didn’t use any!

2 tbsp. dried parsley

2 tsps garlic powder

juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup Italian bread crumbs

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

½ lb mushrooms sliced

 

Beat egg with 1 tsp garlic powder, (adding salt and pepper to taste) – SET ASIDE!

 

In another bowl mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and ½ tsp garlic powder.

 

Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture and dredge through cheese mixture.  Lay one layer deep in glass baking dish.

 

Melt butter.  Stir in remaining ½ tsp garlic powder, lemon juice and parsley.  Mix together and drizzle ½ mix over chicken.  Bake at 375 degree for 30 –35 minutes.

 

Slice mushrooms.  Sprinkle on chicken.  Drizzle last of butter sauce over top.  Bake another 10 minutes.  Serve with white rice.

 

Chocolate · Desserts

Almond-Oat Lace Cookies*

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If you read the blog on Monday, you will remember that we went on a Chocolate Tour over the weekend. We even made our hubbies go with us. Because of the awesome chocolate treats that awaited us at each stop, they really got into the Chocolate Tour moment*(see inset picture)At one of the stops, we were served these delicious cookies, half of which were dipped in chocolate. They were wonderful. They were kind enough to give us the recipe, and if they aren’t like my mother in law who would intentionally leave out a very important ingredient and then say, “why sweetie, I don’t know why yours didn’t turn out”, I am trusting them to have given us the correct recipe that will produce the same cookie that we were served. (I was kidding about the mother-in-law).

1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds with skins

2 tables old-fashioned oats

6 tables unsalted butter

6 tables superfine sugar

2 tables packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teas honey (finally, I thought this recipe was going to be nothing but tables this and tables that)

Oops, here we go again, 1 Table all purpose flour

1/4 teas salt

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

Arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat oven to 350. Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Pulse almonds and oats in a food processor until coarse meal forms. Set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add both sugars and honey and whisk until blended and sugar dissolves, 1-2 mins.

Remove from heat. Add nut mixture, flour and salt. Stir until well mixed.

Spoon batter by 2 teas portions onto baking sheet; spacing 2 1/2″ apart. Using your fingertips, pat cookies down to 1/4″ high rounds; push in any jagged edges to form smooth circles.

Bake, rotation sheets after 6 min, until dark golden brown and cookies spread out into a thin layer. (10-12 min)

Frosty Found Rudolph on Chocolate Tour
Frosty Found Rudolph on Chocolate Tour

Slide cookies with parchment paper onto a wire rack and let cool.

Using a pastry brush, brush half of each cookie with melted chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate is set.

This recipe is from the Fawnskin Bed and Breakfast*

Desserts

Chocolate Truffles

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Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Truffles

This past weekend, we were in Big Bear and went to a Chocolate Tour. One of the locations had these delicious little gems that were just chocolate truffles dusted with fairy dust, I mean powdered sugar. I came home and immediately found my old recipe that I use to make and use as decorations on top of chocolate cakes. They were the same consistency and the only difference was that they had added peppermint flavoring.

2 tables butter

1 (14 oz) can of Eagle Brand Sweentened Condensed Milk (not Pet Milk)

3 tables cocoa powder

*If desired, add 1/2 teas peppermint extract

1 cup chocolate sprinkles or powdered sugar or just coarse decorating sugar

Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Using a long handled spoon, stir in the Eagle Brand and cocoa powder. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to bubble and you can see the bottom of the pan. Grease a bowl with butter and pour the mixture into the bowl. Let cool about 30 min to 1 hour. Pour sprinkles into a bowl, (or powdered sugar or decorators sugar) into a separate bowl. Roll the cooled chocolate mixture into small balls (a little larger than a teaspoon, these are so rich you won’t want to make them larger)

Roll the balls in the sprinkles/sugar and place on a plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Friday ROAD TRIP of Christmas Countdown

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Well this past week has found the Griswalds at Wallyworld, the Storage Unit and now ta da, we get to go to Big Bear, which is up in the mountains a couple of hours from our house for a Chocolate Tour. The tour takes you to 4 decorated houses with different chocolate treats at each place. Frosty and Noel will be in heaven. We have our Tums packed in our back pocket, our cell phones on silent and the GPS loaded with our destination. That just makes us sound so much cooler that “we have the map in the car”. Of course, where we are going, the GPS probably won’t work, so we do have our map tucked between the cooler filled with Energy drinks, Dr Peppers and chocolate covered pretzels, just to get us ready for our chocolate tour.

Will be so excited to return to tell you about the weekend. But have to tell you about our little experience last night. We had been invited to some friends house, (before I tell you this, don’t you really wonder how things like this always happen to us) for dinner. We had absolutely the best baked chicken I think I have ever had. She is giving me the recipe and will post it when she does. We finish dinner and she serves Pumpkin YumYums. Oh my, pumpkin layer over cream cheese layer over a buttery crust with whipped cream. To die for. Will post that when I get back also, but if you just have to make it this weekend, all it was was the 4 layer chocolate pudding dessert that people used to call Chocolate YumYums….but instead of the chocolate layer she mixed a can of pumpkin with 1-2 teas of pumpkin pie spice (depending on how much spice you like) with a small package of instant french vanilla pudding with the 1 1/2 cups cold milk. Beat the pumpkin with the pudding and spread over the cream cheese mixture which you make with 8 oz of cream cheese, 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 cup of Cool Whip. Well, I have gone this far, I might as well give you the whole recipe. Whip up the cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip and spread over cooled crust. The crust is made up of 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 stick of cold butter and 1 cup chopped pecans. Cut butter into flour and add chopped pecans. Spread over a 9×13 pan and bake until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Watch it closely. When it is cooled completely, spread CC mixture over crust. Pour pumpkin over CC layer and top with whipped cream. Put in fridge and let it sit for about 4 hours before serving. Now, back to my story.

We finished dinner and went into the den to watch a video. There were about 14 of us there. We were watching so intently (it was part of our Bible Study lesson) but I kept smelling something burning. I tried to get our hostess attention to tell her that I truly smelled something burning, but thought, well, she has the dishwasher on, I bet a plastic bowl is too near the heating element. But the smell kept getting stronger and stronger. All of a sudden one of the other guests turns around and yells, “the table is on fire”..The flames were shooting up about 4 feet into the air and we all ran for water and began to pour water on her table. So now not only does she have a burned dinning room table, but a soaked rug as well. But Frosty, being the Christmas Giver that he is with a most generous heart told her not to worry, he would buy her more candles to replace the ones that caused the fire..He is just the best!

The fire did not even dampen our night at all. We had a most enjoyable evening with precious friends and the most amazing dinner. Frosty was excited that he had got a home cooked meal, and he didn’t even have to buy the groceries. That always makes it taste better. Am headed to finish packing, will talk to you on Monday with new Christmas recipes and maybe a funny story or two. After all, when we drive to the mountains for the weekend, you know some story will come out of it.

appetizers · Salads

Yes, Another Mushroom Recipe

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I LOVE mushrooms. I don’t know if it is the flavor or the fact that you can eat a million of them without worrying about calories. Of course, depending on what you stuff them with or how you prepare the little angels, could quickly send you into Cholestrol Cardiac, but we won’t worry about that at Christmas. Let’s just enjoy them and come January, you can eat raw cauliflower till your hearts content and the cholesterol has been washed out of your system. This recipe certainly cannot be considered diet, but guess that’s what makes it so good. Great appetizer to take to those Christmas and New Years parties.

24 Large mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed

1/2 pound Italian bulk sausage (casing removed)

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

1/2 cup picante sauce

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (I bet already you are picturing these in your mind as “what a cute little Christmas looking appetizer with the red picante and green onions”)

Place mushroom caps in large shallow baking dish (sprayed with Pam)

Brown sausage in skillet, stirring to break up large pieces

Drain and mix with cheese. Fill mushrooms with sausage mixture. You can prepare to this point up to 1 day in advance and store in covered container in fridge.

Spoon picante sauce over mushrooms and bake at 375 for 15 min or until they are heated all the way through. Top with green onions before serving.

Daily Thoughts

Tips for Baking Cookies

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Yesterday a friend emailed me and said that a lady had brought in ginger cookies to the office. They were thin and crispy  and she wanted to know why they had spread out so much. Here was my answer.

1. Almost always, the cheaper the butter the more water content. Never use whipped butter or margarine, way too much water content.

2. If you like a “fluffier” cookie to that of a thin crispy cookie, use half butter and half shortening in the recipe.

3. In making chocolate chip cookies from the recipe on the back of the Nestles Semi Sweet CC’s it calls for 2 eggs, I only use 1. If recipe calls for Large Eggs, and you have Extra Large, use only half of the eggs called for in the recipe.

4. Using parchment paper seems to help the dough not spread out so much.

5. Measuring the flour is really important. I never sift the flour. I stir the flour in the canister before I dip the measuring cup into the flour. I do not pack it in. I just dip the measuring cup in the flour and then level it off at the top.

If you like them soft, be sure to begin to watch the cookies in the last 2-3 minutes of baking time. Because all ovens are different, yours might be done in 9 min as opposed to 11. If the cookie just barely creases when you poke your finger in it, that is usually when I take them out. I am assured that they will stay soft that way. I also don’t use cooling racks. I put the hot cookie straight from the cookie sheet to the paper towel that I have placed on the counter. Soaks up some of the grease and seems to keep them softer than the cooling rack.

appetizers

Artichoke Fritata

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Several friends have texted me to ask if I had any new appetizer recipes. When I went back through some recipes that I have used in the past, I came across this one. In the 90’s I belonged to a women’s club, called Northwood Womans Club in Dallas. We began each year with a “tea” for new members of which the members who are joined the year before was in charge of planning and executing this wonderful afternoon of great desserts and appetizers. Now why did I list desserts first….hum….tells me a little of why I cannot fit in those size 12 pants anymore.  Back to the story. This recipe was made and was an instant hit.

2 small jars (61/4 oz) marinated artichokes

1 small onion, chopped very fine

1 clove garlic, mashed

4 eggs, beaten with a fork

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/2 teas pepper

1/8 teas oregano

2 teas parsley flakes, or chopped fresh parsley

1/8 teas Tabasco

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Drain 1 jar of the artichokes-drain the oil from 2nd jar into frying pan.

Saute onion and garlic in oil

Chop artichokes very fine (use blender if necessary)

Combine all ingredients and pour into a 9×9 pyrex pan which you have sprayed with Pam

Bake at 325 degrees for 30 min or until mixture is set firmly and lightly brown.

May be frozen and reheated. Cut in squares and place on serving platter.

Cakes · Desserts

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

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Am having ladies over for lunch tomorrow. Wanted dessert that looked Christmasie (is that really a word, probably not) I remembered going to Celebrity Bakery in Dallas and having the wonderful strawberry-cream cheese cake with strawberry frosting after having their chicken salad sandwiches. So since I am serving chicken salad sandwiches tomorrow, I wanted to serve these. They are so easy and look so pretty. The taste is divine.

Any brand of strawberry cake mix (I do like Duncan Hines, but it is hard to find out here in Sushiland)

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Set aside.

Mix 8 oz of softened cream cheese with all of the following:

1 tables flour

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1/3 cup sugar

1 teas vanilla

1 egg

When you have mixed the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg, vanilla and flour, set aside.

Place 24 baking cups  liners in cupcake pan. Pour cake batter into cups to about 1/2 full. Spoon 1 tables cream cheese mixture on top of cake batter. Do this until you have used up all the cake mix. Bake at 350 until cupcakes tests done. Cool completely.

Make a frosting of:

1 box powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 teas vanilla

enough milk or half and half to make frosting spreadable. Frost cupcakes and top with a fresh strawberry which you have dipped in chocolate. Sprinkle red sugar over tops.