Month: March 2014

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Brownie Pudding

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It makes my mouth water just to think about this. Top with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla or Cinnamon Ice Cream and you have yourself a little piece of Heaven.

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup flour

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temp

2 teas vanilla or seeds scraped from 1 vanlla bean

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 325.Butter a 2 qt baking dish; set aside. Sift together the cocoa and flour in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Using mixer, beat sugar and eggs on medium-high until very pale and light yellow, 5-10 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add the vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla) and the cocoa mixture, mixing just until combined. Still on low, slowly pour in the melted butter, mixing just until blended.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and place in a larger baking dish. Add enough hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of the dish with mixture in it. Bake for 1 hour , at which point a tester inserted 2″ from the side of the pan will come out  with some moist crumbs still attached and the center will appear underbaked. Remove the brownie baking dish from the larger pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temp or slightly warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Leftovers should be stored, covered, in fridge. (Up to 3 days)

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Moving Day Is Upon Us…..Hence The Need for Chocolate

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Actually, thinking about moving, planning the move, recovering from the move…I guess any situation or any day makes me want chocolate. This morning when I looked at the blogs that automatically come to my email, this one jumped off the page. The recipe is copied from Ina Gartner and I am copying from Browned Eyed Baker. I cannot wait to find the box with my baking pans. This will be made within 48 hours of the moving van pulling away.

Will post it in a separate post so you don’t have to read this every time you look for it.

Holiday Fare · Salads

Whole Wheat Orzo Salad

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Taken from Taste of Home, this is such a pretty & colorful salad, full of flavor and perfect for these spring dinner luncheons or dinners. My sister-in-law just finished making it to take to a party and let me have a spoonful. Trust me on this one…it is a keeper!

2 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasty (about 1 lb)

1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and draned

3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1 English cucumber, finely chopped

2 cups feta cheese (crumbled)

1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 medium sweet yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups pitted Greek olives (about 6 oz) chopped

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped

Dressing:

14 cup lemon juice

2 Tables olive ol

1 tables grated lemon peel

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teas pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except dressing). Stir in orzo.

Combine dressing ingredients and toss into the salad. Refrigerate until serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meats · Starches · Vegetables

Shrimp Creole…Paula Deen Style

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Since we made a visit to eat at Paula Deen’s restaurant in Savannah, GA, whenever I see a recipe from her, I immediately know that I will go in my file to make. This recipe has the same ingredients as the creole we devoured in Augusta.

2 tables olive oil

11/2 cup diced green bell peppers’

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced celery

1 teas chili powder

1 (14 oz) can tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 tables hot sauce

1 tables Worcestershire sauce

1 teas white sugar

salt and pepper to taste.

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp (I buy the frozen cooked and deveined shrimp at Costco)follow directions on package for using shrinp in recipes.

green onions for garnish (and extra flavor)

Serve over white rice

In frying pan, heat olive oil. Add peppers, onions, celery. Cool until veggies are tender.

Add chile powder and sauté until caramelized. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, salt and pepper. Cool over low heat, covered, stirring frequently, for about 2 hours.

Add thawed shrimp and cook for about 20 minutes, until shrimp is heated all the way through. Serve over hot rice. Sprinkle chopped green onions over top.

 

 

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Home Sweet Home

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We have been back in Dallas for a little over a week and in that short time, we have looked and googled and driving by more home sites that I care to tell you. We “think” that we have found just the perfect one for us but with the competitive market here, we pray that our contract will be the one accepted. My mind is already racking to think of the kitchen boxes being unpacked. What will I bake first? Our traditional new home meal has always been chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, green beans and hot rolls with chocolate cream pie with whipping cream. That was then. This is now. Because of our “more mature” age, he will be lucky if he gets a frozen TV dinner with a package of cookies thrown at him as we sit to rest after unloading boxes all day. Since Feb 5th when we moved out of our home in California, traveling cross the grand ole USA, I have been collecting new recipes that would grace our table once we were settled in our new home. One of those recipes is Shrimp Creole. While visiting friends in Augusta, Georgia, we were taken to a creole restaurant where w feasted on shrimp gumbo and shrimp creole. Since that night, I have been looking for the perfect recipe to make at home. This recipes sounds just like the one we had and it might even replace our “traditional” first night In new home meal.

 

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Lemony Lemon Brownies

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3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teas salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tables lemon zest

2 tables lemon juice

For the Tart Lemon Glaze

4 tables lemon juice

8 teas lemon zest

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8×8″ baking dish with Pam and set aside.

Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.

In the bowl of mixer beat the flour, sugar, salt and softened butter until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice until combined. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 min at medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 23 min, should turn golden around the edges.

Allow to cool completely before frosting with glaze.

Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice and zest until smooth. Spread the glaze over he brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set before cutting.

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Tempted in Texas

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We have made it back to Dallas, thinking that we left  the food temptations back in Savannah. I was wrong. As we drive up and down the streets of Dallas, we are finding that in our 3 year California hiatus, new restaurants have popped up everywhere. Not wanting to have to say that we haven’t been to some of the new places, Randy and I have made a list of several new places that we keep hearing about. We have been in town for 72 hours and have already hit 3 of he new places. Texas does have it’s temptations. This way, we don’t have to once again sound like he newbies. We can join in the conversations when we hear friends talk about going around the corner to the new spot. All those “new spots” are beginning to add quite a few new bumps on our bodies. I have figured out that I am good with eating out pretty much every night, as long as I have a kitchen to bake desserts. To get back to basics of dessert baking, the lemon brownies that I am posting in a minute shows that I am serious about getting back to desserts. Since we are still “homeless” and searching for a house, my list of things I want to bake the minute the first box of mixing bowls are unpacked, is growing. ,The delicious sounding little gems will be among the first. Look for them under “Lemon Brownies” in the dessert category. Will post them right now.

 

Daily Thoughts

Cravings &Cookies

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Yesterday as we were beginning our day, I began to wonder why my jeans were shrinking. Had it been all the Southern Comfort food that we had been eating since we crossed over into the “low country”? I was still taking the medicine that the California nutritionist had given me to control cravings. When I had told he Dr that I could not take diet pills, he assured me that this was not a diet pill and that it had been given for years to smokers to help control their craving for nicotine and it was good for controlling cravings for food. Instantly I began to loose weight and was so proud that the old me that would grab at anything sweet for a snack, was now shopping for fruit and yogurt.My “new me” quickly scanned the shelves for healthy snacks instead of the usual cupcake that had somehow found it’s way into my hand. As we drove out of the grand state of California, images of the food that we had missed so much, while living in California began to overcome me. We were headed to New Mexico where we feasted on Mexican food for 3 days…but I was faithful to continue my “diet” pill. So far so good. As we sunk deeper and deeper into Paula Deen country, that resolve to just indulge every few days or so was disappearing. We were giving in to the temptation to exit when we would see signs that read, “exit 117 for the best fried pies” or exit 242 for the “greatest peanut brittle”. Yesterday while getting ready to go out exploring Charlestown, I sunk to an all time low. We tried to eat a little healthy. Randy had gone downstairs to bring back a cup of coffee and hot tea for me. He even brought back a couple bananas, but when we peeled them, they…well, let’s just say that they weren’t in their prime of life. So not wanting to take my “no craving” pill on an empty stomach, I reached for our snack bag. When we got in the car to leave, Randy looked over at me and noticed that I had a bag of cookies in my lap. Defensefully, I quickly reminded him that I was not suppose to take the medicine on an empty stomach. I was also trying to get rid of a few small leftovers so we could clean out our car. In my quest to clean and cautious, I had devoured 6 cookies. I reminded him of the reasons. When I heard myself say the reasons out loud, they didn’t make as much sense as they did when I was trying to justify my actions in my mind.
I told him that he needed to get me out of the deep south as quickly as possible; so we are doing just that. As soon as we go to one more place that has been on my bucket list, Edgar’s Bakery in Birmingham, Al. I will start taking my “no craving” pill once again with carrot sticks instead of cupcakes or cookies.
Viva Paula Deen & the South, where you can find the best food in the good ole USA

Cakes · Chocolate

Yes, Another Chocolate Cake Recipe

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Just saw this recipe on Just A Pinch and cannot wait to get back to Texas to make it. Randy loves cakes without frosting and this one sounds like a cake that will be a hit with him.

1 c guinnes draft beer

3/4 cup sour cream

1 stick unsalted butter (you can add up to 2 Tables more if you like, “I like”)

2 eggs

1 tables vanilla

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups all purpose flour

3 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 teas baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and line a 9″ springform pan or a bundt pan.

Pour the beer into a large wide saucepan; add the butter (that you have sliced)and heat until the butter melts. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla; pour into the saucepan; whisk in the flour and baking soda.

Pour the cake batter into greased pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.

Place over platter and allow cake to fall onto platter. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar or leave plain.

 

Daily Thoughts

Touring on Retirement Budget

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Another place that we cannot return…Savannah. Because we are on what Randy calls a “retirement budget” we are looking for ways to cut back where we can. He has told me to make a little game of it so I won’t feel like we are having to give up wonderful things like, eating or manicures/pedicures, salons, you know, the necessities of life. Today took the cake. We were in our hotel looking at the different tours to take which would allow us to see the historical places around Savannah. He told me that first he would kind of like to drive around the downtown area just to acquaint himself with possible restaurants so we could decide which tour sounded fun. I agreed. That was where I made my first mistake. As we were driving around taking in the small streets and different gardens, we got stuck behind one of the Tour Trolley’s and because the street was so narrow, we couldn’t go around. As we were sitting there waiting for the tour guides spill on the history of the building that was right in front of us, Randy quickly looked at me and said, “instead of paying all that money to ride the tour trolley, lets just follow it with our windows down so we can hear what the guide is saying”. I couldn’t believe my ears. In the first place, it was 43 degrees with the wind blowing and now we were getting dirty looks from the folks riding in the back of the trolley. They knew exactly what we were doing. It was so embarrassing. I pretended that I needed for Randy to pull over for me to take a picture of an empty warehouse so at least the Trolley would be able to make a run for it. As we were pulled over for me to take a picture, we heard tourist say, “there is that blue Texas Mercedes” that is too cheap to buy a tour ticket”. I told Randy to get us out of there and let’s go on to Charleston. It was time for me to have a little chat with Mr. Randy. I told him that maybe we should find other ways to cut back, other than the free tours, as I would hate for us to be ask to leave a town.

We are now in Charlestown and thank the Lord, we don’t have time to do any tours. He is now on the computer seeing if he can find any waterfront seafood restaurants which honor AARP or have any coupons that we can use. I think its time to head back to Dallas. Hopefully by the time we get to come back, Savannah will have forgot us or we will have a different car so they won’t recognize us.