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Thursday, March 26

Teriyaki and Pineapple Chicken

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 1/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/3 Cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Directions
  1. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes.
  2. Place the green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, teriyaki sauce, pineapple chunks with the juice, garlic powder, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper into the wok, and turn the heat to medium. Bring to a simmer, stir in the flour, and continue simmering 15 minutes until thickened. Serve over rice.

Wednesday, March 25

Aebleskivers

2 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 Cups buttermilk
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBS melted butter
Sift dry ingredients. Mix all ingredients except the egg whites. Beat these separately and fold in at the last with the 3 TBS melted butter. Fry in Aebleskiver pan with oil in each rounded cavity.

Red Lobster Biscuits

2 Cups Bisquick
1/2 Cup cold water
3/4 Cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 Cup butter
1 tsp parsley (dried)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix Bisquick, cheese, and water. Don't over mix. Drop large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. While hot, brush with melted butter mixed with parsley, garlic salt and Italian seasonings. Makes 12 biscuits

Tuesday, March 24

Black Bean Soup

Slice several strips of bacon. Saute in large frying pan and add:
1 Cup onion chopped
1 Cup green pepper, chopped
1 Cup celery chopped
1 Cup carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Saute all those ingredients until onion is golden brown
In a sauce pan put:
2 cans of black beans, rinsed
Water to cover
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
Add the vegetables when they are done and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 2 bunches asparagus (2 pounds total), tough ends removed
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • 12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
  • 1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.
  2. While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.

Chocolate Yummies

I got this recipe from the Magnussons!! Very yummy

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

  • 3 cups KELLOGG'S® RICE KRISPIES® Cereal
  • 7 graham crackers, whole pieces
  • 2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
  • 2/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
  • 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS

  1. Coat 13x9x2-inch microwave safe dish with cooking spray. Place 6 whole pieces graham crackers in single layer in bottom. Cut remaining piece to fit in bottom. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crackers.
  2. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until marshmallows are puffy. Remove from microwave and cool completely.
  3. In 2-quart microwave safe mixing bowl, combine chocolate morsels, corn syrup and margarine. Microwave at HIGH about 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Stir in peanut butter. Add RICE KRISPIES cereal, mixing until combined. Spread evenly over marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Cut and store in airtight container in refrigerator.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch into half circles
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups Beef Stock
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small French baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups)

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, about 1 hour.
  2. Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler; set aside. Ladle hot soup into six ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking pan. Place 1 or 2 slices of toasted bread over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under the broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. Watch carefully that bread doesn't burn. Serve immediately.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes (puree)
1/4 Cup tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
2 TBS snipped fresh basil
2 tsp snipped fresh oregano
2 to 4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender; buzz until smooth. Makes 3 cups.

Thai Peanut Sauce

4 tsp peanut oil
1/2 Cup minced shallots
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
6 TBS creamy peanut butter
2 TBS hoisin sauce
2 tsp dark brown sugar
3/4 Cup water
1 TBS fresh lime juice
1. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook over low heat until fragrant and just beginning to color, about 3 minutes.
2. Whisk in peanut butter, hoisin, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Stir in lime juice
3. Serve warm or at room temperature, makes 1 1/2 cups.

Friday, March 20

The Best Bread Pudding


Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large beaten eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:

Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

Molten-Chocolate Cakes


2 Sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips or bars
5 large eggs
3/4 Cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 tsp flour

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Beat eggs, sugar and salt with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixture into chocolate until smooth. Beat in flour until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead; return to room temperature an hour or so before baking.) Before serving dinner, adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Line muffin tin with papers. Spray muffin papers with vegetable cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until batter puffs but center is not set, about 6-8 minutes. Carefully lift cakes from tin and set on a work surface. Pull papers away from cake and transfer cake upside down onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with raspberries.

Tomato Frittata

This is what I made for the semi-annual Cornwall, Zylstra, Gutierrez brunch. It is truly delicious. The picture is not of this dish - just the best one I could find on the internet.
12 eggs
2 Cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 Cup swiss cheese, grated
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
2 or 3 large tomatoes - sliced
3/4 Cup parmesaen cheese, grated
5 cloves garlic minced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 13 x 9 baking dish. Whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, swiss cheese, feta cheese, salt and garlic. Pour in prepared baking dish. Slice tomatoes and lay on top of egg mixture. Sprinkle with parmesaen cheese. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until mixture is set.

Makes 10 large servings

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour and salt in two additions, beating until just combined.
  2. Generously coat two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans (1 1/2 quarts each) with cooking spray; immediately pour in batter (pan will seem full). Tap pans on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
  3. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out almost clean, 60 to 75 minutes (if the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil).
  4. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn out the cakes; cool completely, with top sides up, on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
  • 36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.
  3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.
  4. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

The Pork:
1 lb. pork tenderloin
2-15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 can of coke
1 garlic clove, diced
1/4 c. cilantro, minced
Place all ingredients in Crock Pot on Medium for at least 4 hours.

The Creamy Dressing:
1 pkt. Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
8 oz. Salsa Verde Green Salsa (La Victoria Brand)
1/2 bunch of cilantro with the stems
2 cloves garlic
3/4 c. mayo
3/4 c. sour cream
1/8 tsp. hot sauce
Mix in Blender. If needed, thin with Buttermilk

The Rice
8 c. water
8 cubes/tsp. chicken bouillon
2 tsp. cumin
4 cloves garlic
12 Tbsp. butter
12 sprigs cilantro
4 c. rice

The Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS cumin
3 cloves garlic-minced
5 pounds chicken breast
Cook all together in crock put for four hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Spinach Pasta Salad

We had this salad at the 2009 Arcadia Stake Women's Conference. It was great.
Spinach Pasta Salad
½ Bag spinach
½ bag cooked spiral noodles
1 bunch green onions
½ Cup sugared almonds
3 Cooked chicken breasts cubed

Dressing
1 Cup mayonnaise
3 TBS sesame oil
½ Cup soy sauce
3 TBS vinegar
Marinate chicken in dressing before serving

Macaroons


Brooke Dodd brought us Macaroons that were delicious. I really should have taken a picture of it before I ate it. Half of it was covered with white chocolate tinted green. It was delicious. I asked her for the recipe - here is it.

2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1T. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup cake flour
2 1/2 cups coconut


Heat in double boiler egg whisked egg whites, vanilla and sugar. Add all other ingredients and refrigerate one hour. Bake at 325 for about 20-25 min. till golden brown on edges and peaks. Cool on baking pan for 10 min. then transfer to cooling rack.



Thursday, March 19

Chocolate-Coconut Bars

These were called Magic Bars when I was a kid - but lately when I made my old recipe they were just to sticky. Martha has this nice recipe. It is made in a 15 x 10 baking sheet so it makes a lot and it isn't so mushy. They are a classic.

Ingredients

Makes 20

  • 3 cups finely ground cookies (12 ounces), such as graham crackers or chocolate wafers, or a combination
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pecan pieces
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly splash a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet evenly with water, then line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until combined. Evenly press onto bottom and up sides of prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool, about 20 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle cooled crust evenly with pecans and chocolate. Pour condensed milk over the top, spreading to cover completely (do not let it drip over the edges). Sprinkle with coconut.
  4. Bake until coconut is toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Trim edges, if desired, and cut into equal-size bars.

Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies


Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate.Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
  3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound unsalted butte,r at room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookie Brownies


Ingredients

  • 1 16.5 to 18-oz. pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 19.5 oz. pkg. milk chocolate brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil
  • 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine the eggs, brownie mix, cooking oil, until just combined. Spread batter over sugar cookie dough. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, cut into bars. Makes 24 brownies.

WRAPS!!!

Here are the key ingredients for great wraps:
Flavored Tortilla - add an extra layer of flavor with a spinach, sun-dried tomato or herbed tortilla.
Herbed cream cheese - spread the tortilla with room temperature herbed cream cheese or a favorite spreadable cheese. The cheese creates a firm foundation to keep ingredients in place and the tortilla from splitting. One of our favorite condiments is mayonnaise with a little bit of pesto stirred into it.
Whole leaf lettuce - Line the wrap with fresh whole leaf lettuce leaves, such as red leaf, romaine, or Bibb. The leaves will contain any dressing and keep the tortilla from getting soggy.
From the Deli - Top lettuce with sliced turkey breast or ham. Choose smoked varieties for richer flavor.
Veggie strips - Cut fresh red bell pepper and cucumber into thin, long strips to prevent them from falling out of the rolled wrap. Shredded carrots add more delicious crunch and you can always put tomato.
Balsamic Vinaigrette and seasonings - Toss vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette to enhance their natural flavors. Season with cracked black pepper and sea salt.

Squash Pull-apart Dinner Rolls

Yield - Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup puréed squash or canned pumpkin
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for pan
  • 2 teaspoons poppy or sesame seeds

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine milk with yeast, sugar, and salt. Let stand 5 minutes, then add egg and beat well to combine.

2. Add squash and shortening; mash with a fork until shortening is in small pieces. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Gradually mix in more flour by the cupful until dough collects around spoon and pulls away from sides of bowl (you may not need all the flour).

3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Put dough in a greased bowl; cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 400° and butter a large baking sheet. Punch dough down, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until dough is smooth and supple, about 7 minutes. Cut dough into 4 balls; cut each ball into 6 pieces.

5. Roll each piece into a round and arrange rounds on baking sheet so they barely touch. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds; cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

6. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then pull apart to serve.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie


White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

2 1/4 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup brown sugar
½ Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 (12 oz) package or 2 cups white chocolate chips
1 to 2 cups macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Gently stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.
4. Drop cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a non-stick cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden, turning cookie sheet around after 5 minutes to ensure even browning.
6. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in airtight container. Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Green Chile Panini

We had this last night with leftover pot roast.
Bread (we love sheepherder's bread)
The sauce I made last night was miracle whip with taco sauce stirred into it.
Cheese - we used leftover mozzarella but anything would be good
shredded pot roast
whole green chiles


Southwest Panini

This was really inspired by Rachel who described a sandwich she had at the Cannon Center.
1 Cup of Corn and Black Bean Salsa (Walmart has a great brand - sorry Rachel)
Drain it of all the excess tomato juice
Mix it with shredded chicken
You can either put shredded Mexican style cheese in with the salsa or put a spicy pepperjack on the bread.
In case anyone out there is new to the Panini world, the first thing you do is brush one side of the bread with olive oil. I place that on the grill (oil side down) and build the sandwich on the grill. I always put my sauce, and/or cheese first so that it can be melting while I build the rest of the sandwich on the grill. When all the other ingredients are on the sandwich top with the other slice of oiled bread - oil side out on top and grill.

Montana Panini

I actually got this recipe from a BYU website. They must make it at one of the restaurants. Here goes:

1 ripe Avocado
1 TBS ranch dressing
Slices of turkey
Pepperjack cheese
Crisp strips of bacon
Sliced tomatoes
Mash avocado and mix with the ranch dressing. Put this on the bread, next cheese, turkey, bacon and then sliced tomatoes. Grill. YUM!!!

Panini Night


Since I gave dad the greatest Father's day present ever - a panini maker - we have been LOVING!!! these sandwiches. We love them so much and since Sarah loves to have leftovers in her lunch we have designated Wednesday night as Panini Night. (We have long held Monday night as soup night - at least in the fall and winter.) I am always on the lookout for great Panini recipes. I'll include our latest three.

Wednesday, March 18

Outrageous Brownies

These brownies are from the Barefoot Contessa. They are truly delicious. They are made in a sheet pan so it makes a lot and they are delicious day after day if they last that long.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 6 extra-large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Zuchinni Fries

Last night for our St. Patrick's day dinner I decided to make Zuchinni fries. I love them at the Monrovian restaurant. I washed and cut off both ends of the zuchinni. I cut the zuchinni into 2-3 inch lengths. I cut that in half and then in half or thirds depending on the thickness of the zuchinni (length wise). I dipped those fries into a beaten egg - just enough to moisten and then into a mixture of seasoned bread crumbs and parmesian cheese. Then I put them in hot oil and fried them until they were golden brown. We served them with ranch dressing. They were fantastic.