Monthly Archives: August 2013

Gooey, Gorgeous Brownies

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abetterone I’ve given a couple of brownie recipes. To brownie aficionados, this is necessary since different types are required for different things.

You knew that right?

Okay, so this recipe makes a ton of brownies. I mean like a 9 x 13. Given that they are so rich, you can cut them very small, so it works well for a crowd.

It especially works wonderfully  with ice cream.

The top will be dry and crackley, but underneath, oh my goodness is it gooey.

So don’t miss this chocolaty delight.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (8-oz.) package unsweetened chocolate baking squares, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, cut up $
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13- x 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
  2. 2. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in bottom of a double boiler. Place chocolate and butter in top of double boiler. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until melted. Cool 10 minutes; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in sugar until blended. Stir in flour and next 3 ingredients just until blended. Pour batter into pan.
  3. 3. Bake at 350° for 32 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool in pan, for an hour, and then in fridge until chilled. Can be served at room temperature, but it will cut easier when cold.

SERVES: 20

NOTES: You can add nuts if you wish, but I would put them on top of the batter. Nuts tend to soften when baked in.

SOURCE: My Recipes

OVEN: 350°

BAKING TIME: 35 min. Another five will give a more cake-like consistency.

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Spicy Corn Pasta Salad

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corn bowtie 3I keep coming up with dishes with corn in them. That’s cuz I love corn so much, and I like it cold or hot. It’s like potatoes. How can you go wrong?

This again is one of those things you can alter a good deal and still maintain the basic integrity of the dish.

This goes terrific with any grilled meat or seafood.

Summer is ending, so get with it while the corn is still the best.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2/3 of a box of any pasta you wish, bowties, fusilli, etc, cooked al dente, and cooled.
  • 3 ears of corn, roasted.
  • 3 Hatch chiles (Anaheim can be substituted) charred, peeled and seeded.
  • 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, left whole if small
  • 4 scallions, chopped thin, including green parts
  • 1/2 c black olives
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 c orange juice
  • 1/2 c mayo
  • 1/2 c cilantro
  • 1 tbsp chile powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 4 oz of queso fresco cheese, crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. If you have a gas stove, lay the ears across the burners and turn on the flame. Turn until ears are nicely charred. Alternatively you can grill them, or you can cut the kernels off and pan char them. You could also roast them in the oven. If you do this, oil the corn and then turn after about 20 minutes at 425° and continue roasting until nicely charred all over.
  2. Char the peppers in a similar fashion. Place in plastic bag, close and leave for at least 15 minutes. Remove from bag, skin, seed, and chop.
  3. Add the corn and peppers to the pasta.
  4. Add the tomatoes, scallions and olives.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese, in a bowl and whisk until smooth,
  6. Pour dressing over the pasta, stirring as you go. You may not need it all. Just cover without letting it get soupy.
  7. Scatter the cheese on the top.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can vary the peppers as you wish, add other vegetables as well. Feel free to alter the cheese as you wish.

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

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Grilled Mexican Chicken

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GrilledChickenThis is a great recipe, simply because it works nicely for a picnic where you want a no-nonsense chicken dish that doesn’t get in the way, tastes great, and is very adaptable to lots of sides.

The key here is to butterfly a whole chicken which makes the grilling ever so much easier. It also speeds up the whole process of marinading too.

So consider it a Labor Day possibility if you are looking at the last of the grilling this season. If you are in the Southwest, well, it’s just another day to grill. We grill throughout the year.

INGREDIENTS:

  • For the rub:
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
  • A big pinch of ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus a little more for the onions
  • 1 large chicken, about 3 lbs, butterflied
  • 2 limes (quartered for serving with the chicken pieces)

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix up all rub.
  2. Butterfly your chicken. (Take a good pair of kitchen scissors and cut up along side the backbone. Then go down the other side. Spread out the chicken flat. (Freeze the backbone to be added to other wingtips and backbones for making stock)
  3. Slip the chicken into a plastic bag.
  4. Pour the marinade in the bag and massage until the chicken is nicely covered.
  5. Slip into fridge for a good two hours minimum but up to a full twelve hours.
  6. Heat up the grill (charcoal or gas). Cook off direct flame until about 1/2 done, then place on the hot side and let it get really charred.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can make this a thoroughly Mexican meal with Southwestern salads and dressings, or have it with plain old potato salad. It goes with anything.

SOURCE: Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday

Hush Sweet Charlotte Puppies

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NY-0208Hot and Spicy Hush PuppiesOh lovely thing, you.

Hush puppies are glorious Southern food.

And versatile.

This is a basic recipe that I find just about perfect.

You can doll it up a dozen ways from sweet to spicy to fit any meal.

It may seem like a poor girl’s meal, but it is not.

Do try.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 c of cornmeal, yellow or white
  • 1/2 c flour, unbleached or regular
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c buttermilk (you can use milk if you wish)
  • 2 tbsp bacon grease (optional, but you really should)
  • enough oil to deep fry (at least an inch deep in your skillet)

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together
  2. Add the egg to the buttermilk and whisk until incorporated.
  3. Add the liquid to the dry just until it comes together in a mash. I like mine very thick.
  4. Melt the bacon grease in a skillet, and add the rest of the oil (canola is my choice) until it’s nicely hot. A drop of water should sizzle, but I’m guessing 375° if you want to be accurate.
  5. Using an ice cream scoop, drop scoops in the oil. As soon as they are brown, turn over. They are done in just a few short minutes. (break one open and check to see that the inside is no longer wet)
  6. Place on some paper towelling to drain. Makes about a dozen.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can add chopped onion, finely grated cheese, finely chopped chiles or use any herbs that you desire, fresh or dried.  Also add corn and bacon crumbles to the batter. A great way to use leftovers the next day is to melt some butter and roll each puppy in that and then in a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Some people like a sweeter hush puppy and if you do, I would add 2 tbsp sugar to the batter.

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

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Pickled Red Onions

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onions200-s6-c30Pickled onions are great on sandwiches. They are great in tacos.  And you don’t have to make a chore of it by putting up pints of this stuff.

It’s easy as anything to make up a small batch, i.e., one onion’s worth. It will keep in the fridge for a good long time. And the time it takes is hardly more than a blink of an eye.

So no excuses.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, cut into 1/4-inch rings
  • 2 large red onions, finely sliced (about 1 quart)
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place jalapeño and onions in a medium mixing bowl. Heat vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small skillet over high heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, then pour over onions. Press onions down with a spoon until submerged. Place a double layer of paper towels on top of onions and press down until completely saturated in liquid to keep onions submerged. Allow to sit until onions are softened and liquid has cooled, about 25 minutes. Onions will keep indefinitely in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

SERVES: 16

NOTES: I halved this recipe with no problem whatsoever.

SOURCE: Serious Eats

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Fishy Tacos

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fish-tacos-ck-1559245-lMy mind turns to fish tacos from time to time.

And it returns there a lot.

And finally I just have to break down and make some.

It’s a messy little job, but so worth it.

You’re family will love you.

You’ll be high-fived around the neighborhood.

Well, probably not that, but surely you will be glad you did.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup beer (plus more as necessary)
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise (see note above)
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha or other chili sauce (see note above)
  • 2 quarts canola oil, or peanut
  • 1 pound white fish (such as cod, hake, or halibut), cut into eight 2-ounce fingers
  • 16 flour tortillas, warmed
  • 1/2 small head of cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 recipe pickled red onions, or scallions, minced
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Combine flour, paprika, black pepper, and salt and whisk to combine. Transfer half of mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Add beer and egg to remaining mixture and whisk until a smooth batter is formed. Batter should have the consistency of thick paint (add up to 1/2 cup more beer as necessary until proper consistency is reached). Set aside.

  2. Combine mayonnaise and hot sauce in a medium bowl and whisk until homogenous. Set aside.

  3. Heat oil in a deep fryer, Dutch oven, or large wok to 350°F. Transfer fish pieces to bowl with batter and turn to coat thoroughly. Working one piece at a time, lift fish, let excess batter drip off, then transfer to bowl with remaining flour mixture. Toss to coat thoroughly. Lift carefully with tongs or dry fingers and slowly lower into hot oil. Repeat with remaining fish.

  4. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plated and season with salt.

  5. Divide tortillas into 8 double stacks. Top each with shredded cabbage, 1 piece of fish, pickled red onions, chili mayo, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

    SERVES: 4

    NOTES: You can alter the condiments as you wish. Some prefer making regular coleslaw. You might also add some queso fresco or there similar Mexican cheese. The point is the fish is light and very crispy. I drain the pieces on paper towelling on a rack and when completed, pop them in the oven at about 200 to keep warm while I finish up things.

    SOURCE: adapted slightly from Serious Eats.

     

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Beef and Snow-Pea StirFry

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beef_with_snow_peasI love good stir fry. Well, actually I’m fairly particular about what I like Chinese wise, but this is definitely one that I do favor.

I found this recipe both easy and quite tasty.

I have found a number of Ree Drummond’s recipes excellent. And this is one of them.

Normally I like stir fries with a lot of veggies, but I do love snow peas, so it was easy to stick the recipe as is. And the sauce was really excellent too.

So if you desire, give it a go.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
  • 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
  • 8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
  • 5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
  • Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
  • 3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
  • Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
  • Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove     to  a separate plate. Set aside.

3. Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

4. Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

5. Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.

SERVES: 4

SOURCE: Pioneer Woman Cooks

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