Brownie Bites

Alright.  I have to admit that I hate edges on brownies.  I just don't understand the allure of making brownies in that pan.  I want my brownie to be chewy, fudgy and soft each and every bite, with that said, I created the edgeless brownie.  It's simple, I took a biscuit cutter to an already made and cooled batch of brownies and cut brownie circles straight from the pan.

It was perfect-no edges...and they were all the same size...and they make great gift packages.  But then I realized there were brownie remnants left over.  What should I do with all of these bits of brownie left in the pan?  Make brownie bites, of course!  This is easy, can be a little messy and I think children would LOVE to make these tiny morsels of bite size brownies.

Brownie Bites
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3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1-9"x9" square pan of baked brownie or left over brownie edges and pieces (that what I use!)
2 cup sparkling sugar or nonpareils

1. Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.  Set aside to cool.
2. Trim off any super hard edges of brownie.  Grab about a tablespoon size piece of brownie, and roll into a ball with your hands, pushing the crunchy surface pieces to the center.  Place on a parchment or wax paper lined sheet pan and repeat with the rest of the brownie pieces.  
3. Roll the brownie bites into the sugar syrup and then roll into sparkling sugar or non pareils, coating well.  Brownies bites can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered.

An Attitude and Altitude Adjustment (Recipe: Brownies)

Ugh...I've got to change my life!
At the beginning of the year I asked my husband if he believed in New Year's resolutions.  His response was not too surprising, "No."  As I fell back onto the couch I followed with, "Me neither...ugh...but I've got to change my life."  Now picture the back of the hand raised to the forehead in a somewhat 'woe is me' moment as I fall limply onto the couch pillow.

"What do you mean?" he asked.  And then I rattled a list of things I'd like to change: the tidiness of my house, my weight, unfinished projects, my punctuality at work, finding time to exercise...and the list goes on and on.

There is a simple solution, there really is, and its all about organization and time management.  Two things that I think I'm lacking in my home life.  Two things that could ultimately lead to all the little things I want changed.

First I tackled my house.  I made a checklist of household chores (hate that word) to be done in a weeks time.  I strive to hit everything on the list but won't beat myself up if I don't get there.  Have I done my clean sweep today...no, as I type this, I'm sitting on two dozen Little People figures and it looks like the cast of Toy Story decided to camp out in my living room.  I have a toddler and have to accept that my house will not always be spotless.

So please click the flower and it will take you to the checklist.  I'd love to share it, and if it helps someone else out (even if its just ONE person) I will be happy with that.

An Altitude Adjustment
Now on to the eats!  I used to make these brownies ALL THE TIME when we lived in College Station.  So much that I had the recipe memorized by heart.  Then we moved to Idaho, meaning we moved from sea level to an altitude of 5000 ft., and I could never get the brownies/altitude adjustment figured out.  It was the only baked good that faltered and I quit making it.  The Baking Husband asked if I'd make these brownies for him a while back...he missed them.

I would love for anyone that lives at an altitude of 5000 feet or higher make these and tell me if you did anything differently.  I tried all different high altitude suggestions and could never find one that worked.  I now live back on flat land, but would still love to know what you did!

Sneak Peek!!!  Brownie Bites!!! Coming to you on Monday!

Outrageous Brownies
slightly adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
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• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and dust a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet with cocoa powder.
3. Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. 
4. In a separate large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
5. On a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter.  Pour into the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

***I have stored the whole sheet pan of brownies in the freezer for up to two weeks, double wrapped in plastic wrap.  Thaw them at room temperature and they are still awesome!

Soup-A-Palooza-Crawfish Gumbo

Soup-A-Palooza

One of my co-workers noticed something about me the other day.  "You always bring soup to work."  I hesitated for a moment and noticed that yes indeed, I bring a bowl of soup to work at least once a week.  But then again, I do make soup at least once a week for dinner.

I love soup almost as much as I love sandwiches, which are my fave, so when Dine & Dish announced the Soup-A-Palooza blog party I knew I had to participate.  What are you waiting for!?!  Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers.

So let me introduce you to Crawfish Gumbo-rich flavor from the dark roux, sweetness from the red bell pepper, a delicate smoky flavor from the sweet smoked paprika and a good amount of spice thanks to the cayenne and hot sauce. So delicious.

You say Etouffee, I say Gumbo

This recipe comes from My New Orleans, by John Besh.  It was a recipe for etouffee, but after cooking it, it still seemed "soupy."  Generally, an etouffee is a smothered dish and a lot thicker.  I searched for others who had made the dish and had found several people experience the same consistency.  Even the picture in the book looked to be more gumbo-like than etouffee...so with that said, we call this recipe Crawfish Gumbo at our house!  Regardless of what you want to call it, it is FABULICIOUS!  (yes, I made that word up!)

Crawfish Gumbo

yield:  4-6 servings

Feel free to substitute the crawfish meat with chicken, andouille sausage or even shrimp.  Either way, it will be delicious! 

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3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 small onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

half red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1 small tomato, seeded and diced

1 quart shellfish or seafood stock

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound crawfish

2 green onions

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes Tabasco

salt and pepper

3 cups rice, cooked

1. Make the roux.  Heat canola oil of medium high heat; add flour, reduce heat to medium and whisk continuously until the color is dark.  (15 minutes)
2. Add onion and reduce heat.  When roux is shiny and dark add the celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, cayenne and paprika.  Cook for 5 minutes
3. Add tomato and stock and increase heat and bring to a boil.  Once it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
4. Reduce heat to low and stir in butter.
5. Add crawfish, green onions, Worcestershire, Tabasco and salt and pepper.  Heat through.  Serve over rice.

***Cooks Note:  I used frozen cooked crawfish tails, rinsed well.

Happy Valentine's Day (Homemade Marshmallows)

Homemade Marshmallows (recipe repost)
source:  Barefoot Contessa Family Style, Ina Garten
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3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
nocoupons

1. Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.  Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. 
2. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Dust the bottom of a 9x13 inch non metal pan with confectioners sugar and pour in the marshmallow batter.  Smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands. Sprinkle more confectioners sugar to the top and allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight.
5. Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares (or use cookie cutters as I did above). Roll the sides of each piece carefully in confectioners' sugar. Store uncovered at room temperature.  

Pot Roast Ragu

Sunday's Pot Roast turned into Monday's Ragu

Remember that lovely Sunday Dinner Pot Roast I posted on Monday?  My apologies for not providing a picture of the pot roast, but I just really, really think brown food (chocolate excluded) is just terribly U-G-L-Y.  Delicious yes, but not too photogenic.

Pot Roast is The Baking Hubby's favorite meal.  I think he could eat on it for a week, but why eat the same meal two, three, four times in a row? One of my favorite winter meals is a recipe that uses leftover pot roast, veggies and gravy.  I chop some vegetables and meat, then stir them into a homemade tomato sauce to serve a fast, hearty and divine pasta ragu.  It is a must try and I promise you it won't disappoint.

Pot Roast Ragu
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Martha Stewart Living February 2002

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. dry red wine

2 c. finely chopped leftover roast & vegetables

1/2 c. leftover gravy or beef stock

1-28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, w/ juice

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cooked pappardelle or other pasta

Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved for garnish
Red pepper flakes, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Add chopped pot roast, vegetables, gravy or beef stock, tomatoes, and thyme.
2. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.  Cover; cook 30 minutes for flavors to blend and for sauce to thicken slightly.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve hot over cooked pasta, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and red-pepper flakes, if desired.

Sunday Dinner-Pot Roast

A Snowy Sunday Stroll

Does anyone ever have Sunday dinner anymore?  You know the one-a picturesque family sitting down to a fabulous spread of food, everyone is smiling and passing various food platters around licking their lips with anticipation.  It sounds and looks very much like a holiday dinner but lacking the actual holiday or forced purpose to celebrate.

We used to have Sunday dinner at my grandparent's house quite often when I was a kid.  But I really don't remember any significant Sunday dinners past my teens years.  If I'm not working I love to make something that fits the idyllic Sunday dinner-like roast chicken or roast beef, and I have to admit, it doesn't happen very often.

On my quest to become a better weekly menu planner (a topic for another conversation,) I hope to adopt my Sundays (if available) to make a good ol' fashioned Sunday Dinner.  And what is even better, is that I can turn around the next day and use Sunday's leftovers as Monday's dinner (or lunch).

Tune in on Wednesday and see what happens to these Sunday Leftovers!

Sunday Pot Roast
This pot roast is AMAZING, so flavorful and cuts like "buttah."  My husband is a roast fanatic and I've made several different recipes, this one is our household favorite.

yield:  4-6 servings

• 1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth, plus extra, as needed
• 4-6 carrots, cut into quarters
• One dozen cremini mushrooms
• 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with it really well with salt and pepper. In a heavy 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining oil and the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth.
4. Return the beef to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is fork-tender, about 3 hours, turning the beef over halfway through and adding more beef broth, as needed. Add mushroom after roast has cooked 1 1/2 hours.
5. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove carrots and mushrooms and keep warm.  Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Using an immersion blender (or blender), blend the pan juices and onion until smooth. Add the rosemary. Bring sauce to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces and place on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Souper Bowl Party-Split Pea Soup

 

Hosting a gathering for Super Bowl Sunday?  Why not make it a Souper Bowl Party! It is a great idea for a chilly weekend or game day party. 

Souper Bowl Game Plan

• Soup by nature is relaxing and so should your party! Ask your friends to contribute a favorite homemade soup, bread or other fixin' to the party.  Does your bestie despise cooking?  Well, someone needs to bring the wine, right?  And don't forget the supply of tableware, napkins, glasses, etc.
• Ask guests to bring their soups in their own slow-cookers if possible.  Serve the meal buffet style.  If you invite more than your burners can handle, set up a table or soup station where the cookers can plug in and wires can be tucked away for safety.  
• Your dining room table is probably not the best option to house the soup.  Soup is a difficult balancing act, so you want your table free for guests to sit and eat at.
• Keep tabs on who is bringing what to eliminate duplications.  You want to avoid having six chicken noodle soups on the table.
• Provide place cards and/or recipes in front of each pot to identify the soup.
• Remember crusty bread, fabulous wine and a casual dessert are perfect accompaniments for a soup party.

Split Pea Soup

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina Garten

6-8 serving
soup will thicken as it sits, you may need to add extra stock if needed.

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 cup chopped smoked ham
• 1 pound dried split green peas
• 8 cups chicken stock

1. In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off foam while cooking. 
2. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. 
3. Add smoked ham and cook until heated through.  Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

The Breakfast Cookie (Banana Oatmeal Cookie)

These cookies remind me of the old adage "everything under the kitchen sink," except it would be called "everything in the toddler's pantry cookie." I really liked these cookies-oh and by the way, they are one of my "ones left behind" recipes.  This cookie is an adaptation of NutureBaby's Banana Oatmeal Cookie or as our household dubbed it "The Breakfast Cookie."

I was so happy to have found the NurtureBaby website when The Baking Toddler was transitioning into solids.  I loved He loved the Super Mac N Cheese and their recipes inspired me to dive in and feed him bolognese, lentils and other foods I really didn't think about giving him at the time.  If you have babies or are interested in making your own baby food I highly recommend the site.

These cookies came from NurtureBaby except I added some dried fruits to the batter to make it extra special.  The Baking Toddler didn't quite like dried apples or raisins at the time, but when I put them in a cookie, he quickly changed his mind.

Breakfast Cookies (Oatmeal Banana Cookies) 
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1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup freeze dried apples (found in baby food section at grocery store)
1/4 cup golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk WW flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and oats in bowl and set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla and bananas. Mix until bananas are well incorporated, then add flour mixture. Add apples and raisins and stir until just combined; over mixing will make the cookies tough.
3. Spoon cookies onto baking sheet and cook for 12-13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.