I came across this in cooks.com, it is a very easy and wonderfully moist brownie. I hope you will enjoy it as I. I changed a few steps to include steps that make the cookies the way that I was taught.
Chocolate chocolate chip Brownies
1 1/4 Cup AP Flour
1/4 Cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking powder
3 lg. eggs (room temp)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla ext.
1 cup chocolate chips or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350F (please use a oven thermometer) accuracy is very important.
In the first bowl, sleeve the flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt.
In your stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter(high speed for 2-3 minutes). It should be a lighter color and fluffy. Then add the egg, one at a time scrap down sides, then mix a moment more.
Slow the mixer down to low and add the flour mix and only mix til incorporated. Then remove from mixer stand and with a spatula add in the chocolate or nuts or both.
Spread the batter in a 9 x 13 pan ( I use a ceramic baker, it doesn't brown the edges too much)
Bake for 50 minutes(do not open till fifty minutes are up. cool, then enjoy.
I have been doing my Christmas cookies to send to friends and my kids. I have made several other cookies. One of them I'll mention is the toffee packs by Health candies (you'll find them at Wally World (Wal-Mart). I have always swapped the names, Chevy Chase immortalized it for me. Anyway, the recipe is on the back of the package and it is wonderfullll.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Winter Harvest Soup
One of my all time favorite soups is the Harvest Soup that I was served as a kid. When the vege pile in the refrigerator took over most of the storage, mom would clean it up by making this soup that would suffice for a good 2-3 days.
Today, I make it up in several different ways, (vegetarian or carnivore) and I can (store) most of it, so I can take it to the shop and have it for several meals. It is a favorite comfort food and warms your tootsies to the bone.
I start with a stew beef, cut up in bite size portions, a pound of meat (you can leave out the beef and it taste just as good). Saute beef in a large heavy bottomed pot with canola oil till the surface of the beef is caramelized, toss in a med to large diced onion with two cloves of garlic chopped, saute till soft. In another pot of water have small diced potatoes and carrots parboiled. Pour most of the water off leaving enough water to just come to the top of the veges, then add water and all to the beef and onions, stirring to mix the whole thing. Then, add 1/2 cup of barley, 1/2 cup of lentils, 1/2 cup of elbow macaroni, a bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of thyme, ( I sometimes add canned beans, do not use dried beans, because you will have to cook the soup to death to get them done.), then add 2 cups okra, a cup of corn or hominy, any squash, or any greens. Most important is to add a quarter section of cabbage (julienned very thin). Cook all of this slowly, just a simmer is best. Season with fresh cracked or ground pepper, salt, and a few red pepper flakes. The soup will absorb a lot of water so keep a pitcher close and add water as needed to keep a nice broth. Taste the lintels or macaroni for tenderness. The last step, when the lintels are tender is to add at least two quarts of tomatoes and simmer for about another 30 minutes or more. Then taste for seasoning. Serve with saltine crackers or a good homemade bread. If someone wads up a 1/2 bag of crackers and throws into the soup, throw them out the door and the ruined soup after them.
You can add or take away different item, but the cabbage and tomatoes are vital to the soup. I hope you will enjoy this soup.
Today, I make it up in several different ways, (vegetarian or carnivore) and I can (store) most of it, so I can take it to the shop and have it for several meals. It is a favorite comfort food and warms your tootsies to the bone.
I start with a stew beef, cut up in bite size portions, a pound of meat (you can leave out the beef and it taste just as good). Saute beef in a large heavy bottomed pot with canola oil till the surface of the beef is caramelized, toss in a med to large diced onion with two cloves of garlic chopped, saute till soft. In another pot of water have small diced potatoes and carrots parboiled. Pour most of the water off leaving enough water to just come to the top of the veges, then add water and all to the beef and onions, stirring to mix the whole thing. Then, add 1/2 cup of barley, 1/2 cup of lentils, 1/2 cup of elbow macaroni, a bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of thyme, ( I sometimes add canned beans, do not use dried beans, because you will have to cook the soup to death to get them done.), then add 2 cups okra, a cup of corn or hominy, any squash, or any greens. Most important is to add a quarter section of cabbage (julienned very thin). Cook all of this slowly, just a simmer is best. Season with fresh cracked or ground pepper, salt, and a few red pepper flakes. The soup will absorb a lot of water so keep a pitcher close and add water as needed to keep a nice broth. Taste the lintels or macaroni for tenderness. The last step, when the lintels are tender is to add at least two quarts of tomatoes and simmer for about another 30 minutes or more. Then taste for seasoning. Serve with saltine crackers or a good homemade bread. If someone wads up a 1/2 bag of crackers and throws into the soup, throw them out the door and the ruined soup after them.
You can add or take away different item, but the cabbage and tomatoes are vital to the soup. I hope you will enjoy this soup.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Restaurant Nora
I had to go to Asheville yesterday and usual I stop by the used bookstore, Mr K's at Riverridge. I usually get my reading, cookbooks,music, and videos there to last the month.
While going through the cookbook isle I came across "Cooking with Nora" by Nora Pouillon. She writes about her ideals and inspiration for the restaurant. I really enjoyed the read and I'm looking forward to trying some the recipes. She has created seasonal menu items that take available fresh produce for that season and has developed a simple vision of food that has complex textures and flavors that I find delightful .
Many of my cookbooks have come from this chain of stores, there is always a surprise as I browse through their selections. I didn't mean for this to become an ad for the store, but during this economy, I can save a lot of money for my reading habit.
While going through the cookbook isle I came across "Cooking with Nora" by Nora Pouillon. She writes about her ideals and inspiration for the restaurant. I really enjoyed the read and I'm looking forward to trying some the recipes. She has created seasonal menu items that take available fresh produce for that season and has developed a simple vision of food that has complex textures and flavors that I find delightful .
Many of my cookbooks have come from this chain of stores, there is always a surprise as I browse through their selections. I didn't mean for this to become an ad for the store, but during this economy, I can save a lot of money for my reading habit.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Dinner with Mike
Went over to Mikes Henshaw's for dinner last night and to talk about restaurants. He fixed pork ribs with a honey mustard sauce, kale, brown rice, and lentil soup with carrots and rosemary. It was just an excellent meal and this morning my sugar was @ 85, a very good sugar for a diabetic. Thanks Mike.
I've been talking about Carrabelle, Florida as a location to go for the winter months and set up a restaurant or reset up a clay studio. Mike grew up down that way in southern Georgia and he had allot of information about the area. We shared war stories and I'm very impressed by the amount of traveling that Mike has done. I was also impressed with his wood block prints, he has a very good sense of folk art design and the work is well presented. His collection of folk art books was very interesting and I enjoyed looking through books he has collected.
I've been talking about Carrabelle, Florida as a location to go for the winter months and set up a restaurant or reset up a clay studio. Mike grew up down that way in southern Georgia and he had allot of information about the area. We shared war stories and I'm very impressed by the amount of traveling that Mike has done. I was also impressed with his wood block prints, he has a very good sense of folk art design and the work is well presented. His collection of folk art books was very interesting and I enjoyed looking through books he has collected.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
slowing down
You will notice that I am a potter by trade as seen on my profile and have practiced my art for almost forty years. It has always been a love affair for me to imagine my plated food on the work that I produce. It seems to close the gap that makes the circle of my life. My fondest wish now is to open myself a small cafe to share my love of both items with others who feel that life has become too fast and we should sit down for a longer time to drink, eat and talk about art, life, politics, and relationship. This could possible open the door to more understanding of others and take us away from the stereo types of TV land.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Chicken Fettuccine Carbonara
This weekend, Maria and I wanted to have a little different dish, my interest in sauces was peaked when I came across some packaged sauce mixes. I wanted to taste the sauce in a dish without a whole lot of time preparing it. We did enjoy our version of the dish and I then went to Cooking Network website and found a Tyler Florence version of the sauce that I hope to try over the next week or two.
My version of the dish:
Wagner's Carbonara Sauce mix, 1 chicken breast fillet, cut into strips, bit size. 1 carrot, cut diagonally thin. 4 green onions, sliced across, include some green part. 4 ounces sliced mushrooms, and about a half cup of peas (I used frozen peas).
Start your fettuccine in boiling salted water.
Saute the chicken in olive oil until golden crust is present, then add the veges. when the noodles are done, place the done chicken and vegetable mix over the noodles. Using the same pan add the butter from the directions on package to the pan along with the milk and the sauce mix. I use a whisk to combine the ingredients and bring to thickness (slight boil). I pour this over the noodles, veges, and chicken, gently toss, plate and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan. Serve with a white dry wine, and a crusty multigrain bread.
My version of the dish:
Wagner's Carbonara Sauce mix, 1 chicken breast fillet, cut into strips, bit size. 1 carrot, cut diagonally thin. 4 green onions, sliced across, include some green part. 4 ounces sliced mushrooms, and about a half cup of peas (I used frozen peas).
Start your fettuccine in boiling salted water.
Saute the chicken in olive oil until golden crust is present, then add the veges. when the noodles are done, place the done chicken and vegetable mix over the noodles. Using the same pan add the butter from the directions on package to the pan along with the milk and the sauce mix. I use a whisk to combine the ingredients and bring to thickness (slight boil). I pour this over the noodles, veges, and chicken, gently toss, plate and garnish with fresh grated Parmesan. Serve with a white dry wine, and a crusty multigrain bread.
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Louisville connection
I wanted to start a blog around foods I find and enjoy and to also log ideals and trails of error in preparation exploration. I have always cooked for myself and my family, most of the time a joint effort sometimes not so much help. I've cooked (or the imitation of) a family style restaurant (hamburgers & fries), a pizza place (Shakeys Pizza), and a B&B (cooking my own menu).
Pretty much up till I was 45 years old, I thought I could cook, then there is my friend Clifford. He started cooking at the Galt House and suites in Louisville, Kentucky. To this day, I count his influence and guidance a very important part of my interest in learning to cook at home and in a commercial setting.
I consider Louisville amongst my best low keyed restaurant towns, Azelea's (presently closed) , Jack Fry's (my first country pate and Amanda Johnson & Erica Goins as pastry chef's will continually surprise you with their talent.), The Irish Rover (excellent fish and chips), The Blue Dog Bakery and Café, Wick's Pizza , and Uncle Tubby's Pizza (Jeffersonville, IN) are some of the places I enjoy every chance I get to go to Louisville.
Pretty much up till I was 45 years old, I thought I could cook, then there is my friend Clifford. He started cooking at the Galt House and suites in Louisville, Kentucky. To this day, I count his influence and guidance a very important part of my interest in learning to cook at home and in a commercial setting.
I consider Louisville amongst my best low keyed restaurant towns, Azelea's (presently closed) , Jack Fry's (my first country pate and Amanda Johnson & Erica Goins as pastry chef's will continually surprise you with their talent.), The Irish Rover (excellent fish and chips), The Blue Dog Bakery and Café, Wick's Pizza , and Uncle Tubby's Pizza (Jeffersonville, IN) are some of the places I enjoy every chance I get to go to Louisville.
I could easily talk about Louisville in its many forms, but I want to cover more things and as I get to those and hear from you about your versions of foods or insights about a place like Louisville. I will be occupied for a long time.
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