Deep Dark Brownies

I recvd this recipe on a anniversary gift from one of my dear friends.

She knows me well, and is allowed to give me food as gifts!

She had it all done up in a lovely canister jar, with all the dry ingredients, and the recipe tucked inside.

YUM, is all I can say.

(and thank you!)

;-)

Decaf Bustelo Instant Espresso is the key ingredient.

SECRET INGREDIENT

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/black-cocoa-12-oz

Deep Dark Brownies

2/3 cup of Dark Cocoa (I use half black, half Dutch process cocoa) 55 grams

1-1/2 cups sugar / 300 grams

½ cup confectioners’ sugar / 60 grams

¾ teaspoon salt / 5 grams

1 cup Unbleached all-purpose flour (I use half or more whole wheat) 120 grams

1 tablespoon espresso powder / 6 grams

1 cup toasted pecans ( or walnuts optional)

1 cup chocolate chips (optional – I use half cup mini chips)

3 large eggs

½ cup vegetable oil / 112 grams

2 tablespoons water of strong coffee / 24 grams

Whisk together the cocoa, sugars, salt, flour, espresso powder and nuts and chocolate chips (if using). Add eggs, oil and water or coffee, blend until mixed.

Pour mixture to 8 x 8 inch or 9 x 9 inch lightly greased pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 1 hour or longer before cutting.

Yield-10-12 brownies.

Butternut squash Soup

The really nice thing about growing your own squash, is that, preserving is easy!

Once ripe, and before you get a lot of rain(to prevent molding), pick your squash, and let it dry out in the sun for a few days... then store in a root cellar or in a cool dark place in the basement. this also works for your potatoes, onions, garlic. So it's not always a load of work to grow your own food!

But best of all nothing beats the taste!

Butternut Squash Soup

• 6 Tbs X Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 carrots peeled and sliced (I grate them)
• 3 apples grated.
  
• 3 medium onions chopped
• 8 cups veg or chicken stock
• 1 entire head of garlic, roasted
• S&P to taste
• 2 butternut squash, halved & roasted
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut up
• 2 -3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crumbled
• 1 or 2 cups cream, milk or half and half, added after the soup is pureed.

Garnish with sauteed red pepper, a dollop of sour cream and some chives, or some toasted nuts, or some cheesy croutons- or don’t garnish at all.

Pour olive oil into large soup pot and slowly cook onions over low medium until lightly browned.

Add the roasted squash & roasted garlic, ginger, vegetables and carrot and stir well. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add seasonings and parsley and simmer for another 15 minutes. Cool and blend in batches in blender or food processor. Reheat soup in clean pot and serve with fresh thyme as garnish.

Strawberry muffins

Strawberry muffins
quick & easy.

1 1/2 C flour
3/4 C white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps baking powder
1/3 C veggie oil
1 egg
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 c chopped strawberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F Grease muffin cups or line with liners

combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder.
place veggie oil in a 1 cup measuring cup, add egg adn top off with milk to equal 1 cup.

mix with flour mixture... fold in strawberries

Bake 20 -25 minutes in preheated oven or until done.

We love homemade Ketchup

Everyone asks me for my ketchup recipe, but I can't take the credit.
Here's the recipe below.
Good old Ball blue book recipe.


Tomato ketchup (Ball Blue Book of Preserving)
(yield: about 3 pints)

4 quarts chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes (about 24 large)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
½ cup chopped sweet red pepper (about ½ medium)
1 ½ teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 ½ cups vinegar

Combine tomatoes, onion, and pepper in a large saucepot. Cook until tomatoes are tender. Purée using a food processor or food mill. Cook purée rapidly until thick and reduced by one-half. Tie whole spices in a spice bag. Add spice bag, sugar, salt and paprika to tomato mixture. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Remove spice bag. Ladle hot ketchup into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Chinese Chicken salad

Ina Garten gets all the credit on this one. She's amazing, and we miss the Barefoot Contessa store we had here desperately...

This is a favorite for picnics, and family gatherings.. Very delicious.

Chinese Chicken salad.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

nocoupons

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Marinated Cucmbers

I just picked 6 cucumbers out of my garden because I was craving these! We LOVE them. give it a try, Tell me what you think...



Marinated Cucumbers
Ingredients

6 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 medium onion sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar ( I prefer agave)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Combine the cucs and onion, and in a small bowl mix all other ingredients mix well, and pour over, stir, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours... but better the next day!

Rhubarb Chutney

So Easy, and yummy. I love chutneys, and this was very easy. You could cut the sugar, but I found a bit more than 1 1/2 cups, helped cut a slightly to tangy chutney.... if you don't want so much sugar in it I would cut the cider vinegar a little. A bit to tangy for me. but it has a well rounded taste of sweet, sour and salt over all...
thinking about it now, I might (next time) add a little jalapeno and or ginger
to it for a little kick.... (hmmm? stay tuned I may make another batch!)
depends on what you like. I like it to hit every taste bud....

Rhubarb Chutney

• 3 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp salt

throw it all in a heavy pot and let it boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Sterilize some pint jars or which ever size you like, lids and bands. Pout into jars, wipe rims clean, put on lids and bands and turn up side down to cool, they will seal themselves.... makes about 2 pints.

try it first as is, then go back and try other added flavors.... for a fast easy yummy chutney, this is a good one.