CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Melt 9oz semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave
Whisk in 1/3 cup lukewarm water and let cool 10 minutes
Beat 3 cups of heavy cream with 1 TBS of vanilla at a low speed until slightly thick.
Add chocolate and beat until mousse is thick.
Keep chilled in refridgerator until ready to serve*.
serves 8-10; recipe can be doubled
*Serve plain or with whipped cream or with raspberry sauce, whipped cream and a raspberry on top.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
OYSTER STUFFING
OYSTER STUFFING
Melt in a large sauce pan:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
Add and sautee until translucent:
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
Stir in 12 oz fresh oysters with the juice
Pour over bag of seasoned stuffing - I use Bell's (a New England brand) but any brand is good. Use the 20 lbs turkey sized box/bag of stuffing for this recipe. DO NOT USE CORN BREAD STUFFING.
Add 3 cups of warm water*, toss with a fork to blend. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Stuff the mixture in to the cavity of the turkey just before baking. Or put in a covered casserole and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
*For a moister stuffing add up to 1/2 cup more water.
Melt in a large sauce pan:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
Add and sautee until translucent:
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
Stir in 12 oz fresh oysters with the juice
Pour over bag of seasoned stuffing - I use Bell's (a New England brand) but any brand is good. Use the 20 lbs turkey sized box/bag of stuffing for this recipe. DO NOT USE CORN BREAD STUFFING.
Add 3 cups of warm water*, toss with a fork to blend. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Stuff the mixture in to the cavity of the turkey just before baking. Or put in a covered casserole and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
*For a moister stuffing add up to 1/2 cup more water.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Peanut Brittle
PEANUT BRITTLE
Based on a recipe by CJ Upchurch
In a microwave safe bowl mix well:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup RAW peanuts*
Microwave for 3 minutes on high
Remove, stir and microwave for another 3 minutes on high
Remove and add:
1 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes on high
Remove and add:
1 tsp baking soda and a dash of salt
Stir. Pour onto buttered foil-lined cookie sheet** and let set until cool.
Break up into bite sized pieces and enjoy!
* RAW peanuts can be hard to find. Try H Mart. Peanuts in the shell have usually been boiled and roasted - you must use raw peanuts or the brittle will burn.
** Prepare the sheet before you start cooking. The brittle hardens quickly.
Based on a recipe by CJ Upchurch
In a microwave safe bowl mix well:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup RAW peanuts*
Microwave for 3 minutes on high
Remove, stir and microwave for another 3 minutes on high
Remove and add:
1 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes on high
Remove and add:
1 tsp baking soda and a dash of salt
Stir. Pour onto buttered foil-lined cookie sheet** and let set until cool.
Break up into bite sized pieces and enjoy!
* RAW peanuts can be hard to find. Try H Mart. Peanuts in the shell have usually been boiled and roasted - you must use raw peanuts or the brittle will burn.
** Prepare the sheet before you start cooking. The brittle hardens quickly.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING
SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart
Mix in a bowl: 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
In another bowl mix: 6 oz room temperature cream cheese, 1 1/2 sticks butter - softened, on medium high speed until smooth. reduce to medium-low speed and slowly add sugar-cocoa mixture until combined. Add (in a slow, steady stream) 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled. Add 3/4 cup sour cream; beat until combined.
Makes 4 cups of frosting. Plenty to frost a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart
Mix in a bowl: 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
In another bowl mix: 6 oz room temperature cream cheese, 1 1/2 sticks butter - softened, on medium high speed until smooth. reduce to medium-low speed and slowly add sugar-cocoa mixture until combined. Add (in a slow, steady stream) 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled. Add 3/4 cup sour cream; beat until combined.
Makes 4 cups of frosting. Plenty to frost a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE
ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart
Mix in a bowl: 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt. Beat on low speed until just combined.
Add: 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk*, 3/4 cup warm water, 3 TBS canola oil, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth - about 3 minutes. Batter will be runny.
Divide batter between 2 Baking-Pam-sprayed 8" rounds.
Bake at 350 for about 33-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove from pans and finish cooling on wire racks.
Optional - makes 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
* to make 3/4 cup buttermilk: put 3/4 tsp lemon juice in a 3/4 cup measuring cup and then fill the rest of the way with milk.
Frost with SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart
Mix in a bowl: 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt. Beat on low speed until just combined.
Add: 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk*, 3/4 cup warm water, 3 TBS canola oil, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth - about 3 minutes. Batter will be runny.
Divide batter between 2 Baking-Pam-sprayed 8" rounds.
Bake at 350 for about 33-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove from pans and finish cooling on wire racks.
Optional - makes 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
* to make 3/4 cup buttermilk: put 3/4 tsp lemon juice in a 3/4 cup measuring cup and then fill the rest of the way with milk.
Frost with SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Thursday, June 9, 2011
FOCCACIA BREAD
Foccacia Bread
Recipe from Melinda Gassman
6 cups flour
2 cups warm water
¼ cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 ½ Tbsp yeast (2 single use packets)
6 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Italian seasonings
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Combine 3 cups of the flour, water, oil, 2 tsp. salt, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Mix with beaters or dough hook for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups of flour and knead for 5 minutes (by hand or in mixer). In a separate bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. Add ½ of the mixture to the dough and knead it in for 2 more minutes. (Sometimes, I make it to this point the night before, spray the inside of a plastic grocery bag with non-stick spray, toss the ball of dough into the bag, tie the top up and put it in the fridge. The next day I take it out, let it warm up a little and proceed.)
Lightly cover the dough with oil and place in a bowl, and let rise for 20 minutes. (If you had it in the fridge overnight, skip that. Just start here after the dough has warmed up a little.)
Roll the dough out a little bigger than a baker’s half sheet (large cookie sheet with sides---11 x 17).
Spray the pan and place the dough in it. The dough will retract a little; make it fit the pan. Spread the olive oil on the dough. Add the last 1/2 tsp. of salt to the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the mixture over the dough. Let rise for 15 – 20 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Poke the dough gently but firmly enough to leave depressions over the dough’s surface. (If you forget to do this, don’t worry about it! I usually forget.) Bake for 15 minutes, placing aluminum foil lightly over the top for the last five minutes to avoid over-browning. You might need to add a few more minutes of baking time, depending on your oven.
(This bread is really good for sandwiches. Cut in squares and split in half lengthwise.)
Recipe from Melinda Gassman
6 cups flour
2 cups warm water
¼ cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 ½ Tbsp yeast (2 single use packets)
6 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Italian seasonings
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Combine 3 cups of the flour, water, oil, 2 tsp. salt, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Mix with beaters or dough hook for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups of flour and knead for 5 minutes (by hand or in mixer). In a separate bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. Add ½ of the mixture to the dough and knead it in for 2 more minutes. (Sometimes, I make it to this point the night before, spray the inside of a plastic grocery bag with non-stick spray, toss the ball of dough into the bag, tie the top up and put it in the fridge. The next day I take it out, let it warm up a little and proceed.)
Lightly cover the dough with oil and place in a bowl, and let rise for 20 minutes. (If you had it in the fridge overnight, skip that. Just start here after the dough has warmed up a little.)
Roll the dough out a little bigger than a baker’s half sheet (large cookie sheet with sides---11 x 17).
Spray the pan and place the dough in it. The dough will retract a little; make it fit the pan. Spread the olive oil on the dough. Add the last 1/2 tsp. of salt to the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the mixture over the dough. Let rise for 15 – 20 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Poke the dough gently but firmly enough to leave depressions over the dough’s surface. (If you forget to do this, don’t worry about it! I usually forget.) Bake for 15 minutes, placing aluminum foil lightly over the top for the last five minutes to avoid over-browning. You might need to add a few more minutes of baking time, depending on your oven.
(This bread is really good for sandwiches. Cut in squares and split in half lengthwise.)
Monday, June 6, 2011
RICE SALAD with CUCUMBERS & GRAPES
RICE SALAD with CUCUMBERS & GRAPES
based on a recipe in the Washington Post
Cook 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (I use basmati) in 3 cups of salted water. Rinse rice with cold water when done to bring the temp down. Drain and set aside.
While rice is cooking, combine the following in a mixing bowl:
1 large fennel bulb (also called anise) sliced thin. (Google "how to slice fennel" for a quick, easy demo)
1 small sweet onion sliced thin (can use the white part of a leek)
1 large cucumber sliced thin (I stripe the peel with a fork and leave it on for decoration)
1 bunch of seedless black grapes, halved (1-2 cups)
3 TBS raisins, golden raisins or chopped figs (soak in hot water first if not soft)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Dressing - emulsify in a blender or with a blender stick:
6 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
leaves from 4 springs of flat leaf parsley
4-5 basil leaves
Pour over rice salad and mix well. Season with salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature
based on a recipe in the Washington Post
Cook 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (I use basmati) in 3 cups of salted water. Rinse rice with cold water when done to bring the temp down. Drain and set aside.
While rice is cooking, combine the following in a mixing bowl:
1 large fennel bulb (also called anise) sliced thin. (Google "how to slice fennel" for a quick, easy demo)
1 small sweet onion sliced thin (can use the white part of a leek)
1 large cucumber sliced thin (I stripe the peel with a fork and leave it on for decoration)
1 bunch of seedless black grapes, halved (1-2 cups)
3 TBS raisins, golden raisins or chopped figs (soak in hot water first if not soft)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Dressing - emulsify in a blender or with a blender stick:
6 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
leaves from 4 springs of flat leaf parsley
4-5 basil leaves
Pour over rice salad and mix well. Season with salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature
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