Critical Mass Brownies

So dense they are approaching critical mass.

French Brownies
aka Critical Mass Brownies
From Bon Appetit

½ lb. bitter chocolate squares (can use 1/2 cup cocoa and ½ cup oil)
½ cup butter
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
1.5 cups sifted flour
3 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter and chocolate. Set aside to cool. Beat eggs adding sugar slowly. Add cooled butter and chocolate. Blend in order: flour, vanilla. Use two 8 x 8 greased and floured pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t over bake – the brownies should be moist (very) in the middle while warm. Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

The recipe calls for 2 pans but one pan can be used for thicker brownies. And as always, brownies are better the next day.

Bone Soup

I pulled a beef roast bone out of the freezer and made soup. I manage to get it away from Wolfman J last Christmas before he devoured the meat on it. Then I stuck it in the black hole that is called a freezer. I have several areas/things that are a black hole. Come to think of it, my entire house is a black hole.


Beef and Vegetable Soup

Left-over beef bone, preferable with some meat on it
12 c. water
1 T. dried minced onion
1 t. minced garlic
10 beef bullion cubes
1/2 t. basil
1 t. parsley flakes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2 c. dehydrated carrots
1 can green beans
1 can corn
2 cans diced potatoes
6 oz. homestyle noodles

Place cooked beef bone, water and onion in a large pot. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until meat falls off the bone, about one hour. Add seasonings and vegetables. Bring to boil and add noodles. Cook until noodles are tender, according to package directions. Salt to taste.

Variation: Replace potatoes or noodles with barley, about 1 cup. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand: canned, dehydrated, frozen or fresh.

Moldy Applesauce

I threw out moldy applesauce today. Who am I? I don't even know myself anymore.

Last Year's Crop

With the arrival of fresh citrus I decided I better do something with last year's grapefruit. I remembered a small restaurant in McAllen, TX called Arthur's that served grapefruit pie. I loved that pie. I don't know if Arthur's is still in business but I did find a recipe for grapefruit pie that looks similar. It's red too. Perfect. Three of my grapefruit were ok. Two were brown and rotten. I supplemented with one can of grapefruit. You could use all canned if you wish.

Easy Ruby-Sweet Grapefruit Pie
by Julie Klement

3 to 4 Texas Ruby Sweet grapefruit
1 cup prepared strawberry glaze*
9"baked pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Peel and section grapefruit (see steps for sectioning). Drain well on paper towels. Cut sections in half. Gently fold sections into strawberry glaze*. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until firm. Top with whipped cream if desired.

How to Section Grapefruit

Easy to master, sections make a beautiful pie; a quick but elegant citrus salad with poppy seed dressing; or a quick breakfast layered with yogurt and granola.

With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut off both ends of the grapefruit.
Place fruit on a flat end and cut away peel from top to bottom along the curvature or the fruit. Remove all white pulp.
Cut down along fruit section to the center, then turn knife to loosen section and lift out. Repeat for other sections.

*Strawberry Glaze - Prepared strawberry glaze or packet mix may be found in the produce or canned food section of your supermarket, or try this recipe:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 oz. box strawberry gelatin

Blend sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin until no lumps appear. Stir into 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Boil until mixture coats a spoon, approx. 3-4 minutes. Cool before combining with grapefruit sections.

courtesy of Klement's Citrus Grove and Country Store: (800) 580-1002

Wow, I just noticed I was only suppose to use 1 c. of glaze. I used a 10-inch pie plate, all the glaze and 3-4 c. of grapefruit. I made a graham cracker crust, with stale crackers of course. I didn't have enough so I supplemented with some old gingersnaps.

Nabisco Classic Graham Craker Crust

Ingredients:

8 whole HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups crumbs)-use a food processor.

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Mix in food processor.

PRESS firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.

BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Juicy Grapefruit

If you missed Honeybell season, there still are plenty of other delicious citrus products to enjoy.
I have always preferred Texas to Florida grapefruit, but these sweet juicy ruby reds are making me a Florida convert.
Everything is juicy at Temple Citrus.

Fondue Finally Far-gone

I used the rest of the fondue in this mac and cheese recipe. Someone asked me if I really make these dishes and use the food I say I do. Can I get a witness?

Double-Dutch Mac and Cheese with Chard

Bon Appétit | May 2009

by Jeanne Thiel Kelley

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
• 2 cups (packed) coarsely grated aged Gouda cheese plus 1/2 cup finely grated (about 10 ounces total)
• 2 cups (packed) coarsely grated Edam cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, stems and center ribs removed
• 12 ounces elbow macaroni
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless sourdough bread

Preparation

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, then flour; stir constantly 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups coarsely grated Gouda and 1 cup Edam. Stir until cheeses melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in cayenne and nutmeg. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2- inch baking dish. Cook chard in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer chard to plate; cool. Reserve pot with water. Squeeze water from chard; chop finely.
Return water in pot to boil. Add macaroni; cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Stir macaroni into warm cheese sauce. Place half of macaroni in dish; smooth top. Top with 1 cup Edam cheese, then chard. Top with remaining macaroni mixture; spread evenly.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter. Place breadcrumbs in medium bowl. Drizzle butter over; toss. Add 1/2 cup finely grated Gouda and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mac and cheese. Sprinkle cumin seeds over, if desired.
Bake mac and cheese until breadcrumbs are golden and edges are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Dutch-Mac-and-Cheese-with-Chard-352670#ixzz0fDCrJYgo

Did you know...

...that flour can go stale? I thought it would just last forever sitting in my basement. It has started to smell and taste like my 30 year old rice. But that is whole another topic. I have been using the flour in tasty recipes like this one. I don't think anyone is noticing given the devouring of this angel food cake. It is so much better than cake mix.


Angel Food Cake
From allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 10-12 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

Directions

1. Separate eggs; discard yolks or cover and refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.

Footnotes

Nutritional Analysis: One slice equals 101 calories, trace fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 59 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch.

Good Thing the Bread is Brown

I used the last of my brown pears in this bread recipe.

Pear Bread

from allrecipes.com
Serves 20
This recipe makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups peeled shredded pears
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl combine the oil, eggs, sugar, grated pears, pecans, and vanilla. Blend well. Add to well of dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x5x3 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle each loaf with 1 T. sugar.
3. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for one hour and 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack before removing from the loaf pans.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 241 | Total Fat: 9.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg

The Honeybell

Get these. Try your local produce market or buy online here.

Soggy Spinach

I left my spinach in my walk-in freezer, the garage. Then it warmed up. And the spinach thawed. Not pretty. But, you know...it's still good. It could have been used in almost any spinach recipe. Even in a smoothie. Oh look. Here is a recipe now.

CREAMED SPINACH
From Gourmet February 2001


1 1/2 lb baby spinach

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg



Cook spinach in 1 inch of boiling salted water in a large pot, covered, stirring once or twice, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Squeeze small handfuls of spinach to remove as much moisture as possible, then coarsely chop.



Cook onion in butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add warm milk and simmer, whisking, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in Parmesan, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste.

Add spinach and cook, stirring, until heated through.




Makes 4 (side dish) servings.


Turk Carcass Soup

Doesn't that sound appetizing? I finally got around to making soup with my leftover turkey carcass from Thanksgiving. It has been in the freezer these past few weeks. And by freezer I mean garage.

Turkey Noodle Soup

1 large turkey carcass
16 c water
12 cubes chicken bullion
6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 to 1-inch slices
1 1/2 T minced onion
1 1/2 t. dill
3 c. frozen gr. beans
6 oz thick home style egg noodles
Place turkey carcass in a large stock pot. Add water and bullion. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 mins. Remove carcass leaving the water. Turn off the heat. Set aside turkey to cool. When it is cool enough to handle, remove any meat from the carcass (translation: dig and pick) and put back into pot. Add rest of ingredients and stir. Return to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 mins. until vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked.

If your noodles take less time to cook, add the vegetables and cook for 10 mins. Then add the noodles and cook 5 mins. more.

The vegetables can be varied. Replace 6 parsnips for the green beans or 3 parsnips for 2 carrots. Or 2 parsnips for 1 c. green beans. If only using carrots, use 12. I totally do not understand my directions here.

If this recipe sounds exactly like my chicken carcass soup, that is because it is. And as always, dumplings help the medicine go down. I topped it with cheddar cheese dumplings.

High Viscosity Bean Soup

I made bean soup out of the leftover Christmas ham bone. All the meat had been gnawed away by J. I mean there was not one morsel left. He was raised by wolves. Just kidding. I think. Of course I used my 30 year old beans. I was raised by squirrels.

Senate Bean Soup

From Betty Crocker

12 to 14 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried navy beans (about 2 cups)
12 cups water
1 ham bone
2 1/2 cups mashed cooked potatoes
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

Heat beans and water to boiling in Dutch oven. Boil 2 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Add ham bone. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender; about 2 hours. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove ham bone; trim ham from bone and stir into soup.

You can substitute celery salt for the salt and celery. I make this very thick by adding more potatoes, usually in the form of potato flakes or pearls. I throw in a handful of dehydrated carrots as well.