Perfect Brownies

If you like your brownies chewy, moist, and dense, this is the recipe for you!  I  know a lot of people like buying brownie mixes (which I could never bring myself to do), but if you aren't very comfortable in the kitchen, I think you will be surprised at how easy homemade brownies are.  This recipe makes enough for an 8"x8"x2" pan, if you plan on feeding a crowd, you will want to double this recipe.



Perfect glossy crust with a rich and chewy center



Perfect Brownies



2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate 

1/2 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped Walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray an 8"x8"x2" glass baking dish with nonstick spray. In a cooker, melt butter and chocolate. Be careful not to heat too quickly, or chocolate will scorch.  While this is melting, combine flour, salt and baking powder in separate bowl, and set aside. Remove melted butter and chocolate from heat. Add sugar to this mixture and blend thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Add flour mixture and stir until combined, but do not over-beat. If you are adding Walnuts, you may add them to the batter now, or sprinkle them over batter after it is poured into the pan. Pour into baking dish, and bake in slow oven (325 degrees) for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle of brownies comes out clean.  Cool before cutting.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream if desired.



Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or with sweetened whipped cream.

 



Homemade Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs!

Here we are; another cold day. (I am soo ready for Spring!)  Cold days = hot meals.  I had some ground beef  I wanted to use, so thought I would make spaghetti and meatballs for supper.  I do make quite a bit of spaghetti (in a multitude of variations).  It's a great, hearty meal and it's pretty quick.  As we know, there are only about a bazillion ways to make spaghetti, but I reserve spaghetti and meatballs for when I want to make the meal just a little more special.  Now, I also know that there are as many ways to make meatballs are there are to make spaghetti sauce, but I really like this recipe which comes from my grandmother.

Spaghetti and Meatballs 

 Sauce

3/4 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T. oil
2 (1 lb/16 oz.) cans of crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
1 c. water
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 T. oregano

Meatballs

4 slices dry bread
1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 c. grated Romano cheese
2 T. chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 T. oregano
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
2 T. oil

For Sauce:  Cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, but not brown.  Add next 8 ingredients.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Add meat balls and continue cooking for about 30 minutes.

For Meatballs: Soak bread in water until wet, then squeeze out moisture.  Combine with remaining ingredients (except oil) in large bowl and mix well. (It is easiest and most efficient to do this with your hand.) Form into balls of desirable size.  Brown in hot oil; drain on a paper towel, then place into sauce.  Cook in sauce for the final 30 minutes of cooking time.

Serve over hot spaghetti and top with Parmesan cheese if desired.



As it is just two of us, I made 1/2 this recipe and there was still some left over! Also, if you don't want to take the time to make your own sauce,  you could always substitute with a good, store-bought one.



Lemon Meringue Pie (and Robert Taylor!)

I bought some lemons that were on sale the other day and happened to notice earlier that I had two pie crusts in my fridge that needed to be used.  It didn't take long for me to realize that lemons + pie crusts = lemon meringue pie! So, I thought I would share my afternoon baking with you guys.  It really is delicious! 

Pie #1

Lemon Meringue Pie

Filling:
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. water
3 egg yolks
3 T. butter
4 T. lemon juice
1 1/3 T. lemon zest

Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 T. granulated or powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Prepare meringue as follows: Beat egg whites with a mixer until frothy.  Gradually add in cream of tartar and sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form and egg whites hold their shape.  Finally add vanilla, and mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate 3 large eggs, reserving the whites for the meringue. In a separate mixing bowl, beat yolks and set aside.  In heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Gradually add water, and heat to a boil, stirring constantly.  Mixture should be thick.  Remove from heat.Very slowly pour 1/2 of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks. (Caution: do this gradually, while stirring vigorously, otherwise you will scramble the yolks! I like to use a large measuring cup to transfer it so that I have more control over the amount I'm pouring in.) After this is well-blended, gently pour egg mixture into hot mixture on the stove, and return to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  (Careful: heating too fast and insufficient stirring may cause pudding to scorch!) Remove from heat, and add butter, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Stir until blended.  Pour into prepared (baked) pie shell and top with meringue.  Be sure that meringue is sealed to edge of pie crust to help prevent shrinking.  Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until meringue is a delicate brown color.  Cool completely before cutting.



Pie #2



If you're like me, and you want to make the most of your pie-making efforts, you can actually double this recipe and make two pies.  (Since I had two crusts to use, that's what I did: one for us at home and one for Steve to take to the office.)

 





From the trailer for the film Waterloo Bridge, from 1940



This recipe is from my favorite cookbook, Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook from 1951, and comes with an interesting note: apparently, this was Robert Taylor's favorite pie, and the recipe was obtained from his mother and was featured on their radio cooking school. (For those of you who don't know who Robert Taylor is--and probably, you don't--he was a famous movie star in the 40s and 50s.)

One last thought: when life gives you lemons, make some pie!!!

(Thanks to Robert Taylor!)  

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold, rainy days like these just scream soup for supper.  So, after I decided to make chicken noodle soup, it occurred to me that I could just take some pictures and jot down what I do, then post it on my recipe blog.  Usually, I just throw things together and don't measure anything when it comes to makimg soups and other similar things.  Making it this time was different because I went ahead and eye-balled my ingredients as usual, then stopped and measured before adding them. That being said, this is easily my #1 go-to soup.  We both like it; it's easy; it's really good, and it's pretty cheap (and I almost always have all the ingredients on-hand).  I totally understand that it's much easier (and faster) to go pop open a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup than to make it from scratch, but trust me-- the homemade stuff is so much better!  After you try this, you won't mind taking the extra time to make it from scratch!



Chicken Noodle Soup

2 chicken leg quarters with skin (thigh and leg)  

2 medium celery ribs,diced, plus tops (about 1/2 c.)

1/3 of a medium yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 c.)

2 medium-large carrots, diced (about 1 c.)

4 chicken bouillons

1 1/2 c. small pasta shells

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

pepper to taste

1 T. butter

water

Place chicken quarters (with skin) in a large dutch oven.  Fill with water until chicken is covered with about 1/2 inch of water.  Cover with lid, and cook chicken until done (about 25 minutes).  Meanwhile, prepare and dice carrots, onion, and celery.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan and saute diced vegetables until onions and celery are translucent.  Remove from heat. After chicken has cooked, carefully remove it from the stock (it will want to fall apart; I recommend using a large slotted spoon), and place on a sizable cutting board.  Check the broth for any solids that may have formed and stuck to the sides of the pot, and discard. Place sauteed vegetables, salt, pepper and chicken bouillons into broth and return to a boil. Add celery tops. As soon as chicken is cool enough to work with, remove and discard skin and clean meat off the bones.  Cut chicken into pieces of desirable size and return to stock. Add pasta shells and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes).  Remove celery tops,  add parsley, and spoon into serving dishes.  Serve with crackers or grilled cheese sandwiches.  Enjoy!

   

Sauteeing carrots, onions and celery



Feel free to use any part of the chicken you like. I like the leg quarters because they help produce a nice broth and provide the perfect amount of meat. Also, leg quarters are cheap. (I think you can get an 8-10 pound bag of frozen leg quarters for about $5-6.) You don't have to use frozen chicken, but the fact that you can is an added element of convenience since you can stock-up when it's on sale.

  



I also like to use small pasta shells instead of traditional flat noodles because they are easier to eat and have a great texture.  However, if you prefer traditional noodles, you can use linguine or fettuccine noodles instead: just break them into pieces of desirable size and cook them for about 11 minutes instead of 7.








My Favorite Cookbook

This cookbook is my absolute-favorite cookbook--period!  This is actually an exact reprint of Betty Crocker's first comprehensive cookbook which was first published in 1950. It is not only a wealth of culinary information, but is an interesting read for those of us who are rather nostalgic and would love to play June Cleaver for a day. It is also nice enough to give someone as a gift for a holiday or special occasion.

My grandmother, Hattie, gave this to me for Christmas a year before she passed away.  It now permanently graces the cookbook stand on my kitchen counter. (It's also the prettiest cookbook I own!) Anyone who knew Granny knows that she LOVED to cook and took great pride in making people happy through her food...and she was REALLY good at it!  I think of her every time I try to get my husband to go back for a third or fourth serving of something; after all, one serving means it's edible, two servings means it's really good, but three servings means if I were going to be executed, I would want this to be my last meal.  Anyone who takes her cooking seriously will tell you (whether she wants to admit it or not) that this is the exact effect she desires to achieve every time she concocts something. There's a good chance, actually, that Granny and myself would even take it personally if no one went for seconds.  Now, this isn't because we think we are hot stuff (ha ha!), but because we love it so much.  Cooking isn't just something we do, it's a part of who we are. Not liking our cooking is the same as not liking us.  I guess there is something about food that ties us to our most basic instincts. It's that primitive idea of food = love.  If we cook for you, we love you; if we don't like you, we probably won't cook for you.  Regardless of how we feel about people, our love for cooking is constant. And it is this shared passion, along with shared recipes, that keep me close to Granny and help to remind me that part of her is always here.

Best Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are the best I ever ate! I frequently get asked to make them for breakfast when my sisters visit.  They are super-easy to throw together and oh-so scrumptious!  Why buy muffins from the store when home-made ones are cheaper and tastier?

Even if you aren't much of a baker, these are pretty-much fool-proof.  If you don't like blueberries, you could substitute any other fruit of similar size. I have also made them with black raspberries and they were just as good. This recipe will make 12 average sized muffins. 

Best Blueberry Muffins

2  cups all-purpose flour

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. oil
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 cup blueberries




Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper baking cups. (I suggest quickly spraying the paper liners with a non-stick baking spray.) In mixing bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg and milk, and stir just until blended.  Carefully add blueberries and gently mix into batter.  Fill muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Serve plain or with spread of your choice.

Since fresh blueberries are often out-of-season, and therefore very expensive, I keep a bag of frozen blueberries on hand to use whenever I want.  This not only prevents you from having to use the fruit before it turns, but the frozen berries are also easier to blend into the batter, as they are more resistant to "mushing-up."

Whipped Cream Cupcakes with (Pink!) White Mountain Frosting

For some reason, I have really gotten into making cupcakes lately.  I guess it's because they are like individually-wrapped bites of heaven.  For fat, this recipe uses whipping (or heavy) cream instead of butter or shortening which lends to its very moist, rich eating quality.  If you prefer 9" x13" or 8" or 9" pans, please feel free to use them instead! (Just make sure you adjust your baking time!)  Since it is Valentine's Day, I took the liberty to tint the batter pink with about 5 drops of red food coloring and arranged the cupcakes (ever-so-cheesily) in the shape of a heart on my large cutting board.  By the way, if you're wondering why the frosting is "Pink" White Mountain Frosting, it's because I also added a couple drops of red food coloring to tint it in honor of St. Valentine.  So, that being said...make these, and feel the love! Here's the recipe:

Whipping Cream Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. whipping cream
3 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Line muffin/cupcake tins with 24 paper liners, and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whip cream in large mixing bowl until stiff. (This will take a good 5 minutes.) Next, fold in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder and salt.  Fold the flour mixture in gently with a whisk. Add the vanilla and blend. Fill cupcake liners until 2/3 full.  Place in preheated oven and bake for about 18-24 minutes.  Cakes are done when knife/toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Cool and frost.

(Pink!) White Mountain Frosting

2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 2/3 T. water
1/3 light corn syrup
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, water and syrup in medium saucepan and bring to a boil over low-medium heat.  Boil gently, without stirring, until syrup spins a 6-8" thread (242 degrees). Caution: Place lid on saucepan for first 3-4 minutes; this will help prevent sugar crystals from forming on the sides of the pan. (If this happens, your frosting will be grainy and yucky, and you will have to start over--ugh!) While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.  When the syrup has reached the thread stage, remove from heat, and pour very slowly into egg whites, beating constantly.  Add vanilla, and continue to beat until frosting holds its shape.  If desired, add two heaping tablespoons of marshmallow creme to frosting and beat until blended for extra marshmallow-y flavor.  Leave white for traditional White Mountain Frosting; Add two drops of red food coloring to achieve a delicate pink color, or add coloring of your choice.

For some reason, you hardly ever see this kind of frosting anymore (maybe with the exception of Grandma's kitchen...).  Since it has no fat, it is actually one of the "healthiest" frostings you could eat.  But don't be fooled: it is still rich, sweet and sure to satisfy. Its lustrous sheen, as well as its soft and luscious texture provide a very high eating quality.  You will be sure to impress with this one! 

First Post!

In the beginning, there was chaos...and that's exactly what I had when I started this blog! As a self-described "computer illiterate" and person who would, in general, prefer to avoid all unnecessary forms of technology, the idea of blogging wasn't initially really all that appealing. But, as someone who loves to cook, loves to write and loves to share good recipes, I thought what better way to combine all those elements than to write a blog about cooking?  Now, I don't pretend to be any kind of an expert, or even a connoisseur, but I do have a passion for making good food, and I do have picky taste. So... take my credentials for whatever they are worth, check back often, and go whip something up!