Dessert | onedadskitchen

Livening Up Dessert with Lemon Icebox Pie

I have had this recipe sitting idly by for a few weeks now just waiting for me to have the time to make it, and I finally got to it. I really don’t know why it took me so long to get around to it. The recipe itself is not very hard and it only takes minutes to put everything together. This recipe, for the classic lemon icebox pie, is from Cook’s Country magazine. If you have never had it before, it is very similar to a key lime pie, with of course lemons substituting for the key limes. I have seen lots of recipes out there for this pie, but this one seems the easiest and the results are quite good.

Lemon Icebox Pie

9 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 5 to 6 lemons)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Process the graham crackers and the sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake until the crust is fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack, about 35 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk. Whisk the remaining sweetened condensed milk and the egg yolks together in a bowl until they are smooth. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Bake the pie until the edges are beginning to set but the center of the pie still jiggles when shaken, about 15 minutes. Let the pie cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate the pie until it is chilled and set, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the heavy cream, reserved sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract on medium-low speed until it is foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 3 minutes. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the pie and serve.

I really liked this pie. It was really easy to make and the taste is so refreshing and wonderful. Michelle and I both agreed maybe it could use a smidge more lemon juice for the lemon flavor to really shine, but I had a piece the next day and the flavor seemed even better, so it’s really up to your own personal tastes. You can save yourself even more time and simply buy a pre-made graham cracker crust to use for the pie and really cut your preparation time down to nothing. I’ll be making this one again for sure.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time to see what other recipes come along. I’ll be going shopping this weekend, so we’ll see what I come back with and what recipes fit what I would like to do. The new issue of Cook’s Country has some great recipes in it, so I do plan to try some of them out next week. Check back for those. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 13, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert, Pie

Tags: Cook's Country, Cook's Country lemon icebox pie, dessert, lemon icebox pie

A Couple of Not Quites – Not Quite Shake N’ Bake Pork Chops and Banana-Blueberry “Ice Cream”

10 Sep

I always like to look for ways to make things that you can either find at some of these chain restaurants when you go out and try to duplicate it and make it taste a little better. I do the same thing with some of the classic ideas that have been used for years with dinners and try to make them taste better without all of the preservatives or other additives that might be in the products you buy. This is was the case with two recipes I tried recently. First up is a very simple version of the classic Shake N’ Bake pork chops. More than likely, you have all tried the coating at one point in your lives. You probably had it when you were younger and maybe even made it yourself when you have been cooking. This recipe brings back that nostalgic feel by updating it a bit and making it taste even better, along with a simple peaches spiked with mustard to replace the applesauce.

Not Quite Shake N’ Bake Pork Chops with Peaches and Mustard

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

4 eggs

2 cups panko bread crumbs

4 boneless thin-cut loin pork chops, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness

2 cups vegetable oil

2 ripe peaches or any stone fruit, such as nectarines, plums or apricots, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees. In a shallow dish, stir together the flour, salt and pepper. in a separate dish, beat the eggs. in a third dish, spread the panko bread crumbs.

Working with 1 pork chop at a time, dredge the chop in the seasoned flour, then dip it in the egg (shaking off any excess egg), then dip the chop in the panko bread crumbs, pressing firmly so the crumbs adhere well. Repeat the process until all of pork chops have been breaded.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over high heat until it registers 375 degrees. Carefully lower to chops into the oil and fry for 2 minutes, until just golden brown. Flip and fry the chops for 2 minutes more until the other side is golden. Remove the pork from the oil and transfer the chops to a clean dish and place on a rack in the oven to keep warm until the remaining chops have been cooked. Repeat the process with the remaining pork chops.

For the compote, toss together the peaches, mustard, salt and parsley until blended. Serve with the pork chops.

Using the panko really does give the crisp coating that you would get with Shake N’ Bake. Pounding the chops thin make them cook even faster, so this meal can be made very quickly for you in a matter of minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Serve it with some rice and the peach compote (or homemade applesauce if you prefer)and you have a great meal. I actually served this with the polenta and roasted vegetables recipe I posted last week.

With a little planning, you can have the next recipe for a very healthy dessert. I came across this recipe on Bon Appetit’s website. It is so simple it was impossible to pass up and try just to see how it would come out. It is for banana-blueberry “ice cream.” It’s not quite ice cream since there is no dairy at all in it, but you do get the creamy texture and great flavor in just 3 ingredients.

Banana-Blueberry “Ice Cream”

4 firm, ripe bananas, cut into chunks and frozen overnight

1 cup blueberries

Pinch of kosher salt

Puree the bananas, blueberries and salt in a food processor, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy.

The ice cream can be 5 days ahead. Simply cover and freeze it. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. It is very creamy, has great fruit flavor without fat or cholesterol and is only 120 calories a serving. It’s a fantastic fruit snack. Michelle and I both really liked it and Sean liked it too, though he thought it needed some sugar, which we were trying to avoid by making this in the first place.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again to see what recipes come up this week. I do have some plans for a new version of spaghetti and meatballs, some honey roasted ribs and we still have the lemon icebox pie to come, so keep checking back to see what shows up. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 10, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert, Dinner, Pork, Sauce

Tags: banana-blueberry "ice cream", bon appetit, homemade shake n bake pork chops, pork chops with peaches and mustard, shake n bake pork chops

A Sweet Treat – Heath Bar Brickle Drop Cookies

03 Sep

My wife makes great cookies. I don’t know what it is about them when she makes them, but they just come out better than anyone else’s cookies, most of all mine. That is why I leave the cooking baking to her. She is the expert. Michelle knows how much I like Heath Bars. Heath bars are really the only candy bar that I can say I really like and would eat regularly. I just love the English toffee in them. When we saw the Heath bar brickle bits in the supermarket not that long ago, Michelle knew right away I was going to want to try them out and have some cookies. This is the recipe that is right on the back of the package and is also available through Hershey’s website (the maker of Heath bars).

Heath Bar Brickle Drop Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/3 cups (1- 8 ounce package) Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until blended. Add the eggs; beat well. Stir together the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in the toffee bits. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly and remove them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough.

The recipe says it makes about 6 dozen cookies, which seems to be about right. These cookies come out most and chewy and have the great toffee flavor to them. They go great with a nice cup of coffee or just as a midnight snack when you have to get up and walk the dog at night. For me, they rank right up there with Michelle’s chocolate chip cookies and her oatmeal raisin cookies, both family favorites around here.

That’s all I have for today. check back again to see what recipes come up next. I do have recipes for some polenta with roasted vegetables, a homemade Shake N’ Bake pork chops recipe, and I have the dough for the ciabatta bread proofing right now, so we’ll have that one this week as well and anything else that may come along that strikes my fancy. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal (or your cookies)!

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Posted by MikeG on September 3, 2013 in Cookies, Cooking, Dessert

Tags: brickle drop cookies, dessert, Heath bar brickle drop cookies, Heath bar cookies, toffee bits

What’s a Weekend Without a Pie? Cook’s Country Tar Heel Pie

11 Aug

This recipe was actually pictured on the front cover of the last issue of Cook’s Country Magazine. I really like this magazine as it has great recipes that are really easy to follow, along with some other great tips throughout. It was a toss-up yesterday to try making this pie or the lemon icebox pie that is on the cover of last month’s magazine and this one won out. I’ll be making the lemon pie later on this week, so for today we can talk about the Tar Heel Pie, a North Carolina favorite for many years that combines a great fudgy flavor of a brownie into pie form.

Tar Heel Pie

1 (9-inch) single-crust pie dough

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and chopped coarse

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter. Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin and gently unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate., letting the excess dough hang over the edge. Ease the dough into the plate by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand while pressing into the plate bottom with your other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs the plate in place. Trim the overhang to 1/2 an inch beyond the lip of the pie plate. Tuck the overhang under itself; the folded edge should be flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough evenly around the edge of the plate using your fingers. Wrap the dough-lined pie plate loosely in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until the dough is fully chilled and firm, about 15 minutes.

Line the chilled pie plate with two 12-inch squares of parchment paper, letting the parchment lie over the edges of the dough, and fill the pie with pie weights.Bake the pie shell until it is lightly golden brown on the edges, about 18 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper and the pie weights, rotate the pie shell and continue to bake until the center of the pie shell begins to look opaque nd slightly drier, about 3 to 6 minutes. Allow the pie shell to coll completely.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Microwave 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a bowl, stirring often, until softened, about 60 to 90 seconds. Whisk in the oil and cocoa until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture until it is incorporated. Stir in the flour and the remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips until just combined.

Spread the pecans in the bottom of the pie shell, then pour the batter over the top, using a spatula to level the batter. Bake the pie until a toothpick inserted into the center of comes out with a thin coating of batter attached, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the pie cool on a wire rack until barely warm, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve. The pie can be re-heated, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven until warm throughout, about 10 to 15 minutes.

A couple of things about this recipe. I left the pecans out this time since we were bringing it over to someone’s house and I didn’t want to take a chance on any nut allergies and such. It came out fine without the pecans, but I think it would be even better with them in the pie. It was a very chocolate center, almost exactly like a brownie should be, with the added taste of a nice pie crust to go with it. We served it with some homemade whipped cream to top off each slice. As far as the pie weights, I personally do not have any in the house, but you can use many different things as a substitute. If you have any marbles around, these will work great as that is essentially what pie weights are anyway. I used some dried beans that I had on hand and they work just fine. Just remember that you can’t use the beans for cooking after that, but you can re-use them as pie weights in the future.

That’s all I have for today. Check back during the week for some more recipes. I do plan to try a few things out this week, including the lemon icebox pie and making my own ciabatta bread, so keep checking back to see those recipes. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on August 11, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert, Pie

Tags: brownie pie, Cook's Country, Cook's Country magazine, Cook's Country Tar Heel pie, Tar Heel pie

Feeling Peachy with Peach-Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

05 Aug

After taking the weekend off for some family fun, it’s back to the recipes today. Here today is long promised recipe for peach-blueberry ice cream pie. I got this recipe from a recent issue of Bon Apettit magazine and when I saw the picture of it, I knew it was going to be delicious. Of course, when I first saw the picture, I figured that this must be difficult to make, but much to my surprise this was a very easy dessert to put together and is perfect for the summertime for a barbecue or party.

Peach-Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

6 ounces gingersnap cookies

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 pint peach ice cream, softened in the refrigerator for 20 minutes

2 cups whipped cream (made from 1 cup of heavy cream)

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Finely grind the cookies in a food processor. You should have about 1 1/3 cups when you are done. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the butter and the heavy cream; stir to coat. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Chill until it is firm, at least 30 minutes.

Toss 1 3/4 cups of blueberries, the sugar, and the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Allow the blueberries to macerate at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Transfer the blueberry mixture to a large, heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat until the berries soften and the juices are released, about 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the berries through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover and chill the juices and the berries separately until they are cold.

Mix the softened peach ice cream with the chilled cooked blueberries. Scrape the ice cream mixture into the crust and smooth the top. Freeze until it is firm, at least 6 hours. (You can make the pie 2 days ahead of time if you wish. Just cover it and keep it frozen)

Soften the pie in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving. Top the pie with the whipped cream; scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries over the top. Garnish the top with the crystallized ginger. Drizzle each slice with some of the reserved blueberry juices.

The taste of the blueberries mixed in with the peaches and ice cream are delightful. I also loved the flavor the ginger snaps give the crust and the nice complement of the crystallized ginger on the top of the pie. Drizzling the blueberry sauce over each piece is the crowning touch, and the extra sauce is also great over other ice cream or even or something like pancakes or waffles.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time to see some more new recipes. I do have one I tried recently for a grilled hone glazed pork chops, along with a beer battered fish recipe and I think I am going to try one this week where I can make my own ciabatta bread. We’ll see how that one comes along. Keep checking back to see what comes up. If you ever have any questions, comments or a recipe you might like to see, feel free to leave a comment in the comments section here or catch up with me on Facebook or Twitter. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on August 5, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert, Pie

Tags: bon appetit, bon appetit peach blueberry ice cream pie, ice cream pie, peach-blueberry ice cream pie

Bowl Them Over with Bourbon Banana Pudding

24 Jul

Okay, this dessert may not be ideal for the under age 21 crowd, but it is downright delicious. I had seen the recipe listed on the Cooking Channel awhile back and knew I was going to have to give it a try. I did have to go out and get some bourbon and gingersnaps, but other than that I had all the ingredients on hand to make this yummy dessert. You need to make this one in the morning if you want to be able to have it after dinner that same night or plan on eating it the next day so it can really set.

Bourbon Banana Puddings

2 cups milk

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons bourbon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

30 gingersnap cookies

4 ripe bananas, sliced crosswise

For the pudding base: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Stir a small amount of the warmed milk into the yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the custard starts to thicken, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and the vanilla and continue cooking until it is glossy and quite thick, another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the custard from the heat and whisk in the butter, stirring until the butter is completely melted.

Push the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press plastic wrap directly over the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

To assemble: In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream and vanilla with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the bourbon pudding until no visible streaks remain. In individual serving glasses, layer the pudding, gingersnaps, and bananas, finishing with a layer of pudding on top. Chill for 4 hours and no longer than 8 hours before serving. Crush the remaining gingersnaps and sprinkle the crumbs over the top.

You could certainly serve this in one large bowl instead of using individual glasses, but it does look quite nice in the glasses like this and makes for nice presentation for dessert. I am not a big pudding eater but I really liked this one. You get great flavor from the bananas, a little crunch from the gingersnaps and you can certainly taste the bourbon and vanilla in the pudding as well, all combining for a wonderful flavor. We each ate one up rather quickly last night after dinner. I would certainly make this dessert again if we are having a dinner party.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again for other recipes of some things I have tried recently, including a Tuscan steak with crispy potatoes that we had last night for dinner. Until the next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 24, 2013 in Cooking, Dessert

Tags: banana pudding, Bourbon banana pudding, Cooking Channel

Snacks Ahoy! Butter Toffee Popcorn and Lemon Yogurt Cake

13 Jul

Yesterday I decided to make a couple of new snack and dessert items that I had downloaded recipes for a while back. Sean had picked out the first one as something he wanted to try, which is Butter Toffee Popcorn. he helped me make it and there is not much too this recipe as far as ingredients or effort, but the final result is a great snack. I got the recipe from Cook’s Country, one of my favorite sources for recipes.

Butter Toffee Popcorn

3 quarts popped popcorn

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups salted peanuts

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Grease a large roasting pan and place the popcorn in the pan.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and the baking soda (the mixture will foam a little). Add the peanuts and pour the mixture over the popcorn, tossing well to coat.

Bake, stirring occasionally, until the popcorn is a deep golden brown and the caramel has set, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool to room temperature and serve. The popcorn can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.

This is certainly the easy way to make your own version of Cracker Jacks and save you some cash. You want to be sure to just use plain popcorn, not popcorn that is already seasoned with anything so you don’t get any additional flavors that might affect the caramel (unless that is what you want of course). Also, I used a disposable aluminum roasting pan when I did this to save myself the aggravation of having to try to wash a roasting pan with baked caramel stuck to it. Overall, it’s a pretty tasty snack that is very easy to make. I love toffee myself, so this worked out very well for all of us.

The second recipe I tried was one from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa of the Food Network. It is for a simple Lemon Yogurt Cake that makes for a great item for a brunch, to bring to a party or housewarming, or just to have in the morning with coffee or for dessert.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into 1 bowl. in another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure that it all gets well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1.3 cup of lemon juice and the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place the cake on a cooling rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice and pour over the cake before serving.

I did opt to omit the second glaze even though I am sure it looks great and tastes great too. I just thought it was too much sugar overkill for the cake and I liked the way it looked with just the first lemon-sugar mixture on it. It has just the right amount of sweetness and lemon flavor. It’s a great cake to make without needing a lot of time or ingredients if you want something at the last minute.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again to see what other recipes come along. I still have a number of recipes I have tried recently to put up, including a roast chicken and vegetables recipe from Marc Murphy, a grilled sausages recipe from Bobby Flay and a pulled pork sliders recipe from Williams-Sonoma, among many others. Check back and see what comes along. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 13, 2013 in Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Snacks, Uncategorized

Tags: Barefoot Contessa, butter toffee popcorn, Cook's Country, cracker jacks, homemade cracker jacks, Ina Garten, lemon yogurt cake

It’s Not an Illusion – It’s Magic Bars

07 Jul

We’re always on the lookout for recipes that are great desserts to bring to a party or barbecue. As soon as I saw this one on the Food Network with Giada De Laurentiis, I knew we were going to have to give it a try. It combines a couple of things that everyone really loves – brownies, caramel and chocolate chip cookies. I have seen this dish called a few different things, but Giada called it Magic Bars. The real magic part about them is how fast they disappear.

Magic Bars

Brownie Layer:

1 box brownie mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Cookie Layer:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Caramel:

3 bags soft caramel candies, unwrapped

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 13 x 9-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Line each dish with a 15-inch square of parchment paper, allowing the excess to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

For the brownie layer: In a large bowl, blend together the brownie mix, vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of water, espresso powder and the eggs. Using a hand mixer, beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Pour the batter into one of the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted about 1 inch from the edge of the baking dish comes out clean, about 25 to 27 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.

Using the excess parchment paper as handles, lift the brownie layer from the pan. Run a thin spatula underneath to loosen it from the parchment paper. Keep the oven turned on.

For the cookie layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Add the flour mixture and beat until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the other prepared baking dish, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Bake until it is light golden, about 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

For the caramel: In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the caramel candies, 2 tablespoons of water and vanilla over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Pour the caramel evenly over the cookie layer. Working quickly, place the brownie layer on top of the caramel. Gently press the brownie layer into the caramel. Refrigerate for 1 hour until the caramel has set. Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut into 24 bars and store it in an airtight plastic container.

The original recipe calls for some shredded coconut over the brownie layer and a cup of chopped walnuts in the cookie layer, but we omitted both since we were bringing it to a party and we weren’t sure if there were any dislikes or allergies involved, so we kept it simple. Everyone seemed to love the dessert and you got the best of both worlds with brownie and chocolate chip all in one. Michelle thought the caramel could be a little smoother and suggested added some heavy cream next time to the caramel to smooth it out some more. No matter how you decide to make it, it is very easy to do and tastes great. It’s definitely a good one to remember for a party.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again to see what other recipes I’ll be using in the coming days. Sean has been picking out some recipes he wants us to try, and this week I think we are going to make things like pulled pork sliders, Cobb chicken salad sandwiches, barbecued chicken and we are even going to try our hand at making some bagels. Check back and see how it goes. until then, enjoy the rest of your day, try to stay cool and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 7, 2013 in Cakes, Cooking, Dessert

Tags: brownies and chocolate chips, chocolate chip cookies, food network, giada de laurentiis, magic bars

Red and Blue: A Refreshing Drink and Blueberry Hand Pies

06 Jul

I had made a couple of quick and easy recipes a few days ago that lend themselves perfectly to the summer. Both use some great summer fruits and can be made in almost no time at all. The first was a simple drink of watermelon agua fresca, a very refreshing drink that you can make with this recipe that I got from Food Republic.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

16 cups cubed seedless red watermelon, about a 5-pound watermelon’s worth

2 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

1 bunch fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Club soda

Lime slices, for garnish

Blueberries, for garnish

Combine the watermelon, water, sugar and mint in a blender and puree until smooth (You may have to do this in batches to accommodate all the watermelon). Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container.

Stir in the lime juice. Refrigerate until it is well chilled, about 4 hours or overnight. To serve, fill a highball glass with ice, fill the glass 2/3 full with the watermelon mixture, and top with club soda and garnish with a lime slice. You can also add several blueberries to float on the top if you wish.

It is a very easy drink to make and you can even jazz it up a bit with some alcohol if you wanted to go that route. I thought it was great and refreshing just as it is with a strong watermelon flavor mixed with the lime.

I also got a recipe from bon appetit magazine for some blueberry hand pies. I have long had a thing for Hostess and Drake’s fruit pies, and until they are back on the market (which should be in a week or so), this is a great substitute that you can make on your own. They are perfect for any type of barbecue or picnic since you can just pick one up and dig in.

Blueberry Hand Pies

1 homemade or store-bought pie crust

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

2 cups blueberries (about 10 ounces)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 6 rectangles.

Toss the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Brush the edges of the dough rectangles with water; mound some blueberries into the center of each rectangle. Fold the dough over, and press the edges to seal. Place the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash, and sprinkle the tops with the raw sugar. Cut small slits on the top for steam to escape.

Bake the hand pies, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking, until the juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes (some juices will run out onto the parchment paper). Transfer the pies to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve the pies warm or at room temperature.

I loved these pies. The are the perfect serving size and portion and make a great dessert that you could easily double or triple the recipe for a bigger crowd. I did use a store-bought pie crust and they turned out just fine, but I can see where a homemade crust would be easier to deal with and roll to the right size without making the dough too thin. In either case, I think it is a great summer dessert that doesn’t take long to make.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again for more recipes in the coming days, including one for magic bars that we recently made for a dessert. I also have several other recipes I will be trying in the next few days to post, including one for barbecued chicken, some pulled pork sliders, Cobb salad style chicken salad and more. Check back and see what comes up next. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 6, 2013 in Beverages, Cooking, Dessert, Pie

Tags: Blueberry Hand Pies, bon appetit magazine, dessert, Food Republic, quick and easy recipes, Watermelon agua fresva

Your Personal Blueberry-Lemon Cakes

03 Jul

Blueberries are in season right now and you can get them at a really great price. Not only are they great in things like fruit salads or your morning oatmeal, but you can do many different desserts with them. While I do love to make blueberry pie, I was looking for something a little bit different recently to make with some of the fresh blueberries I got. I came across this recipe from Williams-Sonoma and it sounded pretty good so I thought I would give it a try and see how they came out.

Individual Blueberry-Lemon Cakes

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the inside of 6 small ramekins with butter. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries and the 1/4 cup of sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. in a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch and it into the saucepan. Bring it to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 6 tablespoons of sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture, whisking until the batter is just combined.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of the blueberry mixture into the bottom of each ramekin. Top each with 1/4 cup of the batter and then 1 tablespoon of the blueberry mixture. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the tops of the cakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the ramekins before serving.

These cakes came out great. The blend of the blueberries with the lemony flavor of the cake is wonderful. You could easily double this recipe to make more if you want to make some for a larger crowd or even place them in larger ramekins if you want bigger portions. You can dust the tops with some confectioner’s sugar and serve them with some fresh whipped cream or some vanilla ice cream. in any case, it makes for a quick and easy dessert that you can make in no time at all.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again next time for some more recipes, including another blueberry recipe I just tried from Bon Appetit for blueberry hand pies. It’s very easy to make and they taste great too.I also have some other recipes I have tried recently for a new roasted chicken, braised short ribs, some roasted green beans, watermelon agua fresca and more, so keep checking in to see what’s next. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!