Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting

A.K.A. "I Just Ate Three Sticks O' Butter!" Brownies



If you like the toffee twist of brown butter frosting, like this ponderous baker does, give these squares a try! The brownie layer may not have been the best homemade brownie recipe I've ever tried, maybe a bit less moist than I like, but I wouldn't know because after topping them with brown butter frosting, I thought that maybe, just maybe, my brother and his family wouldn't like the toffee twist of brown butter frosting. In a stroke of heart-clogging genius, I topped the topping with a layer of chocolate fudge frosting. Crazy. Who even cares about the brownie underneath?

Now, I know there are a million recipes out there claiming to be The Best Brownies EVER, and I'll make no such claim for these. It's not because they're not yummy; truly, they're deliciously rich and full of fudgy goodness. No, I make no such claim because I don't trust my ability to objectively judge brownies. I love them ALL.



Brownies
*from Jeannette Haley's recipe

1 cup butter, no substitutes, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt

Brown Butter Frosting
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp. half and half (I used heavy cream leftover from truffle-making mixed w/milk)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
*No pun intended, but I totally fudged this. The amounts below are approximate.
Melt about 1 cup chocolate chips together with 1/2-1 tablespoon butter and some heavy cream. Stir until smooth and glossy.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Spread into an ungreased 13" x 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do not overbake (although, if you do, perhaps layering on a THIRD topping would offset your mistake...). Cool on a wire rack.

For brown butter frosting, cook and stir butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Pour into a mixing bowl; beat in the confectioners' sugar, cream, and vanilla. Frost cooled brownies. Prepare Fudgy Chocolate Frosting, if desired, and spread on top of brown butter frosting.

Eat ten or so and then blame me for your bellyache.
(It's okay. I give you permission.)

Almond Butter Sticks

Yes, more butter. I decided to do a themed posting tonight.


Growing up, these cookies are something I would have passed over on the cookie platter, and I would have totally missed out. I first had them several years ago at my mom's house and have thought of them ever since. Her recent birthday was the perfect excuse to make them (for her, not for me, though of course I had to eat a few just to make sure they weren't poison).



The taste is delicious, but the texture is what really makes them stand out in a crowd. The cookie itself is quite soft, but the layer of almond sugar in the middle hardens into a wonderful crunch. Biting into one goes something like this: Soft yummy cookie-- yummy CRUNCH!-- soft yummy cookie. And if you can't understand that technical baker's jargon, then you don't belong here.


They are so good. I can't praise them highly enough, and the only disclaimer I'll give is that you shouldn't try them if you don't like almonds or almond flavoring. There, now the rest of you can have at 'em.

Also, the ingredient amounts are kooky because this recipe is one of many cookie recipes that you can make using make-ahead cookie mix. The original amounts for the mix itself are normal, but it makes 8 cups of mix. Since this recipe only calls for two cups of the mix, I had to cut it in fourths. (I really should just post all the other cookies one can also make with this mix, 'cause they're all good, but I'm pressed for time.)

Make-Ahead Cookie Mix
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 and 1/2 cups flour
In very large bowl, combine butter, salt, and baking powder and blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Add flour to butter mixture; blend until fine crumbs form, scraping bowl often. Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to four weeks, if desired.

Almond Butter Sticks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
1/3 cup butter (plus one separate tablespoon butter), softened
one 6-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups mix (voila! That's the exact amount you have, thanks to my cutting it in fourths!)
1 egg, separated (reserve white for glazing)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and almond flavoring; cover and set aside. In medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk. Blend until smooth. Stir in the cookie mix, and knead on floured surface about 25 strokes or until pliable. (The dough is quite sticky, and I used a dusting of confectioners' sugar instead of flour.) Roll or press out to a 12 by 12-inch square. Spread with the 1 tablespoon of butter. Cut dough in half; place one half on greased cookie sheet. Spoon sugar mixture to within 1/2 inch of dough edges. Place remaining dough half, buttered side down, over sugar.* Press edges tightly together to seal, and brush top of dough with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with almonds and bake 22-30 minutes until golden brown.
*My dough was very sticky, and I used a metal spatula to help get the dough off the table in one smooth piece.

Cool at least 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet, if desired. Cut pastry in half lengthwise, and then in 1/2-inch strips crosswise. 48 cookies**

**I cut mine in more generous 1-inch strips because I'm such a generous person, which makes 20-25 cookies.

Millie's Crunchy, Fruity Granola

Brought to you by the monkey spoons...


and by this awesome cookbook.

Our Owen family gave the girls some cool cooking utensils for Christmas, and Millie put them to use our first week back. She and John made granola together, and it's so unhealthy that it practically melts in your mouth after you crunch it (that makes no sense, but it's true). The granola recipes I've made before are very dense, "granola-y," and, yes, healthier than this one, which has a phenomenal crunch and a really light taste. "Light" because the recipe calls for 3/4 cup of canola oil!!!! You heard it here first. Lotsa oil results in a light granola recipe.

I'm no diet guru, so you know what I mean, right? The texture is very crunchy and yet remains light and crisp because of the large amount of oil. There, now that that's settled, let's move on to the recipe.


3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
2 cups combined seeds and chopped nuts (we had no nuts in the house, but sliced, toasted almonds would have been perfect)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup assorted dried fruit of small varieties, such as raisins, currants, cranberries, or blueberries (We used dried cranberries, which we purchased especially for the occasion)

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 13x 18 baking tray (or rimmed baking trays of any size, as long as the granola mixture is spread in a single layer).

2. Combine the oats, seeds and chopped nuts, salt, and brown sugar in a large bowl.

3. Combine the oil, honey, and vanilla extract and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly and spread on the prepared tray.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. (Stir once or twice during baking.)

5. Cool on the tray. When it has cooled down and become crunchy, add the dried fruit.

6. Eat plain or with milk. (Or on top of plain yogurt...or for dessert.)

Note: We added white chocolate chips to a small amount for this picture, then I took them out because it's better with just the fruit (and almonds, if you have them). They look festive in there, though.

Molasses Spice Cutouts

*Recipe from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking

I promised some ladies from church this recipe at the end of 2007. Egads! Is it 2009 already?! I did take a picture of these week-old gingerbread people after they asked, but it's taken me a bit longer to actually post it.

They-- my friends from church, not the gingerbread people-- requested the recipe after exclaiming over the glorious, soft texture of these little cookies. I think the trick is the frosting, though. Any cookie will remain soft if it's frosted and then stored in an airtight container. If you want them to stay soft without frosting, you can try placing a piece of bread in the container with the cookies. The moisture from the bread will keep the cookies soft as the bread dries out.

I love molasses/gingerbread cookies, and these are no exception, but I usually cut the recipe in half because it makes so many.

Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light or dark molasses (I use unsulphured blackstrap molasses, which is healthier*, dark, and has a very strong flavor)
1/2 cup cold coffee
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
-I add the spices to taste, and I usually put in a pinch or two of ginger, too

*It makes these cookies healthy! (Or at least that's what I tell myself.)

Frosting
I use a basic butter frosting recipe, like this one.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; beat in molasses and coffee. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; gradually add to molasses mixture and mix well. Chill dough for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle (I always cheat and put mine in the freezer so it's ready faster). If needed, add additional flour before rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with 2 and 1/2-inch cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are firm and bottom is lightly browned. Do not overbake. Remove to wire racks to cook.

Yield: 7-8 dozen

Buttery-Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms and Parsley

Many thanks to Martha (you know the one) for giving my husband this recipe. He added things to taste for this delectable dish, but the recipe credit goes to her and her people. Just so you know....MARTHA.


So here's her recipe; alongside the dish, he served a bean/carrot/shallot medley. (D'ya think I should I keep him?)

1 tbsp. olive oil
several boneless, skinless chicken breasts
course salt and freshly ground pepper
white button mushrooms, halved
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until opaque throughout. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with aluminum foil.

Place mushrooms and 1 tbsp. butter in skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about seven minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Top chicken with mushrooms and lemony butter sauce.

Yum. This was SO good. I wanted to drink the buttery-lemon goodness plain, but I refrained (and that only because there wasn't enough).

"I" is for Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

Thanks to our old-fashioned ice cream machine and the mighty strength of our windmill arms, we made some before the cold weather came.



It's creamy and rich, similar in taste to a frozen version of crème patisserie. It's very easy to eat. At least, I found that to be true...but, really, I dare you to show me an ice cream that isn't.


Recipe:

8 egg yolks
1 pint (2 cups) whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. real vanilla extract, or to taste

Heat milk in a pan until it's very warm but not boiling. In a bowl, beat and mix together the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Pour the milk into the mixture of egg yolks and sugar while stirring. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently, stirring until the custard thickens. Do NOT bring to a boil. When you can see a film form over the back of your spoon, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. When the custard base has cooled, stir in the cream and the vanilla. Cool mixture completely. Transfer the mixture into an ice cream and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions, or, like us, according to the mighty strength of your windmill arms!

Cherry Tomato Salad with Feta and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Looking at these pictures makes me miss summer's bounty. Ah, well. This is a fresh tomato salad with a light vinaigrette. And, for heaven's sake, be generous with the feta. When you're treating yourself to feta, you may as well go all out.


Go to the garden (sob!) and pick a generous amount of sweet sungold and cherry tomatoes and some oregano. Slice the tomatoes in half and toss them in the desired amount of the following dressing. Let sit for a bit, top with crumbled feta, and eat. I haven't tried it with dried herbs, but if you do, remember that every tablespoon of a fresh herb is roughly equal to one tsp. of the dried herb.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup oil (I think I used a mixture of canola and olive oil)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
finely chopped fresh oregano, to taste, about 1 tsp. (next summer, I'm trying it with basil)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
pinch of sugar, to taste (about 1/2 tsp.)

Combine all ingredients and let sit for a few hours.

Millie's Blueberry Oven Pancake

Step 1: Find a recipe you want to make from this box. Choose OOH-LA-LA OVEN PANCAKES.


Step Two: Read and follow directions. (Make sure you're wearing a mushroom hat.)


Step Three: Lick your fingers. Often.


Step Four: Put the dish in the oven to bake and go outside and hop around for a while.



Step Five: Take it out of the oven.


Step Six: Share. Eat it all up, with syrup, and repeatedly remind all of your family members that they "should thank you because you made this yummy breakfast all by yourself."




Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

1 cup flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 cup chocolate chips, if desired (or berries or nuts or raisins...Millie used probably around 3/4 cup
of blueberries)

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, beat egg and milk until well-combined. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir just till combined. ("Lumps are okay!")

Grease the pan and pour the lumpy batter into it. Add chocolate chips or berries to the top. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. When cool, cut into squares, and serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Killer Dill Dip

At least I think so. (And it's perfectly safe to eat, you literalists.)

I made this for Millie's birthday party. Maybe I think it's excellent because I'm a sucker for dill dip, or maybe it's because the crispy, chewy bread Titi brought and with which I pared the dip was tippety-top, or maybe, just maybe, this is a killer dill dip. I dunno which is the truth, but I loved it even so.



4 oz. mayonnaise
4 oz. salad dressing (Miracle Whip kind)
8 oz. sour cream
several tablespoons finely chopped onion
at least 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
3/4 tsp. sea salt
about 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
about 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper
celery seed, crushed in a coffee grinder, to taste (or, if you're smart and have celery salt in the house, just use that!)

Mix all together until smooth. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight to let flavors meld. Serve with veggies, crackers, etc.

Tomato Spinach Spread

Yes, this is a funny picture. The dip looked so pale and blase that I grabbed a red pepper from the windowsill to add some color to the picture. Just pretend the spread is wearing a giant, red hat.



This is a good vegetable spread and is delicious on well-baked, crusty bread, pita, or veggies. I won't rave over it like I did the dill dip because I prefer the dill dip. Just think of this as the dill dip's shy, little sister sitting in the corner wearing a bright, red hat. Cute, but for those who love ol' Dill, just not as eye-catching.

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne, plus more to taste
dash cumin
dash garlic powder, to taste
a generous tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
3 giant roma tomatoes, or 2 regular tomatoes, chopped (let juice drain off before adding to the spread)
1 package (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.
1 small onion, finely chopped

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and seasonings until smooth. Stir in tomatoes, spinach, and chopped onion. Chill for a few hours to let flavors meld.

Fresh or Canned Salsa

I've given the recipe for Garden Salsa before, but this is a more typical salsa. We love it, and our family (okay, it's mostly just John and I) can easily go through almost a full quart in one night.

When it's fresh, we eat it from a spoon, but we prefer it on chips if it's cooked and canned. (These pictures are of pre-canned, fresh salsa in wan, electric light.)



Salsa

About 12 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (I used a mixture of red and sweet yellow)
About 1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped bell peppers
3 large onions, chopped
about 1/3 pound jalapeno peppers (remove seeds) finely chopped -- Use rubber gloves to avoid burning your hands (Use more or less depending on your tastes and the heat of the peppers. Heat can vary from pepper to pepper, so you might want to add these, to taste.)
about 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup white vinegar
fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (I probably used about 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro)
1 and 1/2 tablespoons salt (I used coarse ground)
About 1 and 1/2 - 2 tsp. cumin powder
A few hearty shakes chili powder
*additional cayenne powder, to taste
two 8 oz. cans tomato paste, to thicken salsa

If eating as fresh salsa, John and I like less cumin than we like for the cooked. Let your taste buds guide you. (I sound like a culinary Yoda.)

If eating as fresh salsa, which John and I could eat all the livelong day, just make sure the peppers and onions are finely chopped into very small pieces. We used a food processor for this part to make it easier. Also, chop the tomatoes first and let them sit by themselves for several minutes in a large bowl. Then drain off all the extra fluid. I did this several times to avoid a really soupy salsa. If you want to can the salsa, first drain the tomatoes in the same way, and then combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn heat to low. Simmer for ten minutes before ladling into hot jars. Leave 1/4 inch head space at the top, adjust caps, and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. The jars should be covered with water by about an inch, if possible.

Yield: about 7 pint jars

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

This is the simple cake I frequently use as a base instead of a more typical yellow cake. It's got a rich flavor and is the perfect complement to basic cream filling, a bit of jam, and fluffy flour frosting. When I make it for layer cakes, I double the following recipe and bake it in two round pans instead of the recommended square pan. The recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.


1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter

Grease a 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside. Stir together flour and baking powder; set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat eggs for about 4 minutes or until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the dry mixture; beat on low to medium speed just till combined.

In a small saucepan, heat and stir milk and butter till butter melts; add to batter, beating till combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

More Spiedies

I've given a spiedie recipe on here before, but you could always use another, right? For those unfamiliar with spiedies (for shame!), here's a brief introduction. And for those who like even briefer introductions, spiedies are similar to marinated chicken kebabs, only they're marinated for a longer period of time and, if you're a spiedie purist, eaten in a certain manner.


Ingredients:

boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cubed (about 4?)

1 cup oil (I use canola)
4 tbsp. lemon juice (or more)
1/3- 1/2 cup white, apple cider, or red wine vinegar, depending on your taste
1/3 cup minced onion
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
pinch of sugar
sprinkle of cayenne
1 and 1/2- 3 tsp. fresh, finely chopped oregano
2-3 tbsp. fresh, torn basil
1 tbsp. fresh, chopped parsley
2-3 tsp. fresh, finely chopped rosemary
5 cloves fresh, finely minced or pressed garlic

a shake of ground thyme or some fresh, chopped thyme if you have it (I didn't)

*My amounts always vary. Use more or less of the above spices depending on your tastes, and since marinades usually have a one-to-one ratio of acid (vinegar/lemon) to oil, I sometimes increase the vinegar and lemon juice slightly, to taste.

**Dried spices may be substituted, of course, and I do so in winter. Rule of thumb: 1 tsp. of dried spice equals 1 tbsp. of fresh.

Mix all ingredients together, add cubed, raw chicken, and marinate for a minimum of two days. Spiedies are generally marinated for 3 days or even up to a week, though I think my record was 6 days. It's hard to not grill them when you know they're in the fridge...

When ready to cook, either grill on skewers or broil in the oven until cooked and lightly browned but not dry. Serve over salad, as the meat course in your meal, or, if you're a purist, wrapped up in a slice of soft Italian bread. Drizzle with fresh marinade, if desired. (I sometimes boil the leftover marinade to cook any bacteria and use that for drizzling.)

KEEP READING! Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Soup

Essentially, this is another tortilla soup recipe, but you really haven't seen this one before! I made this last week in a fit of fall madness. You know, the madness that demands that you roll in the leaves and run in the wind and...make soup.



You can forget Not-Mindy's-Tortilla-Soup because we like this better. John and I prefer the taste, and the girls don't weep because it's too spicy. Cheers all 'round! It's quite similar, but less spicy, depending on how many sauteed jalapeños you add (or don't add) to your bowl; it has a hint of lime, a touch of spiciness, a smoky undertone thanks to the liquid smoke seasoning, and corn that rounds it all out with a bit of sweetness. We rarely have bacon, but the first time I made it, we had some left over from having visitors. We've had it since sans bacon, and it's still really yummy, but if you're anything like us, bacon makes just about anything better.

So.
Add bacon, you vegetarians! Go ahead! You know you want to!


These are the amounts I wrote down the first time I made it. The second time I just threw all these ingredients in, to taste. If you want, do thou likewise.

1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large carrots, sliced into coins
6-8 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced or pressed
2 red peppers (or one red and one green or, sigh, NO peppers if your garden is now hibernating)
frozen corn (we used maybe half of a quart bag of garden corn)
4 jalapeño peppers, finely diced, if you like things hot (I saute and serve them separately)
4 cans black beans or the equivalent of freshly-cooked ones
4-6 cups chicken broth
tomatoes (we used one quart of canned garden tomatoes and a small can of store-bought, diced tomatoes; you can do the math)
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
healthy splash of lime juice
about 3/4 tsp. hickory smoke flavoring (We bought a bottle to make beef and chicken jerky ages ago, but we found it on a clearance shelf, so I don't really know where to find it. Look for some without preservatives and MSG.)
splash of Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. salt
dried cilantro, to taste

Saute diced onion, carrots, and red/green sweet peppers in a bit of olive oil until onions are translucent and carrots begin to soften. Add minced garlic for the last minute. Puree (or if you have no gadget to puree, smush) half of the black beans into a smooth-ish paste along with a bit of chicken broth. Put the pureed beans into a big soup pot along with the remaining black beans, the chicken broth, the carrots, onions, and garlic, the corn, and liquid/dry seasonings. Okay, just add everything but the bacon, cheese, tortilla strips, and sauteed jalapeños to the pot. Warm it all through while you're making tortilla strips and bacon and sauteeing the jalapeños. Spoon into bowls and...

top the soup with
crisp, cooked crumbled bacon
shredded Monterey jack cheese
baked corn tortilla strips (see instructions at the bottom of this recipe)
finely diced jalapeños that have been sauteed in a bit of olive oil or butter
OR
none of the above, although I highly recommend the bacon and tortilla strips.

Not-Mindy's Tortilla Soup

***Edit: We prefer this new tortilla soup by far!!!

John ate some delicious tortilla soup at his bi-weekly meeting of boardgamegeeks, and I heard so much about it that I was driven to seek out the same. I still need to get Mindy's exact recipe, but since I haven't, I made a soup cobbled together from lots of other recipes. It's yummy, but if your finances are strapped or you hate meat, skip the chicken entirely. John really liked it, but he would have preferred it meatless, which is fine by me, so next time, I'll cook the chicken to make the chicken broth base and then freeze the meat for another use.

It's a full-flavored, moderately spicy soup with a hint of sweetness from the corn. I'm definitely making it again, only next time I'll have the foresight to bake extra tortillas.

*I used all fresh herbs because we have them growing in the garden, but dried herbs could easily be substituted. Rule of thumb: for every tablespoon of fresh herbs, use one teaspoon of dried.



1/2 of a giant onion, chopped (@ 1 cup?)
@ 10 cloves garlic, minced

Cut up the whole chicken into eight pieces and boil it until cooked (reserve chicken broth for soup base; more than half the chicken can be saved or frozen for another meal)

1 quart canned tomatoes, cut up (or one 28 oz. can diced tomato)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
frozen corn (I used last summer's frozen...about 10 oz.???)
@ 1/4-1/3 cup chopped green onion tops, opt. (we had them in the garden, so I threw them in)
@ 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, then chopped
2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 and 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cayenne

12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4"-1/2" strips (I'll use more tortillas next time.)

tortilla chips
shredded Monterey jack cheese

Saute the onions in a bit of olive oil. Add the garlic for the last minute. After cooking the whole chicken, skim the fat off of the broth. Shred the desired amount of chicken for the soup and save the remainder for another use. Add all ingredients to the chicken broth and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, it's time to prepare the tortilla strips from which the soup gets its name. Buy a bag of soft CORN tortillas. Stack about six of them on a cutting board and cut them into strips. All the recipes I looked at had instructions for frying them, which you can do, but I baked them with excellent results. Simply spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, lay the tortilla strips on the sheet and spray the tops of the strips with cooking spray. Bake in a hot oven (@ 400-450 degrees?) until golden brown and crispy, turning once midway through.

Serve the soup topped with tortilla strips and Monterey jack cheese, if desired. (I like it with lots of tortilla strips and little cheese.) Break the tortilla strips as you add them to your soup, unless you need to keep them whole in order to take a picture for your recipe blog.

Grilled and Marinated London Broil

My parents gave us a cut of London Broil, and I used a wonderful recipe from Emeril Lagasse. I love beef but rarely have it in any form, and I'm no good at cooking beef cuts properly unless they're marinated or slow cooked, so this recipe was perfect. The flavor is full and mouthwatering. I served potato wedges, but I think the juice would be delicious spooned over mashed potatoes.

Hat's off to you, Emeril!

1 (2 1/2 pound) tri-tip London Broil or flank steak (Tri-tip? I know nothing about beef...)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine (We had no red wine, so I used a bit more red wine vinegar mixed with some beef broth)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Creole mustard, or other spicy whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed


Place the flank steak in a large, plastic resealable bag.
In a large, glass measuring cup, combine red wine vinegar, red wine, olive oil, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard, Essence, salt, pepper, and garlic. Pour the marinade into the bag with the steak, seal and place inside a large, glass baking dish to prevent possible spills. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (I wanted the meat as fully marinated as possible, and I was paranoid of drying the cut through overcooking as I've been known to do, so I cut the meat into cubes before marinating it. Instead of a large hunk of London Broil, we had lots of savory, kebab-sized hunks.)

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (Alternately, preheat the broiler). Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place the steak on the grill (or under the broiler) and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before carving.

Slice across the grain into thin diagonal slices. Serve steak with sauce.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
(I had some sitting in the cupboard, long leftover from this recipe.)

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thymeCombine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Pesto Lasagna

Thanks to Titi for bringing this delicious lasagna to a get-together at our house two months ago. I've posted this recipe before (tacked onto the recipe for pesto), but here it is again...with a picture!

The recipe makes two 9x13 pans, so either cut the recipe in half, freeze one pan, or eat pesto lasagna for a week. All are acceptable options...


2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups pesto
4 pounds part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, roasted
32 lasagna noodles
2 pounds part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded


1. In a large, heavy skillet, saute the onions in 1 tablespoons of the olive oil until the onions are soft (5-8 minutes). Add salt and pepper in moderate quantities. Remover from heat. Add drained, thawed spinach. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add half the grated parmesan, the pesto, the ricotta and the sunflower seeds. Grind in some extra black pepper. Mix thoroughly.

3. Meanwhile, boil the lasagna noodles until partially cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water.

4. Coat 2 13 x 9 pans with olive oil. Place a layer of noodles in the bottom of each pan. Spread 1/4 of the filling onto the noodles. Sprinkle 1/4 of the mozzarella over the filling.

5. Repeat with remaining filling and mozzarella. Place a final layer of noodles over that.

6. Sprinkle remaining parmesan over the top. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with foil and bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes.

Bean & Tomato Tortillas with Cilantro

We've been eating lots of tortilla/burrito-type meals since John decided he liked them, especially now that fresh herbs grow right outside. We usually make them meatless, but this time I added cubed chicken. This is another throw-together meal with no set recipe, but here's what I put in these.




Half an onion, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 chicken breasts, cubed, then cooked in olive oil and seasoned with salt and freshly ground pepper
4-6 plump cloves garlic

6-8 oz. freshly shredded monterey jack cheese
@ 3/4 cup loose cilantro leaves (then chopped after measuring)
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of diced tomatoes with chiles OR diced fresh tomatoes and minced chiles OR diced tomato and cayenne powder to taste

12-16 flour tortillas

sour cream and salsa, opt.

*If substituting dried herbs for fresh, use 1 tsp. dried for every 1 tbsp. fresh.

Cook cubed chicken and diced onion together in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the minced garlic for the last minute or two of cooking. Add tomatoes, black beans, and most of the cilantro to the mixture (and chiles, if using). Reserve some cilantro for the tops. Season with cumin, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and additional garlic powder to taste, if desired. We didn't have any, but if you have lime juice, you could splash some in the filling, too. Let mixture simmer for 5 minutes or so until heated through.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soften tortillas in microwave or briefly in oven, spoon filling into them, top the filling with some shredded monterey jack cheese, and roll the tortillas up. Place seam side down in a greased baking dish and top with more shredded monterey jack cheese and minced cilantro.

Bake in the oven until tortillas are crispy on top and cheese is lightly browned. Eat warm with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Chocolate Chip Banana Crumb Muffins

I found this recipe for crumb-topped banana muffins on the internet when John's family was visiting. I altered them slightly (adding chocolate chips, extra banana, and a bit of oil), and they ended up being the moistest, most delicious banana muffins I've ever had. I'm not the only one who raved like a maniac over them, either, which is the assurance I needed to post the recipe. (Next time, I may try substitutingf applesauce for some of the butter/oil, but only if I'm feeling annoyingly health-conscious.)

As with all banana recipes, the darker the bananas you use, the more delicious and pronounced their flavor will be in the recipe.

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 overly ripe bananas, mashed (I used nearly four)
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted (I also added 2 or three tablespoons of canola oil)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
  
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers. (***My batter ended up making about 14 muffins.)
   
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter, oil, and chocolate chips. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

* I also added a touch of cinnamon to the muffin batter.

Zingy Pasta Salad with Garlic and Basil

After too many nights of various combinations of rice, beans, and tomatoes, summer's here, and the garden bristles with herbs and fresh vegetables. We're beginning to eat like kings on a dime budget again. (Not that we don't ever eat like kings during the winter...it just costs more than a dime, and guilt ensues.)

If you've a garden, and you like garlic, you've probably made an almost identical pasta, as it's a throw-together of 15 minutes or less. It's "zingy" because I used enough garlic for Annika to complain of its spiciness. John loved the pasta, and corrected her; apparently, it's not spicy, just zingy.

Cook one box penne rigate (my standby Aldi only has white, but to make this healthy, use wheat) until al dente. Cool under cold running water and drain.

In a blender, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, and 6 plump cloves garlic (freshly minced). Blend until liquefied/pureed/whatever it's called when everything is in eensy pieces and coats the pasta evenly. (If you don't have a blender or similar kitchen gadget, just smush everything as small as you can.)

Add to pasta and toss together with one sliced cucumber and several roma tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Eat.