Category: Food

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Marshmallow Brownie Bars

When my boy tasted these–this afternoon, he said, “I’m really mad at you right now.” Apparently, these chocolaty, marshmallowy, crispy things were threatening to mess with his, “I will get in better shape,” mantra. Oops.

My bad.

Here’s what I say. If he’s so dreadfully mad at me then why did he walk out of the kitchen licking the spoon muttering something about…”manna from Heaven?” Hmmm?

Marshmallow Brownie Bars

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/3 cups flour
3 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon
4 cups fresh miniature marshmallows

TOPPING:
1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups crisp rice cereal

Directions

~In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

~ Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

~Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows; bake 2-3 minutes longer. Remove to a wire rack. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over top. Cool completely.

~For topping, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until blended. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal. Spread over bars immediately. Chill.

Original recipe was found at Taste of Home.com

—————-

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Marshmallow Brownie Bars
 
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Ingredients
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/3 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoon cocoa
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups fresh miniature marshmallows
  • TOPPING:
  • 1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups crisp rice cereal
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
  3. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.
  4. Stir in nuts if desired.
  5. Spread in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.
  6. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with marshmallows; bake 2-3 minutes longer.
  8. Remove to a wire rack.
  9. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over top. Cool completely.
  10. For topping, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan.
  11. Cook and stir over low heat until blended.
  12. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal.
  13. Spread over bars immediately.
  14. Chill.

 

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Broccoli Cheese Soup For the Soul

It’s cold outside and you know perfectly well that a hot bowl of soup beats a pair of fleece mittens–any dang day. And this creamy, cheesy number will keep you toasty warm till Spring…well, nearly. You may just want to have it for breakfast too. Then you won’t need a coat all day long. Ha ha.

Yeah, it’s that good. Thanks, April!

 

 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

2 cubes butter

14 cups water

12 chicken bouillon cubes–4Tbsps bouillon powder

1½ cups flour

16 oz cheese whiz or 1 lb velveeta (I put in twice this)

4 cups fresh broccoli chopped

1 Tbsp onion flakes

salt to taste

Directions:

Boil water and bouillon. Cut broccoli in to small pieces, add to water. When broccoli is nearly done, melt butter in pan, stir in flour, then add hot soup stock to dilute (slowly with a wire whisk to keep smooth, or use blender). Add to soup. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat, add cheese. Stir until melted and smooth. Garnish with shredded cheddar–because it needs MORE cheese. HA!

Try this lovliness with tortilla chips, French bread or pretzels. It’s amazing.

Broccoli Cheese Soup For the Soul
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 cubes butter
  • 14 cups water
  • 12 chicken bouillon cubes–4Tbsps bouillon powder
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 16 oz cheese whiz or 1 lb velveeta (I put in twice this)
  • 4 cups fresh broccoli chopped
  • 1 Tbsp onion flakes
  • salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil water and bouillon.
  2. Cut broccoli in to small pieces, add to water.
  3. When broccoli is nearly done, melt butter in pan, stir in flour, then add hot soup stock to dilute (slowly with a wire whisk to keep smooth, or use blender).
  4. Add to soup.
  5. Stir until thickened.
  6. Remove from heat, add cheese.
  7. Stir until melted and smooth.
  8. Garnish with shredded cheddar

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Steamed Chocolate Pudding…


…with Caramel Sauce…AND a giveaway. That’s what I said.

Oh baby–the room is starting to spin. Grab something stable and hold on.

For some odd reason, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of making real Plum Pudding–you know just to see if it tastes like…dirt, or if it’s actually good. Now, it takes a special pan to make traditional Plum Pudding, so, I’ve been on the look-out for just such a pan for many years. Finally, after checking each holiday season, at Williams Sonoma–at last, at last, they had one. But, fortunately for all of us–the recipe included with the pan was for “Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce.”

Oh my…oh my.  Are you sitting down? Rock beats scissors. Paper beats rock. Chocolate beats just about anything–but certainly…plum.

Dude.

Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

9 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

9 Tbsp. butter, cut up

6 eggs, separated

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/2 Tbsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup caramel sauce

whipped cream

Directions:

Grease a steamed pudding mold. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and allow to cool. Beat the egg yolks and brown sugar on high speed for about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla, cooled chocolate and salt and beat until combined–about 1 minute. Transfer mixture into another bowl.

In a clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form–about 4 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no whites are visible. Sift the flour over the batter and fold in until well blended. Pour the mixture into the greased mold. Place the lid securely on top.

Next, set the mold on an inverted colander or steam rack, set in a large pot. Fill the pot with water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover the pot, and set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes.

Remove mold from pan and let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Uncover the mold and pour caramel sauce over the pudding.  Let cool in the mold for another 30 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate and…

and serve warm.

Hot dang.

We loved this so much–especially the Bald Kid and I–that I can’t bear not to have a partner in-steamed-pudding-crime. Therefore my friends–I’m giving away a true, live, steamed pudding pan to one lucky reader–on Friday at 10:00 am…sharp. To enter, leave me a comment on this post. In fact, I’ll give you one entry for each comment you leave on any previous post–from this moment on. Ha ha! Comments for EVERYone!

Steamed Chocolate Pudding...
 
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Ingredients
  • 9 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 9 Tbsp. butter, cut up
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp flour
  • ½ cup caramel sauce
  • whipped cream
Instructions
  1. Grease a steamed pudding mold.
  2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and allow to cool.
  3. Beat the egg yolks and brown sugar on high speed for about 4 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla, cooled chocolate and salt and beat until combined–about 1 minute.
  5. Transfer mixture into another bowl.
  6. In a clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form–about 4 minutes.
  8. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no whites are visible.
  9. Sift the flour over the batter and fold in until well blended.
  10. Pour the mixture into the greased mold.
  11. Place the lid securely on top.
  12. Next, set the mold on an inverted colander or steam rack, set in a large pot.
  13. Fill the pot with water to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
  14. Cover the pot, and set over medium high heat.
  15. Bring to a boil.
  16. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes.
  17. Remove mold from pan and let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes.
  18. Uncover the mold and pour caramel sauce over the pudding.
  19. Let cool in the mold for another 30 minutes.
  20. Invert onto a serving plate and… and serve warm.

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Things That Taste Like Dirt

…for lack of a better, kinder, considerably less accurate title.

Had big plans for the post today–yesiree. But as it would happen, there was some baaad juju going on in this kitchen today, and the results were pretty sick…possibly even…lethal.

I blame it on that lunar eclipse thing a few weeks back.

See, my idea was to simply whip up a batch of the most scrumptious whole wheat tortillas in the universe and show you all about it and have the entire United States applaud and accept an award from the Pillsbury Bake Off people and get a call from the Culinary School in France, and be crowned queen of earth by the end of the week. Easy.

Sadly, it was not to be. Dang cosmos.

I first tasted fresh pressed and baked whole wheat tortillas one glorious evening when my good friend Sherel was teaching a class on them. I wasn’t actually in the class, just passing by—but the incredible, delectable aroma grabbed me by the collar and yanked me right into the kitchen, like a starving puppy…and yes, I begged her for one. Quite an embarrassing episode, I’ll admit, but I was hooked and decided then and there to make them myself and achieve the aforementioned goals…along with world peace.

Too bad I forgot to take a copy of the recipe. Duh. But seriously, how hard could it be? I mean they’re tortillas for Pete’s sake. But what I discovered, was that, without the right recipe, ok, ok, and a little skill–bad things can happen…really bad things…

like this…

and this…

and..well..this…

all of which would be just fine, if they tasted anything like Sheryl’s Whole Wheat Tortillas…worth it, even. But nooOOoo…they did not. In fact, they reminded me of a day a few years back, where dirt was also on the menu. Blaugh.

But be brave my dear friends–I’ll be back with the real Whole Wheat Tortillas any minute now…

after I call Sherel…

and clear out the juju in the cosmos.

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Amish Friendship Bread

If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or neighbor bring you over “the bag” and the instructions for what to do with it–then you already know this fact…

Amish Friendship Bread is absolutely scrumptious! So scrumptious, in fact, that whenever we eat it, I’m tempted to shoot the van and buy a horse. We positively love it-LOVE it around here.  But what if—the bread isn’t being passed around your circle right now and you have a hankering for some hot, cinnamony friendship bread right this very minute? Huh? What can you do?

Here’s the answer. Nothing, that’s what.

Well, almost nothing.

Truth is, that the whole process does, indeed take some time. But now you’ll not only have the instructions for how to start your own “starter” but what to do with it all after that, as well.

You are certainly a lucky duck. A very patient, lucky duck.

And it’s so well worth it.

The first thing you need to know is that it is very important to use plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass bowls when making this. Try not to use metal if you can help it–it messes with the live yeast and if it’s in contact with, say, a metal bowl for too long it doesn’t tend to rise properly, sinks in the middle. Consider yourself warned!!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

Starter Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk

Starter Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.  In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly so the flour won’t get lumpy when you add the milk. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Pour into a gallon Ziplock bag. The mixture will get bubbly–don’t be afraid. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle.

Amish Bread Instructions

Day 1 – receive the starter–or make the starter from the recipe above.

Day 2 – smush the bag

Day 3 – smush the bag

Day 4 – smush the bag–I really like the word “smush” don’t you?

Day 5 – Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk—and smush the bag.

Day 6 – smush the bag

Day 7 – smush the bag

Day 8 – smush the bag

Day 9 – smush the bag

Day 10 – Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide into 4 gallon bags, with 1 cup each for three of your friends and 1 cup for your own loaves. Give friends the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10 and the following recipe for baking the bread.

After removing the 3 cups of batter, combine the remaining cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter with the following ingredients in a large bowl:

2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Using a wooden spoon, beat by hand until well blended. You can add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts if you want, but why mess with perfection?  :}
Grease two loaf pans with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, remove from pans–and allow to cool. Makes two loaves of the most amazing Amish Friendship Bread in the land…

and I can prove it.

hee hee!

 

Amish Friendship Bread
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup warm milk
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir well.
  3. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.
  4. Mix thoroughly so the flour won’t get lumpy when you add the milk.
  5. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture.
  6. Pour into a gallon Ziplock bag.
  7. The mixture will get bubbly–don’t be afraid.
  8. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle.