When Life Hands You Zucchini....

Make chocolate zucchini muffins!  When a nice friend from work gave me two good sized zucchini I pondered what to do with them.  Sweet or savory, I pondered?  Since The Husband won't touch anything made with a squash product except pumpkin pie, I knew he wasn't a factor in my decision.  I found this delicious sounding recipe and it looked like it was worth a try.  And boy was it! 

These went together in a matter of minutes.  I actually only beat the eggs and sugar together with my mixer and stirred the rest together by hand.  These are the most tender, moist, yummy muffins I have had in a very long time.  There is no way an unsuspecting husband would know there was zucchini in these if a wife hadn't mentioned it.  Live and learn. You gardeners out there with zucchini on your hands should give these a try. You won't be sorry!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 cups of shredded zucchini
3 eggs
4 oz of dark chocolate, semi-sweet, melted
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a muffin pan.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Mix and set aside.
3. Beat eggs and sugar together on a medium speed for about a minute.
4. Slowly add oil while the mixer is on.
5. Add shredded zucchini and vanilla extract, keep mixing.
6. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry mixture.
7. Add the melted chocolate and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
8. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.

These are amazingly good and it makes approximately 20 muffins.

New Twist On An Old Favorite

I try to eat a healthy breakfast every work day and that includes a bowl of oatmeal at least three times a week.  My go to oatmeal is another Bob's Red Mill product from here in Oregon called 5 Grain Cereal. It is a wonderful combination of oats and other grains that makes a delicious hot cereal. 

If I think ahead the night before, I put 1/2 cup of cereal combined with 1 cup of skim milk to soak overnight in the fridge, then microwave in the morning with a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.  This makes a soft and luscious oatmeal.  Another variation I share with you today is something I recently discovered, chocolate oatmeal.  It takes oatmeal to a whole other level with very little additional calories.  With a few slices of bananas or just by itself, this is like eating dessert for breakfast.  I don't cook this with milk, just water and add a splash of milk after it's cooked.  If you remember enjoying Chocolate Malt-O-Meal as a kid, you will certainly enjoy this.

Chocolate Oatmeal

1/2 cup old fashion oats
1 cup water
1 dash salt
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
Sugar or honey to taste

Combine oats, water and salt and stir. Microwave for 5 minutes.  Stir in cocoa and sugar.  Add a splash of milk if desired.  Enjoy.

Black Bottom Pie

A few weeks ago I made the most delicious fried chicken from Bon Appetit magazine which had an article celebrating The South and some of its iconic dishes.  Included with the recipe for the chicken was this equally fine recipe for another Southern classic, Black Bottom Pie.  It is basically a pudding pie, but oh so much more with both a chocolate and a decadent vanilla layer and the addition of mascarpone cheese. 

The original recipe called for a gingersnap crumb crust, but after discussing my dessert idea with The Husband, he felt that nothing would work but a chocolate crumb crust.  Since we'd already done our shopping and were on the way home, I pulled over to yet another store and off he trotted in to pick up some chocolate cookies.  A few minutes later he returned with something new and wonderful, chocolate graham crackers.  Who knew they made such a thing?  Like their paler cousins, original graham crackers, these chocolate ones made a perfect crust.  It's a delicious pie and something that will definitely be in my dessert rotation when I need to whip up something out of the ordinary.

P.S.  Recently my fried chicken was published on the Bon Appetit Magazine Blog as one of the best five readers Cook The Cover entries.  Here is the link if you're interested.   Bon Appetit Blog.  My entry is picture four of the five.

Black Bottom Pie
Chocolate Crumb Crust

6 ounces chocolate graham crackers (about 1 package) or 24 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Custard

1 envelope unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mascarpone
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup hot espresso or strong coffee

Assembly

1 cup chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Grated semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

A 9"-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish
Prepare Crust
Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Drizzle in butter and cream; pulse until well blended. Pour into prepared dish. Use the bottom and sides of a measuring cup to pack crumbs onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until crust is set, 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack; set aside.

Prepare Custard

Pour 2 Tbsp. water into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Heat milk and cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until mixture just comes to a simmer.

Whisk egg yolks and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk egg mixture into milk mixture; whisk in gelatin. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until thick, about 5 minutes.

Remove vanilla custard from heat and stir in mascarpone. Place 1 cup custard in a medium bowl; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in espresso. Pour chocolate custard into crust; smooth top. Chill pie until set, about 30 minutes. Let vanilla custard stand at room temperature.

Gently pour remaining vanilla custard over chilled chocolate layer (pour slowly so as not to disturb chocolate layer). Smooth top; chill until set, about 1 hour, or keep covered up to 1 day.

Assembly

Using an electric mixer at medium-low speed, beat cream and sugar in a medium bowl until cream begins to thicken. Add rum and vanilla; increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over custard. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with grated chocolate and almonds. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.

Happy New Year 2012

I am going to relax today as I begin a week-long vacation.  This will be my first whole week off since I began a new job in November 2010.  In reflection, 2011 was truly one of the most satisfying years of my life.  Though it was somewhat stressful initially learning a new job after fourteen years at the previous one, I have not looked back once regretting my decision.

My new career choice has filled me with such satisfaction and a new found compassion for my fellow human beings and an empathy for people, most of the time by no choice of their own, are dealing with such difficult lives.  Prior to taking my new job I had no idea what real suffering was all about.  I am so glad I can be a small part of a healing process for people who face huge challenges.

I give you this recipe for yummy chocolate peanut butter cookies that are really over the top if you're a peanut butter cup lover (I am)!  And I leave you with hopes that you have a wonderful New Year filled with happiness, laughter, time with your families, however you may define the word, and the ability to do what you love in life.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. coarse salt
¾ stick (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. milk
2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups, divided

Directions
 Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Blend until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add in 1½ cups of the chopped peanut butter cups and fold in gently with a spatula.

Use a large dough scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to drop rounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing 2-3 inches apart. Gently press a few pieces of the reserved peanut butter cups into the top of each of the dough balls. Bake 12-14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. (The cookies may seem too soft immediately after coming out of the oven but they will set as they cool. You don’t want to overbake them.) Let cool on the baking sheets about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Someone Had A Birthday

Isn't it nifty? The Husband turned fifty!  And to celebrate this monumental occasion, I made him some of his favorite candy - Peppermint patties.  This is a recipe I obtained from the now defunct (and sorely missed) Gourmet magazine a few years ago.  These are so simple to make and the results far surpass the silver foil covered patties in the store.   Happy Birthday dear!!
I made some revisions in this recipe when I made them and instead of rolling out the fondant and cutting with a cookie cutter, I just rolled it into a log, cut it into 1/4inch slices and then flattened those into rounds.  I also used coating chocolate instead of the tempering method as described below.  I just find that too tedious to deal with. I also need to work on my dipping techniques so I can perfect some fancy swirls or a signature mark of some sort.  Practice makes perfect.

Happy Birthday Husband!!

Peppermint Patties

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.  (Or do as I did and just roll the kneaded fondant into a log about 7-8 inches long, freeze for 15 minutes or so, then cut into 1/4 inc slices and smash those down into a circle.

Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet (to make decorative ridges on patty, immediately set bottom of fork briefly on top of patty, then lift fork straight up). Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

Fantasy Fudge

An age old favorite at Christmas time is Fantasy Fudge. You know, the kind made with marshmallow fluff and loads of chocolate chips. Most recipes I've read call for nuts also, but I like my fudge totally smooth, silky and luscious. No crunchy pieces in it for me, thank you very much.

This fudge is so simple to make as it involves no candy thermometers to ensure getting the candy to the correct stage. You just mix the milk, sugar and margarine together and boil until the bubbles resemble a bubbling cauldron of thick viscous lava, then add the rest of the ingredients, stir vigorously and pour into a pan. It makes a wonderful fudge to be enjoyed by all.

Fantasy Fudge

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 sticks margarine

2/3 cups evaporated milk

1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in a heavy 2 1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate until fully melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla and beat until blended. Pour into greased 13x9 baking pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

Seven Layer Magic Bars

I think magic is a strong word for this particular cookie. Quite frankly I found nothing magic about the way these cookies stuck to the foil after they were baked. I will say they were magic in how fast the were to actually put together, but trying to pry the cookies from all four edges of the foil used up far more time than I had to deal with them. If I were to make these very tasty cookies again, and they are tasty, I would spray the foil VERY generously with vegetable spray as well as the recipe's prescribed butter coating.

With that said, the cookies I was able to salvage from the pan will make a nice bar type treat for the Christmas baskets.

Seven Layer Magic Bars

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350°, (325° for glass dish). Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with a sheet of foil, making sure to cover the sites well. Place the butter in the baking pan and melt it in the oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour condensed milk evenly on top of crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients in order listed; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature. Makes 36 bars (give or take those that don't come out of the pan!)

Chocolate Blossoms

The Christmas baking was full speed ahead this weekend with four different cookies made and safely away in the freezer awaiting my Christmas basket assembly. I'll blog each one eventually. This is going to be fun!

These Chocolate Blossoms are a twist on the traditional Peanut Blossoms made with peanut butter. Instead, these use cocoa which makes for an intense chocolate dough. It is important to shove (not a technical cooking term) the chocolate kiss quickly into the cookies as they come out of the oven before they cool too much to get them to adhere. I engaged the husband's help to do one tray while I did the other. Now I can tell you all he helped with the goodies this year.

Chocolate Blossoms

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

extra sugar for rolling the cookie balls

48 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

In large bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, shortening and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, blend well. Add flour baking soda and salt and blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour for easier handling. (I omitted this step and they were fine.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll each ball in sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around the edges. Remove from cookie sheets to cool. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Pate Choux Eclairs avec Creme Patissiere et sauce au Chocolate

Bonjour. Aujourd'hui nous faisons cuire un très bon dessert classique français. Translation: Good Day. Today we are cooking a very good classic French dessert. Eclairs filled with pastry cream and topped with a bittersweet chocolate sauce.

I wanted to challenge myself with a multifaceted dessert and this one fit the bill. I went to a number of sources for each component which consist of: 1)eclairs; 2)pastry cream; and 3)chocolate sauce. Each piece of this dessert was fairly easy in it's own right and the pastry cream can be made a couple of days prior to needing it as it can stay in the refrigerator covered with plastic. Those French really know how to cook, don't they?
So here we go.

Note: There is one special equipment requirement and that is a large pastry bag and pastry tip for piping out the eclairs.
Pate Choux Eclairs
1/2 cup water
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return to moderate heat and stir constantly until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating hard until the dough is smooth after each egg. Put the dough in a pastry bag and pipe onto an ungreased cookie sheet in strips about 4 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Bake for 30 minutes or until the puffs are golden. Take from oven and put a slit in the side of each eclair to let the steam escape. Put on racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container if not using within 2 hours.
Above: Flour, water, and butter combined and cooked.

Above: Adding eggs one at a time.

Above: Dough ready to be piped onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Above: Piped eclairs ready for the oven.

Above: Finished eclair shells.

Creme Patissiere (Pastry Cream)

1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar
3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp unsalted butter

Combine the milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining tablespoon of sugar until thick. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch into the mixture and combine and continue beating until well mixed.

Above: the egg yolks and sugar ready for a good stir until it thickens.
Above: Finished pastry cream ready for it's plastic wrap cover and refrigeration until ready to use.

Remove the milk from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour half the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture and stir. Return this mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan and bring to a boil very quickly, whisking to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and pour into a clean bowl. Rub the top of the cream with butter to prevent a skin from forming. Top with a piece of plastic wrap so that it covers the entire surface of the cream and let cool completely then refrigerate.
Sauce Au Chocolate (Chocolate Sauce)
2/3 cup white corn syrup
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
6 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 big pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Boil the corn syrup in a small saucepan for a minute or two, until it forms heavy strands as you drop it off the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the water. Stir together the sugar and cocoa getting out all of the lumps, then whisk them in the syrup. Simmer, stirring for several seconds until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the baking chocolate and simmer, stirring until melted. Blend in the butter and cream. Bring to a full boil for 15 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.
Above: Corn syrup at a full boil

Above: Chocolate with addition of cream and butter.

This is a very loose sauce and I was wanting a more thick frosting that I could apply to the tops of the eclairs so I took half the sauce and mixed in confectioners sugar until it came to the consistency of frosting.

Assembly:

Cut eclairs in two and scrape some of the insides. Pipe or spoon in the pastry cream. Put top back on. Apply a layer of chocolate frosting over the top of the eclair. Put a puddle of the chocolate sauce on the plate and set your beautiful filled and frosted eclair in the middle of the sauce. A dollop of whip cream would certainly not hurt if you have some around. Indulge!

A Moist, Chocolatey Cake

I tried this recipe for Beatty's Chocolate Cake by one my favorite Food Network stars, Ina Garten and her show The Barefoot Contessa. I have one of her cookbooks and am on the lookout to purchase a few more. I love her cooking style, her ease in the kitchen and the success I have had with every recipe I have tried of hers. She use to have a column in Martha Stewart's Living Magazine which I use to enjoy reading each month.

I will not type out this recipe since it can be obtained through the link above or in Ina Garten's cookbook, Barefoot Contessa At Home. This cake was one of the easiest I have every made. It was really just three steps in preparing the batter; mixing the dry ingredients together, mixing the wet ingredients together, then combining the two. So often when making a cake by scratch you must alternate wet and dry but not this one. I was somewhat concerned as the batter was very runny but it turned out to be amazingly moist.

Above: The dry ingredients
Above: The wet ingredients

The cake also had an intense chocolate flavor which Ina contributes to the cup of freshly brewed coffee called for in the batter. I think it also has to do with using very high quality chocolate. I used a cocoa from Holland called Droste. I also dusted my pans with this same cocoa as opposed to the flour dusting Ina calls for in her recipe.

Above: Pans lined with parchment paper, dusted with cocoa, ready for batter.

Next time I make this cake I will probably utilize another chocolate frosting. Though the flavor of this frosting is delicious, it calls for 2 sticks of butter. It made the frosting too rich for our taste. Also, it is very, very soft and the cake must be refrigerated if not eaten immediately, especially when it is 85 degrees outside, as it was on this 13th day of September.Above: The frosting ingredients

Above: The cake ready for frosting.

I would highly recommend this cake for a great, old fashioned chocolate cake that all will enjoy!

Making Whoopie

Pies that is. Get your minds out of the gutter.

I have made a recent discovery lately that has thrilled me to no end. The public library has hundreds of cookbooks ready and willing to be checked out. I love cookbooks and I have a collection of approximately 100 volumes that I have amassed over the years. I find myself often sitting at the kitchen table perusing them for inspiration.

The first cookbook I ever received was the well used one pictured below. I believe my mother joined a cookbook by mail club and she got myself and my two sisters each a cookbook for the Christmas of 1972. I don't recall which books they received, but I have so enjoyed mine over these past 36 years (Oh my, how can it be that long ago?)The problem is, I need new material occasionally so I started going to the library and checking out 3-4 cookbooks at a time and it is so much fun. There have been a couple so far that I have on my list to purchase, but the great thing is I haven't wasted money buying books I would wind end up not using. I have a few of those in my current collection.

Today I was looking through a pretty cookbook called GoodHousekeeping's Great American Classics Cookbook. It was filled with scrumptious photos and delicious sounding traditional American recipes, one of them being this Whoopie Pie recipe. This was an extremely easy recipe to make and it was so nice not to have to dirty up the big mixer. It was a simple one bowl/one spoon cookie dough and the marshmallow filling was equally simple. A very tasty recipe.Whoopie Pies
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
6 Tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
Marshmallow Creme Filling
6 Tbsp. softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 jar (7-7 1/2 oz) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 deg and grease or line with parchment paper two large cookie sheets.

Prepare cookie dough by mixing in a large bowl, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, milk, butter egg and vanilla with a large wooden spoon.
Drop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on each prepared cookie sheet. Bake until puffy and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, approximately 12-14 minutes. Switch cookie sheets in oven halfway through cooking. Cool cookies on a rack completely.

Prepare marshmallow creme filling by creaming butter in bowl with an electric mixer. Gradually add in powdered sugar, then beat in marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth.

Spread 1 rounded tablespoon of filling on one side of 6 cookies and top with the other six cookies.