Chocolate Crackle Cookies
These cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (Divided)
¾ Cup Flour
2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ancho Chili Pepper
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Softened Butter
½ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Lightly Beaten Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate. It is a good idea to use a double boiler, but you can also melt it in the microwave. After melting the chocolate set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate. Mix the flour, cinnamon, ancho chili pepper, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a medium bowl beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the melted chocolate and beat until well blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture on a low speed until well mixed. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons 1 ½ inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 10 minutes. You want the cookies set and slightly cracked on top. Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack and cool completely. Makes 3 ½ dozen cookies.
White Bean & Roasted Red Pepper Dip
I love this dip. All you need is either a food processor or a blender. So easy to make and full of flavor. I also like to spread it on sandwiches instead of using mayonnaise.
INGREDIENTS
19 Ounces Cannellini Beans
16 Ounces Roasted Red Peppers
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley
3 Tablespoons Paprika
¼ Cup Olive Oil
6 Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a food processor, puree the cannellini beans, roasted red peppers, fresh parsley, garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt & pepper. You want the consistency to be smooth and creamy. Serve with vegetables, toasted pita chips or on sandwiches. Makes 2 cups.
Sloppy Joes
I don’t know who Joe was, but I’m happy that he created such a simple and hearty dish. You can make these Sloppy Joes with ground turkey if you like. I like to add a bit of hot sauce to these Joes to give them a bit of a kick.
INGREDIENTS
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Pound Lean Ground Sirloin
½ Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
4 Hamburger Buns
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the beef. Make sure to break the beef into smaller pieces with the tip of a wooden spoon. Cook for 10 minutes until starting to brown. Add the ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until hot and well combined. Serve on the hamburger buns. Serves 4
Dry Rubbed Pork Loin Roast
If you couldn’t tell by now I love rubs. Rubs really spice up the meat and make them much more tender. Here is such an easy recipe for basic pork loin roast. Use Victoria’s Dry Rub for this Pork Loin Roast. This recipe is great for Sunday dinners. Roast some potatoes, make a nice salad and you have a complete meal without a lot of work.
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Victoria’s Dry Rub
2 Pounds Boneless Center Trimmed Pork Loin Roast
½ Cup Prepared BBQ Sauce
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Coat a wire rack and shallow roasting pan with olive oil. Rub Victoria’s Dry Rub all over the pork to coat. Set the pork on the rack in the roasting pan and roast for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the BBQ sauce if you like. Serves 6
Molasses Cookies
The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço which means honey. Molasses is a byproduct of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. I know someone who loves molasses so much he eats is out of the jar with a spoon. If you love molasses you will love these cookies. These cookies are delicious!
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Molasses
½ Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Allspice
¼ Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
In a medium bowl mix the butter with the sugar and then slowly beat in the molasses. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and yogurt. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Sift the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream and yogurt mixture. Stir until blended. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Drop a tablespoonful of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 30 minutes until done. Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely. Makes 40 cookies
Sweet & Sour Spare Ribs
I love Asian Spare Ribs. No need to go out to a restaurant because they are easy to make at home.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Cut Pork Spare Ribs
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Dry Mustard
2 Cups Water
½ Cup Soy Sauce
½ Cup Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves
Sesame Seeds For Garnish
In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, mustard, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and water. Set aside. Put the ribs in a large cooking pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes and drain. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Brown the ribs on all sides. Next pour the sauce into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Place on a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds. Serves 4
Yellow Squash Salad
A friend gave me a tiny yellow squash from his garden and I didn’t quite know what to do with it. It was so tiny and so cute that I just wanted to look at it. I finally decided to make a little salad with it. This Yellow Squash Salad turned out great!
INGREDIENTS
½ Red Onion Chopped
2 Small Diced Yellow Squash
2 Diced Curby Cucumbers
½ Cup Chopped Basil
1 Medium Chopped Tomato
6 Ounces White Beans
4 Ounces Chopped Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Chop the onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomato and place in a medium serving bowl. Pour ¼ cup salad dressing over the chopped vegetables and set aside. Add the salt, pepper, white beans and basil. Lightly toss. Just when you are ready to serve add the chopped feta cheese and lightly toss. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Homemade Potato Chips
It is so easy to make your own potato chips. These chips are delicious. Make sure to season them while they are still warm and some residual oil for the spices to adhere to. I like to season with salt, pepper and finely grated Parmesan cheese. You could season with chili powder, ground cumin, toasted sesame seeds, minced herbs or anything that strikes you.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Russet Potatoes
Peanut Oil
Salt
Pepper
Peel and slice into 1/8 inch slices on either a mandolin or other handheld slicer. In a large saucepan fill with the oil halfway and heat until the oil is 350° F. Add the potato slices in batches and fry for 3 minutes until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt, pepper or any season that strikes your fancy.
If you prefer to bake the chips in the oven then preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl toss the potato slices with 5 Tablespoons of peanut oil. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and season lightly with salt. Bake for 14 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and season again with salt and pepper. Drain on paper towels and let cool for the maximum crispness. Serves 6
Brandy Cake With Chocolate Frosting
I love this rich and decadent cake! It is easy to make and a nice treat for company and birthdays.
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
5 Large Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¼ Cup Brandy
1 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk
2 Cups Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease two 8×2 inch round cake pans or a bundt pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl place the butter. With a mixer beat the butter for 3 minutes on medium high. The butter should be light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Stir the vanilla and brandy into the buttermilk. Reduce the mixer speed and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans. Place the pan/pans in the oven on the center rack. Bake for 45 minutes until the cake is lightly brown on the top. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan/pans and let cool completely. Frost the middle layer (if using two pans), top and sides of the cake. Serves 10
Chocolate Frosting
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
8 Ounces Cream Cheese
½ Cup Cocoa Powder
2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cream
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
In a medium bowl beat the softened, but not melted, butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla extract and cream. Mix in the powdered sugar and powdered sugar. Beat until well combined and fluffy. Put into the refrigerator for an hour and then frost your cake.
Coffee Brownies
These brownies are rich and decadent in texture. I created this recipe a few years ago when I couldn’t stand to throw away the last bit of brewed coffee. Not everyone likes nuts in their brownies, so I tend not to. Add almonds, pecans or macadamia nuts if you like.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Butter
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 Ounces Cocoa Powder
2 Cups Sugar
5 Eggs
3 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 Cup Brewed Coffee
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a medium sized bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside. In another medium sized bowl beat the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. Slowly add the cup of cold brewed coffee until just combined. Now, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until combined. Do not over mix. Grease a large baking pan (or you can use parchment paper) and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour. Cut into squares. Makes 30 brownies
