Chocolate love

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Years ago when we were living in “the Village” at the U of U, I discovered this chocolate pudding recipe and have been making it on a monthly basis (sometimes weekly) ever since.  My parent’s nick-named it “chocolate love” and it has become a standard at family cabin outings and even Sunday night visits.  Although it stands on its own quite well, it’s best served with a scoop or two of plain vanilla ice cream.  Yummy!

2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 Tbsp corn starch

2 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa and corn starch.  Bring to a slow boil.  When large bubbles appear, reduce heat to low and add egg yolks and vanilla.  Whisk constantly for one minute. Remove from heat.  Immediately strain through a mesh sieve into a large bowl.    Divide into four to six bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream.

NOTE:  The thickness of this pudding varies from time to time.  When made by my husband, the consistency tends to be quite thick. Whereas when I make it, it tends to be slightly fluid.  Either way, it is delicious.  If there is any left over, it will keep for a day or two in the fridge as long as it is covered with plastic wrap placed directly on the pudding to avoid forming a “skin.”

Cookie Friday

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Awhile back, I decided to combine my two  favorite things into one: cookies and Fridays. So, now we have Cookie Friday as part of our weekly celebration. Most of the time, Lucy and I make cookies while Henry is at school, but sometimes it doesn’t get done until Henry is home, and occasionally, Cookie Friday means a trip to the bakery. All are much fun. If you’re interested in having your own Cookie Friday, check my Friday posts. This is the one we make the most: Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Most Incredible Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

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chewy chocolate chip cookiesThis recipe really is at the top of the charts for cookies. It was developed by America’s Test Kitchen for the New Best Cookbook, and it really is the best. They taste better than any gourmet cookie I’ve ever purchased, and freeze well (after they’re cooked) if you want to save yourself from eating them all in one sitting.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. + 2 T. flour (sometimes I’ve needed up to 1/4 c. more for texture)
1/2 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
12 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and slightly cooled
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg +1 egg yolk
2 t. vanilla
1-1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 325. Put racks in upper-middle and lower-middle position. Spray or line baking sheets with parchment paper (Important!).

Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. In a mixer, beat sugars and butter until combined. Add eggs and then vanilla. Then add flour mixture and stir until combined. Add chocolate chips. (This dough comes together very quickly and can be made entirely by hand if you don’t have a mixer.)

Shaping; an essential part in getting these cookies to turn out looking like coffee shop’s cookies is the shaping. If you can’t be bothered, just drop them on the sheet. If you are intrigued, scoop a good-sized ball (1 1/2″-2″) of dough in your hands. Roll it into a ball, and then pull it apart.  Turn each palm until the jagged inside is now facing the ceiling and then push the two halved back together to form one cookie. Thus, the rounded part is now the bottom of the cookie, and what was the inside of the ball is now the top of the cookie. Place on the cookie sheet and repeat with remaining dough. These cookies spread a little, so give them a good 1& 1/2″ between each cookie. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the two sheets halfway through.

Holy Moly Guacamole

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Holy Moly Guacamole from Hungry Girl Recipes

My sister-in-law brought this to a family party and I knew I’d found a winner! Don’t let the peas scare you. Being an avid pea-hater my entire life, I’ve only recently begun serving them in any form to please my husband. Believe me, you cannot taste them at all. The best part about this recipe is it’s healthy too! Only 78 calories per serving (1/3 cup).

One 15 -ounce can early (young) peas, drained

1/2 cup mashed avocado

1/3 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

4 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

additional salt and pepper, to taste

optional: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped jarred jalapenos

In a medium sized bowl, mash peas thoroughly with a potato masher.  Add avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings.  Continue to mash until blended.  Stir in tomatoes, onion, and if you like, some cilantro and/or jalapenos.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tres Leches Cake

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You know when a 9×13 cake disappears in one sitting with only four eaters that it has to be good. This is quite fabulous. I think they serve something like this at Cafe Rio, but I’m willing to venture that this is much, much better.

Tres Leches Cake

With a little cinnamon on top, for effect.

2009 America Test Kitchen Yearbook

Milk Mixture
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. vanilla

Cake
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
8 T (1 stick) butter
1 c. whole milk
4 large eggs, room temperature [to do this quickly, you can place cold eggs in warm water while you assemble other ingredients]
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla

Frosting
1 c. heavy cream
3 T. light corn syrup
1 t. vanilla extract

For milk mixture: Pour the condensed milk into a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (if it’s not large enough, the mixture will bubble over. I had multiple problems with this, and recommend using a very large bowl. Tell me if it works). Microwave on low power, replacing the plastic wrap and stirring every 3 minutes. After 9-15 minutes, the mixture should be thicker and darker. In another bowl, combine evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the cooked sweetened condensed milk into this mixture and set aside to cool.

For cake: Preheat oven to 325 and grease and flour a 13×9 baking dish. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the butter and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and set aside. In a standing mixer, beat the eggs for 30 seconds, then add the sugar slowly. Increase the speed to med.-high and beat for 6-7 minutes. Reduce speed and add the vanilla, and then the butter mixture. Add the flour in 3 additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Pour batter into prepared dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

After ten minutes of cooling, use the blunt end of a skewer to make holes about 1/2″ apart all over the cake. Pour the milk mixture slowly over the cake until it is completely absorbed. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 or up to 24 hours.

For frosting: Beat cream, corn syrup, and vanilla to soft peaks with a mixer. Frost and serve.

Note: I had trouble with the dulce de leche in the microwave, and I would love to hear how it worked for others. I also didn’t frost the cake–it seemed a little like gilding the lily, but perhaps it would just make a great thing even better.

Do you have a great salsa recipe?

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Here’s a call for salsa recipes: what’s the best one you have? This is our favorite right now, but I’m still looking . . .

Fresh Salsa
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and ribs removed)
1/2 red onion, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. packed cilantro, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. sugar
2 t. lime juice

Place the tomatoes in a collander and let drain for 30 minutes. While draining, put jalapeno, onion, garlic on top of the tomatoes to combine flavors. Then, after the 30 minutes, combine the drained vegetables with the cilantro, salt, sugar and lime juice in a bowl. Serve.

Curried Lentils in Tomato Sauce

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For Cambria and anyone else up for an easy Indian dish: This is a great recipe, especially for using stuff on hand. But even for not using stuff on hand, it’s still a winner (almost surprisingly, I know, but try it).

Curried Lentils in Tomato Sauce

I hope this doesn't look like dog food to anyone . . .

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled and finely grated
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala (page 64; optional)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 jar (26 ounces) best-quality store-bought tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (20 ounces each) cooked lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish (optional)
  • Cooked basmati (or other long-grain white) rice, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and ginger; season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
  3. Add tomato sauce, lentils, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; season with salt.
  4. Serve lentil mixture with rice; garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Making Yogurt

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I discovered this process about three months ago. It’s incredibly simple–only about ten minutes of work, really. I haven’t really made it scientific yet, but here are my approximations. It’s really simple and it really works. The taste? Pretty darn decent. The convenience? Incredible. The uses for plain yogurt? Countless . . .

For app. 2 quarts of yogurt:
2 c. powdered milk
2 c. hot water (123 degrees F or 50 degrees C or hotter–this temperature feels hot but does not burn you)
1/2 c. plain yogurt (either purchased or reserved from last batch of yogurt)
an instant-read thermometer ($6 at Target)

In a blender (or a mixing picture), mix the powdered milk and the hot water until smooth (if your powdered milk has lumps in it, your yogurt will too). Pour into a large glass jar (I bought mine at Target), and add enough water to fill the rest of the jar. (My tap water is about 127 degrees F, so I just let it rest a couple of minutes–if your tap water isn’t that hot, you could microwave it briefly.) When the mixture has reached 123-124 degrees, add the yogurt and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic, and wrap with 3-4 towels, and leave undisturbed on your counter. About 8 hours later, you’ll have yogurt.

At this point, take 1/2 c. out (to save for the next batch), and flavor the rest with honey, sugar, vanilla, jam, fresh berries, etc. If you want greek-style yogurt (creamier), you can place the yogurt in a colander lined with 4-5 layers of cheesecloth, and let it drain for 2 hours. Then, refrigerate.

If you don’t have powdered milk, you can use regular milk, but you have to boil it first (to kill a bacteria that somehow prevents yogurt from happening), and then let the boiled milk cool to 123 degrees and then proceed as directed above. (It’s critical to not add the yogurt before the milk gets to the proper temperature or  it will do something horrible–like die.)

You could also half this recipe and make it in a large quart mason jar, if you don’t need 2 quarts every week 🙂

(Relatively Healthy) Sweet Potato Pie

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Most of my extended family is from the South.  Sweet potatoes are very important to Southerners and rightfully so because they’re awesome.  Not only are they tasty just baked with a smidge of cinnamon sprinkled on top, but they’re full of all sorts of vitamins and have been dubbed one of the World’s Healthiest Foods.

Sweet potato pie is one of my favorite things and I found an awesome recipe for it that used something like a pound of sugar and butter, and a cup and a half of corn syrup, but only 1 cup of sweet potatoes.   So I modified the recipe because sweet potatoes are already pretty darn sweet and I want to be able to have some sweet potato pie without feeling like I might have a heart attack right that second.

Sweet Potato Pie

  • 3 T. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 C.  sugar
  • 3 C. mashed sweet potatoes 
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 C. light corn syrup
  • 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 C. butter
  • 3/4 C. evaporated skim milk 
  • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell (I’m a slacker and used a store-bought crust)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add potatoes, eggs, corn syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, butter and evaporated milk; beat well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

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I’ve made this recipe twice in the last six weeks, and I’ve decided it’s the perfect summer dessert. I used oreos as the wafer cookies (cream and all), and it turns out great. Very simple, too.

Martha’s Mississippi Mud Pie

  • 25 chocolate wafer cookies (about half a 9-ounce package)
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, plus more for garnish
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons, cold, cut into small pieces
  • 2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, grind wafers and pecans until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; process until moistened. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate; press into bottom and up sides (use the base of a dry measuring cup to help). Bake until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool.
  2. Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. A few tablespoons at a time, whisk in milk, being sure to incorporate the cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
  3. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, cook mixture until the first large sputtering bubble forms. Reduce heat to low; continuing to whisk constantly, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir in teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons cold butter.
  4. Pour pudding into crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Just before serving, beat cream, remaining teaspoon sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding, and sprinkle with pecans.