Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

In honor of Oscars night, love Mimi:

Advice from Katherine:

1. Never quit.
2. Be yourself.
3. Don’t put too much flour in your brownies.  

Enjoy this simple and sweet treat in honor of Katharine Hepburn and her impressive Oscar legacy. Get Katherine's essential baking tip in a full post on The History Kitchen blog. The recipe comes from a letter to the editor of the New York Times on July 6, 2003.

Ingredients

• ½ cup cocoa or 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened baker's chocolate
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Melt butter with the cocoa or chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over medium low, whisking constantly till blended. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into a well buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. These brownies are very fudgy and may be somewhat difficult to slice cleanly; use a sharp knife and a spatula to help them loosen from the baking dish.

Tips/Techniques

You will also need a 8x8 inch baking dish.

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers and Homemade Buns

I had about 4 cups of black beans I'd cooked up and I wanted to find a use for some potatoes I had that were beginning to sprout, so I found a recipe on http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/spicy-black-bean-burgers-with-chipotle.html for Spicy Black Bean Burgers.  I changed it to include less spice (so Mia would eat it) and added potatoes/sweet potatoes.  Here's the Black Bean/Potato Burger recipe:

• 16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 large baker potato and 1/2 large sweet potato baked and skinned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces (I used jarred roasted red peppers I had in the fridge)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (I used onion)
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 jumbo egg
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup quick oats (more if mixture is too sticky)

First - Mash the black beans and potatoes together.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and garlic, then add oats, then eggs, ketchup and spices. Then stir into mashed bean/potato mixture.  Chill for 30 minutes in fridge, then form into 8 patties.  If the mixture is too wet, add more oats.  Place the patties on wax paper and freeze for 2 hours.  Keep frozen until you cook them. 

Once they are frozen, you can grill or cook on a skillet for about 7-8 minutes per side.  I placed a piece of colby jack cheese on top - more protein - and topped with strong mustard and some ketchup.

Here's the Homemade Buns recipe (Delicious!) from Smitten Kitchen- my current favorite food blog:

Light Brioche Burger Buns
Makes 8
3 tablespoons warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 large eggs
3 cups bread flour (1/2 cup whole wheat with 2.5 cups bread flour)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
egg white, Sesame seeds (optional)
1. Combine warm water, the milk, yeast and honey. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes and add the egg.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Mix in the butter, then add yeast mixture.  I mixed this in the Kitchen-aid which took care of the kneading. The dough will be on the sticky side so it can be a bit messy, but keep in mind that the more flour you knead in, the tougher the buns will get. Try to leave them tackier than you would a round loaf.
3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl coated with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange two to three inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap lightly coated in nonstick spray and let buns rise in a warm place for one to two hours. (I only needed one hour for the second rise)
5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Brush tops of buns with egg white and then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Sorry for the cruddy picture, I forgot to take one after I made it, so this is just before I ate it at lunch with the cheese over top. 

Molasses Crinkles

Molasses Crinkles

3/4 cup shortening 

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

4 tablespoons molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Cream shortening and sugar together.

Add egg and molasses and beat until well-blended.

Sift flour.

Measure and add salt, soda, and spices.

Sift again.

Add sifted, dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix thouroughly.

Chill dough in refrigerator.

Shape chilled dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter each.

Roll balls in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 4 dozen.

From Earl and Sandy Yoder, thanks to The Mennonite Community Cookbook, Page 260

Eating local and organic

I am learning the importance of eating locally farmed and organically grown foods--if anyone else is interested, here is a great resource for finding great farmers in your community-- they may not necc be organic-- but it has been a great starting point for me.  Also, I am hearing from a lot of local farmers that although they are not certified organic, some follow organic practices without the expensive certification, which in my book is just as good:

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/default.aspx

--Mimi

The blog description (below) appears to have disappeared from the right side-- does anyone know why or another place we can put it:

Lord, we thank you for this 

food and for our many blessings. 

We thought it fitting to begin this blog by saying grace. Now- dig in! We hope this is a place we can break bread together, even when we are geographically apart.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love my crockpot (slow cooker).  I love that I can throw stuff into it, turn it on, and when I come home later, my house smells awesome and dinner is ready!  It is like cooking magic!!!  Here is one of my favorite crockpot recipes, originally from the allrecipes.com website (although I've tweaked it a bit since getting it from there):

SLOW COOKER (Crockpot) CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (I usually get a rotisserie chicken from the deli section at our grocery store - works great for this recipe.  Also, I have used FROZEN chicken and it works too - it will cook all the way through by the time you are done even if it is not the "best" way for this recipe.)
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped (I've also just used dried chopped onion from the spice cabinet - I don't add as much as I would fresh onion.  Also, you can buy already chopped onions in the freezer section or sometimes the fresh produce section of your grocery store if you are as lazy as me.)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chili peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional - I don't add it if the kids will be eating it)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Some tortilla chips
Some sour cream and/or cheddar (or Monterrey jack) cheese

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies  and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

2.  If you used frozen chicken, check to make sure chicken is cooked all the way through and break-up or shred chicken and mix throughout soup before serving.  Also, remove bay leaf (since no one wants to find/eat that sharp little bugger).

3.  Pour in bowls.  Garnish with tortilla chips, dollop of sour cream, or cheese as desired.  Eat.  Repeat as needed.

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)

Banana Slicer: Best reviews EVER

Looking for something food-related?  Looking for something food-related AND amusing?  You MUST read the reviews for this product on Amazon (ignore the product itself but you have to check out the outstanding reviews):

Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer

(If the link above doesn't work, copy and past this address into your browser:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047E0EII/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk?tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=US-SAGE-1356280658591-EWFDK)

Almost makes me want to buy one just so that I can review it too!

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)

Three Cookie Exchange Options!

As I prepared for a few cookie exchanges this year, I asked my Mom (known as Betty or Betty Ann to many of you) for her most popular cookie recipes.  She was a crazy cookie baker back in the day - making hundreds of cookies of several varieties each holiday season.  She was famous (infamous?) for handing out trays of Christmas cookies each year to all of my Dad's coworkers and their friends.  So I figured she'd be a good resource for some recipes to try for my cookie exchanges this year.  All of these turned out great and I thought I'd share these cookie recipes with you.  ENJOY!

CRISP PASTEL COOKIES (the "pink squashed cookies")
3/4 c shortening (part margarine and part butter, softened)
1/2 c sugar
1 package 3oz size fruit flavored Jello
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt)
1 t baking powder
1 t salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees, Mix shortening, sugar, Jello, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Shape dough into 1 in balls.  Place about 3 in apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.  You can use colored sugar.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes.
Makes about 4 dozen.

FESTIVE CHRISTMAS COOKIES (the lumpy white cookies covered in powdered sugar)
3/4 c shortening at room temperature
1/4 c butter
1t salt
1/2 c confectioner's sugar
2t vanilla
2 c sifted flour (if not presifted already)
1c chopped pecans

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  I start using the mixer, but when the dough gets too tough, I take the bowl out of the mixer and mix the rest with my hands.  the heat from the hands helps to soften the shortening even more to make the dough more pliable.  Shape into balls. Press down an indention in the middle of the cookie.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.   When partially cooled, roll in more confectioner's sugar. I like to press a little more into the indentation, makes a sweeter cookie.  NOTE...I usually double the recipe as these tasty little morsels go fast and freeze up well.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (not REALLY cookies but still pretty awesome)
1 1/2 boxes of confecctioner's sugar (6c)
2 sticks butter
2c creamy peanut butter
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 c parafin bar

Cream and mix the first three ingredients.  I start my using the mixer and when the dough becomes too stiff, I usually mix it by hand to make sure all the sugar in incorporated.  Roll into buckeye sized balls (approximately the same as walnut-sized).  I use a wax paper lined set of cookie sheets to place the balls on.  Chill in fridge.  In the meantime make the dip.  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate morsels with the parafin ((2" x 2" size) ,  Using a toothpick stuck into the cooled buckeye ball, dip into the chocolate.  Coat about 1/2 to 3/4.  Drop back onto the cookie sheet.  Don't touch to any other ball, keep them all separate.  You might have to use other cookie sheets or flat serving plates to make sure they don't touch.  Cool, then pack in containers gently and refrigerate.  When dipping I usually leave the cookie sheets in the fridge and take a small plate to bring out only a few balls at a time, like maybe 10 to 15.  Then dip them and place on a waxed paper covered plate next to the stove.  That way, the balls stay chilled enough to coat properly.  It isn't that hard to make, just takes more cookie sheets and plates than usual.  But they clean up fast.  Getting organized with everything ready to go helps and making sure there is room in the fridge to slide in the balls to chill before dipping.  I can't remember how many that makes, but I know when I was giving them to friends or packing them in with cookie presents, I made 2 or 3 batches during the season.

~posted by Kelly Simer (Spencer)

Steak- basic cooking instructions

So Aaron and i have started a new tradition where we cook something completely new to us on New Year's Eve.  Last year we tried to make a steak with French pepper cream sauce... and it was a bit of a disaster involving us all trying to wade/ gag through/ manage the fire alarms of the resulting black pepper corn/ mace-like smoke.  So we decided to take a step backwards this year and learn how to cook a regular every day steak.  Yes, we are beginners, most of you are probably way past this recipe-- but i want to put it in here so i can keep referring back to it/ encourage other unseasoned cooks. We are very happy with the results and felt like Julia Child using ramekins and putting our cast iron skillet both on top of the stove and in the stove for one dish.  

I found this recipe on: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-a-steak-in-the-ove-108490

Instructions

1. The first, and most important, step in cooking a great steak is to buy a great steak. The best way to do this is to go to a local butcher, preferably one who either raises the animals himself or sources them from a local farm. The beef should be at least partially grass-fed and humanely butchered. Look for steaks that have been dry-aged to intensify the flavor, too. I buy my steak from a butcher at my local market; they raise the animals on a farm nearby and dry age the beef for at least a couple weeks. (I love Bluescreek Farm Meats, my local butcher! There is always a difference in taste when buying from good folks like them.)

2. Buy a rib eye steak. It should be at least 1-inch thick and have some fat marbling around the edges. Again, buy the best you can. No matter how expensive it is, it will still be cheaper than eating out on Valentine's Day! Expect to pay at least $10 to $15 for a pound of steak. If it is less than that, pass it up. I live in the Midwest, so prices aren't too bad here. If you're in the city, you should probably expect to pay at least $20 per pound. 1 pound of steak will easily feed two, and can be stretched to three or even four people.

3. Now that you have your rib eye steak, open the package and drain out any juices. Blot the steak dry with paper towels or a rag. Let the steak come to room temperature, if it isn't already.

4. Turn on your oven and heat it to broil. Put a cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up with the oven.

6. Pour a little canola or vegetable oil (about 2 tablespoons) into a small bowl.

7. Put about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt into a ramekin and mix in a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.

8. Brush the oil all over the steak, coating it generously on both sides and on the ends.

9. Now sprinkle the salt and pepper mix generously on both sides of the steak, patting it into the steak so it sticks.

10. Turn on a stove burner to high heat.

11. Very, very carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven, using your thickest and most reliable oven mitt or pad! Place it over the high heat and use long, sturdy kitchen tongs to place the steak on the hot pan. It should sizzle immediately.

12. Cook the steak for 30 seconds, then flip it over.

13. Cook the steak for an additional 30 seconds on the other side. Then, again carefully, put the skillet and steak back in the oven. Cook the steak for 2 minutes. (Don't forget to turn off the burner) Open the oven and carefully flip the steak, using the long tongs. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes. At this point your steak will be medium-rare (as seen in the photos). If you prefer your steak closer to medium, add 2 minutes to the oven time.

14. Take the steak out of the oven. Turn off the oven. Remove the steak from the pan and put it on a large cutting board. Cover it with aluminum foil and let the steak rest for about 5 minutes.

15. Slice the steak against the grain and fan slices out on each plate. Serve immediately.

Additional Notes:
• If you wish, you can also make a pan sauce with the drippings from the steak. To do this, put the skillet over medium heat while the steak is resting. Add about 1/2 cup of beef or chicken broth, and about 1/2 cup of red wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until it is reduced by at least half. Scrape up any small bits of meat still clinging to the skillet. Pour the reduced sauce over the sliced steak on each plate before serving.