Easy Gourmet Chocolate Bark

Lara's sister-in-law Karey here! I'm on a mostly sugar-free diet, but I am a huge sucker for holidays! One simply cannot celebrate Valentine's Day without chocolate, right? When I saw a recipe on Mama's Minutia for a simple chocolate bark calling for only three ingredients, that sealed the deal! This is a super easy recipe for a delicious grown-up treat.

Click here for printable recipe.

Ingredients
1 bag dark chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Pour half of the chocolate into 1 9x9 pan, lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle almonds and cherries over the chocolate, and press down if desired. Pour remaining chocolate over the top. Chill in the fridge, or at room temperature until the chocolate hardens. If you want bars, score the chocolate when it's partially set, so you can break it apart more easily once fully hardened.

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Gingersnaps with Pumpkin Dip

I'm a real sucker for falltime desserts, which is why this combination caught my eye at a wedding reception I attended recently. This sweet pumpkin dip is a perfect complement to the soft, spicy gingersnap. It's also great on apples, graham crackers, and Wheat Thins.

Enjoy!



Gingersnaps with Pumpkin Dip
from Karey

For Gingersnaps:
3/4 c. butter or shortening, or a combination
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (optional, but encouraged!)
1/2 c. sugar, for rolling

For the dip:
1/2 c. pumpkin
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter/shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg. Beat until smooth. Add sifted dry ingredients. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 min.

Place all ingredients for the dip in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Dip to your heart's content!

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Pear Frangipane Tart

Did you know that you are a pastry chef? You are! Or at least you will be, once you make this tart. Believe me, if I can do it, you can do it! This one's sure to wow your Thanksgiving guests!

I found this recipe in the back of a recent Family Fun magazine, and I was instantly drooling over the combination of pear and almond flavors. Weeks later, I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I finally dove in despite my fear of the process. I was surprised to find that the recipe had such perfect instructions that everything was incredibly easy! I will type up the instructions verbatim, so I don't mess things up for you!

It's also a very forgiving recipe. I don't have a food processor (just a little chopper), I didn't have unsalted butter (just omitted the pinches of salt), I don't stock unbleached flour in my pantry (subbed half all-purpose, half whole wheat pie and pastry flour - which was divine!), and I always forget to buy parchment paper (the egg wash stuck a little bit, but the crust was fine). Be prepared to put this one in the keeper file once you try it! By the way, a little Googling taught me that it's pronounced "fran-juh-pan".

Click here for printable recipe.

Pear Frangipane Tart
from Family Fun Magazine, November 2009

Ingredients
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
*be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, rather than using the cup as a scoop!
9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup ice water

For the frangipane:
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Pinch of salt

For the pear filling:
3 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 1.5 lbs.) peeled, cored, and each cut into about 12 slices
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Pinch of salt

For finishing the tart:
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
Sugar for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

1. Make the dough. In a food processor, pulse the chilled flour and butter with the salt, until the butter is reduced to pea-size pieces, about 7 or 8 times. Pour the ice water in a steady stream through the lid opening, pulsing the processor 6-8 times as you do so. Do not pulse the mixture after all the water has been added (the dough should be dry and crumbly).

2. Place the mixture on a cool work surface. With the heel of your hand, mash it against the counter until it comes together and forms a rough dough. Shape it into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

3. Next, make the frangipane. In a food processor, grind the almonds and sugar into a fine meal. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse in short bursts until well blended. Set the mixture aside.

4. For the filling, toss the pears with the sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Taste the filling, add more sugar if desired, and set it aside.

5. Heat the oven to 425° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 16-inch round, rotating it after each roll to prevent sticking. If needed lightly dust with flour as you roll. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes if at any time it becomes warm and hard to handle. Fold the dough in half twice (quarters) and transfer it to a parchment lined cookie sheet.

6. Unfold the dough and spread the frangipane in an 8-inch circle in the center. Add the pears, arranging them in an even layer on top of the frangipane. Fold the sides of the dough over the pears, pleating and tucking the edges as you go.


7. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle it with sugar. Cut the tablespoon of butter into small pieces, then scatter them over the entire tart. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° and bake the tart in the lower third of the oven until the bottom is brown and crispy and the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Cool the tart for about 30 minutes before serving it warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. Serves 8 (or four if you're feeling indulgent!).

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Red Pepper Quiche with Butter Herb Crust

Finding myself with a few red peppers in the fridge recently, I had to get a little creative. After the usual stirfry and fajitas, I decided they might work in a quiche. Turns out, I was right! We loved this quiche straight from the oven, but it was even better cold from the fridge the next day.

The filling is delicious, but the real standout here is the crust. I adapted the recipe from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, where he advocates using butter in a pie crust, rather than shortening or oil, because of the flavor butter imparts. I'm a total convert now! The buttery herb-y flavor is simply to die for. Ever since I made this quiche, I've been dreaming of other savory fillings I can put in this crust! Just writing about it, my mouth is watering, and I think I'm going to make a chicken pot pie with this recipe tonight!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

CRUST:
1 1/8 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. butter, cold
3 tbsp. ice water

FILLING:
1/4 lb. bacon
1/2 medium onion, sliced into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2-inch strips
3 egg yolks (save the whites for cupcakes!)
1/2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper
1 c. extra sharp New York Cheddar, grated, divided

For crust: Place flour, salt, basil, and thyme in a medium mixing bowl, and give it a quick stir. Cut butter into small pieces and add to dry ingredients. Cut in using a pastry blender, two forks, or my new favorite method: with your hands. Using both hands, pick up some butter and some of the flour mixture and rub it between your fingers and your thumb, dropping it back into the bowl. Repeat until butter is incorporated and the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. It will happen faster than you think! Alternatively, this part could be done in a fancy schmancy food processor, but I don't have one of those.

When your butter-flour mix is ready, sprinkle 3 tbsp. water over it. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to incorporate the water and gather the dough into a ball. When you can make the mixture into a ball with your hands, wrap it in plastic, flatten it into a small disk, and put it into the freezer for 10 minutes. This will help with rolling.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Take dough from the freezer, then roll it out, either between two sheets of plastic wrap (each sprinkled with flour) or on the countertop (liberally sprinkled with flour). Roll with light pressure, from the center out. Sprinkle flour liberally if the dough seems sticky initially. If it gets sticky after several minutes of rolling, return to the freezer to firm it up a bit. When you've got it about the right size, transfer to a pie plate, trimming the excess and fluting the edges with your fingers or a fork. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up again. Then start on the filling below before weighting the pie crust by placing a greased sheet of foil in the pie crust and filling with a pile of rice or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from oven and turn the heat down to 350°.


For Filling: With a sharp knife, dice the bacon into small pieces, and cook over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is at your desired level of doneness. I like mine crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and saute the onion and pepper in the bacon grease. When the onion starts to brown, turn the heat down to low and cover the skillet to soften up the veggies. Now would be a good time to weight your pie crust and put it in the oven.

Mix together the egg yolks and sour cream; add half the grated cheese. Salt and pepper - always tricky with eggs, but I found that the cheese and bacon add their own salt to this dish, so it doesn't need much, just a couple of shakes.

When the onions and peppers are tender, remove from the heat, and stir in the cooked bacon. Place this mixture in the pie crust, and pour the egg mixture over it. Top with the remaining cheese, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Enjoy hot from the oven, cold from the fridge, or reheated. Delicious all three ways!

Enjoy!

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Fresh Strawberry Frosting

Hey, everyone! I'm Karey, Lara's sister-in-law, and I'm just here to share a little bit of berry bliss with you tonight! I stumbled upon this delicious recipe about a week ago, and after devouring the cupcakes it was spread upon, and receiving rave reviews from people we shared them with, I polished off the leftover frosting by spreading it on graham crackers. I couldn't leave it alone! And what did I do today? Made it again! So for all you strawberry lovers out there, here's a super easy frosting recipe that just screams summer!

Note from Lara:  To capture the great strawberry flavor in this frosting, you'll want to go lighter on the powdered sugar.  It will be a runnier frosting...great tasting, but not beautiful.  If you're looking for for a pretty frosting to pipe, then just add more and more powdered sugar until you get the right consistency.  The strawberry flavor will be more subtle. 


Fresh Strawberry Frosting
adapted from Conversations with a Cupcake

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Here's what you need:
5 medium or 4 large strawberries
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
up to 2 lbs. powdered sugar
4 tsp. (or 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.) lemon juice

Start by washing and destemming the strawberries. Then mash them with your hands, allowing the juice and pulp to fall into a mixing bowl.
Add butter, shortening, and vanilla.  Follow with about a cup of powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly with electric mixer.

Continue adding powdered sugar a little at a time and mixing thoroughly until the mixture is creamy and frosting-ish. Add the lemon juice and blend till evenly distributed. The lemon juice really balances the sugar and brings out that fresh strawberry flavor. Now for the important part: Lick those beaters!

Spread on cupcakes, graham crackers, brownies, fingers, etc. I've put this frosting on two cupcake recipes, both with excellent results: strawberry cupcakes, and vanilla cupcakes. (note: the second link is actually for chocolate cupcakes, but there's a vanilla variation below.) The picture above is of the vanilla cupcakes.

I had one verrrrrrrrrrry happy customer.

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Tomato Basil Soup

I had never been a big fan of tomato soup until I branched out from the Campbell's variety and tried the delicious, creamy versions at restaurants like La Madeleine and Panera Bread. I was completely hooked, and now I'm so glad to have learned that it is SO easy to recreate at home! The version pictured here is made without cream, since I cook for one who doesn't get along well with dairy, but the soup is delicious without the cream and would probably be to die for with it!

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Karey. 

What you'll need:


2 cans (28-ounces each) crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbs. basil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic (or if you're not lazy like me, fresh garlic, to taste)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter

(Note from Lara:  I used 5-6 cloves of pressed fresh garlic.  I cut the butter in half and left in the full amount of cream....delicious!  We served it with breadsticks.  Yum!) 

Mix together tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, sugar, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer over low heat until you have to serve it. I've simmered for 10 minutes and it was delicious, and I've simmered for 1 1/2 hours and it was divine. In other words, the longer the better, but you can make it fast and it works just fine.

When you're ready to serve, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the cream (not pictured) and the butter. Stir until the butter has melted.

Then try, just try, not to eat the whole pot! Mmmmmmmmmmm... now THAT'S good!

If you really want to wow your family or your guests, serve with this easy french bread!

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Simple French Bread

This delicious crusty bread is perfect for serving with soups! Easy enough to make on a busy day, this is fast becoming a family favorite!

This bread is just about as simple as it gets, ingredient-wise.

For 2 loaves:
1/2 c. warm water
2 pkg/tbsp. yeast
6 c. flour
2 c. hot water
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt

I always halve the recipe, since there are only two of us and the bread is really best fresh from the oven. Here are the measurements for one loaf in case you're like me.

For 1 loaf:
1/2 c. warm water
1 pkg/tbsp. yeast
3 c. flour
3/4 c. hot water
1 tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Mix together half the flour and all the rest of the ingredients, along with the yeast solution. I just stir it by hand, but you could use a mixer or however you do bread. Then add in the remaining flour. Depending on how humid or dry the day is, you may have to add extra flour. Add until it's doughy, but stop while it's still sticky, not elastic and smooth.

Let rise for 10 minutes, then punch down. Repeat 5 times. Here's how it looks after a few punches.

Shape into one or two oblong loaves, depending on what quantities you're using. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise another 10 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

This picture is blurry because I was too anxious to eat the bread to take a proper picture! Yum!

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Fudgy Brownies

Karey here - Lara's sister-in-law. I tried out a new brownie recipe today, and they turned out to be so tasty! My mouth thanked me, my husband thanked me, but my jeans definitely did not thank me. I'm sure you will love these, too!

When I looked at the recipe tonight, I discovered that I did things all wrong. But it turned out, oh so right, so I'm going to give you my version!

4 squares (4 oz.) Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
3 eggs
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 (325 for a glass pan). Line 9x13 pan with foil, extending over the edges to form handles. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

Microwave chocolate in large microwavable bowl on High for two minutes or until chocolate is smooth when stirred. Stir sugar into melted chocolate. Don't use a mixer, or you will end up with sugary chocolate all over your kitchen. Not that I would know that....

Mix in eggs and butter. You can use a mixer for this step to get it blended really well. Stir in flour and nuts or chocolate chips. Or both, if it strikes your fancy. When it's well blended, spread in prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick insterted into center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool in pan. Lift out of pan using foil and place on cutting board. Cut into squares.

Now if you want to get all technical and follow the actual recipe, do this stuff instead:

Melt the butter with the chocolate in the microwave. Then stir in the sugar. Then when you add the eggs, go ahead and put in 1 tsp. of vanilla. I just forgot.

Let me know how it turns out!

**Update! My mom made these according to the original recipe (melting the butter with the chocolate), and they turned out greasy. When I made them and just mixed in room temperature butter, they were not greasy at all. The fat was there, all right, but you couldn't tell! If you want a lower fat version, try cutting the butter by 1/3 or 1/2 (so 1/2 cup or 6 tbsp.) and melting it with the chocolate.

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Food Storage Friday: Pasta con Ceci (che-chee)

I've gotten on a food storage kick recently, after the discovery of this blog, and so I've been trying to come up with recipes that use only nonperishable ingredients. After we came up with a list of things we thought we'd like to have in the rotation, my mind drifted back a few years and thought of a recipe that my fabulous cousin Melayna made me once when I was visiting. She served a mission in Italy, and she described this as the Italian version of mac 'n' cheese - fast, easy, and universally liked. I called her up this week to get the recipe and we tried it out. It turned out so good that we quickly dismissed Bean and Rice Soup from our list of food storage dinners and added Pasta con Ceci to the collection.

The Cast of Characters

2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp. garlic powder), finely chopped
1 Tbs. basil
1 tsp. salt
2 cans of garbanzo beans
1 lb. pasta

Here's what you do:
In a large saucepan or stockpot on medium heat, heat olive oil. Saute garlic cloves, or if you're doing this food storage style, 1 tsp. garlic powder.

When the garlic starts to get all aromatic on you, add  basil, salt, and garbanzo beans (chick peas) with all their liquid. Simmer this mixture, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the garbanzo beans get softer. After 10 minutes or so, take a potato masher to this mixture and mash until about half the beans are mashed. You still want to have some of them intact, so don't go crazy here.

Now add dry pasta and enough water to cover the mixture. Simmer 10 more minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.

You're done! One pot, 20 minutes. That's my kind of dinner. And it's tasty to boot! Matt and I gobbled it right up!
Serve with Blitz Bread for a little extra Italian lovin'.

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"Blitz" Bread

I got this recipe (and the pictures) from a friend's blog and decided to try it today. It was soooo easy and turned out so yummy! This is sure to become a favorite around our house. Matt will be lucky if there's any left when he gets home!



1 1/2 cups warm water
3 Tbsp olive oil (plus additional for drizzling and dipping)
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp instant yeast
3 tsp herb medley (plus additional for sprinkling on top) I used 2 tsp. basil and 1 tsp. thyme
coarse salt for sprinkling on top
optional: 1 cup feta cheese

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan and drizzle 1-2 TB olive oil in the bottom. Combine all of the ingredients except for the sprinkling of herbs, coarse salt and feta. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds. Optional- to make cheese stuffed bread: Add 1 cup crumbled feta cheese and just blend into the dough until it is mixed in. Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, until it is puffy. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375. After the dough has risen, gently poke the dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with the dried herbs and course salt.(I forgot to sprinkle, but it still turned out delicious) Bake the bread until it's golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Excellent dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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Something to be Thankful For

Since Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away, I thought I would go ahead and post a link to a DELICIOUS sweet potato recipe I discovered last year. If I couldn't count on having these sweet potatoes at least once a year, I don't think my life would be complete. They are just that good! Now, run, don't walk over to Serious Eats for Pioneer Woman's Sweet Potatoes. You can thank me later.

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Lemon Soaked Poundcake

I tried this over the weekend and it was super yummy! I got the recipe from a blog called Simple, but Delicious, and that's just what this was. Here's the recipe:

Lemon Soaked Poundcake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
rind of one lemon, grated
lemon extract to taste, optional


Lemon Glaze-
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.


2. Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer; gradually add oil, beating until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon rind and/or extract.


3. Pour batter into a prepared pan. Bake at 300F for 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating midway through, or until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. (If you don't have a toothpick, don't use a fork. It will leave a giant hole in the middle of your otherwise beautiful cake!) Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

4. Lemon Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Spoon glaze over top, a little at a time. Let lemon pound cake cool completely.


In my experience, this recipe was almost too big for a 9x13. Two 9x9's might work better, but you'd probably have to adjust the cooking time, and I don't have the brain power to figure that one out right now :)

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Muffins

Hello, everyone! I've been in a fall mood lately, and so I decided to try out this recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook, which one of you Crains so graciously gave me for Christmas last year. I'm sorry I can't remember who. I lost track of which present was from whom around present #47. I love Christmas with the Crains!
Anyway.... back to the muffins. I made these on Tuesday for my visiting teachees, and I threw in chocolate chips since they weren't for Matt (no chocolate in 2008). They turned out really good and Matt was sorely disappointed, so I made another batch on Wednesday, this time adding chopped pecans instead. Also good, but let's face it: chocolate always wins. I preferred the first batch. Here's the recipe:
Preheat the oven to 400 and grease or line your muffin tin.
Whisk together in a large bowl:
2 c. flour
1/3 c. white sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
Whisk together in another bowl:
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. canned pumpkin
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 c. butter, melted (depends when you're serving them: hot from the oven? use 1/4. hours later or overnight? use 1/2)
1 tsp. vanilla
Add to the flour mixture and mix together with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Don't overmix. It shouldn't be smooth. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake for 17 minutes. My oven runs pretty hot so they were perfect at 375 for 15 minutes.
You can add 1 c. chocolate chips or 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans or anything else you think sounds good. I might try Craisins sometime.

Now, what to do with that leftover pumpkin? I decided to make pumpkin dip, or as Matt calls it "Pumpkin Frosting". I think dip sounds healthier, so I'm going to stick with that. Here's what I did. I threw the following in a bowl: leftover pumpkin, 8 0z. package cream or neufchatel cheese, about 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 2 tsp. milk, 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and nutmeg, and some vanilla that I poured in, can't tell how much :) Then I mixed it up. Very complicated. We've dipped apples, graham crackers, and surprisingly enough, Wheat Thins are delicious. Cuts the sweet a little. YUM!

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