Happy Valentine's Day!
Can anyone resist a brownie like this? But here's the thing....it's all about the frosting! Condensed milk and white chocolate. Wow.
Make these for your favorite Valentine!
Red Velvet Brownies
From Gina at Kleinworth & Co.
Ingredients:1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - diced1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips1-1/2 cups granulated sugar3 large eggs1 tsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp salt2 tbsp red liquid food color OR 1 tbsp red gel food color1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 tsp baking powder
For the frosting:1- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk2 cups white chocolate chipsSprinkle with 1/2 cup Valentine M&M's & 1/8 cup Heart Shaped SprinklesMethod:Preheat oven to 325 degreesUse either non-stick foil or just use regular foil & then spray with non-stick spray & line a metal 9"x9" baking pan.Stir butter & chocolate in a heavy large saucepan over low heat until all is melted.Remove from heat.Whisk in sugar & then eggs- one at a time.Stir in vanilla, salt & food coloring.Sift flour & baking powder & stir in & blend well.Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake until puffed & dry looking- or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some moist batter attached. (about 35-45 minutes).Cool completely in pan on a rack.
Method for the frosting:In small saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk & white chocolate chips.Heat until completely melted & combined.Pour immediately onto brownies while they are still in the pan.Top with your M&M's & sprinkles
Here's the second of the banana recipes I tagged from Donna Hay. Frankly, I tried it because I wanted to see how chocolate and bananas turned out in a bread. And it works. Beautifully. It makes a lovely loaf with just the right amount of chocolate to tempt you chocoholics.
Banana and Chocolate BreadFrom Donna Hay magazine, Issue 67
Ingredients:
125 g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice (I used pumpkin pie spice)
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 or 4)
1/4 cup golden syrup (I used Lyle's)
100 g dark chocolate, melted
cocoa for garnishing
Method:Preheat oven to 325.
Grease and line a 3 by 12 by 3 loaf pan with parchment paper.Place butter and sugar in an electric mixer bowl and beat 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and then the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix only until combined.By hand, add the spice and the golden syrup. Mix well.Divide the dough in half and add the chocolate to one half.
Place alternating spoonfuls of each mixture and swirl with a knife. Not too much or you won't be able to see the swirls.Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin. Dust with cocoa to serve. (I didn't have any unfortunately, because I think it would be the perfect finishing touch.)
Welcome again to an Ina First Friday!
My son requested risotto cakes when he was visiting a while back and it rather took me by surprise as I rarely make risotto to begin with. (And you don't have to with this recipe either, merely cook the rice.) Fortunately, I had seen Ina make these risotto cakes so had the perfect recipe for him.
When I was a child, my mother used to take leftover rice, form it into patties and fry them simply in butter with salt and pepper. Nice and crunchy and buttery. They were good, but really, the flavor combo in Ina's recipe can't help but be way tastier. (Sorry, Mom.) The chives, fontina and yogurt make for a delicious risotto cake; I served it with scallops, but it's perfect as a supper all on its own with just a veggie on the side. Fontina is such a lovely cheese and melts beautifully.(Chef's note: mixture requires refrigeration for 2 hours or overnight.)
Ina's Chive Risotto Cakes
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko
Good olive oil
Method:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well. Whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, salt to taste and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in a 250 degree oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.
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Ina Fridays participants:
This recipe has made the rounds recently and I've been saving the recipe for some cold weather. And yes, we've had some down here, but while things have warmed up nicely in S. Florida, my kids in Michigan are having the coldest, snowiest winter in years.
I was born and raised there and in those days of yore, winters were always cold and loaded with snow and ice; what's changed is the Weather Channel (they weren't around then so I guess it didn't count) is now naming the storms, in the manner of hurricanes. We used to call them cold snaps and blizzards. LOL.Anyway....good stuff in this soup...hearty, warming and filling. Cathy said she preferred that particular brand sausage and fortunately, I had half a package in my freezer. I substituted kale for spinach but it's up to you..in fact, with soups like this, you can add and substitute, depending on what you want to use up. Best with homemade stock, of course.
Sausage Tortellini SoupAdapted from Cathy at Noble Pig
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) Jimmy Dean All Natural Regular Pork Sausage1-1/2 cups chopped onion3 cloves garlic, pressed4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock (not broth, homemade if possible)2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes1 (5 oz) can tomato paste1 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves1 Tablespoon sugar1/2 teaspoon dried red chili peppers1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper3/4 teaspoon kosher salt10 oz cheese tortellini3 oz fresh baby spinach leaves (I used kale)
Method:Heat a skillet over medium heat. Make little balls of sausage by rolling them between your hands and then drop them into a hot pan. Brown all sides and completely cook them through. Remove onto a paper-towel lined plate.
Saute onions in the fat leftover from the pork until soft; about 8 minutes. Add pressed garlic and saute for 30 seconds more.In a soup pot, mix chicken stock, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, chili peppers, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Add onion-garlic mixture and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions, usually about 7-9 minutes. Add in cooked sausage and stir in kale or spinach until just wilted.Serve immediately.
This Donna Hay recipe has had a post-it note sticking on it for a year! There were two banana recipes in this particular issue that I tagged. One was a loaf cake, which I haven't made yet, but will, and will post it soon. But this particular photo had me drooling...I love caramelized bananas. When my grandmother was baking, she'd give me some extra crust and I'd take some bananas and brown sugar and make little pies. Yum! You never forget those first attempts at cooking and those little pies were delicious.
I'm going to insert a word of caution here...this is an extremely sweet dessert. In fact, I was surprised as I thought it would be more cake-like, but no....the caramelized sugar seeps into the cake. (Which you could use less of) A couple mouthfuls did it for me and I'd serve it with half and half to cut the sweetness. Not ice cream as DH suggests! Sure looks tempting though, doesn't it?
Banana Upside Down Cake with Coconut and Palm Sugar
From Donna Hay, Issue 67
Ingredients:
75g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup grated palm sugar (Whole Foods has it, already grated and packaged)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup milk
For the caramel sauce:100g unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
4-5 bananas, depending on size
Method:Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease a 6 by 10 inch baking dish or baking pan with sides.
Make the caramel sauce:
Melt the brown sugar and butter together on the stove and boil for 1 minute. Pour it into the baking dish. Cut the bananas in half lengthwise and arrange them face down on top of the caramel sauce. Set aside.Make the cake:
Place the butter, palm sugar and brown sugar in an electric mixer and beat fot 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat again. Add the flour and baking powder and mix until combined. Then add the coconut flakes and milk and mix again. Spoon the mixture over the bananas and with a palette knife, smooth the top evenly. Place the dish on a parchment-covered baking pan to catch any spill during baking.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.Loosen the sides with a knife and invert carefully on a serving dish. Serves 8.
Such great flavors in this delicious soup! It really hits the spot on a cold night. Yes, we've been having some cold nights in South Florida too and while you're snickering over that comment, keep in mind it's all relative. :)I don't make a lot of soups, unlike my sister, who is the worlds greatest soup maker in my opinion. But this one appealed to me...I loved the colors and it's a hearty, warming soup even though it's light in calories.
Shrimp Noodle SoupFrom Style At HomeIngredients:4 baby bok choy12 sugar snap peas12 shrimp, peeled1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger1 tablespoon of peanut (or canola) oilA pinch of dried chilies2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped1 teaspoon of sesame oil2 teaspoon of light soy sauce2 spring onions, sliced4 cups of chicken stock (homemade, hopefully)Toasted sesame seeds for garnishing300 grams of dried udon noodles
Method:Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Run them under cold water once cooked, and reserve.
In the meantime, add the bok choy (cut in half lengthwise) and the sugar snap peas to a pot of boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes. Shock the vegetables by placing them in ice cold water. Once the vegetables are cold, drain and remove excess water with paper towels.
Heat your wok to medium low heat. Add the peanut oil, ginger, garlic and dried chili. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the peeled shrimp. Once the shrimp starts to turn pink, add the vegetables, stirring constantly. Add the noodles and then the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.Once the broth has come to a boil, add the soy sauce, sesame oil and spring onions and cook for another minute. Serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.
Serves 4.
What a great recipe! Leave it to Lori, most of her recipes are winners. I didn't change a thing; when I visit her I always come away with something awesome.
Your family is going to love this one, from the yogurt-based pizza dough to the pesto in the pinwheel. So many layers of flavor and if you dip them into some of your favorite pizza or marinara sauce, you've got one mouth-watering Super Bowl snack.
Pizza PinwheelsFrom Lori at Recipe GirlIngredients:1 cup self-rising flour1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugarpinch of salt2/3 cup Fage Greek Yogurt (this is important, you need the thick yogurt)3 tablespoons prepared pesto3/4 cup chopped pepperoni3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (or mixed mozzarella & Parmesan), dividedpizza or smooth marinara sauce, warmed
Method:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Mix in the yogurt and continue to stir and mix until the ingredients (Use your hands!) are well-combined and forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a bit so the dough comes completely together. You may need to add more flour, but I found this amount to be just right. You want a non-sticky dough. Roll it out into a rectangle about 9x14-inches.
Spoon the pesto onto the rolled out dough and spread it evenly. Then sprinkle the chopped pepperoni and top with the cheese.
Carefully roll up the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut about 1/2-inch slices. You have to hold the sliced roll together while you transfer it to the prepared baking sheet and then shape them a little more into a round. Repeat with the remaining slices.Bake 20 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned. Serve warm with sauce.
