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.
****************************************
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.
