Iced Fudgey Brownies

I am always looking for simple ingredients to make simple desserts that taste really fantastic.  I dont know how many brownie recipes are on my blog, four maybe five.  The one called Best Brownies I really love but it only makes an 8 x 8 pan.  Ooops, sorry I just realized I have not posted that yet because they disappear before I get a chance to photograph them. Sometimes you want something bigger.  This is the big size brownies.  Perfect for taking somewhere.  That is exactly what I did with these I took them to my quilters meeting with fresh strawberries punctuating them on the tray.

If you are a cakey brownie lover these are not the brownies for you.  If you like fudgey, well, these are the ones!

Lunchroom Lady Iced Fudgey Brownies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cup flour

2 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat the butter and sugar until lemony. Add in eggs one at a time, beating until completely blended.  Add in vanilla and salt and finally flour and cocoa powder.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.  Bake 20-25 mins.

Frost and serve.  Frosting recipe below.

Icing

1/2 cup softened butter

2 tablespoons half and half but milk is fine

1/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered or confectioners sugar

dash salt

Beat all of the ingredients together until light and creamy. Frost as desired.

Pourable Scallion Pancakes

I have made scallion pancakes before, you can see them here.  They are a bit time consuming.  Believe me they are well worth it though.  But if you are in a hurry and want a lazy person supper- do these amazing scallion pancakes.

I happened to score a very large bunch of scallions last week at the Farmers Market.  They needed to be used up within a day or two.  I made these two nights in a row.  Everyone was loving them so they totally were okay with that.

Make the dipping sauce- this totally makes it.  Without it they are kinda plain.

Easy Peasy Scallion Pancakes

Serve with the amazing dipping sauce, recipe below.

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped scallion
oil for frying

Whisk the eggs, water, sesame oil, salt and flour together just until combined.  Stir in scallions. Ladle about 1/3 of a cup of the batter onto a nicely oiled warm skillet.  Wait until the edges appear down before flipping- you want them golden.  Cook a few minutes more and serve.

dipping sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic chili paste.

Just stir it all together. Pour into dipping bowls.

Creamy Chipotle Salad

Regarding tomatoes, I think we all agree that summer tomatoes are the bomb.  But when you can not get good summer tomatoes what is the next best thing? Canned tomatoes.  They are processed at their peek in the summer months.

Tomatoes have so many good things for you. "Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis." (The Worlds Healthiest Foods)

Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C.

"Alpha-lipoic acid helps the body to convert glucose into energy. Some evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid can aid in blood glucose control, improve vasodilation and protect against retinopathy in diabetic patients and may even help preserve brain and nerve tissue.^{" (Medical News Today)}

"Tomatoes beautify the skin and may even prevent sunburn: Want gorgeous skin? You’re in luck—lycopene boosts pro-collagen, the molecule that keeps your skin firm and youthful looking.
The same molecule may also help prevent sunburn. A small study showed that women who ate 55 grams of tomato paste each day had a 33 percent increase in skin protection against ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Although more research on a larger group of people is needed, and diet is not a substitute for sunscreen, it’s very possible that tomatoes offer some protection against sunburn. (Yahoo Health)

Click on any of the sources I quoted to learn more about how tomatoes help you. Canned, paste, ketchup, fresh from the garden, however you can get in your tomatoes- do it!

CREAMY CHIPOTLE SALAD

1 Chipotle Lime Chicken Sausage, browned in a skillet

6 black olives
4 radishes, sliced
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 1/2 cups mixed greens
Red Pack Petite tomatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice

dressing:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle
s and p to taste

While you are browning your sausage, gather your ingredients.  Toss together the salad. Slice up the sausage into bite size pieces. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of the dressing and then squeeze on some lemon juice over top (or a lime).

full disclosure: I was contacted by a representative from Red Pack and asked to feature a recipe using Red Pack.  They sent me some products (shown above).  I gladly agreed because I do like Red Pack tomatoes ;)

Strawberry Italian Cream Cake

I am posting for Driscoll's through The Daily Meal (see banner below) my Strawberry Italian Cream Cake. Hmmm.  Very tasty and refreshing.  A great dish to take to a pot luck or a picnic.

This cake is crazy because you put the ricotta mixture on top and while it is baking it sinks tot he bottom.  I have to do this recipe again with chocolate cake and strawberries!  oooh , maybe a drizzle of chocolate on top.

 That strawberry looks like a sweet little heart, does it not?

 Look at those pretty layers and that pretty pink.

Strawberries just beg to be eaten, don't they?  I know I love them. This time of year I take advantage of them being in season and use them a lot or just eat them plain.

Strawberry Italian Cream Cake

If you like you can use Cool Whip instead of the whipped cream.  

Ricotta layer:
2 pounds ricotta
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Other components:
Strawberry boxed cake mix - mixed as directed and smoothed into a 9 x 13 pan.

1 box French vanilla instant, mixed with 1 cup milk


Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting

2 cups or 8 ounces heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin dissolved in 3 Tb. cold water

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9 x 13.

Ricotta Layer:  Stir together until combined completely the ricotta, sugar, vanilla and eggs.

Mix the cake as directed.  Smooth out into the prepared 9 x 13 pan. Spoon ricotta mixture over top spreading evenly. Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes to an hour.

Once baked cool and refrigerate.  Do not frost until completely cool.  I had in the refrigerator overnight.

For the top layer:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks. Meanwhile, heat the water in the microwave until warm. Sprinkle the gelatin over top. Let cool. Slowly pour the gelatin in one steady stream over the whipped cream and continue to whip until firm.

Mix instant pudding with 1 cup milk, fold into whipped cream.  Spread over top of cake.

Full Disclosure:  Driscoll's sent me some coupons for strawberries in exchange for a recipe using strawberries.  I can tell you honestly that I love Driscoll's and use their strawberries without coupons because I love them.  They are delicious. 

You also can get some coupons to get a taste of some Driscoll strawberries.  Follow this link.

Banana Bars

Don't you just want to take a bite?

Delicious and easy.  A nice snack cake for school lunches.

Banana Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream or buttermilk
1 cup mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt


Grease an 10 x 15 pan x 1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt.  Set aside.

In a larger bowl beat the butter with the sugar. Add in eggs one at a time.  In a measuring cup combine all the wet ingredients, mashed banana, buttermilk, vanilla. Add half of the wet ingredients to the butter sugar mixture.  Add half of the dry.  Then the rest of the wet and last the dry. Just mix until incorporated. Pour into a 10 x 15 x 1. Smooth out the top.  Bake until golden around the edges- 20 to 215 minutes.

Sometimes you get lucky!  I had the great fortune of finding some long desired Adirondack chairs at a garage sale the other week.  It was the right price, the right quality, the right distance from my home (so I could get them home in my wee car).  They are the freaking BOMB!  I love them.  Looking forward to sitting out there with a margarita in hand.

I promptly put my old ones to the curb! And lucky again, a neighbor came and picked them up to rehab!  They are those ones that you put together - precut and ready. That was pretty awesome that she could use them.

I lost a few plants over the hard cold winter here.  My sage, my lavendar, a few bushes here and there. I replanted quite a few.

 My azaleas are looking all pretty.

I love this double wave petunias.  I have never been a real big fan of petunias but these I like.

Tater Puff Casserole

This casserole goes together quite effortlessly.  The hardest thing to do is to sauté the onions and celery.  Well, okay, maybe cleaning up is harder.  I told my 8 year old she could make this the next time.  That time though I think I will make my own condensed cream soup- though I think I will try the celery one. I will do that part for her.  Then she can throw everything together and make the casserole and feel all proud.

TATER PUFF CASSEROLE

1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken (you could make your own, click here for that recipe)
32 ounces tater puffs, somewhat thawed
3 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon oil or butter

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and 9 x 13 casserole dish. Sauté onions and celery in oil/butter until lightly golden.  Reserve a few of the tater puffs for the top of the casserole. Stir together the tater puffs, celery onion mix, garlic powder, pepper, Cream of Chicken and half and half. Place reserved tater puffs over the casserole and then sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes uncovered.

Rice Crusted Quiche

Are you as addicted as I am to Pinterest?  I just can't get enough of that site.  I really enjoy it in the morning when I am having a cope of coffee.  I guess it is like the equivalent to reading the morning paper.  Since I don't read the morning paper I guess it works for me.

The only thing I don't like about Pinterest is at times I can get sucked into the vortex as I like to call it.  Looking dreaming but not doing...  However there is a time and a place for that, right.  I mean you got to dream research and formulate a plan for the things you want to do.  If you don't they never get done, do they?  Well at least for me they don't.

So after drooling about gardens I did finally make some garden beds and have really been enjoying them.  This year I actually have some weeding done.  I have been very lax in past years.  It was just too hot.  This year we have a bit of a reprieve.  This past summer froze the Great Lakes  and I guess they were still pretty frozen mid April.  So a bit cooler weather this summer.  Since I don't like hot hot hot weather- like 90's this totally cool for me.  Maybe I will get some long needed yard work done instead of drooling over all the cool things on Pinterest.

Rice Crusted Quiche

crust

2 cups cooked rice
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

filling:

5 eggs
2 cups broccoli, cooked and chopped
4 ounces shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of Tabasco
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a 9" inch pie plate.

Mix crust ingredients together and press into pie plate evenly over top and up the sides. Place in oven for 5 to 10 minutes.  It should be a little golden.

In same bowl that you mixed the rice in, combine eggs and milk, whisk for a minute.  Add in remainder of ingredients and stir with a spoon. Pour into rice crust and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, until the egg is nearly set in the center. Let cool about 10 minutes before cutting.