Fudgy Oatmeal Bars

OOOOHHHH FUDGE!!!

 Salty oatmeal crust, ooey gooey fudgy middle.

Sinfully indulgent.

One of the VERY best things about this recipe, is the fudgy center stays gooey!  Whenever I make these I stick a dozen or so in the freezer for an, "I need something sweet right now or I might throat punch someone" kind of moment. The fudge is soft even while frozen!

Truth.



Crust

Cream together:

1 1/2 cups butter

3 eggs

3 c. brown sugar

2 t. vanilla (I use Rona's homemade) ;)

Sift together and add:

3 3/4 c. flour

5 c. oatmeal

1 1/2 t. baking soda

2 t. salt

Press 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of a large jelly role pan.

Fudgy middle

Put two cans of sweetened condensed milk and 3 T. butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for a minute, take out and stir. Put back in for another minute and stir. When the butter is melted and the s&c milk seems warm, add 2 c. milk chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add 1t. vanilla and 1/2 t. salt.

Pour melted fudge and spread over the dough. At this point feel free to shove your face in the fudge bowl and have your way with it.

Crumble remaining dough evenly on top of fudge.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top of the entire pan. Just because you can.

Bake at 350* for about 35 minutes or until crumbles are golden.

This is how it will look before it's baked.

And after:

FUDGE YEAH!!!!

Posted by Cambria

Browned Butter Alfredo

We don't eat that much beige... but when we do...

make it be

Browned Butter Alfredo

This is so good you're gonna freak the freak out. 

 

And it's all about the browned butter.  It most definitely takes this to a whole new level of excitement. 

Browned butter's better. 

Whenever I see a new pasta shape, 
I start to hyperventilate with excitement. 

Elbow macaroni?  Nevuh nevuh nevuh.

It's that same feeling  I got when I spotted that 5 gallon bucket of honey. 

My new favorite pasta shape - campanelle. 
And yes, I say it with my best Italian accent. It's kind of impressive.

These pics don't show the flecks of browned butter goodness, but trust me, they were there and those little flecks made this dish.

Like any pasta dish, you and add all the extras you want - like top with garden tomatoes if they're in season. 

But really, four ingredients, ten minutes.  Can you beat that?? 

Throw in a great green salad and you're good to go. 

As simple as this is, it actually tastes better than you think.  And once again, let me proclaim that it's all because of the browned butter.  And no, it doesn't need garlic since that's your next question. It has a rich creamy flavor all on it's own and needs nothing more. 

This kid loved it!

Joy overload.

Dinner and jokes.  

And my little cowboy, 

who eats like a big cowboy,

 chowed after an afternoon of pumpkin picking.

Browned Butter Alfredo

1/2 cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

or use half cheddar (I did because that's what I had)

1 lb. pasta

Begin cooking the pasta in boiling salted water.  Meantime, cook the butter in a skillet over medium heat until browned.  Add cream, stir with a whisk.  Slowly add the cheese, stir until melted. Drain cooked pasta, add sauce and you're done.

YUM!

Posted by: Rona

Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Multitasking.  

Gosh, I'm good at that.  Sort of. 

When my twins were little, I could hold one in each arm and open the door with my toes.  Today, on my lunch break I put in a piece of toast and hurried and painted my nails before it popped up.  Did they look like crap?  Yes, they did.  But hey, time is golden and sometimes there just isn't any.

And that is precisely why I love stir frying.  

You don't need a wok.  It takes 10 minutes start-to-finish, and the only multitasking you have to do is cook the pasta while you are stir frying the veggies.  

I love this recipe because it's still tastes fresh and tasty, yet doesn't have that overpowering flavor that sometimes Chinese food does.

(You know, eat  too much Panda, can't stomach it again for a year.) 

No Hoisin, no sesame oil, no  oyster sauce or rice noodles - it's a pretty simple version. 

You can even write your own fortune and embellish it as needed.

It does take a little bit of prepping, but if you keep the veggies to just one or two, it's pretty slick.  And if you don't want to slice chicken, grab a bag of shrimp, just don't get hot dogs please.

My favorite way to julienne carrots is to first slice thinly on the diagonal.  Then stack up a few strips and slice into thin strips.  

The best way to slice the chicken thin is to do it when they are just slightly thawed.  If they are already thawed, stick them back in the freezer for 20 minutes.  

Be sure and get that gross ligament/tendon thingy out.  Finding that kind of surprise in your mouth is about as exciting as finding a spider on your pillow.

Slurry.  Should that even be a word? Not the same thing as pond sludge (although you know that's the first thing that came to your mind). Just all your flavors in one place, ready to cook together in an instant.   

And we're ready to throw it all together...


Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Healthy, bright and colorful and can be thrown together in no time!

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Sauce (or slurry)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 t. rice vinegar
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. cornstarch

5 chicken tenders, sliced into thin strips
2 T. canola oil
3 cloves minced garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger

3 cups broccoli florets (usually about one head does it)
1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1. Cook noodles in boiling salted water.  While cooking, start stir fry.  Combine broth, soy, vinegar, red pepper and cornstarch in a bowl.  

2. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat.  When very hot, add 1 T  of the oil.  Add the chicken and stir fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.  

3. Add remaining T. of oil, garlic and ginger, stir fry for about 15 seconds, being careful not to burn garlic.  Add broccoli and carrot; stir fry 2 minutes.  

4. Add slurry mixture and chicken, stir well, and cover.  Lower heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are a little more tender, about 3 minutes.  Toss with spaghetti noodles and serve.  

A full belly conquers all - Chinese Proverb

Posted by: Rona

Sausage tortellini soup

It's hot, satisfying and deeply flavorful.

No, I'm not talking about this guy.

This soup has been a favorite in our family for a while now. 

Perfect for this amazing fall weather. It's a beautiful change from your regular veggie beef.

1 LB Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini chopped
5-6 large carrots sliced
10 cups beef stock
1 big can spaghetti sauce
1 bag frozen tortellini pasta (or in my case I did ravioli because that's what I had)
Dried basil
Garlic
Salt/pepper
Grated parmesan cheese

Brown Italian sausage in a hot pot. Once the meat is done, remove it from the pot.
Hit the pot with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add onion and let it sauté for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and zucchini. At this point season the veggies with salt, pepper and a little garlic.  Let the vegetables cook for another 5ish minutes. Return the sausage back to the pot. Add the stalk (either store bought or your own) and the spaghetti sauce. My favorite is Hunts four cheese. Add a tablespoon or two of dried basil.  Bring it to a boil then drop the heat and let it simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add frozen pasta at the very end. It only needs 5-10 minutes to cook. Top individual bowls with grated parmesan before serving.

*Another idea? Brown sausage and then throw it all in the crock pot, adding the tortellini 1/2 hour before. Easy peasy!

These pictures really don't look like much but trust me, the flavor is insane!

Posted by Cambria

Homemade Vanilla

Vanilla: the world's most popular flavor.  

It's the heartbeat of all things sweet and it's anything but average. 

This is, quite simply...

the best vanilla you will ever use.

And I'm not just blowing smoke.

Can I even begin to tell you how much I LOVE this stuff?? 

 I'm somewhat infatuated. 

Start with about 25 vanilla beans.  You can get these cheapest through Amazon I've found.I use the Madagascar ones because I really liked that movie (and they are the best).  

Slice each bean down the middle to expose the vanilla seeds, 

leaving the ends intact. 

Put them all in a bottle of cheap Vodka - 

the 7.5 cup size.  
Vodka is a great choice of alcohol because it has no flavor and can more fully absorb the vanilla goodness.

PS:  You don't ever have to remove the beans, they are the gift that keeps on giving.  The longer you leave them in, the stronger your vanilla will be. 

Give a little shake, put in a cool dry place.  Walk away...for two months.  Yes, this takes two months.  But good things come to those who wait.  

Every couple weeks, give the bottle a shake. 

And one day, you will get this amazingly rich, flavorful, creamy vanilla goodness that completely dominates anything you can buy. 

And no matter what it goes in, you will reign as the queen (or king) of your cookies, or hot chocolate, or butter syrup, or anything...

because the best ingredients make the best goods.

Makes a great gift too!

Homemade Vanilla

25 vanilla beans

7 1/2 cup bottle of vodka

Slice beans lengthwise, keeping ends intact. Place in vodka.  Let sit for two months.  Shake every couple of weeks.

The best.

Posted by Rona

  

Harvest Cobb Salad

It's fall!  

And as much as I love soups and stews, 

ya still gotta keep it fresh.  

Cooking rule #221:  Whenever you make something hearty or heavy, it is imperative that you add something light and fresh lest you feel like a big lump. 

Let me introduce a most lovely fall salad...

This beautiful daughter came to visit

and she LOVES salads.  

 Here she is holding her bowl of it. 

It's the roasted butternut squash that's walking the red carpet here.  It's different  (like bologna on a cinnamon roll), unexpected (your Grandma got a skull tattoo) gives a little bit of sweetness (like the Walmart greeter), yet has the perfect complimentary texture to all the other great condiments.  

Wait... The savory toasted pecans just might be the star of the show.    The hint of mustard perfectly highlights the Dijon in the vinaigrette.  

  

Although this is a basic vinaigrette, it's so light and fresh (like your prom date). It makes a generous amount so you may want to only pour on half of it on.

Yeah, there are no avocados on this.  

They were rock hard (like the spaghetti on your microwave ceiling) at the store. 

They remain in my fruit bowl until they can behave properly. 

Unlike traditional Cobb salad, there's no blue cheese,  but you won't miss it.  There's so much going on here (like the crowd at a rock concert), that there is quite an abundance of harvest flavors.

So enjoy this fresh fall salad...


Harvest Cobb Salad:

2 heads of romaine, roughly chopped
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes (I had roasted turkey on hand, so I sliced that up)
2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes (I had sweet potatoes)
6 sliced thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 avocados, sliced
1/2 cup Craisins
3 slices Muenster cheese, julienne sliced
4 hard boiled eggs

Savory Toasted Pecans
1 cups pecans
1 T butter
1/4 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. salt

For the seasoned pecans: 
Heat a skillet to medium-low.  Melt the butter, add pecans.  Sprinkle with ground mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.  Saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly to toast.  

Assemble:  Place the lettuce in a bowl.  Layer the other ingredients in rows. Before serving, toss with vinaigrette. 


Vinaigrette:

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Shake together in a jar. 

Pork Green Chile

It's October!  

That means it's Pots-o-Stuff month.

Tell you what - there's not many pots of stuff that have more flavor than 

Pork Green Chili

Start by browning chunks of pork.  You can skip this step, but I wouldn't - browning adds so much flavor.

Everyone's thrown into the pot.

Just like a middle school dance, it's all awkward and weird at first. 

But then they mix and mingle and soon realize how much they complete each other. 

A beautiful thing happens.

See??

It's like good chemistry in a pot.

It smells muy bueno as at simmers.

And now... your options of how to serve it are endless.

Here we have 

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

1. Two corn tortillas warmed up

2. Two poached eggs - don't forget to salt & pepper them (or scrambled)

3. Smother on the Pork Green Chile

4. Grated cheese (I had cheddar and some yummy Mexican cheese that my sweet Mexican friend brought me)

5.  Top with sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro (or leave well enough alone here)

The great thing about Pork Green Chile is it's so versatile.  The pork gets soooo tender as it simmers in the savory base.

 As much as I love tomatillos, I'm kind of a purist when it comes to green chile - which is why I don't them or tomatoes either.  

But feel free to add some if you want that tart flavor. 

Since this makes a big pot, switch it up the next night and have it over cheese enchiladas. 

Or turn it into a stew by adding a can or two of diced tomatoes.  Serve with some yummy cornbread. 

 Pork Green Chile

*2 - 2 1/2 pound pork, cubed

1/3 cup flour

little bit of oil for browning

2 diced onions

4 cans diced green chilis (I used pepper pucks here  http://flannerykitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/pepper-pucks.html)

1 diced jalapeno

6 cups chicken broth

2 t. garlic powder

2 t. cumin

1/4 cup cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup water (optional - if you want a thicker chile)

Put the pork and the flour in a ziploc baggie.  Add salt and pepper.  Coat well.  Heat a heavy pot or skillet to medium high and add enough oil to coat the bottom.  Add pork - half at a time to pan.  Let sear, turn over and brown other side.  

Add pork to slow cooker along with broth, onion, green chilies, garlic powder, jalapeno and cumin.  Cook on high for 5 hours.  Then add the cornstarch water mixture to thicken if desired.  Let cook another 1/2 hour.

You can avoid the slow cooker all together and simmer gently for about an hour, then add cornstarch mixture at the end.

*I used pork loin just because I had some in the freezer, but pork butt would be amazing and much cheaper.  I'd slow roast that instead of browning it, shred into big chunks, and then add it to the slow cooker after a couple hours.

Feliz Navidad! 

(my Spanish is limited)

Posted by: Rona

Sort of healthy, super-delicious banana chocolate chip muffins

These muffins are good any time of day.  Tonight we made these for a night time snack with a glass of ice cold milk- I've also made them for breakfast and omitted the chocolate chips.  So yummy and a great alternative to banana bread when you have ripe bananas on hand.

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz Greek yogurt (I use vanilla)
2 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Grease a mini muffin pan and bake at 350 for 15 (ish) minutes.  Makes about 36 mini muffins.

Posted by Tiffany :)

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Vanilla Sauce

Company's a comin'!  And I needed a warm fall dessert.  Couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.  I knew I wanted pumpkin, knew it needed to be in a slow cooker and knew I wanted a warm sauce.  

Mother is the necessity of invention?

Invention is the necessity of mother?

Necessity is the invention of the mother?

Mother is necessary?

Well anyway,  made my own... How I wanted it and it was 

TO DIE FOR

Cooking this in a slow cooker keeps is moist and frees up the oven. It's such a maintenance free way to cook up goodness.

Don't be tempted to turn your slow cooker up to high or the edges will burn. It will poof up almost to the top when it's done.

  

Spray the dickens out of your slow cooker, and hit the foil too so you can just lift it out when it's done.

Looks like a jiggly mess when it starts, but just you wait...

Bread Pudding always work best with stale bread,  it really absorbs so much more of the flavor and the custardy texture.

The Cinnamon Vanilla Sauce is so rich and buttery.  

The Pumpkin Bread Pudding is so moist, lightly spicy.  It's a good mixture of pumpkin pie and bread pudding.

So together, it's fall in all it's tasty splendor.

For optimal pleasure, serve both warm.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Vanilla Sauce

1 round loaf bread (sheepherder, challah)
10 egg yolks
2 cans evaporated milk
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. vanilla 
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 salt

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes.  Combine remaining ingredients and mix well.  Fold in bread cubes, not smashing but mixing well.  Let sit there for at least 15 minutes.

Spray slow cooker with Pam.  Line with foil.  Spray foil with Pam.  Pour in gloppy mixture.  Turn to low, cover and cook go play BINGO for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until cooked through.

Serves 10 I'd say.

Top with:

Cinnamon Vanilla Sauce

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Melt together the butter, sugar, buttermilk and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove, add vanilla and baking soda.  Use a BIG pot so it doesn't 'foam over' when you add the baking soda.  

Makes enough to generously pour over the bread pudding.


One more reason why FALL HAS IT ALL!



Posted by: Rona