Chocolate Brownie Cake

Chocolate brownie cake

A fudgy chocolate brownie cake recipe using a box mix of cake mix and a box of brownie mix is a quick and easy decadent dessert!  From Sandra Feb 2023

Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 50 minutesServings 10 slices 

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 box chocolate cake mix or devil’s food
• 1 box brownie mix
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup mayonnaise

For the ganache

• 8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
• 8 oz heavy cream

Instructions

To make the cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (using the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients. With the stand mixer, a handheld mixer or a whisk, mix everything until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with just a few crumbs on it.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the ganache

• Place the chopped chocolate in a glass bowl.
• Heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir to combine with a spatula. It will not come together immediately, but continue to stir until it becomes fully combined and shiny. Let cool about 15 minutes.
• Pour the warm ganache over the cooled cake, slowly and gently spread over the top so it slides down the sides.

Notes

Pro tip: When pouring the ganache over the cake, keep the cake on a cooling rack and place over parchment or foil. This will catch all the excess ganache and make clean up easy. This cake will keep in the fridge for five days. Leave out of fridge for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 741kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Fat: 60g

 

Smothered Pork Chops, Melting Roasted Potatoes.

 RECIPE COURTESY OF TYLER FLORENCE

Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients

 1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup buttermilk

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

• Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

• Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

MELTING ROASTED POTATOES 

yield: 6 SERVINGS prep time: 15 MINScook time: 50 MINStotal time: 1 HR 5 MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, making sure one of the oven racks is in the upper-middle position. Square the ends off the potatoes by cutting off the rounded edges (you don't have to chop off a lot, but you want the ends flat) and then cutting the potatoes into about 1-inch thick slices.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 9X13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish (don't use glass as it can shatter when adding the chicken broth later).
• Roast the potatoes for 20-22 minutes, until the bottoms are browning around the edges. Remove the baking pan from the oven and flip the potatoes with a flat spatula. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, flip the potatoes again and add the chicken broth and garlic. Roast once more (last time, promise) until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced just slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Serve the potatoes with the sauce drizzled over the top.

©Mel's Kitchen Cafe — https://www.melskitchencafe.com/melting-roasted-potatoes/

From Beth  Lore, I've made the Melting Roasted Potatoes.....they're delicious.  I would follow the basic recipe (I think I just sliced my potatoes into thick slices....) and then I'd add some lemon juice to the chicken broth and use Greek oregano as a seasoning.

They take a while to bake but really are worth the time.....

Oh, and I think I stuck them under the broiler to get a bit of brown & crisp at the end ~ it's been a while since I've made them.

from Lore   roasted potatoes, Greek style. I thought I knew all about potatoes, but these were amazing. First braised in chicken broth, lemon juice and some oil. Then when not quite done, remove from the liquid, and in the oven to roast until crispy and golden brown!  Really good.”

Irish Beef Stew

Traditional Irish Beef and Guinness Stew 

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces bacon ,diced

2 pounds beef chuck

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 medium-large yellow onions ,chopped

3 cloves garlic ,minced

4 medium firm ,waxy potatoes (e.g., Yukon Gold), cut in 1-inch pieces 2 large carrots ,chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

2 ribs celery ,chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

1 large parsnip ,chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 bottle (1 pint or 16 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout

1 cup strong beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tablespoons dried and ground porcini mushrooms (optional and not remotely traditional, but oh so amazing)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the beef across the grain into into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle with some salt, pepper and the flour and toss to coat the pieces. Set aside.

• Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy pot until done then remove it with a slotted spoon, leaving the bacon drippings in the pan.
• Working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the pieces, generously brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and repeat until all the beef is browned.
  
• Add the onions and fry them, adding more oil if necessary, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the Guinness and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pot (scraping up the browned bits on the bottom). Boil for 2 minutes.  
  
  Return the beef and bacon to the pot along with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
  
  (**At this point you can transfer everything to a slow cooker if you prefer. Follow the remaining steps and then cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.)
  
  Bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Serve with some crusty country bread or Irish soda bread. This soup is even better the next day.

 

Food from the Mexican market near-by.

 I saw a recipe that said "Traditional Irish Beef Stew".  Hmm, I thought traditional Irish stew was made with lamb so I looked up other recipes and saw one that said it was traditional and used beef and looked really good.  By the time I got back from the store with the ingredients, I realized it was too late to finish it today. I got everything ready and it's in a pot in the fridge to be finished tomorrow.  In the meantime Charlie went to the near-by Mexican grocery store that also have cooked food and marinated and ready to cook food.  He got some fried rice, refried beans, a couple of sauces and these chicken legs which I cooked on the grill.  He also got some Mexican tacos, not like Taco Bell at all.

Super Bowl

Charlie invited his car club over. Thank goodness they all didn't show up. Some who came also brought food.  I made some French bread and made Italian Grinder with them. I forgot to take pictures until later.  I made a shrimp mold that was popular with my friends in Junction City 30 years ago, two chip dips and jalapeño poppers.  Strawberry  Hill bakery had a half price sale so I also had some povitica bread for dessert.

Home made French bread + yeast, water, salt , sugar & Flour.  Made three loaves.

Italian Grinders with Garlic Aioli

By Todd Ginsberg Updated on May 1, 2015

Total Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 Lar. egg yolks

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 cl. garlic, minced

1/3 C veg. oil
3/4 C EVOO

salt

 Pepper

four 8-inch light hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

1/4 C ch. hot cherry peppers

12 thin slices Mortadella

18 slices Genoa salami

8 thin slices prosciutto cott

12 thin slices provolone

3 tomatoes, thin sliced

1 tsp dried oregano

2 C shredded Iceberg lettuce

1/4C red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice and garlic. Very gradually whisk in drops of the vegetable oil until starting to thicken, then gradually whisk in the remaining vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of the olive oil until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Bake the closed hoagie rolls for 3 minutes, until warm. Spread the aioli on the cut sides. Top the bottom halves with the peppers, meats and cheese. Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Top with the tomatoes and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Pile the lettuce on top, drizzle on the vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and serve.
   

Make Ahead

The aioli can be refrigerated overnight.

YIELD: 16 SERVINGS

Crock Pot Bean Dip

The best crock pot bean dip recipe packed full of flavor!

PREP TIME 10 minutes  COOK TIME 1 hour 15 minutes  TOTAL TIME1  hour 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 16 oz can refried beans
• 4.5 oz can mild green chiles
• 1 cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup salsa
• juice of 1 small lime
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 ¼ cups mexican cheese
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Add the refried beans, mild green chiles, sour cream, salsa, fresh lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and mexican cheese to a 1.5 quart slow cooker and stir well to combine
2. Cook on high for 1 - 1.5 hours, until the bean dip is hot and bubbly, stirring as needed
3. Salt to taste
4. Serve the crock pot bean dip as dip with tortilla chips, or as filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. It makes a great appetizer too!

Cowboy Crack Dip

 

INGREDIENTS

• 
  2 packages cream cheese
• 
  1 lb spicy sausage (browned and drained)
• 
  3 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 
  1 cup frozen corn
• 
  2 cans rotel

DIRECTIONS

• Combine the cream cheese, spicy sausage, shredded cheese, frozen corn, and rotel in a slow cooker.
• Turn the heat on low and cook for 1-2 hours.
• Serve with a bag of tortilla chips. Yum!

Jalapeño Poppers 

Ingredients

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers
• 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. diced pimiento peppers, drained
• 1/4 c. minced white or yellow onion
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

1  Preheat the oven to 400°.

2  Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out and discard the seeds and ribs from the peppers. Set the halved peppers aside.

3  Stir together the cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimientos, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt, paprika, and pepper In a medium bowl. Stir together the panko, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt, paprika, and pepper, as well as olive oil in a small bowl.

4  Fill each pepper half with some of the cheese mixture, and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of the peppers evenly with the panko mixture.

5  Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and top them with bacon and chives.

Shrimp Mold

1 can tomato soup

3 small packages cream cheese

1 1/2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1/4 C. water

1 C. mayonnaise

3/4 C. finely chopped celery

3/4 C. finely chopped onion

1 or 2 cans tiny shrimp, drained, mashed

Combine water and gelatin.  Set aside to dissolve.  Heat soup to boiling, add cheese, stir until melted.  Stir in gelatin and water and cool until set. Mix all other ingredients anp pour into a 5 cup mold and chill until firm .Serve with club crackers.

One of my favorite mixed drinks is a Scorpion.  There used to be a Polynesian restaurant in Kansas City that served this drink for two in a large pedestal bowl with a gardenia floating in the middle.  It was set in the middle of the table and came with two long straws so a couple could share it. I once had a dinner party where most of the guests were professional chefs and made a pitcher of this for cocitails before the dinner.

 

Kimchi stew

 

Charlie made this kimchi stew with some of the beef bone soup base I made a few days ago. I don't know what all he put in it but a recipe I saw on line uses cut cabbage kimche, kimche brine, pork belly (he used Spam) green onions, tofu, red pepper flakes and paste, sesame oil and salt and sugar.