The Just-Right Brownies

    Well, fall is blowing in with the same 95 degree humidity we've been enduring all summer, making for a slightly disappointing first day of autumn. However, this calendar date does hint at what's to come, namely, scarves and hot cocoa and chilly friday night football games and big bowls of chili with loads of cheddar and fritos and crisp morning walks at Radnor Lake and camping trips and Thanksgiving gatherings and carnivals and pumpkin carving and apple picking and, oh! is there anything better than fall??? I am so excited. And, so, I determined that this day must be celebrated, regardless of the heat index. That said, I now have a hearty arrangement of happy fall flowers on my kitchen table, along with a list of recipes I'm dying to make as the weather cools...

      Now, so far I've been consciously choosing recipes to post that are bit varied and not all sweet, which is no easy thing for me as most of the cooking and eating that goes on in my little pink kitchen involves sinful amounts of sugar, chocolate, and butter. That said, the time has come to share something good and dark chocolatey, just the way I like it. Oh, and with a hint of pumpkin to ring in the season. 

     

      

    **10/24/10: In the case that I've not done justice to these brownies in my previous writing, I will continue their accolades here. I am, admittedly, a bit of a brownie snob. I don't like boxed mixes. I'm a dark chocolate fan (to say the least) and am generally disappointed by the lack of good, rich chocolate flavor your boxed mix offers. That said, I've tried several different recipes in effort to produce a chocolatey-enough brownie. One fine day, I stumbled across this one. I am in love. This recipe produces an oo-ey, rich, double dark chocolatey dream of a brownie. Now, as far as these Pumpkin Cream Cheese brownies go...they are a great seasonal option, for sure, but for the remainder of the year, this brownie in its plain form is the best you'll find. I'll list the two brownie recipes below: the Pumpkin Cream Cheese, and my Just-Right Brownie (the pumpkin one is the same, just with a pumpkin-swirled layer in it, to clarify).

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

yields a LOT. i cut them in small squares. so, maybe around 60 small ones?

ingredients:

brownie part-

2/3 cup butter, room temp.

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup water/brewed coffee (coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, but doesn't dominate)

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (24 ounces)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs, room temp.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

pumpkin part-

4 ounces cream cheese, room temp.

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp.

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg, room temp.

1 tablespoon flour

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Grease 13x9 inch pan, line with parchment across bottom and up edges, and grease again.

3. In heavy saucepan, bring butter, sugar, water to boil, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sugar  dissolved (around 3 minutes).

4. Remove mixture from heat and stir in 2 cups of the chocolate chips until melted. Let cool for several minutes, then stir in vanilla.

5. In large bowl, whisk eggs and gradually add in the chocolate mixture, beating with a wooden spoon until completely mixed.

6. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mix to the egg/chocolate mix, stirring until entirely combined (i just use the same wooden spoon. try not to over-mix at this point or the brownies won't be as dense and gooey.). Stir in remaining chocolate. Set aside.

7. Now for the pumpkin part: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter (i use the electric mixer here) until light and fluffy.

8. Gradually beat in sugar and spices until well blended. Beat in egg. Mix in 1 tablespoon flour.

9. Now you're ready! Pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Now carefully pour/spread the pumpkin mix across the top. Pour the second half of brownie mix on top. Take a knife and swirl the pumpkin layer so it's visible on top (the fun part).

10. Bake for 40-45 minutes, being careful not to overbake (you don't want a dry toothpick or gooey one...somewhere in between.).

11. Let cool for an hour before cutting.

     Okay, so I apologize for the 11 steps and sink full of dirty dishes :/...but these are so yummy. The simple brownies (minus pumpkin) alone* are absolutely to die for and allow for endless adaptations: Like nuts? Add some chopped ones to the mix (a cup or so, maybe) before pouring it into the pan. Or, instead of the pumpkin layer in the middle, use chopped up Reese's Cups or Andes Mints or Heath or Symphony Bars. I mean, you almost can't go wrong. YUM. Here's the recipe for the basic brownies:

The Just-Right Brownies

yields about 60 smaller brownies. or maybe 30 bigger ones. well, a pan-full.

ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, room temp.

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup water/brewed coffee (coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, but doesn't dominate)

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (24 ounces)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs, room temp.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Grease 13x9 inch pan.

3. In heavy saucepan, bring butter, sugar, water to boil, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sugar  dissolved (around 3 minutes).

4. Remove mixture from heat and stir in 2 cups of the chocolate chips until melted. Let cool for several minutes, then stir in vanilla.

5. In large bowl, whisk eggs and gradually add in the chocolate mixture, beating with a wooden spoon until completely mixed.

6. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mix to the egg/chocolate mix, stirring until combined (i just use the same wooden spoon. try not to over-mix at this point or the brownies won't be as dense and gooey.). Stir in remaining chocolate. 

7. Pour mix into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes (don't overbake! gooey is always better anyway...).

Ridiculous Lemon Risotto

I. can't. help. myself. From the first bite of this risotto, I was completely done for. It is absolute heaven. I don't recall what initially compelled me to try it, really. I suppose I was perusing recipes a year or so ago and stumbled upon it. I do know that I adore lemon. And I could easily devour a block of parmesan in an hour's time. And maybe I had it in a restaurant somewhere and wanted to try it? Whatever the motivation, I made it one day and it has, since, been a standard in my kitchen. I can't have it enough and experience at least a weekly craving for this savory, creamy gift from above. Seriously, to die for.

A bit of info: Risotto is best made with arborio rice, a fat, oval, short-grained rice originally grown in the Po Valley of Italy (though readily available in your local grocery, never to fear!). Arborio is vital to the success of any risotto due to its high starch content. As the rice absorbs the liquid, its starches are released, and this, my friends, is what makes it so-creamy. So don't skimp on the rice thinking just any kind will do. It's just not so. Trust me, you want as much starchy goodness as you can get. Now, to aid in "creaming" the risotto, if you will, it's necessary to do some pretty frequent stirring. Otherwise, it won't cook quite as evenly or absorb up the broth quite as well. So, I recommend turning on a favorite Pandora station (try The Avett Brothers. or Patty Griffin. both great ones), opening the kitchen window (as appropriate), and devoting some sweet time to your soon-to-be-favorite rice dish. Definitely prep all your ingredients beforehand or you'll find yourself frantically grating and chopping and zesting and juicing in a messy rush at the end, while attempting to stir at the same time. Not so easy. Well, I think it's high time for some risotto, eh? Savor it. Every bite. It'll go quick.

Lemon Risotto

borrowed from Smitten Kitchen

serves 6 appetizer-sized portions

ingredients:

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

2 cups arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (3 ounces-ish. i usually add more on top at the end. of course.)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (~1-2 lemons. buy several to have enough for juice and zest.)

4 teaspoons grated lemon peel (fyi: make sure to only grate the yellow part. not the white. it's awfully bitter.)

directions:

1. Heat broth in large saucepan over medium heat. Cover and reduce to simmer.

2. In an even larger, heavy saucepan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter with the oil over medium heat.

3. Add shallots and saute for about 5 minutes, or until tender.

4. Add rice and stir for 1 minute.

5. Add wine (i love the sound and smell of this part) and stir until evaporated, around 30 seconds.

6. Turn your heat down a hair (a 4/10 on my stove) and add 1 1/2 cups heated broth, stirring frequently until absorbed (a few minutes).

7. Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing a few minutes for each bit to be absorbed before adding more. Just keep on stirrin' until the rice is al dente and creamy (~35 minutes).

8. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

9. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel.

10. Add salt and pepper, to taste, top with more grated parmesan if you wish (i do), and serve it up! 

Fresh Corn Salad

                             

I just love corn in the summer. I regretfully haven't had much this year, but am making sure to fit plenty in before fall makes its grand entrance (yessss...), which brings me to this here corn salad. This recipe is sweet and simple. First of all, it's by the adored Ina Garten (of whom you will hear much more in coming posts, i guarantee), so it must be good, as most everything contrived by her is. You know, come to think of it, I think I'll soon dedicate a post soley to her. So much raving to do! Anyhow, this corn salad is just right on a humid summer afternoon. I love it because it's a bit tart and a bit sweet and has a lovely little crunch from both the fresh kernels and red onion. A nice tribute to corn, I say. I whipped it up last night in a flurry before heading to work (hence the classy plastic container photo above...and, oh, did i tell you i'm a nurse? night shift: 7pm-7am. ick is right.) and inhaled the entire tupperware-full in a matter of seconds during my midnight "lunch." It's a hit! You should definitely try it.

On another note, I'm leaving the country next week! Hurray! Guatemala, and Rachel and Aaron, here I come! I cannot wait. Two dear friends of mine live and serve as missionaries in the mountains there and are opening their lovely home to me for 10 days! 10! Oh boy. I'm so excited. I'll be sure to share upon my return. That said, this might be the last post for a bit, though I'll try to squeeze one in before heading out. Bon voyage!

Fresh Corn Salad

yields 4-6 servings

borrowed from Ina Garten

ingredients:

5 ears shucked corn

1/2 cup red onion, diced (1 small onion)

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned

directions:

1. Boil a large pot of salted water and drop in your corn for 3 minutes.

2. Drain corn and immediately immerse in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking (your corn will now be a nice shade of yellow).

3. Once the corn is cooled, cut the kernels off close to the cobb (so some still stick together in strips. it looks cooler that way, i think)

4. Toss the kernels in a bowl with the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

5. Add basil just before eating.

No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread

Several weeks ago my dear mom and sisters spent some number of days at my house and, thrillingly, I had the privilege of cooking several meals for them. We delighted in heaping bowls of cheesy grits, pasta with tuna, capers, and white wine, tomato basil goat cheese egg sandwiches, mouth-watering double-chocolate brownies, and the list goes on. One item I was particularly eager to share was a surprisingly (and relievingly<--i have just discovered that this is actually not a word! I am appalled. a perfectly good word. i'm using it. every day.) simple whole wheat bread recipe I found earlier this year and immediately adopted as a favorite. Now, I must first confess that I have always been a fair deal intimidated by bread-making. First of all, it has yeast in it. Yeast! What do you do with yeast? It's this sneaky magic thing that's alive and grows and completely eludes me. Even still. And then the whole knead, then let rise, then knead, then let rise, then put in the oven for 4 more hours, then knead again, then in 2 weeks you'll have a loaf of bread thing never really appealed or sounded reasonable to me. I do leave my house occasionally. So, to find this jewel of a recipe was just marvelous. It's so simple. And, while you'll still see yeast included in the ingredients (it's really nothing to fear, after all), you will not, i am pleased to say, see any instruction to knead...ever! And, what's more, it only rises once...and only for 90 minutes. So, by the time you've showered and dressed and tidied the house and checked your email and taken a walk around the block, your sticky little ball of dough has blossomed into a lofty, poofy, warm pillow of yeasty (there it is, again) goodness that you almost want just to stick your face into. Anyhow, this is far easier than most recipes I've seen and certainly has a taste and texture worth craving. The loaf has a mildly sweet flavor and is perfectly moist. It's also substantial enough to slice into pretty thin slices without it all crumbling apart. My mom and sisters adored it (specifically, buttered and honey-ed)...and asked for seconds 'til the loaf was gone. 

Thanks to this recipe I have begun to conquer my fear of bread-making, and, for, that, I am grateful, for how much more yummy is a home-baked loaf than a stiff, store-bought loaf that's been preserved and on the shelf for who knows how long? I dare say, this is much more fun, and, will certainly, upon lifting it from the oven, grant you a tremendous sense of accomplishment. 

No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread

yields 1 tasty loaf

borrowed from King Arthur Flour

ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil (either is great)

3 tablespoons molasses or maple syrup (i've only used the latter and love it. for a less sweet bread, 2T is just right)

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

3 cups 100% whole wheat flour (i love king arthur flour, i will say. far superior, in my opinion.)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

directions:
1. Grease well an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan, OR line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (if you want a round loaf like the one in the above photo)
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (really, it gets no easier). Beat the mixture 'vigorously,' says King Arthur, for several minutes (I use my electric mixer with the dough attachment). Transfer the dough ball into your prepared pan (if you want a typical sandwich-bread-shaped loaf...otherwise, just leave your dough in the mixing bowl) and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let it rise for about 90 minutes.
3. Bake your bread in a 350 degree preheated oven* (if you've opted for a round loaf like I did this time, transfer the dough now onto your other parchment-lined sheet at this point, then into oven) for 30-35 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil halfway through. When done, your loaf should be golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before turning it over onto a rack (if you used a pan). 


*I like to powder the top of the loaf with a bit of flour at this point...for effect, ya know.