Double Chocolate Brownies

There are brownies, and then there are brownies.   I can't even count the number of brownie recipes I have tried in my lifetime, one of which I posted on this blog before.  But sometimes a brownie recipe comes along that makes you want to share with all your friends.  For brownie purposes, it is The One.

And best of all, it's fairly low fat.  It comes from Ellie Krieger, after all (with my tweaks).  It was published in the Food Network magazine a few months ago and I finally got around to trying it today.  It is cakey and fudgy at the same time - super chocolatey and rich without giving you the sensation of instant artery clogging.  Definitely one to add to the holiday repertoire!

Double Chocolate Brownies

adapted from Food Network magazine

makes 24 small brownies

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

6 ounces dark chocolate (60% to 70% preferred), coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup white whole wheat four

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler - heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water).  Stir occasionally until melted.  Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth, then add yogurt, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until blended.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

4.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool in the pan before slicing.

Enjoy!

Lion's Head (Pork Meatballs with Napa Cabbage)

Obviously it is not uncommon for me to try cooking something I've never cooked before.  But occasionally I am so crazy that I try cooking something I've never even eaten before.  I know.  I'm a maniac.

Tonight's dish was motivated by a particularly beautiful head of napa cabbage that I picked up at the farmers market last weekend.  I sought out a recipe that put a spotlight on this lovely pale green cabbage, and found Lion's Head.  I was intrigued.  And considering I got the original recipe from Rachael Ray, I'm guessing it's not the most authentic Chinese cuisine.  But it's tasty.

This is a meal meant to be served over rice, but I chose to have it as a shallow sort of soup.  It reminded me of matzo ball soup, only with giant meatballs instead of matzo balls.  The flavors are mild, so if you're looking for something with more zing I'd add ginger or maybe hot chilies to the meatballs.  As it stands, it's a comforting and hearty meal that is pretty inoffensive, and maybe even yummy.  You be the judge.

Feel free to substitute ground turkey or chicken, though if it's too lean it will be too dry.

Lion's Head

adapted from Rachael Ray's Book of 10

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground pork

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 egg

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

3 scallions, green parts only, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 small to medium head of napa cabbage, cored and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine pork, soy sauce, egg, garlic, scallions, bell pepper, and one tablespoon of the cornstarch in a bowl.  Stir together until combined, but do not overmix.  It's kind of gross, but you should probably use your hands.  Form into six large meatballs.  Dust the meatballs evenly with remaining cornstarch.

2.  In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over high heat.  When it is starting to ripple, add the meatballs and fry for about 2 minutes on each side, so the meatballs are nicely browned all over but not cooked through.

3.  In a medium to large Dutch oven or soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a bubble.  Add half the cabbage, followed by the meatballs, followed by the remaining cabbage.  The pot should be pretty much filled up to the top.  Put on the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove the lid and let simmer for about a minute.  The cabbage should be mostly wilted and the meatballs should be cooked through.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Berry French Toast Bake (CEIMB)

 

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe was for Peach French Toast Bake, which sounded lovely.  The recipe uses frozen fruit, so you actually get to enjoy out-of-season fruit on your French toast.  I opted to go for berries, since it's what I happened to have in the freezer.  I also made a few other adaptations to the recipe, including shrinking it down to a single (or double, if you're not that hungry) portion.

The results were good, but I don't know if I'm convinced that I want to switch from my normal French toast method.  The overnight soaking didn't produce anything magical.  But the flavors were nice, and it was somewhat more elegant than your typical French toast.   All in all, a success.

Berry French Toast Bake (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 egg

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup mixed frozen berries

2 tablespoons brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.  Lay the bread slices in the pan.

2.  Whisk egg, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl.  Pour the mixture over the bread slices.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.  Scatter the berries over the bread, and sprinkle the top with brown sugar.  Top with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3.  In the morning, preheat the oven to 350.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until browned and puffed up.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Winter Squash Cassoulet

I'm giving you another hearty, warm and comforting fall dish today, people.  And again, miraculously, it's vegetarian.

I think if you've browsed this blog at all you have gathered by now that I am not a vegetarian.  Still, I try to eat a well-balanced and wholesome assortment of food, and the goal is to not eat too much meat.  Both for environmental and for health reasons.  This meal is a great example of how you can have a complex and filling dinner and not even notice the lack of meat.

Use whatever winter squash you like in this recipe - I used buttercup squash, but butternut, acorn, or pumpkin would be fabulous too.  The squash, beans, roasted garlic and caramelized onions all have a lovely melty texture that goes wonderfully with the crisp bread crumb topping.

Winter Squash Cassoulet

adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Eat Well

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 14.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 small winter squash, 1-2 lbs, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 slice whole wheat bread, processed into crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat toaster oven (or oven, if you must) to 375.  Cut garlic head in half crosswise and wrap the two halves together in foil.  Bake until soft, about 30 minutes.  Cool, then squeeze cloves from cut halves into a bowl, discarding papery skins.  Set aside.

2.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute, stirring often, until they soften.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and preheat the oven to 375 (if you didn't already use the full sized oven in step 1).

3.  Stir beans, squash, broth, thyme, salt, pepper, and reserved garlic in with the onions.  Cover and bake until squash is tender, about 40 minutes.  Mix bread crumbs with parmesan and remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle evenly over the top.  Return cassoulet to oven (uncovered) and bake until bread crumbs are browned, about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes over Polenta

There is nothing wrong with simplicity.  In fact, it is a magnificently beautiful concept that gives rise to dishes like this one.  I have been craving polenta for weeks, and I finally decided to partake this evening in a rustic, hearty and comforting dish with beautiful Italian flavors.  There are very few ingredients, but they are good quality ones.   This is a perfect meal for a cool fall evening, with a glass of wine and some good music in the background.  Bliss, my friends.  Bliss.

The other fantastic aspect of this meal is that it gave me a chance to try out a different way of making polenta, and I am officially a convert.  I had heard about this method many times before, and finally got around to trying it.  Why would I ever go back?  You'll see in the instructions below that your days of whisking almost constantly on the stovetop are behind you.

Please try this.  If you have a hunk of crusty bread nearby, even better.

Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes over Polenta

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons quality balsamic vinegar

handful basil leaves, torn

3 large garlic cloves, crushed with the flat edge of a knife

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  In an 8 x 8 baking dish or similar sized casserole, combine polenta, water, broth, milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste.  Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until polenta thickens and has a porridge-y consistency.

2.  While the polenta is baking, place the tomatoes in a single layer in a small baking dish.  Drizzle with EVOO and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic cloves and basil, and toss everything together.  When the polenta has been baking for about 15 minutes, add the tomato dish to the oven.   Each time you open the oven to stir the polenta, stir up the tomatoes, too.

3.  When there are about 5 minutes left in the baking time, stir parmesan into the polenta.  When everything is done (tomatoes are mostly burst, polenta has thickened), serve tomatoes and juices over the polenta.

Enjoy!

Fall Persimmon Salad

I've had a few fuyu persimmons hanging out in my fruit bowl for a couple of weeks now.  I have to admit, I'm not a big enough fan to enjoy eating them straight up.  Unfortunately, most baked goods that contain persimmons call for the much pulpier hachiya persimmon, so I was running out of ideas of how to use these guys.

Then it came to me.  The fuyu persimmon is sweet and crunchy, much like an apple.  Apples are great in salads along with nuts, cheeses, and other such things.  Inspiration struck.  I turned to the Barefoot Contessa for the dressing idea, and decided to build a festive, fall-oriented salad.  There are so many delicious flavors in the bowl, that even if you're not a huge persimmon fan, I promise you'll enjoy it.  And if you are, well, there's no question.

Note - use a good quality blue cheese for this recipe, one that tastes good on its own, so that you don't botch the flavor of the salad with a nasty cheese.

Fall Persimmon Salad

serves 2 as a main course

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces diced prosciutto

5 ounces mixed baby greens

2 fuyu persimmons, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted in a dry skillet and chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

the dressing:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a small skillet over medium-high heat, cook the prosciutto until crispy.  Set aside to cool.

2.  Combine the greens, persimmon, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese in a large salad bowl.  Add prosciutto when it's not too hot.

3.  Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together, streaming in the oil last, or by putting all ingredients in a salad dressing shaker and shaking vigorously.  Pour just enough dressing over the salad to coat the greens (don't drench them), then toss everything together.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Karahi Chicken

My sister and I took an Indian cooking class a few months ago taught by the lovely and talented Neelam Batra.  She told us about her published cookbooks, and I immediately fell in love with one of them.  It's called Chilis to Chutneys, and it features an assortment of recipes that combine Indian flavors with more western style dishes.  And thank heavens, it does NOT refer to itself as "Indian Fusion." 

The fact is, I love Indian food.  With most of my heart.  An even bigger portion of my heart, however, I use to love my husband, who does not dig the Indian food.  So this cookbook is a great solution - it brings Indian spices within his comfort zone.  Case in point with this dish.  At first glance, it's just your typical stir fry.  But when you take a bite, it surprises you with some bold Indian spices that you weren't expecting.  He definitely liked it.

It also features one of my favorite flavors, cilantro.  I realize there are cilantro haters out there - and they will want to skip this dish.  But it reminds me of a delicious cilantro chicken my mother always made that is one of my all time favorites of her recipes.  Something about cilantro and tomato - it's just a beautiful combination.

I improvised a bit with what I had on hand, so this is my version of Ms. Batra's recipe.  Feel free to change up the spices to use whatever Indian goodies you have in your cupboard.

Karahi Chicken

adapted from Neelam Batra's Chilis to Chutneys

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained

1 generous cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion and ginger, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic and tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until a cohesive sauce starts to form, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add cilantro, garam masala, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken.  Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is mostly cooked, about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper strips, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes to marry the flavors.  Serve over rice, or with naan.

Enjoy!