Enjoy Summer's Last Tomatoes

I think I remember what a real tomato tastes like.  However, it’s been so long since I had one that maybe it’s a dream.  My father occasionally came home from work with a bag of freshly picked tomatoes he’d bought at a roadside stand.  We would eat them like apples.  But those days are long gone.

I tried growing my own, but tomato worms and snails got to them before I did.

Now I use Roma (aka plum) tomatoes to make Tomato Pie.  Baking the pie for 25 minutes helps concentrate the tomato flavor and makes me think about my childhood.

Tomato Pie – serves 3-4  

The key to success is slicing the tomatoes at least 1 hour beforehand, placing the slices on a clean towel and then covering them with another towel.  This blots away the excess moisture and keeps the crust from becoming soggy. 

1 pre-baked pie crust
8-10 Roma (aka plum) tomatoes
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary (cut into 1/8-inch pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil  

Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-slices and blot away the moisture, as described above. 
When ready to make the pie, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (or 375 degrees if using a glass pie pan).  

Spread the mustard onto the bottom of the pie crust and then cover with cheese.  Lay half the tomato slices on top of the cheese, making sure the slices overlap.  Sprinkle with half the garlic powder, rosemary, salt and black pepper.  Repeat the process, using up the rest of the tomato slices, salt and spices.  Drizzle the olive oil over the top and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to shrink.  

Serve immediately or let cool and serve at room temperature.  

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Quiche Lorraine Sounds So Sophisticated!

Back when I was a new cook, I didn’t know much of anything.  Every recipe I looked at impressed me.  When one of my sophisticated friends invited me to dinner and made Spaghetti with Garlic Sauce, I was enthralled.  Only when I dared make it myself did I realize how easy it was.

My first taste of Quiche Lorraine came at a cocktail party.  By then I was slightly more ambitious in the kitchen.  I liked the bacon-y flavor of the quiche but had no idea what was in it.  There was no Internet then, so I went to a bookstore and searched through cookbooks.  That may be when I bought my first copy of “Joy of Cooking,” which included a Quiche Lorraine recipe. 

After studying it, I realized this dish was really a bacon and egg pie.  How hard could that be to make?

Harder than I thought because it involved making a pie crust.  At least I had my grandmother’s rolling pin.  When I bought the recipe ingredients, I also bought a pie pan.  Several hours later I proudly took my first quiche out of the oven.  It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Over the years I’ve adapted the original recipe, but the first bite always brings back memories of my young and foolish years.

Quiche Lorraine – serves 4-6 (with a nod to “Joy of Cooking”)  

1 unbaked pie crust 

4 slices bacon  

1 medium onion, thinly sliced 

1 1/2 cups light cream 

3 large eggs 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg  

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 cup grated Edam or Swiss cheese  

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Put the bacon slices into a heavy frying pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly as the bacon gives up its fat and begins to brown.  Turn the slices over and cook for another minute.  Remove the cooked bacon and let it drain on a paper towel-covered plate. 

Pour off most of the bacon fat into an empty can or jar, leaving about 1 teaspoon fat in the pan.  Add the sliced onions and stir until it begins to soften.  Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. 

In a large bowl combine the light cream, eggs, nutmeg, salt, black pepper and cheese and stir thoroughly.  Add the cooked onions and stir again. 

Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces with scissors and scatter the pieces over the unbaked pie crust.  Pour the cream/egg mixture over the bacon pieces and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top has begun to brown and knife inserted into the top of the quiche comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes on a rack.  Serve or reheat when needed.

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Spicy Potato Spread from Mom's Kitchen

One of my favorite local restaurants in Southern California is Chef Hannes in El Segundo, not far from the Los Angeles Airport.  When you arrive for lunch or dinner, the first dish that lands on your table is a complimentary bowl of thick green spread accompanied by slices of French bread.

I wasn’t sure what I was eating, but I knew that I liked it.  I hinted to the owner, who sometimes also serves as the waiter, that I would like the recipe. All I got were two clues: garlic and potatoes.

For several years I tried to duplicate this appetizer in my kitchen.  After making another inedible version, which this time included vinegar, I finally had a breakthrough.  Pesto.  I had a jar of Basil Pesto, which I keep around as an easy topping for spaghetti.  It’s green and garlicky.  Why not mash a boiled potato and stir in a few spoonfuls of pesto.  It worked.  I drizzled some hot sauce on the top, heated up some French bread and demolished the whole bowl.

Spicy Potato Spread – serves 4 

2 medium potatoes
1/4 cup basil pesto + more if needed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Several drops hot sauce + more if preferred
Sliced French bread 

Boil the potatoes in water for about 20-25 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a knife.  Drain the water and pull off and discard the potato skins.  Roughly mash the potatoes with a fork. 

Stir in the basil pesto, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is mostly green, with only a few flecks of white showing.  Add the salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Taste to see if more seasoning is needed. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and top with some hot sauce.  Serve with slices of French bread, warm if possible.

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Question for Mom

 Now that uncooked boneless chicken breasts often weigh more than 1 pound each, I’ve been wondering what’s the best way to prepare them.  Do they need to cook longer than smaller breasts? –Evelyn K.

One large chicken breast can feed a family of 4, especially if you cut the meat into stir-fry pieces and supplement with some fresh vegetables.  Spices would help provide flavor because this size breast is pretty bland.  Cooking time would be a few minutes longer because of the greater amount of chicken, but you could get a meal on the table in 30 minutes.

Marinating and roasting the chicken breast is also an option.  In order to keep the breast from drying out, cut it into 4-to-6 relatively equal-size pieces and marinate them in a spicy sauce for at least 1 hour.  Roast for 20 minutes, or until thin slices are white in the middle, not pink.  Slice the cooked breast pieces as thinly as possible. Pour any leftover cooked marinade on top and serve with pita bread, if using, and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Spicy Chicken Slices – serves 4 

1½ pound boneless chicken breast or 2 smaller boneless chicken breasts
¼ cup olive or canola oil
1 large onion, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 Persian cucumbers or 1 medium-size cucumber, sliced
Pita Bread, heated (optional)
Rice (optional) 

Cut the chicken breast(s) into 4-6 large chunks and set aside. 

Add 1 tablespoon oil to a small frying pan and begin heating over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring continually until it starts to soften.  Remove from the heat and transfer the onion and oil left in the bottom of the pan to a large bowl. 

Add the rest of the oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and stir well.  Add the chicken chunks to the marinade and stir until they are covered with marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

When you are ready to roast the chicken pieces, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or use a silicone mat to cover the sheet.  Transfer the chicken pieces to the foil/mat sheet and pour any remaining marinade on top.

Bake about 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces once.  Test to see if done by cutting the largest chicken piece in half.  If it is pink in any way, bake for another 5 minutes, or until it has turned white.  

When the chicken pieces are fully cooked, remove from the oven.  Slice as thinly as possible and pile the meat on a serving plate.  Pour any cooked marinade left in the pan on top.  Serve the tomatoes, cucumber and pita bread, if using, separately.  If serving rice, offer it in a separate bowl.

                                      See all Questions for Mom

Welcome Home! Real Tomatoes

I just read that tomatoes may be getting their flavor back!  This probably sounds odd to anyone under 30, who may well assume that tomatoes are used in salads and sandwiches mostly for their color.

Lure of the Chocolate Chip

I’m proud to be a chocoholic.  I’ve tried weaning myself off this addiction.  Once I managed to avoid chocolate for two weeks, but that was a long time ago.  Without the invention of chocolate chips, I might have succeeded. 

Have You Ever Tried Canned Chicken?

Back when the Covid-19 pandemic started, I laid in a lot of supplies.  Gradually, though, I’ve been using them up in my daily cooking.  Only one item I bought gave me pause—the 12.5-ounce cans of cooked chicken breasts.  I noticed them at my big box store because they were sitting alone on a shelf that had been stripped of everything else.

Want a Chocolate Fix? Try This!

 I admit I am a chocoholic.  At Halloween I always make sure I have extra Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups so some will be left for me.  In the summer I turn to fresh strawberries and melted chocolate.  It’s hard to think of a better dessert or a mid-afternoon snack than chocolate-covered strawberries.

If strawberries are out of season, try tangerines.  They’re easy to peel and separate into sections, and they taste wonderful when dipped in chocolate.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries – serves 4-6

Simple, Cheap and Tasty...What's Not to Like?

I have to be in the mood to make an appetizer—especially if no company is coming for dinner.  But I will make an exception for White Bean Spread because I like it so much.  There are just 4 ingredients, plus some slices of crusty bread, although even stale bread taste good with a dollop of this spread.

If you want to feel like you’re really cooking, you can buy dried white beans and cook them yourself.
That process will take several hours.  Or save yourself the trouble by using a can of cooked white kidney beans, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans or navy beans.

If the idea of making an appetizer seems unnecessary, consider his spread as a sandwich or tortilla filling.  Add some cut-up vegetables and you’re good for lunch or mid-afternoon snack! 

White Bean Spread – serves 4-6 

 1 15-ounce can cooked white kidney beans (aka cannellini), Great Northern or navy
       beans, rinsed and drained (or 1/2 cup of any of the above dried white beans--see
       NOTE below)
1/4 cup olive oil + more if necessary
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt + more if necessary
1 loaf crusty French bread, sliced into 1/2-inch slices (heated if desired) 

Combine the cooked beans, olive oil, garlic and salt in a food processor and process for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture is almost smooth.  Taste to see if it has been processed enough.  It should be the consistency of mashed potatoes.  If it seems to dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil and process again for 10 seconds.  Continue adding oil until it’s the consistency you like.  Add a bit more salt if needed for flavor but it’s better to under-salt than over-salt. 

Spoon spread over bread and serve. 

NOTE: If using dried beans, half-fill a large pot with water, add the dried beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 2 hours, or until the beans have softened.  Drain and proceed with the recipe above.

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Make Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!" 

 

Make Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

 

Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!" 

Make Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

 Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!" 

Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!" 

Make Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

 

Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"

Make Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"
 

Try Chicken Tikka for Dinner!

 Chicken Tikka – serves 4 

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika 

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside. 

Combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken cubes and mix again so that they are covered with the yogurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven to 545 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.  Place the chicken cubes on skewers and the skewers onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.  Check to make sure it’s white in the middle, not pink.  If it’s pink, bake for several more minutes.  Serve immediately.

                          For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

I make very few desserts that are better than Chocolate Chip Cookies.  This latest version was perfected by my sister-in-law, an excellent cook who enjoys experimenting with both classic and untried recipes.  In this recipe she doubles the baking soda

Make Your Own Salad Dressing

 Homemade salad dressing is an often-overlooked addition to a home-cooked meal.  For years I always kept Good Seasons salad dressing packets in the larder and opened one up when I needed it.  We got so used to the flavor that we would lug a dozen packets back to London after visiting family.

Try Bacon and Tomato Soup as a Light Dinner

 

I like trying new recipes, but there are times when I crave a dish from my past.  The trigger to making Bacon and Tomato Soup was seeing large, luscious-looking tomatoes at the grocery store.  They reminded me of my childhood, when a tomato tasted like a tomato.  I bought some and sliced them up as a side dish.  They were so good that Bart and I ate them all in one sitting.

Try This Classic: Hungarian Goulash

 

 If I had more time, I’d make Julia Child’s Coq au Vin (Casserole of Chicken in Red Wine) recipe once a week.  I have successfully recreated her Cheese Souffle—a dish I was terrified to cook for guests because at the time I was a newbie in the kitchen and worried it wouldn’t rise.  I also treasure her Beef Bourguignon (Beef Stewed in Red Wine) recipe, and there’s no fear factor involved—just lots of steps and waiting around.

How to Make Chocolate Granola Bars in 10 Minutes

Whenever I think of granola bars, I think of school lunches.  But with my new recipe for Chocolate Granola Bars, snack time can be much tastier.  The secret ingredient is unsweetened cocoa powder.

 These granola bars, which require no baking, are easy to make and even easier to eat.  They are so good that they can even stand in for dessert—if you haven’t gobbled them all before before dinnertime.

No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bars – adapted from “Chocolate on the Brain” 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter + more for greasing

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1¾ cups granola

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, making sure two ends of the foil overhang the pan by about 2 inches so you can easily life the bars out of the pan later.  Lightly rub the bottom and sides of the foil with butter and set aside.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and cocoa powder in a medium, heavy pot over medium heat.  Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until the butter has melted.  Remove from the heat and add the granola, chocolate chips, walnuts (if using) and vanilla and stir to combine. 

Scrape the batter into the pan and freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the top feels cool and firm.  Carefully lift the ends of the foil and remove the granola mixture from the pan.  Cut into 8 or 16 bars and wrap each one individually in foil or plastic wrap.  Store in the refrigerator in a closed container.

              For easy-to-make recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"

Make Your Own Garlic Mayonnaise!

 

Save money by making your own garlic mayonnaise: mix 2 tablespoons store-bought mayonnaise with 1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoon dried dill and a few drops olive oil. The olive oil gives the mayonnaise a slightly golden hue and suggests it’s homemade.

See all my Money-Saving Tips!

Today Is a Good Day for Soup!

 

Homemade soup is a perfect way to start the weekend, especially if you are making a big dinner on Sunday.

Try This Exotic Salad for Dinner Tonight!

 

Butternut Squash and Radicchio Salad 

The combination of the creamy squash, the crisp radicchio, the crunchy pistachios and the tart juicy pomegranate seeds really hit the spot. I dressed it with a Dijon- Shallot Vinaigrette. – from Blog supporter Grace Markarian

Peel, seed, and chop a medium-sized butternut squash into uniform half-inch pieces.

Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 half teaspoon cardamom.

Spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 375-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Let cool.

Chop one head of radicchio into pieces similar in size to the squash.

Depending on how much salad you want to make, mix one (or two) cups of chopped radicchio with one (or two) cups of squash, and some of the vinaigrette (see below).

Top with 1/3 cup of roasted, lightly salted pistachios and 1/3 cup of pomegranate seeds. 

Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette

Slice or mince half a shallot. Place in bowl or glass jar.

Pour one tablespoon champagne vinegar and one tablespoon lemon juice over the shallot and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add half a teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and 6 tablespoons olive oil.  Whisk to mix or secure lid in jar and shake to mix. 

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Valentine’s Day May Be Over!

 

But guess what! My chocolate supply is holding steady. In fact, I made a batch of wonderful brownies yesterday. These Triple Chocolate Brownies, as I named them, distracted me from possibly feeling sad about the end of my favorite holiday.

Today I bought a 72-ounce bag of Costco’s chocolate chips. That should last a while and keep my sweet tooth happy.

Meanwhile, try making these brownies as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.

Triple Chocolate Brownies – serves 8-10

 2 tablespoons butter + more for greasing

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, making sure two ends of the foil overhang the pan by about 2 inches so you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan later. Lightly rub the bottom and sides of the foil with butter. Set aside.

Combine the chocolate, water and butter in a medium, heavy pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is just melted, turn off the heat and add the cocoa. Stir until combined and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until no flour shows. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top feel firm and the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the ends of the foil and remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into 25 squares and serve. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap.

              For more chocolate recipes get “Chocolate on the Brain”  

The Perfect Substitute: Potato Chips

 

I was making tacos for lunch when I suddenly realized we had eaten all the hummus. What could I use as a replacement alongside the beans and cheese? Then I spotted an open bag of potato chips. Why not crumble some of them and sprinkle on top of the tacos before serving? 

They worked perfectly, adding some crunch. Who needs hummus!

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Surprise!

 

Grocery shopping can be a chore or an adventure. I prefer the adventure part, even if it is 6 am, and I am one of only three shoppers in the store.  At the back of my supermarket there is a small piece of furniture filled with mesh bags full of overripe fruit and vegetables, Every bag is 99 cents, even the bag that held these colorful, stripy bell peppers. I couldn’t resist. I used them in a Chinese stir-fry, but they would be equally good raw.

I wonder what will be on sale next weekend.

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There’s Always Something New for Cooks to Learn

 

Here is a little-known fact about avocadoes. If you cook them or heat them in any way, they are very likely to taste bitter. If you must add pieces of avocado to Tortilla Soup or any other dish that you traditionally serve hot, add them at the very last minute when the dish is on its way to the table. Avoid heating avocadoes as there is no way to get rid of the resulting unpleasant flavor.

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Question for Mom

Why does ground beef sometimes shrink more than ground turkey when you cook it?  ---Hannah B.

Ground beef often has more fat.  In fact, some ground beef can contain as much as 30% fat.  Fat melts during the cooking process, so not surprisingly your burgers become smaller.  Ground turkey does have some fat, and if it’s made from dark meat the fat content can approach that of ground beef.  Be sure to read the label.  I prefer the 7% fat ground turkey.

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Meatloaf with a Twist

 

I grew up hating meatloaf. Whenever my mother would proudly announce she had made a meatloaf, I cringed. What she really meant was she put some ground beef and seasoning in a casserole and baked it. When it was done, she set it on the table, and my brother and I got to watch all the fat from the beef floating in the casserole. Had I known more about cooking then, I would have recommended that she transfer the cooked meatloaf to a clean serving plate, leaving the fat behind.

Calling All Cherry Tomato Fans!

 

Cherry tomatoes are a perfect antidote to cold weather.  They make you think of summer—a memory I can use right now since we just had a hail storm in normally sunny California.

If you are lucky enough to find a box of cherry tomatoes in the produce department, here are 5 things you can do with them today: