Gramma's Cookin'

Andes Mint Chip Brownies

Posted on 11 January 2011 | 6 responses

I suppose there might come a day when I start to get bored with brownies, but until that time I’m just going to keep on with it.  They’re fast to make, chocolate, everybody loves them, chocolate, well you get the idea.

When a friend recently decided to have a crafting day at her house I seized the opportunity to get some baking in.  If I bake at home for the mr. and I we both end up eating way too much, so I love being able to “share the fat” so to speak.  I sent a quick email to be certain she didn’t mind and of course she was delighted.

The night before, when really I should have started something fabulous, I couldn’t think of a thing I wanted to bake.  Finally I decided that I would just wait until morning and make the Symphony Brownies because I know those are always well received. 

But as luck would have it, that morning on Twitter I saw a tweet that said simply “Back to Basics: Simple Chocolate-Chippy Brownies.”  OK, why not try a new recipe?

I loved reading her article about the brownies and she was right – I had all the ingredients in my pantry, including some Andes Mints.  They take no time at all to whip up, tasted FANTASTIC and just might be my go-to brownie for a while – they are that good.

Look at that chewy chocolaty goodness!  Really – try a pan of these and see what you think.  I can’t wait to try them with peanut butter chips, or really even just “plain” chocolate chips.

Favorite Chewy Brownies
recipe from MamaSteph

1 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped Andes Mint Chips, chocolate chips, etc.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 13×9 pan with Pam and set aside.

Combine sugar, butter and water in a large mixing bowl, then stir in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir into sugar mixture using a wooden spoon. Stir in Andes Mint Chips (or other additions). Spread into baking pan and bake for 18-25 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out only slightly sticky. Cool in pan on wire rack.

** Linking to Tasty Tuesday, Your Recipe/My Kitchen

Rustic Beef Stew

Posted on 3 January 2011 | 1 response

We are finally getting some cooler weather and of course we reach for different foods.

I’ll confess that stew in general has never been one of my favorite meals.  While I don’t really dislike it, it’s definitely not something that I spring forth with a cry of “I know – let’s have beef stew for dinner tonight” very often at all.  But when it’s cold outside it belongs on the short list of things that really do warm you up from the inside out.

 

I saw this recipe on the Sing For Your Supper blog and decided this was the next stew recipe to try.  I’ll be the first to admit that my bowl of stew doesn’t look nearly as thick and hearty, nor is my bowl as cute.  BUT…in the end the taste is what matters and this recipe is most definitely a winner!

The major change that I made is to leave out the red wine.  The few times we’ve cooked with red wine we are just not fond of the flavor, so I’ve given up on using it.  If you are a cook with red wine fan though I do encourage you to click over and use the original recipe.

 

This photo shows what it looks like prior to the final simmer.  It was at this point that I knew we were going to love it!  I served this stew with crescent rolls and we both agreed that this meal has found a permanent place in our dinner rotation. 

RUSTIC BEEF STEW
recipe adapted from Sing For Your Supper

1/4 cup flour
2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
large handful of baby carrots
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon A-1 steak sauce
salt and pepper

Toss the beef and flour in a bowl until the beef is coated.  Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat and brown the beef.  Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.

Add beef broth to the pan and scrape up any beef bits from the sides and bottom of the pan.  Add the beef, parsley, salt and pepper to the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Stir in potatoes, carrots, onion, Worcestershire, ketchup and steak sauce.  Cover and simmer for 1 more hour.

 

** Linking to Tasty Tuesday

Peppermint Brownies

Posted on 14 December 2010 | 7 responses

It must be human nature to take a wonderful dessert – like a brownie – and strive to make it better.  My “go to” brownie is the Symphony Brownie and I think I might have just discovered its holiday rival.

I made these brownies to take to a December meeting at church and it truly is satisfying to watch people take a bite of something you make and, mid-sentence even, see their eyes close and a delighted moan escape their lips.  Such was the case with these brownies.

They come out very fudge-like and with just a hint of peppermint, nothing overwhelming.  The drizzle of frosting and crushed candy cane kisses complete the flavor and it really is a wonderful moment in time.

I will admit though that when my Beloved and I had a test brownie (really you have to do this if at all possible prior to taking a food item anywhere) I foolishly asked him what he thought of them.  He said they were fine, but he really prefers just a plain brownie.  Silly man….  

PEPPERMINT BROWNIES
recipe from Land O’Lakes and topping idea from My Baking Addiction

BROWNIE
1 1/4 cups butter
6 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

FROSTING
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

GARNISH
1/4 cup chopped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses

Preheat oven to 350° and grease bottom only of 13×9 baking pan.

In a large bowl melt 1 1/4 cups butter and chocolate in the microwave, stopping to stir every minute, then every 30 seconds until melted.  Stir in sugar, then add eggs and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and stir just until mixed.  Stir in flour and salt; mix just until ingredients are moistened and brownie mixture is smooth.

Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brownie just begins to pull away from sides of pan (do not over bake!).  Cool completely.

Combine all frosting ingredients except milk in a small bowl and stir together.  Gradually add milk and beat with a mixer at low speed, scraping bowl often and adding milk as needed to reach the desired consistency.  Pour frosting into a sandwich bag and snip one corner.  Drizzle frosting over the top of the brownies, then sprinkle with chopped Candy Cane Kisses.

** Linking to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Home for the Holidays, Hearth and Soul, Tasty Tuesday

Creamed Corn Casserole

Posted on 5 December 2010 | 5 responses

One of the things I thoroughly enjoy about holiday meals with my family is how much we all love to try new recipes.  Every year we have the old faithful food that nobody wants to miss and nestled right alongside are the year’s “let’s try this” foods.

Some years we taste and decide that we don’t need to try this recipe again (!) and some years we have some real winners.  Fortunately this year we added several dishes to our “old faithful food” list. 

My sister-in-law, Aunt Shell, did some taste-tasting prior to the holidays and we got a little sneak peak because she posted photos and reviews to her Facebook.

This also was the only food that my 3 year old granddaughter wanted when we would pull out leftovers, so that should tell you just how good it was.

** I love that a dish that contains sour cream and butter can be considered a “vegetable.”  

 

CREAMED CORN CASSEROLE
from Aunt Shell

** Linking to Mouthwatering Mondays, Tasty Tuesday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Foodie Friday

Pineapple Pie

Posted on 30 November 2010 | 8 responses

The holidays always bring out those warm family memories.  And it seems like so many of the memories involve food somehow, especially where our grandmothers are concerned.

One of my very favorite “grandma” foods was my grandma’s Pineapple Pie.  I’m certain my grandma had one of these pies made every time we made the trip to Arkansas to visit and not just on holidays.

This Thanksgiving was the first time I tried making it and we were all very pleased with how it turned out – instant memories all around!  Fortunately my mom was there to do the lattice top as she remembered it bubbling in the oven without some kind of cutout in the pastry dough.  This will always be on our menu going forward. 

PINEAPPLE PIE
my Grandmother’s Recipe

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon minute tapioca

Combine ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie crust, dot with butter and top with lattice crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

** Linking to Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Hearth and Soul Hop, Recipe Swap Thursday, Foodie Friday, I’m Lovin’ It

Taco Soup

Posted on 13 November 2010 | 1 response

One of the best parts of cooler weather is bringing out the recipes for soup, stew and chili.  They warm you from the inside out (which makes me think of the old Campbell’s soup commercial where the children come in the house as snowmen and then become their normal self after soup) and they are so fast and easy to prepare.

Taco Soup is one of our favorites and it’s almost embarrassing how easy it is.  And equally silly looking is the line of empty cans on the counter after putting everything in the pot. 

It’s a versatile recipe too – really you can put in any amount of the ingredients and change it to your taste.  I did not drain any of my cans and only used one can of water and it made the soup consistency that we prefer.

TACO SOUP
(I’ve had this recipe in my file for years, not sure where it came from originally)

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can corn
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans water

Cook the meat and onions in a dutch oven on the stovetop until done; drain any grease that remains.  Add all the cans to the pan – do not drain anything.  Heat through and serve.

Perfect Cornbread

Posted on 4 November 2010 | 3 responses

Cornbread seems to be one of those things that people feel rather passionately about and everybody has their own idea of what perfect cornbread tastes like.  I am not a fan at all of dry cornbread, but some of the sweet cornbreads can be too much like a dessert for me to eat with a meal.

When I found this recipe on a blog and saw that she quoted King Arthur Flour as saying “this cornbread is a rare compromise between Southern and Northern cornbreads; it’s ‘just right’, as regards the amount of sugar" I knew I’d found a recipe that just might be what we would love.

 

And love it we did!  I made this in a 9 inch square pan and will probably try it as muffins next time.  This cornbread was exactly what I was looking for – and my beloved even said this recipe is a keeper.  It’s very moist and almost cake-like without being so sweet as to be a dessert.

Obviously with only the two of us we had a lot of leftovers.  Not a problem at all as I enjoyed a piece this morning with my coffee and it made a wonderful breakfast. 

 

 

CORNBREAD
from Telly’s Tasty Tidbits (originally from King Arthur Flour)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 375F.  Spray a 9 inch square pan with Pam (or use 12 muffin cups).

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a small bowl whisk together milk, melted butter and egg.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended (I used a spatula for this and it worked very well.)

Spread the batter in the pan (or scoop into the muffin cups).  Bake for 17-25 minutes, just until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and a toothpick in the center comes out clean (in my 9 inch square pan it took 18 minutes).

Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 5 minutes before cutting.  Serve warm.

 

** Linking to Recipe Swap Thursday, Foodie Friday, I’m Lovin’ It

Menu Plan Monday 110110

Posted on 1 November 2010 | No responses

Time for me to get back in line and do what I know what to do!  I have been lazy and dinners have been “by the seat of my pants” for the last month or so – shame on me!

MONDAY – Salad with Italian Grilled Chicken Thighs

TUESDAY – Lettuce wraps – with tuna salad

WEDNESDAY – Taco Soup, Cornbread Muffins

THURSDAY – Chili Dogs

FRIDAY – Taco Salad

MISC – Banana Bars, Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake (both are new to me recipes and I plan to take these to work with me)

** Linking to Menu Plan Monday at I’m An Organizing Junkie

Soft Sugar Cookies

Posted on 28 October 2010 | 2 responses

What do you do when you want frosted sugar cookies but don’t have a lot of time to bake?  This recipe is the answer!  They took very little time and ended up quite festive.

 

The recipe I chose said on her blog that these are her husband’s favorite cookie.  Good enough endorsement for me!  They did turn out wonderful and reminded me very much of the pink frosted cookies you can buy at Walmart.  I will say that I’ll continue looking at recipes though because using Crisco didn’t excite me.  But the flavor sure did!  

 

One word on the frosting – don’t make it too runny….ask me how I know.   After this I added more powdered sugar. 

 

SOFT SUGAR COOKIES
recipe from Nursery Rhymes & Sweet Times

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup Crisco (I buy the sticks, so much easier – and use the butter flavor Crisco)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl cream together Crisco, sugar and vanilla. Add egg and milk, beat until light and fluffy.  In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to sugar mixture 1/3 at a time until mixed together.

Scoop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets using a small cookie scoop.  Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.  I baked mine until the edges were ever so barely browned.

Let cool for a minute on the cookie sheet, then move to a wire cooling rack.  Frost cookies when they have thoroughly cooled.

FROSTING

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Add just under 1/4 cup milk to the powdered sugar in a bowl.  Beat until smooth, adding more milk or sugar to get desired consistency.  Add food color and spoon on to the top of the cookies.  Top with sprinkles while frosting is still wet, then leave on plates or wire cooling racks until frosting sets.

This recipe made 22 cookies using my cookie scoop.

 

* Linking to Foodie Friday

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Posted on 5 October 2010 | 4 responses

Nothing seems to complete a perfect meal quite like homemade dinner rolls.  The wonderful yeasty aroma filling the house before you sit down to eat just adds to the anticipation of the meal.  And oh the buttery goodness….

My absolute perfect “go to” dinner roll recipe comes from my mom and we make them every holiday.  However, they do require a few days planning in order to achieve their perfection.  That kind of schedule really isn’t practical for day-to-day meals.

I’ve started experimenting with some roll recipes that use the bread maker for dough preparation.  Scoff if you will, but that appliance can turn out a great roll and still allow me to do what I need to around the house.

We were absolutely delighted with how these turned out!  In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s rather socially unacceptable I probably would’ve eaten far more of these than what I did. 

 

SWEET DINNER ROLLS 
adapted from All Recipes

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 t salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer and choose the dough/knead cycle.  When the cycle finishes turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough into 12 chunks, then form into rolls and place into muffin tins lightly sprayed with Pam.  Cover rolls with a towel slightly dampened with warm water and place in a warm place.  Let rise for 1 hour.

Bake rolls at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Open the end of a stick of butter and run along the tops of the rolls for wonderful buttery flavor.

NOTE:  This recipe takes about two and a half hours from start to finish.

** Linking to Tasty Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday

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