Monday, September 21, 2020

Disappearing Brownies

From United Methodist Cookbook

Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: This Brownies were very sweet and ooey gooey. I don't think I would make them again. The center is very wet. It mentions that in the recipe, so I didn't want to overbake. I did bake 25 minutes or so. They solidified some in the center upon cooling, but were still very wet. It was a small pan, so the kids and I ate them all! 😁😂🤣 No more leftovers to worry about. The edge pieces were best. Yum, butterscotch! I used milk chocolate instead of semisweet chips which likely contributed to the sweetness and richness. 

Saturday, September 19, 2020

Slow Cooker Brisket

Posted by: https://www.recipetineats.com/slow-cooker-beef-brisket-with-bbq-sauce/

Ingredients

  • 1.5 – 2 kg / 3 – 4 lb beef brisket (Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (or a neutral oil like vegetable, canola)

RUB:

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 3/4 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

BBQ SAUCE:

  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml ketchup
  • 1/2 cup / 110g brown sugar , packed
  • 2 tsp EACH black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste re: spiciness)
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Mix Rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket. If time permits, leave for 30 minutes – 24 hours in the fridge, but I rarely do this.
Combine BBQ Sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Mix then add the brisket – squish it in if needed, like I did (see video).
Slow cook in slow cooker for 8 hours (1.5 kg / 3 lb) to 10 hours (2 kg / 4 lb). (Note 2 for pressure cooker and click here for oven)
Remove brisket onto a tray.
Pour liquid in slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency (it thickens more as it cools).
Meanwhile, drizzle brisket with oil then roast in a 200C/390F oven for 15 minutes until brown spots appear. Remove then baste generously with Sauce, then return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste again, then return to oven for 5 – 10 minutes until it caramelises and looks like the photos. (See note for BBQ option)
TO SERVE: Slice brisket thinly across the grain and serve with remaining BBQ Sauce. This is terrific served as a meal with sides or piled high onto rolls with Coleslaw as sliders. See Note 3 for more ideas

Notes:
1. Beef - This recipe will work on any slow cooking cut of beef but it works best with brisket because it holds its shape once slow cooked until tender, so it can be sliced. See post for more info. Best sub is chuck beef roast that's rolled and tied. 
2a). Cook time - The cook times provided yields a tender brisket that is sliceable but tender so the slices tear easily, as demonstrated in the video. Don’t stress too much about cook time - brisket is a cut of beef that holds together pretty well even cooked to the point of being shreddable. So even a 1.5kg / 3 lb brisket slow cooked for 10 hours should still be sliceable. Brisket that isn’t tender is tough and chewy but if you pull it out too early, don’t worry, just keep cooking!
SLOW COOKER on HIGH: Same recipe, 4.5 hours for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 5 hours for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions.
PRESSURE COOKER: Same recipe, 1 hr 15 minutes for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 1 hr 30 minutes for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions. If you've got an Instant Pot, add 1 cup water (otherwise you get the burn notice) and might need to reduce sauce slightly at end. Natural release, or wait 15 minutes then quick release
OVEN: Click here for directions.
2b) DIFFERENT SIZES: For a 800g - 1 kg / 1.6 - 2 lb piece of brisket, I would still slow cook for 7 to 8 hours on low because the cook time is more about brisket width rather than length. 
For a 2.5 - 3 kg / 5 - 6 lb brisket, I would slow cook for 10 hours on low.
3. How to serve - See in post for what to serve this with. For Sliders, I use soft rolls (brioche buns are pictured in the post) with Coleslaw (or try this No Mayo Coleslaw - it's excellent!)
4. Finish on BBQ: fantastic chargrilled flavour: Brush grills with oil, then preheat BBQ to medium. Place beef on the grills and leave until browned, then turn the beef over and brown the other side. Baste the beef generously and turn, then baste again. Do this repeatedly until there is a nice caramelised glaze on the brisket, then remove.

Hot Mama Grade: Meat - A, BBQ Sauce - F

Hot Mama Notes: The meat turned out good, but I would never make the BBQ sauce again. It tasted too much like ketchup. Yuck! I also wouldn't bother with baking at the end. Just put it in the show cooler and then eat! :)

6 Minute Chocolate Cake (Wacky Cake)

From: Moosewood Dessert Cookbook
Hot Mama Grade: A 

Hot Mama Notes: Everyone enjoyed this cake. I didn't frost it (because I didn't want to make frosting when I was already making 4 separate desserts for a dessert party), but I think next time I would frost it and it would taste even better. A friend mentioned that this cake originated in the great depression when eggs were scarce, and that it is called Wacky cake. The cake is moist and has good flavor.

Cowboy Cookies

From: Moosewood Dessert Cookbook 

Hot Mama Grade: A 

Hot Mama Cookies: These cookies are good. I would make them again. They are easy and relatively quick to make. This recipe doesn't make a ton of cookies. I would make a double batch next time. 

Pumpkin Scones

Originally posted by: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/pumpkin-scones/?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-gimmesomeoven&utm_content=later-10223517&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram#tasty-recipes-73924


PUMPKIN SCONE INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup very cold salted butter,* diced or grated (or +1/4 t salt) 
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/3 cup buttermilk (or milk), plus extra for brushing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

VANILLA GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons buttermilk (or milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ginger or cardamom

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt until evenly combined.

Cut in the butter. Add the diced butter and use a pastry cutter or two forks (or a food processor, see below) to cut the butter evenly into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly and the butter forms no larger than pea-sized chunks.

Add in the wet ingredients. Add in the pumpkin purée, milk and vanilla extract. Then use a spatula to quickly and gently stir the mixture until no dry streaks remain. (Try to avoid over-mixing.)

Shape the scones. Turn the mixture out onto a flour-dusted surface and fold the dough over on itself a few times until it holds together and can form a ball. (The dough will be a bit sticky, so don’t worry.) Pat the dough down flat into an 8-inch circle. Then use a large knife or bench scraper to slice the dough into 8 equal-sized pie wedges. (You may need to wipe off your knife between slices if the dough is sticky.)

Chill. Transfer the wedges to a parchment-covered baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Then transfer the baking sheet to the freezer for 15 minutes or so while your oven heats. Heat the oven to 425°F.

Bake. Briefly brush the top of each scone with a bit of buttermilk. Then transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the scones are lightly golden on top and cooked through. Transfer to a wire baking rack to cool.

Glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients until combined. (If the mixture seems too thin, add more powdered sugar.) Then once the scones have cooled a bit, brush or drizzle the glaze on top of the scones. Serve and enjoy!

NOTES
Butter: If you are using unsalted butter, just add an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt to the recipe. Also, it’s important that your butter is completely chilled, so I recommend keeping it in the fridge right up until the minute that you add it to the recipe.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS:
Want to customize this pumpkin scone recipe a bit? Feel free to…

Sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top: In lieu of (or in addition to) a glaze, I also made a batch of these sprinkled with chunky turbinado sugar on top before baking and they were delicious. Highly recommend if you would like a bit of extra crunch and sweetness.

Add baking chips: You could also mix some semisweet or white chocolate chips into the scone dough if you would like.
Add nuts: You could also mix in some chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts) into the scone dough, or sprinkle some on top of the glaze.

Use different warming spices: Feel free to also play around with the types and amounts of warming spices added to this recipe. For example, some ground cardamom would be delicious in these scones too.

Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: I had to bake these an extra 2-3 minutes than listed. I used a toothpick coming out clean as the gauge. These scones are good but very rich!! And I think I prefer turbinado sugar on top to glaze, but the glaze is sweet and tasty (just very sticky and wet).  You need to eat the scones with a fork with the glaze. I like these, but I'm not a pumpkin fiend as much as some others, so I think I like plain chocolate chip scones better.  That being said, I would make them again! :)



Zuppa Toscana

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I like this soup. It is an annual favorite at our Bunko Christmas party. This is my first time making it; I asked for the recipe. It's a little more work than I like to do...  Lots of pots and pans. Usually my soups are simple! It is tasty though. And easy enough. 

Monday, September 7, 2020

Chocolate Sugar Cookies


Hot Mama Grade: B+
Hot Mama Notes: Th

Ribeye Steak - Cast Iron

3 min each side on high heat in the cast iron pan, 5 min in oven at 400 to make medium instead of medium rare. Put butter on top steak, plus rosemary (whole) and a garlic choice crushed without skin.  Dry off meat before cooking. Also season with salt and pepper. 

Hazelnut Brownies

From: Moosewood Dessert Cookbook 

Hot Mama Grade: C
Hot Mama Notes: I have to say that I am mightily disappointed by this recipe. I love chocolate. I love hazelnuts. I love chocolate and hazelnuts together. But this recipe was a lot of work (which I didn't mind), but it didn't deliver. :(. It was very dense. A bit too much dark chocolate for me. The roasted hazelnuts were delicious. And they ground up nicely in my blendtec. I wasn't sure they would. And the trick with rubbing the nuts on the towel to get the skins off worked like a charm. I will not make this again. It didn't really taste like Brownies, but rather like a chocolate bar or almost fudge. 

Maple Cake

From: Moosewood Dessert Cookbook 
Hot Mama Grade: B+

Hot Mama Notes: This is a good cake. And I really like maple. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting. Maybe something smoother, lighter, fluffier. This is a heavy and moist cake. The frosting is very sweet, but good. The recipe was easy and easy to follow. I had all the ingredients on hand. I didn't add the extra maple flavor because I forgot. I wish I would have, though. The cruising recipe makes just enough. I had to cook the cakes in the frig because it's so hot here. I kept the frosting in the frig as well, until the cake was ready to frost.